Chapter 2

When they reached the castle like building Rezo was standing near the gallows. He looked up from looking at nothing. He's blind okay! "Guard?" He asked as Valgarv bowed.

"Captain Gourry is here, sir."

"Ah yes, Captain Gourry..." He twitched his mouth. "Did I call for Captain Gourry?"

"Yes you did, sir."

"Oh! That's right. Thank you."

Rezo approached Gourry. "Back from the wars I see."

Gourry scratched his head under his helmet. "Yeah, they let me out early."

"You must have been too valuable to leave in battle."

"Ah, no. I killed most of my men by leading them off a cliff."

Rezo blinked. "Umm. Well, I... really?"

"Like lemmings, sir."

"Okay." Rezo cleared his throat. "I have called you up here to discuss the matters of gypsies."

Gourry looked confused. "Gypsies?"

Rezo smoothed down his robes. "Yes, Gypsies..."

"Are they pickles?"

Rezo face faulted. "NO! They're people that live in Paris..."

"So you're a gypsy?" Gourry said smiling, thinking he finally got it.

"No! Let me finish! Gypsies are people who aren't Parisians.."

"So I'm a gypsy! I don't live in Paris."

"No! No!  They're people who aren't Parisians and come from different lands but live in Paris and perform tricks for people!" Rezo caught his breath. "Understand now?"

Gourry tapped his helmet. "So you're saying Paris is overrun with monkeys? I remember seeing monkeys that did tricks and..."

Rezo grabbed Gourry by his long hair and pulled him to a window. "Look! See that! Thats a gypsy! See! Gypsy!" Gourry looked down and saw Amelia dancing in the street.

"Oh, thats a gypsy. I get it."

"Yes. I have been trying to rid the city of them, but they always escape my wrath. But I have managed to kill them one by one." He saw a few ants on a stone and crushed the few ants as an example. "They have a safe haven called the Court of Secrets." He picked up the stone slab and underneath were hundreds of ants. "Once I know where it is I can kill all of them at once."

Gourry pointed at Rezo's robes. "You have ants all over you."

"AHH!" Rezo jumped about. "Get em off! Get em off!"

Gourry unsheathed his sword. "Hold still!"

******

Zelgadis caught himself on a ledge as he fell from a parapet. "Damnit! I told you I don't want to go!" He screamed up at the gargoyles.

"C'mon! You need a little life in your life! It's the Festival of Fools!" Hugo said grinning.

"Have some fun! Maybe you'll find a cure!" Victor called at him.

Zelgadis slowly climbed down. "Wouldn't that be ironic."

"It's a rain on your wedding day." Hugo said.

Lavern agreed. "A black fly in your Chardonnay."

"Shut up!" Zelgadis tripped and caught himself on a long rope, swinging down into the large crowd. "SHIT! OWH!"

Victor crossed his arms over his chest. "We'll really have to do some about that mouth of his." The other two nodded.

In the crowd of people a large parade came through, all dressed as monks and kings. "Come one! Come all!" They sang and cheered. "Welcome to the Feast......Of....."

Xelloss came out from under a woman's skirt that screamed. "Foooools! Ha ha HA!"

Zelgadis tried to hide amongst the people, becoming very nervous and pulled up his cowl and hood closer to his face. "Why did I have to come to this?" Before he could answer himself, he was pulled out of his spot and into the open area of performers, being jerked about by masked dancers.

He was twirled about a little five times before he was able to stagger his way back to the crowd, huffing and puffing. Xelloss stood on a platform and looked at the blue skinned figure. He jumped down and chased him, pushing Zel into all sorts of performances.

Zel managed to punch Xelloss in the jaw but fell back in the process into a tent. Amelia was in the middle of dressing and quickly covered herself as part of the tent was pulled back. Zel landed on his back, looking up at the raven-haired girl who wore short robe only coming to the high part of her thigh. He blushed bright red.

A redheaded girl popped up in front of him. "What the hell are you doing!" Amelia sidestepped her.

"Oh! Are you okay?" Zel just stared at her for a moment still lying in a heap on the floor.

"I..I...I'm sorry."

Amelia helped him up. "Just be little more careful." Zel squeaked as the cowl fell from his face when he was lifted up. "There, no harm down." He was blushing like a stoplight. "By the way, great mask." She smiled. Lina shoved him out.

