I suppose it was inveitable....

***

SLAYERS INHERITANCE
"We're Going Alone? Mom's Surprising Announcement!"
by Michael Hopcroft

"Anya Inverse here! Boy, did we have a hard day! Titania went Mazoku on
us and almost
killed everybody. Luckily I was able to cool her off and get her back to
herself.
Meanwhile, Valgaav took on the Mazoku Gorvald by himself and thinks he
won.
Anyway, it's now been decided that we're going to Seyruun after all and
that Valgaav is
coming with us. I don't know what'll be harder - keeping Valgaav's paws
off me or
Titania's paws off Valgaav! Doesn't anybody keep their paws to themselves?"

In their double-bedded room, Titania and Anya couldn't sleep. They knew
they were
leaving for Seyruun in the morning, but Filia had decided that everybody
should spend
the night in the inn. Then she and Milgasia had gone off for a midnight
flight - Valgaav
had described it as "Mom's idea of a night out".

"I wonder what Filia and Milgasia are doing out there?" Titania asked.

"You have to ask? They're probably rutting like rabbits in some
clearing." Anya frowned.
"Speaking of which, I don't hear anything from Mom and Dad's room."

"Should you?"

"This early in the evening? You don't really know how loud they get when
they think
nobody's listening. They must be really deep in thought if they're
forgoing sex."

***

Filia and Milgasia returned to the inn and shifted back to human form.
Filia smiled at her
mate with a mischievous expression of the kind she showed only to him.
"So which do
you like better - human Filia or dragon Filia?"

Milgasia answered her gleam with a wink. "Filia is Filia. I like her
both ways."

"Then are you up for another bout - in human form?"

"Why no - Lina?"

Filia looked into the common room and was surprised to see Lina and
Gourry sitting
there. "Lina? What are you doing here?"

Lina blushed slightly. "Filia, you still have your priestly skills, right?"

"Yes, although I haven't really used them in years. Why do you ask?"

"I seem to be gaining a little bit of weight, and I don't normally gain
weight given how
much I've been easting. It's been a long time since my body has reacted
the way it's
reacting."

Filia's eyes narrowed. "How long, exactly?"

"Sixteen years."

Filia walked over to Lina, laid a hand on her belly, and closed her
eyes. She was
rewarded with a slight golden glow. Filia opened her eyes and smiled
benevolently. "The
reason is the same." She said. "Are you happy or worried?"

"Both, actually. What is this going to mean for the trip? We can't pout
it off - we're a
target as long as Xellos knows where we are."

Milgasia frowned. "You're right - but there's one way out of your
dilemma. Are you
prepared?"

"No. Any wouldn't have survived that last battle without me. She'd have
no chance on
her own if Titania goes out of control again."

"Are you sure about that?" Milgasia asked.

Gourry sat down in front of Lina. "Anya has become quite a capable
sorceress," he said.
"And it's not like you'll never see her again>"

"That's just what I'm afraid of. I can't send my daughter on what might
be a suicide
mission!"

"Lina, darling, listen. If you didn't want Anya to face danger, we would
have settled
down in Seyruun and you would have become the court sorcerer. Danger
isn't suicide,
otherwise we'd both be dead. And Anya WANTS to do this. She's befriended
Titania and
Valgaav, and she won't let her friends down. She's not that kind of girl."

Lina gave Gourry a slight smile, then broadened it and finally grabbed
him around the
neck. "Nothing worries you, does it, you darling jellyfish?"

"Only the fact that I may have to be smelling dirty diapers again."

***

Titania and Anya walked into the common room in the morning to see a
sumptuous
breakfast laid out of the table. Filia brought in a huge pot of tea.
"Well, girls, it's about
time you woke up. We've got sausages, eggs, hotcakes, bacon, ham - just
about anything
you could possibly want in a breakfast. And strong breakfast blend tea
to wash it all
down."

"Mother went a little bit overboard this morning," Valgaav said, "So you
girls had better
enjoy it." Lina and Gourry were keeping their distance, not wanting to
begin the breakfast
struggled until everyone got to the table.

"What's the occasion - aside from us leaving in the morning, that is?"

Lina frowned. "It's for your graduation. Anya, you're going to be
leading this
expedition."

"Why aren't you going?"

"No, I'm not. You see, I just found out that Gourry and I are having
another baby, and I
can't aff0ord to risk the baby."

Anya stared at her mother wide-eyed. "Really?  I'm going to have a
brother or sister?"

"Both, actually." Said Filia. "Lina's pregnant with twins -- one male,
one female. So
you'll have a little brother and a little sister."

