The Slayers: Lina Zelgadiss Xelloss Gourry Amelia Val Filia Sylphiel
~*~ Seyruun Summer High Jinx Special! ~*~
Part Two
July
"'The long and winding road---dum dum, dum dum—'"
"Will you make him shut up?"
"You're closer," Zel sighed and began digging in his backpack for headphones and his personal CD player. Anything to escape the nerve-wracking chaos of this road trip.
An assortment of Slayers and Suzaku Seven members were seated in the Amelia van with the instruments. The remaining band remnants and the sound equipment, plus most of the other baggage, were piled into the Suzaku vehicle, which was directly in front of them. Oh, except for lead pretty-boy Tamahome and his two fangirls, who had a private car. At least Hotohori was with them, to keep him honest. Of course, that may have been a problem itself…
The country roads were deserted, the sun had sunk beneath the forested mountains, and the insanity was rising with the moon.
Zel, Xelloss, and Amelia were the Slayers in the van. There were also four of the Seven, little Chiriko, Amelia's friend, Nuriko, who was driving, and the coarse, most tolerable (to Zel, at least), Tasuki. Chichiri was also there, but he was sleeping, so they forgot about him.
The layout was such: Nuriko driving with his buddy, Xelloss, in the passenger seat, both of them now warbling along to a Beatles CD. Behind them, the suffering Zel and Tasuki, with the slumbering Chichiri and the two youngest members in back, holding a few of the most delicate instruments and talking cheerfully together. Between the divas in front and the giggles in back, Zel and Tasuki were going quite mad.
For Zel, part of the madness was really a strange, indeterminable anger he felt whenever Amelia and Chiriko hung out together. Why would he be jealous? He didn't WANT her attention, so why did it bug him that someone else was getting it? And of course, it was his lack of understanding of the whole deal that was really driving him crazy…
"Damnit, you'd think they get all their singin' outta their systems when they do it for a livin', but those two STILL won't shut up…" the red-haired guy moaned.
"They just love the sound of their own voices. Damn, the batteries are dead in this thing! Why do I always forget to replace them?"
"It's karma. You were gonna sit there all blissfully in yer own world, leavin' me to suffer, so the gods punished you by draining your batteries. Heh."
"Great…karma is back on my case. So why doesn't it ever punish Xelloss, who makes people suffer?" Zel wondered.
"Maybe because he's already been punished enough."
Silence. The dark trees swept by outside their windows, the stars came out. They'd be at the beach in a quarter-hour, maybe.
"Damn, that was too serious fer me. I'm gonna crash and burn if we don't get ta that hotel soon," Tasuki complained.
"And we could have slept on the way here if not for the karaoke going on in the front seat…"
"What kind of monster is Chichiri to be able to sleep through that racket?"
"A lucky one…Least we only have one girl with us in this van. How do you guys manage to all get along anyway? Girls have so many problems and whine…"
"'Get back, get back, get back to where you once be-longed, oh yeah,'" the purple-haired duo sang in harmony, loud enough that the original music was nearly lost beneath their voices.
"Ah, first, Lina's one of the 'girls' you were speaking of," Zel tried to answer over the din. "She makes us get along. Amelia and Sylphiel are well-behaved, for the most part, so is Filia actually but she's louder and bossier. In the end, we all seem to mesh well…if everyone would just mind their own business. Oh, I didn't mean you, I meant…Filia plays match-maker and Xelloss is interested in any girl who'll give him the time of day and some that won't. Gourry stays on the fringes and watches, ready to save Lina from whatever she can't handle, which YOU know isn't much. Val's fine unless Filia's flirting or ignoring him, which is a 50/50 proposition. I…I used to be aloof and free of worries but now I've been incorporated and do what ever Lina tells me to do and keep a wary eye on the lunatic, ah Xelloss," Zel sighed and rested his head on the back of the seat uncomfortably.
"So the girls aren't the problem, huh? I guess it's odd, but sometimes I really can't stand them, girls, any of them. Some are okay though, like Lina and Miaka," Tasuki sighed.
Zel opened one eye and viewed the other guy from the side, "I understand. Really, I DO! However, I don't get the Miaka thing you all have got going, but that's all right, you don't have to explain."
"Good, I don't think I could. So you and that guy share a house?"
"And Val. My father's moving out to his own place, so it'll me just the three of us sometime this summer, and Val spends time out at the clan settlement. That leaves Xelloss and me to fend for ourselves. I look forward to the relative peace that conjures up. Last year was…hell."
"Hey, little brother!" Xelloss turned his way smiling. "Join us on the next song!"
"Brother? You two aren't related, are you?" Tasuki asked incredulously.
Zel looked back and smirked, "In a way we're all related…"
In the other van, the back-up Slayers girls, Filia and Sylphiel, were unabashedly flirting with Mitsukage, who politely feigned oblivion. He had brought along a few text books for studying—he was in medical school, and even in his time off, he kept up his pursuit of learning.
Val looked dangerous in the back, but was pretty sure that the Suzaku guy wasn't going to be competition. He was alone in the back with the equipment, Gourry having taken over driving duties with Lina up front managing the music.
