The Travel Agency

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The Travel Agency
By
Morpheus

A group of college friends find a travel agency that offers them a very unique vacation package. Soon they find themselves in a world of fantasy, with bodies that are not their own. That's when the adventure really begins. This story was originally written and posted in 2001.

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Part 1 of 10

A dented old Ford Explorer pulled up alongside the curb, barely stopping before the doors started to open up. Several seconds later, all five of the college students inside were standing around on the sidewalk, staring at the building in front of them.

The front of the building had glass windows, with a large sign that simply said 'Travel Agency' above them. Pictures of famous cities, landmarks and exotic locations filled the windows, along with several advertisements.

"This had better be worth it," grumbled Cal Turner, a large stocky man, who happened to be the owner and driver of the Explorer. "I coulda been out practicing for tomorrows game."

With a chuckle, another boy exclaimed, "Easy man, I just figured that we should check this out."

Eddie Miller grinned around at the group of friends. He was several inches shorter than Cal's 6 foot 3, and somewhat thinner. And while Cal fell into the category of a jock, Eddie preferred to play drums with his band rather than involve himself in any form of athletics.

"Why's that Eddie?" asked Mickey Randall, the slender brunette who was standing next to him. Mickey put her hand on Eddie's arm, then glared at Cal in defense of her boyfriend. "You said something about our vacation."

At that, the final two members of the group nodded, staring at the front of the travel agency in curiosity, obviously wondering why their friend had brought them there.

Adam Straesser frowned thoughtfully and ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair. After a quick glance at both Cal and Eddie, both of whom were taller than his 5 foot 10, he turned his attention back to the window, noticing that there were two large advertisements.

One of the signs read 'Today only, all travel packages are 50% off.' The other sign read 'Ask about our unique destination package.'

"Define unique." Adam mumbled rather quietly, deciding that it could mean almost anything. However, the discount sounded promising.

At that, the last member of the group, Danielle Stevenson enthusiastically responded, "That means it's a one of a kind." Then she grinned proudly at her boyfriend Cal.

Adam grinned, trying not to laugh as he looked at Danielle. There were times, such as at the moment, where he couldn't help but think how much she resembled the dumb blonde stereotype. She was gorgeous, had a somewhat bubbly personality and was a little ditzy at times. The only thing missing was that she should have been a cheerleader. However, Adam suspected that she wasn't really as dense as she seemed, but that wouldn't be difficult.

For a moment, Adam turned and glanced around at his friends from school. Mickey was wearing a long skirt, as she frequently did. She was almost the exact opposite of Danielle, being a short haired brunette and somewhat sensible. Then again, he knew that he would probably be described as being the opposite of Cal, being somewhat quiet and thoughtful whereas the larger boy was confident, outgoing and even a bit pushy. Still, in spite of their many differences, they all managed to remain friends.

At this, Eddie gestured to the advertisement on the window, "I saw this when I came past here earlier today." Then he shrugged, "I figured that since we'd been talking about doing something together for our vacation next week..."

"We can go on a trip!" Danielle burst out excitedly.

Cal glared at her, "Can it." Then he gave Eddie a glare, "And you drug us down here for this?"

"Can it," Mickey told Cal with a wry grin, "We're here so we might as well check it out."

"Might as well," Adam agreed, peering inside the window and seeing the counter in the back with someone working behind it.

After another minute of talking, they all agreed to at least check it out and started going inside, Eddie in front with Cal following up from behind, grumbling under his breath.

Just as they got inside, the man behind the counter called out to an elderly couple who were heading towards the door, "I hope that you enjoy your trip to Florida."

As the group lined up by the counter, the middle aged man behind it gave them a steady look. He had black hair, peppered with gray but white at the temples. And then there was the partial beard with the cheeks being shave, which gave him something of a dignified look.

"Hello," the man greeted, giving them each a smile, "What can I do for you?"

"We saw your discount sign outside," Cal answered, almost as if he was the one who'd thought of it. "And we were just wondering what kinda stuff you had available."

"And not too expensive," Mickey added. "We're all pretty much on a tight budget."

The man behind the counter nodded, thoughtfully before answering, "We have a wide variety of travel packages available, including some for those on a more modest budget." Then he pulled out a binder and set it down on the counter, opening it up to show pictures of numerous places.

"What about that unique destination package?" Adam asked, remembering the sign outside.

Suddenly the man's eyes seemed to gleam. Without a word, he closed the binder and moved it off to the side, smiling as he crossed his hands on the counter instead.

"This is a small travel agency," the man stated proudly, "so to compete with some of the larger firms, I...we have to offer something special." His eyes gleamed again as he added, "Something...unique."

Cal snorted, obviously losing patience, but Danielle and Eddie were staring in fascination. Adam looked over at Mickey, who seemed a little impatient but was at least paying attention, before looking back at the man himself.

"We offer a destination," the man stated proudly, "that no other travel agency in the world can give you."

"Where is that?" Mickey asked quietly.

Again the man smiled faintly, "A place that you would not believe possible." At this, his tone changed slightly, becoming just a little more serious but no less passionate. "Imagine if you will..." he started, immediately drawing all of them in, "that there is another world...not quite parallel to this one, but close. Another world, where creatures of magic and myth exist. Where wonders that are beyond your imagining are taken for granted."

"Oh..."Adam whispered, drawn in by the man's almost hypnotic voice.

Then the man slowly walked around the counter and came up to them, standing there in front of the group and giving each of them a more careful look before continuing. "Yes, this is a vacation unlike any that you've ever had before. And it is only available through us...for a modest price."

"What a load of shit..." Cal started, grabbing Danielle by the arm and snapping, "Come on. We're going."

"But..." Danielle started to protest, looking back at the rest of the group.

"Wait!" the man announced, "I am most sincere."

At that, Eddie looked at the man, "Look mister..."

The man smiled faintly at that. "My name is somewhat difficult to pronounce, so why don't you just use...G for short." Then he chuckled, "You can call me Mr. G."

"Mr. G," Adam muttered, staring at the man and half wondering why he was still there. Sure, the guy sounded like he was starting to tell a fairy tale, but he seemed pretty sincere.

With a faint frown, Mr. G announced, "Of course I can't expect you to believe something so drastically different from your upbringing by my word alone. That is why I am willing to give you a brief demonstration to prove that magic does exist." He paused a moment before adding, "It is just greatly weakened in this world."

Even Cal paused at that, his own curiosity hooked. Mr. G slowly walked to the end of the counter and pulled a glass ball off of a small stand. He held it out for each to inspect, then winked.

"Observe," Mr. G stated, suddenly pulling his hand away. However, the glass ball remained where it was, floating in midair, almost as if held by a pair of invisible hands. "Now you may inspect it to verify that there is indeed nothing holding it."

Mickey let out a low whistle. "What are you, some sort of magician?"

Mr. G gave a faint bow, "Something of that nature, though not the type you suspect."

Slowly they each touched the glass ball, surprised that it didn't have any give. It just remained where it was, frozen in mid air.

"There's nothing holding it," Danielle gasped after running her hands over the entire thing.

"I can't budge this fucker," Cal muttered, obviously frustrated.

Adam bent over and frowned. "Maybe some sort of magnetic field..." However, even as he suggested it, he doubted that it could be that.

"Perhaps," Mr. G stated, "But perhaps not."

And with that, the glass ball suddenly shattered into a thousand pieces, all of them hovering in the air for a moment before falling to the ground...and vanishing. Then, Mr. G held out his hand, and to the amazement of the group, a glass ball identical to the one that had just vanished suddenly appeared. Without a word, Mr. G set the ball back into the stand on the counter.

"Is that proof enough?" Mr. G asked with a smile.

Mickey grabbed hold of Eddie's hand, nodding, "Yeah." Her voice shook just a little.

Even Cal nodded, looking somewhat embarrassed, then muttered something under his breath, not taking his eyes from the ground.

"Excuse me?" Mr. G asked, "I couldn't make that out." Then he added, "I'm afraid that I am no mind reader so if you want something, you have to ask."

Cal grunted then gave Mr. G. a steady look. "I said tell me...us more."

At that, Mr. G's expression grew serious once again. "This opportunity is not offered to everyone and we reserve the right to refuse service or cancel a vacation package without refund if the traveler is a threat to the occupants of this other world."

"Sounds fair," Mickey muttered, "I guess."

With that said, Mr. G continued, "However, it is worth the cost as you will not only witness a new world, but see it from another's eyes."

"What...what do you mean?" Adam asked, feeling just a little nervous about it all. He didn't doubt the man about the world...at least too much. After all, Mr. G was extremely convincing. Adam just wasn't sure that it was a good idea to go.

For a moment, Mr. G just looked thoughtful before explaining, "I am afraid that it is...extremely difficult..." He paused, seeming satisfied with that choice of words, "to transfer any matter at all between worlds. Nearly impossible with such an amount. At least for now."

"For now?" Eddie asked, his eyes gleaming faintly in curiosity.

However, Mr. G just waved him off and continued, "Transfer of essences is quite possible though." He paused and gave them each a look. "To go there, we would exchange your essences...your souls with those of others in that world who agree to it."

The group was all silent, each one staring at Mr. G in disbelief. Finally, it was Eddie who blurted out, "No fucking way."

Not seeming to be bothered by that, Mr. G nodded faintly. "Yes, though precautions are taken on both ends to ensure the health and safety of the owners bodies during the exchange."

Adam was somewhat skeptical, not to mention unnerved by the thought of being in someone else's body. It seemed...freaky.

"Let's see..." Cal mused, mostly to himself, "What do I want to look like...?"

"I'm afraid that it does not work that way," Mr. G stated, his voice suddenly going cold. We do not just grab those who fit our client's criteria. Instead, we must work with those who volunteer on the other side...whomever they may be." He gave a faint snort before adding, "We still have to locate enough volunteers to accommodate your entire group...if you decide to purchase the special package that is."

Danielle grinned brightly and stepped forward. "That sounds wild." She turned and grabbed at Cal's arm, "Let's do it."

"Sounds cool to me," Eddie piped in eagerly. "I mean, even Limp Bizkit can't compete with something like this."

Mickey nodded, "I'm in." There was a faint smile on her lips.

After gulping and looking around at the others, Adam nodded faintly. He loved stories about fantasy and stuff, so the opportunity to actually see real magic was too tempting to resist. Even if his better sense told him that it was a bad idea. "Me too," he finally whispered.

The last was Cal, whom the others were all looking at expectantly. He stood there, his arms crossed, a half smug look on his face as he realized that he could veto the entire trip if he wanted to. However, after a few seconds of thought, he gulped, realizing that if he did that, it would make him look like a chicken shit. There was no way that he was gonna do that.

"Why the hell not?" Cal finally muttered. "Might even be fun." However, he kind of doubted it.

However, after everyone agreed, Adam realized something and hesitantly asked, "Um...how much would this cost?" He resisted the impulse to reach back and pat his wallet, reminding himself that he had to be careful with what he spent.

The others snapped out of their thoughts, Mickey being a little frustrated at having forgotten that herself, while Danielle didn't bother to worry about it, knowing that these things usually worked out.

"A very practical question," Mr. G commented, once again moving behind the counter and pulling out a binder. "How long do you wish to be on vacation, and when would you like to depart?"

"Next week," Eddie grinned. "Maybe Saturday."

"For..." Carl added, "four days."

"Maybe five," Mickey added, "If we can afford it."

"That is very doable," Mr. G told them, writing something down on paper. "If it was any sooner, I don't know that I would have been able to locate enough volunteers for you all." Then he paused, "And the length of time is no problem whatsoever. However, if you had asked for a month..."

"Like we can afford that," Danielle exclaimed.

Mr. G nodded. "No, what I meant was that we are unable to provide vacation packages there for more than 30 days. That is the maximum length of time that the magics being used will allow before automatically reversing."

"Oh..." Adam whispered, wondering how the magic stuff really worked. However, with a single glance at the man behind the counter, he decided that it would probably be better not to ask, though he was definitely curious.

With that, Mr. G careful finished scrawling something into his sheet of paper before turning it and showing it to the group gathered before him. They all stared at it, though Mickey let out a faint whistle.

"That is the price for a five person package," Mr. G stated in a businesslike tone, "for five days, with both group discount and the special discount for today." Then he joked, "I can guarantee that you shall not find this vacation elsewhere for less."

After taking a deep breath, Adam decided that it was definitely cheap for something of that nature. It was probably even cheaper than the more normal trips that they could get elsewhere.

"Group huddle," Eddie muttered.

At the call for a group huddle, the group got close together and quickly started talking, trying to decide. As soon as they'd verified that they could indeed afford the trip, it only took a minute more to reach a consensus and let Mr. G know.

"Good," Mr. G smiled, "Then return here Saturday morning. You can provide payment at that time."

With that, the group started for the door, each of them lost in their own thoughts but wondering just what it was that they'd gotten themselves involved in.

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It was Saturday morning, though barely that. The sun was up and noon was not far off, though that hadn't bothered Danielle who'd taken her time and slowed them down.

"I hope we're not late," Adam announced as they started for the door to the Travel Agency.

"How can we be late dickweed?" Cal joked, "He never told us what time to show."

"He does have a point," Mickey admitted, apparently not too pleased to agree with Cal.

Eddie just snorted, "On his head." That earned a quick glare from Cal, though nothing more as they went inside.

They immediately noticed Mr. G, standing behind the counter and typing something into his computer. He looked up at their entrance and gave a faint smile.

"I had feared that you had changed your minds," Mr. G commented, turning back to his computer to finish whatever he was doing.

"Here's my check," Eddie said, slowly setting it on the counter and muttering, "Took me a couple gigs to make that."

After everyone had paid, with Cal having had to borrow some from Adam to cover both his and Danielle's, Mr. G put the payments into a drawer and typed something into the computer. A moment later, he handed them receipts.

"Now come this way," Mr. G instructed, gesturing for them to follow him through a door into the back.

The room looked like it had been just another large office or storage room, but all of the furniture was gone. There was nothing in the room, except for some sort of bluish powder that was sprinkled on the carpet in the shape of a large circle.

"Preparations have already been made," Mr. G told them gently, "Just stand in the circle and I will take care of everything."

Adam gulped and glanced over at Mr. G, noticing for the first time that he was holding some sort of staff that was nearly as tall as he was, carved from some dark wood.

"I don't know about this," Danielle whispered. "I'm kind of nervous." She grabbed hold f Cal's arm and he just grinned broadly, puffing himself up a little.

"You shall return to this world and your own bodies in five days time," Mr. G told them seriously. "The volunteers on the other side will take good care of them. I will make sure of that."

"What kind of volunteers?" Eddie asked nervously, glancing around, obviously having second thoughts.

After hesitating for a moment, Mr. G admitted, "I am sorry to say that I can not determine which host body any of you will posses. I can only assure you that they are all in good health."

"Can't determine?" Cal gasped, his eyes going wide. "What the hell do you mean?"

"It is a five for five exchange," Mr. G told them firmly, his tone causing Cal to step back. "However, do not look upon that as a problem...but instead, as an opportunity." He smiled at that.

"Sounds...interesting," Adam whispered to Eddie, who nodded his head in agreement, grinning faintly. Probably from the way Mr. G had handled Cal.

"When you arrive at your destination," Mr. G stated, "you shall be met by a guide who will accompany you and keep you from harm."

"Keep us from harm?" Danielle repeated, looking a little nervous. "Does that mean it's dangerous?"

"Everything worthwhile has it's risks," Mr. G told them gently, "Especially that which is unfamiliar. Even an act as simple as crossing the street provides danger." At that point, everyone started to get worried, but Mr. G quickly assured them with a faint chuckle, "But that is precisely why we provide a local guide. Do not fret. Enjoy the experience."

Then with that, Mr. G raised the staff in his hands, held it there for a moment before he brought it down, smacking the edge of the circle on the floor. There was a spark where it hit, then a sudden explosion of blue light and a tearing at their very beings.

The Travel Agency
part 2 of 10
By Morpheus

Adam blinked, realizing with some confusion that he was on the ground...on rocks and grass. For a minute he just remained where he was, trying to regain his senses, vaguely aware that there was some sort of twisting confusion just a few seconds earlier, though he couldn't quite recall anything of that. Only of Mr. G swinging that staff.

After taking several deep breaths, Adam sat up, immediately realizing that his entire body felt wrong. That it felt strange, though not too strange. And at the same time, he was amazed to see the small grassy field that surrounded him...and the thick wall of trees just a short distance away.

A single thought ran through Adam's mind in amazement, "It worked."

Then with a nervous gulp, Adam slowly started to look down at himself, knowing without a doubt that he'd be in someone else's body...just like Mr. G had said. However, as soon as he took a good look at himself, it was all that he could do to keep from screaming.

"I'm...I'm..." Adam gasped, grabbing at his chest, "I'm a girl."

For a moment, he just remained frozen in startled realization, not having expected that surprise. However, his curiosity quickly got the best of him and he jumped the rest of the way to his feet, then looked down more carefully.

His body was slender, but definitely female. A quick pat to the emptiness between his legs verified that. A perky pair of breasts pushed out from his chest, their shape clearly visible through the green shirt that he was wearing, not to mention from the faint cleavage left visible.

Adam quickly glanced over the green and brown clothes he was wearing, seeing that they seemed to be some sort of shirt and pants, though they were very light and comfortable. He was also wearing a pair of comfortable boots, and a belt with some several pouches on it, a dagger and even a short slender sword, that he decided not to mess with at the moment.

"Weird," Adam whispered, staring at the pale skin of his slender arms. The only thing that covered them were a pair of wrist bands. His new hands were very feminine...and dainty.

Feeling more curious than anything else at the moment, Adam reached back for his hair, finding that it was all in some sort of braid going down his back. And once he'd pulled the end of the braid into view, he was somewhat surprised to see that the hair was all silvery white.

After letting go of his hair, Adam slowly reached to his face, running his delicate fingers over it and trying to make out what he looked like. He wasn't sure, though he did notice that eyebrows were a little high and there was the fact that his ears were a little longer than normal and pointed.

Shaking his head in amazement, Adam slowly started to look around himself again, deciding that he had better find the others. If he could even recognize them that was. However, it only took a moment before he saw something just a short distance off in the clearing...then started towards it.

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"Oh, my head," Eddie muttered, slowly climbing to his feet, "That was wild." Then he paused, realizing that his voice sounded different. Very different. It only took him a moment more before he grinned, remembering that he'd be borrowing someone else's body.

With that, Eddie looked down at himself and gasped in amazement. His whole body was huge, bulging with muscles. Eddie couldn't resist flexing his bicep, smiling at the rock solid muscle that appeared.

After a quick look over, Eddie noticed that he was wearing a pair of what appeared to be brown leather pants and boots, with little else. Just a big sword strapped across his back. His chest was bare...and covered with dark brown hair, while his skin was a little darker than his own...obviously well tanned.

"Fuckin awesome, " Eddie laughed, "I'm Conan."

Suddenly Eddie heard a noise coming from just a few feet away. He snapped around, surprised to see a woman....no, he corrected himself, it was something else. The creature staggered to its feet, letting Eddie get a good look while it wobbled a little, looking almost drunk.

"Holy shit," Eddie whispered, his eyes going wide.

From the waist up, the creature was a woman...a very athletic looking woman, with large round tits and blonde hair that ran down her back. However, from below the waist, she...it...was a horse. A large brown horse. The word 'centaur' jumped to mind, with no doubt that this was exactly what Eddie was looking at.

"Where...where am I?" the centaur girl asked, looking around with wide eyed surprise. She still staggered a bit, "I feel strange..."

Then the centaur girl noticed Eddie and staggered back, nearly tripping over her own legs before somehow managing to regain her balance. She stared at Eddie in shock, amazement...and fear.

"Who are you...?" the centaur demanded.

Eddie nervously took a step back, gasping, "My name's Eddie..."

With a look of surprise, the centaur gasped, "Eddie? You look..."

"But who...?" Eddie started, frowning in confusion before realizing that this had to be one of his friends.

"It's me...Michelle," the centaur said, adding, "Mickey."

Mickey stared at Eddie for a moment before gulping and looking down, obviously surprised at the sight of herself. "I've got horse on me..." Then shaking her head, she muttered, "I am a horse." She experimentally lifted one leg, then another, carefully stepping around and trying to get used to having four legs.

"Are you OK?" Eddie asked hesitantly, moving closer to get a better look at Mickey. He was just a little surprised to realize that Mickey was a little taller than him. "Weird."

"No shit," Mickey muttered, "But at least I've caught my balance." She took several experimental steps, then grinned as she started to run just a little, stopping in front of Eddie again with an excited grin. "This is definitely...interesting."

Eddie nodded, then glanced around, "Maybe we should try finding the others."

Mickey quickly agreed, and after a minute, they decided to head towards a large dark shape further down in the clearing. It would make a good landmark for everyone to meet at.

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With a groan, Cal slowly stood up, using a large boulder beside him for balance. All he could think of for a moment was the strange churning after Mr. G had done that thing. He couldn't help but compare the feeling to being on a roller coaster. A really BIG roller coaster.

"Oh man," Cal grunted, turning his head slightly and then freezing as he noticed his hand upon the boulder. For a moment, all he could do was stare, too confused to make any sense of it. Then he finally blurted out, "What the hell?"

Cal stepped backwards, pulling his hand away from the rock, staring at it in stunned silence. The other hand was quickly raised beside it so that he could compare them, finding that they were extremely close. Everything about them was wrong...from their size, shape...to even their color.

His fingers were a little long and thin looking, not to mention delicate and feminine. The effect stretched up his arms, both of which were thin and almost without any muscle. It struck him immediately that they looked more like a girls arms than a guys, though he was even more struck by the fact that his skin was blue.

"I'm blue?" Cal asked uncertainly, looking down at himself and suddenly freezing, his eyes going wide in horror as he took in the full view of his body. "NO WAY!"

A single glance was all that was required for Cal to see what was undoubtedly a woman's body. The fact that he was completely naked left nothing to the imagination. His sexy, blue skinned body was exposed to full view, from the firm round breasts to the smooth and hairless vagina.

"I've got tits," Cal gasped stupidly. "I've got a fucking pussy." Then he clenched his fists, growling, "When I get my hands on that bastard..."

However, before Cal could finish that though, there was a sudden rumbling, then the ground shook, knocking him back to his knees. Then, something massive smashed into the ground a short distance away, nearly knocking Cal back though he instinctively jumped to avoid it.

