Chapter 6: Fume! Horseshoes are hung over the doorway, people are hung over
the bad way.
"Zel, hey Zelly-boy." Lina said softly. Zel pulled the blankets over his head. Lina giggled, "Time to get up, Zel-kun, we're gonna go." Zel moaned.
"I lost didn't I?" he said. Lina nodded sadly,
"Really badly, I might add. Do I have to say I told you so?" she asked. He growled, and sat up.
"No." he said crossly, "You don't." He looked down at the fact that he was still wearing a now slightly crumpled tux. He blushed, "What happened?" he asked.
"You don't remember?" she asked, not surprised at all. He shook his head slowly. She smiled her little neko smile, "Well, let's go!" she said. He blinked,
"What happened, no really!" he said, walking to the doorway.
"Get dressed, and we'll be waiting outside!" she called. He bit his lip, and rubbed his aching head.
Outside..
"Did you sleep well, onee-sama?" Amelia asked her sister. Nahga yawned,
"Hai, why wouldn't I?" she said boredly. Amelia blinked.
"Well, you did drink a whole lot last night, more than even Mr. Zelgadis, and he's.." she trailed off as Zel walked out of the door of the inn, a cloud of depressed anger nearly visible above his head, "here. Oh, Hi, Mr. Zelgadis!" Amelia shouted happily. Zel grunted. She stood back. The shadow twins backed away, clearing a path from Zel to the. path. Lina giggled nervously,
"Right, well, looks like it's about time for us to get going!" she shouted, waving her hands in an all inclusive motion. The rest got up, and started to walk. Zel was about to employ his demon speed, after all, he really didn't want to have to hear that Nahga woman brag, *loudly* about how she beat him, and he couldn't challenge her again, it just violated his honor. Anyway, he was just about to employ his demon speed when Xelloss appeared in his path, smiling. Zel growled.
"YOU! I thought we were rid of you long ago!" he shouted. Xelloss smiled, idly opening one eye.
"Oh, it's not that easy to get rid of me, Zelgadis, besides, how could I miss your. misadventures with." he briefly transformed into the barkeep, "My special chaotic blend?" Zel's eyes widened, and then he growled.
"You, stupid, annoying, fruitcake!!!!" He growled.
"Xelloss is here?" Lina asked from behind him. Amelia smiled.
"Ohayo, Xelloss-san!" she said, "When did you get here?" Xelloss made a moue.
"Oh, I don't know. Last night." he said, smiling at Zelgadis, "I hope you don't mind me following you.." He said.
"Well actually." Said Lina, just as Zel said,
"Of course we do!" just as Amelia said,
"Actually, now that you mention it," just as Nahga said,
"OH-HOHOHOHOHO!" just as Gourry said,
"Huh?" just as Silphiel said,
"Gourry, dear," and then stopped as she heard Nahga's annoying laugh. Actually, that was when everyone stopped.
"SHUT UP!!" they said in unison, and she trailed off with a final..
"ho.. ho... ho." Xelloss blinked.
"Right, I knew you wouldn't mind!" he said, smiling. Everyone sweatdropped, except the shadow twins, they were blinking in fear at Xelloss. He smiled, and glided over to them, as everyone else plotted his demise.. mentally, of course. He could tell because he was a mazoku, "Hello, girls, how are you?" he asked. They blinked at each other, and then back at him.
"Please, sir mazoku, please forgive me.." Lana said, tears in her eyes, "I didn't mean to injure you that time.. G-g-gomen nasai." she said, not looking directly at him. He smiled. It went against his grain to comfort the poor girl, but her sorrow and fear and sadness went further back than anyone else's he had ever met. He expected that she had had a horrible life to make her an object of pity to even himself. And yet. he was frightened of Lina, just a tidge.. He knew that if he did something to get on her bad side, she would kill him. He knew she had that kind of power. So, it was only natural for him to pity someone who was the exact opposite of her. He smiled, in a more sincere way than normal.
