Chapter 4: Damn! We can't run faster than Nahga.

"Lina, she's catching up!" Gourry called, breathing heavily. Lina growled,

"I know that!" she said. She turned to Zel, "Can't you run any faster?" she asked. Zel blinked.

"Yes, but I'd just leave you guys behind. I can't carry all of you." He said. Lina blinked,

"Oh, yeah, demon speed and all." Lina remembered. She glanced at him, smiling evilly, "Carry us, huh?" she said, an evil gleam in her eye. Zel sweatdropped.

"Damn, here it comes." He said. Lina sidled up to him, putting her cutest face on.

"Zel? Could you please please carry me up to about a mile away from Nahga? You can come back and get the others if you want!" she said. The shadow twins had been running fitfully, Silphiel cheering them on, having made fast friends with her once she realized they weren't after her dear Gourry.

"Come on girls, lift up those legs, I know you can do it!" she said encouragingly. The shadow twins were puffing, but getting along, even though they were the main reason Nahga was keeping up. Zel glanced at them, arms still pumping, and sighed. Amelia was running at the very back of the mass, trying to make a decision between her sister and her friends.

"Fine.." he mumbled. Then he blushed fiercely as Lina jumped into his arms. He growled, built up speed, and ran about a mile up the road, setting Lina down, "Keep running.." he said to her, then ran back to get the rest.

About a half an hour later..

Zel puffed and moaned. How did he let himself be talked into this? There was only two left, Gourry and Amelia. Nahga was a little mad, after all, they had gone to incredible lengths to be free of her, and she wasn't even being carried! By the way, when Nahga gets mad, she unknowingly insults people.. a lot.

"Hey, Golem!" she shouted. She hadn't bothered to learn Zel's name, and, needless to say, that irritates him a lot. Zel wasn't in a big hurry to carry Gourry or Amelia a mile up the road, so he turned.

"My name is Zelgadis." He said through gritted teeth. Nahga made a dismissive gesture.

"Whatever." She said, "I just wanted to know if you were born with that face or if someone made it." She said, smiling. Zel growled. He repressed the urge to break her neck, because she was Amelia's sister. Amelia saw that look in his eye and giggled nervously.

"Mr. Zelgadis, um, how about we all make up, we don't need to fight.." she said. Zel glanced at her, a vague smile crossing his lips.

"The thought hadn't even crossed my mind." He said. Nahga nodded.

"I don't doubt it, you can't be very mobile with all those stones across your face." She said. Zel whirled to a halt, amazing Nahga to a stop. She crossed her arms. If Nahga had been paying any attention at all to the past few hours, she would have noticed his incredible speed and agility, but that's what we call a selective memory.

"Was that a challenge?" he asked. She shrugged.

"I don't know, was it?" she said. Amelia grabbed Zel by the sleeve, and forcefully started him running again. He was just about to heft Amelia into his arms and run up, when they crested a hill, where, under a tree lay Lana, Gracia, and Silphiel. Lina was sitting cross-legged a few feet away, polishing the gems at her hands and waist.

"Hey, you guys, this really isn't working.." she said, " I guess we'll just have to ditch Nahga tomorrow." Nahga smiled.

"I just knew you'd come to your senses, Lina," she said, not paying any attention to what Lina had just said, "You had to be left off from them to hang out with these people." She said, gesturing at Gourry, Zel, and Silphiel in turn. Amelia stamped her foot.

"Gracia! These people are my friends!" she shouted. Nahga turned to her.

"I know, dear little sister, I wasn't criticizing your choice of friends, I was criticizing Lina's choice of traveling companions." Amelia blinked, put one hand to her mouth, and shrugged. That Seyruun family logic is sure screwed. Zel had had just about enough of this Nahga the serpent person.

"You are getting on my last nerve," he said in measured tones. Nahga glanced at him.

"Is there room for nerves in your stone body?" she said. Lina's eyes widened.

"Ooooo." she said softly, "Disss."

"Zel, are you gonna just take that from her?" Gourry asked. Zel's eyes narrowed.

"You, you egomaniacal hoar!" he said. Nahga stood straight up.