"What the hell is that?" a loud voice demanded, startling Cal, though not nearly as much as realizing how high he'd just jumped.

But before Cal had even started to come back down, he was suddenly surrounded by something massive, something that lifted him up even higher into the air, finally stopping before he was able to see what had him.

"Oh shit..." Cal gasped, horrified to find himself face to face with a giant. Then he realized that it was the giant's hand that was holding him. "Let me GO!"

The giant gave a look of surprise and opened his hand a little, "What the hell."

Then, Cal heard another voice, this time a woman's. He snapped around, seeing another giant, this one extremely strange looking. She bent down and gave Cal an odd look that made him want to cringe, though he fought back the urge and clenched his fists to fight, not knowing what good it would do.

"I think it's a pixie," the giantess said slowly, then her eyes went wide. "Oh dear..."

"What?" the giant asked, turning towards her.

She just bent down and gave Cal a closer look, "It's me...Mickey."

Cal froze upon hearing that, then he stared at her in shock. "Mickey?" Cal yelled, "That can't be...you're huge..."

"That's Eddie," Mickey gestured to the giant who was holding Cal, grinning faintly as she added, "And we're not huge. You're like...tiny."

"Tiny...?" Cal repeated in confusion, glancing down at himself and frowning even more intensely than before.

"And look at those wings..." Eddie announced.

Cal nearly choked. "I've got wings?" He glanced back, half surprised to see that there was something behind him. And with just a stretch of his muscles, he could even make them open up and move. They looked sort of like blue transparent dragonfly wings. "No fucking way..."

Eddie held Cal up so that Cal could get a better look. Cal just looked around, shocked to realize that Eddie and Mickey had been right. They weren't huge...he was tiny. He couldn't be more than 6 inches tall, though it was hard to tell. He certainly felt normal sized...at least until he saw them.

"Great," Cal spat, "That ass hole turning me into a fucking fairy."

At that, Eddie laughed. "I always thought you were gay."

Cal glared at him, though didn't say anything.

"We were heading over there," Mickey told Cal, gesturing towards what looked like a large rock, "Maybe we can find the others there."

"Whatever," Cal snorted, sitting down and crossing his arms, glaring first at himself and then his friends. "I just want to get back to normal."

"Five days," Eddie chuckled. "Five days."

Then with that, they started towards the rock again, with Cal glaring silently and determined to remain that way the entire way.

--------------------

After Adam had nearly reached the large rock formation that he'd seen from a distance, he spotted two more figures heading his way. One of them looked like a guy with reddish brown hair, though the other one seemed to be a centaur. Adam would have immediately discounted that if Mr. G hadn't specifically mentioned that creatures of myth and legend lived there. Feeling a little uncertain, he remained where he was, hoping that they might be a couple of his friends.

"I wish he would have told us what to expect," Adam muttered, glancing down at himself again with a frown. He had to admit though, that he didn't feel bad. In fact, he felt very healthy. Just...strange. "I don't like surprises." At least not ones like that.

It didn't take long before the man and centaur had made it to where Adam was, both looking a little hesitant. They stopped and stared at Adam cautiously, just as he stared back, ready to run if they made any kind of threatening move. He couldn't help but wondering where the tour guide was at, if they actually had one.

"Danielle?" the big guy asked Adam cautiously.

Adam gulped in embarrassment, shaking his head. "Um...I'm Adam."

"ADAM?" the big guy gasped in surprise. "You too?" At Adam's look of confusion, he held his hands out, revealing a tiny looking blue girl sitting in them. She even had bluish wings and dark blue hair, though she looked pissed. Adam stared at her for a moment in surprise, even more so when he continued, "Cal got turned into a girl too."

"Cal?" Adam nearly choked, not sure what to do when the tiny pixie nodded her...his head. "I guess I'm lucky then," Adam admitted, relieved that at least he wasn't the size of a bug.

With that, the big guy and centaur woman revealed that they were Eddie and Mickey, though Adam had already started to suspect that with the way they were acting. He was relieved to have found them, though couldn't help wondering where Danielle was at...and being a little worried.

Almost as if sensing what Adam was thinking, Eddie yelled out, "Danielle!" He repeated it several more times.

Just then, Adam jumped back as he heard something strange, glancing around, "What was that?"

"What was what?" Eddie demanded, staring at Adam in confusion.

"Didn't you hear that?" Adam asked, gulping as he heard a rumbling again. "There it is again."

Eddie shook his head, "Nope."

Then, almost as if on cue, the large rock such a short distance away moved, changing position slightly before stretching out, revealing what it was that they'd mistake for a rock.

"Oh shit..." Eddie gasped, taking several steps back and reaching for the sword on his back, even though he had no idea how to use it.

What appeared to be a rock spread its wings slightly and lifted its neck, revealing a dark red creature, the likes none of them ever wished to face. As it opened its mouth, rows of massive teeth were revealed, just before it moved one of it's legs, the long claws digging faintly into the ground.

One word was all that Adam was able to choke out through his fear, "Dragon..."

"It's a monster!" Eddie half yelled.

Suddenly the dragon snapped it's head around, and with a loud roar, demanded, "WHERE?"

For a moment, Adam just stared at the dragon, surprised to not only hear it talk, but sounding afraid as well. And the way it shook his it's head... With a sinking feeling, Adam muttered, "Oh my..."

"What do you mean?" Mickey demanded, sounding nervous as well.

Adam just gave his friends a look, then turned back the dragon, calling out, "Hi Danielle."

"Hi," the dragon called back, it's voice sounding surprisingly cheerful for a roar. It started to take a step forward before suddenly freezing and looking down at itself with a look of surprise that didn't belong on a dragon. "What happened to me?"

Cal coughed, "Oh shit." Then he cried out, "No fucking way. It's not fair. She gets to be a dragon and I have to be a damn Barbie doll."

Eddie and Mickey exchanged glanced for a moment before Eddie suddenly burst out laughing. Mickey just shook her head, looking faintly amused before she started towards Danielle to help her adjust.

"It's just for five days," Eddie announced, almost as if to remind himself as much as everyone else. However, that didn't seem to satisfy Cal, nor Danielle who was still somewhat confused.

After several minutes, Danielle had calmed down and sat next to the others, towering over them and making them nervous, even though they knew who it was.

"This is weird," Danielle giggled, the sound rumbling oddly from the dragon's throat, sounding more ominous than cute as it did in her own body. "I'm like...huge."

"And a lizard," Eddie chimed in, knowing that Danielle wasn't particularly fond of reptiles.

Danielle gasped at that, "Oooh, gross." She bent her head over and stared at herself, making Eddie chuckle. "I feel really weird," Danielle commented, adding, "And you all look so small."

"Like I needed the reminder," Cal grumbled from where he sat on the ground.

At that, Danielle bent her massive head down for a better look, almost laughing as she "I can't believe how small you are honey. I can barely see you." She paused for a moment before adding, "And you're so CUTE."

That just set Cal off into a series of curses, which only made everyone else burst out laughing.

Suddenly Adam froze, frowning as he looked around, sure that he'd heard something. "Shhh," he whispered, about to ask if anyone else had hear it.

But before Adam could form the question, the source of the sound appeared. A short and very stocky man who couldn't have been more than 4 feet tall stood there. The strange figure had a bushy reddish beard and was dressed in reddish-brown clothes with what appeared to be chain mail around his shoulders. A faded brown leather cap was settled over his head and a large double edged ax hung loosely from his belt, ready for use.

"Greetings," the stocky little man started in a rough gravely voice, "I be Grestick..." He paused, giving a grunt and a weak half hearted smile, "And I be your guide."

The Travel Agency
part 3 of 10
By Morpheus

The group of friends remained sitting where they were in the middle of a large clearing, all still in shock from not only seeing each other in strange new bodies, but themselves as well. Adding to the shock was the fact that a stranger, a short and stocky man had snuck up alongside them.

"I be Grestick," the newcomer repeated with a grumble, giving each of the vacationers a steady look.

"What...what...?" Eddie gasped in surprise.

Grestick snorted, "I be a dwarf." He gestured to Mickey and stated, "She be a centaur," then to Cal, "A pixie." Pointing up at Danielle, he spat, "Dragon," then to Adam he said, "An elf," and finally he nodded at Eddie and said, "And that body be human."

"I thought this place had like...magic creatures," Danielle grumbled, her dragon's voice adding an odd contrast to her usually way of speaking. "I didn't think that there would be any humans."

"They be here," Grestick mumbled, "But they be not many."

"Why the hell didn't you make me a human?" Cal demanded, his tiny voice not managing to sound as intimidating as he would have liked.

With a scowl, Grestick looked down at Cal, obviously annoyed. "My boss used what was available," he stated. "Magic can do much...but not everything." He snorted at that, "Or so's I hear."

"Your boss?" Mickey asked thoughtfully. "You did say you were our guide, but I'm still a little confused." She looked around, then down at herself with a faint chuckle. "First..." she started, "Are we going to be like this for our whole time?"

Grestick nodded, "Aye. For five days ye be in those bodies, then ye return to yer own." Then, he chuckled, "But till that time, I be yer guide and keep ye safe."

Adam just looked at the others, chuckling faintly to himself as he took another long look at his body. "So I'm an elf. Funny," he joked, "I don't feel like helping Santa make toys."

Eddie laughed lightly while Mickey and Danielle just grinned, though it was difficult to tell in Danielle's case.

"Now then," Grestick stated, "I should tell ye that the boss has done what he could to protect ye here." He gestured to himself with a thick thumb, then around him, "An this area be mainly safe."

"Mainly safe?" Adam repeated with a groan. "Exactly how safe is that?"

Grestick shrugged, then reached behind him for a large cloth bag, setting in on the ground in front of him before opening it up and pulling out the contents. They were several metallic looking bands which he started to hand out.

"Put these on yer wrists," Grestick directed. "They be a badge of protection so most others won't mess with ye without cause." He paused for a moment before adding, "Mark ye as under protection of me boss they do."

"Oh," Adam whispered, wondering who Grestick's boss was and why he had such influence.

It was Mickey who asked the question that Adam, as well as the others were wondering. "Who is your boss...and why is his protection so important?"

Instead of being offended as Adam had half expected, Grestick chuckled. "He be a mage who found the way across worlds." Grestick gave them each a grin, adding, "Now he be the only one who can cross worlds, and be the one who sent you."

"What?" Cal demanded, jumping up and putting his hands on his hips glaring at the dwarf.

Danielle let out a gasp, followed by a faint puff of smoke and flame from her huge jaws. She bent over Grestick, overshadowing them all with her massive size. "You mean Mr. G?"

Grestick just nodded, not saying a word.

"But why these things?" Adam asked, holding up his bracelet. "I mean, if he's in our world..."

"You be not the only ones wishing to explore a new world," Grestick chuckled, a faint gleam in his eyes.

Adam gulped, having the feeling that there was more going on there than Grestick was saying. And after sharing a look with Mickey, he knew that he wasn't the only one. However, he couldn't quite place his finger on exactly what that was.

Then, Grestick added, "And none who wish to do so will cross him or allow harm to those he protects."

"Sounds like a major dude," Eddie muttered nervously.

Mickey just stood up, standing there on her four legs and stretching her muscular arms above her. She gave her hands a look, then bent over to look at her backside, a thoughtful expression on her face. Then she gave a similar look to Danielle.

"I was wondering," Mickey started slowly, bending down a little to look at the dwarf but still keeping herself positioned so that she would likely still be intimidating. "How come I'm able to walk like this when I've never had four legs before." She gave a faintly embarrassed look. "Same with Danielle."

With another shrug, Grestick answered, "Because me boss cast spells on yer bodies to help ye use them. Just as he made it so Frrraaargh could speak."

"Fr...Fr..." Cal started, unable to finish repeating what Grestick had said. "What the hell is that?"

"It be yon dragon's name." Grestick snorted, gesturing at Danielle. "He even fed yesterday so ye won't need to eat till after yer gone home."

"HE?" Danielle spat out after a moment of just standing there, staring down at herself in horror. "You mean I'm a GUY dragon?" At Grestick's amused nod, she screamed, though it came out as a horrifying roar instead, causing the rest to instinctively shudder in fear.

To everyone's amazement, a burst of flame shot out of Danielle's mouth, fortunately going into the air rather than down towards them. She jumped back, her massive wings spreading out as if she were about to take flight, though she never left the ground.

"Calm down," Mickey yelled at Danielle, "You're gonna hurt someone."

"Me for instance," Eddie muttered under his breath.

Once Danielle calmed down, with a few more words from Mickey, she sat down, somehow managing to look emberassed.

"Sorry," she whimpered, sounding apologetic.

"It's all right," Mickey told her gently, hesitating a moment before putting her hand on Danielle's scaly hide. "Just try not to freak out anymore, OK? I mean, you've got to learn your own strength." She and Danielle both chuckled at that, though weakly.

"Glad that's over with," Mickey muttered.

"Besides," Adam exclaimed, looking down at himself for a moment and giving a wry grin, "You're not the only one to get an instant sex change."

Then they all glanced at Cal who sat on the ground near a rock, curled up and shaking, obviously still in shock. He slowly uncurled and stood up, looking around with a nervous expression, then up at Danielle with one much worse.

Cal took a deep breath, hating the sight of everyone towering over him like giants, making him feel like some kind of bug. And Danielle... He shuddered at the sight of her...of the monster she'd become. It wasn't fair. She was big and strong, while he... He hated being small. Being helpless.

For a moment, Cal just looked around at the others, then he grimaced, standing up with his arms crossed in front of him, hating the breasts that got in the way. Hating the feel of his entire body and wondering how he could ever have possibly agreed to the trip. The only consolation in his mind was that it was only for several days. Only until he returned.

Finally looking at the bracelet that the giant dwarf had put in front of him, Cal demanded, "How the hell am I supposed to wear that?" He snorted, "That's twice as big as I am."

With a snort of impatience, the dwarf told Cal, "Touch it."

Cal gave him an odd look but reached out to touch the bracelet. As soon as his skin had done so, the bracelet started to shrink...and melt. Cal tried to jump back, but the bracelet, or what had been the bracelet, quickly flowed around him, forming a belt around his waist.

"What the fuck?" Cal demanded, grabbing at the belt and trying to yank it off, though it refused to budge.

"It'll leave as soon as you do," Grestick chuckled. "Now for the rest of ye."

Adam stared at his bracelet for a moment before slowly reaching over for it. To his relief, it didn't act anything like Cal's. A moment later, Adam had slipped it over his slender hands and watched in amazement as the bracelet closed tightly around his wrist, over the bracelet that had already been there.

"I don't know about this?" Eddie muttered, eyeing his skeptically. "Isn't this like wearing a dog collar or something?"

"Just shut up and put it on," Mickey sighed, slipping her own over her wrist as she said so. A moment later, Eddie had done the same, sticking his tongue out as Mickey added, "What a baby."

Finally, Danielle bent down and squinted, "Kinda hard to see." She scowled and then slowly reached forward with one of her massive front feet, poking at the tiny object in front of her with a single claw. "A little cute though..."

As soon as the dragon claw touched the bracelet, it reacted in a similar manner to Cal's. However, the bracelet seemed to grow as it melted, flowing up a startled Danielle's front let and wrapping around her neck. A moment later, it had taken form again as a necklace, much to her delight.

"How's it look?" Danielle gushed, causing Eddie, Adam and Mickey to all burst out laughing from the sight of an effeminate dragon. Even their guide chuckled in amusement, though Danielle didn't seem to notice.

"Well then," Grestick grunted, getting back to his feet and giving them all a look, "Lets be going."

"Go?" Adam asked, "Where are we going?" He looked around, not seeing anything anywhere around but trees...and some mountains in the distance.

"Yeah," Danielle burst out, "Where's our hotel?"

Without a word, Grestick started walking towards the edge of the clearing, leaving no doubt that they were to either follow...or be left behind. After several quick glances, the group quickly started after Grestick, with Cal riding on the horse part of Mickey's back.

As they started down a trail, Adam couldn't resist glancing down at himself and wondering what he'd look like naked. He blushed at the thought, then chuckled as he thought about the situation. There was one thing that he was certain of...this was going to be a vacation unlike any that he'd even imagined. He just wondered what surprises were going to come up next.

--------------------

Danielle grunted as she pushed a tree over so that she could get past, no longer feeling quite as amazed at how easily she could do it now that she'd removed over a dozen of them. Still, she couldn't help feeling some amazement, especially when she thought about the fact that even Cal couldn't do anything like that...and that was in his own body.

They had been walking along the trail for over an hour, finding that there were a number of places were it got too tight for Danielle's massive body to make it through, so she had to force her way. The others all watched her removing the obstacles with mixed and varied emotions, though most were impressed.

"I thought that we were coming here to see the sights," Eddie complained, "Not to go on some nature walk."

"I'm tired of all this walking," Cal added to the complaints. "Besides, I'm hungry."

Mickey snorted, "How can you be tired of walking when all you've done is ride on my back?"

At that, Grestick finally held out a hand, gesturing for them to stop. He turned to Cal and said, "Aye, I forget that yer kind need ta eat frequently." With that, he pulled out what looked like a small plum and handed it to the tiny jock.

Without a word, Cal grabbed the fruit, which seemed the about the size of a grapefruit, then took a hesitant bite. It was sweet and juicy...delicious. He took several more bites before he finally stopped and looked around in embarrassment.

"Not bad," Cal exclaimed, "but I'd rather have a steak."

Grestick just gave a faint smile. "Aye, but yer new kind do not eat meat. It would only make ye ill."

"WHAT?" Cal gasped, "You mean I'm a vegetarian?" That almost seemed as shocking as his sex change, though his emotions quickly turned to anger when the others started laughing. "What's so funny?"

At this, Danielle changed the subject by exclaiming, "I thought that we were supposed to see lotsa stuff. But all we've seen are trees and this trail."

"She's got a point," Eddie grinned.

Mickey just grinned back, "Yeah, on her head."

"Ye be making too much noise and scaring all the animals away," Grestick told Danielle. "But we be getting to some good sights soon." He grinned proudly, "You have me word on it."

Adam frowned and turned his attention away from the dwarf, giving another look at the trees. Sure, that was the only scenery that they'd really seen, but they were definitely interesting. At least in the fact that there were all sorts of trees that he didn't recognize.

Then Adam noticed something from the corner of his eye and snapped his head around, just in time to see a tiny person...who looked a lot like Cal, flying away into the bushes. She or he had been a different color, looking a bit more human, but there was a definite resemblance.

"I don't think we're that alone," Adam told the others, though none of them seemed to understand what he meant. With a shrug, he decided to just keep watching...hoping that he could see more of the local wildlife.

"We be there soon," Grestick told them all, gesturing to follow as he once again started down the trail.

The group followed behind Grestick, though it didn't take long before Eddie started grinning. Then, he blurted out, "Are we there yet?"

Grestick's response was a calm, "Not yet."

Eddie didn't even wait fifteen minutes before repeating, "Are we there yet?"

"No," Grestick snorted.

Adam and Mickey exchanged looks and tried not to snicker.

This continued as they walked along the trail, with Eddie occasionally repeating the question, getting a curt, "No!" from their guide every time, much to the other's growing amusement.

Finally, Mickey couldn't resist getting in on the act, "I've got to go to the bathroom..."

However, Grestick didn't even slow down or pause as he answered, "Then go."

"Might work better if someone without a horses ass said that," Adam whispered to her, grinning in spite of himself. Then he slapped her along her horses side and chuckled.

"Might be right," Mickey agreed with a grin.

Suddenly Danielle got into the act, blurting out, "I've got to go to the bathroom..."

Grestick suddenly stopped and snapped around, a look of horror on his face. "Over there!" he directed, gesturing to the trees, away from the group.

However, when Danielle just stood there, feeling embarrassed and confused since she didn't actually have to go, Grestick just snorted and started marching again, cursing under his breath in a language that none of them understood.

It didn't take too long though before Eddie decided to start the game up again. He gave Mickey and Adam a wink, then in a whined, "Are we there yet?"

To their surprise, Grestick looked back with a grin, "Aye."

"Really?" Eddie gasped in delight.

But Grestick just shook his head, "No." He chuckled as he turned back around, "It be close though. Very close."

Eddie just shook his head, grinning at himself.

Just several minutes later, Grestick pushed some bushes aside and announced, "Here be your first sight."

Adam stepped through the brush and froze, his eyes going wide as he took in the sights that were spread out before him. The huge open area with massive rocky hills just a short distance away. A massive waterfall could be seen pouring from over a cliff, going down and vanishing from sight.

"Oh shit," Adam whispered, stepping forward and realizing that there was another cliff going down, just a short distance ahead of them. The waterfall had to end there...some distance below them, just as it started in the rocky hills some distance above them. "Amazing."

However, the terrain wasn't what truly drew Adam's amazement, though it was certainly a part of it. Up on the rocky mountain, he could see what seemed to be some sort of castle...right in the middle of the river...in the middle of the waterfall. The water flowed all around it, cascading down in a single stream.

"Look at that thing!" Eddie gasped from beside Adam.

Danielle's voice rumbled, "Look....there's a castle in the water."

"Duh," Cal snorted, muttering, "Looks like her brain didn't get any bigger." However, Danielle didn't seem to hear the last.

"Aye," Grestick chuckled, "That be where we stay tonight." He looked around at the amazed group and added, "It be even better from up high."

Suddenly Danielle burst out, "Look!" Her voice rumbled and they turned to see her gesturing with her clawed front lets, "There!"

It took Adam just a moment to see what Danielle had been so excited for and he couldn't resist gasping in amazement. His eyes went even wider than before as he noticed several white horselike creatures moving about some distance away. However, there was no mistaking the long horns that jutted out from their foreheads.

"Unicorns..." Mickey whispered in near awe.

"Now THIS is getting interesting," Eddie exclaimed with a grin. "Maybe even worth the walk."

Cal snorted, "Let's just hurry up already." However, no one really paid him any attention

Adam just nodded stupidly, not taking his eyes off of the horselike creatures in the distance. It wasn't until Grestick started walking again several minutes later that Adam finally shook himself out of it and started following once again.

The group continued walking towards the rocky hill and up the gentle side, almost totally silent as they each absorbed the incredible scenery around them, and the fantastic creatures that wandered about in the distance. It didn't take them very long before they reached their goal.

