Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ What's a chimera to do? ❯ Chapter 8

Author's note: Wow, this story keeps spawning new chapters. I've written 3 times more wordage in the past two weeks than I ever wrote when I started this 4 years ago. -_-; Zel is fun to torment ^_^

Please review! (I live on feedback. )

 

Chapter 8

 

 

Zelgadis woke slowly, blinking bleary eyes at the new dawn. He sat up rubbing his eyes and yawning widely. It took him a moment to remember where he was, and why he was sleeping on the ground outside. His brow furrowed as he looked around, and noticed he was alone. Where in the hell was Xellos?

 

“Zel-chaaaaaan,” a voice called out in the distance. “Zelu!” Was someone looking for him? The voice sounded kind of like Lina's. “Zeeeel-chaaaaan,Where are yoouuu?” As the voice got closer, he realized with sudden clarity that he was totally nude. His eyes widened comically, and he scrambled up, casting about frantically for his clothes.

 

He spied the light tan of his pants about five feet away, and went after them like a man possessed. He snatched them off the ground, and crammed his right leg into the appropriate pant leg. Just as he went to do the same on the other side, it slid down his leg and lay crumpled around his right ankle. It was at that point his memory helpfully kicked in. Xellos had quite thoroughly destroyed the only clothing he owned. Holding the remnants of what used to be his pants, he raised his palms to the sky. “Damn you, Xellos!”

 

 

 

*********

 

 

“Did you require something of me, Master?” He was really having difficulty keeping his tone even, and respectful. He forced a smile to his face. She always summoned him at the most inopportune times. He winced inwardly when he thought of what the chimera's reaction would be to waking up alone. But he'd had no time to wake him. He barely got his clothes thrown on hastily before phasing out. When Beastmaster called, you came running. Still, he would have liked to savor his first morning with Zelgadis, instead of receiving such a rude wake-up call.

 

“Well, well, well, Xellos, that was quite the show you put on!” Beastmaster clapped her hands together, making a marginal effort to hide a grin. “I didn't know you had it in you!” She was obviously thrilled. Xellos, not so obviously, wasn't.

 

Show? “Excuse me?”

 

“Lovely, just lovely,” she crooned. “It sent tingles all down my spine.”

 

Xellos just looked at her. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Was she implying she had seen something? But that wasn't possible, unless… His eyes pinned, and flashed towards Beastmaster's face. Could it be she had hit him with a spell when she struck him the day before?

 

“I'm jealous.” She pouted. “You never saw me the way you see him.” Part of that was completely her fault. She was horribly abusive and cruel, even by mazoku standards. When he first came into her services, she had made constant advances on him. It infuriated her that he just wasn't interested, and she beat him brutally for it almost daily. She degraded him in almost every way she could think of, and forced intimacy on him in several of her/its forms. She got more mileage out of it in her male form, which is how she realized his preferences. And always, she taunted his weakness.

 

He had taken all of this into himself, all of the pain, all of the anguish over the many centuries, and had become stronger. He learned how to play the games, how to read his master's capricious actions, and eventually he became her first general. He had risen higher than anyone else, but it still wasn't enough to overthrow her. He could decimate an entire race with his power, but he couldn't destroy her.

 

“The chimera truly is a superb creature.” She licked her lips, as if in remembrance, watching Xellos' face as she did so. He concentrated on keeping his face as blank as possible. “A fitting match for you, Xellos…” She had risen from her seat, and began circling him like a vulture, the air around her felt slick, and unclean. “It was truly eye-opening to see you two together. You were so passionate.” She persisted, goading him on purpose, her voice dropped low. “I want to meet him,” she said from behind him, a hand trailing across his back, “the man who breached that frigid exterior of yours.”

 

The thought that she had watched them, intruded on such a vulnerable and private moment made him feel sick. Had she seen everything? Had she guessed how deeply this went? “My perfect Xellos...” She caressed his pale neck absently, working her fingers up the nape and into his hair. He tried to still the tremor in his hand when she touched him with those loathsome hands. The bliss he had felt such a short time ago dwindled and faded in her presence. He felt cold. “Bring him to me.” Mind-numbingly cold.

 

 

 

*********

 

 

Zelgadis grabbed what was left of his shirt. The front of it was completely ripped out. If he ever got serviceable pants, he could wear this without too much trouble.

 

The underbrush crunched about 20 yards away.

 

He cursed under his breath, doing the only reasonable thing he could thing of. He threw the shirt around his hips, tying the sleeves together on one side to hold it up. The light breeze flapped the cloth up dangerously, threatening to expose him. How utterly wretched.

 

“Zel!” Lina became visible through the trees. “Zel, you never came back yesterday. Amelia was upset about something, but I couldn't understand a word she said. Is everything oka-“ She stopped mid-word when she got a good look at him. He stood facing her, a droll expression on his face. She couldn't help but notice his lack of proper attire, his tousled hair, and- oh my god, where those bite marks?

 

“Z-Zel,” she stammered, now with embarrassment, an awkward blush appearing on her face. “Did you and Amelia…” she trailed off uncertainly. Had there been enough time for that? Amelia had come back rather quickly... and Zel hadn't come back at all.

 

“No. We didn't.”

 

“W-What happened to your clothes?”

