As the sun began its decent into the mountain range, everyone leapt into a defensive position around the mute Lina. The stranger stood her ground, watching under concealing shadows.
"I belive I asked you what you wanted," Zelgadiss growled, letting a Fireball form in his hand. "I swear if you don't answer me I'll - "
" - No Zel." Lina placed a gloved hand on his shoulder, her expression still unreadable. Without another word, she made her way to the haphazard girl, stopping just a foot or two away. "So," she flipped her long hair over one shoulder,"I'm hard to track am I?"
"...You could say that."
"Well how long have you been looking?" Lina questioned, assuming a confident pose.
"Not too long actually."
"I see." Her friends watched dumbstruck as the small sorceress held out a hand. "Could be worse. You could be Naga."
"And what are you trying to say?" The green haired girl accepted Lina's hand with obvious respect and reverence as the final crimson rays of the sun washed the world in red light. Of course we all know that this is the world of the Slayers and such seriousness was never meant to last.
"Oh, it's so good to see you!!: They squealed, hugging eachother like teenage girls. Of course being that they ARE teenage girls they did a rather good job of it.
CRASH
"What a waste of dramatics," Amelia sighed.
Zelgadiss continued to glare from the ground. This was too convenient, too silly, too -
Chaotic?
Too like Lina?
"Who's your friend?" Gourry asked, easily masking his own distrust with stupid cheerfulness.
"Ah, sorry." Lina reddened at her OOC behavior. "This is Klea Vertices(1), we grew up together in Zephilia."
"Hey." Klea waved.
"...If you're such good friends then why did you scare us half to death?"
"Zel!"
"No, it's alright. I'm sorry about that, it was just soooo funny and I wanted to test the group's reflexes. Didn't really expect you to react like that ^^;"
"Why in the world would you want to do that!?"
Smile "So," she ignored Zelgadiss and turned back to Lina "these are your new friends?"
"Well I've known them for a couple of years."
"...I see." She continued to study them, orange eyes scrutinizing...yes, this was correct. They where just as the should be, just like she imagined... Finally she smiled at them again. "I really am sorry about earlier, I'm pleased to meet you all. Any friend of Lina-sama's is a friend of mine."
"Klea!"
She rolled her eyes, "Fine, Lina."
Zelgadiss raised what passed as an eyebrow, Lina-sama?
"Alright then, this," she pointed, "Is Gourry Gabriev, former Swordsman of Light."
"...Are all girls from Zephilia flat chested?"
BONK WHOOSH CRIPPLE SMACK "BAKA!!"
Klea smiled as if this was nothing out of the ordinary. OF course with Lina it wasn't so....
"This is Sylphiel Nels Rada," Lina (obviously feeling better) said, pointing to priestess healing the broken Gourry. "the only White Mage that can cast the Dragon Slave."
"Nice to meet you," Sylphiel said politely.
"That's Amelia Wil Tes Sailoon, the first princess of Sailoon."
"It's soooo great to meet an old friend of Lina-san's!!" Amelia cheered.
"...Riiiiight. And this grumpy Chimera is Zelgadiss Greywers, a Shaman expert."
"...." Zelgadiss just nodded, still feeling uneasy.
"And this," Lina motioned to the loopy mazoku, "Is Xelloss Metallium, General Priest to Beastmaster Xelas Metallium."
"LINA-CHAN!!"
"Oh cares if she knows. waves hand I never claimed to be keeping your agenda."
grumble
"...There has to be a reason for you to be following us."
"Zeeellll!!"
"You're rather blunt aren't you? I dunno, I saw you guys with Lina-sa.....Lina and thought I should tag along to catch up, check up on an old friend and all."
Zelgadiss continued to be his untrusting little self.
"When did we see you?" Lina asked puzzled.
"You where unconscious at the time Lina-san."
"?"
"I think that Klea-san was the body guard to the girl we met," Sylphiel ventured.
"That boy crazy chich!?"
"Yes, sigh Maggie-sama is... rather enthusiastic."
Grumble "She needs glasses!"
"Maybe it's just youthful enthusiasm?"
"Whatever you say >.< Why in the world did you become a bodyguard?"
shrug "Have to eat you know."
"Excuse me!" Zelgadiss was apparently very sick of the two way conversation. "It's already dark, we're obviously not getting to Seevetal tonight, let's just get into the country, find a spot and build a camp."
"Whatever you say Zel. Are you comming with us Klea?"
"I didn't quite my job for nothing!"
snort
Zelgadiss sighed for the umpteenth time and walked over to the bridge. Why me? He placed his foot on the extreamly ordinary bridge in the extreamly unnatural zone and -
Nothing happened. What, you where expecting a light show? A great schwwwwrrrrp sound as the magic was absorbed? Nope none of that, not at all. Although he had felt a slight chill run up his spine, but that was gone as soon as it came. But there was a feeling, a feeling of...well he wasn't really sure, just an internal feeling of being relieved of a great burden. Zelgadiss continued to walk across the bridge - why did he feel so light?
"...Zel..." came a choked whisper.
He turned around and was greeted by an enterouge of shocked expressions - although he was getting some appreciative glances from the females of the group. "What?" stare "What!?" His face reddened under the scrutiny. "What - guh - !"
His hands...they...they where...soft and..flesh tone. Cautiously, he touched his face. Smooth flesh, normal ears, soft indigo hair.. His chimeric form was gone as if..it had never even existed.
Of course there can only be one reaction to all this. As any former chimera would, he let out a high pitched giggle aaaaaand -
THUD
"Oh my..."
"Zel?"
"Daijobu Zelgadiss-san!?" panick
"...Did he have a heart attack? /.O"
"WHAAAAAAAAAH!!! ZELGADISS-SAN IS DEAD!" hysterics
"Ummm, I think he fainted your Highness."
