Intimate Stranger
by Handsome Puppy
Disclaimer:
Slayers belongs to
Hajime Kanzaka/Rui Araizumi/Kadokawa Shoten/TV TOKYO/SOFTX/Marubeni.
The title "Intimate Stranger" is taken from the song of the
same name in the delirious? album "Glo". This story and all
the original characters are mine.
"Can I help you?"
A young woman answered the door. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the two visitors.
"We are looking for someone, pretty sis." The child that looked far too mature and wise for his age spoke up, grinning and showing off his youthful charm. His companion, on the other hand, was silent and had an unreadable expression on his pale and downcast face.
"If you're looking for Luna, she hasn't shown up yet." The red-haired woman crossed her arms.
"We're looking for..." The tall young man with purple hair started but hesitated.
"Filia." The child finished for him.
"There is no Filia Inverse here." She leaned against the door frame and watched the man's face ashened, a smirk hanging on her face.
"I've really lost her. She has a new life now." The man looked down sadly. He turned to leave with a broken heart, but the child stopped him.
"Chaos Knight Lina, right?" The child looked at the young woman with a strange gleam in his eyes. "Would you be able to tell us where we can find Filia ul Copt, or would we have to ask the Knight of Cepheid instead?"
"Sharp. As expected from Hellmaster Phibrizo." Lina chuckled. "There is no Filia Inverse here, but Filia ul Copt is fencing with my husband by the river over the hill." She pointed to the east.
The purple-haired man jerked his head up at the words as if struck by lightning. He muttered something resembling gratitude and disappeared instantly. The child laughed and gave the Knight a cute wink. "Thank you, pretty sis." With that, he followed his companion and teleported away.
Lina Gabriev glanced toward the direction of the river, looking both relieved and anxious at the same time. "He has come at last. How will this turn out?"
"It'll be just fine."
The Chaos Knight turned to look at the new comer. "It's you!"
+ - + - + - + - + - +
Valgarv followed the duel closely with his attention fully on the blind-folded blond. The two had been at it for a good hour or so now; he knew it's about time for the expert swordsman to end the session with his protege. Shifting his leaning posture slightly against the tree, the Ancient Mazoku glanced to his left when he felt a stir in the air.
"Yo, you finally made it here." Valgarv greeted with a smirk and turned back to watch the sword fight between the two blonds without paying the priest any more mind.
Xelloss felt like gritting his teeth and snarling at the welcome he received. It seemed that he had been kept in the dark all along by some sort of conspiracy. But he would had to deal with that later. He was here for a much more important reason. The Mazoku looked around the river bank and immediately found the parrying pair. He felt his heart stop when he set eyes on the figure wielding a long thin sword.
"Filia."
Xelloss whispered the name under his breath and gazed intently at her. She still looked the way he remembered it; only her dress was replaced by a blue tunic and white pants.
"She's pretty good, isn't she?" Valgarv smiled proudly as the Ryuuzoku crossed swords with the Swordsman of Light in rapid succession. "Even Master Garv is having trouble fending her off now."
Upon hearing the name of the Mazoku Lord, Xelloss couldn't disregard the nagging feeling any longer and turned to glare at the green-haired Ancient. "How long have you known?"
"How long? About three months after that incident."
Xelloss blinked. "I thought re-sealing takes years?"
"Under normal circumstances, yes." Valgarv shrugged. "Lina became the Chaos Knight when Filia was on Wolf Pack Island. Having both the Cepheid Knight and the Chaos Knight doing the re-seal, it took them less than two months. I was surprised when I saw Filia working as a part-time waitress when I went to talk to Luna."
Xelloss' eyes narrowed. "Filia's working at Zephyre Tavern?"
"Luna referred her." Valgarv replied and didn't bother to hide his amusement.
"And Mother never told me even though she goes there every month? Does she have any idea what I had to go through for the past twenty-five years!" Xelloss growled. "I knew it! You're all in this together!"
"We just want to make sure of you two's feelings." Valgarv said elusively, but the Mazoku was too mad to notice the underlying meaning of the Ancient's words.
"Who else knows?"
"You'll know soon enough." Valgarv ignored the glare sent his way.
Xelloss suppressed his annoyance and frustration for now. He turned to look at the sparring duo as they locked their swords one last time and departed.
"At this rate, you're going to surpass me in no time, Filia." Gourry wiped the sweat off his forehead after sheathing his sword.
"No way. You are the best swordsman in the world, Gourry." Filia took off the blindfold and smiled at her swordsmanship master.
"You know, I never thought I'd be envious of Garv, but I must admit he has the best heirs out of all five of us."
"Uncle Phibrizo!"
Xelloss' eyes twitched when he saw Filia greeting the child-like Mazoku Lord with familiarity, and then he jerked his head toward the Ancient Mazoku. "Uncle?"
"Master Garv adopted Filia into our family after the re-seal. Of course she would call him uncle." Valgarv snickered at the priest's expression.
"Why you-!" Xelloss growled, but all sound seemed to cease when Valgarv called out.
"Filia!"
Xelloss froze in place as the woman of his soul turned their direction. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion as he caught her deep sapphire eyes for the first time after so many years. An indescribable feeling of joy and ecstasy welled up in his chest, but at the same time, he was overcome by sadness and fear. Before he could figure out how to react, however, Filia had ran into him and wrapped her arms around him happily.
"Xelloss, you really came! Luna was telling the truth!" Filia's innocent laughter filled the air.
"Of course I was telling the truth."
Xelloss sighed inwardly and turned his head slightly to look at the newly reborned Cepheid Knight.
