If It's Not One Seyruun, It's Another
.
.
.
.
As the sun crested the horizon, Fillia leisurely soared above the snow and rock covered terrain with four now fur cloaked passengers in tow. Lina and Katibree had situated themselves near the base of the dragon's neck while the two sisters distanced themselves from dragon, half elf, and sorcery genius ears alike by settling near the base of the golden dragon's tail to engage in a hushed conversation under cover of the sounds of the whistling wind.
(K) "What are those two up to now I wonder?" Katibree, who was currently lounging behind Lina, wondered aloud. "Ever since we went back for the cloaks, all they've been doing is conspiring." She added before turning over on her side and propping herself up with an elbow to look over at the younger girl when she didn't get a response.
Seemingly oblivious to it all, the redhead merely gazed out at the passing scenery in silence as a golden light slowly made it's way across the darkened landscape causing night to sleepily give way to day.
The ex-assassin waited a moment longer for some sort of reply, but the sun-painted silhouette of the sorcery genius remained silent and motionless aside from her fiery mane, currently pulled back in a ponytail and trailing out along with the rustling wind. "Red...?" She tried again while giving the small of the sorceress's back a slight nudge to get her attention.
"Huh? Oh sorry about that Kat, guess I spaced a second there..." The young prodigy looked back to reply while rubbing her neck with a laugh as her brain played catch-up. "Who knows when it comes to those two right?" She added jokingly.
The mostly platinum haired warrior paused momentarily, trying to read her partner's decidedly odd demeanor, but failed to do so. "I suppose not, but never-mind that... How are you feeling?" She inquired with a quizzical look.
"Me? I'm good!" The sorcery genius quickly assured while flashing the older girl an easy smile. "Better than good actually." She added while placing her hands behind her head and carelessly dropping backward onto the half drow laying behind her, causing the warrior to grunt with the impact.
"'Better than good', huh?" The half elf wheezed/chuckled while shifting from her side to her back in order to better fill her unexpected new role as Lina's designated pillow.
"Yep, got a problem with that?" The redhead looked over to ask with a playful wink.
"Nope." Katibree replied as she brought up a hand to brush the sorceress's bangs back, briefly exposing the twin birthmarks underneath. "You do seem a bit loopy since we left the temple though." She added while giving the young prodigy's forehead a couple of light taps as if to emphasize her point.
"Loopy...?" Lina repeated as she looked up at the finger tapping her forehead while squinting an eye and wrinkling her nose cutely. "Maybe... I mean, ever since I stepped out of there, it's almost like the world's become a different place..." She finally decided to admit.
The half elf faulted at the odd statement. "...A different place?" She lifted her head slightly to inquire with a raised mostly platinum eyebrow.
"Not literally a different place of course, just... Ida know..." The fiery redhead tried to explain before trailing off a moment to try and find better words to express what she was feeling. "Lately things around me just seem to be changing in levels of... intensity?"
"...Huh." The ex-assassin acknowledged while dropping her head back onto Fillia's scaled hide in bemusement as she tried to imagine what Lina was describing.
"I mean, look at that sunrise; It's not like I haven't seen one before, but just for a few seconds... this one seemed different somehow." The young prodigy continued as her ruby colored gaze scanned the brightening horizon. "And earlier when you were trying to talk to me, I'm not sure how to explain it exactly but, it's almost like... It's almost like the air felt and smelled alive for a second, and then went back to normal..." She recalled while holding a white gloved hand up as she studied the glitter of the rising sun's rays playing across it's gold trim. "Weird, right?"
"That does sound unusual, I can definitely see why you've been so distracted..." Katibree mused while absently running her fingers through the tresses of the sorceresses' sizable ponytail now partially draped over her chest. "It certainly seems like whatever was in those tubes you were hooked up to back at the healing ward is giving you quite the...'experience' now."
"Experience... why do you say it like that?" Lina propped herself up on her elbows and looked over at the older girl to ask. "...Are you trying to say you think I'm stoned?"
"Hey you said it, not me." The mostly platinum haired warrior teased in reply to the accusatory look. "How do you know anything about a subject like that anyway...?"
The sorceress merely gave the ex-assassin another dubious look in response.
"I didn't mean anything by it, Red, I'm just curious." The half drow added lightly.
"...If I tell you, you can't laugh." Lina warned with a leery glare.
"Oh, this should be good." The half elf said while lifting her head slightly to work the hood of her fur cloak up and over it and shield her sensitive pointed ears from a particularly chilly passing draft of wind.
Still wary of Katibree's noncommittal response, Lina scrutinized the half drow a moment longer before finally just letting it go and agreeing to humor her. "Fine... where to start then?" She wondered while leaning back to settle her head against the older girl's stomach once more with a sigh as memories of home and her childhood came flooding back to her. "Alright, so the thing is my Pa- eh-hem." The young prodigy began to say before stopping to clear her throat with a slight blush.
"My father..." Lina corrected herself before continuing on."Well, he's always smoked tobacco for as long as I can remember (1.), and every time I would ask him about it, he would give me the same ol' tired lecture about how some things are only meant for adults, how kids shouldn't have any, and blah blah blah..." She continued with a roll of her eyes while twirling her pointer finger around with an unimpressed 'whooptie-doo' gesture.
"Anyway, sometimes when he got super busy while working the fields or doing something around the family store, he had this habit of stubbing out a smoke halfway through and setting it aside to finish later. And sometimes he'd forget that he already had a halfie sitting somewhere and would roll a fresh one and just go on with whatever it was he was doing... Soooo one day- - I think I must have been 9 or 10ish then; I got it in my head that I wanted to sneak and try one."
"Oh yeah? How was it?" Katibree asked with interest.
"Terrible." Lina admitted with a chuckle. "It made me really dizzy and I hacked and coughed like crazy; but I figured, if he was adult enough to do it, then so was I... And then I just sort of powered through the rest after that." She recalled while shaking her head with a little giggle. "The others I snuck after the first one weren't nearly as bad, but the taste sure never got any better."
"You never mentioned that you'd taken up smoking at one point, let alone 'stealth smoking'." The ex-assassin noted with genuine surprise.
"Stealth smoking, huh?" The redhead repeated with amusement. "Yeah well, whatever you wanna call it, it lasted all of about a week. Up until then, I would snag halfies here and there whenever I could, but the last time I did... let's just say things didn't go the way I expected..."
"Don't tell me you got caught." The half elf speculated with a disappointed expression.
"No way!" Lina quickly dismissed before pausing with an odd expression. "Well, now that I'm looking back at it..." Papa may look like the typical country bumpkin, but anyone who can hold his own against Ma all these years has gotta be pretty sharp. "Maybe." She finally conceded. "Either way, it's pretty much a moot point, because at the end of the day what happened, still happened."
"Fair enough."
"That being said, one thing I wasn't aware of at the time is that every once in a while my father would get a little... 'adventurous' with his choice of tobacco blends..." The now sweat-dropping sorcery genius continued to narrate more slowly. "So long story short, I took that last halfie to my usual spot to smoke it and hit the books, but a few minutes later..." The sorcery genius recalled before cutting off what she was saying as her designated half elven pillow began suspiciously trembling beneath her. "I can feel you laughing ya know." She accused with a single fang showing as her face reddened in embarrassment.
