The princess of Seyrune put down her fork at the sound. It was the first word her companion had said during the entire meal. “Yes, Lina-san?” For some reason, the usually vivacious beautiful sorcery genius Lina Inverse seemed rather listless. And during lunch—this was a highly unusual occurrence. Amelia thought that she was just having a bad morning, but when their order came out, Lina did little more than poke nervously at it. “Lina-san, what’s wrong?”

The redhead cast her eyes down and mumbled something.

“What?”

“I said, ‘I can’t stand it anymore!’” Lina said louder, looking straight into the princess’ eyes. “I’m tired of pretending around him. I’m tired of hiding how I feel.” Lina looked pained. “This isn’t something that you can just ignore,” she said softly. She started blushing, but didn’t waver in her resolve. “I have to tell him…that I- I- I love him.”

The tableware rattled uncomfortably as Amelia jumped up excitedly, stars exploding in her eyes. “That’s great, Lina-san! You’re finally going to tell him!”

Lina sweatdropped at the over-exuberance her friend was showing. “Uh, yeah, I-”

But Amelia was far from listening. Striking the correct pose with one foot planted firmly on the table, she pointed her index finger with the smiley face of Justice righteously in the air and proclaimed, “True love is not to be denied! Love! The purest principle that exists in this world! Love! That strong power which bonds fellow human beings together and vanquishes evil from our hearts! Love! The sole goal in the hearts of all men and women: to love and be loved!”

“Ano, Amelia--”

But now Amelia was off in dreamland. Clasping her hands together, she blushed and daydreamed. “How romantic!” she gushed. Sparkly pink visions of flowers and hearts surrounded her very essence. “True love confessed…. Happily ever after…. Lina-san!” she cried, returning back to reality. “I’ll help you! You’re too shy to tell him, aren’t you? That’s why you came to me, isn’t it? You wanted my help, right?”

“Well, I--”

“And it has to be perfect!” Starry land again. “How to tell him? It has to be perfect. Wait, I know!” Out of her back pocket, Amelia whipped out her date book. “Yes, I knew it. Tonight’s the full moon. And the town gardens are famous for being the most beautiful in the world. You can tell him tonight!”

“Okay, good, but--”

“Ah~! Confession by moonlight! How beautiful! How romantic! Wait here, Lina-san, I’ll go arrange the rendezvous right now.” Lina opened her mouth to say something but Amelia quickly said, “Oh, don’t worry, Lina-san. I’ll take care of everything. It’ll be a surprise.” The princess skipped merrily off, absolutely delighting in this matchmaking scheme, leaving Lina to sit at the empty table.

“Uh, th-thanks, Amelia,” she said uneasily to the empty room.

At that moment, Slyphiel entered bearing another tray of food. “Lina-san,” she said, “where is Amelia-san off to? She looked remarkably happy.”

Lina just shook her head and, laughing nervously, continued to eat.

Walking back to the inn, Zelgadis Graywords turned his head sharply in the direction of that merry sound. Coming up behind him was Gourry Gabriev. A very happy Gourry Gabriev. So happy that he just didn’t stop at smiling. He was whistling as he jovially tossed something up in the air and caught it in his eagerly awaiting fist, again and again. Seeing his friend, Gourry hailed him cheerfully and ran to catch up with him. “Hey, Zel!”

Zelgadis returned the swordsman’s greeting. “What do you have there?” he asked, indicating the object Gourry was clutching in his fist. Gourry instantly smiled brightly at the question, and, suddenly taking on a conspirator’s smile, clutched the object tightly between his two hands, glancing sidelong, this way and that, to make sure they were alone. Satisfied, Gourry shyly opened his palms to reveal a little black, velvet box. Proudly, the swordsman opened the box to display its contents in all its beautiful glory.

What the box contained elicited an impressed whistle from even the impassive chimera. “That’s some stone,” Zelgadis said. Indeed, the sparkling diamond nearly engulfed the entire darkness of the box, the gold band it was set on being barely visible. Finally, he tore his gaze away from the box to ask his friend, “When did you get this?”

“Just this morning,” said Gourry. “I had my eye on this for a while, and I finally had enough to afford it.”

“It’s amazing that Lina’s food tab didn’t suck you dry—” Zelgadis stopped abruptly at what he just said. All of a sudden, he felt his throat go unbearably dry as his heart clenched in his chest. His tongue felt like it occupied his entire windpipe, so difficult did he find it to breathe.

Gourry looked worriedly at his friend’s sudden apparent problem with breathing. “You okay, Zel?”

Zelgadis coughed a couple times to clear his throat passage, and managed to croak, “I’m fine.” Silently, he berated himself for getting so worked up. He had expected this all along, and here he was acting like a baby. He had to be happy for her; this was the happiest day of her life. Until the wedding that is. And then if they have kids…. Zelgadis shook his head violently. It was making it worse thinking like that. Again he cursed his weakness. You had no chance, Chimera. She was never yours to begin with. The only decent thing to do is help her obtain her happiness. But still… he thought, looking a little jealously but mostly sadly at the ring and the happy groom to be, I never imagined it would be this soon.

