This is How It Goes...
By Hikaru

Ship(s): Zel/Amelia, Lina/Gourry hint-age

Summary: Something is rotten in the state of Seyruun.

Foreword: Spoilers for the end of TRY. Using the spellings from the Central Park Media version. Curse me if you want, but it's the only exposure, save for the novels, that I have had. If you don't like Zel/Amelia, then just don't read, as it will be the focus of the fic. I don't want to hear complaints.

And aside from that, this chain of reaction, baby, is losing a link
Though I'd hope you'd know what I tried to tell you
And if you don't I could draw you a picture in invisible ink

- Aimee Mann, "Invisible Ink"

Chapitre I

Lina slammed her mug down on the table. The whole table shook, and Gourry (who, up until now had stayed out of all of this) blanched. He knew it wouldn't be long before Lina's surging anger would be directed towards himself. "What!" Lina exclaimed. "You mean you haven't gone to visit her even once?"

Zelgadis simply shrugged. "Should I have?"

Now slamming both of her hands on the table, Lina leaned over the chimera with her teeth clenched. "Yes you should have, you stupid- stupid-"

"Man?" Gourry suggested meekly from behind his chair.

Turning her attention to where Gourry was cowering for a second, Lina simply glared at the idiot swordsman. Her focus snapped back to Zelgadis, who still looked as indifferent as ever, although a bit annoyed at the yelling that was aimed directly at his eardrums. "This is Amelia we're talking about here, Zel! You know, heir to the kingdom of Seyruun. The little justice freak who lo-"

"Finish that sentence and you will regret it," Zelgadis warned, putting his cup down on the wooden table.

Lina let out an exasperated sigh and slammed her head against the table a few times. "I thought we were past this point-" SLAM SLAM SLAM! "Are you telling me that the two of you still haven't gotten your heads out of your asses and told each other how you feel?"

To an untrained eye, one would have only seen Zelgadis scoff in annoyance at Lina's remark. However, Gourry, who had spent more than plenty of time in the field with the chimera, could see the blush on his face. Gourry smiled knowingly as he sat properly in his chair. "Why don't you come with us then-" the swordsman suggested happily. Zelgadis coming with them would kill two birds with one stone. Lina would stop destroying furniture, and the two Shaman mages could spend some apparently much needed time together. It was perfect!

Zelgadis looked doubtfully at Gourry. "No thanks. You guys found me while I was in the middle of something."

"You're always in the middle of something, Zel. What, are you chasing another fruitless legend about your so-called cure?" Lina scoffed.

"Shut up," Zelgadis mumbled. "I don't have to answer to you."

"Yes, you do," Lina steamed. She took a hold of Zelgadis' ear and began to drag him out of the restaurant as Zelgadis was kicking and cursing Lina's name rather loudly. "You're coming with us to Seyruun and you are going to freaking talk to Amelia! What is honestly wrong with you two!"

Gourry let out a loud sigh and threw a few gold coins on the table to pay their bill.

Some things just never change.

But what Zelgadis hadn't admitted to his two friends was that, although he had not seen Amelia for the last year, he had written her. Four times. And each of those four times, he had not received a reply in return. There were instances when he had even remained in the same town for weeks upon weeks, waiting to get a reply, but nothing. So no matter how much Lina insisted on it, Zelgadis knew that Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun was not interested in him in any which way. After their last journey, she was probably glad to get rid of the lot of them. Sure, she gave him that bracelet, but that was more of a friendly gesture, he knew.

Going to Seyruun was a mistake.

But Zelgadis loved to put Lina Inverse in her place every once in a while, so he begrudgedly allowed she and Gourry to take him along with them. But the sinking feeling in his stomach didn't bode well with him at all.

But the city of Seyruun seemed calm enough when they arrived. In fact, as Lina voiced, "It's too quiet." The last time they had been in Seyruun, the city had been thriving with entertainment, cheer, and-well-people. It was mid day, and yet there were few on the streets, quickly hustling to wherever they were headed. Lina looked to her two traveling companions. "Am I right?"

