Author's Note: Okay, finally we can get to the meat of the story. Here we
go.
Chapter Three
Lina grumbled to herself as she followed a path through one of jungles the island she was a new inhabitant of. Combined with the fact that she only had the moonlight to guide her, she wasn't making very good progress. She cursed each root she stumbled on and each branch that caught on her clothes and bag.
Finally with a huff she sat down upon the ground in a small clearing. Figuring she was far enough from the starting point, she opened up her bag and rummaged through the contents. She grumbled as she dug through bottles of water, "Weapon, weapon. Ah!" She smiled as she found a small bag. Unwrapping it, her face fell. She held in her hand a small dagger. Disappointing. Everyone else was probably getting neat stuff, and here she was with something barely able to clean her fingernails with.
She was begin to start cursing fate new when she felt something boke her shoulder. She let a shriek and jumped to her feet, slashing blindly. Her assailant moved just in time, and only lost a few strands of hair. Lina held the knife defensively as she narrowed her eyes, "Who?" She blinked, finding herself looking into a pair of familiar, blank eyes.
Gourry smiled, waving at Lina gamely, "Hi Lina! You should be a little more careful with that thing or you might huorph!" The last word came out a little strangled as his stomach became reacquainted with Lina's fist. He fell to his knees, eyes bulding faintly, "Owww."
Lina swatted him on the top of his head for good measure, "Idiot! You scared the hell out of me! How did you get here? Were you following me?"
Gourry nodded, "Yup!"
"Did you see anyone else?"
"Nope."
Lina shook her head, "Gourry.. How can you act like that? Don't you realize what's happening?" With a shake of her head, she sat down on the ground.
Gourry sighed and sat down crosslegged in front of Lina, "Of course I do. I just don't know how else to act. Besides, I've been in tight spots before. And the important thing to remember is never panic."
Lina blinked and stared at Gourry wide eyed. Smiling faintly, she reached out and patted Gourry on the shoulder, "You're just full of surprises, aren't you? Okay, let's take stock. What did you get for a weapon?"
Gourry beamed and produced from his bag an aluminum baseball bat, brandishing it like it was Excalibur.
Lina scratched her head, "You got a baseball bat? That's a bizarre coincidence."
Gourry shook his head, "No, I traded for it."
Lina stared, "What?"
Gourry radiated an aura of self satisfaction so intensely it caused Lina to avert her eyes, "Yeah. At first I had some kind of gun, I think. I didn't know how to use it. The guy with the purple hair and the yellow eyes seemed to think it was pretty neat, so we traded. Good idea, huh?"
Lina's jaw hit the foor, "You had a GUN and you traded it for a BASEBALL BAT?"
"Uh huh!"
"YOU IDIOT!" Lina roared. She then clapped a hand over her mouth and looked around the small clearing in a frenzy, "Gourry. Do you know where he went? Did he follow you here?"
Gourry tilted his head and scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. One could almost hear the gears clicking, "Mm. I. Don't know!"
Lina would have hit him again, but that would waste time. Instead she jumped to her feet and grabbed Gourry by the arm, pulling him to his feet. She pulled him along as she began to walk rapidly on the path she'd been following, "We have to go. Right now."
Gourry stumbled along behind Lina, "H-hey.. Where're we going?"
"Just shut up and come on."
------------
It was on the rocks near a each that another girl was picking her way across the island. She sighed as she crossed from one rock to another, occasionally stopping to brush her hair from her eyes. She smiled in relief as she say a good stretch of beach stretch out in front of her. At last, some easy walking.
Filia smiled as her aching feet got a rest from the rocks. She admired the soft sand as she walked, liking the feel of it. She did so like the beach. It was a shame this one had to be ruined by such circumstances. It would have been fun to come here woth her friends during better times.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by a very loud bang. Stumbling back, she lost her balance and fell onto the sand with a soft thud. Blinking, she stared ahead of her as her attacker stepped out from behind the boulder they hid behind. She opened her mouth in relief as she recognized the person, "Oh, Critan, it's you.. You scared-"
"Shut up!" The young boy yelled, as he cocked the assault shotgun he pointed at Filia. His green eyes seemed slightly crazed and his brown hair was disheveled.
