Copy Trouble
When they arrived at Domina, they found a Sproutling laying on the ground. Nearby, a girl who looked exactly like Lina was stealing a leaf. She had a nasty smile on her face.
"Good, these leaves here will sell for premium prices," she cackled. Then she headed off towards the Marketplace.
Lina was so mad, her nails began to dig into Gourry's shoulder. "That's it! When I find the fruitcake who made the Copy of me, they'll be broken up so bad that it'll take L-Sama to put them back together again." Then she stormed off to the Market, Gourry trailing behind.
There, they found the Copy pulling the leaves off another Sproutling. After having a laugh fest, she headed back towards the main part of town. Lina again began to pull Gourry along in order to keep up with her.
But when they arrived, they didn't see her. So Lina decided to check all of the houses. If that didn't work, they could always go to the bar and ask questions.
In the house of Mark the shopowner, they saw Duelle and Teapo. But something was wrong. Duelle seemed to be bullying his long time friend.
"I know you've been hoarding pumpkins Teapo," he told her, "You will give them to me if you know what's good for you. With an army of pumpkins, I will rule the world."
'This again, didn't Jared and Jerin try this?' thought Lina.
Teapo replied, "Oi Duelle. Whot's gotten into you lately? Are you sick or something? I've never seen you like this."
"Just give me the pumpkins," Duelle demanded.
"Just whot'll you do if I refuse?" Teapo asked.
Duelle pointed to her back. "I'll build an anthill on your back. It'll be so itchy with an anthill on your back. You'll be in perpetual suffering."
'Now I know something's wrong,' Lina mused, 'Both my and Duelle's Copies are acting almost like Mazoku. This is just the sort of prank I'd expect from Xellos.'
Teapo began to whine, "No don't put an ant'ill on me back. I'll give you the pumpkins. Just don't make me have an ant'ill on my back."
Teapo dropped the pumpkins in front of Duelle. He began to laugh, and walked out the door. Lina and Gourry followed close behind.
Once outside, they saw Lina's Copy complaining about the sap on the Sproutling's leaves. She then began to head for the Western End of Domina. Gourry and Lina gave chase instantly, hoping to figure out whose sick joke this is.
* * *
At West Domina, they saw the Copy standing around evil pumpkin patches. She was laughing maniacally at the scene before her. Seeing Gourry and Lina, she hurled a Fireball at them. But they dodged almost effortlessly.
"So we finally meet, Lina Inverse," she said.
"Alright you Copy," Lina yelled, "Who created you and let you run amok on the town? Who decided to make a Copy of me with Mazoku traits?"
The Copy gave her a blank stare. "Copy? Mazoku? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a Shapeshifting Shadow Zero One. These pranks are such fun to play. I decided to disguise myself as the locals in order to get a rise out of everyone."
Lina Fireballed her. "I didn't think it was very funny. And neither did the other people who were on the receiving end of your pranks," she said.
Suddenly, the second Lina turned into a little shadow creature that looked like it was wearing a ninja suit. The only color that wasn't black, was the red face, which didn't have any features on it. It looked - - as best as it could with no eyes - - right at them.
The creature yelled, "Let's fight. I will not let you ruin my perfectly good plan for messing up the lives of all of the villagers."
They began to fight. But Lina didn't take the thing very seriously. It was only a little shadow after all. She called out, "Elmekia Lance." With that, it was destroyed.
* * *
After setting right what the Shadow Zero One had done, Lina and Gourry went to talk with Mei Mei. The young Sorceress asked about how she had come to this place, and how she could get back to Seyruun. The answer shocked her.
"You have been chosen by our Goddess, the Mana Goddes to save the world," Mei Mei replied, "Our people have suffered under their fates for so long. So she reached out into another world, and found the heroes needed to save us."
"So we're in another universe, that explains a lot. Like why no one has heard of the places I've seen. Or the things every child knows about. And especially that no one knows who Gourry and I am, " she exclaimed.
They returned home trying to figure out a way back to their own dimension. Lina figured that the only way was to play along with the Mana Goddess's plan. After all, if she brought them here, maybe she could send them back home again.
- - - -
Well, now we know the where when why and how. We'll have to find a way home before this story comes to a close. It'll be dynamite though.
