The sun broke through the dark skies of night and a new day began. The birds sang a beautiful melody, the river ran toward the sea to become one with it, the wind played with the trees' branches making their delicious fruits fall to the delicate grass, the peaceful silence...

"Fireball!!!!!"

"IIIIAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" the red-orange haired girl screamed as a fire flame burned her butt. She jumped on her feet and ran to the river where she dived in to extinguish the fire.

A tall woman, around her early twenties, with black long hair and red ruby eyes, walked to the river's shore and crouched waiting for the other girl to come out. She smiled at the angry girl as she crawled out of the river. "Good morning Lina-chan."

"Don't..." the hazel eyed girl growled baring her teeth, "call me Lina, nor chan."

The woman's smile was wider, "If you insist." She stood up and turned her back to her. "Breakfast is ready Fel."

"Food!!!!" Fel ran toward the pile of fish and began to devour it down. "Oi, Shi," she mumbled with her mouth full, "where did you go last night?"

"What?" Shi looked up from her pair of fish and waited for Fel's reply.

"Yeah?" she finished her breakfast, "ahhhh delicious..." She burped.

"Fel?"

"Oh, sorry." She laughed trying to hide her shame. Felina Inverse wasn't known for her good manners at eating. "I woke up at dawn and you weren't around."

"Went to drink some water." Shi answered carelessly and went back to her breakfast. Felina had the feeling that her companion was always keeping the important details to her excuses, but she knew better than nothing not to insist on Shiana Naize.

"So..." Fel started, Shi looked up, "What are we doing today?"

"The usual. You still don't control a simple fireball."

"I don't want to learn black magic!" Fel protested, "I don't want to..."

"Yeah, yeah." Shi waved Fel's words away before they came out, "You don't want to be like your older sister. But..."

"But?" Fel's became two perfect slits.

"You are on your own now. Your parents are dead and they can't take care of you anymore. For sure your other sister doesn't even cares if you live or not. So, if you wish to survive, you'll need magic or learn any fighting skills. Believe me, right now, you wouldn't stand a pair of days, in this forest, alone." Fel's face droped. She new the woman was correct. In fact, if it wouldn't have been for Shi's magic, she would be dead right now. Shiana smiled victoriously. "Let's go Lina-chan."

"DON'T CALL ME LINA-CHAN!!!!!!!!!"

--<--@ --<--@

From behind a tree, a shadow observed the girls fireball towards the sky. The red haired girl's fireballs were no more than a candle's flame a pair of feet away of her hands, while the older womans' were huge, perfect blasts. "Interesting..." he said under his breath, "Felina Inverse...looks the same as Lina-chan, but her skills aren't anything similar to my sorceress'." He gave a deep sigh. "My Lina..."

--<--@ --<--@

"Five more of all for table # 6!" the waitress announced to the kitchen's chef. This was the third time the same table asked for the same order in the night.

Shi watched her young friend eat two more orders in just a pair of minutes. "Fel, you should watch your manners. Like that no men will ever place his eyes on you."

"So" Fel drank down a water recipient, "what?" She concentrated now on the beef steaks. "I don't" Now eating down the baked potatoes. "care. Men are useless."

"Indeed." Shi nodded and looked away. She went back to the only plate she had ordered in the whole night, a beef steak with vegetables and rice. Wine for drink. Sometimes she looked at the blonde man sitting three tables away from them. He had also a great apetite as Fel. She smiled to herself. ::But sometimes they are needed. Ne Gourry?::

--<--@ --<--@

Felina sat infront of the mirror and combed her short fire hair. She laid the brush on the small night table and looked out the window. "Shiana Naize, you are really weird my friend." she said to no one.

That afternoon, they had catched a group of bandits going back to their hideout. Fel was surprised to catch a simple glimpse of evil enthusiasm on Shi's eyes as she ordered to follow the bandits. Once there, by herself, she robed the bandits and made them run away calling for their mothers.

Shi had payed the food and the inn with the money she robed the bandits. 'I just made justice! I only rob the evil!' was her answer to Fel's protests.

Fel dismissed her regrets and thought her mentor was right. Anyways, she wouldn't have to sleep under a tree, or in a wet cave like the last days thanks to Shi. "She is still weird though." Fel hopped into the bed and went to sleep.

Suddenly her door was thrown and golems, leaded by a human of strange looks stormed in. The man with black and white face and clothes divided in the same colors spoke up. "Lina Inverse, you must come with me."

Felina looked terrified at the intruders, but regained her guts and jumped out of the bed wearing just her pajamas. "DON'T CALL ME LINA!!!!" She yelled.

The man blinked, obviously confused. "Why not?"

"ARGHHHHH..." Fel's face turned red. "CAUSE I'M NOT THAT DAMN LINA INVERSE!!"

"Hmmm...." the man stepped forward and took a closer look of the girl. Indeed, this wasn't the Lina Inverse he had heard of. This girl's eyes were hazel, her hair short and mild, she wasn't flat chested, but did have similar looks to Lina Inverse from far away. "You aren't Lina Inverse."

"Duhhh...baka." Fel mocked, "Now will you leave my room please?!"

