Lina groaned, and pushed herself off the ground. She cracked her back, trying to remove the stiffness. There was a rustle of fabric and Lina found herself pushed back down onto what appeared to be a bed. Annoyed, Lina looked up to find Xelloss leaning a little to close for comfort. But before she had a chance to tell him to back off, his lips were on hers, his tongue entering her mouth.
"Get offa me!" Lina shoved Xelloss angrily to the floor. "Just what the hell do you - " Lina was stopped short by the shocked look on his face. "W...what?"
Xelloss looked down at the floor, a guilty frown on his face. "I'm really sorry Lina. I was hoping you wouldn't be this mad at me. I know it was my fault, but..."
"What in the name of L-Sama are you talking about?!" Lina glanced around the room. "And where the hell am I?"
Xelloss looked up and suddenly put his arms around her, horror in his eyes. "Lian? You don't know where you are? Oh, God!"
Lina shoved him to the floor. "Xelloss, my name is Lina." Her words were left un heard as Xelloss ran out the door. Lina, determined to find out where she was, stumbled out of the bed. Her head felt like someone had put a sword through it. Very woozy, she made it to the mirror, and screamed.
The image that was looking back at her was nothing like she knew she looked like. Instead, she had very curly short hair, brown eyes... and much larger breasts. Briefly side-tracked by this addition, she didn't hear Xelloss come back in before he put his hand on her shoulder.
"Would you mind not touching me Xelloss? What kind of sick prank are you playing this time?" Up on turning to face him, she noticed that he too looked different. His purple hair was much shorter and obviously only dyed that color, and his eyes were blue, open, and unslitted. "What did you do to yourself?"
A warm on her hand caused Lina to quickly look down, making her very dizzy. Someone who looked reminiscent of Amelia except with much flatter hair was checking a lump on her forehead Lina had seen in the mirror. "I don't think she'd have amnesia, Xavier. That bump doesn't look like anything more then a goose egg."
"Emily! She said her name was Lina, she kept calling me Xelloss, didn't know where she was, and she wouldn't let me kiss her!"
Lina looked back and forth between the two. Aside from a few differences the two had to be Xelloss and Amelia. Feeling suddenly very weak, she tipped over.
Emily watched as Lina closed her eyes again. "We'd better drive her to the hospital."
Lina woke up to another different ceiling, but once again with what she though was Xelloss' face hanging over hers. "Would you please stop that, Xelloss?"
"Lian, honey, my name is Xavier."
"Whoa! Back up there! HONEY?!" Lina shot out of bed, and then quickly back down as he once again pushed her back.
"Don't move around so much. You're not supposed. Listen, Lian, I know you're having some trouble remembering, so I'll explain."
Lina nodded, and let... Emily... lean her up against the pillows. "You do that."
Anxiously, Xavier sat down and put his hands around hers. "Okay. Your name is Lian Contrary. You're seventeen, and you live in Tokyo. This is your best friend since kindergarten, Emily Rune. I'm your boyfriend, Xavier Tinny."
Lina made an odd face. "Really."
"Really. Anyway, today during lunch you got hit on the head. You blacked out for a couple hours, and when you woke up, you didn't remember who you were."
"I know who I am. I'm Lina Inverse, incredibly beautiful and talented sorceress. That is NOT Emily, she's Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun, and you are not my boyfriend and never will be. You are Xelloss Metallium, Mazoku general." She paused. "How did exactly Lian get hit in the head?"
Xelloss blushed nervously. "Well, you see... I accidentally, and it was a total accident really! I accidentally kicked a soccer ball in your face."
Lina socked his hard. "That's for Lian. Who I'm not."
"Wow! She's lost her memory and she's still as stubborn and violent as ever!"
Lina looked up to see a man that, despite the now short hair, she instantly knew was Gourry. "Gourry! You're here!"
He blinked. "Today I know more then you." He said, an air of honest confidence around him. "I'm Gregory, Gregory Vier."
Sighing, Lina looked over at the girl with long black hair who clung to his arm. "I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you're not Sylpheel either, right?"
