Ameria loved this time of year. She loved most times of year, but something about the heady dancing aromas of the brightly lit candles in every window mixing with the fresh scent of the snow and the pines captured her. She spun around observing the entire city from her high vantage point. Where else would anyone want to celeberate the end of the year, but here in Sairune?
She clutched her bright red velvet coat closer against the wind, but continued to wave at the citizens huddled together to watch the parade of Sairune's Royalty. Despite the cold, the streets were filled with cheering and smiling faces. Pits of fire burned at intervals to warm them, and people clustered around, spilling gossip along with their ale, laughing and watching the fanciful displays depcting the major events of the year.
Ameria's face hurt from smiling, but she knew that she needed to keep right on smiling--every citizen deserved to see her smile. That was a princesses' duty after all. This parade was the highlight of the year, and this year Ameria even had her own float--shaped like a giant white tower. Though she was very high up, she knew they could tell if she didn't smile.
The parade travelled a long route, but Ameria didn't find it boring. Every now and then, in the faceless crowd, she'd see someone she recognized. She hadn't spent much time with the peasants, but when she could sneak out of the palace she'd met a few. After all, she was a princess, and she couldn't really mingle with those she ruled too much, or they'd think she was not being royal. She sighed, thinking of her plight as the protected and pampered princess in her golden cage. She did not, however, stop smiling.
People just didn't understand the rigors of royal life. She always had meetings, or appearances to make, and never could just go where she pleased, like Lina did. She wondered where Lina was tonight? She hadn't seen her in so long. She missed her, hard to believe but she did. And she missed Gourry too...but most of all, she missed...no, she wouldn't think about him. He'd obviously forgotten all about her, despite her having invited him to come to Sairune, he never had. Two years had passed without any word from him, and somehow, Ameria decided that just maybe, Zelgadis didn't like her.
She felt lonely. She heaved another sigh, but then she caught sight of John the baker, and his sweet wife Molly, and oh--there was the funny man with the magical treasures store, and --- She stopped her eyes going wide. Since the float kept moving, she was forced to lean over the back of the wall, rather than in her chair, waving forward.
"Zelgadis?!" She called, spotting for just a second the ivory and hooded cape he always wore. The light snow fall obscured her vision enough that she couldn't make out the color of the man's skin, and at the sound of her voice, he turned into the crowd and dissappeared.
"Zelgadis-San! Wait!" She shouted, and without thinking, she lept and used a magic spell to lower herself to the ground. The crowd cheered, happy to see a display of their princess's magical power. That is, they were happy until she started bounding into them, knocking small children and old men out of her mad way as she pounded after her target.
"ZELGADIS!!! WAIT!?!" She shouted. Was that really him? She hadn't seen him in so long. Summer had shimmered into fall, fall folded into winter, and winter wilted into spring which slipped back to Summer. Then the seasons had repeated that dance, each move taking the memories of destroying Dark Star and turning them into a strange dream that she wasn't sure was a real memory. Yet Zelgadis' face remained as clear in her memory as ever. She knew that was him. If he'd finally come to see her, then why didn't he wait for her? Why did he try to hide?!
Flying takes you much farther, much faster than you realize. Ameria stopped only when she realized she'd completely lost sight of Zelgadis. She turned around, and stared in shock at how far away Sairune looked. She could barely see the walls of it. In fact, when she blinked, they dissappeared completely.
She whirled around, and saw instead. "Sairaag!?" She shook her head and stepped forward to the city she saw in the distance. Definitley new Sairaiig, but how had she gotten all the way here so quickly?
"OH NO!!! I'm LOST!!!" She wailed. Maybe she'd just imagined seeing Zelgadis. She'd probably ruined the parade, having dissappeared like that. Now even if she could get home quickly, she'd probably be in trouble. Her favorite day of the year was becoming a royal mess. "And I'm going to miss the main feast!!"
"Feast?" Lina said, appearing out of nowhere.
"Lina-san!?" Ameria said puzzled as Gourry also suddenly appeared into the vast landscape where nothing had been a second before. She blinked. "GOURRY-san"
Lina noticed Ameria and went up and slapped her on the shoulder. "Ameria! Long time no see!" She exclaimed happily, unaware that Ameria winced in pain. "What are you doing in Creytonia...I thought you went back to Sairune? How'd you find us, and where's that feast you were talking about, I'm starving."
"Creytonia?" Ameria asked.
"That is where we are isn't it?" Lina said "Though it got cold really quickly." She shivered, pulling her cloak closer.
"Looks like Sairag to me." Gourry replied "Maybe we went the wrong direction?"
"Gourry!? Sairaag and Cretyonia are on different continents--we crossed a week's worth of ocean just to get there...and explain to me how you think we could possibly be in Saiirag right now? No, don't bother!"Lina yelled.
"Um, Well, cause that looks like Sylpheels' new house..and..." He paused sniffing the air. "That definitely smells like her cooking."
"I told you not to explain." Lina opened her mouth to argue some more, but then shut it as she inhaled. "Well, it smells good, whoever is cooking it. Let's go..." She took off running to the house, leaving a confused Ameria behind.
"Lina! Gourry!" She called, as she started running as well towards the small house. She arrived too late to see what reaction Sypheel produced upon seeing the two snow-covered adventures. She knew them well enough to know these two had larger appetittes than a whole small town combined. They had to be the last people anyone would want to show up as uninvited, unexpected guests on the Feast of First Night. Of course, it was Sylpheel, so maybe she wouldn't be upset.
Ameria just hoped she wouldn't mind her either. She stepped forward when a voice caught her ear.
"Ameria! Finally, didn't you hear me call you?" Zelgadis asked sounding slightly annoyed. "I chased you across three pyramids and--"
She turned around. "Pyramids?"
