Switched!

Rated PG for mild violence and crude humor.

I do not own any character or setting which has already been copyrighted to Cosgrove Hall Films. Judas Franklin, Sabrina Panthera, Kitty Cougara, and the various college students and teachers are my characters, and should not be used without my written consent.

Author's Notes: Okay, this particular plot has been used many times before in the past; I've even been told that an actual episode of Danger Mouse used the same basic plot as this. However, it is an interesting topic, not to mention that this story is a bit more elaborated, so please bear with me here. Thank you, and enjoy! ^_^

It was early morning when the sun rose over the city of London. Some people had already gotten up, and many of the animals were awake as well. In fact, quite a few songbirds were already out, gently stirring their fellow creatures with their melodious voices.

Not so at the abode of Danger Mouse, for the song of any bird would have been drowned out by the loud snoring of a certain pooch.

Indeed, Judas had been awake all night, studying for the finals he would have to take when he returned to college for the weekend. He had trouble in almost every class, but it was Oriental History that he seemed to have the most trouble with- dates, capitals, emperors, and dynasties seemed to go in one ear and out the other.

A new figure entered the room- a tall white mouse, wrapped in a scarlet robe, held a cup of tea in one hand. He yawned and approached the dog, gently tapping his recruit on the shoulder. "Judas?" he queried.

In an instant, Judas awoke, his eyes wide with anxiety. "The capital of China is the C!" he exclaimed. "The capital of Japan is the J! The capital of Mongolia is the M! The capital of-"

Quickly, Danger Mouse slapped Judas across the face. "Judas," he addressed, "it's morning. Get up already- we have work yet to do."

Letting out a low growl, Judas stood from his seat and stretched. "Sure, yeah, whatever," he yawned. "Stuff to do… got it." With that, he sauntered off to the shower…

Meanwhile, Danger Mouse strode into his own private bathroom. He had already taken a shower about an hour or so ago, so all that he really needed to do was basic grooming.

At that moment, Penfold stuck his head inside briefly. "Morning, sir," he greeted. "Shall I fix us a spot of tea?"

"You do that, Penfold," DM replied, combing his hair. "By the way, don't bother asking Judas what he wants for breakfast- he's been up all night studying for those end-of-the-year exams he has over the weekend."

Penfold nodded. "Right, chief," he answered, walking in the direction of the kitchen…

Judas stepped out of the bathroom, shaking his body violently in an attempt to dry off. "Man, that shower was just what I needed," he commented, looking around the room. "Okay, let's see… tee-shirt, socks, undies… oh, great- perfect!"

Agitated, the American pooch stepped into the kitchen, wearing only a towel around his waist. "Alright," he growled, "where are my pants?"

Needless to say, both the agent and his assistant were not exactly amused with this display. Who would, if your roommate walked in almost naked while you were trying to eat??

Swallowing hard, Danger Mouse glared at Judas. "Really, Judas," he reprimanded, "you know better. Besides, last I checked, your pants were all over the floor of your room."

"Nope," Judas quickly responded. "No pants! Not a single pair lying around!"

DM sighed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, good grief," he muttered, turning to the young hamster. "Penfold, fetch the boy a pair of pants."

As Penfold sauntered off into the laundry room, the agent gave his recruit a cold stare. "Honestly," he snapped, "I am not your mother!"

Of course, Judas was in no mood to talk either. "Oh, I'm sorry," he spat, "next time I'll remember to come in wearing everything but my pants! Hope that makes you happy!"

Cringing at the thought, Danger Mouse shuddered. "Hardly," he replied, deciding to change the subject. "So, how did your studies go?"

There was a long, awkward pause before Judas finally answered. "Erm…" he murmured, "…okay, I guess."

Just the same, DM was not surprised. "I see," he said. "Well, in spite of that, I do hope you enjoy your weekend off from duty. Don't forget, you're leaving tomorrow."

With a heavy sigh, Judas nodded. "Yeah, I know," he answered. "It'll be nice to get back to the old campus… I have so much to catch up on."

The White Wonder cocked his eyebrows. "Catch up on?" he queried. "What would you need to catch up on? I've already made sure that your assignments have been completed for each course."

Judas rolled his eyes. "Not that kind of catching up," he remarked. "My social life… I've been gone so long; I hope my buds still recognize me. Gosh, I hope I haven't missed too much!"

"Chances are you probably haven't," the agent commented. "Besides, it's ridiculous to think that your position on some type of 'social ladder' is of any importance."

The recruit snorted. "Dude, where have you been?" he questioned. "That's all society is today- reputation is key to survival. Without any updates to whatever has been happening on-campus, I'm liable to become a social outcast!"

Danger Mouse quickly covered Judas' mouth, hoping to end the conversation at that. "Judas, shush!" he snapped.

It was then that Penfold entered the kitchen again, holding a pair of Judas' underwear in his hand. "There you are," he said, handing it to the pooch.

Confused, Judas stared at the piece of clothing for a moment. "Dude, these aren't my pants," he informed.

Penfold shook his head. "Of course they are," he corrected. "You're the only one who wears them here."

With a heavy sigh, Judas picked up his undies. "Correction- I'm the only one here who wears briefs," he answered. "Look, all I need is a pair of jeans so I can get dressed!"

Realizing the misunderstanding, DM shook his head. "You meant trousers, didn't you?" he inquired.

Of course, the pooch was still flustered. "Yeah," he replied. "So what?"

The agent chuckled a little. "Judas, they aren't the same thing," he explained. "Trousers are what you call pants, but pants are what you would call…"

Suddenly, Judas realized what Danger Mouse was talking about. He stood and strode out of the kitchen. "Fine, I'll go look for another pair of pants," he spat, then correcting himself, "I mean, trousers…"

Later that day, as Judas stuffed the last of his belongings into his suitcases, he sat down on top of the largest in an attempt to close it up. "It'll be great to get back to my old dorm," he murmured. "I hope Rudy hasn't touched any of my stuff while I was away. If there is even one possum-pop out of place, he's gonna get it for sure!"

A curious hamster poked his head into the recruit's quarters. "How's the packing going?" he queried.

"About as good as it can possibly go," Judas replied sarcastically. "Still, all this will hardly matter once I get there. Sure, I've got tests, but something even better ought to take care of that."

Penfold sat on the bed next to Judas. "Oh," he said, "what's that?"

Judas laughed. "My birthday," he answered. "Next Sunday, I'll be 21 years old. That means that now I'm allowed to do whatever I want, under US regulations… but still, I've always wanted to go to Vegas and make a few hundred bucks playing craps or poker." He sighed heavily. "My buds promised that they'd take me this year, but since I've got all this secret agent stuff going on… but hey- I can wait a few more years, right?"

Before either could say another word, a loud siren caught their attention. It had to be Colonel K with another mission!

Immediately, Penfold and Judas ran to the parlor, where Danger Mouse was already awaiting orders. The colonel cleared his throat and said, "Danger Mouse, a call came in from the British Museum. Apparently, there's been a bit of unusual activity going on, especially surrounding their newest exhibit- a collection of artifacts recovered from the ancient city of Pompeii in Italy. These items are extremely valuable, DM- whoever is behind this must be stopped."

Danger Mouse nodded. "Right, sir," he agreed. "We'll find out what's going on and put a stop to it."

Colonel K chuckled lightly. "Good show, DM," he praised. "Over and in, then."

Not surprised, DM rolled his eyes. "Good grief," he muttered, turning to his companions. "Come on now- Penfold, Judas."

The three heroes disappeared down a long shaft built into the couch, eventually landing in the Mark III, the finest machine in spy technology. They sped away, down the crowded London streets, in the direction of the British Museum.

The recruit smiled. "Now this would be nice," he murmured. "Forget Vegas- this would be the ultimate way to spend my weekend."

Of course, the agent had little idea of what Judas was talking about. "What?" he inquired. "Driving about the town? Not in the Mark III, you won't!"

"Relax," Judas assured. "I was just thinking… well, it would be cool to be a regular agent for a day. Hey, it's gotta be better than college, anyway- I'd rather take on Greenback than any stupid finals test!"

The White Wonder laughed. "Don't be so sure," he remarked. "You could do the work with a little help. Truth be told, Judas, even I would be grateful to just sit down and answer a few questions; it would be a welcome break from my duties."

Judas cocked his eyebrows. "Hold on," he halted. "You think my life at college is better than your spy career??"

Smirking a little, Danger Mouse took a sharp turn around a street corner. "Well, not necessarily," he admitted. "Just the same, whatever seems to be going on at your college couldn't be as bad as you think it is."

Needless to say, Judas was surprised… and even a tad upset. "I don't believe it," he said. "You think my life is easy, huh?"

DM chuckled. "Of course," he answered, parking the Mark III just outside the British Museum. "College is simply a higher stage of learning- I'm sure you could master it in a matter of years."

Still, the recruit was far from convinced. "Oh, and this is coming from the same guy who said social status didn't matter??" he reminded. "You went to all those fancy universities, and passed every class in a matter of days!"

The agent sighed as he and his two companions entered the museum. "Judas, don't be ridiculous," he snapped. "It took me quite a few months to pass Harvard and Yale alone."

"But that's just it!" Judas spat. "You're smart- not like the rest of us! We have to deal with tests, reports, social events… you couldn't last one day at a real college!!"

