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Not Exactly Rapunzle

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Hey, hey... This chapter kinda goes into a lil bit of the first season, but it's changed a lil bit... k?^_^

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Two Days Later...

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Lina and Gourry were just approaching Sairaag. She had found out long before that Zelas had taken up residence there, but she had never actually gone to fight her. It was almost like she was afraid, after what had happened to Gourry. But now, with Gourry at her side, she felt she could do anything. ***

It didn't take long for word to reach Zelas that Lina Inverse was in the city. Everyone whispered her name in frightened voices, almost afraid even to speak the name. Zelas thought that exremely foolish. Lina was no one to fear. She was a disobedient child, who had been punished long ago for her impudence.

Still, Zelas wanted to go and greet her... Properly. She grinned, showing off her pointed fangs, thinking about their encounter.

Lina was very foolish indeed for coming to Sairaag.

Zelas swallowed a glass of wine in one gulp, and headed out the door. She stopped, turned around, and downed half the bottle in two swallows. Satisfied, she turned and left the house.

It was very easy to find Lina. She had but to follow the whispers and pointed fingers. ***

Lina's gasp, and her sudden halt in walking was all Gourry needed to figure out that Zelas was here. He stepped half in front of Lina, and drew a sword he had had at his side for most of hid life.

"Lina Inverse," Zelas spat, stepping closer to Lina and Gourry.

Lina held her hands ready to cast a spell, and said, "I figured I should do away with that nasty thing you call a last name, and get something more suited to me."

Zelas's eyes narrowed, and she glared at Lina. "Impudent brat! I will teach you some manners!" With that, she launched a Gaav Flare right at Lina, intending to finish her with one spell.

But something like that couldn't stop Lina Inverse. She simply dodged it, and rolled to one knee. "Fireball!" she shouted.

In the moment of shock Zelas had, the Fireball hit her. She just smiled, thinking it would be as weak as the last one Lina had tried on her. She was wrong again.

Zelas was knocked off her feet, and flew several yards to land in the dirt. She stood up, and glared at Lina.

Gourry took up the opportunity. He felt all of Zelas's attention focused on Lina, so he charged in with his sword. As he ran, he shouted, "Light, come forth!" He heard the hum of his light blade, and dashed over to where he knew Zelas was standing.

With a single swipe of his sword, he felled Zelas, and hurried back over to Lina.

Unfortunately, the cut didn't hit a critical area. Zelas was on the ground, her hand grabbing at her side. The wound was deep and long, but she would survive.

Lina and Gourry stalked over to her, side by side. Zelas tried to stand up, but the wound was too painful. She started a Recovery spell, and hoped it would finish quickly.

"Zelas Metallium," Lina spat, imitating Zelas. "You are a cruel, heartless witch. You messed with Lina Inverse, and now you're going to have to pay. I will show you no mercy, and you would have shown me none."

"Bah!" Zelas scoffed. "You can't do anything to me! I always have been, and always will be, more powerful than you!"

Lina, her eyes ice cold, said, "I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you."

Gourry and Zelas both stared at Lina.

"Darkness beyond twilight. Crimson beyond blood that flows," Lina said in a clear voice.

When Zelas realized what she was doing, she tried to back away. But Gourry dashed in behind her, and held the tip of his sword against her back.

"Buried in the flow of time," Lina continued. "In thy great name I pledge myself to darkness."

Zelas looked fearfully up at Lina.

"Let all the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I posses," Lina finished. She glared down at Zelas with eyes of steel.

"Please..." Zelas begged. "Please. Show me mercy, Lina? Please? I raised you as my own child! You wouldn't be here if it weren't for me!"

Lina nodded, and said, "That's right. I wouldn't be here." She paused to let Zelas think she was letting her go. "I would have been at a nice place, living a peaceful life."

Zelas shrank back away from Lina, and felt the tip of the sword enter her back. She winced, and moved away from the blade.

"Good-bye, Zelas," Gourry said from behind the white-haired witch.

"Dragon Slave!" Lina shouted.

The spell erupted all around them, expanding outwards for near-on a mile. When the explosion died away, only Lina and Gourry were standing there. There was no sign left of Zelas Metallium.

Gourry blinked his eyes a few times in confusion. He waved his hand in front of his face. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining anything. He pinched himself to see if he was sleeping. He wasn't.

"Lina," he said quietly. "I can see! The spell is gone!"

Lina ran over to him, and hugged him. "Really, Gourry?" She looked up into his eyes, which were twinkling like she remebered them.

In reply, Gourry leaned down and kissed her full on the lips. When he backed away a tiny bit, he said, "Really, Lina." For the first time in over two years, Gourry lost himself in Lina's bright red eyes once again.

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To Be Continued...

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