This is a sequel (of sorts) to Eyes Wide Open. If you haven't read that, do that first. This story won't make any sense without it. Try my author's page. On the other hand, if you've read Eyes Wide Open, be warned that this story is done in a very different style. Xelloss and Filia appear, but they're not the main characters. It does, however, answer some outstanding questions. You should also be warned that this is my fourth attempt to write a sequel to Eyes Wide Open. This one, I think, works.
Generalized warnings for angst.
I have no blasted clue why I named her Naya. But it stuck, and I can't seem to rename her. Go figure.
Slayers and Slayers characters were created by Hajime Kanzaka. I'm making no money off of this.
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Eyes Tight Shut
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[Diary excerpts have been corrected for spelling and grammar.]
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Hi!
I got this diary for my birthday. Mommy says I should write things down so I don't forget them. Silly Mommy! I told her I never forget things. Daddy laughed and said that he's not surprised Mommy forgets things. He said dragons never remember anything useful. Mommy threw a cookie at him, but she missed.
I never get Daddy's jokes.
Uncle Jiras is visiting. I haven't seen him in two whole years. He really surprised me with a cool fireworks show. A few went off near the ground and kind of burned some of his fur. Ouch. But there were all kinds of glowing sparklies, and it must have gone on for hours and hours. I bet Mommy and Daddy couldn't do that, and none of my friends have ever had such a cool birthday present.
If Mommy's right, I don't want to forget that fireworks show. Ever.
But I'm **eight** whole years old today. Mommy keeps saying that I'm growing up fast. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Maybe a beautiful sorceress. Maybe I should be a swordswoman and fight bad people. Daddy said I should go out and conquer the world. Daddy's so silly.
I have to go now. I have more presents to open!
Naya-chan
***
Mommy said I'm supposed to write "Dear Diary," so I'll go back and fix stuff.
***
Dear Diary,
I wish I had purple eyes like Daddy. Or even *red* eyes like Lina Inverse. "Naya-chan, beautiful genius sorceress!" Mommy saw me playing with Arya (Arya was the evil demon) and said I looked just like Lina Inverse. But I don't think so, 'cause I've heard that Lina Inverse has long sharp teeth and is really a demon in disguise and that's how she destroys all those bandits.
I told Daddy that and he said I was insulting the demons. So I think it must be true.
If I end up being a genius sorceress, I'll go across the country and crush evil demons with my great beauty and power.
But it'd be so much cooler if I had purple eyes or red eyes or something like that. How am I going to strike fear into their hearts with boring blue eyes?
Naya-chan
***
Dear Diary,
Today is Mommy's birthday. Daddy brought in some musicians for her and made a cake. Mommy was pretty nervous about the cake-- I don't know why. I thought it came out pretty well. It was kind of a strange shape, and they painted a bright yellow dragon on it attacking a wolf. Mommy laughed. The dragon did look pretty silly. Daddy also got Mommy a new pottery wheel and some clay.
I asked Daddy why we never celebrate his birthday. He said he's so old he doesn't remember when it is anymore.
I hope that I never get so old that I forget my birthday. That would be so awful. Of course, grownups have boring birthdays-- no fireworks. Mommy seemed happy, though.
Sincerely, (I just learned this is how you're supposed to sign letters)
Naya-chan
***
Dear Diary,
No fireworks this year. But you'd never ever believe who came to visit. I didn't believe it either. There was a knock at the door and Mommy opened it. There were two people outside. One was a lady with bright red hair and red-brown eyes. She was wearing a black outfit that glimmered with all kinds of silvery symbols. The other was a really tall man with blond hair wearing blue armor. He had a huge sword. I thought they were robbers.
But really, Mommy said that they were Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev!! I've never heard of him, but Lina Inverse! They seemed really surprised to see Daddy and me. Lina Inverse said a lot of stuff to Mommy that I didn't get-- stuff about raw garbage? And she kept asking why?
Lina Inverse doesn't like Daddy much, I guess.
I told her not to say mean things about Daddy. I don't see why she thinks she can come and make Mommy unhappy. And on my birthday, too!
