They had to be the oddest-looking group of travelers on the road.
          Ameria was wearing her dark colored, tight-fitting clothes. Lina wore a simple T-shirt and pair of jeans. Gourry wore a semi-formal suit for lack of anything else to wear. Zelgadiss gawked at them, dumbfounded at the unearthly scene. Xelloss was trying to fight the urge to laugh, but little snorts and giggles made their way through his fingers.
          Lina sighed, exasperated. "Anyone have any better ideas...?" she asked, looking at Xelloss and Zelgadiss for help. Zelgadiss simply shook his head in defeat, whereas Xelloss placed his index finger to his lips in thought.
          After a few seconds, Xelloss said, "Why didn't you all just wear some of your normal outfits... I mean Gourry-san would look normal without his armor and sword, Lina-san would look fine just wearing her shirt, pants, and boots, and Ameria-san could go without her cape." When they stared at him in silence, he shrugged and told them it was only a suggestion.
          "Actually, I think it'll work nicely," Lina said. In a tiny voice so no one could hear, she added, "Now why didn't I think of that...?"
          The three of them stepped back inside their own tents and changed into what Xelloss had suggested. When they were back outside, Xelloss commented, "Now that looks a lot better." He looked them over again, pausing when he came to Ameria. He pointed a finger at her charms and said, "Those won't do..." Ameria pouted childishly and reluctantly took her bracelets off. Zelgadiss rolled his eyes at the immature display, as did Lina. Xelloss stood up, brushed some dirt off his pants, and asked, "Shall we be going?"
          Lina was the first to follow, falling one step behind him. Zelgadiss gave them a suspicious glance before following. Ameria could sense uneasiness between her friends, but didn't comment and walked behind Gourry.

          "Ne," Lina said after a while, ignoring the others to the best of her ability. They were still in the shadowy forest, following Xelloss because he was their only guide. They weren't being led in circles, though, since none of Zelgadiss's obvious trail markings were seen ever again. Something about the forest gave her the creeps though, and she walked near Xelloss for her own safety. When he didn't respond to her small request, she became a little irritated and said a bit louder, "Ne, Xelloss."
          "What is it, Lina-san?" he asked. There was a hint of sadness and hurt still in his voice as he said her name. His eyes remained closed, masking any unnecessary feelings at the time.
          Lina's gut twisted in guilt. She had to swallow her pride before continuing, "Look Xelloss...about what happened last night...I'm sorry." She twiddled her fingers a bit, not used to apologizing to anyone.
          She had hoped he would smile and laugh at her like the Xelloss she had once known would, but he didn't. Instead, he told her, "It was my fault for telling you... I'm the one that should be sorry." His eyes traveled warily to Zelgadiss and the group to make sure they couldn't hear anything. Much to his relief, or rather, Lina's, they didn't seem to hear any of the conversation.
          Lina took a bold step forward so she was walking side by side with him. Her eyes narrowed, her voice sharp and stern as she spoke. "Listen, it was not your fault for how I acted last night... There's nothing wrong with admitting your feelings to someone." She was the last person who should have said that.
          "I thought you said mazoku can't love," he replied sourly, making Lina's stomach twist into a tighter knot. He held aside some tree branches and motioned for her to go through. "It is just a bit further. We shall part here for now. Be careful," he said loudly enough for them all to hear. Lina seemed a bit reluctant to leave him, giving him a look of thanks before walking through. Gourry followed next, waving goodbye cheerfully to him. Ameria merely gave him a suspicious sidelong glance as she strode by. Zelgadiss was the only one to speak up.
          "What are you up to...?" he asked the priest.
          "Nothing I haven't told Lina-san yet," he replied merrily, as if nothing had happened. "If you want to know, it would be best to ask her. Now if you'll excuse me, I have important matters to take care of..." The cold glint of his violet iris gave Zelgadiss chills. He then reclaimed his cheerful expression, waved childishly, and disappeared behind the tree.

