Episode 3: Everything's Coming Up Roses

Despite what most people believed, Lina Inverse was quite a religious person. Indeed, the god that she paid homage to was her appetite and she appeased it with offerings of food and drink. When it was angry, it rumbled and growled so that all around her may hear its displeasure. And, when it was satisfied, Lina knew, because all the blood drained from her head (to digest the offerings) and made her sleepy.

The small group that accompanied Lina Inverse watched in awe as she dug into a fifth portion of whatever it was she had ordered. In fact, there was probably nothing on the menu she hadn't. Even Gourry, who was normally up to the challenge of a food competition, could only sit and stare.

"Mmmm!" squealed Lina, "this is so delicious!" The wooden bowl was literally attached to her face, and for all intents and purposes, it was. She shovelled in the contents with a spoon. When she was done that, she stuck the spoon in her mouth and licked it clean.

"I'm beginning to sense a pattern here," a small, squeaky voice said. The source of the speaker was Pixie-chan, a little fairy that Lina and Gourry had found slumbering inside a magical compass-rock. The spunky, miniature girl was often fluttering about or sitting on Lyta's shoulder. When Lina Inverse had awakened her, Pixie-chan had charged her with the quest of finding the lost elves - a quest Lina Inverse did not want to handle, at first.

The other newcomer to Lina's group was Lyta Fireheart. The slender, taller girl was remarkably similar to Lina in terms of hair and facial features. Whereas Lina's hair was more brownish-red, Lyta's was red with a few highlights of yellow. Lyta had become invaluable to the team. The first time they met, she came to their rescue when Lina and Gourry's backs were against a wall fighting Bertine. Lyta had also come through in the mines of the Dunford Mountains. Her unique and specialized attack was what defeated the angry dragon residing there. Lina Inverse began to speculate that this 'Flame Slave' spell was signature to Lyta Fireheart, and perhaps one reason behind her namesake.

There were a few things that bothered Lina about the other girl. Granted, she had yet to meet a normal person ever since she left home. First, there was that oversized and under-dressed Naga. Then, she met Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Sailoon, who proved to be quite the six-year- old on a sugar rush when it came to matters of justice and 'righting wrongs'. And now, there was Lyta Fireheart, which Lina liked to refer to - mentally - as the 'Lina-otaku'. She thought having admirers was a nice gesture, but seeing them also dressed up like her was just overdoing it.

Secondly, Lina didn't like how she acted around Gourry. She felt the same way about Sylphiel. Not that she really cared, she reminded herself forcibly. She told herself that Gourry wasn't always the brightest guy she knew, and she was worried some scheming skirt would turn on the feminine charms and scoop him up, unwittingly. She had to look out for the big swordsman. That was all it was, plain and simple.

"What pattern?" Gourry asked about Pixie-chan remark.

The little fairy was sitting on Lyta's shoulder, as usual. She didn't seem to mind several of the looks people gave when they happened to see her. Most common folks were smart enough to mind their own business, especially when it came to things like magic or magical beings.

"Well," Pixie-chan responded, "I'm thinking it goes like this. We go up against Bertine. Bertine kicks our collective teeth in. We somehow make it through alive, recuperate, and flee to the nearest restaurant."

"Hey, I resent that!" Lina interrupted. "For your information, sorceresses have a high metabolism. Where do you think the energy comes from to cast all these spells? But, you'll hear no argument from me about scoring a big victory against Bertine!

"But, right now we need to keep low. Now that we're in Marinaul, we'll need to find a ship. I think Bertine knows this, too, and will probably try to stop us, somehow."

Gourry's face became concerned. "Uh oh," he said, "Lina, you're planning something. And, I don't like how your plans turn out."

A smile turned up on Lina's face. "I think it's time for Lala to make a reappearance."

"Gaah!" Gourry screamed at the mention of the name. "Not Lala! No way, I'm not doing it this time!"

"Come on, Gourry! It was a great disguise! We can be Lulu and Lili, now that Lyta's with us!"

Gourry was shaking his head frantically. "No! I'm a guy! I'm a guy, you got it?!"

A puzzled look spread across Lyta's face. "What's this disguise she's talking about, Gourry-sama?"

"Nothing! It never happened!"

Lina put a hand over her mouth and leaned over to Lyta. "We had him dress up like a girl, it was terrific! And the best thing was, it was so convincing, this guy was ready to marry him!"

Lyta's face flushed red, she giggled, "I wish I could have seen that," she turned to the raving swordsman with a mischievous smile, "'Lala-chan.'"

"Don't call me that!" Gourry screamed.

Pixie-chan hung her head, shaking it with disappointment.

Marinaul, set on the coast of the Demon Sea, was one of the more prominent port cities in the region. Although relatively new, with little history for itself, it was a bustling centre of trade and commerce. Shopkeepers set up around the gates while warehouses lined the docks. Taverns were found everywhere, with drunken sailors and dockworkers in almost all of them. Inns were just as plenty, although they ranged from high-class apartments near the shops to rough and dingy hostels by the harbour.

There was no shortage of places with odd names, like 'The Flaming Ox' inn she had stayed in at Grandevil. There was 'The Saucy Barstool', and 'The Slug and Lettuce'. Lina shuddered to think if that was the menu. There was a newer one called, 'What's Yaoi Pleasure?' Gourry fervently begged her not to rent a room there. Lina was not sure why, although she wondered why there weren't any women working there.

"This is the one!" Lina declared before a smallish building. The exterior was dull with peeling paint. The inn's hanging sign creaked gently in the wind. On it read, 'The Drunken Newt', with a little picture of a thin lizard, swirls over its eyes, and little stars around its head.

"Are you sure, Lina?" Gourry asked, peeking through the window. "The place looks pretty run-down."

"Trust me! Listen, I know that third-rate harlot of a magic-user is going to be on the lookout for us. This is probably the last place she'd think of to check. The strategy is perfect!"

"Famous last words," muttered Pixie-chan.

Lyta frowned. "But the beds are probably going to be so dirty--"

"Oh, quit whining!" Lina growled. "I know there are better inns around but this is will do." She laughed weakly. "Besides, we're short on cash from the last meal."

"WHAT?!"

"I was hungry, okay?! And, all those delicious entree's. Mmmm..." Her mouth began to water just thinking about the previous meal.

Gourry and Lyta loomed over her menacingly.

"Hehehehe..." She slid sideways and entered the dark inn.

The inside was no better, in fact it was probably worse. There was a rank smell in the air, as well as the fact the floors hadn't been cleaned in ages. The innkeeper was a thin, wiry man with stubble on his cheek and an ugly wart under his left eye.

"Well, what can I do yer fer?" he asked Lina in hacked sort of voice.

"I'd like three rooms, jii-san!" she addressed the old man.

He pondered that for a moment by staring up at the ceiling. After a moment, he answered, "Sorry, we don't have three rooms available."

"Oh," Lina said with disappointment. She supposed she could share one with Lyta. "Okay, make that two."

"We don't have two rooms either."

"What? Don't tell me you don't have a single room!"

"Well, if you count the attic - "

"THE ATTIC?!"

"Sure, it's big and comfy. A bit dusty and you gotta be careful of the spiders. Them suckers could bite your nose off while yer sleepin'."

"That's insane!"

He laughed. "No, insane are the bats that roost up there. Hard to get a night's sleep with all them ruckussin'. But, it lets you keep an eye on them spiders. Guess it works out in the end." He watched Lina stand with her mouth open. "Careful miss, you'll attract the flies."

She snarled at herself in frustration. They were right, she admitted, there was no way they could sleep in a place like this. Lina knew it was hopeless to even try to pretend, so she decided to exit. She took a step back and turned around.

"Ah! Watch out!"

Lina's arm caught edge of a dusty display table that was sitting right behind her. On it, a brown vase wobbled on its edge before tipping over and smashing onto the ground.

"Oh no!" gasped the innkeeper, quickly stepping over to the broken shards of pottery. "What have you done?!"

"Calm down, jii-san," shushed Lina. "I'll pay for it, if it makes you happy." She couldn't believe she said that. She must be getting soft.

For some reason, that made him angry. "You can't buy your way out of this! Don't you know what that is? It's a Sutedja vase. It's very old and ancient. Now you've broken it, do you know what that means? The curse of Sutedja is on ya!"

Lina rolled her eyes upwards. "Please, the 'Sutedja' curse, what kind of mumble-jumble child's nonsense is that?"

"You don't believe me? Oh, it's always the young who are the last to believe." He staggered off, shaking his head and muttering.

"Crazy old man," Lina said under her breath. As she headed for the front door, it opened without warning, slamming Lina into the wall. "Owww..."

"Lina?" Gourry asked, standing under the doorway, "what's taking so long? Lina!"

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!!" she yelled into his ear.

The innkeeper shook his head again. "The curse I tell ya! The curse of Sutedja!!"

"SHUT UP!" And she stomped out the door.

Lyta was waiting outside. "Lina-san! Are you okay? That bump looks pretty nasty."

"Never you mind," snarled Lina, shooting Gourry a guilty look. She placed a careful hand over her swelling forehead. "Look, let's split up. I'll go look for another inn. Gourry, you go check the docks, see if you can charter us a ship."

"Oh, can I join you, Gourry-sama?"

Gourry scratched the back of his head habitually. "Sure, Lyta. Do you know much about ships?"

The girl shook her head. "But, you can teach me, Gourry-sama."

Lina was in too foul a mood to care as they walked off. That was when she noticed something buzzing around her. "How come you're not going with them?"

The fairy gingerly floated over Lina's shoulder, deciding whether or not to rest. She hovered in the air instead. "I thought we could discuss a few things." The sniff Lina gave didn't say much, but Pixie- chan took it to mean she didn't object.

As Lina began walking, she spied a carelessly tossed banana peel lying on the ground. Looking around, she decided to give it a wide berth, smiling to herself for averting such an obvious set up. Unfortunately, she stepped onto the street where she was promptly plowed over by a runaway wagon cart.

"You know, Gourry-sama," Lyta started as she strolled alongside, "this gives us the perfect chance to talk."

