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

1 Seyruun High Jinx

Chapter 7

The unlikely group crowded into the coach house on the mayor's large hilltop estate, where chests full of brightly-colored fabric lined the floor and other garments hung from hooks around the walls. Amelia had outdone herself yet again.

"Wow!" Sylphiel, Filia, and Lina all cried, stars shining in their eyes. Those deep-rooted 'dress-up' instincts from their childhood began to surface. The boys looked uneasily at each other-excepting Xelloss, who seemed pretty excited as well.

"Oh!" Filia said, and the sparkles died. "But I'm not supposed to dress up."

"Come on, Filia! Halloween is a commercial holiday anyway, like Mother's Day or Valentine's Day (ha ha ha), meant to sell candy and decorations. It's harmless, fun, AND it helps the economy!" Lina cajoled.

"Well, okay.  But, don't let Mom and Dad find out!"

"Of course not!"

"So, Amelia, what are you going to wear?" Lina asked.

"Just a minute! I'll go get it on." Amelia disappeared into one of the stall-like dressing rooms.

Filia looked dreamy. "I've always wanted to be a fairy for Halloween! Sylphiel, help me find the right stuff, will you?"

"Sure!" she giggled.

Zel tried to casually thumb through the costumes on the walls without looking too uneasy. What could he wear? A samurai might be cool…or a pirate…or a king.

Val thumbed through a few things, "Nothin' for me."

That sent the girls on a mission. Dressing dolls was for little girls but dressing the guys…that was a real challenge. It had to be cool, manly, scary, gross, and not too obviously boy-toy. It would be hard not to put Xelloss in a jester costume, which he managed to pick out anyway.

"No, no, no, Xelloss, you can't go for that. It's what everyone would expect! How about…Robin Hood!" suggested Filia, pushing him into a dressing room with the costume.

"Val, you could be a...a…ninja! Here!" Sylphiel threw him into a room, too.

Gourry looked at Lina fearfully. She looked at him as a spider might a fly. "Gour-ry..."

First, Lina tried to get him in drag, but he was crying within seconds, so she gave up on that one and attempted a ghost, but Gourry tripped over the sheet. A mummy, Scream-guy, and sandwich costume failed afterwards. As he tried to escape her clutches, Gourry discovered something he took a shine to.

"Lina, look it's a-"

"Jellyfish?! No! No way, buster. Get over here, I have the perfect costume for you!" Lina grabbed him by the hair and drug him cave-man-style over to a dressing room. She tossed some garments in after him, waved, and slammed the door shut.

"Lina's really enjoying this," the green-clad Xelloss remarked to Zel, who was counting his last moments. "This isn't me.  I think I'll stick to my own idea, but I'll need some help, Zel?"

"Yeah, maybe, first let me find something." Zel began. But before he could finish, two things happened. One was that Lina turned her evil gaze upon him, which sent him into a panic. That was a bad thing. The other was good, in that it momentarily distracted Lina from her quest: Amelia emerged from the dressing room.

"Oh, Amelia, that's soooooo cute! Which one are you?" squealed Filia.

Zel gaped at Amelia in an impossibly short sailor fuku, a giant bow bouncing on her rear, and high-heeled boots. "Ahhh, a rock star?" he managed.

"Close, I'm Sailor Justice! I made it myself, with lots of sewing help from Sylphiel!" said Amelia gleefully.

Val came out in a huff. "Ninja's too short. Fit you fine probably," he sniffed at Zel.

"No thanks," said Zel slipping past Val.

All the girls suddenly turned to Zel, ready to pounce. Actually, Sylphiel nabbed him first.  "Look!  It's a Shakespearean costume, Zelgadiss! Wouldn't this be too perfect, girls?!"

The girls all nodded, eyes glowing red. Zel found himself thrust into a small room with a bundle of light-colored clothes in his arms. "And here I thought Sylphiel was the least threatening of the bunch.  Scary, scary girls."

They got Val again. This time, it was Gourry's cast-off 'Scream-guy' outfit.

Zel crawled out of the dressing room, trying to find a mirror in a more well-lit place than the dim hole he'd been in. The outfit consisted of a suitably renaissance jacket (including a frilly collar), with gloves, hat, poofy little shorts, and white tights. He felt a little sick. Xelloss came up next to him, and they both looked at their reflections. Robin Hood and Prince Charming. Two fallen men… in tights.

"No," they said in unison. "No. No tights. Anything but tights."

