I own everyone that isn't on the anime or in the manga of Slayers, Next and Try. Please accept that this is just a fanfic. Thank you! Also, please review!

Chapter 2:

Varunia in pain

"Hmm? What is it?" Babbit, his cousin, asked when Pickle knocked on the door that led to her study.

"Varunia's hurt! Please heal her!" He said, showing her Varunia, who he was carrying in his arms.

"For the last time, Pickle, I'm not Rezo!" She opened the door, "But since you helped me, I guess that I have to help you."

Pickle carried her in the door and lied her down on the couch. He then stepped back and waited to see what Babbit would do. She examined Varunia's wounds for a moment, then turned to a cabinet full of herbs. She took a few bottles down, set them on her desk, and started measuring out some of the contents. Pickle was watching her curiously for a moment, when she whipped around carrying a bottle of liquid. She gave it to Pickle to hold, while she dressed Varunia's wounds.

"Now, when she wakes up, get her to drink this. Now, go away." She shooed them out of her study.

"Thank you!" He yelled through the door as he started down the road. Then, it struck him. He had no idea where he was going. He sat on the ground, placing Varunia by him, and thought hard. But sitting still like that wasn't really his style, so he soon fell asleep.

**********************************************************************************

Varunia awoke with a large blast of pain surrounding her being. She groaned and looked down at her stomach, where she saw Pickle's arm, laying across her. She shoved it off, and sat up. Pickle was stretched out over the ground by her. She glared and was about to hit him, but the pain in her head returned. She was in actual pain! That had never happened to her before, so she was quite shocked. She shakily stood and walked some distance away from Pickle. Then she did the one thing that she thought she would never do, she called Xellos.

"Xellos-sama!" She said as loudly as she could. There was a flash of light and Xellos appeared in front of her.

"Nan desu ka? Varunia-san called me?" He looked slightly confused, which was also strange, "You look strange Varunia-san. What happened to your powers? I see! It's your time of the month!"

She took a deep breath and was about to tell him off when she felt another stabbing pain, "OW!" She shrieked.

"Wait, as far as I know, Mazoku don't have a 'time of the month'. Not that I would ask Xellas-sama that. Why? Sore wa hi…" He paused as she grabbed his shirt. He opened one eye and stared at her as she stood there, gasping for air, "You are no longer a Mazoku, ne?"

She nodded, "Xellos, first I have to tell you (gasp) if you say sore wa (wheeze) himitsu, I'll kill you. (cough) What happened to me?"

He looked at her for a moment with concern in his face, "Someone's out to get you, but I don't know who. Someone bigger than me." He looked over into the dark wood, "Stay with your love, I'll figure it out. Ja!" He disappeared

"But…" Varunia cried out after him, "what are you saying?" He was gone. She had no way to make him come back and no way to follow him, being robbed of her powers. She shivered at the thought, maybe they wouldn't come back.

She sat on the ground, trying to figure out what was going on, when she heard Pickle calling out her name in a panic. She watched him run right past her, without even noticing her.

"Yo!" She called out, loudly, waving her arms. Then she winced, she forgot she was injured. He rushed back to her side.

"Varunia! You're alive! I'm so relieved!" Pickle tossed his arms around her in a tight bear hug. Varunia let out a shriek of pain into his ear. Pickle promptly let her go and stood with a strange expression on his face.

"Varunia, I think it would be best if we returned home." He said, smiling at her with sparkles.

"My home? Are you nuts? I live under a volcano, if you'll recall." Varunia said, biting back tears of pain. Her side H-U-R-T!

"No, my home. Mom can fix anything, and if she can't, then Dad will fix you up! And if they can't do it, then Slipper can for sure!" Pickle said, picking Varunia up gently.

"Your optimism horrifies me, Pickle Gabriev." Varunia shook her head, leaning it against Pickle's warm chest. She soon found herself dozing off to sleep for the first time in her life. And she felt so safe doing it too…