Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.
Slayers: A Spaghetti Western
Act 4
Zelgadiss tugged on the saddle strap to tighten it, but the buckle wasn't going into the right notch. He sighed. Lightning was being stubborn and sucking in air to keep the strap loose. It appeared that she, too, wanted him to stay in the village. He kneed her gently in the belly, and he pulled the strap tight as she blew out. Damn horse. He could see it now. He rides off dramatically into the sunset, only to have his saddle slide to the side and dump him to the ground.
Lightning blew again, and he finally tightened the strap correctly. "Traitor," he grumbled, and she slapped his face with her tail as an answer.
"She's right, Zelgadiss, you shouldn't go," Amelia said, leading Champion up to where he was preparing to leave. She was dressed in her traveling clothes and her horse was saddled and ready.
"I thought I told you to stay, Amelia," he said, trying not to look at her.
"And I thought I told you that you shouldn't go."
He sighed. "You're staying here, where you'll be safe. I've got to leave now."
"You know I'll just follow you, Zelgadiss."
"I don't want you to get hurt." He busied himself by adjusting his stirrups and checking the bridle and the bit, as well as stowing away his rifle and saddlebags, anything to keep him from seeing the disappointment in her face.
"Then don't go."
"You know that's not possible."
Liar.
"It was possible, two hours ago. You said you loved me. You said 'no more Rezo.' If you had never known he was at my Inn, and found out years down the line, would you leave me then, like you're trying to now?
"That's why I have to go now, Amelia. I don't want this ghost haunting me for the rest of my life. I don't want to think that he's out there and that he might… You're too important to me to lose. I've got to do this. For us."
Liar.
"Us? There won't be an, 'us' if you ride off to your death. If you're going, then I'm riding with you."
He finally looked back at her. She was standing resolutely with a hand on her horse's neck, a determined expression on her face. His eyes drifted back, and he saw that Fox-from-the-Fire and Laughing Brook were watching them with worry. He had hoped that they would convince Amelia to stay with them, but she was so stubborn. Of course, that was one of her many endearing qualities, and he found that he, too, wilted under her strange logic.
She loved him enough to want to remain by his side in the face of danger, and although he wanted her safe, he still could not bear to think of her anywhere but at his side. With a sigh, he reached deep into his saddlebag and dug out her tiny pistol and a couple of bullets. He walked over to her, and reached out to take her hand. She regarded him with a neutral expression, but he saw the flash of surprise as she realized what it was he was returning to her.
"You can practice with one of my guns as well, but I don't want you to be helpless in a fight," he said, his hands lingering on hers. "I don't know how much help two bullets can be in a gunfight, but you should be armed."
Amelia immediately felt better knowing that he was going to let her stay with him. She accepted her pistol, somehow glad that it hadn't been lost and that Zelgadiss had kept it all this time. She stared at the two bullets for several moments, but then remembered Laughing Brook and the other women of the village. Without trepidation, she loaded her gun and slipped it into her pocket.
Once everything was ready for their journey, including more rations and supplies, Zelgadiss took Amelia's hand and led her back to his family. Eagle-over-the-River had joined his wife and the Shaman. Zelgadiss bowed slightly before being wrapped up in a tight hug, along with Amelia. When the Chief finally released them, they were assaulted again by Fox-from-the-Fire. He was perhaps even more enthusiastic about his goodbye.
"Thank you for letting us stay in your village, Mister Chief. Thank you for all your help and understanding, Mister Shaman. And thank you for looking after me and helping me with everything, Laughing Brook," Amelia told them each sincerely.
The older woman hugged Amelia tightly. "Return to us victorious, Hummingbird. And when you return, I hope to call you sister in truth," she whispered, but Zelgadiss' excellent hearing caught that. He briefly wondered about it before she turned her attention to him, whom she caught up in an equally tight embrace. "I hope your quest for revenge is quenched with this journey, brother. Return to us victorious, Chimera."
There were no tears, no goodbyes. Friends wished the spirits to keep watch over them, and with a pointed look at Amelia, Fox-from-the-Fire waved a black crow feather before them.
"May the great spirits guide you both. May your own spirits keep you safe."
Zelgadiss and Amelia rode out towards the sunset, hoping to cover as much distance as they could before nightfall. He had a plan now, and hopefully, it would solve both of their problems: the Tatums and Rezo. He glanced at Amelia as she rode beside him, and made a promise to himself that they would both make it out of this alive.
Three hours later, as the sun finally sank behind the hills, Zelgadiss called a halt to their ride. He dismounted and gave their camp a quick appraisal before letting Amelia know that this would be where they would rest for the night. She appeared to be okay, but when he offered her help down, she frowned and dismounted on her own, still favoring her right leg.
"It doesn't hurt that much, Zelgadiss," she reassured him, and then went about unsaddling her horse. He reached over to do it for her, but she shrugged him off to do it herself. With nothing else he could help her with, he attended to his duties while she brushed down the horse. By the time Zel had built up a fire, Amelia had unrolled her bedroll in her usual spot across the fire from him.
The small fire did not offer much warmth, but it gave them a little light and some cheer. Zelgadiss offered Amelia some of their rations, and they both ate in silence. She rubbed her thigh absently, trying to make sure her bandage was in place. It could probably have done with another couple of days of rest, but since that was out of the question, she would just have to make sure it did not open or get infected.
