---o--o--o---
[Lina] I think you had better explain yourself, sister! I can't believe you're here! Now, tell me what is going on!
[Sylphiel] Umm...maybe because... Sore wa himitsu desu! {puts finger on her lips}
[Xellos] {pops in behind Sylphiel, and gooses her} My dear, I believe you're learning...
[Lina] Wha?! You're going to copy his move as well!
---o--o--o---
Slayers: Clouds!
Chapter 2:
Deal! Time to get Blackjack!
---o--o--o---
Zelgadis growled. He'd rather be curled up in an inn with glass of merlot and a good book right now, but no! He had to be stuck in this 'fairy' land of card games and characters.
Amelia, on the other hand, seemed to be having to time of her life as she looked at all the action. Gee, she had been to Las Vega before. And it looked like it when she dragged the chimera to the blackjack table.
"Look, I'm going to play a few rounds. I love blackjack. After all, Daddy doesn't have to know...right?" Amelia looked at him with her patented puppy dog eyes. And the chimera even surprised himself when he didn't say no.
Still, Zelgadis grumbled as they sat down in two empty seats at the blackjack table. He was in no mood to play.
"Here are some coins, Zelgadis. Come on, it will be fun!" The princess was doing her best to cheer him up.
Damn! Where are Lina and Gourry, thought the chimera. When I get my hands on those two-
"Sir, you have 11. Would you like a hit?"
Zelgadis looked up from his slumber to see that he had a 7 and a 4 card. The dealers up card was showing a seven. Without a doubt, he motioned for another card.
"Are you sure-" asked Amelia, but Zelgadis had already turned to the princess with a look that could light firewood. "Don't you want to-"
For never playing this adult game, Amelia sure knew the rules of blackjack pretty damn well.
"And a 10, sir."
"You go!" It was apparent that even Amelia could not be down for long after her four-card bust.
"Dealer has 17. Congratulations, sir."
And for once, the chimera smiled inside as he pocketed his winning coins into a stack, even to the chagrin of Amelia.
"You're going to play again." Amelia was tugging on his arm to get him to ante up, clearly trying to lighten his spirits into enjoying the game of chance.
And Zelgadis played on, even surprising Amelia.
---o--o--o---
Lina stared down at the shrine maiden, shocked at the large cash purse she now held in front of her. Lina had somehow persuaded Sylphiel to take a bit of a 'break," from her dice game and explain the situation.
"Well, you see..." Sylphiel was not at all used to the spotlight. She grabbed her collar to let in a bit of fresh air. "You see, I came down here to help my old friend Shorkin and his school. They are in need of teachers while they're school is in session."
Lina moaned. "Yea, that explains why you're in this Cepheid forsaken place. But what the hell are you doing with all these chips!"
Sylphiel blushed. "Oh...well, you see, the land tax is due on 'Monte Darlo school for Orphans' by noon tomorrow, otherwise Mr. Turnip is going to take the school by order of the mayor."
"You mean, the guy who owns this casino? The guy who's face is plastered to every sign?"
"Um-huh. Mr. Turnip wants to build more hotels and casino in this town. And since the school is located within the city walls, the land is very desirable."
"Why doesn't he just build it somewhere else?" asked Gourry.
Lina clubbed Gourry in the back of the head. "Be quiet, jellyfish for brains. I'm trying to figure out what's going on!"
Sylphiel continued her little tale. "So I took what money I had and went to the banks for additional loans. But they didn't help me. It like I can just go for money and I didn't have enough, so I came here...and thank Cepheid-"
"You WHAT!"
"Well, I never gambled before. I needed a lot of luck, so I thought it would be a good idea...you know, I never asked before..."
Line grumbled as she nodded her head, covering it with her hand. Heh, it would be like almost praying for her sister, thought the sorceress. Wha? She couldn't believe she was just thinking of that! Evil thoughts! Evil thoughts! That would just be unthinkable-
"Lina?" asked Sylphiel.
Lina waved her hand in front of her face while she swallowed her breath. "Really...*gulp*...I'm fine!"
Sylphiel eyed Lina for a sec but dared not make a peep.
"So, how much is the tax bill?" interjected Gourry, not knowing what he had missed before but nevertheless asking a pointed question for once.
"Well, you see..."
"Yea, so it looks like you got over 1000 gildings here." Lina wasn't really interested in Sylphiel's little problem per say, as the sorcerer helped bundle the shrine maiden's money into 100 count bags.
Sylphiel gulped and tried to put on her fast face. "....I know..." she sheepishly answered. "But, the tax bill is only for 400 gildings."
"Eh?" Lina's jaw just dropped. "But that means-"
"Oh, Gourry! What am I going to do?" The innocent priest was rather distraught and in tears as she clutched as the swordsman's cloak, burying her head in Gourry's chest.
"Sylphiel?" Gourry could only respond quizzically as he wrapped his arm around her.
"I know, I just loved the attention, the game, and he just kept handing me the dice..."
"Geesh." Lina took a minute to look at her nails. Hmmm, thought Lina, I think I'll need to pick up some more nail polish. The paint is really coming off my pinkie. Must be all those fireball spells...
The two of them continued to hug and talk silently. Finally, Lina followed her mind, breaking the two them up in a bit of impatience. "We should really figure out what's going on here," as she split the two of them apart.
"Err...sorry Lina." said Gourry.
Lina let Gourry slide as her attention shifted to the shrine maiden gambling woman. "Look, Sylphiel, we'll do something to repent for you." Gourry was making the strangest faces to Lina, but the sorcerer ignored him. "I promise we'll stop at a Temple to Cepheid on our way back. OK?"
The shrine maiden looked at Lina blankly as she tilted her head aside slightly, her mouth ajar.
"OK, A big temple to Cepheid." Lina was making I've got a fish 'this big' motion with her hands.
Sylphiel didn't budge an inch.
"Alright!" grumbled the sorcerer. "I'll join you at an onsen afterwards. I swear." Lina immediately regretted her choice of words. As soon as she heard them with her own ears, Sylphiel glomped her.
"Really! Oh, thank you Lina!. I don't know what I'd do without you!" as she tightly huggled the sorcerer.
"Heh, don't mention it." Lina sweetly let out a little smile as she felt Sylphiel's emotional self. "Actually, you might need some help carrying all this cash around. How about a bodyguard? I swear I won't charge that much..."
"You won't charge me that much?" Sylphiel squeezed a little harder. "Are you sure."
Lina nodded.
"Oh, thank you, Lina!"
"Heh, no problem. Now, could you stop hugging me, Sylphiel?"
"Oh, sorry..." The shrine maiden blushed a slight pink, but nevertheless backed off for a second.
"Lina Inverse?" interrupted one of the Turnip security guards.
"Yea, that's me!" Lina turned around to find a gaggle of security forces around a well-dressed man. The guards were all huddled around Turnip, escorting him onto the casino floor.
Wearing an expensive camel-colored coat, the man of attention had perfect formed chin, Turnip's face was neatly chiseled for a man. Flanked on both sides were security personnel, armed with mini-crossbows that were thankfully unarmed and mounted on their own belts.
"Who's that?" questioned Gourry, as he whispered in Lina's ear.
"That's Turnip!" answered one of the casino lowlifes within the earshot of Lina. "He's never on the casino floor!"
The sorcerer didn't have to be told anything else. "I'm going to talk to the guy."
"Are you sure if that's a good idea?" said Sylphiel.
"Sure. Come on." Lina ran right to her visitor as the guards parted a path right to Turnip.
"Lina Inverse, I presume." The well-dressed man was immediately unimpressed with the sorcerer. "What can I do for you?" It was a voice of royalty, a voice of authority. His perfectly sculpted blond hair was cut neatly and tidy. An examination of his richly clothes were coverings fit for a king: a camel suit and jacket, shiny brown shoes, and a fluffy white shirt. Turnip's fingers were all lined with expensive gold jewelry, yet he also wore white gloves.
"Your previous actions in the past have dictated you to be a very powerful woman," said Turnip. "So what is on your mind?"
Lina almost blushed. "Heh, that's very nice of you to say..." She paused for a second before blurting out, a bit spellbound by all the riches. "Hey...who do you think you are? Tearing down the Monte Darlo School for Orphans?"
Turnip ruffled for a second, annoyed by Lina's pointed words. The head guardsman leaned into Turnip's ear and whispered a few choice items before he answered. "So you're heard. Well, that shabbily school is one of the last pieces of property in this town that I do not own. After all, the mayor is almost a figurehead in this town, as I already run the security inside and outside the city walls as a 'service' to Monte Darlo."