Funny, he reflected, that the Suzaku van was mostly full of Slayers, and vice-versa. Maybe that was because the two band leaders had that private car… That sounded pretty good to him, suddenly. Another car…that would make touring a lot easier. A car…
Would this damn trip ever end? He was constantly surrounded with preening pretty-boys. The only females in the group were the Slayers' girls (and the two obnoxious groupie girls the Seven fawned over inexplicably). Of course, the Seven did draw a mostly girl crowd, so that was promising. All this single-minded pursuit was really wearing him down. Had he lost his touch, maybe? The very thought was frightening! He'd have to find out...too bad the Slayers was the only team supplying the interesting female part of the contingent.
Finally, all three vehicles pulled into the lot, lit by neon lights and a few flickering street-lamps. The tired, car-sick throng delegated tasks: wake up Chichiri, talk to the hotel manager, and unload the instruments, equipment, and baggage… There was a long, long two days ahead of them.
~*~
Days Later…
The Cephied Believers Clan Settlement was abuzz in activity; summer was a big growing period for the organic farmers. Before the boys had unloaded their bags in his house, Milgasia had them out in the garden of Mrs. Saunders to help her weed and thin seedlings. Zelgadiss was patting Beast and settling him down in a shady spot when the lady of the house came out to greet them.
"Oh, I'm so glad you could come back and bring your friends to help. My daughter had to run into Atlas City to pick up Filia's cousin and this garden's just a mess. She'll be so relieved to see it all cleaned up when she returns this evening. Now Val, introduce me to these nice young men, starting with the fine tall fellow!" Mrs. Saunders smiled and used a frail hand to shade her eyes from the bright sunlight.
"Ah, sure thing. They're all part of the band I'm in with Filia. This is Gourry, he plays bass…The other two share a house with me in town," he punched Zel in the shoulder. "This is Zel, our guitarist, and…"
"You delivered that little Ul Copt child, didn't you? Let me see those hands…Yes, such long sensitive fingers. You'd make a fine doctor someday."
Zelgadiss blushed and muttered something undecipherable, but which might have been "thanks."
Val finished the introductions, " And this is Xelloss the drummer…"
"You're the syndicate boy, aren't you?" she squinted warily at Xelloss. "You're the one Milgasia spoke so highly of?"
Xelloss rubbed the back of his head nervously and smiled, "I suppose so…"
To his surprise, Gourry stepped up and said, "He gave you folks Wolfpack Island. Nice place. We were campin' there last night."
Zelgadiss glared at Gourry. That was not to be disclosed! The gift was a secret! Before he could deny anything, the old woman was moving on, ignoring the slip-up.
"Were you? I just loved camping out-of-doors when I was a girl. Well, I'll let you boys get on with your work while I make up some iced tea."
"So, what's a weed and what's a keeper, farmer-Val?" Xelloss asked with a smile.
"You'd better water…" Val growled. He hadn't completely forgiven Xelloss for the practical joke the night before. He'd been terribly frightened, although he'd hidden the fact well, but the fact was Xelloss had out-tricked him. On the other hand, Xelloss hadn't complained when Val had yelled and punched him a few times, so they were about even. Of course, he hadn't actually been able to pin Xelloss with the 'missing underwear' crime that morning or the salt-for-sugar mix-up at breakfast or the 'rocks at the bottom of his backpack' either, but he knew…it was up to him to get even…somehow. Ah, ha… the water faucet. Now, there's a way to even the score a little…
"O-kay, do-kay!" Xelloss smiled, picking up the end of the hose and looking around vaguely for the tap.
WHOOSH!
"Ahhhh, hah, ahh…thank you, Vally-boy," Xelloss gasped as he whipped water out of his hair. "Next time, just direct me to the faucet, okay?"
Val smirked, "Oh, sure thing!"
~*~
Luckily, baby Quinny was napping when the girl's flocked to Filia's house. Lina hadn't intended to spend her day with a noisy baby. So, instead, Filia took them on a walking tour of the beautiful natural features and the stables.
"This palomino is mine to ride. Would you all like to go for a quick ride out to the lake and back?" Filia offered. Accepting excitedly, each of the friends was provided a ride and help saddling up.
"Do you and Val ride much?" Sylphiel asked. "You're both pretty secretive about what goes on out here."
Blushing slightly, Filia said, "Well, there's not much to tell, but he's become a very good horseman. Lina, wouldn't you rather choose a smaller one? That's a high-spirited one that Val likes."
"Well, unless you say I can't, I wanna ride him. Come on, big fella, we'll get along just great, won't we?" Lina gave her steed a deadly glare, emasculating him instantly. "That's right, we'll do this MY way…Giddy up!"
Amelia clicked her tongue, sending her gray pony off after Lina's dust trail. "Miss Lina! Wait for me!"
Miles later and after a quick splash in the lake, the girls trotted their horses back toward Milgasia's place. "Look over there!" Amelia pointed. "Isn't that them over at that house?"
"Green and purple…who else could it be? But that's the Saunders' house. Oh, my cousin's coming today. Let's go see if that's what's going on!" Filia cried and lead the cavalry to Mrs. Saunder's back garden.
