Hello everyone! As per the usual disclaimer, I don't anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction! Do enjoy!

15-Play a Different Tune

"What are you doing awake anyway?"

"I'm a Mazoku- we don't really have to sleep, y'know." Enrique shrugged, and then pointed to a chair next to where Zelgadis was sitting. "May I sit down?"

Zelgadis sighed in exasperation. "You're going to sit down whether I say it's alright or not, so why bother?"

"Well, I just thought that it's be polite to ask. It's important to be polite to people no matter what they say to you, right?"

"Don't lecture me. You're the last person I want to have wagging their finger at me."

"...wagging my finger...?" Enrique looked at his hand curiously as he sat down. "I'm sorry... I'm still not really informed about the way humans do things..."

"Forget about it. It's a figure of speech." Zelgadis shot back, hoping to cut the conversation short.

No such luck.

"I know you don't like me very much, Mister Zelgadis, and I'm sorry if I've done anything to make you angry."

"It's Lina and Gourry you should apologize to, not me." Zelgadis responded, though Enrique didn't seem to hear him.

"I do have a question, though, because it's been bothering me for a while now..."

"What's that?"

"Why is it... that humans are mean to the people they hate and to the people they love as well?"

Zelgadis blinked in surprise. It wasn't a question he'd expected, and it made him forget his animosity toward the boy for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... well... you're mean to me, but that makes sense because you don't like me. But you're so mean to Miss Amelia... and you love her so much."

"How do you know that?"

Enrique chuckled. "I'm a Mazoku. We can sense things like that."

"Huh," Zelgadis groaned. "I'll bet you're great fun at parties too."

Enrique had just discovered that one leg of his chair was shorter than the others, and was beginning to rock back and forth with an amused expression, as though it were the most fun that he'd had in ages.

"I wouldn't know." the Mazoku responded, not really paying much attention to the conversation anymore. "I've never been to a party before. I don't suppose I'd even know how to be fun."

Zelgadis didn't even bother to mention that it was a figure of speech again. "How old are you, Enrique?"

"Huh?" Enrique stopped rocking his chair and snapped back to attention again. "What do you mean?"

"How long have you been alive?"

"I don't really know. I'm not very good at gauging time. I don't even know the names of all the months yet."

"But do you know when you were born- er, created?"

Enrique was quiet for a long moment, leaning back in his chair and swinging his legs back and forth as he thought. He closed his eyes before finally answering.

"I guess... it was back when Lord Dolphin had a problem with her subordinates... y'see, there was this Mazoku named Pathosmaster that was making even Mazoku sick, and Lord Dolphin was needing a bunch of low-ranking Mazoku to temporarily fill in for the subordinates that had fallen prey to Pathosmaster's diseases. We were just... just temp help, right? And then a few weeks later, when Pathosmaster disappeared, we were just dumped out into the world with nowhere to go. We became rogues, and that's the scariest thing in the world. You know what higher-ranking Mazoku do to low-ranking rogues, don't you? They hunt them down; consume them for their power. I was in danger of being killed with every step I took, and I couldn't understand why."

Zelgadis frowned. "I... didn't know that."

"I got lucky though. The first high-ranking Mazoku I met... was Azarel. Instead of consuming me, Azarel actually gave me power. I was told that I had a lot of potential, and that I could join Azarel in an amazing quest that would advance the cause of the entire Mazoku race. I couldn't believe it... and so I put all my trust in Azarel and followed every command I was given." Enrique stopped swinging his legs and sighed. "It took me an awfully long time to realize... that Azarel was just using me... and that this whole quest was trouble that I shouldn't be involved in. But what can I do? I'm stuck. If I leave Azarel, I'll just end up getting eaten by some other Mazoku- or killed by Azarel for being a traitor. That's what I'm really afraid of."

Zelgadis was quiet for a moment. "I can't tell whether or not you're lying to me. But... your story sounds familiar."

"Huh?"

"I mean... to think that..." Zelgadis began somewhat awkwardly. "...you've only been alive for six or seven months, and yet you've already been betrayed by the person you trusted the most... I kind of know how that feels, to be honest..."

"But it's not all bad." Enrique straightened up with a smile. "If I'd hadn't stayed with Azarel all this time, I'd never have met Zara. And... if I hadn't met Zara... well, I can't imagine it."

Zelgadis blinked. "You think it's worth all that trouble, just to meet some kid you've only known for three weeks?"

"Maybe I'm not right, considering I'm new to this whole 'love' business," Enrique began with a sigh. "but I can't help thinking that's what love is all about. It's about meeting those people who make all your suffering worthwhile. No matter what you go through, they'll always be there for you, and that alone can get you through any hardship. I guess that's what made me so confused when you were fighting with Miss Amelia."

