Cavalier League 1: A Weapon In The Arsenal free porn video

"Young Justice: A Chivalrous Sprite", this story does reference an event or two in that story. This story is not a sequel to that story. It is probably more collateral in nature, although it does happen after the events of that story. There may be additional stories along this line. I have ideas for at least two more. But a lot of that remains up to you the readers. In an odd turn of events, my antagonist of the piece was going to be an original character. However, after a little research I discovered my "original" was an old (1930's time frame) Batman villain. Although he'd had no such powers when he fought Batman, he somehow gained similar powers to what I had imagined for him when he fought Wonder Woman. That of course, changed my antagonist somewhat. And now for the disclaimer. The following story contains characters owned by DC Comics, a division of AOL Time Warner. It is written solely as a fan fiction and the characters are used without their permission. It is not intended to alter the established continuity of any story line in any book published by DC Comics. The story that follows was written purely for fun, with no thought of profit to be made by the author. It is free to be archived on any site wishing to do so, provided that the author is given proper credit and they tell me where it's going to be posted. I hope that's enough. So anyway, on with story. Bill Cavalier League 1: A Weapon in the Arsenal By Bill Hart Roy Harper waved to his young daughter Lian and his Aunt Mary as the train they were on pulled away from the station. It was always difficult for Roy to send his daughter anywhere without him. He never wanted her to start thinking - even for a single second - that he didn't love her. Roy knew from his own personal experiences with his guardian Ollie what that had felt like. However, the word circulating out on the street was the assassin Cheshire was prowling around the neighborhood. That was bad news to be certain. It had also quickly ended any thoughts Roy might have had of having Erika and Martin Santos look after Lian even for a short while. After all, the very last person Roy ever wanted his daughter coming into contact with for any reason was her mother, his ex-wife Jade. Code named Cheshire, she was an assassin that was just about as cold as they came. Roy had thought Jade loved her daughter, but she'd abandoned Lian just as quickly and as easily as she'd left him for dead. It was also a safe bet that Cheshire hadn't come to town looking for Lian. And with her unpredictable nature, Roy knew he might or might not be Cheshire's next target. But with Lian safely away with Aunt Mary for the next several days, Roy's alter ego Arsenal would intensify his search for Cheshire. And yet, unless he was truly her target, he might never find her. As Roy returned to his condominium complex, his new neighbor Curt Knight, who had just moved into the complex about ten days earlier, greeted him. "Hello, Roy," smiled Curt Knight cheerfully. 'He always seems so happy and carefree,' thought Roy. 'It must be nice to be able to treat life in such a cavalier manner.' "How are things going for you on such a beautiful morning?" asked his neighbor. "Everything's just fine, Curt." Roy waved at the man. "I'm sorry I don't have time to talk with you right now." "That's not a problem, Roy." Curt continued smiling. "I'm sure we can always talk later." He then continued on his way. 'He's such an odd man,' thought Roy. And yet, he didn't exactly know why he thought this man so peculiar. 'I've probably been chasing crooks and criminals too long,' he decided. But there was just something about Curt's constant smiling that disturbed him. As Roy entered his condo, he also realized he might be feeling a little jealous of Curt. Lian clearly liked their new neighbor. And Roy wasn't too happy with the possibility of his young daughter liking some other guy better than him. And while changing clothes, Roy also remembered how Trish and Olga had found this same man so fascinating and beguiling when he'd brought them back to the condo. Actually, the girls' reactions to Curt had been more puzzling than anything else. He just wasn't, at least in Roy's opinion, that much to look at. But then, it hadn't been his opinion of Curt's appearance that really mattered. Once more garbed as Arsenal, Roy no longer worried about the oddness of his quirky neighbor. There were more important things occupying his mind. If Cheshire were actually prowling around his neighborhood, then he had to find her. And he had to find her quickly. Roy was determined to prevent her from doing whatever it was she had come here to do. *** As the minutes of his patrol quickly turned into hours, Roy had become increasingly frustrated with his lack of success. He wasn't used to having no luck finding anyone for whom he went looking. And the fact that it was Cheshire he could find no trace of made his lack of success that much more disturbing. It simply wasn't like her to lay low for extended periods of time. She usually preferred going in, getting her job done, and getting out again as quickly as possible. All of a sudden - and quite unexpectedly - Roy was convinced he'd been played for a fool. Somehow, just as inexplicably, he was also certain beyond any shadow of a doubt that Cheshire wasn't anywhere remotely near here. But why? What reason could she have for trying to mislead him? Suddenly, Roy paled as a really horrible thought crossed his mind. He wished he'd brought his cell phone along with him. Right then and there he had an urgent need to make a fast phone call. He needed to make sure his daughter Lian and his Aunt Mary were still all right. Abruptly, without any warning at all, his upper arm began stinging. But when he looked at his arm, Roy saw nothing unusual. "Probably a damn mosquito," he muttered. Even when he brushed his hand across his arm, he still felt nothing. Roy decided he didn't have time to worry about his arm. Besides, it was probably time he headed back to his condo anyway. He'd take another look - more closely - at his arm after he made his call to check on Mary and Lian. Roy was surprised, but very glad, that he didn't run into his new neighbor. He always seemed to be around. And he would have probably wanted to talk. But Roy wasn't really in the mood to take on one of those overly cheery doses of Curt Knight just now. But no sooner had Roy opened the condo's door, then he felt a sudden sharp twinge in his upper arm - the same arm and in the same place - that the mosquito had just bit. Looking at his arm, he now saw a small red dot barely size of a pinhead in the spot where he'd been bitten. He wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. But even worse than it just being there in the first place, it was slowly growing larger. And Roy certainly knew that couldn't be good news. "Shit! How stupid can I be?" he snarled. "I just can't believe how careless I was out there. Apparently, I was her target after all." Suddenly, Roy became dizzy. His thoughts began swirling and he felt nauseous. He made it into the bathroom just in time to heave everything that had been in stomach. Roy was definitely glad he hadn't eaten that much today. Feeling weak, Roy stumbled out of the bathroom and somehow made it to his bedroom. His dizziness was increasingly growing worse. And that damn dot on his arm kept growing larger. As he stood beside his bed, Roy started to reach for the phone sitting on the nightstand. Even though he knew he should have sat down first, his need to call for help was more powerful and superseded his common sense. Making the call should be easy, he'd reasoned, since the number he needed to dial was already pre-stored into the phone's memory. However, Roy only managed to lift the phone from its cradle before another powerful wave of dizziness suddenly swept through him and overwhelmed his