Lina made happy noises as she ate her meal. Lots of happy noises.
Xelos stared at her. He'd always noted somewhere in the back of his mind that Lina ate a lot but he rarely stayed long enough to watch the action. And when he did get a chance to watch, he was usually surprised. You'd think some of that would go towards her figure, maybe just a bit even.
He shrugged. So what if Lina wasn't meant to have a gorgeous figure? Petite was cute!
He rolled a few ideas around in his head, having fun while waiting for Lina to stop eating.
So he was somewhat startled when Lina asked around a mouthful of food, "So we're supposed to meet Zel and company at the end of the road after I get my wings?"
Xelos nodded, quietly sipping on his drink. It was a rather yummy concoction, hot chocolate with a dash of cinnamon and - was that a touch of strawberry he tasted? He eyed it, his mind creating a plot to steal the recipe from the cook.
"But how long will that take?"
Xelos smiled at Lina."Why, I have no real idea. Ask your Angel."
Great. I should've known that when I want a straight answer from him I get evasive maneuvers.
:Lina-love, I should think it'd only take a couple of days for you to get my wings. However, acquiring your wings means you'll be that much closer to being me.: Crysanth wanted to say more, but decided against it.
Lina frowned, worried. She placed her utensils down on the table. "I just hope we can hurry up and beat the bad guys before I'm gone."
Xelos debated whether or not to tell her his solution to her problem, then decided against it. If she finds out, then the whole thing won't really work. If I tell her afterwards, though, it might just work. So he settled for a reassurance. "Lina-chan, you have noth - well, actually you have lots to worry about, but I'm sure you'll save the day, like always."
Lina glowered at him."And you just had to come along with me?"
Xelos smiled cutely and rested his chin on his hands. "Why, I have to protect my beloved, of course!"
Lina stared at him.
Xelos smiled winsomely. That has got to be obvious enough for even her to understand.
Then Lina slammed her palms on the table. "You jerk! What makes you think I'm going to fall for that?"
Xelos fell face first on the table. That...didn't happen...did it?
Lina stormed out of the inn.
Xelos pulled himself up and stared at her back ruefully. Looks like a simple confession won't get me anywhere.
The waitress showed up then. "Sir, will you please pay for all that food the young lady just ate?"
Xelos glanced at the piles of plates on the table and sweated. He'd heard of things in other dimensions, little slips of plastic and paper called credit cards and traveller's checks, that allowed you to put off paying for stuff you bought. Unfortunately he didn't have those. But seeing as how this was the only inn in the village and Lina needed to come back to sleep, he figured he'd better pay it off.
Oh well. I can always get Lina to rob a couple bandits for me. He smiled and left to find Lina, beg pardon, and make yet another attempt at her precious heart.
Not, he thought darkly, That it's going to be an easy task.
Lina wandered around the village, then went to its borders. It was right by a river, and was surrounded by forest.
She could feel Crysanth reacting to the land.
:Lina-love, this place...this place is flowing with natural energy!:
Lina could feel the joy as power flowed through Crysanth. It was a rather overwhelming experience.
Meanwhile, Zel and company had reached Dintric Town and were 'greeted' by the village headsman and some of his 'friends'.
Zel held up his hands. "Whoa, whoa, we don't mean any harm!"
The Headsman glared at them. "You have come to steal the Wishing Amulet, I suppose?"
Amelia piped up. "No, we're not. We're here just to use it to cure Zel here and maybe visit Gourry's parents!"
The Headsman thought that over. "Gourry? As in Gourry Gabriev?"
Gourry grinned. "Hey, Trure! I didn't think you'd still be around!"
Headsman Trure smiled widely. "Why, Gourry! Long time no see! The last we heard of you you were travelling as a mercenary and saving damsels in distress - pretty ones, that is."
Zel sweated.
Gourry beamed. "Actually, a lot's happened since then, but can we come in and see Ma and Pa? These are my friends, Amelia and Zelgrady."
"That's Zelgadis." he corrected wearily.
"Well then! If you're friends of Gourry then there's no problem! Come right on into town!" He drew away his weapons and his 'friends' did the same."Welcome to Dintric Town, fellow travellers and Gourry."
Gourry smiled bashfully. "Is home the same as before?"
