"One more class." Lina muttered as she struggled with feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion as she walked with Zelgadis down the hallway, "One more class, and then we hit the road! I should not be this tired this early in the year!"

"Save your complaining for later. It sets a bad example for the students." Zelgadis said quietly as Lina bristled, "See you after class."

Lina stuck her tongue out at him as he walked to his classroom and then she froze as she heard the sounds of shouting from hers. What now? she wondered as she took a deep, grounding breath to steel herself as she walked to her classroom and opened the door. Her eyes were quickly drawn to Anne, whose red hair had been closely shorn after her misadventure with hair dye, who was shouting at the top of her lungs at Tom, who looked entirely composed as the rest of the class drew around them to watch.

"I'd never seen him before! How dare you!"

"What anger!" Tom observed as he folded his arms across his chest and smiled, "If that's not the sound of a guilty conscience. I saw you colluding with that peddler! Admit it!"

Lina saw Anne's hand clench into a fist, "OK, class, settle down." She started, but Anne was undeterred as she moved towards Tom, and Lina quickly moved to grab her hand. Anne swung around and stepped on Lina's foot as Lina tried to wrangle her into a hold, "Get ahold of yourself!" Lina yelled as she cried out as Anne managed to hit her solar plexus.

Lina's eyes widened as she struggled to catch her breath and hold onto Anne as she feared the loss of credibility that would result should Anne manage to kick her ass in front of the entire class if she didn't manage to get her under control soon. Lina drew enough breath in to start chanting, "Laphas Seed!"

A lasso of light surrounded Anne, who struggled futilely against it but Lina could rest knowing that Anne wouldn't be able to attack anyone, physically or with spells, while confined within. Lina stepped back as she straightened her tunic and squared her shoulders as she asked, "What is wrong with you!?"

"He said that I knew the peddler was a fraud and did this to humiliate all of the girls!" Anne said as she glared at Tom contemptuously. "He's telling filthy lies about me!"

"All I did was tell the truth." Tom said calmly as several students around him started to nod in agreement, "I guess she doesn't like being exposed."

The other students started muttering amongst themselves as Anne turned red as she yelled, "Shut your mouth or I'll…"

"You're in quite a lot of trouble, Anne, don't make it worse." Lina snapped as she yearned for a moment to catch her breath and figure out what to do.

"But he's telling lies about me!" Anne protested.

"And how has anything you've done changed that?" Lina asked.

"Well you stopped me before I could beat him into apologizing!"

Lina managed to stifle her laugh as she quickly turned and started walking as she pulled Anne along behind her, "Right, I'm taking you to cool off. As for the rest of you start reading your text, chapter 2, and anyone who isn't reading when I get back can cool off with Anne and miss this vitally important lecture that I should have already started by now!"

"What about Tom?" Anne asked as they got into the hallway.

"What about him?" Lina asked.

"He should sit out and be punished too! For telling lies!"

"I will figure out the proper way to handle Tom." Lina said, "The only thing you need to worry about is calming that temper of yours! Look, I get being hotheaded, but this will earn you no favors."

"Do you believe him?"

"I don't know what to believe." Lina said, "All I know is that you were the one to start the physical aggression and you attacked me."

Anne's face fell as it finally seemed to dawn on her what she had done. "I didn't realize…"

"I don't care!" Lina snapped as she wondered how much time this would take. Finally they reached the girl's dorms and Lina walked Anne to her bed, "Sit down, cool off, I'll be back once class is over."

"Dame Lina…"

"I said cool off! Stop talking, think through your actions! Or I'll have to get my sister in to disciple you." Lina snapped.

Lina's satisfaction over the way the color drained from Anne's face was temporary. As she got into the hallway she started to feel bad for threatening Anne with Luna. While part of her felt that Anne deserved whatever punishment that Luna would mete out the other…

Lina squirmed and tried to think of the fun they would have tonight. If they weren't delayed too late by this incident. Lina sighed. Now it was no longer one more class and a night of fun. Now it was one more class, dealing with Anne and then a night of fun. Figures.

Lina took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure. It was too early in the year to be so tired and burnt out and dissatisfied with a group of students. Lina wondered if they had just been inordinately lucky with their first class or if this current group was just an unusually bad one or if it was a bit of both.

She returned to the classroom and was grateful to find that everyone was reading quietly. She walked over to the chalkboard and caught Tom smiling as he read and felt a chill in her spine. For some reason she started thinking of Alfred and how he would grin like that when he thought he was getting away with his dastardly scheme. As soon as she thought it Tom's smile vanished and was replaced with a somber expression, leaving Lina wondering if she was imagining things. Regardless, she could hardly hold Tom accountable for smiling.

"You may put your books away and prepare to take notes. All of this will be on the test." Lina said as she grabbed some chalk and launched into her lecture.

