Chapter Three.

The sun showed through the curtains of the window, directly onto the chimera's blue face. It was just dawn, and a few birds began to awake. The sounds of dishes downstairs were heard as they prepared for their morning guests.

Zelgadis groaned and lifted an arm to block the sun from his eyes. "Thought I closed that..." Zelgadis rubbed his eyes, getting up from the corner he had been using as his 'bed'.

The light continued to pour in, and the talking downstairs got louder.

Zelgadis' ears twitched automatically from the noise. Why did they have to be so loud? Shaking his head he looked over to the bed where Amelia was.

Just outside, there was a sudden crash, sounds of dishes breaking against the hard floor.

"Ugh, damn!" Hissed a woman's voice, and irritated muttering began.

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow, his attention taken by the crash. He opened the door, looking out into the hallway. The doctor seemed to have taken a change of work, for she now was dressed in a maid's outfit. She was still muttering about how stupid this job was.

Zelgadis crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. "Funny how you always seem to drop something in front of my door."

Hiroshi squeaked and glanced upward, fixing her square glasses. Her hair was done up in a bun, as well. "I do it to help." She huffed and lifted the tray. "Sir? May I... speak with you inside?" She nodded to the bedroom.

Zelgadis shrugged, looking bored and still sleepy. "Sure." Moved out of the way, letting her in.

Hiroshi quickly scampered in and set the tray to the side. Immediately, she pushed him aside and shut the door. Upon doing so, she moved over, took his shirt in her hands, and leaned in rather close, so that their noses were BARELY touching. Anyone else looking in would think she was trying to kiss Zelgadis, however, in all reality, she just wanted to try to memorize every detail to see what the hell he was made out of.

Amelia was lying on the bed with the cat sleeping on the pillow next to her head. She had been sleeping peacefully, until she heard the crash that is. She started to wake up at that point, but she had remained lying down until she heard that woman from before enter the room. Now she was sitting up in bed, staring at Zel and Hiroshi. She was gripping her sheet rather tightly, but she had not said anything.

Zelgadis' eyes had widened the area over his nose going a deep lavender-like color. For the moment be was shocked, not thinking fast enough to make himself move away.

Hiroshi stared at him more, and lifted her hand up, her index finger touching the rock just below his eye. "Hmm."

Amelia continued to stare at them without saying a word. Her expression had shifted to an unhappy scowl. What was that woman doing to the blue man and why was she getting so angry about it?

Zelgadis finally regained his senses, jerking back from her. "W-what are you doing!?"

Hiroshi shrugged, and fixed her glasses. "I would like to speak to you in my office later today."

Amelia loosened her grip on the sheets and moved her arms up, though she wasn't sure why. That woman was too close to the blue man, and now she wanted to see him later? Amelia felt as if heat was beginning to build up in her hands. It was sort of familiar.

Zelgadis twitched slightly, his face still lavender. "Well I wouldn't!"

She grinned, and pulled her glasses down. "Sir, I do believe I could find you a cure."

Zelgadis' eyes widened, staring at her now. "...What?"

Amelia wasn't even listening to what they were saying anymore. She was concentrating on the power building up in her hands. She could feel fire crackle between her fingers... Just a little longer.

She grinned more. "I can get you a cure, if you come by my office at four tonight."

Zelgadis frowned, watching her a bit. "...Alright."

Amelia shifted her arms into the position that felt correct. "Flare..." She whispered.

She cackled. "All right! See you then!" She immediately ran out. Luckily, too.

Zelgadis' fists clenched and he glared out after her, not noticing Amelia.

"...Arrow!" The spell zoomed forward, with only a little less power than it normally would have. The only problem was that its original target wasn't there. So instead it hit Zel.

Zelgadis looked behind him to Amelia, his eyes growing large and his ears drooping quickly before he was hit. After the smoke cleared he was covered in ash, simply staring at her blankly. "...What'd I do?"

Amelia blinked in confusion. That was supposed to hit the woman, not the blue man. So why did it hit the blue man? The woman must have left! ...Sneaky, "...Not for you." She tried to explain.

Zelgadis shook his head quickly, brushing himself off. "...Alright. At least you're improving...You can cast spells now."

