"Mmrph... What was that for!?" Zelgadiss demanded, pulling the clothes from his face and semi-glaring at Lina. He had fallen asleep while waiting, and the unexpected assault had sent him falling off the bed with a loud thud. He then blinked and looked over the outfit in his hands, examining the masque that fell from it. "What's this for?" he asked.
Lina put her hands on her hips. "Don't whine and just put them on. You're coming with us to the festival tonight," she told him, heading back to the door. "Ameria, Gourry, and I are going to the baths and getting ready for the festival. I suggest you do the same," she said, not pausing even once to look back at him, which he thought was a little odd. He looked down at his clothes again and wondered why they would wear tuxedos to a festival. Deciding to save that question for later, he focused on the task at hand - sneaking to the baths without being noticed.
He wasn't very successful.
Lina relaxed against the side of the tub. Half of her face was submerged underwater, allowing her to think a little better. "I wonder..."
Her thought went trailing off when cold water came splashing down on her. After a second of recovering from the shock, she was instantly out of the pool and strangling whomever it was that did that. "...Ameria?" Lina asked, surprised to see that the little princess had dared to attempt such a feat. "What the hell was that for?!" Lina growled.
"Lina...san..." Ameria gasped between chokes. "You looked like you were falling asleep and didn't respond when I asked if you were okay." She tried to smile innocently and said, "So you're not going to kill me?"
A very loud splash of water followed by a loud scream could be heard doors down from where they were.
"Ne Zelgadiss. I'm gonna go ahead and change. Will you be all right here by yourself?" Gourry asked with his usual idiotic smile.
A large sweatdrop rolled down the back of the chimera's head. "A-Aa... I'll be fine. Go ahead Gourry," he replied. Gourry stepped out, waved, and left the room cheerfully. Zelgadiss cocked his head slightly at the strange behavior, wondering why the swordsman seemed so happy all of a sudden. "Unless...he and Lina finally confessed to one another?" He tried to picture the scene, realized it would never happen on its own, and continued to wonder what happened while they were gone.
Lina stood before a mirror holding her silky dress to her body, trying to imagine it on her. "Ne Ameria, do you think this would look good on me? ...Ameria?"
Ameria was bent over one of her trunks, which got there possibly by magic, scavenging through it for something. "I know they're here somewhere...ah! Here they are!" She twirled around and held up what looked like earrings to Lina. "Here Lina-san. Wear these."
Lina took the earrings from Ameria's palm, holding them up by their hooks and letting them dangle freely. "Moons?" she inquired.
"Diamond moons," Ameria corrected, emphasizing their value. "Since tonight is a Moon Faerie Festival, I thought it would be nice to have earrings to go with the occasion," she explained.
Lina just blinked and said, "Good idea..."
"Why don't we try this perfume out? It smells lightly of roses."
"Eh heh heh...no."
"Please Lina-san? Just a little dab..."
A little while later...
"Hey Zelgadiss you look good in that!" Gourry complimented, looking cheerful again.
Zelgadiss couldn't help but smile faintly. "As do you," he replied. The sun was setting quickly outside; the festival would start soon. "I wonder what's taking the girls so long," he said.
Gourry shrugged. "Girls will be girls I suppose."
"Wow... Lina-san looks so pretty!" Ameria exclaimed, looking over her latest...work.
Lina wore a long, silky dress that left her shoulders bare, hugged tightly to her curves, and hung loosely around her arms. The skirt was parted in the front up to her thighs, allowing free movement. She wore slightly heeled white shoes (If they were too high-heeled, she would most likely trip and fall), and a long ribbon twisted up her leg from there. A decorated band rapped around her neck, and her hair was held in a very loose ponytail held together by a ruffled hair band. Along with the shining earrings and glass-beaded bracelet, Lina looked absolutely stunning.
"You look good yourself, Ameria," Lina whined, trying to get Ameria to stop commenting on how she looked, though she was already blushing.
"Not as pretty as Lina-san though!" she protested, proud of her masterpiece. It was true, though. Lina made other ladies they had seen outside look dull. She grabbed Lina's hand and pulled her towards the door. "Come on, Lina-san! It's getting dark outside and I want to show you to Zelgadiss-san and Gourry-san before we go!" The little princess ran out the door pulling Lina behind her, who was stumbling along.
"Wait, Ameria! Slow down!"