The sorceress was getting annoyed at the ego of Turnip. "All those children. You wouldn't throw them out on the city, would you?" Lina was putting her 'little girl' charm on to no avail.
Turnip's eyes glazed over. Lina could swear Turnip's pupils were clouding up right in front of her. Her instinct told her that fiery souls hid behind those clouded pupils. It was raw...no it was angry...
"Actually, it doesn't matter, really," said the sorcerer. "We already have enough money to bail the school out of its tax bill. Right, Sylphiel?"
The shrine maiden nodded.
Turnip came closer as his face unmasked a very threatening look. "What do you expect of me, Lina Inverse? The tax office doesn't open until ten o'clock tomorrow morning. It would be 'unfortunate' if something were to happen to you in the meanwhile..."
"Why you..." The sorcerer leaped out at Turnip. She was about to throttle him, if it wasn't for Sylphiel holding onto her cape. "You wouldn't dare."
Turnip's guards came closer, protecting their leader. "I see, Ms. Inverse. You have no manners at all." And Turnip bemused himself and laughed.
"Lina," Sylphiel begged, still holding the sorcerer by the cape. "Please think of the kids. If you make a scene here, you'll have the whole place on us. This town lives because of people like Turnip. And who knows what would happen to those kids." She was almost pleading on her knees for Lina to stop.
The petite redhead sighed. "Yea, you're so right. The rich baka isn't worth it."
Growling for a second, she turned away, leaving Turnip to himself.
"How annoying, this Lina Inverse." Turnip looked around in distaste. "Head guardsman! Report!"
"We have to deal with the usual riff-raff of incidences. Someone tried sneaking in a fairy into the casino again. Damn those goodie two-shoes, they'll give the whole place craps in no time. Also, Timothy took care of some bandits at the front door, the red-striped gang will no longer be a problem for Monte Darlo."
"Good. Anything else?"
"Yea, several people have asked to meet with you. I have done the usual and refused them all. However, there is one individual in your waiting room, who keeps mentioning his "Inverse tax" plan. I thought this might be of interest to you."
"Inverse tax. Heh, I wonder if it has anything to do with our annoying guest." Turnip eyes lit up in pleasure. "Good job. I will take care of that red-headed brat."
"Sir?"
"It seems she's going to be a major pain in my side." Turnip took off his white gloves and slapped them into the head guardsman's hands. "I will meet with this "Inverse tax" fellow right away.
"Yes, sir."
---o--o--o---
"Dealer busts! We have more winners!"
Amelia looks over at the chimera. For the first time, in a long time, it looked like Zelgadis was having fun. In front of him was a sizeable and growing stack of coins.
Oh, its about time, thought Amelia. Rock doesn't smile that often. But she wasn't very happy with her own efforts, for she was rapidly losing her extra coinage to the house.
"Well, thank you ladies, gentleman," clapped the dealer. "But even this dealer needs a break. Excuse me."
Still, Amelia was having a hard time expressing herself to the chimera in the last few days. It seemed at every chance, she was either too young, too small, or too naïve at the situation at hand. Damn it, what was it going to take?
The new dealer loudly slapped his hands together. Nobody paid any attention to the new card shuffler. "Everyone looks like they have anted up their bets, so lets deal." The dealer suavely dealt cards out to the rest of the group, announcing their hands in utter flatness.
"Oh, two face cards. Well, you're out of luck."
"And two aces there. No chance."
"An 18. Too bad."
"A nine and an ace. But you've lost."
"And there's another 20. What a waste."
"Hey! What's the story?" questioned a loud patron in the shoe spot.
Zelgadis looked up right into the face of Xellos. Instead of his usual costumed trickster, Xellos was costuming as a Turnip casino dealer. His uniform, of course, was freshly pressed and immaculate. 'Xellos Metallium, Wolf Pack Island' read the flashy casino name badge, hung tagged to his chest. Even his usual Mazoku staff was missing.
The overhead casino lights seemed to take a bit of the starch out of his look, but to Amelia and Zel, he was still a scary sight to see the presence of the mysterious priest.
"What are doing here, Xellos?" flashed Zelgadis.
"Ah, do we have a complaint? I so suggest you talk to the management of this place and maybe, just maybe, they'll do something about it."
Zelgadis frowned. Whatever the reason Xellos was here, it was bound to be attached to some kind of trouble. He was happy enough tossing a few coins into this time-killing game waiting for Lina. What he didn't need was the company of misery.
Xellos already had a black ten showing as he turned over the dealer's hole card. "An ace of spades. Blackjack for dealer and I mean that literally."
"Ah, Mr. Xellos," asked Amelia with a bit of cautiousness, "Where is Wolf Pack Island?" Amelia was surely used to having the Mazoku around, almost as a part of the family.
The chimera could almost swear Amelia was befriending the Mazoku.
"My dear princess, its a little far off place just south of the Demon Sea."
"Oh really, a vacation spot-"
"Ah, not exactly. My master has some nice wolves. I'm sure they would make you their little midnight snack."
A once curious Amelia gulped as she put head down, silently putting up a small ante for the next round.
The trickster priest was busy picking raking up losing bets from the other side of the table. The other patrons took it as a sign, deserting their seats at the blackjack table, leaving just the three of them.
"What do you want, Mazoku."
"Why, my dear chimera. How do you know I want something?"
"You always want something. And you never tell any of us crap." Zelgadis steamed his mouth at the end of each sentence, threatening to blow the Mazoku down in one huff.
"My chimera friend, how right you are." Xellos put this hand up to his chin in the thinking trance. "Well, I guess this time I'll have to spill my beans..."
Zelgadis growled as he arched his neck higher. "Yea, right. Tell me already before I get really mad."
"Alright already. However, first I think you need to place an appropriate bet." The mysterious priest pointed to Zel's betting spot with his index finger. "Let's see some money."
The chimera tossed in the minimum ante of two coins into his betting circle.
"Anoo..." smiled Xellos. "I said a proper bet." The Mazoku eyed his patron suspiciously as he reshuffled the deck of cards.
Zelgadis wordlessly dragged in another couple of coins with his fingertips, annoyed as ever.
"Zelgadis Greywards, if you expect to learn something about how you might be able to remove your curse, I suggest you ante up a bit more."
Zelgadis pushed in his entire stack of coin and chips.
Amelia is visibility alarmed as she shook at the chimera's elbow. " Zel! What are you doing?"
"Stay out of this." Zelgadis pushed the princess back into her stool. "I know what I'm doing."
"But we could eat like actual royalty for a week and maybe even order some Dragon cuisine!" But Amelia's response quickly fell on Zel's deaf ears.
"Ah, so. We have a game of it." The mysterious priest rubbed in hands together in an excited manner. "Care you plop your soul up there as well?"
"Get on with it already, cupcake." The chimera's eyes were lit up like roman candles.
"So be it. It might be worth it."
Xellos dealt the chimera two face cards. "As I was saying, this city has a magical protection force around it. You can cast light spells and such, but anything more complicated than that is unfortunately impossible."
"Why is that?" Zelgadis was not expecting a straight answer.
Xellos nodded. "Its always something in the air, I suppose. As for here, it seems the astral plane is quite 'locked' up here. It has been like this for some time."
Zelgadis didn't believe the Mazoku. Leaning over to the other side of the table, he tried to cast a spell.
"FIREBALL!" He spoke the spell quietly, trying to form the perfected ball of flame into his hand.
Nothing happened.
"You didn't believe me," said Xellos. "It's not like I've lied to you before."
Zelgadis growled. "No, more like hid the truth."
"Nevertheless, how fortunate you didn't burn this place to the ground."
The chimera eyed the costumed dealer cautiously. For Xellos to enjoy such a place and not destroy it must mean it had some sort of value to the Mazoku. "So, what does this have to do with me?"
"Ah, the point of it. Of course. Well, the mayor of this town has in his possession a box."
"A box, now even for you, Xellos, that makes very little sense," said Zel. "Boxes are quite common is these lands."
Xellos ignored the chimera's attempt at distain humor. "No, it's a very special box, my friend. Once called the Lynx box, this mysterious box has been around for centuries, possibly even before my existence."
"A mysterious box for the mysterious priest. I think I'm liking this story."
"I dare say you will. Anyway, the Lynx box supposedly has the power to divide the astral plane from the reality plane." Xellos finished the deal by showing his up card as a six.
Zelgadis ears perked up as he watched Amelia play her 15 out by busting.
"I'll stay..."
Xellos turned over the dealer's down card to find he had a queen
"So, the Lynx box is keeping us from using magic." The chimera sneered at his conclusions. "Since we're unable to touch the astral plane."
