Xanadu's dining room certainly lived up to its reputation. It was able to keep up with Lina's, Amelia's, and Gourry's appetites and still have plenty of food for about the other hundred guests. The mass that Lina had dragged into the dining room was seated all at one table. That was Lina, Gourry, Zel, Amelia, Sylphiel, Naga, Martina, Zangulus, Xelloss, Filia with baby Val, and Prince Phil. To say the least, this wasn't going to be a quiet dinner.
"Well, well, well. You look exactly like your mother when I first met her, Gracia," Prince Phil laughed, reaching across the table to heartily pat his eldest daughter in the back. Somehow, he managed to avoid the giant spikes on her shoulder guards.
Amelia managed to look uncomfortable around the mouthful of food she was chewing.
"Eh? Phil you know Naga?" Lina asked, trying to unobtrusively maneuver something around Zel's back.
"She named herself after a monster that has a human head and snake body," Zelgadiss muttered over his mug. He flicked away the straw that was edging around his left shoulder. "Stop trying to get a sip."
Lina, who had made the straw and was sitting on Zel's right, just pouted. "What is it that you're always drinking?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu," Xelloss popped in between them and then popped right back out as Lina punched him. But since he was already gone, she got Zel instead.
"Ouch!"
Lina shook her stinging hand.
"Gracia o-nee-sama just what are you doing?" Amelia hissed at her older sister while the attention of her friends was diverted.
"O-HOHOHOHO! Isn't it obvious? O-HOHOHOHO! I am the great Naga-sama. The most powerful rival of Lina Inverse. O-HOHOHOHO!"
Most of the table's occupants just cringed and put in their earplugs. Zel, because of his more sensitive hearing, put on a pair of mufflers as well. Some of the other diners ran out the door, jumped out the window, or just broke through a wall to get away.
"Wow, I didn't expect to see you here. Long time no see."
Naga stopped laughing. Lina spit out her coffee. They looked at each other, an impossible expression appearing on their faces.
"It..." Lina started.
"...can't..." Naga uttered.
"Why do Gracia o-nee-sama and Lina look so scared?" Amelia wondered aloud.
"Of course, meeting you here is only natural as all great heroes come here," announced an unhumanly skinny young man with green hair dressed in ill-fitting ornamental armor.
"Heroes?" Amelia went starry-eyed.
"Lina-san, Naga-san, it is so nice to see you again."
Lina and Naga immediately sat straight up, smiles plastered on their faces.
"Y-yes, it's been a long time, Jeffrey," Lina grinned painfully.
"A-are you here by yourself?" Naga asked hopefully.
"No." Jeffrey didn't notice the split-second flash of despair that crossed their faces. "Mama and Papa and Galda are here too."
"So what are you doing here?" Lina asked in a voice tinged with desperation.
"Aren't those two acting a little weird?" Martina asked Amelia.
"Amelia."
Amelia immediately turned to Zelgadiss with hearts in her eyes. "Yes?"
Zelgadiss whacked away several hearts that got too close. "This Naga is your older sister?"
"Ah, well, umm," Amelia poked two fingers together and said very softly, "...yes..."
Zelgadiss was sure that this was evidence that eccentricity was inheritable.
"It looks like Lina and Naga traveled together for awhile," Filia observed, holding Val who was currently chewing on part of Xelloss's cape much to the Mazoku's annoyance. He tried to pry his cape from the baby ryuzoku.
"But where did they meet that spindly wimp-GAAH!"
Xelloss's head was currently being smashed into his neck by a large long handle war hammer wielded by a very... horizontally challenged woman in a dress and a wrestler's mask.
Filia, who had been sitting next to Xelloss, stared. Baby Val took the opportunity to grab Xelloss's cape clasp and chew on that. Martina grabbed onto Zangulus in fear, or maybe just because she wanted to. Syphiel latched onto Gourry. Amelia would have latched onto Zelgadiss except that she was sandwiched in between Gourry and Martina. Naga's face muscles twitched though still holding the smile. Lina shook her head. Zelgadiss took another sip of his mysterious beverage. And Prince Phil was holding an animated conversation with Jeffrey.
