A/N: just getting the whole "I don't own The Slayers" out of the way, and with this one I'd actually like some feedback, even just to say you hate it, but if you do, leave a reason as to why so I can attempt to improve it.

Claire sighed, the girl settling down on a fallen log in the center of their chosen campsite for the night, Xellos having assured her they would reach Seyruun by tomorrow evening at the latest. The priest was hiding something from her, something important, she was certain. How she knew this was unclear, just as the information he was withholding was. She had tried asking; only getting a response of "That is a secret" from the priest, which annoyed her greatly. Why was it a secret, and why the hell did he have to be so damned cheerful all the time? She sighed, tired from the long trek through the forest, the trail rough and laden with rocks that left her feet feeling sorely abused. For some reason she couldn't discern, her feet were very…well, delicate was the only word that fit. She had asked the priest, but he too seemed puzzled, having said that she should have at least some calluses from walking on them. He had to explain what a callus was, of course, but he always seemed delighted to answer her questions, leading her to believe that his order was very altruistic indeed. Her feet and hands had nothing like the rough, textured skin like his hands had, making her wonder why that was. Her entire past was one large, black blank of nothing past the point where she had woken up, making her irritated to say the least. For some reason she knew some basic things, like how to speak, to walk, how to use utensils and other such things, but her name and origins were a total mystery. Suddenly, she decided to ask Xellos something that was bothering her, the priest currently building a fire.

"Excuse me, Xellos, but can I ask why you're taking me to Seyruun?" Her question had him look…well, his eyes were shut but his face was turned in her direction. He continued to work on the fire, getting it ablaze.

"Well, I was originally going there as part of my pilgrimage, but as there are any practitioners of healing magic in the city, someone might just be able to help with your memory problems." That made sense, she supposed.

"Thank you." His eyes opened a touch, a hint of surprise in their amethyst depths. "You're going to so much trouble, helping me like this…so thank you, thank you very much." His smile was less of a grin now, making it seem like he was touched by her gratitude.

"I assure you, Miss Claire that it is no problem at all."

0o0o0o0o0

Xellos had to keep from chuckling in sheer amusement over her thanks. How lucky he was, that she was so naïve as to believe that his motives were all very altruistic. He only wanted the information that he was sure was locked in her memories, and here she was thanking him for using her! Oh, such lovely irony, that a mazoku was being thanked for merely following his own nature. He was certainly intelligent enough, however, to keep such thoughts very well hidden behind his kind mask, one he used with relish to lure mortals into a false sense of security before taking whatever it was he wanted from them, most often pain and fear, not to mention that exquisite feeling known as betrayal. Life, you could say, was good to the general-priest of the Greater Beast.

"So, are you hungry?" He asked politely, wanting to keep up appearances after all. She nodded in response, the priest breaking out some rations he always carried with him, despite the fact he didn't need to eat. It would be rather suspicious if he didn't have them, when he was posing as a priest on a pilgrimage. "I know that they're rather bland, but it is better than starving." She nodded her thanks, starting to nibble on the dried foodstuffs. "So, Miss Claire, any luck in remembering anything?" She shook her head. "Well, don't worry; once we get to Seyruun I'm sure we'll be able to get your memory back."

"I'm glad you think so," she murmured, continuing to eat, the priest doing the same for sake of form, since her emotional turmoil over the lack of a past was quite enough nourishment for him, for the time being at least. As he nibbled at the bland, nastily textured stuff, the priest examined the girl surreptitiously, noting several things that piqued his curiosity. She was rather striking, for a human, her proportions nothing short of perfect, her form graceful and athletic…a rather odd fact, since she had no signs of working for such a figure. No one could go through life in this world without some sign of wear on them, even if it was something as innocuous as calluses. Her hands and feet were perfectly unblemished, save for a few blisters she had developed from the amount of walking they had been doing. It was like she had just been…oh, no, she couldn't be! He had to fight down a grin over the sudden revelation. How terribly interesting…it would explain the lack of memories, not to mention her almost perfect attractiveness. Oh, it was just too delicious! He pondered over telling her, just to feed on the wave of emotions it would cause, but that would only prove detrimental to his mission, in the end. It also meant she most likely new nothing about what he was after…such a pity. Well, he could simply dump her in Seyruun and continue on his own, so it was no problem…other than the fact he would have absolutely no leads again. How disconcerting. After they had finished, he suggested they turn in for the night, the mazoku watching her till she fell asleep.

0o0o0o0o0

Lina and Gourry, unknowingly, were on the exact opposite side of where the Mysterious Priest and his charge were in regards to Seyruun, due to certain plot developments that the author has in mind. Getting back to the correct side of the Fourth Wall, we find the pair waking up to start the day they would reach the white magic capital in. As the swordsman packed up camp, Lina found herself studying the crystal again, certain that there was more to it than its flawless form.

"What are you hiding?" She asked it quietly, peering into its clear depths intently. No matter which spell she used, the sorceress could learn nothing from it, which frustrated her to no end. She was so focused, in fact, that she didn't notice when Gourry finished packing up.

