Kage no Ame

Lina glared up at the Trickster Priest with suspicious eyes, not sure if she should buy his story. They were now about a mile from the ruins, after the sorceress had implored Xellos (okay, threatened him) to take her and the injured Gourry out of there. It was a tight squeeze for the Mazoku, but with the right kind of "prodding", they made it outside safely. Now Gourry had been sprawled out on the wet ground on his back while Lina set to healing him with whatever White Magic she had left. [1] The swordsman had insisted that he would be fine and that they needed to try and rescue Zelgadis, but he had lost that little fight when Lina pointed out that s large chunk had almost been pulled out of his side when the rocks feel on him (and the fact that they had no idea of how to help the chimera didn't help his argument either.) So, scowling all the while, Gourry let Lina's magic do its work.

And now, they were getting volunteered information. Xellos coughed at Lina's question, leaving her for daft. "Yes. If you want to rescue Zelgadis, your best bet would be to go to them in Yamiriku. That's in Middle Space-a separate plane that is neither above nor below our own, but simply parallel."

"And...Zel's stuck up there with them..." Gourry muttered quietly, his eyes growing dark. And even though she hadn't seen it very many times before, Lina could see that the swordsman truly hated the Saillune princess in those icy pools of blue. Before she cold make a comment about it, though, he craned his neck to glance back up at the ever-grinning Mazoku with a determined look. "We have to get him back...do you know how to get there? You have to...!"

"'Him' back...?" Xellos inquired with a raised eyebrow. "Permit me-and just what about the princess?"

Gourry's eyes hardened and he sat up forcefully. "Is this the face of someone who cares? Huh?! Is it?!"

"Oh, no no no no no...I didn't mean anything by it! Not at all!" Xellos put up his hands in a peaceful gesture. "You're just being hasty, is all, Gourry-kun!"

"Hasty...? Hasty?" Before anyone could blink, the injured swordsman shot up to his feet and wrapped his hands around Xellos' collar, lifting him about a foot from the ground. "Unlike YOU, I happen to be concerned, you bastard!" he hissed gutturally, spitting the words out like venom. "Show some respect, damn you! We need to find them, and find them NOW!!"

Xellos' smile faltered and he paused, as if stung, but then his "I know something you don't know" look came back in full force. "Oh, my, it would seem that the dead has risen..."

"Cut it out, Gourry!" Lina protested as she jumped up and grabbed the swordsman's arm and tried to yanks him off the Mazoku priest. "This isn't getting us anywhere! Stop it! You can kill him later!"

Sighing heavily, Gourry relented and chucked Xellos away less than gracefully. "I guess so..." he muttered. "And you are right, I guess, we're getting nowhere, fast..." He then gave Xellos a wary glance. "So how about it?"

Lina growled, exasperated at the game of "verbal war" they were going at. "Dammit, Gourry! Just say it and get it over with! We don't have time to fool with him!"

"Hm...?" Xellos leaned in closer to hear. "Speak into this ear-I'm a little deaf in this one..."

"Quite." Xellos cleared his throat then grew very serious, his lips forming a grave line. "But's enough fun for now. I understand that Zelgadis needs help, and since I'm the only one that can get you to Middle Space from here, I might as well...get my act together, so to speak." He then held out his staff in front of him and motioned to the other two. "Suggest you hold on tight-it might a rough trip."

Not able to resist (nor wanting to, for that matter), Ameria gave her now sleeping future groom a small peck on the cheek, savoring the taste of his soft skin on her lips. "Hmm..." she sighed as she brushed back a lock of silken hair away from his forehead. Long eyelashes swept over his coffee tinted cheeks in his slumber; delicate lips parted slightly to show pearly white teeth. "Kirei..."

The Saillune Princess turned to her Faerie friend, frowning at the stern look on his usually pleasant features. "Yes?"

Ameria blinked a moment then snorted, gazing back at him adamantly. "When did this happen? How far away?"

"Just a moment ago," the Yousei answered quickly. "And moving fast. It is as if a great force is carrying them along-three of them."

"...Three...?" Ameria echoed quietly, her brow creased in thought-so Lina and Gourry were alive. Damn. I guess a rockslide was being too gentle on our swordsman... she hissed mentally, cursing her luck. Then who is the third...? Then she thought about "a great force carrying them along..." Ameria frowned. "...Xellos. Damn him, too..."