Zelgadis stopped and blinked. He looked around at the snow falling down and at Ameria's red-suit. The bright color stood out against the white snow, almost hypnotic him. "Didn't you have on your white adventuring suit? And wasn't I just in a desert?"
"I wouldn't know!" Ameria protested . "I was at home, and I followed you here."
Zelgadis frowned. "Something strange is going on. I was in Zuniaya, studying the ruins of a remote ancient civilization only seconds ago. I hadn't seen a person for days, when I looked up and I thought I saw you, but you disappeared so quickly in the maze of pyramids. You don't remember any of this?"
Ameria shook her head. "Its cold out here anyway." She folded her arms around her chest, and rubbed her arms. "Lina-san and Gourry-san are here, and they went into Sylpheels house. At least, we think its her house. They don't know how they got here either!"
Zelgadis shrugged. "Inside where? That house?" He asked, slightly wary.
"It must be Sylpheel's house" Ameria explained. "Or whoever owns it hasn't kicked Lina and Gourry out yet." They both tensed, waiting for an explosion that didn't come but usually did at such moments.
A cold breeze, however, did kick up, blowing snow over Ameria. Actually, a lot of snow blew over her, until she looked a snow-statute rather than a girl. Ameria shivered, dislodging the snow until she looked human again. She looked over at Zelgadis, who seemed absorbed in some calculations he was doing. She waited for him to say something, but since he didn't, she gave up. She shivered one more time sighed and then said "I'm going inside."
He wasn't cold, but Zelgadis shook his head, and followed Ameria to the door. He couldn't calculate how he had traveled here either. Perhaps he would find some answers inside.
Lina answered the door, her mouth wrapped around a piece of biscuit.
"Zelgadis!!" She yelled, as pieces of biscuit spritzed an unlucky Ameria. "Long time no see, what are you doing here!!!??!"She didn't wait for an answer though,"Get inside, you're letting the cold air in...and Ameria, what took you so long?."
Ameria lowered her eyes, and hid a blush, but didn't say anything. "Are you sure its ok for us to come here during holiday feast time?"
Sylpheel called over Lina's head, "OH there is plenty for everyone. Welcome Ameria, And Zelgadis, come in and have some eggnog."
Ameria hesitated briefly. "It's the first-day celebration, and I wouldn't want to intrude." She said demurely again. "Oh no! I'm so happy Gourry-sama and everyone came! I was so lonely here without --" She looked sad, but didn't finish the sentence. "And then the holidays started, and I've been baking but there's been no one to eat."
Ameria's eyes all but glazed just like the big huge gingerbread cake on the table that caught her eyes.
"You've got the right people here for that." Zelgadis observed dryly. He went back to observing the room, while Lina, Gourry and Ameria resumed eating. Despite the cottage's small size, Sylpheel had packed quite a few things along the walls giving the place a warm, cluttered feeling. Right now, the place held candles everywhere, in the traditional blue, red and silver which marked the holiday celebration decorations. Garlands of shiny metallic beads lined the beams of the ceiling. He had to admire the effect, even if he did not generally celebrate holidays like this. So who cared if it was a new year? He was still as cursed as he was the year before. Why should he celebrate? Despite those thoughts a slight smile crept on his face as he looked at his friends eating. They never change, he thought. He looked up at Sylpheel. "Were you expecting people?" He asked. "This is quite elaborate."
"Not really. I hoped for guests, because it is not really right to celebrate the Holidays all alone, but I don't know very many people since everyone I knew either moved or was--" She looked sad again, and stopped talking.
"Oh, I remember that. Half your town was blown away, right Sylpheel!" Gourry said cheerfully around his leg of turkey. "Great food by the way! Just like always. You're the best Sylpheel."
Lina, Ameria and Zelgadis winced at Gourry's glib comment about a subject that must have been painful for Sylpheel. They each opened their mouths to say something to make her feel better, but they needn't have bothered.
Sylpheel just smiled and blushed. "Oh thank you Gourry-sama. Let me get you some more egg-nog."
Lina, Ameria and Zelgadis looked at each other and shook their heads as Sylpheel disappeared into the kitchen from the dining room. Before they could comment one way or the other, a knock startled them. They looked at each other.
"She didn't say she was expecting others did she?" Ameria asked.
The knock repeated itself.
"She didn't say she wasn't." Lina managed between bites of food.
The knock became louder and more insistent.
Zelgadis shrugged slightly in answer to Lina's comment. "She didn't say she was." He began to open a bottle of red wine, a Zephellian Zerlot perhaps. He sniffed the opened bottle. He sniffed. A scent, strong and bold, wafted upwards hinting at a wine made with a minimum of residual sugars, but avoiding dryness by still retaining some flavour of the oak barrell in which it aged, and perhaps a hint of raspberry.
The knock became a bang.
"Go see who it is Gourry." Lina ordered. "I got the door the last time."
Ameria busied herself with the gingerbread cake. She knew better than to leave Lina alone with the food if she wanted to eat any of it. Zelgadis continued to sip his wine.
Gourry loaded his plate, stood, and as he ate went to open the door.
As he opened the door Ameria asked, "So who is it?"
Gourry turned over his shoulder to address her. "Oh, wow, its Martina and Zangulus!" He said. "HI!" He said, and then shut the door and returned to the table.
The door shook, and all but broke as Martina apparently started kicking it, her screams coming through the cracks.
"GOURRY!" Lina shouted. "LET THEM IN!!"
"Oh you didn't tell me to do that!" He said."Besides, its not locked."
Apparently Zangulus must have realized this, because he opened the door, perhaps without warning to Martina, who must have been gearing up for a running kick. She went flying into the interior of the room, ending up tripping on the couch, so that her cape flipped over her head.
