Disclaimer: I own neither Slayers nor Ranma 1/2, so on and so forth.
Hey everybody, I'm back. Not much to say here except thanks to my new Beta Naga Serpent and please enjoy this latest installment of "Anything Goes Dragon Slave"!
"..." normal speech
'...' thoughts
Spell/Attack names
Lina Inverse was furious. She was beyond furious-she was pissed off. Not only that, but she was surprised too. Surprised at the fact Xellos knew that damn rhyme. But more so that he had the gumption, the gall to say it in front of her. Then again, knowing him, maybe she shouldn't be surprised. But that didn't matter. Not now. She had only one thing on her mind now: vengeance. Today Lina would finally wipe that damn smile off his face.
She hefted the enormous orb of fire above her head, about to throw it when something tugged at the back of her mantle. The tug caused her concentration to waver, disruptions forming in the spell. As she got the spell back under control, though smaller it was, she attempted to see the reason for the disruption. All she saw was a bundle of black hair before her legs were swept out from beneath her. The ground rushed to meet her head, leaving her with just enough sense to cancel the spell before it fell on her.
Once the stars finally cleared out of Lina's vision, she saw a pair of blue eyes looking down on her. 'Oh, he better have a damn good reason for interrupting me,' she mentally ranted. With a simple Levitation she picked herself up off the ground, careful not to wince at the slight pain in her legs.
"What. The hell. Was that for?" Lina demanded, already conjuring another Fireball.
"You were about to set the whole forest on fire, that's what!" Ranma argued. "Do you really think nobody would notice if this area went up in flames?"
"Do I look like I care?" Lina questioned. "Xellos has been a pain in my ass for too long!" With that said, she turned away from the martial artist only for him to grab her shoulder guard.
"What you're doing will put everyone in the area in danger. I can't let you do that." Lina scoffed and moved to bat his hand away, Ranma grasping her wrist in response. Lina's eyes narrowed, attention now completely diverted from the amused mazoku.
"You're going to regret getting in my way," Lina warned. She wrenched her hand out of his grip, jumped back, and aimed her hands toward his feet. "Dill Brand!"
Ranma looked down, an odd rumbling coming from beneath. His eyes widened at the sight of a bright circle appearing, encircling him. Out of the corner of his vision he could see a smirk on the sorceress's face when the ground within the circle suddenly flew up at him. He jumped onto a mass of dirt to avoid being hit by another, but it continued to rise despite his weight. Ranma jumped down to a lower piece, then another and another, until he was out of the dirt storm.
"Gotta try harder than that!" Ranma taunted. "That was almost too-whoa!" He rolled to the side, dodging the burning arrows. 'She really has a thing for fire,' he thought wryly. 'If she wants to play rough, I'll give her rough.' A golden aura engulfed his body, practically exuding confidence. He rushed forward, concentrating a small amount of his chi in his fists. Lina threw her hands up, about to cast a Diem Wind, but was once again interrupted.
"Shadow Snap!" yelled two voices simultaneously. Both fighters were halted in their tracks, though not by their will. Confused, Ranma looked down to see a dagger stuck in the dirt in the middle of his shadow. He tried moving his legs, but it was like he was encased in crystal again. He looked around to find the cause, his gaze coming to rest on the human Zelgadis and Amelia, each holding a dagger. Strangely, there was another person behind the duo.
"Ten minutes," Zelgadis started, putting the weapon away. "We can't leave you alone for ten minutes without you trying to kill each other."
"Nice try Zel," Lina said. "That trick may have worked on me once, but this time I can use magic." Amelia looked up at Zelgadis curiously, who refused to meet her gaze for some reason. 'Why would Zelgadis-san need to use that on Lina-san?' she wondered. She filed the thought away as Lina effortlessly created a ball of light in her hand. A sinister grin on her face, Lina began to call forth yet another Fireball and turned back to the tree Xellos had perched in. Ranma furiously tried to move from his spot, but to no avail. Once again, the sorceress was jerked to the ground by a dull thud. She moved her head back to see the newcomer, a hand resting on a mace that dug her cloak into the dirt.
