Lina woke to a bloodcurdling scream. Leaping out of bed she grabbed her sword with one hand while summoning red flames in the other. The screaming stopped abruptly and Lina looked around her room at the inn uncertainly. Amelia was sitting up in bed, pillow hair and the scream doing things to her hair that no hair should have to suffer through.
"Lina-san, what was that?"
"I don't know. It came from downstairs."
"Then we should investigate!" Amelia was out of the room before Lina could protest.
Downstairs, in the bathing room, some poor soul was being dragged into a deep pool of green slimy... something. Amelia couldn't make out the person, only the form being sucked towards the deepest part of the bathing pool.
"Green slime! How dare you befoul this place of cleanliness! In the name of Justice I command you to cease your devious actions and leave this place!" Amelia said, standing on the highest point in the bathing room, which was an upturned bucket. The slime made an offensive noise, accompanied by a gust of citrus smelling wind.
Amelia's eyebrow twitched, then she shouted.
"EMEKIAL LANCE!"
Lina found Amelia laying on the ground, which wasn't all that unusual, except that it looked like she's been fried by a bolt of energy. Looking over at the slime in the pool she noticed something on the otherwise immaculate stones of the bathing room floor. Keeping one eye on the pool, she reached down and picked it up. It was a paper packet, the top ripped off. It was empty but for a few grains of white powder that smelled strongly of lemon. Lina turn the discarded envelop over and read what was printed on the other side. Combat Jello, lime flavored. Mix with 20000 litres of water. Let sit overnight. WARNING:IMPERVIOUS TO SHAMANISITIC MAGIC.
"You used Shamanistic magic, didn't you?" Lina asked the fried princess. Crispy Amelia nodded. Lina sighed, then grinned at the jello.
"A challenge first thing in the morning. My kind of day." She pushed up her sleeves, and considered the problem. Jello had to mixed with boiling water, then equal amounts of cold water before slightly chilling the mix allowed it to set up. Lina's grin lengthened. Fire type magic would melt the jello -- as long as it was demon fire.
"GAAV FLARE!"
"ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" The person trapped by the liquefying went flying out of the jello, into the ceiling, then fell back into the softened remains of the jello.
"Martina?" Lina blinked as Amelia gingerly sat up.
"What's all the commotion?" Selena asked from the door. Behind her was the rest of the people staying at the inn. Martina, dressed in only a badly charred towel that just barely covered her modesty (not that the clothes she normally wore exposed any less), pulled her face out of the jello, tears mixing with warm jello.
"I've finally caught up with you, Lina Inverse!" She shouted, and tried to jump to her feet in a heroic pose, only to slip on squishy jello-monster remains and tumbles backwards into the pool.
"Ano..." Lina felt a bead of sweat form on her forehead and sighed. "How did you get here? There's a blizzard outside."
"I was rescued and brought here by a handsome man." Martina sniffed, sitting up in the jello. Selena coughed which sounded suspiciously like a laugh.
"I hate to burst your bubble, but 'Dancer's a girl." Selena said, trying hard not to giggle. Martina looked crushed, then squinted at the brunette.
"Are you sure?" Martina asked, "'cause she'd have to be flatter than Lina if that were the case."
"Oi!"
"Well, she is flat..." Selena thought for moment, not noticing when Lina leveled a glare at her. "But 'Dancer's definitely a girl."
"How do you know?" Martina pressed. Selena raised an eyebrow at her.
"We go to bath houses together?"
"Oh. Damn you Lina Inverse, this is all your fault!" Martina actually managed to get to her feet that time.
"Nani -- How is 'Dancer's gender all my fault? You're the one too stupid to tell the difference between boy and gi -- " Lina was interrupted by a large glob of warmed jello catching her squarely in the face.
The rest of the inn patrons decided that then was a good time to close the door and walk away.
Zelgadis pushed through the crowded restaurant portion of the Inn where most of the patrons had retired to following the spectacle in the bathing room. Gritting his teeth against his natural instinct to run far, far away, he scanned the packed room for 'Dancer.
"Oi, rock boy."
