"Zel?" she screeched in shock. Several people in the café turned to glare at her angrily. She ignored them, half risen out of my chair. "Oh-oh my-L-sama…," she gasped, her eyes abnormally wide.
Zelgadis couldn't help but laugh quietly at her reaction. "What's wrong, Lina?"
"You…," she trailed off, falling into her seat. "Damn, you look different. Where have you been? When did you get cured? How did you find me? What-what…wow," she trailed off, looking stunned.
Zel took another infuriatingly slow sip of his coffee. "I have been traveling. Well, more correctly, I was on a revenge mission. I swore I would go about things in a specific order after we parted ways. To take revenge on the Casus-Orcus demon, find my cure, then come find you again."
"Sit back. Talk. I have all day. L-sama…I missed you," she commented truthfully with a smile.
Zel grinned. "I missed you as well. Perhaps we should go elsewhere, though? I don't think this café would particularly enjoy us manipulating their place of business for a long period of time."
"Sure. Let's go down to the ocean."
The two reunited companions made their way down there, and sat on a bench. Zelgadis began to speak and, for once, Lina reclined and listened in awed silence.
"For about year, I hunted down various members of the Casus-Orcus demon's clan and killed them off. I heard you were doing the same elsewhere. After they were all dead, I spent…hm..maybe 5 or 7 years traveling and looking for my cure. To my delight, I finally found one up in the misted mountains, over on the eastern tip of the continent. It was in rather large temple, surprisingly run by chimeras like my former self. I asked them if they had any knowledge on cursed chimeras, on how to turn them back to their originally forms. And oh, did they ever.
"They brought out a large tome. Remember, back when we first met up, how I thought my cure might be in the Clair Bible? Well, it was. This was an exact copy of everything from the Clair Bible relating to chimeras. The spell to turn me back was rather complicated, but we gathered everything we needed over the course of a year.
"And finally, after a spell that took just over a week to weave, the stones on my body began to fall off like I had acquired leprosy. Then my hair began to turn back to normal, and after a few difficulties, we fixed up the last part of the spell and turned my skin back to flesh. I stayed with them for another year, and I helped them repair things around the temple. They also helped me to figure out how to use my magic without the protection of a stone skin."
Lina couldn't help but interrupt him here. "That's amazing, Zel. I'm so happy for you. You look…well, quite honestly, amazing. Continue, though."
Zel coughed, blushing with pleasure at her compliment. "Then I began to search for you. I didn't feel complete yet, without sharing this with my most dear companion. I heard winds of you passing, destroying demons, and followed you all the way here. I arrived here just yesterday, and acquired a room at an Inn just down the road. And here I am."
Lina was still reeling from being called his 'most dear companion.' "Wow…Zel. That's just...great. Damn, let me give you a hug," she said with an impish grin. She leaned over, wrapping her slender arms around his middle.
Zel huddled over, enfolding the petite girl in his arms. A sigh of contentment escaped his lips as the spiced apple scent of her hair drifted toward his nose in the wind. "Lina, do you remember…wasn't the anniversary of their deaths just yesterday?" he inquired, still not releasing her from his embrace.
Lina was quite content to stay in his arms. "Yes," she replied with a slight sigh. "Why?"
"Do you remember that I wanted to tell you something? That you wanted us to send goodbyes to those we'll miss most?"
Lina didn't need to strain her brain to remember. Everything about that day was etched perfectly into her mind if they had happened only an hour ago. "Of course," she said in a puzzled voice, leaning back slightly. His arms tightened around her as if reluctant to let distance come between them, even if it was marginal. "I can't ever forget that day."
"I want to tell you what I had to say. I was only going to tell you then because I didn't want to die without you knowing. Plus now, I have more confidence than I ever did when I was covered in hideous stone…" he trailed off.
Lina made an impatient noise. "First of all, you were never hideous. That was just your perception, because you didn't believe people would look past your skin. Second of all, spit it out! You're driving me nuts!"
Zelgadis chuckled and released her from his arms, incase there was a sudden outpouring of anger at his impending words. "I love you, Lina," he said hurriedly.
Lina blinked and spluttered slightly in confusion. "Me?"
"It's alright if you don't feel the same way. I just…wanted you to know…," he said, his voice dissipating into near a whisper.
Lina shook her head feverently. "No-it's just that…I thought you were into Amelia. I thought you'd been, well, mourning for her desperately."
Zelgadis blinked and smiled. "Not Amelia. She was like, a sister, or a good friend. No, it has always been you I loved."
"Oh, L-sama! Zel…baka...you should have told me sooner!" she said, playfully punching him in the arm.
He tilted his head and glanced at her questioningly. "Because I love you too," she said quietly, a bright smile wreathing her face.
Zel nearly did a double take, but he didn't question her words. The smile on his face matched her's as he grabbed her in a tight embrace as if he'd never let her go again.
A year passed. Zelgadis seemed content to spend his days helping Lina on her rounds of Aethra. Much to their mutual delight, a flat on the top floor of the ocean side apartment complex had gone for sale. They had bought it, and moved in together three months ago.
Demons would probably die of shock to see such a content Lina Inverse.
Zelgadis awoke and peered with sleep blurred eyes at the clock. It was 7'o'clock…late for him, but early for Lina. With a grin, he rolled over, careful not to disturb the elfin girl lying sound asleep next to him. He reached over and tenderly caressed a few crimson strands out of her delicate face. She murmured his name, sliding closer to him in and pressing her hand against his bare chest. He draped his arm across her shoulder, gently running his fingers down her back.
Lina shivered, her eyelids fluttering slightly as she began to awake. "Hmm…good morning, Zel," she murmured, rubbing her hand across her eyes to shake out the sleep.
He leaned closer to her and pressed his lips against her forehead. "Good morning, Lina. Shall we go out for breakfast this morning?"
"Yeah…I want to take a bath first though."
He nodded and turned onto his back, languidly sitting up as she slid out of bed and pulled on a robe. A loud crash resounded suddenly in the living room, and Lina's head swiveled sharply in the direction of the closed door.
"…what the," she hissed quietly. "I'll go check that out while you get dressed."
Zel frowned but agreed. Lina held her hand out, a fire spell lighting it's way easily into her outstretched palm as she silently opened the door. She crept down the hall toward the living room, the former chimera following her in just under ten seconds. They reached the living room, and were instantly befuddled at what they saw.
The window over the couch was shattered, and a large black bird perched on the back of the arm chair. It gripped a rolled up letter in it's beak. Lina snatched the letter from the bird, which instantly flew back out the shattered window.
Zel stood behind her, pulling her closer so she was leaned against his chest as she unfurled the letter. It read: Leave Aethra at once if you value your lives. There is a safe town just a day's travel down the road. Trust me-you can't afford delay. Signed, M.X.P.T
"What the hell!" Lina cried out in bewilderment. "MXPT?"
Zel shook his head. "Should we go? We'll leave our stuff here, obviously, but…"
Lina turned around and his arms automatically encircled her waist. "No. Zel, I thought you'd realize by now-this reeks of trap."
"You haven't been bothered by anyone for ages now, Lina."
"I know…," she sighed. "Call me skeptical. But-"
They were interrupted by a sudden hammering on the door. "Lina Inverse, open the door immediately! This is the police."
Lina turned back to Zelgadis, eyes wide.
A/N: So, what do you think? If there's enough people who like it, I'll put up another chapter this week. I plan to have them meet up with some more old companions in the next chapter.