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Earlier chapters found at:
http://members.tripod.com/DNyx/NETTG.html

Or by request.

Thanks to Jason Hanks and many others!

<Continued from NETTG!! Ch10 P2 (5/??)>

...

    Getting ready for a trip to the mall with friends to look
for clothes can be an involved process, or a simple one, depending
on who you're going with. Considering that Jadeite was going with
Raye and Serena, it was going to be a painful one.

    Raye grabbed Jadeite, stripped her down, and dumped her in the
bath for a few minutes. She then went through her wardrobe, trying
to find something that would fit the smaller girl, and finally
stumbled upon it: a frilly pink party-dress with lots of red ribbons
and white lace from when she was twelve. The skirt was just above
knee-length and it had a little white poodle on the side.

    "Wow! That'll be PERFECT for her!" exclaimed Serena. She looked
at Raye. "What was it from? A special get-together?"

    "Yeah," Raye said, "it was really fun," she reminisced,
blushing slightly. There had been handsome dancers, decorations, and
rock n' roll music. But for the life of her, she couldn't remember
WHY she had the party. It wasn't her birthday, or anything like that,
and it was just a couple years ago... Was she twelve or thirteen? Oh,
it didn't matter.

    Jadeite finished her bath and scrambled out, wearing a towel
and suffering from a major headache. She freaked out when she saw
the dress.

    "GAAAAH! ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!" squealed the young blonde,
huddling backward against the wall in the corner.

    "I know it's a little fancy just to go out to the mall," Raye
said, thinking it over, "but it's the only thing I have that'll
fit you. Everything else is just too big for someone like you.
Plus, all the spare robes are at the dry-cleaners. I hope you don't
mind." She did, after all, want to leave a good impression.

    "But you'll look great in it!" insisted Serena.

    Jadeite felt her skin crawl. She could go along with it and
pretend to like it, which would go a long way toward maintaining
her low profile, but there were some things that even she could
not talk herself into tolerating.

    "I'M NOT WEARING THAT, MAAAN!" Pant, pant.

    "Awww, come on, Jade!"

    "No, no, a million times NO!"

    There was some strange force in the universe that made one
fear what other people would think, even if that person in
question actually did not care one whit about it. "It's
embarrassing," is the common way of describing it, for those that
cannot trace the true source of the feeling. It essentially causes
a general uneasiness and a 'shrinking' feeling just above the
diaphragm, among other things. This was, in fact, exactly the sort
of thing Jadeite was feeling at the moment.

    "Awww, come on," Serena looked at her with THOSE eyes.
"Pleeeeaaaase?"

    Jadeite was startled when found herself slipping on the whole
outfit, starting from the beginning and ending with the tights and
lacing-up the ballet-like slippers. She felt the horrible uneasiness
grow so powerful that it started to strangle her. As if dumped into
the Arctic Ocean, her breathing waxed even more rapid and shallow,
the vacuum below her heart becoming unbearable.

    <Almost there,> she could almost hear a faint voice say.
<Let's let them know how much you appreciate their efforts.>

    The girl almost felt like it wasn't HER who stood up, smiled,
curtsied, and twirled around to give the other two girls a good look
at how she wore the dress. "Tee-hee!"

    "It looks perfect!" acclaimed Serena. While Jadeite had been
bathing, she had switched from her school sweatsuit into a casual
sweater and slightly-more-than-knee-length skirt.

    Raye opted to just stay in her robe, thank you very much.
She had to be ready for further youma possession battles.

    Jadeite momentarily developed a slight preoccupation concerning
Serena's outfit, thinking that maybe, just maybe, they had been
hiding the fact that Raye had other, less embarrassing things to wear
available to her. Perhaps it had been a trick to get her into the
dress. But, it was a little too late to worry about that, now, wasn't
it?

    "Alright, let's go!" Serena said excitedly, taking Jadeite
by the wrist and pulling her out the door.

    "G'bye! Have fun!" Grandpa Hino waved as they left. "Don't
spend it all all at one place!" He saw how cute Jadeite looked in
Raye's old dress as she went by. His eyes went wide and he whistled
in appreciation. "Heeey, nice outfit!"

    Jadeite glared daggers back at him. She was so miffed that she
could barely speak while her two female companions quickly boarded
the bus and rode it over to the best and most expensive shopping
center in this part of town.

