Chapter 5: Euphony! One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, Floor.
"I'm getting sooo sick of this.." Lina mumbled. She glanced at Gourry, who was coaching Zel for some odd odd reason, and they were both giving Nahga evil looks. Amelia, who was walking next to Lina, nodded.
"I know what you mean, Miss Lina," she said, "My love hates my sister. It's tragic." Lina sweatdropped.
"Right, Amelia." She said. Amelia blinked at her, a little confused, then she turned back ahead. She smiled.
"Look, Miss Lina, an Inn!" she shouted. Lina turned to it with mixed feelings, until she noticed the sign hung above the door. 'Featuring Karaoke!' Lina blinked.
"Miss Lina.." said Lana, "What's Karaoke?" Lina growled.
"Karaoke is a type of magic that people have been working on for years, with mixed results. It is supposed to make you sound better than you actually are while singing, and running the words of the song before you, so you can read them. The best ones had magical costumes, and the one who does the best gets a special prize." Lina said. Lana nodded. Gracia shivered.
"Up in front of all those people. I can't do it!" she said. Lina sweatdropped.
"We weren't expecting you to." She said. Meanwhile, Zel, Gourry, and Nahga had noticed the bar, and were running for it. Lina, Amelia, Lana, Gracia, and Silphiel ran after them.
When they reached the bar, it was empty but for an old guy washing the bar. Lina walked up to the counter.
"Hey, how's business?" she said, having a certain camaraderie with a businessman like himself. (she does, ok, she just never shows it!) he sighed,
"Not good. It seems that my dream of owning a Karaoke bar went out with disco.." Lina blinked.
"Disco?" she said. He shook his head.
"Nevermind, um, we've got tons of popular songs in there, so have fun." He said.
"Hey, do you have liquor?" Nahga shouted. The guy nodded.
"What's your pleasure?" he said.
"Anything alcoholic!" Zel shouted. The man shrugged, then brought out a couple of the house special.
"It's called the Giga Slave." He said. Lina raised an eyebrow.
"Giga Slave?" she said. He nodded.
"A special chaotic blend." He said proudly. Lina hmphed, and ordered ten platters of chicken. The guy's eyes widened, and by the time Gourry had ordered, he realized that this would make up for maybe three months of no one visiting. He was also glad that he kept his stocks high. He went off, whistling a little song. Lina blinked.
"What's that song, it sounds awful familiar.." she said. He smiled.
"It's a pretty rare one, I have it in the machine, but you need two people to sing it, it's a duet. If you can get someone else." he said. Amelia jumped up.
"I'd love to!" she said.
"All right, I'll set it up, the costumes should be in the closet." They went over to the closet. Meanwhile, Gourry and Zel were eyeing the fizzing concoction warily.
"What do you think's in it?" Gourry asked Zel. Zel shrugged.
"I dunno, nitrogen, maybe a little poison.." he said Nahga laughed. Urg.
"OH-HOHOHOHO! You wussy men!" she said, picking up her glass and downing it in one gulp. Zel growled. He picked up the glass, despite the protests of Gourry, who thought it was pretty, and chugged. He set it down with a triumphant look on his face, and a taste like cough syrup in his mouth.
"Well." Gourry said. Zel shrugged.
"It was ok." He said. The bartender noticed that they were already finished, smiled, and went off to mix up another batch. Meanwhile, in the changing rooms.
"Miss Lina, these outfits are awfully familiar.." Amelia said. Lina grunted.
"Well, are you ready?" she said. Amelia stepped out and nodded. Lina stepped out and gasped.
"What is it, Miss Lina?" Amelia asked. She then saw Lina's outfit. She gasped too. The curtain raised, and the music began. The entire bar was subjected to the sight of Lina, and Amelia in matching pink and blue fukus. The words flitted across the screen.
"Girls who are in love, give their love to you, you, who shine so bright my darrling!" Lina and Amelia sang. Zel, Gourry, Silphiel, Nahga, Gracia, and Lana gaped.
"Shining Rouge!" Lina sang.
"Pink like Peaches!" Amelia sang.
"I pray, that it reaches you, this maiden's prayer!" They both sang, "Floating in the night sky like a silver boat, the beautiful moon reflects my tears of love and haate!" Gourry blinked, and turned to Zel.
"I didn't think it was THAT strong." Zel mumbled. Gourry shook his head,
"No, I see it too." He said. Lina frowned, but the magic forced them to sing once they chose the song.
"My heart's beating so fast inside my little breast, anddon'tyousayawordGourry!" She burst out at the end of the line. Gourry blinked innocently.
"My heart's flying, flying to you, oh please will it reach you, heart's flying, flying to you, I'm completely yours, pretty little me!!!" they both sang. Nahga laughed.
"OH-HOHOHOHO! Pretty!" she said in total mirth. Lina growled.