The two nodded in agreement. "Perhaps we should get to the palace as soon as possible," Zelgadis suggested.

"I agree," Lina replied. "I've got a funny feeling about this-"

Zelgadis sighed. "What inspired you two to come here, anyway? Some fruitless treasure hunting?" he starkly asked.

"You mean besides coming to visit a dear friend who you've chosen to ignore?"

Zelgadis glared.

"We got a letter from Phil!" Gourry piped in.

"We got a very suspicious letter from Phil," Lina corrected.

"You were the only one suspicious, Lina-"

"Yeah, and now we're here, and the city is like this, I think I have pretty good grounds to be suspicious!"

"Okay, enough of the suspicion-" Zelgadis steamed. "What was in this letter?

"Phil asked us to come work as bodyguards."

Zelgadis shrugged. "So? It's not like he hasn't done that before."

"Have you been living under a fucking rock! Haven't you heard about the building war with Yashire?" Lina held herself back from bonking Zelgadis on the head. It would hurt her more than it would hurt him anyway.

"I've just heard rumors," Zelgadis replied. "Knowing Phil being the way he is, I didn't believe them. Or, at least, I didn't think it was Seyruun picking the fight like everyone is saying."

"Yeah, neither did I. But there was something else about the letter." Lina crossed her arms against her chest. "Other than the fact that the letter was more formal than I've ever heard Phil speak, what I couldn't figure out, and still can't figure out, was how the letter was delivered in the first place. The last time we saw Amelia, neither Gourry nor I knew where we would be headed. But just a few weeks ago a letter arrived for us at some inn in Atlas City. It was waiting for us when we got there."

"Now that is a little suspicious..." Zelgadis mused.

"A little!" Lina exclaimed.

Zelgadis smirked down at the sorceress. "Well it's not like you, of all people, could travel in secret. I'm sure you couldn't resist blasting a few bandit gangs on the way to Atlas City."

Lina scowled. "That still doesn't explain how the letter got to be at the exact inn we were at. There is more than one inn in Atlas City."

"This is true. So despite all these 'suspicious' things, you came to Seyruun anyway?"

"Of course we came!" Lina exclaimed. "What if something is terribly wrong and Amelia is mixed up in all of it?" Something in Zelgadis' stomach clenched. Perhaps the feeling he had before was correct. "She's too naive to question her father, so if Seyruun really is playing the bully to Yashire, then she would probably follow along with it."

"But do you really think Phil would start a war?" Zelgadis asked.

"That's what I said," Gourry interjected.

"No, I don't," Lina replied. "But I also think that whoever, or whatever, sent us that letter wasn't Prince Philionel. So who's to say it isn't Phil sitting on the throne in the palace at this very second?" The two men glanced at each other and then at Lina. "So, does that explain my concern enough?" Lina waved her hands. "Of course, this is all speculation, but now that I see Seyruun in the state that its in, I'm thinking it might be right on the money."

"So if you knew all of this before, why didn't you just say so?" Zelgadis hissed.

"Well, I wasn't sure- and the last thing I wanted to do was worry you about this as much as I've been worried about it."

"So you instead drug me here under the pretence of seeing Amelia?" Zelgadis raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

Lina laughed nervously. "It worked, didn't it? And, I mean we are going to be seeing Amelia. And you should have seen her sooner than this. And you know that she's missed you, so don't even say that," she pointed at Zelgadis' mouth as he was about to interrupt her.

"Whatever you say," Zelgadis replied, scratching his head. "So basically, we're about to walk into a trap."

Lina sighed. "When aren't we?"

But in the palace, much to their relief, things looked quite normal. People were bustling along as busy as ever. They did however, Lina mentally noted, look a lot more worn than usual. But that was what should be expected when your country was on the brink of war, right? More questions, still no answers. Lina sighed. Once they saw Amelia, things would be clearer. They had to be.

The double doors towered over them as they opened to reveal the throne room. The room was filled with nobles, all crowded around the throne. Apparently, the royal court was still in session.

"-but your highness, Yashire has proven to be-"

"Silence!"