senses. Roy collapsed onto the bed, as his consciousness fled. *** Roy's head throbbed mercilessly in rhythm with his beating heart as he slowly regained consciousness. He still felt generally nauseous, but fortunately there was nothing in his stomach. But quite truthfully, he was very surprised that he had awakened at all. Even with the splitting headache he now had, waking up again after what he'd just been through wasn't something he'd actually been expecting. As he rolled over, Roy felt somewhat strange. But he quickly concluded that his feelings of strangeness were probably the aftereffects of whatever drug he'd been shot with. He lifted his arm. "What the hell?" mumbled Roy groggily, as he stared at the spot on his upper arm where that growing red dot had been. Impossibly, it was gone. Whatever it was that had bitten him - Roy thought it far more likely that he'd been darted or shot - had left no traces behind. It just didn't seem possible that all traces of it could now be gone. But it was; it was almost as if it had never been there. However, the missing red dot wasn't what he'd found most surprising about his arm. His whole arm itself claimed that dubious honor. Or more precisely, it was that his arm simply appeared not to be his arm. The arm he stared at was no where near as large and muscular as it had been before and should still be now. In fact, his arm looked far more slender and annoyingly more feminine than it should have. Since what he was seeing couldn't possibly be true, Roy decided he must be in the middle of some kind of weird spaced out dream resulting from whatever drug had been injected into his system. He'd certainly had his fill of those types of experiences in his life. Roy closed his eyes and tried clearing his mind. He had to concentrate, just as Dinah Lance had helped him do so many long, yet never to be forgotten, years ago. It seemed to help him somewhat. The throbbing of his head lessened, as did his feeling of nausea. Feeling somewhat better, Roy sat up. And immediately wished he hadn't. His hair had quickly fallen across his shoulders. But it had never been that long before. On top of that, his entire body felt not only different, but also downright peculiar. Slowly standing up, Roy realized standing wasn't really helping him feel any better. If anything, he actually felt more peculiar standing up then he had either lying down or sitting up. Clearly, there was something totally wrong with him. But as he stumbled back towards the bathroom, Roy didn't know what it could be. He felt somehow oddly disconnected and totally uncoordinated. His body didn't seem to want to move in those same ways it had always moved before whatever had happened to him. As he neared the bathroom, he had a really bad feeling about what had happened. But what Roy had been thinking paled significantly when he turned on the light and saw his reflection in the mirror. "Who the hell is that?" he asked in disbelief as he stared at himself. The image reflected back from the mirror had shoulder length hair the same red color as his. The face was softer and smoother, even though Roy knew he hadn't been clean-shaven in over a week. Roy certainly didn't know how what he was seeing could be possible, but very clearly the image looking back at him from the mirror was that a girl. She might have been Roy's good-looking younger sister, if only Roy had had a sister. But things were even stranger than seeing a girl in the mirror. He wasn't wearing what he knew he'd been wearing when he'd passed out. He knew he hadn't changed out of his Arsenal costume, which meant he couldn't possibly be wearing what he was wearing unless someone had come in, took off his Arsenal costume, and redressed him. From the color scheme, what he was wearing looked more like a Speedy costume than something Arsenal would wear. But Roy knew full well that he would have never worn anything like it when he'd been known as Speedy. The costume was made almost entirely of red spandex. It fit his new shape like a tight glove and definitely seemed to exaggerate his newly gained feminized figure and shape. But Roy didn't like the cut of the neckline very much. In his mind, it was a little low and revealed - not that he would have minded seeing so much on a real girl - a little too much of his overly abundant sized tits. The yellow leather boots he was wearing rose up almost up to his knees. And the dainty yellow gloves were just of a far too feminine style for his taste. Roy sighed. Now all he had to do was look around for that cute little yellow cap with the red feather or that equally cute black mask and the old Speedy look - albeit a very female Speedy look - would be complete. Before he had time to look around, Roy began noticing several other things - brushes, shampoo, and frilly little items of clothing - in his bathroom that shouldn't have been there. These things definitely weren't his - although he wondered to whom that scanty and sexy little nightie belonged - and they certainly hadn't been here when he'd taken Mary and Lian to the train station. Even stranger, the bathroom itself now seemed subtly altered. When he went back to his bedroom, it too was now somehow different. The color was different - it was a softer pastel - than it had been. In addition, there was now a very definite feminine feel to his room that definitely had never been present before. There were also a great many things in his room that simply had no business being there. "What the hell's going on around here?" Roy was definitely feeling confused. He could sort of understand how getting some weird shot of shit in the arm might cause his hair to grow longer or his chest to sprout breasts. But he also had a pussy and a host of other physical changes that were far more difficult to explain. And how could it possibly change his costume, or his room, or anything that was in any of his rooms. Strange things were going on that simply made no sense to Roy at all. As he started to turn around again, Roy noticed something sitting on his dresser that he was fairly certain hadn't been there a few moments before. It was either that or he'd missed it somehow. But he just didn't know how he could have possibly missed seeing it until now. Of course, he'd been a little preoccupied after he'd first awakened. It was possible that he might have missed seeing it. It might just be that now that the motions of his body had begun feeling more natural, even if not totally normal, he'd also begun seeing things that could have been there all along. But a purse? It was clearly a female's purse. It certainly couldn't be his. But that could only mean it was his - that is, supposedly this woman he'd somehow become - or it belonged to someone else who knew exactly what the hell was going on around. Roy hoped it was the latter. Cautiously, Roy opened the purse. There was a lot of weird shit inside it that he didn't recognize. He wasn't too sure he wanted to know what they were. However, he found what he was looking for - a lady's wallet and inside it he found a driver's license. Most unfortunately for Roy, the former condition seemed to apply. Just from the picture, the license he held in his hand clearly belonged to this girl he had apparently become. The address on it was his address. Her hair was red and her eyes were green. They, at least, hadn't changed. The sex was marked female - Roy shivered at that - and her marital status was marked single - Roy felt greatly relieved with that little bit of knowledge. Her birthdate - not surprisingly - was the same as his. Her height of 5'8" meant he lost a couple of inches becoming her. Her weight was a 135 pounds. Roy had lost about a quarter of his former body weight. But the name on the license - Roxanne Willow Harper - was a definite stunner. Roy was convinced he'd been drugged with quite clearly some nasty hallucinogen. That left only one real question. Was this only some drug-induced