Hey you guys! I'm back gain with the next fanfic. Yes I know I have no life, but hey…I love to write. I hope you enjoy this next story. I do not own Slayers, or its characters, nor am I fit to sue. Now, on with the fic!

Mariah Sunshine

The sun was high in the sky and rays of sunshine paraded down on the glistening lake. A small flock of geese were making themselves comfy on the water surface until a violent wave sent them into the sky. When the surface of the water returned to its normal state, a head of blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes remained in its depth.

Ay! Lina! Come in the water is fine.

Lina slid off one of her boots and slipped a toe inside of the water. It took no more than a second for her to violently pull back her toe and pull back from the side of the lake.

Gourry! Are you nuts! The water is freezing! I am not going in there.

The water is not cold, Lina, you just need to get used to it.

Lina ignored his last comment and removed her other boot. She settled herself underneath a tree that was planted by the water edge, and slid her feet inside the water. She hissed as the cold overcame her feet. Clenching her teeth she bared it as best she could. She looked up at the tree, as she tried to take her mind off the cold water. The branches were hung low, and surrounded her peacefully. This was one of her favorite trees, a weeping willow. They were all over her hometown and she always hid in the branches of one when her sister Luna was on a rampage.

Her thoughts were cut short when Gourry grabbed her foot and yanked her into the freezing water. Lina opened her eyes and saw the crystal clear water surrounding her. Her eyes stung from the 40-degree temperature water and she desperately swam for the surface. When she finally broke through, she spluttered out water from out of her mouth, and took in deep breaths. Instinct took over and she desperately crawled towards the dirt, near her tree. When her feet touched the solid dry ground, she jumped up clung to the tree like a poor wet cat being mistreated. Gourry was splashing in the water, laughing at the sight of her. Her red hair stuck to her head in wet clumps, her clothes hanging off her body in a wet heap.

Her eyes turned into flames, and her fingers dug into the side of the tree as she searched the surface for the dimwit who was about to lose his life. Gourry however knew better. He saw and remained underneath the surface as close to the seabed as possible. One false bubble and that would mean a Dragon Slave, and 6 months of recuperation.

Lina began to recite the verses of her feared attack, as steam rose in waves from her head. Before she could release the terrible waves of destruction she turned and faced the dense forest behind her. Gourry's head broke the surface, and he quickly swam for the lakeside. Lina quickly pulled on her boots, and dashed towards the dense forest. When Gourry finally reached the lakeside he struggled to put on his clothes as he followed Lina as best he could into the dense forest. Every now and then he ran into a tree, but he continued on, as if his thick skull was actually doing something to protect his brain. He didn't want to lose Lina, even if that meant everyone seeing him half-naked.

Lina ran as fast as she could. As she moved closer to the site the smell of burning homes and blood filled her nose. She heard the cries of women and men and children and the sound of hooves slamming against the dirt. This had to be bandits. Of that there was no doubt in her mind, but she didn't think that any kind of bandits would be cruel enough to cause this type of destruction to a town, especially since everyone knew she was in town. She continued dashing past trees and jumping over dogs and cats that were suddenly trying to get away from the destruction.

As she neared the end of the forest, she pulled back her hand and began to recite the words to her fireball attack. As the light became brighter and brighter, finally she dashed out into the open and fired the attack at the man closet to her on his white horse. He fell back and hit the ground with a terrible crunch. There was no doubt that it was his head that had broken his fall. Sadly he would not live for more than a few seconds. She took a second to look around. In the town of about 40 homes, and buildings, at least 30 of them were on fire or demolished, and the remaining 10 looked like they would fall at any second. Men and children were screaming. Women were running fast with children in their arms. She counted about 10 men on horses with swords the size of tree branches that were attacking the town and pulling the gold from the necks of the people. All who refused were slapped down with the double-edged sword. They scattered about chasing down whoever dared to run from them.

No more than a few seconds later Gourry was right behind her, surprisingly with all of his clothes on. The horse of the killed horseman continued running, and Lina found her way running beside it. She grabbed the reigns and pulled herself upon the horse. Another horseman saw the attack against his fellow and was no more than a few feet away from Lina, and gaining fast on her. Gourry, moving quickly, ran his sword clear through the horseman's neck. Blood splattered everywhere, and the horseman fell upon the ground. Gourry mounted the other white horse.

He rode up beside Lina, and they charged the other 8 swordsmen. Lina drew her sword and plunged it into the next horsemen they ran into. As they rode side by side, their swords sliced through the air, never missing their targets. A few tried to retaliate, but found they were no match for the dragon spooker and her sidekick. When Lina and Gourry stopped their horses 9 men laid on the ground, mutilated. They were resting at the northeastern most part of the tiny town amid the burning wreckage of what looked like, the town store. Lina looked left, and she turned her horse and looked right. They rode clear through the town but she knew she had saw at least 10 horsemen. She turned her horse and faced Gourry as her horse impatiently patted about the ground.

Gourry! There is another horseman around here. I know I counted 10.

Are you sure Lina?

Yes Gourry! I'm sure.

All right, Let's find him.

They turned and rode off, down the first street of the town, but alas they found nothing. When they reached the brick wall that isolated the town on the southern side, Lina turned her horse and ran up the 2nd street. The town was made up of only 3 streets, so Lina was confident he had to be in this one. As she rode past with Gourry fast on her heels, she checked each alleyway and crushed window, but found neither man nor horse. She became distraught as she turned her horse and rode down the last street. Gourry rode ahead of her, wanting to make sure that Lina was safe from these crazy men.

Lina rode her horse quickly, anxious to find the last crazy man, but as she neared the end of the street she saw nothing. Slowing down her horse, she creeped past each alleyway. Gourry was at the end of the block, and making his way back to Lina when she saw him, the horsemen.

He was in between two homes that were surprisingly still standing. He pulled back his giant sword to slaughter a poor woman who was curled upon the floor. Her face was red, from blood and puffy from tears. Her hair was a dark brown and her mouth was opened wide into a silent scream. Lina forced her horse into a high speed, and as she sped towards the horseman she heard nothing. The hooves pounding against the dirt, the laugh of the crazy horsemen, the scream of the woman. Both were oblivious to her ears. She pulled back her sword and flung it towards the man. As it raced through the air towards the horseman, he looked up and saw the silver dashing towards his eyes. His sword dropped from his hands, but it was too late. The woman was already dead. Lina's face turned away, as the sword plunged into the head of the swordsman spraying blood against the houses. His body hit the ground with a thump, and Lina pulled back the reigns on her horse. She closed her eyes tight, and turned her horse away from the site of the two dead bodies.

Gourry began to speak to her but she couldn't hear him. All she saw and all she heard were the scream of the woman, and the sword piercing her pale flesh. Gourry dismounted his horse, and pulled Lina off as well. He pulled her into his arms, and began to shake her, until Lina returned to reality. She turned her head and looked at the bloody mess sitting in the corner. Her eyes, round and full, were empty, and her face was splattered with the blood of the battle in the town. Gourry held her tight, as all around them, smoke and blood and screams littered the air and ground. And Gourry held her tight, as she watched the body of her old best friend lay beside her murderer's body.

Hey you guys, here is another fanfic for you all. I considered all of your comments and id like to thank each of you for your honesty about my last one. I'll keep those in mind while I work to make this one even better than my last. I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter, pleaseee Review! Thank you!