"Lina-san, I think he's angry," Amelia said after a long silence.
"Really?" the redhead retorted sarcastically in reply. "And it's his problem. I'll never understand why he has such mood swings. There was no reason to get angry at all!!"
"M-maybe...," Amelia managed apprehensively, "he really dislikes the idea of marrying me THAT much!!"
Lina sighed as huge puddles welled up in Amelia's eyes. "I don't think that was it, Amelia," she said, though not so sure herself. "I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."
"R-really, Lina-san?"
"Just go ask him yourself!!" she asserted.
"But Lina-san, that's not exactly a subtle thing to do!!"
"Then I really can't think of how to help you," she replied simply, turning on her heels.
"W-wait, Lina!!" Amelia cried as Lina stormed up the stairs. "Where are you going?!"
"To pack. We're leaving in a quarter of an hour!!"
Some fifteen minutes later, Amelia stood longingly from the street, looking up at Zel's open room window. She shook her head again. "Lina, we shouldn't abandon Zelgadiss-san!! Please, can't I go tell him we're leaving, at least?!"
"No!!" Lina replied indignantly. "Don't act like such a useless puppy, Amelia!! Didn't you see how he treated us this morning? You shouldn't let him get away with such behavior. If he feels remorse for what he said at all, –- which he should—then he'll follow us without question."
"Lina," Gourry said helpfully, "maybe you should at least tell him. That way he will actually know to feel this 'remorse' you're talking about."
Lina crossed her arms impatiently and thought a moment. "I guess that's pretty good insight, Gourry," she said at last. "For ONCE. Fine, Amelia, run upstairs and knock on his door. Then, we will wait ten minutes. In the mean time, Gourry and I will grab something to eat. I almost forgot that moron made us miss breakfast this morning."
The pair watched as Amelia enthusiastically ran back inside the inn.
"Do you think he'll come down, Lina?" Gourry asked. "I hope he does."
"Well, if he knows he's wrong, which he WAS by the way," she huffed, "he probably will. He's not that stubborn."
"Hm? Oh, okay. Well then, where should we have breakfast...?"
As Amelia neared Zelgadiss' room, she slowed her pace immensely. If she knew him as well as she thought she did, he wouldn't be in the best of spirits. She took a deep breath before knocking loudly on the door. "Zelgadiss-san??"
No reply came.
She called again. "Zelgadiss-san, we're leaving the town really soon. Lina and Gourry are waiting downstairs for you. Have you finished packing?"
Again, there was no reply. Could he have... committed suicide?! Amelia thought to herself melodramatically. And all because he was upset about the thought of marrying me?! Please, no!!
"Zelgadiss-san, please answer me!! Otherwise, I will have to fireball down the door!!" That hadn't meant to sound like a threat, but Amelia felt it was necessary.
There was a moment of silence before a muffled voice sounded through the door.
"... I'm not going with you guys."
Although the relief that he was alive was immense (sakura: why do I make Amelia so damn annoying?? Sorry, Ame fans. ^^`), Amelia 'strangely' didn't rejoice at his response.
"B-but we'll wait ten more minutes for you, just in case you change your mind!!" she said quickly. "And.... Well, Good-bye Zelgadiss-san..." (1)
From inside, Zel was still lying stomach-down on his bed. He heard Amelia's footsteps fade in the distance. He was about to sigh, when suddenly --
"Are you sure you're not going, Zel-chan??"
Zelgadiss shot up immediately and found Xellos bending over him. "How the hell did you—What the hell are you doing here?!"
"I came to say good-bye too!! After all, as much I want to be with you, I think it might be much more fun with Lina, don't you think??"
"What are you talking about, you annoying idiot."
"Nothing much," Xellos said indifferently, straightening up and looking down at him. "Except that Lina's company is much more exciting. I haven't had this much amusement in years. And I've lived quite a long time too. She's always running into all sorts of trouble, even saving the world while she's at it. Wouldn't you miss her company, Zel?"
"Get to the point, Xellos," Zelgadiss said coldly.
"My, you and Lina-chan have such similar personalities when you're upset!! It's a wonder."
"I'm not upset, just annoyed," he retorted sarcastically with emphasis on the last word. "Now, what do you want?!"
"Lina-san..." Amelia began as she seated herself at the table where they were already devouring huge amounts of food. She had easily found the restaurant they were in by spotting the owner crying his eyes out at the door.