"Oh," the masked woman who everyone but Jeffrey knew was his mother Josephine stepped back from the head-flattened Mazoku and tiptoed away. "Don't mind me, I'm just another tourist. La de da de da."
"Oh nice to see you again, Tourist," Jeffrey waved goodbye to the retreating back of his mother before turning back to Prince Phil. "Yes, it is my destiny to become a great knight. My mother felt that the Royal Guard was not worthy of me so she decided we should come here so I can show everyone how great I am."
"Great at what?" Zelgadiss muttered.
"Zel! You shouldn't say that!" Lina exclaimed.
As she expected, the giant long handle war hammer came crashing down on Zel's head, the force driving him like a wedge into the table, causing food to fly as the table fell to pieces.
And it broke. The hammer, not Zel's head.
Naga stared.
Lina scratched her head. "Oh yeah. That wouldn't affect you...but you still shouldn't have done something so stupid!" Lina hit Zel in the shoulder as she helped to pry off the piece of wood that was stuck to his hair. Of course hitting him hurt her more than it did him.
"Who's being stupid now?" Zel muttered, casting Recovery on Lina's twice injured hand. "I don't want to hear you moaning about it all night." he explained at Lina's confused look.
"So Zelgadiss-san, Lina-san," Amelia didn't bother including Gourry. "What are you doing here?"
"The library," Zel answered Amelia shortly.
"Library? What for?"
Both Lina and Zel fell to the floor.
"Haven't we done this before?" Zel muttered as he pulled himself back up.
"Amelia! Don't tell me you STILL don't remember." Lina grumbled.
"But if it is just a library, then what - "
Lina cut Amelia off with a wave of her hand. "Xanadu is not just an inn and the library here isn't just a library. It has books found all over the world. Even if they aren't all magic books, though I am sure that there are quite a few in the Innkeeper's collection, there's lots of old lore. In fact, the library here is probably the largest public collection of old lore and magic in the world!"
"And not only that, O-HOHOHOHO, it also has a marvelous set of hot springs," interrupted Naga.
"Figures," Lina snorted. "If it wasn't treasure than it would be hot springs."
"Hot springs?" Amelia perked up. "Hey, let's all go there after dinner!"
Lina was about to protest, knowing that sharing a bath with Martina, Sylphiel, Naga, Amelia, and Filia was NOT going to make her feel any better but just then a waitress placed a covered tray in front of her and left. Somehow during the previous conversation, the waiters had brought the group a new table. Now there's service for you.
Lina knew she hadn't ordered anything but she wasn't going to let free food go to waste.
"Lina-san, you shouldn't eat what isn't yours," Amelia frowned.
"Like you weren't snatching food from me earlier?" Lina snapped back and opened the cover to see...a letter.
"A letter?" Zel said in spite of himself, curious.
"Perhaps it's a love letter!" Amelia squealed loud enough to silence the noise in the very large dining hall. EVERYONE looked at Lina.
Lina turned bright red. "Wh-wha-what are you talking about? Does this look like a love letter to you?" she half-shrieked waving the letter in question at Amelia.
Amelia took the letter and turned it over. It was certainly disappointing, just a plain white envelope, addressed in carefully printed black letters. No little hearts or faint fragrance that she would expect from a love letter. Disappointed, she returned the letter to Lina who snatched it back.
She ripped open the letter, dropping the envelope on the tray. The next thing Zel knew was a whirlwind of mauve and black and all of the females at the table were gone, captured by the whirlwind that rushed out of the dining hall. There was vague shouting of going to the hot springs.
And what about the people who remained? Gourry was still eating. Prince Phil was promising Jeffrey a position in the Saillune Royal Guard. Zangulus gave a sigh of relief and began moving his left arm to revive the blood flow after Martina's death grip. Xelloss now had baby Val who had somehow ended up sitting on the Mazoku's shoulders and was chewing on the purple hair and pulling on Xelloss's face. So Zelgadiss was the only one who read the letter that Lina had dropped.
