"Hellooooo?" Amelia called as she set her bags down on the lobby floor, "Is
anybody here?" Her voice echoed to emphasize the fact that nobody was
there. She walked in a bit further and saw that the room was very large.
There was a big fancy fireplace on one end of the room with comfortable
looking furniture around it. On the other side of the room was a beautiful
fountain. The princess shrugged. She'd seen better. In fact, she had six
zebras in her room. This place only had one.
She jumped as a thud was heard from the doorway. Amelia turned to see it was Gourry, who had dropped his suitcase next to her things. He hadn't noticed her yet, as he was taking in the elegant room, obviously much more than he was expecting. Actually, he wasn't really expecting much of anything seeing as how he hadn't actually read the letter.
"Mr. Gourry," she hurried over to where he was, "What are you doing here?"
He scratched his head, wondering the same thing; "Me and Lina got letters. I don't really know what they said but Lina wanted to come."
At this point Amelia looked a little frightened and backed away from him a little bit, "You mean Ms. Lina's here, too? Where is she?"
"I just saw her searching for that continental breakfast," said another voice, making Amelia and Gourry turn to look.
"Zelgadis!?" Gourry said staring at the man in question, "What're you doing here?"
The chimera shrugged, "It figures. Every time we go our separate ways something brings us back together." Zelgadis looked around the room. A bit fancy for his taste, but it was a lot better than deserts with strange mailboxes in them.
The loud sound of eating was heard next to them. They were all somewhat surprised to find Lina standing next to them, eating, "I finally found the continental breakfast!"
"But that's my stuff!" Amelia pointed out, seeing that Lina was eating from one of Amelia's bags.
"I thought it tasted a little like clothing," Lina sighed and tossed it to the side, disappointed. She then did a double-take, "Hey! What are you and Zel doing here!?"
"It seems we all got the same letter," Zelgadis said, holding up the aforementioned letter.
Yet another voice, that of Xellos, was heard next to them, "It appears that way, doesn't it?" He had his usual grin on his face as he also held his letter up, "Now all we're missing is-"
"Finally! A week to myself!" Filia entered the room. She threw her bag into Gourry's arms, confusing him with a bellhop and said, "Take this up to my room, will you? Don't mess with my stuff and you'll find a little something extra in it for yourself."
"Yes ma'am!" Gourry said and turned follow her orders but was smacked by Lina.
"What do you think yer doing!?" Lina asked.
Filia turned around quickly, "M-Ms. Lina!? What are you doing here!?"
"The same reason YOU'RE here," Lina said blandly, "We all got the same letter."
"All?" Filia said quietly to herself, finally noticing everyone else in the room. Her eyes came across Xellos and she stood perfectly still for a moment. The monster's grin wider as they stared at each other. She quickly walked back in the direction she came in from and grabbed her bag from Gourry. "Well, it was nice seeing you all. Goodbye!" She then ran smack into Xellos, who'd reappeared in her path to the door.
"Why, Filia, you just got here!" he said teasingly, "And we have so much to catch up on!"
She scowled at him, "What are you talking about? I saw you last week when you decided to 'babysit' Val for me!"
Xellos thought for a moment, "Oh yes! I remember now! That kid doesn't like heights. You should do something about that before you ask me to babysit again."
"I didn't ask you to babysit," she growled.
"Guys! Can't we just get along for this short period of time?" Amelia asked. Filia looked at her angrily. Xellos happily shook his head 'no' in response.
Filia started towards the door again, "And that's why I'm leaving!" Once again, she was stopped near the door. But this time it wasn't Xellos. It was a strange looking man wearing an orange tuxedo and a purple feather boa.
Everyone stared at the man as he stood in that spot, grinning crazily at everyone. He removed a top hat from his head and bowed hastily, almost hitting Filia in the process.
"Hello and welcome to Death Mansion!" he said in a loud, high-pitched voice. Silence from everyone else. "I hope you enjoy your stay here! For all eternity! Ahahahaaaaaaa! Er, sorry. Sometimes I say things like that. I think it's a disorder."
"Yeah.. um. You said that in the letter," Lina said, holding up the letter. The man looked shocked. He seized the letter from Lina. He read over it and shrieked as he got to the part Lina had just mentioned. Everyone was very startled by this and began backing away from him.
The man began sobbing, "I've embarrassed myself so much! I don't deserve to live anymore!" He pulled out a gun and held it to his head.
"No! Wait!" Amelia gasped, "Don't do that. We don't mind, really!"
The man stopped crying and lowered the gun a little, "So I'm.. noooooormal?"
Amelia blinked a couple times, "Um, well, not completely but-" She was interrupted as the man burst into tears gain and raised the gun at HER head, "-But what I meant to say was you're normal! VERY normal! Please just put the gun down!" He pulled the trigger and a stream of water came out of it and hit Amelia in the face. She looked exasperated.
The man giggled, "As I was saying, I hope you enjoy your stay here. You'll find our accommodations quite pleasing! There's a large screen television in the recreational center and a pool on every floor. There's a bathroom for every room of the mansion. Absolutely no escape from the building. Dining room on the main level. Did I mention the ball room?"
