Author's Notes: This is my Halloween fic for my Gourry/Sylphiel shrine for 2012. Though this fic is mainly Gourry/Sylphiel there will be other couples featured in later part(s). As always you can find all my Gourry/Sylphiel stuff first at my shrine:
relmw.
com
/gs
You Are What You Wear
Part One
By Relm
Sylphiel hummed to herself as she helped decorate the Sailune banquet hall. The room was normally used for things like kingdom leader summits or lavish balls but this time Amelia was the one would be using the space. It had been a while since Amelia and Sylphiel had seen their friends and Amelia wanted to change that. With Halloween nearing Amelia thought it would be nice to throw a big costume party that not only would be fun but also serve as a reunion of sorts.
Some of the people on Amelia's invite list was: Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis, Pokota, Martina, Zangulus, Ashford, Hallas, Krel, Laila, Kira, Miwan, Filia, Xellos, Gravos, Jilas, Nama and Amelia's sister Gracia (otherwise known as Naga the White Serpent). There were others but these were the ones that Amelia figured would be the best chance of showing up. The rest she was sure would be able to make it for one reason or another.
But as it turned out even Amelia's sure fire list there were going to be some no-shows. Martina was apparently pregnant and couldn't safely make the trip and as such Zangulus wasn't about to leave her side. Ashford had been was busy cooking up a feast for another Halloween party for a kingdom very far from Sailune. Krel and Laila were off on a romantic trip in some exotic place. Miwan, Kira and Hallas all wrote back claiming they couldn't come though gave no reasons why. And although Amelia would have been delighted to have baby Val at the party Filia didn't think it was a good idea to make the trip with the baby. The golden dragon was intending to stay behind and letting her helpers go the party but they convinced her to go instead.
Gracia on the other hand... There was no reply back at all. Same thing with Nama. Amelia had to wonder if the letters had gotten to them but with magically enchanted messenger birds that didn't seem likely. Amelia still hoped that the two of them would show though she was having her doubts.
Zelgadis was also a non-responder. Though in Amelia's correspondence with Lina the redheaded sorceress claimed she knew where Zelgadis was and she assured Amelia that Zelgadis would be going to the party even if Lina had to drag him there with her.
So out of Amelia's guest list of eighteen only six were confirmed to come. Even adding in Amelia, Sylphiel and Prince Philonel a party of nine was nowhere near enough people to warrant the use of the banquet hall but that was okay. Amelia was going to open the party to rest of the people of kingdom anyway.
So with streamers of black and orange, fake cobwebs, carved pumpkins, cardboard tombstone cut outs and several other ghastly things the Sailune banquet hall was decorated till it was good and ghoulish.
With a final finishing touch Sylphiel stood back to admire her work. A pleased smile graced Sylphiel's lips as she went onto her next task for the party prep; the costumes.
Amelia didn't have too many stipulations on her party but there was one that everyone had to follow. If you were going to be at the party you needed to be wearing a costume. There were no exceptions. So if one were to show up at the party not wearing one Amelia had a host of costumes ready to wear.
There were all kinds of costumes to chose from and although they didn't really need anything needing to be done to them Sylphiel decided she wanted to sort them all out. By the time Sylphiel was done with the racks of costumes she had organized by gender, size and difficulty of wearing.
The costume that Sylphiel was going to wear wasn't amongst these racks. She had personally picked out the perfect costume weeks ago and was quite proud off. It made Sylphiel giggle just thinking about it. She was really looking forward to seeing everyone's reactions.
...
"I don't see why I have to go to this stupid party!" Zelgadis grumbled as Lina and Gourry practically dragged him towards Sailune.
"Because Amelia is throwing the party and she'd be really sad if you couldn't make it. And I promised we'd get you to the party." Lina declared.
"Did she offer you extra food as a reward?" Zelgadis grumbled.
"No, why would you think that?" Lina laughed nervously.
"Nah she's giving us extra candy!" Gourry announced happily. His smile was short lived as Lina jabbed him in the gut. "Ow why did you do that for?!"
Zelgadis just shook his head.
...