Zangulus sighed as he shut the door, and shook his head. He bent and helped Martina up, gently folding her cape back around her. "I told you it wasn't locked." He said, sounding slightly annoyed but he smiled at her. She sniffed. Her eyes shone though as she looked at him. "I told you there must be people in this house, and look, we even know them!"
Zangulus looked up. "SO it was you Gourry." He said. His eyes narrowed a bit. The old rivalry never died for him, even if he were no longer Gourry's enemy. One day he'd show him he was the better swordsman. He would. Somehow....he certainly got a lot of practice now, trying to fend off all the people Martina annoyed. He sighed.
Sylpheel glided into the room, one hand stirring a pot. "OH! You've come too. How wonderful. I'll set some more plates.!" She disappeared back into the kitchen.
Ameria, full at last, got up and volunteered to help.
Lina leaned back in her chair, judging if she waited a few minutes she could probably eat some more. “So, how are you two doing?”
"It was to be our first "First Night" together...." Martina pouted. "I cooked for days, and then we were going out to find some garlands to decorate and we just appeared outside this house, in that blizzard outside." She wiped a tear from her eyes "Oh darling, what are we to do our wonderful dinner is going to go waste, and we've been transported to the middle of nowhere!"
Zangulus looked at the table of food in relief. Martina's cooking was not exactly that good, and this spread of Sylpheel's smelled wonderful. "I think we could celebrate here, since Sylpheel's obviously just invited us."
"But! I wanted to cook just for you." Martina protested.
Zangulus swallowed hard. "Um, well, there's always next year, right?" He tried not to sound too eager as he said "And I'm starving, so let's not be rude and eat here..." He jumped forward and took a seat next to Zelgadis.
Martina sat down and began to pick at her food, looking for some way to find it inferior to her own.
"This party is really growing isn't it?" Ameria commented as she came back in with more dishes and some serving plates balanced on her hands. She began to step down into the dining room, teetering on the brink of the stairs and disaster.
Zelgadis looked up, saw Ameria wobble, and did the math putting Ameria, breakable dishes, stairs, and gravity together. Though he rarely made use of his superhuman speed, he put it too good use in catching her as she slipped, rescuing every plate and putting them safely on the table.
"Ameria, you shouldn't carry so many things at once." He said, steadying her with both his hands around her waist. He looked at her for one second longer than perhaps he needed to look at her to get his point across. "Did you grow?"
Her head, which usually had come to his lower chest was now almost level with his own head
"Maybe a little." She said.
He looked down to see if she were standing on a step, but noticed that she'd not just grown up, but filled out a bit too. She'd removed her red coat, perhaps because the kitchen was hot, and was wearing a white silk blouse with a much lower neckline. "A little?" He said before he could stop himself.
Ameria noticed the direction of his gaze, and misinterpreting his measuring of her height as being directed at a different part of her, raised her hand back and slapped him, hissing "You pervert!!"
Actually, she attempted to slap him. She cried out in pain, having forgot that he had rocks for skin. "OUCHHHH" She screamed holding her hand.
Zelgadis sighed, and took her hand, muttering a small healing spell that he'd picked up recently. "I was seeing how tall you were."
She looked up gratefully, and a bit guilty."I 'm sorry Zelgadis-san." She bit her lip. "I just overreacted. Ever since I grew a bit, well, I've had problems. My older sister wears really skimpy things, because she said she knows men are going to look at her, and she might as well give them something to look at, but I'm just not like that! And when you were looking down, I thought" She blushed. "but I should have known you weren't like that. Not you."
Zelgadis flushed, but luckily, his skin covered that change. Actually, he had looked. He was saved from having to say anything else by a knock at the door.
"I'll get that." He volunteered escaping quickly from Ameria's slapping range. Not that it would hurt him, he supposed, but he didn't want her to hurt herself.
Juggling a baby in her arms, and a tea glass in the other, Firria smiled gratefully at Zelgadis when he opened the door. "Zelgadis! You live here?"
He shook his head, taking the tea glass from her, and helping her inside. She hadn't been dressed for snow, in fact she looked like she'd just gotten out of bed. He politely ignored her nightgown and shut the door.
Lina was not so tactful. "FIRIA!! What are you doing here, and in your nightgown!"
Firia looked extremely upset. "I was putting baby-Garv down for a nap, and was going to take one myself, but next thing I knew, I was standing outside here!"
Sylpheel smiled happily. "A baby! Oh how cute. Let me get you a dress, Miss."
"Firia." Firia explained. "And could I have some tea? I really need some tea."
Now that she'd been fed, Lina began to think. "How did we get here anyway?"
Gourry frowned. "We walked didn't we?" As Lina knocked him on the head, Zelgadis offered his view.
"Somebody brought us here." He said.
"But who?" Lina asked. "I'm getting suspicious these days, because when we're all together, as much fun as it is, things kind of start to happen, and I was taking a vacation."
"And why?" Ameria asked. "Why would someone want to gather us here at Sylpheels during First Night?!" However to Zelgadis' extreme surprise she did not leap onto the table to accuse anyone.
"Kind of nice though." Gourry suggested. "So who cares?"
"Someone wanted to get us all in one place, possibly to attack, and you're not worried!?" Lina said incredulously to Gourry.
"It could be a nice reason!" Gourry argued. "Someone just wanted us to be together."
"I did." Sylpheel offered as she came in with mugs of cider. She blushed looking at Gourry. He smiled innocently at her as he took the mug, their finger's touching.
Lina noticed that and shifted in her seat so that she knocked her cider over, so that it sprayed all over Martina. Martina grumbled in anger at Lina and in a whisper everyone could hear she said to Zangulus.. "Teach her some manners, you're my husband, and you're letting her do this to me?!"
