Seside Romance
Realizing they had some time to kill before dinner, Lina and Gourry teleported to the Madora Beach. They hoped to find a good spot for a picnic or a day trip to bring Jerin and Jared one day. But neither of them counted on what they would find.
A pair of penguins were standing at the entrance. The man wore a blue and white striped hat like most of the other pirates while the girl wore a pink and white striped hat with red flowers on the side. Both had on the pirate's red coats.
"Valerie, you have to understand," the man said, "The Capt'n and crew need me."
Valerie replied, "Oh David. That's what I get for falling in love with a pirate. I guess I'll just have to hatch it myself." Then she ran off.
David was positively shocked. "Valerie, did you lay an egg?" he asked himself. Then he decided to follow her and get the story strait.
"Let's go too," Lina insisted, "We can help play matchmaker."
Gourry sighed. He didn't quite feel right, butting into the business of the two penguins. But if he didn't, he knew Lina would kill him. So he just shut his trap and followed along.
* * *
They continued on through the caverns of the beach. Along the way, they encountered a strange type of crab that broke apart every time they stepped on it. Lina gave up early in trying to catch them for a soup. But Gourry had to be dragged away by his hair since he hadn't quite gotten the message. He'd thought it was some kind of evasion technique.
After walking around for awhile, they came across a giant monster called the Full Metal Hager. It was a cross between a crab and a spider. Gourry ran up to it and tried to slash it with Dragon's Claw, but was knocked away by the monster's strength.
Lina's eyes filled with rage. She didn't know why, but for some reason she felt that she must take vengeance for his injury - - although it was minor. So the young sorceress jumped onto the nearest rock, and yelled, "Digger Volt." The electric shock surged through the monster, and killed it.
Lina ran up to her wounded friend. She saw he had no serious injuries, and immediately began to use Recovery on him. Then she dumped some cold water on Gourry's face so he'd wake up.
"What happened to the monster?" asked Gourry.
"It's gone now," Lina replied, "What were you thinking, running at him without any idea of what he was capable of? Then again, you never think but that's besides the point. I don't want to be stranded in a place I've never heard of, and have no way of knowing how to return to familiar lands or contact my other friends without someone else to share it with."
Gourry told her, "Don't worry, I'll always be your bodyguard."
"Thanks Gourry," she replied, "Traveling is always more fun if you have someone to joke with, no matter who they are. That's why I never just killed Nahga for driving me batty for two strait years. Even if she was annoying, I could at least talk to someone."
"Who's Nahga," Gourry inquired.
"An old traveling companion. Annoying laugh, intimidating proportions," she replied.
Gourry stood up and they began to walk together. "Did she make you feel inadequate all of the time? I mean, was she constantly forgetting things too?"
"Let me put it this way Gourry," Lina said, "Your intelligence level and jokes about my chest are a few steps above hers."
They continued to walk as Lina related stories about her early travels to Gourry. Although she knew he'd forget them by the end of the day, it was relaxing to be able to tell all of the most embarrassing things that had happened while with Nahga without the Serpent around to try and put her own two cents in. Meaning Lina could tease her as much as she wanted.
Finally, they caught up to David and Valerie. The young pirate had vowed he'd never leave her side again. He even went so far as to say he'd give up his life as a pirate.
Valerie told him, "Return to your ship David. I couldn't live with myself if I was the reason you gave up all of your dreams. Remember how you used to tell me how you'd find a great treasure to bring back to me? Or how you'd destroy all of the monsters so I would be safe?"
"But you said something about an egg," he said.
"Oh, that.I was just being silly," Valerie lied, "I was only dreaming about having an egg. When you fulfil your dreams, then we can talk about mine."
David looked at his friend. He ran to the entrance to the cave and yelled, "I'll be back someday my love. Even if it takes ten, no a hundred years. I'll return as the captain of my own ship with 100 penguins under my wing. When the monsters are all gone. Goodbye, and see you later." Then, he ran through the cave, heading back to the ship.
Valerie sighed as she watched him leave. "I could never live with a pirate. Any day, he might decide to run off to chase his dreams. I'll just hatch the egg myself, it's best for all of us."
Gourry and Lina just watched the scene as it unfolded. This time, Lina taught him how to mysteriously acquire a tub of popcorn for himself, so he didn't take hers. 'Someday, I'll have a love that will allow me to follow my dreams too,' Lina thought, 'Who knows, it may come along at any moment. You never can tell when these things happen.'
Then she felt Gourry grip her hand. But for some reason, she didn't have the will to Fireball him today. Maybe it was watching the two penguins. Or it could be their proximity to the ocean. But for whatever reason, she just allowed herself to lean against his shoulder and relax.
- - - -
Well, a little fluff in this chapter. It's not going to be the whole story, Lina'll be back to her Fireballing self before you know it. I just can't pass up a chance to add some romance to a story.