The group stood silently, staring at the river that flowed past, seeming before the falls, almost as if being a large pond or small lake. And there, at the edge was the fantastic castle that they'd seen from below, sitting in the middle of the rivers flow, though a number of rocks jutting up seemed to form an almost natural bridge to it.

"Cool," Danielle gasped.

"Aye," Grestick nodded, then gave her another, more thoughtful look. "But I fear that ye be too big to enter." He sounded somewhat apologetic as he explained, "It be not designed for dragons so ye'll need to wait outside."

"But..." Danielle started to protest.

Mickey trotted towards her and looked up, "Hey, it won't be that bad. I mean, it'll be like camping out and I don't think that ANYTHING will want to mess with you." She finished it off with a grin.

"Aye," Grestick added, "That be truth. Few creatures with any sense...and even most without will avoid bothering a dragon."

Danielle just looked around nervously, almost looking afraid. Suddenly Cal burst out, "You'll be fine," though he had to yell to make his tiny voice heard. "We'll all be close by in case you need us."

"You...you promise?" Danielle pressed hopefully.

Cal gulped in obvious embarrassment, especially realizing the situation. "Yeah. I promise."

That seemed to satisfy Danielle as she sat down and let out a sigh, "I guess I can watch the unicorns and stuff."

"Well then," Eddie exclaimed impatiently, "Let's get the show on the road."

Adam nodded in complete agreement, though he did spare Danielle a comforting smile as they all started across the rock formation bridge. "See you in a few."

A few minutes later, they'd gone through an arched doorway and stood inside of the small castle. The first thing that was noticeable was that it was a somewhat large room, with 3 arched doors on the opposite end, plus several stairways going both upward and down. And finally, in the middle of the room was a fountain with three streams of water pouring into a pool around the base.

Just as they got closer to the water, Cal blurted out from Mickey's back, "Holy shit! Take a look at that."

"What?" both Mickey and Eddie demanded at once, looking around at the walls and trying to figure out what excited Cal so much.

Suddenly Adam let out a gasp of surprise, realizing what it was. "The...the water," Adam whispered, gesturing towards the fountain. "It's...it's going up."

The water spraying in the fountain was flowing...almost as if it were in reverse. It poured from the large pool around the base...and flowed up towards the top before vanishing inside the openings.

"Wow." Eddie muttered.

Mickey just grinned and tried to act unsurprised. "Interesting."

Grestick just nodded and patted the fountain. "Aye, it be interesting." He grinned as he added, "And I be showing ye something else before I be taking ye to your rooms."

With that, Grestick took them through the center door in the back, stepping out into some sort of balcony. It was long, but only stuck out about 8 feet. Then once they were all there, the dwarf gestured for them to take a better look out.

"Oh man," Eddie muttered, stepping back.

From the balcony, they could look down, seeing the waterfall merge beneath them and crashing into the river far...far below. Nearly everything was visible from there, including the large forest that they'd already traveled through.

"Great view," Mickey grinned, glancing at Eddie and teasing, "What's the matter? You afraid of heights?"

"Course not," he protested, though he didn't sound quite so convincing.

"Seems to go...forever," Cal whispered after taking a peak over the edge.

Adam just nodded and stared out in amazement, feeling just a tiny bit nervous about how high up they were, but impressed nonetheless. The view was incredible, better than he'd ever seen before.

"Wish I had my camera," Adam mused, getting quick agreement from the others.

"Now to be showing ye to yer rooms for the night," Grestick told them. "Then ye can look around as ye please." Then with that he started off again, leaving the others to follow.

The Travel Agency
part 4 of 10
By Morpheus

Adam sighed and sat down on the bed, giving another long look at the room he'd been given. It wasn't very big, though it would certainly be a good place to spend the night, though perhaps a little drafty. The walls were made of stone and the window only had a shutter to keep the cold air out.

For a moment, Adam thought back to the last few hours, ever since they'd come to the small castle in the river. After they'd been shown their rooms, they were taken out for another look around, spending some time just watching the unicorns in the distance. Then there was the dinner, though where Grestick had gotten it, Adam didn't have any idea. Still, it was delicious, even if he couldn't tell what half the stuff he ate was.

"Poor Cal," Adam muttered, wishing that his friend would lighten up a bit and try to enjoy himself. Sure, he knew that he wouldn't like to be stuck so small himself, but just about all Cal had done since they'd arrived was pout.

Then, Adam slowly looked down at himself again, gulping nervously as he eyed his chest. "Oh boy," he whispered.

He remained where he sat for a moment before slowly getting to his feet, his eyes lingering on his chest for a minute longer. Then, a slight, though embarrassed smile began to form as he thought taking a look at his borrowed body. He'd nearly been dying of curiosity ever since he'd found himself in it.

"Let's see..." Adam muttered, fumbling around and trying to figure out how to get the clothes off. It didn't take long and soon everything was being dropped onto the bed, quickly leaving him there naked.

Adam just gasped as he stared at himself, at the slender, pale skinned body that was revealed beneath the clothes. There wasn't even a single hair beneath his neck either, much to Adam's amazement. His body was definitely female, with somewhat small but very perky breasts.

"Awesome," Adam whispered, slowly running his hands over the smooth skin. "I certainly wouldn't mind getting to know her better."

Then he blushed at that, feeling just a little guilty for taking advantage of the girls body while he was in it. Still, that didn't stop him from examining it a little more closely.

After a minute, Adam looked up and noticed something gleaming faintly from the wall. Curious, he stood up for a better look and then paused, realizing that it was a mirror. That just made him more eager to see it.

"Oh...wow," Adam whispered as he finally saw his reflection, saw the face that he'd been wearing for a large part of the day. It was...beautiful.

The woman in the mirror was exotic looking, of that there was no doubt. Her features were fine and slender, with slightly high eyebrows. She had long silvery white hair and larger than normal eyes that were green, flecked with silver.

"I wonder who you are, elf girl..." Adam whispered to himself.

A few minutes later, Adam slowly pulled himself away from the mirror and stared at the setting sun out the window. It looked absolutely amazing, bringing a smile to his face. Mr. G had been right when he'd said that there would be incredible sights to see.

Then, as Adam reached down for his clothes, he decided that it was about time for him to hit the bathroom. He chuckled as he thought about the one that Grestick had shown him. To his...and everyone else's surprise, it hadn't been just a bucket like they'd half expected. Instead, it was remarkably close to a modern bathroom.

"This is some vacation," Adam chuckled, wondering what was next. What unimaginable sights he would see before it was over. "I can't wait."

--------------------

Mickey frowned as she looked around the small room that the tiny man had led her to. "It sure ain't the Ritz," she muttered, deciding that the room wasn't bad...but after seeing the outside of the place, she'd expected something just a little...grander.

Then Mickey carefully stepped around, grimacing as her huge backside bumped up against the table, knocking several small items to the floor. She glared back at herself, having gotten used to walking with four legs rather quickly, though not of gauging the new dimensions of her body.

After a moment of looking around, something dawned on Mickey. She snorted, "Where the hell am I going to sleep?"

It was obvious that she wasn't going to fit onto that bed, not with her lower half at least. And of course there were no signs of a bed big enough to hold her larger body.

"Great," she muttered, "Just great."

However, a moment later, Mickey couldn't resist smiling as she looked down at herself, at least a little. Her body was lithe and athletic, or at least her human half was. She even had washboard abs, which she'd never had before. There was a faint stirring of pride at that, as unreasonable as it was since it wasn't even her body.

"It could definitely be worse," Mickey admitted, deciding that she could remain like that if it was only for a few days.

Then her thoughts turned to the others. She chuckled at Cal's predicament, enjoying the sight of him being cut down to size. Adam had been taking it in stride, which almost disappointed her since she would have liked to have seen him squirm more. And unfortunately, Eddie had been turned into a big muscular stud and had been getting just a little smug. She knew that she was going to have to keep that attitude in check.

"Poor Danielle," Mickey sighed, hoping that her friend could handle being stuck as that horrible monster. "I hope she doesn't fall on me." She shuddered at that, knowing how clumsy Danielle could get sometimes.

A moment later, she noticed a small mirror hanging from the wall, smiling slightly as she started towards it, eager to see her borrowed face.

And just before Mickey looked into her reflection, something suddenly came to her. "Don't horses sleep standing up?"

--------------------

"Oh yeah!" Eddie grinned, flexing one of his large biceps and grinning proudly. "What I wouldn't give for rocks like that back home."

Eddie had been standing naked in his room, admiring his well built new body, especially the muscles. However, he did feel a little disappointed to find that his borrowed equipment wasn't really any bigger than his own. After all, with muscles like that, he figured that everything else should be big too.

"Definitely cool," Eddie mused, finally ending his posing and just staring at his reflection in the mirror he'd found. His face was rugged and masculine, though not exactly handsome. "Wonder who he is?"

With that, Eddie turned toward the pile of clothes on the floor and the large sword that was leaned up against the bed. A grin broke out on his face as he reached for it, unable to resist the temptation offered by the new toy.

Then, as Eddie exclaimed in a bad accent, "I'll be back...," he knew that he was going to have a blast.

--------------------

Danielle let out a lonely sigh as she stared across the water to the small castle her friends were all in. She'd been staring at it for some time, taking only a few glanced over the cliff to the wilds below...where the unicorns were no longer even in view.

As it grew dark, Danielle looked towards the building that housed her friends again, grunting before she sat up slightly and gave herself another look, scowling as she did so.

"I'm a monster," Danielle whined, just before glancing around nervously. "Is there anybody out there?" she asked quietly.

However, when there was no answer, she set her head down on the ground, wishing desperately that she'd been changed into someone pretty like Adam, instead of a big ugly lizard. But worse than that was the knowledge that she was alone...sitting outside, without even a bed, surrounded by who knew what. Thoughts of what might be out around her kept running through her head, each one filling her even more with dread.

"I wanna go home," Danielle cried out, wishing that Cal was there at the same time.

For a moment, Danielle just remained where she was, motionless as she was lost in her thoughts. She hated being out in the woods, definitely preferring to be shopping at a mall instead. When she'd first come there, she'd been expecting to live in a castle and being treated like a princess. But instead...

She let out a snort, amused as a tiny puff of smoke and flame flickered from her nostrils. Then, after amusing herself for several more minutes, purposely trying to blow out smoke, Danielle sighed again.

Finally, Danielle closed her eyes and started to slowly drift to sleep, comforted by the thought of how she was going to demand a refund once she got back.

--------------------

Cal bolted upright as a chill ran down his spine, about the same time as his stomach rumbled...again. He groaned and looked over at the small bowl of fruit that Grestick had left for him, though at the moment it looked a little more like a hot tub full of fruit.

"Damn it," Cal grumbled reaching over for something that looked like a yellow grape, though was...or at least seemed to be the size of a grapefruit instead. "I'd kill for a steak."

However, as Cal stood there, staring at the nameless fruit in his hands, he knew that it was still very tasty. After all, he'd already eaten several of them during the day...among other things. He frowned at the thought rubbing at his stomach for a moment before taking a bite out of it.

After several bites, Cal looked back at the bowl of fruit, wondering how much of it he'd eat before morning. It amazed him just how much he'd eaten since being changed. Almost every time that he blinked he was getting hungry again and was sure that he'd already eaten nearly his own bodyweight.

Several minutes later, Cal paused to look around his room again. Or at least the top drawer of a dresser that was serving as his room for the night. It wasn't very big at all, however, it was more than large enough for him now.

"Damn it," Cal grumbled, glaring down at himself again, for what had to be the thousandth time.

His whole body was the same shade of blue, very slender and very sexy. He hated it. Or at least he hated being inside of it, knowing at the same time that he'd get an instant hard-on if he ever saw a girl that looked like that. Even with the blue skin.

With that, Cal stumbled over to the far corner of the dresser drawer, pausing in front of the hand mirror that was laying down. He hesitated for a moment before slowly stepping onto the glass surface, then standing there, staring down at himself and starting to get a little turned on, then getting mad himself for doing so.

Cal slowly bent down to get a closer look at his face, glaring at the pretty blue girl with the pointed ears that stared back. Her eyes were a little larger than normal and extremely dark, almost black. She had long wavy dark blue hair that was several shades darker than her skin. And then there were the two small antennae that came out of her forehead, almost invisible as they seemed to mesh with the hair so well.

"Fucking cock tease," Cal grumbled, standing straight again and flexing his wings. It felt good to do so, but he quickly relaxed them and let them settle back down again. At least that way he didn't notice them as much. "I don't even have any fucking clothes."

Cal snorted and then stamped his foot into the glass, not even having enough force to crack it however. That just frustrated Cal even more, reminding him how small and helpless he was. How he wasn't even strong enough to break a mirror.

With a stream of profanities, Cal stormed back across the dresser drawer and threw himself onto the small pillow that was to serve as his bed. He barely even thought about it as he slowly curled up into the fetal position, shaking slightly in fear...and at the same time...refusing to admit that it was fear. Even to himself.

Suddenly there was a chill down his spine again, making Cal feel extremely nervous. Extremely uncomfortable. He had a feeling that someone was watching him, that something was wrong. However, he knew that there was no one there and quickly decided that it was just his imagination.

"I'll kick all their asses when I'm back to normal," Cal whispered to himself. "I will."

--------------------

The world was strange and shifted, filled with swirling dreams that left little trace of their passage. However, something from outside intruded...slipped past all defenses. Suddenly Adam snapped wide awake.

"What...?" Adam mumbled as he sat up, hearing something from outside, though unable to make out what. Only that it sounded...scary.

Adam nervously looked around, then climbed from his bed, uncertain of what was going on and growing even more nervous because of that. He spotted the slender sword that had been with his new body, leaned up against the wall. And with a quick motion, he grabbed it, holding it tight, though he had little idea of how to use it beyond what he'd seen in movies.

"Um...," Adam asked hesitantly, "Grestick?" However, there was no answer, only more of the scratching noises from somewhere outside the room.

Adam gulped and nervously set the sword on the bed, keeping it within easy reach as he slowly started to put his clothes on again. If there was something happening, he didn't want to be caught undressed, though at the same time, he strongly suspected that it was just his nerves at being in such a strange new place. And in a strange new body.

"Better safe than sorry," Adam quietly muttered to himself, repeating one of his mom's favorite sayings.

A minute later, Adam nearly had all of his clothes back on when suddenly something burst through the window, landing on the floor a few feet from him with a thump...and a snarl.

"What the hell?" Adam gasped, grabbing clumsily for the sword and stepping backwards, holding it tightly as if it was some talisman of protection.

The creature slowly turned and faced Adam, giving him a clear view of it's face. The creature was shaped something like a cross between a human and a gorilla, with an oversized upper body. However, beneath the shredded rags that it was wearing, Adam could see that it wasn't hairy like an ape. Instead, it had what looked like rough gray skin.

It's face was roughly human, though bald and slightly extended as if with a snout. A moment later, the creature gave a snarl, revealing a mouth of both sharp and broken looking teeth.

"Oh shit..." Adam whispered, beginning to shake in terror where he stood. Then he noticed the short spear in the creatures hands and nearly shit himself.

Suddenly the door flew open, and before Adam was even aware what had happened, a short stocky figure flashed through it...and straight at the creature. A second later, there was a glint of metal...a scream of pain, then silence.

Adam stepped back, holding the sword in front of him uncomfortably, staring in shock at the headless gray creature that was laying on the floor. Standing above the corpse...was an ax...with green blood dripping from the edges. However, the person holding the ax was familiar.

"Grestick..." Adam gasped in relief, nearly emptying his stomach as he stared back at the horrible looking creature...or what was left of it.

"Hobgoblin," the dwarf snorted, rubbing his ax onto the bed spread, "Nasty creatures they be."

Gulping, Adam forced his eyes away from the hobgoblin and back at Grestick, who was giving him an intense look. "What's going on?"

"Glad ye be unharmed," Grestick exclaimed, then spat, "Be under attack we are." And with that, he ran back through the door, yelling for everyone to get up.

Adam only hesitated a moment before rushing after Grestick, deciding that whatever was going on...he wanted to stick close to the dwarf.

--------------------

Cal woke to the sound of screaming and jumped up, immediately clenching his fists and getting ready to fight...though he quickly remembered his current condition and let out a stream of curses instead.

"Keep it quiet!" Cal yelled out, "I'm trying to sleep!"

Just then, there was a loud growl coming a short distance away, a growl that sent shivers down Cal's spine.

"What the hells's going on?" he demanded, his voice cracking with nervousness though he fought to hide it.

For an answer, Cal heard another growl, just before a huge face appeared above him, looking down into the drawer. It was massive...and hideous, with big yellow eyes, a squat nose and a wide mouth that stuck out a bit.

Cal just stood there froze, staring in horror at the hideous face, then letting out a scream as a monstrous hand reached down for him. He was filled with terror and an overwhelming need to escape. Then, without conscious thought, Cal jumped into the air.

"Oh shit," Cal gasped in horror, shocked to realize that he was still going up, until he was just above the creature's head. "I am so fucked..."

For a moment, Cal just hovered where he was, realizing for the first time that he wasn't falling back down. His wings were beating furiously, seemingly of their own mind, and he was just hovering there. But as soon as the creature reached for him again, he instinctively shot away from it.

"I'm...flying." he gasped, glancing back, horrified to see that the creature was stomping after him. "Oh shit..."

Cal didn't bother dwelling on his suddenly being able to fly, instead just taking advantage of it to fly away from that creature as fast as he could. For the next several minutes, he just flew around the larger room he was in, trying to keep above the creatures head as it jumped for him, barely managing to do so.

The creature just grunted and snorted as it leapt around, tearing half of the room apart before Cal noticed that the door was cracked open...and shot towards the opening as fast as he could. A second later, he was outside the room, but unfortunately...so was the monster.

Cal gave it a terrified look and tried to go even faster, feeling almost as if the entire Chicago Bears team were trying to sac him.

Suddenly, Cal heard screams, grunts and smashing up ahead. And though he was strongly tempted to turn around, a single glance at the creature charging behind him convinced him to continue on. And then, just as he turned the corner to where the noise was coming from, Cal let out a gasp.

There was a mass of action as Grestick, Adam, Eddie and Mickey were all there fighting against a half dozen more of those creatures. The dwarf kept swinging his ax, though most of the creatures were managing to stay out of reach, with Grestick being even further limited by the closeness of the others.

"Watch out!" Adam screamed, charging towards one of the creatures who was about to stab Eddie in the back with a spear, his own slender sword held straight out, almost as if was a spear itself. Then with a sickening sound, Adam's sword went straight into the creatures back. It staggered for a moment before collapsing to the ground.

"Oh shit...," Eddie gasped, turning around and giving Adam a look of surprise. "Um...thanks man."

With a faint nod, Adam just stood over the creature, a horrible expression on his pretty face. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Cal's own attacker came barreling around the corner at that moment, growling viscously. "HELP!" Cal cried out as loud as he could, flying towards the others and hoping that they could hear him.

"What...?" Adam gasped, turning and looking straight at Cal with a look of surprise. "You're...you're flying."

"Look out!" Eddie yelled out, charging at the creature who'd been chasing Cal, swinging that big broadsword, though not very well. His clumsy attack missed the creature, hitting the ground next to it instead. "SHIT!"

Then, without a word, Grestick lashed out with his ax again, grunting as the blade cut deep into the creatures shoulder, sending it to the ground in a green bloody mess. "Fight them!" Grestick yelled, "May the flame burn them."

Mickey yelled out in a near panic, "Get away!" With that, she lashed out with her front feet, hitting one of the gray creatures in the head with her hooves and knocking him backwards. He only rolled around on the ground, not getting back up.

Cal stared at the fighting in horror, terrified of the sight and knowing that there was absolutely nothing that he could do. Not like that. If he was back in his real body... He clenched his fists, growling in helpless frustration.

As Cal watched, Eddie got lucky with one of his slashes, catching one of the creatures in the thigh, dropping it to it's knees long enough for Grestick to finish it off. At the same time, Mickey had picked up one of the dead creatures spears...and with a look of distaste...and desperation...she plunged it into another one of the creatures.

Within several more minutes, the fighting was over and they all stood there, surrounded by the dead gray creatures, much to Cal's relief. All of them looked tired, though splattered with green ooze.

"What the hell were those things?" Eddie demanded, more than a trace of panic beginning to form on his face. "I thought we were supposed to be safe?"

"Yeah," Mickey snapped furiously, clutching the dripping spear tightly...then dropping it in disgust as she realized what she held. "You said that THESE," she gestured to her wrist band, "would keep us safe."

"Yeah," Cal demanded, hiding his fear and trying to show that he wasn't a helpless coward...that he was still large and in charge. "You'd better tell us what's going on."

Grestick looked around at the dead bodies with a deep scowl. "Hobgoblins," he snorted, "Horrid creatures."

Adam stood where he was, shaking slightly before asking, "Why...why did those...those THINGS come after us?" He gave Grestick a suspicious look, a look which the others quickly adopted as well.

Wiping his ax on one of the bodies, Grestick looked up and answered, "I said that most not bother ye with the bands...but not all." He took a deep breath, calming down some as he looked at the others. "My boss be only one with secret to world travel, an some other mages be jealous of that."

"Oh..." Mickey muttered, looking around nervously...almost in a paranoid way.

"I suspect that someone be after you to discover that secret," Grestick snorted. "Hadn't planned on that." He gave them each an apologetic look. "I be sorry that your visit be troubled." Then in a gruffer and more serious voice, he ordered, "Get yer weapons. We be leaving."

Cal looked around the endless halls around him, wondering if that was such a good idea. After all, they were in a castle now, and if those things attacked again... He definitely didn't want to be out in the open.

"Why can't we just lock the gates and stay here?" Cal demanded, however, Grestick didn't bother answering him, much to his frustration. "Damn."

Adam grimaced and slowly pulled his sword out of one creature, looking as if he was about to empty his stomach, though somehow he managed not to. Eddie gave a smug look as he put his big broadsword away, while Mickey just crossed her arms in front of her, refusing to even look at one of the spears.

Several minutes later, they were heading out of the castle, with Grestick urging them to hurry. "They might be sending more," he told them steadily.

"Let's get Danielle and get out of here," Mickey muttered, gesturing to the large lump that was a sleeping dragon on the other side of the river.

Then, just as they left the rock bridge and were back on the main river, a howling cry filled the night, sending chills down everyone's spines.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Eddie muttered, glancing around nervously.

It was Adam who looked up and screamed exclaimed, "OH SHIT!"

