Slayers belongs to Kadokawa Shoten.
JEFFREY: Wow! Things are sure getting exciting! Miss Filia has a long lost sister?!
FILIA: Half sister…
XELLOS: This is wonderful news, Little Dragon! Now we have someone to babysit the children!
FILIA: (SIGH)
Faces: After!
Part 11
Sister Act?!
The Appearance of the Amorous Amara Ul Copt!
Filia hummed happily as she washed the dishes in the basin of warm water. Pulling a
soaked plate from the water, she dried it and put it down on the rack next to the sink. Before she
could return to her job, she heard crying from upstairs. She blinked and looked up at the ceiling
before drying her hands on her apron.
"Xel chan," she called out. "Junior's crying."
"Filia chan!" she heard the Mazoku's voice call back excitedly. "Come quick! Junior just
said his first words!"
The golden dragon gasped in shock and practically flew up the stairs. Turning a corner,
she dashed into the nursery where Xellos was waiting, leaning over a large bassinet. She rushed
up to him and looked down at the little, purple-haired, squinted-eyed, golden dragon smiling up at
her from its pillow.
"Go ahead, Junior," Xellos prompted. "Tell Mommy your first words."
"Yes!" Filia urged excitedly. "Go on…"
The baby dragon smiled in a way eerily reminiscent of its father. "That…is a secret."
"AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Filia screamed as she sat
bolt-upright in bed, her hands going to her sweat-coated face, her eyes wide as dinner plates.
Filia gasped, nearly hyperventilating in panic. She looked around herself and found that
she was in the same inn room she had fallen asleep in. A dream. It was just a dream…
"Oh, thank you, Great Fire Dragon King," she whispered. "Thank you for making it just a
dream…"
The dragon fell back against her pillow and tried to calm down. That's when she heard it.
Someone tapping on her chamber door…
Filia growled. (Xellos…It's got to be Xellos…) She reached under her bed and pulled
out her mace. She'd make him pay for that little nightmare…Oh yes…he will PAY!
She hopped out of bed and approached her door silently. The tapping repeated itself. She
lifted the mace over her head and smiled. "Come in!" she sang happily.
The door exploded inwards! Filia gasped. She wasn't expecting an attack! Turning away
to shield her eyes from the flying wood and debris, she didn't see the blur of yellow flying towards
her until it was too late!
"FILIA!!!!"
"What the…"
*KA-POW!!!*
The dragon hit the ground hard, losing hold of her mace. She looked up and readied a laser
breath spell, but stopped as the smoke began to clear. Blinking, she noticed that her assailant had
golden hair, not purple, and that she was smiling down at her. Recognition struck her a second
later.
"A…Amara?!"
The blonde woman, looking almost exactly like Filia, smiled down at her. "Hi, Filia! Bet
you didn't expect to see me, huh?!" She winked.
The back of Filia's head hit the wood floor with a dull thump as she began to cry.
Birds singing. The sun shining. Smiling children walking down the street, laughing and
playing happily…
"What a miserable day," Xellos commented to himself as he looked out at the small town
from his perch on the inn's roof. They're latest stop had brought them back to Namor, an
obnoxiously happy little hamlet not far from Lake Town. Quite frankly, all the good cheer and
sunshine was beginning to depress him. He thought about taking his harmonica out and playing for
a bit to depress the humans in the street, but sighed and decided against it.
Besides, now that HE had shown up, he wasn't going to have time…
"You were supposed to be in Seyruun three days ago!" he heard the accusing voice from
behind him.
Xellos sighed and turned, immediately looking downward at the small, black and white
housecat sitting not far away. "Callisto! It's been such a long time!"
"Spare me!" Callisto bit out. "You had orders to be in Seyruun. This isn't Seyruun! Now
what do you think you're doing?!"
Xellos' eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't forget who you are addressing, Callisto…"
"I haven't forgotten," the cat bit back. "My tone is no harsher than Her Ladyship's was
when she heard that you were off-mission."
"Beastmaster Metallium has granted me a special leave to…"
"As long as your…eccentricity…didn't interfere with your assignments!" Callisto railed
at him.
Xellos turned away from him and said nothing.
Callisto sighed. "Xellos, I don't think you understand the full implications of the events
occurring back home," he tried calmly. "Lord Beastmaster is…concerned. Your recent behavior
is starting to make her wonder if you're as capable of being her priest as you were a thousand
years ago."
"What?!" Xellos demanded, turning to face the cat.
"It's true!" Callisto told him. "She's beginning to think that you've spent too much time
with these mundanes! First Lina Inverse, then you're inability to recover the Zarak trees, which, I
might add, has set back our operations for at least a hundred years, and now this fixation with this
dragon…"
"Who I choose as a mate is my own concern, and my concern alone," Xellos growled.
"Then for Lord Ruby Eyes' sake!" Callisto hissed at him. "Breed the dragon bitch and be
done with it! Before it costs you something REALLY important!"
Xellos stared coldly down at him. "Orders," he demanded.
Callisto shook his head and muttered something. A small, brown envelope appeared in his
teeth. Xellos reached down and snatched it from him, opening it and reading whatever assignment
Metallium wanted him to perform.
He sighed and read the orders out loud. "'Attack and destroy designated target unless
recalled by positive control contact.' Awfully dry, isn't it?"
"I told you she was disappointed in you," Callisto reminded him. "Look, Xellos," he said
quietly. "Things aren't the way they were a thousand years ago. You should see some of these
new up and comers on Wolfpack Island. All ambition and teeth. No subtlety whatsoever. It's a
very different astral plane. And unless old timers such as you and I stay on top of things, we're
going to find ourselves replaced by Mazoku we wouldn't trust to hold our staffs for us."
Xellos sighed. "You don't understand what it's like, Callisto," he whispered.
"Peak…Peak is like nothing I thought it would be. It's very…uncomfortable."
Callisto nodded. "Just be careful, my friend. And for shit's sake, try not to piss off the
Beastmaster any more than you already have!"
"Thank you for your concern, Callisto."
"The prayers of Lord Ruby Eyes be with you, my friend." With that, the housecat
disappeared.
Xellos sighed.
"SISTER?!"
Filia nodded as the others, minus Xellos, stared at her and the young blonde girl sitting
across the table from them.
"I thought you said you were the last of the Fire Dragon Clan," Naga pointed out.
"I am…technically," Filia admitted. They continued to stare in puzzlement. "Amara here
isn't a part of the Fire Dragon Clan," the dragon explained.
"She's not?" Shadow Lina asked.
"Nope!" Amara said proudly. "I belong to the Amalgamationists!"
"'Amalgamationists?'" Jeffrey asked.
Filia rubbed her temples. "It's this cult that…"
"We are NOT a cult," Amara bit out. "We're a religious sect that just happens to disagree
with YOURS."
"Whatever, all right?!" Filia snapped back.
"Hmmph!" was Amara's only answer.
"So what brings you here?" Naga inquired while attacking her ample breakfast.
"To see Filia chan, of course!" Amara told her brightly. "When I heard what had
happened to the Fire Dragon Clan, I was afraid that she had…that she had… But then I found out
she wasn't! So I came to see her! Then I found out about baby Val from the Kataart Dragons!"
She turned to her sister. "So I'm here to help out in any way I can, Filia chan!"
"That's…wonderful," Filia sighed, rubbing her temples again.
Without warning, Xellos materialized in an empty chair next to Filia. "Good morning,
Filia chan!" he cried happily. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to wake you up this morning, but I'm
afraid…" He saw Amara, then looked back at Filia. "Filia chan, if you think making a copii of
yourself to use as a decoy is going to work, then you are…"
"SHE IS NOT A COPII, NAMAGOMI!!" Filia cried, swinging her mace. "This is my
half-sister, Amara."
Xellos smiled. "I wasn't aware you had a sister, Filia chan." He looked over at Amara,
who was staring back at him. "I'm Xellos. The Mysterious Priest."
"A…A…A…Amara…Lord Xellos," Amara whispered.
Filia blinked and looked at Amara. "'LORD' Xellos?" she asked.
"It…It's a great honor, Lord Xellos," Amara said, blushing.
The Mazoku actually blinked in surprise. "It is?"
"Yes!" Amara said quickly. "I…" Before she could finish, Filia had grabbed her arm and
was dragging her upstairs.
"Well…What a delightful young lady," Xellos commented.
Shadow Lina and Jeffrey nodded. Naga was hmm'ing in thought.