    And then, they shopped.

    They shopped for clothes all over the place at a phenomenal
rate, and Jadeite could barely keep up. There was some sort of
unstoppable POWER that radiated from Raye and Serena; something
that the ex-general didn't comprehend, and perhaps never would.

    For example, there was the visit to a Western Outlet where
they all tried on the cowboy hats and a couple leather articles.
Jadeite found herself being dragged around the store, mesmerized
by the whole experience, going through just about everything
from hats to boots to vests to belts, and when it was all said
and done, Jadeite selected a pair of boots, a belt, and a vest
that she actually sort of liked. Raye and Serena vetoed the
selection, laughing at her and saying that it looked silly.

    The cute blonde was pouting-mad. "I'm wearing _this_ and
you call these silly?!"

    "Well, it doesn't match your eyes," Serena noted.

    "My _eyes_?"

    "Yeah, it just doesn't look right," agreed Raye.

    Jadeite just wasn't getting the hang of this 'fashion'
nonsense. Oh, certainly, she knew the proper and fashionable way to
dress for a twenty to thirty year old male--actually, she had gotten
it down to a science, including a daring foray into the world of
pierced ears and earrings--but _this_ was too much for even her to
handle right now!

    Maybe if she hadn't just gotten attacked by someone trying to
possess her body, she might have been able to handle it. She could
have had the mental strength to just take it as it went; to grin and
bear it. Might have. Could have. Would have had. Oh well, there's no
point in complaining about the past; It is done. Onward, then.

    The ex-general was hauled through a Sears invasion, and when
they were done with that, they rampaged through JC Pennys like a
whirlwind in Kansas City. They went just about everywhere; Jadeite
barely managed to talk them out of a Victoria's Secret visit,
using the excuse that, "No! We're... too young for that!"

    Even so, a couple of times, Jadeite found a few things that
actually made her admit that looked GOOD on her, and with Grandpa
Hino's copious amounts of money, BOUGHT them. She was disgusted with
herself. How could she succumb to such a thing?!

    Fortunately, the purchase of a simple, cute near-ankle-length
white dress with green trim allowed the ex-general to finally change
out of the pink party ensemble. The pressure on her diaphragm dropped
slightly and she could breathe a little more easily.

    "Hmmm," Serena looked the shorter girl over thoughtfully,
"that's good, but now you're going to need new socks and shoes with
that. The tights don't go with it either."

    "And," Rei added, "you'd look a lot better with one of these."
She tied a big, puffy white bow into Jadeite's hair, making a short
blonde ponytail. "Hmmm, you DO look a lot better with a ponytail."

    Serena hovered over and examined Raye's handiwork. "I liked
her better without a ponytail." She pulled the bow off. "She doesn't
need it."

    "I think she DOES." Raye tied it back on.

    "No she doesn't!" Off.

    "Yes she does!!!" On.

    "Doesn't!" Off.
    "Does!" On.
    "Doesn't!!!" Off.
    "Does!!!" On.

    This went on for a minute.

    "Does too!" On.
    "Does not, meatball-head!" Off. "...Hey!" On.
    "Oooooh, Raaaayeeee!"

    Jadeite started hyperventilating again while the pair above
her yanked her around by the hair, blowing screaming raspberries at
each other. Finally the two turned their backs, arms folded and
glaring daggers at one another.

    "Well," the subject of the style issue thought it over, trying
to diffuse the situation because maybe she didn't want her head torn
off right now, "maybe it's just a matter of opinion..."

    Serena and Raye thought it over, laughed, shook both hands,
and made up. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go get Jade's shoes."

    They began to walk, and Serena couldn't help but ask, "But,
which do you like better, Jade? With or without the bow?"

    <Oh, the bow, definitely,> a voice inside Jadeite's head said.
"The bow," she said without thinking, then gasped and snapped her
hands over her mouth.

    Raye looked smug. "Toldya so, meatball-head."

    Serena glared sideways at her. "Raaaaye..."

    "When will this end?" despaired Jadeite to herself as she got
dragged to another store to find some new shoes. Somewhere along the
way, the bow got tied back into her hair. It made her feel a little
more uncomfortable.

    There was a fight over which shoes she would get, as well.
Finally, she blew the whistle and settled on a pair of sneakers.

