This is my first try with a themed community. I thought it would be fun to try it out, so I claimed Lina/Gourry on the LiveJournal community 21 Hearts . There may be accompanying artwork one day...if I ever get around to it. Warning: spoilers for the end of NEXT.
Theme #1: Ace of Hearts
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Hearts I Win; Tails You Lose
by Navvy
Phibrizzo looked up from the cards he held to his playing partner. "Do you have a jack?"
"N-no," the child stammered, "go f-f-fish."
He hoped that he would pick up a jack, but--alas, a five. When his partner made no move, he looked pointedly at the frightened child. If only Lina Inverse would hurry up, then he would not have had to alleviate his boredom by playing card games with one of Sairaag's dead young souls.
"Do you--do you have a five?"
With a glare, he tossed his newly acquired card to the child. The other player hastily picked it up, then put it down with his other card. He did not have any more cards.
Phibrizzo regarded the child a moment and growled, "Well? Aren't you going to pick up more cards or something?"
For a second he thought his partner might be too scared to move, but then the child nearly whispered, "I...I w-win."
With a snap of the Hellmaster's fingers, the poor youth's soul was ripped apart, leaving the cards behind. Phibrizzo was never a good loser. Pouting unhappily, he picked up the deck of cards and absentmindedly went through them.
Four, queen, seven...Damnit Lina Inverse, hurry up! Two, five, ace...
The card he held was the ace of hearts, a card which, he realized suddenly, might describe Lina Inverse. Oh, he knew the humans had a phrase about an ace, so he supposed Lina Inverse was his ace in this, since he required her to cast the Giga Slave. Even the suit it represented was also part of his plan.
Phibrizzo's gaze then drifted over to the swordsman, sealed in his crystal prison. A malicious grin took hold of his seemingly human lips--what a stroke of luck it had been, taking that particular man. He had to wonder, if it were another of Lina's companions, could he still manipulate her into destroying the world? To him, it was not likely. He had become so giddy while watching them fight, and of course, when he felt her reaction to the discovery of their masked enemy. What a show it had been!
Now all that was left to do was use his ace's heart against her, and his new toy would work very well for that. He found another card in the deck, and placed it with the other. With a little coaxing, Lina Inverse would do anything to save the king of her heart--as soon as she actually arrived.
Now that he had calmed down a bit, the Hellmaster congratulated himself on what would soon be his victory.
After all, he thought confidently, with a plan this good, there's nothing that can go wrong.
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Reviews are very much loved! Was it too short? Should I make more serious fics, or with more humour? Feedback is always a great help to know how I'm doing!