OMG! This chapter was so fun to write! Thila meets up with her old mistress... O.o' that can't be good. Sparks will fly! This chapter has betting, and um... an inappropriate theme. Let's say this chapter is main the reason why the fic is rated T.
Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers... but I do own an adorable little Lina plushie! ... Kinda off topic... ^.^' ~nyan!
Chapter 4: Apologizes
Thila and Xellos walked through the halls of Zelas' mansion until they came to a set of double doors leading to the throne room. Before they walked in, Thila stopped Xellos to ask a question. "Do I need to bow once we get inside, or not?"
"Well… no, I suppose not… maybe just a polite nod of your head," Xellos offered.
"Fair enough," Thila said. Xellos opened the doors and walked in, Thila close behind. Thila looked up at the soaring walls and tall ceiling. I forgot that the monster race loves to show off to other people, she thought with disgust.
They walked up to where Zelas was lounging, and Xellos kneeled down. "Mistress, I have brought Thila as you have asked," he said, head down. Thila gave a slight nod of her head, arms crossed, when her name was spoken.
"Ah good," Zelas purred, taking a puff of her cigarette. "Tell me Thila, how do you like my mansion?" she questioned.
Thila scoffed. "It's way better than Dolphin's deep sea palace, that's for sure," she commented.
Zelas giggled. "Oh yes, my sister did have a habit of smelling like fish and the bottom of the sea. Please rise, Xellos," she added.
"I suggest that you watch your tongue, sister," a high-pitched voice snapped from behind them.
Everyone but Thila covered their ears at the sound of that voice. Thila whipped around to see her old mistress standing just inside the throne room doors. "Dolphin, what are you doing here?" she asked, unmasked shock on her face.
"I could ask you the same question, Thila," Deep Sea Dolphin fired back. An awkward silence fell over the throne room. The tension was so thick that you could break it with Filia's mace. Zelas started puffing on her cigarette nervously. Xellos stood next to her, looking on with a small smile at the two women staring each other down.
"I'll bet you five silver pieces that it will turn into a cat fight, mistress," Xellos whispered to Zelas.
Zelas smiled a little. "I'll bet you six silver pieces my sister snaps first," she whispered back to Xellos.
"Two more silvers say Thila does," Xellos whispered cheerfully.
"Deal," Zelas said. She and Xellos had recently started betting with each other. No other monsters had that kind of relationship with their masters, and Zelas and Xellos were quite proud of it.
"THILA, YOU TRAITOR!" Deep Sea Dolphin yelled, and launched herself at the assassin.
"Pay up Xellos," Zelas said jokingly.
"Oh well, perhaps next time I'll win," Xellos said with mock disappointment. He handed over eight silver pieces to his mistress.
"LOOK WHO'S TALKING, PROSTITUTE!" Thila yelled back and easily dodged her old mistress.
It was about then when Dynast popped in to tell Zelas that he couldn't find anyone to fight Gaav. It took all of three seconds for him to realize how awkward the situation was, so he left and decided to tell Zelas about his problem later.
"PROSTITUTE?" Dolphin screamed even louder, choosing to ignore her brother's awkward visit.
"YEAH, EVERYTIME I GOT BACK FROM A MISSION YOU WOULD BE DOING IT WITH A DIFFERENT GUY ON YOUR THRONE!" Thila yelled back, losing it, not even noticing Dynast.
"ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Zelas yelled at both of them, her vocals sending them flying back and crashing against a wall. Thila and Deep Sea Dolphin got up, still glaring daggers at each other.
Well, I'm glad this argument is being conducted on a mature adult level, Xellos thought, unknowingly quoting Lina (First episode of Slayers).
"Now then," his mistress continued, temper back to normal. "I suppose you two might as well apologize to each other, so we can focus on the real problem at hand: Gaav," she said.
Thila looked at her old mistress, then at Zelas. "You're kidding, right?" she asked Zelas in disbelief. "You can't expect me to apologize to my old mistress, when she's the one who kicked me out in the first place?"
"I will not apologize to that traitor!" Dolphin yelled, sticking out her tongue at Thila. Thila sarcastically copied Dolphin, with a rather rude hand-gesture, and they both turned their backs toward one another and stuck their noses in the air with a, "Humph!" Zelas and Xellos sweat dropped at this immature behavior.
"Um… anyways, what about that plan of yours, mistress?" Xellos asked, trying to change the subject.
"Yes, of course Xellos," Zelas said. "But first, what does bring you to my mansion, sister?" Zelas asked of Deep Sea Dolphin.
Deep Sea Dolphin turned around. "If you must know, sister, I have come to ask you to stop throwing old wine into the sea; it makes my whole palace smell nasty," Dolphin commanded. "Plus, it makes the fish go loopy," she added.
"As if the palace didn't smell before," Thila whispered to herself. Only Xellos heard this comment, and he decided to ignore it.
"What am I supposed to do, use the trash can?" Zelas retorted.
"Yes! That's what they're used for!"
"Ohh… I shall consider your request, sister," Zelas said.
Deep Sea Dolphin nodded, satisfied. "Until we meet again, sister," she said. "Oh yes, and Thila?" she asked.
"What?" Thila said, annoyed.
"If you set even one foot in my territory, my creatures will devour you!" Dolphin said, laughing with a high-pitched titter. (Think of a dolphin noise) She phased out, still laughing.
"They can try, Dolphin, they can try," Thila said aloud. Her old mistress gone, she let out a sigh of relief. "So, anyone know where Gaav is?" she questioned, changing the subject.
"Yes," Zelas said. "As a matter of fact, he is in the spot that monsters love to go to get power!"
Thila thought about this for a moment. "Don't tell me, Old Sairaag, right?" she guessed.
"Precisely! Nice work Thila," Zelas complimented.
"And just how did you know about that Thila? That was only discovered after you got banished," Xellos said accusingly.
"Um… well… to borrow one of your phrases, Xellos…" Thila said closing her eyes, smiling, and imitating his signature pose, "…That's a secret!"
Zelas choked and spit out her wine that she had been drinking, laughing like crazy. "Man, Xellos, she sure got you there!" she said gleefully, holding her sides with laughter. "I don't know why you got banished in the first place, Thila. You're so likeable!" Zelas said, eyes sparkling with laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, mistress," Xellos said darkly. "Now I really want to kill something. Should we go to Sairaag then, Thila?" he questioned.
"Sure thing, Xellos," Thila said, sweat dropping at Zelas' odd behavior. They phased out, leaving a very loopy Beastmaster behind.
Then Dynast phased in and told Zelas about his bad luck.
"By the way," he added, "what was that argument about?"
"I don't know, but it got me eight silver pieces!" Zelas said happily. Confused by this remark, Dynast left to take care of his own business.
Read and Review! My brother had thought it would be funny to add Dynast in there... and also corrected the betting part for me as well.
Xellos: *phases in* What? Don't tell me you haven't bet before!
Me: Nope.
Xellos: Pity, it is quite fun!
Thila: *phases in* What? You bet on the outcome of me and Dolphin's fight?
Xellos: Yep.
Thila: Why you... *takes out sword*
Xellos: ... I'm going to leave now...*phases out*
Thila: Get back here, you crazy priest! *phases out*
Me: What was that about... O.o'