DISCLAIMER: … I do not own the Slayers or any quotes I have listed at the top of the chapters…
-x- Chapter Twenty-Five -x-
I find the answers aren't so clear...
Wish I could find a way to disappear...
All these thoughts they make no sense...
I find bliss in ignorance...
Nothing seems to go away...
Over and over again...
Just like before...
-x- "One Step Closer"- Linkin Park -x-
Xelloss stood alone within himself amongst a room of mazoku. His mind wished desperately to run rampant with thoughts of failure and nervousness but he wouldn't let it.
If he could help it he wouldn't feel a single thing this night except one, boredom.
He couldn't allow himself to feel anything in such a room, not when ever single one of his peers would be able to taste even the slightest trickle of emotion.
Not that it was particularly hard to keep up an act of boredom as Grau told one of his many memories of Sherra in his monotonous way. He'd heard all these stories far to many times in the past years, but what was Grau supposed to do? Go on his own adventures?
Not likely, Grau was a priest, and honestly Xelloss found Milgazia much more interesting as far a priests went.
Xelloss smirked as he considered just how Milgazia would handle being transported into this room at this precise moment and Grau broke off sharply, arching a brow as all mazoku eyes turned on him.
"Do you find the tale of the fall of Sherra amusing, Xelloss?" Grau asked in as cool a tone as he could muster.
Xelloss smirked, leaning in on his staff and narrowing his eyes dangerously. "And if I did what would you do about it, dear Mr. Grau?"
"Xelloss…" His mistress purred, lifting her glass to Dynast's lips as both mazoku lords grinned at each other, not even bothering to look on their servants bickering. "Isn't it time for our guest of honor to grace us with her presence?"
"Hai, Mistress." Xelloss replied, his expression and posture unchanged. "Mr. Grau fetch me my golden dragon, won't you?! She's the only one on the island so I'm certain even you won't have a problem."
The room went still save for the two mazoku lords who were still focused on each other, Dynast now taking a sip from the glass and giving Zelas a naughty wink as Dolphin played with turning her own wine into various liquids such as water, blood, and chamomile tea.
Grau glared darkly, giving a mild nod. "Right. Be right back then."
Xelloss beamed, straightening up as Dynast's priest phased out to fetch Filia, and before any worry could try and dare sink into him, he set about mentally reciting page 214: The layman's guide to growing purple spotted, large garden variety morning glories in as many languages as he knew.
Filia bit her lip, appraising her reflection nervously in the mirror with a blush.
"It shows so much back I can't even say it actually has one…" She stated mournfully, scrunching her shoulders as if afraid it would slip off at any moment.
"Well I guess having no back is better than having one that would require him doing it up for me." She muttered tersely, pursing her lips at her reflection with a mild twitch.
Or is it? He mind whispered treacherously, images of this morning flashing into her mind and bleeding in with the thoughts of his gloved hands running softly up and down her back.
She shivered as warm chills ran up her spine and coughed, glaring at her reflection reprimandingly."Don't you even think about that tonight!" She hissed, waving a finger sharply at her reflection. "Not tonight, in a room of mazoku where everyone will know what you're feeling!"
"If you don't keep your voice down, they won't need to taste your feelings to know what they are." A monotonous voice declared from the other side of her door, causing Filia to whirl around and gawk at it, clutching at her heart in fear.
"Oh!" She breathed, quickly pulling herself together, her alarm turning to frustration at the thought of having let a mazoku overhear her most private thoughts; as well as letting him scare her. "Right, of course."
"You must be my escort, then." She declared dryly, arching a brow and throwing open the door, letting him bear the brunt of her irritation. It was partially his fault afterall!
Grau stared at her coolly, looking her over with a bored look. "I suppose Xelloss must think you quite fetching. All I see is a pathetic golden dragon and I am insulted to have to escort her. You, are nobody. You were nobody before, and after Xelloss tires of you, you will return to being nobody."
Filia's mind wasn't sure which part of that statement to latch onto. In the end she wasn't quite sure how to respond to the thought of Xelloss finding her fetching however she knew just how to respond to this filthy mazoku's insults.
"If I am nobody, and Xelloss asks you to escort me." She stated calmly, holding out her arm pointedly for him to offer his own. "Then in his eyes you must be even less than nobody."
Grau stared at her blandly, and held out his arm, phasing them to the ballroom without further discourse.
"Lords. Servants." Zelas declared holding high her wine glass and flicking off her cigarette as they appeared. "May I present Filia Ul Copt! The only Golden Dragon I like!"
The crowd let out a roar of cat calls, snickers, cheers, and a few sneers.
Xelloss gawked briefly, and Zelas cast him a little wink and he beamed, giving her a slight nod.
"And now!" Zelas called, her drink and cigarette vanishing so she could clap her hands together with a wolfish grin. "To further embarrass my servant for your enjoyment! What say we make him dance with her!"
The crowd erupted into a mixture of whistles and laughter, a few choking noises and boos uprising as well.
