Lina opened her eyes finally. She sat up in the dark cell and looked around.
"Where am I?" She was sitting in a small cell that had iron bars and nothing else. The last thing she can remember, she was fighting with that blonde-haired man and suddenly falling down a tunnel where she met a man… But, Lina rose to her feet and went to the bars, thank goodness it was a dream. Grabbing the iron bars in her hands, she checked its thickness and smirked. This was too easy, she can just blast her way out of here with her magic.
"Lina-San." Lina blinked and turned her head. She spotted the Saillune Princess was sitting against the wall with a smile. "You are finally awake. I was trying to wake you for the past hour. Are you hurt?"
"Not as much as I'm going to hurt those two fools." The redhead snorted and kicked the bars with her boot. "GREAT. I've got the Saillune Princess kidnapped. There goes my career and reputation."
"Don't worry, Lina-San. This is not your fault." Amelia said as Lina sat down next to her. "We will be out of here in no time. I'm sure the townspeople has seen us being captured and they are looking for us this very minute." Lina looked at Amelia with half-lidded eyes, she sighed and hung her head forward.
"Look, I didn't talk to your Dad for permission."
"Huh?" Amelia kept her smile on her face.
"I SAID, I didn't talk to Phil about letting you out the castle." She said loudly. "I… I SUGGESTED it to him but he declined and well…" Lina met with Amelia's wide eyes. "You were crying! What the hell am I supposed to do? I can't let you keep crying over your terrible cooped-up life and so, I figured that… one day outside of the palace will make you happy."
"So, you mean…" Amelia blinked a few times. "DADDY DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING?"
"Yeah…" Lina chuckled nervously. The Princess stared at her best friend and eventually, she gave off a slight giggle and smiled.
"It's alright, Lina-San. I already knew."
"How-"
"I know my father." She told her, "And I know Daddy would never allow me to leave the palace grounds." Lina frowned slightly.
"I'm sorry, Amelia."
"Don't be, Lina-San. You gave me the best day of my life." Amelia said happily before looking around her. "Well… before we got kidnapped." Lina smirked and wrapped her arm around the Princess's shoulders. They blinked and went on their feet when the door to the cell room opened. Opening the door, Gourry poked his head inside and smiled with a big trey of food in his hands.
"I've brought lunch-"
"YOU GET ME OUT OF HERE, YOU DOUBLE-CROSSING HEART-PLAYING FOOL!" He yelped when Lina threw a stone at him from behind the cell. "YOU GET ME OUT OF HERE NOW OR I WILL KILL YOU WHEN I GET A CHANCE!"
"But you'll kill me if I let you go anyways…" He whined from behind the door.
"NO. I PROMISE TO NOT KILL YOU IF YOU LET ME GO." Her fingers crossed behind her back. Amelia sweat dropped as Gourry looked at Lina carefully. The redhead smiled innocently with a golden halo floating over her head. "Won't you please let us go, pretty please?" She asked adorably as her eyes batted at him. The blonde knight scratched the end of his chin and pouted.
"I don't know… You're a really powerful sorceress and Zelgadiss specifically said to not let you go or you'll kill us-"
"Do you really want to listen to what ZELGADISS said or do you want to leave a helpless beautiful maiden in here?" Lina frowned with big puppy eyes. "Pretty please?"
"I don't know… You're kind of scary too-"
"SCARY? I'M NOT SCARY." Gourry slightly closed the door to see horns poke out of Lina's forehead.
"Lina-San, please." Amelia pulled Lina back and patted her shoulder. "Please calm down and let's oblige to what the kidnapper says."
"I'm not a kidnapper-"
"Then why are we in cells?" Lina snapped at Gourry. The blonde sighed and reached into his pocket, he took out the prison keys. Placing the trey of good on the ground, he walked over to the cell door and shoved the end of one of his keys inside. "Your letting us go?" Lina blinked a few times as the so-called kidnapper turned the key and the cell door gave out a loud snap.
"I'm not a kidnapper. I'm a knight." Gourry told them and opened the door. "I'm just helping my best friend to find his true love." Lina walked past him while Amelia looked at the man carefully.
"What do you mean by find his true love?"
"Well…" He opened his mouth. Amelia and Gourry stared at each other for a long while. She waited anxiously for his response but he eventually scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "I don't know why we have a big raccoon problem but it's a great food source." Behind them, Lina coughed loudly and spit out the food that Gourry had brought them.
"About true love?" Amelia sweat dropped.
"Oh, that!" Gourry laughed loudly. "Zelgadiss needs to make babies with someone or something like that." He turned his head when Lina threw a raccoon leg at him. "Hey, don't waste food. Raccoon is a delicacy here-"
"Whatever. Now, show me the front door and we'll be on our way-"
"Not so fast!" Gourry rushed to the room door and slammed it closed before Lina left. "I'm not a kidnapper but I can't let you go."
"You obviously don't know your role in this operation." Lina sighed and shook her head. She smirked and lifted her open palm in the air, in front of Gourry's face. "However, that's fine by me because I know mines." Gourry gulped and squeezed his eyes shut when Lina began muttering a spell.
"FIREBALL!" She shouted. A few seconds of silence passed. Gourry opened his eyes and patted himself. He's still alive. Lina blinked a few times, a clueless expression appeared on her face. "H-Huh?" She looked at her gloved hands and tried to release another spell. Nothing came out.
"Lina-San, is it that time of the month again?" Amelia asked softly with a blush.
"NO, IT'S NOT!" She barked and tried it again. "FIREBALL! FLARE ARROW! GAAV FLARE! RA TILT! DUG HALT! ANYTHING!" Lina screamed with her hand still aiming at Gourry's face. "What the HELL happened to my MAGIC?"