"Congratulations, Lina!" cried Titania. "That's wonderful news!"

"Thanks. Anyway, I expect this to be a difficult pregnancy, so if I went
with you I'd be in
the way." Lina said. "I'm going to stay here."

"But Mom, who's going to protect you from Xellos?"

"You worry about Xellos from now on, Anya.  I'll be fine. Now, let's
gobble up that
delicious-looking breakfast and they you guys can be going. Oh, and
Valgaav?"

Valgaav gulped. "Yes, Ms. Inverse?"

"You are going to be on your best behavior - or else!"

***

After breakfast, Anya quickly packed her bags and headed towards the
wagon. Valgaav
stopper her at the door and shook his head. "No wagon. We'll be too
conspicuous, and
we may want to keep off the main roads."

"You mean we're going to have to WALK to Seyruun? That's not fair! I'm
in charge,
and I say we take the wagon!"

"The wagon is a target. One fire spell and we'll have to walk anyway -
only without all
our weapons and provisions. We take money, whatever provisions we can
carry on our
backs, and weapons."

Anya raised her finger to scold Valgaav, but then relaxed it and
shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh well. Now that I think about it, what you're saying makes sense.
It'll take us longer
to get to Seyruun, but we will be a less obvious target."

"Glad to be of help."

"Oh, and Valgaav, you're not going to be making any moves on Titania,
are you?"

Valgaav stood aghast. "Titania? What makes you think that?"

"She did kiss you."

"On the cheek! It was just a friendly peck!" Anya smiled wickedly.
Valgaav didn't like
the look of that smile. "What are you up to?"

Anya suddenly leaned over and kissed Valgaav on the cheek. "Now we're
even." She
said. "And if you try that yourself, I'll give you a fireball you never
forget!"

"You know, it might be worth it." That remark caused Anya to blush
furiously.

"Wha... wha... What's THAT supposed to mean?"

"I think I'll just let you stew about that for a while. Now let's get
our packs together and
head out. And get a pair of pants for Titania. They're better for
long-distance travel than a
skirt." Valgaav smiled enigmatically and went back into the inn.

Anya stood alone in the hall, still blushing. *What is this guy doing to
me?* she thought.

***

A few hours later, everyone was assembled. Titania had changed into a
traveling outfit
with trousers, comfortable shoes, a red top and a hooded cloak. Valgaav
handed her a
sword. "Know how to use one of these?" he asked.

"No."

Anya frowned. "They I'll have to teach you. We can't have you going
Mazoku every
time somebody attacks us. I'll try to teach you some basic defensive
spells too. That way
you won't feel so helpless."

Lina walked up to say goodbye to her daughter. "Take care of yourself,
darling>" she
said.  "I want your brother and sister to know their big sister."

"You take care of yourself too, Mom. I'm gonna miss you so much!"

"I'll miss you too, Anya. But this is your chance to prove what you can
do on your own.
Make me proud, OK?"

"I will."

Then Lina turned a menacing glare to Valgaav. "And, Valgaav, if you lay
a finger on my
daughter...."

Valgaav smiled. "I promise I'll uphold the honor of the Ancient Dragons
in spite of all
temptation."

The farewells lasted for several more minutes before the three teenagers
left for the trip.

***

That evening, Lina sat in the common room, reading a book, when Filia
walked up to
her."

"It's OK, Lina. The two of you can stay here until the babies come. You
don't even have
to pay me."

Lina shook her head. "I can pay, and I will. I'll even pay in advance.
You know how
high-maintenance I am.

Suddenly a man in priestly robes appears before them. Lina hissed. "Xellos!"

"Don't I get to say goodbye to my daughter?" Xellos said.

"She's already left." Lina replied. "No now what are you going to do -
take it out on
me?"

"You wound me, Lina. We're old friends. I could never hurt you. Or
you.my delightful
little dragoness."

"Does that apply to my daughter?" Lina asked. "Because I don't care what
kind of past
we have together - if you harm one hair on Anya's head, I will hunt you
down to the Sea
of Chaos and personally destroy you in ways that only a Mazoku would
appreciate."

"That won't happen in Anya sees reason. Titania belong with me, Lina.
Her place is at
my side. In Anya realizes this, everything will be fine."

Lina smiled a smile that would chill the blood of anyone who saw it..
"You're wrong,
Trickster. You may have infused her with your power, but Titania is
human and that's
how she's going to live out her life."

Xellos frowned. "We'll see about that." And with that he vanished.

"Is this going to happen every bloody night?" Lina asked Filia. The
dragon could only
shrug.

TO BE CONTINUIED...







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