Zel wandered out onto the balcony in his tux. He found himself staring into the night sky, regretting. Anxiety whirled closer. How had he come to this point in his life?! Here he was, at the Sailoon royal palace, engaged to Amelia!
Amelia was an embarassing justice freak, yes, but she was also self-less and devoted, especially when it came to Zel. And it was nice to have someone care about him, so he wouldn't be alone anymore. But...after he got over his lonliness, Zel found that the only thing left was this naieve, unreasonably idealistic child! And even her love for him started to become annoying. He wouldn't even dare call it love anymore. It was more like a continuous, blind infatuation she had for him. And the constancy of her interest in him was unsettling, especially since it continued even into improper times for it. Her infatuation with him seemed to be the ONLY thing she would EVER think about. Soon, there wasn't much to her other than that - that, and her annoying quest to "right wrongs". "Well," Zel sighed with defeat, "there's no way out of it now. In two hours, the double wedding of Zelgadis Greywiers to Amelia, and Lina to Gourry will take place." Zel hung his head.
"No way! I'm going to fight this!" Zel jerked his head up. Lina was in the next balcony, half dressed in her wedding gown. For a moment he stared at her glowing in the moonlight. Even Amelia at her best and most serene did not look as good as Lina did now, and Lina wasn't what you'd call the picture of a perfect lady right now. She seemed more like...ready for battle.
"Lina, one of the servant girls wanted to know if you've gotten your veil from one of them yet."
"Gourry! What hell are you doing?!" Lina tried to push the door closed on him. "The groom's not supposed to see the bride before the wedding!!" SLAM Lina wiped her brow and glanced back at the door. "I'm going to be dressing now, so just go, Gourry." Lina took off her clothes and began to pick up her dress, laid out neatly on the bed, when -
"Look, Lina! I found your veil for you!" Gourry came in all-smiling with pride that he had been able to help Lina. A scream, a fireball, and a big crash later, and Gourry was tossed outside the slamming door once again. Inside, Lina was hyperventalating with anger. Well first, she threw on her wedding dress just in case Gourry was stupid enough to walk in on her again - which was pretty much a guarentee. Then she continued fuming.
"Why do I put up with him!?!" she mentally screamed at herself. Lina angrily shoved on the rest of her enssamble. "Well, the big idiot did mean well..." Lina sighed. He was always so nice to her, so gentlemanly. Then, she would get angry - though ALWAYS rightfully so - and feel guilty about it later. It was getting tiresome. Hell! This WHOLE THING was getting tiresome! Lina glanced up at herself in the mirror: almost fully dressed, almost ready to marry Gourry Gabriev. sigh Lina lazily tredged over to the balcony. She leaned on the banister and stared up at the stars. Was being in love supposed to be like this? Gourry was sweet and always concerned (too concerned somtimes. Lina's head sagged in irritation), he even let her kick him around, but after a while, that got tired. Where was the fun? Where was the excitement? There was something more Lina needed, something a void in her chest screamed out for, more than ever before. Something more than just plain kindness and devotion. Something...she just couldn't quite put into words.
Lina looked down at her wedding attire. She pulled off the gloves, pulled off the jewelry - well, maybe not the jewelry. So what if she hadn't realized her unsatisfaction until now, or rather, would no longer put up with her unsatisfaction until now, two hours before her wedding! This situation would already seem like a sealed trap to some, but not to Lina Inverse!
"No way! I'm going to fight this!"
Unconsciously, a smile began to form at the corner of Zel's mouth. She was so audatious! He laughed to himself. Lina Inverse hadn't changed a bit. And she was right, whether they were thinking about the same thing or not. He just had to be strong and stand up to the world. Zel was suddenly inspired. "Good thing Lina was Lina."
Lina suddenly felt conscious of someone staring at her. She turned.
"Zel?" He suddenly snapped out of something.
"Lina." He nodded in greeting. She walked to the side of her balcony nearest to his, and leaned in casually on the railing.
"Enjoying your last night as a bachelor, Zel?"
"I assumed you were doing the same thing - unless I'm correct in what you were yelling about."
"Damn." Lina's face soured. "Can't just change the subject with Zel!" She couldn't just humor him like she did with Gourry. And knowing Zel, he had probably figured out what she was up to. But still, better make sure. Lina leaned her back up against the railing and stared up at the night sky. "Well, I've just decided not to let Amelia copy my wedding dress. It's bad enough she wants to be like me - well, her deluded heroic vision of me - but there's no way we're wearing the same wedding dresses!" Lina gave a slight nod of finallity. Zel's steps clicked closer across the tiles.
