Gravity of Love
By Kanshisha Tenshi
Disclaimer: The song, "Gravity of Love," is owned by Enigma. If you can
find the mp3 file anywhere, please download it and listen to it; it's a
very pretty song. Also, be sure to tell me where you got the mp3 since I
can't find that format anywhere...I got the mpeg version. And be sure to
check out their other music, as well as that of Positively Dark--one of my
new favorite bands! They rule. You can find their music at mp3.com.
::(Chanting in the background as music starts: O fortuna velut luna. Chanting stops as singing begins.) Turn around and smell what you don't see.::
Our story begins in the middle of a bulky forest. The leaves fall gently from the trees as the wind stirs the branches. Nearby, in a peaceful village, children are celebrating one of their associates' birthday, laughing, dancing and singing. On the long, winding, worn path leading through the forest, a lone figure walks wearily. To her right a twig snapped and the leaves of a bush rustled softly. Upon hearing this, the maiden--who we see has long, red hair held back by a black hair band; a black, flowing cape that billowed out behind her, clasped together by a demon's blood talisman, which looked like a red jewel; accompanying the cape were two shoulder pads, each with a red jewel fixated in it; on her hands were white gloves, each with a demon's blood talisman at the wrist, like a bracelet; over a pink over shirt trimmed with white she wore a yellow breast band; underneath the over shirt she wore a yellow bodysuit; on her brown belt was her fourth and final demon's blood talisman; below her belt was the strap of the sword at her hip, sheathed and with a yellow hilt; somewhat under the bodysuit began her pink pants; her boots were white; she wore large, round, golden earrings; her eyes were red--spun around, an orange orb forming between her cupped hands. "All right," she called. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." She strained her ears to listen, and again heard the rustling noise--right before a man stepped out from the bush. He was covered with leaves, and had strange, violet hair that almost seemed to defy gravity. His sapphire eyes were frosty, and wary. The maiden--who we can identify as Lina Inverse, bandit slayer and sorcery genius--thought she recognized him immediately; one look into his eyes confirmed her suspicions, and she ran forward and hugged him, the orange sphere disappearing as her concentration was broken.
::Close your eyes, it is so clear.::
"Zelgadis Greywords!" she squealed, clearly delighted at seeing her old companion. Slowly, reluctantly, he returned the hug, unsure of what to think. His old friend and crush, Lina Inverse, was latching onto him as Amelia Wil Telsa Saillune might once have... It was euphoric for him. He stepped back and took in every detail of her, smiling giddily. "Lina, you haven't changed a bit since I left you," he said fondly. The glee on her face turned into one of misery as she frowned and stepped back. "Yeah, I know," she spat bitterly. "But, you've changed, Zel," she added, surveying him carefully. He no longer wore the beige, instead wearing an outfit similar to the one he always wore-- pants, tunic and cape- -except in black. Even the jewel that had once served as a clasp for his cape was different--he now wore a dark blue jewel, to match his eyes. She supposed his boots remained the same; they didn't look much different. But the biggest change of all was his skin. Now pale and soft, it was nothing like the rocky surface he once had serving as skin. Even his hair was soft and fluffy. She blushed, thinking briefly of how handsome he looked at the moment. Then she snapped back into reality. What am I thinking? she asked herself. He's Zel. He's my friend. If I started thinking of him like that...no, it's just plain wrong. He's my friend; I can't think of him romantically. "Yes, so I have," he agreed, breaking the silence as well as her thoughts. "But, Lina, I meant my comment in the best way. Change is bad. I like seeing you the same as ever. I was surprised you recognized me, though." "How did you heal yourself?" she asked curiously. "I found an old colleague of Rezo's. Actually, he found me. He came up to me, called me by my name and took me into a dark alley." Zelgadis remembered it clearly, the flashback playing in his mind, every detail stunningly lucid. "He told me he could cure me. I agreed, and he took me to his lab. I don't know what he did, because he had knocked me unconscious. All I know is that, when I woke up, I was human again." A smile flickered on his face as he relayed the events prior to his curing, then faded away when he looked at her. "I also know that I was in pain. That was how I found out I was human..." "You're all right now, though, right, Zel?" He nodded. "Good. Let's go eat; I'm starving!" She grabbed him by the hand and proceeded to run down the path until they were clear of the trees. Then she cast a Raywing and flew them over the countryside until she spotted an old inn.
