DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Slayers... (n.-)

Twenty-Six Episodes Re-posted!

Hee, as always, any reviews will be acknowledged up here in the announcement section should you post 'em! (n.-)

Enjoy!! (n.n)

- Nicci

Episode 026: Side Quests May Apply?!


It's Not What You Say! It's How You Say It!!

"Wha…" Lina gasped in horror taking in the chocolate covered walls before her. "What happened here?"

"Stony, loves, short women?" Gourry read aloud blinking down at Lina. "I don't get it."

Lina grinned warily, running a hand through her hair. "You know for once Gourry, I'm with you."

"That's not good." Gourry replied nervously. "That means whatever is going on here is real bad."

Lina grinned and gave a nod. "Maybe, but it's our duty to look into it!"

She rubbed her hands together greedily. "And collect the award from Amelia, that'll await us should we save her."

Gourry shook his head, unable to withhold a grin. "You know something, Lina…"

Lina turned to look up at him. "What is it, Gourry?"

Gourry smiled shyly, causing Lina to swallow nervously, waiting on edge, but then…

"Did you hear that horrible noise coming up the stairs?" A lady holding a tiny dog asked her husband snootily.

"Yes. It was positively awful." He drawled in reply.

"You should have a word with this Mr. Garson." She ordered darkly. "That kind of ruckus is unacceptable."

She stroked her dog's fur gently and he yipped in response. "It was agonizing for poor Chestnut here, wasn't it pookums?"

Lina winced as they strolled by and whispered under her breath. "Not nearly as agonizing as being called two horrible names in one sentence, lady. Yikes! Poor dog."

Gourry glared at them and then turned determinedly to Lina. "So, the staircase then?"

"You got it, Gourry." Lina nodded and he pulled free his sword.


Filia sighed softly, closing her eyes as she lay down on the matted bed, her towel covering anything indecent, a fact she was glad for as her tail had popped out three times today!

And they day had just begun!

Oh it was Xelloss! That foul little… see! There it went again, this was beyond irritating.

She swallowed, biting off her fury and concentrating to will her tail back away before her masseuse arrived. Ahh! There we go! Now just don't think of…

"Oh my!" A feminine titter cut into her next thought, thankfully. "How lovely to see you again, dear!"

Filia smiled despite herself, secretly glad to hear that familiar, yet, very strange voice.

"You too…" She replied cheerfully, turning her head to the side to view that smiling face, so very much like... Xel-"Xella Ose."

"What's wrong?" Xelloss asked instantly, just barley raising his voice high enough to pull it off in the end.

He turned away quickly, wincing despite himself. "I mean! You seem tense! Engagement troubles?"

He winced again, squirting some lotion on his bare hands, he hoped to her that didn't sound nearly as hopeful as it did to him… but that look in her eyes… he didn't want to be…

"No." She replied with a haughty grunt, causing him to glare at the wall darkly as he squeezed a little bit harder on the oil tube then necessary. He knew that tone.

"Oh?!" He asked, attempting to mask his irritation, a twitch or two still escaping. "And what did I… I mean he do this time?!"

Filia blinked up at him, too confused to notice the obvious Xelloss reactions before her. "How… how did you know who I was talking about?"

Xelloss fought the urge to roll his eyes as he grinned with feminine knowing, a look he'd seen on Lord Beastmaster many times. "Your tone, dear. You always use a version of the same tone when you talk about… him."

Filia blinked taken aback, and glared at her. "I do not!"

Xelloss rolled his eyes inwardly, smiling wide outwardly as Xella gave a little shrug. "Suit yourself! For now it's massage time!"

Filia grinned despite herself and lay back down softly, her face sinking into the pillow.

She closed her eyes and Xelloss opened his, taking in the sight of her exposed back and his hands touching it.

"Do I really?" She asked muffled, and he closed his eyes quickly, unable to keep the twitch out of his voice as he rolled them inwardly.

"Really."


Lina covered her ears with a wince. "What is it?!" She cried in horror, glaring at the door marked Maintenance before them.
Gourry grinned back at her directing the notes with his fingers as he hollered back. "It's singing! Can't you tell?! This range! It's fantastic!"

"And the award for yet another useless talent goes to Gourry." Lina stated to herself dryly, shaking her head with grudging admiration.


At first when the tiny Grinmaster had awoken, the chimera had been secretly overjoyed.

Especially when he had immediately hopped up and began threatening Sherrast and even better, had actually gotten her to pale

However, now he could see why… and he would've paled too.

His sensitive ears were outraged and he glared at Sherrast, at least able to take solaces in the fact that she was suffering far worse than him.

He braved a look at Amelia and was horrified to see she was humming along, he gaped in shock, a grudging smile of amusement crossing his tone features.

Lokkin noticed too and replicated ten Grins to take his place, causing Sherrast to scream in agony as he hopped cheerily over to Amelia, offering her his paw and tugging for her to join in.

Amelia looked at the chimera who shrugged, attempting to keep the wince out of his gaze as she joined in, adding her own words.


