Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Hitomi, Where's Zel? ❯ Story 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Hitomi, Where's Zel?

By Hitomi and Miaki

"Hitomi, where's Zel?"

It was a quite evening, a group of girls sat around a glowing TV screen, diligently watching Slayers. They were the "Amelia" episodes, tapes of the first series which Zelgadis did not appear in. This fact saddened a member of the party. With sad shaking eyes, she looked to another member of the party, uttering those fateful words. With a sigh, many fabulous tales where invented to fill that void of time when Zel did not appear. The stories held within these files are reenactments of those fables.

"Hitomi! Where is Zel?"

Well, as Zelgadis parted ways with Lina and Gourry, another shady character was making his way to a pre approved meeting place. How Zel had managed to keep contact with his minions, what was left of them, during the battle with Rezo, no one will ever know. But regardless of the means, Minion #1 had dug up information on a "hot springs" said to "cure all that ails you". The result being that Zel was now headed to obtain the information, and make his way to his cure.

The Minions was waiting, as promised, in the fifth Inn of Acid City. For those of you, who haven't heard of it, think of it as a druggy version of Atlis city. Much smaller, much rougher, and undoubtedly a place a half human, half golem, half demon could walk through without caring for his appearance. As Zel entered the "Bubbly Pub", he soon located Minion #1 sitting at a table, calmly drinking a pint of ale.

"Well, did you get the information." Zel asked quietly, sipping his own ale.

"Right here in me pocket." The short, green haired man replied. "But, you remember our deal, right?"

"Sure. You give me the info, and I don't kill you." Zel said testily.

"Er....sure. But I was referring to the part where you don't ask any questions." Minion #1 continued, only slightly weary of Zel's temper.

"You mean about what you are? Sure, no problem, I've got my own problems, you know." Zel finished, never easing his testy tone.

Minion #1 nodded, handing Zel a bag seemingly filled with coins.

"Take it to the shrine on top of the mountain, and give it to the lady who works there. She'll handle it from there. I expect not to be called on again, I'm retired, you know." He added as he turned to go. Zel took the bag, easily lifting the "coins". He waited a few minutes after Minion #1 had left, for appearance sake, and headed of for the mountain.

The shrine was very beautiful, with many mini shrines to goddesses of various cultures. The hike upwards wasn't so bad as well, aside from the many boulders which seemed to have heat seeking devises planted somewhere within them, they nearly hit him so many times. There were many monks of the shrine gathered around its expansive courtyard, but no woman.

Just when Zel was beginning to worry he might never find the lady Minion #1 had talked about, a shadowy figure appeared before him. Now, Zelgadis considered himself to be pretty intimidating man, what with his stone like features, inhuman skin and strength, and, ahem, dashing good looks. However, while this person lacked all those qualities, they were indeed intimidating.

The cloak the wore, complete with extra large hood, and shining sword, was a dark metallic ruby color, with diamond sequins up and down the sides. Had anyone else been wearing it, Zel would have thought it was hilarious, but this person also carried the air of a deadly fighter. All the same, he was, not surprised that the head revealed beneath was that of a woman.

She walked towards him, a silver staff to match her sword clanging with each foot step. Her hair was peppered with brown and grey hair, which, even added with her wrinkly skin, did not make her seem old. Her eyes shone a dark amethyst brighter than the torched lining the walls. She reached her hand towards him as if to take something from thin air.

With a touch of misgiving, Zel handed her the heavy bag of coins. He also realized, somewhat nervously, that they were the only ones in the courtyard; all the monks had dispersed when she appeared. She took it gingerly, showing no sign of difficulty supporting the tremendous weight. The bag disappeared within her cloak, never, Zel assumed, to be seen again.

"Well, Master Zelgadis." Her voice mocked his title, and, like the rest of her, failed to give away her age. "So, you have finally come, have you? Fine, come with me. You should know," she stopped to look at him. "This hot springs was created by Master Rezo, the Red Priest. Does that bother you?"

Only the constant mocking tone kept Zel from ending her life right there, for I told him she cared even less for Rezo than for himself.

"No, that's fine. I don't care." It would be terribly ironic for Zel to be cured by something of Rezo's creation, and the prospect made him smile in the pits of his heart, where no one else could see it. He would have left, but he never did that, at least when others could see him.

So she led him through hall ways, doors, and rooms until Zel was unsure if he could find his way out. Of course, he hoped he wouldn't have to, but life had taught him to rely on himself and trust no one. After awhile, the "path" they were following began to slant upwards. Zel wondered how a hot springs was so high up, but that again, it was a shrine. He should have known better.

The "path" opened finally at a flat part of the mountain, where various cats sprawled across rocks heated by the sun. An ominous black liquid filled a circle as big as the ledge. With a gulp, Zel remembered a problem he had with water.

"Um...is it very deep?"

"Oh, no, we don't want our `guest' to drown, now do we." She replied indignantly, yet still mocking his seriousness. Zel wasn't sure he cared for the way she said "guest", but it was too late to worry about speaking patterns. She turned, allowing him privacy. Zel hated for others to see his body, and he was very glad she'd left him to bathe alone. Slowly, cautiously, he began to walk into the bubbling black liquid.

He realized to late the burning sensation around his ankles, along with the steady incline of the pool. Before he new it, he was plunged into black, acidic liquid.

"And that was the end of Zelgadis. A sad fate, isn't it? To drown in a pool of acid...." Hitomi nodded at her grief stricken friend.

"But that still doesn't answer my question. Hitomi.....where's Zel?!"

"Ugh...."

More to come. ^_^