To Live Another Day 99

Slayers: Alive

Episode 099: Surprise! I'm On The Guest List

Filia was feeling extremely nervous as she went down the stairs away from the atelier and into the boutique below. After seeing Marty's designs and her outfit, she was starting to fear that the dress Zelas expected her to wear for the wedding would be much, much, worse. "Filia, sweetie," the bride to be snapped out of her worried daze when Tiffany called her for the third time, though it was only the first time Filia actually noticed. "Are you feeling alright?"

Filia forced a nervous smile, "great!" The exclamation came out slightly out of breath from the force of the stress it carried.

"Aw, how cute, I was nervous before my wedding too," Tiffany giggled. "You better go get into your dress now. I think I saw Zelas browsing around the boutique; she was probably waiting for you to give you the dress. You should go talk to her."

"The dress... right..." Shaking with every fearful step, Filia moved out of sight among the many boutique displays.

Lina brought up a question that had been bothering her since she saw Marty. "Why do you sell Marty's designs at the resort? Does anyone actually buy them?"

"Oh yes, they sell quite well!" Tiffany happily exclaimed. "Honeymooners love that kind of thing."

"Okay, that's enough information," Lina quickly took back her question.

"Well, we should be on our way," Tiffany announced with a smile. "Xellos, you'd best go change into your tuxedo, Zelas should come get you soon. She said something about throwing away the groom."

"You mean giving away?" Wasn't that the bride's role? Ah well, this wasn't a conventional wedding anyway. "I'll make sure not to keep her waiting." Thus the group went on their way, Xellos to get into his tuxedo and the bridesmaids off to the temple where the guests were.

xoxox xox xoxox

Filia was having a bit of trouble locating Zelas. She asked the shop keeper at the boutique and was told that the lady matching that description had already left. Apparently, most of the human employees of the resort were unaware of Zelas' status as the boss of their boss. Thus Filia made her way down the main street of Amor Resort, searching for her would be mother in law. Her fear of the wedding dress of doom that awaited her grew with every step, but Filia knew that avoiding this was not an option, if anything, it could only make matters worse.

While searching among the crowds, Filia saw someone that she recognized. His golden hair made him stand out in the crowd. She had seen him briefly shortly after the fall of the barrier, just barely exchanging a short introduction. It was only politeness, she was only there to greet her father's guest and serve some tea before leaving them to discuss their business. Nonetheless, she knew who he was and his position. "Milgazia," the name escaped Filia in a terrified whisper. It wasn't that she assumed that he was there to pick a fight, the leader of the remnant dragons who served Aqua Lord Ragradia had to be smarter than that. He couldn't be there to interfere, but he was there and that reminded Filia of many things.

Filia might have forgiven Xellos, but was it okay? She might not be directly involved with the golden dragons anymore, but she was still a golden dragon and she couldn't let go of that. She had to admit that despite it all, she still held a high esteem and respect for the part of her race that had been her family growing up and for her family's friends, which included Milgazia. Her father had always spoken highly of him. Filia froze in place unable to say or do anything. It looked like Milgazia was turning around, he would see her, he would see her for sure. What would he say? Filia didn't want to imagine it. So many golden dragons were killed; the War of the Monsters' Fall was especially harsh on the dragons of the water clan.

Suddenly, just as Milgazia turned around, someone pulled Filia behind a big heart shaped plastic bush with mint green leaves and hot pink roses. A tan hand, with perfectly manicured shiny silver nails with little diamonds on them, covered her mouth to stop her from making a sound. "Shh," Zelas made the universal sign for silence with her other hand, holding her index finger over her crimson lips.

Filia, who still looked like a kicked puppy, nodded her head, indicating that she would be quiet and Zelas released her with a warning look in her predatory silver eyes. While this was happening, Milgazia walked by. He paused in front of the bush, glancing at it suspiciously, then went on his way again. After Milgazia was gone, Filia let out a breath she didn't even realize she had been holding. Zelas was hiding her monster power, just barely projecting herself in the physical world, while her true self remained mostly on the astral side. Filia looked towards Milgazia, who was walking further away, then back to Zelas with a questioning look in her eyes.