Now Zel knew he shouldn't read other people's letters but he had a fairly good idea who had sent this one.
"Enjoy the hot springs. Relax. Big Sister." was all that was written.
Yes, it was the same handwriting as the letter that had sent Lina on Filia's quest.
"You know," Zangulus said getting up. "The girls aren't quite off the mark. A soak in the hot springs would really feel good." Zel noticed that Zangulus was moving rather stiffly and casting dark looks at Gourry who was inhaling the last of the food.
"Yes, you should go now before it gets too crowded," the Innkeeper advised appearing suddenly behind them carrying the loads of empty dishes now that Gourry was finished. "Just be careful not to stay in there too long."
"Well, you'll excuse me then. I won't be joining you," Zel stood up to leave.
"Ah come on, the first time we've met in a long time and you're just going to pass up a get together like this?" Zangulus cajoled.
"Yeah, Zel," Gourry added. "You need to relax once in a while."
"Oh don't bother him," Xelloss grinned around Val's constant pulling at his cheeks. "He just wants to go and peep at the girl's side."
"I WOULD NOT!" Zelgadiss yelled before catching himself and hissed at Xelloss. "Don't put me on your level."
"I wouldn't peek," Xelloss said in mock innocence.
Zel waited.
"I'd actually be in there with them," Xelloss smiled.
"Don't you DARE leer at my wife!" Zangulus yelled.
"But aren't the baths separate?" Gourry asked confused.
Zel didn't have the patience to explain it to the dense swordsman. Needless to say, he wasn't going to let Xelloss out of his sight after that little revelation. And neither for that matter was Zangulus going to let the Mazoku go off on his own. Somehow in the course of their... discussion on peepers, the men minus Prince Phil who was still talking with Jeffrey ended up in the male section of the hot springs.
"I didn't know you cared," Xelloss smirked which didn't quite have its usual irritating effect because of a cute chubby baby Val latched around Xelloss's neck. Since none of them could get to Filia to hand over the baby and no one could get Val to detach himself from Xelloss, the baby had come into the bath with them. What Xelloss was referring to was the death grip that Zelgadiss had used to drag the Mazoku with them to the baths.
Zangulus ignored the Mazoku's antics, just relaxing in the hot waters. Gourry however wasn't as quiet.
"Hey Zel! Can I scrub your back?" Gourry asked coming over to the two with scrub and brush.
"No thanks," Zel replied shortly, keeping one eye on the grinning Xelloss.
"Do you want a metal wire mesh or metal bristles?" Gourry continued.
"Are you even listening to me?" Zel glared at Gourry's blank smiling face.
Zangulus tuned out the growing argument. He was just here to relax.
"YEOUCH!!!"
Zel, Gourry, and Xelloss stopped their "discussion" long enough to watch Zangulus jump into the air and come splashing down into the white water. Oh wait you didn't know? The hot springs at Xanadu all have white water, white opaque water. So you can't see what's below the surface in case some people decide to enter in their birthday suits.
Zangulus came sputtering out of the water. "Something bit me!"
"Something..." Zel started.
"...bit..." Gourry followed.
"...you?" Xelloss finished.
The three looked at Baby Val who was still latched around Xelloss's neck. They looked around. There was no one in the hot spring but them. They turned three pairs of disbelieving eyes on Zangulus.
"Yes! Right here!"
And to emphasize his point, Zangulus stood up and turned around to gesture to his posterior which was lacking a certain covering.
"Put on a towel!!" Gourry, Xelloss, and Zel yelled.
Zangulus yelped and ducked back into the water. "Hey, where did my towel go?" He frantically began probing under the water for his towel.
"Here let me help you look for it," Gourry said helpfully, peering at the opaque bath.
Zel rolled his eyes and moved to go to a calmer portion of the hot spring when he felt something pinch him right in the rear. And the only person next to him at the time was Xelloss.