"What?" Cal demanded, looking up and then gasping as he saw more of those creatures coming towards them...but ones with huge leathery wings. "OH SHIT!" he repeated.

And just as Grestick raised his ax, the new creatures were swooping down on them in a flurry. Several of them landed, and all at once, the creatures all attacked viciously.

"Blast ye!" Grestick screamed, swinging his ax viciously, catching one of the winged creatures in the side and knocking it to the ground.

However, before Grestick could take out another one of the creatures, two of them dove at him, throwing a large net that completely covered the dwarf. Grestick cursed and fought, but only entangled himself more.

"They've got me!" Eddie screamed out, lashing out wildly with his large sword, though to no effect as he too was hit with a net.

Adam let out a howl and charged at one of the creatures on the ground, while Call yelled out, "RUN!"

Mickey however was howling out as loudly as she could, "Danielle! HELP!"

Cal gasped out, not sure to be horrified or relieved as the massive dragon bulk began to stir. He couldn't be saved by Danielle... There was no way that he could be saved by his girlfriend.

"Oh God!" Mickey cried out, just as she too was suddenly covered with a net, "Get out of here," she screamed out to Adam and Cal, "RUN!"

Just then, even more of the creatures dropped out of the sky, right on top of Danielle. Cal just stared in horror as she started to look around in panic, screaming, "WHAT'S GOING ON?" Her rumbling dragon voice filled his ears.

Then, as Danielle started to scream, "Get off me!" she fumbled about clumsily, easily throwing creatures about with her massive paws. However, more seemed to come, darting at her with spears and nets, determined to take her...dead or alive.

"RUN!" Cal screamed at Danielle in panic, filled with terror as he instinctively started after her as fast as he could.

Before Cal could get close, Danielle was completely swarmed with the creatures, yelling and screaming as she slapped at them, crushing one after another, obviously panicking as she repeated, "Get them off me, get them off me." It was the same way she'd reacted when around bugs.

Cal suddenly remembered Adam and tore his eyes from Danielle, just for a moment, just long enough to look back at his other friend. He saw that Adam was lashing out with his sword, trying to cut at Grestick's net, however there were too many creatures swarming around their trapped friends, driving Adam backwards.

Suddenly two of the creatures dove straight at Adam, though Adam managed to avoid them...and the net that they'd tried throwing. However, that didn't stop them from trying again, though Adam ran as fast as he could to avoid them, straight towards the treeline a short distance away. And to Cal's relief, Adam vanished into the trees...but the creatures were still following.

"Damn," Cal spat, turning his full attention back to Danielle, noticing that in her struggling, she'd moved closer to the cliff.

Then, filled with a near paralyzing fear of the creatures that surrounded Danielle, Cal just froze there motionless for a moment, wondering if he should help her...if he even could help her. However, he couldn't help thinking that there was nothing that he could do. That he was to small and weak.

Just then, Danielle lashed out at one of the flying creatures, and to Cal's complete horror, toppled right over the edge of the massive cliff.

"DANIELLE!" Cal screamed out, his heard dropping as he watched her vanish from sight. And with a howl, he charged straight at the creatures, no longer thinking, just reacting as he always did when furious...by attacking.

However, just as Cal neared the creatures, one of them dropped directly in front of him, lashing out with the back of it's arm. Suddenly Cal's world was filled with pain as he flew backwards, smashing into the ground.

With his last bleary eyed gasp, Cal whispered, "Danielle...," just before everything went dark.

--------------------

Adam ran as hard as he could, dodging thick tree branches and springing over logs. His heart raced frantically, making him thankful for the first time that he wasn't in his own body since there was no way that he could have kept going so fast for so long.

And at the same time, Adam couldn't help thinking of his friends...the ones he'd abandoned, wrapped up in those damn nets. He was bursting with guilt and anger at himself for running...but he didn't have a choice. It was those damn creatures...the rejects from the Wizard of Oz. He silently cursed them under his breath, not daring to waste the effort to utter the venomous words aloud.

"Oh shit..." Adam gasped, hearing the creatures chasing behind him...feeling them behind hi. He couldn't resist glancing over his shoulder as he ran, horrified to see that he was right. Glimpses of them were visible from behind him.

Just then, Adam's foot caught a large tree root while he wasn't paying full attention to where he was going, sending him sprawling to the ground. He quickly jumped back to his feet, but it was too late, he'd given them a chance to catch up.

The creatures charged at Adam, their large toothy mouths open and snarling, their hands clutching nasty looking spears. He let out a scream as he lashed out with the sword that he'd barely been aware of still holding. However, it was clumsy and weak, making him desperately wish that he knew how to actually use it.

"Damn vacation," he snarled.

Suddenly Adam screamed in pain as one of their spears was thrust into his thigh, filling his entire body with a burning agony. It took all of his strength to lash out again, pushing the sword straight into the throat of the creature who'd hurt him. A second later, the creature fell backwards, the sword still in it's neck.

Adam turned, his eyes going wide as he stared at the final creature, knowing that it was over. He was going to die in an alien world...by some alien monster...in an alien body. If it wasn't so damn terrifying, he would have thought it ridiculous.

Then without warning, the creature staggered backwards, standing there for just a moment before collapsing to the ground. And sticking out from it's gore filled eye socket was the shaft of an arrow.

"What...?" Adam gasped, turning around only to gasp again as he saw a shadowy figure slowly step into view.

The newcomer looked slender but was dressed almost entirely in green, with a hood that covered the face in shadows. However, what drew Adam's full attention, even drawing it away from the pain in his thigh...was the fact that the figure had the bow in hand, already notched with another arrow...pointed straight at him.

The Travel Agency
part 5 of 10
By Morpheus

Adam gulped, his eyes not moving from the green cloaked figure in front of him, specifically from the drawn bow and arrow that the person was holding, aimed straight at him. He instinctively tried to step backwards, the sudden pain in his thigh reminding him that he was still hurt and there was no way that he was going to run from this threat.

"Damn...," Adam whispered, shaking in terror where he stood, silently hoping that at least his friends could get away.

Then, the figure released the arrow, not even giving Adam enough time to close his eyes, though to his complete shock, there was a howling scream from behind him. Snapping around, wincing from the pain in his thigh at the same time, he gasped in horror to see another one of the gray skinned creatures laying on the ground, howling as he struggled with an arrow through its eye. But it only struggled for a few more seconds before collapsing motionless.

"Wha...?" Adam started, turning back to the figure in the green cloak, feeling completely confuses.

With that, the green clad figure dropped the bow, reaching up one hand to pull back the cloaks hood, revealing its...her face to full view. She was beautiful...with pale skin and silvery white hair that was pulled back into a pony tail.

And before Adam had any idea of what was coming, the strange woman threw herself at him, exclaiming, "Niella!" For a moment, Adam braced himself for his attack, then froze in shock as he realized that she was actually hugging him.

After several seconds, the strange elf woman, for Adam was sure that was what she was, having seen a very similar looking woman the last time he'd looked into a mirror, pulled away. She stood back and gave Adam an pleasant smile.

Still feeling unsure of what was going on, Adam nervously gasped out, "Um...thank you." He just silently hoped that she wasn't going to kill him still.

The elf woman laughed, her voice sounding incredibly smooth and melodious. "I finally found you Niella," she told Adam. "Though I had feared to never free you from those creatures." She shuddered, "Especially with a dragon guarding their castle."

"Huh...?" Adam blinked, feeling just a little more confused.

"But when you escaped them during that attack," the elf woman finished, "I knew that it was my chance." She paused and looked apologetic, quickly adding, "I just wish I had found you before they caught you...and that I hadn't been hunting when the attack occurred."

Adam just stared at her, wondering what she was talking about, then suddenly it dawned on him. She thought that he was...whomever it was who's body he was using.

"I..." Adam gulped, "I don't think that I'm who you think I am."

The woman just stared at Adam in surprise, then concern. "Are you all right Niella?" she asked cautiously, "Are you under some spell?"

Shaking his head weakly, Adam's mind raced, half relieved that she'd saved him and half afraid that she'd hurt him when she realized that he wasn't who she thought. Still, he knew that he had to tell her. There was no other way that he could just pretend.

With a gulp, Adam held out his wrist, showing her the bracelet that Grestick had given him. He hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath before blurting out, "My name is Adam Straesser." Pausing for just a second, Adam finished, "I'm from another world and..."

Adam's rescuer just stood there for a moment, her eyes looking first at the bracelet and then Adam with some confusion, locking again on the bracelet. Finally, she stepped back with a look of stunned disbelief.

"It...it can not be..." the woman gasped, glaring at Adam furiously. "I had heard about the gray one's otherworldly visitors...about going there..." She shook her head, stepping back again, her eyes beginning to glare. "Return Niella to me!"

"What?" Adam gasped, staring at her and feeling nervous. "I...I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" she demanded, a sharp edge to her voice. And before Adam even realized it, she had a dagger in her hand and pressed up tightly against Adam's throat. For a moment, Adam was terrified that she was going to cut his throat, then her expression wavered and she slowly pulled the dagger back, cursing, "Burn it. I can not harm Niella's body."

As soon as the woman had stepped back, Adam rubbed at his throat and winced, thankful that she hadn't gone any further. "I..." Adam started nervously, "I don't know this...Niella." He took a deep breath again and tried explaining, "The guy where I come from just said that I'd be trading places with someone from this place..." he gestured around him, frowning in embarrassment as he added, "I didn't know I'd end up like this." Then he gestured down at himself.

For a moment, the woman just stared at Adam, her expression grim. Then she looked at the bracelet on his wrist again and muttered something that Adam didn't recognize. Or at least he didn't understand the words...but there was no mistaking that it was profanity of some sort.

"Aye," the woman sighed, slowly putting away her dagger, "I know that the gray one only takes those who wish it." She sounded as if she hated to admit that, but continued on, "Niella had said she was curious about this other world...but she never..." The woman glared back at Adam for a moment before finishing, "She should have told me."

Adam just nodded quietly, guessing from the elf woman's expression that she really had been worried about this Niella person. And apparently still was.

"We'll be trading back in a few more days," Adam explained, then looked up at the dark night sky and frowned, unable to help but think that his friends were still in trouble. Then he grimaced and grabbed his leg, no longer feeling quite as distracted from the pain. "Damn..."

"You are hurt," the woman whispered, obviously worried about her friend's body more than him. However, a moment later, she gently told me, "Sit still and I shall tend that for you."

For a moment, Adam just stared at her, then slowly sat onto the forest floor with a grunt of pain. Neither said a word as the elf woman bent over and carefully examined the deep spear gash, then began to reach into a pouch on her side for materials.

Finally, the woman prodded quietly, "You said that your name is Adam?" When he nodded, she mused, "An odd name for a woman."

Adam nearly choked at that, feeling horribly embarrassed. "But I'm a guy..." She gave him a surprised look but didn't say anything, so Adam quickly asked, "What's your name?"

After nearly a minute, she quietly responded, "Altera. I am called Altera of Clan Dnae."

"Nice to meet y..." Adam started as he held out his hand nervously, finishing with a loud, "OUCH!"

Wincing from the pain in his leg, Adam glanced away from Altera and to the surrounding trees, then to the dead creatures which were so very close. He gulped, too vividly remembering the sight of them swarming over his friends and himself...and that they had his friends.

"Oh God," Adam winced, not from the slowly easing pain in his leg, but from the pain in his heart instead. The very thought of his friends, probably dead by now sent chills down his spine. And an intense agony through his soul. At the moment, he was still in shock, but knew that he was already on the verge of losing it. "Why did we come...?" he asked himself, his voice filled with pain.

Suddenly Adam felt a cool hand on his leg and turned to see Altera staring him straight in the face, a concerned look on her face. "Those were your friends at the castle..." she stated quietly, looking a little sympathetic.

Adam nodded with a quiet, "Yeah..."

Altera shook her head faintly, "There is nothing that we can do for them." Then, in a firmer voice, she said, "I shall not let you stress Niella's body further. It needs rest...as do you. Sleep."

"But I'm not tir..." Adam started. However, before he could finish it, Altera blew some sort of dust into his face that made him want to sneeze...but only for a moment. Everything quickly slipped away into darkness.

--------------------

Danielle frantic, terrified to have woken up to find herself being covered by a dozen small monsters with wings, all attacking her. All screaming, biting and stabbing with their small spears. With barely a thought, she started to lash out in a panic, almost mindlessly, using her arms, legs and even tail in her desperate attempt to defend herself.

All the tiny spears felt almost as if she'd fallen into sticker bushes, making her lash out even more viciously. And even as she fought, she was aware of someone calling her name, though she couldn't quite make out where from. Not that she could spare the attention.

Then, before Danielle had even realized what had happened, she was pushed up against the edge of the cliff...and over it. She let out a scream of absolute terror, her eyes going wide as she saw the ground so far beneath rushing up to meet her. There was no doubt in her mind that her heart was going to explode from terror before she even hit.

"NOOO!" Danielle screamed out in vain, closing her eyes tightly and refusing to look anymore.

However, after a minute without the impact that she had expected, Danielle cautiously opened her eyes and looked down, gasping at the sight of trees quickly moving by. Her eyes shot wide and she snapped her head around, staring back at the two large wings on her back that were spread open wide, holding her still in the air.

"I'm...I'm flying...," Danielle gasped in shock.

Danielle stared back at her monstrous body, then moved her long neck to look back at the ground, moving so far below. Her heart nearly jumped into her throat, with her not being sure whether to be terrified or relieved. Fortunately though, her body seemed to know what it was doing, even if she did not.

"Wow..." Danielle whispered, "This is totally freaky." Then she let out a nervous giggle.

After soaring for several minutes, unsure of what she was doing and how to control where she was going, Danielle realized that she was slowly going lower, closer and closer to the trees. Soon they were just beneath her, making her extremely nervous.

Then, Danielle finally flapped her massive wings, trying to go higher. However, she realized in horror that she was too late, just as she collided with the top of a tree that was taller than the rest, losing control and crashing through the branches.

As Danielle smashed through the trees, she cried out, "Help!" But there was no help...and a moment later, she smashed through to the ground, impacting with a painful boom.

For a moment, Danielle remained where she was, completely shocked and confused, one of her wings hurting intensely. Then, she tried to force herself to sit up, crying out from the pain, terrified even more than when the monsters were attacking her.

"Cal!" she cried out in desperation, wishing that he was there to protect and make her feel safe, just as he always did. However, the sinking in her hear and the memory of those monsters made her gulp, fearing the worst. For Cal and the rest of her friends. And with that, she collapsed back to the ground, bursting into tears.

--------------------

It was the bright sunlight in his eyes that finally woke Cal up. At first, he remained where he was, feeling as if every fiber of his body was completely bruised. Then he slowly sat up, grunting as he did so.

"Shit...," Cal whispered, looking down at himself with a grimace and then looking around, his heart jumping as he remembered the night before. "Danielle..."

Cal jumped to his feet, wincing as he did so, then staggering slightly and having to use a rock to keep his balance. He stared towards the cliff, shaking as he did so. Then he turned and looked back towards the castle...and the area where he'd seen the others all tangled up in nets. There was no sign of them that he could make out, only a few large lumps that looked like the bodies of several monsters.

"I can do this," Cal told himself, struggling to stand on his own. It wasn't any worse than the time he had to play in a game with his ankle all fucked up. At least that was what he told himself as he slowly started staggering towards the cliff which seemed so far away.

After several minutes, Cal paused and looked back, flickering his wings as he finally remembered that he had them. And feeling a little embarrassed at not having thought of it before, Cal started to flap them and quickly moved up off of the ground, deciding that flying would have to be a lot quicker than walking.

"Oh shit..." Cal muttered, the sight of the ground looming far below him, though in truth it was no more than a few feet. "I...I can do this."

It only took Cal a few minutes to reach the edge of the cliff, then he landed, hesitating for another minute before he could finally bring himself to look over. He gulped, then slowly peaked over the edge, dreading what he expected to see but knowing that he had to face it.

Cal stared over the edge, looking intently at everything that was below them, on either the next area or the further down area where the river fell into. However, there was no sign of Danielle that he could see, not even directly below the place she'd fallen from. All he was able to do was stare down for some time, not sure what to feel.

"Where is she?" Cal finally asked himself, however there were no answers.

He remained where he was for some time before turning around, scanning the ground where Danielle had fought the monsters, but seeing no clues. Only lots of scuff marks and several broken spears. Nothing as to where she...or her body might be.

"They..." Cal gulped weakly, "They took her body." Just like they'd taken the rest of his friends. He shuddered at that, feeling horrified at the thought, though that gave him no idea where they'd gone. There was little doubt in his mind that the only reason they'd missed him was because he was so small, they probably couldn't see him. "Damn!"

For some time, Cal just stood where he was, shaking with a mixture of rage and terror. He looked around, realizing how incredibly alone he was, with everyone else gone...to who knew where.

"But what can I do?" he demanded furiously, screaming to the sky, then he looked down at his sexy looking blue body and shuddered. How could he possibly do anything at all as a little blue girl? He hadn't even been able to help at all the night before. "What can I do?" he cried out, tears beginning to pour down his face as he shook in frustration.

Cal stopped crying after some time, wiping the tears from his eyes and grimacing, remembering that real men don't cry. He grimaced at that thought, wanting to cry more, though he somehow managed not to. There was no doubt that he wasn't able to do much, if anything, but he had to try something. He just had to.

"I've got to find them," he whispered quietly, silently adding, "If they're alive." He tried not to think about that possibility.

However, as Cal's stomach rumbled from hunger, he knew that before he could do anything else, he was going to have to find breakfast.

--------------------

The walls were cold gray stone, the same as they had been for the last several hours. Mickey grimaced and slowly turned away from them, at least as much as she was able, already tired of looking at the walls that surrounded her. There wasn't even a door to break the monotony, just a large round room, with walls, floor and ceiling, all composed of dull gray rock.

Mickey looked around the room, staring at the small glass balls on the walls that gave off faint light, though not much. Then she looked over at Eddie and Grestick, both of whom were leaning up against the wall a short distance away.

"Damn," Mickey snarled, hitting the wall beside her with a fist, "Where the hell's the door?"

She glared at the walls, still not seeing any sign of either door or window, though they had searched for some time after finding themselves within the room. But even after careful looking, none of them had been able to find anything that stuck out or hinted at being a hidden door.

Then she looked over at Grestick and demanded, "How'd they get us in here?"

The dwarf looked up, still scowling. "I be wondering that meself."

Mickey just muttered, "Shit," wishing that she could remember more. The last thing that she...or the others could remember before waking up in that prison, was being tangled up in nets. Watching Adam running off with those monsters chasing him and Danielle fighting those beasties before she fell over the cliff.

A surge of pain shot through Mickey's heart and she slowly sat down on the cold floors, unable to help but think of her missing friends. She and Eddie might be prisoners, but the others... Mickey was desperately afraid that they were all dead, especially since none of them were locked up too.

Eddie just sat there, staring silently at the floor, just as he had been for some time. Mickey watched him for a moment, knowing that he was worried about the others too. He'd barely said a word, which wasn't like him at all.

Then, Mickey slowly got back up and moved closer to Eddie, her hooves clumping against the hard stone with each step, sounding alien to her ears. She looked down at herself, at her athletic new body, hating the fact that as strong as she now was...she was helpless to do anything. She was locked away for some reason she didn't understand, while her friends were missing...perhaps dead.

"Oh Eddie," Mickey cried, tears beginning to run down her cheeks as she lowered her body again next to his, "I'm scared."

Eddie finally looked up from the floor and stared at Mickey, his eyes red and puffy. As he slowly took her hand in his, he whispered, "Me too. Me too."

With that, Mickey and Eddie hugged each other for what comfort they could while Grestick looked on silently. It was all that they could do for now.

The Travel Agency
part 6 of 10
By Morpheus

The soft chirping of birds and the faint wind between the trees were the sounds that greeted Adam as he slowly awoke, finding himself laying on something soft and damp. He remained where he was for a minute as he scrambled to remember the events before.

Suddenly a soft woman's voice announced, "I see that you are awake."

Adam slowly sat up, feeling apprehensive. Then, he stared at the elf woman...Altera for a minute before slowly looking down at himself, uncomfortable to see that he still had the body of a woman. Finally, he looked around him, startled to realize that he didn't recognize where he was at. There were no signs of the winged monsters.

"I moved us to a safer place while you slept," Altera said, crouching down near Adam, "How does your leg feel?"

The question caught Adam by surprise, as did the concern that he saw flicker through her eyes. He gulped and slowly patted his leg, realizing that it didn't really hurt anymore. It just stung a little.

"Better," Adam whispered, knowing that his legs should have been aching like hell from the gash.

Altera nodded faintly and stood up, wrapping her green cloak closer against her. "That is good."

Adam sighed and stood up, wincing just slightly from his leg, though not much. He silently accepted what looked like a purple apple and an oatmeal cookie from Altera and gulped them down, then headed behind a tree to relieve himself. By the time he was done, Adam truly missed the comfort of the castle's bathroom.

Once Adam was finished, he stared at Altera uncomfortably, unable to miss the way that she'd been watching him as well. Then he looked down at himself, at his female body, deciding that he'd probably made the biggest mistake of his life when he'd agreed to the vacation. Being a girl elf wasn't so bad...but his friends...

Finally, Adam quietly started, "My friends..." he choked, fighting back tears as he finished, "I have to go back." He looked around the forest, seeing no sign of which way to go. With a sigh, he turned back to Altera.

For a moment, Altera just looked at Adam with a thoughtful look before responding, "They are probably already dead." She said it calmly, as if it meant nothing to her at all.

That was something that Adam feared as well, though he glared at Altera, "I have to see for myself. I won't believe it until I see them."

"Hobgoblins," she said after a few minutes, nearly spitting the word out. "Horrid beasts." Altera stared at Adam for a moment, looking somewhat annoyed, "But they rarely come out in the daylight. It should be safe to look for your friend's bodies."

Adam grimaced but slowly nodded, knowing that it was the best that he could hope for at the moment. And with that, Altera started walking through the bushes, with Adam following close behind.

It took nearly an hour before they left the trees and stepped into sight of the castle. Adam just stopped where he was and looked around nervously, barely aware that Altera was standing beside him with an arrow notched into her bow. He gulped and then slowly started forward, both eager for and dreading any answers he might find.

"Oh God," Adam whispered upon seeing several motionless bodies.

"Which god is that?" Altera asked from beside him, sounding curious.

