Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SLAYERS. So there. ^_^
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 3 : Teashop Battles
The taxicab dropped her off at the corner of the familiar three-story building. DRAGON CREST INDUSTRIES, announced gilded letters on the ornate front door.
Filia pulled the overcoat around herself more tightly, feeling the chill of the morning air. The police had towed away the limo less than half an hour after she left it and she had been forced to stay the night at Lina and Zel's place. Zelgadis took to the couch, to her gratitude, and all she had to mind were the noises Lina and her new boyfriend *Gourry* made while they were, *uhurm*! in the other room.
She was glad she kept some of her clothes in her office at the company building. She still wore the blue dress from the night before, all wrinkled and rumpled, and she was looked forward to finally changing to her normal wear.
She plastered a smile on her face as she walked up the building. She made it a point to greet her employees and customers with a cheerful face. Kept the company morale up. And by Ceipheid, a high morale would do them some good right now.
She neared the street corner, and frowned. Something was... out of place.
She gaped, noticing it. Who wouldn't? There, right across Dragon Crest Industries, was another, much larger, and extremely modern-looking, building. Reinforced glass panels gleamed in the sunlight. Men and women in smart navy blue uniforms swarmed and bustled inside it, off to an early start. Employees? There was a rather impressive display of pottery, furniture, and other antiques on either side of the expansive entrance door. Off to another section, what looked like a cafe, stylish wooden tables and chairs and the smell of coffee, tea and pastries from the door. A few customers sat taking there already, taking their early morning brew, and by the joggers or office people who steadily poured inside, more were coming in. Her frown deepened when she recognized that not a few of them were her regular patrons.
Wondering, she went into her own building. The bell at the door jingled as she entered.
"Hi, Sis!" A fox man with an eye patch on one eye greeted cheerily from the counter.
Filia forced a smile to her face. "Ohaiyo, Jiras," she greeted back.
She surveyed the main room of the teashop, noticing the unoccupied tables. Three other people were in the room. Mrs. Andersen, a bespectacled, kindly grandmother from across the street, sat at her usual post near the shop window, having a bagel and rose tea. Mr. Roberts and Mr. Arenas, two elderly chess enthusiasts, drank their uniform black coffee, discussing some obscure article in the newspaper. Her only customers.
The three looked up, noticing her arrival, and she smiled, nodding politely at them.
She turned to Jiras. "Where's Gravos?"
"Upstairs. Arranging a few items that arrived yesterday, I think." The fox man answered.
"Oh." She said. "Um, Jiras," she began tentatively, "By any chance, do you know who owns that building right across the street?" She indicated the large edifice obstructing their view outside.
Jiras shook his head. "It wasn't there yesterday," he replied in a puzzled voice.
"I see," Filia returned. "Well, I'm going to the antique shop. Keep an eye out for customers, OK?" The fox man nodded obediently, and Filia headed to the upper floor.
The room looked like a warehouse, and indeed, it was a warehouse. Though she took great pains to keep the hall immaculately clean, dust accumulated easily on the articles of pottery and furniture stored in there. In spite of slow business the day bustled with activity, their new order of Chinese and Oriental vases had just arrived yesterday, and now Gravos and his crew were busy sorting and cataloguing those.
Gravos was there, sure enough, his tall and imposing form rising above the group of young employees around him as he shot out orders at them.
"Yes sir!"
"Right away, boss!"
"Miss Filia!" Gravos called out, waving. "Cargo in safe condition. We'll be able to sell perhaps a few pieces next week." He gave one final pat to a crate, finishing his report.
"Good work," she said encouragingly. She suddenly felt tired, deflated.
Behind them the employees were whispering excitedly as they bustled about, checking and labeling the new arrivals. She nodded to them, smiling ever so slightly, wanting to just crawl to her office on the third floor. Hushed voices reached her ears as she made her way around them.
"That building?!"
