Disclaimer: I own no one in this fic, (i.e. the Slayers)but I do own my idea.
Author's Notes: If I got some reviews this will be up as a second chapter (like right now I guess ^_^;). And if you did review my first chapter THANK YOU!!! Well, as I state in my meager amount of fics and chapters I love feed back. So if you review once I'll love you, twice I'll worship you, third (I don't know if I'll get that far even) I'll think of something above worshiping ^_^; (ahahaha...O_o; what would I do for a fourth???!!!) So PLEASE review!!! And {} are still my opinions. This starts exactly where I left off for the other chapter. At first I planned for this to only have one chapter. But when I got to page 12 for my first chapter I thought I better split it up. And I'm sorry it took so long to get this part out, writer's block. Well I'll be quiet now, I hope you like my fic.
~ ~ ~ ( I love squigglies ^.^)
"I have some food Mr. Xellos," said Amelia as she walked in.
"Amelia can't you just call me Xellos?"
"Why? This is only proper and besides it's a habit of mine," said Amelia looking curious.
"Well it makes me feel old."
"I thought you were over a thousand years old."
"... Alright, really old then like twice my age."
"Oh, I'll try then Xellos. I got some toast in case you were bored of just soup. How are you feeling?"
"Better."
"I know you don't like being hand fed so how about a deal." When she knew she had his attention she continued. "I'll still fed you the soup, and you can eat the toast I brought up."
Xellos shrugged "I really think I don't need to eat anything."
"Mist..."Amelia stopped and cleared her throat "Xellos I think you should. Right now could be a very good time for me to sing you know."
Xellos sweat-dropped "If you put it that way Amelia."
Amelia smiled as she held up the first spoonful while Xellos sat up. {Yes I know this is a little repetitious bear with me please}After the soup was gone (there was a grimace or two on Xellos's part but other then that it went smoothly) Amelia held up the bread and asked "Are you still hungry?"
Xellos just took the toast and started to eat it. After he did that he looked seriously at her and said "Amelia, I'm sure you know I can't just eat physical food. I really should feed soon." He then mentally added 'Very soon, I'm starving.'
Amelia sighed "I kind of thought that, tomorrow I think I'll let you get out of bed for awhile. This goes against my better judgement, but you did recover faster then I thought you would. But I'm going to go with you just in case something happens."
Xellos shrugged and was quiet. He looked out the window for awhile and saw it was dark out. When he looked back at Amelia she was fast asleep. 'She is really trying to help me get better. I don't really understand why though. If she believes in justice so much and she considers mazukos evil, why did she help me?'
He flashed back to when she found out he was a mazuko. How she had wanted him to repeat every night that 'life was wonderful'. Soon followed by a musical version sung by her, Zelgadis, and Gourry {I never actually saw this but I making a guess from a picture I saw}. 'I guess I'm just not used to anyone going out of their way for me.' He fell asleep awhile later.
~ ~ ~ ( lookie at the squigglies :P)
Amelia was up rather late the next day. She had gotten a better night's rest on a floor bed then the chair. But she was still sort of tired though. She visited the kitchen first for her breakfast, then brought up something besides soup for Xellos. When she entered the room again she thought it could use more light. So she opened all the windows and let the bright sunshine in.
Xellos however woke up when the light got into his eyes {don't you hate it when people do that to you? I do!!!}. He then groaned and pulled the covers over his head.
Amelia thought it was time to get up though. They had both really slept in today, it was almost noon. She then briskly walked over to Xellos and pulled the sheets off.
"Hey!" he said as he covered his eyes.
{Another theory, mazuko are kind of light sensitive with their eyes. I mean as a creature of the night they can probably see in pitch black areas with out using magical sights. Mabye that's why most of them have cat-like eyes.}
"It's time to get up now." Amelia chirped. Xellos was blinking his eyes trying to get used to the light as Amelia continued" If you want to go around town today we're doing it this afternoon or tomorrow, your choice. And I thought you would like this better today Xellos!" she said cheerily as she put a bowl of stew on the table next to the bed.
