Hello everyone! As per usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!
29- If It Was A Snake…
"It's not true. It's not true. Tell me it's not true!"
Lyos slammed a fist down on the kitchen table, rattling the mugs of coffee that Pestis had poured to help everyone warm up. No one was in a good mood, and Lyos' desperate ranting wasn't helping.
"It has to be her. It can't be anyone else." Lina shook her head solemnly. "The way Luke described her… there's no doubt that it was the same woman. The proprietorship of the mine, the wealthy eccentricity, the disappeared ship… Soi Ren Hayze is the woman we need to find. She is the owner of the Key of the Aqualord."
"But what does this mean for us?" Shizuri asked. "What are we supposed to do? We don't know what kind of name she's going by now, or where she lives. How are we going to find her?"
"It'll be difficult, but not impossible." Lina idly stirred her coffee with a spoon.
"That's easy for you to say, Lina. But you don't have to worry about it. You're going home." Pestis pouted.
"At least let me help before you cut me from the expedition!" Lina hissed. "I'm still useful!"
"…marginally." Zelgadis muttered under his breath.
"Do you want to take this outside, Zel?" Lina shoved the spoon in his face.
"What I want is to have a competent discussion." Zelgadis turned to the other side of the table. "Lyos, when was the last time you saw this woman? When was she declared missing?"
"It was seven… no, eight years ago." Lyos murmured.
"Luke said that she took a considerable sum of money with her." Lina added. "Wherever she went, I doubt a rich lady like that would give up her wealthy lifestyle, even at the risk of being discovered. If we can find a wealthy young woman who appeared out of the blue somewhere around eight years ago, then we might just be able to locate her."
"Right." Gourry gave a sincere-looking nod, though his tone of voice was overtly sarcastic. "Because we haven't had our share of trouble with mysterious rich ladies before, right?"
"Is this a joke to you?!" Lyos jumped up. "Don't you care at all about what's going to happen? Or are you just too dumb to notice the gravity of the situation?"
"S-sorry." Gourry flinched. "I was just trying to lighten the mood. It's a valid point too- Lina and I can say from experience that you can never be too careful when dealing with these aristocratic types. And besides, when there is a child's life at stake-"
"That's all that matters to you, isn't it? You know, there are lots of other humans out there besides your little brat. Maybe if your tiny mind had enough consideration for other people, you'd notice that- but no. You don't. Not everything is about your kid, Gourry!"
"I wasn't trying to make it about him!" Gourry was on his feet in a split second. Lina flinched and moved away from him slightly. He scared her sometimes when this happened. Someone could say anything about any of Gourry's friends, and he wouldn't care. A person could even insult Lina and he wouldn't even argue- he might even agree with them. But as soon as an insult was thrown about Zara, the speaker's fate was sealed. Gourry would not forgive that as easily.
"I was just… just trying to make some sense out of this situation! All this serious stuff makes it difficult for me to think things through! Besides…" He shot a glance over at Zelgadis. "…somebody told me recently that my jokes boost group morale. Was that wrong?"
Zelgadis looked away. He stood up from his seat and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. It took Gourry a moment to realize what had just happened.
"W-wait, Zel! I didn't mean it like that! I just…. I don't know what to say anymore, a-and… I'm so confused right now-"
"If you're so confused, why don't you stop talking, then?" Lyos shot back. "For once, I actually agree with Zelgadis. This is getting us nowhere, and I'm sick of it."
"W-wait a minute-" Lina tried to get his attention, but he'd already left the kitchen through a different door, and the group could hear him stepping out onto the back porch and slamming the house door behind him.
"Lyos! I'm sorry! Will you wait just a minute!" Gourry ran after him. "Don't be angry, please!"
There was more noise, of doors slamming and people running around outside, but the group in the kitchen tried to ignore it.
"They were wrong about one thing. We were making progress- that is, until they all decided to step on one another's egos." Shizuri groaned. "Why are guys always so sensitive?"
"It's true. All they want to do is argue." Amelia sighed. "They're trying to act tough, but they're really just making themselves look like immature children."
"Ugh. Men." Pestis gave an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes dramatically. "Am I right, ladies?"
The girls stared at him for a moment, as though trying to figure out whether or not to agree with him.
Lina finally nodded in approval. "You said it, sister."
Amelia sighed and pushed her empty mug toward the middle of the table. She leaned forward and rested her head in her arms. "What now?"
"Well… if anyone wants to have more coffee…" Pestis held up the pot, trying his best to be helpful.
