Well, I didn't get nearly as many reviews as I had hoped, but then again, it IS the holiday season!

First off, Happy Holidays to all of you out there and I hope you're all doing well. I found out just yesterday that I still have my job (yea!!) so I'm pretty psyched. ^_^ Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and Happy Quanza, um, and Happy Winter Solstice.

Unfortunately, I'm feeling rather ill but I'm trying to not stay sick for long. I have Echinacea and Elderberry Tea! Jee, that sure brings back Monty Python memories . . .

Ahem. Anyhow, on to answering reviews.

Shahrezad1: Yes, the kids are always getting into trouble. I like having some characters older and some younger, then all ages can enjoy what I write without feeling that they can't connect with the characters. ^_^ I sure wish I had more men reviewing, though . . . Anyhow, yes, Kendar is also a great character who I like. I wish I could do more with him, but I'm afraid that in a few chapters down the line he won't get too many scenes. After that span, though, I'm intending on giving him a lot more "screen time".

As to Xellos' realization of how Mazoku can feel so-called "good" emotions, unfortunately, (or fortunately) that was far before the time that this fanfic was set in. Probably a good thing . . . if I had started the fanfic at that point, we would have had to go through a few hundred years to get to this point . . . eh heh, it's already quite long! ^_^ But maybe I can find a way to "flashback" to it. ^_^ It sure would be fun, wouldn't it?

As for Mistress Dragon Flame and Xeria and Neko-Metallium, I'm so glad you all find Iyzeka to be as innocent as I'm trying to write her. I had this fear that people would be unable to associate innocence with her, since she's so . . . (ahem) feisty.

Jadelitfireflies wrote about Kendar's crush on Filia. Well, I'm not sure how it would affect a relationship between him and Xellos, if there would even be one. I'm certain that Xellos would be able to sense Kendar's feelings towards Filia, if they were on the same plane, etc.

Does this mean you guys want more of Kendar? lol. Go ahead, make requests. I will do my very best to satisfy you guys!

As to lateness, Neko-Metallium, don't fret. At least you reviewed! Unlike some other people who have yet to review even though it's been a whole month. (Mock-glares at Grace, Amber, Dark Fire Angel, Chaos-Anita and those Ranma folks) What DID ever happen to you Ranma fellows, anyhow? Ranma Higurashi, Shampoo, and Akane . . . you know, you should read this more often!! (hangs head) Abandoning your Ukchan! Tisk tisk! ^o^ Anyhow, c'mon guys, give me s'more reviews!

(Sigh)

Besides that, Tbiris . . . I'm glad I finally made you laugh! ^_^ Boy, that was hard. Are you a Vulcan? With a name like Tbiris, it sure seems like it! And all the "interesting"s I've gotten from you had me wondering. I feel proud to have finally gotten a chuckle out of you! (smug smile) I'd hug you, but I'd probably get Vulcan-neck-pinched . . . OW!

So, onto another chapter in "Gee, Xellos sure sucks at saving the world" . . . Ahem, I mean, "Modern Day".


Love ya,

Ukchana

Chapter 32



Hong Kong, China
June 9th, 2002

Well, Kendar told himself with a sigh, Telgaln ordered me to watch Xellos . . . and watch him I am. He shook his head in the early morning twilight and leaned back in mid-air, suspended between the two planes. I just never thought I'd see Xellos . . . sleep. Meditating was one thing, but sleep?
The blonde, who he now knew was the dragoness Filia Ul Copt, had been shifting radically in her slumber all night, while of course, Xellos did not move a millimeter. Kendar still felt the strange fascination for her, and his time spent studying them was made worthwhile because of it. Still so beautiful; her innocence and purity are so appealing. He found himself wanting to tarnish her goodness, dirty the pale yellow of her hair and mar the smooth skin. And yet, if he did, her overwhelming allure would be over.
How does Xellos stand the lust of having such a flower so near, and not pluck her? Perhaps in the torment of her beauty, he found some release, perhaps by merely remaining in her light . . .
As he watched, the dragoness squealed in her sleep, and suddenly rolled over to face her bed companion and pulled her knees to her chest. With interest, the brown-haired Mazoku studied her as she growled low and proceeded to shove the General Priest off the bed with her feet.
With a loud thunk, Xellos landed on the carpet in an undignified sprawl, pulling some of the bedcovering with him. Ironically, Filia too held the sheets tightly in her sleep, so when the dozing man began to tug the fabric over himself, he drew the blonde towards the edge of the bed.
Kendar chuckled as the violet-haired priest unknowingly pulled the woman off the bed, only to have her fall, face-first, onto him. Oh, dear, the Mazoku shook his head. This will certainly be interesting.


