Familiar laughter echoed in the distance, lightly playing on the young girl's ears. Her mothers laugher...She sounds so happy... Tsunami smiled to herself as she continued to look for her mom. There was a field of wildflowers before her, the wind was blowing slighly, making the petals sway lightly. The sun was so bright...so very bright...
Another laughter joined the first, and she recognized that one too. "Papa! Where are you? I want to talk to you! I haven't been able to talk to you in so long..." Tsunami was getting frustraited. After climbing a small hill, she saw them, way off to the distance. They stood together, dancing and laughing, smiling like there were no worries in the world.
"Mama, Papa!" Tsunami suddenly remembered this scene...it has played in her head hundreds of times before. "No! Mama, Papa! Get away from there!" She started to run, but knew well ahead of time it was in vain.
The sky grew suddenly dark, and the sun blacked out. The hue of the entire vicinity turned a dark blue as a woman with sliver hair entered the scene. Tsunami squinted her eyes closed and covered her ears, not wanting to see or hear it again.
But that was always futile too. The image of her mother and father being slaughtered still wormed it's way into her mind and the screams still peirced her ears. "No no no noooooooooooo." She moaned, wanting it to go away. The imaged stopped, the screaming ceased, and the light turned a light blue color.
"Do you want to keep this from happening?" A woman's voice asked softly.
"Yes..."
"Then you stay silent, and it will only happen in your dreams."
"When will it leave my dreams?"
"Just be thankful it is not reality, child, because if you tell your parents about me, it will happen."
"I haven't talked to anyone for so long...I want to talk."
"No, you must keep your silence. Besides, children are best seen and not heard."
"Arrrg! Where are those two?! We have been searching all over the damn place!" Lina yelled, her irritation getting the better of her once again. She slammed her fists against the table they were sitting at.
"Have you considered the possibility that they might be dead?" Zelgadis muttered over his coffee.
"WHAT? Those two? They would survive anything short of the end of the world. I don't think they are dead." Lina said with finality, looking down at the table. "AND WHERE IS MY FOOD?" On of the waiters "eep"ed and scooted away, saying something about it comming right up.
"I don't think so either." Amelia added, looking like she was within deep thought. In the few years that had followed after the battle with Dark Star, Amelia had grown a bit on the outside and inside. Though she still had a passion for justice, she was not as blind as she was when she first traveled with Lina. She had also grown quite taller too, letting her hair grow out long enough to put into a ponytail. "It's like the feeling with my sister." She patted her chest around where her heart was. "I just know they are alive."
Gourry looked at them and actually said something intuitive. "Well, Xelloss said he was pretty sure that his master wasn't dead, what's-her-name? Well, if the same people took him, they probably didn't kill him either."
Lina's eyes widened and she grinned at him. "Good thinkin' Gourry!"
A unexpected voice suddenly cut through the inn. "Gourry-sama?"
Gourry turned around to see a woman with long dark blue hair standing st the door way with wide eyes. "Shyphiel? What are you doing here?"
Shyphiel ran across the room and gave him a quick hug and smiled. "I'm studying some more white magic in this city. They are known for a unique ability to calm a persons mind and seek into their thoughts. I thought it would be nice to research. Lina-san!" Shyphiel stepped over to where Lina was sitting and gace her a hug also. "I heard all about that Dark Star incident. Everyone is indebted to you guys."
"How did you hear about that, Shyphiel-san?" Amelia asked, surprised.
"In my journey to this city, I ate with a man. Or at least I though it was a man at first, until I mentioned you four in a conversation. He turned out to be a gold dragon, named Siru. He mantioned that he knew about you also, telling me about your adventure. He came with me this whole way, and we bacame rather good friends...except he's gone now. I have no idea where he went. Back home, I suppose." Shyphiel shrugged.
Everyone at the table exchanged glances, and Zelgadis decided to talk. "I doubt that. We are looking for our friend Filia, who is also a gold dragon, and Xelloss, though why we are looking for him still escapes me why." He glared at Lina.