Filia gasped at the aggressive act, "What..? What's the matter?"
The boy shook his head, looking panicked, "I won't die, do you here me? I won't." He then grinned, "It's nothing personal. But you know. If you die, that's one step closer I am to going home."
Filia simply spoke silently, unable to fathom this. She gulped, "W-wait." Here eyes left the weapon honed on her to look past her classmate. Something was coming, and not slowly.
Critan seemed to catch on to this and slowly turned to see what was happening.
Filia saw a glint of metal. It moved rapidle from being angled at the ground, to being angled at the sky, as though it traveled on a line. She couldn't even blink as she saw Critan fall onto his back, kicking up sand. Slowly her eyes traveled from the body, to the one that had taken the life from it.
Zelgadiss frowned as he pointed the tip of his sword at the girl on the ground, slowly leaning over the fallen body and relieving the boy of his weapon and belt of ammunition. Standing up straight, he put the swrod back in the sheath he wore on his belt.
Filia stared, "You.. Saved me?" She couldn't see anything of her savior but for those chilling eyes that seemed to bore into her. It made her uncomfortable instead of grateful.
"He had a better weapon than I do." He titled his head, "What do you have?" Taking no chances, he pointed the weapon at her, his finger squeezing the trigger lightly.
Filia seemed to shrink, and took her weapon slowly out of her bag, holding it up for inspection.
Zelgadiss rolled his eyes, "An air horn?" He shook his head, shouldering the shotgun, "Keep it." Turning on a heel he presented her with his back as he began walking way. He was rather surprised as he felt himself pulled backwards. Turning, he sneered in annoyance as he prepared to give the girl a piece of his mind, "Look-" he didn't get any farther.
Filia's palm stung faintly from the slap she'd delivered, but she wasn't going to let tat bother her. This jerk had caught her in a damsel in distress moment, but be damned if she was just going to leave her there. Her own blue eyes glared into his own, "Where do you think you're going?"
Zelgadiss was taken aback. He stumbled for a moment before regaining his composure, "I don't know what you're getting at, but forget it."
Filia crossed her hands on her hips and leaned foreword, coming almost nose to nose with this strange boy, "I don't know who you think you are, but you are NOT just going to leave me here!"
Zelgadiss retreated from this breach on his personal space, before once more squaring his shoulders, "Watch me." He turned and started walking. He had to admit he was almost surprised when she made no effort to stop him. And yet. He sighed and turned to find her not three paces behind, "Please stop."
Filia shook her head, "No. I won't just be left alone out here. I don't even have a weapon."
Turning, Zelgadiss pointed the gun at her, "I could just kill you and be rid of another annoyance."
Filia crossed her arms over her chest, and nodded, "Yes you could." She never took her eyes off of Zelgadiss.
Zell sighed, and lowered the weapon, "Alright. Alright, I give up. I surrender." Turning, he headed up he sand, towards the jungle.
Filia followed, curious, "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere we can't be followed. They'll find the footprints."
"They?"
"I have a funny feeling not all of your classmates are as friendly as you are." That was all he could comment on.
"Hey, I have one more question."
Zelgadiss sighed, "What is it?"
"What's your first name?"
He paused, and then nodded faintly, "Zelgadiss."
Filia smiled, "Well it's nice to meet you, Zelgadiss Greywords. My name is Filia Copt."
Zelgadiss grunted an acknowledgement, and into the jungle they went.
-----------------
Amelia hummed an upbeat tune to herself as she set about straightening things up in the small shack she'd found. It must have been an abandoned home, from what she gathered. Well, no electricity, but she did find an oil lantern. She used that to guide her as she busied herself preparing her shelter.