    "Sneakers with _that_ dress?" pondered Serena.

    Jadeite nodded slowly.

    Raye shrugged. "Okay. If you _really_ want them..." She
shelled out the cash to buy them, and then they went out for
icecream.

    Surely the mental attack had weakened her somehow, yes, that
had to be it. But who did it come from? She still couldn't trace the
origin: It couldn't have been Beryl; it had felt like it had come
from directly inside her own skull! No one had inserted anything; it
was just THERE.

    Jadeite thought this over while taking another lick of her
vanilla icecream cone.

    "So, how's the vanilla?" asked Raye.

    "Very nice," the blonde was forced to admit.

    "How do you like your new dress?" Serena inquired.

    "It's," Jadeite closed her eyes, concerned, pointedly
examining her skirt's fabric with her fingers, "I like it a lot,"
she replied and added to herself, "A lot better than the last
one!"

    Raye and Serena flashed a thumbs-up at each other, pleased
at the results and glad to have a new friend.

    Melvin ran by the icecream shop, waving his arms and shouting
frantically, "Fifty percent off sale at the Manga store! Hey,
Serena! There's fifty percent off in the Manga store!"

    "Fifty percent off!?" Raye and Serena jumped up and ran off.
They glanced behind. "Come on, Jade!" Then, they continued out of
view.

    "I despise this," Jadeite half-growled, looking down at her
icecream. "Icecream. It's always that DARNED icecream. I hate this."
It'd be a shame to waste it, though. She finished off her cone and
tossed the leftover white napkin into a nearby wastebasket.

    A waste, wastebasket, so much wasted effort, she thought. So
much wasted energy. Why run off in pursuit of such infantile
concerns? Bah, she remembered when she was in the service of Queen
Beryl, gathering energy so easily from these _humans_. They were all
sooooo pathetic. Why, if she were still doing that, she could...

    "Wait," the girl paused, "this is too perfect." She smiled
malevolently. "So many children running around, spending their
energy, trying on clothes and eating icecream. It could be taken so
easily here..."

    Could she do it in her present state? Yes. She had the power,
and would have even more once she had taken it from her 'friends.'
She laughed quietly. It could work.

    Now to find them.

    *Beep-beep* Jadeite heard a small alarm go off inside her
head, and then a voice came.

    <Heh. Time to put you out of your misery.>

    What was that?!

    *BZZZR* Much to her shock, Jadeite found that she couldn't
move. A magical spark ran its way around every inch of her body,
causing a sort of pain, and then a warmth, and then...

    It tickled.

    The girl found herself giggling despite all efforts to suppress
it. She could feel another energy build up within her. No, it wasn't
just building up--It was like a dam ready to burst; a lit powder keg!
How could so much power be inside her without her knowing about it?!
It was beyond anything she'd ever seen!!!

    The energy was very near to something else--It was the curse
that she'd been placed under! She'd found it! But if it's there, when
the power-rush breaks, it could get wedged in; damaged and impossible
to control!

    Whoever was doing this obviously did not care or know at all
about what was going to happen to her! It was--!

    Suddenly, the dam broke.

    The keg exploded.

    "Tee-hee-hee-hee-HEE-HEEEE-HEEEEE-HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

    A Pink Power coursed through the blonde's veins, wiping through
her mind like a great electromagnet scraping its way across a treasured
and irreplaceable hard disk.

    <How does it feel not to have control over your own body?>
    <W-WHO ARE YOU!?!?>
    <Hiya, Vinnie. It's your Uncle Bingo. Time to pay the check!>

    Jadeite's small body was not enough to contain this surge, and
the magical form had to make changes to adapt. Her height shot up by
nearly a foot, her dress straining slightly against its now-larger
occupant.

    Patrons of the icecream shop later bore record that they saw
a cute fourteen-year-old turn into a stunning twenty-four-year-old,
whose ample figure dared not be hidden by the tight white dress she
was wearing.

    <DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!>
    <Sit back and Vhatch, 'Miss Jade.' I belieFF juu vHill findT
vhhat ghhhhappens next most amusinCK.>

    Jadeite put a hand to her mouth and let out a darling laugh
that caused several deprived men, including the icecream man, to
faint. Levitating several inches above the ground, she floated
quickly outside, and rose into the air, passing two floors, finding
a rented suite where some high-ranking government official from
another country was having his birthday party.