Xelloss smirked. Of course she would never help me out for free! Oh well, at least I know I embarrassed Grau far worse!
"Well, Xelloss!" His mistress grinned, summoning up her throne and settling in as her glass and cigarette reappeared in her hands. "Your choice! Something slow or something a little bit risqué!"
By the catcalls from the crowd it was obvious what they would prefer.
"And put the rest of you lot to shame when it's your turn to step on the floor?" Xelloss chided, his mistress knowing fully well the only dance he knew was the waltz. Women danced for him, not the other way around, and he doubt Filia even knew the waltz. "Maybe some other night!"
Dynast chuckled, taking a large sip from his own glass as Dolphin put olives on the end of her fingers only to eat them off one by one.
"Luna!" Zelas called into seemingly nowhere. "Did you kidnap me that band yet?"
"Got 'em right here." The knight of cheeped called, throwing open the doors and flashing Zelas a grin. "Nice dress."
"You're too kind." Zelas replied with a sleazy wink. "Can you stay?"
"Unfortunately not." Luna replied leading the band over to her throne, arching an eyebrow as Dolphin stopped them to offer the violinist an olive expressionlessly.
"Take it, man!" The harpist whispered in terror. "Don't you know who that is!"
"Th…thank you." The violinist sputtered and Dolphin went back to eating her remaining three olives grinned and Luna shook her head, arching a bemused brow.
"Well now I really wish I could." Luna snickered. "But it's my night to close, and I really need this job."
"You are the best waitress I know." Zelas smirked and Luna snorted.
"Stop." She grinned, waving away the thought. "You're just saying that cause I'm the only waitress you know."
"That's how I know you're the best." She replied knowingly, and they each shared a wolfish grin.
"Send me on my way then?" Luna asked and Zelas nodded, waving her away.
No need to say good bye, she was certain Luna would be back later tonight wanting details.
"Right." Zelas declared, settling in and nodding to her newly acquired band. "Now play."
The cellist glanced at the other two and then shrugged, leading them into it with a few plucks of his strings.
Zelas nodded, and grinned, motioning to her General-Priest and his Gold. "Now dance."
Xelloss glanced at Filia and she swallowed, nodding briefly and letting him lead them in a slow waltz, trying fervently to ignore their audience.
"What are you thinking about?" Filia asked, confused by the look of intense concentration on his face as he lead her in an elegant circle. Other mazoku began mockingly giving one aonther little bows and curtsies as they set about joining them on the dance floor in amusement; Dynast and Zelas laughing on from their seats.
"Morning Glories." He replied wearily.
Filia arched a brow, but before she could ask her eyes widened in fright as Dynast tapped Xelloss on the shoulder.
"I believe the phrase is 'May I cut in?'" Dynast stated smoothly and Xelloss gave a small bow stepping back and motioning him onward.
"Well said, Lord Dynast."
He replied easily. "I'll go keep my Mistress' company in your absence, then?"
"Naturally." Dynast agreed and Xelloss quickly exited, mentally reciting page 296: How to make the proper bouquet of red morning glories and yellow tailed river daises in every possible language he knew.
"So you're the dragon who retrieved my Ice Stone and then used it to defeat the Dread Scorcher Bahnn." Dynast declared, the music picking up into something more rapid and forcing Filia to be caught off guard as he dipped her sharply. "By simply lugging it at first the mirror, and then Bahnn himself!"
"I thought it the best use of it." She replied as he twirled her out and then back in. "Given the situation."
"I'm sure Xelloss was amused." Dynast grinned, dipping her once more. "It is his style afterall."
Xelloss blinked, mentally turning the page in his mind and nonchalantly glancing anywhere but their dancing; his eyes falling finally on the Violinist who kept taking tiny steps back to dodge the hook of the fishing poll that Dolphin seemed to have summon out of nowhere to catch her new found prey…
"I can't say." Filia replied calmly, as he dipped her once more. "But thank you for the complement."
"You are very strange…" Dynast murmured, still holding her in a dip as he arched a brow considering.
And then the violinist let out a tiny yelp and the song was forced to an end as the fish-hook finally caught him in the mouth.
"Hmm…" Dolphin smirked, twirling the line around her finger and dragging him in slowly. "Fishy…"
The crowd erupted in cheers as the remaining two band mates looked helpless on at their snagged comrade. Dynast let out and loud chuckle, setting Filia back on her feet and relasing her so he could clap loudly.
Zelas beamed, laughing herself and nodding him back to her side.
"I wonder if human balls are this strange…" Filia murmured, as Dolphin finally reeled in the violinist and set about removing the hook from his mouth with her own. The crowd going crazy.
"Some of them." Xelloss replied appearing behind her. "I'm out of pages, let's go for a walk."
"I have no idea what that means, Xelloss." Filia blinked and he grinned, placing a hand on the small of her back and ushering her out the door sigh.
"Yeah. I know."