          When Zelgadiss caught up to the others, he immediately stepped up to Lina. He eyed her carefully, trying to notice any visible changes to her. The only difference he saw was that she didn't hold her head quite as high as she had before, as if her pride had been damaged. "Oi Lina, what exactly did Xelloss say to you?"
          Lina glanced around a bit, trying to think of what to answer. "Anou..." she began, "what exactly do you have in mind?"
          Zelgadiss gave her a quizzical look before replying, "For example, you could explain why you two have been acting so strangely lately."
          Lina squeaked on the inside, then turned to look at the others with a nervous look on her face. Ameria seemed very curious to know what was on, as did Gourry, who for once seemed to understand what was going on. Zelgadiss looked serious, and was waiting patiently for her answer. Lina sighed and looked up at the blue sky filled with pillowy, white clouds. She silently mouthed the words - why me.
          Zelgadiss suddenly stopped in his tracks. They were finally out of the forest and were close to the village entrance. Ameria and Gourry stopped behind him, and Lina took a couple more steps before coming to a halt as well, turning around to face him.
          "What's the matter, Zelgadiss-san?" Ameria asked him, trying to peer over his shoulder at whatever it was that stopped him. Lina had turned back around and was most likely giving whomever or whatever it was that cocky look of hers. Behind her, Gourry had his hand near the hilt of his Blast sword, seemingly ready, yet reluctant to use it. Ameria still could not see from behind Zelgadiss and the tree, and had to gently push her way through.
          Between them and Miran stood a young girl of about thirteen years of age. She had dark pink hair that cascaded in waves down her back and shoulders, reaching almost down to her waist. She wore all black: a tight top that left her shoulders and back bare, long gloves that reached just past her elbows, and a set of tight-fitting, seemingly leather pants with 1-inch heel boots. There was also a black headband in her hair. The most striking feature of her, though, was that she wore a pair of sunglasses that completely shadowed her eyes, preventing them from being seen by anyone who tried to look.
          She folded her arms, tilting her hips to one side as she leaned the other way. She grinned and said aloud, "You are Lina Inverse, correct?"
          Lina pretended not to be surprised. "So my name has already spread throughout this continent as well? I'm flattered," she said sarcastically, her canines showing as she smiled.
          "Hn..." The girl stepped forward and walked over to where the gang stood. She saw Gourry grasp the hilt of his sword, ready to attack. She held up a hand, cueing him to let it go. "I am not here to fight," she explained. She smiled sweetly at Zelgadiss who had been glaring at her suspiciously the entire time. He looked away in disgust, causing her to giggle slightly. "Allow me to introduce myself," she said, taking a deep, graceful bow. "My name is Rosette, though most people call me Rosa. Believe it or not, I do not come from your time period. My home is about eighteen years in the future.
          Lina's expression turned to a look of utter and total shock. "The future?"
          "What's a future?" Gourry asked cluelessly, causing Lina, Zelgadiss, and Ameria to facefault. Rosa's mouth opened slightly in surprise as Lina jumped up and pummeled the poor swordsman.
          "You're missing the point as usual, jellyfish for brains," Lina said through gritted teeth, putting Gourry in a headlock.
          Rosa chuckled, seeming delighted by what was happening. She clasped her hands together and commented, "Ah so you must be the ignorant swordsman, Gourry."
          Lina glanced up at her with narrowed eyes, as did Zelgadiss. Ameria blinked at their reaction, and Gourry just looked confused. It was one thing for Lina's name to be known, but for the rest of the gang, it meant that she knew more than they thought about them. "I see you've discovered quite a bit about us..." Lina said, her voice low and serious.
          Rosa continued to smile warmly. "Lina Inverse the 'dramatta', Gourry Gabriev the guardian mercenary, Zelgadiss Greywers the cursed chimera, and Ameria wil Tesla Saillune the princess of the city of white magic." It was hard not to laugh at their surprised expressions.
          "So...what do you want from us?" Lina asked.
          "Oh I'm just here to warn you to turn back. Seems like the right time and place for someone to tell you that. Someone always has to try and scare the 'hero' of the story away." She held her hands behind her back, creating an innocent look. "Lina Inverse... If you don't turn back now, you will send the world into everlasting darkness. I will be forced to confront you myself and kill you if necessary," Rosa said sternly.
          "Destroy the world? How?" Lina demanded. Her hands were balled into fists, anger apparent in her forced voice. What was this kid trying to say, coming up to Lina Inverse and telling her that she'd be the end of the world. Well it was true that Lina could stop the world if she wanted to, and she couldn't shake off that uneasy feeling in her stomach...
          "That I cannot say," Rosa said, bringing a finger to her mouth in a very familiar way. "But now that I have given you a fair warning, I shall take my leave." She bowed again, allowing her strawberry hair to fall over her shoulders, then abruptly faded away, leaving behind only a small, thin line of smoke that wavered in the air for but a second, then was blown away.
          An awkward silence followed. Lina seemed to be contemplating this certain turn of events while Ameria, Zelgadiss, and Gourry waited patiently for her guidance. She stared at the ground, realizing for the first time how green the grass was on this land. She then noticed something sticking out from beneath her foot and lifted her foot to see what it was. A single, solitary flower was there, crushed and pressed deep into the earth. A sudden chill ran up her spine, causing her to shudder slightly. Finally, Ameria spoke up. "Lina-san..." she whispered softly out of concern.
          Lina blinked out of her thoughts, turned around to her, and asked, "What is it Ameria? We have to get going!" She put on a fake smile so the teenage girl wouldn't worry.
          Ameria was slightly taken aback at the response, but decided to play along for the time being. "If you say so, Lina-san," she said, following the sorceress. Gourry and Zelgadiss soon followed as well after exchanging worried glances. Something about all this made the group feel queasy, but until they knew what it was, there was no other path for them to take.

