(((.-) Zel ||^.^|| Xelloss
|{{^.^}}| Lina ||((.^)|| Gourry ((^.^))Amelia
Seyruun High Jinx
Chapter 9
It was sleek, black and shiny, and a
Fender. Zel had taken such good care of it that not a hair-line scratch marred
its obsidian surface. The amp, on the other hand, looked like it'd been through
Hell. Of course, it looked especially bad since Val had the back open and parts
spread all over Xelloss' practice room floor.
Gourry arrived, pushing his own amp on his skateboard, bass slung across his
back. "Wow, nice drums!" he
exclaimed. It was a full kit, and it sparkled a purple
as shiny and well-kept as Zel's guitar.
"Thanks! Let's see your bass, Gourry!" Xelloss peered over the
high-hat at Gourry as he opened his beat-up old case.
"I got it used, so it's not as nice as Zel's, but it's a really great old
bass!" He pulled a deep, rich red
instrument out of the case and showed it off for the other boys to see.
"Cool," they all agreed.
"But… wow, Xelloss, this place is GREAT!" Gourry said, looking around
at the converted garage. "You've got your own room, plus this practice
area."
"And you get to live somewhere out of the house," Zel sighed,
deciding to spend a lot of time here. He wished HE had a little world away from
his grandfather.
"I feel real left out around all you rich-kids," Val grumbled.
"I'm not rich," Gourry protested, "I share my room with my
little brothers Joey, Alfie and
Chuckie."
"That sucks."
"Yeah, but it's okay. They're good kids. I just
wish I had a little privacy. 'Course, my sisters share a room too. And my
big brother is…gone…moved
out, so it could be worse!"
"Woah..." The three other boys were all
only-children, and so this whole set-up was alien to them, but they had plenty
of sympathy for him.
"I just wish I had a place like this.
If it had a kitchen, it'd be perfect!" Gourry finished.
Xelloss swung back a closet door, revealing a wet bar, microwave, counter, and
refrigerator. "It's not much, but it'll do for us."
Zel shook his head, and smirked, "Either you hate your family, or they
really want to get rid of you."
"Both actually.
My mother lives in the house. I live here. Happy as clams," he
added, but didn't smile.
"Sorry," Zel mumbled.
"So what happened to your father?" Gourry asked
innocently.
"She killed him," Xelloss said simply for effect, and then smiling,
continued, "She was fifteen when I was born, my father was older. Apparently, I look like him, somewhat. He was
rich and after sucking the life out of him, she moved onto hubby #2. He didn't
last long, I guess. I don't remember him… much. My mother did finish school and
college and worked awhile before #3 came along. He wasn't so bad, until… Well,
I guess you can say that when she discovered that he liked me better than her,
he was dumped, I started Karate lessons, and I got this house to myself."
Xelloss didn't look at them. He had walked over to the
telephone and dialed a number, "...Everything on your pizzas, right?"
Gourry nodded unsure what all had been said in that fast talking style of
Xelloss'. Zel felt sick. He wondered
what was left out of that story, and decided he didn't want to find out. Val
gave a thumbs up. Food rated.
When Xelloss returned, he said, "Don't tell Lina or… the others, okay? I'm
working out my problems, but, well you can understand, right?" he added
hopefully. "So, Zelgadiss…why do
live with your grandfather?"
"My parents abandoned me to him when I was very young. He took care of me,
now I take care of him, though he is by no means feeble. It was his experiment
that went wrong and scarred me, turned me into a freak…and he won't even try and get me help. I can't wait to get away, to make enough money
for surgery...but until I do, I'm his slave."
Before everyone's eyes turned to him, Val jumped up, "That's enough of
that crap! Let's play some tunes before
the food arrives."
Gourry and Zel lovingly cradled their instruments (now hooked to up-and-
running amps thanks to Val). Val
switched his power on, and Xelloss got settled behind his kit, sticks in hands.
"Okay, so what are we gonna play?" he
asked.
No one knew.
"How about some Mettalica?" suggested Val,
but Gourry and Zel said they didn't know any.
Gourry put in something that was probably country,
and quickly got nixed. Zel wanted to do some Bob Dylan, but only he knew any of
the songs.
"How about 'Good Day Sunshine' by the Beatles?" asked Xelloss.
"I…know that one," Zel said, a bit ashamed.
