Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SLAYERS. So there. ^_^
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 2 : No Way! Flashbacks And Not-Very-Fond Memories
The limo screeched to a stop in front of a tall building. The metal plating atop the large oakwood door read INVERSE & GREYWORDS LAW FIRM in bronze Roman lettering.
The blond woman got off, dark blue dress slightly out of place on her slender form. She strode to the front door, banging on the wooden surface hard. There was a sound not unlike breaking locks and hinges, and the heavy doors swung wide open before her.
Filia blinked. She only intended to knock, rather hard, OK, but since she got the door open... Her relatives had always commented about her unladylike strength, but, well...
"Lina!!!" She went in, calling out to the redhead who had betrayed her. Angry chi fires burned on her blue eyes. Of all the people, she had to strike a deal with-- Oh, Lina was SO dead. "I know you're in there!!!"
The receiving area was dark, the law firm had shut down for the evening. But she knew Lina had her living quarters upstairs. Probably sleeping. "Lina!" She shouted once again.
The round fluorescent lamps on the ceiling blinked open, bathing the room in bright light.
"Filia?" The redhead stood at the top of the stairs, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She had thrown on a large white t-shirt to cover her short frame. "Do you know just what time it is?" Lina went on groggily.
The blonde glared accusingly at her friend. "You set me up!" She yelled angrily.
"What?" Lina looked at her confused.
"You knew it was-- it was-- Xellos, didn't you?" She spat out the name like bitter poison. "YOU didn't tell me I'd be selling my family's company to MAZOKU scum--" The blonde huffed in agitation.
Lina's eyes narrowed for a moment, her mind registering the reason for her friend's barging into her house in the middle of the night. Oh. That. She grinned sheepishly at the older woman. "So I didn't, ne?" She let out a helpless little laugh, attempting to pacify her friend. Filia looked way past to bursting with rage. The blonde was about to retort something when another voice interrupted from behind her so-called friend.
"Lina?" A tall, well-built blond man inquired groggily, stepping out of the door of what had to be Lina's room. "What's the-- Oh." The man's gaze fell on the disheveled blond woman at the foot of the stairs, then down to his own rather scantily clad body. He quickly withdrew back into the other room.
Filia fought a blush. Lina had clearly been rather... occupied. She momentarily forgot her irritation, recognizing the young man. "Hey, isn't that--?" She shot her friend an inquiring look.
It was Lina's turn to blush. "Gourry," she said simply, looking at the floor.
"Gourry?" Filia repeated. "As in Gourry Gabriev? From 'The Sword of Light' and 'Gone in 60 Milliseconds'?!? Winner of three acting awards for his performance in 'Mr. Hunky Nice Guy'? Movie star extraordinaire--"
"Uh, yeah," Lina blushed deeper. So she had a movie star boyfriend. Whatever.
Filia blinked. She thought of teasing or congratulating her friend about it, but suddenly remembered the purpose for her ill-timed visit.
"Filia? What are you doing here?" A low, serious voice asked from the other end of the upper floor. Both females turned to the young man with wiry purple hair and stone skin standing on his side of the apartment. He still wore his working clothes, a dark brown button down coat with a matching pair of slacks.
"Zelgadis!" Filia shouted, turning on her other traitorous friend. "You knew about this as well, didn't you? Didn't you?!" She stomped her foot, climbing up the stairs to glare furiously at her two business associates.
Zelgadis scratched his head, gazing at the blonde blankly. "What are you talking about?"
She crossed her arms. "The merger!" she screamed. "You were going to make me sell out to Xellos-- to a Mazoku, of all people!!!"
Zel frowned. "What?!"
Filia blinked yet again. Lina backed a step from her post. Two pairs of narrowed eyes turned to her.
"Lina!!!" The blond woman yelled for what have been the nth time that night.
"So let's get this straight," Zelgadis began, pacing thoughtfully around the floor of the cluttered office that he shared with Lina. "Lina almost got you to accept a merger with none other than Xellos Metallium..." He grimaced, glaring coldly at Lina.
The redhead crossed her arms from where she sat on the leather highback chair, both feet settling on the hard wooden desk. "It was a good deal," she retorted stubbornly. "I don't see why the two of you hate his gut so much, anyway. We go a long way back, remember?" Lina looked at both faces imploringly.
"A long way back," Filia repeated dryly. "Right."
A long way back, indeed. Everyone knew it, of course. It was common knowledge that the proud, highly-respected Karyu-Ul Copt clan was mortal enemies with the machiavellian, ruthless and feared Mazoku-Metallium family. The family feud was as old as the families themselves, tracing back to each of the honored founding fathers: the notorious, wealthy gangster boss 'Ruby Eye' Shabranigdu, and the statesman and reknowned craftsman 'Flare Dragon' (from the trademark on every pottery made by him) Ceipheid.
Nobody remembers how the feud started. Had something to do about lands, apparently. And political parties. Eitherway, both families have been at each other's necks up to the present century. And the fact that both clans were involved in almost the same business didn't help peace negotiations one bit.
