The sun had just begun to set, casting an orangish-gold hue on the surrounding landscape as the two girls walked in silence along a dirt path with Stock Town just recently becoming visible on the horizon.
Katibree reached into a travel pouch, producing a flask of wine, opening it and taking a pull from it before glancing over at the uncannily quiet redhead walking beside her.
"…Alright, so what do you want to do?" She finally asked while offering Lina a drink.
The sorceress blinked in surprise, having been snapped out of her thoughts before looking first over at the ex-assassin and then down to the flask being offered to her. "What do you mean?" She asked distractedly as she took the container from the older girl before taking a not so small pull of her own from it.
"Oh come on, Red." The mostly platinum haired warrior replied.
"What..?" The sorcery genius reiterated before taking another not so small drink from the flask.
"You haven't said a thing for like 45 minutes now, which is completely and totally unheard of… so the only plausible conclusion would be…" The half elf began while changing her facial expression to a dour, humorless one as she began to talk in a tone reserved for a professor dryly lecturing a class and causing Lina to lower her eyelids in anticipation of the punch line.
"That right now, in order for the subject known as Lina Inverse to figure out an especially complicated problem that she is pondering… her brain has temporarily tapped into the energy reserves normally used to keep her mouth running incessantly, thus preventing her from speaking." She finished before dodging a half hearted kick aimed at her ass and breaking into a good-natured grin.
"Very funny, Kat." The redhead said with a quiet laugh.
"Seriously, you even talk in your sleep… and the fact that you're drinking, which you hardly ever do just further proves my point." Katibree said more somberly.
"It's… It's not that big of a deal." The sorceress replied while attempting to hand the larger girl back her flask.
The ex-assassin stopped walking all together at this before dropping the travel pack she'd been carrying to get the younger girl's attention and folding her arms while standing in the middle of the path. "Look Red, I'm pretty sure that I already have a good idea about what it is that's been bothering you; and as close as we are to town now, I sure you've already come up with some type of idea as to how you'd prefer to deal with this so - -"
"I already told you, it's not that big of a…" Lina began but trailed off with a conflicted sigh once she turned and saw the older girl's expression. "…Honestly I'm still not sure how I want to handle this, ok babe?"
"Sure you are, you're just worried about how I might take it right?" The mostly platinum haired warrior asked quietly. "I'd be fine regardless of the decision you came to Red; they're your friends, not mine."
The redhead looked up at the gradually darkening sky while rustling her mane in frustration at this. "It's not that… well I guess that was some of it…" She finally admitted with some embarrassment.
The half drow couldn't help but chuckle at this while picking the travel pack back up and hefting it over her shoulder as the two began to walk once more.
"But the main reason that I was really debating on whether or not to say anything about us is…" The sorcery genius continued before trailing off again as worry clouded over her ruby colored gaze once more.
"…Because you're not sure how Gabriev will react to the news." Katibree finished for her.
"Yeah, I mean it's not like I'm ashamed of us or anything… It's just that I've played out telling him in my head over and over again, and even as well as I know him… what his reaction would be to finding out that you and I are seeing each other is just one big blank…" Lina explained while still camping the flask of wine that the larger girl had refused to take back earlier.
"I was in no way suggesting that you were ashamed of our relationship… but you can't stand there and tell me that you were exactly eager to deal with Nels Rada's endless stream of questions about the subject either." Katibree teased.
"…I really can't refute you on that one, Kat." The redhead finally agreed with a giggle.
"Well then, I suppose that brings my point total up to 4, which leaves your 2 points even further in the dust for today…" The ex-assassin sighed while shaking her head with feigned sorrow.
"Hey, you can't use serious subjects like that to base 'I wins' off of..!" The sorceress complained as they made their way toward the outskirts of town.
"Please, you're just mad you didn't think of it yourself." The half drow said with a laugh while flipping the hood to her black cloak up and over her head.
"Even if that were the case I wouldn't admit it, you're out for blood today..." Lina replied while tossing the larger girl her flask back with a smirk as they made it to the market place and headed into the steadily thickening crowd of shoppers.