"Here, you can help me with the costume I brought," Xelloss offered. Zel agreed and hastily picked up that ninja costume so that he could get out of the horror.

"Y'know, this one's way too…cliché.  Everyone wears this kind of stupid thing," Val complained through the goofy white ghost mask of the 'Scream' costume. The girls thought about what they could do to him next.

Xelloss was a robot made out of boxes.

"That's actually pretty cool, Xelloss. I wish I'd thought of that," Zel sighed.

But the girls did not approve.

"Absolutely not! You can't dance in that!"

"Yes I can! An Endless Waltz." he grabbed Filia and took her for a twirl around the room before she kicked him.

"You garbage! Look at this, a big hairy wolf, what do you think?" asked Filia holding out a gorgeous gray fur and black leather costume.

"Eek! Shit, Filia, I'd look like my mother's DOG!" he recoiled in horror.

"Fine, Xelloss, you can be the Jester!" Lina threw him back into the dressing room with the costume.

Val was mesmerized by the gray fur, "Uh, Filia? Can I see that costume….please?"

"Of course, Val. Want to try it on?" she gave it to him. He stole away into a dressing room with his discovery.

Zel did not like the ninja outfit. It was too…passé . But something else caught his eye, "...not really the right mask, but…"

"What are you thinking of?" asked Xelloss, covered in black and purple triangles and a hat with bells that jangled with his every movement.

"Phantom of the Opera, suits me right?" smirked Zel.

Zel disappeared into a dressing room, tuxedo in hand. He returned, shortly, looking quite dashing with a top hat, cane, and white mask.

Amelia hushed up Filia, "Don't say anything!" she hissed. "Oh come here, Mr. Zelgadiss, I'm good at tying bow ties. This tux looks great on you," she added blushing.

"I figured I'd be the Phantom of the Opera, but the mask isn't right."

Lina came bouncing over, "Hey, aren't you too cute, and you're not bad either, Amelia. You are a Sailor Scout and you're Tuxedo M…"

"He's the Phantom of the Opera, Lina!" interrupted Amelia hastily.

"Of course, should'a guessed." Lina smiled, and then jumped a foot when a growl and two wooly arms enveloped her.

"Hey, little red, have you got a basket of goodies for the Big Bad Wolf-boy? ooof!"

Lina rammed her elbow into Val's gut to free herself, "Nice try, but watch out because here comes a knight in a small amount of protective armor. Took ya long enough, Gourry, but it looks really convincing!"

Gourry beamed proudly and did a turn for them all to see, "Yeah I'm surprised it fit! Wow, Zel you look really fancy.  Goin' to the Opera?"

"See? Gourry gets it!  Thanks...and you do look impressive."

Sylphiel came out dressed as a mediaeval princess in green and purple dress and pointed hat.

"Oh, look! A princess and her knight in shining armor!" Filia squealed. There was a moment of uneasiness as people weighed this statement. Sylphiel looked pleased, Gourry confused.

"What are you going to wear?" he asked Filia, to change the subject, perhaps?

"Just a moment!" she had a lot of green things in her arms, and headed for a dressing room.

"So, we have Tuxe-Phantom of the Opera, Wolfman, a knight, a princess, and the court jester!" Xelloss giggled. He walked over to Sylphiel and bowed before her. "How may I serve you, milady? A song, a joke, perhaps?"

Sylphiel giggled. "I'd like to be entertained with a song, Fool."

"O-kay, do-kay! 'La cucaraaaacha! La cucaraaaacha!'"

"Gods, someone shut that freak up!" the Wolfman yelled. Zel did the honor by gagging him with a handy sock.

"Val is that you under that mask?" he asked.

"Yeah..." he grumbled yanking off the mask, "It looks good but it's hot as hell in there."

Filia popped out, modeling a forest fairy costume in soft filmy greens. Val's eyes grew wide as she moved in very close staring at his face, "Hmm, yes I could do it. I'm a good painter. I'll face-paint you to look like a wolf, if you'll let me. You've got the perfect golden eyes too!"

"Okay," he squeaked, then followed her to the make-up parlor.

Lina couldn't decide, "Vampire or pirate."

"Try them on and see which fits," suggested ever practical Zel.

"Okay..."

Filia had a problem, "Amelia, would it be okay if I were to cut out the face part of this wolf mask and just keep, you know, the head and ear part?"

"Oh sure, the mask is replaceable. Oh my! Val you look like a wolf!" Amelia squeaked in surprise.