Zelgadis turned to see Selena pushing through the mass towards him.
"I have a name." He said, barely controlling his overwhelming desire to throttle her.
"Whatever. Where'd you stash 'Dancer?" She demanded. Zelgadis blinked.
"Where'd -- I was going to ask you."
"You're joking, ne?" Selena asked.
"No." Zelgadis felt his annoyance with her ebb. "She's not in your room?"
"No. She was gone when I got up." Selena blinked, then the blood drained from her face. "So were the twins -- she's gone to the lab without me!"
"Matte, matte, lab? What lab?" Zelgadis had a really bad feeling.
"Mafellu's lab. The one we came to Mountain Pass to find." Selena stared up at Zelgadis, plainly in shock. "Why did she leave me behind?"
"I don't -- " Zelgadis snapped his mouth shut and looked widely around the room. The pieces suddenly all fell into place, he realized. "Find Amelia and Gourry, we'll meet back at your room." He shoved his way through the crowd to find Lina.
"She did WHAT?" Lina shrieked, putting down the towel that she was using to dry her hair. Selena, Gourry, Amelia, Neko, Zelgadis, Lina and Martina were sitting around the room rented out to Selena and 'Dancer. Selena was crying quietly against Amelia as the princess tried to comfort her. Zelgadis seethed, and wished he could pace.
"Calm down. Selena, tell them what you told me." He turned to the brunette.
"W-we'd come here to find Mafellu's lab. (hic) H-he'd been making kopiis of 'Dancer that did terrible things. (sniff) Sh-she wanted to him stop." Selena explained.
"What sort of terrible things?" Lina asked.
"Murder, pillage, one of the kopiis even started a war between the yeti of the Southern Mountains and the people of South Pass." Selena said quietly, looking at her hands.
"The Battle of Southern Ford was started by a kopii of 'Dancer?" Amelia yelped. "Half of the 4th wizard cavalry was lost in that battle! And all the yeti were slaughtered. It was awful, both groups had lived together for years in peace. Father said it was like the Mazoku War all over again..." Amelia took Selena's hands in hers. "'Dancer was trying to stop this, correct? Then she didn't take you with her to protect you."
"What about us? She knew we were going there." Lina snapped.
"We -- 'Dancer didn't know that you were looking for the lab. She told me that you were looking for the Claire Bible." Selena looked puzzled.
"So, you mean she doesn't know that we're looking for the same place?" Gourry asked.
The rest of his group looked at him in pure amazement.
"Leave it to the idiot savant to state the obvious." Lina said with a heavy sigh. "Okay, if she left for the lab, that means she knew where the entrance was, ne? So all we need to do is go after her."
"It's not that simple." Zelgadis was calmer now that he knew 'Dancer hadn't realized that they were looking for the same place, although it nettled him that she hadn't mentioned her real purpose... why hadn't she, he wondered again. What was she protecting that she had to lie to him about her purpose?
"Why not?" Lina asked.
"The twins can teleport. They probably waited until a winter storm like this one so Selena couldn't catch up." Zelgadis elucidated, causing Selena to burst into fresh tears.
"Oh grow up!" He snapped at her, his patience at an end.
"Zelgadis-san! Be nice! It's not her fault that your sister is trying to save the world all on her own!" Amelia reproached him, her own expression equally irate.
Zelgadis didn't say anything, but stood and left. Or would have, if 'Dancer wasn't in the doorway, one wing scorched and dragging.
"Did yo -- " Zelgadis started to ask. 'Dancer shook her head.
"Anyone feel up to a story?" She asked simply.
"It happened eight months ago, a short while after Zel and I took our different paths. I was the guardian of a young Br'axl, and trying to return him to his people. We'd been traveling with a Blademaster, but had been... separated by circumstances. I was on the road between Trilsum and the seaport of Baspikwha. When, well, when circumstances brought me to Malfellu's attention." 'Dancer started as Amelia cast Recovery on the damaged wing.