"Me, too!" Gourry smiled.
"Well, I don't," Val shot it down. "But, I do know 'Yesterday'. Anyone else?"
"Yes," they all admitted.
"I'd never have guessed, Val. Must be more of
that sensitive side coming
through."
"Oh stuff it, freak-boy. It was my piano teacher's favorite. Uhh. Okay, let's do
it."
"What's wrong with the Beatles? I like the Beatles!" Xelloss
protested.
"Me, too!" Gourry added. You gotta love
Gourry. Always ready to please.
"Sure, right… Gourry, lay us down a bass
line," Val ordered. Gourry did, and Val added keyboard chords. Zel started
a sensitive guitar part, and Xelloss found some tool to use on the cymbal to
make it sound all dramatic and heart-wrenching.
"'Yesterday,'" Xelloss sang happily. "'All my troubles seemed so far away...'"
"Gods, Xelloss, you make it sound like a show tune!" Zelgadiss
groaned.
"I like show tunes!"
"Of course you would!"
"What is that supposed to
mean?"
"Just what it
sounded like…"
"Let me sing it!" Val
growled, shutting Zel and Xel up. "Now it seems that they are here to stay…"
"Did something die in your throat, Val? It's a love ballad, not a death
threat!" Zel moaned.
"Sorry guys, I don't remember the words." Gourry happily shirked all
responsibility. "Why don't you give it a try, Zel?"
Zel blushed. So it had come to this. He
should have known. Oh, well. "Oh I
believe in yesterday..."
"Well, that was less than satisfactory," grumbled Zel when he had
finished singing the rest of the song to its bumpy end.
"Satis…How
about Satisfaction, know that?"
asked Val. Of course, everyone knew that one.
The pizza arrived, so Xelloss declared break time and opened the refrigerator,
"There's 7UP, root beer, orange soda, and ginger ale..."
"No caffeine?" asked Zel.
"It makes me jittery, so no, but I'll get some for next time,"
Xelloss smiled.
"Don't bother," muttered Zel, sipping ginger ale.
"No bother," grinned the purple haired kid.
"No beer?" wailed Val,
though joking or not they couldn't tell.
"Noooo," Xelloss smiled. His mother drank
like a fish, but he didn't suppose she'd approve of him or his underage friends
drinking.
"Thanks, Xelloss, I'll help restock next time," offered Gourry.
"That's okay, I'll supply drinks and whatever, but since you are a big
eater, you can bring extra snacks." Xelloss smiled pushing his damp bangs
out of his eyes. Time for air. He turned up the air
conditioning and opened the door. "Remember to close it when we start
playing," he said to himself.
"So tell me, are all the dances like that? I didn't go last year,"
asked Xelloss sitting on the bottom step leading to his sleeping loft.
Val looked at Gourry then answered, "They're all different. Depends on the
band, or if there's a DJ."
Gourry added, "This had the fog and Halloween stuff, too. Last year's was
ordinary. Amelia did that part better,
but…"
"The band really sucked!"
all the guys said in unison.
Zel was standing in the door way looking out. A figure moved across the picture
window in the main house. He couldn't make it out clearly, but he decided it
was a girl in a short shirt and long blonde hair. "Hey, Xelloss, you
didn't tell us about having a...sister."
Val and Gourry crammed the doorway to look out. Val whistled. "In-tro-duce me to the girl of my dreams...can't see her face
but…"
Xelloss pulled them all inside and slammed the door, "That's Z…my m-
mother!" He spat 'mother' like
poison, then gaining his composure added with a grin, "Besides, I thought
maybe you enjoyed dancing with Miss Popularity last night. What would she think?"
Zel was thoughtful. Yeah, Xelloss had
said his mother was only 15 years older than himself.
"Who, Filia?"
Val asked, and then grinned. "Yeah she's a babe."
"Who would have thought the stuck-up cheer leader would want to be in the
arms of a low-down dirty punk like you. That's what I was wondering."
Val made a move to punch the teasing kid, but Zel stopped him. "Xelloss,
true or not, that was uncalled for so apologize. And, Val, he's got a
black-belt so he can probably clean the floor with any one of us. Besides if we're going to be a band we have
to..."
"Just 'get along'? You are right. That was unjust of me, as Amelia would say. It's just that...Filia really
hates me for some reason, and it bothers me a little. Sorry, Val…" Xelloss said, regaining his
post at the stairs.
