Dear Lina Inverse,

It's a pleasure to inform you that the Dragon Cuisine you ordered is now ready to eat. Please come to my restaurant, and bring your purse.

Sincerely Ashford.

Lina squealed with joy and clutched the letter to her chest, bouncing up and down enthusiastically and drawing the attention the rest of tavern. Except Gourry, he was asleep, leaning back in his chair, drool dribbling down from the side of his mouth.

Balling her fist, Lina aimed for his head, and those who weren't looking in her direction already turned to see what the noise had been. Gourry slowly pulled himself up onto the edge of the table, rubbing his head, "Ouch, Lina! What was that for?" he eyed her.

Grinning, Lina read the letter aloud to him, then lowered the paper to see his reaction. "Dragon Cuisine? ... Oh YEAH! Now I remember." Leaping to his feet, he raised his fist, "Let's go!"

Gathering their gear together, the two sped through the front door of the tavern, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake, and a confused mailman sitting on the floor, and unpaid, as was the tavern tab.

The day was bright and sunny as Zelgadis strolled beneath the trees, heading north once more. He'd actually had some luck outside the Mazoku barrier, something about an artifact that could drain the power from spells, almost like that stone in the Dragon Train that had tapped their magic to make the machine run. Or that's what he figured. Hopefully it wouldn't be something too dangerous to use on himself...

Softly, Amelia hummed as she walked beside him. She'd been out on a diplomatic mission, and he'd ended up in the same town as her, and well, since they were both there, he dropped by the inn she was staying at to say 'hi'. It was a coincidence that they'd met up, really. And if anyone asked him, that's what he'd tell them. Of course, he hadn't needed to stay till her mission was done before heading out again, but it was just more convenient to have someone help make camp and watch his back in a fight. Besides, she was getting tired of playing Pretty Princess and wanted a break. Or so she said.

Either way, they were walking casually along the road, heading to their destination, which was somewhere up near Sairaag as far as Zelgadis could determine from his source. It was just as well since Amelia had mentioned getting a letter from Sylphiel asking her for a visit, a little... memorial for the end of the Rezo incident. Sylphiel had said in her missive that she'd sent a similar invitation to Lina, but they hadn't written back or responded.

On that thought, Zelgadis looked ahead to see the end of the trees, and as the two topped the rise, what was left of Sairaag came into view. "It's really... rather sad," Amelia said, the first they'd had any sort of conversation in a while. Zelgadis liked that, it was an easy relationship where neither one of them expected to be entertained by the other every moment of the day. He looked towards her, waiting for her to complete her thought. "The way he died."

"Who? Rezo?" Zelgadis shook his head, then looked up at the sky, "I suppose, but he did bring it on himself."

Taking a breath, Amelia sighed deeply, "I've been thinking about it though. Was it really all his fault? ...I...guess what I mean to say is that... well... It's hard to pretend to be what you're not. And if you're always told that no matter how hard you try, you'll never be perfect at it, but they expect you to be perfect anyway, how can you really help but hate that person?"

Zelgadis lowered his eyes, watching his feet crunch clods of dirt and crack a twig. He didn't think about it for half a minute, forcing himself to take her words seriously instead of just immediately reacting- as he was prone to when it came to the subject of Rezo- then took a breath and licked his lips, "I...guess you're right," he admitted at last. "But he didn't have to go so far as to Mega Brunt half of Sairaag. He didn't have to kill Eris or combine himself with Zanafaar either."

Tipping her chin up, Amelia looked towards him. She'd gotten taller lately, standing at just under his chin, "I agree," is all she said. Silence fell again, and Zelgadis fell into his thoughts, still contemplating her words. The more he thought about it, the more he tended to agree with her. Maybe Rezo didn't deserve the treatment he'd gotten from everyone, but that didn't change the fact that his behavior hadn't warranted his getting any sort of mercy from Lina. In any case, the point was rather moot, as both Rezo and his copy were dead and the world was safe from both of them, hopefully for good.

Ahead, a road crossed the one they were traveling, with a tall signpost informing travelers of the eventual destinations of these passages. And standing beneath that signpost was the familiar figure of a redhead- standing on top of a prone blonde man's head, pounding her foot into his skull. "Oh my. I guess they did get the message," Amelia remarked, speaking Zelgadis's very thought.

"Just like Lina not to write back. Then again, she'd probably get here faster than a note would," Zelgadis replied. Amelia calmly nodded.

