Slayers belongs to Kadokawa Shoten.
JINNAR: BWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! FINALLY!!! I, GENERAL
PRIEST JINNAR OF LORD BEASTMASTER'S INVINCIBLE MAZOKU ARMY, HAVE
FINALLY RISEN TO A POSITION OF POWER AND RESPECT!!! AND DO YOU KNOW
WHY?!
IFFY: Because AIC and Pioneer are too cheap to cast us in new roles?
JINNAR: NO, YOU BUMBLING IDIOT!!! IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE FINALLY PROVEN
MYSELF SUPERIOR TO XELLOS IN LORD BEASTMASTER'S EYES!!!
IFFY: Riiiiiigggghhhhttt….Well…whatever! I'm off to Seyruun! Supposedly, the Dragon
Spooker and her entourage just arrived there!
Faces: After!
Part 18
Operation Double Trouble!
Two New Discoveries!
"Oooog…" Amelia commented, putting her hand on her stomach. She looked across the
campsite at the others and found that the expressions on their faces were those of disgust.
"Oi. Are you okay, Amelia?" Gourry asked.
"Yeah," she sighed. "Just a little twinge, but at least it's not as bad as it was a few days
ago." She looked at Lina and glowered a little. "We lost two days, you know," she chastised the
redhead. "I still don't see why it was so urgent that we stop at THAT restaurant." She took a deep
breath. "I mean, all you can eat raw oysters for a silver piece?! That should've been a sign…"
Lina, still wearing her green dress after more than a week of unprecedented hell, growled
at Amelia's tone. "It's called 'eating frugally,'" she bit out. "And besides…Oysters are good for
certain parts of the body…" She glared at Gourry hatefully.
The blond was oblivious. "Which parts?"
"If you have to ask, you'll never know," Lina sighed. "But it doesn't matter. We're all
over it now. We can get back to what's important."
"Everyone but poor Miss Sylphiel," Amelia noted in quiet sympathy.
"Is she still sick?" Gourry asked.
Amelia nodded. She took a cleansing breath. They were only six hours from Seyruun now,
but would it matter with all of them getting over a case of food poisoning? She posed and pointed
down the road. "JUSTICE ON A SOUR STOMACH IS STILL JUSTICE!!" she cried. "I,
AMELIA WIL TESLA SEYRUUN, SHALL BRAVE ANY PLAGUE, ANY ILLNESS, ANY…"
She continued to give her speech, relying on Justice to quell her nausea.
Not far away from the campsite, still within earshot of Amelia's Justice speech as a matter
of fact, Zelgadis was performing the ultimate test of love and devotion in the universe. Some men
proved their love by slaying dragons. Others bought expensive gifts. Some climbed tall buildings
and shouted their love to the world.
But this wasn't the ultimate test of devotion. There was only one test for that. One way to
prove to a woman that their love was real. And Zelgadis was taking that test right this instant.
That's right.
He was holding Sylphiel's hair back for her while she puked.
Wincing sympathetically while she retched, Zelgadis sighed and offered her a rag. The
shrine maiden took the towel with one hand and wiped her mouth.
"It's…not fair," she said quietly. "Miss Lina…ate…a hundred more oysters than
I…did…Why am I the one…that's still sick?"
"It's probably just your metabolism," he said as she stood up.
"I'm sorry, Zelgadis dear," she said weakly.
"Seyruun is only six hours away," he told her gently. "Once we're there, you can rest as
long as you need to. Maybe see a doctor."
"Please don't trouble yourself," she replied. "I'm fine. Really." She smiled for his
benefit.
The expression on his face told her point blank that he didn't buy it.
"Hey! You guys about ready?"
They turned and found Lina fighting her way towards them, her dress getting snagged by
branches, and her high-heeled feet tripping over every rock the Lord of Nightmares ever created.
"Yes, of course," Sylphiel told her. "I just have to pack up a few things, and I'll be all
set!" She gave Zelgadis a last smile and started back towards camp.
Zelgadis looked at Lina as she tried to unsnag her skirt from a branch and sighed. "Lina,
why are you still wearing that thing? All you're doing is slowing us down."
"Dammit," she muttered. "He WILL make a move…THIS, I VOW!"
The chimera shook his head. "Because you're more lady-like now?"
"That's right!"
"Like Sylphiel?"
She nodded, her face one of a general preparing for battle.
Zelgadis sighed. "Has it occurred to you that despite being more lady-like, and being
better at it than YOU, Sylphiel never even got Gourry to turn his head?"
Lina paused, her eyes going wide. One could almost see the candle of realization flash to
life. "You son of a bitch," she hissed, the candle of realization growing into the wild flames of
rage. "Why didn't you say something like that….SOONER!!!!???"
Zelgadis took a step back. "Er…Lina…"
"Just shut up!" she growled, running behind a tree. "And stand watch while I change!"
The chimera sighed again. "This is going to be one of those days," he muttered. A second
later, a green dress was thrown at him from behind the tree.
"I thought that damn thing was going to kill me," she growled. This statement was
followed by a pair of flung heels being tossed in the chimera's direction.
Zelgadis shook his head and smiled. His smile wavered a second later. "Lina? I need a
favor."
"Yeah? What?"
"I think there's something wrong with Sylphiel. Not just the oysters. I mean something
REALLY wrong."
Lina said nothing from behind the tree. Finally, she spoke up. "So what's the favor?"
"She refuses to go see a doctor. Do you think you could…"
"Sure. No problem," the redhead promised. "I know a professional Healer in Seyruun. I
trust her. I'll drag Sylphiel there if you like."
"Thank you, Lina. For some reason, she won't open up to me." He looked down at the
dress in his hands. "What do you want me to do with this?"
"Burn it!"
He examined the tag on it and arched an eyebrow. "Neelum Garak made this dress?" he
asked.
"I think that was the guy's name. He was a little busy cowering at the time to introduce
himself."
Zelgadis nodded and tucked the dress into his pack without saying anything. "Ready?"
Lina, now arrayed in her old outfit, stepped out from behind the tree. "Let's get this show
on the road."
Seyruun was a much different place than Amelia remembered it. It seemed that the entire
city was being decorated for a gigantic party. People were bustling to and fro in the street, all of
them busy with their own lives while at the same time preparing themselves with the event of the
century.
Watching from the window of a room in their inn, Amelia growled at the scene. "I still
don't get it!" she cried, turning on the others. "We're here! Let's go to the palace! That little
imposter could be doing ANYTHING in my name right now!"
