They group traveled for days without finding much. Zelgadis was right, the trail they were following was cold. Until they found out that their other selves had backtracked quite a bit to the town that they were at and headed in a different direction just a few days ago. So now they had a warm if not hot trail to follow. Their other selves were supposedly searching for a fabled stone that was supposed to have divine healing and curing properties. No doubt the reason that they were seeking out this stone was that it might hold a possible cure for a chimera's curse.
"You know here's a thought, what are we going to say to them once we do find them?" Lina pointed at as they walked a little further into the forest.
"At this point all I want to do is find them first. Once we find them, then let's figure what we need to say." Zelgadis grumbled as he pulled yet another tree branch out of his hair. Though they were on a manmade trail it had not had been used in many years so the large trees and low swinging branches were not helping Zelgadis very much.
"We have no idea where they are going expect for this lead. For all we know they already went through and came out before we even entered the forest." Xellos mused with a smile. He received dirty looks for his comment.
"Xellos would you please just shut up!"
"Huh? What's going on here?" A voice spoke from farther down the trail. Lina and the others turned their attention towards the voice only to find another Zelgadis, Amelia, Xellos, Sylphiel and Gourry staring at them.
"Well it's about time we found you guys!" Lina grinned and walked towards them.
"Who are you?" Zel's other self asked. Lina falters doing one of those half facefaults.
"You mean you really don't have a clue who I am?" Lina asked him in a small voice.
"No." Chibi form Lina falls down crying out saying that it wasn't fair. But she snapped out of it and gave the other version selves a quick look. This dimension's Zelgadis looked very similar only his hair was a bit longer and his gem on his clasp was black instead of red. Xellos instead of in his normal tan and black attire it was black and dark purple. Sylphiel had blue eyes instead of green and Gourry had green eyes instead of blue. Amelia was the only one who looked exactly the same. "I'm going to ask again, who are you?"
"I'm Lina Inverse and these are my traveling companions."
"Why do they look like us?" The other Sylphiel asked quietly. Both sets of the group were looking at each other with interest. This is where Lina felt really left out. They all had some other version self except her. But that's when she clued into Gavin who looked just as left out as she was.
"Well this is going to be hard to explain. How about we all get out of this forest first?" Zelgadis rationally stated. The other Zelgadis looked at him skeptically. Obviously he didn't trust them too much but still he complied and the group of twelve walked together. Once out of the forest Zelgadis motioned them to go over to a small clearing by a lake. It was the same place where the other Zel and his company had made camp to sleep the previous night.
"I bet this seems a bit confusing now doesn't it?" Lina half smiled rubbing the back of her neck.
"Who are you and why do you look like us?" The other Zelgadis sternly asked reminding everyone just how cold Zelgadis' blue eyes could be.
"Well in sense we are you, but not you at the same time."
"Huh?" They all more or less looked blankly at them.
"Perhaps I could explain this better Zelgadis. First I'm going to introduce myself, my name is Gavin Inverse. And yes I am related to Lina, she is my older sister. The reason why some of us seem to bare odd resemblances to you is because we come from and alternate reality." The blank looks turned into confusion.
"The best way to explain this is probably to explain how and why were are here. Alright I'm a time mage that is training to become better. And I was studying at the temple of Raag till my sister and her friends came. You see they came to the temple in order to obtain an ancient book from Master Maldrin that could have the cure to Zelgadis' curse. Of course Master Maldrin isn't permitted to let the book leave the temple but he did agree to let them read it if they passed three tests. They needed to go to three different alternate realities and complete three tasks."
"So you all agreed and this guy Maldrin set up some portals for you to go through. But why would you need to find us?" The other Zelgadis understood this all very clearly. As well as mostly everyone else minus Gourry, who for the most part was very close to falling asleep.
"Because Maldrin advised us to find this dimension's versions of us. It's the only clue he gave us about what tasks we have to do." Lina said while helping Zelgadis get a few more branches out of his hair.
"Are you telling me you don't even know what tasks you have to do?"
"Nope. And if we pass the test when we come back we wont remember anything we did in the alternate reality. We don't get sent back until either we complete the task or if one of us dies."
"What happens if one of you dies?"
"We are all sent back un harmed and alive. And we would have failed the test we'd have to go back and do it again." Lina pulled out the last one out of Zel's hair only to have a tree branch brake and wham him on the head.
