Welcome to chapter 26! Whew, I was almost afraid I wouldn't make it in time! Anyway, I don't own the characters, I just like to use the protagonists to torture the antagonists! Haha~ Enjoy!

26- It's not a trick! Is it?

Valgaav listened in absolute disbelief as Filia poured out her story. He tried several times to interrupt, but had no success. It was very hard to get a word in edgewise with a someone who was as hysterical as Filia.

"And... and... I just don't know what to do!" Filia sobbed, leaning against Valgaav's shoulder for support.

Valgaav pushed her gently a small distance away from him. Even if she was really upset, she ought to have more respect for personal space.

"Well, this certainly is a dilemma, Miss Filia." he said, unsure of what else there was to say. "I... wish there was something I could do for you. It bothers me so much to see you like this..." Because it's so annoying... he finished to himself.

"Oh, Valgaav... thank you... I knew you did care..." Filia murmured, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

Again with the personal space... Valgaav thought, trying to shake off the vaguely familiar feeling. "Erm, Filia..." he began again, managing to pull himself from her grasp. "I know this whole... situation... must be troubling for you. But isn't there a lot more at stake for you right now? After all, your goals are completely different from ours. You want to prevent the resurrection of Lord Gaav... right?"

"I suppose, if you put it that way... then yes. We do." Filia nodded.

Valgaav frowned. "Why?"

"Well, because... um... well..." Filia stammered. "Why do we want to prevent it?"

"You don't even know?" Valgaav asked.

"I... I guess it's because of the fact that we think he'll cause major destruction..."

Valgaav sighed. "He probably will. Your suspicions are justified. However..."

"However what?" Filia asked curiously.

"However..." Valgaav paused, suddenly realising that he didn't have much of an argument. The two of them simply had conflicting ideas. They wanted different things. And this made them disagree... so what was there to say in order to convince her? Perhaps he'd better try a more roundabout method.

"However... we don't have to be enemies, you know. We're trying to get the same thing, remember? You want the relic, I want the relic... we could very easily work together to find it, and once we do, we can decide in a civilised who should get it. No use being enemies until we need to be, right?" Valgaav tried his best to give a convincing smile.

"Valgaav, you're a genius!" Filia exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. Her positive emotions caused Valgaav to step back a small distance, but he was certainly glad that he'd managed to convince her to help him.

"A genius? Really? I could get used to that! I certainly whish El would call me a genius sometimes..."

"El? As in Elmyria?" Filia questioned. "You like her an awful lot, don't you? What is she to you?"

The question seemed to take Valgaav by surprise, and he didn't seem to know how to answer it. He closed his eyes as if in deep thought. "I wouldn't deny that, despite her insensitive countenance, I quite enjoy her company... however, putting a label on our relationship is not so easy..."

"You're not lovers, then?"

"No, no, no." Valgaav laughed. "That's not quite it. Certainly I might not have minded, had the circumstances been different, but I had prior knowledge, even before the first time I set eyes on her, that her heart belonged to someone else, and any such emotions on my part would certainly never be returned."

Filia seemed to sadden. "Oh, so you were forced to keep yourself from loving her? How terrible."

"Miss Filia, I think you're taking this the wrong way." Valgaav explained. "I never did anything of the sort. We've always been comrades, working together for the same purpose, and helping each other out. There is most certainly a strong bond there, though it's really not... well, it isn't... um, it's kind of hard to..."

Geez, Valgaav groaned. How the heck did we get stuck talking about this! This conversation has veered way off-subject! Why do women always have to make things complicated? Always wanting to talk about things! He sighed- why on earth did they have to discuss it? Why couldn't they just understand the unspoken relationship between them- he cared for Elmyria, Elmyria cared for him, they worked together and understood each other, but they weren't in love, so to speak. It wasn't complicated unless you made it complicated. And Filia was making it complicated!

"So... she's more like a sister?" Filia asked after a moment of thought.

"YES! EXACTLY!" Valgaav exclaimed, glad that he finally had a name for it- and hoping that Filia would be satisfied now. Gosh, this was such a waste of time.

"I see... that's kind of sweet." Filia nodded.

"Yes, it is. So now- continuing on with what we were trying to talk about-"

"Valgaav, do you remember your mother? Your real mother?" Filia asked.

The monster groaned inwardly. AGAIN with the feelings? I swear, if she asks me to label a relationship one more time...

