A test rewrite with a change in naming convention... (Cludge Alert!
Cludge Alert!)

El Hazard: The Switch
by Michael Chen with aid from Eric McGinnis

Ok, so Eric McGinnis wanted this to be part of Makoto's Harem... 
But I was getting tired of that fic and decided that I might as
well use his donated idea in a brand new, wholesome, non-hentai
El Hazard fanfiction.  Anyhow, it is such a good idea, that I
couldn't just throw it away.

Anyhow, like I said, Kudos to you, Eric.  Just maybe next time,
save the idea and write your own fanfiction, and stop being a
lurker on the FFML :P  heh heh

Chapter 1: The Switch

    "Alielle, why are you following me around?" asked Makoto, who
was curious in the fact that Alielle had actually spent the past
ten minutes following him around in the Royal Museum, instead of
playing around with Fatora and the other girls.  "Wouldn't you
rather be with Fatora?"

    Alielle sighed as she cuddled Ura against her.  "Well, Fatora
is trying to have a one on one session with Shayla Shayla, so I
didn't want to bother her concentration."  She sounded quite
dejected and jealous.  Of course, trying was the keyword.

    Somewhere else in the Royal Palace, Shayla Shayla was getting
quite verbal with the princess.  "Get away from me now!!!!!"  Her
desperate voice echoed through out, her voice mingling with
Fatora's.

    "Shayla-Shayla!  Come here right now!"

    Fortunately for Makoto and Alielle, the Royal Museum happened
to be separate, so there were spared the gory details of the
verbal interchange between Shayla-Shayla, which was a stark
contrast between hunter and hunted, dominating and desperate,
determined and unstoppable.

    "So Makoto, what are you doing here?" Alielle rebounded
Makoto's question and threw it back at him.  Unlike her though,
he had a more substantial answer.

    "Because I'm interested."  Makoto carefully touched the
intricately made ball, spun from gold thread and crystal, that
was on a stand in front of them.  It was light and delicate to
the touch.  It managed to capture light in the darkness of the
room, and throw it around in a beautiful way.

    Alielle, like most girls, was attracted to the sparky object. 
She grabbed it carefully from Makoto's hands to get a better
look.  "Wow, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed as she carefully
placed it back on the stand.

    "Yes it is," spoke Makoto.  "But it is nothing."  His head
sunk low.  "I was hoping to find something to help me bring back
Ifurita."  With a sigh, he walked away.  "And it was such a good
idea, but of course, nothing in here has anything to do with the
Eye of God."

    "Wow! Pretty!" Alielle was unsympathetic to Makoto's lament,
as the other beautiful artifacts and treasures drew away
Alielle's attention.

    Makoto looked around, and sighed again.  "Well, I might as
well take this day off.  Even after a month of work, nothing, not
a single result."

    Makoto felt something rub against his feet.  It was Ura. 
"Makoto!  Come!" she purred as she ran off after Alielle.  He
shrugged his shoulders, and did as he was told, seeing that there
was nothing else worthy of doing.

    Alielle stood expectant staring at two beautiful rings.  The
rings themselves were carefully crafted from diamond, and the
amount of skill that went into it was evident.  The diamond had
some many facets that it's surface seemed smooth and it was
shaped into a perfect doughnut ring.

    Alielle heard Makoto walk up from behind.  "OH, look at
these!  They are so beautiful!"  She looked at Makoto, her eyes
sparkling as bright as the diamonds themselves.  "These will be
the perfect rings for my wedding..."  She added as an after
thought, "That is, if Princess Rune will allow me to marry
Fatora."

    She picked up the two rings, her face betraying the fact that
she felt that there was no way Princess Rune would allow her
union with Fatora to ever take place.  She picked up the ring and
put it on.  She closed her eyes as she imagined that special day,
Fatora in her low cut dress standing next to her.

    She handed a ring to Makoto.  "Makoto, you have to wear it! 
It feels so smooth and cool," she remarked.  No doubt the two
rings were a testament to the technical abilities of the
Ancients.

    Makoto took the ring, and carefully placed it on his finger. 
As his finger went through the ring, he felt a growing
resistance.  He thought nothing of it, pushing hard until the
resistance gave way and the ring latched onto his finger.