"Xellos?" Hikaru cocked his head to the side in misunderstanding. "Who or what is that?"

"Mazoku...I have heard of them..." the raven-haired Fae spat after hearing her explanation. "A rotten people, they are."

"And he is but one of their worst representatives." Ameria took a step towards Hikaru. "I don't like this. Fix it, Hikaru-kun."

"'F-fix it'??" Hikaru sputtered, not understanding for a moment. "What do you want me to do??"

"Oh..." The Saillune princess smiled warmly, lifting Hikaru's chin. "I see....Mazoku are quite powerful, aren't they?"

"But..." she added slowly, inching closer, "You wouldn't want to go back on your promise to me, would you?"

Hikaru's eyes darkened at that and he frowned. "Yes...of-of course," he muttered, looking down to the sleeping Zelgadis, who had been undisturbed by their largely vocal conversation. Under black, silken sheets, he looked perfectly serene in the soft lamplight that flooded over his still form. Or just perfect-whatever one's fancy might be. And this was Hikaru's fancy. Yes, he understood full well what he was doing to the-not so chimera, now-shaman. Yes, he could tell that the swordsman, Gourry, was very important to him just by looking at him; from his response to the Hikari no Ken earlier, the swordsman was terribly valuable to Zelgadis. But promises were much more important to him personally-and a promise was not to be taken lightly, nor to be broken-not even by that annoying thing called a conscience.

"Ack!" Lina yelped as she landed on the dark grass on her rump in a not so delicate fashion-she frowned when she heard Xellos' snickers from behind her. "Itai! It all your fault, Xellos, so stop laughing!"

The Mazoku let out one last chuckle and shrugged. "Oh-ho, but at least I got you where you wanted to go-for that alone you should be grateful, Lina Inverse."

At that moment, Xellos started to dissipate back into Subspace. "Lina-san, oya oya! With that kind of attitude, be surprised if you can get home by yourself! Ta ta for now!"

"Forget it, Lina, he's gone..." Gourry murmured under his breath as he took in his new surroundings. Everything was a different shade of black with little to no light, counting the round moon that shined above them. Even the grass under his feet was a shiny onyx color-definitely creepy was the only thing that could come to mind when a bitter wind blew through the dark leaves of the trees around them, touching the with a cold finger of instant foreboding. "Looks as if we're here, in any case. So, let's go."

"Hey, that's my line..." Lina grumped, but the swordsman gave her a sharp look and decided to nix the humor. Looking around, the fiery sorceress noticed that while they were in Yamiriku...they were also quite lost. And she couldn't see much, considering that it was pretty darn close to being pitch black and the fact that she was vertically impaired. "Anou...so...where are we supposed to be going, anyway?"

Gourry was silent for a few moments, thinking. But after a few mintues passed by and Lina was about to ask "Did you hurt something?" when he pointed down the forest towards his left. "We go that way."

"That way," he repeated again and he started off in the direction as he pointed out. All the sorceress could do was shrug and follow-if they were going anywhere in this strange place, they were going together.

His wings fluttering and taking him far above the trees, Hikaru watched with impatience as the two travelers slowly made their way through the dark woods. "My, but they travel so slowly..." he sighed wistfully, twirling a lock of raveny hair about his little finger. To tell the honest truth, he wanted to get this over with already-he didn't like the fact that he had already prolonged this promise as long as he had. And playing dumb for a princess did not help his ego much, either. But a promise was a promise-not to be taken lightly.

Rain beat down against his skin mercilessly and he dashed through the darkening woods at breakneck speed. His wet hair slapped against his cheeks and covered his eyes, momentarily blinding him. There must have been a stray rock or an uncovered root in his path because the next thing he knew was that he had tripped and was rolling down a mud covered hill. Blades of sharp grass rotated positions with the stars in the black sky over and over again as he reeled, only stopping to land in a thorn-covered thicket. The sharp protrusions scratched at his face, arms and legs whenever he moved and he felt his blood trickling over his skin and mixing with the thick mud and rain.