Naturally she was rather surprised as she heard a knock at the door. Gulping down a wad of fear, she approached the door hesitantly, armed with a chair leg she'd found. It was far more useful than the steering wheel she'd been given as a 'weapon.'
She squinted, "Who's there? I.. I have a gun, you know."
A friendly, though unfamiliar voice returned the query, "I got kinda lost, and I'm just glad to find someone. Can you open the door please? I lost my weapon."
Amelia cracked the door open and peeked out. The sight that greeted her was purple hair, and a friendly smile. The boy also had both hands in the air, empty. Seeing as it wouldn't be nice to leave them out there, she opened the door, "Okay, come in."
Xelloss bowed as he came through the doorway, "Oh, thank you. I was so worried that someone was going to ambush me. I heard gunfire, so I ran.."
Amelia frowned as she shut the door, "It's so terrible.. I don't know what we'll do. I don't want to hurt anyone. And I'm worried about my friends."
Xelloss nodded sympathetically.
Amelia frowned, "Some class rep I am. My class is out there doing who-knows- what, and I ran and hid somewhere." She sighed and sat down on one of the intact chairs, placing her head in her hands.
Xelloss walked over and softly patted her shoulder, a small sympathetic frown on his face, 'There there.. It's not your fault. It's not like this doesn't count of an extenuating circumstance."
Amelia looked up and smiled hesitantly, "Yes.. That's true, isn't it? I'm sorry, I just didn't know what to do."
"One step at a time. One step at a time. It's all you can do."
Amelia smiled, "I'm sorry.. Here I've been talking on and on and I didn't even get your name. I'm Amelia Saillune."
Xelloss leaned over and took one of Amelia's hands, kissing her fingers lightly, "Xelloss Metallium. At your service."
Amelia giggled at that, and blushed, "Ah.. I. Oh."
Xelloss smiled as he leaned over Amelia, his yellow eyes gleaming, "Well Amelia.. I think we'll get along just fine."
Amelia smiled, greatful that this stranger was so kindhearted.
Chapter Three
Lina grumbled to herself as she followed a path through one of jungles the island she was a new inhabitant of. Combined with the fact that she only had the moonlight to guide her, she wasn't making very good progress. She cursed each root she stumbled on and each branch that caught on her clothes and bag.
Finally with a huff she sat down upon the ground in a small clearing. Figuring she was far enough from the starting point, she opened up her bag and rummaged through the contents. She grumbled as she dug through bottles of water, "Weapon, weapon. Ah!" She smiled as she found a small bag. Unwrapping it, her face fell. She held in her hand a small dagger. Disappointing. Everyone else was probably getting neat stuff, and here she was with something barely able to clean her fingernails with.
She was begin to start cursing fate new when she felt something boke her shoulder. She let a shriek and jumped to her feet, slashing blindly. Her assailant moved just in time, and only lost a few strands of hair. Lina held the knife defensively as she narrowed her eyes, "Who?" She blinked, finding herself looking into a pair of familiar, blank eyes.
Gourry smiled, waving at Lina gamely, "Hi Lina! You should be a little more careful with that thing or you might huorph!" The last word came out a little strangled as his stomach became reacquainted with Lina's fist. He fell to his knees, eyes bulding faintly, "Owww."
Lina swatted him on the top of his head for good measure, "Idiot! You scared the hell out of me! How did you get here? Were you following me?"
Gourry nodded, "Yup!"
"Did you see anyone else?"
"Nope."
Lina shook her head, "Gourry.. How can you act like that? Don't you realize what's happening?" With a shake of her head, she sat down on the ground.
Gourry sighed and sat down crosslegged in front of Lina, "Of course I do. I just don't know how else to act. Besides, I've been in tight spots before. And the important thing to remember is never panic."
Lina blinked and stared at Gourry wide eyed. Smiling faintly, she reached out and patted Gourry on the shoulder, "You're just full of surprises, aren't you? Okay, let's take stock. What did you get for a weapon?"