"If you want to take off, it's not my job to tell everyone." Lina smiled with relief and turned back around.
"Thanks, Zel."
"So." He leaned on his balcony's railing beside Lina. "Finally fed up with Gourry?"
"Mm-hm! I can't believe I've put up with him this long!"
"Well, he did put up with you."
"Hey!" Lina yelled at the smirk on Zel's face. Was he trying to play confidant or just tease her? "I only became a pain when he deserved it!" Zel just continued to smile. Sometimes he could be so frustrating!
"Well, at least you can admit it." Zel continued.
"ZEL-GA-DIS! Ooh!" Lina threw down her hands. Fireballing Zel would accomplish nothing with him. He probably would have a wind shield up before she even threw the spell.
"But Lina." She threw him a look instead. "If you're going to leave, I suggest now. There's little time left before the ceremony starts. The north gate is closed; you would only have to sneak by two guards. And before you disappear," Zel's eyes locked onto hers. "I'm glad I met you." Zel began to walk away, and back into his room. Lina hopped over the rails and followed after him. Good thing the balconies were big and close enough to touch each other, as wierd as these Sailoon castles may be.
"Zel." She grabbed his arm and stopped him. He looked back at her with that usual cold stare. "Are you sure you're OK?" Something about the finality of his words...? "I mean," she began to smile jokingly, "for a guy who's about to marry his fiancee, you don't look too excited."
"Maybe I've no right to be." He tried to walk away again. Lina tightened her grip.
"Zel?" Lina paused carefully. "Are you...leaving Amelia?" Zel just stared back at her.
"I think you know."
"Know! Know what?! What's wrong?!" Zel had managed a few more steps away from her by now. But he paused.
"I don't love her." He continued without turning, almost choking on the effort to open up. "Maybe she helped me feel less alone, but I need more than that."
"I know." Lina said quietly.
"That's why you're leaving Gourry, isn't it?"
"Well, hey. Just how long did you think beating him up would stay fun?"
"Lina." He turned on her superficial smile. Her mask faded as she felt him seeing right through her.
"I'm not happy, Zel. Whatever it is that will do it, isn't here." Lina looked off past the horizon. Zel could see she was trying to hide her watery eyes. Lina tightened her fists and closed her eyes. "But I'm going to find it."
"Never give up? Like you always do, Miss Inverse?" She looked Zel in the eyes with her usual confidence, accentuated with a smirk.
"Better believe it."
"She has to be the strongest woman there's ever been." Zel's chest swelled with pride for her.
"Well, Mr. Greywiers, would you like to escort me out of here?" Zel smiled. "Good."
"Lina, that's not the way out."
"But it's the way to the kitchen. I'm at least making off with some of that food!" Lina did her usual wink coupled with a V-sign. What could Zel do but give one of his rare laughs?
Somewhere in the royal castle of Sailoon, the wedding march started. The music was playing, Gourry was waiting at the altar, and Amelia was making her way there.
"Maybe, Gourry-san was right." Amelia thought as she kept scanning the crowded room anxiously. "Something's kept them while they were getting ready. We should just wait. ... Just wait..."
Two figures dashed down the road towards the sunrise. One full of pep, the other, slightly reluctant. But both smiling with the freedom of a second chance, and the promise for the new day.
Zel, caught up in Lina's energy, ran after her. She would jerk away each time he got near, daring him to catch her. Lina made the mistake of turning her gaze away from the chimera for a second, and in the same time, he was instantly before her. She hardly had time to stop. Zel caught her in his arms, and Lina yelped in surprise. The game was over and both began to laugh at their silly chase.
Then, both began to kiss.
A similar scene was displayed in a crystal ball, hovering in the middle of a dark void. There was a bright flash of light in the orb, then the tiny image of Lina began to make frantic motions. Zel stared flabbergasted, then speechlessly ecstatic towards his hand - His human hand.
"How cliche!" Xellos laughed after watching the story unfold. "'Salvation laid in the kiss of his true love!'" Xellos make a false dramatic gesture. "Really! Could there be anything more trite?!" He smiled, amused at the melodrama.