Lina fell back on her bed after Naga left and thought a bit.
Okay, so either I come back with Gourry's soul and be a hero, I'm given full license and I'll be demon first class, and I'll be practically next in line to Shaburandigo, or I fail miserably and am destroyed utterly.
If she knew it, her enemies knew it. And they would never give her a chance to advance like that.
Meaning they expect without a doubt that I'll fail. The chances are either nonexistent or are so miniscule that I'm as good as failed already.
Aw, Hell, she thought as someone rapped softly on her door.
"Who is it?" Never, ever, ever just immediately say "Come in." It gives whoever it is an opening to hurt you.
"It's Xellos."
Lina was suddenly filled with rage. "Get. Lost." She managed through clenched teeth, "Before I kill you."
"Lina, please." His voise was soft and pleading. "I wanted to wish you good luck. I'm...I wanted to apologise..."
Lina snorted. "Sure Xellos. Whatever. I'm not the innocent lil' sweetling I was. You can't trick me like that again."
There was a sound of someone leaning against the door. "Please, Lina, I have to tell you something."
"Get lost Xellos. Whatever you need to tell me, you can tell me through the door." Lina crossed her arms and glared at the wood pnel as if she could make it burst into flames by will alone.
She probably could, of she tried, but that's not the point.
He sighed. "Lina, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry."
"Sure you are, Xellos."
"Lina, I'm serious. You must know by now, I was only following orders. Sure, I was just out to seduce you at first but Lina, I..."
"You?"
"I love you, Lina."
"I'm not falling for it, Xellos."
"Lina, I'm serious."
"You said that before you made me ki - never mind. It's the same old line, Xellos, and I'm not taking it at face value." Lina kicked the door.
"But this time it's true!!" Xellos wheedled.
"Har de har har, Xellos. Now that you've had you nice laugh over Lina, go find someone else to bug."
"What do I have to do to prove how much I love you?"
"Canvert to heaven. Get lost, Xellos!" Lina yelled at the wood. "I don't believe a single word you say, Hell, it's your JOB to lie! What point is there to act like this?"
"True. What point to do this unless I was telling the truth. We both know you probably won't succeed in this. You'll probably be ripped to shreds and fed to the pit. I have nothing at all to gain. Why would I do this?"
"...come in."
Zelgadis sighed and picked up his staff from the dresser. As if I'll be able to use it before I get killed... He thought. Only a very powerful demon would be sent to convert that. Heavens, Why did I get stuck with this?
Of course, it's either a very powerful demon or someone they want to get rid of... Zelgadis shook his head. No use trying to make up good scenarios. I'm as good as dead, and I know it.
Why re they sending me to my doom?
Now that was something to ponder. Heaven never sent anyone who wasn't suited to a job. But he knew, he was in no way fit for this assignment.
Does that mean they want to get rid of me?
It was true that he wasn't turning out to be the righteous angel of justice they thought he would turn out to be. He was more a moping angel of depression. But that didn't mean they had to...they weren't planning to...
Heaven is for the humans. The angels do the work. Right, right...So they plan on getting rid of me. Well. I'll show them. Too ad for them, I don't plan on failing.
Zelgadis flopped down on his bed, disillusionment setting in as his ideals were crushed by this realization. Oh well. If nothing else, maybe I'll fall in love and turn human.
Lina stared at Xellos' back as he left her room. She felt...oddly empty inside. Like she had just lost something. Something important.
What did I loose?
Lina lay on her back in the rumpled covers and stared at the ceiling. I thought I had nothing left to loose. What have I lost?
Her power.
No, I still have all my magic...
Her power, not magic.
I've given in, haven't I? I let Xellos control me again, didn't I?
What happened last time she did that?
I ended up in this hole in the ground, that's what. I'm letting delusions of love allow Xellos to control me. What is wrong with me?
Don't touch, don't feel. Pain is a way of life, ignore it. Hurt others before they can hurt you.
What possible reason could Xellos have for wanting me again? I'm doomed on this mission.
Of course, if she succeeded...then she would be amazingly powerful.
And he's got nothing to loose. If I die, I die, and he's fine. If I live, if I win, he's got solid grips in me.
He doesn't love me. All he sees is a slim chance at power at no cost to himself.
Aw, HELL!
Lina sat up slowly and pulled on the clothes that was now strewn carelessly about the floor.
One thing better in hell than heaven. Sex can be on your itinerary. After all, Angels had to be holy and everything. Couldn't let then go living in sin, could we? But Demons were expected to bump and grind.
But in heaven, there's the love that's ignored or nonexistent down here...
