Slayers Duet by Tenchiken and Ashfae

This is the first story in what I hope (depending on C&C) to
be a long series presenting a slightly different characterization
of the Slayers universe, and a slightly different set of events.
This story is written by ashfae and myself. Please C&C

In the meantime, sit back, relax and enjoy.

Slayers Duet: Part I: Fire and Ice

 Gourry Gabriev--swordsman, mercenary, and all around nice guy--was
 having a very good day.

 So far the bandits had not presented him with even a slight
 danger. In fact, their disorganized excuse for a charge made it likely
 that they'd hurt each other instead of him. The Maiden in Distress stood
 off to the side watching the melee, and letting out gasps of concern or
 amazement at all the right moments.

 This was the best part of the battle, the one he'd been waiting
 for: the one-on-one duel. Gourry Gabriev and the Bandit Leader (or at
 least, the most obnoxious of the bandits), mano a mano. The Dragon's Claw
 gang was clearly losing its will to fight; once he finished off the
 leader, it'd be all over.

 Unfortunately, rather than challenging him openly, the bandit was
 already cowering away. Obviously he was not familiar with the rules of
 combat and needed to be taught a lesson.

 Gourry's sword moved faster than the eye could hope to see. A
 quick cut slashed his opponent's belt in two. The blade arced upwards;
 slicing the bandit's shirt into ribbons and then moved downwards and
 unapologetically did the same to his breeches. Without so much as a pause,
 the boxers of the formerly belligerent bandit followed. It took skill to
 cut the boxers without touching anything else...but Gourry firmly believed
 that no man should ever be deprived of his family jewels, even if he was a
 bandit. Besides, this was more of a challenge.

 But that act signaled the end of the combat, and Gourry slid his
 sword back into its scabbard.

 The "click" as the sword found its sheath unfroze the other
 players in the drama. The Maid in Distress blushed and turned away as the
 bandit looked around to find all his clothes in pieces. Covering his
 toothpick, the ex bandit leader deserted his fallen comrades and ran for
 his life.

 Gourry closed his eyes dramatically in an attempt to make him look
 every part the bishonen that he was. He was, after all, the hero. He'd
 saved the Maid in Distress--who would undoubtedly be a beauty. In fact, he
 could already see her in his mind's eye: perhaps six feet tall...no, make
 that five foot eleven, with short blonde hair and curls. She would be
 wearing a blouse made of the finest Sailoon silk. Over that she might wear
 a white vest, criss-crossing her more-than-ample bust. Tight black pants
 to emphasize shapely legs and a belt of gold loops would complete the
 picture. All of these things combined would form the perfect Maid in
 Distress.

 Gourry turned around...and was satisfied to see exactly such a
 woman staring at him with adoration in her eyes.

 --------------------------------------------------------------

 Lina Inverse--sometimes described as the Devil Incarnate,
 Shabragudu Reborn, Master of Chaos and Terror, and occasionally just That
 Evil Sorceress--was having a bad day. She had spent weeks...well,
 days...well, actually hours...okay, she had stumbled upon a bandit hive by
 pure accident after breakfast. And what had she found there?

 Wreckage, debris, and that leftover look. All things that Lina would
 normally delight in...except that the carnage had occurred _before_ she
 arrived!

 Some magician had beaten her to the punch. All that was left was
 an impressively large crater and a lot of wreaked buildings. There were no
 bodies around for her to examine; even stranger, there was still some loot
 hiding behind a crushed wall. What kind of measly bandit took the bodies
 and left the gold?

 Lina glanced around at the wreckage. Whomever had inflicted this
 destruction was no third-rate sorcerer. The magical residue in the area
 felt strange...even suspicious. Strong black magic--as opposed to the more
 commonly used astral spells--had taken out these bandits. There were still
 a few standing buildings and no evident scorch marks, which ruled out the
 Draguslave. But something less strong, such as a Gaav Flare or a Dynast
 Brass, might have been able to accomplish this level of damage.

 To Lina it was a particularly disturbing scene. Some other
 sorcerer was cutting into her shake dow...er...regulatory activity with
 regard to the local banditry. And without so much as a "By your leave," no
 less!

