A/N:
Shayla: Well… what can I say, this is another old fic, that we surely must have published somewhere else…
Summary: Zelgadis is bound by a promise to take care of an orphan child. Yet, he still wishes to continue traveling with Lina… I know, I'm not good at summaries, but I don't write fics to make summaries. ^^
A New Slayers Member
By: Shayla & Kayla
Chapter 1"Man!! Why do I always get the trolls?" Zelgadis heard Lina complain before she blasted a group of the aforementioned troll into dust.
Zelgadis drew his sword and cut a troll that had come too near in half.
"Evil doing trolls, in the name of justice I will punish you!" Zelgadis sighed inwardly, did she always had to do that?
Zelgadis threw a flare arrow at another troll, neither he nor Lina and Amelia dared to use any more powerful spells, they might kill what was left of the towns population. Not that some of Amelia's philosophy had been passed to them but unlike others they had some common sense.
"HELP!" he heard a woman's dispirited cry.
So there were some survivors after all. He hurried in the direction of the cry.
"Ahh!!"
It came from inside a house, if it could still be called a house, one of the walls was almost completely missing and the roof had collapsed. Zelgadis approached the ruins. A troll was inside., He slated the troll on reflex, then he saw what the troll had been about to attack. A woman lied there the roof had collapsed on her. Zelgadis removed the beam from on top of her. She was severely injured and now he could see that she was holding a baby protectively in her arms.
"Help her..." the woman coughed.
Zelgadis was about to cast some healing magic on her when she grabbed his wrist.
"Too late for me, save my baby, promise to protect her..."
Zelgadis didn't answer, he just looked at the woman and saw the hope and pain in her eyes. It crossed his mind that the woman didn't mind trusting him, a stranger, a chimera with her child's life. She is brave, let her die in piece...
"I promise." he said at last.
The woman sighed and released his arms, she pushed the baby with last efforts towards Zelgadis. It wasn't crying, but it was about to start. So he put fast a sleeping spell on it. When he returned his attention to the woman, he saw that she was already dead. He took a blue pendant from woman's neck. It would be good to give the child something that belonged to it's mother. Zelgadis touched the brooch on his neck. It had belonged to his mother and it had helped him keep hope even in his darkest days.
He exited the house and threw a fireball at it, he watched the burning flames for a few moments before he turned around and walked away.
The others had watched him as he had set the house on fire.
"Mr. Zelgadis, why...why did you burn the house?" asked A very confused Amelia as she reached him.
Zelgadis didn't answer.
Lina was the first to noticed that he was holding something in his arms.
"What did you find? A treasure? Food? Let me see!" she said as she reached with her hands for the thing he was holding.
Lina removed the blanket and stood still for some moments watching the baby sleep.
"A baby?!" she finally managed to say and looked for an answer at Zelgadis.
"A baby?" Amelia came closer, "Oh, how cute." she said brightly.
"Zelgadis?" asked Lina still confused, "What happened?"
"The mother died and made me promise to take care of the child." said Zelgadis grimly, the implications of his promise were just sinking in.
"How noble of you Mr. Zelgadis, you're finally accepting the code of justice..." A glare from Zelgadis silenced Amelia.
Lina examined the child, "Why isn't it awake?"
"I put a sleeping spell on it." answered the chimera.
"It's a boy or a girl?" asked Gourry, wondering what all the fuss was about, after all it was just a baby.
Zelgadis threw back the blanked and saw that the baby was wearing a little blue dress.
"It's a girl." he said plainly.
"What's her name?" asked Amelia.
"I don't know..." said Zel realizing he hadn't asked the mother the baby's name.
"We have to call her something..." said Lina.
All looked expectantly at Zelgadis.
"I...well...eeh... Dana, we'll call her Dana." he said at last.
"It's a nice name, it means 'treasure saved from peril', you choose your names well." commented Lina, wondering since when Zelgadis had become so sensitive.
The baby had fiery red hair like Lina and looked about 8 month of age.
Zelgadis looked at the sorceress, "Would you hold her?"
Lina backed away, hands outstretched in front of her as if to protect herself from an attack, "Me and babies? Are you nuts? I have no idea about what to do with them."
Zelgadis turned to Amelia.
"She's your responsibility Mr. Zelgadis, it would not be righteous for me to hold her now, she looked so peaceful in your arms, it's better for her to get used to being with you."
Zelgadis sighed, he didn't even dare to ask Gourry. He looked around in the hope that there might be somebody he could leave the girl with, but there was none, just a graveyard that used to be a village.