Val grinned. He liked being fawned over, and he had never really noticed how attractive Filia was until she was working inches away from his face and caressing it with a tiny paintbrush. He especially liked her little pout when she concentrated.

"Will I be able to eat like this without messin' it up?"

"Don't worry, I'll touch it up if need be," she reassured him. "But he's right, Amelia. Why didn't we eat first to avoid this problem?"

"Because she's using food as a bribe to get them to do this!" Lina shouted from the dressing room. Lina popped out of the dressing room in a short, tight red dress with a stand-up collar, fishnet tights, and fangs that put the fear of Lina into her friends.

"I had a nightmare like that!" Zel shrieked.

Lina looked at herself in the mirror, ignoring her gaping companions. "Hmm…it's cool, isn't it? But a bit…ah…vampy, for my tastes. Amelia, I can't picture YOU in this."

"Of course not, Miss Lina! It's my sister's."

"Hey, Lina! I want that mask behind you, could get it for me?" leered Val.

"Sure." Lina began to lean over to pick it up, when she was saved by the 'Zel'.

"Think a moment, Lina. You don't usually wear such a short skirt."

Lina straightened up, deep red, and let her vampiric eyes bore a hole into Val's grinning face. "This costume will not quite do."

There was a knock on the door. Amelia excused herself to answer it, and came back with a message. "The banquet will be ready in fifteen minutes."

"So I'd better hurry, eh?" Lina took a big bundle back into a dressing room.

After a time, she came out. She'd tied a black shawl around her waist at a cocky angle over a tattered skirt, lengthening her hemline a bit. The neckline of her poofy-sleeved white shirt was a bit low, but that wasn't such a big problem with Lina. She had a black vest, several belts, big gloves and boots, and had changed her fishnets in for red and white striped tights. A vast black pirate hat crowned her red hair, matching her eye- patch, and huge gold hoops glimmered from her ears. "But I kept the fangs!" she grinned.



On the drive over to the dance, everyone agreed to take the Amelia-Van back to the coach house to change after the dance. Filia was staying the night, but the others were offered rides home, if they wanted.

Lina was right about the dance. It was already getting noisy inside, and few people had yet arrived. They were allowed in early because Amelia's position on the student council permitted her to bring in guests to meet the band. The recorded music was blaring; the Suzaku Seven was testing their mobile headphones and the overall sound system. As the name implied, there were seven of them, all good-looking guys dressed in matching outfits of black pants and a rainbow of Ancient Chinese-styled jackets with a Chinese character and band name on the back. The oldest appeared to be in his twenties, the youngest about thirteen.

Lina immediately recognized a couple of the singers, "Hey, Tasuki!" she called to the one in black. "Long time no see!"

"Lina, the little tomboy who could beat me in a fight? Wow, you grew up to be a pirate, eh?" The tall redheaded kid laughed, jewelry clinking.

"Yeah, well don't let my delicate beauty fool ya. I'm still pretty tough. So you're dancing and singing for dollars now, huh?"

"Beats frying burgers…and it's paying for college.  Listen gotta work now but I'll catch you at break." And he took his position alongside the other singers.

Amelia had been talking to the youngest member in green, "So, Chiriko, you'll be coming here next year? That's great! Would you like a tour during your break? Just a short one. I know you'll want to rest, too."

The small kid with sandy brown hair ginned widely, "Gee, thanks Amelia. I'd like that! Oops! Time to go..."

The rest of Lina's friends had migrated to the side of the gym and clustered some chairs together. Gourry wandered over toward Lina, who was joining her friends at the chairs.  Zel pushed his chair against the wall and got comfortable. This was probably where he'd spend the entire evening, so he might as well make himself at home. At least he looked good.  The gym began to fill out, and the band began to perform.

"Isn't Chiriko just SOO cute?" Amelia giggled.

"He's a little…young, but I guess he's closer to your age than the others, isn't he," Filia smiled. "I like that tall one in yellow with the long dark hair," she told the girls. "He looks so...regal."

"That one's Hotohori! I'll introduce you at break," promised Amelia. Filia nearly swooned.

"He looks like a woman. They all look like women," Val sneered. This was not to his liking at all. They were supposed to be impressed with HIM, not these moronic pretty-boys.

"I think one of them IS a woman," Gourry said, squinting. "Yeah, I'm sure of it."

"Uhh Gourry?" Zel said. "Amelia didn't say anything about one of them being a girl. Umm, I think he's..." but Zel didn't quite bother to explain.

