Author's Notes: If you're wondering, The Illusion of Truth's sequel, All Through the Night is currently being written; I just haven't posted any of the chapters yet, because I'm still waiting to hear back from someone regarding some details in chapter one.
~ Zanne
L'amour Existe Encore
CHAPTER TWO
Gourry turned the wheel, pulling into the gas station for the '41 Woody's routine checkup and oil change. He stretched out the time between servicing as much as he could, or rather, as much as he could tolerate. His father always taught him the importance of taking good care of the engines, but the rationed supplies had the whole Gabriev family cutting back on regular maintenance.
A lanky young man with longer than ordinary brown hair leaned in the doorway, wearing coveralls that sported the garage's name. As Gourry drove up, he flicked away the cigarette he held and strode over.
"Hi, Val!" Gourry said, giving the older man a grin as he climbed out of the car. "I'm here for an oil change."
"Figured as much." He swapped positions, getting in behind the wheel and slowly moved the car into the garage. "She been runnin' fine?"
"Pretty good for the most part, although I've noticed a few things running a bit off."
"Hmm." Val popped the hood of the car and propped it up, reaching into the breast pocket of his coveralls for another cigarette. "What kind--"
They were cut off by a horn blaring. Gourry glanced over his shoulder to see a gleaming black Packard convertible by the pumps, and craned his neck a bit until he saw the black-haired teen behind the wheel.
Val muttered something under his breath that Gourry didn't quite catch, but he doubted it was complimentary. He personally didn't have a problem with Xellos, but wasn't blind to how the other teen treated people he considered beneath him.
The door to the garage's disorganized office slammed open, and Joe stuck his head out, scowling. "I'm on the phone, dammit! Can't ya see there's somebody out there?"
"I was waitin' for you to take care of 'im," Val retorted.
"What do I pay you for? Don't gimme lip, get out there."
"I can wait," Gourry said, trying to sound helpful. Val only snorted in annoyance and kicked the garage wall with the side of his boot as he stalked out.
Gourry decided to follow, lacking anything else to do, and as he drew closer, he saw the blonde-haired passenger in the Packard. "Hey, Filia!" he called out, waving at his classmate.
Filia looked around, waving and flashing him a grin when she spotted him. "How's it going, Gourry?"
"Pretty good. Hey, did you know Lina's dress is done?"
Filia nodded. "So's mine, and don't think for a moment I'm going to tell you what she's wearing."
"Shucks."
"I know you too well."
Gourry gave her a slight grin, and glanced over to Val, who was glaring at Xellos.
"Look, you want your damned car refueled or not?" Val snapped.
"You're not touching my car until I'm satisfied your hands are clean."
"Then get the damned gas cap off your own lazy self."
"Tsk. I wonder how Mr. Joe would like hearing the way you treat his prized customers," Xellos said, giving Val a dangerously cool smile as he leaned back on his car.
Val just curled his lip back in a snarl. "My hands are clean, you can see that for yourself."
"So they are," Xellos replied, not even bothering to look at them. "My apologies. One can't be too careful with a métis." Gourry shot a worried glance at Val as he picked up on Xellos' mocking tone. He wasn't sure what a métis was; French wasn't his strong point, but he knew the tone well enough. The older man looked ready to deck the black-haired teen.
"Xellos!" Filia snapped, turning around in the seat to glare at him. "You apologize for that right now!"
"Why should I?" Xellos said. "I didn't say a single thing untrue." He looked back to Val. "Everybody knows he is a mongrel, just like any old, flea-bitten gas station dog."
Gourry lunged for Val, holding him back easily. "Whoa, easy, he's not worth what'll happen after!"
The car rocked as Filia slammed the door, stomping over to them. "Xellos, you jerk!" She looked back to Val. "I'm so sorry about--"
"Save it," he snapped, shrugging himself free from Gourry's grip. "I don't need some silver spooned murderer defending me."
Gourry frowned. Now things were going too far. Filia looked as though she'd been slapped. Xellos leaned against the trunk, a slightly annoyed expression on his face.
