Slayers: To the End...
By the Sneaky Chibi Otaku Geek
Disclaimer...
Slayers aint mine. I wish it were though...^^ Anyway, no monetary profit is to be made of this... yadda, yadda, yadda... not like anybody would actually be willing to pay money to read this... ^^ What else? That's about it.... I'm in Summer break!!!!!!!!
Chapter 14
At Odds With Normality...
"Why did you split them up?" asked Zelas to the Lord of Chaos. "You do know that I'm doing everything I can to thwart them."
"Even bad, disobedient daughters should get a chance to prove themselves." said Chaos smugly. She glanced at the story book in her hands and smiled. Beside, they say that separation makes the heart fond... She smiled as she looked into the crystal ball. It would be quite... interesting... to see how her two Knights dealt with this universe. Very interesting indeed...
*****
Lina woke up. She woke up in a beautiful, soft, comfortable and warm bed. Then she really woke up. She shot straight up, as she glanced at the area around her. The bed was very nice, just that it wasn't hers, or was it? Lina's mind worked furiously, as she searched for her last memory. Oh yeah, Chaos-sama had sent them on a mission to retrieve the scroll of this other guy. Unfortunately, she forgot his name already,.... shoot...
She threw off her covers and stood up to stretch. She glanced at herself... and screamed. She ran to the huge mirror on the wall. She looked at her reflection, and screamed once more. That, that... girl, couldn't be her!!!!!!! Never in her life would she have imagined. The great Lina Inverse, garbed like some, some, some mix of a child's doll and something worse! Her hair, usually flowing behind her was tied up in two pigtails, with pink bows.... *shudder* And her clothes!!!! She was wearing a matching pink hat thing covering most of her hair. Her nightgown, which was also pink and frilly, with pink ribbons and pastel rainbows.... covered her from neck, to um,.... about one foot and nine tenths above her knees. The neck line was high and it had ruffles of lace. The rest was satin. Tight, lacy, soft, satin with nothing underneath. Her arms were enclosed in transparent cloth, as well, as her legs, tied off at the ankles and at her wrists.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS!!!!!" She screamed as she ran about the room. Immediately the room was opened.
"Princess Lina! Is there anything wrong?" asked the guard, who looked a little like Gourry. Which was, tall and well muscled. But he had dark brown hair.
"AAAAAh!!!! Pervert!" she cried. "FIREBALL!!!!!!!!!" The guard went bye-bye as he flew towards the corridor. She slammed the door shut and bolted it. She sighed and took huge calming breaths. Was this some type of joke? The guard called her princess. Princesses don't wear trash like this! She raided the room for the closet to find some clothes that looked a bit more modest. She couldn't help but think, it did make her look bigger though... if she found a different color and design....
Fifteen minutes later, Lina sighed. The once neat room looked like a disaster, which made Lina feel more at ease. On the floor were many, many dresses. Lina felt like screaming. In the whole silly wardrobe, there was nothing that fit her!!!!! Well, they fit her body like a glove. But it just wasn't her! She sighed as she found a dress that looked halfway respectable. She put it on and stared at herself in her mirror. She had to hurry. A servant had knocked and told her that breakfast was in half an hour and asked if she would like help selecting an outfit. Lina sternly said no.
This dress was forest green in color. Low neckline and the sleeves were made of white lace. The bodice was tight and sequined, with a light butterfly design etched in dark green thread with silver accents. The skirt was green and full, emphasizing a small waist. The edges of the skirt were pearly white. She brushed her hair back, letting it hang loose behind her. With a sigh, she opened the door and went out. She found a servant there who guided her to the dining room, where she ate a huge breakfast. Nobody else was there, except her. Poor princess. After eating, she walked around the palace, trying to get her bearings. No one told her she looked differently or acted differently. Of course, it could also be due to the fact that rumors of her bashing the guard were circulating. Speaking of that guard, she finally found him. She decided that she'd do a very royal and just like thing to do and apologize.
"Hey, there!" she said cheerfully. The guard took a look at her gulped and immediately got on his knees.
"Pardon your loyal servant, Princess Lina." he said. "It was not my intention to bother you this fine and beautiful morn." Lina blushed.
"Um... no... um, uh, rise!" she said, intelligently. "Do rise! It's OK! Um, I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I didn't mean to hit you..." He rose up.
"Thank you, my princess." he said as he took her hand and kissed the back of it. Lina blushed. "Princess."
"Yes?" she asked.
"I will keep your secret, for saving my life," said the guard.
"Secret?" asked Lina, worried that he knew that she wasn't the real princess. He whispered it into her ear.
"I had no idea you were into witchcraft, Princess. Is that not a secret?" he asked, perplexed.
"Uh... yeah!" said Lina. "Thank you for keeping my secret." He nodded and left. Lina sighed. OK, so magic was out. Shoot. Fortunately, she wasn't that bad with a sword or with her hands. She sighed as she went to the palace, looking for the library. After all, that's where one finds scrolls, right? It was nice in there. That's because nobody seemed to ever use the library. She sighed and began the arduous task of looking through the scrolls. She knew it began with an A, and part of the call number was 548.3
And that's how she spent the afternoon.
That night, once more, she had supper all by herself. But as she was about to leave, a servant came up to her with a note.
"Thank you." said Lina. The servant bowed and left.
'Princess Lina,' the note said. 'I have found a breakthrough in our project. I would request your presence tonight to use your skills in documenting. Thank you. Your servant for always, Sage Albuntra'
'Albuntra!' she thought excitedly. 'That's the scroll I'm looking for!' So she left hurriedly and was almost out of the palace before she remembered one critical fact. She had no idea where it was.
'What are my options here?' she wondered. 'I could... ask a servant! No, princesses don't beg for information. I could... ask somebody else... but princesses don't talk to commoners either. So she ran up to her room and looked through her wardrobe for something that didn't look so fine. With a exasperated sigh, she took a black dress and ripped parts of it, so it didn't look so rich. She also tore off the sequins and pearls, giving it a very battered look. To finish it, she put on a black cape. After checking herself in the mirror, she ran out and asked the first stranger she saw. With a confused look, he pointed the place out to her.
*****
Xellos woke up. Shoot, he had fallen asleep on watch. So, where was he now? In a forest, on the outskirts of a campground. It was dawn. He went and started the fire going once more. Let's see, on a mission from L-sama. Find the scroll of Albuntra. Where was Lina? Oh yeah, she split them up. He missed her. She loved lighting fires. He shook her head. First thing in the morning and moping already? No way, Xellos the Trickster Priest didn't act like this. These past few days he had been a little different, but now, he was back. He was surprised when he felt somebody beside him. He turned and saw a lady.
"Good morning Xellos!" she said.
"Um, morning!" he said. He found his staff in his cape. He was still wearing his normal clothes.
"Boring watch?" she asked. She had soft brown eyes and long brown hair, put into a long braid. She was wearing a cape in a mossy green color and brown traveling clothes. "Poor darling." Xellos almost choked.
"Um,.. yeah... but it wasn't that bad. I'm quite used to boring watches." said Xellos.
"Yeah, I know you like them exciting, dear." she said softly as she leaned her head against his shoulder. He tensed up. "I remember the first time I saw you fight the King's men off. It was wonderful. I never saw such grace, such style..." Xellos hastily stood up, causing her to nearly tumble off.
"Um... miss..." he said.
