Chapter Three
The principle's office was only seen by students who entered, as the blinds were always closed and the only thing visible through them was a faint glow of purple. Because of this, rumors spread easily about the room and what it held, it was also rumored, or more precisely assumed, that the principle liked it that way, as he himself was considered very eccentric.
His name was Rezo, and he was blind, although many students liked to think he wasn't just so they could explain the way he stared at you with closed eyes. Needless to say the students would always try to figure out what was behind the doors and those who went in often came out with stories of strange potions and crazy concoctions. Zelgadis, however, was unimpressed. In fact, his grandfather never impressed him, only annoyed him, with his hair-brained experiments.
Currently Zelgadis sat while Rezo tinkered with one of his toys, explaining the reason he was one week late to Slayers Academy, not like he wouldn't have preferred never coming at all. "So, not only did the city detain me but the transportation as well. Apparently they had to check several times before letting a monster enter their city. I thought you said humanoids were undiscriminated against here." Zelgadis told his grandfather, raising an eyebrow. He'd dealt with prejudice before but had hoped to find some relaxation around Slayers. Rezo sighed and sat at his desk.
"Apologies grandson but when I said 'here' I meant at Slayers Academy itself, even then I can only guarantee the faculties non-discrimination of humanoids. Besides, I heard that you deliberately beat up a group of five boys." He grinned.
"By their story that's how it went," Zelgadis shrugged, "But it doesn't matter what really happened, there are more serious things to talk about."
Rezo turned away from Zel, "Like what?"
"Like whether or not I really need to attend this school."
Rezo turned back to his grandson, "Education wise, not really, which is why a lot of your classes are advanced, but you know why you're really here. Your mother wants you to socialize..." He paused and pulled a folder out of one of the drawers in his desk, "I also think you'd be happy to know that there are other humanoids here at Slayers, and, based on my observations they all seem to be getting along well. I'm sure that if you wanted I could give you this." He held the folder out to Zelgadis.
"Those are confidential files, Rezo," Zelgadis muttered, "And I don't need you to guide my personal life."
"As I thought." Rezo stood indicating the sessions end. "Well, school doesn't begin for another half hour but your welcome to go to your first class. As you requested you have a single dorm. I'm sure your first teacher will assign a student to help you throughout the day. Good day." Zelgadis nodded and left quickly.
He hoped that his first period teacher wouldn't find it necessary to give him some partner throughout the day as he could pretty much figure out what was where, all schools were the same to him. He walked through the halls briskly, knowing he'd get to his classroom before any student entered and could spot him. Zelgadis glanced at his schedule, Milgasia, he read silently, for a history class? Well, since he's a gold dragon he must've been around for a pretty long time. Hopefully his views on history aren't distorted by opinion. Zelgadis looked up and found himself at the right room. He entered and found the teacher at his desk.
"Hello." Zelgadis said, bowing his head. Milgasia looked up from his work.
"Ah, Zelgadis," Milgasia greeted, "Have a seat, your grandfather did say you'd be in one of my classes. I understand that you won't be taking the language course?"
"Correct," Zelgadis replied, taking a seat in the back of the room. He would have preferred the one in the back left corner but oddly enough it had a reserved sign on it. Instead Zelgadis took the next to it. He noted that the reserved seat was a different type of desk and wondered who got to sit there.
Milgasia resumed his work and Zelgadis waited for school to begin. When the bell did ring students filed into class and took their seats. No one claimed the reserved seat.
Milgasia started class by launching into a discussion on the project that they would be assigned. Zelgadis found his mind wandering, which was odd for him. I should pay attention in class, he told himself trying to focus on Milgasia's words. It was then that two late girls entered the classroom. Zelgadis recognized neither of them, though he really couldn't see the second student's face, he was more interested her wings anyway.
"So good of you to join us," Milgasia started, the shorter of the two girls smirked.
"No problem," She retorted, shaking her blonde hair, "You know we never want to miss your class, Milgasia."
"That's Mr. Milgasia to students, Ms. Cotton," he said calmly, "For both your tardiness and interruption of class you will have to go to detention this afternoon." The girl with her head bent over looked up and instantly Zelgadis recognized her. Manda frowned, obviously subdued somewhat.
"Sir! Ummm, it was really my fault, Crescent had nothing to do with it." She pleaded with the teacher, "Seriously don't punish her on my behalf."
"So you forced her to be late to class? You forced her to walk more slowly in the halls and hang back when all her other peers where going to class?" Crescent blushed at Milgasia's words.