Zelgadis finally managed to swallow that gigantic lump in his throat. “So,” he asked, his voice still a little hoarse but valiantly attempting to cover that up, “when do you- ask her?”

Fortunately, Gourry, in his excitement, moved past his friend’s problem and returned to his happy place. “Tonight. I’m going to give her this note telling her to meet me in the town gardens,” he explained, holding the paper up, “I’m going to ask her there. Is that good enough?”

Zelgadis was sorely tempted to respond in the most negative, hurtful way that he possibly could, out of spite. But Gourry looked so happy…how could he deny Lina anything? He sighed, and with that release of breath also went his strength. He couldn’t fight it. It was meant to be. “Sure. I’m sure it’ll be perfect.”

“Oh, good,” Gourry said, greatly relieved. He wasn’t the very best at planning this sort of thing, but Zelgadis was smart, and if he said it was good, it was good. Gourry had the utmost faith in his friend’s judgments. “Thanks, Zel.” Suddenly, somehow Gourry got a brilliant idea. “Hey, could you give this to her?” he asked, thrusting the note into Zelgadis’ hand. “If I give it to her, it’ll be too obvious.”

Zelgadis nodded slowly. “Okay.”

“Thanks, Zel! You’re the best. Hey, then I’ll see you later, Best Man!” And Gourry walked away, whistling and thinking about the wonderful night ahead.

Zelgadis watched as the swordsman left, and then stared down at the accursed letter he clutched in his hand. Lina…the day I see you off with another man is the day I die…. But I pray for your happiness.

“!!” Whoops. In his the middle of his angsty thoughts, Zelgadis had clutched the note rather tightly. Now it was completely wrinkled. Worriedly, he spread the note on the ground in an attempt to smooth it out when his eyes unconsciously noticed what Gourry had written. Normally we’d condemn anyone for violating such privacy, but in this case there was no harm done. In fact, Zelgadis blinked just to be sure the tears that had formed in his eyes weren’t the things playing tricks on him. “What the hell-?”

He turned the sheet upside down, thinking perhaps that might be the problem. Nope. Sideways? No. “This is chicken scratch!” Zelgadis exclaimed completely aghast. The scrawl found on the note couldn’t be deciphered in any way. It looked like a child had scribbled randomly—blindfolded. Did Gourry honestly expect her to understand a note like this?

Zelgadis shook his head. Returning to his room, he took out a pen and ink and a fresh sheet of paper and did the hardest thing he ever had to do in his life (and he’s had quite a stressful life). Writing in his beautiful script, Zelgadis drafted out an elegant note asking the woman he loved to meet another man for a proposal in marriage.

Amelia was rather surprised to meet Gourry-san in, of all places, a flower shop. The rather confused man was looking back and forth between a bouquet of red roses and white gardenias. He looked utterly lost.

Amelia smiled and sidled up close. “I think the red roses suit her better,” she said helpfully.

“Oh, do they?” Gourry frowned. And here he was coming really close to picking the gardenias. Oh, well. “Okay,” he said to the florist. “I’ll take the roses.”

“Perfect. Gourry-san, I have a message to deliver to you.”

“What is it?”

“Lina-san wants to meet you in the park tonight.”

“Oh. Okay. Thanks, Amelia.” Amelia off skipped happily, content that her job as matchmaker had been successful. Gourry rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He wondered what on earth Lina would want to talk to him about that she couldn’t do it now. He shrugged. At any rate, it was convenient that she chose the park. He could talk quickly to her first and then attend to his important business. Satisfied, Gourry started to leave when he looked again at the bouquet in his hand. He went back to the counter. “Actually, I think I’ll take the white ones instead.”

Zelgadis found Lina sitting at the dining table enjoying her late-mid afternoon snack. Her ruby eyes immediately lit up at his entrance. But Zelgadis, deep within his dark abyss, missed it, of course (honestly, some guys are just so dense about the darnest things).

“Zel!” She hadn’t expected to see him for a few more hours yet, but hey, she wasn’t picky.

Instead, the chimera silently handed her a note and left without saying a word.

“???” Too confused to even move her lips, Lina just let him go. That was a little odd. Oh, well. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she opened the carefully folded note and read:

Lina was thrilled. Sure, she did find it odd that there was no signature. Sure, she did also find it odd that he felt compelled to give her a note in person. And had it been any other circumstances, she would have been rather wary of that note. But there was no mistaking the elegant handwriting—it was Zel’s. Besides, this was so much more exciting. She wolfed down the remainder of her snack. She had plenty of time left, but she had never prepared for something like this before. She was going to have to give herself plenty of time to get ready. And enlist the help of others.

