Nihao!  No, I'm not Shampoo, I'm Chinese!  Ok, that was a random 
thought.  Anyway, here's the very first fan-fic I've ever written, and I'd 
have to say it's not as good as the others.  Right now, I'm debating two 
different storylines continuing from Chapter 5/6, and I'll probably ask your 
opinion someday.  If you'd rather read on by yourself rather than wait for 
FFML postings, this story is displayed on my website at 
http://homepages.go.com/homepages/l/u/n/lunahinomura/slayers00.html
	All the characters in this fan-fic (except for Cauchmar) are not my 
creation, and belong to whoever's connected to Slayers.
	<Example> indicates a thought.
	*Example* indicates an accented word.
	***Example*** indicates my own thought, and does not pertain to the 
story.
	*        *        * indicates a break in the story.


The Slayers: Return to Mipross Island 
by Luna Hinomura
~ Chapter 1: Return to Mipross Island ~


	The salty scent of the ocean filled her nostrils and tingled her 
nose.  She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.  The tart fragrance entered 
her lungs and filled her entire being.
	Ahh. . .  It had been such a long time since she had last seen the 
sea.  The only thing she could remember from her last visit to the seashore 
was . . . well, the seafood.  The seafood was always good.  In fact, the 
seafood was her favorite thing about the ocean.  The bright sun was high in 
the sky, and its light glistened on the frothy waves.  The wind felt great 
blowing through her hair.  She smiled and leaned her elbows on the side of 
the boat.  Home.  She was finally going home.  She couldn't think of one 
thing that could possibly ruin this trip.  Well, almost one thing. . .
	"Hey, Lina, are you ever going to come help me find our room?"
	Lina Inverse sighed and ran a gloved hand through her thick orange 
hair.  She paused midway and resisted the urge to yank out the strands 
entwined between her fingers.  Instead, she let her hand continue its path, 
then turned around and faced her companion.
	"Gourry, I've told you a hundred times what our room number on this 
ship is!  I'm not about to tell you a hundred and first!" she told him.
	"I know, Lina, but I kept forgetting at first, and now that I do 
remember, I still can't find it," Gourry replied sheepishly.
	"Then get someone who works here to help you!  Oh, you are so 
*helpless*!"
	"Well, I got the tickets, didn't I?"
	"I suppose so. . ."  Lina sighed again.  It was worthless, pointless, 
and a complete absolute waste of time to argue with Gourry.  "At least I get 
to see Zephilia again."
	"Zephilia?  Aren't we going to Mipross Island?"
	"MIPROSS ISLAND?!  Gourry, I told you to tell them I wanted to go 
visit my homeland!" Lina yelled.
	"I did!  I told them 'I want to visit my homeland,' like you told me 
to, and they asked 'Where were you born, son?' so I answered 'Mipross 
Island.' "
	"ARRRRGH!!!"  Lina grabbed Gourry's collar.  "You idiot!  I haven't 
been back to Mipross Island since I was parading around with Naga!"  He 
didn't mind the act of her grabbing his collar; it didn't have much effect 
anyway, since he was so much taller than she was.  The fact that Lina was the 
shortest tempered (as well as shortest) and the most powerful Sorceress he 
had ever encountered was actually what intimidated him.
	"Aaaaaah, but Lina, think of it this way, at least we're going 
*somewhere*."
	"Oh, I suppose, but I wanted stop by Zephilia, not Mipross.  Hey, you 
never told me you were born on Mipross Island!"
	"You never asked.  And what was that thing about being on Mipross 
Island before?"
	"Never mind, it doesn't matter."    The Gabriev family probably had 
inbreeding somewhere along the family line.  No wait, that couldn't be it; 
Zelgadis had a more messed up gene pool than Gourry, and look how he'd turned 
out.  Lina briefly wondered what Zelgadis was doing.
	"So, you are traveling to Mipross as well," a calm ***not to mention 
extremely sexy! (Daniel Cronin's version, I mean)*** male voice said.
	Lina whirled around at the sudden familiar voice.  "Zelgadis!  It's 
you, what're you doing here?"
	"I am traveling to Mipross, for I have heard of its great Hot Springs 
and magical capabilities.  Perhaps this is where I will ultimately find a 
cure for my hideous form," he said bitterly.
	"Hey, Zelgordos!" Gourry exclaimed.
	Zelgadis rolled his eyes, and his shoulders sagged momentarily before 
he regained his composure.  Deciding it would be meaningless to argue with 
Gourry, he did not pursue the topic of the proper pronunciation of his name.  
Truly, Gourry had the 'brains of a jellyfish,' as Lina had so eloquently 
stated before.  Lina put a reassuring hand on his arm.
	"Just be glad you're not being glomped by Amelia right now," she 
said.  "But I'm hungry!  Let's get somethin' to eat."
	"All right!  I was hoping you'd show me the way to the dining hall!" 
Gourry blurted out, smiling.  Lina rubbed her temples.
	"I am hungry as well, and would not mind dining with you as my 
companions.  Let us venture to the dining hall and see what delicacies they 
are serving," Zelgadis murmured.  Lina smiled.  She and Gourry both agreed.

