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	::takes a deep breath...::
	I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!!!
	I didn't check my e-mail for 4 days, and I ended up deleting about 
3/4 of it so it wouldn't overflow...  <=(
	I thought I could handle the mailing list, but I can't...  Betweens 
summer school, work, martial arts, violin lessons, and Chinese painting 
classes, I'm overloaded!  I've now put myself in vacation mode, so I request 
any C&C for my stories to be sent to ffml@fanfic.com and CC (carbon copied) 
to me.
	If you REALLY want me to read your fan-fics, you'll have to CC that 
to me too, and I promise I will read it, as long as you have the [FFML] thing 
in front, otherwise I might delete it.
Gomenasai!
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	Like I said, this is my first fan-fic, so that's why it kinda... 
sucks?  Well, that's just my opinion.  I'd have to say it gets better as you 
go along.  Some responses I'd like from the chapter 1 stuff -- would it be 
better if I had Lina elbow Gourry and say "Shut up and mind your own 
business!"?  ^_^  I didn't know I overplayed the Gourry dumbness...  I 
really, truly believed he was *that* dumb...
Anything pertaining to Slayers (i.e., the anime, the manga, etc...) is (c) 
someone else!  It doesn't belong to me.  The only character in this story 
that I have created are Cauchmar and Ego.
	Ahh, yes, and of the criticisms you've been giving me about "Lina's 
not traumatized!"?  The reason is revealed...
	<Example> denotes a thought.
	*Example* denotes an accented word.
	***Example*** denotes my own C&C, and does not pertain to the story.
	*        *        * denotes a break in the story.


The Slayers: Return to Mipross Island 
~ Chapter 2: Old and New, Enemies and Friends ~


	Lina was running.  She didn't know what she was running from, just a 
strange feeling of panic, and the knowledge that if she stopped running, she 
was dead.  Her pursuer would capture her, torture her, pay her back for what 
she had done, and then some.  She was panting, and beads of sweat ran down 
her cheeks, as well as tears.  Tears from being frightened, and tears from 
sheer exaustion.  She could hear him growling; he was furious that she was 
losing energy fast, and yet, she could still elude him.  Until she tripped.  
The tree root just came out of nowhere.  She put her hands up as fast as she 
could to brace herself and break her fall.  Then she turned around, and two 
hideous eyes were stared right into hers.  The disgusting mouth, dripping 
with foam, blood, and drool opened, and she could hear the voice 
reverberating through her head.
	"SURPRISE!" he said, as he proceeded to disembowel her.
	Lina screamed, waking up Zelgadis and Gourry.  Zelgadis merely sat 
up, but Gourry must have been an avid sleep walker that night -- he fell off 
one of the support beams near the ceiling.
	"What is it, Lina?  You've seem troubled ever since we started on 
this voyage," Gourry said, after sufficiently rubbing his sore posterior in 
protest of the wooden floor's harsh mistreatment of it.
	"I. . .  I-it's nothing."
	"Lina, I suspect there is something you are hiding from us; you are 
not acting in your usual behavior," Zelgadis probed.  "Perhaps you should 
enlighten us." ***"Why don't you tell us?", maybe?  I like when Zel talks 
like this, though...***
	Lina sighed, and wiped the sweat away from her forehead, leaving a 
red smear across it.  She looked at her hands.  Her gloves were stained red 
in places where she'd gripped her hands so tight that her fingernails had cut 
into her skin, even through the fabric.
	"Does this have anything to do with you having been on Mipross 
before?" Gourry asked.  He didn't know how close his question had hit home.
	"Y-e-s," she said slowly, too weak to fight any longer.
	"Ah. . .  So that is how you knew of the Hot Springs.  Tell us, what 
happened on your previous trip?" Zelgadis inquired.
	Lina related the story to them, leaving nothing out.
	Gourry was stunned.
	Zelgadis was stunned.
	"Rowdy Gabriev. . .  My grandfather," Gourry managed to say.
	Lina and Zelgadis both did a double-take.
	"Your grandfather?  You mean. . .  That old fart?!  I knew you both 
had Light Swords, but even though Gabriev isn't a common name, it isn't rare, 
so I figured it was just a coincidence," Lina said.  "Your sword handle 
doesn't look like what I remember his looked like."
	"It's probably changed over time, and I don't know anyone or even 
heard of anyone else who owns a Light Sword ***Ahem...  Tenchi Masaki, Ryoko, 
Luke Skywalker, Darth Maul, Kagato, I can go on...*** ," Gourry said.  "I 
don't even know if I have the last one or not."
	"Probably not.  The world is too big, and there are too many people; 
the chances of you running into another Light Sword are rare.  It's even 
surprising that Lina even managed to meet you, the grandson of a great sage 
and warrior whom she had assisted in defeating the daemon that had killed 
your grandmother before you were born," Zelgadis stated.
	"Well, when you put it like that, it just sounds morbid!" Lina 
protested, but stopped.  "Melarune. . .  She's your grandmother?"
	"Yes," Gourry said.
	Lina smiled.  "I'm glad."
	"And what of your nightmare?  Why have you told us this story?  Is it 
related to the nightmare?" Zelgadis asked, intrigued.
	Lina reached up to push some of her sweat-soaked hairs aside -- they 
were hanging in her face.  She saw the red stains on her gloves, and dropped 
her hand.  "I honestly don't know.  I've never been 'traumatized' by what 
happened, I think it all coincides with returning to the island."
	"Hm. . .  You said Rowdy was able to communicate with you through 
your dreams -- what about Joyrock?"
	"Rowdy and I destroyed Joyrock before he was able to gain such powers 
from the Elves."
	"The Joyrock from the past is dead. . .  But what about the Joyrock 
from the present?  The time stream would have protected him from harm," 
Zelgadis said.
	"I don't think so.  He never entered the time stream.  His future 
self should just have ceased to exist."
	"You said Rowdy visited you after you had returned to the present; if 
he did, then he was unaffected by the time change.  Joyrock holds a grudge 
against you, Lina, and he's taken it with him past the grave.  Maybe he is 
dead.  How can he still fill your dreams, then?"
	"But--"
	Lina was interrupted by the sudden cease of motion in the boat.  
Through the thin wooden walls, she could hear the faint calling of "All off 
for Mipross Island!".
	"That's our departure.  Come on, we don't want to have wasted our 
money." 

