I've decided I love reviews. Thank you for all the nice reviews. This chapter is slightly longer then the rest of my chapters. The Yamori twins are mine, Slayers is not. You can ignore all the little jump things if you want.
-jump to story-
Chapter 3: Zelas's gift.
Xellos watch as morning sun filtered into the room, bathing the golden dragon in light. The sight would not last long, he knew, for soon the slumbering dragon would wake. Idly, he wondered how she would react to find him there. At this thought, she began to stir.
Blinking, an unfocused blue gaze traveled the room, stopping at the purple haired priest beside her. Blinking to focus her eyes, the golden dragon spoke, "Xellos? What...?" Eyes suddenly snapping into the focus she shot up in bed, "Namagomi! What are you doing here? in my room!?"
Xellos let out a small sigh, "Waiting for you to wake up." At she hasn't pulled out her mace yet.
The blonde gazed at him through suspicious cerulean eyes, "Why?" Why do I feel so weak??
"You've been ill; I wanted to make sure you have recovered." Something's wrong... Her actions are lacking energy...
"Ill?" She frowned, trying to remember. Everything's so hazy, indistinct. Why can't I remember?
Xellos's brow slightly creased, "Hai, Green Fever."
Filia paled, "Green Fever? That illness that causes a really high fever and green lips?" She swayed slightly. Why?
Xellos frowned, She's still very weak. "Why don't you lie down Filia?" He was relieved when she obeyed without argument, She must be feeling really weak to do that. "Green Fever only has that affect on humans, Filia. It's deadly to dragons. A few moments later getting the cure and you'd be dead."
She glanced away, "Oh..." Why couldn't they have let me die? Glancing back at Xellos she found his violet eyes intently focused on her, "Xellos?"
"Is what that brunette said true?"
She blinked, "Nani?"
"Yesterday two girls stopped in front of your shop and talked about you getting the illness. The arrogant one said you should have taken precautions and walked off. The brunette, following, muttered that you didn't care anymore. Is it true?"
Filia frowned, The Yamori twins? "Why... Why do you ask that?"
Xellos's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Is it true?" Filia turned away, unable to answer. Xellos's gloved hand came up, gently, yet firmly, grabbing her chin, forcing her to face him, "Why?"
Unable to pull free of his hold she chose instead to glare at him, "Why do you want to know?" Unaffected by the coldness in her voice, the mazoku refrained from answering. In an almost inaudible whisper, even for the general-priest, she answered, "Why should I care? I'm alone. Val's gone and you... You never came back." Slowly, a tear escaped from under her lashes and began to travel down her cheek.
Even though she'd had spoken so very softly, Xellos had caught every silent word. Noticing the tear, he moved his gloved hand to cheek, brushing the tear lightly away. "You're not alone."
More tears slipped out from between her lashes, "How would you know? You never came back. Why didn't you come back? You promised..." She began to whimper, tears now falling freely down her face, "You promised... Why didn't you-"
"Shh..." Xellos gently placed a finger over her lips, "I'm here now." Watching the tears flow from the dragoness's eyes, Xellos realized he didn't like them. Switching from the chair to the bed, Xellos gathered the silently weeping dragon into his arms, much as he had the day they learned Val had died.
-jump-
Xellos looked down at the exhausted dragon in his arms, and sighed. "Ano... Filia-san?"
"Hmm?"
"Well... Your shop's been closed for a week..."
Her head snapped up to look at him, "A week?"
"Hai, Filia-san. You-" He paused. Filia was trying to push herself out of arms and get up. "Filia-san? You're not strong enough to tend your shop..."
"But-"
"You can't regain your strength while running your shop. But your shop's been closed too long, ne? I can take of the shop for you."
Blink, "Nani?"
"I'll take of your shop so that you can regain your strength. You can explain everything I'll need to know about running it to me today, and I'll reopen your shop tomorrow." He smiled at her expression, "Filia-san? Is that alright?"
"H-hai..."
"Wonderful!" Xellos clapped his hands together. "You can begin teaching me whenever you're ready."
-Jump again-
Xellos unlocked the door to Filia's shop. Stepping out he turned the sign over so that it now read 'open.' Back inside he stood behind the counter, waiting for customers. In his mind he went over yesterday's instructions and this morning's warning. It turns out that the girls he had seen that first morning were fairly well known here. For what they known, Filia had declined to tell him.
The bells jingled merrily as someone entered the shop. Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked up. In the door stood an elderly woman, curiously looking him over. He moved around the counter, "May I help you?"
Her gaze narrowed suspiciously, "Who are you?"
"Xellos," he replied. Xellos wondered why she was so suspicious of him.
"Where's Filia?"
He smiled, "She hasn't completely recovered yet, so I volunteered to run her shop for her."
The woman's gaze became very intense, "I haven't seen you around before."
"I'm..." What to tell her? "...an old friend of hers. I'm not often in the area..."