"Rumor's got it they had it built overnight! The world's fastest, most efficient, and deathly expensive construction workers in the world! FLEW it in last night..."
"Really?"
"So this guy's, like, super rich?"
She shrugged it all off, dazed.
Third floor. Sighing with relief, she staggered to the room.
"Filia-san!" A perky female voice greeted over a neat desk. Amelia Wil Telsa Saillune, Filia's secretary and best friend after Lina, held a thick stack of papers in one hand. She had a worried look on her young face. "This just came," she said apologetically, handing the papers to Filia.
The blonde pored over the stack. Bills. Debts. Bank loans. Taxes. Mortgage. More bills.
"I'm sorry," Amelia said, wanting to comfort her friend.
"No, it's OK," Filia returned weakly, trying to smile in assurance.
"Want me to ring Jiras for your morning cup?" The black-haired girl offered. Filia looked down. She knew tea had a way of cheering her up.
"N-no," Filia gently refused. "I'll just be in my office." With that, the blond-haired woman left for the door of her office room.
She stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. She closed her eyes. No, she wouldn't cry. She shouldn't cry.
The phone rang.
"Filia! You there?!" Lina. Her friend's voice had a strange edge to it.
"I'm here," Filia answered. "What is it?"
"Listen, it'll be much, um, easier if you see for yourself." A pause. "Do you have a tv there?" Lina sounded agitated. Something's up.
"Downstairs, at the teashop," Filia answered carefully. "Why?"
"It's all over the morning news," Lina told her. "Maybe you'll catch it. It's on Channel 5," the redhead supplied. Another pause. "Better yet, look outside the window." A click. Filia hung up.
What did she mean? Filia stared outside, the large, new building filling up the view. Considerably more people have gathered down the street, in front of it. A van. Cameras. Media people? A deep purple sports car was parked not far behind. She frowned again, scanning the faces below her. The reporters from Channel 5 and quite a number of other news networks swarmed the entrance, apparently asking questions on the tall, cheerful, purple-haired man standing right in front of the glass doors.
"So this will just be the first of many shopping outlets Wolfpack Corporation will be opening to the public in the coming years?" One reporter asked over his Channel 5 microphone. The video camera zoomed to the purple-haired man at the entrance, smiling genially at the media people present.
"You could say that," he answered, grin never faltering.
"Mr. Metallium, what about those rumors your company was buying out Dragon Crest, one of the oldest companies in Saillune? And the fact you've built your first outlet right across their main office..." Another, a mousy young woman with glasses piped up.
"Rumors are rumors," Xellos answered simply.
"Well, is it true the present owner of Dragon Crest blatantly withdrew the merger agreement upon learning that it was a corporation owned by her family's arch rival and mortal enemy?"
He grinned winningly, wagging a finger. "That, of course, is a secret!"
The entire crew of news anchors sweatdropped.
Xellos went on, happily ignoring the reporters' reactions. "But, to celebrate the opening of the very first Metallium Shopping Outlet in Saillune, we'll be having a promo--"
"XELLOS!!!"
Recovering from their sweatdrops, everyone present at the impromptu conference turned around to the blond lady behind them. A furming, angry-looking blond lady, they added.
Xellos looked up to the furious woman, smiling as if her shouting angrily at him from across the street was the most amusing thing in the world. "Why, hello, Fi-chan!" He greeted cheerfully. "How nice of you to drop by!"
The blonde apparently didn't share his sentiment. "What is the meaning of this?!?!!!" She demanded through gritted teeth.
The purple-haired man raised an eyebrow at her, eyes closed. "Just opening business, Filia-chan," he answered. "What do you think?"
Filia was beyond red. "How dare you!!!" She shouted. She made as if to charge him, then, noticing the barrage of media people, opted for a more dignified pace, stroding purposefully toward the smiling Mazoku. The reporters parted like the Red Sea for her.
"Um, excuse me, could you be the Filia Ul Copt, present owner of Dragon Crest?"
"She IS her, you idiot!"
