The next day the ship arrived at Seyruun harbor. The passengers had gathered together as they were leaving, Katiana still holding the bunny doll close to herself as her guardian demon stood behind her.
"So where shall we go first in Seyruun?" Xelloss asked.
"We aren't going anywhere. I want some time to explore Seyruun for myself." Katiana replied sharply.
"Now, now, Miss Kati, on the ship was one thing you couldn't go far." Xelloss wagged his forefinger. "But in this city is a different story. I must remain close to you."
"It's a holy city for crying out loud!" Katiana protested. "Shouldn't that protect me a bit- Oh wait if that barrier was that good you'd be expelled out wouldn't you?" she twisted her mouth. "Must only work on the really pathetic monsters then."
Xelloss looked insulted at that. "Being both a priest and general, I do happen to be one of the strongest Mazoku under the 5 lords, you know…" he grumbled.
Katiana ignored him as she stepped off the ship, but then heard a small child. "Bun bun!" the child cried, running up to Katiana and looking right at the bunny in her arms. "That's my bun bun!" the little girl, no older than 4 sobbed. "I thought I lost it!"
'Oh dear, Miss Katiana has gotten rather attached to that doll this might end well if her Mazoku nature shows…' Xelloss thought to himself, sensing from her emotions that Katiana felt very upset about the idea of letting go of the doll.
But Katiana smiled gently at the child, bending down to the girl's level. "Well I've just been taking care of him until we could find you, here you go." She handed the little girl the bunny. "I'm sure he's a good friend."
"Thank you nice lady!" the girl cried, running off while hugging her stuffed animal tightly.
Katiana stood up with a smile, sighing softly as she waved at the child. "…"
"And here I thought you were going to keep it for yourself." Xelloss teased with one eye open. "You were quite upset about the situation, giving it back that is."
Katiana shook her head. "It's clear that it's very important to her, how could I take something that precious from a child? Couldn't you sense from her emotions how much it meant to her?"
"Hmmm, I suppose with your mixed blood you can sense emotions as well…" Xelloss muttered, rubbing his fingers over his chin. "Do you feed off any of them?"
"Not that I know of." Katiana shrugged her shoulders. "I guess since Shinzoku feed off positive and Mazoku feed off negative it just neutralized it out and gave me empathy basically. That or it does and I just don't notice really." She laughed.
"Suppose so." Xelloss muttered, walking with her off the ship as they walked into the city, the castle was well within view. "So Miss Kati, what would you like to see first in here-" he blinked as he turned around and she wasn't next to him.
"Oh wow look at that! And this is so cute! Wow I want to play one of these! Oh can we eat here?" Katiana was looking all around down the street, moving at lightning speed that a human would blink and they would see her almost just appear at the next stand as she hopped all over. "Hey look here's the ice cream stand you said you wanted me to try-" she was cut off as Xelloss grabbed her arm.
"Didn't I warn you not to wander off from me?" he said rather sternly. "And I really think you should calm down on the sweets, remember what happened last night?"
Katiana flushed at the memory, huffing as she turned her head. "… I told you that I was perfectly fine until you kissed me."
Xelloss wagged his forefinger in front of her face. "No, you kissed me remember? And you were feeling quite ill right before then too."
"I still say it's your fault!" Katiana snapped, her face all red. "After all you're the one that ordered all those desserts!"
"And I told you that eating all of them would make you ill, I merely suggested to taste each one." He countered.
Katiana huffed and tugged her arm away from him. "Oh… Oh shut up!"
Xelloss merely shrugged then. "So, where shall we go first then Miss Kati?"
"Well then I'd like to see what they sell here in the clothing shops, I could use a new hood this one's very old." Katiana said, tugging on the cloth to stress the point.
"Very well, how about there?" Xelloss asked, pointing to what looked like a rather expensive shop. "I believe they have done work for Miss Amelia, the princess of Seyruun."
Katiana sweatdropped. "I highly doubt I can afford that."
"I will handle your expenses, as your bodyguard I suppose I should take care of some things." The Mazoku shrugged, pulling some coins from his bag. "I have little need for money but I have collected items of value over the years, sometimes I sell them to carry around pocket change to blend in with the humans."
Katiana's face lit up at that. "Great!" she dashed into the store, looking around at the outfits.
