Slayers REVOLT: The Calm Before

By Elderdrake

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CHAPTER TWO

Sunshine in Atlass City

It was a warm, late May afternoon in Atlass City. For almost two years, the weather just about everywhere had been miserable, always damp and about a season colder than it should be. But today there was a break in the unending dreariness and the citizens had flocked into the streets to savour the rare sunshine. Traffic on every road, the smallest lane to the widest boulevard, seemed to be at a standstill. Every marketplace and square was packed to overflowing. Most businesses and craftworks had closed their doors since every labourer and commoner seemed to have taken the day off. The cartloads of raw materials that fuel industry couldn't make it through the crowds anyway. A carnival air had gripped the entire city.

The noise was overwhelming. Every stall owner and curbside vendor was shouting at the top of his or her lungs, trying to get the attention of citizens who had lurked indoors for weeks and were out looking to spend a few coins. Every bard and poet, every puppeteer and street-corner player, was shouting to be heard by their small audiences. Every outdoor entertainer and busker from mime to juggler to sword-eater who had been forced to eke out a living from the shelter of a tavern common room was out plying the trade.

Children raced through the streets, squeezing through the gaps between the crush of adults. They shouted and laughed, jumping in puddles, splattering burlap-clad peasants and silk-draped merchants alike. No one seemed to mind. Everyone was too busy enjoying the rare weather and the impromptu festival to get mad.

Except, it seemed for one.

"Aaaaaagh!" a feminine wail of despair made itself heard over the hubbub in the busiest marketplace in the city. Heads turned and necks craned. Expectations rose. Thieves and cutpurses were thick in such a crowd and a fair number of revelers were expecting the wail signified a stolen coinpouch, a chase, and an all-round entertaining show. Folk shifted about, hoping to glimpse a fleeing footpad and pursuing manservant or bodyguard.

"Aaaagh!"

The wail echoed again, and the crowd was able to locate the source of their hoped-for show. To their disappointment, there was no thief or chase, only a pair of adventurers standing by the awninged confectioner's cart titled "Sweet-Tooth Samuel's Special Sugary Splendours." Samuel was widely considered the best confectioner and pastry chef in Atlass City. The onlookers waited to see if there would be any more fuss, and, when it was not forthcoming, went back to their business.

At the cart one of the adventurers - the one who had wailed - finally found her voice. "I can't believe it! We're already running low again!"

Self-proclaimed Beautiful Sorcery Genius Lina Inverse stood aghast, exasperation and horror written on her face as she tried to see around an astonishing two-armload pile of pastries. A well-loved and much-handled purse in her hand sagged mournfully, perhaps only a quarter full. It seemed almost as if it were trying to apologize.

A second, taller pile of pastries with blue leggings extruded a handsome blonde face, looking down at the sorry little purse.

"Oh no! Do we have enough for Mister Sweet-Tooth Samuel? What about the Samuel's Sweet Supreme Spicy Cinnamon-Sugarpuff Streudels you told me so much about!"

The minimally more important business of gorging on desserts brought Lina out of her state of cashflow-shock. Samuel's Sweet Supremes were worth her very last penny, and she was still a long way from her last penny.

"Don't worry Gourry. We're running low, not out umm, could you get out the coins? I can't seem to reach very well." The disappointed crowd had started moving again. That much fuss over a pastry bill?

Gourry shifted his load to an arm and thigh, freeing a hand. His pile of pastries teetered dangerously while he reached down to fish around in the much shorter Lina's overworked and underpaid coin purse. There were a couple of tense moments — surely something had to tumble? — but Gourry was a master swordsman and naturally had a remarkable instinct for balance. Eventually the coins were found and the bill settled, without any pastry casualties.

Sweet-Tooth Samuel beamed as he closed down his cart and pocketed his small fortune. What luck! He had sold his whole stock and still had most of the afternoon left to drink the profits, rather than having to try and outshout competitors until sunset. He had also spoken with the infamous Lina Inverse. Haha! Something to tell the boys at the pub, when he got there.

He waved goodbye to his benefactors, who were already negotiating their way through the crowd, which parted to let them pass. The swordsman actually had room to turn and wave politely back. Samuel was a little awed — his two customers were so famous that the impenetrable crowd instinctively stepped aside! Then, he realized, fame had nothing to do with it After all, who, dressed in festival finery, would want to get in the way of two tottering ambulatory mountains of sticky, sugar-coated, honey-dripping and jam-filled pastries?