"It's all right, young lady, it wasn't your fault.." he said, leaning forward to comfort her, before he remembered, and stopped himself. She shivered, and he felt a surge of pity. He stepped back. She nearly reached up and stopped him,
"No, it's okay.." she said, looking down, "I'm really very sorry." She said, turning away. Xelloss blinked, and solemnly warped to where Lina stood. After a while, the others had stopped plotting his demise, and started to stare in amazement at that scene. Lina grinned,
"Xelloss, I'm amazed, you're a feeling person.." she said. Xelloss' lip curled involuntarily at that. He smiled then.
"Oh, no, Lina, I'm just trying to get on your shadow twin's good side." He said. He looked at his nonexistent watch, "Shouldn't we be getting a move on?" he asked. Zel and Lina exchanged glances, and sweatdropped,
"I suppose.." Lina said. Zel shrugged. He blinked. His head still hurt like hell, and he still wanted to get away, but as they started walking, Lina gave him a look that said,
"You're in no shape to leave now, Zelly-boy!" He groaned. Her looks always spoke volumes. They were usually right, too. He sighed, and kept walking. Gourry tried to console him.
"Don't worry, Zel, It's not like you were up against. Like, her," he said, pointing to shadow Nahga, "Wait, maybe you were, I can't tell. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that no one would have won against that Nahga person." He said, nodding. Zel sweatdropped. Under those words of sympathy, he cracked a small smile.
"Probably not Gourry." He admitted. Meanwhile, Lina was trying some consolation of her own. Wait, Lina, that's the wrong side!
"Nahga!" she shouted, and Nahga turned, eyes wide and questioning, "You know that was dirty, what you did to Zel." She said. Nahga smiled.
"Perhaps, Lina Inverse, but-" Lina interrupted her,
"NO BUTS!" she shouted, "He wouldn't challenge you to an unfair fight, so you challenged him to one? That's like him asking you to-to like a sword fight or something!" she said.
"Lina, obviously you don't recognize me for the shrewd businesswoman that I am! It was pure luck that I happened upon someone that would last so long! He should be thanking his lucky stars that he even got that far!" Lina gritted her teeth.
"But there was no way he could win!" she shouted. Nahga crossed her arms.
"That's not my problem, now is it. Your little friend lost, Lina, he lost and that's all she wrote! OH-HOHOHOHOHOHO!!!" Lina balled her hands into fists.
"That may not be your problem, but this is!" she shouted, "EXPLOSION ARRAY!!" she shouted. Nahga was blasted sky-high.
"Miss LINA! That's my sister!" Amelia shouted. Lina rolled up her sleeves.
"You wanna join her?" she asked angrily. Amelia shook her head.
"No, Miss Lina, I was just saying." Lina calmed.
"All right, Amelia, for your sake, I'll try to stop.." At this point Nahga hit the ground with a sound THWOP! "Blowing up your sister." She finished. Amelia blinked, and went over to see how Nahga was. They all paused while Nahga recovered. Zel smiled, just a bit.
"And you did that for me?" he asked. Lina grinned, and gave him the V for victory.
"Nope, she was getting on my nerves!" she said, grinning. Gourry blinked at the charred Nahga.
"But Lina, I get on your nerves all the time, and you never do that to me.." he said. She nodded.
"Life is a battle of wits. I try not to attack the defenseless.." she said with a smile. Gourry nodded his head. Lina sweatdropped. Nahga recovered quickly. Meanwhile, Xelloss was still conversing with the shadow twins, as they had hidden when Nahga had started her laugh, knowing the consequences. He had naturally followed their fear.
"Xelloss-san.." Gracia said, "Do you think that Miss Lina will ever do that to either of us?" she said, frightened. Lana shook.
"I don't know that I can be here much longer if she will.." she said in fear. Xelloss shook his head.
"No, You'll never irritate her that much.." Lana still shook. Once again Xelloss felt that irrepressible surge of pity. He cursed himself mentally.
*How can you even deign to call yourself Mazoku if you feel emotions like that??* he asked himself. He hovered above the twins. He grimaced. Lina glanced at him, smiled, and shouted,
"Well, looks like it's about time to go!" The rest nodded, and started walking. Xelloss growled, very very softly, and motioned to the twins that they were leaving. They got up. Meanwhile, Silphiel was glancing at Xelloss in suspicion.
