"Xellos what are you doing here?" Filia tried to keep her voice calm.
Xellos didn't say anything. He just looked around the house suspiciously.
"If you're looking for Jarred he's not here right now."
Xellos turned his attentions back to Filia. His eyes were open for once and he didn't look all that pleased. "I know you don't like me much but I didn't think it was in your holy golden dragon heart to organize a lynch mob to pelt me with garbage." His tone was deep and serious.
Filia stifled a giggle. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Xellos narrowed his eyes at her. "It seems you created an interesting little white lie about me and had it spread throughout the town." Again his voice was deep, but even though you could tell he was very angry his voice still remained steady and quiet.
"You told everyone you and I were engaged and that I was having your baby! Did you really think I was just going to sit around and twiddle my thumbs! And besides I don't know why you'd care all that much. It's not like you live here and have to deal with the people in town on a regular basis. You're a monster for crying out loud. You can go anywhere and take any form you wish. Why would you care that a bunch of insignificant humans happen to hate your guts enough to throw garbage at you?" Filia matched his glare dead on.
"…" He didn't answer her. Xellos instead chose this moment to transport out.
"What was that all about…?" Val asked out loud.
"I don't know. He's acting stranger then usual." Filia mused with a crease in her brow.
KNOCK KNOCK!
"That had better be 'Jarred' this time." Filia muttered going to the door.
Sure enough 'Jarred' stood before her all dark and hansom with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers Filia had ever seen.
"Oh my goodness Jarred their beautiful!" Filia gasped as De Tanga handed her the flowers.
"I was wondering; would you be willing to go out to dinner with me tonight?" De Tanga flashed Filia a large grin. He noticed that something seemed strange with Filia but chose not to comment.
"I would love to Jarred. Would you care to come in for some tea?" Filia ushered him inside.
"That sounds wonderful." De Tanga let Filia walk him to the kitchen and he sat himself down at a chair. Filia what's wrong?
'You know who paid me a visit.' Filia projected her thoughts to De Tanga as she started another pot of tea.
Are you alright?
'I'm fine. But Xellos was acting extremely strange.'
De Tanga raised an eyebrow. In what way?
'He was angry but not lashing out or anything. His eyes were full of desperate furry but his voice was still calm. He was asking me about the rumor I spread.'
What did he say?
'That he didn't think I was capable of doing such a thing. I called him on that saying that I wasn't about to let him tell everyone I was engaged and having his baby without retaliating. And I asked him why he cared what the people in town thought.'
What was his answer?
'He didn't answer he just left.'
That does sound strange. Xellos likes to leave with a small quip to annoy and/or confuse the person he talks to. To say nothing and just leave is odd.
'I know he usually baits people before taking off. De Tanga you need to be careful. I'm sure Xellos is up to something and knowing him it can't be good.'
I will Filia, but perhaps we should continue the charade? It's been a while since either one of us has spoken out loud.
'Okay.' "So Jarred what lovely place are you planning on taking me tonight?"
De Tanga laughed. "You must be terrible at Christmas time dear. Don't you like to be surprised?"
Filia made a mock pout. "You can't even give me a little hint? Not even a tiny little one?"
"It will be a place you'll like I'm sure."
"So what time will you come to pick me up?"
"Probably around 6ish."
"Sounds lovely."
Xellos sat in the tree outside Filia's home spying.
'Enjoy it while you can Jarred. You and I are going to have some fun.' Xellos cackled rubbing his hands together with glee.
"You don't mind looking after Milo again do you?" De Tanga asked his friend while handing her the little kitten.
"Oh no I don't mind at all. He's such a cutey." She petted Milo on the head earning a purr from the kitty.
"Thanks very much."
"Enjoy your date De Tanga."
"I will bye." De Tanga phased out and phased back to Filia's town dressed to the nines in his Jarred persona. "Well then I must get going, don't want to keep Filia waiting."
Filia looked at herself once again in her vanity mirror.
"Mom you look fine." Val commented while sighing. He was really starting to get bored of her pacing around constantly checking how she looked in the mirror.
"I know but I can't get my hair to do what I want it to do." Filia frowned.
"You know you're fretting an awful much for dinner with just a 'friend' Mom." Val grinned at his mother with a smug smile.
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to look nice for dinner at a nice restaurant Val." Filia snapped while blushing slightly.