As they crossed the square to where some clever shopkeeper had roped off the area of his storefront and set up several chairs and makeshift tables, Gourry leaned over to quietly speak with Lina.

"What do you mean, almost out? It's only been three days since that last bandit camp".

"Well, we're running low. Enough for two, maybe three more days in Atlass City." She sighed as she set down her armload and flipped the shopkeeper his one-silver seating fee. "It just seems a girl can't make a living off liberated bandit loot anymore. The last five we visited were almost too poor to have bothered shaking down."

"What's wrong? Is it all the rain and cold we've had?"

"What? You think chilly drizzle would stop bandits from raiding a caravan? No, it's something else"

Gourry thought hard for a moment. It wasn't something that came naturally to him. Then, one of his brilliant non-sequiturs bubbled out.

"Oh. Uncle Kendry's fish!"

They sat down at an empty table. It creaked under the weight of several dozen Sugary Splendours.

"Hunh? FISH, Gourry? I thought we were talking about impoverished bandits."

Gourry was already digging in to his pile. Lina started on hers.

"Well, Lina, munch Uncle Kendry mmph once found a great fishing spot scrunch. He went every mmph day, and every day came munch back with the best chomp and biggest fish anywhere. Then gulp they got munch smaller, and finally yum ran out."

"You're saying scrunch I've fished-out yum all the bandits on gulp this continent?"

"Well, how long does it take bandits to gather what you spend?"

Lina's face fell in sudden understanding, and she slumped miserably to the table. "I can't believe you figured that out before I did"

"What?"

"Gourry, how can I make a living if bandits don't have enough of a work ethic to keep me in the black HEY! munch, gulp, crunch" Gourry had almost finished his pile and had started to nip from hers. She had to move fast, and began gobbling fast enough to turn other patrons' heads.

" Well, you weren't eating it. You were talking about bandits." [snatch!]

"I mmph was gulp getting munch depressed gulp about scrnch bandits, thanks to you!"

"Hey, when did they become my fault?" Gourry interrupted [snatch!]

Lina ignored his protest, but not his pilfering. "depressed thanks to you! And you know I need to eat to feel better when I'm depressed! And then you go and start eating MY food?!? You've still got your own!"

Gourry gambled on one more theft [grab!], then realized he'd overplayed his luck as Lina's expression shifted to that of an angry tiger. Her temper had reached flashpoint.

"Oh yeah? Well, then" She suddenly leaned hard into the table so she could loot the last of Gourry's platter. Unfortunately, the makeshift table was already suffering from the earlier weight of all Samuel's Specials and had a weak leg. It broke and she followed it down. The last few pastries catapulted into the air as Lina's side of the table dropped.

Everything went into slow motion.

"Nooooo-ooo-oooo!" She wailed despairingly as the last Samuel's Sweet Supreme Spicy Cinnamon-Sugarpuff Streudel arced gracefully upward. Its sugar glaze caught the sun and winked tauntingly, just out of reach. She leaped up, striving to save Samuel's last honey-glistening miracle of confectionery perfection, reaching straining stretching

The eye of every patron was on her, caught up in the drama of the moment

Reaching just about There! Ahhh oooh noo

It bounced off the tip of her outstretched finger, arcing, twirling, tumbling falling Noooo-oo

Sploosh! It landed in the mud puddle left by a missing paving cobble.

A single drop of mud flipped back and hit Lina squarely between her eyes.

Time returned to normal. Lina was sprawled flat on the ground, staring in anguished disbelief as the mud drop trickled down to dangle off the tip of her nose. As she watched, the streudel bobbed gently in the puddle, muddy water slowly soaking upward through the pastry. It began to crumble, then dissolve. Slowly it disintegrated. In seconds, all that was left were a few forlorn crumbs, floating on the surface. Finally, even these winked out as they were soaked and sank out of sight.

"Oh no my last cinnamon sugarpuff streudel" She got up slowly, eyes brimming with tears.

With Lina, anguish usually turned quickly to a burning anger. Burning, in the sense of a fire or explosion spell being applied to any nearby handy target.

Gourry was cringing behind the half-collapsed table. Though it was probably hopeless, he held out his hanky for her mud splotch as a peace offering. He braced himself for a singeing and hoped few in the tightly packed crowds would be caught by the blast. Just then, he was saved by a most unlikely coincidence. That is, it would be unlikely were you not unbeaten world-saving heroes like Gourry and Lina. Unlikely coincidence is a defining factor in heroic lives.

