Multiplicity

Chapter 1: Abhorrence! The resurfacing of the dreaded serpent

                "Oh-hohohohohoho!" Naga the white serpent laughed, causing the rest of the bar's patrons to cringe.

                The barkeep cautiously walked up to the counter, "Um, ma'am, I have to ask you to stop that, erm, laughter, or I'll have to ask you to leave." He said, shaking in fear.

                Naga gave him a look, turning, "All right, I can see that you people's constitutions are too weak to comprehend the wonder that is Naga. I'll leave now." She said, sniffing haughtily. She turned towards the door. And stopped. Standing in the doorway was Lina Inverse.

                "LINA!" Naga shouted, "Lina Inverse, at last I have found you!" she shouted.

                Lina stared at her with wide, frightened eyes.

                "What's the matter with you, Lina?" Naga shouted loudly, "Don't you remember your generously endowed rival, Naga the white serpent?"

                Lina cringed, "Gracia, why are you yelling at me?" She said in a small, shrill voice.

                Naga stopped short, staring at Lina with wide eyes, "How did you.." she started, but was interrupted by the appearance of another figure. It was a tall, generously endowed woman with dark purplish hair. Her figure was made a bit less marvelous by the fact that she was wearing a large, shapeless muumuu in a completely unflattering shade of brown. On the plus side, however, she looked very comfortable.

                "What?" The mysterious woman said.

                "Gracia!" Lina shouted, confused.

                "What is it, Lana?" the stranger called.

                "Lana?" Naga said in confusion.

                "Oh!" the woman called 'Gracia' said softly, "You are…" she said, looking at Naga.

                It suddenly dawned on Naga, "You look just like me! Youre… shadow me!" She said, pointing at 'Gracia', "And you must be Shadow Lina!" she said, pointing at 'Lana'. They nodded.

                After a time….

                "So, after you two left, you met up with the other ten me's?" Naga asked.

                'Gracia' nodded, "We tried to get them to stop their evil ways, but they wouldn't listen.." She said softly.

                Naga sighed pensively, thinking of the time it would take ten exact copies of her to bowl over these two wimps.

                'Lana' whimpered, "Where's Miss Lina?" she asked, seeming worried.

                Naga shrugged, "Oh, I haven't seen her for a while. She ran off somewhere." She paused, "Damn that Lina Inverse, lost me again! It seems for good this time." She said.

                At just that time….

                "Man, Gourry, I'm starving!" Lina shouted.

                "Yeah, me too!" Gourry shouted.

                Amelia smiled, "Look, there's a tavern right there!" she said, pointing.

                Zelgadis sighed, "We might as well go on in, it's not like we're going to get any traveling done today anymore." He said, staring up at the dark, ominous skies.

                Silphiel nodded, "Mr. Zelgadis is right, it looks as if it is going to rain." She said.

                They walked into the tavern, and Lina looked around. Suddenly her mind was struck by panic. There, sitting in the corner were…. OH MY GOD!!! Her eyes widened, "Uh, on second thought, let's get outta here!" she said, pushing the rest back out the door.

                Gourry frowned, "Hey, Lina, come on, we're not going to get any food out there!" he shouted.

                Lina frowned, "I don't care, Gourry, I just can't go in there!" she said through gritted teeth.

                While Lina was pushing Gourry back, Zel, Silphiel, and Amelia slipped through.

                Amelia gasped loudly, a strange look of shock on her face.

                Zel rolled his eyes, "What? Injustice being served somewhere?" he asked sarcastically.

                Amelia paid no attention, "Mr. Zelgadis, Miss Silphiel, It's it's…" she said, pointing.

                "What, Miss Amelia?" Silphiel asked.

                "It's my sister! AND MISS LINA!" she shouted.

                Zel, ever the skeptic, glanced over. And then he looked more sharply. The Lina who sat at the table looked exactly like the Lina who was now violently beating Gourry in the doorway, allowing for a change to more drab and darker clothing.

                "Come on, Lina!" Gourry shouted, blocking the blows that were raining down on him. Lina seemed to be panicking.