Zelgadis smiled. And it wasn't just his secure hand of twenty. Xellos the dealer was stuck on 16 and had to hit.
"You're going to beat that Mazoku for once," said Amelia.
"You have me in a difficult situation, I will try to live up the expectations of a dealer." Taping the chute deck twice, Xellos sweatdropped has he lifted a card from the chute. Not even looking, Xellos placed the card symbolically face-up across his dealer hand.
The five of spades.
"Ah, the dealer has 21. Better luck next time. I do hope you try harder." In one fell swoop, the trickster priest vacuumed away the chimera's sizeable bet, depositing the coins half-hazardly into the cash box.
The two travelers were in utter shock.
"I thought...you had him..." answered the princess.
"Well, time for me to go, I believe they've stuck me at the roulette table." And before Zelgadis could even answer, Xellos was gone in a flash.
"Come back here, you thief!" Frustrated, he banged onto the empty Blackjack table. Only the leftover card chute was still there, so Zelgadis swung at it in frustration, flipping chute everywhere. Cards turned over everywhere.
Zelgadis looked at the scattered cards. He reach for a few more and turned them over.
A five of spades. And another five of spades.
They were all five of spades.
"XELLOS!!!!!!"
---o--o--o---
"Did you hear something, Lina?" asked Gourry.
The three of them were reclining in an upscale lounge off the large casino floor. Gourry was pounding away ale, the leftover foam sticking to his chin. Lina was also sipping a rather colorful beverage, a sweet concoction of fruit juices and alcohol.
"Gourry, I didn't hear anything." Sylphiel was indulging in her own drink of passion, a hot-chocolate concoction laced...with mini-marshmallows.
"I'll have another ale." Gourry mentioned to the server.
"Isn't that your third?" said Sylphiel.
"Yea, guess so. But thinking about swordplay school got me into a drinking mood. Heh, I haven't had this much fun in a long time." He tilted back and looked at the ceiling. "Ahh, so nice here...nothing could ever happen here."
"Hmm?" Lina didn't feel like paying attention to Gourry, her mind still concentrating on how good her drink was. She took another sip of the concoction. "You're going to curse us for sure. When was the last time you drank ale, anyway?"
"Uhhh, back in swordsman's school. But I was told never to drink again because...*hic*..."
Sylphiel sweat dropped. This surely wasn't a great time hanging with Lina and Gourry in a casino, but she had to stick around until 10 a.m. the next day to pay the tax bill for the orphans. She didn't think it could get much worse.
The server came back with a giant mug of beer and placed it in front of the blond swordsman. Gourry picked it off the table in seconds.
"Gourry! What are you doing?"
"...glub! I'm drinking more ale..." Lina was making grabbing motions for Gourry's glass, her attempts a second too late.
"You drunk! You have absolutely no tolerance for the stuff. You're so lucky Sylphiel is paying for this."
Sylphiel sighed. Oh, too late to leave.
Lina was furious. "I'm getting the bill!" She stared at her protector who was flopped back in his chair like a dead fish. In frustration, she swiped the arriving check in disgust and read the bill.
"What! Inverse tax!" Lina crumpled the tab in her hand. "What in the world!"
"Heh...heh....heh...!!" Gourry was laughing hysterically, pointing to Lina as he slumped over in a drunken stupor.
"What is that, Lina?" asked the innocent shrine maiden, looking at the sorcerer in a state of puzzlement. "I've never heard of Inverse tax before."
"Well," said Lina, "You see, this nut decided to add a fee to my bill. Called me a walking disaster." She pounded her hand on the table. "I get so annoyed even thinking about it!"
"It's the most...*hic*...brilliant idea...*hic*...that anyone has come up...*hic* with..."
I'm going to make him pass out, thought Lina, and it's going to hurt like Phibrizzo's hell in the morning. She was about to pound Gourry into the ground like the dumb blond he was - when a shadow over her interrupted her thoughts.
"That's right, Lina Inverse!"
Lina turned her head around. "Biru!" She scurried out of the chair. "Why the hell are you following me here!"
"You see, I talked to this establishment's owner. When Turnip actually heard my idea for Inverse tax, he was more then thrilled to help me out."
Lina sweat dropped.
The innkeeper smiled down at the redheaded sorcerer. "I'm here to collect on that drink tab of yours, including the tax. Otherwise, these nice Turnip guards are going to put you in jail for a few days, to keep you nice and safe."
Lina put both her hands on her hips. "So you're Turnip's henchboy now. Figures the egoistical guy couldn't do his own laundry."
"Now, Lina," pointed Biru. "I do suggest you cooperate. Otherwise, there might be even more severe consequences."
"I didn't get to blast you out of existence the last time because now I'm going to really enjoy it now." Lina was sure that Biru was going to be on the extra crispy side.
"FLARE ARROW!"
Nothing happened. Lina looked at her fingers in shock.
"Heh, that's even better...*hic*...than Sylphiel...*hic*..." Gourry was stirring around, using the lounge chair for support.
"FLARE LANCE!"
Zippo. Lina was hopping up and down, wondering what in the world was going on with her powers. She was sure it wasn't the curse, for that blasted thing was last week.
"Lina! What's wrong with your magic?" asked Sylphiel. "Did you get sealed by someone?"
"BWAHAHAH! The great Lina Inverse, powerless!" Biru was backed up by an impressive row of Turnip security forces, for there had to be at least a dozen of them with their little crossbows armed all set to shoot. "I've told them all. Inns. Restaurants. Taverns. Every place you visit will now charge you Inverse Tax until the day you die!"
Lina sweat dropped. "Are you nuts?"
More guards came closer, causing Lina to step backwards.
"Where are you going, Lina?" questioned Biru. "I'm not finished with you yet."
Lina watched as Biru's muscle encircled the sorcerer, shrine maiden, and drunk. "Turnip's men. How thoughtful of him to supply you with help." Lina was suddenly very dizzy. She thought about her most recent conversation with Turnip and decided that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to be truthful...
" Don't worry ladies! Your protector is here!" Stumbling badly, Gourry arched his sword so clumsily that he almost chopped the metal weapon into the chairs. "I will...*hic*...save you!" And exactly at the end of his little shtick, Gourry collapsed backwards into the table, spilling drinks everywhere.
"Gourry!" exclaimed Sylphiel, too late to catch him as he crashed to the ground.
Lina shook her head from side-to-side. Protector my ass, she thought. Gourry was going to get a good flogging, only when he could actually feel the pain.
"Lina.." said Sylphiel. "Any ideas?"
"Actually..." Lina turned around and winked for only Sylphiel to see.
"FIREBALL!" Lina was doing another, overdramatic motions with her arms. Sylphiel knew something was coming - something big as she scurried to peel dear Gourry off the floor.
Biru laughed as his eyes watched Lina spin like a crazed dancer. To him, the entire city was practically a spell-free zone, so he had no worries with handling the great Lina Inverse. What he wasn't watching were the little steel balls that rolled just past his feet.
*BOOOM!!*
*BOOOM!!*
*BOOOM!!*
"Let's get out of here!" The two power-wielding women were up in a flash.
"What did you do, Lina?" Sylphiel was somehow carrying Gourry on her back. She has rescued and healed quite a few warriors before, including one Lina Inverse. But Gourry was the heaviest she had ever carried.
"Oh, just some cute toys I picked up from a old 'friend.' Knew they would come in handy during my monthly curses, never thought I'd use them here..." Lina knew those where the last of the 'bombs', but she still had a small pistol in her far back pocket for a very emergency situation. This wasn't one of them. She smiled to the shrine maiden as they disappeared in back into the casino crowds.
The multiple clouds of black gunpowder smoke quick dissipated. Biru and the Turnip guards weren't exactly crispy, but they were surely blackened from the salt peter.
"Find them! Now!"
---o--o--o---
"There it is."
The two of them were in their inn room on the quiet side of town. After a quick bite and a few stops in the pawn shops, (yes, the shops that never close, mind you!) Zelgadis found what he needed.
The chimera unrolled the street map of Monde Darlo. "The guy downstairs said that the main mayor's offices are actually in this main building here, in Turnip Plaza. Damn, this guy owns everything in town."
The city was laid out in the pattern of five-sided star. "Doesn't the shape of the city lines remind you of anything?"
"You're telling me," chimed Amelia.
Zelgadis immediately noted that Turnip Plaza was smack dab in the middle of the city, easily the highest building as well with its very tall main tower. The casino was attached on one side, but the other side was just a paved street. Zel pointed to the other side earnestly. "This way might be better. Turnip sure doesn't hide the fact too well."
