navy = Zel's thoughts
purple = Xel's thoughts
I'm tired and I hurt, and you're heavy Xellos. Still, you took the brunt of that attack so I suppose I really can't complain, can I?
I'm glad we reached the inn, too bad the others won't be here for a few days. I never thought I could move so fast, but you
taught me how, very patiently too.
Damn, you're badly hurt, still, you're a mazoku, I can tell you're healing. Your clothes are totaled though, mine to for that
matter, I'm surprised they got us this far.
You're beautiful, you know that? Even with the scars marking your skin, I love looking at you. Hmm? A shiver, you're
probably cold, under the covers then.
Only one bed.
Oh well, I'm too tired to care, I may as well join you, there's no way I'm sleeping on the floor today.
Xellos? You cried out, is it pain or dreams? Do mazoku have nightmares?
Should I? Why not? If there was ever an opportunity, this is it.
You relaxed the moment I put my arms around you, do you know it's me? Probably, but you'd never admit it, would you? Still,
I know at least one of your secrets Xellos, one that you try so desperately hide. I woke up sooner than you thought mazoku, I
remember that first kiss, so I know how you feel about me.
"You've got to be kidding me." Lina said, turning to the young, dark-haired man beside her, "That is just way too corny. It sounds like something a lunatic writer would come up with."
"I'm sorry Lina-san," Danlineus replied, "That's the name of the spell that was cast on him. No matter how corny it is, there is only one way to break it."
"A kiss from one who truly loves him." Lina murmured, looking towards the white-laced sheets of the canopy bed that Zelgadiss now lay upon, looking very out of place. He was no princess, that was for sure. "I can't believe the 'Sleeping Beauty Spell' even exists."
"Most stories have some basis in fact Lina-san." Amelia said, looking at the sleeping chimera, "But what happens if we never find his true love?"
"Then he sleeps forever Amelia-sama," Danlineus replied, regretting it when he saw the tears start to well up in her eyes. He stepped forward holding her gently to try and provide comfort, "Don't cry Amelia-sama, I'm sure it will work out."
"I guess there's nothing we can do." Lina said sadly, turning from the bed, leaning against Gourry when he put his arm around her shoulder. "We'll camp outside the temple tonight and then head of in the morning."
Silence fell in the dark stone chapel once their footsteps faded. The only sound was the soft whisper of Zelgadiss' breathing, at least, that was the only sound until the moon rose, shinning in through one of the upper windows. As its silver light entered the room, soft footsteps were heard in the hallway once again as a cloaked figure slowly approached the bed.
The figure stood there for a long time, gazing down at the sleeping chimera. Then, very slowly, it bent and pressed its lips to Zelgadiss' in a soft, but insistent kiss. There was no response for the span of a heart beat, and then a blue glow covered Zelgadiss, startling the figure, who retreated to the cover of the hallway.
The chimera sat up slowly, a confused look on his face, his hand brushing his lips. the figure in the hallway fled, causing Zelgadiss to look up as the footsteps echoed in the silent room.
"Wait!" he called, throwing back the covers and jumping from the ridiculous-looking bed, "Come back!" The footsteps were gone now, but he ran out the open door anyway, looking around and spying the light of a campfire. He ran towards it, only to find that it belonged to his friends, who were all there and all asleep.
With a sigh of confusion, Zelgadiss sat down, waiting for the sun to rise and wake his friends so they could tell him what the hell had happened.
Pain, that's what I've been feeling, and not exactly the good kind. It's almost faded now, that's nice I can handle what's left,
turn it into pleasure before it fades entirely. Where am I? I'm very warm and comfortable, which is strange since it feels like I'm
lying against a rock.
It can't be.
But it is.
Zelgadiss, you surprise me. I always wondered what it would be like to wake up with your arms around me, it feels good.
Maybe I was better off not knowing what I was missing.
Temptation is such a powerful force. Did you know what I would be thinking after waking up to find you naked beside me?
Probably not. For all your cynicism, you're an innocent, aren't you? Still, perhaps you do know. I thought once that maybe you
didn't hate me as much as you seem to. That maybe it was all an act.
I thought I felt it drop, just for a moment. Was I wrong?
"Come on Lina, it isn't that bad." Gourry said, consoling the distraught sorceress.
"Yes it is!" Lina yelled back, "First we're put on this quest by a mysterious guy who shows up with no explanation."
"You didn't have to come," Danlineus grumbled, "You could have turned down the money I offered."
"Not on your life!" Lina snapped at him before returning to her wailing, "Then we end up in that fairy-tale castle where Zel turns into Sleeping Beauty."