Now that upset Danger Mouse considerably. "I suppose, then, you think my duties are far easier than yours?" he questioned.

The pooch nodded hard. "No doubt about it!" he agreed. "No offense- I mean, the villains are pretty clever, but I could handle it no problem."

From there, the two said nothing. Occasionally, they gave each other teasing glances, but their thoughts were one and the same- Just once, I'd like to see you handle my problems and see things my way…

Meanwhile, in another part of the museum, three of the Baron's own operatives were scouting the terrain. They moved along with a crowd of tourists, hoping that soon they would find what they came for.

The tour guide stopped for a moment. "This here is our newest exhibit," he explained, coughing a little. "What you see here is the reconstruction of a small temple found in Pompeii. The Italian government was gracious enough to let us bring this, and the other valuable items within, here to the British Museum." He chuckled lightly, adding, "Of course, the exhibit won't be open for another couple of months, but at least we can catch a glimpse of this wonderful piece of Roman architecture."

As the tour guide and the rest of the group moved along, three "tourists" remained. One of the taller figures wore a black jacket, a fedora hat, and a red scarf; he also seemed to have a very large nose. The other tall figure, this one female, wore a black sweatshirt with the hood covering part of her face. The last one, a rather short fellow, wore a black leather jacket; unlike the others, though, he busied himself in a comic book rather than the monument before them.

The female smiled, lowering her hood to get a better view. "This should be it," she said, glancing at her taller friend. "Stiletto, check the map and see if this is where the Baron said it would be."

Quickly, Stiletto took out a map of the museum and looked through it for a minute. The museum was huge- he would have to check every floor before he could be sure.

Irritated, the female glared at the shorter henchman. "Do you mind, Leatherhead??" she snapped. "We're on a mission here!"

For a moment, Leatherhead looked up from his comics. "Eh, Sabrina," he addressed, his slight British accent hinting a touch of sarcasm, "I've been working for the Baron much longer than you have. I think I know what I'm doing here."

Sabrina growled. "Well, you sure don't act like it," she spat. "I mean, the least you could do is put down that stupid comic book and work with us here! The Baron needs that amulet for his next scheme."

It was then that Stiletto spoke up. "Ai, this-a is it!" he exclaimed, showing Sabrina and Leatherhead the map. "The amulet is-a right inside!"

"Great," Sabrina purred, adding a toothy grin. "Now, there are alarms set up around the exhibit- just not above it- so we'd better find a ventilation shaft."

While the dark-furred feline looked around a little, Leatherhead decided that maybe it was time he had a talk with Stiletto. "Hey," he whispered to his friend, "who's the pushy pussy? Where'd the Baron dig her up from?"

Stiletto shrugged. "I dunno too much," he admitted. "Sabrina say that-a she come from a bad house."

Leatherhead chuckled. "Somehow, it don't surprise me," he muttered. "The ducky seems a tad upset about something." He stopped, glancing at Stiletto. "Ah, what else do you know, hmm?"

"I'm-a not about to tell," Stiletto replied. "Sabrina tell me to keep-a secret… she no too happy about it."

Realizing what was really going on, Leatherhead laughed. "Oh, I get it now," he commented. "She's got you wrapped around her little finger, eh?"

Needless to say, Stiletto was unamused with his friend's humor. "Ai, is no like-a that!" he snapped. "Sabrina and I- we are amici!"

"Right," Leatherhead said with a chuckle. "Stiletto, take my advice- let the pussy do her own dirty work. It's worked before with the Baron's other boffins, including you!"

Before the Italian henchman could speak, his female friend intervened. "What's that, Leatherhead?" she hissed, giving him a cold stare. "Don't make me mad, jumbo shrimp, or you'll regret it!"

Surprised, Leatherhead stepped forward. "Hey, who are you calling a jumbo shrimp??" he cried.

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Alright, boys," she addressed, "I've found a ventilation shaft. Let's get going before someone sees us." She looked at Stiletto sharply. "You did remember the equipment this time, right?"

With a quick nod, Stiletto brought out a large burlap sack, containing 30 feet of rope and a few other assorted gadgets. "Is all here," he assured, adding a wide smile.

Once more, Leatherhead hid his face inside the comic book. "Crack the whip," he murmured.

Of course, Stiletto was beginning to lose patience with Leatherhead. One more wise-crack like that, and he would soon find himself at the mercy of his own scheming.

Fortunately for him, however, Sabrina had also heard the English crow's comment. "Say, Leatherhead," she spat, "why don't you go first? You seem to be the most enthusiastic." With that, she grabbed the short, stout crow and shoved him into the ventilation shaft.

As Leatherhead squirmed about in the shaft, Stiletto smiled and tipped his hat. "Grazi, Sabrina," he thanked.

The female feline smiled back. "Ah, no problem," she replied. "After all, you already did enough by not telling him about… well, you know." She winked, and soon disappeared into the shaft after Leatherhead.

For a moment, Stiletto stayed behind. As much as he hated to admit it, Leatherhead's accusations weren't too far from the truth. Indeed, he had a certain affection for the feline, and they did do so much for each other. There was a difference between them, though; he was her best friend… but she was his amore.

His daydreams were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Hey!" Leatherhead shouted. "You might want to get up here! Your muse is getting anxious!"

"Shut your trap, jumbo shrimp!" Sabrina barked. "Stiletto, let's go- that amulet is not going anywhere! Hurry, before someone sees!"

Stiletto sighed heavily and nodded. "Cie, Sabrina," he answered, crawling into the ventilation shaft…

Danger Mouse, Penfold, and Judas wandered around the museum endlessly. They searched for any clues that could point to the fiend behind these strange activities, especially if the villain in question had anything to do with Greenback or his heartless henchmen.

Finally, the courageous trio arrived in the newest addition to the museum, where more relics from ancient Rome were displayed. The most recent of additions was the small temple erected in the center, along with the various treasures inside.

DM smirked. "Alright then," he whispered. "Now, all we have to do is wait here for the scoundrel to show himself. The villain always returns to the scene of the crime, you know."

With a wide yawn, Judas leaned on a nearby statuette of a sitting dog. "Sure," he said. "My gosh, why would anyone want to come here?? It's so… boring! I mean, nothing ever goes on here!"

"You're telling me," a haunting voice replied. "At least you can come and go when you please; I have to sit here, day after day, night after night! I mean, really- haven't we all deserved a vacation from this hall of boredom??"

Judas laughed nonchalantly. "Ha-ha, very funny," he commented. "You're a regular comedian, Danger Mouse- talking all spooky like that and throwing your voice?? Classic!"

Unnerved, the agent turned and looked at his recruit. "Judas," he addressed, "that wasn't me."

"Yeah, right," Judas mocked. "Am I supposed to believe it was something else here? Oh, maybe the statue behind me is alive!" He shuddered teasingly, adding, "Ooh, I'm so scared- I want my mommy!"

Penfold turned about, gasped, and hid behind the White Wonder. "Uh, Judas," he warned shakily, "don't look now, but-"

The recruit quickly interrupted. "But what?" he spat, glaring at Danger Mouse. "Look, DM- I know you might still be sore from that fight we had earlier, but it's no reason for you to scare me. So, I'm gonna turn around and show you that I'm not afraid of whatever it is you're trying to…"

As soon as he turned around, Judas' jaw dropped in shock- the dog statuette was moving! "Hello," it greeted with a wink. "Like it here? The museum just built it for all that Roman rubbish. If you ask me, it ought to be filled with Egyptian treasures… like me, for instance. So, what did you say your name was again?"

For a moment, no one spoke. They were all a tad too afraid to move…

Above the ancient temple, a dark figure lowered down from the air shaft. Around her waist was a rope that brought her closer to the treasured items within.

The female feline shot a look above her. "Lower!" she whispered sharply.

She was lowered slightly, but not enough. "Lower!"

Again, she was brought closer, but still not quite there. "Lower!!"

This time, the rope slipped, and the feline crashed into the floor of the temple. "Not that low!!" she screamed, muffled by the stone floor.

At last, she was raised to the perfect level. She signaled a thumb's-up to her partners in the ventilation shaft, then got to work on finding the treasure of her boss' desire.

Within the air shaft, Stiletto held the rope tightly, waiting for a gentle tug to carry Sabrina back up. Leatherhead sat just a few feet behind him, reading his comic book rather than watching the pile of rope beside him.

Leatherhead looked up from his book and glanced at Stiletto. "So, Stiletto," he murmured, "it looks like you and the pussy are pretty close."

Stiletto shrugged. "Cie," he agreed. "Why you ask?"

"Nothing, really," Leatherhead answered, flipping through the pages of his comics. "It just seems… unusual, that's all. She's not quite the agreeable type."

Nodding, Stiletto looked below, keeping a close eye on Sabrina. "Not-a usually," he remarked. "She no always like-a that, although. We have-a done a many things together- we like each another's company."

A wide smirk crossed Leatherhead's face. "Ah ha," he said, adding a chuckle. "Tell me, Stiletto- is she forcing you with violence, or are you really doing these things of your own free will? I promise I'll quiet if she is forcing you, one hench-crow to another."