"Miss Naga, I'm going to go for a walk, okay?" Shadow Lina announced, rising to her feet.
"I'll go with you," Jeffrey offered, likewise standing.
Smiling, the two left the inn. Naga was still thinking. Xellos sat back in his chair and
thought about his orders. He hated the fact that he would have to leave Filia chan for awhile, but it
was only for a day at most.
He'd just have to make it through.
"What the hell was that?!" Filia demanded as she closed her door and locked it. She
turned back to her sister, who was sitting in the edge of the dragon's bed, staring off into space.
"That was really him, wasn't it?" Amara asked in a whisper. "Beastmaster
Xellos…Lephisly…the Dark One himself…wasn't it?"
"Yes," Filia said with a sigh. "It was really him. He's a horrible, disgusting creature,
Amara. A thing with no conscience. Evil in it's purest form. You must stay away from him,
Amara!"
Amara was silent for several moments. Then, at last, she said something.
"I want him."
It took a minute for this phrase to sink into Filia's mind. When it did…
"WHAT?!"
"Don't tell me you didn't feel it, Filia!" Amara cried, standing up. "You must have felt
it…The raw power emanating from him like a barely suppressed torrent! A walking tempest of
power!"
Filia blinked in shock. "What are you talking about!?"
Amara blushed. "Filia…Honestly…You don't find him…"
"What?"
"So you and he aren't…"
"AREN'T WHAT?! MAKE SENSE!!"
"Hmmph!" Amara sniffed. "You ARE a woman, aren't you!?"
"So?!"
"'So?!'" the dragon's sister repeated. "Are you dense, Filia!? You don't see
how…how…HOW UTTERLY GORGEOUS HE IS?!"
Filia hit the floor. Standing up again she squared off with her sister angrily. "How can you
find that monster namagomi attractive!?"
"How CAN'T I?!" Amara shot back. "That purple hair…that smile…that sense of mystery
and power…" She closed her eyes and shivered. "Just the thought of being with such a powerful
man sends jolts of electricity down my tail!" As if answering a cue, Amara's golden tail, complete
with a bright purple bow, appeared from under her simple, red dress.
"HE'S A MAZOKU!!" Filia screamed.
"Hmmph!" Amara sniffed again. "That means nothing to an Amalgamationist and you
know it!" She stuck her tongue out at Filia. "If anything, it's a plus!"
"AMARA!"
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back downstairs, have my breakfast, and speak
with Lord Xellos…" She walked out the door.
Filia growled and turned, rushing after her sister. "Oh no you're not! I'm not going to let
you make ANOTHER stupid decision like before!" She reached out and grabbed hold of the
dragon's tail.
"Ack! Filia! Let go of my tail!" Amara tugged against the dragon, trying to free herself.
Filia strained, pulling her sister's tail as hard as she could in an effort to forcibly drag her
back into her room. "No! Not until you grow up a little!"
"I'm older than you are, Filia!"
"Prove it! Stay away from Xellos and don't do anything stupid!"
"It's not stupid! They're my beliefs! Mazoku are not evil! They're just different! You and
the other Fire Dragons are just too prejudiced and racist to believe it!"
Filia grit her teeth and gave another sharp pull. She managed to gain a yard. Then Amara
dug in her heels and started to pull back. Filia soon found her gained yard gone. "I've seen him in
action, Amara! He only acts in his own best interests!"
"Who doesn't?!" Amara shot back, pulling harder.
Walking near the inn, just below the window near which Filia and Amara were "talking,"
Shadow Lina and Jeffrey blinked upwards at the sounds of angry dragons.
"It sure is great that Miss Filia's sister came to help her, isn't it?" Shadow Lina asked
with a bright smile.
Jeffrey smiled in return and nodded. "Yeah. Miss Filia is nice, but she always seems…I
don't know…lonely…"
"I know. I think that's why Mister Xellos is always trying to make her smile."
Jeffrey nodded.
Unaware of its presence, the two continued to chat as a black and white housecat stared at
them in surprise from the corner of the inn. Callisto simply blinked and did the math in his head.
(How did…How can…) He shook his feline head. "How did she get here so fast?!" he
asked out loud. Gritting his teeth he growled. "Great…Scarrin's going to throw a hissy fit
now…" He sighed. "Well, if it didn't work last time, it had better this time." He put on his 'cute
little me' face and walked up to the two.
Shadow Lina caught sight of him first, and her eyes exploded in stars.
"AWWWWWWWW!!!! It's a cute little kitty cat!!!"
Callisto meowed and smiled up at the red head. (Okay, I'll just scratch her like I did the
other girl, and maybe THIS time it'll work. It's a good thing I came here to talk to Xellos…)
Shadow Lina reached down and picked up the cat, scratching him behind his ears. Callisto
purred and snuggled with the sorceress for a few moments. Then…
"Owie!"
The shadow dropped the cat and looked at the small scratch on her hand. Callisto ran off.
Shadow Lina's eyes began to tear up.
"Miss Lina?" Jeffrey asked. "What's wrong?"
Shadow Lina sniffled. "M..M…Mister Kitty scratched me!" she cried. "IT HURTS! IT
HURTS! IT HURTS!" she wailed, tears running down her face.
"Oh! Here! Don't cry!" Jeffrey begged. He reached up to his collar and removed a short,
red scarf he wore as part of his Flaming Heroes uniform. He took Shadow Lina's hand and began
to wrap the silk scarf around the wound. Shadow Lina watched him do this and sniffled
pathetically. "There! All better!" He smiled at her.
She sniffled again. "Lord Jeffrey…Would you…Would you…"
"Would I what?" he asked.
Shadow Lina looked away and blushed. "Would you kiss it and make it better? Luna
Oneechan would do that…and it would go away…"
Jeffrey turned bright red. "Um…Sure…" He brought the girl's hand up to his lips and
kissed her knuckle where the cat had scratched her. "How's that?"
Shadow Lina grinned and giggled. "Thank you, Lord Jeffrey!"
"You're welcome! Hey! We'd better get back! Miss Naga might be looking for us!"
"Okay!" She watched as Jeffrey turned and started for the inn's entrance. She took a few
steps after him and heard a loud *THOCK!* behind her. Turning, she found a large war-pike
embedded in the wall where she had been standing. Blinking, she turned and saw a large woman,
her faced covered in a mask, glaring at her from across the courtyard.
Shadow Lina and Josephine's eyes locked. Josephine's narrowed dangerously.
The shadow eep'd and ran after Jeffrey.
Amara took another step down the stairs, dragging her sister with her.
"Amara!" Filia grunted, pulling on her sister's tail with all her might. "Stop this! It's
madness!"
"It is NOT madness!" Amara huffed back, straining as she pulled Filia down another step.
"What is so wrong with making a good impression?!"
"I can't believe you!" Filia cried, continuing to pull. "You've studied the Mazoku! You
above all others should know what he's like! What he's done to our people!"
"AND WE DID THE EXACT SAME THING TO THE ANCIENT DRAGONS! ARE
*YOU* EVIL, FILIA?!"
Shocked at hearing such a thing, Filia released Amara, who cried out and went tumbling
down the stairs. The dragon stared down at Amara in surprise. "How…How did you know
about…"
Amara picked herself up and dusted herself off. She hmmph'd and looked up at Filia, her
hands on her hips. "WE have always known," she commented casually. "The Amalgamationist
Movement, unlike certain dragon clans, realizes that EVERYONE is capable of evil acts. People
like YOU just blame the Mazoku because they're more open about it. You use them as a
scapegoat…"
"No I don't! They ARE evil!"
"Hmmph!" Amara sniffed. "And that makes us…what? Saintly? Pure? Innocent?"
"N..no…" Filia said guiltily.
"Glad you agree! Now I'm going to go make a good impression on Lord Xellos!" She
started for the restaurant.
"Amara! Get back here!" Filia cried, chasing her down the stairs.
"Eventful day, ne?" Xellos asked.
Naga was still thinking. "Two golden dragons…and me…If I wanted to…" She grinned
evilly. "I could take over the world…"
"Oh?" the priest asked innocently. He could hear the sound of bickering dragons from not
far away. "And do you think they'd agree to help you?"
"OOOOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!" Naga laughed. "Silly Side-Kick of
Questionable Worth! I didn't say I was GOING to take over the world, just that I could if I really
wanted to! I'd find some way to convince them…deal with them… After all, I managed to get
Filia to come with me."
"Yes, a stroke of genius on your part," Xellos complimented her.