"Hmph. To think that, after 3 years of marriage, I'd need to be lectured on love by a kid who's practically an infant..." Zelgadis muttered indignantly.

"You didn't need it. You already knew it. It's just... nice to have a reminder now and again." Enrique smiled. "At least... that's what Professor Nisery says."

"Professor-" Zelgadis jumped up. "That's his game! He sent you out here to talk to me, didn't he?"

"I... will not confirm or deny that..." Enrique murmured. "But-"

"And I actually believed you there for a while! I went so far as to feel bad for you! I can't believe this-"

"Hey, hey!" Enrique jumped to his feet as well. "It's not like that at all! Everything I told you was the truth! I promise!"

"Yeah; you're sure that your little sob story is completely true?"

"Even if you hate me, you could at least trust that I wouldn't lie about my own past! I can't do that!"

Zelgadis paused and sighed. "I... want to trust you..."

"Then do! What are you risking?" Enrique responded. "Isn't there a story… about a guy who bought a very special piano, and-?"

"I know, I've heard this story a million times before. He didn't want to play it for fear of breaking it, and when he finally did play it, it was out of tune because he hadn't used it, right?" Zelgadis waved his hand. " It's supposed to teach someone a lesson about being willing to take risks."

"Right! So take a risk." Enrique nodded. "Trust me."

Zelgadis stared down the child for a moment, assessing the situation. "What will I gain from that?"

"What will you lose?" Enrique responded.

"If you're lying-"

"Really! Tell me! What would you lose if I were to betray you? Think about it! How much damage would that really do to you? I'm only a stupid kid, after all."

"Clearly not that stupid..." Zelgadis muttered. "But even so..."

"You're going to have to fix that hole in your heart at some point! It'll only keep causing you pain if you don't."

Zelgadis paled and took a step back. "Hole?"

"When someone you love dies, it leaves a hole in your heart. You're afraid of letting it heal, right? Because you think that, if it heals, it'll hurt even more if someone else were to die. But what you don't realize is that it's hurting you all the while. By trying to avoid pain, you're only inflicting more on yourself."

"Like you would know." Zelgadis spat indignantly. "For your information, nobody died."

"Then where did that hole come from?" Enrique seemed genuinely concerned, which was somehow even more infuriating than it would have been if he'd been sarcastic.

"You're obviously the mind-reader here. You tell me."

"Well..." Enrique circled Zelgadis a few times. "...are you maybe still in denial, then?"

"Denial...? I already told you, no one died! What would I have to deny?!"

Enrique blinked. "In denial that you're in denial? Wow, you're in pretty deep, huh?"

Zelgadis groaned and fell back into his chair. "Why do I even bother yelling at you? You don't care..."

"I do care." Enrique sat down in his own chair again, hugging his knees to his chest. "I care because I'm scared."

Once again, Zelgadis was caught off-guard by the Mazoku's words. "Scared? Scared of who?"

"Of you. Of Azarel. But... mostly of myself."

"Yourself?"

"I scared myself today." Enrique leaned back, staring up at the porch ceiling. "For the first time that I can remember, I felt hatred for someone. I hated you."

"Me?" Zelgadis was too surprised to feel at all angry. "Because I yelled so much?"

"No, not just that." Enrique shook his head. "Because... your yelling made Zara cry."

"Oh."

The two were quiet for a while, staring out at the snowfall. Enrique rocked back and forth in his chair, the tapping sound on the wooden porch echoing across the snowscape.

"To tell the truth," Zelgadis began again when the tapping started giving him a headache. "I hated myself for that too."

"You did?"

"And also for hurting Amelia." Zelgadis nodded. "I've never been good with words- everything always sounds more eloquent in my head, yet, when I open my mouth, it doesn't end up that way. I've always preferred to take action rather than to speak. That's why I don't talk much."

"Oh man, do I get that." Enrique sighed. "I don't speak like a smart person. I have too many thoughts, and I can't express them all fast enough. Everything gets jumbled up and I end up going on and on and on..."

"You're doing better than you were." Zelgadis commented. "Before, you were running all your sentences together, but you aren't anymore."

"You think?" Enrique exclaimed. "It's because I've been reading! Zara is teaching me to read, and we're reading a really good book together! It has a lot of big words and long sentences, but the story is really interesting."

"Oh really? What kind of story is it?"

"Uh... well..." Enrique thought for a moment. "The main character is a normal guy who lives near a bunch of rich people... and, well... his neighbour invited him to this rich-people party, so he decided to go. It's a huuuuuge party, with lots of people and drinking and music and dancing... and, well, that's where we are now- at the party scene, I mean." The boy closed his eyes and smiled. "Do you think I'd be fun at a party like that?"