Lina waved him off and continued. "Yeah, apparently the mazoku and dragons are dissapearing. Those two were taken by some odd balls of light."
"Oh, that's terrible!" Shyphiel exclaimed, her gentle nature always shinning. "Even if Xelloss-san is a mazoku." Shyphiel thought to herself for a moment and leaned toward Lina. "Can I ask you a favor, Lina-san?"
"Hmm? what?" Lina asked, wondering what the shy priestess wanted.
"Can I go with you?"
"Eh? You came to that decision awfully fast, Shyphiel-san!" Amelia rose her eyebrows in surprise.
"I want...to find my friend...Siru that is. If he really is in trouble, I want to help him."
"Yeah, sure Shyphiel." Gourry answered for Lina, smiling at her. "Well help you find your friend."
"Arrigato Gourry-sama!" Shyphiel threw her arms around him again and laughed happily.
"Oi, Lina, where are we going next?" Zelgadis asked suddenly, still sipping from his mug.
"Well, we haven't explored much of the new world yet. But I talked to a captain of a ship called the "Sea Blossom", a really nice guy. He said he would take us to a town called Allegura. He's got family there, I guess. But he offered to take us on a discounted price. And h says that the town we are headed for is getting ready for a huge festival, and that we should get there in time. Festivals equal food." She thought for a moment and an angry look came to her face.
"WHERE IS MY FOOD!??!"
The woman known to Xelloss and Filia as Tarrama stepped out from the shadows and knelt before Dolphin with her head bowed. "They are proceeding without hindrence. She has not spoken a word in the waking world for two years now. I doubt that if she even tried to speak that her voice is even there anymore." A cruel smile swept across her cold features as she continued. "Since the silence is self inflicted and not through magic, Filia and Xelloss do not suspect an outside force. They think their daughter is mute. I think within a year she will be within our ranks. The corruption has to be a slow delicate process because Xelloss is sensitive to negative forces, even as a human. If he senses a sudden inbalance within Tsunami, he will investigate. But she should be ready for you-know-who in due time."
Dolphin nodded at her follower. Coral had become her new priestess, her last one, along with the general, deposed of after a failed mission. Coral was doing well, but she had designs for a new priestess...but only time will bring that, so she needed to be patient.
One of her spy's walked out of a shadow and kneeled before her master. "Mistress, there is a complication."
"Continue."
"It seems that Lina and her allies are headed towards Allerura by ship."
"This is not acceptable. However, no harm can come to the Inverse girl. She is favored by L-sama for whatever reason, and seems to have her luck when encountering Mazoku lords. I think I'll pass in confronting her...take the orbs with you and disable them. That's all that should be required."
"When shall I do this?"
"Not on the ship...wait until they are ashore. And wait for them to be all together. If we miss one, it might be our downfall, all of them are to be reconed with."
"Oh, and it's time to chase the rabbits out of their holes anyways."
"Xelloss, where is the potatos? We got to get this stew going!" Filia marched around the kitchen of the inn the two of them had invested in a couple years back. She wore a little yellow apron and her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail.
"Right here!" Xelloss was in front of a huge pot doing something but she was not sure what. "Get away from there namagomi! Anything you cook is hazardous!" She snapped the jar he was holding over the pot out of his hands and starred at the lable. "You were going to put cinnamon in stew? Baka. Go manage the place like you are supposed to, mix your drinks for customers, and stay out of my kitchen!"
He pouted a little. "But Fi-chan..."
"Don't Fi-chan me! You! Door! Out! Now!" She pointed to the door that lead to the dining room.