Adam just gave her a quick glance before rushing to the bodies, relieved to see that they were just more of those gray skinned monsters. Hobgoblins. He shuddered at the sight, relieved to realize that none of the bodies were from his friends.

"They're not here," he whispered, feeling relieved and worried at the same time. He looked at Altera, asking, "Any ideas?"

For a moment, Altera just looked around, finally answering with, "Tell me what happened during the attack." Once Adam had done so, she nodded, "Nets mean that they meant to take you all alive."

"Alive..." Adam whispered, sighing in relief. That at least was a great weight off of his shoulders. "But where are they?"

Altera just shook her head, "We should depart."

Adam just stared at her for a moment while she slowly started back to the wooded area, knowing that she knew more than she was saying. She was hiding something, and it was something that he needed to know.

"Where are they?" he asked again, this time with an edge to his voice, beginning to get angry. "You know something, so tell me."

"Quiet!" Altera snapped angrily, glaring at Adam, "You dare speak like that to me, you body thief?"

"Body thief?" Adam growled back, "Didn't you say that she willingly traded her body?"

Altera just glared back at Adam, looking as if she might kill him if he wasn't in her friend's body. One hand held her empty bow tight, while the other one rested on the dagger at her belt, looking as if she was about to pull it at any moment.

"I want Niella back," Altera snarled in a low tone, "And I will not allow you to risk her body with this."

"With what?" Adam spat back, stepping forward and clenching his fists. She knew something about his friends and he was determined to find out what...even if he had to pry it from her. "What aren't you telling me?"

For several minutes, they both remained where they were, silently glaring at each other. Finally, Adam spoke again, this time pleading, "They're my friends. I want them back safely just as much as you want this Niella woman." He stared her straight in the eyes, relaxing some as he added, "Please help me."

Altera remained where she was but slowly relaxed, her hand coming away from her dagger. "I..." she looked down, her expression almost unreadable though Adam thought that he saw a flash of worry and guilt. "All right. I will tell you what I know, but it will not do you any good."

Adam nodded quietly, hoping...praying that it was something that she could use. "Just tell me." His voice shook slightly.

"You were attacked by hobgoblins," Alter said quietly, "Your friends taken by them." She looked down, adding, "That can only mean the Queen of the Night."

"Queen of the Night?" Adam repeated, still feeling confused. "Who is that?"

"She's a powerful mage," Alter answered, staring at Adam. "She must have taken your friends as leverage against the Gray One. Or..." she sighed, "to learn his secrets."

For nearly a minute, Adam just stared at her before finally muttering, "Queen of the Night? Gray One? Don't these people have real names?"

Altera gave a faint smile, "Aye, but mages are secretive and rarely give their true names as they fear it would give others power over them. Instead they are often known by title."

"And..." Adam gulped, having a bad feeling about his friends, especially considering the woman's name. "And...where would this Queen of the Night have them?"

Again, Altera hesitated before answering. "She would likely hold them at her castle." Then she looked at Adam with an apologetic expression, "I fear that there is nothing that can be done to free them. And if you tried...you would only get Niella's body killed."

Those words ran straight through Adam. He knew that they were true, that there was little that he could do. But still, he looked up, knowing that he had to do something. Anything.

"I..." Adam gulped, not completely sure of why himself as he stared at Altera, trying to make her understand. "I have to try something." he told her quietly. "They're my friends."

Altera's eyes stared back at Adam, filled with sympathy. "But Niella..." she started.

"They came after me before," Adam reminded her, "so they might come after me again." Then, Adam went on, "I'm going to try helping them no matter what," his voice was low but firm, filled with determination. "I can either try it on my own and probably get in trouble...or you can help me and at least keep this body safe." Adam gestured down at himself, not taking his eyes from Altera.

"I'll..." Altera whispered, grabbing for her knife, her eyes filled with confusion. "I'll stop you."

"How?" Adam asked back, trying to sound confident though feeling terrified. He wasn't at all used to being so forceful, preferring to just avoid notice and let things blow over. "Stab me? You'd probably hurt this body even more."

The elf woman just glared at Adam for a minute before spitting out, "Burn it!" She relaxed and reluctantly admitted, "You are right." She sounded as though she absolutely hated to admit it. "The Queen of the Night may still be after you, and the last place she would think to look is close to her own lair."

"Then you'll take me?" Adam asked, trying to keep the relief and eagerness out of his voice.

Altera just nodded, "Aye. I like it not, but I will aid you."

Adam finally smiled, though it was still weak. "Thank you."

With a snort, Altera said, "Do not thank me until we get to her lair. I make no promises after that."

Suddenly a voice cried out, "Then let's get going!"

"What?" Adam jumped, looking around frantically.

Altera's dagger was already in her hand as she snapped around, looking for the source of the voice.

Then there was a laugh, "Up here."

Adam slowly looked up, his eyes going wide in relief as he saw the tiny blue woman who was hovering there with rapidly beating wings. "Cal!"

"Glad to see you too," Cal grinned, landing on Adam's shoulder, then looking at Altera. "Hey babe, I'm Cal." He puffed himself up, trying to look macho but failing miserably in his tiny female body.

Altera just giggled faintly, "I would guess that this is one of your friends." At Adam's nod, Altera mused, "This should be interesting at least."

"Then let's get going," Cal urged, "I'm gonna kick this Queen's ass."

With that, Adam and Altera looked at each other, sharing a look of amusement and struggling to keep from laughing aloud. Neither said a word however as they slowly started towards the trail that they had followed up to the top of the cliffs just the day before.

--------------------

With a grunt, Eddie slowly stood up, glaring at the cold hard floor and wondering how he was supposed to possibly sleep on that. He'd already been trying for some time, to little use. However, a single glance revealed that neither Grestick or Mickey were having that problem.

"Damn it," he muttered quietly, trying not to think about the others.

He closed his eyes though as the images came unbidden, filling his thoughts with the images of Danielle falling over the cliff or Adam running into the woods with those two creatures chasing him. And there was no telling what had happened to Cal, though Eddie didn't think that he had much chance of still being alive either.

When he opened his eyes again, Eddie took one more look around the prison cell, scowling first at the walls, then down at his muscular arms. What was the use of being big and strong if it didn't do any good. If all he could do was sit around inside some hell hole, waiting for who knew what. The thought of what made him shudder.

"We've got to get out of here," Eddie muttered, remembering the words from some old song, "If it's the last thing we ever do." However, he was deathly afraid that it would be.

They'd been locked inside the prison for some time, though Eddie had no way of telling just how long. There hadn't been any sign of a door, window, food or even whoever was holding them there. Somehow, the lack of kidnappers only made him feel worse...more apprehensive.

Eddie shook his head, whispering, "Fear of the unknown is worse than fear of the familiar." It was a cardinal rule of good horror movies as far as Eddie was concerned, but unfortunately, he hated to realize that it seemed to be a rule of real life as well. "Or fantasy," he muttered, glancing down at himself and then the centaur just a short distance away.

Then suddenly, a new sound filled the emptiness of the quiet cell. It was a squeaking, coming from above, immediately drawing Eddie's eyes upwards, towards the center of the round room.

"Oh..." he gulped, shocked to see the round center stone in the ceiling beginning to move...to slowly come down. "Mickey...," he started hesitantly, then a little louder, "Short guy...um...Grestick!"

"Huh," Mickey mumbled as she woke up, looking around, "What...?" Then she froze, her own eyes moving towards the descending stone with an "Oh..."

A moment later, Eddie gulped, seeing the stone hanging in mid-air as it slowly came down, revealing a pair of legs on top of it. Someone was using the thing like an elevator to come down.

Grestick just stood up, reaching to his side for the ax that was no longer there and scowling. He held a finger before his lips to indicate that they should remain quiet, then slowly started towards the elevator. However, before he got more than a few yards away, he stopped with a grunt and pushed against the air as if there was some sort of wall there.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Eddie muttered, earning a glare from both Mickey and Grestick.

A few seconds later, the stone platform hit the floor and finally stopped, while the figure that stood on top of it remained there for a moment, slowly looking around the cell...looking at them. She had dark gray, nearly black skin, with long silvery white hair and somewhat pointed ears. Her body was covered with black leather, though she had a silver metal belt that was decorated with skulls, and a silver tiara on her forehead. And finally, her face was beautiful, but decorated with a cruel expression.

"A dark elf..." Grestick exclaimed in surprise, his hand reaching for the missing ax at his waist again, not taking his eyes from her.

"What's that?" Mickey asked, then a moment later added, "Oh, sort of like a black person."

However, instead of answering Mickey, Grestick just stood there, staring at the dark skinned woman with an expression that seemed to grow more nervous. "I know who you be," he stated, his voice sounding tense but in control. "Ye must be Queen of the Night."

For a moment, the woman just stared at Grestick with a cruel, amused expression before finally responding, "Yes...I am." Her voice was smooth and sexy, but very firm.

"Queen of what?" Eddie blurted out, feeling a bit confuses. A single look at Mickey revealed that he wasn't the only one.

"She be a mage," Grestick muttered, glaring at the woman, "An after me boss's secrets."

"Correct," the Queen of the Night commented, stepping off the platform, however, Grestick quickly showed that the invisible wall was still in place. "That saves explanation." She slowly came toward them, just to the edge of the invisible wall and staring across at Grestick with an arrogant expression. "Now give me that which I require."

"But we don't know anything," Mickey protested.

Eddie just remained where he was, staring at the strange woman...specifically, her rather generous breasts. He couldn't help wondering what they'd look like beneath those clothes...and if her nipples were gray too.

"How does he cross worlds?" she demanded, glaring at them each in turn. "I must know...and you WILL tell me."

Grestick just glared at her, his arms crossed in front of him. Mickey looked over at Eddie and then paused, glaring at him when she saw the way he was watching the Queen.

"Hey moron!" Mickey snapped, getting Eddie's attention back, "You do know that she's the bad guy, don't you?"

Eddie quickly shifted his eyes back and forth between the Queen of the Night and Mickey, silently trying to decide which one would be the worst to have pissed off at him. It didn't take long before he decided on Mickey...without a doubt.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking down in embarrassment and asking, "Why you doing this to us? We didn't do anything to you." He looked at the Queen again, this time feeling a mixture of nervousness and annoyance, "I mean, we're just fucking tourists."

The Queen sighed, "That is not acceptable."

Then, with an annoyed expression, Queen of the Night muttered something under her breath, gesturing at Eddie. He suddenly found himself froze, unable to move, though he struggled to do just that.

"Eddie!" Mickey cried out.

Grestick snarled, "Leave him be!" He ran towards Eddie but stopped short just several feet away, again as if hitting an invisible wall. Then he glared at the Queen and spat, "Crevitz!"

The Queen frowned and muttered, "Such language." Then she shook her head, adding, "But what else can one expect from a dwarf." She said 'dwarf' as if describing something disgusting.

Then, she turned and started walking towards Eddie, through where the invisible wall supposedly ended, though neither Mickey or Grestick were still able to get close. Instead, it was as if she just moved the invisible wall, making sure to keep it between them. But not between her and Eddie as she was quickly standing in front of him and putting her hand on his chest.

"So big," she mused, "So strong."

Eddie just shook where he was, half afraid that he was going to cum in his pants right there with the dark skinned woman running a hand over his chest. Her nails tickled faintly, though she then started reaching for his wrist...specifically the wrist band.

"This has his markings," the Queen of the Night mused, rubbing at the wrist band. "This must be the talisman which he uses to bind you here."

"What...?" Eddie started, still unable to move, to resist at all while she removed the band from his arm.

Then, with a satisfied smirk, the Queen of the Night held the wrist band up, exclaiming, "I am sure that this should teach me that which I desire to know."

And as the dark elf started towards the platform in the middle of the room again, Mickey blurted out, "You've got what you wanted. Please let us go."

However, she didn't answer until she was standing on her stone platform and starting to rise again. "I think not," she finally answered, just before vanishing back into the ceiling.

"Damn!" Eddie exclaimed, grasping at his wrist, now able to move once again.

Mickey slowly moved to directly under where the stone platform had gone back into the ceiling, finding nothing to block her movement anymore. Then she gave Grestick a glare while going to close to Eddie and giving him a nervous hug.

"Thanks," Eddie whispered, kissing Mickey and feeling somewhat odd about it as she didn't look anything like the Mickey that he knew.

Finally, Mickey looked at her own wrist band and then at Grestick, demanding, "I thought you said these things would keep us safe."

"From most," Grestick answered grimly, "Though not from all." He gave them both a steady look, his eyes twinkling slightly. "The token she took will not give her the answers she seeks...but it will keep her busy for now."

Eddie and Mickey gave each other a faint smile, knowing that it wasn't much, but at least it was something. Perhaps it might even be good luck, though there was little hope of that.

The Travel Agency
part 7 of 10
By Morpheus

The thunderous roar of the river filled the ears of those who walked along it, looking deep within the waters and the trees that lined the distant short. Adam remained silent as he followed behind Altera, barely aware of Cal flying over their heads as he stared into the water, then across it.

"Looks nasty," Adam muttered, deciding that the rapids were a little harsh right about there. "Maybe we should go down a little further,"

Altera turned and gave him a steady look before adjusting the quiver of arrows on her back. "We cross here," she told Adam, turning towards the river and gesturing, "These rocks will give us all a clear path across."

Adam just looked at the river again, scowling as he stared at the rocks that pushed out from the water. The river crashed around them, making itself even more violent. And ironically, it was those very rocks that might get them across...if they were able to successfully jump from one to another. It was that which made Adam nervous.

Though he was still worried, Adam just shrugged, muttering, "You're the guide."

"No problem for me," Cal laughed, "I'll race you..." Then with that, Cal started flying across the river.

For a moment, Altera watched him then looked back at Adam before impatiently calling, "Follow me," just before jumping to the first rock.

After Altera had made it to the third rock, Adam took a deep breath, glanced into the water and jumped to the first one himself. He staggered slightly on the rock, somehow managing to keep his balance, to keep from falling into the swirling water around him. A single glance at the violent water, smashing against other rocks further down told him that falling in would NOT be a good idea.

"This is not good," Adam mumbled, reminding himself that this was a bad idea. But Altera said that they needed to cross the river and she wanted to do it there.

When they were both about halfway across, Cal cheerfully yelled across, "Last one here is a rotten egg." Of course he was already on the far shore.

Altera looked up and glared at him, "Quiet little one," then she looked back at Adam, "Hurry up or we shall never get across."

With a snort, Adam just nodded, carefully hopping to another rock, quickly trying to keep his balance once he landed. It was made more difficult as the rock was damp on top. Still, he managed, as he had with each rock before.

"Halfway there," Adam told himself nervously, gulping as he muttered, "You can do it."

Then, Altera leapt to the next rock, though this time her foot slipped. Before Adam realized what had happened, there was a splash...and Altera was being pushed down river. And all he could do was watch in horror as she scrambled to keep control...and slammed into a large rock.

"Altera!" Adam screamed out in shock, seeing that she wasn't fighting the water anymore. Without conscious thought, he jumped in to the water himself, silently praying that he knew what he was doing.

The water pulled Adam under, though he could feel himself being drawn down river. He grimaced and caught the bottom with his feet, pushing himself back to the surface again, just in time to see a rock coming towards him.

Cal's voice cried out, "Adam!" However, Adam paid it little attention, instead grabbing hold of the rock and pushing himself off to the side, managing to avoid a painful impact.

Suddenly Adam saw her again, the silvery hair sparkling in the water, the rest of her body barely visible at all as the water pushed her towards another large rock. Adam was horrified to realize that she was face down, knowing that he had to do something. Somehow.

Though he was completely terrified, Adam used one of the rocks to push himself towards Altera, swimming with the current to get towards her more quickly. He desperately hoped that it would work, being faintly relieved when he caught her body a moment later.

"Alt..." Adam started, before a wave hit him in the face.

Grabbing her body, Adam tried to pull her head up and out of the water, while at the same time keeping track of the rocks. He grimaced as he saw more nasty looking ones ahead, doubting that he'd be able to avoid them while pulling her. He had to let her go.

"No..." He cried out, holding Altera tighter, refusing to just abandon her when every ounce of his common sense told her do to just that.

Adam was barely aware of what he was doing, reacting out of desperation and instinct. And as the rocks came closer, he throw out his legs on the bottom, trying to drag them...to use them as an anchor. It slowed them down some...but not enough. A moment later, Adam was slammed against the rock, taking most of the impact as he still held Altera.

With a grimace, Adam held onto his consciousness, throwing his feet down and keeping himself pinned against the rock. The force of the water pushed him into it, threatening to tear him loose and throw him down the river again at the same time.

"Oh God..." Adam cried out, holding Altera up and slowly lifting her body onto the rock.

To Adam's relief, Altera started to move on her own again, even helping to pull herself onto the rock. Still, he had to do most of the work, while still holding his own position. Then, once most of her body was on the rock, enough to keep the water from pulling her back in and away, Adam turned his full attention back to himself.

Since there wasn't enough room on that rock for another person, Adam grimaced, took a deep breath and frantically looked for another rock. One that was close enough to use. He was relieved to see one just a short distance away...all he'd have to do was fight the water for just a little more.

"Cold..." he whispered, not sure if he was going to be able to make it. He was already so cold and tired, not to mention hurting from the impacts and the remaining wound in his thigh. "Gotta..."

It took some effort, but Adam managed to keep himself anchored with both feet into the river bottom...and both hands on the rock. He stretched out, then shifted grasped the other rock, holding tight while he fought for the energy to continue. Finally though, he pulled himself up, out of the water and onto the rock.

"I..." Adam gasped tiredly, "made it." He looked over at the next rock, letting out a sigh of relief that Altera was safe too.

For nearly a minute, Adam remained where he was, glancing around and being startled to realize that while they'd been drifting, they'd gotten a little closer to the other side. And with the river turning slightly...his mind started racing as he looked at the rocks, a slow smile beginning to form. Perhaps they weren't trapped in the middle of the river.

"Altera!" Adam called out, letting out a sigh of relief when she slowly sat up some and turned her head to look at him. There was a gash above her eyebrow, with blood dripping down. She looked confused for a moment, though her eyes regained their focus.

"Yes..." Altera responded slowly, sitting up more and then taking a look at their situation.

Adam gestured to the rock next to her, and then to the relatively calm space behind it. There was the end of a log...with the other end going to the shore. It might not be extremely easy, but Adam knew that they could make it to shore that way.

For a moment, Altera just looked where Adam gestured, then slowly nodded before grunting, then moving towards it. Adam waited a few seconds, then started working his way towards it as well.

Several minutes later, Adam pulled himself up the log and onto shore, gladly taking the hand that Altera offered to help him the rest of the way out of the water. Then, almost the instant he was out of the water, he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

Suddenly Cal appeared over Adam's head, staring down nervously, "You all right man?" He almost looked afraid.

Adam grunted and sat up, shivering from cold but nodding, "I'm fine." He glanced to Altera, "You?"

Altera just sat there with an odd expression on her face, staring into the water without saying anything. She finally nodded her head and got back to her feet.

"Glad to see it," Cal exclaimed, then in a shaky voice, he added, "I wanted to help..." He shook his head, his voice filled with shame, "I'm sorry."

"There wasn't anything you could do..." Adam told Cal comfortingly.

However, Cal just responded, "That was the problem. I couldn't do anything." He spat out, "I'm fucking useless."

"But..." Adam started, however Cal had already darted off, vanishing into the trees. Adam just stood there, staring at the trees in surprise. "Cal...?"

Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Altera standing there. "Your friend will return when she is ready."

"He..." Adam mumbled.

However, Altera continued without indicating that she'd heard, "We should get dry before we become ill." Then she gestured to the sky and added, "And the sun will soon be setting as well, making this more urgent."

Several minutes later, Altera had started setting up a small fire just inside the trees, leaving Adam to collect the wood. And as cold as he was, getting the fire going was becoming more and more of a priority with every second.

"Damn I'm c...c...cold," Adam mumbled, setting the firewood down and desperately wishing that he had some spare clothes. He was shivering badly, hating being cold and wet.

Altera already had the fire going, and was adding a little more wood, nodding faintly at Adam when he put the last of the wood to the side. "That should be enough," she told him quietly, then stood up and slowly began to undress.

For a moment, Adam just choked, unable to do anything but stare at Altera while she stripped out of her clothes, setting them onto some rocks she'd placed by the fire. Her body awesome, being slender but extremely attractive.

"Oh my..." Adam whispered to himself, knowing that if he still had his cock, it would definitely be hard by now.

Altera finally turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "You should remove your wet clothes as well. That will allow you to warm up more quickly."

Adam hesitated for a moment, still staring at Altera and wondering if she had any modestly whatsoever. It certainly didn't seem that way since she was standing in front of him completely naked, and not seeming the least bit uncomfortable with that.

With a nod, Adam finally started to take off his own wet clothes, surprised to realize that it was actually working. The warmth from the fire was definitely feeling a lot nicer without the soaked material in the way. But he was still cold and soaked to the bone.

"Damn," Adam muttered, standing up and looking down at himself, staring at the naked woman's body. Even though it didn't feel quite so alien anymore, it still shocked him to see himself that way. "Weird."

Then, Adam suddenly blushed when he realized that Altera was watching him as well, an odd expression on her face. She noticed him looking back at her and quickly bent down, unrolling a blanket that she'd had tied to her back.

"It is wet," Altera told Adam, "but it will help warm us."

Adam just gave the dull gray blanket a skeptical look, still shivering as he did so. "Us?"

She nodded and stepped next to Adam, throwing the both of them, adding, "We can warm each other with the heat from our bodies."

For a moment, Adam just stood there in shock, unsure of what to do with Alter being pressed up so close to him. And naked at that. However, when she slowly started to sit down again in front of the fire, he hesitated only a moment before sitting down close to her as well, making sure that the blanket covered him too.

Neither said a word as they sat there, pressed up close to each other in front of the fire, soaking up all the warmth that they could. To Adam's surprise, it was working and he was no longer feeling quite as cold. It was beginning to even get just a little bit comfortable. Comfortable enough so that Altera's close proximity began to excite several thoughts other than that of just staying warm.

Finally, exhaustion overtook Adam and he slowly drifted off to sleep, still cuddled up next to Altera. His last thoughts while starting into the fire, were of worry for his friends.

--------------------

The sky was dark, though filled with strange noises. Noises that made Cal extremely uncomfortable since he did not know where they were, nor what they might mean to him at his current size. He pushed himself just a little further against the tree branch that he was nestled into and stared up at the crescent moon.

