Mistress DragonFlame, it helped that you reviewed while I was 
making the final edits to the next chapter, which is why I'm replying to
 both reviews here.  I am curious as to what else you think I could have
 meant by 'dark chocolate,' though I'm not sure I want to know either.  
Either way, thanks for the chocolate!
     Saki, Xelloss says, "Actually, I just want to find out as soon as 
possible should Zelas decide that I should marry Filia.  It'd be a bit 
hard to get a ring that'll _fit_ her in both forms."  Make of that what 
you will.  Meanwhile, I'm glad you found the chapter cute.
     Kikou, sorry, but you weren't the first to review the last chapter.
  Anyway, I'd had conflicting information for years about the possible 
hallucinogenic properties of morning glories for a while.  Then, over a 
year ago now, I managed to get a plant catalogue that not only gave 
details but also listed for sale the particular species...  Someday, I 
may try growing them myself, though life's interesting enough without 
hallucinations so I won't try to verify it personally.  I do have to 
agree re: uninhibited Fi, and I'm happy that the implications of a 
wedding amused you.  Thank you very much for the dark chocolate!
     Monkeys, my thanks to your mistress for the large amounts of dark 
chocolate and for the great complement.  I work hard to maintain even, 
high quality in my writing and it's always nice when somebody notices.
     Lauren-sama, it might.  It was intended as a transition piece (and 
Zelas wanted more 'screen time'), though to me at least the only new 
thing I added when it came to the notes on hallucinogenic properties is 
being more particular than those who have mentioned them before.  BTW, 
from what I understand the job of 'shrine maiden' or _miko_ does 
actually require being virgin, or at least not having sex while serving 
as one.  However, Filia's no longer a shrine maiden / priestess / _miko_
 (depending on how you like your translation), so she's no longer 
actually bound to continue to meet the job's requirements.  (I may be 
off; my primary reference on _miko_ was translated from Japanese by 
Japanese-speakers and is thus sometimes not as clear as one might wish.)

     Slayers is the creation of Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi.  I 
don't own it; they and a lot of other people do.  I'm not making any 
profit off of this story.
     All lyrics used in this story are from the songs of This Mortal 
Coil.  _With Tomorrow_ is copyright Clark / Davis & Rondor Music 
(London) Ltd. and the original version was recorded by Gene Clark.
  +===+ +===+ +===+

Mr Somewhere
+=== A Slayers Fanfic by Ryo Hoshi
17 +===+ With Tomorrow

                    So with tomorrow, I will borrow
                    Another moment of joy and sorrow
                     And another dream, and another
                             With tomorrow
                                 -- With Tomorrow

     Xelloss busied himself in Filia's kitchen, making tea.  He knew 
that Filia would be woken up by the smells of the tea and the selection 
of pastries he had picked up from the best bakery in the port where he'd
 booked passage.  He had every intention of convincing Filia to stop at 
the particular bakery before they left that city.
     Filia padded in softly, only wearing a nightgown.  "Welcome back, 
Xelloss."
     He grinned.  "Did you miss me?"  He knew the answer already, but he
 asked anyway.
     Xelloss wasn't expecting to be kissed, but didn't mind the surprise
 at all.  "The box smells good.  What's in it?"
     "Oh, just a selection of pastries I picked up at Suthaven.  It's a 
nice port city, only a couple days hard travel from here and just below 
the southernmost border of the Desert of Destruction.  Our ship leaves 
from there in five days, so we should have no trouble getting there if 
we set out tomorrow at dawn."
     Filia made an appreciative noise as she ate a doughnut from the 
box.  "That's good.  I've already made our excuses, so all we have to do
 now is check my packing...and get reacquainted."
     "Yes, and we _should_ go to bed early.  You should be well-rested 
tomorrow morning..."
     Filia laughed.  "I suppose there's no chance that we can save some 
of these for breakfast tomorrow?  They're good."
     "Oh, I can easily fetch a few more in the morning.  They make 
wonderful cheesecakes, too.  If you're willing, we could visit the 
bakery while we're in Suthaven."
     "That sounds _wonderful_."

     Xelloss mechanically smoothed Filia's hair, not quite connected 
mentally to reality but beyond caring.  Since mazoku couldn't become 
intoxicated with alcohol, though they certainly could enjoy its flavor, 
he used to have only a vague idea why anybody would want to be drunk.  
It seemed an embarrassing and generally uncomfortable condition, and the
 hangovers it produced were quite definitely delightful for any nearby 
mazoku.
     He understood why they got drunk _now_.  It made a lot of sense.  
It felt amazingly good.
     It might even be worth a possible hangover in the morning.

     Xelloss moaned, not at _all_ happy about getting to experience a 
hangover personally.  Mazoku only rarely fed off their own negative 
emotions, as it had the nasty side effect of damaging their forms and 
unless it was a choice between that and complete destruction it was 
something to avoid doing at all costs.  The only use _he_ could ever 
have for a hangover all his own would be if he had to nurse an 
underling, and that was something he had no plans to ever have any need 
of doing, ever.
     He was not going to willingly let Filia ever get so horny again.
     Xelloss had covered up his hangover expertly, though.  _Now_, he 
thought to himself, _if only Filia would stop being so damn 
*cheerful*..._
     He paused, suddenly, feeling several people arrive outside, 
probably to wish them luck on their trip.  Well, some were.  He could 
taste the lovely, saccerine-sweet flavor of latent hostility and 
wonderful limy taste of not-so-latent jealousy among a significant 
number of them.  He grinned, feeling better already.
     It was so nice to know that other men had been interested in _his_ 
Filia.
     He quickly went out to join Filia.  "Dear, we need to be leaving 
now if we want to be certain of sleeping in a bed tonight," he announced
 loudly.  His hangover was unable to outlast the resultant wave of 
jealousy, and he was left with only a faint craving for key lime pie.
     Filia smiled at him, completely oblivious to the existence of 
jealous would-be suitors.  "Just a moment, Xelloss!"  She quickly 
thanked the well-wishers, and soon they were walking away from the town.
     After the last houses were a mile behind them, Filia stopped.  "Is 
there anybody close enough to us to see me transform, Xelloss?"
     "None who would notice it, at least.  It is a shame you've never 
visited Suthaven, but that can't be helped.  It _was_ a minor port until
 a few years ago."
     "Thank you," she said, ignoring his commentary.  Soon, she was 
airborne and they were on their way again, this time moving much faster,
 though not without a few problems.
     "Xelloss, stop riding on my back!"

+===+ +===+ +===+   +===+ +===+ +===+   +===+ +===+ +===+

     I've no idea if there's any canon basis for mazoku being able to 
feed other mazoku, but it could be quite useful sometimes.  Its main 
use here would be keeping an underling (and, probably quite rarely, 
superiors) from starving when they're too weak to go out among 
possibly hostile food sources.

     This is the last chapter of Mr Somewhere.  The story will be 
continued in Shikar, which I will be starting in two weeks.  Thank you, 
everybody, who has read Mr Somewhere, and particularly those who have 
reviewed!  I'm quite grateful for it!
     Reviews for this chapter will be answered in the opening AN of 
Shikar, so don't be afraid to review.  Meanwhile, I highly recommend 
that you read Idylls while waiting for me to get Shikar started.