"Pour me some, will you?" Lina shoved the mug in his face, and he gladly obliged.
"Miss Lina, are you sure you should be drinking so much of that-?" Shizuri spoke up.
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Lina waved her hand dismissively. "Don't you worry about my well-being. Worry about the well-being of our expedition."
"Especially with the state of our men right now…" Amelia glanced around.
"Boys." Pestis corrected.
Lina elbowed him. "They were men to you just a minute ago, weren't they?"
"Everything in perspective, you know." Pestis wagged a finger, and Lina laughed in reply.
"Even if our men have finally gone crazy, at least we know that we'll always have Pestis."
Amelia stood, gathering the mugs that the others had left, carrying them to the sink. "Lina, aren't you concerned- about Mister Gourry, if no one else? He seemed so upset just now."
"Gourry's a grown-up. He can take care of himself." Lina banged her mug on the table, causing Pestis to flinch and reach for it.
"I think… Miss Shizuri had a point. You look tired, Lina. I think today's activities were a little much for you to handle. Get some rest."
Lina grabbed his hand and leaned against his arm. "I'll sleep here. It's warm in the kitchen."
"I, uh, appreciate the sentiment," Despite his words, Pestis seemed quite content to comfort his dear friend. "but I'm not so sure your husband would. Why don't I help you back to bed-?"
The conversation was interrupted as one of the kitchen doors swung open. Zelgadis, a bunch of folders grasped tightly in his arms, burst into the room. He paused a moment and looked around. Pestis stiffened, and almost let go of Lina- though his better judgment told him otherwise.
"Z-Zelgadis, this is not what it looks like!"
Zelgadis stared at him a moment. "…what?"
"W-well, I mean- it's just-"
"What's the matter? You seemed so angry when you left." Amelia interrupted, addressing Zelgadis before Pestis could get himself in trouble.
"I wasn't angry, I was just frustrated. I remembered something important, but I couldn't place it. And when Gourry reminded me of what I said yesterday, it also reminded me of a file I'd been working with yesterday. That was what I'd remembered."
"And what about the file?" Lina was still resting with her head against the professor's chest, but she turned slightly to look over at the table.
"Just take a look." he placed the file on the table, gathering the papers together into a neat stack. "A wealthy young woman who appeared out of the blue somewhere around eight years ago…" Zelgadis grinned. "I think I've found her."
"Lyos, c'mon! I didn't mean it like that! Just talk to me, will you?"
"Leave me alone. You don't know anything about what's going on."
"No. I don't. But I'm pretty decent at understanding things when people explain them to me nicely. Would you please…?"
Gourry had finally managed to corner Lyos on the back porch. Lyos tried to escape, but Gourry stepped in his way. It wasn't a large porch, and the tall swordsman took up most of it, leaving little escape for the Knight of the Aqualord.
"Please…" Lyos put a hand against the wall and sunk onto one of the chairs. "This is something I have to handle on my own."
Gourry faltered before finally managing to speak. "If I offended you in any way… I'm so sorry; I didn't mean it."
"Well, you did. Okay? You did. So…" Lyos waved a hand weakly. "…just… leave me be."
Gourry timidly retreated to one of the chairs on the other side of the porch. He didn't say anything, but just sat there for a few minutes, staring at Lyos. Eventually, the cold started getting to him, and he began rubbing his hands together to warm them. Lyos watched, trying to hide the fact that he was shivering somewhat himself.
"Why are you sitting out here in the cold? Why don't you go back inside?"
"I want to help you." Gourry answered. "We're friends, aren't we? You said so yourself."
Lyos suddenly felt guilty. If there was one person he could talk to at this point, it would probably be Gourry.
"You said that… you and your family weren't really close when you were a kid, right?"
Gourry seemed surprised by the topic change, but he nodded. "Yeah. I don't really consider them family anymore, to tell the truth."
"Then you'd probably understand." Lyos sighed. "That woman- the one everyone's talking about- at one time she was the only one I could have ever considered family."
"She was like a mother to you?" Gourry asked.
"No, not quite."
"A lover, almost?"
"Nah, nothing like that."
"Then…?"
Lyos looked out at the sky and sighed. "She was the only person who believed in me. When everyone else thought I was cursed, she was able to look past all of that superstition and see the real me- the Knight of the Aqualord. She encouraged me to become stronger, and even was the one to give me the Banisher."
"She gave you that sword?" Gourry gasped.