"And why do you need us?"
"I don't know, my guess is that the task we have to complete has to do with you guys." Lina tried her best not to laugh but Zel's expression was priceless. Though the large part of the branch was off his head, he had smaller little branches all sticking out in his wiry hair. He even had an old birds nest in there. Of course this would have been even better if the nest had birds in it, but still the way it was Zel had enough to pout about. And yes he was pouting.
"This is not funny Lina." He grumbled which caused Lina to laugh harder. And she wasn't the only one laughing. The other Zel knew he shouldn't be laughing at the visiting reality's Zelgadis so he was trying his best not too. But instead he ended up stifling a few giggles. "Great. What nice friends you are." Chibi Zelgadis' grumbled at them. It was so cute that Lina couldn't help but laugh harder. But when she regained her composure she looked at him with an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry Zelgadis. Here I'll help you with that." And Lina once again helped Zel with pulling out the branches and twigs.
"So you guys are going to have to follow us around till you pass this test?"
"Sorta yeah. But we still have to find my alternate reality self too. Have you guys ever heard of Lina Inverse?"
The other selves sat there pondering for a moment. And oddly enough the other Gourry was the first to think of something.
"Isn't that you?" The other Gourry pointed to Lina. (multiple sweatdrops)
"Ah yes Gourry, but I was talking about your reality's Lina Inverse."
"Our reality?" He looked at her blankly.
"Yes, do you understand?"
He shock his head with a very large grin and the group facefaults.
"I wouldn't bother with him, he's a bit slow."
"Oh great so you are saying that the only thing that is different about these two are the eye color?! Gods! I'm going to go insane! One Gourry is annoying as hell, but two?!" Both groups minus both Gourrys and Gavin generally gave Lina looks of agreement. Both Gourrys were confused, and Gavin didn't really know what they were talking about because he didn't know Gourry that well. "Well back to what I was saying have any of you besides Gourry heard of the name Lina Inverse?"
And back to the thinking they went. Except for the other Xellos, he was drawing pictures on a notepad. Oh yeah he knew who Lina Inverse was, but do you really think he would say anything?
"Say um Xellos," Lina addressed the other Xellos, "do you know anything about her?"
"Well what I know... is a secret!" He waved a finger in the air grinning contently. Lina didn't get angry, she just rolled her eyes. It was not like she wasn't expecting that answer.
"I heard that she was a traveling sorceress that specialized in black magic and dressed in an outfit much like yourself. Red hair, red eyes, slim build a bit short and she's very smart, strong, skilled, temperamental, she eats a lot and she's greedy. Does that sound about right?" The other Zelgadis looked at the dimension travelers. They were all nodding in agreement except Lina herself looked a bit cross, in fact she was developing a nice raging battle aura of anger around her.
"Well in any case, the reason I've heard most of this stuff for was because I myself was inquiring about her. She had a possession that I was hoping to acquire, but instead I found that she sold it to a merchant and I bought it off him. Didn't hear to much about her after that, just that she stopped and destroyed many groups on bandits, till a year ago that is. She just disappeared and no one knew where she was."
"Do you think she died?" Lina finally herself calmed down a bit and dared to ask the very same question that had been annoying her when everyone else said it.
"Lina Inverse? Dead? And without a trace? You have got to be kidding me. She had died, it would be in some grandiose manor and plus the person or thing that killed her would use fame of killing the great Lina Inverse to it's advantage. And besides she has been seen in the past few months anyway." Lina sighed with relief. Though it wasn't really her, it was just unnerving to think in other realities she could be dead. But all of the other people in the other Zelgadis' group looked at him questioningly.
"Mister Zelgadis, how would you know that?"
"Well actually it was the next lead I was going to look up. Since that stone were looking for only turned out to be a simple stone I was going to follow this lead that I had been told about. Apparently Lina Inverse has been spotted in a few towns. From what I've told she's been traveling in odd places and posses special magic items and knowledge. I want to find her again and see if she might know a way to reverse my condition."
"Why would she hide herself though?"
"From what I've heard she's not wearing her normal traveling clothes. That and she's doing much to draw attention to herself. My guess is that someone is trying to kill her so she's just keeping a low profile."
