Unedaunted

Back inside the house, Une and Indy were still facing off.

"Well, well...if it isn't Attila the Une, the bloody, heartless, scumbag tyrant herself!" Indy spat coldly, with a look to match.

"Well, well...what do we have here?" Une sneered evily, taking menacing steps toward her...like a lioness stalking its prey before the kill. "Another Lady Une wanna-be with a bad attitude!"

Hoooooh, boy. That was the wrong thing to say to Indy!

Insulted and outraged at Une's ludicrous assumption, the Whoville reporter lashed out at the colonel. "Oh, please! I'd rather die than be anything like *you*!"

"Honey, you're either terribly confused or over-tired.," Une patronized, giving Indy a pitying look. "why don't you go home, fix yourself a nice cup of tea or milk and cookies, or take a valium and get some rest."

Indy stood her ground, narrowing her eyes at Une...a dangerous sign from her. "Don't give me that crap, you blasted wench! You took away my family, don't you even think of talking down to me! Just take your fake concern and shove it where the sun don't shine, Lady!" And Indy said the title of Lady in a way that clearly made it an insult.

Une stared at the reporter's face intensely. In Indy's eyes was not the fear Une had thought would be there, but pure murderous rage.

After a while, Une broke the punishing silence. "You seem familiar...do I know you from somewhere?"

"You mean to ask if I remind you of somebody else." Indianna corrected icily, "Well you ego-centric broad, maybe I should! After all, you kidnapped a member of my family and killed everyone else!! I am Indianna Who, citizen of Whoville...sister of Brenda-Sue Who. And you're gonna pay for this, Lady!!"

"And now the crap has officially hit the fan." said Marilee Who, standing in the doorway and snapping a picture. "Let 'er have it, Indy."

"What the hex!" Une cried, mouth open in shock.

"That's right scum, and don't even think of going after Brenda now. while you were so busy trying to defend your worthless butt out there, I got in here with the help of some friends - and some of your own people who are sick of you - and I'm warning you not to do anything stupid...or you'll regret it!"

"Oh, really now!" Une laughed at Indy, as if she didn't believe her. "Your dear sweet sister! You know she is my personal little slave, catering to my every whim and command. Now tell me, how did a little troll like you survive, heh?" Une was trying to scare Indianna off and possibly patronize her into giving up and backing down. That was the way she was used to dealing with so many others, but it wasn't working!

"Mess with my family, you mess with me...and I wouldn't wanna mess with me if I were you, chick!" Indy threatened, taking a step toward Lady Une. At first, she had her hands behind her back, but when she brought them forward, Lady Une saw that she was wearing one of her slap enforcers. This was a special type of glove that was harder in places so that being slapped by the wearer could be particularly painful.

Une lost that smug facade she had barely managed to maintain up to now. Face flushed, eyes going wide, she exclaimed, "Where the hex did you get that!? That's *my* slapper, you thief! That's robbery!"

"Don't talk to me about thieving, when you are the worst!" Indy shot back savagely.

"Lady Une, you have truly met your match!" Marilee taunted the young colonel.

"Oh, shut up, you dumb blonde!" Une yelled at the amused reporter. Turning her attention back to Indy, she ranted, "I was amused at your antics at first but you have proved yourself to be a major pain in my backside...and for that..." she said with an evil chuckle. "....we cannot allow you to live."

Indy was having none of it. In the first place, she just didn't intimidate easily, bully types had a tendency to disgust and seriously tick her off instead. And now, she was far too angry at Lady Une to leave room for any other emotion. "Enough of your insane death-wish crap! Shut your collective mouth and get the heck outa my way...while you still can!"

"I've laid low grown men twice your size for mouthing off at me!" Une threatened, and lunged to deliver a slap. She was sure she could beat Indy into submission without a slapper.

Indianna had been primed for serious action, and she grabbed hold of Une's wrist as it shot toward her face.