She said she was really sorry. She told me she had known Mommy a long time ago and that Mommy had never told her she had kids. Gourry Gabriev said that as long as we were happy that was all that mattered. I like him. He's nice. Lina didn't seem too happy, although she did give me a really cool present: a statue that she said was magic. I told her that I wanted to be a beautiful sorceress when I grew up. She said that we'd see if I turned out as pretty as she had.
I think Lina Inverse is a little stuck up.
When I showed Daddy my statue, he said I should treasure it because no one had ever gotten anything from Lina for free.
Lina started muttering under her breath and waving her arms around but then Gourry grabbed her. I wonder what she was doing.
This wasn't as fun as my last birthday, but wait 'til I tell everyone I met Lina Inverse! And she doesn't even have fangs.
Sincerely,
Naya-chan
***
Dear Diary,
Mommy and Daddy had a big fight today. I couldn't quite figure out what it was about but it seemed to involve me. Mommy and Daddy have never fought like this before. I don't like it.
Afterward, Mommy said that we were going to meet my grandmother for my next birthday. She wasn't smiling. I didn't even know that I had a grandmother.
I asked Daddy about my grandmother and he said that she had wanted to meet me for a long time and he wasn't sure it was a good idea but we still needed to go.
I told Arya about it and she said that maybe Mommy and my grandmother don't like each other and that is the problem. I hope that my grandmother's not mean.
Sincerely,
Naya-chan
P.S. Looks like no fireworks this birthday either. I wish we could visit Uncle Jiras instead. N.
***
Dear Diary,
Tomorrow's my birthday and we haven't left to see my grandmother. I guess that she must live really close by. Or maybe Mommy and Daddy have decided we don't need to visit her after all?
(Update: I asked Daddy and he said that we were still going. I asked him how far away it was and he said it was a secret. Daddy says that a lot. Normally he laughs when he says it, though.)
Mommy and Daddy are acting very strange. Mommy keeps snapping at Daddy and Daddy keeps telling jokes that I don't get. They must not be very funny because they just make Mommy mad.
Whatever is wrong, I hope it gets fixed soon.
Very sincerely,
Naya-chan
***
Dear Diary,
I woke up today and we're somewhere strange. It's a nice room, I guess, but with lots of black. I almost screamed when I woke up in the wrong bed, but when I looked around I saw Mommy and Daddy sitting in opposite corners of the room so I guess... I don't know. I guess we must somehow be at my grandmother's house. I don't know how I slept through the trip. I'm lucky I went to bed holding you last night, Diary, or I wouldn't have anyone to tell this to.
There are scary noises outside, too. Daddy says they're wolves. I think maybe I see why Mommy doesn't like my grandmother.
Daddy's here again. (He and Mommy went away a little while ago. I wish Mommy had stayed.) He says I should come now and meet my grandmother. I'll tell you more after.
Sincerely,
Naya-chan
***
Dear Diary,
I was so scared. I'm happy I'm home now.
Sincerely,
Naya-chan
***
Dear Diary,
I should have written about this last night, but I just couldn't. I don't ever want to leave home again. It wasn't a very nice birthday.
I'd like to forget. But I have to tell someone-- I can't tell Arya. Maybe I'll tear out these pages afterward.
Daddy took me out of the black bedroom. And I swear every hallway was made out of black stone. And there was no carpet. And you could hear those howls echoing. I was clutched up right next to him walking with my eyes squeezed closed when he stopped walking. I didn't look.
"Mistress," Daddy said, "this is Naya."
I must have heard him wrong, I think. 'Cause I thought he said "Mistress.""I assumed that." The response was someone new-- a woman; her voice sounded like a combination of a howl and a growl. I squeezed up closer to Daddy.
"You wanted to meet her," Daddy said.
"Is she going to open her eyes, or has she inherited your tendency to keep them closed?"
"Open your eyes, Naya." It was Mommy this time, and she sounded like she was crying. I had to open my eyes.
Mommy was standing across the room, arms crossed over her chest, and she was crying. I've never seen Mommy cry before. I had to see who was making Mommy cry.
There was a lady in a long white dress lying on this long black couch/chair thing with a long white stick between her fingers. Smoke was circling up from it. Her hair was blond and came down to her shoulders, with two pieces that curled up like ears. Her eyebrows were very pointy, and when she smiled, her teeth were too. I wish she hadn't smiled.