"Exactly! Really, Side-Kick, if you're going to make it in this world and accomplish your
goals, you're going to have to learn how to manipulate people."
Xellos sweatdropped. "I…I'll work on it…" he promised.
"See that you do! I'll simply have to teach you! Manipulating people is an art, but it's not
too difficult. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it one day…" She smiled reassuringly.
"Um…Thank you…Miss Naga," Xellos muttered.
"Amara! What do you think you're…"
Before Filia could finish her question, Amara Ul Copt was standing next to Xellos and
Naga's table, her hands behind her back. She had a grim look of determination on her face.
"Um…Is something wrong, Miss Amara?" Xellos asked.
With a cry, Amara slammed her palm onto the table in front of Xellos, her fingers spread
out. She pulled her other hand out from behind her back, revealing a large wooden mallet
clenched tightly in her fingers. With a cry she brought the hammer down, smashing one of her
fingers.
"AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!" she screamed, clutching her hand. "ITAI! ITAI!
ITAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Filia and Naga stared and sweatdropped. "Um…What was the point of that?" Filia
muttered. Naga only shook her head.
Xellos, however, suddenly brightened. "Oh, my dear dragon!" he cried in mock concern.
He stood up and circled the table until he was standing next to Amara. "How awful," he clucked.
Taking her hand, he examined her finger. Amara sniffled and whimpered. Xellos gently took the
wounded finger between his thumb and forefinger and smiled, giving it a little squeeze…on
"accident," of course…
"ITAI!!" Amara cried out. "It hurts! It hurts!"
"Awww…You poor thing," Xellos clucked.
Filia stared wide-eyed in shock at the display. "What the…Why the…Who the…"
Naga smiled and nodded, finally getting it. "I see! Mazoku feed off negative emotions like
pain and distress!" She put her finger to her lip. "If that's true…I guess Xellos would be doing
the equivalent of feeling your sister up…"
Filia grit her teeth and lunged forward, her mace in her hand! She growled and swung at
Xellos, who just managed to disappear in time. He reappeared in his chair.
"STOP FEEDING OFF MY SISTER'S PAIN, YOU PERVERT NAMAGOMI!!!" Filia
screamed at him.
"I was just seeing if she was all right, Filia chan," he said with a grin. He took a sip of tea
and felt Filia seethe nearby. He decided it was too good to pass up and pushed her just a tad
farther. "Jealous?" he asked.
Filia growled and grabbed her sister's hand. Amara squealed in pain. "You shut up!" she
ordered the dragon. She began chanting a healing spell.
"I think you ARE!" Xellos said suddenly.
"I AM NOT!!"
The trickster priest pouted. "Awww…You know…if YOU did that kind of thing for me, I
wouldn't have to go looking for other dragons to do it…"
"DO YOU SEE?!" she screamed at Amara. "DO YOU SEE HOW HE IS?!"
Amara giggled. "Lighten up, Filia! I think he has a wonderful sense of humor!"
"YOU WOULD!"
"Why thank you, Miss Amara," Xellos replied. "And thank you for the wonderful gesture.
I enjoyed it immensely."
Amara broke away from her sister and stepped toward him. "If you like…we can…"
"NO YOU WILL NOT!" Filia screamed, placing herself between them. She turned to her
sister angrily. "How could you?! Knowing what he is! How can you be so casual about this!?"
"Why not? What's the big deal?" Amara asked in mock puzzlement.
"HE KILLED THOUSANDS OF OUR PEOPLE!" Filia cried.
"And we killed thousands of his," Amara pointed out. "Isn't it time to put the war behind
us? Shouldn't we reach out and try to forge a future with our Mazoku brothers? To stand up, hand
in hand, dragon and monster, and say 'NO! WE SHALL NO LONGER HATE!?'" She posed
dramatically in a way that would make Amelia clap her hands in glee.
Filia and Xellos both sweatdropped at this.
"Um…Filia chan?" Xellos whispered. "Is she…for real?"
"You have no idea…" Filia muttered back. She turned her attention back to Amara.
"WOULD YOU GROW UP?!" she cried. "That's just more Amalgamationist brain-washing!
Dragons and Mazoku have always hated one another for a REASON!"
"Which is?!" Amara demanded.
Filia opened her mouth, but no sound emerged. She stood there, thinking frantically.
"Well, they….And we….But they…" Everyone's eyes were on her as she tried to think of a
reason. "BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL MEAN!" she finally cried.
"Well, she's got us there," Xellos admitted with a shrug.
"Hmmph!" Amara sniffed triumphantly. "The truth is that dragons and monsters have been
fighting for so long, they don't even remember WHY! The Amalgamationists think that it's time to
put that kind of petty fighting behind us! It's part of the reason I'm here, actually…"
"What do you mean?" Filia asked, her eyes narrowing.
"When the elder of our sect found out that I intended to seek you out, he gave me a special
task! He knew that you traveled with Lina Inverse, and that she often came across Mazoku. In the
event that I met one, he asked me take on a most solemn mission, and I accepted it whole-
heartedly!"
"And that is?" Naga asked.
Amara closed her eyes in rapture and clasped her hands together. "To offer myself to them
in marriage and bring our two peoples together in a joyous union!"
Three…
Two…
One…
Shadow Lina turned the knob for the inn door just as the roof was blown off in a
tremendous internal explosion! The concussion knocked both her and Jeffrey off their feet and into
the dirt. People all around them were running about fearfully, trying to put the flames out.
In a flash of darkness, Xellos appeared next to them. He looked up at the burning inn and
nodded in approval. "Such passion!"
Greysword pulled her canteen from her belt and dumped the contents over her head. It was
hot in this part of the continent this time of the year. The water splashed over her head and down
her body, cooling her off.
"Hey! Have a little consideration!" she heard someone cry from her feet. She looked
down and saw Callisto, soaked by the water dripping off her body, glaring up at her.
"Oh, it's you," Greysword remarked.
"'You,'" Callisto repeated with a sigh. "A thousand years ago the sight of me at your feet
would have sent you running, screaming in terror…Now I'm 'Oh, it's you.'" He shook his feline
head.
"What's the problem?" she asked, getting irritated.
"No problem," the cat remarked. "Except you're moving in the wrong direction."
"Huh?"
Callisto pointed a furry paw back in the direction from which they had come. "I was just
in Namor. Lina Inverse is there."
"What?!"
Scarrin pushed his way forward. "Callisto? What's this all about?"
"You're moving in the wrong direction," Callisto repeated. "Somehow, Lina Inverse got
past you and is back in Namor."
"You're kidding…" Greysword muttered. "How could she…"
"It makes no difference how," Scarrin broke in. "We must hedge our bets. Greysword, go
back to Namor and investigate this claim. I want to know if Lina Inverse is there. If she is, keep
out of sight and watch them."
She nodded and started back down the line of marching berserkers toward Namor.
(Finally…I get to handle this my way…)
*THUD!…THUD!…THUD!…*
Amara sighed as Filia's head hit the table again. "Filia! Would you cut that out!? It's
unseemly!"
The dragon's head hit the table again and stayed there. It hadn't taken too long to find a
new inn, even though the owner was charging them triple as "Dragon Insurance."
Filia started to growl from her position at the table. Amara decided to ignore her. Instead,
she turned to Xellos. "So you see, Lord Xellos, in accordance with the wishes of the
Amalgamationist Elder, I am hereby offering myself to you in holy matrimony!"
"You…want to MARRY me?" Xellos asked, still unable to believe what he was hearing.
"Yes!" Amara cried. "For great justice! I shall…"
"You….shall….NOT!!" Filia screamed, rising to feet. "I FORBID IT!"
The older dragon looked at her sister, her eyes narrowing. "And…just who are YOU to
forbid ME from doing ANYTHING?" Amara asked. "I'M the elder sister, Filia."
"You…You can't…" Filia whispered hauntingly.
"I'm afraid Filia chan is right, Miss Amara," Xellos told her.
"Wh…WHAT?!" Amara cried in distress. "But why?! Lord Xellos, please! Don't allow
the narrow-mindedness of the other golden dragons destroy this one chance for peace in our
lifetimes! I beg of you!" She fell to her knees before Xellos and grabbed his leg.
Xellos smiled. "You misunderstand me, Miss Amara. I have nothing against you or
dragons…for the most part. You just can't marry ME." Amara looked up at him and blinked in
confusion. "You see," the Mazoku elaborated, grabbing hold of Filia and pulling her into his lap.
"I'm engaged to Filia chan!"