"Settle down, Amelia," Lina counseled. "Right now we still don't know everything that's
going on. If you go down there and cause a big scene, who knows what could happen? Phil might
be in danger, for all we know. That's why YOU have to stay out of sight."
The princess grumbled.
"So what DO we do?" Gourry asked.
"I know some guys that can help," Lina told them. "Sylphiel and I will go check them out.
The rest of you stay here and try not to draw attention to yourselves."
"Me, Miss Lina?" Sylphiel asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I need someone who can actually blend into a crowd."
"Oh…Okay…"
Lina turned to the others. "You guys sit tight. We'll be back late this afternoon."
Gourry and Zelgadis nodded. Amelia clenched her fists and growled, but sighed a moment
later and nodded her assent.
"All right. C'mon, Sylphiel." The door closed behind them, and Amelia turned back to the
window. She could see the Seyruun palace not far away.
"Hold on, Papa," she whispered.
"So who are these people we're going to see, Miss Lina?" Sylphiel asked as they walked
down the busy Seyruun thoroughfare.
"I know a couple of guys that make it their business to stick their noses in other people's
business. If anyone knows what's going on, it's them….usually."
"Oh."
"But first," Lina went on, "We have another stop to make."
Sylphiel blinked at the redhead's back as the sorceress turned and walked into another
building. The shrine maiden looked up above the door and saw a sign with a picture of a staff
surrounded by a serpent.
"Miss Lina? Are you sick?" Sylphiel asked as she hurried after the sorceress.
"Oi, Amelia…Should we be doing this? Lina told us to stay put."
Amelia turned from peering around an alley corner and flashed her 'Poor Little Me' eyes at
Gourry. "Mister Gourry, please!" she begged. "What if Papa really is in trouble? The longer we
delay, the more danger he could be in."
"But why did we have to wait until Zelgadis was in the bathroom to sneak out?"
"He wouldn't understand!" Amelia explained.
"Understand what?" came the question behind Gourry's back. The two conspirators' eyes
went wide. Gourry turned and found Zelgadis standing behind him, his arms folded over his chest.
"Oh….Zel…" Gourry said lamely, his hand going to the back of his head. "We were
just….stargazing…"
"It's ten o'clock in the morning," Zelgadis pointed out.
"The sun's a star," Gourry pointed out.
The chimera sighed.
"Mister Zelgadis, please!" Amelia cried, tears in her eyes. "Who knows what's
happening in the palace right now!? I know what Miss Lina said, and I agree that she's right, but I
have to make sure! I'm not going to start anything! I just want to take a quick look and make sure
everything is okay!"
Zelgadis watched as Amelia turned on the eyes again and flashed him her most pathetic
look. He sighed. "Fine," he said. "We'll all go. One quick look to check on Phil, then we go
back to the inn. Agreed?"
The princess rushed up and hugged the chimera. "THANK YOU, MISTER ZELGADIS!"
Zelgadis blushed a bit and sighed for a third time. "C'mon, let's go." He started to walk
past them and out into the street when he bumped right into someone. "Oh, excuse me," he
apologized quickly.
"Oh! No! My fault!" a dark haired girl in black, grey, and red answered him. She smiled
from beneath a cloak. "I'm really sorry!" She gestured apologetically with a long, metal staff with
a semi-circular head.
"Don't mention it." Without another word, the chimera, princess, and swordsman
continued down the street.
Iffy blinked at them as they left. "Hmmmm…" she thought, tapping the end of her new staff
on the ground. "A chimera….a busty young girl….and a tall blonde swordsman….Why do I feel
like I'm supposed to know them?" She shrugged and smiled. "Whatever!" Humming, she began
skipping down the street. She had orders from Lord God General Priest Jinnar. Her first REAL
assignment.
She just hoped that the princess of Seyruun didn't go anywhere until she got to the palace.
"This really isn't necessary," Sylphiel explained as the blonde woman had her sit up on an
exam table. "It's just a little food poisoning. I'm fine. Really."
The blonde, a Healer Lina had introduced as 'Ritsuko,' smiled and held a small, white gem
to the shrine maiden's chest. "Just breathe deep for me," she requested.
Sylphiel gave up and obeyed the woman, taking several deep breaths. Though she was a
healer priestess, herself, Healers were a different group of people entirely. She trusted in her faith
in Cepheid and her skill in magic to heal wounds and illnesses. Healers used magic to an extent,
but were much more skilled in diagnosis and helping the body's natural regenerative abilities in
healing themselves.
"Lina says you've been throwing up a lot lately," Ritsuko commented, switching gems.
She held a ruby to Sylphiel's chest, right over her heart, and watched as the gem pulsed with a
light of its own in time to the shrine maiden's heart.
"Well…we all have," Sylphiel told her. "Bad oysters."
"She said that was a week ago, and that the rest of them are over it," Ritsuko continued.,
moving the gem to Sylphiel's back.
"Well…yes…"
The Healer brought the gem back around and pressed it against Sylphiel's midsection and
stomach. She paused for a moment. "Miss Sylphiel, are you married?"
The priestess blushed. "N…no…"
Ritsuko smiled. "Special someone then?"
Sylphiel nodded.
The Healer eyed her for a moment then took a step back. "Miss Sylphiel, here's my
diagnosis…"
Lina tapped her knee as she sat in Ritsuko's waiting room. Ritsuko was one of the few
Healers she actually trusted enough to let sedate her, so she knew Sylphiel was in good hands.
And it was only an hour out of their day, so what was the harm? If it made Zel feel better, all the
better.
Her head picked up as Sylphiel stepped out of the exam room. She was looking down at
the floor and moving slowly.
"Hey, Sylphiel," Lina called out. "You okay?"
"Yes," the shrine maiden told her. "Miss Ritsuko says…I'm perfectly fine."
"Oh." Lina blinked. "That's great." She smiled.
"Yes," Sylphiel said quietly. Ritsuko stepped out of the room a second later.
"Well, Miss Sylphiel. Good luck." She smiled and bowed. "Lina, see you around."
"Thanks, Ritsu. Come on, Sylphiel. We have loonies to meet."
The shrine maiden nodded dully and followed the sorceress out of the building.
"I can't believe how easy it was to get this far," Gourry commented as Amelia fiddled
with the lock on the servant's entrance of the palace.
"Yeah. No wonder Phil was so easily duped," Zelgadis threw in. "If security is this
lax…"
"Got it!" Amelia cried victoriously as the door swung open. "C'mon! Let's go!" Without
waiting, she rushed inside.