Before the Italian henchman could reply, a swift tug of the rope alerted him. Quickly, he began pulling the rope upwards. "If you should know," he snapped harshly, "I do these things because we are amore-"

Suddenly, Leatherhead shot up from his comic book. "What??" he exclaimed. "Did you just say, 'amore'?!"

Nervous, Stiletto began to grasp the rope more tightly as his hands became slippery from sweat. "No, no!" he gasped. "Is not like that- I swear!"

The stout English crow laughed. "Well, well, well," he muttered. "I never thought I'd see the day when you would find yourself a lady-friend."

Angered, Stiletto glared at Leatherhead. "I mean to say amici," he growled, continuing to pull up the rope whilst cursing unmentionable Italian phrases under his breath.

A round of screams (masculine voices, apparently) briefly spooked the two henchmen. It was when Sabrina herself screamed that Stiletto lost grip of the rope and fell through the air shaft, taking a surprised Leatherhead down with him…

Terrified of the talking statue, the group of heroes ran forth from the monstrosity. They soon found themselves before the temple, where three of Greenback's henchmen laid, shaken by the screams.

The agent smiled. "Alright, all of you," he addressed, "whatever it is you came for, hand it over. It will only be a matter of time before the authorities arrive and arrest the whole lot of you for attempted thievery."

Still uneasy from the scare, Judas nodded hastily. "Yeah," he agreed, "what he said."

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Oh, please," she murmured, standing with her fellow henchmen. "We have something a little more powerful than the authorities on our side." She pulled out a necklace from her pocket, with a pendant depicting a man's head with two faces, and proclaimed, "Behold… the Amulet of Janus!"

Perplexed, Judas cocked his head. "So?" he muttered. "It's an old necklace- it's not exactly scary."

Growling, Sabrina turned to the taller hench-crow. "Stiletto," she alerted, "read from that plaque over there- see what it says about the amulet."

Stiletto nodded. "Cie, Sabrina," he replied.

As Leatherhead buried himself in his comic book once more, he whispered out of the corner of his beak, "Crack the whip."

After dealing a swift punch to Leatherhead's side, Stiletto read from the plaque. "'The Amulet of Janus is-a very rare," he began. "Ancient Roman myth says that-a whoever possesses the amulet-a shall switch places with-a he whom he is displeased; however, only when-a they agree to set their differences aside can-a the curse reverse itself.'"

Danger Mouse scoffed. "What a load of rubbish," he uttered. "Well, then, if none of you will hand it over, I suppose I'll have to take it from you myself." With that, he launched himself into the air, descending upon the henchmen and knocking them over in one fell swoop.

Smirking a little, Judas picked up the amulet from the ground. "Well, I'm glad that's over," he admitted. "Come on- let's hand them over to the authorities and get this thing in proper storage."

Needless to say, DM didn't fully trust Judas with the amulet. "Judas, why don't you handle these two?" he offered, taking the relic from the pooch's paws. "I'll make sure that this gets put away safely."

Judas, however, had a few ideas of his own. "No way, dude," he remarked, swiping the amulet from the agent's hands. "I can totally handle it."

"I'm sure you can," Danger Mouse agreed insincerely, taking hold of the relic, "but it would be safer in my hands."

The recruit chuckled. "No more safe than it is in mine," he insisted, pulling on the other end of the amulet. "Now let go, before you break it!"

Now that upset the agent considerably. "Before I break it??" he exclaimed. "You're a mere child compared to me- if anyone would be to blame, it's you!"

Angry, Judas tightened his grip. "Are you calling me a little kid??" he shouted.

DM glared straight into Judas' eyes. "Well, if the collar fits," he snapped, "then wear it!"

The war between the agent and the recruit raged on, each of them insulting the other in ways neither one could expect. Their voices echoed through the halls of the museum, distracting other visitors. It was unlike anything anyone had seen before- despite their differences, the two partners had never argued this fervently before!

Suddenly, the amulet began to glow brightly. Penfold noticed this haunting reality and attempted to alert his comrades. "DM, Judas," he squeaked, "the amulet… well, it's-"

Before he could finish his statement, Danger Mouse and Judas glared right at the young hamster. "Penfold- shush!" they screamed, before continuing with their quarrel.

It wasn't long before a bright, glowing light from the relic blinded the eyes of the agent and his recruit. Penfold, Stiletto, Leatherhead, Sabrina, and every other spectator watched in suspense and fascination before the two fell to the floor, unconscious…

Later that day, Danger Mouse opened his eyes. He found himself lying down on a soft bed in a small room. Beside his bed was a small dresser and a mirror, and on the opposite side of the room was a bookshelf and a door which lead to the bathroom.

Tired for some reason, DM sighed heavily. Where am I? He wondered. This can't be the museum… but it does seem slightly familiar. Blast, I wish I knew what was going on!

Another door creaked open, this one presumably from a hallway, and a familiar face peeked in. "Hello?" he said. "Judas, are you feeling any better?"

Confused, Danger Mouse leaned upwards. "Penfold," he addressed, his British accent slightly different than what he remembered. "Where am I… and come to think of it, where is Judas?"

Himself perplexed, Penfold approached the bed. "Well, you are Judas," he explained. "The chief is in the other room."

DM chuckled lightly. "Oh, don't be ridiculous, Penfold," he commented. "Really, I-" He then thought of something he hadn't before. "Is this… is this my voice? Good grief, I sound much younger!"

Penfold grinned. "That's the spirit," he chimed. "You may be getting older, Judas, but really- you are still young."

Needless to say, Danger Mouse was still lost. "Why would you say that, Penfold?" he inquired.

The young hamster laughed a little. "Your birthday," he reminded him. "You said yourself you'd be 21 years old next Sunday."

Unnerved, DM slowly made his way to the mirror. No, he thought. It couldn't be…It can't be…

Danger Mouse gazed upon the mirror. Sure enough, he had the face of a German Shepherd dog! Both eyes were well enough to see out of, his hair brushed wildly, and his face more expressive. The very image shocked him, frightened him beyond possible reason. He screamed in horror and disbelief!

Quickly, DM stood from his bed and rushed out the door. He ran next door to find his proper body, asleep in bed. The shock came back to him much greater, and he screamed again.

The shout awoke the soul within the agent's body. "Ooh, man," he said, the charming British accent gone from his voice, "I'm so tired…" He glanced at Judas' body in the doorway. "Hey, keep it down! I'm trying to sleep here!"

"Judas!" Danger Mouse shouted in desperation.

Upset, the body rose again from the bed. "Yeah, what?" he complained, then noticing the odd scene. "Hey, wait… you're me!" he stopped himself, adding, "Hold on- are you me, or am I me?" He groaned in frustration. "I'm so confused!"

Though still unnerved, DM approached the bed where Judas laid, himself trapped in the wrong body. "Judas," he addressed, "it's me- Danger Mouse! You and I… we seemed to have-"

"Switched bodies," they both finished.

Astounded, Judas looked into the mirror of his own room. "Wow," he gasped. "Check me out- I'm the world's greatest secret agent!"

DM chuckled. "Not quite," he corrected. "Technically, you are still you- you just happen to be in the wrong body. Now, how did this happen?"

After a moment of thinking, Judas snapped his fingers. "I got it!" he exclaimed, turning to DM. "What about that amulet?"

"The amulet!" Danger Mouse screamed, standing from the bed. "Judas- we need that amulet to change us back! Where is it??"

Judas shrugged. "Beats me," he admitted, looking around the room. "I know we've gotta be somewhere in Professor Squawkencluck's laboratory- I had a room like this when I came in with those nasty fleas."

Grabbing Judas by the collar, DM sauntered over to the doorway. "Come on, Judas," he muttered. "I have an idea…"

Back at Greenback's hidden lair, the three henchmen hung their heads in shame before the angry Baron. "You imbeciles!" he barked. "That amulet was key to my plans! How could you have let that wretched rodent get his hands on it??"

Sabrina stepped forward. "We know, sir," she muttered, "but if it's any consolation, the agent and his recruit are still suffering from the effects."

Puzzled, Greenback stared at his henchmen. "Sabrina, what are you talking about?" he questioned. "The amulet only works when used between two differing persons."

"They did, sir," Sabrina explained. "The mouse and his dog got into an argument over who should hold on to the amulet, when suddenly the whole place lit up like Times Square on New Year's Eve."

Needless to say, the Baron was quite intrigued. "Well, where is the amulet now??" he queried.

The three henchmen glanced at each other and shrugged. "We don't know," they answered simultaneously.

Baron Greenback groaned in frustration. "Idiots," he growled, glaring at his henchmen. "I don't care what you have to do- either find that amulet and bring it to me, or don't come back at all…"

Meanwhile, in Professor Squawkencluck's laboratory, Danger Mouse (still trapped in Judas' body) and Judas (himself trapped in DM's body) sat at one of the examining tables. Beside them, Penfold sat in his own little chair, reading the latest edition of Sidekick's Digest.

It was then that Professor Squawkencluck entered the room. "Ach, fellows," he greeted. "How are you doing?"

Judas glanced up from the magazine he was reading- Labrador Weekly. "Fine, and you?" he said nonchalantly, then turning his gaze to the attractive female dog on the cover.

Danger Mouse rolled his eyes, putting down the National Photographic magazine he was looking at. "Professor," he began, the English accent apparent in his voice, "it seems as if we've switched bodies somehow… and we're unsure of how to reverse it."