::Here's the mirror, behind there is a screen.::
Zelgadis was surprised. Lina was taking her time eating, and even used some table manners. She still had the same appetite, though, which didn't surprise him, considering she still practiced black magic. He watched her curiously, calmly sipping on his cup of coffee and occasionally nibbling on his sandwich. "So, what happened to Gourry and Amelia?" he finally asked. She looked up at him, alarmed. "I thought you knew. Gourry left after I reached Atlas city. He mentioned something about Sylphiel and food, but I didn't catch it all because he was running. Amelia left shortly after, talking about how unjust it would be if she didn't return to Saillune. That left me all alone, since you had gone off to find your cure--alone, as usual." The last part she mentioned bitterly, barely whispering it. She was clearly upset with him for leaving. "But, Lina, I always searched alone." "Yeah," she said, standing up and slamming her fists on the table, alarming the other guests, "but you never had to do it alone. We were always there to help, Zel. You always thought you were alone in it. I felt like Dragon Slaving you to the next kingdom so many times for being such a pain about your cure, it was torture! I hated seeing you brooding about your bad looks and how everyone ran from when you when you looked just fine! Didn't you ever see some of the looks some of the girls gave you? Did you? They were looks of desire, Zel--definitely not fear! Well, you got what you wanted; I hope you're happy!" she yelled. Zel's eyes widened a little in surprise, taken aback.
::On both ways you can get in.::
Lina was upset. She missed seeing the old Zel, but the new Zel was everything she had tried to make him into--and apparently failed at. But, still, she felt the sharp pang of nostalgia. Zel was always there for her; he always cared for her, always listened to her ranting and raving; he was the only one in their group who had been able to make decent conversation without everything having to be explained to him. Most of all, he really was cute--to her--when he was a chimera. She didn't know how he'd react to her outburst. She really didn't care. However, she did hope he would assume she had said all that because she cared about him in more than a friendly way. But, who was she trying to fool? He was always clueless about girls. All he knew was to be nice and listen to them. Maybe even supply a nice, steady shoulder to cry on and some sympathy, perhaps empathy. She had missed him terribly when he had left. And now she was starting to worry whether he had realized if she loved him or not...and, if he had, if he was happy or upset about it.
::Don't think twice before you listen to your heart.::
Zelgadis was confused. Lina had seemed uncharacteristically upset about his previous behavior. She had never outwardly shown that much irritation toward his brooding and self-pity before...why now, when he was cured? Maybe, he reasoned, she was afraid he had changed. But, in what way, other than appearance? Did she really think he'd change so much after he had been cured? Maybe he should tell her that he wasn't going to change. Why, though? What if he was wrong about her feelings?
::Follow the trace for a new start.::
They were walking down the abandoned dirt road in silence, the two trekking along side-by-side. Each was lost in their own thoughts about each other, each falling deeper into worry; thus Lina stumbled and fell towards Zelgadis, who noticed her in time to catch her and put her back onto her feet. "Lina, something's been bothering me," Zelgadis admitted as Lina dusted herself off and resumed walking at a fast, steady pace. He walked after her, continuing to talk; "Why did you outburst like that, back at the inn? I had never thought my actions and behavior as a chimera had bothered you that much. Which, by the way, wouldn't you have said something sooner? Did it just occur to you how much you despised me at the time? Well, I'm sorry," he mumbled. "No, Zel. I was just...you were gone for so long!" she blurted out. "The three of you left me alone, and I was lonely...and I wanted you there to at least talk to me sometimes! But, no, you had to run off to find your stupid little cure. You never once thought about me, did you? Never bothered to stop and think that maybe someone had cared f--about you? That someone might actually be your friend, and be worried for your safety once you returned to human form? Did you even think about the benefits of being a chimera? No, no, no and no again, right?" "Wrong. I thought about you...a lot. I missed you, and I realized that too late. You were the only one I missed, Lina," he hissed, starting to grow angry. "Not Amelia, the justice-loving princess who had permanently attached herself to my arm; not Gourry, the dumb-as-a-nut swordsman who could never take a hint; not Xellos, the Mazoku fruitcake who would never leave me alone and enjoyed my anguish; not Filia, the foul-tempered dragon priestess who would never confess when she was wrong; not Sylphiel, the shy shrine maiden who would never tell Gourry her true feelings unless he told her first--believe me, I know--even though her thoughts of him were unmistakable; not Martina, the boy-obsessed, self-absorbed princess who was too stupid and too weak to be your rival; and not Zangulus, her bad-haired boyfriend who would never stop hounding Gourry about a stupid sword fight! No, Lina, I missed you, the powerful, red-headed love of my life with a temper to rival Filia's and wit to rival mine!" He stopped to catch his breath, then continued. "I missed you terribly, so much that my heart ached and I couldn't bear to live with myself and look myself in the mirror every day!" "Zel..." "What, Lina?" "Did you just say you loved me?" "Well...I guess--I guess I did, huh?"