    At the same time, Alielle shrieked as she felt her ring
shrink as well.  Then the whole world blinked for a second, not
much different from the sensation of one lying awake in bed and
all of the sudden standing up.

    Makoto felt himself go blind, but after a second, his vision
reactivated, although everything seemed different.  He thought to
himself, 'Head-rush?'  He looked back and forth, trying to get
his bearings again.  He turned to one side, as if trying to get a
look at Alielle.  He wasn't there..

    He turned to the other side, and found his body staring
blankly at him.  Makoto whimpered as he looked down.  Light
purplish hair tumbled down over his two breasts.  He looked back
at his body and both screamed.

    After the initial shock had occurred, Makoto looked at
himself.  "Who are you?"

    His body touched himself gingerly at the breasts, and gasped. 
Then Makoto saw his body look upwards as it briefly touched it's
groin.  "Ah!  What happened to my body!  I'm a guy now!"

    Makoto sighed, as it was obvious that somehow he and Alielle
had switched bodies.  He sat down.  "Alielle, maybe it has to do
with these rings.  I felt something when I wore it."  Alielle
stared at him and nodded.

    "Maybe if we took it off?"  Alielle suggested.  Both pulled
the ring off their finger.  Nothing happened.

    Makoto was starting to get desperate as he envisioned the
trouble that would result.  He shivered as he thought of Fatora
trying to chase him.  Breaking free of his waking nightmare, he
hit the ring with his hand.  Almost immediately intense pain shot
through his arm.  He even found tears rolling down his face.

    And the strangest thing, was that he could have easily
stopped himself from crying in his other body.  Alielle muttered. 
"Fatora is not going to like this at all."

    "Well, Alielle, what are we going to do?"  Makoto asked.  As
he wiped the tears from his face.  It was obvious that Alielle's
pain threshold was much lower than his.

    "I guess we'll try to keep this as secret as possible.  Of
course, you can't call me Alielle anymore.  I'll call you
Alielle, and you'll have to call me Makoto for the time being
until we untangle this mess."  He nodded.

(Clarification: This is a cludge, but I'm telling you... Alielle
from now on in dialogue and description really means Makoto and
Makoto in dialogue and description really manes Alielle.  Just to
let you get this straight.  I couldn't think of a better way. 
And besides, I hate stories told from the character's point of
view.  It's too limiting...(Sorry H. Cobb, but you know me...I
think...)  Sorry)

* * *

    "Alielle!  There you are!"  Makoto turned around, to meet the
person who addressed him.  Alielle remained quite depressed,
staring at the ring in his hand.  She placed it back on the left
side of the stand next to Makoto's.  The damage had been done,
and she didn't want to hold the wretched thing anymore.

    "Alielle!  I was talking to you?"  Alielle was still staring
at the stand when she felt a hand land on her shoulder and
whirled her around.  Fatora seemed jubilant, as if something good
was about to happen.  "Shayla-Shayla and Afura are taking a bath
right now."  Fatora held up a key.  "And I have to key to the
baths."

    Alielle seemed quite adverse to the idea.  She felt herself
blush at the thought, even though she had definitely seen plenty
of Shayla-Shayla in the past.  Why, maybe this time, she wouldn't
get so panicky.  Alielle shook her head as she tried to purge
those evil thoughts from her head.

    Makoto touched Fatora's shoulder.  "Um, Fatora..."

    Fatora looked straight into Makoto's eyes.  "You're my sworn
enemy.  You are the barrier that keeps Shayla-Shayla and Nanami
away from me."  She bared her teeth at Makoto for a moment and
growled.

    Then she grabbed Alielle's hand and dragged.  "Come, it'll be
fun!" she exclaimed as Alielle looked back at a shocked Makoto.

* * *

    Alielle stared at the wall as the now nude Princess Fatora
tossed her clothing aside, where it wouldn't get wet.  Fatora
cocked her head to the side as she perceived that Alielle had
suddenly become quite self-conscious.  "Hey, Alielle, aren't you
going to strip?" she whispered, trying not to alert the two
Priestesses to their presence.

    "Um, no?"  Alielle offered tentatively.

    "Of course you have to, who ever heard of a person who bathed
with all her clothes on?"  Fatora clucked her tongue as she with
practiced movements pulled off the clothing, and turned Alielle
around.