*That mazoku can't be up to anything good..* she thought to herself. Just about then, a battered and torn man came up to them.
"Oh, please you've got to help me!" he shouted. Lina raised an eyebrow.
"Déjà vu.." she said, glancing at Nahga. Nahga nodded.
"What is it you need?" she asked imperiously of the man. He blinked in fear up at her.
"There are. up ahead, beast men.." Nahga now raised an eyebrow, "And.. And a dragon.." he mumbled, "Help us." he said.
"Are you sure you won't kill and eat us, except for the nasty bits?" she asked. Unfortunately, the man couldn't give an answer, he was unconscious.
"WHAT?" Zel demanded of Nahga. Lina waved a hand.
"Long story, looks like we've got some work ahead of us." She said, cracking her knuckles, and smiling.. "And maybe.." she lifted a hand, "A BIG REWARD!" everyone else sweatdropped. Silphiel looked at the man, Lana next to her.
"He's badly injured, but I can heal him.." she said. Lina nodded, but then blinked.
"Look!" she shouted, pointing at Lana. Her eyes were shut and her body was glowing white. She murmured something that no one could understand.
". be purged from this man, in thy great holy name I forfeit my life for his! HOLY CLEANSING!" A flash lit up the surroundings, and for a moment, no one could see. When their eyes cleared, the man was glowing with white energy, and his eyes opened. He sat up, and looked around, confused.
"What.. happened?" he asked. Lina blinked at him.
"I.. I don't know." She said, in complete awe. Lana stood.
"He was poisoned." She said in a soft voice, "By the dragon." Everyone stared at her. She blushed fiercely. The man was still bewildered. He looked around.
"What's the matter with him?" he asked, pointing to a collapsed figure covered by a cape. His staff was still clenched in his hand.
"XELLOSS-SAN!" Amelia shouted, putting her hand to her lips. Lana made to walk over, but stopped, and Gracia came over to comfort her. Lina walked over to Xelloss, closely followed by Silphiel.
"What's the matter with him?" Lina asked. Silphiel looked at Lina.
"I don't know, he's unconscious." She said. Lina bit her lip.
"He's not dead, is he?" she said, "Because that's all we need now, is another dark lord pissed at us. Besides. he's our fruitcake!" she said. Silphiel shrugged.
"I can't tell. He seems to be alive." She said.
"Can't you feel it?" Lana asked, "I can feel it. He's alive." She said. Lina glanced back at her, smiling. Xelloss opened his eyes.
"Why, Lina, I didn't know you cared.." he said weakly. Lina was leaning over his body in a.. compromised position. She quickly jumped up, blushing. Gourry and Zel walked over to see whether he was all right.
"Hello all, what's the matter?" he asked, sitting up. He winced.
"It seems like perhaps Xelloss has a weakness to white magic." Zel said, trying to keep a smirk off of his face. Xelloss suddenly realized what had happened.
"Right. Well, you can't kill me that easily, after all, White magic doesn't kill." He said. But he was beginning to doubt. After all, he had never been caught unawares like that. The flash hadn't even been what had knocked him unconscious. It was the buildup of white magic that had preceded it. He didn't know, but maybe if he had been conscious when that buildup had reached its peak. but he couldn't think of that. He jumped up, attempting to hover, but failing. He blinked, and tried to warp out. Nothing happened. He was shocked, but affected disregard.
"I suppose I need some time to recover." He said, smiling his usual Xelloss smile. Lina and Zel exchanged glances. Lina blinked.
"Right, well, maybe you should stay here. We have to save these poor villagers from that horrible poisonous dragon." She said.
"So we can collect the reward, right?" Zel asked. Lina nodded, and smiled.
"Hell yeah!" she said, and started running. The others followed, Xelloss leaning on Gracia for support. Lana was walking worriedly beside him, trying not to touch him, while tears streamed down her face. She kept murmuring,
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry." Xelloss tried to tell her it wasn't her fault, despite his better judgment. Lina blinked back at her fervently apologizing shadow-twin, wondering what kind of power she could have been given, to hurt Xelloss like that. She shook her head, and walked on. Gourry blinked. He turned to her, and yelled.
