DISCLAIMER
"Slayers" and its characters are property of Rui Araizumi, Hajime Kanzaka, Kadokawa Shoten, TV Tokyo, SOFTX, and Marubeni in Japan. American distribution by Software Sculptors (and ADV for the movies but we’re not getting into that). I do not own the characters from this series, and am not and have no intention of making money off them. This is a fanfiction for enjoyment only. Love Slayers, don’t hate me, and all will be good.
INTRODUCTION
This story takes place about 17-18 years after Slayers Try. The rest will be revealed in the story.
*************
*Part 1-Newsflash! Valtiera Grown-up!*
Knock Knock Knock
Filia looked up from her pottery. "We’re open!"
Knockknockknockknock!
"I said the door was open!"
BANG!
She scrambled around the half-unpacked crates of merchandise.
BANG!
Silently swearing at the incompetence of Jiras and Grabos, who were on their third lunchbreak, Filia reached the door.
BANG!
"I said come in, you-LINA!" The diminutive sorceress had her hand raised to pound on Filia’s door once again.
"About time, Filia!" she whined.
"The door was unlocked."
"Oh. Hehe." She looked sheepish. "Sorry Filia."
"Come in, Lina," Filia said, a frustrated smile on her face. "If you go out back, Grabos and Jiras are having lunch…"
"LUNCH?!" Lina disappeared. Filia sighed, hoping that they’d have enough food left for dinner.
********
Filia looked at Lina, scarfing down the majority of her week’s grocery shopping. She hadn’t changed. Oh, she didn’t wear such bright clothes, and her form had filled out (only a little) and she was (barely) taller, but her face was the same, especially that frightening look as she fought over dinner…
"I’m home!" a male voice called.
"We’re in the dining room," Filia called back. Lina looked up (finally).
He paused in the doorway, taking in the scene-Jiras and Grabos arguing over the last unclaimed chicken leg; Filia sitting out of the way; the little redhead leaning over, paused in the act of commandeering said drumstick.
"Lina-san, what a surprise!" She plunked back down in her chair with her prize and grinned, first at the scowling Jiras and Grabos, then at the boy in the doorway.
"Val! I almost didn’t recognize you!" He was older than when she last visited, years ago. But younger than when they’d first met, when he’d been the Mazoku Valgarv. His pale green hair was shoulder-length and held by a black band, but no longer stuck up like a deranged mop.
"I’ve gotten older, obviously. It’s been…" he ticked off the time on his fingers "…seven years."
"It was at his ninth birthday party," Filia added. "You bought the cake, and the cutest little shirt! You ended up wearing the cake and eating the shirt, Valteira."
"Oh, stop it Mom! I did not!" The boy flushed.
Filia winked at Lina. She grinned. Val had turned dragon to impress Junior, two at the time, and had crashed into the towering cake Lina had bought (she’d been hoping to grab a nice portion for herself), and while licking the new shirt clean, had ripped it to shreds with his sharp little dragon teeth.
"Anyway, I saved you dinner," Filia said to the boy.
"Great! I’m starved!" Filia giggled.
"He doesn’t eat like you, Lina, but he’s getting there." Lina cocked an eyebrow.
"It’ll take that stickboy a hundred and fifty-three years to compare to me in ANYTHING-especially my favorite hobby!"
"‘Stickboy!’ Are you insinuating that I don’t feed my Valteira enough?!" Filia nearly screeched, her tail poking out from beneath her dress.
"No, just that he can’t compare to ME."
Jiras and Grabos looked at Val. "Are you going to take that, Boss?"
"Nope."
"But you’re not doing anything!"
"If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Mom," Val gesticulated with his drumstick, "it’s that immediate retaliation is predictable and therefore, easily dodged."
"Valteira, don’t play with your food."
"Yes, Mom"
********
Lina sipped her tea, holding the warm cup in both hands. She wasn’t a big tea drinker, but this was nice.
"I’m glad you came, Lina," Filia said sadly. She sat with her hands in her lap, looking down.
"Hmmm? Why so sad?"
"Valteira…wants to leave. He wants to go see things, to travel. I didn’t want him to, but now you’re here…"
"I’m not a babysitter, Filia."
"But…he’s only a boy…he doesn’t want me along…we talked about that…you know what he IS…"
"I didn’t say I wouldn’t." Lina winked. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that I’m not a babysitter. For future reference."
"You handled Gourry for all those years! My Valteira is more grown-up than he ever was!" Filia hmphed. Lina sighed.
"Whatever you say, Mommy."
*******
"Did you remember to pack clean clothes? And a toothbrush?"
"Yes, Mom."
"That’s my boy!" Filia crooned. She was exasperating! Lina just sat back and stayed out of her way.
"Valteira-sama…" Jiras looked like he was on the verge of tears. So did Grabos. Lina wasn’t sure about Val. He looked like he might break down. Or hit something. He obviously wasn’t enjoying this good-bye.
"Filia, we have to get going soon. I want to reach the next town before dinner," Lina interrupted. She patted her pocket. Filia had given her quite a sum! Enough for a whole week, which is a considerable amount, with Lina’s restaurant bills. (She’d given Val some cash too, with instructions to not let Lina stick him with those bills. ‘This was supposed to be for his education…’ she’d thought.)
Filia hugged Val, and kissed him on the cheek.
"MO-OM!"
"Come home safe."
Lina started walking. Val followed. He turned and looked over his shoulder. Filia stood in the doorway, looking very sad, with Jiras and Grabos waving like idiots from behind her. She managed a smile when she saw him looking. He smiled back at them, and trotted to catch up with Lina.
