Lina, Gourry, and Amelia slowed down their eating as they noticed that Zelgadis was no longer paying any attention to them what-so-ever. At a normal meal, the quiet chimera would at least insert a few snappy comments here or there about their eating style, but tonight he was deep in thought, and messing with that bright red gem at his throat.
"Oi, Zel, is something wrong?" Lina asked, swallowing the food in her mouth and washing it down with a pitcher of juice. The blue-eyed youth looked up, startled, and blinked several times before regaining his composure.
"Do you mean aside from the usual?" He retorted.
"Zel..." She warned, and behind her, Amelia and Gourry began to look extremely panicked. "What's up with you and that brooch?"
"Oh, this?" He laughed nervously, putting his hand behind his head as a drop of sweat rolled down the side of his face.
"Yeah, that." She pointed. "It doesn't really go with anything you're wearing, namely beige, or your skin tone. Why would you wear something that gaudy?"
"So now you're talking about my sense of fashion?" He glared at her, annoyance flaring at the mention of his skin.
"No, we're talking about that gem." She ignored his anger, batting it away like a child's toy. "With you, nothing is ever 'just' something. What's the deal with the gem?"
"I hardly think that now is the appropriate time to discuss this." He tried to change the conversation, in vain.
"When would be a good time?" She pushed on, determined to get an answer from him.
"I'll tell you when it's the right time."
Six Months Later
"Is it the right time?"
"No."
"Zel..."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
Another Six Months Later...
"Is it time yet?"
"No."
"Awww, C'mon!"
"No."
"Zel..."
"No."
"But I've been waiting a whole year!"
"No."
"Damn..."
Much, Much Later....
An undefeatable enemy stood triumphantly before the Slayers, already into his victory speech. Zelgadis groaned and rolled over to face Lina.
"Now."
"Now what?" She opened her eyes.
"Now's the right time."
"YES!" Despite the pain in her entire body, Lina began to jump up and down like an exited little child.
"Do you mind?" The villan sweatdropped.
Zelgadis removed the gem from his cloak, letting it fall to the ground behind him. Dramatic winds blew through his hair and removed the black clouds. He closed his eyes, tapped a small white tab on the side of the jewel, and then chucked it at his opponent.
"PIKACHU!" He yelled, eyes snapping open. "I Choose You!" A small yellow rodent popped out, black eyes shining.
"Pika?" It hopped over to the villan, who looked ready to step on it and be done.
"This is it?" He deadpanned. "This is your secret weapon?"
"ZEL!" Lina yelled, and by doing so, missed seeing the sparks come from the small red circles on the creature's face.
"Pikachu, Thunder attack." Zelgadis signaled, and the rodent nodded.
"Pi... Ka..." Lightning built up like an aura around it, then exploded outwards in a blinding display. "CHU!"
Somewhat Later...
"Zel?"
"What now?"
"GIMME THAT THING!"
"No."
"Aw..."
"No."
"Damn..."
"No."