"Girls who are in love, give their love to you, you who shine so bright my darrling!" they sang quickly,
"Intoxicating cologne," Lina sang.
"A flickering dream!" Amelia sang.
"The blue parasol I carry!" Lina sang.
"I pray that my prayer will come true! Floating in the night sky like a silver boat, the moon reflects my tears of love and hate! My heart's beating so fast inside my little breast! My heart's flying, flying to you! Oh, please will it reach you! This maiden's prayer! A kiss thrown out is like a boomerang! A one way ticket boomerang!"
"I'm yours completely, pretty little me!" Amelia sang.
"My feelings for you are flying high on a white pegasus!" Lina sang.
"Oh, I hope they reach you! The final pieces of the jigsaw puzzle of love!!!!" They both sang. The song ended. Lana, Gracia, and Silphiel clapped, but Gourry, Zel, and Nahga just laughed hysterically. Lina growled.
"Do you guys remember what happened last time we sang that song?" Gourry and Zel nodded, "You want it to happen again?" they shook their heads, "Good." Lina said. The barkeep brought them another round. This time it was a sickly green. Nahga downed hers, but Zel gazed at his with trepidation.
"What are you waiting for Zel?" Gourry said. Zel shook his head.
"I think he just puts whatever in there." Zel said. Gourry blinked.
"So. Chug!" he said. Zel picked up the glass and chugged it down. This time the aftertaste was a little bit fruity.
"So, what'd it taste like?" Gourry asked again. Zel made a face.
"Lime." He said. He coughed. Lina and Amelia came from behind the curtain, back in their normal clothes, and overly flustered. Silphiel smiled.
"I thought it was wonderful, Miss Lina, where did you learn to sing so well?" she said. Lina growled.
"We've had practice." Meanwhile, the barkeep had brought Zel and Nahga another round. It was a bright red. Gourry studied it.
"I don't trust that color, Zel." He said. Zel shrugged. If he was going to do this, he might as well do it right, and Nahga had already gulped hers down. He neglected to notice the fact that he was feeling a little low, whereas Nahga looked fine and dandy. He chugged this one down, and it tasted of cinnamon. Gourry was a little nervous, after all, Zel was looking a little run down by this time, but Nahga was her normal self. He stood up and walked to the counter, to talk to the barkeep.
"Hey, sir, what's in those drinks?" he asked quietly.
"Oh, the Giga Slaves?" the barkeep said, "A half a cup of sake, and then whatever else catches my fancy on the old shelves." He said, smiling, "Want one?" Gourry made a face.
"Er, not really." He said. The barkeep nodded.
"So, the karaoke machine is free, want to have a go?" he said. Gourry thought about it, and shrugged, it's not like he wanted to have to sit and watch Zel get smashed.
"I guess." He said. The barkeep smiled,
"Good, I've got the perfect song for you!" he said. Silphiel glanced at Gourry, as he walked into the changing rooms. The barkeep noticed.
"You wanna have a go?" he said, "There's two parts!" Silphiel nodded. She rushed off into the changing room.
"Gourry, dear, are you sure that we are wearing the right costumes? I don't know that I've ever seen these before." she murmured. Gourry scratched his head in the other stall.
"I guess, I mean they were there, right?" he said. Silphiel sighed.
"Hai, Gourry dear." She said. They stepped out and the curtain rose, and the music started.
Lina and the others were treated to a visage of Gourry, in punk rock duds, chains and leather, and hair all mussed up, and really strangely shaped sunglasses. Silphiel, however, was in a purple, frill trimmed leather outfit, with spurs, and chaps, and a gigantic, mind-boggling cowboy hat. She smiled, and sang in her soft voice.
"I'm a little bit country.." Gourry whipped off his sunglasses and said.
"I'm a little bit rock 'n roll!" Lina screamed.
"Noooooooo!! HOW DO YOU STOP THIS THING?" She frantically looked for an 'off' switch.
"I'm a little bit Nashville."
"With a little Motown in my soul!" Lina gave up searching for the switch and growled.
"FIRE BALL!" she screamed, aiming it right for the works. The music died down very slowly. Lina breathed a sigh of relief. Gracia and Lana cowered.
"Wow, Miss Lina, what was the matter with that song?" Amelia asked.
"Nothing, nothing at all. I'm sure every teenybopper in the world loves it, but I'm no teenybopper!" she growled. Gourry and Silphiel walked back into the dressing room, Silphiel less than happy, but Gourry was indifferent.
*Lina always has to ruin my dear Gourry and my time together.* she thought angrily. She walked out as demure and polite as ever, though. Meanwhile, the owner of the inn had brought yet another round for the contesting lushes.
"Thank you, sir." Zel said, in slightly slurred tones. Nahga, of course, had to laugh.