Amelia looked almost ashamed. Why did that lady have to be so sneaky? Suddenly she remembered something she had heard her say earlier, something about meeting the blue man later, but she hadn't been listening. "Amelia wants to come too!"

The cat began to wake, and meowed, attempting to latch it's claws onto Amelia's shirt, as if saying it wants to come as well.

Zelgadis shook his head slowly. "No, you can stay here...After I come back I'll take you out to town for a while. How about that?"

Amelia pouted and began idly petting the cat. Going out to town sounded fun, even though she didn't know what it was. But she if the blue man was alone with that woman the woman would try to get too close to him again! She tried to voice her concerns; "...Amelia doesn't like that woman."

Zelgadis sighed heavily, moving a hand through his hair slowly. "I don't like her either. But 'the woman' might have something I need."

The cat meowed loudly, nuzzling his head into Amelia's petting, and reached out to Zelgadis with a paw.

Amelia felt better after hearing him say that. If the Blue man didn't like the woman, he wouldn't let her get too close. She started to pay more attention to petting the cat. "'Kay, Blue man!"

Zelgadis sweatdropped heavily. "Please don't call me that...My name's Zelgadis. Remember?"

The cat meowed even louder, still holding it's paw out towards him.

Amelia nodded as her eyebrows came together in concentration as she tried to say his name, "Zel-god-ess?" Saying that felt familiar, but it also felt like she was leaving something out.

Zelgadis shook his head, walking over and petting the cat. However, has he did, his hand accidentally slid over Amelia's, he blinked, the bridge of his nose going light lavender.

The cat moved over so that they would really be holding each other's hands, and it sat, rather smug.

Amelia looked at his hand and wondered why her face suddenly felt warm. Suddenly she remembered why it felt a little odd when she said his name, "...Zelgadis-san?"

Zelgadis' face turned deeper lavender, quickly removing his hand. He nodded to what she said. "R-right."

Amelia nodded, her face still felt warm but it was cooling down. "Zelgadis-san is better than Zel-god-ess...."

Zelgadis sweatdropped. "If you say so..."

The cat jumped onto her lap, and mewed quietly.

The hours passed quickly as Zelgadis went and found the office, he brought Amelia back some ice cream, and the cat some toys, before heading off towards the office. Unaware, he was being followed by the feline and the girl. Zelgadis entered the office, and immediately was engulfed in a heavy smell of medicines, almost as bad as a hospital smells like. There was only candles lighting up the first floor, stairs leading to a second, and a room was behind an old book covered desk. Currently, no one was in visible distance; a chair placed in front of the desk seemed to have Zelgadis' name on it.

Zelgadis' nose wrinkled, his eye twitching mildly. Tensing, he sat himself down in the chair gently. He didn't like the smell of the room, he didn't like the person who was supposed to be in the room, if they weren't...But he wanted his cure. She better be able to get it.

The cat, perched on Amelia's shoulder, leaped off and onto the windowsill from the outside, and pressed his nose against the glass. His ears flattened and his tail straightened, fur starting to fuzz up. He clearly wasn't a happy kitty.

Amelia placed her hands on the windowsill as she looked into the room. She was staying down very low so that only her face above the nose was visible through the window from inside the room. That sneaky woman wasn't there right now, maybe she wouldn't come.

The door behind the desk opened and in Hiroshi came, wearing the typical doctor's clothes. She grinned at Zelgadis, and, surprisingly, not noticing the two spies. She sat down in front of Zel and grabbed a folder. "Hmm. You are a chimera, correct?" She asked, gazing at him slyly from behind her glasses.

Zelgadis leaned back in the chair slightly, an eyebrow cocking. "Yes, I'm a chimera."

She smiled politely. "Out of what creatures?" The cat hissed quietly, placing his paw against the window and snarled. He clearly did not like that woman.

Amelia frowned. It didn't look like the lady was trying to get too close to him... yet.

Zelgadis stiffened clearly, his eyes narrowing. He never liked to touch this subject. But it was very possible that she needed that information to make a cure for him, if she could. "Human, Brau demon, and Golem."

Hiroshi nodded and stood up, going around and knelt beside Zel, taking a small knife and tapped it against his cheek. She did this with the other cheek, forehead and chin. "Hmm."

Zelgadis' fists clenched every time she tapped him with the knife. "Refrain from touching me."

