Siori slowly opened her eyes to find she was looking up at a ceiling. She lay there for a long time, realizing that the other girl had cast an exceptionally strong sleeping spell. She sat up finally, looking around the tidy room with a chest of drawers and a vanity with brushes and hair things on it. Siori realized that this was someone's room, she also realized that her cape and sword was resting on the vanity chair with her boots underneath it.
She slipped her feet to the floor and made her way over to the window, which had light curtains covering it. She pushed them aside to look out upon the early morning. Her gaze fell down to the funeral procession going past and closed her eyes, turning from the window and headed toward the vanity to pick up her sword with its belt and pull it around her waist.
"So you're awake," said a voice that Siori would swear was her own except that she hadn't spoken. She turned toward the door where the girl from the night before stood with her arms crossed. "I'm sorry for doing that to you, but I have no intention of dying right yet, not to mention, I was quite upset about my friend's death."
Siori stared at the girl, finally opening her mouth, "Who are you?"
"I am Erisa, though I have been going by the last name of Pikina, I don't think that is my real last name." Erisa unfolded her arms and stepped forward a few paces under Siori's firm glare. "What's wrong?"
"You act just like him," Siori turned her head back toward her cloak and picked it up, pulling it on easily.
"Like who?"
Siori looked back at Erisa, "You know who I mean."
Erisa shook her head slowly, keeping her eyes trained on Siori, "I really don't. I've met quite a few 'him's in my travels but I don't know who you're referring to."
The black clad girl turned her nose up and brushed past Erisa quickly, "Well it's better to not know him. I knew him and look how I turned out."
A woman with brown hair and eyes stood in the doorway to the kitchen, her hands clasped together and bags under her eyes. "You'll be staying for breakfast won't you?" she seemed to be speaking more to Erisa then Siori, but the black clad youth could tell that the invitation was extended to her as well.
"Hell no," Siori replied at the same time as Erisa said, "Of course." The two looked at each other; one glaring the other bewildered.
Siori continued on down the stairs and slammed open the door, then found the end of her cloak was being clutched in Erisa's hands. "Please stay for breakfast?" They stared at each other once more; Erisa pleading, Siori glaring.
"Fine," Siori said finally, not one to pass up a free meal.
* * *
Siori wasn't sure how it had ended up that she'd waited for Erisa to pack some things nor how she'd ended up not protesting much about the girl following her when she left the village around mid morning. She was sure that she'd lose her before the day was out. Siori set a fast pace, stretching her legs with every step and trying her hardest to wear Erisa out. Her efforts were in vain and even backfired, by noon, Siori had to take a break in near a stream for some water.
"You know, you really should try wearing some lighter colors. You wouldn't get so hot-" Erisa said, gesturing to her white shirt and light cloth pants of brown tucked into sturdy leather boots. Hanging from her shoulders was a rich cloak, probably purchased with money saved up for years.
"NO ONE asked for your opinion," Siori snapped, "So shut up."
"You really don't socialize much do you?" Erisa asked.
Siori stared with narrowed eyes at the other girl, "And what makes you think that?" she asked softly.
Erisa seemed oblivious to the threat, "You're so rude for one," she said, completely innocent, looking upon Siori where she crouched by the stream with one hand in the water and droplets dripping from her face.
"I think that it's time you were quiet," the black clad girl said coldly. Erisa finally got the hint and shut her mouth, though she wasn't happy about having to.
The sky was silent, as was the forest they were walking through. The trees rustled in the light breeze but otherwise there was no sound. Leaves fluttered in the path almost like snow, their bright colors fading to brown in the mixed heat and chill of the autumn. Erisa walked somewhat behind what she'd come to think as her sister and looked at the pretty colors of the leaves, but tried to keep up with the black clad girl.
"Why don't you like anyone?" Erisa finally spoke up with.
Siori didn't answer. She kept walking, her long legs carrying her toward her destination.
Erisa had the feeling that Siori wasn't going to answer that question so she asked a different one. "You never told me what your name is..."
"Stone Princess," Siori replied, not turning her head.
"That's not your real name-"
"It is now."
Erisa sighed, "We're on a quest to find who I really am and you're denying who you are. That doesn't help much-"
Siori's sudden stop caused Erisa to run into her cut her off. She turned to face Erisa, "First of all, WE are not on a quest. I am heading toward Atlas City. Second, I am not denying who I am, I am the STONE PRINCESS and only that."
Erisa backed up a pace, looking at Siori, something nagged at the back of her mind but she couldn't put her finger on it. "You're really not being helpful."
"No, I'm not. YOU'RE the one who's following me. You're welcome to go back to wherever the hell you appeared from as far as I care. I certainly don't need you." Siori turned once more, stalking down the road, leaving Erisa simply standing there for a moment. She ran after the self proclaimed Stone Princess.
Erisa and Siori walked in silence for a long time. "You're not going to help me at all?"
"Believe me. You're better off not knowing," Siori surprised Erisa by replying with. "If anyone else found out, you'd have everyone trying to kill you."
"So you DO know who I am!"
"Like I couldn't tell by just looking at you?" Siori snorted and fell silent again.
Erisa was forced to speak once more after waiting for Siori to continue. The leaves fell in silence around them. "So who am I?"
"Why do you want to know so badly? It's not like you're going to get anything for it. Seyruun's gone, everyone knows that."
Erisa was once more confused, "I don't understand what Seyruun has to do with who I am." All children knew that the kingdom they lived in now was Kena and that the last of the Seyruun royal family was assented years ago, there was no chance that anyone was going to come back and reclaim the throne and rip the lands back into Seyruun's hold. Siori shook her head.
"It's better you don't know," she firmly closed her mouth and glared at the road ahead, trying her hardest to forget the memories of when she'd lived in the palace with her twenty three nannies and almost forty pets. Trying to forget the day they'd celebrated her sixth birthday and forces from Kena had rushed into the palace and slaughtered everyone. She'd gotten away by hiding under the table. When she had been found, they didn't think she could possibly be the princess and had cast her aside. She still remembered the words the man had said and it stung.
-What an ugly little brat! I think we got the princess. This probably is only a servant dressed up.
"Is something wrong?" Erisa broke into Siori's thoughts, causing the girl to realize that she'd been crying. Siori wiped her face quickly.
"Of course not. Just dust," she said, rubbing at her eye to make her lie more believable. Erisa fell silent once more, knowing that 'Stone Princess' had lied.
* * *
Zelgadis heaved a sigh, "Damn girl. Worse then me when I was that age..." He looked around the village draped in white, the mourning color. He was rather disappointed to find out that Siori had ruthlessly slain some poor girl in the village and that their local sorceress had fought with her. The people of the village he'd managed to get answers from had said that Siori kidnapped the sorceress as well. He walked along the path at a fast clip, hoping that he'd catch up to Siori and her captive by perhaps late evening. It was already noon and they'd gotten a five-hour head start on him.
