Okay, yeah, I know its been a while since I last updated. But give me a break! I had writer's block! I'd work on it a little bit, and then I would just be completely stumped. Oh well. This is quite a long chapter compared to the others, so that should make up for any inadequacies of mine.

Ah and now it's time to reply to all three of my loyal reviewers. They are my only inspiration. *sniff* They only make it worth continuing to write. *tear*

Voice from no where: Oh go cry me a river!

Maybe I will! *sticks out tongue at disembodied voice*

Anyways

Rhesus-A: Ah thank you for giving me my very first review! There will be more naughty scenes to come. I promise. *whispers* They are actually already written. I just have to work up to them.

hysteria82: Thanks for your compliment. I never really thought about it, but you're right. I generally don't go for self insertion fics either, mainly because they're badly written. Apparently, you don't think mine is, thanks! ^_^

Rhetta: You little trickster, leaving a review under my name while I wasn't looking! Thanks for the encouragement hun!

And for all of those of you who don't review, one is all I ask. Reviews really do make me want to write and not procrastinate about it, this chapter being testimony.

Until next time

Ja ne,

Kara Metallium ^_~

P.S.:I don't own Slayers.

Chapter 10 - Tricks of the Trade

Xellos turned to the beastmaster with a slight smirk on his face.

That was quite a display you put on Juuou-Sama.

the beastmaster turned savagely on the trickster priest, I didn't see you objecting when I granted you power in much the same way. The beastmaster held a devious gleam in her eye, despite the much-feared bark in her voice. She sauntered up to the Xellos and placed a finger on his chest. She raised her eyes only a fraction of an angle, for Xellos was only slightly taller than her, to lock eyes with him. That is, unless, she paused and a feral smile formed on her lips, you're a little protective' of my favors. She leaned in even closer to Xellos. The air was permeated with the beastmaster's obvious sensual seduction. A dark smile formed on Xellos's lips.

Not at all, Juuou-Sama, Xellos replied bowing his head and backing away. He dropped to one knee, still facing the floor. Your favors are to give to whom you will. What I approve of, nay, what I think is of no worth to such an omnipotent being such as yourself.

The beastmaster's dark wine-colored lips parted as she laughed heartily. Ah, Xellos, she said flashing a genuine, and often not seen, smile at the trickster priest. You always did know how to avoid confrontations. Rise, my loyal trickster. Xellos rose and faced the beastmaster. Still smiling, Juuou-Sama unceremoniously plopped into her chair. She raised a hand, in which a glass of ruby merlot materialized, and gestured toward Xellos. And now, onto business, she said, taking a sip.

***

Underbrush flashed by her as she raced through the trees. Kara hopped over a small stream and continued her flight. The air was crisp and cold, and the moonlight shown sparsely through the trees. Had Kara actually needed to breath, one would have seen breaths of air turned white in the cold. Her eyes darted across the nearly black landscape. All she could hear was the almost silent pursuers behind her. They could not hear her, for her projected body did not make a sound. Yet, her pursuers could smell her musty mazoku scent.

Kara turned to look behind her

and ran smack into Xellos.

Miss Kara, said the mazoku, from underneath the tangled mess of her body on top of his, as flattered as I am by your initiative, I had hoped that you would have been far more subtle.

Kara glared and Xellos smirked.

she said, still glaring at him, you flatter yourself more than you deserve.

Ah, but, he held up a finger, I have been deserving at one time or another, have I not? Xellos untangled himself from her, stood up, brushed himself off, and opened one amethyst eye to gaze down on her.

Xellos, you really are an egoistical bastard.

Ah, I certainly am.

Kara rolled her eyes.

How could I expect any less? she moaned to herself.

***

said Kara, her mouth curling in disdain, please tell me why we're here again.

They were currently floating over a town. Well, two towns, that were barely separate.

It seems, Miss Kara, the mazoku keeping an amethyst eye on her, that Juuou-Sama is most concerned with the supernatural occurrences that have been happening in this vicinity as of late.

And have asked us to investigate and deal with it accordingly.

Well, that is partially true.

All right, Xellos, what's the catch?

You will be handling this on your own. I am merely here for he tapped his finger on his chin thoughtfully. Oh, ah yes, supervision. Kara snorted.

Oh joy.

***

Kara found herself sipping tea with Xellos in a tavern.

So what's the story Xellos? asked Kara, propping her feet up on the table, much to his disdain.

Well, Miss Kara, it seems that the supernatural occurrences have been disturbing the people from the two cities. In fact, they refuse to trade with each other because they think the other has been responsible for these occurrences.

And these supernatural occurrences' would be what? Kara inquired sipping her tea.

Ghosts, Miss Kara.

Ah, I see. And it would be too simple to just destroy these ghosts, I suppose? she raised an eyebrow.

Why, Miss Kara, I'm surprised at you, Xellos smiled at her as if to say you're so naive.' These ghosts are the ancestors of the people living here. How can you just destroy them? That is truly insensitive. I thought you were more caring than that Miss Kara. Kara sighed.

Very well, Xellos, she said, setting down her teacup and standing up, I shall deal with these ghosts in a way truly befitting of Juuou-Sama. She walked out the door.

