Little Monster

"Come back here!" Lina screams at a small child who is currently running down the halls of the Seyruun palace. Servants and guards dash aside as the little speed demon runs past them, clutching his large hood around his head as he does so. The boy keeps running as fast as he can, even though his large clothes nearly make it impossible for him to remain upright.

"Please, let us help you," Amelia calls as she turns a corner in front of the boy. Her face is flushed with exertion and her dress is a mess of loose fabric.

Startled, the little boy stumbles to the ground, quickly sliding across the slick tiled floor. Not one to give up, the boy quickly takes advantage of his blunder and slides between Amelia's legs and under her lavish pink dress.

Amelia does not scream, but her shock is clear enough.

In no time at all the boy is once again on his feet and dashes off again, but not before losing his cloak from his trick. Purple hair and pointed ears can now easily be seen, but he does not go back for the cloak. The boy keeps going, tugging at his large pants. As the child runs, he begins desperately shouting someone's name.

"Lord Rezos! Lord Rezos! Where'r yous!" the boy calls in panic.

Amelia clutches her dress close to her legs as a huffing Lina comes to her side. "I don't care anymore," Lina croaks. "I am no longer going easy on him."

Before Amelia can proclaim the injustice of harming an innocent boy, she is thankfully interrupted. Somewhere down the hall a young maid screams. "Monster!"

With new found vigor the two girls follow the source of the scream.

There, in the next hall over, they see a shocked young maid staring at the little boy. She has just been bowled into as is evident by the clean laundry littered around her and the child. The maid's momentary shock has disappeared by the time Lina and Amelia are standing at the far end of the hall. Instead the woman appears to be concerned as the little 'monster' in front of her begins to hold back tiny tears.

His eyes become big and he seemingly shivers as a buildup of emotions racks his tiny body.

Forgetting her momentary fears the maid bends down in front of the boy, trying to sooth him. "I'm so sorry little one, I didn't mean it. You only startled me that's all."

Before Lina and Amelia can reach them, Gourry appears from the other room having heard the maids cry. Carefully he comes to the boy's side. "What's wrong little boy are you lost," Gourry says as he gently kneels and comfortingly pats the boy on the left shoulder.

Biting his lip in a failing attempt to keep himself from crying, the little boy looks at Gourry with blurry eyes. The child is no more than five years old at most.

Not knowing what else to do, the child reaches forwards and hides under Gourry's hunched form. Still, he refuses to cry. "Lord Rezo, Where's he," the boy wheezes out.

"Oh, Mister Zelgadis," Amelia says in a mere whisper. By this time both girls have made it to the laundry mishap and their little charge. Neither really knows what to do now that they are here.

"I cannot believe that he actually did this to himself," Lina whines. "He is going to really get it when this . . . (she makes a face) 'thing' wears off." While Lina may be frustrated beyond belief she is not about to let her flustered anger out on a five year old.

Earlier this day, Zelgadis attempts another cure for himself, without telling his companions about it. He was trying a variation of the time spell Rezo recorded in his journals, some of which are kept in the Seyruun library. The plan was to turn back the clock to a time when he was human, but obviously it didn't work.

And so Lina, Princess Amelia, and Gourry are now left to sort out the consequences of Zelgadis's action. Lina and Gourry were actually visiting in order to possibly get some extra cash from the princess. Instead they have this to deal with and they do not even have the foggiest idea concerning what Zelgadis has done to himself.

"What's your name little 'fella," Gourry says.

The boy does not respond.

Trying to be of more comfort, the swordsman begins to pat Zelgadis's purple head. The swordsman is not expecting the sharp spiky hair waiting for his reassuring hand and winces in slight pain. Zelgadis looks up in confusion at Gourry, but the stupid man continues to pat Zelgadis's head with more care on his part.

Silently, Amelia casts a healing spell on Gourry's hands, careful not to let the sensitive blue boy take notice.

Again, Gourry asks Zelgadis for his name. Lina gnaws her teeth as she holds back the blunt of her annoyance. "It's Zelgadis, Gourry."

"Really, your name is Zelgadis?"

The boy nods slowly.

"I have a good friend of mine named Zelgadis too!"

Both girls fall to the floor in embarrassment and shock. The maid sweats uneasily; even she knows who Zelgadis is.

Lina is no longer able to contain herself. "That's it!" Lina slaps a pink slipper roughly over Gourry's head successfully causing the man to pass out. Pink squids and drumsticks fly around his dazed head.

Now knowing what true fear is, Zelgadis gasps at the sight. The comforting mans demise came so quickly and seemingly out of nowhere for the boy. The cute chimera child quickly runs away from Lina screaming in terror.

"Monster!" Zelgadis screams.

The red head girl lets the pink slipper drop from her hand as she watches the boy run; a blank expression on her face.

Glaring at Lina, a disappointed princess puts her hands on her hips and begins to tap her foot aggressively.

"Oops," Lina says softly.

The End