"Damn," he whispered, pausing to look down at himself again. At his sexy blue body. He cringed at the sight, even as he delighted in the appearance of sexy female flesh. "I can't believe this shit."

Cal took a deep breath and tore his eyes away from his body, just long enough to glare at the flickering light between the trees. The light of a fire, where he knew Adam and that elf girl were at. For a moment, he considered going down there as well...for the comfort of the fire as well as the company. However, he glared stubbornly, knowing that he didn't deserve that.

"I'm useless...," Cal whispered to himself, unable to stop repeating the incident at the river over and over in his mind. First he'd lost Danielle because he was too small to do anything, and now he nearly lost Adam. All he'd been able to do was fly there and watch helplessly. "Fucking useless..."

For several minutes, Cal remained where he was, staring at the flickering light before slowly turning his attention back to himself, to his strange blue skin. It looked so smooth...so soft and feminine. So sexy.

Cal slowly put a hand onto his breasts, thinking that they looked like an ordinary woman's breasts, except for being blue. He wasn't sure how that made him feel since he was filled with confusion, disgust and excitement, all at once. Though he hated being stuck as a barbie sized girl...he couldn't help but getting just a little turned on at the same time.

With a quiet gulp, Cal looked up at the moon again, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Oh Danielle...," he uttered quietly, feeling guilty at the way he'd treated her sometimes. Though he hadn't told her, he really did care for her a lot. More than he'd even realized before now. Perhaps...Cal was startled to realize that just perhaps...he might even love her. "I'm sorry..."

And though Cal was still overwhelmed by sadness, he attempted to distract himself by looking at himself again. Forcing himself to look closer rather than turning away as he was tempted to. He slowly ran his hands over his body, finally settling with one hand on one of his breasts while the other between his legs...feeling what was no longer there. Feeling the soft sensitive thing that had replaced them.

It was while still in that position that Cal finally slipped into the comforting darkness of sleep. His cheeks were yet glistening with the tiny wet jewels that laid bare his shame and sadness.

--------------------

Mickey looked down at the sleeping figures of Eddie and Grestick, then slowly paced around their cell for what had to be the hundredth time at least. Of course, there was no change, nor had she expected there to be any. Still, the movement itself was comforting in a way.

"How long...?" Mickey asked quietly, staring up at the center of the room, at the platform that the Queen of the Night had used to see them earlier. How long she wondered, had they been trapped in the room...and how long they would remain that way. There was nothing to tell them, not even the sunlight.

She continued to stare at the platform for several minutes, wondering if perhaps there was some way to get it down...to open the door. They'd all tried for nearly an hour once the Queen of the Night had gone back up, but it had been useless. They weren't able to even touch the circle, much less move it. But still, she couldn't help wondering.

Turning back towards the other two, Mickey frowned more deeply, absently tapping one of her front legs. "How can they sleep so easily?"

With a sigh, Mickey couldn't blame them, especially since Grestick had muttered something about conserving their strength. She knew that she should probably do the same herself, but she just couldn't quite bring herself to do so.

"Who is she?" Mickey whispered, looking up at the elevator platform again wondering about the Queen of the Night.

Finally, Mickey turned her attention to the 3 plates that were sitting on the floor. Plates that had been piled with food just a short while earlier, appearing suddenly just beneath the platform. It had been the second time that day that food had been delivered since the Queen of the Night had made her appearance.

"Strange," she mused as she thought about the food. Not that they'd been fed, but what the food was. It wasn't the bread and water that Mickey would have expected given the dungeon surroundings, but instead, it was delicious food. Food that could have almost come straight out of some gourmet restaurant back home.

Then with a glance to the bracelet that remained on her hand, she gulped and hoped that their situation wouldn't get any worse. So far they hadn't been tortured, just locked up. But when the Queen of the Night was done examining Eddie's bracelet and realized that it didn't have anything to do with the spell... Mickey didn't want to think about how much worse things could get.

"Be patient," Mickey reminded herself, repeating the words that Grestick had told her some time earlier, "Save your strength." Then she snorted, adding, "Easier said than done."

Mickey stared at Eddie for a minute before slowly looking down at her own horselike body with a sigh. It was definitely interesting being a centaur, though frustrating as well. She looked back at Eddie again, thinking that it wasn't fair that he was so hot in his new body...and she wasn't in any position to do anything about it. And not just because they were prisoners either.

"Easier said than done," she reminded herself, slowly lowering her body next to Eddie's and trying not to wake him. She might not have any idea what time it was, but her biological clock was telling her that it was time for bed. With that, she curled up for what she hoped would be a peaceful sleep.

The Travel Agency
part 8 of 10
By Morpheus

It was mid day and the sun was out, making Adam a little uncomfortable from the heat. However, he didn't let that slow him down as he walked along with Altera, just as they had been doing for several hours. And to Adam's great relief, they were traveling away from the river. He didn't think that he was ready to handle another incident.

Adam glanced up at Cal, who'd reappeared earlier that morning while he and Altera had been eating breakfast, though he'd been oddly silent since them. That was somewhat unusual from the normally cocky jock that Adam knew.

Then Adam turned his attention to Altera, watching the elf in silence as they continued walking, thinking about that morning. About how surprising it had been to wake up naked and cuddled up next to her in the blanket. He'd nearly choked at first, then couldn't stop blushing for some time...if a blush showed up on his pale skin that was.

As he thought about it, Adam blushed again, remembering what had happened when Altera had woken up as well. She'd stared at him for a few seconds with a strange expression, then she'd bent forward and surprised him with a kiss on his lips, quietly saying, "Thank you," when she was done.

Almost immediately afterwards, Altera climbed out of the blanket and started putting on her clothes, with Adam doing likewise. His clothes had definitely dried out a lot from the fire, though they were still somewhat damp in spots, but Altera had assured him that they would dry out with movement and the sun. She'd quickly been proven right as well.

The rest of the morning passed pretty quickly, with Altera finding several plants and birds eggs for breakfast. It wasn't Frosted Flakes, but it was definitely welcomed by his stomach. And after Cal had rejoined them, they started traveling again.

Suddenly Adam heard something in the distance, some sort of banging of what sounded like metal against metal. He froze, cocked his head slightly and listened, not sure how far away the sounds were, nor much else.

"Did you hear that?" Adam blurted out.

"Hear what?" Cal asked, lowering down to Adam's eye level.

After Adam heard it again, Altera nodded, "Yes, I hear it." She was scowling slightly as she looked off into the distance. "I do not like this."

Adam looked around, faintly hearing the noise again and then glancing to Cal, who still said that he didn't hear anything. It wasn't until Adam glanced back to Altera and saw her ears that he started to wonder if perhaps he had better hearing in his borrowed body. It did make sense when he thought about the other times he'd heard things before anyone else.

A moment later, Altera gave him an odd look that Adam couldn't quite make out, then she started off again, leaving him and Cal to follow. However, Adam couldn't help but notice that they'd changed direction just slightly...and were moving towards where the noise had to be coming from.

They continued in that direction for some time, with the sounds becoming clearer and clearer to Adam. Even Cal was able to hear them, the loud banging of metal against metal. The sounds just made Adam more nervous, especially when Altera became even more grim and silent, refusing to answer any questions.

Then finally, Adam stepped out of the trees behind Altera and stared into a large clearing. No, Adam corrected as he looked down, a crater. It was a large crater, with several buildings scattered throughout it. There were numerous caves into the walls of the crater, as well as several buildings propped up against the walls...quite possibly hiding yet more caves.

The buildings were mostly made of wood and what seemed to be leathers, though there were a couple that had large amounts of rock in them as well. Especially the three larger ones, each having a chimney sticking up with smoke coming from them.

"Wow...," Adam whispered.

And at the same time that Adam saw the buildings, he noticed the people. A couple dozen very short and stocky people, all moving about inside the crater. People, mostly men though a few women, all who held a resemblance to Grestick.

"Dwarves," Altera stated quietly, her voice filled with distaste.

Cal landed next to them, staring down into the crater himself and asking, "What are they doing."

"It's a dwarf village," Altera answered, turning towards Adam, "Of miners and smiths." She gestured back to the crater, "The miners find and unearth metals, while the smiths forge them."

Adam stared at the larger buildings again, realizing that these were where the blacksmiths did their work and probably stored it as well. It was a strange and amazing sight, one that Adam never would have expected to see just a few days earlier.

"You don't like dwarves," Adam commented quietly, unable to miss the tone of Altera's voice.

She just scowled, stating, "They're dirty, living in holes underground, like animals." Then she gave a slight shudder.

That didn't really seem like too much of a reason, though Adam didn't press the issue. Instead, he asked, "What are we going to do?"

Altera stood up, answering, "Go around them."

With a nod, Adam stood back up as well, giving another long look into the crater and then freezing as he noticed something else. He hadn't noticed it before since it was mostly hidden by one of the large buildings from his previous angle, but there was a large dark red creature crouching in the middle of the crater.

Altera frowned slightly and looked where Adam was staring, whispering, "A dragon."

"Oh man...," Adam whispered, staring intently at the creature, noticing for the first time that it had chains wrapped around its legs and neck.

"How the hell did they catch something THAT big?" Cal asked, not taking his eyes from the crater.

Adam wondered exactly the same thing himself, as well as what they wanted something like that for. He shuddered, wondering if it might be like how some people liked to keep alligators as pets or something.

"A dragon's flame would be valuable to them," Altera told Adam and Cal. "It would heat their metal in ways far beyond that of a normal forge, allowing a smith to work it in ways they would not be able to otherwise." She paused for a moment before adding, "Dragonfired metals...especially weapons, have great value for trade."

Then, just as they were starting to back into the trees again, several dwarves started poking at the dragon with spears, though it jumped back...or at least tried to though the chains wouldn't let it.

Suddenly, the dragon roared out, "NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Altera snapped around in shock, gasping, "A dragon that speaks?"

"What?" Cal demanded, staring at Altera and then the dragon.

"Dragon's do not speak...," Altera exclaimed in confusion.

Then at once, Adam and Cal stared at each other with their mouths open in surprise. And almost as one, they blurted out, "Danielle!"

For a moment, Adam and Cal just stared at each other, then they quickly moved into a position where they could see her even better. And to their horror, they saw the dwarves poke at her again, until she bowed her head and blew out a large stream of fire, straight onto a large anvil and fire that was set up next to the building. Then one of the dwarves jumped forward and started pounding on some metal on the anvil with a hammer.

"Holy shit," Cal blurted out, "That's Danielle!"

"What?" Altera asked, looking confused, "You know that dragon?" She gave Adam a strange look, as if trying to gauge his sanity and finding it lacking.

"She's...," Adam gulped, quickly glancing towards her and finishing, "a friend."

Cal just whispered, "She's alive..."

Then Altera's eyes narrowed and she whispered, "The dragon at the castle..." Then she stared straight into Adam's eyes, asking, "She came here with you?" And at Adam's nod, Altera exclaimed, "Burn it."

"We've got to get her out of there," Cal growled, his tone and expression leaving no doubt that this was not debatable. Adam nodded agreement, looking back at Altera.

She shook her head, "No," she told them reluctantly, "there is nothing we can do." Then she gestured to the crater, stating, "They outnumber us, by several handfuls to two."

"Three!" Cal corrected, trying not to think about the fear that filled him.

Adam stared at Danielle, hating the very sight of her being trapped down there, treated like that by those dwarves. It was more than enough to make him angry, but he knew that Altera was right.

"Maybe we can talk to them...," he started.

However, before Adam had even been able to finish, Altera cut him off. "They would not willingly let their prize escape. He is far too valuable to them."

"She," Cal corrected in annoyance.

"Still...," Altera mused, "a dragon would certainly be a valuable ally against the one who has your other friends." She paused at that and scowled, "If ANY dragon can be trusted." She earned a glare at that from both Adam and Cal.

Shaking his head, Adam stated, "We can't just leave her. We have to do something."

Altera looked into the crater again, her expression slowly turning thoughtful. She finally responded, "There is no need." At Adam and Cal's wondering looks, she continued, "He...she, and your other friends will return to your world when your time is up, will they not. It would be far saver to leave her for now."

"NO!" Cal blurted out, "No fucking way!" He crossed his arms and glared up at Altera with enough force that she actually took a step back, "I ain't gonna leave her."

"Me neither," Adam added, hating the thought of Danielle having to go through that treatment any longer than absolutely necessary. That only reminded him of the others as well...that they could easily be going through the same kind of stuff...or worse. "She's our friend," he said more quietly.

For a minute, Altera just silently stared at them both as if they were foolish, then she slowly nodded. "A direct attack will not work...but perhaps stealth."

"Stealth?" Cal asked, sounding as if he was trying to figure out what the word meant when he gasped, "Oh, I get it."

"Sneak past them and undo her chains," Altera confirmed, not sounding too hopeful. "But still..."

Suddenly Cal blurted out, "I'll do it."

Adam quickly turned to stare at Cal, "But..."

However, Cal just glared at him, snarling, "I said that I'd do it." His tone made it clear that he would accept no argument.

Altera gave him a surprised look, then nodded faintly. "Perhaps...," Then she asked, "You know what to do?"

Cal just snorted, "Duh. I sneak past the defensive line and run towards the endzone."

At Altera's completely confused look, Adam couldn't resist chuckling. However, before he could even think of anything to say, even to wish Cal luck, his now tiny friend had already gone into the crater.

--------------------

Taking a deep breath, Cal crouched behind a large rock, forcing himself to remain still until one of the giant dwarves passed by him. He smiled faintly at the irony of dwarves being giants, but at the moment, everyone was a giant to him. And at the moment, he was actually glad...or at least glad that it made him easier to hide.

"C'mon," Cal muttered impatiently, quickly glancing back to the top of the crater and then deeper in, towards where Danielle was chained. The sight made him grimace in determination, knowing that it was impossible...but that he had to do it. "Bastards."

Once the dwarf had passed on, Cal took to the air again and flew straight towards Danielle, keeping himself high enough so that none of the dwarves would be too likely to notice him unless they looked up.

"Just like sacking a quarterback," Cal told himself, not sure if it was, but feeling comforted by the comparison.

After several more minutes of careful dodging, Cal arrived at the large building, carefully landing on the roof and looking around. Below him, he could see all the dwarves that were walking around, most looking as if they were busy or at least had a destination to get to.

Cal remained where he was and watched his surroundings, fighting the urge to just forget all caution and charge in like he usually did. However, he reminded himself that now was not the time to show off...to prove how brave he was. Not when Danielle would pay the price if he failed.

"Think it through, make a plan," Cal muttered, repeating the words his coach often said before a game, "then act on it." They had always been just words before, but for the first time, Cal was taking them to heart.

Once Cal was sure that it was safe, he dropped down and quickly flew towards Danielle, landing just on top of her head and feeling nervous. Every fiber in his being seemed to tell him that it was stupid to get that close to a dragon...even if it was really just Danielle.

"Danielle?" Cal whispered, trying to get her attention. When there was no response, he tried again, louder.

This time, Danielle's head raised up and she started to look around, nearly dislodging Cal, though he managed to keep his place. "Huh...?" she grumbled in a rough voice that would have scared Cal to the bone if he hadn't known that it was really her inside.

"Danielle," Cal exclaimed, flying to where she could get a look at him, "It's me. Cal."

"Cal?" Danielle gasped in surprise, staring at him as if she was imagining things. "Is that really you?" She blinked her massive eyes several times, "Ohmygod... You're Alive!"

Cal glanced around nervously, "Shhhh. Don't let them hear you." Once Danielle had nodded, he asked, "What the hell happened to you?" He shuddered, remembering the sight of her falling over the cliff.

"I flew!" Danielle gasped, her voice a little too loud, earning another 'shhhh' from Cal. Then she looked down, muttering, "But I crashed and got hurt." Her voice sounded as though she was pouting.

"Are you OK?" Cal asked her, worried that she might be hurt. He looked at her, but her body was too big to see all at once from where he was at.

"I got hurt," Danielle whimpered, sounding odd in her dragon's voice. "I hurt my wing when I hit the trees." She paused for a moment, then quietly added, "Then, a little later, these guys jumped outta nowhere and kidnapped me."

Cal just whispered, "Oh...," not sure what he could say to make things better.

"But it doesn't hurt anymore," Danielle told Cal, a little more brightly. "Except when those jerks keep poking me to make me blow on their fire." Her voice was tinged with anger.

With a nervous gulp, Cal glanced around, exclaiming, "I'll get you out of here." Then he flew over to look at the chains that held her, each one thicker than his own waist. He stared at them in confusion, not knowing if there was anything he could do about them. "Somehow," he muttered.

Then Cal noticed the locks that held the chains. They were huge, far too big for him to do any damage to. He kicked at the one around Danielle's nest as hard as he could, screaming frantically but doing no harm to the lock at all. Finally, he stopped and glared at the lock in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Danielle asked, sounding worried.

"I can't break the damn thing," Cal admitted bitterly. Maybe if he was still in his hold body, though he quickly realized that even then he wouldn't have had the strength to do something like that.

Danielle was silent for a minute before finally suggesting, "Why dontcha use the key?"

"The key?" Cal repeated stupidly, surprised that he hadn't thought of it himself. "Yeah, but where is it?"

With a shrug, Danielle responded, "I don't know." She looked around, "I think one of those guys has it."

Taking a deep breath, Cal looked around at the dwarves within view, scowling. "But which one?"

Again, Danielle shrugged, "No idea. They all look alike to me."

Cal swore for a minute, realizing that he was going to have to find some way to check every single one of the dwarves. And then, once he found the one with the key, he'd have to find some way to take the guy out so that he could get it.

"Sorta like David and Goliath," Cal muttered, remembering the story from somewhere or another. The problem was, he didn't think that he could take any of them.

Then, as Cal looked around him, determined to take them all down if he had to, another idea occurred to him. He turned and looked back at the lock for a moment before slowly getting closer.

"What are ya doing?" Danielle asked nervously, "I think they might be coming back to have me breath on the fire again."

Without bothering to answer, Cal bent over and looked at the keyhole for the lock, amazed at just how big it was. He shook his head, then slowly stuck his arm inside, slowly feeling around. After feeling around for a minute, Cal was surprised when something pushed it with a click. Suddenly the lock popped open.

"I...I did it," Cal gasped, staring at the opened lock in amazement.

Then, without another word, Cal rushed to the next lock, reaching around inside that one until it too popped open. It was much quicker than the first. He repeated this again with the next several locks until they were all undone.

"They're here..." Danielle gasped, just as Cal finished with the last lock.

"Then RUN!" Cal yelled.

Danielle didn't hesitate before doing just that, her massive body lumbering as she charged towards the crater's edge as fast as she could. The dwarves started yelling and screaming, already rushing to stop her, though Cal didn't think that there was too much they could do at the moment.

"NO!," Cal yelled, "This way!" He pointed to the side where Adam and that elf chick were waiting. It took another couple yells, but Danielle finally heard and changed direction.

They were just about at the edge of the crater, when Danielle turned around, glaring at the small group of dwarves that were chasing her, all of them heavily armed. "Leave me alone!" she screamed furiously. And with that, she let out a massive blast of flame from her mouth.

"Holy shit!" Cal gasped, watching the dwarves all turn and run as fast as they could. He certainly didn't blame them in the least.

A moment later, two figures stepped out into view, gesturing for Cal and Danielle to hurry up. Danielle stared at them for a moment in surprise, recognizing Adam but not the other one...who looked an awful lot like he did. And that one had a bow in her hand with an arrow in it.

"Who...?" Danielle started.

Adam shook his head, "Later." However, he grinned, "Glad to have you back." Then he grinned at Cal, "You did it." He was obviously a little surprised at that.

Cal grinned a little smugly, "Of course."

"Let's get going," Altera suggested, "Before they come back."

The others all nodded, taking a quick glance at the dwarves in sight and deciding that it would definitely be a good idea.

And as they started back into the trees with Danielle still a little confused, Altera shook her head and muttered, "Who ever heard of rescuing a dragon."

--------------------

The dark stone walls were beginning to get old, filling the dungeon cell with an air of depression that sunk straight through all three of the prisoners. They remained close to each other, passing the time by asking Grestick as much as they could, fully aware that things could get even worse at any minute. It was a distraction that they each welcomed.

Grestick sat back against the wall with a thoughtful look on his face, taking a slow puff from the pipe that the Queen of the Night had somehow missed...or simply decided was not worth the effort of removing. Slow swirls of smoke swirled above the dwarf's head.

"The two worlds are like rivers...," Grestick responded slowly, responding to one of Mickey's questions about the alternate worlds. "They each flow towards the ocean."

Eddie scowled, "Like rivers? That don't make any sense?"

"Quiet," Mickey whispered, elbowing Eddie.

Grestick however didn't seem to notice the interruption, instead taking another slow puff on his pipe. "They be running beside each other," Grestick mused, "slowly drifting further apart as they travel the miles...and the centuries. But...," he added, giving Mickey and Eddie each a direct look, "Then they be moving closer to each other. Till eventually they run side by side...even touching in places."

"Touching in places...," Mickey mused, staring at Grestick thoughtfully.

"Aye," he responded. "The worlds grow closer, till they someday touch each other. Then travel between them be easy as stepping tween rooms." He shrugged and took another puff from his pipe, blowing out a smoke ring above him before finishing in a serious tone, "An that time be coming closer."

Mickey stared at him for a long minute before asking, "Coming closer?"

With a nod, Grestick answered, "Aye. Travel tween the worlds will grow easier till they finally touch and be nearly as one."

"Sounds freaky," Eddie finally said, frowning. "Can't anyone stop this?"

Grestick shook his head no, "It be as natural as rain an happened many times before. Eventually the worlds be separating again and repeating the cycle."

"How soon?" Mickey demanded nervously, definitely not liking the idea of her world merging with one that had dragons and creatures like the hobgoblins. After finally getting over the childish fear of monsters under the bed, the last thing that she wanted was to have them become real.

Shrugging, Grestick answered, "I be not knowing that, only that it be years and years away."

That was something of a relief, though Mickey still didn't like the idea, nor did Eddie who crossed his arms scowled. "That sucks."

"I...I don't think that people are going to like that," Mickey said as cautiously as she could, not wanting to insult Grestick. "I mean, most people don't believe that anything dwarves or elves exist, much less dragons and mages."

