A/N: Since I've gotten back into The Slayers fandom recently (Just starting Revolution and Evolution-R, I am WAY behind and have to play catch-up), I have been bitten by the writing bug and wanted to do an updated/rewritten version of "A Mirror's Reflection" that was posted back in December 2005 that has since been removed. This is that story. This takes place somewhere between NEXT and TRY. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Slayers. I am merely borrowing the characters for entertainment purposes (and because I can't get enough of Zelgadis/Amelia!)
~o00o~
It was another fine, stereotypical late afternoon on the road, especially for four seasoned travelers. Crickets were chirping their sweet evening songs and the sky was a conglomerate of pinks, violets and blues speckled with random fluffy clouds signaling that twilight was fast approaching. The whole area reeked of serenity and prosperity, with no evident signs of trouble for miles.
So with all the peace surrounding them, why was Zelgadis Greywords' head beginning to pound with what was promising to be a ferocious headache?
A lot of it had to do with their seemingly continuous bad luck. Thanks to the lack of bandit gangs in the area, their collective funds were running lower than usual which only served to further aggravate an already loud and grumpy red-headed sorceress. It didn't help that the princess in their group wasn't able to utilize the royal crest of Seyruun as her father had taken it away to prevent it from further abuse by the aforementioned sorceress.
And if one threw in the fact that the ancient ruins they had the fortune to find had ended up as yet another dead end for the chimera's endless search for a chance to return him to being 100% human, then one had the ingredients for a rather long, irritating day. His headache was totally justified in his opinion.
Cursing at the additional fact that he was now out of fresh leads for his cure, Zelgadis soundlessly trailed behind his companions as they headed down the dirt path towards their next destination. If the map they were carrying was correct, a quaint little town lay ahead of them. After camping out for days in the woods and 'roughing' it, the idea of sleeping in a nice bed and taking a warm bath was too much for Lina Inverse to pass up. Even with dwindling money reserves, they all could at least scrounge up enough for a brief stay at an inn.
"Mr. Zelgadis?"
Zel's lengthy ears twitched at the sound of the soft voice that called his name and he turned his attention to the source. Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun had slowed her pace and was now walking alongside him. She noticed that he had slipped into one of his brooding moods. Amelia hated seeing the depressed expression glued on his stone face and wanted to attempt to cheer her gloomy friend up.
"Don't you worry Mr. Zelgadis! I'm certain that there are other temples around that have clues you can look into! With the Power of Justice on our side, we're sure to find something to help find your cure!"
He knew she meant well, he really did. That was just Amelia for you-always a little ray of justice-filled sunshine wanting to spread her warmth everywhere. Any other time he would have found it endearing if not a tad annoying. However he was in no mood to hear it at that moment and his patience was thin enough with all the whining Lina was doing.
"Look, I appreciate you trying to help, but the last thing I need right now is your sympathy. I'd rather be left alone." He snapped at her in irritation.
Amelia outwardly cringed at the harshness of his tone. A slap wouldn't have stung worse-she was just trying to help. "I-I'm sorry! I'll leave you be Mr. Zelgadis!"
The chimera sighed inwardly at the look on the princess' face. Damn it; he didn't intend for that to come out sounding as nasty as it did. He'd better fix this quickly. "I'm sorry Amelia. I didn't mean it. It's just been a very trying day."
Amelia's delicate features broke out into her signature golden smile at his apology, signaling that all had been forgiven, which in turn coaxed out a rare half-grin from Zelgadis despite the foul mood he was in.
Zelgadis and Amelia were too preoccupied to notice that someone else was paying attention to their exchange. Lina smirked knowingly as she glanced back at the pair behind her. It was painfully obvious that they shared a closer-than-average relationship; obvious to everyone other than themselves of course.
If anyone could tackle the task of thawing Zel's icy heart; it was definitely Amelia. Still, while it was sickly sweet and all that the princess was trying to comfort the chimera, she had an inn to get to and good food to eat and they were already behind schedule. They really needed to get a move on to this village before the kitchen closed. "Hey, you two lovebirds better hurry up or you'll be left behind! I wanna get into town before nightfall!"
The couple jumped at Lina's teasing, matching blushes spreading across their cheeks as they picked up the pace while simultaneously adding a little distance between one other.
"It's not like that!" Zelgadis protested.
"Ms. Lina!" Amelia groaned. "Don't be so mean!"
Lina snickered at the flustered pair behind her. "Sure, sure, whatever you say!" She couldn't help but laugh at the flush on their faces, Zel's in particular. It was too easy to get a rise out of them.
After they all had long lapsed into a comfortable silence, Amelia started humming a lively tune as the group closed in towards the town. Mulling to himself, Zelgadis snuck a glance at the princess; despite his snippy attitude, Amelia's attempts to raise his spirits worked. He wasn't as irate as he was before.