Himself perplexed, the professor could easily see the problem. "Vell zen," he responded, "perhaps you do have un problem here. However, zere is one zhing zhat I would like to check, just to be zure."

Surprised, Judas stood from his seat. "Doc, are you insane??" he exclaimed. "Haven't you seen enough here?!"

Growling, DM grabbed Judas and pulled him down. "Judas, shush," he barked. "Let the professor do his job."

Professor Squawkencluck nodded in agreement. "Yes, zhank you," he commented, walking over to the door and opening it slightly. "Mizz Cougara!"

A hoarse female voice answered, "Yes, sir?"

Caught by surprise, Penfold shrieked, alerting both Danger Mouse and Judas. They hadn't quite expected that!

"Mizz Cougara, could you come here for un moment?" the professor requested. "It zeems as if ve have un problem."

After a rough cough, Ms. Cougara called back, "Right away, sir."

Disturbed, Judas cringed. "Ooh, man," he murmured. "That doesn't sound good… not good at all."

Of course, DM was unamused with Judas' mockery and slightly jabbed him in the chest. "Judas, shush!" he growled.

One more cough, and suddenly Ms. Cougara's voice had changed. "Sorry," a more feminine voice apologized. "I was just clearing my throat- terrible problem my species has trouble with."

When at last Ms. Cougara had stepped into the room, it seemed to catch everyone's attention. She was a tall, slender cougar, probably from the US as her accent would suggest. She wore a long white lab-coat, and underneath a white shirt and flares. Her stylish glasses noted her intelligence and added to her charm. "Hello, boys," she chimed. "My name is Kitty Cougara, and I am the professor's new assistant."

Needless to say, Judas was completely taken in by her beauty. "Hello," he muttered. "I must be dreaming, so you must be an angel."

Embarrassed, Danger Mouse buried his head in his hands. "Good grief," he whined. "This can't be happening, this can't be happening…"

The professor quickly intervened. "Mizz Cougara," he addressed, "zese boys zeemed to have svitched bodies by accident. Perhaps you know of zomezhing zhat could help zem?"

Ms. Cougara shrugged. "I have a book of ancient relics in the back," she informed. "That might have something useful." She then glanced at Danger Mouse and Judas. "Do either of you know the name of the relic you think might have changed you?"

DM thought for a moment, finally coming up with the answer. "The Amulet of Janus, I believe," he reasoned.

Kitty nodded. "Thank you," she said, swiftly exiting the room. "I'll be back shortly, Professor!"

Judas let a broad smile cross his face. She's so pretty, he thought. I think I'm in love…

Frustrated, Danger Mouse crossed his arms, his mind drifting. This whole thing is ridiculous, he thought. I mean, really- I refuse to be trapped inside Judas' body! I don't think I'll be able stand this for long!!

Professor Squawkencluck turned about and looked at the two creatures. "Now, zhis could be difficult," he admitted. "One vay or another, ve vill find out how to change ze two of you back. In ze meantime, you vill have to adapt."

Shaken from his thoughts, Judas knew immediately that he didn't like the sound of that. "Adapt?" he questioned.

Nodding, the professor continued. "Yes, zhat is correct," he answered. "Until ve find out vhat to do, ze two of you vill have to adjust to another lifestyle. No doubt, zhis vill be difficult, ja?"

Upon hearing this, Judas smirked. "Well, that doesn't sound so bad," he said. "I already have plenty of practice… now is my chance to put all that to work!" He laughed, adding, "Look out, world- your greatest secret agent has arrived!"

Of course, this was more than upsetting to the original Danger Mouse. "There goes the world," he muttered. "Still, I suppose I could handle going back to college… after all, what's the worst that could happen?"

At that moment, Kitty Cougara entered the room again, this time carrying a rather large book. "Alright, boys," she chimed, "I've found your Amulet of Janus. It says here that the relic was a coveted item among the Greek kings, and but was most famous for it's power when in the hands of Roman emperors. Every tale involving the amulet always has something to do with two people switching bodies; to this day, only two legends survive."

When she had finished, Professor Squawkencluck urged her on. "Go on," he requested.

Ms. Cougara nodded as DM and Judas tried their best to listen closely. "The first tale involves a villager and a warrior," she continued. "They argued over whose position was most honorable, and while holding the amulet they switched places. The villager went off to war, discovering the trails of the warrior, while the warrior himself stayed behind and maintained the family farm, himself realizing how hard life really was for the villager. When the met again, they each apologized for their mistakes, and instantly they went back to the way they were."

As Danger Mouse found himself nodding off to sleep while Judas paid surprisingly close attention, Kitty went on. "The other tale speaks of another villager and a king," she described. "They too had a dispute, over whose life was more challenging, and they too switched places. The king soon found out how hard he was on his people and went to the villager to ask for forgiveness. The villager, however, liked how he was being treated as king, and therefore sent the true king to work for him as a slave. Eventually, they both died in the wrong body, having not forgiven each other for their mistakes."

Both having heard a mention of death, everyone was startled and suddenly became uneasy. It seemed as if the verdict was clear- DM and Judas had to forgive each other, or else. The trouble was, of course, Danger Mouse was too arrogant and Judas was too ignorant; neither one of them was ready to forgive!

With a heavy sigh, the professor stepped forward. "Alright zen," he said. "Vell, vhy don't ze two of you go home tonight und zleep on it. Perhaps in ze morning, zhings vill be better, ja?"

Danger Mouse shrugged. "Perhaps," he muttered, "though I highly doubt it."

Judas snorted. "Yeah," he spat, "same to you…"

Sure enough, things were going no better the next day. Danger Mouse and Judas both had to get used to sleeping in different beds, putting on different clothes, and talking in different accents. This whole ordeal had taken everything they had ever known and replaced it with something new!

Penfold hummed quietly to himself as he set out the breakfast plates. They had to get going soon- DM was due at the college in a few hours. The finals would take place that day and the next, and afterwards was a huge party that he would have to attend. Thankfully, Judas had already done his packing, so everything was set to go.

It was then that Danger Mouse entered the kitchen. He wore Judas' usual attire- white tee-shirt, blue jeans, a black leather jacket, work-boots, and a belt with a golden eagle buckle. However, the clothes were neat and clean; not only that, but the shirt and jeans were pressed, the boots securely tied, and the belt-buckle polished. Even his hair and fur were freshly washed! "Good morning, Penfold," he greeted.

The hamster gazed at Danger Mouse, wide-eyed in amazement. "Crumbs, chief!" he exclaimed. "You look quite decent this morning!"

A smile crossed DM's canine face. "Thank you, Penfold," he replied, sitting at the table and sipping from a cup of tea. "It has been some time since I last went to college… I want to make a good first impression." He looked around curiously. "Where is Judas, anyway?"

At that moment, Judas stepped into the room. He too wore the agent's usual clothes- white suit, red belt with yellow buckle, red and yellow insignia, and the eye-patch. In this instance, though, he wore the uniform most casually; the whole suit was just a tad looser than normal, and the belt seemed to be a bit tight. He looked clean, but even then his hair was slightly out of place. "Hey, guys," he said.

Shocked, Danger Mouse stood from his seat and rushed over. "Good grief, Judas!" he whined, fixing up the suit. "What are you doing?? Are you trying to make me look unprofessional?!"

Rolling his eyes, Judas sighed. "No," he remarked. "I'm trying to make you look more… fun, easy-going."

"Well, stop it," DM growled. "I don't need you telling me how I should look!"

Once Danger Mouse had finished, it was Judas' turn. "Okay, dude, that's not cool," he complained, tugging on the clothes. "You're making me look like… some kind of… I don't know! Just don't do it- no one likes a guy who actually dresses nice. It makes people think you want something from them; rich kids and teachers' pets dress nice, not normal guys!"

DM shook his head in disbelief. "Alright, then," he reluctantly agreed, "have it your way. Can we please just sit down and have something to eat already?? I'm hungry!" He stopped himself for a moment, adding, "Now that's odd… where did that come from?"

Penfold glanced at Danger Mouse. "Ooh, chief," he muttered, "didn't the professor say something about adapting?"

Realizing his mistake, DM slapped his forehead. "That's right," he remarked. "This has to be a part of it…" His stomach growled, and he turned to look at Penfold and Judas seated at the table. "Well, I can take care of this."

A few minutes into breakfast, Judas pushed his plate aside. "Holy cow," he stated. "I've only had half a plate, and already I'm full. You mice must have tiny stomachs!"

Amused, Danger Mouse chuckled as he finished off his own plate. "Good grief," he murmured. "I'm still hungry; I wonder if all dogs have this type of appetite."

Judas laughed. "Only the big dogs," he commented. "My whole family has big-dog blood, so we all eat a lot. We're big animals, and we use up a lot of energy- we need all the food we can get!" He smirked, pushing his plate over to his hungry companion. "Here, pal- eat up. I'm full to bursting anyway."

Of course, DM was not about to eat off of someone else's plate. "Judas, no!" he exclaimed. "I'm no scavenger!"

In an attempt to stop a potential fight, Penfold took Danger Mouse's plate. "That's alright, chief," he assured. "I'll get you another one."

As Penfold wandered back over to the stove, Judas pushed the plate closer to his friend. "Come on, dude," he pressed. "There's no shame in it- dogs are scavengers. There's been times when even I have eaten what friends and family can't finish."