    The magically-enhanced beauty lifted a hand, causing the dual
doors to swing open, and she strode on in.

    <NO!!!>
    <You cannot stop me now. I'm afraid your fate is quite sealed,
my old friend; yes?>

    Dozens of internationally-renowned bureaucrats halted their
breathing when they saw Jadeite enter. She walked on in towards the
guest of honor through the middle of the room on a red laid-out
carpet. None dared speak.

    The government official, whom we shall call for the sake of
causing arguments, Bill, looked a little confused at the woman's
entrance. The secret servicemen in suits at his sides stood ready,
but at a glance from Jadeite, they backed down.

    The woman's eyes had a hint of a glow to them when she opened
her mouth and began to speak. "Happy birthday to you," she whispered
in a full, rich, overpoweringly sensuous voice.

    Bill's party hat slumped forward, bouncing off his nose and
settling to hang around his neck.

    Jadeite took a deep breath, her red lips puckering slightly
before she repeated, "Happy birthday to _you_."

    Aged senators went to their knees, clutching at their strongly
beating hearts, which threatened to stop at any given second from the
strain.

    The visitor reached toward Bill, caressing the back of her hand
against his cheek. She edged toward him to seat herself on his left
leg, her right arm wrapping its way around his shoulder. "Happy
birthday, Mister President," she whispered, kicking one leg into the
air, thwacking away one overcurious and drooling secret serviceman.
She then planted a great, big, thirty-second smooch on Bill's cheek.

    There was a great silence until the kiss ended.

    Jadeite drew back slightly and ran a finger from Bill's
forehead down, passing his nose, lips, and resting on his chin.
"Happy birthday to you." She stood back up, looking right into Bill's
eyes. She puckered up again, and blew a soft stream of white magical
dust into the President's face.

    Bill fell off the side of his seat and slumped to the floor,
his face a mask of awe and wonder.

    Having accomplished that, Jadeite stood up straight and spun
around once, cupping her hand horizontally in front of her mouth
and blowing the same fine mist she did before until it settled around
the entire suite.

    All present stared on, spellbound.

    The air-conditioning suddenly kicked up to several times its
normal power, creating a wind that rushed from above to below,
creating an upward scooping effect when it went at an angle to the
floor.

    Jadeite smiled and closed her eyes, using one hand in front
and the other in back to hold down the light fabrics of her skirt.
Step by step, she made her way out and closed the door.

    Those present at the party slowly regained their ability to
move and think.

    The President sat up on the floor and glanced sideways at his
shocked and horrified wife. "Aww, Hilary, it happened again!"

    Outside, Jadeite stood against the wall, her breathing very
controlled.

    <Hurts, don't it?> Guardian Jadeite whispered mentally.
    <YOU-> the General was unable to complete the thought.
    <You ain't seen nothin' yet.>
    <What--what have you _done_?! What are you doing?!>

    The woman closed her eyes, pursed her lips, and held her arms
at her sides. "Getting rid of _you_," she said through closed teeth.

    Jadeite underwent another state of energy flux, a great battle
raging on inside of her. A large part of her power expended, the girl
decreased in size, apparent age going down. Her figure lessened, lips
thinned, legs shortened. Gone was most of the excessive magically-
enhanced beauty, having transformed into something of a slightly
different nature.

    Momentarily obtaining an amount of control and feeling, she
noticed that her dress fit much better now, and still flattered her
young appearance. Looking into a nearby mirrored glass wall, she
estimated her age somewhere around sixteen years.

    Jadeite's mouth fell open. <URGH! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!!>
    <Why, you're growing young, 'Jade.' Having a second childhood
in your old age.>

    The Guardian regained control and, aided by some power greater
than her own, she marched across the hallway. She raised her hand
toward another suite in use.

    The large door creaked open, where a few World War II soldiers,
German and British were facing off in a head to head showdown, with
real bullets in their guns, hiding behind overturned tables, but they
stopped when they saw the girl that entered.

    Jadeite strode into their midst, and looked to the British
troops, who took off their caps and stood at attention.

    The Germans stood and went for their guns, but backed down when
Jadeite looked at them, smiled, and batted her eyelashes.