"Fireball!" Zel cast the blazing sphere of fire at the Mazoku. For once Xelloss was caught entirely by surprise. But being caught by surprise wasn't the same as being caught by a spell. Xelloss appeared behind Zelgadiss holding a crying Baby Val.
"And what was that for?" he asked icily, his eyes open.
Zelgadiss glared. "You perverted twisted bastard!" And launched a punch at Xelloss who simply teleported away again.
"And for what do I deserve that compliment?" Xelloss said dryly, soothing the baby in his arms. It wasn't because he was getting attached to the little bugger, Xelloss told himself. He just didn't want a baby screaming in his ear. Really.
"You...you..." Zel was bright red, either from the hot spring or embarrassment. "You pinched my ass you ass!!"
Both of Xelloss's eyes opened. "You think I pinched your ass?!" The Mazoku priest wasn't sure whether to be amused or insulted by the idea.
"Whoop!"
Gourry fell into the water.
"That's wasn't nice pulling my leg like that," he complained when he re-surfaced. "And give me back my towel Zangulus."
Zangulus looked at him. "What are you talking about? Why would I have your towel?"
Xelloss and Zelgadiss both felt a breeze on the lower half of their bodies, looked down, turned red, and promptly dropped into the water.
Zel glared at the Mazoku. Xelloss shook his head in innocence.
"I didn't do it," he protested then grinned. "And oh my Zelgadiss, do you have a - "
"SHUT UP!!"
"Er, guys?" Zangulus ventured.
"What?" Zel growled. This was becoming a very stressful day.
"I think there is something in here with us..."
The four men looked around at the suddenly swirling bubbling water. Very large bubbles burst, showering them with scalding hot water.
"Something brushed my leg!" Gourry yelled.
"Watch it!" Zel warned as something leaped out of the water. And was back in the water before anyone could see what it was.
They all stood back to back in the center of the bath, more wary of whatever was in the bath with them than their current towelless state. Xelloss had shifted the baby to cling to his back to more easily help shield the group from the rapid strikes by their quick opponent.
"You don't know what this is Xelloss?" Zel demanded his hands before him maintaining the shield.
"No. And I am telling the truth. There are no records of Xanadu's hot springs being cursed or haunted and the shields around the inn are of some of the most powerful."
"Great," Zel snarled. "So we're dealing with something really strong then."
"No... not necessarily," Xelloss corrected, warily watching the impacts on the shield. "If it was something that was already inside the inn than it wouldn't have to be that powerful. The shields only protect against active attacks, not potential threats."
"Oh terrific," Zel said sarcastically.
"Um, hey it stopped," Gourry pointed out.
And he was right. Nothing was hitting the shield anymore. The waters had calmed to their previously placid state. It was silent. Only the sound of water dripping. The four men stood on edge, waiting for an attack, the shimmering defense shield still in place.
Which was what it wanted. After the doll had realized it couldn't get through the shield, it decided on another plan. The doll liked to toy with its victims. And there was the girl's hot springs just a wee bit downwind. The doll liked to taste their fear before it slowly separated life from the body. It was more fun to hunt each one down individually. The doll needed to appear intimidating. It moved in front of one of the spotlights in the hot spring, raising a giant shadow against the wall.
"What's that?" Zangulus called attention to the shadow.
The shadow raised its flickering sword above its head and seemed to grin. Then the sword fell.
In the girl's side, things were going along rather peacefully to Lina's relief. Martina was regaling Sylphiel, Amelia, and Filia with her tales of married life. And from the squeals and gasps, Martina was also telling them some of the more... under the cover stories. Lina and Naga were just lounging, on opposites side of the bath of course and as far as possible from the chattering girls. A hot spring was about the only place Lina knew of where Naga seemed to calm down a bit. Currently, Naga was downing tankards of liquor as she basked in the hot white water.
Lina settled in up to her chin, leaned back against the underwater chair she was sitting on, and closed her eyes so she wouldn't need to see how everyone had a better figure than her. She could actually feel the tensions in her muscles leech away into the spring. Now this was what she came here for. Even Lina wanted just a little peace and quiet to just rest and relax.