                Zel sweatdropped, "Hey, uh, Lina… er.." Zel said, trying to figure out how to ask Lina such a strange question.

                Lina looked back, and sighed in surrender, "Damn it… well, I suppose it had to come out sometime.." Lina said.

                Just then, Lana looked up at the doorway, "Miss Lina!" she shouted. She ran up to Lina, "Oh Miss Lina, it is so good to see you, I missed you so much!" Lana shouted.

                Both Naga's stood, "AH LINA!! LINA INVERSE, THERE YOU ARE!! You have avoided your greatest rival for long enough, and I, Naga the white…" she stopped, thunderstruck, as she caught a glimpse of Amelia, "Amelia?" she said.

                "Big sister!" Amelia shouted. She jumped up to hug Naga, but stopped as she saw Gracia, "Huh?" she said, confused.

                "Miss Amelia, my sister..." Gracia said softly. She ran up to Amelia and hugged her.

                Amelia twitched, "Huh?" she said again.

                "Meet Gracia, my, er, Shadow twin." Naga said.

                "But, sister, you're Gracia!" Amelia said, confused.

                "No, I AM NAGA, THE WHITE SERPENT!" she shouted, striking a confident pose.

                Amelia frowned, "Heh?" she mumbled, disconcerted.

                Lina put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, you're not the only confused one.." she said, jerking her thumb towards Gourry, Silphiel, and Zel, who wore their respective blank faces.

                Lana was still hugging Lina, "Oh, Miss Lina, you won't believe how horrible it's been, we've been so poor! I had to go and borrow money from our big sister!" she said.

                Lina choked on nothing, her face turning blue, "You WHAT?" she gasped.

                "She was very gracious to me, once I told her the story… she just wanted me to run an errand for her." Lana said, preoccupied, as Lina fainted dead away.

                Gourry frowned, and scratched his head, "I really don't know what's going on around here.." He said.

                Zel sighed, "You're not the only one.." he said.

                Amelia kneeled on the ground, "Miss Lina!" she shouted, shaking her.

                Lina blinked sleepily, "Oh, hi Amelia… I had the strangest dream.. My Shadow-twin was here, and so was Naga, and she was your sister, and then…" she paused, and her eyes widened.

                "Um, Hello Miss Lina.." Lana said shyly.

                Lina's eyes were afire, "How much money did you borrow, and WHAT DID SHE HAVE YOU DO??" Lina screeched.

                Lana blinked, eyes filled with tears, "Miss Lina, please don't yell at me…" she said, weeping.

                "What did she have you do?" Lina asked calmly.

                "Nothing, really.. It was quite strange, she just asked me to take a shower…" Lana said, confused and teary.

                Gourry, Zel, Amelia, and Silphiel were staring on in total silence.

                "OH MY GOD!!" Lina screamed, remembering the last great prank she had played on her sister. She had used a spell to project the image of her sister bathing on the village square's central monolith. Lina had never been paid back for that, it was her last great act before she left home.

                 Zel turned to Gourry, "You wanna ask her what's going on?" he asked.

                Gourry glanced at Lina, who was roiling in fear and anger. There was a flaming aura around her which was almost tangible. Gourry gulped, "Nope." He said.

                Zel sweatdropped, "I didn't think so.." he said.

                Naga looked over at the four standing in the corner, and laughed, "OH-HOHOHOHOHOHO! So, you are who Lina joined up with when she left? Quite honestly, I don't think any amount of people could make up for the loss of Naga, the white serpent!"

                They all sweatdropped but Silphiel. Zelgadis growled, "Was that some sort of challenge?" he asked.

                Meanwhile, Lina was banging her hands on the ground, cracking the wood, "SHE DID IT, SHE DID IT JUST FOR PAYBACK!!" She was shrieking.

                Silphiel was the first to realize that Lina was breaking down the bar. She ran over to Lina, "Miss Lina, I don't know what's going on here, and I don't know what you're so mad about, but don't you think that maybe it would be better to calm down?" she asked sweetly.

