|
|
Author's Prologue
Harukami: sweatdrop I meant to stop there! Really I did!
She of no 'net name: Yeah, right. I believe you. Really.
Xelloss: No good stopping when you just get to the good part.
Zelgadis: Which good part would this be?
Xelloss: Your good parts!
Amelia: groan I get to be beat on again, ne?
Harukami: Actually, this part is MOSTLY about you and Guntair, although not completely.
Amelia: Isn't that what I said?
Guntair: Huh. I should have known it was this author when I got the casting call.
Harukami: It had better be me, I made and own you.
Guntair: Sure. That's what you SAY. We all know I'm real, though.
She of no 'net name: Whatever you say, Gun-kun. Whatever you say.
Harukami: ~_~;
Xelloss: Ne, Val-kun hasn't shown up yet in the intro. That's unusual.
Val: Mmmm.... mmmm.... Huh? What? Did someone call me?
Garv: Get back here, Val-chan! I'm not finished with you yet! kiss
Val: Mm...
Xelloss: Ah.
She of no 'net name: Aw, how cute!
Lina: Whaat? You managed to get those stupid signs up everywhere? I am NOT the Knight of Shabrinigido!
She of no 'net name: Are too! Are too!
Xelloss: Everyone welcome Lina-sama!
almost minna: clapping Yay! Go Knight!
Zelgadis: It still stands, Lina. Join his side and we have to kill you.
Gourry: sad Yeah...
Lina: Grrrr... chant sequence for Dragon Slave
Harukami: Quick! Onto the fic before she finishes!
"Honey piiiiie! That Dragon's threatening me! Get him!" Grinning like the maniac he was, Xelloss dodged Guntair's angry sword swings, hiding behind the sweatdropping chimera. "Honey pie, are you just going to let him get away with this?"
Zelgadis sighed as the Black Dragon's ten-foot blade deflected off his shoulder. [W1] "Do you mind? It's not my fault he's incredibly annoying." He shrugged at Guntair.
The Mazoku tugged at his ears. [B1] "Honey pie, how can you say that?"
"Because it's true."
"I know," Xelloss smiled. "But you always try to spoil my fun."
"Oh, do I?" Zelgadis asked mildly.
Xelloss pinged at a scale with his fingernail. "Perhaps not always."
Amelia turned away and sighed. So. She'd suspected that Xelloss was... in love with Zelgadis, and it seemed, from the vein of his teasing, that that was getting more and more likely. Maybe they were already lovers. The way Zelgadis was reacting...
"You... you FRUITCAKE!" Amelia looked up to see Xelloss and Zelgadis get into a fist-fight.
Then again, maybe they weren't.
It wouldn't be so terrible if she just KNEW!
Would it?
Maybe, Amelia gulped, maybe anyone who she fell in love with wouldn't love her...
No. That was stupid. They said your first love never worked out.
Her survival instincts kicked in and she ducked as Guntair's sword whistled through the air where her head had been. Guntair froze in the process of sitting down next to her. "Sorry!" he said quickly, shifting his sword to rest on his other shoulder. "I come to see how you're doing and instead I almost kill you!" [W2]
Amelia laughed shakily. "It's okay. With this group, I'm used to almost dying. I was just lost in my thoughts."
"Oh." Guntair looked down. "Uh. Yeah. So. Um."
The young shaman waited. "Did you want to say something?"
"Uh... well, I wanted - "
"CUT IT OUT, YOU GUYS!" Lina bellowed. "WE'LL NEVER GET OFF THE ISLAND AT THIS RATE!"
The two fist-fighters paused. Xelloss struggled out from under one of Zelgadis's arms to smile at Lina. "Don't worry, I'll put you up at my place for a night! Will you want separate or shared sleeping quarters? I'll do my best for the Knight of Shabrinigido."
"I AM NOT THE - " Lina took a deep breath. "Shared quarters would be fine. I don't want to impose."
"Great," Guntair muttered. "A Mazoku knows where I'm sleeping. I should be pleased about this?" [B2]
Xelloss laughed at him. "Don't be so uptight. Now can I go back to getting my hands all over Zel?"
Zelgadis's jaw dropped. "You..." He slammed a fist into Xelloss's face. "Ecchi!"
"Ow, Zel, not now... no, put down that rock!" Tussling ensued again. [W3]
Guntair glowered. "So why should I like this Zelgadis? He's doesn't seem to care about how this sort of thing must hurt you!" He waved at the tussling pair. Looking at Amelia, he asked, "Are you alright?"
She blushed. "Yeah. As I said... he's sort of more an older brother." Liar. [B3] "Though their tussling is more flirtatious than usual."
"Call mercy, fruitcake!"
"Uh-uh! You'll have to hurt me a lot more before that happens!"
Amelia turned back to Guntair. "So, what were you saying?"
"Oh," Guntair coughed. "Nothing, really." He stood, and Amelia ducked another sword swing. "Want to explore the island?"
Wolf howls rose again.
"..."
"Or not. I guess I'll break up the Mazoku and the chimera's fight." He smiled, showing pointed canines. "Forcibly, I hope."
Amelia sighed.
"THIS is our room?" Guntair asked dryly, looking pointedly at the one and only feature: the jumbo bed.
Xelloss smiled. "No. This is MY room. I'm making yours right now."
Amelia stared, eyes wide. "But... the bed. It's so... big. I didn't even think you slept. What do you DO..." she stopped suddenly, cheeks flaming.
"I make the bedsprings squeak." He put a hand out and demonstrated. "Keeps me entertained for hours." He turned, blinking innocently. "Zel, maybe you should see a doctor. That cough sounds nasty.
"..."
"And you're so flushed!"
Everyone shifted uneasily. "Uh," Lina said. "Our rooms?"
"Get distracted, did I? Well, here you go." Xelloss clapped cheerfully, and pits opened up under everyone's feet but Zelgadis and Xelloss's. He smiled.
Zelgadis's eyes narrowed. "What did you do?" he asked suspiciously.
"KYAAAAA!" Lina screamed as she fell, hit a bed, and bounced five feet in the air again. "Woah! Levitat-ion!" Slowing her momentum as the spell took effect, she took a look around.
A bed was the central feature of the room, with bright, garish bedsheets. A clothes hook and a mirror were the only other features. [B4] Carefully, she attempted to touch down on the nothingness which everything rested on and felt solid floor, although it appeared to be nothing but space. Pushing off towards the ceiling, she attempted to go through the hole, but it, as well, was solid. "XELLOSS!!!"
The Mazoku's voice echoed in the room. "Ne, Lina-san, isn't the room pleasant?"
"How do I get OUT of here?" Lina hollered, slamming her fist against the nothing-ceiling.
"Oh, I'll let you out for breakfast tomorrow," Xelloss's voice said cheerfully. "But I have to create this, you know, and it gives me a headache if I make every room connected. I don't need a headache right now. Do you like the bedsheets?"
Lina peered at them. Focussing, she saw the words, 'Welcome, Knight of Shabrinigido!' and a picture of HER, giving a victory sign, with her eyes a ruby red. "Grrr... XELLOSS!!"
"And enjoy the company! Bye bye!" the voice faded away.
"What does that mean?! Come back here, you annoying - "
"Aw, man - that hurt!" Gourry moaned, sitting up from where he'd crumpled on the ground. He blinked and looked around, and his eyes widened in fear. "Huh... Augh! I'm falling! I'm FALLING! Help meeeee!"
Lina sighed, landed, and walked over to hold out a hand to Gourry. She was used to his phobia by this time. "Here, get on the bed. You'll feel better."
Eyes wide, he scrambled over to the bed and dragged himself onto it. Sitting there, he pulled his knees up to his chest. "I was falling, Lina, really I was!"
She sighed. "I know, Gourry." Sitting beside him on the bed, she patted his shoulder, trying to calm him. "I know." [B5]
He put his head on his knees.
"Gourry, WHY are you afraid of heights?"
Gourry shook his head. "Dunno, Lina. My family never said, I don't think."
"You don't remember?"
"No." He flushed slightly. "I don't remember anything past the time my parents found me."
Lina's eyes widened. Gourry had been found? Adopted? "Oh. Sorry for asking."
"Why?" Gourry had nothing but curiousity in his eyes.
"Nothing." She slid off the bed. "You take the bed this time. I'll sleep on the floor."
The blond swordsman shook his head stubbornly. "No. I won't let a lady sleep on the floor."
"But you'll just have another panic attack!"
"It doesn't matter. You take the bed."
This was going nowhere. "OK. We both take the bed and sleep on the edges."
"But..."
"But nothing. You'll be a gentleman, won't you?"
Gourry blushed. "Yeah." [B6]
"OK. I'll get on the other side." Lina walked around to the other side and sat down. By mutual consensus, neither of them undressed.
Lina laid down and sighed. So did Gourry. As soon as they were still, the bed dipped in the middle. Rolling towards each other, they stopped pressed up very closely. Lina scowled. "This is hard."
"I'm sorry!" Gourry blushed. "I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!"
The sorceress's eyes widened as she took in his meaning. "Gourry, you pervert!" [B7]
SLAP [W4]
Amelia and Guntair looked at each other. They looked at the...single... bed.
"Uh," Guntair said.
The shaman peered at the bed sheets. "There seems to be writing here. Uh, let's see... 'Just... get... on... with... it... you... two...'." As her mind deciphered what her mouth had just read, her face got the idea to blush. "ANO!"
"THAT STUPID MAZOKU!" Guntair howled. "WHY, I OUGHTA..."[W5]
Amelia wondered why he didn't finish that sentence.
Guntair hunched over, and stripped off his shirt. [B8] "Gun..." Amelia began, blush deepening.
Then she saw the wings growing from his back as he shifted to his half-Dragon form.
"I'm coming up there to kill you," Guntair shouted, flying at top speed towards the space they'd fallen from.
And hit a solid barrier. "I-TAIIII!" He plummeted back down and changed back. "Damn! Amelia, you're the younger, you get the bed. I'll sleep on the floor."
"I don't really feel right about..."
"You don't want to take away my reputation as a gentleman, do you?" [B9]
Amelia couldn't stop blushing. "No."
"Then take the bed."
"Ok."
Soon, Amelia felt sleep begin to overtake her. Just before she dropped off, she heard a harsh whisper. "Amelia-chan... you awake?"
'No,' she decided, not saying anything aloud.
The Black Dragon dropped back onto the disgusting, Mazoku- created floor with a sigh. "The damnedest thing," he mumbled, "is I don't know how he knew that I -"
Amelia fell asleep. [W6]
Zelgadis's eyes widened as Xelloss turned back from his conversation with Lina. "You didn't."
"Didn't I?"
"You did."
"Great second guess."
The chimera flopped down onto the bed with a sigh. "You are so..."
Xelloss waited for Zelgadis to finish the sentence, and when he didn't, he started filling in possible words. "Sexy? Daring? Adorable? Sadistic? Masochistic? Purple? Tall? Irresistible? Say something!"
"I was going to say, 'dead in the morning', but I guess that masochistic covers that."
The Mazoku smiled. "Oh, I'll live. You see, Someone promised to put in an appearance."
"'someone'?"
"Capitalize it."
Zelgadis's eyes widened. "You mean your Someone?"
"That's right."