"Well, well. My lucky day" a pause as the newcomer assessed the situation He blinked in mild astonishment, and then reached two blue fingers up to pinch the bridge of his nose before continuing.

"Good grief, you two really don't EVER change, do you? It's just like last time we accidentally met up" He scanned the sky "At least there aren't any attacking, pink-bow clad dragons!"

"Zel? Zelgadis?" Uttered simultaneously, Gourry's voice echoed relief, Lina's disbelief.

"Allow me to save your skin, Gourry, by offering to buy you both dinner?"

Lina's utter shock was evident. "What's up Zel? Volunteering to feed us?"

Zel smiled a little, and looked pointedly at the upturned platters and sad, broken little pastry casualties scattered about the ground, bleeding honey and jam. "It's what friends do when they haven't seen each other in a while, and, seeing as you've just eaten, I might actually be able to afford what appetite you have left."

His smile curved even wider. "Besides, I'm on official business and have an expense account!"

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

Zelgadis, Lina and Gourry had been walking along briskly. Crowds had thinned a little for supper, and clouds had begun to build up again, taking some of the heat out of the day. Zel was scanning signs for a decent restaurant while Lina and Gourry quietly bickered over whose fault it really was the last pastries had been spoiled. Then the chimera quite suddenly stopped, in the middle of a major intersection. He was nearly toppled when the other two collided with his back. Lina seemed ready to turn her temper on him, but was brought up short by a powerful sense of déja vu.

Two famous restaurants stood on either side of the opposite exit. "Nioharon's Roast Beef" read one sign. "Nyara-Nyara Hot Pot" read the other.

Lina's eyes widened. "Oh, wow."

Zel answered. "I'll say. Gods, has it been only three years? Remember the last time we were here?"

"Hmmmmm. Nope!" Gourry answered predictably.

Lina flipped. Gourry was soon in a headlock. Zel noticed it wasn't as vicious as they had once been. It was more like a comfortable pattern, and come to think of it their bickering during the walk had been more or less good-natured Oh-ho well, they had been together four years and some

Lina was half-yelling, half-laughing. "Gourry! This is where we got hired for that Taramu guy. Then that led to Halciform, then Seygram, and then Kanzell and well" Lina's eyes got a little unfocused and her headlock loosened. "Oh, wow." She said again. "Only three years?"

Zel just shook his head. "Yep, the last time we were here, Gaav and Phibrizzo were alive and just near-legendary beings who supposedly had no connection with us. The Mazoku Barrier was still up, the Outer World unattainable. We'd never seen, let alone met, a Golden Dragon, nor even really heard of DarkStar as anything other than some otherworldly beast used to scare children into behaving. Here, it all kind of hits home, doesn't it? It was our argument, standing right here, that changed our little band from just another bunch of mercenary adventurers to to" Zel sweatdropped a little "to whatever it is we became."

Lina had let Gourry go and was standing, rubbing at the back of her head.

"What are you saying Zel?!? We'd already killed a piece of Shabranuigdo, and then Copy Rezo too. That's hardly run-of-the-mill adventuring."

"But neither of those really changed the way the world was going, did they? After Gaav and Phibrizzo, though and don't forget we totally changed the fate of the Overworld, too"

Gourry was rubbing out the kinks in his neck, and looking confusedly from Zel to Lina and back again.

Lina was quiet. "Three years A bit more than a thousand days Has the world really changed that much in so little time?"

Zel was quiet too. "More in the last three years than in the last three thousand. And we — but especially you, Lina — are responsible for almost all of it. It's a little spooky"

All three just stood for a moment, thinking. The clouds were closer, the crowds just a little thinner.

"I wonder what the Princess would be thinking if she was here, too" Zel mused aloud, without really realizing it.

It was Lina's turn to think oh-ho She glanced sidewise at Zel. Why had he said that? Was somebody on his mind? Then she decided it was probably just idle wondering. Amelia had been part of all that too - but the Princess'? Why so formal? Wait, hadn't he said something about official business?

As usual Gourry broke the thoughtful mood. "The only spooky thing I see is the way people are staring at us for standing in the middle of a busy road when it's about to rain. Lina? Seafood?"

