'This is so embarrassing.' Lina muttered as Filia stared at the ring on her hand. Young Val blinked.
'WOW!' he shouted, diving for it, 'What a rock!'
Filia darted forward, pulling him back. 'Control yourself dear. Miss Lina, are you and Gourry finally engaged? For how long?'
'A year and a half.' Supplied Kai'ila, since Lina seemed to be incoherent. Filia gave the redhead and her two companions a queer look.
'Who're you three?'
'Ah- my name is Kai'ila and these are my friends Cleo and L'risia.'
'Pleased to meet you.' Filia smiled, 'this is my son Val, and my name is Filia Ul Copt. Are you travelling with Lina?'
'Actually-' L'risia started, but Cleo stepped on her foot.
'Yes, we were joining them on their way to Sailoon, actually!'
Zelgadis and Gourry blinked.
'You were?'
'Yes,' Kai'ila said, 'we were.'
'Ah-'
'Oh, it's okay!' Amelia said cheerfully, 'I want you all to stay at the palace for a while! L'risia, Kai'ila and Cleo can too if they want!'
'Have you seen Lina around?'
'No- have you tried the kitchen.'
'Well, I was going to, but someone said the cook was having a- oh, right. I think I'll just stay clear of that end then.'
L'risia nodded and grinned to Cleo, who'd been looking for the redhead. Cleo pouted.
'She'd better not eat all the food.'
'Is that all you think about?' L'risia demanded, sliding down the banisters. Cleo followed.
'No-o, actually I was wondering when Xelloss will turn up.'
'What makes you think he will?'
'He always turns up- he follows Lina around like a bad smell!'
'I resent that!' Xelloss said cheerfully, appearing at the bottom of the banisters. The girls squeaked.
'Ack not-'
CRASH
'Ow.' L'risia shoved Cleo off her and looked down at Xelloss. 'What the hell are you grinning for?'
'Well- that really, really hurt!' he grinned. She blinked.
'I forgot who I was talking to.' She muttered, brushing off her dress. 'Have you seen Kai'ila around Cleo?'
'I think she's talking to Amelia and drinking tea.'
Xelloss went bug-eyed.
'Filia's here?!'
'Didn't you know?'
'Ah- no.'
L'risia and her friend blinked at the annoyed-looking Mazoku. Lina, making a timely entrance, burst into the room and spotted the priest with the two girls.
'FRUITCAKE!' she roared, leaping on him and proceeding to pound him into the ground. In between giggles and punches, Xelloss asked,
'Lina-chan! What did I do?!?!?!'
'DON'T CALL ME CHAN! YOU TOLD AMELIA WHERE WE WERE YOU FRUITCAKE AND YOU KNEW I WAS ENGAGED-'
'He did?'
'You did?'
'I did?'
Lina stared at him. 'Well- you always seemed to know and everything about it kinda pointed to you- I mean not that I mind running into Amelia but the engagement thing is kind of embarrassing-'
'Don't you want to marry me, Lina?' Gourry asked.
'Of course I want to marry you, jellyfish brains!' Lina shouted, blushing, 'it's just that everyone- makes such a big deal out of it-'
'We can forget, if you want.' L'risia offered. 'Or act like the ring isn't there.'
'You'll get over the embarrassment.' Cleo reassured her, 'just as long as Amelia doesn't find it necessary to tell the entire city, that is.'
Xelloss started to sneak off, but Lina dived, grabbing his cape.
'And where do you think YOU'RE going?' she asked sweetly. 'You wouldn't be going off to tell Amelia to do exactly that, WERE you.'
'That is a secret!' Xelloss grinned, giggling. Lina's eyes narrowed dangerously.
'Xelloss, if you DARE even SUGGEST the idea to Amelia I will Laguna blade you. I mean it.'
'Lina-chan!' he gasped, 'you wouldn't!'
'I would.' She said, smiling nastily. Xelloss bowed his head.
'As your wish, madam.'
'That's better.' She grinned, patting the top of his purple head. L'risia rolled her eyes and folded her arms. Suddenly there was a scream, and impressive explosion and Filia, Amelia and Kai'ila ran screaming bloody murder into the entrance hall.
