c-chan: Up is chapter 1! I hope you enjoy it. I'm not a good writer and it's really hard for me to write like a grown-up. I made Filia and Xelloss a little bit OOC in this fic, because otherwise it was hard for me to develop the plot AND make it X/F.

Don't own Slayers (in case you wondered).

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Slayers: Balance

Chapter 1: Through the Looking Glass

Outside, the sky was a beautiful scene to behold. Streaks of purple and pink laced the velvet sky as the golden rays of the sun skipped across the rooftops of the town to welcome the silvery rays of the moon. The occasional chirping of crickets accompanied by the silent hoots of owls brought about an atmosphere of perfect calm and peacefulness. Filia sat in front of her vanity brushing her long blond hair as she hummed a song she heard somewhere. A single candle sitting by her nightstand cast a soft warm glow to her room. Shadows cast by the candlelight flickered on the wall and on her face, seemingly dancing to the rhythm of Filia's song.

Unexpectedly, a gust of cold wind stirred up in her room, sending the shadows flickering violently and forcing a shiver down Filia's spine. She frowned as an ominous feeling settled at the pit of her stomach. Suddenly, her eyes widen with shock as her reflection in the mirror smirked at her and disappeared, replaced by an image that was definitely not herself:

Xelloss was chained to the wall, unconscious. Standing in front of him was an olive skinned woman with beautiful pearl white long hair. An aura of power pulsed rhythmically making her glow slightly in the darkness of the room. She traced a long, well-manicured finger along Xelloss' s jaw. He stirred slightly and woke up but didn't open his eyes. The mysterious woman lifted his face up to face her as she chuckled huskily. She brushed her lips gently against his. Then pulling his face towards her, she planted a passionate kiss on his lips. Suddenly, the woman withdrew and touched her lips, only to see blood on her fingers. She said something, to which Xelloss replied smirking. His reply must have angered her for she started to shoot tiny rays of energy towards him. Xelloss' face scrunched up in pain.

Filia stared in horror at her mirror, unable to tear her eyes away from the vision and unable to hear the dialogue between Xelloss and the woman. Gosh, I can't even read their lips. So absorbed in the vision, she failed to detect the figure that suddenly appeared out of thin air behind her.

Xelloss ground his teeth in pain. She lifted his face up by the chin and said something. Xelloss burst out laughing and replied something mockingly. The aura surrounding her suddenly pulsed brighter and stronger. A strange dagger with runes carved on it appeared in her hand. With a swift movement, she plunged it deep into Xelloss' chest where his heart would be--were he a human. Xelloss smiled and opened his eyes to look straight into hers and said, "Now you'll never know, will you?"

"Filia-chan? See something you like?" The figure behind her said. What's she looking at?

Filia gasped as Xelloss' last words reached her mind--clear and loud, as if someone just turned on the volume-- and dropped her brush to the floor as she saw Xelloss' life slip away in her vision. She stood up quickly and backed away from the mirror, sending her chair flying backwards to collide against something flesh and solid. "Filia-chan, always so violent. Is this any way to treat an old friend?" But Filia still didn't hear him. Her mind was a jumble of buzzing sounds as she tried to assimilate and understand the vision she was shown. She did not see the mirror start cracking down the middle. It suddenly burst into millions of sharp shards, each aimed straight towards her. Not expecting this, Filia was too slow to protect herself. Immediately, the figure behind her teleported in front of her and threw her down to the floor, covering her with his body.

After the commotion died down, Filia opened her eyes and stared into a pair of amethyst pools.

"X..Xelloss!?"

Xelloss got up and dusted the tiny shards off himself. "Why, Filia, you look like you've just seen a ghost. What's the matter with you? Did your reflection crack the mirror?"

Filia tried to stand up, but her knees shook violently and she sank back down to the floor as her knees buckled and gave way. Xelloss bent down and picked her up. Filia was still dazed and stunned to protest as he gently placed her on her bed. "X..Xelloss?" She repeated again. "Yes, my dear Filia. It is I, Xelloss." Xelloss tried to identify the myriad of emotions emanating from the blond female, but got only horror and puzzlement.

Slowly, Filia's eyes cleared up as the thought finally registered. "Xelloss! Namagomi! What are you doing here? In my room!?" Down went the hand, out came the mace, and flying went Xelloss to make a dent in the far wall of her room. "Itaii, Filia. Is this any way to treat someone who just saved you from horrible disfiguration?" "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be seeing that in the mirror and it wouldn't have shattered!" She said as she aimed for another swing with her mace. "Seeing what?" Xelloss opened one of his eyes as he rubbed his cheek where the mace had made contact. Filia stopped in midair.

"You didn't see that?"

"As I said, see what? Your reflection?"

Confused, Filia shook her head and sat back down at the edge of her bed. He didn't see any of that… Then, I must have just had a vision. But a vision of what? The future or the past? Who is that woman? What did they talk about? What will she 'never know'? Why am I shown this? She shook her head harder this time to clear her head of confusing thoughts. Xelloss looked at her through closed eyes.

"Xelloss, I'm tired. I would really like to go to bed. If you don't have anything better to do here, please go." I'd better clean up this mess before I go to bed. Filia stooped down and started picking up the shards of glass lying on the floor and glinting under the candlelight. She quickly dropped the first one she picked up and shoved her finger into her mouth as the sharp edge sliced deeply into her distracted thumb. Xelloss walked over to her and removed her thumb from her mouth. She looked up at him, frowning at his presence.

"Didn't I just tell you to leave?"

"Filia, this won't do. Here, let me dress that wound up for you."

"I can heal myself, Xelloss."

"Maybe, but not tonight, you won't. You don't look fit to do anything right now."

Filia just grunted. He was right; her mental energy was too drained. She heard his voice trail back into her room from the hallway. "Where do you put your medical box?" She sighed and replied, "Downstairs in the cupboard in the kitchen." "All right, I'll be right back with it. Don't try to pick up anything while I'm gone."

Filia sighed again and sat back down at the edge of her bed. What does he want? Why is he being so nice? Why am I…? Her train of thought never ended as her mind finally accepted its weariness. Filia had fallen asleep.

When Xelloss came back, he found the slumbering dragon maiden slumped down on the floor, her back against the bed. He knelt down before her and dressed her wounds, careful not to wake her. Then he picked her up and tucked her in bed. So strong and stubborn, yet so angelic and vulnerable. He was about to phase out when he suddenly remembered the broken mirror scattered on the floor. Let me clean this up for her. After making sure he picked up every single offending shard, Xelloss looked at Filia once again. Silently, he noted how beautiful she looked with her golden hair spread out like a fan on the pillow to accentuate her soft, delicate features.  So close…yet so far away. He put a hand across his midsection where his stomach would be, puzzled by the flitting sensation that had settled down and refused to leave.

Xelloss phased out and left.

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c-chan: yes, I know… it's a little bit slow now. But don't worry; the best is yet to come! ^^