DISCLAIMER: I still do not own the Slayers... (n.n)
Yea! I'm so glad you're all having fun with this! (n.n)
Here's chapter two then! (n.-)
Enjoy!
- Nicci
Special Thanks To:
Story Weaver1
Thank you! I like writing them this way. I love em dark and I love em funny. This ones all funny. (n.-)
Shadow Ice Maiden
Tee-hee! Me too! (n.n)
Humi
Thank you so much! I hope you like where this goes. (n.-)
fantasia-49
Hee! Thank you, thank you!
Hizeki
Heh, thanks! (n.n) "Oy" to you, Polina! (n.-)
Chapter Two
Amelia and Xelloss Have A Chat…
"Fairies?" Amelia repeated with a little giggle. "Wow, Mr. Zelgadiss! You've been so busy!"
Zelgadiss gave a little shrug. "Well, I have nothing but time now that I'm not hanging around Lina."
"Just what are you implying?" The sorceress growled, not daring to look away from her fork to fork battle with Gourry over the last sausage.
"That you keep things from getting boring I think!" Gourry offered causing Lina to gawk in awe, giving him just enough time to dive in and toss the sausage into his mouth.
"Hey!" Lina bellowed, catching on as the swordsman chewed his prize with a smug grin.
"No fair randomly being intelligent in order to steal my food!" She declared as she strangled him. Gourry continued chewing quite pleased with himself.
Amelia giggled, leaning on her hand with a little sigh. "I sure missed you guys. I really wish you'd come back and visit more."
"Aw." Lina grinned, releasing Gourry and settling back into her chair. "We missed you too."
"Why don't you all stay the night?" Amelia cried, clasping her hands together happily. "I keep all of your guest rooms the same when you're gone!"
She nodded to Xelloss and Filia who were trying to keep straight faces while kicking each other under the table. "Except for you Miss Filia, but I have really nice room I can put you up in!"
"Oh!" Filia murmured, surprised at the thought of having a sleepover. "Well alright. I have been pretty busy lately, a break could be nice!"
"Great!" Amelia cried, clapping her hands together. "Then it's settled!"
She bit her lip and looked over at Xelloss. "Um… Mr. Xelloss, can I talk to you for a moment?"
The table gawked and the mazoku cracked an amused grin. "Oh, my! Why of course Miss Amelia!"
"We'll be right back, pay us no mind!" Amelia fumbled quickly, standing up and heading out into the hallway. The crew gawked, food forgotten as Xelloss phased out to join her.
"Ooh!" Filia fumed, crossing her arms and sitting back in her chair with a huff. "Well I don't like that!"
"Nor do I." The chimera agreed, narrowing his gaze on the door darkly.
"It is pretty strange." Lina agreed, thumbing her lip in thought. "Of course, all of this is a little strange for Amelia."
"People get strange when you leave 'em alone for too long." Gourry offered, nodding sagely. "There is this mystic back in my hometown who has a hundred cats!"
"Yeah but we were only away for…" Lina trailed off stunned. "Whoa. Has it really been three years?"
"It has." Zelgadiss agreed with a curt nod, arching a brow at Lina pointedly. "You'd know that if you ever came to her birthday parties."
"I always get the invitation too late!" Lina protested sullenly. "I bet Filia doesn't even get an invitation!"
Filia shook her head in a combination of sadness and curiosity. "I would like to attend a birthday party. Do you think I should throw one for Val when he hatches?"
"Hatched, born, same thing really. Go for it." Lina replied with a shrug, arching her eyebrows curiously at Zelgadiss. "How do you manage to attend her birthday every year, anyway?"
"I know when it is, so I stick close by." He replied with a shrug.
Lina arched a brow, smirk tugging on her lips. "Oh! So that's how it is, eh Zel?"
The chimera would not dignify that with a response. Luckily he didn't need to as Amelia strolled back in looking quite pleased with herself.
"Alright!" She cried, clasping her hands together happily. "Everything is all set! First let's go and play in the garden for a couple of hours and then we can have lunch!"
Lina beamed, wandering over and clapping the princess on the back. "You know Amelia, I really should visit more often…"
O O O
Amelia waited nervously in the hallway. Everyone had gone to bed several hours ago and she was certain that they were finally asleep, Zelgadiss being the last to drift off as always. He was always on guard, yet another reason for her to love him.
Of course, it was that very same attribute that made it so hard for her to work her way into his caged stone heart.
"So, then Miss Amelia." Xelloss' voice spoke up as he melded into the darkness of the hallway to join her. "Are we ready to begin!"
Amelia bit her lip and nodded. "Do you think it terribly unjust of me to do this Mr. Xelloss?"
Xelloss smirked into the darkness. "Unjust? Not at all! You are the princess and they should treat you with more care! Abandoning you like that!"
"This isn't about punishment!" Amelia argued ardently. "You understand don't you? If not I don't want your help!"
Xelloss chuckled, shaking his head. "No I understand your motives, Miss Amelia! And make no mistake I'm helping because it amuses me, not because I think your plans are deliciously nefarious!"
"Nefarious?" Amelia echoed softly, the guilt beginning to trickle in.
Xelloss sighed, cracking an eye and leaning in on his staff. "Do you want to go through with this or not, Miss Amelia?"
Amelia bit her lip but held her ground, standing tall and giving a quick nod of affirmation.
"Then have your best sorcerers put all of them into an even deeper sleep!" He grinned, fading away once more. "And let's get this show on the road!"
O O O
Lina awoke stretching irritably.
"Uh!" She groaned, blinking open her eyes. "I feel like a slept on a rock!"
Once her eyes were open she blinked at her surroundings in mild disconcertion. Apparently, that was because she had slept on a rock!
"Wake up Gourry!" She hissed, poking the snoring swordsman who immediately popped up sword drawn.
"Who!" He cried, looking to and fro in growing suspicion. "Where?"
"Good questions, Gourry." Lina sighed, standing up and stretching once more. "I suspect the answers are Amelia and Xelloss, and in a cave somewhere."
She approached the opening of the cave and stuck her head out curiously. "The real question though is why?"
"Because Amelia decided we needed a vacation." Zelgadiss stated poking the fire he'd made in the clearing outside with a stick.
"And so Xelloss kidnapped us!" Filia yelled, fists clenched as she attempted to stare burning daggers through the maddeningly grinning mazoku.
"I keep telling you it was her idea, Filia!" He beamed. "I'm so proud of her!"
"A… Amelia?" Lina choked, glancing at the miserable looking princess. "This was your idea?"
"Well I just figured you guys were always so busy!" She cried, wringing her hands. "I just thought you deserved a vacation!"
"A vacation." Lina repeated deadpan and Amelia nodded adamantly.
"I already booked six rooms at the hot springs!" She explained quickly. "I got meal vouchers and everything! They are the best hot springs this side of the Katahto Mountains!"
"So let me get this straight…" Lina summed up calmly, wrapping an arm around the princess. "You faked your own kidnapping in order to lure us to your palace; then you had Xelloss kidnap us and drag us out here just so you could make sure we got a full paid vacation?"
"I was afraid you'd say no…" She whispered in a small voice.
Lina wasn't sure if she and Gourry would have gone along or not, let alone Zelgadiss and the others, but there was one thing she was sure of!
"Alright, Amelia!" She declared with a wide grin. "You win. I promise I'll never leave you alone for three years ever again."
"Not let's get to town! I'm hungry!"
Ooh, the plot thickens...
Hee, see ya tomorrow! (n.-)