The Slayers: Lina Zelgadiss Xelloss Gourry Amelia Val Filia Sylphiel

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~*~ Seyruun Summer High Jinx Special! ~*~

Part Three

July

Nels Lahda met the stranger in his office at the Shrine, "I'm sorry, Mr. Almayce, but the Red Priest relics are not for sale at ANY price. I'm sure that you know that his staff and mantle are priceless artifacts to the Seyruun White Shrine and that we could not part with them."

Tall and mysterious, when Mr. Almayce stood, an ominous feeling swept over the high priest of Seyruun's largest shrine. His hollow voice echoed in the plainly decorated room when he spoke, "I will be back, Priest of Seyruun. Think it over. I will have the staff. Either you get paid or not, that is up to you. Good day…and I can find my own way out, thank you."

Watching the stranger disappear into an unmarked limousine, the priest shook off his cold fear with a whisper to his higher creator, "Oh… that was no White Shrine priest that I just met. The syndicate more likely has returned… I'm glad the kids are out of town for a few days. It will give me time to think…Please give me strength and help me now…"

~*~

Max Sterling was the head technician at the Macross Recording Studios of Atlas City. Tall as Val, with a tousled mop of blue-black hair, the twenty-something man met the Slayers with a friendly smile and handshake. They took him up on his offer of sodas and then he gave them a quick tour of the facility that they would be using that day.

"What I hope to achieve is a simple recording of your music straight out, one track, for you to take home and listen to. Now, it won't sound good. To sound professional will take hours and multiple tracks. It works like this…" Max said in his deep seductive voice.

He continued to explain how each instrumental part would be laid down separately then re-mixed to form a new single recording. "It has to be perfect, you see, because unlike a live performance, any mistakes will get heard over and over for all time, or until the CD's wear out…ha, ha…" he chuckled.

Lina made a face. This was getting boring. On with the recording!

"This way you will get a flavor for our process in a limited amount of time, but I remind you…don't let the recording put you off about coming back. We promise to make you sound as good…as you think you should! Now, our studio band has all their equipment set up already. For times sake, you may use their things for this recording—I imagine it's better than you can afford anyway, huh?"

Zelgadiss clamped his hand over Xelloss' mouth as he was about to tell the arrogant man that their equipment was in every way as good as any studio…

"OH MY…" Xelloss said breathlessly.

The most gorgeous drum kit on earth stood before him, awaiting his touch to make them come alive. Two sets actually. What to choose, what to choose…

"Ah, thank you for lending these to us. I understand the time limits, otherwise we should prefer to play our own (inferior crap) familiar instruments," Zelgadiss said politely, since the others seemed to have become inarticulate.

Val was practically—no, ACTUALLY drooling over a synthesizer/keyboard so complex he couldn't find the on-off switch until a kid sweeping up cigarette butts pointed it out to him. "Oh…er... sure…thanks dude…"

Picking up the multi-thousand dollar bass guitar, Gourry's hand shook, "Man, I hope I don't scratch this…or drop it…"

After Val had a chance to run though the basics and make sounds come out that he was expecting, he gave Lina a thumbs up sign to begin. Lina chose to sing 'Give a Reason' as their first number.

"First, we have time for the instrumentals to have a run through so the guys to become familiar with their instruments and for me to make a few adjustments to the sound levels, okay?" Max asked, then left the room to reappear moments later in an adjacent room filled with wires and mixing boards.

He must have flipped a switch inside, because his voice suddenly boomed overhead mid sentence, "…anytime you're ready then, go ahead!"

Gourry began, laying down his bass line, followed shortly by Zel and Xelloss, with Val jumping in a few measures later mumbling under his breath, "Zel and I should be starting this number but these switches…"

Max strode out from the control room to Val. "Let's try that one more time…" Max advised. He flipped a couple switches on the keyboard and said, "See if that's more like it. Pardon if I was staring, but my wife, Milia, has green hair the color of yours and I believe she's as tall as you too."

"Natural green?" Val asked, wondering, hoping on the off-chance that he may have discovered another survivor of the Ancient Clan.

"Oh, no… I don't think there's anything natural about her… not that I mind, mind you," Max chuckled and returned to the control room.

The next test went more smoothly, and so Max suggested that they go for the vocals.

" Sure thing," Lina nodded. "One and a two and a…

'The dizzying clusters of time run through a savannah town.

Alternatively, the surrealism of this news

Is forgotten by everyone once tomorrow comes.

I am alive… right now, I am alive,

And somewhere within all this, I am searching for something…

As if it were struggling, as if it were sneaking away,

I want to test this power!

I'm, not afraid of getting hurt,

But it's hard for me to change things.

I just don't want to regret standing by and not doing anything.

Here we go! Go! I'll keep running on…

No one will be able to stop me!

I want to get through to my future self and

GIVE HER A REASON FOR LIVING!'

"Whew! I guess I've sung that song enough in the past week, huh?" Lina laughed and collapsed on a chair.

"Well, kids, that sounded just fine for a first run here. For the real thing I'd suggest replacing the drummer and using our pro…he's been doing this for a long time…" Max continued droning on about the recording business, but Xelloss felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. Replace him? On the CD? Was he THAT bad a drummer?

Lina interrupted his moment of insecurity with a playful punch to the shoulder, "Don't worry, didn't they say the same thing to the Beatles about Ringo? Yeah, the album-makers suggested replacing him, too, and you know it was a classic style he started, so smile and forget it. We Slayers are about sticking together!"

"Like fly-paper!" Val added.

"Like bee-puke!" Lina corrected.

"Okay, no replacements!" Max laughed holding up his hands as a sign of capitulation. "But if he sings a lead, I might insist on it. Now, we got time for a couple more. How about a slower-paced one?"

Val and Filia agreed to perform their duet, "Somewhere," although, again Val requested an instrumental-only run-through to accustom himself to the complicated keyboards. He wanted a simple piano sound, but had twenty or so to choose from. Gourry and Zel listened and helped him make a choice, then one time through, and he was ready to add the vocals.