"Xellos, you know I want you to call me Misty." she said.
"Misty-san, I have to do some things.... yeah," said Xellos, not feeling totally comfortable with how Miss Misty was acting. He started to walk off in one direction.
"Um, Xellos dear!" she cooed after him. "Your tent is over that way! I should know!" He blushed and quickly went in. Gosh, that girl just oozed milk and honey and all things sweet. She was worse than Amelia! Well that was because Amelia wasn't trying to impress him by being all sugary and sweet. He still took on a Mazoku form, and such extremities with sweetness were making him slightly ill. After composing himself, he went out and found most of the group awake.
"Hey boss!" many shouted. He smiled and waved back. He saw where Misty was and quickly took his breakfast and sat far away from her.
"Hello boss!" said another man. He was older than Xellos, well, he looked older... ^^ And seemed like a nice person. "Ready to move out today?"
"I think so," said Xellos, not knowing what he was talking about.
"What's the plan for today?" he asked.
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" said Xellos. It didn't really matter that he didn't know. He was, after all, the Trickster Priest. "How about for a change, you tell me what you think we should do."
"Well, I think we should ambush them. Find out when the princess comes out and ambush her. Threaten the king to pay the ransom and agree to our terms. If he doesn't, good bye princess!"
"That's stupid, Drake!" said another person. "You know that the king could care less for his daughter."
"And let's do some mental exercises." said Xellos as he filed all the information. "Why would the king hate his own daughter?"
"That's easy." said the other person. "She's the most despicable princess one can meet."
"Your right, Ian!" said Drake. "I hadn't thought of it that way..." Xellos sweat dropped.
"So what do you say we do, Ian?" asked Xellos.
"I say just kill her." he said. "You know what she does. It's disgusting! She did that to my brother! I'm in it for revenge. We kill her and I'll die a happy man!" There were gasps of amazement. A few of the people patted him sympathetically on the shoulder.
"So Xellos-kun!!" shouted Misty. Xellos winced. "What do you think? Do you want to know what I think????" Xellos sighed.
"So, what do you think we should do?" asked Xellos.
"I agree with Ian. That harlot that calls herself a princess should not live anymore. I bet her father will be so glad that he'll accept our demands. We could be doing a favor for him." said Misty.
"Well that's a different way of seeing it." said Xellos. "Out of curiosity, why did you guys join the rebel group?"
"I was bored!"
"To follow you, Xellos-kun!" wolf whistles as Xellos blushed.
"Revenge for my brother!"
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
"Me four!"
"Mom kicked me out of the house."
"What, you also? Give me five!"
Xellos sighed. He was the leader of a motley group of wannabe rebels. Great, just great. L-sama was laughing her butt off, he knew it deep down inside of him.
*****
Lina stared at the shack. This was the house of the Sage Albuntra? What was a princess like her doing with a guy like him? Wait, she didn't really want to know, imagining the dresses once more. She took a breath and knocked.
"What's the password?" rasped a voice from the other side.
"Um... no idea..." said Lina.
"You can't enter and see the almighty Albuntra with out a password!" Lina sighed.
"Let me in, if you know what's good for you. I'm not afraid to fireball the shack you live in!" growled Lina menacingly. Immediately, the door opened.
"Now, princess, no need to be hasty now!" said a youngish looking guy with snow white hair. "I still wear proof of your blooming magical abilities, you know." He pointed to his hair.
"Well, let's get this over with." she said as she went into the room. This place was so weird! Ever since she had woken up, she hadn't seen her 'parents'. None of the servants talked to her. It was as if they were scared. And now, what was the princess meeting with a commoner, practicing a forbidden magic, and practicing it on the sage? The house was weird. A shack on the outside, a bigger room on the inside... life was weird. What dimension did L-sama stick her in?
"Here are my notes!" said Albuntra as he pointed to a huge mess on his desk.
"How are the prophecies getting along?" asked Lina. She needed to know about the prophecies.
"That's what I have so far!" he said proudly to the mess. Lina eyed the pile and the two began putting it together. Far into the night, Albuntra smiled. There, his first prophecy was finished! He watched proudly as Lina marked its call number, 548.3 A.S43. She stood up and stretched.
"When will the next one be ready?" she asked. She was slightly disappointed, seeing she was only two scrolls off.
"There's my next one!" he said excitedly as he pointed to a smaller set of notes. "Hopefully, that one will be finished in two days. Hey, Princess Lina?"
"Yeah?" she asked as she stifled a yawn.
"Do you think I'll be famous?"
"Famous?" asked Lina. She thought a bit. "I think you'll be known. Perhaps not everyone will know you, but I'm pretty sure that the top-level researchers will know about you."
"You think so?" asked Albuntra, his eyes shining with hope. "I mean, sometimes, I wonder.... who will read all this?" He pointed at all his scrolls. "...all my life, I've dedicated it to the gathering of knowledge and writing it down. But sometimes I wonder, what of what I write really is prophecy, and what is just wishful thinking? After all, sometimes, I think I can read minds, but it's just what I'm thinking... you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, a bit..." said Lina. "Sometimes, you don't know that what you're doing is the right thing... I've gone through that many times."
"So, what did you do?" asked the sage.
"I searched my being, who I was and what my reasons where." said Lina, her eyes seeing far in the distance. "When I was sure of who and why, I took the leap of faith and got to work. In the end, everything turned out fine." Silence...
"I have a question..." said both of them at the same time. There was an awkward silence.
"You go ahead." said Albuntra.
"Out of curiosity, how do you get your prophecies?" asked Lina. She was always curious. Did L-sama come up to you and tell you that she wanted you to write?
"You really want to know?" he asked. She nodded. "Well, truth be told, I go to the public baths and daydream all day about the young ladies there!" His eyes looked out dreamily and he sighed as he imagined what he had probably seen this morning.
"You peek at naked girls to write your prophecies?????" asked Lina, her eyes narrowing in anger.
"Uh huh..." he nodded, still drunk in his own imagination. "And you know the One, written about in the prophecies? She's a girl, you know."
"What about her?" he asked, not quite wanting to know.
"I based her on this girl I saw the other day. She was cussing this other guy who had paid her too little for the night, and man, she looked good!!!! She had forest green hair with gold highlights, and blue eyes... super long legs..." He sighed. "Maybe I'll go to the girl later on, and get inspired again." He leered at her.
"You based me on some common prostitute???!!!!" asked/shouted Lina as she readied a fireball.
"Huh?" asked Albuntra. "You? But this prophecy will be handed down ages and ages... I'm quite sure that you'll be dead by then, Princes... Besides, you aren't like her!" Lina's fireball collapsed and she turned red.
"Yeah, I meant her!" she said nervously as she rubbed the back of her head, ignoring his last comment. "Anyway, what was your question????" she asked, trying to draw the subject away from her blunder.
"You're different." he said, all trace of ecchiness gone. "What's up?"
"Me, different?" asked Lina. She wiped her sweating hands on her cape.
"I mean, you haven't yet used me as a guinea pig for your magic yet. And well, your clothes look a little tattered. I thought we had reached the part in a relationship where I don't care what other people think when they see you enter my place. I love you, Princess, not for your riches, but for your witty self. And you told me yesterday that you loved me also and that you didn't care what others thought about you. But today, your so much nicer, but so much colder also. Did I do anything to get you mad, Princess?" asked the sage. Lina froze.