nightmare or had someone gone to a lot of trouble to drive him crazy? He hoped it was the former, but somehow thought the latter more likely. But after a moment, Roy thought he had a way to check which one might be the truth. At least he hoped he did. Roy went to his closet. Even though he had to stand on a chair now in order to retrieve what he was after, Roy still managed to pull out the small metal box from its hiding place. Relief surged through him as he saw the box was still locked and showed no evidence of being tampered with. Box in hand, Roy went back to his dresser. Reaching behind it, Roy smiled, as he found the key still firmly taped where he'd put it for safekeeping. In a moment, he'd know something... he hoped. After sitting down on the bed, Roy carefully unlocked the box. Slowly and just as carefully, he opened it. The first document he took out of the box was his birth certificate. He was relieved to see the paper still listed the child, whose birth it recorded, as Roy William Harper, son of Roy William Harper and... whomever. Roy had always wondered why no name had been entered on this record for his mother. She was - probably would always be - a complete mystery to him. Certainly he'd had a mother; every one did. And thinking about it now made Roy wonder what secrets his father might have told him about his mother, if he hadn't died fighting that forest fire when he'd been two. The next document in the box was a rare one. There were very few agreements between the Whites and the Dineh. And there were fewer of them still in writing. This particular agreement had the signature of Oliver Queen and the mark of Brave Bow. It had given Oliver custody of the child Lost Arrow, which had been the name the aging Navajo hataali had given him after his clan had taken him in following his father's death. The last document in the box was his adoption papers. It always hurt somewhat for Roy to look at them. These papers always reminded him of just how little time he'd actually spent with Oliver away from their roles as Green Arrow and Speedy. Theirs had always been a strained relationship. Roy had always assumed that Ollie had always wanted a costumed adventuresome partner far more than he'd ever wanted a son. And that had become even more pronounced after Ollie had joined the Justice League and taken up with Dinah Lance, AKA Black Canary. Ollie never noticed Roy's growing loneliness. He never noticed Roy's increasing detachment. His guardian had never noticed how or when Roy's growing loneliness had turned into a heroin addiction. And when Ollie had finally discovered it, he'd exploded. Instead of wanting - or even offering - to help, Ollie had simply thrown Roy out of the house with nothing but the clothes on his back. Oliver had never even bothered to ask why it happened. If it hadn't been for Dinah and Hal Jordan helping him kick his habit cold turkey, Roy had no idea how his life might have different, although he was sure it would have been a lot shorter. In his entire life, he'd only called Oliver "Dad" just once. And that was shortly before his death after they'd finally reconciled. Roy wiped a tear from eye. It was still hard to believe that Oliver was actually gone. But after slowly unfolding those papers, Roy stared at them in absolute disbelief. According to these papers, Oliver Queen had not adopted Roy William Harper, Jr. Instead of adopting Roy, he'd adopted Roxanne Willow Harper, who had been raised until the age of thirteen by Brave Bow of the Tachini band of the Navajo Nation. They had taken the young girl in out of the great respect they had held for her father Roy William Harper. Roy shook his head. "This just isn't possible," he muttered. He knew what he remembered. And what the papers now said didn't conform to any of his memories. He refolded his adoption paperwork and put it all back in the box. The second document looked no different as he returned it to the box. But the birth certificate had somehow been inexplicably and impossibly changed. It still listed no mother. It still listed his father as Roy William Harper. But it now documented the sex of the child born as female and gave her name as Roxanne Willow Harper. "This is simply not possible," repeated Roy. And yet, as he shook his head, Roy knew he'd seen his birth certificate before whatever had changed his life had changed it. Whatever else it meant, these new changes meant it wasn't overly likely that Cheshire or any other assassin was responsible for his current situation, unless, of course, they'd somehow added magical mystical powers to their weaponry. Roy didn't think that was overly likely. Besides, he already had a good idea who was behind this now. Roy spread his arms to the ceiling. "Ma'ii!" he shouted in his now unmistakable feminine soprano. "Why have you done this to me, Ma'ii?" *** Roy wasn't the least bit surprised when Ma'ii failed to answer his question. Truthfully, he would have been far more surprised if he had. Very clearly, Coyote had wanted his full and complete attention. And this transformation had been the Trickster's way of getting it from him. "You now have my complete and undivided attention, Ma'ii!" shouted Roy. "Just what is it you want me to do for you, Coyote?" Once again, there was no answer. And once more, Roy wasn't overly surprised. He was beginning to think he would get no answers remaining here. And with that simple realization came the understanding that Roy was about to leave on a little trip. Roy looked at himself in the mirror again. He knew he'd have to change his clothes; he couldn't go anywhere dressed the way he was. But he also knew he'd take this new costume with him, just in case he needed it. He just wished it were a little less revealing. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know someone wearing it would definitely become the subject of many male stares. Roy quickly stripped. For a moment, he just stood naked before the mirror staring at himself. "If nothing else, you certainly have to admire Coyote's taste in women." Once again, Roy looked himself over carefully. And once again, a smile spread across his face. "It's too bad you're really me, babe. I'd really be far more happier right now if someone like you were here with me instead of being me." Roy was a little surprised when he opened one of the drawers of his dresser. "I guess I should have expected something like this," he grimaced, as he pulled a frilly pair of panties out of the drawer. But at the same time, he didn't seem overly surprised when he slid into them as if he'd been wearing something like them for several years. The bra was definitely a surprise. He'd certainly had plenty of practice removing brassieres from young ladies over the years. But he'd never actually helped any of them put one back on. And he'd certainly never worn one of them himself. But this one just fit him so perfectly. He wasn't really too surprised by that. They were, after all, supposedly his. But Roy simply didn't think the thing should have gone on so easily and effortlessly. From inside the closet, Roy picked the longest skirt he could find. But even its hem was still a good four inches above his knee. And he simply couldn't find a top that would totally cover his entire upper half like a blanket. Roy finally had to settle for a long-sleeved pullover that stretched just a little too tightly across his new breasts. But Roy was definitely relieved to find the flats in the closet. At least the Trickster wasn't going to force into wearing heels. Roy frowned as he looked at himself in the mirror again. He wasn't too sure he liked this particular look for him all that much better than wearing the form-hugging spandex costume. However, he had very little else in his closet that he'd feel comfortable wearing. He stashed his new costume, as well as several additional items of clothing, into his small suitcase. The only problem Roy figured he'd have was