Tsunami stood before the Faery's Tear, deep within the tomb. It was resting on a small pedestal, protecting the bodies of the villagers who had been buried here. She stepped up to the artifact and placed her hands on the sides of it. "Have to borrow this, Miran." The Tear glowed, allowing Tsunami to remove it. She looked at it, surprised to see that it had let her take it so easily. She tucked it away safely and started to head back out.
Gourry was rather close to falling asleep and Zelgadiss was growing impatient when Ameria arrived. Zelgadiss was the first to see her, surprised at how pretty she looked in her dress. It made her look older, maturer than she usually did. He stood up straight from his place against the wall and was about to comment when the blonde swordsman's question came out. "Where's Lina?"
Ameria's smile doubled in size as she stood erect in front of the dark corridor behind her. "Gentlemen, I present to you, the Moonlight Princess!" she said, taking a deep bow and holding her arms out towards the center of the doorway as she stepped to the side. Zelgadiss groaned and buried his face in his left hand as he took back the thought about her being mature, but what came next dazzled him infinitely.
Lina stepped forward out of the shadows, her face extremely overheated. She looked down at the floor between her and her and the two stunned guys, suddenly feeling bashful and shy. "Umm..."
In a split second, Gourry was at her feet, gazing up her skirt and expectedly saying, "Are you really Lina?"
In his semi-squat position, Lina had a clear shot at his vital area, and she didn't hesitate to take advantage of that chance. Gourry slumped to the ground, and in turn, Lina grinned triumphantly.
After recovering from the minor fright due to Lina's actions, Zelgadiss strode up to both girls and remarked, "You look very nice...both of you."
Lina blushed and passed his compliment onto Ameria. "Ameria did it all... Basically all I did was stand and fidget," Lina said, laughing nervously. Zelgadiss looked at Ameria and nodded acknowledgement to her, and she beamed at her work.
"Well if we're all ready then shall we go? I thought I heard activity down the street," Zelgadiss told them. He walked over to the door and opened it, holding his hand out to encourage their exit. "Ladies first."
Lina offered a hand to Gourry who was still crouched down on the floor. "Gourry are you ok?" she asked, genuine concern in her voice for once. She knew she had kicked him rather...hard. He took her hand and staggered up, his face still rather blue from the brutal attack. She sweatdropped and helped him out the door. "Guess I hit you a little too hard..."
Zelgadiss shook his head at them. Ameria then ran up to him and placed her hand in the crook of his arm. "Shall we go, Zelgadiss-san?"
He paused, then smiled and nodded his agreement. They walked out behind Lina and Gourry, letting the door behind them shut with a soft clang, closing them into the moonlit streets.
It was then that Zelgadiss noticed the bright full moon sitting in the sky, as pale as the white dresses Lina and Ameria wore. The moonlight illuminated the white outfits, creating angelic silhouettes around the faeries...faeries?
Zelgadiss blinked a couple of times. What was before him looked like a page out of a fantasy book, and he had to reiterate that this was reality a few times to himself. He couldn't help but stare at them as they walked...
Now they knew why lights weren't needed on this night.
They arrived at the center of the village where most had obviously gathered. There was a large, circular fountain that seemed to radiate its own light - a bluish glow that brightened the white dresses and made the black suits truly look like the night sky. The people were dancing around this fountain to music with no source; rather, an aura of sound. Even Lina was amazed to see all this and could do nothing but stare.
"There you are!"
Lina blinked out of her thoughts and looked to the right where the voice had come from. After a few moments of wondering whom it was, her face brightened in recognition and she replied, "Hello, Tsunami-san."
Tsunami looked as cheerful as ever, smiling ever so calmly as she stepped through the crowd to where they stood. She curtsied in her majestic dress, letting the ruffles flounce about her. As she stood, her eyes traveled the lengths of their suits. "You all look very stunning," she commented.
"So do you," Lina added. She saw Tsunami's eyes settle on someone behind her and spun around to see who it was.
Zelgadiss's and Tsunami's gazes were locked, one pair seeming to bore deep into the other. Zelgadiss's mouth was set in a firm, thin line, and he didn't do as much as blink. After a couple of slow, dragging moments, Tsunami stated quietly, "You...are the descendant of Akahoshi Rezo, aren't you?"
Zelgadiss scowled bitterly at her, narrowing his eyes into a deadly glare. When all she did was smile sympathetically at him, he had to avert his gaze to keep form losing his suave appearance to such a tranquil expression. It was still a touchy subject to bring up in his presence, for he had never truly forgiven his great-grandfather/grandfather for what he had done to him. He lost more than just his body that day; he had lost his energetic spirit, his fascination towards life. He had lost that bright fire in his heart, the same fire he found in Lina, of all people. He supposed this was what attracted him to her. Perhaps if a few stray sparks found their way into his cold heart, that fire may return.