Katibree managed to choke back her mirth momentarily as Lina bolted upright and glared at her, but the thought of the redhead cluelessly stoned out of her mind was just too much and she burst out laughing before quickly clamping a hand over her mouth.
"Kat-i-breeeee...! What part of no laughing didn'tyouunderstand!?" The redhead exclaimed while gesturing angrily, which of course only made the half drow laugh all the harder.
"I'm...sorry... I just- - I just...can't..!" Katibree gasped between fits of hilarity while clutching her sides.
"It's not funny, Kat!" Lina insisted while giving the half elf an indignant shove even as she resisted the urge to laugh herself. It feels like It's been forever since I've seen Kat let go and really laugh like this, actually. She realized with her expression softening noticeably.
...I guess...A little humiliation every now and then isn't really all that big a deal. The redhead eventually decided before settling back against the mostly platinum haired warrior who had only partially regained her composure by this point. Not if it's the price I've gotta pay to see her happy. She added to herself with a little smile. "Yeah, yeah, yuck it up... Anyway, the point is, I'm pretty sure I'm not stoned."
"Alright... point taken..." The mostly platinum haired warrior sobered enough to agree while wiping a tear with a little sniff. "You were hooked up to those contraptions quite awhile ago anyway, but that does still leave the question of what this... altered sense of reality you're experiencing is all about." She added more seriously.
"True, but it doesn't seem harmful, and I'm assuming that whatever it is will eventually go away on it's own." The sorceress said with a dismissive shrug.
The ex-assassin propped herself up to give the smaller girl a skeptical look at this. "You don't think that whatever you're experiencing is drug induced, and have no other explanation, yet... you figure it'll just... 'go away on it's own'?
Hearing that tone she knew all to well, Lina looked over and immediately caught the doubtful expression on the half elf's face. "Uhaaaaa, would ya quit worrying already." She tilted her head back to groan."Did you forget that I just said I'm feeling better than good? I wasn't exaggerating you know."
"...Alright." Was all Katibree finally replied after an uncomfortably long pause.
The sorcery genius could tell that the older girl still wasn't convinced."...Do I sound or look unhealthy?" She persisted.
"No." The mostly platinum haired warrior admitted.
"That's because I feel outstanding." The fiery redhead deadpanned.
"...Ok." The ex-assassin answered again while looking away with a mild shrug.
Now she's just patronizing me. Lina grumbled to herself. "... Fine."
"Fine, what?" The half elf baited wryly.
"'Fine whaaaaa-aat?'." The redhead parroted sarcastically while reaching over and yanking the hood of the ex-assassin's fur cloak down over her eyes. "...If things get too weird, I'll double check with Fillia; that's what you wanted to hear right...?"
The half drow lifted her impromptu blinder just enough to reveal a pair of lavender eyes glittering with good humor at this. "And here I was thinking that your mind-reading only kicked in when a lack of clothing is involved." She teased with a roguish grin and wink before letting the hood drop back down again.
The sorcery genius blushed vividly at this comment while averting her ruby colored gaze. "Geez Kat, it's not just us around you know..." She chided quietly.
"Odd, I've never known the incomparable Lina Inverse to pass up a golden opportunity to brag about anything..." The ex-assassin continued to tease.
"Would ya cut it out?" Lina hissed while giving Katibree a halfhearted swat on the thigh.
Just then, Naga could be heard talking over the wind. "Oh come now Amelia, this is simply too rich not to share!" She laughed while getting up and heading over to the sorcery genius and ex-assassin duo.
"But Gracia, you said you wouldn't say anything!" Amelia exclaimed as she jumped up and hurriedly followed.
(N) "Katibree my half elven friend, guess what juicy little tidbit I've just heard?" The ice sorceress leaned over to announce gleefully.
"Uhm...?" The mostly platinum haired warrior lifted up her hood to inquire of the upside-down image of the busty dark haired vixen currently towering over her.
(L) "Aww, what do you want Naga?" Lina complained more than asked.
"This actually concerns you as well my tragically busted little hayseed, you may thank me later." The ice sorceress quipped matter-of-factually, which provoked a dangerous glare and growl from the fiery redhead.
(A) "Graciaaaaa...!" Amelia continued to whine at the leather clad sorceress while tugging on the older girl's cape with growing distress.
Blatantly ignoring the protests of her baby sister behind her, Naga continued her animated disclosure of her new-found information. "You see, I have just been informed that my ever dutiful and patriotic little sister Amelia has requested- -!" Was all that Gracia managed before she was tackled roughly from behind by a younger, desperate princess and a hand was clamped firmly over her mouth as they both first tottered and then fell forward.
(K) "Whoooa- -Oof!" The half elf grunted as the weight of both Seyruun sisters were abruptly heaped on top of her and the fiery redhead.
(L) "Aaaah! What's the big ide- - Muurrff mf!" Lina managed before she was interrupted by an unwelcome, large pair of leather clad Naga anatomy abruptly eclipsing her face. "Na-fa, gert ygur brefts oerga mer FRAAAAAFS!" She exclaimed angrily into the cleavage of the enormous twin obstructions.
(F) "Oh! Would you all kindly settle down back there!" Fillia craned her neck around to exclaim as one of Naga's shoulder guard spikes first scrapped across and then jabbed under one of her scales. "Honestly." She added in a huff while working to re-stabilize herself in the air.
(K) "Would you two please- -?!" Katibree lifted her head to wheeze indignantly before freezing completely as she found her face mere inches from a very different part of a currently spreadeagled Naga's leather clad anatomy. "Oh-no. I disagree, I dis-agree, I disa-fuckin-gree...! She practically whimpered as a particularly forceful buck from Lina below shifted the tangle of girls and caused the aforementioned anatomy to slide even closer.
(A) "You have to promise now that you won't tell!" Amelia continued to plead with her sister while still clinging to the top of the wildly thrashing pile.
(N) "Mmhuuuuuuuu...uuuf, uuuf, uuuf, uuuf...! Mmhhuuuuuuuuuuuu...uuuf, uuuf, uuuf, uuuf...!" Seemed to be the ice sorceress's only reply to the shrine maiden's appeals for the moment.
(F) "Ladies, do try and act like adults!" Fillia looked over her shoulder once more to yell at the four tussling girls, the distraction of doing so causing her flying to become all the more erratic.
(L) "Na-ga, once I get free I SWEAR...!" The redhead manged to liberate her face from the ample twin obstructions long enough to threaten.
(N) "- -Whi mi? Thf ifh clehry Amhfah's fhft!" The ice sorceress abruptly stopped laughing into her sister's hand long enough to complain.
(L) "Why do ya think ya overgrown- -?!" Lina shot back with an added stress-mark before the girl-pile shifted again and her face was once more abruptly eclipsed. This of course only prompted the redhead to struggle all the more violently.
(A) "I'm not letting you go until you sister swear, Gracia!" Amelia continued to doggedly insist while keeping her hand clamped in a death-grip over Naga's mouth.
(K) "Are you people trying to kill me...!?" The ex-assassin accused with her voice cracking to a higher pitch while pulling her neck back and jerking her head to the side to avoid the still prevalent aforementioned anatomy still writhing much too closely to her face.