"I'm not..." he trailed off when Amelia half glared at him. "Ok," he said then he started eating it.
While he was doing that Amelia started to gather some of her things. "Like I said yesterday Xellos, I'm going with you. And we're not leaving town so I hope you didn't plan on it."
By now Xellos was done eating so he replied "No, I didn't plan on leaving town. But I do think I know what type of place to visit."
"Where?"
"Would a bar of some type be fine with you?"
"Okay, but how is that a good place to visit to feed?"
"Emotions run high there and I don't have to do anything."
"Okay, we'll sit in the back or something." Amelia looked thoughtful for a moment. "Are you ready then?" she asked as she handed him his staff. She watched him critically as he stood up. "And tell me if you start to get tired. I don't want you to faint again."
"...Alright."
They both walked out of the room down the stairs and out of the inn. They wandered around town for a while until Xellos pointed out a spot. They both walked in.
~ ~ ~ (yyyaaayyy squigglies!!!)
Amelia never had visited a bar like this before. She was surprised at how some people could be so violent when drunk. People seemed to come here to let out stress (or show a grudge) in a fight. They were sitting towards a corner of the room out of the mainstream of people. This wasn't exactly against justice so she just watched. 'We've been here for a half an hour we'd better get back soon. Just in case the others start to worry.' She leaned back in her chair as she looked at Xellos.
Xellos was definitely feeling better. 'I needed this,' he thought as leaned on the table with his head down (he could still look around though).
"We really should get back soon Mist..."she stopped for a second or two "Xellos are you almost done?"
"Yes," he replied. He looked at her "I wanted to thank you for letting me do this." She looked curiously at him as he continued "I honestly didn't think you'd let me feed. You don't know how much I needed this."
"Why? When was the last time you fed then?"
"About a week and a half just before I got sick."
"Wait." she said looking thoughtful "how often should you feed?"
"One good feeding like this once a week or many small snacks."
{My opinion ~_^}
"Xellos you should've told me sooner." she said angrily as she glared at him. "I almost didn't let you go today. You may have gotten worse tomorrow then." When he sighed she stopped "I'm sorry, here you are thanking me and I snapped at you."
"It is partially my fault too Amelia. You're trying to help me, I'm not exactly used too that. Also, I'm not used to telling so much to a human." Xellos glanced at her as he stood up. "You wanted to get back to the inn before night fall right?"
"Right" she replied as she walked out the door with him. 'I don't remember him thanking anyone before. And he doesn't apologize much either. I think he really means it' she thought.
~ ~ ~ ( joy to the squigglies!!! ^.^)
They soon reached the inn again. It was around dinner time so they both saw the rest of the group eating at a table.
"Over here," yelled Lina after she swallowed. "We haven't seen you all day Amelia, where did you guys go anyway," she asked as Xellos and Amelia sat down at the table.
"Well we..." Amelia was interrupted as her stomach growled.
"How about you get something to eat first Amelia?" Filia said.
"Yeah!" replied Amelia as she started to eat like Lina. The table was silent except for the sound of eating people. A little bit later Amelia slowed down and noticed Xellos wasn't eating. She frowned and glared at him "Xellos..."
"Amelia I'm fine, really," said Xellos looking at her.
"Xellos..." repeated Amelia with a bit more of a growl.
"Alright then," Xellos said as he started to eat as well.
The others had question marks over their head.
"I thought mazukos didn't eat," Gourry said.
"Usually we don't," Xellos said after he drank some water.
"Why eat now then?" Lina asked.
"...Ask Amelia," Xellos replied.
"Amelia?" Zelgadis curiously said.
"I made him," Amelia simply stated causing Xellos to sweat-drop. "Xellos, when you're done could you go back upstairs."
Xellos just nodded in reply, his mouth was full. He stood up, left the table, and walked up the stairs. He opened the door to his room and walked over to the bed. 'I should check to see if I can do magic,' Xellos tried to teleport yet he couldn't.