They started walking, Zelgadis carried Dana with one hand, she was no discomfort at all she weighted almost nothing, but what should he do with her now? He had no idea how to take care of a child less a baby. He sighed. What did he got himself into again?....
Chapter 2In the afternoon they reached a river and Lina decided that it was time for an early dinner since they were not likely to find a better spot for camping that night.
When they stopped Dana awoke from her sleeping spell and looked at Zelgadis. Apparently she found nothing unusual at him, because her attention shifted to the red glimmering stone hanging attached to his chest.
Zelgadis looked down as the tiny hands reached up to touch the brooch. Dana was a very cute baby, with her fiery hair and deep blue eyes.
"Aw, she's awake!" said Amelia jumping up and down.
Lina didn't pay any attention to them, she had improvised a fishing rod and was taking every available fish out of the river.
Dana lost interest in the broach and started crying. Zelgadis looked around searching for help.
"Com'on Dana-chan, why are you crying?" asked Amelia caressing the baby's little hand.
"What's wrong with her?" asked Lina, turning just enough to see their faces, but not letting go of her fishing rod, "She's scaring all the fish!"
"I don't know!" said Zelgadis, his sensitive hearing hurt by the baby's screams.
"Maybe she's hungry." said Gourry from behind them, he was carrying some wood for the campfire.
Everybody turned towards him.
"You know Mr. Zelgadis I think he's right, we've been traveling the whole afternoon and who knows when she last eat." said Amelia thoughtfully.
"But what should we feed her?" asked Zelgadis.
"We could give her some fish..." suggested Lina.
"Baby's don't eat fish, they eat soft stuff, like... like soup." said Gourry.
That was about the time everybody's jaw hit the ground.
"How do you know so much about childcare?" asked Amelia surprised, the only thing she had ever seen Gourry do all right was sword fighting and eating.
"Back at home I used to help mom take care of my baby brothers and sisters, they liked to play with me!"
That figures, thought Zelgadis, it must be easy to entertain a baby when you're on the same mental level as they are...
Lina started roasting the fish and Gourry was helping her. No help there, thought Zelgadis.
He turned towards Amelia. He had never eaten anything cooked by her and he didn't like the idea of having Dana as a guinea pig. Guess I have to do it myself.
"Amelia, hold her." he handed her the baby who was still whimpering, but not so loud anymore.
Zelgadis walked into the forest, after a while he found an apple tree and picked up some fresh apples. He prepared a brew and started feeding it to Dana, who was still sitting on Amelia's lap. The baby's face brightened and she stopped crying, unfortunately she didn't hold still long enough and half of the food landed on her little dress. Then she dropped the last contents of her meal on Zelgadis.
"Mama!" she babbled at him.
Amelia who had somehow kept herself out of the way of the food corrected her, "Not mama, Zelgadis. Can you say Z-e-l-g-a-d-i-s? Zelgadis, Zelgadis..."
"Ze.." started Dana.
"Zelgadis, Zelgadis."
"Ze... Zelais." the baby said.
"Zelgadis, Zelgadis."
"Zelais, Zelais, Zelais, Zelais." Dana clapped happily her hands together.
Amelia looked at Zel, "I think it is as close as she's going to get for now." then she noticed how his outfit was completely covered with apple mousse.
Zelgadis noticed it too, "I'll go clean myself." he started to get up.
Amelia looked at the infant, "Take her with you, she needs a bath as much as you do." she held Dana up for him too hold.
"Zelais..."
Zelgadis sighed, for once the princess was right. He took Dana and started walking along the river. He found a good spot covered by some trees. Zelgadis held Dana with one arm and with the other he untangled the brooch on his chest and let his cape fall to the ground. He removed his sword, his boots and socks and entered the water with the baby, since they were completely covered with apple mousse and their clothing would need a cleaning anyway.
Dana started to plash in the water. He sat at the shore the baby in front of him. He washed the little dress while Dana played with the water. Zelgadis didn't really like to play in water, he usually sank, but Dana seemed to be enjoying it a lot.
Zelgadis hung the dress on a tree branch along with the now clean dippers and took of his own shirt to wash it.
Little did he know that not to far away two persons gasped at the sight of his bare chest, namely a fiery haired sorceress and a certain princess of Sailoon who had followed him.
When Zelgadis came back to the camp, everything was normal, Lina was hitting Gourry and Amelia was giving some speech about Lina's behavior not being appropriated for a lady.
