Okay, I know it took me a really long time to get this one out, but
I finally finished it and edited it and generally redid most of it.
Thanks to the people who've been giving me C&C so far and I'll
appreciate hearing from you and from new people too. I've also
finally figure out how to do HTML (Doumo, Ryo Hoshi for hosting
the stories so far!) and I've made my little webpage holding
most to all of my stories. For now it's just for Slayers, but if
you'd like me to include your stories (no matter the series) I'd be
glad to put them up. Oh, forgot, the URL, of course!
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Villa/9072/Fanfic.htm
Now! Without further ado, here is Slayers: Double! Episode 7!
~Murasakikaze~
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: SDEp7.txt
*~~~*
DISCLAIMER: No, I do not own these characters. They belong to Araizumi-sama and Yoshinaka-sama along with Dragon Magazine and Software Sculptors. This is written just for fun and I'm allergic to lawyers and suits, so please do not sue me.
*~~~*
Slayers: Double!
By Murasakikaze
Episode Seven: The End Is Never Far
You would think that trying to find one short-tempered sorceress would be easy. Unfortunately, it wasn't and even worse, Gourry was on the case. Now we aren't saying that Gourry had a bad directional sense (not any worse than a certain piglet that was wandering the forest three feet to his right), but he certainly couldn't find his quarry and that not only disturbed him...it made him tired.
"Lina...jeez, why don't you blow up a town like always so I can find you?!" the blonde swordsman shouted up into the air. Of course, the air didn't answer him as it was wont to do since it couldn't talk. Gourry sighed and continued walking, oblivious that his friend from before was following him around.
"Bwee!" Champion cried, trying to catch up on his short legs. It was much easier riding around on people's heads...and it offered a better view. Down here it was all dirt, grass, dirt, twigs, dirt, big logs, and, of course, mud. "Bwee?"
After jumping from the worst log he had come across in a long time, Champion found himself falling face first into a huge mud puddle. "...bwee...." it burbled.
~~~
Lina dropped the cart for the umpteenth time and rolled her sore shoulder. How could one person be so heavy?! The chimera was still out from the sleeping spell, but she highly doubted that it would last for long. As she picked the makeshift stretcher up again, she wondered what was really going on and why the gods were so intent on getting the Dolphin's Tear. If they could just get rid of Naria and Mira-chan (no matter how awful that would be) to be rid of the Tear, why didn't they do it? Sure, the gods didn't like killing people off, but necessity was an amazing thing. It served to have Lina blow up Saairag twice in one year and it certainly was a good enough reason for the higher-ups.
Amelia watched Lina walk onwards, deep in thought and glanced down at the chimera again. "Lina-san...what do you think is going to happen to her now?"
Lina shrugged. "She's dying Amelia."
Naga was still off trying to find Jeze-chan, who had wandered away during one of their rest periods. Amelia shivered and a sad expression flitted across her face. "Is there anything we can do to help her?"
"Why do you have such a huge interest in her, Amelia?" After the Sailoon princess had failed to answer, Lina sighed and continued on. "We just have to get to the Dragon's Nest before her time is up. There's nothing more we can do."
Amelia nodded silently and rubbed her arm self-consciously. "Hai..."
~~~
Huge white walls were so boring and Imako decided that a change of pace was in order. A wave of her hand changed the walls to purple with a green trim and a pale white floor(some things just had to stay white for Kami-sama's sake). Then she took stock of the past few days.
After several grueling days of training, she had finally succeeded in doing the impossible: domesticating the cloned Nagas. One had convinced itself that it was perfect for the role of "Little Miss Secretary" and was busy reorganizing Imako's sock drawer, while the others had picked smaller jobs. There was the matter of the Neko-Naga, but Imako was sure she could figure that out later. For now, she'd just have to find a place that sold enough canned tuna to find that not-so-furry furball.
The goddess felt another headache coming on as a loud crash followed by "Not my fault!" echoed from the direction of her office. She calmly waltzed in and took in the damage. Her scrying ball was shattered on the floor along with one of the crystal figurines Kami-sama had given her for her ten-thousandth birthday. Imako struggled against a scream building in her throat and went to clean the mess up. The Maid Naga began to sniffle and clutched her duster to her French Maid outfit clad chest.
"Oopsie!" she said with a half-smile.
Imako was seriously wondering if domesticating them was such a good idea.
~~~
She ran through the huge gates and kept jogging into the courtyard, straight into the middle of the training warriors. Time was what she had seen and it was what they didn't have. Her feet pounded on the stone and echoed above the clashing of metal weapons. "Stop!! You must all stop this now!!"
