"(Sung) Your life is what you make it, choices in your mind. Dreams can come true, if you think them ..."
Mira stopped hearing the sounds of battle. "Damn, vampires!" she mumbled, heading towards the noises. "What travelers are you attacking now, boys?" she called, stepping into a clearing full of sorcerers, vampires, sword fighters, and justice fighters?
"Vile creatures! Our band of justice defenders will destroy you! Give up now and we will have mercy! Fight, and be ..." a young girl called from atop a tree.
"SHUT UP!" the tall sorcerer, short sorceress, and sword-slinger yelled.
"Need a hand?" Mira offered.
The short sorceress looked back at her. "You're ... you're ..." she looked utterly stunned.
"Didn't think I was that ugly," Mira snapped.
"No, it's just ..."
"Save it, "Mira sighed, "and if you value your life ... DUCK!" She raised her hands.
"I call my mother,
Lend me your children.
Wood spiker!"
The trees surrounding the vampires leaned in and shot towards them. Only a few were quick enough to avoid the trees.
"Damn demon blood!" a vampire hissed as they ran.
"You're welcome. Bye!" Mira ran out of sight!
"Zel! Did you see her?" the small sorceress exclaimed.
"I know, Lina! I know! She was a Chimera!" Zel, the other sorcerer, stated.
"Huh?" the swordsman grunted.
"Gourry, you idiot!" Lina hissed, "that girl was a Chimera, like Zel!" She pointed at Zel. He gazed out in the direction of where Mira had run. Stones covered his face and body.
"Chimera?" Gourry frowned.
Lina walked over and hit him.
"Miss. Lina, that's wasn't nice!" the short sorcerer pouted.
Lina simply looked over at her; "Do you have a complaint?"
"No, but Miss. Lina ..." she whined.
"We have to follow her. She might know the cure," Zel was staring down at his stony hands.
"But if she knew the cure, wouldn't she be human?" Gourry contemplated.
Zel glared over at him. "Don't let me get my hopes up at all!"
"Okay, I won't," Gourry smiled.
"A plant is smarter," Zel mumbled, heading off into the bush.
"Zel, wait up!" Amelia whined. He didn't even pause. 'That's not nice Mr. Zelgadis!"
"I never said I was nice!"
Amelia moaned as Zel let a twig snap back into her face. Zel didn't hate Amelia but he couldn't tolerate her for too long either.
"Where are we going?" Gourry cried trying to keep up with the others.
"DO YOU NOT LISTEN?" Lina yelled.
"Pardon."
"Don't bother Lina. It's a lost cause," Zel sighed.
"Huh?" Gourry winced as Lina proceeded to pummel him into near oblivion. "Ow!"
"Oops," she grinned.
"Skin of flesh, Band again, Life to live. Mother's Tear," she chanted her spell as Gourry began to melt back into his usual self.
"Pity," Zel let his sentence hang. He knew that if he said anything else Lina would crush him into the same state Gourry had just been in. She may act like she hated Gourry but everyone knew she was so in love it wasn't funny.
"Uh, ... Zel?" Amelia stammered.
"What?" he looked back.
"Aren't most other Ka-mer-ta's bad?"
"No! And it's Chi-mer-a's you ..."
"Zel!" Lina snapped, "she's only a kid!"
"I'm 14!" Amelia stated.
"Like I said 'she's just a kid!'"
"I get the picture," Zel rasped.
"Footprints!" Gourry yelped.
"Footprints?" Amelia asked.
"Look!" Gourry pointed down triumphantly. There, in the dirt, was a light track of footprints.
"Great!" Lina shouted, "now we know where we are going! Let's move!"
She sped off, following the prints. Gourry followed and Amelia trailed him. Zel only bent down to examine the tracks.
"What the ...?" he murmured. The tracks were only of left feet. "She covered her trail, but not good enough," he called triumphantly and looked at the sky. Sure enough in the distance was the form of a levitating Chimera. "Gotcha!"
He ran off towards Mira. All that was running through his mind was cure. A cure. There might be a cure. 'I could be human again!' The thought was too great to even comprehend. He would finally be able to lead a (slightly) normal life.
"WE'RE LOST!" Amelia bawled.
"We're not lost! We just don't know where we are or where Zelgadis is," Lina reassured her.
"Actually ... we are lost!" Gourry stated.
"WHAAA!" Amelia screamed.
"Gourry," Lina purred.
"What?"
"YOU IDIOT! YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO SAY 'Oh, yeah we'll find our way!'" Lina screamed punching Gourry down into the dirt.
