Slayers Epiphany: Episode 1: Chimera For Sale ---------------------------

It had been weeks since Lina and Gourry had seen any of their other travelling companions.

In all that time, things had been unsettlingly quiet, something Lina was very worried about.

"Gourry," she asked, after the usual morning Breakfast Battle. "I think it's time we moved on. Things are getting pretty stagnant here and I need to kick some bandits' asses so we can get food for next week."

"That sounds good to me," Gourry smiled. "Let's pack our things and be off. Uh, say, Lina?"

"Yes?" Lina asked, cautiously.

"Why are we going again?"

Lina grabbed Gourry by the collar. "I told you. It's getting really dull here and there aren't enough bandits and monsters to make decent money from."

"Oh," Gourry seemed to be finally getting it. Of course, this was all far too much to ask for. "Then, shouldn't we be going?"

Lina's scream of frustration echoed down the street.

*****

The shackles clanked against the stone skin of the prisoner's wrists as he stumbled and fell, exhaustion making him clumsy and stupid for the moment. The group he was currently travelling with, very reluctantly of course, came to a halt.

"On your feet," a man's cold voice sneered. "Now. Or I'll beat you again."

~Go ahead,~ Zelgadis thought to himself, ~I can't feel it anyhow.~

The man holding Zelgadis's leash lashed out furiously with the whip, the tip striking the chimera's stone skin again and again. Then, pausing to catch his breath, he muttered, "you'd better fetch me a good price after all the trouble you've been."

"I'm not for sale," Zelgadis snarled. "Not at any price."

"Listen, rock man. If I say you're for sale, you're for sale." he yanked Zelgadis's leash, dragging the reluctant chimera behind him.

*****

Gourry was delighted with his discovery. Lina would be so very happy when she learned what he had found.

"Did you get the dragon burgers?" she asked.

"Um... no..." Gourry said, cheerfully, "but I saw this thing that was on sale that looked just like..."

"FIREBALL!"

"Hey! That hurt!"

"Get me my dragon burgers!" Lina howled. "I want dragon burgers with an extra large order of fries and a large shake and when I'm done with my appetizer, bring the rest of the menu."

"What about that thing the guy's selling that looks like Zelgadis?"

"Where?" Lina asked, figuring some one was selling little figurines of Zelgadis, but curious all the same. Little figurines could hold big magic."

Gourry pointed in the general direction he'd come from.

"Get the dragon burgers and meet me back..." Lina paused as visions of Gourry scarfing down the dragon burgers came to mind. "Never mind. Come with me."

They got to the square where the auction was still going on.

"Next up is this rare one of a kind Chimera," the man was telling his audience. "Caught in the wild, though he was once domesticated as one can tell by the style of his clothes and the fact that he is housebroken."

Zelgadis had never been so humiliated in his life.

"Our starting bid is 5,000."

"5,200." A bidder shouted.

"5,300." From another bidder. Though he'd barely sat down when a third bidder upped it to "5,500."

Lina wished she could bid. Wished she could buy Zelgadis's freedom. If it had been any other time of the month, she might have risked fighting, but...

"Mr. Zelgadis! I'll save you!" Amelia cried out from her perch atop the street sign near the auction block.

~Oh, no...~ Zelgadis groaned inwardly.

"In the name of Justice," Amelia cried out, "you shall suffer the consequences for trying to sell such a beautiful and sensitive and shy chimera for such a cheap price!"

"Thanks a bundle," Zelgadis grumbled.

"His purity alone should make him worth ten times the amount you're asking," Amelia went on.

Zelgadis blushed at the mention of his virginity.

"He's fought so hard to protect his virginity, and to stay pure as the freshly fallen snows, and you wanted to sell him for cheap! I Amelia..."

She tumbled off her perch and landed on top of the man trying to sell Zelgadis. It wasn't the grand victory she'd been hoping for but...

"Once again, justice prevails!"

*****

Zelgadis was glad to leave that city. Not only was the matter of his unusual rescue being discussed with mirth, but now tales were cropping up about the Virgin Chimera and his Legendary Purity. This was something Zelgadis could have done without.

"Well, look at it this way," Gourry said, trying to cheer the forlorn Chimera up a bit. "At least you'll be remembered for your innocence and your goodness. Not like Lina, here who's usually remembered for all the trouble she causes" ".. or the damage she does with her spells," Amelia continued. "...or her really small breasts..." Zelgadis added,

"Why you...!"

Lina gave chase, but there was humor in her rage and her three companions laughed as they ran for their lives.

(OWARI)