"Its just some cider Martina. Calm down." He said patiently, his eyes eyeing Gourry. Now if Gourry knocked it over, he could use that as an excuse. Or if Lina and Gourry were a couple, then he could count Lina's actions as Gourry's, but as far as he knew they weren't. Too bad, he thought, wishing it were otherwise so he could fight.
"Fine, I'll do it myself!" She said. She grabbed another cup of cider out of Firia's lips and flung the cup at Lina.
Lina looked up, soaked with the liquid and understandably, annoyed. "Excuse me, but that was my head in the way of your drink." She said in a not too calm voice.
Martina tossed her nose up. "Really? HAAAAAA." She said not politely at all, and laughed. "Then don't put your head where it doesn't belong."
"I'll give you doesn't belong--" Lina began to chant a spell.
Gourry dove and tackled her, the force of his movement forcing them outside into the snow and onto the door that had shut off the cold winds. It hit the snow, and the slight slope in front of the house, and slid down with both Lina and Gourry..
"GOURRY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!" She complained as she lay buried underneath him. "What's going on!?"
Gourry barely looked up, before closing his eyes. "Make it stop Lina!!"
"I can't do anything when you're laying on top of me!" She complained as their makeshift door-sled continued to go down the hill, far too fast. "I can't move my hands!"
Gourry braved an eye open, and saw them shoot over a cliff. He might be stupid, but he did know about the laws of gravity "Lina, this may not be the best time, but I may not get another chance to tell you that I love---" He said as they fell.
"Gourry, we're falling!!!" Lina screamed, and slid her arms free somehow and up around his neck, just free enough to shout "Ray-Wing"
Gourry blinked, as they flew upwards. "We didn't fall." He said amazed. He looked at her. Her arms were still around his neck, and he was holding onto her waist. Their faces were very close together. The only other times they'd been this close, well, disaster was either about to strike or it just had.
"Of course not you idiot. I have magic. We don't need to fall." She sighed. "Gourry, what were you going to tell me?"
Gourry looked up at her. That's right, disaster had just almost struck. "Oh, it doesn't matter now. We're not falling." He smiled vacantly.
Lina gave him a strange look. "But what were you going to say?"
"I was going to say that I may not get another chance to tell you that I love not falling down long cliffs." He said.
"You idiot, I could have guessed that." She said as she shook him loose and dropped him into a snowbank a few feet below. She felt curiously disappointed. "You can walk back to the house."
He looked at her as she flew past him, and wiped the snow out of his eyes. He smiled. Actually, that's not what he'd been about to say, but if he'd told her the truth, then they both would have fallen, and maybe not into a snowbank. Magic just takes too much concentration, and that was one reason Gourry couldn't practice it. He was slow, but sometimes his brain mysteriously sped up and figured things out. So somehow he'd instinctively known that he'd better leave what he'd been about to tell her unsaid.
For now. He smiled as he ran back out of the snow.
A figure, observing him raised an eyebrow. "Oh my, things are getting interesting...but still a bit slow. This party needs some help, yes?" He said to no one in particular, with a smile. "But I think the entertainment is about to arrive."
Gourry took a step and found himself whalloped by a huge snowball. He frowned and turned around. A huge snow-man stood there, its body falling in the typical spheroid lines. Two black coals stood for its eyes, and a carrot formed its cigar. Rather thick metal poles formed its arms, which were curiously able to bend and throw another snow-ball.
Gourry marveled at that so long that the ball hit him smack in the face.
"What's taking you so long, Gourry?" Zelgadis asked. He barely ducked in time as the snowman launched another attack. "What is that?"
"A snowman." Gourry said brilliantly. "it's cute." He was pelted down by another round of snow.
Zelgadis shook his head. "Come on."
Suddenly the snow-man's reinforcement's showed up. "We're Frosted Snowmen. We will take over your house." A huge chunk of frosted ice shot towards Zelgadis, coming so fast and cold that it actually might have hurt had his skin not been stone.
Of course, his skin was stone. He raised his hands and chanted "Fireball." The giant red-orange ball of flame appeared and hurdled unerringly straight into the Snowmen. The lead snowmen melted, leaving behind the skeletons of metal.
"Ah, Zelgadis, you killed them!" Gourry complained. "They were really cute and I wanted to show them to everybody."
"They're deadly. Wonder who made them?" Zegladis picked up a snowball to reveal inside the snowball was a small metallic blade. Of course, since Zelgadis' skin was stone, and he was part demon too, the blade hadn't even scratched him. If it had hit Gourry he could have died.
"I did." A voice announced. "So you've stopped my Frosted Snowmen. Fine. I will still destroy your little celebration." A form peeked out from behind the huge hill. Its skin was a pale blue, and wrinkled all around. The figure looked vaguely humanoid, except for its two huge floppy ears that were slicked back over its head, the blue fur on its face, and the shape of its head, and its bright red nose. It tried to smirk evilly, but its huge buck teeth just made it look goofy. The figure must have been old, for though its frame suggested it should be taller, the creature only stood about four feet, hunched and huddled as it was. "I am going to steal your holiday away from you, because I can't stand it! I will stop you from having fun." So saying the figure disappeared in a pool of smoke, the center of which gave off the tiniest bit of red.
"What was that!?" Gourry asked puzzled.
Zelgadis shrugged. "Let's go inside and not worry about it. If he comes back, we'll deal with it then, and if not, then there's nothing to worry about."
"Oh Gourry-sama, you're all right!" Sylpheel said quite pleased as she ran up to him. She placed a hand on his arm and stared up at him. He smiled down at her, but his eyes darted off to find Lina.