The chimera sighed. "That should be... interesting." He paused. "Look, Xelloss, I hope you weren't upset about earlier."
Xelloss tilted his head curiously. "Upset about earlier. What about earlier is there to be upset about?"
"You know, fighting and all that."
"And I thought you just wanted an excuse to get your hands all over me." [B10]
Zelgadis blushed. "I just..."
"... don't want the others to know? If it bothers you..."
"It's not so much that. I just don't want everyone to think that I..." the shaman hesitated. "...There's no way I can end that that sounds nice, is there?"
"That you fell for a fruitcake? A Mazoku one at that? Who is male? And generally is bent on the opposite goals of most of the group? And is suspected still by all of them of probably being an enemy?"
"Yeah. That I fell for you."
The Mazoku smiled. "Keeping secrets is my specialty. But if it isn't too difficult for you... why? Why do you care about what the others think?"
"I - I don't know. I just..." Zelgadis glanced down. "I don't want to hurt Amelia more than necessary. And... and I'm embarrassed. I don't know why! I'm sorry!"
Xelloss shook his head. "They say that that happens for the first little while, but I don't really remember that far back, myself. As to the rest... your secret's safe. As safe as it gets. I don't understand most of your reasons, but I'll honour them. Actually, there's a lot about you I still don't understand." Xelloss wrapped his arm around the chimera and buried his face in the scaled neck. "But I look forward to learning. Never give up a learning experience, you know." [B11]
It was morning by now, surely. It had to be morning.
Guntair raised a hand. It was fuzzy. Maybe he should have really tried to sleep. But he didn't WANT to sleep in a place created by a Mazoku! Even if said Mazoku actually HADN'T done anything yet. [B12]
"Papa..." Amelia murmured from the bed, rolling over.
Strange, that. How every single bit of important things seemed to focus when she moved. "No, no more spinach... 's unjust..." She continued rolling. Off the bed.
The Black Dragon squeaked and tried to move away, but his reflexes were fuzzed. She landed on him and sighed contentedly, curling up on his stomach. "Cookie's ok."
Freezing, Guntair felt his brain explode. He was somewhere between abject terror(a remainder of his days with Yume) and ecstasy. Maybe he should wake Amelia up. No, that would require a connection from his brain to his dead body. Uh. Now what? [W7]
"Mmm..." Amelia sighed, nuzzling into his chest.
He whimpered.
Amelia opened her eyes. "Uh... Guntair? What are you doing there?" she asked sleepily.
"Fall. Bed. Off of. You."
"Huh?"
"I. Um... " Maybe his face was steaming.
The young shaman came more awake. "What?! You... you enemy of Justice! How dare you take advantage of a young girl in this situation?!" She grabbed his shoulders and began shaking him.
Too much, Guntair decided, and fainted for the first time in years.
Amelia blinked, looking around. Wait. She was on the floor. Not the bed. In fact, it looked like she'd fallen off the bed, to where Guntair was laying. Had that been what he was trying to say?
"Wake up! I'm sorry!" she shook him again. He flopped weakly. "Oh no! I've killed him!" [B13]
Xelloss stuck his head down out of the nothing-ceiling. "Hey, it's time for break... oh, dear, seems to have been bad timing. But there's a bed right there, why the floor?" [B14]
The princess turned tear-filled eyes to him. "I think I killed him," she wailed, not really listening.
"What enthusiasm!" Xelloss murmured, eyes wide with surprise. In the background, there was the noise of someone choking. "However, Amelia-san, hitting his head on the floor can't be helping."
Face doing a slow burn, Amelia stopped shaking him. "Guntair-kun?"
He came awake again. "Uh... Amelia-chan? What're you doing there?" [B15]
"Didn't I ask that?"
"Uh..."
Xelloss cleared his throat. "If you two will stop with the foreplay, breakfast is ready."
Blushes burned on both their faces, then Guntair growled, angry. "What are you implying?!"
"That it's gonna get cold if you dally there all morning," Xelloss replied, withdrawing his head.
Guntair's growl deepened, then he sighed, realizing it was basically useless. He snagged his shirt with one hand while transforming into his half-ryuu form. "Hop on, Amelia, I'll take you up."
Unaccountably, Amelia's blush only deepened.
Xelloss grinned as he stuck his head down the other hole, feeling Zelgadis's eyes on his back. "Good morning, Lina-sama! How did you sle - " [B16]
"FIREBALL!"
Falling back crispied, Xelloss landed at Zelgadis's feet. "Itai..." he sighed contentedly.
"Told you," Zelgadis smirked.
Voices floated up from the new hole. "But Lina! How do we get up there?"
"Oh... half a second. Levitat-ion!"
"AAAHHH! I'M FALLING!"
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE CLUTCHING, YOU PERVERT!"
"LIIIINAAAA! I'M FALLING!"
They arrived just as Xelloss staggered to his feet. Amelia and Guntair were already there. "Well," Xelloss murmured, bouncing back like a badly-aimed rubber band, "if you'll follow me to the next room, we'll get breakfast underway."
Guntair ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "What are we having?"
"Well," Xelloss smiled, "I've already eaten, but..."
"Eaten what?" Guntair asked suspiciously.
"A normal Mazoku breakfast, negative human emotions. But anyway, I think the Dragon Eggs are almost done." Xelloss phazed out just in time as a sword cut through the air where he had been. "Why, Gun-kun, whatever's wrong?"
Everyone scattered as the Dragon started swinging wildly. "Bastard Mazoku! How dare you! You only ever..."
Xelloss put his hands up, laughing and sweatdropping. "You get so worked up over a little joke!"
"Joke?"
"Yes, joke. You know, thing said or done to cause laughter."
"IT WASN'T FUNNY!"
The Mazoku tsked. "If you'd bothered to smell the air, you would have noticed I put on sausages, not eggs."
Immediately, Lina, Gourry, and Amelia began to drool. "Sausages?" Amelia asked. "What kind of sausages?"
"Hmm? Oh, that's not important. Anyway, let's go." He led the way to the 'kitchen'. "Knight-sama, what do you want, ten or fifteen?"
"Twenty!" Lina ignored the 'knight' just this once. [B17]
Xelloss had them all served and actually in a good mood in no time. "I've never tasted meat this yummy before!" Gourry exclaimed.
"Oh, you know, good hunting on this island," Xelloss smiled modestly. "Sometimes we even cultivate this kind."
Guntair still hadn't touched his. "What kind?"
Suddenly, a pretty young dark-skinned woman bounded into the room, her blond hair trailing out behind her. Her long ears twitched as she sniffed. "Xelloss, you cooked! And I haven't had human meat for so long!"
Dead silence, except for the sound of Amelia dropping her fork.
The woman looked at them, and sighed. It was then that they noticed her eyes were even more frightening than Xelloss's. "It was a joke."
People didn't begin eating.
"By the smell," the woman continued, "I'd say it was Trillin meat. Trillins are small mammals that live only in this small area. Quite delicious creatures."
They began eating again.
"You two share the same humour," Guntair noted dryly. "She your lover, Xelloss-kun?" [B18]
Xelloss fell off his stool. "Uh... no."
The pretty woman produced a plate out of nothing, and began serving herself sausages, sniffing each before putting them on her plate. "No. I'm his master." [W8]
Dead silence, except for the sound of Amelia dropping her fork.
Lina pointed and her mouth moved several times before words came out. "You... YOU'RE the Beastmaster?!"
Guntair growled.
Xellas ignored this, smiling at Lina instead. "Yes. And you are the Knight of Shabrinigido-sama, I believe.
The sorceress stared at her plate. "There's some mistake. I am not the Knight of Shabrinigido, and I never will be."
The Beastmaster shook her head. "Oh, you most definitely are. I'd recognize Shabrinigido's touch anywhere."
"Look, even if I DID have the power to be the Knight of Shabrinigido - which I don't - "
"Yes, you do," Xelloss piped up, rising from the floor.
" - I don't particularly want to be the protector and fighter for a bunch of heartless killers who live off human fear and hate. No offense."
"None taken," Xellas responded, half-closing her eyes. "But you might find the power quite attractive if you think about it. Oh, and Xelloss?"
"Yes, Xellas-sama?" The others were surprised to see the near-subservient behaviour the priest was exhibiting.
"You will continue to travel with these wonderful people, will you not? I believe you have your own reasons for doing so as well."
"Definitely, Xellas-sama!" Xelloss smiled.
"Great," Guntair muttered.
The Beastmaster began eating the sausages, and raised her eyebrows at Xelloss. She swallowed. "Aren't you going to introduce me to the others? I already know the nice chimera - "
Zelgadis prudently ducked his head. "My lady." [B19]
" - see? He's such a sweetheart. But who is everyone else?"
Xelloss smiled at her way of getting to be politely introduced, considering she knew them all almost as well as he did, through his reports. "Well, this adorable little shaman is Amelia," he patted Amelia's head. Guntair growled more loudly than before. [B20] "Amelia Wil Tessla Seiryuun, champion of justice. Which means that she's nearly out of a job."
Amelia looked down, stammering. "Uh-- pleased to meet you?" she ventured, deciding that it might be better than trying to argue the point. [W9]
"That," Xelloss pointed, "is Gourry Gabriev. He's a swordsman, and not much more."
Lina scowled. Gourry smiled. "'S right! Nice to meet you! There's a lot of wolves on this island, isn't there?"
Xellas blinked. "Yes. That's right. Plenty of wolves."
Her servant recovered from his fit of hysterics in record time. "And the Black Dragon over there is Guntair, no last name given, so he's probably not important. He did eat Yume-san, though."
The Beastmaster smiled. "Getting rid of her was a pleasant surprise. Good of him to take her off my pa - uh, hands." [B21]
Guntair snarled at her. "I didn't do it for you. I hate Mazoku."
"I know. It's quite delicious." Xellas shook back her long hair. "I am Xellas Metallium. Of course, it is good to meet you all personally. I hope to get much closer to you all, over time." Her smile was almost predatory. "Especially the Knight of Shabrinigido."
"I. Am. Not. The. Mazoku. Knight. CAN YOU ALL GET THAT THROUGH YOUR HEADS?!"
It was obvious Xelloss had learned his dangerous smile from his master. "You could always find another piece of Shabrinigido-sama himself and ask him. I'm sure he would be more than willing to tell you."
"AND WHY SHOULD I TRUST WHAT HE'D SAY? HE TRIED TO KILL ME!" [B22]
Xellas tilted her head. "Don't most people? From what I heard, that seems to be the trend. And he was in such a bad mood from being dismembered and all that. I'm sure you can understand."
"It was his own fault," Lina sulked.
"Probably, he was a little arrogant. But when you're a demon god, you're allowed to be. From what we understand, though, he's been rather interested in you since. Especially since he was nearly certain you were his Knight. And now we all know it."
"I AM NOT! NOT! I should know!"
"And he shouldn't?"
"Well... yeah, but..."
Xelloss prudently changed the subject. His master would understand. Break her in slowly. "Sooo... where're we heading now, minna-san?"
Guntair coughed slightly. "I was hoping we could visit my family, and tell them that I'm okay now... and find out the truth about the hatchlings... It's - " he paused, looking at the two Mazoku, " - down fairly south."
