*Insert Standard Disclaimer*
Trouble Maker Chapter 12
That night Lina and Gaury had the time of their lives. The food Lin cooked was the best they had ever had.
"I am stuffed!" Lina declared and patted her stomach. Next to her Gaury did the same thing. There was a time when Xelloss looked at Gaury with jealousy but now that he knows that Gaury only viewed Lina as someone he had to protect, his jealousy had disappeared. Most likely because Xelloss could relate to that experience with Lin.
"Are you too full to move Lina-chan?" Zelas asked with a smile and raised her wine glass.
"Pretty much." Lina replied and Zelas laughed and clapped her hands as a curtain was pulled by Graushelaa to provide a view of a vast balcony dance floor.
"Too full to dance?" Zelas snapped her fingers and music started to play. Femni and Sheela got up in a second and dashed to Xelloss's place but he had already teleported to Lina's side and was offering her his hand. Lina blushed and faced away from him but placed her hand on his. Xelloss smiled and slowly guided Lina to the dance floor in one elegant move.
"Zelgadiss-san come on! Let's dance!!" Amelia grabbed his hand and dragged him out to the dance floor. Zelgadiss who was reluctant for not only did he not like to dance (despite the fact that he was good at it), He really didn't want Amelia stepping on his foot. He was pleasantly surprised though that Amelia was quite a graceful dancer.
"It's one of the things I was forced to learn as a princess. Daddy is pretty lenient but that doesn't mean he let's me get away with not doing my lessons." Amelia admitted sheepishly.
"Um, Gaury-sama, I was wondering, if you would, um, well, if you would…?" Shilfiel slowly walked over to Gaury and asked him sheepishly. Gaury just looked up at her quizzically.
"Hey Shilfiel, want to dance?" Gaury asked since he saw everyone was doing it and didn't want to be left out. He took Shilfiel's hand and guided her to the dance floor. One would probably imagine Gaury not being that graceful on a dance floor but it was on the contrary. After all he was graceful when he was yielding his sword, he quickly picked up the moves. Shilfiel, who had taken dance lessons from before she could remember, was also just as graceful.
"Filia, would you?" Rou asked and offered her his hand with a smile. Filia blushed and took his hand. The two made such a cute couple and both were great dancers.
"Graushelaa-sama…." Sheela turned to weep to her master, only to notice he was still running errands and catering to the Cefied Knight. Sheela sighed and plopped down on her chair. Out of no where though Grau, the Dynast Priest, appeared.
"Sheela!! I told you that we would be busy today and.." Sheela paid him no attention as she dragged him into the dance floor.
"Grau, we're dancing!" Sheela declared with a smile and Grau couldn't say no to his cute little sister. Grau, unlike Sheela and his master was so graceful that even Sheela who wasn't that good of a dancer looked graceful as he lead the dance.
Zelas smiled and appeared next to Val. "Let's dance." She said with a smile and offered her hand.
"I, I can't." Val stammered and reclined.
"No problem, I'll just lead you." Zelas declared and pulled Val onto the dance floor. "Just follow me. Now, 1-2-34, 1-2-34," Zelas continued to show Val the steps and soon Val had gotten a hang of the simple box-step. Zelas was content to leave the lesson at here tonight and would try some fancy steps sometime later.
However out of all the couples on the dance floor, Xelloss and Lina had to be the most graceful. Xelloss who had been forced to learn how to dance from Zelas since before he could remember, knew the moves by heart, and Lina who was beaten up by Luna if she wasn't graceful even at the local childhood dance parties, had also learned how to dance gracefully. Even Filia had to admit how good they looked with each other.
Lin had escaped from the party scene and was on a cliff that overlooked the ocean with Xeres by her side. She had been using the wolf as a back rest and looked up at the skies. "You know Xeres, I love my life here." Lin admitted. "There's Zelas-sama, you, Rakuma, all the other wolves, I love this island. And most of all there's Xelloss-sama. Weird isn't it? I don't care for him the way Lina does but I think I care about him more than anyone else." Lin smiled and buried her face in her friend's fur. "I'm happy right now, I wish this continues, I don't want a full-blown-out war to happen."
