DISCLAIMER: I do not own Slayers or any of its characters. Slayers is owned by Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi and some other people. I think that should go without saying, but hey, don't feel like getting sued today!

CHAPTER 7

Lina was tapping her foot, waiting her mother to finish bringing out all her cookware. "Mama, isn't THIS enough!" Lina was really growing impatient. First, her mother wakes her up, makes her think that she needs to learn how to bake, and insists her to wear this silly apron. Dear gods, what is she going to make me do next? Lina thought, almost dreading what her mother had in store. "OK! Everything's ready!" Fiona called out, smiling ear-to-ear. "'Bout time! What's the meaning of all this, anyways, Mama?" Lina asked, still irritated with the fact she had to wear the apron, which read Kiss the Cook, with a large heart, over her Zephilia clothes. "Because, I know how upset you get when you get food on yourself; and today, we're going to be solely concentrating on this, since we have the weekend off, for the festival. Anyways, ... that apron looks cute on you!" Fiona winked, only frustrating her daughter now. "THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT! I mean, why do I have to learn how to bake? What's the point on that?" Lina asked. "With Gourry's birthday coming up, don't you want to do something special for him?" Fiona simply said, knowing that that was all to answer her daughter's question. "I ... I guess." Lina said, now willing to go along with her mother. "Good girl," Fiona kissed her forehead. "Now, let's get started, huh?"

"So, what are we making, Mama?" Lina asked, as she peeked into the cookbook her mother was flipping through. "YOU are going to make the cake, and I'M going to watch," Fiona simply stated, still looking through the cake recipes. "EH!" Lina squeaked. "Don't worry, Lili! I'll be here if you need any help; I just want you to learn how to bake a cake by yourself." Fiona explained. Lina still felt a bit nervous, thinking of baking a cake, and to bake it by herself, no less. "So, do you know of anything Gourry might like?" Fiona asked, still flipping through the cookbook. "Hmm, ... I know that he likes his fish gutted, and he usually favors the color, blue ... " Lina pondered, looking over her mother's shoulder. Then, she saw a cake that caught her eye, and also made her mouth water. "Hey, what's this one? He might like it!" Lina said, looking at the picture of the cake. The cake was yellow-frosted chocolate cake, with whole strawberries made into a cirle. "Jamaican Rum & Chocolate Cake ... are you sure, or are you just looking at the picture?" Fiona asked, giving her daughter a suspicious eye. "Picture." Lina sulked. Fiona patted her head, "Don't worry. We'll find a cake for him, you'll see. Look, here; this looks like a good one: Jamocha-Almond Fudge Cake. Let's try that one, OK?" Fiona asked, consoling her depressed redheaded daughter. "Alright," Lina agreed, smiling at her supportive mother.

"AAAHHHH! MAMA, IT'S GUNNA GET THE WHOLE HOUSE ON FIRE! DO SOMETHING!" Lina shouted to her mother, as she tried to blow out the fire that was burning her burnt-crisp, and incredibly flat, cake. "THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! WE'VE JUST WENT THROUGH FIVE CAKES, ALREADY! AQUA CREATE!" Fiona cried out, then a small waterfall fell on the scalded-black cake. "(Phew!) Thanks, Mama." Lina smiled sheepishly. Fiona just sighed, looking at the mess created by the recent mayhem. "I guess teaching you how to bake a cake is close to impossible," she said, rubbing her temples, "Under normal circumstances, I'd have a field day, cleaning all this mess to my heart's content, but we only have til tomorrow to teach you how to bake!" Fiona sighed. Lina growled, feeling more and more frustrated by the second. "ARGH! LET'S FACE FACTS, MAMA! I can't bake, I can't make Gourry his birthday cake, and I CAN'T BAKE!" Lina wailed, barely on the brink of just losing it. With all the stress piling up on her, she was about ready to let loose a Fireball on anything. "Now, now! It's not as bad as it looks, ... OK, maybe it is; but, look, maybe we don't need to bake him a cake! How 'bout ... cupcakes? Or maybe some truffles? Or ... cookies!" Fiona finally came to a solution. "Cookies? It might work. Maybe chocolate-chip cookies?" Lina suggested, pointing at the picture. "Sounds lika an idea. Or maybe these?" Fiona suggested, pointing at the picture on the opposite. Now was when Lina started to drool uncontrollably on the cookbook. "LILI!" Fiona yelped, glaring at her daughter. "What?" Lina asked, wiping her lips. "What 'bout these?" Lina asked, pointing at another picture in the cookbook. "Hmm, ... Shortbread Cookies? The recipes looks simple enough; I don't see why not!" Fiona smiled. "ALRIGHT! Now, I'm gunna bake Gourry the best shortbread cookies he's ever had in his life!" Lina cheered, getting back her lacked enthusiasm.