Their direction was the docks of Marinaul, the source of commerce and industry in the port city. In the background, longshoremen were hard at work, unloading crates from ships. The docks were the first to employ amateur magic-users, whose jobs were to assist in offloading cargo onto the piers. These sorcerers ('tenth-rate', as Lina might have called them), were hardly skilled in the arcane arts, but knew the simple spells like 'light', and more importantly to their job, 'levitation'. A slight modification allowed them to cast it on inanimate objects, instead of themselves. But, for them, it took a lot of energy, and so they were limited to just unloading; the dockworkers were left the rest.

A couple of sailors, lounging by a mountain of crates, whistled at Lyta. She ignored their catcalls and hoots. She knew she was safe with Gourry by her side, but even so, she edged closer to him.

"Talk about what?" the blond swordsman responded.

"Oh, I don't know, you could tell me about..." she put a finger on her chin, "I know! Tell me about growing up!"

An eyebrow raised. "That's a really vague topic, Lyta," Gourry responded, "and I don't think you want to hear such a boring story."

She latched onto his arm like a little girl. "Oh, come on, Gourry-sama! I'd love to hear something about you. Please?"

"Err.." he stuttered, "well there's not much to say. "I came from a little fishing village called Testabourne. Our family was big and small at the same time. I had a lot of uncles and aunts and cousins, but my own family was just my two parents and myself."

"Oh, but I knew that," Lyta muttered to heself.

"You do?" came Gourry’s surprised reply.

"I, uh, yeah, um, Lina told me a while back." Lyta quickly thought of another question, something more obvious. "No, brothers or sisters?" she asked. Gourry shook his head.

"It's okay, I had a lot of friends when I was growing up." Gourry smiled.

Lyta smiled, too. "Something tells me you were the biggest kid in the village, but you were also the nicest and kindest to everyone."

"Really?" He scratched his head astonishingly. "I guess that's sorta true. How did you know? I never told Lina."

"I just had this feeling. So what else?"

"Well, nothing really. I practised swordsmanship all my life, ever since I was a little boy. I had big dreams about being a hero, making a name for myself. I joined the king's guard when I was young, but it was boring. I was cooped up in a castle all day. Until I decided to leave, and became a mercenary. That's when I met Lina Inverse."

"You might not know it," Lyta said, "but you are a hero."

"Nah, I don't think so. I mean, sure, Lina and me, we've been in some really tough fights. But, the way I see it, I've got responsibilities again. I gotta see nothing happens to Lina." A pause. "I think of it like this. I handle the guys with swords, and she kicks the magic-users' butts."

A little lump developed in Lyta's throat. And now for the big question, she thought to herself. "So, what do you think of Lina?"

"Lina? She's great! I mean, we have lots of fun together. Sometimes I say something stupid, and she really gives it to me, but I don't really mind. I know she doesn't mean it. We're great friends." Gourry said that with finality.

"'Friends'?" Lyta repeated. "Not... more?"

Gourry almost stumbled. "Me and Lina? Like that? No way! I really can't see that happening! Lina'd probably hit me in the head if I even thought about it!"

As they rounded the corner of a warehouse, Lyta was about to ask some more questions, when someone collided with them. He was a short man, young really. His clothes were plain but dirty. His hair was messed up and a black eye marked up his face. Fear was written across it, as well.

"I'm sorry!" he apologized wildly, "I'm sorry!"

Down the road, three men came into view. One of them shouted, "There he is!" They started running towards Gourry and Lyta.

The young man looked both ways. Then he looked up. "Please!" he pleased, "you gotta help me! Please!"

"Hold it, Keil!" shouted one of them. They stopped just a few paces away. "Hey you," the man said to Gourry, "this doesn't concern you. Get outta here!"

If there was one thing Gourry didn't like, it was bullies. What he hadn't told Lyta during their discussion was his motivation for learning how to use a sword: he never wanted to feel bullied again.

He drew his sword. "I don't know what you want with this guy, but maybe you should leave him alone, instead."

The other two men grinned at eachother, and drew their swords. "Look pal, like I said 'fore, this doesn't concern you. If you don't leave," he gave Lyta an evil look, "we might mess up your pretty girlfriend."

Lyta drew the short sword behind her back.

The two men looked at eachother again, but this time with a tinge of uncertainty. The first man decided for them. He charged with a scream.

Gourry let the two men come to him. His sword was pointing to the ground, but as they closed the distance, he flicked it up neatly. Then, he began a little run of his own. In a flash, he wove past the two, knocking their swords from their hands.

The last man approached Lyta with an overconfident smirk. She had her short sword ready in a defensive posture. She wasn't fully recovered to use her magic, but she had enough energy for a little sword duel. When the man lunged, she stepped aside quickly. She struck back, but he blocked her attack. They exchanged rapid, glancing strikes, generating a steady rhythm. Suddenly, she feinted, breaking that rhythm. However, the man had let complacency take over his movements. He swung, hitting nothing but air. Lyta connected her sword against his in a superior angle, and with a quick twist of her wrist, disarmed him as well.

The man backed away, along with his disarmed friends. He shook a fist at the young man. "Damn you, Keil! I'll see that we finish our business later!" He scrambled away.

Gourry walked up to Lyta. "That was pretty fancy stuff," he complemented her. "I don't usually see a magic-user handle a sword so well."

She blushed. "Thanks," she breathed, "well, my teachers said that sometimes I couldn't always depend on magic. So, they insisted I learn how to use a sword too. Looks like we have some things in common, hmm?" Her attention turned to the young man they were protecting.

He was about Lyta's height, and wore plain traveller's clothes. His pants were dark brown and tunic dark grey. A fine chain ran from under his tunic into a front pocket, which was probably attached to his purse. His eyes were still wide as saucers.

"Thank you!" he stammered. "My name's Keil Abasham."

"I'm Gourry Gabriev," Gourry introduced himself, "and this is Lyta. Can I ask why those guys were chasing you?"

Keil looked a little nervous at the question. "Well, you see, it's kind of complicated, but I was supposed to sell them something. Only, I found a better buyer. I guess they didn't like that."

Gourry shrugged. "Oh well, guess there's nothing we can do about that. Stay out of trouble!" And he began to walk away.

"Wait!" pleaded Keil, "I, uh, was wondering if I could hang out with you guys." When he saw Gourry's blank expression, he assumed it he needed to be more convincing. "For a little while! Please?"

Gourry glanced at Lyta. He was unsure of what to say. Whenever he was with Lina, she made all the decisions. And if Gourry was ever by himself, she usually left him with instructions.

Lyta spoke up. "What is it you do, Keil?"

"Well, I do a little trading here and there. If there's anything you need, I can get it for you."

Gourry's eyes sharpened a little. "Wait a minute, you're not one of those burglars, are you?"

Two hands shot up in defense. "No! No, I don't do anything illegal! Well, not outright illegal. Sometimes you need to toe the line, if you know what I mean."

"We do need a boat," Lyta said aloud.

Keil jumped on that immediately. "A boat! Is that all? Oh, in the name of Ceipheed, why didn't you say so? I can get you a boat! See, I'm gettin' useful already!" He smiled weakly.

"Aw, can we keep him?" asked Lyta suddenly with droopy eyes. "He's alone and defenseless and probably wouldn't last two seconds in a fight, and he can get us a boat. Please?" Gourry backed off with a 'why are you staring at me like that?!' look.

"Hey!" Keil objected, "I'm not a puppy!"

Lyta patted his head cutely.

Marcus massaged his hand, flexing the tendons and then squeezing it into a tight fist. "Damn, that big guy practically bashed the sword right out of my hand."

Waylan was rubbing his hand in the same way. "We'll get more men next time. I doubt he could take on four guys at once."

Jasin sat motionless. "I'll make sure that bitch gets some too," he spat. "Damn them! Damn Keil! We was gonna take our earnings out of his hide if they hadn't showed up."

"Don't worry," Waylan reassured, "we'll make sure he doesn't cross us again. Once we find him, that is."

The dark alley that the three goons sat in was empty, except them. They had fled there after the defeat from the two adventurers Keil had run into. The three sat alongside the wall, far away from the main street.

"Who do you think he sold it to?" Marcus asked.

Jasin shook his head. "I dunno, but we'll be sure to beat it outta him before I gut the spineless cretin."

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but I was curious as to what you were discussing."

The voice came from nowhere. Or rather, it came from the shadows. The three goons jumped to their feet. They searched the darkness, and at first, saw no one, until a figure began to emerge. It was a tall man, wearing a dark cape. His face was somewhat hidden.

"Who in the blazes are you?" Jasin growled. He didn't like being eavesdropped on, and was sure three on one was odds in their favour.

The man's eyes glowed red. Fear possessed the three of them, and that was all the man needed. He was lightning, striking with his fist and hitting Marcus. He grabbed Jasin by the throat and lifted his off the ground with one hand. Jasin choked for air, while both hands grabbed onto the man's forearm. Waylan came over his fright but was still afraid. The man snarled at him. The fanged mouth and hiss drove the fear right down Waylan's body. He bolted.

The man turned back to Jasin, whose eyes were screaming with horror. The last thing he saw were those fangs and feeling them tear into his neck.

After a few moments, the man dropped Jasin onto the ground. He bent over Marcus, who was coming around from the blow to the head. His vision was blurred, yet he saw the fangs, too. The man attacked his neck as well, and the flailing arms subsided until he too went limp.

The man got up and steadied himself. He was drained and needed rest. He supported himself against the wall with one hand. When he regained his balance, he watched and waited. The two bodies, Jasin and Marcus, lay unmoving on the dark alley floor. Suddenly, their eyes snapped open. They glowed blood red. An ephemeral mist evaporated over them, making a sickly, wailing sound. The man wondered if that was their souls, escaping from their bodies.

The two men, formerly Marcus and Jasin, stood obediently before their new master. "Welcome to the fold." The man's lips turned upwards with a blood-curdling smile.

"You know, Lina," Pixie-chan started as she sat on the sorceress' shoulder, "this gives us the perfect chance to talk."

