A Past to be Forgotten
By Murasakikaze
Chapter One
The Memory Card
"I didn't think she could eat that much..."
"You haven't seen her when she's actually hungry.
This is just a matter of pride," Zelgadis explained indifferently
to the waiter. "Make sure to have ten more plates
ready when they finish the first twenty."
"She really packs that much in that frame of hers?"
the waiter sweatdropped and staggered off.
The girl in question was the moderately proportioned
sorcery genius, that infamous Bandit Killer, Dragon
Spooker, and Natural Enemy to All Who Live, Lina Inverse.
At the moment she didn't hear the waiter's comment (the
only thing that spared him) because she was in a full out
war with her self-proclaimed guardian and the carrier of
the legendary Hikari no Ken, Gourry Gabriev. The
authoress momentarily excused herself to breathe after
the long introductions and began once more.
"Anou, Zelgadis-san...don't you think we should stop
them?" Amelia tapped the stony faced chimera on the
shoulder and stared at the couple who were strangling
each other over the leftover food.
"I'm not getting involved. If you want to sign your death
warrant, go ahead. I won't stop you," he replied and
watched the proceedings with mild amusement.
"Fine! You asked for it! DIL BRAND!!" The resounding
boom caused a certain person to jump out of bed and run
to the window to ask what the hell that just was.
Unfortunately, that person had nothing to do with this story.
Twenty minutes later...
"I can't believe they overreacted like that!" Lina cried out
in a huff. "One little spell and they act like I ended the world."
"One little spell? Lina, there isn't a restaurant anymore
thanks to you. It's amazing that they didn't hang you,"
Zelgadis sighed and dodged a rock thrown at his head.
The townspeople were standing at the borders of their
charred village and throwing anything they had left at the
travelers.
"Lina-san, you really have to learn to control your-ACK!"
Amelia went down hard as a roasted head of cabbage hit
her on the head. "Itai..."
Gourry followed behind them miserably since he was the
one who was burnt to a crisp. He decided against speaking,
maybe the smartest thing he's ever done.
"You do have a knack for ticking people off, don't you?"
Zelgadis caught a shoe just before it hit him and heard the
mate hitting Gourry.
"Well, if he hadn't been making me mad, maybe I wouldn't
have gotten so angry!" Lina fired back. "Besides, it wasn't like
I blew up the whole-oof!"
Lina collided with a UATMO (Unknown At The Moment
Object) and stumbled backwards. Her red eyes shot up and
focused in on the UATMO making it an IO. (Identified object...
er person)
"Ah! Gomen nasai! Did I hurt you?" A young woman stood
and held out a hand to help the sorceress up. Her pale, azure
eyes matched her shoulder length hair and skin which was
accented by the bluish-gray pant suit she wore. A double-bladed
broadsword hung in its sheath by her side and her other hand
rested on its handle. Lina looked her over once more before
taking the offer and jumping to her feet.
"No, but where are you going to in such a hurry?" she asked
and dusted her black pants off.
"I'm looking for someone and heard he was nearby...I think,"
the chimeran maiden replied and looked over Lina's head,
which wasn't hard considering that she was a foot and a half
taller than the other girl. "Maybe you've seen him? All I have to
go on is he's my height, between the ages of eighteen and
twenty, and he has bluish-purple hair."
"Only one like that is Zel, but you can ask him," Lina offered
and pointed towards him while ducking another flying shoe.
Zelgadis stepped forward uncertainly and watched the new
girl study him. She shook her head and turned away.
"I guess you haven't seen him then," she sighed. "Thanks
for the help."
"Sorry we couldn't help you more!" Amelia called out as the
female chimera wandered back into the forest. "Hey! What's
your name?!"
There was no answer and Amelia began to run after her. Then
the wind caught her words and they floated back.
"Naria. My name's Naria Graywords!"
----------
"You never told us you had a sister, Zel," Lina poked him in his
side and watched his face turn an interesting shade of purple.