Glancing aside, the princess added, "I almost wish they hadn't come," she admitted.

A surprising comment, and Zelgadis looked at her for it. "Yes," he agreed, "The quiet was nice. Things always seem to get stirred up when Lina's around."

Lifting her eyes, Amelia smiled towards him, obviously glad that he'd understood. "Not that we don't like her," she added.

"She's our friend," Zelgadis laughed softly, finishing the thought. Amelia's eyes sparkled in an adorable way, and her smile ignited that now rather familiar warmth in his heart.

"HEY! ZEL! AMELIA!"

Zelgadis heaved a sigh, "Here we go... Ready or not."

Looking down the road, Lina was still standing on Gourry's head, but now her apparent bad mood had flown and she was waving excitedly in their direction. Finally, she hopped off Gourry and waited for her two other friends to arrive. "Hey, great! Now I don't have to go find you guys. I got a letter from Ashford, he says our Dragon Cuisine is ready, and you guys helped catch that thing, so I'm inviting you to come have some too!"

Amelia sighed, putting a hand to her face, "Ms. Lina... you didn't get Sylphiel's letter, did you?"

Blinking, Lina shook her head, "No... why? Is there a problem?"

Zelgadis shook his head, "No, she just wanted us to attend a memorial to Sairaag with her."

Silence fell a moment as Lina folded her arms and tapped her foot in thought. Slowly, Gourry dug his head out of the dirt and shook the dust out of his hair. "Oh! Hi Zel! Hi Amelia!" he waved cheerfully, as if he hadn't had an irate sorceress tap dancing on his skull a moment ago. "Did you say Sylphiel?" he pulled his knees under him and sat on the ground where he was to look up at Lina.

"Well, a memorial won't take that long, and we're nearly to Sairaag as it is..." Lina pondered out loud.

"And Sylphiel's a great cook," Gourry added, and that decided Lina.

Slapping her fist into her palm, she turned an about face and started off towards Sairaag without another word. Getting to his feet, Gourry dashed after her, "Hey! Wait up, Lina!" Looking towards Amelia, Zelgadis met her eyes and they both shrugged and started after the pair.

Sunset painted the sky a brilliant orange, the bottoms of the clouds of a departing storm pink, and Amelia and Sylphiel sat in the shrine maiden's backyard. Sylphiel sighed softly, and blew across the surface of her tea, then sipped. The silence they had shared their tea in was companionable, one Sylphiel liked, and...somewhat missed these days. Amelia had certainly settled down over the last few years, perhaps it was her involvement with Zelgadis? Or maybe the extra duties she'd taken on as a princess? Or, perhaps it was both.

Amelia's eyes turned from the sunset towards Sylphiel, her hands lowering her teacup down to the saucer she held in her lap. "You seem troubled," she observed, the first thing either of them had said in the last half hour. "Is something wrong, or is it just the time of year?"

Lowering her eyes, the light briefly catching in them and setting a fire within the emerald that died as her lashes shaded them from the light. "A little of both," Sylphiel admitted, "As I said earlier, I've been teaching over at the university. It's harder than I thought it would be... I don't know. I just don't think I'm suited to teaching, Miss Amelia, if they didn't want to be there, I would never have my students' attention."

"They're young, Sylphiel. Kids are always like that," Amelia assured. "Politicians are worse," she smiled deviously, "Their fights are more childish than a pair of toddlers sometimes, and these are supposed to be the people advising the king of Seyruun."

Softly the shrine maiden laughed, lifting her eyes, "It's a good thing they aren't actually in charge," she agreed. "The king has sent assistance to Sairaag, but it was mostly older, retiring soldiers looking to settle down to jobs and wives. Sure, it's a help to our economy here, but there just aren't enough women to go around. Miss Amelia, I've been proposed to six times in the last month by men I don't even know who're my father's age!"

The princess twitched, "And you don't even have the excuse of already having someone... You know, you're welcome to come visit Seyruun, whenever you want a break."

Breathing a sigh, Sylphiel nodded, "I might have to take you up on that. Between the children, my own classes, and those men, I feel I'm going to lose my mind." Amelia nodded in agreement and as one, they lifted their cups to sip their tea.

A slightly built but heavy figure settled to the edge of the bench beside Amelia, legs crossing and arms folding on his chest. Zelgadis peered back over his shoulder at the two women. "Lina and Gourry are looking for seconds," he stated, "I hope she pays you back for the groceries."

