"Finally!" Lina exclaimed. "I didn't think we would ever make it to town, but more importantly, soft beds tonight!"
Amelia marched tiredly behind Lina. "Yes, it was a really exhausting day. I'm ready for some rest."
"You and me both." Lina grinned as she took out the key the innkeeper had given her. She looked at the room number, suddenly getting an amused expression. "Say, Amelia, do you know what this is?" Lina gestured to the door to their room.
Amelia blinked back at her in confusion, not seeing anything special about the door. "Umm...a door? Is this a trick question, Miss Lina?"
Lina inserted her key into the lock and turned it, opening the now unlocked door. "Wow, I'm surprised, Amelia. This is where they finally caught up with The Baron of Death." Lina fought back a laugh as she waited for Amelia's reaction.
"B-baron of D-death? What a horrible name! ...what did he do?" Amelia shivered, now not sure if she wanted to enter the room.
Lina waved her in. "There's nothing wrong with this room. At least, unless you believe in those silly rumors." Lina seated herself on a bed.
Amelia entered timidly into the room, glancing about nervously. "Rumors?"
Lina tsked. "Honestly, Amelia. You call yourself a defender of justice and you don't even know about the baddest man around? He caused so much evil and havoc throughout the land that everyone, from champions of justice to the lowliest bounty hunter were out to bring him to justice. He was that bad. That is, until that fateful night."
Amelia edged closer, finally taking a seat on the bed opposite Lina to better hear the story. "What happened?"
"The Baron of Death knew his days were numbered. He had fled as far as he could, then, thinking he had lost his pursuers, came to this very inn for a night of rest before resuming his life on the run. He had just settled down for the night when BAM!" Lina smacked her hands together, causing Amelia to jump. "Suddenly his room was swarming with do-gooders of all sorts. Unable to escape, the Baron met his death in that very spot." Lina pointed to the bed Amelia was seated on.
"What!" Amelia shrieked and jumped up off the bed, nearly tripping over her own feet.
Lina carried on as if nothing had happened. "Everyone cheered thinking that finally peace would return to the land, and for a time it did. Until a few years ago. A tired traveler spent the night in this room, but in the morning the innkeeper, coming to check on what was keeping the traveler so long, found him. Dead. In his bed. From the look of it he had been strangled in his sleep, yet none of the tenants had complained about hearing any commotion during the night."
"S-so what was it? What got him?" Amelia clutched her cape, trying her best to not panic.
"The people were baffled. But then it happened again. And again. Every time someone spent the night in this room, they would be found dead the next morning. Finally it was concluded that the Baron of Death still remained, haunting this inn, and claiming those foolish enough to sleep in the bed where he died."
"We can't stay here. We should go ask the innkeeper for another room. I'm sure he would understand." Amelia turned for the door.
Lina got up from her bed and walked up behind Amelia. "But don't you see? It's too late for that. We got the very last room. We've no choice...and yet, already it is too late for us."
Amelia turned to look at Lina, who was suddenly sounding very cold and distant. "W-what do you mean?"
"The Baron seeks souls to join him in his eternal condemnation, Amelia. He wants...you!" Suddenly Lina lunged forward and grabbed Amelia by the shoulders, a deranged grin on her face.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Amelia screamed and struck out at Lina, causing her to crash onto the floor.
A few doors down Gourry and Zelgadis sighed, before settling back in for the night.
"She'll never learn." Gourry shook his head.
"Idiots." Zelgadis grumbled, pulling the covers over his head.
Back in the room with Lina and Amelia, Amelia was still screaming bloody murder as she dashed for the door.
"Oow! Amelia, that hurt!" Lina swiped at Amelia's legs, snagging the fleeing girl and causing her to also fall to the floor. "What's the big idea socking me like that!" Lina rubbed her aching jaw.
Amelia kept scooting away, before smacking her head against the wall. "Leave me alone! Get away from me!"
Lina rubbed her forehead. "Look, calm down, Amelia. Calm down! It was a stupid joke! There's no Baron of Death. I made it all up."