"Now, now, Lina-san, something tells me you need to calm down," said the newcomer. She had long blonde hair and wore a pointy, white hat and white gloves and boots. Two golden objects hid her ears from view, while the rest of her was covered up in a long white and purple cloak with a bright pink dress underneath.
"Filia!" Lina exclaimed, her eyes wide as saucers. "What are you doing here? And why are you still wearing those priestess clothes?" Filia scowled.
"I'll tell you after you explain yourself! Who is this young man and why are you fighting him?" she demanded. Ranma diminished his battle aura and cleared his throat.
"The name's Ranma Saotome and I was trying to stop her from nearly putting this place on fire." Filia gasped and turned back to Lina.
"Hey, that's only because I was trying to get back at Xellos!" she argued, pointing up at the tree. As Lina expected of the dragon, Filia bristled at the name and pulled her mace out effortlessly, freeing the sorceress.
"Xellos? That namagomi? I should have known he had a hand in this!" she ranted, stalking over to where Lina had pointed. Gourry and Akane watched the exchange from behind the tree, sensing the danger had not completely passed.
'She looks really mad. I wonder what he must have done to her,' Akane pondered. A tap on the shoulder nearly sent her out of her skin, especially once she realized Gourry was staring at the rest of the group. She spun around, ready to sock the intruder in the face. Instead, she found herself facing a bemused Xellos. Before she could say anything, he put a finger to his lips and disappeared as he had two weeks ago.
'What is he planning?' She shook her head of her thoughts and stepped out from behind the tree to see Filia huffing.
"Oh, this is just like a mazoku! Causing trouble and vanishing at the drop of a hat!"
"Ahem!" Ranma called out. "Anybody mind telling me why I'm still stuck?" Lina and Filia looked at each other and turned to the pigtailed martial artist. Sure enough, he was in the same position, the dagger piercing his shadow. Zelgadis walked over, Amelia right behind him.
"That would be the spell Shadow Snap, used to immobilize enemies. In simple terms, you cast the spell on an object and throw it at a person's shadow. If it lands on the shadow, that person won't be able to move, but can still breath and talk. If the shadow disappears or the object removed, then the spell is canceled," Zelgadis explained, demonstrating by tugging the dagger out suddenly and, being caught in mid-step, causing Ranma to fall on his face. Lina burst into laughter, earning herself a glare from Ranma. Filia rolled her eyes at their antics and caught sight of Gourry and Akane.
"Ah, there you are Gourry-san. I knew you were around here somewhere," she started. "And who might you be?"
"I'm Akane Tendo. How do you know Lina-san and Gourry-san?"
"And what are you doing here?" Lina piped up, her laughter subsided.
"Well, it's a long story," Filia began. "First of all, I am Filia Ul Copt, Golden dragon and former priestess of Flarelord Vrabazard. Almost one year ago, I required the help of Lina-san regarding a prophecy. The details are a bit complicated, but we parted ways about two months ago and I opened up a pottery and mace shop. To answer your question Lina-san, I was in town looking for merchandise. Now then, care to fill me in on what you all have been up to?"
The group proceeded to recount what had happened the past two months. When Jusenkyo came up, Ranma explained the mechanics of the springs while Lina demonstrated Ranma and Gourry's curses by using Aqua Create. Amelia was quick to admonish her with Zelgadis reminding her that they were both capable of doing the same to her. Then came the fight with Saffron, the recovery of Akane, the trip to Japan and the failed wedding, their talk in the dojo, the group's escape, the two weeks of training, and finally the appearance of Kynis and the discovery of Lina's warrant.
"...so now we have to figure out who wants my head and why," Lina finished.
"My Lina-san, you sure work fast," Filia commented. "Getting into so much trouble so soon after saving the world."