::What you'll need, and everything you'll feel.::
Lina couldn't believe it. They had checked into an inn a few hours ago, each with their own rooms, had eaten, and reported to their respective bedchambers to think over what had transpired between them. Nothing much had happened after Zelgadis's confession. Lina had decided to walk a few paces away from him, to the side and front. One would think she was distantly leading them somewhere, even though he knew the directions to where it was they were going better than she did. They hadn't spoken to each other ever since the admission. And now Lina was pacing back and forth, contemplating what she would say to him when they finally spoke to each other. He loved her! For crying out loud, this wasn't supposed to happen! She had never, in all her life, expected an admission of love to be this disappointing. I mean, she thought, he was yelling at me when he said it. He was angry. He was never going to tell me under any other circumstances...well, unless we were trapped, helpless and dying. Or if he was going to leave me for some reason and had left a note explaining his love for me...but, now that I think about it, how could he not love me? How could anyone not love the beautiful, talented sorceress, Lina Inverse? She smiled to herself. Yes, he must have fallen for my charms. Should I tell him I love him, too? No; that's out of the question. He'll figure it out eventually. Maybe he'll feel honored. Her smile turned into a grin as she thought about it more. Then again, I've been wondering what it would look like to have Zelgadis blush as a human. Wow, he looks great now, but he might look twice as great if he smiled and blushed more! Then a twinge of jealousy hit her. What if one of the village girls started flirting with him, joined their little group, and ended up stealing his heart before Lina could confess her feelings, or before Zelgadis figured them out? No, she told herself adamantly. I'll tell him before any other girl gets the chance.
::Is just a question of the deal.::
It was starting to rain. Zelgadis listened to the soft patter of water droplets hitting the roof as he admonished himself for letting his secret out. How could I have been so foolish? he asked repeatedly. After all, she wasn't supposed to find out--ever. L-sama, he called silently, I just want everything to work out perfectly!
::In the eye of storm you'll see a lonely dove.::
The heads of both Lina and Zelgadis jerked up suddenly as a scream resounded in the night air. Lina immediately raced out of her room and down the inn stairs, out the door and onto the street where she heard the scream coming from--still in her night shirt. Zelgadis came out only a few seconds later, his shirt absent, dressed only in his pants. Lina blushed when she looked at him, and distracted herself by looking at the scene before them; a man, a Mazoku by the looks of him, was attacking a young woman dressed purely in white--a white bow holding her long, blonde hair back from her face and exposing her forest green eyes, a white choker around her neck, a white cape covering a white tunic and white shorts, and white boots over white socks, decorated with nearly-invisible crystals that shone like prisms in the light. Lina sighed and charged up one of her favorite attacks, aiming and firing the Fireball at the Mazoku. It knocked him off of the woman, proving it was only a minor Mazoku and nothing to worry over. Zelgadis relaxed and watched as Lina hit the monster with an onslaught of fire attacks. "Fireball! Flare Arrow! Flare Bit! Flare Lance!" Before she could continue, however, the white-clad woman interrupted with a Chaotic Disintegrate. Blue light smacked into the already-wounded Mazoku, and when the light and dust cleared, the Mazoku was no more. The woman walked over to a stunned Zelgadis and Lina, smiling.
::The experience of survival is the key to the gravity of love.::
"Thank you so much for saving me," she said shyly. "You pretty much saved yourself," Zelgadis pointed out. "Well, yes, but I couldn't have had the time to cast that spell without the Mazoku being distracted. Thank you. My name is Lons." "I'm Lina, and this is Zelgadis," Lina said wearily, pointing to herself and then Zel. "Lons? That's a pretty weird name." "Yes, well, my parents were very weird people. Might we discuss this in the shelter of the inn?" Lina nodded, and the three headed inside, where they sat down at a table in the center of the lobby and sipped on water (Lons), warm milk (Lina), and decaffeinated coffee (Zelgadis). "So, Zelgadis, Lina, are you two a couple?" Lons asked politely, looking innocently over the rim of her glass of water at them as they blushed and stuttered. "No," Lina finally replied. "Ah. That is disappointing to hear. The two of you seem very close, and would make such a nice pair." They shook their heads vigorously.