About twenty minutes later, Lina's cookies were ready. They were piping-hot and all the cookies had a light golden color to them. "Wow! They look so good ... " Lina trailed off, licking her lips, just staring at her cookies. "No, Lili; no eating the cookies! We need to wait some minutes for it to cool, or else you'll just end up burning your mouth!" Fiona scolded, knowing her daughter was probably thinking only of eating all the cookies herself. "Ahhh, Mama ... I wanna cookie!" Lina whined, "C'mon! Cookie, cookie, cookie!" Lina sang, with a kitten look on her face. "No; not until they've cooled down for, at least, five minutes." Fiona said firmly, glaring at Lina. Lina groaned, just wanting the five minutes to be over with. "ARGHHH! I DON'T CARE ANYTIME! I WANNA EAT THE COOKIE!" Lina shouted, grabbing one of the cookies and shoving it in her mouth. "HOT!" she cried, chewing the cookie. "DIDN'T I JUST FINISH TELLING YOU THAT!" Fiona shouted back, showing her sharp tooth. After the cookie was thoroughly chewed, and it cooled down, Lina was able to taste the buttery flavor of the cookie, and swallowed it down. Fiona stared at Lina, waiting an answer. "They're good!" Lina cheered, so happy and proud of herself. Fiona smiled, "I knew you could do it, Lili!" She patted her happy daughter's head, while Lina just giggled. "Now, you can have these cookies for yourself. But, tomorrow, let's make a fresh batch, OK?" Fiona suggested, stroking Lina's hair. "OK. Except the recipe doesn't call for enough cookies; we're going to need to triple it!" Lina exclaimed, lifting up three fingers. "TRIPLE! YOU MEAN HE EATS AS MUCH AS YOU!" Fiona was completely shocked at the amount of cookies that was going to fill the kitchen. "Yeah, you can say that!" Lina sheepishly smiled, removing her apron. "I don't think that'll be necessary. The recipes makes a maximum of dozen cookies; I think that should be enough, especially since you can't give him three-dozen cookies in a hanky!" Fiona reasoned with her daughter. "I guess you're right. I can't wait for the festival, Mama!" Lina was feeling so giddily right now, just thinking of the look on Gourry's face when he eats her super-delicious cookies. "I know, Lili; me neither." Fiona blurted, then changed the subject quickly by rushing Lina out of the kitchen, with her cookies, so she could start cleaning the kitchen.

Lina made her way out of the kitchen, when she spotted Gourry outside. She hid her cookies, and went up to him. She opened the sliding door. "Heya, Gourry!" she called, cheerfully. " 'Afternoon, sunshine!" he replied, smiling up at her, while he was sitting, leaning on his arms, looking at the scenery of their backyard. "Whatcha doing here?" she asked, crouching down, so she was eye-level with Gourry. "I dunno. I was wondering around the house, and saw that you guys have a backyard, and thought I'd hang out here for a while." he explained, slightly blushing at the information Luna gave him this morning. :What you feel for her, goes double for how she feels for you.: he flashbacked, still blushing. Lina cocked an eyebrow, "You alright, Jellyfish? How long have you been out here; maybe you should get out of the sun, now. You're starting to get a sunburn!" Lina suggested, pointing out the fact that Gourry was starting to blush more when Lina mentioned his blushing. "Hahaha! Don't worry 'bout me! I'm OK, Lina! Really!" Gourry jittered, waving his hands in front of her. "Whatever ... hey, wanna get out of here for a while?" Lina suggested, coming closer to Gourry. "Um, sure." he answered Lina, his blush still heavy on his cheeks.