Valgaav poured another cup of coffee and looked at his watch, then back at the dusky horizon that glowed faintly from the glass balcony doors. "Still have a few more seconds before the sun rises," the aqua-haired dragon spoke to himself, tawny eyes narrowing.
Suddenly, a dull thumping noise sounded from the master bedroom. Growling deep in his throat, the young man tugged on his t-shirt and started for his parent's room. "Dammit, can't they wait at least until the sun is up to start a ruckus?"
He opened the door to their bedroom while taking another sip of coffee from his cup.
With a phhht, Valgaav promptly sputtered all over the floor, eyes wide. Saying nothing, he pulled his gaze from the sight of his mother laying heavily on top of Xellos on the floor, and closed the door again.
Shaking his head, Val headed back to the kitchen.
"I need more coffee."


Wincing, Xellos slowly opened his eyes.
He was surrounded by a strange, pale yellow substance . . .
Oh, it's Filia's hair.
Of course.
Then he realized foggily that she was on top of him. Something told him that this wasn't normal, but he wasn't quite sure why . . .
She shifted over him, head turning in her sleep to rub her cheek against his. Stunned, the Mazoku slowly began to recall exactly why Filia was probably lying on him.
Married. Okay. Mission. Gotcha.
"Veria," Xellos croaked, trying to move but finding himself pinned. "Hey, wake up."
Dead weight, the blonde raised her arms enough to wrap them around his head, then went back to sleep. At least it freed up his own upper appendages, Xellos mused.
Unfortunately for him, he realized that other parts of him were awake, also. "Oh, not this again," he groaned, then yawned loudly.
"Hmm?" Filia murmured, only to snuggle deeper onto him.
Well, I AM a guy, after all . . . well . . . mentally, anyway. At the moment he was also male physically, which was causing a few problems since Filia was most definitely female. Oh, yes . . . very female.
Flushing, the priest poked her in the side repeatedly, hissing, "Hey! Get off'a me, you pushed me off the bed!"
With a jerk of her saffron head, the dragoness woke, blinking down at him. "Huh? Xe-"
"OFF!" he cried quickly, —Don't say my NAME!— "you're crushing my stomach and you're really heavy!"
Startled, Filia sat up on him, the force on the wrong areas making him wince. "Are you saying I'm FAT?"
"No, no, please get off of my crotch, that really hurts . . ."
The woman blushed and straightened her navy night-slip, shocked into stillness long enough that Xellos could extract himself and wobbly stand. "Good God," he winced and peered out the blinds at the breaking dawn, "what the hell time is it? Only Val or my mother would get up this early."

((()))

Val sat on a lawn chair on the balcony, watching the sun rise. Behind him he heard someone stumble into the kitchen, then looked over his shoulder to see Iyzeka, in her yellow and pink pajamas, flailing towards the coffee pot.
"Wake-up juice," she croaked, eyes squeezed shut. "Too much thumping."
Shaking his head again, the young dragon returned to watching the morning sky, his golden eyes amused. "Stuff'll rot your insides," he called back.
A few more stumbling steps were heard, then the redhead joined him on the balcony and dropped into a cross-legged position on the cement. Eyes still screwed tightly closed, she sipped the coffee, then coughed.
"Tastes like rotting . . ." the girl pouted, set down the cup, then lay down on the hard floor and fell asleep.
"Told 'ja."

