ALIELLE: All El-Hazard characters belong to Pioneer AIC. Apart from myself. I belong 
only to the
beautiful Princess Fatora! And now, the Royal House presents, live from the bedroom of 
her majesty...

THE ADVENTURES OF ALIELLE AND FATORA
Featuring Princess Fatora, Unquestioned Ruler of Roshtaria; and Alielle, Provider of 
Cheap Innuendo.

ALIELLE: Welcome, everyone!
FATORA: Yeah, peasants. How ya doin'?
ALIELLE: Here we begin an exciting series of tales featuring the one and only Fatora, 
loved the world
over for her famous warmth and compassion.
FATORA: That's right, people. See, I've decided that it's my duty, as the natural superior 
to you freaks
out there, to provide you with help and guidance. And how better to teach the masses 
than by using the
chronicles of my own life. Each story has a very important moral lesson attached to it, 
which I hope
each of you will take to your heart. I will guide you! And Alielle will hang around and do 
stuff too, I
guess.
ALIELLE: The subject of this story is the origin of the most profound love El-Hazard has 
ever known-
that between the great Princess Fatora and myself.
FATORA: Hell, even you men could learn something about love from this one. Witness 
the great
transformation that only love can bring... one day, a shy, timid princess, forever in her 
sister's shadow...
the next... the flawless image of perfection you see before you! Love, yes, only love can... 
aw, hell, just
read the damn story! Hey, Alielle, you're hogging the sheets again.
ALIELLE: I'm cold.
FATORA: Ah, fancy a little something to warm you up?
CUT!!

CHAPTER ONE: "I LOVE FATORA!"

Once upon a time in Roshtaria, there were two little princesses. Princess Rune Venus was 
tall, pretty,
graceful and all the things a daughter of the royal house should be. Princess Fatora 
wasn't.

The news had been circulating for over two weeks, with such pace that practically 
everyone in the
Allied lands had heard the rumours by now. There was a buzz of expectation in the air as 
the assembled
crowds outside the palace awaited the promised "official announcement".
A hush descended as Princess Rune Venus, carefully composed as ever, stepped out onto 
the podium.
Her face displayed not a single shred of emotion, giving the onlookers no clue as to the 
content of her
speech. Next to emerge was Prince Galus, accompanied by the royal house's chief 
servant, Londs. They
took their places a few feet behind the princess.
There was a pause. Londs looked angrily over his shoulder, and muttered something 
inaudible. Seconds
later, a confused-looking Princess Fatora darted out from behind the curtain. Looking up, 
she was
apparently taken aback by the vastness of the crowd. Consumed by a sudden urge not to 
draw attention
to herself, she discreetly stepped back until she was as far to the rear of the stage as was 
physically
possible.
"People of El-Hazard," Rune began, her voice echoing through the stillness and calm of 
the packed
streets before her. "I'm sure many of you will have heard the rumours. Today, it is my 
happy duty to
confirm to you that they are true. I would like to announce my engagement to Prince 
Galus."
Any further details contained within her speech would have to wait until later. The 
announcement had
triggered an enormous response from the crowd, which quickly settled into the repeated 
chant of "Glory
to the royal house", a mantra which, by the sound of it, was set to last for several minutes 
at least.
Galus took Rune's hand and led her to the steps which descended from the stage. "Come," 
he smiled
softly at Rune, "this is a perfect opportunity for us to meet our public."
Londs didn't seem so confident. "Princess, are you sure that this is the best time? Perhaps 
we should
wait until..."
"Ah, Londs. Always expecting the worst. We have the royal guard to protect us. I would 
never suggest
anything which might lead to Princess Rune coming to harm", Galus reassured.
The three figures began to descend as guards gathered at the foot of the steps. Suddenly 
Galus turned
and looked at Fatora.
"Princess, won't you join us?"
Actually, Fatora had been hoping to sneak away quietly while everyone else was 
preoccupied with El-
Hazard's newest royal couple. But Galus had a habit of getting his own way, and in the 
absence of a
convincing excuse, Fatora felt obliged to take up the offer.

She regretted it, of course. Two hours later, she stormed into the library. Doctor 
Schtalubaugh looked
up from his desk.
"Oh, princess," he said, "I've been waiting."
"What? Oh yeah, sorry," Fatora mumbled. "I couldn't help it. I was busy."
"There is no need for apologies, princess. Your royal duties must come before your 
studies."
Schtalubaugh closed the book he was reading and headed for the shelves at the far end of 
the room.
"Duties..." Fatora grumbled to herself. "Nothing more than walking, standing or sitting 
next to Rune.
Two hours of my life wasted. I must've shaken hands with every single damn person in 
that crowd. And
why? Because the lovely Princess Rune is getting married."
Fatora stopped. She had been quite unaware that was thinking aloud. Schtalubaugh sat 
opposite her.
"Your presence is symbolic, princess," he pointed out. "Your failure to attend such events 
would imply
a conflict within the royal house."
Schtalubaugh began to search through his papers. He tried to be reassuring, although he 
knew he wasn't
very good at it. "In my time I have instructed many young members of the royal family. 
At one time or
another, all of them doubted the validity of their position, your sister included. It is quite 
natural. But
eventually, you will come to realise that your position, princess, is what you make of it."
Fatora didn't really feel any better, but she was tired of talking about her insecurities, an 
activity which
only ever made her feel worse. Could it really be, though, that the mighty Princess Rune 
had once
doubted herself?