Her eyes traveled up to regard her friend… her love, she remembered, and noticed that he appeared so down and distant. He was leaning against his saddle, his eyes focused on the tiny leaping flames, and she wondered what he was thinking about. Probably Rezo and his revenge. Couldn't he just let it go so they could live their life? She turned away from the fire to stare out over the landscape, taking the first watch as she always had.
Zelgadiss watched her, and sighed audibly. "Amelia, you don't have to keep watch, for tonight at least."
"I'm here to pull my own weight, Zelgadiss. I can do everything I did before."
"That's not what I meant," he said in her ear, and she jumped in surprise. She hadn't even heard him move from his spot. His arms wrapped around her from behind, and she sank back into his embrace.
"We're still in Crow territory. There are a couple of my friends who insisted on keeping watch over us until we left their lands. No one will bother us tonight. We can rest here without worrying."
She let out a contented sigh as he leaned his chin on her shoulder. She loved being with him, and was enjoying his displays of affection, but this whole situation just wasn't sitting well with her. The romantic in her just did not see the romance of all this. He should be courting her with flowers and picnics and long walks. Instead, they were riding halfway across the country so he could kill the man who destroyed his family so long ago.
"Are we going to be okay?" she asked, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.
"They aren't going to let anything happen to us, I promise."
Amelia turned in his embrace to look him in the eye. "That's not what I meant. I know Mist… Rezo did all those horrible things so long ago, but what if he's changed? He's a doctor and is helping so many people now. Would you be able to live with yourself if you killed a reformed man? And what would that do to us? When you kill him, will that be enough? You can't bring your parents back…"
Zelgadiss released her and leaned back against her saddle. His gaze returned to the fire, and that uncertain and distant expression once again covered his features.
"I've thought on the morality and the consequences of killing him for so many years now, that I've just come to accept the fact that it's just something I've got to do. I told you before that I have never thought beyond that moment, until now. Now, I'm questioning everything I've done and everything I am. I want to leave it alone. I want to live a nice quiet life with you. But what he did will always be in the back of my mind. The thought that he's out there, somewhere, weighs on my mind now more than ever. What he did is unforgivable, Amelia."
His voice was hoarse as he continued, "It won't bring them back, I know. But it will stop him from destroying other families and other lives. He created me, the day he killed my parents and left me to burn. He's my problem."
He shifted, and Amelia lay next to him, resting her head on his chest. She looked up at him, her eyes shining with devotion. "And mine as well, Zelgadiss. You're the man I love, so I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise."
He kissed her forehead gently, letting his lips linger on her soft skin and breathing in her scent. Strangely, her steadfast promise calmed him. They fell asleep that night, wrapped in each other's embrace, warm in the knowledge that they would face this thing together.
****************************
Amelia and Zelgadiss returned to their routine of keeping watch while they rested over the next several days, having left Crow territory far behind. He led them through the high country, ever westward and a step closer to their destination. Amelia's leg continued to heal, and she allowed him to help her every now and again, knowing that he was only trying to show her how much she meant to him.
When they were what Zelgadiss determined was a safe enough distance away from Sweetwater and any potential trouble with the Tatums, he led them to a town so they could restock on supplies and so they could send a message to Luna. Amelia tried not to appear too grateful to be returning to a town, but failed to contain her excitement. Zel decided that perhaps they could stay for the night, and if they could find a good stable to care for the horses, take the next train to San Francisco.
They arrived in Evanston and went their separate ways, Amelia to send the message and find out about the train, and Zelgadiss to inquire about the stables and their own lodging.
As it turned out, Amelia was able to send two wires, one to Luna to let her know that they were okay, and another to her sister, informing her that they were on their way to visit. She knew that it wasn't the whole truth, but she couldn't very well tell her that they were going to look for a man so Zelgadiss could get his revenge.
Well, it was merely the omission of the truth, she thought with a twinge of guilt.
Her next stop was the station to book a couple of seats on the next train. In five days. With a sigh, she bought the tickets, knowing that Zel would not be happy to have to wait. She stepped out of the station and crossed the street to find him at the Inn, never noticing that a pair of beady eyes in a weasel-like face had been following her every move. He stepped into the telegraph office to send a couple of messages of his own.
Zelgadiss, upon hearing that they would have to wait five more days until the train arrived, had almost told Amelia to return the tickets and book the next stagecoach, but when he saw the weariness on her face, he quickly changed his mind. She needed her rest, anyway, he reasoned with himself. He was able to get two rooms at the Inn, and find clean and well-kept stables for their horses. Paying both places in advance, he and Amelia spent the remainder of the day resting and eating, unaware that they had been found.
****************************
"There's got to be something here," Lina whined, and in her frustration, she threw the large book that she had been looking through across the table and onto the floor.
Over two weeks had elapsed since Zelgadiss and Amelia fled Rock Creek, and there was still no word from her sister that they had arrived. She had figured on a week at most for Zel to disappear and resurface safely in Sweetwater with his charge. Another week and a half passed with still no sign of them. And as Phil had worried, the army had yet to send anyone out. Thankfully, though, the town remained unnaturally peaceful this whole time.
While Gourry was on duty with the Sheriff, Lina and Phil had been reading through dozens of books that were delivered that morning from Fort Laramie with an apology for the lack of support. Whatever. Lina didn't need help from the army anyway.
Regardless of what was happening in his personal life, Philionel Seyruun was still a federal Marshall, and a crime had occurred in his territory. When the Sheriff had searched out Connor Cooper's hideout, he had discovered the deed to the homestead. It had been signed over to Connor, probably under duress. What he needed to discover was what would drive a man to murder his own parents, just so he could have the deed to their land signed over to him? It didn't make sense. The land would have become his upon their death, anyway. There must have been more to it than it seemed.
