Chapter 24

"POINT AND GAME!" Prince Alfred dropped his arm. "BOARD OF EDUCATION!" The audience stood from their seats and cheered while Riksfalto raised her tennis racket in the air, she grinned as the stadium filled with praise for her. Running out of the court, the paramedics hurriedly rolled the wounded Elmekia tennis player. Zelgadiss and Gourry stared with wide eyes. The kid was out there for less than a minute, running AWAY from the yellow ball. They watched as the paramedics rolled the wounded child past them, she was unconscious and blood was leaking from the edge of her mouth.

"What do we got?" The paramedics met with the awaiting team of doctors.

"We got a broken arm, 4 broken ribs, and possibly a fractured jaw."

"L-Sama." The doctors grabbed the injured girl and carried her to another medic bed. "Bring another bed for the next victim."

"Next victim?" Gourry blinked and slowly turned his head to his girlfriend standing next to him.

"Yeah, for the muscle head." Lina snickered with her racket set on her shoulder. Gourry and Zelgadiss looked at each other. She's overly confident for this challenge, they sweat dropped.

"Lina-San, do not be so convinced." Amelia slightly giggled with a sweat drop. "Riksfalto-San is a very tough competitor. She is the reason why the BoE is in the finals."

"It's FINE." Lina rolled her eyes, she crossed her arms with a pout. "I can kick her ass."

"Amelia's right, Lina." Zelgadiss snorted. "Don't take her lightly."

"Yeah, Lina. You have to be careful." Gourry agreed. Lina sweat dropped as Filia and Xellos agreed with every else, she scoffed loudly and threw her hands up.

"Oh, come on, you guys! I can take this bitch down!" Lina stomped her foot to the ground. "I'm going out there and win this!" She turned her heel and tread heavily into the court.

"She's way over her head, isn't she, Filia-San?" Amelia sighed, Filia nodded next to her.

"She doesn't know what she's getting herself into." As Lina walked across her grassy side of the court, Riksfalto turned her head slightly and smiled.

"Well, well, well." She dropped her arms and met with Lina near the tennis net. "It looks like I haven't scared you yet."

"Not slightly." Lina rolled her eyes and leaned her body against the net. She and Riksfalto stared at each other for a few silent seconds. They ignored the overwhelming cheering and kept their eyes connected.

"Same rules applied." Prince Alfred announce from his chair. "Ball goes to Board-"

"Give it the redhead." Riksfalto smiled at Lina. "I'm feeling generous today." Lina gave her a slight scowl and caught the yellow tennis ball. Riksfalto watched her walk to the service line, her eye dropped to Lina's right hand and snickered.

Riksfalto may have the strength but she had the speed. Lina threw her racket back and slammed it against the ball, it sped across the court but Riksfalto stopped it with her racket.

"So, you think you can beat me?" She hit the ball back, Lina gasped when the ball grazed past her face just millimeters away from hitting her.

"POINT!" Alfred tossed another ball to Lina.

"I KNOW I can beat your ass." Lina dribbled the ball to the ground.

"That's highly unlikely." Riksfalto raised her tennis racket to her dangling right hand. "With that injury."

"Injury?" Lina's right eye twitched slightly. "What injury?"

"You don't think I saw your performance with that chick? You're pathetic on that hand."

"It's not an injury." She moved her hand behind her and tossed the tennis ball to the air. Riksfalto smiled evilly.

"We'll see about that." As the ball swiftly went across the court, she hit the ball back and patiently continued to play the game. Lina raised her eyebrow. She noticed Riksfalto was not using her entire full strength. Actually, when she hit the ball back, it was barely going over the net. Maybe all that strength was temporary. The redhead smirked. Everybody needs a weakness and Riksfalto's could be the lack of stamina.

"And I'm going to use it to my advantage." After slamming her racket against the ball, Lina sped across her side of the court as the ball made its way to Riksfalto. She hit the ball back towards Lina with a soft smile. Just where she needed her to be.

