((((.-)) Zel |||^.^||| Xelloss |{{^.^}}| Lina ||{.^}|| Gourry ((^.^)) Amelia


Seyruun High Jinx

 
Chapter 5

The next day's morning announcement brought good news: the sophomore class tallies for president were in. Apparently, due to a computer software error, the winner's tallies had been disregarded, skewing the results. The new president was Kaoru Kamiya. Lina and Martina had been tied for LAST place. The staff would like to acknowledge the assistance of a student lab tech, Xelloss.

Relief washed over Lina and Zel after hearing the announcement. Zel's home computer was safe with its secrets and Lina was free from the student council. Lina mouthed a 'thank you' to Xelloss, who was sitting behind Zel in their advanced composition class, as usual, when the teacher began her morning attendance count.

"No Martina," whispered Zel to Lina.

"Did you call her, Xelloss?" asked Lina.

He smiled, "It's true. She's transferred to Xoana Private. Something her parents had forgotten to tell her, I guess."

"It would be so horrible to live in a home environment with such bad communication," lamented Filia.

"You should try my 'home environment'," Zel grunted.

"Or mine," Lina added.

Xelloss said nothing.

"Well, good riddance to bad rubbish, as far as Martina is concerned," Lina said.

"I won't miss her," Zel agreed.

"Well, you may feel that way, mister stone-heart, but not everybody does," Filia chastised him.

"Like who?" Lina raised an eyebrow.

"Like maybe her boyfriend," Filia turned to Xelloss, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Oh, sorry, Xelloss," Lina looked sheepish.

"No need, Lina, I quite agree with you."

Lina was not surprised, though most of the others were. She, of course, had correctly deduced his motivation for going out with Mad Martina Friday night. But she figured Filia was affecting kindness and Zel too self-absorbed to catch on. Oh, well.

Again, the teacher had the audacity to conduct a class during their conversation time.  "Tonight, class, I want you to write a one page paper in the descriptive mode, double-spaced typed or in black or blue ink pen. No spelling errors, please. Carefully choose descriptive words. If I find the word 'thing' on a paper, you'll have to re-write the entire thing. Any questions?"

"If you use the word 'thing' do you have to give us a new assignment?"

"That's a two page paper for you, Xelloss," answered the exasperated teacher.

"No sense of humor..." he whispered.

Maybe not, but it silenced the entire class for the time being.



The lunch group had settled into a comfortable routine. Like assigned seats in a classroom, each member of Lina's crowd knew where they fit in and where the boundaries lay. Lina was the leader. No one messed with her, unless they wanted to face her wrath. There was no one like Lina. Zel was sort of like her wisecracking sidekick, except that he still retained his independence. Gourry, on the other hand, was her mindless minion, her bodyguard. Amelia, also a minion, looked up to her as if she was a champion of justice, and so on. Problems occurred when a newcomer entered or one of the friends crossed the line. Val's difficulty was that fine line. He just pushed and pushed until someone, usually Lina or Zel, blew up. Take lunch this day…

Amelia was excited about practically everything. "The dance committee loves my band suggestion! I can't wait to see what the decorating committee comes up with. Halloween is on a Saturday night this year so everyone can come to the dance AND go trick-or treating!"

"Oh boy, a preppie shuffle AND little kids begging for candy!" Val growled. "I can't wait to loose my Saturday night."

Amelia looked like she was about to cry. "I-I've tried so hard." she sniffled.

"Yo, Val, ever heard of something called 'tact'? said Lina.

"Tact? Like Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum over there? Oh, heh, heh…that's tack- ee," smirked Val pointing at Sylphiel and Gourry.

Sylphiel had completed her needlepoint masterpiece, a sword ablaze ringed with blue and yellow flowers in the shape of a heart. Nicely done, except she had wrapped a gingerbread man in it and offered it to Gourry; in front of everyone at the table.

Lina rolled her eyes. She had to give Val that one. The scene was pretty gross. Girls like Sylphiel weren't supposed to exist anymore, were they? Didn't their kind die out in the 50's? Or was that just wishful thinking? At least she fed them.

Val stuck his finger in his mouth and faked some gagging noises as he jingle-jangled over to his punk crowd.

"Just get out of here already!" yelled Lina.

"He's sooo immature," said Filia.

"Yeah, but first you should walk in his shoes," muttered Zel meaningfully.

Everyone glazed over.

"What Zel's getting at is that Val's home life has been awful. I never heard the details but first his mother remarried that awful Gaav guy after his real parents were killed in a plane crash or something.  He was pretty young at the time, I guess.  He won't say much about any of it." Lina paused to take a drink.  "Then his mother committed suicide two years ago, leaving him with Gaav. Gaav is just using Val to do some of his dirty work. I mean Val's gotten into some trouble, but he's got a better heart than even he knows."