Amelia began petting the cat absent mindedly as she continued to glare into the window. At least the blue-- Zelgadis-san didn't look like he wanted her to touch him.

Hiroshi rolled her eyes. "Do you want me to get you a cure or not?" The cat purred into Amelia's hand, though he left an eye open to watch.

Zelgadis glared at her, crossing his arms.

Amelia whispered to the cat as she continued to look through the window, "What's Sneaky Lady up to?"

The cat shrugged his shoulders and his ears perked forward, curiously. Hiroshi stood up and tapped her chin. "You must come to the second floor with me. I need to check your entire body."

Zelgadis turned light lavender. "My entire body?!"

Amelia couldn't make out everything that was being said. Something about body, she huffed as she sank a little lower and glared at Hiroshi from behind the window.

The cat scratched at the window quietly, though jerked his head to the side and seemed to scan the area. Hiroshi nodded. "Yes, and don't blush. I'm not going to drag you onto a bed and seduce you. I don't like that; I love my work more than things like that. Now, follow me." She walked to the stairs, and waited for him.

Zelgadis continued to blush. "I'm not letting you look at my whole body!" But, nonetheless, he got up and trudged after her, not looking too happy.

Amelia blinked in confusion as she raised herself higher to get a better look. They were leaving... Together?!

Frantic, the cat jumped from the windowsill and hurried over to the side of the building, meowing loudly for Amelia to follow as the two went up the stairs.

Amelia followed after the cat. It seemed to know more about what was going on than she did.

The cat hurried up a ladder, which led to a small, plant-covered balcony in front of windows. He immediately popped into one, to peer through the window as the two entered the room. Amelia crouched into a spot next to the cat to watch through the window again. Hiroshi had the curtains closed; yet there were a few parts where the feline and Amelia could peek through. She turned, and raised an eyebrow at Zelgadis, pulling her glasses down somewhat.

"Sir?"

Zelgadis had followed her, looking quite unhappy with his arms crossed. "Yes?"

She gestured to the side of the room. "Please set your clothes there."

Zelgadis turned light lavender, stiffening. "I'm not taking all my clothes off. The most I'm going to take off is my cape and shirt. That's it!"

She glared at him. "I need to do a full body examination, especially if you want your cure, sir!"

Amelia was having an even harder time hearing what was going on than before. Darn that sneaky lady!

"And why do you need to do that? I assure you I'm the same way on the rest of my body."

Hiroshi's eyes narrowed. "Sir, if you think I WANT to see a man naked, I do not. I must do tests on your body, simple doctor work."

Zelgadis uncrossed his arms, his eye twitching. "I'm sure any 'tests' you need to do, I can give you the conclusion before-hand, or you can do it on my upper body."

Hiroshi continued to glare. "Then you'll have to either roll your pants up as far as they will go, or I can cut your pant legs off."

Zelgadis growled, but complied. He would do almost anything for his cure, but he still had his dignity. Rolling up his pants wasn't going to lessen his dignity that much...unless she made a comment about him. She better not... He took off his cape and shirt, placing them where she told him too, then rolled up his pants legs, glaring at her now and again.

Amelia pressed her face into the glass. Why was Zelgadis-san taking off his clothes?!

Hiroshi didn't bother watching, though, she glanced over to the window, she thought she saw something. At that moment, the cat leaped onto Amelia, pushing her onto her side, where he remained on her face. Hiroshi looked back to Zel. "That's good." She walked over to him, and pressed her hands against his shoulders. "Is there any way to get a DNA sample?" The cat popped his head back up and looked in, once again.

Amelia wondered why she had been abruptly pushed to the side... She looked at the cat and blinked curiously, as if asking for an explanation.

Zelgadis twitched slightly at the touch but remained still. "What do you need for a DNA sample? A piece of my hair, skin?"

Hiroshi tapped her chin. "Well, in all honesty, I have never saw anything like you before. Perhaps if I get a piece of DNA, I can try to figure out a cure to fix it. It will take about a year or two... Maybe more." She frowned.

Zelgadis' face nearly turned white, his eye twitching again. "A year or MORE?!"

Amelia sat up and looking through the window. Now Zelgadis-san was yelling at the woman, maybe that was a good thing.

