Chapter Seven: Lina's Curse

Chapter Seven: Lina's Curse

"I don't see how anyone would be stupid enough not to see that we're wearing disguises," grumbled Kera.

"That's the idea," said Martina, admiring her disguised self in the mirror. "They will know that we're wearing disguises but won't bother finding out how we really look like."

"Are you sure?" Kera asked doubtfully.

"Of course I'm sure, Kera-san," said Martina. "When have my ideas failed to work?"

Lots of times, said Kera mentally. Sigh… I'll better go along with her or I'll never hear the end of this. "Whatever you say, Martina."

"Kera-san…" said Martina, her eyes brimming with tears. "You're so nice to me!"

Here we go again, thought Kera, scratching the back of her wig. "Enough already, Martina-chan," she said. "Let's go and eat our dinner."

"Yes! Dinner!"

The two girls were dressed in matching outfits and wigs. Kera was in a dark blue dress while Martina was in a maroon dress. Both wore blonde wigs and big, round glasses. As Kera had expected, everyone stared when they entered the tavern. Fortunately, Lina and Gourry were busy eating so they did not notice the pair of strange looking girls. As they sat down at a table, Kera thought, Xelloss had better not appear now. This is so humiliating! Martina ordered for both of them, knowing Kera's propensity for food.

Zelgadiss stared at the two girls for a long time. Both of them vaguely resembled the girl they met this morning. There was almost something familiar in the features of the taller girl. It was as if… "Ouch!" he said, rubbing his head. "What was that for?"

"It's not polite to stare at others like that, Zelgadiss-san," scolded Amelia, holding the pot she had just hit his head with. "Especially girls."

"Mind your own business, Amelia," he said, turning away from her as he sipped his tea.

Amelia frowned angrily, then also looked at the girls to see what was so interesting about them. Apart from their poor taste in clothes, bad hair and huge spectacles, Amelia could not see anything particularly fascinating about them. Maybe Zelgadiss-san found them familiar? Nah… probably not, she thought as she continued eating.

Finally they finished their dinner. "Say, why don't we pay a visit to the hot springs?" Amelia suggested eagerly.

"That's a good idea, Amelia," said Lina. "Let's go right now!"

Gourry and Zelgadiss agreed so they all went off to the changing rooms. Martina and Kera overheard their conversation. "Chance!" Martina exclaimed. "When Lina goes to the hot springs, I shall go into the changing room and pick any of her belongings I want! Yes, that is a perfect plan!"

"That's what you said the last time," said Kera, sipping an iced drink.

"This time it's different! I will succeed," said Martina with conviction. "It would be downright impossible not to succeed."

"If you say so," muttered Kera.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And so, a few moments later, Martina went walking down the hall to the changing rooms, dressed in her chambermaid disguise. Unfortunately, she met Gourry and was so distracted that she completely forgot about her mission until it was too late. When she finally entered the girls' changing room, there was nothing there. Lina and Amelia had already changed and returned to their room minutes before.

A very depressed and embarrassed Martina returned to the room she shared with Kera. "I thought you said it was not possible not to succeed? In fact, if I remember correctly, your exact words were 'downright impossible'," said Kera, smirking.

"Don't tease me any more, Kera-san," begged Martina as she cast her eyes down sadly. "I don't know why I keep failing."

"All right," said Kera, sighing. "I'll help you get the item you need, ok?"

"Really?" Martina said, her eyes filled with tears. "Kera-san, you are-"

"I know. I'm so nice to you," said Kera as Martina nodded in agreement. "Well, it's no use going right now, so we'll wait until they're asleep."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A few hours later, Kera crept into Lina and Amelia's room. Everything was quiet so far. Kera looked around the room. Lina's clothes were scattered everywhere. Her headband was lying on the floor not far from where Kera was. Smiling, Kera was about to pick it up when Amelia abruptly sat up and pointed straight at Kera, saying, "Cease your evil action, villain!"

Startled, Kera froze until Amelia lay down again. She's only talking in her sleep, thought Kera as she picked up Lina's headband. As she was turning to leave, a hand caught her collar. "With such poor skills, how dare you call yourself a warrior?" Lina said, tossing a surprised Kera out of the window with a powerful flick of her wrist.

"Raywing!" Kera intoned quietly before she was halfway out of the window. Phew, she's dangerous even in her sleep, she thought, shaken by the experience. With Lina's headband held firmly in her hand, the brown-haired sorceress turned and flew back to her room.

On arriving at their room, Kera handed over the headband to an overjoyed Martina. As Kera watched, the green-haired princess took the headband in one hand and took out the cursed dagger in the other. With a grin of triumph, Martina pierced the headband with the dagger. Black smoke was emitted from the cursed dagger. "Lina Inverse, you are hereby cursed in the name of the great Zoamel Gustav," she said solemnly.

"So what happens now?" Kera asked, curious.

"Whenever Lina hits another person, the damage will be magically multiplied and transferred to herself," explained Martina. "Sooner or later, Lina will have to kill a person and when she does that, she will be killed! Ohohohoho!"

"What if Lina does not kill anyone or hurt anyone?" Kera asked, ignoring Martina's laughter.

"Why, that is impossible for Lina!" Martina said confidently. "She is such a violent person that she will surely suffer tomorrow! Especially since my mercenaries will be there to make her hurt herself! My revenge will be complete and my fiancé, Gourry Gabriev will finally be mine!"