At that, Grestick's eyes seemed to sparkle and he even smiled, "Aye, an that be why me boss be doing this." He chuckled faintly, though it sounded a little forced. "He be introducing the worlds back to each other. We be learning about your machines, and you about magic."

"Damn..." Eddie gasped, staring at Grestick and realizing for the first time that the Travel Agency wasn't there to give them vacations.

Mickey nodded with a faint frown, having suspected since they arrived that there was more going on than they knew. But this...this was much more than she had expected.

"So," she started, "Mr. G is letting people get used to the idea slowly..."

"To keep chaos from happening when they merge," Grestick finished.

"Whoa," Eddie muttered shaking his head in disbelief. "This is heavy."

Grestick frowned in confusion at that, "What be heavy?" Eddie chuckled at that while Mickey just smiled.

Suddenly they heard a low rumbling sound that made all three immediately go silent, then look at the ceiling in the middle of the prison cell. The stone platform was slowly coming down, already revealing that there was someone standing on it. There was little doubt in any of their minds as to who that someone was.

Several seconds later, the stone elevator had descended enough to reveal the Queen of the Night, dressed all in black but with some silvery metal trim. Her expression was one of anger and her hand firmly clutched something...the wrist band that she'd taken from Eddie.

As soon as the platform had settled on the ground, Eddie took a step forward and called out, "Hey queenie, it's good to see ya again.

"What?" the Queen of the Night blurted out, looking shocked, then even more furious than before. "How dare you call me queenie. I am Queen of the Night."

"Maybe you should wear something a little more see through though," Eddie suggested with a look of faked innocence, "I mean, you did say that you were Queen of the Nighties."

Mickey tried to keep from laughing at the look on the dark elf's face, and the way that Eddie was purposely goading her. It was things like that which had drawn her to Eddie in the first place.

For a moment, the Queen of the Night seemed totally flustered and confused, then she burst out, "ENOUGH!" That was enough to cause Eddie to take a step back nervously, and Mickey to gulp, hoping that Eddie hadn't pushed her too far.

The Queen glared at them each, then stepped forward, holding the wrist band out and spitting, "This was useless." She slammed it onto the ground, glaring straight at Eddie. "Tell me what you know about the magics used to bring you here."

"We don't know anything..." Mickey started.

However, the Queen of the Night turned and snapped at her, "Silence. I did not ask you."

With that, Mickey was surprised to find that though she was still opening her mouth, no sound was coming out. It was as if she was suddenly mute.

"Now," the Queen of the Night looked back at Eddie with a faint, almost cruel smile. "You will answer my questions truthfully...whether you wish to or not." She paused for a moment before demanding, "Tell me everything that you know!"

Eddie gulped nervously, asking, "Everything?"

"From the beginning," she threatened coldly.

At that Mickey could almost detect a faint flickering smile on Eddie's face before he started, "I was born on October third and my mom said that I was a real pain coming out. I guess she was in labor for a long time and all, and still kinda holds it against me. Then..."

By this point, the Queen of the Night was beginning to get angry again, clenching her fists. "Tell me about your coming here!"

Eddie gave her an innocent look and told her, "But you said to start at the beginning..."

Then, with a howl of frustration, she snapped around and started towards the platform again, yelling, "We will continue!"

And without hesitating, Eddie blurted out, "Come back again y'hear." He chuckled as he added, "You aren't bad to look at."

Mickey just stared at Eddie, shaking her head and chuckling before rushing over to give him a kiss. She just had to be careful not to step on his feet with her hooves, though Eddie obviously wasn't worried about that as he kissed back, just as passionately.

"Ahem," Grestick interrupted. As soon as they turned to face his scowling face, he announced, "You may have chased her off with yer tongue...but I don't doubt that we will all pay for it."

They both stared at Grestick, their enthusiasm over the minor victory quickly fading. And with a simultaneous sigh, Mickey and Eddie stepped away, staring up at the raised platform and knowing that Grestick was right. The worst was yet to come.

The Travel Agency
part 9 of 10
By Morpheus

Everything was dark, hidden by the cloud of night and Adam couldn't see far into the trees that surrounded him. It created an ominous feeling, though at the moment, Adam was grateful for the darkness as he had just finished relieving himself behind a large tree.

For several minutes, Adam didn't bother putting his clothes all the way back on, instead pulling them open just a little more and letting his hands slowly roam over his soft smooth skin. He gulped at the sensations, especially of his feminine hands against his breasts, amazed at how strange...but nice it all felt.

Adam quickly glanced around the tree and towards the fire that was barely visible, seeing that Altera was still sitting there. He let out a sigh, then returned to his slow exploration, wishing that he'd actually had more time to look at his borrowed. But as it was, everything had been so rushed since he'd arrived that he'd barely had much chance at all. Only the brief periods of solitude when he was relieving himself.

"Strange...," Adam whispered, putting his clothes the rest of the way back up, embarrassed at his actions and somewhat afraid that Altera might get suspicious if he didn't get back to the fire quickly.

Once Adam's clothes were all the way back on, he stood there for another minute, staring at the small mounds on his chest and shaking his head. He pulled his eyes up and looked out and around him, at the dark woods that were everywhere.

As Adam stared at the trees, he shivered, not having the slightest idea of what was hiding in the dark, just out of sight. It wasn't like the safety of camping when he was a child, when there were roads and camp sites available scattered about. This was an alien world, one that was filled with monsters of all sorts. Dragons and goblins seemed to be around every corner.

"The woods are scary...dark, and deep...," Adam whispered, purposely misquoting Robert Frost. Then, he gulped, staring into the darkness and thinking about the others, about Mickey and Eddie. Who knew what horrors they were facing. "But I have promises to keep," he continued quietly, nearly choking as he finished, "and miles to go before I sleep."

But soon it would be over...one way or another. Altera had said that they'd be arriving at their destination the next day. A destination that Adam still had mixed feelings about.

After taking a deep breath and staring into the darkness for another few seconds, Adam turned and went back to the fire. He glanced first at Altera, who was still staring into the fire and then a short distance away where he could still see the massive bulk of a dragon. Danielle and Cal were sitting off on their own and talking, just as they had since they'd made camp for the night.

Adam sat down on the ground and stared into the fire as well, until he looked up at Altera and noticed that she was looking at him strangely...just as she had several other times during the day. She quickly averted her eyes, looking slightly embarrassed.

Neither said a word for several minutes, though Altera finally broke the silence. "Adam..." she said carefully, as if not wanting to mispronounce his name.

"Yeah," Adam responded, looking at Altera.

She hesitated for a moment before slowly starting, "I...I wish you had not risked Niella's body." Then she looked down for a second and added, "But...but I am thankful that you saved me." At that, Altera smiled nervously at Adam.

Adam gulped and nodded, "It...it was no problem." He was a little embarrassed about the incident, barely able to bring himself to look Altera in the eyes.

The next several seconds were filled with an uncomfortable silence before Altera broke it with, "It was for me. I would have died..." She stared at Adam whispering, "You wear Niella's body, but your own spirit shines through. It is easy to forget that it is her face that I stare into at times."

Not sure what else to say, Adam whispered, "Um...thanks."

Then Altera stood up and stretched. Adam was unable to take his eyes off of her as she did so, marveling at how lithe and sexy she looked. How...exotic. The sight was nearly enough to make him drool, even though she was fully clothes and shaped little like the overdeveloped strippers he usually fantasized about.

Without a word, just a sly smile, Altera moved over and slowly sat beside Adam. She leaned up against him, staring him straight in the eyes for several seconds, a strange expression on her face. One that made Adam's nipples immediately go hard while his crotch grew moist.

Finally, Altera whispered, "Tell me of your world."

Adam gulped, staring back at her and feeling as if his heart was caught in his throat. Then, he slowly nodded, licking his lips and staring into her brilliant eyes. At the moment, they seemed to even outshine the fire. And with that, he slowly started to tell her about the world he'd come from.

--------------------

The sky was overcast, tinged with the gray of clouds, though there was little immediate threat of rain. A faint wind blew through the nearby trees, moving the ferns and almost creating the illusion that they were moving themselves, reaching for some unnamed goal.

And on top of a ridge that overlooked the swamp below, several figures hid among the ferns, bent down and staring. Adam and Altera were side by side, with Cal sitting on Adam's shoulder and Danielle remaining further back, keeping out of sight. They silently stared at their goal.

"This is it," Altera said, fear creeping into her voice. She gestured at the swamp, specifically, the dark and evil looking fortress that sat at the edge of the swamp. "The lair of the Queen of the Night."

"Looks...scary," Cal admitted nervously. "Like something out of a horror movie."

Altera gave Cal a blank look, having little idea of what he was talking about. "Hobgoblins live in swamps," she told them quietly, "among other things."

"And they're in there?" Adam asked nervously, gesturing towards the grim looking structure. All that was clearly visible of it were the dark stone walls that surrounded it, with what seemed to be a massive tower sprouting up from the center. "Mickey and Eddie?"

"I do not know for certain," Altera admitted reluctantly, giving Adam an apologetic look. "But this is the Queen's lair and the only place I could think that she'd hold them..." she quietly added, "if they still live."

That was the last thing that Cal or Adam wanted to hear, though Altera quickly assured them that they probably were. But even then, they could tell that she wasn't completely sure of it.

"It's all we've got," Adam told Cal weakly, then looked to Altera. "Maybe we can talk to her."

Altera just stared at him as if he'd suggested trying to talk a hungry shark from eating them. She shook her head, though she smiled just a little bit.

Adam stared back at her, unable to help but think about the night before. They hadn't done anything except talk, but still, it had felt more intimate than any of the dates he'd ever been on. Then he shook his head, staring back at the fortress and trying to get his mind back on what they were doing. His friends were counting on him.

"What about...those THINGS?" Cal asked nervously, looking around as if he expected one to jump out at him any second.

"Most likely asleep," Altera told them with a faint smile, "Hobgoblins sleep during the day. In fact..." she suddenly looked a little brighter, "Most of the Queen of the Night's servants should be."

"Hence her name?" Adam asked.

Altera nodded, "It should improve our chances of sneaking in and freeing your friends." Then she added, "And of course having a dragon should as well."

Cal stared at her for a moment and blurted, "I thought you were just going to show us where it was?" He looked a little suspicious.

She glared at him, then looked at Adam, smiling just a little bit. "I decided that you would be more likely to succeed with my help."

"Oh...," Adam sighed in relief, feeling a lot more confident already.

However, Altera quickly announced, "I have to make sure that Niella's body is not harmed." But with the gleam in her eye, Adam couldn't help wondering if there might be something else as well.

"Are you sure that we can't reason with her?" Adam asked nervously, not liking the idea of trying to invade some evil sorceresses castle. Especially when she had lots of those gray hobgoblin things and who knew what else. It was like something out of a cheap fantasy story.

Altera just shook her head faintly, then responded, "She is weakest in daylight...so now is the best time." Then, after nervously staring at each other for a moment, Cal and Adam nodded.

"Then lets go get Danielle," Cal said, glaring down at the fortress and then crossing his tiny arms, "It's time to kick some ass."

A short while later, they'd descended down the ravine and made it to the fortress without incident, or even a glimpse of one a hobgoblin or anything else. They stood in front of the fortress gate, which looked like a massive open monster skull. And in the center of the skull gateway, was a heavy looking wooden door.

"This was much easier than I expected," Altera said, glancing about nervously, her notched bow ready. "Even for the daylight." Then her eyes narrowed dangerously, "Far too easy."

"Maybe...," Danielle said slowly, "Maybe all the dangerous stuff is inside." She looked around nervously, "Like the security system in my parents house."

Altera nodded faintly, "You are probably correct. But I still fear an ambush." With that, she once again looked around nervously, especially at the swamp that surrounded them. "Still, I would not attempt this without the aid of a dragon." She looked up at Danielle with a mixed expression of relief and suspicion.

Adam just stared silently up at the huge gate. It had to be at least 3 times as tall as he was, and just as thoroughly intimidating as the rest of the dark...evil looking fortress. For a brief moment, a thought passed through his head. A reminder that it would only be one more day until they changed back to their real world. To their real bodies. It would probably be easier to wait until then.

However, Adam was immediately filled with shame for even considering such a thing. There was no telling what might be happening to his friends. Every second could count. No, waiting was not an option.

Finally, Adam asked, "How do we get in?" And with a wry smile, he asked, "Knock?"

Then to Adam's surprise, Cal suggested, "I could fly over the wall and try unlocking it."

Adam just stared at his tiny friend, blinking in surprise. That suggestion was not at all like the Cal he knew. The one who'd insist that they just charge straight in.

But before Adam could think of any kind of responded, there was a sudden loud booming. He jumped and snapped around, grabbing at Niella's sword, knowing that they were under attack. However, as soon as he saw what was causing the noise, his eyes shot wide open.

"Danielle!" Adam gasped, surprised to see her battering at the door with her massive claws.

"Break!" Danielle roared, hitting at the heavy wooden door again, then yet again. "I said BREAK damn you!"

Altera stared at the massive dragon in surprise, though not nearly so much as Cal and Adam. They were both completely amazed to see Danielle being so forceful...so destructive, even if it was just against a door. It was so...unlike her. Then again, Adam reminded himself, she did have the power of a dragon.

After a massive burst of flame at the door, Danielle roared furiously and lashed at it again. This time, there was no longer any resistance and the door exploded inward, still smoldering.

"It's open," Danielle giggled, sounding ridiculous coming from a dragon.

Altera just stood there, staring at Danielle with her mouth open and a look of complete confusion. Finally Adam put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Come on, before they realize what hit them."

With a nod, they burst through the gate, ready to face the horde of hobgoblins and whatever else would be waiting for them. Danielle roared, charging straight ahead, flames flickering faintly from her mouth. Altera's bow was fully drawn, ready to shoot at an instants notice.

As soon as they were inside, Adam slowly staggered to a stop and frantically looked around the huge courtyard, his eyes wide in shock and amazement. The others stopped similarly, looking around with equal surprise.

"W...what?" Cal gasped from above Adam's shoulder.

Adam just gulped and stared at the courtyard which was absolutely nothing like the outside of the fortress. Nothing at all. The whole courtyard floor was made of a smooth white marble, as to his amazement...were the very fortress walls that had been a dark granite on the other side.

With a single look, Adam took in the light colored courtyard, noticing several statues and then the tower that had been dark and forbearing from beyond...but now seemed to be made of the same type of marble as everything else, looking graceful and smooth rather than ominous.

Suddenly Danielle blurted out, "Look at the pretty flowers."

There was no way that Adam could miss the flowers. The courtyard had several flower beds within sight, mostly around the fortress walls, with masses of roses and flowery vines around the base of the tower. All of it was a complete shock to him, being nothing like the Frankensteins castle he'd expected.

All of this was taken in several seconds before Cal blurted out, "Look!" He flew ahead, pointing frantically at one of the flower beds.

It took only a moment for Adam to see what had excited Cal, then he gasped at the sight of a woman, who'd obviously been in the middle of tending her flowers when they burst in. She was a tall and very beautiful blonde, wearing a long green dress. After taking one look at them, she gasped with an expression of fear, nervously starting away.

Without a word, Altera darted for the woman, and though the woman started to run, it did little good as Altera caught up with her. Several seconds later, Altera had grabbed the blonde, holding her knife to the woman's throat, a determined look on her face.

"Where is your mistress?" Altera demanded of the woman.

The others rushed to where Altera had her prisoner, stopping far enough back to give her room. However, the blonde just stared up at Danielle in horror, shaking visibly, more from the dragon than the knife at her throat.

Altera just continued, "Where are the people from the other world being held?"

The blonde woman just stood there for a moment, her eyes darting around fearfully. "In...in the dungeon," she answered nervously.

Adam glanced around nervously, seeing that Danielle seemed more interested in looking at a rose bush with silvery flowers than in their prisoner. Cal however, hovered in the air, glaring at her suspiciously. But when Adam stared at her, he noticed that her ears were normal.

"You're human," he stated, half in surprise. The only human that he'd seen in that world so far had been Eddie.

The girl just nodded weakly, "Yes..."

"Take us to the dungeon," Altera growled threateningly, causing the blonde to just gulp visibly.

Just then, Danielle turned her attention back and asked, "What about that Queen?"

"Yes," Altera started, obviously realizing that they'd nearly forgotten about the Queen of the Night. That was something that none of them wanted to do, not knowing how powerful she was. Then she demanded, "Where is your mistress. Where is the Queen of the Night?"

For a moment, the blonde woman just remained frozen, her eyes locked on Danielle. Then as Altera's dagger pressed into her throat, she gasped, "Th...that's me."

"Huh?" Cal blurted out.

Altera's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "What?"

Then, with a little more confidence in her voice, the blonde repeated, "That's me." She took a deep breath and announced, "I'm the Queen of the Night."

Altera was so surprised that she let go and the blonde pulled herself away, looking embarrassed, as well as still afraid. She looked as if she was about to run, however a single glance up at Danielle changed her mind.

"Everyone knows that the Queen of the Night is a dark elf," Altera spat, glaring at the blonde.

Again, the blonde looked down in embarrassment, then up at Danielle nervously. Finally, she shuddered, then gestured with her hand, muttering something faintly under her breath and touched a bracelet on her wrist. There was a glimmer around her that suddenly expanded until a moment later, the beautiful blonde was gone. Standing in her place was a completely different woman. One with dark gray skin, long white hair and clothes that were all black.

"Holy shit!" Cal gasped. Adam just nodded, equally amazed and not sure what he could possibly say.

Danielle whispered, "Cool. I wish I could change clothes that quick." She seemed to have almost forgotten that at the moment, no clothes would fit her anyway.

"Illusion," Altera stated, suddenly sheathing her knife and aiming her bow at the queen in what seemed to be a single fluid motion.

For a moment, the dark queen glared at them, her eyes seeming to be planning some evil mischief. However, a moment later, she shimmered and was once again the beautiful human blonde.

"P...please," she blurted out nervously, her eyes darting from Altera's bow to Danielle's massive jaw, "Don't hurt me. I'll take you to the dungeon."

"You'd better do that!" Cal threatened, though the blonde didn't seem to pay him any attention.

Adam just glanced around nervously, feeling extremely uncertain. This was nothing like what he'd expected, nor was the Queen of the Night. If she really was the queen, he added silently, still not really sure.

"What about your army?" Adam demanded, half expecting the horde of gray monsters to jump out and attack them again.

She hung her head, looking even more embarrassed. "In the swamp," she answered quietly, "Asleep."

"Oh," Cal took up Adam's point, "And you're sure they're not hiding around here to attack us instead?"

At this, the blonde glared at them all, showing the first spark of fire since they'd caught her. "Would you want hobgoblins in YOUR home?"

"She has a point," Adam admitted. Even Altera nodded reluctant agreement.

"Where are your defenses?" Altera asked, more curiosity than demand. "We nearly walked in without effort."

Again, the blonde snorted, "I didn't think anyone would break a dragon to knock down the gate." Then she added, "No one's ever come here before..." Her voice shook faintly, "Everyone else had always been too afraid to come here."

Suddenly it all made sense to Adam. The Queen of the Night was just as much a front as the castle itself. Dark and fearsome on the outside, much less so on the inside. It was all an act...camouflage...something to scare any possible danger away.

Altera frowned and lowered her bow, though she still kept it ready enough to use in case she needed to. Adam suspected that it wouldn't be necessary, though his own hand strayed towards Niella's sword...just in case.

"Now take us to our friends," Cal demanded.

After a look up at Danielle, the supposed queen nodded and started towards the tower. Danielle was reluctantly forced to remain outside due to her massive size, but the others went in, following close behind the blonde.

Soon, they were standing in a room, with intricate stone patters running around the floor. In the very center was a dark circle, which the blonde stepped inside and gestured for the others. "They are below."

"I don't trust this...," Altera whispered in Adam's ear.

Adam nodded faintly, not sure he trusted the blonde either, especially since he had no idea why she wanted them in the circle. He gestured for Cal to come closer, then whispered, "Maybe you should stay around here in case things don't work out."

Cal glared at him, then spat, "You don't need to protect me. I can still take care of myself." There was a faint quaver in his voice, as well as determination.

Shaking his head, Adam quickly explained, "No...in case we need help."

That pacified Cal who nodded, giving a thumbs up before darting off to the side, just as Adam and Altera stepped into the stone circle with the blonde. Altera glanced at Cal then gave Adam a curious look, but he just nodded. A moment later, they were both startled when the stone circle started go down.

"What magic is this?" Altera gasped.

"It's an elevator...," Adam mused in surprise, putting one hand on Altera's arm to help her remain calm.

As soon as they reached the bottom, Adam looked around, seeing that it was a dark stone room that matched the outside of the castle far more than anything else he'd seen inside. However, it wasn't quite as bad a dungeon as he would have expected. No rats, bones, torture equipment or even shackles on the walls. Instead, it was surprisingly clean.

Suddenly Adam heard his name called from behind. He snapped around, grinning at the sight of Eddie and Mickey, just a short distance away. Grestick was standing just behind them, looking as if he was ready to charge the enemy.

"Is that you?" Eddie gasped in amazement. "I thought you were like...gone."

Adam shook his head, grinning in spite of himself. Then he glanced at the blonde, losing his frown somewhat. "Glad you guys are all right," he told them, staring at both Mickey and Eddie, relieved to see that they didn't seem to be hurt at all. "Danielle and Cal are outside."

Mickey smiled, then her eyes narrowed as she looked at Altera and the blonde. "Who are they?"

"Later," Adam muttered, "Let's get out of here first."

"Aye," Grestick agreed, nodding his head, "It be a good idea to leave before the Queen returns." Adam and Altera glanced at the blonde, but neither said a word.

Several minutes later, they were all out of the dungeon cell, though it had taken two trips due to Mickey's lower half being so large. Cal grinned at Eddie and Mickey once they were up, saying a brief, 'hi' to Grestick as they started for the tower exit.

Once they were outside and back with Danielle, Mickey stopped and stared at Altera and the blonde for a moment before blurting, "Who are they?" She looked towards Grestick to see if he could provide an answer.

"Aye," the dwarf grunted, "Who are ye?''

"I am Altera of Clan Dnae," Altera exclaimed proudly, glaring at the blonde with her hand resting on her dagger.

Adam quickly told them, "She's a friend. She saved my life."

Altera bowed her head slightly, smiling faintly as she responded quietly, "Yes, but you saved mine as well."