She shook her head gently, and took Lina's other hand. "No Lian. My name's Silvia. But we'll help you get your memory back. All of us."
Lina looked up suspiciously. "Why?"
Emily bounced. "Lian! The five of us have been best friends since grade one, some of us even longer. I know you don't remember, but we're the tightest knit group at school. We won't let anything happen to you."
"Five? Only five? W... where's Zel?"
Xavier looked at the others. "Zel? Honey, who's Zel?"
Lina tore both Silvia's and Xavier's hands off her, a sickening feeling off dread filling her. "Where the hell is Zel? Zel! Where the hell is he?" Panic started to sink in for some strange reason. "Where is he dammit?!" She screamed when Xavier tried to get her to hold still, biting down on his hand. She struggled out of the bed, but her feet caught on the blankets and she tumbled to the floor. She lay there in a confused heap on the ground, crying.
Xavier watched her sobbing form, and bit his lip. He knew who Zel must be.
Lian sat helplessly in the car as Gregory drove, letting Emily hold her in her arms. She had refused to let Xavier touch her after her outburst, and had since gone nearly comatose, speaking only when spoken to. The doctors had sent her home after no signs of serious physical damage had been found, and they figured it was just another teenage girl trying to get out of exams.
Xavier looked back at her, her dull eyes staring blankly into space. "Lian? Honey? Do you remember where you live or who your family is?"
"Of course not."
He sighed. "Lulu is not going to be happy about this."
"My sister?"
Emily hugged her excitedly. "You remembered?"
"No. My sister's name is Luna, so I guessed."
The car occupants settled back in there seats, and gazed ahead through the rain at the wet, slippery road.
Lina walked up to the small brick house, only a lamp illuminating the slick path to the door. She watched with casual interest as the door was opened and a short busty girl with purple black hair peered out at them. "Lian! Why on Earth are you doing out so late? You are in so much trouble?"
Lina smirked a bit before begin to laugh hysterically. Here she was, standing in front of Luna, and for the first time in her life she wasn't the least bit afraid. "Hah! I could get used to this!"
The others looked at her oddly before herding her inside and explaining the current situation to 'Lulu'. Lina settled into the strange comfy chairs to watch as her sister brought out some small bottles and candles which were then placed on an altar of some sort. "What the hell are those?" She finally blurted out.
The others looked up, almost having forgotten she was there in Lulu's preparations. "Lian, honey, you don't even remember your religion?"
Hopefully, Lina shrugged. "Is it magic?"
Lulu smiled as she cleansed a small wand. "Pretty close, Lian. Wicca."
Lina stared at the ceiling and fidgeted. "Nope, never heard of that." Then she blinked a few times as the comfortable familiar feeling that had been growing disappeared. "Fireball!"
Emily reached over and held grasped Lina's outstretched hand. "Lian? What are you doing?"
Lina pushed Emily aside and tried again. "Fireball! Lightning! Duh Haut! Flare Arrow! Levitation! What the hell isn't anything happening?!" Beginning to cry, Lina sunk to the floor, realizing she couldn't feel any connection to the astral plane, or sense any magic in the area at all. "This... this really isn't my world, is it? This isn't a stupid Mazoku trick, is it Xelloss?"
Xavier kneeled and wrapped his arms around the sobbing redhead. "No. No, it isn't."
The others watched the sobbing couple as Lulu silently cleansed her crystals for the healing spell.
Xavier tucked Lian in again, and watched her sleep for a few moments before exiting the room. The healing spells had been a failure and Lian was utterly depressed. When she had finished crying she had just sat there for an hour, mumbling strange rhyming verses about dragons and golden seas.
He trudged down the stairs and went to sit with the others. Putting his face in his hands, he let out another sob, leaning into Emily's arm as she wrapped it around him. "Don't worry, Xavier. Lian is a really strong girl, she'll remember who she is."
Gregory grinned cheerfully. "Maybe she already has."
The others looked at him balefully. "Gregory, you heard her! She has no idea who she is!"
Silvia smiled gently. "Maybe he meant while she was sleeping."
Lulu paused in her cleaning and gazed out the depressed teens. "I know what he meant, and he probably is right."