"OH-HO HO HO HO HO HO HO. HO!" she laughed, "You are already wearing down, I can tell!" she said. Zel frowned, and grabbed his glass, this time drinking it down first. He gagged.
"Ew." he said at the flavor. Nahga made a face as she drank it. She slammed it down with obvious ire.
"Innkeep!" she called angrily, "That was possibly the worst drink I have ever tasted!" she gagged again, as if trying to prove it. He glided over, smooth as you please, and smiled brightly at Nahga.
"Now, what's the trouble?" he asked. Nahga growled
"We're paying for these drinks, and you give us such horrible tasting swill that it's hard for me to swallow it!" she said, banging a fist on the table. The barkeep blinked.
"You're paying for it? I just assumed by the look of you that you would dodge the bill." He said, smiling with a certain manner. Nahga growled. Lina dragged her attention from her third helping to the barkeep.
"Hm." She said, thinking. Something about him irritated her, but she couldn't place it. She shrugged and went back to swallowing her food.
Gourry sat down at the table after a long stint of avoiding it. He glanced at Zel, who was contemplating the strange colors swimming through his latest.. 'Giga Slave' He got down to Zel's eye level, and whispered,
"You sure you don't wanna just call this off, Zel?" Zel shook his head, very slowly, lifted the glass and swallowed. His head sank back to the table. Gourry shrugged. Zel turned his head to the side to glance at Nahga, who was looking at him with an incredibly superior smirk on her face. He growled. He sat up, still staring at Nahga in the eye. He turned to the barkeep, who was washing the counter, and whistling a familiar tune.
"Barkeep!" Zel barked, "Bring me five more!" he shouted. The barkeep smiled, and, still whistling his perky tune, walked over to the shelves. Lina turned to Zel, who had let his head slide back onto the table. She smiled.
"Hey Zel want to get some karaoke in?" she asked, mentally adding *Before you drink yourself onto the floor.* she smiled a most convincing smile, and Zel sighed.
"I s'pose it'll be while before that guy finishes my drinks." He murmured, "Fine." He said. Lina smiled, only for that fact that Zel was tanked would he ever do that. She winked,
"I've got the perfect song." She said. She turned to Amelia, "But, we need five to sing it. How about. hm, Amelia, you, And Gourry, and Silphiel, yeah, that's perfect." She said. Silphiel and Gourry and Amelia all nodded. They ran into the dressing rooms, Lina dragging the semi-conscious Zel behind.
Gracia yawned at Lana.
"Gee, it's so late.." she said, glancing at the wall clock mounted on the.. Wall. It read 8:45. Just then, the curtain rose, and the music started. A jumpy, slightly Chinese beat. The lights hit them, and it was Lina in a school type fuku. She smiled as the lights hit her. Next to her was Silphiel in a black business woman type suit. Next was Gourry, in an impossibly frilly dress and an apron. He blushed onstage. Next to him was Amelia, in a Chinese type dress. Rounding out the crew was Zel, still looking semi-conscious in a loose red shirt with frog buttons, and a pair of loose black pants. Lina stepped forward.
"You may touch me in dreams, but they don't stay!" she sang with a smile,
"Today you don't have much to say!" the rest sang.
"How am I gonna face the light of day?" she sang in mock sadness.
"What have I done now?" the others said, putting their fingers to their cheeks cutely. Silphiel stepped forward, smiling, and singing in her breathless voice.
"Things that we leave unspoken, thinking it's for the best. Then I look into your eyes, it gets tight in my chest!" She said with a smile, glancing at Gourry. Gourry stepped forward, and sang in an impossibly good voice,
"Here the river, tells of our goodbye." He growled.
"It's late, and they don't wait for me!" the others sang.
"Sayonara, whispers on the breeze."
"I'll get in trouble!" the others sang. Amelia stepped up, genki as usual.
"Let me know what's in your heart, that's a good place to start! All I need is a small sign, and I'll give my heart to you!" she sang. Then all but Zel stepped up.
"You and me have still got, so much we need to say! Friends is not enough, why can't we seize the day?" Then they stepped back, and Zel stepped up.
"Don't you know I've got no idea, from this point on?" Then everyone stepped up.
"So far to go, until we both are free!!!! YOU AND ME!!!!!" They all took a bow. Gracia, Lana, and Nahga all clapped, albeit confusedly. The Barkeep clapped the most.
"WONDERFUL! Masterful, truly lovely!" he commended.
They all got back into their clothes, Gourry blushing, Zel not really caring, after all, he was wearing male clothing. Besides, he was almost too loaded to care. When he got back to the table, the five different shades of drink that met him brought him crashing back to reality. He gave Nahga a competitive glance, and noticed that she had five as well, those were the rules, you know. He grabbed all five, and swallowed them all at once. Nahga's eyes widened. She took the hint and started on her own. Zel gave her a smirk, and walked up to the bar. The bartender smiled at him.
