Title: Understatement
Characters: Gourry, Zelgadis, Amelia, Lina, Zuuma, Pokota (mention)
Pairings: Mild A/Z and L/G
Rating: PG-13
Timeline: Evolution-R Manga chapter 2
Summary: Gourry was a forgiving person, but he wasn't sure if he would come out of this battle without blaming someone... even that person ended up being Zelgadis or himself. (SPOILER ALERT)
To say that Gourry was angry may have been a bit of an understatement. Actually, to say that it was a bit of an understatement would have been an even bigger understatement.
It had been one thing to go with Ozel, attack but not really hurt Lina, and to cast Sleep on Amelia. But now, seeing Zelgadis with his sword drawn and standing next to Zuuma, Gourry was downright furious. Not that he was convinced that Zelgadis had really deserted them; he was still clinging to that slim hope – or was it desperation? If things came down to it, if it was either Lina or Zelgadis... Gourry would choose Lina without hesitation. Gourry didn't want to make that choice – none of them wanted to make that choice. Amelia would never forgive him, and he would never forgive himself.
Maybe it would have been easier if he'd had a regular blade, or even the Sword of Light's fake blade. But the copy had none, and if Gourry actually hit Zelgadis, it wouldn't bounce off like most things. The sword of light was one of the few things that could pierce Zelgadis's skin – he would have to hold back if he didn't want to kill Zelgadis. In a proper fight with the Sword of Light, Zelgadis didn't stand a chance... and both of them knew it.
Amelia was pleading with Zelgadis, but he said nothing to her. Gourry saw, or maybe hoped, that something changed in the chimera's eyes, pain at having to do this. Then Zelgadis drew his sword, telling Zuuma to go for Gourry first.
They couldn't afford to fight now: Pokota had run off to take care of the rest of the lesser demons; Lina was hopeless in a sword fight; Gourry's arm was injured; and Amelia could barely stand, angry red and blue bruises were springing up over her arms and throat, and probably more were hidden by her tunic and leggings. Worst of all, her eyes were shining with tears – she looked completely heartbroken.
'I really hope you had nothing to do with the mazoku that just attacked her,' Gourry thought with another spark of anger. He'd traveled with them for years, they were his family. Gourry had already had a family torn apart by betrayal, he couldn't bear to have it happen again. Gourry knew he was protective of the others – he cared about Lina more than anything, but Amelia was like the little sister he never had. 'Even if you didn't, I'm going to have to punch you for making Amelia cry.'
A/N: Chances are, sometime in your life you'll either be or have that one older friend that would beat up anyone who hurts the younger friend, whether it's emotionally or physically. Gourry strikes me as that friend when it comes to the others (aside from Lina, since that's not the platonic type of overprotectiveness). And in NEXT, Gourry did hit Zel when he brought up the topic of Amelia's uncle and sister... I imagine that this situation would make Gourry quite a bit angrier.