"Mister Zelgadis! I'm hot." They were on the road again and actually making good time. The sun was just beginning to set over the treetops, coloring them golden. "And itchy... and dusty... I would swear allegiance to Ruby Eye Shabranigdo for a nice bath and clean clothing."
Zelgadis stopped. "Well, what would you have me do, Amelia? Cut off my arm so you can change?"
"Don't be an idiot, Mister Zelgadis. I think I have an idea... just find up a campsite near a pond or something."
The two stopped to camp near a clearing. A stream was flowing right next to it, with a waterfall and deep pool a short walk from it -- in other words, just like every other campsite one or more of the Slayers cast, and every other band of traveling heroes, has camped in. Zel began to gather firewood with his free hand. "Amelia, help me out here by clearing a spot for the fire."
"Mister Zelgadis..." Amelia tried to drag him towards the stream.
"Let's get camp set up first," Zel told her. The two finished setting up a campfire, ready to light, and spreading out their sleeping rolls.
"Now?" Amelia asked. Zel nodded and let her lead him to the shore of the pool. "I'd take off your shoes and roll up your pant legs, if I were you, Mister Zelgadis."
Zel sat down on the bank and began to pull off his shoes. "What exactly do you have planned, Amelia?"
"Well..." she hesitated, blushing a bit, "remember breakfast today?"
"Yeah... so?"
"Then just do exactly as I say, Mister Zelgadis." She moved their clasped hands to the nape of her neck, then freed her hand, leaving his resting on her neck. She stretched her now-free hands. "That feels so good..."
"Now what?"
"Now you close your eyes."
"Why?" Zel asked. "We're in the middle of the woods, off the road, surrounded by wild beasts! And, knowing our luck, even though Lina's not here, probably bandits, mazoku and all kinds of creatures from the depths of Hell are just waiting for us to turn our backs or go to sleep! So why should I let my guard down by closing my eyes?"
"Because I need to take off my clothing to bathe." Amelia's voice was calm and level, and the only clue to her awkwardness was the deepening blush on her face. "Unless you want to see me naked, close your eyes, Mister Zelgadis."
"Oh." Zel closed his eyes anyway. He heard the soft rustling of cloth. After about a minute, he felt Amelia take his hand again, bringing it back down to his side.
"Sorry, Mister Zelgadis." she said sheepishly. "I have to get this over my head and you're in the way."
"Not a problem. Just warn me when you're getting in the water, okay?"
More rustling cloth. "Okay, Mister Zelgadis. I'm getting in. Take about two steps forward, then step down. And could you hold my clothing for me?" She placed a bundle in his free hand. Zel took it, trying not to think about what some of the things he was handling were. Then he tried not to think about what he would see if he were to open his eyes. Eventually, Zel just sighed and let himself indulge in his fantasies, which were omitted as the author's 13-year-old brother knows her screen name. But, back to the story...
"The water feels so good, Mister Zelgadis!"
Zel thought the water was freezing and he was sure he felt something try to nibble on his toes before swimming off to contemplate a life without solid food. "It feels great, Amelia."
Amelia gave a very relaxed sigh. Zel heard a few splashes. "You know, Mister Zelgadis, you should take a bath after me. You're starting to smell a bit."
"I don't get BO, Amelia. One of the benefits of being a chimera."
"Well, I barely notice it... and actually, it's kind of a nice smell," Amelia used her diplomacy, a word that is synonymous with the little white lie.
"Well, well, isn't this a cozy situation?" a very familiar voice said smoothly.
"Xellos! What the hell are you doing here?" Zel balled his free hand into a fist.
"Mister Xellos! It is very unjust to peek on an innocent young maiden while she's bathing!" Zel felt his arm get yanked on as Amelia tried to preserve her modesty by covering herself with her arms.
"Note my eyes are completely closed, Miss Amelia," Xellos said. "I would check on your boyfriend, though. Considering where an 'innocent young maiden' such as yourself positioned his hand, I wouldn't be surprised if he should take a peek." Amelia quickly dropped the hand Zel was holding back to her side. Zel, for his part, breathed a sigh of relief -- he had noticed rather quickly where his hand had ended up, and he had been trying not to do anything Gourry-like like comment or touch or something.
"Mister Xellos! How dare you accuse a gentleman like Mister Zelgadis of peeking!"
"Gentleman?" Xellos said, sounding perplexed. "Are we talking about the same Zelgadis Graywords?"
"How dare you!" Amelia was descending into a Filia-style mazoku-induced rage. "In the name of Justice, I will defend Mister Zelgadis from your slanderous accusations. Visfarank!"
Amelia started running after Xellos, yelling about how she was going to punish him with her Fists of Justice. Zel tried to 1) keep up with Amelia 2) not trip and 3) not open his eyes -- which is about as hard to do as it sounds. Xellos, for his part, seemed to be having a grand old time, leading Amelia in a wild goose chase all over the stream.
Eventually, the inevitable happened: Zel tripped and fell on his face, and Amelia had to scramble to avoid being knocked over and pinned to the ground by several hundred pounds of chimera, breaking the concentration on her spell. Luckily for Zel, they were near the shore and, instead of sinking to the bottom, all he suffered for his fall was a few mouthfuls of water.
"Well, I think I'll leave you two alone," Xellos said smugly. "You know how I feel about love... and the emotions accompanying actions associated with it. Besides, I owe Sailoon an explanation, if only for the wonderful ice cream they make. Goodbye!" Xellos disappeared.
"Mister Zelgadis, are you okay?" Amelia bent down to check on him.
Zel managed to pull himself up into a sitting position, coughing up some of the water he had swallowed. He looked at Amelia. "I just tripped." Both of them realized at the same time that Amelia wasn't wearing her clothing. Both turned identical shades of crimson. Zel reached towards his collar and undid the clasp on his cloak.
"Mister Zelgadis..." Amelia said uncertainly.
Zel removed his cloak and draped it over her shoulders. "Here," he then reached down and pulled out what looked like a pile of wet rags. It was Amelia's dress. "You said you brought a change of clothing. Looks like you'll need it."
"You better change too, Mister Zelgadis," Amelia pulled the cloak tightly around herself. "You'll catch cold if you stay in those wet things. Well, unless you want to bathe as well?"
"I'm wet enough as is. Besides, knowing my luck, Xellos will show up again and start making comments about how far down the rocks really go."
"Um... Mister Zelgadis... out of curiosity, how far down do they go?" Amelia looked completely serious and innocent, except for a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
Zel didn't answer verbally. Instead, he balanced on his left foot, while holding the right one up for Amelia's inspection.
The two managed to change without incident. Zel got the fire started and they cooked and ate dinner, setting their wet clothing by the fire to dry while they slept. As they settled down to sleep, Amelia asked, "Mister Zelgadis?"
"Yeah, Amelia?"
"Do you think Mister Xellos will really tell Daddy about that?" It was an accident, after all. You didn't mean to open your eyes."
"We're probably safe. Well, at least until we get back to Sailoon. Why do it now when you can wait until I'm within Pacifist Crushing distance?"
"I'll try to explain things to Daddy beforehand. It was my fault, after all. I was the one who wanted to take a bath, and I hate to see you get in trouble with Daddy for that."
"Thanks, Amelia." After a few moments of silence, he added. "We'll probably make Xoana by midmorning tomorrow. Then we can have a word with Martina about this."
"Yes... Good night, Mister Zelgadis."
"Night, Amelia."