I smile as I hear Amelia scream. Well, it looks like she caught on to 'that' one faster than she did on other things. ....What I said to Amelia is all true, when I figure out what Xelloss means to me, I do hope it is the most wonderful feeling in the world. I'm still not so sure if this is the 'love' Xelloss meant or if it is something else. These are the times I wish Neechan was here.
True, Neechan is strong and scary, but when I was young, she would listen to all my fears and dreams in life very closely, and when ever I wasn't sure of something, she could give me the answer.. Come to think about it, I haven't seen her in four years.. which means she's twenty-two now! Wow! I definitely need to go see her.
"That's it!" I say out loud. Gaury and I were talking the other day about leaving Seyluun soon but we weren't sure where we'd go. Going to Zefiria would be a wise choice, I can introduce Neechan to Xelloss, Neechan can help me figure out how I feel for Xelloss, and, I need to inform Neechan about what happened with Dark Star anyways. Yup, I'm going back to Zefiria.
"What are you smiling about Lina-san?" A familiar voice asks me. I turn around and find Xelloss standing there.
"Xelloss, guess what! I'm going back to Zefiria!" I inform him. "You need to meet me there! I'll introduce you to Neechan, she can be scary but when she's nice, she's really nice. I really want you to meet her! Would you?" I look straight up into his eyes. Xelloss smiles and ruffles my hair.
"Of course I would Lina" Ever since what I told him in January, Xelloss has dropped the formal use of the '-san' on my name when he was sure there was no one around. I liked it when he didn't add the '-san' to my name, it made me seem like I was a lot closer to him. "under one condition though." He smiles down at me. "You would meet Xelas-sama sometime soon. It would be unfair if I am the only one having to go meet your family."
"Sure!" I reply.... "....Beast Master isn't after my life... right?" Xelloss looks at me like I'm crazy when I ask that.
"Why in the name of Lord of Nightmare-sama would you ask such a thing?" His eyes are wide open in surprise.
"Well... whenever I met one of the dark lords.. they were after my life!" I argue. Xelloss smiles and laughs.
"Don't worry Lina, Xelas-sama is not after your life." He continues to toy with my hair and I just look at him while he does that. After a while Xelloss starts to hum to a song I used to hear daddy sing. It's sweet melody made me fall in love with the song. I watched Xelloss's lips carry out the melody of the song as he toyed with my hair.
He looked so much at peace while he was doing that. Usually, he was very secret with any kind of emotions but now, he showed me how calm he was. I just looked at him... I don't know how long I've been doing that but I never got tired of looking at him.
After what seemed like eternity, I heard Gaury call me. Xelloss undid his hands from my hair and leaned forward.
"I will see you in Zefiria, good bye Lina." He whispered into my ear and disappeared. I smiled and ran off to Gaury, planning on telling him what are new destination is.
"hey, Lina, how've you been doing?" A girl with blue hair came up and asked Lina. Lina looked at her and smiled.
"Mare! God, it's been so long!" Lina shifted the weight of her bag from one shoulder to the other. Behind her, Gaury was looking at her with Clue less(Which is not unusual).
After a while of catching up on things, Lina turned to Gaury. "Gaury, this is my young age friend Mare. Mare this is my best friend Gaury."
"Nice to meet ya" Gaury waved.
"Pleasures all mine" Mare smiled. Then whispered to Lina. "Is he more than a friend?"
"No." Lina replied clearly. "Just a friend and nothing more." She smiled at Mare. "You meet anyone?"
"Nope, sadly not yet. Come on, you came here to meet the others too right? Let's go to the restaurant." Mare said cheerfully.
"Can I come along?" Gaury asked scratching his cheek
"Sure. Any friend of Lina's is welcomed"
Lina sighed inwardly so that the two won't notice. She was happy that Mare liked Gaury. Mare was her best friend before she left and she and Mare were the leaders of the group they hung out with. Leaders meaning that who ever Mare and her liked where accepted into the group and most of the gatherings were set up by the two.