'Saving the world?' Ranma and Akane thought incredulously.
"You call this trouble, I call it business as usual," Lina muttered under her breath. "Ever since I left home I've been getting into all kinds of messes."
"Yare yare, you sure are a magnet for misfortune Lina-san," mused Xellos, casually floating above the group. Filia's eye twitched whereas Lina growled, flew into the air, and grabbed the mazoku in a headlock.
"Give me one good reason I should let you go," Lina snarled, tightening her hold for good measure.
"Come now Lina-san, all in good fun," he attempted to placate. His smile faltered as a tick mark appeared on the sorceress's forehead.
"Good fun? GOOD FUN? I'll show you good fun!" she yelled, looking ready to rip his head off.
'What in the world did he do this time?' Zelgadis wondered incredulously. 'Lina doesn't get this mad over just anything!' All of a sudden the ground rumbled deeply, accompanied by a crimson dome appearing in the distance.
"What the? A Dragon Slave?" Lina uttered, staring at the dome of energy. Then, remembering her rage towards Xellos, she looked back down to see that she was no longer holding anything. Her eye twitched, but she shoved her anger away for the time being.
"Come on you guys! Lets go see what that was!" she called back. The rest of the group nodded and took off.
Once again standing in a tree and chuckling to himself, Xellos gazed at the receding group. His enigmatic smile widened slightly as another presence made himself known, perching on an opposite branch.
"Ah Knight-sama, fancy meeting you here," Xellos commented lightly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I do believe I said to watch over them, not antagonize them," the Knight replied sharply.
"I am watching them, but in a much more amusing way. Speaking of which," he continued, "don't you have someone to keep an eye on?"
"I have been, with much more discretion than you I might add. He may be planning something, but has yet to make a move," he stated. "Keep me posted and don't let this happen again." Xellos shrugged and left the physical plane without another word.
The Knight remained in the foliage, a light breeze washing over him. He smirked slightly as shouts erupted from where the Dragon Slave had been cast.
'Good luck Lina Inverse. For the path which lays before you, you just might need it,' the Knight thought. With that fleeting thought, the elven man was gone with the wind.
Moments ago...
The group of seven soon arrived at the site where the Dragon Slave had been cast, stopping at the edge of a large crater. Burnt parts of machinery lay scattered across the cleared land. Some piles of rubble shifted, groans coming from underneath, as they realized people had been caught in the blast. Akane kept still as the rest hurried to help any survivors, staring in horror at the devastation. The sound of twigs breaking snapped her out of her trance and she whipped around. Between branches and vegetation, Akane caught only a glimpse of what looked like an oddly-colored rabbit retreating into the forest on its hind legs. Oddly enough, she found herself missing the company of her pet pig in Japan.
"Oi, Akane!" Ranma called back to her. "You gonna come help?" She slowly turned back, her eyes lingering near the forest.
"Yes, I'm coming," she replied, sliding down the steep curve of the crater. But before she could begin to work, a loud voice caught everyone's attention.
"Aha! I have found you, Lina Inverse!" crowed a man with brown hair slicked back in a ponytail. Despite standing in the middle of the crater and pile of rubble, the man looked perfectly fine-no ash on his clothes, no visible injuries, and not a hair out of place.
"Found me? I'm the one that dug you out," Lina replied, quirking an eyebrow at the man's behavior.
"The rumors that you had been sighted in town were true I see," he continued to himself, taking no notice of her statement.
"Sighted? What do you think I am, Bigfoot?" He chuckled and rummaged through his coat pockets.
"Allow me to introduce myself-I am Wizer Flayion, Ruvinagald Kingdom's Special Inspector," he announced, displaying a gold badge.
"Good for you. What does that have to do with the spell we just saw?" Lina questioned. She restrained herself from clocking the man, already annoyed with him.
"I heard that you, Lina Inverse, had been seen running through the port town nearby and came to investigate. With me I brought several troops and a mage tank on the off chance you really were in the area."
