Zelgadis paced back and forth, impatience written all over his face. "What's taking so long? Shouldn't they be done by now?"

Gourry just shrugged and leaned back into his spot against the wall.

"Umm, if I may?" Dorel cringed as Zelgadis glared at him. If he hadn't been tied up, he'd have made a break for it a long time ago. "I'm sorry, but this was all an experiment. There's no definite time for when things should happen or not. To even hope to attain such a thing would re-"

Zelgadis stuffed a gag in Dorel's mouth. "Okay, I get it! You talk too much.." Zelgadis resumed his pacing, ignoring the muffled complaining coming from Dorel. He paused when he heard talking, turning his full attention when the door finally opened.

Lina poked her head out. "Oh, wow, you guys are actually awake. Either we didn't take long enough, or someone was anxious." She winked at Zelgadis, who could only balk in response. "Uh huh, just as I thought." Lina jumped as if she'd been poked, withdrawing her head back into the room.

"Miss Lina, don't tease him. Let's just leave this place, please." Amelia's voice was easy to hear, then the girl in question pushed through the doorway again. She paused a moment to study the small group before her, before launching herself at Zelgadis!

Zelgadis caught her easily enough, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face as he found himself caught up in a hug. "What's this for?"

Amelia beamed back up at him. "It's just something I've wanted to do for a while."

Zelgadis studied Amelia for a moment, finally noticing her hair was still white. He took some of her hair in his hand and rubbed it between his fingers, staring at it in curiosity.

"Oh, yeah. That." Lina coughed, doing her best not to comment on the current situation. "Dorel, what's the deal with Amelia's hair?"

"Hey, it looks like your hair when you overdo things, Lina." Gourry commented, also curious.

"Yeah, but she's not been using magic for a while, at least that I'm aware of." Lina quirked a brow at Amelia, who shook her head in reply. "That's what I thought. So Dorel, out with it. What's the deal?"

Lina turned to the man in question when she didn't get a response. "Okay, who gagged the crazy?" Lina reached out and yanked the gag out of Dorel's mouth.

"Thank you, Miss Inverse." Dorel spit leftover gag from his mouth. "As to your question, it's a simple thing, really. White fur, or hair if you prefer, does not produce pigment, pigment being what gives color, you see. So, seeing as she's not been needing to produce pigment these past few months, it's easy enough to see why her hair is still white, even after driving out the unwanted elements from her system." Dorel grinned, looking pleased with himself.

Lina just looked at Dorel. "...is this why you guys gagged him?" Zelgadis and Gourry nodded in reply. "You do talk too much, Dorel! So, what you're saying is that she has white hair because she's not been needing color?"

Dorel just nodded, noticing Lina holding the gag threateningly.

"It's not permanent?" Zelgadis couldn't help but glare at Dorel again.

"Uh, it shouldn't be, no." Dorel looked like he wanted to say more, but he bit his tongue.

"All things considered, I don't mind having white hair for a while, over everything else I had to deal with." Amelia couldn't help but poke at her canines again, just to make sure they were indeed back to normal.

Lina smirked. "And all things considered, it's nice for someone else to look like an old lady, eh, Amelia?"

Amelia blushed. "You still remember that?"

"How could I forget?" Lina frowned. "I'm far too young to look like that!"

"At ease, Lina, at ease. Didn't you want to get out of here?" Gourry tried to subdue her before she caused needless destruction.

"Miss Lina, what are we going to do with Mister Dorel?" Amelia had finally released her hold on Zelgadis, but she remained close by. She glanced over at the man in question.

Lina cupped an elbow in one hand while she tapped her chin with a finger. "Good question... No way can we leave him here to his own devices. Hmm..." A large grin spread across Lina's face. "Say Dorel, what do you think of Atlas City?"

"Uh, it's the magic capital of the world?" Dorel looked nervous.

"Yes," Lina nodded, "so don't you think they'd love to have a man of your skill and expertise?"

"I think they'd lock him up sooner than anything." Zelgadis added in, crossing his arms as he grinned smugly.

Lina met Zelgadis' gaze and grinned more. "Exactly. But, they might let him continue his research if he stays on his best behavior."

"I, but, that's not fair!" Dorel fought against his bindings.

"I think it's very fair! Mister Dorel, you need to learn right and wrong in experimenting on unwilling subjects!" Amelia exclaimed. "I think it's a great idea, Miss Lina."

Lina nodded. "Well then, if we've nothing left to do here, let's go. No offense, but you need to clean more. This place reeks, Dorel." Lina made a face.

"Hey Lina, what about that?" Gourry pointed at Servee, who was doing his best to hide in a corner. "Should we take it?"

Lina glared down at the small creature, who returned a look of fear. Lina finally let out a sigh. "It's annoying, but I don't think it can do any real harm. I've a feeling Dorel would protest if we put the thing out of its misery anyway."

Dorel nodded. "Servee's been with me for a long time. Please, don't harm him!"

"Can you get him to behave?"

"Yes, yes, of course!"

