AN: Welcome to the 100th chapter! 310,000 or so words! Why do I write like I'm running out of time, lol. I wish this wasn't a transitional chapter, but it is what it is. Sometimes I'm amazed people are still following this, but overall I'm glad that you are having as much fun with this as I am! Thanks for journeying with me.
Susan was grateful for the morning ditty that Pippi had sung as she made her bed. It was obnoxious and catchy, and in other words, it was the perfect distraction she needed from the thoughts of her schoolmates as she went to breakfast. It was good to have fresh material to focus on. Anyone who thought it would be nice to read minds had no idea how distracting and overwhelming it could be!
Her stomach rumbled as she walked to the student dining room, the song in her head drowning out the stray snippets of thoughts that assaulted her as she kept her face down. But it was hard not to notice how the conversation ceased when she walked through the doors. She did her best not to change her pace as she walked to the buffet table, but it was hard not to falter as whispers and flashes of thoughts started to echo through the room. Telepath. How else could she know? Spy. Traitor.
Susan's stomach turned as her appetite vanished. Would she draw more attention to herself by turning around and leaving? But then, it wasn't as though she could stay there. She turned, only to be stopped by Hyacinth. "Excuse me." Susan said as she tried to move around her but Hyacinth blocked her.
BEHIND YOU! Hyacinth mentally screeched.
Susan turned her head as Hyacinth pointed at her, "She heard my thoughts, I can tell! She's a telepath! She's been reading our minds this whole time."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Susan said as the swirl of the rest of her classmates became a whirl of shouting voices in her mind. "Now let me pass."
But Nerys, Peter and Owen got up to join Hyacinth as she said, "We don't want you reading our minds!"
"I don't!" Susan shot back. If only people knew the lengths she went to to avoid it. But sometimes she couldn't block it out. And with the way that Gourry and Rick were mentally shouting the previous day it had overwhelmed her defenses and, apparently, unveiled her secret.
"You're from Dils, aren't you?" Nerys said as she sized Susan up, "We need to tell Dame Lina. She could be a spy."
"Dame Lina, I imagine, already knows." Marcus said as he came up to stand beside Susan, "Remember all of those secrets meetings they called Susan into last year? She was helping to protect Maninstit from the Mazoku who wanted to kidnap Dame Lina and Sir Gourry's twins."
Susan didn't dare ask him how he knew that, she was merely thankful that someone was still standing beside her as Nerys said, "So you mean to tell me that Dame Lina knew that someone like her lived here and didn't warn any of us?"
"Probably because she was smart enough to know that something like this would happen." Honor said as she got up and walked over to stand on Susan's other side as Nemitz jumped down from her shoulder to nudge his head against Susan's leg as he walked between them. "We've lived and fought with Susan for a year. She nearly died with us when Deep Sea Dolphin attacked. Telepaths are born, they can't help it. I have no doubt that Susan is loyal to us. And if you need further proof, look at Nemitz. If she wasn't trustworthy he would tell me."
The tension rose through the room as the students who were still sitting down started to whisper amongst themselves as Marcus and Honor locked eyes with Hyacinth, Nerys, Peter and Owen while Susan kept her head down. There were simply too many people in the room for her to get a clear sense of what any one individual was thinking. The scraping of chairs cut through the hum of conflicting thoughts as Jean-Luc and Clark stood up. Everyone but Susan looked at them to see what they would do as they quietly walked over to stand beside Susan. After a moment, Indy sighed and shook his head and got up to join Jean-Luc. For a fleeting moment when Betty and Mara Jade got up Susan dared to hope that the rest of the school would stand beside her in a landslide, but they walked over to stand with Hyacinth, and were joined by Jackie and Ripley.
The remaining students sat around the table looking conflicted as the ones who had taken sides looked at them expectantly. But before anyone else could make a decision, Lina and Gourry walked in. They stopped in their tracks as they saw the battle lines being drawn, and Lina's eyebrows hit her hairline as she put her hands on her hips while Gourry frowned as Lina said, "Just what is going on here?"
"Susan's a telepath!" Hyacinth said as she pointed at Susan.
Lina cocked her eyebrow at Hyacinth as she waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, and tell me something I don't already know."
"But…" Hyacinth started, and several other students started to talk at once.
"No buts." Lina said firmly and the room went quiet as she continued, "Susan is a student here whose gifts were instrumental in keeping my family and this school safe. And if you can't respect her then you can pack your bags because we don't need you."
A hush descended upon the room as Gourry wrapped an arm around her in solidarity as Hyacinth's jaw dropped while several other students seemed to bite their tongues as Lina asked. "So, which of you is leaving first?"
