Chapter Twelve: Stupid brothers and restless fathers

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister.

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*********************************************************************** The next day, Froy took Babbit to the magic study that was deep in the basement of the house, insisting that he had something important to talk to her about.

"All right. What is it?" She asked in a demanding tone as he closed the door.

"Listen. I haven't told Mother and Father yet, but your ghost boyfriend has been pestering me lately." He whispered.

"Ghost boyfriend? I don't have a..." She stopped. "Rezo?"

"Shhh!" He waved his hands. "Yes, Rezo. He's really depressed about some keep-away spell that he says Slipper put on you."

"And?" She whispered impatiently.

"And... That's all." His head felt the sharp impact of Babbit's fist against his face.

"You moron! Don't tell me such hopeful things if you don't have a conclusion to the matter!" She stormed out of the study. He lay there on the cold stone floor, waiting. The ghostly figure of Rezo appeared only moments after Babbit left.

"How was that?" He asked, staring up at Rezo.

"Wonderful. Thank you for your assistance." Rezo smiled. Froy smiled back. Things were truly getting interesting.

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Babbit sat in her room, brooding.

"Stupid brother. Saying such hopeful things with nothing to offer that will actually help the situation." She grumbled. "Now, what can I do to remove this spell from myself?" She asked herself, searching around the room for something productive.

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Zelgadiss Graywords had just gotten home from teaching a class at the Magic University. There were some things he needed to prepare for tomorrow's lesson, so he went strait downstairs to his study. He lit a magical light that Yeshta had devised specifically for the purpose of lighting a place where there could be a lot of magical energy going around without being affected by it.

"Zelgadiss..." An eerily familiar voice whispered. He looked around, and came face to face with the ghostly presence of Rezo. He fell backwards, tripping on his own feet and landing on the floor with a solid thump.

"What are you doing here?!" He demanded. His tone of voice could be defined as "angry" or "terrified", however strange of a combination it may be.

"I wish to speak with you on a matter of some importance." Rezo replied calmly. Zelgadiss rose to his feet.

"I have nothing to say to you." He stated abruptly, turning away.

"Please, won't you hear what I have to say?" Rezo's voice was pleading.

"I will not." He refused, resting both his hands on the long bench that stretched along the wall.

"Even when it involves your daughter?" Rezo stepped closer to Zelgadiss. He didn't reply. "Do you not care about her?" Rezo rested one of his hands over Zelgadiss's right hand.

"Don't touch me!" Zelgadiss yanked his arm back, which passed right through the ghostly figure. "I DO care about my daughter, which is precisely why I do not want you to have anything to do with her!"

"Please, talk with her. Try to understand what has been happening to her." Rezo looked pained for a moment, as though he was remembering something unpleasant. He shuddered for a very brief instant, then resumed. "Even as a child, there has been no one she could be close to. The Magic University had no one she could grow close to. That feeling has intensified greatly as she grew older." He paused again. Zelgadiss neither spoke nor moved. "Please, try to understand, or she will die from this feeling of loneliness." He shimmered, and disappeared. Zelgadiss considered his words. Perhaps Rezo had been correct. It certainly was true that there were very few people that Babbit associated herself with. Zelgadiss nodded to himself. It was time that he discussed things with Babbit herself.

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A discussion is coming up! A discussion is coming up! What will be the outcome? R&R, please!