 She glanced around once more. There was a town nearby and Lina was
 very hungry. Little good ever came from nasty mysteries. Food, on the
 other hand, was always good. With a last puzzled glare at the former
 bandit cove, she set out. Just before leaving the area entirely, she
 noticed a statue lying on the side of the road. Normally not one to grab
 someone else's property ("Who are you kidding?!?" Lina's Conscience asked
 her, just before Lina's Greed whacked her Conscience out cold with a mental
 4x4), she snagged it. It was an orihalcon statue of some shrine princess.
 If nothing else, the orihalcon could be melted down and sold. It was
 better than nothing.

 -------------------------------------------------------------

 The door opened quietly, but everyone in the tavern stopped
 eating/drinking/talking to notice the stranger who entered. The girl was
 obviously a sorceress--and by the look of it, a really exhausted
 sorceress. She wore a small pack, and her dusty clothing made it evident
 that she had been on the road for a long while. There was a dangerous
 glint in her eyes, and she clearly had a purpose in stopping by this
 particular tavern. The crowd withdrew its attention quickly, lest it be on
 the receiving end of something nasty.

 Lina looked up from the twelve plates of food staked in front of
 her. The food was somewhat uninspiring, but you couldn't expect much from
 a town of only a hundred or so people. She eyed the new visitor without
 surprise; her question regarding the destruction of the Dragon's Fangs now
 seemed to be answered. Whoever this new mage was, she was someone to take
 seriously. No doubt she was here to warn Lina away from her chosen
 territory. Sure enough, the girl was scanning the room as though looking
 for someone particular.

 While chewing on a cut of lamb, Lina planned her strategy. As soon
 as the sorceress was within five feet of the table, Lina would unleash a
 fireball right up her wazoo.  Any decent magic-user would have no problem
 blocking such a simple spell; the sorceress would cast a barrier. In the
 meantime Lina would flip backwards and use the couple seated at the table
 behind her as a shield. The sorceress would cast something nasty, but the
 table (and the couple) would take most of the brunt of the spell. Lina
 would use the resulting hole in the side of the wall to escape from the
 limited confines of the restaurant. In the open street she would cast
 Draguslave and win the battle. Lina had long ago learned that any plan
 ending with "Cast a Draguslave" usually worked well.

 The girl approached Lina's table, and Lina saw a glint of
 recognition in her eyes. Silently, our heroine began the incantation that
 would produce a fireball. The girl came closer...and closer...and
 closer...

 And walked right past Lina, heading towards a married couple in
 the back of the saloon.

 Lina blinked.

 "Gour--"

 Lina interrupted the sorceress before she'd completed the
 word. "HEY! WHY ARE YOU IGNORING ME?!"

 Both the young sorceress and the blonde couple in the back
 stared. Lina felt suddenly bashful. It was not a pleasant emotion. She
 scratched the top of her head, unsure of how to react. Time seemed to stop
 and focus entirely on Lina and her embarrassment.

 "Aren't you looking for me?" she asked the sorceress.

 The girl looked at her blankly for a second before shaking her
 head. Then in a sweet voice--in fact, the sweetest voice Lina had ever
 heard--she said, "Gourry...sama?"

 ...to an empty table, which had formerly been occupied by the
 blonde man and woman. "Gourry-sama? Where did you go?" the sorceress
 exclaimed, scouring the bar once more. Lina watched bemusedly as the girl
continued to search for the couple who has so quickly left the confines of
the small restaurant. The girl was even looking under the tables in search
for the couple. Lina sat back down at her own table, finishing the
meal she'd thought was going to be interrupted...she was thankful
for that, at least.

 "Excuse me? Are you a wizard?"

 A short, squat man was looking up at her hopefully. "Yep. Who's
 asking?" Lina answered, with a mouth full of spaghetti.

 "Ah! Thank God!" the man responded. "I am the village shaman, and
 I have been praying that a wizard such as yourself would pass through this
 village."

 "What's it to you?" Lina asked, her mouth now full of freshly
 baked fish.