Using whatever strength he had left, he let the thorns bite into his flesh and grabbed at a stray vine that led its way out of the underbrush. He felt very much like screaming from the pain, but he bit the inside of his cheek-it wasn't worth the risk of letting them know he was there. He kept climbing-right hand over left, right hand over left. There was a bright flash overhead and a roll of thunder split the sky. His breath caught in his throat.

Reaching upwards, he finally found that he was at the top and climbed over the edge carefully, tiny pebbles and dirt irritating his already burning scratches. Done with his painful ascent, he could do nothing but flop onto his back, breathless. The assaulting droplets of rain pelted his face relentlessly and his intakes of breath were ragged-he felt as if his lungs were to be ripped out his chest.

Just how long had he been running? From where and to what? That was just his question, but he was too blinded by the fog in his heart to answer. He couldn't open his eyes-he felt that had been frozen shut...

But his eyes must not have been frozen shut as they had snapped open at that name that he hated. [4] But the voice was so familiar...

He gasped to see himself sneering down at him. But it was his hideous self-that awful stone body that he absolutely despised. Heartless and cold were the monster's eyes as he leered down at him, all cut up and wretched as he looked. But he was glad he wasn't that...that...thing.

The chimera knelt down beside his heaving body, his eyes filled with ill humor as he spat in his face. "Feh-pathetic," he scoffed, smirking as the smaller human could only wince under him. "But then again, you always were that, 'Usagi'-pathetic and weak...I'm surprised you got anything of that miserable thing you called a 'life'..."

"Usagi" felt his breath catch in his throat at the accusation. No...he wouldn't listen to such a thing, especially when it came from a monster such as that... No, of course he wouldn't...

He had his swordsman. That alone was what he needed-his life was not pathetic!

The shaman monster knew what he was thinking, seeing the new look of determination that washed over his face, and he laughed in the most piercing way. "Oh, and if you're thinking of Gourry-dear...you've got another think coming..." [5] And almost as if he had materialized out of nowhere, said swordsman stepped beside the chimera and placed a possessive hand on his shoulder. "As you can see, you shouldn't accept gifts from princesses...but it's just as well 'cause he's all mine now..."

"No!" the human screamed, trying to sit up, but finding it too painful to make such movement. He fell back on the rain-slicked ground with a small cry, little thorns that had stuck to his clothes digging into him again. He bit his lip, trying not to cry out in agony, but...

"Oh ho, and why not? You let him die, then let me go with your undying wish for 'normalcy'...we deserve one another for all you put us through....We'll always be together, now..." His monstrous counterpart stood up beside the blonde man and wrapped his arms about his waist, the swordsman nipping at his tapered ear in turn. "You have your princess, Usagi-why not run along to her and whimper? You're weak enough."

"Because.." he replied weakly, salty tears running down his cheeks and stinging the many scrapes along his face, "Because-!"

The chimera's blue-gray eyes danced with malevolence. "You let me die away just as he had-now he belongs to me. Just accept it. Wither in your own self-pity!"

"No..." he crooned. Each drop of rain became heavier and heavier as they hammered down on him. The hated stone man and his handsome lover's laughter became a scornful drone through the hiss of the pounding rain. "No, I didn't...usotsuki..."

Zelgadis sat up on the bed with a start, his eyes wide and cloudy with fright and frantic hands clutching at his chest. He felt himself hyperventilating and he tried to slow down and breathe, but his lungs felt like giving out. He started a coughing fit, his whole body shaking violently with every ragged intake of air. This went on for about fives more minutes and Zelgadis felt as if he would die-he couldn't breathe.

That was a luxury too expensive for his tastes. And too deserving, something he wasn't. The spasms died down and his breathing went down to something a little less erratic. He gulped down on the ball of fear that had caught in his throat, but it did not necessarily go away. Zelgadis flopped down onto his back, staring up into space.

Or so he thought. He was now gazing up into his own reflection, something that sent chills running up and down his spine-there was a mirror running along the black ceiling above the bed. The idea of it sickened him, but so did the fact that he was to be the Saillune princess' future groom. Or maybe sooner. Zelgadis shivered a little at the thought as he continued to stare up at himself in the mirror. He felt like hell. Dark, sweat-lined hair stuck to his face and neck and his tanned skin was clammy. But then, suddenly curious, Zelgadis gently pushed the heavy, black comforter off to see the rest of him.