The books that were scattered across four tables in the dining room of the Inn held copies of all the land titles that were recorded in the state, sorted by county and date. That should have made things easier, but finding one common thread among hundreds of declarations of homestead in this mess was unbelievable. After eight straight hours of searching and finding nothing, Phil had left to relieve Gourry at the jailhouse, leaving Lina alone to continue the search.
And Lina Inverse was not the most patient of people.
"I'm going to shoot whoever put these stupid books together! None of it makes any sense!" She pulled her hair in frustration.
"You're always making such a mess!" Martina complained, smacking the back of Lina's head as she walked by. She bent down to pick up the fallen book, and Lina's boot found the green-haired girl's backside. Martina went sprawling across the floor.
Lina towered over her, a wicked gleam in her anger-filled eyes, and no one around to rein her in. "You should know better than to provoke me!"
Martina appeared uneasy for a brief moment before Lina pounced on her, but she fought her off with a frightening display of stupidity. The women pulled each other's hair, twisted arms, poked eyes, tugged on cheeks, and executed weak headlocks.
"Zoamelgustar won't let me lose to you, Lina! I'll get you yet," came a muffled threat. Martina's apron was being pulled up and over her face as she tried to reach around to swat at Lina, who was sitting on her back.
"Aw, shaddup!" the redhead yelled, trying to tie the bottom edge of the apron to the ribbons around Martina's waist. She was in quite an awkward position, but Lina roared, "You asked for it!"
Their tussle immediately stopped when the little bell above the front door to the Inn jingled. That sound meant money. The two young women froze, looked up, and then untangled themselves, straightening their clothes and hair as they sought to appear presentable. The man who had entered the Inn merely watched them in fascination, shaking the dust off his thick poncho and strange pointed hat.
"Welcome to the Seyruun Inn," Lina effused, elbowing Martina out of the way at the prospect of making more money. "Are you looking for a hot meal or a room for the night, sir?"
"Both," he said, surveying the empty dining room.
Lina took in his appearance, and the bulge at his hip beneath his poncho, and frowned. "Well, we've got a rule here." She pointed to the sign above the front counter that read: No weapons allowed in this establishment. Please surrender your weapons to the innkeeper.
The man's eyes traveled down to regard the pistols at her hips, and he raised an eyebrow. "Are you the innkeeper?"
Lina was about to answer when Martina took the chance to elbow her aside.
"No. I'm the one who does all the work here, including the cooking, cleaning and the book-keeping." She slid behind the counter and opened the registry. "Only one? Just sign here, then…"
Lina almost gagged at the way Martina was gushing over this man. Of course, she usually threw herself at every man who walked in, but it seemed as if this time was worse than others. She pulled the book around and read the name before recording the room number next to it.
"Here you go, Mister… Zangulus. You're in room five, up the stairs, first door on your left," she said in a high, delicate voice, a blush creeping up her neck.
"Just a minute," Lina stopped him before he took a step. She ignored the glare that Martina was shooting at her. "Your guns."
She held out her hands, and the man reluctantly threw back his poncho, revealing not only a gun at his hip, but one tucked into his waistband, as well as a large hunting knife strapped to his gun belt. He pulled each one out and handed it to Lina, who placed them securely in the gun rack, locking them up.
"So, what makes a little thing like you able to carry guns in here when law abiding citizens like me can't, not even to defend myself?" he asked when she stepped out from behind the counter, twirling the key around her finger.
"A little thing like this," she answered, pointing at the deputy badge her hair had covered up. She drew her pistol and pointed it at the man. "And a big thing like the Tatums sending people in to spy on us."
"Lina! What are you doing?"
"Shut up, Martina. Go run and get Gourry."
"But…"
"Now!"
Martina stamped her foot in frustration, but did as she was told, the door slamming shut behind her. Lina grinned wolfishly as she pointed to a chair in the corner of the dining room. Zangulus lazily walked over and sat down, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Lina picked up the book that had fallen and placed it open on the table with the others. She sat down in her chair, the gun ever trained on his face.
"So, Zangulus," she drawled, "Let's talk about who sent you…"
*************************
"This just arrived for you, sir." A woman knocked on the door and then walked into the office, holding a thin slip of paper in her hand. The man raised his head when she entered, but he did not turn from his work.
"What is it?" he asked, slightly irritated at being disturbed.
"A telegram from one of the rats."
"Well? What does it say?"
"It says, 'Seyruun and Greywords in Evanston. Stop. Boarding train to S.F. in five days. Stop. More trouble may arrive. End stop.' That's all…"
"What was the name?" he demanded, suddenly in a panic. He turned around in his chair to face her.
"Seyruun, sir."
"Not that one. The other one!"
"Greywords."
The man sat for several silent moments, rubbing his face in thought. The woman watched him worriedly, having never before seen the alarm that covered his handsome features. Finally, the alarm was replaced by determination, and he beckoned to her.
"Eris, my dear. Send word to do whatever it takes to bring them to me. Alive and unharmed. We will meet them partway. The Big S Ranch, west of the Great Salt Lake."
"Yes, sir."
"Oh, and Eris?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Any other trouble is to be dealt with. Lethally."
"Of course, Rezo dear." The woman turned on her heel, ready to do his bidding.
"It can't be him," the blind man muttered worriedly to himself. "I have to make sure."