'Shoot!' she thought. 'What am I gonna do now????'
"I mean, if you think I'm going a bit fast tell me, and I'll back off." said Albuntra, his eyes shying away from her.
"I'm just a little tired today." she said. "I do, but I want to slow it down a bit. After all, we have all the time in the world!" She couldn't bring herself to say it. She just couldn't bring herself to say 'I love you' to someone else.... that was reserved for him... Her eyes teared up. Alberta's eyes widened.
"Don't cry, my Princess." he said as he took her hands in his. "I understand. I'll be here for you." He kissed her hand softly. "Why don't you go home now? I'll wait for you in two days at the same time. How about it? Hopefully, you'll feel better by then." Lina looked shocked at him.
"Thank you." she said. She picked up her stuff and left the house. Before she started on her way back though, she used her magic to change his hair color back to its normal color, blue. "Thank you, Albuntra." Albuntra smiled as he felt his hair and saw the blue wisps of hair.
"Goodnight, my dear Princess." he said as he watched her retreating back. She had changed. Gone was the irresponsible princess. It was quite nice, truth be told.
They met like this for a few days. Lina was glad that Albuntra was willing to wait. Lina just smiled to herself. If even a weird princess like the one she was faking could admit her love for some perverted geek who was way beneath her, she could do the same for Xellos! Next time she saw him, she would tell him. She smiled.
*****
Xellos sighed as he detailed his plan to his men. It was simple. He bet even Gourry was more intelligent than some of these idiots. The plan was simple, nothing they should have a hard time following. They would stay behind and he would go and kill the Princess, leave a note asking for reward money and be out of there. Simple! But Misty-san didn't seem to get it.
"How will you get in, Xellos hon????" she asked. Xellos fought back the urge to bash her with his staff.
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" he said.
"I don't want you to knick yourself with the dagger!" she said.
"I can take care of myself."
"I want to come along with you!" she said.
"No, you'll trip and fall and alert the whole palace that we're there."
"But how are you going to get there and back?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu."
"What does that mean?"
"That is a secret!"
"Please, won't you tell me?????" she asked.
"I told you, that is a secret!!!" He sighed and tried to shake her off his leg. "Stop feeling me up!"
"Only if you tell me what it means!!!!!
"That is a secret!! I told you already!!" he said. He never thought he'd see the day where he found someone who annoyed him even more than Filia and Amelia put together.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes tearing up.
"Yes." sighed Xellos. She let go.
"You're not going to tell me, Xellos-kun????" she asked. "But I thought you loved me?!?" The whole camp had surrounded them, as they tuned in to the ongoing soap opera.
'Um.... think fast!!!' he thought to himself. 'What would Lina do? Fireball them... never mind.'
"Yeah, but..." he said. "There are some things that are too dangerous to be told to just anyone."
"But I'm your special sugar bunny!!!!" she said. "I'm not just anyone! I'm your dew of the morning, and your sweet nectar you could drink forever and... and... and your sugar bunny!!!!!!!" Xellos sweat dropped. Whoever his alternate identity was, was a very weird and crazy, probably eccentric and not quite right in the head. There were snickers from the company. He stared at them, his eyes glinting dangerously. They quickly left, leaving them alone.
"OK, not out loud. That is private, just between us." he mentally gagged. "Now, there are some things that are too dangerous to let known. I don't want you to get hurt by something you don't know too much about."
"Oh, Xellos, sugar!!!" she gushed. "You do care about me!!!"
"Um, yeah..." said Xellos without too much enthusiasm.
"Won't you tell me you love me????" she asked.
"..." said Xellos.
"At least call me your sugar bunny!!!!!!" she asked, her brown eyes watering.
"..." said Xellos. Great, just great. How was he going to get out of this!!!
*****
Xellos crept steadily. L-sama finally seemed to be smiling at him. He was the perfect candidate for the job as assassin to the Princess. Of course, he normally didn't like to kill poor defenseless maidens, but he had a lot of black energy to use up. He couldn't get her out of her head. Where was Lina? Almost a week into the adventure, and no word from her. And it didn't help that his main sidekick as rebel leader was this really impulsive lady who, um... yeah... that. Besides, the tales he had heard about the princess. He knew some were true. Princesses shouldn't be as wicked as she was. They should be nicer, but not as much as Amelia... *shudder*
He was dressed in his normal cape and held his staff in his hands. Slowly, he crept towards the window. He pried it open softly, using his many skills. Life as a trickster priest made sure you knew how to walk silently and stealthily. And things like that. He tiptoed into the room. The silly princess was sleeping soundly on her bed. He looked at the room. It was a little messy, to be a princess's room, that was for sure. He drew a knife from his cape. He drew the covers away. What he saw astounded him. He stared at the princess... and gulped.
Lina turned around and yawned. She opened her red eyes and saw Xellos.
"Xellos!" she exclaimed softly. She traced an invisible line to see what he was staring at, and saw red. "Pervert!" she hissed. She then froze as she saw what he held in his hand. Her face paled in the waning moon light. He lighted a small candle near her bed.
"Lina?" he asked. She looked at him, not quite sure how to react. Silence.... "You look really good like that!" He smiled. Lina flushed.
"You perv, what are you doing here?" she asked as she got up and quickly donned on a robe. She flushed as she felt his eyes traveling up her body. His face turned serious. He remembered what had happened last time they met.
"I'm sorry, Lina-san..." he said softly. "...for what I did, about a week ago." Lina watched him spellbound, his words opening fresh wounds in her heart.
"I just thought, I don't know..." continued Xellos. He looked out the window and put away his dagger. "These few days... truth be told, I missed you, since the moment I woke up in here. I won't give up our friendship for anything, Lina-san." He looked at her, his eyes feeling watery. "Forgive me?" Lina blushed on feeling his eyes on her. She smiled at him softly, having decided a few days ago what to do when he came. She walked softly to him. No more mistakes. He had left himself open, and she had accidentally slapped him in the face. She would right it.
"Xellos." she said softly. He looked at her and then turned away. He felt her hand reach out and turn it back so that he would be watching her.
"Lina..." he said softly. "Don't... please." He couldn't stand her touch. It was agony feeling it and knowing he couldn't do the same to her, to feel her soft skin under his fingertips.
"Why not?" asked Lina softly. She was so close to him. All he had to do was reach his hand out.
"Lina, please.... I..." whispered Xellos, his breath coming faster. He stared into her eyes. Was it just his imagination, or was she getting closer?
"You can't stand it when you promised yourself not to touch me, yet yearn so much to?" she asked teasingly as she drew her fingers across his jaw. She put her arms around him and raised her head to kiss him softly. She broke the kiss softly, her lips brushing tantalizingly close to his. "You left before I could tell you." she said.
"Tell me what?" asked Xellos, not quite daring to hope. She dropped the games.
"I love you." she said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you fast enough." Here, she looked down, her eyes unreadable. "Your response took me by surprise. You can't imagine how hurt I was when you left and I couldn't find you anywhere." She stopped and took a deep breath. "Do you, do you still love me?"
"How can you ask?" said Xellos. He put his arms around her. "Sore wa himitsu desu!" He tightened his hold and showed her his true answer as he kissed her tenderly. She eagerly answered him back, her eyes closing as she sunk into tender and perfect, passionate bliss.
*****
They spent the rest of the night talking business, mixed in with bouts of kissing and holding each other.
