Drinking it Up
The next day, they went to Gato to have some good food. Lina and Gourry made the other people in the area look at them with wide eyes. No one could understand how they could eat that much without bursting. Especially since Lina was out eating Gourry.
After lunch, they went to the caves to look for an adventure. Near the end, they saw a cave. Lina decided to go inside and check it out.
Inside was a pair of worried nuns. Around them, were a group of barrels. When Lina looked inside, she saw they were empty.
"A strange fish man came by and drank all of the Sacred Elixir," one cried, "Without it, we can't perform the sacred rituals. Oh, if only we had a barrel in my soul. Then I could go to the desert and pick up some of the water from the oasis."
When Lina and Gourry left, they saw a drunken Gobi. He thought they were both monsters, and began to attack. Lina sweatdropped, and Flare Arrowed him. After he went down, she went by to see what was up.
Gobi had apparently been the one to drink all of the Elixir. He had so much, that he had gotten drunk. With some rest, he would recover. So Lina just left him and went to get some more Elixir for the temple. Hopefully, a temple could reward her greatly.
* * *
In Geo, she heard about how the Manager in Lumina had helped the local bartender get a barrel in his soul. Since that was what the nun wanted, Lina decided to head for Lumina on the fly. It was the only way to carry the Elixir to the temple.
When she talked to the Manager of Lumina, he began to tell her a story about how the bar had gotten the name Mischievous Spirits. Apparently, there were spirits who took tastes of the wine in the barrel, making the level of liquid go down. Lina sat on with fake interest. She'd seen more drinking in one day when she traveled with Nahga than left the barrel in a week.
"Do you know why this happens?" asked the Manager.
Lina replied, "Sure I do." But she sounded bored as she spoke.
The Manager smiled. "That's good kid. You must have a barrel in your soul too. Only someone with a barrel in their soul understands."
Lina suddenly felt different. Like there was some other burden in her soul besides her magic. She figured that it must be the barrel he spoke about.
* * *
With that, Lina and Gourry headed for the Duma Desert. They then began to head for the Oasis to get the Elixir. But neither knew where exactly it was, so they got lost for some time. Gourry and Lina did nearly kill each other over the food they'd brought along though. Along the way, they heard a roar coming from an area in the middle of the desert.
After some time, they arrived at the Oasis. Lina then began to gather the water in the barrel in order to take it to Gato. Gourry snuck some of the food when she wasn't looking, and was rewarded with a Fireball. When they were finished, they returned to Gato in order to give them the Elixir. The nuns were overjoyed since they could now conduct the ceremonies. Lina was rewarded with a big bag of Lucre for a job well done.
"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts," a nun said.
"No I should be thanking you," Lina said, "Your temple's food is the greatest in this whole world. And I'm an excellent judge of good food."
* * *
Back home, Lina began to think about the noise she had heard. It didn't sound like any creature she'd ever met in her life. Maybe she could find some kind of treasure that it was guarding. Or its hide could be sold for Lucre.
But when she checked on the pets, she found that all of them were sick with a virus that affected monsters. So she headed to Domina for medicine. After giving it to each of them, she realized that they wouldn't be able to come with her and Gourry.
She told him, "We'll just have to go without them. I still can't get any good Logic Blocks to make the Golems actually fight well. So the two of us will have to go to the desert to hunt the monster by ourselves. How hard can it be?"
"I'll definitely go with you. I never want to see you get hurt Lina. It would just break my heart if something happened to you," he replied.
Then Gourry gave Lina a nice kiss. She made the most of it, and embraced him. They continued for a little while, until Jared came in.
"Ewwwwwwwwwwwww. . .they're kissing," he cried.
Jerin told him, "When you get older, you'll want to give your girlfriend kisses too. It's just the way that the world works."
Jared looked green. "Never, I'll never want to kiss a girl. It's just so disgusting."
'I'd like to see if you still think that in ten years,' thought Lina.
They then prepared to head out for the desert again. Lina was excited about what she might find there. Whether it was treasure or a monster hide worth millions, she had a feeling that the beast would give her something good.
- - - -
Another monster fight next time. And the pets are gone for a reason. You'll see then.