Femni hung back as she watched Xelloss and Lina dance. Her eyes gleamed evilly as she carefully examined Lina. She was nice looking, a little on the younger side though. What was her age, 16? 17? She acted like a child that didn’t get her way most of the time, was selfish and annoying to no end. Then why? Femni thought. Why did Xelloss take such an interest in her? Why did she have such strong knowledge that not even the oldest Mazoku could handle? What was it that she had that Femni didn't?
Later that night after the party was over and Xelloss took Lina home while Zelas dealt with the rest of the guest and was walking back to his room, he noticed Femni standing in front of his room.
"Femni…." Xelloss muttered her name.
"Xelloss, what is Lina to you?" Femni asked.
"Although my devotion is with Zelas-sama, she will be ranked with in me with the same importance as my master." Xelloss replied truthfully
"And I?" Femni asked and smiled.
"Nothing." Xelloss replied and Femni gritted her teeth.
"You may think that now but many years ago…"
“Femni, even before you disappeared from the mazoku, you still meant nothing to me. A temporary mate to relieve stress and needs. That is all you were to me. Yes, in a sense I probably cared for you, but when I heard that you disappeared from the mazoku, I felt nothing.” Xelloss cut her off as he looked straight into Femni’s eyes.
“Nothing…are you saying that some insignificant HUMAN means more to you than me?!” Femni demanded outraged by the thought. A mazoku, even if it was Sheela, she could still understand, a dragon she would not be as outraged, but a HUMAN!!!!!!! “Get a grip Xel, she’s not going to live more than another 100, 200 years. She’ll be gone with in a blink to the eye, and you live on for practically forever.”
“…I will not deny that fact.”
“Do you seriously think that she can really care about you? You know that she would be shunned and out casted from humans if they found out she was in love with a mazoku. You and her can’t be together, it’s that simple Xel.” Xelloss glared at Femni intensely but Femni ignored the warning. “She’s human and you’re mazoku, there’s no where that you two could be together and live happily, the best is that one of you dies and the other lives. Your better off with a dragon than a human. At least a dragon can live as long as you.”
“If you value your life Femni-‘san’ you will stop talking now.” Xelloss threatened as he summoned a sword and placed the hilt against Femni’s throat. “I will only repeat myself once. You were and are of no significance to me, Lina is. It’s a simple concept and it is truly amazing how someone as intelligent as you can not comprehend it.”
“…Do you truly mean it when you claim I was of nothing of value? Did you not appreciate those times in the night when I was by you? You enjoyed it Xel, and ‘I’ know it. After all…” Femni’s lips curled mischievously, transforming her usual beautiful features to that of a jealous woman. “I was your first mate.” She laced her hands behind his neck and looked at him. “Remember that ‘I’ taught you a lot of what you know. Truly you can’t say I was of no significance to you.”
“You were Femni, it is as simple as that.”
“Is Lina’s skin softer and whiter than mine? Is her hair softer than mine?”
"….Femni-'san'………" Xelloss gritted his teeth and glared at her. "You WILL stop these games right here, right now." Xelloss declared and Femni flinched for a second but a smile appeared on her lips a second later.
"Princess Shi-Kon." Femni muttered. "I had given up hope on her, I assumed she was killed by humans with the Queen."
"It is pure coincidence I raised her. Her magic capacity was extraordinary I decided to make her an ally before she became an enemy."
"Wise choice, considering what she is the heir to." Femni replied.
"Of what? The crown of the Holy Elves?" Xelloss taunted.
"No, the Staff Of The Lords." Xelloss's eyes opened wide at that statement.
The Staff Of The Lords was a legendary staff said to hold the powers of L-sama. When it appeared was the time a miracle occurred in history. Lin was the heir to the staff?
"……………….it can't be." Xelloss finally muttered.
"But it can. You see, the Staff belongs to the female heir of the Holy Elf Royal Family. The Princess is the only surviving female of the Holy Elf Royal line." Femni explained. "Think what the mazoku could do with that power." Femni gave Xelloss a suggestive look. The Staff would definitely put the Mazoku in a league above the Dragons, making up for the damage caused by Lina. This may as well have been the leeway into letting the mazoku accept Lina and stop pestering her!
"……." Xelloss carefully eyed Femni though. She knew he wanted the power of the staff and he knew she was going to suggest something in return, so what was it?
