In My Pocket

Among the many muted faces
you try to find me in the spaces
your drawn to my song
you only move to keep from sinking
you close your eyes as if your thinking
afraid all along
that in my eyes
your revealing
you'll find what your needing


	Zelgadis felt like he was laying down, then his body was stifly 
pulled up. He could hear the luring music in the background and 
forced his eyes to open, looking in shock apon the scene around him. 
It was incredible. How had he gotten here? When did the ball start 
anyhow? And who were all these strange people? 

	He was standing in a room with what must have been a hundred 
people. The palace ballroom, as it looked, was decked out in light colors, 
like the realm of the fairies, bright and airy. Material in pinks, 
whites and beiges were strung all around the room and glitter was falling 
everywhere lightly. The people were no different, everyone dressed in 
white and pinks and other very light and heavenly colors. They danced 
and swirled around and around the room over and over again, their long 
flowing dresses swishing in and out as the women were twirled around the 
ballroom. Zelgadis noticed another thing. Everyone had a mask on.


Nothing but pennies
In my pocket
Nothing but faith
To keep me warm
But, baby, then I'd
Be broke without 
Tell me, how much
For your love

	Looking down, Zelgadis realized he was wearing the same, white and 
the outfit looked to be what a prince would wear. He reached up to touch 
his face and realized that he too was wearing a mask, but pull as he may, 
it wouldn't come off. 
	
	Suddenly a shock of red hair, followed by blond went dancing 
by. The woman stopped and looked over at Zel as he stood clueless.
	
	"Zelgadis! How nice of you to come! The food was waiting earlier, 
but we ate it all. But don't worry, the cook has backup tonight, 
so he won't run out!" Lina smiled at Zelgadis as her and Gourry stood 
before him, now. Gourry was dressed like he was but had his sword 
still on his back and Lina was dressed in a beautiful Victorian white 
lacey gown that flowed out around her. Her hair was partially pulled 
back apon her head and strands twirled down about her face. 

	"We didn't think you would come, but here you are. Don't worry, 
your partner will come soon." Gourry said before sweeping Lina back 
up into his arms and dancing her back out into the crowd. 

	Zelgadis stared shocked. He had no idea what all this was about. 
And what did Gourry mean 'his partner'?


In my heart in 
your back pocket
all I've got to 
keep you warm
but baby don't leave 
me here without
tell me 
how much for your love


	A beautiful voice wafered to him and he realized that a song 
was starting by someone new. Her voice was soft and lilting. He felt 
drawn to it and heard her words. She knew that he was drawn to her song? 
How could she....no, it was just the song. Giving into his curiosity, he 
turned to look at the woman who's voice was entrancing him.

	Amelia? Her face too was covered delicatly by a mask of white, 
but it was her. There was no mistaking the hair and the eyes. Those 
big blue eyes that shone of innocence now had also a new glow in them. 
Knowlege. She had something that he needed to know. She sang to him 
as if the song itself could tell him all he needed to know. She stood 
on the stage, swaying, letting him know with her body and her voice.

	Everyone was dancing strangly to the beat now, rocking their 
bodies back and forth to the strong tune. They all had their eyes closed. 
All of them except Amelia. She looked directly at him as the beat took 
over the entire ballroom and everyone was throbbing their bodies to 
the irrisistable beat.


Hoping the melody
Will leave you
You walk to where
I might not see you
Reach out to the wind
Looking to catch it
For a minute
But just to hold it not be in it
I've been where you've been
'Cause somehow
I'm so afraid the
Love will reveal
What you're made of


	Zelgadis shook his head and backed away. What was she doing to him. 
Her arm lifted to reach her fingers out to him before coming back into 
her body. He could hear, no...feel the music all around him. The 
beat rocked his soul to his core. He could hear her words echoing in 
his mind and he pulled himself back, shocked when he heard her next 
verse. She knew.

	Rushing to a door on his right, the music followed Zelgadis 
as he rushed away from the ballroom. He opened the door only to find 
himself entering the ballroom yet again, but on the left. He moaned 
to himself as he reentered. He had to face this. That was the only way 
it was going to end, so he listened carefully. 

	Amelia's hands reached out to grab the 'wind' the song spoke of. 
Her voice was so beautiful and her words so true. Zelgadis then 
noticed that her suit was different. It was strange. Not at all like 
the others. She had on a white top that was tight and cut short to just 
above her navel and white pants that shone in the light with small 
glitter bits covering the material. It had a sliver glittering zipper 
on the top and sides of the pants. She wore no shoes as she stood on 
the white stage. Everything around her was so bright. Her mask was 
different from those the dancers and guests wore. It glittered as well 
and small feathers of white stuck out the sides.


Nothing but pennies
In my pocket
Nothing but faith
To keep me warm
But, baby, then I'd
Be broke without it
Tell me, how much
For your love


	As she moved, Zelgadis noticed that her body was covered in 
glitter as well. She sparkled like a star in the sky.