"Hey. Look up there!" Gourry was pointing up at a levitating form.
"It's Zel!" Amelia cried (now quite happy).
"Unless Zelgadis got a hair cut and a sex change, that's not him," Lina was gazing up at Mira.
"Well aren't we going to follow her?" Gourry questioned, getting up off the ground.
"Duh!" Amelia snapped.
"Ray wind!" she cast her spell slowly. A sphere of wind appeared around them and lifted into the air.
Mira glanced behind herself. Seeing the three travelers take to the air she grimaced. "Damn tourists! They don't give up!" She was slowly levitating to the ground. "They just don't know who they are dealing with!" Her hands raised as she hit the ground. "Ground from which I was formed, Litter the ground with my tracks, Fool my hunters. Foot Prints!" as she finished, million of prints appeared around her. "Let's see them figure that one out!"
"Levitation!" her feet barely rose off the ground and she began walking (on air) towards a hidden path.
A noise behind her alerted her. "Who's there," she sighed looking behind herself.
"Meow?" a small, tan cat called happily.
"Keets! You scared me!" Mira reached down and picked her up.
"Purrrr," Keets snuggled up to her, "meow."
Zelgadis was watching Mira and Keets from behind a bush.
Mira looked right at the bush. Zel held his breath. She walked over to the bush, "Choke cherries." Keets smiled.
"Remember where they are. We haven't had choke cherries in a long time."
"Phew!" Zel sighed.
Mira flared at the bush. Then her face softened. "Come on Keets. Let's go home." She walked off towards the path.
Zelgadis silently stood up and followed her.
"Where'd she go?" Amelia was now climbing the nearest tree.
"We don't have time for another one of your justice speeches Amelia!" Lina snapped.
"I'm trying to see where that girl went."
"Oh," Gourry sat down and leaned against the closest tree. "Well I hope you find her soon. I'm tiered.
"You mean tired?" Lina sighed.
"Whatever."
"I see a house!" Amelia exclaimed.
"Well let's get going!" Lina grabbed Gourry's arm. "Get up! I'm hungry and she found a house."
"FOOD!" Gourry and Lina screamed in perfect sync. They sped off towards the house.
"Guys!" Amelia yelled, "Wait up!"
Gourry sniffed the air; "I smell beef, roast beef!"
"With honey garlic dressing ..." Lina drooled.
"And fresh bread on the side," Amelia's mouth watered.
"Food, food, food!" Lina cried.
"Dibs!" Gourry called. Lina stopped wit her arms out at her sides, effectively clothes lining Amelia and Gourry.
"Dibs?" Lina drawled the word out slowly.
"Yeah! I've got dibs on that FOOD!" Gourry licked his lips.
Lina frowned, "Dibs, eh?" She then proceeded to kick the ever-living crap out of Gourry. "Now whose got dibs?" she hissed.
"You," Gourry whimpered.
"Ms. Lina that was mean!" Amelia whined.
"Oh yeah." She leaned menacingly over the trembling Amelia.
"Never mind."
"Smart move."
Mira and Keets moved swiftly to a small hut. Mira dodged the traps deftly. Zel noted their locations. He wanted to talk to her but he wanted to be in one piece. She walked into a small (hidden) door.
Zel quickly ducked under a tree as she looked back. After she had entered he stood up. "Simple enough," he murmured, following the same path as Mira. Suddenly he felt his foot touch a wire, thinking quickly he dived into the nearby bushes, into mousetraps. He got up and stepped away from the bush into a pit and sat down. Thinking. 'Of course," he breathed, "she was levitating! I wasn't!" He slapped his forehead, angry at his stupidity. "Levitation!" Zel whispered. He raised only a few centimeters off the ground. He followed the same path Mira had used moments before and was successful in almost every aspect. He had forgotten where the door was. "Aw, Taihen! (God) Where is that door?" eh swore under his breath. He felt around the hut. "Success!" He felt a crack. He pried it open. "Anyone home?" he mock yelled sarcastically. Zel slid into the hut. It was large, looking around he guessed he was in the hall. Zelgadis walked cautiously towards the first room and he peeked in. It was a bathroom. An empty bathroom. Zel moved onto the next room, an empty kitchen. Unbeknownst to him Mira was in the room behind him.
She glared at Zel's hooded figure. "He won't know what hit him!" She reached down to her belt for her mace. She grimaced when she remembered she had left it in her room. She thought for a moment, then when Zel wasn't looking she darted into the kitchen. Triumphantly she pulled a long, sharp, gleaming knife. She crept up behind him.