"TAKE THAT!" Lina gripped the handle of her tennis racket with both of her hands, she struck the ball with great force and snapped across the net. Suddenly, Riksfalto was behind the ball, Lina's eyes widen. When did she get there so fast? Riksfalto swung her racket back and hit the ball before it bounced on the court. Like lightening, the ball flashed next to Lina's side. Lina lowered her eyes, the yellow ball was just adjacent to her right wrist.

"Oh shit-" Lina had no time to move her wrist away, she just took a deep breath and prepared for impact.

"POINT!" Prince Alfred pointed to Riksfalto. "That's 1 point to BoE." As Alfred announced, Lina dropped to a knee and panted heavily. She dangled her right wrist against the side of her body, her head dropped low near the ground. It felt like being hit by a truck except it was disguised as a measly tennis ball. Lina grinded her back molars when she tried to move her arm. She lifted her face when she heard a soft giggle, Riksfalto was looking over her with her body leaned against the net.

"If it wasn't pathetic before, it is now."

"You bitch." Lina snarled.

"Ouch." Riksfalto smiled. "You have a filthy mouth, you know that?" She stared at Lina's panting body and gently licked her lips. "I like that."

"You fucking bitch." The redhead glared at her with murder. She winced when the pain in her arm stopped her from getting off the ground. "You... YOU BITCH!" Lina grabbed her racket and threw it at her opponent. Riksfalto caught the racket in the air and snickered.

"You're done." She said aloud and dropped Lina's racket to the ground. Lina watched her turn her heel and walk away from her. She bit her lower lip and dropped her face low.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK." Lina began to punch the court below her with her left fist. Alfred sat in his chair with emotionless eyes, he lifted his eyes when Gourry ran into the court with Amelia on his side. They went to Lina's side, Gourry calmed Lina down while Amelia looked over her wrist.

"Amelia, I'm sorry-"

"It's okay, Lina-San." Amelia quickly told her, she was carefully lifting Lina's arm. "I know you did your best."

"I-I'm sorry." Lina's lower lip shook as she lowered her eyes.

"Stop apologizing, Lina." Gourry chuckled softly. "That's unlike you." Amelia nodded with a slight giggle. Lina listened to their laughter and just kept quiet. Riksfalto snickered when she met with Huraker, she took the towel from her hand and wiped her collected sweat on her brow.

"Pathetic." Riksfalto looked back at Lina as Gourry and Amelia helped her on her feet, she grinned. "REAL Pathetic." Gourry and Amelia looked at her. "And I actually thought that you were going to be a challenge! The feared and beautiful Bandit Killer, MY ASS!"

"Y-You be quiet!" Amelia snapped at her. She faced Riksfalto until Lina scoffed, her head was still low to the ground.

"It's okay, Amelia, let her talk."

"But Lina-San, she is being mean and-"

"It's okay." Lina said softly, she removed herself from Gourry's grip and limped away from him.

"Lina." Gourry frowned, he and Amelia exchanged looks and quietly followed her. Riksfalto snorted, she continued to execrate loudly.

"BANDIT KILLER, MY ASS!" She shouted after the three. "MORE LIKE THE PATHETIC CRIPPLE!" Riksfalto grinned when they did not respond to her, she continued to gloat with Huraker just innocently smiling behind her.

"WEAKLING! PATHETIC! RED-HEADED FRAIL BITCH!" Lina released a shaky breath, she tried to ignore the loud name-calling, but it wasn't working. She failed her entire team. Royal High School will be given away and Amelia, her best friend, will be married off to a lesbian because of her. Lina squeezed a few tears out. She is weak. She is pathetic. She's a failure.

"WHAT A CRY-BABY!" Riksfalto laughed aloud when she saw Lina wiping her tears away.