Sure enough, Cousin Julian had arrived: tall, blonde, tan, looking like he had just stepped out of the tennis pro shop, which he had. He was being introduced to Val and friends as they rode up. Val was attempting to wipe off some mud with his balled up shirt, sweat rivulets streaking his back and chest. His damp hair was held out of his face by a black sweatband, a face made fierce by the studs and piercings. He looked like a wild animal, a hot and dangerous one. Julian pulled back his hand offered in greeting, "Well, I'm sure you want to get cleaned up first…" then nodded politely to the other three dirty strangers, when the girls caught his attention.
"Now who are these charming visions…astride the steeds of the clan?" he smiled, revealing rows of perfect teeth (which Val was considering knocking out at the moment). "And you couldn't be… that sassy little Filia girl! You have grown up and up and…what a lovely surprise!"
"Oh, my…." Xelloss whispered. "This could be a problem."
"No shit," Zel hissed. "I hate the guy and I'm not crazy about Filia. If we're going to all be 'together' for dinner, this will be your chance to make Val look good and get into his good graces again."
Xelloss smiled, eyes glittering evilly, "I agree."
As they put away their tools, Gourry asked Zel in a low voice, "Was I the only one that felt like a flunkey meeting his boss just now?"
Zel shook his head, "No, and by the looks of things we may have a fight on our hands if Val loses control. Xelloss is going to see what he can do, so be prepared."
"Yeah, like a good scout, huh? Sure glad we'll be leavin' tomorrow. But I gotta say I feel for Val. That guy's a tough act to follow," Gourry stopped as Val stepped close for a drink at the hose.
Julian was much admired that evening. He was working the pro shop over the summer then returning to college where he was studying law. Perfect. He and Filia's family talked amiably about 'old times' until the baby's cry disrupted dinner, at which point the tables turned…
"You know, Val and Zelgadiss helped with the delivery," Xelloss began.
"Oh?" asked Julian half interested. "And…are you summer labor here too?"
"What? Me? Oh, I don't think you understand. We are Filia's friends and are in a band called the Slayers, currently on tour with the Suzaku Seven," Xelloss smiled.
"Oh…musicians, huh? I'll put in a good word for you at the Country Club, in case they're in need of a teeny-bopper band," Julian said with a bored expression.
Xelloss leaned forward and continued evenly, "Yes, we are known for lending helping hands where e'er we're needed. And that club where you work? Gourry and his father's company built it and Val here owns it, well most of it, I may be a part owner as well," Xelloss smiled.
"That's funny!" Julian smirked. "I know for a fact then that the syndicate once owned it and it's in litigation to be sold soon to this clan!"
"Let me update you then! I withdrew my agreement last week and offered my portion to Val here, instead. As of yesterday or today or tomorrow…I haven't been in touch…busy with good-deed-doing and all…the club should be all Val's." Xelloss smiled as he gestured to Val seated to his right.
"I don't believe you! No syndicate members would ever be allowed in this settlement! And, that guy," pointing to Val, "…lives with Milgasia! Besides, you're too young and…what kind of a fool do you take me for?" Julian sputtered.
"Take? I take nothing I don't want. So… I give up! What kind of fool are you?" Xelloss leaned back in his chair and smiled goofily.
Meanwhile, the Ul Copts returned to the table with the baby, "Meet little Quentin Shadowrun!"
Val stood and met the baby's outstretched hands with a finger to grab onto. Clearly, his was a familiar and welcome face.
Xelloss used the interruption as an excuse to leave the table. Speaking quietly into the mouthpiece of his cellphone, he settled some unknown business, then quickly hung up and rejoined the others at the table, "Ah, Quinny's here, how nice. Oh, and congratulations, Val. It's all yours!"
Up to that point his friends figured it was all a bluff, but Xelloss was serious. However it had been managed, he had somehow transferred ownership of the Seyruun Country Club to Val Gaav, punk supreme.
Julian stared in disbelief at the other kids. He barely overheard (and decided that he'd simply miss-heard) Val rumbling under his breath, "What the hell do I wanna crappy country club for? What I really wanna get my hands on is a good car!"
None of the kids seemed at all surprised or disturbed by the change of events. Only one of them, Gourry (He BUILT the place?) was thoughtfully congratulating Val on his new acquisition. Even Filia's parents seemed unfazed, so absorbed were they in their entertaining little boy, who was now being held by the creepy-looking guy with the pointy ears and scarred face. Gods what a freak show! Now that girl is STILL cramming food into her mouth and stabbing that poor Gourry guy with a fork to get at his plate! Oh, and now that little girl is joining in! These aren't people, they're animals, mad animals!
Julian shook his head. 'No. These people are not real. When I look up, they will all be normal…' However, when he looked up, Xelloss was looking back, eyes fully open. He shivered with chills running down his spine. Cephied help us, he's holding the baby now!
"Hmmm, he still has that truly wonderful smell, Mrs. Ul Copt," Xelloss was telling her.
"Julian, is something wrong?" Filia asked. "Don't you want to hold Quinny?"
"No thank you! I'm going back to mother's now…" Julian muttered, excusing himself with a grunt and making a run for the door.
"Yeah, well mebbe he'll wanna go ridin' or somethun…" Val smirked. "…some other day, Filia. Probably more his style."
"My, that was sudden," remarked Filia's mother. "And he used to be so polite. Well, that's how kids are. Some improve with time and others…don't." She smiled kindly at the kids at her table, who were laughing and playing pass-the-baby and filling the normally quiet house with their special music.