Before DM could defend his position, Penfold came back to the table with no plate. "I'm sorry, chief," he apologized. "There's nothing left."

For a moment, Danger Mouse said nothing. He wasn't about to degrade himself for a few more scraps of food. Still… it looked awful appetizing…

Reluctantly, DM took the plate and ate the leftovers. It wasn't half bad, but he still thought it was disgusting.

Chuckling lightly, Judas smiled. "That's it," he said. "See how easy that was? When you're a dog, anything goes. If you thought eating off someone else's plate was bad, just wait until your meat and potatoes falls off your plate… actually, eating food off the floor is not too bad."

The sickening thought made Danger Mouse nauseated. "Oh, my," he muttered, holding his head. "I feel so sick…"

Later in the day, the Mark III was parked just outside the entrance to the college. For two days, Danger Mouse would be taking Judas' place in his classes, taking his tests… which was one thing that unsettled him in the first place.

With a heavy sigh, DM took the last bag out of the back-seat. "I still don't feel right doing the tests you should have been doing," he growled. "This is cheating, Judas!"

"Well, it doesn't look like we have much of a choice anyway, now does it?" Judas spat. "Besides, if you really feel bad about cheating… then, go ahead and make a few wrong answers. Just don't overdo it!"

Danger Mouse snorted, his ears folded back. "I'll try not to," he replied rather crossly.

Suddenly, Judas remembered something. "Oh, and remember those slang phrases I told you," he reminded, "and don't speak with that British accent- really, it sounds nice, but it's just not me. Plus, you already know I'm bad with British slang."

Nodding, DM chuckled lightly. "I'll do my best," he assured.

Of course, Judas had one last detail to add. "Above all," he stated, "please don't humiliate me. I have a reputation for knowing everyone in this school, and I get a lot of respect from my peers. Just try to remember their names, and don't upset anyone, and you ought to be okay."

Though this was the least of his problems, Danger Mouse understood. "Of course," he agreed. "So long as you do your part on the missions- and, might I add, try not to speak too much- then you too should be fine."

Judas grinned. "Sure thing, DM," he remarked, starting up the Mark III. "See you later- don't wanna miss a minute of the fun!" With that, he and Penfold soared off into the sky.

Worried, DM called out to them. "Try not to wreck the car!" he exclaimed.

With everything taken care of, Danger Mouse then picked up his belongings and headed for the gate. Steady, DM, he thought. You can do this…it's only college!

The gate-keeper- a red-brown greyhound in a navy blue uniform- yawned widely. "Welcome to CSUA- California State University for Animals," he said nonchalantly. "If you're a student, I'll need to see some identification before letting you on-campus."

"Of course," DM muttered, taking out Judas' wallet and showing his school ID card. "This ought to cover things."

After squinting at the card for a moment, checking Danger Mouse's face for similarities, and checking the student record for his name, the gate-keeper opened the gate and let him through. "Go right on in," he urged, glancing at the ID card again, "…Judas Franklin."

Danger Mouse sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright then," he murmured, walking through with his luggage. "Now that I'm inside, I'll have to find that roommate of his…"

The Mark III soared gracefully over the waters of the Pacific Ocean. "Well, Penfold," Judas addressed, "since we don't seem to have any missions for the moment, how about you and I do a little sight-seeing?"

Penfold was still uneasy about having Judas as a chief, but nevertheless he nodded. "Of course, sir," he agreed. "Whatever you should fancy, sir."

Smiling, Judas steered the Mark III casually. "Yeah," he commented, turning the wheel slightly. "Great Wall of China, here we come!"

The fun was soon interrupted by a familiar face coming in on the video-phone. "Danger Mouse! Come in, Danger Mouse!"

Judas swallowed hard; apparently, the professor had forgotten to tell Colonel K of the mishap. "Yes, sir?" he inquired, trying his best to fake a British accent.

Colonel K cocked his eyebrows. "Danger Mouse, are you feeling alright?" he asked, concerned.

Adding a nervous chuckle, Judas tried to convince the colonel. "Of course, sir," he assured, coughing a little. "Just a sore throat, sir."

Though still puzzled, the colonel dismissed it. "Anyway, we have more information on Baron Greenback," he informed. "He was last seen on a street corner in Old London town, along with a few of his henchmen. You'd best get down there before we miss him."

Judas sighed in disappointment and nodded. "Right away, sir," he answered. "I'll get right on it."

"Good show, DM!" Colonel K responded. "Over and under."

As the video-screen flickered off, Judas groaned in frustration. "Great," he muttered, dropping the British accent. "Well, at least I'm on a case… and Greenback, of all people!"

Confused, Penfold glanced at Judas. "Sir," he queried, "why didn't you tell Colonel K who you really were?"

Himself perplexed, Judas shrugged. "I dunno," he replied. "Besides, it was the professor's job to inform him. It won't matter a few days anyway; by then, this whole thing will be over… I hope…"

Once Danger Mouse had arrived on the main campus, he simply could not believe his eyes. The whole complex was bustling with young people, but few of them seemed to have their minds on final exams. Music blared in the backround as many college kids danced to the beat. Some of the guys were flirting with the more attractive girls, and the lesser students were bonding with each other. Some were even smoking!

Snorting in annoyance, DM pressed through the crowds of older teenagers. This is madness, he pondered. How can Judas stand this… well, perhaps he is a part of all this chaos…

At that moment, a young male black Labrador retriever rushed over. "Judas!" he called over. "Dude! How's it going??"

Chuckling nervously, Danger Mouse thought back to the important people Judas had informed him of. "I'm… okay," he answered, hoping his American accent would fool the college boy. "How are you… Rudy?"

Perplexed, Rudy gave DM an odd glance. "Fine, dude," he commented. "Say, you feeling okay? You're not sick or anything, are you?"

Danger Mouse laughed. "Man, I am fine!" he assured. "I hope I haven't missed anything important."

Rudy stared at his roommate. "Dude, are you kidding?" he inquired. "There's been a lot going on here!" He winked, adding, "Don't worry, buddy- I'll make sure you catch up on everything!"

With another light chuckle, Danger Mouse allowed Rudy to lead him up to the dorms. So this is Rudy, he wondered. He seems nice enough, but I don't see why Judas finds him so annoying… if anyone, I find the rest of these hooligans annoying…

Meanwhile, back in London, Judas and Penfold strolled about the streets of Old London town. They searched every possible street corner, but there were no leads. The whole thing was getting tiresome!

Judas groaned in frustration. "This is getting old!" he complained. "My gosh, where the heck are those idiots??"

Penfold turned about, seeing something quite disturbing. "Um, chief," he mumbled.

"Not now!" Judas snapped. "I'm trying to think!"

With a quick swipe, Judas and Penfold were swept into darkness. Neither of them had any clue where they bound, but they were sure Greenback had something to do with it all…

Once they had reached the twelfth floor of the dormitory building, Rudy pushed open the door and allowed Danger Mouse inside. "Here we are, pal," he said happily. "It's the old dorm. I hope you don't mind that I did a little cleaning up."

Peeking inside, DM's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The whole place was a complete mess! The garbage cans were overflowing, as were the laundry baskets and magazine racks. The beds, shelves, and desks were utterly disheveled, books and papers all askew. In short, this was quite possibly the typical college dorm room.

Though taken by surprise, Danger Mouse regained his composure and turned to Rudy. "It's… great, dude," he replied weakly. "It looks good."

Rudy's ears folded back in dismay. "You hate it, huh?" he assumed, slapping his knee. "Dang it- I knew I should have left your stuff alone!"

DM stared back at Rudy worriedly. "Come again?" he inquired.

With a heavy sigh, Rudy turned away and leaned against the wall. "Well, the college administration was coming down kinda hard on us," he explained, "and the place was a mess when you left… so I had to throw out some of your stuff to get it clean. I sent the rest to your folks, but I had to toss everything else. Sorry, dude."

Danger Mouse cringed. Oh dear, he thought. If the real Judas finds out about this, he will be ever so cross…

Opening his eyes weakly, Judas groaned in pain. "Ooh, man," he muttered, "I don't deserve this."

A deep, hoarse voice harshly responded, "Oh, but we think you do, Danger Mouse."

Shaken from his clouded mind, Judas looked about. He and Penfold were each tied to giant arrows, both of which loaded onto giant cross-bows. They were placed atop a rather large castle, far from London… apparently, one of Baron Greenback's bases of operation.

A group of familiar figures soon arrived at the top. Greenback chuckled, his pet caterpillar Nero seated on his shoulder. "So, Danger Mouse," he addressed as Stiletto, Sabrina, and Leatherhead manned the cross-bows, "it seems as if you and that reckless pup of yours had a bit of a tiff. In your constant arguing, my henchmen were unable to identify which one of you had the amulet."

In an effort to save himself, and DM's dignity, Judas remained calm. "Of course," he said, his fake British accent and slight stuttering making him peculiar, "that's just the way we planned it…" He turned to Penfold and winked. "Isn't that right, Penfold??"

Penfold nodded hastily. He had absolutely no idea what Judas was trying to do, but he was not about to question his chief!

The Baron was silent for a moment. "So," he finally said, "you refuse to divulge the whereabouts of the amulet; very well, then." He turned to his henchmen. "Stiletto, Sabrina, Leatherhead- make them talk."