After separating with Gourry and Lyta, Lina Inverse and Pixie- chan headed towards the merchant's quarter of the city, in hopes to find a better place to stay. Lina was worried about being found by Bertine. Not that she was afraid of the strumpet, but she didn't fancy another fight so soon after the last.

Lina covered a swollen bump on her forehead with a bag of ice. The bag was supposed to keep the bump from swelling even more. It did not do much for her pride. Her clothes were soaking wet, after having walked under a balcony where a woman was dumping a bucket of water. After that, some shopkeeper was beating out one of his rugs and all the dust settled on Lina's damp clothes.

"I'm not in a mood to talk," Lina growled. Her eyes shot about, looking here and there, trying to spot the next disaster that might befall her.

"It's that curse of Su - "

"Don't even mention that name!" barked Lina.

Pixie-chan tossed back some of her green hair with a hand. "I'll admit, Lina, that the name doesn't ring any bells. And, I thought it sounded silly, too. But you have to admit it." She took in Lina's filthy form and tried not to laught. "There might be some truth to it."

The fairy wondered if the steam rising above Lina's head was due to the sunlight or her hurt pride, and decided to drop the matter. "Um, well maybe we can discuss our present issue about the elves."

"Yes, what about the elves, hmm?" Lina said sardonically. "Ever since I agreed to take on this 'quest'," she emphasized the word with a little spite, "it's been one thing after the next. Where we going, now?"

Pixie-chan sighed. "Okay, I guess you deserve as much. To be completely honest, my memory's fuzzy. I've been asleep for decades! Things are slowly to become clear as we go along. I suspect that it's been done on purpose, so that I would remember more, the closer we got. Anyway, the compass needs to be calibrated before it can be much use."

"Calibrated?" Lina repeated, "how do we do that?"

"I'm not sure," the fairy answered, "but I now know where it must be taken. Mipross Island."

"Mipross Island?!" Lina turned about so fast that Pixie-chan stretched out her wings and floated into the air. Lina's temper subsided a little once she began to give it a little thought. "I remember there was an elven community there. That was many years ago. Actually, when I was there, the elves were gone, but an old man told me they once lived there."

"Exactly," Pixie-chan confirmed. "Mipross Island was the last place the elves were seen before they disappeared. The compass needs to be calibrated by taking it there. Then, it'll point to where the elves are now."

"Sounds easy enough," Lina admitted, "but Bertine's gonna try and stop us between here and Mipross Island. Once she figures out that's our destination."

"We can't let her find the elves. If the Mazoku discover where they are, they'll send an armada of demons to destroy them. Needless to say, the balance would be tipped in their favour."

Lina cast a sidelong look. "There's no need to remind me, I know the dangers of what could happen."

That response effectively terminated anymore discussion. There was an uneasy silence but Pixie-chan picked up the conversation again. "Is it true? You defeated one of the resurrected pieces of Shaburanigdo?"

"Yep, one was reborn in the eyes of the Red Priest Rezo. His blindness was what imprisoned Shaburanigdo and the cure was what released the Demon King." The sorceress flipped back her hair. Little dust particles sprinkled off her head.

"How ironic," Pixie-chan remarked. "It's amazing. The lands had been pretty peaceful, the last I remember them. Sure, you had your political conflicts, wars between countries, but nothing so profound as the rebirth of the Demon King! And you to be involved, of all people! It only confirms my belief in you."

Lina did a double take. "Say that again?"

"Yes, it's true," Pixie-chan flashed her eyelashes, "I truly believe you're the destined one."

"Oh, please, not that again!" groaned Lina. "It's getting old, Pixie-chan."

"Let me ask you this, then. Who were your idols while growing up? Were there people you admired?"

"Idols?" A grin spread across Lina's face. "You're joking me, right? Let me see... nope! Nobody I can think of. I had to rely on myself more than anyone else. It's my belief that I'm the only person I can count on to get things done. That's the code I live by."

The fairy pursued deeper. "So, nobody inspired you? Motivated you?"

Lina held up two fingers. She counted them off by saying, "Two things: money and fear. A girl can never have too much money." She beamed.

Pixie-chan rolled her eyes skywards. "Why fear?"

"I'm from Zefilia," Lina answered plainly. When Pixie-chan didn't understand her response, she sighed and spelled it out for her. "Not many people know this, but I come from a village where everyone knows magic! I mean everyone and their cat! Trust me, if I hadn't learned magic, I would have been killed before I turned twelve."

"Are you saying they were going to kill you if you didn't learn magic?"

Lina almost fell on her face. "No! Of course not! But figuratively speaking, I'd have been toast a long ago if I hadn't forced myself to learn magic." She raised a lecturing hand. "And fear is a great motivator."

"Oh, I see what you're saying."

"What were you thinking? We're a bunch of violent, blood-hungry psychopaths with ritualistic overtones?"

Pixie-chan chose not to answer that question.

Atop a stone bridge, someone had inconveniently left a clay jar along the side. As Lina and Pixie-chan passed under the bridge, a gust of wind pushed it over the edge. Pixie-chan saw it tip over and yelled, "Lina, watch out for that jar!"

Lina looked up. "Oh no, I'm not falling for this one. I bet I'll get run over again if I move - " The jar smashed on her head. A painful pause passed as Lina mentally assessed the damage. "On second thought..."

The man once known as Marcus stood on the rooftop, watching the people below. He felt his veins course with renewed energy, strength. It was a wonderful gift that he had been given, this new life. But with it, came an unsatiated hunger. A thirst that he needed to quench.

His one-time ally, Jasin, was beside him. Now they were like brothers, linked by the same blood. He, too, stared at the people below. He found them inferior, imperfect. They were insects compared to what they were.

A figure caught his eye. It was a girl, short with reddish-brown hair. She had a black cape and red clothes. Blurred images floated inside his mind. He was holding a weapon, a sword, and facing a girl just like her. No, it was she.

He nudged the former Marcus and pointed to the girl on the street. Marcus nodded. He had the same thoughts.

The two men, once men but now something more, floated gracefully into the air and down onto the street.

Lina Inverse rubbed her head. At her feet lay the pieces of the shattered clay jar that landed on her. Any way she wrapped her brain around it, she could not understand why this was happening to her. At first she didn't believe the innkeeper. She thought it was just some stupid hoax. After a few accidents, she cast 'dispel' on herself, but there was no magic to cancel out. Now, she was getting annoyed.

At least the damage was limited to objects colliding with her in some fashion, she thought. Things couldn't get any worse.

Two men floated down from the sky. She blinked. And cursed herself.

There was something very odd about the two. Besides their entrance, their faces seemed deathly pale. But their eyes were wide alert.

They stared menacingly at her. One man raised his hand and pointed ominously. "Vermin. You will now feel our true power."

Pixie-chan flew behind Lina, if only to get of the way. Lina crossed her arms and put on her best face. The one with the smirk that said 'I know something you don't know' called Dragu-slave.

"Who the hell are you guys? Wait a minute, I get it. Bertine sent you, right? Now she's stooping down to having goons do her dirty work, huh?"

The two shared a quick glance without a word.

Lina continued. "It doesn't make a difference to me. I'll just have to kick your butts anyway." She raised her hands. "DIL-BRAND!!"

The spell encircled the ground beneath the men and violently erupted, flinging them into the air. Rocks and dirt spewed upwards with a single, explosive boom. Commoners jumped back once they realized what was going on. Mothers grabbed their children while others scrambled away.

When the dust settled, Lina gasped. The two men remained standing before her, untouched by the spell.

"What happened?" Pixie-chan asked behind her ear.

"I don't know," Lina answered, rolling up her sleeves, "but these aren't your normal goons. MEGABRAND!!!" The even more powerful version should have sent the two into a low-earth orbit. Instead, they hardly flinched as the explosive magical forces acted around them - their feet firmly on the ground.

Lina reared back her hands. "FIREBALL!" and tossed one of her favourite spells out. The ball of flames engulfed them but soon extinguished.

In similar fashion, almost identically and perhaps mocking her style, the two men moved their hands and cast the fireball spell back at her. Lina dodged them frantically.

She attacked them with a flurry of spells. Digger volt, flare arrow, demona crystal; none of the usual shamanistic groups had any effect. Worse yet, they doubled their efforts in copycat fashion.

Lina tucked out of a roll, barely escaping the blast of a flare arrow. By now, the street was empty, though she wondered why no soldiers had shown up.

Closing her eyes, she decided to resort to the spell she knew best. "Darkness from twilight, crimson from blood that flows..." Dragu-slave.

"No!" a voice cried.

Lina turned her head. A tall man, silhouetted by the blinding sunlight behind him, raised a crossbow. He fired it twice at the two men attacking Lina. The bolts pierced their chests with precision. They shrieked, clutching the bolts protruding from their bodies, and fell over writhing.

The man jumped off the building. "Hurry!" he hissed, "the guards are coming!"

"It's about time they did their jobs!"

He grabbed her arm.

"Wait a minute!" she yelled, trying to look back and trying to resist at the same time. She could barely make out the two bodies disintegrating or the group of people that were slowly emerging from their shops.

They rounded a corner and raced down an alleyway. The man held her arm tightly and she couldn't break free. After a few minutes of hard running, they stopped. Lina slumped against a stone wall and breathed hard.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked angrily. "And who were those guys?"

"Cisco St. Rivers," he said in response.

"Is that your name or a place?" Lina retorted.

The man grimaced. He was tall and handsome. His face was finely chiselled and his hair was sandy brown. The front was short, almost spiky, while the back was tied in a ponytail. Across his chest, he wore an impressive bandolier with crossbow bolts. "Do they never get tired of that?" he muttered into the air. "Look, I'll explain everything. First, let's get your friends together."

Lina froze. "But I'm travelling alone," she lied.

"It's okay, I've been following your group, but let's discuss that at my place. It's safer there."

Planting her feet firmly, Lina folded her arms across her chest. "I am not moving until I get some answers. Now talk!"

He protested. "But - "

"But nothing!" she finished for him. "Look, Rivers - "

"St. Rivers" he corrected.

" - don't make me start waving my hands and uttering keywords like, oh, say, 'fireball'?"