"We're going to follow him," Zelas decided as she picked up one side of the large white pot adorned with red hearts containing the silly fake bush.

"Why?" Filia automatically grabbed the other end of the pot and moved along with Zelas, using the plastic shrubbery as a shield to stay hidden from view.

"Because I want to know what he intends to do, stupid." Zelas replied in her most mocking tone, while keeping her voice in a quiet whisper. "I rarely do any spying myself, I haven't followed anyone in secret in many years," Zelas admitted.

"Of course," Filia frowned. "You have minions to do this for you."

"Yes, but since I'm here, I might as well stretch my legs and do a little spying myself. It might be amusing." It was obvious that Zelas didn't consider Milgazia to be a threat in the least. Why would she, if she could so easily end his existence?

Filia remained quiet. She wasn't sure what to say to all of this. She had no idea why Milgazia was there and wondered if Zelas had a clue. "Do you suspect why he's here?"

"I don't suspect, I know." Zelas whispered in a superior tone.

Filia waited for the revelation that never came, thus she prompted. "Why?"

Zelas' answer was simple and to the point, but it filled Filia with even more confusion. "Because I sent him an invitation to the wedding."

"You did?" Filia almost failed to keep her voice's volume in check, her hand automatically covering her mouth while Zelas gave her another warning glare. "Sorry," Filia whispered in a barely audible tone. "Why did you send Milgazia an invitation?"

"Because the side of the temple designated for the bride's guests was too empty, given that all your relatives are dead." Zelas smiled sweetly as if she was doing something very considerate.

Filia frowned, anger and sorrow invading her eyes. Most of her relatives were dead because of Darkstar, but some were killed in the War of the Monsters Fall along with many other golden dragons. "Did you enjoy the War of the Monsters Fall?"

Zelas raised a curious and amused eyebrow. "Talk about random topic shifts. Your brain, if it's even there, must have a leak. I'll dignify you with an answer anyway. Yes, it was quite an enjoyable time. Xellos had lots of fun too, he was such a messy little beast, but not much else can be expected from a newborn monster. He's gotten much neater over time."

Filia's frown became more prominent; she threw caution to the wind and bitterly whispered, "I hate you."

"I know you do," Zelas grinned. "I can taste it and it is delicious, yet the flavor isn't pure. Is that the benefit of the doubt? How disturbing," the monster lord wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Xellos respects you a lot, he truly admires you. You were created by Shabranigdu, much like Xellos was created by you. I suppose it makes sense that you would want to do his bidding, but..." Filia wasn't even sure where she was going with this, she felt like she was speaking at random. "He's been torn apart, the pieces have been sealed. You don't have to listen to Ruby Eyes anymore; you can do whatever you want."

"What makes you think I wouldn't have already noticed the obvious?" Zelas glanced at Milgazia, who had stopped in front of an ice-cream booth. He received a vanilla ice-cream cone with heart shaped chocolate chips from the vendor and sat down at a heart decorated bench to eat it. Zelas assumed that even bitter dragons on business got hungry. It didn't look like he was moving for the time being.

"My point is that you don't have to return the world to chaos if you don't want to." Filia finished her argument even if she thought it was useless.

"Can you really call emptiness chaotic? Chaos, unrest, disarray, turmoil, hysteria, it's all in the eye of the beholder. We are all chaos and the end is nothingness," Zelas revealed. "It's sad when everything you thought you knew turns out to be a lie, but at the same time it's deliciously chaotic. It opens up a world of new possibilities that most would fear sooner than appreciate. To win is to lose and to struggle is to win. A true victory has no aftermath. The aftermath is a loss, because a true victory never ends."

Filia stared at the monster lord that was hiding behind a plastic bush with her. This was not exactly the best setting, and certainly not the ideal company, to have anything resembling a deep conversation. Yet Filia felt as if she had just been told something meaningful, something vital, something that was too deep to be easily understood. "What do you mean?" The anger was overwhelmed with deep confusion and concern for the world as a whole.

"Look, some ditz is trying to flirt with Milgazia." Zelas pointed out, changing the subject and ignoring Filia's look that pleaded for more information. "He's on the move, coward, running away like that. Even if golden dragons are so pathetically weak, a single laser breath would have been enough to kill that human, or just regular golden dragon bad breath."

