Chapter Six!

GOMEN NASAI, MINNA-SAN!!!!!! Sorry I haven't been writing...so busy...anyway this is the next chapter! YAY! DONE! PARTY! BTW, many thanks to Iniko and Ishy-chan! I'm glad that Kevin is interesting, and of course Xellos is mischievous, when is he not? ;) Thanks for the crit, Ishy-chan, I know it was a little too, as you say quite well, direct but I couldn't think of a better way to say it then. I'll try better next time. (I know that being tired isn't an excuse, but it's the only reason I have...heh, again minna- san, I'm sorry for not updating...)

Lina walked slowly down the road and smiled peacefully, bandits hadn't been messing with her, no monsters had wanted a piece of her and so she could spend all of her time training Kevin. She smiled, when would she ever have been happy about having a student? Never! Yet here she was, a proud sister and teacher. She smirked; it wasn't as if she went easy on him, because lately she had to put effort into their battles. Kevin, just like his big sister, learned easily and quickly, making himself a student any teacher would love to have.

She stopped at a booth that sold ice cream, ordered a chocolate with fifteen scoops, left the clerk staring after her in amazement, and walked in the general direction of the park. Slurp, half the ice cream was gone, "Oh, now that's some good ice cream!" and slurp, there went the other half. "Too bad I didn't get any more, the booths pretty far back there now." She pouted to no one and sat on a bench.

The park was unusually large, a mile wide and long, but surprisingly empty of participants. A small forest sat in the left third of the park while a sparkling, blue pond was settled to the right. 'Reminds me of Zel's eyes...' she thought absentmindedly. Her own ruby ones widened in alarm, 'Now where did that thought come from?' and she shook her head vigorously. 'I've got better things to do than think about some guys eye's.'

She settled more comfortably into the bench, 'This things really comfy for a wooden bench! I should sit in them more often!' and stared at the sky. The sun hung midway in the sky and she smiled. Time to open Zel's present! Almost giddy, Lina reached into her and pulled out the small package. She looked it over; Zel could really choose some exiting paper. The package sat in her lap, pure white with no adornments.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Lina ripped the paper off and opened the box, gasping in delight at the golden object. Inside lay a small bracelet, half the size of her wrist. It had a perfectly cut, circular ruby in the center of a golden band. She smiled happily, knowing it had some sort of special trick of its own. Just like Zel to give her something both useful and suitable. To examine the bracelet closer, trying to find out its ability, Lina placed the box on the end of the bench. Soon, after Lina shifted a few times, the box fell from the bench and landed on the grass, spilling two things, previously hidden by a well placed cloth.

Lina looked up, startled, when she heard the box crunch. Glancing down, Lina once again smiled appreciatively. She picked up another golden band, this time an anklet, and a short note. Looking at the anklet first (It's TREASURE, for Pete's sake, what did you expect? Looks crestfallen when the readers shake their heads in the 'author is stupid' kind of way the anklet? Oh...smiles sheepishly and coughs, embarrassed) Lina compared it to the bracelet. It was the same gold and had another ruby, same size, placed in the middle. Lina looked at the two again, but was puzzled still. Neither had catches, they were simply bands; but when she compared sizes they were both too small. Not wishful to break them in some way, Lina didn't try to break them, simply put them in the box and read the note for an explanation.

Lina, these are both Reeflers, I know you know the legends. I found them when I was traveling and I figured they would come in handy for you. Rubies just aren't my style. A warning, do NOT place a dragon slave spell in them. Knowing you, unless you've had previous experience, which I don't doubt that you did, you'll try that first. The Reeflers can't handle that kind of power; but will withstand anything less powerful. I gave one to Amelia a while back but I didn't think you'd appreciate a Peridot bracelet. You seem more like a Ruby-ish. Also, I figured you might be a little lost about this. The 'bracelet' and 'anklet' will fit whoever puts it on perfectly. Simply slide it on, and the gold will do the rest. If you're wondering why I gave this to you, the answer is simple. You gave me the Sapphire and I had to give something back of equal value.

Zelgadis Graywords

Lina rolled her eyes. Just like Zel, not wanting to rely on someone else. "Can't accept a gift without feeling he has to give something back." She muttered, unaware that Kevin was standing behind her.

"Hey Li-chan, what's up? Who can't accept a gift?"

Lina blinked and turned around. "Zelgadis." His face turned inquisitive; Lina sighed at the inevitable explanation. Telling him about the gift, Lina paused. "What's the matter, Kev?" his face was serious and his brow creased.

"Thought I saw something in the tree. Coulda sworn I saw a brown staff and a black cape, but...my eyes could have been playing tricks on me. Anyway," Kevin continued, shaking off the contemplative air, "What is a Reefler?"