'How does she do it? She always seems to make everything much more tolerable...'
~o00o~
Later that evening, after bartering room prices and after Lina and Gourry had carved a war path through the dining area with their usual antics (which sent the dinner staff into hysterics), the four met at the top of the wooden stairs leading to their respective rooms. The sorcery genius casually tossed a cheaply forged silver plated key at the chimera's direction. Zelgadis caught it with ease.
"Here ya go Zel; there's the spare key to the room you're sharing with Gourry. Nighty night!"
Amelia piped up from her position next to Lina. "Goodnight Mr. Gourry; Mr. Zelgadis! Sweet dreams!" she waived at them cheerfully.
"Night girls! See you in the morning!" Gourry grinned before turning and unlocking the door to their room with his key, Zelgadis following behind him. After they settled in, it didn't take long for the blond swordsman to pass out on top of his bed.
The chimera quietly sighed as Gourry's snores permeated the silence in the room. Staring up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifted to the events of the day as he pulled the blanket over himself. The familiar twinges of frustration of yet another failure flowed through his gut. How many more letdowns would he have to experience before he found what he was looking for? Was he just wasting his time? Should he just accept his monstrous fate and move on?
Another sign escaped his lips as he raised an ungloved hand in front of his face. He took in the familiar details; the cobalt sheen of his stone skin, the dark, smooth rocks and smaller pebbles that lined the surface of his hands and were scattered randomly throughout his body. The sight of it was nothing compared to the feel of it. His skin was as sturdy as the rocks that formed a mountain, unforgiving yet pliable.
Rezo may have granted his wish for strength, but it was at a great personal cost. Sure, his chimeric body has proven to be useful and saved him and his friends on more than one occasion-he could begrudgingly admit that there were times he was actually thankful for the curse Rezo bestowed upon him, but what he wouldn't give to be able to feel normal again, both inside and out.
To be able to feel period would be a blessing. Thanks to his condition, while his skin offered better protection and endurance, his sense of touch was muted; a shadow of what it once was, though his other senses were enhanced exponentially.
That was but one reason why his cure was so important to him. With his cure, he'd be able to live a semblance of a normal human life and would no longer physically be wearing the scars his great-grandfather left behind. Maybe then he could stop hiding whenever he went out in public. Maybe then he would truly feel accepted by everyone.
Zelgadis dropped his hand back down to his side with a snarl. He had to keep going; he couldn't give up yet. He just couldn't. He WOULD be completely human again!
With that thought at the forefront of his mind, the chimera allowed himself to slip to sleep, the fatigue from the day finally catching up to him.
~o00o~
The nightmare began just as it always did.
The swish of a sword resounded through the air, cleaving through the thick crimson haze that made up the environment. A young man in his early to late teens stood in a battle stance, practicing combat maneuvers with his blade.
Zelgadis yelled as he pushed himself through another technique to cleave through an invisible foe. As he moved, familiar words flashed through his head.
'I want to be strong…strong…STRONG!'
The sound of bells, those accursed chimes, suddenly rang through his ears. He paused and raised his head. Rezo was approaching, phasing through the mist like a phantom and only pausing when he was a short distance away from his great-grandson. 'You wish to be strong Zelgadis? Help me find the Philosopher's Stone, and I will grant you all the power you could imagine.'
The bated words flowed through the air. Zelgadis gritted his teeth as he attempted to flee, but it was to no avail. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't will his limbs to move. He was frozen in place. 'No, Say NO! MOVE! GET OUT OF THERE!'
As always, it was too late. The crimson tendrils containing raw power sprang from Rezo's being, capturing Zelgadis in its embrace and wrapping themselves all around his body to secure him from escape. Smirking evilly, The Red Priest pointed his staff at his great-grandson, the bauble on the end flickering to life and pulsing bright red.
Thus began the initial vestiges of pain. Bolts of electricity coursed through him as the magic of the staff conducted its owner's spell. The sharp burning sensations surged through his skin with each throb of Rezo's power, causing Zelgadis to writhe in agony. His screams escalated in pitch as he began to feel the changes take hold of him.
Already his skin was morphing into a pale blue. Stones of various sizes begin to surface, spattering his face and extremities. He could pinpoint the moment where his skin became harder, firmer, and his sense of touch faded. He could tell when his ears elongated into points, could feel the moments where his soft lavender locks stiffened into sharp wires. Yes, Zelgadis could easily confirm the exact time where he was no longer fully human.
Just as quickly as he appeared and satisfied with the results of his enchantment, Rezo vanished back into the fog, leaving his kin to crumble into a fetal position on the ground to suffer the lasting consequences of his curse.
