A/N: Wow, so many reviews!  Thanks much!  Sorry I haven't been able to update this story in a while, but I've been busy.  If you want to see Amelia and Xellos, you'll have to wait a little while and stick with me.  I have a plan for both of them, don't you worry.  Well, let's get on with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, I /certainly/ don't own Slayers, and I'd never be able to make money off of this, even if I knew how.

Ch.4: Fire Escape!

The Saillunes in Mt. Moon

            Lina and Gourry traveled in relative peace.  Every so often, just about every time Gourry spoke, Lina would hit him over the head for saying something extremely dumb.  For example…

            "Oi, Lina…"

            "What is it /now/?"

            "Why is the brown sky moving?"

            "The sky's blue, Gourry."

            "No it isn't.  Look."

            Lina tiredly looked up.  She yelped at what she saw, her eyes going as wide as saucers.  "That's not the sky Gourry.  Those are Pidgey and Pidgeottos – and a whole lot of them!  They seem to be going –" Lina followed the mass of bird-type pokemon in the sky "East toward Cerulean City.  Come on!  Let's go check it out!"

            "Cerulean City? Uh..  Ah- I'm coming, I'm coming, wait for me!"

            By now, Lina was well ahead of him.  Gourry bumped straight into Lina when she abruptly stopped.  "Oi, Lina- What's the hold up?"

            Not really even listening to him, Lina murmured, "What the heck is this…?"

            In front of her was a towering boulder somewhat built like a narrow pyramid, but that wasn't what amazed Lina so much.  It was the fact that a young girl, in her low teens, was happily surrounded by Pidgeys and Pidgeottos like some peace-loving tree for birds, on top of the rock.  It made her queasy in the stomach just watching her.  Calling out, Lina asked, "HEY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WAY UP THERE?"

            All of the birds scattered into the surrounding trees.  Surprised, the young girl looked down.  Lina saw that she had short black hair, and wore a full off-white outfit consisting of a short-sleeved shirt and slightly baggy pants.  Shielding her eyes with a hand, she called back down, "HOLD ON!  I CAN'T HEAR YOU!  I'M COMING DOWN!"

            The girl stood up and took a step back before jumping down from the rock with a twist and a twirl.  The rock had to be at least 15-20 feet tall, so it was no surprise when she fell flat on her face with her bottom sticking up in the air.  Gourry used a stick to prod her still form.  "Oi…Are you okay?  Hey!"

            With one swift move, the girl was on her feet, an invincible expression upon her face.  That, and a few scratches and bruises that she took no notice of.

            Now that Lina had a good look at her, she judged the girl to be younger than her, as well as shorter.  She had on baggy light-tan pants with almost no pockets on the sides, and a matching shirt, both trimmed with pink.  On her wrists were twin pink bracelets with blue gems in the middle.  On a belt tied around her waist was surprisingly, four pokeballs.  Was she a pokemon trainer, too?

            The girl chirruped, "Now, what was it that you said?"

            Putting a hand on her head to ease her throbbing temple, Lina repeated, in a calm but slightly disbelieving voice, "I said, 'What are you doing way up on a rock surrounded by bird pokemon?'"

            "The birds are my friends!  Some monstrous fiend scared them all very much!  I seek to bring justice to this perpetrator!"

            Lina raised an eyebrow; her arms were crossed over her chest.  For once, Gourry spoke her thoughts.  "Wow, for a kid, you sure say a lot of big words!"

            Striking a pose, the girl declared, "Justice knows no bounds!"

            As clueless as ever, Gourry asked in response, "Eh?  Who's Justice?  And what bounds?"

            Lina sighed.  "Don't mind him, he's always like this.  My name's Lina.  Lina Inverse.  I'm a fire pokemon expertise trainer.  You?"

            Striking another pose the girl proclaimed, "I am Amelia Wiltesla Saillune of Saffron City!  I am striving to rid this world of evil and all things bad!"

            Lina's eyebrow was twitching.  "That's nice, but… Just how do you plan on doing that?"

            Amelia's answer was plain and simple, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  "I'm training to be like Officer Jenny!"

            Now a giant sweatdrop appeared on Lina's head.  Now that she thought about it…Amelia's hair did sort of curve out like Officer Jenny's, but… her hair was black, and she looked even younger than Lina; shorter too.  Lina sighed yet again.  "Whatever.  If you're from Saffron City, what are you doing way out here?"

            Amelia calmed down a bit at this.  "My Daddy left home a while pack in a quest to spread justice about two weeks ago… I wanted to travel alongside him, but he had left me behind.  So I ran away to find him and I think he's in Mt. Moon now."

            "What makes you think that?"

            "I received this note not too long ago."

            Amelia handed Lina a folded piece of paper.  Lina took it, unfolded it, and read it out loud.

            Amelia Saillune-

I have your father.  Come to Mt. Moon with 500,000 PD and the key to your city.  I will be waiting.