"Filia," he said, "get back into the car. There's no reason for you to have to deal with that." Gourry wasn't sure if he meant the situation at hand, Val, or something else.
She ignored him. "I'm not a murderer," she said.
"Your family's got blood on its hands, and by default, so do you."
"That fire was an accident!" Filia protested. "We had no way of knowing--"
"Bullshit!"
Filia paled at the harsh language.
"Ma never would've been in that factory to start with if Dad were still alive, and he died because your damned grandfather sold the land out from under us!"
"It was a depression!" Filia protested. "Times were hard for everyone!"
"Oh, yeah." He looked her over, his expression sardonic as he took in her fashionable clothes and hairdo. "Real hard, I'll bet." Val leaned in closer. "You don't know the first thing about a hard life, little miss holier-than-thou, so don't even try to tell me about it."
Xellos stepped between them as Val moved closer to Filia, his gaze aggressively hostile.
Gourry usually got along with the older man reasonably well, but Filia never hurt so much as a fly. He gave him a warning look, clapping his hand on Val's shoulder. "Okay, man, that's enough, lay off'a her."
Filia glared back at him, her gaze not faltering even as her blue eyes welled up with tears. Gourry heard a soft click, and Filia stepped away from the car. "The gas cap's off." She shot Xellos a look, then quietly got back into the front seat.
Xellos glanced between the three of them, and shrugged. An amicable smile suddenly appeared on his face. "C'est la vie." He waved his hand to the car. "Top it off."
"Ration coupon?"
"Of course, how silly of me." Xellos produced the necessary papers, and Val filled up the Packard's tank. Gourry could see a muscle twitching in his jaw.
An uncomfortable silence settled over them, and he considered heading back into the garage, but vetoed that idea. Better stick around to keep somebody from killing somebody, he decided, although the way things were going, it would be anybody's guess who'd kill whom.
Filia was silent as they pulled away from the gas station, crossing her arms tightly over her stomach. She was sorry for what happened to Val's family, but it wasn't her fault. It wasn't even her grandfather's fault. Bad things just happened sometimes. She knew her grandfather had made some unpopular business decisions in the past, but it wasn't as though Saichuro had killed anyone. He didn't have to talk to her like that.
"There, now."
Xellos' voice made her look up, and she jumped slightly when his fingertips brushed her cheeks, wiping away tears. "Tell me, what would you like to do today?"
She drew in a shaky breath, composing herself. "I'm not sure yet. I know my dress needs to be picked up, though." She hesitated. "You really shouldn't talk to people like that," Filia said softly.
Xellos shrugged, shifting gears again as the traffic light changed. "Filia, you and I, we're several rungs up the ladder of life from people like that. Survival of the fittest and everything."
"Still doesn't make it right."
"Right, wrong, merde. You sound like a Seyruun." Xellos grabbed her arm and she yelped slightly at the tight grip. He pulled her across the seat, and put his arm around her. "Cheer up, Filia. We have better things to do, and better places to go. The world's our oyster and all that." He turned his head quickly and kissed her neck. "And we know what oysters are, non?"
Filia blushed furiously. "Xellos, you cad." She lightly swatted his leg, and he chuckled.
"How long are you going to keep me waiting?"
"It's not proper! Good girls don't do those sort of things."
"Aw, Filia, live a little."
"I'm living just fine!"
"Someday, I'll prove you wrong on that score." He draped his arm around her shoulder. "Filia Metallium. Hmm. How does that sound?"
Filia blinked. "Why?" she whispered. "Are you asking?"
"Depends. Are you going to say yes?"
"Maybe. I would like to go to college, though."
"For what?"
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't mind studying art, and maybe getting a job as a curator at the museum."
"Filia, you don't need to work."
"I know that. It's not for work, it's for fun. I've always enjoyed things like that." She snuggled against him, watching the road. "I do need to meet with Lina later."
"The dresses, hmm?"