"Oh," Xellas dismissed. "We know where all the Dragon populations are located. Don't worry about talking about the Koku no Tani. In fact... Xelloss, a map?"
Xelloss obediently produced one.
The Beastmaster bent over it. "If you take this nearly direct path, you should pass through all of your hometowns, starting with Seiryuun of course, then to the nice chimera's hometown, then Gourry's... and the Knight's... and then to the Koku no Tani." She smiled. "You all must visit your families. Wouldn't it be awful if they found out you were in the region and didn't visit?"
Lina moaned. "Great, it's true. Mazoku really DO love torture."
"No. I am not getting in that boat," Zelgadis stated flatly. "I hate water."
Guntair scoffed at him. "Surely you aren't afraid of getting a little wet."
"No. I'm afraid of getting very wet. Very permanently wet."
The Ryuzoku laughed disdainfully. "Oh, come on, surely you can swim."
Zelgadis smiled darkly. "Yes, I can swim. My arms make the motions just fine. I used to do a wicked dog paddle. However, ever since an unfortunate encounter with a family member of mine, I have this bad habit of sinking in water, whether I make the nice swimming motions or not. I am NOT getting in that tiny rowboat."
A light hand tapped his shoulder. "Ne, Zel, I can carry you."
Blink. "What?"
"I can do - " Xelloss flew down quickly and picked him up. " - this." He began to float out over the lake.
"THIS IS NOT FUNNY!" Zelgadis raged. "PUT ME DOWN NOW!"
"What, now? Here?"
For the first time, Zelgadis noticed they were over the water. "No! Don't!"
The others all stared at the tiny rowboat. "So, who rows?"
"You do," Lina and Amelia said together. [B23]
Guntair and Gourry sighed. "Why us?"
Lina batted her eyelashes. "You want me to ruin my delicate hands, Gourry?"
"Ne, Guntair-kun, you surely don't want li'l ol' me to row, do you?"
The two men looked at each other. "Why do I know that I'm going to give in?" Guntair sighed.
Gourry shrugged. "Dunno. But it always works like that."
The trip to the mainland was, to put it frankly, embarrassing. There was the time Gourry thought he saw something in the water and dropped his oar to look. They couldn't get the oar back, and Guntair ended up giving his over and rowing with his sword, which didn't fit too well in the dinky rowboat anyway. And, of course, up ahead Zelgadis was clinging to Xelloss and trying not to scream as Xelloss flew in dangerous dips and swirls just to prolong the torture. But, eventually, they made it anyway.
Quickly, they rushed over to the ferryman's hut. "We brought your rowboat back," Lina called back.
The man peered out, surprised. "You... you made it! I was sure you died! Ah, you were rescuing two of your friends, I see. And you survived the Mazoku. Was it bad?"
"Oh, terrible," Xelloss gushed, putting a hand to his heart. "She had us chained up and was torturing us terribly! She is a completely evil character! She even made us ruin our most prized possessions! Terrible, terrible! Never trust a Mazoku, my good sir, and especially not that evil, evil being. Oh, my heart!" He broke into fake tears. [B24]
The ferryman shook his head. "I can tell it was a true trial for you," he sighed as everyone else lay on the ground, twitching. "But did you kill that evil creature?"
"Oh, no, escape was the best we could manage," Xelloss mourned. "These Mazoku are incredibly hard to kill, don't you know? Oh, I cannot bear to talk about it!"
"Uh - " Lina broke in, coughing hard. "You were holding onto our horses. Can we have them back now?"
The old man froze. "Uh, well... I sort of assumed you'd die like all the last ones. So I, um, sold them to the stable hands."
"You." Fire began to glow around Lina. "What?"
"BUTit'snoworry!" The ferryman assured her very quickly. "Just take my stamp to him and he'll give you only the best and put it on my tab! Honest!"
"Thank you," Lina said coldly, and they began to leave.
Xelloss patted the man on his shoulder. "Thank you for all your kind words! And remember, be careful. You never know who you meet who might be one of those evil beings." He opened his eyes, and very slowly winked at him.
The old man froze, clutching at his heart and falling over. "Ma - ma - ma - ma..."
"Zoku," Xelloss finished helpfully, and followed after the others.
Maybe he'd have a heart attack and die.
That could be nice.
"I can't believe that stupid old man sold our horses," Lina griped when they were on the road. "I hope he has a heart attack and dies, or something."
Xelloss smiled. "Your wish was my command, Knight-sama."
Lina looked at him suspiciously. "What did you do?"
"Do?" Xelloss looked innocent. "Why do you think I did anything?"
"Because you're you."
"I didn't DO anything. I just said stuff. And looked at him a little. And his seizures weren't too bad. He might have lived." Xelloss smiled brightly.
"I can't believe you! We have to go back and check on him!" Amelia exclaimed.
"Oh, don't bother. Even if he did die, they'd have found him already."
The trip was uneventful. Well, almost uneventful.
Xelloss blinked suddenly, looking towards the horizon. A smile bloomed on his face.
"What?" asked Zelgadis. He was grumpier than usual. He'd been riding for an awfully long time, and he was more sore than he was used to. [B25]
"Nan demo."
"No, I recognize that smile. What?"
"You'll see."
"Do I have to blast you?"
"That would be nice." [B26]
Suddenly, a bunch of Lesser Mazoku surrounded them. The leader, an ugly brute with two horns, laughed. "Well, a bunch of yummy looking humans. Prepare to - " He paused, and his eyes widened. "Aw, shit!" He threw himself to the ground, prostrate. "Guys, get down!"
They looked more closely at the group and their faces showed various states of excitement and terror. They also flung themselves to the ground.
Xelloss snickered.
"Oh great Knight of Shabrinigido-sama," the leader intoned, then looked up, stars in his eyes. "Can I have your autograph?!"
Lina twitched. She began to glow red. "I AM NOT THE - "
KABOOM [B27]
The rest of the trip was uneventful.
"Look!" Amelia pointed over the hill. "There's Seiryuun! Oh, it's so good to be home!"
Guntair smiled at the shaman. Then his eyebrows creased. "Amelia, can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Uh - " Amelia glanced around at the others. They all were looking carefully away, whistling. "Okay, I guess. There's a big tree over there - "
The Ryuzoku grabbed her wrist, and Amelia ducked his sword as he spun and dragged her behind the tree.
Amelia laughed nervously. "So, Guntair-kun, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I - uh, well... nothing, really." He blushed.
She sighed. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
"No! Of course not!"
"Then don't tell me 'nothing'. You keep doing that!"
He sighed and stared at the ground, kicking at the stone. "Amelia... I really admire you."
"Thanks."
"No, don't thank me. Not yet. I... I know I'm not even your own race. I know I'm nothing really special. But... somehow you've become so very important to me... even after what Yume did. You risked yourself for me. You cared, when nobody else had. You were sweet and kind and beautiful and..." his eyes teared up. "I know I'm dirty after Yume. But... but I love you! I'm sorry. After Zelgadis, it's got to be tough, but... I'm sorry."
Amelia swallowed. What to do? She liked Guntair... a lot... She WAS attracted to him... but love? She just wasn't sure. It was too sudden. After Zelgadis... but if she stayed silent, it would be just like it had been with Zelgadis and her... she should give him a chance! She didn't want to hurt him... or lose him in her silence...
She blinked. "I... love you too, I think. I'm not certain, love is a difficult thing. But... I want to share myself with you. However," she raised a stern finger at his sudden joy, "we can't do anything but date for a long time."
"That's okay! As long as I can be with you!"
"I AM a princess, after all, and it's going to be difficult enough to tell this to father without," she blushed, "other things."
"Oh, this is great! I'm so happy that you care! I - I - " he stopped. "You're a what?!" [B28]
Amelia sighed. "Didn't you wonder why my family name was Seiryuun?"
He pointed at her, gulping. "So your father whom I am to meet is a king?"
"No, just a prince." [B29] Amelia grabbed his hand and dragged him with her, chatting happily to the Dragon, whose eyes were as large as saucers. "He's really nice, and he taught me everything I know, well, that's everything that Lina-san and Zelgadis-san didn't teach me. I'm sure he'll like you a lot!"
The others watched as Amelia dragged the shell-shocked Guntair along. "Methinks the boy is whipped," Xelloss stage whispered.
"Oh, and look, Gun-kun! They got the tower rebuilt! Oh, this is fantastic, it means he won't be mad at me anymore! I didn't mean to blow it up!"
Guntair's sword slipped from numbed hands. The others dodged. Xelloss picked it up as though it weighed nothing and slung it over his shoulder, mocking Guntair.
Amelia glanced back over her shoulder. "Hurry up, everyone! Xelloss-san, give that back! How did you get that, anyway?"
The Mazoku shrugged. "Here, Gun-kun, catch!" He reversed the blade and tossed it lightly at Guntair. The hilt smacked into the Dragon's head, knocking him to the ground, where he lay twitching.
"Gun-kun!" She bent down and checked briefly that he was alright, then stood in front of Xelloss, planting a hand on her hip and extending a finger. "Throwing large dangerous objects at people is unjust and cruel, you know!"
Xelloss smiled. "Is it? I never guessed!"
"You did that on purpose!" Amelia began to glow with the power of Justice.
"Who, me?" Xelloss looked affronted. "Any GOOD swordsman can catch their own blade when tossed at them."
In the background, Gourry was digging a trench with light speed and Zelgadis and Lina had donned hard hats.
"So you're saying that Gun-kun isn't a good swordsman? I really HATE you!" A pair of jumbo boxing gloves appeared and belted Xelloss into the stratosphere. [W10]
"That had to have hurt," Gourry commented from the trench.
Guntair moaned. "Did you get the number of that donkey cart?"
The boxing gloves faded out of existence as Amelia's anger turned to concern. "Gun... are you okay?! I was so scared! My poor Gun-kun!"
From the trench, retching sounds emerged. Xelloss had returned, now wearing full military regalia and a little x-shaped band-aid on his forehead.
They blinked at him. He shrugged and was back in his normal outfit immediately.
"I'm okay," Guntair laughed nervously, hand behind head. "I guess I was just a little dazed... itai!"
A growling emerged from the trench. Dryly, Zelgadis called out, "Sorry to interrupt you, but maybe we should get into Seiryuun main before Lina's stomach deafens us."
"Oh, leave me alone! I haven't eaten for a few hours!"
They climbed out of the trench. "So, Guntair," Xelloss said cheerfully, "can you walk or do you want me to carry you? It's the least I can do after being so clumsy with your blade."
"Touch me and die, Mazoku."
"Ma, ma."
They attracted a lot of attention on their trip to Seiryuun's palace. People immediately recognized their beloved princess, and were shocked to see her in the company of a large, slit-pupiled man with a ten-foot sword, a floating priest who occasionally terrorized the crowd, a blue-skinned, scaled creature, and two others who had been on wanted posters a few years ago and were famous for leaving towns they passed through as smoking craters.
Tallis smiled. This was too good to miss. Finally, he had some dirt on the princess...
A courtier cleared his throat. "Your Royal Highness?"
Prince Philionel sighed. "What is it, another document I am to sign?"
The courtier coughed. "No, Your Highness. There are people here to see you. One of whom you should be most glad to see."
This piqued the Prince's interest. "Who could that be?" he said in his usual growly voice. "Well, show them in."