Amelia nodded in approval. "Yea, it sure looks like it."
The chimera turned to the backpacks behind him. He pulled out long circles of line, making sure the rope was in fair condition. Then, he attached a series of grappler hooks to the ends.
"What do you need that stuff for?" questioned Amelia.
"I'm going to take a look. I must." Zelgadis continued to coil the line, without ever looking up. "If that thing can dampen magic per say, then maybe, it can remove the magic from my body as well."
Amelia jumped on her bed, pointing down at the chimera all in one motion. "That's...stealing. I can't allow you to go in...and take that 'box.'"
"I'm not taking the 'box'...I'm just be looking at it..."
"Oh...but you'll be trespassing." The princess swallowed her tongue.
Zelgadis put his pack down and sat on the bed next to Amelia. He had actually never sat up right next to the princess, at least so close to her...close enough to smell the beautiful scents from her. It was a bit of a distraction.
"You know my goals and my pain." He looked squarely into Amelia's eyes as he finished his preparations. "Then you know I'm going, no matter my personal cost."
Amelia was close to tearing in sadness as she bent her head down. "Hai. I understand."
Zelgadis silently packed up his stuff, ready to go. He had slipped on a dark cloak to hide his thieving presence. As he headed to the door, he looked back at Amelia who firmly spoke up.
"Wait. I'm coming with you."
The chimera was not surprised. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Amelia now had her pack on as she prepped herself for their nighttime mission. "Justice sees in the dark, but sometimes it needs a bit of help to find the truth." The princess sighed and continued. "I just hope you're right, Zel."
"I am." The chimera tossed another dark cloak to Amelia. "Got this downstairs as well. I kind of figured you'd come along."
Amelia smiled.
---o--o--o---
Lina and Sylphiel ran through the casino floor, dragging the almost unconscious Gourry. Lina was having a hard time, fending off the curious crowd with her mouth. "Heh, he lost too much money and passed out, really! No he's fine I tell you! No, he's not available for dress-up parties!"
" Lina, I think they're still after us," commented Sylphiel.
"Baka." Lina lifted the head of her blond protector has the rest of him leaned on Sylphiel. "Have you ever seen Gourry like this?"
"No, I have no idea he was such a lush."
The pint-sized sorcerer turned around to view the large crowd. She could see lines of keystone security guards making a beeline to her current position. "It's like they know we're here!"
The sword-wielding drunk started to stir back into consciousness. "Ugh...*hic*...what in Cepheid...happened to me."
"You got run over by a dragon on skates..." said Lina to the half-sleepy Gourry.
Gourry shook his head. "Really? I must have been fun roller skating!"
"You passed out, jellyfish for brains! Don't you remember what happened a few minutes ago?" One could swear Lina's eyes were breathing fire.
"Ummm. I think so."
"Never mind." Lina had her hand in a tight fist as she knocked on the swordsman's head like checking a coconut for leaks. "In fact, don't answer my stupid questions."
Gourry looked up at Lina for a sec, apparently still not all there from even his usual self. "Heh...chaotic sorcerer...beating me....yummy..."
"HENTAI!!" Lina smacked Gourry easily out of Sylphiel's hands, making him fall to the ground. "You noodle head!"
"Ooof!" Gourry was on the floor, sputtering around like a fish out of water.
Lina knew she needed to buy some time. It would only be a few minutes until they'd be surrounded by the hoards of security personnel. It was bad enough that they were mobbed with people, only if-
"Sylphiel, come here." The sorcerer motioned for the purple-dressed shrine maiden to come closer.
Without another word, Lina made a grab for Sylphiel's belt, taking a couple of bags of coins.
"Miss Lina! What are you doing?" questioned Sylphiel.
"I don't know. No, I actually do know. I'm saving our skin, even if its one of the most painful things I've ever done." Hands trembled as Lina gathered the coins in her hands. "One breakfast, two dinners, countless lunches." Lina was counting off coins like she was going to a death march.
She turned to the approaching guards as they again formed a crude semi-circle around the three of them. One stepped up and advanced on their position.
"Surrender, now!" He smile was not of a happy sort.
The sorcerer winked at the head guard, turning around at the same time, reaching....then throwing...
"Money!" was Lina's yell, as she tossed the coins into the air. "Money from Cepheid!"
The casino crowd heard the converged on Lina's position, running over other patrons, guards, chairs, and anything else in the way.
"Gildlings!"
"Gold!"
Sensing a free meal and maybe a whole lot more, the crowd rushed in like a tsunami.
"Please remain calm! Please!" shouted one Turnip casino worker, just before the mad crowd stampeded him down. They swarmed all over the place like bees to honey.
"Heh, serves them right! Let's go," announced Lina as she and Sylphiel grabbed the sleeping Gourry and took off.
---o--o--o---
Xellos just loved casinos. Yes, there was a lot of positive emotion in the air: the joy of getting a quick jackpot, or perhaps the knowledge of making out ahead. But most casinos were moneymaking machines -- which means they took money, opportunities, and people's lives. They were the perfect emotional sinkhole -- incredible bouts of anger, depression, and sadness, as the casino took people's lives.
So Xellos would stand for hours, unnoticed, overlooking the crowd of conflicting sensations. The extreme highs and lows were like having bouts of climaxes and depressions at the same time. The result was an orgy of feelings that made for a such stimulating ride.
But it was important business that was on his mind as he walked away from the casino floor to the private gambling floors above. Back in his normal persona, it was here that he was to report in.
Xellos entered a luxurious suite, lined with the thickest of shag rugs, dark oaken cabinets, decorated with antiques from an earlier time. The wall mountings held long-stemmed black wax candles, the beckoning light illuminated the details of the private room; there was enough realistic charm to sooth senses to a dull roar.
"My lord Zelas." He quietly bowed with his right arm over his chest.
"Xellos." Zelas was seated at a card table, currently playing poker with several other lower Mazoku. She turned her attention away from the game.
Zelas Beastmaster was dressed in her usual costume: high boots, a simple black dress, with plenty of gold jewelry. In her left hand was a cigarette in a long gold holder. Next to her right hand was a glass of brandy, recently swirling from being sipped.
She leaned back. "I understand why this place appeals to you, Xellos. Such a smorgasbord, it is an ideal place to get away to."
Xellos nodded at his master. "Yes, my lord."
The mysterious priest looked down at the poker table. Zelas had most of the coinage between the four players. It was apparent that the lesser Mazoku's: nicknamed Larry, Moe, and Curly, that they were outclassed, or they were letting Zelas win.
Zelas sighed. Yea, beating up her little henchmen in a game of poker was so dull. She was thinking of stashing on some pour human souls, but a scene at Turnip's casino was something she was trying to avoid.
"You are dismissed." Xellos quickly bowed again and was out of the room in a flash.
The greater beast turned back to the card game. "OK, boys, what have you got-"
It was the voice of a shadowy figure from the other side of the room that interrupted Zelas' fleeting thoughts of winning another hand.
"Are you sure about him?"
The lesser Mazokus were all shaking in fear at the voice. They did not dare say one word.
Zelas silently took a long sip of her brandy before answering. "I don't like your tone. You could be a little more respectable to my priest-general. Besides, you know he can't disobey me."
"Nevertheless, he will learn."
"Yes, I'm afraid he always does. They don't call him the mysterious priest for nothing."
The shadowed voice ruffled but did not omit a word.
"I assume you are gathering as well?" Zelas was now turned around in her chair as she spoke into the darkness.
"I am...yet...I don't think it was a good idea."
"You must. It's your problem as well. You were part of it as well." Zelas lit another cigarette, throwing the match onto the floor while placing the cigarette in her holder. "Damn Phibrizzo's mess. I wish he took care of it but he never could, I suppose."
The voice ruffled again. "There aren't much of us left anymore..."
Zelas took long puffs on her cigarette, blowing smoke rings into the air. Instead of responding, she just sighed quietly.
"Be thankful there are enough of us." Quickly, the voice dissipated back into the shadows.
"True...true...."
---o--o--o---
[Lina] Am I just going to be chased around with my 'sleepy' Gourry all night?
[Author] Hmmm, I think I have you going in circles for at least two or three more chapters. Let me check my notes.
[Lina] Wha! Are you crazy! I'm going to take you out!
[Author] And, my Lina...what are going to do about it? {goes to grab large eraser...}
[Lina] Heh...ummm...*sweatdrops*...nothing! I swear! {checks her black book for L-Sama's number} BTW, do you have a phone I can borrow?
[Author] Umm, no.
[Lina] Damn!