Filia nodded.
"Oh, all right." He sighed. "I suppose I could stand to let you leave my side for a little while."
Filia looked up at him, giving him a faint smirk. "Yeah, you'll survive somehow."
"More willpower than I thought I had, but yeah." He grinned and kissed her. "I'll drop you off at the dress shop, then. What time?"
"Oh, not till later on this afternoon."
Amelia felt like she was flying as her mare cantered between the trees, under the branches sagging with Spanish Moss. Zelgadis kept pace with her on the bay he rode, and she dared the occasional glance away from her path to look at him. She was pretty certain he liked her. Lina had said as much, and said she had caught him watching Amelia on a few occasions when Amelia hadn't been looking. She just wished she could get through to him that she didn't care about station, or about his deafness. Lina told her she had pretty much the whole pick of the school as far as boys went, but she didn't want the whole pick.
They burst out of the trees into the late morning sunlight, turning down the dirt bridle path to the Inverse's private road, and Amelia's breath caught in her throat. None of the boys in school could have that effect on her, and she watched him out of the corner of her eye, enjoying the way the sunlight brought out the highlights in his ruddy brown hair, making it seem almost fiery.
He glanced over at her and caught her watching him, and Amelia blushed, turning her gaze back to where it should be, between her mare's ears on the road ahead. When they turned onto the gravel that would later become a paved drive, they pulled the horses down to a walk to cool them off before reaching the house.
His hand moved into her line of vision, catching her attention. "What movie are we seeing?" he asked when she looked over to him.
Amelia looped her mare's reins around her forearm to free her hands before replying. "I want to see something called The Enchanted Cottage. It's being released today."
"Some fairy tale?"
"Maybe in a way, but not really. It's about a soldier coming back from the war."
Zelgadis nodded. "Why are you inviting me?"
"Because I want to. You're my friend."
"Lina's your friend, Amelia. I'm your dad's servant."
"That doesn't mean you can't be my friend too!"
"Amelia, there's rules and conventions in society."
"So what? Nobody can tell me who's my friend and who isn't but me."
"You've got too much going for you. You don't need rumors and junk wrecking things."
"Rumors? Mr. Zelgadis, what could possibly happen? We're friends, and there's nothing wrong with being friends."
Zelgadis shook his head. "Forget it, Amelia." He looked away.
She sighed, watching the road for a moment before trying to get his attention again. When he didn't look at her, she moved her horse close enough to his for her to lean over and tap his shoulder with her riding crop. "Would you rather not go to the movies?"
He didn't answer right away, then sighed, shaking his head. "That wasn't what I mean at all. I'll go, I just... Let's not make a habit of this, okay?"
Amelia frowned, more from trying to hold in her reaction to the sudden sting his words caused. "If that's how you feel, Mr. Zelgadis."
Great. Now I've made her mad. Zelgadis sighed, looking at the frown on her face. Good going. But it was really for the best. He didn't want to get used to the idea of doing anything more than keeping watch over her whenever she went out riding. It would be too easy to get hurt, and the worst part was, he knew she'd never deliberately hurt him.
Hell, if he had to guess, she'd beat herself up over it. In the six years since he'd first met her, Zelgadis had seen her go out of her way to avoid hurting anything or anyone.
Better that this happened than to see her get hurt because of him. He stole another quick glance at her as they reached the Inverse' back lawn, and Zelgadis dismounted first, holding Amelia's reins while she hopped off her mare.
"I'll go talk to Lina, and see if she wants to go."
Zelgadis nodded, turning both horses around to lead them to the stables. After a moment, he paused, watching her climb the steps up to the kitchen door. Funny how he still often thought of her as being the way she was when they met. An awkward young girl, no longer a child, and not quite a teenager, and as graceful as a newborn colt.
Because of that, it still amazed him every time he looked at her. She had grown into her looks, and was pure Southern grace.
"I can't wait to see your dress!" Amelia exclaimed, and Lina looked at her younger friend through the mirror with a wry grin. "Just be sure not to let Gourry get any description out of you. I won't even tell him the exact color."