"Hey, let go!" Une protested, momentarily astonished that anyone, especially this ordinary woman, a Who at that, actually dared to take her on.

Instead, Indy held on to Une's hand with both of hers, brought her face right up to it, and sunk her teeth into the fleshy part of Une's hand, right below the thumb.

Une uttered an ear-splitting, blood-curdling scream and took a few seconds to wrench herself free from Indianna. But she sustained a serious bite wound that bled a great deal. Indy had managed to tear off a small chunk of Une's skin and flesh with that bite. She didn't spit it out.

"Holy shart!" Marilee exclaimed. Indy was giving new meaning to being "out for blood".

Une tried for all she was worth to blink back tears, but it was no use. She just stood there, looking at her bloody hand, and she started to cry. That bite hurt like heck!

Une's ego was wounded as well. How could she let this Who get the better of her? And with each passing millisecond, Une was becoming even more angry at not just Indianna, but at herself as well. how could she be so weak? This couldn't be happening! It was unreal! No one had ever defied her like this and lived! Well, that decided her, Indianna Who *must* die!

Indy continued to face Une down."I warned you not to mess with me!"

When Lady Une regained her composure, she tried once again to intimidate Indy with her bravado. "Do you really think you can defeat me...huh, little Who? Especially on your own!?" she taunted, her wicked laughter echoing around the room. "Your over confidence will be the key to your own destruction, my dear...not only do you have the distinctive pleasure of facing me, The Great And Powerful Une but you get to be eradicated by my personal...GUARDS!!!" Une, always being melodramatic, shouted that last part...for good reason.

With a dramatic sweep of Une's hand, a dozen or so armed guards rushed into the room, SWAT style, surrounding Indy.

"hah! You're such a whimp that you have to have these...er...things...do your dirty work for you!" Indy sneered at Une. "No wonder you and that factory reject Treize went together so well!"

"GET HER, KILL HER...BRING ME HER HEAD!!!" Une commanded her soldiers.

"My head's right here, in front of you! and it's staying attached to the rest of me! How about yours, though?" Indy threatened.

"Indy, are you crazy!?" Marilee exclaimed.

One of the guards looked at Une in pure astonishment. "B-but madam! You must be joking! Why, did she breathe out when you wanted her to breathe in?"

"You shut up!" Une bellowed at him.

"you, show him how!" Indy snapped forcefully back with a mean scowl.

Ignoring Indianna for the moment, Une punished the guard for his insubordination, a vicious slap to the face. "HOW DARE YOU QUESTION ME!!!" she shrieked. "If I want your opinion, I'll beat it outta ya...NOW GET HER, YOU FOOLS!!!"

"Basilisk!" Indy charged right at Une and cuffed her good in the nose. She would've continued the pounding if not for what happened next.

Une's brutes came charging at her...bellowing like crazed bull elephants.

Indianna recoiled with fright. She wasn't afraid of Une, but this collective mass of roaring, charging brutes was another story.

One of them took hold of Indianna around the waist and physically carried her some distance away from Une.

"let me at her, demmit!" Indy shouted. Her fear of these guards, combined with her rage against Une, made her all the more determined to fight like a mad cat. The guard took some kicks, scratches, bites, and bumps as a result.

Then something happened that no one was expecting.

The guards went silent and still as statues. They were frozen in place.

Indy had to struggle to free herself from the frozen arms that were still holding her.

"You! Stupid blonde!" Une roared at Marilee, thinking that maybe her camera had done it. "Unfreeze my guards at once!" Une ordered.

"I can't do that, you fool. I didn't do anything to them!" But Marilee was looking just as stunned as everyone else. Une finally noticed a small, pale brunette standing just inside the entrance ahead of Marilee. "You! Kid! Don't tell me this was YOUR doing!" Une scoffed.

Vanessa nodded and gave Lady Une a dirty glare, then turned her back to her.

"that's right, Une, now it's your turn to die!" Indy had managed to take a dagger from one of the frozen guards, and got in front of Une again.