Amelia looked up at that. "But he doesn't have to be so mean. What's wrong Miss Filia? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Oh, my Gods! It can't be...him?" started Filia, running her fingers through her long blond hair.

"What? What!" Amelia pressed.

"That story Lina told...I never put it all together, with his face attached."  She spoke half to herself.

"Miss Filia?" asked Amelia, "You're not making much sense."

"The plane crash…I remember hearing about it as a little girl. Every few years, according to a celestial clock, all the clans join together at a huge retreat. When it was over, one clan gathered on a single chartered plane to go home. They were the descendants of originators of the Cephied Believers. You know, my clan is a modern offshoot who propose a close tie to the environment and world peace, which I must say..."

"Ahem, Filia? Aren't you getting off target a bit here?" interrupted Lina.

"Oh, right, sorry. Anyway, this entire clan was on board the plane, except this one boy and his mother. They had stayed at home because of an illness. It crashed in the mountains outside of their hometown. Everyone perished, even the pilot. It was blamed on pilot error, unfortunately the pilot was from another clan, maybe mine, and the boy's mother never forgave us. No one ever heard from her or about her son again. Until now.  I'm not sure but...I wonder..." Filia trailed off.

"Oh how awful! And you think that little boy might be Mr. Val?" Amelia cried out.

"SHHHH! Can it! If it is true, if he is the one then do you think he'd want you guys telling the whole school about it? Who knows what his mother told him, if anything. So for now keep it to yourselves, or else I will personally see to it that..."

"Of course Lina! We promise, right everyone? " Amelia broke in.

Nods all around.  Threat or no threat, no one wanted trouble from Lina.

"Besides it may all be coincidence or just a load of crap. Leave it to me!" insisted Lina.

"Amelia! I'm so happy I found you. Is this seat taken?" asked a pretty kind-looking girl pointing to Val's vacated seat.

"No, it's free, you can sit there. What's up, Miss Kagome?" asked Amelia.

"Thanks. Oh, hi, Zel. Congratulations for the win last week." The newcomer smiled kindly. He was too stunned to speak so he just nodded stupidly.

The girl went on, "Amelia, I was told you were in charge of the upcoming dance and I had a question."

"Yes I am," smiled Amelia proudly. "I'm sure I can answer your question or get you one right away."

"Wonderful! Ok, well… I have a friend, kinda a boyfriend but not really, who goes to another school. I'd like to know if I can invite him to our dance."

"Usually, but it's always the principal's final decision. You have to get a form from the office- ask for the dance visitor request form- and fill it out. It needs his name and some club or athletic event he's affiliated with to hold as collateral. In case something goes wrong he could lose his membership at his school. Then HIS principal has to sign the form and you have to return it to our office a week before the dance." Amelia finished, pleased to have such a ready and accurate answer.

Sigh "Wow, he'll probably say its too much trouble, but I'll do it. Thanks, Amelia, you're the best!" Then looking back to Zel, who had been watching the girl, rooted to his chair, Kagome said," So I hope you'll be joining the archery team again this spring. We could sure use some more guys, though, huh?"

Zel caught mused to himself about Kagome's nice smile and eyes and voice…coughed, then answered, "Ah, yes we could. Have you asked Van from the fencing team?"

"Yes. He said he'd think about it. He likes to go to Hitomi's track events in spring and doesn't want to over-commit."

"Oh, of course, I forgot. She usually makes it to his matches, I noticed. only because I can't help but notice you, Kagome, and you sit next to her If I think of anyone, I'll pass the name on to you…" began Zel.

"I could give it a try!" chirped the purple-haired boy just sitting down beside Zel.

"Do you know ANYTHING about archery?" sneered Zel.

"No, but I'm a fast learner!" Xelloss smiled.

"Well that's a great attitude! Maybe Zel can get you started. I'm the best on the team and I'd be thrilled to give you some pointers…um…What's your name?"

"Xelloss," he replied.

"Our team is doomed," sighed Zel.



The rest of the day passed in blissful normalcy. Without Martina, the whole world felt calmer, gentler, all-in-all a nicer place to live. Now, only Xelloss was left to fill the 'annoying' bill.  Acting class rolled around again at the end of the day. Today, they were playing a warm-up game called 'hitch-hiker'. Six chairs were arranged in double rows of three. Everyone was made to stand in a long line that followed the wall around two quarters of the room.

"Back to kindergarten," Zel snorted.