"Look," Manda replied, obviously her anger had returned, "It wasn't like that. It was like the halls were moving or something cause nothing was where it should have been!"
Milgasia handed both girls detention slips, "Needless to say you arrived late? Well, despite your story I still have to assign detention slips and now you've earned the task of helping the new student out throughout the day."
Zelgadis saw Crescent's eyes scan the room, finally resting on himself. Her grimace said enough, she recognized him. It seemed now that the rest of the class also realized that there was a new student and although Zelgadis didn't notice it the other females were glaring enviously at Manda and Crescent.
"Zelgadis Greywords is our new student class," Milgasia continued, "Zelgadis, this is Manda and Crescent, make sure they wait for you after class. Please take your seats ladies."
Manda glared at Milgasia and then sat in the front row where Zelgadis noticed another girl that looked like Crescent. Crescent walked around the entire room and Zelgadis was sure he heard some snickering from some of the girls she passed. She took the seat next to him, and Zelgadis watched out for the corner of his eye as she tore the reserved sign off the desk and dropped it on the ground.
Milgasia continued his discussion but Zelgadis found himself unable to focus. He was instead watching Crescent, discreetly. Her eyes wandered out the window, and he could see she was bored. Finally she looked around the classroom and then began to stare at Zelgadis himself. He turned his eyes back to Milgasia but he could still feel her eyes on him. Finally she poked him. Zelgadis turned.
"What are you doing with that?" She whispered, and pointed to Zelgadis' quill. Zelgadis would have liked to jump a cliff for using the feather he had. It was the same one he picked up after 'rescuing' her. It was obviously from her wings but it made a great pen. Even though this was true, Zelgadis wasn't sure how Crescent so instead he just shrugged.
"I just picked it up off the ground somewhere." Crescent didn't really look like she was fooled but she turned away from Zelgadis anyway. He sighed and turned back to Milgasia.
After class Crescent quickly approached Milgasia's desk. "Uh, Sir? I think Manda should show the new student to classes on her own, she really has more classes nearer to him." Manda also approached the desk, while Zelgadis waited at the door, both of them looked up at Crescent's words.
"Let me see your schedules please," Milgasia asked, all three of them handed over the slips of paper and while Milgasia examined them Manda pulled Crescent to the side.
"Look Crescent," she whispered furiously, "I know you don't like to let guys get in the way of your studies but this one is really cute! I think you should show him around with me anyway, and besides he was glancing out of the corner of his eyes at you all class. I was watching."
"It was because of my wings," Crescent replied softly, "I don't want to show him around and I don't want to talk about this anymore. I've got a feeling that that guy can hear everything we're saying, you know, I think he must be a chimera."
"Whatever," Manda grumbled.
"Alright," Milgasia interrupted their conversation, "You are right. Crescent but since the two of you have one class together after lunch you will have to show him to that class. Is that satisfactory, Ms. Moonstorm?" Crescent nodded and turned back to Manda.
"See?" Manda glared at her but she continued, "I'll find him after lunch, cya later, okay?" She pushed Manda out of the room and went back to her seat, she was glad that she had this class twice, that way she didn't have to go into the halls.
Looking for a spot at lunch wasn't really hard to do, if either you ate outside or if you were Lina Inverse. Luckily Lina preferred eating outside so she didn't have to worry about beating people up during lunch. Of course, she did have to worry about finding Crescent but generally Crescent seemed to find Lina pretty well and pretty quick. Now, they both searched for a spot to sit at and were actually having trouble until Lina spotted something that absolutely tickled her.
"Zelgadis," she grinned. Crescent looked over.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing," Lina replied grabbing Crescent's hand and dragging her to a large tree. Underneath sat Zelgadis, not eating, with his eyes closed. Lina came up and sat down, pulling Crescent down too. "Hi, Zel, long time no see. What are you doing in a fine establishment like this?"
Zelgadis opened one eyes and glanced at Lina, "I was just about to ask you the same question. What school does this make? Your twenty-seventh?"
Lina glared at Zelgadis, "Hey, I haven't been kicked out of that many schools, this is only my twenty-first. Anyway I've got a friend that you should meet. Crescent this is Zel, Zel, Crescent."
Zelgadis eyes flicked up to see Crescent who sat uncomfortably behind Lina. Both muttered icy 'Hello's' and Lina could just feel the temperature drop. "Uh, have you two met before?"
Crescent started to say something but Zelgadis interrupted, "Crescent and a friend of hers are helping me around school today. Thank you for formally introducing us now will you leave Lina?"