"That wasn't really my fault, I did explain that." Zelgadiss muttered, but Lina ignored him and continued,
"Then we have to have a candy-eating contest with a miniature mazoku."
"Don't remind me." Amelia complained, looking a little queasy.
"And now this! Who thinks up challenges like this?" she finished, pointing at a little girl with long golden braids and bright blue eyes.
"I just want to play a game with you." the girl said sweetly.
"Why you little - " Lina muttered before Gourry caught her and held her back.
"What sort of game?" Xellos' asked, taking advantage of Lina's restrained state.
"Truth or Dare." The girl replied, and Xellos frowned,
"How does it work?"
"Simple. First, I either ask you to tell me the truth, or dare you to do something. Then, if you do it, you can ask me and I have to do what you ask. If you fail to do what I tell you to, then the game's over, you don't get to ask me anything."
"That's not how 'Truth or Dare' is played," Amelia complained, "You're supposed to - " "It's my challenge, my rules." the little girl replied, "Now shut up 'cause you're wrecking the story."
Chastised, Amelia quickly shut up.
"All right," Xellos said cheerfully, "I accept the challenge."
"You?" Lina asked as Gourry released her in shock. Everyone was staring at the mazoku with astonishment. "Why not? It sounds enjoyable."
"Because you may actually have to tell the truth."
"I highly doubt that."
"Why?"
"Because dares are more fun." Both Xellos and the girl answered in unison.
Everyone else sweatdropped.
"All I have to do is whatever she dares me to, and then we can find out where the next piece is." Xellos said happily. "All right," Lina said skeptically, "But this had better work."
"There we go," Xellos said to the girl with a smile, "What do I have to do."
"A dare of course," the girl replied thoughtfully and pondered it for a moment. Finally her eyes lit up and she smiled. "I dare you, to kiss, him." she said, pointing at Zelgadiss. here was a moment of stunned silence, then,
"What!?" they all yelled.
"Isn't that a little juvenile?" Amelia asked.
"I am a juvenile," the girl replied, "And that's my dare. Either he does it, or you can't ask me anything."
"Oh well," Xellos said with a shrug and turned toward Zelgadiss.
"Now, wait a second," the chimera said, backing up.
"Come on Zel," Lina said, trying to stop him. "It's just one little kiss."
"We need to find the next piece so that we can help Danlineus-san with his quest." Amelia added, moving to help. "I don't believe this!" Zelgadiss complained, avoiding them both, but tripping over a chair in the process and crashing to the ground. Xellos took advantage of the opportunity and pinned him to the ground. "Get off m - !" Zelgadiss' shout was cut off when Xellos' mouth closed over his in a kiss that went on longer than anyone had expected.
There was a momentary paused when Xellos pulled back, then Zelgadiss calmly raised his hand and said,
"Flare Arrow."
When the charred mazoku recovered suitably, he smiled at the laughing girl and said, "My turn now."
Hmm, a caress, feels nice.
Um, that's going a little low isn't it?
Ah! Who? Xellos? Ah, guess it's all right then, oh? You've noticed that I'm awake. How could you possibly think I'd be able
to sleep through that?
Stopping? Gods no, don't stop, please!
Did your mouth open in shock or invitation? Probably shock, you haven't recovered yet.
Emm, spoke too soon.
Yes, please, keep going, don't stop!
Who would've thought we'd end up like this? Feels good though, glad we did.
Wonder if this would've happened if we hadn't been separated from the others? Probably not, hmm, maybe I should thank
Talis and his army. What a thought.
You aren't going to..? You are! Oh... my...
"What the hell was that?" Zelgadiss swore, getting to his feet and brushing the dust off his pants.
"A very powerful teleportation spell." Xellos replied, floating easily above the ground.
"Where are we?"
"About two weeks from where we were."
"Shit. Where is everyone else?"
"Give me a moment, I'll go check."
The mazoku vanished, leaving the chimera alone in the clearing. Zelgadiss stood for a few moments, then sat down, leaning against a tree and closing his eyes. When he finally opened them, he found Xellos lying in the air above the ground, watching him.
"How long did you intend to sit there before telling me you were back?"
"That depended entirely on how long you kept your eyes shut."
Zelgadiss sighed deeply, then glared at the mazoku, "Did you find them?"
"Of course. Lina and Gourry are six days from where we were, Amelia and Danlineus are eight."
Zelgadiss paled.
"What is it?" Xellos asked.
"I'm not too sure about these groupings."
"It does seem a little formulaic doesn't it?"
"We need to get back to the others really quick."
"I told them we'd meet then in Kaleen."
"What!?"
"Something wrong with that?"
"It's even farther from here than where we were!"
"But it's right between where the other two groups are."