'Dancer plodded through the mud, ignoring the rain that pelted her and her small companion. Fledge had trotted valiantly along side for the first mile, but finally his little legs got so stuck in the red mud that 'Dancer had to carry him piggyback. Comforted by 'Dancer's soft voice and lulled by her steady gait he fell asleep. She'd been hoping to reach the next small town by nightfall, but when the overcast sky turned from slate to charcoal, she resigned herself to a night out in the woods. It was in the very last of the lit gloom that 'Dancer spied a monolith surrounded by a cluster of smaller boulders. Hoping that Lady Luck was finally smiling on her, she jogged off the path and over to the stones. Fledge, woken by her change in gait, slid off and followed her, no longer hindered by thick mud.
After a moment's search, 'Dancer found what she was hoping for, a sheltered niche under the leaning outcropping. 'Dancer squeezed in, then was astounded to find that once past the outer most slab there was actually enough room for six men to lay stretched out. The ashes of some forgotten campfire told 'Dancer that this was a frequented place, but judging from the lack of soot on the overhang, it hadn't been used recently. A cold breeze whistled into the shelter.
'Dancer sent Fledge to find some firewood as she rigged her cape to act as a door. Fledge returned quickly with kindling, and 'Dancer coaxed a flame into existence as he searched for tinder. 'Dancer then made a forage for a slow burning log, and was pleased when she found exactly the wood she was looking for in large quantities, quite near the shelter. After reheating some pork buns purchased earlier that day she and the boy ate and settled down for the evening. Fledge's quiet request for a story was met with a smile, and 'Dancer recited the story of how Raven stole the sun and moon and stars. Fledge listened drowsily, his head resting on her lap, and finally closed his eyes with a tiny fluting sigh. 'Dancer staid awake for some time longer, listening to the falling rain.
Someone stood in front of her and 'Dancer jerked awake, having fallen asleep sitting up. It was late, she realized with the first stirrings of terror, as the fire had burned almost past the point of embers. As if her thought was a cue, the glow left the fire entirely, plunging the shelter into complete blackness. No!
"Fire with it's brightness!" Dancer breathed. The embers flared suddenly, bathing the shelter in purple flames. 'Dancer stifled a scream. A man, nearly her height, with jaw line length purple-black hair stood directly in front of her, barely a meter away, covering his eyes as the light momentarily blinded him. 'Dancer struggled to her feet, waking Fledge at the same time.
"W-who are you?!" She demanded with more confidence than she felt. The man lowered his arms and gave her a look that made her blood run cold. His chiseled face had a hard set look to it and he leaned slightly on his gem topped wooden staff. Despite the threat he posed, he was still remarkable handsome. 'Dancer frowned. She was being irrational. Threat? He hasn't said or done anything threatening. Maybe he is also seeking shelter for the night... Despite that calm thinking every cell in her body screamed a warning.
"Why are you here?" She asked much more calmly, softly. Fledge had by this time attached himself to his regular position, that is, he glommed on to her leg. The man's black cap fluttered ominously as he considered her question.
"You have... something I want." His voice's utter lack of emotion scared 'Dancer almost as badly as the malice that glittered in his shadowed eyes. 'Dancer's eyes narrowed to slits.
"That is a problem, ¿no?" She was suddenly very, very angry. Fledge released his strangle hold on her leg. When 'Dancer was angry, he desperately wanted nothing to make it worse. The man smiled an incredibly evil grin.
"For you, indeed." He raised a hand, and 'Dancer shoved Fledge away as she dodged to one side. Her bo staff whistled as she swung it, dropping into a horse-stance below the flash of red light shot out from his hand. The boulders behind her exploded, knocking her down, and showering her with rubble. 'Dancer coughed and looked over at the man. He held Fledge at arm's length, by the neck.
"No!" 'Dancer shouted , throwing herself at the man. Not even bothering to turn he raised his hand and she crashed into a barrier. Sparks flew where she touched it and she howled enraged, slamming her closed fists against the shield. LET ME IN! LET ME IN! LET ME IN! Her mind chanted as she frantically pounded the barrier. Fledge's lips began to turn blue, and incredibly 'Dancer could hear his soft voice over her shouting. "Dansa..." Diosa help me! He's killing Fledge! I WANT IN! Purple flames washed over the shield. There was a soft popping sound and 'Dancer fell through the barrier, to her knees where she retched up blood. The man dropped Fledge, and examined 'Dancer coldly. 'Dancer shakily straightened up, into a kneeling position as he made another gesture. The weight of an elephant slammed down on top of her and she fell completely to the ground. Gravity well! She bared her teeth and forced her body up.