"Well anyway, food buffets are to the right, dancing takes place around here," she informed them, motioning in the general directions as she spoke. "I'll show the Faery's Tear to everyone in about an hour. Please arrive on time." She turned, then stopped. "Oh yes, and do remember to put on your masques."
They did as told and watched silently as Tsunami left. Lina then turned around to face the group with a thumbs-up sign. She winked and said, "Well you heard her - food buffet to the right! Let's go!" With the last comment, she raised her fist in the air to add more force to the shout. Gourry and Ameria instantly replied with a loud "Aa!" whereas Zelgadiss waited several seconds before adding his less-than-interested "Aa." They turned in the general direction of the buffet tables and stampeded through the crowds, stirring up a little argument here and there as they passed by.
They plopped down in the seats at the center (Zelgadiss sat down without uttering a word), the noise of their ravaging causing the nearby village folk to stop and glance over in curiosity. Lina's, Gourry's, and Ameria's hands all reached for the same bowl piled with delicacies, and after a few sparks were shared, they began attacking one another for the dish while Zelgadiss sipped at his coffee, watching them with an I'd-be-more-amused-watching-stunts-on-a-ladder sort of look on his face. The squabbling continued until another hand rested on the edge of the bowl, pressing down on it so it would sit on the table again. The immature ones glanced up to see who the black-gloved hand belonged to.
"Xelloss (Xelloss-san)!" Gourry and Ameria cried out in unison, both seeming unusually happy to see him. Lina blinked a few times, allowing his presence to fully make its mark in her brain. He was there, yes. He was looking at her, yes. He was complimenting her dress, yes. He was dressed as if he were attending the festival himself, no.
Three out of four - not bad considering the immense shock she had felt to see his happy face here.
Zelgadiss sipped at his coffee calmly, peeking at the others when he thought they wouldn't notice. He could tell that Lina had gotten uncomfortable again, though that could have been due to the tight grouping of people as well. Maybe he was just being paranoid. He wasn't her guardian anyway - Gourry was.
Ameria looked between the two. She felt she had to do something, but what? Suddenly out of nowhere, a young lady of around twenty strode up to them. She scanned over the group, then smiled brightly and took Gourry's hand from the edge of the bowl and ushered him towards the dancing area. "Let's dance!" she shrieked gaily. Gourry followed with no enthusiasm, but his face showed some signs of intent. Lina had raised her hand slightly in a very weak attempt to stop them, but for some reason when she had wanted to speak her mouth refused to open. Perhaps it was an internal voice that told her the best thing to do would be to let him go, and subsequently she didn't feel any remorse for what she had done. Still, her heart ached a bit when he smiled back at his partner...
"Zelgadiss-san, would you like to dance with me?"
Lina instantly turned around, her expression a mix of fear and betrayal. Ameria's torso was bent over, and she simpered gleefully at the surprised chimera. "U-Um..." Zelgadiss stuttered, moving his gaze to Lina. She simply gave him a false smile and nodded at him, telling him she would be all right and that he shouldn't worry himself over her. His mouth slanted, he being unsure, but he accepted Ameria's request and guided her out, casting one quick glance back at Lina before focusing on what he was doing.
Lina felt deserted. Sure, Xelloss was there, but it still felt as if...
Xelloss, feeling Lina literally radiate unhappiness, extended his hand to her and whispered, "Lina-san..."
She looked shyly at his hand, then slowly raised her head so their eyes would meet. His were once again open and sincere, just as they had been several times that week. The happy facade had once again vanished and had been replaced by something different - something more...human.
Even as she lowered her hand into his palm she hesitated. The reason for it was unknown even to herself, as if a brick wall was keeping her from the answer. When her fingertips had only just lightly brushed his palm, he took her hand in both of his and held it gently. "Lina-san, I wish you would stop this," he said in a suppressed voice, locking his eyes with hers.
Her head dropped slightly and she gave a small nod. Xelloss was about to say something else to her, but then decided to save it for another time. Instead, he stood and walked around the end of the table, not releasing her hand even for a moment, then asked, "Well then, shall we?" and offered his arm.