::(Chanting resumes, a woman, then a man, whisper: The path of excess leads to the tower of wisdom.)::
The next day Lina and Zelgadis set out bright and early with Lons. The newcomer had stayed the night with Lina, and had slept so soundly that Lina found it unnerving...almost, she thought, like Lons was one of the dead--much more peaceful than a baby's sleep. They traveled for a long time in silence, until Lons started to hum a soft, almost sad, tune. Lina and Zelgadis stopped and listened as Lons continued, enchanted. Lons looked at them and stopped humming; they continued their journey in silence. "This sure is a quiet trip," spoke Lons softly after a considerably long length of time. "I can feel the tension in the air. Something is not right between the two of you. You are uneasy, almost...nervous. However," she continued, smiling now. "I would like to invite the both of you to my home...as thanks for helping me." The two nodded, and they continued until they reached the girl's home, which, to say the least, stole Lina's breath away. She had dreamed of castles, but this...this was beyond anything she could have imagined. It seemed an endless sea of gray and white, tall and magnificent, with turrets and battlements and halls and corridors and walls and steeples everywhere. They slowly entered through the drawbridge, Lina still looking around in awe. Zelgadis was also impressed, but, as usual, kept his feelings to himself except for an occasional curious glance around.
::Try to think about it...::
That night, Lina got her own room filled with lavish decorations in the gray and white trim, the same as Zelgadis. Both rooms were large and had ceiling-to-floor windows, and each had its own bathroom. Lina, despite the pampering and the lavishness of the castle, wasn't feeling very well. She was thinking about why she didn't pull Zel aside and let him know how she felt. I'm an idiot, she thought miserably. What if Lons has already taken him away?
::That's the chance to live your live and discover what it is, what's the gravity of love.::
The next day Lons had gathered the two travelers into the dining hall for breakfast and was trying to talk to them over Lina's noisy eating manners. "I have a theory," she began. "It's called the Theory of the Gravity of Love. Basically, the gravity is what pulls people toward feeling happiness and, well, love; just like real gravity pulls people toward Earth. No one's been able to figure out what the gravity is, when it forms, how it forms, why it forms, or where it forms; just what it does. It's what draws people together. Perhaps you two may one day be able to help me in my quest for what the gravity of love is. When you leave, I'd like you to keep this in mind and search for me. I strongly believe you two may be the key to unlocking all the little secrets of my hypothesis." Lina and Zelgadis looked at each other. Lons looked at both of them and smiled.
::(More chanting, then stops after a few seconds.) Look around just people, can you hear their voice?::
Then they were out of the castle and walking towards the nearest town, as usual. Lina kept hearing voices telling her what to do, how to do it, when to do it; mainly they were telling her to tell Zelgadis, how to say it, and when to say it. Somehow, though, she couldn't bring herself to tell him. She wasn't afraid of his reaction, already knowing that he loved her. This is stupid, she chided herself. You've never been afraid to let people have whatever piece of your mind came out first, so why now? I don't know, she told herself, or whatever voice it was that had spoken to her. But I'll tell you what I'm thinking now: I'm thinking I should stop arguing with myself, and I'm also thinking that I have one big headache from all this! Stop talking to me! She nearly screamed with frustration, but grit her teeth and walked on moodily.
::Find the one who'll guide you to the limits of your choice.::
It had been cloudy all morning, ever since they had left the castle. This only helped Lina's mood to decline. "Zel, I need a break," she grumbled finally. Zelgadis looked at her strangely. "But, Lina, we only set out a few minutes ago," he protested. "I know, but I have a huge headache and I'm in a bad mood. So, don't bother me for a while and let me have my break!" She felt the strong urge to hit him welling up inside, and nearly did, but felt so bad that she sat down instead on a rock. To make things worse, it had started to rain and the voices came back. "Tell him," they whispered. "Let him know," they urged. "Fine!" she screamed. Zelgadis looked up in alarm at her, his eyes wide and filled with anxiety. "Zel, I have something I want--no, need--to tell you. These voices in my head will not shut up unless I do." "What is it?" he asked quietly. "When you said you loved me, did you mean it?" "Yes," he replied hesitantly. "Well, I love you, too," she said uneasily. His expression brightened noticeably, and he went to her and hugged her. Slowly, she hugged him back.
::But if you're in the eye of storm just think of the lonely dove.::
Behind them, hidden by the surrounding trees, stood Lons, smiling slyly. Her shirt, hair and cape were whipping wildly in the wind that suddenly blew about her, making it appear that she was casting Levitation. "Well, well, it looks like the 'gravity' finally pulled her to telling him. I knew it would work." Again, she smiled, and slowly faded from view. A few hundred yards behind them, the castle Lina and Zelgadis had stayed in faded from view, as well. And up in her Heaven, the Lord Of Nightmares-Sama was still smiling.
::The experience of survival is the key to the gravity of love.::
And as our story ends, we see the two lovers walking off hand-in-hand, happy despite the rain. Lina's headache had disappeared, as well as the voices she was hearing. And the two lived happily ever after, having experienced the gravity of love. The end.
Author's Notes: Did you figure out why the name was Lons? (L-Lord, o-of, n- nightmares, s-sama.) I figured the song would be perfect for a romance fanfic, so I had to write it. The song, apparently, is so rare I can't find it. I can find other songs by Enigma, but I doubt they'll be as good. The 'gravity' was the voices making her tell Zel. I love Z/L fanfiction. ^.^ Please review! By the way, "O fortuna velut luna" means "O fortune like the moon."