 "Don't come back you pervert!"

Zel stumbled outside and saw Xelloss searching him. "Hey, can I come back in please!" Lina stepped out, and he backed off. Zel growled and stomped through the crowds trying to work his way through the crowds of people to get to the main door to the church. "Screw you guys, I'm going home."

He froze in place as Xelloss leapt on stage and threw a smoke bomb down, disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke. Before Zel could squeal mentally with glee, Amelia appeared on the stage when the smoke cleared. She danced about the stage and Lina pulled herself up on the side to dance with her. She knocked into Amelia as she twirled.

"Miss Lina! Gah! Watch where you're going!"

"Why don't you watch where you're going!!"

"This is my part!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"NOT!"

"TOO!"

They yelled at each other while dancing, Lina occasionally shoving Amelia when she got to close to her. Zel was glued to his spot, and he didn't understand why. This was the stupidest thing he'd ever seen, but there was something about that black haired girl. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind and hauled onto a stage with people with masks.

Amelia and Lina stumbled up on the stage while doing Vana White gestures at the masked people on stage. Amelia removed a mask off a gentleman, who tried his best to make the ugliest face. The crowd booed, and he was sharply pushed off stage by Lina. The same happened with the rest until they reached Zelgadis. He winced as Amelia grabbed his face...or whatever part she could get a grip on, and yanked. It wouldn't budge. Zel sweat-dropped. Lina barged in and tried her luck, but ended up on her bum. The crowd to a startling discovering.

A man in the crowd shouted. "Oh....My....God! That is one hell of mask! I'd give my first child to have a mask so well constructed as that!"

Lina, Amelia and Zel face faulted.

"It's not a mask! Its his face!"

"He's so ugly!"

A man ran up to the stage and pointed. "It's the Chimera of Notre Dame!" Then ran back.

Zelgadis moaned and looked up at the sky. "And God pointed down and said, 'I hate you Zelgadis Greywords!'"

Rezo the Red Priest, who had been just sitting on his ass in a throne staring at nothing...(He was blind...yeah) rose from his seat. "Zelgadis?" Gourry stood next to him, picking his ear. "Hm?"

Xelloss jumped onto the stage. "Don't panic ladies and gentlemen. We asked for the ugliest face in Paris and here he is, The Chimera of Notre Dame!"

Zel rolled his eyes. "Doo dah, doo dah...."

He yelped as he was thrown in the crowd, who stumbled to hold his weight, but managed to heave him up on a thrown and paraded him through the street. Zel slumped down, looking ready to kill something. "Put me down!" The crowd ignored him and Xelloss put a floppy jester hat on his head and handed him a scepter which Zel launched into the crowd soon after.

He was pushed onto a stage into the center of the square, the crowd chanting his name.

Zelgadis growled and pushed off his crown, shoulders slumping and blushing. He looked up to see Rezo turning his head about at the crowing of Zel's name.

"That boy! Where is he? Where is he!" Rezo snarled. A guard turned his head in the right direction.

"He's over there sir."

Rezo narrowed his closed eyes. "He is so grounded!"

Gourry scratched his head, looking around the party confused. "What's going on? I'm hungry."

Zel couldn't stand all those eyes at his persona and he started looking for a gap in the crowd so he could leave. As he turned left a tomato splatted against the side of his face. The crowd gasped. Part of the tomato was speared on his wiry hair. The crowd laughed at Zelgadis furiously tearing at the vegetable.

Gourry's eyes lit up. "Hey! There's a salad bar! Cool!"

Soon everyone was running to a salad bar cart, chucking lettuce, tomatoes and croutons of all kinds to add to the fun. Zel had fallen to his knees as he slipped. The crowd roared with laughter. Zel's hair was looking worse for wear, everything sticking to his sharp wires. His head looked like shacbob. Yelling with anger and humiliation he pushed himself up only to be pushed back down with ropes being swung over his back and sides, penning him down to the stage.  Zelgadis couldn't move, only left to hunch down facing the crowds of people throwing foodstuffs at him.

Gourry finally looked up from his dressing and carrot sticks to see the cruel show. He turned to Rezo, "Hey? Aren't you gonna stop that? I don't think he likes it that much." Rezo cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Really Captain. That boy must be taught a lesson. Just a little while longer. Hell, make it a half an hour. It'll make up for all those times I couldn't spank him as a child.'"