((()))


The day after the monsoon ended proved to be quite sunny and mild by the time they finished breakfast and stepped out into the bustling streets.
"So," Filia asked her son doubtfully as they stood in the bright morning sunlight, "what are you two going to do again?"
With a put-upon sigh, Val set his hands on his hips and replied, "Just more sight-seeing. Calm down, Mom." He once again wore his favorite outfit: blue-jeans and a t-shirt.
On the other side of him, the short-haired demoness rubbed her shoe into the sidewalk and didn't look up, obviously still embarrassed about the previous night . . . but that didn't fool Valgaav's mother.
"Come on, Vee," Xellos coaxed her from the teenagers, "we have things to do today ourselves."
Nodding, the flaxen-haired woman turned and joined him on the other side of the hotel-front, where a horse-drawn carriage waited.
Xellos' brows rose as she stopped beside him, and he motioned for her to get in. "They'll be fine. He'll be fine."
With a sigh, the dragoness nodded, pursing her lips and twisting the hem of her short, flared white skirt. "I . . . I guess so." She brushed the waves of long saffron hair suddenly tossed by a growing breeze and stepped up onto the carriage.
"Good."
They both boarded and sat down, and the rider chirped at the horses to head out. With the summer wind in their hair, the couple sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the warm sunlight of late morning and listening to the horses' hooves on the pavement.
"You look very handsome," Filia added, aqua eyes falling across the black ensemble she had picked out for him.
The amethyst-haired man beamed and tugged at the high collar of the ebony dress-shirt. "It's worth being overheated to see you in such a short skirt," he leered jokingly at her creamy thighs.
"Ha, ha," she flatly replied as she leaned back in the bench, a light smile turning her mouth at the thought of their 'bargain'. "I think I got the better deal out of it."
"That's a matter of debate," he retorted archly, his violet glance causing a blush across her cheeks. "The blouse is nice, too."
As the horses clip-clopped around a corner, Filia frowned and folded her arms protectively across her chest, trying to block his view of her bosom so enhanced by the deep crimson Chinese-style shirt he had chosen for her to wear. "Whatever," she stalled, rolling her eyes. She couldn't help giggling when he grinned at her, though, and they shared some laughter at their own silliness.
Filia blinked then, and frowned as she realized something. "Wait a moment . . . where are we going, anyway?"
"To a golf course!" Xellos announced happily, hands on his thighs. "Exciting, huh?"
The pale-haired woman stared at him in confusion. "Um . . . no. How are we going to help anyone at a golf course?"
"You'll see," he nodded with a smile, violet tresses dancing in the breeze.
"Okay . . ." Shaking her head, Filia shrugged, then paused as a very unusual, but familiar feeling settled over her body. Paling, she gripped the arm-rest of the open carriage and cried, "STOP!"
Xellos gawked at her as the horses were reined back, the carriage halting suddenly. "Veria?"
She shot up out of the seat, eyes desperately scanning the surrounding stores. "Not now, I have to get something. Wait right here!" Spotting a convenience store, she jumped from the coach and rushed inside.
In the carriage, the Mazoku stared after her, perplexed. "Um . . . ohhh-kay."


Filia rushed into the store, then ran down the first aisle, searching. Where is it, where is it?! As she ran by, she grabbed a gigantic bottle of ibuprofen, then pushed aside an old woman and stormed through another aisle, heading for the candy, her long tresses flooding out behind her. Where do they keep them, this is ridiculous! Grabbing a bunch of candy bars, the blonde restlessly searched the shop.
"Hey!" cried the man at the front counter, "what's going on?"
The dragoness ignored him, then cried in triumph as she found what she was looking for. Snatching it up, she raced for the door in the back and flung it open, locking herself inside.
"Hey!" the shopkeeper screamed, "what do you think you're doing?!"
Opening the bathroom door once, Filia waved the feminine pads in the air at him and screamed, "WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?!" then slammed the door.
With a gasp, the man paled, then quickly sat down at the counter and picked up a magazine. "Oh . . . OKAY! Fine, fine!" His hands shook as he turned a page.