"Fine, it's more fun out there anyways. Besides, the waitress' wear lower cut blouses than you do." He teased, winking at her and darting out before she could throw a pot at him. As he stepped out, he noticed Tsunami sitting on the steps that lead to the rooms on the upper floor. She had purple hair, but a lighter shade that Xelloss', cut to her shoulders with a yellow headband and bangs. Her face resembled her mother's with the exception that her eyes looked like his, only bigger and more feminine, and the fact that they were dark blue. She wore a little peachy-pink summer dress with a yellow ribbon tied around her waist and yellow sandles.
He sighed to himself, and walked up to her, sitting down next to Tsunami. "Ne, Tsu-chan. Are you feeling ok?"
She nodded solemly not smiling or offering anything to say. She looked at her feet and wiggled her toes.
Xelloss felt suddenly depressed as he looked at her. "I wish you would talk to me again. I want to know what's wrong...you don't even write things down. It's like you don't want to talk to me."
She continued to stare at her toes, if not more intently. She dropped her head lower so that her bangs covered her eyes, and shook her head lightly.
He didn't like feeling helpless, but he did when it came to this. He tried everything, it seemed, to attempt to get is daughter to speak to him again. "Tsu-chan, do you want to help me for a while taking care of the inn?"
She nodded and looked at him, her eyebrows raised. Good he thought. That's as close to a smile as I ever get.
"Oi! Xelloss-san!"
A man of medium stature and light blone hair approached him. "Are you going to be out in the market tomorrow? It is the Spring Fesitval, you should sell some of your stuff."
"Oh, I plan on it. Tsu-chan and I will be right in the middle of it all. Is your daughter Sabrina doing anything tomorrow, Tarramond?" Xelloss asked, smiling.
"You take your wife to the fesitval, not my daugher!" The man laughed.
"No no, though your daugher is beautiful, I plan on taking my wife. In fact, that is why I asked. I was wondering if she would be willing to watch Tsu-chan if she doesn't have plans."
"I'll ask her. I don't think she does. But I am sure she is more than willing."
"Lina-san I can see it!" Amelia was practically hanging off the side of the ship, shading her eyes against the light and leaning out to get a better look at the ship. The sun was setting in the horizon before her, but what she could make out, "It's beautiful, Lina-san!"
Gourry was looking with Amelia and nodded his agreement. "Yeah, looks like it's one heck of a celebration too, I can see ballons."
"Just as long as they have coffee." Zelgadis looked out to the town. He had become paranoid about towns not having caffinated drinks after walking into one that had none at all. It was against the law, but so was being out after the sun set. It looked like these people were ready to party all hours of the night.
Marner walked up with Shyphiel and smiled at them all. "Ye look anxious. Before you get yourselves excited, though, I need to warn you of something."
Lina raised her eyebrow. "Oh, and what's that?"
Shiphiel answered for him. "Captian Marner was just telling me about a curse on the city."
"A curse? On an entire city?" Amelia asked. "That's horrible."
Shyphiel smiled softly, walking to the edge of the deck to take a look at the town herself. "It's not that bad, but it does effect us. We can't use any magic."
"What?" Zelgadis snapped his head up, immediately worried. "Wards?"
"No, like I said, a curse. Magic has...lets call it waves. Besides the effect of the spell itself, it's force also ripples out. Using magic would be like earthquakes to this city. A dragonslave would rip the island apart."
Lina thought for a second, rubbing her hands together and looking down at the slightly moist wooden deck. "Well, does this apply to all magic, or just black?"
"All magic, Lina-san. I'm sure we will be fine though without our magic for a day or two." Shyphiel smiled even more broadly. "You'll be too busy eating to care anyways."
Lina glared at the shy priestess. "Are you implying something?"
"Not at all."
Marner took a few steps towards Amelia and smiled down at the shorter princess. "I think ye will like this city. It is well known for it's art. My son sells paintings and his wife'3s pottery during the day and runs a tavern and inn at night."
"Really? I would love to see his paintings, though I don't say I approve of him selling alcohol."
Marner laughed. "Ye have all the qualities of a salior...except that."