Fatora was a shy, quiet girl, who seemed far from the ideal candidate for a princess. She 
idolised her
older sister, for the same reason she resented her so very much- Rune was the perfect 
princess that
Fatora could never be. She peeped around the corner, then cursed quietly. Fatora hated 
feeling like an
intruder in her own home. But wherever Rune was, Galus wasn't far behind, to the degree 
that simply
having a private conversation with Rune was now close to impossible. Why couldn't he 
keep himself to
himself, the interfering bastard? The prospect of living with Galus was one Fatora 
preferred not to
contemplate.
Rune was in her bedroom reading when Fatora came in.
"Rune? You're not busy, are you?" asked Fatora.
"Not really," her sister replied. "Do you want something?"
"Some advice, perhaps. Did you ever get the feeling that your job was pointless?"
"A long time ago." Rune finally answered. "Don't tell me you feel that way."
Fatora sat on the bed. "Nobody cares. I could disappear tomorrow and they'd only notice 
if they wanted
their precious Eye of God switching on."
"Oh Fatora, that isn't true," Rune protested. "You're respected throughout El-Hazard."
"All royals are respected," she sighed. "It's unquestioning. You're different, people are 
actually
interested in what you do."
The two sisters sat quietly for a while.
"Well..." hesitated Rune, "I know the first time people really took an interest in me was 
when those
rumours about Prince Durad started circulating."
"Yeah, but. that was years ago. And totally untrue."
"It got people interested," Rune smiled. "That's the kind of thing that gets people talking. 
Since I've
been with Galus, I've never been more popular."
Fatora was unsure, but Rune clearly thought she was on to something.
"Next week, Prince Fran is coming to the palace for trade negotiations."
It was a name Fatora recognised. "The most sought-after prince in El-Haza... hey, just a 
minute, are
you setting me up with him?"
"Why not?" beamed Rune. "It's a good idea."
"You're right, it's a brilliant idea," agreed Fatora.

At least, it was in principle. But as the days leading up to Fran's arrival passed, Fatora 
became anxious.
She would be courting the famous Prince Fran of Dorusland. Everyone would be talking 
about it.
Shouldn't she be more excited? Maybe it was just a little sudden- after all, she had never 
considered
doing anything like this before. A gamble, perhaps, but when she thought back to 
meeting the public
with Rune and Galus, and the hastily disguised look of disappointment on people's faces 
when they
found themselves shaking hands with the royal trio's least interesting member, she knew 
it had to be
worth it.

The day came. The prospect of Prince Fran's arrival had sent the palace's inhabitants- 
particularly the
female ones- into a state of accelerated excitement. The most affected was Rune, who had 
planned the
details of Fran's stay meticulously, and seemed positively delighted at the idea of 
introducing her sister
to the prince.
All heads in the conference room turned to the huge doors as they swung open. From the 
far side of the
room, Fatora could make out one of the two figures as Londs. The identity of the other 
was unclear, but
judging from the reaction of those who had a better view, she guessed it was Fran. The 
guards lining
the walls of the room straightened their backs as the visitor passed them, and as he got 
closer, Fatora
recognised his face. They had never met, but Fatora had seen his portraits many, many 
times. His most
striking feature was his height- he towered over everyone. Even Londs, who was 
preparing to introduce
the prince to Rune, Fatora and Galus.
"Your majesties, the noble Prince Fran of Dorusland." Londs presented him to the 
assembled royals
with his usual eloquence. The prince responded with equal courtesy.
"A pleasure, your majesties. And what a delight to see that the legendary beauty of 
Roshtaria's
princesses is more that mere legend."
For once, Fatora was flattered. "Well, thanks!" she laughed. "I didn't..."
"Oh, Princess Fatora," Fran looked down at her. "You are beautiful also, almost as 
beautiful as your
sister."
Fatora's heart sank. "Thanks," she mumbled, "that's the greatest compliment I've ever 
been paid."
"Fatora!" Rune whispered, keen to avoid any embarrassment. But Fran had either not 
heard Fatora's
comment, or simply ignored it, as he was now deep in conversation with Galus. Fatora 
tried to slip
away, but Rune caught her.
"He hates me." Fatora avoided eye contact with her sister.
"The prince has a habit of speaking his mind," Rune pointed out. You shouldn't worry 
about such
things."
"I'm serious, Rune. I really don't think he likes me."
"Oh, Fatora. Before you know it, you'll discover his inner kindness, I know you will."
Fatora frowned. "Are you sure?"
Rune smiled back. "When you have dinner with him tonight, you'll see. I just know you'll 
discover
something wonderful."
Rune was right, but in a way she could never have imagined.