 "Well, you see...we have been having a problem with a bandit group
 called the Dragon..."

 "Oh, them. It's been taken care of. Just ask her," Lina said,
 pointing at the sorceress girl.

 "Really? But that's wonderful!" The shaman exclaimed, practically
 bouncing in glee. He ran over to the sorceress girl, who looked very
 surprised as the elderly man leapt us and kissed her on the cheek. She was
 blushing furiously as he ran out of the tavern, no doubt to spread the
 joyful news. Lina, satisfied that things were peaceful once more, went
 back to her fish.

 "Um, excuse me..." the sweet voice asked.

 Lina glanced mournfully at her half-eaten and rapidly cooling
 fish. "What?"

 The sorceress stammered, "Who was that man?"

 Lina waved a hand. "The village shaman. Wanted to thank you for
 taking care of the Dragon."

 "Dragon? Is there a dragon here?" the girl asked, surprise written
 all over her.

 Lina blinked again. "You mean you didn't?"

 "Didn't what?"

 "Crush the Dragon's Claw group."

 The girl shrunk back, as if the very idea alone of violence held
 power over her.

 Lina groaned as a flash of intuition told her that this dinner
 would never, never, never be finished, and she would regret this uneaten
 fish for the rest of her life.

 The ground shook; Lina looked outside and saw a shadow cover the
 streets. The shaman ran back into the saloon, screaming "I thought you
 took care of it!!"

 "I never said anything about a dragon. I said _she_ destroyed the
 Dragon's Claw Group."

 "I did no such thing!" the other girl retorted, obviously
 horrified by the very prospect. The saloon was quickly becoming a death
 trap to those inside, as the dragon used repeated wind slashes to inflict
 damage. All three ran outside just as a large black mass blotted out the
 sun.

 Black Dragon, Lina mused. Not the most powerful, and one of the
 stupider variants to boot.

 "Please! You must help us!" the shaman begged.

 Lina thought about it. "Ten gold pieces!"

 "I'll do it," the other girl offered, even as she used Ray Wing to
 rocket herself towards the dragon.

 "Oh no you don't!" Lina muttered, flying after the headstrong,
 impetuous, and obviously-out-to-steal-Lina's-money sorceress. There is
 only one way to finish this fast, she realized. And if the other mage gets
 a little toasted in the attempt...well, that'd just be a bonus.

 Lina landed on a hill a small distance from the draon. The other girl was
 nearing the great beast. Funny, she almost seemed to be talking to it.

 No time to wonder. Gotta work off stress.

 "Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond the blood that flows..."

 The spell's energies began to take shape; the day sky turned dark,
 and ribbons of fire began to coalesce. The dragon, curiously, had halted
 its attack. The girl was getting closer to it. Dangerously close, in fact.

 "...buried in the flow of time; in Thy great name, I pledge myself
 to darkness!"

 The girl had noticed Lina's spellcasting now; she seemed to be
 chanting a spell herself. Idiot; the dragon was the enemy, not Lina.

 "Those who oppose us shall be destroyed by the power you and I
 possess! DRAGON SLAVE!"

 The spell formed fully and raced towards its target, scorching
 some of the taller buildings of the town as it went. All at once there was
 a flash of white, and a magical barrier of extreme power materialized into
 being between the oncoming Dragon Slave and the dragon. The two magical
 fields clashed briefly, then both dissipated, leaving the sky clear except
 for one sorceress and one clearly confused dragon.

 Lina stared in shock. She'd never heard of a white magic spell
 powerful enough to stop a Dragon Slave. Or, for that matter, anyone
 foolish enough to go up against a Dragon Slave at all. In the background,
 the dragon let out a low rumble, almost a moan.

 Lina gaped at the girl, who was flying back down towards her. The
 sorceress touched down on the hill. "You don't need to destroy her!"

 "Her?" Lina asked, bewildered. "It's a female dragon?

 "She's just hungry," the girl said earnestly.

 Lina's stomach grumbled, remembering the abandoned fish. "But it
 interrupted _my_ dinner!" she protested. "For that crime, I'll--"

 "But she didn't mean any harm!" the girl protested.