"And THIS," Cal said, gesturing at the blonde..."is the Queen. Or at least she claims to be."

Mickey and Eddie nearly choked before Mickey responded, "No fucking way. We saw her, and trust me...this ain't her."

"Show them," Adam told the queen firmly, gesturing at Danielle.

After taking a look up at Danielle, the queen nodded faintly and repeated her actions earlier, once again shimmering and turning into the wicked looking dark elf that they'd seen earlier. Mickey and Eddie both gasped at that while Grestick grimaced and started forward, obviously intending something physical.

"Stop," Adam told him, feeling rather uncomfortable to be in that position. "We've already caught her." Then he turned to the Queen of the Night and demanded, "But what the hell is going on?"

Mickey clenched her fists and took a step forward, spitting, "Bitch!"

With that, the queen took a step back and shimmered again, returning to her previous blonde appearance, much to Grestick's surprise. "She be not what she seems," he muttered thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Adam blurted out, "I think that she's just been trying to scare people away."

The Queen of the Night stared at the ground shamefully as she quietly said, "I...I'm sorry."

Eddie just stared at her with his mouth open, exclaiming, "No fucking way! I though she was supposed to be some hot shot evil sorceress..."

Danielle giggled, "We just walked in." Cal nodded agreement.

Looking embarrassed, the queen said, "I have a strong talent with creatures of the night...but they aren't any use during the day." Then she frowned, "I am a mage, and a strong one...at least at night, but..." she gulped in embarrassment, "I don't like having to fight." And from the way she looked at Danielle, they knew that she especially didn't have much confidence against dragons.

"Then why the hell did you kidnap us?" Mickey demanded, her hands at her hips, glaring at the half cringing blonde.

For a moment, the queen just stood there, then she glanced up at Danielle and gulped. "I..." she looked up, having faint tears in her eyes. "I wanted...needed to see this other world. I wanted to see the place where hobgoblins don't exist...where everything is different." There was a faint air of amazement and longing in her voice.

Then she looked at Mickey and Eddie, saying, "I'm...I'm sorry. I just wanted to get the spell to go there. I didn't want to hurt anyone."

Adam just stared at her in surprise. "Why didn't you volunteer like..." he gestured around at himself and his friends, "these people."

The queen stared at him for a moment as if he was stupid. "The Gray One would not do that for a rival mage." She sounded sad as she said, "Especially not one with a reputation like mine."

Again, they all stared silently at the Queen of the Night, who looked anything but regal and frightening. She looked sincere, even tugging slightly at Adam's heart, though he couldn't give too much sympathy for someone who'd attacked him and kidnapped his friends.

"Well..." Mickey muttered, more to herself than anyone, "she didn't do anything to hurt us in there..."

Eddie snorted at that, a grin forming on his face as he exclaimed, "Only jail I've ever been in where they served steak." He licked his lips, obviously remembering the delicious meals that they'd been given.

Grestick just glared at the queen for a minute in silence, then grumbled under his breath. Finally, he snorted, "I don't think me boss will give ye the spell..." Grestick paused for a second and patted the side of his belt where the ax was absent, "but...but me thinks that he'd make a deal to send ye there."

The queen's eyes went wide with surprised delight. "Really?" she gasped excitedly. "You mean it?" And when Grestick nodded, she blurted out, "YES!"

As the Queen of the Night nearly danced around in joy, Altera looked at Adam and smiled faintly. "This is not what I had expected."

"Me neither," Adam responded with a grin.

Grestick turned to Eddie and Mickey, muttering, "Ye return home tomorrow..."

Suddenly the blonde stopped and looked around at them with wide eyed interest. "You can stay here," she blurted out. Then she glanced at Grestick and looked embarrassed as she continued, "Let me try to make it up to you. There are nice rooms in the tower you can sleep in and I'll even cook."

With the glance that she gave towards Grestick, it was obvious that at least part of her motivation was trying to get on his good side...and that of his boss. And what better way to do that than to treat their customers nicely.

Eddie just looked around with a grin and licked his lips, obviously thinking about the meals. "Sounds tasty." Then he looked at Grestick, "I just don't know if I want to hike all over again."

"Me neither," Danielle exclaimed, bending down to sniff at one of the flower bushes that sprouted along the tower wall. "They're beautiful..."

Cal snorted, "I don't like it."

Adam gulped and looked around, especially at Altera. "It might be...interesting," he said slowly, not wanting to do anymore hiking himself. He'd had more than enough of that since the supposed vacation had started. "At least it looks nice up hear."

After looking thoughtful for a minute, Mickey nodded, "Why not?" She glanced at the blonde suspiciously but decided that the queen would be on her best behavior if she wanted to keep Grestick happy and see their world.

Finally, Grestick nodded, "If that be what ye wish." Then he gave a smile, "Now ye can enjoy yerselves some."

Then, the queen smiled at them all, even forcing a smile at Danielle before she started towards the tower again, gesturing for them to come and see their rooms.

For a moment, Adam remained behind, staring at Altera. "I...thanks," he told her, feeling a little sad that she was probably going to be leaving now.

However, Altera held a finger up to his lips, "Shhhh," Then she put a hand on his arm and half pulled him towards the tower door with the others, "I want to see this tower as well..."

The Travel Agency
part 10 of 10
By Morpheus

Adam let out a deep contented sigh as he leaned back in the large bed, briefly scanning the bedroom that the queen had put him in. It was even larger and more comfortable than the one in the fortress that Grestick had taken them to. And best of all, it had a private bath tub...which Adam had thoroughly enjoyed using. After traveling for several days, he'd felt pretty dirty and didn't think that anything could be more enjoyable than the warm bath water.

"Nice..." Adam half purred, shifting position on his bed, wondering if he should go back into the tub. However, a single glance down at his naked body convinced him otherwise. This was the first time that he'd had a chance to really be by himself since he'd come to that world. "Very nice."

As he sat there, Adam thought about how the queen had definitely been as good as her word. She'd treated them all excellently and fed him the tastiest dinner that he could ever remember eating. Everybody had been enjoying themselves since then, even Grestick, though Adam doubted that he'd admit it.

Then, as Adam's hands slowly started to roam over his smooth and sexy body, he couldn't help thinking about Altera. She'd stuck quite close to him until he'd gone in for his bath, but was now probably down the hall in the room that the queen had given her.

"So beautiful...," Adam whispered as he stared at himself, not sure if he meant himself...or Altera. Either way, he was beginning to get turned on. His nipples were growing hard while his feminine crotch was quickly getting moist. "Oh my..."

Adam continued to slowly explore his body for the next several minutes, amazed at just how different it was...and how much he'd already gotten used to it in the time he'd been there. It had only been a few days...but he wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as he had been at first. In fact, most of the time he was barely aware how strange his body was to him.

Then, Adam sighed and slowly sat up on his bed, deciding that he should probably go and check on the others. On Danielle at least since she was outside in what seemed to be almost a barn, though he suspected that Cal might already be there.

A minute later, Adam had put on a soft robe that had been provided and was just starting towards the door when someone started knocking on it. He frowned, feeling rather nervous as a fleeting thought shot through his mind. That perhaps it might be one of those hobgoblin monsters...

However, when Adam opened the door, he gasped, "Altera."

Altera stepped in without invitation, smiling at Adam and commenting, "This is a most unusual mage. I had never expected the Queen of the Night to be human...and such a nice host."

"I know," Adam agreed, sitting down on his bed while Altera slowly sat down on the wooden chair next to it.

"Your friends are rather...interesting," Altera told Adam slowly, "Though I do not think that the dwarf likes me." From the tone of her voice, Adam suspected that she didn't give a damn what Grestick thought.

"Grestick's just our guide," he told her.

"Still," Altera continued softly, "the others...the ones from your world have been pleasant enough."

Adam just stared at her for a few seconds, then quietly asked, "What's Niella like?"

Altera's expression flickered a little and she stared at him silently. Finally, she answered, her voice rather soft. "She is brave...fearless...and far too curious for her own good." Then she smiled, adding, "I do miss her company."

Feeling ashamed, Adam hung his head down, "Oh." At least Altera's friend would be back the next day.

Then to Adam's surprise, Altera put her hand on his cheek and raised his face. "I miss her...but I am not impatient for her return."

Adam blinked at that, fully aware of just how close Altera was to him. "Oh," he repeated again, not sure what else to say.

"I have never met anyone quite like you before," Altera whispered, bending even closer to Adam. "The way you jumped into the river..." She paused for a moment, "I am not pleased at the way you have risked Niella's body...but I can not be unhappy either. I thank you greatly."

For a moment, Adam sat there frozen, Altera's lips just an inch away from his ear. He could smell her sweet scent, feeling her breath upon his cheek. Then, as she slowly licked at his ear, Adam realized that she was hitting on him.

"You..." he stared at her in confusion, wondering if she was a lesbian, or just bisexual. Then it dawned on him. He still looked like Niella...her 'friend'. "Are you and Niella...?"

Altera backed away just a little, though only a foot. She stared at Adam with a strange expression on her face, one of desire and amusement.

"Bedmates?" she asked softly. Then she smiled, "On occasion." Altera's eyes sparkled as she moved slowly closer to Adam again, putting one hand on his naked shoulder and sliding down his robe. "It is not her body that I desire...it is you. That which is inside."

Then, Altera pushed her lips into Adam's, giving him a passionate kiss. Without any further hesitation, he kissed back, wanting her more than he'd ever wanted any woman. And with that, they spread out on top of the bed, beginning a night of long and passionate lovemaking.

--------------------

The tiny blue pixie sat atop of a brick that jutted out slightly from the wall, staring intently at the massive creature sprawled out before her. A creature that could have filled children's nightmares, many times over. However, it was laying there peacefully.

"I don't like being a big ugly lizard," Danielle complained, scratching at the ground absently with one of her massive claws. "I feel so ugly."

Cal nodded, "It's only temporary," he reminded her gently, chuckling as he added, "You think I like being a barbie doll with wings?"

Danielle giggled faintly at that, grinning at Cal. "Probably, you pervert."

That just made Cal chuckle weakly. He slowly stood up and flew over, landing on top of Danielle's head. He was nearly lost in the field of scales, but remained where he was, gently petting her...feeling as though he was petting a rock.

"You'll be back to your beautiful self tomorrow babe," Cal told her gently, then jokingly pointed out, "But at the moment, you're stronger than I'll ever be. Enjoy it while you can."

Nodding slightly, which threatened to dislodge Cal, Danielle giggled, "I'll try. But I still don't like being so big and clumsy. I just don't like it."

"I know," Cal sighed, "I know."

They were both silent for several minutes before Cal stated, "Everything will be all right honey. Trust me."

"I do," Danielle responded quietly, sounding remarkably gentle for a dragon, "I do."

With that, Danielle lowered her head and slowly closed her eyes. "G'night," Cal whispered, curling up on top of Danielle's snout to go to sleep, not even considering the bed and room that the queen had given him. He was more than comfortable where he was.

"G'night...." Danielle whispered before she slowly drifted off to sleep.

--------------------

The courtyard was filled with silence, in spite of the fact that the Queen of the Night and all of her guests currently stood gathered there. They looked at each other, then the sun, knowing that their time was limited. Very limited.

"Only a little longer," Eddie muttered, then vocalized the question that each of the vacationers was thinking. "When exactly do we go home?"

"Soon," Grestick answered gruffly.

Adam gulped, staring silently at Altera for a moment. She was watching him as well wit an unreadable expression. He couldn't help thinking about the night before...about how great it had been. Somehow, Adam knew that he was going to miss her once he was gone.

Then he looked at the Queen of the Night, who was still looking rather cheerful, though with the occasional nervous glance towards Danielle. She'd been very kind to them all, at least since Grestick had told her that his boss might make a deal with her.

Suddenly Danielle blurted out, "I'm hungry." She sounded just a little whiny as she said it, but quickly followed up with, "I'm hungry enough to eat a horse."

At that comment, everyone took several steps away from her, giving her nervous looks. Such a comment coming from a dragon was nothing to be taken lightly. Not when it was very likely to be literal.

"I have a goat for the dragon when you switch back," the queen quickly assured Danielle, not taking her eyes from the dragon. "Just wait a little longer." She glanced at Grestick to confirm that.

"Man," Eddie muttered, flexing one of his massive biceps, "I'm gonna miss these cannons."

With a snicker, Mickey quickly added, "Me too."

"I can't wait to get back to normal," Cal muttered, hovering in mid-air with his arms crossed. Somehow he'd even found some clothes to fit himself during their stay, though it was likely that the owner of that body would not keep them. "I'm tired of being a damn pip-squeak."

Adam glanced back at Altera, who moved closer to him and put a hand on his arm. "I will miss you Adam of clan Straesser." Then she smiled, just a little sadly. "It was a great honor to have met you."

Gulping, Adam answered honestly, "I'll miss you too." He gave her a hug, then a passionate kiss, not caring that the others were staring at them.

Just then, Grestick exclaimed, "It be time!"

Adam jumped back slightly, still staring at Altera. "Good bye."

Then the tingling hit Adam, just as he turned and looked around, stopping as he saw the queen, watching with a slightly strange expression.

"Time to fly," Eddie called out cheerfully.

Grestick just smiled faintly, then gave a nod as if to say 'goodbye.'

Still seeing the queen from the corner of his eye, even as he stared at Altera, a thought suddenly ran through Adam's head. What if that was the disguise? If the friendly blonde was the real camouflage that hid her true nature? What if everything had been planned? However, Adam didn't have time to worry about it any more as everything vanished in a flash of blue.

--------------------

Adam looked around, letting out a sigh of relief as he recognized the office of the travel agency. And scattered around the room were the others, all standing there was amazed looks on their eyes as they stared down at themselves, as well as relief.

"Thank God," Cal exclaimed with a grin, standing out and flexing his bicep. "I'm ME again."

Danielle grabbed at her breasts and then beamed, "I'm not an ugly lizard anymore." She grinned brightly, then giggled faintly as she started to dance around.

"Man," Eddie muttered, flexing his own arm and sighing, "I'm gonna miss those muscles."

Mickey grinned, putting an arm around Eddie's shoulder and adding, "Me too."

With a nod, Adam looked down at his flat chest...relieved to be back to normal but feeling just a tiny bit odd after having gotten used to being a girl. Of course he knew that it would pass in just a little while, but it was still interesting to return to his own body that way.

Then Mickey slowly walked around the room with an odd look on her face. When Eddie asked what she was doing, she grinned at him, "Just getting used to having two legs again."

Suddenly they heard a cough and turned to see Mr. G stepping into the room. He gave them each an intent look and nodded, "I am glad that you have all returned safely."

"What the hell was that?" Cal demanded, "I mean, we coulda been killed."

Mr. G nodded again, looking rather embarrassed. "I greatly apologize for that unforeseen incident," he told them all gently, "And I will reimburse half of your travel fee for the inconvenience."

Mickey's eyes narrowed, "Gee, shouldn't we get it all back?"

With a snort, Mr. G said, "What happened was out of my control and I do have expenses for these travel arrangements."

"Half is great," Eddie burst out. Adam nodded agreement.

"I'm not an ugly lizard anymore," Danielle sang out, grabbing hold of Cal's arm.

Cal just smiled faintly, "You sure ain't."

"Again," Mr. G apologized gently, "I am greatly sorry for the trouble you were put in." With that, he went behind the main counter and quickly did some scribbling. A moment later, he handed them each a check for half of their money back.

As Adam accepted his refund, he smiled weakly, "Thanks." Cal wasn't quite so polite and just snorted.

"And to give you assurance," Mr. G told them, "I made sure that the visitors borrowing your own bodies remained out of trouble."

That was a bit of a relief, though Adam didn't want to think about what someone else had done in his body. Especially not when he thought about what he'd done in Niella's. He wasn't even sure if Niella had been the one using his body or not.

Then, Mr. G held something out, "Please take one of our cards in case you would be interested in our travel services again." He smiled faintly as he added, "We do offer less...exotic vacation packages and I hope that you will not hold what happened against us."

"No thanks," Cal responded, taking a step back.

Adam took a card, as did Mickey and Eddie, to at least be polite. Then Adam looked down at the business card, seeing that it simply said 'Travel Agency' in gold metallic lettering, with a phone number typed below it in the same gold lettering. There was no mention of either address or Mr. G's name.

A moment later, Mickey asked, "How come you don't have your address on here?"

With a sigh, Mr. G answered, "I am afraid that we will be moving to a new location next week. Due to..." he smiled faintly, "leasing difficulties, we never stay in one location for more than a month."

Mickey just gave an, "Oh."

With that, Cal suggested, "Let's get going. I want to see if anyone fucked with my room." At that, he started for the exit.

"Good bye," Mr. G called out, "And I hope that you all have a pleasant day."

Just as Adam stepped through the door himself, he took one more glance back at Mr. G and suddenly realized something. If they couldn't bodies between the worlds...only souls, then that meant... With a gulp, Adam quickly hurried after his friends, wondering what Mr. G REALLY looked like.

--------------------

It had been a week since returning from the other world...since returning to his own body, then to his own small apartment just off of the school's campus. Adam sat in that apartment, silently staring at the TV, not noticing what was on. Instead, his thoughts were filled with something else.

Adam let out a sigh, not taking his eyes from the screen. All he could think about was the strange world that he'd gone to with his friends. Or specifically, someone he'd met in that world. Altera. It had been just a little over a week since he'd seen her, but instead of thinking about her less like he'd expected, he'd only started thinking about her even more.

"Oh man," Adam sighed, closing his eyes, picturing her fine elven features clearly in his mind. Oh how he missed her, surprising himself by just how much. "I've got to get over this."

With that, Adam thought about the others. About how they'd been since returning. Danielle and Cal were closer than ever before, making Adam just a bit envious of them. And they even seemed the better for the experience. Danielle was just a little bit more self-confident, refusing to let herself be pushed around. Cal on the other hand, though as macho as ever, was actually a bit nicer to other people, at least those smaller than him. And to Adam's surprise, Cal was actually thinking things through a little more rather than solving everything physically.

Mickey and Eddie however barely showed any differences at all. They were still together and acting like they always had, though Eddie had suggested changing his band's name to the Hobgoblins, saying that it had a bit more of an edge. It was a suggestion that Mickey kept trying to talk him out of, saying that she'd had enough of hobgoblins.

As for himself, Adam just hadn't been able to get back into the swing of things. He couldn't stop thinking about the 'vacation'. About her. Then, as he about Altera some more, he frowned, suddenly wondering if maybe...maybe he might be in love with her. The idea seemed almost preposterous. After all, she was an elf from another dimension, whom he'd only known for several days. But still, his thoughts and heart kept dragging back towards the time that he'd spent with her.

"No way," Adam told himself emphatically, though it lacked the conviction his voice tried to put in it.

Just then, there was a loud knocking from the door, giving Adam a welcome distraction from his thoughts. With a sigh, he got up and hurried to answer it.

Adam opened the door and saw that there was a woman standing there. A very pretty brunette whom he remembered seeing around campus once or twice, though only faintly. Still, he didn't even know her name, much less why she would be at his door.

"Hello?" Adam started, frowning curiously.

The brunette glanced around nervously, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Are you Adam?" she asked hesitantly.

"Um....yeah," Adam responded slowly.

"Adam of clan Straesser?" she pushed.

Adam just responded with a confused, "Huh?"

Then without warning, the brunette threw herself at Adam, nearly knocking him off of his feet as her arms locked around him and she started kissing him. She pulled herself back and laughed at the look on Adam's face, exclaiming, "It's me...Altera."

Blinking for a moment, Adam stared at the brunette, nearly gasping in disbelief. "Altera?" When she nodded, he just stared, "Www...how...?"

Altera just grinned, "After talking to Niella...and thinking about you...I had to come." Then she said, "The Gray One let me trade bodies with this one." With that she lifted her arms and twirled around, showing her borrowed body off to Adam. "Do you like it?"

Still staring, Adam nodded, "Um...yeah." He looked right into her eyes, seeing the same sparkle that he saw inside Altera's. There was no doubt that it was her in there.

"To tell you the truth," Altera told him, patting at her chest, which was fuller than her real one, "It is a little strange being a human. But interesting."

Adam just smiled broadly as it began to sink in that she really was there. That Altera had actually come to see him. "How long are you here for?" he asked excitedly, not taking his eyes from her, half afraid that she might suddenly vanish.

Altera just grinned, the expression being familiar, even with her borrowed face. "Fifteen days," she half purred, "And I want to spend it all with you."

All at once, a hundred thoughts and emotions clashed within Adam. Incredible relief and excitement dominated, but there was also the fear and nervousness. The knowledge that long distance relationships usually didn't work...and how could one get more long distance than other dimensions.

However, as Adam and Altera grabbed each other into a passionate embrace, his fears and doubts were quickly forgotten. Instead, he just kissed her with everything that he had, feeling more alive than he would have imagined. And when they finally pulled away from each other, both grinning, Adam knew the answer to his previous question. He did indeed love her.

Unfortunately, he immediately remembered that her trip was only temporary. That she was only there for two weeks. Still, he wasn't going to let that interfere with how he felt.

"I..." Adam started, "I think I..."

"Shhh," Altera put a finger to his lips, quietly saying, "Me too." Then she gave him another kiss.

A minute later, they started towards Adam's bed in the corner, neither needing to say a word to express the emotions that they both felt. There was no doubt that they were going to milk their limited time together for everything that they could.

And just as they reached the bed, Adam happened to notice the business card that was laying on the his nightstand. The words 'Travel Agency' stuck out visibly in the gold lettering. With a smile, Adam tore his eyes from the card and stared at the woman he loved, deciding that he was going to be doing a LOT more business with the Travel Agency.

THE END

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Comments

consequences

Hypatia Littlewings's picture

I was wondering if they were going to have to deal with any unknown consequences.
That definitely is long distance not to mention relying on variable "interfaces".

Cal should know "Pixies Rule!" *giggles*
~ Hypatia >i< ..:::

Morpheus, Mister "G" sounds

Morpheus, Mister "G" sounds like he is related, or possibly the SRU Wizard.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

simularity

Sadarsa's picture

Finally, Altera whispered, "Tell me of your world."

"Tell me of your homeworld, Usul." ~~Dune

The instant i read what Altera said, that Quote from Dune instantly popped into my head.

Great Story though!

~Your only Limitation is your Imagination~

I loved it

great ending !!! Fantastically told story...I love sentimental stories with happy endings ...

Stephen J