            -Anonymous Ransomer

            "Ransomer?  Who do they think they're kidding?  And what's this about a key to the city?"

            "Eh?  Didn't I tell you?"

            "Tell me what?"

            "Daddy's the mayor of Saffron City.  Saffron has become very large and wealthy since Daddy was elected.  He's been mayor for about ten years now!"

            Lina's eyes gleamed greedily.  Although she was but ten years of age, she had already acquired a great addiction to money – even more so to easy money.

            Putting on a happy façade, Lina extended her hand and said, "Well, in that case, we'll help you get your dad back!"

            "Really?!"

            Lina huffed proudly, "Yup!  Come on, let's get a move on!  Your dad's not going to pay his own ransom!"

            Question marks popped up around Amelia and Gourry.  "Wha?"

            Lina waved it off and started marching towards Mt. Moon.  "Never mind, never mind.  Let's just go.  Onward ho!"

            This, they understood, and reacted positively.  Soon, they were on their way once again.

            That same day, they reached the entrance to Mt. Moon.  Lina comically rolled up her sleeves and mock-spit into her gloves, and trudged in.  The other two warily followed her.  As this whole ordeal was after Ash and co. had come, things had pretty much been returned to normal.  They didn't get far before they came across a Sandshrew.  Eyes glittering, Lina stepped forward.

            "A new pokemon for my collection!  Go Pyro!  Fireball!"

            Before the Sandshrew had time to react, it was charred and captured.  Lina made a victory sign as she pocketed the Sandshrew pokeball and decided to keep Pyro out as she continued to walk forward.  Both Amelia and Gourry seemed impressed by this swift and easy capture.  They followed her in a daze of awe.

            Just from the cave entrance to their destination in the heart of the mountain, Lina caught 7 different pokemon, each of a different species.  They knew they had reached their destination when they came across a pair of giant iron brass doors.  Gourry pushed a door open easily, and allowed the two younger girls to walk in before him.  After they were all inside, the door ominously closed behind them with a loud slam.  This made Lina and Gourry jump with a start, and goose bumps crawl up Amelia's arms.

            Suddenly, an "evil" laugh echoed throughout the large cavern.

            "Bwah haw haw haw haw HA Ha ha…ha."

            But in all honesty, it was just a sad attempt at it, and only made the three kids look around, with small sweatdrops on the backs of their heads.

            The same voice proclaimed in a semi-ghastly voice, "Do you have The Money?"

            Amelia was about to answer when Lina outstretched an arm in front of Amelia, and declared with a smirk, "They don't need to pay ransom when Lina Inverse, Pokemon Trainer Extraordinaire is on their side!"
            The voice, now recognized as male, scoffed.  "And who, pray tell, is this so called 'Lina Inverse' that you speak of, little girl?"

            A stressmark appeared over Lina's head, replacing the sweatdrop.  "Don't Call Me THAT!  I am Lina Inverse, show yourself!"

            "As you wish."  A spotlight suddenly turned on, revealing a throne upon a dais a few yards in front of the group.  Standing in front of the throne chair was a stringy beanpole resembling a human man with dirty blond hair and an overconfident smirk.  Dressed in a formal off-white suit, the man looked to be in his lower 30's.

            Amelia suddenly blurted out, over the edge of shocked and more than surprised, "Uncle Randy?!  Why are you here?!  Where is my Daddy?!"

            "Uncle Randy" responded as he took a step to the side, "He's right here."

            In the seat, hands and ankles tied to the chair, and a gag in his mouth, was a hairy man that resembled a dwarf, or maybe just a relative of the Wild Man from Borneo (so I'm exaggerating, *don't* sue me).  His black hair curved into two "wings" on either side of his head, and his thick mustache extended almost all the way to his ears.  He was now trying to get out a muffled speech, but the gag prevented him from doing so.

            "DADDY!!"

            Amelia started running towards him, but Randy stopped her by standing in front of him again and slightly parting his arms from his sides.

            "Give me the ransom.  Only then will I allow you to be reunited with your father."

            Amelia grimaced.  "I-"

            "HEY YOU!"

            Both Uncle Randy and Amelia jumped when Lina suddenly shouted this.  They turned to her as she took a few steps forward.  "You wouldn't happen to be a pokemon trainer now would you, you string bean?"

            Uncle Randy growled and called out, "Come on out my aide!"

            A figure in a long overcoat and slightly graying black hair appeared from midst the shadows.  When they stood side by side, they made a whole bunch of poses, mirroring each other, before they release a pokemon together.  Lina sighed and sent forth her Charmander.  His opponent was a Machop.  No real advantage, but Lina's real advantage was her special training techniques.  "Go Pyro!  Barbecue 'em with a good Fireball!"

            Pyro responded readily and made his ball of fire just about as effective as a Flamethrower.  The Machop was charred and burnt to a crisp.  Randy returned the pokemon to its ball, and after another weak display of utter stupidity (sorry) also known as posing, they released two Machoke.  Out of the blue, Amelia called out, "Let's go!  Pacifist Crush!"