A look of slight panic washed over her face. "B-But I don't even know how to dance...well...sorta..." Her cheeks colored slightly, and she suddenly found it difficult to even look in his direction.
He chuckled slightly at that remark, thinking it was more fitting to her than her previous comments. "But Lina-san, you don't honestly want to sit here the entire time do you?" he asked her. Before she could answer, however, he swept her to her feet, put her hand on his arm, and guided her towards the fountain.
"W-Wait a minute!" she squeaked, her face turning several shades darker. She walked stiff-legged, looking around to see others smile at them and looking away uncomfortably in the process. Xelloss waved back at them, making the two look more like a couple than Lina had wanted, or not wanted. She dropped her head in sheer embarrassment, afraid to look around lest she be laughed at. "Xelloss..."
"Hmm...?"
"Why?"
"Why what, Lina-san?"
"Why are you being so nice even though-"
"Why should I act otherwise? Do you want me to be mean to you?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
"Then it's alright, isn't it?"
She couldn't help but smile slightly as she nodded her reply. No matter how she treated him, he always tried to be kind to her whenever possible. Perhaps if she hadn't fallen in love with Gourry, she might've considered...
Wait a minute. Stop. Rewind. Did she actually just think that Xelloss was decent enough to love? No way. Even if things had gone differently, she would never, could never fall in love with a mazoku...could she?
"Lina-san, you're blushing," Xelloss teased. "What are you thinking about?"
She sweatdropped and waved her hands in protest despite the all-too-obvious crimson tint to her cheeks. "I...uh...wasn't thinking about anything. Nothing at all, really!"
He was laughing on the inside, though kept up his genki facade to prevent her from noticing. "Oh is that so...by the color of your face and the panic in your voice, I'd say you were thinking of something naughty Lina-san."
Steam rose from her face as it flushed the darkest red. "I was not! Don't make me hurt you..."
Before she could go on, however, Xelloss shushed her with a finger to her lips and said, "Lina-san, if you really want to know why I'm taking you to dance, it is because I thought it would be a shame to leave someone so beautiful alone at the tables. I'm very glad you gave me the honor of dancing with you."
They stopped walking and stood face to face.
Lina's eyes shone with the moonlight. Her nose and upper cheeks were still a pastel pink, but no longer out of the ordinary. In a low whisper, she replied in turn, "When did I say you could..."
He answered in an equally low whisper, "When did you say I couldn't..."
They stood there for a while, both out of words to say. Lina seemed to be mildly shocked, whereas Xelloss was calm. Rather than speaking aloud, he took her hand tenderly, kneeled down, and kissed the back of it.
"May I have this dance, o' fair one blessed with the beauty with which none other can compare?"
There was a small pause of silence between the two where the only sounds audible were those of curious pairs. Lina paid them no mind and answered, "Granted."
There was some clapping from the spectators as Xelloss bowed and Lina curtsied. The dancing area cleared out for them, and the music stopped as they made their way there. Gourry, Ameria, and Zelgadiss were lost in the crowds, watching their friend silently and not uttering a sound.
As the faint music began to play, Lina and Xelloss danced around the area cleared for them. At times they neared the fountain where the music was at its loudest, and at times they got so far away that they could barely hear it.
It was odd, however. The dance sequence could not be identified, and there was no pattern to it. Most likely it was some sort of mazoku dance or village dance, but how did Lina know what to do in either case? Some villagers seemed familiar with it, so Ameria decided on the latter. Still...
The music was strange. It held no reasonable rhythm, but rather tapped into one's heart directly and told a tragic tale. Zelgadiss could make no sense out of it, however, and chose best to try and ignore it for now and ask the others about it later.
Gourry stared in awe at the fountain. The glow brightened and dimmed according to the feelings of the music. It almost seemed alive in a way...
Lina's eyes were closed as she followed Xelloss's movements. There were no oral directions exchanged between the two as to what moves to make; it was all a natural connection. But, they were in fact conveying messages through their touches, their body movements, and their facial expressions. Only the other could read these, none of the people watching understood.
"Xelloss..."
"Yes, Lina-san?"
"I want you to tell me...the truth. Why...can you explain?"
"...I told you already. I love you."
"Prove it."
"What?"
"I want to make sure you're not lying. Prove it."
"How?"
"At the end of this song, dip me and kiss me like you did the other day."
"...Are you serious?"
"Very."
"...Alright..."
As they neared the end of the song, Lina slid her fingers down Xelloss's arm and interlaced their hands. He glanced at her warily, confused by her actions. She seemed different, though why she suddenly changed attitudes was a mystery.