Outside in the carriage, Xellos' violet eyes widened as he overheard the yelling inside the store. Features becoming pallid, he swallowed and forced himself to stay put. "Lina, help me," he prayed aloud, "she's having her period."
The General Priest squeezed his eyes shut tightly and gripped the seat cushion.
"I'm going to die."
The coach driver turned to look at him, startled.
Xellos nodded sagely.
"And so are you."

((()))

Valgaav and Iyzeka made their way down the main street of Hong Kong, the bustling crowds pressing around them and the jarring sounds of the bicycle bells filling the air.
"I think," Val called over the noise, "that we should get started on that 'project' we were going to do for 'school' now, don't you?"
Behind him, the maroon-haired girl blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, good idea. So, where should we start?"
Frowning, the young man peered over the mob of people and raised a hand to his brow, shielding his eyes from the summer sun. "Well, I checked out the phone book last night and came up with some large companies that offer Feng Shui for people's homes and offices, but the local specialists might be more accurate."
He led them down a side street, their path weaving in and out of the foot-traffic. They blended in easily with the tourists, Val in an ivory t-shirt and blue jeans and Iyzeka wearing a cheerful azure sundress. Pulling out a map that he hoped would help their image even more, the dragon pretended to use it to navigate the city as they went along.
"Here's the first stop," the teal-haired boy told his nut-case of a companion, and they stepped into a busy outdoor market-place.
Halting as Val stopped in mid-stride, the demoness stood on tip-toe and tried to look over his shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong?"
With a sigh, Valgaav waved an arm before him, and they both looked out onto the blocks upon blocks of vendors hawking their wares. "This is it." Taking out the list he'd made, he glanced at it in annoyance. "The address is the outdoor market. We'll have to search every booth in the market to find the first person."
The short-haired girl gaped, then fell back on her heels. "Aww! We'll never find them!"
"Maybe if we ask around for 'Jin the Feng Shui specialist', someone will have heard of him or her." His mouth tightened and he motioned her forward. "Come on."
Giving a high-pitched moan, Iyzeka dropped her burgundy head and followed him into the throngs of shoppers and merchants.

((()))

Xellos anxiously waited, throat constricting when he caught sight of her yellow head ducking around a paper lantern as she stepped through the doorway of the shop. Oh, Lady, please spare my life . . .
He could already feel the rage, confusion and muddled emotions springing from her as her sapphire eyes flickered up to meet his. The scarlet and white-clad woman boarded the carriage, and it shook slightly, making the horses wicker nervously.
"Hey," the demon tried weakly, "are you . . . alright?"
"No, I'm NOT alright," Filia snapped, glaring over at him.
EEP!
"Um . . ." Chuckling uncertainly, he closed his eyes and put a hand on his neck. "I'm sorry. Do you . . . want to . . . talk about—"
Those large azure orbs suddenly filled with tears and she grabbed his ebony lapels, gazing up at him. "I'm having my period!"
Wincing, he coughed and squeezed out, "I . . . can see that."
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!"
Now I know what death looks like, Xellos considered as he gazed into the fiery blue eyes that burned above her bared fangs. A buxom blonde. "Veria, darling, please don't kill me," he begged, violet eyes narrowing in pain as she started to strangle him. —Filia . . . please?
She blinked, then let go and sat back, as if just struck by what she was doing. "Oh my God!" Her hands drew up to her mouth, posture collapsing forward as she covered her face.
Xellos just breathed for a few moments, allowing blood to return to his head as he watched her golden hair flick in the summer breeze. "Driver . . . take us to the Celestial Jade Golf Course . . . quickly."