::(Chanting in the background as music starts: O fortuna velut luna. Chanting stops as singing begins.) Turn around and smell what you don't see.::
Our story begins in the middle of a bulky forest. The leaves fall gently from the trees as the wind stirs the branches. Nearby, in a peaceful village, children are celebrating one of their associates' birthday, laughing, dancing and singing. On the long, winding, worn path leading through the forest, a lone figure walks wearily. To her right a twig snapped and the leaves of a bush rustled softly. Upon hearing this, the maiden--who we see has long, red hair held back by a black hair band; a black, flowing cape that billowed out behind her, clasped together by a demon's blood talisman, which looked like a red jewel; accompanying the cape were two shoulder pads, each with a red jewel fixated in it; on her hands were white gloves, each with a demon's blood talisman at the wrist, like a bracelet; over a pink over shirt trimmed with white she wore a yellow breast band; underneath the over shirt she wore a yellow bodysuit; on her brown belt was her fourth and final demon's blood talisman; below her belt was the strap of the sword at her hip, sheathed and with a yellow hilt; somewhat under the bodysuit began her pink pants; her boots were white; she wore large, round, golden earrings; her eyes were red--spun around, an orange orb forming between her cupped hands. "All right," she called. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." She strained her ears to listen, and again heard the rustling noise--right before a man stepped out from the bush. He was covered with leaves, and had strange, violet hair that almost seemed to defy gravity. His sapphire eyes were frosty, and wary. The maiden--who we can identify as Lina Inverse, bandit slayer and sorcery genius--thought she recognized him immediately; one look into his eyes confirmed her suspicions, and she ran forward and hugged him, the orange sphere disappearing as her concentration was broken.
::Close your eyes, it is so clear.::
"Zelgadis Greywords!" she squealed, clearly delighted at seeing her old companion. Slowly, reluctantly, he returned the hug, unsure of what to think. His old friend and crush, Lina Inverse, was latching onto him as Amelia Wil Telsa Saillune might once have... It was euphoric for him. He stepped back and took in every detail of her, smiling giddily. "Lina, you haven't changed a bit since I left you," he said fondly. The glee on her face turned into one of misery as she frowned and stepped back. "Yeah, I know," she spat bitterly. "But, you've changed, Zel," she added, surveying him carefully. He no longer wore the beige, instead wearing an outfit similar to the one he always wore-- pants, tunic and cape- -except in black. Even the jewel that had once served as a clasp for his cape was different--he now wore a dark blue jewel, to match his eyes. She supposed his boots remained the same; they didn't look much different. But the biggest change of all was his skin. Now pale and soft, it was nothing like the rocky surface he once had serving as skin. Even his hair was soft and fluffy. She blushed, thinking briefly of how handsome he looked at the moment. Then she snapped back into reality. What am I thinking? she asked herself. He's Zel. He's my friend. If I started thinking of him like that...no, it's just plain wrong. He's my friend; I can't think of him romantically. "Yes, so I have," he agreed, breaking the silence as well as her thoughts. "But, Lina, I meant my comment in the best way. Change is bad. I like seeing you the same as ever. I was surprised you recognized me, though." "How did you heal yourself?" she asked curiously. "I found an old colleague of Rezo's. Actually, he found me. He came up to me, called me by my name and took me into a dark alley." Zelgadis remembered it clearly, the flashback playing in his mind, every detail stunningly lucid. "He told me he could cure me. I agreed, and he took me to his lab. I don't know what he did, because he had knocked me unconscious. All I know is that, when I woke up, I was human again." A smile flickered on his face as he relayed the events prior to his curing, then faded away when he looked at her. "I also know that I was in pain. That was how I found out I was human..." "You're all right now, though, right, Zel?" He nodded. "Good. Let's go eat; I'm starving!" She grabbed him by the hand and proceeded to run down the path until they were clear of the trees. Then she cast a Raywing and flew them over the countryside until she spotted an old inn.