"I guess that would make sense. I myself have lots of enemies back home, but this guy must be powerful she's hiding. Man that doesn't leave me in a very good position then. I could get tailed by the guy and he'd try to kill me instead. Anyway, do you have any ideas where to look?"
"Yeah I have some. I take it that you all are going to be joining us then?"
"Looks that way. Do you mind?" Lina asked them. They all shock their heads. "Okay then, um Zel where are we off to then?" Lina stumbled on his name. She still had no idea what to call them.
"We have to head south first. But what are we going to do about the name problem? This is going to get a bit confusing."
"Agreed. But for now Lina and I are fine, but maybe we should go by some nicknames or something?" Gavin suggested.
"Okay, how about we start of with Amelia first. Hmm..." Lina looked from both of them. There was no difference between the two so it was a bit creepy to her. Two Gourrys, two Amelias. Very scary.
"I have an idea how about you all call be Ameria?" The other Amelia suggested.
"Alright but which one are you?" Lina was already confused on who was who.
"I'm the Amelia from this dimension."
"Oh, okay. Next Xellos. How about we call this dimension's Xellos, Zeros?"
"Hmm... Zeros, odd name yet somehow it does seem appropriate..." The other Xellos mused, but no one was really listening to him anyway.
"What about you Sylphiel?"
"I wouldn't mind being called Sylphy." The other Sylphiel said.
"Which leaves us with Gourry and Zelgadis. You know the worst thing about giving Gourry a nickname is no matter how hard you try he probably wont clue into it. But we'll give it a try, um you Gourry from this dimension, for the time being you're name is going to be um... Garry. Okay? Can you remember that?" Though the other Gourry did nod chance were still very slim that he would. "Just due to familiarity sake, I'm going to call our Zelgadis, Zel. That okay with you?" Lina asked their Zelgadis.
"Sure why, not. So should we leave now?"
The group was in collective agreement and they went walking back the way that had came to go on the trail in the first place.
After a few days of traveling Lina was getting overly annoyed. Sure traveling with her friends does have it's up and downs, but traveling with them and doubles of each was definitely more downs then ups. They were all driving her crazy. Both Gourry and Garry were both being annoyingly stupid but oddly enough Garry remembered that he was being called Garry and not Gourry and was responding to Garry when people talked to him. That was a plus, but still Lina was pissed off that neither of them would give her their swords of light. Amelia and Ameria would constantly have in depth conversations about the causes of justice and defeating evil. This included many long speeches. Normally there wouldn't be that many, but because one had the other to encourage them on they kept going and going and going... While on the other hand they were getting a lot nice food being cooked from both Sylphy and Sylphiel, but what they were also getting much more cutesy talk about pretty and happy things. The sweetness was seriously getting to her. And probably the worst of all was that they had both Xellos and Zeros around. The two of them were just annoying when they didn't do anything together. But the two of them did team up and well things just got hectic. Lina would ave gone as far as dragon slaving all their asses if she didn't have Zelgadis, Gavin and Zel to keep her sane. She learned a few things about Zelgadis; mostly that he was very much the same as Zel on with a few differences. He was a bit more positive and that he had been able to kill Rezo before he had the chance to resurrect Shabringdo. In fact he was a bit surprised when both Lina and Zel had told all about all that. Though Zelgadis was bit more positive then Zel that didn't mean he was anymore friendly. They were about the same, but if anything Zel was a little less closed off then Zelgadis. Zel claimed it was because of hanging around with Lina for so long. It's hard to be gloomy and anti social around her. So really what Zel was saying was that she forced him to open up. Zelgadis did find it all surprising. He looked around the people that he traveled with. Though they were his friends he didn't really consider them really good friends. More like acquaintances. But it was obvious to Zelgadis that Zel did think more highly of his companions and really was good friends with them all. Except maybe, Xellos. It kinda made Zelgadis just a wee envious of him, but he never said anything about it.
The more they traveled the more they realized that they were just going back the way they came. After heading south far enough, they started heading east. It looked like they were heading back to Lenforth.
"Um Zelgadis, we aren't by chance going over to Lenforth are we?" Lina asked the other chimera, nervously laughing rubbing the back of her neck with a sheepish expression.
"Yeah that's exactly where we are heading. Why is there something wrong with heading over to Lenforth?"