Zelgadis sat down heavily and merely stared at the knothole in the floor without really seeing it. Well, that was it. There was no more reason to continue on living. He was going to lose the only light in his life.

He shifted in his seat and once again felt the sheer weight of his stone body. And he was a freak to boot. Why bother continue on living? What was the point? Zelgadis unsheathed his sword and stared for a long time at it. With an enhancing spell, he could easily pierce through his stone skin. But…he had to make sure Lina was happy. To make sure she was secure for the rest of her life. That would be appropriate. The day she went to her wedding bed, he would go to his deathbed.

“Don’t those rain clouds over your head ever get a break?”

Zelgadis leapt up and spun around at the voice. The sword already in hand, he raised it up to the level of his eyes and pointed it at the intruder. “What do you want, mazoku?”

Xellos feigned a pained expression. “Is that any way to treat a friend who was merely worried about your well-being?”

“You’re not my friend and I hardly doubt you’re here for my well being,” the chimera spat. “You’re probably here to feed on my suffering, again.” And dammit, his mere presence was making it a million times worse.

Xellos thought about that for a moment. Then, brightly: “Hmm. You’re probably right!”

Enraged, Zelgadis blindly started to slash down wherever the mazoku stood, but Xellos disappeared and re-materialized always one step ahead of the blade. “You, know, Zelgadis-san,” Xellos said cheerfully while dodging the attacks, “it’s a wonder you’re as healthy as you are, what with your brooding and all. I’m surprised you don’t give yourself a heart attack.”

“SHUT UP AND DIE!”

“Yare, yare, what a temper.” And Xellos continued to gleefully dodge the attacks until Zelgadis managed to chase him out the hallway after which he promptly slammed the door in the smiling mazoku’s face.

The smile vanished as soon as the door closed. “Suicidal, Zelgadis-san?” he asked quietly. He had been hoping to at least relieve some of the stress by forcing an attack on himself, but even he knew that it only provided temporary relief. Zelgadis was very unstable right now, for whatever reason. And Lord Beastmaster wouldn’t be happy if something happened to this chimera she had such a strong interest in.

“But what can I do?” he muttered. This was so uncharacteristic for him. Helping a mortal? He’d be the laughing stock of the entire mazoku kingdom. But if he didn’t, he’d be a deadest mazoku in the said kingdom. So no choice but to right the wrong. But how? He didn’t know how to handle this kind of stuff.

He pondered deeply, not even hearing the light footfalls of the approaching person. “Xellos-san?” The soft voice broke into his train of thought. Those deep green eyes gazed at him pensively, full of concern... Concern?

Xellos smiled and gave Slyphiel a courtly bow. “Ah, dear lady, lovely as always.”

The priestess smiled kindly and returned his bow. “What brings you here, Xellos-san?”

At the cue, Xellos put on an exaggerated mournful expression. “Sadly, Slyphiel-san, my visit is not strictly pleasure. I came here with the intent on cheering up a very dear friend of mine. You see, he’s been rather depressed as of late, and it’s beginning to take a toll on his health.”

“Oh, dear...”

“Yes, my thoughts exactly. But it gets even worse.” He noted with pleasure the slight widening of her eyes. Good, she’s already worried for him. “I fear the pain may be too much for him to bear... and that he shall take his own life in a last act of desperation to find peace.”

“Oh, no! Xellos-san!” The mazoku inwardly smiled at the way she swallowed his little melodrama: hook, line and sinker. “Is there something we can do?”

“No—for he does not wish to listen to me. But....”

“Yes, Xellos-san?”

“Ah, Slyphiel-san, Slyphiel-san. You, who are so gentle and full of love and life. Perhaps you could calm his wounded soul. You are a healer, after all.”

Slyphiel looked surprised, and then, after a few minutes, nodded firmly. “I will try.”

“Good!” Xellos said gleefully. In a grand gesture, he knelt on one knee and gently kissed her hand. “I am forever in your debt.” Then, getting up, he fished out of his pocket a skeleton key. After unlocking the door to Zelgadis’ room, he gallantly held it open for her. Slyphiel nodded her thanks and stepped in, and motioned for him to close it. As soon as he did, Xellos looked at the closed door with a proud smirk on his face. Then, clicking up his heels, he turned and left the inn. The day was still young, which left much to be said about the night.

Lina had been looking for Slyphiel in the halls of the inn when she finally came upon her. Just when she was about to hail her, she noticed the other purpled hair person in the hallway and stopped herself abruptly. What was going on with those two? What were they doing in the hall together? Curious, Lina did a little spying. She couldn’t get close enough to hear what they were saying, but she had them in full view while staying out of sight herself. So far, they just appeared to be talking. Then the impossible happened. Xellos suddenly kneeled in front of her, and took Slyphiel’s hand—and kissed it! And Slyphiel didn’t seem to mind! Then she watched as he opened the door to a room and held it open for her. Lina watched until Slyphiel entered, and then she had to turn away. She pressed herself against the wall, hand over her mouth, unable to believe what she just saw. Was Slyphiel…? But with Xellos? And what about Gourry? Oh, gods. Gourry was her friend, and she couldn’t hurthim. But he had to know about this. “Oh, gods. What do I do now?”