"My lips are sealed! So, I was thinking, do you want us all to go into town, grab a movie, and then go get your dress? Like a group date?"
"With whom?" Lina asked, looking back into the mirror as she finished pulling her fiery red hair back.
"I was thinking you, me, and Mr. Gourry, and Miss Filia, and Mr. Xellos..."
Lina smirked. Amelia wasn't done talking. "And who else?"
"And Mr. Zelgadis."
"Huh?" Lina turned around and looked at her. "He's going to the movies with us?"
Amelia nodded. "Please?"
Lina sighed at the expression Amelia gave her. It's like talking to a puppy sometimes. "Is he even aware you're dragging him along?"
"I am not dragging anyone," Amelia retorted indignantly. "And yes, he knows."
"How can a deaf guy like him watch a movie?"
"Um, I thought I'd interpret."
Lina considered that, and nodded. "That sounds like it'll work. Then by all means, sure." She grinned. "He's a nice enough guy. Gourry thinks he's all right."
"He's more than all right." Amelia leaned back against Lina's dresser. "He's so cute, and so nice..."
Lina frowned, growing a bit concerned. Not just for Amelia, but for Zel. "Amie," she said, using her own personal nickname for her friend, "are you even aware of what you're saying?"
Amelia blinked. "Of course I am."
Lina hesitated, wondering what else she could say. She didn't think Amelia would intentionally hurt anyone for the world, but neither did Lina think she had everything figured out. "For one, he's a bit older than you," she finally said.
"He's only nineteen. And I'm almost seventeen!"
"In another ten months."
"That's still almost!"
"You're also gonna be going to college, Amie."
"So we'll write letters back and forth."
"Amelia, you might want to wait until aft--"
She stomped her foot in a rare display of temper, and Lina blinked. "Why do you keep treating me like a child who doesn't know what she wants? Or who she wants, for that matter?"
Lina merely shook her head. She wasn't Amelia's mother, and she didn't really care to risk ruin to a perfectly good day with an argument. The room was quiet for a few minutes.
"So you're graduating next Friday. What kind of plans do you and Mr. Gourry have?" Amelia asked, changing the topic.
"He's not going to college, and neither am I."
She blinked. "You're not going? Why?"
Lina sighed, getting up from her vanity bench and started to pace. "Mother doesn't think it's appropriate," Lina replied, making a face as she said it. "She wants me to go to finishing school. Between you and me and the walls, Amie, I'm finished with the social niceties."
"So what are you going to do?"
Lina shrugged. "Gourry and I'll get by. We always have before, and we always have come up with good plans and carried 'em out together. I don't figure it'll be any different this time around." It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Amelia that her former nanny, now the housekeeper, was teaching her the Voodoo arts, but something held her back.
"I hope the war's over before we graduate."
"Me too."
"What do you think you'll do if it's not?"
Lina was quiet for a moment, her thoughts drifting in a direction she didn't really want them to go. "I'll wait and see."
"What will you do if Mr. Gourry goes into the Army?"
"I'll do what Luna did. I'll join the WAC. Or maybe the Red Cross and become a nurse."
"But that's dangerous work!"
"I'd rather be in dangerous work where Gourry is than here keeping the home fires burning." Lina couldn't keep the mocking tone from her voice. She was getting so sick of hearing that phrase. A woman could fight just as well as man, at least, that was her opinion.
"Well, that's true I guess, but I don't see what college has to do with anything between me and how I feel."
"Because you might meet a guy there who'd make you feel like Zel does. Besides, you want to be a lawyer, don't you?"
"Yes."
"You know what your dad's said about how rough law school is. Do you even think you'd have time to write him, let alone keep up a relationship?"
"Well... when you put it that way..."
"Trust me, Amelia. You've got plenty of time. If it's something that's supposed to work out, it will, no matter what. Isn't that what you always say, true love conquers all and everything?"