"Not when there is food I know you aren't gonna eat, how 'bout it Zel?" Zel sighed and handed over his untouched food, which Lina quickly dug into. Between mouthfuls she spoke to them, trying to break the silence. "So, you two have never met before."
"Never," Zelgadis said quickly, he stared at Crescent to see if she'd say otherwise.
She shrugged, "Actually I was sure that Zelgadis had helped me the day before school but I guess it wasn't him, after all, I'm sure he'd never want to do something like that."
Lina frowned, "Why not?"
"Because he's a-"
"Hi there," a girl interrupted. Zelgadis recognized her as one of the girls who'd been snickered at Crescent. Dislike immediately flooded his senses. The girl however was unaware and instead sat very close to Zelgadis. "You are Zelgadis right? You're new here and I'm in some of your classes. I could really help you out at school, show you who and who not to hang with." She looked pointedly at Lina and Crescent.
Zelgadis shrugged, "I like where I am here." Lina had not looked up from her food and Zelgadis wondered if she had even heard what the girl had said.
"Really, you sure?" The girl pouted.
"You heard him," Lina grumbled still gulping down food, "He says he likes where he is so back off."
The girl looked indignantly towards Lina. "Well I just thought he'd like to sit with the more socially accepted and higher classed of us rather than with some flat chested red-head and her harpy."
Zelgadis would have liked to trash the girl but knew better, besides Lina got to it first.
"FIREBALL!!!"
Zelgadis watched not feeling the tiniest bit sorry for the girl as she flew through the air where the nurse caught her and dragged her inside. How did she know that that would happen, Zelgadis thought.
Lina nodded and finished her meal, "No one insults Lina Inverse or her friends! Geez, I wish I could learn the trick of that nurse showing up everywhere and everything."
Crescent looked a little pale and shocked that Lina had done that but nodded anyway and forced a smile. "Thanks Lina."
"Don't just thank me, Zelgadis was ready to do something too, you can tell when he gets all tense like that. Anyway, I'm just glad I got to her first." Lina grinned at Zelgadis' face. "Don't grimace at me, Zelgadis." She stood and picked up the leftover trash from her meal. "Well, I have to go throw this away, I'll see you two later. Crescent nodded and waved goodbye. After Lina disappeared Crescent turned to Zelgadis.
"Thank you for this time and last time."
"Don't. So where is this next class?" Zelgadis said. He stood and waited for Crescent to lead him. After a minute she finally stood too and began walking.
Crescent's fourth period class was one of her favorites, art. She loved the subject and she loved the friends that were there. Selene, Gourry, and someone she had only met this year, Filia, all appreciated and were exceptionally good at art. The only thing she disliked now was the newest addition to the class, Zelgadis.
"I can't stand your work, Crescent, it makes me so jealous." Selene complained to Crescent. Crescent muttered something inaudible back and then continued to stare into space. Selene exchanged a look with Filia and Gourry. "Uh, Crescent? This is the part where you reply, 'No, that's not true, your stuff is way better then mine. I hate you!' And then we go into the whole I hate you, you hate me thing." Selene mimicked their conversations on each other's art. She leaned over in front of Crescent. "Hello! Earth to Crescent! Are you in there?" Crescent started and almost fell back in her seat.
"Sorry, I was just thinking."
Filia smiled, "We could tell."
"Yeah," Selene grinned, "You missed to castings of fireballs and three explosions outside. Not to mention you've been ignoring us since you got to class."
Gourry brightened, "Does it have to do something with that guy you came into class with?"
Crescent shook her head, "Why would it have to do with him?"
"I don't know," Gourry shrugged, "He's in my weapons class though and he's a really good fighter. Pretty cool too, just kinda' a loner."
"Oh really?" Crescent looked thoughtful, "I kind of already knew that though."
"It is him. Isn't it?" Selene frowned, "So what's up with the guy?"
Crescent would've responded but a pair of late students entered the class causing the teacher to go into hysterics. "That's the third group of students to come into class late, isn't it?" Crescent asked.
"Yes," Filia replied, "I was late to one of my classes too, and a lot of people were late in it. And some other classes."
Selene nodded, "Yep, there were tons of people who were late in my classes."
"I was late to my first period this morning, and Lina said she was late to her magick class. That seems like an awful lot of people being late today. Strange, isn't it?" Crescent thought. "Well, anyway, I've got detention after school today. You want to meet me there, Filia? Lina will also be there."