Amelia blushed, knowing this was a compliment. "Thank you. How long do you suppose until we dock?"
"Half hour."
"Great!"
"Filia, are you ready yet? You take too damn long!" Xelloss was standing by the doorway, wearing a dark red silk shirt and his traditional black pants.
Filia poked around the corner and shot him "a look" as he liked to call it. He looked at Sabrina, who was sitting on the couch, her hands folded politly on her lap. She had short red hair, cut very much like Xelloss'. Her eyes were a light shade of blue and her face was angular, but she was attractive. She smiled at Xelloss.
"Don't worry, Xelloss-san. I'll take good care of Tsu-chan, as always."
Xelloss nodded at the young girl and smiled back. "I know you will." He took a deep breath and let out a "COME ON!" Sabrina giggled lightly.
"Do you want me to hurt you that bad?" Filia yelled from her room.
"As long as it will get you out here!"
A few frustraited noises excaped her room before she did. Her hair was left down, her blonde hair slightly wavy. She wore a white dress that stopped just below her knees with a ruffle. It was a no sleeve dress made of silk, just like his shirt.
"You look lovely. Can we go now?" He pleaded.
Filia stuck her nose up in the air and folded her arms across her chest. "At least sound sincere when you give a compliment, baka."
Xelloss put his hands to his chest right over his head and gave the cheesiest smile he could manage. "Oh, mi'lady, the sun itself would weep if it saw how beautiful you are, but it's a shame, for the sun can't see you 'cause you took to damn long!" He grinned, darting out the door like always before she could clobber him with something.
It was crowded. There was festive music everywhere, streamers hanging from buildings in vibrant colors, lively people mingling, dancing, talking, laughing, eating...
"FOOD!" Lina and Gourry said in unison, running to a huge table full of fruit, vegitables and meat cooked in a variety of ways.
Zelgadis sighed and smiled at Amelia slightly. "Well, we wont hear from them for another three hours or so." He looked around and spotted a table that was unoccupied. "Want to sit for a while, Amelia?"
Amelia blushed a little at his question and nodded. "Of course. Shyphiel-san, Marner-san...?"
"Shyphiel went to the library, because it is still open for the fesival, and Marner said something about finding his son." Zelgadis pulled out both chairs for them and sat down.
Only a short distance away from the food and the tables was a dance floor where some of the locals and visiting peoples indulged themselves as the music played well paced tunes suited for lively dancing. And beyond that was another set of tables, where Xelloss and Filia sat.
"Come on!" Filia pleaded.
"No!"
"Please!"
"No!"
"But I really want to!"
"No, no and wait a minute....NO!"
Filia glared at him. Her glare then turned into a pout as she stared at him with the biggest eyes she could manage.
"No, not the look...put that face away..."
Lip stuck out a little further, eyes somehow got just a smidgen larger.
"Filia, I really don't think dancing is a good idea for me."
"You just hate any attention to yourself. No one will be staring at you, we will just be two people enjoying themselves. Please?"
".............alright. But we stop when I say, alright?"
"Deal." She waited for him to stand and offer his hand politely. They walked out and started off with simple moves that most of the locals knew.
Amelia turned away from Lina and Gourry who where still indulging themselves in their favorite thing and observed the activity around her. "Everyone here is so happy." She sighed, smiling sofly and resting her chin in her palm. She stared at the dancers and their smiling faces.
"Zelgadis-san..." Amelia began, almost gathering the nerve to ask him if he wanted to dance. No, he wouldn't. He doesn't like to make himself obvious in anyway...
"Hmm? What is it?" He looked at her from under his hood, sipping some tea he had managed to get ahold of.
"Oh, nothing."
She continued to be entranced with the dancers and their twirling. They all moved with the music, dancing with their partners. Amelia binked when she saw a man in a red shirt and purple hair. "Eh?!" She raised her head quickly from her palm and tried to catch another glimpse of him, but he had dissapeared behind some other couples.
