********
"Ooh! My turn!" Xelloss squealed.
"NO!" Lina, Amelia, and Zelgadis shouted as one.
"But I have a really good one! About a treasure hidden deep in the mountains..."
"Treasure?" Lina perked up.
"And a brave group of heroes..."
"Heroes?" That got Daril's attention.
"Who fought against all sorts of Evil..."
"Fighting against Evil?" Amelia said, rather wistfully.
"And died horribly right before they reached their goal!"
The group collectively hit the floor and sweatdropped.
"Xelloss, that's terrible!"
"You ruined it!"
"But that's the way it really happened!" Xel whined. "Do you want me to lie about the ending?"
Lina looked thoughtful. "And was the part about the treasure true, too?"
"Of course! Would I lead you astray?"
"YES!"
Xel had the good grace to look ashamed of himself..
"So, what kind of treasure?"
"Oh, diamonds the size of your fist, coins minted before the Kouma War... the usual. Except..."
"Except!" Lina's eyes were huge and shiny, in that greedy Lina way. Zelgadis groaned.
"There's supposed to be powerful magic items there, too."
"I suppose there's a copy of the Clair Bible," Zel said sarcastically.
"Of course! What self-respecting treasure horde doesn't have a copy of the Clair Bible?" Xelloss grinned at him. "But that's not what I meant."
"Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit!?!" Lina demanded.
"Let's see..." Xelloss started ticking things off on his fingers. "A wand of fire, a staff of the archmagi, probably a whole slew of rings, and no less than three magic swords! And that's all that's been catalogued. Everyone who's been there has been chased out or killed before they could do a complete inventory."
"Why don't I trust you?" Zelgadis hissed.
"You never trust me!" Xelloss said cheerfully.
"Staff of the archmagi.....," Lina drooled. "I know I shouldn't trust you, Xelloss, but..." She fidgetted, wrung her hands, paced, and was on the verge on tearing her hair when she finally gave in. "I want that staff! Xelloss!" She turned on him so fast he thought she was about to fireball him. Val hopped backwards, not wanting to be decapitated by her flying hair.
"Where is it, Xelloss!?" Lina demanded. "I'll take your bait! Bring me to the staff!"
Xelloss leaned heavily on his own staff, relieved that she wasn't going to blow him up. "It's deep in the mountains..."
"Of course," Zelgadis mumbled.
"... and guarded by all sorts of nasty creatures..."
"Oh!" Amelia exclaimed. "I didn't know you had relatives, Mister Xelloss!"
Everyone turned to her. A line that should have been delivered from Zel or Lina, dripping with acid wit and/or sarcasm, had just been said in complete innocence by sweet little Amelia.
"What?" the princess blinked.
"The world is coming to an end," Lina announced. "Amelia just said something sarcastic."
"I did?"
"She's growing up!" Xelloss said in a wavering voice. He clasped his hands together, his eyes watering dramatically. "Our little girl is becoming an adult! Oh, Lina!" He glommed onto her and bawled.
Lina squealed and tried to push him away. "Get off! Amelia is NOT our little girl! There will never BE an OUR little girl! Off! OffoffoffoffoffOFF!!!!"
Zelgadis looked thoughtful. In one hand, he held a crowbar- good for prying things off. In the other, he held a small fireball- good for blowing things up. Which to use...
He tossed the useless crowbar behind him (just barely missing Leri's head). Xelloss and Lina "eep"ed in unison as they saw the chimera winding up for the pitch.
The fireball hit Xelloss full force, and sent the Mazoku flying out the window. Unfortunately, he was still attached to Lina.
"Miss Lina!"
"Lina!"
"AGH!"
"Oops." Zelgadis ran to the window and grabbed Lina's wrist with unearthly speed.
"Idiot!" she graciously thanked him. Then she began kicking at Xelloss, who was holding onto her leg. "Let go!"
"I'll fall!"
"GOOD!" Lina and Zel answered him.
Xelloss pouted a bit. "Fine." And he let go.
And floated up to the window to watch Zel pull Lina into the room with an amazing amount of cursing. Zel held onto her until she regained her balance. Which meant that they were very close for a few seconds.
"Zel," Lina started quietly.
"Yes?"
"Let go of me, you idiot!" she yelled and yanked her wrists from his grasp, her face only slightly red. Zel flushed, but quickly regained his compossure. The rest of the group pretended that they'd been watching the cieling. Even Amelia, who had a small, strange smile on her face.
That was so cute! she thought. It never occurred to her to think otherwise.
Xelloss floated back in the window and landed gracefully. "My, wasn't that fun!" Lina and Zel scowled.
"Whatever you say," Lina snapped. "I just want to know where that treasure is!"
"Wow," Valteira mused, quietly, so she wouldn't hear. "She sure has a one-track mind..."
"That's not very nice!" Daril scolded in a whisper.
"True, though," Amelia added.
"Ah!" Xelloss was saying. "So you'll go?! Great!"
"Why are you so happy, Xelloss?" Lina asked, suddenly suspicious. A genkier-than-usual Xellos meant trouble. "What's in this for you?"
"Half the profits of the venture."
"Half?! No way! Maybe after I take my half, you can split what's left with Val, but no way are you getting half the profits! Besides, what do you care about money?! You don't need money! I do! Lots and lots of it! So spill it, Mr. Mysterious Priest, or I'll shake it out of you!"
Xelloss gulped. Getting shaken to death was NOT part of his plan.
Valteira sighed. "I wonder when she'll want to leave. I hope I get to sleep first..."
******
Notes: Hee-hee! Sorry about that window scene. I've been reading lots of Zel/Lina fics, and it just... snuck in there.
Poor Val had like no part in this chapter. And I thought this was HIS fic! Hehe, you'll see.