Well, Fatora thought, he's communicative. True, as Fran was a good talker, albeit always 
about
himself. Just ten minutes into the meal, Fatora already knew enough about the prince to 
make a decent
stab at writing his biography. And it was also true to say that Fran was a pretty all-round 
fantastic guy,
at least, according to the authority that was himself.
On the outside, she was all weak smiles and feigning interest as Fran regaled her with 
stories of his vast
popularity, great physical strength, and success in gambling, his primary pastime. Inside 
however, she
was falling apart. This was it. This was what she was supposed to be looking forward to. 
Surely a
Bugrom would make a better husband than this egomaniac, but there was a horrible 
feeling, somewhere
deep down, that like everything else in her life, she would be swept along by events and 
before she
knew it they would be married. Faking wedded bliss as the public loved every minute of 
it.
Immersed in her thoughts, she was quite unaware that her future husband had ceased his 
scintillating
anecdotes and was addressing her directly.
"Princess?"
"Oh? Sorry, what?"
"I was asking if you'd care for some wine, princess," Fran repeated.
Fatora wasn't much of a drinker, but in this case a little alcohol could be a blessing, if 
only to block out
some of the more objectionable elements of Fran's personality.
"Very well," Fatora sighed.
"Excellent," Fran smiled. He clapped his hands twice.
Out of the corner of her eye, Fatora could see a small figure enter the room, carrying a 
large jug of
wine. Relieved at the prospect of some company besides the prince, she turned around to 
get a better
look.
She looked no more than five feet tall. Her eyes were bright pink, and she wore a simple 
white dress
and sandals. And her hair- what colour was it? In darkness, it seemed purple, but as the 
girl stepped
into the light it looked closer to a deep blue. For some reason, Fatora found herself 
transfixed, her eyes
following the mysterious figure to the table.
"The princess and I require wine," Fran boomed.
"Okay!" the girl smiled, and dutifully filled Fran's glass. Turning to Fatora, their eyes met 
for the first
time. Fatora flinched as she felt an unexplained rush of adrenaline. What was going on? 
The girl
seemed affected too, but in a different way, as she stared into Fatora's eyes with a huge 
smile on her
face.
Fran coughed. The spell was broken, and the girl started pouring wine into Fatora's glass. 
Fatora,
however, decided to take the initiative. She had to know more about this newcomer.
"Hey, I, uh... like the hair," Fatora said.
"Thankyou, princess!" the girl replied, delighted.
"Kind of unusual, huh?"
"My natural colour, princess," the girl started. "As a matter of fact, my..."
"Excuse me!" Fran interrupted. "The princess was making an observation. She was not 
engaging you in
conversation."
The girl shrunk away, dejected. "Sorry, your majesty."
"The princess has more important things to discuss. This is the second princess of 
Roshtaria. Have
some respect!"
"Sorry, your majesty," she repeated.
Fatora wanted to object, but what could she do? She and the girl exchanged glances. 
Then, when Fran
wasn't looking, she grinned and winked at Fatora, before skipping out of the room. Fatora 
was
suddenly, somehow, happier than she had ever been.
"Who... was that?"
"Just one of my servants," Fran sighed. "I shouldn't put up with such insubordination. I 
suppose the
royal house of Roshtaria expect far higher standards of their staff."
"Whatever." Fatora wasn't listening. Her mind still on the girl, she absent-mindedly took 
a sip of wine.
God, it was strong.

Half an hour later, Fatora was once again being tempted into a coma by Fran's incessant 
talking. There
had to be a way to get the wine girl back.
"Hey," said Fatora, after waiting for Fran to pause for breath. "How about some more 
wine?"
Prince Fran looked puzzled. "But princess, your glass is almost full."
Good point. Fatora had hardly touched the wine. It was way too strong for her usual 
tastes. But in this
case, curiosity beat off common sense. She took the glass and downed it in one.
Everything went grey. She was surely going to die. Then, the mists cleared. Through the 
tears now
streaming from her eyes, she could see that the world was indeed still out there, as, 
unfortunately, was
Fran. Fatora smirked triumphantly and held her glass aloft.
"More wine!"

This technique worked twelve or thirteen times. Each time, the girl came back, and silent 
smiles were
exchanged. Fran fell for it every time, although he did seem concerned at his future 
bride's apparent
alcoholism. Muttering the vaguest of romantic pleasantries, he left. The princess was 
alone and,
although the man of her dreams had been a big disappointment, something important had 
happened
tonight. If only she knew what it was.
Well, at least she'd had one definite stroke of luck tonight. The alcohol hadn't affected her 
at all. She
stood up, and wondered why gravity seemed to be acting sideways...
The wine girl looked down over the collapsed, inebriated princess. She smiled as a 
wicked thought
crossed her mind. But no, it would have to wait. For now.