"Riksfalto-Chan, that's enough." Huraker giggled, she took her partner's arm and tried to pull her off the court. "Come on, we need to report to Dolphin-Sama."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Riksfalto rolled her eyes and turned her body away slightly. "Pathetic, Weak, Flat-Chested, Little Girl." She said softly to herself. Lina suddenly froze. She was just about to step off the court when she heard her last comment. Gourry and Amelia walked past her and joined the rest of their team, they looked back at her when Lina retreated her foot back on the court.

"Lina?" Gourry blinked.

"What... did she say?" Lina said in a monotone voice. She lifted her face, her tears sucked back into her eyes. Gourry sweat dropped to see an unusual shine in Lina's vibrant ruby eyes.

"Um... Lina?"

"WHAT... DID... SHE... SAY?" The edge of Lina's lip twitched.

"I believe she said that you are a pathetic, weak, flat-chest-" Lina threw a fast tennis ball at Xellos's goofy face, making him fall to the ground and unconscious.

"I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID." A roaring black aura surrounded Lina's entire body, her eyes glint in evil as she swiped her tennis racket back from Amelia's hands.

"Ah! L-Lina-San, what are you-"

"I'M GOING TO GIVE HER A TASTE OF WHAT SHE DESERVES." Lina snarled, she turned her shaking body and walked back on the court.

"L-Lina-San." Amelia sweat dropped. She watched Lina grabbed a tennis ball from the grass court. With the tennis racket in her right hand, Lina disregarded the aching pain in her wrist and tossed the ball in the air.

"BUTCH!" Lina screamed, Riksfalto turned around and met with her evil ruby eyes. "I'M GOING TO FUCKING MURDER YOU!" And she slammed the ball across the court. The green haired woman twitched slightly when the ball zipped past her cheek, millimeters away from her skin. Huraker blinked her eyes when blood leaked out of a scratch on Riksfalto's cheek.

"She didn't even touch you." Huraker muttered. Riksfalto touched her face and wiped her blood away, she looked down at her fingertips and smirked.

"That's more like it." Riksfalto snickered, she tossed her sweat drenched towel at Huraker and walked back on the court. She grabbed a ball from the ground and served it, the ball flew over the net at Lina.

"SO YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME?" Lina growled, she punt the ball back with her racket. Riksfalto blinked when the ball swerved past her in a lighting speed. What the hell? She looked down at the crater that the ball created when it bounced near her. Where did she get so much strength?

"Point!" Prince Alfred announced.

"JUST BECAUSE OF YOUR DOUBLE D BREASTS?" Lina grabbed a ball near her feet. She threw the ball in the air and swung her racket. "BECAUSE OF YOUR MUTANT DOUBLE D BREASTS THAT LOOK LIKE WATERMELONS?" The ball zipped across and aimed at her opponent. Riksfalto yelped and jumped to the side, the ball touched her side of the court and flew at Huraker. The ball hit Huraker in the gut and threw her against the wall. Riksfalto's eyes widen. She was supposed to be injured!

"Point!" The judge continued.

"OVER HERE!" Lina snarled and hit another tennis ball at her. Riksfalto gasped, the zipping fastball came straight for her. She jumped to the side instead of hitting it back, falling to her hands as the ball bounced on her side of the court.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" She screamed at Lina when Alfred gave Royal High a point advantage. "THIS IS A TENNIS GAME! NOT A-"

"A game?" Lina panted heavily in her side of the court, she gripped on her racket's handle. "You think this is a GAME?"

"Well, DUH, this is a competition." Riksfalto rolled her eye.

"SO NOW YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME?" The black aura surrounding her body grew large. "WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE MOST INSECURE PART OF MY BODY, YOU TURNED THIS GAME INTO A FUCKING EXECUTION!" She lifted her tennis racket at Riksfalto.

"I'M THE EXECUTOR AND YOU," Lina cracked an insane smile on her face. "YOU. ARE. DEAD." She released a horrible cackle which Riksfalto sweat dropped at.