He pushed back his hood and scratched the side of his neck, "Damn," he muttered under his breath, "I'm really going to have words with her about this."
* * *
"Aren't we going to stop for the night?" Erisa asked, despite saying she was fine, she really was tired.
"I hate towns," Siori said and they continued out into the forest near the town. Erisa was just glad to stop when Siori finally decided that they would.
They made camp and Siori made dinner for herself, was forced to share with Erisa, and grumpily went to sleep under her cloak. Erisa sat up for a few moments, looking upon the Stone Princess. "You sure travel light..."
"Shut up!" Siori snapped and pulled her cloak closer around her.
* * *
Zelgadis entered the inn around midnight and found that most of the patronage was already in their rooms. "Did you happen to see a girl that looked like me?" he asked the man at the bar, pulling off his hood and mask.
"Oh, that girl? Yeah, wish I hadn't," the guy muttered, keeping back from Zelgadis.
"Which room is she in?"
The man shook his head slowly, eyes locked on Zelgadis as the Chimera pulled his mask up once more. "She didn't get a room here."
"Where?" Zelgadis narrowed his eyes, quite annoyed, tired, and hungry, not to mention that he wanted coffee.
"I thinks she went on through town."
"Damn!" Zelgadis slapped his hand on the bar, "I'll have a pot of coffee and whatever you've got left over in the kitchen," he sighed, dropping a few coins on the counter. He headed toward a table near the smoky fireplace, which had a cheery flame within its embrace to ward off the chill of the night.
* * *
"So why exactly are we going to Atlas City?"
Siori clenched her teeth together in an attempt to control her temper. "Would. You. Shut. Up?!" she ground out.
Erisa sighed, falling silent once more. She'd been unable to get anything out of Stone Princess and she was starting to get frustrated. "Look, I know you're my sister, so tell me what my name was before!"
Siori suddenly spun around, her sword out, "Shut up! Shut up before I FIND a way to rip your heart out!" Erisa nodded, mouth shut, eyes wide. Siori finally turned around and sheathed her sword, continuing onward. Atlas City could be seen between the trees now and then. It was only early autumn and most of the trees had their leaves still, but there seemed to be an extraordinary amount sprinkled on the ground and in the road. Erisa amused herself by kicking leaves now and then.
Amazingly, they got into Atlas City with little resistance, despite the wanted posters with Siori's face on them. Erisa stopped to read one, chewing on her nails. The picture was of Siori at her most aggressive and ticked. "Stone Princess, wanted, 30,000 gold... Stone Princess!!" She hurried after her sister, "You're wanted! Are you sure it's okay to be here?"
"If you weren't so loud about it, yes, we would have been fine," Siori glanced around as people started disappearing into their homes. "They've raised the price. Not likely they'll get my head, firmly attached." She winked at Erisa.
"Is there somewhere specific you're headed?"
"Of course. Everyone knows where I go when I come here," Siori smirked as she thought about the OTHER places she haunted when in Atlas other then the Magic Works & Swords shop. She was sure Erisa wouldn't like going there but Siori wasn't going to pass up a chance for the best ale in Kena.
They headed down the various streets, mostly avoided by the people in the town. "People sure are scared of you," Erisa noted aloud as she walked near Siori, trying to keep from being noticed.
"Of course," was Erisa's smug answer. The girl eyed the Stone Princess for a long moment and heaved a sigh. "We're almost there," she said over her shoulder with a slight smirk.
"Hello Stone Princess, gotten yourself a partner?" asked someone who joined them for a short ways down the street.
"Hell no. She just followed me. Have no clue why. Can't seem to get rid of her," Siori replied to the ratty man with a hint of disdain in her voice.
The man grinned, looking even more rat-like, his teeth were yellow and turning green, his breath was so bad Erisa could smell it even where she was on Siori's other side. "I could take her off your hands..."
Siori shrugged, "Fine with me, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."
"Oh sure! Sure! How much exactly?" the man riffled through his dirty clothes for his money and looked up when he heard the sound of a blade unsheathing.
Erisa stood staring in horror as the body slumped to the ground headless and Siori wiped her blade with a piece of cloth before tossing it onto the body. "I said it'd cost, can't blame me if people don't listen." She crouched down and rolled the body over, digging through his pockets and finally finding his money, looking in the bag, she snorted, "And he thought he'd buy from me with THIS? Pah! Not even worth taking!" she threw the bag on the body as she got to her feet, a bunch of coppers fell out, scattering along the cobblestones.
"How COULD YOU?!" Erisa finally found her voice to scream at Siori. "How could you just kill him like that!?"
"Same way I'd kill you if I could, now shut up, you'll bring the cops and any stupid hero in hearing range." Erisa was forced to follow the Stone Princess once more as blood spread further in the street. They approached a shop with a sign hanging above the door, one of a sealed square pierced with a sword of light. "Make sure you wipe off your feet, auntie Lina gets so upset when guests get dirt on her floors," Siori said with a hint of amusement.
She pushed the door open and a pot came flying out as well as screaming from inside, "DAMNIT YOU JELLYFISH BRAIN! DON'T YOU KNOW ANYTHING?!"
Siori smiled and entered, ducking a frying pan, which clanged Erisa's forehead. The girl staggered back and put a hand to her head but forged in after her sister despite the danger. "Halooo!" Siori called, ringing the bell on the counter at the back of the store, immediately getting the attention of an aged redhead. Lina Inverse-Gabriev had aged well, though, her hair was still flaming red and her eyes bright. She turned and pounced upon the bell at the counter to keep Siori from ringing it any more.
"Siori! You've grown!" Lina looked up at the girl she fondly called her niece but wished the girl would return the kindness.
"It happens," she shrugged and reached into her cloak, pulling out the several bags of things she'd gathered.
"I wish you'd come visit for reasons other then business, even if you DO leave bodies in the street. How many this time?" Lina asked, opening the first bag to take a look.
"Only one, possibly more if that idiot back there doesn't keep her mouth shut." Siori gestured at Erisa who was peering at a crystal ball that Lina kept around for show. Lina's eyes focused on the other girl who'd entered the shop and blinked a few times.
"Does your father know-?"
"Like I'd go anywhere near him?" Siori cut Lina off firmly.
Lina shook her head with a sigh, "He's not as bad as you think, Siori."
"He left me and that's what matters," Siori stated coldly, "Now how much? You've been fondling that long enough to wear any spells on it into dust!"
Once again the renowned sorceress sighed, looking carefully at the object in her hands, "You DO know what this is, don't you?"
"Of COURSE I do," Siori lied, her face a mask of calm.
Lina shook her head, "You're even worse of a liar then your father... I can't gyp you though, your father'd have my hide, so I'll give you four hundred for it."
Siori glowered, she hated so much mention of her father. "More likely I'd have your hide, four hundred's fine."