Amelia grinned. "Thank you, Miss Lina."
métis - half-breed, literally mongrel
c'est la vie - that is life
merde - shit
~ Zanne
CHAPTER TWO
Gourry turned the wheel, pulling into the gas station for the '41 Woody's routine checkup and oil change. He stretched out the time between servicing as much as he could, or rather, as much as he could tolerate. His father always taught him the importance of taking good care of the engines, but the rationed supplies had the whole Gabriev family cutting back on regular maintenance.
A lanky young man with longer than ordinary brown hair leaned in the doorway, wearing coveralls that sported the garage's name. As Gourry drove up, he flicked away the cigarette he held and strode over.
"Hi, Val!" Gourry said, giving the older man a grin as he climbed out of the car. "I'm here for an oil change."
"Figured as much." He swapped positions, getting in behind the wheel and slowly moved the car into the garage. "She been runnin' fine?"
"Pretty good for the most part, although I've noticed a few things running a bit off."
"Hmm." Val popped the hood of the car and propped it up, reaching into the breast pocket of his coveralls for another cigarette. "What kind--"
They were cut off by a horn blaring. Gourry glanced over his shoulder to see a gleaming black Packard convertible by the pumps, and craned his neck a bit until he saw the black-haired teen behind the wheel.
Val muttered something under his breath that Gourry didn't quite catch, but he doubted it was complimentary. He personally didn't have a problem with Xellos, but wasn't blind to how the other teen treated people he considered beneath him.
The door to the garage's disorganized office slammed open, and Joe stuck his head out, scowling. "I'm on the phone, dammit! Can't ya see there's somebody out there?"
"I was waitin' for you to take care of 'im," Val retorted.
"What do I pay you for? Don't gimme lip, get out there."
"I can wait," Gourry said, trying to sound helpful. Val only snorted in annoyance and kicked the garage wall with the side of his boot as he stalked out.
Gourry decided to follow, lacking anything else to do, and as he drew closer, he saw the blonde-haired passenger in the Packard. "Hey, Filia!" he called out, waving at his classmate.
Filia looked around, waving and flashing him a grin when she spotted him. "How's it going, Gourry?"
"Pretty good. Hey, did you know Lina's dress is done?"
Filia nodded. "So's mine, and don't think for a moment I'm going to tell you what she's wearing."
"Shucks."
"I know you too well."
Gourry gave her a slight grin, and glanced over to Val, who was glaring at Xellos.
"Look, you want your damned car refueled or not?" Val snapped.
"You're not touching my car until I'm satisfied your hands are clean."
"Then get the damned gas cap off your own lazy self."
"Tsk. I wonder how Mr. Joe would like hearing the way you treat his prized customers," Xellos said, giving Val a dangerously cool smile as he leaned back on his car.
Val just curled his lip back in a snarl. "My hands are clean, you can see that for yourself."
"So they are," Xellos replied, not even bothering to look at them. "My apologies. One can't be too careful with a métis." Gourry shot a worried glance at Val as he picked up on Xellos' mocking tone. He wasn't sure what a métis was; French wasn't his strong point, but he knew the tone well enough. The older man looked ready to deck the black-haired teen.
"Xellos!" Filia snapped, turning around in the seat to glare at him. "You apologize for that right now!"
"Why should I?" Xellos said. "I didn't say a single thing untrue." He looked back to Val. "Everybody knows he is a mongrel, just like any old, flea-bitten gas station dog."
Gourry lunged for Val, holding him back easily. "Whoa, easy, he's not worth what'll happen after!"
The car rocked as Filia slammed the door, stomping over to them. "Xellos, you jerk!" She looked back to Val. "I'm so sorry about--"
"Save it," he snapped, shrugging himself free from Gourry's grip. "I don't need some silver spooned murderer defending me."
Gourry frowned. Now things were going too far. Filia looked as though she'd been slapped. Xellos leaned against the trunk, a slightly annoyed expression on his face.