"Not now, Ameli-AH!! GOURRY!! I hate you!! Give that back!! Amelia, that was all your fault!!" Lina took a fork and stabbed Gourry's arm with it. (sakura: ouch ^^``.)
Amelia sighed as Gourry pulled out his hikaru no ken and engaged in a massive fight with Lina, which would inevitably end in the ultimate destruction of the restaurant. The guy crying outside would probably have a heart attack. Well, Amelia thought optimistically, at least this gives Zelgadiss-san more time to re-consider his decision.
She ducked as a fireball whizzed past her head and into another customer's table.
"HA!!" Lina laughed as an immediate second fireball hit its target, Gourry, "You didn't see THAT coming, did you!?"
"That's unfair," a charred Gourry croaked from the floor, sausage stick hanging out of his mouth, "you tricked me!!"
"Tactics, Gourry!! You should learn from me!! What?!" She added that last annoyed question as Amelia tapped her shoulder. "You keep interrupting me!!"
"He didn't come out of his room. I don't think he's coming," she said flatly. And that fight ended pretty fast too, Amelia thought absentmindedly.
"...You mean Zel?" Lina with no apparent interest. "He really annoys me so much, sometimes. I thought you might have been able to get him to change his mind, but I guess I'll have to deal with him... Gourry, are you coming with me?"
But he'd already passed out a few seconds ago. Lina sighed, really perturbed. "Okay, Amelia. I'll go alone, and see if that really is his decision. Who knows, he may have found some stupid lead that he wants to follow or something."
"Or something," Amelia agreed.
"Oh, and before I go," Lina said suddenly as she reached the entrance, "cover my bill for me, will you, Amelia? Thanks!!"
"What!? No, wait Lina -- !!"
Always a second too late. Amelia sighed and wondered whether to leave the currently unconscious Gourry in the restaurant to pay for it.
Lina flew back to the inn where they had stayed the night before. From what Amelia had implied, Zelgadiss had probably confined himself in his room and refused to open the door. Well, the only entrance left was the window they had noticed before. Hopefully, it would still be open.
Oh!! I've got luck on my side today. How lucky!! Lina looked through the window and was surprised to see Zelgadiss and Xellos in the same room. What wasn't surprising was the angry expression on Zelgadiss' face.
She knocked on the window twice before sliding it open easily. "Hi Xellos, Hi Zel," she greeted sheepishly. "I would have tried the door, but someone told me it was locked....."
"Lina...?" Why the hell is everyone in my room today? Zel thought to himself.
"Oh, it was locked when I tried to come in too," Xellos said helpfully. "But I came in regardless. By the way, what a coincidence, Lina. We were just talking about you."
"And? Your conclusions about me?"
"Life wouldn't be the same without you, of course," Xellos announced with a coy wink.
Lina crossed her arms. "I'm not sure whether that was a compliment or an insult..... But I'm sure that's not all you guys were talking about."
Xellos shrugged and smiled, and glanced at Zelgadiss. "I only wanted to say good bye to Zel-chan."
"Well, you already have," the chimera replied. "You can leave now."
"...'What do I want'...?" Xellos asked, scratching his chin. " I still haven't answered you question from before!!" He looked at Lina, before turning his gaze back to Zel. "Well... I would really like those earrings that Lina gave back to you."
"Why the hell would I..." He suddenly stopped as the depth of the Mazoku's words dawned upon him. "... What did you say?"
"You heard me, didn't you, Zelgadiss?"
"...'Gave back to you'." Zelgadiss shook his head in confusion. "I don -- "
"Xellos," Lina nervously broke in, "what are you saying?!!"
"Nothing special. I'm only saying that -- "
"SHUT UP!!" Zelgadiss suddenly shouted. He ripped out his sword from the hilt on the chair and held its point to Xellos' throat. "Don't you dare say another word."
Xellos pushed the sword at his neck away as if it were made of cardboard. His grin grew wider. "Lina, you understand what I'm saying.... Don't you?"
"B-but.... This can't be right!!" She moved to stand in front of Zelgadiss, as Xellos stepped back. He stared silently past her and she took the glistening globes from his hand. "You gave me these? But I thought that... -- Why didn't you tell me?!"
"..."
Xellos lay himself on the bed instead, and put his hands behind his head. "Lina's a clever girl. And if you think a little harder, Lina, you'll realize something else too."
"That.. I'm the reason Zelgadiss is a chimera."
"Lina," Zel uneasily, "that's irrelevant."
A moment of silence.
" So," Lina sighed finally, "have you come back to kill me?"
"...What."
Part 4 | Fanfiction