*************************
"He's not a spy, Lina," Gourry tried for the fifth time that evening, and she still wouldn't believe him. He was sitting back in his chair with his feet up on the table and his hands behind his head. He hadn't wanted to tell her the truth since he was afraid of what she would do to him if she found out, but it seemed as if he didn't have a choice in the matter.
"I asked him to come here," he blurted out. She suddenly rounded on him, and he rushed to explain, "Zangulus and I go way back. Well… that is, he tried to kill me a ways back… before I met you, actually. That was, what, Zangulus? Five? Six years ago?"
"Seven, Gourry."
"Yeah, seven years ago, we met when we were working for this guy down in Texas. He paid us to guard his ranch, but there was nothing for us to do, since no one ever came around, so we took to shooting contests. I usually won, so Zangulus here challenged me to a duel." He took a long drink of his coffee and sighed.
Several seconds passed before Lina realized that he wasn't going to continue. She kicked his feet off the table. "And then what happened?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. He lost. He's been trying to get me to duel him ever since, but I never felt like it anymore after that."
"So why did you ask him to come here? You want to fight him now?"
"Oh. No, not at all."
Zangulus fell off his chair. "What? I came all this way from California, just so we can reminisce?!"
"No. I asked you to come because I thought we could use some extra guns against the Tatums and the Dylans. I didn't want to fight again."
The man groaned as he levered himself back into his seat. "This has got to be a bad dream…"
"Gourry," Lina growled, "do you have any other old 'friends' coming here that I should know about?"
"Umm… no. I don't think so."
Lina moaned and lowered her head onto the table. She was about to pound her head onto the wood when the front door slammed open.
"Where's Lina Inverse?" a seemingly gentle voice demanded from the doorway, and Lina shot up as if an iron brand was stuck under her seat. The look of frustration suddenly changed to one of pure terror as shivers raced up her spine. Before anyone could ask if she was okay, she tore off, screaming towards the back of the house.
"Lina, stop being stupid." Surprisingly, she froze in her tracks and turned around slowly, fear and panic masking her features. "That's a good girl. Now aren't you going to greet your big sister properly, or do I have to teach you how?"
Everyone's gaze went to the woman who had just stepped in the door. A tall woman in a simple skirt and blouse under her traveling coat, with short dark hair and a better figure than her sister, stood with her hands on her hips and a stern expression on her face.
"H… hello, s… s… sis," Lina stuttered, approaching her sister tentatively.
Martina was grinning widely, filing this important bit of information away for future reference. Zangulus was watching this new woman with some respect, for putting the little redheaded demon in her place. Gourry stood and stuck out his hand to her.
"Hi there. You must be Luna Inverse. Lina doesn't talk about you much, so you have to understand if we didn't recognize you. Hey, you're a lot taller than her. Bigger chest, too…"
Lina's fist connected squarely with his jaw and sent him staggering backwards and out of the way.
"S… so, sis. What brings you here? Did Zel and Amelia ever show up…?"
Luna waltzed past her, pulling off her traveling coat, and dropping her carpetbag into Lina's hands. Gourry, thinking quickly, pulled out a seat for her, and then wisely took a big step back to sit next to Zangulus. Luna sat in the offered chair, crossing her legs and sitting primly. Lina took the seat across the table from her.
"I'm here, because you have put me in a very difficult position, Lina. I received this two days ago." She pushed a tiny slip of paper towards her sister.
Lina picked it up and read, "Both ok. Stop. Roads watched. Stop. Going to Naga's. End stop."
So that's why she hadn't heard from Amelia and Zelgadiss before that. And now they were on their way to San Francisco? Why all the way out there? They could more easily have gone to safety in Fort Bridger until this whole thing died down…
"That was sent from Evanston." She looked through her long bangs to capture Lina's ruby eyes with her own. "Do you know how many Dylan's live in and around Sweetwater? Some of them are my friends. Do you know what I had to put up with when they all discovered your 'secret' plot to send those two to my place? They don't dare cross me, but I have been watched for the last two weeks, and now they know where these two are!"
Zangulus snickered, and without batting an eye, Luna pulled out a pistol from the folds of her skirt, and shot at him, hitting the floor between his legs. The color drained from his face, and the others decided that Luna really was scarier than Lina. She placed the gun in a more convenient place on the table and resumed her tirade.
"I came all this way, just to tell you to get your butts over to this 'Naga's' place as soon as you can. If any of the talk I heard in town is true, there's going to be a huge trap waiting for them in San Francisco."
"Dammit!" Lina raged, quickly trying to form a plan in her mind. "Gourry, go get the Marshall. Zangulus, if you want to have that duel with Gourry, then you'd better help us out. I'll go to the train station and book four tickets to Oakland on the first possible train."
"I should hope you're going to book more than that, Miss Lina," someone said from the front door. Three guns were drawn and trained on the doorway when the man stepped inside with his hands raised. He was dressed in fashionable clothes and a bowler hat. It was clear from the cut of his black jacket and the ruffle of his shirt that they were tailor made and very expensive. The twin pistols he wore strapped to his thighs, however, evidenced his reputation as a gunfighter. Those, unlike his clothes, showed much use, but a great deal of care.
Only Lina lowered her weapon and appeared to be happy to see him. "Xelloss! Well, it's about time! What took you so long?"
"You of all people should know that I don't go anywhere without being prepared. I needed to pack."
The other two guns returned to their holsters when a beautiful blonde head appeared in the doorway. She glared at Xelloss' back.
"And you should have also dragged your own trunk here instead of leaving me to do it, you stinking…" Filia, an insanely strong young woman, dropped the end of the trunk she was dragging with a loud thud.