Erisa came forward slowly, "So, you know her- er.. I suppose our father?"
Lina nodded writing down the price of the first item, lifting out another item, looking it over carefully. "Yes, I traveled with both him and your mother for years- or at least off and on. GOURRY! Get some coffee ready!"
"Already did!" Gourry appeared with two mugs of coffee and handed one to Siori and the other to Erisa. He was favored with a smile from his tiny wife.
"So where's Glory?" Siori asked after sipping her coffee and leaning against the counter.
Gourry smiled, "She's gone off on her own to become a great swordswoman!"
"Of course," Siori muttered, watching Lina look over the items and nodding at the prices Lina was writing down for each.
Erisa cleared her throat, "So- who are our parents?" she asked.
Lina looked up at Erisa, then at Siori. "I suppose you WOULDN'T have told her if she didn't know." She sighed and shook her head, looking back at Erisa, "Your mother was Amelia Wil Tessa Seyruun-Graywords and your father was Zelgadis Graywords." Erisa looked over at Siori and swallowed.
"Seyruun...? Isn't that...?"
"Yes, Amelia was queen for a short time, but she died giving birth to you two. I think Zelgadis went slightly mad after that, but he wasn't too bad, he still took care of you two and the country, he just did odd things." Lina pondered a moment, "Then again, he was always a bit odd, not much difference except that he seemed more absentminded then before." She set aside the first bag after finishing her look through it. "Then you were abducted and he just disappeared. I guess he didn't take you when he went," Lina watched Erisa's expressions change from sadness to horror then puzzlement. Siori snorted but added nothing to the conversation, simply handing Gourry her empty mug and taking Erisa's untouched one from her hands.
"Anyway, then Kena took advantage of Zel's disappearance to make a grab for Seyruun-"
"Left me there. Didn't give a damn if I died in that raid or not. Bastard," Siori muttered, draining the mug and handing it to Gourry for refill. "C'mon, get on with it. You know I hate cities, Lina."
The redhead sorceress eyed Siori, "So pushy. Sometimes I wish you'd been more like Amelia. Despite her Justice Speeches, she wasn't as annoying as you get." Siori narrowed her eyes and put her hand to her sword hilt. Erisa swallowed and snapped her hand out, catching Siori's wrist before she could draw her sword.
"Don't you DARE kill her!" Erisa stated firmly, "I'll blast you so bad you'll have burns for the next millennium!" Siori stared at Erisa for a long moment.
"I really don't think you could anyway. Why don't you just go find something to occupy yourself with while I get my business here done?" Erisa fumed silently at her sister's patronizing tone.
Siori let go of her sword at the same time as Erisa let go of her wrist. The tension in the room dropped steeply. Lina let her fireball dissipate and her husband let go of his sword's hilt as well. "So you know magic?" Lina asked Erisa.
"Yes, I've studied white, Shamanism, and have started black. My teachers have all been very surprised at how quickly I caught on and how powerful my spells can be," she shot a look at Siori who'd received her newest cup of coffee and was staring at Lina's ledger.
"Going to become the next Wise Woman of the age?" Lina asked with some amusement, "You know, your great grandfather or great great grandfather was Rezo the Red Priest."
"Really?!" Erisa was interested immediately, "Is it true that Lina Inverse killed him?" Lina burst into laughter and even Siori looked amused. "What?! Did I say something wrong?"
"You idiot, she IS Lina Inverse," Siori said and sipped her coffee which was getting somewhat cold, much to her distaste.
"Yes, almost... He summoned Shabranigdu and found the Dark Lord taking over his body then I killed that piece of Shabranigdu with the help of Rezo's remaining spirit. After that, I killed Copy Rezo, but that's a long story."
"And one I don't want to hear for the fifteenth time, now would you get back to work?" Lina gave Siori a long look for her comment but did get back to pricing the items.
"Your total is six thousand nine hundred and seventy five gold and three hundred silvers," Lina stated after adding everything up. She handed the bags to Gourry and told him to put them on the shelves while she went to get the money for Siori.
Erisa looked at her sister for a long moment, "You really hate him that much for leaving you?" Siori narrowed her eyes but nodded.
"My anger knows no bounds," she replied cryptically.
"So we're princesses of Seyruun. Does that make me Erisa De Seyruun?"
"No, it makes you an idiot because there's no land, no money, nothing. Seyruun is dead." Siori slammed her mug down on the counter to punctuate the last word and glared at Erisa.
"But if we-"
"NO! Are you dense?!" Siori grabbed Erisa around the neck with an arm and banged her fist into the girl's head with every syllable she yelled, "SEYRUUN IS GONE!" She let go of the girl and watched as she tried to put her hair back into shape. "If you want to go resurrect it, fine, but don't drag me into shit like that."
Erisa stood in silence, looking around the somewhat dusty shop. Gourry hummed some odd mixture of songs as he placed objects on the shelves in random places, filling in the holes. There was no order in the room, just neat chaos. There was a window in the front wall with many diamond pains of glass. Hanging from the ceiling near the window were crystal chimes, which reflected spots of light all over the front room of the shop.
Lina returned to the room with two heavy bags of gold. Dropping them on the counter she let Siori take possession of them. "Took you long enough," she muttered and headed toward the door, Erisa hurried after.
"Thank you Mrs. Lina Inverse!" Erisa called before closing the door and hurrying after her sister.
Gourry looked at the door with a smile. "What cute daughters he had," he stated. "Too bad Ris is so much like him, that other girl was a lot like Amelia."
"Her name is Siori, not Ris, Gourry." Lina reminded and pondered why she and Gourry had never had another child, then remembered why. She shook her head and turned, headed into the kitchen.
She shook her head once more, recalling how Zelgadis had once stopped in, four years ago, handing Lina the red broach from his cloak. "Give this to Siori if she ever stops in," was all he said and left. She'd forgotten to give Siori the broach the last two times she'd stopped into Lina's shop, but this time, she'd dropped it into one of the bags along with the gold. She only hoped that Siori didn't automatically throw it away somewhere when she read the note Lina had written pinned to it.
* * *
Siori dropped one of her bags on the table she and Erisa were sitting at in a tavern, reaching into it, she grabbed for a few coins to pay the waitress. Her hand closed on something else. Pulling out the ruby broach, she frowned, setting it on the table and returning her hand to the bag to get some coins. She handed the coins to the woman then returned the bag to her subspace pocket for safe keeping.
"You like showing off, don't you?" Erisa asked, glowering at her sister.
Siori ignored Erisa in favor of unclipping the broach and taking the note pinned to it. Unfolding the paper, she read carefully. Anger flared in her chest and she balled the note up, throwing it toward the fireplace but missed. The broach flew after and crashed among the pieces of wood. Erisa watched as Siori stood, stomping off to the bar to order something and she hurried over to the fireplace and picked up the note then rolled back her sleeve, reaching into the fire to quickly retrieve the broach.