Hiroshi nodded. "Yes, sir. There are a lot of things to do, to try to figure out, to fix, all of that. Is that better than wandering aimlessly for the rest of your life?"

"I don't wander aimlessly. Is the DNA sample the only thing you needed, or can use? You better have more tests to try."

Hiroshi waved her hand at him. "Yes, sir. Why else would I have made you strip?" She glared at him. "Now, hold still..." She quickly walked up, and, with a pair of pliers, snipped some of his 'wires'.

Zelgadis glared at the pliers idly. Prepared, wasn't she?

Amelia felt like pouting. She had no idea what was going on, but she didn't like what she saw.

Hiroshi went to a desk, and, grinning rather deviously, returned to him carrying certain tools. The tests quickly proceeded, rather... horrifying tests. The cat's ears pinned against his skull as it watched, tail waving slightly.

Amelia covered her eyes with one hand, though her fingers were spread slightly so she could see through them. She REALLY didn't like that lady.

Zelgadis' ears were ringing, his pants were charred as were parts of his body, which is -still- hot enough to hurt a human on touch. He had one hand over the eye under his hair, speaking of which was missing just a few strands here and there from the cutting, and other things. She was VERY prepared. "...My life is cursed beyond all recognition."

Hiroshi dusted her gloves off, fixing her glasses. "Hmm, that's good. Now, take this cup and go into the bathroom over there."

Zelgadis blinked, with his one un-temporarily-blind eye, at the cup. "Why?"

She giggled. "Urine sample."

Zelgadis turned red quite quickly. "Oi! I have to draw the line SOMEWHERE! You could have killed me if you had anymore fire power than that!"

She rolled her eyes. "Just do it."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Reason number one: I don't need to go. Reason number two: I just don't want to."

She tapped her chin. "Can you be tickled?"

Zelgadis' ears drooped. "Can I be tickled? No one's ever -tried- to before."

She snatched a long blue feather from a vase. "Prepare yourself!"

Zelgadis tched, "Oh, ha ha, no one's ever tried but I doubt I can be."

She lifted up his arm, and ran the feather lightly against his side.

Amelia shoved her face against the window again, what was she DOING?

Zelgadis sighed heavily, looking away. He didn't feel a thing of course.

Huffing, she stuffed the feather up his nose.

Zelgadis emitted a muffing sound, quickly jerking away. He twitched a few times before he held together the sides of his nose as he sneezed.

"At least you can sneeze."

Zelgadis sniffled a few times, glaring at her. "Oh yea, thanks a lot. I already knew that."

She raised an eyebrow, and dragged Zelgadis towards the bed, where she shoved him onto his stomach. She pulled a chair up behind him, and took a new, smaller feather, where she gently began tickling the back of his ears.

Zelgadis had yelped when he was shoved on the bed, grumbling loudly. He began to get up until the feather touched his ears. He blinked a few times, his ears twitching quickly in response to the feather.

Amelia shoved her face further into the window if such was possible. She desperately wished she knew what was going on.

She continued to tickle his ears, grinning widely, not that she liked him, she only thought of him as a test subject. The cat hissed a little, and clawed at the window, his fur standing on end.

Amelia nodded to the cat. She lifted her fist in front of her face, "We need to save Zelgadis-san!" Why did that feel so familiar?

Zelgadis seemed paralyzed for a few moments before he moved his head away from the feather. "S-stop that!"

Hiroshi gazed down at him. "Does it tickle?"

Zelgadis turned so he was sitting on the bed, now rubbing the back of his ears to get rid of the sensation. "Yes, it tickles. Happy now?"

The cat jumped onto Amelia's head, and hissed some more. Hiroshi smiled politely. "Do you have to go yet?"

Zelgadis crossed his arms, turning his head away. "Actually, I wanted to go on an outing today."

Amelia somehow managed to stare at the cat with one eye while her face was smashed into the window.

Hiroshi scurried into the bathroom, quickly returning with a bucket of water, she set it on the desk, and very carefully, tilted it over so a drop of water would fall out, hitting the ground. Over, and over.

Zelgadis blinked and stared at her as if she was crazy. "...What in the world are you doing?"

She smiled, and continued to. The constant 'tap, tap, tap' continuing.

The cat's ear twitched.

He stared at her more, trying to figure out what she was trying to accomplish, besides getting a nice puddle in her floor.