Zelgadis couldn't help getting a chuckle out of that. Enrique seemed confused at his reaction.

"What's so funny?"

"N-nothing." Zelgadis grinned. "It's just funny that you'd remember that. It was just a sarcastic quip, and yet..."

"I guess the idea of me at a party was too nice to let go of." Enrique responded. "I mean, me! At a party! For that, well, I'd have to have friends... and..."

"Don't you have friends?" Zelgadis asked.

"I have a friend. Zara."

Zelgadis was quiet for a moment, and then sighed. "...and me."

"What?"

"That is, if you want me as a friend." Zelgadis held out his hand for the boy to shake. "I guess... maybe you're right. Maybe I'm taking a risk here. Maybe you're lying, and maybe you'll betray me. But, maybe you aren't, and maybe you won't. And if it might somehow help me heal this 'hole' or whatever you call it... if it'll prevent me from yelling at Amelia and Zara again... then maybe..."

"Mister Zelgadis!" Enrique ignored the chimera's hand and, instead ran to hug him. "I'm so glad!"

Zelgadis was a little flustered for a moment before sighing and placing a hand on the boy's head. "...yeah, well..."

"Hello...? Is someone awake out here...?"

Enrique spun around and ran over. "Zara! What are you doing awake?"

"He's a Mazoku- they don't really have to sleep, y'know." Zelgadis repeated with a laugh.

Zara jumped and hid behind Enrique timidly. He peeked out at Zelgadis as though he were too afraid to draw any closer.

"I... I was thirsty. I wanted to get some water, but I don't know where it is."

"Oh, I can show you that." Enrique volunteered. "Professor Nisery showed me when we were helping in the kitchen-"

"Zara," Zelgadis began, bending down to the boy's level. "May I talk to you?"

The boy gave a small whine and inched farther behind Enrique.

"C'mon, Zara. Talk to him." Enrique encouraged. "Won't you listen to what he has to say?"

Zara peeked back out for a moment, and then stepped forward cautiously. "Okay..."

"I'm really sorry for getting so mad before." Zelgadis spoke up. "I didn't mean to make you cry- I was just so worried about you. Would you- could you possibly forgive me?"

Zara inched forward curiously.

"...will you... get me a cup of water?"

"Huh? Yes, of course."

A smile spread across the little boy's face. "Then I forgive you."

"What? Is that it? You're awfully easy to bribe, aren't you?" Zelgadis grinned, tousling his hair. Zara giggled and threw his arms around the man's neck.

"Oof! Don't do that. Amelia was right; you're getting too heavy." Zelgadis steadied the child in his arms and carried him inside. Enrique followed them inside and closed the door behind them. He waited in the main room of the cabin while Zelgadis showed Zara around the kitchen.

"Enrique, that was amazing."

The boy jumped a little. "Huh? Professor?"

Pestis smiled. "I've never seen anyone get through to Zelgadis in such a short amount of time. I guess he really needed it, even if he doesn't want to admit it."

Enrique sat down beside the professor. "It's all thanks to you. I'd never have had the courage to confront him like that if you hadn't encouraged me."

"Hey, what are friends for?"

Enrique blinked. "You too?"

"Of course, of course!" Pestis exclaimed. "Don't think for a minute that I wouldn't want to be your friend! You remind me a lot of myself, in a way... it's funny..."

"Professor... can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. What is it?"

Enrique took a deep breath and finally followed with "What does a piano sound like?"

"Huh?" Pestis blinked. "You've... never heard a piano before?"

"I don't know. Maybe I have, but I just didn't know it."

"It's possible." Pestis nodded. "I enjoy playing the piano, but I haven't done it in a long time."

"Will you play it for me sometime?"

"I'll do you one better." Pestis grinned. "I'll teach you to play. That's a promise."

"W-wow..." Enrique's eyes sparkled warmly. "I... I don't know what to say..."

"But we'll first have to defeat Azarel." Pestis continued.

The sparkle in Enrique's eyes dulled. "...oh... right. I'd almost forgotten... that I have to go back..."

"I'm so sorry, Enrique. Really, I am." Pestis placed a hand on the boy's head. "If the situation were different, I'd take you in and have you stay with us forever. But I'm afraid that it would start a fight with Azarel prematurely. That's why you and Zara have to go back- you have to fight in your own way."
Enrique nodded. "I understand. I just wish... well..."

"Don't give up. Remember that Azarel's soul is troubled too. Not everyone expresses emotional pain the same way. Maybe you can even reach out to Azarel- be a reminder that loneliness isn't permanent. Can you do that?"

"Yes." Enrique sniffled. "I understand. I will! And I'll protect Zara too! Everything will be alright in the end, I'm sure of it!"

"You're so good at this, Enrique. I wish that all of us could be as sure of that as you are..."