"Wow Sailune is much bigger than I thought..." Filia exclaimed looking around the white magic capital of the demon peninsula. Since the barrier going down Filia had visited lots of places in the demon peninsula but Sailune hadn't been one of them. Just being in the kingdom with all the positive magical energy surrounding her it just made Filia be filled with such awe.
"First time in Sailune huh?" A man commented to Filia with a bit of a wink as he carried a crate of oranges to his bakery.
"Yes. I didn't image it was so beautiful here."
The man chuckled. "Well it's only as beautiful as the people who visit it. Have a happy Halloween and enjoy your visit in our lovely kingdom."
"Thank you, and happy Halloween to you too." Filia smiled back as she continued walking towards the castle. For the most part she was happy that she got see her friends again but at the same time she felt a little guilty leaving Val at home. She knew that the baby was safe with her helpers but it was his first Halloween. It wasn't like Filia could take the little guy trick or treating at the age he was but Filia still felt like she should be home dressing Val up in some sort of costume.
Suddenly the once happy Filia was now feeling a little depressed. Luckily there were lots of venders handing out free candy which was just the right thing to perk Filia's mood right back up.
"Stop thinking about Val he's too young to understand and he's fine with Gravos and Jilas. Just enjoy yourself. You're a good mom and you deserve a break." Filia declared while sucking on a Halloween themed lollipop.
...
Floating above the kingdom was a purple haired man dressed in a crazily orange striped ripped and patched purple suit and five wild hats. The smile on his face wasn't one of person would just happy for the sake of being happy. No that smile held something darker and devilish. He loved Halloween and he knew this party would be all kinds of fun.
"Be careful what you don for the party. For that skin shall become your own." He let out a childish giggle before phasing away to places unknown.
...
"This party is going to be fantastic!" Amelia beamed as she bounced through the halls dressed in her costume. Being the bright 'star' of justice that Amelia was she decided to dress up once again as a star.
"And which star in the sky are you supposed to be Amelia?" Sylphiel wondered with a laugh.
"The brightest one in the heavens!" Amelia announced. "Miss Sylphiel why aren't you in costume yet? The party will be starting soon!"
Sylphiel looked down at the plan clothing she was wear and let out a sheepish giggle. "I didn't want to put it on till after all the party preparations were done. I worked so hard on that costume I didn't want to accidently ruin it before the party."
"Right! Thank you so much for everything you've done Miss Sylphiel!"
"You're welcome. Now I'd better go get dressed."
"Okay Miss Sylphiel! I'll see you at the party." Amelia skipped off towards the front gates of the palace waiting for her guests to arrive. In her invitations Amelia had asked for everyone to show up early. The reason being despite stating very clearly it was going to be a costume party Amelia was sure that most of her friends wouldn't be wearing one. They would all have very reasonable excuses that Amelia will happily accept. But that didn't mean they would get out of wearing a costume. Amelia was prepared for that.
"Happy Halloween Amelia!" Pokota called out as he approached the crown princess of Sailune.
"Pokota! Happy Halloween to you too! You're the first one here! And what are you dressed up as?" Amelia shot Pokota a sideways glance at Pokota's costume.
"I am Prince Posel Korba of Tarforashia." Pokota bowed and turned around so Amelia could see. He had dressed up in a miniature version of his normal human royal Tarforashian clothing. It was both cute and odd to see it on Pokota's doll like body.
"That's quite original Pokota." Amelia let out a giggle.
"And you are a very pretty star."
Amelia blushed. "Thank you."
"So the others aren't here yet?"
Amelia shook her head. "Miss Sylphiel helped with the party set up but I haven't seen Miss Lina, Mister Gourry, Mister Zelgadis, Mister Xellos or Miss Filia yet."
"Miss Filia? Who's that?"
"Oh that's right you haven't met Miss Filia! She's a golden dragon who once sought out Miss Lina to stop horrible prophecy from coming to be."
"A golden dragon?! A real live golden dragon?!" Pokota exclaimed. "I can't believe an actual golden dragon is coming here to Sailune! I didn't think there was any of them left."
