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AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is an alternate story/ending to Slayers NEXT episode #17: Uwasa no
kanojo wa ZERUGADISU? (The rumored girl is Zelgadiss?) I got the translation from http://www.inverse.org/
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" Means talking
<> Means anything seen inside it is a thought.
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Chapter One
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"Hey, remember all that town which were boys dressed like girls?"
Lina gave him a glance. "Yes Gourry, can we please drop it?"
Amelia heard it and added her two cents. "I can't believe what happened. How could they do that to their own men? That's mean."
Lina looked at Amelia. "Well they had their own intentions Amelia. They had a... well interesting reason well enough. I can't believe that the princess is..." Amelia heard her mumbling then she went back up to talking to a normal level. I feel sorry for her. Why she had to put up with it, is beyond me. And how long she had to put up with it goes to far!"
"Did you really have to Dragonslave the town Miss Lina?"
Lina shrugged her Why Not? look.
"Besides, she threatened me with a knife. A person who does that to Lina Inverse needs to be punished."
Gourry then asked what they where going to eat in the next town, and Amelia's topic was dropped. Amelia, looked back. She was talking to Lina to get her mind on the two people behind her. Way behind her. She had a sad look on her face immediately.
She couldn't believe her luck. Why did SHE have to come along. She sighed again. The next town was ahead and she would hear:
"Come on Amelia. We're almost at the next town."
Amelia sighed and ran to catch up. Surely some tea would help her forget...
Meanwhile Zel was occupied. He felt happy. Happier then he had ever been. And he looked at her, the reason he felt he wanted to exist in his crummy life.
Miwan.
She had been traveling with them ever since they had left the town six months ago. Miwan was no longer a princess, or at least she hope she wasn't anymore. She was a just a girl who would be traveling with them for a while. She never wanted to see that town again.
The reason she was stuck at the town was because the evil Wicked Witch of the West mother of hers wanted to influencing her to become a shrine maiden so badly. And she wanted to keep her from influence of boys. But she had gotten rebellious and started to run away from home. She was caught ever time. Each time punish more harshly then before. She almost made it once, but before she could, a monster came out, thinking she was a snack. But she was saved by a wandering girl, Lulu. God, why DID I pick that name? The girl (otherwise known as Zelgadis) saved her and at the same time, foiled her plan of escaping. He ended up talking to her later. She didn't want to be a shine maiden. It went well till another one of "Lulu's" sisters dragged her off. It wasn't till afterwards when he stopped her from destroying the shrine, that he realized that she could travel with them. When she announced who she really was (and everyone in the town ended up being male except the mother), he had run off embarrassed and in tears. He knew that it meant that Miwan was... He ran off, making sure that no one could find him.
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He could think of nothing. Just her face, the dress she was wearing, her hair, her smile, her bitterness. Just her, and he released that he wanted her to be a female, because he might of just found her. But then this had to happen. Tears ran down his cheeks just thinking about it. He couldn't care about anything anymore, not even Xellos who would find out about it sooner or later, and wished that it would return to hell at one point or another. He just wanted to be left alone. He had a sweet bitterness in his mouth. Yes, he was in a abandoned shack. He had ran and ran until he reached it, then he looked around to see if anyone was coming. No one was coming, so he closed it. He couldn't believe he had invited her to join them. She might of ended up being in the way, but Zel knew, knew that he would end up protecting her as long as he lived.
Now he was in the shack. He didn't regret asking her. Just when she touched the shrine and announced to her mother she had enough of this life, someone pitched in and announced he was a boy, not a girl. This hurt him, more then anything else ever did. And he didn't know why.
He kept his friendship with Lina and the others, though he usually wandered back behind them, and in the restaurants, while Lina and Gourry and Amelia gulped down a lot of food. He was just drinking coffee or tea and thinking about life. Speaking of Amelia... He looked ahead to see the girl run off to catch up. He thought he had feelings for Amelia at one point, but they stopped quick. She still had a crush on him. "One day.", he decided, "I'll have to tell Amelia I have no interest at all in her." He ended up being in the shack, for what seemed like two days. On the third day, while it was raining, Zel was staring out at the window, wondering if they were looking for him. He would return sometime. Just not now, he was hurt and no one could find him now. But someone did.
That night, Zel was listening to the rain while to a fire he had made when he heard a knock on the door. It must be Lina getting ready to drag me back. Well no point not facing the inevitable. He went over and opened it waiting to see that redhead's new look of hell.
It was Miwan.
She asked around and finally they said they spotted a man in white just walking towards a shack. They didn't want to mess with him, so they just left him alone. He was gone for three days, then trying to wonder why it had happened. Why did Miwan have to be a... Miwan shivering broke his thoughts. He lead her in near the fire. As Zel helped her take off her dress (I guess she thinks I will feel better if she dresses up like a girl again thought Zel), he then released the mistake he had made in that sentence that Miwan, no matter what sex she was, wasn't wearing anything underneath the top. He started to put his cloak around her, but then she reached out and grabbed his hand and let the cloak fall to the ground. She took his hand and place it on her body. Zel released fast, that he was touching a breast. He began to blush.