"What have you learned so far?" asked Xellos. They were sitting on the floor, leaning against her bed.
"Not much..." said Lina. "I have a question for you."
"Yeah, Lina-chan?" he asked as he drew her closer to him. He kissed her neck.
"Why did you have a knife with you?" she asked. She moved her head and kissed his cheek, her eyes closing momentarily, enjoying his proximity.
"I was sent to kill the princess." he said simply.
"And will you?" asked Lina coyly. She put her arms around him.
"Maybe I'll Sore Wa Himitsu Desu her to death whenever she asks me something." he said as he looked out the window.
"Poor princess!" she said. "If I were her, I'd kick you out the window."
"Maybe I will then, if I get that type of response." He smiled wickedly at her as he kissed her on the lips once more.
"Anyway," said Lina, her face flushed after the kiss. "We need to talk business. Have you found out anything about Albuntra?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" he said. She laughed and hit him on the head.
"Baka." she said.
"I have a question, Lina-chan..." he said.
"Ask away." she said. "If I'm in a merciful mood, I might even tell you the answer."
"I love that nightgown. Where did you get it?" He whispered this into her ear. He felt her face go up quite a few degrees, temperature wise.
"You like it?" she asked shyly, not looking at him. She fiddled with the hem of her robe, nervously, not quite ready to look up at him. He forced her to look at him and smiled wickedly.
"Like it?" he asked. "No. Love it? Yes. The satin cloth, the lace, the design, short and straightforward, just how I like it. I don't have to use much imagination... your legs, fascinatingly long in your gown, sometimes, I just want to..." He kissed her ear and nibbled on her ear lobe. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you this..." Lina flushed.
"Pervert." she said softly as she bopped him on the head, but softly, her face still red.
"Lina, I have a question." he said after rubbing his head.
"Ask." said Lina. She snuggled up to him.
"Did you find out anything about Albuntra?" he asked.
"What do I get if I say yes?" said Lina.
"Sore wa himitsu desu!"
"And if I didn't?" she kept on.
"Um... I get to see your nightgown again!" he said. She elbowed him in the stomach.
"Too bad for you then,..." she said. "I know who Albuntra is, and where his scroll is..." She was interrupted by his lips covering hers.
"Congrats, Lina-chan!" he said. "What do you mean too bad? Both ways, I win!"
"But, because I had the information, you owe me something!" said Lina.
"How about...?" said Xellos. "How about,... Marry me, Tirla Celina Inverse?" Lina giggled but stopped when she saw his serious face. She blushed.
"You mean it?" she asked softly, shyly. With him, forever? She'd be with him, the rest of her life... sounded nice.
"Yes." said Xellos. He knelt before her, holding her hand. "Will you be my little wife?"
"What do you mean by little?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Sorry, I take that back. Especially after seeing you in your nightgown." said Xellos cheerfully. "So, what do you say? I can do whatever you want. You don't want to cook? I will do so with pleasure! Not only will it get you fed, but it will build up your immune system by ingesting toxic wastes everyday. And if you want, I can sew and mend your clothes. And I can wash, or just snap my fingers..."
"Xellos." interrupted Lina. "You're rambling."
"Gomen ne, Lina-san." he said. "I haven't had too much practice..."
"Take a deep breath, and start again." she said. "I'm sure you'll do fine." So, Xellos, being the good little boy he was, took a deep breath and started once more.
"Would you, Tirla Celina Inverse, Knight of Chaos, Enemy of all who live, Bane of all Restaurants, Bandit Killer, Dramatta, and the most gorgeous woman alive, who just in case you are wondering, is not small in my eyes, be my wife? To love and cherish me with all my inanities and quirks, to kiss me when I get a boo-boo, and all that stuff? Of course, it's reciprocated."
"Xellos..." said Lina softly. "That was so romantic! NOT!" She took his hand and lifted him up to his feet before kissing him on the nose. "Do I look like an idiot to you? Of course I'll marry you!"
This time, Xellos initiated the lip lock and kissed her tenderly. She kissed him back, just as fervently. Lina broke the kiss for a while.
"Are you asking me to marry you just because you want to see me in the nightgown?" she asked mischievously. "Or for another sick, perverted reason? Or because you genuinely love me?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" he said as he kissed her again. After a while, he stopped.
"You want to know the truth?" he asked.
"Yeah." she said softly, still dazed from the kiss.
"All! But mostly for the first two." he said mischievously. Lina bopped him on the head and laughed.
"You do understand, that we'll have to wait a while?" asked Lina. "We have work and all that stuff..."
"I'm willing to wait..." said Xellos. "Can you?"
"What makes you think I can't?" asked Lina, semi-crossly.
"Well, I don't know..." said Xellos his eyes twinkling mischievously. "You can decide when we get married, I don't mind. You, on the other hand... might not want to wait that long..." Lina grabbed his hands before they began wandering.
"I don't think so, buster." she said. "I'm wondering, can you?"
"Wanna bet?" asked Xellos.
"Bet what?" asked Lina, her eyes lighting up. A challenge!
"How about,..." He stopped and began to think. "How about... granting one wish to the other."
"So, when I win, you grant me one wish." said Lina. "I like that."
"If you win. But since I'm going to win, you're going to owe me one wish." said Xellos with a smirk.
"When will we start?" she asked.
"When this is all over." said Xellos. He drew her to sit on the bed. "After all, can't have my darling Lina-chan distracted on the job, can I?"
"And how do we know who looses?" asked Lina.
"The first one we get a rise out of." said Xellos happily.
"Deal!" said Lina. She stuck her hand out. He took it and shook it hard.
"You're going down!" he said.
"As if!" she said.
"We'll see about that." said Xellos. "See ya around! Got work to do." With that, he gave her hands a quick peck before he vanished. Lina sighed and stared out the window happily.
AUTHOR'S NOTES...
Hi!!!!!!! I'm back!!! And I'm out on summer break!!!!! Hurray, hurray, hurray. Like Amelia says... "Life is beautiful!!!!" Well, anyway, ... I just had to get that out. I'm a free girl, from now until August! Well, not really. I found a job. Yeah, me, with a job... stop snickering!!! ^^ Well, I work at the school where they pay me way less than minimum wage in the States, but that's cause this is Ecuador we're talking about, and I'm only a lowly high school student... *sniff, sniff* I want more money!!!! I work from 9 to 4:30 in the afternoon. Aren't I hard working? It's almost like going back to school!!!! ^^ Anyway... what else... how do you like this chapter?? It's a bit longer than the other one, I think... or maybe it's just my imagination... ^^ Well, back to the story. What do you think??????? Do you like??????? Well, what else... Can anyone guess where I'm going with all of this junk? What in the world will Zelas do?? Hm.... mystery, suspense!!! jajaja!!! Well, drop me a review if you're nice... but I don't have to worry about that, cause you're all nice, right??? ^^
Someone, answer me!!!!
Well, please Read and Review. Comments and Criticism are extremely, extremely welcome! Loved something? Tell me! Hated something? (well, I hope you didn't...) Tell me!
OK, Take care!
Hotaru Kimiko Lai
Quotes...
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." -Derek Bok
"Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile."
-Anonymous
"It's okay to be human; most people are." -Unknown
And a fun one... ^.^
"I am a student. Please do not fold, spindle, or mutilate me." -Free speech movement, 1964
By the Sneaky Chibi Otaku Geek
Disclaimer...