The instructor pointed to a kid with a short braid. "Duo, you're the truck- driver."

Duo took one of the seats.

"Now, next person in line, that's you, Bunny, you're a southern girl."

"I am?" the blonde girl looked puzzled.

"Yes. Let's hear your southern accent.  Good, that's enough. Now, the truck picks you up, and you have a conversation with the truck-driver-in your accent!-and the truck-driver, Duo, you pick up the accent!"

"Well, hi there, mistah drivah ma-an," Bunny drawled, batting her eyelashes.

When it had gone on long enough, the teacher said, "Okay!"

Both bad accents ceased and looked up. "Now, next person in line, Shampoo, you're a Chinese tour guide, and you talk to both of them until they pick up your accent!"

The game went on like that. No one quite grasped the point, but their efforts delighted the teacher infinitely.

"Ze eviDENZ es in ze violet enveLOPE!" Xelloss was a French spy.

"Hey, Lina? How do you do a knight?" Gourry asked.

"A knight? Uhh, do a Shakespearean accent," she got a blank look, so tried harder. "Okay, say stuff about fighting dragons and, uh, saving damsels and say 'thee' and 'thou' a lot." Gourry's blank look got a little sad, but it was Zel's turn and they couldn't wait to see what he was going to do.

"Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!" he let out an insane laugh. The look on his face was one of pure madness. "Ahs soon ahs I ghet home, eht vill LIVE!" he cried in a threatening German accent. A mad scientist? Or his Grandfather? It didn't matter, it was both effective and engaging. Soon, the entire seating arrangement was laughing like maniacs and quoting Frankenstein.

"You ready Gourry? Remember the tips I gave you?" Lina whispered.

"No, but that's okay, Lina! Just watch!" he smiled broadly, and leaped onto the open chair.

"Graaaaaaaaaaaaawr!" he roared. He flapped his arms and blew imaginary fire at Zel. "Graaaaaaaaaaaawr!"

Gourry was a dragon. Zel was so embarrassed he could die. But this was better than the ballet dancers, robots, valley girls and Val's addition of drunkenness that had been so well acted, he feared how many of his classmates were binge-drinkers.

It was a tough act to follow, but Amelia was pretty determined.

"In the name of LOVE and JUSTICE, I must vanquish evil from this truck! Come, my companions, we must defeat this dragon!" She led them in a rousing battle of imagined magical swords and power-blasts, until there was no dragon to defeat.

Now, only Lina was left. She grinned. "Arr, me maties!," she cried, and instead of going over to the open chair, she marched right up to the driver's seat. "Out, ye smarmy skagg! It is I, Lina Inverse, Scourge of the Seas! I am ye'r Captain now! Let us sail to the Sargasso sea, and any who stand in my way shall walk the plank!"

"Yarr!" everyone chorused.

"Excellent, excellent! How creative!" the teacher was in ecstasy. "You're all such great actors! I'm-I'm so impressed."

"Is he actually glowing?" Lina asked Zel. But Zel was almost unable to talk at this point. His face was very red, his hair messed up and fluffy to look like a mad scientist's. Lina thought she'd start laughing if she didn't look away quickly.

The bell rang, releasing the exhausted students from the asylum.

"Maybe acting's not in my blood," Zel sighed. "This stuff is just so..."

"Soothing..." suggested Gourry.

"Soothing? Where do you get off sometimes? We have to act like idiots in that class." Zel was getting worked up.

"Were you acting in there? I just thought you were an idiot, a geeky one," sneered Val.

"Who said that? Val, you creep, you wouldn't know if someone were a good actor if an Oscar walked up and shook your hand!" growled Zel.

"Hi, I'm Oscar and I vould like to shake the hand of Seyruun High's top notch actor. Gept us ein shaken, YAH?" Xelloss said this with a terrible German accent, but he was very funny, at least Lina and most everyone outside the classroom thought so.

Zel turned bright fuming red, muttered something evil, and stalked off. He briefly stopped at 'his' locker and hurried off, not wanting to run into anybody he knew.  Why bother having friends? They just tease and pester me. So, where do I escape to now?  Well I can't go home, that's for sure. If I go the gym, I wonder who'll be there?  It should be all right. I'll get in some fencing practice and work out a bit before facing going home.  That decided, Zel turned around and made for the gym.

Filia hurried to the bus. She liked to be the first on so she could get her favorite spot, front right window seat. Her ride was the longest, nearly a hour to go out of town to the Cephied Clan settlement, so she liked a comfortable ride.  At last! Good no one else is on yet so I've got time to relax. Filia sighed as she sank into her seat.