Gourry was playing with his empty pop bottle. "I should have asked Lina to
dance with me. I had meant to, and then Sylphiel came out of nowhere. Next thing I knew, you were
dancing with her then you both disappeared for a song or two then she was on
stage singing."
"It was the highlight of my evening, you can be sure." Xelloss smiled
slightly. "She's so short...and soft." He could feel Gourry's eyes
drilling in to him as he rolled his pop bottle between his hands. "And
hot...temperature wise. So, I led her
out a side door and we cooled down a minute or two. When we came back, her
friend -Tasuki, right?- was calling her on stage so I
knew a shortcut and Voila the rest is
history. I recommend fresh air."
"Then, why did you slam the door?" sneered Val. "So we wouldn't
gawk at your ma-ma?"
"So she wouldn't gawk at you!"
shouted Xelloss, incensed. "She's hungry and looking for husband#4. Who knows what she'll go for!"
Val once again moved to punch Xelloss, but stopped himself. "You're serious, dude!"
"I don't know…I hate her…she makes me sick..." and he hid his face on
his arms.
Xelloss' capricious mood swings were getting to everyone. Zel felt like going home, but Gourry shook
his head and said, "Well, I'm glad one of us got to dance with Lina. I was
afraid no one would ask her. That would probably make her feel rotten,
especially after setting up the rest of you."
That relieved the strain a bit. Zel
chuckled a little. "Yeah I swear if she'd been able to, she would
have blown the whole place off the face of the planet. She nearly strangled me twice. Once to pull
Xelloss off some guy…yeah, yeah you were only talking to a friend… and once
again to get me to dance with Amelia."
"You know that little kid's bonkers about you?" grinned Val, his turn to tease.
"W-what?" gasped Zel, dropping his bottle toy.
"Are you blind? She's lookin' at you all the time, waitin'
on you hand and foot,"continued Val.
"That's because she feels sorry for the poor freak-kid. I know the
type. It'll wear off soon, I hope," Zel murmured uncomfortably.
"I don't think so! I saw stars in her eyes. You saw stars didn't you, Gourry? Well, I did, there were stars," Val laughed.
By the end of the afternoon, the four boys had worked out five songs together.
Not a bad start, considering. Gourry had to leave, "Sure I can't talk any
of you into coming Trick-or-Treating with me? I'm walking with my brothers and
sisters. Lina and Amelia are coming
with!"
"…Other plans," said Val, "Say, Xelloss, can I store my stuff
here?"
"Sure you trust me not to sell
it or anything?" teased Xelloss.
"If it was worth that much, I
would've. Thanks,
see ya around."
Val disappeared out the door.
"Damn it all!" Zel complained looking over a grocery list and hefting
his backpack and guitar at the same time. "He always puts wine on the list.
He knows I can't pick that up...See you later."
"Gourry, if you're not going to be playing the bass in the next few hours,
why not leave it here. It's locked," offered Xelloss.
"Sure, thanks...ah well, see ya," and
Gourry left.
"Well, that went well," smiled Xelloss to himself. He had met Lina
and Zelgadiss. Established
contact. Things were on track.
Having friends was a nice change. Little
did he know that the binds of friendship would be tested so soon.
The next day around noon, Gourry
received a disturbing phone call. It was from Sano, trying to locate Lina.
"Val's in big trouble. He's locked up at the police station. Can you get a
message to Lina and have her call me pronto?"
Moments passed before Gourry answered, while he mulled the problem over in his
head. "Yeah, I'm still here. I
can't call her, but I know where she is. I'll have her call you, but it might
take half an hour."
"He's not going anywhere fast. Thanks Gourry." And Sano hung up.
Gourry made three calls in succession, first to Zel, telling him to run over
immediately, one to Xelloss with the same orders, and the last to Amelia.
"What! Oh that poor Mr. Val. I bet that no good Gaav hoodlum is
responsible!" Amelia wailed. "You bet I'll be there with the van.
We'll all find Lina together and see that justice is done!"
"Er, thanks, Amelia...just hurry." Gourry hung up the phone and
waited. He informed his family that he'd be busy for awhile and that they
should go on to the zoo without him this time.