"Filia," he said, "get back into the car. There's no reason for you to have to deal with that." Gourry wasn't sure if he meant the situation at hand, Val, or something else.
She ignored him. "I'm not a murderer," she said.
"Your family's got blood on its hands, and by default, so do you."
"That fire was an accident!" Filia protested. "We had no way of knowing--"
"Bullshit!"
Filia paled at the harsh language.
"Ma never would've been in that factory to start with if Dad were still alive, and he died because your damned grandfather sold the land out from under us!"
"It was a depression!" Filia protested. "Times were hard for everyone!"
"Oh, yeah." He looked her over, his expression sardonic as he took in her fashionable clothes and hairdo. "Real hard, I'll bet." Val leaned in closer. "You don't know the first thing about a hard life, little miss holier-than-thou, so don't even try to tell me about it."
Xellos stepped between them as Val moved closer to Filia, his gaze aggressively hostile.
Gourry usually got along with the older man reasonably well, but Filia never hurt so much as a fly. He gave him a warning look, clapping his hand on Val's shoulder. "Okay, man, that's enough, lay off'a her."
Filia glared back at him, her gaze not faltering even as her blue eyes welled up with tears. Gourry heard a soft click, and Filia stepped away from the car. "The gas cap's off." She shot Xellos a look, then quietly got back into the front seat.
Xellos glanced between the three of them, and shrugged. An amicable smile suddenly appeared on his face. "C'est la vie." He waved his hand to the car. "Top it off."
"Ration coupon?"
"Of course, how silly of me." Xellos produced the necessary papers, and Val filled up the Packard's tank. Gourry could see a muscle twitching in his jaw.
An uncomfortable silence settled over them, and he considered heading back into the garage, but vetoed that idea. Better stick around to keep somebody from killing somebody, he decided, although the way things were going, it would be anybody's guess who'd kill whom.
Filia was silent as they pulled away from the gas station, crossing her arms tightly over her stomach. She was sorry for what happened to Val's family, but it wasn't her fault. It wasn't even her grandfather's fault. Bad things just happened sometimes. She knew her grandfather had made some unpopular business decisions in the past, but it wasn't as though Saichuro had killed anyone. He didn't have to talk to her like that.
"There, now."
Xellos' voice made her look up, and she jumped slightly when his fingertips brushed her cheeks, wiping away tears. "Tell me, what would you like to do today?"
She drew in a shaky breath, composing herself. "I'm not sure yet. I know my dress needs to be picked up, though." She hesitated. "You really shouldn't talk to people like that," Filia said softly.
Xellos shrugged, shifting gears again as the traffic light changed. "Filia, you and I, we're several rungs up the ladder of life from people like that. Survival of the fittest and everything."
"Still doesn't make it right."
"Right, wrong, merde. You sound like a Seyruun." Xellos grabbed her arm and she yelped slightly at the tight grip. He pulled her across the seat, and put his arm around her. "Cheer up, Filia. We have better things to do, and better places to go. The world's our oyster and all that." He turned his head quickly and kissed her neck. "And we know what oysters are, non?"
Filia blushed furiously. "Xellos, you cad." She lightly swatted his leg, and he chuckled.
"How long are you going to keep me waiting?"
"It's not proper! Good girls don't do those sort of things."
"Aw, Filia, live a little."
"I'm living just fine!"
"Someday, I'll prove you wrong on that score." He draped his arm around her shoulder. "Filia Metallium. Hmm. How does that sound?"
Filia blinked. "Why?" she whispered. "Are you asking?"
"Depends. Are you going to say yes?"
"Maybe. I would like to go to college, though."
"For what?"
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't mind studying art, and maybe getting a job as a curator at the museum."
"Filia, you don't need to work."
"I know that. It's not for work, it's for fun. I've always enjoyed things like that." She snuggled against him, watching the road. "I do need to meet with Lina later."
"The dresses, hmm?"
Filia nodded.
"Oh, all right." He sighed. "I suppose I could stand to let you leave my side for a little while."