    She caught one glimpse of Fatora's body and she clenched her
eyes shut.  Fatora was quite a beauty herself, lending more
credence to Alielle's hypothesis that all Royal women looked
good.  "Ok, who do you want?  Shayla or Afura?" Fatora asked.

    Alielle shook her head, her eyes still closed.  Fatora
sighed.  "You don't know?  You always want Shayla-Shayla, and
recently, you've been asking for Afura as well.  I'll take
Shayla, ok?"

    Alielle mumbled, "Alright."

    Then she felt Fatora grab her in and gave him a kiss.  Not an
ordinary goodnight peck, or the kiss that some friends loved to
give each other when they met.  Nope, this was an intense, blood-
boiling, tongue feeling type of kiss.

    "Good luck," whispered Fatora as she gave Alielle a squeeze
and she crawled into the bathing area.  Alielle, on the other
hand, didn't follow.  She was still trying to recover from the
kiss.  She could barely register the screams that were coming
from the other room.

* * *

    Makoto felt like crying as he walked down a hall to his room. 
No doubt, he wouldn't blame Fatora at all.  Often at night,
Fatora would voice her displeasure at the real Makoto, for being
a guy, for interfering with her hots for Shayla-Shayla and
Nanami.

    And fate had decided that Alielle be Makoto and vice versa. 
This wasn't going to be good for the relationship with the
princess.  He pushed the door open, and walked in.  

    Everything in this room reeked of the former Makoto.  There
were tons of books, there were organized stacks of papers.  There
was nothing fun in here.  He jumped onto the bed, and groaned. 
"Why does Makoto have to be so boring?"

    No sooner than she had closed her eyes, there was a knock at
the door.  "Makoto, are you in there?  You said that you would
come with me to the city this afternoon!"

    "I did?" asked Makoto, who was more interested in Nanami than
her problems at this moment.  Perhaps this little switch was
going to be a lot better than she had thought.  "Oh yes!" Alielle
exclaimed, as she giggled.

    Nanami gave Makoto, or rather Alielle a strange look. 
"Makoto, are you ok?  Have you been sleeping at all this week? 
You seem tense."  She could remember last year, the week before
final exams.  Makoto had been up studying constantly until he
just lost it the weekend before exams.

    "I couldn't have been better!" exclaimed Alielle as she
wrapped her arms around Nanami's waist.  "Let's go now, ok?" 
Normally, this would have not made a difference to Nanami, who
was more than capable of ignoring Alielle.  But what she saw was
Makoto hugging her tightly, and the sudden display of affection
made her mind whirl.

    "I guess so..." Nanami said slowly, as she and Makoto walked
out the door.

* * *

    Meanwhile in the baths, Shayla-Shayla screamed as soon as she
realized that the Princess Fatora had decided to grace them with
her presence.  "Shayla!  I'm back!" shouted Fatora, as she
splashed through the hot pool to grab the red-haired priestess.

    "Get off!  Get off!" cried Shayla-Shayla as she well knew
that Fatora had a lot more strength than Alielle and the princess
loved to play rough.  She crawled out of the tub, wrapped herself
with a towel, and hurried, as fast as she could without slipping,
to get dressed.

    She skidded into the dressing room, and realized that Fatora
hadn't come along.  Alielle saw Shayla-Shayla's nude body, and
she turned around quickly.  "I'm so sorry Shayla!"  The priestess
stood there, her eyes twitching as Fatora leaped onto her,
knocking her to the ground.

    Fatora played, but without Shayla fighting back, it lost all
purpose.  She looked at Shayla's face, which was focused on
something something behind her.  The princess turned around, and
saw Makoto hastily dressing himself up.

    He duplicated his apologies, muttered something along the
lines of "I'm so sorry," and ran out of the baths.

    Fatora quickly stood up.  "Damn, I hate her mood swings... 
Always ruins the fun..." she grumbled, reluctant to leave the
fun.  Grabbing her clothing and hastily putting them on, she was
out the door, trying to find her lover.

    Afura looked at Shayla-Shayla.  "I can't believe it, the
Princess just got right off, and left."  Afura had just walked
into the dressing area, a towel draped around her.

    Shayla-Shayla grumbled.  "Well, you should feel lucky! 
Alielle was here too, you know."  But her voice turned to
curious.  "I wonder why she ran from here like she was
embarrassed?"