---o--o--o---
[Lina] I think you had better explain yourself, sister! I can't believe you're here! Now, tell me what is going on!
[Sylphiel] Umm...maybe because... Sore wa himitsu desu! {puts finger on her lips}
[Xellos] {pops in behind Sylphiel, and gooses her} My dear, I believe you're learning...
[Lina] Wha?! You're going to copy his move as well!
---o--o--o---
Slayers: Clouds!
Chapter 2:
Deal! Time to get Blackjack!
---o--o--o---
Zelgadis growled. He'd rather be curled up in an inn with glass of merlot and a good book right now, but no! He had to be stuck in this 'fairy' land of card games and characters.
Amelia, on the other hand, seemed to be having to time of her life as she looked at all the action. Gee, she had been to Las Vega before. And it looked like it when she dragged the chimera to the blackjack table.
"Look, I'm going to play a few rounds. I love blackjack. After all, Daddy doesn't have to know...right?" Amelia looked at him with her patented puppy dog eyes. And the chimera even surprised himself when he didn't say no.
Still, Zelgadis grumbled as they sat down in two empty seats at the blackjack table. He was in no mood to play.
"Here are some coins, Zelgadis. Come on, it will be fun!" The princess was doing her best to cheer him up.
Damn! Where are Lina and Gourry, thought the chimera. When I get my hands on those two-
"Sir, you have 11. Would you like a hit?"
Zelgadis looked up from his slumber to see that he had a 7 and a 4 card. The dealers up card was showing a seven. Without a doubt, he motioned for another card.
"Are you sure-" asked Amelia, but Zelgadis had already turned to the princess with a look that could light firewood. "Don't you want to-"
For never playing this adult game, Amelia sure knew the rules of blackjack pretty damn well.
"And a 10, sir."
"You go!" It was apparent that even Amelia could not be down for long after her four-card bust.
"Dealer has 17. Congratulations, sir."
And for once, the chimera smiled inside as he pocketed his winning coins into a stack, even to the chagrin of Amelia.
"You're going to play again." Amelia was tugging on his arm to get him to ante up, clearly trying to lighten his spirits into enjoying the game of chance.
And Zelgadis played on, even surprising Amelia.
---o--o--o---
Lina stared down at the shrine maiden, shocked at the large cash purse she now held in front of her. Lina had somehow persuaded Sylphiel to take a bit of a 'break," from her dice game and explain the situation.
"Well, you see..." Sylphiel was not at all used to the spotlight. She grabbed her collar to let in a bit of fresh air. "You see, I came down here to help my old friend Shorkin and his school. They are in need of teachers while they're school is in session."
Lina moaned. "Yea, that explains why you're in this Cepheid forsaken place. But what the hell are you doing with all these chips!"
Sylphiel blushed. "Oh...well, you see, the land tax is due on 'Monte Darlo school for Orphans' by noon tomorrow, otherwise Mr. Turnip is going to take the school by order of the mayor."
"You mean, the guy who owns this casino? The guy who's face is plastered to every sign?"
"Um-huh. Mr. Turnip wants to build more hotels and casino in this town. And since the school is located within the city walls, the land is very desirable."
"Why doesn't he just build it somewhere else?" asked Gourry.
Lina clubbed Gourry in the back of the head. "Be quiet, jellyfish for brains. I'm trying to figure out what's going on!"
Sylphiel continued her little tale. "So I took what money I had and went to the banks for additional loans. But they didn't help me. It like I can just go for money and I didn't have enough, so I came here...and thank Cepheid-"
"You WHAT!"
"Well, I never gambled before. I needed a lot of luck, so I thought it would be a good idea...you know, I never asked before..."
Line grumbled as she nodded her head, covering it with her hand. Heh, it would be like almost praying for her sister, thought the sorceress. Wha? She couldn't believe she was just thinking of that! Evil thoughts! Evil thoughts! That would just be unthinkable-
"Lina?" asked Sylphiel.
Lina waved her hand in front of her face while she swallowed her breath. "Really...*gulp*...I'm fine!"
Sylphiel eyed Lina for a sec but dared not make a peep.
"So, how much is the tax bill?" interjected Gourry, not knowing what he had missed before but nevertheless asking a pointed question for once.
"Well, you see..."
"Yea, so it looks like you got over 1000 gildings here." Lina wasn't really interested in Sylphiel's little problem per say, as the sorcerer helped bundle the shrine maiden's money into 100 count bags.
Sylphiel gulped and tried to put on her fast face. "....I know..." she sheepishly answered. "But, the tax bill is only for 400 gildings."
"Eh?" Lina's jaw just dropped. "But that means-"
"Oh, Gourry! What am I going to do?" The innocent priest was rather distraught and in tears as she clutched as the swordsman's cloak, burying her head in Gourry's chest.
"Sylphiel?" Gourry could only respond quizzically as he wrapped his arm around her.
"I know, I just loved the attention, the game, and he just kept handing me the dice..."
"Geesh." Lina took a minute to look at her nails. Hmmm, thought Lina, I think I'll need to pick up some more nail polish. The paint is really coming off my pinkie. Must be all those fireball spells...
The two of them continued to hug and talk silently. Finally, Lina followed her mind, breaking the two them up in a bit of impatience. "We should really figure out what's going on here," as she split the two of them apart.
"Err...sorry Lina." said Gourry.
Lina let Gourry slide as her attention shifted to the shrine maiden gambling woman. "Look, Sylphiel, we'll do something to repent for you." Gourry was making the strangest faces to Lina, but the sorcerer ignored him. "I promise we'll stop at a Temple to Cepheid on our way back. OK?"
The shrine maiden looked at Lina blankly as she tilted her head aside slightly, her mouth ajar.
"OK, A big temple to Cepheid." Lina was making I've got a fish 'this big' motion with her hands.
Sylphiel didn't budge an inch.
"Alright!" grumbled the sorcerer. "I'll join you at an onsen afterwards. I swear." Lina immediately regretted her choice of words. As soon as she heard them with her own ears, Sylphiel glomped her.
"Really! Oh, thank you Lina!. I don't know what I'd do without you!" as she tightly huggled the sorcerer.
"Heh, don't mention it." Lina sweetly let out a little smile as she felt Sylphiel's emotional self. "Actually, you might need some help carrying all this cash around. How about a bodyguard? I swear I won't charge that much..."
"You won't charge me that much?" Sylphiel squeezed a little harder. "Are you sure."
Lina nodded.
"Oh, thank you, Lina!"
"Heh, no problem. Now, could you stop hugging me, Sylphiel?"
"Oh, sorry..." The shrine maiden blushed a slight pink, but nevertheless backed off for a second.
"Lina Inverse?" interrupted one of the Turnip security guards.
"Yea, that's me!" Lina turned around to find a gaggle of security forces around a well-dressed man. The guards were all huddled around Turnip, escorting him onto the casino floor.
Wearing an expensive camel-colored coat, the man of attention had perfect formed chin, Turnip's face was neatly chiseled for a man. Flanked on both sides were security personnel, armed with mini-crossbows that were thankfully unarmed and mounted on their own belts.
"Who's that?" questioned Gourry, as he whispered in Lina's ear.
"That's Turnip!" answered one of the casino lowlifes within the earshot of Lina. "He's never on the casino floor!"
The sorcerer didn't have to be told anything else. "I'm going to talk to the guy."
"Are you sure if that's a good idea?" said Sylphiel.
"Sure. Come on." Lina ran right to her visitor as the guards parted a path right to Turnip.
"Lina Inverse, I presume." The well-dressed man was immediately unimpressed with the sorcerer. "What can I do for you?" It was a voice of royalty, a voice of authority. His perfectly sculpted blond hair was cut neatly and tidy. An examination of his richly clothes were coverings fit for a king: a camel suit and jacket, shiny brown shoes, and a fluffy white shirt. Turnip's fingers were all lined with expensive gold jewelry, yet he also wore white gloves.
"Your previous actions in the past have dictated you to be a very powerful woman," said Turnip. "So what is on your mind?"
Lina almost blushed. "Heh, that's very nice of you to say..." She paused for a second before blurting out, a bit spellbound by all the riches. "Hey...who do you think you are? Tearing down the Monte Darlo School for Orphans?"
Turnip ruffled for a second, annoyed by Lina's pointed words. The head guardsman leaned into Turnip's ear and whispered a few choice items before he answered. "So you're heard. Well, that shabbily school is one of the last pieces of property in this town that I do not own. After all, the mayor is almost a figurehead in this town, as I already run the security inside and outside the city walls as a 'service' to Monte Darlo."