"Um..."
"I hope this will convince you that I'm not a boy. I'm a girl, not like those men in drag."
Zel blushed some more.
"Go ahead, it's real."
Zel, felt the object in his hand. The were soft, and memorizing just like the owner was. He squeezed it gently. And then he released, that it was real.
She wasn't lying. She was a girl. A girl. But how? Zel felt guilty that he didn't trust her. Then he released that he was still holding it. He let go and began to blush.
"Is that why you left, because you thought I was a boy?"
"Well, um..."
"Do you dress up as a girl regularly, or was it just to be in town?"
"Well, um..."
She frowned, which caused the area to grow even colder then before. Even the fire couldn't stop it from happening. "I'm sorry.", she said. "I shouldn't of ask you so many questions.
"No Miwan, I said I wouldn't deceive you anymore. The truth is, yes. I thought you were a boy. It hurt me. You see, when we first met officially, and we talked, I realized that. That you and I were the same. We both deceived ourselves and each other. But there was something else, and that was both of us had a spirit. The same I think, that's why I asked you to come with us. He frowned.
"I deceived you too. As Lulu."
"It's ok, I understand why it happened."
She was satisfied with both of her questions answered. She couldn't believe that this boy had just said that out loud. Everything in her life was a lie. Was this a lie as well? Zel sat down and leaned on the wall with his hands behind his back.
"How did you do it?", Zel asked breaking her thoughts." How did you go from girl to boy to girl?
"It was mother.", replied Miwan. Her voice was bitter when she mentioned that women. Zel's mind flashed back.
"Even though I was born a male, mother hid it and dressed me like a girl."
Zelgadis frowned. She hated her mother that much? Well after what just happen, no, before that. He knew that she hated her for many years, for hiding the fact of her true sex, whatever it was. But why? If she was originally female... He stared at Miwan. She was showing a saddened face.
"Did you see mother's face when I said I was a guy?"
Zelgadis nodded. That was one thing that was worth seeing. Then he realized her face, it wasn't in frustration. It was in shock! As if she didn't know that she was a... He sat up.
"Did you just make all of that up?"
She nodded. "Yes. Someone told me how. He even used magic to disguise my body, so when I took off my shirt...
"You wouldn't look like a girl. And you didn't have to cut your hair either, clever." He turned his head away from her
"Yes.. he was a strange man though. I told him what I was going to do and he told me something else I could do. I guess it worked.
"Yeah."
There was a silence between both of them. Zel was a bit confused about the matter. A man came to help her using magic. Who? Never mind, he could take a guess and know that he was right about it. He didn't know the intentions nor did he care. Miwan was here.
Yet he wanted, ached to know more about her. He knew he might regret it, and she might say no, worse he might hurt her, but her wanted to know. He heard the rain outside, it was soft and beautiful. He broke the silence.
"The night is nice, isn't it?"
He turned around and saw Miwan at the window.
"I'm sorry, it's just..."
Miwan began to laugh. He had made her laugh. He joined in and it lasted for a few minutes. After it had stop, she just stood near the window. Then she spoke.
"It still pretty early right?"
"It's been about 2 hours."
More silence. The time passed. It was uncomfortable. Half an hour passed before she spoke again.
"I guess you don't know the whole story. It's confusing in fact."
Zel knew where she was going with this, "Miwan..."
Miwan stopped him. "It's ok, I think we have till morning. I was the reason why you ran away, I think you deserve an explanation."
Zel nodded.
She turned to face him. "As you know men aren't allowed in the city. My mother made sure of it. I barely knew my father when... Sorry I'm skipping ahead. Would you listen to my story?" He nodded his head. He wanted to listen, wanted to know more about her. He knew that his heart was pounding, especially now. There was an uncomfortable silence. Zel just waited. Then she spoke.
"OK, when do I begin."
"Maybe at the beginning?"
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Chapter Two
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Zel listened as Miwan talked. He didn't say a word, he just listened. Listened to the pain and suffering that this girl had gone through. Her mother, the shrine maidens, her father. It was awful, and it would of continued if Lina hadn't come in looking for the Claire Bible. Her mother was the main cause, that damned women. She was worse then any of the monsters he had seen. Even Shabranigdo, well scratch that, but a lot of the monsters they had fought didn't com close to this girl's pain. She didn't want to be a shrine maiden like Silphael and Amelia, she wanted to explore. She had to explore, like it was in her blood. Zel wondered if her father was responsible for it. Then she stopped.
"I'm sorry that I troubled you with all those problems. I never told anyone this before."