Two faceless boys came over in a Zorro costume and Musketeer outfit to ask Filia and Sylphiel to dance. Sylphiel looked sadly at Gourry, but he was still squinting at the stage, transfixed by the singers, so she went along with the Musketeer.

"I'm gonna go take in the scene," Val grinned wolfishly, obviously out to terrorize the preppies.

"I'll go get something to drink!" Xelloss smiled. "Do you want anything?" he asked Lina.

"I'd like a coke!" Gourry said.

"Nothing for me, thanks," said Lina.

Xelloss exited, skipping and waving his jester staff at Grim Reapers, devils, and gaggles of 'Scream'-guys. Zel was enjoying the parade of costumed oddities, very entertaining.  After a couple of numbers, the Lina crowd collected back near Zel.

"Hi everybody," cried Kagome in a traditional Japanese Shinto priestess costume and dragging a medium build boy with long white hair and in a red kimono outfit, and a girl with long black hair in a ninja costume. "I wanted you all to meet Inu and Sango. They are both friends of mine from Atlas City High."

Gourry and Zel knew Inu from fencing. The newcomer slumped into a chair between them complaining, "Damn, shitty music is too loud. And I hate crowds."

Gourry and Zel nodded understandingly. "Even I can play a guitar," noted Zel.

"Me too, only I do bass, but I haven't found a band," said Gourry sipping the Coke Xelloss had brought him before he disappeared into the dancing throng.

Sango was quiet and shy and sat beside Kagome. Xelloss danced back over to the friends, "Zel did you see the harlequin? We did a mime act together, I was the evil dark one and she was the virtuous cheerful one. Oh, hello, Sango."

Again, Sango and Xelloss did a little bowing act, before he took a seat beside her. "Is Miroku here too?" asked Xelloss.

"No. I'd kill him if he was," Sango said sharply.

"Oho, I'll get you a drink, okay? Don't go away!" and Xelloss happy to have found something to do, hurried away.

Lina took his absence to delve into his secrets, "Sango? I'm Lina, I couldn't help but notice that you did some kind of a nod/bow thing to greet Xelloss. The other day another guy, Sano, did the same thing."

Sango smiled, "Xelloss never told you? He's a funny guy, isn't he? Well, he's the youngest black belt at the Dojo. Actually he is a 1st level Dan going for the 2nd level soon. He assists with many classes and will be teaching his own next semester, I think."

Lina and those close enough to hear were surprised, "Yeah, he just keeps getting weirder and weirder," she murmured. "Sango, would you let me know when his next what show/test/meet whatever is so we can come cheer him on?"

Sango nodded, "He's kinda a loner, but I think he'd really like people to be there.  Sure, I'll let you know." And the two girls smiled conspiratorially.

Zel noticed. "Watch out Gourry, Lina has that look…planning something evil I'm sure."

Inu shrugged, "Better get Kagome outta here then. I want NO part of Lina's plans.  See you at the next fencing meet," he growled. The white haired boy gently pulled the pretty, dark haired Kagome away, and holding hands, moved out onto the dance floor, away from the speakers.

Sigh "Isn't it sweet how a rough kid like him can be so kind and devoted to her?" Amelia asked.

"Amazing!" agreed Filia.

"Amazing, huh? Hey, I can be sensitive too!" grumbled Val, "Dance with me, Filia?"

"You? What-I mean…sure," Filia blushed.

"Oh how sweet!" Amelia sighed, watching the two tall people saunter off.

Lina looked at the pretty girl. Amelia stared out at the dance floor wistfully, as if she'd never been asked to dance in her life, which was not so since she'd been dancing all night. "Uh, what's up, Amelia?"

She turned her blue eyes to Lina. "Oh, nothing," she said, meaning that it was everything. "I just..." she looked down at her hands.

Lina didn't know what to say. She could guess Amelia's problem, but it wasn't something that she could possibly give her advice on. Xelloss had returned, drink in hand for Sango.

"Hey!" ordered Lina, "Enough sitting around everyone, Sango, Amelia, Xelloss, Gourry, even you Zel, up and out on the dance floor.  NOW!"

On orders, everyone snapped out of their stupors and walked, stumbled, or skipped to join in the moving mass. "I've lost my chair now," Zel said wistfully.

Sango set her drink down, hardly touched, and joined the throng. Even Zel was having a good time bouncing in time to the tunes with the mob.