                Lina looked over at Silphiel, eyes glowing, "I'm never.. ever… EVER GOING HOME!" she shrieked.

                Silphiel's eyes widened, "Oh." she said blankly.

                "Eh?" Gourry said, in the middle of drawing his sword.

                Lina shook her head, "ALL RIGHT!" she said. She turned to the frightened patrons, who were scrambling to get out, and the barkeep who was hiding under the bar, "You!" she called to him, "I'm gonna need ten servings of tonight's special!" she shouted haggardly.

                The barkeep nodded, mentally counting the number of people.

                "Yeah, double that!" Gourry shouted.

                The barkeep staggered, "DOUBLE?" he asked.

                Lina glanced at him with icy eyes, "Just do it." She growled.

                Zel sat down, rubbing his forehead with one hand, "And a cup of tea!" he shouted to the barkeep, "My head hurts," he murmured, "What is going on here?" he asked.

                Lina smiled, "Well, it all started when the Professional Magic user's Society needed us to…

                 A HALF AN HOUR LATER

                "And we never saw them again, until now." Lina finished. A giant plate was set in front of her, "Finally!" she shouted.

                Gourry, Zel, Amelia, and Silphiel stared on in silence.

                "Uh…" Gourry started.

                "Miss Lina!" Amelia shouted, banging her fist on the table, "Why didn't you ever tell me that you knew my sister?"

                Lina sighed, "Mphell, shke nebber tolgh mhe dat shme waskh," Lina swallowed, "A princess! Gosh, I only noticed the resemblance in passing…." She mumbled, stuffing her mouth full again.

                Gracia looked on, wide eyed.

                Lana looked down.

                Amelia rolled her eyes.

                 Naga was drinking…

                Gourry was asleep.

                Silphiel was staring, wide eyed, at Naga.

                Zel was drinking his cup of tea. He slammed it down, "So, you mean to tell me that you found the famous shadow reflector, and this is your shadow twin?" he asked, gesturing toward Lana.

                Lina nodded, mouth full.

                He sighed, turning to her, "So, she's the exact opposite of you?" he asked.

                Lina nodded, mouth still full.

                He turned to Lana, "So, what do you have to say for yourself?" he asked Lana.

                She looked at him with wide, frightened eyes, and burst into tears, "I'm, I'm sorry, sir, I'm just, you're, you're scary!" she shouted.

                Zel's eyes widened, and a vein on his forehead stood out, "WHAT?" he shouted, standing.

                Lina put a hand on his shoulder, as Lana and Gracia clung to each other, crying. , "Zel…" she said.

                He sat, huffing.

                Amelia frowned, "So, Miss Lina, this person is the exact opposite of my sister?" Amelia said, pointing to Naga.

                "No, that's really your sister.." Lina said.

                Amelia smiled, "I knew it!" she said, glomping on her sister, "No one of the Seyruun family could be such a spineless mollycoddle!" she shouted, raising a fist to the air.

                Naga gasped, "Choking…" she murmured.

                "Oh, dear Gracia! I know that all this time you have been fighting for truth and justice in this world!" she shouted, eyes starry.

                Lina smiled, "Not exactly.." she said.

                Amelia gasped, "You mean…." She said.

                Lina smiled again, "Taught me everything I know.." she said sarcastically.

                Amelia's eyes went all starry, "No, oh Gracia, say it isn't so! You've let the burning justice of your heart be tainted by Miss Lina's brand of bandit-crisping justice!" She shrieked.

                Zel sweatdropped, "Look who's talking… God, if I didn't know better, I'd think Lina was your sister…" He said smugly.

                Amelia gave him a burning glance.

                Lina finished her ten dinners, and set the plate aside, "So, what have you all been up to while I was gone?" Lina asked.

                "I have been traveling the countryside looking for the perfect recipe for curry-flavored shaved ice!" Naga shouted.

                Lina sweatdropped,"Well, we'll be sure to inform you of that when we find it." She said.