Zelgadis paled. He knew that voice. It was the same sweet voice that taunted him in his sleep. But he had never heard it be so intimidating. "Amelia?" Zelgadis muttered in disbelief.

The crowd around the throne shifted to reveal Princess Amelia sitting on the throne. She was wearing a flowing white dress with layers upon layers of skirts, pooling around the throne. It gave her the appearance of being a graceful, celestial being. But the glint in her eyes echoed of something fierce. The princess was not a person to be trifled with. "We have guests," she smiled as she stood up from her throne. "Lina-san, Gourry-san!" She wrapped her arms around Lina in a tight hug. And then her attention turned to Zelgadis. "Zelgadis-san." She acknowledged his presence as if he were some kind of rotten fruit, stinking up the throne room.

Zelgadis clenched his fists. Now do you see, Lina?

With a nod from Amelia, the court was dismissed from the room. "What are the three of you doing here?" the Princess asked.

Lina smiled. "We came to see you, what else?"

"I thought we came because-" Lina elbowed Gourry in the stomach before he could finish his sentence.

Amelia blinked at the swordsman as he doubled over in pain, and then looked back to Lina. "Oh, well... You all could not have come at a worse time. We are sure that you have heard of our upcoming war with Yashire."

"So it's true then?" Zelgadis asked. "I thought Seyruun was a pacifist country, just like that of its Prince." He crossed his arms and eyed the Princess. He couldn't put his finger on it, but Amelia was acting strange.

"No!" Amelia shook her head furiously. "It is not our kingdom who is to blame in this matter! Yashire is to blame! They kidnapped Father!"

Lina paled. "What! How is that possible?"

Amelia sighed. "The regent of Yashire invited Father for a peaceful discussion on land cultivation between his providence and our kingdom, and Father never came back! He's been missing for two weeks now! Our spies tell us that Yashire's regent is working for a Mazoku."

"A Mazoku, huh?" Lina asked, raising an eyebrow.

"But let us not discuss this now," the Princess' smile came back, brighter than ever. "You must be tired! We will have attendant see you to your quarters immediately." She clapped twice, and suddenly two servants were by her side.

The group was silent while the two servants guided them through the palace. As they walked, Lina continued to look at Zelgadis in worry. His eyebrows were still furrowed and his fists were clenched so tightly that, had Zelgadis been human, they would be bleeding. The three guests were given three adjoining rooms. When Lina was sure the servants were safely out of hearing distance, she went into Gourry's room. Zelgadis knocked on the door a few seconds later.

"So is it safe to say that Amelia's acting strange?" Gourry asked as he sat down on his bead. "Because the whole 'we and our' thing was a little bit creepy for me."

Zelgadis sat down at a small wooden table on the opposite side of the room. "That's not completely unusual. Royalty is theoretically supposed to refer to themselves as a plural being." Gourry only looked more lost. "She's supposedly talking for the whole kingdom," Zelgadis offered. Gourry nodded, but the chimera was sure the swordsman still didn't understand the concept.

"But she's never talked like that to us before!" Lina narrowed her eyes in thought. "I'd say that it was because she's never been put in a position like this before, but I doubt that's it." Lina looked over to Zelgadis. "You felt it, didn't you?"

Zelgadis shrugged. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Gourry looked over to the chimera. "Oh, even I know what she means! Amelia's attitude totally changed when she saw you! Like she-"

"Hates me?" Zelgadis offered gruffly.

"Zel, she doesn't hate you," Lina said, sitting next to Zelgadis at the wooden table. "If it were anyone but Amelia, I'd say that she looked like she wasn't happy to see you- but since it was Amelia, I'm sure it meant-"

"-that she hates me," Zelgadis replied. "I'm not upset, Lina, so stop trying to make me feel better."

"If you aren't upset, then why do you look like someone just kicked your puppy?" Lina snapped back, with her eyebrows raised.

Zelgadis shot an annoyed look towards the sorceress. "Stop assuming how I feel. You have no idea what's going on in my head."

Lina extended her hand out. "Well then, please, Zel: give us a clue to what amazing conclusions you have in your head."