Gourry and Lina made their way through the marketplace. Gourry noticed some businesses were still open, while a lot of others were closed. "Oi Lina, why are some open, and a lot are closed?" he asked. "Well, I guess because of the festival. Mama and Papa are having the weekend off, since they make a very good business, but I guess the smaller businesses, that don't make a lot, have no choice but to still be in business, even during the festival." Lina explained, looking up at Gourry. "Wow, sounds harsh!" Gourry commented, "Well, business is hard. Gotta do what ya gotta do." Lina noted, waving her finger. "Hey, look at that, Lina! This one sells fireworks! I haven't played with those since I was a kid!" Gourry awed. "I didn't know you played with fireworks, Gourry ... " Lina said, blinking at the thought of a little Gourry lighting a firework, and having it blow up on his face. "Yeah. They were awesome!" Gourry smiled. Gourry went up to the stand, and looked through the cart of fireworks. "Hey, these look cool ... Hey! Yeah, these were my favorite, growing up ... I remember playing with ones, too! ... Wow! I can't believe how many they have here! ... Hey Lina, do you know how much these might cost?" Gourry asked, after taking his trip down Memory Lane, with all the fireworks for sale. "Do I look like I'd know, Jellyfish? Hey, excuse me, miss! How much do these cost?" Lina called out to the saleswoman, who was busy wiping the inventory of fireworks. "Welcome, how may I help y -- As I live and breathe! Is that you, Lina?" the saleswoman cried.

A aquamarine-haired girl, close to Lina's age and height, with long pigtails, and short bangs parted down the middle, and violet eyes, with a pink dress with white apron, stood in shock. "Sharon? Is that you? Hey, when did you get back from Seyruun?" Lina asked, instantly recognizing the girl in question. "Lina, it is you! When I started hearing the rumors about you, it only proved what I've told you for many years: you're going to do bigger and greater things than any of us in the Guild." the girl, Sharon, gushed. "Hey Lina, who's she?" Gourry bluntly asked, scratching his head. "Oh, right! Sharon, this is Gourry, my travelling partner. Gourry, this is Sharon. We were in the same classes, back in the Guild, and was my best friend, growing up, til she had to move to Seyruun!" she explained. "Ooh ... say, Sharon, how much are for the fireworks?" Gourry asked, non-chalantly. "Oh, don't worry about the cost! I'll tell Daddy that they were stolen! No cost could cover the fact that I just saw my best friend, after all these years!" Sharon smiled, giving Gourry all the fireworks he needed. "Wow, that's really nice of you! Thanks, Sharon!" Gourry smiled, taking the fireworks. "Are you sure, Sharon? Your father can be pretty scary." Lina asked her old friend. "Don't worry! I just bat my big pretty eyes, and he instantly forgets what he was mad at her for!" Sharon smiled at Lina, while she double-taked. "You know, I know I taught you that trick when we were kids, but I don't think that that'll be enough." Lina said. "Don't worry about me, really! I'll be fine; anyways, meet ya at the festival! We got a lot of work to do!" Sharon cheered, going back to wiping the fireworks. "O-kay ... See you at the festival. Bye!" Lina waved, walking out with Gourry.