"Yeah Sylpheel, of course! Hey, Lina, have you ever seen a creature that's all wrinkled and blue and can summon snow-men and has a big red nose?"
Lina looked up from her glass of hot chocolate that was more marshmallows than chocolate, and asked. "What?"
"There was one out there. I've never seen a blue creature like that before." He responded.
"Zelgadis is blue." Martina pointed out, sticking her index finger an inch from the Chimera's nose.
"He wasn't like that, he ..." Gourry frowned, as suddenly Zelgadis held up a rather artistic sketch of the character. "Looked like that!"
Ameria peered at the picture.
"He sort of looks like.." Ameria started to say, but then stopped. Her mouth twisted into a frown.
"Like what?" Zelgadis asked.
She shook her head. "I'm just influenced by the holidays, but it looks like a Rein-Hare."
"What's a Rain-Hare?" Gourry asked.
"Well, they're supposed to bring everyone a wish at midnight of First Night, and if you've been good. You know the songs don't you?" She paused and hummed prettily until everyone started singing along.
"When the clock strikes at midnight,
the Rein-Hare's start their flight
and if you've been good, they'll visit you.
They'll grant you a wish, maybe two
What's that on the rooftop? Hop-Hippety, Hop, Hippety,
The Rein-Hare is here, full of First Night Cheer!"
What's that on the rooftop? Hop-Hippetity, Hop Hippety!
Full of First Night Cheer, the Rein-Hare is here
Only once a year, does a year end and start
so open your mind, open your heart
but at least open your mouth and toast to the new year,
And make a wish when the Rein Hares are here!
What's that on the rooftop? Hop-Hippety, Hop, Hippety,
The Rein-Hare is here, full of First Night Cheer!"
What's that on the rooftop? Hop-Hippetity, Hop Hippety!
Full of First Night Cheer, the Rein-Hare is here"
She stopped singing, as Martina's off-key warble began to drown her out.
"Anyway, that's what they are." She smiled. "People call them different things, but in Sairune we sing that song, and wait on First Night for Rein-Hares to come by lighting candles in the window. How did you wait for them Zelgadis?"
Zelgadis frowned. "I never celebrated First Night."
She looked shocked. "Never? Even as a child?"
He shook his head. "Its silly. Some strange creature is going to bring you wishes? I don't believe it."
She frowned. "Well, they don't bring them to everyone. Only those who believe and deserve it."
He eyed her suspiciously. "So, Ameria, have you ever had one visit you?"
She blushed. "N...o...but, when I was little I don't think they could give me what I wished "
He smirked. "What was that? For you to stomp all the evil in the world? To bea great white sorceress?!"
She looked a bit sad as she brushed the comment away. He barely heard her answer "No, I wished my mother hadn't died."
Without dwelling on that answer, she turned and brightened the room with a smile. "But that was ages ago...so Gourry, you saw one of these? Outside?!"
"Yeah, but it wasn't a cute creature at all like the song." He stooped over and made a sour face. "It looked like this."
"Gourry, we have a picture, you don't need to do charades." Lina said pointing to the drawing Zel had done.
Gourry laughed. "Oh yeah, that's right. So you think it really is a Rain-Hair? Why are they called that? His hair didn't look like Rain."
"That's Rein-Hare." Lina shook her head. "I've seen a lot of strange creatures in this world. Zombies, wolf-men, Fish-men, dragon-girls,er, sorry Firia, but this is still pretty bizarre. I mean rein-hares could exist, but who knows about this magical power thing?"
"So you don't think they exist?" Gourry asked.
"No, they could. I just think its weird. So what was this Rein-Hare doing?"
"He said something about attacking this house to stop our celebration." Zelgadis said seconds before huge metallic snowmen began to pelt the newly-fixed door, and the windows of the house.
Sylpheel turned to look at the window She found herself staring into the evil grinning face of one of the snowmen. “Oh no!” She said drawing back.
Tiny 3 inch snowmen suddenly popped up closer in the window, riding on the large man-sized one's hands. They grinned even more wickedly and began to pound the glass.
"We're surrounded." Ameria cried looking out the back windows. Big snowmen blocked the windows, their little counterparts tapping the glass industriously.
Firia frowned. "I am going to make tea."
Martina laughed. "Zangulus, look, those snowmen think they can attack us!"
Zangulus was not that amused. "They're made of snow packed around blades."
Gourry nodded. "They're like giant snow-covered swords."
"And they're possibly a hundred of the little ones out there, swarming." Ameria added.
Lina put her hands together and rubbed. "Well, let them swarm. A couple of fireballs--"
"Lina, how are you going to get outside to do the fireballs, or were you planning on wrecking the house?" Zelgadis observed.
Lina blinked. She hadn't thought of that. "Well...."
Martina shrugged. "Let's open the door."
"If you open it, they'll flood in." Firia stated the obvious between sips of tea.
"But if you cast a forcefield, they wouldn't be able to come right in." Lina said.
Gourry frowned. "But then how would spells get out!?"
Zelgadis and Lina looked at each other and nodded.
"Ok on three, Gourry, you open the door, and Zelgadis you throw up the shield. Ameria, you reinforce the windows and doors. Firia, you cover me."
Martina pouted. "What do Zangulus and I do?"
"Oh, yeah, Zangulus...you back up Gourry there....and Sylpheel, if anyone gets hurt, you're going to heal them as soon as possible so be ready."
Martina wailed "What am I going to do!?"
"Be quiet..." Lina ordered as she counted "One, Two, GO!"
Nothing happened.
"Wasn't it three?" Gourry said, doing nothing.
"Gourry, open the door."
"Ok." He said reaching up, but everyone was ready for it.