Lina wanted to ask more about this 'brown staff' and 'black cape' thinking, 'Xellos Metallium, if you try play a trick on me, you're really gonna pay this time.'

Somewhere, up in a tree, a certain Mazoku was thinking about changing his plans. Not that he was afraid of Lina. No not at all, he just didn't like being tortured by her. Not fun, not fun at all.

Lina sighed, deciding to use the same explanation as with Gourry. "You can cast spells with it. What you do is cast a spell on the Reefler, and the Reefler retains the spell indefinitely. The next person that touches the Reefler, other than the spell caster, releases the spell. Got it? It's a pretty convenient little object." (Look at end of chap for a short exp. when done.)

Kevin nodded his head, thinking, 'probably paid a pretty penny, he did.' He whistled appreciatively.

Lina ignored him and picked up the bracelet. Once again considering it and wondering just how it was supposed to go onto her wrist, Lina fell into a contemplative mode. Finally giving up and deciding to try it out, Lina held it above her right wrist, she wasn't wearing any gloves or armor, just her dragon outfit and leather boots. Her cape was folded neatly on the bench.

Interested in the proceedings, Kevin sat next to her and observed her actions. Lightly touching her shoulder, Kevin blinked in surprise. It was shaking. "What's the matter, Lina?" he jumped in surprise when she started laughing.

"N-nothing," she laughed out. "It's just so easy, I wonder that I didn't see it before!" Kevin raised an eyebrow and Lina turned to him. "It's so obvious, and here I spend HOW long trying to figure it out?" she rolled her eyes and smirked at him. "Betcha you can't figure it out..." she taunted.

"Bet you're right, so tell me."

"You're no fun, Kev, but fine, I will." He looked at her expectantly. "Later!" he facefaulted and she laughed at him. "Come on, let's go get some dinner!" her eyes sparkled and Lina cracked her knuckles.

"By the way, I forgot to tell you before, but dinner is ready and it's probably getting cold."

"WHAT?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER?!" she raced to the inn and proceeded to finish all of the food before it got any where near cold. Kevin walked at a more sedate pace, but stopped with a shiver; turning to face a tree with narrowed eyes. Again there was a flash, as if from some kind of crystal, and again he saw a cape and staff. Frowning at things he could not understand, Kevin followed his sister into the inn.

After dinner was done, thirty servings and an empty larder later, Lina went to her room, Kevin having gone a few minutes before to his own. She reopened the package from Zel and smiled once again at how thoughtful he could be. She changed into her PJ's, shorts and a sleeveless shirt.

She jumped onto the bed and turned to her back, taking the note from Zel and turning it over she cast a revealing spell, smirking when she saw what was written on the back.

Lina, I know you're going to read this. You're probably the only other
mage who'd check for this kind of thing. If you assumed that it was
not a normal bracelet and anklet, you're correct. They are indeed
Reefler's, but I changed the spell on them. Instead of the next person
to touch it forcing them to go off, these Reefler's will react when
you summon the spell on them. Just think of them as a storing
mechanism, saving it for when you're bushed or can't (the pen wobbles)
use magic, for some reason or another. Oh, and unless you destroy
them, the Reefler's will not detach themselves form your leg and arm.
So if you don't plan on having them there for a while, don't put them
on. Warning and explanation are over and I only have one thing to say.
Happy Birthday, Lina Inverse.

Zelgadis Graywords.

Well, she considered, it couldn't hurt, and Reefler's never did anything bad to a person. Well, what did she have to lose, anyway? It was worth a shot.

Lightly touching the bracelet to her wrist, she whispered a few words and watched in satisfaction. The gold melted around her wrist and expanded. She shivered at the sensation of cold metal, almost alive, running over her arm like a snake. It shifted and shaped, molding into one thing, only to change to another, trying to find what best suited its new master.

As soon as it finished with her arm, Lina picked up the anklet and paused, undecided. Was one enough, or should she do two in case something happened. Rolling her eyes at herself, Lina quickly did the same with the anklet. When the anklet finished its design, Lina looked at the mirror, and gasped, surprised.

AU: yeah, yeah, yeah, people I know that you're just DYING to know why she's surprised, right? Well, even if you're not, it's all the same to me! Again, thankies to Iniko and Ishy-chan. Oh, I owe some of you an explanation, don't I...... heh, all right. The Reefler is not my idea. It comes from the first Manga book of Slayers Super-Explosive Demon Story by Hajime Kanzaka and Shoko Yoshinaka. It's a funny short story, read it sometime. Review, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and this chapter is much shorter, sorry!

Myth