~*~
Wowoooowowowooooar! The big dog howled when Zel flung open the front door to his house.
"Gods, it's good to be home!" moaned Zel as he fell onto the floor of the front room not even bothering to land on the couch.
"No kidding…" Val groaned as he stretched out his lanky arms and legs and collapsed on the said couch.
"There's no place like hoooooooooooome!" Xelloss chortled, jumped over the dog and Zel, then landed in a chair. "Good thing we're not back on the road until tomorrow, eh? I have got to take a shower and do some laundry. Ah, the life of successful musicians is soooo glamorous."
Rezo appeared at the head of the stairs and called, "Zelgadiss, Xelloss? Val, too? Boys, are you home now? You had better blessed be or I'm calling the police on you!" He made his way down the stairs and into the front room. "What's this on the floor?" he asked giving Zel a light kick in the ribs.
"Me! Careful with the carcass! It's got to do stuff and go on the road for two more days starting tomorrow. Oh, it needs a vacation," Zel moaned, but didn't move.
"IT just had two nice days vacationing on a private island and then out into the fresh country air!" Xelloss smiled.
"Oh, sure hiking ten miles and hoeing acres of turnips. Nice time…" Zel continued to gripe.
"More like five miles, and I was carrry'n ten pounds of rocks thanks to funny-guy, here! And the garden was less than a quarter acre. You shoulda been digin' holes and movin' trees like I was!" Val grumbled unsympathetically.
Rezo cleared his throat to speak and removed Val's feet from his chair in order to have a place to sit, "I thought your band was playing at the beach. Sounds like the clan put you all to work. They did? Good for them! By the way, Joey's been here every day watering. Strangest thing. You'd told me to expect him, but one morning I heard him practicing drums in your place, Xelloss."
"Oh? Good, I gave him the keys so he could. I think I'll give him my set and order another from Val. Hey, Val? Can you do that for me?"
"Drums? I dunno, I haven't been at the music store in so long they probably changed the locks on me. Shit, I outta call them today, too…What do you want? The best as usual? I'll go down there and…no, you and I will DRIVE down there and look through some catalogues. Damn! What's with my inheritance, huh? Now I've got some F*&#^%ing country club but no money to buy food? How come you got money to rent helicopters and put in gardens and I don't?" Val ranted, eyes closed, body immobile.
"Because my money is with…was with the syndicate, while yours was with the clan. I don't think the clan is eager to shower you with wealth. The Gaav fund for step-sons ought to be ready by now. Here, give Fribrizzo a call…ah, punch 12," Xelloss recommended as he tossed his cellphone at Val.
Val caught it before it brained him, eyed closed, and made the call, "Yeah, Val Gaav here. Is Mr. Fribrizzo a-vail-a-ble to speak to me? Yeah, sure, but I won't hold fer long!"
"Well," Rezo began with a sigh. "I was hoping for some help moving tomorrow…"
"Yeah, I'm here…where else would I be? I called YOU! Yeah, well, I've been in-formed in-for-mal-ly that I own some country club now. Yeah. Right. I wanna car, understand! Where's my money? What's goin' on? What kind of car? Oh, ah, it's gotta carry stuff. I'm goin' to the Ancient's settlement and it's gotta go over bad roads…all ter-rain ve-hicle…or Suburban? Four-wheel drive? V-8? Needs a top-of-the-line sound system…got that? How much? Gasp! So how do I do this? Oh… sure, that'll do, ah, thanks. Bye."
"He's having it delivered in a couple hours…He's sending my own car over… I'M GONNA HAVE MY OWN CAR AND IT'S ON ITS WAY! Oh, he wants to meet with us and give us a fi-nan-sheel update after we get back from Atlas City," Val pointed to Zel. "Put that on your calendar."
"YOU put that on the calendar. I'm not moving. I'm not showering either. I'm going to remain here on the floor for the rest of my futile existence. OOF! Aww…no not Beast! Get off of me! I'm not your pillow! Move your head…Yuck! He's drooling on my back isn't he?"
"If it means you'll be taking a shower, then yes," Xelloss smiled. "You smell like that dog and I for one am not sharing a room with a dog-boy."
"Sharing…oh, yes…I wonder what the accommodations will be this time? Don't we have enough money to afford separate beds at least? It's not fair! Just because I'm…not a moose," Zel began.
"Small, Zel-bob, yer small. Gourry is big. I am big. Most of the Suzaku Seven are big- Hotohori, Tamahome, Mitsukage. Xelloss is small. Chiriko is too. Chichiri is medium enough and so is Nuriko. Tasuki, too. So, if ya gotta share a bed, ya pair up a small with a big or two mediums, got it? Ya wanna trade?" Val asked.
"No, you're okay. It's just… oh well. I don't care anymore, as long as it's quiet. And it's not that preening high-and-mighty 'Emperor'," Zel groaned as Beast used his back to push himself to a standing position. "I hope you are a smart enough pooch to feed yourself now because I am not moving, even to feed you. I'm not feeding myself, either."
"If you can wait a couple days, we'll be back and be able to move you then," Xelloss said to Rezo.
"Thank you, Xelloss, for listening. Who would have guessed that you would turn out to be my good son? Yes, I'll wait then, and feed the poor dog now, too!" Rezo said as he rose and stepped over his less-than-perfect-son on the floor.
