"Gracia I'm so glad you've come home after all these years!" Amelia cried, hugging Naga tightly.
"Who would have guessed you were keeping company with my rival little sister? At least I know you were taken care of." Naga chuckled.
"HOLD ON A SECOND HERE!" Lina suddenly shouted, pointing a finger at the sisters, her eyes wide with shock."Y-you… You two are…?"
Naga huffed, turning her head. "I prefer to keep my royal status a secret, people act all weird around me, you know? When they really should be bowing before me not because I'm a princess, but because I am the most beautiful sorceress in the world! Ho ho ho ho ho!"
"…. Somehow, finding out those two are related explains a lot…" Lina mumbled to herself.
"Miss Lina, you were saying before something about Gracia?" Amelia tilted her head to the side. "And sister you said something about Miss Lina being your rival?"
"We met a long time ago, back when I first left home." Lina sighed, crossing her arms behind her head. "But she was the one inside Nama."
"Oh that's why you were so familiar!" Amelia cried. "… But why didn't you remember me sister?"
"Sadly that jar thing messed around with my memories…" Naga crossed her arms over her chest. "Everything came back when I returned."
"And as for being my rival, that's self proclaimed." Lina waved a hand carelessly.
"NOW WAIT HERE LINA INVERSE! I AM YOUR FIRST AND FOREMOST RIVAL!" Naga snapped.
"Naga, that was back when I was 14 and still pretty novice with the more complicated spells." The crimson haired sorceress shrugged. "You probably couldn't hold a toe to me now. Or need I remind you how easily I blew you away before?"
"That was just by surprise! I'll take you on any day and prove my worth! Ho ho ho ho!" Naga smirked as she bellowed a laugh.
"Gracia, I really wouldn't do that with Miss Lina she's much more powerful than even last year!" Amelia gasped. "She's pledged to…" Lina quickly covered her mouth to shut her up.
"Pledged?" Naga raised an eyebrow. "You made some contract with somebody Lina? Is that where you got the magical alterations so that you finally grew a little?"
"A LITTLE?" an anger vain popped on Lina's forehead. "I'll have you know my new bust is a lot bigger than yours now Naga! I just don't flaunt it around like you do! I see you still dress like a streetwalking slut!"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Naga snapped, stomping her foot.
"Miss Lina…" Amelia spoke up with a sad sigh. "… That outfit belonged to our mother."
Lina's ruby eyes went wide. "… What?"
But the sound of the crowd cut her off, several of the first males were coming out in their illusion outfits. Most of them quite hideously done at that. "The contest is beginning now, please everyone cheer as loud as you can for your favorites." Said a woman in a pink dress that was the announcer with a microphone in hand.
"Miss Lina!" Sylphiel rushed over to her. "The contest is starting now, just wait until you see dear Gourry and Mr. Zelgadis." She was blushing slightly.
Lina raised her eyebrow. "You seem awful proud… Well as long as we win the damn contest I don't care."
Sylphiel then turned to Naga. "Who are you?"
"This is my big sister Gracia!" Amelia cried.
"Ho ho ho ho! While I am Princess Gracia, I prefer to go by the name Naga the Great White Serpent!" Naga cried, laughing loudly.
"I'll explain later, Sylphiel…" Lina sighed, turning to the stage to watch as the men came out… And suddenly the blood drained from her face from the next male that walked out. "I-is that?"
The blonde that walked out stood tall with his hair tied up in pigtails that ran down the front, with bright blue flowers in his hair. His red dress snug around his wide torso but with the illusion spell it gave him enough curves to pass as a female, just with a more muscular body. There was purple trim along with white ruffles, a yellow sash around his waist with white feathers. Attached to the back of the dress was pink fluffy material. He was wearing white gloves with a fan in one hand, the other on his hip, and he wore purple shoes along with pantyhose. Around his neck was a golden necklace.
"Oh Gourry dear you look so wonderful!" Sylphiel squealed, hearts over her head as she was blushing madly even with tears in her eyes of joy.
"Wow Mr. Gourry you look great!" Amelia cheered, while all the other females in the audience just stared wide eyed.
"Ho ho ho ho." Naga laughed slightly. "He does make an interesting girl, but won't beat my illusion spell."
Lina didn't respond, her hair had turned white and her jaw agape. "…"
But that's when the coward's cries picked up, giving wolf whistles and cheering loudly. Lina snapped to, looking to see which male contestant they were making a big deal over. Her jaw hit the floor then as she saw her chimera friend walk out.