"He's right. This is way too deep-thinking for an empty stomach in a city street." Lina grinned and ribbed Zelgadis with her elbow "Nioharon's is still the best food in Atlass City"

Zel looked at her. "Oh no. I'm not feeling nostalgic enough to want to repeat that argument." He was smiling a little though.

"Geez, Zel. Where's your sense of fun? Although" Lina thought a moment "I've got a hankering for seafood, too. Hot Pot it is"

A few drops of rain spattered down on a chill wind gust

"Oh no! What's with this unending bad weather?" Lina exclaimed.

Zel coughed a little.

"Ahem I'd been wondering myself. Then it came to me a couple of weeks ago. I think it's our fault too, though DarkStar gets to share the blame." They had started towards the entrance to Nyara-Nyara.

"WHAT? Zel, are you crazy? There are words for people who think they're the reason for everything. Like narcissistic' or egomaniac'."

Zel choked on that one. Lina, calling him an egomaniac?

"Ahh Nevertheless I'm pretty sure it's true. One of Rezo's books talked about big volcanoes going off and the weather being bad for several years afterwards. Too much rock dust and water in the sky, blocks some of the sun. Dragons flying high could taste the dust on the air, there was so much Hmmm, also crops sometimes do well everywhere, for some reason, after really big volcanic eruptions"

Gourry held open the door. They stepped into the restaurant as Lina replied: "So what? I haven't started any volcanoes."

Zel answered her, very quietly, in the foyer. None of them had been particularly proud in the aftermath of beating DarkStar, and the persistent repercussions of that battle, like the loss of the Gold Dragons and several thousand miles of seriously altered landscape, were bad enough to have kept their role in it all to themselves. Besides the eight who had been there at the last, only Prince Philionel knew some of the story — and he only knew because Princess Amelia had thought he should know what had been going on.

"No, but think of all those blasts Darkstar made on the way to the Ancient Dragon's Temple. Each was as big as most volcanoes get. And then, there was the backblast from your spell that killed Darkstar — all the way from the Ancient's Temple back to the island where the Gate was. That was the match of several volcanoes, at least" Zel suddenly realized he was probably making a mistake. Why was he trying to convince a friend she was significantly to blame for two or three years of bad weather worldwide?

Too late Lina's face had turned noticeably blue and she was covering her eyes with a hand.

"Oh, great. Blame Evil Lina for everything. Add the weather onto my bad reputation. Next I'll have mobs of rioting children trying to lynch me for spoiling two years' worth of festivals groan Now I'm getting depressed again."

It was Zel's turn to sweatdrop. Depressed, Lina could eat for ten. So much for his expense account.

He made an attempt to salvage his budget. "Don't think of it like that! After all Amelia, Gourry and I all helped cast that spell, right? We're all to blame. And it wasn't as if we had a choice two years of cold, wet summers sure beat DarkStar's world-purification plans by a long shot."

Gourry tried as well: "Cheer up, Lina. Zel said good crops might come too, right? That means lots of food for everyone, including us!"

Lina's resilient humour asserted itself. "Ohhh, No! Maybe that'll make me feel better after twenty helpings of Hot Pot, but not before!" Her fangs were showing. "Pay-up time, Zel. And Gourry, you can buy me dessert to make up for ruining the last Spicy Cinnamon-Sugarpuff Streudel!"

* * * * * * * * * *

"Aaaahhh! Now THAT was yummy."

Lina leaned her chair back and planted her heels on the table. Gourry lounged in his chair, one leg over an armrest, one arm draped over the chair back. Both were busily picking at their teeth. Zel, used to his companions' loose grasp of manners, quietly sipped at a wineglass, with a nearly emptied bottle close to hand.

The beleaguered waitress came to clear away a few of the heaped bowls and platters that nearly hid the table surface and looked disapprovingly at the placement of Lina's feet.

"You folks DONE yet? Cuz'n you've just about cleaned out the kitchen. The cooks is a-crying with exhaustion." She paused a moment "A-course, the boss, he be plenty happy. Or will be once you pay up." She handed Zel the bill.

He barely managed to stop himself from spraying nearby tables with his mouthful of Piesporter Ost-Zefeeria. He swallowed, choked a little, and stared slightly wild-eyed at the waitress. "Are you sure you added it up right?" He began doing his own calculations.

The waitress gave him the evil eye. "Well'n, you did order 30 Hot Pots. The lobster'n'the scallops is outta season nearby and come from far aways upcoast. That does raise the price a little. I'm not a-doubtin you can't afford no tip, either?"

