Lina Inverse grinned and slapped her companion Gourry Gabriev on the back as they walked down a narrow road.
"Oi!" Lina cried. "That was fun, ne?"
"It was all right, Lina." Gourry said. "But that monster was of something ugly." Lina shrugged.
"Meh." She brushed the subject aside. "All it took was a Dragu Slave and a couple hits from your Sword of Light." She paused. "But you are right about the ugly part." Gourry and Lina stopped, as they looked ahead to see a small town.
"Is that where we're suppose to meet up with Zelgadis and Amelia?" Gourry asked as they continued their walking. Lina nodded.
"Yeah," She said. Gourry stopped.
"Lina?" He asked.
"Yeah?"
"Wasn't it a little mean to force Zel to travel with Amelia?" Lina grinned as she walked into the village.
"Guy's gotta pay for insulting me."She said and Gourry ran to catch up with her. Gourry frowned as they walked into the tavern where they were to meet with the others.
"It was still a bit cruel." He muttered. Lina grinned again and the two walked into the inn. Amelia and Zelgadis were sitting to the right of the door. Opon seeing Lina and Gourry, Amelia leapt onto the table, plates clattering to the floor.
"Hi Ms. Lina!" Amelia yelled at the top of her lungs. "Hi Mr. Gourry!!!" Everyone in the inn turned to look at Amelia and Zel. Lina smiled until she noticed everyone's eyes had moved onto Zelgadis, who had removed his hood and scarf a few minutes earlier.
"Uh-oh....." Gourry muttered. "This doesn't look good....."
"Mazoku!" A woman shrieked and the inn emptied of people, except for a frightened inn keeper. Lina giggled and she and Gourry sat down. Zelgadis was frozen in shock.
Now sure, I mean, if you saw Zelgadis, a man with blueish green skin, stones dotted along his body, spiky blue hair, wearing a tan outfit, with a matching tan hood-cape-scarf you'd run out screaming ,too, so that was no surprise to Lina.
Amelia frowned and sat down.
"So," Gourry asked Zel and Amelia. "How was your jouney, despite this?"
"Great!!!!" Amelia cried. Lina laughed, the shocked look on Zel's face still making her laugh.
"Come on Zel!" Lina said. "It wasn't that bad." Zelgadis frowned.
"Oh really?" Zelgadis said ruefully . "How could it get worse?" Lina shrugged.
"I dunno." She said. "They could attack you with pitchforks and torches." As if on cue(Which it probably was,) Some village men burst in with no other than -
"Pitchforks and torches......" Gourry mumbled.
"............." Was all Lina could say.
"Run for it!" Amelia cried and the four dashed out the back door.
"Oh, Gods!" Zelgadis mumbled as the men began to run after them as they ran down a shadowed alley. "It's like my worst nightmare come true!" A face smiled in the darkness.
"It's only began, Zelgadis Greywords." The smiling face said. "It's only began......"
"What do we do Lina!!!" Amelia shouted as the four turned a sharp left.
"I can't throw a spell at them!" Lina shouted over the men. "I don't want to hurt them!"
"So would you rather have them kill Zel?" Gourry muttered. Lina hesitated. Amelia huffed.
"Why can't we just fly away?" Amelia demanded.
"Oh yeah!" Lina cried. "Ray-Wing!" A large bubble enclosed the four and lifted the into the air. Lina also added a protection spell, in case the men threw stuff at them. As they flew away, Ameila looked concerningly to Zel.
"Zelgadis-san," Amelia said. "I'm sorry, I was only trying to get Lina attention...." Zelgadis stared out into the night.
"Zel-san, you all right?" Amelia asked. Zelgadis continued to stare.
"Zelgadis?"
"Zelgadis?" Zel fell into a deep sleep.
"Be careful Zelgadis Greywords......" A voice whispered in his head. "You may never wake up alive....."
Zelgadis opened his eyes. He wasn't in the Ray-Wing with Lina and the others any more. He was standing in a mesh of green hills and bright sunlight. And also the occasional chipmunk. The chipmunk stared at Zelgadis with it's extra cute eyes that only Amelia could compare to. Zel thought he would be sick. Zelgadis frowned. Where was he? Had the Ray-Wing given out and the others nearby? Zel nodded. That had to be the case. He walked down the hill.
Amelia screamed. Lina screamed. Gourry screamed. They all screamed (For ice cream!Kidding........) Lina screamed. (At this point I know what you're asking, why are they screaming?What's happening? Give me some answers Writer-sama or I rip your heart out! All right! All right! I'll tell you later. ::Devil grin:: Just read on. )
Where Zelgadis was sitting was Xelloss. Xelloss grinned.
"Hello." He smiled. "Glad to see you all again."
"Where's Zelgadis, trickster priest!" Lina demanded. "What did you do with him?!" Xelloss sent them a puzzled look.