((()))

"Isn't it pretty?"
Val nodded half-heartedly and turned to gaze around the market place. "So, you don't know anyone by the name of Jin?"
The shopkeeper shook his head, then glanced at the young red-haired girl holding the necklace. "Do you want to buy it?"
"Um," the dragon frowned and dipped his head, "no . . ."
"Pleeeease?" She beamed, then showed off the jewelry by twirling around in her blue dress. "Wouldn't it look nice on me?"
With a put-upon sigh, Valgaav glared at the sidewalk and took out his wallet from his jeans' back pocket. "Fine."

((()))

Filia squeezed her hands tightly into fists as they pulled to a stop outside the city limits. "Why are we going to a golf course again?"
Still within the carriage, they sat in the parking lot of a vast tennis and golf resort. In the distance, a breathtaking view of the southern mountains greeted them, lush and verdant.
The sable-clothed man next to her barely moved as he glanced up to meet her eyes. "I need to obtain more adequate transportation for the busy day ahead of us. Do you think you could wait here for me to return?"
How DARE he leave me here! a part of her growled, but she struggled to reign in her emotions. Ducking her head, the dragoness silently fumed, fists clenching. No, don't fight. Prove you're better than this.
Raising her head, Filia glared at him, then paused at the hurt reflected in his blinking amethyst eyes. "Fine."
She grabbed her plastic bag and her purse in one hand and stood up, then began stepping down from the carriage. Just as her feet touched the blacktop, she felt a hand on her bare arm, and looked up.
"Vee." Xellos' purple eyes studied the ground, then flickered up to her and away as he leaned closer. "I'm sorry that I upset you." The demon's gaze returned to her, worried. —I don't want to leave with you hating me, Filia.
His voice in her mind couldn't do justice for the intense mixture of fear, concern and dread that she suddenly felt from him. Guilt forced her to look away, breaking down the initial rage until only embers remained. —I don't hate you. I'm just . . . venting. I'm not angry at you, just at the incredibly terrible timing.
Raising her free hand, Filia took his in her own and squeezed his fingers gently, their eyes meeting. "It's okay. Just . . . try to come back soon."
He let go of her hand and broke the link. "I will."


Xellos watched silently as Filia turned away and began walking towards the entrance of the Celestial Jade. Shaking his head, the Mazoku sighed. "All those people . . . the luxurious landscaping . . . the expensive equipment . . ."
The driver turned to give him a wary glance, and Xellos' expression darkened into a morbid pall of dread.
"It will all . . . burn."

((()))

"So," the old Asian man puffed on his cigar and waved a fly from his face, voice thickly accented, "what kind of Feng Shui work do you need done?"
Clasping his hands together in relief, Valgaav bowed his head to the slender and much shorter man lounging in a lawn chair. "Well, Mister Jin, we need to find the most powerful spot for Chi in the city."
Jin's eyes widened and he coughed on his smoke. "That won't be easy," he replied, face wrinkling further as he frowned. "There's a lot of space in the city, why, you'd need someone who could actually SEE the ebb and flow of Chi. I don't even know of anyone alive who could do it."
The old man's eyes narrowed and he looked past Valgaav, so the young immortal turned his head and glanced behind him.
Staring up at him was the gigantic painted head of a festival dragon sitting above a sky-blue sun-dress, the plastic teeth bared as the mask smiled. A muffled voice proclaimed shrilly, "I'm a dragon!"
Val's golden eyes narrowed and one brow rose. "Where did you get that?!" he demanded.
"I bought it," the happy dragon head replied, curtsying.
"With what money?" Exasperated, the teen wiped sweat from his brow and glared down at the construct.
"Um," the girl within the huge head giggled, "I lifted your wallet." Lifting a pale hand, she waved it in his face. "Sticky fingers!"
Blanching at the thought of where her hands would have had to be to take his wallet, Val ignored the uproarious laugher from the Feng Shui specialist and crossed his arms. "Nice. Can I have it back, now?"
"Okay!" The festival dragon handed his wallet back, its other hand steadying the painted head resting on its shoulders.
Snatching it angrily, the true dragon scowled and began marching down the street. "Thanks a lot, Jin!" he called over his shoulder, and the festival dragon in the azure dress scurried to catch up to him.