The two men shrugged and followed her in.
Amelia snuck from door to door like a ninja, stopping periodically to check around corners
and doorways. Gourry and Zelgadis, meanwhile, were simply walking behind her.
"Oi, Amelia," Gourry began. "I wonder how someone was able to just come in and pose
as you."
"A good question," Zelgadis agreed. "Amelia isn't exactly an easy act to follow."
"Mister Zelgadis!" Amelia cried with a blush. "I'm touched. You think I'm deep!"
"No," Zelgadis corrected her. "I think there isn't enough caffeine in the world to make a
person bounce around as much as you do."
Amelia's eye twitched. "Mister Zelgadis….that's harsh," she told him in annoyance.
"And yet very true," Gourry nodded. Amelia threw the swordsman a withering look.
They turned a corner and stopped dead in their tracks as they almost ran into a man. He
was handsome, tall, with brown hairs and a fairly muscular frame. He blinked at them.
They blinked back.
"Who are you?!" the man cried.
"Who are you?!" Amelia shouted back.
"Amelia, you know this guy?" Gourry asked. The princess shook her head.
"What are you doing in the palace?!" the man asked.
Amelia's eyes narrowed. "He's seen too much," she uttered. Zelgadis and Gourry
watched in amazement as the tiny princess leapt out and grabbed the man, putting him in a sleeper
hold until his eyes closed and he went limp.
She stood up a moment later and wiped her brow. Posing and giving the two shocked men
the victory sign, she started back down the hall.
"What do we do with him?" Gourry asked.
Zelgadis sighed and picked the unconscious man up, throwing him over his shoulder and
starting after Amelia.
Lina knocked on the door and sighed. She really hated asking these guys for help.
Sometimes they had good information, and other times just wild theories that made her shake her
head and sigh. Hopefully, being so close to the action this time, they actually knew something
worthwhile.
"The Lone Swordsmen," Sylphiel read off the small brass plaque on the door.
Before Lina could comment, a slit in the door about eye level opened and a pair of eyes
behind a pair of horn-rimmed glasses appeared. "Listen, Johnny Law," a voice spoke up, "I told
you. We already paid our property taxes. You can tell your tax man overseers that we're…"
"It's me, Langley, open the door," Lina instructed.
The eyes paused. The slit closed. The sound of several locks being opened could be
heard. Finally, the door opened, and a blond man with long hair and glasses wearing a black cloak
with a button saying, "I Believe," on the right breast appeared.
"Hi, Lina," the man said with a short wave. "If that is indeed your REAL name…" His
eyes narrowed.
Lina smiled and raised a finger. "FIRE…"
"I BELIEVE YOU! I BELIEVE YOU!!" the man screamed, cringing and holding his hands
in front of his face.
"Good, now let us in." She started past the man and into the house. "By the way, this is
Sylphiel. She's clean."
"Um…How do you do?" Sylphiel asked.
"Hi," Langley said, clearing his throat in embarrassment. "Okay, Lina, right this way."
The man awoke to find himself tied to a chair in the center of what appeared to be a large
janitor's closet. Mops, brooms, and cleaning chemicals sat along the walls. What light there was
in the room came from a lighting spell coming from the chimera's hand.
As for the others…
The tiny brunette eyed him suspiciously, her arms folded across her chest. "All right," she
said. "Start talking."
"Talking about what?" the man asked in a panicky voice.
"You know what we're talking about!" the tall blonde man suddenly threw in. "Now if
you don't want to end up hurt, you'd better…"
"Mister Gourry!" the girl cried. "I'M supposed to be the bad cop!"
The blond man blinked. "So what am I?"
"What do you mean, 'what am I?!'" she asked. "If I'm the bad cop, then that means
YOU'RE the good cop!"
"Yareyare…" came a sigh from the chimera.
"Oh," Gourry said, nodding in understanding. He turned back to the man. "I'm sorry.
Would you like some tea?"
"Well it doesn't do any good if he KNOWS you're the good cop, Mister Gourry!" Amelia
chastised.
"You people are nuts!" the man cried.
"You have no idea," Zelgadis assured him from his side of the closet.
"Maybe Zelgadis should be the good cop then," Gourry suggested.
"You just said Mister Zelgadis' name!" Amelia cried.
"Well you said mine!" Gourry shouted back.
Amelia covered her mouth with her hands as she realized he was right. She looked over at
the man.
"Oh, dear Cepheid," the man prayed.
"Sylphiel, this is Byers," Lina said, introducing the shrine maiden to a young man with a
beard and moustache standing nearby. "And this is Frohicky," she continued, pointing to a short,
older, balding man sitting at a small table, staring into a crystal ball.. Both men were dressed
similarly to Langley, though they seemed to take more care with their appearance. "Guys, this is
Sylphiel."
"Hello."
"Hey."
"How do you do?" Sylphiel greeted them with a short bow. "So…um…You're wizards?"
Langley snorted. "No. We're \/\/12@rds."
Sylphiel blinked. "Isn't that what I just said?"
"No," Byers told her, getting out a small notepad. "You have to spell it like…"
"Shut up," Lina told them, her hands going to her red hair and pulling. It was amazing.
They had just broken their own record for pissing her off. "You guys must know why we're here,
right?"
"Actually…" Frohicky said with an arched eyebrow. "No."
Lina rubbed her temples. "You know the princess of Seyruun who's getting married is a
fake, right?" The three of them blinked at her. "Do you guys actually CHASE conspiracies,
anymore?" the redhead asked bitterly.
Langley snorted again. "She's not a fake."
"And yes, we do!" Frohicky spoke up defensively.
"Don't worry, Lina," Byers said calmly. "We had similar suspicions when she first
returned from traveling. Especially with a fiancé in tow."
"So we checked her out," Frohicky threw in.
Lina just blinked in shock. "How?"
"We snuck into the palace and took a sample of her hair. We checked the astral pattern
against one of Prince Philoniel's."
"Why Prince Philoniel's?" Sylphiel asked absently.
"When a child is conceived, there's more than a blending of physical attributes," Byers
told them. "Astral patterns mix as well. By comparing the hair to Prince Philoniel's astral pattern,
we could deduce that she is indeed his daughter."
"Yeah," Langley said bitterly. "Spent a few days in jail and ended up getting strip
searched for nothing."
Lina was shaking her head. "No, no way. You guys got it wrong."