"Princess Shi-Kon can have the staff and if she desires still work under you with her assumed name 'Lin'. Under one condition, of course." Femni smiled victoriously. "I can't ask you to kill Lina since that would anger the Cefied Knight, which I really don't have a chance against. However, you could break up with her." Femni smiled. "Oh, I know it may still anger the Cefied Knight but you chose your pride as a mazoku. Of course a 'Cefied' can't say anything against you for that, since 'Cefied' and 'Shablaniguduu' are the only ones that still think of the fight between Mazoku and God as a spiritual fight to further heights."
"……………………." Xelloss glared at Femni. She was telling him to either chose his pride as a mazoku or Lina, one of the most important person in his life.
"It's not in you to decline my offer. Your pride as a mazoku and your devotion to Beast Master is too great for that. So, which do you chose?" Femni floated in air and crossed her legs. "Up to you Xel. Use those brains I know you have and try to outsmart me." She chuckled.
"What if I have specific orders from Shablaniguduu-sama for Xelloss to not take your offer?" A strong voice called. Out of the darkness a tall women with curly blond hair that shone like the sun appeared.
"………" Femni drew her breath at the sight. "…g…Greater Beast!" She muttered the official name of Zelas. Although it was unusual for Zelas to take on her 'official' look at times she did do so.
"Femni, you were ordered by Deep Sea Dalfin to stop meddling in the mazoku's affairs. You will be wise to follow that order." Zelas declared. Instinct told Femni to back down at this point. Zelas had that affect on people(mazoku).
"I will then, back down from the affair's of mazoku. However it is my duty and obligation to meddle in the affairs of the Holy Elves." Femni declared and disappeared.
"Zelas-sama, I.." Xelloss started to explain but Zelas shook her head.
"There's no need to do so Xelloss. I just did what was expected of me as a Dark Lord. I needed to warn Femni before she went over board."
"But to appear as Greater Beast-sama, why?" Xelloss asked.
"I guess, so I could keep you, and Lina-chan safe." Zelas replied and turned around. 'Since I can't protect Lin if she IS Shi-Kon.' Zelas muttered under her breath as she walked away.
Xelloss stayed up in the tree in his room as he took a sip of some wine. He wasn't one to drink but because of his master's love for it he had acquired a taste for the beverage. In his other hand was a picture of Lin when she was young. Her now waist-length hair was then cut at the same length as Xelloss and she was clothed in a mini-version of his priest clothing. Declaring she was going to be the Beast General some day she had followed him around, trying to learn the art of the profession. This little girl, was the sole survivor of the race that was said to have the power to destroy the Mazoku. Lin, out of all people, was the one. Xelloss loved Lina and his devotion was to Zelas. However, he cared for Lin like she was his sister, the beast general he never was able to have as a companion. His little, young, lively, sister.
Femni curved her lips upward as she floated towards Lin's bedroom. Although the room was locked, it did not take too much power for Femni to come in. There, in the middle of the white candy colored room, slept Shi-Kon. She was surrounded by a pack of wolves, who glared at Femni if they dared to disturb their master’s sleep. Femni chuckled, realizing that the wolves were put there by a worried master.
Femni’s eyes gleamed evilly. All she needed to do was let Shi-Kon realize her position and power. Then Shi-Kon would be more than happy to follow Femni’s wishes and go against Lina Inverse. Femni waved her hand and allowed the sleeping powder to fill the room, putting the guard wolves to sleep.
Femni floated near by Shi-Kon’s sleeping form and bent down, whispering a spell softly. As she completed the spell, Femni closed her eyes and whispered…
“Forgive me Great Queen Sill-Tee for using your image with out permission but it is for your daughter.” Femni declared and picked up Lin in her arms and teleported away from the island.
Lin looked around the area and blinked twice. She was in a wide open grass land having a picnic with Xelloss, Lina, Zelas, and Rou a minute ago and was now in a dark torn down temple.
“What is this place?” Lin asked out loud as she walked through the cold dark corridor. It was quiet, and there seemed to be no one around her. “Rakuma? Xeres?” Lin called to her companions that would always come when she called. “Where are you guys?” She started to get a little worried and took off her ribbon and clutched it tightly in her hands, making sure it would turn into the whip when necessary.
Suddenly she heard voices, yelling and cursing. Lin went further into the temple till she reached a clearing and gasped. On a cross, a woman was crucified. Blood falling from her head and her black hair had turned red. Men crowded around her and were poking her with their swords or taking out and stabbing her again with the arrows. The woman didn’t flinch at what ever.