"I believe our princess has become somewhat of an eccentric..." the former chimera muttered to himself, half wondering to himself just why he was only in a short sleeved tunic (the color being black, of course seeing that was the only color that really existed in this realm). Long, svelte legs protruded from under the thin shirt that even Zelgadis had to admit to himself were nice (with pride that he knew was foolish). [6] Then he felt a draft-he blushed slightly. "...Or a pervert. Whichever is worse..."

"Oh why even try to hide it?" he mumbled, throwing and arm over his eyes-he didn't want to see that damned reflection anymore. "That dream scared the shit out of you, Graywords..." He sniffled. Unconsciously and unwillingly, tears started to well up in his eyes and splash down in crooked trails down his face. His breathing started to become ragged again. "Dammit...I'm crying again..."

Zelgadis sat up again, looking around the dark room. His eyes landed on a glass case that was but a scant ten feet away from him. It was resting on a tripod of shining onyx, decorated with sapphires and jade. Inside the case, in plain sight, was the solitary hilt of the Hikari no Ken, seeming as ancient as it really was-like it hadn't had an owner for hundreds of years, though it had only been a long night or so. Maybe longer-Zelgadis has no earthly idea of how long he had been in this Hell called "Yamiriku"...

Wiping a stray tear away from his cheek, he built up the courage to slip down to the floor on his bare feet and pad over to the Hikari no Ken's glass prison. There he started to shiver again as he gazed along the gray-black metal and leather of the half-weapon-where Gourry's hands would be in battle. Gourry. Gods, how he would love the feel of his hands on him again just one more time. Gods, how he missed him...

Did the swordsman even know just how deeply he felt for him? Hell, he knew that he loved Gourry, but...did he ever say it? Sure, there were the touches, the kisses, the occasional "My Gourry", but...did that ever really count? A tinny, suspicious voice in the back of his head said that it hadn't. And it was probably right-that was the sad thing. Leave it to me to horde my feelings until the most important person in my life goes away and then feel sorry for myself...

He saw a flash of gold as the retreating image of Gourry flashed through his mind again. The swordsman's beautiful, sky blue eyes seemed so sad that Zelgadis thought his heart was being ripped out.

He started shaking again. "Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic!" And without warning to himself, he lifted his fist and sent it crashing down on the glass case in front of him. Pain flared through his arm and he fell down to the ground in surprise-glass burst out around him everywhere and cut into his skin. Red blood oozed out of the long cuts and scrapes, shocking him back into reality. As least he knew that this all wasn't just some bad dream, making it even worse...

Swallowing hard, Zelgadis reached out to the sword hilt that had fallen to the ground with his blood-covered hand, grasping it tentatively. He pulled it up to his cheek and let out a long sigh, letting the unrelenting tears trickle down onto the Hikari no Ken. He wondered for a split second if he was able to call on the sword's power just long enough to drive the blade through his chest...probably not. His blood wasn't worth the effort. A shard of glass would have to do the trick if he should ever have to come to that.

The former chimera glanced around him as the broken remains of the display case. Sure, he had thought of doing it many, many times before...but that was before...before...

He didn't have long to consider the question for as he was reaching for one of the broken pieces of glass, the door on his left swung open and banged loudly. Zelgadis' attention snapped over towards the noise quickly, his eyes wide-there were two figures. They had to be more Kage Yousei. Both female, their coloring, wings and style of clothing were quiet similar to that damned Faerie, but they were slightly taller and wore black armor. One, with long, black hair up in a long ponytail, had reddish-brown eyes, very much like Lina's, and carried a spear. The other, a green eyed Fae with short hair the style of a typical male's, was armed with a heavy mace.

"Ouji-sama?" the short-haired one said with a slight frown. She eyed the empty tripod and the glass all over the floor. "What happened in here?"

Zelgadis chose not to answer. He just held the Hikari no Ken close to his chest, biting down on his tongue.

"It would seem as though Ouji-sama does not want to cooperate, Nazo..." The red-eyed one snorted. "Should I...?"

"Save it, Yuugure." The first Faerie flew over to Zelgadis and extended a small hand. "Come with us-you need to be cleaned up before you meet with the Princess..."