(A) "No more meals or drinks off of Daddy's credit when Miss Lina or Miss Katibree cut you off from now on until you swear!"
(N) "Omfk! Ui sfwur, ui sfwur!" Naga quickly conceded as best as she could through the hand still clamped over her mouth.
Having finally gotten her sister to promise, Amelia relaxed, sliding down off of Naga's back while releasing her mouth with a deep sigh."Ok, but remember you promised!" She reminded her older sister while plopping down in relief as Gracia got up and hurriedly began her attempts to talk her way out of suffering a now free redhead's promised wrath.
"Now listen Lina, even you have to know all of that was simply an honest..." The ice sorceress began before trailing off as she noticed that the sorcery genius was not only paying no attention to her, but had her mouth hanging open and was staring speechlessly at something else entirely. "What is it?" She asked while looking to see what had Lina so fully engrossed.
It turns out that what had managed to rivet the redhead's undivided attention was a dumbfounded looking Amelia now sitting squarely on a certain half drow's face.
(A) "Oh, Miss Katibree? How did you get down there...?" The cerulean eyed girl asked while looking down in surprise as the ex-assassin's arms and legs flailed franticly beneath her.
(L) "Wha-ah-hawwh-ah...!" Was all the sorcery genius managed to sputter with her face reddening.
(N) "Well that doesn't look very comfortable at all." Gracia remarked.
(L) "Kat- -ahhh... Katibree what the hell are you doing?!" Lina finally recovered enough of her vocabulary to shriek.
"Mhuf fu ygu fwft?!" Emanated the deeply distressed half elf's vocalizations from the same region she had just so narrowly avoided earlier on Amelia's leather clad sibling. "Sfhs fhutmg um mer frafs!" She added in a significantly higher octave than she normally spoke.
"Yeah, don't cha think Icanseethat?!" Lina shot back while violently rustling her fiery mane. "A-Amelia get off!" She barked before faltering and turning an even deeper shade of red. "I-I mean don't- - don't do that- - Just- - Just get-UP."
The cerulean eyed girl paused and blinked a couple of times at this. "...But.. aren't those both the same thi- -?"
"Would ya justfrickin'getUPalready!?" The sorcery genius snapped haggardly.
"Ok! Ok!" Amelia was jolted out of her confusion to hurriedly agree. "Sorry, Miss Katibree..." She apologized as she stood up to join an extremely amused looking Naga.
"Sure... Just... just look before you sit next time princess...?" Katibree implored while sitting up to catch her breath as a disheveled looking Lina walked over to plop down beside her.
(F) "If you are all quite finished, we are nearly there and I will be descending so please do your best to refrain from acting like fledglings in the meantime." An irritated sounding Fillia informed the girls as she slowed her flight speed.
(L) "Well... That happened." The young prodigy said dryly while watching the two sisters reconvene while peering over the side of Fillia as the ground got gradually closer.
"Indeed." The mostly platinum haired warrior agreed with a chuckle. "Anyway, Ul 'Copt is slowing down so come here a second while there's less wind, that ponytail's had it."
The redhead gave the ex-assassin a sullen look before turning her back and scooting closer as instructed. "You don't seem very upset." She continued to sulk.
"Come on Red, you know it was an accident." The half elf lightly dismissed while removing the hair tie from the sorcery genius' ruined ponytail.
"Yeah, a real convenient accident." The sorcery genius deadpanned as the older girl used her fingers as a makeshift comb to smooth out the fiery locks and drape them over one shoulder.
"It was, but guess what isn't an accident."
"...What?"
To answer her, Katibree wrapped her arms around Lina from behind and planted a quick kiss on the newly exposed side of the smaller girl's neck.
Although brief, the unexpected feel of the ex-assassin's lips on the younger girl's skin sent a jolt of excitement through her that she did her best to ignore. "...Now you're just sucking up." She glanced back to say with a look of feigned indifference.
"You bet." The mostly platinum haired warrior agreed with a smirk. "Is it working?" She inquired hopefully while tightening her embrace from behind with a playful squeeze.
The young prodigy shot a guarded glance in the direction of the currently preoccupied sisters before smiling despite herself. "Maybe a little." She admitted while leaning into the embrace and momentarily allowing herself to relish the feeling of the older girl's arms around her.
(A) "Oh, I think I see Mr. Zelgadis! Weigh anchor, Miss Fillia!" The cerulean eyed girl called with excitement.
"I am not some ship, Miss Amelia!" Fillia rebutted haughtily.
(N) "And even if that were the case, dear sister... I believe that roughly translates to 'Get ready to depart'." The now sweat-dropping ice sorceress pointed out to the exuberant younger princess.
(L) "I guess that's our cue." The sorcery genius said while slipping out of the mostly platinum haired warrior's embrace with a quiet chuckle before standing up with a carefree stretch. "I'm not sure when we became pirates exactly, but it looks like it's time to join the raiding party!"
"Aye, aye Capt'n" The ex-assassin affirmed as she hopped to her feet as well before giving a loose version of a salute.
.
.
.
Down below a few moments earlier...
.
.
.
(Z) Well then, how am I going to do this? Zelgadis asked himself while sweeping a layer of snow off of a chopping block before retrieving a decent sized log from the wood shed and setting it on the block. Even if Lina is still out of commission... the problem of this 'Soshurn' is going to be a continuous issue until something is done about him. He thought to himself while raising an ax above his head. It was way too close the other day, and the clock is ticking again. The chimera continued to himself while bringing the ax down and splitting the log in two with a grunt.
There's no telling when Lina will recover... The mystical swordsman closed his eyes and forced himself to finish the next thought before placing another log on the block. If she recovers at all considering all the spiritual damage she must have taken... He continued to himself while swinging the ax with another grunt. And we are all in this neck deep now regardless of if or when she regains consciousness.
People aren't going to like it, but if this keeps up, we're going to have to move on. That being the case, it all comes right back around to the same question... how am I going to do this? I may be able to convince Amelia to leave Lina's side to finish this before this Monster can rebuild his forces, and her sister if she doesn't cut and run... The sorcerer swordsman continued to muse to himself before trailing off and placing another log on the block.
But Gourry? He's not going anywhere unless Lina wakes up, and that means that Sylphiel most likely isn't going anywhere either. The heartless mystical swordsman continued to himself while glancing over at the sizable guest cabin overlooking a cliff in the distance before bringing the ax down again with another grunt. And the Elf... She doesn't show it normally, but with the way she fought Gourry over Lina, and her reaction to everything afterward, I have the impression that her stance will be pretty much the same as Gourry's. Perhaps I could convince her with some sort of tactical logic, but even then, how could I be certain that she'd truly be focused on the task at hand and not just a liability- -?
Zelgadis's thoughts were interrupted and he froze in the middle of reaching for the next log as a shadow temporarily eclipsed the sun while passing overhead. Cupping a hand over his eyes, he squinted up at the silhouette and was able to make out the shape of a dragon with a ribbon on it's tail. "Fillia...?" He recognized with a pang of apprehension.