Slyphiel hadn’t known who Xellos’ unfortunate friend was when she entered the room, but finding Zelgadis lying face down on the bed only increased her anxiety. Firmly she motioned Xellos to shut the door and leave them. Then she slowly made her way to his bedside.

Zelgadis didn’t even lift his head or make any movement of acknowledging her presence. She waited patiently for a few moments. Then, timidly, she said, “Zelgadis-san.”

The chimera didn’t move. Slyphiel tried again. “Zelgadis-san, please tell me what’s wrong.”

Zelgadis mumbled something into his pillow. “What was that, Zelgadis-san?”

He plucked his face out of the pillow. “I said, ‘Nothing’s the matter’.”

“Forgive me for saying so, but I don’t believe you.”

Zelgadis fought off the impulse to laugh bitterly in her face and scoff, Gee, what was your first clue? But she was here out of concern, and it wasn’t right to take his anger out on her. Besides, once she found out, she’d be just as miserable.

Sighing heavily, Zelgadis forced himself to sit up at the edge of the bed. Finally, he said quietly, “We’re in the same boat, you and I.” He kept his gaze ground-ward. He couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eyes and tell her this.

“Zelgadis-san?”

“Tell me, Slyphiel, what would you do if you knew you couldn’t have Gourry? If you knew that he was in love with someone else?”

Of all the things she had expected him to say, this was among the last of them. Her features softened and her eyes involuntarily glistened with tears. “Well…I- I guess I would just let him be. A-after all. All I want is his happiness. If he can be happy…even if it is with someone else…my heart would be content. Even if I couldn’t be the one who- who made him happy…I could find the strength to be happy.”

Zelgadis looked up at her, his deep blue eyes full of wonder. Then, he smiled. “You’re a very strong person, Slyphiel. And kind. Life should be as kind as you are.”

“But it can be, Zelgadis-san,” Slyphiel said quickly. “Even when life deals us great hardships, there is still much beauty to be found. There’s still much to live for.”

But the chimera didn’t look as optimistic. “Then it appears that I’m the only who can’t find it,” he said sullenly.

Slyphiel smiled understandingly. “I’m sure that’s not true, Zelgadis-san,” she said kindly. “You may have just overlooked it.” Then she got a brilliant idea. “But I will show it to you.”

Zelgadis arched an eyebrow at her. “What?”

“Zelgadis-san, please meet me in the town gardens tonight. There’s something that you should see there.” She could see the refusal starting to form on the tip of his tongue. “Please, Zelgadis-san,” she pleaded.

There was no immediate response. Finally, he shrugged and said nonchalantly, “All right.”

“Good,” Slyphiel breathed, both ecstatic and relieved. “I’ll see you tonight, then.” But as she turned to leave, she stopped. “Zelgadis-san, you seem rather tired. Perhaps you should get some rest.”

“I’ll try.”

But the cleric wouldn’t hear of that. “Trying isn’t good enough in your case, Zelgadis-san. Please permit me to cast a sleeping spell. You’ll feel better after having some rest.”

“Fine, fine.” All he wanted to do right now was escape from the world, anyway.

She waited patiently until he lay down comfortably on the bed. Then, spreading her hands out in front of her, she chanted the spell: “Sleeping.” She watched with immense satisfaction as his eyes shut and his breathing became slow and steady. Slyphiel shook her head sadly. Poor Zelgadis-san. What on earth could make him so depressed as to willingly wish away his own life?

“Sleep well, Zelgadis-san,” she whispered, carefully closing the door so that it didn’t make a noise as it shut behind her.

This was undoubtedly the hardest thing she ever had to do. Facing the mazoku or even her sister didn’t even compare to the dread forming in her stomach over this.

Swallowing pronouncedly, Lina timidly knocked on Gourry’s door. Much to her dismay, the door immediately opened, revealing the bright and sunny smile of her best friend. Lina’s gut twisted in knots. He looked so happy. But she had to tell him.

“Lina!” Gourry cheerfully greeted her and invited her to come in. He offered her a chair and something to drink, both of which she took gratefully. Handing her a glass of water, he cheerfully seated himself on the bed and waited for her to notice the beautiful bunch of flowers in the vase. He didn’t notice the paleness of face, or the violent shaking of her hands as they gripped the glass of water. She nervously gulped down the water, but her hands didn’t stop shaking.

Finally, Gourry said, “Is there something you wanted to tell me?”