"I already told you I don't have a sister."
"But, Zelgadis-san, she had the same last name as you," Amelia
pointed out. "Unless she's your..."
She didn't finish her statement, which left Gourry the responsibility
of carrying it out. "Unless this Naria person is your fianc�e or
something."
"I don't even know her!" Zelgadis yelled.
"Why, Zel, we never knew. When's the wedding?" Lina smiled and
watched him stand.
"W-wedding?!" Amelia remained silent after that, but other
thoughts were racing through her mind. <If Zelgadis-san has a
fianc�e that meant that he didn't...> her thoughts trailed off and she
looked up in time to see Zelgadis stalk out of the clearing.
"Guess we teased him a little too much again. Boy, he really can't
take a joke, can he?" Lina sighed and leaned back against the tree
trunk.
"Do you really have to be so mean to poor Zelgadis-san?!" Amelia
jumped up in indignation.
"You were the one who brought up the fianc�e thing," Gourry said
as he poked at the cabbage warming up over the cooking fire.
"I did not bring up anything about a fianc�e, Gourry-san!" Amelia
cried, taking on the defensive.
"You hinted at it," Lina closed her eyes and zoned out the rest of
Amelia's whining. "Don't worry, Amelia. He'll come back once he
blows off some steam."
In another part of the forest...
"I can't believe those idiots actually think I have anything to do
with
that girl!" Zelgadis fumed and pitched another pebble into the river.
"Damn, I don't even know who she is!!"
"Excuse me, but is there something bothering you?" a newly
familiar female voice called out. Naria stepped out from behind the
line of trees on the opposite bank and bowed low. "I didn't mean to
intrude upon you earlier...I hope you and your friends are not upset."
"Oh, my friends aren't upset. They think it's the funniest thing
that's
ever happened," he scowled at her and turned away. Naria looked
up and stepped back.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Yes! You showed up!"
Naria's blue face paled and showed the outlines of the bluish
stones around her face. Stones that would blended in perfectly
with her skin.
"I-I'm sorry...I never meant to cause you any trouble, but how could
my showing up hurt you?"
"Why should I tell you?" Zelgadis threw another pebble into the
water and watched the ripples roll.
"Because if I caused it, I want to clean it up...and if I don't know
what I did, how can I help you?" she whispered.
Zelgadis stopped and looked at her. "Your last name is the same
as mine and my friends think you're either my sister or my fianc�e."
"But we-wait a minute. We have the same last name?" Naria
jumped the ten feet of the river and landed gracefully next to him.
"Yes, I'm Zelgadis Graywords and you're Naria Graywords. See
the conflict?"
Naria nodded solemnly, then turned, and punched Zelgadis in
the arm. "Did that hurt?"
He stared at her like she was crazy. He rubbed his arm and
noticed that her skin was like his, made of golem stone. "Not really..."
"But did you feel it?" she pressed him for an answer and he
nodded, still uncertain. "Good, then I'm not dreaming and neither
are you."
"I could have told you that," he muttered.
"Then you'll remember all of this," she cupped his chin in her hand
and kissed him. It was quick and over with the same second that
her lips touched his.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" he yelled and pushed her
away.
She jumped away and stared at him, smiling mysteriously. "You'll
see in time, Zelgadis Graywords. When you do, look me up."
A dark cloak formed around her and as the wind whipped by she
disappeared in a flurry of rose petals. He ran over and found a small
card in her place. It read: "Forgotten who you truly are? Contact
Naria Graywords at 4th Paddock, Garrou Island."
----------
And so ends part one. Look for the others soon and as always I don't
own these people except for any shadowy figures who pop up and
Naria. And if you're wondering, no she isn't insane and yes, she has
a reason for what she does.
Any and all C&C will be appreciated. Please send them to
muteki@juno.com.
Murasakikaze
Is too tired to think up her sig file.
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