"Um, Lina, we can go now," he told her softly, making her nearly jump out of her skin despite that fact. She stood, chuckling nervously.

"Oh, right," she said in return, doing her best to laugh it off. Her obsession with the crystal had started to worry her blond companion, so she didn't want him to know she had been trying to figure it out again.

"Have you ever considered that it's simply a valuable rock?" He asked, causing her to feel guilty over it. "I mean, I know it was protected, but it just might be something that a king, or whatever, felt was important on a personal level." Lina blinked, astonished.

"That was surprisingly deep," she murmured, causing him to blush.

"Ah, well, I have my moments," he replied, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "I've just been thinking about it and that's what came to mind."

"I'm impressed, Gourry," she said sweetly, making him nervous. He recognized that tone. "You really do have a brain instead of yogurt up there."

"Hey!" He protested, pouting slightly in a surprisingly cute manner. "That's not nice." She chuckled evilly, grinning in amusement.

"Sorry, but you stepped right into that one," she laughed, the blond grumbling as he grabbed his pack. "Anyway, let's just get moving." He didn't reply beyond a nod, heading off down the road ahead of her. As they walked, the red haired spell flinger began to puzzle over the crystal again, though this time she didn't examine it. What Gourry had said actually did make sense. Rulers often protected things that were of value to them, sentimental or otherwise. Maybe she was over thinking things and Gourry was right about it, something he rarely was about anything. Then there was the fact she hadn't discovered a single unusual thing about it despite all her attempts at scrying. She supposed there really was nothing special about it, which was good, considering that it was going to be a wedding present. She found herself letting out an envious sigh, wishing suddenly that it was her own wedding, with Gourry the nervous groom waiting for her at the end of the aisle. The red head blushed, astonished by her own thoughts. Like Gourry, the jellyfish, would ever propose. She snorted, feeling stupid again, since there was absolutely no chance of that.

0o0o0o0o0

Gourry heard Lina's sigh, wondering if she was thinking about the rock again. He didn't see the big deal about it. Sure it looked nice, but it was just a rock, right? He sighed himself this time, wondering not for the first time how he could broach the subject of their relationship. He was really very fond of the sorceress, who, despite her size…or maybe because of the petite, tight frame she sported…had captured his interest over the years. He bit his lip, doing some serious thinking on the subject, a rare thing for him. After their mutual return from Chaos, despite the lack of memories, the swordsman had felt something very different towards her than brotherly affection. He had kept quiet about it, not wanting to ruin what they had by making a serious mistake. Now, though, he felt sure that he had to say something to her, no matter the outcome. He couldn't hold in his feelings much longer, despite his worries. The blond growled softly, annoyed by his own hesitance. He was a warrior, hesitating only got men in his profession killed so he had learned long ago to muscle past such feelings to stay alive as a mercenary. That's what made the current situation so maddening for him. He firmed his resolve, deciding then and there to tell her immediately after the wedding, just in case it turned south. He didn't want to ruin things for his friends, after all, especially with Lina's temper. He chuckled, thinking of how she had laid waste to the bandits the other day, her wrath very destructive. Yes, best to talk to her after the wedding.

0o0o0o0o0

Claire stared in awe at the massive gates before her, the steel reinforced wood emblazoned with protective runes, though she didn't know what they were, and standing a good twenty meters in height, the surrounding walls and buttresses impressive as well. For a city known as the White Magic Capital, it certainly looked quite capable of standing up to an enemy attack, since white magic wasn't really meant for offense, if what Xellos had told her was true. The gates were open wide, of course, none turned away from them, unless they were known criminals of course. As she and the priest walked through them, Claire suddenly shivered, feeling like something cold had just run over every inch of her skin.

"That's the protective wards," Xellos told her quietly, obviously having noticed her discomfort. "I read in the main library of our temple that they are set up to weaken the powers of mazoku and other evil creatures." He smiled at her reassuringly. "Everyone can feel it when they first enter the city, but, as you noticed, it doesn't last more than a few seconds once you're inside." He patted her shoulder gently. "In fact, I also read that the streets are laid out in an impressive white magic array, though there was no mention of what it was for." She nodded slightly; glad he had been explaining magic to her as they had traveled.

"So, what's our first stop?" She asked, eager to explore, but also eager to regain her memories.

"Well, first we'll stop at an inn to get some accommodations for the night, then if time permits we'll head over to the nearest temple in search of a cleric specialized in healing the mind." She nodded her understanding, letting him lead the way. It was certainly very impressive, the buildings all magnificently built, well kept and very nice to look upon. She couldn't help staring as they went, wondering if all cities were this grand. "Here's one that looks promising," Xellos stated, gaining her attention again. It was a nice looking place, as were the other buildings, the sign above the door depicting a pig with wings. "Shall we, Miss Claire?" He asked, holding out his arm for her to take. The girl blushed, nodding as she took it, letting herself be led by him. He was…rather warm, actually. It felt kind of nice.

0o0o0o0o0

Lina and Gourry were currently seated at a table in an establishment called 'When Pigs Fly', a rather interesting name to say the least. They settled in to order, a massive amount as usual, then began to chat idly about the upcoming wedding.