"I can think back that far, but it's difficult, and I don't remember it very clearly." Valgaav explained. "I really don't remember any of my family before Lord Gaav rescued me... but..." He paused for a moment. "Somewhere, in what seems almost like my subconscious memory, I can remember a mother... I really don't know what she looked like, or who she was, but I know she was always kind- always taking care of me. She was so loving, that, as a monster, it almost pains me to remember... but it doesn't. And for the oddest reason, those memories seem more vivid than a lot of my others... as if it somehow happened even more recently... though that can't be it, right?"

Filia gasped. He remembers... oh, I knew he remembered...

"I'm sorry to ramble on like that- we really have much more important things to see to!" Valgaav exclaimed, realising with embarrassment how much he'd talked just now. "Filia? Are you okay?"

"Oh Valgaav..." Filia murmured. "Thank you... for telling me this..."

"Uh, you're welcome..." Valgaav murmured, looking very confused. "So, now that we're FINISHED talking about all the feelings and such, are we finally going to get serious about finding this relic?"

"Oh, yes! I'm sorry! Of course!" Filia exclaimed. Inside though, she was celebrating. He remembers! He really remembers~! He may not recognise me, but he remembers just a little bit, and that's all that matters!

"We're getting close- I can tell. Those relics give off a type of magical aura that allows me to track them if they're nearby." Valgaav explained, pulling Filia along with him.

"Valgaav, I've been wondering..." Filia began.

"What is it?" Valgaav asked. Please, oh please don't ask me anything regarding my feelings. I don't think I'll be able to keep up this nice pretence if you do...

"Where... did you find that crystal that has Gaav's spirit in it?"

"Where did we find it?" Valgaav gasped. "Well... to tell the truth, El had it when she found me... I couldn't remember a lot of what had happened, but she told me... and Lord Gaav told me... that the book containing the crystal had been previously in the possession of a jeweller by the name of Shichiro Hoseki."

"...Shichiro..." Filia gasped. "...and how did 'Shichiro' get the book...?"

"I'm not sure... Lord Gaav never fully explained it, to tell the truth. I don't know anything else." Valgaav shrugged. "Tell me, Filia, what exactly are you planning to do, anyway? Obviously you want to stop us somehow. What is your goal?"

There was an evident rustling and a couple of low gasps from the bushes behind them, as if something was moving around- though Valgaav and Filia ignored it.

"Our goal...? Well, we want to stop you... and... well... um... I don't really know..." Filia stammered.

"You don't know, huh? I see..." Valgaav sighed. "Oh well..." So much for that idea. She doesn't seem to know anything...

"Ah, here we are." Valgaav said. Filia looked up to see a large cliff face in front of them.

"This is... just a cliff..." Filia murmured. "What is here anyway?"

"Look closer." Valgaav instructed. "See how this rock here is just a slightly different colour than the surrounding rock? It's a very subtle difference, but you can just barely make it out."

"You mean, there's something behind it...?" Filia gasped.

"I'd say so. Now we've just got to get in there and find out." Valgaav nodded. "Stand back."

Filia took a step back, watching as Valgaav began to fire a large spell at the rock face. Suddenly, she heard a voice whispering her name.

"Filia! Hey! Over here!"

Filia felt herself grabbed by the side of her dress and pulled into the bushes. She gasped. "Wh-wha...? Enrico? Lorelei? What are you-"

"Shhhh!" Xellos hissed. "Be quiet! What in the world do you think you're doing?"

"I-I'm helping find the relic!" Filia stammered.

"Helping Valgaav?" Xellos questioned. "Whose side are you on?"

"Valgaav and I are working together for the moment." Filia defended. "He said that we shouldn't be enemies longer than necessary. We're going to find the relic together."

"And then what?" Lorelei asked sceptically.

"Th-then we'll decide in a civil manner what to do with it." Filia answered.

"Heh, more like Valgaav will take it for himself. He's tricking you, Filia? Don't you see? He's preying on your emotions." Xellos said.

"N-no! He can't be! He wouldn't! He does remember me! I know he does!"

"Watch. The moment you two get that relic, he's going to take off with it- he might even attack you in the process!" Lorelei said.

"N-no! No! You're wrong!" Filia responded.

"Filia, we're just trying to help..." Xellos began.

"Well you need to stop helping! I wasn't ready to talk to you again anyway!" Filia exclaimed, running away.

"Filia!" Lorelei called.

Filia ran back to where Valgaav had just managed to break through the rock wall to reveal a passage into the cliff. "Filia, where did you go?" he asked suspiciously.

