Author's Notes: Finally something completely new for everyone. I remember back when I wrote the last part I had hit a bump in the road. I was stuck. It's amazing what some time away can do for things. I have a new direction to head into. I'm still stumbling along but hopefully I can get this story to ending I had planned for this fic when I started it.
Mind Games
Scene Seventeen, Hangovers
By Relm
The morning rays of sunshine poked through Filia's partially open curtains shining right on Filia's face. She grumbled irritated by the offending light. But it wasn't going to go away anytime soon and neither was her large pounding headache. Sighing with defeat Filia rolled out of bed. The previous night's events were a blur in her mind, but she didn't focus on it at that moment. All she wanted to do was shut out the light.
Blindly she reached for her window curtains and shut them noting that even with them closed all the way, still lots of light shone through the very light fabric. 'I need darker curtains.' She decided as she stumbled her way to her vanity while rubbing her temples. The site in the mirror was a sad and pathetic one. Filia's hair was all over the place sticking out in every which way. Her eyes were very red and the previous night's makeup (which she neglected to wash off before bed) was smeared and smudged.
Filia groaned. 'Why did I drink so much?' She tried to rack her brain to remember the events of her date. 'Xellos... yeah that's why. He was pretending to be Jarred and it was making me nervous.'
With the water basin filled by her mirror Filia splashed the cold water on her face. The coolness was nice on her skin. 'What else happened?' She pondered as she washed her face. 'I think I was dancing with De Tanga in a garden... Oh my god!' Filia eyes were wider than saucers when she finally remembered the rest of the date. 'I kissed him! I kissed De Tanga!' Filia's face blushed a thousand shades of crimson. 'It wasn't a real date; it was supposed to be a game! Oh god! De Tanga must think I'm an idiot!' Filia buried her face in her hands. How was she going to face him? Her face burned with embarrassment. Yes she was very aware of her growing feelings for De Tanga but she never intended to act on them. 'He probably doesn't feel the same way too! Agh! Stupid Filia!' She berated herself. 'Oh god Xellos must have seen the kiss!' That thought very much unsettled Filia. She didn't know why, but she felt very guilty all of a sudden. She told herself that it was nerves as she didn't know how Xellos would react. But as much as she tried she couldn't shake the intense feeling of guilt like she'd been caught cheating. 'But Xellos and I aren't anything!' She mentally protested. 'Why should I feel guilt about kissing another man in front of him? He doesn't love me and he annoys the crap out of me!' Filia finally decided getting herself up to get ready for the day.
...
As Filia slowly crept down the stairs she was greeted with the smells and sounds of a sizzling skillet. Eggs, bacon and among other things were being cooked up for a hearty breakfast feast.
Normally the idea of Val cooking them breakfast delighted. Very rarely was he ever up before her. But as it was this morning was not a morning to enjoy such smells. Though the smell would have normally been delicious, Filia's stomach protested wildly to the aroma. It took all of Filia's resolve not to run to the bathroom and toss her cookies.
She was very quiet when she entered the kitchen, not that it mattered Val was aware of her presence right away.
"So did you have fun last night?" Val asked with just a hunt of sarcasm.
"Sure of course." Filia answered nervously.
"Yeah I guess it was, you know making out with De Tanga as you were." Val glared at her as he served them breakfast.
Filia instantly paled. "I don't know what you're talking about." Filia laughed nervously. 'How does he know that?'
Val rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Mom don't play innocent with me! You practically bragged about it last night!"
Just then Filia that part of the previous night. 'Damnit!' She cursed. "Val I can explain!"
"Damn right you will! What on god's earth possessed you to get so drunk? And out of all the people you could kiss you kiss the one guy that you weren't even sure you liked. And on a fake date too! Seriously where has your brain gone?" He yelled at her making her wince.
"I don't know! I was drunk and feeling impulsive. I'm sick to my stomach with worry about what De Tanga thinks of me now."
"You're worried about what De Tanga thinks? Forget him what about Xellos? You know how possessive monsters get when people try to take what's there's."
"I do not belong to Xellos!" Filia shouted with an angry scowl to match her tone.
"You may not think so but he does. Mom he's obsessed with you. If he doesn't think of you as his then he wants you to be. You think he's just going to take this lying down? He's going to fight and he just might try to kill De Tanga." Val realized that he was just re-hashing the previous night's argument he had with Filia. But she had been drunk and not really listening to Val's protests.
Filia sighed. Now she had another thing to worry about. 'I hope De Tanga is okay.'
...
De Tanga sat in a tree near Filia's house watching. He had been worried after his conversation with Val that Filia may be in danger. So he sat in that very tree and watched and waited. He didn't sleep or rest, he just stayed on the lookout for Xellos. But to his surprise Xellos had seemed to have disappeared. He knew Xellos not to be a quitter so this course of action confused him.
'Xellos couldn't have given up. Not since he feels so strongly for Filia. This must be his master's doing.' The thought had occurred to him that he could go see Greater Beast and ask. But he was too afraid of alerting Xellos or leaving Filia alone that he just sat in the tree and waited. Of course it was unlikely that Greater Beast would be helpful anyway. She could be more difficult than Xellos at times.
Of course there was another reason why De Tanga sat in seclusion up in the tree. He was also debating on what to say to Filia when he saw her. What he wanted to do was sweep her off her feet and kiss her a kiss to end all kisses. He wanted to hold her in his arms and never let her go. But alas he couldn't do that.