Slayers aint mine. I wish it were though...^^ Anyway, no monetary profit is to be made of this... yadda, yadda, yadda... not like anybody would actually be willing to pay money to read this... ^^ What else? That's about it.... I'm in Summer break!!!!!!!!
Chapter 14
At Odds With Normality...
"Why did you split them up?" asked Zelas to the Lord of Chaos. "You do know that I'm doing everything I can to thwart them."
"Even bad, disobedient daughters should get a chance to prove themselves." said Chaos smugly. She glanced at the story book in her hands and smiled. Beside, they say that separation makes the heart fond... She smiled as she looked into the crystal ball. It would be quite... interesting... to see how her two Knights dealt with this universe. Very interesting indeed...
*****
Lina woke up. She woke up in a beautiful, soft, comfortable and warm bed. Then she really woke up. She shot straight up, as she glanced at the area around her. The bed was very nice, just that it wasn't hers, or was it? Lina's mind worked furiously, as she searched for her last memory. Oh yeah, Chaos-sama had sent them on a mission to retrieve the scroll of this other guy. Unfortunately, she forgot his name already,.... shoot...
She threw off her covers and stood up to stretch. She glanced at herself... and screamed. She ran to the huge mirror on the wall. She looked at her reflection, and screamed once more. That, that... girl, couldn't be her!!!!!!! Never in her life would she have imagined. The great Lina Inverse, garbed like some, some, some mix of a child's doll and something worse! Her hair, usually flowing behind her was tied up in two pigtails, with pink bows.... *shudder* And her clothes!!!! She was wearing a matching pink hat thing covering most of her hair. Her nightgown, which was also pink and frilly, with pink ribbons and pastel rainbows.... covered her from neck, to um,.... about one foot and nine tenths above her knees. The neck line was high and it had ruffles of lace. The rest was satin. Tight, lacy, soft, satin with nothing underneath. Her arms were enclosed in transparent cloth, as well, as her legs, tied off at the ankles and at her wrists.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS!!!!!" She screamed as she ran about the room. Immediately the room was opened.
"Princess Lina! Is there anything wrong?" asked the guard, who looked a little like Gourry. Which was, tall and well muscled. But he had dark brown hair.
"AAAAAh!!!! Pervert!" she cried. "FIREBALL!!!!!!!!!" The guard went bye-bye as he flew towards the corridor. She slammed the door shut and bolted it. She sighed and took huge calming breaths. Was this some type of joke? The guard called her princess. Princesses don't wear trash like this! She raided the room for the closet to find some clothes that looked a bit more modest. She couldn't help but think, it did make her look bigger though... if she found a different color and design....
Fifteen minutes later, Lina sighed. The once neat room looked like a disaster, which made Lina feel more at ease. On the floor were many, many dresses. Lina felt like screaming. In the whole silly wardrobe, there was nothing that fit her!!!!! Well, they fit her body like a glove. But it just wasn't her! She sighed as she found a dress that looked halfway respectable. She put it on and stared at herself in her mirror. She had to hurry. A servant had knocked and told her that breakfast was in half an hour and asked if she would like help selecting an outfit. Lina sternly said no.
This dress was forest green in color. Low neckline and the sleeves were made of white lace. The bodice was tight and sequined, with a light butterfly design etched in dark green thread with silver accents. The skirt was green and full, emphasizing a small waist. The edges of the skirt were pearly white. She brushed her hair back, letting it hang loose behind her. With a sigh, she opened the door and went out. She found a servant there who guided her to the dining room, where she ate a huge breakfast. Nobody else was there, except her. Poor princess. After eating, she walked around the palace, trying to get her bearings. No one told her she looked differently or acted differently. Of course, it could also be due to the fact that rumors of her bashing the guard were circulating. Speaking of that guard, she finally found him. She decided that she'd do a very royal and just like thing to do and apologize.
"Hey, there!" she said cheerfully. The guard took a look at her gulped and immediately got on his knees.
"Pardon your loyal servant, Princess Lina." he said. "It was not my intention to bother you this fine and beautiful morn." Lina blushed.
"Um... no... um, uh, rise!" she said, intelligently. "Do rise! It's OK! Um, I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I didn't mean to hit you..." He rose up.
"Thank you, my princess." he said as he took her hand and kissed the back of it. Lina blushed. "Princess."
"Yes?" she asked.
"I will keep your secret, for saving my life," said the guard.
"Secret?" asked Lina, worried that he knew that she wasn't the real princess. He whispered it into her ear.
"I had no idea you were into witchcraft, Princess. Is that not a secret?" he asked, perplexed.
"Uh... yeah!" said Lina. "Thank you for keeping my secret." He nodded and left. Lina sighed. OK, so magic was out. Shoot. Fortunately, she wasn't that bad with a sword or with her hands. She sighed as she went to the palace, looking for the library. After all, that's where one finds scrolls, right? It was nice in there. That's because nobody seemed to ever use the library. She sighed and began the arduous task of looking through the scrolls. She knew it began with an A, and part of the call number was 548.3
And that's how she spent the afternoon.
That night, once more, she had supper all by herself. But as she was about to leave, a servant came up to her with a note.
"Thank you." said Lina. The servant bowed and left.
'Princess Lina,' the note said. 'I have found a breakthrough in our project. I would request your presence tonight to use your skills in documenting. Thank you. Your servant for always, Sage Albuntra'
'Albuntra!' she thought excitedly. 'That's the scroll I'm looking for!' So she left hurriedly and was almost out of the palace before she remembered one critical fact. She had no idea where it was.
'What are my options here?' she wondered. 'I could... ask a servant! No, princesses don't beg for information. I could... ask somebody else... but princesses don't talk to commoners either. So she ran up to her room and looked through her wardrobe for something that didn't look so fine. With a exasperated sigh, she took a black dress and ripped parts of it, so it didn't look so rich. She also tore off the sequins and pearls, giving it a very battered look. To finish it, she put on a black cape. After checking herself in the mirror, she ran out and asked the first stranger she saw. With a confused look, he pointed the place out to her.
*****
Xellos woke up. Shoot, he had fallen asleep on watch. So, where was he now? In a forest, on the outskirts of a campground. It was dawn. He went and started the fire going once more. Let's see, on a mission from L-sama. Find the scroll of Albuntra. Where was Lina? Oh yeah, she split them up. He missed her. She loved lighting fires. He shook her head. First thing in the morning and moping already? No way, Xellos the Trickster Priest didn't act like this. These past few days he had been a little different, but now, he was back. He was surprised when he felt somebody beside him. He turned and saw a lady.
"Good morning Xellos!" she said.
"Um, morning!" he said. He found his staff in his cape. He was still wearing his normal clothes.
"Boring watch?" she asked. She had soft brown eyes and long brown hair, put into a long braid. She was wearing a cape in a mossy green color and brown traveling clothes. "Poor darling." Xellos almost choked.
"Um,.. yeah... but it wasn't that bad. I'm quite used to boring watches." said Xellos.
"Yeah, I know you like them exciting, dear." she said softly as she leaned her head against his shoulder. He tensed up. "I remember the first time I saw you fight the King's men off. It was wonderful. I never saw such grace, such style..." Xellos hastily stood up, causing her to nearly tumble off.
"Um... miss..." he said.
"Xellos, you know I want you to call me Misty." she said.