"Finished already?" he questioned smugly. Zel nodded.
"I think I'm on my way to victory.." he murmured. Abruptly the scene swirled.
"Hm, ready for a go on the karaoke machine?" the barkeep asked with a smirk. Zel, swallowed, blinked, shook his head, and nodded, "Right, well, I have the perfect song." He said. Zel staggered up to the costume closet and put on a black tux. Then he swerved out onto the stage. The mysterious magic of the karaoke gripped him and he began to sing.
"Suki datta.. Hitori sora o miage." Of course, since this is an English fic, it will be translated into English, so what he really sang was, "I used to love it...looking up at the sky alone." He blinked, and held the mic like a lifeline, "in the middle of the night, reminiscing. I was young...more stubborn than anyone, and iced over with pride. Something about me was strange. When I close my eyes, I can see that person I used to be who kept his heart so closed fading away into the distance." He suddenly became overcome with emotion, and started to cry, of course his sobs not interfering with his singing. Lina raised her eyebrow. Nahga smiled in victory. Amelia blinked wide eyed. Gracia and Lana also blinked wide eyed. Gourry smacked his forehead with a palm.
"I was so lonely, but now, I have so many friends here that never make fun of me, or even have to force a smile. Ahh, dear friends forever." His eyes misted, and he smiled, "I would laugh at things like friendship, dreams and beauty...and when we would meet in a casual encounter I'd keep refusing to come with you. That's just the way I used to be." He belted out another line. Lina debated with herself, whether or not to send another fireball into the works. Then she remembered that she had already sent a fireball into the works! She stood up and looked at the barkeep, who was smiling with an infuriating expression on his face. She pointed one finger at him in surprise.
"You-" she said. He put one finger to his lips.
"In this cold unmoving body, I feel my heart becoming warmer. Does this feeling mean someone's becoming precious to me?" Zel looked straight at Lina with that last line. She sweatdropped.
*Oh, crap.* she thought.
"I believe your everything, from now on. Since you can live so carefree with me, who can't even say a simple thing like 'thank you'...friends like that are not bad at all. Ahh, dear friends forever." He clasped his hands together. Gracia and Lana smiled, and made goo goo eyes at each other.
"Never say goodbye to my friends Because I'll make our dreams come true. This is the real me, dear friends forever. You who snapped me out of it, dear my friends forever." He sang, as Lina and Gourry glanced at each other. As the music faded, Zel slumped to the floor. When the curtain fell, it fell onto his head, and he lay there, softly snoring. Lina and Amelia sweatdropped. Nahga grinned.
"I win!" she shouted. She marched triumphantly up to the bar for another round, "My treat, everyone!" she shouted happily. Gourry, Amelia, and Lina exchanged glances. They all shook their heads and held up hands. Gracia shook her head.
"No, I never drink." She said. Lina sweatdropped.
"Exact opposite of Nahga, you bet." She said. Lana shook her head as well, so it looked like Nahga was sharing a victory round with herself. Lina glanced at the still softly snoring Zel, a nose bubble expanding and shrinking. She motioned to Gourry.
"Get him up to a room." she said. Gourry nodded, and walked up to the stage, throwing the limp Zel over his shoulder. Lina growled, and stalked up to the innkeeper.
"You stinking fruitcake." She said. The innkeeper smiled, and transformed into Xelloss.
"How did you ever guess, Lina-chan?" he said, smiling. She glanced at him sideways.
"That song you were whistling." She said.
"Oh." He said, and began singing, "Minna, shalalalalala sorezore, tabi o tsuzukeru." She nodded.
"That's enough." She said. He smiled.
"Well, nighty night, Lina." He said, smiling. She glanced at the inn.
"What did you do with the real innkeeper?" she asked.
"That is-" he started.
"A secret?" she finished.
"No." he said, "Something you don't have to worry about. This place was.. well, is, abandoned. High level illusion, you know." He said. Lina nodded.
"Yeah, well, I knew something was wrong." She said, "If you wanted to rejoin us, you could have just asked." She said. She glanced at the table, where Gracia and Lana were getting up to go to bed. Amelia had gone to bed when Gourry had, after all, she hadn't had the best luck with head injuries lately. Lina swore softly, as she saw Silphiel go up the stairs. He smiled.
"I wanted to have a little fun with you first." He said. She frowned at him. She sighed.
"All right, Xelloss, I'm going to bed, you'd better not do anything funny." She said. He acted mock offended.
"Lina, me? Funny? How dare you even think such a thing, Lina!" she gave him a glance, and walked up the stairs.
"Konbanwa, fruitcake." She said. Xelloss smiled.
"Konbanwa, Lina-chan." He said, grinning. She gave him a withering glance, and walked up the stairs. He smiled, and giggled softly to himself, "Ah, there should be a law against having so much fun.." he murmured softly, and went back to wiping off the table, before he realized that no one was there, and warped out.