As predicted the small snow-men creatures flooded in, but were stopped by the Shield.
Lina and Zel phased out of it just in time, and sent a fireball into the shield. The big globe that formed the magic shield filled with water and little tiny spears. Lina grinned, her teeth showing briefly, as she called out "Dim Wind" and sent the ball of melted snowmen splashing on the larger snowmen circled outside.
They melted from the hot water,except for the tiny spears forming their skeletons.
"NO!!!!" screamed the Rein-Hare. "You're destroying the last of my army of Snow-Men. Its not fare...Its not ...Its not.." He hopped angrily in the distance. His nose began to glow red. The light shone so intense that it blocked out the rest of the sunlight, making the snow appear crimson as if the exterminated snowmen had bled.
"Wow, what a nose." Gourry commented.
"YOU!! That did it." The Rein-Hare made a fantastic leap, landing in front of Gourry.
"What's your wish, little boy?"
"Well, I'm not a little boy...but um, I really don't have any." He smiled. "I'm pretty happy."
"Oh really?!" The Rein-Hare frowned. "There's got to be something you want...all for yourself, that you'd like?"
Ameria felt a twinge of something. "Don't Gourry, it must be a trick!"
"Oh, I'll give him what he wants all right." The Rein-Hare said in not a very nice tone of voice.
"I would advise against it, Gourry-san." Firia warned.
"Please don't Gourry-sama!" Sylpheel pleaded.
"Aw what could it hurt?" Lina said. "Let's see what this big fur-ball can do!"
"Oh, I'll give you wishes..you're next." The Rein-Hare shifted from foot to foot.
"Um...well..." Gourry blinked. A thought formed in his mind, but he couldn't wish for that.
"Done." The Rein-Hare grinned creepily. "I knew you'd wish for something...."
The Rein-hare jumped up and down, and magic light sprinkled like rain-drops, all around Lina.
"HEY! What's going on!?" She shouted. She looked down. And her jaw dropped, and hit her chest. It was hard not too, for suddenly she had entirely too much chest.
"Don't look at that!" Martina said jumping on Zanglus who'd been staring at the transformation.
Ameria tugged Zelgadis hood down over his eyes, while Firia simply leaned forward and tugged Lina's cape over her body.
"I'm deformed!!!!" Lina wailed. "I've always wanted breasts, but not this much!!!"
"Well, what's your wish, little, er, guess that doesn't fit, now." The Rein-Hare said.
She should wish to be normal...but then again, she didn't want to be flat chested again...oh, if only Gourry had a brain that worked at least once!
"Done." The Rein-Hare cackled.
Gourry looked up, and away from Lina. "He's granting our wishes, but the ones that we keep hidden from others. I knew you thought I was slow Lina, but really, I didn't think it was so bad you'd pass up a chance to wish for a normal sized figure for yourself. I really think that was not your best choice. You looked fine the way you were." He blinked. "Uh, did I just say something?!"
"You said at least once." The hare hopped around. "That was once. Now he'll never be able to explain what he meant! HE HE HEHEEE Wishes wishes, who's next?!"
He looked at Martina and hopped right passed her. "Boring."
He blinked at Zangulus. "No you're miserable enough as it is with her as your wife."
He hopped to Firia. "Tea? What you can you do with that much tea!"
He hopped to Zelgadis and grinned. "Now this....you've experienced your wishes come true before."
Zelgadis nodded. "I'm not wishing for anything anymore. I'll work to get what I want."
The Hare nodded. He looked over Zelgadis' somber outfit. "You're not celebrating this holiday?"
Zelgadis shook his head. "Its the same as any other day."
The Hare's lips quivered. "You don't have any hidden wishes..."
Zelgadis shrugged.
The Hare jumped to Ameria. "Oh I can feel your emotion from so far..."
Ameria blushed right red. There were so many things she wished for, but most of all...
The Hare sunk down. "I can't do that."
She frowned. "Why not!?"
"I thought you were going to ask for that blue boy to fall in love with you, but you didn't." He frowned. "There's no way I can cure him."
"He loves me. He just doesn't know it yet." Ameria answered. "Besides, why can't you cure him?"
The Rein Hare's nose glowed red. "I just can't. There are some things Rein-Hares's can't do." He looked miserable, as a tear appeared in his eyes. "But they didn't believe me the last time...they said it was my fault I couldn't grant the wish. And then my nose turned red...they said it was a sign! And they made fun of me and kicked me out."
Sylpheel interjected "That's ok, Mr. Rein Hare. I'm sure you tried your best."
Ameria nodded. "The last time I asked the Rein Hares could not give me my wish either."
The Rein-Hare looked up. "Wait, I've seen you before..."
Ameria nodded. "I was very young...but a Rein-Hare appeared who couldn't grant my wish." She paused, thinking of how she'd prayed and hoped for days for her mother to be alive again. "I think I asked for something else."
The Rein-Hare started crying. "I could do that now..." He said trying to muster up a flash of evil. Zombies were fun. "Do you want your mother?" He wheedled.
She shook her head. "I know she's gone. No...its First Night, and you seem sad. I wish you weren't so sad." She smiled.
Sylpheel nodded. "I do too. My father can't be with me, but I can make those who are here happy."
He blinked. "You both wish something for me!?"
Sylpheel nodded. "I know Rein-Hares can't be evil. Something must be bothering you...its not your nose is it?"
She found it hard not to stare at the bright red nose the Rein-Hare wore.
He began to weep. "My nose, my nose...its the source of all my woe. All the other Rein-Hares tease me and keep me out of the Rein-hare games. They never let me be, and call me Scrinch and other awful names!. So I thought I would give them a show! I would fly through the night, and have my snowmen fight, and ruin everyone's First Night ."
