Protector

Chapter: 12

Home Again


Here's the next chapter. Now Luna will enter the scene. (I got a great deal of work done on this fic during the thanksgiving break. I have more chapters done...but to get them quicker you need to review...) *Aren't I evil*


They'd been on the road for a week and a half before they caught sight of their goal. Lina had stopped at a cliff and looked down into the valley. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she looked upon her home town. She backed up a step to run into something. Said something grunted slightly and then chuckled as it whispered in her ear, "Is it that bad Lina?"

Lina turned to find her and Zelgadis only inches apart. She blushed slightly and nodded while saying, "Uh-huh."

Zel smirked, he seemed to be doing that a lot as of late, and whispered, "You can walk next to me if it will help."

Lina nodded quickly and stayed right beside Zel as the group continued on there hike. Behind Lina and Zel; Amelia watched somewhat confused. As she was thinking Xellos came beside her and asked, "What's wrong Ame-chan?"

Amelia jumped slightly because of the trickster's question. She looked at him and said, "Mister Xellos, sneaking up on people like that is mean and unjust."

"Well you were so deep in thought that there wasn't anyway not to sneak up," Xellos commented playfully.

Amelia ducked her head and replied, "Well, it's just ever since Mister Zelgadis showed himself, Lina and him have been acting kind of strange."

Xellos smirked and replied, "Well, there are a few factors in why they are acting that way."

"Like what," Amelia asked while looking at Xellos.

"Well, first you have to remember Zelgadis is a mazuko now," Xellos began.

"What does that have to do with anything," Amelia asked somewhat confused on how the mazuko factor worked into their behavior.

"He serves a powerful mazuko now and has been given orders to protect Lina-chan," Xellos began to explain while donning his professor outfit, "Now we mazuko take our orders seriously and can be obsessive over them at times."

"Oh...but that doesn't explain Miss Lina," Amelia continued to question.

Xellos' smile got wider and asked, "Where are we heading Ame-chan?"

"Miss Lina's home town," Amelia answered innocently

"And, who is Lina afraid of that is at her home town," Xellos continued.

"Ah," Amelia exclaimed, "Her sister!"

"Good, Lina is sticking around Zelgadis for reassurance and protection," Xellos finished and was back to his normal outfit in a second.

"Why not Mister Gourry...It's just strange that Mister Zelgadis is letting her do that," Amelia somewhat whined.

Xellos actually sweatdropped for once and asked, "Do I have to answer that one Ame-chan?"

Amelia looked back to see Gourry watching a butterfly flutter in front of him. Amelia sweatdropped and replied, "No, no you don't Mister Xellos."


As they had gotten closer to Zephilia; Lina had gone from just walking next to Zel to clinging to his arm. Her face had paled somewhat and she shook ever so slightly. To say Zel was worried was an understatement; he was horrified. To see twice in his life this strong woman reduced to a two year old child by the thought of her sister, was a terrifying sight. He whispered, "Don't worry I'm always here for you," as he slipped his hand into her hand.

Lina didn't say a word or look at him. The only sign she understood was the squeeze she gave his hand. Zel smiled and continued to walk with Lina as they approached the beginning of town.


Luna Inverse moved to her next table and asked, "What can I get for you?"

After taking down the orders she walked back to the kitchen and gave the paper to the cook. She then grabbed two drinks as she headed back out to the tables. Many travelers might've laughed, bandits run in fear, or sorcerers just stare at finding out that one of the Inverse sisters was a waitress. It wasn't because she wasn't powerful, oh no, but because her wild and chaotic younger sister had left many calling cards that the name Inverse was now synonymous with random destruction. Luna dropped off the drinks at the table and looked to see that it was time for her break. She sighed as she sat down and drank the tea that one of the other waitresses had left for her. As she took a sip the door to the restaurant opened and two figures walked in followed by a few more. As Luna looked to the new customers one of her eyebrows arched in amusement at what she saw. There was her sister Lina Inverse herself looking around the restaurant as if searching for something. 'Why would she be looking for me? I could've sworn she was scared to death of me...I mean I don't hate her but she needed to go through that training,' Luna thought as she looked over the group. The first person to catch her eye was the man standing next to her sister. He was at least a foot taller than Lina and was clad in an ivory outfit that covered him head to toe. The oddest thing was his face was covered by a mask and a hood which hid everything but his sapphire blue eyes. 'Interesting...especially his aura,' Luna thought as she moved on. She then looked to see an even taller man with blonde hair and a blue suit of armor. 'Nothing really special I can tell,' Lina continued to look on. Next came the young girl in white with the seals of white magic on her wrist. Her hair was raven and the main stand out was that her chest size was quite developed for someone of her age. 'Haven't I seen her before,' Luna continued to pondered as her eyes locked on the final member. "Xellos," Luna hissed as she viewed Zellas' general and priest acting as if he was their greatest friend...'We'll see about this,' she thought as she motioned to Lina.