Filia began, "Somewhere in the world

Somewhere in the dark…

I can hear the voice that calls my name.

Might be a memory.

Might be my future.

Might be a love waiting for me…

Let me hear your voice

Let me be with you…

When the shadow falls down upon me.

Like a bird singing.

Like a breeze blowing.

It's calling me from somewhere in the world…"

"Terrific, kids! That will do nicely in the ballad department. We have time for another rocker…" Max looked to Lina for a suggestion.

"Val? You up for 'Fair Wind'? No?" Lina narrowed her eyes at Val who was weaseling out of anymore hard work.

"Ah, Lina? I'll do 'Set Me Free'," Gourry suggested.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead, but Val? Be there to back him up on vocals, okay? Don't just phase out and let Zel and Xelloss cover for you either. Got that? All right then…carry on!"

Gourry nodded and let Zel fiddle with some effects pedals for his extensive guitar solo. "I guess these will do. They probably will DO more than I have the skill to learn right now, but since we're running out of time…Oh, I can run a couple tests? Good. All right then…"

Xelloss took off and roamed the mixer room examining the equipment and making mental notes to himself. Max caught up to him and offered his expertise in explaining each device.

"Hey, you catch on pretty quick," Max said.

"You mean for a drummer?" Xelloss asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess so, but you're more on the ball than most musicians, all of you. Sorry, 'bout what I said…about replacing you. You're just fine…"

"For a kid in a garage band?" Xelloss smiled.

"I was going to say, for a band on the road doing concerts and trying to record at the same time. Must be tiring," Max shook his head.

"Things have been worse…" Xelloss replied.

"Zel's ready to roll! Let's nail this one and go home!" Lina ordered everyone back to their stations. Like a tyrant, Lina knew what the others needed and that was structuring—her's, of course.

Gourry nodded to Xelloss as he took his place behind the drums and picked up the drumsticks. Xelloss began the drum lead in, then Zel a guitar rhythm switching to lead as Val took up the driving riffs. Gourry's bass followed Zel's guitar to complete the instrumental introduction. Gourry shouted out/sang his song:

'It's freakish, YEAH, she's always in the storm.

Again today the crazy angel is with a penetrating dry noise

Last night's dream is long forgotten

A blizzard of boredom, passion is fighting this furious wind.

A distorted heart is warmed by a wounded angel.

The last resort is an SOS!

An endless CRY MAYBE a counter attack

A never return SHOUT BABY flouting!'

Zel worked himself into a frenzy churning out riff after riff in a half-crazed guitar solo interlude, dramatically shifting by to the vocals:

'KEEP ON shining HOLD ON and catch the glow,

An endless game with no lies.

KEEP ON your future HOLD ON look forward!

Believe that you move into tomorrow

SET ME FREE! '

Val, Gourry and Zel flew into an inspired instrumental ending that nearly blew the recording equipment apart! YEAH!

Half an hour later, the Slayers met up with the Suzaku Seven, both bands carrying new CDs. And although the Seven were carrying theirs by the box full to be sold at upcoming concerts, while the Slayers had one rough-cut copy apiece, both considered their haul to be a success.

"Do you realize," Lina mused to Gourry and Zel, who happened to be close enough to hear her, "that just about all of our songs mention the wind or a breeze? What do you suppose that says about me, since I wrote them?"

"That you're full of hot air?" Zel offered.

"Ya also sing about makin' your own future happen and bein' in control of it," Gourry added in a rush. "That's you, Lina."

"Thanks Gourry," she smiled. "You are right, of course!"

~*~

"Mayor? Nels Lahda here…Yes, I'm fine, but I've just had a disturbing caller. Someone wants to buy the Red Priest relics, the staff in particular. Shrine, clan, cultist—maybe, but his accent sounded continental."

"You don't think the syndicate is on the move so soon after losing so many of their ranking officials, do you?" Mayor Philonel, the High Priest's friend and colleague at times suggested.

Sighing, the priest confessed, "I don't know, but that was the feeling I got from the man. Secretive and with a great undercurrent of power just beneath the surface. I'm just glad the kids missed him."

"You mean Xelloss, don't you? I suppose they won't leave the poor kid alone for long before the recruiters start knocking at his door…which also presents an opening to Zelgadiss and that Val boy. Damn! They just got back on their feet and got their lives on track! At least Rezo's still there to keep an eye on them…" the mayor shouted into the phone.

"Not for much longer," Nels Lahda informed his friend. "I just spoke to him earlier and he's moving out…back into his old place. He has a house-keeper and all…I think he plans to move this week, when the boys return to give him a hand."

"Oh. Well, we need a contingency plan—places for them to go to get to safety when they're not on the road. Now, Val, he can stay out at the settlement and drive in. Yeah, he got himself a nice car, Suburban, if you can believe that! Oh, I expect to see his hair cut and the jewelry gone by the time he's out of school. He's a sharp, good-looking young man…hard working too! Milgasia's got plans for that one, you can bet. So I'll call him tonight and get Val covered."

"Zelgadiss," the mayor continued in his 'take charge' way, "He can move back to his old place with his father, even if he has to sleep on the couch. Worst case, I can put him up here in the coach house…Xelloss too, if necessary."

"Xelloss…might be safest here at the shrine. He's tightening security on our databases and Internet network as part of his priest duties."

"A priest…I'd forgotten all about that. You think he's serious-minded enough for that?" the mayor wondered.

"Surprisingly, yes. He's frighteningly intelligent, but actually quite pleasant company and very conscientious—never late…polite…conducts himself very seriously here at the shrine. I've come to trust him, and now, I suppose, rely on his skills as well. There are quarters for visiting priests where he could stay, should the need arise," Nels Lahda assured his friend.

"Very well. With the boy's safety under control for the time being, what do you want for the Shrine?"