Usually Lina would not mind being pressed tightly against Gourry. But between the fact that they were packed into the carriage like sardines and given how bumpy the ride was, it was not as enjoyable as it usually was. Lina had hoped that they would be able to walk to town, but discipling Anne after class had eaten through so much time that if they wanted to make it to the show they would need to use the carriage. And since Sylphiel and Rick planned to return to the manor that night so she could nurse Erik, if they were going to have any enjoyable time in town they would need to use the carriage.

But Lina was far from happy about it. At least everyone was interested in hearing about what happened with Anne so she could vent her frustration, but it was not as cathartic as it typically was.

"So what did you do with Anne?" Amelia asked as Lina got to the part where she had finished teaching her final class.

"Gave her the weekend to read and write a five page paper on Shancer's book on emotional control. Hopefully it'll keep her so busy that she won't cause any more trouble until we get back."

"I'm surprised that's all you did to her." Zelgadis said from Amelia's right side.

Lina decided it was a very good thing that she couldn't see his face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just expected you to be harsher with any student who brought a hand to you. Lay a firm law down." Zelgadis said, "A paper feels like a slap on the wrist. I would expect a student who attacked a teacher to be expelled, frankly."

"I'm a fan of making her kneel on grains of rice or run laps until she collapses." Naga said, "You show someone like that mercy and you'll regret it."

"What's that supposed to teach anyone, but how to be cruel?" Moe asked.

Lina did have to smile at the thought of Naga's husband standing against her as Zelgadis said, "The world is cruel, and we'll do our students no favors if we pretend otherwise."

"Anne has already seen a lot of cruelty in her life." Sylphiel said, "Orphanages are terrible places. And it's put her on a terrible path."

"So you let her walk all over you?" Naga shot back.

"You can be kind and stop people from walking all over you." Sylphiel said.

"And tell me how your efforts with Arnold are going." Zelgadis said.

Rick and Sylphiel exchanged a look, "In his case, he may have been too broken by the time we got to him."

"Why, what happened?" Lina asked.

"As we were getting ready to leave he took it rather personally that we were leaving without him." Sylphiel explained.

"You mean he wanted to come?" Lina asked.

"You give him special privileges…" Naga said.

"I'd hardly call being a kitchen boy a special privilege." Lina said.

"Syl's too modest to say it, but Arnold's developed something of a crush on her and is getting strange about it." Rick explained.

"I'm afraid Sis called that." Lina said.

"Arnold's problems stem from feeling entitled to things he has no right to." Sylphiel said, "Anne's are different though. I feel Dame Lina is on the right track with the book on self control. Anne doesn't know self control…"

"And how is a book report going to teach that?" Naga asked.

"My master gave me a lot of reading when I was studying swordplay." Gourry said, "Some of them had a lot about mental discipline. It was actually helpful."

Everyone turned to look at him and he quickly looked out the window as though he wished he hadn't said anything. "Well after all this time I'm still learning things about you." Lina said, though there was not enough room in the carriage for her to playfully punch him.

"I didn't know you could read!" Zelgadis exclaimed

"Well you can try with your soft methods, but if she turns out to be M…" Naga said.

"I hardly think I good beating would stop M." Moe said.

"It sounds like a better way to create M." Gourry agreed.

"I'm still surprised that this is your approach." Zelgadis said. "I know Luna…"

"Nobody in this carriage knows better than me what Sis would do." Lina snapped as she felt gooseflesh erupt on her arms, "And as far as I'm concerned I'll be struck dead before I condone her methods."

"But look at what you're risking if Anne is M. If this is some sort of pride…" Zelgadis said.

"This isn't up for discussion!" Lina said as Gourry put a hand on her knee.

"Especially since we don't even know that Anne is M. We have plenty of other candidates." Sylphiel pointed out. "Which begs the question of whether there was any truth to Tom's accusation or if he was truly slandering her."

"I don't know what to think." Lina sighed, "I miss Susan. She'd be able to sort this out. But without her…Well, Anne hasn't exactly endeared herself to me, but she doesn't strike me as the type who would do this. It makes no sense for one thing. She has to wear that unflattering haircut now and the whole school hates her. If for some unfathomable reason she did plan this with the peddler it didn't benefit her at all."

"I tend to agree but..." Sylphiel's voice trailed off as her forehead creased. "Well, I let's just say I find it easier to believe that Tom was falsely accusing her then that she colluded with the peddler."

"If she didn't, I can see why she would get so riled up. To be falsely accused of such a vile act would make anyone angry!" Amelia said.

"And Anne hasn't endeared herself to anyone." Rick said, "Already everyone thought she was weird and annoying. She was having a difficult time finding her place here and this will make it harder. I can understand why she was so mad, though it doesn't justify what she did."

"But why would Tom falsely accuse her?" Naga asked.

"Perhaps he was mistaken?" Gourry suggested.

"Or perhaps he wanted to frame her." Sylphiel said quietly. "Children can be so cruel. Perhaps he did this alone or as a group, but perhaps he wanted to push her over the edge so she would attack someone and then she could be expelled."

