"Yo ho yo ho! We loot! We smash! We steal! We snatch! We do the women too! We pillage and we plunder! We're the Brigands of Cazoo!" was the merry chant of a group of bandits. Boom went the Brigands of Cazoo as Sylphiel leveled half of the bandit gang with a well placed, yet weaker version of the Dragon Slave. After all, Lina could cast it without leveling half of a city and she figured out how too. Meanwhile, Zangulus had deemed to use one of his spells and wrapped an Astral Vine around his blade, just in case someone had a weapon or armor that was resistant to wind. Sylphiel looked a bit pessemistic. But then again, her only other major spell was a Flare Carrot and she was pretty sure it wasn't going to help. "Waaahhhh.... the ice demon that has struck our fellow brigands to the east has come to claim our treasures and souls! Run for it!" said a surviving bandit. Sylphiel blinked. "I'm sure that wasn't ice based, was it?" Zangulus looked up from scooping loot into his sack. "Pretty darn sure." The surviving bandit blinked, and laughed to himself. "Ooops... sorry about that mistake. It's such that we've been spooked by a story of an ice banshee that did a fellow bandit gang in up to the east of here." "I see. I do not wish to level this whole place so would you be so kind to leave now?" Sylphiel asked. "Ummm... sure?" The bandit was confused. Most mercanaries or bandit hunters wouldn't give any chance for any bandit to run for their lives, which was what this one was practically offering. But again, after looking at that scary weapon of hers... Gathering his men, the man quickly appologized, gave her the address of his families' weapon shop a few towns away and the offer of a free armor and weapon upgrade, and bolted, his men trailing behind. "That was odd..." Zangulus mused. "I wonder what he meant by an ice banshee." "Maybe it was just a sorceress who uses nothing but ice magic," Sylphiel suggested. "That guy looked very much spooked. Unless there is an icy equvilant to Lina Inverse out there..." Zangulus replied. "It IS possible," Sylphiel added. "But again, we are in the territory where Dynast is around." "Perhaps it was a mazoku then." Syphiel sighed. "All the monsters lately seem to be ice based." "Well... if it is a Mazoku... we'll be able to deal with it, just like those last two," Zangulus said as he collected the loot. "Come on... it's still a good long walk to the next town." The pair set off, keeping aware as they traversed through the mountianous regions. =========================================================================== Magictech Productions Presents... A Slayers and Sailor Moon Crossover... Slayers REVOLUTION Another unlikely crossover from the minds of Shaun Garin and WarChild... And as usual, nothing here belongs to us. If they did, we'd be rich! =========================================================================== Episode 5: Loud! The Serpent's Annoying Laugh! =========================================================================== "What do you mean you don't have the special?" The waiter grimaced. Sure the customer dressed strange, and had an ahem... figure that most women would want... but how could he explain what happened in this establishment. "We ran out of the special a month and a half ago, after that red haired sorceress and her blond companion came here and..." The woman just laughed in her horrible way as she said, "Well then, get me one of everything on the menu!" "Yes ma'am!" "And some wine and sake to go with that!" She called out after the flustered waiter. "So... Lina's been here... and this new companion of hers too," the woman said to herself. The woman, as you know was Naga the White Serpant, the sorceress who had declared to be Lina Inverse's greatest rival. Of course, she was known to be a prime source of being blown up by Lina at times during her travels with aformentioned sorceress. But beyond her flighty impulses and horrible laugh laid a personality much less seen. It was her normal side. The side that was once Gracia of Seyruun. Amelia's older sister. The white priestess who turned to the black magics. Forgoing her royal heritage after a deadly incident back in Seyruun, she took up the mantle of a traveling mercenary sorceress who would be known for her scanty outfit that barely covers her extravagent figure(in the opinion of the male population), and the horrible horrible banishee-esque laugh. No one knew that she was quite serious and caring under the laugh and personality. She had made a name for herself... that is... until she heard of a upstart sorceress that bandit gangs keep muttering about. Her life quickly turned into what she always jokingly called Lina. She was a sidekick, plain and simple. God she hated being a side kick. There was her first partner when she set out as a barely 15 year old girl, a young sorcerer with a wierd nose, but he had joined up with a guy with a floppy hat. Then, having learned enough ice magic from him, she began to hunt bandits and making a name. By then she added golem magic to her skills, although they did have a habit of doing