"I think I'll give that officer, ah…Detective McGywn a call and see what he says. He may have already tracked this man down and we may have nothing more to do."

"Ha! We should be so lucky! Eh? Oh, incoming calls, sorry. Listen, we have both got some work ahead of us tonight. How about you call me in the morning and we'll trade updates? Good. Till then…Good bye." The mayor hung up, then picked up the next call. It would be a while before he could give Rezo a call.

~*~

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Xelloss shouted as he practically fell down the stairs from his loft. He'd slept in after the band's late-night drive from Atlas City, and wasn't sure of the time or the day of the week yet.

Unlocking his door and opening it wide revealed, much to his surprise, Joey-- Gourry's soon-to-start-middle-school brother. "Joey?!"

"Ah, hi? Isn't this the day you said to come over? Drum lessons?" Joey asked cautiously. He stood as tall as Xelloss, with straight blond hair cut exactly like Xelloss' purple locks, bangs and all. His grin exposed a missing tooth along one side and crinkles across a freckled nose.

"Drum…Oh…yes, I remember! I owe you money for the watering and weeding too, don't I? That's all right to remind someone of, by the way," Xelloss informed him.. "Make sure you get the pay coming to you! Come in. As you can see, I just woke up and I'm a mess and the drums aren't even set up, so…" Xelloss began.

"I'll unpack the drums while you get dressed…" Joey began.

"Take a shower, THEN get dressed, THEN eat, then I teach you how to set them up. You'll need to know that so you can set them up at your place some time," Xelloss smiled and loosened the tie of his kimono as he prepared to go into his bathroom.

"MY PLACE? You giving that set to ME? AWESOME! Wait until I tell MOM!" Joey gushed.

"Well, you might wait on that piece of the puzzle, or let Gourry help you out. Moms aren't crazy about the sound of drums. That's what got me pushed out here…sorta. Anyway, I have to order new ones first, so it may take a while, okay? Back in 20!" Xelloss smiled and closed the door to his bathroom and turned on the shower. Ah…clean…finally…

Joey happily joined Xelloss and Zel and eventually a groggy Val and tea-sipping Rezo, at the breakfast table for… whatever Zel could find to prepare and call a meal.

"'Lo."

"Hi, Joey. I have some eggs scrambled, like some? Of course, you're a Gabriev, after all, aren't you? You have to fuel that endless growth spurt somehow," Zel muttered as he scraped some eggs onto two plates and passed toast around.

"Yep! Didn't you ever have one?" Joey asked innocently while gobbling up the eggs using the toast as a scoop.

"Oh, he did," Xelloss supplied as he placed an unnecessary fork at the boy's place and one for himself on his plate. "He was shorter at one time. Hey!" he shouted skipping around his chair and ducking a toast Frisbee that Zel had aimed at his head. "Me too! I think I haven't grown for months, my clothes fit the same, see! You've caught up to me, but we're not going to grow much taller, Doctor Adams told me…He could tell by leg bone x-rays. 5'9'' that's it!"

"When did we get leg bone x-rays?" Zel asked suspiciously. "I never hurt my legs, and nor did you. It was Amelia who broke hers."

"Ah…sorry I brought this up," Xelloss began. He was, gratefully, interrupted by Val's grunting hulk staggering into the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee to microwave.

"F*&^%$, yer loud."

"Good morning to you too, foster-step-brother Val," Xelloss smiled. "Oh, and there are…is a minor present."

"Eh? Joey? I thought…damn, I don't know what I just thought…coffee…" Val drank in silence.

"So, Zelgadiss?" Joey perked up. "Didja see the garden since ya got back?"

"Ah, no. It was dark and I've only been up a short while, but I'd love a tour after breakfast… A short one. I have an appointment with a master swordsman in an hour," Zel smiled, thinking of the great honor being bestowed upon him.

Padding quietly into the kitchen, Rezo, chairman of the Chemistry department at Seyruun university, listened carefully to the various voices. He knew them all, and was satisfied that all his boys were up and ready to help with his move.

"Ahem, excuse me a moment, gentlemen." The silence of wonder followed Rezo's introduction. "Today, I move and I was hoping for your promised help."

"Music store's countin' on me till 6:00, then I'll box, haul, and carry till dawn," Val sprayed through toast crumbs.

"I'll be back around 3:00. I'll be wasted, but you can whip what's left of my strength into whatever form you'd like and drive my tortured soul into compliance…"

"You'll be able to help after 3:00 then," Rezo interrupted his son's nonsensical rambling. "And you?"

"After Joey's drum lesson, I am at your service, Sir!" Xelloss said with a short bow and goofy smile.

"Good Gods…fine. Thank you. All right, will you two with cars bring back a few more boxes? I have some but…you never know," Rezo sighed, much like his son.

"I can help too!" Joey piped up.

"Excellent. I'll put both you and Xelloss to work when your lesson's over. Now, one more thing… ah, Joey, go on over to Xelloss' now. He'll be with you in just a minute. This is not for your ears. Thank you."

"Garden, Joey!" Zel corrected. "I'll meet you there first."

Rezo paused until he heard the door slam, then began again, "I have had a couple of disturbing conversations these past few days. Nels Lahda and the mayor…McGywn…They have reason to believe that the syndicate has returned to Seyruun. Yes, that's right. One of them, a foreigner, was trying to purchase the Red Priest's staff! We do not know why."

"I want you to be aware and watchful and if one of us says to move, this is what you do: Val, you stay with Milgasia, Xelloss, you stay at the shrine, and Zelgadiss, you go to my house. Understand? That is the emergency plan so far. I'd like you to prepare a couple changes of clothes and necessities in a bag and leave them at your assigned places. Include a box of your most precious treasures, heirlooms included. Also, please report any suspicious people or events to Detective McGywn. Note the title change. He's no longer officer McGywn. Remember to congratulate him on his promotion next time you speak to him."

