Gourry's Choice

Ramon: our new fic. Another Lina and Gourry fic, which many will enjoy.

Sunny: The Slayers and all its characters don't belong to us, it belongs to Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Arazumi.

Alandra: we hope that you people can enjoy this new fic.

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Chapter 1

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Its been three weeks since the defeat of Phibrizio and Garv, during that time the Slayers have travel to leave Sylphiel back to her uncle and now they are journey back to Seilune to return back Amelia. Of course Amelia made a few stops along the way because she is in no hurry to return back to Seilune and back to the responsibilities that force her to be lock in the kingdom.

The Slayers travelled through many different places along the way and continued with their usual routines, killing up bandits and finding some treasures, the usual stuff that Lina loves to do, they act like they have never been in a fight which almost cost their lives, they are brave not to let their past events torment them but even so that battle let scars which it can not be seen.

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Lina and the others travel down the road in search for a new place to call it a day, they were not interested in sleeping in the outdoors, they prefer the comfort of a warm bed.

Lina hummed happily because she managed to steal a big pill of money from at least four bandits' camps in one day, a perfect record.

Lina then looks back to see her friends, Zel is still wearing his hood and mask and Amelia stands right beside him trying to cheer him up about his looks, as usual Amelia's kind words never reach Zel's stubborn hears. Lina then looks back at Gourry who is right behind Amelia and Zelgadiss, thinking (which is a surprise to anyone who knows Gourry). Ever since their battle against Phibrisio Gourry's been his usual self but after we left Sylphiel back to her uncles he spends most of the times thoughtful with a serious face. Lina did not like it, something is troubling him and he won't tell anyone, Gourry almost starts to sound like Zelgadiss and dealing with a serious Gourry is something that Lina doesn't want. "Hey Gourry! Will you hurry up? We want to get to the next town before night fall!"

Gourry looks up with a confused look and then smiles at Lina. "Oh, right. Sorry about that. I was distracted."

Lina smiled back. That is the Gourry she knows, the peaceful, compassionate Gourry that does not hold a solemn look on his face. Even so Lina wonders what Gourry's been thinking all this time. "I'll try to see if I can find out what's been troubling him tonight."

"Miss Lina, look!" Amelia called, pointing to a kingdom she found. "We found a place to stay."

"Yahho!!" Lina hooted, they thoughts about Gourry slowly fade away. "It's about time we find a city! Let's go find an Inn to sleep and eat!!" Lina immediately rushes over to the city with her friends following behind.

Unknown to then that they are behind watched by a certain mysterious priest that is it hiding behind the leaves of a tree.

"So it seems that my little puppets…… I mean friends are off in another adventure and they are not aware of that." Xellos then picks up a box of popcorn. "I won't interfere this time. I will just let them amuse me. After all the time I've been manipulated them the least they can do is offer me some entertainment." Xellos starts to eat his popcorn and teleports some place away.

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In the kingdom the word about the arrival of Lina Inverse starts to spread, it even reached the words of the King of the kingdom.

"So Lina Inverse has arrived? That is interesting." The King said. "And I believe that the Swordsman that it is always with her has come as well?"

"Yes, sire." The soldier responded.

"Good. Maybe it is time for me to speak with them myself."

In that moment a young woman with the same age as Sylphiel and with blond hair enters the throne room. "Brother, what is wrong? The entire city is so agitated, what is wrong?"

"Lina Inverse is in the city."

The young woman gasped. "Oh my…people say that she is a Mazoku Slayer. I heard about the incident of Seilune. Do you think she can help us with our problem?"

"Perhaps. And guess what, sister: Gourry Gabrieve is here as well."

The young woman widens her eyes with a blush on her face. "Gourry is here?" then tears of joy runs down from here eyes. "I'm so happy."

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In the city the Slayers stayed on an inn and they already set to have dinner. All four gathered around the table ready to order dinner, a huge, vast pile of food.

"Alright! Give everything from here to here." Lina ordered ordering her meal in the menu.

"Yeah, and I want this one, this and even this one. Oh and give me this one too, triple portions of it." Gourry ordered.

The waiter's jaw landed on the ground with the huge mountain of food that his customers ordered.

Zel sighed. "What idiots. It is unbelievable." He murmured.

"I sure would like to know how you manage to consume all that food." Amelia said.

"I for once would like to know how is that they don't get fat." Zelgadiss said.

Amelia looks curiously at Lina and Gourry. "You know…that is a good question."

In that moment a battalion of soldiers enters the inn and surround the Slayers, none of them are pointing their spears at them.

Amelia sighs heavily. "Miss Lina, what did you do?"

"Is it so hard to have a simple day with out having Lina attracting trouble to us?" Zelgadiss growled. "Just one day. Only one day. Is that so much to ask?"

"What?" Lina snapped. "Just because we have dozens of soldiers surrounding us it is officially my fault?"

"Yes." Amelia, Gourry and Zelgadiss responded frankly.

"Why you guys……"

"We assure you that we mean you no harm. Our King wishes to speak with you." One of the soldiers informed.

In that moment the Soldiers open up a path to let their King appear with his sister following closely behind him. One of the soldiers picks up two chairs and places them in the table where the Slayers are, after that the two brothers sit in their seats.

"First of all I welcome you to our Kingdom, Lina Inverse." The King saluted. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Ullon. I am the most recent King, I am Pinto Ullon."