He hopped to the center of the room. "And despite how evil I've been, you wish for me to be happy!!"
Ameria jumped on top of the table. "Of course! Its First Night, a time of joy and peace, and everyone should give everyone else a second chance!"
Zelgadis smiled for the barest hint of a second. That was the Ameria he knew.
"Give me a break." Lina muttered from somewhere under her massive chest.
"Oh, sorry Miss." He said. "You really didn't deserve that!"
"So why can't you just grant wishes on your own, even if the other Rein-Hares are mean to you?" Firia asked.
The Rein-Hare paused. "I don't know. I never thought about it."
"Start a rival organization." Zelgadis advised him. "Red-Nosed Rein-Hares."
"Yeah, start your own group." Lina cheered him up. "You're obviously pretty powerful with those wishes. Now could you do something about this!" She indicated her body.
The Hare blushed and his nose brightened quite red. "Let me fix that spell on you."
Lina sighed as she returned to normal. "Guess it was too good to last." She paused. Her shirt felt tight. She looked down and then up in shock. She was not voluptuous, but suddenly she wasn't close to what one would call flat either.
The Hare smiled. "I don't have to take it all back....and we all have faults...at least yours isn't bright red!"
"But you have a pretty nose." Sylpheel said.
"Yeah, its great, an instant light when its dark..--uh, don't get any ideas, or I'll dragon slave your bunny-hare-behind." Lina said. "I don't want one, but for you it works."
"You really think my nose is pretty?" The Hare asked.
"Rein-Hare San. Its very pretty." Ameria said handing the Hare some cider.
The Hare refused but cocked an ear. "I never thought it was pretty before."
"Just the thing for the holiday season." Martina said. "Why that light is grand enough to decorate the Great Zomel Gustav's altar..."
Zangulus sunk lower letting his hat slide forward to cover his face.
The Hare ignored her as he stared into the mirror. "I suppose it does have a certain festiveness about it." He turned one way and the other in the mirror on the wall.
"Sure..look Scrinch, Martina actually is right. That nose of yours could light up a whole city of celebration of light. Why, if you lit up right at midnight then everyone would know the new year was here!" Lina suggested.
"My name is NOT Scrinch." The Hare complained. "That's just what they called me. It's really Ebendolph."
"So, Ebendolph-san, you could light up Sairag!" Sylpheel smiled. "The town could use a special celebration"
"What a better way to announce the last moments of this year, and the first of the next!" Ameria cheered.
"Really?!" The Hare frowned. "But I still won't be with the other Rein-Hares granting wishes."
"Wishes are overrated." Zelgadis reminded him. "Besides, what's wrong with a lighting display?"
The Rein-Hare cocked his head. "I don't know, its just never been done before!"
"If your purpose is to help people celebrate, then I think this is the best way for you to do that." Zangulus offered. "You'll be the most famous Rein-Hare in history."
"But just a light!?" The Rein-Hare said.
"You could put a message with it." Martina suggested.
"Perhaps you should tell everyone to make a wish they can make come true.." Firia suggested. "We dragons do that every 100 of your years or so, in order to make the coming years better than the ones before."
"You mean a resolution?" Zelgadis asked her.
"What's a resolution?" Gourry asked.
"A promise to do something." Zelgadis replied "Something you resolve to do."
"Oh. Well, I resolve to get a little brighter so Lina doesn't have to explain everything so many times to me."
"Something you can do, not the impossible." Zelgadis cautioned him.
"Oh. Forget that. I resolve to ...uh...." Gourry paused a long, long time. "Um...look after the Sword of Light and Lina."
"Gourry, you already do that!" Lina complained. "And you don't need to look after me!"
"Oh right. Well..I could do that." He said as she started shaking him. "Um, Lina, maybe you could resolve not to get so mad?"
"MAD? YOU WANT TO SEE MAD!?" She shouted.
As she throttled Gourry, Ameria stepped forward. "Well, I'll resolve to--"
"NO Wait! That is perfect. Wait til Midnight." The Hare smiled. "When I shoot my light at the precise moment the next year starts, you can make your resolutions then. And I'll make a wish to help everyone stick to their resolutions! I can do so much good." He hopped about from one foot to the other, beaming. Literally, his nose glowed.
"Well how long is it til Midnight?" Martina asked.
The Hare blinked, sticking both its ears straight up and then moving them around. "Not long....I'd better prepare! Thank you all! Wait for the light!"
He shrank, became so small they could barely see him, and flitted out the chimney, barely avoiding the flames of the fire.
"All right, that made me hungry." Lina said. "Say, Sylpheel, is there any of that cake left?"
For once the mention of food did not capture Gourry's attention. Something else had it. "Hey, Lina, is your chest bigger?" Gourry said trying not to stare, and failing. He reached out a hand to check.
She blushed. "Gourry, you idiot. Why couldn't he have left you with just a bit of intelligence?!"
Gourry smiled. "I don't need to think, Lina." He said suddenly sounding surprisingly wise. "You do it much better than I do anyway. Say, Lina, aren't you standing under mistletoe?"
"What's that?!" She asked looking up.
He grinned stepping back. "I'm not stupid enough to tell you that! You'll just hit me."
Xellos appeared. "Oh my!? Are you going to break tradition? Then I suppose I'll have to kiss her for you." He leaned in and kissed Lina's cheek, very close to her mouth, but still not daring that. "Happy Last Night, Lina." He said his eyes opening into hers briefly. He turned leaving her stunned and subdued as he closed his eyes and smiled at the gathered crowd.
"I'm glad you could all come to my little party." He said bowing low.
"What!? You're the one who did this!?" Firia fumed. "You took us from our homes!" She turned her nose up into the air, holding baby Garv. "Well, I'm leaving."