"You think so?" shimmery eyed
"Eh, ^_^;"
"Oh dear snicker I was afraid that this would happen."
"Xelloss!"
"Come come now! Can't leave Zelgadiss-kun lying there all day now can we?"
Zelgadiss was having such wonderful dreams. Such beautiful thoughts of a glorious world and a better tomorrow. He dreamt of a beach with sweet wind caressing his hair and warm sand clinging to his skin. His human skin. He was beside her, running in the sand, into the surf, running and laughing till they ran out of breath. They looked into eachother's eyes and -
He woke up, for one cannot stay asleep forever.
"Hey Zel..." came a soft voice.
"Lina?" Apparently they had set up camp without him and it was Lina's watch. He smiled at her....wait....why did it feel like he was so heavy?
No.....
"I-i'm..."
"I'm so sorry Zel. It was a result of the Null zone."
He bowed his head, metallic hair never waivering. "How could it.."
"Sylphiel said it best. It sucks up magic. You're body is magical, it's only reasonable that it broke the curse."
"And Xelloss?"
"Mazoku are part of the Balance Zel. That makes him natural."
"There is nothing natural about that bastard! He knew - "
"Zel I'm sorry! This is the only way to get there though! Look on the bright side: it's not impossible! Maybe you could talk to a nullistic expert."
"..."
"Oh what are you going to do!?" She hissed quietly, half careful not to wake anyone. "Go and sit on that bridge for the rest of your life!?"
"...maybe."
SMACK "OW!"
"Your own fault."
She stuck her tounge out at him. "Funny. Seriously, don't worry, I'm sure that we'll find the real cure!"
He gave a small smile. That's right, can't be weak now, something was wrong with Lina, even if she wouldn't admit it. Had to stay strong. Strong....how often that word had brought him trouble... "Do you want me to take you're watch since I've already slept awhile?"
She blinked, surprise. "You sure?"
"Yeah, who has the next watch?"
"Gourry." she yawned as she climbed into her bed roll "Give it about two hours."
"Lina?"
"Yeah Zel?"
"What..." he looked away, the camp's fire warming his cheeks. "What did you think?"
"Of what?"
"Of...my real form."
"Ah... blush I thought that...you looked great."
"Really?"
"Damn strait! ^_~"
He blinked at her, then laughed, she was the only one he could joke with. "Well I'll have to search harder for my cure then. Gotta impress the ladies and all."
"Stuck up! laugh Goodnight Zel."
"Goodnight."
And across the camp, a sleeping girl with messy hair smiled.
It was midday when they finally reached Seevetal, which was just beginning to set out the lunch carts and lunch stands and lunch specials and....well it was all too much for some.
"I'm soooo hungry!" Lina wailed.
"Yeah, I could go for a ten course chicken meal," Gourry drawled.
"Yeah, chicken," Klea drooled "OR what about a nice, juicy New York strip?"
"Wazzat!?" Lina demanded.
"You know what, I have no idea, it just sounds really good."
nods
"Perfect." Zelgadiss muttered. "Now there are three of them."
"....did you say something Zelgadiss-san?" Amelia asked distantly with glazed eyes.
"Ok, four of them T.T"
"Ahhh, such dispair ^_^" *burp*
"OH COME ON!!!>.<"
"You're right Zel! Onward to lunch!"
"I though you wanted to visit Fill - " Being the smart chimera that he was, he knew better and simply shut up when four pairs of angry crazed eyes turned on him. "Or we could go get lunch."
"I knew you'd see the Light of Justice!!"
U_U;
"Ahhh, that was good!" After three appitizers, twelve courses and two desserts, every chef's dream come nightmare, the Slayers where content. Ah, the miracles of chicken....
Zelgadiss drew his hood a little tighter. Not so much for his appearance- Seevetal was well accustomed to the unusual. No it was more for embarrassment. He knew that they could put away food, BUT DID THEY HAVE TO EAT OUT THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT!?!?!?!?!
"Oh like you did any better with the coffee!" Lina snapped.
How did she do that? "Are we going to Fillia's now?"
"Why the rush?"
He nervously looked around, half expecting tired, disgruntled cooks to come after them with butcher knives. "Anything to get away from here."
"....Can you say paranoid boys and girls?"
Boring boring boooooriiiiing, sitting at the counter was soooo boooorrinng. Jiras twirled around in the spinny chair as that was his greatest source of amusement at the time. He hated it when business was slow, but Fillia wouldn't let him close. Val was napping and Fillia... well she was busy entertaining that scary lady.
jingle Oh goody customers! He made sure to put on his friendliest smile, customer must always feel welcome. "Hello and welcome to Ul Copt Pottery, how may I - "
"Hello!" The small sorceress chirped. "Mind if we come in?" She motioned to the rather large group of people-well, mostly people behind her.
sweatdrop "Ah - "
" - L-lina is that you?"
"Fillia?"
"Yes. I'm in the den, p-please come in."
"It's that door over there," Jiras informed. "Don't break anything." He warned Xelloss
"^_^"
"It's kind of rude for Fillia-san not greet us." Amelia whispered as they made their way to the door.
"Maybe she's busy," Sylphiel suggested.
"That's true, we are here uninvited and all," Gourry noted.
"I'm sure she won't mind." Lina slid the door open. "After all we've - "
Lina stopped, fearing her knees would fail her. She felt the familiar ice-cold hysteria build its way into her stomach. No, not here, not...
"I've been expecting you minna." Slender fingers carefully set down a delicate teacup.
No, it couldn't be.
It couldn't.
"Luna-neechan."
There you have it! #4 out of who knows how many @_@ didn't think I'd get this far. As always, I love comments!
(1) Show of hands, how many people got that joke?