Filia looked up at him, giving him a faint smirk. "Yeah, you'll survive somehow."
"More willpower than I thought I had, but yeah." He grinned and kissed her. "I'll drop you off at the dress shop, then. What time?"
"Oh, not till later on this afternoon."
Amelia felt like she was flying as her mare cantered between the trees, under the branches sagging with Spanish Moss. Zelgadis kept pace with her on the bay he rode, and she dared the occasional glance away from her path to look at him. She was pretty certain he liked her. Lina had said as much, and said she had caught him watching Amelia on a few occasions when Amelia hadn't been looking. She just wished she could get through to him that she didn't care about station, or about his deafness. Lina told her she had pretty much the whole pick of the school as far as boys went, but she didn't want the whole pick.
They burst out of the trees into the late morning sunlight, turning down the dirt bridle path to the Inverse's private road, and Amelia's breath caught in her throat. None of the boys in school could have that effect on her, and she watched him out of the corner of her eye, enjoying the way the sunlight brought out the highlights in his ruddy brown hair, making it seem almost fiery.
He glanced over at her and caught her watching him, and Amelia blushed, turning her gaze back to where it should be, between her mare's ears on the road ahead. When they turned onto the gravel that would later become a paved drive, they pulled the horses down to a walk to cool them off before reaching the house.
His hand moved into her line of vision, catching her attention. "What movie are we seeing?" he asked when she looked over to him.
Amelia looped her mare's reins around her forearm to free her hands before replying. "I want to see something called The Enchanted Cottage. It's being released today."
"Some fairy tale?"
"Maybe in a way, but not really. It's about a soldier coming back from the war."
Zelgadis nodded. "Why are you inviting me?"
"Because I want to. You're my friend."
"Lina's your friend, Amelia. I'm your dad's servant."
"That doesn't mean you can't be my friend too!"
"Amelia, there's rules and conventions in society."
"So what? Nobody can tell me who's my friend and who isn't but me."
"You've got too much going for you. You don't need rumors and junk wrecking things."
"Rumors? Mr. Zelgadis, what could possibly happen? We're friends, and there's nothing wrong with being friends."
Zelgadis shook his head. "Forget it, Amelia." He looked away.
She sighed, watching the road for a moment before trying to get his attention again. When he didn't look at her, she moved her horse close enough to his for her to lean over and tap his shoulder with her riding crop. "Would you rather not go to the movies?"
He didn't answer right away, then sighed, shaking his head. "That wasn't what I mean at all. I'll go, I just... Let's not make a habit of this, okay?"
Amelia frowned, more from trying to hold in her reaction to the sudden sting his words caused. "If that's how you feel, Mr. Zelgadis."
Great. Now I've made her mad. Zelgadis sighed, looking at the frown on her face. Good going. But it was really for the best. He didn't want to get used to the idea of doing anything more than keeping watch over her whenever she went out riding. It would be too easy to get hurt, and the worst part was, he knew she'd never deliberately hurt him.
Hell, if he had to guess, she'd beat herself up over it. In the six years since he'd first met her, Zelgadis had seen her go out of her way to avoid hurting anything or anyone.
Better that this happened than to see her get hurt because of him. He stole another quick glance at her as they reached the Inverse' back lawn, and Zelgadis dismounted first, holding Amelia's reins while she hopped off her mare.
"I'll go talk to Lina, and see if she wants to go."
Zelgadis nodded, turning both horses around to lead them to the stables. After a moment, he paused, watching her climb the steps up to the kitchen door. Funny how he still often thought of her as being the way she was when they met. An awkward young girl, no longer a child, and not quite a teenager, and as graceful as a newborn colt.
Because of that, it still amazed him every time he looked at her. She had grown into her looks, and was pure Southern grace.
"I can't wait to see your dress!" Amelia exclaimed, and Lina looked at her younger friend through the mirror with a wry grin. "Just be sure not to let Gourry get any description out of you. I won't even tell him the exact color."