"I'm getting sooo sick of this.." Lina mumbled. She glanced at Gourry, who was coaching Zel for some odd odd reason, and they were both giving Nahga evil looks. Amelia, who was walking next to Lina, nodded.
"I know what you mean, Miss Lina," she said, "My love hates my sister. It's tragic." Lina sweatdropped.
"Right, Amelia." She said. Amelia blinked at her, a little confused, then she turned back ahead. She smiled.
"Look, Miss Lina, an Inn!" she shouted. Lina turned to it with mixed feelings, until she noticed the sign hung above the door. 'Featuring Karaoke!' Lina blinked.
"Miss Lina.." said Lana, "What's Karaoke?" Lina growled.
"Karaoke is a type of magic that people have been working on for years, with mixed results. It is supposed to make you sound better than you actually are while singing, and running the words of the song before you, so you can read them. The best ones had magical costumes, and the one who does the best gets a special prize." Lina said. Lana nodded. Gracia shivered.
"Up in front of all those people. I can't do it!" she said. Lina sweatdropped.
"We weren't expecting you to." She said. Meanwhile, Zel, Gourry, and Nahga had noticed the bar, and were running for it. Lina, Amelia, Lana, Gracia, and Silphiel ran after them.
When they reached the bar, it was empty but for an old guy washing the bar. Lina walked up to the counter.
"Hey, how's business?" she said, having a certain camaraderie with a businessman like himself. (she does, ok, she just never shows it!) he sighed,
"Not good. It seems that my dream of owning a Karaoke bar went out with disco.." Lina blinked.
"Disco?" she said. He shook his head.
"Nevermind, um, we've got tons of popular songs in there, so have fun." He said.
"Hey, do you have liquor?" Nahga shouted. The guy nodded.
"What's your pleasure?" he said.
"Anything alcoholic!" Zel shouted. The man shrugged, then brought out a couple of the house special.
"It's called the Giga Slave." He said. Lina raised an eyebrow.
"Giga Slave?" she said. He nodded.
"A special chaotic blend." He said proudly. Lina hmphed, and ordered ten platters of chicken. The guy's eyes widened, and by the time Gourry had ordered, he realized that this would make up for maybe three months of no one visiting. He was also glad that he kept his stocks high. He went off, whistling a little song. Lina blinked.
"What's that song, it sounds awful familiar.." she said. He smiled.
"It's a pretty rare one, I have it in the machine, but you need two people to sing it, it's a duet. If you can get someone else." he said. Amelia jumped up.
"I'd love to!" she said.
"All right, I'll set it up, the costumes should be in the closet." They went over to the closet. Meanwhile, Gourry and Zel were eyeing the fizzing concoction warily.
"What do you think's in it?" Gourry asked Zel. Zel shrugged.
"I dunno, nitrogen, maybe a little poison.." he said Nahga laughed. Urg.
"OH-HOHOHOHO! You wussy men!" she said, picking up her glass and downing it in one gulp. Zel growled. He picked up the glass, despite the protests of Gourry, who thought it was pretty, and chugged. He set it down with a triumphant look on his face, and a taste like cough syrup in his mouth.
"Well." Gourry said. Zel shrugged.
"It was ok." He said. The bartender noticed that they were already finished, smiled, and went off to mix up another batch. Meanwhile, in the changing rooms.
"Miss Lina, these outfits are awfully familiar.." Amelia said. Lina grunted.
"Well, are you ready?" she said. Amelia stepped out and nodded. Lina stepped out and gasped.
"What is it, Miss Lina?" Amelia asked. She then saw Lina's outfit. She gasped too. The curtain raised, and the music began. The entire bar was subjected to the sight of Lina, and Amelia in matching pink and blue fukus. The words flitted across the screen.
"Girls who are in love, give their love to you, you, who shine so bright my darrling!" Lina and Amelia sang. Zel, Gourry, Silphiel, Nahga, Gracia, and Lana gaped.
"Shining Rouge!" Lina sang.
"Pink like Peaches!" Amelia sang.
"I pray, that it reaches you, this maiden's prayer!" They both sang, "Floating in the night sky like a silver boat, the beautiful moon reflects my tears of love and haate!" Gourry blinked, and turned to Zel.
"I didn't think it was THAT strong." Zel mumbled. Gourry shook his head,
"No, I see it too." He said. Lina frowned, but the magic forced them to sing once they chose the song.
"My heart's beating so fast inside my little breast, anddon'tyousayawordGourry!" She burst out at the end of the line. Gourry blinked innocently.
"My heart's flying, flying to you, oh please will it reach you, heart's flying, flying to you, I'm completely yours, pretty little me!!!" they both sang. Nahga laughed.
"OH-HOHOHOHO! Pretty!" she said in total mirth. Lina growled.