Dropping the ax, Zelgadis ran over to where Fillia looked to be about to touch down. "What's happened?" He called up while shielding his eyes with an arm from the backlash of wind as the golden dragon slowed her decent to a hover just before landing. "Is everything alright back at the temple?" He continued to inquire with growing anxiety before falling into slack-jawed silence as Fillia landed and Lina along with the rest of the girls all leaned over to look down at him from the dragon's back.
(L) "Aww, you almost sounded concerned, Zelga-bunny!" The sorcery genius teased, referencing an old nickname the chimera had been given due to a costume he had been required to don during one of their misadventures years ago. "Did ya miss me...?" She added coyly while vaulting down from Fillia's back closely followed by the others.
"L-Lina..." The chimera stammered with astonishment.
"In the undeniably intelligent and incredibly gorgeous flesh!" The fiery redhead affirmed with a carefree flip of her newly liberated tresses while strolling over to greet her long time friend.
The young prodigy's typical bravado caused Naga to click her teeth. "And she accuses me of having an ego." She quipped to her younger sister while folding her arms with an unimpressed expression as Fillia returned to human form behind them.
"Well, she did travel with you first... And during some of her most young and impressionable years at that..." The shrine maiden pointed out with a sweat-drop.
"And just what might you be implying, my dear sister...?" Naga leaned forward to inquire in a deceptively sweet tone of voice.
Amelia wilted slightly at the worrying expression on her older sibling's face before closing her eyes with a nervous giggle. "E-he-he...erm... a little help here Miss Katibree..?" She implored with an even larger sweat-drop.
"Have you ever heard of the saying 'choose your battles wisely', Princess Amelia?" The half elf declined with amusement.
(A) "Miss Fillia...?" The cerulean eyed girl tried again with an increasingly distressed expression.
"And just how did my name get dragged into this...?" The golden dragon priestess asked while trudging up to join the group.
The mystical swordsman and sorcery genius, who had paused to observe the eruption of lively banter between the girls momentarily, turned their attention back to one another and exchanged gestures of mock exasperation at the chatter.
(Z) "The more things change, the more they stay the same I suppose." The sorcerer swordsman finally dismissed with a shrug. "In any event, welcome back to the land of the living, Lina." He added while holding a hand out with a smirk.
"Yeah, land of the living." Lina emphasized while extending her own hand and clasping his forearm in a brief, but warm gesture of greeting. "Ya hear that Amelia...?" She glanced over her shoulder to add in a raised voice.
"It was an honest mistake..." The youngest sorceress gratefully turned from the ongoing barrage of inquiries and dirty looks from her older sister to reply sheepishly.
(L) "...Yeah, there seem to be more of those than usual lately." The sorcery genius commented dryly before turning her attention back to an oblivious Zelgadis. "Anyway, I stopped by to let her know I'm awake and she goes and thanks me for dropping by before I 'pass on' to become an 'angel of truth and justice' in the next world; you believe that, Zel...?"
The chimera's smirk grew into a smile at this. "Yes, I can actually."
Lina paused and gave her fiery mane a slight rustle at this. "...Yeah, this is Amelia we're talking about after all." She conceded offhandedly. "How have things been on this front?"
"Well, we'll have plenty of time to catch up a little later." Zelgadis replied while nodding in the direction of the cabin in the distance. "I have a feeling there may be a couple of other people happy to know that you're back with us as well before we get to any of that."
"Yeah...I was going to just walk in and surprise them, but this could be pretty entertaining too." The redhead said with an even broader grin before taking a deep breath. "Hey, Gourry... Sylphiel!" She cupped her hands around her mouth to shout.
Seconds later, a cabin door could be heard thunderously slamming open in the distance followed by: "LINA!?"
The sorceress turned and waved while Zelgadis crossed his arms and took a few deliberate steps back as a blonde blur beeline-d from the cabin toward her. "LINAAAAAAAAAA!" He exclaimed exuberantly.
"Heya, Gourr-iiieee!?" The redhead greeted/shrieked as a shirtless and shoeless swordsman savant, unable to quite bring himself to a stop, skid by while simultaneously grabbing her by the waist and lifting her over his head as he spun her about with the remaining momentum causing a jet of snow to blast out all around them.
"You're awake! I knew you'd wake up! I knew you'd be back Lina!" Gourry exclaimed as he continued to twirl her around causing the sorceress's hair, fur cloak, and cape to flair out about her as they spun.
"Yes, Gourry I'm back, I'm back!" Lina laughingly agreed. "Now put me down will ya?" She added as Sylphiel finally caught up to the blonde warrior breathlessly.
"Miss... Lina?" The raven haired girl called hesitantly, her steps faulting as she was momentarily thrown off by the sorceress's new garb, which even partially covered by a fur cloak was still a very noticeable departure from her normal look. "It really is you! Thank the gods, it's so good to see that you are alright!" She exclaimed while hurrying the rest of the way over to the fiery redhead in that dainty way she ran.
"Hiya Sylphiel!" The sorcery genius called, still laughing a bit as Gourry set her back down with an elated grin on his face.
Sylphiel smiled and hugged Lina tightly before faltering as she noticed the unamused looking rest of the group around them now covered from head to toe in snow thanks to a certain blonde swordsman's antics. "Oh, dear." She giggled.
(L) "What?" Lina turned around to ask before clamping a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle at the sight of everyone else now brushing copious amounts of snow off of themselves. "Ahh... maybe we should just head inside."
(Z) "I second that motion." Zelgadis agreed while leaning forward at Amelia's insistence to allow her to get some of the snow out of his wiry hair with a slight blush.
(N) "Third." Gracia added while observing her little sister leading/dragging the flustered chimera in the direction of the path leading to the cabin and then following after them with a satisfied looking smirk.
(L) "So Gourry, this no shirt or shoes in the snow deal... that some sort of weird Elmekia fashion statement or what?" Lina joked as she headed toward the cabin as well with Katibree and Gourry to either side of her and Sylphiel to the right of the blonde swordsman.
"Huh-what-where...?" Gourry stopped to ask while looking down and around himself as if just discovering that he even had a body. "Oh, I didn't even notice!" Came his eventual sunny reply as they all gravitated in the direction of the guest house once more.
(L) "Geez Gourry, you're as dumb as ever!" The redhead griningly teased while nudging him in the ribs with an elbow as Katibree rolled her eyes at the typical antics of the two before chuckling despite herself.
"Yeah, I guess I am!" The swordsman savant agreed while rubbing the back of his head with a laugh as Sylphiel quietly observed the two interact with a small conflicted sigh that consisted of a strange mixture of relief, envy, and resignation.
Suddenly the redhead stopped and turned around, having noticed that a certain golden dragon was no longer with the group. "You coming Fillia?" She called to the golden haired girl who was still in the clearing shaking some leftover snow out of her shawl.
"...Well, I was originally just going to bring everyone here and leave immediately afterward, but I suppose that a few hours of relaxation wouldn't hurt..." The high priestess decided after a moment of consideration.
(L) "Yeah, that's the spirit!" The sorcery genius encouraged with a 'hurry up' gesture before turning to jog up the path with both master swordsmen hot on her heels.