"The 'restaurant'.. ne." Lina whispered. The restaurant they always gathered at was where her sister, Luna worked. Lina was a little worried in going to go see her sister. As much as she looked forward to meeting her old friends and family, Luna was the one who always saw through her facades and lies. She knew Luna would tell her what Xelloss meant to her, but Lina was also afraid to find out.
As she was thinking that, the three reached the restaurant.
"Gaury, I warn you, you're in for a surprise" Lina warned him. "You don't know what would happen with where Neechan's at." Gaury nodded, not thinking twice about the consequences.
The three entered the restaurant and were greeted by a huge sound. Lina smiled. "Looks like this place hasn't changed." As soon as she said that, a woman with blond hair and tanned skin, dressed in the waitress's outfit appeared in front of her.
"What would you......" She trailed off and looked straight into Lina's eyes.
"Wha-what?" Lina asked backing away, but the lady continued to stare at Lina. She looked over Lina from top to bottom.
"Are you... Lina Inverse?" She finally asked.
"Ye-yes" Lina replied with extra caution. Gaury had his hand on his sword for in case trouble aroused, but the Lady just took Lina's hand and shook it.
"Finally I met you! I've been wanting to meet you for two years now. I've heard so much about you!"
"Um.... WHO are you?" Lina asked adding emphasis on the 'who'. The lady looked at her for a while before catching on.
"My name is Xelas. Does that give you a hint" She smiled and Lina went into shock.
Lina stared at Xelas for roughly the next ten minutes. During that time Gaury and Mare tried poking her and doing things to regain her consciousness. Finally, Lina screamed.
"WHAT IN LORD OF NIGHTMARE'S NAME IS XELAS METALIUM DOING HERE!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!!!!!!!!????????" Xelas continued to smile, even though her ear drums were presumably knocked out because of it. Suddenly, a tray hit Lina's head.
"Don't scream in this restaurant Lina!" Someone ordered her. When everyone turned their eyes over there, there was a woman who looked somewhat like Xelloss, wearing her waitress outfit.
"Ne, Neechan..."Lina mumbled edging away from her sister and bumping into Xelas. "H, Hi" Lina managed.
"Hi Imouto-chan. Xelas, can you guide Mare and... are you Gaury Gabliev?" Luna asked pointing at him. Gaury nodded. "Mare and Gaury to the table, they'll probably sit with their usual crowd," Xelas nodded and escorted the two to a table were Lina's old friends were sitting.
"Neechan... I'll go over with Gaury and Mare and.." Luna caught her cape and hung on to it.
"Oh no you aren't Lina, I just finished my shift, you can go say hi to your friends later, let's go home now." Lina silently obeyed waving a good bye to Gaury and her friends.
"Welcome home Lina-chan." Her mother greeted her as Lina and Luna walked in the door. Her mother had long brown hair which was wavy, and was almost an older, more sophisticated version of Lina.
"Tadaima, where's dad?" Lina asked settling down her bag.
"Oh, he's out right now. Let me make you something while you and Luna-chan catch up." Then her mother left to go get the food ready.
"Lina, you coming?" Luna asked walking upstairs. Lina followed her sister up, until they reached the room they shared.
"Wow, hasn't changed hasn't it." Lina commented sitting on the twin bed on the right side, which was her bed. Around her bed were mostly books on sorcery and a nice looking closet.
"Nope, so Lina, how was fighting Dark Star?"
"You already knew we'd fight Dark Star?!" Lina asked surprised.
"Who do you think I am? I was even able to tell that the message was a 'spell' the first time I heard it." Luna smiled.
"Wow, you are 'Neechan'. Meant it as a compliment" Lina added quickly. Luna smiled as Lina took off her shoulder guards and cape.
"So, how's.... what's his name Xelloss doing?" Luna asked, her hand on her chin looking at Lina smiling.
"You, you know about... about... about... ah, um, you know, ah... uh..." Lina tried to continue on, her face blushing. She could explain to Amelia easily, but this was different, it was her sister she was talking to.