"And that's when someone Dragon Slave'd you, am I right?" Wizer chuckled again, bringing a twitch to Lina's eyebrow.
"You really expect to play innocent and fool me?" he asked. He pointed an accusing finger and yelled "I know it was you who cast the spell!"
"Oh really? And what makes you think that?" Lina growled.
"You cannot deny that the Dragon Slave is your signature spell! And the fact that you are here now is further proof!" That said, Wizer whipped out a pair of handcuffs, latching them onto Lina's wrists. "Lina Inverse, I place you under arrest for being Lina Inverse and destruction of military personnel and property!"
"Hold it!" Lina protested, pulling at the cuffs. "I had nothing to do with what happened here before digging your sorry ass out!"
"Its true! She was with all of us!" Akane added, gesturing to the rest of the group.
"Hm, perhaps. But there is still the warrant for her arrest." He glanced at the smirking Lina.
"Did you think you could capture me, the great Lina Inverse-sama, so easily?" She snapped the chain connecting the cuffs and lept into the sky. Lina pointed a hand back towards the inspector and yelled "Burst Rondo!" Numerous balls of light appeared and landed in front of Wizer. They erupted upon impact, kicking up loose dirt and spreading a wall of fire. Wizer threw his arms up to protect himself, gazing at her retreating form between the flames.
"Don't think I will give up so soon. Lina Inverse, you will pay for your crimes," he muttered. When the flames finally died down, the group that had been with her had also disappeared.
"The nerve of him! Blaming me for something I didn't do!" Lina huffed once everyone else had caught up.
"Given that you are known for destroying towns with the Dragon Slave, his blame wasn't entirely unfounded," Zelgadis stated, earning himself a glare. Akane and Ranma looked at each other, eyebrows raised at the statement.
"In any case," Lina continued, "the Ruvinagald Kingdom knows where I am now and word will get around, meaning people will be coming after us. The question now is what do we do?"
"Why don't we go see Amelia's dad?" Ranma suggested. "He's a prince, right? That means he can get rid of the warrant."
"First off, don't call him prince," Lina said, eye twitching slightly. "Second, it doesn't work like that. To cancel the warrant, we'd have to find the person who set it up."
"Well, that inspector guy said he was from Ruvinagald, right? Seems like a good place to start to me," Akane said.
"Okay, but I still need to inform Otou-san," Amelia added. "What about you Filia-san?"
"I'm sorry. I wish I could help, but I really need to get back to my shop and little Val." She gave a small bow, said her goodbyes, and left the group.
"Alright then, looks like we need to have a word with Ruvinagald," Lina said, sweeping her gaze across her five friends, each of them nodding their agreement.
"You're not the only one, Flatty." Lina bristled at the name and looked frantically for the source of the voice. "Over here," it called again. Lina looked up angrily. Her rage swiftly diffused, turning into laughter, at the sight of a green rabbit with a purple mohawk lounging atop Akane's head.
'An arrest warrant, a dragon, and now a talking green rabbit? So much for a year of things calming down,' Ranma mentally complained. 'At least I know it won't be boring here.'
"Aw, I think he's cute," Akane cooed, picking the rabbit-like animal up off her head. "Can I call you Usa-chan?"
"No, put me down!" he protested. He looked down and said, "Wow, you're almost as flat as Boobless over there," gesturing to Lina. The guys and Amelia cringed at the comment, fearing the reaction to come.
"'Boobless'? Why I oughta skin you alive!" Lina yelled. He wriggled out of Akane's grip and flew up into the air, just out of reach of the suddenly-summoned hammer in Akane's hands.
"Hold it you two." Zelgadis stepped in, locking eyes with the rabbit-like creature. "It said we aren't the only ones who need to have a word with Ruvinagald's ruler. What do you mean by that?"
The creature huffed. "My name is Pokota and Gioconda, marquess of Ruvinagald, stole my prototype for the mage tanks for a war with Saillune."