"Hey Gourry, you should go home. Take the rest of the day off."
Gourry looked up from the magazine he was reading, if you call reading just looking at the pictures. Even then he wasn't really paying attention because he was too busy trying to work out where he recognised that girl from. He felt strongly about her, like he should know her as someone close but that was impossible because he had never met her before.
"What's wrong?" Gourry answered the boss of the grocery store.
"You are. You don't look well and you're mind is somewhere else. You should take the day off, maybe a week until you feel better."
"But…"
"Just go Gourry."
H sighed a little and stood up, taking his things and left to return to his apartment. On returning he sat down on the couch and sighed a little, putting his hands on the top of his head, looking at the blank screen of the TV. He couldn't work out what was wrong with him, and why was that girl affecting him so much. However he didn't have much time because he had a practice session coming up so he had to gather his things together and get ready. He took a shower, prepared himself some dinner and soon he was off.
"Gourry! GOURRY!"
Gourry blinked as he raised his mask and turned towards the instructor, who then motioned to come to him. He did so, wondering if he had done something wrong.
"Sorry sensei, my forehand strike wasn't that good, but my mind's just a bit confused."
"Oh don't worry about that Gourry, you're fine. You're an excellent student. But you see that's the problem. You're so good there is nothing more I can teach you. And well you're also so good that you're putting my other students off from coming and each week I lose more and more. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"But sensei!"
"Please Gourry; you're just wasting your time here now. If you want to learn more, maybe you can take up kendo, that's similar to sword-fighting and you'll learn some new techniques too which could compliment what you've learnt."
Gourry looked down, taking the mask off his head and wiping his brow with his sleeve. Looking down at the wooden practice sword he held in his hand. He'd never found much to be good at but somehow he was drawn to sword-fighting and picked it up really quickly. He also enjoyed it and it helped take his mind off things, like being picked off for not being smart or being too tall, and having long hair.
He was actually punished for beating up those same bullies with his newly learnt sword skills, using his training sword, and gave those bullies a thing or two to learn about. He might have got in trouble and banned from sword-fighting for a time, but he was eventually allowed back and he never had trouble with those bullies since. Only today his mind was still on that girl and now he wasn't allowed to do the one thing he enjoyed anymore. He left silently, packing his things together and placed the wooden sword last into the bag.
He walked through the light lit streets of the small town and looked up at the stars that were so much clearer than in the city. He felt like things were falling apart recently, with his nightmares disrupting his sleep, not being able to do sword-fighting anymore, and the troubles he was having with his job. He wondered what his purpose in this life was anymore, wondering if he was being punished for something in a past life, not that he believed in that sort of thing.
"Leave me alone you third-rate thief!" Gourry blinked and turned left sharply to where he heard the voice. He looked down the alleyway and noticed three men surrounding a girl who was backed up against a wall. Realising the situation he gritted his teeth and took the training sword out of his bag before dropping the bag to the floor.
"I said back off, or I promise you'll regret it." The girl stated defiantly.
"Not until you give us our money back you little bitch!" growled the man in response.
Gourry wasn't pleased with that and charged towards the three men in an instant. They didn't even know what hit them until it was too late. With a well aimed blow he attacked the man closest to the girl, striking him hard on the neck which knocked him out instantly. The other men either side of him gasped but Gourry didn't hesitate. He threw his elbow hard against the man's nose, breaking it and forcing blood to gush out of it. Then re-gripping the sword, he struck it hard against the last man's stomach, forcing him to double over, and then he struck his head with a swift kick, leaving all three men collapsed on the ground.
I turned to the girl and blinked when I realised who it was.
"You…" She blinked a little in surprise.
"I didn't steal it if that's what you're saying."
"I didn't say you stole anything. Well you stole from my store, but that's not what I mean. Or is it?" He blinked now as he confused himself. The brunette haired girl with ruby red eyes just looked up at the strange tall guy, wondering what planet he was from and decided to take the opportunity to leave. Gourry realised what she was doing though and took a hold of her before she got far, pulling her back infront of him.
"Hey let me go!"
"Why did you steal from those guys?" She just rolled her eyes a little.
"I only stole from them because they stole from others.
"Why do you need to steal though? Don't you live at home with your parents?"
"Well first of all I'm 18 thank you very much, and I don't live with my parents because they kicked me out."
Gourry blinked a little in surprise, not really believing her but decided to go along with it.
"Well you can stay with me then, I'm not leaving you out here in the cold, and you need somewhere warm to stay."
"I'm not staying with a weirdo like you!"
"Would you rather stay out here where these guys could get to you in the cold?"
She looked at him and hmmphed a little like it didn't matter but he could tell that she was seriously thinking of the offer. She then began walking as Gourry caught up alongside her.
"I could have taken those guys out myself."
"Of course you could."
"Damn right, because I'm the beautiful genius, Lina Inverse!"
Author's Notes: Well that's all I have for the moment. I have an idea what I want to do next but after that, well it's up in the air.
Sorry for posting seven chapters at once but I never thought of posting this on until recently so I know there is a little bit to read through. But as I mentioned in the first chapter, any comments will be appreciated, but again sorry for posting seven chapters at once. It'll be one at a time from now on I promise!