Instead of continuing with the others, Sylphiel opted to hang back and wait for the High Priestess. "It'll be great to have you, Miss Fillia." The raven haired girl called while waiting for Fillia to catch up to her. "And besides, wouldn't it be nice to make the trip back with a good meal and a few cups of nice hot tea in your belly?"
"Oh, that does sound simply heavenly, Miss Sylphiel!" Fillia exclaimed before suddenly teleporting directly next to the startled shrine maiden with a flash of light. "There's this new brand of tea that I tried recently, and I simply cannot get enough of it!" She continued excitedly while grabbing a hold of the now sweat-dropping raven haired girl's hands. "Ooooh, I do hope that the guest house has been stocked with it!" The golden haired girl added while teleporting once more and whisking Sylphiel along with another flash of light as the stunned shrine maiden in tow uttered one last: "Oh dea-"
By this time, the Seyruun sisters and sorcerer swordsman had made it to the guest house. Once inside, they traversed the winding hallway leading to the foyer and hung up their things before heading into the adjacent living room. Further inside Fillia and Sylphiel could already be heard chattering and bustling about.
(N) "I suppose this will do..." Gracia mused while taking in the large but modest interior of the cabin. "However, I'm fairly certain that the less civilized of our two blonde companions has managed to knock the front door out of alignment."
(Z) "….I'll take a look at it." Zelgadis said while squatting to stir the dwindling tinder smoldering within the fireplace with a poker.
(A) "Thank you, Mr. Zelgadis." Amelia said while attempting to warm her hands as the embers were tended.
"Sure, I needed to go and get more firewood anyway." The mystical swordsman remembered with a sigh as he stood and headed back to the front door.
(L) "You've lost some weight big guy, what's the deal with that?" Lina observed as the three of them made it to the foyer as well and she and Katibree hung up their winter cloaks with the others. "Don't tell me that after all this time you're just now starting to worry about maintaining your 'girlish figure'."
"No... nothing like that...!" Gourry admitted while rubbing the back of his neck with a slightly forced laugh.
Before the sorceress could comment further, Zelgadis strode by, grabbing the surprised swordsman savant by the arm as he passed and pulled him back in the direction of the front door.
"Whoa, where are we going Zel?" The blonde master swordsman exclaimed while whirling an arm comically in an attempt to keep his balance.
"To fix what you broke." Came the mystical swordsman's gruff reply.
"Hey wait, what did I even break?" Gourry complained forlornly as he was dragged down the hall and out of sight.
"And while we're at it, you can help with the firewood as well." Zelgadis's fading voice added curtly.
Lina stood there blinking a few moments at Gourry's abrupt, non-consensual departure before just smiling and giving a little shrug. "Anyway, now that we've got a little more space..." She began more quietly while turning to the ex-assassin.
"Uhm...?" Katibree lifted a single mostly platinum colored eyebrow to inquire.
"The past few days it's mostly been all about how I'm doing, but how have you been feeling since Fillia took a look at you?" The fiery redhead asked while slowly closing the distance between them now that they were alone in the foyer.
"I'm feeling alright." The mostly platinum haired warrior said with a shrug.
Lina stopped a couple of feet in front of the half drow and gave her a lingering once-over at this. "You're sure." She persisted.
The ex-assassin cocked her head slightly, unsure of what to make of this line of questioning just yet. "Yeeees... why?" She asked slowly.
The sorcery genius sighed and placed a hand on her hip at this. "Because whenever you get injured, aren't feeling well, or if anything else is wrong for that matter; your first inclination is always to play down the seriousness of it, or hide it all together. Especially when other people are around." She answered earnestly.
"...You've got me there." The ex-assassin admitted while running her fingers through her crimson streaked locks with some embarrassment at being called out so blatantly.
"Yeah I do, so...?" Lina nudged.
"My appetite is back and I have a clean bill of health, I just need-" The half drow began to recite before being interrupted.
"A minimum of a days rest- - yeah, yada yada and...?" The young prodigy finished for her while twirling a wrist in a methodical keep-it-coming gesture.
"...My powers are... probably going to be on the fritz... if not completely unreliable for awhile." The half elf finally reluctantly divulged.
"...Alright, we can work with that." Lina said after a brief moment of thought. "What's that look all about?" She added when she noticed Katibree blinking at her with an odd expression.
"...That's it?" The mostly platinum haired warrior asked with surprise.
"Yeah, I just wanted to know if there was anything that needed to be planned for, Kat." The sorcery genius said while stifling a giggle. "So can ya stop making this sort of thing like pulling teeth now...?" She added wryly.
"I know, I'm sorry... I just don't like you to- -" The half elf began with a deep sigh.
"I'm gonna worry." Lina affirmed while breaking into an irresistible smile as she closed the last of the distance between them and slipped her arms over the taller girl's shoulders before linking them behind her neck.
As Katibree's justification was deftly derailed, she did her best not to notice her partner's new very noticeable proximity while attempting to salvage her point. "...Y-yes, and that's why- -"
"And you're gonna worry." The fiery redhead interjected again, her smile only growing as the ex-assassin glanced upwards as if sending the heavens an unspoken appeal for mercy. "We are both. Going. To. Worry." She promised more quietly.
The unexpected weight of that promise prompted Katibree to look down to meet Lina's gaze once more, and as soon as she did, the sheer amount of sincerity and warmth she saw there caused all her justifications that had seemed so important before to simply slip away. At this, she closed her eyes with a quiet sigh before slowly lowering her head until her forehead rested against Lina's. "You almost say that like it's a good thing."
The sorceress closed her eyes as well, and the two stood that way for a long moment before she finally spoke again. "It's not good or bad...It's just... inevitable." She finally replied with a quiet sigh of her own.
"It is that." The mostly platinum haired warrior agreed quietly while pulling away slightly as they both reopened their eyes.
"So with that in mind, I was thinking..." Lina began somewhat shyly. "I could probably work on... maybe overreacting a little less often, if you work on... letting me know what's going on with you a little more often?" She proposed while averting her eyes with a slight blush."That sound like a deal?"
Katibree's expression softened into an affectionate smile and she brought her hands up to gently cup either side of the shorter girl's face at this. "That definitely sounds like a deal." She quietly affirmed while leaning in for a kiss.
Just as their lips were about to meet, Amelia could be heard calling to them from the next room which caused both girls to start and reflexively separate with the ex-assassin dropping her head with a chuckle and the sorcery genius throwing her head back with a frustrated groan.
The redhead stood that way for a long moment, just staring at the ceiling in silence. "...Seriouslyyy, Ameliaaaaaa...!" She finally complained in a haggard tone before stomping her way out of the foyer.
(K) "Our adoring public awaits." The ex-assassin joked with a roll of her lavender colored eyes before following the stewing redhead into the living room area.
(A) "...W-what did I do?" The cerulean eyed girl asked somewhat fearfully as the fiery redhead approached in a stalk.
.
.
.
Several punishing wrestling holds and 30 or so minutes or so later...
.
.
.
.
(L) "Now hold on just a darn minute, you're telling me that Sylphiel actually got the chance to break a Dragon Slave?!" Lina sat up from her prior lengthwise position on her couch to blurt.