"What is it, Amelia? Is something wrong?" Zelgadis sat a little straighter, alarmed by the princess' facial expression.
"I just though..but it couldn't be......" She knitted her eyebrows together and tried to recall the face she saw for a brief second.
"Well?" Zelgadis asked, a little annoyance slipping into his voice.
"I thought I saw Xelloss-san, but there is no way." She shook her head. "I must be wrong. I am awful tired."
Zelgadis watched the dancers for a while. "You must be. I don't see him. Whoa, wait!" He caught a glimpse of a woman in a white dress. "That looked like Filia!" He got up and started towards the dancers, Amelia following just behind him. "Did you see that?"
Amelia nodded. "That did look like Filia!"
Zelgadis was about to push his way through when a man stopped him. "You can't just walk in here buddy, you have to dance."
"Excuse me? This is rather important." Zelgadis snapped irratibly.
Amelia grinned a little and grabbed his hand. "That is what we were intending." She dashed out into the dancefloor, pulling him with her, and starting a very simple move she was sure he would be able to follow.
Zelgadis starred at her in disbelief for a second before he followed her steps. "Are you nuts?"
"Hey, we got to get a closer look, don't we? We don't have time to argue." She smiled and looked into the dancing crowed around her. She caught another glimpse of Xelloss. "Ok, I am positive that is Xelloss, or a man that bares the most striking resemblance to him."
"I doubt there is such a person. Which way?" Zelgadis asked, loosing the shock as he became interested in finding Xelloss and Filia.
Amelia looked in the direction she saw him and jutted out her chin. "Twirl me that way. one, two, three, four!" Zelgadis did as he was told and they broke through several couples.
Then they spotted the couple dancing together. Zelgadis tripped and Amelia's mouth hung open. "We aren't really seeing this, are we?" She asked, picking up her steps again.
"I...don't know." He was caught far too off guard. What they saw next was worst.
Xelloss twirled Filia under him arm and pulled her to him for a kiss.
Zelgadis and Amelia tripped, ending with him toppled on her. Amelia turned the deepest shade of red a human face could manage.
A huge rumbing began to shake the earth just then. Gradually building in magnitude.
Someone in the crowd screamed. "Someone is using magic!" And on cue huge explosions rang throughout the city. Everyone broke out into a run. Zelgaids and Amelia got up, and Zelgadis ran as fast as he could, but failed to notice that some of the locals just toppled the princess over again on the ground.
Xelloss and Filia ran up to her. Filia bent down and looked at the princess. "Are you alright, miss? We have to get out of here!"
Xelloss was looking over at some hills over a couple of the city buildings, and his mouth fell open. "Filia, the house is on fire!" He reached down and grabbed Amelia with one hand and Filia with the other. "We have to hurry!" Xelloss was about ready to cast a Rei Wing when Filia jerked his arm hard.
"No, casting magic will make things worst!"
"But Tsu-chan and Sabrina are in there!"
"Would you rather they die in an earthquake?"
"Xelloss? Filia?" Amelia finally managed to get out.
Filia turned to look at Amelia. "Miss, you have to get out of here!"
Xelloss let go of Amelia and ran with Filia out toward the house. Amelia followed close behind. What is going on?
"AMELIA?!" She heard people calling out to her, and saw Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis running toward her.
"Zelgadis said you found Xelloss and Filia! Where are they?" Lina and the other two weeded through the running people as the ground shook.
"Something is wrong! They said something about a house burning over there and ran that way!" She pointed in the direction she saw them running toward. Gourry turned and ran in that direction. Lina almost cast Rei Wing until Amelia stopped her. "No, remember the curse?"
Lina sighed and ran with Amelia and Zelgadis running close behind her. Once the broke throught the heavily domestic area, and into a more rural region, they spotted the house Amelia was talking about, and two figures standing infront of it.