The sorceress was getting annoyed at the ego of Turnip. "All those children. You wouldn't throw them out on the city, would you?" Lina was putting her 'little girl' charm on to no avail.
Turnip's eyes glazed over. Lina could swear Turnip's pupils were clouding up right in front of her. Her instinct told her that fiery souls hid behind those clouded pupils. It was raw...no it was angry...
"Actually, it doesn't matter, really," said the sorcerer. "We already have enough money to bail the school out of its tax bill. Right, Sylphiel?"
The shrine maiden nodded.
Turnip came closer as his face unmasked a very threatening look. "What do you expect of me, Lina Inverse? The tax office doesn't open until ten o'clock tomorrow morning. It would be 'unfortunate' if something were to happen to you in the meanwhile..."
"Why you..." The sorcerer leaped out at Turnip. She was about to throttle him, if it wasn't for Sylphiel holding onto her cape. "You wouldn't dare."
Turnip's guards came closer, protecting their leader. "I see, Ms. Inverse. You have no manners at all." And Turnip bemused himself and laughed.
"Lina," Sylphiel begged, still holding the sorcerer by the cape. "Please think of the kids. If you make a scene here, you'll have the whole place on us. This town lives because of people like Turnip. And who knows what would happen to those kids." She was almost pleading on her knees for Lina to stop.
The petite redhead sighed. "Yea, you're so right. The rich baka isn't worth it."
Growling for a second, she turned away, leaving Turnip to himself.
"How annoying, this Lina Inverse." Turnip looked around in distaste. "Head guardsman! Report!"
"We have to deal with the usual riff-raff of incidences. Someone tried sneaking in a fairy into the casino again. Damn those goodie two-shoes, they'll give the whole place craps in no time. Also, Timothy took care of some bandits at the front door, the red-striped gang will no longer be a problem for Monte Darlo."
"Good. Anything else?"
"Yea, several people have asked to meet with you. I have done the usual and refused them all. However, there is one individual in your waiting room, who keeps mentioning his "Inverse tax" plan. I thought this might be of interest to you."
"Inverse tax. Heh, I wonder if it has anything to do with our annoying guest." Turnip eyes lit up in pleasure. "Good job. I will take care of that red-headed brat."
"Sir?"
"It seems she's going to be a major pain in my side." Turnip took off his white gloves and slapped them into the head guardsman's hands. "I will meet with this "Inverse tax" fellow right away.
"Yes, sir."
---o--o--o---
"Dealer busts! We have more winners!"
Amelia looks over at the chimera. For the first time, in a long time, it looked like Zelgadis was having fun. In front of him was a sizeable and growing stack of coins.
Oh, its about time, thought Amelia. Rock doesn't smile that often. But she wasn't very happy with her own efforts, for she was rapidly losing her extra coinage to the house.
"Well, thank you ladies, gentleman," clapped the dealer. "But even this dealer needs a break. Excuse me."
Still, Amelia was having a hard time expressing herself to the chimera in the last few days. It seemed at every chance, she was either too young, too small, or too naïve at the situation at hand. Damn it, what was it going to take?
The new dealer loudly slapped his hands together. Nobody paid any attention to the new card shuffler. "Everyone looks like they have anted up their bets, so lets deal." The dealer suavely dealt cards out to the rest of the group, announcing their hands in utter flatness.
"Oh, two face cards. Well, you're out of luck."
"And two aces there. No chance."
"An 18. Too bad."
"A nine and an ace. But you've lost."
"And there's another 20. What a waste."
"Hey! What's the story?" questioned a loud patron in the shoe spot.
Zelgadis looked up right into the face of Xellos. Instead of his usual costumed trickster, Xellos was costuming as a Turnip casino dealer. His uniform, of course, was freshly pressed and immaculate. 'Xellos Metallium, Wolf Pack Island' read the flashy casino name badge, hung tagged to his chest. Even his usual Mazoku staff was missing.
The overhead casino lights seemed to take a bit of the starch out of his look, but to Amelia and Zel, he was still a scary sight to see the presence of the mysterious priest.
"What are doing here, Xellos?" flashed Zelgadis.
"Ah, do we have a complaint? I so suggest you talk to the management of this place and maybe, just maybe, they'll do something about it."
Zelgadis frowned. Whatever the reason Xellos was here, it was bound to be attached to some kind of trouble. He was happy enough tossing a few coins into this time-killing game waiting for Lina. What he didn't need was the company of misery.
Xellos already had a black ten showing as he turned over the dealer's hole card. "An ace of spades. Blackjack for dealer and I mean that literally."
"Ah, Mr. Xellos," asked Amelia with a bit of cautiousness, "Where is Wolf Pack Island?" Amelia was surely used to having the Mazoku around, almost as a part of the family.
The chimera could almost swear Amelia was befriending the Mazoku.
"My dear princess, its a little far off place just south of the Demon Sea."
"Oh really, a vacation spot-"
"Ah, not exactly. My master has some nice wolves. I'm sure they would make you their little midnight snack."
A once curious Amelia gulped as she put head down, silently putting up a small ante for the next round.
The trickster priest was busy picking raking up losing bets from the other side of the table. The other patrons took it as a sign, deserting their seats at the blackjack table, leaving just the three of them.
"What do you want, Mazoku."
"Why, my dear chimera. How do you know I want something?"
"You always want something. And you never tell any of us crap." Zelgadis steamed his mouth at the end of each sentence, threatening to blow the Mazoku down in one huff.
"My chimera friend, how right you are." Xellos put this hand up to his chin in the thinking trance. "Well, I guess this time I'll have to spill my beans..."
Zelgadis growled as he arched his neck higher. "Yea, right. Tell me already before I get really mad."
"Alright already. However, first I think you need to place an appropriate bet." The mysterious priest pointed to Zel's betting spot with his index finger. "Let's see some money."
The chimera tossed in the minimum ante of two coins into his betting circle.
"Anoo..." smiled Xellos. "I said a proper bet." The Mazoku eyed his patron suspiciously as he reshuffled the deck of cards.
Zelgadis wordlessly dragged in another couple of coins with his fingertips, annoyed as ever.
"Zelgadis Greywards, if you expect to learn something about how you might be able to remove your curse, I suggest you ante up a bit more."
Zelgadis pushed in his entire stack of coin and chips.
Amelia is visibility alarmed as she shook at the chimera's elbow. " Zel! What are you doing?"
"Stay out of this." Zelgadis pushed the princess back into her stool. "I know what I'm doing."
"But we could eat like actual royalty for a week and maybe even order some Dragon cuisine!" But Amelia's response quickly fell on Zel's deaf ears.
"Ah, so. We have a game of it." The mysterious priest rubbed in hands together in an excited manner. "Care you plop your soul up there as well?"
"Get on with it already, cupcake." The chimera's eyes were lit up like roman candles.
"So be it. It might be worth it."
Xellos dealt the chimera two face cards. "As I was saying, this city has a magical protection force around it. You can cast light spells and such, but anything more complicated than that is unfortunately impossible."
"Why is that?" Zelgadis was not expecting a straight answer.
Xellos nodded. "Its always something in the air, I suppose. As for here, it seems the astral plane is quite 'locked' up here. It has been like this for some time."
Zelgadis didn't believe the Mazoku. Leaning over to the other side of the table, he tried to cast a spell.
"FIREBALL!" He spoke the spell quietly, trying to form the perfected ball of flame into his hand.
Nothing happened.
"You didn't believe me," said Xellos. "It's not like I've lied to you before."
Zelgadis growled. "No, more like hid the truth."
"Nevertheless, how fortunate you didn't burn this place to the ground."
The chimera eyed the costumed dealer cautiously. For Xellos to enjoy such a place and not destroy it must mean it had some sort of value to the Mazoku. "So, what does this have to do with me?"
"Ah, the point of it. Of course. Well, the mayor of this town has in his possession a box."
"A box, now even for you, Xellos, that makes very little sense," said Zel. "Boxes are quite common is these lands."
Xellos ignored the chimera's attempt at distain humor. "No, it's a very special box, my friend. Once called the Lynx box, this mysterious box has been around for centuries, possibly even before my existence."
"A mysterious box for the mysterious priest. I think I'm liking this story."
"I dare say you will. Anyway, the Lynx box supposedly has the power to divide the astral plane from the reality plane." Xellos finished the deal by showing his up card as a six.
Zelgadis ears perked up as he watched Amelia play her 15 out by busting.
"I'll stay..."
Xellos turned over the dealer's down card to find he had a queen
"So, the Lynx box is keeping us from using magic." The chimera sneered at his conclusions. "Since we're unable to touch the astral plane."