Fatora awoke and immediately regretted doing so. What had she been thinking? Her head 
felt like the
Holy Wars were being replayed inside it. For ten minutes or so, she lay almost comatose, 
staring at the
ceiling, until a question fought through to her conscious mind.
How did she get back to the bedroom? Oh well, obviously she'd got back somehow.
Still half asleep, Fatora swung her legs over the side of the bed. What was that on the 
floor? Her feet
were touching a soft object...
The object squeaked. Fatora jumped back onto the bed in surprise, and blinked 
downwards to see the
girl from last night, curled up on her bedroom floor. Now disturbed, the girl was looking 
up at Fatora.
"What the... what are you doing in here?" Fatora inquired.
"Oh..." the girl began. "Well, you sort of collapsed last night after the prince left. There 
was nobody
else around, so I, uh... carried you back here..."
"You carried me?" Fatora looked in disbelief at the tiny girl.
"Uh-huh. And after that, I was really worn out, so I guess I fell asleep down here."
"Well, thanks..." Fatora patted the bed, beckoning the girl to sit next to her. She did.
"You... haven't told me your name..." Fatora offered, a little nervous for some reason.
"Oh. It's Alielle," she beamed.
"Well, Alielle, how do you like the palace?"
"It's pretty," she giggled. "It must be neat to be a princess."
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" sighed Fatora.
Alielle frowned. "You don't like it?"
"Not really," admitted Fatora. "I'm sick of being told what to do, told how to be a better 
princess."
"I know if I was a princess," Alielle replied, "I'd like it, because I wouldn't let anyone 
order me
around. They'd learn that I was never to be questioned!"
Great, thought Fatora. Now even a servant knows more about being a princess than I do.
"Can I ask you something, Miss Fatora?"
"Sure," sighed Fatora. "Go on."
"Do you like my master, the prince? They say he's the greatest prince in all El-Hazard."
"He's overrated," smiled Fatora. "I thought I'd like him. But he's not my sort of man. Hey, 
I don't even
know what my sort of man is."
"Maybe you just don't like boys," Alielle hinted.
Fatora laughed. "Yeah, perhaps... oh, wait? You mean like that?"
"Mm-hmm. I know I don't like boys."
"Right." said Fatora nervously. "That explains a lot." It did, sort of, but somehow she was 
now even
more confused. Still, at least she had someone to talk to.
Fatora stood up. "Come on, Alielle," she said. "I'll show you around the palace."
"Okay!" replied Alielle, delighted. "You know, princess... you're very pretty."
"Why, thankyou Alielle," smiled Fatora. Then taking into consideration what Alielle had 
just revealed,
the true implications of the comment sunk in. This realisation was accompanied by 
Alielle excitedly
grabbing Fatora around the waist.
"Let's go!" squealed Alielle.
Fatora looked down at her new companion. It was going to be an interesting day...

Doctor Schtalubaugh hurried to the doors of the conference room. Entering, he found 
Rune, Galus and
Londs already deep in discussion.
"I apologise for my lateness," said the doctor as he crossed the room, "but I have 
unfortunate news."
He held up a copy of the Roshtarian Observer. "It seems the press have got hold of our 
intelligence
concerning Bugrom troop movements."
"Surely not!" protested Londs. "That information was..."
"I know, classified," sighed Schtalubaugh. "But listen- 'An anonymous source claimed 
that the
Bugrom are now aligned along the River of God in such a way that heralds a significant 
future attack.'"
"Terrible," said Galus. "This will only serve to make the public uneasy, and a future war 
more likely."
The doctor nodded. "They are further suggesting an alliance between the Bugrom and the 
Phantom
Tribe."
"Impossible!" Londs stated. "The Phantom tribe despise the Bugrom even more so than 
they do
ourselves."
"Perhaps," Galus pondered. "But one should never rule out the Phantom Tribe. They are 
a..."
The doors opened noisily. In stepped Fatora and Alielle.
"And this is the conference chamber!" Fatora told Alielle.
"Fatora, we were wondering where you were," said Rune. "We are supposed to be 
discussing classified
operations of... who is that servant?"
"Oh, sorry," Fatora apologised. "This is my friend Alielle. She's one of Fran's staff and I 
was giving
her the guided tour. Hey, I totally forgot about our little meeting. So, what's new?"
Londs frowned even more than usual. "We can hardly be expected to discuss such 
sensitive matters
with a mere servant girl present. Princess, your acquaintance must leave."
Fatora hesitated. Perhaps this was the time to put Alielle's suggestions about standing up 
for herself
into practice...
All eyes turned to the doors once more as Fran entered. He gave his apologies to Rune, 
then pointed at
Alielle.
"Alielle, where have you been? I do not expect my servants to simply disappear 
whenever they so
choose."
Alielle hid behind Fatora, who felt pressured to say something. "She's with me. I 
requested that she
accompanied me."
The prince backed down. "Well then... Alielle, I require your assistance."
Alielle reluctantly walked towards her master, then quickly darted back to Fatora. "Meet 
me tonight by
the gates, after the guards change," she whispered, then ran back to Fran.
"Majesties," said Fran, leaving. "I apologise again for my intrusion. Good day to you all."

