Chapter Two:

IN WHICH ZEL IS FOLLOWED ABOUT

Zelgadis stormed out of the inn, thinking dark, angsty, broody thoughts, along with any other thoughts typical of a dark, angsty, broody chimera. Maybe a nice long walk would clear his head. He started briskly walking down a forest path. His so-called friends just didn't understand. Why were they so immature? Couldn't they act like adults at least once in awhile? And if not, couldn't they just let him pretend he didn't know them? Was that too much to ask?? Zelgadis continued on his way, wildly gesturing towards the empty air, too absorbed in his inner-rantings to notice the shadowy figure following him.


After walking a few miles, Zelgadis discovered that his head was now sufficiently clear. He also discovered that he had been a big doodoo-head. How could he have said those things!? Zelgadis hoped his friends weren't too mad when he returned. He hoped they would still be his friends when he returned. He hoped they'd still be at the inn when he returned. He hoped the inn would still be there when he returned. He hoped--Zel sighed again. Like Lina said, there was no use wasting energy worrying. And Amelia would tell him to think positive thoughts. He sighed again, and stopped walking. They'd probably never speak to him again. At least Xelloss didn't seem angry; in fact the bastard was probably happier than ever. Then again, Xelloss wasn't his friend. In fact, he was the farthest thing from it! Come to think of it, this was all that little fruitcake's fault! If Xelloss hadn't been annoying him so much, he would have never lost his temper like that. Oooh, he couldn't wait to get his hands on that . . . that . . .

"That namagomi!" He punched a nearby boulder, creating a large crack.

"Ow," said the rock. "That hurt."

"Gomen nasai," he muttered. "I didn't mean to--" Wait, rocks couldn't talk(1). Zel heard a familiar, and extremely annoying giggle. He yanked Xellos out from behind the boulder.

"Hello! Fancy meeting you out here! Lovely night for a walk, isn't it?" Xelloss continued to babble on, ignoring Zel's twitching eye. "You wouldn't happen to be looking for that brothel I mentioned earlier would you, because if you are, you're going in the wrong direct--gakk!" Zel started throttling him.

"What are you doing here? Were you following me, you little cockroach?" Without waiting for an answer, Zelgadis pounded him into the ground. Xelloss's grin widened, and he phased out of Zel's grip, reappearing four feet in front of him, out of his reach and completely uninjured.

"Why, Zelgadis, I was simply worried for your safety. In fact, we all were. As capable as I'm sure you are, it's still dangerous to be out alone at night. We decided someone should come along with you. Lina and Gourry were, ahem, a little busy; I guess they decided to follow your advice. Amelia didn't think her presence would be welcome (for once). That left me." Xelloss glomped onto Zelgadis's arm, absorbing the waves of revulsion and outrage emanating from the chimera. "Aren't you glad to see me, Zelly-poo?"

"Get off me," growled the chimera. "And I told you not to call me that."

"Call you what?"

"Ze--Ohh, no. I'm not falling for that again." Zelgadis pried the mazoku off of his arm, and started walking again. Xelloss pouted, and followed him. Zel glared at him. "And stop following me."

"But it's dangerous out here. It's dark and scary and there could be all sorts of creepy beasties just waiting to jump on you and maul you!" Xellos frowned worriedly.

"Yeah right," scoffed Zelgadis. "The only creepy beastie waiting to jump on me and maul me out here is you. Now stop following me."

"I can't. Lina practically ordered me to follow you, and given the choice between your temper and Lina's temper, I'd rather take my chances with yours." Xell smiled cutely--or at least, what he thought was cutely. "I guess you're stuck with me."

Zel desperately wracked his brain for an idea to get rid of Xellos. He had to get away from that evilly annoying mazoku. But how?? Aha! He could--

"Nope," Xellos interrupted. "That's not gonna work."

Well, maybe he could--

"That's not gonna work either, " Xellos practically sang. "Face it. You can't get rid of me. I'm here, I'm queer(2), and I don't care if you can't take it anymore." Grin.

"Mumble, mumble," said Zelgadis.

"What was that?" Xellos put a hand to his ear. The better to hear you with, my dear. "I couldn't quite hear you."

"Damn you Rezo," Zel said just a smidge louder, as he sighed and resigned himself to the journey ahead.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .


(1) No pun intended, of course.

(2) Well, not so much "queer" as "swings both ways". But that doesn't really rhyme with "here".

I know it's not top-notch writing, but hey it's late and I'm tired. And this is my first Slayers fic ever, so please be gentle when you review HINT HINT. ^_~