AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ugh. Okay. For some reason, ff.net is not accepting astreks. I don't know why, but it's a pain in my ass. So, instead of scenes breaks being noted by astreks, it'll be dashes. Pain in my ass. Okay. Enjoy!

Chapter Three - "Rebuttal"

Adam blinked and immediately noticed everything was upside-down.

"What in the . . .?"

He blinked again. Everything was still upside-down. A memory began to come. Very recent. He and Teela . . . flying. Investigating. A ship, or something. And then there was some sort of - ah, yes. An energy wave. It knocked the Talon Fighter out of the sky, sending it careening out of control.

Teela!

Adam looked around, and found that the Talon Fighter was now indeed upside-down, its nose propped against a large rock. Teela was not with him. He pulled himself out of his seat, leaving the straps to hang loosely from the seat.

There she was, laying softly on the grass nearby. Adam rushed over, his legs cramped and aching, his left arm feeling dull, but okay for the most part. He pressed his fingers her neck, and felt a strong pulse. Adam rolled her over and checked her out. She seemed all right, but unconscious of course.

Adam! cried the Sorceress telepathically.

"Sorceress? What's going on?"

Count Marzo has assembled a band of mercenaries and has gone to raid Eternos. You must stop him!

"Sure, but aren't there Heroic Warriors there, keeping guard?"

Count Marzo has also gained and repaired the Shaping Staff. He was able to extend its ranch and used it to change all Eternian and aliens on the Light Hemisphere into animals. Dark Dream, at Count Marzo's command, then struck at the Dark Hemisphere, causing everyone to fall asleep.

"Brilliant," Adam commented. "Okay. Is Teela okay?"

There was a brief pause. Unconscious, but still alive and well. You soft-landed.

"I know. Where are we?"

In the southern lands.

"Crap. Okay. Sorceress, why wasn't I affected by the Shaping Staff's power?"

The Power of Grayskull has adapted since the last attack. It protected you from the energy wave that swept the Light Hemisphere. Teela, however, was affected.

"But she looks the same."

Her transformation will be slower since the both of you were caught at the edge of the wave.

"Oh, she'll love that." Adam began to get under the Talon Fighter and dug out the Sword of Power. "Who has Count Marzo recruited?"

Dark Dream, Chimera, Sticky Fingers, Lava Man, Frog Man, Leo, Hisser, Evilseed, Negator, General Tartaran, Game Master, Toy Maker, Fang Man and Icer. Tartaran is currently leading at army to Eternos and will be there in two days.

"So, basically, this is what I have to do: get to Eternos, like, now?"

Yes.

"While Teela is transforming into some sort creature?"

Yes.

"And once we - or, really me, or to be more exact, He-Man - gets to Eternos, there's only the matter of facing down about fifteen villains or so?"

Yes.

"Afterward which, content with an army of Goblins?"

Yes.

"And then - to top all this - all of Eternia needs to be restored?"

Yes. Can you handle this?

Adam smiled. "Piece of cake, Sorceress. Actually my only real worry is whether or not Teela is going to hang up while I transform."

She is sleeping deeply. You may go through your transformation into He-Man.

Nodding, Adam held aloft his Power Sword. "BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!" came his cry as the Sword of Power exploded in light and energy. "I HAVE THE POWER!"

He-Man stood then, where Adam once was. "Alright, we better get moving. Sorceress, can you wake her?"

I will. Good fortune to you, He-Man.

He-Man walked over to Teela's still, gentle form and watched her stir. There was definitely something different about her, but He-Man couldn't quite put his finger on it. Despite whatever was different, she was still quite beautiful to his eyes. She looked very much at peace as she slept.

Once she began to stir, her eyes opened wide. "He-Man?" she asked. "What are you doing here? What's going on?"

"Eternia is under attack."

She sat up, feeling dizzy and tired, but still strong. "By who? Where's Adam?"

"Count Marzo assembled some goons. He's immobilized the Dark Hemisphere by enlisting the aid of Dark Dream."

"What?"

"Yeah."

Teela, coming fully awake, began to stand up. "What about the Light Hemisphere?"

"All of the Eternians and all of the aliens were transformed using the Shaping Staff."

"How?"

"He was able to extent it's range somehow."

"There was an energy wave Adam and I encountered. That must have been it. Where is Adam?"

He-Man concocted a lie very quickly. "Transformed. I can only assume he transformed right after you guys crashed and fled."

Teela looked aghast. "You mean there's an animal version of my best friend out there!? Where is he?"

"I don't know, Teela. But the prince can't be our main concern. Count Marzo and the Space Pirates are raiding Eternos. General Tartaran is marching an army there and will be arriving two days."

"Where are we?"

"The southern lands. A full day and half journey from Eternos. The Talon Fighter is totaled."

"Well . . . shit."

"Yeah. Let's get moving."

Teela nodded and stopped at the Talon Fighter to retrieve the Sword of the Ancients. When she stood back up and faced He-Man, she had a look of contemplation on her face. "Wait a minute, He-Man. If the Shaping Staff affected Adam, why wasn't I? I was sitting right in front of him."