"Girls who are in love, give their love to you, you who shine so bright my darrling!" they sang quickly,
"Intoxicating cologne," Lina sang.
"A flickering dream!" Amelia sang.
"The blue parasol I carry!" Lina sang.
"I pray that my prayer will come true! Floating in the night sky like a silver boat, the moon reflects my tears of love and hate! My heart's beating so fast inside my little breast! My heart's flying, flying to you! Oh, please will it reach you! This maiden's prayer! A kiss thrown out is like a boomerang! A one way ticket boomerang!"
"I'm yours completely, pretty little me!" Amelia sang.
"My feelings for you are flying high on a white pegasus!" Lina sang.
"Oh, I hope they reach you! The final pieces of the jigsaw puzzle of love!!!!" They both sang. The song ended. Lana, Gracia, and Silphiel clapped, but Gourry, Zel, and Nahga just laughed hysterically. Lina growled.
"Do you guys remember what happened last time we sang that song?" Gourry and Zel nodded, "You want it to happen again?" they shook their heads, "Good." Lina said. The barkeep brought them another round. This time it was a sickly green. Nahga downed hers, but Zel gazed at his with trepidation.
"What are you waiting for Zel?" Gourry said. Zel shook his head.
"I think he just puts whatever in there." Zel said. Gourry blinked.
"So. Chug!" he said. Zel picked up the glass and chugged it down. This time the aftertaste was a little bit fruity.
"So, what'd it taste like?" Gourry asked again. Zel made a face.
"Lime." He said. He coughed. Lina and Amelia came from behind the curtain, back in their normal clothes, and overly flustered. Silphiel smiled.
"I thought it was wonderful, Miss Lina, where did you learn to sing so well?" she said. Lina growled.
"We've had practice." Meanwhile, the barkeep had brought Zel and Nahga another round. It was a bright red. Gourry studied it.
"I don't trust that color, Zel." He said. Zel shrugged. If he was going to do this, he might as well do it right, and Nahga had already gulped hers down. He neglected to notice the fact that he was feeling a little low, whereas Nahga looked fine and dandy. He chugged this one down, and it tasted of cinnamon. Gourry was a little nervous, after all, Zel was looking a little run down by this time, but Nahga was her normal self. He stood up and walked to the counter, to talk to the barkeep.
"Hey, sir, what's in those drinks?" he asked quietly.
"Oh, the Giga Slaves?" the barkeep said, "A half a cup of sake, and then whatever else catches my fancy on the old shelves." He said, smiling, "Want one?" Gourry made a face.
"Er, not really." He said. The barkeep nodded.
"So, the karaoke machine is free, want to have a go?" he said. Gourry thought about it, and shrugged, it's not like he wanted to have to sit and watch Zel get smashed.
"I guess." He said. The barkeep smiled,
"Good, I've got the perfect song for you!" he said. Silphiel glanced at Gourry, as he walked into the changing rooms. The barkeep noticed.
"You wanna have a go?" he said, "There's two parts!" Silphiel nodded. She rushed off into the changing room.
"Gourry, dear, are you sure that we are wearing the right costumes? I don't know that I've ever seen these before." she murmured. Gourry scratched his head in the other stall.
"I guess, I mean they were there, right?" he said. Silphiel sighed.
"Hai, Gourry dear." She said. They stepped out and the curtain rose, and the music started.
Lina and the others were treated to a visage of Gourry, in punk rock duds, chains and leather, and hair all mussed up, and really strangely shaped sunglasses. Silphiel, however, was in a purple, frill trimmed leather outfit, with spurs, and chaps, and a gigantic, mind-boggling cowboy hat. She smiled, and sang in her soft voice.
"I'm a little bit country.." Gourry whipped off his sunglasses and said.
"I'm a little bit rock 'n roll!" Lina screamed.
"Noooooooo!! HOW DO YOU STOP THIS THING?" She frantically looked for an 'off' switch.
"I'm a little bit Nashville."
"With a little Motown in my soul!" Lina gave up searching for the switch and growled.
"FIRE BALL!" she screamed, aiming it right for the works. The music died down very slowly. Lina breathed a sigh of relief. Gracia and Lana cowered.
"Wow, Miss Lina, what was the matter with that song?" Amelia asked.
"Nothing, nothing at all. I'm sure every teenybopper in the world loves it, but I'm no teenybopper!" she growled. Gourry and Silphiel walked back into the dressing room, Silphiel less than happy, but Gourry was indifferent.
*Lina always has to ruin my dear Gourry and my time together.* she thought angrily. She walked out as demure and polite as ever, though. Meanwhile, the owner of the inn had brought yet another round for the contesting lushes.
"Thank you, sir." Zel said, in slightly slurred tones. Nahga, of course, had to laugh.
"OH-HO HO HO HO HO HO HO. HO!" she laughed, "You are already wearing down, I can tell!" she said. Zel frowned, and grabbed his glass, this time drinking it down first. He gagged.