Xelloss just chuckled as he stood in the corner and watched, then he noticed at the counter there was a plush rabbit much like the one she found on the ship. It was white, just like the ones in the field which Katiana mentioned were her favorites. "… Hmm, why not." He muttered, picking up the bunny and turning to the storekeeper. "Can you add this to my total when the young lady finishes her selections?" he asked, pressing a few coins into the woman's hand for now.
"Of course sir." She smiled, handing the bunny to him.
Xelloss tucked the stuffed animal into his bag, he figured he'd show it to Katiana later. For now he watched as Katiana was looking at the outfits, she already picked out a new cloak with a hood, this cloak was a deep violet that matched his hair actually. She then proceeded to pick out several outfits and brought them over.
"Is this too much?" she asked.
"Well you do need a few changes of clothes, so I don't see why not." Xelloss shrugged his shoulders, taking some more coins out of his bag and paying for them. "Let me take those." He took the bag and stuffed it into his satchel. While the bag had been actually so big it didn't look like it would fit, it went in without any trouble.
"… Just what is that thing?" Katiana asked as they left the shop, pointing to his bag. "I mean… How did you fit all that in there and it doesn't stretch out at all?"
"Oh my bag?" Xelloss chuckled, patting his satchel. "It's a pocket dimension actually. I can put all kinds of things in there, it's where I keep everything I've collected over the years. Some items are back in my chambers on Wolfpack Island, but those are the ones I keep for myself. The trinkets in here are always things I keep to sell for gold on hand or in the event I need something for a mission."
"I see…" she replied, rubbing her cheek as she changed into her new cloak, discarding the original one.
"Now that you have more proper dress shall we visit the palace?" Xelloss asked. "After all I'm sure the reason you wanted to change wardrobe was to look your best before I introduce you to the princess."
Katiana narrowed her eyes at him. "Well she is nobility, I don't want to offend her. Though what she's doing associating with a Mazoku…."
"You associate with me and there's no problem." He countered.
"I'm not a symbol of the people, and you came to me remember?" she snapped back.
Xelloss sighed. "The princess was involved in one of my missions and we happened to travel together, that is all." He then grimaced. "To be honest I don't exactly look forward to seeing her, she is the most positive human I have ever met and makes me ill each time I see her."
Katiana smirked at that. "Oh really? Well then you really have to introduce me to her, it will be perfect get back for making me sick from that kiss."
"Who kissed whom?" he reminded her, which made her blush. He chuckled as she looked ready to retort again, but that's when he pulled out the bunny plush. "But since you insist it's my fault, I apologize." He handed the doll to her, which then she was stunned speechless.
"… For me?" she asked, looking at him surprised.
"I felt your emotions when you had to give back that one before, as I pointed out I was surprised you gave it back so easily." Xelloss shrugged. "Also I recall hearing before that such items can help humans with nightmares, perhaps it will assist you."
"Oh…" Katiana blinked a few times, her cheeks turning bright red. "T-thanks…"
"You're welcome, now let's be going." Xelloss said, walking ahead.
Katiana smiled, hugging the plush close to herself. "This is the nicest gift anyone's ever given me…" she said, then held the bunny up a bit, looking at its face. "I think I'll call you… Bunxell! That's it!" she squealed. "Oh Bunxell I'll love you, snuggle you, and take such good care of you!"
Xelloss turned around with his eyebrow raised. "… Miss Kati what are you-"
"N-Nothing!" Katiana cried, quickly hugging the plush close as she dashed forward to catch up with him.
They eventually reached the castle, Prince Phil always kept the gates open to guests, especially those that wished to see the library. Xelloss though told the guards to mention his arrival to Amelia, as he took Katiana into the library.
"So what exactly did you wish to research here?" Xelloss asked as she was pulling random books off the shelves.
"Binding spells, and means of magical divination." Katiana explained. "I need to be ready when I meet with the Knight of Cepheid, along with any incarnation of Shabranigdo."
"You really believe you can seal both in the event that happens?" Xelloss asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That's what Ragradia and Almace were preparing me for, besides Darkstar of course." Katiana shrugged. "That's what they say is why Zelas assisted in my creation, unfortunately they never told me when Cepheid was manifest in his knight. And seeing how Zelas sent you to find me the minute I appeared on her radar, I imagine she must not know either but wants to be ready."
Xelloss nodded at that, recalling his mission when Zelas told him of Katiana. "Yes I believe so, I already reported to her that I have found you and so far she has ordered me to stay with you until further notice, but I still need to come back and report from time to time, but only when I'm sure you are safe."