"Right..."
More questions followed, but Filia was too filled with rage over the namagomi's infringement of HER territory to reply. She stalked forward, glaring accusingly at the now sweatdropping Xellos.
"Um, Filia-chan..."
"Don't you DARE call me that, NAMAGOMI!!!" She strode up the tiled steps, Xellos a few feet away. Nearer.
Purple eyebrows twitched visibly. The media people looked on, watching the interplay in fascination. "You're going to--" Xellos began.
BZZZZZZT!!!!!
Too late.
Alarms sounded. Confetti rained down from automated sprinklers in the ceiling. A large, white video board pulled down from the entrance, the words WINNER flashing in the background.
Filia jumped back from where her foot landed on a particularly odd-looking tile on the entrance floor. Suddenly Xellos was in front of her, fruitcake grin in place, shaking her hand.
"Congratulations, Fi-chan!" Xellos informed her. "You won our company's promotion prize!"
Cameras clicked. Video cams zoomed at the pair, one looking considerably confused and flustered over what exactly had transpired. The Mazoku turned both of them around to have their pictures properly taken.
"Yes, as I was going to say before, we have a promo to celebrate our first day in Saillune," Xellos said, addressing the reporters and a bunch of onlookers attracted by the sudden burst of action. "A dinner date at our company's world-reknowned five star Mypros Hotel!" He grinned, patting Filia's shoulder congenially. "And I'm proud to announce our lucky and unwitting winner happens to be... Filia Ul Copt!"
The street resounded in claps and cheers from the reporting body. A line of servants swarmed out of the building, bowing to her as Xellos presented her with the dinner certificate and a gold card.
Filia was frozen in shock. What...
"Yare yare," Xellos exclaimed over her shoulder. "Loosen up, Filia-san! They're taking your picture!"
Click.
Author's Rants: So, what do you think? Should this go on? Need improvement? What shall happen next? Oh well, the answers to those questions shall be known soon... sometime... ^_^
ZELAS HAS A PLAN...
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 3 : Teashop Battles
The taxicab dropped her off at the corner of the familiar three-story building. DRAGON CREST INDUSTRIES, announced gilded letters on the ornate front door.
Filia pulled the overcoat around herself more tightly, feeling the chill of the morning air. The police had towed away the limo less than half an hour after she left it and she had been forced to stay the night at Lina and Zel's place. Zelgadis took to the couch, to her gratitude, and all she had to mind were the noises Lina and her new boyfriend *Gourry* made while they were, *uhurm*! in the other room.
She was glad she kept some of her clothes in her office at the company building. She still wore the blue dress from the night before, all wrinkled and rumpled, and she was looked forward to finally changing to her normal wear.
She plastered a smile on her face as she walked up the building. She made it a point to greet her employees and customers with a cheerful face. Kept the company morale up. And by Ceipheid, a high morale would do them some good right now.
She neared the street corner, and frowned. Something was... out of place.
She gaped, noticing it. Who wouldn't? There, right across Dragon Crest Industries, was another, much larger, and extremely modern-looking, building. Reinforced glass panels gleamed in the sunlight. Men and women in smart navy blue uniforms swarmed and bustled inside it, off to an early start. Employees? There was a rather impressive display of pottery, furniture, and other antiques on either side of the expansive entrance door. Off to another section, what looked like a cafe, stylish wooden tables and chairs and the smell of coffee, tea and pastries from the door. A few customers sat taking there already, taking their early morning brew, and by the joggers or office people who steadily poured inside, more were coming in. Her frown deepened when she recognized that not a few of them were her regular patrons.
Wondering, she went into her own building. The bell at the door jingled as she entered.
"Hi, Sis!" A fox man with an eye patch on one eye greeted cheerily from the counter.
Filia forced a smile to her face. "Ohaiyo, Jiras," she greeted back.