The song ended.
Xelloss dipped her on the last note.
She slid her free hand along his cheek and touched the fingertips to his hair.
He kissed her with the same amount, if not more passion than he had the other night. Small tear droplets fell from the corners of Lina's eyes, making tiny splash marks on the ground. The entire crowd roared with applause, yet Ameria, Zelgadiss, and Gourry all stood in a daze, trying to soak in the event and failing to do so.
Lina broke the kiss and took off running towards the city's exit, leaving Xelloss, confounded, behind. Tears still fell from her eyes, though not a sound came from her lips. She stopped when she got outside and sat down against a tree to catch her breath. She rested her head on her shoulder and stared in a daze at a point in the sky just above the tree line. The last of her tears fell just as her breathing calmed, and she closed her eyes from exhaustion.
"Why did I ask him to..." Her hand slipped down into her lap. A chilly breeze blew by, toying with the edges of her skirt and causing her to shiver slightly. It wasn't the same as the other night, but still... Why did she feel awkward when he was around now? Why couldn't she sort out her emotions...? Why was she afraid...
A rustle in the bushes behind her took her out of her thoughts. She sat alert, silently chanting a spell in her mind and drawing the energy into her right hand. Then she called out, "Who's there?"
No answer, just the howl of the wind blowing through the trees. Lina still continued to wait for whoever it was, though it was evident she was getting rather impatient. She was about to dispel the fireball in her hand when she felt a presence just above her. She quickly launched the spell up towards whoever it was, but felt the presence disappear just as quickly as it had appeared. She stepped on a twig in frustration, snapping it loudly in half. "Stop hiding and show yourself!" she yelled.
"You take the fun out of everything. No one likes a quick tempered person who always yells," a familiar pink-haired girl said, stepping out of the trees' shadows.
"You again!?" Lina growled, pointing a finger at Rosa. She just smiled in return and faded again, leaving Lina standing shocked. "Mazoku?"
"Not quite," Rosa said, appearing to Lina's left this time. She threw five knives at Lina's head and vanished again. Lina dodged them, but not without getting a strand of hair cut off. She created another fireball, paused, then tossed it right hoping it would make contact. A faint giggle answered no.
Lina barely dodged Rosa's next attack, seeing the girl just behind her about a second before it slit her skirt. She scowled, then asked, "Why are you attacking me? And why now?" She rolled out of the way of another attack as she waited for an answer.
"Like I said before, you're a threat to a world, and threats are best taken out as soon as possible," Rosa replied, vanishing again.
"What?" Lina snapped at the space Rosa had just vacated. She glanced around warily, waiting for her next strike.
"Lina-san!"
Lina jerked her head towards the town to see Xelloss walking to her. She dropped her guard and murmured, "Xel-"
"Gotcha." Lina's face twisted in pain as a large gash was ripped open along her upper arm. She grabbed the wound with her left hand in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. She fell to her knees with her eyes shut tight, fighting back the cry of pain. She could only watch helplessly as the dagger descended again...
But it never made contact.
She slowly opened her eyes again and looked up to see both of Rosa's wrists held in Xelloss's grasp. "Xelloss!"
"Looks like I made it just in time again," he said to her, giving her a wink. He saw her blush shyly, though it was in the way the old Lina he knew would.
"A-Anyway, who are you exactly?" she asked the bound Rosa.
Rosa tried to kick Lina, but found that her legs didn't quite reach that far. "I already told you! My name is R-O-S-A," she answered with a high emphasis on her name.
"Lina-san meant to ask you how you know about her," Xelloss commented.
She sneered at him and responded, "Everyone knows about her. You don't think people wouldn't know about the person that destroyed the world do you, Juushinkan Xelloss?"
"Hmm...So you know who I am too?" he inquired.
"That's because you're the reason why our world was destroyed," she muttered too low for either to hear. She then tried to squirm out of his grasp, but to no avail.
Lina stood up and walked over to them, staggering here and there from the loss of blood. She felt her consciousness slipping away from her, but she wanted to know one thing beforehand. "Who or what exactly are you?!" she demanded, snatching Rosa's sunglasses off with her bloodied hand. "Odd..." she thought, "She looks so familiar..."
The questions stopped there, and realization hit her with one swift blow. Her knees gave way, and uncharacteristically, she fainted.
That girl from the future...
Was her daughter...
And...
She was part mazoku.
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