“Can you believe she’s still alive!” One of the men asked in disgust.
“She’s an elf, what’d you expect? Her ability to live is better than any human, especially since she’s a royal.” Another man replied as he stabbed her with the sword and more blood came out the wound.
“Still won’t give us the information on how she lives this long, or where the princess is.” Another man complained.
“Calm down, the others are hunting her down, we’ve already killed the prince, this is our stabbing doll.” The second man laughed. The third man looked at him in disgust.
“You have a sadistic mind, I’m here for their secret on their longevity, not for mindless killing, sorry but I’m leaving.” The man turned around and walked towards Lin. Lin nearly jumped but he didn’t notice her.
“What?” Lin asked as she watched him leave.
“This is the past.” A voice said and Lin turned around and saw Femni.
“Past?” Lin asked.
“The destruction of the Holy Elves.” Femni replied. “Your clan.” She then walked into the center where the two men were left. “The execution of Queen Sill-Tee.”
“That is the queen?” Lin asked and looked up at the woman.
“Yes, the great and wonderful Queen, I adored her…” Femni explained…. “I was in the battle field when this execution went on, oblivious, sure she could take care of herself…..” Femni hung her head slowly. “Forgetting she would never lift a finger to harm anyone or anything.”
“………….and this has to do with me in what way?” Lin asked as the men continued to stab Sill-Tee.
“The least I can do, is return her daughter to her.” Femni explained and suddenly the two men were gone and Sill-Tee’s body was covered in even more blood. “It’s time for you to meet your mother Princess.” Femni smiled. Lin looked at her until she heard a crack and turned her head to the cross Sill-Tee was on.
Sill-Tee’s head was hung, but slowly she raised it and opened her eyes. Lin backed away at that and fear pierced her body as Sill-Tee’s body jumped off the cross, and extended her bloody hands to Lin.
“Shi-Kon…..” The body whispered and walked towards her.
“De….Death Whip!!” Lin screamed and whipped against the body but the whip went straight through her. “Wha-?”
“It is no use Shi-Kon, Death can not be given to those already dead.” The body explained. “Shi-Kon, how I longed for you…”
“…..Get away from me!!” Lin cried.
“Shi-Kon, why? I am your mother?” The body appeared sad and tears of blood trailed down her face.
“No, I don’t have a mother!!” Lin screamed back.
“But I am, and you are the princess of the Holy Elves…”
“No I’m not!!! I’m an underling to Xelloss-sama!! Mazoku!! I feed off of human’s dark emotions!!!”
“You were transformed, I can fix that, return you to your original state….. To the Princess of the Holy Elves…the most respected elf tribe……” Out of no where a staff appeared in Sill-Tee’s blood stained hands.
“Take this and avenge us…” Sill-Tee offered the staff to Lin.
“No….” Lin said as tears appeared in her eyes. “Get away from me.”
“Avenge us….it’s your destiny…..my daughter……. You have the power of L-sama, you have the blood to control it…”
“STOP!!!!! I want nothing to deal with the Holy Elves, I’m not Shi-Kon. I’m Lin, Lin, LIN!!!!” Lin screamed and shook her head violently. “I’m Lin, I serve Xelloss-sama and Zelas-sama. Wolf Pact Island is my home, the place where I return to!! I don’t want to have anything to deal with you!!!!!!!!!!”
“Shi-Kon, my dear daughter…..do not fight your destiny, avenge your tribe. Make you proud of yourself.” The woman, Sill-Tee said softly as she attempted to coax her daughter into taking the staff.
“No, NO NO!!!!!!!!! I’m proud of myself as I am. I like myself. I am Lin, never was and never will be Shi-Kon. I can’t deny what I’ve been!!!!!!!!!!!” Lin was in a state of hysteria as she tried to break free of the image of the queen, her mother. “I…am….not strong enough to yield L-sama’s powers. I’m only a middle-ranked mazoku…….my powers can’t defeat any of the Ryuuou’s.”
“They can my daughter Shi-Kon, even the Beast Master can’t survive the lash of the Staff Of The Lords, your staff.”
“It’s not mine though!!!!!! This ribbon, whip, is my weapon, Xeres is my weapon!!!! Not that staff, let Lina have it, she deserves it more than me. It’s not mine, It’s not mine!”
“…You can’t deny your blood.”