"Ew." he said at the flavor. Nahga made a face as she drank it. She slammed it down with obvious ire.
"Innkeep!" she called angrily, "That was possibly the worst drink I have ever tasted!" she gagged again, as if trying to prove it. He glided over, smooth as you please, and smiled brightly at Nahga.
"Now, what's the trouble?" he asked. Nahga growled
"We're paying for these drinks, and you give us such horrible tasting swill that it's hard for me to swallow it!" she said, banging a fist on the table. The barkeep blinked.
"You're paying for it? I just assumed by the look of you that you would dodge the bill." He said, smiling with a certain manner. Nahga growled. Lina dragged her attention from her third helping to the barkeep.
"Hm." She said, thinking. Something about him irritated her, but she couldn't place it. She shrugged and went back to swallowing her food.
Gourry sat down at the table after a long stint of avoiding it. He glanced at Zel, who was contemplating the strange colors swimming through his latest.. 'Giga Slave' He got down to Zel's eye level, and whispered,
"You sure you don't wanna just call this off, Zel?" Zel shook his head, very slowly, lifted the glass and swallowed. His head sank back to the table. Gourry shrugged. Zel turned his head to the side to glance at Nahga, who was looking at him with an incredibly superior smirk on her face. He growled. He sat up, still staring at Nahga in the eye. He turned to the barkeep, who was washing the counter, and whistling a familiar tune.
"Barkeep!" Zel barked, "Bring me five more!" he shouted. The barkeep smiled, and, still whistling his perky tune, walked over to the shelves. Lina turned to Zel, who had let his head slide back onto the table. She smiled.
"Hey Zel want to get some karaoke in?" she asked, mentally adding *Before you drink yourself onto the floor.* she smiled a most convincing smile, and Zel sighed.
"I s'pose it'll be while before that guy finishes my drinks." He murmured, "Fine." He said. Lina smiled, only for that fact that Zel was tanked would he ever do that. She winked,
"I've got the perfect song." She said. She turned to Amelia, "But, we need five to sing it. How about. hm, Amelia, you, And Gourry, and Silphiel, yeah, that's perfect." She said. Silphiel and Gourry and Amelia all nodded. They ran into the dressing rooms, Lina dragging the semi-conscious Zel behind.
Gracia yawned at Lana.
"Gee, it's so late.." she said, glancing at the wall clock mounted on the.. Wall. It read 8:45. Just then, the curtain rose, and the music started. A jumpy, slightly Chinese beat. The lights hit them, and it was Lina in a school type fuku. She smiled as the lights hit her. Next to her was Silphiel in a black business woman type suit. Next was Gourry, in an impossibly frilly dress and an apron. He blushed onstage. Next to him was Amelia, in a Chinese type dress. Rounding out the crew was Zel, still looking semi-conscious in a loose red shirt with frog buttons, and a pair of loose black pants. Lina stepped forward.
"You may touch me in dreams, but they don't stay!" she sang with a smile,
"Today you don't have much to say!" the rest sang.
"How am I gonna face the light of day?" she sang in mock sadness.
"What have I done now?" the others said, putting their fingers to their cheeks cutely. Silphiel stepped forward, smiling, and singing in her breathless voice.
"Things that we leave unspoken, thinking it's for the best. Then I look into your eyes, it gets tight in my chest!" She said with a smile, glancing at Gourry. Gourry stepped forward, and sang in an impossibly good voice,
"Here the river, tells of our goodbye." He growled.
"It's late, and they don't wait for me!" the others sang.
"Sayonara, whispers on the breeze."
"I'll get in trouble!" the others sang. Amelia stepped up, genki as usual.
"Let me know what's in your heart, that's a good place to start! All I need is a small sign, and I'll give my heart to you!" she sang. Then all but Zel stepped up.
"You and me have still got, so much we need to say! Friends is not enough, why can't we seize the day?" Then they stepped back, and Zel stepped up.
"Don't you know I've got no idea, from this point on?" Then everyone stepped up.
"So far to go, until we both are free!!!! YOU AND ME!!!!!" They all took a bow. Gracia, Lana, and Nahga all clapped, albeit confusedly. The Barkeep clapped the most.
"WONDERFUL! Masterful, truly lovely!" he commended.
They all got back into their clothes, Gourry blushing, Zel not really caring, after all, he was wearing male clothing. Besides, he was almost too loaded to care. When he got back to the table, the five different shades of drink that met him brought him crashing back to reality. He gave Nahga a competitive glance, and noticed that she had five as well, those were the rules, you know. He grabbed all five, and swallowed them all at once. Nahga's eyes widened. She took the hint and started on her own. Zel gave her a smirk, and walked up to the bar. The bartender smiled at him.
"Finished already?" he questioned smugly. Zel nodded.