"She's crazy." She muttered when Lina grabbed another ball from the ground. Riksfalto smirked, she tighten her grip on her tennis racket. "That's what I like."

"YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD!" Lina released her fury and hit the ball in lightening speed of insecurity at her. Riksfalto managed to hit the ball back with a wide cracked smile.

"DON'T TALK LIKE YOU'VE ALREADY WON!" She shouted. "I'M JUST GETTING STARTED!"

Lina gasped for air, she sprinted for the ball but it had already bounced a second time on her court. She growled and looked at Riksfalto, she was panting heavily too. But,

"Whooo!" Riksfalto laughed and crossed her arms over her head. "This is the most fun I had for a long time!" She stretched her long muscular legs and bounced back on her feet, she smirked to see Lina hunched over and trying to catch her breath.

"Oh, come on!" Riksfalto jeered. "You can't be tired now!" She motioned her head to the scoreboard. "This is for the last point!" Lina looked at the scoreboard. She was at a point advantage. If she gets the next point, Royal High would win the competition. Lina hung her head low and coughed loudly. But how? She sucked in air as she moved her right wrist around. The pain in her wrist was excruciating.

"Damn." Lina dropped to a knee and held her wrist, she can't move her hand. She won't be able to do this.

"Lina!" Lina ignored Gourry's calls, she couldn't look at him. She just looked down at her profusely shaking wrist. "LINA!" He kept calling her. Lina bit her lower lip and slowly turned her head to the side.

"LOOK WHO CAME!" Gourry waved his arms in the air. Lina raised her eyebrow when he stepped to the side and pointed to the tall older woman standing behind him. The woman took out a cigarette from her pocket and tucked it between her lips. She looked over Lina's crouched position and scoffed loudly, she clicked her lighter open. Lina's entire being froze into solid rock. Her clammy skin turned white as a sheet and her tears sucked back into her eyeballs. Her nerves were shot and her voice struggled to let out a murderous scream. Lina fought against the agonizing pain in her wrist and stood up from the ground, only to fall back on the ground when the woman stepped in front of her team and let out a deep sigh. She recognized that sigh. Hell, she grew up with that sigh. The Devil Woman is dissatisfied.

The woman blew smoke in the air and took the cigarette from her lips. Lina crawled slightly away but the woman had her already in her sights, running away will only piss her off more. Droplets of nervous sweat dripped from her forehead. The painful memories began to fill her mind. Lina whimpered and continued to shake. Lina watched with sunken eyes as she wrapped her long fingers around the burning cigarette and crushed it into pieces. The woman drizzled the still-burning pieces onto the ground and slightly moved her heavy maroon bangs to the side. Lina let out a soft gurgling sound from her throat and opened her mouth.

"N-N-N-No." She shook her head Fearful waterfalls of tears rushing out of her eyes. She could already feel the murderous aura developing around the demonic being. Her similar ruby eyes glint in evil as she looked upon Lina. She is ready to kill. The older woman suddenly released a wide grin on her face, a familiar smile that always gave Lina the chills. She mouthed 4 distinct words.

"You lose. You Die."

It happened so fast. Riksfalto opened her eye, she turned her head to the side and allowed the paramedics to pick her off the ground. Her entire body was in extreme pain for some reason. She cringed when she tried to move her body, no good. The last thing she remembered was Lina bawling profusely as she hit what seemed to be hundreds of tennis balls at her. Riksfalto moved her eye around and spotted the redhead on the other side of the court.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Lina screamed in terror as her teammates tossed her in the air in celebration. She had both eyes dead locked on the older woman standing at the end of the court with Gourry. "GET HER AWAY FROM ME!" She continued to scream, her arms and legs waving furiously. Her team continued to toss her body in the air, ignoring her screams of fear. The woman snorted next to Gourry, they watched Lina try to run away but Amelia managed to catch her from leaving and gave her a hug. She smirked when Gourry raised a lighter and lit the end of her cigarette.