No one moved a muscle. After a few minutes Lina smiled, "Now on to more important matters. We need as many volunteers as we can muster. While it is pivotal that we are successful, this is also a very dangerous mission so it is strictly volunteer only. If you don't feel prepared and if you don't think you are capable of contributing to the success of this mission then you need to sit it out. You will not be judged and you will still remain enrolled at this school."
Lina paused for a moment as the students kept their eyes on her and tried to gauge their reaction before she continued, "Some of you are aware that Maeve left on a critical mission last night. She is leading troops to liberate the Kingdom of Dils from Mazoku influence and she is relying on a contingent of troops from the Kingdom of Xoana. The problem is that we have learned that King Moros will order his troops to retreat rather than attack. To liberate Dils, to continue pushing the Mazoku back and to protect Maeve, we need anyone who can fight to go down to Dils immediately."
Everyone stared at her in stunned silence for a moment, and Lina continued, "I'm not going to lie. This Is a dangerous mission, and a critical one. I don't have time to go into the details, but we were able to gather reliable intelligence from the future. If we do not liberate Dils, none of us will be safe and it will be the beginning of our winning streak against the Mazoku turning around into a losing one. We need as many people as we can muster."
There was a moment of silence, and then the hands shot up faster than she could count them, but it quickly became clear that she did not need to. All of them had volunteered. Lina took a deep breath and hoped that she wasn't about to consign them all to their doom. "Thank you. You must head to Dils immediately. I am appointing Owen as commander. Develop a strategy with Honor and Jean-Luc. This is your project."
"You mean you aren't coming?" Hyacinth asked.
Lina's stomach twisted as she looked at her steadily. Thoughts rose through her mind that she was becoming like Luna, sending other people out to do the tough, dangerous work while she lounged around at home, "This needs to be your victory. If this school is going to be successful, then you will have to prove that the skill of slaying Mazoku is something that can be taught. And I know that everyone in this room is capable of making the mission in Dils a success. Because together you fought and wounded Deep Sea Dolphin. If you can do that, then you are ready for what lies ahead in Dils."
Several of the students looked at each other, and then Honor asked, "When do we leave?"
"As soon as you pack your bags." Lina said.
"The orihalcon bombs?" Honor said as she looked at Owen.
"Grab them." He agreed. Lina smiled to herself as Owen asked, "What else can you tell me about the mission?"
"Not much I'm afraid." Lina said, "We're still waiting on more information from our contacts. And I can't even tell you where in Dils we're sending you. For now, just head west. Check in with us often using the vision spell to see if we have any updates."
"It's going to be hard to form an effective strategy based only on that." Owen pointed out.
"Flying by the seat of your pants is part of this job." Lina said bluntly.
"Right then." Owen said, "Everyone, pack quickly and meet me in the foyer in thirty minutes."
Lina and Gourry watched as the students filed out, leaving them alone in a room that suddenly seemed large and empty. "I guess we need to talk to Naga and Moe now." Lina said. Focusing on the next things kept her from ruminating in her worries.
"Right." Gourry said as he took his hand, and they quietly walked to the door.
Before they could leave, Indy ran up to them holding a bundle of parchment, "Dame Lina."
"What?" she asked.
"Jean-Luc and I found this yesterday. It contains information we thought might be relevant to how you're getting intelligence from the future."
"Really?" Lina said as she grabbed it.
"The sorceress who built those tunnels? She was experimenting with a way for people to see their future."
Lina's eyebrows hit her hairline as she skimmed through the material he had unearthed. "Thanks. This is helpful."
Indy ran back to the dorms, and as Gourry started heading towards the stairs with Lina he asked, "What does this mean?"
"I'm not sure yet." Lina said as they started to walk up the stairs, "But if Hypatia was researching ways to see the future, then I guess somehow you must have been affected by that research."
"But why was I affected? And why not anyone else who has been in those tunnels?" he asked.
"That's a good question. I'll have to go over this in more depth once we've talked with Naga and seen the students off." Lina said.
An obnoxious laugh rang through the hallway, and Lina tensed as Naga came up from behind her and asked, "Talk to me about what?"
"Ditching that laugh!" Lina snapped.
"Come, come, Lina, the students aren't frantically packing for that reason."
"No." Lina agreed as they entered the nursery. "You and Moe need to leave at once for Dils. Shadow the students. Keep them safe."
"What?" Moe asked as he looked up from burping Midas.
Lina took a moment to brief them on what they knew about the situation and watched closely to see how they would react. Moe frowned, "I'd be happy to go. But what about the twins?"
"Gourry and I will be here to protect them, and the wet nurses are also trained." Lina said, "Besides, after that last beating I think that the Mazoku are going to focus their efforts elsewhere, perhaps take some time to study the twins and their abilities before they try another attack. Right now, your services are of better use to us in Dils."
"That sounds well reasoned." Moe agreed as he handed Midas to her. "I'll start packing."
"I'm always ready to go at a moment's notice!" Naga bragged.