"Why's that sir?"

Rezo rolled his eyes. "Because I almost broke my hand doing that! Captain, don't do anything and watch!"

Gourry sighed and went back to eating. "You're the boss."

The crowd hushed and Rezo and Gourry's head shot up to the center stage. Amelia was walking up to the stage and the crowd stopped their veggie throwing. She stopped by Zel's side taking out a hanky. Zel turned his head up as far as he could to look at Amelia, dazed. She wiped his face, his eyes and....

"Blow your nose."

Zel blinked, eyebrows lifting.

Lina hung by the side of him. "Blow your nose!"

He sighed and quietly blew his nose on the hanky. "I'm sorry." He looked back at Amelia, her eyes watering slightly. "It wasn't suppose to happen this way."

"What, the barbecue pit was coming instead of the salad bar? Woop-dee-do." Zel asked flatly.

Amelia balled up her fists. "Oh Mr. Zelgadis! I'm TRYING to HELP you here!"

Rezo rose from his chair, pointing a finger. "You! Get down at once!"

Gourry tapped him on the shoulder. "Just turn a little to your right."

"Oh." Rezo sweat-dropped. "Thank you captain." He turned and pointed in the correct direction. "YOU! GET DOWN AT ONCE!"

Amelia straightened, making her voice calm and to the point. "Yes sir, but let me just help him first!"

"I forbid it!" Rezo yelled.

Zel blinked as Amelia took out a knife from nowhere and cut the ropes binding the chimera. The crowd cheered. People were easily amused and had short attention spans back then.

Rezo made exaggerated facial expressions, as much as he could without opening his eyes. "How dare you! Gaurds! Seize her!"

Gourry nodded and threw his salad dressing at Amelia, which ended up on her outfit. She squealed.

"Eww!"

Rezo face-faulted. "Captain, I said seize her not Caesar!"

"Oh. Sorry 'bout that." Gourry licked the dressing off his fingers. He motioned for the guards to their job.

As commanded the guards surrounded the stage where Amelia was standing. Zelgadis moved the rest of the ropes off his shoulders. "Um....miss? I just want to say...."

Despite the danger before them, Amelia balled her fists under her chin looking at the chimera in hopes he might thank her. "Yes? Yes?!"

"You're really screwed."

"Huh? That's it!? Well......you're screwed too ya know."

Zelgadis pushed himself to his feet. "I am not. They'll just take me back to the church and I'm really hoping they'll do it soon. I'm sorry if you get caught by the guards, but hey that's life." He sighed and jumped off, and made his way to the church.

Amelia sighed. "Well, so much for gratitude." Lina grabbed Amelia's arm.

"What a jerk! Amelia! Let's get out of here!"

Zel half-heartedly looked over his shoulder at the two girls running for their lives down the square. He glanced again when he spotted Rezo sitting in his throne demanding spoken visual aids from the guards. The tent he was walking across was a part of the larger one Rezo was in. He smiled and kicked one of the poles holding the tent and walked away.

Rezo growled, "Why won't anyone tell me what's going on!"

"Whats wrong sir?" Gourry asked standing next to him.

"Captain? You were here the whole I've been screaming my lungs out for someone tell me what the hell is happening!? And you didn't say anything!?" Rezo was practically standing on his throne seat.

Gourry tapped his helmet for second. "I didn't think you wanted my opinion."

"Captain..." Rezo sat down and rubbed at the vein bulging on his forehead. "How many brain cells are in that skull of yours."

The tent flapped down and fell on both on them and some of the guards were chasing the two girls.

Gourry's voice was muffled by the tent draped over his head. "Twelve, I counted this morning."

Lina and Amelia were hiding behind some of the carts in the town square. Amelia's eyes were shining. "Oh look Miss Lina! Zelgadis isn't such a jerk; he's a real hero! He helped us by kicking over..."

"Amelia, I know! Hello!? I saw the whole thing!" Lina rolled her eyes. "C'mon, lets hide somewhere safe until the action clears up."  Lina took a step out of the hiding place, and found herself smack dab in front of two large doors. "Hey! It's a church!"

"Yey!"  Yelled the peanut gallery.