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Life was going on as usual in the village, people working, people selling, people buying, so on and so forth. A stir began to go through the village. Someone was coming!

A small group of travelers entered the small village, with a rather put out man in tow. He had an odd little creature tied and bound on his shoulder, but other than that, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The villagers watched as the group made their way down the street, before stopping at the village leader's home.

Everyone crowded forward, curious about these visitors, but they were to be disappointed. The village leader let the group into his house, then shut the door. People hung around for a moment, before shuffling off to what they had been doing before.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"...so you see, Mister Esgrey, your troubles are over. We didn't slay your monsters, but we did make sure they or no others will ever cause you grief again." Lina tugged on the rope around Dorel to prove her point. "You however, won't get off so easy. Amelia?"

Amelia nodded and stepped forward. She cleared her throat, then with a deep breath..."Mister Esgrey, I came here to help with whatever troubles your village suffered, but you did me a horrible disservice. You could have prevented all of this if you had just stood up to Mister Dorel! What's more, if you had only said something to me about it, I could have stopped this! Instead you sent me off on my way with no warning whatsoever, and what's more, when I fell victim to Mister Dorel, instead of helping me, you and your village tried to kill me! Mister Esgrey, if you had a problem, why didn't you just say something?" Amelia placed her hands on her hips and shot Esgrey and indignant look.

Zelgadis stepped up to stand next to Amelia. "You realize she did you no wrong in all of this, even with the treatment you gave her. She even saved your own daughter's life, and how did you repay it? If I hadn't learned anything from this, you would be dead where you stand."

Esgrey could only gulp. He recognized the look in Zelgadis' eyes and was still fearing for his life. He finally dropped to his knees and held his hands up in a pleading gesture. "I...I cannot even begin to apologize... We've had strange monsters terrorizing us for years now. We didn't know exactly who was making them, only that any time we sent someone to find out, they never returned. I feared for my people..for my daughter."

"Where is Rose?" Lina asked, her features softening somewhat.

"She's...she's in her room. She's still not fully recovered from when she was attacked." Esgrey glanced at Zelgadis and Amelia, but quickly averted his gaze.

Amelia nodded her head. "Please, Mister Esgrey, will you call her down?"

Esgrey looked at Amelia with a curious expression, but did as he was asked. Rose entered into the room, still hobbling slightly. She looked up at her father, nervous to be around so many people.

"Don't worry Rose, you're not in trouble." Lina smiled. "Come here." Lina held her hands out to the smaller girl, who nodded and approached Lina before taking her hand. Lina knelt down and whispered in her ear as she escorted the girl to Amelia's side. Rose looked from Lina to Amelia, not sure, but with some prodding from Lina she finally stood next to Amelia, who in turn knelt down.

"How is your leg, Rose? Does it still hurt?" Amelia spoke in a quiet tone.

Rose nodded.

"Here, let me see it. I can help."

Esgrey stepped forward in concern, but Lina placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not done with you yet. Don't worry about your daughter, Amelia's one of the best."

Aside from Lina still grilling Esgrey silently in a corner, everyone watched in silence as Amelia tended to Rose's leg. Amelia frowned as she felt for the original break in the bone. "This hasn't healed well, that's why it still causes you pain. Rose, this will hurt, but only for a moment. Can you handle that?"

Rose nodded, but bit her lip.

Amelia cast a healing spell and reset the bone. Rose let out a cry, but stopped as soon as she had started and looked up at Amelia in wonder.

"It...it doesn't hurt?"

Amelia smiled at the girl then stood up, holding out a hand to help Rose up.

Rose stood on her leg, staring down at it in wonder. She finally tried jumping up and down, again marveling at feeling no pain. "It doesn't hurt! Thank you!"

Amelia knelt down to be at eye level again. "No, thank you, Rose. Without your help none of this could have been possible."

Rose looked at Amelia in confusion, but if what Lina had said was true... She studied Amelia for a moment. "...kitty?"

Amelia nodded. "You are a wonderful little girl, Rose. You looked past what you saw to see what was inside. If you hadn't helped Mister Zelgadis and me, we wouldn't have survived the winter. Never lose that, Rose."

Rose nodded, then gave Amelia a hug. Amelia returned the hug, then got back on her feet. She nudged Zelgadis in the side.

Zelgadis sighed. "Sorry I scared you before." He frowned, hating having to apologize.

Rose looked up at Zelgadis and nodded, but then dashed off back to her father. Zelgadis gave a sigh.

Amelia smiled back. "Thank you, Mister Zelgadis, it means a lot to me."

"Hey, Lina, we're done over here." Gourry called out across the room, stopping Lina from her lecture.

Lina nodded at Gourry, finishing up what she had been saying. "So, are we agreed?" Esgrey nodded, causing Lina to nod in turn. "Good! I don't want to have to come up here ever again if I can help it, understand? If you have a problem come up, nip it in the bud. Okay, nice to see we're agreed on that."

Lina stepped away from Esgrey. "Okay gang, are we out of here?"

"Yeah!" Gourry cheered, the others not far behind. Dorel just silently cursed his fate.