"'Emperor'…Ya mean Hotohori? Yeah, he's full of himself fer sure. So's that Tamahome guy too. Tasuki's a friend and Chichiri's cool…reminds me of a cross between you two guys sometimes when he talks."
"HUH?" both Zel and Xelloss said together.
"He's smart and's got some dark past, the scarred face, wears funny clothes…kinda a fruit like…ah, ferget it," Val muttered. "Not worth arguing with ya about it…" He continued to mumble then threw a pillow at Zel's head.
"Well, he thrashes around in bed," Xelloss sighed. "If I had a choice, Nuriko's quieter. He sleeps like a log and doesn't snore like Gourry! Don't look at me that way!"
"Look? My face is buried in a pillow; a pillow that some thoughtful person sent my way. I can't bother to raise my head to look at you! I don't care who you get stuck with, as long as it's not me. Now, Val here's remarkably quiet and undisturbing," Zel waved a hand abstractly. "…if you need a recommendation."
"'Undisturbing'? That's not a word is it?" Val asked.
"It is now. Doesn't it bother you that that guy dresses like a girl sometimes, Xelloss?" Zel asked distractedly.
"No. I've known him for years and we…WERE teamed in karate together for much of that time. He never let it bother him that I was returning to an insane asylum each day so I didn't let his affectations bother me. He never considered me 'fair game', if that's what you were getting at. I could use something to eat. Zel-gaaaaaaa-diss! Will you make me a sandwich? Soup maybe? Oh, you're no good are you?" Xelloss patted his head like he might a dog. "Bad boy!"
"Go fix it yourself. I'm busy. Resting. My fingers ache. Do you realize that I might never play guitar again? I could be ruined!" Zel moaned into the pillow.
Snort! "I think I shall go and make myself some dinner," Rezo announced. He knew that would get a rise out of his prone son. Zel hated the mess he left, and would rather do all the cooking, than clean up his mess.
"Hey, how about we go visit that hot tub?" Val asked.
"Good idea!"
"I won't let you in unless you shower first!" Xelloss said. "The dog hair alone would clog the filter."
"All right. If you give me a hand, I'll get up, fix us all something to eat, and then shower, all right?"
"Okay, dokay, little brother!" Xelloss grinned and skipped to the front door. On the way he passed the stack of mail, which he shuffled through until he found one letter addressed to him. "What's this?" he asked himself. No return address alerted him to check the signature first for a seal…none. He sighed in relief, 'not the syndicate', then read the short note.
Zel froze halfway to the kitchen and Val poised at the entrance to the hallway to his room.
"Problemo?" Val asked.
"I'm not sure. Go on and shower…cook. We'll talk about it in the hot tub," Xelloss said sounding casual and pocketing the letter.
After a quick meal and showers, the boys regrouped on deck around the hot tub.
"It's the strangest message sending condolences for my mother's death in one line, then pointing out the difficulties in finding someone to fill her shoes at her job. I can't tell whether this is from some obscure syndicate member, relative, or school chum." Xelloss flipped on the jets, hung up his kimono, and popped into the simmering pool.
"Well, you were expectin' the syndicate might come sniffin' around sometime," Val said as he dropped his towel and stepped gingerly over the edge into the warm water.
"And her relatives from…where WAS she from, anyway?" Zel asked, last to disrobe and hastily climb into the pitch-dark pool.
"Syndicate Europe, I guess. I never knew," Xelloss sighed as he let the hot water penetrate his tight muscles.
"Check the postage. Is it local?" Val asked again.
"Yes. Oddly, it is. Maybe it's from some high school contact," Xelloss said as he squinted in the candle light at the envelope.
"Maybe, but I asked 'cause at home, Gaav of lots of mail postmarked as local, but had really gone through some criminal central sorter, been re-packaged and stamped to hide the place of or-i-gin. The addresses were always printed by computer like junk mail," Val said closing his eyes and sinking deeply into the foaming water.
"Great. Just when I thought my life was coming together someone comes along and pulls it apart again!" Xelloss said angrily.
"Relax. We know nothing, just suspect, and we may be wrong. We've been living with one foot on the dark side for so long, we're getting all worked up over what could be an innocent note from the local librarian," Zel said.
"I know the librarian and she's a very nice lady who didn't write this mockery of a sympathy letter!" Xelloss sighed, relaxing once again into the bubbles. "Ah, well…this water feels so good…I am basically just a hedonist going for what makes me feel good… anymore, so I shall now forget… Help me Mr. Spock! Do that Vulcan 'forget' memory-wipe thingy!" he begged Zelgadiss.
"Oh, shuddup and let me be … oh, all right. Foooor-get…foooorget!" Zel waved a hand majestically over-head, sending Xelloss into a giggling fit.
Val mumbled, "I'M tryin' you can bet…" then whispered in a low voice barely discernable above the volume of the jets he added, "But just because I can't ferget nothin' …I think that none of us should be alone at any time until we know what's up… You agree? You listenin' ta me? Just nod stupidly then..."
Ring, ring, ring, ring
"Whose cell phone is that?" they all asked.
Xelloss stretched to reach the noisy gizmo, "Hello, this is Xelloss, who may be the person of interest, or not. WHOM would you like to speak to?"