Filia decided not to reply. She wasn't going to amuse Zelas with an argument. Instead, she picked up her side of the pot that held the plastic bush and moved it along with Zelas to follow Milgazia. He stopped again, this time to speak with an elf woman in armor. "I can't help it but to think someone is watching me. I feel like the fake bushes are following me. Anyway, have you seen anything suspicious, Memphis?"

"They're not following you, those weird fake bushes are just all over the place," the elf woman, called Memphis, replied. Zelas, who was well informed in the happenings of the world, recognized her as Milgazia's apprentice. "Maybe it's the people here that are staring at you, like that girl from a few minutes ago," she grinned. "Anyway, I didn't see any waiting ambushes or anything."

"I thought as much," Milgazia concluded, ignoring the comment about the girl. "If Beast Master wanted to pick a fight, she could bring it to our home."

"Then this means we can safely conclude that the wedding invitation for our clan was not part of an ambush. As if we'd fall for that anyway," Memphis huffed. "It was all probably just a bad joke, Zelas' way of rubbing the wedding on our faces, something about corrupting the golden dragon race, like the invitation said."

Filia felt her heart sink as she listened. Milgazia shook his head in disagreement. "I don't think it's that simple, though the golden dragons have been driven to make mistakes in the past, I think this is different. If Zelas' intentions were only mockery, she could have done that without inviting me to the wedding. Her message to me with that invitation wasn't 'I'm corrupting your race' it was 'I know of the secret.' Don't you see? She's trying to tell me that she knows the truth about the balance needed to maintain chaos in an eternal struggle. Although I would only understand the message between the lines if I knew the truth too."

Memphis sighed hopelessly. "Does that change anything? I doubt most monsters would hold back because of the truth. On the other hand, it is also a truth of hardships."

"Everyone pushing and pulling towards their own side is what keeps the world going. It may seem like we got the worse end of this, but the monsters will be affected too." Milgazia continued speaking of things that Filia didn't understand.

"If they believed," Memphis corrected.

"Yes, but I doubt they will. Maybe it's even best if they don't know." Milgazia paused, giving his next few words some extra thought. "Maybe it's also best if the golden dragons, elves, humans and creatures of this world don't know either, for now at least, until they're ready."

"It does bring a lot of self questioning, doesn't it?" Sighing tiredly, Memphis brought up an important point. "Beast Master may know, but what has she decided upon?"

"Maybe I'll find out today," Milgazia concluded.

Memphis gasped. "You don't mean?"

"I was invited," Milgazia looked determined. He pulled out a golden pocket watch. "It's almost time; I'd best go get changed and ready for the event. Are you coming?"

"Of course I'm going!" Memphis assured.

Milgazia and Memphis began to walk away. Filia automatically picked up the pot with the fake heart shaped bush, but put it down again when she realized Zelas didn't look like she intended to move. Apparently she heard all that she needed to hear. "By the way, did you remember to buy a present?" Milgazia inquired as he and Memphis got lost among the crowds.

"You mean a wedding gift?" Memphis looked surprised. "You weren't just joking about that?"

"It would be rude to show up empty handed." Milgazia pointed out, and that was the last bit of conversation that reached Filia's ears from her current position.

"Interesting," Zelas mused aloud. "This makes things a bit easier, but at the same time, there's also that to deal with..."

"That?" Filia questioned. "What's going on?"

"Nothing for you to worry your ugly little head over," Zelas grinned with mocking superiority. "Now let's get you into your dress and try to make you look somewhat decent for the wedding." A brick of dread settled into the pit of Filia's stomach.

xoxox xox xoxox

Filia couldn't retrace her steps even if she tried. She knew she was at Amor Resort, but how she got to that particular building was a mystery to her. All she did was follow Zelas, dragging her feet. Filia's sense of place in the world didn't recover until she saw her bridesmaids near by, along with the guys, who were already dressed up in tuxedos. Xellos was there too, dressed as a groom should be, passing the time by throwing sarcastic comments around that annoyed Zelgadis and flew over Gourry's head. The murmurs of many voices beyond the opposite wall told of a gathered crowd, which Filia concluded were the guests.

