A new life -
What I wouldn't give
To have a new life
One thing I have learned
As I go through life
Nothing is for free
along the way!
A new start -
That's the thing I need
To give me a new heart -
Half a chance in life
To find a new part
Just a simple role
That I can play.
A new hope -
Something to convince me
To renew hope!
A new day,
Bright enough
To help me find the way!
A new chance -
One that maybe has
A touch of romance
Where can it be,
The chance for me?
A new dream -
I have on I know
That very few dream!
I would like to see
That overdue dream -
Even though it may never come true!
A new love -
Though I know there's no
such thing as true love -
Even so.
Although I never knew love,
Still I feel that
One dream is my due!
~Lucy, from the musical Jekyll and Hyde
Lina cried until her nose was red, her throat hoarse from sobs, her eyes swollen and crimson. She cried until her cheeks hurt from scrubbing away tears, her mouth dry from long thought dead betrayal, her hands shaking from nerves. She cried until her tears ran out, until every last sorrow, guilt, fear and torment had been washed away.
And Zelgadis was soaked. I mean drenched. She had a lot to cry about.
And he didn't care in the least.
She's evil, Zelgadis. She's pure evil. the minute you let down your guard, she'll strike.
But I already let down my guard.
She's simply waiting for the best chance.
What chance other than now is most likely to find me more vulnerable?
Do you know that?
Do you know she's evil?
Of course! She's a denizen of Hell, a demon, a soul stealer, a-
Lost soul whose life we missed.
You're letting yourself get soft, Zelgadis.
I never had a chance to prove I haven't been.
The voice in the back of his head threw its arms up in disgust and retreated.
And she needs me...
"Well, well, well, isn't this interesting." Naga grinned as she looked through her crystal ball at the picture. "Lina, Lina, Lina, you?re so naïve. You think he'll fall into that trap so easily? He'll have doubts if you ask him to follow you into the maws of hell. Better to have a disinterested third party do the work for you." Naga laughed. "You're going to owe me for this one, dearie. But I'd better let you get your claws deeper into the boy."
In heaven, Zelgadis had a few guardian angels of his own. True, they weren't really trying to protect him until now, just out to watch him and maybe get some good blackmail, but now...
"Jesus Christ! What on earth is he doing?"
"Hey! Don't take my name in vain!"
"Sorry, sorry. Jesus H. Frog on a pogo - "
Amelia turned to Zolf curiously. "What?"
"Never mind...Oh yeah! Way to go Zel!"
"I don't know if you should be cheering something like that...what if she's tricking him?"
Zolf shook his head. "Nah, Zel won?t get tricked by anybody. He's sending her to heaven, straight as arrows fly!" He replied confidently.
Amelia looked doubtful. "I hope so..."
"You worry too much. How could anything go wrong?"
Lina pulled away from his arms, embarrassed. She was weak, weak, so weak... She'd fallen from her duties, she'd fallen from her self control...
She'd fallen in love...
She didn't even know why she'd given her heart to him. She hardly knew him, she'd just...just... She met him a few days ago, there was no way she could be in love with him. She was just a stupid girl, a weak, impressionable child. How does one fall in love so soon? It was stupid. Stupid, stupid...
He'd been the only one who'd actually given a damn about her, whether or not it was just his nature. He'd thought of her as a person, no matter what she'd done. He hadn't acted like she was a tool, a faceless enemy, a soul far beyond redemption...
No!! She couldn't be in love. Love was based on years and years of knowledge, of a person's personality, of their actions, their selves. You couldn't know that all in an instant, therefore, you couldn't know enough to truly be in love.
It was merely physical attraction. It was impossible to be in love with him. No way. No how.
She wasn't in love.
But his eyes...his eyes...
Windows...
To such a beautiful soul...
Zelgadis sighed inwardly as Lina pulled back. It was so nice to -
Wait!!! What am I thinking? He shook his head. Lina didn't notice. She was apparently too lost in her own thoughts to notice him struggling with his. I'm an angel, what do I... I can't fall in... not with...
But...
She's so...so...
Perfect...
Lina had one hand up to her mouth, chewing at a nail and thinking. Heaven, she looks so blessed cute when she-
I said stop!!
I can't -
Love isn't for the angels!! We're to help others, we're god's hands, we can't just walk away! We...we...
Lina looked up and stared into his eyes.
Besides, I can't fall in love in three days...it's...it's like out of a story, I couldn't...
Such deep, red, pained eyes...with so much behind them...
I can't fall in love!!
There was no way he was in love. Even if he was, he couldn't do anything about it...
But... her eyes...her eyes...
Doorways...
To such an exquisite spirit...
Two beings... two bodies... they're untrained, uncertain. Unweathered, untried, far from worn into a fit to life...two souls, different, unchanged..
But who said they're new?
Who said they're old?
Who says one is just created when they are born?
Who says one isn't?
Truth, they must be. There are new souls, there are old souls. Old souls, learned, wise, used to life's pain, worn into their places, bearing scars from past lives, past opportunities lost, past disappointments. They're the bruised, fearful ones, they're the ones set in their ways. These are the racists, the dissolutionists, the skeptics, the ones who don't believe in good anymore, who see the world exactly as it is.
Sometimes.
Sometimes they're the wise ones, the ones who can understand better, who've learned the right ways to do things, who've learned how other's think, who know truths. They're the wise-women, the good priests, the witches and the teachers. They're the thinkers, the knowers, the helpers. They're the ones who have found their way and yet know how much further they have to go. They're the one's who believe in magic, they're the ones who see not as things are, or even as things were, but as things may be.
And these souls are right.
The young ones are the children, their eyes just opened, and the world is seen through rose colored glasses. They see not disappointment ahead, but a change. They know nothing of past hurts, past lessons, past hurts. They haven't learned to shield the windows, to close the door, to lock their hearts away from the world. They love life, they try to change, they create, even when someone ells them it's impossible. They're the dreamers, the imaginers. They're the foolish, the uncaring, the different. They see things not as they are, but as they should be.
Sometimes.
And they're right, too.
Humans are all different ages. It doesn't matter how old your body is, it's your soul. And every soul is different. Different events shape it differently.
And different souls take those events differently.
And sometimes, a young soul may be wiser than an old, experienced one.
And sometimes, an old soul will admit to the chance at truth.
Sometimes the young soul is foolish.
Sometimes the old soul is stubborn.
But sometimes...
They find and teach each other.
And that is truly the work of miracles. Especially if they match.