Amelia sat up and began looking through the window. That woman was definitely weird.

"Do you need to go yet?"

Zelgadis irked, turning lavender. THAT'S what she was trying to do. Tch, it wasn't going to work, not on him. He turned around so his back was facing her, basically ignoring her. However, after a while he began to twitch every time a drop hit the floor. Damn psychological warfare.

She grinned, and waited, continuing to let the water drip.

He growled, before suddenly coming up with an idea. He smirked evilly, looking over his shoulder at her. "...Don't you need to go?"

Hiroshi laughed. "All ready went before you came."

Zelgadis twitched, glaring at her. That's one plan shot down. Tch, who needs plans for this?! "I'm not going to give you that sample."

Hiroshi huffed. "Why not?"

Amelia began to scratch the cat behind the ears. Things were pretty quiet now.

"I have to draw the line somewhere! Try using what you got. You got some of my hair, that should work for a DNA sample."

She dropped the bucket. "But I NEED it! Things might go wrong and I might end up losing some samples!"

"Oh, you're that disorganized? Losing samples. Really."

Hiroshi snarled, "I'm TRYING to help you! No wonder why you're THAT!"

Zelgadis stiffened quickly, glaring at her harshly. He stood up and snatched the cup off a near by counter, trudging off to the restroom.

Amelia blinked, Zelgadis-san was going somewhere... Maybe he was leaving!

She stared after him, before smirking. "... Never thought he'd actually do it. Now, to take care of a couple of spies..." In a few quick steps, Hiroshi was at the window, which she opened, and immediately yanked the girl and cat inside. The cat began to fight and slash at her, and Hiroshi was forced to grab it by the scruff. The cat curled up and went still, glaring at Hiroshi. "Now, now."

Amelia pulled the cat onto her lap and began petting it to calm it down. "Sneaky lady..." She mumbled, barely audible.

Hiroshi giggled. "I figured you loved him, that IS why you came after, correct? Or is your mind still messed up?" She placed her hands on her waist. The cat hissed and accidentally clawed Amelia's thighs in the process.

Amelia winced when the cat clawed her, momentarily forgetting what Hiroshi said. She batted lightly at the cat then looked up at Hiroshi blankly, "...Love?"

Hiroshi waved her hand. "You'll figure out soon enough. Now, what's your name?"

Amelia paused, she wasn't sure if she should trust the Sneaky Lady... "Amelia."

"Your last name? Where you're born? Come from? Family? Siblings?"

Amelia's eyebrows came together as she thought about it. She was drawing a blank and getting herself a headache in the process by trying to think of all that. But she remembered.... A mustache and tall.

Abruptly, Hiroshi huffed. "What's TAKING him so long?! ... He better not be sitting."

Amelia wasn't paying attention to what Hiroshi was saying. She was still trying to figure out an answer to Hiroshi's earlier question...

Zelgadis was coming back, but was trying to stay out of sight, blushing furiously. He didn't want anyone over-reacting. How could he forget his cape and shirt?!

"What took you so long?"

"I took the scenic rou-...Amelia?!"

The cat yowled loudly, and leaped over to Zel, jumping up and immediately climbing up to his shoulder, where it perched itself.

Hiroshi grinned. "Seems like the cat there and the girl were spying."

Amelia hadn't noticed him until he spoke. When she looked up she didn't know how to respond. He said her name so she just decided to say his name in response. "Zelgadis-san."

Zelgadis sighed heavily, putting the cup on the counter. "Amelia...I told you I'd come back later."

Hiroshi made a disgusted face. "... You might want to wash your hands again."

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "But I did wash my hands. "

"Again."

"Why again?"

"Weird Sneaky Lady..."

Hiroshi smacked Amelia upside the head. "Because they're all germy now. Especially if you... leaked." She then began to laugh, loudly.

Amelia closed one of her eyes on the side of her head that was smacked and glared at Hiroshi with the other, "Sneaky Lady..." she mumbled.

Zelgadis turned lavender, glaring at her. "My hands are fine! And do NOT hit her again!"

Hiroshi rolled her eyes. "Then tell your immature sister not to call people 'sneaky'." The cat hissed.

"She's not my sister. And she doesn't know any better than to call you that right now."