Xelloss rushed to her side and tried to soothe her nerves and check his cache of weapons at the same time. She had not enjoyed the stagecoach ride towards the end of their journey, and had been sick enough times to make him nauseous as well.
"Come, my dear. Let's get you inside where you can get warm, have some dinner… or maybe just some tea," he amended, seeing her face turn green. "I've got some things to discuss with Miss Lina and the others."
"You make it sound as if I'm some kind of wilting flower, Xelloss. It was my idea to come here in the first place." She let him lead her to a table to sit down. Her traveling dress appeared expensive as well, made of emerald green velvet, with a moderate bustle trailing behind her. The way she sat and held herself revealed her upbringing, and Martina immediately ran to the kitchen to make her tea.
Gourry smiled at their arrival, and decided that it would be a good time to leave them to their own devices while he went to fetch the Marshall. Luna merely watched the newcomers quietly. Xelloss, having deposited Filia in a chair, sat next to her, facing Lina and the entrance.
"I wasn't about to let Miss Lina and Miss Amelia down, you know that, Filia dear. I'm here to offer my services as you suggested. And as to that…" He looked around, trying to hide his disappointment. "Where's the big shootout you promised me Miss Lina?"
"Miss Lina!"
"Hey, I just said that we might need his help in a fire-fight, Filia. I thought that they would attack us here, but it looks like they've followed Zelgadiss and Amelia instead."
"So I came for nothing?" Xelloss appeared depressed until Filia smacked him on his head.
"You came to support your friends!"
Lina watched the two with a twinge of jealousy. Although their bantering hadn't seemed to change, it was clear that their relationship had. The rich southern beauty and plantation heiress, Filia ul Copt, had somehow managed to tame Xelloss Metallium, perhaps the most feared gunslinger of the time.
"Hey, where's the kid?" Lina wondered, noticing that a certain green-haired infant was not present.
Filia appeared ready to burst into tears. "He… he's still at home. Jillas and Gravos are watching him."
Martina reappeared and placed a tea service in front of the blonde woman, momentarily distracting her. Filia began to gush over how beautiful the teacups and the teapot were, and poured herself a cup with precision and care, seemingly losing herself to her favorite pastime.
Lina whispered to Xelloss. "Those two idiots? She left her son in the care of those…"
"Miss Lina," Xelloss intervened, placing a hand on her shoulder, "please don't get Filia overexcited. She's had a difficult enough time letting him go in the first place."
"Then why did she come?"
"She didn't want to let me out of her sight."
"It was more like I wanted to keep you out of trouble, Xelloss," Filia shot back, dabbing at her eyes between sips of tea. She had heard the whole thing. "If I can help out, then I will. If I recall, the last time we were all together, some of you got too injured and needed me to patch you up."
Lina nodded her assent as Xelloss glanced around the room to take in the other occupants. His gaze finally rested on Luna, and he froze. Lina narrowed her eyes as the two regarded each other. She was about to demand what was going on when Xelloss spoke.
"Miss Luna. How nice to see you once again."
Lina gaped. "Once again?"
Luna smiled. "Yes, nice to see you again as well, Xelloss. I trust that you're keeping yourself out of trouble?"
He was actually sweating. "Oh, Miss Filia here makes quite sure of that."
"What did you mean, once again?" Lina reiterated, growing angry at being ignored.
"Xelloss happened through our town several years ago, and he tried unsuccessfully to rob the restaurant. I say 'unsuccessfully' because he met with a certain waitress who did not take kindly to seeing her hard-earned money in the hands of a good-for-nothing villain. And you know what I think about villains, right Lina?"
For the first time in her sister's presence, Lina grinned wolfishly as she looked at Xelloss. "Villains have no rights," the sisters intoned the Inverse mantra. Xelloss appeared appropriately cowed.
"Well, I trust you won't need me on this trip of yours, Lina?" Luna wondered, standing up and effectively ending the conversation.
"No, sis. Thanks for letting me know what's going on."
"Good. Then I'll just take one of the rooms and leave on the morning coach. I take it you will all be leaving with the next train?"
"Yes, Luna."
She walked up to Lina, and leaned over to whisper in her ear so only she could hear. "If anything happens to you, I'll chase you into the afterlife and make death worse than hell. You'd better be careful and come home in one piece."
Lina shuddered and then, with a toss of her wild hair, grinned, mirroring Luna's smirk. The elder sibling picked up her bag, took a key from behind the counter, and went upstairs without another word to anyone else.
"Wow. That woman can give snow frostbite," Zangulus muttered when the door closed upstairs.
Lina regarded him for a moment before going to the gun cabinet and returning with his weapons. After tossing them to him, she placed her hands on the open books on the table and leaned over, catching his eye. "You see what I grew up with. Don't think I won't carry through with my threats. Either you're with us or against us. Which one is it?"
Gourry returned with Phil then, and caught the end of their exchange. With expectant gazes all around him, Zangulus shrugged his shoulders.
"It looks like I'm with you, then."
"Good," she said, and her eyes drifted back down at the accursed books. It was a good thing they were leaving. With all the reading she had been doing, she was ready to claw her… eyes… out…
"Greywords?" she wondered in disbelief.
"What's that, Miss Lina?" Phil asked, stepping over to regard what she was studying.
"This… this is the Deed for the Greywords Homestead. Apparently, it was transferred after the death of the family to the nearest living relative, someone named 'Rezo Shabranigdo.' This was just seven years ago. When Zel…" she trailed off, lost in thought.