"Well Miss Filia may possibly be the last of her kind. She lives in a town near where the monster barrier used to be and runs a vase and mace shop with her two helpers Mister Gravos and Mister Jilas. Miss Fila is also the foster mother of a reborn ancient dragon whom used to be known as Valgaav. Miss Filia calls him Val." Amelia explained.
"Wow that's so cool... A living ancient dragon too...? Is he coming to the party as well?"
Amelia shook her head. "No Val's too young. Though I would have loved to see him."
"Me too. So are you going to stand around waiting for everyone to show up?"
"Yes I want to greet everyone as a good party hostess should. Plus I want to make sure they are all wearing a costume."
Pokota let out a chuckle. "Do you want some company while you wait?"
"No go on ahead to the party and have some fun. I'd try and get something to eat before Miss Lina and Mister Gourry show up. Once they're here who knows what will be left."
"Alright but if you change your mind just call for me and I'll come out." Pokota waved goodbye as he headed inside.
"I will! Thank you Pokota!" Amelia waved back. She turned around again and faced the front gates.
Time went by and several people from Sailune came for the party. A few here and there weren't dressed in costume and Amelia directed them to the costume room and ordered them to get changed. Amelia was starting to get worried that there wouldn't be any costumes left for her friends.
"Amelia!" Filia called out waving as she came through the gate.
"Miss Filia!" Amelia waved back excitedly. "Happy Halloween! It's so nice to see you!"
"It's nice to see you too. I'm sorry I could have been here earlier but I just had to do a bit of sightseeing before I came to the castle. Sailune is beautiful!" Filia exclaimed.
"Yes it is isn't it? But Miss Filia... why aren't you wearing a costume?"
Filia looked down at herself and blushed in embarrassment. "Well you know I wasn't originally going to go to the party but Gravos and Jilas convinced me to go last minute so I didn't have a costume ready. Is that going to be a problem?"
"Well it is a costume party... and everyone is supposed be wearing a costume... however I do have extra costumes prepared for those who didn't bring any."
"That's great!"
"Um... well... I had a lot to choose from initially but I have no idea what outfits are left to choose from." Amelia let out a nervous giggle.
"I'm sure there's something I'll like. I'd better go and get changed."
"There's a man dressed in a lion costume just behind those doors. He'll take you to the costume room."
"Thanks Amelia! I'll see you inside."
Amelia gave Filia a nod before returning her attention to the gate. There were only four people left that she was waiting for. Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis and Xellos. Amelia was really starting to get impatient. They said they would come but where were they?
"I don't want to go to this stupid party." Zelgadis grumbled as he was dragged through the gates by Lina and Gourry.
"Miss Lina, Mister Gourry, Mister Zelgadis! You're finally here!" Amelia beamed.
"Look at that Amelia's a star." Gourry commented with a goofy grin.
Amelia did a happy little twirl. "Yes I am a bright shining star of justice! But what are the rest of you supposed to be?"
"I'm a grumpy chimera." Zelgadis grumbled.
"Yeah we kinda didn't get any costumes..." Lina admitted sheepishly.
"If you're not wearing a costume then you can't go to the party." Amelia chided.
"Great! I'll just be going then." Zelgadis tried to walk off but Lina grabbed him by the cape and pulled him back.
"Oh no you don't!" Lina growled at him. "Amelia couldn't you make an exception? We've come all this way and we're hungry. It wouldn't be kind and just of you to turn away your friends when they are in need."
Amelia frowned at Lina. "Miss Lina do not try and use guilt on me to fill your stomach! I'll have you know I figured you all were going to pull this stuff on me so I prepared for it. I've got costumes prepared for those that didn't come in one."
Lina and Zelgadis both groaned. Neither was fond of wearing costumes.
"That's great Amelia! If we get changed we can go to the party!" Gourry announced all happy-go-lucky. "What's Phil dressed up as?"
"My dad is super hero!" Amelia announced.
Lina and Zelgadis both shuddered from the mental image of Prince Philonel in tights.
"So where are all the costumes?" Lina asked in a very unenthusiastic voice.
"There's a man dressed as a lion behind the door that will show you all to the costume room." Amelia pointed to the door.