Val was getting hot in his costume and lead Filia back to the chair area. "I gotta get this top off before I pass out. Can you get the zipper in back…and watch the makeup, please?"

He used Zel's chair to drape his fur top half upon, "Lucky I keep some clothes in my locker..." he chuckled while slipping on a shirt. Filia tried not to look, but she noticed scars running across his back. Val caught her eye, "Pretty, huh? Old man gets pissed sometimes.  That's why I've been staying with Sano."

"I'm sorry," she said not knowing what else to say.

Soon the others were returning to regroup. The band was taking a break.

"…and I just can't thank you enough, Amelia, for getting the Seven to play here!" a girl with her brown hair in buns dressed as an angel insisted, hands clasped.

Beside her was a girl in a cute devil costume and short blonde hair who added, "How else could we have seen Tamahomesigh tonight?"

Zel and Gourry were still complaining about the lack of actual instruments. "How much would it take to put together a small backup band? What's really needed? A bass, right?" Gourry waited for Zel to nod, then continued, "Maybe guitar or keyboards."

"Both!" chimed in Val, " With good keyboards you can do most everything, but guitar riffs can't be si-mu-la-ted right...that's just my opinion."

Zel asked, "How about percussion? A good kit can really make the sound explode, and if you're playing dances, the beat's important."  He met Gourry's eyes. 
"So what kind of music do you play?"

"I was with a couple bands the last two years, one kinda country and the other rock. High school bands, not very good and not together now.  I'm pretty versatile, though I've never tried jazz. How about you?" answered Gourry.

"I prefer folk on acoustic guitar, but I have worked out lot's of rock riffs on a really cool old Fender. My amplifier's shot though,"  Zel admitted.

"You might let me take a look at it.  I might be able to fix it," offered Val.

"Really? How do you know electronics?" asked Zel dubiously.

"I play a really old keyboard. Every so often I gotta rip it apart and clean it or replace a part. A guy at the music store fixes stuff, and if he has time he teaches me stuff," answered Val. "I keep my equipment at Sano's, or my old man would sell it or break it..."

Zel thought about Gaav, and felt truly sorry for Val. "So how long you been playing?"

"My mom made me start piano lessons when I was little." Val smiled at the memory, "'Course I hated 'em, but I got good. The lessons stopped after mom died, but I don't need any now. I play piano accompaniment for the choir, and with the jazz band here at school-NOT my personal taste in music however."

Zel said thoughtfully, "You realize we have the basic components of a band sitting here."

"Yeah, except the drums..." began Gourry.

"I play drums!"

Gourry, Val, and Zel all turned to look at the smiling purple haired kid, "And I have my own kit, cymbals, and various other percussion accessories."

"You've got to be kiddn'," said Val incredulously.

"Of course he is. He's always goofing off. Drummers never have high IQs. Do you know any drummers, Val?" asked Zel.

"Hey, I do! I really do. It's set up right now. The garage was remodeled a year or two ago. I sleep in a loft. There's a bathroom and the rest is a huge sound-proof practice room." Xelloss stared at his friends dumbfounded.  Then the hurt began to settle in. "I-I can't believe you think I'm making this up!" He jumped up and stalked off.

"Do you think he's really got one?" asked Val.

"Well, he wasn't joking around. There is one way to be sure." mused Zel, "Maybe he'd let us take a look, tonight, after the dance? I don't see him, but I'll ask him when he comes back."

In the meantime, the band, true to their word, had come up to find Lina, Amelia and the group during their first break. Shining, Amelia glommed onto Chiriko and led him off. Lina introduced Tasuki to Val, Gourry and Zel. As it turned out, Val and Tasuki recognized each other from some Rave last summer.

"So where's Xelloss got off to? Chase him off, Zel?" asked Lina.

"Not exactly," Zel said avoiding eye contact.

"I see him, Lina, he's talking to that girl in the band with the braid," answered Gourry.

"Girl? We're all guys…oh, you must mean Nuriko. He can be…confusing, but he actually prefers guys to girls…mostly," said Tasuki.

"Zel? Get going and save Xelloss.  NOW!" shouted Lina then to Tasuki she explained, "He's really naïve and is having an image problem…and that can't help.  GET A MOVE ON!"

