Chapter nine
Author's Notes: Oi… I'm sorry, guys. This really took too long to get out. I've been having a writer's block lately. Good news though! Summer Vacation's coming, which means I should have more time for writing!
The moment I stepped into Terra's house (if you could call it that. It was more like a small cave inside a larger cave. Very cramped…) a feeling of… well, home hit me. Most of furniture was a bit dated from modern times (my modern, not theirs… man, this is confusing. Reminder: No more time travel…) but still could be considered a bit too modern for this time period.
I sent Terra a suspicious look. How had she gotten this furniture here? I doubt she had planned for her little trip to the past… had she?
Terra noticed my look, apparently, and walked up behind me so quietly I didn't notice. "I'm a friend of the local carpenter…"
I squealed and jumped. I usually wouldn't have done so, but I had a right to be jumpy! I sent her a glare and she chuckled, motioning for me to follow her deeper into the cave. I did so, though it was hard to find my way around. There was a single candle lamp, sitting a corner. Other than that, it was me and my senses trying to fumble through.
Gradually, the light began to get brighter the deeper into the cave we got, which really confused me. At that point, I felt my brain was ready to explode. Thank L-sama it didn't…
Finally, we reached the source of the light. It was a small shrine. And it was covered in blue… everything from the candles to the clothe that sat on the floor. This was beginning to remind me of Zel…
Before I knew what was happening, Terra had thrown a large heap of clothing towards me and pushed me into a smaller part of the cave with a cloth to act as a curtain.
"Try these on, and hurry up. I need to be out of here in a few minutes."
Shrugging, I did as I was told. When I came out and was allowed to look in the mirror, I screamed.
-Zel's 3rd Person POV-
Zelgadis glanced up. He could've sworn he'd heard Lina scream just a second ago. Seeing nothing, he shrugged, and looked back at the fire he had built. As much as he hated to say it, he was a bit lonely. He had grown accustomed to Lina, and her bad traits, and had begun to enjoy having her around. Despite her loud, demanding, and outspoken personality, she really was good company.
But she wasn't there. And the Fruit did not make good company. At all. After the fifth time of attempting to Diem Winging that monster to the Sea of Chaos, Zelgadis had opted for ignoring the lunatic whom he currently had to depend on in order to find his lost companion.
Xellos seemed content to just float around with that idiotic expression, grinning at the campfire. Or maybe it was Zel he was smiling at… he really couldn't be sure. Right now, however, Zel's thoughts were pre-occupied with trying to figure out exactly what had happened to Lina. He knew she was in the past, somewhere, but exactly when he wasn't sure.
Further more, when she had disappeared, Zel hadn't caught even the slightest hint of magical energy, which meant the change of time hadn't been magical. Which also crossed curse off the list. So what had triggered the time transfer?
It had to have been something that had done that Zel had not. So what was it? It couldn't have been her simply falling through the floor. He had already searched that area, and nothing had come of it.
He sighed in frustration. And then glared. A sound, which sounded suspiciously like a giggle, had come from Xellos' direction. Stupid fruit…
"Why so frustrated, Zelly-kun?"
Zel growled, but didn't respond. Xellos didn't seem to notice.
He just continued to babble, "I mean, if you're really so frustrated with the problem at hand-Where has Lina gone?- why don't you just ask?"
That caught Zel's attention. In an instant, he had Xellos by the colar, and was nose-to-nose with the smiling mazoku. Xellos' smile didn't fade.
"You know where she is!" Zel barked out at him.
"Well, not exactly…"
Zel shoved him away in irritation.
"But I do have an idea of when…"
A/N: Okay, Okay, it's short. Yes, I know. Don't kill me! I just wanted to get something out for you guys!