"Um... there was... something in those bushes... I just wanted to make sure we weren't being... spied on or anything..." Filia murmured.

"And...?"

"It's nothing to worry about." Filia said.

"Good." Valgaav nodded. "Then let's go."

"Should we follow them?" Lorelei asked.

"Yes. For Filia's sake, we can't let Valgaav take advantage of her. Did you hear his question? He's trying to use her to get information. A dirty trick, to be sure." Xellos replied.

Right..." Lorelei sighed. "Poor Filia... I'm afraid she's going to get her heart broken..."

Filia and Valgaav made their way thought the passages in the cliff. "Do you think the relic will be guarded?" Filia asked.

"It shouldn't be. After all, this cave is enough of a hiding place. I don't see why they would need to have something guarding it." Valgaav replied. He and Filia stepped out into a larger part of the cave, where the tunnel opened up into a larger room. "See? Nothing to be afraid of." Valgaav pointed to the small figurine displayed on a pedestal in the middle of the chamber.

"Yes... I see..." Filia nodded. She began to reach for the relic, but Valgaav grabbed it before she could get to it. "V-Valgaav? What are you doing?" she gasped.

Valgaav sneered. "Leaving." he declared. "Thanks for the help. I probably could have done it without you, but let's now dwell on the negative things, shall we?"

"Y-you're just leaving? I thought we were going to talk this over!" Filia yelled.

"Talk it over? What is there to talk over? This is mine now!" Valgaav laughed.

"B-but you said we shouldn't be enemies-"

"I lied!" Valgaav exclaimed. "I just wanted to get some information out of you- information that you apparently didn't have. What a shame. And I had to play along with your nonsensical ramblings..." he sighed.

"N-no... No! Stop! I thought that you... that you really..." Filia stammered.

"That I really enjoyed hanging around you? Don't be daft, Filia!" Valgaav laughed. "I've got much better things to do with my time! So, if you'll excuse me..."

"Not so fast! You're not going anywhere!"

Valgaav was taken by surprise as a small monster suddenly appeared behind him, grabbing him in a headlock and shoving a metal spearpoint towards him.

"Oh, it's you, is it?" Valgaav asked, glaring at Lorelei. "That's a lovely little toy you have there. But I think I prefer what I already have, thank you very much."

"H-hey!" Lorelei gasped as Valgaav disappeared from her grasp. She waited for him to reappear nearby to taunt her again, but he didn't.

"Dang it! He ditched us!" Lorelei cursed.

"I expected as much. This is certainly troublesome..." Xellos sighed, joining Lorelei.

"V-Valgaav..." Filia murmured sadly. Xellos and Lorelei turned to look at her.

"Uh... I'd really hate to say 'we told you so'... uh, so would 'I'm so sorry' work?" Lorelei asked, a look of pure sympathy on her face. She offered the Golden Dragon a hug, which Filia gratefully accepted.

Xellos watched, a small smile on his face despite the circumstances. With Zara's influence, Lorelei had become quite good a consoling people. Perhaps she could take it up as a hobby- it would be a great way to find a lot of negative emotions, for sure.

"I... I just wanted... to help him... doesn't he see... how much I care about him...?" Filia sobbed into Lorelei's shoulder.

"Shhhh, it's okay." Lorelei murmured. She wasn't sure what to say beyond that- truthfully, being so nice when Zara wasn't around was not something she was used to. But she felt so close to Filia, that she wanted to make sure that the dragon was not hurt too badly. If Filia was going to be upset, it should be Xellos and herself doing the upsetting, and no one else! Curse that Valgaav for picking on their dragon!

"So... shall we head back and have some tea, perhaps? Tea would make you feel better, wouldn't it?" Xellos began.

"Tea... sounds good right about now..." Filia murmured, looking up at him.

Filia sat, sipping tea, huddling around the makeshift campfire that the group had constructed toward the front of the tunnel's entrance. They might not have gotten the relic that they wanted, but they certainly could make use of the shelter that the manmade cave provided. Night had fallen, and the change in temperature had turned the rain into an icy rain-snow mixture. They all took comfort in the glow of the fire, though the only one really affected by the cold was Xellos- and certainly he'd never admit to being cold! Lorelei had managed to find an extra blanket in addition to the ones that they had, and insisted that Xellos make use of it, not wanting his pride to cause physical harm to his human body.

Filia looked up from her tea thoughtfully. "Mister Enrico... I've thought about what you tried to tell me today... and I need to respond... so..."