'Er- something wrong?'
Filia calmed down and brushed off her dress. Behind her, smoke cleared away to reveal a puzzled-looking Val, staring at his hands.
'What happened?' he asked, brushing soot out of his eyes. Zelgadis walked in through another door from the garden, looking rather hassled.
'I said a little power, Val.'
'Sorry Mr Zelgadis.'
Zel waved a hand. 'I guess it's okay- but it's a pity about the wall.' He sighed. 'That was a good wall.'
Val and him started to snicker and stopped as Amelia found a place to stand on the top of the stairs.
'Oh no.' muttered Lina.
'I WILL FIND THE CULPRIT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS INJUSTICE! I WILL CRUSH THEM-'
'Ah- Amelia?'
'What is it Mr Zelgadis?'
'Would you come down from there please? It was Val and me, and if you fall from up there you're going to hurt yourself.'
'You mean- YOU TWO CAUSED THAT?'
'Uh-'
Zelgadis and Val had the decency to look embarrassed.
'Val-' Filia growled warningly.
'Actually- I was teaching Val a few spells but for some reason they seem to magnify a lot.' The chimera shrugged. 'Sorry about the wall, Amelia.'
Lina looked sidelong at Xelloss, who was giggling. 'Xelloss?'
'Yes Lina-chan?'
'Shut up.'
At the dinner table, the group sat there. Obviously. Zelgadis had eaten a small plate and was now asking for coffee, then ordering double when L'risia announced she needed caffeine. Kai'ila was eating cold chips and gravy, much to L'risia's disgust and Cleo, who had been through six slices of pizza, was nicking them at every possible opportunity. Lina and Gourry were mowing their way through the plates and various dishes at an even more impressive rate than usual while Xelloss was annoying Filia and getting his food that way. Valgarv was cheering his mother AND Xelloss one, whoever looked like winning.
Suddenly the lights went out.
'HEY! WHO KILLED THE LIGHTS!' shouted Lina.
'Do you think we'd all be asking the same thing if we knew?' L'risia asked calmly, casting a light spell. The others, except Gourry and Lina and Xelloss, was at this moment was a giggling yet incoherent puddle on the floor, did the same. They looked at each other.
'Well no one's dead, that's a good start.' L'risia said dryly.
'Must you always be such a pessimist?'
'It's the basic storyline! The lights suddenly go out, there's a blood-curdling scream and then it turns out someone's dead.'
'There wasn't a blood curdling-'
'EEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!'
'-scream.' Zelgadis finished as everyone's hair stood on end, except for L'risia, who looked like she'd been expecting it.
'And that would be Dynast. Cue demonic demented laughter.'
'MWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-'
Lina recovered herself. 'SHUT UP ALREADY! L'ri, you said that was Dynast?!'
'Yes. He's quite the one for drama.'
'It's all that time in the freezing cold by himself,' Kai'ila said, as L'ri folded her arms and rolled her eyes. 'He watches way too much television.'
'His FOX bill will be enormous!'
'Yeah, never mind the electricity- I don't even think he paid off for installation yet-'
'He didn't,' Xelloss said cheerfully, 'he was asking my Master for the dosh bef- how do you know Dynast?'
'Uh-oh.'
'Whoops.'
'You and your big mouth, L'ri.'
'I guess you rubbed off on me, Cleo.'
'JUST WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU IMPLYING?!'
'Nothing, nothing-'
Lina stormed up to L'risia and collared the young woman while Xelloss and Zelgadis, acting for once in tandem, slid behind the trio so they couldn't escape.
'How do you know so much about Dynast?' Lina demanded, and then an amused voice that sounded a bit like Clint Eastwood said,
'Oh yes, do tell them ladies- it's such a gripping scene- our heroines, stopped in the middle of their battle for justice by the evil Lord Dynast are now forced to reveal the truth as-'
'AH SHUT UP!'
Author's notes- I don't know what the plot is yet, can't you tell?!?! Oh well! Until next time!
Star