Heads swiveled and swords were lowered as the woman sank to her knees, trying to catch her breath. "We're all in-"
Her words never reached the warriors for as she spoke, the golden gates behind her were thrown open as the Mazoku poured in.
~~~
"Yes!" Marone squealed and pumped the air with his fist. "Victory is ours, Dolphin-sama!!"
The Dark Lord Deep Sea Dolphin did not share in her minion's jubilation as she watched her troops storm into the palace and begin the new war. She knew she was going against a contract, but Kami-sama had made the bargain, not the other gods...they were fair game.
"Are you not pleased with our progress, Dolphin-sama?"
The Lord turned her cold blue eyes on the elven creature and sneered. "This is not progress. We are merely being delayed. Take the troops out of there. You know what I want. Our pawns are not moving in the right direction, Marone."
The Mazoku elf cowered slightly and nodded. "I understand, Dolphin-sama...I will tend to this."
The Mazoku quickly disappeared and soon the troops on the ground were retreating, running in mock fear from the gods' warriors. Deep Sea Dolphin snarled and crushed the crystal ball with her fist. This was not what she had wanted and that idiot Kako was screwing everything up. On top of that, she was developing a very big headache and felt like blowing something up to relieve it.
"Marone!" The elf appeared when summoned and bowed. "Bring me my Ceiphied punching bag...I have a headache."
"Hai, Dolphin-sama." Soon several frustrated and muted punches were heard throughout the Sea of Chaos.
~~~
"Zelgadis Oniisan?" Mira-chan stood on her tip-toes to look at him and poked him in the forehead again. He hadn't gotten up for nearly ten hours and she was starting to worry. "Zelgadis Oniisan?"
The inverse stretched her hand up again and lightly batted the chimera on the head. Then she got a better idea. Mira-chan ran over and took the pillow off her bed and came back over. "One. Two."
Zelgadis groggily opened his eyes to the count of three and the feeling of getting hit with a very stiff pillow...repeatedly. Then the calls of 'Zelgadis Oniisan' floated up and he realized just how much it hurt to hang from the ceiling. After the tenth or twentieth hit, he couldn't take it anymore.
"For the love of the kamis, let me SLEEP!!!" he yelled, startling both the clone and the orc standing guard. Mira-chan dropped the pillow and followed in suit, collapsing onto the floor and staring up at him with watering eyes. Soon, the cell came resemble the story of Noah's Arc, minus the Arc and Noah and the cute fuzzy and not-so-fuzzy animals. "Stop crying already! I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"W-why are you s-so mean, Zelgadis Oniisan?" Mira-chan said through her sobs.
"Mean? You think I'm mean when you're the one disturbing people deprived of sleep for the past three or four days?" he countered and found himself almost waist deep in tears. (Which when you think of how far off the ground he is, is really deep water.)
The orc lumbered from its rather comfortable position on the floor and banged on the bars. "Will you shut up?!"
After only getting more tears, the orc grabbed the bars and forgot they were electrified. "ZZZZAAAAAAPPPPPP!!!!!" The sound of a mosquito meeting the almighty Neon-Blue-Light echoed off the walls and a very charred orc fell over from his idiotic attempt at quieting Mira-chan. Zelgadis noticed the keys were lying just within Mira-chan's reach and tried to quiet her down.
"You all hate me!!" she whined.
Zelgadis used his brain and thought fast and hard. "No, we don't. We...love you very much, Mira-chan."
"No, you all hate me even Naria!!" she cried and buried her face in her hands, doing her best Usagi-tears impression.
"Why do you think Naria hates you?" Zelgadis asked, genuinely curious for once.
"She's not coming for you or me and now you're mad at me and he's almost dead 'cause he was mad at me and....YOU ALL HATE ME!!" the inverse wailed, causing Zelgadis to flinch from the pitch of the cry.
"Naria's just takin' longer than she thought, Mira-chan, honest! I'm not mad at you either and I'll take you out for...erm...ice cream later if you just get me those keys over there," Zelgadis shouted above the girl's crying. Suddenly all noise ceased and Mira-chan was tugging on Zelgadis' cape.
"Really?" she sniffed. "Will you even buy me Almond Mocha Double Fudge Chocoholics Pixy-Stick Fairy Ice Cream Surprise?"
Zelgadis had no idea was that was, but he nodded nonetheless. "Yeah, sure, just get me the keys."