"Ah, Filia. I was meaning to talk to you about that. I'm afraid that there might have been a misunderstanding..." he paused, realising that she was still using the name 'Enrico.' "No, I'm sure there was a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? I'm sorry... I don't want to hurt you or anything... but honestly, I have to say that I can't return your feelings. I'm so sorry Mister Enrico..." Filia murmured, choking on some of the words.

"F-feelings? What?" Xellos gasped.

"Well... you see, I can't really return them, because I already love- er, sort of, someone else. It's nothing about you really. You're a great guy. There's just someone else, and... well..." Filia sighed, not wanting to make the situation difficult.

"W-wait..." Xellos began. "So you thought, that when I was trying to talk to you, I was going to confess my love? N-no way! That wasn't it at all!"

Filia's face turned a shade of red that rivalled Lina's hair. "Wh-what? Really? Oh, Enrico, I'm so sorry! I just though... I mean... you just..."

"So there's someone you like, huh?" Lorelei asked, grinning. "Might I inquire more about that?"

"Th-that is... well..." Filia stammered, still blushing. She sighed. "If you must know... it... it's Xellos. That's the reason I was afraid that Enrico was going to tell me that he liked me- because I already like Xellos." Filia paused. "Oh, wait! If that wasn't what you were going to tell me, then what was it? I'm sorry I misunderstood!"

"What... was I going to tell you...?" Xellos began. "Um... well... erm..." He and Lorelei exchanged an 'Oh-crap-what-do-we-tell-her-now?' look.

"He was actually going to tell you just the opposite of what you thought!" Lorelei chimed in. "That he was afraid that you might have some sort of crush on him, and didn't want you falling for 'Enrico! Isn't that right?" The small monster offered an awkward smile toward her mentor, who nodded his approval.

"Y-yes! That's right!" Xellos said. "That was all I wanted to say! And now we have this all figured out! Wonderful!"

"Oh, thank you for telling me, Enrico. I'm so glad..." Filia murmured, feeling a lot better about the situation. "To tell the truth, I'm really quite tired now. Good night you two. And thanks."

"Thanks for what?" Lorelei asked.

"For warning me. I should have listened to you."

Xellos sighed. "I just wish we hadn't been right."

"Well... we couldn't tell her..." Lorelei sighed, glancing at Filia, who was already fast asleep.

"After what she just said? Of course not! That would be too awkward!" Xellos agreed.

"Dang it! This stinks! I can't believe it!" Lorelei cursed. "After all that happened, she still doesn't know who you are! I hate it, but I don't want to upset Filia more than she is already... what happened with Valgaav today had to be hard on her..."

"Oh, most certainly." Xellos nodded. "But seriously, though. Why in the world would she decide that she's in love with me?"

"That's a good question. There is no reason." Lorelei responded.

"Lorelei darling, that was a rhetorical question that really did not need an answer." Xellos explained, somewhat annoyed.

"I'm just being serious." Lorelei defended. "After all, she has every reason to hate you. You torture her, for pete's sake! I mean, for her last birthday you gave her a honey badger!"

"She thought it was cute at first." Xellos pointed out.

"Yeah, until it tried to kill her." Lorelei spat. "And what about that time that you let those two Alaskan snow snakes breed in her icebox?"

"Now that one was an honest mistake." Xellos exclaimed. "I was nearly positive that they were both male!"

"How exactly do you determine the gender of a snake?" Lorelei asked sceptically.

"Well, very carefully, of course." Xellos answered.

Lorelei sighed. "Ha ha, very funny, Xellos. The only person who was happy in that situation was Zara, since, as he put it 'Coluber glacies is an endangered species, and you managed to recreate its optimum breeding habitat in order to help repopulate.' Or something intelligent like that. You know how Zara is."

"The boy is too smart for his own good. He'll keep Miss Lina and Mister Gourry on their toes for a while, that's for sure." Xellos nodded.

"Certainly." Lorelei nodded, a slight smile on her face. "You tired?"

"Is it that apparent? Goodness, I need to get back to being a monster as soon as possible. This is crazy." Xellos sighed, yawning. "Well, I suppose this is goodnight, Lorelei dear."

"G'night Xellos." Lorelei murmured, leaning against the rock wall of the tunnel, watching her two sleeping friends.

(A/N: Ooh, honey badgers and Alaskan snow snakes! Those are some scary critters! I wonder who would win in a fight between them... O.O)