"But," he protested again, pointing his finger.

"That's it! FIRE - "

"Hi Lina! What are you doing in this alley?"

Lina blinked. The voice sounded very familiar. It was comely, with a bit of naivete and oblivion. She turned around. "Gourry?"

"Hi! I thought we were going to meet back at that weird inn, but I saw you hanging out here. Awfully dark, isn't it? Hey, who's that guy?"

Cisco walked out of the alley. "Cisco St. Rivers," he answered Gourry. He turned to Lina. "Now that your friends are back, let's head to my place and I'll tell you everything you need to know." And without so much as an agreement from Lina, he turned around and walked away.

"But - " Lina protested.

Lyta and Gourry walked past her. "Is that his name or a location?" Gourry asked to Lyta. She shrugged silently as Pixie-chan flew over and settled on her shoulder.

A young man trailed behind the two. He passed by Lina, smiled and waved his hand innocently. She had no idea who he was.

"But - "

"Miss Lina!" Cisco yelled back, "hurry, please!"

"But, I wanted to blast - oh, this isn't my day," she conceded to herself with a hanging head.

"Vampires?!" Lina repeated with disbelief.

Cisco nodded.

"That's impossible! These guys jumped me in broad daylight. Are you sure they weren't werewolves or something? Werewolves, I can believe that, possibly. Heck, I was tied up by a werewolf once."

"Lina, I didn't know you were into the bondage thing," Gourry quipped.

Lina planted her fist on his head. "This is Dilgear I'm talking about!!" She wasn't entirely sure he was a werewolf, more of a wolf- man. Thinking of Dilgear reminded her of the smelly fish-man, Noonsa. Her stomach turned a little.

After her strange run-in with the two goons and the flight from the scene, Cisco had taken Lina and the others to his inn. It was called "The Submarine Special" after a unique dinner item of an elongated sandwich. Gourry was eating one as they sat in one of the inn's private dining rooms.

Cisco shot up a finger. "These aren't the same vampires people tell their kids at bedtime."

"I'd be damned to tell a creepy story like that to my kid," Keil said.

That was when Lina remembered they had another guest. "Who the hell are you, again?"

Keil offered a friendly handshake. "Keil Abasham, merchant extraordinaire."

"We'll get to your story later," Lina waved him off with her hand and turned her attention back to Cisco.

"Uh, oh yeah, these vampires aren't limited to travelling at night, although that's their preferred time. They can come out during the day for certain periods." Lina was about to open her mouth, but Cisco cut her off. "I know what you're going to ask, and no, they aren't allergic to garlic, either."

"Actually, I wanted a bite of Gourry's sandwich."

"It's a 'submaroon'" Gourry said, "and I don't know, you shouldn't have hit me."

"Oh geez, Gourry, it was a reflex reaction! C'mon, I'm hungry! Fighting those guys was one thing, but having my magic fail, too, was bad enough!"

"Your magic failed?" Gourry asked. "Is it that time of month again?"

Lina shot an icy glare.

"The magic, I'm afraid," Cisco continued, trying to ignore Lina's lunges for Gourry's snack, "is the complication to the whole thing. Hey! Are you listening?!"

Lina managed to tear off a small corner and munched on it happily. "Huh? Yeah, the magic?"

Cisco grimaced lightly again. "Yeah, uh, okay. Now, don't get mad at me for saying this, but it's true. The vampires are an offshoot of the Mazoku."

Lina made a sound.

"I'm serious, Lina!" Cisco protested.

Lyta tapped his shoulder and pointed at Lina's face. "Uh, I think she's choking."

"Oh."

Gourry gave her a hard pat on the back. Lina swallowed, fortunately through her oesophagus.

"So, you're saying these vampires are part of the demon race?" Lyta asked.

He nodded. "Once there was a Mazoku underling of Chaos-Dragon Gaav, who experimented with undead demons. When his experiments failed, he turned to himself as a last resort. He became a vampire, a Mazoku vampire. I don't know the details, but they possess some magical properties like the real Mazoku. They cannot cast magic, in the true sense, and are completely immune to it. Worse yet, they can mimic whatever spells are cast on them, even absorb their power. That's why I had to stop you from casting Dragu-slave.

"I'm a vampire hunter, have been for years. That's how I know these things." He said it with an edge of danger and perhaps hoping they were impressed.

Lina whistled. "If what you're saying is true, these things could be a real threat." She smiled. "Well, you've got a nice problem on your hands. Wish I could help, but I'm tied up with something. Good luck!" She started to get up.

Cisco pulled her back down. "No, wait! I need your help! I can't fight them alone now! I've been able to deal with a few at a time, but I've located a small bunch of them in this very city! You must help me destroy them!"

"Look Cisco Rivers or wherever the hell it is you come from, we're busy at the moment. You'll have to deal with it yourself."

The man dropped back into his seat. He blinked a few times, as if in disbelief. Tilting his head a little, he put on a resolved face. "I see. Hmm... I really hoped I wouldn't be forced to do this. But, you leave me with little choice."

Lina listened carefully. If things got ugly, she would be the first to launch a spell in his face.

"Remember I said, I was following you for a while? I passed through a little town called Grandevil. Remember that place? Well, the local thieves' guild remembers you, soft of. They paid me a handsome price to track you down. I've got a letter, with a friend, which goes to them in three days. After that, your life becomes one living hell. Do you know what it's like to have the thieves guild hounding you?" He pulled back his sleeve and displayed a vicious scar on his left arm. "It's not fun."

Lina grabbed him by the collar. "It's not a good thing to threaten me. Give me a good reason why I shouldn't drop-kick your backside into next week."

Cisco smiled, and tried to shrug. "It's a simple proposition. Help me destroy these evil creatures, and I'll see that letter doesn't get sent out."

"What do I care?" Lina countered, "I'm not planning to be around here for long."

He laughed. "Oh, trust me. The thieves' guild has a long memory. And, they're very good at communicating with other guilds in other cities. Pretty soon, you won't be able to set foot in the nearest town without fear of someone stabbing you in the back.

"Look, I know you're mad. Someone has just threatened you, hey, I'd be upset too, Miss Lina. But you have to understand! These vile creatures have to be destroyed! I'm close! So close, but I need your help! Rumours have it they've taken up shelter in a warehouse by the docks. Whatever riches they've acquired are yours, no strings attached."

Lina weighed his words carefully. She admitted that having the thieves' guild on her back would be tough. The whole incident with the fake bounty and swarm of do-gooders trying to capture her and Gourry was something she'd rather not repeat. And, she didn't think thieves would be so obvious in their approach.

He could be bluffing, she considered. But the mention of treasure was tempting. There was still one thing bothering her, though. She let go of his collar and he sat back down, adjusting his tunic a bit.

"Why do you want my help? You said yourself that magic doesn't work on them."

"Magic doesn't affect them, so you can't hope to fireball one and hope it turns to ashes." He picked up his crossbow and a wooden bolt. "But these stakes can. Ironic isn't it? Complicated spells that cannot defeat them, outdone by a simple stick of wood? But, that doesn't mean magic is useless. Vampires are still affected by the forces of nature. They can't attack if a thick cloud of smoke is blinding them. You get my point?" He tapped his temple. "A bit of ingenuity gives me time to do my part. I need you to protect me."

Something bothered her. Everything seemed so simple. He made it sound easy. "What aren't you telling me?" she asked in a straightforward tone.

Cisco blinked, which Lina took as a telltale sign. "That's pretty much all there is to it."

"Huh," Lina grunted and decided with a sly grin. "Fine."

"Lina!" Pixie-chan objected. "We're supposed to be finding a ship! Not fighting evil vampires!"

Lina held up her hand watched Cisco smile smugly. "I've got no choice," she responded, "besides, it'll take us a while to find a ship." She emphasized the word 'ship' and turned to Lyta and Gourry.

"Umm.. I know we didn't find one today," Lyta apologized, "but, now I know where we can get a ship!" Lyta pointed to Keil. "He said he can get us one!"

"You said boat - "

"Oh yeah, who are you?" Lina asked Keil.

"We met him while he was fleeing some guys he owed money to," Lyta answered for him. "He was really scared and helpless." Keil scowled at her words.

"We really need to stop picking up the tourists, Lyta," Lina admonished.

"I think I can be helpful," Keil spoke up, "if you're going to be sailing into the Demon Sea. I'm also a cartographer."

"Aren't you one of those guys that make up new dance routines?" Gourry asked and was subsequently ignored.

"I can provide you with maps of all over the waters, if that's where you're going." He added less enthusiastically, "If you don't ask me where I got them."

"So he can get us a ship?" Lina asked Lyta, completely ignoring Keil.

"Boat, I said boat!" the young man repeated, but nobody listened.

Lyta nodded. "It'll take about a day, I guess. Right, Keil?"

"I can get it tomorrow morning, but you people aren't listening to me!"

"This is good, because I'm planning to attack the vampires tomorrow night," Cisco added. "By the next morning, you can set sails to wherever you want to go. If things turn out well, that is."

"Then it's settled, Lyta, you and Keil that ship, Cisco and I will deal with those pesky vampires."

"I'm coming too," Gourry said, wiping the corners of his mouth. "I may not understand all the hard things but if I heard correctly, your magic isn't as good against them. I'll make sure nothing happens to you, Lina."

Lina was used to having him along, she didn't think twice about it. Or should she? She put the stray thought aside for the moment. "Okay, Cisco, Gourry and I will deal with those pesky vampires." She rubbed her head, the bump almost healed.

"Lina-san, you must feel really bad," mused Lyta, "I mean, you've been hit by objects, drenched, dusted up, attacked by vampires, and threatened by a man who will make your life a living hell. You must be really cursed!"

The short-fused sorceress grabbed Lyta. "Don't you ever mention that word!"

"What, you mean 'cursed'?"

"Don't say it!!" She let her go and regained some composure. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Where are you going?" Gourry asked.

"To get a drink. This has been one hell of a day!" Lina got up and left for the taproom. Gourry blinked and followed her like faithful puppy.

"I guess 'cursed' was the red button. Do you think she got mad?" Lyta asked stupidly.

