Youma blues 
Jadeite days2: Pay and benifits



        Let me be perfectly clear here: I don't at all like being
 flunky #1 to whom-ever-is-in-charge-right-now amongst the
 generals.  It's a dirty, vile, disgusting job that entails me being 
forced to help Beryl try to take over the world. (does anyone 
*else* feel the urge to sing the Pinky and the Brain theme when
 she's around?)
        I do have to admit, though, that the job does have its
 perks.    The neat powers are really nice.  I mean, potential
 immortality, magic, instant fitness-and-beyond,  all the money you
 could ever want....you'd have to be crazy to turn down a job like
 this.
        (Un)fortunate?ly for me, I was drafted, and, well, you
 have to take the good with the bad.  Take their thoughts on free
 will:  Please take them.    Your will is free right up to the moment
 you try to weasel out of what they want you to do.  Then it's
 torture time, or (if it's Jadeite or Kunzite) Mind control time.
        Of course, if you go along with what they want and actually
succeed, there are perks. 
*big* perks.
Like my first day....

        A moment should probably be spent on what the 
demon-egg thing did 
to me.  
1. It hurt.
2. It turned me into a Youma.  This didn't accomplish a whole lot
 in my case, appearance wise - but then, I've never been
 especially standoutish appearance  wise.    Hair somewhere
 between blond and brown, blue eyes, slightly below average
 height, slim - I was a wimp, what do you expect! Here in Juban I
 was probably something of a rarity, but not to much so -  I'm not
 much taller than most Japanese, and I blend in easily with a
 crowd  anywhere.   The super-strength is nice.  And the instant
 dental plan - though the fangs took some getting used to.
 Teleporting is a blast, and magic is simply wonderful - except for
 the needing to steal energy bit.
        Energy-pangs are a bitch  - Youma have to eat the same
 way humans do, but their powers require energy that can't come
 from food.  And when you run out...'hungry' doesn't describe it.
        Jadeite let me get used to the idea of being a Youma for,
 oh, about a second or so - which still amazes me, I must have
 impressed him somehow.   Then he ordered me to my feet - I
 complied by reflex and out of no little fear.    He told me that I 
would now serve the dark kingdom or die.  
        I readily agreed.
        Hey, pride and heroism are one thing, survival another.  I
 like being alive.
        He then asked me a question that caused me to sweat
 more than a little.   
He asked me what I knew about the Sailor Senshi.   
        I replied truthfully ( I realized that trying to disobey a mind
 reader was rather pointless..).   He laughed at me, commended 
me for imagination, and then sent me to gather energy.
        About this time a thought struck me.
        I'm cannon fodder.    Oh joy.


        Now, my first encounter with a Sailor Senshi was rather
 painless for both of us - I bumped into miss Mizuno's more
 outgoing form just as I was abandoning all the people in the main
 library, and apologized by reflex.  
        I guess apologizing is out of character for Youma, because
 I was halfway out the door before she scanned me.   The
 appearance of a Sailor -even  a primarily defensive one - so early
 in my career had, by that time, totally unnerved me, so 
when she shouted and came after me, I used up around half the
 energy I'd stolen and teleported by reflex.  It rather startled me,
 actually - I wound up several blocks away, with bunches of
 energy left over and a delivery to make.  
        I didn't think Jadeite would be forgiving when it comes to 
tardiness, so I didn't dwell on the encounter - except to note that
 my transformation had greatly enhanced my Japanese skills.

        After turning the gem containing the energy over to
 Jadeite, I asked what we would be doing next, and he said he
 needed to speak with his queen, gave me a thick wad of bills and
 told me to have fun until he got back for the next mission.
        Then he vanished.
I used around half the money to buy myself a new Ferrari.  
Perks, remember?

Gamlain@airmail.net
Gamlain, transuniversal courier & Hero for rent
Sorcerer to the three great Anime demonesses: Ryoko, Marller, and Ifruita 
"So then I shot a goon and I cut the head man's throat, and after that
things got violent." - Tarnkep Protree
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