"Ou ou! Hot!" she yelped some and hurriedly pocketed the broach after finding it undamaged by the flames, just sooty. She returned to the table and un-crumpled the note.
Dear Siori
Your father asked that I give this to you when you came through next. I knew you wouldn't take it from me so... It was his, of course, he once said that his mother had given it to him. I think he does love you in his own fashion. He's just somewhat bad at showing his feelings.
Love, Lina
Siori stalked back toward the table with a large mug of something and slumped down in her chair once she set her mug down. Erisa quickly shoved the note into her pocket and watched Siori down half the mug's contents in what seemed one gulp. "You really shouldn't drink like that..."
"What the hell do you care? You some sort of priss?" she belched loudly, "If you don't like it, you can get the hell out of here." Siori continued pursuing her quest to get more then tipsy and Erisa fell silent, sitting somewhat slumped in her chair.
She watched as the waitress kept bringing refills of Siori's mug and put her face in her hands. "Don't you think that's enough, Siori?" Erisa asked.
"Shwat? Yer a damn priss, y'know tha? Damn funken priss. Ifn' yew'd seen wha I've seen ye'd wanna f- fergets too. Shot liks I'm gonna go nowheres after ans I's not likely t' go t' 'eaven noways." She continued on in the manner of a drunkard who has quite a lot to forget. Erisa listened intently for the first ten minutes then became bored when Siori started repeating herself. On her eighth mug, she passed out with a loud thump, impaling the table with her hair.
Erisa rubbed her forehead, "Gods," she muttered under her breath.
Siori suddenly sat up straight, looking at Erisa firmly, "Didnn I's tell yews t' shaddup? Coulda worn I dids. S' shaddup priss." Her head hit the table again and Erisa winced in sympathy for the table, Siori deserved the pain.
Siori suddenly sat up again, making Erisa jump in fright. The drunk girl in black yelled at the bar loudly, "HEEY! WHERESH MY GUESTS?!" Erisa put her face in her hands and slid down in her seat. "Wear I's gots guests comin!"
"Sure Princess, they're on their way," the barkeep replied with a laugh, apparently used to this somehow. Erisa watched the barkeeper carefully to see if he really knew that they were the true princesses of Seyruun but couldn't tell. He kept looking at them with a slight smirk and Siori was once again hitting the sake.
Slowly, she got to her feet and went to the bar, nervously, but trying not to look nervous. "H-has she- paid you for- all that- yet?" she asked haltingly, glancing back at Siori.
"Yeah," said the barkeeper, "S' who're you?" he asked, looking at her.
Siori started cackling almost insanely, "S'my part-ner! Bloo Serserss!" she shouted and laughed more, "Gib er a round er twoo!"
Erisa's eye twitched slightly, "Oh heavens," she said softly, "Don't believe anything she says! I'm just her sister!" Erisa was suddenly pinned against the bar when Siori collapsed on her after staggering up to the bar from her table.
"Ain't gots no kin," Siori said firmly, though drunkenly. "Nones at- ats all. S'gone, left me, theys did, gone!" she wailed the last, putting her face in the back of Erisa's neck and clutching her sister with one arm while the other hand clutched her mug.
"Dear sister, I think you've had enough," Erisa said firmly and pried the mug loose, "Do you have rooms here?"
"Nos we don' next door they do," replied the barkeeper and watched curiously as Siori was toted out on Erisa's back as if the girl weighed nothing. He'd personally seen the drunken Stone Princess tossed out before and had to organize the other people in the bar to pick her up.
A waitress stepped up to the bar, "That girl just carried Stone Princess out by herself... Gads, I'd heard that Stone Princess could pick up a horse if she wanted, but that'd been rumor..."
Siori drooled on Erisa's shoulder as they went across the street to the building with a sign of a bed above it. "You're terrible, you know that, Siori?" All she got in response was a soft snore. "You're a terrible drunk and a terrible sister."
"Yew lef me," she murmured in her half awake stupor.
Erisa was silent, memories of a man who had sad blue eyes and another girl who was her mirror. "It's not like I got up and walked out on you," she replied finally, shifting Siori on her back in an attempt to get the door of the inn open. After a few tries, she found she couldn't let go of Siori or she'd fall off. She kicked the door a few times in what she hoped was close enough to a knock.
"Wha bou daddy?" Siori slurred licking her lips, her breath smelled of alcohol. Siori noted that the sun was painting the sky in reds and pinks, splashed yellow across the clouds and the eastern half of the sky was blurry blue with specks of stars.
"I had no control of him." Erisa sighed and kicked the door again, "You won't even remember this when you wake up, probably. I'm not even going to heal your hangover because you did it to yourself." The door opened finally and a tall thin man looked down at them from his lofty height. "Hello, I couldn't get the door open on my own," she said and came in when the man stepped to the side. He watched them somewhat nervously. "How much for a double room? This IS an inn right?"
The man closed the door and went back around a desk that was the only piece of furniture in the room. "Yes," he said, "But we don't cater to drunkards."
Erisa patiently replied, "I'm not drunk. Just my sister."
"Nor do we cater to criminals," he said firmly, his greased black hair prim and neat.
"I'm not a criminal," Erisa replied, not adding that it was only her sister who did that sort of thing.
"Find somewhere else to go."
Erisa nodded, "If you'd open the door again then?" she sighed and glanced at Siori, "The things I do for you, and to think, we've only known each other for two days and already you're racking up the kudos." The man reopened the door for her and Erisa stepped out with Siori passed out on her back still. She turned and stuck her foot in the door before the man had it closed all the way, "Umm, could you tell me directions to Lina Inverse's magic shop?" The man looked annoyed but told her what she wanted. "Thank you, sir, many blessings upon your soul."
* * *
Erisa kicked the door of Lina's shop and waited. It was fully dark but someone was coming down the street with a candle to light the lamps for the night. A light flashed on inside and the door opened upon Gourry wearing only a pair of pants and his steel sword in hand. "Eh?"
"It's me, Erisa, from earlier?" Gourry stared at her blankly then was shoved aside by Lina.
"Oh! I thought you'd left town by now!" Lina said and let them in.
Erisa sighed, "No, she went and got drunk at a tavern and I tried to get a room but couldn't. Can we stay here tonight please, Mrs. Lina Inverse?" Lina nodded with a slight smile and called her light spell to her, showing them into the back of the shop as Gourry closed and locked the door once more. They went up some stairs and finally into a bedroom decorated with swords on the walls.
"This is Glory's room, but she's not here, just make sure that Siori doesn't leave any thing behind..."
Erisa dumped her sister on the bed and sighed, rolling her shoulders back then pulled out the broach, "She threw this in the tavern," she held it out, "D- do you think he'd mind if I kept it instead?"
Lina looked at it and smiled, "Actually, I think he'd be happy- as happy as he ever gets anyway."