"Misty-san, I have to do some things.... yeah," said Xellos, not feeling totally comfortable with how Miss Misty was acting. He started to walk off in one direction.
"Um, Xellos dear!" she cooed after him. "Your tent is over that way! I should know!" He blushed and quickly went in. Gosh, that girl just oozed milk and honey and all things sweet. She was worse than Amelia! Well that was because Amelia wasn't trying to impress him by being all sugary and sweet. He still took on a Mazoku form, and such extremities with sweetness were making him slightly ill. After composing himself, he went out and found most of the group awake.
"Hey boss!" many shouted. He smiled and waved back. He saw where Misty was and quickly took his breakfast and sat far away from her.
"Hello boss!" said another man. He was older than Xellos, well, he looked older... ^^ And seemed like a nice person. "Ready to move out today?"
"I think so," said Xellos, not knowing what he was talking about.
"What's the plan for today?" he asked.
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" said Xellos. It didn't really matter that he didn't know. He was, after all, the Trickster Priest. "How about for a change, you tell me what you think we should do."
"Well, I think we should ambush them. Find out when the princess comes out and ambush her. Threaten the king to pay the ransom and agree to our terms. If he doesn't, good bye princess!"
"That's stupid, Drake!" said another person. "You know that the king could care less for his daughter."
"And let's do some mental exercises." said Xellos as he filed all the information. "Why would the king hate his own daughter?"
"That's easy." said the other person. "She's the most despicable princess one can meet."
"Your right, Ian!" said Drake. "I hadn't thought of it that way..." Xellos sweat dropped.
"So what do you say we do, Ian?" asked Xellos.
"I say just kill her." he said. "You know what she does. It's disgusting! She did that to my brother! I'm in it for revenge. We kill her and I'll die a happy man!" There were gasps of amazement. A few of the people patted him sympathetically on the shoulder.
"So Xellos-kun!!" shouted Misty. Xellos winced. "What do you think? Do you want to know what I think????" Xellos sighed.
"So, what do you think we should do?" asked Xellos.
"I agree with Ian. That harlot that calls herself a princess should not live anymore. I bet her father will be so glad that he'll accept our demands. We could be doing a favor for him." said Misty.
"Well that's a different way of seeing it." said Xellos. "Out of curiosity, why did you guys join the rebel group?"
"I was bored!"
"To follow you, Xellos-kun!" wolf whistles as Xellos blushed.
"Revenge for my brother!"
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
"Me four!"
"Mom kicked me out of the house."
"What, you also? Give me five!"
Xellos sighed. He was the leader of a motley group of wannabe rebels. Great, just great. L-sama was laughing her butt off, he knew it deep down inside of him.
*****
Lina stared at the shack. This was the house of the Sage Albuntra? What was a princess like her doing with a guy like him? Wait, she didn't really want to know, imagining the dresses once more. She took a breath and knocked.
"What's the password?" rasped a voice from the other side.
"Um... no idea..." said Lina.
"You can't enter and see the almighty Albuntra with out a password!" Lina sighed.
"Let me in, if you know what's good for you. I'm not afraid to fireball the shack you live in!" growled Lina menacingly. Immediately, the door opened.
"Now, princess, no need to be hasty now!" said a youngish looking guy with snow white hair. "I still wear proof of your blooming magical abilities, you know." He pointed to his hair.
"Well, let's get this over with." she said as she went into the room. This place was so weird! Ever since she had woken up, she hadn't seen her 'parents'. None of the servants talked to her. It was as if they were scared. And now, what was the princess meeting with a commoner, practicing a forbidden magic, and practicing it on the sage? The house was weird. A shack on the outside, a bigger room on the inside... life was weird. What dimension did L-sama stick her in?
"Here are my notes!" said Albuntra as he pointed to a huge mess on his desk.
"How are the prophecies getting along?" asked Lina. She needed to know about the prophecies.
"That's what I have so far!" he said proudly to the mess. Lina eyed the pile and the two began putting it together. Far into the night, Albuntra smiled. There, his first prophecy was finished! He watched proudly as Lina marked its call number, 548.3 A.S43. She stood up and stretched.
"When will the next one be ready?" she asked. She was slightly disappointed, seeing she was only two scrolls off.
"There's my next one!" he said excitedly as he pointed to a smaller set of notes. "Hopefully, that one will be finished in two days. Hey, Princess Lina?"
"Yeah?" she asked as she stifled a yawn.
"Do you think I'll be famous?"
"Famous?" asked Lina. She thought a bit. "I think you'll be known. Perhaps not everyone will know you, but I'm pretty sure that the top-level researchers will know about you."
"You think so?" asked Albuntra, his eyes shining with hope. "I mean, sometimes, I wonder.... who will read all this?" He pointed at all his scrolls. "...all my life, I've dedicated it to the gathering of knowledge and writing it down. But sometimes I wonder, what of what I write really is prophecy, and what is just wishful thinking? After all, sometimes, I think I can read minds, but it's just what I'm thinking... you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, a bit..." said Lina. "Sometimes, you don't know that what you're doing is the right thing... I've gone through that many times."
"So, what did you do?" asked the sage.
"I searched my being, who I was and what my reasons where." said Lina, her eyes seeing far in the distance. "When I was sure of who and why, I took the leap of faith and got to work. In the end, everything turned out fine." Silence...
"I have a question..." said both of them at the same time. There was an awkward silence.
"You go ahead." said Albuntra.
"Out of curiosity, how do you get your prophecies?" asked Lina. She was always curious. Did L-sama come up to you and tell you that she wanted you to write?
"You really want to know?" he asked. She nodded. "Well, truth be told, I go to the public baths and daydream all day about the young ladies there!" His eyes looked out dreamily and he sighed as he imagined what he had probably seen this morning.
"You peek at naked girls to write your prophecies?????" asked Lina, her eyes narrowing in anger.
"Uh huh..." he nodded, still drunk in his own imagination. "And you know the One, written about in the prophecies? She's a girl, you know."
"What about her?" he asked, not quite wanting to know.
"I based her on this girl I saw the other day. She was cussing this other guy who had paid her too little for the night, and man, she looked good!!!! She had forest green hair with gold highlights, and blue eyes... super long legs..." He sighed. "Maybe I'll go to the girl later on, and get inspired again." He leered at her.
"You based me on some common prostitute???!!!!" asked/shouted Lina as she readied a fireball.
"Huh?" asked Albuntra. "You? But this prophecy will be handed down ages and ages... I'm quite sure that you'll be dead by then, Princes... Besides, you aren't like her!" Lina's fireball collapsed and she turned red.
"Yeah, I meant her!" she said nervously as she rubbed the back of her head, ignoring his last comment. "Anyway, what was your question????" she asked, trying to draw the subject away from her blunder.
"You're different." he said, all trace of ecchiness gone. "What's up?"
"Me, different?" asked Lina. She wiped her sweating hands on her cape.
"I mean, you haven't yet used me as a guinea pig for your magic yet. And well, your clothes look a little tattered. I thought we had reached the part in a relationship where I don't care what other people think when they see you enter my place. I love you, Princess, not for your riches, but for your witty self. And you told me yesterday that you loved me also and that you didn't care what others thought about you. But today, your so much nicer, but so much colder also. Did I do anything to get you mad, Princess?" asked the sage. Lina froze.