Gregory blinked, not expecting that answer.
"Though I don't think he realizes what he means." The others nodded, seeing how this could happen. "I think Lian is having memories from a past life, which was brought to her memory when she was unconscious."
"So, Lulu... you think we're actually the people Lian said we were? I was really a princess?"
"It's a possibility, though I don't see why we would have all met up again."
"Could... it be destiny? I mean.. I'm probably wrong but..."
Lulu nodded. "Most likely. If Lian's memories are the accurate, the only reason everybody would be all together again is if there was a reason for it. Unfortunately, my knowledge on past lives is lacking. I'm going to ask my priestess to tell me a bit more about, so while I'm gone, please look after Lian." Lulu grabbed her car keys, and dashed out the door.
Silence filled the room, before Gregory spoke up. "Do you think Lian's gonna be able to do the math test tomorrow?"
Xavier smacked him. "Shut up, Gregory!"
"Xavier! He has a good point. We all have to go to school tomorrow. Should we bring Lian? I mean, maybe something will jog her memory."
"That's a good idea, Emily. Isn't it, Gregory dear?"
"Yeah! It's great!"
"No way."
They all turned to stare at Xavier. "Xavier? Why not?"
"I just don't want her to be there. She's... not well, and the experience would overwhelm her. All those people wanting to know why she didn't know them, stuff like that. I don't think she should leave the house."
Emily scowled. "You're lying, Xavier. If you weren't, you'd say it was a secret. But you do have a point also. I'll skip tomorrow and take her to the park or something. A soothing setting should be good for her."
Xavier made motions to argue, but Emily's protective glare shut him up. "..Whatever.."
"Good. I have to go call Nacia and tell her I won't be coming home tonight!"
Lina woke up with tears dripping down her face. Pulling the soft duvet to cover over her head, she refused to get up. Even the wafting smell of breakfast made her stomach churn, and letting out another little sob, she completely covered herself with the thick blankets.
"Lian! It's time to get up! It's a beautiful day out, everything thing is wonderful! The birds are singing, the sun is shining and breakfast is ready." Emily pulled back the covers cheerfully, then backed up with shock. Lina lay there in a fetal position, shivering, whimpering, and pale. "Lian...?"
"Please... I'm begging you... can't you call me Lina? Please?"
Emily sat down on the bed beside her, and gently pulling Lina up, began to brush her curls. "Lian... I know this is hard for you, and that you honestly believe you really are Lina. But you've got to believe in the truth, Lian. This is what is right. This life is what is good and true. And deep in your heart, I know you know that. So come on, be the Lian I know! You can't sit around crying all day, you taught me that. I've never known you to give up or lay down and cry..."
Lina smiled at her half heartedly. "I like your speeches in this world better."
"...Thank you? Anyway, I'm taking you down to the park today for a nice morning of relaxation and meditation. No buts, I know you get bored by that kind of thing, but I'm pretty sure you could use slowing down today."
Lina let Emily pull the light nightgown off her. "You probably have a point. Emily, are you sure you don't know who Zel is?"
Emily rifled through Lian's drawers, trying to find a suitable outfit. "Zel? The name isn't familiar. Did he have a last name?"
Lina put on the jeans and stared awkwardly at the mesh top she had been handed. "Huh? Oh, don't worry about it. I'll find him myself... what about... a Firia?"
Emily offered Lina a tank top to put under the mesh shirt before answering. "Firia? The closest I can think of is Xavier's old girlfriend, Fayla... a sweet girl, though a little hyper."
"Sounds about right. What about a Martina or Zangulas?"
"What were they like?"
"A hot and heavy couple. Both a couple of obsessed stalking maniacs. Martina was a failure and a pain, and Zangulas was just annoyingly persistent."
"Marlena and Zachary. They got married last year. The school nut cases."
"I should have known! What clowns!" Lina smiled and bounced down the stairs, suddenly aware of how comfortable and natural it seemed. Maybe they were right about her... Lina shook her head. She wasn't going to make any decisions until she found Zel. Her best friend couldn't have just disappeared into nothing.