Gourry, with his full filled with fireworks, asked, "Oi, where are we going now?" "I thought we could pay a quick visit to the Flute Glass. I haven't been there in ages!" Lina replied. "Waitaminute, isn't the Flute Glass where her sister works? Aren't you scared of her?" Gourry asked, scratching his head. "Nah, not anymore. We've made up, and turns out I was just getting myself worked up over nothing!" Lina smiled to Gourry. "Ah! There it is! The Flute Glass!" Lina pointed.

They stepped inside the restaurant, and the hostess quickly greeted them. "Hi! Welcome to the Flute Glass; how many for today?" she asked, grabbing two pairs of menus and silverwares. "No, thank you. We'll just stop at the bar!" Lina said, pointing to the bar's direction. "Oh! Alright, then!" the hostess smiled, then looked at Gourry's overstocked bags. "Excuse me, sir, but did you want a bag for those?" the hostess asked politely. "Um, sure! That'd be great, thanks!" Gourry replied. The hostess quickly pulled out a bag that was large enough for all the fireworks. "Say, could you tell Luna Inverse that her sister will be at the bar?" Lina asked the hostess, grabbing Gourry's arm. He started to blush, just slightly, again. "Sure!" the hostess nodded. "Thanks!" Lina smiled, then started pulling on Gourry to move towards the bar.

Lina was about ready to pull out her bar chair, when Gourry was pulling it out for her. "Hey! Thanks, Gourry!" she smiled. He smiled back, then the bartender came to greet them. "Welcome to th -- Lina? Is that you?" the bartender asked, in a state of shock. Lina looked up at him. "Hey, Hummus! How's it been? Missed me much?" Lina smirked, obviously fairly acquintated with him since her last five years of absence. "Well, well, well, Little Thumbel-Lina has finally come home! Our best customer, and yet, our worst waitress ever! Took long enough! How have you been? Where in nine hells have you been hiding all these years?" the bartender asked, wiping a wine glass. "Ah, I've been here and there! I'm just here for the festival; I've really missed you guys, after all these years! ... Oh, I need to introduce you to someone; Hummus, this is Gourry, my travelling partner! Gourry, this is Hummus! Before I ran away from here, I used to stop in here a lot while Luna worked her shift; eventually even I worked here for a really short time, 'cause I kept eating the food and snapping at the customers!" Lina explained, scratching the back of her head and laughing. "Yeah, you should've seen this one six-top she had once; she was so close to Fireballing them all! I have to admit, it was hilarious to see her get that upset!" Hummus smiled to Gourry, letting him in on another piece of her past. "Wow! I didn't know you really were a waitress, Lina!" Gourry said, "Yeah. Well, ... " Lina trailed off. "So, is Luna at a table right now?" Lina asked, quickly changing the subject. "Nah, she just finished her shift. I still can't get over how can two sisters, from the same parents, be so extremely different!" Hummus said. "Yeah, that's what everyone, who's met us both, say ... " Lina said, looking down. "Aw, you're not upset about that, are you, Thumbel-Lina? I think it's a good thing! Especially because you're like the other side of Luna that she doesn't have!" Hummus ruffled her hair, which she just squeaked. "Anyways, better get to my other customers now; well, stop in here again soon, Thumbel-Lina! Nice meeting you, Gourry!" Hummus waved. Gourry and Lina waved back, then he looked at her while she just looked off. "What's wrong, Lina?" he asked. "Nothing, Jellyfish. ... I just wished that wasn't the first thing everyone notices when they see us, is all." Lina trailed off, in deep thought. "Cheer up, Lina." he put his arm around her. "I've met you both, and you guys seem alike to me!" he tried comforting her, in which she just punched him in his face, stating, "Of course you do. Everyone seems the same to only you, Jellyfish." "Not true! I know you and Amelia are not the same! I know that you and Zelgadis are not the same! But you and Luna are more alike than you think! Sure, she's taller, and she's not as flat as you, and has her hair in her eyes, and all that ... but, you both have tempers that could take on a dragon, bare-handed, and you both're waitresses, and ... " Gourry tried to think of more similarities between Lina and Luna, which made Lina feel better, despite she wanted to kill him a few seconds ago. "OK, Jellyfish. I get the idea; you don't need to try anymore." Lina smiled, patting his back.