"Yeah, well I've got to redeem myself somehow for all the wrestling matches I keep losing to you…" The mostly platinum haired warrior said wryly while recapping the mostly drained container of wine.
"It's not my fault you suck at wrestling…" The redhead baited with a dismissive gesture.
"Sucking and playing fair are two completely different things, lover." Katibree replied with a roll of her lavender colored eyes.
"Well now, I guess that makes us even in certain respects when it comes to doing what you have to do to win doesn't it…?" The sorceress asked before giving the older girl her trademark Lina Inverse wink.
Ah…damn it… The ex-assassin swore to herself, smacking her forehead in disbelief at having given her such an easy 'I win' right back as the sorcery genius leaned toward her while cupping a hand around her ear expectantly.
"…Touché." The half elf finally sighed in resignation.
"Oh… I'm sorry, did I just hear you say the score was actually 4 to 3..?" Lina asked coyly.
"Ever the tactician…" The mostly platinum haired warrior could help but chuckle.
"You'd better believe it - - Hey, I think I see them, come on Kat…!" The redhead blurted excitedly before breaking into a jog and ducking and weaving in between various wandering town folk as she went.
"…Platonic 'friendship'… right." Katibree said quietly to herself before sighing deeply and quickening her walking pace in the direction that Lina had just taken off in.
"Hey guys!" The redhead shouted while jumping up and down and waving animatedly as soon as she got a clear view of the two walking together up ahead.
Both Gourry and Sylphiel turned at the distinct sound of the sorcery genius's voice, their faces brightening. "Linaaa!" / "Miss Lina!" They called back simultaneously while waving back happily.
"So, did ya miss me?" The redhead asked as she walked up to the two of them with a smile before jumping up to pull them down to roughly her height for a group hug once she got to them.
(G) "You bet!" the swordsman savant replied with a laugh.
The shrine maiden found herself at a momentary loss for words, taking a while to get over her shock that the smaller girl had just openly hugged her before finally returning the sorceresses heartfelt embrace with one of her own.
"M-Miss Lina, it certainly seems that you've gone through… some… changes since we've last seen you…" She said after breaking away from the hug to take a good look at the sorcery genius in bemusement. She looks the same basically but… there's definitely something different about her…
Normally Miss Lina's show of affection would involve sending Gourry dear sailing with a Dil Brand and giving me a stout slap on the back…
(L) "You really think so?" Lina asked while rubbing the back of her neck with a laugh.
(S) "Well yes actually… I've never once known you to - - Oh, is this person the new traveling companion that you were speaking of when we communicated before Miss Lina..?" The raven haired girl gratefully broke off her uneasy explanation to ask while gazing over the petite girl's shoulder to get a better look at the cloaked figured now standing behind her.
Lina glanced over her shoulder at this, an expression washing over her face that Sylphiel didn't quite recognize, before folding her arms and answering her question. "Yeah, that's her alright… Sylphiel, Gourry… meet Katibree."
(G) "Kati-bree huh…?" The swordsman savant mused while stepping forward and leaning toward her with a thoughtful hand placed on his chin.
(S) "It's… nice to meet you Miss Katibree." The shrine maiden said somewhat nervously while offering her hand in a gesture of greeting. There's something about this woman that makes me uneasy…She began to herself while taking note of the gear that the ex-assassin was wearing before promptly reprimanding herself afterwards for thinking such unsavory thoughts about a friend of Lina's.
(K) "It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance Miss Nels Rada." Katibree said cordially while leaning forward slightly to return the raven haired girl's gesture of greeting with a fluid handshake. "I've heard a great deal about you from Lina and an even greater deal about the Master Swordsman here..." She added pleasantly while turning her full attention to the swordsman savant.
(G) "Hi, good to meet ya!" Gourry said with his usual nonchalant enthusiasm while offering a hand of his own.
As the mostly platinum haired warrior took his hand and shook it, the swordsman savant's expression broke into a grin that Lina knew all to well. It was the same look that he always got, be it Zangulas or any other master swordsman he'd ever come across…
An anticipatory grin fueled by the promise of great competition.