Zelgadis smiled. And it wasn't just his secure hand of twenty. Xellos the dealer was stuck on 16 and had to hit.
"You're going to beat that Mazoku for once," said Amelia.
"You have me in a difficult situation, I will try to live up the expectations of a dealer." Taping the chute deck twice, Xellos sweatdropped has he lifted a card from the chute. Not even looking, Xellos placed the card symbolically face-up across his dealer hand.
The five of spades.
"Ah, the dealer has 21. Better luck next time. I do hope you try harder." In one fell swoop, the trickster priest vacuumed away the chimera's sizeable bet, depositing the coins half-hazardly into the cash box.
The two travelers were in utter shock.
"I thought...you had him..." answered the princess.
"Well, time for me to go, I believe they've stuck me at the roulette table." And before Zelgadis could even answer, Xellos was gone in a flash.
"Come back here, you thief!" Frustrated, he banged onto the empty Blackjack table. Only the leftover card chute was still there, so Zelgadis swung at it in frustration, flipping chute everywhere. Cards turned over everywhere.
Zelgadis looked at the scattered cards. He reach for a few more and turned them over.
A five of spades. And another five of spades.
They were all five of spades.
"XELLOS!!!!!!"
---o--o--o---
"Did you hear something, Lina?" asked Gourry.
The three of them were reclining in an upscale lounge off the large casino floor. Gourry was pounding away ale, the leftover foam sticking to his chin. Lina was also sipping a rather colorful beverage, a sweet concoction of fruit juices and alcohol.
"Gourry, I didn't hear anything." Sylphiel was indulging in her own drink of passion, a hot-chocolate concoction laced...with mini-marshmallows.
"I'll have another ale." Gourry mentioned to the server.
"Isn't that your third?" said Sylphiel.
"Yea, guess so. But thinking about swordplay school got me into a drinking mood. Heh, I haven't had this much fun in a long time." He tilted back and looked at the ceiling. "Ahh, so nice here...nothing could ever happen here."
"Hmm?" Lina didn't feel like paying attention to Gourry, her mind still concentrating on how good her drink was. She took another sip of the concoction. "You're going to curse us for sure. When was the last time you drank ale, anyway?"
"Uhhh, back in swordsman's school. But I was told never to drink again because...*hic*..."
Sylphiel sweat dropped. This surely wasn't a great time hanging with Lina and Gourry in a casino, but she had to stick around until 10 a.m. the next day to pay the tax bill for the orphans. She didn't think it could get much worse.
The server came back with a giant mug of beer and placed it in front of the blond swordsman. Gourry picked it off the table in seconds.
"Gourry! What are you doing?"
"...glub! I'm drinking more ale..." Lina was making grabbing motions for Gourry's glass, her attempts a second too late.
"You drunk! You have absolutely no tolerance for the stuff. You're so lucky Sylphiel is paying for this."
Sylphiel sighed. Oh, too late to leave.
Lina was furious. "I'm getting the bill!" She stared at her protector who was flopped back in his chair like a dead fish. In frustration, she swiped the arriving check in disgust and read the bill.
"What! Inverse tax!" Lina crumpled the tab in her hand. "What in the world!"
"Heh...heh....heh...!!" Gourry was laughing hysterically, pointing to Lina as he slumped over in a drunken stupor.
"What is that, Lina?" asked the innocent shrine maiden, looking at the sorcerer in a state of puzzlement. "I've never heard of Inverse tax before."
"Well," said Lina, "You see, this nut decided to add a fee to my bill. Called me a walking disaster." She pounded her hand on the table. "I get so annoyed even thinking about it!"
"It's the most...*hic*...brilliant idea...*hic*...that anyone has come up...*hic* with..."
I'm going to make him pass out, thought Lina, and it's going to hurt like Phibrizzo's hell in the morning. She was about to pound Gourry into the ground like the dumb blond he was - when a shadow over her interrupted her thoughts.
"That's right, Lina Inverse!"
Lina turned her head around. "Biru!" She scurried out of the chair. "Why the hell are you following me here!"
"You see, I talked to this establishment's owner. When Turnip actually heard my idea for Inverse tax, he was more then thrilled to help me out."
Lina sweat dropped.
The innkeeper smiled down at the redheaded sorcerer. "I'm here to collect on that drink tab of yours, including the tax. Otherwise, these nice Turnip guards are going to put you in jail for a few days, to keep you nice and safe."
Lina put both her hands on her hips. "So you're Turnip's henchboy now. Figures the egoistical guy couldn't do his own laundry."
"Now, Lina," pointed Biru. "I do suggest you cooperate. Otherwise, there might be even more severe consequences."
"I didn't get to blast you out of existence the last time because now I'm going to really enjoy it now." Lina was sure that Biru was going to be on the extra crispy side.
"FLARE ARROW!"
Nothing happened. Lina looked at her fingers in shock.
"Heh, that's even better...*hic*...than Sylphiel...*hic*..." Gourry was stirring around, using the lounge chair for support.
"FLARE LANCE!"
Zippo. Lina was hopping up and down, wondering what in the world was going on with her powers. She was sure it wasn't the curse, for that blasted thing was last week.
"Lina! What's wrong with your magic?" asked Sylphiel. "Did you get sealed by someone?"
"BWAHAHAH! The great Lina Inverse, powerless!" Biru was backed up by an impressive row of Turnip security forces, for there had to be at least a dozen of them with their little crossbows armed all set to shoot. "I've told them all. Inns. Restaurants. Taverns. Every place you visit will now charge you Inverse Tax until the day you die!"
Lina sweat dropped. "Are you nuts?"
More guards came closer, causing Lina to step backwards.
"Where are you going, Lina?" questioned Biru. "I'm not finished with you yet."
Lina watched as Biru's muscle encircled the sorcerer, shrine maiden, and drunk. "Turnip's men. How thoughtful of him to supply you with help." Lina was suddenly very dizzy. She thought about her most recent conversation with Turnip and decided that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to be truthful...
" Don't worry ladies! Your protector is here!" Stumbling badly, Gourry arched his sword so clumsily that he almost chopped the metal weapon into the chairs. "I will...*hic*...save you!" And exactly at the end of his little shtick, Gourry collapsed backwards into the table, spilling drinks everywhere.
"Gourry!" exclaimed Sylphiel, too late to catch him as he crashed to the ground.
Lina shook her head from side-to-side. Protector my ass, she thought. Gourry was going to get a good flogging, only when he could actually feel the pain.
"Lina.." said Sylphiel. "Any ideas?"
"Actually..." Lina turned around and winked for only Sylphiel to see.
"FIREBALL!" Lina was doing another, overdramatic motions with her arms. Sylphiel knew something was coming - something big as she scurried to peel dear Gourry off the floor.
Biru laughed as his eyes watched Lina spin like a crazed dancer. To him, the entire city was practically a spell-free zone, so he had no worries with handling the great Lina Inverse. What he wasn't watching were the little steel balls that rolled just past his feet.
*BOOOM!!*
*BOOOM!!*
*BOOOM!!*
"Let's get out of here!" The two power-wielding women were up in a flash.
"What did you do, Lina?" Sylphiel was somehow carrying Gourry on her back. She has rescued and healed quite a few warriors before, including one Lina Inverse. But Gourry was the heaviest she had ever carried.
"Oh, just some cute toys I picked up from a old 'friend.' Knew they would come in handy during my monthly curses, never thought I'd use them here..." Lina knew those where the last of the 'bombs', but she still had a small pistol in her far back pocket for a very emergency situation. This wasn't one of them. She smiled to the shrine maiden as they disappeared in back into the casino crowds.
The multiple clouds of black gunpowder smoke quick dissipated. Biru and the Turnip guards weren't exactly crispy, but they were surely blackened from the salt peter.
"Find them! Now!"
---o--o--o---
"There it is."
The two of them were in their inn room on the quiet side of town. After a quick bite and a few stops in the pawn shops, (yes, the shops that never close, mind you!) Zelgadis found what he needed.
The chimera unrolled the street map of Monde Darlo. "The guy downstairs said that the main mayor's offices are actually in this main building here, in Turnip Plaza. Damn, this guy owns everything in town."
The city was laid out in the pattern of five-sided star. "Doesn't the shape of the city lines remind you of anything?"
"You're telling me," chimed Amelia.
Zelgadis immediately noted that Turnip Plaza was smack dab in the middle of the city, easily the highest building as well with its very tall main tower. The casino was attached on one side, but the other side was just a paved street. Zel pointed to the other side earnestly. "This way might be better. Turnip sure doesn't hide the fact too well."