"Could you tell me about him?" Erisa asked softly, following Lina down the stairs when she gestured for the girl to come. They left Siori flopped halfway on the bed.
She slipped her feet to the floor and made her way over to the window, which had light curtains covering it. She pushed them aside to look out upon the early morning. Her gaze fell down to the funeral procession going past and closed her eyes, turning from the window and headed toward the vanity to pick up her sword with its belt and pull it around her waist.
"So you're awake," said a voice that Siori would swear was her own except that she hadn't spoken. She turned toward the door where the girl from the night before stood with her arms crossed. "I'm sorry for doing that to you, but I have no intention of dying right yet, not to mention, I was quite upset about my friend's death."
Siori stared at the girl, finally opening her mouth, "Who are you?"
"I am Erisa, though I have been going by the last name of Pikina, I don't think that is my real last name." Erisa unfolded her arms and stepped forward a few paces under Siori's firm glare. "What's wrong?"
"You act just like him," Siori turned her head back toward her cloak and picked it up, pulling it on easily.
"Like who?"
Siori looked back at Erisa, "You know who I mean."
Erisa shook her head slowly, keeping her eyes trained on Siori, "I really don't. I've met quite a few 'him's in my travels but I don't know who you're referring to."
The black clad girl turned her nose up and brushed past Erisa quickly, "Well it's better to not know him. I knew him and look how I turned out."
A woman with brown hair and eyes stood in the doorway to the kitchen, her hands clasped together and bags under her eyes. "You'll be staying for breakfast won't you?" she seemed to be speaking more to Erisa then Siori, but the black clad youth could tell that the invitation was extended to her as well.
"Hell no," Siori replied at the same time as Erisa said, "Of course." The two looked at each other; one glaring the other bewildered.
Siori continued on down the stairs and slammed open the door, then found the end of her cloak was being clutched in Erisa's hands. "Please stay for breakfast?" They stared at each other once more; Erisa pleading, Siori glaring.
"Fine," Siori said finally, not one to pass up a free meal.
* * *
Siori wasn't sure how it had ended up that she'd waited for Erisa to pack some things nor how she'd ended up not protesting much about the girl following her when she left the village around mid morning. She was sure that she'd lose her before the day was out. Siori set a fast pace, stretching her legs with every step and trying her hardest to wear Erisa out. Her efforts were in vain and even backfired, by noon, Siori had to take a break in near a stream for some water.
"You know, you really should try wearing some lighter colors. You wouldn't get so hot-" Erisa said, gesturing to her white shirt and light cloth pants of brown tucked into sturdy leather boots. Hanging from her shoulders was a rich cloak, probably purchased with money saved up for years.
"NO ONE asked for your opinion," Siori snapped, "So shut up."
"You really don't socialize much do you?" Erisa asked.
Siori stared with narrowed eyes at the other girl, "And what makes you think that?" she asked softly.
Erisa seemed oblivious to the threat, "You're so rude for one," she said, completely innocent, looking upon Siori where she crouched by the stream with one hand in the water and droplets dripping from her face.
"I think that it's time you were quiet," the black clad girl said coldly. Erisa finally got the hint and shut her mouth, though she wasn't happy about having to.
The sky was silent, as was the forest they were walking through. The trees rustled in the light breeze but otherwise there was no sound. Leaves fluttered in the path almost like snow, their bright colors fading to brown in the mixed heat and chill of the autumn. Erisa walked somewhat behind what she'd come to think as her sister and looked at the pretty colors of the leaves, but tried to keep up with the black clad girl.
"Why don't you like anyone?" Erisa finally spoke up with.
Siori didn't answer. She kept walking, her long legs carrying her toward her destination.
Erisa had the feeling that Siori wasn't going to answer that question so she asked a different one. "You never told me what your name is..."
"Stone Princess," Siori replied, not turning her head.
"That's not your real name-"
"It is now."
Erisa sighed, "We're on a quest to find who I really am and you're denying who you are. That doesn't help much-"
Siori's sudden stop caused Erisa to run into her cut her off. She turned to face Erisa, "First of all, WE are not on a quest. I am heading toward Atlas City. Second, I am not denying who I am, I am the STONE PRINCESS and only that."
Erisa backed up a pace, looking at Siori, something nagged at the back of her mind but she couldn't put her finger on it. "You're really not being helpful."
"No, I'm not. YOU'RE the one who's following me. You're welcome to go back to wherever the hell you appeared from as far as I care. I certainly don't need you." Siori turned once more, stalking down the road, leaving Erisa simply standing there for a moment. She ran after the self proclaimed Stone Princess.
Erisa and Siori walked in silence for a long time. "You're not going to help me at all?"
"Believe me. You're better off not knowing," Siori surprised Erisa by replying with. "If anyone else found out, you'd have everyone trying to kill you."
"So you DO know who I am!"
"Like I couldn't tell by just looking at you?" Siori snorted and fell silent again.
Erisa was forced to speak once more after waiting for Siori to continue. The leaves fell in silence around them. "So who am I?"
"Why do you want to know so badly? It's not like you're going to get anything for it. Seyruun's gone, everyone knows that."
Erisa was once more confused, "I don't understand what Seyruun has to do with who I am." All children knew that the kingdom they lived in now was Kena and that the last of the Seyruun royal family was assented years ago, there was no chance that anyone was going to come back and reclaim the throne and rip the lands back into Seyruun's hold. Siori shook her head.
"It's better you don't know," she firmly closed her mouth and glared at the road ahead, trying her hardest to forget the memories of when she'd lived in the palace with her twenty three nannies and almost forty pets. Trying to forget the day they'd celebrated her sixth birthday and forces from Kena had rushed into the palace and slaughtered everyone. She'd gotten away by hiding under the table. When she had been found, they didn't think she could possibly be the princess and had cast her aside. She still remembered the words the man had said and it stung.
-What an ugly little brat! I think we got the princess. This probably is only a servant dressed up.
"Is something wrong?" Erisa broke into Siori's thoughts, causing the girl to realize that she'd been crying. Siori wiped her face quickly.
"Of course not. Just dust," she said, rubbing at her eye to make her lie more believable. Erisa fell silent once more, knowing that 'Stone Princess' had lied.
* * *
Zelgadis heaved a sigh, "Damn girl. Worse then me when I was that age..." He looked around the village draped in white, the mourning color. He was rather disappointed to find out that Siori had ruthlessly slain some poor girl in the village and that their local sorceress had fought with her. The people of the village he'd managed to get answers from had said that Siori kidnapped the sorceress as well. He walked along the path at a fast clip, hoping that he'd catch up to Siori and her captive by perhaps late evening. It was already noon and they'd gotten a five-hour head start on him.
He pushed back his hood and scratched the side of his neck, "Damn," he muttered under his breath, "I'm really going to have words with her about this."
