I was standing by my Daddy's side, so proud that he was now the King. That day, one week ago, even in the shadow of Grandfather's death, was a happy day. This day was happy too, all the day's since Daddy's coronation had been happy. I thought my day couldn't get any better, when the herald announced that my friends had come to see us! Even Xelloss-san came! I was so happy. And when Lina-san came in, and bowed, like a proper lady, I was so proud. Proud of my family, and my friends, who were like family to me. And then Lina-san congradulated Daddy, and he told her that he had wonderful plans for Sailoon. I was so happy.
But then, Lina-san said something that disturbed me. "How unfortunate, then, that your reign must be a short one," she said. I was more than a little shocked when she said this, but I didn't let it all show.
My Daddy had the same reaction. "What do you mean, it's going to be a short one?" he asked.
"My Daddy's not sick or anything," I said.
Then - "Is he?" Lina-san shook her head and laughed in a way to send shivers down my back. Then, I felt it. Lina-san's true power. It was...it was as scary as a Dark Lord's...I gasped, putting a hand to my mouth. Almost against my will, I took a step back. She grinned, and looked up at my Daddy and I. Her eyes were more like a Mazoku's than a human's. It was unbelievable. I couldn't take it. No, no, no, no, no.... went my thoughts. What happened to her? I wondered. Before I could follow that train of thought much farther, Lina-san waved her hand. And, as if they were summoned, Shabranigdo's Generals, the Five Mazoku Lords, appeared. I even saw among them, Gaav and Phibrizo. But they're dead.... my mind protested. They're dead, dead, dead, dead! This can't be happening!
Then, the Hellmaster crushed one of his golden balls, and my Daddy....my Daddy fell over, dead. Before I even had a chance to react, Lina-san dropped the bombshell. "Well, Amelia," she said. "Now you're Queen of Sailoon. What're you gonna do?"
I couldn't think, I gulped reflexively. "I....I...umm...ah...." I looked around the room, finally seeing what I had been blind to before. The slight change in Gourry-san's eyes, the dark smile on Zelgadis-san's face. My restless gaze finally returned to Lina-san.
"You have two choices," she said. My heart beat a tiny bit faster. "You can surrender the city peacefully, and join us - " most of my self rejected this idea out of hand, but a small part of me wondered...My gaze followed her gesture to Phibrizo. He held another ball ready, waiting for my answer. "Or you can refuse my offer, and die. Then, we'll take the city by force. It's your choice." She crossed her arms over her chest, but I hardly noticed. My mind was a whirlwind of indecision. What to do, what to do.....My confidence was nearly lost. Darkness was all around me, and I was the only light. And that light was fading fast. Each second that went by, the side of me that said 'join them' was growing stronger. Still, the side of light was still strong in me, and wasn't going to give up without a fight. For now, the light was still stronger.
So I had to know. "Wh...why didn't you give my Daddy a choice?" I asked, my confidence returning, at least in my voice.
"Because," she replied. "He wasn't a close friend, like you." I'm her friend...she cares about her friends above all else.
"Oh," I said faintly. She walked up the dias, a smile on her face. I gulped. I didn't step back though, even though I knew it was foolhardy to stay where I was. But still, I didn't cringe, either, and that I know was bravery.
"Amelia," she said, her voice dripping with persuasion. "This world is filled with injustice, don't you think?" My mind was frozen, I could only nod in agreement. "Well, don't you think, that this world would be better off, if it were ruled by someone who knew that, and wanted to change it?" I nodded again, my mind beginning to unfreeze. Lina wants to create a world of Justice!
"You?" I asked. "But what about them?" I pointed to Shabranigdo's Generals, and our friends.
"Oh, they don't like this world any more than I do," she said. Or I do, I thought. "They're going to help me conquer the world," she continued. Every word she said was making more, and more sense. My dark side, which until this day I didn't even know I had, was winning. Darkness consuming the Light, and I was letting it.
"Oh," I said.
"Now choose," she said. "If you join us, you'll live, and, when we've conquered the world, I'll make you my Minister of Justice." Justice? I could feel the Fires of Justice burning in me.
"Minister of Justice?" I asked her. She nodded. The gears had already begun to turn in my head. I'll be Minister of Justice. Justice. It's my purpose for living, isn't it? Then No! Don't do it! Don't join them! Not even for Justice! And Do it! Your choice was already made, wasn't it? Join them, and you will be able to bring Justice to the whole world! The Dark and Light warred in me for a while, but, it was true. I had already decided. And so I clenched my fist, and posed, like a true Champion of Justice. "I'll do it!" I said. "I'll join you! For Justice!"
Lina's smile widened. "Good," she said. "Come here." She held out a hand to me.
"What is it, Lina-san?" I asked, walking over to her. But she didn't answer me, she just put her hand on my head. I felt some kind of energy go into me, and for a moment, I was in pain like I have never felt before or since. Then, it stopped. I felt different, somehow, but I couldn't put my finger on it. "Lina-san, what did you just do?" I asked her, unable to figure it out.
"Nothing much," she said. "I made it so like us - " she gestured to herself, Zelgadis-san and the Mazoku - "you won't age, or get diseases, and your wounds will heal much faster. Just like I did with Gourry."
"Oh," I said.That's all that she had done. She pushed me along in the direction of my room.
"Now shoo," she said. "Go get changed. I can't have my future Minister of Justice looking out of place, now can I?"
I shook my head, and smiled, feeling quite cheerful. "Nope. And I can hardly wage war in a frilly pink dress, now can I?" I replied, running off to my room. When I got there, I took off my dress, and began to put on my adventuring outfit, when I realized something. Pink and white didn't really suit me. So, using my powers in a way that had never occured to me before, but now seemed second nature, I changed the colors. Pink became purple, and white became grey.
"Much better," I said to myself, as I got dressed. It then occured to me to wonder, for a moment, just why changing the colors of my clothing seemed so natural to me. But I only considered it for a moment, before shrugging it off, and walking back to the throne room. When I got there, Lina-san was sittng in the throne, and was talking to everybody.
"Next up - " she began. And then I came in and finished her sentence. " - Sairaag." Lina-san smiled again. "Yes," she said. "The Holy City." I joined them all on the dias. Conquer the world, and bring Justice. Yes, this was going to be fun.