(N) "No, she got the chance to break an amplified Dragon Slave." Naga clarified mildly while accepting a fresh cup of tea handed to her by Fillia, who after breaking up the skirmish between Lina and Amelia had decided to join her on the enormous dire-bear rug in front of the fireplace.
(A) "That's right Miss Lina, it's how we were able to get away from and keep all those monster copies from following us back to the temple afterward." Amelia explained from an adjacent couch.
(L) "...Sylphiel?" The sorcery genius repeated with disbelief.
(K) "Sylphiel." Katibree affirmed from her position on the floor, leaning against the front of Lina's couch.
(L) "Hooown, does anyone realize how huge this is?"
(N) "Even if we do, I'm certain that shan't spare us from hearing all about it." Naga remarked before promptly having a Lina propelled couch cushion introduced to the face. "Hey!"
"...As I was saaa-ying." Lina continued with a now fading stress-mark. "Up until now, no one has been able to do that with a regular Dragon Slave let alone an amplified one and live. It just wasn't possible to control the beam long enough to get the caster out of the massive blast radius in the past..." She mused aloud to herself more than anyone else with her arms folded. It makes sense that trying it from dragon back wasn't something that was ever considered; it's pretty ingenious actually. Gods, I could have learned so much from that! Stupid coma! "I slept through a ground breaking moment in the history of ALL of magic...! That shoulda been meeee...!" She wailed while falling over with a dramatic sob.
(K) "Well, if it had been you, chances are we wouldn't have been able to out-fly it; we were barely able to keep ahead of Sylphiel's version." Katibree glanced back at the gloom stricken redhead to point out.
"Yeah, but... but at least I would have been able to see it...!" The redhead quietly moped into a remaining couch cushion.
(F) "You certainly have a knack for completely missing the point at times, don't you Miss Lina...?" Fillia remarked before taking a sip of her own tea while sweat-dropping.
Lina then lifted her head from the cushion as something suddenly occurred to her. I wonder if... "Hey, Kat... come here a sec..." She said while leaning down and motioning for the older girl to bring her ear over with a sly expression.
As the redhead cupped a hand and whispered the question into her ear, the half drow blushed vividly. "...N-no, of course not!" She jerked away to deny with her voice cracking to a slightly high pitch as Lina began to giggle.
"You sure?" The sorcery genius teased as the others looked on in varying states of confusion and or amusement.
"Yes, I'm sure!"
"Ok, don't get so bent out of shape..." Lina stifled her laughing enough to say.
After a couple of long uncomfortable moments of the ex-assassin refusing to even so much as look at the redhead, it was pretty clear that she was now being ignored. "...But really? Not even a tingle...?" She couldn't help but prod.
"Inveeerse..." Katibree turned to warn with a glare.
"Alright, alright- - I'm sorry!" The redhead reflexively apologized even though she still found herself unable to completely stop laughing.
"...Anyway, if you ladies will excuse me, I think I'll utilize this time to take a tour of the rest of the cabin." The mostly platinum haired warrior said stiffly as she stood to leave.
"Aww ba- - Kat, don't be mad..." The sorcery genius said as the half drow left.
"I'm not mad." The half elf denied from the kitchen area.
(N) "So, are you going to tell us what in the world was that about?" Naga asked with supreme amusement.
"You guys wouldn't get it." Lina chuckled while adjusting her position on her couch to get more comfortable.
Fillia raised a golden eyebrow at this statement. "...No, I suppose not." She finally conceded with a strange look before turning to place a fresh piece of wood into the fireplace.
(A) "Even still, I think you should try and be nicer Miss Lina!" Amelia scolded while glancing over to where Katibree had gone with a sympathetic look.
Several minutes later once Katibree had cooled off some, she happened upon Sylphiel in the backyard of the guesthouse standing at the entrance to a sizable outdoor storeroom.
"Everything alright Nels Rada?" She asked the lost looking priestess in training.
"...Oh, hello Miss Katibree." The raven haired girl slipped out of her thoughts and turned around to reply pleasantly. "Yes, everything is fine... it is just that..."
"Just that...?" The half elf repeated/prodded.
"Well, I wanted to make a very special meal for today, but looking at all of this..." Sylphiel explained as she went inside and turned in a slow circle while surveying what was available. "I can't seem to figure out what dishes to prepare."
"That's a nice sentiment Nels Rada, but it's not like this crew is composed of the pickiest of eaters." The half elf said while walking over to lean against the shed's entry way. "I mean... Gabriev even tried to eat a bomb once right?"
"I have heard that, yes." The raven haired girl said with a quiet giggle. "...Even so, I was thinking that with us all finally back together and in good health, I owe it to everyone to do my very best."
"Alright, well whatever it is you decide to make, you're going to need to make allot of it; care for a hand?"
"Oh, would you?" The shrine maiden clasped her hands together to ask hopefully.
"Sure... what did you have in mind so far?" The mostly platinum haired warrior replied while joining her in the shed.
"I... I really have no idea honestly."
"None...?"
"It's just that there's so much to choose from and I'm familiar with almost none of it... I've prepared goat and sheep before, and even venison a few times, but antelope, buffalo, l-llama... is that the way it's pronounced...?" The high priestess in training asked while stooping to read the writing on a sack on one of the lower shelves. "I've never cooked any of these things, so I don't know what would be suitable for today, let alone what seasonings and vegetables go best with which meats."
"Yeah, I see your point." The half elf agreed while taking a mental inventory of the well stocked shelves. Who even provides them with this stuff? Do they hire hunters or do it themselves I wonder?
"Perhaps it's just my own selfishness, but since Gourry dear refused to eat anything until Miss Lina recovered, I've only been able to convince him to drink strained broth and I really want him to enjoy this."
"Gabriev still hasn't eaten?" Katibree asked with surprise.
"Not a bite." Sylphiel confirmed with a dainty little shake of her head. "Also...I haven't had a chance to apologize for... for striking Miss Lina, and I want this meal to be part of my atonement for doing such a terrible thing before I properly apologize to her..." The jade eyed maiden confessed in a wavering voice while looking down at the floor in shame.
The ex-assassin studied the meek young woman in silence a long moment, unsure of what exactly to make of or say to her. "...You have a very odd concept of what being selfish is, Sylphiel." She finally commented with a bemused expression. "Either way, don't you think that everyone would be happier with you spending less time pulling out your hair about the meal and more time eating it with them?"
"What do you mean?" Sylphiel looked up to ask with what the half elf thought might be tears shining in her vivid jade green eyes.
"...Have you ever eaten bear?" Katibree asked after a moment of thought.
"...I can't say that I have, no." The raven haired girl answered with mild confusion clouding her pretty features.
"Well, one time when Red and I were on the road, that's all we could find to eat for days. The meat was tough, greasy, and full of gristle... I wouldn't recommend it." The mostly platinum haired warrior recalled with a smirk. "But like I said, that's all that we had, so even though I had no idea how to prepare it... I cooked it over the campfire, and we ate it."
"That's right, I believe I recall Miss Lina mentioning that you can even season bear to taste wonderful." The shrine maiden piped up as her memory was jogged.
"Sure, she says that now, but I'm pretty sure that the only seasoning that made that bear meat even remotely palatable were the jokes we cracked while suffering through eating it." The half drow dismissed with a chuckle. "It would have been absolutely terrible otherwise."
