Disclaimer: I don't own The Slayers but a few added little spells and chars and such. Please don't sue me and I'll give you cookies:D
If you read I'll make you all pancakes...:O I LOVE PANCAKES! yummy:DDDD Annnnnnnddddd, if you review I'll put strawberries and whip cream on them:D maybe even chocolate chips...:0000 OMFG
Don't ask me why, but I was crying while writing this chapter. I have been listening to that Mulan song 'Reflection' and it just brought such nostalgia to me that I guess I started leaking lol. just wanted to share that with you:D
while I'm already feeling mushy...i just wanted to say that I am in eternal debt to all of you who review this story and are so kind to me and my mediocre talent. PANCAKES FOR EVERYONE!:)
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"So, Ms. Lina, have you and Mr. Xelloss had the chance to talk?" Hiyo asked, walking side-by-side with Lina ahead of Xelloss and Zelgadiss. They had left their last village hours ago, and now the sky had darkened signaling that the sun was setting. They were nearing the forest just outside the palace, and there they planned to make camp.
Lina snorted, scoffing. "No, why would I talk to that fruitcake?" She gave a backwards glare to Xelloss, who only smiled and waved.
"Well, because Ms. Lina you need to settle things with him. You can't go on like this forever."
"Why not? It's not like he cares about me, so why should I care about him? It doesn't make any sense."
"It doesn't have to." Hiyo answered, grinning at Lina's confused expression. "Ms. Lina, I know that Mr. Xelloss keeps deceiving you at every turn, and maybe he doesn't deserve to be trusted, but I think you should trust your heart even if it doesn't make any sense. Love doesn't always make sense Ms. Lina, remember that."
"I don't love him."
"Are you sure?"
Lina shook her head, avoiding eye contact. "Even if I do, and I don't, that kind of love will never make either one of us happy."
"That doesn't matter Ms. Lina, as long as you know you love him you'll find enough strength to believe in him. I think Mr. Xelloss just needs someone to have faith in him, even if he is a monster, he needs someone who needs him too."
Lina shrugged, looking out over the horizon. "That someone isn't me Hiyo, I just can't find it in me to love anymore. That part of me is gone."
"Ms. Lina hurt is a part of being in love, and when you fall in love either way you'll end up getting hurt one way or another. The best part is that love means trusting someone else to take your pain away with their love."
"Not from my experience."
"The way I see it, Mr. Xelloss is the one destined to heal your past wounds and bring a new kind of love to your heart."
"He doesn't even have a heart."
"I hope you aren't speaking of me, Lina-san, that's awfully rude." Xelloss pouted, suddenly appearing just beside Lina. "How did you ever guess?" She asked sweetly, rolling her eyes.
"And I'm the heartless one?"
"Now, now, Mr. Xelloss. I'd appreciate it if you didn't provoke Ms. Lina. She's very tired." Hiyo cut in, holding up a hand to both silence Lina and warn Xelloss.
Xelloss lifted an eyebrow, but complied with her wishes and gave Lina an apologetic grin. Lina just grimaced and turned her head the other direction.
Zelgadiss had caught up to them now, eyeing Lina and Xelloss. "Did something happen between you two? Lina is being more hostile than usual."
"Yes."
"No."
Both Lina and Xelloss had answered in chorus, you could just guess who said what. They turned their gazes to each other, Lina giving him a glare, and Xelloss answering her with a smirk. "Lina-san you couldn't be embarrassed about it could you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Zelgadiss stepped in. "Neither do I, but now I'm curious. Just what the hell is going on?"
Xelloss held up an informative finger, a smile spread wide across his face. "Well, Lina-san and I-" Whack! Xelloss was interrupted by Lina's fist connecting with his jaw, sending him flying backwards. "SHUT THE HELL UP!"
"Oh, Ms. Lina don't-" Hiyo put her hand on Lina's chest to hold her back, but she shoved it away and advanced on Xelloss.
"Argh!" Her eyes were blazing as she leaned down to yank him to his feet by his shirt. "Tell me something Xelloss, why do you do this? Why?!"
"Why do I what?" Xelloss stared through his eyelids up at Lina's flustered face, knowing she was going to hit him again. In truth he really didn't understand her question, nor did he think he could push her this far more than three times in less then two days. It was in some sick way an accomplishment for him.
Lina bit back the tears, feeling the anger rise up and catch in her throat. Of course he didn't have an answer, hell, she didn't even have an answer. Biting her lip she decided to do something that no one would have expected, even her. Pulling him forward she rose to her tippy toes and closed her eyes shut tight just before she crushed her lips to his, using all of her pent up anger and frustration and turning it into something new.
Xelloss's eyes flew open, not for even a second had he predicted this. He wasn't really complaining, but this was not like Lina at all...and in front of Zelgadiss and Hiyo? Deciding it was better if he didn't move, he let his body stand completely still until she lifted her lips from his.
Resting her forehead on his, she stared into his eyes, never blinking. "Much better." She murmured, stepping away and releasing his shirt from her fingers. Putting her right hand to her side, she jutted out her hip and stuck the opposite hand's index finger into his chest.