::Here's the mirror, behind there is a screen.::
Zelgadis was surprised. Lina was taking her time eating, and even used some table manners. She still had the same appetite, though, which didn't surprise him, considering she still practiced black magic. He watched her curiously, calmly sipping on his cup of coffee and occasionally nibbling on his sandwich. "So, what happened to Gourry and Amelia?" he finally asked. She looked up at him, alarmed. "I thought you knew. Gourry left after I reached Atlas city. He mentioned something about Sylphiel and food, but I didn't catch it all because he was running. Amelia left shortly after, talking about how unjust it would be if she didn't return to Saillune. That left me all alone, since you had gone off to find your cure--alone, as usual." The last part she mentioned bitterly, barely whispering it. She was clearly upset with him for leaving. "But, Lina, I always searched alone." "Yeah," she said, standing up and slamming her fists on the table, alarming the other guests, "but you never had to do it alone. We were always there to help, Zel. You always thought you were alone in it. I felt like Dragon Slaving you to the next kingdom so many times for being such a pain about your cure, it was torture! I hated seeing you brooding about your bad looks and how everyone ran from when you when you looked just fine! Didn't you ever see some of the looks some of the girls gave you? Did you? They were looks of desire, Zel--definitely not fear! Well, you got what you wanted; I hope you're happy!" she yelled. Zel's eyes widened a little in surprise, taken aback.
::On both ways you can get in.::
Lina was upset. She missed seeing the old Zel, but the new Zel was everything she had tried to make him into--and apparently failed at. But, still, she felt the sharp pang of nostalgia. Zel was always there for her; he always cared for her, always listened to her ranting and raving; he was the only one in their group who had been able to make decent conversation without everything having to be explained to him. Most of all, he really was cute--to her--when he was a chimera. She didn't know how he'd react to her outburst. She really didn't care. However, she did hope he would assume she had said all that because she cared about him in more than a friendly way. But, who was she trying to fool? He was always clueless about girls. All he knew was to be nice and listen to them. Maybe even supply a nice, steady shoulder to cry on and some sympathy, perhaps empathy. She had missed him terribly when he had left. And now she was starting to worry whether he had realized if she loved him or not...and, if he had, if he was happy or upset about it.
::Don't think twice before you listen to your heart.::
Zelgadis was confused. Lina had seemed uncharacteristically upset about his previous behavior. She had never outwardly shown that much irritation toward his brooding and self-pity before...why now, when he was cured? Maybe, he reasoned, she was afraid he had changed. But, in what way, other than appearance? Did she really think he'd change so much after he had been cured? Maybe he should tell her that he wasn't going to change. Why, though? What if he was wrong about her feelings?
::Follow the trace for a new start.::
They were walking down the abandoned dirt road in silence, the two trekking along side-by-side. Each was lost in their own thoughts about each other, each falling deeper into worry; thus Lina stumbled and fell towards Zelgadis, who noticed her in time to catch her and put her back onto her feet. "Lina, something's been bothering me," Zelgadis admitted as Lina dusted herself off and resumed walking at a fast, steady pace. He walked after her, continuing to talk; "Why did you outburst like that, back at the inn? I had never thought my actions and behavior as a chimera had bothered you that much. Which, by the way, wouldn't you have said something sooner? Did it just occur to you how much you despised me at the time? Well, I'm sorry," he mumbled. "No, Zel. I was just...you were gone for so long!" she blurted out. "The three of you left me alone, and I was lonely...and I wanted you there to at least talk to me sometimes! But, no, you had to run off to find your stupid little cure. You never once thought about me, did you? Never bothered to stop and think that maybe someone had cared f--about you? That someone might actually be your friend, and be worried for your safety once you returned to human form? Did you even think about the benefits of being a chimera? No, no, no and no again, right?" "Wrong. I thought about you...a lot. I missed you, and I realized that too late. You were the only one I missed, Lina," he hissed, starting to grow angry. "Not Amelia, the justice-loving princess who had permanently attached herself to my arm; not Gourry, the dumb-as-a-nut swordsman who could never take a hint; not Xellos, the Mazoku fruitcake who would never leave me alone and enjoyed my anguish; not Filia, the foul-tempered dragon priestess who would never confess when she was wrong; not Sylphiel, the shy shrine maiden who would never tell Gourry her true feelings unless he told her first--believe me, I know--even though her thoughts of him were unmistakable; not Martina, the boy-obsessed, self-absorbed princess who was too stupid and too weak to be your rival; and not Zangulus, her bad-haired boyfriend who would never stop hounding Gourry about a stupid sword fight! No, Lina, I missed you, the powerful, red-headed love of my life with a temper to rival Filia's and wit to rival mine!" He stopped to catch his breath, then continued. "I missed you terribly, so much that my heart ached and I couldn't bear to live with myself and look myself in the mirror every day!" "Zel..." "What, Lina?" "Did you just say you loved me?" "Well...I guess--I guess I did, huh?"