He-Man grunted. "Uh, actually . . ."

"I was affected, wasn't I? I knew it! I do feel different!"

"It's going to have a slower effect, but yes. You'll be transformed into some sort of animal."

"Oh no! Oh no! Not a frog! Not again!" she cried, her memory of the last time she had transformed as a result of the Shaping Staff was recalled to her.

"Well, it could be just some random creature . . ."

"You're right! It could be worse!"

"Listen, Teela . . ." He-Man began, stepping towards her.

"I could end up like some sort of slug! Or an Ape!"

He-Man put his hand on her shoulder and looked her deep in the eyes. "Teela, don't get so worked up. We've got a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time to cover it. Who knows? Maybe we'll get to Eternos before you've sprouted scales."

"Yeah, right . . ."

He-Man smiled a little and led Teela north, the smoldering Talon Fighter left behind them.

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

Gwildor stopped in his tracks, the Cosmic Key nearly falling from his stubby fingers. He had locked himself in his lab for hours and had just stopped out for some lunch when he saw what had become of the kingdom. From the window he could see them all.

It was a zoo. The most powerful kingdom, the most extravagant city, and greatest palace on the face of the entire planet was now a zoo.

Animals of all varieties roamed the streets, sat upon the buildings, and just pretty much hung around like they owed the place.

There was a sudden, tremendous roar, then, from above. Gwildor looked a saw a large ship move towards Eternos in the early afternoon sky. He waddled from his position to the Landing Pad it made for. From his vantage point with the Palace, he watched as it landed.

Count Marzo led the group of Space Pirates out of the ship.

Gwildor gasped, spun, and locked the door from the inside. He made down the corridor, so as best not to be seen, the Cosmic Key firmly in his hands.

As soon as the inventor was out of sight, the door was blasted from its hinges.

"Much better!" proclaimed Count Marzo, the first to step into the Palace. "Fang-Man, clear the way."

Fang-Man came out, mouth dripping with drool. He growled loudly and went running down the corridor, howling. The recently-transformed animals ran off, the predator screeching and scaring them off as he ran towards them, clearing the path to the Vault.

From Count Marzo's side, Sticky Fingers laughed. "The thing runs like a girl!"

Marzo rolled his eyes. "Shut up. Gentlemen, let's go."

The group of outlaws and super-villains followed Count Marzo through the silent corridors, the howls of Fang-Man the only noise heard. When they finally reached the vault, Count Marzo took a good look at the computer panel next to the huge door.

"It's on its maximum security setting. Negator?"

Negator stepped over and placed his fingers against it. His eyes grew wide and he then turned to Count Marzo. "You're joking!"

"What is it?"

"This is encoded four times! It'll take me hours to hack into it, and that's just to open this door. There's a whole other corridor beyond this, filled with lasers, explosives, and robots. This is insane."

Count Marzo snarled. "Just get working at it. Game Master, take Evilseed and Dark Dream with you and scout around. Fang Man, get all of the animals out of here. Toy Maker, get started on those booby traps. Icer, work on that ice wall. The rest of you, secure this area."

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

Gwildor entered Man-At-Arms lab, and immediately after he walked in, he turned to the door controls. His fingers fluttered across the keys, and all of the doors and windows of the lab shut and sealed. With the lab secured, he turned to a large command panel and immediately began to work at it. He processed systems into the lab, and brought the communication lines to his command. There were some things he didn't have access to, but for the most part, a lot of the vital systems were accessible from here.

With that done, Gwildor turned his attention the Cosmic Key. After what happened with Procrustus, the gravitational alignments were still slightly unsettled, which had thrown the Cosmic Key way off. And, he knew it, the Cosmic Key was going to be needed.

He then noticed his communicator was beeping. Gwildor reached for it and opened the channel. It was Stratos.

"Thank the Sorceress!" cried Gwildor.

"Gwildor, what's happening there?"

"Everyone's been transformed into animals!"

"Then it must be world-wide . . ." Stratos replied.

"It gets worse, Stratos. Count Marzo and a whole slew of villains have entered the Palace. I've locked down Man-At-Arms lab, which is where I'm at. But I don't think I can remain here much longer."

"We need to find He-Man," said Stratos then.

"If he's not an animal, you mean."

"Yes. Exactly."

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"Here," He-Man said, ripping the carrots out of the ground. "I'll wash these off."

Teela nodded, but wasn't really paying much attention. The pair had paused briefly at an abandoned garden next to a steady stream. As He-Man washed the carrots off, Teela was studying her hands. Her fingers were longer but the space between her middle and index and ring and pinky fingers were smaller and kept pulling together. Teela's fingernails were longer, as well. A lump of fear hit in her stomach, at not knowing what she was changing into.

"What's wrong?" asked He-Man stepping over.

She turned to him, hiding what was happening, and smiled falsely. "Nothing," she replied, her red hair bobbing around her face.

He-Man nodded and handed her a carrot. "They're not bad. I wouldn't mind some meat, but with the way things are, there's no telling what we can and can't eat."

"Gotcha. Shall we?"

"Yeah."

The two resumed their trek up north.