On WolfPack Island, Xelloss had finally stopped laughing and was getting back to business. "Mistress, would you please do me a favor? Could you get some wedding clothes for everyone? I need to go find enough food for everyone. Or enough for Lina, with a little left over."
"I'm doomed," Filia was sobbing. The rest of the group wasn't much help. Amelia was all dreamy, Zelgadis embarrassed, Lina disgusted, and Gourry was just confused. Gourry finally decided the best way to end the confusion was by asking a question.
"Filia, where did you get that ring?"
"What?" Filia looked at her ring finger and noticed a gold ring with a single purple stone on it. The stone was diamond shaped and was rather unnatural looking with a darker purple line down the center. "How did that get there?!"
"Hallo!" Xelloss appeared with Zelas right behind him. "Do you like the engagement ring, Filia?"
"When did you give it to me? And how..." Filia forgot all about crying and got ready to argue with Xelloss.
"That is a secret." Xelloss smiled irritatingly.
Filia advanced on him menacingly. "You sneak!"
"Filia! Can we finish this discussion later please?!" Xelloss sweatdropped. "Right now, I have someone very important to introduce you to." Zelas stepped forward, smoking her cigarette. She smiled knowingly at Filia with an statement disturbingly similar to one of Xelloss' own. "Filia, this is my Lord Beastmaster! Mistress, meet my fiancée, Filia Ul Copt."
Filia turned to Zelas, startled, but before she could reply, Lina interrupted. "LORD BEASTMASTER!!! You're getting a Mazoku Lord involved?"
"Now, Lina, I'm a Mazoku. I could never get married without inviting Lord Beastmaster. She's like my mother! She has agreed to help you get wedding clothes..."
"No way, Xelloss. We are not having anything to do with your crazy schemes you...," Lina interjected.
"... while I go and arrange food. Let's see. I'll need a wedding cake, punch, lots of hors d'oeuvres and a whole buffet. All you can eat. Free." He opened an eye to look at Lina.
"All you can eat?" Lina drooled.
"Anything you want," Xelloss replied.
"DRAGON CUISINE!" Lina yelled.
Filia gasped. "BARBARIAN! Not at MY wedding!"
"Except that." Xelloss winced. "Anything else. Roast Beef. Fish. Hot pot. Chicken. Sausage. Soup. However much you want."
Lina seemed to consider it.
"And I'll buy all you food for a week."
"Hmm."
"Two weeks. As much as you can eat, wherever we go. And if there's nothing available, I'll bring it to you." he leaned closer to Lina and whispered, "And when Filia's not looking, you'll get that Dragon Cuisine." I hope I don't regret this.
"Of course, we'll help you! We could never let our dear friends get married without us! Right guys?"
"Ok!" Gourry and Amelia replied. Zelgadis just sighed.
"Mistress, this is Lina Inverse."
"A pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about you. The way you defeated Gaav and Fibrizzo. And the piece of Shabrinigdo in Rezo as well. Quite impressive." Zelas paused to take a drag from her cigarette.
"Really?" Lina beamed.
"Now, I finally meet you in person. You'll make such a cute flower-girl!" Zelas grinned in a good imitation of Xelloss.
"HEY! I do NOT look like a FLOWER GIRL!" Lina yelled.
"Roast beef, sabe sabe, chicken, sausage. I can't forget the ice cream..." Xelloss hinted not so subtly.
"But, I guess I could pass as one if needed." Lina grimaced with a false cheerfulness.
"Now, Mistress, this is Gourry Gabriev, the Swordsman of Light." Xelloss continued with the introductions.
"Hello." Gourry smiled as his eyes wandered down to Zelas' low neckline. Lina immediately smacked him in the head. "Ow!"
"Charmed." Zelas replied smoothly.
Xelloss gestured to Amelia, who bowed politely. "Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune."
"I am honored to make your acquaintance, Lord Beastmaster-san," Amelia replied, her manners overcoming her nervousness of the Mazoku Lord.
"The honor is mine, princess," Zelas replied in kind. "Your country is of great interest to the Mazoku race." She smiled secretively at the princess.
"What! You'd better not be planning any evil scheme because justice will always triumph!" Amelia announced, pointing her finger at the suspicious Mazoku.
"Don't worry," Zelas assured her. "I'm not planning anything." [Yet]
"And Zelgadis Greywers," Xelloss finished.
"Well, well. You are certainly an interesting specimen." Zelas looked Zelgadis over carefully.
"I wish you wouldn't call me that," Zelgadis retorted coldly. Then, he noticed where her gaze had wound up and he blushed. "Amelia," he turned to the princess for help. "Did you say you needed to go shopping?" he asked, looking for any excuse to get away.
"Don't worry about that. I'll take care of everything." Zelas grinned at him. "Now, I need to take your measurements, so I can get you something to wear." She could see why Xelloss liked playing with them so much.
Zelgadis cringed and backed away. "When is the wedding anyway?" he asked, trying to change the subject.
Everyone turned to Xelloss, who made a show of thinking with his finger on his chin. "Well, I think I can have everything ready by this evening!"