::What you'll need, and everything you'll feel.::
Lina couldn't believe it. They had checked into an inn a few hours ago, each with their own rooms, had eaten, and reported to their respective bedchambers to think over what had transpired between them. Nothing much had happened after Zelgadis's confession. Lina had decided to walk a few paces away from him, to the side and front. One would think she was distantly leading them somewhere, even though he knew the directions to where it was they were going better than she did. They hadn't spoken to each other ever since the admission. And now Lina was pacing back and forth, contemplating what she would say to him when they finally spoke to each other. He loved her! For crying out loud, this wasn't supposed to happen! She had never, in all her life, expected an admission of love to be this disappointing. I mean, she thought, he was yelling at me when he said it. He was angry. He was never going to tell me under any other circumstances...well, unless we were trapped, helpless and dying. Or if he was going to leave me for some reason and had left a note explaining his love for me...but, now that I think about it, how could he not love me? How could anyone not love the beautiful, talented sorceress, Lina Inverse? She smiled to herself. Yes, he must have fallen for my charms. Should I tell him I love him, too? No; that's out of the question. He'll figure it out eventually. Maybe he'll feel honored. Her smile turned into a grin as she thought about it more. Then again, I've been wondering what it would look like to have Zelgadis blush as a human. Wow, he looks great now, but he might look twice as great if he smiled and blushed more! Then a twinge of jealousy hit her. What if one of the village girls started flirting with him, joined their little group, and ended up stealing his heart before Lina could confess her feelings, or before Zelgadis figured them out? No, she told herself adamantly. I'll tell him before any other girl gets the chance.
::Is just a question of the deal.::
It was starting to rain. Zelgadis listened to the soft patter of water droplets hitting the roof as he admonished himself for letting his secret out. How could I have been so foolish? he asked repeatedly. After all, she wasn't supposed to find out--ever. L-sama, he called silently, I just want everything to work out perfectly!
::In the eye of storm you'll see a lonely dove.::
The heads of both Lina and Zelgadis jerked up suddenly as a scream resounded in the night air. Lina immediately raced out of her room and down the inn stairs, out the door and onto the street where she heard the scream coming from--still in her night shirt. Zelgadis came out only a few seconds later, his shirt absent, dressed only in his pants. Lina blushed when she looked at him, and distracted herself by looking at the scene before them; a man, a Mazoku by the looks of him, was attacking a young woman dressed purely in white--a white bow holding her long, blonde hair back from her face and exposing her forest green eyes, a white choker around her neck, a white cape covering a white tunic and white shorts, and white boots over white socks, decorated with nearly-invisible crystals that shone like prisms in the light. Lina sighed and charged up one of her favorite attacks, aiming and firing the Fireball at the Mazoku. It knocked him off of the woman, proving it was only a minor Mazoku and nothing to worry over. Zelgadis relaxed and watched as Lina hit the monster with an onslaught of fire attacks. "Fireball! Flare Arrow! Flare Bit! Flare Lance!" Before she could continue, however, the white-clad woman interrupted with a Chaotic Disintegrate. Blue light smacked into the already-wounded Mazoku, and when the light and dust cleared, the Mazoku was no more. The woman walked over to a stunned Zelgadis and Lina, smiling.
::The experience of survival is the key to the gravity of love.::
"Thank you so much for saving me," she said shyly. "You pretty much saved yourself," Zelgadis pointed out. "Well, yes, but I couldn't have had the time to cast that spell without the Mazoku being distracted. Thank you. My name is Lons." "I'm Lina, and this is Zelgadis," Lina said wearily, pointing to herself and then Zel. "Lons? That's a pretty weird name." "Yes, well, my parents were very weird people. Might we discuss this in the shelter of the inn?" Lina nodded, and the three headed inside, where they sat down at a table in the center of the lobby and sipped on water (Lons), warm milk (Lina), and decaffeinated coffee (Zelgadis). "So, Zelgadis, Lina, are you two a couple?" Lons asked politely, looking innocently over the rim of her glass of water at them as they blushed and stuttered. "No," Lina finally replied. "Ah. That is disappointing to hear. The two of you seem very close, and would make such a nice pair." They shook their heads vigorously.
::(Chanting resumes, a woman, then a man, whisper: The path of excess leads to the tower of wisdom.)::
The next day Lina and Zelgadis set out bright and early with Lons. The newcomer had stayed the night with Lina, and had slept so soundly that Lina found it unnerving...almost, she thought, like Lons was one of the dead--much more peaceful than a baby's sleep. They traveled for a long time in silence, until Lons started to hum a soft, almost sad, tune. Lina and Zelgadis stopped and listened as Lons continued, enchanted. Lons looked at them and stopped humming; they continued their journey in silence. "This sure is a quiet trip," spoke Lons softly after a considerably long length of time. "I can feel the tension in the air. Something is not right between the two of you. You are uneasy, almost...nervous. However," she continued, smiling now. "I would like to invite the both of you to my home...as thanks for helping me." The two nodded, and they continued until they reached the girl's home, which, to say the least, stole Lina's breath away. She had dreamed of castles, but this...this was beyond anything she could have imagined. It seemed an endless sea of gray and white, tall and magnificent, with turrets and battlements and halls and corridors and walls and steeples everywhere. They slowly entered through the drawbridge, Lina still looking around in awe. Zelgadis was also impressed, but, as usual, kept his feelings to himself except for an occasional curious glance around.