"I think so," Pixie-chan agreed.

Lyta yawned, stretched her arms and headed for the stairs to her room.

"I said boat," Keil mentioned to Cisco, the only other person left in the private dining room.

It did not take long for Lina to get drunk. She wasn't one to hold her liquor anyway, and she normally despised the stuff. But, if there was one thing she knew about alcohol, it was a great way to forget about your troubles, for a little while.

"Ah, Gourry, I tell ya," Lina slurred, slightly slumped over the bar, "thish hash got to be one of those daysh, you know what I mean?"

"Lina, you're drunk," Gourry pointed out the obvious.

"Of coursh I'm drunk! Why wouldn't I be?" Her face was blushing red; it made a rose look pale. She twirled her finger in the air. "I'm going to totally forget about everything thatsh been going, been going.. been, uh, going on! Yeah.. first it was that tramp Bertine, then it's the elves, then it's that shtoopid curse, then it's these vampires.. then it's, uhmm.." She was counting them off on her fingers.

"Aw, come on Lina. Everything turns out right, in the end. It wouldn't be fun any other way. You said so yourself."

"I did?" she asked. "When did I say that?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure you'd say something like that." His voice dropped to a low whisper. "Lina, you're not going to embarrass yourself again, are you? Please, not like last time?"

Lina pushed him off. "Pfft! You're such a wishy-washy Gourry- kun! Heehee. Gourry? Why do you always follow me?"

Feeling put on the spot, he put a hand behind his head. "Well, it's one fun adventure after the next!" he answered sheepishly.

"I remember the first time we met," she started recollecting to herself, mostly. She had both hands on her cheeks, and elbows on the bar. "I was being attacked by some goons, and you popped up. I thought, 'Oh, finally, my hero coming to my rescue!' But then you thought I was a little kid! That was so embarasshing! Y'know what I mean?" She pillowed her head on her arms. "And then.. and then, you show up with the Sword of Light! Oh baby! But you know what Gourry? There's something about you that I can't figure out. And it just drives me nuts!! It's this whole 'you and me' thing! I mean, what's with that?" She tried clambering onto her barstool.

"Lina, sit down!" Gourry whispered hoarsely.

Without proper balance, Lina could not stand herself up properly and fell back down. She bumped into the big man sitting next to her, who gave her a rough shove. "Hey, watch it, girl!"

Lina shook her head mockingly. "Girl?" she repeated to Gourry over her shoulder. "You heard that? He thinks I'm a girl!" She tried standing up on the bar again and succeeded. "I'm not a 'girl'! I'm Lina, Sorcerer Princess!!" She looked down. "And this is my blond friend and ally, Gabriev!"

"My name's Gourry," he introduced to the man, offering his hand.

"I don't care who the hell you people are! Get your foot out of my flaming drink!"

"Gabriev! Quick, where's your staff? Beat some sense into this ruffian for me!" Gourry didn't budge, but tried to hide his face. "Oh, I always have to do everything myself!" She grabbed one of the bar trays and threw it like a discus, while chanting ululatingly. The round, metal tray, ricocheted off the walls, off the fireplace, off the ceiling before flying straight back at her head.

The impressive clanging sound it made on impact was the last thing Lina (The Sorcerer Princess) Inverse heard for the night.

"You said you wanted a boat!" yelled Keil defensively.

It was mid-morning in Marinaul. Keil, Lyta and Pixie-chan woke up early so that they could get their ship. At least, that's what Lyta thought.

"Boat, ship, they're all the same!" Lyta argued.

"No, they're not!" He pointed to the large cargo ship docked in the harbour. "That, is a ship!" Then, he pointed to the rowboat tied to the pier below them. "That, is a boat! Got it?"

"Sheesh," she muttered, feeling insulted.

"Well, what now?" Pixie-chan asked with her hands on her hips. She was bobbing in the air.

Keil tried not to stare at the fairy. He was quite dumbfounded the first saw her. He didn't understand how the others could be so comfortable around such a strange creature. The other man, Cisco, had no problems either. Keil assumed he'd been hunting vampires for so long that seeing a fairy was a welcome sight.

"W-well, I think I know someone who could let us sail with them. He has some cargo runs along the coast to the other ports. I'm sure, for the right price, he can take us to Mipross Island. It's funny. Mipross Island used to be a great tourist spot. But then, a few years back, some crazy woman was complaining about how the famous hotsprings were nothing but a fraud. Nevertheless, ticket sales went down, and now, nobody goes there except the regular shipping lanes and tourists looking for a cheap vacation. Go figure."

Lina Inverse winced. The sunlight crept in through the shuttered window at 'The Submarine Special'. The beams of light illuminated her bed, heating her blankets just a little too much for her comfort. Meanwhile, her head pounded. It throbbed and ached. Little birds perched on the roof chirped happy songs, greeting the bright, new day. She wanted to kill them.

She opened her eyes a crack. A flood of painful, searing sunlight shut them immediately. She grabbed the covers of her blanket and pulled them over her head. She tightened herself into a ball and tried to forget everything.

Her eyes snapped open when she heard some shuffling. Pulling the covers back, she stared into her room. Someone was snoring. It was Gourry, with chair leaned back against the wall, sleeping soundly.

Had he stayed up all night with her? she wondered. Why would he do such a thing? He had his own room. Why didn't he sleep in his bed? These questions only made Lina's head hurt even more. She groaned.

Gourry began to stir, she had probably waken him. Lina shut her eyes and pretended to be sleeping, but she opened them a crack to see. She saw him tip the chair forward and gently back on all four legs. He got up and walked over to her bed. Then, she saw him, staring down at her. Why was he looking at her like that?

Feeling uncomfortable about the whole thing, she moved her head and opened her eyes slowly, in a sleepy manner. "Gourry? What are you doing here? What time is it?"

Gourry smiled. "It's almost noon. I let you sleep in the morning."

Lina lifted her head a little. Her hair was a completely mess, having not brushed it last night. Then, she remembered, she had gone drinking. Then she ended up in bed with her pyjamas.

To her amazement, her brain started functioning. Her pyjamas? Her eyes became wide.

"Gourry! You d-didn't undress me did you?!"

"Wha - ? No! Of course not!"

Lina sighed in relief. Then, another thought entered her mind. "You didn't let Cisco undress me, did you?!"

"No, no! Lyta came in after I carried you up to bed. She insisted you sleep in some comfortable clothes."

Lina blinked. Lyta did that? She thought it odd for the girl to do such a thing for her. At first, she thought she was only interested in Gourry. But, Lina thought, she was also a fan of 'Lina Inverse'. She prayed it wasn't some perverted, fetish, fantasy.

"Where is Lyta, anyway?"

Gourry pulled up the chair he was sleeping in and sat down. "Well, she, Pixie-chan, and that guy Keil went to get the ship, earlier this morning. They should be back soon."

She nodded. There was a pause, an uncomfortable one. For Lina had something more important to get out of the way. "Uh, Gourry, I didn't say anything stupid last night?" she asked for reassurance. She always needed to ask that after getting drunk. "I mean, if I did, I didn't mean it at all! Honestly!"

She thought she saw disappointment in his eyes. But, he said instead, "That's okay, Lina, you didn't say or do anything dumb. Three drinks and you were out."

Lina tried to sit up and the pain went right to her head. "Then why does my head hurt so much?"

"Uh, must be the hangover."

"Really? Then, why - OW! - is there such a big bump? And, I suddenly have this urge to dress in leather.."

"Three hundred gold pieces?!" Lyta repeated with a startle.

The toothy, bald captain of the 'Nelly Clipper' shook his head. "No, no, three hundred fifty gold pieces."

Lyta muttered something unintelligible. The captain's eyebrow raised and he grinned. "By Nelly, you swear pretty well for a landmate, and a lass too! Tell you what, three hundred thirty."

"Three hundred twenty!" Lyta haggled back.

"Three hundred twenty-five!"

"Deal!"

"Alrighty then!" The captain spit in his hand and offered it to her to close the bargaining. Lyta grimaced and shook it reluctantly. When he turned around, she wiped her hand on her cloak.

"Ick... I'm going to get the money to you tomorrow morning and we can go, okay captain?" Lyta asked.

"Ar, just don't dawdle," was all he said.

Lyta and Keil walked down the plank of the three-sail clipper ship and back onto the docks of Marinaul harbour. "Where are we going to get three hundred and twenty-five gold coins?" he asked.

Pixie-chan flew down from one of the warehouse roofs where she was hiding. She caught the end of Keil's question and repeated, "Three hundred and twenty-five gold coins?"

"Is there some sort of echo here?" Lyta retorted. "Yes, and you should be glad I got it down twenty-five gold pieces."

"You still didn't answer my question!" Keil responded.

"Don't you have any money, Keil? I thought you were a 'merchant extraordinaire'." Lyta paused. "Hey, what about that stuff you sold and you got into big trouble with those other guys? Where's the money from that?"

Keil hesitated. "Well, I don't know about that..."

"Aw, please, Keil-kun?" she begged sweetly. "Please? We really need the ship. We're on a really important quest! Please?"

"Oh okay, just stop doing that!"

"Doing what?"

"Acting like a little kid!"

Lyta blinked. She smiled and tossed back her red hair. "I've been told it's one of my more endearing qualities."

Keil muttered under his breath, "Annoying is more like it."

"I heard that!!"

Keil's buyer was an old man named Delany. He was a wealthy merchant who lived in a lavish manor house in one of the corners of the city. However, his rich lifestyle had betrayed his accounts and he was slowly slipping into bankruptcy.

"I'd love to give you the money, but it's all tied up at the moment," he lied through his teeth.

"But you owe me that money!" Keil objected.

"Yes, yes, dear boy," Delany soothed, "but I just don't have any petty cash. To make matters worse, I was expecting a shipment of wares but my supplier cancelled at the last second. I was going to meet a buyer today for those wares."

"What were you going to sell?" Lyta asked.

"Two barrels of stinkroot."

"And to whom?"

