The group was seated at the table eating downstairs when Zel and Zallia entered. They all looked up solemnly, and the two joined them without a word, and ordered their food. Zallia kept her eyes downcast, and Zel looked thoughtful. Finally, Lina couldn't stand it much longer. "Hey, you gonna be ok Zallia?"
She glanced up halfheartedly, and nodded. "Yes...."
They looked less than convinced, but let it slide. "So.... What are you going to do now Zallia?" Lina asked with her mouth half full, which was an amazing thing for her, usually it was all the way full.
Zallia shrugged lightly, glancing up at them with quiet eyes. "I don't know yet....."
Amelia stood up with her finger pointed in the air in her 'pose of justice' stance. "Right! You can stay with us then!"
Everyone sweatdropped, but didn't object. "Ano..." Zallia murmured. "Thank you..."
Lina smiled. "Yosha!! Then it's settled. I figure we'll wait till Xelloss is better, and can tell us what happened, then we'll head on towards Saiirag to see Sylphiel." She took another mouthful of meat. "Mrgh mfffh rgnmm nmmmr."
Zallia smiled in spite of herself and felt a whole lot better suddenly. Zelgadis was right. She had friends.
After the meal, since the air had cleared up and the storm had calmed, the girls went outside for some shopping together, while the boys remained back at the inn. They walked outside enjoying the crisp fresh air, and letting the bustle of the merchants revitalize their spirits. Zallia began to relax and see what Zelgadis had told her. Life had more meaning when you had people who watched your back, if you watched theirs. They wandered about, browsing in the stalls, and chatting about idle things. Zallia kept mostly to herself, but listened with interest to the others. They came to the edge of the town, and began to turn back, when each of them received a cold shiver down their backs, and several large thugs began to surround them from the shadows. Lina and Amelia backed up a step, and Zallia looked on with a frightened look in her golden eyes. Lina smirked as the men advanced. "Hm... looks like some fellas are in for some unpleasant reactions, ne Amelia?"
Amelia nodded. "That's right Miss Lina.. criminals asking for trouble stand no chance against the fist of justice!"
Zallia sweatdropped slightly, but watched the surrounding men warily. They were completely surrounded, and the men seemed to be enjoying this, glowering with smirks on their faces. "Well well well, aren't we scary little things?" One taunted.
"Mmm they look good enough to eat. This will make my day for sure."
Lina lowered her voice so that only the other two could hear. "Amelia, you have to take them this time..."
Amelia blinked with wide eyes. "Why me Miss Lina!?"
"Because," Lina hissed with narrow eyes. "It's... you know, that time for me."
Amelia's face seemed to drain pale white. "Oh no.... me too Miss Lina!"
They stared at each other, with a look of 'oh crap' on their faces. Zallia blinked and shook her head with some bemusement. "That time?" She asked curiously.
They both glanced at her. "Hmm that's right, you might not know about that being Mazoku..." Lina mused.
"Half." Zallia corrected quietly. "No, I never had to worry about... that." She finished, having deduced what was happening. "So I suppose it's up to me then.." she sighed. "I hate fighting..."
They all straightened up and glared challengingly at the thugs. "Well!" Lina said in a firm loud voice. "If I were you, I'd reconsider your actions. You aren't dealing with ordinary street wenches."
All the men burst out laughing loudly at that. "Oh reaaaaally?" One mused with a wide grin. "I'm so frightened.....perhaps you're..." he did a falsetto gasp, "...sorceresses?" All the men laughed harder at that."
As they spoke, the men began slowly moving in on the three. They stood back to back, and Lina glanced at Zallia. "Well? What now?"
Zallia slowly reached a hand around behind her back to her belt area beneath her cape. "Just leave it to me. And when I move, duck."
They glanced at her curiously, but didn't answer. Instead, as the men leapt forward and snatched Lina and Amelia's arms, they struggled and tried to twist free, but no avail seeing that they had no strength compared to the stronger men, and no magic to work with. Amelia forgot herself and screamed in terror as one grabbed her by the bust.
One man had snatched Zallia's left arm, and Lina threw a worried glance at her, only to have her eyes widen in shock and her muscles tense. Quicker than a flash of light, a silver streak flashed across the man's neck, and he screamed in pain clutching his neck, and fell to the ground trying to quench the wound. Faster than a streak, each man, one by one, was struck and they all cried out, unable to draw weapons due to the speed of their assailant, and Lina and Amelia found themselves freed before they knew it, their own captors lying in the mud still and unmoving, along with the rest of the men...... Crouched in the center of the ring of bodies, all of which were dead, was Zallia..... but she was radically different.... Her skin was a deep bronze color, and her ears were sharply pointed out of her hair.... Sharp claws adorned her fingers, and fangs glinted brightly in the dull light as glittering amethyst eyes glanced birdlike around at the carnage. In her right hand, she clutched a crooked silver knife, dripping with fresh blood.