For a few tense seconds, the two magic users glared at each other. Finally, Zelgadis leaned his head against one arm and said, "That may not have been Amelia."

"Well, hallelujah! We finally agree on something!

Gourry interrupted. "But if that wasn't Amelia, who was it? It sure looked like Amelia to me."

"And it sounded like her too," Zelgadis muttered as he rubbed his forehead with his right hand.

Lina smiled at that. Zelgadis could pretend all he wanted, but it was dead obvious how he felt about the Princess. "Well, I think this calls for some investigation!" Lina stood up from the table. "Come on, Gourry."

"Uh... kay."

"Wait a moment." Zelgadis grabbed a hold of Lina's cape. "Where are you two going?"

"Well, we all agreed that Amelia wasn't acting herself, right? So maybe what she told us about Phil and Yashire isn't true."

"So we're going to Yashire?" Gourry asked.

"It's only a few hours' walk, Gourry." Lina patted the swordsman on the back. "Don't worry."

"What about me?" Zelgadis asked, almost afraid of what Lina would say.

She smiled widely. "You'll stay here and protect the Princess."

Zelgadis glared at the petite sorceress. "And what if she's not Amelia?"

"Then you'll just have to deal with her in your own way," Lina said with a wink.

"I knew it," Zelgadis said, deflating. He slouched over in his chair. "You'll leave me here with no backup?"

"I doubt if there is any immediate danger. We'll only be gone for a few hours. You'll be fine." Lina and Gourry walked out of the door, both waving the chimera goodbye. When the door closed, Zelgadis slammed his head against the wood table. Suddenly, he was very exhausted.

The sky was dark by the time Zelgadis opened his eyes again. He awoke with a start. The chair that he was sitting in fell to the floor as he quickly stood up, ready for battle. And then, everything came back to him. Amelia. Seyruun. He looked around the room and grumbled, "I must have fallen asleep in Gourry's room." And seeing as the swordsman nor his loud companion were in the room, Zelgadis assumed that they had not returned from Yashire yet.

"A few hours, huh Lina?" Zelgadis scoffed. He walked out into the hallways, which was devoid of any light, save that of the moonlight shining down from a high window. Zelgadis sighed. He really hadn't meant to fall asleep like that. There was investigating he wanted to do. He was at least hoping to get a chance to observe Amelia for a little while longer, to see if he could perhaps solve the mystery surrounding her.

Before entering his room next door, Zelgadis noticed a round mirror in front of his quarters. And in his peripheral vision, he saw something that shouldn't have been there. "What?" he exclaimed as he faced the mirror head on. In the reflection was a tall, handsome, brown haired man staring back at him. His hand shaking, Zelgadis raised it to his face, as the reflection did too. "I-I-" anything else that came out of his mouth was incomprehensible, even to him. Staring back in the mirror were those slate colored eyes that he knew so well. He was cured?

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" a whispered voice echoed through the halls.

"Who's there?" Zelgadis' head quickly turned towards the direction from where the voice was coming.

"Leave this place, and it will become your reality..." the voice replied.

"Who are you?" Zelgadis demanded, readying his hands to chant a spell.

"Zelgadis-san?" The chimera whirled around at the sound of Amelia's voice. "What are you doing up at such a late hour?" She was mostly hidden by shadow, but her blue eyes shone clearly in the moonlight.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Amelia," Zelgadis replied.

"Who were you talking to?" she asked.

Zelgadis quickly turned around, remembering his reflection. But the handsome young man was long gone, and in his place was the hideous chimera face that Zelgadis had become all too familiar with. "Nothing apparently," Zelgadis sighed. Closing his eyes, he cursed himself for even entertaining the thought of doing what the voice had asked of him. Mysterious voices promising extreme feats of sorcery were never to be trusted.

"I was hoping I would get a chance to talk to you, alone like this," Amelia said, walking towards Zelgadis. Her bare feet crossing the stone floor was barely audible.

He couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "I got the impression you didn't want to talk to me at all."

"If you are referring to what happened earlier-" she took a few more steps.