Amelia crossed her arms and looked off to the side with her cheeks puffed up.

Hiroshi laughed. "My name is Hiroshi, don't call me 'Sneaky Lady'." She ordered to Amelia. "You might want to teach that cat of yours a lesson."

Zelgadis hissed softly, glaring at her. "I wouldn't order the princess of Seyruun around if I were you."

Amelia hadn't been listening to Hiroshi, of course, but she looked back when Zel spoke. Seyruun? That rang a bell.

Hiroshi raised an eyebrow. "A princess, eh? Does that make you her shining knight?"

Zelgadis seethed, glaring at her. "All I'm doing is taking her back to Seyruun. I'm no 'knight'."

Amelia stared down at her lap, ignoring them again. "Seyruun?" She repeated.

"You can't leave as of yet. Please send a letter to her family to send people out to get you two. By tomorrow I should be able to figure out a date on when I will come up with something."

He crossed his arms, glaring at her. "You said it would take a year or more to do everything."

She nodded. "But I can give you an estimated date, a better one than just a year or more. And, I believe that it's only you that can help Amelia, not her family. It might take a year or so to help her."

Amelia was oblivious to their conversation, "Seyruun..."

Zelgadis blinked a few times, ignoring Amelia. "Eh? Why would you think that?"

Hiroshi smiled, waving her hand. "You'll find out for yourself. Now, go back to the inn or wherever, remember, tomorrow come by my office."

He shook his head, picking up his shirt and cape. He shooed the cat off his shoulder, pulling on the clothes again.

The cat climbed onto his head afterward.

Amelia's eyebrows came together again as she tried remembering. She kept mumbling, "Seyruun," over and over.

"Amelia, come on. Didn't you want to go to town?"

Amelia nodded numbly, but she looked as if she wasn't paying attention. The cat meowed quietly.

Taking her hand, he sighed heavily, leading her out to the market place.

Amelia looked back to make sure the cat was following then turned back to Zel. "...What's Seyruun?"

"It's where you were born. A kingdom supporting peace. And you're the princess."

The cat purred, moving onto Zelgadis' shoulder, and rubbed his cheek against his.

Amelia stared down at her feet as she walked, "Seyruun feels important, but I don't remember it..."

Zelgadis pet the cat with his other hand, sighing. "It's very important...Your memory should come with back with some time... For now, look around the market and see if you like anything. I don't have a lot of money left though."

Amelia reached up to pet the cat. She couldn't think of anything she wanted and she didn't want Zelgadis-san to waste money on her... Whatever money was.

The cat eyed the couple, before turning his gray head to the side, scanning the surrounding individuals. Frustrated, the cat bit Zel's ear lightly pulling it to the side as if directing him to a clothes store.

Zelgadis muffed, his ear twitching quickly. "Daahh- don't bite my ear! Alright, alright, just let go!" Started to the clothes store, muttering.

Amelia blinked in curiosity as she followed them. Where were they going?

The cat purred happily, snuggling up against Zel's cheek. He was a happy kitty.

Zelgadis lead Amelia into the shop, sighing boredly. "Go look around..."

Amelia looked at all the clothing and dresses. One dress in particular caught her attention. It was pink and poofy, almost familiar. She shifted her gaze to some more dresses.

The cat purred into Zel's cheek, watching just as bored.

Zelgadis pet the cat, kicking the ground a bit.

Amelia stopped in front of a traveling outfit. It was cream colored with a cape. It was almost familiar, but not really. Only as if she'd seen something similar to it, but not the same.

Zelgadis watched her, running a hand through his hair. He hoped she didn't want anything...He'd probably have to carry it.

Amelia moved away from the traveling outfit and just began walking down the isles. She didn't see anything else interesting.

The cat leaped from Zelgadis' shoulder, and hooked its tooth into his pant leg. He tugged on it, as if trying to lead Zelgadis somewhere.

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow and let the cat lead him around, having nothing better to do.

The cat tugged on him until they reached the traveling outfit Amelia had seen.

"Eh? What about it?"

The cat meowed, and reached up, attempting to tug on it.

"...You want me to buy it f- wait why am I talking to a cat?" Zelgadis smacked his forehead, sighing heavily.

The cat hissed at him, narrowing its small eyes. In attempt to make him understand, he quickly leaned forward and sank his claws into his shoe.