Xelloss nodded and without a word, left the room to go next door to his place. Val grumbled a bit while Zel finished washing dishes.

"I'll take a look at that garden now…before I leave," Zel said and closed the door quietly behind him. Lucky for him he did not know it was the last time he would look upon that garden.

"Glad we got those gigs on the road," Val said. "It'll help them, us, deal with this all over again."

"I hope we can halt the threat before it gets serious," Rezo smiled an odd little smile and added, "I have been looking forward to being on my own again. Getting out from under you three kids! Heh, heh…ah well…"

~*~

"So you kids are on your own now?" their lawyer Mr. Fribrizzo asked. "Well, at least you'll be able to afford the taxes…Ah, that's a joke. Oh, sorry, you've never had to pay taxes, have you? Consider it your way to support all your government's programs. Okay, let's start with you, Zelgadiss…"

Later, it was Val's turn. "Your late step-father certainly had a way with numbers, but I think we've traced everything important and can release much of the syndicate portion to you at this time. Here are some figures for you to look over. The difficulty lies with, and this is hard to fathom I know, with the clan. Apparently the clan elders are unwilling to part with the entire Ancient Clan's monumental wealth without more proof…Yes I KNOW! Outrageous! Tens of court orders have been filed with more on the way to try and work this out. It's all a matter of time before…"

"They don't believe Val is who he says he is?" Xelloss asked.

"I think that they are afraid that he IS who he says he is, and that the elders don not wish to see all that wealth slip out of their hands. My problem is … I can't even get a handle on what the inheritance actually includes. There is insurance money, which will get cleared up shortly, but the Ancient Clan was holding onto something, something big, or the Elders would not be fighting so hard. I also think, and this is just my intuition here, that the elders don't know what it is either—and that's the problem. They are trying to put together some package to offer you while working on some agenda of their own."

"Great. So, I have a car and a few million dollars a year income. I'll live. Maybe when I visit my old stompin' grounds next month, Milgasia and I'll turn up somethin'. Least I can start contributin' to the bills here, right? There's real cash in an account fer me? I'm tired of freeloadin' off these guys!" Val said.

"For the time being…Now this is the serious part," Fribrizzo paused for attention. "The syndicate will not leave this situation alone much longer. Many millions of dollars pouring out of their coffers and into the hands of legitimate individuals is…going to draw attention, sooner or later."

"I choose… later!" Xelloss chirped.

"It's already starting, we think," Zelgadiss said soberly.

~*~

When Thursday rolled around, it was time to pack for the road again. They had gigs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at an assortment of outdoor country fairs. An exhausting and exhilarating experience.

"On the road again, oh oh ooooooh! Yeah we're on the road again!" Nuriko sang while Xelloss played drums on back of the seat in front of him.

"Mr. Xelloss, pleeeeease don't do that! Can't you see that it's disturbing Mr. Chichiri in front of you?" Amelia chastised the purple-haired kid beside her.

"He's asleep, Miss Amelia dear," Xelloss smiled. "Why not choose a song and sing along? You too!"

Mitsukage grunted in the back, "I'm saving my voice for tonight, thank you. You should too. The vocal cords are very delicate instruments and once strained, can only be cured with rest. That means, if you wear out your voice, you'll not be singing for some time."

"Naturally. What good advice, Mitsukage," sniffed Yui seated beside him.

"Oh…Okay," Xelloss sighed. Nuriko rolled his eyes and jammed a CD into the player. This was going to be the quiet car.

"So tell me about Amelia. You've known her a long time, huh? She talks about YOU a lot. You sure get into a lot of tight spots! Like the time you carried her all the way from the high school to Xelloss' house. I mean, she's not FAT or anything but she's gotta be heavy, 'cause she's really grown this summer, don'tcha think?" Chiriko asked the sober-faced, older kid beside him.

Zel looked down at his hands, flexing them and thinking about the feeling of squeezing, tightening them around his neighbor's little neck. "Xelloss carried her as well, probably more than half the way. Why not ask him?"

Mistake. If you don't want a conversation, don't ask questions. Zel, of all persons should have known that! He did, he just slipped up…

"He's not here! You are, though. So, Amelia's really smart, isn't she? Was she a good actress too? Must have been, huh? Her voice is like an angel's!"

Zel choked on his own saliva. Angel? Oh, gods… His disgust was apparent, "Don't be an idiot. She's just a girl with an average voice who works hard at school and at everything she does!"

"I had a dream about her once," Chiriko continued.

"Do not tell me about it. "

"Oh, I wouldn't," Chiriko said blushing. "She kissed like an angel too…"

"Gahh!" Zel groaned. "She's a pretty average kisser too," he mumbled unintentionally.

"What? You've…you've actually… kissed Amelia!"

Oh, joy. What had he done now? "She kissed me…now drop it." Zel looked askance at the wide-eyed innocent seated next to him. "Xelloss has kissed her also, so you can ask him for him opinion as well," Zel added somewhat maliciously.

"No! She's not that... forward! I don't believe you!"

"You might try a guy named … Gourry! Hey, Gourry, what was the name of that guy Amelia was going OUT with? Merlin, Marvin…Melvin? Right, thanks. You might get in touch with him too," Zel smirked. Now why had he done that? Why spoil the kid's naive image of his 'angel' dream girl? Why indeed?

Val, driving, smirked at Gourry, remarking, "Zel, the cold-hearted bastard has returned, I take it…"

This was going to be heart-breaker car.

Hotohori and Tamahome took turns driving their band's van and filled the front seats. Lina chose to sit next to Tasuki, while Sylphiel, Filia and Miaka got to know one another better.

"So don't tell me you guys don't have crushes on some of the guys in your band, huh?" Miaka asked coercively, eyes gleaming with excitement at the prospect. This time she'd struck gold. Between Filia's penchant for trading gossip and Sylphiel's romantic notions, Miaka wouldn't have mine for her nuggets.