"Aren't you going to come with us?"
"I have to wait until my last guest gets here." Amelia announced.
"Who's left?"
"Mister Xellos."
Lina shook her head. "You know Xellos just teleports everywhere. I highly doubt he'll come through the front gate. In fact he's probably inside already."
"You're probably right..." Amelia mumbled. "Okay let's go get you all dressed up!"
...
Already in the costume room Filia was going through the racks. They were a mess as they had been picked over pretty badly. Most of the costumes were either not the right size or way too slutty for Filia.
"I should have come here sooner..." Filia sighed in defeat.
"I think you should wear this one. It brings out the blue in your eyes." A voice suddenly sounded responding to Filia's comment.
Right away Filia jumped from the sound and twirled around with mace in hand ready to attack the source. The reason why Filia was on edge had to do with the source of this voice. It belonged to a man she loved to hate. "XELLOS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
"I'm helping you pick out a costume." He said with a wink.
"What the hell are you wearing?!"
Xellos bowed and tipped one of his caps at Filia. "I am a mad hatter of course. Which is why I think you should wear this costume." Once again he held out the costume for Filia to see.
Filia looked this time and noticed that it was an Alice in Wonderland costume. A blue dress with frills at the hem would have been a good choice for Filia if it hadn't been a 'sexy' Alice in Wonderland costume. "I am not wearing that!"
"But if you do we'd be a matching pair!"
"More of a reason not to wear it!" Filia growled while angrily going through the racks again. "I'll be a cat." Filia announced as she pulled out the one cat costume that was left. It was orange and white striped and not too slutty.
"Well if you can fit into that then I'll eat one of my hats. But that looks too small." Xellos announced.
Filia frowned and threw the costume back on the rack.
"How about a white rabbit?" Xellos suggested showing Filia yet another slutty costume that could match his.
"NO!" She growled once more. Fed up with Xellos pestering her and the lack of good costumes Filia just grabbed the least slutty costume in her size and hastily made her way to the changing room.
Xellos couldn't help but snicker. Filia had grabbed a Queen of Hearts costume. Looks like they were going to be matching after all.
...
While Filia was changing into her costume Amelia led the others into the costume room and gasped at the sight. "Oh my goodness! Look at this mess!" Amelia exclaimed.
"Well is seems Filia-dear is in a bad mood and she took it out on the clothing rack." Xellos exclaimed with a devilish snicker.
"Mister Xellos you're already here! And what a lovely costume! What are you supposed to be?"
"A mad hatter." Xellos smiled more like the Cheshire Cat that the character he was supposed to be portraying.
"Well he has the mad part right." Zelgadis grumbled.
"So what do we have left in your sizes..." Amelia mumbled as she tried to sort through the racks. "There's an Alice costume here Miss Lina that is probably too big but that would work on your petite frame." Amelia held up the costume for Lina to see.
Lina let out a shudder. "No way... that brings up bad memories."
Filia busted back into the costume room looking none too pleased.
"Off with his head!" Lina exclaimed with a giggle.
"Hey look Filia and Xellos match!" Gourry pointed out with a smile. "They aren't dating are they?"
"NOOOOOOOO!" Filia screamed. "I am not nor will I ever be dating HIM!"
"Then why are you wearing matching costumes?" Gourry wondered.
"Because everything else in my size is too slutty!" Filia screamed in frustration. Her tail popped right out from under the skirt of her costume.
"Filia please try and calm yourself. You don't want to accidently turn into your dragon form and ruin the party." Xellos chided while waving a disapproving finger.
Steam was almost literally coming out of Filia's ears. She stomped right over to him with her mace raised up in the air.
"No Filia!" Both Lina and Amelia tackled the rogue golden dragon.
"Just let me kill him a little bit!" Filia whined.
"Please don't you'll ruin the party!" Amelia pleaded.
That snapped Filia out of her rage. "Alright but keep that piece of garbage away from me."
"Okay let's pick these costumes out quickly and get to the party." Lina announced.
"I know what I'm being!" Gourry declared.