                "What about you, my most childish rival?" Naga inquired.

                Lina resisted the urge to blast her into another dimension, and replied in measured tones, "Well, I killed the dark lord Shabranigdo, and the Dark Lord Phibrizzo, and as a result of my actions, The dark lord Gaav died.. I also rescued Seyruun from a pair of monsters who threatened to kill prince Phil, and I defeated copy Rezo.." she said. Naga gave her a blank look. Then she laughed, causing everyone at the table to cover their ears.

                "OH-HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO! LINA, do you expect me to believe all that, I mean, please, my diminutive junior partner, caused the death of three dark lords? It is to laugh! OH-HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!" she laughed.

                Zel nodded, "You know, she's right, Lina.." he said, "It is kind of unbelievable.. in fact, if I hadn't been there, I wouldn't believe it.." he said.

                Lina growled.

                "Besides, Miss Lina, we helped, at least a little bit!" Amelia shouted.

                Lina frowned, "Well, I suppose you're right, if it hadn't been for you guys, I would never have done all that stuff." She said.

                Zel sighed, "Yeah, and the world would have definitely ended by now." He said.

                Lana looked up in fear, "What?" she said, "No! That's scary, too scary!" she sobbed.

                Gracia nodded, "If the world ended, we would die!" she said, her eyes filling with tears.

                Lina gave them a look of disbelief, "Well, at least she's less weepy.." she said.

                "She used to be worse than this?" Zel asked.

                Lina nodded, "But.. the thought of someone who was the exact opposite of me being like that scared off Lagon…" she said.

                Zel nodded, "I can see why.." he said.

                Lina hit him upside the head, but only succeeded in hurting her hand. She sighed.

                "So.. what are we going to do now?" Gourry asked.

                Amelia jumped up on the table, "We MUST help these poor defenseless creatures!" she said loudly.

                Gracia and Lana clutched each other in fear, "You're loud…" they said.

                Amelia sweatdropped. She whispered to Lina, "You're sure they're the exact opposite, now?" she said.

                Lina frowned, "YES!" she shouted angrily.

                Amelia smiled.

                "So, now we're what?" Zel asked in disbelief, "We're going to travel with.. two Lina's, and this odd person?" Zel asked.

                Both Naga and Amelia fumed, but Amelia then smiled, "Oh, but, Mr. Zelgadis, I would think that you would enjoy having two beautiful.. and demure women around, after all, you went for that Femille gal, I mean guy…" She said.

                Zel's eyes widened, and he facefaulted.

                "Amelia!" Lina called, "That was a low blow!" she said.

                Amelia blinked innocently, "It was just an observation, Miss Lina." She said.

                Zel growled and stood up, swirling his cape behind him, "I'm going to bed.." he growled, trudging up the stairs.

                *Great, this is just great..* he thought, *Now we're three Seyruun princesses strong, and.. ::shudder:: two Lina's! What have I gotten myself into? We had enough soft-spoken pacifists with Silphiel!* he trod up the stairs, still angry.

                Speaking of demure and kind clerics, Silphiel had been sitting in utter silence for the last few minutes. She quietly scooted over to Gourry, and put her arm around his. Gourry looked down at her.

                "What's the matter?" he asked. She smiled.

                "Nothing, Gourry, dear.." she said quietly.

                *Now there's two of them to get between me and my dear Gourry.. What will I ever do?* she asked herself silently.

                Gourry turned back to Lina, who was finishing off the last of her dessert.

                "So, Anyway," Lina said, "It's about time we got some sleep, and stopped worrying about all this. It'll take care of itself in the morning." She said, yawning.

                 Lana and Gracia got up and walked to a room upstairs. Naga, meanwhile, had fallen asleep on the bench. Amelia looked at Lina, "Could you help me get her to a room?" She asked helplessly.

                Lina smiled, "No need, just leave her there.." she said.

                Amelia threw up her arms, "If you say so, Miss Lina." Amelia said.

                They filed upstairs to one of the rooms with double beds, and flopped down, immediately falling asleep.