"...The love one shares with the company they keep... is what really makes a meal.." Sylphiel mused slowly. "That's a very sweet sentiment, Miss Katibree." She added with a smile.
"Totally not what I said." The half elf deadpanned while walking past and taking a sudden interest in the contents of the very back of the pantry.
"The priestess in training's smile only grew at this. "Actually, I think I know what we can do now!"
.
.
.
.
Back inside...
.
.
.
.
(N) "There is not a single drop of anything even remotely alcoholic anywhere in this place, someone should tell these priestesses that it's a host's job to properly cater to their guests." Gracia complained while rifling through one cabinet after another.
(A) "We may be several miles away from the actual temple, but this is still temple property Gracia." Amelia reminded the upside down image of her older sister while she laid on the couch with her legs swinging over the back of it and her head hanging off of the front.
"Well with a guest as important as Naga the White Serpent, you would think that it's only common sense to make an exception." The ice sorceress replied while ducking and peering into a drawer with a small frown.
(L) "Ahw, Naga would ya get over yourself already...?" Lina said while lounging lengthwise on her couch with her fingers linked behind her head and her eyes closed. I'm sure that it's pure coincidence that not a word of this was breathed until Fillia stepped out. She thought to herself dryly.
(N) "Oh, I should get over myself? Look who's talking. What was it earlier?" The dark haired vixen turned to the lounging redhead to ask. "Oh yes, 'undeniably intelligent and incredibly gorgeous'...? Humph, give me a break!"
(L) "Happy to." Lina opened one ruby colored eye to say. "Choose a limb." She dared as Zelgadis came in from the foyer with a now fully clothed Gourry. "Hey, welcome back, guys!" She added cheerfully, effortlessly switching gears in that bipolar way she tended to do.
(G) "Hey, Lina!" Gourry greeted while waving back happily.
"The door all taken care of now?" The redhead inquired.
(Z) "As well as can be expected with what was available." Zelgadis replied while setting aside some scrounged up tools on a nearby table. "Anyway, I think it's about time we finished our talk now, Lina." He added while walking over to a door leading out to the wrap around porch outside. "We can speak out here." The chimera said with a nod toward the door before opening it and stepping outside.
"Well, someone's feeling pushy today..." Lina grumbled while rolling off of her couch with a sweat-drop to follow the chimera outside. "What's up Zel?" She asked after closing the door behind them and leaving a somewhat forlorn looking swordsman savant staring after them.
"Alright listen, while you were recovering from your injuries, I took the time to go back and retrieve our things from the inn- -" The mystical swordsman began until he was suddenly being heartily slapped on the back.
"That's great Zel, good thinking!" The sorcery genius interrupted to praise vigorously.
"...I'm not finished, Lina." Zelgadis said while closing his eyes and waiting with a slight stress-mark for the thuds of congratulations to slow and eventually stop.
"Oh. Sorry about that." Lina apologized with a sheepish grin while catching a glimpse of Katibree and Sylphiel coming out from around the back of the cabin and cutting across the property until they made it to the path.
The chimera cleared his throat at this before beginning once more. "Look, like I said before, I went back to get our things. And when I did, all of our possessions were there as far as I could tell, except for the family heir loom that the Elf gave you."
"Twinkle is gone?" Lina asked, turning her full attention to the sorcerer with all semblance of her former joviality evaporating. "Are you sure?" She added in a manner that more closely resembled a statement than a question.
"I didn't leave anything behind at the inn, and I even double checked the back of the wagon I brought everything here in once I noticed that the scimitar was missing; so yes I'm certain." Zelgadis affirmed with a nod.
A common thief would have definitely taken more than just Twinkle. Lina thought to herself. "Xellos." She deducted in a tone mirroring a curse uttered after stubbing a toe.
"My thoughts exactly." The mystical swordsman agreed. "Of all the things that he could have taken, why would he only take the Elf's sword?"
"The redhead was silent a long moment as her ruby colored gaze followed the half drow and shrine maiden's progress on the path until they eventually disappeared down the incline altogether. "I don't know." She crossed her arms to finally reply.
"You have to have some idea, Lina." Zelgadis persisted. "You're allot of things, but stupid certainly isn't one of them."
"I said, I don't know Zelgadis." The sorcery genius repeated while still staring at the now empty path with an almost haunted expression. "Flinging around a bunch of half-baked theories aren't going to do anyone any good."
"Well at this point I say something is better than nothing." The chimera continued to persist. "Xellos has been trailing you ever since you met her it seems, and now he's taken a weapon directly tied to her; so I say the sooner we figure out what exactly it is that Xellos wants with the Elf, the better."
Lina finally looked away from the path and fixed Zelgadis with a withering glare at this. "Ok... first off, she's half elf, and she has a name, Katibree." She began defensively. "If you want to try and dehumanize and distance yourself from her because you're still all paranoid about her possibly being a threat, then fine; but, at least have the common freakin' decency to refer to her by her actual name. Does she go around calling you the blow demon-golem? No, because not only is it inaccurate, it's rude as hell." She finished in a hot flash of anger.
Taken aback by the sudden stinging verbal barrage, Zelgadis winced almost as if he'd been physically struck."L-look I didn't call you out here to try and start a fight, Lina. I'm... I'm just trying to figure things out." He said with a hurt expression. "And... I didn't mean to insult your... girlfriend, I didn't realize that I was... I didn't mean- -Look, I'm sorry alright? I apologize."
Maybeeee that last part was a bit much. The fiery redhead though to herself with a deep sigh as she felt a twinge of remorse. "...I know you didn't mean anything by it Zel. It's just that I was hoping to unwind for a day and here everything is already right in my face again."
"Sorry..." Zelgadis gloomily re-apologized.
"...No, you're right, it needs to be addressed." Lina said as she glanced back over at the path after catching movement out of the corner of her eye. "Just let me tell Kat what's happened and see what her take is on it is; after that maybe all three of us can sit down and put our heads together about it later tonight." She proposed while watching the raven haired girl and half elf who were now hauling wood up the path while chatting. 'Cause obviously 'a day of rest' includes chopping and hauling firewood. The sorceress added mentally with lowered eyelids and a sweat-drop.
"Right... yes, that sounds good." The chimera agreed awkwardly before heading toward the door with a still somewhat downtrodden expression.
The dispirited sound of the Zelgadis's reply prompted Lina to reluctantly address him once more. "...Hey, Zel?"
"Yes, Lina?" The sorcerer swordsman looked back to inquire in the midst of opening the door to head back inside.
"About what I said earlier..." The sorcery genius began while scratching the back of her head slightly with her eyes averted. "Well, I was kind of a bitch and... I shouldn't have been." She managed to apologize stiffly.
The mystical swordsman cracked a small smile at this. "Well... Katibree has referred to me as a 'dick' in the past for dishing out hard truths, so maybe this makes us even." He replied ironically before stepping off the porch, leaving the door partially open behind him.
Lina blinked a couple of times with surprise at the sorcerer's laid back reply to being chewed out before smiling with a little what-are-ya-gonna-do shrug and then turned to catch a certain half elf before she made it all the way to the back of the cabin again. "Hey, Katibree?" She called out.