"But you do look like Lina Inverse. She was a sneaky one. You could be her but with different looks granted by magic."

"I'm not Lina Inverse!!!! I'm Felina Inverse!!! Now get out of my room!!!!"

"Yes! That is!" the man pounded his fist against his hand. "You did cast a spell to change your looks ne? And changed your name from Celina to Felina! I'm so smart!"

"IDIOT!!!! Celina is my older sister!!!" Fel yelled till the top of her lungs.

"Yeah yeah Lina Inverse. I believe you. Golems! Hold her!"

At the man's orders the horrible creatures moved toward Fel who was shaking from head to feet of fear."Shi..." She whispered. "HELP!!!!!" She called with all her voice strenght.

--<--@ --<--@

At the room, next to Felina's, Shiana sat peaceful on the bed reading a book. She could hear Fel screaming and all the disturbance, but she didn't move a single finger, except the one turning the pages.

--<--@ --<--@

Gourry Gabriev, a swordsman, had heard a woman-in-dispair's screams and ran to her rescue. Once there he slashed the golems with his sword and scared out the man. "Are you ok lady?"

::Lady?? First time a man calls me lady. But why not? After all I am really beautiful. I have big hazel eyes, soft, shiny red hair, and a well distributed body that any man unconciously protect. The least I can do is thank this handsome man. Yes I'll do so.:: "Thank..."

"LINA?!?!?!?!" the man had turned around and was facing her now. His eyes wide in surprise and disbelief.

"DON'T CALL ME LINA!!!!!!" Fel yelled and hitted her savior's head with the night table.

"Ouch!!!" Gourry complained softly as he stood up from the floor where Fel had left him and then smiled at her. "Yes. You are Lina!" He hugged her and repeated many times 'You are back. At last, you are back.'

Fel tried to move out of his strong arms but it was useless. "I'm not Lina Inverse!"

"Oh." He blinked and smiled at her. She noticed that fresh tears had left a wet trail. "Are you in some secret mission and that's why you don't want me to call you like that?"

"NO!" Fel finally pushed him away. "I'm not Lina Inverse nor I am in any secret mission."

"But..." Gourry protested, then he noticed Fel's hazel eyes.

"I'm Felina Inverse. Thank you for saving me sir, but please now leave."

"Felina Inverse?" Gourry repeated thoughtful. "The only Inverse I know about are Lina and Luna. There isn't any Felina."

"Yes there is."

Gourry looked at the new comer. Then he watched how Felina strangled the woman and sighed. "She is an Inverse. No doubt about it. No doubt."

After a while of silly fights, Fel and Shi turned their attention to the man who watched them.

"As I was saying sir," Shi continued, "there is a Felina Inverse. She is the last girl of that family."

Gourry's eyes of hope turned dark and somber again."Yes. I've realized so." He started walking out of the room when Fel grabbed his arm.

"May I know your name sir? I'd like to know to who I owe my life."

"Gabriev. Gourry Gabriev."

"Sir Gabriev. I've heard about you!" Shi interrupted. "First general to the defense troops of the great city of Sailune."

"Yes my lady. You are right." Gourry answered, "Since you are safe Miss Felina, I shall leave for my chambers. Have a good night."

"Wait please!" Felina stopped him again.

"What is it miss?"

"I'd like to know, why you confused me with my sister? I mean, you knew her?"

Gourry half smiled, "More than you can imagine miss. She was a wonderful woman and a great sorceress." He left.

"Why did you ask him about her?" Shi's voice brought Fel back to this world, "I thought you hated her."

"I do!" Fel protested, "But I'm curious. That's all. Now why you didn't come to help me Shiana?"

Shi shrugged. "My book was too interesting. When I finished it and came to help, Gourry had already saved you." Shi walked out of the room leaving Fel surprised to Shi's answer. Now Fel thought about their relationship. 'Does Shiana really cares for me or is there any special reason why she travels with me?"

--<--@ --<--@

The next morning, Shi walked down to the restaurant. She found what she expected. She walked toward the table where Gourry was having a small breakfast. "Is this seat occupied?" she asked casually.

"No miss. Please have a seat." Gourry smiled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself last night Sir Gabriev. My name is Shiana Naize."

"Nice to meet you Ms. Naize."

"I see that your apetite isn't the same as last night's. Is there something wrong?"

"No." Gourry answered coldly. "Why were you watching me last night?"

"Cause I need to ask you a special favor."

"I'm sorry Ms., but I have other things to do."

"I know you do. You are returning to Sailune anytime soon sir?"

"I am."

"Then what I'm going to ask you is a simple task."

"What is it?"

"Take Felina Inverse to Sailune."

"Why do you wish me to do so?"

"Cause I can't take care of her right now. I have things to attend. As you can see, she is being chased."

"Yes. But why?"

"I don't have idea of why she is being followed. I know you were Lina Inverse's guardian and you'd be perfect to protect her."

"Why can't you do so?"

"I told you sir, I have other matters to take care of. Please do so Sir Gabriev. I'll meet you at Sailune as soon as I can."

"Fine. I accept Ms. Naize."

"Thank you...Gourry." Shi said in a soft voice and left the inn without saying good bye to Fel who was still sleeping.