The next day, they went to Gato to have some good food. Lina and Gourry made the other people in the area look at them with wide eyes. No one could understand how they could eat that much without bursting. Especially since Lina was out eating Gourry.
After lunch, they went to the caves to look for an adventure. Near the end, they saw a cave. Lina decided to go inside and check it out.
Inside was a pair of worried nuns. Around them, were a group of barrels. When Lina looked inside, she saw they were empty.
"A strange fish man came by and drank all of the Sacred Elixir," one cried, "Without it, we can't perform the sacred rituals. Oh, if only we had a barrel in my soul. Then I could go to the desert and pick up some of the water from the oasis."
When Lina and Gourry left, they saw a drunken Gobi. He thought they were both monsters, and began to attack. Lina sweatdropped, and Flare Arrowed him. After he went down, she went by to see what was up.
Gobi had apparently been the one to drink all of the Elixir. He had so much, that he had gotten drunk. With some rest, he would recover. So Lina just left him and went to get some more Elixir for the temple. Hopefully, a temple could reward her greatly.
* * *
In Geo, she heard about how the Manager in Lumina had helped the local bartender get a barrel in his soul. Since that was what the nun wanted, Lina decided to head for Lumina on the fly. It was the only way to carry the Elixir to the temple.
When she talked to the Manager of Lumina, he began to tell her a story about how the bar had gotten the name Mischievous Spirits. Apparently, there were spirits who took tastes of the wine in the barrel, making the level of liquid go down. Lina sat on with fake interest. She'd seen more drinking in one day when she traveled with Nahga than left the barrel in a week.
"Do you know why this happens?" asked the Manager.
Lina replied, "Sure I do." But she sounded bored as she spoke.
The Manager smiled. "That's good kid. You must have a barrel in your soul too. Only someone with a barrel in their soul understands."
Lina suddenly felt different. Like there was some other burden in her soul besides her magic. She figured that it must be the barrel he spoke about.
* * *
With that, Lina and Gourry headed for the Duma Desert. They then began to head for the Oasis to get the Elixir. But neither knew where exactly it was, so they got lost for some time. Gourry and Lina did nearly kill each other over the food they'd brought along though. Along the way, they heard a roar coming from an area in the middle of the desert.
After some time, they arrived at the Oasis. Lina then began to gather the water in the barrel in order to take it to Gato. Gourry snuck some of the food when she wasn't looking, and was rewarded with a Fireball. When they were finished, they returned to Gato in order to give them the Elixir. The nuns were overjoyed since they could now conduct the ceremonies. Lina was rewarded with a big bag of Lucre for a job well done.
"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts," a nun said.
"No I should be thanking you," Lina said, "Your temple's food is the greatest in this whole world. And I'm an excellent judge of good food."
* * *
Back home, Lina began to think about the noise she had heard. It didn't sound like any creature she'd ever met in her life. Maybe she could find some kind of treasure that it was guarding. Or its hide could be sold for Lucre.
But when she checked on the pets, she found that all of them were sick with a virus that affected monsters. So she headed to Domina for medicine. After giving it to each of them, she realized that they wouldn't be able to come with her and Gourry.
She told him, "We'll just have to go without them. I still can't get any good Logic Blocks to make the Golems actually fight well. So the two of us will have to go to the desert to hunt the monster by ourselves. How hard can it be?"
"I'll definitely go with you. I never want to see you get hurt Lina. It would just break my heart if something happened to you," he replied.
Then Gourry gave Lina a nice kiss. She made the most of it, and embraced him. They continued for a little while, until Jared came in.
"Ewwwwwwwwwwwww. . .they're kissing," he cried.
Jerin told him, "When you get older, you'll want to give your girlfriend kisses too. It's just the way that the world works."
Jared looked green. "Never, I'll never want to kiss a girl. It's just so disgusting."
'I'd like to see if you still think that in ten years,' thought Lina.
They then prepared to head out for the desert again. Lina was excited about what she might find there. Whether it was treasure or a monster hide worth millions, she had a feeling that the beast would give her something good.
- - - -
Another monster fight next time. And the pets are gone for a reason. You'll see then.