'Mabye a simple spell then,' he mentally sighed. He concentrated for a second and a ball of light appeared. "It may take awhile before my magic fully recovers."
He canceled the light spell and walked over to the window. It was night time he couldn't see the moon but he saw the stars. He continued to look at them as he sat down and leaned on the window sill.
~ ~ ~ (:P Hi ho squiggies!)
"Amelia you look tired," said Zelgadis.
"I'm fine Mr. Zelgadis," Amelia said.
"Amelia," Gourry began.
"Yes Mr. Gourry,"
"How come you still call us Mr. and Ms. but not Xellos?" Gourry asked.
"Well it's because..." Amelia started to reply.
"Amelia do you think Xellos will be able to travel tomorrow?" interrupted Lina.
"He should rest for another day, but I actually think he could. If he got tired we'd have to stop."
"Alright we leave tomorrow then!" yelled a very happy Lina. "I was getting so bored here!"
Amelia stood up "I'm going upstairs now, good night," She yawned as she walked in Xellos's room. She looked at the bed 'He's not in bed, where is he then..."she thought as she scanned the room. When Amelia spotted him near the window she thought 'There he is,' Amelia walked over to him.
'He's sleeping, but he shouldn't be sleeping here. I should move him to the bed but I don't want to wake him up,' She gently reached under his arms and got a good hold on him. Amelia then slowly lifted him (not off the ground, his feet were dragging) and was surprised. 'I thought he would be heavier, but he must weigh around my weight," She slowly dragged him over to the bed.
Before she got there Xellos muttered something and turned his head towards her(she didn't notice but he faintly smiled). Amelia froze thinking he was waking up. When he didn't do anything else she continued dragging him to the bed. She managed to get him in bed without waking him up. Xellos curled up immediately (he still had that faint smile on) making Amelia smile.
Amelia yawned again as she walked over to her floor-bed. She sat down and pulled the blankets over her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a twinkle. Looking fully at it she realized it was another feather like the one she had been finding lately. She reached over and picked it up. 'I don't think anything else came in this room, where are these pretty feathers coming from then?' she thought as she drifted off to sleep.
~ - ~ - ~ (squigglies have cousins!! ~_^)
The next day we find the group traveling along the road. Lina was leading closely followed by Amelia and Gourry. Filia was further behind, and Zelgadis not to far behind her. Xellos walked in the back.
'I wish I could talk to someone but..." Amelia looked at Lina 'Ms. Lina wasn't in a good mood this morning. My survival instincts tell me to stay away from her. Mr. Gourry really can't follow a conversation. Mr. Zelgadis doesn't like to talk to me at all.' She sighed at that thought and continued looking at the others. 'Filia only talks about dragon customs, sometimes I don't understand them at all. Xellos...wait, why not? Before I wouldn't talk to him because he was a mazuko, but that is an unjust reason not to talk to him.' Amelia slowed her pace so she would eventually fall back.
'I still don't understand why Amelia helped me. I'll have to ask her about that sometime.' Xellos chuckled at his next thought 'Who would of though I'd be out witted by Amelia. I've got to give her credit for that and keep a better eye on her in the future.'
"Xellos" Amelia said as she waved her hand in front of Xellos's face.
"Oh! Amelia" Xellos was visibly startled, he opened his eyes (he closed them after a few surprised blinks) "I didn't see you come up to me" Xellos said smiling and rubbing the back of his head. 'Either I was not paying attention or she is very good at sneaking around.'
"Xellos how are you doing? We've been walking all morning?"
"I'm fine" A few moments of silence passed. "Amelia, why did you help me? If you believe in justice, why help me, a mazuko?" He looked curiously at her.
"I like helping people, I enjoy doing that. It would've have been wrong to leave you there when you were so sick anyway." Amelia smiled "Like you said I bet many people don't help you, is that why you're asking me this?"
"Yeah, before you never used to talk to me why start now?"