“I’ll deny everything of me to go back to Wolf-Pact Island. That’s the place I belong to, I’m not your puppet. I wasn’t born to avenge your death!!!!”
“But you were….you are all that our tribe depends on. Our last hope. Conquer the humans, than destroy the mazoku, the dragons, and all the other elves. It’s time for the Holy Elves to rule the world.”
“NO! NO! NO!!!!!!!!!!! I’m not going to conquer humans, dragons, the other elves, especially not mazoku, I AM MAZOKU!!!!!!!!! I’m MAZOKU, MAZOKU, MAZOKU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAZOKU NANO, MAZOKU DAKENANO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Lin screamed at the top of her lungs and than she broke into a sob. “…..Tasukete………tasukete Xelloss-sama…..kaesthite……attatakkata asoko he……..kaeshite…..”
‘Save me……..Save me Xelloss-sama…..let me go back….where it was warm…..let me go back’
“………..Shi-Kon…….” Sill-Tee muttered as she saw her daughters tear stricken face. “Shi-Kon……”
“If you really and truly cared about me……..you’ll let me……..stay at the island. I don’t know anything about the Holy Elves…….I only know things about the mazoku……..Please……Please let me return.” Lin looked up at her mother and then screamed at the top of her lungs the strongest spell she could activate. “LAGUNA SLAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Femni stared at the unmoving figure of the princess she had vowed to protect. The tear stricken face, the blood from the hand that she had used to break through the dream. Psychological wounds became physical, a sign of true Mazoku for Mazoku were mostly Psychological beings. “Princess….” Femni muttered and picked up a piece of her hair. For the first time in five hundred years Femni used the power that drove her away from the mazoku. The power to see the past.
Lin’s past was not at all dreary…..in fact it could be summoned up into one thing. Happiness. Lin was happy as she was, even as a mazoku, no being a mazoku was Lin’s happiness, being able to serve Xelloss was her happiness. She loved Xelloss, stronger than Femni herself did, possibly stronger than Lina. She loved him with all her being.
Jealousy has always been my weak point. I was so jealous of Fin, I tried to use her past against her, and now, I am jealous of Lina that I went out and hurt something special to Xel. Not only that, I hurt the princess I had vowed the protect. Femni stroked Lin's hair for awhile. I'll return you to Xel, don't worry. I see what I've been doing all these years, trying to become what I never could be.... "With all do respect princess, you are the Princess." The one she searched for, thinking that Shi-Kon would be the way back to the mazoku. Femni smiled as she destroyed the staff and watched it's fragments dissolve into air. This is what the queen would have wanted....for the princess to be happy. Femni smiled at Lin. "Thank you...." Femni whispered one last time before she disappeared into thin air.
"I want to go out!!" Lin whined as she threw her books at Xeres and Rakuma. After she was found by Rou nearly dead, she was taken to Xelloss and Zelas. In order for all of Lin's wounds to heal Xelloss ordered her not to leave the bed. "I hate being cooped up inside, and I can't even leave my bed?! When do I get to leave?!!???!!!" Lin demanded.
"When you are better." Xelloss replied from the door of the room and Lin looked up.
"But Xelloss-sama I'm already better. Better enough to at least do some chores." Lin whined.
"There's no need to do any chores. Zelas-sama has been dining with Val for some time now on a continuous basis. Although I do get stuck hearing her complaints about Filia-san, she does seem happy. As for I tend to spend much of my free time with Lina-san. Which brings up the topic that I am leaving to go eat with Lina-san at Magnolia. I will bring back some delicious deserts so be a good girl and stay safe." Xelloss smiled and Lin had no choice but to nod.
After Xelloss left Lin sank into the bed again. "I AM DEFINITELY GOING TO FIND MYSELF A BOYFRIEND!!!" She declared.
Her next mission has been decided....................
THE END
There, after over a year of waiting I was finally able to finish Trouble Maker. Sorry it took so long and that there's hardly any Xelloss/Lina in this chapter!! The thing is once I decided what Lin's past I just couldn't seem to write about it. No excuses, I'm not going to try and explain myself. I was finally able to write this story, now I can work on Legend and Pirates-Kaizoku-.
Lin: Thank you for reading all the way through this!! I'll see you in the remaining chapters of Kaizoku and any other fanfic Manami decides to put me in!!
Manami:Hopefully no more long series.......