"De Tanga and I are just friends, nothing more. And I would like you to please stop with the teasing. If I want to date someone it will be my decision to date them. I will not be co-horsed into it!" She declared.
"Okay fine whatever Mom." Val decided to drop the subject. He knew that his mother was starting to get mad and he didn't want her mad when De Tanga showed up. 'Don't want Mom's tail to pop out. That's not that attractive.' "What time is he supposed to be here?"
Filia frowned. "He should be here in less then an hour. I hope Xellos doesn't do anything bad to De Tanga."
"De Tanga said not to worry he can handle himself."
De Tanga hummed to himself as he walked towards Filia's house. He knew that walking out in the open like this was making him an easy target for Xellos. 'I'm surprised Xellos hasn't done anything yet.'
As if on cue Xellos spoke. "I'm surprised you're walking and not taking a coach to Filia's. I heard that you were well off. Were you expecting to make Filia walk to dinner?" He looked down at De Tanga from the tree that he was leisurely perched in.
De Tanga looked up at Xellos. "Now who might you be?" De Tanga remarked with a big grin.
Xellos didn't answer he just jumped down and walked up to De Tanga.
De Tanga raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" He asked as Xellos put a hand on De Tanga's shoulder.
At the very moment Xellos' hand touched De Tanga's shoulder they were both transported someplace.
De Tanga looked around the place he had been taken to. He was now in a dark damp dungeon locked in an old cage. It was hard not to laugh at the situation. This was exactly what he had been expecting to happen. 'I can't believe that Xellos would actually do what he suggested to me before. I would have thought he'd do something a little more extreme then just kidnapping me.' "Where have you taken me!" He demanded pretending to be angry.
"To a nice little place I picked out just for you." Xellos stood there grinning at him.
"What are you? Some kind of monster!"
Xellos opened his eyes. "You could say that."
"What are you planning to do to me?"
"Oh nothing bad I can assure you. You'll be fine. You're just going to stay here for a little while."
Filia looked out the window once more wondering where De Tanga was. "He's late. I'm getting worried."
"Maybe he just got held up Mom." Val tried to reassure his mother.
"I know but he should have been here by now." Filia sat down on her touch.
Filia.
Filia's eyes opened wide. 'De Tanga where are you?'
Well you know how Xellos was suggesting I kidnap 'Jarred'? Well…
'He kidnapped you? Oh my, you're not hurt are you?'
No I'm fine. He didn't hurt me at all. Though he's locked me in a cage.
'Can you get out?'
Maybe but it's going to take a while. Sorry Filia it seems that I'm going to miss our date.
'That's alright we can go out another time. So what are we going to do now?'
Wait until Xellos releases me. And I guess you should act concerned instead of angry at me for missing the date. Because Xellos is going to expect you to be mad.
'I guess so.'
"Mom what's going on? You haven't said anything for a while." Val asked waving a hand in front of his face.
"I'm talking to De Tanga telepathically. Xellos has him locked up in a cage." Filia explained.
"Is he hurt?"
Filia shook her head. "No, he's okay."
KNOCK KNOCK!
"Now who could that be?" Filia frowned looking at the door. 'De Tanga did you get out?'
No. Is someone there?
'Yes.'
Filia timidly went to answer the door. Standing in front of her was Jarred holding a big bunch of flowers.
Filia who is it? Filia?
'It's you De Tanga.'
What? I'm not there. That's not me.
"Something wrong Filia?" The imposter Jarred flashed her a large smile.
Filia sweatdropped. "Oh no nothing's wrong. Sorry I was just having a dizzy spell there. Oh my, what beautiful flowers! Why Jarred you didn't need to get me more! Those ones from this afternoon were more then enough." Filia tried to act like nothing was wrong.
"A pretty lady can never receive enough flowers." 'Jarred' kissed her hand.
'De Tanga what do I do!' Filia mentally started to panic.
It's Xellos I'm sure of it. You're just going to have to play along Filia. Don't worry I'll get out of this cage soon enough and watch out for you. And try to stay calm and happy. He'll sense something is up if you get angry.
'Easy for you to say.'
"So shall we get going my dear?" Jarred/Xellos held out his arm to link with hers.
"Sure let's go." Filia smiled on the outside but inside she was anything but happy. 'This is not going to be fun at all!'