Thirty minutes later, the last student from town got off the bus, leaving Filia alone for the last leg.  Of the entire clan, she was the only teenager to leave and attend a high school out of the settlement. She took out her pamphlet of rules and songs for processionals and celebrations. Halloween was strictly forbidden in the settlement. Instead, they enjoyed a bonfire and harvest festival that night. She would probably have an important part this year and so wanted to learn all the songs and chants by heart to be prepared for any task asked of her.

"Here's your stop Miss. Watch your step. See you tomorrow morning."

"Yes! Bye now, thank you!"




"Hoy! Val wait up. Wanna skate at the park?" asked the tall blond kid carrying a board and not much else.

"Yeah, okay… I wanna get a drink at the store first," answered Val.

"I'll get something too," said Gourry whose long strides caught up to Val's.

"Where's Lina? Think she'll show?"  Val looked around, scanning the streets for the little red headed girl.

"She'll meet us there later. She has books to drop at home first, ya know!" chuckled Gourry.



Lina was greeted, on entering her house, with a monstrous mess. The moment she opened the door, she was surrounded with wall-to-wall clutter. Just to walk through her house was a deadly obstacle course. Lina kicked off her boots to lie where they fell, in good company with all the other shoes piled up in the foyer. Then she proceeded to deftly weave her way to the kitchen, where she raided the fridge. An entire third of a German chocolate cake offered to sacrifice itself to her black hole of a stomach. She carried the whole plate, with a fork and the remaining milk, up to her room, balancing them like an expert while leaping up crowded stairs. Even more difficult to negotiate was opening the door to her room, but she somehow managed to do it without putting down any of her precious food.

She waded through a sea of dirty clothes and flung herself onto her bed, diving into the cake with glee. It was half gone (one half of one third means one sixth of the original cake, right?) when she finally decided to break out the ole homework. Since she was able to finish most of it in class, she only had a few math problems and that descriptive paper to write. The math was completed in a whirlwind of chocolate and milk, leaving her with nothing but the paper to get out of the way.

What to write about? She could describe her friends, but too many of them were in that class and the teacher might see fit to read that paper out loud. Other people she could describe...her sister? No, no one would believe it, and it would scare her too much to write such horror. So much for people. Things. The electric guitar she always wanted? No, she didn't know what half those funny little things on it were called. Medieval weaponry was out, since all that school violence hype.

Nothing else came to mind. Damn writer's block. Okay, no things, either. A place. The skater bowl? No, that was a secret place, and boring anyway. A fantasy forest? Nope, that teacher did not like anything that had to do with fantasy. Something familiar enough that she could do a really good job. Something she knew inside and out. Something unusual...  Inspiration came from her surroundings.

At last, the paper was just finished when she heard the telltale sound of a car engine, then the door opening and slamming. Her sister was home. In a panic of terror, Lina grabbed her backpack and opened her window.

"Linaaa! Why is this house still a mess?! I told you what would happen if you didn't clean up!" the howl of death came from below.

Lina shook with fear as she caught hold of the apple branch and climbed down the tree, she'd be free as soon as she cleared the yard. She ran as if hell itself had opened behind her, and didn't stop running until she made it to the skater bowl, emerging from the bushes a panting wreck.

"Hey, Lina!" Gourry called. "Glad you could make it!"

"Watch this move, Lina!" called Val.


It was nearly dark by the time Zel tiptoed through the back door of his house, lugging a heavy grocery bag. His grandfather was blind, but had excellent hearing. If he got caught, he'd be doing errands and chores for hours, and what Zel really wanted to do was get on the computer and…

"Zel-GA-DISS? Is that you I hear creepy-mousing about the kitchen? It's almost dinnertime and you haven't started a thing. Get me a glass of wine first...the red is open from last night."

Ring, ring, ring

"Oh and get that blasted phone. It's been ringing off the hook all afternoon. Probably one of your dim-witted friends wanting the answers to their homework.  Did you go shopping like I told you?.."

Zel could hear his grandfather shouting at him from the front room. At least the TV wasn't on. That was horrible to have to  listen to over all the ranting.

Ring, ring, ring

"Hello?   Zel speaking.  What? I'm busy now, Xelloss. Just e-mail me!"  He hung up the phone, finished pouring the wine, the carried it into the front room.  "Yes, grandfather I did the shopping. Yes, grandfather I'm making dinner. And, yes, here's your glass of wine and a napkin. Now stop yelling at me. I'm doing dinner."

CLICK

 " And now the evening news…" intoned a voice of importance from the TV.

"Of course, the TV… My life is so shitty," Zel mumbled.




"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" called Filia charging through the front door. "What's for dinner, it smells delicious!"