Zel could've sworn that he heard something behind him. He turned and gasped. Mira was holding a mean looking knife and throwing it towards him. He tried to dodge but it hit him in a fleshy part of this shoulder. He grimaced in pain. His hand went up and pulled the knife out. Mira took this opportunity to dart in and grab Zel's neck and hold him against the wall. His head flew back and his hood dropped.
Mira gawked. She almost let him go but knowing her nature tightened her grip. "Who are you?" she spat.
"Zelgadis ..." he sputtered, "Graywords!"
She went postal, "You warui (evil) little ..."
"What?"
"Because of your Ryoshin (parents) I'm a Chimera!" she spat.
"My parents ... Rezo?"
Mira grabbed the knife away from Zel. "How'd ya guess?" She hit Zel in the head with the knife handle, effectively knocking him out cold.
As she dragged his body to the cold room doubts began running around her head. 'If Zel was in good with Rezo, why would he still be a Chimera? How could he be a Chimera? Rezo could've healed him.' She shook her head. She could get that info when he got up. She set him gingerly into the corner of the cold room and started a healing spell.
"Wound created by my hand,
Bond together, yet again,
Nature's healing force,
Shall heal your pain!"
As she finished Zel stopped bleeding and just looked better in general, except for the large bump on his head. "Work well done ..." she mumbled a few other words when she heard about one of her traps being set off. "The welcoming committee," she murmured. Mira walked into the hall and up to the door.
"WHERE IS THE DOOR?" Lina, Amelia, and Gourry cried in frustration.
"Hey look!" Gourry exclaimed pointing at a small crack that was opening up in the hut.
"Ice arrows!" Mira cried turning Lina and Gourry into ice statues.
"That wasn't nice, you Chimera!" Amelia whined, pointing at Mira.
"Yeah and pointing isn't polite," Mira snapped. Amelia fell flat on her face. "Flare Arrows!" Mira cast.
"Ahhh ... Ice Arrows!" Amelia countered.
The spells dissolved as they hit.
"So you're impolite and a sorceress," Mira sneered.
Amelia moaned. "I'm not impolite!" she bawled.
"Whatever!" Mira growled crossly. "Air above me, Ground beneath me, Unite and aid me. Elemental Crush!" A wave of earth enveloped little Amelia.
"Whaa!" she sobbed.
"Baby!" Mira poked a tiny hole in the soil so Amelia could breathe. She drug Lina and Gourry into the cold room. Zel had regained consciousness. When she entered the room he raised his hands, casting:
"Shiro (white) of mind,
Strength of soul,
Bind your force.
Shadow snap!"
Mira glared at Zel.
"A shadow snap really? How low can you get!" She cracked her hands; "You don't know what you're dealing with! Creature of undying loyalty, golem, I summon thee!" The ground under Mira trembled then enveloped her. "Best armor you can get." She swung at Zel.
"I'm not your enemy!" he yelled.
"So you broke into my home, attacked me, and you're not an enemy? Oh I agree. You're a nemesis."
"That's not what I meant!" He ducked as she swung at him again. "Burt Mondo!" he cast the spell carefully. It broke Mira's golem armor.
"What reasons do I have to destroy you ... Rezo's your dad, you attacked me, your friends attacked me! Now the reasons for not destroying you ..." Mira paused, "I've drawn a blank."
"You're right. Rezo's my dad, I attacked you, my friends attacked you but ..."
"But what?"
"I just wanted to talk to you."
"Hello, how are you, bye!" Mira sighed, "There we've talked. Now take your friends and leave."
"Huh?"
"You heard me!"
"Well who are you?"
"Didn't the people at the village tell you?"
"They said there were vampires in the forest."
"Didn't they mention Mira Ruis?"
"You're Mira?"
"Give Zelly-boy a prize!" she drawled sarcastically.
Zel frowned. "Are you always this nice?"
Watch it pal! You're starting to sound like that little wannabe that's outside."
"Amelia?"
"Sounds right."
"Look I'm sorry I broke into your home. I'm sorry I attacked you. Sumimasen (I'm sorry), ok!" Unbeknownst to Mira, Lina and Gourry had 'defrosted' and were sneaking up behind her.
"You're forgiven, now," Mira swung her arm dramatically, "GO AWAY!"
"Lina, Gourry, don't!" Zel stated calmly.
"Lina?"
"Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev."
Mira's eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped in realization and horror. "Lina, Gourry, and ... Zel?" Mira groaned. "The trio that slew Shabernigdo.