"I'm referring to the fact that you ignored the letters that I'd written you." There. He said it. He'd hoped the anxiousness that he had bubbling inside would have come out then, but nothing. He was still just as upset as he had been.

Now her hand was on his shoulder. If he could've had goosebumps, Zelgadis was sure he would have been covered in them. "You must understand that it's been quite hectic around the palace, Zelgadis-san. Your kind words lifted my heart. However, I was unable to send any reply." She raised herself on her tiptoes and whispered in Zelgadis' ear. "You know that this year I am to pick a suitor."

The hand on his shoulder began to move down his chest. Zelgadis' heart pounded loudly in his ears. This was not happening. This was not happening!

"I was hoping that you have found your cure now, so it could be you."

Any feeling of excitement he had sank like a rock at that moment. She might as well have cut him with the sword of light and twisted a lime into the wound. "I'm so sorry to disappoint you," he gruffly replied.

"Oh, I'm not disappointed," Amelia replied sensually. "Of course, the politics involved would make it quite difficult for us to wed. But I still feel the same way about you." Now both her hands were wrapped around his chest, and beginning to move to lower areas. "I still want you, Zelgadis-san. But the question is, do you want me?" One hand snaked down and grabbed Zelgadis in his most vulnerable spot. He could just hear her mouth curve into a devilish smile.

"A-Amelia-" Zelgadis managed to get out.

"Your letters said it so loud and clear, Zelgadis-san. Don't fight it now, now that we are finally alone." She pressed herself up against his back. From the curves that he could feel through his clothes, Zelgadis was beginning to doubt that Amelia was wearing anything at all.

"Amelia, I don't know what you are thinking, but-" Zelgadis' voice died in his throat as Amelia began to bite his ear.

There was a distinct clacking of boots further down the hallway. Amelia quickly let go and disappeared as quickly as she appeared, leaving Zelgadis a blushing, sweating, nervous wreck. He quickly ran his hand through his hair and let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.

Lina and Gourry came close enough to Zelgadis in the hallway that he could identify them. "Hey Zel-" Lina called. "What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"L-sama, I hope so," the chimera muttered as he drug his hand across his face.

"What?" Lina blinked.

Zelgadis shook his head. "Nothing. So what did you find out?"

Lina opened the door to her room and the other two followed. "Not much," she replied. "There was the basic denial of ever having kidnapped Phil, but it's hard to figure out who to believe. There's no evidence to prove Amelia right, though. And she was acting stranger than normal." She raised an eyebrow at Zelgadis. "What about you? Wha'd you manage to find?"

A blush crept over Zelgadis' face as he swallowed hard. "Well, I know one thing. That is definitely not Amelia."

"Why do-"

"Believe me," Zelgadis said flatly. "It's not her."

Lina smiled. "Zel, you're blushing-"

"Anyway," Zelgadis cleared his throat. "I don't think that the people of Yashire were lying. Something strange is going on here."

"Agreed," Lina nodded. "We'll have to sneak around the palace tomorrow and see what we can find."

"Why wait?" Gourry asked. "I'm wide awake. Why don't we look now?"

Zelgadis and Lina exchanged glances. "As long as we don't split up, I don't see a problem-" Zelgadis mused.

Lina raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So something did happen, huh?"

Pushing his way past Gourry and Lina, Zelgadis charged out the bedroom door in a huff. "D-Don't be ridiculous!"

To Be Continued...

Notes:
I have bad ideas. They make bad stories. The end.

This came about because I really wanted to read a quest!Slayers fic that centered on Zelgadis and Amelia without it getting so wishy-washy that I couldn't identify their characters as being them. Uh. Did that make sense? Basically, most of the Zel x Amelia fics that I found online are so out of character it makes me cry. So I wrote one to entertain myself. And it's so predictable, but then again, when isn't Slayers predictable? I love the series to death, but you can call the shots a lot of times. That doesn't make it bad though XD

Disclaimer:
This fiction was written for entertainment purposes only. The characters of Slayers belong to Kanzaka-sensei, as well as many other companies and/or people who also wouldn't approve of me destroying their characters like I have. Standard disclaimers apply.