::Try to think about it...::
That night, Lina got her own room filled with lavish decorations in the gray and white trim, the same as Zelgadis. Both rooms were large and had ceiling-to-floor windows, and each had its own bathroom. Lina, despite the pampering and the lavishness of the castle, wasn't feeling very well. She was thinking about why she didn't pull Zel aside and let him know how she felt. I'm an idiot, she thought miserably. What if Lons has already taken him away?
::That's the chance to live your live and discover what it is, what's the gravity of love.::
The next day Lons had gathered the two travelers into the dining hall for breakfast and was trying to talk to them over Lina's noisy eating manners. "I have a theory," she began. "It's called the Theory of the Gravity of Love. Basically, the gravity is what pulls people toward feeling happiness and, well, love; just like real gravity pulls people toward Earth. No one's been able to figure out what the gravity is, when it forms, how it forms, why it forms, or where it forms; just what it does. It's what draws people together. Perhaps you two may one day be able to help me in my quest for what the gravity of love is. When you leave, I'd like you to keep this in mind and search for me. I strongly believe you two may be the key to unlocking all the little secrets of my hypothesis." Lina and Zelgadis looked at each other. Lons looked at both of them and smiled.
::(More chanting, then stops after a few seconds.) Look around just people, can you hear their voice?::
Then they were out of the castle and walking towards the nearest town, as usual. Lina kept hearing voices telling her what to do, how to do it, when to do it; mainly they were telling her to tell Zelgadis, how to say it, and when to say it. Somehow, though, she couldn't bring herself to tell him. She wasn't afraid of his reaction, already knowing that he loved her. This is stupid, she chided herself. You've never been afraid to let people have whatever piece of your mind came out first, so why now? I don't know, she told herself, or whatever voice it was that had spoken to her. But I'll tell you what I'm thinking now: I'm thinking I should stop arguing with myself, and I'm also thinking that I have one big headache from all this! Stop talking to me! She nearly screamed with frustration, but grit her teeth and walked on moodily.
::Find the one who'll guide you to the limits of your choice.::
It had been cloudy all morning, ever since they had left the castle. This only helped Lina's mood to decline. "Zel, I need a break," she grumbled finally. Zelgadis looked at her strangely. "But, Lina, we only set out a few minutes ago," he protested. "I know, but I have a huge headache and I'm in a bad mood. So, don't bother me for a while and let me have my break!" She felt the strong urge to hit him welling up inside, and nearly did, but felt so bad that she sat down instead on a rock. To make things worse, it had started to rain and the voices came back. "Tell him," they whispered. "Let him know," they urged. "Fine!" she screamed. Zelgadis looked up in alarm at her, his eyes wide and filled with anxiety. "Zel, I have something I want--no, need--to tell you. These voices in my head will not shut up unless I do." "What is it?" he asked quietly. "When you said you loved me, did you mean it?" "Yes," he replied hesitantly. "Well, I love you, too," she said uneasily. His expression brightened noticeably, and he went to her and hugged her. Slowly, she hugged him back.
::But if you're in the eye of storm just think of the lonely dove.::
Behind them, hidden by the surrounding trees, stood Lons, smiling slyly. Her shirt, hair and cape were whipping wildly in the wind that suddenly blew about her, making it appear that she was casting Levitation. "Well, well, it looks like the 'gravity' finally pulled her to telling him. I knew it would work." Again, she smiled, and slowly faded from view. A few hundred yards behind them, the castle Lina and Zelgadis had stayed in faded from view, as well. And up in her Heaven, the Lord Of Nightmares-Sama was still smiling.
::The experience of survival is the key to the gravity of love.::
And as our story ends, we see the two lovers walking off hand-in-hand, happy despite the rain. Lina's headache had disappeared, as well as the voices she was hearing. And the two lived happily ever after, having experienced the gravity of love. The end.
Author's Notes: Did you figure out why the name was Lons? (L-Lord, o-of, n- nightmares, s-sama.) I figured the song would be perfect for a romance fanfic, so I had to write it. The song, apparently, is so rare I can't find it. I can find other songs by Enigma, but I doubt they'll be as good. The 'gravity' was the voices making her tell Zel. I love Z/L fanfiction. ^.^ Please review! By the way, "O fortuna velut luna" means "O fortune like the moon."