"Ah…hi… I thought I was dialing Zel."
"Oh, Master Gourry! You may be right but I can't see color in the dark so I have no idea whose phone this is, but… I'll get him for you! Here, Zel-GA-diss, call for you."
"Thanks. Hi…what's up? Jillas? Not that I've noticed. Want to talk to Val? Already tried? Well, he's here and his phone isn't. Hold on…Here, talk to him…your turn," Zel said passing the phone to the next sodden guy.
"'Lo? Who? Hangin' round? No, but I'll look into it. Yeah, sorry 'bout that. Wanna soak in da hot tub? I ain't goin' nowhere. Come 'round back. Nah, ya don't need ta bring nothin'—no chicks!"
~*~
The Atlas City trip would prove to be an interesting one. Val's vehicle was a welcome addition for starters. It rode more comfortably than either van and was clean. He insisted that both guitars be stored between cushioning layers of clothes in back and hoped Filia would want to join him without his having to ask. However, a new idea had been presented.
"Since we're going to either fight over seats or drown in apathy--" Lina began.
"—We're going to draw names out of a HAT?" the annoying Miaka cried.
"Sure," her more sullen friend silenced her. "That way we'll all have an equal chance of sitting next to who we want."
"But," Miaka protested, "but what if we don't get to sit next to anyone we LIKE?"
A wave of disgust issued from the Slayers and most of the Seven, as well.
"Then we get to know each other better!" Amelia perked up.
"I already got to know everyone a lot better than I wanted to," Zel shuddered.
"I hear ya," Tasuki shook his head.
"Hopefully," Hotohori yawned, "last time's unfortunate cost-cutting will not be repeated."
"YOU didn't have to sleep with the kid!" Tamahome flipped his short dark hair in the direction of Chiriko, who rolled his eyes.
"Why don't we all stop fighting and draw lots? Lina already made them out, no da," Chichiri diffused the situation.
"Wait! I'm gonna drive MY car, and nobody's gonna stop me!" Val growled.
"Already compensated for that," Lina waved his off. "And Amelia's in her van, and Hotohori's the leader of his van, too. And if we end up with nobody who can drive in Amelia's, we'll re-draw a bit…"
And so they drew lots, climbed aboard and drove off to Atlas City.
Ring, ri…
"Hello? Xelloss? Why are you calling me? And speak up, I can hardly hear you," Zel asked from his seat in Amelia's van.
"I'll try but I don't want THEM to overhear me talking about them," Xelloss said in a low voice. "Everyone here is… this is the BITCH car, I SWEAR! The attitude is sucking my sense of humor dry, DRY, I SAY!"
"That's too bad. I SAID TOO BAD! I'm in the cheery car. No, make that the squeaky car. They keep singing campfire buddy songs and passing snacks. Nuriko's driving but at the next rest stop I'm going to since I'm not 'joining in with the fun!'" He said the last part in a rude imitation of Amelia.
"I should be there, shouldn't I?" Xelloss giggled. "So Lina's in the SS van, huh?" Xelloss asked.
"Yeah, oh damn, that Miaka's so happy…Amelia improves by the minute. Luckily I don't have to actually converse with any of them; Chichiri and Nuriko keep Miaka busy and that little twerp Chiriko is always glomming onto Amelia…" Zel paused to listen to Xelloss.
"You sound a bit jealous. AH! I gotta go. That Yui bitch is taunting Tamahome into a fight with me. I mean, he's Kung Fu and I'm Karate, but he knows I could take him in a minute…or could a couple months ago…"
"Fine. I'll call Lina and see how's she's doing…lucky stiff…" He did.
"Who—Zel! What's wrong?"
"Ah, nothing…I just wanted to see how things were going with you…"
"Get a life Zel."
"No, damn you! You don't understand! I'm stuck in this car full of mindlessly cheerful little bimbos—"
CLICK Lina hung up on him.
Zel sighed. "I wonder why SHE'S not in the bitch car…" Immediately, the cell phone vibrated with an incoming call. Zel wondered what inspired that change of heart.
"Yo, Zel!"
"Tasuki?"
"Yeah, I stole the phone from Lina. How you holdin' up with all the gigglers?"
"I'm contemplating suicide," Zel said. "This is the Squeaky Car. Xelloss is in the Bitch Car. How about you?"
"Dude, this is the Hair Car!" Tasuki choked. "There's all this long, Technicolor hair blowin' in the wind back at me—I'm, like, DROWNING in hair! Hotohori and that Sylph-chick, then Gourry and Lina, all in front of me! Me and Mitsukage are the only ones who can't sit on our hair!"
Zel smirked. "Would you like to trade?"
"You kiddin'? I can hear the squeals from here!" Tasuki laughed.
"Really? I can't. I use earplugs these days, after the whole deafness thing…"
"Good thinking'. Okay, Lina's giving me a dirty look, and I still value my life, so…"
"Yeah. Talk to you later."
CLICK
And so Zel was socially deprived for a few hours, at least he had hoped so when Miaka's voice rose over the road din.
"So where did you guys have that accident that you all got hurt in?" she blurted out.
"Accident?" Amelia looked confused.
"Miaka!" Chichiri choked out. "That's too terrible a thing to bring up now! I'm sure they don't want to talk about it either. I wouldn't, no da!!"