(L) Oh Gods…I'd bet my life savings that Kat's got that same look on her face right now… The redhead thought to herself with a resigned sigh. Instant rivals no matter what the circumstances… Can't say I didn't see this one coming I guess… She added with a sweat-drop.
(S) "Gourry…dear…?" Sylphiel asked unsurely while looking first at one master swordsman and then the other.
(G) "I was pretty surprised that I didn't sense you show up when you did at first, but now I get why…" Gourry said as they finished shaking hands. "Allow me to formerly introduce myself…"
(L) "Uhm… heh, I'm pretty sure the proper word is 'formally', Gourry…" The redhead said while scratching the back of her head with an added sweat-drop.
(G) "My name is Gourry Gabriev from the great Kingdom of Elmekia, former wielder of Gorunova, the Sword of Light." The swordsman savant continued with a smirk while placing a hand on the hilt of his sword in a gesture of challenge.
The half elf flipped her hood back at this, flashing a grin of her own. "And I am Katibree Do'Urden of the former Ethereal Daggers; current wielder of the blades which dance as one, Chiba and Murakami… it's a pleasure to finally cross your path Gourry Gabriev of Elmekia." She replied while placing her own hands on the hilts of her weapons as well in acceptance of the challenge.
(S) "Oh my… Miss Lina…?" The shrine maiden asked while placing a hand over her heart in apprehension.
"I've got it Sylphiel…" Lina replied as she walked between the two of them, putting a hand on both of their chests and pushing in an attempt to force them apart while stifling a laugh as she felt the two battle auras began to radiate around her in a lightheartedly 'rough-housing' like test of strength.
"Ok boys, break it up!" She finally exclaimed after a moment more of neither of them giving an inch before punching both of them in the stomach simultaneously. "It's time ta go!"
A set of baby blue eyes widened in sync with an equally wide pair of lavender ones as both warriors grunted and doubled over in pain on either side of the sorcery genius who took this time to grab both of them by an arm and forcefully turn them in the direction of the inn that they had all planned to meet at.
"H-hey… what'd… we do Lina - -?" / "It's not like… we were going to spar right here or anything - -!" Both Gourry and Katibree began to complain as they gasped to get the wind back that had just been unceremoniously knocked out of them.
"I said lets go." The redhead reiterated in that tone of voice of that both of them knew was just more trouble than it was worth to argue with as she basically dragged the two still wheezing swordsmen toward the inn with a decidedly lost Sylphiel blinked after them. "You coming or not Sylphiel…?" The sorcery genius teased with a glance over her shoulder at the dumbfounded shrine maiden. Yup, still got it!
Once the four of them entered the inn, the inevitable gravitation toward the eatery section of the establishment was made.
(S) "So what in the world was that all about back there…?" The raven haired girl couldn't help but ask as they all took their seats at a wooden round table.
(L) "Oh, that was just Kat and Gourry getting carried away with their 'warrior instincts'…" Lina replied while closing her eyes and waving her hand in a dismissive gesture.
(G) "Yeah, I guess I did kinda get carried away…!' The swordsman savant laughed while rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "It's always pretty exciting to come across a swordsman of your friend Katibree's caliber just by chance…" He added more thoughtfully.
(L) "Give me a break Gourry, 'kind of' is the understatement of the century here..." The sorcery genius said while rolling her ruby colored eyes at him in exasperation before looking over at Katibree who was on the opposite side of her to finish what she was saying.
"It was blatantly obvious that you two were so wrapped up in the idea of finding out which one of you is more skilled with a blade right then an there, that there was no way that you were going to take the time to find somewhere else to fight." She finished while giving the mostly platinum haired warrior a you-should-know-better look, causing the older girl to avert her lavender gaze and shift in her chair uncomfortably.
(G) "Speaking of skilled swordsmen Lina, you were really impressive back there…" The blonde warrior said while slapping the sorceress on the shoulder guard in congratulations.
(K) "Gabriev does have a good point…" The ex-assassin agreed with a smirk.