* * *
"Aren't we going to stop for the night?" Erisa asked, despite saying she was fine, she really was tired.
"I hate towns," Siori said and they continued out into the forest near the town. Erisa was just glad to stop when Siori finally decided that they would.
They made camp and Siori made dinner for herself, was forced to share with Erisa, and grumpily went to sleep under her cloak. Erisa sat up for a few moments, looking upon the Stone Princess. "You sure travel light..."
"Shut up!" Siori snapped and pulled her cloak closer around her.
* * *
Zelgadis entered the inn around midnight and found that most of the patronage was already in their rooms. "Did you happen to see a girl that looked like me?" he asked the man at the bar, pulling off his hood and mask.
"Oh, that girl? Yeah, wish I hadn't," the guy muttered, keeping back from Zelgadis.
"Which room is she in?"
The man shook his head slowly, eyes locked on Zelgadis as the Chimera pulled his mask up once more. "She didn't get a room here."
"Where?" Zelgadis narrowed his eyes, quite annoyed, tired, and hungry, not to mention that he wanted coffee.
"I thinks she went on through town."
"Damn!" Zelgadis slapped his hand on the bar, "I'll have a pot of coffee and whatever you've got left over in the kitchen," he sighed, dropping a few coins on the counter. He headed toward a table near the smoky fireplace, which had a cheery flame within its embrace to ward off the chill of the night.
* * *
"So why exactly are we going to Atlas City?"
Siori clenched her teeth together in an attempt to control her temper. "Would. You. Shut. Up?!" she ground out.
Erisa sighed, falling silent once more. She'd been unable to get anything out of Stone Princess and she was starting to get frustrated. "Look, I know you're my sister, so tell me what my name was before!"
Siori suddenly spun around, her sword out, "Shut up! Shut up before I FIND a way to rip your heart out!" Erisa nodded, mouth shut, eyes wide. Siori finally turned around and sheathed her sword, continuing onward. Atlas City could be seen between the trees now and then. It was only early autumn and most of the trees had their leaves still, but there seemed to be an extraordinary amount sprinkled on the ground and in the road. Erisa amused herself by kicking leaves now and then.
Amazingly, they got into Atlas City with little resistance, despite the wanted posters with Siori's face on them. Erisa stopped to read one, chewing on her nails. The picture was of Siori at her most aggressive and ticked. "Stone Princess, wanted, 30,000 gold... Stone Princess!!" She hurried after her sister, "You're wanted! Are you sure it's okay to be here?"
"If you weren't so loud about it, yes, we would have been fine," Siori glanced around as people started disappearing into their homes. "They've raised the price. Not likely they'll get my head, firmly attached." She winked at Erisa.
"Is there somewhere specific you're headed?"
"Of course. Everyone knows where I go when I come here," Siori smirked as she thought about the OTHER places she haunted when in Atlas other then the Magic Works & Swords shop. She was sure Erisa wouldn't like going there but Siori wasn't going to pass up a chance for the best ale in Kena.
They headed down the various streets, mostly avoided by the people in the town. "People sure are scared of you," Erisa noted aloud as she walked near Siori, trying to keep from being noticed.
"Of course," was Erisa's smug answer. The girl eyed the Stone Princess for a long moment and heaved a sigh. "We're almost there," she said over her shoulder with a slight smirk.
"Hello Stone Princess, gotten yourself a partner?" asked someone who joined them for a short ways down the street.
"Hell no. She just followed me. Have no clue why. Can't seem to get rid of her," Siori replied to the ratty man with a hint of disdain in her voice.
The man grinned, looking even more rat-like, his teeth were yellow and turning green, his breath was so bad Erisa could smell it even where she was on Siori's other side. "I could take her off your hands..."
Siori shrugged, "Fine with me, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."
"Oh sure! Sure! How much exactly?" the man riffled through his dirty clothes for his money and looked up when he heard the sound of a blade unsheathing.
Erisa stood staring in horror as the body slumped to the ground headless and Siori wiped her blade with a piece of cloth before tossing it onto the body. "I said it'd cost, can't blame me if people don't listen." She crouched down and rolled the body over, digging through his pockets and finally finding his money, looking in the bag, she snorted, "And he thought he'd buy from me with THIS? Pah! Not even worth taking!" she threw the bag on the body as she got to her feet, a bunch of coppers fell out, scattering along the cobblestones.
"How COULD YOU?!" Erisa finally found her voice to scream at Siori. "How could you just kill him like that!?"
"Same way I'd kill you if I could, now shut up, you'll bring the cops and any stupid hero in hearing range." Erisa was forced to follow the Stone Princess once more as blood spread further in the street. They approached a shop with a sign hanging above the door, one of a sealed square pierced with a sword of light. "Make sure you wipe off your feet, auntie Lina gets so upset when guests get dirt on her floors," Siori said with a hint of amusement.
She pushed the door open and a pot came flying out as well as screaming from inside, "DAMNIT YOU JELLYFISH BRAIN! DON'T YOU KNOW ANYTHING?!"
Siori smiled and entered, ducking a frying pan, which clanged Erisa's forehead. The girl staggered back and put a hand to her head but forged in after her sister despite the danger. "Halooo!" Siori called, ringing the bell on the counter at the back of the store, immediately getting the attention of an aged redhead. Lina Inverse-Gabriev had aged well, though, her hair was still flaming red and her eyes bright. She turned and pounced upon the bell at the counter to keep Siori from ringing it any more.
"Siori! You've grown!" Lina looked up at the girl she fondly called her niece but wished the girl would return the kindness.
"It happens," she shrugged and reached into her cloak, pulling out the several bags of things she'd gathered.
"I wish you'd come visit for reasons other then business, even if you DO leave bodies in the street. How many this time?" Lina asked, opening the first bag to take a look.
"Only one, possibly more if that idiot back there doesn't keep her mouth shut." Siori gestured at Erisa who was peering at a crystal ball that Lina kept around for show. Lina's eyes focused on the other girl who'd entered the shop and blinked a few times.
"Does your father know-?"
"Like I'd go anywhere near him?" Siori cut Lina off firmly.
Lina shook her head with a sigh, "He's not as bad as you think, Siori."
"He left me and that's what matters," Siori stated coldly, "Now how much? You've been fondling that long enough to wear any spells on it into dust!"
Once again the renowned sorceress sighed, looking carefully at the object in her hands, "You DO know what this is, don't you?"
"Of COURSE I do," Siori lied, her face a mask of calm.
Lina shook her head, "You're even worse of a liar then your father... I can't gyp you though, your father'd have my hide, so I'll give you four hundred for it."
Siori glowered, she hated so much mention of her father. "More likely I'd have your hide, four hundred's fine."
Erisa came forward slowly, "So, you know her- er.. I suppose our father?"