"HEY!! That was a personal insult!" She sweatdropped, and kept walking.
"Zel, hey Zelly-boy." Lina said softly. Zel pulled the blankets over his head. Lina giggled, "Time to get up, Zel-kun, we're gonna go." Zel moaned.
"I lost didn't I?" he said. Lina nodded sadly,
"Really badly, I might add. Do I have to say I told you so?" she asked. He growled, and sat up.
"No." he said crossly, "You don't." He looked down at the fact that he was still wearing a now slightly crumpled tux. He blushed, "What happened?" he asked.
"You don't remember?" she asked, not surprised at all. He shook his head slowly. She smiled her little neko smile, "Well, let's go!" she said. He blinked,
"What happened, no really!" he said, walking to the doorway.
"Get dressed, and we'll be waiting outside!" she called. He bit his lip, and rubbed his aching head.
Outside..
"Did you sleep well, onee-sama?" Amelia asked her sister. Nahga yawned,
"Hai, why wouldn't I?" she said boredly. Amelia blinked.
"Well, you did drink a whole lot last night, more than even Mr. Zelgadis, and he's.." she trailed off as Zel walked out of the door of the inn, a cloud of depressed anger nearly visible above his head, "here. Oh, Hi, Mr. Zelgadis!" Amelia shouted happily. Zel grunted. She stood back. The shadow twins backed away, clearing a path from Zel to the. path. Lina giggled nervously,
"Right, well, looks like it's about time for us to get going!" she shouted, waving her hands in an all inclusive motion. The rest got up, and started to walk. Zel was about to employ his demon speed, after all, he really didn't want to have to hear that Nahga woman brag, *loudly* about how she beat him, and he couldn't challenge her again, it just violated his honor. Anyway, he was just about to employ his demon speed when Xelloss appeared in his path, smiling. Zel growled.
"YOU! I thought we were rid of you long ago!" he shouted. Xelloss smiled, idly opening one eye.
"Oh, it's not that easy to get rid of me, Zelgadis, besides, how could I miss your. misadventures with." he briefly transformed into the barkeep, "My special chaotic blend?" Zel's eyes widened, and then he growled.
"You, stupid, annoying, fruitcake!!!!" He growled.
"Xelloss is here?" Lina asked from behind him. Amelia smiled.
"Ohayo, Xelloss-san!" she said, "When did you get here?" Xelloss made a moue.
"Oh, I don't know. Last night." he said, smiling at Zelgadis, "I hope you don't mind me following you.." He said.
"Well actually." Said Lina, just as Zel said,
"Of course we do!" just as Amelia said,
"Actually, now that you mention it," just as Nahga said,
"OH-HOHOHOHOHO!" just as Gourry said,
"Huh?" just as Silphiel said,
"Gourry, dear," and then stopped as she heard Nahga's annoying laugh. Actually, that was when everyone stopped.
"SHUT UP!!" they said in unison, and she trailed off with a final..
"ho.. ho... ho." Xelloss blinked.
"Right, I knew you wouldn't mind!" he said, smiling. Everyone sweatdropped, except the shadow twins, they were blinking in fear at Xelloss. He smiled, and glided over to them, as everyone else plotted his demise.. mentally, of course. He could tell because he was a mazoku, "Hello, girls, how are you?" he asked. They blinked at each other, and then back at him.
"Please, sir mazoku, please forgive me.." Lana said, tears in her eyes, "I didn't mean to injure you that time.. G-g-gomen nasai." she said, not looking directly at him. He smiled. It went against his grain to comfort the poor girl, but her sorrow and fear and sadness went further back than anyone else's he had ever met. He expected that she had had a horrible life to make her an object of pity to even himself. And yet. he was frightened of Lina, just a tidge.. He knew that if he did something to get on her bad side, she would kill him. He knew she had that kind of power. So, it was only natural for him to pity someone who was the exact opposite of her. He smiled, in a more sincere way than normal.
