Lina drops onto a bush with a thump. She rubs her sore backside while cursing Xellos.
Lina: That son of a Beep!! He fooled me again! By the Gods, will I never learn! And where the hell am I?
She looks around and sees only trees. No sign of Gourry, Zelgadis, or Amelia.
Lina: I'm alone? Where are they?
Suddenly, she hears noises of a fight. She walks to the outer fringe of the forest and looks down a hill. Before her, a village is being sacked.
Lina: Bandits! Why those filthy cretins! I must destroy this gang of evil! And hopefully get some loot ... LEVITATION!!
Lina flies toward the village and the bandits. The people look up with shock as a little girl...ahem, I mean, a young woman flies through the air. She drops herself in front of a menacing looking bandit.
Lina: You! Stop what you're doing right now or you'll regret it! Cracking her knuckles.
Bandit: OOH! I'm so scared.
Lina: You dare mock me! The great Lina Inverse!
Bandit: Lina who?
Lina: FIREBALL!!
A ball of fire hurtles through the air toward the poor bandit. Suddenly ...
LEKKA SHINEN!!
A wave of fire comes out of nowhere and hits the fireball, canceling each other out.
Lina: What? Who did that?
Tasuki: I did.
A tall man with flaming orange hair steps toward Lina. He is wearing a coat of dark blue with sky blue trimmings. A metal fan is in his right hand. He smiles, baring sharp canines.
Lina: Yikes! What a babe!! Still, he is a bandit so he doesn't deserve any mercy ... too bad. Are you the leader of this bandit gang?
Tasuki: Why yes, I am ... what are you going to do about it?
Lina: Simple. I'm gonna fry your ass! And what a nice piece of ass ... FIREBALL!!
Tasuki: LEKKA SHINEN!!
The two burst of flames impact and once again cancel each other out. The two continue trying to flame the other. This goes on for hours until Lina's voice becomes hoarse and Tasuki's wrist is cramped.
Lina: Look buddy, we're going nowhere fast. How about a deal?
Tasuki: What kind of deal?
Lina: I let you and your rabble of bandits live ... if you give me your fan.
Tasuki clutches the tessen against his chest.
Tasuki: NO WAY!
Lina: Oh come on! I'll give you 500 silver pieces for it!
Tasuki: Not on your Beeping life, bitch!
Lina: Got a mouth on him, doesn't he ... Well then I guess we'll just have to keep fighting, don't we?
Nuriko is folding clothes in her family's clothes shop. She looks down at the red tunic which reminds her of a certain emperor ...
Nuriko: Oh, Hotohori ...
Then something drops onto the table before her and breaks it in half. A groan is heard.
Nuriko: Tamahome?
She looks down at the man on the floor and realize it's not Tamahome, although it sounds like him.
Zelgadis: Ouch. What happened?
((Author's Note: Tamahome and Zelgadis both have the same voice actor, Midorikawa Hikaru. Wai! Wai! I love his voice ... so sexy ... ))
He opens his eyes and look up.
Zelgadis: Uh, hello.
Nuriko studies the strange man before her.
Nuriko: Did you by any chance read a weird book and it started to glow red?
Zelgadis: Yes! How did you know?
Nuriko helps him up.
Nuriko: My name is Nuriko. Who are you?
Zelgadis: I'm Zelgadis Graywords. Um ... what are you doing?
Nuriko is touching Zelgadis' face.
Nuriko: Is this rock?
She taps his cheek and the stone skin cracks.
Zelgadis: Hey!! Don't do that!!
Nuriko: Oh, I'm sorry. I sometimes forget my superhuman strength.
Zelgadis: You still haven't answered my question. How did you know? And where am I?
Nuriko puts a hand on his shoulder and pushes him onto a chair.
Nuriko: Sit down. I'll explain.
So Nuriko tells him everything: Miaka, the legend, the seven seishis, Suzaku, the seriyuu seishis, yadda, yadda, yadda ...
Zelgadis: So what am I doing here if all of the Gods were called? And how the hell did Xellos know about the book?
Nuriko: Well, I'm not sure why you're here but there must be a purpose. As for this Xellos ... I have no idea.
Zelgadis: What am I going to do? I'm almost positive that my friends got sucked in with me. How am I ever going to find them?
Nuriko: Thinking Well ... we could go to the capital. When people from other worlds appear, it's usually reported to the Emperor. Maybe Hotohori will know where your friends are.
Zelgadis: Great! What are we waiting for. Let's go!
He gets up and head toward the door. He doesn't go far.
Zelgadis: Hey, why are you holding my cloak? Let's go.
Nuriko: Not in that you won't. Points to Zelgadis' clothes
Zelgadis: What's wrong with my clothes?
Nuriko: I don't know what the fashion is like in your world, but in my world it just won't do. Come on, I'll give you something to wear.
Zelgadis: I don't think so. I'll stay with my own clothes.
Nuriko frowns. Then a mischievous gleam enters her eyes. She jumps Zelgadis and his clothes go flying everywhere.
Zelgadis: WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!??
Nuriko: Oh, relax.
Zelgadis tries his best to stop Nuriko from giving him a make over but he discovers her superhuman strength is a match for his demon strength. After much grumbling (on Zelgadis' part) and giggling (from Nuriko's part) they head off for the capital.