Zelgadis was wearing a navy blue jacket and his arms were wrapped up like a mummy. There were red wristbands on under iron shackles with broken chains. Around his throat was a red dog collar with a broken chain. A yellow ribbon was tied into his hair. He was wearing red high heeled shoes and shackles with chains around his ankles as well. Suddenly, he took off the jacket and that's what started the very loud cheering. He had a black bra over a very tiny purple top that exposed his stomach, and was wearing a red bottom half of a bikini. A purple garter belt was holding up his black stockings. If it hadn't been for the illusion spell it would had been obvious he was male, but instead it gave him the perfect curves to work with this outfit.
Naga rubbed her chin. "Mmmm that was your work too? Nicely done he looks yummy. What do you think sis?"
Amelia just stood there with her eyes wide, her hands flew up to her cheeks which had turned scarlet. She was completely silent. She had a mixed look on her face between horrified and embarrassed.
"Thank you Miss Naga." Sylphiel blushed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Mr. Zelgadis though did help with it. He was quite eager to win once he found out what the prize is, he hopes it might have a clue to his cure. What about you Miss Lina, what do you- Oh my!"
Lina had hit the floor hard when Zelgadis had taken his jacket off, a single foot was high in the air.
Naga just laughed. "I see while you have a more adult body, your mind is still that naïve little girl, ho ho ho ho!" she held her hand against her mouth as she laughed. "Just wait until you see MY masterpiece!"
Lina slowly regained herself as she sat up. "Oh?" she looked up on the stage…. And fainted dead away.
"Miss Lina, what-" Sylphiel gasped, then looked up…. And joined her on the floor.
Zelgadis and Gourry just stood dumbstruck, their jaws hitting the floor.
Amelia though he snapped out of her trance, and her face took on a whole new horrified look. "DADDY?"
Phil had walked out in an identical outfit as Nagas, just altered a bit for his size. The illusion spell though wasn't very convincing, the most was that the bikini top was filled with rather large breasts, and his jet black hair went all the way down his back. His crown still on his head, he proceeded to make a pose. "In the path of justice no one stands between my daughter and her happiness! A joyous occasion has occurred as my dear daughter Gracia has finally come home!"
Amelia slowly turned her head. "… How did you talk him into it?"
Naga shrugged her shoulders. "I had a few extra of mom's outfits, and begged him to do it after I found out Lina was entering your male friends from him. I thought at first Lina was the one doing the illusion spells so I couldn't standby and not compete against my rival. I arrived this morning but you had already left the castle sis, he told me I could find you here and from there I asked him to allow me to enter if he'll be my model."
Slowly Lina sat back up, holding a hand over her eyes. "… My eyes… That image is forever burned into my memory…."
The coward was going insane by this point, it was hard to tell though which of the three was winning.
"And now for our final entry." The woman standing on the stage announced.
Suddenly a cheerful female voice echoed in the building in a beautiful melody… One Lina found very familiar. "After running up a gentle slope, you should rest for a while and sit on the hill. Even the birds that sing while flying through the expansive sky... Look, even they rest their wings and sleep."
That's when a tall, very slender and VERY female looking person came out in nothing more than a string red bikini with tiny hearts that barely covered the nipples on the very large breasts. He was wearing red boots, and purple hair tied up into tiny pigtails with hearts.
Amelia, Sylphiel AND Naga just stood speechless, their eyes wide with shock. Gourry and Zelgadis both just stood there staring, and at the same time looking slightly irritated.
Phil just rubbed his head. "Wow that boy sure is talented, isn't he?"
"XELLOSS!" Lina cried, a fuse snapped in her brain as she felt blood drip from her nose seeing this. It took all her strength not to faint dead away seeing this.
Xelloss just smirked at her, his eyes closed and still dancing like a fool onto the stage, and still singing. "Let's walk unhurriedly and patiently. Let ourselves be guided by 'flashes' or chance happenings. Everyone shalalala lala!"
And right then the whole audience was singing "Shalalala lala." With him!
Xelloss smirked, waving his finger. "And continue our respective journeys under the same sun, for the sake of the happiness and chance meetings for us that tomorrow holds."