"Won't stay still?" He made the gesture again and the weight increased. 'Dancer's bangs pressed hard into her forehead, and the sweat rolling off her face making little impact craters when they hit the ground. Amazingly, she forced herself to her elbows. The man's eyes widened appreciatively. Most humans would have given him their only child by now, and yet this strange girl fought on. He looked carefully at her aura and wasn't terribly surprised to see it burning brightly. He smiled cruelly. She was drawing on the very reserves of power that made her sick. With a sigh of regret he decided to kill her.
"How much more can you handle?" He asked casually. 'Dancer's eyes blazed with the answer she couldn't articulate. The man sniffed, and made the gesture a third time. For a second, 'Dancer thought her head might explode, then the weight lessened. Her body glowed dull orange as she stood. The extra weight hadn't completely vanished, but it had lessened to a point that she could easily handle. The man turned sharply to see Fledge sitting up and looking at him defiantly. With a bestial growl he grabbed the boy and slammed him into a wall.
"Stop!" 'Dancer stepped out beyond the range of the spell as the orange light vanished.
"Have you no humanity? Stop it!" She took another step toward him and he pointed his staff at her. Before she could move a gust of wind slammed into her middle. Ribs cracked and 'Dancer fell to her knees. The man turned back to the boy, laying in crumpled pile, and raised his foot. A sobbing plea caught him attention. He turned to see tears running down 'Dancer's face. 'Dancer looked at him, trembling, and whispered
"Please, I'll do whatever you want, just don't kill him." The man blinked. She was crying, not because of the pain she suffered, but for the boy. It shocked him to realize that despite everything he had thrown at her earlier, she hadn't cried until now. Plans changed suddenly and he looked at her in a whole new light. She was much stronger than he had given her credit for, that was true, and he looked more closely at her and suddenly realized that her aura wasn't the same as regular humans. She was a human all right, but her aura had an alien flavor to it. He knelt down next to her and brushed away a tear. 'Dancer flinched at his touch and he smiled darkly. Yes, her tears had told him much about this wanderer. She could certainly make things easier for him. And he would enjoy toying with her no end.
"Anything?" He asked, leaning closer to her. 'Dancer swallowed her repulsion and nodded, unable to speak.
"For this worthless child?" 'Dancer's eyes blazed dangerously, but she quietly agreed. Mentally the man chuckled. This girl was indeed feisty, but, he allowed his grin to broaden, enjoying the uncertainty on her face, she could be molded for his purposes. He held out his hand. 'Dancer recoiled, shutting her eyes until his mocking laughter caused her to look at him again. In his hand glowed the image of a book with black leather bindings and bronze work around it. Despite herself, 'Dancer couldn't rip her eyes away for the image. There was something very alluring about the book...
"I want you to fetch me this." He closed his hand and then reopened it. The image changed, showing an abandoned village.
"It's located in this village. In this building." The image focused to a close up of the only non-ruined building. 'Dancer nodded, then hesitantly asked,
"Where's this village?" The man smiled. "We're there." They had teleported, and 'Dancer was shocked to be floating over a hill overlooking the village from the image. The sun was just peering over the horizon.
"And Dansa," She looked at him sharply. "You have until nightfall." With that 'Dancer fell. She landed hard in some bushes and bit back her cry of pain. She'd twisted her left ankle in the fall. She extracted herself from the bushes, leaning heavily on her right leg. Thirteen hours. I have thirteen hours. She took a moment to find a long enough sapling to use as a bo (and crutch) then limped towards the village.
