Okay, so I lied. I'm working on the chapter now.

Summary: Zelgadis pays a visit to Filia and Xellos that neither he nor they had really planned out to happen.

I've decided I'm not going to rate the chapters anymore. It's actually kinda pointless.

Dedication: This is dedicated to Setfiregirl, because her Slayers fanfiction- A Secret- prompted me to write this chapter. It was a very entertaining story; thanks to you and your friends for writing it!

Song: Plenty of Grit (Slayers REVOLUTION opening theme) by Hayashibara Megumi

A/N: This story takes place between TRY and REVOLUTION because I haven't finished watching REVOLUTION online yet.

Also, I noticed the scene breaks didn't show up last chapter. So I'll use different ones- I'd originally used the little squiggly-line things.

--/--

So, Zelgadis hadn't really attained much sleep last night.

He had thought and thought and thought, and what he'd thought of was Amelia.

And he'd wondered why.

And perhaps he was flogging a dead horse, so to speak; or digging himself a hole and shoveling the dirt on top. Thinking about any of this wasn't going to change a thing.

Not at all.

He wasn't even sure what wasn't going to change. Only that it wasn't.

But all walking in circles aside; he hadn't slept much. He was tired.

Tired; therefore muddled in the mind.

Muddled in the mind; therefore a tad irrational.

A tad irrational; therefore dying to do something.

Something other than searching and searching, knowing that he wasn't likely to find a cure anytime soon.

So he packed up what little belongings he had with him in the woods, taking a gulp of water from his canteen before setting out. He conveniently avoided looking at the bracelet hanging around the neck.

Zelgadis wasn't entirely sure of where he was going. Yesterday another lead had proved to be false, and he'd turned up with, at the moment, nothing else to chase.

So he walked. Just walked and walked, for hours, thinking about everything and nothing at all. By noon he found himself in a town. Purely by instinct he pulled his cowl over his face and threw up his hood, tightening his grip on his pack and keeping his head down low.

People. Everywhere. People walking, running, selling, buying, talking, listening, eating, drinking, cooking, crying, laughing; just being people.

And I'm not one of them.

He was used to these thoughts. The thoughts that he alone, in his cloak and cowl and hood and stone body and black heart, were isolated in the world. The feelings of secret loneliness, despair, pity and longing to be like them.

What he wasn't used to was something inside of him responding sharply, chiding.

Yes you are.

No I'm not.

Yes you are. What are you doing right now?

Walking.

And?

Thinking.

And?

... Breathing?

And what are they doing?

Walking.

And?

Thinking. And breathing. So?

So, you're just like them.

No I'm not. I'm a monster.

No, you're not. You look different. That doesn't mean you are different. It's what you do. And what you do is what they do.

What would I know about being human?

You were human once. And that's more than Filia or Xellos can say. Filia doesn't consider herself a monster. Xellos might, but he's... Xellos.

Zelgadis had to admit that he had a point.

Had he really changed at all, since becoming a chimera?

As Amelia would put it, had his heart changed?

He had a new obsession with looking for his cure. He'd become cruel and uncaring of who he stepped on to get it, or even at a chance to get it. And that had stemmed from him being a chimera.

But, he argued with himself, that had only stemmed because he couldn't stand being a chimera. Beforehand, he really hadn't changed at all- heart-wise. Of course he had as per his strength; that had been part of the deal.

Suddenly his thoughts were broken by one voice standing out from hundreds.

"I'm sorry. We're closed for lunch. Come back in an hour?"

Zelgadis looked quickly to where he'd heard the voice and saw a brown-haired man grumble a bit, but obligingly leave the premises. As he left, a blonde, longhaired woman disappeared into a shop. Zelgadis's eyes scanned the sign- Vace'n'Mace.

Hmm...

He went to knock on the door, not really knowing why. The blonde woman opened it again, looking ready to make him leave, but stopped short at his appearance. Zelgadis pulled down his cowl.

"Hello, Filia."

The golden dragon's eyes widened slightly. "Mr. Zelgadis?"

"Hey."

"Oh- come in, come in! How have you been?"

"... Relatively well, actually. And yourself?" The chimera pulled down his hood as Filia closed the door.

"I've been good."

Zelgadis looked around. "Where's baby Valgaarv?"

Filia shook her head. "He's-" A high-pitched, angry sounding scream erupted from the kitchen area. She sighed. "- with Xellos."

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "And why would Xellos be here? And Val with him?"

Filia gave a little huff. "He comes to bug me around this time once a week, at the very least- unless, of course, he has something to do. So I close for lunch right now. And since he comes and annoys me- that namagomi," she muttered darkly. "- I put him to work taking care of baby Val whenever he does come around so I can finish ringing up customers before I take my break."