Lifting her head, a smile crossed Sylphiel's lips, "She already paid me," she replied, touched by Zelgadis's concern anyway. "How has your search been going, Mr. Zelgadis?"

Zel shook his head minutely. "Oddly enough, it's led me back here. I found a mention of some gem called the Mirror Breaker outside the confines of the barrier, it's location led me to Zelfia, but when I got there, locals of the town nearby said Rezo had already been there and taken the stone with him. It figures, really."

"So you'll probably be here a while?" Sylphiel asked.

Heaving a long-suffering sigh, Zelgadis nodded, "Probably. I have to sort through that mess Kopii Rezo left. I don't know if there's much, though." Amelia shifted, sliding slightly closer to the Chimera, close enough for him to feel her shoulder against his. A faint blush crept up his cheeks, but he remained composed otherwise. Amelia smiled slightly to herself and sipped her tea.

Softly, Sylphiel hmmed, "I've taken a look around the area a few times," she admitted, "It's a lot safer now that Zanafaar's miasma is completely gone, it's not drawing monsters to the area. I'll show you the things I've found, if you want."

In return, Zelgadis smiled, but only briefly, "I'd appreciate that. Though, in truth, I don't know what this Mirror Breaker gem is supposed to look like."

"I'm sure you'll find it, Mr. Zelgadis," Amelia replied, speaking up finally, once she'd finished her tea and set the cup down on the saucer with a soft click of porcelain.

Sylphiel nodded her agreement, "If it's here, you'll find it. No one ever goes up into the ruined sections, except me. They... think it's haunted by something. Admittedly, I... have seen strange lights at night, but others say they've seen mirages of buildings- incredibly tall buildings, perhaps as tall as Flagoon was. I've heard some say they could hear people and strange noises too. I've done some research on it, compiled what people have said, but there's not much I can say except that there is something strange going on there."

"Is that so? Then we'll just have to investigate it!" Lina stated boldly as she marched across the grass, apparently triumphant in the battle against Gourry for dinner, as the swordsman was seriously lagging behind and holding a hand to his head. Folding her arms, Lina leaned against Zelgadis's other shoulder, as if he were some boulder put there just for her to use. He sighed. "I was wondering where you all ran off to."

Zelgadis shifted slightly, unbalancing Lina enough to make her stand up straight, "We were just escaping the War."

Growling, Lina clenched a fist and shook it at him, "What's that supposed to mean!"

"You're violent and loud, and I doubt even my skin could survive an impact from any fork you might throw at me," Zelgadis replied, blunt as a brick in a sock. Lina scowled at him, but lowered her fist, knowing better than to sock him, it would hurt her more than it did him. "I suppose, since Rezo is ...quite... dead, as well as Eris, anything in the ruins you might find is rightfully mine," he added stoically, "However. If you ask politely, I might let you keep what you find, Lina."

Smiling, Lina leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "Oh, Zelly-poo," she teased, "May I PLEEEASE have some of your magical artifacts?"

Zelgadis pulled a face and got to his feet, dumping Lina across the bench and partially on Amelia, "Call me 'Zelly-poo' again, and the answer's no," he scowled at Lina.

"Okay, Zelga-bunny," the sorceress oozed from Amelia's lap.

Amelia sighed, pushing Lina off as well, "I think you've gotten him back, Lina, you can stop now."

Gustily, Lina sighed and draped over the bench, Gourry finally staggering his way over and looking around in dazed confusion, as if he had a concussion, which he likely did. Lina flipped a hand lightly, "You're too serious, Zel, really, lighten up!" Reaching over, Lina thwapped Amelia's shin, "I thought you were working on him about that. You're slacking!"

Identical blushes suffused both Zelgadis and Amelia's faces. "I don't know what you're talking about, Miss. Lina."

Zelgadis didn't even bother making a comment, he just turned and headed back towards the backdoor of Sylphiel's home, which had been her family's summer home, but was now her primary residence. It was only a few hours walk from the reviving Sairaag, but it was far enough away to give her peace. Sylphiel shook her head slightly and balanced her teacup on its saucer as she brushed her hair back over her shoulders. Though she was glad to see her friends, she felt overwhelmed, and stifled by Lina...and outright uncomfortable with Gourry. He still didn't realize her crush on him, but it hardly mattered, he loved Lina and that was the bottom line.