"I took it away." A cheery voice giggled from within her ear. Lina turned her head and saw the same man in black robes that was in her dream but he was only an inch tall and sitting on top of her shoulder.
"YOU TOOK AWAY MY MAGIC? WHAT THE FUCK?" She screeched and grabbed the tiny man in her grasp. "AND WHY THE HELL ARE YOU OUT OF THAT REALM? I THOUGHT YOU WERE TRAPPED!"
"You certainly are gullible, Lina-Kun." The man released a wide smile.
"Who are you talking too, Lina-San?" Amelia asked with a very big sweat droplet. Lina glanced at Gourry and Amelia, they were staring at her like she was crazy. She looked at the man in her fist.
"Why can't they see you?"
"That's because I'm not here." His tiny hands slipped out and waved in the air. "That and I'm not letting them see me-"
"YOU GIVE ME BACK MY POWERS OR I AM GOING TO EAT YOU!" She shook her nightmare violently around. With dizzy spells for eyes, the cat man released a wearily chuckle and shook his head.
"I can't… dizzy…"
"AND WHY NOT?" Lina tightened her grip.
"Because you're in a curse, remember?" He managed to vanish before she got to throw him against the wall. He appeared on top of her hair and his tail floating above his head. "And I can take away anything that I want, including your magic."
"How do I get it back- STOP MOVING!" She struggled to grab the slippery devil as he dodged her hands.
"True love's first kiss or the demise of a relationship." The man appeared in front of her eyes with a big snicker. Lina glared at him, giving up on catching him. "If you want to live and get your powers back, you better keep those two apart since you are incapable of falling in love-"
"WHY YOU LITTLE-" The cat man finally disappeared. "WHERE ARE YOU, YOU PUSSY?" Gourry and Amelia pressed against the wall and watched with multiple sweat droplets as the insane redhead kicked and punch everything in her path to find the 'pussy'.
"What the hell is going on here?" Rushing down the hallway, Zelgadiss stood outside of the room and raised his eyebrow to see Lina thrashing and screaming. When she finally saw him, Lina dumped the empty wooden crate from over her head and crossed her arms.
"So, the Chimera Monster isn't scared to show his face now, is he?" She scoffed. Zelgadiss twitched from her insult and stepped into the room, allowing both Lina and Amelia to fully see his face. He watched Amelia from the corner of his eye as she rushed away from Gourry and behind Lina; she grabbed her friend's arms and kept close. "What do you plan to do? Ask for a ransom from the Saillune Kingdom or kill us both?"
"I have no intentions of doing any of that." Zelgadiss turned his head to Gourry. "Why are they out of their cell?"
"I was going to show them to their rooms-"
"This is NOT an inn, Gourry. They are our prisoners and will remain our prisoners until I finish making a potion to forget this ever happening-"
"If we're going to get our memories erased anyways, you might as well treat us like guests!" Lina said aloud and took a challenging step forward. "I NEVER SPENT A DAY IN PRISON FOR NOTHING AND I'M NOT GOING TO START NOW!"
"PRISONERS STAY IN THE CELL-" The master of the castle blinked when Lina grabbed Amelia and thrust her at him.
"Do you really want to have the sad and frighten Princess of Saillune in this cold, dark, scary place?" Lina said softly with her head shaking. Amelia sweat dropped with big watery puppy-eyes, her bottom lip quivering.
"I promise to be good until you erase my brain." She whimpered. Besides him, Gourry chewed at the end of his handkerchief with wavy tears flowing from his eyes. She was too cute and sad! Zelgadiss stared at the tiny girl with half-lidded eyes. Lina sucked the back of her molars, why was it not working? Usually, when people saw Amelia's begging expression, it only takes a few seconds but this guy… She sweat dropped as Zelgadiss stared longingly at the Princess, even Amelia was starting to look around confusingly. Wasn't this guy interested in Amelia? Or did the Warlock deciphered the future incorrectly? Lina's eyes lit up when he gave off a heavy sigh and looked at Gourry.
"Show these relentless girls to their rooms, Gourry." He is not going to change their minds so rather denying them their request and going through a night of ongoing screams and threats, he'll give them what they want but with consequences. Zelgadiss turned his back to the two celebrating girls only to pause at the doorway. "And give them their duties."
"Duties?" Lina and Amelia blinked in unison. Zelgadiss smirked and looked back at them, his eyes slightly glint in coldness.
"If you want to stay in my castle, I expect something in return."
"That is really disturbing-"
"I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!" Zelgadiss screamed at Lina with a burning blush. "Get these girls their uniforms and show them the castle." He barked orders at Gourry and looked back at the worried young women with a soft cynical chuckle. "I can't wait to finally see the floor again."
"And I can't wait to finally get past the cobwebs and dust and the accumulated destroyed pieces of furniture that you threw everywhere!" Gourry cheerfully explained as he pushed Lina and Amelia out of the room.
"But-But-But!" The two ladies looked at each with wide eyes. "WE DON'T CLEAN!"
Great. Lina snorted. She looked at herself using the cracked full-length mirror in her dark and dusty room. Just great. She was wearing what the house cleaners would wear! An overused long navy skirt with a tasteless white blouse and they had the gull to make her wear an apron!
"Well…" Lina narrowed her eyes besides her. "At least someone is having FUN." Next to her, Amelia giggled loudly as she twirled around in the identical outfit with a mop in her hand.
"I don't know what I'm doing but I'm having so much fun!" She squealed. Lina blew away her bangs from her eyes, she took her broom and began to sweep.
"This. Is. Humiliating." The redhead grinded her teeth together, she ignored her best friend giggling and dancing behind her. "I am a GENERAL of a powerful kingdom. I SHOULD NOT BE SWEEPING!"