Zelgadis stared at the dark hand for a few moments then slapped it away. "Fuck you!"

Nazo was surprised when he slapped her hand away and the reacted angrily-black energy covered her arm as she balled up her small hand, swooped down low and punched him in the stomach roughly. He doubled over in pain and that queasy feeling that he had in the cave, only this time it overpowered him more quickly and he fainted. The Hikari no Ken skittered across the floor as his body fell into Nazo's extended arms. She smirked. "Feh-that's teach you to fuck with me, bitch."

Yuugure shook her head as she flitted over to retrieve the Hikari no Ken. "My my, Nazo, such language. And from lady such as yourself..."

"Lady, shmady..." The green-eyed soldier slung the limp Zelgadis over her shoulder and flew out of the room. "Let's just get this guy to the furoba...Karasu can deal with 'im then..." [7]

Ameria... was all that the sword-less swordsman could think as he and Lina trudged through the black woods that lay in their way to the object of their rescue-Zelgadis and the Saillune princess. Every turn looked the same, but he wasn't about to give up now. Not after going to another whole dimension was he going to give up.

'My my, such strong thoughts from our habitually kindhearted swordsman...has Hell begun to freeze over...?'

Gourry halted for a moment, wincing a little as Lina didn't see him stop and walked right into his backside. "Dammit, Gourry!" the vertically impaired redhead snorted, rubbing her nose tenderly after mashing it into her companion's back. "Watch where you're going!"

Frowning a little, Gourry ignored Lina's complaint and started walking on again-did he hear something? Or was he just going crazy from stress?

Xellos! the swordsman growled back mentally, almost not aware that he had done so. What the hell are you doing in my-?!

'Mind?' Xellos answered in a sing-songy tone. 'Why, I'm hear to help you, silly swordsman! Why else?'

The Trickster priest whistled amusedly. 'Oh, no, not at all! I only wanted to see if you were really serious about this...'

Gourry's pace did not waver during all of this. Of course I'm serious...more than I've ever been...

'Hm...' Xellos was silent for a few minutes, and the swordsman had assumed that he had run off again to "Mother", whoever that was. But then after a few moments, the Mazoku priest spoke up again, his voice, though sent telepathically, was low and very grave: '...He is important to you, isn't he, Gourry? ...Zelgadis, I mean...?'

Gourry's eyes closed for a moment, then opened again to look up into the black velvet of the sky above. There was a flash of bright lighting and a roll of thunder that cracked through the atmosphere, giving Yamiriku a brief taste of illumination. In the distance, between the grasps of the dark trees of the forest, Gourry saw the crescent moon statue that decorated a tall, obscure turret to a castle. There was a figure that floated above the crescent on dark wings...Hikaru... Yes...

The swordsman could almost hear the smirk the spread across Xellos' face. 'Then I shall fight with you...seeing as that we both have something in common...'

"Ah, it would seem as though he has seen me..." Hikaru mused from above the battlement, his arms cross over his narrow chest. "And I still detect that other powerful being from before...the Mazoku. Yes, Xellos, it's you."

Eyes starting to glow a dim blue color, Hikaru's blue/black aura from his earlier transformation formed around him and he felt his power grow and tingle through him. He flapped and tipped his wings hard, dipping down low to the charge much like a vulture out for its easy prey. "I don't care who you are anymore! You are mine!!"

Ameria's eyes snapped open as footsteps approached her-she was sitting at a bay window that looked on to the darkness of the world around them. They were the two soldiers Nazo and Yuugure, both bowing in a most formal fashion. The Saillune princess nodded to the two, as a sign of attentiveness. "Go on."

"Hime-sama," Yuugure began, straightening to face Ameria. "Obaa-san has finished with your groom and requests an audience..."

Ameria considered the request for a moment, but the concept of seeing the object of her affections again for that night overruled, and the disturbance needn't be excused. She gave Yuugure a slow smile. "By all means. Send her in by your own discretion..."