"Good." Lina said. "Stay safe and keep the students safe."
Midas went off to his room to pack, and Naga followed him. Marlena stood up and said, "Are Adam and Adora going?"
Lina felt the words choke in her throat as she looked into the eyes of the mother whose children she was sending into battle. Marlena had a set of twins, a boy and a girl, just like she did. Suddenly the risk she was asking them to take weighed even more heavily on her. Marlena smiled as she nodded, "I see. Excuse me while I go down to wish them well."
"Right." Lina said, and she suddenly wished that Marlena would take a moment to absolve her of the guilt that was starting to build within her. But she knew it would be too much to ask as she watched as Marlena walked out of the room, her back straight but her shoulders heavy.
Lina looked down at Midas as he nuzzled against her and wondered what the day would be like when she would have to let him go into battle and thought to how much she would hate Luna for it. She sighed and ran a hand through Midas's hair and asked, "Do you want to go down with me to inspect the troops?"
Midas cooed, and Lina forced herself to smile. "Should we bring your sister?"
He cooed again, and Gourry scooped Aurelia up. "So I guess we're going back down to the foyer?" he asked.
"Yes." Lina said, and together with their children they walked into the hallway. "I feel bad, not going with them."
"It's like you said, though." He replied, "You can't be everywhere. And if other people can't step up, then what's the purpose of doing this school?"
"In which case," Lina said, "This is a referendum on our teaching abilities."
Gourry frowned, and then shook his head, "You had to put it like that."
Zelgadis appeared in the hallway, looking flushed with his hands around a piece of paper. "They haven't left yet, have they?"
"No." Lina said.
"Amelia just contacted me. She contacted someone who knows where the troops are being sent and has some information on their strategy, though they have not reached the battalion yet."
"That was quick." Lina said.
"Yes, I have some information to pass on."
"Give it to Owen." Lina directed as the five of them went down to the stairs to where the manor was bustling with activity.
"Who else needs rations?" Nelly called over the chaos.
She instantly got swarmed with students as Arnold said, "Easy! Easy! One at a time!"
"I can't find my bedroll!" Pippi said.
"That's why you need to put your things up. A place for everything and everything in its place." Nerys admonished, and at the look Pippi gave her she sighed, "Look, if you can't find It before we leave you can share mine."
Meanwhile Adam yelled at Marlena, "You are not my mother so don't start to act like her now!"
He stormed off as Adora put an arm around Marlena, "Don't worry, he'll come around. And we'll make it home safe, I promise you that!"
"Owen!" Zelgadis said as he reached the young commander, "I've got some details for you."
"Thank goodness." Owen said as he took the paper from his outstretched hand.
"I'm going back to wait in my office. I need you to check in once an hour and I'll pass on any further intelligence I receive from Amelia. I'll be there, day and night until this battle is won."
"Right."
"Good luck."
Zelgadis raced back up to his office, and Lina thought aloud, "What time did Maeve leave last night?"
"It was about an hour before sunset." Honor said.
"She couldn't have gotten too far." Lina said, "Not unless she used Ray Wing…or Holy Magic."
"Should we Ray Wing?" Owen asked, "There are more magic users than non magic users."
"We'd be weighing getting there quickly versus having enough energy when we get there." Jean-Luc said.
Lina looked at the map where Zel had indicated were the troops are. "Gyria City, of course. I'd estimate that you would have to Ray Wing for eight hours to get there." Lina sighed. Eight hours. Maeve would likely be there by now if she had used magic. Hopefully she was resting and hadn't decided to charge into battle immediately. But she doubted they would be graced with an eight hour delay for the rest of the students to get there. Hopefully the messenger that Amelia was sending would get there in time. "That would be exhausting."
"But what if we switch?" Honor suggested. "Have some of the magic users pair up as well and switch half way in."
"I like it." Owen said, "Only, you, Jean-Luc and the others that know that top secret spell Dame Lina has taught you? You need to be as fresh as possible for when we get there. So you two, Marcus, Susan and Clark will need to ride with someone the whole time."
"Right." Honor and Jean-Luc said.
"It looks as though the orihalcon bombs are a pivotal part of their strategy." Owen said as he read through the sparse details that had been provided, "And it looks as though there are an estimated five Mazoku in the castle."
"I'd double that estimate." Jean-Luc said.
"Agreed." Honor said, "Any idea how strong they are?"
Gourry put an arm around Lina as he smiled. "What?" she asked as the chaos started to die down as students brough their bags to the foyer and started to line up as Owen, Jean-Luc and Honor conferred with each other.
"Somehow, watching them, for the first time since these dreams started, I actually think things will be okay."
Lina watched for a moment as Owen turned and started to direct the students with a confident ease, and then she rested her head against Gourry's chest close to where he was holding Aurelia. "I think you're right."