Zel just shook his head. It all added up. Oh well, I was under-budget up til now anyway. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge-like piece of jewelry. It was enameled with the Seyruun Family's Coat-of-Arms.

"Just charge it to the Saillune Crown Treasury. Add on ten percent for the tip." He handed her the badge.

"Humph! Ain't that just the cap now I'll haff'n to wait for my tip til the Treasury gits around t'payin up." She flounced off to get the owner and necessary writ. There was no formal charge system, of course. The owner of the establishment would simply attach the bill to a sheet of paper; then both he and the patron would sign the parchment, which would then be marked with the signet mounted to the back of the badge. The unfortunate master of Nyara's would then have to ship off the document and wait for the Treasury to pay up, which could take weeks.

Lina was looking curiously at Zelgadis while he poured himself the last of the wine. "Wow, Zel. Where did you get one of those? Just what sort of official business are you on?" Her eyes darted to his hands, looking for the ring she was starting to think had to be there. It wasn't. When her eyes returned to his face, the look she gave him was sidelong and suspicious.

Zel had leaned back, casual-like, and didn't notice. "Well, you remember how in the Outer World I got to playing with that astrolabe, to figure out where we were from time-to-time."

"Sure, Zel"

"And you also remember I came back to Saillune with the Princess after the Darkstar quest?"

"Yeeesss" Lina was now giving him a sly glance, which he also missed.

"Well, it didn't take long for me to start going a little stir-crazy, just sitting around the palace, so I took to wandering the lands again, looking for a cure. But, I found I didn't have the patience to do mercenary work anymore — after all we'd been through, hiring myself out to petty kings and stingy merchants seemed pointless. So I was always a little short on cash and temper both, and found myself wandering back to Saillune every dozen weeks"

Lina interrupted. "Oh? Really now? Always back to Saillune?" This time he caught her tone, which was what? Full of implication? He glanced at Lina. She was looking at him expectantly. Zel felt a blush developing. He cleared his throat and decided to cut the story short.

"Ahem anyhow, the third or fourth time Amelia suddenly came up with the idea of making me the Royal Cartographer'. I was dragged before Prince Philionel, given the title and the badge, some funds for the necessary tools, and ordered to train a small staff. Once that was done, we all marched off to do Their Highnesses' bidding and start producing accurate maps of the countryside. I go back to the capital every three or four months, drop off my observations with some cartographic scribes and clear my account, then head off to a different corner of the Kingdom. I just finished the coastal areas to the south and was on my way back again and STOP looking at me that way!"

Lina was all innocence. "What way Zel? I'm just impressed you've conned Amelia into funding your travels all over the continent while you look for a cure. Very clever"

"It's- it's not like that!" He was gripping the table in frustration.

"Ohh? How is it then? And since when have you accepted orders from anyone?"

"Rrrgh! Oh never mind.". He leaned back and took a long sip.

Zel knew Lina was teasing him, but he couldn't help it. She always seemed to know just which buttons to push. He was rescued from further needling by the return of the waitress, with the owner. Lina was immediately distracted by the need to order more?

"Just the girl I wanted to see! Waitress, bring me a coffee."

The waitress gritted her teeth. "An will that be on the Treasury bill, too?"

Lina glanced at the fuming Zelgadis, sighed, and decided on mollification. He HAD bought her dinner after all.

"No, I'll get this and anything else we order tonight. Zel? Gourry? Anything else?"

Gourry, who had begun to doze a little during Zel's tale, roused himself. "Oh, yes please. Some ale."

Zel glanced up from the paper he was signing, thought hard a moment, and regretfully decided on coffee for himself too. He seemed to be the only one drinking from the wine bottle, anyway.

The waitress and restaurateur left after returning Zel's badge with the Seyruun Coat-of-Arms.

Zel looked curiously at Lina. "Don't you care to drink? You're certainly old enough by now, aren't you? Amelia's almost eighteen, and I know you're older than her by a little bit."

Lina actually blushed. "Ummm, noer, I mean, I'm old enough, but liquor doesn't agree with me"

Zel sensed a little revenge was at hand. He looked over at Gourry, who was clearly holding back a chuckle. "Do tell?"

Gourry glanced askance at Lina, then back at Zel. "Well, it was a few months ago, Lina's birthday in fact"

Lina thumped the table with both her fists. "Don't you dare Gourry!"