more harm than good. Anatomy was her worst subject as a child, and thus, never got proportions right save for her own figure. Thus, her golems were rather large, unwieldy and downright wierd looking. Even though she didn't like being called the sickkick of Lina Inverse, as she felt she was an equal, not lesser than Lina, she enjoyed her time with Lina... until that day... The Giga Slave. Scared the hell out of her. Lina was testing it out, deriving it out of some manuscript she found and basing the spell on the Dragon Slave. The spell then was way beyond Lina's control. Naga swore that she saw something inside it. Something, not quite beyond mazoku or dragon power. But she saw images of death... a lot of images of death.... including... She didn't know what to make of it. Did Lina become more than just a sorceress, or was she something more? She wasn't sure. For that, she split up without telling Lina. She was sure Lina was happy, always afraid of her and her laugh. Damnit, it wasn't her fault that the women of Mothers side had the same laugh. Aunt Kodan and Aunt Aya had the same laugh too. It wasn't fair. And little sis, Amelia, would be feeling the effects of the laugh as well. So as Naga traversed the lands, continuing on her stint as a mercenary sorceress, until it seemed there was nothing to explore, since the land she was in was sealed by the Mazoku's barrier. That was when she heard the latest rumors of Lina Inverse. She had defeated Hellmaster and a dark lord from another universe. Another staff world. The thought was mind boggling but Lina did have a habit of pulling miracles out of nowhere. But that would have meant that the barrier was broken, and thus, a whole new lands are open for exploration. So she had set off, going about her usual buisness, travelling, drinking and blowing up bandits. "Miss.... your meal is ready," announced the waiter, as plates of food was placed on the table. Naga affected her pompous pose as she dug in, acknowledging the waiter with a short nod. =========================================================================== Sylphiel and Zangulus arrived at the town, quite exhausted. There were a few more bandit gangs along the way, that well, they haven't seen Lina or Gourry, but they kept mention about a demoness or banshee of some sort. Whoever this demoness was, it was VERY good at scaring bandits. Having encountered two Mazoku, one of them claiming to be under Dynast, it was easy for them to suspect that a Mazoku is the most likely responisble. As they neared a small town nestled in the foothills of a looming mountian, they noticed a few bandit statues. The bandits were engulphed within ice. "Looks like whatever it was came this way." "Geez... harsh punishment," Zangulus said. "I rather be blown up than frozen solid." Sylphiel didn't have anything to reply to that but pushed on. It was about nighttime when they arrived at the town. There were a few places open, and the townspeople were far and few, except near the bars and restaurants. The bar, was loud as usual, filled with men who had stopped for the day from working the fields. Various women worked the bar as well as Zangulus smiled to himself. "I need a pint." "Well you may need a drink, but I need a room," Sylphiel said. "Suit yourself," Zangulus replied. As Sylphiel headed towards the inn, Zangulus rubbed his hands in anticipation. After drinking with Pippin and Merry in the last few towns back, he was ready to drink heartily again. With that he walked in to the bar and headed to the counter. Sitting down, he looked around, hoping to find someone he could identify. He thought for a moment he saw a familiar face under a dark hood, but noticed it was just another man. "I'm getting soft," he muttered to himself. "I'm seeing Aragorn everywhere." "So you're positive she's hiding in this town?" "Much positive. She seems to be in her human form as well, according to the locals. We'll stop that subuccus once for all." "Wait a minute... I thought she was a banshee." "Are you sure? I swore that she was just a demoness." "Such patheticness," Zangulus grumbled. "No matter what she is, we'll have our revenge, once we place these manicles over her. Then she'll become our bitch to play with!" Zangulus looked over. "Are you guys sure she's some kind of demon?" The man with the manicles responded. "Who are you? Unless you part one of the destroyed gangs, this shouldn't concern you. Besides, with that horrible laugh and the clothing she saw, she has to be a succubus." "Uh uh. Banshee!" "No... demoness!" The shouting match quickly degraded into a very immature argument as Zangulus ordered another pint. He was so into his drinking that he didn't notice a fourth figure coming up to the three and telling them something about the mystery woman that they left their chairs and exited the bar. Or another woman, who exactly looked like their mystery woman, exiting as well. =========================================================================== Sylphiel leaned the Glaive to the side as she laid down on the soft bed. The moonlight shone into her room as she