          Luckily for them, there weren't many people on the streets, and the few that were seemed to be too much in a hurry to notice the group. They easily found the inn and went inside to get Zelgadiss situated first.
          The innkeeper glanced up, seeming surprised to see visitors. He looked them over, cocking an eyebrow curiously at Zelgadiss, who had his hood pulled far over his head. "Welcome," he said, his voice deep and husky. He was a man of muscular build, with little lines of gray beginning to show in his hair.
          "Hi," Lina replied, stepping forward and leaving Zelgadiss a safe distance away from the counter. "We need to rent a room for our ill friend here." She gestured her hand towards Zelgadiss, who then quickly faked a cough, bringing his gloved hand up to his face to better hide his blue skin.
          "Should I send the doctor in?" the man asked, glancing at Zelgadiss questioningly. He coughed again, and Ameria stepped in front of him to "help" him.
          "No that won't be necessary. He just needs a little peace and quite where he can rest," Lina answered quickly. "Now if you'll excuse us, we're kind of in a hurry..."
          The man's face brightened up. "Ah! So you all must be tourists here to see the festival." He reached below the table and took out a silver key, laying it on top of the desk for Lina.
          "Festival?" she repeated, taking the key into her bare hand. "What festival?"
          "Oh you haven't heard?" He seemed a little disappointed by the fact. He leaned back into his chair, folding his hands behind his head as he spoke. "It's called the Moon Faery Festival, honoring Miran. It is said that one may meet one's destiny on this night. If you confess to your true love, your love will be eternal." He rocked on the chair's two back legs, propping his feet against the table's edge for balance. "Though if you want to know more about it, you'd need to ask the leader."
          "Thanks for the information," Lina replied. She was a little anxious to leave, but did her best to hide it.
          "The leader's house is just down the main road at the end. You can't miss it." He pointed to the right, indicating the direction in which they should go.
          Lina nodded. "Thanks again for your help," she said.
          "Anytime." He grinned crookedly, revealing a few empty spaces in his teeth. The gang immediately stiffened at the disturbing sight, and walked quickly down the hallway to Zelgadiss's room.

          The room was of a decent size, large enough for more than one person to fit. The innkeeper must have thought someone would stay behind to watch over him, for there was a large bed, dresser, three chairs, and a connecting bathroom. Lina walked over to the nearest chair and collapsed onto it, letting out a heavy sigh as she leaned back. She closed her eyes and whispered just loud enough for them to hear, "That guy was creepy..."
          Gourry walked over and took the chair closer to her, sitting backwards in it with his legs spread over the sides. He rested his arms on the back of the chair and let his head sit on them. "Yeah," he agreed. "He could almost have beaten Lina for the scariest human in the world..." He saw Lina glare at him, and quickly added, "Uh, not that you're scary or anything Lina..."
          She scoffed and crossed her arms across her chest, her right eye twitching slightly in anger. "Jellyfish brains..." she muttered. Zelgadiss finally decided to enter when he thought the room was safe from Lina's foreseen attack. Ameria followed behind him, closing the door cautiously and taking a seat in the last chair while he sat on the bed.
          A few silent minutes passed before Zelgadiss asked, "Well? So now what?"
          Lina opened her eyes slowly, revealing an innocent look that only lost people get. It wasn't something that they were accustomed to seeing, so they applied their full attention to her. "With all that's happened... That event with the girl from the future, the festival honoring that legend..." She closed her eyes again before continuing. "Xelloss..." Her voice was as delicate as a soap bubble, and seemed to just barely hold itself together. She shook her head and sighed. "I'm not sure if I'll make the right choices..."
          Zelgadiss could read her like a book. "Because that girl said you'll be the cause of the end of the world, you're afraid of going further and possibly using the Giga Slave again, aren't you?" The look she gave him confirmed his suspicions. "So I thought..." he said quietly, dropping his head a little. There was an awkward moment of silence where the only thing that could be heard was Ameria's uncomfortable fidgeting. The moment was cut off when Zelgadiss said, "Lina, you know we don't have to. We could always look for another lead if you're afraid of..."
          He didn't get to finish his sentence, for Lina had suddenly stood up, almost tipping her chair over. "Now why would I be afraid of a silly little premonition like that?" she told them and herself. She still wondered what could possibly make her cast the Giga Slave...and make a mistake in the process. Her thoughts wandered back to when she had fought Hellmaster Fibrizo. She instantly shoved the thought away, not wanting to remember the events that took place. She had lost a part of herself that day she had called forth the Lord of Nightmares, as she had on the day she had killed Shabranigdo. She tried hard to forget what it was like to have It inside of her, but It refused to let her forget.
          Ameria was worried about the way her friend was acting. She knew that Lina used the spell only under extreme situations, and she didn't think she could understand how awful it must feel to have a dark lord like It inside of her body. "Lina-san, are you sure you want to?" she asked worriedly.
          Lina sighed again. There was an uncomfortable feeling in her heart that caused it to pump rather quickly, but nonetheless she replied, "Yes Ameria, I'm sure about this." She walked over to the door and opened it slightly. "Well let's get going. Can't keep this leader of theirs waiting too long now can we?" She also added in case someone was listening in on them, "Be sure to rest a lot Zel! We'll be back as soon as possible."
          He rolled his eyes at the comment and watched them leave. When the door closed and he heard their padding fade away, he lay down on the bed and said to no one in particular, "She still didn't tell me what was going on between her and Xelloss..."

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