The woman was silent for moment, eyes becoming thoughtful, "...If Filia will trust you with her shop then you must not be too bad. I'll spread the word that the shop has reopened and not to worry about the mazoku behind the counter." She smiled at Xellos's slightly shocked expression, "Oh? Didn't Filia-san tell you? Most everyone in this village can detect auras. We all know Filia's a dragon. Everyone will sense you're a mazoku. Don't worry about it."
Xellos tried to exorb this information, since Filia had neglected to inform him. He wondered if she had done that on purpose or not. "Arigatou..."
-Jump, jump-
Xellos sighed wearily as he closed the shop. With the shop having been closed for a week there was quite a large demand. It turns out that Filia's shop was the only one like it in the whole town. With so many customers constantly in and out all day, Xellos had been kept very busy. And the Yamori twins... It was enough to make one's head spin.
Bowl of soup in hand, Xellos carefully entered Filia's room. She was sleeping, an open book hanging limply from her fingers. Watching her, he set the bowl down on her bedside table. Gently shaking her shoulder he attempted to wake her, "Filia-san... Filia-san, wake up..."
Yawning, the ex-priestess opened sky blue eyes. Upon seeing the puple haired priest beside her she smiled, "Xellos."
"I brought you some soup."
As she sat up, Xellos adjusted the pillows behind her so that she could lean back. "Arigatou." Taking the soup, she looked over at him, "How was it?"
Xellos sighed, "After the first shock and the twins it became extremely busy."
"First shock?"
Xellos opened an eye to glare at her reproachfully, "You could have warned me that the humans here would know I'm a mazoku!"
Filia blinked, "What...? Oh! I'm sorry, I completely forgot. What about the twins?"
Xellos raised a finger, "Sora wa himitsu desu."
"Xellos!"
-jump back-
flashback
Shortly after the old woman had left, two girls entered the shop. Xellos immediately recognized them as the arrogant girl and the brunette from the other day. Seeing him, they rushed to the counter, eyes fierce. The arrogant one spoke first, "I am Sophia. This," she gestured to the brunette beside her, "is my twin sister, Alexis. You are Xellos?"
Xellos blinked, "Hai."
Alexis leaned forward slightly, examining him, "What is your purpose here?"
"I'm helping Filia-san." He really didn't know what to make of the two of them.
Sophia spoke up, "Why? What has your master ordered you to do here?"
"Actually... I'm on vacation."
The twins blinked. Alexis took a deep breath, "A mazoku with a vacation decides to use it helping the enemy of his race?"
It seems they talk in turns. "Hai! I like Filia-san."
The twins shook their heads slightly before Sophia replied, "And Filia actually trusts you with her shop? ...You aren't planning on hurting her?"
Xellos shook his head, "If I wanted to hurt her I would have done it long before now. You two are extremely protective of Filia-san, aren't you?"
"There are some who would go out of their to harm her, and she will do nothing to protect herself. So, Sophia and I, we decided to take care of it for her."
"I think that perhaps Filia will be better for awhile, even after I leave."
"And why is that?"
"I have something to give her..."
-jump forward-
The week went by much like the first day, except without the surprises. The last day Filia was strong enough to help out a little. After a good night's sleep she would be completely recovered.
At the kitchen table, mazoku and dragon shared a final cup of tea. "Xellos? How is it you always appear when I need you?"
Xellos shifted uncomfortably, "It's because of Juuou-sama."
Filia looked up at him, "Your master?"
"Hai. Last time, when you got that letter, and this week."
"How?"
"The first time? When you got that letter? Had a just finished a report and was awaiting orders when Juuou-sama suddenly stopped herself. After staring at nothing for a moment she gave me the rest of the day off. At that time I was coming over to your place whenever I had a moment."
"And this time?"
"I returned from a mission earlier then anticipated and received a week's vacation. But it was odd..."
"Odd?"
Xellos looked over at her, "Hai. The only reason I finished early was because about a week before I finished someone or something decided to help me."
"Oh..."
Xellos watched Filia for a moment, "Filia?" She raised her eyes to his. "Before Juuou-sama gave me the day off, last time, she gave me something. A pair of communication bracelets, one for me and one for someone of my choosing. I want you to have it." As he spoke, Xellos removed two bracelets from his bag. One he put on his his wrist, the other he held out to Filia. Hesitantly she took it, and placed it on her wrist. "If ever you need me, for anything, don't hesitate to call..."
Filia watched Xellos phase away, fingering her bracelet. "Arigatou, Xellos."
jump somewhere else
Zelas smiled to herself as her priest appeared before her. Her Xellos needed someone to talk to and pester, and that little dragon girl was perfect. Not only did she and Xellos manage to survive each other, she would be around just as long as her general-priest.
The end.
-Jump to end notes-
All done. No more. The two girls were never susposed to have names but whatever. Thank you for reading, and hopefully enjoying, the entirerty of my first fic.
Shy neko