"Hai!" Mira-chan said and ran over, carefully avoiding the bars and gripping the keys in her hand. She jerked back and was about to turn when she heard the small crackle. A bead of sweat slid smoothly down her head as she became the human light bulb. Zelgadis had to watch helplessly as his only hope fried herself on the bars because she had been too stupid to turn her hand and pull the keys through. An exasperated groan escaped his lips and he settled down to wait about thirty minutes until one of them came to.
~~~
Her head hurt like a hundred furies were pounding on her with multicolored spatulas at the same time. She could see through her eyes, but they weren't hers anymore. She was staring up at a sky that was the perfect blue, dotted only with a few white fluffy clouds here and there, but she wasn't able to appreciate any of it. She felt heavy and her movements belonged to another person; someone with foreign thoughts and objectives.
Lina felt movement on the cart and turned in time to see Naria sitting up and pulling a dagger from her belt. She dropped it and drew her sword in response. The chimera stood up shakily and stared at the dagger in her hand.
"What is your objective?" she asked, staring at Lina with comprehending and yet dull eyes.
"My objective?" Lina noticed Amelia moving to get into position behind Naria and shook her head. "I don't quite understand."
Naria tilted her head to one side. "What do you wish to accomplish? What are your intentions?"
"I plan on getting to Dragon's Nest to save you and my friends. Naria, how do you feel?"
"Dragon's Nest? Is that a restaurant? All information I have on you is about restaurants and small chest proportions," Naria explained and dropped the dagger as if it were a stray piece of paper. Lina fought to control her temper at that remark and drew in a deep breath.
"No, Naria, it's a mountain," the sorcery genius said through clenched teeth.
"Is there a restaurant on the mountain?" It was childlike innocence, but it was seriously ticking Lina off. "Or a clinic?"
"NO!" Amelia had to struggle to hold Lina back as she prepared to send this girl to Dragon's Nest via the Dragon Slave. It was then that Amelia noticed the change in Naria's face. The innocence was replaced with a darkness she had seen only once or twice before...the darkness that belonged to a very pissed off berserker. Lina noticed it too...when Naria's fist intercepted her stomach.
"Lina-san!!" Amelia grabbed her as she fell and put up a small barrier to keep the chimeran girl out. Naria stepped up to the bubble and lightly tapped on it with her knuckle. After a few minutes, she tried again in the same place and became very frustrated. She pounded on the barrier as one would beat upon a door and became even more frustrated until Amelia decided to try a very idiotic tactic. "Um...who's there?"
The banging immediately stopped and Naria gazed down at them. "Please let me in."
"You hurt, Lina-san...why should I?" the princess countered. Naria narrowed her eyes and touched the shield again. She pulled her other fist back and with a flick of her wrist a long serrated blade appeared from the sleeves of her black turtleneck.
"Because." Both Lina and Amelia stared up at the knife, fear creeping into their minds. It was useless since a sword couldn't penetrate the shield, but it scared them to see a former friend act so violently. They knew she wasn't herself and that something about programming had gone wrong, but they still didn't know if this could be avoided.
"OHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!! Now this is amusing! To see my diminutive junior partner and her lackey cowering from a chimera that thinks a sword can tear through a magic shield. OHOHOHOHOHO!! Truly, Lina Inverse, you must be in need of the Great Naga the White Serpent's gracious aid!!" A shadow emerged from the forest, hand held to her mouth and clone in tow. "Admit it, Lina. You are nothing without me!"
"Admit this!!" Lina growled and pointed at Naga. "EXPLOSION ARRAY!!"
Fortunately, two people were caught in the blast...unfortunately it wasn't the right two people. The shield was the only thing that saved the lucky pair. For now, Amelia and Lina were facing off in a glaring competition.
"You were supposed to lower the shield!" Lina yelled.
"You could have told me before setting that thing off, Lina-san!" Amelia screamed back, still smoking from her encounter. "How could you be so mean?!"
The chimera turned and watched the people approach. However, she wasn't looking at Jeze-chan or Naga, but staring at the person coming up behind them. A tall blond man came racing up and waved to them.
"Lina!!"
At the mentioning of her name, the sorcery genius looked up and found the best thing in the world running towards her. "Gourry!"
Amelia wisely dropped the barrier and quickly brought it back up as Gourry came near enough. He smiled and patted her on the head. "You're alright then. Good."
"Of course I'm alright, jellyfish brains! You had us all worried though," she added as an afterthought. "You okay?"
He nodded and glanced over Lina's shoulder to see Amelia with a pillow over her head. The princess smiled and pointed to herself. "Don't worry, I'm not listening at all!"
Gourry shrugged and turned back to Lina. "Zelgadis told me to find you and he gave me a message to tell you..."