"That is the mark of a true villain!" Amelia said.

"While it's true no one likes her, to go so far as to try to get her expelled…" Naga said incredulously.

"What's scary, given how impulsive she is, is that she is smart." Lina said, "She's well read. Surprisingly so, given where she came from. And she's powerful. She's not going to be in my Giga Slave group, not with her temper and this cloud of suspicion over her head. But she'd be powerful enough. Which makes her competition. It's easy to see why some people would want to see her expelled."

"And she and Tom are from the same orphanage." Sylphiel said, "They may have some long standing animosity between them that could be behind this as well."

"If he's framing her." Zelgadis reminded the group.

Lina noticed Gourry tense behind her as Moe shot him a glance. "What?" she asked.

"Tom does seem to like to stir the pot as they say." Moe said.

"What do you mean?" Lina said.

"While Naga was away, before she announced her pregnancy, Tom came up and congratulated me. Since I didn't know that we had a baby on the way it was very strange. And I think Tom knew I didn't know."

"What?" Lina said.

"I was there, and it was strange." Gourry agreed, "Especially since several of the girls were there and it was a surprise for them. I mean, usually the girls pick up on it before the boys do."

"But how did he know? I sure as hell didn't tell him!" Naga said, her face slightly flushed.

"You don't think he's been spying on us?" Lina mused.

"If he is I haven't noticed him." Gourry said.

"Which means if he has been spying then he has some high level masking skills if Gourry isn't able to sense him," Lina said.

"While it is suspicious, it's hardly proof of wrong doing on Tom's part." Zelgadis said, "He could have Leia's sixth sense about these matters and when he realized he'd overstepped he was awkward about it."

"That's possible." Lina said as they came into town and her legs itched with the desire to get out and stretch.

"It does feel as though we're spinning our wheels and getting no closer to the truth." Sylphiel said as they pulled into the theatre and they were all too busy and grateful to get out of the carriage to continue the conversation.

Lina sat back in her seat and patted her stomach and sighed contentedly, "That was a good meal."

"I'd forgotten what it was like to enjoy a meal without dodging the food that the twins throw!" Gourry said. "The only thing I had to worry about was keeping you from stealing my shrimp."

Lina smiled coyly, "Serves you right for taking my potatoes."

He reached out and grabbed her hand, "Glad we finally got some time alone."

While they had watched the comedy with the others afterwards Lina and Gourry decided to take a stroll through town before dinner while the others had a meal, allowing them to finally get some time alone. Eventually they returned to the inn and Lina managed to charm the owner into getting them a late dinner, which they had now finished.

"Especially after a week like this." Lina said. "If this class doesn't settle down soon…"

He squeezed her hand, "They almost make taking Shabranigdu down look like a piece of cake."

She laughed a little and stood up, "We'd better get going before they kick us out."

"It is late." He agreed as he got up and they hooked arms together.

"You've not said much, about whether you think Anne or Tom might be M." she commented as they walked towards the stairs.

He sighed a little as they climbed them together, "I just don't know. And I feel the pressure of being wrong, you know?"

"I can see that." She said as they reached the top of the stairs and Gourry started fishing in his pocket for the key as they found their room. "But surely you have a gut feel here?"

He pressed his lips together as he unlocked the door, "Maybe…maybe rather than obsessing over who is or isn't M, we should look at the facts. Anne is obviously troubled and in need of guidance and support and we should work on being that for her. Morticia, well, I don't know what to think there to be honest. But guidance and support shouldn't hurt. Same with Tom."

As they walked into their room Lina said, "There's a lot of sense in that. But if Anne is M Sis will never let me live it down…"

As Lina took off her boots Gourry sat at the foot of the bed and said, "We can drive ourselves crazy with this, Lina. What if M is just destined to happen no matter what we do?"

He started to take his boots off as she laid on the bed, feeling irritated for reasons she couldn't understand. She looked at his back and smiled as an idea popped into her mind as she wondered if she could undress him with her feet. It would certainly be more fun than being irritated.

She slipped her feet under his shirt and started to lift them up his back. She'd almost got up to his neck when he when he yelped, "Lina!"

And then he sighed and turned around as she cried, "Hey! I wasn't done…"

But before she could finish her sentence he had grabbed her foot and pulled her down the bed until she was under him. A thrill shot through Lina from her stomach down to her toes as he grinned as he wrapped an arm on her waist as she put her hand on his bicep as he moved his hand to grip her chin for a moment before he kissed her. "Love you." He said with a smile as she scowled at him.

"You didn't let me finish!" she said.

"We'll have plenty of time for that now, won't we?" he said before he leaned down to kiss her again.

AN: There was a fanmade animated gif going around Twitter that inspired the last scene. Almost done with the edits for the next update of Gunginiel Knight as well...those edits have been tricky.