*        *        *

	Now that Zelgadis was stuffed, he began to watch his companions.  It 
had taken him a half-hour to finish his meal, and now, three very long hours 
after they had found the dining hall, Gourry was finally showing signs of 
stopping, and Lina had only begun to slow down.
	He sighed.  It was so annoying.  How could these people eat so much 
food?  When Lina put down her fork and called the waiter over, he thought she 
was finished. 
         <Good>, he thought, <now maybe I can finally get Gourry to shut up 
about looking for their room.>
	He was wrong.
	"Excuse me, can I have another one of this, and one more of this 
dish, and another plate of the roasted chicken?" Lina asked the waiter as she 
pointed to the menu.
	The waiter nodded, apparently able to hide his extreme shock at 
seeing such a young girl consume such a tremendous meal.  Or perhaps that 
sort of thing was not a rare occurrence in his line of work.
	"Are you never going to finish?" Zelgadis asked irritably.  He had 
never been one to anger quickly, but if she didn't finish her dinner sometime 
this week, he was afraid he'd help his sword find a nice place to rest 
through her heart.
	"--to go?" she quickly added on.
	The waiter nodded with the same apathy as his before, and wrapped up 
the food for Lina to have later.  Zelgadis stood up to avoid any arguments.
	If he had to sit and watch another bite disappear into Lina's mouth, 
he swore he'd scream.
	Luckily, it never came to that.  Lina brought the food to the room 
Gourry had rented when he had purchased the tickets.  Zelgadis had not rented 
a room -- he had planned on sleeping on the deck.
	Lighting the lamp, Lina questioned Zelgadis about that minor detail.  
"So why didn't your get a room on this ship?  It's big enough, and I'm sure 
someone like you could find enough money."
	"I am used to such harsh living. . .  With stone skin, you can't 
expect to be comfortable," he replied.
	"Why do you want to change your form anyway?  I think your 'armor' is 
great for battle," Gourry said.
	Zelgadis only scowled.
	"Gourry, mind your own business," Lina scolded him, then turned back 
to Zelgadis.  "I'm actually more interested in why you are going to Mipross 
Island; what have you heard about it?  I've been on Mipross Island before.  
Sure, it's magical and all that, but that was before. . ."  Lina stopped.
	Zelgadis and Gourry were looking at her, but she didn't want to 
finish her sentence.  To cover up for it, she opened up the package of food 
and began to eat it, pretending that it was what she had meant to do all 
along.
	"Before what?  I actually wanted to visit the Hot Springs," Zelgadis 
told her.
	"Before . . . nothing.  You wouldn't know.  But the Hot Springs?  Why 
there?"
	"The Hot Springs are known for their magical healing abilities, I 
didn't know if it could help me or not."
	"I don't know, but I doubt it," she muttered.
	"Hey, the Hot Springs are great!" Gourry protested.
	"What do you know, jellyfish?" Lina snorted.
	"I was born on Mipross, remember?"
	"Oh yeah. . ."  Lina looked out the window.  She wished they weren't 
going to Mipross.  The last visit was enough for her.  She could just close 
her eyes and remember. . .  The souls of the Elves, the souls of the 
townsfolk.  How they had cried out to her.  How they had pulled at her heart, 
yearning for retribution, and how she alone had put them at rest.  Well, not 
quite alone.  Rowdy Gabriev had helped (or had *she* helped *him*?  It all 
depended on one's perspective), but that was when Joyrock was. . .
	Shaking off her train of thought, she once again turned back to her 
friends.  She didn't want to remember.  At least Mipross Island was now what 
it was destined to be. . .  It hadn't always been so grand.  But they 
wouldn't know. . .
	"Well, we can visit the Hot Springs!  Sure, why not?  It shouldn't 
cost a lot, and we've got time to do anything," she said, trying to hide the 
emotions she felt, keeping her voice light.  She doubted she'd fool anybody 
with half a brain.
	"Okay!  We'll go there tomorrow!" Gourry exclaimed.
	Zelgadis just looked at her with a curious expression.  He didn't say 
anything, though.
	They turned in for the night.

~ End of Chapter One ~