Lina waited for a few minutes and started to get worried as the chimeran girl began to take interest in Naga at last. "Gourry, can't you remember anything?!"
"Something about Naria...something about dimensions...Marone-what's-his-face mentioned Kako..." the swordsman trailed off again then slammed his fist down into his open palm as he remembered. "Oh, yeah! Marone-what's-his-face mentioned some kind of dolphin once or twice when Kako wasn't around! That and Zelgadis said they were in a pocket or something."
Lina blinked and tried to make sense of the information he had just given to her. Then shoved the thoughts aside as Naria stopped before Naga and the serrated blade appeared again.
"Uh...hello again, Naria!" Naga waved nervously and then pulled Jeze-chan behind her. The inverse had been a pain in the butt earlier when she had first met her, but now she wasn't all that bad. The chimera on the other hand wasn't being the nicest person in the world right then. "So how've you been since I last saw you conscious? Found your sanity yet?"
~~~
"Report."
"They attacked and we were close to losing when they fled and left the battlefield. Kojiro, they were called off by their lord. These warriors are pathetic and we can't hope for their survival in this. We have to rely on that Lina Inverse girl and her friends for _our_ survival." Mirai threw a folder down on the kami's desk and touched the bandage on her arm. "Kami-sama, I'm sorry for my mistake..."
He nodded and continued to stare out the window. "We can't do anything about it, can we, Mirai? Even in changing the past you may interfere with the future and thereby screw up the present. Have you been able to find the two halves yet? I can't delay the counsel any longer."
"Kami-sama, she's entered the final stages, I can't help her anymore." The goddess sighed and tried to clear her head. "She's changed into the berserker and unless we have the trigger, we can't bring her back enough to remove the piece."
Kojiro turned around and tossed a key to Mirai. "Then get the trigger."
She blinked and stared at the small key in her hands. "But-"
"I don't care! Break protocol and get him back! We are not going to lose to the Mazoku, do you hear me? I will not allow that infernal Lord to return to this world and cause destruction as long as there is still breath left in this body." He stalked over to his desk and opened one of the drawers. "They are both in jeopardy, Mirai, find them as soon as you can and, most importantly, find the Mazoku general priest. We have to keep him under our surveillance as much as possible. He's a big part of this somehow."
Mirai bowed and teleported out, leaving Kojiro alone in the huge room. He pulled out a small crystal ball and smashed it upon the white floors. A small woman appeared before him and he narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "You alone have a good connection to that Inverse girl. Tell me if she can do what they say she can."
Auntie Aqua smiled and nodded. "Hai, I will tell you all, Kami-sama."
~~~
Zelgadis struggled against his bonds one last time and cursed his bad luck. His wrists were beginning to hurt and it seemed like all his blood was concentrated in his feet, leaving him lightheaded. Mira-chan still hadn't woken up, but neither had the orc so it was just as well. He heard a door open somewhere and hung his head, waiting for that imp Moron (or was it Marone?) to appear.
"So this is what happens when we leave you alone, C1. I'm disappointed in you; can't even keep his room clean," a familiar voice teased. Zelgadis looked up and found Mirai staring up at him with Mira-chan slung over her shoulder. "Having fun?"
"Just get me down," he growled.
"Always so pushy," Mirai sighed and unlocked the chains, letting him fall to the ground unsteadily. He rubbed his wrists and looked around. "Searching for these?"
She handed him his sword and sheath, then tucked another sword into her belt. Zelgadis glanced over at the closed cell door and then heard someone running up. "How did you do that?"
Mirai laughed and grabbed his shoulder. "Gods and goddesses can do a lot of things once given permission. Let's go, that moron imp is coming."
Marone reached the cell in time to see a bright flash of light and a hologram of his real boss standing within. "You idiot...you've failed to take in all the possibilities."
"N-no, Dolphin-sama! I swear I didn't know-!" Marone dropped to the ground, his astral body destroyed and his physical body disintegrating. Deep Sea Dolphin lowered her hand and nodded.
"Exactly, and not knowing will be your last mistake." The hologram flickered and she was gone.
~~~
Lina grabbed Amelia and ran for her life. She had seen some berserkers when they had masters and that was bad enough, but when one had impenetrable skin and no master...there was no telling what they'd do. Naga and Jeze-chan were in a close second and vying for first as they all ran from the clearing. Gourry waited until everyone was out before chasing after them. Naria watched them leave and tried to yell out for them to stop, but she couldn't control it anymore. Her blank eyes roved over the destroyed forest and her hand twitched again, sending yet another fireball after the retreating group. It did little except accelerate their already hasty retreat and put a few more dents in the local scenery...at least what was left of it.