The Mazoku clan quickly rose to the top of the corporate success ladder, until they were so well off most moved out of Saillune to mind or start new companies abroad. And the corporation, so big and expansive Filia didn't see it coming, was Wolfpack.
The Karyu clan, however, was not as fortunate. Or lying, cheating, bribing insolents, as old Karyu put it. Dragon Crest remained in Saillune, changing little through the years, providing pottery and antiques to nearly the same patrons or their surviving relatives.
With the two families relatively thousands of miles away from each other, the feud had settled down somewhat. But not without bitter memories.
Filia's mind drifted back to cousin Milgasia's story of the Kouma Monsterbowl. Both the Karyu and the Mazoku had competing football teams in the sports event. It was the finals, the deciding game, and the Karyu Golden Dragons found themselves up against the Mazoku Wolves. It was a tough match, but in the end, the star player who ended the game was none other than Zelas' son and team captain Xellos, who was able to tackle and take on the entire Golden Dragon football team with one deceptively casual pass. The Golden Dragons bit football field dirt, the Mazoku Wolves won the championship. Cousin Milgasia, then the humiliated captain of their defeated team, was scarred and scared of Xellos for life.
Filia closed her eyes. It had been ten years. A decade long since passed when she had to put up with the namagomi's face. And now, to meet him, at a crisis like this -- with her family's pride and honor at stake -- to be saved by the people they most HATED!
"The merger is off, Lina," Filia declared firmly, staring down at the younger woman. "You knew I wouldn't agree to this. If I sell out to that scum, I would be humiliating my family."
Lina pouted and started to say something, but Zelgadis quieted her down. "Added to that, Xellos or his kind isn't exactly a very trustworthy person. You, of all people, should know that, Lina."
"I know what I'm doing," Lina retorted. "I got the deal sealed, I made sure he couldn't find a single wormhole to weasel out on us." She turned to Filia. "You've got to trust me."
"The answer is NO," the blonde shook her head resolutely. "Contact the namagomi's corporation as soon as possible, tell them we're withdrawing the contract. Even if we don't find any other company interested in us, I'd rather go bankrupt than be in the debt of my family's mortal enemy."
The redhead looked at Filia, then at Zelgadis. Stubborn. Lina frowned, and nodded stonily.
Author's Ramblings: OK, I'm no business administration major, and I have little to no idea how corporations actually work. Correct me if I'm wrong. But this is MY fic, ne? ^_^ I make it a point to thank people at the end of every chapter, obviously. So polite. Why do I get NICE when I type? THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for putting up with this story!
WHERE BUSINESS IS DEFINITELY WAR... -_-
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 2 : No Way! Flashbacks And Not-Very-Fond Memories
The limo screeched to a stop in front of a tall building. The metal plating atop the large oakwood door read INVERSE & GREYWORDS LAW FIRM in bronze Roman lettering.
The blond woman got off, dark blue dress slightly out of place on her slender form. She strode to the front door, banging on the wooden surface hard. There was a sound not unlike breaking locks and hinges, and the heavy doors swung wide open before her.
Filia blinked. She only intended to knock, rather hard, OK, but since she got the door open... Her relatives had always commented about her unladylike strength, but, well...
"Lina!!!" She went in, calling out to the redhead who had betrayed her. Angry chi fires burned on her blue eyes. Of all the people, she had to strike a deal with-- Oh, Lina was SO dead. "I know you're in there!!!"
The receiving area was dark, the law firm had shut down for the evening. But she knew Lina had her living quarters upstairs. Probably sleeping. "Lina!" She shouted once again.
The round fluorescent lamps on the ceiling blinked open, bathing the room in bright light.
"Filia?" The redhead stood at the top of the stairs, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She had thrown on a large white t-shirt to cover her short frame. "Do you know just what time it is?" Lina went on groggily.
The blonde glared accusingly at her friend. "You set me up!" She yelled angrily.
"What?" Lina looked at her confused.
"You knew it was-- it was-- Xellos, didn't you?" She spat out the name like bitter poison. "YOU didn't tell me I'd be selling my family's company to MAZOKU scum--" The blonde huffed in agitation.
Lina's eyes narrowed for a moment, her mind registering the reason for her friend's barging into her house in the middle of the night. Oh. That. She grinned sheepishly at the older woman. "So I didn't, ne?" She let out a helpless little laugh, attempting to pacify her friend. Filia looked way past to bursting with rage. The blonde was about to retort something when another voice interrupted from behind her so-called friend.
"Lina?" A tall, well-built blond man inquired groggily, stepping out of the door of what had to be Lina's room. "What's the-- Oh." The man's gaze fell on the disheveled blond woman at the foot of the stairs, then down to his own rather scantily clad body. He quickly withdrew back into the other room.
Filia fought a blush. Lina had clearly been rather... occupied. She momentarily forgot her irritation, recognizing the young man. "Hey, isn't that--?" She shot her friend an inquiring look.
It was Lina's turn to blush. "Gourry," she said simply, looking at the floor.
