>>Hey, everyone! I wrote this story due to the encouragement I recieved from Ichiban Victory and Kaeru Shisho, who said they wanted to read the long slayer's fic I was trying to write. So I dug this out of the mothballs and dusted it off some.
>>I've got tons of ideas but not too much commitment to any single story, so if you want me to continue with/update this story, you've gotta review!
I do not own Lina, Zelgaddis, Gourry, Amelia, Rezo, or any other "Slayers" characters. To the best of my knowledge, they belong to Hajime Kanzaka.
"Wow," gushed Lina. "So this is Illidar. The City of Marble."
"Marble? But most of these houses are made of wood," noted Gaurry. "Oh, wait! Don't tell me! It's marble that just LOOKS like wood, right? Right?"
"No. It's called 'City of Marble' because the City walls and the Great Temple are made of the stone," explained Zelgaddis wearily. "Just the City walls and Great Temple. Not the houses."
"Why's it the 'Great' temple, Zel? Why not just the 'Pretty Good' temple or the 'Not Too Bad' temple?" Amelia was having fun teasing her teacher, but Zelgaddis seemed to be in an especially bad mood. Maybe it was because he had to wear that heavy cloak and facemask on such a hot day.
"It's the largest temple in the world devoted to the Mother Goddess, Maternessa. She is the greatest of the gods, after all," interjected Lina. "She is the goddess of fertility. We thank her for creating children--"
Zel snorted loudly. "Thank her? Shouldn't we curse her for sending us such a blight?"
Amelia pouted and kicked his leg. Then she hopped around on the other foot, yelling "Ow, ow, ow, ow!" and holding her injured extremity.
Lina continued, with determination, "--and we also thank her for food." Pause. "Speaking of food--"
"Yeah, yeah," Gourry interrupted, "you're hungry. You're always hungry, Lina."
"Well, I'm a growing girl." Lina scowled at him, daring him to make a crack.
Zel shook his head. "Amelia is a growing girl, Lina. I'm afraid you've grown as big as they--I mean, as you--are going to get."
"ZEL!"
"Well, you might get fatter," Zelgaddis allowed with a smirk.
Lina was in a quandry. Zel was always making fun of her, but she didn't know how to fight back. Her usual method of dealing with males was to punch or kick them. However, Lina had learned very quickly that kicking a chimera who was made of stone hurt like hell. So, instead of hitting him, she stomped off angrily. She had stomped four steps before she turned back to the group and yelled excitedly, "Look guys, a tavern! It's an inn, too."
Lina and Gaurry exchanged glances. "FOOD!" they yelled and plowed through the crowd, racing each other to the tavern. Citizens who had been knocked to the ground or whose carts were upset by the heroes' desperate pursuit of food shook their fists in the heroes' direction. Zel and Amelia reached the tavern door in time to hear Lina finish ordering:
". . . and four turkeys and two racks of ribs and a leg of lamb and three bowls of soup." Lina beamed at the tavern owner, who was staggered by the sheer amount of food ordered.
"Yes, we will try to prepare that as soon as possible . . . and this will be for a group of, ah, fifteen?"
"Oh, no," Gaurry assured him, "that's just for Lina."
"What?" the innkeeper managed. "For one person?"
"Here," said Gourry, "I'll give you an easy order. Double portions of everything on the menu. Got it?"
"Yes, sir, of course. You realize, I hope, that this may take some time to prepare . . ."
Amelia piped in with, "I'll have one of these meals, and one of these, and--Oh! I love pasta!--two of these meals, one of these, and one of these."
"Oh!" The innkeeper was surprised by the appearance of the energetic little girl. And nervous. He didn't have enough food for all these orders. "A party of three, is it?"
"Not quite, sir," interjected Zelgaddis politely. "Actually, we are a party of four."
The innkeeper jumped, then began perspiring heavily. Another one? If he had an appetite like the first three, the tavern would have to close just after lunch to re-stock! "And you would like . . .?" He asked the polite stranger, trying to see under his hood. Strange; he seemed to have a piece of cloth covering the lower portion of his face. And in such hot weather! A strange costomer, indeed.
"Three trout, potatoes, and four rooms for the night."
The innkeeper had relaxed at the moderate size of the food order, but stiffened when he learned this party wanted to spend the night. At least the three with enourmous appetites looked normal; the one wearing the cloak had shadows over his eyes and made the innkeeper very nervous. "So very sorry, but we only have three rooms available. You'll have to try another inn."
"Oh?" Zel asked in a very quiet voice. "I didn't realize you were so busy." Zel's eyes narrowed slightly as he continued, "or perhaps you are choosy about your clientele?"
The innkeeper gulped and took a step away from the cloaked stranger. He had just become extremely aware of the fact that the stranger wore a sword. A dangerous-looking one.
"Can't be helped, Zel," said Gaurry cheerfully. "I'll just have to sleep in Lina's room."
"What! There is no way I'm letting you sleep in the same room as me!"
"What's the matter, Lina? Why shouldn't we sleep together?"
"Eeep," Lina managed. "Uh, Gaurry, well, men and women . . . they sometimes, uh . . ."
