The Other Side of the Dark

By: Morri

All copyright laws apply to the owners of Slayers and to me for my plot and original characters.

It Could Be Worse…And Probably Will Be

* DISCLAIMER* Warning! This is a very dark fanfic. It involves an alternate reality, death, violence, and is very much not the slapstick Slayers we're all used to. While it does retain a certain comic element, the core of the story is nothing if not creepy. It also retains my views on the couple situation, so there. If you don't like that, you don't have to read it. Otherwise, enjoy!

Zelgadis and Amelia made it back to Seyruun in record time. Upon their entrance to the palace, the pair immediately sought out Lina. During their flight home, Zelgadis and Amelia had discussed the bit of prophecy about Lina. Amelia had never heard of it before. Zelgadis however, was most profoundly disturbed. Were there two of Lina and two of Xellos?

Amelia briefly hugged her father, uncle, and grandfather. Then she hurtled upstairs like a rocket. "MISS LINA!" she yelled down the hall. She came to a dead halt just before her doorway, causing Zelgadis to run into her. There on the ground sat Xellos, weeping into the arms of a little old man. Xellos looked up suddenly and closed his eyes. The old man straightened up and went to shake Amelia's hand.

"You must be Princess Amelia. I'm Teicoh. Lina asked me to put wards on your castle to prevent unwanted intruders. Fortunately, I happen to know that it is not specifically your life that is in danger. At least, not anymore. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get to the castle's temple to set the protections in place. Xellos stood up from the floor, bowed to Teicoh and walked silently down the hall.

Lina nodded, "Yes, I have been listening. But if you think I actually care, that's another thing entirely."

Xellos' eyes narrowed and he grabbed her chin roughly. "Look Lina, this is of the utmost importance. You must conceive your child before your counterpart does. Otherwise, the dragons will win! And now that my father has gotten involved, Inverse and Gabriev know what they have to do. We cannot let them. Is that not the purpose of your distractions?"

Lina frowned, "Yeah, I know. But the prophecy says our son will bring peace. That means he's going to go against our wishes. I want no son of mine bringing peace. That's Prince Phil's job."

Xellos relaxed his grip on his wife's chin and looked into her eyes. "Darling, I know it concerns you, but you must also understand that if we lose, both of us will be destroyed along with the rest of the Monster race. You can read the prophecy as well as I. You know Gabriev's son will destroy a race," he said.

Lina frowned deeply again, "But the prophecy doesn't say which one. It could be the humans for all we know!"

Xellos nodded and sat down next to Lina on the bed. He leaned over an kissed her gently, "Still, it would be interesting to see what happens to the other Lina when we win."

Lina grinned evilly and kissed him back, "Yeah. I think I'd take her down pretty quick though. She's too nice to try a sneak attack or something like that."

Xellos's smile disappeared, "No, Lina. Don't ever underestimate your rival, she is just as powerful and devious as you are. The only difference is that you are a monster now."

Lina smiled, "Don't worry sweetheart. Now where were we?"

Lina dropped her gaze to her shoes, feeling uncomfortable under Gourry's stare. She knew she'd probably have to move first, but she still didn't feel all that comfortable with it yet. Gourry finally shifted his position. He stood up and walked toward the door. Lina, thinking that he'd gotten tired of waiting, rushed after him. She grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her.

Gourry's heart skipped a beat. Lina pulled herself up and planted a kiss firmly on his lips. Gourry pulled back quickly and looked at Lina. He breathed her name and kissed her back. Lina could feel herself melt in his arms. Her thoughts became rather muddled about then.

"Well then tell me who did say those things?" his master demanded again, hands on hips.

Xellos sat down in the chair across from his irate master. He sipped his coffee and frowned. "As a matter of fact. I believe I do know who said those things. Do you remember the prophecy about Lina? Well, we've discovered her doppelganger. She is the one behind all of this confusion. And if she's trying to prevent Gourry and Lina from having their son, then she must've been acting on orders from…my doppelganger. He was the one who lied to you master."

The Beast Master sighed. Her general/priest was much better at the finer points of… anything than she was. She thought it wiser to just let him handle it as he usually did. "Okay, Xellos. I want you to take care of this for me. I don't even want to think about another Lina running around out there."

Xellos bowed to the woman and turned to leave. But before he could take a step, his master said something else.

"Oh, and I'm glad to hear your father is helping you, dear one," she said sweetly. Xellos' blood froze and he tuned slowly to stare at his master. "Yes, Xellos, how did you ever forget that you had made a contract with your own father. Teicoh was certainly the feisty one when he was younger, wasn't he. What is he doing with himself these days?" Beast Master said thoughtfully; Xellos clenched his fists and snarled. He had some things to discuss with the imposter. The angry Monster waited to see if Zellas had anything else to say to him. When she said nothing more, Xellos teleported out of her study as quickly as he could.