The chimeran girl turned in the opposite direction and began to walk listlessly. She had no purpose without a master and so her steps were indecisive and careless. The rustling of some bushes off to the side didn't attract her full attention, but she did notice two catlike amethyst eyes watching her from the depths. Naria kept walking aimlessly, but inside she was screaming at her own inability to do anything.
Xelloss closed his eyes again and smiled as he always did. She was beyond coherent agreement now, but it could still work to his advantage. Kako was not far behind him and the general priest decided it would be fun to watch the former god squirm in the grasp of his own creation. He tucked his staff in the crook of his arm and teleported out, ready to intercept the chimera whenever he saw fit.
~~~
His infuriated yelling was heard as soon as she let him go as they floated over the lake. Mirai grinned and set foot on the bank. "Don't worry, Zelgadis, you can walk along the bottom if you sink!"
The goddess leaned Mira-chan against a nearby tree, then waited for a few moments until the chimeran boy appeared with a fireball at ready. He chucked it at her before wringing out his cape and watched as it dissipated harmlessly on a shield. "Why do you insist on antagonizing me like everyone else? Don't you gods have anything better to do?"
Mirai thought about that for a moment then nodded and shook her head at the same time. "Yes and no. The gods have better things to do, I just like teasing you."
"Figures," Zelgadis grumbled and shook the water out of his hair. "Where are we?"
"The future," Mirai replied simply and pointed behind him. "That is Dragon's Nest."
He turned and blinked when he realized the first part of that sentence was 'the future.' "What do you mean we're in the future?"
She sighed and patted the boy on the back. "Have you forgotten that I'm the Goddess of the Future, Zelgadis? I can't take you to the others in the present just yet anyway. I live three seconds ahead of all other living things. Yes, it does have a jet-lag result, but you get used to it after the first millennia. There, see?"
Zelgadis glanced over his shoulder and saw iridescent colors ripple across the landscape. "What the-?"
"Now you and Mira-chan are in the present. I'll leave you here for now. Travel two hours to the west and you'll run into Lina and the others. You'll have to run for three hours if you expect to catch a glimpse of Naria." Mirai turned to go and felt pressure on her shoulder.
"Has her time run out?" She nodded in response and watched him sigh slightly. "Thank you and goodbye."
Mirai grinned. "It's not goodbye just yet, Graywords..."
Mira-chan woke up in time to see her namesake disappear and rubbed her head. "Owie...I don't think I like dungeons."
She pushed off the tree and walked woozily over to Zelgadis, tugging on his cape. "Zelgadis Oniisan, you promised to get me ice-cream in return for the key, are you going to keep your promise?"
He glanced at her and sighed. "You didn't get the key though."
Mira-chan's lower lip quivered and her eyes became so round they threatened to challenge the moon in size. Small tears appeared in the corners of her eyes and Zelgadis finally understood what the 'puppy-dog' look was and why it worked. "B-but, I tried reeeaaally hard to get it for you, Zelgadis Oniisan. I'm reeeeally sorry. P-p-please?"
Zelgadis winced and tore his gaze away from her. He was supposed to be the one that didn't care about anything except his cure, but that look was just too damn haunting. He shrugged her off and started to walk away when the first tear fell. She sniffled once, twice, three times, then she began to cry. Zelgadis' sensitive chimeran ears couldn't take the intensity of that high-pitched wailing that would have made Usagi Tsukino stop and gawk and he sighed. "Alright, the first town we come to."
She was by his side in an instant and hanging onto his arm. "Arigatou, Zelgadis Oniisan!"
He rolled his eyes and realized that Mira-chan and Lina were getting to be more alike everyday.
~~~
The childlike goddess Imako stopped and barely caught the lamp as it began its descent towards the floor. Only this time it wasn't because of her resident maid and the other nine idiots, but because of a short and very clumsy young god by the name of Hikaru. He rubbed his head and blushed slightly as he looked up at the Goddess of the Present.
"Um...hiya, Imako-sama," he said nervously.
She sighed and put the book she had been reading down on the table. "What is it, Hikaru-kun?"
The God of Light stood and dug into the marble floor with the toe of his boot. "Um...
Kami-sama wanted me to come get you and to ask where Mirai-sama was."
"I have no idea where that nitwit sister of mine is, nor do I care. I have enough headaches from her 'present' without her here to rub it in. I'll see Kami-sama once I finish cleaning up after her," Imako replied, pointing to a Naga who had just completed a full scale mural on her walls in finger-paint. "You'd think that guy would have given them at least a little brains with that body, but nooo mortals have to be so concentrated on their tasks they don't even think of the outcomes at all. Idiots."