Yes, love would be a lot better to have than sex. Sex was simply a motion, completely physical. Love was emotion, and it carried so much with it.
I can almost remember what it was like...
Lina shook her head. Now was no time to be reminiscing. Now was the time to be getting a head start on damning the undamnable. Lina Yanked her sweater over her head and snatched up her stave and she walked purposefully out the door.
You all just wait! I'm going get that human, and you're going to be sorry you ever messed with me!
Zel stood at the gates, ready to Go down and face his fate. If he didn't hurry up, his worry would get the better of him.
Unfortunately, the bus to earth was running late.
Of course. On the day I get to go to earth and be eradicated, I have to hurry up and wait.
To pass the time, Zelgadis tried to imagine Lina.
Drop dead gorgeous succubus, no doubt. There to tempt him into hell. Gourry has a girlfriend that he's completely loyal to, though. Why would they try to tempt him like that? Then she's probably one of those really really seedy types, black hair, most likely, and leather everywhere. She probably uses chickenwire to floss. Ooorg, I'm in big trouble. I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die.
The bus arrived.
Oh, yes, thanks for coming JUST after I've decided my fate, thank you very much, it means a lot to me and I appreciate it. He grumbled silently, trudging into the bus.
Lina stood., invisible, next to Gourry. He was as dense and sweet as she had learned he was. How am I gonna damn him?? There's no way he'd do anything but right wing!
Lina sat down and thought. Apparently his guardian angel has just been assigned, like I am, and hasn't arrived yet. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Good, cuz he hasn't got his claws in him yet. Bad, because he's this right wing WITHOUT a guardian angel.
Lina sighed. Damn heaven, anyway. Al a bunch of self centered idiots. This guardian angel will be like all the others. Undoubtedly blonde, wearing white robes that look so damned tacky, gold and whit everywhere, with a square chi and a medium, straight nose. Undoubtedly beautiful, but cut out of the same pattern. Self-righteous bastards... Lina sighed. Sour grapes, Lina, sour grapes. You're just jealous.
Of course 'm jealous! I make one stupid little mistake and I end up - Lina refused to cry. Like this! Dependant on trying to put others into this same predicament or have my very being ripped apart and scattered over the planes of existence! Why wouldn't I be jealous!?
Lina sat down on the greasy cement outside of the pizza place where Gourry was waiting for his girlfriend and pondered what to do. She was still thinking wen he felt a surge of power nearby. She looked up, expecting a blonde Fabio type guy in white and gold.
He was anything but.
Zelgadis looked around the pizzeria. Nothing really there but Gourry and some girl sitting on the pavement outside. He shrugged. Maybe the demon wasn't there yet. She must have just gotten assigned, then, like he did.
Zelgadis stopped thinking and looked at the girl. It had to be just him, but he could swear she was staring straight at him...
Her mouth dropped open, showing fangs.
Zelgadis Stopped dead in his tracks.
N...no way...Zelgadis looked the girl up and down as she stood up. She looked about sixteen, Wearing red pants with a dragon down one leg, tall black boots and a black sweater. She had very intricate earrings looping in and out of the multiple holes in each pointed ear, and her metallic red shine on black wings were draped with beads of ruby and obsidian. She seemed as amazed by him as he was of her. She wasn't anything like what he was expecting. The only demonic things about her were the jewelry, the wings, the claws, and the fangs.
Where he had expected figure, she was...well, flat. Where he had expected long, glossy black hair, she had a tangle of unmanageable red strands. Where he expected drippy clothes and a sultry air, she was wearing comfortable clothing and had a "Just get outta my way" feel to her.
Is this really a demon??
He was nothing like what she expected. Nothing at all.
She was expecting a cookie cutter perfection, soft blonde hair and holy robes.
She got different.
The angel standing before her in shocked amazement had stiff, metallic hair and blue stones scattered about his face. He was wearing a practical white outfit consisting of a long-sleeved shirt and pants, and wore brown boots.
But he had absolutely gorgeous blue eyes, and snowy wings that exploded from his back in such radiance it was hard to not look away from the bright white color. He wasn't built with a ton of muscles, like angels tended to be. He was thin and tawny. He wasn't the blindingly handsome type, in fact, he was so pretty she could take him for a girl.
He was unique...
Lina shook her head slowly. Ooookay, apparently you kept quite a bit of those damn hormones when you went from human to demon, my dear Lina. You're starting to be attracted to your enemy. Get over it!!
However...if she managed to turn an angel to their side...
Think about that if the chance arises. Lina stood and shut her open mouth. She flashed a devil-may-care grin and headed inside.
He watched her for a moment, stunned, then headed after.