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Lina laughed sourly. "Yeah right, you have to be kidding. I beat that fruitcake's ass hands down, and you better not try to tell me some shit about a copy Rezo. That gets so old so fast..."
Hiyo's face scrunched up in obvious confusion. "Copy Rezo? How could there ever be a replication of the legendary Red Priest?" Lina waved her hand, dismissing the question.
"Never mind, its far too long, and annoying, of a story to explain at the moment."
"Could there have been another Rezo we were not aware of?" Zelgadiss asked, staring pointedly at Lina. She shook her head.
"Nah, after all this time? I doubt it. It's been over 3 years since we defeated copy Rezo, and if there was another he's bound to of blown himself up by now or done something else just as stupid."
Xelloss lifted an eyebrow, his voice growing eerily low. "Then who could this self-proclaimed Rezo be?"
Lina shrugged, leaning back lazily in her chair. "Don't know, but he's got some nerve to go around saying this stuff about me. I never even knew the real Rezo and I'm starting to hate him just for existing at all..."
Zelgadiss nodded, taking a swig from his sake. "Should we confront this fake?"
Hiyo interrupted again, determined to get an answer. "Ms. Lina this is very disturbing. What is this nonsense about another Rezo?"
Lina sighed and looked over at Zelgadiss expectantly, but he shook his head and held his hand out towards Hiyo. "Oh-ho no. This one's all yours."
Grudgingly Lina explained the copy Rezo scare from what seemed like now ages ago, and how she had finally defeated him with the help of her old traveling companions. She even mentioned that he wasn't really that bad of a guy, he was just desperate to have a purpose in this world.
Xelloss laid his chin into his hands. "Does this mean that we are heading for this village that Lina-san has plagued?"
Lina smacked him upside the head, and grunted. "I did NOT plague that village. Damned priests, you and Rezo can go to hell."
Xelloss chuckled and rubbed his scalp. "Of course you didn't, Lina-san."
Zelgadiss rolled his eyes and pointed a stony finger at the dumbfounded knight. "What are we going to do about him?"
A cruel smile curved the edges of Lina's mouth and she got up to pat the knight on the shoulder. "He's going to lead us to his humble little corrupted village."
Hiyo frowned at Lina, and crossed her tiny arms. "Why would we go there Ms. Lina?"
Lina smiled sweetly down at Hiyo, too sweetly. "So I can kick Rezo's ass."
OoO
Lina marched cheerily down the road, what little belongings she carried in her handbag hanging over shoulder. She was following close behind the crazed knight who had barged into the diner just hours before, claiming to challenge Lina. Hah. She laughed to herself. No one could ever defeat her! Especially not this puny stubborn big-mouthed knight.
Xelloss watched Lina's long red hair swish gracefully behind her as she followed the knight leading them all to his village. She had seemed all too eager to go with this man, and he knew why: she'd had no where else to go. The look on her face at breakfast this morning had made that much obvious, and not to mention the relief that filled her face at the idea of leaving.
Xelloss.
He blinked, realizing that it was his master calling for him. The feel of her mind invading his was the unmistakable feel of her dominance; it was his master's trademark.
Xelloss, report here immediately. I wish to know how much progress you've made.
Xelloss mentally nodded, and he felt his master's presence slip from his mind, leaving only his conscience once again left alone.
"Well, it would seem that I must venture away from you all for a bit." All eyes turned to him curiously, but he just simply smiled and turned to teleport away. A small hand clasping his shoulder stopped him, and he turned to find Lina's eyes staring up at him.
"Why so soon?" Xelloss smiled faintly and reached his free hand up to grasp hers. His lips grazed the surface of her palm tenderly and she watched as his eyes slowly slit open to gaze into hers.
"Now, Lina. You of all people should know not to ask such questions." His voice was soft, slow, almost a purr. Her eyes didn't leave his, but she did slide her hand away, holding his gaze till the very second his human form disappeared from sight.
She raised the palm his lips had touched to her cheek, caressing her own face gently. For a moment she thought she could feel Xelloss's lips upon her tender skin.
Zelgadiss huffed, and turned to Lina with a scowl. "What was that?" Lina shrugged, dropping her arm to her side. "Nothing." And with that she continued walking down the dirt road, leaving everyone but the flustered Hiyo behind.
OoO
Xelloss reappeared in his master's quarters, his head bowed in respect to her presence.
"Tell me, Xelloss, what have you gathered about the little sorceress?" A cruel smile formed onto her full lips, somehow only making her even more attractive. She lifted a delicate hand to take a long puff out of her cigarette and cross her long, sexy legs one over the other, expecting an answer.
Xelloss lifted his head with his eyes still open and spoke, "She has the Heiliege Lance now in her possession Juo-sama, and as we speak she is heading for some tiny village out west of the Kimono Prefecture."
"Did you help her retrieve the spear?" a flick of her cigarette.
"Yes, Juo-sama, I did."
"Why is she heading to another village?" another flick, and to follow a sip of wine.
"Another imposture of the great Red Priest has appeared, and has his sights set on Lina-san."
"She plans to kill him?"