"I'd better go do the dishes," Sylphiel said as the last of the sun's rays lit the sky, clinging to the bottoms of the clouds for dear life. Reaching over, she took Amelia's teacup, setting both on the tray she'd had set on the bench beside her with the empty teapot, and stood. Turning, she headed towards the door and balanced the tray on her hip as she turned the knob on the back door and stepped into her kitchen.

Lina frowned and got up, "She's avoiding me, isn't she?"

Amelia shook her head, "No, she's just tired. She was telling me about how stressed she is over teaching at the university, and all the grimy old soldiers in town trying to marry her." The princess stood and dusted her rear off, "I think she's really lonely, living out here by herself, though, that's probably the bottom of it all."

Turning her eyes towards the sunset, which had cast the small forest that abutted Sylphiel's backyard into pitch-dark shadow, Lina folded her arms beneath her breasts, "Yeah. It's not good for a woman her age to live alone like this." Peering towards Amelia, Lina gave a catty smile, "What do you say we play matchmaker?"

Frowning, but with a hint of uncertainty, Amelia looked away, "I'm not sure she'd appreciate it..."

"Oh, come on! We'll pick someone really good for her! Someone who'll meet OUR standards first."

Softly, the princess had to laugh at that, "Oh, Miss. Lina, I don't think such a man exists that could pass our test."

Grinning, Lina patted Amelia's shoulder, "There might be! Where's your spunky optimism? Or has Zelgadis sucked it all out of you?"

Sticking her tongue out at Lina, Amelia pumped a Fist of Justice into the air, "No One could kill my belief that 'Where there's a Will there's a Way!'"

"That's the spirit," Lina agreed. "We'll have to do it without Sylphiel knowing."

"Without Sylphiel knowing what?"

The two females spun around to look at Gourry, guilty shock on their faces. "Uh, nothing at all, Gourry!" Lina replied.

Amelia nodded, "Yep, nothing at all!"

Nodding, Gourry mumbled, "Oh, alright. If you say so."

Sighing in unison, Amelia and Lina exchanged glances, the princess giving a shrug and Lina a faint smile. "Lets get back inside. It's starting to get cold out here," Lina volunteered. Nodding, her two companions agreed, and together, they returned to the kitchen.

Sylphiel's house was fairly large- far too large for one person, and Lina suspected that someone as tidy and tiny as Sylphiel rattled around in the place like a single seed in a large jar. The kitchen was roughly square-shaped, and large enough to fit a good sized table with four chairs in it, as well as have plenty of space for her cooking, a door on the south wall led into her backyard, the door on the north led into the front room, which spanned the entire length of the building, and the door on the east wall led into the bathroom. The front room had a set of stairs that lead up to the second story, as well as the front door on the north wall, on the east wall was a large fireplace, with a seating arrangement in front of it and a large fur throw rug on the cherry wood floor- which had been used throughout the house, a bookshelf was on the wall beneath the stairs. The other side of the room had a larger, more formal dining table with seating for eight, which was hardly ever used anymore, but Lina could hardly tell. There wasn't a speck of dust to be seen in the house, and even Lina's white gloves came clean when she'd stuck a finger in the corner earlier while Sylphiel was outside- just to see if it would. She bet the floors were as clean as the plates they'd eaten off of.

Once again, Sylphiel was at the sink, up to her elbows in hot water and suds. Zelgadis was nowhere in sight, but Lina could hear the sound of his heavy footfalls in the bedroom directly over the kitchen, which he was sharing with Gourry. The girls had all gotten separate rooms since Sylphiel lived there and had her own room, and Lina had wanted a room to herself, and Amelia hadn't wanted to sleep with her. Gourry and Zel didn't mind sharing. Amelia yawned, "I think I'm going to go to bed," she said, stretching, "See you in the morning!" Turning, the princess headed out into the front room and up the stairs.

Cursing mentally, Lina yawned as well, having been triggered by Amelia's. However, the sorceress took a seat at the table, which was now cleared of dishes. Gourry meandered past without a word and zombied up the stairs after Amelia, probably feeling dizzy from the clonk to the head Lina had given him.