"Ow!"
"Hey, leggo!"
"Watch it with that!"
"Do you MIND?"
"No, I don't mind at all."
"Damn Mazoku."
Phil blinked at the voices coming from the hall, then rose to his feet as a jumble of people tumbled into the room. A small figure squirmed out from under the pile, and curtseyed. "Your Royal Highness, I, Amelia Wil Tessla Seiryuun, ask permission to enter your throne room."
Barely able to make it through the rest of the formalities due to the huge grin on his face, he answered, "Granted, daughter mine." He flung his arms open. "Amelia-chan!"
"PAPA!" She ran to him and he picked her up and placed her on his shoulder. "Papa, I've got so much to tell you!"
"Amelia-chan! You've been gone so long! Surely you didn't think I was THAT upset about the tower, did you?"
"Papa, I've been on adventures!" Her eyes sparkled. "I've fought for JUSTICE!"
"THAT'S MY GIRL!" he roared, bouncing her on his shoulder.
"And... and... I have a boyfriend!"
"WHAT?!?"
Lina patted the wide-eyed Guntair on the shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay, Guntair-kun. He's really a pacifist at heart."
"But..." he whispered to her. "But, he looks like a..."
"Bandit? That's what I thought too."
"WHICH ONE IS HE?!" Phil roared, mustache bristling. Guntair swallowed hard and stepped forward.
"Uh... your Highness... I guess that's me."
"Amelia-chan?"
"Yes, papa?"
"Why does he have slit pupils?"
Amelia smiled brightly. "Because he's a Dragon, papa!" She jumped off her father's shoulder, slipped, and smacked her face on the floor. Both Phil and Guntair took a step towards her but she bounced upright again, flashing a victory sign. "Almost made it that time!" She bounded over and gave Guntair a big hug around the waist. "I care for him a lot, papa!"
Phil sighed and rubbed his forehead. "But, Amelia-chan, he's a Dragon."
"Yes, papa."
"Which means he's not human."
"Yes, papa." She frowned, placed a hand on her hip, and stuck the other finger out at her papa. "It's unjust to be prejudiced against a person due to their race alone, papa! If you don't like him because of that, I cannot forgive you!"
The crown prince shook his head. "It's not that, Amelia-chan." He waved a hand expressively. "You're the Heir, you know, Amelila-chan."
Guntair spun towards Amelia, and the people behind him dodged the sword swing. "You didn't tell me that," he said, panicked.
"Does it matter? Yes, I know I'm the Heir, but..."
Prince Phil tugged on the ends of his mustache. "And, however much we may dislike it ourselves, we have to keep our line clean. Which means completely human. So I'm afraid you'll just have to break up."
"BUT PAPA!" Amelia wailed. "THAT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT JUST! IT..." Her eyes sparkled darkly as she thought of something. "You know, Dragons are really big advocates of justice."
"They are?"
The Black Dragon realized he'd been addressed. "Uh, yeah! We fight for justice all the time! The Ryuzoku are even more justice-driven than most humans!" He hoped he was saying the right things. "Justice all the way! Nothing else!"
Xelloss snickered behind them. "Unless they're stronger than you, at which point you ACK!"
Guntair smiled, having finally found a use for a ten-foot blade that sticks out behind you. "Oh, yeah. Just ask any Ryuzoku anywhere. The Black Dragons are even MORE justice-driven than any other!"
"Like the Golds, who ACK!"
"Justice. Definitely."
Amelia turned back to her father, smiling. "You see, papa! Marrying into the line can only make the royal blood MORE pure!"
Prince Phil blinked. "I never thought of that." He turned to Guntair. "All right. You have my permission to marry my daughter."
"MARRY?!"
The Prince scowled at Guntair. "Surely you intended to remain honourable?"
"Of course! But... but... but..."
Behind him, Xelloss started humming an inane tune, an amazing feat, what with having his lungs skewered by Guntair's sword.
Amelia made a save. "But it's awfully soon, papa! He just confessed his love to me a little while ago! Mustn't he prove his worthiness during his courtship?"
Phil laughed his dark laugh. "BWA HA HA!! I thought that was obvious!"
Guntair sagged, relieved. Then he stood up again. "What are the courtship rules?"
"Oh, we can't tell you that," Phil admonished. "Part of it is how well you behave on your own."
The Black Dragon sweatdropped. Why do I think this doesn't mean sharing your fresh kill? he thought, worried.
He shot a glance back at the others. Lina smiled and shook her head. Gourry and Zelgadis shrugged, not knowing any more about Seiryuun's customs than he did. Xelloss was bleeding against the far wall, having been flung there when the Dragon had turned, since he'd still been impaled on the blade.
"Amelia-chan?" Phil was saying. "Do we need to get a doctor for your friend? He looks rather... uh..."
Xelloss held a hand up. "Oh, no, no. 'Tis but a flesh wound." [W11]
"You were run through!"
"A mere scratch!" Xelloss poked at the hole in his abdomen. "No, what I need is only time to catch my breath." He laughed giddily. "That was such a rush!"
Zelgadis sighed, almost wistfully.
Phil dropped a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "So, introduce me to the rest of your friends. I know Lina-san and Gourry-san, but I've never met the others."
"Well," Amelia bounced over and clapped a hand on Zelgadis's shoulder, than winced. "This is Zelgadis Greywars. He's been teaching me a lot in Shamanism! He's been like a big brother to me!"
The chimera sweatdropped.
"He doesn't look human either, Amelia-chan."
"Well, no, but that's not his fault." She perked up. "He's PART human, though!"
Xelloss had risen, healed already, and wandered back into the main group. He was examining a candlestick on one wall. "And who's that?"
"His name's Xelloss," Amelia said reluctantly, wanting to draw attention away from the trickster priest as soon as possible.
Xelloss opened his eyes, smiled, and waved.
Zelgadis slapped his forehead. "He's going to cause trouble," he murmured, thinking aloud.
"That's... an interesting staff you have there, Xelloss-san."
The Mazoku smiled. "Isn't it? It was very difficult to get ahold of." He stroked it lovingly. "You didn't want to leave your last master, did you, baby?" he crooned to it, then turned back to Phil. "Wanna see what it can do?"
"Don't even think about it," Zelgadis mumbled, still half to himself.
"The gem must have been expensive," Phil noticed.
Xelloss's smile became darker. "Not for me."
The crown prince coughed, unaccountably nervous. "So, by the way you healed, you're not human either, right?"
"That's what it seems, ne?"
"So." Phil examined his boots. "You're a Dragon too?"
Xelloss seemed even more amused. "Well..."
Guntair snarled. "Don't even talk about that creature with such kind comparisons!"
Phil raised an eyebrow at him. "Creature?"
"He's a rotten Mazoku!"
Xelloss pouted. "Ne, Gun-kun, isn't that awfully cruel? You wound me terribly! I've never rotted!"
"No, I try to wound you." Guntair swung his sword off his shoulder, then, remembering, added, "For justice. But you just won't die and leave us in peace!"
"So you want me to leave you in peace and try to make it so by leaving me in pieces? That's so unjust!" Xelloss smiled brightly.
Phil frowned. "So he's a Mazoku? Isn't that those... demons? Amelia-chan, what are you doing travelling with a demon?!"
"Well..."
Xelloss batted his eyelashes. "I'm not that bad! Honest!" He waved a hand with his fingers crossed. "Amelia-chan, tell him that you stayed in my domain once and no harm came to you!"
"It's true," she verified, not adding that he'd tried to make her sleep with Guntair.
"And I've fought on your behalf many times. So don't be so prejudiced against me because of my race," Xelloss smiled, eyes glittering.
Guntair just growled. "One of these days, Mazoku, you'll slip up, and then you'll be sorry."
"Oh, I'm never sorry. No regrets, you know how it is."
Phil called a servant hurriedly, before fighting broke loose. "Uh, Amelia-chan, you help get your friends settled in, and then maybe you could join me in the meeting in the council chamber? I'm sure everyone will be pleased to see the Heir back."
"The Heir's back, and she's brought her fiance?!" a councilman shouted. "Impossible!"
"Now, calm down," Prince Phil tried to bring about order.
"And I've heard that the betrothed isn't even human," Tallis said, throwing another stick on the flames.
"What?! What is he?"
Phil laughed. "It's not what you think..."
Tallis waved a hand. "Some kind of monster. A Dragon, or something."
"A Dragon seduced our princess?" shocked whispers went around the room.
"Now, now," Phil soothed, "I don't believe there was any seduction involved."
A noble woman squealed, "You mean he just..."[B30]
Babble.
Phil slammed a fist on the table. "Nonsense! They both chose this and are happy!"
Tallis ran a finger around the rim of his wineglass. "You mean, the princess chose this perverted relationship?"
"Excuse me." Silence fell as Amelia stepped out of the doorway.
She was clad in a long, flowing, pure white gown. Sapphires the same colour as her eyes sparkled in her ears. Her Shamanistic pentacle dangled around her neck. However, her eyes were cold. "I do not believe that there is anything perverted in two intelligent beings falling in love. Especially when both are young and innocent, and risked their lives for each other during attempts to wipe out evil as it is encountered. Whoever can claim such a relationship to be perverted is the sick one... sick in heart, soul, and mind."
"But, Princess, he's a Dragon!"
"Not even human!"
"The people won't stand to have a non-human at a ruler's side!"
"What would the children look like?!"
Her face contorted briefly with anger before she managed to clear it again. Reminds me of one of the reasons I left, she thought dryly. "He gave up his freedom when he was barely out of childhood to save the other children of his people. He was forced to do the will of a horrible demon, but bore it by thinking of the children. Finally, he met me and my friends. He came to me and asked for my help. Together we fought and destroyed the demon. We were passing through Seiryuun on the way to inform his people he was safe and that they didn't need to worry about the children any more. He loves me. I love him. If the people do not understand at first that human does not always mean honest and just and non-human does not always mean evil, they will get to learn it when they get to know him." She smiled darkly. "And as to children, he is quite handsome, so I don't believe you must worry about their appearance."
Babble.
"But, Heir, are you two even... compatible?!"
She blushed. "He has a human form." She didn't know if Dragons and humans could crossbreed... but she wouldn't worry about that yet.
Tallis stood. "I do not think you quite understand. If this is allowed, than all of Seiryuun's proud traditions will be broken. "
"A city cannot stay in stasis!"
"Traditions are traditions. And you are discussing, quite frankly, cross-species breeding to produce the next Heir." He smiled. "There will be much debating, I think you must see. And it is possible that you will be deemed unsuitable as Heir."
Amelia cast a glance at her father. He nodded. "Much as I hate to admit it, Heir, you might be forced to step down in favour of my youngest brother... Tallis." [W12]
Guntair sighed as the servant left him alone in the large room. Finally, silence. It seemed like such a long time he'd been in silence.
He wanted to fly. His wings, though they did not exist in this form, were giving him phantom aches. He wanted to change into his true form, or at least his half form, and just fly for hours. He wanted to feel the wind in his hair or on his scales, to see the clouds rushing by. [B31]
But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't. Amelia was going to be in enough trouble as it was, without him rubbing his nature in her family's faces.
His heart ached. He didn't want to pretend to be someone else any more. He wanted to be himself. If it was just them, Amelia wouldn't mind him flying. She might ask to ride on his back. He wanted to share flight with her.