"I don't think we would've won if you didn't come."

"Huh." She sucked the nicotine into her lungs and blew the smoke through her nostrils. She looked over Gourry through her thick bangs. "No sweat."

"Thank you-"

"But I thought I told you NOT to call me anymore unless it's important, Gourry." She reached over and slammed her hand on his shoulder, making him flinch. "I don't like taking off work." Gourry sweat dropped, he gulped when she leaned forward.

"You got that, Kid?"

"Y-Yes, Sensei." Gourry nodded nervously. She smirked and gave him another powerful pat on his shoulder. Gourry watched the woman walk away from the fun. She walked toward the exit of the coliseum and paused just before leaving. She looked back at Lina.

"I'M SORRY!" Lina threw her arms in the air and sobbed. "I'M SORRY! JUST DON'T PUT ME IN THE PIT!" She let out a horrible wrenching scream while more people rushed onto the stage to celebrate Royal High's victory. "NOT THE SLUGS! NOT THE SLUGS!"

"I still got it." Luna Inverse snorted with a smile and left the building.

Zelgadiss looked back at his team.

"Don't you FUCKING dare." Lina and Filia were glaring at him.

"TAKE THE MONEY." Lina snarled, she had Gourry holding her back with a big smile. Zelgadiss pouted slightly, he turned his head around and looked back at the old King. King Eldoran stood in front of him, holding a huge briefcase of money, and standing next to him was Amelia. Zelgadiss stared at Amelia's big cheerful smile.

"Take the money, Zelgadiss-San." Amelia giggled. "What are you waiting for?" He let out a sigh and took the briefcase of money from King Eldoran's hands.

"Congra-" Amelia blinked when Zelgadiss shut the case and threw it into Lina's welcoming hands, which was quickly taken away by Filia.

"GIVE ME MY MONEY!" Lina lunged forward. Filia ignored her sharp claws and counted the cash carefully. "GIVE ME MY MONEY!" Zelgadiss stood nervously in front of Amelia and her grandfather. He reached into his pocket and hesitantly took out the velvet covered ring box. Amelia's eyes widen while King Eldoran smiled, he chuckled softly as he walked away.

"I," Zelgadiss began. "I don't want to come close to losing you again. I-I CAN'T come close to losing you." He looked at Amelia carefully and closed the gap between them. Since everyone around them was celebrating Royal High's miraculous win, nobody paid attention to them.

"I can't expect to live my life without you. How can I live without seeing your beautiful smile only for me, listening to your heart-warming laughter fill my ears, feeling your gentle touch on my skin," Zelgadiss timidly opened the box. Amelia's jaw dropped slightly to see the beautiful diamond ring resting inside, she lifted her indigo eyes to his face. "And how can I live without my Me-La to keep me on the right lane?"

"Z-Zel." A soft giggle pass through her lips, happy and overwhelming tears were already spilling from her eyes. Taking a big breath, he picked the ring out of the box and stared at her nervously.

"You're my Princess, Amelia." Zelgadiss reached over and touched her cheek, wiping some of her tears away. "So, may I be your Prince?" Her voice failed from leaving her throat, so Amelia just nodded her head repeatedly as more tears fell from her eyes. Smiling at her silent response, Zelgadiss slipped the ring on her shaking left ring finger and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I love you." He whispered into her ear and chuckled when Amelia bawled against his chest, unable to reply it back. Lifting her head by her chin, Zelgadiss laid his lips over hers and she kissed him lovingly back. As they shared a long and deep kiss, Lina ambushed Filia from behind and yanked at her hair.

"GIVE ME MY MONEY!" She screeched. "GIVE ME MY 10 MILLION!"

"THE MONEY BELONGS TO THE SCHOOL!"

"GIVE ME MY MONEY!" Lina wrapped her strong arms around her neck and began to choke her of her air. As they wrestled to the ground, Xellos spotted Huraker walking over. He stepped away from his team and met with her.