Xelloss shut down his computer after leaving an email to Zelas, his mother. He
slipped out the door, locked it behind him, and ran at a comfortable pace the
few blocks to Gourry's house. Zel braced
himself for the fight with his grandfather, but amazingly he old man was busy
in the basement and didn't care what Zel did until dinner time, and so he, too,
ran to meet the others at Gourry's place.
Amelia had more trouble apprehending the van than she thought, and so arrived
shortly after the boys. Everyone climbed in, Gourry up front to give directions
to the driver. "It's right up the
road about two miles, can't miss it. It's called the Zephillia Café."
The four kids piled into a booth. Lina often had to work with her sister here
on Sundays; it was Gourry's only idea where she might be found. After a minute,
a young waitress tossed menus on the table and asked, "Can I getcha some water too?"
Gourry spoke up, "Umm, we're looking for Lina. It's urgent.
Is she here?"
The waitress looked the kids over, lingering on Xelloss a bit longer, then nodded. "Her shift's nearly over. I'll send her
out, but don't make a habit of this." She warned with a stare that could
melt steel.
"No ma'am!" answered Gourry dutifully.
Lina was not particularly happy to see them either, but Gourry's sad and
worried expression silenced her.
"This had better be important, Gourry."
"It is. Sano called me. Val's in serious trouble. Sano wants you to call
him immediately." Gourry repeated everything he knew, and then stared at
Lina. "I have Sano's number, if you need it."
"Sure, I'll take it, thanks." And Lina left the table to make the
phone call. Five minutes later she returned.
"It's not good. Amelia, do you have the van still?" asked Lina.
Yes she did.
"Then we have to go to the police station and find out how to post bail.
None of us is old enough but..." Lina began.
"My father can and will, if I ask. I know
it!" said Amelia with certainty.
"Well for Val's sake I hope so. Sano thinks he was set up to be the fall
guy in a robbery or somethin' gone wrong, but a man
is close to dying in the hospital, guys so...come on let's get going! Sano will meet us there."
And away they went. They all clamored into the police station about the same
time as Sano. He stepped forward, having had some experience here before, and
spoke to an officer, and then introduced the others to the officer.
"And this is the mayor's daughter, Amelia. She hopes to post bail today,
if possible," added Sano hopefully.
Amelia did indeed have some pull with her father, but this was a hard call.
Phil himself put in an appearance at the station, much to the astonishment of
the officer's present. He insisted on having a private meeting with Val, acting
as his lawyer.
What seemed like hours later, Phil returned with a dejected looking Val in tow.
"I've posted $100,000 bail today. This young man will be staying in the
coach house until his first court appearance sometime next week. In the
meantime I have an excellent lawyer in mind, who owes me a favor, and he'll be
speaking to Val in an hour. No one has been able to locate his step- father,
Gaav. Currently he's wanted for questioning. Everything else will have to wait
until we get home. You're all invited for lunch at my place, of course."
Lina had managed a call to Filia while waiting.
Filia had just arrived back at the settlement and wasn't too pleased to
have to make another trip back into Seyruun so soon, but she would if someone could pick
her up. "Gotcha covered," Lina
said, then she connected with Sylphiel, who had passed
her driver's test and had access to a car. "A car?
Great! Then… you'll pick up Filia and
high-tail it to Amelia's? And hurry, no, no I didn't say get a ticket, but don't dawdle!"
Mayor Phil had a way with people. Val was contrite, sitting silently unless
forced to answer a question. Slowly his tough exterior melted away and the
dreadful existence since his mother had died was exposed. His friends were
numbed, even Filia who normally acted like she didn't care about anyone as
grungy as Val.
"This is the last time you let that man use you for illegal activities, DO
YOU UNDERSTAND?" Phil said firmly.
"Y-Yeah," Val answered uncertainly.
The lawyer, Mr. Fribrizzo, agreed. "It is important that you agree to
testify against your…step-father. He's responsible for a murder -if the poor
guy doesn't pull through-, countless robberies, and other crimes the DA can't wait to pin on him."
At that moment a cell phone rang. The mayor left the room to speak privately.
The lawyer's cell phone rang a split-second later.
"I wonder if mine's next?" joked Xelloss,
uncomfortable with the tension and unable to sit still.
"Please, Mr. Val. You must do
this. Why? What's bothering you about
turning him in? You can't love the
man after all you've been through, how he's used
you?" cried Amelia pleading with him to listen to them.