"Gourry?" Filia repeated. "As in Gourry Gabriev? From 'The Sword of Light' and 'Gone in 60 Milliseconds'?!? Winner of three acting awards for his performance in 'Mr. Hunky Nice Guy'? Movie star extraordinaire--"
"Uh, yeah," Lina blushed deeper. So she had a movie star boyfriend. Whatever.
Filia blinked. She thought of teasing or congratulating her friend about it, but suddenly remembered the purpose for her ill-timed visit.
"Filia? What are you doing here?" A low, serious voice asked from the other end of the upper floor. Both females turned to the young man with wiry purple hair and stone skin standing on his side of the apartment. He still wore his working clothes, a dark brown button down coat with a matching pair of slacks.
"Zelgadis!" Filia shouted, turning on her other traitorous friend. "You knew about this as well, didn't you? Didn't you?!" She stomped her foot, climbing up the stairs to glare furiously at her two business associates.
Zelgadis scratched his head, gazing at the blonde blankly. "What are you talking about?"
She crossed her arms. "The merger!" she screamed. "You were going to make me sell out to Xellos-- to a Mazoku, of all people!!!"
Zel frowned. "What?!"
Filia blinked yet again. Lina backed a step from her post. Two pairs of narrowed eyes turned to her.
"Lina!!!" The blond woman yelled for what have been the nth time that night.
"So let's get this straight," Zelgadis began, pacing thoughtfully around the floor of the cluttered office that he shared with Lina. "Lina almost got you to accept a merger with none other than Xellos Metallium..." He grimaced, glaring coldly at Lina.
The redhead crossed her arms from where she sat on the leather highback chair, both feet settling on the hard wooden desk. "It was a good deal," she retorted stubbornly. "I don't see why the two of you hate his gut so much, anyway. We go a long way back, remember?" Lina looked at both faces imploringly.
"A long way back," Filia repeated dryly. "Right."
A long way back, indeed. Everyone knew it, of course. It was common knowledge that the proud, highly-respected Karyu-Ul Copt clan was mortal enemies with the machiavellian, ruthless and feared Mazoku-Metallium family. The family feud was as old as the families themselves, tracing back to each of the honored founding fathers: the notorious, wealthy gangster boss 'Ruby Eye' Shabranigdu, and the statesman and reknowned craftsman 'Flare Dragon' (from the trademark on every pottery made by him) Ceipheid.
Nobody remembers how the feud started. Had something to do about lands, apparently. And political parties. Eitherway, both families have been at each other's necks up to the present century. And the fact that both clans were involved in almost the same business didn't help peace negotiations one bit.
The Mazoku clan quickly rose to the top of the corporate success ladder, until they were so well off most moved out of Saillune to mind or start new companies abroad. And the corporation, so big and expansive Filia didn't see it coming, was Wolfpack.
The Karyu clan, however, was not as fortunate. Or lying, cheating, bribing insolents, as old Karyu put it. Dragon Crest remained in Saillune, changing little through the years, providing pottery and antiques to nearly the same patrons or their surviving relatives.
With the two families relatively thousands of miles away from each other, the feud had settled down somewhat. But not without bitter memories.
Filia's mind drifted back to cousin Milgasia's story of the Kouma Monsterbowl. Both the Karyu and the Mazoku had competing football teams in the sports event. It was the finals, the deciding game, and the Karyu Golden Dragons found themselves up against the Mazoku Wolves. It was a tough match, but in the end, the star player who ended the game was none other than Zelas' son and team captain Xellos, who was able to tackle and take on the entire Golden Dragon football team with one deceptively casual pass. The Golden Dragons bit football field dirt, the Mazoku Wolves won the championship. Cousin Milgasia, then the humiliated captain of their defeated team, was scarred and scared of Xellos for life.
Filia closed her eyes. It had been ten years. A decade long since passed when she had to put up with the namagomi's face. And now, to meet him, at a crisis like this -- with her family's pride and honor at stake -- to be saved by the people they most HATED!
"The merger is off, Lina," Filia declared firmly, staring down at the younger woman. "You knew I wouldn't agree to this. If I sell out to that scum, I would be humiliating my family."
Lina pouted and started to say something, but Zelgadis quieted her down. "Added to that, Xellos or his kind isn't exactly a very trustworthy person. You, of all people, should know that, Lina."
"I know what I'm doing," Lina retorted. "I got the deal sealed, I made sure he couldn't find a single wormhole to weasel out on us." She turned to Filia. "You've got to trust me."
"The answer is NO," the blonde shook her head resolutely. "Contact the namagomi's corporation as soon as possible, tell them we're withdrawing the contract. Even if we don't find any other company interested in us, I'd rather go bankrupt than be in the debt of my family's mortal enemy."
The redhead looked at Filia, then at Zelgadis. Stubborn. Lina frowned, and nodded stonily.
Author's Ramblings: OK, I'm no business administration major, and I have little to no idea how corporations actually work. Correct me if I'm wrong. But this is MY fic, ne? ^_^ I make it a point to thank people at the end of every chapter, obviously. So polite. Why do I get NICE when I type? THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for putting up with this story!
WHERE BUSINESS IS DEFINITELY WAR... -_-