Faintly she hears a reply, "Lina?"

The sorceress beats on the door. "Gourry! Where are you?"

No answer. "Gourry? Answer me...." Lina is really angry now. "I have had about all I can take." In sheer anger, she fires a couple of fireballs at the locked door, but they fizzle into nothing as soon as they materialize. "Damn...I forgot about that." Lina collapses exhausted onto the wood floor. Staring at the arched ceiling, she thinks about what to do next. She hops to her feet in a flash as she hears a door open from the other side.

In comes a middle aged woman in a pale grey night gown, she looks almost transparent in the silver moon light cast through the window.

Lina scratches her head. "Amelia, hey, I can't even recognize you, who did your makeup?"

Amelia glowers. "Lina, stay with the plot...oh, Xelloss did my makeup."

{Director: "Girls....do you mind?"}

Amelia softly replies, "Sorry Zelgadiss-san..."

{Director: "Amelia, rentre`..."}

Again, in comes a middle aged woman in a pale grey night gown...

Lina stares at her suspiciously. "Who are you?"

The woman seats herself by the fireplace and puts her hands in her lap. "Shouldn't you be telling me who you are? After all, you are trespassing on my estate..."

Lina narrows her eyes. "Well, we would have left by now, if someone hadn't locked us in this room, er rooms..."

The woman laughs. "Locked you in?"

Lina scoffs, "Don't play innocent with me...you locked that door over there." She points to the one she'd gone through.

"It's not...I never locked it." The woman replied coolly. "Try it and see."

Lina glanced at her with an uneasy shrug. She tried the handle and the door opened with ease. She sighed, but then caught her breath as she found herself staring at a brick wall. "It, it wasn't that way before..."

"What wasn't that way?" The woman asks innocently.

"Oh please, don't tell me you can't see it?"

"See what?"

Lina growls. "The brick wall, HELLO?!" She gestures at it.

"Excuse me?" The woman stands and walks up to her and takes Lina's hands. "You poor girl, are you well?"

Lina's eyes grow moist. "Yes, I think so....but, but....why is this happening? All I wanted was to...."

"Find the hidden riches?" The woman finishes for her.

Lina pulls away from her. "How did you know that?"

"I live here."

"No, I don't believe you. No one lives here, get away from me..." Lina backs away until her back is flat against the wall.

"Come and sit down, you should take a rest, you've been through a lot tonight..." The woman takes her by the arm and leads her to the extra chair. "Now, let's talk."

Meanwhile...

"Hmm...now what?" Gourry sits next to the fireplace with a sigh. "I shouldn't have left her...stupid, stupid..."

"Well, well...a trespasser?"

The mischievous voice makes the swordsman start, he turns in his seat and stares suspiciously at the man standing a few feet away. He appears to be in his late 50's and is wearing purple silk PJ's. "Eh, me?" Gourry scratches his head.

The man steps into the light of the fire, which appears on it's own accord. He looks around the room. "I don't see anyone else here do you?"

Gourry narrows his eyes...whoever this is, makes him uneasy. "What have you done to Lina?"

"Done?" The man chuckles. "Nothing, nothing at all...she's alright."

Gourry stands. "Then where is she?" He walks up to the man and stares him down, prepared to draw his sword.

The mysterious man sweatdrops and waves Gourry back. "She is in the other room...now why don't we sit down and talk, eh? I would like to know what you two are doing here, trespassing on my property."

Gourry eyes the man suspiciously. "Well, okay..."

"So, you two are here because you only want the treasure?"

Lina nods. "Yeah, why else would I enter this place for, I thought the legend of the Ghosts were false..."

"Oh no, they are quite real....we see them sometimes." The woman folds her hands in her lap and sighs.

"What?" Lina stares blankly at her.

"Oh yes my dear, quite real..."

"And I'm a monkeys uncle..." Lina scoffs.

"Are you now?"

"I don't believe you...I just want the treasure, and I also think you don't live here and want the treasure for yourself."

"I should have a mind to turn you out of my manor at once...so disrespectful..." The woman raises her voice.

Lina sweatdrops. "Okay, okay, fine you live here."

"You are such a troubled child."

"What?"

"Your partner, is he only here for the treasure too?"

"Well, truthfully, he didn't want to come at first..."

"He didn't, but he is with you anyway?" The woman smiles.

"Yeah, he's my guardian..."

"Is that all he is?"

"What?" Lina blushes. "YES!"

"You are so uptight, young lady. I don't know how he can put up with the likes of you...unless he only follows you out of fear. You are a powerful sorceress after all, and you change your mood at the drop of a hat, am I right?"

Lina stared at the woman wide eyed. "H-how did you know that?"

"Of course, then again, he really could have strong feelings for you and followed you here to take each other's lives...you know, the Lover's Pact."

Lina stopped her. "Now wait a minute, Gourry would never slay me over some stupid ghost tale about love. He's dumb, but not that dumb..."