"Of course! Well, actually we had this travelling artist come in here and do a few redecorating jobs."
They stopped in front of a house shaped like a half a bowling ball combined with a horse and a barn.
Zel looked at it incredulously. "Now I see why he's a 'travelling' artist...he probably gets run out of every town he visits." he mumbled.
Gourry clapped his hands. "That looks neat!"
Zel sweated.
Trure knocked on the door.
Amelia jumped up and down. "Wow! Your parents are living in a piece of art!"
Zel sweated some more, and mentally reevaluated his already low opinion of Amelia's intelligence. With some amazement he noted that she was almost on par with Gourry.
"Ah yes, we're coming, we're coming." he heard a female voice say.
They were greeted by a plump blond woman who was beginning to show the slightest hint of grey in her hair. She stopped short. "Gourry?"
"Hey, Ma!"
Ma Gabriev smiled widely and held out her arms. "Welcome home, baby!"
They hugged, and Zel mentally made another appointment with a construction company he'd found who could fix cavities in his rock teeth.
Amelia sighed. "Isn't that sweet?"
Zel stared.
Once they were seated within the bowling ball part of the house and Pa Gabriev had also welcomed back his son, questions were asked.
"Gourry," Pa Gabriev said, "How's the mercenary life coming?"
Gourry put a hand behind his head and laughed nervously."Actually, I'm no longer a mercenary."
Pa looked shocked. "What?"
"I'm a travelling companion to Lina Inverse."
Zel awaited calmly the outburst to follow a statement of that sort. So he was rather surprised when nothing of the sort happened.
"Lina? Sounds like a nice girl. Are you more than just her companion?" Ma asked bluntly.
Gourry blushed. "Naw, Ma. I'm just around to protect her from trouble."
Pa rocked back and forth in his chair. "Lina Inverse...somehow that sounds familiar..."
Zel crossed his arms. "Perhaps you're more familiar with her pseudonyms." he commented dryly. "Like perhaps, 'someone even a dragon wouldn't mess with,' or maybe 'the enemy of all who live'? There are dozens more which I hesitate to go into."
Pa slapped his fist into his palm. "I know! She's that crazy sorceross who's out to kill us all!"
"Yes, that's another name she's known by." Zel affirmed.
Ma looked at Gourry in wonder. "And this girl needs protection? We may not be smart, Gourry baby, but even we know not to mess with her!"
Gourry laughed. "Aw, Ma, she gets in trouble just like any of us do!"
Pa noticed something. "If you're her travelling companion, why aren't you with her?"
"Aw, she had to go someplace to do some stuff. We're going to meet her at the end of the Road by the River Shayil, and then we're going to defeat some bad guys who want to kill us all."
Pa nodded. Then he looked at the other two. "And these are also her travelling companions?"
Zel answered the question. "No. This is Princess Amelia of Sailoon and I am Zelgadis. I travel with Lina when our destinations appear the same. I do not travel with her on a regular basis."
Amelia clapped her hands. "I travel with Lina whenever I can! Together we try to smite evil from the world!"
Zel nodded. "Close enough."
Amelia kept right on talking. "Zel's here to use that Wishing Amulet of yours!"
Ma and Pa looked at Zel.
Pa said, "What would you wish for?"
"To become human again. I wasn't always like this." he gestured to his body.
"Why would you want to become human?" Ma asked curiously. "You look tougher than we are, and you've probably got some sort of enhanced abilties. Spells cast on the body can be a mixed blessing."
That was the second time someone had questioned his choice. "Well, being a chimera doesn't improve my social life any."
Pa looked at him. "Why don't you forget the idea and go find some nice girl?"
Zel was losing his temper. "And you think I could get a girl just like that with this body?"
Ma eyed him carefully. "You don't look too bad...at least you're not overly buff like some boys I knew in my youth."
Zel stared at her.
Pa shrugged. "If I were you I'd wish for a nice girl who would love me the way I was." He glanced at his wife. "'Course, I've already got my happiness right here."
Ma laughed flirtatiously. "You old devil you!"
Pa turned back to Zel. "Anyway, think about it some. You can stay here with us for a few days, if you'd like. We love visitors."
Zel nodded his head mutely.
Well, that just about tears it. What am I going to wish for?