"W-What will happen to me? I won't have a place to live. No money…I'll be sent away somewhere else to
live, maybe another town?"
"Oh, no that won't happen! We won't let that happen to you. Will we guys?" she asked beseechingly.
"Of course not," agreed Lina. " There are other options."
"He can stay with me," offered Xelloss. "You can have my loft
and I could move back into my old room in the house."
Val looked surprised. That was a sacrifice he didn't expect.
Filia stood up as the Mayor returned to the room. "May I speak to you and
Val privately for a moment, please, Sir?"
Phil nodded and the three left the room without a word.
"What do you suppose that's all about?" wondered Zel aloud.
"Filia believes she may know something about Val's past, something he may
not…but we'll have to wait the mystery out."
"So, did your youngest brother get over not being able to go
Trick-or-Treating last night?" asked Amelia after a long pause in the
conversation.
Gourry, happy to have the distraction answered, "Oh yeah, after they all
shared candy with him and then told him scary stories about running around in
the dark and having to knock at stranger's doors, he was okay. I was wondering,
ahhh, Zel, umm…Do you think
we'll ever get a chance to play some tunes together again?"
"You guys got together and played music?" began Lina.
"…Without us?" finished
Amelia, punctuating her question with an upraised fist and the beginnings of a
long rant. "Why the
injustice…!"
Before they could continue, Val, Filia, and the Mayor returned. Val was pale,
Filia thoughtful, and Phil had his cell phone glued to his ear.
"What's up?" asked Lina, the inactivity was getting to her and
Xelloss' restlessness was about to drive her to distraction as well. He hummed, he drummed his fingers on the
table, he danced around…
Filia shook her head. Val was staring vacantly at her. The lawyer closed up his
phone. "Well that was good news. Ah, just a moment, Mr.
Mayor, a moment of your time, when you're finished."
Again the friends contented themselves with fresh drinks and more idle
conversation.
"So the next fencing match is against the school Inu goes to, Friday
right, Gourry?" Zel tried.
"Umm, yeah.
I hope Zangalus makes it. He's got tennis-elbow or somethin'
from summer tennis," Gourry offered.
"I hope he shows up too! With Zangalus out of practice, you played with
both Van and me. I don't like sharing my partner with anyone. Van is too good.
You may decide to switch on me," said Zel smiling slightly.
"Not unless you go all soft on me," Gourry joked affably.
Sylphiel spoke up at long last, "I thought that Inu guy was scary. Do you
realize he wasn't wearing a costume? He really IS a demon!"
Lina looked at Sylphiel poisonously, "Sylphiel, you're an idiot! Demons
aren't real like..."
"You don't believe in demons, Lina?" she asked incredulously.
"Hmm, I do!" grinned Xelloss, lighting on
the edge of a table. "By any
definition of the word, I live with one, and from Zel's description, his
grandfather's at least part demon, and there's little doubt that Gaav's a demon
through and through."
"Xelloss, you insensitive clod. Shut up!
You're an idiot too!" shouted Lina.
Zel put a hand on Lina's shoulder. "Want to go for a walk or something
before you punch one of us out?"
Lina slumped back into her chair, "No...Wait, Phil is coming back."
"Okay kids, I think we have everything worked out. I have a meeting
scheduled with the DA and Judge Hunter first thing Monday morning. Until your
stepfather is found, Val, you shouldn't try and return home, which means making
a visit there to pick up clothes and whatever else you may need."
"I've got nothin' important at home anymore.
Lately, I've been staying with Sano; you met him back at the station. But I
can't stay with you, hiding!"
Val said, hands fisted into tight balls.
"You are right, Val. But until the Monday court appearance, this is where
you'll stay. We'll see what the Judge has to say about long-term living
arrangements. Sano is not considered an adult, and until you are 18 you cannot
be released on your own. Until tomorrow, you can call the coach house home. Ah
the phone again, excuse me," said Phil.
Phil and the lawyer continued to chat on cell phones, scratch in tiny pocket
planners, and draw up plans for the next day. Lina and friends sat in confusion
and stupefaction.
"Daddy? Can we go outside, walk around a bit
before everyone has to go home?"
"Sure, darling daughter of mine. Be back for dinner, and you too,
Val."
"Ahh...Lina am I the only one who doesn't know
what's going on?" asked Gourry.