"Sylphiel can't make up her mind, can she?" Filia smiled. "Gourry, Xelloss, Gourry, Xelloss…ha, ha…"

"Filia!" Sylphiel cried out, blushing. "That coming from the girl who teases both Val and Xelloss…"

"For gods'sakes leave Xelloss off my list! He is simply the biggest annoyance…the thorn in my side…" Filia started defensively.

"And best kisser…" Sylphiel added dreamily. "And rich…"

"Rich?" Miaka's attention trapped.

"Oh, he and Val and Zel…" Sylphiel continued, oblivious to Filia's motions shut up!

"WILL BE," Filia's raised voice overpowering her friend's, "…after we make it big, she means, Miaka." Then in a kinder tone, Filia continued, "Actually, since Val spends time at the settlement with me and Xelloss is a priest in the same shrine as Sylphiel, gives them an edge. But Zel and Gourry are dears, too, aren't they?"

Having realized her near-blunder—giving away a very important secret the three boys wanted kept at all costs, for as more people would know of their wealth, the more questions they would be asked and the more gold-diggers they would encounter—Sylphiel considered her words and answers more carefully from that time forward.

"Oh, yes. Gourry is the kindest, gentlest…SIGH! and Zel… I knew him before his accident, you know? He was the most beautiful boy in the whole school and I loved him…as much as any fifth grader could," she giggled. The others joined her, remembering their own first loves.

This was the dreaming car.

It was also the glutton car. "Food!" Lina declared, trying to throw a monkey-wrench into the sap-machine. "I'm hungry. What say we pull over and find a convenience store to hit? I could really go for a nice gut-buster burrito and an abyssal soda, how 'bout you guys?"

Food was always on Miaka's 'to do' list, and so the two ravenous girls demanded that Hotohori skid into another lane and bring them to food.

"Hey, lookout Val!" Gourry pointed out the window.

"Shit! Where's the 'Emperor' headin' off too? OH… That looks interestin'," Val grinned. Gourry nodded.

"Hotohori I will follow you anywhere, but where do you think you're going now?" Nuriko murmured to no one in particular.

"EVERYTHING ARTICHOKE ?!?!?!?!?!?!" Exclaimed seventeen young men and women in three different vehicles.

Indeed. They parked and piled out, Lina and Miaka leading the pack, Gourry and Amelia close behind.

"This is the BEST place!" Miaka gushed, her face resplendent.

"Specialty: Giant Deep-fried Artichoke with drawn butter and garlic dip," Xelloss read.

"Sounds…fattening," Sylphiel whispered in his ear.

"I agree. What do you think of the cream-of-artichoke soup? Oh…my…" his eyes went wide.

"What is it?" Sylphiel gasped, clutching his arm and trembling.

"Garlic Ice cream," he said making a face. "I can't imagine…"

"M...Me neither! You're not going to…order it are you?" she asked in horror.

"Of course not. I think I'll go for the soup and garlic bread. How about you? What would you like?" he smiled and added, "My treat."

Her eyes glazed over with joy and brain shut down, "You…I mean, you order for me…the same as what you're having, thank you."

He smiled and placed their orders. That wasn't so hard was it? He enjoyed having a beautiful girl hanging on his arm, tongue-tied and blushing. Deprived of speech, yes, that helped.

They joined an aloof Zelgadiss at a small table. He had ordered the same meal. "How embarrassing," Xelloss snickered. "We might as well be at home."

Zel watched the other two from beneath his bangs. Sylphiel was blushing and gushing and Xelloss was smiling and apparently enjoying the attention. "Excuse me," Zel said, rising from the table.

He struck for the great outdoors and fresh air. Sap. He hated sap as much as Lina did.

The emptied plates and platters rose to eye-level as Lina and Miaka did their best to try each and every artichoke dish on the menu. Gourry and Amelia were at the other end of the table, which was threatening to collapse with the weight of the combined service-wear.

How long had he been sitting alone? Zel wondered as he noticed the familiar sounds of his friends' voices. They were exiting the restaurant, coming his way.

Lina had been trying to wear Tamahome down. She wanted to change the arrangement of one of their combined songs. She'd been logical, demanding, and tried various forms of bribery and coercion, but now she was down to her last method. She smiled cutely and batted her eyelashes, "Oh, please??? It would mean so much to meeeee????"

Zel turned away pained at the sound. Lina, oh, Lina…et tu Lina? Worse than the betrayal of Brutus was that of Lina…the honey dripping from her lips like blood from a vampire's.

Her prey stopped and slumped to the side a little, "All right, Lina. I'll give it a try before the show…at warm up."

Unable to witness further humiliation on the part of either one of them, Zel quickly ran off in another direction. If his intent was to avoid more of the sappy behavior, he was to be thwarted at every turn. Chiriko was pressing one of Amelia's hands between his own, eyes watery and intense. Must find somewhere else! Faster! The fact that he was insisting that Amelia pay a larger share of the bill since she'd eaten far more that he had was lost on poor Zel.

Tasuki was pressing Filia for information, the brilliant blend of her gold and his russet locks, sparkled in the sunlight of the afternoon. He had wanted her to go steal Val's keys for him, so he could give his Suburban a test drive. "Please, oh, Filia please!!!!!" he pleaded, practically melting at her side.

"Gah!" Zel gasped audibly. Tasuki too?! He was as disgusted by romance as he, wasn't he? He hated girls, didn't he? Zel stumbled on, missing the gist of the "couples'" conversations. Misguided and disillusioned, he came to the sad conclusion that he and he alone was immune from the dangerous arrows of cupid. He was destined to walk alone, face the struggle of life on his own, to climb the unclimbable, unclimbed cliff…shit what was he thinking about anyway?

"Zel! Zel!" Lina hollered across two parking lots and a street. "Get your rear in gear and hurry up! We're ready to go and--where in hell do you think you're going? We have two hours to go and if you make me wait one more minute, I'm going to pound your head into your butt and out the other way for each second past…That's better. What's your problem anyway?"