Lina sighed. Look at him, sitting there. So innocent. So happy. Completely unaware about this little piece of information that could make his entire world come crashing down. And worse still, making her the one to do it. Grrrr. Why did he have to be so trusting of everyone? So honest and simple? And why did she feel so obligated to be the one to tell him? The pent up frustration at his complete oblivion rushed up and exited through her mouth: “This is all your fault!”

Gourry blinked but hardly seemed surprised that Lina was yelling at him again. He was kind of used to it. “Something wrong?”

“Did you really have to wait so long? You moron, didn’t you think that she’d have feelings too? Didn’t you realize sooner or later she’d stop waiting like some love-sick puppy and find someone else?”

“Lina, what’s wrong?” His friend refused to look him in the face, and a feeling of sheer dread fell over his stomach. “Is it- about Slyphiel?” Still no response. “Lina, answer me!”

Slowly, the redhead nodded. “Just a moment ago, I saw her with Xellos.”

“With Xellos...?” Instinctively, Gourry’s hands wound up around the hilt of his sword and he gripped it so tightly his knuckles turned white. “With that mazoku-!”

Lina was immediately at his side. “Gourry, don’t do anything rash.”

Gourry merely turned to look at her, and Lina was shocked by the sheer coldness in his eyes. It was a side of him she never saw before, this lack of warmth. She took a step back, wondering what on earth she just did to her best friend. Wordlessly, Gourry picked up his sword and left the room. Lina just let him go.

Xellos was used to attacks by a certain easily ruffled chimera, but from a certain swordsman…this was absolutely extraordinary! “G-gourry-san?” he asked in surprise, as he dodged another charge.

“Don’t ‘Gourry-san’ me, namagomi!” the swordsman screamed as he continued his lightening attacks.

“What is this, take it out on Xellos day?” the miffed mazoku muttered. For once in his life, he was just trying to enjoy a normal day, and he wasn’t even purposely stirring up trouble, and everyone wanted to kill him more than usual! Ah, well. He supposed that came with the territory of being a suspicious creature of darkness. “Perhaps if you told me what I did…”

“YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT!!!” * crash * Gourry’s sword cut cleanly through the table and the poor piece of furniture was reduced to a pile of toothpicks. At the sound the innkeeper came out of the kitchen to the ruckus going on in the dining area and nearly had a heart attack.

“Hey! No fighting in this inn!” Gourry immediately desisted, but didn’t stop his death glare trained on the mazoku. Satisfied that there would be no more furniture casualties, the innkeeper left the two of them alone.

Xellos fidgeted nervously. This guy was scary when he was mad. And boy, was he mad about something.

“I challenge you,” Gourry said, his voice low and very dangerous. “Our duel will take place at the town gardens tonight. Make sure you come, coward.”

“Ano, Gourry-san--”

The swordsman ignored any protests and merely turned his heel and stalked off.

Xellos scratched his head. Looked like he had two dates tonight.

Zelgadis opened his eyes in time to see the sun set. He watched the sky turn from a dark red to a cool blue. Then he sat up and stretched. Slyphiel was right. He did feel marginally better. Getting up, he pulled on his cloak and grabbed his sword as he went out the door. It was about time for their appointment. He wondered what on earth she had to show him.

As the sun set in the horizon, the bells of the local tower solemnly tolled out the hours. One. Two. Three…. He had been meditating in silence just outside the inn, his blond head bent in concentration. As the last mournful bell died away, the man’s eyes snapped open. Picking up his sword and sheathing it, Gourry marched off towards the center of town, to the gardens.

Lina filled her lungs with the crisp night air. Everyone was right. These gardens were absolutely beautiful. She stooped to smell the roses, and her scarlet locks cascaded over her shoulder. Lina impatiently brushed it back behind her ear, wondering if she should have worn a headband as well, and nervously smoothed out the skirt of the dress. Slyphiel had been kind enough to lend it to her, and she and Amelia had pulled out all the stops with her hair. But that damn make-up would NOT touch her face, if Lina had anything to say about it. She was young, after all, and her face was just fine without it. Again, Lina pulled uncomfortably at the dress. It was a lower neckline than she was comfortable with, but she supposed she had to deal.

Lina shivered as the slight breeze picked up and she rubbed her arms vigorously. Where the hell was he?

As if in answer to her prayers, there, beyond the rose bushes he suddenly appeared. The moonlight shone off of his hair, giving it a silvery sheen. His cape flowed majestically out behind him, and the whiteness of his clothing gave him an almost ethereal glow in the darkness among the flowers.

“Zel...”

Zelgadis’ eyes shot up sharply and he suddenly found himself staring at an angel. “Lina?” Oh, damn. He had forgotten that she was meeting him here as well. Dammit! He was supposed to forget about her. Yet here she was, like a vision, so “Beautiful.”

Lina’s eyes widened in surprise, and then she blushed. “Thanks.”

Oh, damn it all, he thought, blushing furiously. He had just said that out loud!

“So,” he said, clearing his throat and trying to recover, “have you seen Slyphiel? I’m supposed to meet her here.”

