Gourry stood in the hallway trying to get the door to his room open. Unfortunately the key seemed to be stuck; it went in but wouldn't turn. He tried putting it in the other way up, leaning on the door, pulling the door back, turning it the other way, rattling it in the lock –anything to get it open, but it just wouldn't! This door was standing between him and an early nights sleep!

Fortunately for him a certain stoic chimera passed at that moment, and as said chimera had nothing better to do he got out his lock picks and set to work on the door.

"Thanks Zelgadiss!"

"It's okay… you really should go to the innkeeper for something like this though."

"Yeah but he was really busy getting us all that food!" he said with a grin on his face at the memory of the mountains he had devoured that night "I don't think he needs any more work tonight."

Zel remained silent at this, concentrating on the lock, and normally Gourry would let it slide. But given as they wouldn't see each other for a while the least they could do is have a little conversation, right? Did they even have to split?

"Hey, Zel?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you travel with us a while longer? It must be hard travelling alone, if you stuck around we'd be able to help."

"No, Gourry. This is something I have to do myself. Besides, if I stayed with you and Lina I'd end up getting sidetracked away from my quest."

"Sidetracked?"

"Diverted, umm, have my attentions somewhere else."

"Oh… come to think of it that does happen a lot…"

"You don't say."

Gourry frowned, he understood sarcasm when he heard it; they didn't do it deliberately! He opened his mouth to say so when his friend continued.

"Also… it's getting harder and harder to leave all my friends… If I don't go now and find my cure then the next time we meet I doubt if I'd be able to go and search on my own anymore, and I'd never find it."

Gourry had about a millisecond in which to blink before Zel realised what he had just said and tried to take it back.

"That is, I mean… not that I wouldn't want to go! Lina and Amelia wouldn't let me! My cure is all that really matters!"

The swordsman just continued to stand there watching him with a smile on his face and, realising he couldn't fool Gourry about this, Zel sighed and looked back to the lock.

"Some heartless sorcerer/swordsman I am…"

Gourry laughed and clamped a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"Zelgadiss… take care of yourself. And if you need anything look us out, alright?"

He pulled back and gave a thumbs up which Zel returned after a moment before looking back at the lock again. Finally it clicked and Zel stood up to turn the handle.

"I don't believe it…"

"What?"

"This is why I don't like travelling with you people! I end up doing the most pointless…"

"What? What is it?"

"The reason your key wouldn't work. I just broke into my own room, not yours!"

Gourry could only laugh.

A/N: Congratulations! Upon finishing this chapter you have read 4/5ths of Fond Farewells!All that's left now is the final run down; FX AZ and LG!

I'm veryvery very sorry about the amount of time it took me to post this...i underestimated how much time Uni would take up.Which is why I posted two chapters at the same time! Forgive me please? I love you all, really!

Yexis; You'll probably hate me for the delay in these chapters now, given as like the faster one's! I can only say I'm sorry andI hope the wait was worth it! Ichiban Victory; The term 'walking paradox' is one i like to attach to Gourry, looking back I'm prouder of that Gourry chapter than this one, you don't see enough ZG interaction in the anime! Are the books any better? Hitteh Pitteh; Yeah, Xellos was a bit out in that chapter wasn't he? Look who's the lazy one now though, hehe :) I'll try and post FX up really soon so we can move on to AZ (which i've already written and is VERY good even if i do say so myself.)