She surveyed the main room of the teashop, noticing the unoccupied tables. Three other people were in the room. Mrs. Andersen, a bespectacled, kindly grandmother from across the street, sat at her usual post near the shop window, having a bagel and rose tea. Mr. Roberts and Mr. Arenas, two elderly chess enthusiasts, drank their uniform black coffee, discussing some obscure article in the newspaper. Her only customers.
The three looked up, noticing her arrival, and she smiled, nodding politely at them.
She turned to Jiras. "Where's Gravos?"
"Upstairs. Arranging a few items that arrived yesterday, I think." The fox man answered.
"Oh." She said. "Um, Jiras," she began tentatively, "By any chance, do you know who owns that building right across the street?" She indicated the large edifice obstructing their view outside.
Jiras shook his head. "It wasn't there yesterday," he replied in a puzzled voice.
"I see," Filia returned. "Well, I'm going to the antique shop. Keep an eye out for customers, OK?" The fox man nodded obediently, and Filia headed to the upper floor.
The room looked like a warehouse, and indeed, it was a warehouse. Though she took great pains to keep the hall immaculately clean, dust accumulated easily on the articles of pottery and furniture stored in there. In spite of slow business the day bustled with activity, their new order of Chinese and Oriental vases had just arrived yesterday, and now Gravos and his crew were busy sorting and cataloguing those.
Gravos was there, sure enough, his tall and imposing form rising above the group of young employees around him as he shot out orders at them.
"Yes sir!"
"Right away, boss!"
"Miss Filia!" Gravos called out, waving. "Cargo in safe condition. We'll be able to sell perhaps a few pieces next week." He gave one final pat to a crate, finishing his report.
"Good work," she said encouragingly. She suddenly felt tired, deflated.
Behind them the employees were whispering excitedly as they bustled about, checking and labeling the new arrivals. She nodded to them, smiling ever so slightly, wanting to just crawl to her office on the third floor. Hushed voices reached her ears as she made her way around them.
"That building?!"
"Rumor's got it they had it built overnight! The world's fastest, most efficient, and deathly expensive construction workers in the world! FLEW it in last night..."
"Really?"
"So this guy's, like, super rich?"
She shrugged it all off, dazed.
Third floor. Sighing with relief, she staggered to the room.
"Filia-san!" A perky female voice greeted over a neat desk. Amelia Wil Telsa Saillune, Filia's secretary and best friend after Lina, held a thick stack of papers in one hand. She had a worried look on her young face. "This just came," she said apologetically, handing the papers to Filia.
The blonde pored over the stack. Bills. Debts. Bank loans. Taxes. Mortgage. More bills.
"I'm sorry," Amelia said, wanting to comfort her friend.
"No, it's OK," Filia returned weakly, trying to smile in assurance.
"Want me to ring Jiras for your morning cup?" The black-haired girl offered. Filia looked down. She knew tea had a way of cheering her up.
"N-no," Filia gently refused. "I'll just be in my office." With that, the blond-haired woman left for the door of her office room.
She stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. She closed her eyes. No, she wouldn't cry. She shouldn't cry.
The phone rang.
"Filia! You there?!" Lina. Her friend's voice had a strange edge to it.
"I'm here," Filia answered. "What is it?"
"Listen, it'll be much, um, easier if you see for yourself." A pause. "Do you have a tv there?" Lina sounded agitated. Something's up.
"Downstairs, at the teashop," Filia answered carefully. "Why?"
"It's all over the morning news," Lina told her. "Maybe you'll catch it. It's on Channel 5," the redhead supplied. Another pause. "Better yet, look outside the window." A click. Filia hung up.
What did she mean? Filia stared outside, the large, new building filling up the view. Considerably more people have gathered down the street, in front of it. A van. Cameras. Media people? A deep purple sports car was parked not far behind. She frowned again, scanning the faces below her. The reporters from Channel 5 and quite a number of other news networks swarmed the entrance, apparently asking questions on the tall, cheerful, purple-haired man standing right in front of the glass doors.