"Now that this is all settled, let's just call it even. I loved the look on your face so much that I've decided to let it go...for now." She turned to walk past the stunned Hiyo and Zelgadiss, pausing only to look back at Xelloss with a smile and say, "But if you piss me off again, I might just have to tear your damn finger off. And that's no secret."
Xelloss stared at her for a moment before he found himself returning her smile, his eyes closing yet again as he gave Hiyo and Zel a respectful nod and continued on behind Lina.
Hiyo and Zelgadiss exchanged baffled glances and looked back forth between each other and them. "Mr. Zelgadiss, what just happened?"
"Hell if I know."
OoO
"Ms. Lina are you sure this is a safe place to make camp?" Hiyo asked, her voice shaking as she looked around the darkened forest. Lina rolled her eyes and bent down to set a piece of wood onto the growing pile of lumber in the middle of the small clearing. "Of course I'm sure, and even if it isn't we can take on any asshole that decides to wonder through here."
Zelgadiss lifted his hand, and mumbled a small spell lighting the wood on fire expertly from years of outdoor adventures. "It's not like we have much of a choice anyways, the closest hotel is most likely inside the city's gates. To be honest from what we've heard about the city of Nara I'd rather take my chances with any forest bandit."
"Damn straight." Lina mumbled, laying out her mat just beside the fire. Hiyo followed suit, laying hers down next to Lina's. "I know, but what if there is something...worse out here?" Hiyo protested, unconvinced of the lesser dangers in the forest.
"Then I'll kill them Hiyo, don't worry about it." Dusting herself off she turned around to reach into her bag, and pulling out the dried fish she'd saved from earlier she smiled. "It's dinnertime!"
Xelloss couldn't help but chuckle, watching them all from his perch in the tree branches above. He was glad that Lina-san was back to her usual self, hungry as ever. In a way it meant that he would have to try harder now to annoy her, since during the past couple of days it had been far too easy.
Lina glanced up at Xelloss, and smiled slightly. Now that things had been smoothed out, she felt more natural around him and it just felt good to clear the air. In fact she could hardly remember why she was mad at him in the first place...oh wait...yes she did.
She grimaced as the memory of that weird chapel came to mind, and all of the strange horrors that lay within it. Blinking, she realized something she'd almost forgot, something very important. Swallowing the last of her fish, she reached down to lift her shirt up.
Zelgadiss's mouth dropped open and he turned his face away, Hiyo's cheeks turned pink and she quickly averted her gaze to the ground, while Xelloss just leaned forward, peering over the leaves to get a better look.
"Lina, put your shirt down!" Zelgadiss ordered, his face still turned the other way. Lina rolled her eyes and frowned. "Idiot, that's not what I'm doing. Look at my stomach."
Both Zelgadiss and Hiyo opened their eyes and turned them towards her mid-section, and gasped. "Oh Ms. Lina how is that possible?" Lina shrugged, her face grim.
"Don't know, but it doesn't look good."
"That shouldn't be there Lina, it's impossible." Zelgadiss frowned, and turned to face Xelloss up in the trees. "Xelloss get down here." Instantly Xelloss was beside Lina, looking downwards towards her tummy. "Well, Lina-san, that is a very interesting scar you have."
"Do you know what could have caused this?"
"Obviously whatever Faroh used to try and kill Lina-san was no ordinary weapon."
Zelgadiss snorted. "Like we didn't know that?"
Xelloss shrugged, smiling. "You asked."
"Do you think he could have dipped it in Dragon's Blood?" Lina put in, staring down at the whole in her stomach in disgust. "Dragon's Blood?" Hiyo questioned, her face scrunched up in confusion. "Why would Dragon's Blood be that powerful? I don't think that it would have that sort of effect."
Xelloss frowned, realizing that Lina was probably right. The ryuzoku were getting smarter, and apparently they had already realized his master's plans for the little sorceress...and they had found the perfect backfire. But plans were plans, and no matter eventually he would still have to follow through.
Lina shook her head. "Not just dragon's blood, I mean the poison Dragon's Blood. It was used in ancient times past to ward off monsters from villages, one touch to a mazoku's body and it is highly likely that they'll die...or be in excruciating pain for a very, very long time."
"What is it made of?" Hiyo asked, eager for the details of whatever this poison was.
"I'm not sure, I remember reading about it a long time ago. The details are foggy but I remember something about holy water and things like that. I never thought I'd encounter it."
Zelgadiss watched Xelloss think, suddenly feeling like he was somehow involved. Vaguely he listened in on Lina's explanation and cut in, "If it is used to kill mazokus, then why would he use it on you?"
"And why would he use Dragon's Blood if he said he was trying to kill Lina-san?" Xelloss put in, his face hardened with serious thought.
"He knew that I'd live, he wanted me to live. The ryuzoku have some sort of plans for me," She tilted her head to Xelloss, "And you know all the answers, don't you Xelloss?"
His face loosening into a smile, Xelloss held his finger in the air and opened one eye in a roguish wink. "Sore wa himitsu desu Lina-san."