"Hmmm…the strange part is, I don't ever remember seeing my father alive after the day I became a monster. I do remember that Teicoh was his name, but I don't remember ever making the pledge of immortality with him. Now, more importantly, Zelgadis, I need to know exactly what happened prior to Lina's trip to see the old man. It's been the real me since then. Leave nothing out. Every detail is crucial," Xellos mused.

Zelgadis sat down against the wall and began retelling the tale. He included all the things that the imposter said and all the things he'd done that were uncharacteristic of Xellos. Even as Zelgadis recounted the events of the past days, he cursed himself for not seeing the connection sooner. Everything was perfectly clear to him now. Somehow Xellos' look-alike had managed to make himself enough like the real Xellos to fool Lina, Amelia, Gourry, Phil, and everyone else. Zelgadis even said as much in his little narration.

"Everyone except me, that is," Teicoh said, coming up unheard.

"Are you the one that my master called my father?" Xellos asked, one eyebrow raised. Zelgadis crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

Teicoh smiled, "I knew something about that imposter wasn't right. He didn't act like my son ever had, even when he still remembered me. You remember me now, don't you Xellos?"

The monster's eyes widened, "How can you be alive if you're my father? I'm over a thousand years old!"

Teicoh smiled, "Come on, boy, are you that daft? How does any human live forever?"

Xellos gaped, open-mouthed for just a second before regaining his composure and answering, "The pledge of immortality. Which monster did you pledge with?"

Teicoh shook his head and looked at Zelgadis. Zelgadis took the cue and said, "Probably you, Xellos. You are his son after all."

Xellos thought back to the conversation he'd had with his master a little while ago and nodded, "Yes, I suppose you're right. Well, father, shall we go somewhere to catch up on old times?" Xellos' voice sounded casual even though Zelgadis knew it must be hard on him.

Teicoh held up his hand, "In a moment dear boy. First I must see to Lina and Gourry. They must be wed and soon. If I know Lina, she wouldn't let him touch her until then

"Miss Lina, Mister Gourry, what's going on here? Lina, why are you letting Mister Gourry kiss you?" she said innocently. "And why are you in my room…ohhhhh, I see!"

Lina and Gourry turned redder and hastily stepped away from one another. Amelia opened the door and let Zelgadis, Xellos, and Teicoh in.

"Well, what have you decided?" Teicoh asked, hands folded behind his back.

Lina and Gourry looked at each other and Gourry took Lina's hand. "We'll do whatever you think is best Master Teicoh," Gourry said firmly.

"Good, good, then come with me. I've set everything up for you in the Temple. All we need is a Priest," Teicoh said with a smile.

Lina was dumbfounded. Teicoh had not set up wards at all, simply set up for a wedding. That old man was definitely sneaky.

Xellos spoke up, "Well, Lina, I think that perhaps if you don't need my father for anything else, I'd like to take him out to lunch, you know, to catch up on the past thousand years."

"Your father? Teicoh is your father?" Lina asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes, indeed he is. I still don't remember taking the pledge of immortality with him, but even my master says I did. She can't be wrong about something like that!" Xellos shrugged.

Lina and Gourry were then herded off to the Temple to be married.

"Ah, Lina! Congratulations! I just heard the good news! Do you think you were faster than your doppelganger? I certainly hope so! I would hate for evil to win," the large man said jovially.

Lina's face twisted again and she ran back to the bathroom to soak some more. Phil had just talked about it like it was some race and she was just another horse to bet on.

Amelia came in a little while later while Lina was just drifting off again. "Miss Lina, why did you miss dinner?"

Lina sighed and got out of the bathtub. "Your dad was reminding me of some things I'd rather not be reminded of," she said, snapping on her cloak and magic amplifiers.

Amelia smiled knowingly. She led Lina down to the supper table and had the servants bring lots of food for her friend. Gourry peeked in the door a little while later and came to sit with the two girls.

"Why weren't you at dinner Lina? I missed you," Gourry said, taking a seat across from Lina. He smiled. She was even cute when she was stuffing her face.

"Sorry Gourry," Lina said, taking a drink to wash down the food. "I had just gotten ready to come to dinner when Phil started saying some disturbing things to me."

Gourry frowned, "What did he say?"

Lina sighed. Well the bathtub was always there for later. "He started talking about how maybe we beat the doppelgangers and stuff. It kinda made me sick to think that maybe this whole thing was someone's idea of a joke," Lina sighed.

Gourry reached across the table and took her hand, "I don't know about you, but so far, I'm not unhappy about how this whole mess turned out, are you?"

Lina smiled, "Yeah, I guess you're right Gourry. Even if we are being used, it doesn't mean we can't be happily married. Why just look at Martina and Zengalus. Who'd have ever thought they could be happy together, hmm?"

Gourry smiled at his wife, "That's the Lina I know, always looking on the good side."

Amelia sighed. Why couldn't her love life be this sweet and happy? Come to think of it, why couldn't she even have a love life?

TO BE CONTINUED…

BACK