"Hey, Sylphiel," Lina thumped her elbows on the table and propped her chin in her hands. She'd removed her gloves earlier, along with her shoulder guards and cloak. They were in her room currently, as she had no reason to be wearing them right now. Sylphiel hmmed softly and glanced back over her shoulder. The shrine maiden was wearing a dark blue sweater with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of black leggings beneath, tucked into a pair of gray house shoes that were nothing special at all. "What do you really like in a man?"

Blushing brightly, Sylphiel looked away, "I..." she looked down at her soapy water and shifted, scratching the side of her shin with one foot. "Charm," she answered finally. "And a bit of selflessness." Bowing her head slightly over her work, Sylphiel fell silent for a long time, then added one more qualification before Lina could say anything, "And ...intelligence," she sighed. "Someone capable of holding a conversation."

Lina smiled slightly, "And good looks," she added, "He's got to have a nice smile, too, right?"

An even deeper blush turned Sylphiel's ears red. "...yeah," she admitted. "Miss. Lina... you know I... ...I don't mind so much anymore... about Gourry. He's sweet, but I really think he's better off with you. I'd just..." she looked back over her shoulder and smiled slightly, "I'd just make him fat and lazy," she admitted, a glint of humor in her eyes.

Sitting up, Lina laughed, "Nah, you wouldn't."

The shrine maiden shook her head and straightened, staring out the window in front of her. "If he wanted me, he would have stayed in Sairaag. But he left as quickly as he came, and I'm getting over it. Okay, Lina?" she looked back at the redhead to give another short-lived smile.

"That doesn't make you any less lonely," Lina observed, folding her arms on the table and sitting up slightly. "But I'm glad you're alright with it. I ...wouldn't want our friendship to be broken by something so ... small."

Sylphiel flushed, but nodded, "I agree," she stated, not touching the subject of Lina's first comment. "You don't have to keep me company, Miss. Lina. I'll be done with this soon."

Shaking her head, though the shrine maiden didn't see it, Lina answered, "Not tired, really. Besides, you need someone to talk to. So talk, I'm listening."

Giving a sigh that made her shoulders sink, Sylphiel replied, "I... guess I'm just frustrated. This wasn't how I envisioned I'd be at twenty. I thought... I thought I'd be happily in love and engaged and performing my duties as a shrine maiden to Flagoon, and ...none of that is happening. Nor will it happen. I'm not a good teacher, even if having to explain how something works is helping me perfect my abilities as a white mage, and the classes I'm taking in shamanism are going well... Its just not what I feel my real purpose in life is." She rinsed a cup and set it on the rack nearby to dry.

Tracing her finger on the table, Lina listened silently, eyes on her hand, but she glanced up at Sylphiel's last statement, "Maybe it's a fear of change?" the sorceress suggested.

Sylphiel shook her head, hands scrubbing at a dish as she spoke, "No... it... feels sort of like half of me is missing. I feel like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing, and it upsets me, because ... because I know what it is, but I just –can't- do it."

"And what is it?" Lina prompted when Sylphiel said nothing else.

Setting the dish aside, Sylphiel reached into the sink and pulled the plug, then rinsed her hands as the sudsy water drained. "Taking care of Flagoon. I feel like it's still alive, but gone. I go to the lake where it grew, and... Lina, I keep seeing it reflected there, as if Flagoon were above me, and the strange thing is, I don't see MY reflection in the water when I see Flagoon!" Drying her hands on a towel, Sylphiel turned to face Lina, "Please believe me..." she said softly, "It's not just nostalgia, or me trying to delude myself. I've seen it too many times for it to be a lie. There's just, something strange in that area, and I can't figure out what."

Getting to her feet, Lina tossed her hair back over her shoulder, "Don't worry, Syl, we'll go check it out tomorrow." Coming around the table, the shorter sorceress placed her hands on Sylphiel's shoulders, looking up into her dark-haired friend's face and smiled, "If there's anything there, we'll find it. It might be all that magical stuff Rezo collected scattered around the place unshielded. Sometimes things like that have auras that clash, and are better kept separate."

Reluctantly, Sylphiel nodded, and stepped forward, hugging Lina. "Thank you for coming... that was- that was the real reason why I sent those letters. I just can't find anything on my own, and I knew you would help me."

Lina returned the hug, tightly, then stepped back. "Of course!" she agreed. "Lets get to bed, though. It'll be an early start tomorrow."

This time, Sylphiel's smile was a bit stronger and she gave a nod. Stepping over to the lamp hung above the table, she turned it down to a dull glow and followed Lina out to the front room and up the stairs.