Surreal Reflections
Xenith regarded the looks on the other slayer's faces. Amelia's
expression radiated joy and amazement, similar to Gourry, but without the
protectiveness. Zelgadis looked hurt and reproachful, while Filia was
apologetic. She realized with a start that they were suddenly reacting to
her as if she were Lina. They didn't understand, but she buried that, it
wouldn't do to let them know how that disappointed her. Xellos was looking
at her with a hint of pride and some sympathy.
"Okay, what's the next step?" Xenith demanded irritably.
~They don't understand.~ She directed to thought to both Xellos and
Zelas. ~I'm not Lina, am I?~ The equivilent of a mental shrug came from her
brother.
~I was born a mazoku, don't ask me about what's going on.~
~Don't worry about, child, they'll figure it out. And if they don't you
can always use it to your advantage.~ It wasn't what she wanted to hear.
She didn't want to be accepted for her past self, even if she was still Lina,
a distinct possibility depending on how you defined individuality. She
wanted to be accepted by them as she was now.
~Well played by the way,~ Xellos commented her. ~I didn't suspect that a
newborn could fool me so thoroughly.~
~Thanks.~ At least her new family accepted her, that was something.
Amelia blinked, and was watching her curiously. Xenith cocked her head in
confusion at the princess.
"Li...Xenith," Gourry altered the name as he saw the mazoku turn to face
him. "You still haven't explained why you didn't tell us who you are."
Zelgadis slapped his head.
"Again: Juuou-Sama said not to, now back to the problem at hand," she
said.
"We won't be able to find Tes for a while yet," Zelgadis said.
"And we have to make sure my sister's coronation goes off correctly,"
Amelia insisted.
"I actually wasn't talking about Tes this time," Xenith noted, glancing
at Xellos.
"Yes, there's a rogue mazoku to consider here," Xellos agreed. Amelia
gasped as she looked up at her oath-bound.
"You aren't suggesting we destroy her!" Amelia demanded.
"I think that we have to at least take into account what she's been
submitted to under Tes's 'care'." Zelgadis nodded, sitting in a chair off to
the side next to Filia.
"Not even a namagomi like you would further torture such a poor girl,"
Filia sniffed. Xellos and Xenith in tandem arched an eyebrow.
"Don't do it L...Xenith."
That "poor girl" had slaughtered thousands more innocent than even the
old Amelia in her life time. The main reason Xellos was so shocked was the
simple audacity of so tormenting a mazoku. Xenith had no such illusions
about superiority, having faced the demon lord itself while she was mortal,
but felt only the barest sympathy for the blue-haired mazoku that had
attempted to kill her. That last sympathy was more out of her mutual hatred
for the woman responsible for Sherra's current condition.
~Perhaps we can use her.~ Xellos noted.
~She tried to kill me. In our position neither her, or the other
servants of Dolphin and Dynast would hesitate to kill us.~
~True, but we're not Grausherra or Dolphin,~ they felt Zelas's smile.
~She's a wolf without a pack, if she wishes she can join ours. Otherwise
well, she knows the otherwise as well as us.~ Amelia was glancing up at them
curiously.
~Hey, can she hear us?~
~Maybe some whispers.~ Zelas gave one of those curious mental shrugs.
~Her and Xellos's connection is....unique.~ Xellos smiled enigmatically.
Nobody really noticed Amelia blush slightly.
"No, we're not going to kill her," Xellos said suddenly. "But we have to
do something with her."
"Do you think she'd accept joing our family?" Amelia asked.
~How...?~ three mazoku blinked all at once.
"Why would the Sailoon family accept a mazoku," Zelgadis demanded.
"Not MY family," Amelia corrected. She pointed between her and the two
mazoku. "Our family." Filia, Zelgadis and Gourry face-faulted.
"Our..." Filia started. "What do you mean by....you and him!"
"You missed that?" Xenith asked sarcastically. Smiling, close-eyed at
the dragon-priestess. Filia sniffed at the question and mumbled something
about "corruption of the innocent."
"Yeah, last night, before we left for here," Amelia admitted.
~How much did you hear?~ Xenith directed the thought toward Xellos.
~Why are you...~
~All of it.~ Three mazoku face-faulted and Amelia giggled while the
remaining slayers tried to figure out what had happened. "Oh, I'm sorry, was
that supposed to be a secret?"
~Why didn't you tell me this after last night?~
~Wanted to wait for just the right moment.~
~Why is that?~
~Well, after all the times that you've kept me in the dark, I felt that I
required some...~
~Payback~ Xenith stated dryly.
~Just retribution,~ Amelia smiled at them.
"I think we're missing something," Gourry noted as they stared at the
seemingly silent trio.
"Almost definitely," Zelgadis agreed irritably.
"Would you three please TALK as is proper?" Filia demanded.
~I LIKE her!~ Zelas declared. ~Way to go Ame-chan!~
~Thank you...do I call you mother-in-law or something?~
~Juuou-sama, that's what they call me.~
~Okay.~ it was a cheerful thought. ~Thanks Juuou-sama.~
Xellos glanced and Xenith and then Amelia.
~This is odd.....good....but odd."
"What is going on here!" Filia shouted. "I demand to be answered."
Three faces turned to look at the dragon.
"Sore wa himitsu desu," all three smiled cheerfully. Filia and Zelgadis
narrowed their eyes irritably.
"So what are we doing with Sherra again?" Gourry asked.
"She's going to is going to be given a choice," Xellos told them, and
left it at that.
~By the way, Xenith,~ Amelia noted. ~Find a robe or something, that
injury is scaring people, and you've had enough feeding.~
~Ahhh...~ both present mazoku whined at the thought of all the lost meals.