Amelia took a deep breath, "Now that, is a secret!" Amelia grinned as she giggled. 'Now I know why Xellos likes to say that. It's so much fun to see people's reactions.'
Xellos had face faulted at her comment 'That was unexpected.' He then blinked up at Amelia.
"Sorry Xellos, I couldn't help it. But the answer is that I guess I was biased. I never really thought about who you were, I just thought of you as a mazuko." Amelia looked downcast "I was unfair and unjust when I got to know you better I realized what I had been doing. I'm sorry."
A strong gust of wind came from behind them. Amelia noticed another black feather. She hurried and caught it before it blew away. "Xellos I've been finding these feathers lately. Mabye it's a signal for help from someone who can only send a bird. Did you see a bird or something that might have these feathers. "
"N-no Amelia" Xellos replied. "Why, did you pick up the feathers in the first place?"
Amelia reached in her pouch and took out the other three feathers. "I thought they were really pretty. See on one side it has a neat shimmer, the other side it doesn't."
"Amelia we've fallen behind the others. We should catch up to them." Xellos said as he pointed ahead of them.
"Right" she said as she put the four feathers back in her pouch. If Amelia had looked at Xellos she would have noticed that he had a small sweat-drop.
~ ~ ~ (greeting from the squigglies)
Amelia had first watch, and she was pacing around the campsite. She was still thinking how unusual it was to find so many feathers mabye someone was trying to ask for help. She decided if she found one more feather she would try to figure out where they had come from. Her watch was nearly over when she saw a tell tale glimmer near a log they had used as a chair.
'Should I wake up the others? I know they will be mad at me, they may not even understand. I know! Where is Xellos, if he sleeping I'll wake him up.' She walked around the campsite until she saw him in a tree.
Using her hero training she was able to climb the tree (it was a hard to climb tree). Amelia reached a branch close to Xellos's, she realized he was asleep. "Xellos" Amelia whispered as she shook his shoulder "Xellos."
"What?" Xellos lost balance at his sudden wake up call. He nearly fell off the branch, but managed to catch himself in time. "I'm up, I'm up" he replied as he looked at her. 'I didn't hear her come up, she is good.'
"Sorry, but I found another feather. I think it is kind of suspicious to find so many. I think I may look for the owner of these feathers they could need help."
"I wouldn't bother Amelia" Xellos said as he pulled himself back onto the branch.
"Why not?"
Xellos was quiet for a moment, he appeared to be internally debating something. "...Come with me and I'll tell you why" Xellos back flipped off the branch and landed silently on the ground.
"Wow, I wish I could do that" she said in a hushed voice. She climbed down and followed Xellos out of camp. "This looks like a good place Xellos" she said as the reached a small clearing a small distance from the camp site. "Can you tell me now?"
Xellos stopped and turned around. "Will you promise not to tell anyone, or laugh?" he looked at her seriously.
"I promise." Amelia knew by now Xellos was nervous. He proved this when he started to do nervous habits (poking two fingers together, moving a foot around in a circle, sweat-drop, etc).
"Really?" he looked at her with pleading eyes (his eyes were open).
"Yes, I promise." Amelia then thought 'He's acting unusual now I've never really seen him nervous."
Xellos turned a light pink as he started to undo his cloak/cape(I don't know exactly what he wears) clasp.
'Wait I never remember seeing him without his cloak/cape on' she thought. She also turned a light pink as she thought 'What if someone saw us now?'
"Amelia I'm sure you know this, but mazukos no matter how high their level cannot take a perfect human form. Usually our eyes stand out, mabye we look like our true forms, or we show or have something that reflects our true form." {My opinion, I noticed this while watching the show}Xellos bangs covered his eyes as he finished undoing his clasp. His cloak/cape fell off. Only to reveal a large pair of black wings that Xellos slowly unfurled a little.