"What are you two… talking about…?" Lina asked after recovering from the unexpected assault on her shoulder. "I didn't even fight."
(G) "Well neither did we, but you could sense that we mine as well have been couldn't you…?" Gourry asked. "And even with being able to feel our battle auras, you stepped in between the two of us with no effort at all."
(K) "All the while interjecting with a pretty noticeable one of your own mind you…" The mostly platinum haired warrior added matter of factly while gesturing to a nearby waiter for menus.
(G) "Yeah, I can tell that you've done some serious training in the swordsmanship department since you've been gone just from that alone!" The swordsman savant agreed happily.
(S) "Speaking of your sudden leave of absence for all these months Miss Lina…" Sylphiel began quietly. "What happened after you made it to Zephilia and had the audience with The Eternal Queen and The Cepheid Knight?"
"That's a really long story Sylphiel…" The redhead said before taking a sip of water.
(S) "I suppose it would be… there have been rumors floating around that there was an assassination or something of that nature that had taken place on the Zephilian castle grounds putting the entire kingdom in an uproar…" The raven haired girl leaned across the table and said in barely a whisper. "Is any of that true Miss Lina?"
"…Close enough yeah, and I was the one put in charge of the investigation." The sorceress affirmed quietly after a moments hesitation.
"Oh dear, I was afraid that was the case and that you'd been thrown right in the middle of it all…" Sylphiel replied as the waiter came by and handed out menus to them all. "So if that's the case… did you meet Miss Katibree because she was assigned to help you with the investigation?"
Lina spit out the water she'd just been drinking as Katibree sweat-dropped and gained an unprecedented interest in the menu that she'd just been handed at this question.
(G) "Not likely Sylphiel…" Gourry interjected lightly while browsing his own menu. "I recognized the place that Katibree said that she's from, and it's not a city or anything… it's a famous guild that prided itself on the combat prowess of it's members." He continued almost absently. "It'd be my guess that it was actually something that Katibree had done that Lina was called to Zerphermia to investigate, but somehow they ended up joining forces instead…"
The half elf raised a quizzical mostly platinum colored eyebrow at this unusually brilliant deduction and then looked over at Lina in bemusement in the middle of giving the waiter her order. Maybe he's not as dense as Red made him out to be.
"Hawh - -!" The redhead exclaimed in disbelief while jumping up from the table, causing it to jerk, knocking her glass of water to the floor which the waiter scrambled to clean up after his heart had returned to it's proper place in his chest. "And just how in the hell does a jellyfish brains like you that can barely remember his own name, let alone properly pronounce the name of my home town on a regular basis goandfigureoutsomethinglikethat??!"
(G) "Relax Lina…!" The blonde warrior laughed. "I might not be the smartest guy in the world, but stuff like that has just always been easy for me to remember; so I guess I just put 2 and 2 together after hearing what was just said…"
The sorceress was sorely tempted to ask the swordsman savant if he even knew what 2 and 2 actually equaled but decided against it. There are definitely more important things that need to be discussed right now… "Anyway it's just like you said Gourry, and that's the reason that I needed to meet up with you and Sylphiel as soon as possible in order to discuss some things." She began grimly as she sat back down.
(G) "Hum…?"
(S) This sounds serious…
"You remember the monster Soshurn don't you Gourry…?" Lina inquired.
The swordsman savant thought long and hard for a good moment before finally setting his face with a serious expression and looked the redhead dead in the eyes before answering.
"…Not at all." He finally answered to face-faults all around.
"We fought him right before I was summonsed to Zephilia you dolt, I thought you just said you've always been good at remembering things that involved combat…!" The redhead managed as she pulled herself back up to her chair from the floor of the restaurant.
(S) "Miss Lina please calm down, we all know that Gourry dear has a tendency to forget things…" The shrine maiden said from her new seating arrangements on the eatery floor while sweat-dropping.
(K) Maybe he's even more dense than Red made him out to be… Katibree thought to herself in bemusement as she made her own way back to an upright position.