simply being a hot-looking fox. As such, he was still very worried about garnering considerably more attention - particularly from male part of the population - than he'd feel comfortable being on the receiving end of. Roy went to Lian's room. Only it no longer looked like Lian's room. Clearly this must be the Trickster's way of telling him that his daughter would be safe and sound with Aunt Mary while he was away. Going back into the bathroom, Roy unexpectedly - but quite expertly - applied a little of the makeup that had been sitting on the sink's counter. "Why did I just do that?" he wondered aloud. But at the same time, he was admiring the great improvement that so little makeup had made in his appearance. After going to his room to pick up the suitcase he'd packed, Roy headed for the front door. He was very surprised when he opened the door and found his neighbor Curt Knight standing there. "Mr. Knight," said Roy cautiously, not knowing how he'd explain his transformation to his neighbor. "What can I do for you?" he asked. "I thought I heard some odd sounds coming from here earlier, Roxy. I thought you might need some help," he replied, as if nothing were wrong. "I really wish you'd call me Curt." "I'm just fine, Mr. Knight," smiled Roy. "But I do want to thank you anyway for coming over so quickly to check up on me." Roy didn't know what to think about his neighbor calling him Roxy and treating him as if he'd always been a girl. He'd seemed perfectly normal earlier. And for some as yet unknown reason, Roy just felt uncomfortable being overly familiar with the man, even though he'd called him Curt before. Roy also wondered how many other people he knew now thought of him as a girl in the same way his neighbor apparently did. Curt frowned when he saw the bag in Roy's hand. "Are you going somewhere, Roxy?" he asked, sounding far more curious than Roy thought was appropriate. "I'm just taking a little trip," replied Roy. "I have some personal business to attend to, Mr. Knight." Curt continued to frown. "Will you be gone long?" "I don't think so, Mr. Knight. But honestly, I don't really know." Roy wondered why his neighbor was being so nosy. "I'll probably be gone just a few days at the most." "I don't like the idea of you traveling someplace all alone." "You don't really need to worry about me traveling alone, Mr. Knight. I can take care of myself." Curt stared curiously at Roy. "Are you sure you can, Roxy?" "I'm positive," smiled Roy. "But could you do me a big favor? Would you mind keeping an eye on my condo while I'm away, Mr. Knight?" "Of course," replied Curt. "I'd be glad to watch over your place while you're away. What are neighbors for if not to help out one another when necessary?" Roy suddenly leaned over and lightly kissed Curt on the cheek. "You're just too sweet for words, Mr. Knight." Roy didn't have the slightest idea why he'd just kissed his neighbor's cheek. Nor was he overly certain he wanted to find out. After shutting and locking his door, Roy headed for his car. On the way there, Roy was also wondering why he'd suddenly felt this odd rush of attraction for his neighbor. It was very strange, but it also reminded Roy of Olga and Trish's inexplicable reactions to Curt Knight. Maybe his neighbor had some power of his own that attracted women. Roy smiled at idea. As far as he was concerned, if anyone needed help attracting women, it was certainly Curt Knight. "If anyone asks me," Curt shouted after Roy, "where should I tell them you are, Roxy?" And as Roy reached his car, he turned back for just a moment. "I'm going to Dinetah, Mr. Knight," he replied. "I'm on my way back to Dinetah." Roy tossed the suitcase onto the back seat of his old two-door sedan. Within a few minutes, he was driving towards Grand Central Station. "Dinetah?" frowned Curt Knight, as he stared after the departing young girl. "I've never heard of it." He'd feel better about Roxy going there if he only had some idea where this Dinetah place might be. *** As he drove to the train station, Roy was constantly drawing the attentions of boys and young men as their cars passed him. He found being a boy magnet more than just a little unnerving. He knew exactly what all those guys must have been thinking seeing such a pretty young girl in a car all alone. He'd thought those very same things himself at one time or another. And just the idea that guys might now be thinking about him along those same lines was somewhat unsettling. After parking his small sedan in the lot reserved for week-long parking, Roy barely had enough time to take his suitcase off the backseat before a young man approached him. "Can I carry your bag, Miss?" asked the young man eagerly. "I don't think that will be necessary," said Roy. "I can handle it. My bag isn't really all that heavy." "But I don't really mind carrying your bag for you," smiled the young man. "My name is John." Roy decided he'd let John carry his suitcase. "Thank you, John," he smiled. The decision was more a matter of survival; Roy was certain he'd get no peace otherwise. He just hoped John wouldn't be expecting something from him in return - like a kiss - for his trouble. He also hoped that being with John might alleviate his other problem. But he had no such luck. Even with John walking eight beside him, Roy was still continuing to attract plenty of unwanted male attentions. Unless it were all a product of an overactive imagination - and Roy really doubted that was the case - nearly every male over the age of twelve that had come within ten feet of him from the time he'd left his car in the parking structure had checked him out. The idea of being constantly mentally undressed bothered Roy. In fact, it bothered him a lot. But at the same time, he wondered if all the women he'd ever ogled in his life might have felt the same way he was feeling now. Together, Roy and John approached the ticket counter. "Orlando, Florida," John told the girl at the counter. Roy stepped to counter. "Flagstaff, Arizona," he told her. Oddly, the girl seemed to recognize him, or rather this girl he'd magically become. "Roxanne Harper?" she asked in astonishment. "Is that really you, Roxy?" Roy stared dumbfounded at the girl for a moment. "Janet?" he asked finally. "Jan Drake?" He recognized her now. He'd gone to school with her after Ollie had adopted him. They'd even gone out on a couple of dates. But he'd been a boy at the time they'd dated. And she had just called him Roxy, as well as Roxanne. "It's Jan Winslow now," she smiled. "I sure wish you could stay and talk for a while, but the Flagstaff train leaves in only a few more minutes. I'd sure like to catch up on a few things. I'd love finding out what happened to some of those really cute boys we used to fight over when we were in school." "So would I," replied Roy absently. "Perhaps we can get together for a while after I get back from Arizona." "That would be great!" Jan scribbled her number, address, and phone number on a paper and handed it to Roy. "Don't forget to call me when you get back into town, Roxy." "Sure," replied Roy, as he slipped the paper into his purse. "I won't forget to call, Jan." He wanted to know what else Jan now remembered differently about their pasts and their time in school. "I'm going to Disney World, Roxy," smiled John. "I sure wish you were going with me," he added with a hopeful tone in his voice. "Maybe next time, John," replied Roy with a wide smile. "Thank you for helping me with my bag." Unexpectedly, he kissed John's cheek. It was hard to tell whether Roy or John flushed brighter. Roy had no idea why he'd just kissed John. And he wasn't exactly sure what was written on the paper he'd just pushed into John's hand. "I've gotta go now, John." He quickly turned and fled for the platform where the train for Flagstaff was loading. Roy was beginning to wonder if this - that is, his going out in public looking like a girl - had been such a good idea after all. His life was continually getting more and more confusing by the moment. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but guys seemed to be staring at him even more now that he was walking alone again. He'd never felt so worried about anything before. And the intent behind those lusty stares from those two huge guys he'd just passed was definitely more than obvious. Roy found himself thinking it might have been nicer going to Disney World with John. On his way to the passenger loading area, Roy had to pass through a small hall. Those same two jumbo-sized men that had just stared so lustily at him were waiting as he entered. Even the smaller of the two was better than twice Roy's new size. "Hey there, babe," leered the first man hungrily. "What's a really hot babe like you doing wandering around here all alone?" asked the second. Roy didn't like it a bit when they called him babe with that look in their eyes. He wondered if that might have been the reason Donna had always been so ticked off with him whenever he'd called her Wonder Chick. Roy had also convinced himself that these two oversized guys were thinking a pretty girl like the one he'd become would make very easy prey for two big brawny boys like them. "It's not really safe around here," said the smaller of the two. "We can protect you," added the larger man, "from all the unsavory characters hanging around here." 'I'll just bet you can,' thought Roy, as he glared at them. Without warning and before Roy could even react, the larger of the two had pinned Roy's arms to his sides, while the smaller one had put his foul hands on Roy's breasts and his even fouler lips on Roy's lips. But Roy, despite being the smallest of the three and undeniably female, was still Arsenal. The two of them combined couldn't possibly hope to match Arsenal. As his Arsenal training kicked in, a quick hard knee lifted into the groin of the smaller man followed by a swift kick to his head ended his threat. And the larger man, stunned but still holding on to him, didn't fare much better. In one fluid motion, Roy had stomped his foot down hard on his larger assailant's foot. And once his arms had been released, a quick pair of blows to the sides of the large man's head easily knocked the would-be attacker as equally senseless as his partner. "Not too bad," smiled Roy, as he surveyed the scene. "I didn't even work up a sweat." Before continuing on to the passenger loading area, Roy went to the ladies' room to freshen up. He felt a little uncomfortable inside there, but he realized he could have never explained going into the men's room. "I should have known Coyote would not leave me totally defenseless." He smiled at his reflection in the mirror. He hadn't even mussed his hair in the one-sided fight. Other than being constantly stared at, Roy had no further problems in the train station. After boarding the train, he headed straight for his assigned compartment. Once inside, he began feeling a little tired. Clearly, his adrenaline rush had begun fading. Roy laid down on the small bunk to rest. Lying on the bunk, Roy thought about what had happened at the station. He knew he should have stayed and filed a complaint with the local authorities about those two men who had attacked him. But he hadn't really had the time to waste. This train wouldn't have waited for him to make a report. And he'd only had a few minutes to catch it. Roy smiled as he thought about how those two goons might even now be trying to explain away their assorted injuries. He couldn't imagine either of them ever telling anyone how a girl about half the size of the smaller one had taken them both down in just a handful of seconds. Besides, Roy was thinking he owed them a little something for their trouble. He hadn't been altogether sure when he'd told Curt Knight that he could take care of himself that he really could take care of himself. Despite his bravado with his neighbor, that had been Arsenal talking. And like it or not, this female form he found himself currently wearing definitely wasn't the same Arsenal he'd once been. Roy had been concerned about his coordination being somewhat off because of the changes in his size and weight. But his two attackers had satisfactorily proven there was nothing wrong with the reflexes of his altered body. In fact, they might even be somewhat better now than they'd been before his transformation. Roy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Within a few moments, he had drifted off to dreamland. *** Roy twisted fitfully in the small bunk. "You're very pretty, Mommy," said his daughter Lian. "Thank you very much, sweetie," smiled Roy. Lian smiled back. "When I grow up, can I be just as pretty as you are, Mommy?" "Of course you can, Lian. Roy smiled at the thought that his daughter considered him a pretty mommy. And he'd also felt an incredible rush of pleasure, when she'd said she wanted to be just like him. But then the scene unexpectedly shifted. Roy was suddenly struggling within the strong grasp of a young man. "Just what do you think you're doing, Wally West?" he snapped. "Isn't it obvious? I'm doing nothing more, or even less, than you wanted me to do, babe," grinned Wally. "I'm sure you must know that people don't call me the Flash - the fastest man alive - for nothing." Roy looked shocked. "You can't possibly mean what I think you mean." "And why not, Roxy babe?" grinned Wally. "I'm sure you must know by now that I've always liked you a whole lot better than I ever liked Wonder Chick. Sure the Wonder Babe and I had some good times together, but she definitely isn't you." Wally slid his arms around Roxy's thin waist. "Stop this right this instant, Wally West!" exclaimed Roy. "I don't want to hurt you. But I will if you force me." "We both know you would never hurt me, Roxy," said Wally. "You're a big flirt and you know it. We both know you've been sending me all kinds of signals for weeks now." Wally pulled Roxy closer and kissed her. Roy tried to fight back, but the dream suddenly seemed more Roxy's than his own. Roy's smile widened. "Oh, Wally," he moaned softly in his sleep. "This is just so much fun. I just can't believe how much fun this really is." Abruptly Roy's dreamscape changed once again. An angry Oliver Queen stood over Roy shouting at him. "Get out of my house and never come back, Roxanne!" he screamed at Roy. "You're nothing but a drug-crazed sex-hungry whore." Roy squirmed again in the bunk. "No, I'm not," he grumbled. "Where were you when I needed help?" Roy was thankful and visibly relaxed when the dream landscape finally moved on once more. "Not you too," said Roy to the approaching figure coming out of the swirling mist in which he'd suddenly found himself. "I don't have the foggiest notion what you mean, Roxanne," grinned Nightwing. "Wally was just here with me a little earlier," replied Roy. "I just sort of figured you'd be wanting more of the same that he just got." "Why should I want that? Unless, of course, that's what you want us to do, Roxanne," replied Nightwing. "After all, this is your dream. And since it is your dream, Roxanne, I suppose you could make me act anyway you'd like me to act." "But I thought..." "That's one of your problem, Roxanne. Don't think so much. Thinking could become very dangerous for you," said Nightwing. "After all, you thought that was what Wally wanted from you so that became what Wally wanted from you. But then, why shouldn't you think that. You know full well how he's always out chasing and bedding pretty young girls like you." Roy felt increasingly confused. "But don't you want to have sex with me?" "I wouldn't be right. I'm married now, Roxanne," he chastised her. "You were at the wedding. Don't you remember?" "But I won't tell her, Dick," cajoled Roy. "You wouldn't have to tell Bette; I would," replied Dick. "If I'd been born female, I could have never been the playgirl you've been, Roxanne. With that, Dick turned and