"How the hell are we supposed to get there? It will take almost a month!"
"No, it would take a month if the others were here. You can move significantly faster than them if you try. I could help you."
"I don't want to."
"Why not?"
"I'm not a mazoku."
"Would it be so bad if you were?"
"What?"
Xellos shrugged, "Never mind. But really, you have abilities now, even if you find a cure later. You don't become evil simply by using the abilities you have."
"Oh? And what does make you evil then?"
"Life."
There was something about the way the mazoku answered that made Zelgadiss not want to argue the point. "Oh." "Come on Zelgadiss, you want to get back with your friends, don't you?"
"Then just try."
"I did once," he finally admitted, "It didn't work."
"Try again, like I said, I'll help you. You simply need to find the right mindset."
"Zelgadiss sighed, "All right, tell me what to do."
Hmm. Guess you did know how I would react after all. I was still right though, you were an innocent, what a pleasant
difference, such honest reactions.
You're smiling, I've never seen you this happy before, and I'm the cause. I like that. Even though I know it puts you in danger,
I can't help it, I love you anyway.
This is nice, lying in your arms afterwards, I didn't expect to be so sore though. Ah well, that will eventually stop, and we will
be doing this again I know. I can see the intention in your eyes, even as you're falling asleep.
Just how did I get so lucky anyway?
"There see? It's not so bad, we're almost there and we'll probably reach the inn before th - Look out!"
Zelgadiss dodged to the side at Xellos' warning, just in time to avoid the blast of heat that shot by, igniting the fabric of his cloak. He threw it to the ground and glared at the figure that had materialized in front of them.
"One of Talis' agents?" he muttered as Xellos appeared beside him.
"Presumably, although he hasn't bothered with an introduction and probably won't. The villains in this story are so wonderfully vague."
"So's the plot."
"Be quiet!" the vague villain replied, stopping the mocking commentary. "You will never be allowed to complete Orion's Gemstone."
"Yeah, whatever," Zelgadiss muttered, drawing his sword. "We've heard it all before."
"Get on with it please," Xellos added, "Or we'll be late to meet our friends."
"You arrogant shits!"
"Watch your language." Xellos replied with a 'tsk.'
"I'm going to flatten your sorry-looking asses."
Xellos turned to look at Zelgadiss' rear, "Looks okay to me."
Zelgadiss frowned at Xellos and hit him over the head, "Stop being stupid."
"Both of you cut it out and start fighting already!" the vague villain yelled, causing both the chimera and the mazoku to turn around to face him again.
"All right," Zelgadiss said, "But at least make it worth our while."
"Oh, don't worry," the vague villian said, "I will."
Morning already? Too bad, I was hoping the night would last longer, oh well. Hmm? You're already awake Xellos? What are you smiling at mazoku?
You're awake, you still look happy, I'm still glad. It's a shame we have to leave the room so soon. Hmm, you don't seem inclined to leave either? They've just arrived downstairs you know.
Crap. I didn't want to get up. Of course, they'll all be eating for a while yet, we could get away with a little bit of a delay. I'm not letting you get up yet.
Oops, hmm, so we stay then? Sounds good to me, I might as well make it worth your while, right? Hmm? A knock on the
door? Lina?
Aw, Zel-chan, I didn't realize you could blush that red.
Damn it Lina, couldn't you have eaten first, what's the rush, I've got to... Oh. Right. Our clothes were wrecked and I lost
everything I was carrying.
You would find this funny Xellos, wouldn't you?
What a look Zel-chan, so delightfully fierce. Don't worry, Lina will wait downstairs. I better go get us some clothes or you'll never leave this room. Now there's a thought, nah, I'll go.
This? I can't wear this, there's no hood, no mask, hey! Dammit, what are you..? Stop it! Fine. I'll get something else to wear later, this doesn't - oh.
Can you see it Zel-chan? Why bother to hide yourself with masks and drab colours? I can see your surprise, you honestly don't see yourself as the slightest bit attractive, do you? I do. I want you to see it as well.
You look so pleased with yourself mazoku, but I can't begrudge you that. I should thank you, but unfortunately we don't have
time right now.
I don't understand you Xellos, but I'm not sure I care anymore. It really doesn't seem all that important, I'm happier now than I
have been in a long time.
You're looking sentimental Zel-chan, I think I'll be going now. You look almost ready to make a confession and I'm no more
ready to hear those words than I am to say them.
Everyone's impressed, I knew they would be. I suppose I should be jealous, but I'm just proud. You're embarrassed, I knew
you would be but it's still so cute.
Hmm? I caught that fond but worried look, I understand. Of course I won't say anything. After all, that would ruin a perfectly
good secret now wouldn't it?