Lina didn’t respond. At his question Lina’s expression became deadpanned and the color drained from her face. And for the longest time, she just stood there, unblinking, just staring at him. Just staring.

“Lina?” Was it something he said?

“Wha-?” It came out as a whisper. “What did you say?”

However, before he could answer, he was interrupted by another voice. Everyone’s favorite mazoku chose that time to waltz into the scene. “Good evening, Zelgadis-san, Lina-san.” The chimera’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the new arrival—typical response. But Lina didn’t even make any movement that acknowledged his presence.

“Why are you here, Xellos?” the chimera demanded.

“Tch. So cranky even at night. I’m here for multiple reasons actually. And one is--” * CRASH *

A loud crashing sound could be heard through the hedge. In an instant, the bushes were flattened to the ground by the hulking form of a very angry swordsman. Gourry’s anger transformed his sunny disposition into the epitome of savage hatred: his long hair flowed about, disheveled and untamed. He breathed heavily through his mouth, a trickle of saliva formed at the edge of the stern grimace. His exposed eye was trained on his prey, burning with all the intensities of the fires of hell.

“--that,” Xellos continued, as though nothing unusual had gone on.

Gourry slowly pulled out his sword, the metal making a sickening sharp sound as it left its sheath. “How dare you,” he whispered, his voice rough and dangerous. “How dare you try to take my beloved from me.”

A prickly feeling formed at the back of Zelgadis’ neck. Beloved? Oh, gods, don’t tell me… The chimera quickly stepped forward. “This isn’t what you think, Gourry.” He started to say, “We’re-”

“I can second that,” Xellos interrupted quickly, really wanting to clear this up. “Gourry-san, I have no idea what I’ve done to you, but I can assure you, I haven’t stolen anything from you, much less your ‘beloved’.”

The savage Gourry hesitated, doubt and confusion starting to form in his eyes.

Zelgadis sighed. What he was about to do was NOT to save that sorry-ass mazoku’s skin. If anything, he would have loved to see Gourry beat Xellos to a pulp. But Gourry was his friend who trusted him, and he had to know about this. It was time to tell. “It was me,” he said quietly.

Now Gourry was absolutely dumbfounded. “You?” he asked in disbelief.

Zelgadis nodded, and Lina thought she would die. She quickly turned away, so he wouldn’t see the tears brimming over in her ruby eyes.

Zelgadis’ heart clenched as he saw Lina abruptly turn away. She didn’t want to hear this. She couldn’t even face him now. Gods, Lina. Forgive me for ruining your happiness. But this is something that you should know. “Yes,” he said sadly. Gourry just stared. “I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Zelgadis continued, “but it just happened. She’s so incredible,” he whispered, glancing momentarily at the redhead’s back before looking the swordsman straight in the eye. “The question is: how could you expect anyone NOT to fall for her?” He slowly pulled out his sword and raised it at ready position. “It doesn’t have to come to this. But I will fight for her.”

The tears coursed down Lina’s face as she heard the man she loved extolling the virtues of another woman. Her heart clenched at the challenge in fear for his life, but she would not turn around. She would not watch as the two people she cared most about fought for another woman’s love.

Lina blinked the tears out of her eyes. “Speak of the devil.” There she was right now. Slyphiel was running up towards the gardens in a great hurry. And to think all those times she was nice with her damn simpering “Lina-san, Lina-san” and that display of nice-ness, that little cunt. All the time buttering up and making me believe she had a thing for Gourry so that she could just do this to me! Lina’s eyes didn’t leave the approaching figure, all the while seething and remembering all the events of the past; congeniality turning to manipulation, trust turning into schemes. By the time Slyphiel arrived breathlessly in the garden, Lina’s anger had reached its peak.

Slyphiel had still been cooking when the clock tolled six. Oh, dear, she thought worriedly. She was going to be late. Quickly extinguishing the flames and throwing off her apron, she ran out the door. What if Zelgadis-san had shown up and she wasn’t there? Would he think he had been stood up? And he was so unstable right now, too. Slyphiel sprinted as fast as she could.

Approaching the gardens, she could see in the distance a flash of red. Oh, it’s Lina-san. What was she doing here? She started to hail her when she reached the gardens, but instead her mere arrival sent the redhead livid.

“YOU BITCH!” Lina screamed while launching herself headlong at the poor priestess.

Slyphiel screamed in surprise as she went down against the sorceress’ attacks. “Lina-san!” she pleaded as she tried to fend off the attacks. “What are you doing?! HELP!!”

Zelgadis had raised his sword and Gourry did the same. At the same time, both men started to attack when Lina saved them the trouble.

“YOU BITCH!” they heard her scream, which was soon followed by Slyphiel’s helpless shrieks.

Instantly both men turned, duel forgotten and ran over to the ruckus. Zelgadis hurried and pried Lina off of Slyphiel. Holding her firmly yet gently so as not to bruise her, he looked over at the poor disheveled victim. Gourry gently helped Slyphiel up. “Is she okay?” Zelgadis asked. Gourry nodded.