"Why me?" moaned Zel getting up, "You better save my chair...it's really special."  He pushed through the crowd of demons, hippies, mummies, fairy princesses and even a die-hard pumpkin to get to the two purple-haired boys, muttering to himself, What am I? Lina's lackey? NO! I'm supposed to be the heartless techno-whiz, a bit dark and mysterious perhaps, but…  Nuriko was about the same height and weight as Xelloss, and equally animated in their mannerisms. They seemed to be talking quite happily, and Xelloss did not appear to be in any great need of saving. Zel wondered if maybe Lina had gotten it wrong.

"Hey, Xelloss." he tapped him on the shoulder. Xelloss turned his head quickly, hitting Zel in the head with the bells on his hat.

"Oh, hi, Zelgadiss! This is Nuriko-" he happily explained.

"Hi-ii!" the cross-dressing singer smiled.

"Hi.  Lina sent me over here to talk to you… Xelloss...about...the band thing."

"Lina knows about the band thing?"

"Uhh…  Okay, no she doesn't. I wanted to talk to you. I'm sorry we didn't believe you played drums. I know you wouldn't make that up, and you're certainly full of surprises."

"He sure is!" Nuriko laughed. "He's a black belt AND he plays the drums?! Who'd a thought? Next you'll be telling me he's some kind of genius!"

The blood drained from Xelloss face. Zel wasn't surprised, of course, since Sango had just told him about the black belt, but Xelloss didn't know that.   A moment later, Xelloss' smile returned.  He appeared composed again and said lightly, "Yeah, I know Nuriko from the Dojo. He's a martial artist, too."

"Why didn't you ever tell us that you practice karate?" Zel asked quietly. This was a good question. Why would he hide it? It wasn't embarrassing or anything. He just didn't understand that guy.

Xelloss hid his eyes. Then he looked up, smiling goofily, "That's a secret!"

Xelloss followed Zel back to Lina's chair stronghold.

Sylphiel shyly approached Xelloss and said something. Her voice was so soft that Xelloss had to lean closer, his hair tickling her cheek, "What did you say?"

Giggle "We haven't danced together yet,." she began with the look of a martyr.

"Oh, would you like to dance now?" he smiled uncertainly and led the way.

"Good! That's done. Now I can move on to other business," Lina said to no one in particular.

"You set that up, didn't you Lina?" asked Zel.

"Maybe," she winked slyly.

"It wasn't necessary," said Zel dryly.

"Huh?"

"Xelloss and Nuriko know each other from karate," he said shortly.

"You mean I made Sylphiel sacrifice her honor for nothing?! Whatever…" Lina just reeked of sympathy for Sylphiel. "They have the same hairstyle, y'know, except Sylphie's is down to her ass."

"Really," Zel decided to reward himself with a drink and, so squeezed his way through the crowd to the cafeteria. He got a soda and found Gourry with a bag of cookies.

"Hey."

"Hey."

They munched in silence. When Gourry finished, he said "Looks like the band is going back."

"At least we don't have to listen to '20 favorites for Halloween,'" Zel said.  "Monster Mash was getting on my nerves."

"Yeah…maybe you can find someone to dance with, Zel," Gourry smiled.

"Oh joy…" He joined Gourry for The Walk back to the gym.

"You feeling okay, Zel?" asked the tall blonde.

"I feel like I'm walking to my own execution," Zelgadiss sighed with feeling.

"Hey, it almost half over!" smiled Gourry.

"ALMOST HALF!?" Zel was surprised, "I thought it was almost entirely over."

Tasuki had just left. Lina and Val were laughing when Gourry and Zel arrived, followed shortly by Filia, Sylphiel and Amelia whispering something. Amelia had that scheming look in her eye as she tapped Lina on the shoulder. Zel pretended not to notice, "It doesn't concern me.  It won't concern me…" and leaned back in his chair thinking about playing in a band.

Gourry was first to broach the subject again, "So do you think it might work?"

"Eh?" asked Zel waking from his day dream, "What? Are they planning something awful?"

"Lina? Probably," laughed Gourry, "But it doesn't matter. I mean the band thing."

"Yeah, I was thinking about it too. We all play different music, so I'm not sure how to get started," said Zel thoughtfully.

"You're right. Is Xelloss interested?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask him. I was sent on a Mission by Lina, and he was busy. Why don't you talk to him for a change."

Gourry could tell that Zel was getting all worked up again so he simply agreed, "Okay."

The noise was ear-splitting as the song and dance band returned to the stage. The throng of dancers bounced and pounded on the gym floor the disco ball swirled, and the room temperature soared.



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End Seyruun High Jinx Chapter 7