Lina Inverse patted her full stomach. "All gone!" she exclaimed as she leaned back in her seat as if exhausted.
Gourry did the same. "That was some meal." He turned to Amelia. "The Seyruune castle chefs sure can cook up a feast."
Amelia nodded. "Sure can. Don't you think so, Mr. Zelgadis?"
Zel quickly shook his head in agreement. "Yes, I do. Please send my regards to the chef. I'd love to do so myself, but I have some reading to do before we set off tomorrow and it's getting late." He picked up his cape from behind his chair, waved, and walked out the dining room door.
"Sure is devoted, isn't he?" inquired Lina as she fiddled with a strand of her long orange-red hair.
"I'd say," Gourry said. "But we do have a big day ahead of ourselves tomorrow."
Amelia squealed. "Oh that's right! I nearly forgot!" She looked over at Lina. "Are you nervous?"
Lina shrugged, obviously uncertain. "A little maybe…"
Gourry patted Lina on the back. "Don't worry Lina, you'll do fine. I'll be there to help."
Lina eyed Gourry. "And that's supposed to relieve me how?"
Gourry pouted. "Uhh… I don't know…"
Amelia shook her head. "You'll do fine, Miss Lina. You too, Mr. Gourry. As for me, I'm following Mr. Zelgadis's example and am going to sleep." With that said, she got up and left the dining room as well.
Lina looked around the dining room, allowing herself to get a good feel of the setting she neglected to notice as she scarffed her latest meal. It was a rather large room, very big in area and was painted in a soft lavender shade. There were long royal purple curtains hanging on the windows, which were on the east side of the room, falling gracefully at either side, and elegant crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The focal point, if one had to be labeled, would have to be the long purple banner with the word "Justice" embroidered on it, at the north wall. Lina sighed. Even justice wouldn't help her tomorrow.
Gourry put his hand on Lina's shoulder. "Tomorrow really has gotten you worked up, huh?"
Lina nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. It's just this time, I don't think I can do it."
Gourry nodded, understanding. "But you said that about last time, too. And you did it."
Lina put her gloved hands under her chin and closed her eyes. "Yes, but last time wasn't nearly as challenging as this time."
"I see…"
"It's just," Lina continued. "There are nearly 2000 entrées to taste and only one day to do them in. The Seyruune food festival has never been this big before. I just don' know if I can do it…"
"Lina," Gourry said sympathetically. "If anyone can do it, it's you."
Lina smiled. "Thanks Gourry." She got up and dusted her clothes off. "I'm going to bed, and I think you should, too."
Gourry got up and offered her his arm. "Shall I escort you?"
Lina laughed. "I don't see why not!"
"What's next on the list, Zel?" asked Lina as she tugged him and Gourry behind her.
He pulled his arm out of her hand. "Let me look, would you?" he asked, slightly annoyed. "Now let me see… we're second to last on the list! Ahh 'Tulio's Tavern's famous onion rings'." He scanned the fair grounds. "It's over there," he said pointing.
Lina looked in the direction he was pointing. "I see it! Ray wing!" she exclaimed as she floated up above the crowd, still holding on to Gourry.
Upon arrival, she narrowed her eyes. "These don't smell like normal onion rings…"
"Yeah," said Gourry taking a whiff. "These smell different."
"Of course they do!" shouted a man with a "Tulio" badge on his shirt. "These are no ordinary onions. These are Duncalia Onions, picked fresh from the kingdom of Duncalia. These onions are very special. You see, they don't cause gas."
Lina's eye widened. "Really? Lemme try!"
"Me, too!" yelled Gourry with enthusiasm.
"What's going on?" questioned Zelgadis who had just arrived.
Lina handed him an onion ring. "These onions… they… don't cause gas… and they're delicious!"
Zel blinked, "Really?"
Tulio nodded. "Really."
"These really are good!" exclaimed Zel, now swallowing the rings by the hundreds.
Lina and Gourry as well as Tulio stared in amazement. "Wow…" they said simultaneously.
Then Tulio suddenly pulled down one of the blinds on his stand. "Sorry kids… you'll have to finish up now. It's almost closing time."
Lina stepped out from under the awning which was attached to Tulio's stand. "You're right. The sun is going down." She hit Zelgadis on the head. "We have one more stop to make before closing time and then we have to meet Amelia, so stop with the onions already!"
Zel completely ignored her. She looked at Gourry. "Gourry?"
"Sure thing, Lina," he said as he picked Zel up around the waste. "Let's go, Zel," he said as he began to walk away.
Zel's eye's filled with tears as he outstretched a hand toward the stand. "Onions!" he screamed.
"Have you seen this girl?" asked a rather lanky man with long brown hair.
"Yes," replied the woman he was asking. "But it was a long time ago."
The man's shoulders slumped. "Where could she be? Where is Lina Inverse?" He pulled a rather long note out from inside his forest green pants pockets. He read it over once more. It said. "Deliver this message to my sister or die." and the rest of the note followed it.
"I knew you could do it, Miss Lina!" Amelia exclaimed, jumping up and down at the festival.
Lina smiled proudly. "Well I owe it all to Zel's great planning and your and Gourry's encouragement," she said, winking at Gourry.
Zel dug his hands into his khaki pant's pockets. "Well, someone had to do it."
"Yeah… well now that we're done, what are we going to do?" asked Gourry.
"I don't know… hit the road again?" suggested Lina.
The four comrades looked at each other and shrugged. "So where do you want to go?" asked Amelia.
"Nowhere!" shouted a voice from behind them. "Wait!"
Everyone quickly turned around to see a man running toward them. "I have a message for you, Miss Inverse. It's from your sister."
Lina immediately halted. "My sister?" she meekly replied.
"Yes," said the man handing her the note. "I have come all the way from Zefilia to give this to you. Your sister said it was important."
Lina quickly read over the note, her face, turning whiter and whiter as she read.
"What's it say?" asked Amelia.
Lina's hands dropped to her side, letting the note fall to the ground. Zel swiftly snatched it up. "It says…" he began. "That her sister wants her to return home immediately. This because of recent developments. These developments include the…" Zel went pale as well and dropped the letter.
Amelia was the next to pick up. But unfortunately for her, she quickly followed the pattern and dropped the letter, resulting in Gourry picking it. His eyes became wide with fright. "Someone wants to marry Lina!"