As they walked down the crowded streets of town, giggling over the cute guys they passed, flirting with strangers and trying on outfits in random stores, Lina realized this how she had always pictured life would be if she had never become a sorceress. She seemed to even enjoy this more. Everything was perfect except for the disturbing lack of Zel that made her feel cold and distracted the whole time.
After awhile, Emily's curiosity grew and she began to ask questions about Lina's other life. "Was I really a princess? What was I like?"
"Yep, Princess Amelia. You were a clumsy, whiny, hero for justice who screwed a lot of things up royally."
"Oh..."
"You know what though? Of all my lackey's, even above Gou - Gregory, you were my favorite. Even if you would whine and cry and wail about it, in the end you never gave up."
"Thank you, Lian. Was I above Zel, too?"
"No... Zel wasn't a lackey, he was a friend."
Emily smiled evilly, and poked Lina a few times. "Oooh, your boyfriend?"
Lina blushed and waved her hands frantically. "Me and Zel? Are you out of your minds? We'd have killed each other, we are so complete opposites! Heh, our lover's quarrels could have spelled out doom for the planet! ...Besides, he was too self-concious to even think about looking me, and I was to shy to even look at him." Lina shivered a bit, and wiped away a tear.
"Oh, Lian, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"It wasn't your fault. He was just on my mind anyway. Emily, I've got to find him. I don't know why but whenever I remember that Zel isn't here, the entire world seems to stop."
"Well, if you'd tell me his last name..."
"No. I don't know how, but I know I do have to find him. And I have a feeling I need to do it on my own."
Emily pouted, but nodded. "I wish you the best of luck." Stopping abruptly, Emily grabbed Lina's hand. "Come on! This is the park! Hurry up!"
Lina laughed and let herself be dragged. As she walked around a certain tree caught her eye. "Emily! I know this place! This tree... it's, it's... Flagoon!"
"Actually... it's a willow tree..."
Lina shook her head. "No... I fought against Koppii Rezo here... I nearly died and this thing along with the Blessed Blade saved us! I can't believe how much smaller it is here! In my world it was completely destroyed..."
Emily looked at Lina sadly as though she were crazy. "Lian..."
"It does sound silly, doesn't it? I'll bet this city is really Sairaag.. What is it's name?"
"Sai Rog, actually. You're right."
"Wow! But I would have thought for sure we would be in Seyruun where your from, or at least Zefilia, my home town."
"My sister and I moved here from a place called Sai Rune the year before I started kindergarten. And you moved here the same year from Zai Fayla."
"Really? Oh, wow! This is so like my world! Minus the magic... though the things, the carts... where they magic?"
"..The cars? No... they're technology."
"I see, I see. So in this world, we have technology in place of magic. And that Wiccan stuff is al the magic they have here, like we had the Koppii technology on my home! It must be a parallel universe!"
"You think?" Emily paused. "Lulu thought what you remembered was a past life..."
"Well, I guess other ones are reasonable explanations. They both would make sense. But if this is a parallel dimension, Emily, I can go home! Do you have any idea how great this is?"
Emily watched Lina as she danced around the willow tree, and sighed. For Lian's sake, she hoped she was right.
Lina sighed contentedly and re-adjusted her Emily's lap. "Lian! Stop moving! I can't braid your hair if you keep wiggling."
"I don't sit still well, you know that."
Emily sighed as Lina moved again. "Still, you have incredible patience when you really want something."
Lina raised a tired eyebrow. "See, I can't be Lian. You ask any of my friends, they'll tell you. I have no patience whatsoever. Patience gets you nowhere."
"It gets your hair braided."
"Except for that..." The two's voices dissolved in cheery silence again as the comfortable, familiar feeling crept back in Lina's body. "Emily... how did we meet?"
"You and I? Well, it was on the first day of kindergarten. You were on the playground yelling at some older boy, when I stepped in and told you to be nice to him. You stopped yelling, and then the boy said thanks to me, and then stole my lollipop. So you socked the boy, forgave me, and became my hero and best friend from that day on."
"And Gregory and Silvia? How did we meet them?"