"Oh no!" he laughed, "I'm not going to reveal my buyer. You'd just as soon sell it directly to him and put an old man out on the street. Look, if you can find two barrels of stinkroot for me, I'll gladly pay you back what I owe, Keil."

"Done," Lyta said.

"Who's the girl?" Delany asked with a nod, "personal assistant?"

"Something like that," was his offhanded reply.

"Well, you've got until dusk to get me those roots or my buyer will leave. Got it?"

Lyta and Keil nodded. As they were leaving Delany's office, the old man called Keil back. "Did you unload the crates, too?"

"Yes, sir," Keil responded. "They're sitting in warehouse 32."

"Good, good."

The morning air was slowing heating up to the midday sun. Lyta waited for Keil to exit the large manor house. "What did you sell that old man, anyway?" she queried.

"Some fine, Ky-nese porcelain."

"Wow," responded an impressed Lyta, "the Ky-nese don't make porcelain anymore."

Keil looked confused. "What do you mean? They make it all the time. Now, this batch I sold is particularly rare, though."

"How did you get your hands on those?"

"I, uh, happened to come across them. Anyway," he said, changing the subject, "it just so happens that I know someone who deals with herbs and roots. I think she might have some of what Delany wants."

"I don't understand," Pixie-chan said as she reappeared, "how are you going to get those roots? We don't have any money, remember? At least, not enough to buy two big barrels of, did you say stinkroot?" Suddenly her face turned ashen.

"I'm sure we can find something she needs," Keil answered.

Madam Muriel's 'Cure-All' Herb store, halfway across the merchant's quarter, was where Keil took them. The owner, Muriel, seemed acquainted with the young man and mistook Lyta for his new girlfriend.

Luckily, she had the stinkroot, but in exchange, she wanted the recipe to an ale that a bartender named Draven was concocting. She claimed it had some amazing medicinal properties and was willing to give them the roots for the recipe.

And so, Lyta and Keil, minus Pixie-chan, who complained that things were going too slowly and promised to meet them back at the inn, headed to Draven's tavern, 'The Sunken Ship'. The bar was really a ship transformed into a ale-house. It was docked at the harbour but on the very last pier, away from the regular ships that were unloading.

They stopped short of the tavern. "You'd better not tell me we have to get something for this guy for his recipe," Lyta threatened. "I'm just about tired of all this walking back and forth, back and forth!"

"Don't worry," reassured Keil, "I doubt he's willing to give up his 'secret recipe'. We'll have to find some way to borrow it."

Lyta raised an eyebrow. "Borrow? You mean steal, don't you?"

"No, I mean borrow. I'm sure Muriel will return it once she's done."

They stepped down into the first deck of the tavern. The ship was not big in terms of hauling cargo, but it was large enough for people to mill about. There were very few patrons at the moment, however.

The air was musty and smelled of ale. Lyta and Keil checked the place out casually when someone called them.

"Hey you! Yeah, the redhead and skinny boy!" They turned to the bar where a large man with a dirty apron was yelling. "C'mon over here. C'mon, c'mon.."

"Are you addressing us?" Keil said in a pleasant tone.

"Of course I am, are ya deaf or something?" He immediately began sizing up Lyta. "You interested in some work, darling? My regular girls haven't showed up and I'm gonna need some lasses to keep the tables clear when all those sailors start piling in here."

A little light went on inside Keil's head. "Sure, no problem."

The bartender, who they assumed to be Draven, tossed him a rough stare. "Who's asking you? Beat it, skinny."

Lyta held up her hand. "I've got a sister, she's a great waitress. I'll only work if you let her work, too."

He thought about it for a second. "Alright, fine. Where is she?"

"Outside, I'll get her."

"Take skinny with you, too."

Once topside, Keil looked confused. "Wait a second, who's your sister?"

"I don't have one, but trust me. I have a plan." She winked mischievously.

"Come on!" Lyta urged, pushing her 'sister' down the hatch. "Don't be shy!"

"I'm not going down there!" Keil popped up the hatch. He was wearing a brown wig with long hair, a blouse and skirt that came to his ankles. His chest was filled with bundled cloths. He wore poorly applied makeup on his face.

Lyta put her foot on his head. "Just get down there!" she hissed and stamped her foot hard. Keil tumbled down the ladder.

Lyta hopped down and helped him up. She smiled to the bartender. "Here's my sister!"

The bartender walked out from behind his bar and inspected the 'girl' casually. Keil smiled girlishly with two hands behind his back. "I don't see the resemblance."

"I, err, she's my half sister," Lyta thought up quickly.

The bartender gave a dirty smile. "Oh, like that, huh?" Lyta didn't want to know what he was thinking, exactly. His smile changed to a frown. "Wait a minute, you look familiar..."

"Oh, I don't think we've met," Keil answered in a phoney, high-pitched voice.

Somehow, it seemed to fool him, a little. "What's with your voice?"

"I've got a sore throat," said Keil, coughing on cue.

He grunted and said, "Just don't get the customers sick. Okay, you two! Look lively and when the boys get here, see to it that they're happy. I'm Draven, and once you're done, I'll see you get your pay." And he went back to his bar.

Keil sighed and was amazed he actually believed them. "What now?" he whispered to Lyta.

"I dunno, let's just play along for now. We've got the afternoon."

Keil slumped over the little corner table far from the bar or the patrons. They had been serving for almost three hours and Keil was beginning to get sore feet. He wished Lyta had found some bigger sized shoes.

Lyta carried her tray over to where he was resting. "Any luck?" she asked.

"If I get pinched on the bottom one more time, I'm going to hit someone!" Keil griped, rubbing his bottom.

Lyta squeezed his cheek. "Aw, don't complain. You're so cute in that dress, I can see why they do it!"

"Hey cutey! Come back over! I'll tell you some of my adventures if you have a seat on my lap!" The sailor laughed raucously with his friends.

"See," Lyta pointed out to a red-faced Keil. "Anyway, I overheard Draven talk about his special ale. It seems he's got the recipe on paper in his office in the captain's cabin. I'll go check it out."

"Wait! How come you get to go? Let me go look!"

Lyta shook her head and smiled. "My gossip, so I get to go. Besides, it looks like you're really popular with the boys, so you stay out here and keep them busy. Otherwise Draven will notice."

She didn't wait for him to argue or agree, but set the tray down and slipped into the dark corridor. There were many small doors, but the one at the end was Draven's, she decided. Glancing back, and seeing nobody had noticed her leave, she jiggled the doorknob. It was locked. She uttered some words quietly and the lock unlatched. She knew learning the 'unlock' spell would come in handy, even though she wasn't supposed to know it.

Inside Draven's office was a large desk and a small cot in the corner. She closed the door behind her and began rummaging through his desk. There were papers strewn all over but none had the recipe she was looking for. She eyed the wall beside the bed. She began feeling along the wall until she stopped at one point. Rapping her knuckles against it, she heard a soft echo. It was hollow.

She felt around the edges of the board and uncovered the secret compartment. "Bingo!" she said to herself, finding a locked box inside. Casting the 'unlock' spell again, the lid opened. There were numerous gems and jewels, which she ignored. There was some paper that she immediately took out and began skimming through. They were all recipes. "Oh well, one of them has to be it."

Lyta closed the box and put it back inside the hole. She put the cover over the compartment when the door creaked open. She quickly grabbed the papers that were lying on the cot and put them behind her back.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?!" Draven questioned angrily.

She turned around, surprised. She hadn't heard him come in. "Oh, I was looking for the washroom. I needed to, uh, 'relieve' myself."

He eyed her suspiciously. "What's that behind your back?"

Lyta gulped. She thought fast and winced at the first idea that came into her head. Licking her lips, she flashed her eyelashes. "Come over and find out," she answered in a low, tantalizing voice.

Draven blinked but he showed a toothy grin. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "Let's be quick about it," he said, "I've got a bar to run."

Lyta just blushed and kept smiling, keeping her eyes on his. She traced her finger on the ground girlishly. Just as he was about to put his hand on her, she placed her finger on his forehead. "Sleep!" she spoke the command word. Instantly, Draven closed his eyes and curled into a ball. He even began snoring.

Lyta sighed, and was relieved she got out of the situation. Keil poked his head through the door. "What did you do?"

"Made him go to sleep."

"Why didn't you do that before when we first came here?!"

Lyta shrugged. "I dunno, I thought it would be funny to see you in a dress."

Lina squirmed as her face grimaced with distraction. She twisted her foot in an awkward manner. Cisco looked back and eyed her strangely. "What's wrong?"

"I've got this itch - ugh! It's driving me nuts!" Lina tried slipping her hand down her boot but it was not big enough.

"On your foot?"

"YES! Is that so hard to believe?" She was seething with annoyance.

The night air was chilly. Cisco, Gourry, and a restless Lina waited behind a corner. Down a few yards was a large warehouse. There was no activity around the storage building and the dimly lit lampposts were barely able to illuminate it.

"This is where they're hiding out," Cisco explained. "I did some investigating this morning. This warehouse recently changed owners. Workers were seen daily moving stuff around, the usual normal business. Until, yesterday, that is. The warehouse seemed to close up. The workers were told to leave and not return. They weren't happy about not finishing their job and getting the full pay. Since then, it's been tight as a bottle. Nobody has been seen going in or out."

"So what?" Lina asked. "That doesn't mean there's vampires lurking inside."

Cisco pulled out a silver chain he kept around his neck. Hanging on it was a bronze ring with a little red ruby or gem on it. He gripped the ring in his hand. "I know, so I checked the place out. I'm positive they're in there, now."

"What is that, some sort of 'vampire-detection' talisman?"

He gave her a frank look. "You could say that." He let go of the ring and tucked it back under his shirt. Grabbing his crossbow, he said, "C'mon, let's go."

"Wait, we're just going to burst in, just like that?" Lina questioned. "I've got a better idea."

Wooden signs and arrows pointed to a bound and gagged Gourry, who was hanging upside down from the rafters of the warehouse. Each of the signs read, "Vampire bait". Gourry squirmed to no avail.

"Hey!" Gourry objected, bursting Lina's little thought-bubble. "That's a stupid idea!"