 The villagers had all cautiously approached, noticing that the
 dragon had ceased its rampage. The girl turned to them, her eyes wide and
 pleading. "She won't hurt you; she's just a hungry baby. Does anyone have
 any food we could give her?"

 The villagers were not about to disobey the sorceress who had
 single-handedly (or so it seemed to them) halted the dragon's attack, so a
 fuming Lina was forced to watch as everyone dragged out every scrap of
 wonderful, succulent, delicious food they had available, pile it in the
 middle of the village, and offer it to the dragon instead of to her. The
 dragon wasted no time; Lina could only watch helplessly, her stomach
 churning, as the food was consumed. Every last scrap.  She'd never seen
 anything so tragic.

 There was a tap on her shoulder.

 "My name is Sylphiel. Sylphiel Nels Rada. What's yours?"

 "Sylphiel, eh?" Lina grumbled. "White magician, I suppose. I'm
 Lina Inverse." Normally she would have added several laudatory adjectives
 to the end of her name, or waited for a thunderous cry of recognition, but
 she was too depressed by the lack of food.

 "No, I'm still a miko. I'm traveling the world in search of
 someone. Tell me, have you seen--"

 A deep rumble interrupted their conversation. Lina jumped, then
 glared at the dragon. "It's purring," she said, disgusted. The thing was
 gloating!

 Around her, the villagers laughed. Sylphiel smiled and walked
 closer to the dragon. "Do you feel better now?" she asked it sweetly.

 The dragon thumped its tail, causing the ground to shake. The
 villagers just laughed.

 "Oh, do you want to play?" Sylphiel clapped her hands
 together. "Sit!"

 The dragon sat up, tongue hanging out of the side of its mouth,
 attentive to every order of its mistress.

 "Play dead!"

 The dragon immediately stood up on its hind legs, clutched at its
 heart, and crashed onto its back, causing a low-level earthquake. The
 villagers laughed some more; a few even cheered. Lina face-faulted.
 Sylphiel looked delighted. "What a clever girl you are!" Sylphiel
 exclaimed. "Lina, you should ask her to do something, too!"

 Lina blinked, then shrugged. "Roll over," she commanded
 indifferently.

 The dragon did nothing.

 Lina's eyes narrowed. "Roll over."

 The dragon glanced at Shylphiel.

 Lina stepped forward, her expression dangerous. "Roll over, or
 you'll find out why I'm called the Dramata!"

 The dragon immediately sweatdropped, and half of its scales
 dropped of out of pure fright. She then rolled over...and crushed half of
 the town hall, the village's only hotel, and Magical Joe's Snake and
 Chimera Imporium in the process.

 "Stop! Stop! Heel!" Lina shrieked.

 The dragon continued its roll of destruction, crushing the diner,
 the minature stadium, the roller skating rink...

 "STOP!" Sylphiel ordered, but the dragon was too busy to hear, and
 inertia was now playing a role as it rolled over one more time, destroying
 all the rest of the city and then starting down the hill on which the
 ex-village had rested. Desperate, Sylphiel raised her hands to cast a
 spell. "Spirit of Air, Earth, and Water, reduce this creature in
 accordance with my will...Mini!"

 The dragon shrunk and shrunk, until it was the size of a small
 kitty cat. A tiny high-pitched wail came from the other side of the hill,
 as it spun helplessly downward.

Lina suspected that this would also be an event that would be
burned into her memory for a great deal of time. It was not as if
she had never flattened villages before. It's just, all the other times
she had never done it deliberately. well that was not completely
true. but she had always done it with magic before.

The villagers already were crowding before Lina. Mob mentalities
were a bad thing, and this group was looking uglier by the moment.
Lina prepared to book out of there, until Syphiel put her hand on
Lina's shoulder, effectively stopping Lina's retreat.

And then the mob moved in.


Next time on Slayers Duet ..

Amelia the princess of Sailoon has decided that it is time to
leave the nest. After all with her big sister around, who needs
her anyways?  What's this about a grey army? And who is this
mysterious character following us anyways.

Slayers Duet: Momma's Little Girl


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