Zel smiled. He wanted to hear it. Something inside him was telling him how much more he wanted to listen, to find out more about her. His heart ached. Was it...
"Miwan, I..." He smiled. Miwan had fallen asleep. He walked over to where she had dropped his cloak, picked it up and spread it on her then took off his shirt and placed it under her head, then walked back to where he was before. I wonder what she's thinking about. Then Zel stopped that thought. So he watched her sleep. Why was it that girls looked cute when they sleep. Flashback to Amelia and Lina sleeping.
He sweat dropped. Ok, he was wrong, not all girls looked cute when they were sleeping, in fact once he and Gourry had to share a room with Lina and Amelia. God, that was pure hell straight off. Lina was a bed-hog and snored. He had insomnia for a few weeks because Lina's snoring kept popping into his head, and when she was sleeping she had the strangest face he had every seen. He promised himself that it would never happen again. Sharing a room with Lina was bad enough. He still had nightmares from it. Then there was Amelia... He shuttered. If sharing quarters with Lina Inverse was hell, then... Was there a worse place then that? Because he had a feeling he had gone there.
But watching Miwan sleep eliminated that. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Something was wrong with his body. His heart was pumping hard whenever he looked at her, This girl. When he first met this girl he had this feeling that he had never felt before. The blood in his body was boiling for no reason, he felt like blushing and could admit it. Why was he like this. Was it Miwan? Was she doing this to him. All she was, was a runaway princess who wanted to defy that bastard mother, and Zel knew that he wanted to protect her. From her mother, from that life of hers, no. He released how long he wanted to protect her.
All his life.
He released what it was. It was a feeling that was new to him. And he liked it. But then he realized fear. What if she didn't like him, what if she was playing with him. What if she really was a he? But then those question flew out of his head, because he knew she was a girl. He could feel it. Not from earlier. He didn't know how or why, but he just knew it all along, and she looked like she liked him. She was willing to give him a chance. And if she was only playing with him. She wouldn't. It might be wrong but that gut feeling was telling him that it was ok. It still rained outside heavily, and it looked like it would never stop, or at least Zel didn't want it to stop. He wanted to savior this moment, because if this was the only time he could spend with her, then it would never leave him. At least he hope it wouldn't. rain poured through the window hitting the fire until it finally went out.
Suddenly thunder rang out of nowhere, waking Miwan up suddenly. Her body was quivering and she gasp, as if it was in fear.
"Miwan, are you..."
"Sorry, it's just that I'm scared of lightning."
Thunder clapped again, louder, closer. Miwan ran and grabbed on to him very tightly. Zel began to blush. Her body, she was still... Then he released it didn't matter. He put he hand around her, as if to protect her from her worst fears. The rain began to pour and the shed began to flood but Zel still held on to her tight, letting go was not an option. The thunder got worse and so did the rain. He closed his eyes, she still held on to him tight. He could hear the rain pouring down. Miwan was very scared. It seemed like they were in the end of the world, and then released if it were true, he was with the one person he wanted to be with, to live with, to die with. But was this a true feeling? Suddenly...
"It stopped raining."
Zel opened his eye and saw Miwan near the window. He walked over and saw that it was true. It had stopped. Finally after hours of rain it stopped as fast as it had begun, even faster.
"I'm going back."
Zel turned to Miwan, and she smiled.
"I'm afraid of lightning. Just like I'm afraid of mother. I should go back."
It didn't make any sense and when she said it, it was with regret. Zel could tell this by her face then she spoke again
. "I've been afraid of lightning ever since I was little, just like my mother. But lightning I can't handle, I think I can handle her." She smiled. "You were confused, I could tell."
Amazing., thought Zel. It was true, he was confused, and he tried to hide it, without luck. He went back to what she had said.
"But if you go back, you might be killed."
He turned his head to her and saw she was getting dressed, the clothes however were affected by the rainstorm.
"But after what happened, especially what your friend did... I appreciate you saving me, and trying to help me out, but they might come after you. And you know I couldn't let you hurt them, even if they were frauds."
"Miwan..."
Then on cue, light began to appear. The never-ending night had finally died.
"I can't come with you. Sorry."
She ran out of the shed, slamming the door behind her.
"Miwan!"
It was too late.
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Chapter Three
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Zel just stood there. He couldn't move, she had left, and there was nothing... He dashed out the door, with uncertainty in his heat. "Miw..."
It was Lina and the others, and Miwan was with them.
"So Zel you sly dog, this is why you were doing." Zel blushed. "It's not, it's not what you think!". Lina began to jab and tease him again. Damn, why did she have to...
"Nothing happened."
Everyone looked at Miwan. She smiled.
"He was just helping me cope with a few problems."
"Oh."
Lina just stopped and looked very bored all of a sudden. Then she changed moods again.