"But you're not a woman, Lina, you're still as flat as a girl." WHAM! Lina's trademark punch left Gaurry making small-talk with the little birds flying in a really small circle over his head.
"I'm not sleeping in the same room as Gaurry, or Zel, and that's final," Lina stated. "I'll sleep in Amelia's room."
"No, no, no, no! You snore, Lina." Lina blushed. "Really, really LOUD! It rattles the windows and everything!"
Zel added, "And I refuse to sleep in the same room as someone who talks in his sleep. Although sometimes you say more intelligent things when you're asleep, Gourry."
"Really?"
"It's complete nonsense, but it doesn't show the blatant ignorance that most of your speaking does."
"So that leaves . . ." Amelia calculated, "um, me and Zel." Amelia shot her teacher an accusatory look. "You're not gonna take the bed, are you? I'm a princess with a delicate compexion, whereas you're made outta-- OOF!"
Lina had elbowed her in the stomach. "Not in front of the innkeeper, Amelia," she hissed.
Zelgaddis turned to the innkeeper. "It seems we will be taking the rooms after all, sir."
"Ah, yes, yes, good. Wonderful." The innkeeper blotted his sweaty face on the corner of his apron. "Well, I'll just get you that food, hmm?"
The food kept coming and coming and coming. Lina and Gourry fought over every drumstick, fishtail and bite of mashed potatoes. Amelia slurped up the pasta and inhaled the chocolate cake, studiously avoiding every greenbean and carrot on her plates. Gaurry noticed this and began to scavenge the vegetables off of Amelia's dishes; Lina, annoyed at having been beaten to the food, went for Zelgaddis' untouched baked potatoes and trout.
"Don't even think about it," Zel warned; he held a steak knife as if he would slice off the next finger to touch his food. His three companions exchanged nervous glances. They didn't think he'd actually attack them, but . . . better not to risk it when Zelgaddis was in a bad mood.
"Aren't you going to eat, Zel?" Amelia asked.
"I'd have to take off my scarf. I'll just eat in the room." Zel picked up his plate and disappeared up the stairs.
The three remaining exchanged glances again. "Is it just me," Lina asked, "or is he even more sensitive than usual?"
Late that night, a shadow perched on the city wall and watched the main gate. The creature had already checked all of the other gates and counted the numbers of guards stationed at each. It watched, with perfect patience and without moving a muscle, for over an hour. Then it silently unfurled its enourmous wings. Delicate as a bat's wings, they were protected by a thin steel exoskeleton positioned to protect each of the hollow wing-bones. Extending its wings fully, the creature dove off the wall and soared low over the rooves of the city, flying towards the Great Temple.
>>I've got tons of ideas but not too much commitment to any single story, so if you want me to continue with/update this story, you've gotta review!
I do not own Lina, Zelgaddis, Gourry, Amelia, Rezo, or any other "Slayers" characters. To the best of my knowledge, they belong to Hajime Kanzaka.
"Wow," gushed Lina. "So this is Illidar. The City of Marble."
"Marble? But most of these houses are made of wood," noted Gaurry. "Oh, wait! Don't tell me! It's marble that just LOOKS like wood, right? Right?"
"No. It's called 'City of Marble' because the City walls and the Great Temple are made of the stone," explained Zelgaddis wearily. "Just the City walls and Great Temple. Not the houses."
"Why's it the 'Great' temple, Zel? Why not just the 'Pretty Good' temple or the 'Not Too Bad' temple?" Amelia was having fun teasing her teacher, but Zelgaddis seemed to be in an especially bad mood. Maybe it was because he had to wear that heavy cloak and facemask on such a hot day.
"It's the largest temple in the world devoted to the Mother Goddess, Maternessa. She is the greatest of the gods, after all," interjected Lina. "She is the goddess of fertility. We thank her for creating children--"
Zel snorted loudly. "Thank her? Shouldn't we curse her for sending us such a blight?"
Amelia pouted and kicked his leg. Then she hopped around on the other foot, yelling "Ow, ow, ow, ow!" and holding her injured extremity.
Lina continued, with determination, "--and we also thank her for food." Pause. "Speaking of food--"
"Yeah, yeah," Gourry interrupted, "you're hungry. You're always hungry, Lina."
"Well, I'm a growing girl." Lina scowled at him, daring him to make a crack.
Zel shook his head. "Amelia is a growing girl, Lina. I'm afraid you've grown as big as they--I mean, as you--are going to get."
"ZEL!"
"Well, you might get fatter," Zelgaddis allowed with a smirk.
Lina was in a quandry. Zel was always making fun of her, but she didn't know how to fight back. Her usual method of dealing with males was to punch or kick them. However, Lina had learned very quickly that kicking a chimera who was made of stone hurt like hell. So, instead of hitting him, she stomped off angrily. She had stomped four steps before she turned back to the group and yelled excitedly, "Look guys, a tavern! It's an inn, too."