 

Zelgadis let out a long suffering sigh. “A bear.” She started to question the logic in that, a bear attack didn't begin to cover the scene before her, but he shot her a look that said `I don't want to talk about this'.

 

She helped him gather up the bigger pieces. “Well, maybe we can er… patch those up for you.”

 

He put on his boots and stood, thinking for a moment. Where was his damn cloak? He could've grabbed that to cover up with.

 

Lina glanced at her friend. He should've looked ridiculous in the makeshift skirt, and boots. Somehow, he just looked good. He had very nice legs, the boots and shirt framing them to good advantage, not to mention his right leg was almost exclusively bare, only the knotted cloth at his hip breaking the long line of his body. He was striking. It was a wonder that he still believed himself to be a hideous monster. She shook her head. Amelia was in for an eyeful.

 

Zelgadis trudged back to camp with her. This was humiliating. If he ever saw the mazoku again, he was going to kill him.

 

“Gourry! Amelia! I found him!” she called out exuberantly. The blonde was sitting at the fire, roasting fish while he polished his sword.

 

“Zel!” he exclaimed with a smile, “Welcome back!” He started to go back to what he'd been doing, when he did a double take. “Interesting look you have going on there,” he said appreciatively.

 

Zelgadis felt his eye twitch. Did Gourry just smirk at him?? He glanced at Lina, but she hadn't been paying attention. The swordsman caught his eye, and winked, confirming his suspicion.

 

“Wuaaaahhhh!” Zel's head whipped around at the sudden outburst.

 

“Waahhhhzelgdisdoesn'tlovemewhydoeshehavetobesoHOT?!” The princess wailed, hands over her eyes.

 

“Amelia, calm down!” Lina hissed frantically.

 

“Hewouldn'tmakelovetomeohmygodxelloshadhiswaywithhimiknowit !” She felt his presence nearby, and looked up. “Zelgadis-san,howcouldyou!Ohmygodarethosebitemarks?!!” She gasped, pointing at him.

 

“I can't understand you!” the sorceress yelled, shaking Amelia's shoulders. For which, Zelgadis thought, he was extremely grateful.

 

 

*********

 

 

“No.” Xellos replied stiffly.

 

She laughed. “Do you defy me, boy? Do you really care that much for him?” Xellos remained quiet as she stalked around him. “Bring him to me- for one night.” The nails biting into his neck insisted this wasn't a request, but a demand.

 

“I refuse.” He would never bring Zelgadis here, he could never bear such responsibility. Beastmaster would most likely break him. He couldn't betray him like that, couldn't make him suffer the attentions of his master. He knew she was possessive over her servants, and Xellos, unfortunately, was her favorite.

 

“I could just as easily kill him.” The tone was harsh, flat, and emotionless. Xellos had no doubt she'd do it. She was jealous of the effect Zelgadis had on him, something she'd never been able to manage. He wondered if things would have been different if he hadn't acted upon his desire. “How about a trade then?” He did not like the sadistic glee he heard in that voice. This wasn't going to be a fair trade. “In exchange for his life, and being kept from me,” she paused dramatically. “And as punishment for your insubordination…”

 

“I'm listening” Xel said quietly.

 

“You will continue your observation of Lina Inverse's group, as before. However, the trade is this: Every time you have been with him, you will come immediately back to me, as you did this morning.” Xellos gritted his teeth. She stopped in front of him. “It is an equal exchange. He pleasures you, you pleasure me. For as long as you wish to be around him.”

 

“I'll be in this form, of course,” Beastmaster said, morphing into one of its male forms, the one he reserved specifically for Xellos. “It's wasted otherwise.” He shook back his shoulder length flaxen hair, and smirked at his violet eyed minion. Xellos was always so much fun.

 

Xellos felt his grip on his staff become weak. A fine shaking threatened to overtake his body if he didn't get himself under control immediately. Seeing that face always did this to him. Beastmaster preferred its female form, but always changed into this one when giving him special attention.

 

He realized this was a win / win situation for his master. Either way, it got something it wanted. It could destroy the one thing priest was beginning to care for, or it could distance Xellos from it, while securing obedient submissiveness from him. Xellos' increase in power the last hundred years made him more untouchable to his master. It was easier to evade the traps, and manipulation. He also spent as much time away from this place as he could. And what could Beastmaster do about it? He was loyal to a fault, kept detailed reports, carried out his work expertly, and was a formidable weapon. Besides, a dead general is a useless general.

 

Xellos cursed the monster before him. He had been elaborately trapped this time, his new weakness had been exploited before he was even fully aware of it. Zelgadis would never come here, he would guarantee that with his life. So, he had no choice. He would just have to suffer this. “I… agree.”

 

 

 

 

 

*#%&@&%(%&@(%@#**

 

Author's Note:

 

Thank you guys for reading!

It looks like this fic will have several more chapters to it, now. Damn you, Beastmaster!

 

Xellos: “Yeah, die. I hate your guts, stop trying to have your way with me!”

 

Beastmaster: “Oh, stop. You know you love me.” *giggle* “Besides, I'm just following the script.”

 

Zelgadis: “I want PANTS! Why can't I have any pants??!”

 

Xellos: “Dammit, I knew I was missing something.” *chucks one of his boots at Beastmaster's head*

“Gourry! Stop oogling my chimera!”

 

Zelgadis: “…pants…..” he sobs.