    Afura shivered.  "She was here?  And she didn't jump onto me? 
Something must be amiss."  As far as she knew it, Alielle was
always cuddling or to touching one of them, and now, she ran away
from them.  It was completely mind-boggling for the priestesses.

    Shayla-Shayla stood up and carefully dressed.  "Well, there
is only one way to find out what happened.  I'm going to go ask
her."

    Afura sighed as she dressed.  "She's a young girl.  Girls go
through phases.  Remember the time you wanted to be a bumblebee?" 
Unlike Shayla who was taking her time, Afura was dressed
perfectly in moments.

    Shayla mumbled.  "Don't remind me."  She grumbled as she
glanced in the looking glass to make some final adjustments. 
'How come she can't do something stupid in her life?  It always
has to be me!' Shayla mentally shouted to herself as both walked
out the door.

    No sooner than they had walked out, they saw the strangest
thing in their life:  Nanami calmly walking past with Makoto
hugging her waist.  Afura was first to respond.  "Way to go
Makoto!"  She smiled as she waited for Shayla.

    Sparks of flame burst forth from the gems on Shayla-Shayla's
clothing, and she screamed.  "Nanami!  What do you think you are
doing with Makoto?"  Nanami suddenly noticed Shayla and gave her
a sly smile.

    "Well, Makoto wants to go to the city with me, so I had to
agree."  Nanami spoke, momentarily becoming juvenile enough to
stick her tongue out at Shayla.  "Right, Makoto?"

    Makoto giggled.  "Whatever you say."  Shayla wasn't taking
this too well.  The real Alielle, on the other hand, was
beginning to see the possibilities of her "predicament."


Chapter 2

    Makoto and Nanami had only been in the city for some ten
minutes, when Nanami felt that there was something peculiar about
Makoto.  For one thing, he had certainly become the touchy feely
type in such a short period of time.  In fact, she could remember
back in high school, Makoto always smiling and talking with her,
but never hugging her.

    Nanami looked down, and was dismayed to see that her
companion hadn't even budged since they had left the castle. 
"Makoto, what are the people going to think about us?" she asked,
attempting to get him off her.  It didn't work, and Makoto hung
on like a leech.

    "But Nanami, I love you," Makoto said calmly, rubbing his
head into her side.  Nanami stood there, not knowing what to do. 
Her lips tried to form words, but it didn't work.

    "Let's go have lunch," Nanami said, having nothing better to
say.  Right now, she was somewhat filled with emotions, joy and
uncertainty.  She was happy that Makoto finally made up his mind,
but something wasn't wrong.

    Makoto giggled, which was something hard for Nanami to
believe.  "Oh yes, I'm so hungry!  Let's eat!"

* * *

    Fatora unmaidenly swore as she stood in the kitchen looking
around.  It was empty save the servants who were trying to
prepare lunch for the castle.  In the corner were the many
barrels, each containing various foodstuffs and drinks.  

    Fatora grimaced as she realized that she had searched the
entire castle, and her lover hadn't been found yet, which was
strange, considering Alielle was never good at deception. 
"Alielle!  Where the hell are you!" she shouted as she walked
towards the adjacent hall.

    Shayla-Shayla and Afura Mann were along for the ride.  They
didn't want to spend the entire morning with Miz, who seemed to
be a bit too dreamy these days, talking about wedding dresses and
Mr. Fujisawa.  The two of them shouted.  "Alielle!  Where are
you?"

    They followed the princess out of the room, and as soon as
the coast was clear, Alielle silently climbed out of a giant
barrel, her body covered with flour.  She bowed to the cook, who
winked, and she was out of the room.

* * *

    Nanami watched Makoto delicately tear into his food.  It was
like watching a totally different person eat.  Unlike what she
liked others to believe, while in El Hazard, Nanami had been
keeping a close eye on Makoto and learning more about him than
while on Earth.

    Makoto carefully tore of the skin off the meat.  He shivered. 
"Look at all that fat, better not eat it, or I'm going to loose
my figure."  Nanami remembered the last time she went to this
particular restaurant with Makoto.  He wouldn't have cared if he
drank pure fat.

    She watched him chew carefully and swallow.  "So, Nanami,
what else are we going to do today?" he asked, instinctively
brushing back a lock of hair that really didn't exist.