Everyone looked over at Gourry whom was wearing a strange mask. The mask was made of bluish gray rock looking rubber and lavender wiry hair. With the costume was a light beige tunic, cape and pants.
"What the hell?!"
"It's a Zelgadis costume!" Gourry exclaimed with glee.
Zelgadis first glared at Gourry then at Amelia. "What the hell is that Amelia?!"
"You'd be surprised just how many people in Sailune like dressing up as you for Halloween..." Amelia said sheepishly.
This did not amuse Zelgadis, not one bit.
"Miss Lina it looks like there are only three costumes left in your size." Amelia commented pulling out said outfits. "I've got a sexy werewolf, a cat and a sexy slug costume."
"How can you do a sexy slug?" Zelgadis wondered with a very disgusted face.
Lina shuddered. "I'll take the cat. Just give me the cat costume."
"Are you sure you don't want to be a slug?" Amelia held out the offending costume towards Lina.
"No, no, NOOOO!" Lina screamed and swatted the costume away.
"What about the werewolf?" Zelgadis wondered.
"No werewolves! I hate those things." Again Lina shuddered.
Zelgadis just shook his head. Clearly Lina had a thing against werewolves though he wasn't going to question it. At least being afraid of a werewolf made more sense than being afraid of a slug. "Okay so what am I going to be?"
"Mister Zelgadis you don't want to dress up in a woman's costume do you?" Amelia asked with a sheepish smile.
"Of course I don't want to wear a woman's costume! Why the hell would you even ask that?!"
"It's just there's really one costume left that would fit you..."
"And that is...?" He prompted her.
"...a bunny..."
Zelgadis groaned. "Not again... do I really have to go to this party and wear a costume?!" He whined.
"Yes so put it on!" Lina grabbed the bunny costume and shoved it at Zelgadis.
As bad as it was at least the costume was yellow and not pink. Zelgadis let out a sigh and he followed the others to the changing room.
...
With the Halloween costume party in full swing everyone was having ghoulish fun. Candy, food, punch and booze, chatting, music and dancing everyone was having fun.
Sylphiel herself was having lots of fun just walking around admiring everyone's costumes and showing hers off. She was extremely proud of her costume after all as she did put out a lot of effort making it.
"Hey Lina! You weren't supposed to take your costume off!" A voice boomed from behind Sylphiel.
Sylphiel turned around to come face to face with a man in a Zelgadis costume. "Gourry-dear is that you?" She said with a laugh.
Gourry pulled off the mask and squinted as he looked at Sylphiel. "Lina are you feeling okay? You voice sounds different. And you're taller too and your bust is bigger too!"
Sylphiel's face went bright red and her eyes wide. "Gourry!" She squeaked. "I'm not Miss Lina! It's me, Sylphiel!"
"OH!" Gourry exclaimed. "Wow you really fooled me there! That's a good Lina costume! And you even dyed your hair red too?"
Sylphiel shook her head. "No, it's a wig Gourry-dear."
"Still you fooled me. Sorry for staring at your chest." Gourry rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Sylphiel's blush got brighter as she unconsciously covered herself with her cape. "It's...o-okay."
"So why'd you choose to go as Lina?"
"I thought I'd go as the person I look up to the most." Sylphiel said proudly. "Why'd you choose Mister Zelgadis?"
"Well I guess I kinda look up to him a bit. He's smart, does magic and he's pretty good with a sword. Mostly though because I really like the mask." Gourry put the mask back on. "Doesn't it look cool?"
"Yeah it almost looks real." Sylphiel said with a laugh.
...
On the other side of the party Xellos smiled as he twirled one of his many hats. "May the things you don become what you are... For that skin shall become your own." He waved one finger around in circles as a strange purple mist filled the room.
Once a room full of costume people having a party became a different kind of a party. People dressed up as dogs became dogs, people dressed up as pumpkins turned into pumpkins, people dressed up as birds became birds... Whatever costume a person wore to the party was what that person was now at that moment at the party.
"Oh what fun! Trick or treat! Happy Halloween to me indeed!" Xellos giggled as he rubbed his hands together in mischievous delight.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!