"So this will just be the first of many shopping outlets Wolfpack Corporation will be opening to the public in the coming years?" One reporter asked over his Channel 5 microphone. The video camera zoomed to the purple-haired man at the entrance, smiling genially at the media people present.
"You could say that," he answered, grin never faltering.
"Mr. Metallium, what about those rumors your company was buying out Dragon Crest, one of the oldest companies in Saillune? And the fact you've built your first outlet right across their main office..." Another, a mousy young woman with glasses piped up.
"Rumors are rumors," Xellos answered simply.
"Well, is it true the present owner of Dragon Crest blatantly withdrew the merger agreement upon learning that it was a corporation owned by her family's arch rival and mortal enemy?"
He grinned winningly, wagging a finger. "That, of course, is a secret!"
The entire crew of news anchors sweatdropped.
Xellos went on, happily ignoring the reporters' reactions. "But, to celebrate the opening of the very first Metallium Shopping Outlet in Saillune, we'll be having a promo--"
"XELLOS!!!"
Recovering from their sweatdrops, everyone present at the impromptu conference turned around to the blond lady behind them. A furming, angry-looking blond lady, they added.
Xellos looked up to the furious woman, smiling as if her shouting angrily at him from across the street was the most amusing thing in the world. "Why, hello, Fi-chan!" He greeted cheerfully. "How nice of you to drop by!"
The blonde apparently didn't share his sentiment. "What is the meaning of this?!?!!!" She demanded through gritted teeth.
The purple-haired man raised an eyebrow at her, eyes closed. "Just opening business, Filia-chan," he answered. "What do you think?"
Filia was beyond red. "How dare you!!!" She shouted. She made as if to charge him, then, noticing the barrage of media people, opted for a more dignified pace, stroding purposefully toward the smiling Mazoku. The reporters parted like the Red Sea for her.
"Um, excuse me, could you be the Filia Ul Copt, present owner of Dragon Crest?"
"She IS her, you idiot!"
"Right..."
More questions followed, but Filia was too filled with rage over the namagomi's infringement of HER territory to reply. She stalked forward, glaring accusingly at the now sweatdropping Xellos.
"Um, Filia-chan..."
"Don't you DARE call me that, NAMAGOMI!!!" She strode up the tiled steps, Xellos a few feet away. Nearer.
Purple eyebrows twitched visibly. The media people looked on, watching the interplay in fascination. "You're going to--" Xellos began.
BZZZZZZT!!!!!
Too late.
Alarms sounded. Confetti rained down from automated sprinklers in the ceiling. A large, white video board pulled down from the entrance, the words WINNER flashing in the background.
Filia jumped back from where her foot landed on a particularly odd-looking tile on the entrance floor. Suddenly Xellos was in front of her, fruitcake grin in place, shaking her hand.
"Congratulations, Fi-chan!" Xellos informed her. "You won our company's promotion prize!"
Cameras clicked. Video cams zoomed at the pair, one looking considerably confused and flustered over what exactly had transpired. The Mazoku turned both of them around to have their pictures properly taken.
"Yes, as I was going to say before, we have a promo to celebrate our first day in Saillune," Xellos said, addressing the reporters and a bunch of onlookers attracted by the sudden burst of action. "A dinner date at our company's world-reknowned five star Mypros Hotel!" He grinned, patting Filia's shoulder congenially. "And I'm proud to announce our lucky and unwitting winner happens to be... Filia Ul Copt!"
The street resounded in claps and cheers from the reporting body. A line of servants swarmed out of the building, bowing to her as Xellos presented her with the dinner certificate and a gold card.
Filia was frozen in shock. What...
"Yare yare," Xellos exclaimed over her shoulder. "Loosen up, Filia-san! They're taking your picture!"
Click.
Author's Rants: So, what do you think? Should this go on? Need improvement? What shall happen next? Oh well, the answers to those questions shall be known soon... sometime... ^_^
ZELAS HAS A PLAN...