'She was drunk when she kissed me, probably just caught up in the moment.' De Tanga thought grimly. 'She might even feel that way about me. In fact I might not even feel that way myself about her.' De Tanga had been alone for such a long time that he was even willing to admit that he was clinging so dear to these unknown feelings not knowing if it was true love or just a means to fill the empty void in him. He did like and respect Filia, but he himself didn't even know what true love felt like. Sure as a monster he could easily read emotions of people, so he knew when someone loved someone else. But he himself had never experienced it. But he wanted to. He wanted to love someone and have them return his love, but he had always shied away. Most immortals didn't interest him much and mortals would be too painful to love. How could you love someone you knew you'd have to eventually watch die? He knew Filia liked him, but he was afraid that she didn't like him enough. He didn't want to hear those words of regret about kissing him.
De Tanga let out a depressive sight. 'Xellos you can't have given up! Not when I'm giving up my happiness for you!' De Tanga mentally pleaded knowing that Xellos couldn't hear.
...
Xellos was conflicted. Though he did what his master ordered, he desperately didn't want to. He kept going over in his head what he had said the previous night. 'When did I start thinking of Filia as mine?' He loved to annoy her that much was true, but then he loved to annoy everyone so what made her so special? He also mulled over Filia's teasing about him being in love with her. Do monsters know how to feel love? Yes it was possible but rare. Monster saw people as possessions or an ends to a means. Xellos scoffed at the idea of being in love with Filia but at the same time he wanted to see her.
His current assignment was boring. The subject wasn't powerful or threatening. His power would be of no use to his master. Xellos had to wonder if this was a test, to see if he would blindly follow her orders no matter how pointless they were.
'What to do?'
...
Filia went about her day expecting to be bothered or visited by one of the monsters, but neither showed their faces. She wanted to talk to De Tanga but was also afraid to at the same time. She could have tried to call out to him, she was sure he would answer if she did. But Filia couldn't. She was still too embarrassed and afraid of what De Tanga would say to her. And then there was the matter of what she would say to him. She wanted to tell him the truth but she wasn't sure what the truth was. She was so confused. The sun set on an uneventful day and Filia let out another sight as she stared out her bedroom window. She got ready for bed while vowing she would do something about the situation in the morning.
...
Filia found herself walking around a maze confused. She didn't know where she was or how she got there. "Hello?" She called out while shivering. The night air was chilly and oddly enough Filia wore no jacket. 'Why would I go out without a cloak or jacket?" Filia mused to herself. But then she didn't remember going anywhere to start off with.
Each turn she took she ended up at a dead end. There didn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to this maze. And though she could just as easily fly outside the maze, she wasn't thinking clearly. "Hello?" She called out frantically. "Can anyone hear me? I need help. I'm lost and I can't find my way out!"
No voice came to Filia's rescue, but music played on the wind ever so softly.
With no other options Filia followed the sound of the music. Down one winding path and then another, Filia ended up in the very heart of the maze. It was a beautiful garden lit up by mysterious lights. A band could be heard but not seen as their music played for the couples dancing in the center.
"Hello?" Filia called out to them but either they didn't hear her or they choose to ignore her.
The couples danced so elegantly, completely engrossed in their partners.
Looking around Filia recognized one of the people dancing. It was Xellos and he was dancing with a woman with long blond hair. At first glance Filia thought she was staring at herself dancing with Xellos. But then she saw the woman more clearly. Yes she did bear a striking resemblance to Filia, but the woman wasn't her. Once realizing this Filia got very mad. "You two-timing piece of garbage! You drive me crazy and make me believe you have feelings for me and then you go off with this woman?" Filia stomped her way over to Xellos fuming mad. Her tail stuck out from her nightgown but she didn't care.
Xellos didn't hear or see Filia. His dancing partner seemed to be the center of his universe at that moment. He stared deep into her eyes as he leaned forward to kiss her.
...
Xellos weary of his boring assignment decided it was time to be bad. 'If I'm quick maybe Master won't notice.' Xellos knew this wasn't true but he couldn't stand it anymore. He phased out of his current location and appeared in Filia's bedroom.
...
De Tanga should have sensed what was going on. But at that moment he himself had just meant to close his eyes for just a second but had drifted off to sleep.
...
Xellos treaded lightly in the golden dragon's bedroom. But as he soon discovered Filia was fast asleep. He debated on what he should do but he found himself drawn to her. So he went closer to her bed. The moonlight shone from the open curtains and spilled into the room. It shone just enough light in the dark room to see Filia's tortured expression on her face. She was clearly having a nightmare.
Waves of negative emotions radiated from the sleeping golden dragon.
Xellos almost felt guilty as he fed off her. But monsters tended to eat when food was present. He wondered what sort of nightmare she could be having. 'Should I wake her?' He pondered as he got closer to her face. Her mouth moved slightly as she was talking in her sleep. Xellos brought his ear closer to her mouth to listen.
"...Xellos..." She mumbled.
Xellos' eyes opened in surprise and he listened more intently.
"...I...thought...you...loved...me..."
...
In Filia's dream she was feeling torn between anger and disappointment. It bothered her more then she cared to imagine that Xellos would so easily forget her and go onto something else. She tried to club Xellos with her mace but it went right through him.
Xellos didn't notice he just broke the kiss and smiled at his dancing partner. "You know I'm glad I'm with you. To think I was wasting my time with that silly golden dragon."
"You did waste your time." The blond dancer's voice was soft and velvety. "She was a fool to pick him over you." She pulled him in closer for another kiss.
...
"No!" Filia yelled while waking up. She greeted by a pair of purple eyes staring at her. She was so shocked that didn't react.
Of course Xellos didn't give a chance to. He silenced any would be protests by claiming her lips with his own.