Filia finally realized that she was in a structure attached to the back of the temple where the wedding would take place, performed by Sylphiel and made official by the authority of Seyruun royalty. She went over to Xellos, who seemed to be perfectly calm, as if this was just another ordinary day, while Filia was a nervous wreck. "Is everything ready?" She asked, barely finding her voice. "Where are the rings?" She remembered she had not seen the wedding bands yet and those were usually present at weddings, unless of course, Zelas happened to decide they were unnecessary.

Xellos attributed Filia's nerves to the approaching ceremony and didn't think there was anything more to it than that. At least until he saw that lost look in her eyes that screamed of guilt. She didn't seem to want to directly address what was bothering her at the moment though. "The best man has them."

Filia nodded automatically, then paused, glancing around for anyone in the back room holding wedding rings. "Where's the best man?" She stopped again, coming to another realization. "Who is the best man?"

From the lamp above their heads, little Val flew down from his perch and landed on Filia's shoulder as Xellos replied to her question by pointing at the small dragon and stating what had become obvious, "there."

The little ancient dragon had a pair of chewed up wedding bands in his mouth. "Val, sweetie, give the rings to mommy." Val spat out the rings, but his miniscule yet strong jaws and tiny yet sharp growing fangs, had already twisted the valuable gold into something unidentifiable. The purer the gold the softer it was. "Can somebody fix these?" She held out the mashed up rings, giving Xellos a quick glare as soon as she noticed his amused look. He must have known Val would chew up the wedding bands.

"Don't worry, Miss Filia, we'll take care of everything," Amelia graciously offered, taking the near shapeless gold from Filia's hands.

"Enough stalling, your dress is in there," Zelas pointed at an adjacent door which led to a smaller changing room. Filia took a deep breath and bravely marched towards the door, mentally prepared to see something horrifying behind it. While Filia was changing, Zelas waved her hand in the air dismissively. "Finish the last few preparations and take your places everyone. I'm going to change into my dress," never mind that she could do so instantly is she so wished it. "Xellos, I'll see you at the entrance to throw you away or whatever you call that strange tradition that I'll have to take care of in Bazard's place because he's so very dead." Zelas knew all too well that Filia could hear her just fine through the thin door of the changing room. With that final mocking comment in place, she faded to the astral side.

Meanwhile, inside the adjacent small room, Filia found herself staring at the dress she was supposed to wear. It was dark purple, but she should have seen that coming since Zelas did mention it. She examined it carefully and found that it was in perfect conditions and did not look like it would fall apart, or itch, or otherwise malfunction. She ran her fingers on the soft fabric, this was too easy and she was very suspicious. With as much courage as she could muster, Filia began to put on the dress, trying to figure out what the catch was. The answer soon arrived.

Despite the dress being strapless, Filia wasn't worried that it would fall off; it was far too tight for that. What she was worried about was being able to breathe while wearing it. Her back was bare, the top only covering the front, ending below her shoulders. How in the world could a bareback dress hug her torso so closely was beyond the laws of physics. Perhaps the fabric was enchanted to be form fitting, or form squishing. The skirt finally became loose at the hips, flowing to the floor in a way that made Filia worry she would trip over it, or be somehow made to trip over it.

Straining not to asphyxiate, Filia exited the changing room and found that only Zelas was left there, in her pretty diamond covered white gown, because she just had to be the center of attention. The monster lord's hair was also completely silver now and elegantly shiny. "Isn't this dress a little too tight?" Filia inquired in the most inoffensive tone she could push her voice into.

"Nah, you're just fat," Zelas chirped with an infuriating amount of cheer. Filia felt her eye twitch. Xellos was definitely his mother's son, or monster lord's minion or whatever. Filia hated when the similarities between them shone through, it made it feel nonsensical to be so in love with Xellos and detest Zelas so strongly, but what was she supposed to do? Let it all go? She couldn't, not after seeing Milgazia again and being reminded of her race's suffering.

To be Continued

Memphis is from the Slayers novels.