Guntair blushed. Stupid. He had to be with her as a human, even though he wasn't one. No mating flight, she was no Ryuzoku. He could handle that. As long as he just got to be with her.
Surely being human wasn't that bad.
If you were human.
But he wasn't. However human he looked, he wasn't human. He would never be human. He was a Dragon. A Ryuzoku. A creature of the air, not the land. A carnivore. A non-human.
Perhaps he should never have confessed to Amelia about how he felt.
NO! They'd work something out. He loved her! Wasn't that enough?! Wasn't it enough for everyone?
No. Love wasn't enough. He had to keep pretending to be human. Not for her; she'd seen him in his true form, had allowed him to take his true form, and she didn't care. She knew that he was just himself. But her family... and she was a princess! That was even worse! Why couldn't she just be a normal person? [B32]
But if she'd grown up in different circumstances, would she be the same person he fell in love with?
"Yoo-hoo." He glanced over to see that annoying Mazoku stick his head through the wall. "I was wondering who was in this room!"
"Damn Mazoku," he swore half-heartedly. "If I'd not been someone in this group, I could have had a heart attack and died.
Xelloss shrugged. "Can I come in?" He stepped through the wall.
"No," Guntair said belatedly. "Go away."
"Grumpy?"
"Go. Away."
The priest laughed, that stupid smile plastered on his face like always. "I was wondering if you wanted me to bring Amelia a message or something tonight."
The Dragon snarled. "You stay away from her."
Xelloss tilted his head. "I didn't say I'd go into her room anyway. But I CAN get in without anyone seeing. And if I'd wanted to do things to her, I could have done it at any time while we were on the road."
"Why would you care?" It was said in such a sigh that it was hardly a question.
If possible, Xelloss's smile brightened. "Oh, you're going to go through enough suffering that I don't NEED to provoke any more."
"Just go away."
"A message?" Xelloss held out his hand insistently.
"Maybe I don't want to send her one," Guntair said sulkily.
Xelloss broke out in harsh laughter. "Oh, what a brave lover you are!"
"FINE!" Guntair stomped over to the writing desk provided, and grabbed two sheets of paper and a quill. He scribbled quickly on one note, and then a little more slowly on the other. Folding them, he handed them to the trickster without looking back. "Just put them on her pillow or something."
The Mazoku's voice was steadily amused. "Do you want me to bring something of hers back to you... panties or whatever?"
Guntair grabbed the writing chair and flung it at Xelloss. The priest phazed out then back in, and watched it smash into the wall. "JUST GET OUT!" Guntair howled.
Xelloss bowed easily, and stepped through the wall into the next room beyond, where he could hear screams, Lina's voice shouting, "XELLOSS, YOU PERVERT!" and then lots of explosions.
Sinking back on the bed, Guntair sighed. What was that all about? The Mazoku had no reason to help him, only to hurt him. Not like he wasn't hurting enough, pretending to be human right now. Then again, so was the Mazoku.
That chimera's face, angry. "Haven't you all realized that he's the only one of us who is always acting?!"
No. Not anymore he wasn't.
Did the Mazoku want to go back to just being a normal Mazoku as much as Guntair did? Did he just want to be himself?
He shook his head and rose. No, he couldn't identify with a damned Mazoku. It was just a weird, irrelevant coincidence.
Opening the door, he turned to a servant who was passing by. "I'd like to explore the town. Can you tell me the way out of the palace?"
Stopping outside Amelia's room, Xelloss opened the notes, curious as the proverbial cat. The first one said only, "I know you read this, Xelloss. Don't even think about the next one."
Xelloss shrugged and opened the next one. "Amelia.. I know that you've probably got into a lot of trouble because of me, and I'm sorry about that. But I love you and always will... never forget that. G"
Nose wrinkling, Xelloss contemplated tossing both notes away. Nothing there of any interest to him. His smile widened. But if Amelia had been convinced by her family to dump Guntair, this would break her heart. And if she hadn't, this would make her convictions stronger and break her family's hearts. Either way, Xelloss only stood to benefit.
He laid the important letter down and left as unnoticeably as he'd come.
Amelia just stared. "You think I might have to step down as Heir in favour of Uncle just because I'm in love with a just man?"
The smile on Tallis's face grew. "A just dragon, Amelia."
"And that's not all!" someone threw in. "We heard you were travelling with a Mazoku."
"We weren't!" Amelia protested. "HE was travelling with US! And wouldn't go away! Believe me, we tried!"
"And some criminals!"
"They were framed!"
Prince Phil rose. "Anyway, Amelia-chan, I'm sorry, but for obvious reasons, the first part of this discussion must be held without you."
Amelia curtsied, seething inside. "Your Highness." Inclining her head to the other councilmen, she left. She managed to make it to the end of the hall before breaking into tears.
"Hey, Amelia! Wanna... what's wrong?!"
She looked up as her friends rushed towards her and hurriedly wiped tears away. "Nothing's wrong! What's up?"
Fortunately, they didn't ask. "I remember a lovely ice cream shop from when we were here last," Lina told her, "and we were just on our way out to find it, shop, whatever. Want to join us?"
"Where's Guntair?" Why wasn't he there?
Lina shrugged. "Nobody answered the knock on his door."
"Maybe he's out, too," Gourry pointed out.
Hmm. Shopping when she was depressed seemed to be a habit of hers now. "All right. Stick around a few minutes while I get changed."
Rushing up to her bedroom, she flung the dress to one side with a relieved sigh. Her adventuring outfit was good enough! Now, where were her wrist-pom-poms? Looking for them, she saw a note resting on the pillow. Reading it, her eyes filled with tears as her heart filled with resolution. They'd weather this. No matter what, they'd weather this.
Snatching up a money pouch, she ran outside to meet the others.
"Oh yes," the store woman gushed, "it's so very you!"
"Is it?" Guntair murmured uncertainly, turning to look at himself in one of the mirrors. "I don't much like red. Do you have it in black?" [W13]
The lady shook her head. "Good sir, black is so sullen-looking! And so hot in this weather. You DO want to impress your girlfriend, don't you?"
"My girlfriend's family," [B33] he corrected.
The woman shook her head and began digging through racks again. "Then black is out, and so, unfortunately, is red. Pale colours would be better. Light blue? No, too shocking with your eyes... brown is right out... how about... white? White is always a favourite. Don't go on trips wearing it, though, it gets dirty so easily."
He fingered the shirt the saleswoman was holding out. Maybe... perhaps... "All right. I'll try it."
Lina was in heaven. Gourry had bought her THREE ice-cream cones. She licked at them happily.
Gourry turned his money pouch inside out and groaned. "I so can't believe I did that." Resolving to make the best of a bad lot, he turned to Lina. "Can I have a taste?"
She glared at him. "You bought them for ME, didn't you?"
"Well, yeah."
"So I should be the only one having them."
He hung his head. "That's harsh." He glanced over at Xelloss, also licking happily away, and actually contemplated asking before his small amount of intelligence cut in.
"Thank you SOOO much for buying me this, honey pie," Xelloss oozed, smiling with ice cream all over his face.
"Don't call me that," Zelgadis replied automatically, scuffing at a stone with his boot and hoping nobody noticed the small blush across the bridge of his nose.
Xelloss pouted. "Hai, hai." The smile grew again and he licked the ice-cream cone, watching Zelgadis out of the corner of his eye. "I like sweet things so much." He licked it again, teasingly. "You might say it's one of my big failings. It's almost indecent!" He closed his eyes in enjoyment as he took a long slurp of the ice-cream. "MMMmmm."
Amelia rolled her eyes as she watched Zelgadis go bright red and begin to smoke. She wasn't upset by stuff like that any more, she was surprised to notice. They could have each other! Zelgadis deserved someone nice... well, someone, at any rate.
She blinked down as she felt a tug on her cloak. A little boy was standing there, finger in his mouth. "Yes?"
He pouted, then waved a wet hand. "Hi, 'nee-san!"
"Hello," she said, amused.
"My friends say you're Princess Amelia." The boy smiled brightly at Amelia as he pointed back at a bunch of whispering little boys.
She patted the little boy on the head. "That's right."
"They say you're sleeping with a Dragon. Issat true?"
Amelia blinked. "I - I - I'm NOT! He's just my boyfriend!"
The boy put his head on one side. "Is something wrong, 'nee-san?"
She knelt beside him. "I'm just a little embarrassed. Everyone's assuming that the only thing we have is all immoral, and nobody seems to understand that we love each other!"
He patted her hand comfortingly, then paused. "'Nee-san? What do those big words mean?"
Sighing, Amelia shook her head. "It isn't important."
Squirming away, the little boy waved. "Well, see you, 'nee-san! Bye bye!"
Amelia waved back, then turned away just as Lina screamed, "Kid! Watch out!"
The young princess swung around, eyes wide, in time to see the cart bearing down on the kid.
"Thank you for your time!" the saleswoman called out as Guntair left the shop, bags in hand, still wearing his old shirt. He waved, sweatdropping slightly.
That would have been nicer if she hadn't been trying to get her hands all over me, Guntair decided uncomfortably, still shivering from the Yume flashbacks, looking both ways to check for traffic, then freezing as he saw the group of his friends across there. Damn! I wanted time to myself. Can I face them all? I could slip away now. They're all watching Amelia talking to that kid and not paying any attention to me. But still Guntair remained still, unable to decide. As Amelia said goodbye to the child and turned back to the group, he realized he had to decide right then. They'd see him any second. He squared his shoulders and looked both ways again, preparing to cross the street.
Which was how he saw the speeding cart. Heading right for the child.
Dropping his bags and cursing, he flung himself onto the road, wings emerging in his body's automatic response to danger, ripping free from his old blue shirt.
Touching down in the middle of the road, he caught the boy up, cradling him tight as he pushed off again. The cart clipped his leg and he grimaced at the pain, but continued on to the other side of the road. He handed the child to the first person there - Amelia - and only then collapsed, clutching at his leg and swearing. "Damn, that hurts!"
Amelia handed the child over to one of the others with their hands free - Zelgadis - and rushed to Guntair's side. "Gun-kun! Are you okay?"
Zelgadis stared at the child. The child stared at Zelgadis, then, recovering from his shock, started to cry. He hammered his fists into Zelgadis's chest, wailing for his mother.
Patting Zelgadis's head, Xelloss made funny faces at the child, trying to stop the crying. "Aw, Zel, isn't he cute? Doesn't it just make you want to have children?"
"Frankly, no."
"Good, you aren't getting any." [B34]
Meanwhile, the cart had screeched to a halt, and the driver jumped out. "Gods! Is Joey-chan okay?"
Jiggling him, Zelgadis replied, "I think he's just scared."
The driver immediately turned to Guntair. "Are you okay, Mr... uh..." he blinked at Guntair's wings, "Mr. Dragon? I was so worried when I saw little Joey there - I know his mother, she works just a few doors down from me - and I tried to pull back the horses, but they couldn't stop in time, I was so scared... thank you so much!" He bowed. "Thank you! The mother will thank you too, when we get Joey back to her!" He stopped, seeing the way Guntair was rubbing his leg, and noticing blood seeping through. "Are you all right?!"