"Whoa! Wait a minute!" Lina stopped him, "What do you mean by 'no escape'?"
The man blinked a couple times and tilted his head to the side, "I didn't say that."
"Yes you did! We all heard you!" Filia said. Everyone else nodded.
"No, I'm quite sure I didn't," said the man. "Now lets see. where was I? Oh yes, now I remember! Good bye!" He turned and began to walk out of the room.
"Where are you going?" Gourry asked.
"Uh." the man took out a pocketwatch, "10pm, ma'am." Gourry was confused for multiple reasons. They watched the man dance out of the building. The door slammed behind him and for a moment there wasn't a sound. Then there was a loud bang as the man tripped over a cliff leading to the ocean. There was another bang as he landed in a boat. Then there was more silence. The final sound they heard was a splash as he accidentally fell off the boat.
As they stood there, a certainty fell over them that if they didn't get out of the mansion soon, craziness would ensue. It always happened when they were together. If not a higher power trying to destroy the world, a nonsensical plot would unfold with them as the butt of the joke. And that crazy man had killed any doubt of that happening.
"Well," Filia said, "I don't know about you guys but I'm leaving. I couldn't spend another minute in this place. Especially not with HIM!" She, of course, was referring to Xellos.
"That hurt, Filia," Xellos said, smiling, "I was hoping you'd stay with me and get that full-body massage. I hear they're wonderful." Filia had a sad expression on her face. She'd been looking forward to the massage.
Her sorrowful expression switched to anger quickly, "And just WHO would give the massages?"
"I would," said a polite female voice, making them all jump. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I frighten you? I'm Betty, the masseuse. That gentleman you all just met was Mr. Rinald but he prefers to go by Lord Yuckinominaldsonsinclar IV. He works here as the crazy man. Every mansion needs one, you know." Betty smiled at them pleasantly.
"Are you two the only staff here?" Filia asked, looking around.
"Don't be silly!" Betty said, "The rest of the staff will be here shortly. There's Ms. Evette, the Maid; and Mr. Wisley, the chef."
Lina grinned, "So when does this Wisley guy get here?"
"He should be here by now. I really don't know," Betty said, shrugging. Lina and Gourry looked disappointed, "Why don't you all just get settled in. I'm sure that once you are ready they will be here."
Everyone nodded their heads and picked up their bags and suitcases to head up to the rooms.
Xellos turned to Filia, "So, changed your mind about staying?"
"Humph! If you stay out of my way this might be an enjoyable vacation for me!" she walked past the smirking monster.
~~~~~~~
To be continued. In the next chapter: Death, and lots of it! Or maybe just a little! Or maybe none at all! Who knows! One thing is for sure, though: Never, never, never shake a baby.
She jumped as a thud was heard from the doorway. Amelia turned to see it was Gourry, who had dropped his suitcase next to her things. He hadn't noticed her yet, as he was taking in the elegant room, obviously much more than he was expecting. Actually, he wasn't really expecting much of anything seeing as how he hadn't actually read the letter.
"Mr. Gourry," she hurried over to where he was, "What are you doing here?"
He scratched his head, wondering the same thing; "Me and Lina got letters. I don't really know what they said but Lina wanted to come."
At this point Amelia looked a little frightened and backed away from him a little bit, "You mean Ms. Lina's here, too? Where is she?"
"I just saw her searching for that continental breakfast," said another voice, making Amelia and Gourry turn to look.
"Zelgadis!?" Gourry said staring at the man in question, "What're you doing here?"
The chimera shrugged, "It figures. Every time we go our separate ways something brings us back together." Zelgadis looked around the room. A bit fancy for his taste, but it was a lot better than deserts with strange mailboxes in them.
The loud sound of eating was heard next to them. They were all somewhat surprised to find Lina standing next to them, eating, "I finally found the continental breakfast!"
"But that's my stuff!" Amelia pointed out, seeing that Lina was eating from one of Amelia's bags.
"I thought it tasted a little like clothing," Lina sighed and tossed it to the side, disappointed. She then did a double-take, "Hey! What are you and Zel doing here!?"
"It seems we all got the same letter," Zelgadis said, holding up the aforementioned letter.
Yet another voice, that of Xellos, was heard next to them, "It appears that way, doesn't it?" He had his usual grin on his face as he also held his letter up, "Now all we're missing is-"
"Finally! A week to myself!" Filia entered the room. She threw her bag into Gourry's arms, confusing him with a bellhop and said, "Take this up to my room, will you? Don't mess with my stuff and you'll find a little something extra in it for yourself."
"Yes ma'am!" Gourry said and turned follow her orders but was smacked by Lina.
"What do you think yer doing!?" Lina asked.
Filia turned around quickly, "M-Ms. Lina!? What are you doing here!?"
"The same reason YOU'RE here," Lina said blandly, "We all got the same letter."
"All?" Filia said quietly to herself, finally noticing everyone else in the room. Her eyes came across Xellos and she stood perfectly still for a moment. The monster's grin wider as they stared at each other. She quickly walked back in the direction she came in from and grabbed her bag from Gourry. "Well, it was nice seeing you all. Goodbye!" She then ran smack into Xellos, who'd reappeared in her path to the door.