When they arrived at Domina, they found a Sproutling laying on the ground. Nearby, a girl who looked exactly like Lina was stealing a leaf. She had a nasty smile on her face.
"Good, these leaves here will sell for premium prices," she cackled. Then she headed off towards the Marketplace.
Lina was so mad, her nails began to dig into Gourry's shoulder. "That's it! When I find the fruitcake who made the Copy of me, they'll be broken up so bad that it'll take L-Sama to put them back together again." Then she stormed off to the Market, Gourry trailing behind.
There, they found the Copy pulling the leaves off another Sproutling. After having a laugh fest, she headed back towards the main part of town. Lina again began to pull Gourry along in order to keep up with her.
But when they arrived, they didn't see her. So Lina decided to check all of the houses. If that didn't work, they could always go to the bar and ask questions.
In the house of Mark the shopowner, they saw Duelle and Teapo. But something was wrong. Duelle seemed to be bullying his long time friend.
"I know you've been hoarding pumpkins Teapo," he told her, "You will give them to me if you know what's good for you. With an army of pumpkins, I will rule the world."
'This again, didn't Jared and Jerin try this?' thought Lina.
Teapo replied, "Oi Duelle. Whot's gotten into you lately? Are you sick or something? I've never seen you like this."
"Just give me the pumpkins," Duelle demanded.
"Just whot'll you do if I refuse?" Teapo asked.
Duelle pointed to her back. "I'll build an anthill on your back. It'll be so itchy with an anthill on your back. You'll be in perpetual suffering."
'Now I know something's wrong,' Lina mused, 'Both my and Duelle's Copies are acting almost like Mazoku. This is just the sort of prank I'd expect from Xellos.'
Teapo began to whine, "No don't put an ant'ill on me back. I'll give you the pumpkins. Just don't make me have an ant'ill on my back."
Teapo dropped the pumpkins in front of Duelle. He began to laugh, and walked out the door. Lina and Gourry followed close behind.
Once outside, they saw Lina's Copy complaining about the sap on the Sproutling's leaves. She then began to head for the Western End of Domina. Gourry and Lina gave chase instantly, hoping to figure out whose sick joke this is.
* * *
At West Domina, they saw the Copy standing around evil pumpkin patches. She was laughing maniacally at the scene before her. Seeing Gourry and Lina, she hurled a Fireball at them. But they dodged almost effortlessly.
"So we finally meet, Lina Inverse," she said.
"Alright you Copy," Lina yelled, "Who created you and let you run amok on the town? Who decided to make a Copy of me with Mazoku traits?"
The Copy gave her a blank stare. "Copy? Mazoku? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a Shapeshifting Shadow Zero One. These pranks are such fun to play. I decided to disguise myself as the locals in order to get a rise out of everyone."
Lina Fireballed her. "I didn't think it was very funny. And neither did the other people who were on the receiving end of your pranks," she said.
Suddenly, the second Lina turned into a little shadow creature that looked like it was wearing a ninja suit. The only color that wasn't black, was the red face, which didn't have any features on it. It looked - - as best as it could with no eyes - - right at them.
The creature yelled, "Let's fight. I will not let you ruin my perfectly good plan for messing up the lives of all of the villagers."
They began to fight. But Lina didn't take the thing very seriously. It was only a little shadow after all. She called out, "Elmekia Lance." With that, it was destroyed.
* * *
After setting right what the Shadow Zero One had done, Lina and Gourry went to talk with Mei Mei. The young Sorceress asked about how she had come to this place, and how she could get back to Seyruun. The answer shocked her.
"You have been chosen by our Goddess, the Mana Goddes to save the world," Mei Mei replied, "Our people have suffered under their fates for so long. So she reached out into another world, and found the heroes needed to save us."
"So we're in another universe, that explains a lot. Like why no one has heard of the places I've seen. Or the things every child knows about. And especially that no one knows who Gourry and I am, " she exclaimed.
They returned home trying to figure out a way back to their own dimension. Lina figured that the only way was to play along with the Mana Goddess's plan. After all, if she brought them here, maybe she could send them back home again.
- - - -
Well, now we know the where when why and how. We'll have to find a way home before this story comes to a close. It'll be dynamite though.