"Oh, no! Don't go until its at least midnight!" Sylpheel pleaded.
"Of course, it would be rude, but then who wants a Dragon at a party?!." Xellos teased.
Firia grabbed her tea, and shifted the baby. "Fine then, I won't leave."
He smiled. "As you wish, Firia."
Zelgadis frowned. "So Xellos, why did you gather us here?"
"Ah...I can't tell you until Midnight." Xellos said predictably not answering the question. "I'm sorry."
"Did you know that Hare would attack!?" Ameria asked with a slight pout.
"OH, no...that was completely unexpected but thoroughly enjoyable. No, that was not why I came." He smiled wider.
Lina came out of her stupor. "Xellos, no one here is in the mood for your games!" Her tone threatened some building of magic under her breath, whether or not the house would be destroyed.
"Oh, but isn't it Last Night?! A wonderful time for games." He pulled out some cards. "I thought we might play this wonderful game called poker that I learned."
Lina frowned. "That's it? No mysterious quests or anything?"
"My my, always wanting to work!? Don't you humans get a night off? We Mazokou do." He smiled. "And we'll wager the most interesting things..."
"I'm not playing." Firia said with a sniff.
Xellos smile twitched with irritation. "No one asked you to play. Dragon's are no fun at games."
Firia glowered at him. "Are you saying I can't play!!" She looked about to go ballistic. Her tail popped out, and whacked Martina into a wall.
"Wager?" Lina's eyes gleamed. "For money?"
Zangulus restrained Martina from attacking Firia.
The Mazokou smiled. "Of course, of course for money...unless you'd rather wager something else..."
"Wishes?!" Sylpheel suggested. "That is, we can trade resolutions we want each other to do."
"Ah, of course..." He agreed. "Or magical items..." Human resolutions didn't mean much to a Mazokou, and a Mazokou's resolutions would mean even less to a human. He smiled. That girl was rather too pure.
Then suddenly the light flared outside. A bright red glow soothed everything, letting everyone know that a new year was born and so were new wishes.
Zelgadis froze as he realized he'd shifted a foot to the right. A sixth sense warned him to look up at the mistletoe hovering above his head and Ameria's. She followed his gaze upwards, and then looked at him.
"Its a rather stupid tradition." He said looking uncomfortable, the red light flushing him purple. Or perhaps it was Ameria's nearness that made him flush. She looked more pretty than usual standing there with the red light glowing over her.
"Did you make your wish?" She asked smiling dreamily.
"Its a resolution, and I resolved the same thing I always do..." He said. "To find a cure"
"Then that doesn't count." She said. "You need to make new ones for a new year."
"Then what did you resolve?" He asked.
She smiled. "Guess." She grabbed him and kissed him. "I'm going to make you human."
Zelgadis pulled away with a look of exasperation, but not before she saw him smile.
The rest of the room missed the little interchange. They were sitting around the newly cleared table, each holding a few cards as Xellos dealed.
Firia cuddled baby Garv, and then set him down. "Ok, Mazokou, I'm in." She pulled a chair and sat next to him.
He winked at her. "I suppose because its now First Night, I could let a Dragon play...if you can play." Xellos smiled. "Then let the games begin with the new year!"
"Uh, Lina, what does it mean if I have two pairs?" Gourry asked in a whisper to Lina. "I've got two pairs of Magician Wands and another two pairs of Magician wands."
Lina looked at her own hand. "Um, Gourry, let's switch."
"Is it a bad hand?" He asked as he took her cards.
"Show your hands please.." Xellos said smiling.
"No...I win!" She grinned raking in the pile of gold. "Now this is the way to celebrate!"
Xellos held up one finger and waggled it at her. "oh no, Lina-san, I'm afraid this one is mine." The gold automatically moved towards him.
Firia laughed. "No, I've got a Magical Full House. This is mine!"
Martina laughed louder. "And I've got a Trickster Priest here, so I win." She pushed the Joker card down, which sure enough, had Xellos's picture right on it.
Xellos looked confused. "How did you get that card?"
Martina smiled. "The Great Zomel Gustav does favor his disciples!"
Zangulus shook his head. "She switched some cards with Sylpheel." Martina elbowed him wildly.
Xellos shrugged. "So Sylpheel wins." He waved a hand and the gold disappeared.
"So what do I win?" She asked confused.
"A wish." Xellos said smiling. Why not? He lost nothing giving that away.
She looked around the room. "Oh, but I already have my wish. A party to celebrate the First Night with all my friends! This is a holiday to remember."
"Funny, that was my wish too. To give you all a Last Night to remember..." Xellos said smiling mysteriously. "But I lost that chance..so, we were to trade. What do you want us to promise to do?"
She shifted around. "Promise to come back next year! No, every year. I want to make this a tradition."
Everyone blinked. They could do that, couldn't they?
"Every year?" Lina groaned. "All the way here?!"
"I think its nice." Ameria said.
"You would." Martina complained.
Zelgadis shook his head. He hadn't played, having been...distracted...so he didn't have to promise he'd come. He looked over at Ameria. Of course, he could still show up if he wanted to come. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Misteltoe had its merits.
Gourry smiled. "You make the best food Sylpheel. Where else would I want to go?"
Firia sniffed. "I don't back out on promises. I will come." She smiled.
Xellos winked. "Ah...well, I'm afraid as a Mazokou I cannot promise anything...anything but the unexpected." He smiled. "Let's toast. Happy First Night." He raised a wine glass high. "And then let's try double or nothing on the wishes, no? If I win, then you spend next First Night where I tell you, yes?"
"Xellos, you already brought us here this year!!" Lina growled.
"Oh my, but didn't you have fun?" He inquired with a wink.