"Rezo?" Martina wondered, and Lina fought off the urge to hit her with something. "Why does that name sound familiar? Oh, I know! Someone named 'Rezo' stayed here a couple of weeks ago when you all were gone. Here, his name's in the register."
She brought the other book to the room and pointed at it triumphantly, happy to have finally contributed something to the conversation. Sure enough, three lines above Zangulus' was a clear, neat signature, exactly the same as the one on the recorded deed. Lina noted the dates of his stay, and the wheels in her quick mind began to turn.
"He was here in town for a couple of days before the whole incident at the Coopers' homestead, and left the day they were killed. He was also the one who received the Greywords homestead, even though Zelgadiss was alive. I can't be sure, but it's possible that this Rezo person had something to do with the Coopers' murders."
"But Miss Lina, Connor and those Tatums killed them…"
She began to pace the room, her fingers to her chin in thought.
"But you said it yourself, Phil. Why would Connor have them sign over the Deed to him? What if Rezo convinced Connor to have them sign it over to him, but Connor wanted to get in on his share? What if he was going to hold the deed over Rezo's head, by not signing it directly over to him unless he was well compensated? Amelia happened in on the whole thing, and foiled Rezo's plans by killing Connor before the deed could be signed over? That would explain why the Tatums are so intent on getting Amelia, if Rezo had hired them. She was the one who destroyed his chances of getting the property."
Phil slowly began to make all the connections in his own mind. "Hmm… there could be something to this. Now, a problem with that is where is this Rezo fellow?"
Again, Martina piped in with information. "If he's that blind man who stayed here, then I overheard him tell Amelia that he and his partner were on their way to San Francisco."
"San Francisco. That's where Zel and Amelia are headed," Lina thought aloud. Still pacing, she was talking to herself more than everyone else. "Zel knows who he is, and I'm sure he found out where he's headed. That's why he's going there, to go after him!"
She turned to Phil and clapped him on the shoulder. "Alert the local authorities in San Francisco to have Rezo picked up. If we're lucky, Zel and Amelia will take the next train out of Evanston, and we'll be on it. Then we can all talk to Rezo and find out exactly what his connection to the Coopers' was."
Lina turned to regard the impromptu posse that had been assembled and smiled, glad to finally be active and useful. "Then let's get it together and move 'em out!"
**************************
The last few days made her feel somewhat normal again. Although Amelia loved riding and adventuring with her friends, she still enjoyed modern conveniences such as hot baths and warm beds, filling meals and good coffee. For all her protesting and her enjoyment of the outdoors, she was a town girl at heart.
She stood before a storefront, gazing longingly at a gorgeous dress of midnight blue brocade, trimmed in silk and velvet, with a jacket to match. The bustle alone probably had more yards of fabric than the whole outfit she was wearing, and the whole thing must have cost more than her Inn made in an entire month. Just the sight of it caused many other young women to sigh over the thought of fancy dinners or dances in the city of its origin: New York.
"If you wore that, people would mistake you for a princess, you know," a deep voice whispered in her ear, and she had to suppress a giggle.
"No one would think that, Zelgadiss."
"I would."
She glanced sideways at him and smiled. He straightened and stood beside her to look at the expensive piece of clothing, his hands clasped behind his back. He was still in his usual clothes, but they were clean, and he appeared as refreshed as she felt. He finally turned away from the store, offering to her his arm.
"Shall we go, Milady?"
"Now you're being silly," she laughed, taking his arm. They strolled down the walkway, talking in soft tones about their plans once this whole thing was over. They appeared as the quietly courting couple that they were.
"Amelia, I've been meaning to ask," he began, a little flustered. Her heart skipped a beat. He couldn't be… asking her…?
"What is it, Zelgadiss?" She tried to sound nonchalant, but only succeeded in sounding eager, as always.
He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Well, that is…"
"Yes?" Maybe he was ready to give up on Rezo. Maybe he was ready to start a new life.
"Umm… When you said goodbye to Laughing Brook, she said something to you about being her sister in truth. What did she mean by that?"
Amelia blinked. "What?"
"Why would she say a thing like that?"
Apparently, she was wrong about him wanting to ask her to marry him. Feeling a bit affronted, she decided on the direct approach. "Laughing Brook knew from the moment you turned your back when I was changing that we had not been intimate. She asked me about it the next day, so I told her the truth. She said that if I was brave enough to fall in love with you without asking for anything in return, then I was the person she hoped you would pick to be your wife."
His hand came to rest on hers, and he stopped, turning to face her. They were standing in a shaded alleyway, on their way back to the Inn. No one paid them any heed in this secluded corner. Zel's eyes were shining with emotion, and Amelia's breath caught in her throat.
"You ask for nothing, but I want to give you everything, Amelia. I want to be the one to make you happy, to give you a life that's worthy of you. You are a princess to me, a lovely, courageous woman. The one thing I want you to have above everything, though, is happiness. I want to give you happiness."
He placed a brief, light kiss on her lips, and smiled when she opened her eyes. She was happy. That's what mattered.
Amelia, ever the optimist, was delighted that Zelgadiss did not wallow in his thoughts of revenge, and she continued to strive to keep his mind on the more positive aspects of his life. However, his mind was never far from Rezo. He hid it well from Amelia, but he couldn't ignore the fact that what he was planning would most certainly leave her upset and angry, but it was for the greater good. She wouldn't be happy with him if he couldn't put aside his revenge, and until Rezo was dead, that was something he could never do.