disappeared back into the mist. Roy frowned. It was so unfair of Dick to judge him. Just because Nightwing was now married to Flamebird wasn't a good enough reason for Dick not to have sex with him. Roy squirmed in the bunk; he was unable to comprehend why was he dreaming about having sex with his good friend Dick Grayson. He'd never had any thoughts like these before. Once again the dream changed. "You know, sometimes it's nice to see that Speedy Chick has a few blanks in her otherwise potent arsenal." "Donna?" asked Roy. "But what are you doing here?" "Just who else were you expecting to show up and help you, Speedy Chick?" asked Donna Troy. "But then, all the old gang is here to see you." "But you're dead," objected Roy. "Only in the real world. And then, only until I return again," smiled Donna. "But in any event, as Dick told you earlier, this is still your dream, Speedy Chick. And I can be a part of it only for as long as you want me to be here." Roy shook his head. "I'm getting really confused, Donna." "That's perfectly understandable, Speedy Chick. There is a great deal of confusion inherent in this place. There is much around here that cannot be clearly understood," replied Donna with a wide grin. "But you must still be careful, Speedy Chick. I'd really like to say more, but I'm still a little pissed off that you picked that nasty Cheshire assassin over me and then mothered her child." Roy shook his head again. "I'm still confused, Donna." "I'm not really surprised about your state of mind," smiled Donna. "But I'm afraid my allotted time is up now; I can say no more at this time, Speedy Chick." And abruptly, Donna Troy vanished. A puzzled expression spread quickly across Roy's sleeping face. Just what had Donna meant when she said the old gang was all here? And why had she told him to be careful? "Come back, Donna," he mumbled in his sleep. "I still need more answers." But abruptly, the scene changed once again. "Welcome to Atlantis, Roxanne," said the young boy standing before Roy. "I was beginning to wonder just when your dream world would finally focus in on me and my world." "Aqualad?" asked Roy, as the boy stepped out of the shadows to greet him. "I'm no longer called Aqualad. But you already knew that, Roxanne," replied the boy. "Just as you gave up the role of Speedy to become Arsenal, so too have I left my days as Aqualad in the past to become Tempest." Even as he spoke, the boy that Roy had long known as Aqualad shimmered and gradually morphed before his eyes into the man he now knew as Tempest. "What's going on around here, Garth?" "It is very difficult to explain," replied Garth. "In spite of everything else, this is still your dream, Roxanne. As such, it is still your mind that controls its content. What I know I can't tell you, because you don't know the answers." "Am I in danger?" "You believe that you are, Roxanne. But you still sense nothing to either confirm or deny your fears and suspicions." "You didn't answer my question, Garth. Am I in danger?" "I cannot say at this time," replied Garth. "I can only say that many things are not as they appear to be, Roxanne." "You must tell me more." "I would like to tell you more, Roxanne," said Garth. "But I'm afraid I cannot... just yet. And as suddenly as he'd appeared, Tempest was once again gone. "No, don't go! Come back!" Roy shouted, as his eyes popped open. His entire body was drenched in cold sweat. "You must explain things to me better before you go, Garth." Roy shook his head. His body shivered. He was clearly shaken, once he finally woke enough to realize he'd only been dreaming about his friends. What had it all meant?" Just what had they all been trying to tell him? Why wouldn't Coyote simply come out and tell him what he needed to know? And why had Ma'ii used his old friends to give him all these odd cryptic messages and warnings? But then, Roy already knew full well the answers to his last two questions. Straightforwardness had never been the Trickster's way. Roy sat up on the bunk and stared out the train's window. He wasn't too sure he'd get any more sleep on this train. Nor was he certain he'd be able to sleep until after he'd reached his final destination. At the same time, Roy didn't think he'd get any real answers to any of his questions until after he'd arrived in Dinetah. *** Roy awoke with an abrupt start as the train squealed to a stop in the station at Flagstaff. For just an instant, he didn't exactly know where he was. Clearly, he'd been asleep again. But he had no clue when he might have fallen asleep. Nor did he have any idea just how long he might have been slumbering. However, Roy was quite certain he hadn't dreamed anything else - good, bad, or indifferent - this time. But that didn't ease any of his concerns. Roy simply didn't know if his dreamless sleep was a good thing or a bad thing. Roy slowly rose to his feet. Not that he was in any way surprised, he still possessed the attractive female body everyone else called Roxy or Roxanne. Now that he'd fully committed himself and would soon be back among the Dineh, he had been silently hoping Coyote might decide on changing him back to his normal self. But very clearly, that had not happened. Before he left the train, Roy knew he'd have to find some other form of transportation in order to reach the lands of the Tachini clan. But, just as had constantly happened to him earlier, males of nearly every age and description quickly turned in his direction and stared at him as he passed by them. Roy really hoped he be returned to his normal self long before he ever got used to that. Fortunately, the bus station was located right next to the train station. He bought a ticket for Kayenta. And Roy said nothing as the ticket agent explained how he'd have to change buses at Tuba City. Roy wondered how the young man had managed to get through his spiel without stuttering and without apparent errors. After all, he'd never blinked and his eyes had never once left Roy's chest. And while Roy was making his way in the direction of the soon to be departing bus, he could sense the young man's eyes boring into his back. For a moment or two, Roy considered going back to the counter and knocking the young man senseless. But he quickly decided a little jail time for assault and battery wasn't worth the effort it would require. Besides, Roy was fairly certain all the other men would blame him - the scandalous and seductive enticer from the city - for the whole mess anyway. The bus ride to Tuba City was very dull and mostly uneventful. The vast majority of his fellow travelers were Navajo and they, including their men, thankfully tended to ignore him. They clearly had very different cultural ideas about women, which was just fine with Roy. The only real problem had been that stupid young man who didn't seem to have an inkling as to what the word 'no' actually meant. Despite Roy's continual protests, the young man had kept hitting on him constantly from the moment they'd left the bus station in Flagstaff. Roy had been very pleasing when he'd seen the young man staying behind in Tuba City, when he'd boarded the bus heading for Kayenta. Roy had been afraid he'd have to hurt the young man in order to make him quit bothering him. By comparison, the ride to Kayenta was blissfully quiet. Roy even managed to drop off to sleep until the bus pulled into the Kayenta station. As soon as he opened his eyes, Roy stretched his arms. Once he got off the bus, he began walking slowly through the bus station. Even though it had been many years since he'd last been here, Roy wasn't really surprised that nothing seemed any different now than it had the last time he'd been here. Nothing ever really changed quickly here. Suddenly, Roy was surprised to see a familiar looking teenage Navajo boy standing around in the lobby with a sign in English that read simply "Lost Arrow". Roy knew the Dineh seldom wandered far from their homes without