"Well, you met Gregory at snack time later that same day. He got one more celery stick then you did, and you wanted it. You tried to make a dozen deals with him, but in the end he ate it. You've been his friend ever since then, claiming you're not leaving him alone until he pays you back the celery stick he owes you. As for Sylvia, she transferred in grade three. She was Gregory's best friend from his old neighborhood. Wow, were you jealous when you first met her. Before that, you had always thought of Gregory as yours. You didn't like the idea of sharing him."
"I've never been one for sharing. What about Xavier?"
"Huh? Oh, Xavier... his is an odd story."
"As I would have expected."
"Well.. Oh, Lian! Do you remember anything about basketball?"
"...Is it anything like swords?"
"Swords?! No!... well, they are both sports I guess... but you play for fun, not life..."
"Oh, it's a competition, like brass rackets."
"Yes, well, since you don't remember, you're the top female player at our school, and the city's female champion. You wanted to play for the WNBA when you grew up."
"I was a really powerful sorceress back home, I figured I had to be good at something here. But what does this have to do with Xavier?"
"Simple. Xavier is top male player at our school, and the male city champion."
"Ah."
"So when his Mom found about you, way back in grade six, she sent Xavier to our school to train and to watch you. And hopefully get you to sign to advertise her companies products when you became famous."
"Aha! See, now I even know why Xelloss is after me in my world now!"
"Glad I could help. Anything else?"
"Yeah... how did we start dating. Xelloss nor Xavier seem to be my type."
"Well, he was comforting you after..."
"Emily? Why are you so pale? What's wrong?"
"Lian, we're going home right now."
"But..?"
"Shut up, Lian. Just grab your coat and move it. MOVE!"
"I'm moving, Emily, I'm moving. But tell me what's going on!"
"...I just figured out who your Zel is..."
Lina sat bewildered as her sister and her four friends sat around discussing something she couldn't quite hear, barely noticing she was in the room. Emily had called the others home from school the minute they had arrived, and she was now pacing the floor looking ready to throw herself off a bridge. Only a couple confusing snippets of conversation reached Lina's curious ears.
"..you noticed too..."
"... it has to be..."
"...him..."
"...Zel is..."
"...awful!..."
"....poor Lian..."
"...my Lian...."
"...dangerous..."
"...twisted..."
"... must be lonely..."
"...poor Lian.."
"...it has to be!..."
"...Oh God, there's nothing else..."
Her head spinning, Lina curled up on the couch and tried to ignore them. Hopefully they would approach her when they made more sense.
"Lian?"
Lina jumped, surprised to find Lulu's hand resting on her shoulder. "Y-yes?"
"Tell me about Zel."
"Why?"
"What's he like?"
"Tell me why first, dammit!!"
"What's Zel like, Lian?"
"Answer me!!" A sob hiccupped in Lina's throat as she threw herself against the cushions in desperation.
Lulu listened to Lina cry for a few minutes before pushing her again. "Lian, answer me. Then I'll answer you."
"He's... cold, an insensitive jerk, obsessed with finding his cure, he has no self-esteem, an absolute loner, a genius with no common sense... and the best friend in the whole wide world. He can always make me laugh or smile, and he's the only person who ever really understand me. And.. I can trust him."
Lulu's glare softened before running a hand through Lina's hair. "That's him all right."
"Who?!" Lina demanded.
"Zero Soldier."
The name struck Lina like baseball bat against a tin can, and she doubled over. "Why does that name hurt?"
Lulu wrapped a caring arm around Lina. "Lian, I don't think your world was a past life or a parallel dimension."
"What was it?"
"When you were knocked unconscious, your mind created a world from you subconscious to let you escape from reality."
"Then Shabranigdo, Phibrizo, Dark Star... were all just a dream? Why?"
"You couldn't bear to exist in this one any longer."
"Why? And what does this have to do with Zel, er, Zero?"
Emily sat down and put her arm around Lina. "Lian, Zero was your old boyfriend before Xelloss."
She shrugged, tears running from her brown eyes. "So?! Why would that make reality to hard to bear?!"
"Because Lian... he used to beat you."