"Just a sec, Red!" The ex-assassin called back before breaking into a jog while balancing her stack of wood and disappearing behind the cabin ahead of Sylphiel.
She isn't using my surname anymore, that's a good sign... The young prodigy thought to herself with a chuckle. I figured she wouldn't stay upset for long, but man if looks could kill!- - She continued to herself before being startled as Katibree suddenly dropped down beside her from the roof. "Ohmygods...!" She blurted with a hand on her chest. "Geez Kat, you scared the crap outta me."
The mostly platinum haired warrior raised an eyebrow at this. "Well, for being decked out in all white, I've got say..." She began before trailing off and leaning back to get a good view of the sorceress's nicely shaped rear-end. "It's hardly noticeable." She finished before breaking into a grin as the redhead gave her a playful shove.
"I didn't mean literally, smart ass." Lina retorted with a giggle.
"Yeah, but could you imagine the expression on Ul' Copt's face if it were true...?" The ex-assassin asked before doing her best Fillia impression. "The sacred garbs are covered in whaaaaaaaaaat?!" She exclaimed while clamping her hands to either side of head in her best imitation of the golden dragon in full meltdown mode.
At the thought, Lina completely lost it, laughing so hysterically that she missed grabbing the railing of the porch for support and merely fell to the deck in fits of hilarity. She was soon followed by Katibree, who collapsed to the deck beside her in the midst of her own laughing fit.
A while later when the two had finally managed to work the giggles out of their systems, the mostly platinum haired warrior spoke up once more. "Anyway, what did you want to talk about?"
The sorcery genius quickly sobered at the question. "Alright well..." She began reluctantly while picking herself up off of the deck. "Before I called you over, I was out here talking to Zelgadis, and he told me some news that I think you should hear too."
Katibree stood as well and gave the tip of one of her pointed ears a slight flick causing the small hoops in it to tinkle against one another slightly. "I'm all ears." She said pleasantly.
"Ok, well while we were at the temple, he went back to the inn to get everyone's stuff and bring it back here, but... Not everything was there. Twinkle is missing." The sorcery genius explained quietly.
The half drow's expression grew more serious at the revelation. "...Xellos, huh?" She deducted.
"That's what Zel and I are thinking, yeah." Lina agreed with a thoughtful rustle of her fiery mane. "She seems to be the only thing that's missing and Zel said he checked and double checked."
Katibree folded her arms and looked off in the distance in silence for a long moment before finally sighing and meeting the sorceress's concerned ruby colored gaze again. "Alright." She finally replied with a shrug.
"A-alright...?" Lina repeated in confusion.
"Yep, screw him." The half elf elaborated cheerfully.
"But-"
"Ah-ah-ah-hear me out." The half elf interjected while gently placing an index finger over the younger girl's lips and lowering it once she had her full attention. "I actually learned something from Gabriev earlier today, if you can imagine that."
The redhead raised a single crimson eyebrow at the statement and gave the taller girl a quizzical look, but let her speak.
"After everything you told me just now, I started to think about how absurdly complicated everything seems to be all the time, and for some reason my mind drifted to the ridiculous sight of that big, blonde, buffoon Gabriev earlier today." Katibree began to say as she hopped up and sat on the porch railing. "I saw him in my head flinging open the door to the cabin and barreling down the path like an escaped lunatic while bellowing your name in that obnoxious over-exaggerated way that he does, all for the sole purpose of lifting you up and spinning you around in the air..." She recalled while glancing off into the distance with a smirk.
"When it was happening, I thought to myself, by the gods Gourry... You. Truly. Are. An. Idiot." The half elf said while shaking her head slightly in disbelief. "All the heat's leaving the cabin because the door's practically off the hinges, you've got no shoes and half your clothes, you nearly trampled Greywords on the way here, and now...I'm covered in snow." She continued while shifting her weight slightly as she balanced on the rail. "But now I think Gabriev had the right idea, because in that moment, he was only concerned with what he cares the most about." The ex-assassin continued to reflect. "So I figure I'll follow his lead in that respect, at least for today."
(L) "Hey, monologues are supposed to be my thing ya know..." Lina joked before sauntering over to stand directly in front of the perched older girl while using either thigh to the side of her as an arm rest and looking up at her.
"Granted, but you know what they say about imitation." Katibree leaned slightly forward to reply while gazing down into the sorceress's ruby colored eyes with a mischievous smirk.
"Uh huh." The sorcery genius acknowledged while slipping into a flirtatious grin. "Lucky for you, flattery will get you everywhere."
The mostly platinum haired warrior chuckled at this, but any thought of a reply vanished as Lina lifted herself up on her tiptoes to close the last of the distance between them and their lips met in a brief kiss. Although it had been the sorceress's intention to only steal a quick one, their lips hovered within centimeters of one another before brushing against each other again and then transitioning into a much deeper kiss.
Just then, Naga opened the already partly ajar door the rest of the way and stepped out onto the porch before freezing with her hand on the knob and staring at the passionate exchange for several seconds. "...Well then." She eventually uttered expressionlessly.
The unexpected sound of the ice sorceress's voice caused the redhead to start and reflexively shove the half elf away, which subsequently sent the mostly platinum haired warrior crashing head over heels to the other side of the railing.
Blushing vividly, Lina spun around to confront her longtime rival and braced for the inevitable mockery that would follow; but Gracia merely breezed by her and peered over the railing at Katibree.
"I'd venture to say that can't be good for your posture." The dark haired vixen remarked while looking down at the upside down tangle of half elven limbs.
"Yes, thanks for that." The ex-assassin replied dryly while righting herself. "Did you need something?"
"I was asked to look for you by Miss Sylphiel, actually." Naga said while leaning on the rail while propping her head up with an elbow as Katibree brushed herself off. "She was going on about she and Miss Fillia needing suggestions about some sort of fire-pit." She added offhandedly before turning to leave as Lina watched her exit with a mixture of apprehension and surprise.
(K) "Well that was risky." The half drow said wryly while vaulting back over to Lina's side of the rail. "Went better than expected though."
"...Yeah, I definitely could think of worse people to walk out at that particular moment." The sorcery genius, who was still getting over her shock agreed almost absently.
"That was odd, huh?" The ex-assassin asked when she saw the look on her partner's face.
"...Naga passing up the chance to give me a hard time about anything is 'odd'." Lina replied numbly. "...But with her blatantly ignoring an opportunity like that... Kat, I think hell may have just frozen over."
***Author's notes:
Music inspiration:
Fanmail: TLC
Slide: The GooGoo Dolls
Say It Ain't So: Weezer
(1.) The idea for Lina's 'experimentation' sprang from a picture online I came across of Gourry with Lina's dad. Pinterest/pin/554153929120249092/ there's a .com in there after the last forward slash.
Hopefully you can navigate to the pic with just that. (links are banned on here unless they are FanFiction links) The few other pictures I could find of him showed him smoking as well, so I just ran with it.
As always, thanks for your patience and any feedback, good or bad is always appreciated. This chapter was basically one huge chapter that has been cut in half. The second part is on it's way, but school has just started and I am swamped right now. I will get it out as quickly as possible.