It had been sometime after Gabriel's re-ascension into heaven. Xellos was wandering the earth, no real destination in mind. The plans for the end of the world still on the shelf, mostly because of two reasons. He was lonely and depressed.
It was because of the latter reason that he didn't realize that his aimless wanderings had led him, smack in the middle of a pitiful little town. He woke up when he heard the siren's call; Women's laughter. Glancing up for the first time he saw four women about to enter a loud and busy club. Well actually it was more like two girls trying to drag two other girls into a hoping strip joint.
"NO NO NO NO NO NOO!" A rowdy red head complained, "You are NOT making me go in there! Just forget it NAGA!" she spazzed at her buxom tormentor, and struggled for freedom.
"If Lina's not going in there NO WAY I AM! Lemme go Martina!!!" her twin declared digging in her heels.
"OH HO HO HO HO HO! Linas! You Must! OH HO HO HO!" Naga laughed to everyone's disgust.
"Stop acting like a bunch of babies!!" her green haired accomplice whined. "It's your birthday! It's your duty to do this!! Besides! There's tons of hot ready to get naked guys in there!!!"
Eventually the persistent pair won, and all four of them tumbled into the strip club.
"My my, this looks entertaining.' Xellos grinned and attempted to follow.
"Excuse me Sir!" a voice laced with authority stopped him in his tracks. "Today is women only!"
Xellos smiled his Cheshire cat grin and pressed. "But I belong in there!"
"The bouncer gave him the once-over and smirked. "Ah I see. Well like I tell all the newbie dancers. You're supposed to use the rear entrance, I'll let ya off easy this time boyo, but don't push your luck." she said giving him a motherly pat on the head and shoved him inside. "OH and if the girl's get too scary just call for Eris, and I'll come get ya!"
Xellos sweatdropped as he stumbled into the club. As he walked, lust filled glances tore through his cloths as many of the licored up females drooled at him and cackled 'Fresh Meat!'
hmm.. maybe this wasn't such a hot idea after all. he thought as what he assumed was the stage manager approached him.
A giant, hideous, barbarian of a man, dressed in a red sequin dress and matching heels tottered over and introduced himself. His waving black hair and mustache was almost comical, if he didn't appear as if he would gladly stab you in the gut for so much as smiling.
"Hey There! I'm Prince Phil! Owner of the Star Kingdom! Best strip joint in town!" the big man smiled. "You must be one of the new strippers. What's your name boy?"
"Erm.. Xellos.." he babbled mentally thrown away by the living oxymoron before him.
"Xellos! faBulous! best you hurry back stage and get ready! you'll be after Zangulous!" he giggled friendily and directing him to the change rooms.
Xellos was feeling quite out of place. He took his one chance and broke for freedom, only to have it ruined as he crashed into someone.
"Oh excuse me!" a slightly annoyed voice piped through from under him. Picking himself up he realized he had just ran over on of the perky red heads that had seduced his senses earlier.
"Ah sorry." Xellos murmured and helped her up.
"Oh it's no big deal. Say do you know where a girl can find a bathroom around here?" She asked.
"I think there's one next door." Xellos smiled, trying to be un-helpful.
"well gee!" she snorted and shook herself. "Never mind. I'm Liny Inverse. What are you called?"
"Xellos. Xellos Metallium. This is indeed quite a pleasure." he bowed over her hand, making her giggle. "Tell Miss Liny. Would you like to go.. out with me? I'm not really interested in staying too long here."
"Sure why not. One must help a others in need. It's what I do best after all!" she smiled and together they snuck out the rear exit.
For hours the un-likely pair walked around town, chatting and getting to know the other. Liny told him about her work as a shrine maiden and her studies of divine and white magic. How she volunteers to help the needy and downtrodden. She told him about her twin sister and how their mutual 'friends' decided to drag them to the strip club for their birthday, most likely because they wanted to mooch some freebies from the occasion. Xellos told her a tale about being 'dis-inhertited' in a way and how un-fair it was that his older brother was accepted back into the bosom of their loving family and he wasn't. He figured telling the whole truth wouldn't sit well with such a pure young miss like Liny.
Eventually he walked her home. the inverse homestead was a pleasant establishment. The modern look told how they were above average wealthy, and the subtle design depicted a family that was both in trade as well as having good taste.
Xellos was about to ask the young lady by his side a question when the door burst open and before they steamed Liny's counter part; her twin sister Lina.
"HOW DARE YOU DITCH ME WITH THOSE HORNY BIMBOS!!" Lina spazzed, majorly pissed off to the max.
"AHH!" Liny squeaked. "N.. Nee-chan I.. I forgot about you! Sorry!!"
"My my did we come at a bad time?" Xellos smirked, enjoying the situation greatly. well he was until the angry vixen put him on the end of her fiercest fireball. "Guess so.." he coughed, wincing from the burns inflicted on his semi human body.
Lina stomped off growling while Liny eyed Xellos. He emitted a soft giggle before placing a like kiss upon his scorched cheek. "pick me up tomorrow at eight k? I'll be waiting!" and with a smile that spoke volumes she dashed inside after her sibling.
Xellos gazed at the door amazed. 'What just happened?' he puzzled, and grinned his signature smile. He suddenly found himself eagerly awaiting the next night, to see what other surprises the inverse girl would bring.
the poor fool was hooked. So badly though that the next night, his date with Liny could only be described as, a complete and utter disaster. their second evening together went just as badly, if not worse. Xellos began to wonder if he was cursed. Nothing he seemed to do would turn out as it was supposed to. He did his demanded to act as a courting mortal would, and fell flat on his face. He attempted to woo her in manners all females adored, and failed miserably. He had one last chance and he was damned if he knew what he could do.