"It's them, Lina-san!" Amelia cried, running out of breath from running so hard, trying to keep her balance with the shaking ground and the smoke.
Lina ran up to Xelloss and pulled on the collar of his shirt. "Where the hell have you been, you jerk?!"
Xelloss starred at her for a moment and pushed her to the ground. "Get out of my face! My house is burning down if you don't mind!"
A young soot covered girl managed to get out of the house through the door, and collapsed a few yards away from the flames.
"Sabrina!" Filia cried out and ran to the girl, holding her in her arms and shaking her slightly so her eyes would open. "Where is Tsunami?"
"*cough*still *cough* in the house. I think she *cough* is in her *cough* room." She closed hre eyes again and gave into a coughing fit.
Filia looked at Xelloss with terror. "Xelloss, she's still in there!"
He looked at the open door and ran into the house.
Lina got up and grew fangs. "What the hell did you do that for!"
Filia looked at Lina and stared for a moment. "Do I...know you?"
Lina blinked a few times and cocked her head to the side. Zelgadis stepped out to stand beside Lina.
"You don't remember us?"
"I fell like I know you..." Filia thought for a moment, "but I am sure I haven't met any of you before."
Lina looked at the others. "Amnesia?"
"It would appear so." Zelgadis scratched his chin and looked at the burning house. "And what is with Xelloss diving into the burning house?"
Xelloss came out of the doorway with a little girl in his arms.
Zelgadis growled low in his throat. "What is he doing with that child?"
Lina look a definsive stance with him. "I don't know, but we have to be carful. We can't let him hurt her."
Amelia and Gourry stood beside them, also taking caution. Filia set Sabrina down and ran to Xelloss.
"What is she doing? She is going to get that girl killed if she clobbers him at a time like this!" Lina exclaimed as she saw the blonde run to Xelloss.
He set the girl on the gound and both of them started frantically shaking her, patting her cheek, checking her eyes and her breathing.
"Nani?" Lina whispered.
"She isn't breathing!" Filia wailed, positioning herself beside her and rythmicly pushing on the girl's chest. Xelloss looked at the girl with obvious worry, holdong onto her hand.
He looked at Filia and shook his head. "Cast a healing spell."
"But the town..."
"Look at it Filia! The whole place is practically ash anyways. This is our daughter, would you rather save her or a city that is already rubble?"
Filia nodded her head and began the spell.
"Daughter...Lina I'm confused." Gourry scratched his head. "I thought they hated eachother. How could they have a kid?"
"For once, Gourry, I think I am more confused than you." The redheaded sorceress folded her arm over her bosom and looked at Zelgadis. "Do you have any ideas?"
Zelgadis shook his head. "No...but Amelia and I did see them kiss earlier."
"This is getting wierd." Amelia looked at the little girl with the light pruple hair on the gound and clasped hre hands together in worry. "I hope she will be alright though."
Tsunami's eyes opened suddenly and she coughed fiercly for a long moment. She looked up at Xelloss and Filia with wide dark blue eyes and burst into tears as both of them hugged her.
Marner came running up the hill just then, dashing past the group and to the family clustered before the house. "What the hell happened, boy? Is me girl all right?" Marner looked at Tsunami and reached down to hug her also.
Xelloss scratched his head and smiled a little at Marner. "Hey dad. You think we could bunk with you for a while?" Marner nodded and looked at the house, and the tavern the family owned. "Yare yare...I'm sorry. That was everything you guys owned."
"Daddy!" Sabina called out at she saw Tarramond and his wife running up the hill.
Xelloss shrugged at his father's comment and scooped up Tsunami in a cradle hold. "What happens, happens. At least I got Tsu-chan out in time." He grinned at his father, only flinching slightly as he heard the frame of the house collapse. "Still, it is depressing." He sighed, moving over to Filia as she sadly stared at the house.
"We worked so hard..." She whispered.
"I know."
"Really confused, Lina." Gourry amended.