((()))

Stepping out of the mid-day sun, Filia glanced around the picturesque resort, then blushed at her scant white mini-shirt and scarlet blouse. I won't be nearly appropriate enough . . . good thing I still have Xellos' credit card from yesterday, at least I can prove I have means.
Moving through the arched doorway, she entered a luxuriously landscaped garden patio. As the blonde followed the flower-lined path, she studied the other guests perusing the garden. Tourists, of course, as average as the influential rich could be. Dropping her azure gaze to the ground, Filia hoped that none had seen her eyes upon them. How can humans be so self-fulfilling? Can none of them see that all of their wealth would be spent better in helping those less fortunate? Shaking her head, she reminded herself, No, they merely give a tax-free donation to a charity and continue to live off of the suffering of others.
It was the same problem as always, and there was nothing she could do to change anyone . . . but at the moment, it enraged her like nothing else.
Clenching her fists, the dragoness began to move more swiftly along the smooth rock path, and entered the shade of the resort's large foyer. Why am I even here? Did Xellos want to mock me by having me wait here, of all places, while knowing full well what we were to do today?
As she waited in a line for the front desk, Filia tried to control her growing anger. In the far reaches of her mind, she knew that Xellos had never intended to insult her, but her ricocheting feelings would not listen to reason.
People chattered around her as guests and staff walked behind those waiting in line, and soon she was standing before the booth. A middle aged Chinese woman smiled up at her and spoke in practically flawless English, "How may I help you today?"
Closing her eyes in an attempt at placating herself, Filia replied, "I'd like a day pass, please."
"Just for today?" The woman carefully avoided glancing at Filia's form-fitting Chinese blouse. "Alright. Would you like a platinum pass, with access to all of our services?"
She blinked, then ran a hand through her long golden hair. "I suppose so, yes."
Smiling, the Asian woman rang it up and concluded, "That will be three hundred dollars and forty-nine cents."

((()))

The horses' hooves beat a steady rhythm into the dirt road as Xellos studied the pearly clouds lining the azure sky.
"I always managed to avoid her 'time' in the past," the General Priest sighed, and felt the driver's twinge of nervous annoyance roll over him as the man gave a quick look back to his passenger. "Business trips, important meetings . . . sometimes I would just leave the country for no good reason, just to avoid her."
The driver rolled his eyes and continued staring ahead at the road.
"I never even waited to see how she would act. As soon as I caught even the idea that she might be having her period, I was gone. How did Val survive all those years?"
Mouth twitching, the horseman asked, "Isn't he your son?"
"Well, yes. Doesn't mean I can't wonder how he survived. Hell, I wonder how the entire continent survived!" Blissfully, Xellos tried to drown his fears in the tasty terror-tinged confusion the coach-man was exuding. Hmm . . . interesting. So if I just tell him exactly how I feel, he's rendered speechless and disturbed. I truly MUST be insane by human standards.
The demon sighed and relaxed in the chair, letting the searing heat of the sun warm him, just as the other man's turbulent emotions soothed his mind. "How could I have known that, of all times for it to strike, it would be NOW, when we're on vacation?" Xellos bemoaned, keeping his face dour while inside he wanted to grin at the driver's slouching back.
"Um, if you don't mind me asking, Sir," the Asian man began, "if she's so horrible, why are you still with her?"
Xellos stopped and thought about this question. It was a difficult one to answer, and he had to be honest. He relaxed into the gentle sway of the carriage, then nodded his purple head, arriving at an answer. "Well, Jeeves—"
"My name isn't 'Jeeves', sir."
"Well, Jeeves," he started again, ignoring him, "you see, there's one very good reason that I stay with such a crazed, violent and unpredictable woman . . ."
The coachman waited, a sour expression crossing his face as he flicked the reigns in the silence.
"She's stacked."