"This isn't so bad, Lina-San." Amelia hummed and dunked the end of her mop into the water bucket. "Come on, let's go over there!" She pointed out of their room. Lina sighed heavily and followed the enthusiastic Princess out the bedroom and to the main lobby of the castle.
"OH, COME ON!" Lina's voice echoed throughout the dirty and dusty castle. She pointed to the destroyed furniture and to the accumulating dirt and dust everywhere. "I AM NOT GOING TO CLEAN THIS!"
"If you want to stay in your rooms until Zel finishes his potion," Lina and Amelia turned their heads to see Gourry sitting at the top of the stairs. He took a bite of a cooked raccoon leg in his hand. "You're going to have to clean everything. That's the rules."
"If I had my powers, I'm going to blow you up to the other side of this kingdom!" Lina rolled her sleeves and showed off her tight fist at him.
"Lina-San, please, let's try to make our stay here peaceful and nice, please?" Amelia pulled her back and smiled innocently. Snorting at Amelia AND at Gourry, Lina grabbed her broom and continued to sweep. Gourry chuckled and chewed the pest meat between his teeth, he watched as Amelia happily wet the floor with her broom and Lina miserably moved the dust around.
"The faster he makes that potion, the faster I get to lose my memories of doing this HUMILIATING task. WHEN IS HE GOING TO FINISH THAT POTION?" Lina barked at Gourry, he raised five fingers in the air.
"Five days."
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" She dropped to her knees and threw her arms up. "I AM NOT CLEANING FOR FIVE DAYS!" Amelia rolled her eyes and leaned her mop to the wall; she grabbed her cleaning towel in her apron pocket.
"Please, Lina-San, be nice to Gourry-San."
"You're calling him that, now? He is our kidnapper. He does not deserve honorifics! " She gave Gourry another look of her shaking fist again.
"Every person deserves to be shown kindness and respect." Amelia bowed towards Gourry, who bowed back with his head. "Maybe you should start too, Lina-San."
"I will start respecting HIM," She snarled at Gourry. "When I get his respect back." The Princess sighed and shook her head, she went to her knees and began to scrub the marble floors. As the two ladies cleaned the dust away, Zelgadiss stepped out of his room from the tallest tower and looked down at them from the third floor. He leaned against the rails and watched a particular guest humming loudly. This Amelia woman was very enchanting. He couldn't get his mind off her that she was distracting him from making the potion. And that adorable face she was making. Zelgadiss groaned and pressed his overwhelming blushing face on his arm. It was like torture to not pull her into a tight hug! However, he had to be cool! He nodded and looked back at Amelia. He had to remain cool and serious, that is his character.
"So… a mysterious warlock came out of your dreams and placed a curse on you?" Amelia asked with a clueless expression.
"And you need to get true love's first kiss to get out of it?" Gourry finished with his eyebrow lifted. He had moved down from the top of the stairs and joined the girls in cleaning by Lina's persuasion.
"Or I'm going to be dead." Lina told them. She turned her back towards them and lowered her eyes to her working hands. Of course, she did not tell them the ENTIRE story where she can also break the spell if she keeps Amelia and Zelgadiss off each other.
"So, do you have a true love?" Gourry asked slightly sorrowful.
"I never once fell in love in my LIFE!" Lina scoffed loudly and leaned against the dirty wall with her arms crossed. She did not see Gourry give off a goofy big smile and aggressively return to scrubbing. "True love – true SHMUTT! I don't know ANYTHING about LOVE. That and how the hell would I know if a guy is in love with ME?"
"Well then, Lina-San." Amelia threw her towel to the ground and went on her feet. "Let me give YOU a first lesson," She smiled brightly and rushed to her side. "In true love." Zelgadiss blinked from the third floor and left his head from his hand.
"I don't NEED a love lesson, THANK YOU VERY MUCH." The General retracted from Amelia but she grabbed her hands again and pulled her away from the wall.
"If you want to find out if he is in love with you, he'll find his own way to tell you with the little things he'll do." Amelia twirled around the partially clean floor with a grumbling Lina. "Leave you little notes to tell you, you are on his mind!"
"Basically, I have to find a guy who'll do LITTLE things for me and give me notes?" Lina slipped her hands away and placed them to her hips. "BUT I WANT BIG THINGS! AND I DON'T WANT NOTES, I WANT STORIES!"
"Lina-San." Amelia scoffed and took her towel from the ground. "Love has nothing to do with BIG, EXTRAVAGANT, BEAUTIFUL things." She smiled slightly. "It's about… it's about when he wears your favorite color just so he can match your eyes!" Amelia said as she rubbed the tip of Lina's nose with her towel. Lina moved her nose around and glared at her.
"Plan a private picnic by the fire's glow and you know that his heart will be yours forever!" She ran halfway up the stairs and hugged the dirty towel to her chest. "Send you yellow flowers when the sky is grey!"
"Plan a private PICNIC?" Lina stuck her tongue out with a grunt. "I'd rather eat at an expensive restaurant!" Amelia jumped on the staircase rails and rode down toward the wet floor.
"Find a new way to show you a little bit every day," She jumped off the rails and yelped when her foot slipped on the water. She fell on top of Lina but threw her arms in the air. "That's how you know!"
"AMELIA-"
"He will take you out dancing just so he can hold you close." She whispered into Lina's ear and pointed to the side. Lina turned her head and spotted Gourry. Her entire face bloomed red. "That's how you know that he's your lo-" Lina wrapped her fingers around Amelia's throat and stopped her from finishing her sentence.
"NOT. ANOTHER. WORD. PRINCESS." She glared with evil burning eyes. Amelia choked loudly and nodded. Lina pushed Amelia off her body and lifted herself off the ground. "Besides, there is another way to break the spell and I'm working on that as we speak."