Stiletto chuckled and cracked his knuckles. "With-a pleasure," he agreed as he and the others approached the two operatives.

Sabrina glared Judas in the eye. "So, boys, what'll it be?" she inquired. "Quick and painless, or slow and painful?"

Judas and Penfold glanced at each other, then glanced back. "Quick and painless," they opted.

"Trick question," Sabrina answered. "Torture is always slow and painful." She grinned evilly, adding, "Hope you enjoy it."

In his blind anger, Judas forgot his current role and sneered. "Go skin yourself, tomcat," he spat, his British accent dropped from his voice.

The room went silent. None of them, especially Greenback, had expected that- Danger Mouse was usually a gentleman, even if he was being tortured! They all knew something wasn't right.

It was then that Baron Greenback figured out what was going on. "I see," he murmured. "Well then, perhaps you don't know where the amulet is… Judas."

Shocked, Judas cringed. "This can't be good," he muttered.

"Indeed," the Baron responded, gesturing to his henchmen. "So, since you obviously have no idea where the amulet is, I'm afraid there is only one thing I can do-"

Of course, Judas was desperate to get attention from the enemy. "Excuse me," he snapped, "but how do you know that I don't know??"

The feline henchman glanced at Judas. "So, you do know?" she queried.

Needless to say, Judas was completely clueless. "Um…" he thought aloud, "…not exactly, but-"

Before another word was said, Judas and Penfold were shot into the air, eventually landing somewhere in the farthest reaches of the English countryside. It would seem as if Greenback had made a dreadful mistake… well, not quite.

Baron Greenback glanced at his henchmen. "You know what this means," he ordered. "Since Judas has that wretched rodent's body, then the real Danger Mouse must be in the pooch's body."

Stiletto soon spoke up. "Ah, Barone," he addressed, "where is-a the dog's body? If he is-a not here-"

"Then he has to be back at college," Sabrina reasoned. "Special transfer students like Judas usually return to their home colleges to take a few finals exams, to finish their education for the year. All we have to do is find out Judas' alma mater and we can track him down from there."

Greenback nodded. "Exactly," he responded. "Now go, and bring back Danger Mouse! I don't care what body you find him in- bring him to me as soon as possible…"

The two arrows shot out of Greenback's giant crossbows eventually landed in the fertile soil of the English countryside. The arrow-points sunk into the ground, giving both Judas and Penfold a slight bump on the head.

Judas shook his head to wear off the shock. "Great," he muttered. "Now Greenback's onto us… dang, I wish I had a plan."

Penfold squirmed beneath the ropes which held him. "Ooh, carrots!" he squeaked. "I wish the real chief was here- he'd get us out!"

Upon hearing this, Judas let his head hang down. Apparently, being a secret agent was no piece of cake. He felt so useless- both he and Penfold were stuck, trapped in the middle of nowhere, and Baron Greenback was probably scheming to capture the real Danger Mouse! He had no idea what he was doing- there was no way he could ever be as useful as the world's true top agent…

It was then that an idea came to Judas' mind. "Don't you worry about a thing, little guy," he assured. "After all, I am the world's greatest secret agent!" He grinned and added, "I have an idea."

Overjoyed, Penfold smiled. "Oh, chief- that's wonderful!" he exclaimed. "Um… what is it?"

Getting back to the current situation, Judas writhed beneath his ropes. "I'll tell you later," he promised, trying to reach his utility belt, "just as soon as we can get out of here…"

Later that evening, Leatherhead and Sabrina made their way outside to where Stiletto was waiting with an unusual vehicle. It was a transport he designed himself- a hovering disk with a small control panel and safety bars (to protect from falling). He called it what most people called it when they saw it for themselves- a UFO.

Sabrina grinned, admiring the craft before her. "Nice work, Stiletto," she congratulated. "The design looks fantastic… I hope it's as fast as I think it looks."

The Italian henchman sighed heavily. "Well, to say-a the truth," he admitted, "is quite old. I no work-a on it for a long-a while. I repair some-a time ago, but-a it still no go too fast."

Nodding, Sabrina boarded the craft. "Alright," she said, "when do you think we can get there?"

Stiletto smiled. "We get-a there by daybreak," he answered.

"Perfect," Sabrina responded. "I was looking for a little cat-nap anyway." She glanced at Leatherhead, busy in his comic books as usual. "Hey, jumbo shrimp! Let's go!"

Angered, Leatherhead approached the dark-furred feline as he boarded the UFO. "I told you not to call me that, pussy!" he yelled.

The feline grabbed the English crow by the scruff of his neck. "Then don't you call me pussy," she snapped.

As Sabrina placed Leatherhead back on the floor, Stiletto started up the craft. They hovered for a moment and then rose into the sky. Soon, they were on their way to parts unknown- a college campus…

The next morning, Danger Mouse laid overturned in bed. He had been up later than usual, cleaning a little around the dorm and perfecting his American accent and slang. As the student, he would have studied, but since he himself had earned a higher education than most people anyway, he felt that he didn't need to.

Danger Mouse turned over, clutching the covers tightly. "Sleep," he murmured. "Must sleep…" His eyes shot open immediately and he thought, Good grief! I'm beginning to sound more like him! This can't be good…

At that moment, Rudy poked his head into the room. "Hey there, big guy," he greeted. "You'd better get up, dude- tests are in an hour. Oh, and don't worry about breakfast; I already took care of it."

Though still tired, DM rose from his bed and stretched. "Alright then," he yawned. "I'll be there in a moment."

After having washed up and gotten dressed, Danger Mouse sauntered into the other room. Rudy sat at the table, switching papers around as he caught up on some last-minute studying. He looked up and grinned. "Hey, dude," he said. "You want breakfast?"

Nodding, DM seated himself at the table. "Sure," he agreed, using a more convincing American accent. "What are we having?"

Rudy stood and went over to the counter. "The usual," he answered, bringing his friend the plates. "Toast, a breakfast bar, and an apple."

DM cocked his eyebrows. Somehow, this wasn't what he was expecting. "Um," he uttered, "are you sure there's nothing else?"

The Lab slapped himself on the forehead. "Dude, thanks for reminding me," he replied, going back for a moment and returning with two glasses. "A nice glass of milk would have been nice." He patted DM on the back. "Eat up, pal- we have to get to class on time."

With a heavy sigh, Danger Mouse took a piece of toast and began chewing on it. This wasn't at all what he was used to, but while trapped in the dog's body, he also had a dog's appetite- at this point, he would have eaten anything.

Concerned, Rudy glanced at his roommate. "Hey, dude," he addressed, "you feeling okay?"

Yawning, DM nodded his head. "Fine," he lied. "I'm just a little tired, that's all."

Thankfully, Rudy was not really the argumentative type, so he decided to leave it at that. "Okay, pal," he responded, "if you're sure." He looked over his notes and growled. "Dude, I am so gonna fail this test! I've been studying all night- I can't cram anymore! How about you??"

A broad smile crossed the canine face of Danger Mouse. "You know," he murmured, "I think I'm going to do quite well…"

Outside the university walls, three figures peered at the dorm buildings and colleges beyond the post. They had to get in… the trouble was that security was tight, especially at the gate. Anyone who was not a student, family member, or special guest on a reservation list was locked out.

Stepping out from the shadows, the figures appeared to be none other than Greenback's own henchmen. "That's our target," Sabrina hissed, turning to her comrades. "Now, how do we get inside?"

"We could just lie," Leatherhead muttered. "Get someone to make fake identities for us."

Growling, Sabrina glared at Leatherhead. "It's not that simple," she explained. "We have no idea what students are here, apart from the rodent in the pooch's body. The guard's behind a locked door, so there's no way I can get to him… and the lists are with him too, so we can't sneak like that. Unless either of you two have a relative who comes here, we're not getting inside."

For a moment, none of them said anything. They just stood there by the side of the road, hoping for a miracle.

Suddenly, a voce interrupted their thoughts. "So I said, like, 'no way,' and he said, 'totally,' and, like, the others said, 'awesome,' you know?"

Distracted, Leatherhead looked up. His eyes widened with shock. "Cor blimey!" he exclaimed, turning to the others. "Look at that!"

They all looked up, and sure enough, it was a miracle. Three student strode down the street together, and they looked almost exactly like them! The cat was far more effeminate than Sabrina, wearing a sleeveless top, capris with a bare midriff, and high-heel shoes. The taller crow had more of a greaser look, wearing a leather jacket, a greasy white shirt, an old pair of jeans, and a pair of army boots. The shorter crow was dressed almost like the taller one, only without the sunglasses and jacket.

The two groups stopped and glanced at each other. "Coolies," the cat squeaked, "we, like, look alike! Isn't that, like, totally awesome?"

Sabrina laughed weakly. "Yeah, sure," she responded. "Say, can you help us out? We'd like to get inside, and we don't have any ID on us."

The students talked quietly about it before addressing their criminal look-alikes once more. "We can, like, talk to the school administration about it," the cat replied. "If you're students, we can, like, get you a replacement ID card if you, like, lost yours, okay?"

Gesturing to her fellow henchmen, Sabrina approached the students. "Actually," she said, "we'd like to borrow your ID cards… and your identities…"

Danger Mouse and Rudy ran hurriedly through the campus grounds. "Quick!" yelped the Labrador. "If we're not there for the first bell, Prof. Elk is gonna have our hides for sure!"

