Authors Note: This is my first Slayers fan fiction and I hope the characters remain true to themselves. This story focuses of Lina and Zelgadis, but not as a couple. It is an adventure story searching for secrets along with lost treasure and takes place after the events of Evolution R. It also assumes that the story with Luke has already taken place. While this story is not a romance, there will be a few scenes with close interactions between certain characters.

The Slayers do not belong to me of course and never will, this is written for practice and pleasure. Some background characters like Ditle, Klide, Chezem, Clair, Edgant, Edward, and Mrs. Kalico belong to me. I hope you enjoy the story and reviews are appreciated.

Chapter One: Thief? I didn't steal anything!

Lina Inverse, the supreme sorcerer genius, is off on another adventure to find her loyal companion, Gourry, a sword worthy of his combat skills. The journey has been long to say the least, but with good food one can go far. While finding a sword that Gourry cannot break has met with utter failure so far, their search for exotic and delicious food has been more than fruitful. But what can one expect from the small group of Slayers. Ever since defeating Shabranigdo, again, Gourry has needed another sword. Actually, he's needed a new sword for over a year now. They had found several amazing swords of course, but none can withstand Gourry's cunning skill. And so here they are yet again. After breaking yet another sword, Lina and Gourry stop by an unsuspecting inn and attack the menu. Stopping at inns to eat is a common ritual for Lina and Gourry, but it is also an opportunity for Lina to think of more options. As the food quickly comes to their table in mountainous proportions Lina, yet again, ponders their next course of action. One can always think better after having a lot of great food.

Usually, great food is enough to satisfy Lina, but she is also getting tired of the constant failure swords they keep finding. She is nearly convinced that no sword still exists that Gourry cannot break. I really need to destroy something, Lina thinks to herself as she tears her beacon and sausage into bits. Gourry, who senses Lina's anger, does his best to eat as much food as he can while remaining on Lina's good side. Keeping in Lina's favor while satisfying your immense hunger is not an easy task, but Gourry has learned a few tactics over the years. Even if he is an idiot, he's a lucky one, somehow remaining smart enough to survive with the great Lina Inverse.

In her misery Lina finally comes up with a plan, "Gourry." She voices as food continues to enter her mouth. "We are going to Taforashia and on the way we are going to find as many bandits as we can."

Gourry finishes his chicken leg and enthusiastically reply's *Mmmm mmmm* in approval with his young partners plan. He will agree with anything she says, and rightly so, after all she has never let him down. But then he starts thinking. "But Lina, I didn't think bandits existed anymore. Aren't they extinct?"

Lina falters as she nearly chokes on a piece of steak. With a quick side swipe against Gourry's head using her amazing slipper she grunts as she realizes that the blond ape is right. No wonder her mood has been so foul, the only real fun she's had recently has been with wayward pirates and unsuspecting assassin's. It just isn't the same though! Finding a sword is taking its toll on the adventurous life style Lina is so found of. Of course this is a lie. Any quest made with Lina leads to disastrous adventures no matter what it may be.

Quickly forgetting about Lina's magically appearing slipper Gourry presses on while taking some more food. "So why are we going to Toshiba?" Gourry asks as he takes a gulp of his drink, today he decides to go with a refreshing glass of milk.

Lina does her best to resist hitting Gourry again, but after looking at Gourry's stupid face she just can't help herself. She gives the man a healthy slam on his head.

"It's Taforashia! Not Toshiba, don't you remember fighting Shabranigdo's ghost there?"

"oohhh" Gourry says, but it is obvious that he doesn't clearly remember. Rather than press the matter Gourry quickly turns back to his juicy meat instead.

"Pokota has been rebuilding his home now for a good four months or so; maybe he's come across another Sword of Light." Lina says while crossing her arms and dawning a smug smile at her simple logic. She may have a bad temper that comes out at the worst of times with Gourry, but she is a smart young woman. After all she is the one who figures out villainous schemes just in the nick of time. In this case, as far as Lina can tell, the only sword strong enough for Gourry is the Sword of Light. Zelgadis's old sword held up in a pinch, but Zelgadis lost the sword in the battle with Shabranigdo's ghost. The chimera probably had a new sword by now. Zelgadis wouldn't part with it so easily, besides if Gourry had it for too long he would probably break it, just like he did with Lina's old sword. Yes, the only sword that seems to work for Gourry is the Sword of Light, and Pokota's country appears to be the only place that holds some of the secrets to creating another valuable sword of its caliber. Sometimes the simplest plans are best anyway.

"Ah I see," Gourry says enthusiastically. Lina smiles, sometimes Gourry surprised her, but Lina figures she must be really smart in order to help Gourry understand her logic. She is a sorceress genius after all.