'Dancer hid behind a crumbling wall as a patrol marched by. The pale grey creatures had very avian features, complete with feather-like hair and a beak shaped snout. 'Dancer shivered violently. The pain in her chest and leg only exaggerated the coldness of the morning, and 'Dancer wished more than ever that she hadn't used her cape for a door. He could have at least healed me before throwing me to the piranhas. 'Dancer closed her eyes and rested her head against the cool stone. He probably hopes I'll fail so he can kill Fledge. 'Dancer's lip curled up into a snarl. She had no intention of giving Fledge over to that monster! She peered over the wall. The patrol had passed her by. 'Dancer slipped out carefully navigating her way towards the building in the middle of the town. Leaning heavily on the hastily made staff she limped as fast as she dared across a empty expanse of ground. Probably once a square.
She had made it past the halfway point of the square when she heard,
"Tag, you're it! Fireball!"
'Dancer didn't know what surprised her more, that she woke up at all, or where she woke. She was laid out on a super comfy bed in an elegant tower overlooking the forest at the town's edge. She closed her eyes, pinched herself, and opened her eyes again. Since the room hadn't vanished, and the pinch had hurt, she figured that the room was real. With a painful hiss she sat up.
"Oi! Don't move yet! The spell isn't finished healing you!"
A pair of canine ears popped up from under the bed. 'Dancer leaned over and came nose to nose with the ears' owner. It was a girl, maybe only 13-14 years old, dressed in yellow.
"Um... hello?" 'Dancer asked.
"I told you not to move!" The girl jumped to her feet and pushed 'Dancer back against the bed.
"You have tails." 'Dancer said, and wondered if she wasn't dead after all.
"Yep. So does she." The girl pointed to another girl, identically dressed, with a blue scheme. 'Dancer studied them for a moment, then noticed that the sun was only two hand spans above the western horizon.
"OI! DON'T MOVE!" The girls shouted as 'Dancer rolled to her feet.
"Sorry, but I have to go-ooph!" 'Dancer was tackled from behind. Hitting the ground she felt small hands tying her wrists together. With a snarl she threw the pre-teens off her back and leapt to her feet monkey style. Despite her speed her hands remained tightly bound.
"Listen! If I'm not back by sunset a child dies!" She snapped, crouching defensively. It had been a long time since she'd fought just with her feet.
"So? We found you, you're ours!" The yellow garbed one said. The other girl nodded.
"I am not a pet!" 'Dancer growled, and the girls vanished.
"Shi -- " 'Dancer barely dodged the twin attack as they reappeared directly above her. There was the screech of steel on steel as their spears bit stone. 'Dancer dove under the bed, then rolled out from the other side, knocking one of the waiting girls over with a well placed kick. The other girl leapt forward and 'Dancer leaned precariously back to avoid being shish kabob. The spear point just brushed her cheek. 'Dancer dodged several more thrusts before she realized that the blue clothed girl was missing. With a shout she whipped around with an axe kick, snapping the other girl's spear in half, and missing the girl's own foot by millimetres.
"Waaah!" The girl gulped, and teleported out, even as 'Dancer jumped sideways and backwards. The other girl looked startled to be shoulder to shoulder with the latina, and a second later she looked even more surprised to be laying on the flat of her back. Her spear tumbled end over end before 'Dancer turned on her heel and neatly caught it, spear tip pointing down, in her bound hands.
"Hiya!" 'Dancer coolly sidestepped the yellow girl's wild sword thrust as the spear she held cut through the bonds restraining her. The rope hadn't even hit the ground when 'Dancer whipped the spear around and rained a fury of strikes down on the yellow girl.
"Eek! Avalon, help!" The girl in yellow yelped. 'Dancer didn't have to look over her shoulder, as she slammed her elbow into the blue girl's stomach.
"Gomen..." Avalon whimpered, shifting back out.
"Enough! Are you going to let me go or do I have to crave my path through you?" 'Dancer asked dangerously. The yellow girl hesitated.
"That depends, what are you going to do?" Despite her predicament 'Dancer found the question perplexing.
"I'm going to find a book, and then I'm going to leave."
"Book?" Avalon 'ported next to the yellow girl as the yellow girl lowered her sword. "What book?"