having a real good reason. And yet, Roy had told no one, other than his overly curious neighbor, where he'd been going. Having aroused his curiosity, Roy walked over to the boy. "I'm Lost Arrow," Roy told the boy once he was near enough. "Are you waiting for me?" "You are?" The boy's eyes widened with surprise. "I have been sent here to wait for Lost Arrow." He still seemed visibly surprised by Roy's announcement. "Are you truly Lost Arrow?" "I certainly am," smiled Roy. However, the continued look of surprise he saw in the boy's eyes still caught Roy somewhat off guard. He wondered what it might mean. "You are the same Lost Arrow who left Dinetah with the yellow-haired one who shot magic arrows?" "That's me," replied Roy. "Depending on who you asked, the name of the yellowed-haired one was either Oliver Queen or Green Arrow. And there was definitely far more trickery than magic about the arrows he used." The boy took everything Roy told him in stride. "You are not exactly as I expected you to be, Lost Arrow." The boy smiled warmly at Roy. "I am called Small Hawk, son of Blossoming Flower." Roy returned Small Hawk's smile with one of his own. "I know exactly what you mean, Small Hawk, son of Blossoming Flower." Roy wondered if the boy's mother - the Dineh were a matriarchal society - was the same Blossoming Flower he'd once known. He was certainly within the right age range to be her son. "I thought you would be a man," said Small Hawk. "That is how my father remembers the one who was called Lost Arrow." 'He does?' thought Roy. 'How strange that someone here would remember the male me when no one else I've come across since this happened seems to remember me as male at all. Very clearly, that had to be Coyote's doing. It fits his prankster image perfectly.' Roy turned his attention back to the boy. "How did you know I was coming, Small Hawk?" "I did not know," replied the boy. "But Silent Owl is a very wise shaman. He knew that you traveled here, even as he told us to expect you. He told me to come to this place at this time. He told me to wait for you with this sign with your name on it so you would find me. He also told me I should expect you to be other that what I expected you to be. And you are definitely not what, or even who, I expected you to be, Lost Arrow." Small Hawk looked up at Roy. "If you are ready to leave, then we should go. Silent Owl told me I was to bring Lost Arrow to him as soon as you arrived." "Was that all he told you?" "No," replied Small Hawk quietly. "He said he had answers to your questions. But he also said that you might not like his answers any better than you like your questions." "What does that mean?" "I do not know; it is confusing," replied Small Hawk. "I do not walk in the dreamland as Silent Owl does; I am not allowed. You will need to ask the Shaman your questions, not me, Lost Arrow. You know how the dreamwalkers know everything," added the boy. "Now come with me, Lost Arrow. Our horses are waiting." "Our horses?" "You do not ride?" asked Small Hawk. "Of course I ride. Doesn't everyone?" replied Roy. "I was just a little surprised. It has been quite a while since I last sat on a horse." The boy smiled. "We should leave this strange place quickly. I do not like the strange smell of the iron beasts," said Small Hawk. "As you must remember, Lost Arrow, the land of Olijato is not that far from this place, but it will still take a few hours for us to reach it on horseback." But even as Small Hawk led him to where the horses were tied, Roy still felt dozens upon dozens of male eyes watching his every step and scrutinizing his ever move. No matter where he was, guys just never changed a bit. And tourists were typically the worst of the lot. Roy would certainly be almost as glad as Small Hawk was to be riding away from this place as soon as he possibly could. *** It didn't take Roy very long to find out he hadn't forgotten how to ride a horse. It was more or less a simple case that some things once learned could never truly be forgotten again. However, it still took several miles for his female body to fully adjust to all those things he'd learned to do as a young boy. Riding a horse as the young boy he'd once been simply wasn't the same experience as riding one now with the body of the young woman he'd since become. Sitting bareback on the horse wasn't all that much different than he remembered. But having his new breasts continually jostling up and down by the motion of the horse was a strangely exhilarating totally inexplicable feeling that was almost too much for Roy to endure. When they finally arrived at their destination, just getting down off the horse brought Roy a sense of great relief. He had never before felt anything that exactly compared with riding a horse as a woman. "Come with me, Lost Arrow," said Small Hawk, as he turned care of the horses over to another young boy that appeared to be no older than him. As he walked behind Small Hawk, it didn't rake Roy long to notice he wasn't getting that same kind of attention from the Tachini clan males that he'd endured in the train or bus station. 'I guess that's the only real advantage in being thought Hassai,' he thought, although quite truthfully Roy had never in his life considered himself an "enemy of the people". And yet, even before the cancer had taken Brave Bow and he'd been asked to leave Dinetah, Roy knew some of its people must have passed judgment on him based solely on the pale color of his skin. Small Hawk slowed, then stopped altogether, as he spotted a young man exit a hogan and approach them. "Who is this white girl with you, Small Hawk?" asked the man in an annoyed tone of voice once he was near enough to be heard. "You were sent into town to retrieve Lost Arrow." The man looked Roy over carefully. "This is not Lost Arrow." "Yes, it is. She told me herself that she was Lost Arrow, Father," replied the boy. "It is as Silent Owl told us it would be before I left for town. She is not who or what we expected her to be." For a moment, he turned and looked at Roy. "Why would she lie to me about who she is, Father?" "Why wouldn't she lie to you?" replied the young man. He then turned toward Roy. "Why do you lie to my son, white girl?" Roy stared at the young man for a moment. Something about him seemed familiar. "As First Woman is my witness, I have told Small Hawk the truth," replied Roy. "While I lived here among the Dineh, I was known as Lost Arrow." "In spite of your oath, girl, that is not possible." The man stared at Roy, who was suddenly getting a host of mixed signals from this young man. "The Lost Arrow I knew was a boy. You are certainly no boy." "I'm so glad you noticed," snapped Roy. "I might look like a woman to you right now, but just a few days ago I was just as much a man as you are." Suddenly, Roy started to smile. "Young Bear?" he asked. "You are Young Bear. Aren't you?" Roy shook his head. "I should have recognized that stubborn streak of yours earlier. And I should have guessed you were Small Hawk's father the instant I saw him. He looks just like you did when you were his age. He also told me that Blossoming Flower was his mother. I always knew you were in love with her." Young Bear stared at Roy in complete disbelief. "How do you know these things, white girl?" he asked. "I do not even know you." "I've already told you how I know what I know, Young Bear," replied Roy. "But you haven't changed a single bit. Just as you've always done, you've chosen not to believe me." Roy shook his head. "I am Lost Arrow," he repeated. "That is not possible," objected Young Bear. "You always were a stubborn cuss." Young Bear stared at Roy. "It just cannot be." He looked Roy over again and again. It seemed as if it might finally be beginning to sink into Young Bear's head that this girl before was really Lost Arrow. "It can be, Young Bear," said the old man that had silently joined them. "And it is." "How can it be, Silent Owl?" asked