Lina nodded writing down the price of the first item, lifting out another item, looking it over carefully. "Yes, I traveled with both him and your mother for years- or at least off and on. GOURRY! Get some coffee ready!"
"Already did!" Gourry appeared with two mugs of coffee and handed one to Siori and the other to Erisa. He was favored with a smile from his tiny wife.
"So where's Glory?" Siori asked after sipping her coffee and leaning against the counter.
Gourry smiled, "She's gone off on her own to become a great swordswoman!"
"Of course," Siori muttered, watching Lina look over the items and nodding at the prices Lina was writing down for each.
Erisa cleared her throat, "So- who are our parents?" she asked.
Lina looked up at Erisa, then at Siori. "I suppose you WOULDN'T have told her if she didn't know." She sighed and shook her head, looking back at Erisa, "Your mother was Amelia Wil Tessa Seyruun-Graywords and your father was Zelgadis Graywords." Erisa looked over at Siori and swallowed.
"Seyruun...? Isn't that...?"
"Yes, Amelia was queen for a short time, but she died giving birth to you two. I think Zelgadis went slightly mad after that, but he wasn't too bad, he still took care of you two and the country, he just did odd things." Lina pondered a moment, "Then again, he was always a bit odd, not much difference except that he seemed more absentminded then before." She set aside the first bag after finishing her look through it. "Then you were abducted and he just disappeared. I guess he didn't take you when he went," Lina watched Erisa's expressions change from sadness to horror then puzzlement. Siori snorted but added nothing to the conversation, simply handing Gourry her empty mug and taking Erisa's untouched one from her hands.
"Anyway, then Kena took advantage of Zel's disappearance to make a grab for Seyruun-"
"Left me there. Didn't give a damn if I died in that raid or not. Bastard," Siori muttered, draining the mug and handing it to Gourry for refill. "C'mon, get on with it. You know I hate cities, Lina."
The redhead sorceress eyed Siori, "So pushy. Sometimes I wish you'd been more like Amelia. Despite her Justice Speeches, she wasn't as annoying as you get." Siori narrowed her eyes and put her hand to her sword hilt. Erisa swallowed and snapped her hand out, catching Siori's wrist before she could draw her sword.
"Don't you DARE kill her!" Erisa stated firmly, "I'll blast you so bad you'll have burns for the next millennium!" Siori stared at Erisa for a long moment.
"I really don't think you could anyway. Why don't you just go find something to occupy yourself with while I get my business here done?" Erisa fumed silently at her sister's patronizing tone.
Siori let go of her sword at the same time as Erisa let go of her wrist. The tension in the room dropped steeply. Lina let her fireball dissipate and her husband let go of his sword's hilt as well. "So you know magic?" Lina asked Erisa.
"Yes, I've studied white, Shamanism, and have started black. My teachers have all been very surprised at how quickly I caught on and how powerful my spells can be," she shot a look at Siori who'd received her newest cup of coffee and was staring at Lina's ledger.
"Going to become the next Wise Woman of the age?" Lina asked with some amusement, "You know, your great grandfather or great great grandfather was Rezo the Red Priest."
"Really?!" Erisa was interested immediately, "Is it true that Lina Inverse killed him?" Lina burst into laughter and even Siori looked amused. "What?! Did I say something wrong?"
"You idiot, she IS Lina Inverse," Siori said and sipped her coffee which was getting somewhat cold, much to her distaste.
"Yes, almost... He summoned Shabranigdu and found the Dark Lord taking over his body then I killed that piece of Shabranigdu with the help of Rezo's remaining spirit. After that, I killed Copy Rezo, but that's a long story."
"And one I don't want to hear for the fifteenth time, now would you get back to work?" Lina gave Siori a long look for her comment but did get back to pricing the items.
"Your total is six thousand nine hundred and seventy five gold and three hundred silvers," Lina stated after adding everything up. She handed the bags to Gourry and told him to put them on the shelves while she went to get the money for Siori.
Erisa looked at her sister for a long moment, "You really hate him that much for leaving you?" Siori narrowed her eyes but nodded.
"My anger knows no bounds," she replied cryptically.
"So we're princesses of Seyruun. Does that make me Erisa De Seyruun?"
"No, it makes you an idiot because there's no land, no money, nothing. Seyruun is dead." Siori slammed her mug down on the counter to punctuate the last word and glared at Erisa.
"But if we-"
"NO! Are you dense?!" Siori grabbed Erisa around the neck with an arm and banged her fist into the girl's head with every syllable she yelled, "SEYRUUN IS GONE!" She let go of the girl and watched as she tried to put her hair back into shape. "If you want to go resurrect it, fine, but don't drag me into shit like that."
Erisa stood in silence, looking around the somewhat dusty shop. Gourry hummed some odd mixture of songs as he placed objects on the shelves in random places, filling in the holes. There was no order in the room, just neat chaos. There was a window in the front wall with many diamond pains of glass. Hanging from the ceiling near the window were crystal chimes, which reflected spots of light all over the front room of the shop.
Lina returned to the room with two heavy bags of gold. Dropping them on the counter she let Siori take possession of them. "Took you long enough," she muttered and headed toward the door, Erisa hurried after.
"Thank you Mrs. Lina Inverse!" Erisa called before closing the door and hurrying after her sister.
Gourry looked at the door with a smile. "What cute daughters he had," he stated. "Too bad Ris is so much like him, that other girl was a lot like Amelia."
"Her name is Siori, not Ris, Gourry." Lina reminded and pondered why she and Gourry had never had another child, then remembered why. She shook her head and turned, headed into the kitchen.
She shook her head once more, recalling how Zelgadis had once stopped in, four years ago, handing Lina the red broach from his cloak. "Give this to Siori if she ever stops in," was all he said and left. She'd forgotten to give Siori the broach the last two times she'd stopped into Lina's shop, but this time, she'd dropped it into one of the bags along with the gold. She only hoped that Siori didn't automatically throw it away somewhere when she read the note Lina had written pinned to it.
* * *
Siori dropped one of her bags on the table she and Erisa were sitting at in a tavern, reaching into it, she grabbed for a few coins to pay the waitress. Her hand closed on something else. Pulling out the ruby broach, she frowned, setting it on the table and returning her hand to the bag to get some coins. She handed the coins to the woman then returned the bag to her subspace pocket for safe keeping.
"You like showing off, don't you?" Erisa asked, glowering at her sister.
Siori ignored Erisa in favor of unclipping the broach and taking the note pinned to it. Unfolding the paper, she read carefully. Anger flared in her chest and she balled the note up, throwing it toward the fireplace but missed. The broach flew after and crashed among the pieces of wood. Erisa watched as Siori stood, stomping off to the bar to order something and she hurried over to the fireplace and picked up the note then rolled back her sleeve, reaching into the fire to quickly retrieve the broach.
"Ou ou! Hot!" she yelped some and hurriedly pocketed the broach after finding it undamaged by the flames, just sooty. She returned to the table and un-crumpled the note.