(G) "We fought with some guy named Soshurn…?" The blonde warrior mused more to himself than anyone else while scratching his head. "Was he a master swordsman or something too Lina?" Definitely would think I'd remember someone like that, it's not like you come across those everyday - -
"NO you idiot I just said he's a…!" Lina began in exasperation before catching an amused look from Katibree out of the corner of her eye followed by a shrug that basically said: Just let it go Red… "Ok, ok… never mind." She finally said after sucking in and slowly letting out a deep breath.
"Soshurn is a fairly powerful Mazoku that we've fought in the past that has for some reason renewed his grudge against me with a vengeance." The redhead tried to explain once more as the waiter made his way over to the table with a cart piled with a countless variety of foods on it. "He originally tried to hire Kat here to kill me, but when she refused she made an enemy of him as well…" She continued while eyeing the cart being wheeled over along with the no longer listening swordsman savant.
"Soshurn on his own is easy enough to take care of, but it seems that he's part of some alliance of other higher end monsters that he has at his disposal to do his bidding now…" The sorceress continued as plate after plate of food was placed on the table before them.
(S) "Miss Lina, that's horrible…" Sylphiel said attentively.
(G) "Oh boy, food!" Gourry exclaimed, tossing the apparently unneeded menu aside and replacing it with a fork and knife.
(K) "Would you mind bringing a few of tankards of mead over as well please…?" Katibree inquired of the waiter.
"So with all of that on our plates, we've been traveling as secretly as possible and just wanted to make sure that Soshurn and the others hadn't decided to start attacking you guys or the rest of the gang in order to flush me out…" The sorcery genius explained as the last of the plates where piled on the table and Gourry began to dig in with gusto.
(S) "It sounds like you two are going to need some serious backup for this, Lina." The shrine maiden said grimly.
"That's the second reason that we wanted to meet with you two and talk." Lina said pointedly before absently Mono Volting the swordsman savant reaching for the plate in front of her much to a certain half drow's further amusement.
"Arrrrrrrrgghhhh!" he exclaimed before toppling backwards in his chair.
"You know that Gourry dear and I will always be happy to help in anyway that we can Miss Lina." The raven haired girl pledged dutifully.
"Thanks guys, I really appreciate it." The redhead said quietly before picking up a fork and knife of her own.
Sylphiel balked at this as Gourry pulled himself up from the table blinking some of the soot off of his face at the sorcery genius in disbelief. "What did you just say…?" He asked in amazement.
(S) "Are you… are you feeling well Miss Lina…?" Sylphiel couldn't help but ask.
"Yeah, I feel fine… why…?" Lina replied in confusion, completely missing the point.
"Well, you just said thank you and…" The shrine maiden began before trailing off.
(G) "That's what I thought she said, when'd you learn manners Lina??" Gourry exclaimed before jumping to his feet and pointing dramatically. "I've figured it out Sylphiel…!" "This isn't the real Lina Inverse… she's an imposter!"
"Oh, that's terrible…" Sylphiel couldn't help but to play along. "I absolutely must insist that you tell us what you've done with the real Lina or you'll be sorry…" She added while stifling a giggle.
Lina stress-marked and gritted her teeth as she replied to this. "Oh ha, ha, ha… very funny, and apparently you want some of this too Sylphiel…" She added menacingly while rolling up an imaginary sleeve on her sorceresses outfit.
"Miss Lina we were only having some fun really!" The shrine maiden said hurriedly while holding her hands out in a pleading gesture while beginning to look a bit blue in the face. Dear Cepheid what was I thinking…?
The redhead was already seething, but up until this point she'd managed to keep her temper far enough in check to keep from destroying a portion of the eatery.
But that was only until she'd heard one last thing. The quiet but unmistakable laughter of her girlfriend at her expense…
OH that's IT…! The sorceress exclaimed to herself while flushing in ultimate embarrassment. "DIL…!"
(G) "Huh… maybe she really is the real Lina after all…" Gourry said with a smile.
(S) "Gourry dear, what are you saying…?" Sylphiel balked in horror. Isn't she mad enough
"BRAAAAAND!!!"