*********

Rezo screamed. "Where is Zelgadis!" He grabbed the nearest guard. "Tell me where he is and take him back to the church!"

The guard winced at the shouting. "Sir, he's walking into the church, sir."

Rezo blinked. "Um...." He squinted, even more that usual. "Well, make sure he's still walking to the church!.....Where are those gypsy girls?"

"I don't know sir."

"Go find them! Now!"

Gourry yawned and scratched his head under his helmet. "I'm still hungry. There has to be some food around here." A chicken dashed across his feet. "Wow a chicken! Food!" The chicken clucked in terror as Gourry chased it into the church.

********

Lina and Amelia tottered slowly in the church, amazed with the statues and stained glass windows. Amelia seemed to enjoy the peacefulness of the church, while Lina was getting rather impatient.

"I hope those guards are gone." Lina said with a twinge of annoyance in her voice

Amelia looked up at a beautiful statue. "Do you think anyone followed us in?"

*cluck cluck Ba-Caw!*

"Here chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken!" Gourry ran into Amelia in his hurry to catch the chicken. They tumbled together and slid across the glassy floor. Amelia landed on her side and Gourry on his back, the clang of his armor broke the church's silence.

"Ow.." Gourry moaned. "Hi." He smiled at Amelia, and Lina.

Amelia pushed herself on her arms. "Miss Lina, its a guard!"

Gourry looked around. "Guard? Where?"

He reeled over backwards as he was kicked soundly in the gut by Lina's foot. "Ow! Hey! WhattdidIDO?"

Lina grabbed Gourry by his hair and yanked him up to her eye level. "How dare you follow us in a church to arrest us! We didn't do anything!"

Gourry looked at her wide-eyed. "Arrest you? I was only chasing after a chicken that was running in here."

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!" The chicken runs across her feet. Lina just blinked and lets go of Gourry's hair.

Amelia pointed out. "He wasn't lying. Maybe he's trying to help us."

"Yeah." Gourry smiled dumbly. "I guess I'm doing that. I'm so hungry I tend to forget things. My name is Gourry, it means 'pear-like fruit'."

Lina and Amelia look at each other. Amelia speaks up, "Isn't that a fig?"

Gourry smiles. "Oh yeah! That's what I had for breakfast! I don't know what my name means." He grins.

Rezo strolled over to the three people from where he was hiding with several guards by his side. "Good work Captain, you've found the gypsy girls. Bring them here."

Gourry picked himself up and looked at the two girls, Lina staring at him like has was a traitor.  "Um...um....They claim sanctuary, sir. We can't do anything."

Amelia and Lina are dumbstruck. "I didn't think he knew that word."

"Then bring them outside and arrest them!" Rezo felt a tap on the shoulder by the archdeacon.

The man looked down at Rezo was disapproval. "No you won't, minister. This is a house of god and everyone who claims sanctuary will be protected by the church."

Rezo snorted and stomped out of the church.

Amelia ran up and hugged the archdeacon. "Oh thank you so much!"

Lina nods to Gourry. "Uh....thanks Gourry. I believe I have some respect for you, for what you've done for us." Lina manages to smile at him a little.

Gourry does the same. "Sanctuary-much!" He laughs.

Lina frowns and scowls at him. "Okay, now that respect is gone."

Gourry doesn't hear and walks off.

The archdeacon and the two gypsies over hear Rezo yelling orders for all the guards to stand by all the entrances. Lina moans and Amelia whimpered.

"I'm sorry." The archdeacon said. "Maybe they'll let up. For now you can enjoy safety here."

Lina stomps her feet. "It's not fair! Why do people do things like this to people who are different. If I had my powers I could fire they're asses..I mean, if someone were to...uh, stand up to them things would be different. Nobody will help us."

"Maybe someone in here can," He says as he gestures to a cross on the wall as he walks back into another room. Lina and Amelia follow the gesture with they're eyes. The symbolic meaning has captured Amelia's heart.

Amelia stares up and takes a deep breath. "Miss Lina, I almost feel a song coming on."

"Just relax, Amelia. Its like gas, it'll go away in a little bit."

Amelia lets out a little burp. "Hey you're right!"

Zelgadis walked across the church hall with a basket of laundry. He glanced over his shoulder at the two girls. "Oh crap!"