"Well… I mean… I found it, but it was on her family's land, so technically she could've claimed it…" Lyos scratched his head. "The thing was, when everyone else saw me as a monster, she saw me as a person. That's what's so important."
"Right. But then she disappeared?"
"Yeah. The thing is, I searched for her. I searched for years. And as time passed, I began to worry that I'd never see her again. By this time… well… I'd practically given up hope. I was okay with that. The past was in the past, and I had to move on."
"I see. And now all of a sudden we're digging up your past again." Gourry murmured. "That's understandable."
"But this… this new information…" Lyos stammered. "It brings up so many new questions. I don't even know if I want to see her again."
"After you searched so hard for her?"
"But things are so different now. What would I even say? Lina said that there was a letter that was supposed to go to me… I don't even know what was written in that letter. What if she thinks that I've ignored her on purpose? What if-"
"But didn't she trust you back then?" Gourry interrupted. "If she trusted you then, surely she'll still trust you now."
Lyos jerked his head up. "You think?"
"Do I think? Of course I do!" Gourry exclaimed. "Lyos, if you were the only one that she wanted to send a letter to, don't you think that she'll be thrilled to see you? Don't you think that she wants to know all that you've done with your life? You're the Knight of the Aqualord, for crying out loud. You've got so much potential- no way are you going to waste it! I'm sure that she knows that!"
Lyos was quiet for a long moment. He didn't look at Gourry, though, preferring to stare at the bricks that made up the walls of the house.
After a few minutes of quiet, Gourry gave a long sigh and spoke up again. "I'm sure that things between you will be alright."
"And what if they aren't?" Lyos asked.
"At least you'll know. All that searching you did before won't be in vain. You'll have found her, and even if it wasn't the outcome you'd wanted, at least you'll have the peace of mind."
"But that's just it. I don't know what outcome I want." Lyos sighed. "I don't know if I'd rather her accept me again with open arms, or… turn me away."
Gourry stared out at the mountains in the distance. "Well, that's good, I guess. You can be satisfied, no matter what happens."
Lyos was quiet again for a while, thinking it over. "Maybe I can face her again, but things will never be like they were. I've made a new beginning for myself, and I'd hate to see all that work go to waste by going back to where I was before."
"That's good." Gourry smiled. "Good perspective."
"Thanks." Lyos replied curtly, but then continued. "Gosh, Gourry, I… I'm so sorry."
"For what?" Gourry looked genuinely confused.
"Y-you're a great father. You're a wonderful father. You care so much for your son. I don't know why it makes me upset. It shouldn't. But I guess that seeing sons with such loving fathers makes me a bit jealous. Your son is a lucky child. I shouldn't have said those things."
"But you were right though. I do think of him too much." Gourry insisted. "There are plenty of people that I need to worry about, and he's only one of them. He's my family, but he's just part of it. And that's…" He stopped and took a deep breath before continuing. "…that's why I've decided to go home with Lina."
It took Lyos a moment to register his statement. "You're leaving? You're going home? After all that's happened, you're going to leave us to fight Azarel by ourselves?"
"Lyos." Gourry spoke sternly. "You're protecting the world. I have to protect the things that mean the world to me. Zara is in danger, yes, but so is everyone else. Besides that, I trust him. He's my son. He's brave, strong, noble, and- goodness knows he didn't get it from me- he's smart. I also trust Zelgadis and Amelia- they've known him almost as long as I have, and they're like a second set of parents to him. I'd leave him in their care in a heartbeat if I had to, because I know they'll care for him like he was their own. I have to stay with Lina- I can't leave the woman I love to bring our child into the world by herself. That's why I have to leave you. That's why I have to leave Zara's safety up to you."
Lyos couldn't respond right away.
"Geez, Gourry… that's some heavy stuff, and I just… I can't… I'm afraid I won't live up to your expectations."
"You will." Gourry nodded. "That's how I know that your lady friend still trusts you. Because I do too."
"Gourry, I-"
"Hey, you guys!"
The porch door opened and Shizuri peeked her head out with a shiver at the cold evening air. She gave the two men a look as though asking them if they were crazy for sitting out in the cold without the proper clothing, but neither of them responded to that. They were waiting to find out what she was going to say.
"Sorry to interrupt you, but it's cold out here, and… well, Gourry, Lina could use someone to take her to bed. She's tired after today."
"Oh! Y-yeah, of course!" Gourry jumped to his feet.
"And Lyos?" Shizuri continued.
"What?"
"…Zelgadis has some papers that I think you need to see."