… Several minutes later after the gang was not so politely asked to leave the eatery not to mention the rest of the inn after paying for damages, the 4 had made their way to Lina's second pick of a place to stay the night in town.
(L) "Well here we are, it's not as great of a deal to stay here… but what are ya gonna do…?" Lina said with a giggle as they stood outside of the place.
(S) "I suppose it is about time that we got some rooms for the night…" A still fairly soot covered Sylphiel mused. "It is getting pretty late…"
As the group began to walk in the direction to the entrance of the inn, Gourry suddenly spoke.
"Hey Katibree… would you mind if I talked to you alone a moment…?" He asked with a serious expression on his face.
(L) That doesn't sound very good… The redhead thought to herself while glancing over at Katibree uneasily.
(S) "Is… something the matter Gourry dear..?" The shrine maiden asked worriedly.
(K) "I'm sure that everything's fine, you guys go ahead and we'll catch up with you in a bit." Katibree reassured them with a nonchalant shrug.
(L) "…Alright… but remember no sparring…" The sorceress said after a moment of scrutinizing the expression of the swordsman savant face to no avail. "If you two take too long, expect to pay for your own rooms!" She added as an after thought before turning away once more and heading to the entrance of the inn with Sylphiel.
(S) "So what do you think they're talking about out there…?" Sylphiel asked as they made their way to the check-in desk of the inn. "Dear Gourry looked unusually serious when he asked to talk to Miss Katibree in private just now…"
You think I didn't notice that…? "How should I know what he wants to talk to her about…?" Lina replied with feigned disinterest while slapping some coin down on the counter. "Probably some secret musty ol' swordsmanship technique or something…"
"I suppose you're right…" The raven haired girl said quietly.
"I'm sure it's something like that…" The redhead affirmed before turning her attention to the portly inn keeper. "I'd like 3 rooms please!"
"Uhm.. Miss Lina…?" The shrine maiden asked uncertainly.
"What is it Sylphiel…?" The sorceress inquired.
"Well… it's just that there are 4 of us and you only asked for 3 rooms… If you're low on coin then I don't have a problem with - -"
Lina began turning an interesting shade of crimson at this before breaking into nervous laughter. "N-no Sylphiel I've got it, I'm not sure…I'm not sure what I was thinking…!" She stammered while rummaging in her coin purse unsteadily for the fee for the extra room unsteadily. Smooth move Lina…jeez!
Meanwhile outside of the inn…
(K) "So what's up Gabriev…?" Katibree asked while folding her arms. "I'm all ears."
Gourry looked up at the moon a moment as if in deep thought before finally speaking. "Well, I know that it isn't any of my business…" He began while running his fingers through his blonde locks with a sigh.
"But it's been kinda eating at me since I first met you and well… I've just gotta know…" He continued while finally turning his gaze away from the moon to look at her, blue eyes meeting and locking with lavender ones.
(K) "I'm… still listening Gabriev." The mostly platinum haired warrior replied quietly but steadily, the expression on her face unreadable.
"I was just wondering if… well is it was possible that maybe…" He said before trailing off to steel himself before trying to ask the question once more."
"I know that if it's the case… it's supposed to be a secret…" He finally managed to continue. "But I still have to at least ask… Is it possible that maybe…"
"Could you be… could you be Zelgadis' sister…?" He finished sheepishly as Katibree face-faulted for the second time that evening.
"I mean, I know that Zelgadis has always claimed to have no siblings so it must be some really huge secret if you really are his sister, but I was really curious - -"
"G-Greyword's sister??" The ex-assassin finally exclaimed in disbelief from her sudden position on the ground. "What in L-sama's name would give you the idea that I'd be Greyword's sister??!"
"W-well… I mean you've both got blue skin, and you've kind of got the same ears so…" The blond warrior laughed while rubbing the back of his neck.
"I believe that was the most ridiculously random shit that I have ever heard Gabriev…"
"Heh, heh… Oh, so you're not Zel's sister then?"
"Of course not…!" "Let's just get inside already…"