"Wh-? Oh I see he's not here." Xelloss said. "He must be missing. I certainly didn't do anything to him."
"Then why are you here and he's not?" Gourry demanded. Xelloss shrugged.
"Who knows?" Lina yelled in frustration.
"You stupid Mazoku!" She cried. "What did you do with Zelgadis!" Xelloss sighed.
"Damn." His smile never faded. "Thought I could fool you. I sent him to his nightmare world. I could send you to yours if you want me to."
"Why?!"
"Orders." Xelloss said simply.
"Where is this nightmare world?" Amelia asked. "When will Zel come back?" Xelloss smiled.
"That," He said. "Is a secret." Amelia looked like she might cry. Xelloss sighed.
"He'll come back." They all sent Xelloss a hopeful look. "If," His smile widened. "If he survives."
Zelgadis sighed a town came into view. He quickly pulled his hood and scarf over his face, so you could only see some of his hair. As he entered the town, he then noted that it was empty. Completely and utterly empty. A puzzled look came over Zelgadis' face and he walked on. Suddenly, a giant shadow loomed over him. A huge dragon landed, blocking Zelgadis' path.
"Who are you?" The dragon demanded.
"None of your business Zelgadis replied harshly. "Let me pass. I'm looking for my friends." The dragon shook it's head, spurting fire as well. Zel leapt back.
"Humans aren't allowed to pass." The dragon said. "Humans are to be killed on sight." The dragon shot fire as Zel. Zelgadis turned and ran. The dragon quickly gained air and landed in front of Zel.
"You're an odd human." The dragon said. It swiped a razor sharp claw at Zelgadis. Zel stumbled and fell, waiting for the pain. The pain didn't come. Puzzled,(An emotion that hadn't stop all through this.) Zel then noticed the dragon had pulled off his hood and scarf.
"Ahhh," The dragon said. "A chimera. You must be Zelgadis."
"How do you know my name?" Zelgadis demanded.
The dragon pulled Zelgadis onto his shoulder with one sharp claw.
"You'll see." The dragon took off.
Lina landed the Ray-Wing. Xelloss continued to smile as the others shot him dirty looks.
"What?" Xel asked finally.
"I can't believe you could be so cold." Amelia shook her head. Xelloss nearly lost it.
"Hey!" He cried. "I'm a Mazoku! I suppose to be cruel, and cold, and evil, and dark , and frightening! That's what a Mazoku is! Can't you understand that?!" The three just shook there heads and turned their back on Xelloss. Xelloss frowned.
"Maybe I'll just go home, and keep Zelgadis in his nightmare world until he rots!!" Xelloss yelled. Lina swallowed hard but didn't turn.
"Fine." Xel said. "I'm going. I'm leaving. Say Goodbye to Zel because he's never coming back
"Wait!" Gourry, Lina and Amelia cried and turned. Xelloss was grinning ear from ear.
"That's more like it." He murmmered.
"What do you want Xelloss?" Gourry asked. "You're not really telling us. And don't say,'That is a secret,' or something. All right?" Xelloss smiled.
"That is," Xelloss noticed the stern glance from everyone. "All right, the thing you guys have to do is get Zelgadis-san how to escape his nightmare world."
"But how do we do that?" Amelia pleaded. Xelloss grinned again.
"How does one wake up from a nightmare?" He rebounded. Lina shook her head.
"You just do." Lina said. Xelloss did a face fall.
"No," He muttered. "No, no, no, no, no, no. Idiots.......... You realize you're dreaming!"
"Ohhhhhhhh......." The group responded together.
"So how do we get him to do that?" Gourry asked. "Isn't he in another world or something."
"He's right." Amelia countered. "How do we?"
"So many questions," Xelloss shook his finger. "So little will to answer." Gourry drew the Sword of Light.
"Heh, heh......." Xelloss closed his eyes and sweat drop appeared on the back of his head. "Well, um.......you see I'm not quite sure....really on how......." Gourry pulled his sword closer to Xelloss.
"You better give us some answers." Lina said.
"If you kill me," Xelloss added. "You'll never know how to get Zelgadis back or be able to see him."
"What are you talking about?" A voice said."I'm right here." The four turned, surprised at the new voice. Zelgadis look at them puzzled.
"What is it?" Zel asked. Amelia ran and hugged Zel.
"Ohhhhhh!" She squealed. "Don't ever do that again, Zelgadis-san! You scared me half to death!!" Gourry and Lina ran to Zelgadis too. Xelloss stood, frozen in place.
"Wha - " He stammered. "How?" Zelgadis grinned.
"Xelloss," He said. "You think you can out smart me?" Xelloss still stood still.
"I don't understand!" Lina cried. "How did you escape?" Zelgadis frowned and looked away.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Zelgadis said. The four began to walk happily down the road.