"Small, black leather, some bronze edging, radiates power." 'Dancer noted as both girls blinked in surprise. "Sound familiar?"
"Sure. That's the book we're bound to." The one called Avalon said.
"Say what?"
"We're dæmons. We're frequently summoned to guard treasures, magical hoards, and such." The girl in yellow explained. "But if the summoner doesn't trust you to protect said object they can magically bind you to it. It's a bit of a pain, really, 'cuz as long as the object, in this case, the book you're looking for, exists, we're stuck guarding and can't go anywhere."
'Dancer rested the spear on the floor.
"So, even if I get the book, I still have to fight you?"
Avalon shook her head. "No, we just have to tag along."
"Doesn't that defeat the purpose of guarding the book?" 'Dancer asked.
"Well, not if we protect you." The girl in yellow said. "I mean, if you have the book, and we guard you, wouldn't we be guarding the book?"
"Are you trying to con me into taking you with me?" 'Dancer queried, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes?" They smiled widely at her.
"Diosa." 'Dancer sighed, then studied them with a new interest. Perhaps, just perhaps...
"Where do I find this book?"
'Dancer slipped into the poorly lit library, prowling down the aisle silently. Turning the corner she was most perturbed to see an unusually tall man in pale yellow and white robes sitting in a window seat, reading the book she had come to steal. The man must have felt her gaze for he looked up and, before 'Dancer could hide, caught sight of her.
"Why, hullo. I suppose you are the intruder who's caused my guards so much trouble." He said pleasantly. His eyes were the same hue as the man who had stole Fledge. "Why don't you join me for some tea?"
"Thank you, but I'm afraid I can't accept your offer." 'Dancer said, stepping fully into the light. The twins had seen fit to give her new clothes since Arcadia's fireball had torched 'Dancer's. It felt odd to be wearing a hakama and cross front shirt, but 'Dancer had wore similar clothes in her karate classes, so it wasn't too out of place. She was still armed with the spear.
"Why the rush, lady warrior?" He asked easily.
"A child's life is in danger." 'Dancer's fingers tingled from holding the spear so tight.
"And for his life you must take mine?" The man asked mildly curious. 'Dancer shook her head.
"No, I was sent to steal that book." She pointed to the one in his lap. His pale eyebrows drew together.
"Now why would someone with such a clean soul search out this book? You're not a Mazoku. Not an ordinary human, either, I see, but no ally to Darkness." Something in the way he spoke caused the hairs on the nape of her neck to stand up on end. 'Dancer walked closer.
"You're correct, I'm not. But the man holding my ward captive has required the book in exchange for Fledge's life." 'Dancer lowered the spear point until it touched the ground. "If there was someway I could pay for the book, I'd much rather do that than steal it." She suspected the man before her was no less evil than the one holding Fledge captive, but that didn't stop her from hoping to avoid a fight. The man studied her for a long moment, then nodded.
"I'd be willing to part with it, for the right price." 'Dancer began to worry anew. She didn't have any money, it was back in the cave.
"How much?" She asked trying to keep the concern out of her voice. The man smiled an almost feline smile.
"Would you be willing to part with your hair?" He asked. 'Dancer blinked, then grabbed her braid and sawed through the base of it with her spear. She dropped her spear and held out the metre long plait. Her hair, no longer restrained, fluffed out slightly, giving it the impression of etherealness.
"Is this enough?" She asked, one eye on the sinking sun beyond him. The man's smile softened and he gently took the white braid from her.
"Yes, this should be plenty." He handed her the book and glanced at her again.
"You know he will kill you and the child as soon as he has the book." He said, coiling the plaited hair and slipping it into his robe.
"Yes." 'Dancer suddenly was afraid to meet his gaze. Her gaze alighted on the oil lamp on the window sill next to him. "May -- may I have this as well?" She stammered. His gaze flickered from the lamp back to her, and nodded.
"Well, ...ah thank you and good bye." 'Dancer bobbed her head courteously and turned to leave when he caught her shoulder and pulled her towards him. His hand was almost as icy as his voice was, whispering into her ear.
"Remember, lady warrior, you must be careful when you deal with devils."