"Dolphin-Sama is already filling out her resignation letter." Huraker announced, making Xellos smile. He blinked when she took a step closer to him and looked up at him innocently. "Are we still meeting this Saturday?"

"Oh, about that." Xellos sighed. "I WAS going to tell you later but I guess I should tell you, now." Huraker raised her eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"Well," He smiled wide. "I'm not going to be there."

"And why is that?"

"I'm in a relationship now-"

"Yeah, with ME." Huraker snapped. Xellos took a large step back.

"Actually, I'm in my first REAL relationship with someone else now. And besides, I don't ever remember asking you out."

"WHAT?" Huraker's loud voice silenced the people surrounding them. Xellos took multiple steps back and smiled.

"Now, now, Huraker-Chan." He tilted his head to the side. "We BOTH knew we can NEVER be in a relationship. I'm a first-rate fuck machine, but being the better individual between the both of us, I came to the realization that I don't deserve someone like you. You are," Xellos looked over Huraker's shaking angry body and shook his head. "You are just a waste of my time."

"YOU," Blue flames began to cover the tiny girl. "YOU UNBELIEVEABLE JERK."

"I heard better."

"I GAVE YOU MY VIRGINITY!" Huraker screamed at him, Xellos just let out a cheerful laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You wouldn't be the first." He smirked. "I don't know whether to say you should have noticed something when I didn't meet with you last week or you should have listened to Riksfalto-"

"What does Riksfalto have anything to do with this?" Huraker growled.

"Like I said, you wouldn't be the first."

"YOU SICK, DISGUSTING, PERVERT!" A bystander, who was standing closer than the others, yelped when Huraker grabbed him by the arm and lifted him above her head. Huraker swung the live person over her head and tossed the man at him. Xellos took a step to the side and the poor bystander collided with the mass of people behind him.

"YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THIS, RAT! YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET EVER DOING THIS!" Huraker stomped away. "I FUCKING HATE YOU!"

"You and most of the family, Huraker-Chan!"

"I FAKED EVERY ORGASM!" She revealed.

"Don't worry, I didn't!" Xellos smiled. Huraker let out a loud screech and rushed away. Turning around, Xellos blinked to see his teammates standing behind him with large sweat drops.

"So," Filia was the first to speak. She raised her eyebrow at him with her lips pursed out. "You admit to having intercourse with..."

"Oh, Riksfalto was just a quickie in the closet. Said she needed something to 'calm' her down and I obliged." Xellos chuckled. "But Huraker, she CAME onto ME. She WANTED me. I just fulfilled her request and gave her what she wanted."

"Huh." She let out a soft scoff.

"Yup, I'm a giver." He smiled while Filia stared at him with an emotionless expression. They kept staring at each other in silence until Filia finally turned her head away, Xellos sweat dropped slightly when she gave out a heavy sigh.

"I wonder what Milgazia is doing, right now."

"Huh?"

"Maybe I can meet up with him for dinner."

"Hey..."

"Naw, I'll just go over to his house unannounced and see what happens."

"Wait, Fi-Chan, I'm just kidding!" As Xellos snivel for Filia's attention, Zelgadiss and Amelia followed them off the stage, still clinging to each other. Lina and Gourry watched Zangulas leave with the Princess of Zoana, sweat dropping while she made plans for him to meet her father. Lina smiled when Gourry wrapped his arm around her waist and looked up at him.

"It's finished. Royal High School is finally saved. We have enough money to buy it back AND left over to have a BIG party." Gourry told her and she nodded. As they walked after their friends, Lina moved her eyes to the side. Standing off stage was Dolphin and a familiar tall large man with long flaming hair. They were watching Lina with piercing eyes as she left center stage with Gourry. Gaav released a nasty grin and turned his back at her, making Lina flinch. No, it was just the beginning.