"WHAT!!!! You mean today!!!!" Filia exclaimed.
"Yes. Is something wrong?" Xelloss cocked his head to the side and looked at her.
Filia sighed. "I guess not. Let's hurry up and get this over with!"
"Such eagerness! But, you must be patient and wait until after the ceremony," Xel replied cheerily.
Filia blushed bright red. "Whaaat? Hentai!!!" She pulled out her mace again and began to beat him to a bloody pulp. Xelloss seemed to rather enjoy the attention, and when she finished, he got up and smiled at her.
"You missed a spot." Xelloss pointed to a foot that has thus far escaped beating.
"Pervert!" Filia dropped mace-sama in exasperation.
"You liked that didn't you?" Lina asked.
Xelloss shrugged.
"Eh, Xelloss. If you like being hit, why do you usually dodge?" Gourry asked.
"Because Filia-chan is so beautiful when she's mad! But since it's our wedding day, I thought I'd be nice and let her hit me."
"Is that so!!! Pervert! So you won't dodge today? I'll show you a REAL beating." Filia grinned evilly as she began to transform.
"Oy-oy! I didn't say I wouldn't dodge at all." Xelloss backed away cautiously. "There is a limit, you know."
"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!!" Filia cried out as she finished her transformation. Zelas laughed out loud as her General-Priest was lovingly chased across the horizon.
Zelas had just finished her measurements of the rest of the group when Filia returned from her little excursion. Xelloss was nowhere in sight, apparently busy making other arrangements. Zelgadis was relieved when Zelas turned her attention to the bride. He had managed to escape with minimal abuse, since Zelas seemed able to eyeball the measurements, but that Mazoku just made him uncomfortable. She seemed to be up to something. Always watching, planning and waiting for her opportunity, like a predator in the woods. He glanced at Lina, who nodded. They quietly backed away, pulling Amelia and Gourry with them, and leaving the Mazoku and the Ryuzoku alone. They had some experience with Mazoku/Ryuzoku interactions and wanted to be as far away as possible.
Zelas was watching Filia quite intently. "So, you're the little dragon who has stolen my General-Priest? As a rule, I'm not too fond of thieves," she said flatly.
"What are you talking about?!" Filia exclaimed. "Xelloss is the one who tricked me into this wedding. I want nothing to do with you or your Priest." Filia was getting fed up with this whole day, and was not in the mood for threats from Mazoku Lords. "I don't know what you two are planning, but it won't work. I have to keep my word and marry that namagomi, but that's it. If he tries anything else, I'll kill him. Being a widow wouldn't be so bad."
Zelas smiled at this. "You have spirit! I can see why Xelloss likes you so much."
"What are you talking about? He can't really care about me. Mazoku can't love... Can they?" Filia asked uncertainly.
Zelas studied her carefully before answering. "Why not? Tell me, can a Ryuzoku hate?"
Filia paused and then nodded.
"Then, why can't a Mazoku love?" Zelas asked softly. "Now, back to business. Stand straight." Zelas began to circle Filia. "I need to get you a dress."
Several hours later, Zelas and Xelloss returned from their respective errands. Zelas had a servant carrying a stack of clothes, and she began by pulling out the bride's gown. However, the scrap of cloth that she was showing was not what Filia considered a gown. It was low cut, quite a bit shorter than Filia's normal dress and slightly translucent. It only resembled a wedding gown because it was white and had a lacey scarf and veil to go with it.
Filia's response was immediate. "I am NOT wearing that! You can practically see through it! No self respecting shine maiden would ever wear that! If you want a wedding, you'd better get me a real dress!" Filia glared at the two Mazoku.
"What's wrong with it? I think it will look nice on you." Xelloss winked suggestively.
"Too bad." Filia smirked. "You, too, can be patient and 'wait till after the ceremony'. Hentai."
"Filia! I don't know what you're referring to." Xelloss smiled innocently. "It is a perfectly nice dress." He took the dress and disappeared with it, only to reappear wearing it. "See!"
"EEEEEK!!! What are you doing?!? Get out of that dress right now!!!" Filia noticed his suspiciously full figure and she gasped.
"Oh, do you like it, Filia. Maybe, if you don't want it, then I'll wear it to the wedding." Xelloss stuck his tongue out at her.
"I don't think so," Filia declared. "You asked me to marry you. You did NOT ask me to marry you in a dress! This is outside of the agreement, so you either take that off right now, or the whole thing is cancelled!"
"Do you want to help me take it off?" he replied coyly.
"NO!" Filia yelled, tail popping out. "Normal clothes! On you! NOW!!!" she demanded, mace under his nose.
"Okay." Xelloss relented, disappearing.
Zelas chuckled, seeing her Xelloss already losing an argument with his soon-to-be-wife. The little dragon maid definitely had spirit. She found herself almost liking the dragon, in spite of herself. But, she'd have to be careful that Filia's influence on her General-Priest did not interfere too much with his work. And, what was wrong with her tastes in clothing?