    It was a tense moment for all present.

    Then, Jadeite proffered her hand to a young German soldier,
inviting him to come closer. The soldier edged closer and took her
hand. In a rush of magical power, he suddenly learned English.
Flustered, he began to sing.

    o/You wait little girl on an empty stage,
      For fate will turn the light on!\o

    o/Light on!\o echoed Jadeite in a melodious singing voice.

    o/Your life little girl is an empty page
      That men will want to write on.\o

    o/Write on,\o trilled back the girl. She leaned in close to
his ear and whispered, "Just pretend I'm sixteen."

    The soldier took a surprised breath, eyes filled with magic
dust, and nodded. He took up a lead dancing position.

    o/You are sixteen going on seventeen
      Baby, it's time to think!\o

    The soldier began to swing-dance with the girl, twirling
her around once. Jadeite waved a hand toward the rest of the
commando groups, sparkles flowing through the air at them.

    A German's expression went blank, then he took out a violin
and started playing, accompanied by an Englishman on a flute.

    o/Better beware, be canny and careful
      Baby, you're on the brink!\o continued the dancing soldier.

    Jadeite danced along with him, actually looking like she
was enjoying it. The young man continued singing.

    o/You are sixteen going on seventeen
      Fellows will fall in line,
      Eager young lads and rogues and cads,
      Will offer you food and wine!\o

    Four other soldiers held up offerings of meat and drink.
Jadeite danced close and took an olive on a toothpick.

    o/Totally unprepared are you to face a world of men:
      Timid and shy and scared are you,
      Of things beyond your ken,
      You need someone older and wiser telling you what to do!\o

    The soldier sighed.

    o/I'm seventeen going on eighteen;
      I'll take care of you!\o

    Jadeite smiled when the handsome German lieutenant finished
and picked up her line.

    o/I am sixteen going on seventeen,
      I know that I'm naive,\o

    The blonde put an airheaded finger to her cheek.

    o/Fellows I meet may tell me I'm sweet,
      And willingly I believe.\o

    The girl giggled before continuing, making a lasting impression
on all the minds present, especially one certain ex-general, who
was screaming in agony and rage inside her own head.

    o/I am sixteen going on seventeen,
      Innocent as a rose;
      Bachelor dandies, drinkers of brandies--
      What do I know of those?\o

    Jadeite crossed her arms in front of her and blinked in the
most guiltless way possible, then continued her dance with the German
soldier.

    o/Totally unprepared am I to face a world of men
      Timid and shy and scared am I,
      Of things beyond my ken
      I need someone older and wiser telling me what to do.\o

    The girl put a hand to her mouth and giggled emptily.

    Inside her, there was a screaming youma-general feeling his
mind slowly being destroyed.

    o/You are sixteen going on seventeen
      I'll depend on you!\o

    Jadeite finished and took a bow. She put her arm around her
dance-partner gave him a kiss on the cheek.

    Both the British and German troops sniffed, joyful tears in
their eyes. They waved goodbye at their visitor as she walked out.

    "Sorry about the war-thing, old chap," an Englishman said
to the Germans.

    "Well, it was sort of our fault, I suppose," a German
replied, laughing nervously.

    The two warring nations gave each other a big, squishy hug.

    Jadeite left and closed the doors behind her. She took a
breath, smiled, and clapped her hands together with the satisfaction
of a job well done.

    <So, how does it feel, monster?>
    <RRRRH! I CAN STOP YOU!>
    <Don't try to fight it; it'll just get worse for you.>
    

    "Grrrr," the dual-personality girl struggled for who was to
be in control. Lightning whipped around her and she shrunk down even
more; when the effect subsided, the general was in control only long
enough to gasp at the sight and feeling of having the body of a six-
year-old, then the guardian regained control. Her dress was clearly
oversized, but if one did not look closely, it could pass for a
thick, long party dress.

    However, it would need modifications.

    Calmly and humming a sweet Silver Millennium tune often sung by
small children in her day, Guardian Jadeite under-folded the long
skirt and tied it up with clever use of her belt. She also adjusted
the upper parts of her dress, tucking it in places so it didn't look
so oversized. She took off her hair-ribbon, tore it in half, and tied
it around her shoes to scrunch 'em down, hide their size, help them
not fall off, and make 'em look cuter.