"I see."

The scream came again, and she let out another breath. "Though I'm starting to wonder if I should maybe rethink the idea." She rushed into the kitchen; Zelgadis following, albeit slowly.

At the moment baby Val had a tight grip on a fistful of Xellos's purple hair and was squealing as Xellos held him away at arm's length; his head bowed slightly because of the tyke's pulling.

"Oh my," he said as Filia entered, not looking up. His hair hung like a curtain around his face. "I see that we have a guest, Filia."

"Let me remind you that this is my home!" the dragoness huffed.

"Oh, of course."

It sparked Zelgadis's interest that the annoying trickster priest could manage to keep up his carefree attitude with a reborn evil mazoku tugging on his hair.

After Filia had managed to separate Xellos and Val, the general priest gave a little smile- his eyes closed, as usual.

"Well, well; it's certainly nice to see you again, Zelgadis."

"If you say so," Zelgadis replied coolly. He watched as Filia set down Val in a playpen and went to whip up a quick meal for lunch.

"So why have you come, Mr. Zelgadis?" Filia hummed, retrieving tea bags from a cupboard. The chimera had a fleeting, slightly affectionate thought of Amelia and how she always called him similarly, but the notion was dismissed as soon as it surfaced.

"I don't really know. I just... wound up here and happened to see you going inside. So I thought I'd stop by."

"Well, it certainly brings up fond memories," Xellos chuckled, sitting at a table and fingering his staff. He opened one eye at Zelgadis. "But you, my friend, I sense have something on your mind."

Zelgadis narrowed his eyes at the mazoku. "And if I do? What business is it of yours?"

"Now, now, Zelgadis; we mustn't get so defensive."

Filia arrived then, setting down a platter of tea and sandwiches. She set Val in his chair, but Zelgadis waited for her to sit down before he followed suit.

"Everyone, dig in! And Xellos, quit bothering Mr. Zelgadis!"

"As you wish, Filia."

Zelgadis took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. After a moment of silence he glanced up at the mazoku and dragon. "Is there anything... between you two?"

Filia choked on her sandwich and blushed furiously. "Why would you ask that?!"

Xellos, however, chuckled slightly. "Well, actually yes, as a matter of fact."

"Xellos!" Filia exclaimed.

The demon priest smiled at her. "Well, Filia, it might as well get out sometime to our old comrades, shouldn't it?"

"But—"

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "So you two are... together?"

"I guess so," Filia muttered, her cheeks still quite rosy.

"How in the world did that happen?"

Xellos smiled a smile that, for once, did not look childish or similar to a smirk. "Time goes by... Anger simmers down... You realize things you hadn't before."

Zelgadis could feel sweat gathering on the back of his neck. Filia and Xellos... that's one dangerous couple.

"Oooooh, Xellos; sometimes I don't know what to do with you!" Filia's face was a brilliant new shade of burgundy.

"Oh, I'm just waiting until Val starts to call me daddy." Xellos smirked.

"Xellos!"

Zelgadis watched, amused, as Filia chased a gleeful Xellos around the house with her mace. Val clapped his hands and laughed.

How could they be so different, so at it, fighting, all the time, and yet still claim to be together? It was confusing.

By the end of lunch, thankfully, only five vases and two teacups had broken. Filia was busy re-opening the shop, and Xellos was trying to put down baby Val for a nap; if only for some peace.

"I guess you'll be leaving now, Mr. Zelgadis?" Filia asked, opening the shop door. A bell rang cheerfully.

"I think so," Zelgadis replied, taking hold of his pack and slinging it over his shoulder. He threw up his hood and cowl.

"Maybe you should pay a visit to Lina and Gourry," Xellos remarked, finally having succeeded in getting Val to nap. "They're staying not too far from here. About the next city if you keep going north.

"That's actually a good idea," Filia smiled. "You should go see them!"

"Maybe I will." Zelgadis walked out of the door. "Goodbye. It was nice seeing you again."

"'Bye," Xellos and Filia both called after him. Zelgadis kept walking up the busy, crowded street.

Maybe I will go see Lina and Gourry. It couldn't hurt.

With that decision made he set off for where Xellos had told him the two were staying.

--/--

Song: Mad, by Ne-Yo

So, so sorry this is late. I had science fair to deal with and even after that was over I just got soooooooooooo lazy. But this is done! I'll go publish it now! :D

Yeah, this was more of a Xellia (Xellos/Filia) than anything, but what ya gonna do? Sigh.

Subaki-Chan out.