"Do you think I'll have to wear a suit?" Gourry asked nervously, hating the things. Lina rolled her eyes at him.

"Of course, you jellyfish, it's a wedding." She smiled despite her irritation. "We want to make a good impression, since it is Zel and Amelia's big day." He nodded.

"So will you be wearing a suit, too?" He asked, causing her to do a spit take, since she had been sipping a cup of tea.

"O-of course not, you idiot," she snapped, cleaning up after herself in embarrassment. "I'll be wearing a dress, like girls are supposed to."

"Oh," he said intelligently, looking thoughtful. "I'd think you would be more comfortable in something else, though." She glared at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked testily, the blond oblivious to how close he was to being blasted.

"Well, you're not really the girly type, not that I'm saying you wouldn't look good in a dress, I just think you'd find it…I don't know, confining, I guess." This statement saved his life, even though he wasn't aware of it.

"Oh…well, it's their wedding, so I'll just suffer through it." She tapped the table top, thinking. "Last time I saw you in a suit it was during that faux wedding between me and that twit of a noble." Gourry blinked.

"Eh?" He obviously didn't remember the event. She just stared at him.

"You know, the staged wedding between me and what's his face?" She prodded, trying to get him to recall.

"Oh, right, when you were in that big, poofy dress!" He exclaimed, slapping his closed fist against his palm in sudden remembrance. "I was so surprised to see you like that."

"Oh?" The edge was back in her voice, the blond still oblivious.

"Well, yeah, I'd only ever seen you like this," he said, gesturing to her current attire. "That dress really threw me, especially with how good you looked in it." This caused her to blush.

"Really?" She asked, to which he nodded. Though it wasn't an admission of love from him, it showed he thought she was attractive.

"Yeah, the white went really well with your skin tone and hair color," he said, smiling slightly. "I was really stunned." Then he blushed. "I even checked to see if it was you underneath…"

"Uh, yeah, let's drop that subject," she muttered, her own blush darkening. Gourry nodded, wondering when the food was going to arrive.

"Wow, service is slow here," he murmured, looking around for the waitress. Just then the door opened to admit a pair of travelers, one of which looked familiar. "Hey, Lina, who's that?" He asked, the sorceress looking up, her eyes widening as he gaze fell on the one person she hadn't expected to see again.

"Xellos!"

0o0o0o0o0

The general-priest cursed his luck, albeit silently. Of all the people to come across, it had to be Lina Inverse and her blond brick of a swordsman.

"Why, Miss Lina, such a surprise to see you," he said pleasantly, striding over to the table, leaving Claire to watch curiously. "I had no idea you'd be here, of all places." The red head in question narrowed her eyes at him.

"I could say the same of you," she said coldly, her dislike of him evident. "What is it you want this time, Xellos? Going to drag us into another of your plots. The priest leaned over the table suddenly, his eyes opening to show a hint of menace.

"I would appreciate it if you spoke a little more quietly," he murmured softly, earning a puzzled stare for his trouble.

"Don't want the mage corps to learn you're here?" She jabbed, causing him to smirk, eyes drifting shut.

"That," he began, straightening, "is a secret." The sorceress sighed, her emotions transmitting annoyance.

"Well, so why are you here?" She asked again, though not as loud as before. He had to admit to surprise, the last few years evidently having mellowed her a bit.

"Oh, just helping a friend," he replied, causing her gaze to shift to Claire, who was currently looking around with evident curiosity.

"I didn't know mazoku had friends," she muttered darkly, taking a sip of her ale. "She another pet of the Greater Beast?"

"That-"

"Is a secret, right?" Another sigh. "You had better not be here to stir up trouble during Zel and Amelia's wedding or I swear by the Lord of Nightmares I'll shove a Ragna Blade so far up your ass you'll be spitting chaos." He chuckled at this.

"Vulgar, but I believe the point got across." He smiled his usual smile. "Don't worry, Miss Lina, I'm on other business today that doesn't involve you or your friends…for the moment." He tipped an imaginary hat to her. "Good day, Miss Lina." Then he turned and headed back to Claire, who gave him a questioning look.

"Who was that you were talking to?" She asked, sounding merely curious.

"Oh, just a wandering mage that I got acquainted with when she visited our temple to see the library there," he replied, lying smoothly. "We were just catching up, that's all." He gestured towards the desk. "Shall we?"

0o0o0o0o0

"I don't like this, Gourry," Lina whispered, keeping an eye on Xellos. "For him to show up like this, at the same time that the wedding is going to be taking place, is just too much of a coincidence." Gourry nodded sagely.

"I know." He frowned thoughtfully. "Who is he again?" Lina groaned, nearly banging her head off the table in frustration.

"He's Xellos, the mazoku, we've met him plenty of times in the past, remember?" She prodded, earning for her trouble the sight of Gourry using what little brain power he possessed.

"Oh, that guy," he murmured, sounding like he understood now. "What do you think he wants?" His question made her frown deeply, expression turning quite grim.

"I wish I knew, but we can be probably sure that it won't be anything good."