"My lips are sealed! So, I was thinking, do you want us all to go into town, grab a movie, and then go get your dress? Like a group date?"
"With whom?" Lina asked, looking back into the mirror as she finished pulling her fiery red hair back.
"I was thinking you, me, and Mr. Gourry, and Miss Filia, and Mr. Xellos..."
Lina smirked. Amelia wasn't done talking. "And who else?"
"And Mr. Zelgadis."
"Huh?" Lina turned around and looked at her. "He's going to the movies with us?"
Amelia nodded. "Please?"
Lina sighed at the expression Amelia gave her. It's like talking to a puppy sometimes. "Is he even aware you're dragging him along?"
"I am not dragging anyone," Amelia retorted indignantly. "And yes, he knows."
"How can a deaf guy like him watch a movie?"
"Um, I thought I'd interpret."
Lina considered that, and nodded. "That sounds like it'll work. Then by all means, sure." She grinned. "He's a nice enough guy. Gourry thinks he's all right."
"He's more than all right." Amelia leaned back against Lina's dresser. "He's so cute, and so nice..."
Lina frowned, growing a bit concerned. Not just for Amelia, but for Zel. "Amie," she said, using her own personal nickname for her friend, "are you even aware of what you're saying?"
Amelia blinked. "Of course I am."
Lina hesitated, wondering what else she could say. She didn't think Amelia would intentionally hurt anyone for the world, but neither did Lina think she had everything figured out. "For one, he's a bit older than you," she finally said.
"He's only nineteen. And I'm almost seventeen!"
"In another ten months."
"That's still almost!"
"You're also gonna be going to college, Amie."
"So we'll write letters back and forth."
"Amelia, you might want to wait until aft--"
She stomped her foot in a rare display of temper, and Lina blinked. "Why do you keep treating me like a child who doesn't know what she wants? Or who she wants, for that matter?"
Lina merely shook her head. She wasn't Amelia's mother, and she didn't really care to risk ruin to a perfectly good day with an argument. The room was quiet for a few minutes.
"So you're graduating next Friday. What kind of plans do you and Mr. Gourry have?" Amelia asked, changing the topic.
"He's not going to college, and neither am I."
She blinked. "You're not going? Why?"
Lina sighed, getting up from her vanity bench and started to pace. "Mother doesn't think it's appropriate," Lina replied, making a face as she said it. "She wants me to go to finishing school. Between you and me and the walls, Amie, I'm finished with the social niceties."
"So what are you going to do?"
Lina shrugged. "Gourry and I'll get by. We always have before, and we always have come up with good plans and carried 'em out together. I don't figure it'll be any different this time around." It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Amelia that her former nanny, now the housekeeper, was teaching her the Voodoo arts, but something held her back.
"I hope the war's over before we graduate."
"Me too."
"What do you think you'll do if it's not?"
Lina was quiet for a moment, her thoughts drifting in a direction she didn't really want them to go. "I'll wait and see."
"What will you do if Mr. Gourry goes into the Army?"
"I'll do what Luna did. I'll join the WAC. Or maybe the Red Cross and become a nurse."
"But that's dangerous work!"
"I'd rather be in dangerous work where Gourry is than here keeping the home fires burning." Lina couldn't keep the mocking tone from her voice. She was getting so sick of hearing that phrase. A woman could fight just as well as man, at least, that was her opinion.
"Well, that's true I guess, but I don't see what college has to do with anything between me and how I feel."
"Because you might meet a guy there who'd make you feel like Zel does. Besides, you want to be a lawyer, don't you?"
"Yes."
"You know what your dad's said about how rough law school is. Do you even think you'd have time to write him, let alone keep up a relationship?"
"Well... when you put it that way..."
"Trust me, Amelia. You've got plenty of time. If it's something that's supposed to work out, it will, no matter what. Isn't that what you always say, true love conquers all and everything?"
Amelia grinned. "Thank you, Miss Lina."
métis - half-breed, literally mongrel
c'est la vie - that is life
merde - shit