"Indy, no!" Marilee shrieked in horror. She had been used to Indy's blustering back at KWHO, but never did she think Indy capable of getting physically dangerous in a fight.

Try as she might, there was just nothing Une could do to make Indy back off, not even grabbing a weapon from one of the frozen guards as Indy had done. Indy only knocked the weapon right out of Une's grip with a strike from her own, because her rage was stronger and quicker than Lady Une's contempt, and the underestimation of Indy that resulted.

Then, Indianna stopped, and there was an expression on her face that Une positively did not like.

Une became terrified when Indy snatched at her glasses. "Don't you dare!" she shrieked.

"Hah! Give me one reason I shouldn't break these wretched things right here and now!" came the angry reply.

Because those are my glasses!" Une protested.

"Or, wait a minute, better still..." Indianna purred, her expression of rage changing to a malevolent grin. She knew Une's special glasses were the source of Une's power and whatever it was that made people bend to Une's will. Wouldn't it be just what Une was asking for to see Indianna using that power against her now?

"Indy! No!" This time it was Vanessa shrieking in horror. With the evil magic in those glasses, there was no telling what Indy might do if she gave in to it.

"Give those back!" Une shouted desperately.

But it was too late, Indy had put the glasses on and was now about to cut Une to pieces, Une was almost sure of that.

Une tried another plan. She went for the dagger she had lost when Indy had knocked it from her grip.

But Indy saw this and wouldn't let her retreive it. "I wouldn't do that if I was you, Lady!" she warned, warding her off with the blade of the other dagger. Even now, she had the wherewithall not to stab Une, but used the blade as more of an obstacle, keeping Une out of reach of the other dagger that was still lying on the floor.

"Give me back my glasses!" Une tried to make a grab for them.

Indy jabbed at Une's outstretched arm with the dagger. Une had to quickly draw it back and was lucky she didn't get cut.

"Put the weapon down, Indianna!" someone who had evidently just come in, ordered.

Seeming to recognize the new arrival, Vanessa nodded at her, and went outside.

Indy, still struggling with her conflicting emotions and against the evil power in Une's glasses, looked around, taken aback. "who's that?" she asked.

A tall woman with vivid red hair worn in two braids, one on either side, blue-green eyes and freckles, stepped forward and then approached Indy. "I've come for...Lady Une." she stated. Although her voice was kept low, there was no mistaking the stern edge that crept into it on the last two words.

At this, Indy stiffened. "I got here first." she didn't trust this woman yet, having not seen her before, and she thought this was a ploy Une had somehow cooked up to make an escape. For all she knew, Une could have some sort of signaling device hidden on her person to contact a rescuer. But then if that was the case how did the rescuer know Indy's name? Une never uttered the word once, and when Indy had introduced herself, Une didn't yet believe herself to be in danger. But then again there was that mob outside, perhaps Une had activated the signal as soon as she ran in to get away from the crowd, and whoever received it had heard the whole exchange between Une and Indy. That had to be it.

"Indianna,put it down." the woman insisted.

"You, back off!" indy glared, raising the dagger as an indication that it might be in both Une's and this new woman's best interest to cooperate.

"Surely you're not going to use that on anyone, are you?" The red-head asked in the same gentle but serious tone.

There was something about this woman that made Indy hesitate. The kind voice, those intense eyes looking into hers, and Indy was trying to figure out where she remembered seeing red-hair styled like that. Whatever it was, Indy couldn't bring herself to take further measures against her.

"I don't want to," Indy hesitated, "But if you've come to save that..." She gestured with her free hand straight at Une.

"I don't know who she is and I don't need any more idiots from the media around! Stop trying to humiliate me!" Une barked at Indy.

"You got it coming, so shut up!" Indy raised her voice in anger again.