"We can't stay here for forever, so lets go!"
"Right!" Everyone but Zel and Miwan chirped.
"Um, Lina, I believe I that's right, I think." She honestly didn't know, she caught it when that massive spell was cast.
"Yeah.", was the reply.
"Do you think you could take me back?"
"Su...sure but why?"
"I wish I knew myself."
That uncertainty again. But why, Zel didn't care. She could leave for all he cared. All that mattered now was to find the Claire Bible.
"I think it's this way. Hey Zel are you coming with us?"
Zel shrugged, why not?
They walked and walked, it seemed endless. Zel couldn't wait until she left and then he could continue this quest for the Claire Bible. Yet his heart ached. like her presence meant something to him, but why? Amelia and Gourry stayed at the shed. He hope they didn't wander off or did anything idiotic while they were away, but knowing Amelia...
"This is it."
Lina pointed. "The rest of the way is an easy trail back. We'd go with you."
"But my mother is probably waiting for you.", Miwan finished.
"Yeah pretty much." Lina laughed and so did Miwan. Zel didn't find it funny at all. He didn't even want to know what she had in store for them. The thought just scared him.
"Well see you around."
They watched until she disappeared.
"Well Zel?"
"Huh?"
"Let's go."
"In a minute, there's something I gotta do first."
He ran off into the forest where Miwan had went.
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Chapter Four
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Miwan traveled through the forest. She walked slowly hoping that she'd never make it to her town. If only...
"Miwan wait!"
Miwan turned her head to see Zel running towards her. He stopped when he got there. He was breathing heavily.
"I..forgot...to say..goodbye...Miwan.", he said between breathes.
"Well goodbye."
She turned around and began to continue on her way.
"Wait, please."
Miwan stopped and turned around again.
"Why couldn't you come with us?"
"She smiled. I'd like to but there's no reason. I'd only get in the way. Besides, my mother's waiting."
"You believe that?"
"I do...yes. I enjoyed being with you in that shed, I'll never forget it, but I think we must part ways. Unless you give me a good reason to stay."
Nothing.
She smiled. "Goodbye." Then she started to walk off again.
"I love you."
She stopped cold.
Zel wondered where that came from, but then he released, he wanted to say it again, because he meant it. That pain, that strange that happened, that he felt, made sense. It was a feeling he had never felt before.
"I love you Miwan. Ever since I met you, something in my body began to act weird, I didn't know why until now."
Miwan turned around and began to walk over to him. She was going to slap him, and he deserved it. He had no idea how he could of said it better but he had insulted her. He deserved it. She stopped right in front of him.
"Miwan, I..."
He never finished. Miwan grabbed him by his collar and pressed his lips against hers. He began to blush again, then he released that he wasn't going to. He closed his eyes and let it sink in. When the kiss was finished he opened his eyes and saw Miwan looking with sad eyes.
"That's was what I was waiting for."
"Miwan, I..."
Then he stopped. No need to say it. Both knew what each other was think. Zel went over and gave her a passionate kiss. One that he meant.
One that showed love.
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Chapter Five
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Zel watched the others run to get to the town. He smiled No need to rush. He had no real reason to. Miwan smiled and so did he.
"Should we join them?"
It took a lot of explaining why she had gone with them. But he didn't care, she was with him and they both knew each others feeling for one another.
"Why not?"
She began to run and he followed her. They were to together, and he felt happiness. It was a feeling no one could take away.
"I'll meet you there."
He smiled again. Good times and bad, he knew that were coming. But he was ready to face them, head on if needed. Because He and Miwan were together. He forgot about finding the Claire Bible. Now his mind was on her. He was wondering how to propose to her, he planned to do it tonight. He hoped she would say yes, but he was nervous, but didn't show or, or tried not to tip off Miwan anyways. She was the best thing that happened to him. And he knew that he wanted to protect and made her happy.
For the rest of his life.
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Copyright: Slayers was created by Hajime Kanzaka and released by
Software Sculpture
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Author's notes: I hope you liked the story. It's been hanging around my computer for longer then you can imagine. As mention before, it was inspired by episode #17 of Slayers NEXT. Truthfully, Zel did show that he had some feelings for Miwan at one point or another. But yes, at the end Miwan became a guy. Poor Zel. :( Then came the question, what if Miwan really was a girl? Well this is the result, which happens after the episode. Yes, what happened, happened, but Miwan was really a girl dressed like a boy, dressed like a girl. If you didn't guess the culprit who helped Miwan look like a boy, it was Xellos. (He was the only person in mind who could do such a thing.) But poor Zel didn't take it and he ran off and you know what happened there. I hope you enjoyed this story. It was fun to write and hopefully you can enjoy it to. Please keep in mind that I am not a professional writer, so this might be OOC, or have some mistakes in them.
Anyways, that's it. Ja!
-The Author
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