AN: I do not own "The Slayers," I just play in the sandbox.

Zefiel City was like something out of a storybook. At least, that was Gourry's first impression as he walked through the picturesque town with Lina by his side on the cobblestone streets lined with colorful stores in shades of red, blue, yellow and white. The townspeople obviously put much care and pride into their homes, and greeted one another with warm words of welcome. Somehow the sounds of the birds singing was not drowned out by humanity, and they chirped merrily as a man sitting on a porch played a joyful tune on a flute.

Gourry smiled and felt himself relax despite the fact that he was about to meet Lina's family. His anxiety had ebbed on and off throughout the day, and right now, it was at a low point. He would meet Lina's family, they would like him and he would get along well with them, and everything would be fine. And surely Lina's sister couldn't be as terrifying as she made her out to be.

This would be such a lovely place to settle down. And with Lina's family close by everything will be perfect! He mused.

He glanced at Lina, who looked a little pale and alert. He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. She managed to return it, but he could tell she was nervous. "What is it you said your parents do again?" he asked to distract her, "Sell fish?"

But it didn't have the effect it usually did. She frowned, "Enough with the dopey act already!"

She glanced over at a shop up ahead where a woman was harvesting vegetables from a small garden at the side of the store. "Damn, I was hoping you'd meet Sis last."

"Well, at least we'll get the scary one out of the way with." He said, trying to keep a positive spin on things as his anxiety peaked again. Lina was more nervous than he was, and likely if she had a reason to be nervous, then it was time to start panicking.

Lina pursed her lips as they approached, and Gourry had to admit to being baffled as he examined the young woman in the garden. She didn't look that scary. In fact, quite the opposite. She was wearing a neat purple dress and a frilly white apron that was sparkling white despite the fact that she was gardening. Her purple hair was neat and trim. If anything, she screamed sugar and spice.

Luna smiled at them as they approached and opened her arms to hug Lina, even as she did keep a knife she was using to cut the vegetables from the vines in her hands. "Lina!" she said in a sweet, delicate voice. "You're home at last."

"Yeah, I'm here." Lina said nervously as she quickly hugged her sister, and Gourry wondered if Lina was pulling one over him big time. Unless she was worried about him being seduced by Luna's charms? Lina was insecure about that stuff. Surely the sweet natured woman hugging her sister warmly couldn't be as terrifying as Lina had built her up to be.

Lina pulled away and pointed at him, "Gourry, this is my sister, Luna. Sis, this is Gourry."

"It's so good to meet you." Luna said as she shook his hand. He noted she had a firm grip and deduced that she might not be as delicate as she appeared.

"You too." Gourry said as his anxiety started to abate once again. So far things were going well.

"Excuse me while I finish my chores." Luna said as she walked over to the cucumber plant and grabbed a large one, held it, and then smiled sweetly. "So tell me, are you just Lina's protector, or something more?"

As soon as she finished the question, she sliced the vine violently with her knife, with far more force than she needed to as she harvested the cucumber.

Gourry's eyes widened as Lina started to grind her teeth. That had to be a coincidence. Surely Luna hadn't done that on purpose! Smoothly she walked over to a small table and set the cucumber down on it as Gourry stated as calmly as he could as he grabbed Lina's hand, "Well, I guess you could say we're something more."

"How sweet!" Luna crooned, "Something more as in friends with benefits?"

She swiftly cut the cucumber lengthwise.

"Or lovers?"

The knife hit the table with a loud bang as she chopped it in the middle.

"Or somewhere in between?"

Then, least there be any remaining doubt in Gourry's now petrified mind that it was a coincidence, she started dicing the cucumber into tiny bits.

"M-mind your own damn business!" Lina snarled as Gourry felt sweat form on his brow.

"My apologies, that was a rather personal question." Luna sang as she brought out some squash. "Now then, what are your intentions towards my sister."

She once again finished her question by expertly slicing the squash in half. Gourry scratched the back of his head nervously as Luna continued the demonstrate her prowess with the knife on the hapless vegetable, "Well, Lina and I just sort of take things as they come."

"Lina always did know how to live in the moment." Luna said as she brought out a carrot and raised her knife. "So I guess that means you haven't knocked her up yet." She tossed out as she brought the knife down and split the carrot longwise in two. "Or you would do the honorable thing."

Gourry's hair stood up on end as Lina screeched, "Get your mind out of the gutter!"

Luna plopped a rather manly looking parsnip on the table and lifted her knife again, "Are you sharing a room together?"

Gourry felt his voice flee as she started to dice the parsnip into tiny bits as Lina groaned and started to pull at her hair.

"Lina, sweetie, I just need to know if I need to set up some blankets on the couch tonight for our guest or if he'll just bunk up with you."

"Lina!" A new voice cried, and Gourry turned to see an older woman standing on the porch steps.

"Mom!" Lina said, relief evident in her voice as she went up to hug her.

Gourry heaved a sigh of relief, and wondered if her parents would think any less of him If he thanked them profusely for saving them from their older daughter. It was suddenly crystal clear why Lina had left home without visiting for the last five years. What was he thinking earlier? That this would be a nice place to settle! Scratch that. As soon as they could they would be hightailing it as far away from Zefiel City and Luna as possible!

Before he could give it much more thought he was distracted as Lina introduced him to her mother, who was significantly less scary than her daughters as she greeted him in a warm, maternal manner.

But then her eyes fell on the diced vegetables on the table, and Gourry swore he could see flames in them as she yelled. "Dammit, Luna, I know you're jealous that you haven't nabbed a man yet but what did I tell you about manners?"

"Mom!" Luna protested, and soon the two women were trading jabs with each other. "What did I tell you about judging me on my romantic prospects?"

Lina sighed and leaned back on the porch railing as Gourry leaned down to whisper a question, "Lina, are we going to survive the night if we stay here?"

Lina frowned as she folded her arms across her chest and said seriously, "Sorry Gourry, but I can make no guarantees for your safety from here on out."

AN: I kind of think of this as an epilogue to "The Choice," though obviously you don't need to have read it to understand this.

And I got the idea of Luna cutting and dicing vegetables from what my FIL would do when my SIL would introduce her dates to him (only he used a machete). I have warned my husband numerous times that he is not to do that when our daughter starts dating!