'Shoot!' she thought. 'What am I gonna do now????'
"I mean, if you think I'm going a bit fast tell me, and I'll back off." said Albuntra, his eyes shying away from her.
"I'm just a little tired today." she said. "I do, but I want to slow it down a bit. After all, we have all the time in the world!" She couldn't bring herself to say it. She just couldn't bring herself to say 'I love you' to someone else.... that was reserved for him... Her eyes teared up. Alberta's eyes widened.
"Don't cry, my Princess." he said as he took her hands in his. "I understand. I'll be here for you." He kissed her hand softly. "Why don't you go home now? I'll wait for you in two days at the same time. How about it? Hopefully, you'll feel better by then." Lina looked shocked at him.
"Thank you." she said. She picked up her stuff and left the house. Before she started on her way back though, she used her magic to change his hair color back to its normal color, blue. "Thank you, Albuntra." Albuntra smiled as he felt his hair and saw the blue wisps of hair.
"Goodnight, my dear Princess." he said as he watched her retreating back. She had changed. Gone was the irresponsible princess. It was quite nice, truth be told.
They met like this for a few days. Lina was glad that Albuntra was willing to wait. Lina just smiled to herself. If even a weird princess like the one she was faking could admit her love for some perverted geek who was way beneath her, she could do the same for Xellos! Next time she saw him, she would tell him. She smiled.
*****
Xellos sighed as he detailed his plan to his men. It was simple. He bet even Gourry was more intelligent than some of these idiots. The plan was simple, nothing they should have a hard time following. They would stay behind and he would go and kill the Princess, leave a note asking for reward money and be out of there. Simple! But Misty-san didn't seem to get it.
"How will you get in, Xellos hon????" she asked. Xellos fought back the urge to bash her with his staff.
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" he said.
"I don't want you to knick yourself with the dagger!" she said.
"I can take care of myself."
"I want to come along with you!" she said.
"No, you'll trip and fall and alert the whole palace that we're there."
"But how are you going to get there and back?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu."
"What does that mean?"
"That is a secret!"
"Please, won't you tell me?????" she asked.
"I told you, that is a secret!!!" He sighed and tried to shake her off his leg. "Stop feeling me up!"
"Only if you tell me what it means!!!!!
"That is a secret!! I told you already!!" he said. He never thought he'd see the day where he found someone who annoyed him even more than Filia and Amelia put together.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes tearing up.
"Yes." sighed Xellos. She let go.
"You're not going to tell me, Xellos-kun????" she asked. "But I thought you loved me?!?" The whole camp had surrounded them, as they tuned in to the ongoing soap opera.
'Um.... think fast!!!' he thought to himself. 'What would Lina do? Fireball them... never mind.'
"Yeah, but..." he said. "There are some things that are too dangerous to be told to just anyone."
"But I'm your special sugar bunny!!!!" she said. "I'm not just anyone! I'm your dew of the morning, and your sweet nectar you could drink forever and... and... and your sugar bunny!!!!!!!" Xellos sweat dropped. Whoever his alternate identity was, was a very weird and crazy, probably eccentric and not quite right in the head. There were snickers from the company. He stared at them, his eyes glinting dangerously. They quickly left, leaving them alone.
"OK, not out loud. That is private, just between us." he mentally gagged. "Now, there are some things that are too dangerous to let known. I don't want you to get hurt by something you don't know too much about."
"Oh, Xellos, sugar!!!" she gushed. "You do care about me!!!"
"Um, yeah..." said Xellos without too much enthusiasm.
"Won't you tell me you love me????" she asked.
"..." said Xellos.
"At least call me your sugar bunny!!!!!!" she asked, her brown eyes watering.
"..." said Xellos. Great, just great. How was he going to get out of this!!!
*****
Xellos crept steadily. L-sama finally seemed to be smiling at him. He was the perfect candidate for the job as assassin to the Princess. Of course, he normally didn't like to kill poor defenseless maidens, but he had a lot of black energy to use up. He couldn't get her out of her head. Where was Lina? Almost a week into the adventure, and no word from her. And it didn't help that his main sidekick as rebel leader was this really impulsive lady who, um... yeah... that. Besides, the tales he had heard about the princess. He knew some were true. Princesses shouldn't be as wicked as she was. They should be nicer, but not as much as Amelia... *shudder*
He was dressed in his normal cape and held his staff in his hands. Slowly, he crept towards the window. He pried it open softly, using his many skills. Life as a trickster priest made sure you knew how to walk silently and stealthily. And things like that. He tiptoed into the room. The silly princess was sleeping soundly on her bed. He looked at the room. It was a little messy, to be a princess's room, that was for sure. He drew a knife from his cape. He drew the covers away. What he saw astounded him. He stared at the princess... and gulped.
Lina turned around and yawned. She opened her red eyes and saw Xellos.
"Xellos!" she exclaimed softly. She traced an invisible line to see what he was staring at, and saw red. "Pervert!" she hissed. She then froze as she saw what he held in his hand. Her face paled in the waning moon light. He lighted a small candle near her bed.
"Lina?" he asked. She looked at him, not quite sure how to react. Silence.... "You look really good like that!" He smiled. Lina flushed.
"You perv, what are you doing here?" she asked as she got up and quickly donned on a robe. She flushed as she felt his eyes traveling up her body. His face turned serious. He remembered what had happened last time they met.
"I'm sorry, Lina-san..." he said softly. "...for what I did, about a week ago." Lina watched him spellbound, his words opening fresh wounds in her heart.
"I just thought, I don't know..." continued Xellos. He looked out the window and put away his dagger. "These few days... truth be told, I missed you, since the moment I woke up in here. I won't give up our friendship for anything, Lina-san." He looked at her, his eyes feeling watery. "Forgive me?" Lina blushed on feeling his eyes on her. She smiled at him softly, having decided a few days ago what to do when he came. She walked softly to him. No more mistakes. He had left himself open, and she had accidentally slapped him in the face. She would right it.
"Xellos." she said softly. He looked at her and then turned away. He felt her hand reach out and turn it back so that he would be watching her.
"Lina..." he said softly. "Don't... please." He couldn't stand her touch. It was agony feeling it and knowing he couldn't do the same to her, to feel her soft skin under his fingertips.
"Why not?" asked Lina softly. She was so close to him. All he had to do was reach his hand out.
"Lina, please.... I..." whispered Xellos, his breath coming faster. He stared into her eyes. Was it just his imagination, or was she getting closer?
"You can't stand it when you promised yourself not to touch me, yet yearn so much to?" she asked teasingly as she drew her fingers across his jaw. She put her arms around him and raised her head to kiss him softly. She broke the kiss softly, her lips brushing tantalizingly close to his. "You left before I could tell you." she said.
"Tell me what?" asked Xellos, not quite daring to hope. She dropped the games.
"I love you." she said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you fast enough." Here, she looked down, her eyes unreadable. "Your response took me by surprise. You can't imagine how hurt I was when you left and I couldn't find you anywhere." She stopped and took a deep breath. "Do you, do you still love me?"
"How can you ask?" said Xellos. He put his arms around her. "Sore wa himitsu desu!" He tightened his hold and showed her his true answer as he kissed her tenderly. She eagerly answered him back, her eyes closing as she sunk into tender and perfect, passionate bliss.
*****
They spent the rest of the night talking business, mixed in with bouts of kissing and holding each other.