Zelgadiss knew his course. The train would be arriving the next day, and Amelia would be on it.
************************
The train west left on time from Rock Creek, bearing with it two bounty hunters, two hired guns, one healer, and one extra baggage. Much to Lina's displeasure, Martina insisted on tagging along, and nothing anyone could say would dissuade her. Since Amelia had disappeared, the townspeople had avoided going to the Inn for meals, whether it was because their favorite innkeeper was gone or if it was because her bounty hunter friend had daily fights with the crazy cook, no one had ever said. So it was with minimal regret that Lina agreed to close the Inn, and with much regret that she didn't shoot Martina to stop her from coming.
Although he had initially insisted on going, Marshall Phil knew that his daughter's friends had a better chance of finding her than he did. He also knew that they would more than likely have to break the law in order to return Amelia home safely, and if he were present, his career as a federal agent would be over. Bowing to Lina's logic, he vowed to continue his research in Rock Creek and await the troops from Fort Laramie. If he could somehow connect this crime, as well as other similar ones, to Rezo, he would have enough evidence to bring this man to justice.
Lina and Gourry sat back as the train rocked along, trying to enjoy the fact that they were traveling in style. Their horses were stowed away safely in one of the rear cars, and in a few days, they would make it to Oakland to hop aboard a ferry to San Francisco. It was their amazing luck that the train happened to be stopping in Rock Creek the day after Luna arrived with Amelia's message. Still troubled over whether they would find their friends, Lina soon lost her worries to the gentle rhythmic sound of the train, lulling her into a light slumber. Gourry fell asleep the second the train had left the station. He decided that when they caught up to Amelia and Zelgadiss, everything would work itself everything out.
Xelloss and Filia sat across from the snoozing pair, Filia smiling to herself at the sight of Lina resting her head on Gourry's shoulder, and Xelloss cleaning his guns as always. As he reassembled his pistols with a loud click, she shot him an irritated look, but it disappeared upon seeing his face.
"What's wrong, Xelloss?" she asked softly.
His purple eyes opened to regard her, and he briefly thought of telling her, but decided against it. No need to make her angry with him right away. With all the deceptions he had put her through, he couldn't know if she would forgive him once again. Burying his conflicting thoughts beneath a smile, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
"You know me, Filia. Lina promised me a fight, and I'm itching for one."
She frowned. "I thought you gave up that life, Xelloss."
"As long as our friends need the guns, Filia, do you think I can say 'no' to them?"
She studied him, trying to see through any double-meanings or unclear phrases. Finally, she smiled and leaned back in her seat. "As long as it's our friends…" she whispered, closing her eyes.
Xelloss turned to stare out of the window, his face devoid of emotion. This conscience thing was highly overrated.
Zangulus nodded his head in time with the intonation of Martina's voice as she babbled on about her patron saint and the church she was trying so desperately to save money to rebuild. He didn't understand how it was that he ended up in this place with these people, but he understood what he had to do. His eyes roved the car, strangely vacant of most of the passengers, and landed on Gourry's blond head. One day…
***************************
When the train eased into Evanston, Xelloss offered to check both in town and then on the rest of the train for Amelia and Zelgadiss, in case they happened to decide to take the train. Gourry had to hold Lina back from joining him in checking the whole town in the thirty minutes the train would be at the station. Even when it had left town and was well on its way west, Lina was still raising such a ruckus, that many of the passengers were seeking refuge in the cars to the rear of the train.
The couple of braver souls who figured on waiting out the redhead's tantrum, soon discovered that she could curse the socks off a sailor, and were equally amazed at her tall blond companion's tolerance of such a woman. Soon, the car was all but empty, save the six who had boarded in Rock Creek and a rough-looking man who did nothing but chuckle at Lina's wild threats.
"Well, Xelloss? I'm assuming that since you're standing here without them that they weren't in town or on the train?"
"What a brilliant observation, Miss Lina," he retorted with a half-smile. Turning to Filia and Martina, he offered, "Ladies, perhaps you would be more comfortable in one of the other cars? Let's leave these two to their discussion."
The two women, although trying not to appear disgusted with Lina's more colorful expressions, were already nodding and gathering their belongings. Undeterred from her original anger, Lina paid them no heed.
"See Gourry? If we had two people, instead of one, looking, we might have had time to question the locals as well. For all we know, they could have still been in town, and now we could have passed them! You should have let me get off the train, just like Xelloss suggested!"
She punched him again, but this time, he caught her tiny fist easily with his large hand. An expression, which hardly ever graced his features, was present now. Gourry was serious and maybe even a little angry, but it did not appear to be with Lina. He gently picked her up and set her aside as if she didn't weigh a thing. Stepping into the aisle, he glared at the retreating figure's back. His fingers touched his pistols lightly.
"And I stopped you, Lina. Just like Xelloss suggested."
The two women stopped at the rear of the car and turned around to look at Xelloss, who merely sighed and rubbed the back of his head in shame.
"Oh, dear. I guess my plan was discovered sooner than I thought," he said, turning around to face the imminent wrath of Lina Inverse.
"Your WHAT?" Lina and Filia yelled at the same time.
Filia, being the closer of the two, had the honors of hitting Xelloss in the back of the head with her bag, and for once, he really did appear apologetic.
"Are you playing your stupid games again Xelloss? I thought you were through with all that! I… I thought you had changed! So help me, if you bring about any harm to anyone…"
He grabbed her wrists, quickly preventing her battering him more, and walked her back to the rear of the car. "I know you don't trust me right now, my dear…"
"Don't call me that!"