The end! ::Evil grin.:: Not even close........ Xelloss turned his back on the four.
"Get back here, Kopii Zel." Xelloss yelled. Zelgadis spun around fast.
"What?!" Zel demanded.
"You heard me." Xelloss turned. Zel quickly ran up to Xelloss.
"What's going on here?" Lina demanded.
"It's him!" Xelloss cried. "He's a Kopii! The real Zel's-" The Kopii Zelgadis quickly slammed his hand into Xellos' neck. Xelloss wavered and fell. Kopii Zelgadis gave a dark laugh.
"What's going on?" Lina demanded again. Kopii laughed again.
"You don't get it do you?" He said.
"Zelgadis is in his nightmare world, isn't he?" The thought dawned on Amelia. "But you monsters don't want him the escape......... You sent Xelloss here, to make up some wild story, but instead he told us the truth. Then you monsters sent you here to kill Xelloss muniplate us into thinking that was the real Zel since your plan went wrong. Zelgadis is gone......isn't he?"
Zelgadis hung onto the dragon's neck. His mind raced. What was going on? Where was he? What was happening?. He suddenly was rocked with a sudden pain, like he had fallen through disturbed air. Then, everything froze.
The dragon disappeared, and Zelgadis saw that he was standing in another field.
"Lina!" He cried as he saw her and the others. They didn't turn to him. Zelgadis stepped up to them.
"Lina?" He asked. "Lina," He went to touch her shoulder, but his hand went right through her.
"What....?" He pulled back. Lina was frowning. But Zelgadis was in two places. There was another him! Amelia was crying and Gourry was gaping.
"Yes, that's right." Said the other Zel. "Pretty smart for such a young girl."
"What's going on here?" Zelgadis demanded. "Lina, Gourry, Amelia, say something!"
"What are you going to do?" The other Zel continued. "Kill me? By how? My magic's greater than yours, not to metion the chimera state I'm in." Gourry nodded towards the sword of light.
"Zelgadis did say," Lina said. "That the Sword of Light, could kill him."
"I don't doubt that you could kill me," Zel #2 went on. "But would you?"
"What are you talking about?" Lina demanded.
"I'm your trusted friend Zel." The other Zel said saddly. "I've saved your lives and never asked for a sigle thing in return. I'm your companion, your friend, your famliy almost and you're goning to kill me before I find a cure...?" Gourry lifted the sword of Light and cut the Zelgadis into two.
Our invisable Zel screamed just like the Kopii as it hit the ground. Zelgadis knelt in the ground, gasping for breath
"Lina?" He asked. Lina sat down.
"What if he is the real one...." Lina bit her lip
"No Lina," Zelgadis said to her. "Lina, I'm here! Lina......Please...look at me...."
"Oh Gods I don't........" Amelia sobbed. "I don't know....." Zelgadis stood. All he ever wanted was a cure. Now all he wanted was for Lina and the others to see him again. Zel shook with emotion. What am I going to do? He thought. Just wander around with them and hope that they will be able to see him again. And If they can't see me, and nobody can, and I can't touch anything, how can I find a cure? It's hopeless. He turned from them It was like a never ending nightmare, his worst nightmare, was to be compleatly and utterly alone. He closed his eyes and prayed to the Gods, that he'd wake up.
"Zel?" A small voice said. "Is it really you?" Zelgadis turned to see Amelia, Lina and Gourry staring at him. Zel nodded. Amelia ran to him and hugged him.
"Zel!!!" Amelia cried. "It's you! It's really you! Right? It is really you?" Zel nodded, again in shock. He looked up to see Lina staring at him.
"Zel......." She whispered. "I thought I'd lost you........." A moan came from behind them. Xelloss sat up.
"Xelloss!" Zel cried. Xelloss jumped to his feet. Gourry held him back from killing Zelgadis.
"You stupid Kopii!" Xelloss cried. "You worthless, son of a-"
"Xellos?" Zelgadis said.
"Yes...." Xelloss replied sweetly.
"I'm the real Zelgadis.......not a Kopii."
"Oh." Xelloss said, a tint embarrassed as Gourry released him. "You sure?"
"Positive."
"Damn." Xelloss said. "Oh well." He vanished. "Until we meet again, Lina Inverse." Zelgadis frowned.
"Bye Xelloss!" Amelia cried. "Thank you!"
"'Thank you'?" Asked Zelgadis. "Why? He was out for the whole time!"
"That's because Kopii you whacked him." Lina explained.
"That was a Kopii?" Zel asked.
"What did you think it was?" Amelia asked.
"I don't know........me?"
"Well it was sort a you, but different. More evil." Zel shook his head.
"Forget I asked. This is a little to confusing. I'm beginning to know how Gourry feels like."