"We still have the hair. You can check yourself, if you like," Frohicky offered her.
"There is no way that you could be right!" Lina cried. "Amelia hasn't left my sight for
more than two years now!"
The Lone Swordsmen looked confused. Finally, Langley spoke up.
"Who said anything about Princess Amelia?"
"Um…Luckily we're using our CODENAMES!" Amelia said lamely.
"Yeah!" Gourry said, catching on. "I'm Zelgadis!"
"No you're not!" Amelia cried, turning to him. "You're Gourry. Remember?"
Gourry snorted. "Gourry's my REAL name! Duh!"
Amelia smacked herself in the forehead and took a deep breath. Zelgadis just shook his
head. "Okay!" she cried. "Just tell us what's going on here! Who are you?"
The man looked at them fearfully. "My name's Huey Einberg."
"AND YOU'VE DECIDED TO TRY TO STEAL MY FATHER'S KINGDOM
THROUGH DUPLICITY, HAVEN'T YOU?!" Amelia demanded, putting her finger right in his
face.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Huey cried. "Who ARE you people!?"
"Well, I'm….ZELGADIS," Gourry said, winking at Amelia.
The princess grit her teeth and muttered, "How does Miss Lina do this?" Finally she
pointed at the man again. "I'LL TELL YOU WHO I AM!! I AM AMELIA WIL TESLA
SEYRUUN! PRINCESS OF SEYRUUN! THE ONE AND ONLY AMELIA, CHAMPION OF
JUSTICE! AND I HAVE RETURNED TO SAVE MY KINGDOM FROM THE CLUTCHES OF
THE EVIL DOER POSING AS ME!!!"
Huey blinked. "So you're Amelia? Gracia's told me a lot about you."
Amelia hit the ground. A second later, she was back on her feet, white as a sheet.
"GRACIA?!"
Huey nodded. "Yeah. I'm her fiancé. We were all hoping you'd come back. We've had
messengers looking everywhere for you!"
Gourry blinked, his finger going to his lip in thought. "Hey, that's right! You said once that
you have an older sister….So…..wouldn't that make HER a princess too?"
Zelgadis was busy bashing his head against a wall. Amelia just looked confused.
"But…Gracia Oneechan hasn't been seen in years!"
"Well," Huey went on, "When we met again and decided to get married, she decided she
wanted to see her family again, so we came back to Seyruun."
"You mean…" Amelia whispered. "Gracia Oneechan is…alive?"
Huey nodded.
Without another word, Amelia ran from the closet.
"Oi! Amelia!" Gourry cried, running after her. Not wanting to be left behind, Zelgadis
shrugged and followed.
"Um…Excuse me?!" Huey, still tied to the chair, called out to them as the closet door
closed. "Could…Could you please untie me first?"
Nothing.
"Hello?!"
Amelia huffed and puffed as she ran down the palace hallway. Behind her she could hear
the sounds of booted feet chasing after her.
"Amelia! Wait up!"
She didn't listen. Her sister was home. That was all she cared about. Gracia Oneechan
was HOME!
"Oi! Amelia!" Zelgadis called out behind her. She continued to run.
For YEARS she dreamed of her sister returning home! Her big sister Gracia! True
champion of Justice! A beautiful, true, honest heroine forever in tune with the justice of the
universe! A woman devoted to helping others!
She turned a corner and continued running.
Gracia Oneechan! The sister who was taken from Amelia too soon! She was home!
She made one last turn and entered the throne room. Prince Phil saw her enter and smiled.
"Amelia!"
"Papa! Is it tr…" Before she could finish, she saw her. "Gracia Oneechan?" she
whispered.
Gracia turned from the window and smiled at her little sister. "Amelia!"
Amelia ran forward and threw herself into her sister's arms. The two princesses hugged
fiercely, tears in their eyes.
By now, Gourry and Zelgadis had caught up. The blond man was panting as he entered the
throne room, but Zelgadis was barely breathing hard thanks to his chimera body. This, however,
didn't stop him from gasping in shock when he saw Gracia and Amelia.
Amelia released her sister and turned to the others. "Guys! This is my older sister,
Gra…"
Zelgadis cut her off as he stared at the elder princess. Instead of finishing the name Amelia
had begun, he said another.
"Naga?"
Snarling sounds accompanied those of meat being torn from bone. Crunching noises made
it apparent that some ravenous beast was feasting here.
Sitting across from this ravenous beast at the table in the small Seyruun diner, Sylphiel
watched Lina eat. "Miss Lina? Shouldn't we have returned to the hotel to tell Miss Amelia that
everything is okay?"
Busy glugging down a bowl of soup, Lina couldn't respond for a second. Finally, putting
the bowl down and wiping her mouth, she shook her head. "Good news can always wait awhile.
Besides, I was hungry."
"Oh," was all Sylphiel could say. "You know…Miss Amelia said once that her sister
might be Miss Naga…"
Lina laughed, the soup she had been consuming coming up through her nose. "No way!"
she cried between laughs. "I've seen the way Phil raises his kids! There is no way in Hell that
Naga and Amelia's sister are the same person! I'll bet money on it!"
"Oh," Sylphiel said again, going back to being quiet.
Lina eyed the shrine maiden while she chewed on a chicken leg. Finally, she spoke up.
"Okay, what is it?"
"What is what?" Sylphiel asked, her eyes cast on the table.
"You've been mopey ever since we left Ritsuko's," the redhead pointed out. "She told you
something. What is it?"
Sylphiel looked down at the table again. "I think your Healer friend might be a quack,
Miss Lina," she said quietly.
Lina blinked. "Ritsuko? No way. I trust her abilities as far as I trust mine. Whatever she
told you, it's true." Her face fell. What if Ritsuko had told her something bad? If so, had she just
sheared away what was left of Sylphiel's hope? "Why? What did she say?"
"It's just that…She HAS to be wrong!" Sylphiel cried suddenly. "I mean…I still have my
powers! If she were right, I wouldn't still have my magic!"
Lina blinked, still puzzled. "What? Is it your time of the month or something?"
"I'm only a week late," Sylphiel went on. "It's just a coincidence. I wouldn't have my
magic if Miss Ritsuko was right!"
Lina's eyes went wide as it all fell into place. She looked across the table at the shrine
maiden, who was still casting her eyes downward.
"Sylphiel…" she whispered, "Are you pregnant?"
To Be Continued…
Author's Notes:
The Lone Swordsmen are from another fic by that name based on Chris Carter's, "The Lone
Gunmen."