    Nanami was staring at him, so focused that she didn't hear
his question.  Suddenly, she felt a foot rub against her inner
thigh, and she jumped.  "Makoto!" she cried, her face turning
pinkish.  He laughed.

    "So where are we going Nanami?"  Makoto asked, his face
feigning innocence.

    Nanami brushed her hair back, and sighed.  "I told you
yesterday that we were going to the Bazaar?  I wanted to get
something for Mr. Fujisawa.  His birthday is coming up."

    Makoto looked surprised.  "Really?  So what kind of drink are
you going to get him?"  Another inconsistency.  She could
remember Makoto specifically telling her Masimichi's birthday.

    "Makoto, are you feeling fine?" Nanami asked him, images of
how bad Makoto had freaked out the previous year studying for his
finals entering her mind.

    Makoto sat up, the meal finished.  "I couldn't be better!"

* * *

    Fatora stood on the huge stone railing of the balcony.  For a
brief moment she looked out at the sprawling city of Floristica. 
It certainly was a sight to behold, not that she cared.  Taking a
deep breath, she shouted, "Alielle!  Where are you?" her voice
echoing in the wind.

    Shayla-Shayla and Afura looked at Fatora.  Fatora turned
around, a dejected look on her face.  It was a look that Shayla
had never thought the evil princess was capable of.  "Damn," the
princess whispered.

    Shayla felt sorry for the princess and she took a timid step
forwards.  "I'm sure she'll return tonight.  If she doesn't I'll
go out looking for her."

    Fatora looked up.  "Really?  Great!  Then I don't have to
worry!"  Shayla paled as she recognized a familiar predatory look
on Fatora's face.  Afura noticed as well.

    Afura smirked.  "No wonder, she chases you Shayla.  You
practically ask for it."

    "Shut up!" shouted the retreating priestess.

    "Shayla!  Come back here this instant!" cried the princess,
hot in pursuit.

    Afura smiled as she leaned on the balcony and stared out at
the country radiating out from the castle.  So much of El Hazard
truly depended on Roshtaria, but if any of them had a clue how
chaotic it was in the castle...  

    Afura was startled from her thoughts by a claw that latched
onto the side of the railing and dug into the thick stone.  "Ura,
thanks a lot."  Afura leaned over the edge and looked in the
direction that Fatora had forgotten about: straight down, and
sure enough, there was Ura holding onto the side with Alielle.

    "Alielle!  What are you trying to do?  Trying to get yourself
killed?"  Afura reached down and easily picked up Alielle and
Ura.

    Alielle seemed extremely calm.  "Ura is more than capable of
holding me up.  She carried me up Mount Muldoon."  Alielle
stroked Ura, who purred contently.

    Afura stood up tall and looked down at Alielle, her hands on
her hips as if she was getting ready to lecture the little girl. 
"Well Alielle, that was a stupid stunt nevertheless.  Why are you
so eager to stay away from everyone else?"

    Alielle opened her mouth, but closed it quickly.  "It's
supposed to be a secret, Afura."  Stroking Ura, she walked away.

* * *

    Makoto picked up a scarf.  "Nanami!  What do you think about
this?  Would this be the best gift for Mr. Teacher?"  Nanami
groaned as it seemed evident Makoto had burned off some of his
intelligence.  She was definitely sure that he was studying too
hard again...  She could remember him laughing in the mud in
front of the school the day of the final exams.  (Actually, this
happened to a freshman who stayed at Old Campus.  I was walking
home from a friend's dorm at night, when I saw this person
laughing his head out in the rain and mud.)

    But she had to admit, Makoto was demonstrating some good
taste in clothing.  "The scarf looks good.  I guess we could get
a few other things and we can call it a day."

    Nanami looked down at the stand, and she felt something go
around her neck.  She looked around, nervously and found a tiny
cracked looking glass.  Makoto had just carefully put the scarf
on her.  He sighed blissfully.  "You look so good."

    She blushed again.  "Makoto!  Watch what you are saying! 
There are people around us..."  Suddenly she screamed as she felt
a hand grab a forbidden part.  Instinctively she whirled around
and gave Makoto a slap that he deserved.