"WHAT?!" Amara cried.
"WHAT?!" Filia cried a second later. She began to struggle and reach for her mace, but
Xellos wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly.
"Yes, we're very excited about it," Xellos continued as Filia struggled. "Aren't we, Little
Dragon?" he asked her, bouncing Filia in his lap.
Filia grimaced and opened her mouth to yell at Xellos when she saw Amara staring up at
them. She smiled evilly and glomped onto the priest, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh,
yes, darling! Isn't it wonderful!?"
"Um…" Xellos replied with a sweatdrop.
"Life is just so wonderful, isn't it?!" Filia gushed. Xellos shuddered and started to turn
pale. "I mean, now that we're a couple, our lives will be happy and wonderful FOREVER!"
Xellos started shaking.
Amara squealed in delight. "Oh, Filia! I'm so happy for you!" She shot up and hugged the
dragon.
The priest, meanwhile, wiped his brow with a handkerchief. "I'm suddenly not feeling
well…"
"Me too," Shadow Lina suddenly complained from the other side of the table.
Sitting next to her, Jeffrey blinked in concern. "Miss Lina? Are you okay?"
"I think I'm coming down with something." Naga put a hand on Shadow Lina's forehead
and hmmm'd.
"You've got a fever," she noted.
"This has been such a bad day," the red head pouted. "First Mister Kitty scratches me,
then some tourist chucks a spear at me, then our inn explodes…"
Xellos arched an eyebrow. "Mister Kitty?" he asked.
The shadow nodded. "This kitty cat scratched me on the hand today."
"May I see it?" he asked.
Shadow Lina nodded and walked up to him, removing the make-shift bandage from her
hand. She offered the Mazoku her hand and looked away, clenching her eyes shut and squealing in
anticipation of horrible pain.
Xellos looked over the scratch. Filia examined it as well, considering she was still
trapped in the priest's lap. "This is festering!" the dragon cried.
"Is that bad?!" Shadow Lina cried. "It sounds bad! Really bad!"
"Callisto, what are you up to?" Xellos whispered. Filia only looked at him and blinked.
"Xellos? Do you…"
"Ah! Well, I'm sure Filia chan could heal it right up, couldn't you, Filia chan?" he asked.
"Um…Yes, of course…"
"Good." Suddenly, the Mazoku stood up, and Filia fell from his lap onto the floor. "Now,
I hate to have to do this, but there's a small something I have to take care of. Ta ta." With that, he
vanished.
The golden dragon stood up rubbing her rump and growled.
"Don't be mad, Filia," Amara said with a smile. "He IS a government employee, after
all."
Filia just shook her head and started to chant a healing spell on Shadow Lina's hand.
"Now, once I'm done I want you to go up to your room and rest, okay?" The shadow nodded
pitifully.
"If you want, I'll stay with you for a bit," Jeffrey offered.
Shadow Lina's eyes lit up. "Would you, Lord Jeffrey? I think I'd really li…"
*CRASH!*
They all stared in shock at the chandelier that just crashed onto their table.
"Is everyone okay?!" Jeffrey asked.
Shadow Lina coughed from the dust cloud that was created from the impact. "Yeah," she
said. She looked up at where the chandelier had once hung. It appeared that the rope holding it up
had snapped. Her eyes followed the path of the line over the pulley and down to the point in the
wall where it would've been tied.
Josephine stood there, a kitchen knife in her hand. She glared at Shadow Lina.
The shadow eep'd and ducked behind Filia. "Over there!" She pointed.
The others turned to look, but Josephine was gone.
"What?" Naga asked. "I don't see anything."
"I…I…" Shadow Lina started to cry.
"You poor thing," Filia said sympathetically. "Come on. Let's get you to bed."
"Yeah, come on," Jeffrey said, offering the shadow his hand.
"That's okay!" Shadow Lina cried, shying away from Jeffrey. "Um…I…I need to talk to
Miss Naga alone…About……stuff…"
Jeffrey blinked. His face fell. "Oh," he muttered.
Shadow Lina grabbed Naga's hand and started dragging her up the stairs.
"Such an odd girl," Amara noted.
Filia rolled her eyes. "You should've seen the original…"
He appeared in the palace and sighed. He'd only been gone for a few minutes, and already
his blood was beginning to boil, urging him to return to Filia's side. The fact that he could no
longer sense her, no longer smell her pheromones or hear her pulse had the oddest effect on him.
He felt…empty…alone…
Not only that, but his Peak-effected mind began to make up excuses for him to scrub this
mission and rush back to her. Images of another male approaching Filia and smiling at her…
Maybe even that damn Jeffrey boy…
He made a mental note to fry Jeffrey as soon as he got back! How dare he believe that he
could attempt to steal Filia chan away from him!? FROM HIM!?
The priest grit his teeth and tried desperately to keep his mind on the mission, a mission he
would find difficult enough without thoughts of Filia getting in the way. He started quietly down
the hallway.
(YOU'VE BEEN GONE MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES! WHAT IF SHE'S IN
TROUBLE?!)
He stopped in his tracks and grit his teeth again. Filia chan was NOT in trouble. She was
perfectly fine. He started forward again.
He started to wonder how he would explain this to them…to her. Amelia was their friend,
and while he wouldn't go quite as far when explaining HIS relationship to her, he did admit he
found the spirited young woman an endless source of amusement.
Xellos thought about his orders again. ("Attack and destroy designated target unless
recalled by positive control contact.") the letter had read. Underneath, a further explanation had
been written. ("The Princess of Seyruun has returned to her kingdom. Steps taken by the Royal
Government to tighten security against further Mazoku interference constitute a risk to future
operations. Princess of Seyruun said to be an architect of these measures. Eliminate the threat.")
He sighed. So Amelia had learned a lesson from her cousin Alfred's activities and was
trying to see to it that the Mazoku could never interfere in Seyruun again…
That was stupid, even for her.
He turned a corner and walked right up to the chambers of the crown princess. He knocked
politely then gathered a ball of energy into his hand. A second later, the door opened…
Xellos blinked in shock. The ball of energy dissipated.
"You're not Amelia…"
"So what is it that you need to talk about?" Naga asked Shadow Lina as they entered her
room.
The shadow climbed into bed and pulled the covers over herself. "Miss Naga…When you
like a guy…and…someone else likes that guy…Does that someone else ever…you know…throw
spears at you?"
Naga nodded "Oh, yeah, sure."
Shadow Lina whimpered.
"What's the matter?" Naga asked.
"I think that tourist lady who's always following around Lord Jeffrey likes him," the
shadow explained pitifully. "I think…I think she's trying to kill me…"
"Oh, don't worry about her! I can assure you right now that that tourist lady isn't after
Jeffrey at all!" Naga assured her with a dismissive wave. "She's just a little…overprotective of
him."
"Oh," Shadow Lina said. "Thank you, Miss Naga."
The White Serpent mussed Shadow Lina's hair. "Do you want anything before you go to
sleep?"
"Well…" the shadow began awkwardly. "When I was little…and sick…Luna Oneechan
would read me a story."
"Story, huh?" Naga commented. "Well…"
"Please, Miss Naga!?" Shadow Lina begged. "It's scary being alone and sick! Please!?"
"Okay," the sorceress sighed in defeat. "What kind of story do you want?"
Shadow Lina pointed at her pack. "My book is in there. I haven't read it yet."
"Okay, okay," Naga muttered, rummaging through the pack. She pulled the book out and
sat down next to the shadow's bed. She squinted at the title. "What is this book called?"
"Claire Bears," Shadow Lina supplied.
"Claire Be…" Naga's eyes went wide. She flipped hurriedly through the pages.
"Miss Naga? Is something wrong?" the redhead asked.
The White Serpent was close to hyperventilating now. She began to laugh maniacally.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!"
"Miss Naga?" Shadow Lina started to cringe away.
Naga continued to read through the book, her eyes soaking up the ancient texts. She
laughed again and began to bounce up and down in glee.
"You like Claire Bears too?" Shadow Lina asked in confusion.
"THIS ISN'T CLAIRE BEARS, YOU NINNY!!!" Naga cried.
"It's not?"
"No! OOOOHOHOHOHOHO!!!" Naga laughed again. "Do you realize what this is?
How valuable it is?!" Shadow Lina shook her head.
"I thought it was a shoujo manga…"
"IT'S NOT A MANGA!!" Naga screamed.
Shadow Lina just stared.
"It's a piece of the Claire Bible!"