Lina and Gaurry exchanged glances. "FOOD!" they yelled and plowed through the crowd, racing each other to the tavern. Citizens who had been knocked to the ground or whose carts were upset by the heroes' desperate pursuit of food shook their fists in the heroes' direction. Zel and Amelia reached the tavern door in time to hear Lina finish ordering:
". . . and four turkeys and two racks of ribs and a leg of lamb and three bowls of soup." Lina beamed at the tavern owner, who was staggered by the sheer amount of food ordered.
"Yes, we will try to prepare that as soon as possible . . . and this will be for a group of, ah, fifteen?"
"Oh, no," Gaurry assured him, "that's just for Lina."
"What?" the innkeeper managed. "For one person?"
"Here," said Gourry, "I'll give you an easy order. Double portions of everything on the menu. Got it?"
"Yes, sir, of course. You realize, I hope, that this may take some time to prepare . . ."
Amelia piped in with, "I'll have one of these meals, and one of these, and--Oh! I love pasta!--two of these meals, one of these, and one of these."
"Oh!" The innkeeper was surprised by the appearance of the energetic little girl. And nervous. He didn't have enough food for all these orders. "A party of three, is it?"
"Not quite, sir," interjected Zelgaddis politely. "Actually, we are a party of four."
The innkeeper jumped, then began perspiring heavily. Another one? If he had an appetite like the first three, the tavern would have to close just after lunch to re-stock! "And you would like . . .?" He asked the polite stranger, trying to see under his hood. Strange; he seemed to have a piece of cloth covering the lower portion of his face. And in such hot weather! A strange costomer, indeed.
"Three trout, potatoes, and four rooms for the night."
The innkeeper had relaxed at the moderate size of the food order, but stiffened when he learned this party wanted to spend the night. At least the three with enourmous appetites looked normal; the one wearing the cloak had shadows over his eyes and made the innkeeper very nervous. "So very sorry, but we only have three rooms available. You'll have to try another inn."
"Oh?" Zel asked in a very quiet voice. "I didn't realize you were so busy." Zel's eyes narrowed slightly as he continued, "or perhaps you are choosy about your clientele?"
The innkeeper gulped and took a step away from the cloaked stranger. He had just become extremely aware of the fact that the stranger wore a sword. A dangerous-looking one.
"Can't be helped, Zel," said Gaurry cheerfully. "I'll just have to sleep in Lina's room."
"What! There is no way I'm letting you sleep in the same room as me!"
"What's the matter, Lina? Why shouldn't we sleep together?"
"Eeep," Lina managed. "Uh, Gaurry, well, men and women . . . they sometimes, uh . . ."
"But you're not a woman, Lina, you're still as flat as a girl." WHAM! Lina's trademark punch left Gaurry making small-talk with the little birds flying in a really small circle over his head.
"I'm not sleeping in the same room as Gaurry, or Zel, and that's final," Lina stated. "I'll sleep in Amelia's room."
"No, no, no, no! You snore, Lina." Lina blushed. "Really, really LOUD! It rattles the windows and everything!"
Zel added, "And I refuse to sleep in the same room as someone who talks in his sleep. Although sometimes you say more intelligent things when you're asleep, Gourry."
"Really?"
"It's complete nonsense, but it doesn't show the blatant ignorance that most of your speaking does."
"So that leaves . . ." Amelia calculated, "um, me and Zel." Amelia shot her teacher an accusatory look. "You're not gonna take the bed, are you? I'm a princess with a delicate compexion, whereas you're made outta-- OOF!"
Lina had elbowed her in the stomach. "Not in front of the innkeeper, Amelia," she hissed.
Zelgaddis turned to the innkeeper. "It seems we will be taking the rooms after all, sir."
"Ah, yes, yes, good. Wonderful." The innkeeper blotted his sweaty face on the corner of his apron. "Well, I'll just get you that food, hmm?"
The food kept coming and coming and coming. Lina and Gourry fought over every drumstick, fishtail and bite of mashed potatoes. Amelia slurped up the pasta and inhaled the chocolate cake, studiously avoiding every greenbean and carrot on her plates. Gaurry noticed this and began to scavenge the vegetables off of Amelia's dishes; Lina, annoyed at having been beaten to the food, went for Zelgaddis' untouched baked potatoes and trout.
"Don't even think about it," Zel warned; he held a steak knife as if he would slice off the next finger to touch his food. His three companions exchanged nervous glances. They didn't think he'd actually attack them, but . . . better not to risk it when Zelgaddis was in a bad mood.
"Aren't you going to eat, Zel?" Amelia asked.
"I'd have to take off my scarf. I'll just eat in the room." Zel picked up his plate and disappeared up the stairs.
The three remaining exchanged glances again. "Is it just me," Lina asked, "or is he even more sensitive than usual?"
Late that night, a shadow perched on the city wall and watched the main gate. The creature had already checked all of the other gates and counted the numbers of guards stationed at each. It watched, with perfect patience and without moving a muscle, for over an hour. Then it silently unfurled its enourmous wings. Delicate as a bat's wings, they were protected by a thin steel exoskeleton positioned to protect each of the hollow wing-bones. Extending its wings fully, the creature dove off the wall and soared low over the rooves of the city, flying towards the Great Temple.