Filia agreed along with Selene who had detentions for other reasons. "I swear," she muttered, "The day I decided to start hanging out with Xelloss was a sad one, ever since then I've had detentions almost every other day."
"I hate him," Filia muttered, her face sharing the emotion. "I bet he's the one who's behind all the late students."
"I don't think even Xelloss could pull a prank that big." Selene laughed, "But he might. Though he knows I'd kill him for it."
"Well, I'm sure if it is him we'll find out," Crescent said, standing and gathering her books. "Anyway, now it's time to go to our next class. Try not to be late you guys, buy." She left quickly, realizing she'd been doing that a lot lately. Well, it's all because of Zelgadis, she thought, he makes me so uncomfortable but I don't know why. Probably because he makes me so mad, oh well, I'll just have to get over it. I can do that, in fact, Zelgadis Greywords can no longer get under my skin. Wait a minute, where'd I learn his last name?
The detention room, that evening was very full, and Lina found it almost impossible to even get inside, it was crammed so tightly. Detention was held inside the classroom of Milgasia, which was big enough for a class of about thirty to forty students. Now, they were trying to cram almost 60% of the entire 1st through 4th year class in and it wasn't working. Not to mention that an old acquaintance of Lina's was standing on Milgasia's desk and preaching about corrupted students arriving late to class.
"I can't believe so many students are arriving late to class. Don't you see that you are the few who have been accepted to such a prestigious school and that you must uphold the law of that school? You have been corrupted, yes, I understand, but if you only follow the path of light and justice you will overcome all-"
"AMELIA!" Lina shouted, pulling the student down from the desk, "No one is listening, you see? They are all going into the halls to have detention. Why don't you just go to your dorm, eh?"
Amelia blushed, "Oh, hi Lina-san. Since when did you start coming to Slayers? Anyway, I can't go to my dorm, I have detention too." Lina face-faulted and then jumped up to face Amelia.
"But you were just preaching about being late to class, don't tell me you're a hypocrite!?"
"NO!" Amelia shuddered, "Of course not, I'm not here cause I was late. I begged to have detention so that all the poor souls here could understand that I know what it feels like and so then they'd be more open to following the path of justice!" She struck another flashy pose, at the same time striking Milgasia in the face. "OI! So sorry, teacher!" She shouted, bowing to the professor. Milgasia nodded and shoed Amelia away. He then turned to Lina.
"Lina, you know Xelloss, right?" He asked.
She grimaced, "Unfortunately. Why?"
"It seems the principal wishes to see him. Something about casting a spell on the school to make the halls look different and such."
Lina grinned, "Oh really, have you disclosed this information to anyone else?" Milgasia shook his head. "Then don't worry, I'll take care of it." Milgasia nodded and left. Lina glanced up and down the hall of Slayers, yes; there were a lot of students who'd want to get back at Xelloss. She quickly chanted a spell that would cause her voice to be magnified and began speaking. "Students of Slayers Academy. It had just been explained to the person speaking, heh, that the fourth year, Xelloss, has been convicted of spell casting in the school and is the reason why over 100 students have attended detention today. Starting now the price on his head is 10 gold pieces for whoever catches him, and yes, he will be accepted slightly burnt, crisp, beaten, or anything else you can think of. Heh heh. We encourage hunting in large groups and the price we have offered may increase regularly. Have a good afternoon." Lina sat smugly in the hall while a rush of students began to plan, scheme and post wanted porters in the school. She smiled when Xelloss appeared in front of her looking somewhat angry.
"Hello Lina-san," he began casually, "Did you know that about fifty students have just burned down my dorm room, which, thank Zelas, is a one person dorm that only I sleep in?"
"Really?" Lina replied innocently, she went and stood in front of a wanted poster, "Could this be the cause? The picture is awfully bad, it just doesn't capture your monstrous qualities."
"Thank you Lina, but now really isn't the time for compliments. I'm a wanted man, and I have a feeling you're behind it."
"Really?" Lina repeated, "Why me?"
"Because the posters say to turn me into you."
"Oh? Look at that, they do. Well, Xelloss, I'd hide if I were you. The price is about to go up ten gold pieces."
Suddenly a mob of high-schoolers appeared down the hall. "LOOK! There he is. Get him!"
"I'll get you for this, Lina san," Xelloss muttered, fading out. Lina laughed and headed towards her dorm. What an interesting year this would be.
Author's note: Okay, bad ending to this chapter but oh well.. Heh heh, you guys will love what comes next…..^_^