"How would you know?" she asked, "we haven't even tried it!"

Cisco growled at them. "Will you two cut the chatter? Let's go!"

Lina returned the gesture and got up. She stopped suddenly, the itch coming back. She stamped her foot, hoping it would go away. At the same time, Gourry knocked into her from behind.

"Ow, Gourry! Watch where you're going!"

"I can hardly see out here! Why did you stop?"

"It's this blasted itch! I think some bug bit me while I was sleeping!"

The three crept silently towards the warehouse. As they approached, Gourry noticed a sign, 'Warehouse 32: Trespassers will be magicked.'

They came to a door with a metal lock. Cisco pulled out a thin metal pick from behind his shirt and began working on it. While they stopped, Lina bent over and rubbed her foot. No matter how she moved her toes, she couldn't get to the itch. She was about to take off her boot when a 'click' indicated Cisco was done. He opened the door a crack. He poked his head in and, then, slipped through. Lina snorted and followed him in, and was peeved she couldn't relieve her problem.

The warehouse was dark, as expected. Cisco led the way with confidence. Lina hoped he knew where he was going. Several times, his figure disappeared into the darkness, but she was able to catch up. Gourry followed behind, his hand lightly touching her back for reassurance. For once, she didn't complain, and was glad to know where he was.

They turned left and right in a maze of boxes and crates. Suddenly, Cisco stopped and so did Lina and Gourry. From what she could sense, they seemed to be in a large, open area. The lights inexplicably (but most definitely magically) came on.

Lina shielded her eyes as they tried to readjust to the sudden level of brightness. When everything came into focus, a tall man was sitting on a stack of crates before them.

His face was blocked from view, hidden by the shadows. He had a dark cape and dark pants. His shirt was fine, like a pirate's shirt. When he spoke, his voice was refined and articulate. "Ah, Cisco St. Rivers. I was wondering when you would get here. It's been two weeks. You're getting sloppy."

"Mrogadin," Cisco spat, "you were so easy to find. Looks like I'm not the only one getting sloppy."

"Touché."

Lina folded her arms across her chest. "I hate to break up this really terrible stock dialogue, but can we," she gestured with her hand, "move things along, hmm?"

Mrogadin paused, taken aback by her almost cocky remark. "Who are they? Friends?"

"Yes, this is Lina Inverse." Cisco smiled. "Are you afraid?"

"Oh, Lina Inverse." Lina thought she saw him smile as his attention turned to her. "I've heard about you. My old Mazoku allies have their eye on you, let me assure you."

"I couldn't see it any other way," she responded with her usual flare for confidence. She thrived on pressure and loved looking cool before her enemies.

Except she had a nasty insect bite on her toe. And it flared up, again. She gritted her teeth, trying to ignore it. Finally, succumbing, she dropped onto the floor, took off her boot and scratched to immediate content.

Cisco looked at her with shock. Even Mrogadin looked surprised. "Your friends... are fools!" he laughed at Cisco. "I see my former brethren have gone weak, fearing this pathetic mortal. It's time I ended this." His eyes glowed red, an evil red. The kind of red only evil people had in their eyes.

Then, he stopped. "On second thought, I won't end this. I'll let someone else do the job for me." He turned his head to a dark corner of the warehouse. "It's so villain-like of me, don't you think?"

"Yeah, typical bad-guy-ish of you!" Lina fumbled. "Why don't you tell us your plans while you're at it?"

"My plans? I plan to see your guts strewn all over the floor. Pretty simple, huh?"

Two sets of eyes glowed, until she stepped forward. Lina knew it was a woman, from the way she dressed. Her figure could have rivalled Naga, and the clothing-optional statement gave it away, so to speak.

"Marie?" Cisco whispered. He was awe-struck by her seductive form.

"Who the hell is Marie?" asked Lina as she tugged her boot back on. "I knew there was something you weren't telling me!"

"She was my love. We were going to get married. Until..." a lump developed in his throat, "until, she was taken from me."

Lina rolled her eyes. "Let me guess," she said in a monotonous voice, "you've been searching for her ever since, hoping to save her from what she's become so that you two can live happily ever after blah, blah, blah. WHEN DO WE GET TO THE BUTT KICKING??!!"

Lina got up. "Gourry, it's time - GOURRY!"

Gourry's eyes were glued to Marie's talented figure.

"Oh, for the love of - FLARE BIT!" she cast. The explosive sparks from her spell created a thick smoke screen which she used to grab Cisco and Gourry, by the scruff of their collars, and hauled them around the corner of some crates.

"Would you two get a hold of your hormones! Cisco, what was your plan? This is supposed to be your show!"

Cisco blinked a few times, not really realizing what was going on. He shook his head. "Oh, thanks Miss Lina. I, sort of, blanked out for a second."

Gourry unsheathed his sword. "Sorry, Lina. I just couldn't help it." He shrugged.

A glower was cast. "Well, I guess I can't expect too much from you, Gourry."

Cisco regained his composure. "We need to get to Mrogadin! I think if we can take him out, he'll lose control over the other vampires."

Lina processed Cisco's plan quickly. "What other vampires?"

"THOSE!"

Lina rotated and spied two vampires heading for them. She pulled out two slim daggers and threw them. "SHADOW SNAP!" she cast, the knives holding them back at their shadows. Lina was surprised the spell worked. Cisco quickly impaled both with shots from his crossbow.

Marie appeared around the corner with another vampire. They both lunged for Cisco. Lina cast 'Dim Wind' and forced them back. Cisco dispatched the vampire next to Marie but dare not fire on his ex-lover.

"Cisco," she purred, "come with me. We'll be together again."

"Don't listen to her!" Lina warned. She tried casting another Flare Bit spell to reduce her visibility, but Marie shot out her hand. The spell backfired and exploded around them instead.

They coughed at the smoke. Lina turned about desperately trying to locate their enemy. "This smoke idea isn't so great when you're the one being blinded," she snarled.

She was ready to cast another wind spell to clear the smoke but suddenly, it came back, and at the worst time. Her foot was screaming to be scratched. It broke her concentration mid-spell.

"Let's just keep moving!" Gourry suggested, grabbing Lina's arm.

Two more vampires jumped Gourry and stumbled from Lina's vision. Losing her sense of direction, she crashed into a towering stack of crates. They teetered recklessly, coming down fast. Lina dove out of their way. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized they hadn't crushed her body.

From the smoke, Mrogadin emerged. With glowing eyes and a snarling mouth, he lunged for Lina. She tried moving, but something held her back. Her cape was caught under the crates. Time slowed as Mrogadin flew right towards her trapped body. She cringed. A little voice inside her screamed. Gourry! Where are you?! HELP ME!

Two strong hands grabbed her wrists and forced Lina onto the ground. Mrogadin straddled her body.

"What happened to letting your lackey's do the work?" Lina tried to stall.

"I got a craving." He snarled again, revealing two large fangs inside his mouth. He reared his head back and dove at her neck.

A sudden and unexpected force knocked him back. Lina gasped, looking to see if it was Gourry. It wasn't. In fact, it wasn't anyone.

Mrogadin screamed. His body began to glow blue. He staggered backwards, knocking himself over against another stack of crates. "What is this?!" he roared, "what is this curse?!"

Lina's head perked up. "Curse? Did you say curse?"

"You worm!" he howled. He held up his hands as if they were melting. Slowly getting up, his dark, long hair flared, shooting upwards. The nimbus began to dull, becoming less blue and more red, until finally he was surrounded by it.

He laughed. "Your trick didn't work!" Mrogadin took a step towards her.

Gourry appeared, and moved lightning fast. He slashed his sword at Mrogadin, who deftly dodged each swing. The overhand strike whistled air as the vampire-demon sailed backwards and back-flipped onto another stack of crates.

Gourry retreated to Lina's side, and Cisco reappeared. He was sweating hard. His crossbow was gone and his supply of stakes was reduced to two, one held in his hands.

"I finally figured it out, Lina!" Gourry said excitedly. "That guy's a Mazoku!" Lina was still catching her breath and could not retort. "You should have told me sooner!" He pressed the little release on his hilt and the blade fell to the ground. "Light, come forth!" he beckoned and it was replaced by the shining form of the legendary Sword of Light.

Mrogadin stretched out his arm. It glistened and elongated to a sharp point. His sword was attached to his forearm.

The two combatants leapt at eachother, swords striking and sparks flying. They exchanged quick attacks. There was no clear advantage for either man. They switched from offense to defense and back smoothly. Neither could find an opening.

"I thought magic didn't affect them?" Lina asked, tensely watching Gourry fight the vampire-demon. "He started yelling about some curse."

Cisco stood breathlessly as well. "The vampires are still like the Mazoku, feeding off negative emotion. Protective charms and enchantments never worked on them. They seemed to reverse their effects, using it to draw more power."

"So what are you saying? If I had some dumb curse, instead of an enchantment, the effect would be opposite? It would diminish their power?" She did a little dance. "The curse is gone! The curse is gone! Yahoo!" Suddenly, she felt herself thrown back violently, smashing into a wooden box. Fragments of broken porcelain littered the floor.

Marie emerged from nowhere and knocked Cisco down. She kept him down, the same way Mrogadin had held Lina. Cisco struggled with the sharp stake in his right hand. Marie hissed, eyes glowing a little brighter. With a twist of her head, the stake was flung from Cisco's tight grip.

"Now, we'll be together, honey," she crooned. Baring her fangs, she slowly, and seductively, moved for his neck.

Lina rubbed her head. She felt sluggish but quickly regained her balance. To her right, Cisco tossed his head back and forth, fighting his lover-turned-vampiress. To Lina's left, Gourry and Mrogadin were engaged in a furious sword duel. Things did not look good for either man.

"Lina!" Gourry yelled as their blades locked momentarily. "The special magic spell, hurry!"

There was only one special spell that Lina knew. She thought fast. "Darkness from twilight, crimson from blood that flows; buried in the flow of time; in Thy great name, I pledge myself to darkness!"

"NO!" Cisco yelled, despite Marie's fangs being dangerously close to sinking into his neck. "Don't cast it!"