"O-Oh, than, I guess you will be alright." Amelia stood up from the ground and fixed her clothes. Lina snorted at her, she untied the apron around her waist and threw it to the ground.
"I'm tired of CLEANING. I'm going to get something to eat-"
"Here, Lina." She blinked when Gourry shoved a half-eaten leg of a raccoon to her face. "For you-"
"Don't GIVE me that DISGUSTING rat meat, you… YOU HEART PLAYING IDIOT!" Lina grabbed the bucket of cold water from the ground and splashed it into his face. She threw the empty bucket at his head and turned her tiny aggressive body towards the kitchen. "That's how you know that he's your love- HA! DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH MY ASS OFF!" She scoffed loudly. Amelia sighed, she walked over to Gourry and helped him off the ground.
"Thank you, Ame-"
"First lesson, Gourry-San." Gourry blinked when Amelia patted his big shoulder and smiled. "Let her cool off first and then be romantic."
"Oh…" Gourry chuckled softly and nodded.
"Lina-San can act very rough and tough but inside, she's just like any other girl." The Princess gave him a clean dry towel from her apron. "She just wants to fall in love and be happy."
"Every girl wants that?" He asked. Amelia giggled loudly and nodded.
"Of course! Every girl wants true love and happiness." She smiled. Gourry returned her smile and wrapped the towel around his neck. Amelia watched as Gourry ran after Lina and sighed. She sat down at the bottom step of the staircase and lowered her eyes to her dirty hands. "Every girl… except for me." Still spying from the third floor, Zelgadiss wrote down everything that Amelia said in his handheld notebook. He shoved the book in his pocket, took one last long look at the sighing Princess, and reluctantly returned to work.
Meanwhile, back at the Saillune castle, King Phil is pacing back and forth in front of his throne. He let out a loud groan as he sat down heavily on the gold chair and hung his head.
"I can't believe my most TRUSTED General has disobeyed orders and now, I have no idea where those two have gone!" Suddenly, the double doors to his throne room burst open and a group of heavily armed soldiers marched in.
"Your highness, we have disturbing news!" One of them screeched. "During our sweep of the kingdom, a local has told us that Princess Amelia has been kidnapped!"
"K-KIDNAPPED?" Phil sprung from his chair. He grabbed the soldier and shook him violently for answers. "WHO TOOK MY PRECIOUS LITTLE PRINCESS AWAY FROM ME? TELL ME!"
"W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W…." The soldier tried to speak but was too dizzy too.
"Why, King Philionel, it was your trusted General." A cheery voice came from behind the soldiers. Phil looked up. There, it was the man with black robes and purple hair.
"Lina-Dono kidnapped my Daughter?" Phil's eyes widen. "But… That is impossible! Lina-Dono and my Daughter have been best friends for as long as I can remember! She will never do something like this-"
"Oh, but what if I told you that she was under a curse that revolves with Princess Amelia's own curse?" The man walked through the group of soldiers with a smile. Phil watched the mysterious man walk past him and sat down in his throne. "And what if I told you that in order for Lina to get out of her predicament, she needs to keep Amelia from falling in love until her 18th birthday?"
"She would never do that! She knows that Amelia needs to fall in love or she will-will fall into a deep sleep and never be woken from again until her true love's kiss!" Phil shouted. The man nodded with a pout.
"She knows that but she did it anyways."
"But… I don't understand why… why would she do this?" Phil asked softly with hurt eyes.
"Well, King Phil, did you notice anything funny or strange going on with Lina-Kun or Princess Amelia?"
"Well…" The King paced slowly in front of the amused warlock and gasped. "My Daughter mentioned this morning that she had no intentions of ever getting married and Lina-Dono has 'suggested' to allow Amelia a day away from the castle!" He looked at the man and the warlock just nodded.
"It was all a part of the plan, your highness." He got off the gold chair and wrapped his arm around Phil's shoulders. "You seem like a wonderful father and I am sure you are. You taught Princess Amelia how to be respectful to others. Above all else, be respectful towards you. So, where would this disrespect and CHILDISH ideas even come from?" The sneaky man asked softly into Phil's ear. "I know you didn't teach your Daughter to be disrespectful so who would?" He smiled when the King began to shake angrily. "Maybe… a particular single-minded redhead who doesn't know a thing about authority?" Phil let out a loud snarl and turned to his soldiers.
"KEEP LOOKING FOR MY DAUGHTER! LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED, NO ALLEYS UNEXPLORED, AND LET NO ONE IN THIS KINGDOM SLEEP UNTIL SHE IS SAFE BEHIND THESE STONE WALLS!"
"And about Lina-Dono, sir?"
"WHEN YOU FIND HER, BRING HER IN AND I WILL DEAL WITH THAT CRIMINAL, MYSELF!" He screamed. The soldiers quickly nodded and left his sight in a flash. The snickering Warlock straightened when the King turned his attention to him. "And you. What is your name, wise man?"
"My name?" The warlock pointed to himself. Phil nodded. "Well, if you must know," He chuckled softly and grabbed his wooden staff that appeared magically next to him. "My name is Xellos, an Advisor to your highness."
"That's exactly what I need." Phil smiled. "The position to be my personal and most trusted Advisor is open. Would you care to fill that position?"
"Why, King Phil!" Xellos threw out a loud snicker. "It would be my pleasure!" He bowed down and smiled evilly to himself as Phil called for a Councilman to make this change. Just another step, Xellos stood up and assisted the King around his castle, to his long-term goal.