"… but please understand. I didn't want you to get hurt," he whispered.
"Xelloss!" Lina threatened, having joined Gourry in his anger and his eagerness to shoot. "You had better have a good explanation for all of this, because if Filia doesn't kill you, I will!"
With another sigh, and a quick glance out the windows, he decided that he had no other choice. He had to act now, or it would be too late. So much for his brilliant, well laid out plan.
Grabbing Martina as well, he flung the two women towards the front of the car, and straight into Lina and Gourry. Before they could recover and untangle themselves from the two sets of skirts, Xelloss pulled out his gun and fired two shots before diving for the exit. He slammed open the door and reached down between the cars, pulling with all his might on the connecting pin. Cursing, he threw his back into it and was finally able to yank the pin loose.
The whole train shuddered and then sped up as the rear cars uncoupled from the train and began to slowly drift back. It wasn't pretty, and not exactly as he had planned, but it would still work. A gun clicked next to his ear, and he froze, the triumph of his accomplishment fading in his friends' fury. He raised his hands in surrender.
"I know you won't shoot me until I tell you why I did this, but first, I think we need to get up to the locomotive and make sure the engineer doesn't stop the train."
"Get up," Lina growled, ignoring his words. He stood, his hair blown out of his normal precise style, and faced a car full of incredulous looks. Lina was vengeance personified, her eyes wild and finger twitchy as she pointed her gun dead at his heart.
"Give me a reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now, Xelloss."
The train lurched as it slowed down, and Xelloss reacted the only way he knew how. He drew his gun on Lina as well, cocked and ready to shoot.
"We get the train back moving first, Miss Lina," he said, a twinge of desperation in his voice. "Then I explain."
Filia, who had been watching the exchange with one eye and watching the man Xelloss had shot with the other, stepped between the two. She couldn't see her friends fighting like this. There had to be a reason. A good reason. Xelloss wouldn't waste two bullets shooting both of a man's hands without killing him. The only sound in the car was incoherent moaning from Xelloss' victim.
"Let's get the train moving first, Miss Lina," Filia tried, and Xelloss smiled, but before he could feel good about it, she turned on him, appearing extremely unhappy and disappointed. She placed a hand on his gun, and he immediately un-cocked and lowered it. "And then he can tell us why he's keeping secrets again."
At Lina's nod, Gourry scrambled to the front of the car and out the door, to try to coerce the engineer to continue on. After a couple of minutes, the train rocked forward, and they were on the way again. Lina glared at the gunfighter.
"You've got one minute to explain. I stop the train after a minute."
Xelloss frowned. Well, this was what he had expected, after all.
"Miss Luna felt that the train would be watched and possibly targeted. She came up to me before we left and made me promise that if I saw any indication that we might be watched or followed to ensure that no innocent people would get hurt. She knew that you wouldn't care about innocent bystanders, and normally, I wouldn't either, but a promise to Miss Luna…" He shrugged, his hands upturned in a helpless gesture.
Indicating the man he had shot, Xelloss continued, "This man, here, had been listening to you talk about Miss Amelia and Zelgadiss the entire time we were on the train. When we arrived in Evanston, I followed him and discovered that he spoke with several unsavory looking men before returning to the train. They reported to him that they had taken care of the two they were looking for, and he informed them that he would let them know whom they needed to kill on the train. He was also the only person who remained in this car after your colorful tirade, Miss Lina. I was successful in removing almost all of the innocent passengers from the train, when you discovered my plot, and now we need to be ready to deal with these fine gents who are riding up fast behind us."
Lina glanced out of the closest window, and sure enough, at least a dozen riders were coming up in the distance. Her mind quickly worked on a way that they could survive three to one odds and still take out as many of them as she could…
"Okay, Xelloss, you're off the hook. Remind me to hurt you later, once we get rid of this bunch."
"Thank you, Miss Lina."
Gourry reappeared in the doorway of the train car. His long blond hair was a tangled mess from having walked along the wood car to the engine. "Lina, we've got trouble coming fast, both ahead and behind us. It looks like they've blocked the tracks a little more than a mile up ahead."
He tossed her the hand telescope so she could see for herself. When she turned away from the window, it was obvious she was contemplating something, figuring the best way she could get as many of them on the train. Her eyes traveled to Martina, who was regarding everyone with a blank look, and Filia, who was covering her face with her hand as if she had a headache.
"Oh, why does this remind me of last year?" Filia moaned from her spot next to Xelloss. As if sensing her intentions, Filia's head still shot up when Lina grinned. "No. Miss Lina, you can't do that!"
"Like hell, I can't!"
She advanced on the both Filia and Martina with the Inverse gleam in her eyes that only promised humiliation and destruction.
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A/N: One small note: other than italics and bolds, this story is the same as posted on Pogo's site with two exceptions. I removed an extra word that was redundant, and I fixed a continuity word that wasn't a big thing, but my over-picky brain wouldn't let me rest. (In signing a register, the person who signs before you would be on the line above you. -_-) As I said, it was nothing major, but I'm a sad, sad perfectionist.
Again, I'd like to give a very special set of thanks to three very wonderful people: Pogo for having the contest in the first place, Kaeru Shisho for doing a fantastic job of beta-ing and still reviewing (and helping me keep things in perspective *hugs*), and my husband for helping me bring together the classic Western and the Slayers world. Also, to those who've reviewed: katy, Lina Gabriev, and Otaku M-chan, thank you so much. Reviews make my day!
So click the button and review!