"Wow, Lina-chan you look pretty cute when you blush." Lina threw her sister a pillow to hide her embarrassment. Luna dodged it and smiled. "How do I know about Xelloss?" Luna asked, Lina nodded, her face covered inside a pillow. "Xelas told me."
"Oh, yeah. That reminds me! What's Xelas Metalium doing working at the restaurant!?"
"Oh, she was bored and asked me if I knew anything interesting. So, I suggested her she work at the restaurant" Luna then shifted the subject back. "Now, off of Xelloss-kun's boss and onto Xelloss-kun himself. How'd you and him get together?"
"Well..." Lina twirled with her fingers for a while. "We went out on Christmas eve, I think that's the first time I really thought about him differently, then when he told me how he felt on New Years... I sort of felt like I didn't want to lose him.... But..... I'm not sure myself what I feel for him. He says he's satisfied with what he and I have now... and so am I but.... I kind of.... I'm not sure. I don't know." Lina explained herself.
"I see where you're wondering. You really, really care for him, but don't know if you are ready for an intimate relationship." Lina nodded at Luna's words. "But, you still want to figure out what he means to you." Lina nodded again. "Tough spot.. ne Lina-chan." Luna sighed.
"Neechan, what does Xelloss mean to me?"
"Lina, Lina, I can answer all your questions in the world but that one. Besides, if you and Xelloss-kun are both satisfied with what you have now isn't it okay?"
"No.. no, it's fine with Xelloss with what I've got now.... but not with Gaury. Neechan! I nearly destroyed the whole world just because of a selfish wish that I didn't want Gaury to die! He's very, very, important to me! I don't know which I care for more, Gaury or Xelloss! I thought that with Gaury getting together with Shilfiel I could figure out some things! Yes, I did figure out that I didn't care for him the way Shilfiel does, but isn't it, isn't it wrong to want to travel with a guy whose got another girl! And if I really cared for Xelloss the way he cared for me why would I care about Gaury!? Do you know that answer! If so then, then please give it to me!" Lina shouted.
Luna looked at her unstable sister for a few minutes before she walked over to Lina's bed and patted her head.
"Lina-chan, you're too nice for your own good. But I don't think it's wrong wanting to go traveling with your brother."
".....Brother?"
"Sure, isn't that what Gaury-kun is like to you. You care for him deeply, but were you hurt when he and Shilfiel started to go out?" Lina shook her head.
"I was happy for them.. maybe a little sad but happy, very happy."
"Then there's your answer for Gaury-kun! You care for him deeply, but only as an older brother, as a very close friend. I heard someone say to Mare today that Gaury was nothing more than a friend." Lina nodded at Luna's words.
"I really want to know what I feel for Xelloss. Neechan, he's very important to me. But I don't know if I could give up the world for..."
Luna pushed her pointer finger on Lina's mouth to shush her.
"Do you really want to know the answer?"
"Yes and no. The only way to know the answer is Xelloss to be in a near to death situation... I don't want to see that. But I want to know."
"Then.... Start from the feeling that you don't want to see Xelloss-kun hurt. Don't worry too much Lina, my dear imouto. The answer would find its way to you on its own. Lina.. 'Think, there's always something to think about. But the answer that lays beyond your deep thoughts and sorrow, is the answer you would live not to regret.' Remember those words." Lina nodded, they were the same words Luna said when Lina left Zefiria. "do you regret nearly destroying the world for Gaury-kun." Lina shook her head no. "Do you regret any choices that you made."
"One, fighting Naga." Luna laughed out loud on that one. She had read about Naga from the letters Lina sent her.
"Do you regret deciding to be with Xelloss-kun?" Lina shook her head no. Luna smiled. "Don't worry Lina, you know how to think and protect yourself. Come on, I think mom has some food ready."
Lina smiled and jumped onto her sister. "Neechan, you're the BEST!" She hugged her sister smiling, no worries on her face. "I'm fine with Xelloss the way it is, I'm fine with Gaury the way it is. I am so happy!" She thought.