"We should leave," the shadow-Zelgadis insisted. Sherra refused to
stand, she was strong enough to not even be budged by the effort.
"This is my best chance," Sherra grumbled. "Dynast's minions won't hunt
me, but they'll kill me on sight. Once Dolphin hears she might decide that
I'd make a fun mouse to play with. Not too mention the fact that I'm still
weak enough that a lot of mortals could conceivably kill me."
"So how is this your best chance?" the shadow-Zelgadis asked. "You tried
to kill one of them. You helped that....beast before she turned on you. We
both did. We're the enemy."
"The Metalliums have the complaint against me," Sherra whispered. "They
are the only ones that can take me in without invoking retribution. My
service could be their price."
"So instead of being a slave to Tes, you'd be a slave to the metalliums,"
Zelgadis asked.
"This wouldn't be like Tes," Sherra shook her head. "But it won't
matter, they probably will kill me." The shadow-Zelgadis lifted her head and
kissed her, Sherra's eyes popped wide and she hesistantly returned the kiss,
burying memories of that....woman-thing's touch last night.
"I can come back later," they turned to see an irate Xenith. "But might
as well get this over with."
"Get what over with?" The shadow-Zelgadis asked nervously.
"You have a choice, " Xenith said simply. "Accept the Metallium name and
blood or...." She let it trail off, shrugging as if bored. The dark-haired
huntress was siting on a dresser appearing to be filing her nails.
"I...accept..." she sighed. Xenith jumped down from the dresser and
walked over.
"You know how this goes right?" she asked, receiving an insulted glare
from the mazoku. "Just checking."
"Can I," the shadow-Zelgadis coughed. "Can I accept too?" Sherra gasped
and looked at him, smiling quietly. Xenith seemed to ponder this for a
moment before shrugging.
"My decision?" she muttered. "Fine with me."
Xenith shifted smoothly into her mazoku form and shoved a clawed hand
into Sherra's body, then twisting to slash through the shadow-chimera's stone
skin. A black nimbus appeared around the three of them, and then circling
around.
Sherra and the shadow lay dying from the wounds, their spirits opened and
loose, prepared to receive the mazoku power. In Sherra's case it was more of
a recharging, but it was a changing experience for both. Cold ice and the
winter's thunder was absorbed into the wild instincts now making themselves a
part of her. She no longer felt like the snow storm, but more like the beast
that stalked the storm. At least she was already mazoku though, and the pain
was minimal.
The shadow-Zelgadis was not so lucky, his entire being was racked with
pain as his body was being rebuilt. Matter converted to energy and infused
with the same wild, hunter's instincts as Sherra next to him. He also sensed
something of the chill wind as Xenith apparently cycled some of Sherra's
original essence into him. He held out from screaming by remembering the
torture he had gone through the day before. It was nothing like this, but it
kept him through until the end. Zelgadis failed to notice the stone across
his skin retreating, or his hair turning a wild snowy white to compliment,
complementing Sherra's icy blue.
When it finally ended, the one thing that surprised Sherra the most was
the pack instinct. In the Grausherra line lesser mazoku were servants and
minions. Now, she felt like...family. She looked up in amazement as
Zelgadis coughed and sat up weakly.
~Welcome to the...~
~Ahem~ Sherra's eyes bugged as Xenith interrupted their master.
~Yes, what is it?~
~You weren't about to rename Sherra, were you?~ Xenith tapped her foot.
~I seem to remember you saying that she's my responsibility.~
~But I have such cute names in mind.~ Zelas whined. Sherra blinked, a
dark lord, whinning?
~Juuou-sama.~ Xenith growled mentally. Zelas laughed and Sherra had an
impression of her waving a hand.
~So what are you going to name them then?~
~Sherra and....Sauron Metallium.~ They blinked at her. The young
general snapped at them. ~I'm not going around calling you shadow-Zelgadis
for the rest of our lives.~
"Of course not, Xenith-sama," the newly named Sauron answered aloud. The
titled seemed natural to use for some reason. Sherra blinked in wonder, she
wasn't a general or priest anymore, but this felt better. She felt, safer
than she had. Staring up at Xenith, the pack's raven, and then glancing at
Sauron she felt she belonged and embraced him cheerfully.
"Yeah, yeah," Xenith waved her hand irritably. "We have work to do."
"Did you feel that?" the shadow-Xellos asked nervously. Nuriko turned to
stare at the fearful mazoku, and sweatdropped. He wondered for a moment just
how a being of such power could be so totally afraid of everything that
moved. The extra-dimensional visitor rolled his eyes and scanned the room.
Lina, the man-stealing Lina he knew, not the so-called original, was off
somewhere checking on her business in this village. She was probably trying
to see how much better she could afford to pay people, Nuriko rolled his eyes
at the girl's apparent lack of business sense. Filia was still in her room
trying out a variety of new looks.
"Listen, Xellie," he started again. "We went through this before."
"But that rabbit had nasty, sharp pointy teeth!"
"Whatever." Nuriko went back to waiting for Lina. They should have left
by now, and he wanted to get this little jaunt over with and back home to
convince Hoto-Hori how wrong for him his current wide was. Lina was
certainly not getting jealous of his advances on this Xellos person.
A hooded girl glared at the two of them from just outside the door. She
narrowed her eyes and growled. She did, however, take the time to note the
aura about the effeminate appearing man. He was from another dimension, she
was certain of it. Suddenly the girl smiled and chuckled evilly as she faded
away from sight. She needed new....support, now she had an idea of where to
look.
"Whew, its gone now," the shadow-Xellos said, relieved. Nuriko quickly
wondered if the mazoku could live forever on his own fear, and then went back
to drumming his fingers in utter boredom. He was managing to drill a hole in
the table.
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