Hikaru felt his eyebrow twitch slightly and excused himself, shutting the door after he had left. Imako was in one of her 'I hate the world so the world better hate me too' moods and he was not going to deal with her today. He'd leave that to Kojiro.
After cleaning up and making sure at least one of the more intelligent Nagas (if there was one) was watching after the others, Imako teleported over to Kojiro's office. She bowed low before him and awaited his answer..and kept waiting and waiting and waiting. When the pain of kneeling on one knee for over ten minutes started to kick in, she raised her head to find the head god asleep and snoring lightly at his desk.
The childlike goddess clenched her fist and found her glaive within her grasp once more. She then promptly stood up, thanked Kami-sama for making her his favorite, and whapped him on the head with the staff. He awoke with a shout and a thud as the chair tipped over and deposited him on the floor.
"OHAYO!" Imako growled as she leapt onto the desk and stared down at him. "What are you doing sleeping on the job, Oh Wise Kami-sama?"
He blinked and looked up at her, brushing away a stray strand of light blue hair. "Ah, Imako-chan, good to see you came. I wasn't expecting you so fast!"
"Hai, Kami-sama." She relented and climbed off his desk as he stood up and straightened his robe. "What is it that you require of me?"
Kojiro smiled and motioned for her to follow him. "I was given some very interesting information pertaining to this object I must be in possession of by the end of the day by order of the council. You know, I really don't have to listen to them, but the other gods would seriously be mad at me if I didn't, isn't that funny? I rule over everyone and yet they have power over me. The world will end by this means, either that or the entire system will become flawed, but I'm rambling."
"You got that right," Imako mumbled and followed him into the adjoining room. It was just like any other room (meaning it was mostly featureless with white walls) except for the little old woman floating in the middle of it. She waved a gnarled staff and glanced at the childlike goddess with deep blue eyes.
"Imako-chan, meet Auntie Aqua, the remaining memories of the Water Dragon King. She's been able to tell me that Lina Inverse and her friends can stop this war without the help of Dolphin's Tear. You, as the goddess of the present, must take it upon yourself to find Lina Inverse in this time and point her as far away from Dragon's Nest as possible," Kojiro said simply and with a huge smile on his handsome face. "I'm sure you're up to it, aren't you, Imako-chan? Ask Auntie Aqua anything you need to know. I'm going back to very important business. Ja!"
Imako whirled around in time to catch Kojiro teleporting out and sighed. "So, Auntie, what am I supposed to do now?"
~~~
She hated her life and there was only one thing she hated more than her life at the present time. It was the guy standing in front of her grinning at her with his fully open catlike eyes. He shifted his weight so he was leaning on his wooden staff and thoughtfully ran a finger down the ruby sitting on the top. Naria couldn't help herself, but ask what he wanted from her.
"Ah, you should know, Naria. I want to give you a new master for you are a berserker with no purpose," he said with another fake smile.
"What is your objective?" she repeated robotically. "What do you need me for?"
Xelloss sighed and straightened up. "You know what I'm going to say to that, but for right now I'll tell you where I'm going: Dragon's Nest with a detour to Sairaag."
"Sairaag..." Naria echoed and glanced up at the Trickster Priest. "Sairaag is not along the way to Dragon's Nest."
"I know. That's why it's going to be a very long detour," he chuckled and moved towards her. "How about you accompanying me there, eh, Naria?"
"What do you intend to do in Sairaag?"
"Meet up with an old 'friend' and perhaps get a chance to watch Lina and her friends duke it out with a very nasty Mazoku acquaintance of mine." He stretched a gloved hand out towards her and waited. "Will you join me?"
Naria stared down at his hand and couldn't stop herself as her programming caused her to take it hesitantly. "Hai, Master."
A slow and sinister smile spread across his face as he closed his fingers around her hand. "Let's go then, shall we?"
"Hai, Master." Inside, Naria was screaming and trying to get away, but science had a way of screwing you over twice and then kicking you when you're down and bleeding. She only had a two days left and now she was in the service of her worst enemy. <Mirai...help me...>
~~~
Zelgadis stopped for the eighth time and looked back over his shoulder. "Why can't you keep up?"
Mira-chan dropped to her knees and tried to catch her breath. "G-gomen, Zelgadis Oniisan, b-but I never needed to run so f-fast. W-we never chased anyone before...it w-was wrong."