"Recent King?" Lina repeated. "So what is it that you want, Pinto? Certainly you didn't come all the way down here with so many body guards just to meet the incredibly beautiful, sorceress genius, Lina Inverse?"

"Very persuasive. Indeed, I came all the way down here only to hire your services. You see recently our city has been attacked by a Mazuko that we thought that it was gone for five years now he's been striking his revenge on the people of this city. So we are asking you Lina Inverse to help us with our problem. We know that this will be a simple task for you Lina Inverse considering that the rumors say that you have been eliminating many powerful monsters recently."

"What can I say, I am a victim of my own success." Lina joked.

"It is cruel and unjust that a soul fiend with such dark hearth unleashes his cruelty upon innocent people!" Amelia said in one of her justice positions. "I Amelia Will Telsa Seilune will show this found creature the true meaning of justice."

Everyone sweat dropped with the sad scene that Amelia is doing.

"Well any way, my services don't come cheap." Lina said. "I expect to receive a big deal of money for this job."

"Yes, so I was informed. I shall pay you three hundred thousand cold coins if you take the job and another three hundred thousand when the job is complete." Pinto said.

"THREE HUNDREAD THOUSAND COLD COINS?!" Lina shirked with her eyes shaped in cold coins. "Well with that offer I must really have to say……NO!"

Amelia, Gourry and Zel fell down from their seat when Lina immediately denied her job with a huge payment, this is really not like her at all.

"Lina, you are refusing?" Gourry asked in shock as he got up.

"Yes I am."

"Miss Lina, I must say this is so not like you!" Amelia stated.

"Amelia don't you see behind the cards? It is obvious that there is much more than what this man said. For him to offer such a big deal of money it is obvious that there is much more than just a simple Mazoku. So what is it Pinto?"

Pinto did not respond, he only has a small smirk on his face.

"You don't respond huh? Then I am sorry to say that I can not work with people who are not honest with me. So go find another idiot to do the job."

Zelgadiss looks at Lina with a suspicious look. Normally Lina would take any job even if they turn out to be a fluke, if they did turn out to be a fluke she would fireball who ever sets her up. There is another good reason why Lina would turn away such a big pound of money. "What is Lina hiding?"

King Pinto did not lose his temper considering the fact that Lina disrespected him. "I see, it is a pity."

"Are you threatening me?" Lina asked with a smirk.

"Not at all, I respect your decision and I must find some one to aid us in our time in need. And where are my matters I didn't introduce my sister Linda."

"Hello……" Linda spoke nervously but her eyes set on Gourry the entire time her brother was talking to Lina. "It has been a long time since we saw each other, Gourry Gabrieve."

"Huh?" every one looks back at Gourry with a puzzle look.

After a few moments with a confused face Gourry finally asks. "Have we met?" which made everyone fell down to the ground.

The young woman giggled. "It is reasonable, it's been five years since we last saw each other. I have changed a lot since then."

"Five years?" Lina repeated. "So you have been in this city before Gourry?"

"Yes, it was a long time ago." Linda responded. "Gourry was part of a group of mercenaries that my father hired to finish a Mazoku that's been terrorizing our city. Even if Gourry was the youngest of the group he was the one who finish that dreadful Mazoku thanks to his sword of light, and he was the most skillful swordsman I have ever met."

"Oh yeah. I must have come here on my mercenary days." Gourry said, remembering some past events, almost.

"Your memory amazes me Gourry." Lina teased.

"And I admit that ever since that day I have fallen in love with you, Gourry." Linda admitted shyly.

Lina twisted her eyebrow with the last words and Amelia gulped, hoping that Lina doesn't do anything drastic.

Linda gets up from her seat and walks to Gourry. "That is why I made this decision since you left. I've decided that I would marry you someday. So now that you finally return Gourry Gabrieve, I want to ask you this question: Gourry, will you marry me?"

Amelia almost screamed with that question, she then turns to Lina who is all calm considering the fact that some other woman is making the moves on the man she loves.

Lina didn't give much importance because of Gourry's ineffectiveness. "He'll probably say something stupid like what is marry?´ or something of the kind. Besides he made me a promise that he would protect me forever and if I know him he will not break his promise."

To her surprise Gourry gets up from his seat and holds Linda's hand. "It is a man who must come up to a woman and ask her those four words. But this is all sudden and I would like to think about it."

"WHAT?!" Lina screamed in her mind "He's considering it? He didn't give her a simple no? Why?!" Lina felt so revolted that her hand even starts to shake in furry. Gourry is actually thinking about marring this girl he hardly knows. And it is not jealousy that Lina is feeling it is anger, the man to whom she risked her life to save is actually keeping in mind to stay with another woman. Never in her life had Lina felt so abandoned, so used. She still can not believe that Gourry is thinking on leaving her. She is trying very hard not to cry.

Zelgadiss and Amelia were also amazed, so amaze that they could not find the words to describe their surprise.

"Oh certainly, you can stay in the castle for as long as you want." Linda offered.

"Thank you and can I bring my friends along with me?"

"Certainly. No problem at all."

Gourry takes a peek at Lina who has her face turn to the other side, not looking at Gourry. Gourry mentally sighed sadly. "I knew it, she doesn't care."

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From a very save distance Xellos continues to watch the slayers from the top of a building, eating popcorns as he did it. "This show promises to be great."

To be continued……

Alandra: the first chapter of our new fic is up and with some drama in it.

Sunny: let's see how Gourry and Lina will set their feelings up with the mess that they are in now.

Ramon: more to come soon.