"Lina! Gourry! What are you two doing here?" Luna asked, fully changed from her waitress clothes. She was wearing a long white dress, that started from her neck to her knees, with a red sash around her neck, and bangle bracelets, with brown anklestrap heels. "Hey Luna! Just thought we'd drop by and give you a surprise visit!" Lina said, waving to her. "Well, you did give me a surprise, alright! So, I've thought 'bout it, and I've decided: we're both gunna participate in this year's festival, and you're gunna go grape-crushing with me!" Luna said, with a no-nonsense smirk on her face. "WHAT? Me, grape-crushing? I haven't done that in years; no way they'll let me!" Lina yelped. "Oh, they will; especially if it means that they'll meet the wrong side of my blade!" Luna winked. Lina just sighed, knowing that there's no way of talking her way out of this. "Alright, Luna. I'll do it; but, we better be together on this, or else I will Dragon Slave you!" Lina remarked, pointing her finger at Luna's face. "Fine, fine. I promise, Squirt. So, c'mon! Let's get out of here!" Luna said, motioning for the two to come along.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Alright! Got that chapter done with; now, next chapter: THE FESTIVAL! Dude, I can't believe how long this story has expanded; I seriously intended to be a oneshot, but look how well that would've turned out! Anyways, on to the commentary! Alright, the segment with Lina baking: First off, let me state that there should be NO records of a Jamaican Rum & Chocolate Cake, because I created the image of that cake off the top of my head; if there is one in existence, that'd be a REALLY creep coincedence! The recipe for the shortbread cookies I got for this is available at the URL: http/cookie. Whether Lina can really bake or not, I don't think I've heard any kind of hintings from either novel, manga or anime. And, if anyone mentioned, Fiona's addiction to cleaning is mentioned! Yay; I'm so proud I found a way to sneak it in:D The scene with Lina telling Gourry that he has a sunburn pays some homage to a scene done in Oh My Goddess, when Keiichi thinks of professing his love to Belldandy, & is blushing, Bell interrupts his train of thought by telling him that he has a sunburn! Didn't mean to steal that scene; I just thought it'd be a sweet moment to put in, & seemed kinda appropiate! Gourry's thing with fireworks: with the 4th of July coming up, I just HAD to add that! The reason WHY fireworks is not just 'cuz of the 4th, but because (in Slayers Perfect) Naga has an unsurpassing knowledge of hot springs, & usually she's noted for not being the brightest person in the world; so, if Naga has a thing for hot springs, why can't Gourry have a thing for fireworks? Also, I don't know if anyone (especially people familiar with Lost Universe) noticed, I've added cameo of a new character, Canal, who I've decided to call Sharon (could be considered an original character?)! I didn't feel it'd be right to let it be known that she's Canal, 'cuz then it might give the impression that this is a Slayers/Lost Universe crossover, & it's TOTALLY unintended! The bit with Gourry & Lina dropping by the Flute Glass; I felt it'd be fun to show, and to show to Gourry that Lina no longer fears her sister! The bartender, who commented that Lina once worked there before: I thought it'd be pretty mind-blowing to think Lina was once employed in the same restaurant her sister works at, so I just HAD to add that! Lina & Hummus's restaurant-talk: just HAD to add that in, working at a restaurant myself; friendly reminder: ALWAYS generously add your waitresses & Carside To-Go people: it's all about KARMA! LOL! Oh, and Luna's dress wore in this chapter was seen on her, in Slayers Special vol. 3, in "To Catch a Thief!" So, now, next time, Lina & Luna'll be at the festival, crushing grapes together, and Gourry & the Inverse (+ Spot!) enjoying themselves at the festival, also! Stay tuned; don't go anywhere, PLEASE! Ciao