That night, as Fatora and Alielle sat in a secluded part of the royal gardens, they found 
themselves
staring up at the Eye of God.
"Can you really control the Eye of God?" Alielle asked, whispering softly, as if in 
apology for breaking
the silence.
"I guess so," Fatora replied. "Ever since I was young, I was lectured on it. It's kind of 
disturbing, to
have such a dangerous thing way up there, where everyone can see it."
"I think it's beautiful," said Alielle, expressionless.
"B...beautiful?" Fatora responded, incredulous. "It's a weapon of mass destruction."
"I know," smiled Alielle. "But when I was a child, I used to be fascinated by it. I used to 
ask my
mother what it was, why it was there. I guess she didn't want to scare me, so she told 
me... it was a
gateway. A gateway in the sky to another world, a mysterious..."
She stopped, and looked down at the ground. "Pretty silly, huh?"
"Maybe," said Fatora. "But I'd like it if someone had told me that, instead of the truth."
They looked at each other for a very long time.
"So..." said Alielle finally, "have you thought about what I suggested this morning?"
Fatora looked away. "Do you mean your suggestion about asserting myself, or that... 
whole other
area?"
"Both," said Alielle quietly.
Here goes, thought Fatora. "Alielle," she said, in the most confident voice she could 
muster. "Forgive
me for trusting my instincts, but..."
Fatora grabbed Alielle by the shoulders and kissed her. It was a long, long kiss.
This probably shouldn't have shocked Alielle, but it did. As soon as Fatora let go, she fell 
back, eyes
closed, in heaven.
"My first kiss," she heard Fatora say. "Yours?"
"The first one I didn't have to chase down..." sighed Alielle. Then she paused. Fatora's 
voice was
different somehow. There was a natural air of confidence there, so unlike the put-on, 
forced kind that
was usually in its place. She opened her eyes to see a very different Fatora.

The transformation had happened.

"Fatora?"
Fatora laughed to herself. It was a slow, almost condescending laugh- one which one day, 
grown men
would learn to fear. "I did it!" proclaimed Fatora. "I did it! I'm free! Free at last!"
Slowly, it began to make sense to Alielle. There kiss have proven to Fatora that she could 
rise above
other people's expectations. It wasn't just an act of love. It was an act of defiance. And 
there was no
going back now.
"No more!" yelled Fatora. "No longer shall I cower in my sister's shadow! No more will I 
allow mere
commoners to dictate my actions! I am Fatora! The greatest princess ever to rule El-
Hazard! Nobody
will stand against me and survive!"
Alielle was overjoyed. "Oh, Miss Fatora! I knew it was within you! You're so 
wonderful!"
"An astute observation, my dear Alielle." Fatora smiled- but it was a smile more likely to 
instil fear
than pleasure. In anyone except Alielle, of course. "I have realised that my life is my 
own, and it is up
to me to choose which road I travel."
"And I'm travelling with you!" exclaimed Alielle, grabbing Fatora again and pulling her 
closer.
"Fatora, I'll always be there to carry your luggage!"
Fatora looked down to the little figure clamped around her waist. "Alielle, my love," she 
said, "you
have shown me the light, and I am greatly indebted to you. In what way can I ever repay 
you for your
guidance?"
"Well," giggled Alielle, "we could have sex."
"Excellent suggestion!" Fatora stood up so quickly that Alielle almost fell flat. She 
immediately
jumped back up, and they raced off in the direction of the palace.

Light filtered through the curtains and met Fatora's sleeping eyes. She stirred, then 
outstretched her
arm to the other pillow. Where was Alielle?
"Alielle?" called Fatora. "Hey, did she use me?"
Fatora was suddenly aware of a movement by her side. Alielle emerged from under the 
sheets.
"That was fun!" she squeaked, apparently still full of energy.
They heard footsteps approaching the bedroom.
"It must be Londs!" panicked Fatora. "Alielle, you must..."
Fatora stopped. For a moment, she had slipped back into the old her. No, her actions 
would no longer
be questioned.
Londs entered the room and began his usual routine. He bid the princess good morning, 
started to go
through her schedule for the day... it took him nearly twenty seconds to realise that the 
bed had two
occupants, not one. Fatora looked with great pleasure upon the expression of confusion 
on Londs' face.
"Can't a pair of lovers get any privacy in this palace?" she asked smugly.
"Princess, I..." Londs wasn't sure from what angle to approach this new and unexpected 
crisis. "What
is this foolishness?"
"You'd better get used to it," proclaimed Fatora, "because you'll be noticing a hell of a lot 
more
foolishness from now on!"
Londs was taken aback. The princess had never answered him back before. He tried to 
maintain his
composure. "Might I remind you that you are supposed to be the intended of his majesty, 
Prince Fran.
This will hardly go towards improving your relationship."
"Oh, Fran? Yeah, that reminds me. I have a thing or two to tell him!" Fatora grinned. "If 
you'll excuse
me, Alielle, I must get up now. But tonight... how 'bout it?"
Alielle hesitated. "Miss Fatora, I'd love to, but unfortunately I'm busy tonight. Perhaps 
tomorrow
night?"
"Very well!" Fatora wrapped a sheet around herself, got up, and darted out of the room.
Alielle rolled back on the bed. "What a woman!" she said to herself, and waved to Londs. 
Londs put a
hand to his head. The royal family wasn't what it used to be.