To Be Continued…
JEFFREY: Wow! Things are sure getting exciting! Miss Filia has a long lost sister?!
FILIA: Half sister…
XELLOS: This is wonderful news, Little Dragon! Now we have someone to babysit the children!
FILIA: (SIGH)
Faces: After!
Part 11
Sister Act?!
The Appearance of the Amorous Amara Ul Copt!
Filia hummed happily as she washed the dishes in the basin of warm water. Pulling a
soaked plate from the water, she dried it and put it down on the rack next to the sink. Before she
could return to her job, she heard crying from upstairs. She blinked and looked up at the ceiling
before drying her hands on her apron.
"Xel chan," she called out. "Junior's crying."
"Filia chan!" she heard the Mazoku's voice call back excitedly. "Come quick! Junior just
said his first words!"
The golden dragon gasped in shock and practically flew up the stairs. Turning a corner,
she dashed into the nursery where Xellos was waiting, leaning over a large bassinet. She rushed
up to him and looked down at the little, purple-haired, squinted-eyed, golden dragon smiling up at
her from its pillow.
"Go ahead, Junior," Xellos prompted. "Tell Mommy your first words."
"Yes!" Filia urged excitedly. "Go on…"
The baby dragon smiled in a way eerily reminiscent of its father. "That…is a secret."
"AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
UUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Filia screamed as she sat
bolt-upright in bed, her hands going to her sweat-coated face, her eyes wide as dinner plates.
Filia gasped, nearly hyperventilating in panic. She looked around herself and found that
she was in the same inn room she had fallen asleep in. A dream. It was just a dream…
"Oh, thank you, Great Fire Dragon King," she whispered. "Thank you for making it just a
dream…"
The dragon fell back against her pillow and tried to calm down. That's when she heard it.
Someone tapping on her chamber door…
Filia growled. (Xellos…It's got to be Xellos…) She reached under her bed and pulled
out her mace. She'd make him pay for that little nightmare…Oh yes…he will PAY!
She hopped out of bed and approached her door silently. The tapping repeated itself. She
lifted the mace over her head and smiled. "Come in!" she sang happily.
The door exploded inwards! Filia gasped. She wasn't expecting an attack! Turning away
to shield her eyes from the flying wood and debris, she didn't see the blur of yellow flying towards
her until it was too late!
"FILIA!!!!"
"What the…"
*KA-POW!!!*
The dragon hit the ground hard, losing hold of her mace. She looked up and readied a laser
breath spell, but stopped as the smoke began to clear. Blinking, she noticed that her assailant had
golden hair, not purple, and that she was smiling down at her. Recognition struck her a second
later.
"A…Amara?!"
The blonde woman, looking almost exactly like Filia, smiled down at her. "Hi, Filia! Bet
you didn't expect to see me, huh?!" She winked.
The back of Filia's head hit the wood floor with a dull thump as she began to cry.
Birds singing. The sun shining. Smiling children walking down the street, laughing and
playing happily…
"What a miserable day," Xellos commented to himself as he looked out at the small town
from his perch on the inn's roof. They're latest stop had brought them back to Namor, an
obnoxiously happy little hamlet not far from Lake Town. Quite frankly, all the good cheer and
sunshine was beginning to depress him. He thought about taking his harmonica out and playing for
a bit to depress the humans in the street, but sighed and decided against it.
Besides, now that HE had shown up, he wasn't going to have time…
"You were supposed to be in Seyruun three days ago!" he heard the accusing voice from
behind him.
Xellos sighed and turned, immediately looking downward at the small, black and white
housecat sitting not far away. "Callisto! It's been such a long time!"
"Spare me!" Callisto bit out. "You had orders to be in Seyruun. This isn't Seyruun! Now
what do you think you're doing?!"
Xellos' eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't forget who you are addressing, Callisto…"
"I haven't forgotten," the cat bit back. "My tone is no harsher than Her Ladyship's was
when she heard that you were off-mission."
"Beastmaster Metallium has granted me a special leave to…"
"As long as your…eccentricity…didn't interfere with your assignments!" Callisto railed
at him.
Xellos turned away from him and said nothing.
Callisto sighed. "Xellos, I don't think you understand the full implications of the events
occurring back home," he tried calmly. "Lord Beastmaster is…concerned. Your recent behavior
is starting to make her wonder if you're as capable of being her priest as you were a thousand
years ago."
"What?!" Xellos demanded, turning to face the cat.
"It's true!" Callisto told him. "She's beginning to think that you've spent too much time
with these mundanes! First Lina Inverse, then you're inability to recover the Zarak trees, which, I
might add, has set back our operations for at least a hundred years, and now this fixation with this
dragon…"
"Who I choose as a mate is my own concern, and my concern alone," Xellos growled.
"Then for Lord Ruby Eyes' sake!" Callisto hissed at him. "Breed the dragon bitch and be
done with it! Before it costs you something REALLY important!"
Xellos stared coldly down at him. "Orders," he demanded.
Callisto shook his head and muttered something. A small, brown envelope appeared in his
teeth. Xellos reached down and snatched it from him, opening it and reading whatever assignment
Metallium wanted him to perform.
He sighed and read the orders out loud. "'Attack and destroy designated target unless
recalled by positive control contact.' Awfully dry, isn't it?"
"I told you she was disappointed in you," Callisto reminded him. "Look, Xellos," he said
quietly. "Things aren't the way they were a thousand years ago. You should see some of these
new up and comers on Wolfpack Island. All ambition and teeth. No subtlety whatsoever. It's a
very different astral plane. And unless old timers such as you and I stay on top of things, we're
going to find ourselves replaced by Mazoku we wouldn't trust to hold our staffs for us."
Xellos sighed. "You don't understand what it's like, Callisto," he whispered.
"Peak…Peak is like nothing I thought it would be. It's very…uncomfortable."
Callisto nodded. "Just be careful, my friend. And for shit's sake, try not to piss off the
Beastmaster any more than you already have!"
"Thank you for your concern, Callisto."
"The prayers of Lord Ruby Eyes be with you, my friend." With that, the housecat
disappeared.
Xellos sighed.
"SISTER?!"
Filia nodded as the others, minus Xellos, stared at her and the young blonde girl sitting
across the table from them.
"I thought you said you were the last of the Fire Dragon Clan," Naga pointed out.
"I am…technically," Filia admitted. They continued to stare in puzzlement. "Amara here
isn't a part of the Fire Dragon Clan," the dragon explained.
"She's not?" Shadow Lina asked.
"Nope!" Amara said proudly. "I belong to the Amalgamationists!"
"'Amalgamationists?'" Jeffrey asked.
Filia rubbed her temples. "It's this cult that…"
"We are NOT a cult," Amara bit out. "We're a religious sect that just happens to disagree
with YOURS."
"Whatever, all right?!" Filia snapped back.
"Hmmph!" was Amara's only answer.
"So what brings you here?" Naga inquired while attacking her ample breakfast.
"To see Filia chan, of course!" Amara told her brightly. "When I heard what had
happened to the Fire Dragon Clan, I was afraid that she had…that she had… But then I found out
she wasn't! So I came to see her! Then I found out about baby Val from the Kataart Dragons!"
She turned to her sister. "So I'm here to help out in any way I can, Filia chan!"
"That's…wonderful," Filia sighed, rubbing her temples again.
Without warning, Xellos materialized in an empty chair next to Filia. "Good morning,
Filia chan!" he cried happily. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to wake you up this morning, but I'm
afraid…" He saw Amara, then looked back at Filia. "Filia chan, if you think making a copii of
yourself to use as a decoy is going to work, then you are…"
"SHE IS NOT A COPII, NAMAGOMI!!" Filia cried, swinging her mace. "This is my
half-sister, Amara."
Xellos smiled. "I wasn't aware you had a sister, Filia chan." He looked over at Amara,
who was staring back at him. "I'm Xellos. The Mysterious Priest."
"A…A…A…Amara…Lord Xellos," Amara whispered.
Filia blinked and looked at Amara. "'LORD' Xellos?" she asked.
"It…It's a great honor, Lord Xellos," Amara said, blushing.
The Mazoku actually blinked in surprise. "It is?"
"Yes!" Amara said quickly. "I…" Before she could finish, Filia had grabbed her arm and
was dragging her upstairs.
"Well…What a delightful young lady," Xellos commented.
Shadow Lina and Jeffrey nodded. Naga was hmm'ing in thought.