"From what i've heard, you've done a very good job of that all on your own, Une." The red-head stated reprovingly, looking at Lady Une. Turning back to Indy, she continued, "My name is Pippi Longstocking, and I'm here for a number of reasons, one of which is to hopefully prevent anyone from doing something they'll regret later."

Indy stared. Had she heard right? Was she seeing things? "You're name is - Pip - "

Just as indianna was trying to figure out this bizarre turn of events, another very hauntingly familiar voice was heard coming toward her.

"Indy-Mae!" Another blonde, blue-eyed woman said. It was Brenda-Sue, she had come in along with Vanessa, who had gone to bring her in at Pippi's arrival.

Brenda approached cautiously, she knew the power those glasses had over Une, and she had once witnessed that same evil at work when Senna wore them before. Senna was normally a horrid nasty person, but the day she had worn Une's special glasses, well...It was too terrible to forget and how Brenda wished she could.

And now that Brenda saw Indy wearing those glasses, and the struggle she was waging against their evil power, she was alarmed. She was afraid indy would become another Senna or Lady Une. Seeing the dagger in Indy's hand, ready to make sushi of Une certainly did nothing to help.

Two more entered. Ms. Monroe, and a very short blonde fairy named Ameh. Both, evidently friends with Pippi and Vanessa.

Pippi looked back at Ms. Monroe questioningly.

Ms. Monroe gave an OK signal, but shrugged as if to say "Okay so far."

Everybody's eyes were on Indy, they knew that forceful measures would need to be taken to stop her if she gave in to the power of those glasses.

Indy looked and saw Brenda, who was looking at her with tears rolling down her cheeks, yet there was definite alarm in those blue eyes. Brenda was overjoyed to see Indy again, but she couldn't bear it if Indy turned into another Une or worse, Senna.

"indy, will you please take those off? if you don't, they'll corrupt you. I've seen this for myself."

Indy looked as if she just wanted to give Brenda a crusher hug right there and then. But if she did, Une could use the moment to grab a chance at getting away or just going ballistic and trying to kill everybody.

"I'm not giving them back to her." Indy glared at Une. Turning back to Brenda, her expression softened. She had to fight back tears. "I'm just sorry I couldn't have..." Indy couldn't finish her sentence, she was feeling too choked up now.

"It's all right, Indy. I'm just so glad you're alive. It was terrible." Brenda said.

"Blast her!" Indy glowered at Une.

"Stop that!" Une bellowed. "Quit looking at me like I'm some kind of disgusting microbe!"

"You *are* a disgusting microbe!" Indy shouted, taking the glasses off her face and holding them behind her back.

Brenda continued, looking at Indy but indicating the red-head. "Pippi is not here to rescue Une! You have to believe that, you can see Une isn't happy to see her. She's here to help us."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Une protested, and reached out to slap Brenda-Sue.

Brenda ducked out of the way which infuriated Une all the more.

"Get back here you little--"

Une didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Indy made straight for her with the dagger, dropping the glasses behind her. "You try that again and I'll run you through with this!"

"Give me back my glasses!" Une growled, still trying not to show how afraid of Indy she really was.

"Never! Just shut up!" Indy snapped.

Ms. Monroe took advantage of the opertunity, she moved in behind Indy and picked up the glasses to examine them.

"Everybody - please, be quiet!" Pippi's voice cut through the room. "Indianna Who, put the dagger down now, nice and slow." She took hold of Indy by the shoulders, letting her know she was not going to be permitted to go ballistic.

Indy was incredulous. She shook her head and looked back at Pippi. "Let myself go unarmed with *that* genocidal maniac in here - I don't think so! She's got hell to pay!" If Indy hadn't been so intent on Lady Une, she would've had some curiosity questions for Pippi, now that it was registering why the woman seemed strangely familiar.

"But not that way, Indy." Brenda pleaded. "You're a Whoville Who. What would our friends and family think if you killed someone, even Lady Une? You know that isn't going to bring them back." Brenda's pleading blue eyes looked straight into Indy's stormy brown ones.