The woman leans in closer and whispers. "Are you quite sure, young one? How well do you really know your guardian?"

Lina shivers in uncertainty. The woman's plan is working perfectly.

"So you've come for the treasure?" The man rests his chin on his hand and smiles wryly. "Well, have fun trying to find it boy..."

"Look..." Gourry clenched the arms of the chair in anger. "Stop trying to sidetrack me...I want Lina. Where is she?"

"Sore wa himitsu desu! Tisk, tisk lad...as I said before, she is alright." The man shook his head. "So Mister Gabriev, what do you hope to accomplish here tonight?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"You came for something, didn't you, and it's obviously not the treasure..."

"I don't understand you..." Gourry is puzzled.

"You only came because you want to protect 'your' Lina, but that's not all is it?" The man had leaned in closer to him as he was speaking.

Gourry narrowed his eyes and took him by his collar. "Now see here, Mister...whoever you are, I don't know what you are getting at but..."

"Well you are awfully faithful to her; you look like an independent sort and she is hardly the damsel in distress....why do you stay with her? She can take care of herself."

Gourry sets the man back down on the ground and lets go of his collar. "Go on..."

"Surely, she only wants you to stay with her because of her feelings for you..."

Gourry sputters. "Fe-feelings?"

"Yes...and she is disguising them by continuously raving about that old Sword of Light. Lina doesn't need that old antique, someone as powerful as she. Don't tell me the only reason you keep company with her, is out of fear..."

Gourry sat back down and stares blankly at the wall. "How do you know all of this, what are you?"

The man avoided his question and continued. "You came here for another reason....to take both your lives for love, right?"

Gourry looked at him with wide eyes. "NO!"

The man laughed insanely. "And you could trust she would say the same, eh?"

Gourry shakes his head. "Of course...at least I'm fairly positive, er...well..." The swordsman is beginning to have doubts about his partner. He raises his head and finds the mysterious man has disappeared. "HEY! Where'd you...go?"

Lina shrugs uncomfortably. "Where is Gourry? Are you listening to me?"

The woman rises from her seat and appears to be leaving.

"Hey, where are you going? Come back here..."

The woman turns. "You say you don't believe in the tale of the two lovers who took each other's lives to haunt the manor forever with their riches?"

Lina scowled. "That's right...now if you don't show me where Gourry is I'll..."

"She has a lot of spunk wouldn't you say so dear?" A male voice echoes throughout the room.

Lina blinks and looks around for the hidden fellow.

He materializes next to the woman and puts his arm around her waist. "Yes quite." The woman answers with a smile. "Reminds me of myself when I was young."

Lina grumbles and SDs jumping up and down angrily. "Now, see here....what are you talking about?"

Hands clasped together, the couple walk up to her. "You say the tale is false? Then what does this mean to you?" They speak in unison, chilling Lina?s blood.

The woman unbuttons the neck line of her night gown, revealing a crimson slice mark on her neck. Lina turns a shade of green. The man also has a terrible wound in his chest, it looks as though he'd been run through the heart, she could see right through him. "I...think...I've ...seen enough." Lina objects passing out, in spite of her efforts to keep conscious.

The two ghosts grin at each other and fade out into another part of the manor. "Now the real fun begins." The woman rubs her hands together.

We shall continue...(after these important messages) ^_^

Announcer (Wryn) "Eh, well...angry, rabid hippos are taking defenseless tourists hostages in deepest darkest Africa..."

{Director: "Wryn..."}

Announcer *clears throat*, "In other news...the latest fad, wearing monkey skin bathing suits is causing commotion with the animals rights activists..."

{Director *chokes* "Ahem!!!"}

Announcer *sweatdrops* "...And now back to our pethetic excuse for a crossover...eh heh..."

{The entire cast: "WRYN!!!"}

Lina groans and rises to a sitting position. "Oh, what am I doing on the floor...Gourry?" She shakes her head. "Wait a minute....we got separated, there were ghosts and...oh!" She jumps to her feet as the door opens with an ominous creek. "Gourry, oh thank goodness, I was worried about you...Gourry say something."

"Lina Inverse....lets make the Lovers Pact, die with me!" He unsheathes his sword and with his head strangely tilted, comes toward her.

Lina backs away slowly. "Now Gourry," she warns, "...you-don't mean that. Gourry, please don't make me hurt you..." She draws her own small sword, shaking.

Gourry remains silent and rushes at her, his sword flashing in the moon light cast from the high window. In an instant, he slices her across the chest.

Lina gasps in pain. "Noooo! How could you...Gourry?" Tears fill her eyes and she runs him through the stomach with her own weapon. He collapses in front of her...and she passes out on top of him.

Meanwhile...

Gourry paced around the room, taping his fingers on the hilt of his sword. "Now what?"

As if on cue, the locked door creaks open. In steps a very withdrawn Lina.

Gourry smiles back. "Lina! Are you alright...I couldn't find a way out...Lina?" He notices she is strangely quiet. "What's wrong?"