    Her emotions quickly sought release, and anger was
convenient.  "You pervert!  You sex-crazed pervert!"  She felt
her hand turned wet with tears.  Without a word, Makoto turned
around and ran away crying.

    Everyone in the Bazaar looked at Nanami, she could hear
murmurs in the crowd.  Defensively, she rose her hands, and
groaning silently, tried to follow Makoto.  But after an hour of
searching, she couldn't find him at all.  She decided to return
to the palace.

    She walked into the garden, trying to forget the guilty
feeling, when she heard sniffling.

    Then she heard Shayla-Shayla's voice trying hard to be soft
and gentle.  "There, there, Makoto.  You don't have to cry." 
Nanami, her hand twitching with anger, carefully looked around a
screen, and sure enough, seated on a bench was Makoto burying his
face into Shayla.

    Makoto murmured.  "Sister Shayla, it still stings.  Can you
kiss the pain away?"  Nanami watched Shayla-Shayla suddenly sit
up stiff, the priestess's face filled with disbelief.  After
debating with herself, Shayla closed her eyes and slowly lowered
her head to kiss Makoto's pinkish cheek.

    But something went wrong, and Shayla felt hands grab her chin
and pull her in.  She felt lips press against her and initiate
the best kiss she had ever felt.

    Nanami felt unholy anger consume the last shreds of decency
within her.  She stood up and left her hiding place, and marched
over to the still kissing couple.  However, before she could open
her mouth, she heard someone else voice her displeasure for her. 
"Makoto!  You idiot!  Get away from those two!"

    Makoto paled suddenly, and looked up only to see an angry
Fatora.  He jumped off Shayla, totally surprising both Nanami and
Shayla.  "I'm so sorry Fatora!"  He ran up to her and gave her a
kiss, which paralysed everyone else.  His ran his finger in a
little circle on Fatora's stomach.  "You're the only one I really
love."

    Fatora seemed angry, and she pushed Makoto away from her. 
But it was too late.  Shayla-Shayla and Nanami felt their
sensibilities fade away, their anger suddenly focused on the
princess.

    Fatora sensed her impending doom.  She raised her hands.  "It
isn't my fault!  It's his fault!"  For the first time she felt
scared, and without a word, she ran, followed by a chain of
explosions.

* * *

    Fatora ran as fast as she could, trying to maintain her head
start on the two crazed women out to kill her.  It wasn't her
fault that Makoto had succumbed to her beauty.  It was ironic
though, that despite how poorly she treated Makoto, he still
managed to surprise her, kiss her, and touch her in the way that
she liked.  Nothing seemed to be adding up.

    Suddenly the ground next to her exploded, throwing her
forwards, but she managed to keep her footing and run even
faster.

    Without looking she opened a door, entered a room, and closed
it behind her, not failing to lock it behind her.

    Of all places that she chose to hide in, it was the library. 
Looking down at her torn shirt, she noticed the few cuts she had
on her arm from flying rock fragments.  Nothing serious, but it
hurt pretty bad.

    "Who's there?" she heard a familiar voice whisper.  Fatora
walked into the center of the library, only to find Alielle
staring at a book, a task that Fatora swore that Alielle would
never do.

    "Alielle?"  Fatora asked, not even bothering to be dominating
with her lover.

    Alielle's eyes opened wide.  "You're bleeding."  She stood
up, grabbed Fatora's arm, and took a look.  Carefully reaching
into the cut, she pulled out the grit and rock bits before wiping
the blood away with her sleeve.  "What happened?"

    Fatora stood there, somewhat unsure what was happening. 
There was Alielle concerned for her, doing something that she
hated.  She could remember once cutting her hand accidently with
a knife.  Alielle had fainted as soon as she saw the blood, but
now there she was, concerned and cleaning the wound out.

    "Well, Makoto kissed me, and Shayla and Nanami now want my
head on a stick," Fatora commented wryly.

    "He kissed you!"  The real Makoto stopped his ministrations
as he thought that he seriously needed to tell Alielle to control
her impulses once in awhile.

    Fatora watched Alielle fish out a handkerchief and wrap it
around the cut.  "Yeah, he kissed me.  Like this."  Fatora
grabbed Alielle and kissed her.  She could feel the little girl's
hands moving around as if trying to get her off.

    The two of them lost their balance and fell onto the book
covered table.