'D…damn you Rezo! DAMN YOU!'
Zelgadis lay there unmoving, tears leaking from his eyes as the residual spasms of betrayal continued to pour throughout him. When the physical discomfort finally subsided, he recognized two things: One; usually by now is when the nightmare would end and he would wake up in a panic and bemoan his existence as a monster. So why was he still dreaming? And two; there was someone else there with him, someone that wasn't Rezo.
A familiar voice broke through the confusion. "Mr. Zelgadis!"
The chimera sat up with a start, eyes widening in disbelief. "A-Amelia?!"
The princess swiftly appeared in front of him, wearing her usual traveling attire and cheery disposition. It was odd, but Zelgadis could have sworn that the red mist was evaporating around her. She reached out with a hand to grip one of his and helped pulled the dazed man onto his feet. Steadying himself, he glanced down at her, puzzled as to why she was even there.
"Come on Mr. Zelgadis! I have something that I want to show you!"
"Huh?!" was all he was able to blurt out before Amelia took off, dragging him behind her. He was still far too surprised to protest or inquire as to where she was taking them. They briskly walked on, the fog dissipating around them as they moved forwards. No doubt the reason behind it was due to Amelia's influence.
Abruptly, Amelia pointed ahead. "We're almost there!"
His head turned in the direction she indicated. Zelgadis' keen vision could make out an object in the distance although he wasn't too certain as to what it was.
In the time that it took one to blink, they were in front of the mystery thing. It was a fancy mirror, handcrafted with intricate carvings of numerous shrine maidens with their hands up in silent prayer etched into the mahogany wooden frame that supported the thick glass. The glass itself was lined with golden trim to accentuate the figures of the maids that encircled it.
Amelia released her grasp on his hand and nodded towards the mirror. "Here we are! Go on, take a look and let me know what you see!" she encouraged.
A large part of Zelgadis thought that this whole ordeal was simply ridiculous-why should he look into a mirror? All he was going to see was his hideous reflection as always. Just what was Amelia playing at? Curiosity won over his doubts however, and he stepped forwards until he was an arm's length away from it. He stared hard at himself through the glass, taking in his inhuman appearance. What was he supposed to see?
"What exactly am I looking for here?" He mumbled in aggravation.
Unfazed by his exasperated reply, the princess shook her head at him. "What do you see in the mirror, Mr. Zelgadis?"
The chimera sighed. He might as well humor her so they can get this whole debacle over with so he could finally wake up from this unusual dream. "I see a monster-a freak that's only playing the part of a human. I see a person who will never be accepted in society and who will always be known as a heartless mystical swordsman with skin like stone and wire for hair." He scowled at his reflection, his frown deepening with each word.
"Ah hah! That's exactly what I thought!" Amelia said, making 'tsk tsk' sounds at her friend. Her response caught him off guard and Zel turned his head to look at her, eyes widening slightly.
"Y-you thought what?" He stammered.
The princess continued, "You're only focusing on what you see on the outside. You're not looking at what's inside of you at all! Mr. Zegadis, while you may not appear completely human, on the inside, you ARE human! You just need to look at yourself with your heart and soul. Maybe then you'll see what I see…" Amelia's voice grew quieter as she spoke, a faint pink dusting her round cheeks.
Zelgadis was astounded. Look at himself with his heart? What foolishness! He was one-third human mixed with Brau Demon and Golem. Nothing short of a miracle would ever change the cold fact that he was a freakish mixture of three different races. But her words still reverberated in his ears, threatening to bring about a sliver of hope. 'Maybe then you'll see what I see…what DO you see in me?''
Hesitantly, he decided to ask her what she meant, fearful of her answer. "Amelia…what do you see?"
Amelia raised her chin up in confidence, holding his gaze with her own. "I see a handsome man who was dealt a severe blow in his youth, a real Ally of Justice and friend who is doing his best to repair himself from the treachery he's experienced in the past and helped save the world a few times along the way. I see a truly wonderful person who is afraid to accept himself as he is now. I see you as a fellow teammate. I see you, Mr. Zelgadis."
For the second time in a short while, Zelgadis was speechless. 'She…she thinks I'm HANDSOME?' His expression softened as he gazed at the princess with comprehension in his eyes. 'She…she really sees me as a true human being…not as a freak to be pitied.' Was it just his imagination, or did his heart sort of flutter in his chest right then?
Amelia took advantage of the momentum of her words and winked at him. "Now, would you look into the mirror again and tell me what you see?"
Still completely dumbfounded, the chimera returned his attention to the mirror. His eyes widened and he gasped loudly at the reflection in front of him as it had changed. "I-it can't be!" Standing there in the mirror was himself. His original human self as he remembered it. "But…but how…that's impossible!"