Xelloss chuckled. "From what I can gather…"
Zelas nodded, and took another drag from her cigarette. She raised an eyebrow while speaking. "I assume she doesn't know of your future orders?" Xelloss nodded, smiling wickedly. "You assume correctly, Juo-sama, she is oblivious."
She laughed, rubbing out the stub of her smoke and reaching out again to light yet another. "I've been watching you, Xelloss. I don't recall telling you to seduce her; it could very well affect your abilities to follow through with your orders." There was a sardonic tone to her voice; she was teasing him.
Xelloss chuckled darkly and waggled a finger at her. "You know that it is merely a ploy to lure her in, Juo-sama. I would never let myself be sunken so low as to feel human emotions."
He had always known just what to do to make his master laugh, for he enjoyed the sound of it. Her laugh was his confirmation that she was pleased, in return pleased him as well. Zelas reached with her free hand down to clasp the glass of wine setting on her desk, and took a nice long drink before speaking again.
"I have faith in you, Xelloss, but if you prove yourself to be unworthy of my faith…" She trailed off staring down into his eyes, her own eyes cold and emotionless. "Well, you know what to expect, now, don't you?"
Xelloss nodded curtly before excusing himself, and teleporting swiftly from the dimly lit room.
OoO
Meanwhile...
Lina thumped the knight on the back, and doubled over with laughter. "What is so funny, demon?!" He was starring daggers at her, obviously not getting the joke.
They had all stopped at a small clearing not far from his village, and he needed to change into his head priest's required uniform. After returning everyone including, surprisingly, Zelgadiss started laughing-the sorceress was the loudest of them all of course.
She laughed harder still, and eventually tears came to her eyes. She pointed down at his attire, and burst into another fit of giggles. "You're wearing a dress!"
The knight blushed, and stuttered pitifully. He'd never come across such a rude woman; no wonder she was a plague.
"Ms...Lina...you shouldn't laugh! It's...rude." Hiyo bit out between laughter, she really was trying her best not to laugh at the man's silly outfit.
Zelgadiss was muffling his laughter in his hand, as it was very hard for him to keep his composure and laugh at the same time.
"It is NOT a dress! It is what our humble head priest requests of us to wear as his loyal followers! How dare you disgrace him?!" The knight's face grew purple, and he stalked off down the road, ignoring the echoes of laughter that followed him.
Lina held up her hand in a weak attempt to stop him. "Wa-wait. Sorry for" giggle. "Laughing at your outfit." She bit her lip to suppress the bubbling laughter that was welling up inside her again, but she was not going to let him walk away and leave them in the middle of nowhere.
The knight dismissed it and kept walking, while Lina ran with Hiyo and Zelgadiss to catch up. Hiyo exchanged a worried glance with Lina, and decided to lighten the man's mood. "Excuse me, Mr. Knight? We haven't learned your name."
He spared her a glance. "My name is Cobalt. And what is yours young maiden?" Hiyo blushed and mumbled shyly. "Hiyo Takehashi, pleased to meet you Mr. Cobalt."
Cobalt grinned charmingly down at her, and turned to clasp her small hand in his. He kissed the top lightly and breezed. "The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Hiyo." Hiyo bashed her lashes at him and lifted her free hand to her chest, extremely smitten.
Lina rolled her eyes and walked ahead of the two with Zel, enjoying the familiar air of silence between them. She had never appreciated Zelgadiss when he traveled with her, for it always came to mind that every time he left he'd be back, he always had. But about a year ago, maybe longer, that last goodbye had really been their final farewell. By the looks of it their had been no fruit to his journeys.
"Zel?"
"Yeah, Lina?"
"Why do you want to be human again?"
Zelgadiss scoffed, but didn't look at her while answering. "Isn't it obvious? Why would I want to stay like this? Being a monster isn't exactly fun, you know."
Lina nodded but pressed on. "But why would you think that being a human is any better? Disease, war, death, old age, etc. Don't you like being invincible?"
He thought for a moment, and spoke slowly. "I am not completely invincible Lina, but yes, it does have its benefits. But it's not always going to be this great, eventually everyone I know will grow old and die. What happens to me, though?"
His voice had grown husky, strained. Lina wanted to console him in some way, but since she was not used to giving anyone else attention the light hand she placed on his shoulder friendly felt awkward to her. Now she felt like she understood his troubles more, and now she didn't see his wild goose chases around the world for powerful relics just as a cry for social acceptance, it was so much more than that.
Suddenly she felt guilty for not giving him the spear, but still that strange possessive beast inside her told her that guilt was misplaced.
"Hello, everyone." Xelloss' s voice sounded and his form appeared just in front of Zelgadiss and Lina. He looked over their shoulders at Hiyo and Cobalt, who were now holding hands and chatting, still oblivious to his reappearance. "What is this?" He inquired.
Lina shrugged and walked around him. "I don't have the faintest, Xelloss. But they aren't important, what IS important is that I see crazy's village just up ahead."
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Next chapter up soon. Possibly by the end of the day? eh, who knows?;3
NOTE: You HAVE to go see this website I found on Lina and Xelloss...it is wicked funny! I laughed almost the whole time reading it. It has proof that both the mangaand the anime have given us little hints to their relationship, pics, and a really funny thing I posted on my profile. So go check it out! I posted the link somewhere in my page..i forgot where;3