"Miss Naga, I'm going to go for a walk, okay?" Shadow Lina announced, rising to her feet.
"I'll go with you," Jeffrey offered, likewise standing.
Smiling, the two left the inn. Naga was still thinking. Xellos sat back in his chair and
thought about his orders. He hated the fact that he would have to leave Filia chan for awhile, but it
was only for a day at most.
He'd just have to make it through.
"What the hell was that?!" Filia demanded as she closed her door and locked it. She
turned back to her sister, who was sitting in the edge of the dragon's bed, staring off into space.
"That was really him, wasn't it?" Amara asked in a whisper. "Beastmaster
Xellos…Lephisly…the Dark One himself…wasn't it?"
"Yes," Filia said with a sigh. "It was really him. He's a horrible, disgusting creature,
Amara. A thing with no conscience. Evil in it's purest form. You must stay away from him,
Amara!"
Amara was silent for several moments. Then, at last, she said something.
"I want him."
It took a minute for this phrase to sink into Filia's mind. When it did…
"WHAT?!"
"Don't tell me you didn't feel it, Filia!" Amara cried, standing up. "You must have felt
it…The raw power emanating from him like a barely suppressed torrent! A walking tempest of
power!"
Filia blinked in shock. "What are you talking about!?"
Amara blushed. "Filia…Honestly…You don't find him…"
"What?"
"So you and he aren't…"
"AREN'T WHAT?! MAKE SENSE!!"
"Hmmph!" Amara sniffed. "You ARE a woman, aren't you!?"
"So?!"
"'So?!'" the dragon's sister repeated. "Are you dense, Filia!? You don't see
how…how…HOW UTTERLY GORGEOUS HE IS?!"
Filia hit the floor. Standing up again she squared off with her sister angrily. "How can you
find that monster namagomi attractive!?"
"How CAN'T I?!" Amara shot back. "That purple hair…that smile…that sense of mystery
and power…" She closed her eyes and shivered. "Just the thought of being with such a powerful
man sends jolts of electricity down my tail!" As if answering a cue, Amara's golden tail, complete
with a bright purple bow, appeared from under her simple, red dress.
"HE'S A MAZOKU!!" Filia screamed.
"Hmmph!" Amara sniffed again. "That means nothing to an Amalgamationist and you
know it!" She stuck her tongue out at Filia. "If anything, it's a plus!"
"AMARA!"
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back downstairs, have my breakfast, and speak
with Lord Xellos…" She walked out the door.
Filia growled and turned, rushing after her sister. "Oh no you're not! I'm not going to let
you make ANOTHER stupid decision like before!" She reached out and grabbed hold of the
dragon's tail.
"Ack! Filia! Let go of my tail!" Amara tugged against the dragon, trying to free herself.
Filia strained, pulling her sister's tail as hard as she could in an effort to forcibly drag her
back into her room. "No! Not until you grow up a little!"
"I'm older than you are, Filia!"
"Prove it! Stay away from Xellos and don't do anything stupid!"
"It's not stupid! They're my beliefs! Mazoku are not evil! They're just different! You and
the other Fire Dragons are just too prejudiced and racist to believe it!"
Filia grit her teeth and gave another sharp pull. She managed to gain a yard. Then Amara
dug in her heels and started to pull back. Filia soon found her gained yard gone. "I've seen him in
action, Amara! He only acts in his own best interests!"
"Who doesn't?!" Amara shot back, pulling harder.
Walking near the inn, just below the window near which Filia and Amara were "talking,"
Shadow Lina and Jeffrey blinked upwards at the sounds of angry dragons.
"It sure is great that Miss Filia's sister came to help her, isn't it?" Shadow Lina asked
with a bright smile.
Jeffrey smiled in return and nodded. "Yeah. Miss Filia is nice, but she always seems…I
don't know…lonely…"
"I know. I think that's why Mister Xellos is always trying to make her smile."
Jeffrey nodded.
Unaware of its presence, the two continued to chat as a black and white housecat stared at
them in surprise from the corner of the inn. Callisto simply blinked and did the math in his head.
(How did…How can…) He shook his feline head. "How did she get here so fast?!" he
asked out loud. Gritting his teeth he growled. "Great…Scarrin's going to throw a hissy fit
now…" He sighed. "Well, if it didn't work last time, it had better this time." He put on his 'cute
little me' face and walked up to the two.
Shadow Lina caught sight of him first, and her eyes exploded in stars.
"AWWWWWWWW!!!! It's a cute little kitty cat!!!"
Callisto meowed and smiled up at the red head. (Okay, I'll just scratch her like I did the
other girl, and maybe THIS time it'll work. It's a good thing I came here to talk to Xellos…)
Shadow Lina reached down and picked up the cat, scratching him behind his ears. Callisto
purred and snuggled with the sorceress for a few moments. Then…
"Owie!"
The shadow dropped the cat and looked at the small scratch on her hand. Callisto ran off.
Shadow Lina's eyes began to tear up.
"Miss Lina?" Jeffrey asked. "What's wrong?"
Shadow Lina sniffled. "M..M…Mister Kitty scratched me!" she cried. "IT HURTS! IT
HURTS! IT HURTS!" she wailed, tears running down her face.
"Oh! Here! Don't cry!" Jeffrey begged. He reached up to his collar and removed a short,
red scarf he wore as part of his Flaming Heroes uniform. He took Shadow Lina's hand and began
to wrap the silk scarf around the wound. Shadow Lina watched him do this and sniffled
pathetically. "There! All better!" He smiled at her.
She sniffled again. "Lord Jeffrey…Would you…Would you…"
"Would I what?" he asked.
Shadow Lina looked away and blushed. "Would you kiss it and make it better? Luna
Oneechan would do that…and it would go away…"
Jeffrey turned bright red. "Um…Sure…" He brought the girl's hand up to his lips and
kissed her knuckle where the cat had scratched her. "How's that?"
Shadow Lina grinned and giggled. "Thank you, Lord Jeffrey!"
"You're welcome! Hey! We'd better get back! Miss Naga might be looking for us!"
"Okay!" She watched as Jeffrey turned and started for the inn's entrance. She took a few
steps after him and heard a loud *THOCK!* behind her. Turning, she found a large war-pike
embedded in the wall where she had been standing. Blinking, she turned and saw a large woman,
her faced covered in a mask, glaring at her from across the courtyard.
Shadow Lina and Josephine's eyes locked. Josephine's narrowed dangerously.
The shadow eep'd and ran after Jeffrey.
Amara took another step down the stairs, dragging her sister with her.
"Amara!" Filia grunted, pulling on her sister's tail with all her might. "Stop this! It's
madness!"
"It is NOT madness!" Amara huffed back, straining as she pulled Filia down another step.
"What is so wrong with making a good impression?!"
"I can't believe you!" Filia cried, continuing to pull. "You've studied the Mazoku! You
above all others should know what he's like! What he's done to our people!"
"AND WE DID THE EXACT SAME THING TO THE ANCIENT DRAGONS! ARE
*YOU* EVIL, FILIA?!"
Shocked at hearing such a thing, Filia released Amara, who cried out and went tumbling
down the stairs. The dragon stared down at Amara in surprise. "How…How did you know
about…"
Amara picked herself up and dusted herself off. She hmmph'd and looked up at Filia, her
hands on her hips. "WE have always known," she commented casually. "The Amalgamationist
Movement, unlike certain dragon clans, realizes that EVERYONE is capable of evil acts. People
like YOU just blame the Mazoku because they're more open about it. You use them as a
scapegoat…"
"No I don't! They ARE evil!"
"Hmmph!" Amara sniffed. "And that makes us…what? Saintly? Pure? Innocent?"
"N..no…" Filia said guiltily.
"Glad you agree! Now I'm going to go make a good impression on Lord Xellos!" She
started for the restaurant.
"Amara! Get back here!" Filia cried, chasing her down the stairs.
"Eventful day, ne?" Xellos asked.
Naga was still thinking. "Two golden dragons…and me…If I wanted to…" She grinned
evilly. "I could take over the world…"
"Oh?" the priest asked innocently. He could hear the sound of bickering dragons from not
far away. "And do you think they'd agree to help you?"
"OOOOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!" Naga laughed. "Silly Side-Kick of
Questionable Worth! I didn't say I was GOING to take over the world, just that I could if I really
wanted to! I'd find some way to convince them…deal with them… After all, I managed to get
Filia to come with me."
"Yes, a stroke of genius on your part," Xellos complimented her.