Lina paid him no heed, but finished the mantra instead. "Those who oppose us shall be destroyed by the power you and I possess!" A ball of light grew between her hands. "DRAGU SLAVE!!"

Mrogadin pushed Gourry back hard and turned to face Lina's attack. "Yes!" he yelled triumphantly, "feed my power!"

The explosive dark magic spell that would have destroyed the warehouse, perhaps even the entire harbour never came. Instead, the ball of light radiated between Lina's hands, unmoving.

Mrogadin blinked. Then, he heard a yell. Gourry came at him, full speed, with the Sword of Light ready to strike. He was too fast for Mrogadin to block. The magical blade slashed diagonally across the vampire-demon's chest. Gourry double-cut him, swung the sword around and impaled it right through Mrogadin's heart.

Mrogadin wailed as the sword's eternal light penetrated every fibre of his being. His essence dissipated until there was nothing left but echoes of his final screams.

Marie collapsed on top of Cisco's body. His eyes were still wide with terror. She was so close to turning him into one of them. Instead, the only thing the reached his neck was her soft lips. He thought he felt a tender kiss.

Moving Marie off him gently, he held her body and looked deep into her eyes. She was still alive.

"Cisco, my love. You've done it. You've destroyed him."

Cisco shook his head. "No, it was them. They did it. But, now we can be together." He took out the ring that was hanging on his neck. Snapping it free of the cord, he tried placing it on her finger.

Marie pushed his hand away. A tear escaped her eye and she looked away. "We cannot," she whispered. She turned back to him, tears flowing freely. "Don't you see? I'm already dead! I died a long time ago. It was only this body and Mrogadin's evil power that kept me going. I have no soul."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm still a vampire! I may not be under his control any longer, but I am still what I am -- an abomination. A monster!"

Cisco was scared to lose her again, not after coming this far. Not after being victorious. He tried to speak, but couldn't. Marie put a slender finger over his lip. She slid one of the stakes from his bandolier and placed it in Cisco's hand. He kept shaking his head.

"Yes, you must. Please. Release me!"

"I can't!" Cisco cried.

"Do it! If you love me, do it!" She moved his arm so that the stake was right over her heart. Her face was an angel. "Save me, please."

Cisco St. Rivers shook with despair and sorrow. He thumbed her hand over his. The other hand, he placed behind her back. He thought about dropping the stake, but he knew he couldn't. He had to do it. With a quick shove, Cisco pulled Marie's body towards his, stake piercing her heart. She gasped. Cisco released and put his other hand around her body. Marie did the same, as best as she could. They embraced one last time.

He looked into her eyes and he saw her smile. He kissed her until her body became nothing but ashes, soaked by his tears.

Lina walked away as Cisco held Marie. She sat down against a stack of crates, trying to settle her pounding heart. Gourry joined her on the floor.

"That was a nifty move, huh, Lina?" he asked, reattaching the tossed aside metal blade to the hilt of the Sword of Light.

"For once, Gourry, you did some really good thinking." She realized she didn't praise Gourry enough for his courage. She decided to remind herself to do it more.

"Concentration is everything in a sword-fight," Gourry said sagely. "Can't let anything distract you."

"He fell for my old 'light spell disguised as something else' trick." She grinned and shook her head. "They'll never learn."

Gourry picked up a piece of porcelain. "Whose stuff is this, anyway?"

"Who cares, I'm not paying for it."

They sat quietly, grateful to come through another tough battle.

After Lyta and Keil had 'borrowed' Draven's recipe, they delivered it to Madam Muriel, who in exchange, gave them two barrels of stinkroot. The root lived up to its name and smelled horrible. They carted the two barrels as fast as they could to Delany's manor. It was already getting dark, but fortunately they were in time. They insisted on accompanying Delany on his transaction. Once he got the money, he paid back Keil's share. The two went back to the inn, tired and desperately needing baths.

The next morning, they woke up to find Lina, Gourry and Cisco at the inn as well. Cisco looked tired for he hadn't slept a wink. He was extremely quiet and looked depressed. Lina refused to say what happened.

They ate a silent breakfast (of 'submarines' no less) and headed out to the dock where their ship would be waiting. Keil left early to get his bag of maps and met them en route.

Lina pinched her nose. "You guys should really wash," she said to Lyta and Keil.

Pixie-chan floated over to them and sniffed the air. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and retreated behind Lina. "I knew it! Stinkroot! Yuck!"

"Stinkroot?" Lina asked. "What were you guys doing with that smelly plant?"

"Don't ask," Keil replied with a bowed head.

They reached the harbour where the 'Nelly Clipper' was anchored. Sailors were busy loading the last of their cargo into the hold. The captain stood by one of the masts, supervising their work.

"This is where I depart," Cisco spoke up.

"You're leaving?" Lina asked.

He nodded. "Mrogadin wasn't the vampire-demon directly under Gaav. There are more of them out there, and I must destroy them. I don't know if that's what Marie would have wanted, but it's the only closure I'll get." He extended his hand. "Good luck on your journey."

Lina shook it and so did Gourry. He nodded to Lyta and Keil, not having talked much with the two since they met. Finally, he said, "Oh, about the letter, Miss Lina?"

"Yeah, about that," Lina reminded him pointedly.

He paused. "It'll be taken care of." With a final nod, he turned and walked away.

"Do you really think he had a letter made up?" Lyta wondered.

Lina knew the answer, but chose not to say anything. She watched him disappear behind the buildings. She thought she would have helped him out the same.

"Ar, so you're back, now, are you?" the captain declared behind them.

Lyta turned to meet him and produced a small, hefty bag of coins. "Yes, captain, and here's the money for our passage."

He reached out for the bag, "I'll be taking that then -- Gourry!? Is that you?"

Gourry turned around and nearly jumped. "Captain Tiggy! What are you doing here?"

The two men embraced. "It's been, what? Three years?"

"I think so!" Gourry said excitedly. "It's good to see you again, Tiggy."

"Tiggy?" Lyta whispered to Lina who shrugged and was just as surprised the two knew eachother.

Gourry explained. "Captain Tiggy used to live in Testabourne. When I was a kid, we would all sit around the fireplace and listen to his stories. You told the best ones, Tiggy."

"Ar," he agreed and turned to Lyta. "Why didn't you tell me Gourry was with you? I'll not be charging a fellow Testabourner! You guys can sail free of charge."

Lyta's eyes went wide. "Wow, really?" She eyed the bag of coins and nearly fell over.

Keil facefaulted. "You mean we went through all that work for nothing?!" He was almost ready to cry.

Lina snatched the little bag and emptied out some coins. "That should be about right," she said to herself. Pocketing the money, she ran down the gangplank and shouted, "I'll be right back! There's something I have to take care of!"

"Hey!" Lyta yelled. "We worked hard to get that money!"

"So, how's home?" Gourry asked the captain as Lina Inverse sprinted away.

"Don't know, lad. I left a few weeks after you did. The settling-down life isn't for me. But, we can reminisce later. I've got a bottle of wine I've been saving up."

"Sounds good, Tiggy," the blond swordsman nodded.

Lyta and Keil leaned near the railing. Keil sniffed his clothes and wafted his hand over his face. "I can't believe we hauled those stinkroots, too!" He cast a reproachful glare at her. "And I dressed up like a woman! How am I going to live with that?!"

"There, there," Lyta patted his head, "things will get much more fun once we're underway."

"Hey, you never told me why you're going to Mipross Island?"

Lyta explained that they were on a quest to find the elves. That alone shocked Keil. "Oh yeah, there's gonna be lots of danger!" she added nonchalantly, almost hopeful. "There's this crazy sorceress who's working for the Mazoku. She's already tried to kill us twice! We've already fought a pretty nasty dragon. I'm sure things will get more interesting though."

"More interesting?" he resounded incredulously. "Dangerous is more like it! I don't know about you guys, but I think I'll stay here. Thanks for letting me hang out with you, as horrible an experience as it was." He started to leave the ship.

Three men rounded the corner of the pier, Delany in the lead. "Keil!" he roared. "You scoundrel! I checked the warehouse! All my porcelain is broken and smashed up! Give me back my money!"

Keil looked between the men and the ship. Scurrying back up the plank, he shouted over the railing, "What are you talking about? I had everything unloaded, all in one piece!"

"Get down here, you coward!" Delany yelled.

Suddenly, there was an explosion. Lina raced around the corner, knocked two of Delany's men into the water and ran up the gangplank. "Set sail, Captain! Set sail!"

"Lina! What happened?"

She stopped before Gourry, catching her breath. She smiled. "I had a little discussion with that rotten innkeeper. That was for giving me that curse!"

Lyta stormed up to her. "What did you do with my money?"

"I paid him for the damages."

"Was this before or after you blew up his inn?"

A crewman presented himself before Captain Tiggy. "Cap'n, the cargo's been loaded, we're ready to sail."

"Ar, about time." He bellowed in a commanding voice. "Raise anchor! Ready mainsails! Alert the harbourmaster we're leaving!" A loud chorus of "Aye Cap'n!" was the response.

Keil leaned over the railing and watched Delany help his two men out of the water. He waved his fist at Keil and kept yelling for him to come back and repay him. Keil waved goodbye instead. Dropping his bag of maps, he sat against the railing. "Well, I guess I'll be coming with you guys after all."

Lyta took a seat beside him. "Glad to have you along, Keil. Oh, I'm told Lina had Gourry dressed as a woman once. Maybe you two can compare notes!" She grinned playfully.

"Please, no more!" cried Keil with two hands over his ears.

Meanwhile, Lina and Gourry stood at the ship's bow, feeling the wind as the 'Nelly Clipper' made its way out of the harbour.

"I expected Bertine to make a move while we were in the city," Lina remarked, reflecting on the past events.

"Maybe she decided to leave us alone."

"I doubt that. She's planning something and it's making me all edgy."

"What do you think she's up to, Lina?" asked Gourry.

"Dunno, but we'll see, Gourry," she responded, as the ship left behind the port city of Marinaul and entered the vast waters of the Demon Sea. "We'll see."

Episode 4   |   Fanfiction