Now pain showed in Indy's expression. "It should've been her, not them!" She still struggled against the need to start all out sobbing.

"I know." Brenda's emotions overtook her, and she now sobbed out everything that had been pent up in her for months.

Pippi put her arms around Brenda to console her, but fixed her gaze on Indy. "Une will not go unpunished, Indianna, but please, let the authorities take care of that. You have confronted her and done a good job of it. But now let the others take it from here."

"Put down the dagger, Indianna...Now." Ms. Monroe commanded.

Finally worn down and feeling intimidated by Monroe's sternness and stature, Indy relented, but was careful to place it as far away from Une as possible.

Pippi nodded and smiled, but still didn't take her eyes off Indy. "Now, the slapper." she directed gently.

"I'll take that too." Ms. Monroe approached Indy and began removing the glove from her hand before Indy could move out of the way.

"No!" Indy fought at first.

"I'm not gonna do anythin bad, I jus' wanna take the power out o these glasses." Ms. Monroe explained. "Then dispose o' this piece o' junk." She indicated the slap glove.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Une howled.

"Shut up!" Indy shot a dirty look in Une's direction. If she wasn't still so angry, she might've snickered at Une instead.

"It's all right!" a man spoke up from somewhere in the room. "That's Capri Monroe, the one who was looking for Vanessa/NT." It was Robbie Collins.

"Robbie?" Indy looked puzzled.

"I drove down the same day you bussed it."

Indy looked a little surprised but she only nodded.

Pippi spoke up again. "Robbie, Brenda and Indianna, I am very sorry for your losses. You weren't out there when the announcement was made, but Une has lost her position and power in Zechston, which will have its prior and rightful name of Valjean back. Also, the damage Une caused part of Whoville will be repaired. I realize that's probably small comfort right now, but for what it's worth, it is what we intend to do to fix as much as possible the mess Une, Zechs, and the late Treize Khushrenada made of everything."

Indy nodded to her, and a couple of tears spilled down her cheeks despite all efforts to stop them.

"Oh, shut up!" Une shouted, she was almost in tears.

Pippi ignored Une's outburst. She reached out and gave Indy a hug, and gave Brenda one as well.

This really did it, now Indy couldn't hold back any more if her life depended on it. She and Brenda cried and embraced then.

Capri Monroe took Une's glasses and stood looking into them. As she did, the power within them was being dispelled.

"Okay..." Capri said presently. "That's done, now are these the only things we need t' worry 'bout er does she have any more nasty little tools that work evil?"

"Those were it as far as I know," Brenda replied.

I am sure most every living thing will breathe a sigh of relief once they know Une can no longer use the glasses for anything except for improving her eye sight." Robbie said, casting a contemptuous glance at Lady Une.

"And maybe her looks." Indy added.

"You stupid fools!" Une exclaimed.

"You keep quiet!" Pippi snapped, turning a cold gaze on Une. "You've said and done more than enough already!" "I think you can take her away now," Ameh, who had been silent until now, directed the officers that were patiently waiting to make their move.

Une was dragged out the door, kicking and screaming like a child having a terrible tantrum; Marilee Who, Robbie Collins, Capri, Vanessa, Pippi, and Ameh filed out behind the procession along with Indy and Brenda. Capri set the guards Vanessa had frozen, free once Une had been taken away. They had another job now, rebuilding and repairing the sections of Whoville and Valjean that were hit by the evil Oz terrorists.

The James's, the Who's, and Robbie Collins all planned to stay in touch with Pippi Longstocking and Capri Danae Monroe, who had helped them all so much; and they were glad to have saved Vanessa's life. Capri, Pippi, and Ameh were grateful to them for that, but no one was kidding themselves. Vanessa, who's real name was NT, still had a very long way to go if there was any chance of a complete or even good recovery from her traumatic past.

So, Lady Une was vanquished, and Brenda and indy took as much of their lives back as was possible, with help from the James family and all their new friends.