Amelia gasped then ran forward to gently touch a wing. She saw that like the feathers the inside had a purple sheen (it was sort of dull) while the out side was just black. "Oh they're so pretty, just like an angel's." Amelia said this even though the wings appeared kind of ruffled. She noticed that Xellos was depressed (he had the black and blue lines over his head with a white swirl or two). "What's wrong Xellos?"
"That's why I prefer to keep them hidden." as he said this his wings drooped a little
"Oh" As Amelia started to stroke one wing, several feathers fell off.
"What's wrong with them, is it because you were sick?" she asked concerned.
" I'm molting, I guess." he replied as he sat down.
Amelia managed to hold in her laughter at Xellos's reply and at the tone he had said it. "I have an idea I'll be right back."
"Don't bother Amelia" Xellos said as he reached for his cloak/cape. Amelia however grabbed his cloak/cape and cast a levitation.
"Stay there Xellos."
"Amelia..." Xellos said, but she had already flew off. 'I'm not going back to camp like this. 'I think I've been out done again. This time I guess I don't mind. Why did I tell Amelia about my wings anyway? They're embarrassing enough as it is. But I knew I trusted her, still do.' He stood back up and looked to the sky watching for Amelia.
Amelia flew back and landed. "Here, I know how to fix your problem" she said as she held up a wire brush she had taken from her pack. She put the pack and Xellos's cloak/cape down then she advanced toward Xellos.
Xellos shook his head, held his hands in front of him, and took a few steps back. "No, Amelia don't..."
Amelia gently but firmly caught hold of his right wing. She then started to brush it.
"Ow, ow, ow..." Xellos winced.
Amelia stopped and looked up "What's wrong am I brushing to hard?"
Xellos sweat-dropped, he managed to pull back his wing. He then touched where she had been brushing. His hand came away with some blood on it.
Amelia gasped "I'm sorry." She was mortified.
"Not your fault Amelia. Another reason why I hid my wings is because they're sensitive, and sort of delicate." Xellos let go of his wing and looked at her with open eyes. "And if I was trying to blend in with a crowd I'd immediately stand out." He went back to his usual expression.
Amelia then fished around in her pack she came up with one of the softest brushes she had. "May I try again? If it hurts I'll stop." Amelia the walked behind Xellos and started to brush as softly as she could.
Xellos sat there expecting it to be uncomfortable at least but was surprised at how soothing it was instead. 'This is actually quite pleasant' he thought as he sighed. He unconsciously stretched his wings out more (they were half folded or furled). 'Usually I'd try to avoid being with Amelia alone, but I've come to enjoy her company. Now I'd say I prefer her company if I had to choose out of the whole group.'
Amelia stopped for a moment when he extended his wings. But she continued when he didn't say anything. She had guessed why the wire brush had hurt so much, it had pulled out the good feathers along with the ones being shed.
She was totally absorbed in her work, so she jumped when Xellos quietly said "Thank you."
"Don't thank me Xellos. I want to thank you for telling me about your wings, if you really didn't like them. I honestly don't know why you dislike them so much. I like them very much, and don't worry I won't tell anyone." She started to brush the inside of his left wing after she finished brushing the other side of it.
"Why do I dislike them?" Xellos looked at her "I already told you some reasons. Another would be that I can't fight with them."
"Why is that?" Amelia asked as she continued brushing.
"Well if I was in mid jump and someone pulled my wing, I'd land a lot sooner then I expected. Not to mention I'd break a wing or something else." Xellos leaned back on a tree then looked at his wings. "They're more of an annoyance then anything else" he sighed.
"Oh." Amelia brightened as she looked at his wing she was brushing "Look you can see the difference." It was true the wing she was brushing looked better. It was sleek and you could see the sheen better.
Xellos looked at it then the other. "You're right."
Several minutes of silence passed. Until Amelia got up and walked behind the right wing and started brushing that one. 'I'm glad Xellos trusted me enough to tell me this.' Looking down she was surprised at how many feathers there were. 'Wow, he really needed to brush them.' She started on the inside of the right wing. 'I'm almost done, but mabye I can ask Xellos to see them again. I enjoyed doing this.' She faced Xellos with the question ready but didn't ask when she saw him sleeping.