"What have you learned so far?" asked Xellos. They were sitting on the floor, leaning against her bed.
"Not much..." said Lina. "I have a question for you."
"Yeah, Lina-chan?" he asked as he drew her closer to him. He kissed her neck.
"Why did you have a knife with you?" she asked. She moved her head and kissed his cheek, her eyes closing momentarily, enjoying his proximity.
"I was sent to kill the princess." he said simply.
"And will you?" asked Lina coyly. She put her arms around him.
"Maybe I'll Sore Wa Himitsu Desu her to death whenever she asks me something." he said as he looked out the window.
"Poor princess!" she said. "If I were her, I'd kick you out the window."
"Maybe I will then, if I get that type of response." He smiled wickedly at her as he kissed her on the lips once more.
"Anyway," said Lina, her face flushed after the kiss. "We need to talk business. Have you found out anything about Albuntra?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" he said. She laughed and hit him on the head.
"Baka." she said.
"I have a question, Lina-chan..." he said.
"Ask away." she said. "If I'm in a merciful mood, I might even tell you the answer."
"I love that nightgown. Where did you get it?" He whispered this into her ear. He felt her face go up quite a few degrees, temperature wise.
"You like it?" she asked shyly, not looking at him. She fiddled with the hem of her robe, nervously, not quite ready to look up at him. He forced her to look at him and smiled wickedly.
"Like it?" he asked. "No. Love it? Yes. The satin cloth, the lace, the design, short and straightforward, just how I like it. I don't have to use much imagination... your legs, fascinatingly long in your gown, sometimes, I just want to..." He kissed her ear and nibbled on her ear lobe. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you this..." Lina flushed.
"Pervert." she said softly as she bopped him on the head, but softly, her face still red.
"Lina, I have a question." he said after rubbing his head.
"Ask." said Lina. She snuggled up to him.
"Did you find out anything about Albuntra?" he asked.
"What do I get if I say yes?" said Lina.
"Sore wa himitsu desu!"
"And if I didn't?" she kept on.
"Um... I get to see your nightgown again!" he said. She elbowed him in the stomach.
"Too bad for you then,..." she said. "I know who Albuntra is, and where his scroll is..." She was interrupted by his lips covering hers.
"Congrats, Lina-chan!" he said. "What do you mean too bad? Both ways, I win!"
"But, because I had the information, you owe me something!" said Lina.
"How about...?" said Xellos. "How about,... Marry me, Tirla Celina Inverse?" Lina giggled but stopped when she saw his serious face. She blushed.
"You mean it?" she asked softly, shyly. With him, forever? She'd be with him, the rest of her life... sounded nice.
"Yes." said Xellos. He knelt before her, holding her hand. "Will you be my little wife?"
"What do you mean by little?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Sorry, I take that back. Especially after seeing you in your nightgown." said Xellos cheerfully. "So, what do you say? I can do whatever you want. You don't want to cook? I will do so with pleasure! Not only will it get you fed, but it will build up your immune system by ingesting toxic wastes everyday. And if you want, I can sew and mend your clothes. And I can wash, or just snap my fingers..."
"Xellos." interrupted Lina. "You're rambling."
"Gomen ne, Lina-san." he said. "I haven't had too much practice..."
"Take a deep breath, and start again." she said. "I'm sure you'll do fine." So, Xellos, being the good little boy he was, took a deep breath and started once more.
"Would you, Tirla Celina Inverse, Knight of Chaos, Enemy of all who live, Bane of all Restaurants, Bandit Killer, Dramatta, and the most gorgeous woman alive, who just in case you are wondering, is not small in my eyes, be my wife? To love and cherish me with all my inanities and quirks, to kiss me when I get a boo-boo, and all that stuff? Of course, it's reciprocated."
"Xellos..." said Lina softly. "That was so romantic! NOT!" She took his hand and lifted him up to his feet before kissing him on the nose. "Do I look like an idiot to you? Of course I'll marry you!"
This time, Xellos initiated the lip lock and kissed her tenderly. She kissed him back, just as fervently. Lina broke the kiss for a while.
"Are you asking me to marry you just because you want to see me in the nightgown?" she asked mischievously. "Or for another sick, perverted reason? Or because you genuinely love me?"
"Sore wa himitsu desu!" he said as he kissed her again. After a while, he stopped.
"You want to know the truth?" he asked.
"Yeah." she said softly, still dazed from the kiss.
"All! But mostly for the first two." he said mischievously. Lina bopped him on the head and laughed.
"You do understand, that we'll have to wait a while?" asked Lina. "We have work and all that stuff..."
"I'm willing to wait..." said Xellos. "Can you?"
"What makes you think I can't?" asked Lina, semi-crossly.
"Well, I don't know..." said Xellos his eyes twinkling mischievously. "You can decide when we get married, I don't mind. You, on the other hand... might not want to wait that long..." Lina grabbed his hands before they began wandering.
"I don't think so, buster." she said. "I'm wondering, can you?"
"Wanna bet?" asked Xellos.
"Bet what?" asked Lina, her eyes lighting up. A challenge!
"How about,..." He stopped and began to think. "How about... granting one wish to the other."
"So, when I win, you grant me one wish." said Lina. "I like that."
"If you win. But since I'm going to win, you're going to owe me one wish." said Xellos with a smirk.
"When will we start?" she asked.
"When this is all over." said Xellos. He drew her to sit on the bed. "After all, can't have my darling Lina-chan distracted on the job, can I?"
"And how do we know who looses?" asked Lina.
"The first one we get a rise out of." said Xellos happily.
"Deal!" said Lina. She stuck her hand out. He took it and shook it hard.
"You're going down!" he said.
"As if!" she said.
"We'll see about that." said Xellos. "See ya around! Got work to do." With that, he gave her hands a quick peck before he vanished. Lina sighed and stared out the window happily.
AUTHOR'S NOTES...
Hi!!!!!!! I'm back!!! And I'm out on summer break!!!!! Hurray, hurray, hurray. Like Amelia says... "Life is beautiful!!!!" Well, anyway, ... I just had to get that out. I'm a free girl, from now until August! Well, not really. I found a job. Yeah, me, with a job... stop snickering!!! ^^ Well, I work at the school where they pay me way less than minimum wage in the States, but that's cause this is Ecuador we're talking about, and I'm only a lowly high school student... *sniff, sniff* I want more money!!!! I work from 9 to 4:30 in the afternoon. Aren't I hard working? It's almost like going back to school!!!! ^^ Anyway... what else... how do you like this chapter?? It's a bit longer than the other one, I think... or maybe it's just my imagination... ^^ Well, back to the story. What do you think??????? Do you like??????? Well, what else... Can anyone guess where I'm going with all of this junk? What in the world will Zelas do?? Hm.... mystery, suspense!!! jajaja!!! Well, drop me a review if you're nice... but I don't have to worry about that, cause you're all nice, right??? ^^
Someone, answer me!!!!
Well, please Read and Review. Comments and Criticism are extremely, extremely welcome! Loved something? Tell me! Hated something? (well, I hope you didn't...) Tell me!
OK, Take care!
Hotaru Kimiko Lai
Quotes...
"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." -Derek Bok
"Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile."
-Anonymous
"It's okay to be human; most people are." -Unknown
And a fun one... ^.^
"I am a student. Please do not fold, spindle, or mutilate me." -Free speech movement, 1964