"Why, Filia, you just got here!" he said teasingly, "And we have so much to catch up on!"
She scowled at him, "What are you talking about? I saw you last week when you decided to 'babysit' Val for me!"
Xellos thought for a moment, "Oh yes! I remember now! That kid doesn't like heights. You should do something about that before you ask me to babysit again."
"I didn't ask you to babysit," she growled.
"Guys! Can't we just get along for this short period of time?" Amelia asked. Filia looked at her angrily. Xellos happily shook his head 'no' in response.
Filia started towards the door again, "And that's why I'm leaving!" Once again, she was stopped near the door. But this time it wasn't Xellos. It was a strange looking man wearing an orange tuxedo and a purple feather boa.
Everyone stared at the man as he stood in that spot, grinning crazily at everyone. He removed a top hat from his head and bowed hastily, almost hitting Filia in the process.
"Hello and welcome to Death Mansion!" he said in a loud, high-pitched voice. Silence from everyone else. "I hope you enjoy your stay here! For all eternity! Ahahahaaaaaaa! Er, sorry. Sometimes I say things like that. I think it's a disorder."
"Yeah.. um. You said that in the letter," Lina said, holding up the letter. The man looked shocked. He seized the letter from Lina. He read over it and shrieked as he got to the part Lina had just mentioned. Everyone was very startled by this and began backing away from him.
The man began sobbing, "I've embarrassed myself so much! I don't deserve to live anymore!" He pulled out a gun and held it to his head.
"No! Wait!" Amelia gasped, "Don't do that. We don't mind, really!"
The man stopped crying and lowered the gun a little, "So I'm.. noooooormal?"
Amelia blinked a couple times, "Um, well, not completely but-" She was interrupted as the man burst into tears gain and raised the gun at HER head, "-But what I meant to say was you're normal! VERY normal! Please just put the gun down!" He pulled the trigger and a stream of water came out of it and hit Amelia in the face. She looked exasperated.
The man giggled, "As I was saying, I hope you enjoy your stay here. You'll find our accommodations quite pleasing! There's a large screen television in the recreational center and a pool on every floor. There's a bathroom for every room of the mansion. Absolutely no escape from the building. Dining room on the main level. Did I mention the ball room?"
"Whoa! Wait a minute!" Lina stopped him, "What do you mean by 'no escape'?"
The man blinked a couple times and tilted his head to the side, "I didn't say that."
"Yes you did! We all heard you!" Filia said. Everyone else nodded.
"No, I'm quite sure I didn't," said the man. "Now lets see. where was I? Oh yes, now I remember! Good bye!" He turned and began to walk out of the room.
"Where are you going?" Gourry asked.
"Uh." the man took out a pocketwatch, "10pm, ma'am." Gourry was confused for multiple reasons. They watched the man dance out of the building. The door slammed behind him and for a moment there wasn't a sound. Then there was a loud bang as the man tripped over a cliff leading to the ocean. There was another bang as he landed in a boat. Then there was more silence. The final sound they heard was a splash as he accidentally fell off the boat.
As they stood there, a certainty fell over them that if they didn't get out of the mansion soon, craziness would ensue. It always happened when they were together. If not a higher power trying to destroy the world, a nonsensical plot would unfold with them as the butt of the joke. And that crazy man had killed any doubt of that happening.
"Well," Filia said, "I don't know about you guys but I'm leaving. I couldn't spend another minute in this place. Especially not with HIM!" She, of course, was referring to Xellos.
"That hurt, Filia," Xellos said, smiling, "I was hoping you'd stay with me and get that full-body massage. I hear they're wonderful." Filia had a sad expression on her face. She'd been looking forward to the massage.
Her sorrowful expression switched to anger quickly, "And just WHO would give the massages?"
"I would," said a polite female voice, making them all jump. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I frighten you? I'm Betty, the masseuse. That gentleman you all just met was Mr. Rinald but he prefers to go by Lord Yuckinominaldsonsinclar IV. He works here as the crazy man. Every mansion needs one, you know." Betty smiled at them pleasantly.
"Are you two the only staff here?" Filia asked, looking around.
"Don't be silly!" Betty said, "The rest of the staff will be here shortly. There's Ms. Evette, the Maid; and Mr. Wisley, the chef."
Lina grinned, "So when does this Wisley guy get here?"
"He should be here by now. I really don't know," Betty said, shrugging. Lina and Gourry looked disappointed, "Why don't you all just get settled in. I'm sure that once you are ready they will be here."
Everyone nodded their heads and picked up their bags and suitcases to head up to the rooms.
Xellos turned to Filia, "So, changed your mind about staying?"
"Humph! If you stay out of my way this might be an enjoyable vacation for me!" she walked past the smirking monster.
~~~~~~~
To be continued. In the next chapter: Death, and lots of it! Or maybe just a little! Or maybe none at all! Who knows! One thing is for sure, though: Never, never, never shake a baby.