Roles

Rating: K

Summery: Xellos has a plan for each and every one of them. Some might be slightly more important that others though.

Characters: Xellos, Lina, Zelgadis, Gourry, Amelia

Comments: Because Xellos is a scheming bastard. And really for no particular other reason than to prove a theory I had about why it's important to Xellos that Lina get as powerful as she does. Enjoy the shortness and please review.

Spoilers: General series spoilers

Xellos was a careful planner -he had had years to build his mastery of the art of subtle manipulation- but this time he was sure he had come about as close to perfection as was possible.

Of course, he couldn't have possibly done what he had without such a lovely foundation to build on. They had been on their way to becoming a truly wondrous team, had he left them on their own perhaps they might have become half as dangerous as they were now.

But he had used every trick in his book to keep this fascinating little team -once he discovered them, of course- forming, again and again. They meet, they re-bonded, and they became even more powerful, close-knit, and dangerous than before. Xellos knew he had done an excellent job of building these people into a team -a team that would shake the very foundations of their word's power structure when they were through.

He had sculpted each in their role, each in the special function he had found for them.

Gourry Gabriev was his protection. Not that Xellos ever truly needed it, but it was useful to know that he had a swordsman of Light (or even without the sword of Light a genius swordsman) who he could potentially use to hide behind. The man was unlikely to come directly to his own aid, but Xellos knew that as long as he traveled with the group there was a fair chance that whoever was menacing him would also put the rest of the group, who he would selflessly protect, in danger too. Besides, with such a proficient fighter on the team it meant that he would rarely be forced to waste his time on attackers that were not worth it.

Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun was his cover. Very few would look at the enthusiastic, happy, princess and suspect that a Mazoku could be in her proximity for any length of time. He could, it hurt, and it made him nauseous, but sometimes it was worth it to be one of the most powerful Mazoku in this world. If he could endure the constant assault of her cheerfulness then he could throw suspicion away from himself, and delay meant he could have his fun just a little longer. And with a bit more time one could do… anything.

Zelgadis Greywords was his wild card. The chimera was so easy to manipulate he could be used to keep the group together, drive them apart, or spur them to form back into a cohesive group. With a short temper and buttons that were so easy to press there might as well have been a map written -no carved (stone, after all)- on his forehead he could usually get him to do exactly what he needed him to. Besides, it was hard to find a better meal than the pit of hate, shame, and self loathing that was the chimera, it almost made up for the nauseating princess.

And Lina Inverse… Lina Inverse was his insurance. He had planned -in the long run, he planned for everything- for the eventuality of Beastmaster dying and Lina was his insurance against becoming what Valgaav had become in the end. So if it came to it… well, he made sure she was plenty powerful enough to destroy him. He had seen what happened to servants who outlived their masters, and he would rather be wiped off the face of the world by a red headed sorceress' spell than embrace true insanity. It would be better that way.

Yes, he had planned for everything.

End.