“I’m fine,” came Slyphiel weary reply and she nodded gratefully to Gourry as she took his hand.

“What on earth’s gotten in to you?” Zelgadis asked the redhead he was restraining. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him and didn’t respond.

Xellos, who had been enjoying the scene going on, decided to offer some commentary. “Darn. Cat fight’s over all ready. Next time we should prepare this big pit of mud and--”

Both men gave him death glares. Pulling out their swords once again they charged bellowing: “SHUT UP!” leading Xellos to once again flee for his life. In the heightened sense of battle, both men also simultaneously remembered they were dueling and decided to kill two birds with one stone. Unfortunately, with both men obsessed with seeing the mazoku die, no one was there to protect Slyphiel, who in turned fled from the still very angry sorceress, all the while giving pleas of explanation for what she’d done. Lina, not in the mood to explain herself, threw fireball after ball in response.

And that’s how Filia found them.

Walking briskly through town when the slight breeze picked up, Filia pulled her cloak tightly around her arms. The clock tolled six, but she lived rather far and would probably be a little late for their…appointment. As she hurried through town, she mentally went over again if this was such a good idea. But with Amelia watching Val, she shouldn’t have to worry about what went on at home.

But that damn mazoku. What did he mean by inviting her to the most romantic gardens in this town? He was so frustrating in his mysterious ways! With his stupid arrogant smirk, and endless trail of secrets and so…irresistible that she was rushing off to meet him. Grrr. She hated it when life tricked her like this.

She made it to the gardens at a quarter after. Only…what should have been the most beautiful gardens in the world was quickly being reduced to mulch. There was that namagomi, but also Gourry-san and Zelgadis-san pursuing him with the intent to kill. She groaned inwardly. What on earth did that mazoku do now? But they were also trying to fight each other at the same time. And there was also Lina-san…trying to kill Slyphiel-san?

The confusion being experienced by the golden dragon was unparalleled. “Lina-san,” she called out, trying to get an explanation. “Gourry-san, Zelgadis-san, what’s going on?!” Needless to say, no one was exactly in the position to hear her. Exasperated, Filia whipped out her mace, raised it above her head and with all her strength slammed it into the earth while screaming: “SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON!!!”

When the mace hit earth, all the houses in the village jumped collectively and as they landed back in place the glass windows rattled violently in their panes. Villagers poked their heads outside. “An earthquake?”

An earthquake was what it took to get those crazy Slayers’ attention. Everyone abruptly stopped what they were doing and faced the golden dragon. “Now,” Filia began, much calmer now that she got their attention, “can someone tell me what’s going on?”

“She stole--”

“I was--”

“This na--”

“One at a time!” Filia snapped impatiently. “First, Lina-san. Would you care to explain why you were trying to kill Slyphiel-san?”

“I’m gonna teach this back-stabber a lesson!” Lina fumed. She whirled angrily on the priestess. “Not only do you cheat on Gourry with Xellos, but-!” Then Lina’s eyes started to brim. “How could you do this to me?”

Slyphiel and Xellos both froze at Lina’s outburst. There was an intense silence, broken only by the sound of Filia calmly adjusting her grip on her mace. “Xellos, explain yourself,” she said, every word uttered dripping with acid.

“Ano, Filia-san, I can explain--”

“Lina-san!” Slyphiel said, utterly horrified. “How can you spread such horrible rumors? I haven’t done anything with Xellos-san!” The mazoku was quick to support her statement.

“Oh?” Lina sneered. “I saw you two get a room. Literally.”

“That wasn’t my room,” Xellos protested. “It was Zelgadis-san’s.”

Of all the things that were on the list that shouldn’t have been said, that was probably numero uno. The veins started popping in Lina’s forehead. “You. Little--”

“But it isn’t what you think!” Slyphiel interjected quickly. “Zelgadis-san was depressed. So I wanted to show him the gardens to cheer him up. That’s why I asked him to meet me here.” The redhead calmed down marginally. It seemed plausible.

“It’s true,” Zelgadis said, placing a reassuring hand on the now calmed down Lina Inverse’s shoulder. Then his elfish ears pricked up. “Wait a minute,” he said. “How did you know I was depressed?”

“Xellos-san told me.”

“Xellos? Oh, then that’s-” Lina broke off her sentence and suddenly started laughing uncontrollably at this new revelation.

“Then, you weren’t- interested in him?” Gourry asked, a little too eagerly.

“With Xellos-san?” Slyphiel giggled. “Please, Gourry-sama.” Relieved, Gourry joined in on her bright laughter. Lina laughed the loudest.

Zelgadis, however, was in no mood for laughing. He spun on the mazoku. “You told her?” Instantly, his sword was in his hand and aiming for Xellos’ head. “Dammit, Xellos! A million secrets and you can’t even keep this one?”