Guntair forced a laugh, wiggling his foot and bending his knee. "Well, it isn't broken. I'm all right." Using Amelia for support, he rose, putting his wings away as he shifted to his full hominid form.
The man looked at Amelia, then his eyes widened. "Heir-sama! Then you must be - " he glanced back at Guntair. "This is a great honour!" Flushed excitedly, he took the crying baby from Zelgadis's arms, and bowed twice. "Thank you so much! It's such an honour to meet you, Heir! Uh... I'll just take him to his mother! Thank you!"
Wincing, Guntair tried to smile at Amelia. "Uh... I hate to cut your outing short, but can we go back to the palace? I don't think I'm up to much walking."
Phil was waiting at the door. "Amelia-chan!" he cried out, scooping her up in his arms and making Guntair lose his balance and fall over, "I was so worried you'd run off again!"
Amelia sighed and scrambled out of her father's arms. "No, I'm not going to do that until this whole mess is solved."
Prince Phil seemed to notice Guntair laying on the ground groaning for the first time. "What's wrong with him?"
"Uh... he hurt himself saving a kid from getting run over by a speeding cart."
Guntair tried to get up and fell to the ground again. "I'm okay!" he gasped. "Don't worry about me!"
"Oh. Okay." Phil turned back to Amelia. "Amelia-chan, you just admitted to planning to run off again."
She raised her chin. "Yes. I promised to come with Gun-kun to his homeland so I could meet HIS parents."
Guntair laughed nervously, then groaned. Xelloss bent down. "Does it hurt that much?"
Damned if he'd admit he was in pain to the Mazoku. "No, not really."
"Really." Xelloss's eyebrows raised. "So this doesn't hurt." He poked at the injury. "And this doesn't hurt? Or this? Or this?" [B35]
"WILL YOU STOP THAT?!"
Xelloss pouted, feelings apparently hurt. "What did I do? You said it didn't hurt."
"Xelloss," Zelgadis warned.
The Mazoku sniffled. "But he said that this - " poke " - didn't hurt!"
Crossing his arms, Zelgadis pulled out his fierce look. "I mean it, Xelloss."
"What did I do wrong? If doing this... or this... doesn't hurt, why do I have to stop?" His smile was purely wicked.
Amelia clapped a hand to her forehead. "Healing spells! I forgot I could do those!" Swatting Xelloss to one side, she knelt beside Guntair and chanted quickly, healing his leg.
Wiggling his foot, the Dragon smiled at Amelia. "Thanks... Amelia-chan."
She blushed. "No problem." Their eyes met and they stared at each other.
"Uh-oh!" Xelloss exclaimed. "Love beams! I'm gonna get cavities!"
Still gazing into Amelia's eyes, Guntair casually backhanded the Mazoku.
Prince Phil cleared his throat, and they both turned to him, faces red. "So. Dinner will be in about an hour."
Amelia nodded. "So... Gun... you wanna go for a walk in the gardens?"
Guntair blushed brighter. "Uh..." he indicated his torn shirt and blood-stained pants. "Can I get changed first?"
An hour. An hour until he had to go among people. He hated being among people.
Maybe he could plead a migraine?
Zelgadis sighed and sank back on the bed. It neatly sunk downwards, nearly burying him as it collapsed inwards under his stony weight. He sighed, rolled out, and pulled off a pillow. The floor tonight.
A head popped through the closed doorway. "Yoo-hoo!"
Zelgadis groaned and covered his face with the pillow. "Hello, Xelloss."
"You look really weird with a pillow for a head, did you know that, Zel?"
A weight settled itself on his chest, and Zelgadis removed the pillow to see Xelloss sitting there cheerfully. "Go away?" he asked hopefully.
"Uh-uh." Xelloss smiled at him. "You're being grumpy again. Why?"
"Short answer or long one?"
"Whichever."
Zelgadis closed his eyes. "Shopping. Crying kid. Bed made for non-rocks. Dinner with people. No cure. Damn."
"You've got me," Xelloss pointed out.
The chimera looked dubious. "Is that supposed to make me feel better or am I to add that to my list of grievances?"
"Mou." Xelloss tugged on Zelgadis's ears. "Hidoi."
"Quite. Now can I have some time alone?"
Xelloss bounced up to his feet. "I'm going to make you feel better! I have just the thing!" He rummaged around in the air and pulled out a funny looking box. "Kareoke!"
"No." The chimera glared at him. He knew what that was. "No. Definitely not."
"Onegai?"
"NO!"
"Just one little song?"
Zelgadis sighed. "Do you understand what 'no' means?"
"No." Xelloss smiled.
Briefly debating smothering himself, Zelgadis sat up and glared at the Mazoku. "You're impossible."
Xelloss tossed the box away. "No, just very improbable."
"But I really don't want to talk. I want to be alone."
The Mazoku grinned. "Jealous of A-me-li-a?"
"I am not!"
"Oh, really?"
Glancing away ashamedly, the chimera toyed with a tassel on the pillow. "Of course not. Just because she has a real home... and a family who cares about her to no end and believes her troubles... well, most of them... Money... humanity... a love who she can talk about and publicly admire and not be worried about being shunned by all her friends..." he ground to a stop. "Why would I be jealous?"
Eyebrow-twitching, Xelloss pointed out, "I may not be the best person to talk to about some of that, y'know. But... what do those things mean anyway? A family... I've never really had a good one. Only Xer, and you know how that ended. A home? I create my home. Home is where I am, and my domain, and you saw how much I made of that. Money can be gained easily. If you want money, I'll kill someone rich and give his money to you, if you like, but knowing you, you probably don't. Humanity... well, I'm fine with being who I am, and I think you are great as you are. Have you considered that you might stop being the person you are today if you lost two thirds of your being? And..." Xelloss looked down. "I don't really have a nice solution for the last. You could throw me over..."
"No!"
"... or figure something on your own. But you must realize that Amelia is putting what her entire life's training has been for on the line to love Guntair. It's not like it's easy on her either." He shrugged, falling silent. "That's it."
Zelgadis glared at him. "Stop that. I was busy being sorry for myself and now I feel guilty doing that."
"Aw, spoil your mope, did I?"
"I wasn't moping!"
"Just like you weren't jealous?"
The shaman looked away. "Yeah."
"So." Xelloss put his arms around the chimera's neck. "Whaddya wanna do until dinner?"
"Nothing."
"Spoilsport."
Amelia's jaw dropped. "Wow, Gun-kun, you look... good."
Guntair tugged uncomfortably at the front of his white, lace-up shirt. "You don't need to sound so surprised about that."
"I'm not! It's just... wow... I mean..." [B36]
The Ryuzoku blushed and brushed back his hair, which had come out of his ponytail. "I... thanks."
Amelia surreptitiously wiped away drool. Yes, she decided, definitely worth throwing heirdom away for.
She suddenly noticed Guntair was talking again. "... gardens?"
"What?" She pulled her mind away from the pretty mental images. "Oh yeah! Just this way!"
Watching him move out of the corner of her eye, she whammed into the outer door. "Owie..." she moaned, not getting up.
Guntair came into her line of sight, eyes wide, hair falling like a waterfall over his shoulders. "Are you all right?"
Mmm. Maybe her klutzyness had a use.
Tallis was looking forward to dinner. He just knew that the stupid Dragon would mess up. It was just a Dragon. How impressive could it be?
"So, Amelia, start at the left and work inward, right?"
"What?!"
"The cutlery."
"Oh. Yeah, that's right."
The lords and ladies of the courts were Gossiping. Amelia had arrived already, as was her right as Heir, and the others were being announced at that very moment.
"Sir Gourry Gabriev, follower and protector of her Royal Heir."
Nobody entered. Then Gourry stumbled out as if pushed, laughed, and sat down.
"What a country bumkin!" Lord Felingi laughed quietly, and his neighbors agreed.
"Zelgadis Greywars, renowned Shaman and grandson of Rezo the wise."
A blue skinned... creature, was all the nobles could think of to describe him... entered. He bowed slightly, and seated himself at the indicated seat.
"What IS it?" Lady Relenae whispered.
"Lina Inverse, Sorceress supreme and knight of ... WHAT?!"
"I am NOT!" As Lina stalked in, the paper spontaneously combusted in red fire. The herald sweatdropped and pulled out another paper.
"Xelloss Metallium, priest and general of her lordship the Beastmaster..." the herald trailed off nervously. Silence fell as Xelloss floated in.
Eyes open, his smile widened dangerously. "What? Don't be quiet on account of me." Immediately, talk began again, close to a babble.
"And Guntair of the Black Dragons."
Silence fell again as Guntair stepped in, almost shyly, and this time, it fell for another reason entirely.
"Oooh..." Relenae murmured, blushing. Her husband, Eiyu, glowered.
Guntair was clad in a cream poet's shirt, unlaced to his waist and showing a nice amount of bronze chest. His hair cascaded down almost femininely, his yellow, slit-pupiled eyes wide and slightly frightened. His pants were an almost blinding white, tight around the hips then widening slightly at mid-thigh. He gave a low, noble bow, and seated himself with the perfect amount of delay.
Whispering started up among the ladies.
Servants began bringing trays of food, setting Gourry and Lina to near-drooling. Guntair smiled at one of the serving women as she passed him, and she blushed and stumbled slightly.
Amelia simmered.
"So, Lord Guntair..." Relenae murmured. "You are a Lord, aren't you?"
Guntair smiled sweetly at her. "Among my people, we do not have the same class structure, but you could call me that, I suppose." He picked up the fork furthest to the left, baby finger curved daintily. "But you were saying?"
"Yes... Uh... you do not look as I imagined a... Dragon to look."
His eyes turned up at the corners sweetly as he smiled. "And how is that, my lady? Surely you did not imagine me coming to the table as a scaled being?"
Relenae gazed at her food. "No... of course not. I merely..."
Jealously, Eiyu leaned over. "She is trying to say that you look so nearly human. Not quite, but almost."
"Indeed." Guntair smiled at him just as sweetly. "I am not, of course, attempting to disguise myself. This is one of my natural forms, as it is with all my people." He took a small bite after he finished, then dabbed his lips with a napkin.
"Gun-koi," Amelia called down. "Could you pass the salt down, darling?"
Guntair blushed prettily. "Of course, Amelia-chan." He reached, careful not to let his sleeve dangle in any food, and handed it to his neighbor, who passed it along. Noticing Lady Relenae's glass empty, he remembered the rule Amelia had briefed him on, and filled it carefully with some wine.
Relenae blinked at it. "Oh, yes." She gulped it back.
He raised an eyebrow. "Go easy, my lady."
Across the table, Tallis grew more and more annoyed. His plan wasn't working! The Dragon had PERFECT manners! And what did he have to go and look so human for?!
And if only those annoying two would stop arguing over the food... and he wasn't too pleased to be seated next to the Mazoku...
"That's an interesting wine you're having," The Mazoku commented. "Which is it?"
Ignoring all protocol, he handed the jug over to the Mazoku, who tsked slightly. How the hell did he realize that he'd broken the rules?! He wasn't supposed to realize! The Mazoku poured his own glass and held it up to the light. He tasted it slightly. "Mmm... very similar to one back in my homeland."
"Oh?" Common politeness demanded Tallis make small talk with this... creature.