"I-I don't understand why we are doing this, Lina-San." Amelia kept watch as Lina tried to climb over the 12 feet high wall around the back of the castle. She looked up at her and nibbled her lower lip. "Zelgadiss-San is making a potion to erase our memories of ever being kidnapped so we don't need to get the authorities out here-"
"And let them get away with kidnapping? Are you going crazy, Amelia?" Lina snorted at her, she let out a soft yelp when her foot slipped but caught herself on the overgrown vines. "I'll return with soldiers and we'll be home in just a couple of hours with the criminals behind bars!"
"Lina-San, are you only doing this because of what happened with Gourry-San earlier?"
"THAT MAN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING I DO, GOT IT?" Lina threw down a couple of vines. Amelia jumped out of the way and pouted. "Just-Just keep watch and make sure they don't notice that I'm gone!" The red head said as she climbed over the top of the gate. Amelia sighed and walked away, her arms crossed and her face still pouty.
"I still don't see why we have to be such bad house guests when he is allowing us to sleep in nice rooms." She muttered as she walked around the castle. Amelia stopped instantly when she found dozens of dead garden patches everywhere in sight, she gasped and dropped to her knees. Every bush, tree, flower, and stem were dead. Even the dirt, it looked rather dead! How could anybody let beautiful greenery die? Amelia picked herself off the ground and rolled up her sleeves.
"Well, as long as I'm staying here, none of this is going to happen!" She started with the first patch of dead flowers and began to pull them out. When she was finally done with the first row of dead flowers, Amelia sat back on the dirt and wiped her working sweat from her brow. She had a lot more rows of death to uncover but just a little break to recover her strength. As she sat there, staring at the dead plants, she blinked when she heard shuffling.
"It's no use." Someone suddenly said exhaustedly from the end of the garden. Amelia turned her head around and found out who was talking. Sitting on a lonely bench with his back turned towards her, Zelgadiss was hunch forward with his notebook in his hands. "I can't do this…" He looked over the notes that he taken and closed it shut. Walking closer, Amelia quickly hid behind a dead tree and watched the gloomy Chimera speak loudly to himself. He was glaring at his discolored hands now.
"Look at me." He scoffed and lowered his hands. "I'm a monster. I should just give up."
"You need to help her see past all that, Zel." Amelia jumped behind another tree when Gourry appeared next to him, he was stabbing the air with his sword. "You know, be presentable."
"I don't know how." Zelgadiss snorted.
"Well, what did Amelia say?" Gourry stopped sparring and touched the end of his chin. "Don't mind the rats and the roof leaks?"
"That's what the previous owner of the castle said, you idiot." Zelgadiss threw a rock at Gourry's forehead. Gourry chuckled and nodded. The Chimera sighed and laid out on the bench, his right arm pressed against his eyes. "Leave me alone, Gourry. I need to be alone."
"Okay, whatever, you were the one who asked me to come out here." Gourry shrugged and left Zelgadiss's side. Amelia watched as the blonde man returned into the castle and looked back at Zelgadiss. He was sighing and was not budging from his bench. A few seconds later, a number of tiny birds flew to him and perched on top of his arm. Amelia's eyes widen. Those birds seem to like him as he tried to wave him away. They continued to bother him by pecking at his clothes. The Princess turned her head away. Just because he looks scary and mysterious, it should not matter. It's his personality that should matter. Moreover, Amelia looked back at Zelgadiss, the birds loved him even if he looked like a gargoyle and that has to be enough proof that he is not what she believes him to be. She smiled softly when Zelgadiss began to shout at his bird friends and giggled when he waved his arms wildly in the air. Stepping out from behind the tree, Amelia quickly walked over to the bench and sat down while Zelgadiss was still waving the birds away. The tiny birds saw Amelia and quickly flew away by the new stranger. Snorting with a nod, Zelgadiss sat back down and did not notice that Amelia was sitting next to him until he lay down and placed his head on top of her lap. He sighed from the sudden comfort and opened his eyes slowly to look at the sky, only to see Amelia's blushing face.
"Um… H-Hello."
"HOLY- WHAT THE FUCK?" He rowed off her lap instantly and fell to the dirt.
"Oh! Are you alright?" Amelia gasped and knelt beside him but Zelgadiss crawled away from the engaging woman. "Please, I didn't mean to frighten you! Oh no, don't go there!" She warned when his back pressed against the dead bushes with thorns. Zelgadiss blinked and looked at the garden thorns that were poking into his clothes, creating holes. Because of his stone skin, he did not feel the sharp thorns digging against him. "Let me help you." But unbeknownst to Amelia about his skin, she dove right in and grabbed his hands. His eyes widen when the thorns pricked her vulnerable skin.
"Don't… It's okay." He tried to tell her but she continued to try to pull him out. Zelgadiss watched as the dirty Princess successfully pulled him out of the bushes and exhaustedly panted in front of him.
"That… That…" Amelia wiped her wrist over her sweating forehead and grinned at him. "That was a workout!" She waited for a reaction from him. Zelgadiss stared at Amelia's big smile and to her bleeding injuries around her hands. She noticed him staring at her hands and quickly hid them behind her back. "I'm always so careless and clumsy, I forget that there are things that hurt me." She giggled nervously. She quickly turned her back to him and wipe her blood away with her apron.
"Um… Um…" When her blood was wiped clean, she looked back at him and showed off her clean hands. "All better now!" Zelgadiss continued to stare at her hands. Amelia blinked, she swore that she saw a slight sadness flash over his eyes. "Oh! Where are you going?" She reached over and grabbed him by the end of his cape when he turned to leave.
"I'm leaving you your space." He said. Amelia pouted slightly, she kept hold of his cape.
"But don't you want to get to know each other?" She asked. Zelgadiss slowly turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder.
"You… You want to get to know… me?" He questioned with shock eyes. Amelia let out a soft giggle and finally let go of his cape.