“Well, Zelgadis-san. It’s hard enough keeping my own….”

“SHUT UP!”

“Oh, my!” Slyphiel exclaimed at such a violent display.

“Leave him,” Filia said ruefully. “He probably did something to deserve this anyway.”

“But, Lina-san,” Slyphiel said suddenly, “you never told us why you were here in the first place.”

Lina sighed. “I suppose mine was a mix-up too, then.” She produced a letter in her hands and showed it to everyone. Zelgadis stopped chasing the mazoku long enough to join them. The sides were creased with constant handling, but the contents of the letter were as plain as day. “It was in Zel’s handwriting, so naturally, I thought….”

“But that was from Gourry,” the chimera said quietly. “I was delivering for him. But I had to rewrite the original note because-”

“Because if Gourry wrote it, then that means no one alive except for Slyphiel would be able to read it,” Lina finished for him.

“Oh,” said Gourry, who up until this point had been wondering why his note looked so different. Then another thought occurred to him. “But, Zel, why did you give it to Lina?”

“Because! You moro…wait…what did you say?”

“Why didn’t you give the note to Slyphiel like I asked?”

The wheels in Zelgadis’ usually nimble mind were creaking along at an amazingly slow pace. “That note…was for…Slyphiel?”

Gourry just looked at his friend as though the chimera had grown another head. “Yeah.”

“What about Lina?” it came out as a whisper.

“What about her?”

The stunned chimera, still digesting all this information, slowly turned towards the sorceress. “Aren’t you in love?”

“With Gourry?” Lina gave him an utterly dumbfounded look. “Are you kidding me?”

Zelgadis’ breathing slowed, and his heart nearly burst from hope as he managed to whisper, “You’re not?”

“Zel! I came out here because I thought that YOU wrote that note! It was in your handwriting! I put on this damn dress for YOU!” Lina could see that the stony apple of her eye was still having a rather difficult time believing. Did she have to be so blunt? Well, so be it. Marching forthrightly up to him, she firmly took his face in her two hands and pressed her lips against his in a passionate kiss. “I love you.”

For a moment, all Zelgadis could do was stare in absolute wonder at the girl in his arms. But there was no mistaking the sincerity in her eyes, and a genuine smile appeared on his face. She loves me! She loves me! Wrapping his arms about her waist, Zelgadis drew her closer. “I love you, too.”

Slyphiel smiled dreamily at the new-found lovers. A sigh of contentment escaped her, as she turned to face her own true love. “Gourry-sama? What did you want to talk to me about?” she asked, blushing deeply.

“Oh, yeah!” Gourry began fumbling for something in his pockets until he found the little black box. Proffering the open box towards his lady, the swordsman knelt on one knee and began to stammer, “Slyphiel, I know this isn’t how this evening was supposed to be, and I guess it’s my fault because I’m so stupid like Lina keeps saying and you probably deserve someone smarter, but…I love you, and if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife…?”

Slyphiel couldn’t even speak. Tears of happiness glistened in her deep green eyes. “Oh, Gourry-sama,” she whispered, wondering if she dreamt or if her dreams were finally coming true. “Gourry-sama, of course I will!” she cried, flinging her arms around his neck and locking him in a tender kiss.

Lina, Zelgadis, Filia and Xellos watched the engagement with immense satisfaction, happy for their friends. It just seemed so right.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zelgadis watched as Lina folded her arms around herself when a slight breeze came up. “Lina, you must be cold,” he said, starting to unclasp his own cloak. But Lina’s hand gently came up and stopped him. Without a word, she took his arms and wrapped them around her, saying, impishly, “I like this better.” Zelgadis wasn’t about to argue with that.

Filia watched silently as the two pairs of lovers moved off to enjoy their own evenings, an amused smile on her lips. She shook her head. “Can’t things ever be simple for this bunch?” she asked.

Xellos quietly joined her side and finished watching their retreating forms with her. “No,” he answered. “But that’s what makes them so much fun.”

Filia laughed. She had to agree. “So, namagomi,” she said lightly. “Why did you call me out here tonight?”

“Well, I was going to show you the gardens, but….” They looked around. The said gardens that were once the famed beauty of the town were a little more than worse for wear. “I’m sorry, Filia-san. I meant to show you something beautiful.”

Filia didn’t respond and instead looked thoughtfully at the destroyed bushes in front of her. Without a word, she knelt down and began clearing away the broken branches and fallen leaves. Underneath the rubbish, she uncovered a single rose, starkly white against the dark ground, catching the moonbeams on its soft petals. She looked at it, kneeling, thoughts of what had passed that evening beaming through her eyes. She smiled and slipped her hand into Xellos’.

“You did,” she said, giving his hand a little squeeze. “Thank you.”

Xellos gently returned the favor. “Compliments from you?”

She smiled. “Don’t get used to it.”