*        *        *

	Juggling food from one hand to the other, Lina pushed through the 
crowd.  The three had gone their separate ways at the harbor, promising to 
meet back at the Hot Springs Hotel in the evening -- a perfect time to go for 
a nice warm dip.  Briefly, Lina wondered if Gourry would get lost or forget 
where they were to meet, but pushed the thought away.  If he did, either she 
or Zelgadis could easily levitate over the people and spot him.  She stopped 
at the entrance of the hotel and waited.
	And waited.
	And waited.
	Lina finished the snacks she had bought.
	And waited.
	Finally, Zelgadis appeared.  He striding in front of a sheepish 
Gourry -- nearly stomping, actually -- and quite frustrated.  He paused and 
composed himself before uttering an explanation.
	"He forgot."  Such powerful meaning able to be conveyed in just those 
little two words.  Lina rolled her eyes.  ***Am I overdoing it again?***
	They entered the hotel, and were greeted by a familiar face.  Well, 
familiar to Lina anyway.
	"Good evening!  I am Juliano, this hotel's owner, I hope you find our 
accommodations to your satisfaction, and enjoy the Hot Springs to your 
delight!"
	Gourry edged over to Lina.  "Lina," he whispered, "isn't he the hot 
spring guy you told us about?"
	"Yes, but that was before the time was altered, remember?  He's not 
dangerous or evil now, just a normal hotel owner."
	"Right."
	They succeeded in booking 2 rooms; one for Lina and the other for 
Gourry and Zelgadis.  Lina wasn't about to share a room with either.
	She was just removing her shirt when a splitting pain raced through 
her head.  Crying out, a red light flashed in her mind's eye, blinding her.  
Her actual eyes were shut tight, yet tears somehow forced their way out.  She 
clenched her teeth together, and clutched at her head, willing the pain to 
stop.
	But it didn't.  As it continued, she writhed on the floor, struggled 
to stand, then crashed against a cabinet, falling to her knees.
	"Lina!  Lina, are you all right?" Gourry called from behind the door.
	"We may have to break--"
	Gourry kicked the door in.
	"--it down," Zelgadis finished.  He sighed.  Never mind.
	They both raced towards Lina's fallen figure.  Noticing that she had 
nothing on save her underwear/bra, Gourry picked her up and gently placed her 
between the sheets of her bed.
	"Zelgadis!  Look at this!"
	Zelgadis turned.  Gourry was pointing to Lina's right arm, where 
bruises had appeared high across both her bicep and tricep.
	"She must have hit the cabinet rather hard, but that's odd . . . they 
look like finger marks.  We'd better hire a healer," Zelgadis said to Gourry.
	"Why?  Can't you do magic?" he asked.
	"No, I specialize in Shamanist magic, not White magic."
	"All right, then.  One of us should watch Lina."  Gourry looked at 
her.  Even unconscious, she still seemed to be in pain.
	"I'll go," Zelgadis said.  Better not let Gourry mess up and end up 
hiring a Fire Witch.
	A few hours later, Zelgadis returned with a tall and extremely built 
woman.
	"Ah, hahahaha," the woman laughed, "So, is this the --  Lina!  It's 
you!"
	Zelgadis and Gourry both stared.  They knew each other?
	"The infamous Lina Inverse has returned to Mipross Island?  To visit 
the Hot Springs, no doubt!  I told you, they are the greatest hot springs in 
-- Lina?  Are you listening?"
	Zelgadis couldn't believe it.  More slow-witted folk, this one could 
even compete with Gourry!  "Yes, she is unconscious, I told you on the way to 
the hotel!"
	"And what does this have to do with me?"
	"You're the healer, help her!"
	"Hmph," the woman snorted.  "I can't believe you've hired me to do a 
simple healing spell!  Me, Naga the White Serpent!  As if!"  The woman burst 
out laughing.
	"Naga, eh?  And why can't you heal her?  The sign on your shop 
specifically states that you are able to be hired out for White magic as well 
as Black magic," Zelgadis glared at her.
	Naga met his gaze.  "Well, naturally, when I started this business, I 
couldn't just hire out as Black magic only!  You'll have to talk to my 
associate.  She can perform healing spells."  She laughed again.  "Well, if 
you'll allow me to go back to my shop, I can return with my associate, who 
deals in White magic.  Good day."  Naga left.

~ End of Chapter 2 ~