"Excuse me, you stone bodied freak!" she said. Amelia gasped.

"Gracia!" she said loudly. Zel was so angry. He drew his sword.

"Ah, playing tough, are we?" Nahga asked. She lifted a hand, "FREEZE ARROW" Zel countered swiftly with a,

"BURST RONDO!" Suddenly, both the attacks were deflected. When the smoke cleared, there was a shield around Zel held up by Lina, and a shield around Nahga held up by Amelia. Amelia dropped her shield.

"Mr. Zelgadis, that's my sister!" she shouted. Zel glared at Nahga, then turned, throwing out his cape angrily. Lina looked after him.

"Zel." she said. He glanced at her with one eye. Gourry blinked.

"Am I out of the loop or something?" he asked. Silphiel sighed.

"It's okay, Gourry-chan, you don't have to know everything." Gourry got up, and ran over to Zel, walking backwards to face him.

"What's the matter, Zel?" he asked.

"Gourry!" Zel sputtered, "Oh, you're so oblivious!" he said. Gourry nodded.

"Well, yeah, usually." He said, "But I was paying attention to all those things that woman said." He said. Zel turned to him,

"And." he prompted.

"They were pretty hurtful, and unnecessary." He said. Zel nodded, growling softly.

"So, what do you propose I do about it, I can't just let her insult me like that!" he said. Gourry scratched his head. He brightened, holding up one finger.

"You could challenge her to a duel, for honor. A, non-injuring duel?" he said. Zel sighed.

"You mean a conditional battle." He said. He nodded, thinking about it, "Yeah, that could work.." they walked for a few moments in silence. Gourry scratched his head with one finger.

"Don't you think we should go back?" he asked.

"No, after a while, with both of us gone, they'll catch up. Probably at the least opportune time. In the meantime, I don't want to have to be near that Serpent person any longer." He said. Gourry nodded.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, she's kinda creepy." He said, "All that bounce." he drifted off. Zel nodded. He laughed softly.

"Hey, maybe there was a mixup and she got Lina's breasts, too!" he laughed. Gourry laughed.

"Excuse me??" said a voice right at Zel's ear. Well, he had incredible hearing, so she was about three feet away from him. He turned. Lina stood there, giving him the "The evil have no rights." Look, that he saw so much when they were crisping bandits, "Fire-BALL!" she shouted. The fireball engulfed both of them. Zel breathed out a puff of smoke, and they both collapsed. Lina strode next to them.

"And here I was coming to comfort Zel after Nahga exploited his weakest points, and I find that while I'm gone, HE'S exploiting MY weakest points. You dumb asses deserved that." She said. They didn't make any denials. Of course, that could be because their flesh was still sizzling, but that didn't really make any mind to Lina, she had already forgiven them.

Later that day..

"Nahga the. White Serpent. I challenge you!" Zel said. Nahga sneered.

"All right." She said.

"To a conditional battle.." Lina reminded them both, "The conditions are, no killing, no magic, and no sword fighting." Zel's face fell.

"What, hand to hand? That would be all to easy for me!" he said. Lina nodded.

"I know, that's why Nahga gets to pick the means of battle." She said. Zel sighed. Nahga considered for a moment, then brightened.

"I know exactly what the contest will be!" she said brightly. Zel nodded.

"Good, then out with it." He said. Nahga gave him a sidelong glance.

"Zegladis, I challenge you to a drinking contest!" Lina gasped, but Zel gave her a disbelieving look.

"A drinking contest?" he said in shock. Lina shook her head.

"No, drop out right now, Zel!" she said, "You'll never win!"

"To the floor!" Nahga shouted, "First to the floor loses!" she said. Zel gave Lina a sidelong glance.

"Lina, alcohol affects me much slower than it does a normal human.." he murmured, "This will be a snap!" Lina shook her head.

"No, Zel, you don't understand! She doesn't drink alcohol, she absorbs it! I've seen her drink an entire keg in thirty minutes!" she said. Zel scoffed.

"I'm waiting." Nahga said. Zel grinned.

"I accept your offer, and may I assure you, the best man will win!" he said. Poor Zel, what have you stupidly gotten yourself into?