"Oh hello dear! Dinner? I've made that wonderful new brown rice and beans recipe that Mr. Milgasia recommended in his Whole Space column last week. I do think it's going to be a winner. And your father has the best news.  Tell her darling."

Filia's dad wrapped his arms around his little 'dumpling' and gave her a squeeze, "Well it's your mother's news mostly.  You see, honey, we're going to have an addition to our family circle..."

"Company tonight, Dad?" asked Filia, half interested.

"No, no, a baby. A little brother for you, actually…"her father corrected.

"...or sister," added her mother.  "We don't know for sure which it will be!"

"WH-WHAT?" screeched the lovely blond girl whose life was about to undergo some changes. "Aren't you guys a bit OLD for that kind of thing?"




Xelloss walked home alone. He had plenty of time to change his clothes before going to the Dojo. Maybe Zelgadiss would be interested. He hadn't meant to embarrass him so much today after acting. It was supposed to be a little jab, but sigh he just couldn't get the knack of this 'friend' thing down. So much kept going wrong.  I'll give him a call and see if he'd like to checkout the Dojo,  he decided.  Xelloss picked up his cell phone and dialed the number he'd looked up off the school records from memory.  Why doesn't he answer the phone? I'll get changed and try again. Got to remember to get new batteries for my phone too so I don't have to come in 'her' house.  Look at the time!  I'd better hurry if I want to get out of here before SHE gets home. Is that her car, early? I'd better run!

"XELLY-DEAR? Is that you?" called a lady's sensuous voice.  Zelas Metallium had just reached the door to her house, when the door was flung open from the inside.  Out popped Xelloss.

"Ah, yes…Zelas.  It is I!   I'm on my way to the Dojo!" he shouted, slipping past her and skipping out the door.

"SHHHHHH," she let out a stream of cigarette smoke as he passed by her at the front door, "Dear, why can't you just call me 'Mom' like other kids do?"

"They don't call you 'Mom' they call you 'that scary woman' at best."

SLAM

"That's not what I meant, and you know it! AND DON'T SLAM THE DOOR!" she yelled to his retreating form, then poured herself a drink, Scotch no ice, lit another cigarette and fell into an overstuffed chair in the sunken living room. A huge gray wolf-like dog fell at her feet, "Well you're glad to see me, aren't you darling?"



Amelia was driven home by the chauffeur, accompanied up the grand front steps by the footman, but greeted by her father.

"Amelia!" he cried.

"Daddy!" she ran to him, and he swept her into a great bear-hug. Her father may have looked like an ogre to others, but Amelia saw only his golden heart, shining through his rough looks.

"How was your day, my darling daughter?" he asked, as they walked together to the kitchen for milk and cookies.

"It was great! I made Freshman Class President! And I even helped someone on my second day in office," Amelia gushed, thinking of Kagome and hoping that everything would work out for her. "It was wonderful!"

"Oh, my darling daughter! Following my footsteps already! You- you're growing up so fast!" he sniffled, tearing up.

"Oh, Daddy!"

The room was so full of sap that any lingering servants quietly excused themselves before they drowned in it.




"It's almost dark already. My sister will be so pissed off if I don't kick ass and show up on the doorstep in five minutes. See ya tomorrow, Gourry!" shouted Lina.

"Yeah, see ya at lunch, Lina!" called Gourry as he pealed off up his street.

"So Val, whose place are you staying at tonight?" Lina asked running alongside the lanky punk on the skateboard.

"I'm crashin' with Sano all week…maybe longer if things work out."

"Hope so!  So, introduce us tomorrow, okay?" and to herself added,  At least make it to school another day this week.

"Yeah, sure. You and him 'ould get along fine.  Tomorrow then...bye!" Val answered and then stopped to watch the little redhead run across two yards, jump a fence and disappear.

"Hope he has something to eat," Lina mused.




"GOW-WEE!" shouted five younger boys and girls as 'big brother' opened the back door.

"Whoa there let me put my board away first!  Okay hold on, who goes first? Okay, hugs for Shari , then Teri--or are you Keri today, huh?-- then for Joey, or are you too cool now? Then Alfie, then...where's the Chuckster?  Okay, here he is!"

"Oh Gourry, I'm glad you're here. Would you take the girls over to her friend house after dinner, please? Oh, yes, and Alfie needs some football practice, but it's too dark already."

"Hey, it's okay Mom, we can turn on the new stadium lights Dad put up last summer, remember?" laughed Gourry, "Dinner sure smells great! I'll take two of everything."


**** (^^) ****

End Seyruun High Jinx  Chapter 5