"That's us!" Lina exclaimed happily.
Mira buried her head in her hands. "I can't believe this ..." she mumbled. "Sumimasen, I didn't even realize ..."
"Oh, that's ok!" Gourry gushed.
"No, it's not!" Lina snapped, walking menacingly over to Mira. As Lina raised her arm to hit her Mira looked down at her.
"It'll hurt you more than it would hurt me," Mira smirked. "Being a chimera has its perks."
Lina stuck her tongue out, "Bah!"
"So what are you three doing in my neck of the woods?"
"It's a long story," Zel warned.
"I've got a lot of time!"
"Well ..." Lina began.
"Shouldn't we get Amelia out of the ground?" Gourry asked.
Zel shook his head, Lina nodded and Mira shrugged, "Why not?"
"Why not!" Zel exclaimed unhappily. "This is the first time in weeks that, that little leach has left me alone!"
Mira looked at him with contempt; "She's only a kid!"
"She is a walking hormone!" Zel cried.
Gourry laughed at him. Zel's pupils turned into little fireballs as he kicked the crap out of him.
"Sorry," Gourry whimpered as Lina healed him.
"Maybe we should leave the kid out there if you are going to be so violent about it!" Mira sneered, "Get a grip!"
Zel stormed towards her but she hit him in the gut, sending him flying. "Like I said," she said cracking her hands, "get a grip."
Zel stood up and brushed the dirt off his shirt. "I forgot you could do that," he stated.
"Don't forget again," Mira warned him. "I'm one of the few people that can hurt you."
Zel rubbed his midsection groaning.
"Looks like you don't fight much or at least you don't get hit."
Zel glared at her, "Don't forget, I'm able to hurt you too."
"That's not likely," Mira sighed annoyed.
"How do you figure that?"
"I'm more demon than most chimeras," she sighed.
"And that would help you how?"
"Like this." Mira's eyes became cat like and glowed blood red. Her body became transparent. "Pure bred."
"Demon?" Gourry gasped taking out his sword.
"Don't try it!" She hissed. Then, turning back to her normal self she added, "I'm on your side."
"How did you do that?" Lina demanded.
"When Rezo turned me into a chimera he made me more demon than human or golem, therefore, when I want to, I can become a pure bred demon," she explained.
"Can you do that, Zel?" Gourry questioned.
"No," Zel snapped. He was in a BAD mood. Now he knew that 'dear old dad' had turned more than just him into a chimera.
"Zel?" Mira asked, bringing Zelgadis out of his angry trance.
"What?"
"How did you become a chimera? Rezo?"
"Good guess," he sighed. "Rezo turned me into a chimera when I was a kid."
"Oh, he was a good father!"
"Father?" Gourry asked. Gourry was then pummeled into a tiny pulp of skin.
"YOU DON'T LISTEN!" Lina screamed.
Gourry managed to make a negative sound before Lina healed him.
"You still haven't told me why you are in the Dark Woods," Mira accused.
"Well it all started with an orihalcon statue ..."
"Guys?" Amelia whined, "Help?" She was sitting in the center of the dirt dome. Amelia was caked in mud. "That mean chimera!" She looked around thoughtfully. "What if she captured Zel? Oh no!" she exclaimed day dreaming!
Zel is lying, half-dead, in a cold damp room. Lina and Gourry are in the same condition on the other side of the room. Mira is casting some torture spell on Zel. Amelia bursts in. "Stop you evil being! Leave my honey alone! You have disrupted all that is good! If you don't give up your evil ways I will be forced to destroy you!" Mira falls to the ground, sobbing, "I'm so sorry. I never meant to be that mean" Zel sits up. "My hero!" Amelia and Zel embrace.
Amelia drifts off into some strange world.
" ... So we ended up here."
"Whoa!" Mira giggled. "You IN A DRESS!" She was rolling on the floor laughing, while pointing at Gourry.
"It was just so the bounty hunters wouldn't find us!" Gourry fumed.
"Just keep telling yourself that!" Mira giggled. Gourry fell down pouting. Mira stopped laughing and turned to Zelgadis. "So what are you people up to now?"
Zel's face went grim; "We are searching for the Clair bibles."
The color drained from Mira's face. "You're looking for the cure?" Then she smiled mischievously.
"What?" Lina questioned, curious.
"I just happen to have a bible!" Mira beamed.
Lina smiled, Zel just about burst with joy and Gourry looked at them, intrigued. "What's so great about a bible.
Pummel.
Mira laughed, "Think before you speak Gourry."
"Think?"