Taking Lina's good mood as a sign for his benefit Gourry asks another question "Who's Pokota?" Of course this ruins any hope Lina has for his peanut sized brain. Maybe his brain is a peanut. The other customers in the shop eye the two partners warily; they have heard of the great Lina Inverse and are nervous. And yet after watching the immature behavior of the two, each customer is beginning to feel annoyed rather than afraid. A few daring souls feel sorry for Gourry especially as they watch Lina prepare for another assault on the man.

After hitting Gourry with a slipper, Lina weighs her options and decides to not bother explaining the story of Pokota to Gourry. After all, she might as well wait until they actually get to Taforashia to explain everything again to Gourry. Why waste her breath now.

After finishing their meal and stopping for supplies, Lina and Gourry start out towards Taforashia.

To make a long winded, boring, and possibly romantic story short, I'll just report that nothing really happens. On their travels the two stop at quite a few towns. They only stop in order to find decent food, lodging and cause their normal troublesome antics, but nothing note worthy for your entertainment. Everything happens as it normally does until they reach the last town before reaching Taforashia.

The last town they come to is named Raneast. It is named after a man who came running from the west but fell down dead at this very spot. Lina and Gourry stop at a Raneast magic shop in hopes of selling some of the worthless junk they have collected along the way. They need the money in order to help finance the rest of their food expenses. They are low on money, since no bandits have conveniently come across their path, so it is necessary to commit a petty crime on unsuspecting shop owners. The first shop owner they meet is a young girl named Clair who is not thrilled by the items Lina shows her. Lina ends up leaving with no profit, but she finds better luck at the next shop they come to. The owners name is Edgant and he is more than willing to pay for Lina's wares. Lina is satisfied and leaves feeling more than chipper, much to Gourry's delight. As they walk through the quaint little town of Raneast Lina celebrates their victory.

"Now we have enough money to eat like a king Gourry!" Lina say's as they heads to their next target, which happens to be a cozy little inn on the outskirts of the town. Everything in the town has straw roofs and colorful doors. Each color represents something, but since Lina is only passing through this town the reader will most likely not be interested in the colors meanings. Once they get comfortable in the inn the two readily begin ordering everything off the menu times ten, unfortunately they do not enjoy their buffet for long.

"There she is!" A young girl screams as she points at Lina. "She's the one who stole the Beaded Case from my shop!"

Before Lina has a chance to take the chicken leg out of her mouth a mob of town's people surround her. Lina is not thrilled in the slightest and stares at the little girl who has so rudely interrupted her dinner. No one and I mean NO ONE, gets away with ruining the sorceresses' meal. "What are you talking about? I didn't steal anything!" Lina say's as she swallows the chicken that is dangling at her lips.

"Then what's that in your right pocket," the young girl says coyly with anger glowing behind her violet eyes. The girl almost looks like a devil to Lina, but maybe it's just the girl's crazy hairdo. The girl has brown hair, purple eyes, with a nose that slightly turns up. She looks to be fourteen years old, but she is actually sixteen. Due to her annoying voice, size and well . . . development, she looks like a child.

Lina checks her right pocket out of spite towards the girl and is disappointed to find a little beaded box in its folds. Can't have that, so Lina tries to pull the box out and chuck it at the scrawny shop girls head. Lina heaves with all her might to let that little beaded box fly at her targets unprotected forehead, but instead Lina merely flings herself forward as her hand catches inside her pocket. For some reason the beaded box is stuck and she can't pull it out. Her muscles tighten as her face turns red with embarrassment and anger.

"See! That's proof that she has it!" the girl says as her pointer finger is thrust forward as she declares her lie. After all both you and I know that Lina didn't steal anything, this time.

Lina's brows twitch as her frustration begins to boil with the little box still stuck in her pocket and the annoying pip squeak pointing at her. ""Flame of light that burns bright, into my hand gather your light, LIGHTING!" Lina shouts as she grabs Gourry and runs out of the cute little red inn door.

The houses are soon replaced by wild ferns and old trees as they run away from their annoying predicament. When they run off a safe distance away Lina tries in vain to discard the beaded box. The box is white for the most part with the beads dancing along its rims in embroidery like designs. As she struggles Lina manages to get the item at least out of her pocket, but then finds herself struggling to remove the item from her hand. Even after managing to throw the item with all her might, the item magically flies back towards her, hitting her square in the hip with fiery force. It is as if she just threw a punch at herself. The cursed object somehow manages to fall straight into her pocket securing itself yet again inside Lina's clothing. Perhaps part of the trouble is the fact that most of her pockets are bottomless holes. Any item that finds itself inside one of these pockets would be difficult to remove in any situation, but trust me when I say that this is not the case.

Gourry at first tries to help his companion, but after Lina becomes more aggressive he wisely backs away and watches the young sorceress struggle against the magically infused box. After Lina plops to the ground in frustration Gourry finally tries to ask the question that has been poking at his mind for the last half hour, but he is interrupted.