"Great so that means I won't be getting rid of you anytime soon." Katiana rolled her eyes.
"Oh? Do you always kiss people that you can't wait to get rid of?" Xelloss teased with one eye open.
She turned bright red at that, throwing the book in her hand right at him. "Y-you! Why I…"
"Mr. Xelloss!" Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun gasped as she came into the room, a smile on her face as she strolled into the room. "Whatever brings you here?" behind her stood a hooded figure leaning against the wall, his eyes on the Mazoku.
"Ah Miss Amelia, good to see you." Xelloss greeted her with a smile, his open eyes at the figure behind her. "And Mr. Zelgadis, I see you're keeping company with the princess here in Seyruun."
"Just what the hell are you doing here you bastard?" Zelgadis growled, stepping forward. "I swear if you do anything to hurt Amelia…"
"Wow, you make all kinds of friends don't you?" Katiana joked.
Xelloss sighed, shaking his head. "Actually it was not my idea to come here, it was my traveling companion here, Miss Katiana. Also you have no need to hide yourself from her, she's not completely human Mr. Zelgadis."
"What?" Amelia blinked. "But she looks-"
"Xelloss!" Katiana snapped at him, she didn't want these people she didn't know to be told all about her.
"Don't worry about it, Miss Kati." Xelloss waved his hand carelessly, removing her hood and exposing her face and lilac hair. She is a mixture of Shinzoku and Mazoku besides human blood, her 'parents' were Almace & Ragradia, with the help of Lord Zelas. She is meant to be a balance keeper, because the world can't exist fully one way or the other."
"XELLOSS!" Katiana looked really angry now. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?!"
"Relax Miss Kati, they aren't like regular humans that would have to worry about having such information." Xelloss wagged his finger. "Show her, Mr. Zelgadis."
"Balance Keeper huh? In other words, you have no ties to either side." Zelgadis muttered, removing his hood and showing his face now to her.
"What in the…?" Katiana gasped as she saw him. "… Who did this to you? Turn you into a Chimera like that..?"
"His grandfather, the red priest Rezo did." Xelloss explained. "Mr. Zelgadis has been searching for a way to cure his body. I imagine that's part of why you've been here, researching in Seyruun?"
"I've tried every book here, nothing has helped me yet." Zelgadis said.
"But Mr. Rezo said that there is no way to reverse it…" Amelia brought up.
"That is true." Katiana said, walking over to the Chimera. "Almace experimented with it at one time before he helped create me, I found his research on it."
"I won't give up." Zelgadis said firmly.
"… Do you really want to be human again that badly?" Katiana asked.
"Why not? It's horrible walking around like this, I have to cover my face all the time or people assume I'm a monster." Zelgadis replied. "Why do you conceal your face?"
"Because one look at me and you can tell I'm not completely human." She answered, starting to understand. "I'm meant to look perfect, like a doll. You can't tell me this face looks completely human, it looks far too flawless to be so."
"You two are so similar, just in opposite ways." Xelloss chuckled. "Miss Katiana wishes to hide her beauty, and Mr. Zelgadis wishes to hide his flawed face, both for the reasons of stares and whispers of the public."
"And you enjoy my misery over that too much you smug son of a-" Zelgadis growled, until Amelia grabbed his wrist to stop him.
"Mr. Zelgadis starting a fight over this isn't going to help anything!" the princess brought up. "Is there anything we can help you look up Miss Katiana?"
"Well there are a few things, since this library is so big." Katiana chuckled.
"Sure! Just name what you need and you can even borrow them if you wish, I know Mr. Xelloss will help you return them." Amelia said cheerfully.
"Really? Thanks." Katiana smiled. "In return maybe I can help your friend here." She turned to Zelgadis. "I can't cure you, but there is a spell that might be able to help."
"Oh?" Zelgadis raised an eyebrow at that. "And just what kind of spell would that be?"
"Well first I need some kind of item to enchant for it to work, like a piece of clothing or jewelry." Katiana explained. "Even some kind of keepsake you can wear."
"Well I have something…" Zelgadis dug into his pockets and pulled out a pink strap with a blue jewel attached, it looked just like one of the bracelets Amelia wore.
"A little keepsake from Miss Amelia?" Xelloss brought up, which made the princess blush madly.
"Yes, after the Darkstar incident she gave it to me." Zelgadis answered, handing the item to Katiana. "But what exactly are you going to enchant it with?"