"Hello, Naya. I'm your grandmother."
"You can't be. You're young."
She told Daddy to bring me closer. I told him I didn't want to go. He picked me up and carried me. I could hear Mommy sobbing.
He set me down beside her and her hand came up and gripped my shoulder. I could feel her long fingernails cutting into my back.
"So, Xelloss. This is the result. She hardly looks the part."
She was so mean. "I'm not a thing!"
The lady smiled her pointy smile again. "Let me see." And it was a strange thing to say because she closed her eyes. It must have been my imagination, of course, but I thought I could feel something moving in my head. Her eyes opened again, and she wasn't smiling. "Take her. She's no use."
"Mistress?" Daddy said, and he sounded scared.
The lady let go of me and pushed me away. Daddy's hands caught me before I fell down. The lady said, "I should have known. I'm justly served, I suppose. 'The only race that can blend both powers is human.' As I said-- take her. She's no use."
Daddy lifted me higher in his arms. "Have I failed you?"
"It's an expensive loss. You may stay with them. The Inverse girl is certainly powerful enough for a human. Perhaps there's some hope for this one yet. You may stay until she dies. Then return. What's a human span to us?"
"Thank you." He turned around and carried me toward Mommy. She was still crying, but she was smiling now. He whispered something that I think only Mommy was supposed to hear. "It's not forever, but we have now."
And Mommy put her arms around us and suddenly we were someplace cold, and then we were home.
I don't want to go back ever again.
But Mommy seems happy now. She and Daddy are making cookies, and they're arguing about which shape is better-- wolves or dragons. I think they should try something new. Maybe penguins?
At least things are back to normal now. I wonder if Arya's busy?
Sincerely,
Naya-chan
***
Epilogue (eleven years earlier)
There was no one as sophisticated as the Greater Beast, draped over a chaise longue, wineglass resting near her spike-heeled feet, cigarette and holder dangling from her manicured fingers. She shook back long blond hair from slit eyes. "The Shinzoku have grown too strong."
Xelloss stood before her, eyes slitted, hand resting on the staff of his preferred form. "Mistress--"
"I'm not criticizing, you understand. Garv and Fibrizzo made it impossible to let them live. What we need is power."
"Your orders, Mistress?"
She pursed painted red lips. "Valgarv. It's unfortunate you couldn't turn him." Now the ancient dragon was nothing but an egg-- one that wouldn't hatch for another fifty years.
"Filia still has the egg. We could try again. Move him outside time to hatch it more quickly if necessary."
She shook her head. "He's pure dragon now. It was the blend we needed. It was the blend that held the power. Besides, he was unstable." Xelloss nodded. "Unless-- we could breed another." Xellas smiled, the idea appealing. "Holding the power from birth-- yes, far more stable." She nodded. "See to it."
Xelloss frowned. "How? We don't breed physically."
"If anyone can find a way, it will be you. Do it." She waved a hand.
He nodded. "It can be done. It will require physical action on my part. And a partner."
So quick. So clever. My greatest creation. "Try the dragon girl. You know her at least."
"That will make it harder, not easier, Mistress."
"Xelloss," she said, voice deep with a purr or a growl. "Choose that one or choose another one. Just get it done."
"Is this my punishment for failure?"
She lifted one neatly plucked brow. "Have you failed me?"
"No, Juu-ou-sama."
Painted red lips lifted in a slight smile. "See that you don't."
He retained his grip on the staff as he bowed before her. "As you wish, Juu-ou-sama."
A loyal servant, she thought to herself, amused at always with her creation. Even among pure Mazoku, he was unique. He straightened, and would no doubt have faded, off to begin his task. "On second thought," she offered, the burr deepening her voice once more, "I think the little gold is the best for the task after all."
His eyes opened-- an unusual gesture even in her presence. She saw the lavender, the dark slits. His dark smile followed a moment later. "It might take some time."
She waved her hand languidly. "So. It will take time. Just do it, priest."
He bowed again, then faded.
Xellas Metallium took a deep drag on her cigarette, then sighed as the smoke cloud surrounded her. She tapped the holder on the chair arm, then reached down to grab her wineglass. As she sipped the blood-red wine, she laughed. "That little dragon girl stands no chance."