Young Bear. "She is a girl." "That is something I must first speak about with Lost Arrow," replied the shaman. "What Lost Arrow decides to tell you after we've spoken is solely up to Lost Arrow to decide." The old man turned to Roy. "Please, come sit with me. We must talk," he told him. The shaman then turned to Young Bear and his son. "I must speak with Lost Arrow alone." Young Bear made no objection. The wishes of the shaman must always be respected. And if he believed the girl was Lost Arrow, then, whether he believe it or not, she must truly be Lost Arrow. But none of that kept him from staring after them as they departed. *** "You must forgive Young Bear," said Silent Owl once they were alone. "You have changed since he last saw you. You are not the Lost Arrow he expected to see. Your female appearance confuses him." "My appearance confuses him? No kidding?" replied Roy. "You should tell him he's not the only one that's confused by my appearance." "I am not surprised by that," smiled the shaman. "I would think this would be highly confusing for you." "You can say that again." Roy shook his head slowly. "He never liked you very much before," said the shaman. "I know," replied Roy. "He wasn't the only one." "There is something else Young Bear finds confusing about you," grinned the old man. "If you haven't already noticed for yourself, he is physically attracted to you. But he tries to hide it even from himself. Given his attitudes, he is mystified by his attraction to you." "He's what?" exclaimed Roy in disbelief. "He can't be." "He certainly can be, Lost Arrow," grinned the old shaman. "Even for a white girl, you have become very pretty now." Roy shuddered at Silent Owl's words. "That's not what I meant. What about Blossoming Flower and Small Hawk?" "He and Blossoming Flower are man and woman. Small Hawk is their son," replied Silent Owl. "Young Bear will see to all of his responsibilities. It would be dishonorable for him to do anything else. You need not worry about him, Lost Arrow." Silent Owl paused. "But we are not here to speak of Young Bear." Roy nodded his head in agreement. "Why have I become a girl now, Silent Owl?" "That is a difficult question with an equally difficult answer." "Difficult or not, I want to hear the answer." "I knew you would," replied Silent Owl. "That is why I walked the dreamworld once I knew you were on your way here. I needed to speak with Brave Bow. I was certain that he'd know the answers to all my, as well as all your, questions." "What did he say?" asked Roy, knowing full well that a dreamwalker would have no trouble speaking with the dead. Did he tell you what reason Ma'ii had for changing me into a girl." Silent Owl shook his head. "I am afraid this was not Coyote's doing, Lost Arrow." Roy was stunned. "But it must be the Trickster's work." "It is not his work, Lost Arrow," replied the shaman. "Nor is this the doing of Changing Woman or Estsamatlehi, even though both of them might have had sufficient reasons." "Then just who is responsible for me being a girl?" "Sadly, that is a question I cannot answer for you, Lost Arrow. I have sought for that answer, knowing you would ask the question. But no one in the dreamland knows who has undone what was done so many years ago." The shaman took a deep breath. "But all I have spoken with are convinced the magic comes from far outside Dinetah. It is an odd magic that has a peculiar taste and smell about it. It is a magic that is out of balance." Roy stared at the elder. "I understand the part about the balance and harmony of the world, Silent Owl. That is a part of the Dineh heritage," replied Roy. "But I don't understand what you meant when you said no one knew who had undone what had been done." "That is a story you were never meant to hear, Lost Arrow," replied Silent Owl. "But as you have changed, so too must the world change and so too must your knowledge increase. Now you have not only a need, but a right, to know of your past." "What is it?" asked Roy impatiently. "What do you truly know of Belican Nex?" "It is the name the People called my father," replied Roy. "What do you remember about him?" "Not very much. I was only two when he died in that forest fire." "What about his family?" "There was just me and him," replied Roy. "I've never known - I can't see as I ever will know now - anything about my mother." "You are not alone in this lack of knowledge about your mother, Lost Arrow. No one, including those in the dreamworld, seems to know anything about her," said Silent Owl. "That is a very odd thing," he added, looking at Roy strangely. "And what about you, Lost Arrow? Just what do you recall?" Roy felt and looked confused. "I don't know exactly what you mean. I was his son and their only child." "That is the whole point, Lost Arrow," said the shaman solemnly. "It is true that you were their only child. But you weren't his son." "What are you talking about, Silent Owl?" Roy shook his head, but his confusion level remained high. "It is very simple, Lost Arrow," replied the old man. "When your father died, you weren't his son. At that time, you were his daughter. And now, somehow, you have become his daughter again." Roy's mouth gaped open. This was definitely something he'd never expected to hear. "That's impossible." "Is it?" asked Silent Owl. "You came here because you thought Coyote the Trickster had changed you from man into woman," he added calmly. "What is so different in your mind about a young girl becoming a young boy?" Roy stared silently at Silent Owl. He still wanted to object to what he'd just been told. But the only problem he had was it just made too much sense. On top of that Roy knew Silent Owl, as both shaman and village elder, would never lie to him. It would bring him shame and great dishonor. "How? Why?" he asked simply. "It was thought the best solution at the time," replied the shaman. "As we walked together in the dreamworld, Brave Bow explained to me how a two-year-old white girl would have far more problems living among the People than a two-year-old white boy would have." Silent Owl looked at Roy. "I cannot say what they did was right or wrong, Lost Arrow. They believed there was no better way to honor the memory of Belican Nex than giving him the son he had always wanted and would never have in this life." Roy felt devastated. "My whole life has been nothing but a lie." Tears began streaming down his face. "It was never intended to be so, Lost Arrow," replied Silent Owl. "With the help of Coyote, the Trickster, and Estsamatlehi, the Woman who Changes, little Roxanne Harper swiftly became little Roy Harper. Little things like that are simple enough for them. And it was a change intended to irrevocable and permanent. You should have never known anything about the girl you'd really been born. But some foreign magic both potent and strange has clearly undone what Coyote and Estsamatlehi did. I fear neither of them is pleased." "Can they change me back again?" "The strange magic somehow blocks them from assisting you. I believe it only blocks them now because you are not truly Dineh." Roy stared at the shaman. He was already having trouble digesting the fact that he was now female because he'd allegedly been born female. But even with his current female body, he simply didn't feel female. And he had a lifetime of male - and only male - memories. "It's that Hassai nonsense all over again. Isn't it, Silent Owl?" The old man looked very sad. "Is that why you think the clan asked you to leave when you were thirteen, Lost Arrow?" "Wasn't it?" snapped Roy. "No, it wasn't. Although I can understand why you might have thought as you thought. There were some of the People who probably considered you Hassai, but none of them could have known you or what you'd been through." The old man slowly shook his head. "Think about it for a moment, Lost Arrow. Can you really see much difference between how the Dineh and the Bilagaana deal