            Riding a nicely sized Pidgeot, Amelia flew her pokemon straight in between the two Machoke, which was actually a double Wing attack, and knocked the pokemon as well as the trainers down.  Amelia landed her Pidgeot and set to untie her father.  The two men were about to stop her, when Lina stopped /them/ by having Pyro Flare Arrow their behinds.  Lina found it hard to keep a serious face and not crack up laughing.  Gourry was as confused as ever.

            "Your opponent is me!  You shouldn't turn your backs during a match, or else you might fight yourself being fried from the back!"

            The two men turned back and snarled, "Why you… Machoke, use- Ah!  When were you knocked out?"

           When they saw Lina point behind them, they looked and saw that Amelia had already freed her father from his binds.  Together, they broke out into a speech.  "You who have crossed the line of righteousness into the depths of evil!  We give you this one chance to change your evil ways and become good once more!"

            When Uncle Randy responded, "I'll do whatever it takes to become Saffron City's mayor and then use my power to rule the land!"

            "Then we have no choice but to punish you for your evil intentions and smite thee in the name of JUSTICE!!"

            Amelia's father released a matching Pidgeot and together they declared, "Double Father-Daughter Swift Punishment Special!

            The two Pidgeot, wingtip to wingtip, leapt forward and sent double Swift attacks.  Incidentally, the two Swift Attacks collided with one another just before they hit their target, resulting in a huge explosion and the cave starting to collapse.  With a yelp, Lina hurriedly returned Pyro to his Pokeball and they all rushed out, Randy and his sidekick unable to do so due to having passed out.

            As they stood watching the cliff crumble to rubble, Amelia and her father took a moment to bow their heads in respect, even if he did want to conquer their city and then the world.  Afterwards, they finally had a "proper" reunion.

            "Daddy!"

            "Daughter!"

            *Big Bear Hug*

            *Part*

            *Another Big Hug*

            Lina was getting annoyed upon the third parting and hugging.  She cleared her throat and asked with a voice as sweet as sugar, "I'm *so* glad you're reunited now.  By chance, do you think, I might possibly have a reward for assisting Amelia?  Perhaps even a money reward?"

            They both looked at her, and then at each other.

            Amelia said, "I spent all of my money trying to find Daddy!"

            Her father replied, "And Randy took all of my money…"

            Lina hung her head with a sigh. 

           Amelia's father added, "Don't worry!  I am very thankful that you went out of your way to protect my dear daughter, so you can have as much as you want when we get back to Saffron City!"

            Lina was flabbergasted.  "Saffron City?!  We're nowhere near there!  And it'd be taking a lot of time out of my pokemon journey."

            "Well if you don't want to go…."

            "I know!  I'll be stopping at Saffron City eventually.  Why don't you hold the reward for me until then?"

            Amelia's father nodded.  "Of course, of course.  We'd be delighted for you to come and visit us at any time you please.  I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, however.  My given name is Philionel Eldi Saillune, but you please just call me Phil."

            "Well /Phil/-san, the name's Lina.  Lina Inverse.  I'm a fire pokemon master.  I'm on my way to the Indigo Plateau after I get all my badges."

            "Eh really?"  Gourry sounded astounded as if it were the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.

            Lina retorted, "Yes, really.  I've only got one badge now, but I know I'll get more soon."

            Amelia was as perky as ever. "Well, I hope we'll be seeing each other again soon!  When you visit us, I'll give you a personal tour of the city!"

            Phil cleared his throat.  "We must be getting on home now.  Farewell for now!"

            Not long afterwards, the two parties separated to go their own ways; one for home; one for-

            Lina and Gourry reached the outskirts of Cerulean City two days later.  When they reached the welcome sign, Gourry suddenly exclaimed, "Hey!  This is my hometown!"

            Lina facefaulted.  She had wondered why Gourry was so quiet as of late.  "You couldn't tell me that /before/?!"

            Gourry held a finger up and 'pointed out', "But I didn't realize until just now."

            "What triggered this 'sudden' remembrance?"

            Gourry then pointed at a corner of the welcome sign.  "I saw this."  In blue marker, there was a scrawled picture that resembled Gourry, if he was a mindless blob, next to the words, "This is Gourry's hometown! ^_^"

            Lina sweatdropped as she read this.  Lina sighed it off and looked at Gourry.  "I don't suppose you could hook us up with a free stay then, right?"

            "Ummmm…….Yes?  Or is it no?  Or…?  Uh………….."

- home.

A/N: If you think Phil was a bit too formal at the end I have two reasons for you; 1.) Phil's the mayor instead of being the "Prince" so he should act more "serious".  2.) This is my story and I'm improvising ^_^ |  On the other hand, I /did/ get Amelia in rather quickly.  I'm just going with the flow here though.  Don't expect Xellos until around the Fuschia Gym.  Oops!  Shouldn't have told you that… *cough cough* Too much in the future to say.  La de da de da…Oh!  Please review!