"It's all right, young lady, it wasn't your fault.." he said, leaning forward to comfort her, before he remembered, and stopped himself. She shivered, and he felt a surge of pity. He stepped back. She nearly reached up and stopped him,
"No, it's okay.." she said, looking down, "I'm really very sorry." She said, turning away. Xelloss blinked, and solemnly warped to where Lina stood. After a while, the others had stopped plotting his demise, and started to stare in amazement at that scene. Lina grinned,
"Xelloss, I'm amazed, you're a feeling person.." she said. Xelloss' lip curled involuntarily at that. He smiled then.
"Oh, no, Lina, I'm just trying to get on your shadow twin's good side." He said. He looked at his nonexistent watch, "Shouldn't we be getting a move on?" he asked. Zel and Lina exchanged glances, and sweatdropped,
"I suppose.." Lina said. Zel shrugged. He blinked. His head still hurt like hell, and he still wanted to get away, but as they started walking, Lina gave him a look that said,
"You're in no shape to leave now, Zelly-boy!" He groaned. Her looks always spoke volumes. They were usually right, too. He sighed, and kept walking. Gourry tried to console him.
"Don't worry, Zel, It's not like you were up against. Like, her," he said, pointing to shadow Nahga, "Wait, maybe you were, I can't tell. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that no one would have won against that Nahga person." He said, nodding. Zel sweatdropped. Under those words of sympathy, he cracked a small smile.
"Probably not Gourry." He admitted. Meanwhile, Lina was trying some consolation of her own. Wait, Lina, that's the wrong side!
"Nahga!" she shouted, and Nahga turned, eyes wide and questioning, "You know that was dirty, what you did to Zel." She said. Nahga smiled.
"Perhaps, Lina Inverse, but-" Lina interrupted her,
"NO BUTS!" she shouted, "He wouldn't challenge you to an unfair fight, so you challenged him to one? That's like him asking you to-to like a sword fight or something!" she said.
"Lina, obviously you don't recognize me for the shrewd businesswoman that I am! It was pure luck that I happened upon someone that would last so long! He should be thanking his lucky stars that he even got that far!" Lina gritted her teeth.
"But there was no way he could win!" she shouted. Nahga crossed her arms.
"That's not my problem, now is it. Your little friend lost, Lina, he lost and that's all she wrote! OH-HOHOHOHOHOHO!!!" Lina balled her hands into fists.
"That may not be your problem, but this is!" she shouted, "EXPLOSION ARRAY!!" she shouted. Nahga was blasted sky-high.
"Miss LINA! That's my sister!" Amelia shouted. Lina rolled up her sleeves.
"You wanna join her?" she asked angrily. Amelia shook her head.
"No, Miss Lina, I was just saying." Lina calmed.
"All right, Amelia, for your sake, I'll try to stop.." At this point Nahga hit the ground with a sound THWOP! "Blowing up your sister." She finished. Amelia blinked, and went over to see how Nahga was. They all paused while Nahga recovered. Zel smiled, just a bit.
"And you did that for me?" he asked. Lina grinned, and gave him the V for victory.
"Nope, she was getting on my nerves!" she said, grinning. Gourry blinked at the charred Nahga.
"But Lina, I get on your nerves all the time, and you never do that to me.." he said. She nodded.
"Life is a battle of wits. I try not to attack the defenseless.." she said with a smile. Gourry nodded his head. Lina sweatdropped. Nahga recovered quickly. Meanwhile, Xelloss was still conversing with the shadow twins, as they had hidden when Nahga had started her laugh, knowing the consequences. He had naturally followed their fear.
"Xelloss-san.." Gracia said, "Do you think that Miss Lina will ever do that to either of us?" she said, frightened. Lana shook.
"I don't know that I can be here much longer if she will.." she said in fear. Xelloss shook his head.
"No, You'll never irritate her that much.." Lana still shook. Once again Xelloss felt that irrepressible surge of pity. He cursed himself mentally.
*How can you even deign to call yourself Mazoku if you feel emotions like that??* he asked himself. He hovered above the twins. He grimaced. Lina glanced at him, smiled, and shouted,
"Well, looks like it's about time to go!" The rest nodded, and started walking. Xelloss growled, very very softly, and motioned to the twins that they were leaving. They got up. Meanwhile, Silphiel was glancing at Xelloss in suspicion.
*That mazoku can't be up to anything good..* she thought to herself. Just about then, a battered and torn man came up to them.