"Excellent! Esgrey, it's been a...an experience I'd not soon repeat. Good luck." Lina gave a small wave. "It was nice to meet you, Rose." Lina smiled, then ushered her group back out the door and out of the village.

"So what now, Lina?" Gourry asked.

"Well, first thing first, we need to ditch Dorel in Atlas," Lina again tugged on Dorel's bindings to make sure he kept up, "then after that...I have no plans whatsoever. What about you two?" Lina glanced back at Zelgadis and Amelia.

Zelgadis shrugged, instead delighting on the feel of the sun on his skin. "I don't know. I don't really have any reason to be constantly traveling now. Maybe I could go settle down somewhere..."

"Seyruun?" Gourry asked.

Zelgadis sputtered. "What?"

Gourry stopped and looked at Zelgadis. "Well, isn't it only right? I mean, you and Amelia have been sleeping with each other for a while now, haven't you?"

"..." Zelgadis couldn't say anything.

"..." Amelia was also speechless, and turning an interesting shade of red.

"Gourry!!" Lina bonked her companion on the head. "How could you say something like that?!"

Gourry tried to shield his head from more punishment. "But Lina, it's true! They shared that cave, right? They had to sleep in the same room!"

Zelgadis coughed. "There is that..."

"But, but nothing happened between us, honest!" Amelia was getting very flustered. "Oh, I wasn't even thinking! Daddy's going to kill me! ..oh, Daddy!" Amelia gasped.

"What's wrong, Amelia?" Lina asked.

"I haven't written home in months! Daddy's going to fear the worst! Oh, I am so dead when he finds me..." Amelia pulled at her hair.

"Don't fret yet, Amelia, just tell him the truth." Lina grinned.

"The truth?" Amelia looked at Lina for an explanation.

"Sure. Just tell him you couldn't write home because you were undercover. You had to help bring a horrible man to justice. Isn't that right, Dorel?" Lina winked and jerked on Dorel's bindings again, but the man just sighed.

Amelia looked at Lina in awe. "You're right...you're absolutely right! And I couldn't write to him sooner because it would have blown my cover. Miss Lina, you're a genius!"

"I know," Lina grinned, "but it's always nice to hear it from another source. Now we just need to sort out this sleeping together thing..."

"Miss Lina, it wasn't like that at all..." Amelia frowned, but stopped when she felt a hand grip hers. She looked up to see Zelgadis smiling at her.

"That's what you say, but I've seen how you two act around each other. You can't hide it forever."

"Oh, look who's talking!"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

The gang disappeared down the road, content to be out on the road once more, but also to be in the company of friends. A din could be heard for a while after they disappeared out of sight, but eventually they were lost to the wind...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

A young woman walked through the forest as she searched for food to take back home. As she searched for a berry bush, something twinkled in the brush below. Curious, the young woman knelt in the dirt, digging around until she uncovered what had caught her eye. She studied the odd piece of metal as she brushed caked dirt from it. A serpent coiled around a family crest looked back at her.

"This is...but that would mean..."

The young woman stared down at the crest in disbelief, but then a smile graced her features. She would have to be sure to return the crest when her time came to venture into the world.

The...end?

Author's Notes: Wow, I finally finished this thing! For something coming from such a basic idea, this story really did become a monster. It's hard to believe it's all over...

Thanks is due first and foremost to Raven Summersong, who gave me the courage to write this in the first place. Where ever you've gotten off to, I hope you find nothing but happiness. It was fun to conspire.

Also, thanks again to Nimrosette, who did a good job of keeping this straight back when I was still beating out the initial story. I think you're the best story proof reader I could ever ask for.

Thanks also goes out to DQBunny, Maddy, EarthstarChan, Snapdragon, and many others who offered up reviews when I initially posted this on my Live Journal. Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I'd not have finished this without the guilt you gave me.

Last, but not least, thanks goes out to everyone who reviewed here. I was overjoyed to find reviewers who thought, and gave constructive criticism. I think it's been more joy reading them than writing this silly story.

As to the story itself, yes, that is in fact the end. I hate making things final, so I left it very open-ended with the ending (and yes, that was an older Rose we saw at the end). I never explained it in the story, but Amelia did lose her family crest when Zelgadis originally knocked her to the ground.

Also, the old lady comment... In Slayers Wonderful there's an optional part in the game where Lina gets kidnapped and the group later finds her in a lab, but her magic's been drained from her so her hair is white. Amelia freaks and yells, "Miss Lina looks like an old lady!", so I had to work that back into this story. (Lina makes a full recovery in the game, so she only had the white hair for a short time.)

And wow...that's it. Thanks again for sticking with me. I know it's taken a lot longer than I would have liked, but I guess that's college life for you. (It has a way of sapping away free time and creativity.) I don't know if I'll be writing anything else for a while, but I'm not leaving this site any time soon. What with the school schedule, I'll just be going back to being a reader/reviewer. That's not to say I'll never write again. Should the inspiration hit, you'll be seeing me again.

Thanks again guys, it's been an adventure.

-Ichiban Victory