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The petite young woman slumped forward over the rough hewn table of what was undeniably the cheapest restaurant in town. Cheapest in more ways than one. Beside her were the remains of a modest, no, inadequate, meal. Her long, luxurious red hair flowed down over her back and hung down towards the floor. With one gloved hand she clutched at her still rumbling stomach, and with the other she thumped the table as she wailed "I'm soooo hungry!" All in all she was the picture of misery. She lifted her head and gave her companion a pouty frown with her tear filled ruby red eyes, as if to say "Do something" to him. Across the table, her companion, a tall, blond, well developed specimen of a man who's every move showed the poise and grace of a master of the sword, looked back at the young woman. He said, in a worried voice "But Lina, this is all we can afford for now. Besides, you ate more than I did!"
"Humph!" snorted Lina in reply. "I was hungrier than you were Gourry! Besides, I need to keep my strength up, in case we meet more robbers, bandits, unsavoury wayfarers, rapacious dragons, or any other opportunities to make some cash... HEY! What do you mean by that look?" she snapped at him seeing him suddenly put his hand to the back of his head and smile in a worried sort of way. "Are you implying it's my fault we're broke!"
Gourry smiled for a few seconds then replied, "Errr, well, no, but, uh, it was your Dragon Slaveing the last three villages that ate up our funds to repair the damage... and how were we to know that we'd be so successful that we'd use up all the bad guys? There just aren't any more crooks, crazies, and general all around evil doers in the world for us to deal with anymore, it seems."
Lina let out a sigh and returned her head to the table. "For a jellyfish brain you sure know how to make the truth hurt... oh well, I'll fireball ya later, when I get my strength back, besides, unfortunately, what you say is true, sort of..." She shook her head and sat up slowly. "Let's face it, we're broke. There is so much peace and law abiding goodness that only Amilia could be perfectly happy, and that means that we are out of work. I can't see anyway to make a living like this anymore. There is only one thing left to do, but I dread doing it..." "Beg?" asked Gourry helpfully, and apparently in all seriousness. "Worse" Lina replied, giving him a sharp look. "I'll have to go work for my sister Luna..." As she spoke Lina shuddered and turned a rather strange shade of blue...
She went on, with a sigh "What can I say? While I was out getting my magical act together she was busy waitressing. Who knew her design was to work her way up from the bottom to own a successful chain of restaurants? I just hope she doesn't beat me with that stick like she used to. Errrr, he, he, not that I didn't give her reason, he, he, oh boy." She glanced to one side and made a worried face, as she went on "Man, that stick really frightens me, but, what am I going to do? Starve? Sigh... How about you Gourry? For once in your life, do you have any bright ideas?"
Gourry paused for a second then responded "Uh, well, I suppose if there was a nice war somewhere I could sign up... Uh, but listen Lina, I, well, uh, I can wash dishes you know... Uh, well, the truth is, umm, I was hoping we could stick together..." Lina shrugged and gave him a look that said "Up to you...", then closed her eyes as Gourry went on."Uh, actually Lina, uh, ohhh, the timings all wrong, er, but then, it's always wrong..., but, but, I want us to be together always Lina. Please Lina, I know I've asked before, but you never have given me a definite answer. Lina, I love you, will you marry me?"
Lina opened her eyes slowly and she gave Gourry a long look. Deciding, with a tiny smile, not to fireball him this time she finally said, with an exaggerated sigh "Well, that's all well and fine, Gourry, but, let's face it, unless we get established it's going to be pretty hard... I can see it now, we are poor, but allegedly happy, ha, ha, yeah, right... there is a war, you go off to make our fortune, and get killed, leaving me at home with the babies and an endless stack of dirty dishes, and under my sister's control!" With that she laughed. And not that pleasantly either...
Suddenly her stomach rumbled, putting an end to her mirth. "I'm sorry Gourry," she said after a minute, "but the truth is that I just can't think tonight for hunger. I'm going to bed now, we'll talk in the morning, okay? Goodnight!" With that she got up and slumped upstairs to her bed. Gourry stayed downstairs for a long time, thinking, thinking more deeply that perhaps he had in his life, and boy, was it tough. Finally he went over to the counter, paid up, and went to his room as well.