Zelgadis blinked rapidly as the blinding light faded, trying to see again, and was suddenly very aware of a strange tingling all along his body. He glanced down at his hands, but could see nothing beyond a white haze. He squeezed his tingling hands together...and felt a rush of pain, as if his hands had gone to sleep and were slowly being awakened with a rush of blood that felt like pins and needles jabbing into every exposed layer of skin.
Did it work? Am I...human? he thought, unconsciously holding his breath as he waited for his eyes to start working again.
He stared hard down at his hands, trying to make his eyes work again. Everything was still pretty fuzzy...
"Zel? Did it work?" Lina asked. "Everything's still pretty hazy."
"I - I'm not sure..." he mumbled, looking away and gazing at the nearest object, which he was pretty sure was Lina.
Slowly, his eyes came back, although the tingles continued unabated. He was able to make out Lina's face. Her ruby eyes and fiery hair became distinguishable colors, and as that color developed, so did all the others in the rainbow, till he was able to see normally. She was staring hard at his face with an arrested expression and some other emotion that he couldn't quite make out...
With trepidation, he looked down at his hands, and saw soft, pale skin at the tips of his fingers. Even more cautiously - partly because of fear and partly because of the painful tingles that were slowly starting to die down - he took the hem of one of his glove and peeled it off, revealing... ...pale, peach-colored, soft,...human...skin. He jerked his head up and looked into the small mirror hanging from one of Lina's bedroom walls, and saw what he'd dreamed of seeing since Rezo had changed him: a human face. Gone were the stone chips surround his eyes and dotting his cheekbones; gone was the blue-tinted skin; gone were the pointed ears; and gone was the lavender, wiry hair. In their places were smooth, unblemished, peach skin; normal, rounded ears; and silky, touchable, violet-blue hair.
"I'm...I'm..." He couldn't speak the words, for fear everything would turn out to be a horrible nightmare and he'd suddenly turn back into a chimera.
"...human," Lina whispered for him, voice husky with emotion.
The last of the tingles died down, and he grabbed Lina's hand. "Come on!" he said, his joy spilling into his voice.
"Wait...!" she shouted ineffectually. "What if someone sees you?!"
"We're just going into my bedroom," he chided, eyes sparkling.
Lina snapped her free hand's fingers and nodded in understanding. "That's right! You're room is filled with mirrors."
Zelgadis nodded emphatically back, and raced from her room, still holding her hand. Three seconds later, they were standing in Zelgadis's room, the door locked behind them. He let go of Lina and stared at his image in all of the mirrors in wonder. He ripped off the remaining glove, unclasped his cloak and belts and threw them onto the bed, and reached for the hem of his shirt, quickly pulling it off his head in one smooth motion. He studied his reflection in the mirrors, looking at the bare skin in delight.
Lina's whole face turned red with embarrassment. Before she could voice her discomfiture, he turned around so he was facing her and hugged her close. The substantial blush she'd had before became ten times hotter and redder.
"I can't believe it..." he whispered into her hair, tightening his arms around her waist.
Lina, meanwhile, wasn't sure whether to fireball him for his impertinence or hug him back. Finally, she decided to let him have his moment. A little voice inside of her couldn't help but ask cynically, Would you let someone else, like Gourry or Amelia, hug you for so long, no matter what the circumstances?
She punted the annoying little voice to the far reaches of her brain, and enjoyed the moment...
Damn; I was right. They did cure him! I can't risk the possibility of Prince Zelgadis coming back and claiming the throne. All my carefully-laid plans will be for naught if decides to become the Heir Prince again!
He stared at the wall, frowning heavily. I'll have to kill him...and Lina to, because she knows his secret... Maybe it's time I brought in that idiot, Aristos. He could cause enough chaos for me to get close to Lina and Zelgadis.
He glanced down with fury at his palms. After my hands go back to normal, that is... There would be no reason to create chaos if I don't benefit from it.