"I'm losing my mind, nothing for you to worry about Lina, the guitar fingers still work so just ignore me…."

"Zel, you are such a martyr…" she slapped his back and smirked.

It was a grueling weekend made possible by improved accommodations; they still shared rooms, but each kid had a separate bed and the hotel had a swimming pool, sauna, and restaurant. Lina knew it was nicer than what she'd arranged, and LOTS more expensive, but when she attempted to question Xelloss, he simply smiled and resorted to his familiar, "But you know, Lina, that…that's a secret!" So, of course she knew that he'd personally paid for the upgrade in services.

Lina mused a moment, made the mental adjustment, "Well, he can afford it!" then moved on to the next requirement, "So, who knows the best food joints in this place?"

"So," Sylphiel began. "Which do YOU think is the cutest?"

Amelia, Miaka, and Filia glanced over the group of kids clustered at the other tables.

Miaka was first to speak up, "Tamahome! He's the best although… Hotohori…Xelloss is funny and cute… and Zelgadiss is so sexy, but then so is that Val guy! Gourry's dreamy…"

Amelia smiled, "Well… I have to admit that Mr. Tamahome is right up there! Mr. Hotohori is a little too 'fine' for my tastes, Mr. Chichiri's funny and nice, Mr. Mitsukage is…very handsome, but a little old for me. Mr. Gourry's so sweet, Mr. Val's…cool, but I have to say that I have a special place in here," she pressed her hand over her heart, "…for Mr. Zelgadiss. I guess I always will in some way."

"And Chiriko? You left him out!" Filia said teasingly.

"I left out Mr. Tasuki too! They are both very interesting people," Amelia said. She realized that she would have to say more or they'd never leave her alone. "All right… I like to spend time with Chiriko. He's fun to talk to, nice, cute, and closest to my age. There, satisfied?"

"Hardly," Filia laughed. "But that was better. Sylphiel? What was going on at lunch with you and…the purple menace?"

The pretty dark-haired girl sighed, "He bought me lunch. And carried it to a table. And sat and talked to just me…I have no idea what he said either, I just…"

"You were lovely as usual and so probably confused the idiot enough to leave the rest of the female population alone," Filia sniffed.

"Is he dumb or something?" Miaka asked unsure of Filia's meaning.

"Xelloss? Oh, he and Zel are the smartest guys at the school! They're going to take math and science classes at the university in fall and they're just juniors! Filia and him fight all the time, so…" Sylphiel said glibly.

"So you must like him too, right?!" Miaka said, a little too loudly, causing their nearest neighbors to look up.

Filia's face burned, but Sylphiel found her tongue first, "Oh you wouldn't say that if you'd seen Filia the other day out at the settlement!"

Filia started. What was Sylphie talking about?

Sylphiel was rambling on, "…and there he was all tall and bronzed by the sun…muscled arms…You should have seen her face—practically DROOLING! Well, I have to admit Julian…"

"WHO?" Filia shouted out, choking in surprise. "J-Julian? My cousin?" That was not the young man she'd been thinking about. Tall and bronzed, fer sure, but lanky limbs, muscled attractively gleaming with sweat from his hard, honest labor, a few tendrils of minty-green hair glued to his damp neck…Val had never looked more earthy and appealing…

"Ye-esss, the tennis pro? So cool and confident…" Sylphiel said.

"Eh! He's just an employee at Val's country club, and my cousin. So self-absorbed and not very nice to Quinny. That's my baby brother," Filia added for Miaka's sake.

"Val's Club? I thought that was just Xelloss joking around?" Sylphiel gasped, clueless.

"Oh, Sylphie!" Filia sighed and laughed.

Miaka wasn't sure what to think. Val, the punk kid, owning a country club? Now who was fooling who? "Filia! You almost got me with that one! Val, owning a club…what a joke! He works in a dusty music store and plays in your band. He couldn't possibly afford one and…of all people! That's sooo funny!"

Filia pretended to laugh at her own joke. Money, wealth, secrets…Val had his too and it was her place to help him keep them. "Ah, well…Now… I find your Mitsukage veery intriguing. A doctor, huh? But you're very lucky having so many good-looking and talented guys who obviously admire you."

"Yes, aren't' I?" Miaka laughed. "And as long as Yui comes with me, I can travel around with them all this summer!"

"So what d'yer think they're talking 'bout?" Gourry asked Zelgadiss.

"Who?" Zel looked up and followed Gourry's glance to the side. "Oh. Us. I'm afraid that my above normal hearing enables me to overhear more conversations than I'd care to. They think you are nice, Xelloss fun, Tamahome the best to look at and Val…interesting. I didn't catch what they said about me."

"Liar," Gourry said under his breath, and stabbed his spoon into his dessert.

Zel's eye flew up to find Gourry, "I heard that!"

Gourry smiled, "I know. Just testin'."

"What? My hearing or my sense of humor?" Zel asked.

Gourry smiled, shook his head, and chuckled, "I can read lips with my above-average eyesight, ya know."

Xelloss' giggling bubbled up through the line at the soft-serve ice cream, make-your-own sundae-bar.

Val's overflowing bowl landed on the table, seconds before he spilled it, "Damned, shitheaded…" He muttered falling heavily into his seat at their table.

He was soon followed by Xelloss carrying his gross concoction sporting pickles peaking out of a soft mound of vanilla cream topped with blue-raspberry syrup…with whipped-cream and a cherry on top. "Ahhhhh…" he said settling lightly onto his own chair beside Zel.

"Ah, nice sundae, Xelloss. Umm, Val, you must be hungry," Gourry observed.

"WAS! I don't wanna talk about it. Xelloss, better watch yer back," Val threatened.

"You, Vally-boy, are the least of my problems," Xelloss teased, then swept clean the pickle held delicately between his finger tips with his tongue, suggestively.