"So what's he done, this time?" Xelloss tried again, twitching at his own insulting tone, which he was being forced to use on himself. It was beyond mocking, it was just plain and simple masochism.

He'd never really thought about the affects that sort of tone must have on an opponent until now, huh.

Now that he knew, he knew just how to make it even more cutting, but he save that for later.

Filia glared at the towel, the image of a certain purple-haired mazoku stealing her mind away from the massage. "He slept with someone he knew better than to sleep with."

I did?!!! Xelloss asked himself, perturbed. Why wasn't I informed of that?!!Then I could have enjoyed it!

Xelloss grinned wanly, holding in a chuckle. "Really? That's a new development, who, if I might ask did he sleep with that was so taboo?"

After all! I might need to know for bragging rights! Or.. claims of being taken advantage of…

Filia bit her lip unsure how to proceed. She didn't want to scare her… "Well, let's just say she's a person I really respect, and well he's supposed to really respect her too…"

"Her name, dear?" Xelloss prodded delicately, although he was pretty sure he already knew.

Filia bit her lip again but reasoned that it was probably okay. "Miss Yade."

Xelloss held in a snort opting to roll his eyes instead.

"Hmm…" He replied. "But your not interested in him, right?!"

"I hate him!" Filia spat, glaring at his image in her mind. "Every time I look at him I just want to… arrgh!"

Xelloss glared down at the whiny dragoness. "Well then! That's settled! Why would you care who he slept with? Unless you want to sleep with him it doesn't matter does it?!"

Filia blinked and whispered in horror. "You think I'm jealous!"

"Well…" Xelloss prodded softly, a smug smirk on his face. "Aren't you?!"


"Hey!" Gourry declared proudly. "I know this song!"
Lina blinked at him. "You… you do?!"

"Yeah!" He replied clearing his throat and singing a line ending with a tenor harmony of "That's why life's so wonderful!"

"Wow, Gourry." Lina stated, impressed despite herself. "That was pretty good!"

He grinned cheerfully. "Thanks Lina!"

Lina giggled and turned to the door. "Stand back Gourry, we don't know what we're gonna find on the other side…"

She narrowed her gaze reading her talismans.

"Lord of darkness of the four worlds, grant me all the power that you posses…"

The talismans lit up and she narrowed her gaze determinedly. "Here we go…"

"Lord of the dreams that terrify. Sword of cold and darkness, free yourself from the heaven's bonds. Become one with my power, one with my body, and let us walk the path of destruction together. Power that can smash even the souls of the gods: Ragna Blade!"

Lina grinned, holding it steady with ease. She smirked wanly, she was getting used to this, finally.

"Stand back!" She yelled though the door and gave a grunt, cleaving it away.


"Get down!" Zelgadiss ordered, hearing the sorceress' cry and lunged, pinning Amelia beneath him as the black energy priced through the door, as well as the back of the ship.

The grins paid no notice as the continued their serenade, Sherrast still screaming all the way.

Filia glared, rolling off the bed and hopping hurriedly to her feet, holding her towel to her self with one hand while the other pointed accusingly at Xella.

Her tailed popped out in full force, echoing the finger.

"How dare you!" Filia yelped. "I come here to relax and each time you get me just as worked up as he does!"

Xelloss crossed her arms smoothly. "Well maybe he's right then too. You never did answer the question."

"I don't have too!" She declared irritably, clenching her fists, fire in her eyes. "You don't have a right too know!"

"Well then how about, answering it for me then, Filia." Xelloss asked coolly, dropping his act and opening his eyes. "How does that suit you?"

Filia gasped in horror, and the ship lurched throwing her across the room.

Xelloss caught her easily and bore his amethyst gaze down into her. "Well, Filia? Are you jealous or not? It's really a simple question! Or how about this one, how relieved are you to know that it's all in your head, last night the only action I got was getting royally screwed-over… when Miss Yade refused to tell me the vision she saw when she touched the blood orb."

He smirked at the horrified yet completely relieved look in her naive sapphire orbs. "Look at that, relief, eh Filia? So now that I've proven that point, tell me you're not jealous."

He grinned down at her and Filia swallowed dryly, realizing how close they were, the flimsy towel barely any separation at all…

It was then that it dawned on her that he had pretended to be her masseuse twice and taken a mud bath with her, not to mention she'd actually found herself liking this Xella Ose! I mean how stupid of a name was that? And she'd taken it all in! Suckered by this… this…

Xelloss felt the hatred radiating off of her in waves and swallowed dryly, sweatdropping fiercely. "F…Filia?"

"I'm not jealous…" She snarled, glowing gold, her eyes narrowing into ember slits. "I'm FURIOUS!!!"

"Um…" Xelloss asked nervously, still holding her shoulders as he apprised her. "Your not going to transform… here, are you?!"

Filia roared in response and Xelloss winced. "Oh dear, I was afraid of that…"

In retrospect he could have stopped her, could have teleported them both away somewhere else even. However, besides having a strong suspicion that the hull below them had already been breached, he found he really didn't want too…

After all! It was so much more amusing this way!