"Of course, I do, Silly. We have five days until the potion is done, I should get to know you until then." She sat down on the bench.
"However, you will lose every memory of me so it's really a waste of time-"
"Nothing is a waste of time!" Amelia pointed aloud. "And besides," She took a good look at Zelgadiss and smiled. "I have a feeling that we met before so it wouldn't matter if you erase my memories because I'll just remember you again."
"We met before?" Zelgadiss asked. He reluctantly sat down on the bench but as far away as he can.
"Of course we did!" Zelgadiss blushed at her sudden enthusiastic squeal. "I don't know where but I will figure it out sooner or later." She told him with a wink. The Chimera stared at the friendly girl and turned his attention to the reoccurring blood that was leaking from her hands. Amelia blinked when Zelgadiss grabbed her wrist, she flinched at his touch at first but her eyes widen when a bright light glowed from his hand. As he concentrated on healing her small wounds, Amelia looked up at Zelgadiss's face and smiled. He's not a monster, after all.
"Thank you, Zelgadiss-San." Amelia whispered his name softly when he switched to her other hand. Zelgadiss said nothing but he did nod and that was good enough for her. Behind them, the tiny Warlock, Xellos, poked his head out of the dirt and let out a deep sigh to see Amelia and Zelgadiss sitting next to each other on the bench.
"Where is my stooge when I need her?" Xellos shook his head and quickly disappeared back into the dirt.
Deep in the woods, Lina panted as she ran through the thick forest. Who knew that magic played a heavy role in her life? She stopped for the fourth time to catch her breath. If she still had her powers, she would just fly over this forest! Better yet, she would just kill Zelgadiss and that stupid Gourry if she still had her powers.
"And that perverted pussy." She remembered. Carefully stretching her body, Lina stuck her nose into a wonderful scent. Her mouth began to lactate as her crazy eyes scanned the area for the wonderful food that created such a scent. Making her way past broken trees and thorn bushes, Lina finally found where it was coming from.
"IT WILL BE NIGHTFALL SOON, BOYS!" A large man wearing a thick ox hide armor and a iron club shouted over his rough companions. "AND ONCE THE KINGDOM OF SAILLUNE HAS SHUT THEIR DOORS AND TURNED OFF THEIR LIGHTS, WE WILL STORM THE TOWN AND PILLAGE!" His men roared with him, lifting their heavy weapons over their heads.
"BY FOR NOW, FILL YOUR STOMACHS WITH MEAT AND CONSERVE ALL YOUR ENERGY!" The Leader pointed his club at the lovely feast of roast pig and piles of cooked cow meat on the table behind him. The group of men was about to charge to the table of food when a flash of red rushed past their eyes and the food had all disappeared. The plates were clean of food and the once succulent roast pig stood still in its bones. Gawking, all of them turned their heads when they heard a loud sigh of relief.
"I was DYING of hunger!" Lina shouted as she patted her round stomach. She turned around and noticed the large men staring at her with their mouths dropped wide open. Lina shook her head and embarrassingly held her petite face. "I am so embarrassed. This must be their first time laying their eyes on a beautiful maiden. Gawking with their mouths open, I am so flattered-"
"GET HER, BOYS!" The Leader shrieked. Lina scoffed and lifted her open palms.
"Now, that's not fair. One beautiful, helpless, maiden against fifty disgusting men is hardly a fight at all." She smirked when they surrounded her. "Unless that beautiful, helpless, maiden is a powerful sorceress- OH SHIT, I FORGOT!" Lina yelped when nothing came out of her hands and dodged the mace that was thrown at her. She leaped into the air and landed perfectly on the shoulders of the Leader, he blinked when Lina patted his baldhead and jumped off his built.
"Bye!" Lina waved her hand at them with a wink and quickly ran away. Hoping that she was finally alone, Lina stopped in a clearing and caught her breath. She gasped when she heard loud rough screaming. They caught up to her! Running in the open, she bit her lip to see the wall of the mountain. She was trying to flee from the bandits that she wasn't looking at where she was going! Lina quickly turned to go the other way.
"HOLD ON THERE, LITTLE GIRL!" The Leader stomped his feet on the ground, his entire crew stood behind him. Lina sighed and rubbed her irritated temples. GREAT. Now, she is REALLY going to have to fight them off. "BE PREPARED TO DIE! SICK HER BOYS!" A dozen of boys ran to her with their weapons swinging. Dodging them and jumping off their bodies, Lina gasped when an iron weapon past her face just millimeters from her face. She dropped to her bottom against the mountain.
"NOW, LITTLE GIRL!" The Boss stood over her with a wide grin. Lina looked at the monster man with curled eyebrows. "PREPARE TO DIE!" He lifted his club above his head with both hands. The redhead gasped, she covered her head with her arms and squeezed her eyes shut. She waited for impact but nothing happened. Opening her eyes carefully, Lina gasped to see Gourry standing between her and the man. Gourry kept the iron mace from moving with his gauntlet, he grinded his teeth together when blood leaked out the cracks from his arm armor.
"Y-You…" Lina stared at the blonde. "What are YOU doing here?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Gourry growled and pushed back the large man. He grabbed the handle of his sword and unsheathed his blade at the bandits. She drew back her breathe when Gourry looked back with a smirk. "I'm your knight in shining armor!" He turned towards the bandits and charged at them. Lina watched as Gourry fought bravely, he was outnumbered but he did not give up. When he tossed to the ground, he quickly went to his feet and struck another bandit with his sword.
"RUN… RUN AWAY!" One of the bandits screamed and joined the rest of them who were running away. Gourry panted and watched them run. He dropped to his knees and kept him from falling down on the ground with his sword. Looking back, he scoffed and let out a soft chuckle to not see Lina.