'Dancer was still shaking when she emerged from the building.
'Dancer reached the spot the she'd been dropped as the sun sank below the horizon. The man appeared out of the air above her.
"Yes?" He smiled as her. 'Dancer glared up at him, her cross front shirt torn, monster blood mixing with sweat on her face, three long talon marks oozing blood from her shoulder.
"Here's your accursed book." 'Dancer held it up. "Where's Fledge?"
"Right here." Fledge appeared next to him, bound in bonds of inky darkness.
"What have you done to him?!" 'Dancer cried, seeing the boy's emaciated form.
"I did nothing. The rope feeds on magical power." He grinned at her anguished look.
"Let him go!" 'Dancer shouted.
"Now, now, the book first."
Gritting her teeth, 'Dancer let go of the book which floated up to the man.
"The boy!" 'Dancer snarled.
"My, my, aren't you the impatient one." He grinned maddeningly at her. "Very well." Fledge dropped.
'Dancer leapt forward, arms outstretched to catch the boy. He was so still that at first 'Dancer was afraid she was too late, then his eyes flickered open.
"Dansa?" 'Dancer hugged the boy tightly.
"Sayonara, Dansa." The man said, pointing the red jewel of his staff at her.
"Tag, you're it!" The man was hit over the head with a salmon. With a bestial growl he turned on his attacker.
"FLARE ARROW!!!!" Too late he remembered 'Dancer. But the fire spell wasn't meant for him, it hit the book which burst into flames. 'Dancer smiled grimly as he tried unsuccessfully to put out the oil fueled fire -- she'd liberally applied the lamp oil to the pages of the book.
"You!" He turned on her suddenly --
"Yes Kendar?" 'Dancer paused in the middle of her recounting, much to the surprise of her listeners. Kendar stood at the doorway peeking in the room. He flushed, and said softly.
"Mother asked if you could come down and entertain."
"Tell her I'll be right down." 'Dancer nodded and the boy shut the door.
"Oi! You can't go! You haven't finished explaining yet!" Lina shouted as 'Dancer stood and walked over to the closet.
"Okay you two, time to go earn our keep." 'Dancer addressed the dæmons that fell out of the closet when she opened the door.
"Oi! Are you even listening to me?" Lina screeched. 'Dancer threw her a look over her shoulder as she drew a guitar from the closet.
"Selena knows the rest of the story."
"Matte!! Where are you going?"
"Downstairs. To sing and tell stories for the innkeeper." Without further ado she walked out. Lina turned to Zelgadis.
"'Your sister's a bard?"
"Storier."
"What's the difference?" Gourry asked.
"Bards are formally educated." Lina explained impatiently, then turned back to Selena.
"What happened then?"
"When? You mean to 'Dancer?" Selena glanced nervously around at the waiting group.
"The stranger shot her with some sort of energy bolt. It left a scar from here, " Selena pointed from directly under her left breast, "to here." She drew a line down to her right hip.
"Arcadia said they had to take 'Dancer to a temple of Mystha, the elven goddess. I didn't meet them until after all this, I-I've never met Mafellu -- and, and I hadn't been told all these details before."
"She probably hasn't told us half of what happened." Lina mused, earning a glare from Zelgadis. "Look at the facts, Zel, she hadn't leveled with Selena, why should we assume that she's telling the truth now?"
"She's got no reason to lie." He snapped back.
"Zelgadis-san," Amelia interrupted what was starting to turn into a really ugly argument. "Do you still trust her?" She asked him. Zelgadis nodded sharply. Amelia looked from Selena to Lina.
"I think we should believe her. I agree with Lina, she seems to be not telling us everything, but... I get the feeling it's to protect us, or at least Selena." Amelia said slowly, as if carefully considering her words. Selena looked startled at the princess's pronouncement.
"If you're done passing judgment." Zelgadis grumbled leaving the room.
"Touchy today, isn't he?" Lina commented.
"Maybe he's hungry." Gourry suggested, earning a bonk on the head before Lina's stomach growled.
"You know, we haven't had breakfast yet..."
The room emptied with amazing speed.