Realizing they had some time to kill before dinner, Lina and Gourry teleported to the Madora Beach. They hoped to find a good spot for a picnic or a day trip to bring Jerin and Jared one day. But neither of them counted on what they would find.
A pair of penguins were standing at the entrance. The man wore a blue and white striped hat like most of the other pirates while the girl wore a pink and white striped hat with red flowers on the side. Both had on the pirate's red coats.
"Valerie, you have to understand," the man said, "The Capt'n and crew need me."
Valerie replied, "Oh David. That's what I get for falling in love with a pirate. I guess I'll just have to hatch it myself." Then she ran off.
David was positively shocked. "Valerie, did you lay an egg?" he asked himself. Then he decided to follow her and get the story strait.
"Let's go too," Lina insisted, "We can help play matchmaker."
Gourry sighed. He didn't quite feel right, butting into the business of the two penguins. But if he didn't, he knew Lina would kill him. So he just shut his trap and followed along.
* * *
They continued on through the caverns of the beach. Along the way, they encountered a strange type of crab that broke apart every time they stepped on it. Lina gave up early in trying to catch them for a soup. But Gourry had to be dragged away by his hair since he hadn't quite gotten the message. He'd thought it was some kind of evasion technique.
After walking around for awhile, they came across a giant monster called the Full Metal Hager. It was a cross between a crab and a spider. Gourry ran up to it and tried to slash it with Dragon's Claw, but was knocked away by the monster's strength.
Lina's eyes filled with rage. She didn't know why, but for some reason she felt that she must take vengeance for his injury - - although it was minor. So the young sorceress jumped onto the nearest rock, and yelled, "Digger Volt." The electric shock surged through the monster, and killed it.
Lina ran up to her wounded friend. She saw he had no serious injuries, and immediately began to use Recovery on him. Then she dumped some cold water on Gourry's face so he'd wake up.
"What happened to the monster?" asked Gourry.
"It's gone now," Lina replied, "What were you thinking, running at him without any idea of what he was capable of? Then again, you never think but that's besides the point. I don't want to be stranded in a place I've never heard of, and have no way of knowing how to return to familiar lands or contact my other friends without someone else to share it with."
Gourry told her, "Don't worry, I'll always be your bodyguard."
"Thanks Gourry," she replied, "Traveling is always more fun if you have someone to joke with, no matter who they are. That's why I never just killed Nahga for driving me batty for two strait years. Even if she was annoying, I could at least talk to someone."
"Who's Nahga," Gourry inquired.
"An old traveling companion. Annoying laugh, intimidating proportions," she replied.
Gourry stood up and they began to walk together. "Did she make you feel inadequate all of the time? I mean, was she constantly forgetting things too?"
"Let me put it this way Gourry," Lina said, "Your intelligence level and jokes about my chest are a few steps above hers."
They continued to walk as Lina related stories about her early travels to Gourry. Although she knew he'd forget them by the end of the day, it was relaxing to be able to tell all of the most embarrassing things that had happened while with Nahga without the Serpent around to try and put her own two cents in. Meaning Lina could tease her as much as she wanted.
Finally, they caught up to David and Valerie. The young pirate had vowed he'd never leave her side again. He even went so far as to say he'd give up his life as a pirate.
Valerie told him, "Return to your ship David. I couldn't live with myself if I was the reason you gave up all of your dreams. Remember how you used to tell me how you'd find a great treasure to bring back to me? Or how you'd destroy all of the monsters so I would be safe?"
"But you said something about an egg," he said.
"Oh, that.I was just being silly," Valerie lied, "I was only dreaming about having an egg. When you fulfil your dreams, then we can talk about mine."
David looked at his friend. He ran to the entrance to the cave and yelled, "I'll be back someday my love. Even if it takes ten, no a hundred years. I'll return as the captain of my own ship with 100 penguins under my wing. When the monsters are all gone. Goodbye, and see you later." Then, he ran through the cave, heading back to the ship.
Valerie sighed as she watched him leave. "I could never live with a pirate. Any day, he might decide to run off to chase his dreams. I'll just hatch the egg myself, it's best for all of us."
Gourry and Lina just watched the scene as it unfolded. This time, Lina taught him how to mysteriously acquire a tub of popcorn for himself, so he didn't take hers. 'Someday, I'll have a love that will allow me to follow my dreams too,' Lina thought, 'Who knows, it may come along at any moment. You never can tell when these things happen.'
Then she felt Gourry grip her hand. But for some reason, she didn't have the will to Fireball him today. Maybe it was watching the two penguins. Or it could be their proximity to the ocean. But for whatever reason, she just allowed herself to lean against his shoulder and relax.
- - - -
Well, a little fluff in this chapter. It's not going to be the whole story, Lina'll be back to her Fireballing self before you know it. I just can't pass up a chance to add some romance to a story.