At this moment he was sitting in his new 'thinking' tree, trying to come up with a REAL sure-fire strategy. he was close to his 'perfect date' formula when the un-expected happened. He fell off his perch. Now this wasn't the random practical joke by fate episode. He had been startled by the arrival of his darling ruby eye's greeting, one, which caused the disturbance in his balance.
"Oh Xellos! Are you alright?" Liny asked rushing to his side.
"Yes, yes I'm quite fine thanks." Xellos replied, the conk on the head having given him a most delightful idea. "Are you ready? Remember you promised me one more chance!"
"Uh huh, I remember. When do we go?" she asked smiling.
"Right now!" he grinned bringing out a picnic basket from behind his back. Being a demon had its advantages.
"Oh Xellos!! How'd you do that!" Liny clapped amazed by his trick.
That, my dear, is a secret!"
The picnic idea was coming off like a complete success. They had wondered off into the lush green woods and found a charming and tranquil glade to eat in. Everything was perfect until.. the angry growl of thunder could be heard charging towards them. Within minutes the heavens opened and poured cold heavy rain upon them. Desperately they ran in search of sanctuary, as even the trees could not protect them from the showering attack.
A dazzling blade of lightening shot out and cleaved a nearby tree and sent the gangly piece of wood crashing down upon them. Xellos dived in, without thinking and rescued the fair Inverse female from certain death and used all of his demonic strength to rush them back to the dry safety of the Inverse homestead.
Soaked, shaken, and weary, they dragged their drenched forms up the front steps and through the front door. Many minutes of hollering concluded that they were quite alone in the cold house.
"We're practically trapped here." Liny trembled as she slumped down in front of the living room fireplace. Too cold and tired to make the effort to light it.
"Never fear, Liny dear, for I am here!" Xellos proclaimed, earning him a small laugh. He used the last of his dark powers to ignite a roaring blaze that soon had the room feeling comfortably again. Digging into the forgotten basket he removed the warm, thick blanket and handed it to Liny. "Here. You'd best change out of those drenched clothes and into this before you catch pneumonia." he said and turned around, resisting the urge to peek with all his might.
"Xellos.. you should do the same. You're as wet as I am." Liny stated wrapping herself up snugly in the blanket's depths. "and, thank you... for saving me back there."
Xellos almost fell over when he felt the wrapped up Liny embrace him from behind. Gulping he did as she bade him and slipped into the blanket with her. The feel of her soft bare skin against his own was incredible. The soft brush of her curling wet hair drove him wild and made him act without thinking.
"Liny-chan... marry me!"
"What? Why?" she asked a little startled, "because you feel you've ruined my spotless reputation? That it's the Honorable thing to do?"
"Screw honor!" Xellos shouted, surprising himself. "I want you like I've never imagined wanting anything in my entire life before. You make me feel, and think, and do things no one, especially not ME, ever thought possible. If you don't marry me... I haven't the bloodiest idea what the hell I'll do!!"
"Oh Xellos! YES!!!" she cried kissing him so fiercely any normal man would've been seriously injured. "On one condition."
"Yes! What?! Anything"
"We don't 'wait until we're married'!" she giggled naughtily and pounced on her startled fiancé. They spent the rest of the stormy night rolling about with more flaming passion then all the hells put together.
It was on that fateful night that young Phibby was conceived. Not even a week had passed before the randy couple tied the knot and Xellos ended up confessing another secret. This one about his true blood heritage. Liny never seemed to mind it, in fact she rather liked being Queen of the Damned.
It was a couple years after the prince's birth that all things went to hell, so to speak. Originally the plot to destroy the world was to be orchestrated by a child created by Xellos' dark powers from the womb of a jackal, and later on forced into the home of an influential foster family. With the young price's birth from his lovely wife, Xellos figured that his child with Liny would be the best way to fulfill his doomsday prophecy instead. Now if he'd only kept those plans for himself he never would've landed in so much hot water.
It was when he opened his BIG Stupid mouth one day, when he was watching his young son play with some unfortunate souls, that he let slip his plans for Little Phibbrizzo's future, in Liny's hearing. She was NOT pleased, in fact, she went ballistic.
"YOU SMILING PURPLE BASTARD!!!!" Liny exploded with fury, "YOU $#@@#!@#^%$##!!! YOU... YOU USED ME!!! ALL THESE YEARS OF MARRIAGE I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME AND IT WAS ALL A BIG $#@^@#$^&%% LIE!!!! YOU JUST WANTED TO GET INTO MY PANTS AND KNOCK ME UP SO YOU COULD t$$@$#*^&^^$ DESTROY THE WORLD!!" she screamed hurling another sharp and breakable object at her husband's head. "I HATE YOU!!!"
"Ne Liny-chan!! Really!! You got it all wrong!" Xellos attempted to sooth her from behind his throne. "I like you!"
"LIKE ME!!! I DON'T ^$#$@()*& BELIEVE YOU!!!" she finished shouting and became much too calm, "I'm leaving you Xellos Metallium! I'M Getting A DIVORCE."
Her finally lethal worlds struck him a blow that seemed to echo through his very soul. He couldn't move as she packed her things and left him alone in his darkness. Through all the following events in his life, the divorce and gaining custody of Phibrizzo, the hiring of Val, Phibbrizzo's guardian fallen angel, to Liny's final disappearance, he could only realize one thing. A deep burning pain and longing in the center of his being.
"I finally realized how much she really means to me. How it was she who showed me I Do have a heart and that it can only love her.. My Liny-chan." Xellos said softly.
"Ya know boss, that's quite beautiful," Val commented, "in a sad and pathetic kind of way. Think it'll win her back?"
"Hope so! It's all I've got!" Xellos answered, waving his trademark and smiled at his servant. "That and my devilish charm." And so they entered Sai Rag.