Lina looked around the restaurant trying to locate her sister. Even though she didn't like the idea of seeing Luna, staying at the family home was better than a hotel. She continued to search but didn't see her sister, 'Where in the world is she,' Lina thought as she felt a tap on the shoulder. She turned to see Zel pointing in a direction. She followed the direction he was pointing until her eyes fell on her sister. Lina shivered as she saw her sister didn't look to pleased and was motioning for her to get over here now. Lina gulped and walked towards Luna as the rest of the group followed behind her. "Hi, Nee-chan," Lina said lowly.

Luna smiled at her sister, 'So she is still afraid of me,' before saying, "Lina, sit down we need to talk...that goes for the rest of you as well!"

Everyone sat down and waited for Luna to speak. Luna smirked while thinking, 'I still have it,' before asking, "Why are you here Lina?"

"I was told to come here and stay for a while Nee-chan," Lina answered not looking directly at Luna.

Luna quirked an eyebrow at this explanation. 'Lina usually listens to no one...well except me,' Luna thought as she leaned forward and asked, "And, who told you to come here Lina?"

Lina just looked at the table for a while before lowly answering, "The knight of Shabarnigdo."

Luna's eyes opened wide at the mention of her counterpart. She looked around in the group quickly to check for his agents. 'Let's see...three humans and...two mazuko,' Luna thought as she zeroed in on the young man in ivory. 'So he's a mazuko...I almost missed it because his emotions are intact but he is one...good job Vladimir,' Luna continued as she pointed at Lina and said, "We will continue this at home...go there and wait for me," as she got up to go back to work.


The gang arrived at the Inverse home and was knocked over by the size of it. It was a two story victorian summer home made of marble. On the inside the floor was a pattern of tile turning into a rich royal purple carpet. The curtain around the window matched well being a dark crimson that looked like flowing blood when ruffled. The home was made of many guest rooms, a ball room, and two huge libraries for the study of magic, history, and lore. "Nice place you've got Lina," Gourry commented as he looked around the library the group was in as they waited.

"Yeah, yeah," Lina said uninterested as her mind flew, 'Oh, Nee-chan didn't sound happy. She probably going to throw me in a pit of slugs again.'

Zelgadis looked at Lina as she went through her mental bout. 'I think I'm going to be sick from all this panic,' he thought as he put an hand on Lina's shoulder. He leaned down and whispered, "I'm always here."

Lina calmed slightly at Zel's reassurance but jumped when the doors opened as Luna entered. "Hello, Nee-chan," Lina said meekly.

Luna sat down across from Lina and brought her hands together, forming a steeple out of her fingers and asked, "Lina who are your friends...they seem interesting," Luna made a point to glare at Zelgadis as she finished.

Lina smiled weakly and said, "Well I believe you know Xellos already."

"Nice to see you again Luna-chan," Xellos waved as he floated in the air.

"And, this tall blonde guy is Gourry Gaberiv. He is the descendant of the swordsman of light," Lina motioned towards Gourry.

"Hi," Gourry waved happily as he looked at Luna.

"And, this young girl is Amelia Wil Tesla Sailoon, Princess of Sailoon," Lina motioned to Amelia.

"Nice to meet you Miss Luna," Amelia curtsied to Lina's sister.

Luna bowed her head and said, "Please to meet you your highness."

"And, this is...," Lina was interrupted in her introduction.

"Vladimir's mazuko agent," Luna said while standing, "Whatever you have my sister believing I won't let you continue this farce."

Luna launched holy energy at Zelgadis as she attempted to rid her home of the agent. To her surprise he unsheathed his sword while shouting, "Mortis awaken!"

The energy was absorbed by the blade as Zelgadis set himself in a defensive position, "I was expect Lina's older sister to be a little more level-headed."

"I am unless one of your kind is trying to deceive my sister into letting him close," Luna replied as she shot off another bolt.

To everyone's surprise Lina jumped in front of Zelgadis to take the brunt of the attack. Right before she was hit the bolt fizzled and Luna yelled, "Lina get out of the way...why are you protecting him?"

Lina backed up and stared her sister straight in the face, showing the most courage ever, before replying, "Because, I love him."


Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

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