Prince Fran was just about to leave the guest quarters when Fatora arrived.
"Princess, may I help you?" he asked, hurriedly.
"Look, Fran," said Fatora, matter-of-factly, "I think it's obvious that things aren't working 
out between
us. Don't take it too hard, but... you're dumped, baby!"
"Well, Fatora," said Fran, intrigued by this sudden change, "I think we should give our 
relationship
some time..."
"Hey, get over it!" snapped Fatora. "Go find yourself a full length mirror to marry. I am 
in love with
another. So beat it!"
"You don't understand, princess," said Fran, calmly. "We will be married. It will be done. 
We are
royalty, we do not marry for love. You will be my bride, Fatora."
"Never!" screamed Fatora. "Let me tell you something about your bride! She's in love 
with..."
"I have no time for this!" Fran interrupted. "I have more important matters to attend to." 
He walked
past Fatora, trying to cover up his surprise with bravado. "You are a princess. It's time 
you acted like
one."
Fatora let him go. But he hadn't heard the last of this.

Fatora spent the rest of the day terrorising the palace. She flatly refused to do her duties, 
she yelled at
the staff, she told anyone she could find about her new love just to see that funny look of
embarrassment on their faces. Rune, Schtalubaugh, Galus- they all knew, although no one 
had yet been
brave enough to tell Fran. Her new found aggression had so many uses- although as yet 
she hadn't been
able to convince any female members of staff that "she was the way". Never mind, there 
would be
plenty of time to hone her powers of seduction, especially if Alielle was there to help her.

Night fell. The day had been an exhausting yet satisfying, Fatora thought- a description 
which brought
Alielle to mind.
Londs ran in unexpectedly. "Princess! Forgive me, but there has been some... 
unpleasantness. Your
presence is required."

As Fatora was led down to the stairway, there was no clue as to what was wrong. 
Reaching the
dungeon, the first sight that greeted her was a palace guard clutching the Orb of 
Roshtaria. Fatora
frowned. The Orb was a priceless artefact of the royal house, normally kept on display in 
the palace.
Through the shadows, Fatora could also see Rune, Fran and Galus, locked in 
conversation.
Schtalubaugh was there too- but he was silent, with a sombre look on his face.
"What's going on? An explanation, please?" demanded Fatora.
"Your friend," Londs frowned, "is in a lot of trouble. A few minutes ago, Miss Alielle 
was
apprehended by the royal guard, attempting to steal the sacred Orb of Roshtaria."
"That's crap!" Fatora insisted, although the looks on their faces suggested it wasn't.
"The evidence is here before you," stated Londs, pointing to the Orb.
"I want to see her! There's been a mistake!" yelled Fatora, becoming hysterical.
"Princess. For your information the suspect has already..."
"I said I want to see her, damn it!" Fatora screamed. "Now just shut the hell up and do 
your damn job!
Understand? Take me to her!"
Londs nodded wearily and took Fatora further into the dungeon.

Alielle sat facing the wall, occupying a tiny corner of her cell. Slowly she looked up as 
two sets of
footsteps approached.
Fatora's fury deepened as she saw Alielle. She looked at Londs, who was doing his best 
to avoid eye
contact. "Go on, beat it!" she ordered. He was more than happy to leave.
"Alielle! I know what's going on!" Fatora blurted out. "They're all against me. Against 
us! But I'll
show 'em. Tell me what happened! I'll get you out, I promise! They should know better 
than to.."
"I'm sorry, Miss Fatora," Alielle said softly. "I did it. I did try to steal the Orb. I'm guilty."
Fatora hadn't been expecting this. "What are you talking about, Alielle? You're not a 
thief! Why would
you steal from me?"
"I'm sorry," Alielle repeated. "I'm sorry I let you down, Miss Fatora." With that, she 
turned her back
on Fatora and went silent.
Fatora walked slowly away, not knowing what to think. When she got back to the others, 
confusion had
turned to rage. Fran, meanwhile, was apologising wholeheartedly to Rune for his 
servant's behaviour,
while Galus seemed to have taken charge of the situation.
"It was fortunate that the palace guards were so vigilant, or else Roshtaria could have lost 
a great
treasure," Galus said, placing his hand on Fatora's shoulder.
"Don't touch me!" Fatora exploded, slapping Galus' hand away. "Don't ever come near 
me again, you
freak! Always smiling and stating the perfectly damn obvious! I hate you!" Fatora looked 
for a moment
at the shocked faces of everyone present, then ran.
Doctor Schtalubaugh allowed himself a thin smile. It was about time somebody spoke out 
against
Galus. Silently, he followed Fatora up the steps.