Kara walked down the dusty road. Okay, just exactly, what am I going to do? She grimaced. I've got to find a way to amuse Juuou-Sama, but also impress her if I want to keep this post. I know this is a test. Geez. Nothing is simple with the monster race. She mentally sighed. What to do, what to do While her mental rant, Kara had walked to the edge of the town and now stood at the edge of a wood that barely separated the two towns. Her eyes flickered over the wood. It was dark in there and there were eyes peering out at her from the darkness. A howl arose from the trees. She shivered involuntarily.

Okay, I've got to find these ghosts. I can't destroy them, L-Sama be damned. I guess I'll have to seal them. That way they won't cause harm to anyone else. Kara walked into the wood. She finally reached the middle of the wood, which of course had a clearing in the middle.

What happened? Apparently, there had been a cemetery in the wood; however, it appeared that the hallow ground had been desecrated by bandit robbers. Grave stones were overturned and skeletons were partially out of their graves. The place was an eyesore, not to mention a creepy one. Oh geez, no wonder these ghosts are pissed off!

Oh my, remarked a voice behind her, so this is the reason behind these ghost sightings.

Kara moaned, either do something constructive or stay out of it.

Well, if you put it that way

Kara yelled, turning on the trickster priest. Just then a disturbance went up from the trees at the edge of the clearing. Kara's crimson eyes widened at the figure behind the trickster priest. Oh gods, Kara mouthed.

There it stood. A mass of swirling of white light and mist. Its eyes glowing ruby and it's white transparent grinning skull partially wrapped in flesh. It could have been a faded out projection, except for the eyes. Tendrils of gauzy white spiritual matter swirled around Kara and Xellos, who at that moment had chosen to turn around. The figure stood almost as tall as the trees, given it was floating a few feet off the ground. It glided toward the two mazoku grinning maliciously. Xellos returned the malicious smile and teleported. Kara took all this in with wide eyes as the spiritual matter swirled closer and closer to her body, and Kara stiffened. Fearing for her safety, she teleported to the astral plane.

Sure, Kara had watched all of Slayers, but in all of those many episodes, Lina and her entourage had never encountered something quite like this. Kara appeared on the astral plane and opened her eyes only to see that malevolent spirit being still there. It appeared on the spiritual plane the same way it had on the physical plane.

Heh, this isn't going to be easy. Her hand started to glow with a ball of dark energy, black and crackling with intensity. Her fear and uncertainty and also sense of self-preservation fed the ball of energy, making its intensity go nuts. In the back of her mind Kara had to admit it was scary, the immense energy in her hand. It wasn't the giga slave, but it was more than a dragon slave that was for sure. Worst of all, logically, she didn't know exactly what the spell was, as if it was something coming from her very soul. But mazoku don't have souls, she thought frantically, eyes flickering from the energy to the ghostlike being coming closer and closer to her.

Oh shit! her mind screamed frantically, as the spirit's tendrils connected with her astral body. It burned into her form. Kara could feel her energy draining away, as if the creature was taking away the power Juuou-sama had bestowed upon her. The creature brought Kara closer to its body, with its tendrils burning into her. Its eyes glowed with its perfectly evil, malicious grin affixed to its face. Kara grasped the ball of energy. She knew what she had to do. The energy in Kara's hand disappeared in a flash. Glaring defiantly at it, Kara let it bind her to its torso and its head moved closer to hers. It eyes glowed brighter and brought its mouth down against hers.

Kara's eyes flared and she opened her mouth under the creature's own. Its red eyes sparkled and then turned black instantly. Kara had given the creature the power it sought, but at a price. Hidden within the immense transfer of energy had been hidden a spell, a binding spell. Kara's body glowed with an eerie black light and the spiritual being was instantly repelled away from her.

Up until this point, the creature had been deathly silent and now its face contorted and shrieked in agony. Kara reappeared on the physical plane and continued watching the creature being sucked into itself with a devious grin. With a final burst of white light and an ear piercing shriek, that was heard without a doubt by both towns on either side of the wood, the spirit vanished and something dropped to the earth. Kara walked over and picked it up, a curious shiny white orb. She pocketed it and looked around the graveyard. Not time to celebrate yet, thought Kara, I've got to finish this. Let's try out a little shamanist magic.

Kara walked to the center of the graveyard clearing, which also happened to be the center of the wood. Earth below me, she murmured, placing a hand to the ground, submit to my will. She grinned, weaving black magic into the shamanist spell. She placed the orb under her hand on the earth. Dug Haut. The earth trembled under her feet and Kara teleported hundreds of feet straight up. Kara watched the earth shake half with fascination, half with self-satisfied laziness. It rose slowly at first and then faster, a single enormous stone spiker rising from the earth. It obliterated the desecrated and the wood surrounding. Screams arose from hundreds of people from both towns. Suddenly, the movement stopped. It took a few minutes for the dust to clear and the stone spiker/enormous hill/small mountain to be fully revealed.

Xellos appeared, floating right in front of her, legs crossed in a sitting position, clapping with the staff in the crook of his arm. Well done Miss Kara. Not only did you seal the spirit, but you also made quite anuisance for the people of both towns. Kara smirked. Now it's time to celebrate.