Val growled a string of obscenities, and abruptly ripped the pickle away, flung it across the restaurant, then lurched out of his chair, knocking it over as he bolted away. Xelloss was laughing uncontrollably, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Maybe yer oughta lay off the practical jokes awhile," Gourry said in a low serious voice.

"What? But he's so much fun to tease and he's pulled some nasty stunts on me as well. It's not all evil little me!" Xelloss said a bit defensively.

"I'm just saying," Gourry continued, "… that since we're all livin' and breathin' work-an'-play together every day like this… that someone might get hurt an' mess up the band." He gave Xelloss a hard look, rare for him, then softened. "This road trip means a lot to Lina, to all of us, and I want it to be good, not a pain."

Nodding, Xelloss put down his spoon, "Val likes it. He expresses his negative emotions without breaking things this way."

"Sorta. He's competin' with ya. Stunts, money, girls… especially the last, I think. He doesn't like ta get beat by…"

"By a nerdy misfit like me? Yeah, I can see that doesn't make him look too good, but I'm nothing like him and not going for his girl!" Xelloss said.

"Aren't ya?"

"Filia? You must be kidding?!"

"Then who are ya tryin' to impress?"

"No one. I'm just being me, or trying to be. Of course, if that makes me irresistible to certain people of the female gender… who am I to complain? I wouldn't exclude…anyone."

"Even Filia," Gourry growled, not asked.

"Even Lina, if she cared, which she doesn't, so do stop glaring at me, Mr. Nice-guy. I'm not on the hunt. I'm simply playing a game with Val, which HE started. And if he wants to put a stop to it, then he can tell me himself. Hmm, this can use a little more ice cream…" he smiled and left the table carrying his dessert bowl.

"That didn't go right," Gourry sighed. "I didn't wanna start a fight with him. More like the opposite."

Zelgadiss shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe we've all just been spending a little too much time together lately. Conflicts are bound to occur. I sincerely believe that he doesn't mean to be so annoying. It's more like something's bothering him and he's over-compensating…"

Zel met Gourry's curious gaze. Gourry was not convinced.

"Or… maybe this is the real him and he's an asshole," Zel sighed.

"Yeah, or some of both. He's got a good heart and has been through stuff I'd never…I can't even imagine survivin'. He's been a good friend, it's just…I don't know, he's different, I guess," Gourry said finally.

"He's that all right. He got a disturbing letter just before we left and there's a new threat... Rezo warned us that it might be syndicate trying to make inroads again. He's more bothered by that then he lets on."

Gourry stiffened, "That's bad news, Zel. Does Lina know?"

"No. I felt it best to wait until after this trip. Enjoy life to the fullest while we can," Zel smirked.

Gourry sank back into his chair and closed his eyes, his handsome face troubled. "We don't need this. It's not fair. They were just gettin' back to normal."

"Gourry, listen. It may be nothing. A false warning from parents feeling guilty for not doing something earlier when they had the chance. Paranoia. Xelloss is…troubled enough without adding that to his list of mental illnesses. That's why we decided not to tell Lina or the others. You're steady enough to handle it, I know."

"Val knows too? Yeah…he's edgy. Well, thanks, that explains him and Xelloss fightin'. I feel better…knowin'," Gourry said to his friend.

"Sharing the load helps."

"Yep."

"THEN IT'S SETTLED!" Lina yelled. "TELL 'EM, AMELIA!"

"Ah, now I remember what I wanted to tell Lina," Gourry said.

"Too late…" Zel muttered.

"Yes, Miss Lina!" Amelia grinned and bounded to a greater height, precariously balanced on the back of a booth seat. "After this we're all going to the county fair and ride ALL the rides at least TWICE!"

Everyone cheered. Everyone loved rides. Well, almost everyone. Zelgadiss blanched and tried to imagine how he would smoothly avoid the carnival rides when Amelia leaped off her perch to stand beside him.

"Oh, Mr. Zelgadiss, There's one ride called 'The Zipper' that's really scary. Wold you go on that one with me?"

All eyes were turned to him, including Chiriko's green ones. "Ah…of course…"Zel sighed, closing his eyes against a rising feeling of nausea.

"Thanks! Miss Lina thought you'd be too…wimpy, but I knew better!" Amelia cried, gave his arm a little squeeze, and hoped off happily.

"Oh, joy…" Zel muttered to himself.

He thought.

"How strange… I wouldn't think you'd like rides," Xelloss said in a low voice near his ear.

"I don't."

"Ah, then, you are…" Xelloss stopped as he caught sight of the other, younger boy's angry expression from across the room. "I see…you're playing a game with Chiriko and Amelia."

"That's not true. I just didn't want to make a scene now," Zel said, turned and followed the others out to the waiting cars.

"Of course, little brother. I believe you," Xelloss smirked and fell in with the line up onto the 'quiet' van.

"NEEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Lina screamed as she flew through the air. The ride's wire cage didn't seem enough to hold her, so badly she wanted to be flung across the sky. She couldn't fly herself, so this had to be the surrogate…

Amelia had to agree. She was in heaven, feeling the wind around her and ignoring the whip-lash.

Zel watched them go around the 'ring of death' impassively. He wondered if anyone would notice if he just slunk off right then… Oh, and then they were stumbling off, dragging him to go buy hot dogs and cotton candy. Sigh…

They went on the 'tilt-a-whirl', 'black widow', a roller coaster, the 'sky-diver', and three others. Every ride meant another fifteen minutes or so that Zel was free.

If Lina and Amelia loved rides for the flight, Val loved them for the death-defying side. He loved to be scared to death, ten laugh in the face of it. Of course, feeling Filia grab him in terror wasn't too bad, either. Xelloss was starting to envy him, as his ride-buddy was Chiriko, who was scared out of his wits and clingier than saran-wrap. "Oh, help mee!!!" he screamed.

Zel was caught between nauseating rides and equally nauseating sap. Of the Suzaku Seven, only Chiriko, Tasuki, and Nuriko went on rides with the Slayers. Mitsukage was not present, of course, and the others—Hotohori and Tamahome were winning ugly stuffed prizes for the fan-girls, with Chichiri chauffeuring them like a disinterested parent.