JINNAR: BWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! FINALLY!!! I, GENERAL
PRIEST JINNAR OF LORD BEASTMASTER'S INVINCIBLE MAZOKU ARMY, HAVE
FINALLY RISEN TO A POSITION OF POWER AND RESPECT!!! AND DO YOU KNOW
WHY?!
IFFY: Because AIC and Pioneer are too cheap to cast us in new roles?
JINNAR: NO, YOU BUMBLING IDIOT!!! IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE FINALLY PROVEN
MYSELF SUPERIOR TO XELLOS IN LORD BEASTMASTER'S EYES!!!
IFFY: Riiiiiigggghhhhttt….Well…whatever! I'm off to Seyruun! Supposedly, the Dragon
Spooker and her entourage just arrived there!
Faces: After!
Part 18
Operation Double Trouble!
Two New Discoveries!
"Oooog…" Amelia commented, putting her hand on her stomach. She looked across the
campsite at the others and found that the expressions on their faces were those of disgust.
"Oi. Are you okay, Amelia?" Gourry asked.
"Yeah," she sighed. "Just a little twinge, but at least it's not as bad as it was a few days
ago." She looked at Lina and glowered a little. "We lost two days, you know," she chastised the
redhead. "I still don't see why it was so urgent that we stop at THAT restaurant." She took a deep
breath. "I mean, all you can eat raw oysters for a silver piece?! That should've been a sign…"
Lina, still wearing her green dress after more than a week of unprecedented hell, growled
at Amelia's tone. "It's called 'eating frugally,'" she bit out. "And besides…Oysters are good for
certain parts of the body…" She glared at Gourry hatefully.
The blond was oblivious. "Which parts?"
"If you have to ask, you'll never know," Lina sighed. "But it doesn't matter. We're all
over it now. We can get back to what's important."
"Everyone but poor Miss Sylphiel," Amelia noted in quiet sympathy.
"Is she still sick?" Gourry asked.
Amelia nodded. She took a cleansing breath. They were only six hours from Seyruun now,
but would it matter with all of them getting over a case of food poisoning? She posed and pointed
down the road. "JUSTICE ON A SOUR STOMACH IS STILL JUSTICE!!" she cried. "I,
AMELIA WIL TESLA SEYRUUN, SHALL BRAVE ANY PLAGUE, ANY ILLNESS, ANY…"
She continued to give her speech, relying on Justice to quell her nausea.
Not far away from the campsite, still within earshot of Amelia's Justice speech as a matter
of fact, Zelgadis was performing the ultimate test of love and devotion in the universe. Some men
proved their love by slaying dragons. Others bought expensive gifts. Some climbed tall buildings
and shouted their love to the world.
But this wasn't the ultimate test of devotion. There was only one test for that. One way to
prove to a woman that their love was real. And Zelgadis was taking that test right this instant.
That's right.
He was holding Sylphiel's hair back for her while she puked.
Wincing sympathetically while she retched, Zelgadis sighed and offered her a rag. The
shrine maiden took the towel with one hand and wiped her mouth.
"It's…not fair," she said quietly. "Miss Lina…ate…a hundred more oysters than
I…did…Why am I the one…that's still sick?"
"It's probably just your metabolism," he said as she stood up.
"I'm sorry, Zelgadis dear," she said weakly.
"Seyruun is only six hours away," he told her gently. "Once we're there, you can rest as
long as you need to. Maybe see a doctor."
"Please don't trouble yourself," she replied. "I'm fine. Really." She smiled for his
benefit.
The expression on his face told her point blank that he didn't buy it.
"Hey! You guys about ready?"
They turned and found Lina fighting her way towards them, her dress getting snagged by
branches, and her high-heeled feet tripping over every rock the Lord of Nightmares ever created.
"Yes, of course," Sylphiel told her. "I just have to pack up a few things, and I'll be all
set!" She gave Zelgadis a last smile and started back towards camp.
Zelgadis looked at Lina as she tried to unsnag her skirt from a branch and sighed. "Lina,
why are you still wearing that thing? All you're doing is slowing us down."
"Dammit," she muttered. "He WILL make a move…THIS, I VOW!"
The chimera shook his head. "Because you're more lady-like now?"
"That's right!"
"Like Sylphiel?"
She nodded, her face one of a general preparing for battle.
Zelgadis sighed. "Has it occurred to you that despite being more lady-like, and being
better at it than YOU, Sylphiel never even got Gourry to turn his head?"
Lina paused, her eyes going wide. One could almost see the candle of realization flash to
life. "You son of a bitch," she hissed, the candle of realization growing into the wild flames of
rage. "Why didn't you say something like that….SOONER!!!!???"
Zelgadis took a step back. "Er…Lina…"
"Just shut up!" she growled, running behind a tree. "And stand watch while I change!"
The chimera sighed again. "This is going to be one of those days," he muttered. A second
later, a green dress was thrown at him from behind the tree.
"I thought that damn thing was going to kill me," she growled. This statement was
followed by a pair of flung heels being tossed in the chimera's direction.
Zelgadis shook his head and smiled. His smile wavered a second later. "Lina? I need a
favor."
"Yeah? What?"
"I think there's something wrong with Sylphiel. Not just the oysters. I mean something
REALLY wrong."
Lina said nothing from behind the tree. Finally, she spoke up. "So what's the favor?"
"She refuses to go see a doctor. Do you think you could…"
"Sure. No problem," the redhead promised. "I know a professional Healer in Seyruun. I
trust her. I'll drag Sylphiel there if you like."
"Thank you, Lina. For some reason, she won't open up to me." He looked down at the
dress in his hands. "What do you want me to do with this?"
"Burn it!"
He examined the tag on it and arched an eyebrow. "Neelum Garak made this dress?" he
asked.
"I think that was the guy's name. He was a little busy cowering at the time to introduce
himself."
Zelgadis nodded and tucked the dress into his pack without saying anything. "Ready?"
Lina, now arrayed in her old outfit, stepped out from behind the tree. "Let's get this show
on the road."
Seyruun was a much different place than Amelia remembered it. It seemed that the entire
city was being decorated for a gigantic party. People were bustling to and fro in the street, all of
them busy with their own lives while at the same time preparing themselves with the event of the
century.
Watching from the window of a room in their inn, Amelia growled at the scene. "I still
don't get it!" she cried, turning on the others. "We're here! Let's go to the palace! That little
imposter could be doing ANYTHING in my name right now!"