"Figures…" He shook his head and let go of his sword, dropping face first on the dirt. Gourry groaned slightly when he heard feet hitting against the ground and lifted his face, expecting to see another bandit but it was Lina.
"If that is all you can handle, than you don't deserve to be called my knight in shining armor." She snorted with her hands at her hips. "I need someone who can save me from a million men, not fifty." Gourry smiled slightly and allowed her to pick him off the ground.
"I thought… you left."
"Yeah, well, I was going too." Lina pulled his arm around her shoulders; she kept him from falling by holding his large body against hers. "But Amelia would give me a long lecture if she found out that I left you to die here." Lina pouted annoyingly when Gourry placed his head on her neck, she eventually blushed and blocked her growing smile by turning her head away. However, she looked back at Gourry when he stopped moving. He wasn't dead but his eyes were closed and there was a smile on his face. She sighed and started toward the castle she was fleeing from. Xellos poked his nosy head from within a tree. He drew a big sweat droplet to see Lina holding Gourry protectively. Well, he scratched his chin, the bandits he conjured up was a great idea but he didn't foresee Gourry jumping in and rescuing her. He may have made the two closer by doing so but at least he got Lina to return to the castle, which he intended to happen. Xellos sighed when Lina stole a glance at Gourry and shook his head. He is going to have to remind her of the consequences again.
Amelia gave Lina a long look while Zelgadiss took Gourry from her and placed his wounded friend on his bed.
"Lina-San." Amelia took her redheaded best friend to the side and pulled her to her level. "Did you thank him?"
"Huh?" Lina blinked a few times. The Princess sighed loudly, shaking her head.
"You didn't thank Gourry-San, did you?"
"Well…" She rubbed the back of her head. "He didn't EXACTLY save my life, the bandits sort of RAN AWAY so he didn't save my life." Lina told her. Amelia stared at her with a big glare and her arms crossed over her chest. She sweat dropped and lowered her shoulders. "FINE. I'll do it if it'll shut your trap."
"Good." Amelia nodded and noticed Zelgadiss putting his healing hands over Gourry's open wounds. "Oh, oh, Zelgadiss-San!" She rushed to his side and stopped him. "You don't need to do that. Lina-San will take care of it."
"I don't have my powers-"
"There is the old fashion way, Lina-San." Amelia shoved a basket of bandages and wraps into her arms. Pushing the confused Chimera out of the room, Amelia smiled innocently as she left Lina beside Gourry's bed. "Zelgadiss-San and I will be out of the way so you can PROPERLY give you're thanks to Gourry-San, okay?"
"Wait, Amelia! Don't leave me alone with this guy!" Lina shouted after her but the door slammed loudly. She let out a loud groan and hung her head. Great. First it was being kidnapped, second it was cleaning, and now, she has to thank a big stupid man for taking a few hits for her. She didn't deserve this kind of humiliation! She is a General, for Cepheid's sake!
"Um… Lina?" Gourry called from behind, making Lina jump. Come on, Lina mentally encouraged herself, it's not like he is a monster or anything. She can tackle this. She is a General, for Cepheid's sake!
"What?" She walked over and set the basket of first aid on the bed. Gourry watched fearfully as Lina proceeded to take off his gauntlets and his chest armor. She noticed his cautious behavior and glared at him. "WHAT?"
"O-Oh, um…" Gourry nervously scratched the end of his chin. "Thank you." Lina's eyes widen from his reply. She slowly lowered her attention back to removing his armor and opened her mouth.
"Don't thank me… I should be the one who should thank you… So-" She gasped when Gourry pressed two fingertips against her mouth, stopping her from thanking him. He smirked and slowly removed his fingers.
"I shouldn't be thanked if I'm just doing my duty." He chuckled. Lina's entire head burned hot, she raised her shaking hands and grabbed the cotton in the basket. Gourry kept a smile on his face as Lina nervously wiped his blood from his arm. He chuckled again when Lina accidently dropped the cotton; she quickly went to her knees and tried to find it.
"Are you falling in love now?"
"What do YOU want now?" Lina snorted at the tiny warlock that was sitting on her shoulder.
"What was that?" Gourry asked.
"Nothing!" She said quickly with a fake smile. "I was… uh… talking to myself!"
"Okay." Gourry smiled and watched her go back down on her knees.
"Look, can you LEAVE?" She hissed softly at Xellos. "I'm BUSY at the moment." Xellos giggled and vanished from her sight. Looking around her, Lina finally found the cotton ball and got up to show Gourry only to see Xellos sitting on top of Gourry's blonde head. "Get off of him!"
"Get off of who?" Gourry blinked confusingly. Lina slapped her forehead. She forgot that she was the only person who can see him. Telling him that she was still talking to himself, Gourry nodded and replied that he does that too.
"Are you falling in love with this Idiot?" Xellos asked again, he poked at Gourry's cheek with the end of his staff. Lina ignored him and continued to clean Gourry's wounds. "If you are, you better be sure that it's love and NOT LUST. The curse will not be lifted if it is lust. You have to be genuinely in love with him or you will die."
"I don't fall in love easily, I told you that." The redhead growled softly. When Gourry looked up, she smiled innocently. "Still talking to myself."
"So you did." Xellos smirked. "But you also said that you are going to keep Amelia and Zelgadiss away from each other." Twirling his staff in the air, a picture of Amelia and Zelgadiss appeared near Lina's head. They were sitting next to each other on the bench and Zelgadiss was healing one of Amelia's hands. Lina's eyes widen.
"When did this happen?" She asked aloud. Gourry shrugged his shoulders.
"Earlier when I rescued you." He thought she was talking about his wounds. Xellos hopped off Gourry's head and on her shoulder.