"Exactly! Really, Side-Kick, if you're going to make it in this world and accomplish your
goals, you're going to have to learn how to manipulate people."
Xellos sweatdropped. "I…I'll work on it…" he promised.
"See that you do! I'll simply have to teach you! Manipulating people is an art, but it's not
too difficult. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it one day…" She smiled reassuringly.
"Um…Thank you…Miss Naga," Xellos muttered.
"Amara! What do you think you're…"
Before Filia could finish her question, Amara Ul Copt was standing next to Xellos and
Naga's table, her hands behind her back. She had a grim look of determination on her face.
"Um…Is something wrong, Miss Amara?" Xellos asked.
With a cry, Amara slammed her palm onto the table in front of Xellos, her fingers spread
out. She pulled her other hand out from behind her back, revealing a large wooden mallet
clenched tightly in her fingers. With a cry she brought the hammer down, smashing one of her
fingers.
"AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!" she screamed, clutching her hand. "ITAI! ITAI!
ITAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Filia and Naga stared and sweatdropped. "Um…What was the point of that?" Filia
muttered. Naga only shook her head.
Xellos, however, suddenly brightened. "Oh, my dear dragon!" he cried in mock concern.
He stood up and circled the table until he was standing next to Amara. "How awful," he clucked.
Taking her hand, he examined her finger. Amara sniffled and whimpered. Xellos gently took the
wounded finger between his thumb and forefinger and smiled, giving it a little squeeze…on
"accident," of course…
"ITAI!!" Amara cried out. "It hurts! It hurts!"
"Awww…You poor thing," Xellos clucked.
Filia stared wide-eyed in shock at the display. "What the…Why the…Who the…"
Naga smiled and nodded, finally getting it. "I see! Mazoku feed off negative emotions like
pain and distress!" She put her finger to her lip. "If that's true…I guess Xellos would be doing
the equivalent of feeling your sister up…"
Filia grit her teeth and lunged forward, her mace in her hand! She growled and swung at
Xellos, who just managed to disappear in time. He reappeared in his chair.
"STOP FEEDING OFF MY SISTER'S PAIN, YOU PERVERT NAMAGOMI!!!" Filia
screamed at him.
"I was just seeing if she was all right, Filia chan," he said with a grin. He took a sip of tea
and felt Filia seethe nearby. He decided it was too good to pass up and pushed her just a tad
farther. "Jealous?" he asked.
Filia growled and grabbed her sister's hand. Amara squealed in pain. "You shut up!" she
ordered the dragon. She began chanting a healing spell.
"I think you ARE!" Xellos said suddenly.
"I AM NOT!!"
The trickster priest pouted. "Awww…You know…if YOU did that kind of thing for me, I
wouldn't have to go looking for other dragons to do it…"
"DO YOU SEE?!" she screamed at Amara. "DO YOU SEE HOW HE IS?!"
Amara giggled. "Lighten up, Filia! I think he has a wonderful sense of humor!"
"YOU WOULD!"
"Why thank you, Miss Amara," Xellos replied. "And thank you for the wonderful gesture.
I enjoyed it immensely."
Amara broke away from her sister and stepped toward him. "If you like…we can…"
"NO YOU WILL NOT!" Filia screamed, placing herself between them. She turned to her
sister angrily. "How could you?! Knowing what he is! How can you be so casual about this!?"
"Why not? What's the big deal?" Amara asked in mock puzzlement.
"HE KILLED THOUSANDS OF OUR PEOPLE!" Filia cried.
"And we killed thousands of his," Amara pointed out. "Isn't it time to put the war behind
us? Shouldn't we reach out and try to forge a future with our Mazoku brothers? To stand up, hand
in hand, dragon and monster, and say 'NO! WE SHALL NO LONGER HATE!?'" She posed
dramatically in a way that would make Amelia clap her hands in glee.
Filia and Xellos both sweatdropped at this.
"Um…Filia chan?" Xellos whispered. "Is she…for real?"
"You have no idea…" Filia muttered back. She turned her attention back to Amara.
"WOULD YOU GROW UP?!" she cried. "That's just more Amalgamationist brain-washing!
Dragons and Mazoku have always hated one another for a REASON!"
"Which is?!" Amara demanded.
Filia opened her mouth, but no sound emerged. She stood there, thinking frantically.
"Well, they….And we….But they…" Everyone's eyes were on her as she tried to think of a
reason. "BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL MEAN!" she finally cried.
"Well, she's got us there," Xellos admitted with a shrug.
"Hmmph!" Amara sniffed triumphantly. "The truth is that dragons and monsters have been
fighting for so long, they don't even remember WHY! The Amalgamationists think that it's time to
put that kind of petty fighting behind us! It's part of the reason I'm here, actually…"
"What do you mean?" Filia asked, her eyes narrowing.
"When the elder of our sect found out that I intended to seek you out, he gave me a special
task! He knew that you traveled with Lina Inverse, and that she often came across Mazoku. In the
event that I met one, he asked me take on a most solemn mission, and I accepted it whole-
heartedly!"
"And that is?" Naga asked.
Amara closed her eyes in rapture and clasped her hands together. "To offer myself to them
in marriage and bring our two peoples together in a joyous union!"
Three…
Two…
One…
Shadow Lina turned the knob for the inn door just as the roof was blown off in a
tremendous internal explosion! The concussion knocked both her and Jeffrey off their feet and into
the dirt. People all around them were running about fearfully, trying to put the flames out.
In a flash of darkness, Xellos appeared next to them. He looked up at the burning inn and
nodded in approval. "Such passion!"
Greysword pulled her canteen from her belt and dumped the contents over her head. It was
hot in this part of the continent this time of the year. The water splashed over her head and down
her body, cooling her off.
"Hey! Have a little consideration!" she heard someone cry from her feet. She looked
down and saw Callisto, soaked by the water dripping off her body, glaring up at her.
"Oh, it's you," Greysword remarked.
"'You,'" Callisto repeated with a sigh. "A thousand years ago the sight of me at your feet
would have sent you running, screaming in terror…Now I'm 'Oh, it's you.'" He shook his feline
head.
"What's the problem?" she asked, getting irritated.
"No problem," the cat remarked. "Except you're moving in the wrong direction."
"Huh?"
Callisto pointed a furry paw back in the direction from which they had come. "I was just
in Namor. Lina Inverse is there."
"What?!"
Scarrin pushed his way forward. "Callisto? What's this all about?"
"You're moving in the wrong direction," Callisto repeated. "Somehow, Lina Inverse got
past you and is back in Namor."
"You're kidding…" Greysword muttered. "How could she…"
"It makes no difference how," Scarrin broke in. "We must hedge our bets. Greysword, go
back to Namor and investigate this claim. I want to know if Lina Inverse is there. If she is, keep
out of sight and watch them."
She nodded and started back down the line of marching berserkers toward Namor.
(Finally…I get to handle this my way…)
*THUD!…THUD!…THUD!…*
Amara sighed as Filia's head hit the table again. "Filia! Would you cut that out!? It's
unseemly!"
The dragon's head hit the table again and stayed there. It hadn't taken too long to find a
new inn, even though the owner was charging them triple as "Dragon Insurance."
Filia started to growl from her position at the table. Amara decided to ignore her. Instead,
she turned to Xellos. "So you see, Lord Xellos, in accordance with the wishes of the
Amalgamationist Elder, I am hereby offering myself to you in holy matrimony!"
"You…want to MARRY me?" Xellos asked, still unable to believe what he was hearing.
"Yes!" Amara cried. "For great justice! I shall…"
"You….shall….NOT!!" Filia screamed, rising to feet. "I FORBID IT!"
The older dragon looked at her sister, her eyes narrowing. "And…just who are YOU to
forbid ME from doing ANYTHING?" Amara asked. "I'M the elder sister, Filia."
"You…You can't…" Filia whispered hauntingly.
"I'm afraid Filia chan is right, Miss Amara," Xellos told her.
"Wh…WHAT?!" Amara cried in distress. "But why?! Lord Xellos, please! Don't allow
the narrow-mindedness of the other golden dragons destroy this one chance for peace in our
lifetimes! I beg of you!" She fell to her knees before Xellos and grabbed his leg.
Xellos smiled. "You misunderstand me, Miss Amara. I have nothing against you or
dragons…for the most part. You just can't marry ME." Amara looked up at him and blinked in
confusion. "You see," the Mazoku elaborated, grabbing hold of Filia and pulling her into his lap.
"I'm engaged to Filia chan!"
