Disclaimer: I do not own "Slayers" or any of its characters, nor do I wish to make a profit from this.

Author's Note: On livejournal, I have taken the "15 Hugs Challenge." Basically, there are 15 themes and I pick a couple to write for each theme and each one must have some hug (physical, metaphor, symbolical, etc...) So, I'm going to write drabbles with Zel and Amelia. Anyway here's the first one.

Teddy Prize

The streets were filled with shouts of laughter. Crowds cluttered and filled the streets. Zelgadis felt like he was in a beehive with swarms buzzing around his ears. He wasn't afraid to let loose a displeased growl.

He hated crowds! They were loud and people would always stare at him!

Zelgadis craved to sneaking into a dark corner and hiding out for the rest of the night.

"Why are we here?"

Lina rolled her eyes as she was chewing some of her fresh taffy. "It's a festival, Zel! Lighten up!"

Amelia tried to offer a comforting smile. She was loving this, but the princess didn't like her friend having the same expression as a wet cat. "It will be fun Mr. Zelgadis! A lot of these games have prizes!"

"Unless it's a cure for my curse, I don't care."

"Come on Zel!" Gourry replied, muching on his cotton candy. "Just give it a chance! They have great food here!"

With excitement burning in his eyes like wild fire, Gourry turned to Lina. "What should we buy next?"

Lina clapped her hands like she just found a enormous pile of gold. "Oh! Onion rings would be good! Then some candy apples! Some ice cream and then..."

Just then, a booming voice cut her off. "Step right up folks and win a teddy bear!"

A short man wearing the world's ugliest bow-tie was yelling and waving his cane around like it was a magic wand to lure in more customers.

The small man spotted the group and winked. "How about you two fine gentlemen! Wanna win a cute bear for your sweethearts!"

Zelgadis and Amelia blushed deeply. Lina tried to avert her gaze in the opposite direction.

Gourry shrugged. "Sure."

"Gourry!"

"What? Don't you want a teddy bear Lina? I thought you might like one."

Lina was tongued tied. "Well...yeah ...I guess..."

"Okay!" Gourry handed his cotton candy to her. "Don't eat it."

The swordsman paid the man, picked up the three balls and accurately slammed them at the three piles of cans. Gourry grinned. That was too easy!

"We have a winner!" The small man announced.

Gourry looked back to Lina. "Which teddy do you want?"

Lina stepped up and thought hard. "Not sure..."

Meanwhile, the small man looked to Zelgadis. "How about you sir?"

Zelgadis said nothing. This was stupid! It was just a silly cheap toy...

" ...I...would really like a teddy bear..."Amelia said quitely.

The chimera glanced down. Amelai held her hands together pleading with the most heartbreaking puppy-eyed look he'd ever seen.

Zelgadis sighed. No force could defeat the power of the puppy-eyes! The things he had to go through... Why did Amelia have to look so cute!

"I'll do it."

He stepped up and paid the man. Then he calculated and concluded the best choice of action was to pretend the cans were Xellos. It was impossible to miss.

"We have another winner!"

The chimera turned around as Amelia choose her teddy bear.

"That was pointless." Zel muttered to Gourry.

The swordsman barely heard him. "I think Lina ate some of my cotton candy."

"Amelia what kind of bear is that!" Lina suddenly yelled.

"What's the matter? He's cute!" Amelia replied.

Zelgadis looked back. His jaw dropped down to his toes.

Lina held a yellow teddy bear that was holding a tiny sword in its paws.

Amelia, however, chose a teddy that was quite unusual by plushie standards.

The teddy bear was light blue with dark blue spots covering its entire body. It wore a small cape with a little red stone as its clasp.

Lina continued to argue. "It's weird! Who would want a bear like that!"

"I don't care!" Amelia hugged the toy like it was her new best friend. "I love him!"

Zelgadis never blushed so hard in his life.

Gourry scratched his head. "I don't know why, but those teddy bears remind me of someone."