Lina pushed her way to the front of the stage, glaring at all the girls practically drooling over him. She shot a menacing glare up at him. "YOU JACKASS WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
Xelloss grinned wide at her, bending over and brushing his fingers lightly under her chin. "Whether you're sad or you're happy, your falling tears are very beautiful..."
She blushed madly from his touch, swatting his hand away. He had already sung this song to her before, when she made the pledge with him. He had explained then he came up with it about her years ago, just that was the first time he had sung it to her. And now he was singing it to her in front of everyone!
He chuckled as she knocked his hand away, so instead he waved his hand and a spell lifted her onto the stage. "If you accept your true feelings and are honest to your own heart, you will no longer have anything to worry about."
"Let me go you fruitcake!" Lina snapped, but she couldn't break his spell. It held her in place perfectly still.
"Both the stars that fall mysteriously and the cold wind..." Xelloss continued, brushing his fingers lightly on her cheek. "Secretly, nature conveys an important message." He turned to the audience, who seemed under his spell as the women started singing "Someday shalalala lala." Again, as if on cue.
That's when Xelloss wrapped one arm around Lina, pulling her close and releasing his spell. "I want to whisper privately to you the secret that I have hidden... I will always stay with you and look after you from behind." And as he finished, he crushed his lips against hers. That sparked a wide reaction from the coward of people, all cheering.
Lina though was just too shocked and embarrassed from everything to even fight the Mazoku's kiss. Once he broke it though she glared once again at him. "This is EXACTLY why I didn't want you to enter, you fucking fruitcake!"
"Awww but Lina-chan, I'd say we have this contest won wouldn't you?" Xelloss snickered.
"YOU GOD DAMN BASTARD!" Zelgadis finally had regained himself and snarled. "You cheated didn't you! I know it!"
"Technically I have no gender, Mr. Zelgadis. So it's not really cheating for me." Xelloss replied with a grin.
"Yeah… that makes sense but…" Lina snarled, and suddenly pulled him into a headlock. "WHY THE FUCK DO YOU HAVE BIGGER BOOBS THAN ME YOU JACKASS?"
"Why am I not surprised that's all you're pissed at him about?" the chimera sighed.
"Oh now come Lina dearest, I only did it to win the contest and I can alter yours at any time too." Xelloss snickered, then suddenly kissed her cheek while she was tightening the headlock.
"EH?" that took her by surprise, her face flushed red and she let go of him, frozen in her blush.
That's when the announcer girl walked up to them. "Well sir the results are in, you're our winner!" she handed Xelloss a pile of papers.
"Thank you miss." Xelloss smirked, standing back up and flipping through the pages.
"So what's in there?" Naga jumped onto the stage.
"Yeah what did we go through dressing up like this again for anyway?" Gourry asked.
"Oh but Gourry dear, you looked so cuuute!" Sylphiel squealed, which actually made the blonde blush.
"Let's see them you prick." Zelgadis hissed.
Xelloss didn't answer at first, he just read a few lines…. And suddenly started laughing. "Sure, Mr. Zelgadis, have a look." He tossed the pages to the chimera.
"Hey what are you doing?" Lina snapped, jumping up and grabbing a few pages. "These are from Lei Magnus you fruitcake! It could be some very important…" she glanced at the pages. "… THE HELL IS THIS SHIT?"
"They're texts from Lei Magnus alright… Just from his childhood so most of it is children's drawings!" Xelloss laughed loudly, rubbing the back of his head. "Oh dear, I suppose they wanted to clean them out of the library as they are rather useless aren't they?"
"DADDY WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?" Amelia and Naga snapped.
Phil rubbed his temple. "Well neither of you asked, I just thought you wanted to enter the contest for pure sportsmanship. Especially you Gracia when you said you wanted to compete against Miss Lina."
Zelgadis turned pale. "… You mean… I went through all that… For this?" he suddenly fainted dead away.
Gourry just looked confused. "Wait… Does this mean we did this for nothing?"
"XELLOSS…." Lina looked ready to kill by this point, snarling as she was chanting under her breath.
"N-now Lina-chan… I had no idea what they were I swear!" Xelloss cried, taking a few steps back. "I just thought you'd want to win so…"
"YOU JUST EMBARASSED THE SHIT OUT OF ME FOR NOTHING AND THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH IT? SSSLLLAAAAVVVEEE!" Lina shouted, firing the massive spell right at the Mazoku and blowing him into the air, destroying the whole building of course in the process.