Cautiously, as if his senses were playing tricks on him, he reached out, his stone fingers gingerly caressing the cool smooth glass where his face was. The human man in front of him copied the action and did the same. There was no doubt-it was him. It was Zelgadis Greywords.
He stood still as a statue, his eyes glued to the image in the mirror. There were no words, just the soft sounds of the breaths they each took as time seemed to pause around them. His mind barely registered when a small, delicate hand found its way to his forearm. Almost afraid to move lest his human reflection disappear, the chimera gradually shifted his head back towards Amelia, who was wearing the gentlest of smiles, her azure eyes gleaming brightly with sentiment.
He understood what she was trying to say now. For extra assurance, Zelgadis looked up at the mirror again to see if anything changed. Two humans, one male and one female, stood side by side. His heart swelled in his chest at the scene before him. She really did see him as her equal-her human equal.
'Amelia…I...'
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, to attempt to place into mere words the jumbled emotions he was experiencing at that particular instant, a loud and terrifying voice infiltrated his head and drove him to his knees. When he was able to look up, he noticed that both Amelia and the mirror had disappeared and that he was being enveloped into nothingness.
'Amelia!'
"Wake UP ZEL!"
~o00o~
Zelgadis woke with a start, his eyes snapping open only to find an extremely irritated Lina Inverse hovering over him. All memories of his dream vanished as he stared up at the sorceress.
"You picked a fine time to sleep in! Will you get your stony butt up already?! Gourry's got a head start on breakfast!"
Oh. So that was why she was acting so feisty. Sparing a glance around the room, the chimera noticed that the twin bed was made up and empty. The glares she was shooting him spoke of countless fireballs that would be thrown his way should he make her wait any longer. Whatever. It wasn't like he asked for her to be his alarm clock anyways.
"Lina, I'm up. Just go downstairs already. I'll meet you all there shortly." Zel said with a shake of his head.
She didn't need to be told twice. The redhead practically sprinted from the room, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake and invoking an amused chuckle from him. Crazy Lina.
About a half hour later, dressed and ready for the day, Zelgadis emerged from his shared room, closing and locking the door behind him. He headed towards the staircase leading into the dining area. His sensitive ears could already pick up the sounds of Lina and Gourry's routine breakfast battle. While he was fumbling with his cowl to cover his face, a jovial voice greeted him, causing him to turn around. "Good morning Mr. Zelgadis! Did you sleep well?"
Amelia bounced forwards in her usual energetic fashion while clasping her hands behind her, rocking on the heels of her feet as she stopped short in front of the chimera.
Seeing the princess triggered flashbacks of his earlier dream. How she reminded him that he was indeed human; that while he was stone on the outside he still possessed a human heart, and no one, not even Rezo's damnable curse could take that away from him, whether a cure existed or not. That at least one person truly accepted him for himself. Even if she wasn't aware of it, she had given him a rare gift; a gift that he could probably never repay her for.
Before he could even fathom what he was doing and without checking to see if anyone could see them, Zelgadis bent down and gingerly wrapped his arms around Amelia, hugging her close to him. His face gently rested on the stop of her head as he pressed downwards, nuzzling his nose into her silky ebony locks and taking in her sweet floral scent.
"Amelia…I..j-just…thank you…" he whispered, his cheeks turning a dark shade of purple as the realization of his actions began to sink in.
Caught entirely by surprise, Amelia's face heated rapidly, her eyes as wide as saucers. "T-thank me? F-for what?" she stammered. She was completely confused as to what she could have possibly done for her friend to react in such a way. However, she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Affectionately, her arms slid around Zelgadis' torso, returning his embrace. She buried her glowing face into his chest.
They stood like that at the top of the staircase, holding one another and savoring the brief expression of quiet tenderness. Who knew when either one of them would have the courage to do it again?
A few minutes later and after what seemed like an eternity, Zelgadis tersely coughed in embarrassment and released his hold on Amelia, turning his blushing face away from hers.
"It's nothing-don't worry about it. We better head down there before Lina and Gourry try to find us…" He flashed a small smile at her as he began to unsteadily step down the stairs. He was already mentally prepping himself for what he was sure to be the redhead's ruthless teasing at the rouge that still graced his cheeks.
Amelia paused for a moment to gather her wits, a hand shakily cupping one side of her still rather heated face in amazed bliss. What exactly did she do for Zelgadis to hug her like that? She needed to figure it out quickly; she definitely wouldn't complain if he chose to do that again.
Resolving to ask him more about it later when she had the chance, Amelia smiled contently and bounded down the rest of the stairs. She just knew that it was going to be a great day; the morning had certainly started out delightful! "Ms. Lina, Mr. Gourry, save some food for me!"