She paused when she came to her earlier brushing work. 'I do need to brush that too.' Amelia gently started to brush the area, she wasn't surprised when the wing jerked back. 'It is the last place I have to do.' She continued brushing 'I'm done ' she thought as she put the brush back in her pack. Looking at the sky she was surprised to find out that it was nearly midnight. 'Has it been that long?'
'I'll sit down for just a minute' she thought as she yawned and sat near Xellos. Amelia fell asleep moments later.
~ ~ ~ (I think I over did that scene -_-;)
Amelia didn't want to wake up she was so warm. She turned over and stretched out. All of a sudden she remembered where she was. 'The others are probably worried about me. Wait, how was I able to stay warm, especially since it gets so cold at night?'
She opened her eyes and saw what was keeping her warm. {No they weren't that close they were a foot and a half apart}She sat up and realized she was on top of one of Xellos's wings with the other over her. She blushed 'I must of rolled on his wing. So he had to turn this way and put his other wing on me. I hope I didn't hurt it.'
Xellos woke up as just after Amelia did. He then tried to stand but only could get to a sitting position. "Amelia could you get off me?"
"Sorry Xellos" she said as she stood up. She then stretched and yawned.
Xellos stood up and stretched as well (he also unconsciously stretched his wings to full length which he didn't do last night). When he noticed Amelia staring at him he sweat-dropped. 'How did I fall asleep? The last thing I remember was Amelia brushing my wings."
'It's a really cold morning today' she thought as she rubbed her arms. 'I wish I hadn't decided to get up I felt so warm, comfortable, and...protected too.'
Amelia heard footsteps coming closer. 'I promised Xellos I wouldn't tell, but I don't think he's want anyone else to find out.' She whispered "Xellos, someone is coming."
Xellos's eyes widened as when he heard footsteps as well. He silently leapt up into a near by tree and blended in with the shadows.
Gourry walked into the clearing. He then yelled over his shoulder "I found her!" Then he turned back to Amelia "You'd better come to camp soon. Everyone was worried."
"I'll be back in a minute let me gather my things Mr. Gourry"
"Ok"
After Gourry left Amelia sighed in relief. Grabbing Xellos's cloak/cape she walked over to the tree. ""We're lucky it was Gourry who found us I think anyone else would've noticed your cloak/cape, or all these feathers. We should go back to camp now."
Xellos hopped down to a lower branch. Crouching down he said "You'd better go back alone. No telling what their reaction would be if I walked back with you."
"But..." began Amelia. She knew he was right so she knew he was right. "Here" she said as she threw up the cloak/cape.
Xellos caught it. "I'll meet up with you guys later." He then leapt from branch to branch till Amelia no longer saw him.
'I'm sure Xellos won't mind if I keep a feather or two' she thought as she picked up some feathers.
Amelia walked back to camp only to be vocally attacked.
"Amelia why did you wander off?! You didn't wake up Zel for his watch we could of been ambushed!" yelled Lina.
"I'm sorry" Amelia said quietly.
"At least everyone is okay" said Filia.
They packed up camp and started walking down the road.
Amelia was silent, she wasn't talking to anyone. She yawned and thought 'I didn't get enough sleep last night.' She took out a feather and gently rubbed it, she smiled.
"Everyone be on their toes we're going through theYugure Forest." said Lina as she pointed ahead of them.
~ ~ ~ (hooray for the squigglies!)
Xellos listened in to the conversation from the trees. 'Yugure Forest?! This isn't good. Especially for humans...'
Author's Notes: I'll work on the third part it will probably be the last, sorry for the cliffhanger! Tell me should I get a muse or not? Do I ramble on too much in my/have to many Author's Notes? Do you have a favorite squigglie formation? Did you read my other fic? Should I not ask any more questions? *tapes mouth shut* Mmmpphh mmm mpht umpht? O_o;(what did I say?)