The chimera growled and hung his head slightly. He was not only cursed in form, but now he had to take care of a little girl...he wasn't sure which was worse. "Come on. I'll carry you from here. We have to pick up speed and you're slowing me down."
The inverse glanced up and blinked as Zelgadis kneeled down in front of her with his back to her. "Piggy-back style, let's go."
She climbed on and wrapped her arms around his neck as he took off again. Zelgadis Oniisan was a good person, but he tried to cover it up. Maybe if he just didn't try so hard to be the 'cool' one he'd see what he had. Mira-chan shrugged and rested her head on his shoulder as he ran. <Naria...please be okay...>
Zelgadis jumped over a fallen log and adjusted his grip on the girl while midair. She was heavier than he had thought she would be and grumbled to himself while weaving between the trees. He had been traveling for nearly and hour and a half and that meant Lina wasn't far off. After that was Naria and then everything would be alright and he could get rid of this nuisance. Mira-chan chose that moment to put her head on his shoulder and he barely stopped himself from smiling. It was a good feeling to know someone needed him...even if that someone was annoying. He sighed and emerged from the woods at the top of a cliff.
The valley below him was host to a small town and he spotted a small group running towards it. Hope began to rise in his heart as he cast a Rei Wing and flew down to meet them. The day wasn't a total waste of time, he mused and was almost on the ground when an explosion threw him off balance and forced him to the ground. He pushed Mira-chan off his back and drew his sword as he stood.
The road split and a mound formed, pushing rocks and dirt out of the way as a head emerged. Soon a hulking figure made entirely of earth was standing before the duo and it blinked its green eyes at them.
When it spoke, Zelgadis could feel the heat radiating from within it. It's voice was deep and was more of a rumbling sound than an actual voice. "I am Gaea and you are not to be here."
"Who says?" Zelgadis shot back and used himself as a shield for Mira-chan, clamping a hand over her mouth to prevent her from trying to lecture the monster on destroying public property.
Gaea took a step forward and kneeled. "Kami-sama and Ceiphied say so. Let me explain, I am Gaea, God of the Earth and you must go to Sairaag immediately. Kako has claimed it for his own."
"Who says we should believe you? Besides, Sairaag is nearly two weeks journey from here."
Gaea shook his massive head and watched in amusement as Zelgadis threw his arm up to protect himself from the flying dirt and rubble. "Not by teleportation, Zelgadis Graywords. I will wait for Lina Inverse for she is the warrior I am here to claim."
"Then she's here!" someone shouted and came to a stop at the crest of the hill. "Zel! Good to see you're still alive! Gourry said you guys were trapped somewhere!"
The others appeared behind the petite sorceress and Gourry waved to Zelgadis and Mira-chan; the latter being the only one who waved back. Gaea stood again and stretched a hand out to Lina, loose gravel pelting the others as he reached over them. "Come with me, Lina Inverse."
She glanced behind him and nodded. "As long as the others come with me."
"Of course, but hurry. They are nearly here," the god rumbled.
"I can see that," Lina sighed and motioned for the others to follow her. "I don't see any harm in going with this guy. If he's really Mazoku, then he'd already have killed us or he'll toy with us giving us time to kill him later. So let's go!"
Naga grinned slightly. "There's your logic again, Lina. Always running head first into the wall."
"At least then I see it coming instead of running into it and not knowing it was there, right?" the younger sorceress shot back.
"Hai, Lina-san! I completely agree, let's go!" Amelia jumped forward and waved a small flag around. "To Sairaag, for Justice!"
Gourry glanced down into his hands and found a similar pink and white flag in his hands. He shrugged then waved it around. "Yeah!"
Zelgadis sighed and helped Mira-chan to her feet. "Look's like we join the circus, huh?"
Mira-chan looked up at him innocently and titled her head to one side. "I thought you said you already were part of the circus. What did you say before? The freak show or something?"
Jeze-chan sweatdropped and watched as her friend rubbed the sore spot on her head after Zelgadis whapped her with the hilt of his sword. Then she turned to Naga and tugged on her cape. "I think it's time we go too, Miss Naga."
The White Serpent nodded and followed after Lina as she walked towards the god. Jeze-chan followed in suit and soon they were all standing before their transport. He waved a hand and his form began to shrink down; the dirt fell away and he was soon slightly shorter than Zelgadis and completely human in appearance. He flicked a piece of dirt out of his long brown hair and grinned as the girls in the group gawked.
"Shall we go?" His voice was now a pleasant tone that matched his good looks (at least that's what Amelia thought). Gaea shook his sleeve and a flower appeared from the cuff of the light green material. "Ah, such a nuisance sometimes."