Zelgadis looked down at the cat, blinking. "...If you're trying to hurt me it's not going to wo-..." Irked and sighed, looking up to the traveling outfit.

Smug, the cat pranced around Zel, before attempting to grab the outfit.

Zelgadis shooed the cat away from it, taking it himself.

The cat watched him, ears perking as he looked around. And, he spotted some very nice and expensive lace... panties.

Zelgadis mentally compared and contrasted the outfit to Amelia's normal one, ignoring the cat and forgetting about watching over Amelia. It'd be good to have more than one outfit for Amelia, and it'd be nice to see her in something fairly familiar.

The cat quickly trotted over to the lace panties, and stared at it. Oh, how tempting... The cat fought with his longing to be good so Zelgadis wouldn't throw him out, yet his animal instincts kept telling him it was okay, choices.

Amelia didn't notice anything they were doing she was just staring boredly at some fabric.

Zelgadis looked for a price on the outfit, searching his cape for his money.

The outfit was merely ten bronze coins, it seems as if it was on sale. The cat, forgetting his longing to be good, leaped up, grabbing hold of the lace panties, and falling with them. With an expert's twist, he landed on his feet, the panties in his mouth.

Zelgadis didn't hear, taking out the coins and going over to the counter.

The cat forced his will to be strong, he can easily sneak out with the panties when the two leave. Oh, he hoped he wasn't going to get caught. But if he did... His sharp silver eyes darted over to the chimera, and, in all his cat-like-ness, got a small smirk.

Zelgadis was paying for the outfit, not paying attention to anyone else.

Secretly, the cat darted behind Zel, and scrambled up the back, stuffing the panties into Zelgadis' pocket, closest to the shopkeeper. The cat quickly perched itself onto his shoulder.

Zelgadis didn't notice, folding up the outfit.

The shopkeeper leaned back, and, when he did, he noticed the sun shine onto the lace. Immediately, the shopkeeper lunged at Zel. "How DARE you steal my precious panties?! They cost a lot! You buy something and expect to steal!?" The cat leaped off and quickly ran to Amelia.

Zelgadis yelped and backed off. "W-what?! I didn't steal ANYTHING!"

Amelia turned around when she heard the yelling and noticed the cat. "...Panties?"

The shopkeeper pointed to his pants. "There, right THERE!" The cat climbed up her and clung to her shirt.

Zelgadis looked to his pocket, his face turned deep red. "D-DYAG?!" Quickly took them out, and put the back, only turning more red. "I swear I don't know HOW they got there!"

The cat quickly let go of Amelia, running up, jumping, and snatching them, and he immediately darted out. The shopkeeper roared. "I've been stolen by a CAT! A worthless feline!"

Zelgadis stared after the cat, his ears drooping. "...Ehh."

Amelia blinked, looking between Zel and where the cat had left. "They were too small for you anyway, Zelgadis-san."

Zelgadis fell over to a sitting position, smacking his forehead with his palm.

The shopkeeper shoved the two out, and went back to his business, the cat came up, and showed them the torn up panties. He was rather pleased with himself.

Zelgadis stared at the cat, a large sweatdrop forming. "...Mysterious little thing, aren't you?"

Amelia tilted her head to the side. She glanced from Zel to the cat, "Mystie?" She repeated, or tried to at least.

The cat meowed, tilting his head to the side and releasing the shreds of lace. It seemed as if he liked Mystie.

Zelgadis squatted, rubbing the cat's head, frowning. "Heh, Mystie. Guess we can call you that until we leave." The cat, now named Mystie, meowed again, nuzzling into the rubbing.

Author's Note:

Okay! This chapter's pretty long and just so I can sort out a few things...

They don't have as extensive technology as we do, thus Hiroshi saying a few years or more, to go into the 'labs' they had back then, it would take a few years, or even longer, most likely. Especially since Hiroshi isn't rich and she'd have to work as a part time waitress to get the money in order to get the needed supplies.

I, remembering my old cat, Panther, was inspired with the bit with Mystie; Panther used to love anything that had lace, to tear up and drool/chew on. So he inspired the whole thing with Mystie!

So, I hope everyone enjoyed this, and, hopefully, I'll get in the next chapters soon!