Zelgadis put the baby's clothes and his shirt close to the fire so they could dry out. His cape was put around himself and Dana who was already showing some signs of sleepiness even thought she had slept almost the whole afternoon. Zelgadis sat down leaning against a tree and Dana fell soon asleep in his arms, her little hand holding his finger. He smiled down at her for a few seconds before he let himself drift into restful sleep.
Amelia watched him fall asleep, the baby in his arms and concluded that he had never looked so cute as he looked now.
Chapter 3"Lina, Lina, can you say Lina?" said Lina to little Dana.
"Zelais!" answered the baby.
Let me guess, Amelia has been teaching her how to speak.
"Lina, say Lina..."
He had finally found them, the group his Lina-chan traveled with. After he had finished the Mazoku business that had separated him from her in the first place, he had spent several days begin Xellas-sama to give him allowance to go visit her...well, them.
Ah, Lina-chan finally!
Xellos chose to appear in seeing distance from Lina but not to close, he didn't want to startle her and get on her bad side right at the beginning. He had plans for himself and Lina.
Xellos looked at Lina, she was sitting under a tree a small baby in her arms. Lina has a baby? You leave the girl alone for a year and look what she does!! The baby had the same fiery hair as the sorceress had but the chills eyes were a tone blue he had seen before...
"Hi Xellos!" said a voice behind him.
The trickster whirled around and saw the blond swordsman standing there, some firewood in his arms. Now there was a person stupid enough to give him information about the father of Lina's child.
"Aw, Gourry-kun, tell me whose child is that with Lina?"
Gourry considered the question for a while. Typical...,thought Xellos.
"Dana belongs to Zelgadis." he finally answered.
So Lina-chan has chosen the chimera, speak of lack of options... He teleported next to Lina and grabbed the child of her arms.
"Ne, Lina-chan what a cute little baby..."
Lina jumped up to her feet, Zelgadis would not take it well if he came back from his search for baby-food and found Dana in a certain trickster priest's arms.
"Give her back to me!!" she snapped.
The tone in Lina's voice woke Amelia from her sleep. Zelgadis had left some minutes earlier and because she was asleep, he had left Dana with Lina.
"But Lina-chan, you know how much I love little girls."
For dinner, probably, thought Lina. She couldn't attack him without hurting Dana. The little girl on the other hand didn't seem to mind being in a total strangers arms, she giggled as she reached with her hands for one of the jewel that were attacked on his cape.
"Let go of Dana now, Mazoku!" said a voice behind the trickster as a hand grabbed him by the hair and a blade was put at his throat, "My sword might not kill you, but you can bet it would hurt a lot even a Mazoku cannot enjoy unlimited pain."
"Zelais!" Dana smiled from her position in Xellos' arms as she saw him.
So, Stone-Boy has come to save his offspring, how amusing, I never thought he cares for anything beside his cure.....
Lina took Dana of Xellos' arms, the baby giggled, she didn't seem to understand all the fuss around her. Zelgadis reluctantly released the Mazoku.
"So Lina-chan, you've chosen him over me...well, should you change your mind, Filia will know where to find me." Xellos leaned to her and kissed her cheek, "Bye Lina-chan, till we meet again..." and he disappeared.
Lina's face was all red from blushing different shades of red, she didn't understand what the Mazoku meant and concluded that he got weirder every time they met.
Zelgadis and Amelia rushed towards a very stunned Lina, to make sure that both Dana and the sorceress were all right. Gourry just stood aside, he hadn't realized that the girl had been in any danger.
"Zelais!" said Dana as Zelgadis took her with relief in his arms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zelgadis turned his back at the weeping child in the Innkeepers arms and walked towards Lina, Amelia and Gourry on the road.
"Zelais!" he heard Dana whimper behind him as he walked away.
Dana will be better of with the Innkeepers being than with me... I will only put her in danger... I'm a sorcerer not a father...
"Zelais!!" he heard her voice again calling him louder.
I promised I would take care of her, here she will have the best care she can get....
"ZELAIS!!"
Who am I trying to fool? I will miss her... He had almost reached the others when he turned around and ran back to the weeping child. He took her from the woman's arms and whirled her in the air.
Dana giggled, "Zelais."
"Thank you very much, but I could never forgive myself if I left her." Zelgadis told Dana's short time foster mother before he hurried to met the others. He could see approval in their smiles.
"I'll take care of you, I promise." he told the baby .
Dana smiled and grabbed at his brooch.
The End