"Since when was Gourry your fiancé?" Kera asked with raised eyebrows.

"I decided that today," said Martina dreamily.

Kera facefaulted. Martina was too preoccupied to notice and continued, "Gourry and I will make this place into the kingdom of Zoamel Gustav. Don't you think it's a splendid idea, Kera-san? Kera-san! What are you lying on the floor? You must be exhausted! Let me help you into bed."

Martina half-carried Kera into her bed, then lay down on her own bed. "Have a good night, Kera-san," she murmured.

"Yeah. I'll need it," said Kera under her breath as she covered herself with the blanket.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Early the next morning, Martina gathered her mercenaries and gave them orders to attack Lina on cue. Meanwhile, it seemed that Lina had already discovered that she was cursed, with Xelloss' help. Kera had already gotten used to the priest's mysterious appearances and disappearances so she was not very surprised when he turned up in time for breakfast at the tavern. Now she had to prepare to teleport Martina and her mercenaries to a spot in the forest when Lina and her group decided to flee. Giving Xelloss a last puzzled glance, Kera flew off to the forest.

During this time, back at the tavern, Lina was wondering who the person who cursed her was. Martina's eerie laughter sounded and she appeared at the doorway in her chambermaid disguise. "Who are you?" Lina asked, embarrassed that she had forgotten Martina.

Martina facefaulted. "I'm Martina, you dolt!" she shouted angrily. "How dare you forget me!"

However, Lina still didn't know who she was until Zelgadiss reminded her. "She's the princess of Zoana, the city that you destroyed."

"Oh, that Martina! Ah, the memories," said Lina. "Nice to meet you again, Martina. How have you been? Fine, I hope?"

"I'm definitely not fine! I was the one who placed the curse on you, Lina Inverse! You shall pay the price for destroying my kingdom!" Martina declared. "Men, get her!"

Her group of mercenaries appeared and charged towards Lina. The redheaded sorceress screamed and jumped to the ceiling, leaving Gourry, Amelia and Zelgadiss to fight in her place. However, Martina ordered her men to spare only Gourry so the blonde swordsman stood dumbly, confused by the one-sided battle. Xelloss was hanging on to the rafters beside Lina. "At least go down there and help them, Xelloss," said Lina.

"Don't worry, Lina-san. I will cheer for you in the background," said Xelloss, leaping into the ceiling and vanishing once again.

"Come back here! Coward!" Lina demanded.

"Call me whatever you wish, it doesn't matter to me," replied an echo of Xelloss' voice.

"In that case, there's only one thing I can do," said Lina, jumping down to the ground beside Gourry. The skirmish halted temporarily. "And that is… RUN!"

"Hey, Lina! Wait for us!" Amelia yelled as she, Gourry and Zelgadiss chased after her.

Martina smirked at their quick exit. "You may run, but I'll catch up with you soon."

She gestured imperatively at one of her mercenaries and he let fly a flaming arrow. Kera saw the signal and started casting the spell that would teleport them to the prepared location. When Martina appeared beside her, the green-haired princess immediately climbed up a nearby tree to be more dramatic. Shrugging, Kera hid behind a large bush to watch. Lina and the others soon came on the scene. Martina's strident laughter soon sounded again and once again, she ordered her mercenaries to attack. As Zelgadiss started to fight, Lina asked Martina why she cursed her. Martina replied, "That's so that I can be with my fiancé, Gourry Gabriev."

"Fiancé? Since when did you become her fiancé, Gourry?" Lina demanded.

"I don't know…," said Gourry vaguely. "What's a fiancé? Is it edible?"

Lina, Amelia, Zelgadiss and Martina facefaulted. "Why did I even bother to ask?" Lina asked herself. "It must be Martina's idea, then."

Martina was completely dumbfounded. This handsome, skilled blonde swordsman that she had chosen to be her fiancé was nothing but a brainless idiot? How could it be? Lina had tricked her again! "But it doesn't matter," said Martina. "I will still get rid of Lina Inverse with the help of this cursed dagg- ouch! Oh no!"

In her agitation, Martina dropped the cursed dagger on her own boot. She stared at the black smoke being emitted in dismay. "It would seem that she has now cursed herself too," said Xelloss, appearing beside Zelgadiss.

"Hey, where did you come from?" Zelgadiss said as he drew back from the priest in shock.

Not Xelloss again! Kera thought. Why does he always show up at the worst times? She glanced at Martina and smacked her forehead. That stupid girl! Why did she get herself cursed too? It looked like it was going to be another bad day for them.

"Never mind," said Martina, smirking. "I'll just remove the curse and I'll be fine."

"Ha!" Lina exclaimed, walking menacingly towards Martina. "That would mean that you would have to remove the curse from me too! Once you do that, I'll make sure you'll never forget this incident."

Smiling evilly, Lina continued walking towards Martina, cracking her knuckles in preparation for battle. "Is that so?" said Martina. "Then I'll just have to remove the curse after I defeat you. Lina! Prepare to die!"

The two girls charged towards each other with angry fire in their eyes. What followed was the strangest battle ever seen. Both opponents hurt each other at the same time that they hurt themselves. The observers all sighed and sweatdropped. Finally, Lina became fed up with playing around and threw a fireball at Martina. There was a huge explosion…

~ ~ ~ The End of Chapter 7 ~ ~ ~

What's next? Nani?! Chaos-Dragon Garv?! No!! What will happen to Kera if she meets him? The next Chapter…