"Oh my, miss Lina you really are a klutzes aren't you?" A disembodied voice says. Lina recognizes it immediately.

"I'm not in the mood Xellos" Lina says as she tries with all her might to contain he anger. She has little doubt in her mind of what the trickster priest is up to. The annoying Mazoku has probably been enjoying a feast of negative emotions from her for the past half hour.

"Oh come now Lina, aren't you going to try throwing that box again? I'd love to see you try." Xellos says with glee.

Gourry is about to ask what Xellos name is, but Lina foresees the question.

"It's Xellos Gourry." Lina say's as she shakes her head. The truth is that Gourry remembers Xellos perfectly, but just couldn't come up with the name quick enough. Gourry still has that one question in his mind that has been bugging him for longer than Xellos has though so he asks that instead.

"Who do you think the box belongs to?" Gourry says with his blue eyes cautiously eyeing the box that Lina now has in the palm of her hand.

"Oh I don't know? Maybe it belongs to . . . say," Lina say's smartly before yelling in frustration ". . . That stupid girl yelling at us!" Lina calms down slightly and continues more evenly with frustration slightly tugging in her voice. While trying to keep her emotions in check as the trickster priest looks on thoughtfully Lina imagines the torment she wishes to inflict on the scrawny little girl. "If that brat wants this curse back all that badly I'd be happy to smash this puppy down her long winded throat!" Lina turns the box over and reads the name "Clair" on the bottom, which is carefully etched on its surface. With a grunt Lina puts the object back into her pocket and starts to get up. She nearly runs into Xellos who is thoughtfully eyeing the box in her pocket.

"Back off," Lina says. She puts her hands on her hips and glares at the monster.

"And here I thought we were close friends" Xellos says with a slight whine edging in his voice.

Lina starts walking, ignoring Xellos, "Well I guess we'll be arriving at Taforashia a little earlier than expected, because there is no way I'm going back to that crazy town," she says with a sigh on her lips.

Gourry gets up and walks beside her, giving her a reassuring smile. "What about the box?"

Lina shrugs, "Like I said, if the girl wants it all that badly she'll just have to come after it. I'm not going to let a little box force me to change my plans."

"Nothing slows you down does it Miss Lina," Xellos says in mock observation.

"Don't even think that I haven't noticed that you just happened to appear after being absent for all these months Xellos," Lina says trying to wedge herself into gaining the upper hand over the Mazoku priest. "Have you found something more entertaining these last few months, perhaps a certain blond dragon or maybe a new employer?"

The quip is obvious, but it is enough to unnerve the monster slightly. Filia is no laughing matter in his book. The smile plastered on Xellos' face slightly twitches. "Now Lina that's kind of you to notice my absence, but where and what I have been up to is none of your concern. Because!"

Lina knows what is coming and even the trees groan as they hear it.

"That is a secret."

Lina rolls her eyes and grabs Gourry's arm tugging him away from the nut case as the priest disappears into the night. The swordsman is glad to be leaving he is beginning to feel uneasy for some reason. They are not alone of course; Xellos is not the only one keeping an eye on Lina and Gourry.

Three Mazuko intently watch the sorceress and swordsman head off towards the next town. The three monsters have been ordered to remain unseen by their mistress, until the time is right, but they are becoming anxious. Grinding his teeth the taller of the three monsters grunts as he watches Lina and Gourry travel deeper on into the night.

"I hope all of this waiting pays off," he says. His name is Ditle and his main visible characteristic is a large straw coolie hat that covers most of his head. "This is a waste of our talents."

Klide, the smallest of the three monsters twitches as he too eyes their prey. He always twitches, which is one of his most noticeable and unique attributes. He also has an oversized dark blue cloak that dangles from his twitching form. "Our new Mistress does not want us to act yet. She will most likely enact the revenge herself." Klide is the smartest of the group, but his jerking antics make it difficult to take him seriously.

The last Mazuko rolls his eyes as he thinks of their intolerable mistress. His name is Chezem and he is bored out of his mind, but he tries to shrug it off. He's a carefree spirit at heart, that is, if he had a heart he would be. He has blond hair, blue eyes, and looks practically human when compared to Klide and Ditle. The only odd thing about him is his jagged teeth only visible when he smiles. "She is not my master." He says coyly, smiling at the distasteful thought.

Klide glares at Chezem. "She will be our master until otherwise instructed. Let's report back." And with that they disappear.

Another Authors Note concerning background characters: Clair will make many more appearances in this story, but only for comic relief, she isn't going to be a key character in the plot. As for the three monsters, I don't really know what to say about them. Originally they didn't even have names because of their unimportance. But they offer another perspective that I needed in order to make the story work. Especially later on.