"Ah, thank you Mr. Chichiri. It's not something we really CAN talk about yet…if ever," Amelia said quietly. "It's okay Miaka, I'm not mad, just..let's change the subject, okay?"
"Oh, sure. I'll tell you about the absolute best restaurant to eat at in Atlas City. It had an all-you-can-eat buffet!"
"Oh, really!" Amelia squealed.
"Oh, joy…" Zel thought and pushed in his earplugs a little further.
Xelloss had problems of his own…
"So, Tamahome, what do think of you and me singing together?" Filia asked. She was in the passenger seat beside Val and had turned around to speak to the handsome young man seated behind her. She had been doing so for some time now, and Val was decidedly churlish.
"We gotta'nuff songs together. We don't need no more," Val growled.
"That's right!" Yui agreed, surprisingly. She had been sneering at Xelloss as if she was afraid he might pose some kind of threat to 'her' Tamahome. "The Suzaku Seven don't need you guys along anyways."
"Now Yui," Tamahome began weakly. "We do need the Slayers. They are a very popular band and we can't do it all alone any more. If we could, we would 'cause the more money we get by ourselves the more I get ta keep. That's why I'm in on this! Hotohori has his own money and reasons. How about you, Xelloss? Why are you in a band?"
"Me? Well, I'd like to think it's because I'm a good drummer. Zelgadiss, Val and Gourry needed one and I had a place to practice as well. Lina…" Xelloss started to relax.
"Zelgadiss, Val…you sure got some weird lookin' guys in your band. That tall blonde one's okay, but the rest…sorry, but it's the truth ya know," Yui said.
"Weird?" Filia echoed from the front. "Nuriko and Chichiri aren't odd to you? I mean, at least our guys all dress like guys! And Zel is nice looking. It's not his fault he's got some scars!"
"Scars? Chichiri's got scars. That guy Zeldigas looks like an alien and he's…" Yui was cut off by Xelloss.
"ZelGADISS is my brother and best friend, so please, until you know him, don't diss him, okay?" he smiled and opened his eyes slowly, looking quite evil indeed.
"Oh! Tamahome! This guy's scaring me! Make him stop!"
For Val's sake—the driver--Xelloss closed his eyes and mouth, folded his arms and pretended to go to sleep.
"So are we close to THAT PLACE?" Yui asked the silent Xelloss.
"Pardon?"
"Where your band had that awful accident a few months ago?"
Xelloss blinked. Oh…right…THAT story. "I, um… don't recall…"
"Yui!" Tamahome chastised her gently. "He was nearly killed and his mother was…killed in that accident. I don't think he wants to be reminded!"
"OH…yeah…too bad about that…" she said glumly.
Xelloss simply smiled weakly and closed his eyes, glad to have an excuse to tune out for the remainder of the drive.
After trying to engage Hotohori in conversation, Lina dismissed him as an arrogant, pretty-boy that she could control if need be, and so, limited herself to the back of the car. Gourry would listen and smile and nod at the right times, while Tasuki was loud and coarse-- a lot like Val. Mitsukage sat beside him in quiet conversation at times, but mostly he read from a pile of text books on his lap.
Sylphiel was enjoying Hotohori's company well enough in the passenger seat. "I just get goosebumps every time I hear you sing," she told him.
"Ah, thank you. Your voice is very sweet, also."
"Really? Coming from some one like you makes it soooooo meaningful," she gushed. "I'm sure you have loads of fans!"
"Yes, I have, but I'm sure a beautiful girl like you has plenty of boyfriends?"
"Who me?" Sylphiel nearly went super-nova she glowed so brightly. "I haven't even got ONE! You see, my father is the head of the Seyruun White Shrine and so it's difficult for someone to get past his…"
"Scrutiny? He's a tough judge of character then? Well, when you're older, I'm sure you'll have more freedom," Hotohori said in a way that managed to make her feel about twelve years old to his twenty.
"Yeah, well hearin' wolves in the night alone on a campin' trip woulda scared the shit outta me too!" Tasuki laughed when Lina had shared the birthday surprise party story. "So Xelloss and Val are into practical jokes are they?"
Gourry chuckled, "Well Val's Idea of a joke was even worse…" and before Lina could mash in his face to silence him, Gourry had briefly explained the practical joke that had caught Lina by surprise.
"Haaaaaaaa!" Tasuki roared. "That's gotta be a hell of a place for a serious guy like Zel to live!"
"He seems to like it okay. Without them, he'd be alone. He talks more now and smiles some," Gourry smiled a bit.
"What do you mean? Zel needs those guys so he has a life! He's as different as night and day from when you met him last year. Without them, it would all be on MY shoulders! It's called shouldering the load…" Lina explained.
Opening a box of cookies, Sylphiel offered one to Hotohori. Lina's attention was immediately diverted to the front of the van, "Cookies? Yeah, pass 'em back here! Are those your special recipe ones? Hey, better be appreciative here, Sylphie is our resident cookie specialist. Someday she'll be world famous for these!"
Sylphiel blushed with pride. She'd never heard Lina praise anyone so much, especially not herself.
"Hmmm," Hotohori smiled. "You're right. These are good. How lucky I am to have you right up front where I get first choice."