It took the old doctor a while to catch up with the furious princess, but he eventually 
found her sitting
at the top of the stairs. Fatora looked up, and was relieved to see that it was Schtalubaugh. 
He was the
only one who didn't seem to be revelling in this tragedy.
"That... little... bitch!" gasped Fatora. "She betrayed me! I trusted her and she betrayed 
me! How dare
she!"
"Princess," sighed Schtalubaugh, "this is a grave situation indeed. But I cannot fathom 
why your friend
would commit such a crime. It makes no sense."
"It... doesn't?"
"A servant such as her would not have the means to hide such a large and distinctive 
item, nor the
criminal contacts to sell it. There is no record of her ever having committed a crime in the 
past."
Fatora looked closely at Schtalubaugh's expression. In most cases, the doctor usually 
knew more than
he would admit to. And something was troubling him.
"Doc, do you... know something? Because if you do, you'd better tell me, now!"
The doctor shook his head. "Mere supposition, hardly evidence. And it is not my place 
to..."
"Tell me!" insisted Fatora. "Please!"
"Very well," he sighed. "You may be aware of Prince Fran's love of gambling."
"Hey, tell me about it," moaned Fatora. "He talks about nothing else."
"It is a shameful habit," Schtalubaugh nodded. "Yet, one which, I'm ashamed to say, I too 
partake of.
Two months ago, during the academic conference I attended in Dorusland, I was in the 
unusual
position of gambling with the prince himself. After the banquet, the prince, myself, and 
many
dignitaries from far and wide engaged in a game of cards. I retired early. The prince, 
however, found
himself locked in combat with Princess Myala of Geinos."
"Did he win?" asked Fatora expectantly.
"The prince lost the equivalent of sixteen million roshtals to the princess. This amount is 
in excess of
his personal fortune, leading me to believe the rumours that he uses Dorusian public 
funds to fuel his
habit. But removing a sum of such magnitude from the public sector is an act which 
could not be
concealed for long."
"So... he wanted the Orb, right?" Fatora was beginning to understand.
"The Orb could be sold to an underworld dealer for millions, then the royal house would 
be held to
ransom for its return. The prince would have his money- who would ever suspect it?"
"Of course!" It makes absolutely perfect sense!" Fatora exclaimed. "Fran forced Alielle to 
steal the Orb
so he could have it. The scum! Guards!!"
"Princess, wait!" Schtalubaugh came close to shouting. "If only it were that simple. But 
we have no
evidence, and may I remind you that Alielle confessed to planning the heist in full."
Schtalubaugh turned to descend the steps to the dungeon. Fatora was already halfway 
down.

"Alielle, I know Fran put you up to it."
Alielle looked back through the bars in shock.
"Just say that he forced you to do it, and I can try and get you out! Come on, Alielle!"
"I'm sorry, Miss Fatora," she sighed. "I can't do that."
Fatora was incredulous. "Damn it, Alielle! Don't you realise I'm trying to help you? Now 
I don't know
what Fran threatened you with if you squealed on him, but it can't be as bad as spending 
the rest of
your life in this cell!"
Alielle began to cry. It was a painful sight for Fatora, to see her usually happy friend in 
such a state.
"The prince... scares me. You don't realise what he's like..."
"She will not betray me," a voice said behind Fatora. It was Fran. He gave Fatora a 
wicked smile. "She
would not dare."
The statement triggered an unexpected response in Alielle. Perhaps inspired by Fatora's 
new found
spirit of defiance, a spirit which she herself had helped to mould, she shouted through 
tear filled eyes-
"I admit it! He forced me to steal the Orb for him! He said... he said that if I didn't, there 
were ways of
getting rid of disobedient servants..."
"There still are!" yelled Fran. "You have sealed your fate, young lady!"
"Hey, hey! Wait up!" Fatora objected. "You're practically admitting it, Fran! And you're 
threatening
Alielle while I'm here listening to you! You can't get away with this. Who the hell do you 
think you
are?"
"I am a prince!" snarled Fran. "And I think you'll find that my word will be supported 
above that of
some juvenile delinquent servant girl. Not a jury in the land would dare convict a man of 
my standing."
"Well done," smiled Fatora quietly. "Very clever. But I seem to remember somebody 
telling me today
to act like a princess. Well, I AM a princess! The second princess of Roshtaria, joint ruler 
of El-Hazard,
and far superior to you!"
"GAAHH!" Fran doubled over in pain. Alielle looked in wonder and admiration at 
Fatora, who had
swiftly and professionally kneed him in the groin. Through a series of painful coughs, 
Fran squeaked,
"You can't do this!"
"Oh yes I can, and I don't need a damn jury. Screw democracy, this is a monarchy, baby! 
I'll lock you
up myself!"
"What are you proposing?"
"I think 'abuse of power' is the phrase you're searching for. I, Princess Fatora, am abusing 
my power
over you, just like you abused yours to manipulate Alielle. Kinda fun, isn't it? I really see 
the
attraction. I must remember to do this more often. Londs!"
Londs, who had by now been made aware of Fran's deception by Schtalubaugh, ran over.
"Unlock that cell. Alielle is innocent."
There was little point arguing with Fatora, so Londs did as he was told. Alielle ran out 
into the arms of
her beloved.
"Don't worry, Alielle," smiled Fatora. "This piece of crap won't be any danger to you 
once I'm
finished with him."
"So you're going to imprison me?" smirked Fran. "I don't think so. My people would 
never stand for
it. There would be war! Is that what you want?"
"Excellent point," pondered Fatora. "Guards!"
Two guards ran to Fran and, one either side of him, grabbed his arms and pulled him to 
his feet.
"It looks," said Fatora, "like I'll have to administer my own punishment, then!" She took a 
run up at
Fran and kicked him square in the groin once more. Then again. Fran yelled at the 
guards, but they
weren't about to go against the orders of a princess. Well, not this one.
"Stop!" a voice shouted. Everyone turned to see Rune approaching.
"Princess Rune!" Fran started. "Your sister..."
"Silence!" called Rune. "Not only did you plot to steal or sacred Orb for monetary gain, 
you threatened
this poor girl into committing the crime on your behalf. You have disgraced us all."
Fran continued. "Your sister is hurting me!"
"Yes. Fatora, please stop that. Prince Fran, I cannot risk the diplomatic fallout that would 
result from
your imprisonment, but as leader of the tribes of El-Hazard, I command you to return to 
Dorusland
immediately. And furthermore, you will stay away from Miss Alielle, or else your 
disgraceful
corruption may find its way into the popular press."
The guards dropped Fran to the floor. He teetered on the brink of unconsciousness.
"Right," grinned Fatora. "And don't forget to tell your friends back home that Fatora 
dumped you for a
girl."
Fran looked in horror at Alielle, who was wrapped around Fatora and extracting joy from 
her every
word. Seven feet tell, Prince Fran quietly fainted on the stone floor.