"Settle down, Amelia," Lina counseled. "Right now we still don't know everything that's
going on. If you go down there and cause a big scene, who knows what could happen? Phil might
be in danger, for all we know. That's why YOU have to stay out of sight."
The princess grumbled.
"So what DO we do?" Gourry asked.
"I know some guys that can help," Lina told them. "Sylphiel and I will go check them out.
The rest of you stay here and try not to draw attention to yourselves."
"Me, Miss Lina?" Sylphiel asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I need someone who can actually blend into a crowd."
"Oh…Okay…"
Lina turned to the others. "You guys sit tight. We'll be back late this afternoon."
Gourry and Zelgadis nodded. Amelia clenched her fists and growled, but sighed a moment
later and nodded her assent.
"All right. C'mon, Sylphiel." The door closed behind them, and Amelia turned back to the
window. She could see the Seyruun palace not far away.
"Hold on, Papa," she whispered.
"So who are these people we're going to see, Miss Lina?" Sylphiel asked as they walked
down the busy Seyruun thoroughfare.
"I know a couple of guys that make it their business to stick their noses in other people's
business. If anyone knows what's going on, it's them….usually."
"Oh."
"But first," Lina went on, "We have another stop to make."
Sylphiel blinked at the redhead's back as the sorceress turned and walked into another
building. The shrine maiden looked up above the door and saw a sign with a picture of a staff
surrounded by a serpent.
"Miss Lina? Are you sick?" Sylphiel asked as she hurried after the sorceress.
"Oi, Amelia…Should we be doing this? Lina told us to stay put."
Amelia turned from peering around an alley corner and flashed her 'Poor Little Me' eyes at
Gourry. "Mister Gourry, please!" she begged. "What if Papa really is in trouble? The longer we
delay, the more danger he could be in."
"But why did we have to wait until Zelgadis was in the bathroom to sneak out?"
"He wouldn't understand!" Amelia explained.
"Understand what?" came the question behind Gourry's back. The two conspirators' eyes
went wide. Gourry turned and found Zelgadis standing behind him, his arms folded over his chest.
"Oh….Zel…" Gourry said lamely, his hand going to the back of his head. "We were
just….stargazing…"
"It's ten o'clock in the morning," Zelgadis pointed out.
"The sun's a star," Gourry pointed out.
The chimera sighed.
"Mister Zelgadis, please!" Amelia cried, tears in her eyes. "Who knows what's
happening in the palace right now!? I know what Miss Lina said, and I agree that she's right, but I
have to make sure! I'm not going to start anything! I just want to take a quick look and make sure
everything is okay!"
Zelgadis watched as Amelia turned on the eyes again and flashed him her most pathetic
look. He sighed. "Fine," he said. "We'll all go. One quick look to check on Phil, then we go
back to the inn. Agreed?"
The princess rushed up and hugged the chimera. "THANK YOU, MISTER ZELGADIS!"
Zelgadis blushed a bit and sighed for a third time. "C'mon, let's go." He started to walk
past them and out into the street when he bumped right into someone. "Oh, excuse me," he
apologized quickly.
"Oh! No! My fault!" a dark haired girl in black, grey, and red answered him. She smiled
from beneath a cloak. "I'm really sorry!" She gestured apologetically with a long, metal staff with
a semi-circular head.
"Don't mention it." Without another word, the chimera, princess, and swordsman
continued down the street.
Iffy blinked at them as they left. "Hmmmm…" she thought, tapping the end of her new staff
on the ground. "A chimera….a busty young girl….and a tall blonde swordsman….Why do I feel
like I'm supposed to know them?" She shrugged and smiled. "Whatever!" Humming, she began
skipping down the street. She had orders from Lord God General Priest Jinnar. Her first REAL
assignment.
She just hoped that the princess of Seyruun didn't go anywhere until she got to the palace.
"This really isn't necessary," Sylphiel explained as the blonde woman had her sit up on an
exam table. "It's just a little food poisoning. I'm fine. Really."
The blonde, a Healer Lina had introduced as 'Ritsuko,' smiled and held a small, white gem
to the shrine maiden's chest. "Just breathe deep for me," she requested.
Sylphiel gave up and obeyed the woman, taking several deep breaths. Though she was a
healer priestess, herself, Healers were a different group of people entirely. She trusted in her faith
in Cepheid and her skill in magic to heal wounds and illnesses. Healers used magic to an extent,
but were much more skilled in diagnosis and helping the body's natural regenerative abilities in
healing themselves.
"Lina says you've been throwing up a lot lately," Ritsuko commented, switching gems.
She held a ruby to Sylphiel's chest, right over her heart, and watched as the gem pulsed with a
light of its own in time to the shrine maiden's heart.
"Well…we all have," Sylphiel told her. "Bad oysters."
"She said that was a week ago, and that the rest of them are over it," Ritsuko continued.,
moving the gem to Sylphiel's back.
"Well…yes…"
The Healer brought the gem back around and pressed it against Sylphiel's midsection and
stomach. She paused for a moment. "Miss Sylphiel, are you married?"
The priestess blushed. "N…no…"
Ritsuko smiled. "Special someone then?"
Sylphiel nodded.
The Healer eyed her for a moment then took a step back. "Miss Sylphiel, here's my
diagnosis…"
Lina tapped her knee as she sat in Ritsuko's waiting room. Ritsuko was one of the few
Healers she actually trusted enough to let sedate her, so she knew Sylphiel was in good hands.
And it was only an hour out of their day, so what was the harm? If it made Zel feel better, all the
better.
Her head picked up as Sylphiel stepped out of the exam room. She was looking down at
the floor and moving slowly.
"Hey, Sylphiel," Lina called out. "You okay?"
"Yes," the shrine maiden told her. "Miss Ritsuko says…I'm perfectly fine."
"Oh." Lina blinked. "That's great." She smiled.
"Yes," Sylphiel said quietly. Ritsuko stepped out of the room a second later.
"Well, Miss Sylphiel. Good luck." She smiled and bowed. "Lina, see you around."
"Thanks, Ritsu. Come on, Sylphiel. We have loonies to meet."
The shrine maiden nodded dully and followed the sorceress out of the building.
"I can't believe how easy it was to get this far," Gourry commented as Amelia fiddled
with the lock on the servant's entrance of the palace.
"Yeah. No wonder Phil was so easily duped," Zelgadis threw in. "If security is this
lax…"
"Got it!" Amelia cried victoriously as the door swung open. "C'mon! Let's go!" Without
waiting, she rushed inside.