Amelia nodded in approval. "Yea, it sure looks like it."
The chimera turned to the backpacks behind him. He pulled out long circles of line, making sure the rope was in fair condition. Then, he attached a series of grappler hooks to the ends.
"What do you need that stuff for?" questioned Amelia.
"I'm going to take a look. I must." Zelgadis continued to coil the line, without ever looking up. "If that thing can dampen magic per say, then maybe, it can remove the magic from my body as well."
Amelia jumped on her bed, pointing down at the chimera all in one motion. "That's...stealing. I can't allow you to go in...and take that 'box.'"
"I'm not taking the 'box'...I'm just be looking at it..."
"Oh...but you'll be trespassing." The princess swallowed her tongue.
Zelgadis put his pack down and sat on the bed next to Amelia. He had actually never sat up right next to the princess, at least so close to her...close enough to smell the beautiful scents from her. It was a bit of a distraction.
"You know my goals and my pain." He looked squarely into Amelia's eyes as he finished his preparations. "Then you know I'm going, no matter my personal cost."
Amelia was close to tearing in sadness as she bent her head down. "Hai. I understand."
Zelgadis silently packed up his stuff, ready to go. He had slipped on a dark cloak to hide his thieving presence. As he headed to the door, he looked back at Amelia who firmly spoke up.
"Wait. I'm coming with you."
The chimera was not surprised. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Amelia now had her pack on as she prepped herself for their nighttime mission. "Justice sees in the dark, but sometimes it needs a bit of help to find the truth." The princess sighed and continued. "I just hope you're right, Zel."
"I am." The chimera tossed another dark cloak to Amelia. "Got this downstairs as well. I kind of figured you'd come along."
Amelia smiled.
---o--o--o---
Lina and Sylphiel ran through the casino floor, dragging the almost unconscious Gourry. Lina was having a hard time, fending off the curious crowd with her mouth. "Heh, he lost too much money and passed out, really! No he's fine I tell you! No, he's not available for dress-up parties!"
" Lina, I think they're still after us," commented Sylphiel.
"Baka." Lina lifted the head of her blond protector has the rest of him leaned on Sylphiel. "Have you ever seen Gourry like this?"
"No, I have no idea he was such a lush."
The pint-sized sorcerer turned around to view the large crowd. She could see lines of keystone security guards making a beeline to her current position. "It's like they know we're here!"
The sword-wielding drunk started to stir back into consciousness. "Ugh...*hic*...what in Cepheid...happened to me."
"You got run over by a dragon on skates..." said Lina to the half-sleepy Gourry.
Gourry shook his head. "Really? I must have been fun roller skating!"
"You passed out, jellyfish for brains! Don't you remember what happened a few minutes ago?" One could swear Lina's eyes were breathing fire.
"Ummm. I think so."
"Never mind." Lina had her hand in a tight fist as she knocked on the swordsman's head like checking a coconut for leaks. "In fact, don't answer my stupid questions."
Gourry looked up at Lina for a sec, apparently still not all there from even his usual self. "Heh...chaotic sorcerer...beating me....yummy..."
"HENTAI!!" Lina smacked Gourry easily out of Sylphiel's hands, making him fall to the ground. "You noodle head!"
"Ooof!" Gourry was on the floor, sputtering around like a fish out of water.
Lina knew she needed to buy some time. It would only be a few minutes until they'd be surrounded by the hoards of security personnel. It was bad enough that they were mobbed with people, only if-
"Sylphiel, come here." The sorcerer motioned for the purple-dressed shrine maiden to come closer.
Without another word, Lina made a grab for Sylphiel's belt, taking a couple of bags of coins.
"Miss Lina! What are you doing?" questioned Sylphiel.
"I don't know. No, I actually do know. I'm saving our skin, even if its one of the most painful things I've ever done." Hands trembled as Lina gathered the coins in her hands. "One breakfast, two dinners, countless lunches." Lina was counting off coins like she was going to a death march.
She turned to the approaching guards as they again formed a crude semi-circle around the three of them. One stepped up and advanced on their position.
"Surrender, now!" He smile was not of a happy sort.
The sorcerer winked at the head guard, turning around at the same time, reaching....then throwing...
"Money!" was Lina's yell, as she tossed the coins into the air. "Money from Cepheid!"
The casino crowd heard the converged on Lina's position, running over other patrons, guards, chairs, and anything else in the way.
"Gildlings!"
"Gold!"
Sensing a free meal and maybe a whole lot more, the crowd rushed in like a tsunami.
"Please remain calm! Please!" shouted one Turnip casino worker, just before the mad crowd stampeded him down. They swarmed all over the place like bees to honey.
"Heh, serves them right! Let's go," announced Lina as she and Sylphiel grabbed the sleeping Gourry and took off.
---o--o--o---
Xellos just loved casinos. Yes, there was a lot of positive emotion in the air: the joy of getting a quick jackpot, or perhaps the knowledge of making out ahead. But most casinos were moneymaking machines -- which means they took money, opportunities, and people's lives. They were the perfect emotional sinkhole -- incredible bouts of anger, depression, and sadness, as the casino took people's lives.
So Xellos would stand for hours, unnoticed, overlooking the crowd of conflicting sensations. The extreme highs and lows were like having bouts of climaxes and depressions at the same time. The result was an orgy of feelings that made for a such stimulating ride.
But it was important business that was on his mind as he walked away from the casino floor to the private gambling floors above. Back in his normal persona, it was here that he was to report in.
Xellos entered a luxurious suite, lined with the thickest of shag rugs, dark oaken cabinets, decorated with antiques from an earlier time. The wall mountings held long-stemmed black wax candles, the beckoning light illuminated the details of the private room; there was enough realistic charm to sooth senses to a dull roar.
"My lord Zelas." He quietly bowed with his right arm over his chest.
"Xellos." Zelas was seated at a card table, currently playing poker with several other lower Mazoku. She turned her attention away from the game.
Zelas Beastmaster was dressed in her usual costume: high boots, a simple black dress, with plenty of gold jewelry. In her left hand was a cigarette in a long gold holder. Next to her right hand was a glass of brandy, recently swirling from being sipped.
She leaned back. "I understand why this place appeals to you, Xellos. Such a smorgasbord, it is an ideal place to get away to."
Xellos nodded at his master. "Yes, my lord."
The mysterious priest looked down at the poker table. Zelas had most of the coinage between the four players. It was apparent that the lesser Mazoku's: nicknamed Larry, Moe, and Curly, that they were outclassed, or they were letting Zelas win.
Zelas sighed. Yea, beating up her little henchmen in a game of poker was so dull. She was thinking of stashing on some pour human souls, but a scene at Turnip's casino was something she was trying to avoid.
"You are dismissed." Xellos quickly bowed again and was out of the room in a flash.
The greater beast turned back to the card game. "OK, boys, what have you got-"
It was the voice of a shadowy figure from the other side of the room that interrupted Zelas' fleeting thoughts of winning another hand.
"Are you sure about him?"
The lesser Mazokus were all shaking in fear at the voice. They did not dare say one word.
Zelas silently took a long sip of her brandy before answering. "I don't like your tone. You could be a little more respectable to my priest-general. Besides, you know he can't disobey me."
"Nevertheless, he will learn."
"Yes, I'm afraid he always does. They don't call him the mysterious priest for nothing."
The shadowed voice ruffled but did not omit a word.
"I assume you are gathering as well?" Zelas was now turned around in her chair as she spoke into the darkness.
"I am...yet...I don't think it was a good idea."
"You must. It's your problem as well. You were part of it as well." Zelas lit another cigarette, throwing the match onto the floor while placing the cigarette in her holder. "Damn Phibrizzo's mess. I wish he took care of it but he never could, I suppose."
The voice ruffled again. "There aren't much of us left anymore..."
Zelas took long puffs on her cigarette, blowing smoke rings into the air. Instead of responding, she just sighed quietly.
"Be thankful there are enough of us." Quickly, the voice dissipated back into the shadows.
"True...true...."
---o--o--o---
[Lina] Am I just going to be chased around with my 'sleepy' Gourry all night?
[Author] Hmmm, I think I have you going in circles for at least two or three more chapters. Let me check my notes.
[Lina] Wha! Are you crazy! I'm going to take you out!
[Author] And, my Lina...what are going to do about it? {goes to grab large eraser...}
[Lina] Heh...ummm...*sweatdrops*...nothing! I swear! {checks her black book for L-Sama's number} BTW, do you have a phone I can borrow?
[Author] Umm, no.
[Lina] Damn!
---o--o--o---