began to fall into a deep sleep... which was interrupted by clatter of footsteps on the rooftop? Sylphiel sat up as she reached for the Glaive. Suddenly, the rooftop exploded inwards as a tall figure leapt down and clasped a pair of golden manacles onto her. "OH HO HO HO HO HO!" The figure laughed. "I have caught you, you evil succubus!" Sylphiel blinked. "What?" The woman laughed again. "I overheard a group of men hunting a succubus and were planning to trap you! Well, they can just PAY me because I, Naga the White Serpent have captured your FIRST! OH HO HO HO HO HO!" "Ano...." Sylphiel remembered some of the previous comments in the previous bandit gangs. "Wait a minute... that's a lie and you know it," she said with some force. "You're the succubus, and intend to frame me for what you did!" Naga laughed some more. "Don't think you can fool me! I am Naga! Naga the White Serpent, the most powerful sorceress in the world!" Right now, Sylphiel was getting angry, which was rare occurance, here and there, the one notible time when Zangulus was fighting Gourry unfairly in the woods outside Rezo's lab. It was then that the door exploded inwards. Zangulus ran in, grabbed Sylphiel and the Glaive and smashed through the window just as a second explosion blew said remains of the window out. "Zangulus... but how?" Sylphiel asked, wondering how Zangulus knew what was happening, and who was responsible for the explosions. "Less talk more running," he answered, skidding around the corner. "You think you can escape Naga the White Serpent, you fiendish subuccus? I shall have the last laugh!" Behind her were a horde of men, holding what appeared to be crude bombs. "Get her!" cried the men, "Get the succubus!" "Eh?" Naga turned around to face them. "'Fraid not boys. I got her first!" "What the hell are you talking about you succubus?!" cried one man as he leveled his pitchfork at her. "Get her!" "You're going to be our bitch, after we're done with ya!" another man held up the manacles. "We're going to have fun with ya... just so show you don't mess with us bitch!" 'Damn it, she brainwashed them to think I am their succubus. No matter, I'll deal with that,' Naga thought. =========================================================================== Zangulus, setting the flustered shrine maiden down, scratched his head and sighed. "There are times when I wish I was dumb as Gourry so I can just look past this stupidity." "Zangulus.... help me cut these things off," Sylphiel asked. Zangulus inspected it, whispered a spell under his breath and the manacles opened. "Unlock. Another one of my spells I learned on the road." "That girl... she blamed me... when she's the one with the horrible laugh..." Sylphiel grumbled. "I'd say blow her up and get it over with," Zangulus grumbled. "I'm too tanked with ale to fight properly." He reached into his cloak and withdrew a well worn pipe. Lighting it, he took a puff and sighed as the smoke rings wafted in the air amidst the shouting, screaming and sounds of magic being thrown. "Ah, Old Toby. The finest weed in the Shire." Sylphiel sighed, took the Glaive back, and marched to where the fighting was occuring. The blade scythed down amidst the fighting, causing a seven tenths split in the fighters as a huge crack appeared in the ground from the impact. "That is enough!" she shouted. Naga turned from the fighting to face Sylphiel. "It is true, time for you to pay for the insult, succubus! I, Naga the White Serpent, will not stand for it!" Sylphiel groaned. "This is nuts. Now I know how Miss Lina feels. Oh well. I liked this town. Zangulus!" Zangulus looked up in surprise. "Hug a rock!" Naga blinked at the very important piece of information that just went over her head as Zangulus hit the ground, holding onto the nearest rock. "DRAGON SLAVE!" A spectacular, yet somewhat small version of the Dragon Slave carved a crater in town. And in that crater, Naga was on flat on her chest, on top of the bandits. "My name is Sylphiel Nels Lahda, White Priestess of Sairaag, not Succubus!" The name pierced Naga's memory like a knife as she stood up, surprisingly rather unscathed from the point blank Dragon Slave. "I've heard of you," she said. "You helped rebuild Sairaag twice." "Interesting words coming from a succubus like you," said Sylphiel. "You think I'm the succubus? OH HOHOHOHOHOHO! Why would you think that?" "Your laugh, your clothing, your figure..." Sylphiel shrugged. "A matter of perspective and Zangulus, stop smoking and help me here!" Zangulus grumbled as he extinguished his pipe. "I only have two bags of Old Toby left," he remarked. "That was a good tenth of the bag right there." "Keeeeep away from us...... it's back enough you have to destroy our gangs and take our loot...." muttered one of the bandits. "But just don't laugh around us again you banshee..." "Hey.... I thought we agreed she's a succubus!" went a second. "No.... a demoness!" disagreed a third. "Ummm.... haven't you guys thought she's a Mazoku? After all she survived that spell intact." suggested a fourth, Then the various bandits in the pit looked at each