Amelia and Lina stood there in shock, not sure what to say or what to do. After several seconds of silence, Zallia's eyes flickered to them, and they gazed silently at each other appraisingly. Lina could feel the dagger-like gaze of Zallia's piercing into her soul..... cold, emotionless, and deadly.... Just like a Mazoku.... Lina suddenly felt her heart skip in her chest... would Zallia recognize it was them? Would she attack them? Amelia stood beside her, her eyes wide in fear and shock.
Then, Zallia straightened up and the dagger slid back into it's hidden sheath strapped to her belt on her back. She turned to them and brushed her hands off on her pants. "That was too easy." Her voice wasn't the soft gentle one they were used to, but was cold, cunning, and sly. She strode towards them, a sadistic smirk on her face. "Now if it had been twenty, that's an even match."
Lina stared up at their friend. "Zallia, what happened to you?"
Zallia looked down at them with an amused glance. "Happened? What do you mean?" Her eyes were sharp and cutting like daggers.
Lina swallowed. "You know what I mean Zallia Metallium." She said in a low voice.
Zallia chuckled coldly. "Ah, I can't fool you Lina Inverse.." She smiled, her fangs glittering. "This is my Mazoku form. I use it for fighting and whatnot."
Lina exchanged glances with Amelia, and saw her own fears and questions reflected in Amelia's eyes as well. She glanced back at Zallia. "I see... well, I guess we won't have to worry about being attacked with you around."
Zallia laughed, and it was a spine tingling evil laugh that sent shivers running down their backs and up and down their spine. "Of course not, it's what I live for." And with that note she strode back down the street. "It will start raining again. Might as well get back before we get an unwanted shower." And with that she vanished into nothingness, teleporting away as a typical Mazoku would do.
Lina and Amelia let out their breaths in one big sigh. "L-sama have mercy." Amelia murmured. "What happened to her?"
Lina sighed rubbing the beads of sweat off of her forehead. "I'm guessing it's her other half personality..... she's half Mazoku, half..." she paused..." something else..." she had been about to say human, but then she realized that she wasn't entirely sure that was the case. No word from Xelloss on what race the mother had been, for all they knew it could be something from another world. "Apparently she can shift back and forth from a demon to her normal self." She sighed. "I guess it's useful.... But deadly."
Amelia shivered. "You can say that again." She whispered, thinking back on the men. "They didn't deserve to die... even if they were criminals....they didn't deserve it..." Her whimpering broke off into quiet tears as she clutched Lina's arm as they headed back.
It was a quiet somber walk as they traveled back down the street, and once they reached the inn, they entered and went up to the room, only to find her not there. Lina was beginning to get severely worried now. She walked to Xelloss' bedside, and shook the Mazoku. "Oi, get up you." She said firmly.
Luckily, she was rewarded by an amethyst eye sliding open. "Hmm?"
"What's the deal with your kid? She changed into a Mazoku."
Xelloss blinked. "What?" Lina scowled and told him what happened, and Xelloss nodded slowly as she finished. "Sou ka..." He mused. "Not at all unpredictable. I'd suspected something of the sort."
"So what is it?"
He looked up with amused eyes. "Surely you can figure it out Lina-san?"
Lina had had just about enough. She snatched the Mazoku by his shirt and lifted him up like he weighed nothing. "Now you listen here. I'll have none of your games Xelloss!" She hissed. "Tell us the truth, and none of this secret crap."
He blinked in disorientation of being suddenly elevated in such a manner. "Ah.. I get your drift." He managed, and with that Lina set him back down. He leaned back against the pillow exhausted and sighed. "She's half Mazoku, which means she has Mazoku strengths and powers. Since her dominant side seems to be more passive, therefore her recessive side is the Mazoku portion." He shrugged. "It's more powerful and aggressive. She'll change personalities even. She'll essentially BECOME a full Mazoku during those times."
Lina frowned. "So when will she change back?"
He shrugged. "Even I don't know that." He looked her straight in the eyes when she began to move forward to him threateningly. "She's unique Lina-san. Nothing like her has been seen before on this earth." His voice was serious and formal, and Lina stopped her forward motion to strangle him.
"Xelloss, what's her other half? If she's half Mazoku, what's her other side? Human?"
He merely smiled. "Sore wa himitsu desu."