And as was custom, just as Lina felt she had gotten her respite, all hell broke loose.
Or more accurately, something broke loose somewhere outside of the girl's hot spring.
BOOM!!
All of the Slayers girls whipped around toward the sound of the explosion. Normally, Lina would have already leapt away into a defensive crouch with a fireball prepped but this was Xanadu and little squabbles between guests were common enough that usually sharp senses took a rest. So she, and everyone else, were totally unprepared as a huge wave of hot white water came falling into their bath.
And something also came with the wave.
Lina barely saw the dark thing in the rush of water that burned her eyes before it crashed into her. She was pushed underwater because of its weight, hitting her head on the underwater chair seat. No matter what Xanadu's policy, this was going too far. She tried to wriggle out from underneath whatever landed on her when she felt it lift off of her. Lina came up for air immediately.
And time slowed.
Lina felt the new gulp of air catch in her throat as she looked into a very familiar face with blue skin and silvery violet hair shining from the water drops clinging from them. The bright blue eyes only inches from her own red ones.
Zel's eyes nearly fell out of his head when he saw what, or more precisely who he had landed on. Lina's deep red eyes held a rare expression of surprise and something else. Her red hair piled up with only a several strands stuck to her throat.
Then they both realized that Zel had been on top of Lina when they were underwater and turned bright red. Zel backpedaled a bit, nearly standing completely up before remembering the matter of the missing towel. Blushing furiously again, he ducked into the water.
Lina thought that Zel would get out of here as fast as possible. There was no way he would stay except... Lina only briefly caught Zel rising out of the water up to his hip and then dropping immediately. He must be wearing his towel very low, Lina thought, or else... she blushed redder than her hair.
Thank L-sama that this water is NOT transparent. They both thought.
Time returned to its normal flow. The past exchange took place all in one second.
They both looked everywhere but at each other and saw another... couple that had a much bigger audience. It seemed Xelloss had landed on Filia and Baby Val had transferred happily to his foster mother. Gourry, Zangulus, Martina, Naga, Sylphiel, and Amelia were edging away from the threesome.
"Na-na-na-" Filia stammered, her face turning red in exponential intensities.
Xelloss teleported out of the water and appeared standing next to the bath in a bathrobe. Strange music began to play from somewhere.
"Doo doo doo doo, doo-doo, do-Wah!' It doesn't matter what comes, fresh goes better in life,
with Mentos, fresh and full of life.
Nothing gets to you, staying fresh staying cool,
with Mentos, fresh and full of life.
Fresh goes better, Mentos freshness, fresh goes better
with Mentos, fresh and full of life!
Mentos, the freshmaker! "
Xelloss flashed everyone a grin as he held out a roll of candy.
"Mentos." Xelloss winked with his "sore wa himitsu desu" smile and popped one into his mouth. He began to casually walk off. It didn't work.
"NAMAGOMI!!!" Filia screeched, her voice transmuting into a beam of pure energy that lanced straight to the Mazoku who teleported away. The beam instead destroyed the changing room and beyond. Baby Val giggled and grabbed at his foster mother's golden tail that had popped out again and chewed on the ribbon.
Filia's outburst reminded the girls that there were GUYS in their hot spring. And in fact, all of them except Lina had entered the spring WITHOUT their towels.
Zel, Gourry, and Zangulus were pelted with sponges, soaps, brushes, buckets, anything that Martina, Naga, Amelia, and Sylphiel could get their hands on.
"PERVERTS!!!" the four girls screamed.
Zel, Gourry, and Zangulus couldn't do much in their defense. They couldn't get a word in with the screams and they couldn't run because of the towel incident.
Lina stood up, smiling, a deranged look entering her eyes. "DILL..."
Everyone stopped. Lina was giggling crazily. "...BRANDO!!!"
She threw her arm toward the ground and the entire bath with its occupants minus her went orbital.
The doll admired the view from a safe tree branch, sipping Zefilia wine. Tonight was going to be fun. Once everyone was back on the ground.