Worried, DM rushed onward as he and Rudy tore through the hallway and burst into one of the classrooms. The rest of the students, seated at their desks, glanced at the boys but soon returned to their own problems.

Seated at the far end of the classroom was an elderly elk, wearing an old suit and reading glasses. He stood from his large desk and glared at Danger Mouse and Rudy. "Well, if it isn't Mr. Franklin and Mr. Smithers," he addressed nonchalantly, his voice almost monotonous. "Would you two boys care to join us in the finals exams?"

With a heavy sigh, Rudy nodded obediently. "Yes, sir," he replied.

"Good," Prof. Elk said, handing the two students their test papers. "Gentlemen, please take your seats while I go over the rules."

As Prof. Elk explained the rules for the test, DM took a seat next to Rudy. He glanced at the test paper. Well, this shouldn't be too hard, he thought. Still, I'll have to miss a few of them… this is Judas' paper, after all!

Prof. Elk breathed a sigh of relief, having finished his long list of rules and regulations, and took his seat. "You have one hour to finish the first part of the test," he finished. "You may begin."

Confident, Danger Mouse opened the test booklet and looked over the first question. "Let me see," he murmured. "Here we are- 'The capital of China is what?' … a) Beijing… b) Baotou… c) Canton… or d) the C … ah, it's a dottle- the capital of China is-"

Suddenly, without warning, something happened to DM. It was odd… as if part of his brain had shut down on him… and it was the same part of his brain that had all the answers! All that knowledge he gained from the universities was… gone- just gone!!

Panicked, Danger Mouse laid his head on the desk. Good grief! He thought. When I switched bodies with that mutt, I must have switched intellects as well! I… I don't know a thing!! He growled. Oh, had I known about this, I would have spent less time worrying about my own safety and more time studying! This is awful!

"Judas?"

Straightening himself, DM looked over to Prof. Elk. "Judas, quit acting like a pup," he demanded. "You're not in high school anymore- this is college, and you have to take life a little more seriously now, so stop fooling around and get back to work."

Danger Mouse sighed and nodded. Reluctantly, he returned to work, hoping that Judas had been able to learn something before the body switching…

Meanwhile, three new students arrived on campus. Everyone took notice, yet some of them were a little… uneasy.

"Take a look at Marco Wheeler," said one student. "Doesn't he look a little… weaker? I mean, he's not exactly all muscles, but he still looked tough. I dunno- maybe I'm just seeing things."

"You know, I think I'm seeing things too," said another student. "That Lisa Morel… she was kinda cute the other day… but have you seen her midriff? She's got a six-pack! Look at her- has she been working out or something??"

"I agree," said yet another student. "Marco also looks like he's been getting too close to Lisa… I hope Joey Saxon tells him what's going on! He's the guy's lackey, after all! If you can't trust a lackey with that kind of junk, who can you trust?"

Three young students passed by the inquiring crowd. Stiletto pulled the leather jacket close to his body, hoping no one would notice a difference. Leatherhead strode beside his close friend, reading his comic book as he went. Sabrina tried her best to ignore any suspecting students- she wasn't about to get caught.

One student spoke up. "Hey, Marco!" he cried out. "See you in auto shop, right?"

Stiletto nodded uneasily, and quickly turned away.

Another student walked past. "Hi, Lisa," she greeted. "Let's do lunch at the Cat's Meow."

Sabrina gave a quick nod, and also turned away.

"Say, Joey," said another student, "come by next Tuesday… we've got a meeting of the college's Local Lackey's Union. See you there!"

Leatherhead also nodded, yet he too turned away.

Though unsure of themselves, the three henchmen made their way through the college campus. They knew that somewhere Danger Mouse was hiding, and they would not leave without him…

At Professor Squawkencluck's laboratory, Judas and Penfold paced about. They had talked with the professor about their secret plan, and so far all was going well. They just needed one thing.

Judas opened the door slightly and poked his head inside. "Hey, Doc," he addressed, "how's it going in there?"

"Almost finished!" the professor reported. "Just von more zing and ve're through."

With a heavy sigh, Judas closed the door behind him. "Dang," he grumbled. "Oh, I wish he'd hurry up!"

Penfold glanced up at Judas. "Chief," he squeaked, "do you think DM's alright? Oh my- what if something's happened to him??"

Himself worried, Judas knelt down to Penfold's level and hugged him gently. Don't worry, little guy, he thought. We'll get to the real Danger Mouse soon… provided Greenback hasn't already…

The tests dragged on for hours. Danger Mouse struggled to recall anything Judas might have remembered. Most of his answers were guesswork, but it was pretty good guesswork at that. Still, he hoped that somehow the pooch's intellect was capable of getting a good grade.

Finally, the last test was over. DM filled in the last blank and turned in the test paper. He groaned in agony; all that thinking had worn down his brain.

Prof. Elk skimmed the paper. "Nice work, Mr. Franklin," he congratulated, though nonchalantly. "You might just get a passing grade in this class after all."

Encouraged, Danger Mouse perked his head up. "Really?" he said. "Do you really mean that??"

"Don't get too excited," Prof. Elk warned. "I'm not your high school teacher- I don't grade on a curve. In other words, Mr. Franklin, we'll have to see what grade you actually deserved before you can draw any conclusions of your own." With that, he returned to grading the tests.

DM sighed and lowered his head. He walked out the door and through the college corridors. He felt awful- everything he had ever learned at the universities… just gone! That feeling of total confusion plagued him throughout the day… and to think that this was normal for Judas, at his level of understanding! No wonder he studied so hard the last few nights before!!

A gentle hand rested on Danger Mouse's shoulder. "Don't worry," he assured. "The whole class probably didn't do too well. Prof. Elk is a pretty tough teacher anyway."

Smiling, DM peered over his shoulder. "Rudy," he addressed.

Rudy smiled back. "Come on," he pressed. "Let's go down to the Cat's Meow and have a couple of drinks, on me."

Danger Mouse grinned slightly. "Thanks, Rudy," he responded.

The Lab chuckled. "No problem," he replied. "That's what friends are for…"

The three henchmen approached the local on-campus café- the Cat's Meow. The logo, along with flashing neon lights of coffee cups and cute kitten faces, was easily recognizable.

Cautiously they stepped inside. "Now keep a sharp eye out for the pooch," Sabrina ordered. "This looks like a social place, and dogs tend to be very social. Hopefully we'll spot him here, and if not, then we can go around and use the college youths to our advantage."

Suddenly, a group of young females approached Sabrina. "Hey, Lisa!" they greeted cheerfully, mistaking her for their friend. "Come on! Let's go! It's your special day!"

Before Sabrina could say a word, the females dragged her away. Apparently, this Lisa character was a social person herself, and sadly this worked to Sabrina's disadvantage.

Shocked, Stiletto wanted to run after his friend. He was stopped, however, when Leatherhead got hold of his jacket. "Let the pussy go," he advised. "She'll be fine on her own- you always were."

With a frustrated sigh, Stiletto picked up Leatherhead and carried the short crow alongside him. "Not-a this time…"

Nearby, at the bar of the Cat's Meow, Danger Mouse and Rudy sat comfortably by. Rudy had turned away, talking with other friends, while his friend looked about curiously.

Many times, DM would find himself glancing at other students, almost pathetically; he always knew that dogs were social creatures, but now he knew why. He was also quite taken with the females which caught his attention- the pup was still young, and it was hard to ignore his own hormones.

Danger Mouse sighed heavily. I don't believe it, he thought. No wonder Judas takes his social life so seriously- he simply can't help himself!

Suddenly, Rudy grabbed DM by the shoulder. "Hey, dude," he said, pointing off to a remote corner, "check it out!"

Puzzled, Danger Mouse looked over. A tall dark-furred feline was headed his way, and there was something devious about her.

In his shock, DM took Rudy by the wrist and pulled him outside. "Come on," he urged, "we have to go!"

To say the least, Rudy was confused. "Dude, what's going on??" he queried. "That's Lisa Morel- only the most popular girl on campus- and she was checking you out!"

Of course, Danger Mouse had better common sense than that. He pulled Rudy into a secluded area, and finally got up the nerve to tell him the truth…

High in the skies above the US, the Mark III soared gracefully. Judas steered carefully but quickly, hoping to find the college campus. Penfold rested in the passenger's seat, fast asleep.

Judas groaned in frustration. Come on, he thought. I have to hurry… DM could be in danger…

After having heard the whole story, Rudy stood back in awe. "Wow," he responded. "Dude, you're not making that up, are you??"

"No!" Danger Mouse snapped, now with a British accent. "I'm absolutely serious!"

Just the same, Rudy was not so easily persuaded. "Well, I'm not sure," he admitted, "but if you can tell me one thing, then I'll know you're telling the truth."

Though uneasy, DM was desperate. "Alright," he agreed.

With a sly grin, Rudy asked, "What is the British word for 'bathroom'?"

Needless to say, Danger Mouse was quite shocked. Nevertheless, he was still obliged to reply. "What?" he remarked. "You mean the loo?"