"Oh, please you've got to help me!" he shouted. Lina raised an eyebrow.
"Déjà vu.." she said, glancing at Nahga. Nahga nodded.
"What is it you need?" she asked imperiously of the man. He blinked in fear up at her.
"There are. up ahead, beast men.." Nahga now raised an eyebrow, "And.. And a dragon.." he mumbled, "Help us." he said.
"Are you sure you won't kill and eat us, except for the nasty bits?" she asked. Unfortunately, the man couldn't give an answer, he was unconscious.
"WHAT?" Zel demanded of Nahga. Lina waved a hand.
"Long story, looks like we've got some work ahead of us." She said, cracking her knuckles, and smiling.. "And maybe.." she lifted a hand, "A BIG REWARD!" everyone else sweatdropped. Silphiel looked at the man, Lana next to her.
"He's badly injured, but I can heal him.." she said. Lina nodded, but then blinked.
"Look!" she shouted, pointing at Lana. Her eyes were shut and her body was glowing white. She murmured something that no one could understand.
". be purged from this man, in thy great holy name I forfeit my life for his! HOLY CLEANSING!" A flash lit up the surroundings, and for a moment, no one could see. When their eyes cleared, the man was glowing with white energy, and his eyes opened. He sat up, and looked around, confused.
"What.. happened?" he asked. Lina blinked at him.
"I.. I don't know." She said, in complete awe. Lana stood.
"He was poisoned." She said in a soft voice, "By the dragon." Everyone stared at her. She blushed fiercely. The man was still bewildered. He looked around.
"What's the matter with him?" he asked, pointing to a collapsed figure covered by a cape. His staff was still clenched in his hand.
"XELLOSS-SAN!" Amelia shouted, putting her hand to her lips. Lana made to walk over, but stopped, and Gracia came over to comfort her. Lina walked over to Xelloss, closely followed by Silphiel.
"What's the matter with him?" Lina asked. Silphiel looked at Lina.
"I don't know, he's unconscious." She said. Lina bit her lip.
"He's not dead, is he?" she said, "Because that's all we need now, is another dark lord pissed at us. Besides. he's our fruitcake!" she said. Silphiel shrugged.
"I can't tell. He seems to be alive." She said.
"Can't you feel it?" Lana asked, "I can feel it. He's alive." She said. Lina glanced back at her, smiling. Xelloss opened his eyes.
"Why, Lina, I didn't know you cared.." he said weakly. Lina was leaning over his body in a.. compromised position. She quickly jumped up, blushing. Gourry and Zel walked over to see whether he was all right.
"Hello all, what's the matter?" he asked, sitting up. He winced.
"It seems like perhaps Xelloss has a weakness to white magic." Zel said, trying to keep a smirk off of his face. Xelloss suddenly realized what had happened.
"Right. Well, you can't kill me that easily, after all, White magic doesn't kill." He said. But he was beginning to doubt. After all, he had never been caught unawares like that. The flash hadn't even been what had knocked him unconscious. It was the buildup of white magic that had preceded it. He didn't know, but maybe if he had been conscious when that buildup had reached its peak. but he couldn't think of that. He jumped up, attempting to hover, but failing. He blinked, and tried to warp out. Nothing happened. He was shocked, but affected disregard.
"I suppose I need some time to recover." He said, smiling his usual Xelloss smile. Lina and Zel exchanged glances. Lina blinked.
"Right, well, maybe you should stay here. We have to save these poor villagers from that horrible poisonous dragon." She said.
"So we can collect the reward, right?" Zel asked. Lina nodded, and smiled.
"Hell yeah!" she said, and started running. The others followed, Xelloss leaning on Gracia for support. Lana was walking worriedly beside him, trying not to touch him, while tears streamed down her face. She kept murmuring,
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry." Xelloss tried to tell her it wasn't her fault, despite his better judgment. Lina blinked back at her fervently apologizing shadow-twin, wondering what kind of power she could have been given, to hurt Xelloss like that. She shook her head, and walked on. Gourry blinked. He turned to her, and yelled.
"HEY!! That was a personal insult!" She sweatdropped, and kept walking.