	Suddenly, Zelgadis was swept up in the crowd. He felt hands all 
over him and struggled to push them away, but there were more and more. 
They were pushing him around the floor, lifting his arms and spinning 
him until he was thrown gently into a wall at the side. Growling at 
the guests, Zelgadis started to charge them, but found a barrier bound 
him from leaving the space he was currently in.
		
	Looking toward the stage, Zelgadis saw Amelia shaking her finger 
at him as she danced to the beat of the song.  Calming down, he stood 
and decided to watch her for a while until he could find a way out 
of the barrier. Normally he would have done a spell, but he had a 
feeling that none of that would work and only succeed in making the 
situation even stranger than it already was.

	Amelia winked at him before turning back to the crowd. He 
had never seen dancing like this before. It was completely new 
to him. The people were swaying their hips in time to the beat and 
bouncing slightly. Heads were thrown back on many of them and their 
hands were in the air, their eyes closed tightly as they surrendered 
to the song.

My heart is in your pocket
all I've got to 
keep you warm
but baby don't leave 
me here without
tell me 
how much for your love


	An incredible beat took over then and the bodies moved in 
sycronized motions, hands thrown in the air, hips swaying. Amelia 
ran her left hand up her body and through her hair before throwing 
her head back to sigh, then pulled herself back and danced along with 
the others. The lightly started to flicker and different colors 
flashed throughout the room as the music became louder. More and 
more glitter started to fall and balloons soon were floating down from 
the ceiling. 
	
	The room had somehow taken on a darker color. Many of the guests 
were now in different apparell like Amelia. A group of people, including 
Gourry and Lina had started a line and were dancing around the other 
dancers. 

	Testing his luck, Zelgadis took a step forward and was suprised 
when he found the barrier gone. Looking back up to the stage, he watched 
Amelia move a bit longer and sing before moving closer around the dancers 
toward the stage. He stayed against the wall to avoid being pulled in 
again. Everyone seemed to be ignoring him though.

	Amelia suddenly looked over at him and smiled as she sang. She 
reached her hand up and took her mask off, throwing it to the crowd who 
were still wrapped up in dancing. Her face was smooth and a light peach 
color, with flushes of pink.  Listening to the song, he realized that 
it was coming to an end, thankfully, he thought.


'Cause somehow
I'm so afraid the
Love will reveal
What you're made of

	
	As the music ended, he watched as Amelia came down the stairs 
in the front of the stage. The crowd parted for her like waves on a 
sea and she made her way to him. That's when Zelgadis noticed that 
people were all around him. People he didn't recognize and people he 
vaguely remembered from different times in his life. People that 
were and weren't important.

	Amelia approached him and the music stopped completely, 
leaving the room in silence. The lights suddenly flashed off 
for only a second, but when they came back on, only he and Amelia 
stood there. He looked around quickly. Not a soul, but them were there, 
surrounded by party leftovers, cups, glitter, balloons and other various 
things. Everything was deathly silent. 

	He noticed then that Amelia was dressed differently. She 
wore a beautiful flowing white Victorian gown, not unlike Lina's. But 
it was more detailed, down to every bow, every sequin. She was truely a 
vision of an angel in it. She smiled up at him and he couldn't move. Not 
that he really wanted to, but he felt some force pulling his feet 
to stay his ground.

	He then watched as she softly reached up, hesitating, then 
gently tok the sides of his mask and lifted it easily off of his face. 
Her smile never leaving her face, she reached up and ran her soft hand 
down his cheek. He lifted his hand to hold hers and realized that the 
skin under her's was soft. In shock, he reached up and touched his face. 
Human! He looked amazed at Amelia who simply closed her eyes for a 
moment and nodded her head once before opening her eyes and speaking 
for the first time to him.


Nothing but pennies
In my pocket
Nothing but faith
To keep me warm
But, baby, then I'd
Be broke without it
Tell me, how much
For your love
 

	"Sometimes the hardest journies we make are not really here," 
she said gently running her fingers down his cheek to his chest, then 
rest her palm over his heart, "but here. Stop looking with your head, 
Zelgadis, and start looking with your heart. Only then will the real 
cure that you need come to you."

	A smile once again graced her lips before she and everything 
around them faded away.

***

	Sitting up in bed, sweat covering his forhead, Zelgadis took a 
moment to gather his thoughts. 'A dream. It was all a dream.'

	Reaching up, he touched his face, then grimaced as he 
realized he was still Chimera. After a moment, his hand drifted to 
his chest and he smiled gently for the first time in a long while. 
Remembering dream Amelia's words and the meaning behind his dream, 
Zelgadis lay back down, vowing that tomorrow, with the start of a new 
day, began a new journey. But this time, he knew exactly where he 
was going. Home...to his true cure.


END

Well? What did you think? PLEASE let me know! I love feedback. Noone 
hardly writes me! ARG! lol (sequal?)