((()))

Val sighed as a pot of tea was set down on the table, the bustling waiters and waitresses making a chaotic menagerie around them. "Finally, we can have a bit of a break."
The festival dragon across from him nodded its large, plaster head. "Yeah!" came the muffled reply as it smoothed its turquoise dress.
The pretty waitress blinked at the demoness, then continued on her way, pushing her cart of tea-pots to the next table of eager patrons.
With a groan, the young man leaned his head on the table, then poured tea out for Iyzeka, then himself. "Iyzeka, I really wish you'd take that off. Anyway, how are you going to eat?"
"Hmm . . ." The Chinese dragon nodded, and two tiny hands appeared and took off the head. Maroon hair appeared, and her sunny smile. "Okay!"
They sat within a gigantic floating boat shaped like an emerald dragon, docked at the edge of the harbor. Beyond the chatter of the teahouse, the ocean spread out, glittering blue in the distance. Val avoided looking too closely towards land, not wanting to spoil his memory of a cleaner South China Sea than the one he now gazed out upon.
The edge of the Kowloon peninsula was littered with many colorful fishing boats, fish markets and rickshaws, displaying a multitude of hues and patterns. Warm and airy, the day after the short monsoon had passed was truly beautiful.
"This is called 'Tung Ting' tea, Val," Iyzeka chattered happily. "Oooh," she squealed when an Asian woman neared, calling out the appetizers on her cart, "over here!" The girl waved to the woman, who quickly rolled her wares over and beamed at them.
Valgaav narrowed his eyes at the waitress. "What is it called again?"
Nodding, the Chinese woman replied in English, "Shrimp dumplings." Her accent was minimal, and she tried to smile under his stern glare as she placed two plates of dumplings before them.
"Yum!" cried Iyzeka, pouncing onto her two portions. The woman passed by, and another waitress neared, and once again the demoness requested service, anxiously waving her hands at them.
With a long exhale of breath, Val ruffled his thatch of aquamarine hair absently and watched the food pile up. "How are we going to find a Feng Shui specialist who can SEE the Chi around us?"
"Mmph?" Iyzeka swallowed a large mouthful of food and stared at him, verdant eyes wide. "I donno'! Why don't you eat some, or else you'll fall over!" She nodded sagely and carefully avoided dropping the food before she shoved it into her mouth.
Crossly, the tall dragon did as she said and sampled some of the items she'd requested, sipping the fragrant tea and trying to stay annoyed. It was difficult, since all of this would be paid for by Xellos and the food was tasty and the tea a bittersweet reminiscence of earlier times of his life.
Valgaav found himself staring out across the sparkling water, the seabirds flitting across the waves, and his tiny cup of tea clasped in his hands. So lovely, the sea, the little boats with sails like wings, floating across the surface into the shining foam. The bustle of the teahouse seemed to fade into a shimmering fog of nothingness, his golden eyes absorbing the glint of sunlight off the ocean . . .
"Young Val," a soft, scratchy voice spoke gently from his side, so familiar, but he continued gazing out, caught within time.
"Yes?" his tentative word returned.
"What are you looking for?" the old voice asked, and a seabird cried mournfully.
Val nodded once, the tea cold in his hands, and eyes still upon the glittering horizon. "My past, Honored Elder."
A hand touched his shoulder, and he gasped, standing suddenly in the cacophonous room of strangers and looking behind him, the sound of laughter and tinkling of plates bellowing in his ears as he stared down . . . at an old woman, chuckling at him as she leaned on her cane.
Valgaav gaped at her, then sat back down, his vision broken. "Hon-Honored Elder Lon? You're . . . alive?"