Gourry beamed and produced from his bag an aluminum baseball bat, brandishing it like it was Excalibur.
Lina scratched her head, "You got a baseball bat? That's a bizarre coincidence."
Gourry shook his head, "No, I traded for it."
Lina stared, "What?"
Gourry radiated an aura of self satisfaction so intensely it caused Lina to avert her eyes, "Yeah. At first I had some kind of gun, I think. I didn't know how to use it. The guy with the purple hair and the yellow eyes seemed to think it was pretty neat, so we traded. Good idea, huh?"
Lina's jaw hit the foor, "You had a GUN and you traded it for a BASEBALL BAT?"
"Uh huh!"
"YOU IDIOT!" Lina roared. She then clapped a hand over her mouth and looked around the small clearing in a frenzy, "Gourry. Do you know where he went? Did he follow you here?"
Gourry tilted his head and scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. One could almost hear the gears clicking, "Mm. I. Don't know!"
Lina would have hit him again, but that would waste time. Instead she jumped to her feet and grabbed Gourry by the arm, pulling him to his feet. She pulled him along as she began to walk rapidly on the path she'd been following, "We have to go. Right now."
Gourry stumbled along behind Lina, "H-hey.. Where're we going?"
"Just shut up and come on."
------------
It was on the rocks near a each that another girl was picking her way across the island. She sighed as she crossed from one rock to another, occasionally stopping to brush her hair from her eyes. She smiled in relief as she say a good stretch of beach stretch out in front of her. At last, some easy walking.
Filia smiled as her aching feet got a rest from the rocks. She admired the soft sand as she walked, liking the feel of it. She did so like the beach. It was a shame this one had to be ruined by such circumstances. It would have been fun to come here woth her friends during better times.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by a very loud bang. Stumbling back, she lost her balance and fell onto the sand with a soft thud. Blinking, she stared ahead of her as her attacker stepped out from behind the boulder they hid behind. She opened her mouth in relief as she recognized the person, "Oh, Critan, it's you.. You scared-"
"Shut up!" The young boy yelled, as he cocked the assault shotgun he pointed at Filia. His green eyes seemed slightly crazed and his brown hair was disheveled.
Filia gasped at the aggressive act, "What..? What's the matter?"
The boy shook his head, looking panicked, "I won't die, do you here me? I won't." He then grinned, "It's nothing personal. But you know. If you die, that's one step closer I am to going home."
Filia simply spoke silently, unable to fathom this. She gulped, "W-wait." Here eyes left the weapon honed on her to look past her classmate. Something was coming, and not slowly.
Critan seemed to catch on to this and slowly turned to see what was happening.
Filia saw a glint of metal. It moved rapidle from being angled at the ground, to being angled at the sky, as though it traveled on a line. She couldn't even blink as she saw Critan fall onto his back, kicking up sand. Slowly her eyes traveled from the body, to the one that had taken the life from it.
Zelgadiss frowned as he pointed the tip of his sword at the girl on the ground, slowly leaning over the fallen body and relieving the boy of his weapon and belt of ammunition. Standing up straight, he put the swrod back in the sheath he wore on his belt.
Filia stared, "You.. Saved me?" She couldn't see anything of her savior but for those chilling eyes that seemed to bore into her. It made her uncomfortable instead of grateful.
"He had a better weapon than I do." He titled his head, "What do you have?" Taking no chances, he pointed the weapon at her, his finger squeezing the trigger lightly.
Filia seemed to shrink, and took her weapon slowly out of her bag, holding it up for inspection.
Zelgadiss rolled his eyes, "An air horn?" He shook his head, shouldering the shotgun, "Keep it." Turning on a heel he presented her with his back as he began walking way. He was rather surprised as he felt himself pulled backwards. Turning, he sneered in annoyance as he prepared to give the girl a piece of his mind, "Look-" he didn't get any farther.