"Hai, Ojou-sama..." was the Yousei Senshi's response, bowing again slightly and turning to fly out to the large door at the end of the chamber-Nazo kept her post at Ameria's side. The two waited a few minutes before Yuugure returned with another Shadow Faerie. She was slender, only a bit taller than Ameria herself, with dark brown skin and startling blue eyes-a smouldering cobalt mixed with a trace of soft lavender [8]. Her raven-like hair was dress up in an ornate style of two large braids and a bun held up by a jade hairpin and she wore an elegant kimono of black silk with emerald and gold leaves and sugar pink sakura-her wide obi was a simple royal blue [9]. They called her "Grandmother"-you could tell her status by her wings. They were larger than most to the Faeries that Ameria may have seen there, and they shimmered with a sort of magnificence that was rare. But she did not look old-nor did she look young. Just like a rose in full bloom that had been frozen in time...

Before Ameria could make a move, the older Yousei went down to her knees slowly and took a low, graceful bow. "Watakushi no namae wa Karasu, Ojou-sama...douzo yoroshiku."

Oh! Ameria thought, flushed by such formalities-the only one to say such things as of late was Hikaru. She's so polite...no wonder she must be the Monarch around here... The Saillune mage cleared her throat. "It would seem as though you have been in the audience of a princess before, Karasu..." she said quietly, trying to hide her faint blush. She's so pretty, too...

Karasu laughed gently, covering her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono. "Actually, no, Ojou-sama...Yamiriku has not had a princess or any other real royalty in its midst for centuries..." She smiled. "I have just been trained to serve in case one did come along..."

"Hmm..." Ameria mused quietly. So they haven't had a princess in centuries...maybe... Setting the thought aside for later, she stood. "Interesting...but I recall you requesting an audience concerning..."

"Yes...your Zelgadis..." Karasu recalled the name thoughtfully. "It is nothing terribly important...just...ah...he thought you would like a visit, is all. Even I shall admit that he is worth the disruption..."

Karasu nodded slightly and raised her hand, revealing a small, silver bell. She lifted her other hand the held a silver ring and she tapped it against the bell once-twice. Three times. The full notes resonated and hung in the air for long moments at a time as if they were a musical gesture toward proclamation. Clicking footfalls soon followed and Ameria grinned inwardly-Zelgadis stood at the open chamber door with a relaxed expression, and nothing seemed to be wrong. "Permit me...?" he asked quietly, asking for her audience. The mage princess nodded.

The former chimera, now but a human prince, seemed to float across the chamber floor, as if in a dream. Adorned in many black and blue silks and velvets, he looked like true royalty. Black gauntlets dressed his right forearm as silver bands and bracelets decorated his left, clicking together like tiny bell to announce his arrival. He had been bejeweled with a long silver chain about his neck-at the end of it was a round sapphire orb, much like the one Prince Phileonel would receive if and once crowned as king. There was a cool, almost blank expression on Zelgadis' face when he approached his bride-to-be, but soon covered it by taking her hand and kneeling. He kissed Ameria's cold fingers gently then pressed them to his forehead. "Ojou-sama..." he whispered.

"Yes," Zelgadis replied softly. "Later tonight, here, if you are not troubled by such haste..."

A slow smile crept up on Ameria's face at the thought. No, she didn't mind that at all... "Of course, I'm not troubled..." She lifted Zelgadis' chin and kissed his smooth forehead softly. "In fact, I'm wondering why I had not thought of it myself..."

Lina? White magic? That sounds so...weird. ^__^
"Good night, my beautiful Zelgadis..."
"Fruitcake"...or rather "Cake of fruit"...I couldn't help myself...
Byrd: Yes...I can imagine that he doesn't like that name...all the more reason for me to use it way more often...=^_^=
Zel: Grr... <((_=)>
I'm from the South--that's not a typo. ^__^
Zel: Fuck that--I look good.
Bob: Vanity, thy name is "Zelgadis"...
Byrd: Good legs...niiiiice legs...(drool)
"Nazo" means "Enigma", "Yuugure" means "Twilight", and "Karasu" means "Raven" and/or "Crow"...I prefer "Raven", though...^_^
Lenna: Hey...
Byrd: Hee hee, a shameless plug I know...read "A Gargoyles Final Fantasy" today!
Lenna: ...
Guy: It's not bad fashion sense...the obi is always brighter than the kimono itself...
Byrd: In other words, it's not supposed to match.
Garrett: "Memoirs of a Geisha": the fashion guide to the Old Capital...