"We have to improvise, you know. Grapes don't grow... normally in Mazoku domains."
"Why not?"
The Mazoku smiled at him and Tallis felt shivers run up his spine. "My master is quite the hunter. She has, however, a nasty tendency to run the deer and... other creatures... whatever which way, which includes over the wild grapes. You see, she cares much more for meat than for any alcohol."
"...Really."
"Oh, yes. Quite a pleasant change, really." He sipped his wine, then peered at Tallis with those intense Mazoku eyes. "I'm not frightening you, am I?"
"Of course not." Yes. "I didn't actually think of Mazoku as drinking wine."
Xelloss laughed. "What did you expect? Blood cocktails?"
"Well..."
"Much too warm weather for that sort of thing, this time of year."
Tallis wasn't very hungry any more. "I see. So..." he noticed that the Mazoku wasn't eating. "Aren't you hungry? The beef is quite tender."
"Actually, I'm having a wonderful meal."
"But you aren't eating."
"Not human food, no."
Tallis laughed nervously. "Surely you aren't going to tell me that Mazoku eat human souls?"
Xelloss looked surprised. "Of course not. Where's the fun in that? We far prefer to save souls for later, for more... interesting pastimes."
The nobleman was seriously wishing he could escape. "So what do you eat?"
"Sore wa... himitsu desu."
Just at that moment, Gourry lost his hold on the rack of lamb he and Lina were fighting over, and slammed back against Xelloss, who spilt his wine. All over Tallis. "I'm terribly sorry," Xelloss smiled, brushing at Tallis's front with a napkin. "Here, let me..."
"No!" Tallis rose. "I'll just... go get changed!" Relieved, he escaped into the kitchen, where he got an idea for a solution to a more... long-term problem.
He pulled a small packet out of a front pocket. He'd been hoping he'd not have to use that for a long time... but he had no choice. And assassins do what assassins do.
Hmm... pudding was Amelia's favourite food, wasn't it? So that private, expensive bowl with the sugar all over it in a victory sign must be hers. Nobody would notice a little more powder in all of that.
Zelgadis sighed, wishing he could ignore Lord Felengi's annoying questions, but not quite sure of himself among these people to. "No, I wasn't."
"But if you were not born like that, what is it? A bad magical experiment?"
"You could say that."
"With such a prestigious humanitarian in the family as Rezo, surely you could be healed?"
"..."
"Could you not?"
The chimera glared, and sipped his tea. "Rezo did this."
"Surely you jest!" Felengi broke out laughing.
Having seen how Xelloss had dealt with the one beside him, Zelgadis almost wished the Mazoku was over here. "He went insane, turned me into a chimera, tried to resurrect the dark lord Shabrinigido, so we killed him. I thought everyone knew that."
Felengi was stunned into silence. [B37]
Zelgadis was surprised to notice Tallis return, in a clean shirt. So Xelloss wasn't as good as he'd thought. "Good news," Tallis called out. "Dessert is on its way."
Almost as soon as the words were spoken, dessert was brought.
Amelia's eyes sparkled at the sight of her pudding. "PAPA! You had my favourite made!"
Phil cackled. "Just for my kid!"
"Oooh..." she happily dug in, and was finished with a speed that would make Lina envious. "Ahh... I love pud-ding..." she coughed, suddenly looking upset. "Maybe... I ate too... fast..." she clutched at her stomach, other hand covering her mouth as her eyes widened.
Guntair flung his chair back, to hell with protocol, and was by her side in a minute. "Amelia... are you okay?"
"I don't... feel too good." Amelia's face had already gone pasty and her breathing was very rapid. "I think - " she passed out.
Guntair caught her before she slid out of her chair. "Amelia!"
Lina cursed and looked around for some kind of enemy, Gourry drawing his sword at the same time. Zelgadis had taken a few steps forward, then stopped. He doubted there was anything he could do.
Xelloss had phazed out, and was by their side. He reached out to touch her and Guntair growled deeply. "I'm trying to help," Xelloss said softly. "Take her pulse."
The Dragon placed his fingers against her throat. "It's going through the roof! And her temperature's sky-high!"
Casually, Xelloss scraped a finger alongside the inside of the bowl and tasted the food. "Mmm. Plenthigosum. Strong poison used by many assassin groups in the north. Minor white magic will only make her heart beat faster and spread the poison through her body."
"Poison! What do I do?!"
Xelloss's eyes were serious. "There's no cure."
"WHAT?!? There's gotta be some way!" the Dragon's eyes were begging Xelloss that it was just a joke.
"Well... white healing could possibly flush it out."
"Great!" Guntair looked around. "Is anyone here a Healer?"
Silence. Then Lina said, "Gun... none of us are good enough at White Magic to cure something like this. Amelia herself's the only one who could do that."
"No! I will not let her die! I WILL NOT, DO YOU HEAR ME?!"
Xelloss cleared his throat. "There are three other choices, and they have to be made soon."
"What?! Tell me!"
The Mazoku held up three fingers, and curled one under. "One. You can let her die."
"No! I - "
"Two. I can kill her and raise her as part-Mazoku, under my master. This shouldn't harm her too badly, but it might ruin her mind, and of course, Xellas can get rid of any personality traits she feels like."
Guntair's eyes filled with tears. "That's as bad as... what's the third?"
"Three. I'm a priest. I know Dark Curing. But it means I could influence her health to the worse any time I chose, make it much easier to make her a Mazoku if I chose, and could permanently taint her."
The Ryuzoku was crying openly now. "Is there any way else?"
"No." Xelloss tilted his head. "For her to survive... you'll have to trust me and continue to."
Guntair lowered his head so his eyes were in shadow. "Then... if it will save her... do it." He wished he didn't feel like he was condemning her.
"Lay her down."
Swallowing his fears, Guntair laid her out on the ground, then took a step back. Her breathing was so harsh, it was coming in audible pants.
Xelloss laid his staff down along her body. It made a sizzling sound as it touched her, and her body arched slightly, making a whimpering noise. Guntair took a step forward, but was warned off by a look from Xelloss. "We only have a little time."
Next, the Mazoku met Prince Phil's eyes. The Prince was crying. "Save my little girl."
Xelloss smiled.
He raised his hands over Amelia's body, and it floated up, staff still sticking to it.
And he called upon the power his mistress gave him.
"Master mine, whose darkness holds my soul"
In her domain, Xellas's eyes glow as she looks up.
"I call upon thee"
She smiles, much the same as Xelloss.
"Grant me thine heart to hold, to bleed"
a power gathers in her hand, threading it to her servant
"to pour out, fight off invasion"
'So, Xelloss. You use a spell I thought you never would, would never care enough to.'
"Thine heart, my heart, the heart of the one lying here"
And she can feel it, that pure heart
"Burn through to cleanse with thine dark power, the depths"
'Should I call her to me? Should I wait?'
"of all you grant me..."
'Wait. See what he has planned'
"DARK CONSUMATION!"
Power.
Dark power flared in Xelloss's hand, burning through Amelia, the young girl's back arching and unseeing eyes opening wide as they change from blue to red to blue and back to red, flashing back and forth before they finally decide on a deep violet and close again. The dark lightning still flickering across her body slightly, Xelloss lowered her to the floor and removed his staff, and only then did he double over, breathing harshly.
When he raised his head, his smile was back, if weak. "Well. It DOES work."
Guntair looked up from cradling Amelia's body. "What is that supposed to mean? Didn't you know it would?!"
"Never healed anyone before." Xelloss shrugged, eyes hooded. "Just let them die."
The Dragon held back a snarl. "Will she be all right?"
"Amelia's stronger than I believed," the Mazoku smiled. "She may have a few... difficulties connecting with herself, but she'll be fine. She has been tainted, but her own purity makes it difficult for taint to take hold." Suddenly, Xelloss's knees wobbled, and he grasped his staff tightly, sliding to the floor. "Oh, my."
Zelgadis was behind him, holding him up. "You just did a major spell. Rest a bit."
"Mmm... In a moment." Leaning back, he raised his staff. "Who was responsible?"
Tallis had almost been to the door when the dark energy caught him and bound him tighter than any chains. He swallowed hard. This wasn't the way it was supposed to have happened!
Phil growled. "You! How dare you do this! I thought you cared about Amelia-chan!"
The nobleman sweated. "Of course I do! She's my darling little niece! This Mazoku's obviously just..."
"Li-ar..." Xelloss sang tiredly. "I can feel it from here..."
"Whose word do you trust more?!" Tallis demanded, trying to keep the fear down. "That... DEMON's or mine? I'm your BROTHER!"
Phil closed his eyes. "Right now... his."
Tallis struggled against the dark magic bonds, and they burned into him until he stopped moving. "This is an outrage! I was supposed to be the Heir, not her! It's not fair! I only - "
He fell silent as his ears picked up a noise, low and dangerous. Guntair was walking towards him, tugging to loosen the laces of his shirt, growling. "You almost killed her. She almost died because of your.... Stupid. Aspirations."
"No! That's not true! I didn't mean to put that much in!"
Xelloss was obviously getting some strength back. "Li-ar. Li-ar." [B38]
Prince Phil spoke again. "An attempt on a princess's life is punishable by death. You knew that, Tallis."
"No! I didn't want to hurt her!" The smell of burning flesh filled the room as Tallis struggled.
Xelloss sat up. "Hurt him," he suggested. "He hurt her, he hurt what is most important to you... hurt him."
An agreeing growl was his only reply.
"Don't just kill him! Make him suffer."
"Yes." Guntair's shirt hit the floor and his wings extended. "I want to hurt him!"
Amelia stirred, moaning, then subsided again. Guntair hesitated, looking back at her.
"She won't be awake for hours," Xelloss whispered. "Make him pay. Do it."
"Amelia wouldn't want..."
"He tried to kill her. If the spell had taken less time, she would have died. How would you feel without her?"
The crown prince cleared his throat. "Our customs are for quiet, easy death with capital punishment..."
"Not ours," Guntair said, turning away from Tallis. "But... I won't. I don't want to upset Amelia."
Xelloss groaned. "Pathetic. Look what I do and do I get one tiny reward? No, of course not."
Zelgadis rolled his eyes. "You could try resting to recover like the rest of us."
"Where's the fun in that?" [B39]
Guntair stopped by Prince Phil. "If I can make a suggestion, though? How about Plenthigosum? Make the punishment fit the crime."
Amelia dreamed. Floating in blackness, she saw two red eyes watching her. "Hello?"
The voice was surrounding her when it spoke, like she was inside it. "Are you one of ours?"
"I don't understand."
"Are you one of ours?"
She creased her brows. "What are yours?"
"Are you one of ours?"
"Maybe! I don't know! What are you?" [B40]
"Are you..."
"I don't know!"
The voice quieted and the eyes blinked out. Now that lady... the one from Xelloss's place... was there. "Are you one of mine?"
"Yours?"
"Are you one of mine?"
She felt tears fill in her eyes. "I don't understand! Why do you keep asking that?"
"Will you reject me?" The woman stepped forward, smiling oddly. Her hand reached out to touch Amelia over her heart. "You are strong enough to reject me, if you want to pay the price."
"Price? What price?" Amelia was beginning to get afraid. This wasn't like her normal dreams at all!