"WHAT?!" Amara cried.
"WHAT?!" Filia cried a second later. She began to struggle and reach for her mace, but
Xellos wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly.
"Yes, we're very excited about it," Xellos continued as Filia struggled. "Aren't we, Little
Dragon?" he asked her, bouncing Filia in his lap.
Filia grimaced and opened her mouth to yell at Xellos when she saw Amara staring up at
them. She smiled evilly and glomped onto the priest, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh,
yes, darling! Isn't it wonderful!?"
"Um…" Xellos replied with a sweatdrop.
"Life is just so wonderful, isn't it?!" Filia gushed. Xellos shuddered and started to turn
pale. "I mean, now that we're a couple, our lives will be happy and wonderful FOREVER!"
Xellos started shaking.
Amara squealed in delight. "Oh, Filia! I'm so happy for you!" She shot up and hugged the
dragon.
The priest, meanwhile, wiped his brow with a handkerchief. "I'm suddenly not feeling
well…"
"Me too," Shadow Lina suddenly complained from the other side of the table.
Sitting next to her, Jeffrey blinked in concern. "Miss Lina? Are you okay?"
"I think I'm coming down with something." Naga put a hand on Shadow Lina's forehead
and hmmm'd.
"You've got a fever," she noted.
"This has been such a bad day," the red head pouted. "First Mister Kitty scratches me,
then some tourist chucks a spear at me, then our inn explodes…"
Xellos arched an eyebrow. "Mister Kitty?" he asked.
The shadow nodded. "This kitty cat scratched me on the hand today."
"May I see it?" he asked.
Shadow Lina nodded and walked up to him, removing the make-shift bandage from her
hand. She offered the Mazoku her hand and looked away, clenching her eyes shut and squealing in
anticipation of horrible pain.
Xellos looked over the scratch. Filia examined it as well, considering she was still
trapped in the priest's lap. "This is festering!" the dragon cried.
"Is that bad?!" Shadow Lina cried. "It sounds bad! Really bad!"
"Callisto, what are you up to?" Xellos whispered. Filia only looked at him and blinked.
"Xellos? Do you…"
"Ah! Well, I'm sure Filia chan could heal it right up, couldn't you, Filia chan?" he asked.
"Um…Yes, of course…"
"Good." Suddenly, the Mazoku stood up, and Filia fell from his lap onto the floor. "Now,
I hate to have to do this, but there's a small something I have to take care of. Ta ta." With that, he
vanished.
The golden dragon stood up rubbing her rump and growled.
"Don't be mad, Filia," Amara said with a smile. "He IS a government employee, after
all."
Filia just shook her head and started to chant a healing spell on Shadow Lina's hand.
"Now, once I'm done I want you to go up to your room and rest, okay?" The shadow nodded
pitifully.
"If you want, I'll stay with you for a bit," Jeffrey offered.
Shadow Lina's eyes lit up. "Would you, Lord Jeffrey? I think I'd really li…"
*CRASH!*
They all stared in shock at the chandelier that just crashed onto their table.
"Is everyone okay?!" Jeffrey asked.
Shadow Lina coughed from the dust cloud that was created from the impact. "Yeah," she
said. She looked up at where the chandelier had once hung. It appeared that the rope holding it up
had snapped. Her eyes followed the path of the line over the pulley and down to the point in the
wall where it would've been tied.
Josephine stood there, a kitchen knife in her hand. She glared at Shadow Lina.
The shadow eep'd and ducked behind Filia. "Over there!" She pointed.
The others turned to look, but Josephine was gone.
"What?" Naga asked. "I don't see anything."
"I…I…" Shadow Lina started to cry.
"You poor thing," Filia said sympathetically. "Come on. Let's get you to bed."
"Yeah, come on," Jeffrey said, offering the shadow his hand.
"That's okay!" Shadow Lina cried, shying away from Jeffrey. "Um…I…I need to talk to
Miss Naga alone…About……stuff…"
Jeffrey blinked. His face fell. "Oh," he muttered.
Shadow Lina grabbed Naga's hand and started dragging her up the stairs.
"Such an odd girl," Amara noted.
Filia rolled her eyes. "You should've seen the original…"
He appeared in the palace and sighed. He'd only been gone for a few minutes, and already
his blood was beginning to boil, urging him to return to Filia's side. The fact that he could no
longer sense her, no longer smell her pheromones or hear her pulse had the oddest effect on him.
He felt…empty…alone…
Not only that, but his Peak-effected mind began to make up excuses for him to scrub this
mission and rush back to her. Images of another male approaching Filia and smiling at her…
Maybe even that damn Jeffrey boy…
He made a mental note to fry Jeffrey as soon as he got back! How dare he believe that he
could attempt to steal Filia chan away from him!? FROM HIM!?
The priest grit his teeth and tried desperately to keep his mind on the mission, a mission he
would find difficult enough without thoughts of Filia getting in the way. He started quietly down
the hallway.
(YOU'VE BEEN GONE MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES! WHAT IF SHE'S IN
TROUBLE?!)
He stopped in his tracks and grit his teeth again. Filia chan was NOT in trouble. She was
perfectly fine. He started forward again.
He started to wonder how he would explain this to them…to her. Amelia was their friend,
and while he wouldn't go quite as far when explaining HIS relationship to her, he did admit he
found the spirited young woman an endless source of amusement.
Xellos thought about his orders again. ("Attack and destroy designated target unless
recalled by positive control contact.") the letter had read. Underneath, a further explanation had
been written. ("The Princess of Seyruun has returned to her kingdom. Steps taken by the Royal
Government to tighten security against further Mazoku interference constitute a risk to future
operations. Princess of Seyruun said to be an architect of these measures. Eliminate the threat.")
He sighed. So Amelia had learned a lesson from her cousin Alfred's activities and was
trying to see to it that the Mazoku could never interfere in Seyruun again…
That was stupid, even for her.
He turned a corner and walked right up to the chambers of the crown princess. He knocked
politely then gathered a ball of energy into his hand. A second later, the door opened…
Xellos blinked in shock. The ball of energy dissipated.
"You're not Amelia…"
"So what is it that you need to talk about?" Naga asked Shadow Lina as they entered her
room.
The shadow climbed into bed and pulled the covers over herself. "Miss Naga…When you
like a guy…and…someone else likes that guy…Does that someone else ever…you know…throw
spears at you?"
Naga nodded "Oh, yeah, sure."
Shadow Lina whimpered.
"What's the matter?" Naga asked.
"I think that tourist lady who's always following around Lord Jeffrey likes him," the
shadow explained pitifully. "I think…I think she's trying to kill me…"
"Oh, don't worry about her! I can assure you right now that that tourist lady isn't after
Jeffrey at all!" Naga assured her with a dismissive wave. "She's just a little…overprotective of
him."
"Oh," Shadow Lina said. "Thank you, Miss Naga."
The White Serpent mussed Shadow Lina's hair. "Do you want anything before you go to
sleep?"
"Well…" the shadow began awkwardly. "When I was little…and sick…Luna Oneechan
would read me a story."
"Story, huh?" Naga commented. "Well…"
"Please, Miss Naga!?" Shadow Lina begged. "It's scary being alone and sick! Please!?"
"Okay," the sorceress sighed in defeat. "What kind of story do you want?"
Shadow Lina pointed at her pack. "My book is in there. I haven't read it yet."
"Okay, okay," Naga muttered, rummaging through the pack. She pulled the book out and
sat down next to the shadow's bed. She squinted at the title. "What is this book called?"
"Claire Bears," Shadow Lina supplied.
"Claire Be…" Naga's eyes went wide. She flipped hurriedly through the pages.
"Miss Naga? Is something wrong?" the redhead asked.
The White Serpent was close to hyperventilating now. She began to laugh maniacally.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!"
"Miss Naga?" Shadow Lina started to cringe away.
Naga continued to read through the book, her eyes soaking up the ancient texts. She
laughed again and began to bounce up and down in glee.
"You like Claire Bears too?" Shadow Lina asked in confusion.
"THIS ISN'T CLAIRE BEARS, YOU NINNY!!!" Naga cried.
"It's not?"
"No! OOOOHOHOHOHOHO!!!" Naga laughed again. "Do you realize what this is?
How valuable it is?!" Shadow Lina shook her head.
"I thought it was a shoujo manga…"
"IT'S NOT A MANGA!!" Naga screamed.
Shadow Lina just stared.
"It's a piece of the Claire Bible!"
To Be Continued…