The two men shrugged and followed her in.
Amelia snuck from door to door like a ninja, stopping periodically to check around corners
and doorways. Gourry and Zelgadis, meanwhile, were simply walking behind her.
"Oi, Amelia," Gourry began. "I wonder how someone was able to just come in and pose
as you."
"A good question," Zelgadis agreed. "Amelia isn't exactly an easy act to follow."
"Mister Zelgadis!" Amelia cried with a blush. "I'm touched. You think I'm deep!"
"No," Zelgadis corrected her. "I think there isn't enough caffeine in the world to make a
person bounce around as much as you do."
Amelia's eye twitched. "Mister Zelgadis….that's harsh," she told him in annoyance.
"And yet very true," Gourry nodded. Amelia threw the swordsman a withering look.
They turned a corner and stopped dead in their tracks as they almost ran into a man. He
was handsome, tall, with brown hairs and a fairly muscular frame. He blinked at them.
They blinked back.
"Who are you?!" the man cried.
"Who are you?!" Amelia shouted back.
"Amelia, you know this guy?" Gourry asked. The princess shook her head.
"What are you doing in the palace?!" the man asked.
Amelia's eyes narrowed. "He's seen too much," she uttered. Zelgadis and Gourry
watched in amazement as the tiny princess leapt out and grabbed the man, putting him in a sleeper
hold until his eyes closed and he went limp.
She stood up a moment later and wiped her brow. Posing and giving the two shocked men
the victory sign, she started back down the hall.
"What do we do with him?" Gourry asked.
Zelgadis sighed and picked the unconscious man up, throwing him over his shoulder and
starting after Amelia.
Lina knocked on the door and sighed. She really hated asking these guys for help.
Sometimes they had good information, and other times just wild theories that made her shake her
head and sigh. Hopefully, being so close to the action this time, they actually knew something
worthwhile.
"The Lone Swordsmen," Sylphiel read off the small brass plaque on the door.
Before Lina could comment, a slit in the door about eye level opened and a pair of eyes
behind a pair of horn-rimmed glasses appeared. "Listen, Johnny Law," a voice spoke up, "I told
you. We already paid our property taxes. You can tell your tax man overseers that we're…"
"It's me, Langley, open the door," Lina instructed.
The eyes paused. The slit closed. The sound of several locks being opened could be
heard. Finally, the door opened, and a blond man with long hair and glasses wearing a black cloak
with a button saying, "I Believe," on the right breast appeared.
"Hi, Lina," the man said with a short wave. "If that is indeed your REAL name…" His
eyes narrowed.
Lina smiled and raised a finger. "FIRE…"
"I BELIEVE YOU! I BELIEVE YOU!!" the man screamed, cringing and holding his hands
in front of his face.
"Good, now let us in." She started past the man and into the house. "By the way, this is
Sylphiel. She's clean."
"Um…How do you do?" Sylphiel asked.
"Hi," Langley said, clearing his throat in embarrassment. "Okay, Lina, right this way."
The man awoke to find himself tied to a chair in the center of what appeared to be a large
janitor's closet. Mops, brooms, and cleaning chemicals sat along the walls. What light there was
in the room came from a lighting spell coming from the chimera's hand.
As for the others…
The tiny brunette eyed him suspiciously, her arms folded across her chest. "All right," she
said. "Start talking."
"Talking about what?" the man asked in a panicky voice.
"You know what we're talking about!" the tall blonde man suddenly threw in. "Now if
you don't want to end up hurt, you'd better…"
"Mister Gourry!" the girl cried. "I'M supposed to be the bad cop!"
The blond man blinked. "So what am I?"
"What do you mean, 'what am I?!'" she asked. "If I'm the bad cop, then that means
YOU'RE the good cop!"
"Yareyare…" came a sigh from the chimera.
"Oh," Gourry said, nodding in understanding. He turned back to the man. "I'm sorry.
Would you like some tea?"
"Well it doesn't do any good if he KNOWS you're the good cop, Mister Gourry!" Amelia
chastised.
"You people are nuts!" the man cried.
"You have no idea," Zelgadis assured him from his side of the closet.
"Maybe Zelgadis should be the good cop then," Gourry suggested.
"You just said Mister Zelgadis' name!" Amelia cried.
"Well you said mine!" Gourry shouted back.
Amelia covered her mouth with her hands as she realized he was right. She looked over at
the man.
"Oh, dear Cepheid," the man prayed.
"Sylphiel, this is Byers," Lina said, introducing the shrine maiden to a young man with a
beard and moustache standing nearby. "And this is Frohicky," she continued, pointing to a short,
older, balding man sitting at a small table, staring into a crystal ball.. Both men were dressed
similarly to Langley, though they seemed to take more care with their appearance. "Guys, this is
Sylphiel."
"Hello."
"Hey."
"How do you do?" Sylphiel greeted them with a short bow. "So…um…You're wizards?"
Langley snorted. "No. We're \/\/12@rds."
Sylphiel blinked. "Isn't that what I just said?"
"No," Byers told her, getting out a small notepad. "You have to spell it like…"
"Shut up," Lina told them, her hands going to her red hair and pulling. It was amazing.
They had just broken their own record for pissing her off. "You guys must know why we're here,
right?"
"Actually…" Frohicky said with an arched eyebrow. "No."
Lina rubbed her temples. "You know the princess of Seyruun who's getting married is a
fake, right?" The three of them blinked at her. "Do you guys actually CHASE conspiracies,
anymore?" the redhead asked bitterly.
Langley snorted again. "She's not a fake."
"And yes, we do!" Frohicky spoke up defensively.
"Don't worry, Lina," Byers said calmly. "We had similar suspicions when she first
returned from traveling. Especially with a fiancé in tow."
"So we checked her out," Frohicky threw in.
Lina just blinked in shock. "How?"
"We snuck into the palace and took a sample of her hair. We checked the astral pattern
against one of Prince Philoniel's."
"Why Prince Philoniel's?" Sylphiel asked absently.
"When a child is conceived, there's more than a blending of physical attributes," Byers
told them. "Astral patterns mix as well. By comparing the hair to Prince Philoniel's astral pattern,
we could deduce that she is indeed his daughter."
"Yeah," Langley said bitterly. "Spent a few days in jail and ended up getting strip
searched for nothing."
Lina was shaking her head. "No, no way. You guys got it wrong."
"We still have the hair. You can check yourself, if you like," Frohicky offered her.