"Oh, Tamahome! You're sooo good at these games!" Yui would purr.

"Miaka, watch this!" Hotohori would vie for the brown-haired little glutton's attentions as shamelessly as the blonde girl did for Tamahome's, or Nuriko did for his.

Zel didn't even want to know what the story was behind that sick love polygon. Maybe he should try to converse with Chichiri, he seemed marginally sane…

But there they were again! The group, with their candy-colored hair, swamped him again. "We're going on the 'Zipper,' Mr. Zelgadiss! Come on, I'll even buy your ticket!" Amelia insisted.

"Um…" Zel gulped invisibly, he hoped.

Before he had a chance to formulate a believable excuse, Amelia fell back, nearly causing Zel to run into her.

"Amelia?"

"Ugh…Oh…I'm not feeling so gooo…" she began, clutching her abdomen and scrunching up her face in pain.

"I'll get you to a bathroom," Zel whispered. Sweeping her up in a smooth move- he had done this several times in the past- and began to run. Nausea was a feeling he had a great familiarity with, and sympathy for. There was only one end to it, and it wasn't pleasant or pretty. Privacy. It definitely required privacy, and water. "Almost there…you'll make it. You're one tough little…not so little, ah…person. You have grown heavier…"

Seeing that they had reached their destination, Amelia slapped his arm to let him know that she wanted down and didn't appreciate the personal weight reference. He understood, set her down, and watched her scurry off into the pastel-tiled ladies room.

"AH…" he sighed audibly. He'd escaped the trauma of being the one to get sick on a ride, escaped the ride, and done a good deed, all in one lucky moment. So, his karma was working FOR him for a change. That thought alone left him uneasy.

Zelgadiss convinced Lina that it was INDEED time to go. The drivers were tired, her best friend was uncomfortable, and the Seven-plus-two were pushing to leave as well. "If we stay any longer, there will be no room for us to sit, only stuffed animals."

"Fine," she acquiesced. "Bunch of party poopers, right Gourry?"

"Right, Lina. There's no one like you!" Then he remembered, "Oh, Lina! I need to tell you something important, at least I THINK it's important…"

There was something in the way he emphasized the words, a seriousness in his tone that indicated that this was a mater of importance. "Yeah? Who were you sitting by? I'll go find 'im and change places!" Lina said.

As a result, a few changes in the return seating were made. Gourry was happy to trade with Filia, giving up his place beside Val, to be with Lina in Tamahome's car. Tasuki understood, and moved to sit with Miaka and Sylphiel, allowing Lina and Gourry to sit together.

"So, what's up, Gourry?" Lina asked.

"Huh? Oh, ah… ya know I've been workin' at yer place…fixin' stuff…"

"Uh, huh, and?" she was getting impatient. If only he was a little bit more like Zel, curt and to the point.

"And… out by yer wood pile…"

"We gotta woodpile? Yeah?"

"Yeah, I had ta move it ta paint. So I found an axe. Musta fallen an' been hidden away fer years."

"Axe? Cool!" Lina loved axes. Dwarves and axes. Her with an axe, hmmm….

"Yeah, real big and nice lookin' too. But what made it special ta me was…ah…" he lowered his voice to whisper in her ear. "It had this strange designed on the part ya hold? And on the butt end was that thingy…like on my sword and Zel's, that picture thing."

"Wow! I gotta heirloom weapon too?" she said in a raspy, excited whisper. "Did ya tell Luna?"

"NO, I put it under yer bed. Was that a mistake?" he was worried.

"She doesn't know? Good! It's mine then! Ya did good Gourry. Real good. I owe ya!"

"Yer welcome, Lina," he smiled, satisfied to have pleased her at last, and she hadn't even punched him for entering her bedroom.

"What were you doing in my room?" she asked, eyes flashing dangerously.

"I…did knock first…"

"Hmmm," she growled. "I'll let it pass this time. An axe, eh?" She grinned and he relaxed, started breathing again, and smiled bravely.

In another van where the seating had undergone a few changes, Amelia stretched out, head on Zel's lap in the shorter middle seat of her van, while Xelloss kindly took the seat empty beside Chiriko. "Oh, don't be so glum. He has no interest in her whatsoever," Xelloss smiled at Chiriko. "He considers himself too old, or is it that she's too young? I forget which. They just have a great deal of history together. Like you and Miaka, I imagine?"

Chiriko blushed and said nothing to the older, smiling guy with the scary eyes.

Zelgadiss straightened up suddenly. Something was wrong. The van was quiet with its load of slumbering kids, except for the hum of the engine and now the scream of sirens. Was he the only one to hear it? The van turned down a familiar avenue. It was his neighborhood. He slipped out from under Amelia and crawled, shakily to the front of the van, just as they turned one last time and screeched to a stop.

"No…" Zel gasped. He stumbled over outstretched feet as he rushed to the door. "No…" He moaned and tore open the van door and leaped out.

"NO!" he screamed, running forward, the red flashing emergency lights flashing in the gloom and smoke.

He pushed past a few bystanders, soon joined by others familiar to him, friends and neighbors. "No…" he whimpered in disbelief.

Above the roar of flames and shouts of firemen directing the hoses, Zelgadiss' sharp ears picked out Xelloss' anguished cries. "NO!"

There. Zel caught sight of Val wrapped around Xelloss' figure holding him back.

"LET ME GOOOOOO! I gotta goooo!" Xelloss screamed.

Tightening his grip, Val was forcing himself to remain in place and said through gritted teeth, "Can't do that…it's only stuff! Stuff! You go in there and you will die! GET IT!"

Zel saw Xelloss slump, then fall to his knees sobbing as he watched his home, their home, burn to the ground in the night.

~*~ End, Seyruun Summer High Jinx Special, Part Three. ~*~