Dear Siori
Your father asked that I give this to you when you came through next. I knew you wouldn't take it from me so... It was his, of course, he once said that his mother had given it to him. I think he does love you in his own fashion. He's just somewhat bad at showing his feelings.
Love, Lina
Siori stalked back toward the table with a large mug of something and slumped down in her chair once she set her mug down. Erisa quickly shoved the note into her pocket and watched Siori down half the mug's contents in what seemed one gulp. "You really shouldn't drink like that..."
"What the hell do you care? You some sort of priss?" she belched loudly, "If you don't like it, you can get the hell out of here." Siori continued pursuing her quest to get more then tipsy and Erisa fell silent, sitting somewhat slumped in her chair.
She watched as the waitress kept bringing refills of Siori's mug and put her face in her hands. "Don't you think that's enough, Siori?" Erisa asked.
"Shwat? Yer a damn priss, y'know tha? Damn funken priss. Ifn' yew'd seen wha I've seen ye'd wanna f- fergets too. Shot liks I'm gonna go nowheres after ans I's not likely t' go t' 'eaven noways." She continued on in the manner of a drunkard who has quite a lot to forget. Erisa listened intently for the first ten minutes then became bored when Siori started repeating herself. On her eighth mug, she passed out with a loud thump, impaling the table with her hair.
Erisa rubbed her forehead, "Gods," she muttered under her breath.
Siori suddenly sat up straight, looking at Erisa firmly, "Didnn I's tell yews t' shaddup? Coulda worn I dids. S' shaddup priss." Her head hit the table again and Erisa winced in sympathy for the table, Siori deserved the pain.
Siori suddenly sat up again, making Erisa jump in fright. The drunk girl in black yelled at the bar loudly, "HEEY! WHERESH MY GUESTS?!" Erisa put her face in her hands and slid down in her seat. "Wear I's gots guests comin!"
"Sure Princess, they're on their way," the barkeep replied with a laugh, apparently used to this somehow. Erisa watched the barkeeper carefully to see if he really knew that they were the true princesses of Seyruun but couldn't tell. He kept looking at them with a slight smirk and Siori was once again hitting the sake.
Slowly, she got to her feet and went to the bar, nervously, but trying not to look nervous. "H-has she- paid you for- all that- yet?" she asked haltingly, glancing back at Siori.
"Yeah," said the barkeeper, "S' who're you?" he asked, looking at her.
Siori started cackling almost insanely, "S'my part-ner! Bloo Serserss!" she shouted and laughed more, "Gib er a round er twoo!"
Erisa's eye twitched slightly, "Oh heavens," she said softly, "Don't believe anything she says! I'm just her sister!" Erisa was suddenly pinned against the bar when Siori collapsed on her after staggering up to the bar from her table.
"Ain't gots no kin," Siori said firmly, though drunkenly. "Nones at- ats all. S'gone, left me, theys did, gone!" she wailed the last, putting her face in the back of Erisa's neck and clutching her sister with one arm while the other hand clutched her mug.
"Dear sister, I think you've had enough," Erisa said firmly and pried the mug loose, "Do you have rooms here?"
"Nos we don' next door they do," replied the barkeeper and watched curiously as Siori was toted out on Erisa's back as if the girl weighed nothing. He'd personally seen the drunken Stone Princess tossed out before and had to organize the other people in the bar to pick her up.
A waitress stepped up to the bar, "That girl just carried Stone Princess out by herself... Gads, I'd heard that Stone Princess could pick up a horse if she wanted, but that'd been rumor..."
Siori drooled on Erisa's shoulder as they went across the street to the building with a sign of a bed above it. "You're terrible, you know that, Siori?" All she got in response was a soft snore. "You're a terrible drunk and a terrible sister."
"Yew lef me," she murmured in her half awake stupor.
Erisa was silent, memories of a man who had sad blue eyes and another girl who was her mirror. "It's not like I got up and walked out on you," she replied finally, shifting Siori on her back in an attempt to get the door of the inn open. After a few tries, she found she couldn't let go of Siori or she'd fall off. She kicked the door a few times in what she hoped was close enough to a knock.
"Wha bou daddy?" Siori slurred licking her lips, her breath smelled of alcohol. Siori noted that the sun was painting the sky in reds and pinks, splashed yellow across the clouds and the eastern half of the sky was blurry blue with specks of stars.
"I had no control of him." Erisa sighed and kicked the door again, "You won't even remember this when you wake up, probably. I'm not even going to heal your hangover because you did it to yourself." The door opened finally and a tall thin man looked down at them from his lofty height. "Hello, I couldn't get the door open on my own," she said and came in when the man stepped to the side. He watched them somewhat nervously. "How much for a double room? This IS an inn right?"
The man closed the door and went back around a desk that was the only piece of furniture in the room. "Yes," he said, "But we don't cater to drunkards."
Erisa patiently replied, "I'm not drunk. Just my sister."
"Nor do we cater to criminals," he said firmly, his greased black hair prim and neat.
"I'm not a criminal," Erisa replied, not adding that it was only her sister who did that sort of thing.
"Find somewhere else to go."
Erisa nodded, "If you'd open the door again then?" she sighed and glanced at Siori, "The things I do for you, and to think, we've only known each other for two days and already you're racking up the kudos." The man reopened the door for her and Erisa stepped out with Siori passed out on her back still. She turned and stuck her foot in the door before the man had it closed all the way, "Umm, could you tell me directions to Lina Inverse's magic shop?" The man looked annoyed but told her what she wanted. "Thank you, sir, many blessings upon your soul."
* * *
Erisa kicked the door of Lina's shop and waited. It was fully dark but someone was coming down the street with a candle to light the lamps for the night. A light flashed on inside and the door opened upon Gourry wearing only a pair of pants and his steel sword in hand. "Eh?"
"It's me, Erisa, from earlier?" Gourry stared at her blankly then was shoved aside by Lina.
"Oh! I thought you'd left town by now!" Lina said and let them in.
Erisa sighed, "No, she went and got drunk at a tavern and I tried to get a room but couldn't. Can we stay here tonight please, Mrs. Lina Inverse?" Lina nodded with a slight smile and called her light spell to her, showing them into the back of the shop as Gourry closed and locked the door once more. They went up some stairs and finally into a bedroom decorated with swords on the walls.
"This is Glory's room, but she's not here, just make sure that Siori doesn't leave any thing behind..."
Erisa dumped her sister on the bed and sighed, rolling her shoulders back then pulled out the broach, "She threw this in the tavern," she held it out, "D- do you think he'd mind if I kept it instead?"
Lina looked at it and smiled, "Actually, I think he'd be happy- as happy as he ever gets anyway."
"Could you tell me about him?" Erisa asked softly, following Lina down the stairs when she gestured for the girl to come. They left Siori flopped halfway on the bed.