"There is no way that you could be right!" Lina cried. "Amelia hasn't left my sight for
more than two years now!"
The Lone Swordsmen looked confused. Finally, Langley spoke up.
"Who said anything about Princess Amelia?"
"Um…Luckily we're using our CODENAMES!" Amelia said lamely.
"Yeah!" Gourry said, catching on. "I'm Zelgadis!"
"No you're not!" Amelia cried, turning to him. "You're Gourry. Remember?"
Gourry snorted. "Gourry's my REAL name! Duh!"
Amelia smacked herself in the forehead and took a deep breath. Zelgadis just shook his
head. "Okay!" she cried. "Just tell us what's going on here! Who are you?"
The man looked at them fearfully. "My name's Huey Einberg."
"AND YOU'VE DECIDED TO TRY TO STEAL MY FATHER'S KINGDOM
THROUGH DUPLICITY, HAVEN'T YOU?!" Amelia demanded, putting her finger right in his
face.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Huey cried. "Who ARE you people!?"
"Well, I'm….ZELGADIS," Gourry said, winking at Amelia.
The princess grit her teeth and muttered, "How does Miss Lina do this?" Finally she
pointed at the man again. "I'LL TELL YOU WHO I AM!! I AM AMELIA WIL TESLA
SEYRUUN! PRINCESS OF SEYRUUN! THE ONE AND ONLY AMELIA, CHAMPION OF
JUSTICE! AND I HAVE RETURNED TO SAVE MY KINGDOM FROM THE CLUTCHES OF
THE EVIL DOER POSING AS ME!!!"
Huey blinked. "So you're Amelia? Gracia's told me a lot about you."
Amelia hit the ground. A second later, she was back on her feet, white as a sheet.
"GRACIA?!"
Huey nodded. "Yeah. I'm her fiancé. We were all hoping you'd come back. We've had
messengers looking everywhere for you!"
Gourry blinked, his finger going to his lip in thought. "Hey, that's right! You said once that
you have an older sister….So…..wouldn't that make HER a princess too?"
Zelgadis was busy bashing his head against a wall. Amelia just looked confused.
"But…Gracia Oneechan hasn't been seen in years!"
"Well," Huey went on, "When we met again and decided to get married, she decided she
wanted to see her family again, so we came back to Seyruun."
"You mean…" Amelia whispered. "Gracia Oneechan is…alive?"
Huey nodded.
Without another word, Amelia ran from the closet.
"Oi! Amelia!" Gourry cried, running after her. Not wanting to be left behind, Zelgadis
shrugged and followed.
"Um…Excuse me?!" Huey, still tied to the chair, called out to them as the closet door
closed. "Could…Could you please untie me first?"
Nothing.
"Hello?!"
Amelia huffed and puffed as she ran down the palace hallway. Behind her she could hear
the sounds of booted feet chasing after her.
"Amelia! Wait up!"
She didn't listen. Her sister was home. That was all she cared about. Gracia Oneechan
was HOME!
"Oi! Amelia!" Zelgadis called out behind her. She continued to run.
For YEARS she dreamed of her sister returning home! Her big sister Gracia! True
champion of Justice! A beautiful, true, honest heroine forever in tune with the justice of the
universe! A woman devoted to helping others!
She turned a corner and continued running.
Gracia Oneechan! The sister who was taken from Amelia too soon! She was home!
She made one last turn and entered the throne room. Prince Phil saw her enter and smiled.
"Amelia!"
"Papa! Is it tr…" Before she could finish, she saw her. "Gracia Oneechan?" she
whispered.
Gracia turned from the window and smiled at her little sister. "Amelia!"
Amelia ran forward and threw herself into her sister's arms. The two princesses hugged
fiercely, tears in their eyes.
By now, Gourry and Zelgadis had caught up. The blond man was panting as he entered the
throne room, but Zelgadis was barely breathing hard thanks to his chimera body. This, however,
didn't stop him from gasping in shock when he saw Gracia and Amelia.
Amelia released her sister and turned to the others. "Guys! This is my older sister,
Gra…"
Zelgadis cut her off as he stared at the elder princess. Instead of finishing the name Amelia
had begun, he said another.
"Naga?"
Snarling sounds accompanied those of meat being torn from bone. Crunching noises made
it apparent that some ravenous beast was feasting here.
Sitting across from this ravenous beast at the table in the small Seyruun diner, Sylphiel
watched Lina eat. "Miss Lina? Shouldn't we have returned to the hotel to tell Miss Amelia that
everything is okay?"
Busy glugging down a bowl of soup, Lina couldn't respond for a second. Finally, putting
the bowl down and wiping her mouth, she shook her head. "Good news can always wait awhile.
Besides, I was hungry."
"Oh," was all Sylphiel could say. "You know…Miss Amelia said once that her sister
might be Miss Naga…"
Lina laughed, the soup she had been consuming coming up through her nose. "No way!"
she cried between laughs. "I've seen the way Phil raises his kids! There is no way in Hell that
Naga and Amelia's sister are the same person! I'll bet money on it!"
"Oh," Sylphiel said again, going back to being quiet.
Lina eyed the shrine maiden while she chewed on a chicken leg. Finally, she spoke up.
"Okay, what is it?"
"What is what?" Sylphiel asked, her eyes cast on the table.
"You've been mopey ever since we left Ritsuko's," the redhead pointed out. "She told you
something. What is it?"
Sylphiel looked down at the table again. "I think your Healer friend might be a quack,
Miss Lina," she said quietly.
Lina blinked. "Ritsuko? No way. I trust her abilities as far as I trust mine. Whatever she
told you, it's true." Her face fell. What if Ritsuko had told her something bad? If so, had she just
sheared away what was left of Sylphiel's hope? "Why? What did she say?"
"It's just that…She HAS to be wrong!" Sylphiel cried suddenly. "I mean…I still have my
powers! If she were right, I wouldn't still have my magic!"
Lina blinked, still puzzled. "What? Is it your time of the month or something?"
"I'm only a week late," Sylphiel went on. "It's just a coincidence. I wouldn't have my
magic if Miss Ritsuko was right!"
Lina's eyes went wide as it all fell into place. She looked across the table at the shrine
maiden, who was still casting her eyes downward.
"Sylphiel…" she whispered, "Are you pregnant?"
To Be Continued…
Author's Notes:
The Lone Swordsmen are from another fic by that name based on Chris Carter's, "The Lone
Gunmen."