Ages later, or that was how it seemed to Lina, Zelgadis let go of her and sat down heavily on the nearest chair.
Trying to shake off the strange sensations his hug had inspired, she asked cheerfully, "What now?"
His gaze focused for the first time since the transformation, and he said in a relatively normal voice, "We can leave, or stay in Yume a little longer."
A small, wicked smile played across her lips as she said, "Well...I did want to steal...er, I mean look at...some of Yume's treasures," she suggested slyly.
He raised an eyebrow incredulously. "I'll show you the treasures, but do you honestly think I'll let you take any of them?"
Her eyes twinkled in answer.
Sighing, he shook his head. "You're incorrigible."
"I know," she laughed. More seriously, she added, "Besides, there are a few questions I have that this kingdom might be able to answer."
Zelgadis nodded in agreement, his face becoming grim as he recalled some of the things. "Like, who would want to prevent me from becoming human?"
"And why don't I ever remember meeting you as a child?" Lina finished. Those were the two most prominent questions in their minds. Lina sighed and brushed a hand distractedly through her hair. "But who to ask?"
"Trecix," he said confidently.
Twenty minutes later, they were standing in front of the dragon, who scratched her chin thoughtfully with a claw and closed her eyes in consideration. "Someone tried to prevent you from becoming human again?" she asked rhetorically.
Zelgadis had turned back into a chimera again right before they left his room, although it had taken Lina a good five minutes of wheedling and whining to convince him to do so. They didn't want to run the chance of people recognizing him as the long-lost Heir Prince.
Once they'd found Trecix in her lair, they'd told her what had happened so far.
"Hmm... There are two questions you need to ask yourselves," Trecix said slowly, frowning in thought. "Who would recognize you as the Heir Prince in your chimera form, and why would they want to prevent you from becoming human again?"
"There's another question that might help. Who's very adept at invisibility, to the point where another sorcerer or sorceress wouldn't feel the spell?" Lina added, waving her hand to the side.
The dragon paused dramatically, and frowned even harder than before. "I knew someone who could do that...but I can't seem to recall much about him..." Trecix tapped the side of her head absently, her scales making a clicking sound. "I think he died..." she mussed.
"Are you sure?" Zelgadis asked urgently.
She shook her head. "No, I'm not. And that's very strange indeed... I'm not prone to forgetfulness, especially when I have a nearly photographic memory."
Lina broke in, asking, "What about the other matter? Why don't Zel and I remember each other?"
Trecix smiled sadly and said gently, "Prince Zelgadis will have to ask his parents for the answer."
"But...that would mean him revealing himself!" Lina sputtered, outraged. Zelgadis was silent, head bowed and eyes hidden.
The dragon shook her head. "I was never told all the details, and I hesitate to give only partial information on this matter."
"But...but...!" Lina spluttered, glaring at her.
Zelgadis rest a hand on Lina's shoulder, and squeezed lightly. She calmed down slightly and looked at him questioningly. "I need to do this, Lina. They're my family, and at least Wyna misses me...a little... They need to know I'm still alive."
"But...are you sure you want to do this?" Lina said, staring into his eyes.
He nodded. "Yes."
Lina threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Fine! Whatever! I'm coming along, though."
"Of course." He smiled minutely, eyes gleaming in amusement.
A yawn bubbled unexpectedly out of Lina's throat. "Tomorrow. We'll ask tomorrow. Right now, I want to get to sleep..."
Trecix grinned and shoed them towards the exit. "Go to sleep, children, and goodnight."
"Goodnight, Trecix," whispered Zelgadis as they headed out. Lina waved distractedly, her eyes already halfway closed.
Damn, damn, damn! They're moving too fast! I have to prevent Zelgadis from revealing himself to his parents at all costs! I cannot take the risk of him becoming the Heir Prince again!
It seems I'll have to create a little chaos tonight, to distract them from their present course. Perhaps Aristos would be handy...