other. "MAZOKU?!" The bandits quickly ran away as Sylphiel stared, the normally unflappable Zangulus keeled over in laughter of the sheer stupidity of the situation... And Naga just blinked. =========================================================================== "I can't believe that they actually thought I was a demoness, succubus, or whatever. I'm just a normal traveling mercenary sorceress that uses bandit gangs as a source of cash," went Naga. Sylphiel just nursed a cup of coffee, finding the liquid soothing her nerves of the previous three hours. Zangulus sat in his chair, snoozing. "Well, your laugh and style of dress seemed to convinced them otherwise. When I ran into the groups you didn't touch, they kept muttering that they've been attacked by a demoness of some sort. And I believed them, considering..." Sylphiel began. "Considering?" Naga asked seriously, being on her fifth tankard of ale. "Considering we've been attacked by mazoku in every fourth village," Sylphiel answered. "Mazoku?" "Twice, once in Statik, and once in the village of Sindel Peaks." Sylphiel explained. "This just makes my journey the more important." Naga nodded. It was amazing of the things she could think of when fully loaded with wine. "So... mind if I join you?" Sylphiel started. "What?" "Well, you need a magic user that could cast more than Lina-chan's trademarked spell," Naga said. "And I haven't seen Lina in such a long time either." Sylphiel blinked. "You know Lina? As in Lina Inverse" "Why yes." Naga answered, surprised by the question. "Why do you ask?" "I have it on good word that Lina-san is somewhere near. My journey is to find her, before another disaster happens. I have to warn her." Naga snorted. "At the very least, she could have kept in contact. A postcard would have been nice. 'Dear Naga, at the gates of Dark Star. Wish you were here.' Sheesh." Naga took a long chug of wine. "Maybe that's because she probably couldn't find you..." Sylphiel handed Naga the letter she received from Lina. Naga blinked. "How do you... have..." "I am one of Lina-san friends. I helped her twice when she was in Sairaag, against the forces that had destroyed it, both times," Sylphiel explained. Naga took the letter with a surprised expression. "My goodness." "Small world isn't it?" Sylphiel said. "Quite," Naga said, as she read the letter, muttering to herself, "So the rumors are true... and you seem to understand that spell better now..." Sylphiel nodded. "Yes, I have been working on control." "I wasn't referring to you.... I was referring to Lina.... and that spell..." Naga sighed. "It's a long story." Sylphiel blinked as she realized exactly which spell Naga was talking about. Naga got up. "I think we should retire for the night. If we're to find Lina-san, we should be well rested to do so. After all," she said as she began to pose. "I believe it is time I reunited with my old rival. Beware Lina Inverse, Naga the White Serpent's coming back! OH HOHOHOHOHO!" "Please don't laugh," Sylphiel groaned. =========================================================================== Lina had a slight chill going down her back. "Something wrong Lina?" Gourry asked, getting up. "Ahh... no..." Lina answered, backhanding Xellos as he appeared to prevent him from saying anything. The pair went back to sleep, while Xellos wondered how Lina knew where to expect him when he phased in. =========================================================================== End Episode 5 =========================================================================== Authors notes (Shaun) : Naga. A perpetually brainless charecter wrapped around a pillar of loss and seriousness. A study in contrasts. Out of all of Lina's companions, there has never been someone as complex as Naga has been. Serious at one point in time, wacky the next. Her personality stems from a loss of her mother at a young age. Naga, to me, is a charecter who needed the most development in character. Everyone saw her as a laughing bimbo who could conjour up the passable misshapen golem and use Ice magic quite well. But I felt there could be more to her, something from her past breaking through somehow. So, thus, I set out to shape Naga in ways that were still in character. Naga will gain the most development as she meets people from Zangulas' past who might just help her in ways she never thought possible. Author's Notes(WarChild): The character I mentioned in Episode 4. Yep, it's Naga, or Naga the White Serpent. I felt that six OVA episodes and four one hour movies weren't enough to explore Naga's character. This episodes uses certain conventions I believe that are found in other Slayers fanfictions such as that Naga, back when she was Gracia, killed her mother's assassin, and that she actually saw Lina 'test' the Giga Slave, whether or not that was part of the reason Naga and Lina split up originally. And as I forgot to mention in Episode 4, we will be seeing glimpses of the TV Slayers group(Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis) more often. After all, they will be playing a role late in the series.