"This time...no… actually. Val? Are you okay? Can we all just talk about
this once and for all?" asked Lina.
"Ahh, sure…go ahead, Lina. I'm kinda numb right
now," Val mumbled.
"Okay, here's what I know, and, Val, feel free to fill in the holes,
eh?" Lina received a nod and continued, "While some of us were
walking the neighborhood with a mob of little monsters begging for candy from
strangers, you were out-- tell me if I'm wrong here, okay?--stealing hubcaps,
car stereos, and anything else on Gaav's wish list. How am I doing so
far?"
Val shrugged his shoulders. Lina continued, "Well, then, some clown gets in a huff 'cause he doesn't
want to make a personal donation to
Gaav's minions, so things get dicey and you, let's call you… Idiot#1… you
split. However, one of the other minions, let's call him Idiot#2, pulls out a
gun and blows away the poor clown-dude. Somewhere along the way, a policeman
moves in arrests Idiot#1, and later Idiot#2, 3, and whomever else was doin'
robbery detail that night. Some other idiot
clues Gaav in on what's goin' down in time for the
head-thug-dude to clear out to safety,
leaving, of course the poor slobs… the Idiots#1,2 and 3… in jail to take the
rap." Lina folded her arms across
her chest and stood inches from Val. "So what did I leave out?"
Val shook his head. "I didn't have no choice, at
least not one I knew about. It was to be the last job, too. Everything I had
was gone, I was staying with Sano, playing it
straight. Gaav said I had to do this last job, then
he'd leave me alone."
"And you believed that man?" asked Lina.
"Yeah, me and Idiot#2 and 3, heh, heh, heh..."
"Now the next part of the story is Filia's, but what I understand goes
like this: Your family was part of this Cephied Clan Stuff having a big get
together. You were five or so and sick and your mom stayed home with you, when
the rest of your family and entire clan for that matter, takes off. Their plane
crashes and no one survives. Your mom never rejoined the others, met Gaav, and
you all settle down in Seyruun. Gaav was ...abusive...to put it mildly, your
mom…died, and I bet Gaav is directly responsible for that too, seeing as he
gets all the money -your money- to control." Lina stopped to catch her
breath.
"Gaav secretly operates a crime ring using you and other underage idiots
to do the dirty work. Who knows what promises he's made or method's he used to
terrorize the idiots into submission-though I might be interested sometime, just kidding Zel-but when the chips are
down you're meat's on the line and he is gone." Lina smiled then
continued, "The question is what do you do next?"
"Phil says I go to court tomorrow."
"I'm talking about the FUTURE, you idiot! "
Val looked at this group of friends, his
friends now. "I'd like to work out
this band thing, finish school next year, and get a job
fixing stuff or something."
"Good. And it sounds like you may be coming into some money as well as
owning your mom's house, if they catch up with Gaav and you help nail his ass.
So are you going to help the police?" Lina wanted to nail Val too.
"Yeah, but I don't know where he's gone."
"You tell all you know, let them search the house, whatever...The man's
hiding, but he's not smart enough to not make a mistake, so he'll be found.
With him in jail, your life will begin all over again." Lina was finished.
She sank to the grassy lawn in front of the coach house, stretching out and
closing her eyes. "However, if it's past 5:00 and I'm lying here and not home…my life will be over cause my sister
will kill me."
Zelgadiss checked his watch, "Almost 4:30,
Lina. Looks like you'll live to see another day. I've
got to stop at the store and pick up some stuff for dinner and finish homework
so… Val, plan to meet for band practice
about 4:00 tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure," Val smiled.
"Great!" shouted Gourry.
"Okay-dokay!" grinned Xelloss.
"I'd better take you home too, Filia," said Sylphiel. "Bye, everyone!"
"Yeah, me too," said Lina. "See ya
tomorrow."
Gourry and Xelloss followed Lina and Zel out the gate, preferring to walk to
being chauffeured home.
"Bye everyone!" waved Amelia. "Mr. Val, you probably want some
time alone, huh? I'll come by the coach house to get you for dinner, 5:30 okay?"
"Uh, thanks Amelia, for all you and your family are doin' for me. I just
can't imagine why you all care…" Val mused.
"That's what friends are for, good times and bad times. We do what we can,
but you have to do your part and don't let us down, okay?"
**** ( ^^ ) ****
End
Seyruun High Jinx Chapter 9