He plucked it and handed it to Amelia, who happened to be the closest person at the moment. After brushing himself off, he glanced up and smiled again. "Now shall we go?"
Lina shook her head to clear it and nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
Gaea clenched his fist and a simple wooden staff appeared in it. "Let's go then." He struck the ground with the end of the staff and the world erupted in a whirlwind of colors.
~~~
Naria heard the dull sound of a staff striking cobbled streets and stopped, glancing up. Xelloss was standing before two huge gates made of some metal deeper than the deepest night. "Is this Sairaag?"
He nodded slightly and reached forward to push the doors open. Naria threw her arms up and shielded her eyes from the sudden burst of light, slowly letting them down as the smell of burning clothes wafted to her. The gate was fine, but Xelloss had been thrown back a few feet and was sitting on the ground rubbing his head. "Very clever of him to put wards against certain Mazoku and gods on the front gate. Very clever indeed."
She helped him to his feet and returned to waiting in front of the gate. "Naria, would you open it for me?"
"Hai, Master." She pushed her hands forward and the doors swung open easily. Naria heard him mumble something and wanted to ask him what it was, but couldn't. He entered the city leading her through the empty streets towards a stately house at the end of the road. The chimeran girl couldn't help but laugh at her predicament. Once Zelgadis had told her how they always managed to end up in Sairaag and it looked like they were there once again. It was so stereotypical of the Mazoku to pick a holy city to destroy. They had no originality sometimes.
~~~
Two burning blue eyes glared at Lina Inverse and the others as they advanced through the scrying ball. It was unfair! How they could get so much help from those useless gods and actually make it to the city! Kako was dead for sure and now it was time for her to intervene and take over. Maybe she could stop them before they entered the city where her power ended. She had to move quickly and place her pieces perfectly. It was all or nothing now and Deep Sea Dolphin did not like to lose.
~~~
Kojiro smiled slightly even though he knew his time was long since up. He had refused the orders of the council and he was sure to hear about it in the morning, but as far as he was concerned, there would have to be a morning. He signed his name at the bottom of the paper and handed it to Hikaru. "Take this to my inner council and let no one else see it. I'm counting on you, Hikaru-sama."
The young god blinked at his formal name and bowed deeply. "Hai, I understand, Kami-sama."
He turned and ran out of the grand office towards the first of the inner council's room. This was serious. Kojiro was not one to use formal names with his friends and had even rejected his council of calling him Kami-sama. Hikaru wondered what was going on, but knew it was not his business and knocked on the door.
"Hold on! Naga, get down from there now or I won't feed you tonight!!" came the exasperated reply. "No, don't touch-*crash!* ...never mind. COMING!"
Imako threw open the door and her flustered expression melted away into the pleasant one she always wore for other people when she was ready to bite their heads off. Hikaru opened the letter and gave it to her, watching her as she read it over and frowned. "Is this all he gave you?"
"Hai, Imako-sama, that's it."
The goddess nodded and handed the letter back. "Okay, carry on."
Hikaru bowed as the door closed and ran off to find Kako. The older god was reclining upside down in the plaza and reading a book of some sort when Hikaru found him. He glanced up as the God of Light shoved the paper in his face.
"What's that?" Kako asked and righted himself. "A love letter from Mirai?"
Hikaru hid his laugh and shook his head. "From Kami-sama."
"I always knew he cared." Kako grinned and took the letter. The jovial note died as soon as he opened the letter. "That's it, eh? Never thought he'd decree something like this...go ahead and take it to Mirai. She's over in the library right now."
Hikaru nodded and took off yet again. He was seriously wondering what was inside this letter and hoped Mirai would break the silence and tell him. He found her right where Kako had told him and waited apprehensively as she read it.
"Hikaru-kun, you can go now. I'll personally take this letter back to Kojiro." He noted the ice in her voice and nodded meekly before teleporting out. Mirai stood and crushed the letter as she clenched her fists. "He won't make me do this...he can't..."
"But he will and he has, Mirai," a quiet voice replied out of the shadows. Kako emerged and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I know this is going to be tough on you, but we all have a piece of the burden now. Imako's already left and I'm going soon, will you be alright?"
Mirai nodded and slowly relaxed as her staff appeared before her. "I still can't see why he's making us do this. I agree with it, but I can't see why..."
"He has his reasons, no matter how odd they may be. Besides, it does give you what you wanted for her. Good luck." Kako smiled and faded from view.
"Yeah...but for how long?" the goddess murmured and reopened the letter, reading it aloud to herself. "Remove the leash and bring me the Dolphin's Tear."