While it was true to say that Rune was disappointed by her sister's decision not to marry, 
as was
usually the royal duty of a princess, there existed now a silent understanding between her, 
Fatora and
Alielle. Rune's aim had been to make Fatora happy, and it had succeeded in the most 
unexpected of
ways. Alielle, meanwhile had been employed by Fatora as her "personal assistant"- and 
judging from
the sounds emanating from Fatora's wing of the palace for the next few weeks, there was 
certainly a lot
of assistance going on.

So, everyone lived happily ever after, except for the palace's female staff, who for some 
reason were
all either handing in their resignation or suing the palace on grounds of sexual 
harassment.

Alielle and Fatora sat in the garden. They were still discussing Fatora's victory over Fran, 
mostly
because Fatora enjoyed talking about it.
"I'll never forget the look on his face! I showed him!"
"Oh, Fatora, you sure did. Only one as kind hearted as you would disregard democratic 
and legal
procedures for the one you love. How can I ever repay you, my love?"
"This time, Prince Fran, tomorrow, the world! Soon nobody will dare oppose me, the 
mighty Fatora!"
"Miss Fatora, I can't help myself! I just love it when you're so... nasty!"
Alielle dived on top of Fatora, who fell back. Staring upwards, Fatora saw the Eye of 
God, and
remembered what Alielle had told her.
Hmm, thought Fatora. Perhaps it really is beautiful.
In a twisted sort of way.
But perhaps now, Fatora was twisted enough to appreciate it.

THE END

Fatora's moral of the story:
"Deep down, everyone's a bitch. And a lesbian. Sometimes they just need a little 
encouragement."

All El-Hazard characters are property of AIC/Pioneer. This fanfic and the events within it 
are property
of Dookychan, Biographer to the Princess! Don't sue me! Or Fatora. She has enough 
legal problems on
her hands right now...

NOTES: So now you know how it happened! My reason for doing a series of 
Alielle/Fatora fics is that
they are two of my favourite El-Hazard characters, sadly relegated to a minor role in most 
fics (with a
few notable exceptions).
This story was really hard to write, but I wanted to do the "Alielle and Fatora falling in 
love" story, and
it made sense to do it first. Judging by Fatora's level of popularity among (non-Japanese) 
fans, I'm sure many
people will dislike this fic as a matter of principle, but hey, we're all different. For those 
of you who
just missed having Makoto and the others around- don't worry, as they'll all be there in 
the next few
instalments. Also, the subject matter of this story meant it wasn't quite as comedy-
orientated as you
may have expected- again, this will change in the next few.
Oh well, time now for me to start on Chapter 2- "Mindgames", which is set after OAV2 
and features
Makoto, Nanami and Shayla as major characters alongside our happy couple. Back to 
work- it may be
fun working for the princess, but she's demanding. Just ask Alielle.

Until next time,

=Dookychan= (spookydooky@hotmail.com)
18th October 2000