"I think I'm on my way to victory.." he murmured. Abruptly the scene swirled.
"Hm, ready for a go on the karaoke machine?" the barkeep asked with a smirk. Zel, swallowed, blinked, shook his head, and nodded, "Right, well, I have the perfect song." He said. Zel staggered up to the costume closet and put on a black tux. Then he swerved out onto the stage. The mysterious magic of the karaoke gripped him and he began to sing.
"Suki datta.. Hitori sora o miage." Of course, since this is an English fic, it will be translated into English, so what he really sang was, "I used to love it...looking up at the sky alone." He blinked, and held the mic like a lifeline, "in the middle of the night, reminiscing. I was young...more stubborn than anyone, and iced over with pride. Something about me was strange. When I close my eyes, I can see that person I used to be who kept his heart so closed fading away into the distance." He suddenly became overcome with emotion, and started to cry, of course his sobs not interfering with his singing. Lina raised her eyebrow. Nahga smiled in victory. Amelia blinked wide eyed. Gracia and Lana also blinked wide eyed. Gourry smacked his forehead with a palm.
"I was so lonely, but now, I have so many friends here that never make fun of me, or even have to force a smile. Ahh, dear friends forever." His eyes misted, and he smiled, "I would laugh at things like friendship, dreams and beauty...and when we would meet in a casual encounter I'd keep refusing to come with you. That's just the way I used to be." He belted out another line. Lina debated with herself, whether or not to send another fireball into the works. Then she remembered that she had already sent a fireball into the works! She stood up and looked at the barkeep, who was smiling with an infuriating expression on his face. She pointed one finger at him in surprise.
"You-" she said. He put one finger to his lips.
"In this cold unmoving body, I feel my heart becoming warmer. Does this feeling mean someone's becoming precious to me?" Zel looked straight at Lina with that last line. She sweatdropped.
*Oh, crap.* she thought.
"I believe your everything, from now on. Since you can live so carefree with me, who can't even say a simple thing like 'thank you'...friends like that are not bad at all. Ahh, dear friends forever." He clasped his hands together. Gracia and Lana smiled, and made goo goo eyes at each other.
"Never say goodbye to my friends Because I'll make our dreams come true. This is the real me, dear friends forever. You who snapped me out of it, dear my friends forever." He sang, as Lina and Gourry glanced at each other. As the music faded, Zel slumped to the floor. When the curtain fell, it fell onto his head, and he lay there, softly snoring. Lina and Amelia sweatdropped. Nahga grinned.
"I win!" she shouted. She marched triumphantly up to the bar for another round, "My treat, everyone!" she shouted happily. Gourry, Amelia, and Lina exchanged glances. They all shook their heads and held up hands. Gracia shook her head.
"No, I never drink." She said. Lina sweatdropped.
"Exact opposite of Nahga, you bet." She said. Lana shook her head as well, so it looked like Nahga was sharing a victory round with herself. Lina glanced at the still softly snoring Zel, a nose bubble expanding and shrinking. She motioned to Gourry.
"Get him up to a room." she said. Gourry nodded, and walked up to the stage, throwing the limp Zel over his shoulder. Lina growled, and stalked up to the innkeeper.
"You stinking fruitcake." She said. The innkeeper smiled, and transformed into Xelloss.
"How did you ever guess, Lina-chan?" he said, smiling. She glanced at him sideways.
"That song you were whistling." She said.
"Oh." He said, and began singing, "Minna, shalalalalala sorezore, tabi o tsuzukeru." She nodded.
"That's enough." She said. He smiled.
"Well, nighty night, Lina." He said, smiling. She glanced at the inn.
"What did you do with the real innkeeper?" she asked.
"That is-" he started.
"A secret?" she finished.
"No." he said, "Something you don't have to worry about. This place was.. well, is, abandoned. High level illusion, you know." He said. Lina nodded.
"Yeah, well, I knew something was wrong." She said, "If you wanted to rejoin us, you could have just asked." She said. She glanced at the table, where Gracia and Lana were getting up to go to bed. Amelia had gone to bed when Gourry had, after all, she hadn't had the best luck with head injuries lately. Lina swore softly, as she saw Silphiel go up the stairs. He smiled.
"I wanted to have a little fun with you first." He said. She frowned at him. She sighed.
"All right, Xelloss, I'm going to bed, you'd better not do anything funny." She said. He acted mock offended.
"Lina, me? Funny? How dare you even think such a thing, Lina!" she gave him a glance, and walked up the stairs.
"Konbanwa, fruitcake." She said. Xelloss smiled.
"Konbanwa, Lina-chan." He said, grinning. She gave him a withering glance, and walked up the stairs. He smiled, and giggled softly to himself, "Ah, there should be a law against having so much fun.." he murmured softly, and went back to wiping off the table, before he realized that no one was there, and warped out.
