JUST BEGUN

This story takes place right before the final ending sequence of Evolution-R episode 13. Consider this my denial.

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"Amelia, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Zelgadis looked down at the short princess with an expression that left her little room to deny his request. Not that she would have, anyway, although her father was on his way from Seyruun with provisions for Taforashia.

Amelia followed her companion behind a hillside, out of sight of the rest of their friends. She was still tired and her injured arm was aching, but she eagerly looked up at the disheveled chimera in front of her.

He looked nervous.

"What is it, Zelgadis-san?" She asked, sweetly.

Zelgadis began wringing his hands together in front of his bare chest, which had been unceremoniously revealed when Shabranigdo tried to crush him to death and subsequently ripped half his shirt off. Not that Amelia had noticed, of course.

As the bright mid-day sun bore down on them, and Amelia tried to patiently adjust the sling holding her right arm, Zelgadis finally took a deep breath and spoke.

"I'm going away for a while."

That was not what Amelia had expected him to say. Being a romantic sort, of course she had been hoping he'd finally confess his feelings to her and join her back in Seyruun where they'd be married in the most amazing ceremony the kingdom had ever seen, and Lina would be Maid of Honor and Gourry would be Best Man, and maybe Pokota could be the Ring Bearer...

"...I'm really sorry, but I swear I'll be back sooner this time."

Amelia was painfully ripped from her reverie by Zelgadis babbling on about how he was leaving her. Again.

"But...why?" She found she couldn't even bring herself to produce tears this time.

"I have a lot to think about. Rezo said there was no cure, but I'm not sure I believe that. I think he was trying to get me to destroy the jar. So the possibility is still there..."

He stopped and now saw the water threatening to fall from Amelia's big blue eyes. He hated when she looked at him like that. It was if he'd just told her he was leaving to take up a life of crime and villainy.

For her part, Amelia hadn't even realized she was crying, because she felt so numb. Having her arm broken by the dark lord didn't even hurt as much.

Then the numbness was replaced by another feeling she wasn't expecting. Anger.

With her eyes to the ground, trying to force back burning tears, Amelia couldn't keep her voice from trembling.

"How long will you keep searching? How long will your dream be more important than mine?"

Zelgadis couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"How could you say that, Amelia?! There are a lot of reasons I don't want to give up the search, but the most important reason is you."

Amelia looked up at him then, eyes wide.

"Me?"

A small smile lit the chimera's face. He hooked an arm around the princess and gently pulled her close to him, being careful not to jostle her bad arm.

As she laid a wet cheek against his chest, he contined.

"Do you hear that?" He asked her. "My heart beats, just like any other man. But you feel the stone that surrounds it?"

Amelia lightly rubbed her face against the rough stone skin and found herself thinking that Zelgadis smelled like the air after a summer storm, but she kept the analogy to herself.

"I like it, though," she did find herself saying, "Because it's part of you, and I like everything about you."

Zelgadis smiled and absently ran his fingers through her thick, plum-colored hair.

"Oh? You don't seem to like the part where I want to go search for my cure some more." He hoped his joking tone would lighten the mood a bit.

Amelia pushed herself gently away from him and looked into his eyes. He was glad to see her eyes had dried some.

"What does that have to do with me, again? Your cure, I mean?"

"Oh, well," Zelgadis said as he cupped Amelia's chin with his thumb and forefinger and tilted her face up towards him.

"I continue to search because I can't stand the thought of you ending up with a big stone jerk like me."

Amelia's expression was incredulous. "So you want me to end up with a big...fleshy...jerk like you?"

Though she managed to say it with a straight face, the chuckle it brought out of Zelgadis made her giggle, as well.

"Amelia," he breathed once their laughter had died down. Finally, he leaned down and closed the distance between them. His feather-light kiss felt like lightning on the lips of the princess. She closed her eyes and returned it with enthusiasm, only to have him break it much too soon.

As he drew away from her, with some hesitation, Zelgadis sighed.

"Please, Amelia? Just once more. If I hit another dead end, I swear I'll be back to Seyruun faster than you can say 'elmekia lance', okay?"

Finally, Amelia nodded.

"Fine. But I want you to write to me at least once a month. Preferably more. And...do you still have it?"

Zelgadis reached into his pants pocket and withdrew a small blue gem attached to a pink ribbon. The gem had a white star in the center, and a fairly large crack in the top.

"I think it got cracked when Shabranigdo was...you know...trying to squash me."

"Well, then, here," Amelia said, holding her left wrist out to him. "I can't get it off myself, and my right arm is kind of occupied right now. So I want you to have this one."

Zelgadis reached out and gingerly removed the little bracelet from her uninjured wrist. It had a purple strap, trimmed in pink, and the same blue orb-like stone as the other one she had given him.

"Amelia, you should really stop giving people your belongings."

"I don't give them to just anyone, you know."

They stood for a while, the sun warming the tops of their, and just looked at each other. Finally, Zelgadis turned on his heel and began walking off.

"Tell Lina and Gourry I said goodbye!" He called over his shoulder. "Oh, and your dad, too!"

Amelia waved and waved at the departing chimera until she could no longer see the billowing of his cape in the distance.

The princess turned around and headed back to Taforashia. She was looking forward to seeing her father, and she had a strong feeling the future would be bright.

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Zelgadis reached the dock and threw his luggage and some provisions into the small sailorboat he had acquired.

He had one more lead to follow, and it would take him a few months of travel. Once he arrived at the seaport town of Maerrida, he would head straight for their white magic temple.

And on the way, he might just find time to look for a damn nice engagement ring.

END