Poor Sylphiel sighed with happiness, while everyone else nibbled, chomped, and crunched. She considered it more than fair…yes, definitely MORE than fair.
"Hey, by the way…have we come to the place your van had that terrible accident?" Hotohori asked in a low voice.
"HUH?" Sylphiel responded blankly. They hadn't prepared for that question to be asked and she wasn't quick at witty rejoinders.
"Don't remind them!" Tasuki snarled from the back. "Everyone was havin' a good time and that might jinx our trip!"
Gourry placed a hand on the wild red-head's arm, "S'okay. Lina doesn't remember any accident at all. Me neither…"
~*~
Later that evening…
"So tell me, Amelia, how do you guys all pair up? I've never really been able to tell, I mean Gourry…who WOULDN'T go for a hunk like him, and so nice, too! Val scares me to death, but he's really hot. Xelloss is… really odd and Zelgadiss… kinda freaky looking for my tastes," Miaka shared while Amelia et al were changing into their stage costumes.
"Miaka, we don't really pair up, not THAT way, exactly. It's really too complicated to go into right now. You see, we're all friends and some would like to take it one step further and others…would rather not, so we continue as a group thing. I gotta go see if anyone else needs help, but…how do I look? New tops for the singers!" Amelia cried out as she did a quick spin around.
"Oh, you look so cute! I just love that salmon color!" Miaka giggled.
"Thanks! I do too! The guys are in greens and the girls in these peachy tones for the summer, anyway. See ya later!" Amelia smiled and waved then checked with Lina for any last minutes changes or assignments.
Val and Xelloss were making last minute adjustments to the drum kit. One of the wingnuts was missing and the duct tape substitute wasn't strong enough to hold the drum in place.
"We'll have to switch with a lesser-used drum, then, and deal with it for tonight. I'll take ya out tomorrow to look for parts," Val explained to his perturbed friend. "Hey, lighten up! I'm tryin' ta help here!"
"Sorry…I guess a day in the Bitch Car has soured my mood and at first I thought this was another of your jokes," Xelloss said moodily.
"Dude, we agreed, no jokin' at paid gigs. I would not screw up a job, man!" Val said indignantly. "Bitch Car, eh? It wasn't my favorite group of per-son-al-itees either, ya know!"
"Yeah, well to shut up that…young lady with the attitude, I had to agree to doing a demo with Tamahome comparing our two different styles of combat," Xelloss said as he held the last drum in place while Val adjusted the tape in place.
"When's that?"
"I don't know. Tomorrow after the last show, I guess. Maybe she'll have forgotten by then, you think?" Xelloss smiled.
"Forgotten? Not that one! It's probably the only thing she's got ta look forward to. I think she likes ya! There, how's that? Cool. Zel's ready for the sound test…" Val slapped his friend on the back, chuckling at the face Xelloss was making, and took up his station at the keyboards.
"Ready!" Val shouted.
Gourry struck a cord and began the bass rhythm. Val joined in then Xelloss. Nuriko and Tasuki joined Zel and the club's technician to watch how they checked levels and balanced the sound.
"Got that? My range should stay between these two numbers or I'll drown out the singers, all right? Then I'll go back to the stage and we'll run through our first number. If that's fine, then we'll do a test on my acoustic guitar and Val and Filia's duet, those will have the most dramatic differences. Most of the other solos range somewhere between. Yeah, I'll go join the others now," Zel instructed the technician and sped back up to the stage.
Half an hour later, he had the settings for both bands. They cleared the hall and the audience filed in.
"Looks like a sell-out," Tamahome was telling Lina. "If we continue to do this well, I'll be able to finish college and have plenty of money to send back home. I got bunches of siblings I help."
"Yeah, Gourry does, too…Say, you got enough CD's to sell there?" Lina asked.
"No, actually we'll be picking up a couple boxes at the studios when you go over tomorrow. Think you might wanna do your own?" he asked her.
"Yeah, but we only have time for a test tomorrow morning before our gig, then a quick run through before we leave. Something to take home and listen to and see how bad we are before spending hours and blowin' big bucks making an even worse CD," she grinned.
"You're right about that actually. These days the equipment is so good that they can record every mistake made, build on it, and reproduce it with all its glaring clarity. That's when the separation and re-dos come in and…"
"And the time and extra bucks. I get it. I don't know if I have the patience for it, but Zel does in spades! Anyway, I'm sellin' T-shirts and I'm hopin' for a good turnout too!" Lina smiled. "Well, it's Showtime for me!" she dashed off, energy rising for her explosion on stage in five, four, three, two,…
"HEY EVERYBODY! READY FOR A GOOD TIME? YEAH? WELL… We're the Slayers, and we're going to start you off with a Lina Inverse original! Hit it!
'I want to become a bird and soar away high into the skies
With hope my goal as it lies so far away.
If I am able to face what I see before me right now,
I won't have to fear being hurt or what tomorrow with bring!'
Her voice rose and met at last with the others in their rendition of 'Breeze'* for the first number:
'…I want to fly away high atop this BREEZE
Towards the oceans of my dreams
On these wings called courage.
To be a bird and hang on to what I feel when I look down.
Let's not be beaten by the reality of passing days!'"
*(Slayers Try opening theme, not our words!)
~*~ End, Seyruun Summer High Jinx Special, Part Two. ~*~