    <You're no match for me; I'm sorry. I'm too cool.>
    <CURSE. YOUUUUUU!>

    *ZRRRR* There was another brief power-struggle.

    <Hah. Beat you.>
    <WHO ARE YOU?!>
    <Your worst nightmare come back to haunt you.>

    Jadeite laughed as she gleefully skipped along the mall's
aisles and walkways, finding her way to a large sound-stage, where
a fierce pirate-movie was being filmed. "La-la-la, la la lala!"

    With a wave of her hand and lots of magic sparkly things,
she made the security guards fall asleep. She continued on stage.

    <Ah, a theatre! This place has everything!>

    The cutthroats from the movie glared at her with their mean
looks and their eye-patches.

    "ARRRR! What be doing this wenchling here, me mateys?!" the
captain queried.

    "Dunno, Cap'n!" the scalawags shouted in reply.

    "Catch'er 'n bringger ta me!"

    The pirates leapt off their places in the rigging and the
side of the boat and grabbed the girl. She let out no scream
and showed no fear when she was picked up. "Gott'er Cap'n!"

    The captain hobbled over on his pegleg and lifted up the
girl's head with the side of his hook-hand. "What be ye doing
here, wenchling?"

    "Oh, thtop it, Mythter Myan!" the six-year-old replied
with a lisp, waving limp-wristedly at him and looking away.

    "Oooh, she's a pretty one," the actor playing the captain
teased. The take had been messed up by the entrance of this
child, but he didn't believe in being mean to kids, and the
director hadn't yelled 'cut' yet, so he decided that he might
as well stay in character and have some fun while he was at it.
"What say ye, men? Do we take 'er on as the cook, or do we make
'er walk the PLANK?! ARRR!"

    "AYE-AYE!"

    Jadeite giggled. "What's this ship named?"

    "This be The Wraith Scallion, wenchling!"

    "Ooooh. How about we change the name?"

    "ARRR?! To what think ye we would change it, me pretty?"

    "How about Lollypop?" suggested the little girl.

    "Loller-pop?" considered the captain, stroking his short
beard with his hook. "Why would we be doin' some-thin' crazy like
that? What would the other pirates say--ARRR!"

    "Hmmm," thought the *CUTE* little blonde, big-eyed girl.
She hopped out of the pirates' grasp and stood at the helm.
"They'd just say something like--" She started swaying from one
side to another, following an unplayed beat, and sang:

    o/On the good ship, Lollipop,
      It's a sweet trip,
      To a candy shop,
      Where bonbons play,
      On the sunny beach of Peppermint Bay!\o

    The pirates were impressed; it was such a classic and catchy
tune. It would be a shame to ruin it. It also helped that they were
all closet Shirley Temple fans. They formed lines on either side of
their visitor and moved along to the tune.

    Jadeite danced her way in this manner toward the upper level
of the pirate ship.

    The director motioned for the cameraman to follow the girl,
entranced by the performance.

    o/Lemonade stands everywhere,
      Cracker Jack bands fill the air,
      And there you are,
      Happy landings on a chocolate bar!\o

    Jadeite slid down the railing from above to below, to be caught
by the captain when she reached the bottom.

    The pirate twirled the girl around once with cinematic flair,
then placed her on the deck in front of him, where she continued:

    o/On the good ship, Lollipop,
      It's a sweet trip,
      To a candy shop,
      Where bonbons play,
      On the sunny beach of Peppermint Bay.\o

    The pirates circled in closer, trying their best to look really
happy. It was an interesting sight, what with their knocked-out teeth
and their eye-patches.

    Jadeite twirled around and went to her knees, facing the
camera.

    o/Eating sugar bowl, with a Tootsie Roll,
      And a big, fat jelly fruitcake.
      If you eat too much...\o

    Everyone kneeled in close with the girl to listen to her
whisper.

    o/Oh! Oh! You'll awake with a tummy-ache!\o

    "Har-har!" The pirates liked that one. They picked up Jadeite
and started tossing her around to one another while she sang, not
missing a beat.

    o/On the good ship, Lollipop,
    It's a sweet trip,
    Into bed you'll hop,
    And dream away,
    On the good ship, Lollipop!\o

    Jadeite landed in front in a cute pose, while the pirates
stood around her, looking proud.