"Long time no see, Xelloss." Luna smirked at the twitching priest before smiling at her sister. "I'm back, Filia."
"Welcome back, Luna!" Filia grinned at her but didn't leave Xelloss.
"Isn't it good now that Xelloss is here?" The black-haired woman stood under the tree beside Valgarv.
"Yes, though Xelloss looks thiner and paler compared to my dreams."
The Beast Priest was about to inquire when he sensed an awfully familiar aura. He felt like lamenting his misfortune and going berserk at the same time.
"Poor Xelloss' been drowning himself in sorrow and regrets for the past two and a half decades, it's understandable." The new blond arriving at the scene said slyly.
For once, Xelloss looked extremely peeved. He narrowed his eyes and glared daggers at the people around him. "Spill your twisted plot, people!"
"What ever can you be referring to?" Phibrizo shrugged casually with feigned innocence. Luna and Zellas had a harmless look on their faces.
"It's like this." Valgarv decided to spare the priest, as much as he was enjoying the show. "After the re-seal, I came to talk to Luna and adopted Filia into my family, changing her name from Filia Inverse back to her original name, Filia ul Copt. She started working at the same restaurant as Luna, and your mother saw Filia there."
"But Filia didn't remember Zellas." Luna picked up the thread, "Because the damage was too severe, she lost all memories and Ryuuzoku power during the re-seal. The only difference between her and a normal human now is that she doesn't age. Mine and Lina's power sort of made her immortal."
"Even though she lost her memory, she recognised me." Zellas continued. "Apparently, she was seeing faces of people in her dreams, but nothing more. I thought it might help if she could see what happened on Wolf Pack Island; the last month she was there, that was. Me and Luna decided to give it a try, so I got Dolphin to help me extracting your memory and weaved it into her dreams."
Xelloss cocked an eyebrow in annoyance but refrained from any bitter comments.
"Yes, that's why Zellas invited me over and made you my drinking companion." Phibrizo said in all cheerfulness, "So Dolphin could get you in your sleep!"
"You can pretty much figure out the rest." Lina, who had arrived at the start of the explanation, said as she walked over to join her husband.
Surrounded by 'enemies', Xelloss decided to ignore them for now and focused on the woman in his arms. "I miss you, Filia. I'm sorry you had to go through the pain and lose everything from before the re-seal."
Filia shook her head and looked at him tenderly. "I never regretted it. After all, I was able to meet you and be with you."
Words could not describe how Xelloss was feeling. During Filia's stay on Wolf Pack Island, even though they had gotten close, neither said anything even remotely romantic to each other. Knowing how shy and modest she was, this was probably the closest thing to a confession she could say. Xelloss returned with a loving smile and tightened his embrace.
Some people, however, knew just how to ruin a good moment.
"One bottle of Zephilian wine says that he's going to propose."
"That's not fair, Luna! I was going to bet on that!"
"Now, now. How about we change the bet to where their wedding will be held?"
"Good idea, Phibrizo." The Beastmaster chimed. "Wolf Pack Island, three bottles."
"Our place, one case." Valgarv chipped in.
"Nowhere, one case and a lobster dinner." Phibrizo said and shrugged when the others eyed him strangely. "You never know."
Luna and Lina exchanged a look, and then both nodded in silent agreement.
"One case of Zephilian wine, three lobster cuisine, three lamb cuisine, twelve trays of fruit pies, three cases of snacks, and a whole wedding feast!" The short red head named her price.
Everyone sweat dropped. Valgarv realised suddenly, "Don't tell me-"
"That's right!" Lina declared triumphantly, "Gourry, tell them where the wedding will be!"
"Oh, that's simple." The blond swordsman said happily like an unsuspecting child. "Here in Zephilia, of course! We, her family, are all here, after all!"
"Xelloss?" Zellas glared at her son.
The Beast Priest gave her a nervous laugh before turning to look at his wife-to-be. "Sorry, mother. I'll do anything to make Filia happy, so it's going to be here."
"HA! Too bad for you people!" Lina whooped while the losing contestants looked aghast at the price they would have to pay.
"Not so fast!" Zellas, not one to admit defeat easily, recovered and proposed immediately. "There is still the matter of their future residence! It must be Wolf Pack Island this time for sure!"
While their in-laws were arguing about where they would live, Xelloss took the chance to do some catching up. He pressed Filia closer to him and sighed into her golden hair contently.
"I am so glad to see you again, Filia. I miss you so much." Xelloss pulled away only far enough for him to be able to gaze into her deep pool of sapphires. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I promise never to leave your side again."
"Even when I get Ragu Mazaedis as a wedding gift from Luna?" Filia teased.
"She's giving you what?" Xelloss face faulted for a moment, but the sincere and gentle look quickly returned on his face. "Yes, I am not leaving you even when you have Ragu Mazaedis as a wedding gift from Luna. You are my soul, Filia, and I cannot live without my soul."
Filia smiled tenderly at his endearing words. With a lovely blush on her cheek, she closed the distance between them and kissed her intimate stranger. "Welcome back, Xelloss."
fin
Author's Note:
Is that just too much sap or what? I may not be good at writing it, but I can't help it when I'm a sucker for fluff. XD
This epilogue is actually version #3. It took me a long time to decide on the method of reunion for the two, and I had to scratch out two other ideas. I even contemplated writing out all of them but thought better of it. This story meant a lot to me as it's one of the few completed out of so many (many, many, many...) that I started. Hope you guys enjoyed the story as much as I did writing it. :)