Amelia was stupefied. "You...you made that up? Why?"
Lina sat down on the floor, drawing a circle on the floorboards. "I dunno...I thought it would be funny. It was, up until you hit me." Lina gave an uneasy laugh as she looked in Amelia's direction. "Why does it scare you so much, anyway? After all the things we've encountered, I would think this wouldn't affect you so much."
Amelia pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs. "It's stupid. I'm embarrassed about it..."
Lina moved in closer and elbowed Amelia. "Come on, gotta share it now."
Amelia glanced at Lina before looking back at the intricate designs in the floorboards. "It's because of my older sister."
"Your sister?" Lina blinked. "You don't talk about her very much."
Amelia nodded her head. "I know. I love my sister dearly, but she wasn't very nice to me. I mean, she taught me everything I know about magic, but...but she used to tease me. She would always come into my room at night to tell me a bedtime story. It would start off well enough, but then it would change into some horrible tale! She loved to torment me with ghost stories especially! Mother and Daddy always told her to stop it because it affected me so much, and she told them she would, but she didn't."
"Wow, harsh." Lina sat in contemplation. "It seems to be something big sisters like to do."
"What about you, Miss Lina?" Amelia looked up at Lina.
"Me?" Lina blinked.
"Did you have a normal sister, or was she...not so nice?" Amelia bit her tongue.
Lina shuddered. "Let's just say I can relate to your situation, although she tormented me in other ways."
Amelia nodded, being reminded of the slug incident in Halcyform's mansion, but she decided not to bring it up. "Even so, I don't think she did it because she hated me or anything. Call me strange, but I think it was my sister's way of showing affection. After we lost Mother, she didn't tease me anymore..." Amelia grew silent.
Lina scratched her nose, not sure what to say. "Well, umm, sorry if I scared you Amelia. I didn't mean any harm by it."
"Oh, I know Miss Lina." Amelia smiled up at Lina. "Actually, aside from when you scare me like just now, for some reason it makes me happy. It reminds me of what it's like to have a family again." Amelia smiled to herself, her gaze seeing beyond the wall of the room.
Lina couldn't help but smile herself. "I guess you're just doomed to get tough love from your sister, eh?"
"I guess so." Amelia sighed. "But, no offense Miss Lina, but I refuse to call you "Big Sister"." Amelia winked.
Lina laughed and ruffled Amelia's hair. "None taken. Besides, I don't need to be called 'big sis' to act like one, do I?"
Amelia shook her head and smiled. "Not at all."
"However, as the senior sorceress in this room, I decree it's time to end this silliness and get some sleep. What say you, Amelia?" Lina stood up and dusted herself off.
"Right!" Amelia shot up from the floor. "But first...Recovery!" Amelia touched the growing bruise on Lina's jaw, until the the bruise retreated in on itself, before disappearing entirely. "Okay, that's better."
Lina tested her jaw for any soreness. "Thanks. But next time, don't hit so hard, okay?"
Amelia gave a sheepish grin. "I'll try."
"Good." Lina gave a small salute, then got ready for bed.
Amelia silently healed her own smarting fist before turning in for the night herself.
oOoOoOoOo
Author's Notes: Yes, I know I need to be working on To Deceive is a Crime, but the other night I was looking through a neglected doujinshi that had a short story on Gracia talking to a then very young Amelia. Given the circumstances that led up to Gracia leaving home, and the fact that I too am a younger sister, I got curious about just what Amelia and Gracia's relationship to each other would have been like. Thus, this happened.
Just a note, nothing I wrote in here is based on actual fact...as far as I know. Amelia is in fact scared of ghosts, which seems silly since she can easily eradicate them with her Shaman spells, so it didn't seem to much a stretch to have her fear be based off of being teased and tormented by Gracia. (Again, I am a younger sister myself, and I did not get through my own childhood unscathed.) Don't try to quote me on anything, for I will toss my head back and laugh like Gracia (or shall I say, 'Naga'?) herself.