    "Aye," said the captain, "we'll be changin' the ship's name,
then."

    "Cut! That was perfect!" called the director. "Just the scene
I need to finish this movie!!!"

    Jadeite smiled, politely laughed with a hand over her mouth,
curtsied like a good little girl, and strode out, a fairy-dust effect
trailing behind her.

    She passed by the black curtains, left through the doors, and
shut them behind her. The guardian could feel that the general had
been severely weakened by the last activity. Unfortunately, a lot
of her power had been used up in the process. But, for now, she could
take a breather. This wasn't easy.

    <Don't you just love being forced to do horrible things
contrary to your nature?>
    <I. . . HATE. . . YOU!!!!!>
    <You're on your way to knowing how I feel about _you_.>
    <WHAT YOU FEEL DOESN'T MATTER!!!>
    <Oh yes, it does, and you will know it. You will know it all.>
    <GRRRRRRRRRR!!!>

    "GRRR," Jadeite collapsed on the floor, grimacing as another
full-blown power-struggle wracked her body. A blue shock whipped
through her, and she began to grow a little. Her height went up a
little, and her dress slipped around to better fit its now-larger
occupant.

    She stood, a malevolent gleam in her eye.

    
    <Oooh. Eight years old. Some power-rush.>
    
    <Curse? Oh, that. It won't matter in a couple minutes, since
it's in my way.>
    <In your way?>
    <Remember last time?>
    <Don't bother me with your incessant prattle, invader!>
    <That was only pulse number one.>
    <...WHAT?!>

    *Chk-CHK!* There was an audible cocking sound in the girl's
mind. The ex-general discovered that she couldn't move.

    <I'll give you ten minutes to run or block what I'm doing. See
if you can. Then I'm firing pulse number two. Just so you know, at
the end of pulse number three, I think you'll be pretty well gone,
hmmm.>
    <You expect me to give up?!>
    <No, 'Miss Jade.' I expect you to DIE. Mwa-hahahah.>

    The voice faded into obscurity and General Jadeite's face
smacked into the floor, once more finding herself in control. She
looked down at herself, then scanned her surroundings, eyes wide in
fright. She snatched a teddybear from a nearby shelf and began
running away as fast as she could, screaming at the top of her
lungs.

    After a couple minutes of this, she recalled that there were
two people who could possibly help her: Raye, or 'Tim. She had to
find one of them immediately!

---

    He'd taught protocol courses to several Terran princesses,
and had for acquaintances a few girls that had bothered him a great
deal by trying to be excessively 'cute,' but he got the feeling that
he would need to know a great deal more about that sort of
psychology to truly shatter the hold of this blasted general...

    Guardian Jadeite thought about what he was doing. Was taking
revenge in such a manner in any way wrong?

    Recalling a few of the atrocities committed by the General, that
question was soon put to an end.

    It wasn't really revenge, though he savored every moment of
winning the battle. It was taking back what was rightfully his;
taking back what had been torn from him thousands of years ago.

    Even though 'his' body was now a cute little girl's body, it
was still HIS body, gosh darn it, and he wanted it back!!!

    He could deal with the gender identity crisis later. It was
far more important to have _control_ of some sort of body before
worrying about any other aesthetic features. Besides, it wasn't like
he was going to be an aardvark or a (shudder) pygmie marmoset.

    Jadeite really thought it would have been over quicker, but it
was too late to stop now, and he doubted that his enemy would want to
negotiate.

    Had this been a physical confrontation with a serious offender
back in the Earth or Moon Kingdoms, he would have brought this, this
THING before the tribunal and seen to it that it was locked away
for the rest of its miserable life.

    But, seeing as how this was NOT the Moon Kingdom, and took place
inside his own head, he WAS the law, and wanted the invader GONE.

    Besides, the Guardian thought, I don't bargain with murderers.

    "Takin' law to the lawless," he said to himself.

    The second burst would soon be ready for release any time now.

---

To be continued...

-------------------------------
Benjamin A. Oliver
boredcollective@aol.com

    "We are the Bored. Lower your shields and surrender your fics.
     We will add your standup and slapstick comedy to our own.
     Your humor will adapt to entertain us.
     Resistance is and always has been: Futile."
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