Lina yawned, tired from a long night of research in Koppii Rezo's library.
Dawn already? I almost can't believe I stayed up all night.
She mused as she stretched. The only person in the library who didn't look as tired as she felt was Koppii Rezo, who was standing where he had been all night, by the fireplace watching everybody with his odd-colored eyes.
That guy could give a dragon the creeps. Heh, I guess he really does, he freaks out Firia.
Chuckling tiredly at her thoughts, Lina got up to go check on Zelgadis, who had been wounded in a fight last week, when they had been attacked by woman with spiky pale-blue hair when they'd been unable to give her any sake, whatever that was.
One thing's for certain, it's like wine. Man, was she drunk!
Lina grinned when she remembered how the woman had acted when she had finally woken out of her stupor three days ago. It had been one hell off a hangover.
Zelgadis grunted in reply when she tried to chirp good morning to him at the door to his room. He was lying on his stomach in bed, revealing a bandage going from his right shoulder to halfway around his left hip on his back. It wasn't a deep wound, just nasty-looking and long. What was worrisome was that Sylpheel had been unable to heal it, nor the cut on Gourry's left cheek or the one on Lina's right arm. All because of that stupid sword of the woman's which had seemed to be made of a red-orange beam of light and had dissolved once she let go of it. The dark reddish-mauve stain on the bandage showed Lina that Zel had been trying to move around again.
"Zel, if you don't hold still it won't heal right." She said reproachfully.
"Have you found out who the woman is?" Zel asked, voice soft and neutral, his face turned away towards the wall.
"No, she fell asleep again before we could ask her. Sylpheel said she would be waking up again sometime today though."
"I want to be there when she does."
Lina frowned at the flat tone of his voice. "No way. We're not moving you until Sylpheel says it safe, and that'll be a few weeks more if you don't break it open again, though it might take a little longer because of the attempt you just did."
"I haven't moved."
"Yeah, right. Zel, the bandage's soaked almost the whole way through!" She scolded him as she loosened the ties that kept the bandage on.
"Lina, why are you doing this?" Zel asked as she began to ease it away from the wound, stopping when Zel hissed in pain.
"Sylpheel was up late the past three nights tending you, you blockhead. The fever came back and didn't break until last night, no, yesterday night and she was worried. Even though your healing rate is much faster than normal, you aren't immune to fever-effects."
"I don't remember."
"I'd be surprised if you did, you were out of your head most of the time."
"You were there?" He sounded surprised, and something else she couldn't identify.
"She needed our help in keeping you pinned to the bed, you were thrashing around pretty badly." Lina sighed, and suddenly pulled the bandage off in a quick jerk, causing Zel to stiffen and swallow a yell of pain. It wasn't infected, as far as she could tell, but she still dabbed it with some of that triple distill that Koppii Rezo had provided to clean the wound. It wasn't until she had finished and put on fresh bandages that she realized that Zel had fainted.
I must really be out of it. At least now he'll be getting the sleep he needs.
She thought, then smiled softly. Leaving a kiss on his forehead, she tucked him in, tip-toed out and went to bed.
About six hours later, Lina woke to a frantic Amelia shaking her, yelling something about ... glowing swords? "ALL RIGHT! Stop shakin' me! Now ... what the hell is go-?!" Amelia grabbed her by the shoulders and continued to shake her. "Miss Lina! That woman woke up! She's demanding to talk to you! Sh-ulp!" Someone had grabbed Amelia around the neck and thrown her out the door before Lina could react. Lina suddenly noticed the glowing dagger of light being held beneath her chin.
"Now ... tell me, where am I? And where is Tenchi?"
Lina considered this for a second, looking at the attractive pale-blue haired holding the dagger under her chin. She smiled at the woman and promptly cast a light-flare. The woman fell back, stumbling and rubbing her eyes. Lina jumped up and ran out of the room, knowing that the woman would be after her soon.
Wonderful! This had to happen at this time of the month! And I can only cast light spells!
Lina skidded to a startled halt, shock showing plainly on her face, as the woman emerged from the corridor wall up ahead. "I'll not ask you again. Where am I and where is Tenchi!?"
"You are in my castle." Koppii Rezo's voice drifted to them from beyond the woman. He was glowing red, his eyes glowing an unholy green, even his brown right eye. Lina and the woman exchanged a glance, Lina's warning, the woman's curious.
"Who the hell are you!?!"
Her voice was belligerent, rude. Lina winced and prudently stepped around the corner. After the fireball had gone by, Lina stepped back out. There was no sign of the woman. Koppii Rezo glared about, searching for the strange lady, glimpsed something behind him. He just barely managed to bring his staff up in time to intercept the blow. The woman chuckled, backed away, and disappeared.
"Is he often like that?" Lina jumped, the voice was coming from behind her! She whirled around, only to find the blue-haired woman behind her! "I think we got off at a bad start. My name is Ryoko, and you are Lina, right?" The woman smiled as she offered her hand. Lina looked at the light-beam-sword in her other hand. "Oops. Sorry." Ryoko, the blue-haired woman, opened her hand and the sword disappeared, dissolved, more likely. Lina looked at Ryoko with surprise showing clearly in her eyes. Lina tentatively shook Ryoko's hand. A red glow began to peek around the corner from the main corridor. "Yes, I'm Lina, Lina Inverse. Maybe we should find somewhere to talk away from Koppeii Rezo-RUN!" They dashed up the corridor and around a corner, leaving a furious Koppeii Rezo behind them. When they stopped, panting for air, they were in front of Zel's room. Lina considered a moment, then decided to go for it. Grabbing Ryoko's arm, Lina pulled her into the room. Zel glanced up, noticed Ryoko, and started glaring at her. "Zel, this is Ryoko, Ryoko, this is Zelgadis."
Zel's voice was harsh. "Why did you attack us?"
Ryoko winced, finally seeing the bandage across his back. Touching the end nearest to her, she asked, "I ... did I do this?"
"Yes." Zel's voice was just this side of a furious hiss.
"I'm sorry. I was freaked out, my teleport hadn't worked and suddenly I was in this strange place, drunk, and you guys were there."
Noticing traces of a remembered fear in Ryoko's voice, Zel asked, "Who do you fear so much? This one who stole you away before?" Startled, Ryoko looked Zel in the eyes. A look of understanding passed between them. "Kagato, the one who took control over me right after my creation."
Lina and Zel exchanged a look of surprise.
"Your creation ... where you altered from your original form, as I was?" Zel sounded hesitant, almost nervous, as if he didn't want to hear the answer but had to know. Ryoko looked surprised. "Altered? But this is my true form. Were you altered?"
"Yes ..."
"You don't have to tell me, not until you want to. I was created by, Washu, scientist of unequaled power in my world. She says because she used one of her ova to create me I'm more like her daughter than her creation. I'm not sure if I should believe her or not."
All three fell silent. After glancing back and forth at Ryoko and Zel, who showed no inclination of saying anymore, Lina asked, "At the risk of sounding rude, Ryoko, why didn't any of our healing spells work on the wounds you gave us?"
"Healing spells? Magic?"
"Grrr ... Yes Magic!"
"I have no idea. By the way, what IS magic? Tenchi never finished explaining to me." Zel and Lina, looking stunned, teardropped while Ryoko looked at them, clearly puzzled.