Filia's palm stung faintly from the slap she'd delivered, but she wasn't going to let tat bother her. This jerk had caught her in a damsel in distress moment, but be damned if she was just going to leave her there. Her own blue eyes glared into his own, "Where do you think you're going?"
Zelgadiss was taken aback. He stumbled for a moment before regaining his composure, "I don't know what you're getting at, but forget it."
Filia crossed her hands on her hips and leaned foreword, coming almost nose to nose with this strange boy, "I don't know who you think you are, but you are NOT just going to leave me here!"
Zelgadiss retreated from this breach on his personal space, before once more squaring his shoulders, "Watch me." He turned and started walking. He had to admit he was almost surprised when she made no effort to stop him. And yet. He sighed and turned to find her not three paces behind, "Please stop."
Filia shook her head, "No. I won't just be left alone out here. I don't even have a weapon."
Turning, Zelgadiss pointed the gun at her, "I could just kill you and be rid of another annoyance."
Filia crossed her arms over her chest, and nodded, "Yes you could." She never took her eyes off of Zelgadiss.
Zell sighed, and lowered the weapon, "Alright. Alright, I give up. I surrender." Turning, he headed up he sand, towards the jungle.
Filia followed, curious, "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere we can't be followed. They'll find the footprints."
"They?"
"I have a funny feeling not all of your classmates are as friendly as you are." That was all he could comment on.
"Hey, I have one more question."
Zelgadiss sighed, "What is it?"
"What's your first name?"
He paused, and then nodded faintly, "Zelgadiss."
Filia smiled, "Well it's nice to meet you, Zelgadiss Greywords. My name is Filia Copt."
Zelgadiss grunted an acknowledgement, and into the jungle they went.
-----------------
Amelia hummed an upbeat tune to herself as she set about straightening things up in the small shack she'd found. It must have been an abandoned home, from what she gathered. Well, no electricity, but she did find an oil lantern. She used that to guide her as she busied herself preparing her shelter.
Naturally she was rather surprised as she heard a knock at the door. Gulping down a wad of fear, she approached the door hesitantly, armed with a chair leg she'd found. It was far more useful than the steering wheel she'd been given as a 'weapon.'
She squinted, "Who's there? I.. I have a gun, you know."
A friendly, though unfamiliar voice returned the query, "I got kinda lost, and I'm just glad to find someone. Can you open the door please? I lost my weapon."
Amelia cracked the door open and peeked out. The sight that greeted her was purple hair, and a friendly smile. The boy also had both hands in the air, empty. Seeing as it wouldn't be nice to leave them out there, she opened the door, "Okay, come in."
Xelloss bowed as he came through the doorway, "Oh, thank you. I was so worried that someone was going to ambush me. I heard gunfire, so I ran.."
Amelia frowned as she shut the door, "It's so terrible.. I don't know what we'll do. I don't want to hurt anyone. And I'm worried about my friends."
Xelloss nodded sympathetically.
Amelia frowned, "Some class rep I am. My class is out there doing who-knows- what, and I ran and hid somewhere." She sighed and sat down on one of the intact chairs, placing her head in her hands.
Xelloss walked over and softly patted her shoulder, a small sympathetic frown on his face, 'There there.. It's not your fault. It's not like this doesn't count of an extenuating circumstance."
Amelia looked up and smiled hesitantly, "Yes.. That's true, isn't it? I'm sorry, I just didn't know what to do."
"One step at a time. One step at a time. It's all you can do."
Amelia smiled, "I'm sorry.. Here I've been talking on and on and I didn't even get your name. I'm Amelia Saillune."
Xelloss leaned over and took one of Amelia's hands, kissing her fingers lightly, "Xelloss Metallium. At your service."
Amelia giggled at that, and blushed, "Ah.. I. Oh."
Xelloss smiled as he leaned over Amelia, his yellow eyes gleaming, "Well Amelia.. I think we'll get along just fine."
Amelia smiled, greatful that this stranger was so kindhearted.