"Death, Amelia. You're lingering at the edge. My priest is trying to heal the poison, but you must choose. Do you want to live, and have part of me, or to die, and remain pure?"
Amelia looked at herself and realized her body was burning. "What do you mean by having part of you?"
The Beastmaster held up her hands, blood pooled in them. "Drink. It WILL give me some power over you, but it will save your life. The Ryuzoku agreed to let this choice happen in the first place."
"You... want me to become a Mazoku?" Amelia was shocked.
Xellas laughed. "That is a choice, but it is not always yours to make. After you do this, I could do that to you, but I do not intend to... yet. No, this WILL taint you, but it will also save you. You will still be the same you. But you will also contain parts of me... and Xelloss."
"Xelloss?"
"His heart and mine went into this spell. That is our price for the small hold over you. Our blood, here, in my hands. But there is not much time left, Amelia."
Do I want to live? she asked herself, and thought of Guntair. YES!
Kneeling, she drank, trying to pretend that it wasn't what she knew it was. It tasted... odd. Almost spicy, rich. She almost didn't want to stop.
Then she screamed as she felt something burn into her.
What was it? Those eyes! They were... they were inside her, now, no longer outside her!
She closed her eyes and tried to breathe. Cool it, Amelia, she told herself. Xellas-sama told me that it wouldn't make me Mazoku. I'm okay. It's just burning the poison out.
"Are you one of us?" Those eyes asked.
"You are mine when I choose," Xellas reminded her.
A familiar voice, but almost sad. "Don't lose yourself. You have a lot. Don't forget that." She opened her eyes and gazed into the face of Xelloss. His Mazoku (perfectly normal, a part of her pointed out) eyes gazed mournfully at her, tears of blood staining his cheeks. "Don't forget what you have. Don't lose yourself." [B41]
"Xelloss?" She reached out to touch the blood on his cheeks, but he was gone.
She was cold. Perhaps... she put her hand to her heart and summoned warmth. Maybe it would be enough.
Guntair was just pulling the blanket up around her neck when she opened her eyes. He gasped. "You're awake!"
She raised a hand and rubbed at her eyes. "I had the weirdest dreams," she complained, and leaned towards the mirror. She blinked. "Gun-kun, is it just my imagination or are my eyes purple?"
"They're purple," he agreed, grinning stupidly, relieved that she was alive.
"Why are they purple? My eyes are blue!"
He shrugged. "They were almost red for a time. It's not that bad. Your eyes are just as pretty when they're purple as when they were blue." He smiled at her.
She blushed. "I - am I all right?"
"You're acting normal."
She ran a hand through her hair and stood easily. Guntair was by her side to support her, but she waved him off. "I feel fine. Shouldn't I still have some ill effects?"
Guntair couldn't stop smiling at her. "Xelloss says not."
"Oh."
Suddenly, Prince Phil rushed in. "Amelia-chan! Are you okay?!"
"My eyes are purple." [B42]
Phil's eyes widened as he looked at her. "What are you doing out of bed?!? Get back in there at once!" He picked her up and placed her firmly back in.
She immediately tried to get out of bed again. "But, Papa... I'm fine!"
"You almost died!" her father scolded.
She sweatdropped. "Yeah... but I'm okay now!" She held up fingers in a victory sign. "Justice overcomes, ne, Papa?"
"And don't let me catch you out of bed again!" he shook his head. "Children these days think they're immortal." [B43] He turned at the door and shook a finger at her. "I don't want to see you out of bed for at least a WEEK. Do you hear me?"
"But Papa..."
"Don't even THINK about it." He turned and left, muttering to himself.
Amelia fell back against the pillows, groaning. "This is awful! I feel great and he's confining me to bed! I wanna be on the road again... I wanna fight for JUSTICE! I don't wanna be stuck here!"
"It is a problem," a familiar voice said from the doorway. They turned, startled, to see Xelloss leaning against the doorframe. He wiggled his fingers at them. "You're feeling better."
She nodded. "Yeah. And... you helped me in that place, didn't you?"
"I helped you OUT of that place, if that's what you mean," Xelloss laughed. "And that was something I NEVER expected to do!"
Toying with the bedsheets, she thought back to her memories. "Thank you. You cast the spell, didn't you? The nice master lady said so. But... when I saw you there, right after I drank the blood, you were crying. You were crying tears of blood. Why were you crying?"
The Dragon and the Mazoku stared at her. "Drink what? How?" Guntair asked.
Xelloss shook his head. "I don't know what you mean. I cast the spell, and I made an itsy bitsy sacrifice, but that's all. And I never cry."
"Oh." She examined her hands carefully. "I remember... But that must have been a dream." Thinking about it, she could still feel the red eyes. "A dream."
Guntair sat beside her on the bed. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. Just a bit confused," she shrugged.
The Mazoku slapped his forehead. "So that's what Xellas-sama meant!" He smiled brightly at Amelia. "She told me that when I cast the spell, whoever did it might have trouble remembering 'which them is the real one'. That must be it."
"Whatever that means," Guntair snorted. "Do Mazoku always make things this complicated?"
"Sore wa Himitsu desu," Xelloss smiled. He ignored the sweatdropping Ryuzoku and turned his attention back to Amelia. "I was talking to the others, and we all want to be off as soon as possible. Wanna sneak out?"
Amelia's jaw dropped. "You mean, ignore my father's explicit hopes?"
"He could have a heart attack and die!" Guntair added, shocked.
Xelloss shrugged. "Leave a note! Besides, Gun-kun, don't you want to get to your tribe soon?"
"Of course, but Amelia..."
"Is fine!"
They both looked at the young shaman, who was deep in thought. "Well," she said suddenly, "if I don't leave soon, I'll never get away! Tonight soon enough for you?"
Xelloss's smile brightened. "Perfect. Just perfect. I'll tell the others." He popped out of existence.
Guntair turned to Amelia. "Are you sure about this?"
"Gun... do YOU want to hang around my relatives any more?"
"....No," he admitted, "but I'll deal with them if you - "
"Don't particularly wanna stick around either." She held out a victory sign. "We gotta spread justice, right?!"
Inside her, red eyes laughed.
Guntair's laughter was much different. "Right!"
"Yosh! Tonight!"
Homen's eyes widened as he gazed at the pendant. "Wow..."
A good thief could recognize a real ruby when he saw one. And this ruby teardrop was too good to believe. He held it up to the light. "This is great," he murmured to himself, careful not to be too loud, in case he woke the priests. "Imagine, a treasure like this in a shrine to Cepheed." [B44]
He quietly snuck out, then raised it to get a better look. It sparkled in his grasp. "It's - " Glancing closer, he could see a tiny sparkle in the centre. "A fault? Well, it's barely visible. It'll still bring a great price." Somehow, he didn't want to sell it. "I'll just hold on to it until then."
Sliding it around his neck, he carefully placed it next to his skin and covered it with his vest.
In the darkness, the tiny light blinked.
Author's Notes
Writer's notes (Wx)
W1 - And, yes, it hurt. But Zelgadis is used to taking pain and not flinching. Unless he has a direct connection to a masochist... like in the Friendship Trilogy.
W2 - The dangers of a ten-foot blade. sigh
W3 - An inanimate one.
W4 - I'm evil, aren't I? ^_^
W5 - Bow down and kiss his feet in happiness?
W6 - Yes... I am. Definitely evil.
W7 - Dead brain? They say you write what you know well the best.
W8 - I don't know if any of the slayers charas have met Xellas-sama, so I just assumed that they haven't.
W9 - Oh dear. Does that make her OOC?
W10 - Does anyone know what this attack's called?
W11 - Oh no. I made Xel quote Monty Python. groan
W12 - Yes, I know he only has 2 brothers. So he now has three. shrug So what?
W13 - No, red doesn't hold the best memories.
Beta Reader's notes (Bx)
B1 - Poor Zel-kun. Aren't his ears long enough already?
B2 - Yup. 'specially since he's deciding the sleeping arrangements...
B3 - "Liar, liar, pants on -" "Fireball!"
B4 - And when you say 'only other features', you really mean 'only other features'. No walls, ceiling, floor...
B5 - Poor Gourry.
B6 - Or else she'll throw a fireball at you, which would fry the bed, which means you'd probably try to sleep on the mirror...
B7 - But Lina, that's a complement, really... You did hate it when he thought of you as a little girl. This means that he doesn't anymore. I hope.
B8 - Wow, you mean his clothing actually survived his transformation to full-ryuu? Impressive. (W: Ah, you see, this is Slayers. Half nudity for half form, full censorship for full form)
B9 - He has a reputation? (W: In his own, mind.)
B10 - Well, that too...
B11 - Especially one like the one they're probably about to embark on...? sound of rushing water is heard as the poor beta-reader continues on that train of thought...
B12 - Nope... I'm guessing that he was rather... preoccupied.
B13 - But Amelia-san, I thought you knocked him out before you got to that point...
B14 - Because they wanted to the sound of rushing water fills the air, thankfully drowning out the beta-reader's next comment
B15 - Yes Amelia, what are you doing straddling his torso with your hands fisted in his shirt?
B16 - Is anyone wondering where Zel slept? Or his 'wanting to keep it a secret' completely futile, as anyone with half a mind (even Gourry) must have realized it already?
B17 - She would, for food.
B18 - sweatdrop
B19 - His lady? Like she's Xelloss's lady? Hmmm, no wonder she was so pleased with him.
B20 - Possessive, ain't he?
B21 - Yes, Xellas-sama. Hands, not paws. Hands.
B22 - Well, you tried to kill him. Fair's fair.
B23 - Why am I getting flashes of Otome no Inori?
B24 - He is so twisted.
B25 - From the saddle? Or from - rushing water drowns her out
B26 - But would not lead to any situation that would make his bottom feel better.
B27 - Wow, so now things explode without her even having to chant a spell? Scary.
B28 - Surprise!
B29 - Just the CROWN prince... nothing special...
B30 - Lay there while she fell on him :P.
B31 - All of which are things the poor guy hasn't been able to do since he was a kid... sigh Poor Gun-kun.
B32 - Because the dragon always goes for the pure, innocent princess, Gun-kun. Don't you know that?
B33 - The girlfriend was impressed enough when he was without the shirt...
B34 - Kids from those two? Scary...
B35 - Xelloss as Asusa? Pink dress and all? (W-Xelloss LOVES his little Zelly!)
B36 - And we watch as Amelia's hormones go into overdrive...
B37 - "And then his assistant went insane and created a Rezo copy. It decided it wanted to be as good as the original, so it called up Zanafar, and we had to kill it too..."
B38 - Of couse. Tallis seems to make a very good snack.
B39 - Oh, it depends on how you define 'rest'... soft, cozy bed, warm bo - sound of rushing water
B40 - Think, Amelia. Ruby eyes. Sound familiar?
B41 - Or Guntair will hunt me from one end of the globe to the other...
B42 - Yep, she's back to normal. She barely escapes death, and yet she's worried about her eyes.
B43 - Well, if you managed to survive HALF of the stuff Amelia has, you'd think you were immortal, too.
B44 - Idiot. A ruby. In a shrine to CEIPHEED. Didn't you hear any stories about the end of the world when you were a kid? (W - well, Gourry hadn't... or maybe he just forgot them...)
Ooh... lots of notes... ^_^;;