The dimension hopping group all facefaulted.
"You could say that..."
"What did you guys do?"
"Well Lenforth was the first town we went too when we got here and well kinda did something..."
"Again I'm going to ask, what did you guys do?"
"We ate far too much of their food and well chased us out of the town threatening to pelt us if we ever came back." Lina still with her sheepish expression on her face.
Now it was the group from this dimension's turn to facefault.
When they were outside Lenforth they had to think of something. Someone needed to go in and ask about Lina Inverse, but the problem was that they didn't have any disguises to wear, nor any magic means to hide their identities. So that left them with only one option left.
"No we can't trust Xellos or Zeros to go in and ask! I don't care if they can change their form, even if they go in there they wont do what we ask! And even if they do it's not like they would tell us!" Zelgadis fumed.
"Well I don't know about Zeros, but Xellos will do it I know. Or otherwise -- " Lina leaned over to Xellos and whispered something into his ear. Even with both Zelgadis and Zel's chimera increased abilities they still couldn't make out exactly what Lina said to him. But whatever she said, it was something in their favor, because Xellos turned pale and his normal easy going expression was replaced by one of pure shock and terror.
"Miss Lina you wouldn't do that would you?!" Xellos squealed out. She just smiled at him coyly.
"If you don't then I will. So get going Xellos."
Xellos complied and changed his form to that of an old woman and went into the town.
"Lina exactly what did you say to Xellos?"
"Well that is," she paused for a moment before she continued, "a secret." She laughed sinisterly while everyone groaned at her.
They sat around at camp waiting for Xellos to come back. He had been gone for at least a good two hours and Lina was very temped to do what she threatened to do to Xellos. She grinned like an evil cat just thinking about it.
Xellos sneezed, which actually surprised him a bit. Been around humans far too long. And he gave another old man a dirty look. He wished he hadn't chosen that form of an old woman to turn into, because he had most of the older men in the town trying to hit on him when he asked around about this dimension's Lina Inverse.
About another hour later everyone was getting really annoyed. Xellos was taking far too long.
"Where the hell is he?"
"I'm right here." Xellos grumbled changing forms. The normally cheerful monster actually looked very annoyed.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Don't you even ask..." Xellos gave Lina the evil eye. And no it really was the evil eye, not just him opening his eyes and looking at her. She was the reason why he couldn't have gone into the town did whatever for a few hours and come back saying that he wasn't able to find anything. But no, because of her he couldn't do that. He had to go and do the work.
"Well did you find out what we need to know?"
"Yes I did and do you want to know how hard it was trying to find out information of this dimension's Lina Inverse and not you?!" He spat it out at her. Oh he wasn't in a good mood.
"I can imagine -- "
"No you can't! You weren't the one who had to go and do it!" Zeros looked at Xellos with wide eyes. Sure he had gotten angry himself a few times, but he had never seen himself at this angry.
"Ahem, okay then. Xellos thank you very much for doing this for us. Now can you tell us where we need to go?" Lina tried to be as careful as possible. A happy Xellos was easy to deal with, but how does an angry one react to things?
"Oh so that's it I go and do you all a favor and work for three hours and all I get is a simple thanks and then you leeches already want the information?! Is that what I am to you people a spy?! I can't believe I do all this for you and I don't get any respect!" Xellos turned and started sobbing crying out about he felt unappreciated. Meanwhile everyone huddled several feet away feeling very scared. Even Zeros was among them. Gavin was he only one who dared to go near the emotionally broken down and overstressed trickster priest. He didn't know exactly how abnormal this behavior was for Xellos. Gavin tried to calm him down and did manage to do that. It was almost as if Xellos was drunk or something. But eventually he pulled himself together and told them where they needed to go next. The next morning they headed off to a forest maze in the western region. No one commented to Xellos about his behavior the day before, no one even mentioned it, they just kept on walking acting like it had never happened.
(Relm: Why make Xellos have a nervous breakdown? General reason for it like for many of my wacky ideas, 'hey why not?' But for those who are all concerned about Xellos' well being I took him to therapy after this and now he's doing fine.)
As you can see I've taken the names and well gave the other spellings that they are reffered to. (Except Gourry and Zelgadis) And as for poor little Xellos, to be honest I have no idea where all that came from. So don't ask.