The redhead looks at him, her eyes glinting in the firelight. "Gourry Gabriev, let us make the Lover's Pact, let's stay here forever to be with the riches...together...Gourry." She moves quickly, her feet barely making a sound. Lina draws her short sword.

Gourry is speechless. He holds his palm out to her, then finally finds his voice. "Lina, you really mean that? Lina, you know I love you...I never told you blatantly, but you know that...and we don't have to die for love...or the riches you seek..." He backs away as she nears. "We can live and love...don't be foolish..."

Lina cocks her head. "Gourry, you are sounding intelligent again...I like that." She smiles. "Time to die, love..." She races forward and strikes him down, before he can move out of the way.

With a shout Gourry doubles over and clutches his middle. "Lina!" He gasps. "Why? Why? I can't believe you would ...." He strikes out at her in defense as she comes at him again. She falls to the floor with a soft thud. He brings his bloody hands to his face and sobs. Then head spinning, he sinks to the floor and passes out.

The elderly woman is laughing hysterically. Her love grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her. "Enough!" His voice booms.

The woman turns to look at him with a childish pout on her lips. "But Xelloss dear, I wasn't finished..."

"You are finished!" He answers sternly.

Moments later:

Lina rises slowly still clutching her chest; a groan escapes her. Her eyes flash open when she finds Gourry gone. "No way is that idiot going to get away from me after what he tried to pull. I still can't believe he would try to take our lives....oh." She staggers to her feet. "I'll dragu slave his butt to the moon..."

Overcome with anger, she kicks the door open and stumbles out.... only to find herself back in the foyer. "Nani`?" She blinks then curses as she trips on something in the dark. She feels too weak to get up again; so she half slides, half crawls her way to the entrance door...leaving behind an ever lengthening trail of blood...

At the same moment:

He comes back to consciousness after a short while, finding Lina's body missing...and seeing he is still alive, he assumes she is too or else the inhabitants of this manor had removed her dead body. Gourry stumbles down the first few stairs, then takes a bad fall down the rest of them. He groans loudly as he pulls himself into the foyer. He grimaces at the terrible pain, then his eyes bug out as he spots Lina on the floor a couple yards away. "Lina...you-" Gourry clutches his stomach and struggles over to her. "Li-na..."

Now having seen her poor excuse for a guardian, Lina manages to snap back a heated reply. "You stupid 'yogurt for brains', you son of a....I can't believe you attacked me over that dumb pact!" She gasps and bows her head.

Gourry doesn't believe his ears. "Me? Attack you? Now who's the idiot? You attacked me, Lina..." He thought it over in his head to be doubly sure. "Yes, you certainly did!" He crawled over to her so they were only a few feet away.

"I MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT!" Lina shouted with all her might. "You attacked me you dummy!"

Gourry narrowed his eyes. "I didn't, you came in and told me to take my life with you for the Lover's Pact and the riches...Lina I really didn't want to hurt you..." He silences when Lina gives him a genuine look of confusion.

"But you came in to the room and attacked me first...Gourry?" Lina runs her hand across her chest. Then she narrows her eyes. "Hey, wait a minute...Gourry! Get up!"

He stares at her blankly, "Nani`?" He rolls onto his back. Was she kidding? They were both badly wounded and...

Lina stands quickly and shakes her clothing. "Gourry, it's fake! Get up!" She pulls him by the arms and shakes him. "This isn't real, we are only meant to think we are wounded. Get up NOW!"

He rises slowly and feels his stomach. There is no pain, and his shirt, though blood stained, shows no slice mark. "Wow...Lina this is weird."

The sorceress nods. "Let's get out of here...forget the treasure...someone else can have it."

Gourry smiles. "Yes I agree. I bet there isn't even a treasure at all." He lays his hand to the doorknob and turns it. The door opens wide, without any resistance as before. He gasps in surprise. "Like I said, this is weird..."

Lina nods again and takes him by the arm. "Let's go!" She scoots out the door, almost dragging Gourry behind her. When they are far down the road they stop to catch their breaths. Lina looks at his tunic. "Gourry, there is no blood on your shirt anymore..."

Gourry nods. "Yeah, that was all an illusion back there...but it was so real, Lina."

Lina smiles. "A darn good one, but not convincing enough to fool me for long."

"Let's go back to the inn Lina and get a good night's rest...what's left of it anyway...huh?" Gourry yawns.

The sorceress laughs. "Okay Gourry...let's!"

They walk down the slope at leisure. Gourry gently rests his arm over her shoulders. "I'm glad that never happened..."

Back in Thornberry Manor:

The elder man and woman gaze out the window as the young couple leaves.

The old woman sighs. "We almost had them, we did you know..."

Xelloss nods. "Yes Ameila love, but they saw right through the illusions. Don't worry, though, there will be another chance to play again with people's hearts..." He laughs and the two fade as the clock hits twelve o'clock.