Zelgadiss Graywords lived alone in a small 600 sq foot flat. It was located in the lower class urban area of Sailune, where many of the dragons lived. Certainly, it was smaller than the average home in Japan, but that was all about he could afford with his current income.
One might've thought that such a small place could be easily kept clean, especially since Zelgadiss seemed like such an organized person. This wasn't particularly the case. His tiny living room, consisting of a knee-high table and a television was completely teemed with pencils, paper, and more paper. He spent the majority of his time composing lyrics and new tunes. He believed that music could change the world. (this is getting cliche!!) That it could move the largest of mountains. Cease the most inclement of storms - if only he weren't a chimera.
But that's what he got for being the grandson of a weird, mad scientist. His parents had died when he was a child, so his grandfather took him in his own home and raised his grandchild himself. In return, Zelgadiss would be the 'guinea pig' to all his experiments. Over the next 3 years, he was used over and over again. None of the experiments appeared to have negative effects - his health wasn't deteriorating, he hadn't acquired any strange disease, nor did any deformity suddenly pop out somewhere on him. In fact, everything turned out fine...until. Several days after his 16th birthday, his grandfather Rezo suddenly proclaimed he'd discoved a drug to increase one's strength immensely. So once again, the boy was immediately called into his room. Zelgadiss remembered seeing the strange blue fluid inside the syringe before it was plunged into his arm - not knowing that it would change his life forever.
He felt a stab of pain, and fell to his knees. Another stab shot through him. And another. His body convulsed violently with the pain, and he felt the metamorphosis. It began with his arm, and spread almost instaneously to the rest of his body. He felt the hardening of his skin, the lumps prying their way out, his soft hair losing their fluidity. His sense of hearing was opened to the most tranquil of sounds, and his strength increased almost doubly. Finally, he crumpled to the floor in agony, still not quite aware of his new demeanor.
Summoning as much strength he could, he rolled onto his back. Through eyes squinted in pain, he saw Rezo looking down at him. His usual sour expression hadn't changed, but his eyes gleames with a mixture of shock and glee.
Zelgadiss tried to speak and stopped short. His hands flew nervously to his throat. His voice had dropped several octaves. He strained to open his mouth again. "Grandfather," he croaked. Zelgadiss slowly extended an arm and tried to touch him.
Rezo simply stepped back in disgust.
It was then he forced his grandson out of his home, just as he had discarded all his other failed experiments and 'guinea pigs'.
Zelgadiss hated Rezo, no matter the relation.
He'd filed charges and charges against his grandfather, but prejudice proved him a liar. Zelgadiss swore that he'd revenge, that he'd become human again and destroy him in always possible.
For months after Rezo had forced him out, he simply wandered, rejected and hurt with no where to go, living each day as it came. He passed many people as he walked, all of which turned their heads in disgust or just ignored him, but the few who actually noticed him graciously tossed him coins - not much - but enough to buy food. It was his only line of pay.
One cold winter day, he began to hum an original tune he'd composed a while ago and was slowly adding words to it. With an abandoned, almost inkless pen, he wrote the blue lyrics on the base of his hand. He was bored, and there was nothing else to pass the time with anyway. He was sounding out the second verse when suddenly, a tall woman's shadow fell short over the place he sat. He looked up, and saw wide green eyes, a pale face framed with long, blueberry hair gazing down at him.
"Where did you get that song?" she inquired curiously. He was slightly surprised that she would actually talk to him, but after a second of silence he told her that he'd composed it. The woman seemed shocked by this and then told him that he sang it beautifully. Before he knew it, he was at a recording boot with the woman, who introduced herself as Syphiel. She'd brought him all around Sailune and soon enough, other singing celebrities knew his name. Maybe they hadn't cared for what he did, but it was enough for Zelgadiss. After being segregated from society for so long, he was glad for any improvement in his life.
But it'd all happened so fast it made his head spin...
Maybe it'd happened too fast. For each time he stole a glance a Syphiel, he felt something strange inside him. A slight aching and longing. Was it affection? Each time she smiled or looked his way, a small blush would climb up his cheeks, and he couldn't stop it. He knew it was ridiculous - a chimera falling for a human. Even more so when he saw her flirting with a certain blonde whom he didn't know. From what he'd seen though, the guy was really dumb. But maybe jealousy was just covering his eyes, and he couldn't see any better. After all, if Syphiel had liked him, how bad could he be? So he gave up... temporarily.
Our Chimera discovered that through music he could vent his anger at Rezo. Music made him relax; like a huge burden would be lifted off his back each time the words fell out of his mouth. But as soon as he stopped, the 'burden', prejudice, would come back down on him, and Zelgadiss would hate Rezo once more. However, he didn't notice that the immense hatred for his grandfather was very, very gradually dying...
Anyway.
Zelgadiss climbed the stairs to his apartment. The walls were heavily colored with grafitti and four lettered words. It wasn't a pleasant sight; particularly if you'd just suffered a long day at work. Which Zelgadiss hadn't. In fact, he was euphoric. He almost ran up those stairs.
Today, he'd been recording his first single. After 14 months, he'd finally made some progress in his career. [We Are] was the feature, the song he'd first composed when he was still wandering. That was first happy event. The second happy thing was that his love object, Syphiel was his vocalizer. She'd been encouraging his singing since he'd started, and still was. If only she hadn't set her heart on someone by the name of GOURRY, then maybe... oh well. The final event was probably the best thing yet.
"Zelgadiss, you were wonderful!!" Syphiel had cried. She'd slammed open the door, and was jumping up and down in excitement.
As he blushed and tried to contradict her, she waved him off with the gesture of a hand. "Don't try say you weren't, because I wasn't the only one who thought so. Guess who else was here today?!"
"You mean, wh..who else was listening to me?" he stammered embaressedly.
"Yes!"
He smiled inwardly at her excitement. She almost excited as if someone like Lina Inv -
"Oh, you'll never get it. Lina Inverse was here! And she loved your song."
The chimera stood there silently, not saying a word.
"Zelgadiss?"
"Who, did you say?"
"Um... Lina Inverse. Don't you know her? She's the one who's currently on the top of the lists for - "
Zelgadiss shook his head. "I know who she is, but..."
"If you going to ask if I'm sure, I am." She reached for his hand proudly. "She complimented you."
She complimented ... ME? Zelgadiss thought.
Of all people and beings, a chimera. So... there was hope after all.
He opened his unlocked front door, and went in.
Part 4 | Fanfiction