It was a little too late for that, though. "She decided to try a local cherry liquor. She liked it — a lot — but, well, had a little too much. I decided to get her to her Inn room"

Zel smiled a little. "Oh? Really?"

Lina was slumped on the table, and covering her face "Curse you Gourry! Why is it you can't ever remember ANYTHING, but can remember every detail of that evening?" she wailed.

Gourry continued on. "anyhow, at the Inn, there was this donkey outside"

Lina's voice became threatening. "Gourry, don't you dare bring that up! I swear, I'll". Her fists were clenched, her arms waving.

Gourry was shaking from the strain of holding back his laughter. "I can't help it I gotta tell someone. Oh Zel, you should have seen that donkey's expression when"

Zel never found out what had happened to the donkey, as Lina solidly clobbered her blonde Protector in the side of the head. She then turned towards Zel. She was blushing crimson, but still managing to threaten murder with her eyes: "Zel you WILL forget that ANYTHING about a donkey was ever mentioned"

Zel, wide-eyed, leaned back as far as he could, hands up to ward off palpable fury. He nodded. He was definitely curious about the donkey, but didn't want Lina firing off a Dragon Slave in the middle of Atlass City "Ahehe, heh already forgotten"

Lina sat back "Good. Here comes my coffee. We won't mention this little incident, will we?" She gave him one more chilling glance.

Zel spoke in a small, strained voice. "Of course not what incident?"

The waitress gave the downed Gourry a curious glance, then saw Lina's blushing face and outraged expression. She hastily served everyone, then dashed for the imagined safety of the far side of the room.

Lina's voice still held an edge of embarassment as she tried to shift topics. "Now, Zel, you said earlier today that it was your lucky day'' to find us. What was so lucky about it?"

Zel closed his eyes and looked down. "Phoo. Good question yikes!"

Lina's eyes had turned lethal again. "Okay, cut the cynical humour, wiseguy!"

He turned his head sidewise and glanced at the ceiling to hide his amused expression. What could have embarrassed her so much that she was still this mad? He covered his mouth, faked a cough to stifle his chuckle then turned back.

"Well, Lina, I already mentioned it in passing. Amelia is almost eighteen. Her birthday is in less than a month, and she's had messengers scouring the continent with invitations for you two for more than a dozen weeks. You see, it's going to be a very big deal: she Turns of Age, gets Knighted, and Confirmed as the Heir to the Throne all in one day. Only her wedding someday, and eventually her Coronation, will likely be bigger events. She'd have been heartbroken if you two weren't there for the occasion."

Lina's mood flipflopped again. "Her eighteenth? A Knighting? Confirmation as Heir? That sounds like a major party! Oh, wow" Her eyes were glittering stars, her hands clasped in anticipation.

Zel thought he knew exactly what Lina was thinking, and sighed. "Yes, there will be a huge feast, and you and Gourry will be among the guests of honour"

THWACK! Zel winced as Lina solidly thumped the top of his head. "Ow! I always forget your sharp hair" she muttered, shaking her hand. Then she looked at him sourly.

"Zel! How can you think so little of me? The feast is only secondary! I wouldn't demean Amelia by only accepting her invitation to such an important occasion in her life because of a free meal! I mean, she's my best girlfriend, and my protégé! As her mentor and greatest positive influence in her life, it would be unforgivable to not show up!"

Zel was wide-eyed. Lina looked at him seriously. "Well? What are you waiting for? Help me wake up this lout" she was pointing at Gourry "so we can get to bed. It's a long way to Saillune City and we need an early start! Ummm which Inn are you staying at? Does it have room?"

"Yes. Ahh, I have a horse. Are you two willing to ride? It'll only take a week to get there that way."

Lina grinned wickedly.

"Now that you mention it, it would, wouldn't it. Don't lose that Royal Badge. We need to talk to some stablemasters come sunrise, and my purse won't stand up to buying good horses right now."

Zel just winced and bent over to shake the still unconscious Gourry. Oh well, maybe he could convince the Royal Post Service to just lend a couple of horses

* * * * * * * * * *

NEXT CHAPTER: So how has Amelia been faring over the last couple years?

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Slayers Characters © 1991-2002 Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi, a whole lot of other people and not a few multinational corporations. I'm not looking for a piece of their action, just paying homage to it. Story and all other content © 2002 D. Robbins

Special thanks to Debbie for editing and Sharlene, Diane and Kelly for their pre-reading and commentaries!