"One moment." Katiana said, taking the item and closing her eyes. She spoke something in words that even Xelloss didn't understand, as a magical circle appeared under her. She continued to chant until eventually the magic harnessing inside her exploded into light all around the wristband, eventually fading but leaving a soft glow on the jewel. "Put this on." She handed it back to the Chimera.
Zelgadis shrugged and placed the band onto his right wrist, then shrugged. "And?" he felt nothing, but Amelia next to him suddenly gasped.
"M-Mr. Zelgadis!"
He turned to her, cocking his eyebrow in confusion. "What's wrong Amelia?"
"I believe you should look at the mirror behind you." Xelloss pointed directly behind him.
Zelgadis looked irritated at the Mazoku until he turned and saw his reflection…. That he almost didn't recognize. The stranger in the mirror had the same clothes on as him, but with spikey brown hair and gentle eyes, pale skin just like a human, no rocks or blue skin. But feeling his own hands, he could feel the rocks there… "…. What did you do?" he asked after a few moments, touching his face and confirming the same as his hands.
"It's an illusion spell." Katiana answered. "I'm afraid that's all I can do, but this way you could show yourself in public without worrying. I mean if someone touches you they will notice, but otherwise you won't have to hide like that. And to remove the spell, simply take off the wristband."
Zelgadis decided to give that a try, removing the band and seeing in the mirror how the illusion disappeared, he placed it back on to see his old self and smiled slightly. "… It's the closest I've ever felt to being human again… Thank you." He turned to Katiana with a smile.
"You're welcome." She replied, smiling back at him. "It's the least I could do for the princess helping me out."
"That was quite the spell there." Xelloss noted. "Did Ragradia teach you that one?"
"How did you know?" Katiana spun around, looking at him surprised.
"Because she cloaked herself so well in the disguise of an old woman it even fooled me, I figured she must have perfected an illusion spell." Xelloss explained. "Once I saw you do this, that further confirmed my theory."
"I can't do it as good as she could though." Katiana sighed, shaking her head. "But at least this helps him even a bit." She giggled as she came over to the Mazoku, leaning closer so Amelia and Zelgadis couldn't hear. "After all I think the princess has a crush on him, and he's hesitant to respond because of his looks, judging by their emotions."
Xelloss chuckled at that. "You're pretty good at judging emotions, yes I've noticed that from them before."
"Well this way he shouldn't hold back so bad, and that's how I end up repaying her." Katiana explained.
"Clever." The purple haired priest responded. "So shall we hit the books then on our research?"
"Only after we get dinner, if we can princess?" Katiana asked, turning to the princess.
"Of course!" Amelia cried. "In fact why don't you stay here for a few days before you borrow the books you need Miss Katiana? I'd like you to meet Daddy and to show you all around Seyruun!"
"Well you did want to explore all of the city." Xelloss shrugged.
"Alright then." Katiana nodded.
"Well since I know you're in good hands with Miss Amelia, I will go make my report to Lord Zelas." Xelloss gave a bow. "I will return Miss Katiana." He winked as he vanished.
"Good riddance." Zelgadis grumbled.
Katiana frowned as she pulled out her plush, Bunxell, and held it close once Xelloss left. It was odd, she had wanted him gone since this morning but now that he was… She felt weird, lonely as if she wanted him to come back. She shook her head then. "He'll be back."
"Oh that's such an adorable bunny doll!" Amelia squealed when she saw the plush. "Where did you get it?"
"Oh this? We got it in the market, Xelloss bought it for me." Katiana blushed at the memory.
"Xelloss? Buy a gift for someone?" Zegladis raised his eyebrow. "… Geez that guy is impossible to figure out."
"I think that's so cute!" Amelia cried. "I just knew that one day the power of love and justice would get through to Mr. Xelloss!"
Katiana sweatdropped. "…. Is she ALWAYS like this?"
"Sadly, yes…" Zelgadis rubbed his cheek. "… You kind of get used to it."
"Well let's head on and get dinner, then return to the library." Katiana suggested. "Maybe then you guys can tell me a bit about Xelloss, I only just met him and don't really know what to think of him yet."
"Ugh, you'll find out." Zelgadis grumbled.
"Alright Miss Katiana!" Amelia cheered, taking the girl's hand as they headed down the hall. "It all started when Mr. Zegladis was looking for a copy of the Clair Bible…"