"Unlike your greedy slimy heart, Amelia is able to look beyond appearances. She WILL fall in love with Zelgadiss and she WILL break her curse that is upon her, well before her 18th birthday. When she does and you are still loveless," Xellos placed his mouth near Lina's ear. "At the stroke of midnight, you will be DEAD." Lina lowered her eyes from the picture.
"Do you really want to die, Lina-Kun?" She kept her mouth shut. Xellos chuckled softly and patted her cheek. "I hope you learned something from this conversation. Keep Amelia and Zelgadiss away from each other or you will suffer for their love." He said and vanished from sight. Lina sighed and finished covering the last of Gourry's open wounds.
"Thank you again, Lina." Gourry smiled as Lina quietly put all the first aid back in the basket. She just nodded and started to walk away to the door. "Hey, if you're not busy with cleaning, let's do something…" He never got to finish his sentence since Lina had already left. Gourry pouted and lay back in his bed, he stared at the ceiling and eventually fell asleep. That night, Lina stared at Amelia's sleeping form from her side of the room. Laying in her bed with her thumbs twirling around each other, she let out a heavy sigh and thought of what the Warlock said. In order to break the spell, she had to keep Amelia from falling in love with Zelgadiss or fall in love herself. Stopping true love from ever happening was not her cup of tea but she refused to die from a simple curse. She turned to her side and slightly glared at Amelia. How dare she fall in love and so quickly too. Lina would do anything to just find her true love and live happily ever after but it was impossible for her to fall in love.
"That's not true." Lina blinked to hear a soft woman's voice coming from the darkness of the room. She sat up slowly in her bed and looked around her.
"Who said that?"
"It is possible." The female voice said again. Leaving her bed in just her pink pajamas, Lina walked straight to the dark corner of the room. As she kept walking, the corner seemed to move farther and farther away from her. Soon, she was sprinting to the dark. "It is possible for anyone to fall in love, even you."
"Who… Who are you?" Lina continued to run. Her eyes widen when bright light began to slip out of the cracks of the corner, she stopped running and turned around to go to her bed, but was surrounded by the darkness of the room. That was when a hand appeared in front of her, it was glowing and reaching out for her. She looked at the hand carefully before taking it. Lina gasped as the glowing light traveled from the hand to her entire body. She didn't know how but she was standing in the middle of a swamp and in front of her, a beautiful tall woman with long blonde hair wearing a white gown smiled.
"It is possible for you to fall in love, Lina-San." She told her and wrapped her shoulder with her arm. Guiding her through the dirty swamp, Lina stared at the tall woman with wide eyes. "You just need to really dig down deep inside yourself and find out what you need." She said as she poked into Lina's chest.
"Find what I need?" Lina blinked a few times. "You mean money?" The woman sweat dropped.
"No. I mean something else-"
"Fame? Power?"
"Okay, you are a tough one." The blonde chuckled wearily and grabbed both of Lina's shoulders. "Look, listen to me, very carefully-"
"Who are you, by the way?" Lina asked, she looked over the woman carefully.
"I'm Filia, your fairy godmother. Now, listen to me, we don't have much time." Filia, the fairy godmother, shook her gently. "You need to find out what you need, Lina-San. Dig deep into yourself and try to figure it out-"
"Money." Lina said quickly. The fairy godmother groaned slightly, she turned her attention around her and bit her lower lip to see the swamp getting darker.
"Oh no, he knows I'm here." She gasped and looked back at Lina. "Lina-San, money doesn't have soul and it doesn't have a heart. You need to have some self-control and-and find out who YOU are-"
"I'm Lina Inverse, General of Saillune's Army-"
"Listen to me, Lina-San!" Filia shook her again, Lina met with her gold eyes. "Don't believe in him and believe in yourself. You can fall in love and you can live happily ever after, you just need to find out what you need." As the swamp began to disappear and they were slowly being engulfed by the darkness, Filia gave Lina a gentle smile and touched her cheek.
"What do you need, Lina-San?" As the darkness enveloped the beautiful fairy, Lina drifted backwards in the dark and she looked around her.
"Yes, Lina-Kun." Her eyes widen to hear the evil Warlock snickering. "What do you need?" He asked. Lina screeched when a hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled her down into a twirling green hole. She tried to swim out of the hole but kept pulling her down deep into the warping tunnel. Her eyes widen to see dead humans floating past her. People she knew, people she saw, people she killed during battle. They were floating into the tunnel while she was trying to get out. She screamed for anyone to rescue her but no one came. The souls around her pulled her deeper into the hole, screeching her name and touching her body. Lina shook her head, screaming and trying to swim away with all her might. She doesn't want to die! She doesn't want to die!
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Lina screamed and sat up in her bed. She panted heavily and quickly. She was back in her room, under her bed covers. Pulling her knees against her chest, she hugged her shaking body and began to weep. It doesn't matter what she needed, she just doesn't want to die. Watching from the dark corner of the room, Xellos smiled and looked next to him. He had an arm wrapped around Filia's shoulders, a hand pressed against her mouth and his tail rubbing on her neck.
"Did you really think, Filia-San, I would let you sabotage me that easily?" He whispered into her ear. Filia glared at him and pulled his hand away from her mouth.
"True love will prevail-"
"But only if I let it." Xellos chuckled and stepped back into the dark. "If you try to interrupt me again, I will not hesitate to place a curse on you too." Filia sighed to herself and looked back at Lina. She was still crying.
AN: I don't own Slayers and Disney! All quotes, song lyrics, and scenarios that 'seem' familiar are all by the great minds at Disney!
Disney movies that I used in this chapter: Alice in Wonderland, Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, Cinderella, Enchanted, Little Mermaid, Hercules, and Princess & the Frog. See if you can recognize that scene!