Rudy smiled. "Well then, you have to be the real thing," he commented, adding a laugh. "The real Judas could never understand British slang. I remember when he came with me and the rest of the SBG one time- we spent two hours watching some old British TV from the 70s, and it took Judas two weeks to understand the first joke!"

While the story in itself was quite amusing, DM couldn't help but wonder about something. "Rudy," he inquired, "what is the SBG?"

"Student Body Government," Rudy answered. "It was a new idea they introduced to the college about five years ago, usually reserved for those with a decent GPA. Actually, I'm President of the student body."

It was then that Danger Mouse was struck with inspiration. "Rudy," he addressed once more, "perhaps you'd like to help me; I have a few tasks that I think you could handle…"

Meanwhile, Stiletto and Leatherhead searched for Sabrina. They had lost her in the crowd, and were now attempting to find her.

Stiletto looked about the restaurant and found the doors. "This-a way," he pressed, dragging Leatherhead outside. "Maybe she finded a way out!"

Leatherhead rolled his eyes. "Oh, good grief," he muttered. "Look here, Stiletto- sooner or later we'll bump right into her-"

At that moment, the two crows were knocked over by another bystander. Stiletto rubbed his aching head and sat up, discovering who it was he ran into.

The female feline smirked. "There you are," she murmured. "I was wondering where you went. Glad you found me."

Before any of them could say another word, the intercom came on. "May I have your attention please," a voice called out. "It seems as if the school has a few undercover agents here, working for enemies of the state… of the nation… of the world. The spies seem to be passing as other students- Marco Wheeler, Lisa Morel, and Joey Saxon. Should you find these henchmen, disguised as some of our favorite students, report them to the college administration at once. That is all."

Without warning, the whole crowd of students glared at Stiletto, Sabrina, and Leatherhead. Clearly, this was going to be a problem…

About an hour or so later, Judas and Penfold landed on the roof of the administration building of the CSUA. Quickly, they ran down the steps to the main offices. "Quick, Penfold!" he cried. "We have to hurry!"

Penfold panted heavily, tired from all the running around. "Oh, crumbs, chief!" he gasped. "I hope we're not too late."

When they at last reached the main office, Judas sighed. "So do I," he muttered.

Bursting in through the door, Judas and his assistant were surprised to see that few figures were inside. They were, however, of severe importance. Danger Mouse sat comfortably in one chair, and Rudy in another. Once more, three more familiar persons- Stiletto, Sabrina, and Leatherhead- were tied onto another large chair.

Surprised, Judas ran in and approached DM. "What… what's all this?" he questioned. "What's going on??"

"Nothing short of a quick victory," Danger Mouse answered. "With the help of your own roommate, we managed to capture these three fiends." He stopped for a moment, adding, "What I can't figure out is how they knew I was here, and what exactly they're after."

Judas smiled. "Well," he said, glancing at the three villainous henchmen, "I already knew what they were after. So, I thought we might as well end this whole thing and give them what they came for…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out…

"The Amulet of Janus!" the three henchmen cried out.

Sabrina snarled. "Hand it over, you dog!" she spat.

With a casual laugh, Judas pulled the amulet away. "Not so fast," he teased. "Before I can give you anything, you have to come clean- no more of this villainy nonsense. Turn yourselves in, and I'll give up the amulet."

After some consideration, they nodded. "We surrender," they said simultaneously.

Grinning, Judas snapped his fingers. "Rudy, would you mind loosening those ropes?" he suggested, winking. "I think they have deserved it."

Understanding his friend's motives, Rudy loosened the ropes. "Sure," he agreed.

It was then that Sabrina leapt up from her seat and knocked Judas to the floor. Quickly, Leatherhead grabbed the amulet as Stiletto called for their vehicle.

The dark-furred feline grinned a toothy grin. "We're out of here," she remarked, as she and her fellow henchmen made their exit. "Later, idiots!"

As the henchmen made their escape, Danger Mouse stood back in anguish and anger. "Judas!" he screamed. "What have you done?!"

Of course, Judas had made the best of his heightened intellect. "Simple," he explained. "I let them take a fake amulet, fashioned by the professor. It's equipped with a tracking device, so we can keep an eye on them… at least, until they find out it's a fake."

To say the least, DM was impressed. "Good show, Judas," he congratulated. "Job well done."

Judas smirked. "Thanks," he responded, "you, too."

With that simple act of accomplishment and gratitude, a mysterious change came about. None of them were sure what exactly happened, but it was more than evident when Danger Mouse and Judas finally opened their eyes…

Danger Mouse opened his eyes, and noticed who it was he was looking at. "Judas," he murmured, "I believe we've done it!"

Upon noticing this, Judas' jaw dropped in amazement. "Yes!" he cried, jutting his arms downward in a victorious manner. "Dude! I'm back! I'm back in my own body!"

Rudy smirked. "Yup," he muttered, "that's Judas alright."

Surprised, Penfold rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "Crumbs!" he exclaimed, approaching the agent. "Chief, how did you manage??"

DM sighed. "Well, truth be told, I almost didn't," he admitted, looking at Judas and Rudy out of the corner of his eye. "However, I did have some help along the way…"

Midnight eventually came to the Atlantic Ocean… at least, that was where the three henchmen were located, traveling at the speed they were.

Stiletto took the amulet from his pocket- Sabrina had given it to him for safekeeping. He admired the sheer beauty of the glistening relic; he still couldn't believe that they actually got their hands on it. The Baron would most definitely be pleased.

Sabrina sighed while Leatherhead slept comfortably at the side of the craft. Needless to say, everyone was exhausted from the chase.

A smirk crossed the female feline's face. "That was weird," she remarked. "I still can't believe we actually did it."

The Italian henchman laughed. "Don't-a worry, Sabrina," he assured, holding up the amulet. "Barone- he's-a gonna get his amulet."

Still, Sabrina remained unconvinced. "I don't know," she murmured, turning to her friend. "Stiletto, didn't it look a little… well, phony?"

Perplexed, Stiletto shrugged. It looked convincing enough to him, but then again he was always a tad gullible.

Once more, Sabrina sighed, leaning on the UFO railings. "I guess it doesn't matter anyway," she commented. "What matters is that we have the amulet, and Greenback should stay off our backs for a little while."

Suddenly, a quiet beeping alerted the two henchmen. From her keen sense of hearing, Sabrina could tell where it was coming from, and unfortunately her suspicions were correct. She grabbed the amulet from Stiletto and screamed, "It's a tracking device!"

Quickly, Stiletto took the device from his friend and threw it over the railings. He didn't want to be caught, and he didn't want his friends caught either!

The dark-furred feline smiled. "Thanks," she responded.

After a moment of thought, the tall hench-crow realized his potential mistake. "Ai, not-a so soon," he replied. "If-a we re-spin and Barone finds out-a that we no have the amulet-"

"It'll be better than returning with a tracking device disguised as the amulet," Sabrina reasoned. "All we have to do is explain to the Baron what happened; I'm sure he'll give us another chance."

Stiletto turned to his companion. "If-a he doesn't?" he inquired.

Sabrina smirked. "We can manage for a few days," she answered. "I just need you to call in a few favors, and we'll be back with the Baron in no time…"

A few days later, back at the Mayfare pillar-box, Judas had gotten resettled back into the guest room. The case had gone on for a few days, but overall it had been a failure- apparently the tracking device was found at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. However, no one had dared to steal anymore treasures from the Pompeii exhibit, so there had been partial success.

Judas stepped in from the other room and noticed Danger Mouse, buried in his studies. He knew how smart the agent really was, but deep down even he knew that the pooch's poor intellect had given him a disadvantage on the test.

With a heavy sigh, Judas approached DM and sat down next to him. "Hey, dude," he said, "can we talk?"

Concerned, the agent placed his studies aside. "Of course," he agreed.

The American pup hung his head. "I gotta say," he began, pausing briefly, "what you do… you know, as an agent… it's hard, man. No offense, it's still cool and all, but… it's so frustrating. Had it been just me… well, I don't think I could have handled it."

Danger Mouse smirked. "Are you trying to apologize?" he queried.

Biting his lower lip, Judas sheepishly nodded.

Though grateful, DM could not help but laugh. "Hold on a moment," he stated. "I have my own apologies- your studies may be menial work to me… but you seem to have other, more obvious problems to deal with. You're a young, social creature- you have more things on your mind than I did when I was your age."

In an attempt to be playful, Judas cocked his ears in a confusing gesture. "You were my age?" he scoffed. "Fat chance!"

The agent then remembered something. "Oh, Judas," he addressed, "there are a few parcels for you in your bedroom. Why don't you go and get those?"

The pooch swiftly disappeared into his room, soon discovering what Danger Mouse had been hinting. "Alright- presents!" he shouted.

"One of those is from me," DM admitted. "There's also one from Penfold, and one from the professor. The rest are from friends and family."

Of course, Judas was too excited to care who they were from. He went through each package, trying to decide which one to open first. "Let's see," he muttered. "This big one is from Rudy… oh, this one has to be from mom and dad… this one must be Penfold's…"

The agent sighed and shook his head. Why should he care? It was the pup's birthday. Besides, an old proverb once said, "Ignorance is bliss…"

THE END! =^-^=

PS- Yeah, this one was kind of rushed too. It was a pretty long story, and it's very hard to shorten this kind of scenario. Ah, well- more to enjoy, right? ~_^