Zelgadiss was seated in the inn's small garden, looking over a map of the area when Lina and Amelia breezed past. He looked up to see them go racing by.
"I'll race you to the end of the street!"
"On the count of three then! One, two, GO!"
"Ah! Hey! That's not fair! What happened to three?"
"Ridiculous" Zel muttered before looking back to his map, only to find it was no longer in his hand and was in fact being held by Xellos who had materialised on the seat beside him.
"Planning to visit a few temples I see?"
Zelgadiss snatched the map back roughly.
"What's it to you?"
"That… is a secret."
Zelgadiss huffed and smoothed the map back out returning to his study and trying to ignore the priest looking over his shoulder. Not an easy task, particularly with Xellos humming under his breath right in Zel's ear.
"Do you mind?"
"No."
Xellos grinned wider as the chimera glared at him. Here was another person in a bad mood about having to leave his friends. Although Zel would die in the most painful manner possible twice over before admitting it. His irritation was rather tasty –and what better to irritate him further than the mention of certain past events?
"Tell me Zelgadiss, do you regret the decision you made? To become stronger?"
"Tch, I regret everything that happened since that day."
Xellos' eyes opened. Now this was an opportunity he couldn't miss.
"Everything? My, my Zelgadiss, you would make a wonderful mazoku."
Zel leapt to his feet and whirled around to face the trickster. Anger practically radiating from him.
"How dare you suggest that?"
"Well you just told me you regret everything that happened since then. In other words; you regret becoming friends with Lina-san, Gourry-san and Amelia-san, you regret helping save the world, you regret the death of Hellmaster, Gaav, Darkstar and the part of Shabranigdo you helped destroy, you regret helping to find the Clair bible, You regret- "
"Enough! Point taken!"
"So you admit you'd make a good mazoku?"
"Life is wonderful."
Xellos crashed to the ground and grimaced at the sense of smug satisfaction he was now picking up from Zel. He rose and brushed himself off indignantly.
"Now Zelgadiss-san, that wasn't very nice. I might even think you regret meeting me."
The chimera smirked and returned to his map without a word. Xellos took up a position on the bench, arms behind his head and one leg crossed over the other as a respectful andeven amiable silence fell over the two. Of course silence never lasts long whenever the slayers gang is involved.
"So, you don't regret everything that's happened?"
Zel graced his companion with a small half-smile.
"No, not everything."
Xellos smiled and sat back again as the amiable mood continued.