Seyruun High Jinx

by Kaeru Shisho

The Slayers characters experience the highs & lows of a high school year and band formation. This is the first in a series of four stories. The next story tells of their summer adventures. Completely updated for formatting errors December 2003.

18. Chapter 18 121903

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

Seyruun High Jinx

Chapter 18

Zelgadiss' journal entry:


So my current homework in composition is to keep a journal. I don't know when it all started, so I'll just start rambling until it gets sorted out on its own, maybe. Today is Wednesday, the start of a four day weekend, truly a Thanksgiving Holiday.

Zelgadiss scanned the diverse persons that made up Lina's friends, particularly his band, The Slayers. Everyone attended Seyruun High, and that's where his or her commonality ended.

Friends.

I had known Lina since kindergarten. She has been my best friend. Shortly after my accident I had retreated into a self imposed hell. Years later the chemical burn scars are now fading some, I am told, but in my teenage mind I will always be a freak. My soft black hair never returned, instead I have grown a wild, wiry lavender mop. My ears were pointed like an alien's, though Lina says an elf. My arms, chest, and face still bare varying degrees of deformation. Lina sees no scars, just her insecure, intelligent, skinny, elf-like best friend. She teases me and cajoles me and has now been forcing me into new friendships, like Val.

Val, who'd a thought a tough-talking punk like he would join. His keyboard was used and abused, but he could make it wail. And his singing voice was harsh and grating, but emotive; perfect for rock and roll.  Of course, he wasn't always someone I'd call friend.

And Gourry. YEAH! Look at him go. He's a great bass player; big hands, easy going, ready to please and lay down a solid bass line. He's a guy you, I, can count on. He makes a superb fencing partner, courageous, skilled, calculating, and dependable. I'm proud to call him partner, team member and most importantly friend. He's never called me 'freak' or even given me that look of pity I hate even more. And has got it bad for Lina. She notices, sometimes, and gets embarrassed, just like I do. Give her another year and she'll think differently, maybe. Yeah, Gourry's a special friend I have little in common with.  Who would have thought?

Indeed, who would have thought I could call those two choirgirl, cheerleader girls, Filia and Sylphiel, friends too. One a blond, then other a brunette, both gorgeous and popular and they chat with me at lunch and in classes. They come to my fencing matches and sing backup in my band. They aren't close, but who really is?

Then there's the mayor's daughter.   I can't leave out Amelia. She's a year or two younger, like Gourry and Val are a year or so older, but she's good hearted. Oh sure, she gave me that look at first, but now...I don't know.  Lina told me Amelia really likes me, but I think she's just enthusiastic about causes, and I'm her current one.

Then there's Lina. Lina Inverse, girl extraordinaire.  She is the uniting force, the beautiful lead singer of our band, the dynamo; we are all in love with her. She has saved Val from a life of crime, Gourry from boredom, me from myself, and Xelloss from...nothing yet, but give her time, they just met.

Heh, heh, haven't mentioned Xelloss yet, have I? He is more difficult. I hardly knew him last year, our first year at Seyruun High, even though we shared most of our classes. We were aware of one another. He's easy to spot; about my size, clean-cut preppy-real preppy --not populite-- clothes, and with straight purple hair worn oddly in a shoulder-length pageboy cut. We competed over computer resources (I absorbed them, he hacked into my account and stole most of it back, then I crashed his system, and so on) in a silent war, and a mute peace.  Smart, annoying like a puppy.

We were two of the few freshmen in the advanced level science class, and so were initially lab partners. After a week, we were separated and paired with airheads, essentially working independently for the rest of the year. Lina was in that class too, as I recall. All three of us were in the same English class, but I don't remember him.

I never saw him at lunch, before, after, or in-between classes. I know he had no friends. Sometimes he would simply sit smiling inanely in class, in a world of his own, nearly as withdrawn as I. I don't know now why I didn't try to get to know him, except I was only one friend, that being Lina, ahead of him.  I don't know where he came from since he doesn't talk about his past (he's very secretive), but I'm sure he didn't go to my middle school.

This year has been a breakthrough year for all of us, thanks to Lina. She had met Gourry over the summer at a skater's park. She kind of knew him before, but didn't mix socially.  I think she visited his younger brother more.  Anyway…There they both befriended Val, who skated occasionally. I think Lina already knew Val from some wild dance club.  Who else…oh…yeah…Lina had already been friends with Filia and, to some extent, Sylphiel. She and Amelia met someplace, it doesn't matter where, maybe through her older sister Nahga--  whom I never interacted with at all! -- but then Lina dragged us all together.

Xelloss, though, came out of nowhere, like a moth to Lina's flame.

He has managed to annoy everyone, but especially me... Oh, did I mention that he is a neat-freak, and a noisy, irritating one?  For example…

Right now the band is on a break. Val and Gourry are checking his bass, which was out of tune, and guzzling sodas. Lina and Amelia have stepped into the 'kitchen' to look over the drink options. Filia and Sylphiel are practicing a cheer they had just made up. Xelloss is adjusting the positions of a couple of drums or cymbals. Whatever it is, he is making noise.

"Give it a break! We're trying to tune over here!" growled Val.

Well, at least he didn't call Xelloss names. Val's getting better at that. At first I was 'freak' or more rarely 'geek', while Xelloss was 'fag' or occasionally 'geek' as well. Course Val was 'punk' or 'shit head' for the longest time. Lina put a stop to the name calling, herself being the only exception.

Xelloss had told us once that the 'gay' tag  has been an ongoing problem for him. Upper classmen have come on to him on numerous occasions. I guess having a black belt was a good idea for him. He tried dating, but his choice was that crazy Martina girl. She hung all over him until everyone was getting sick. Poor Xelloss, even at the dance there was a scuffle when some guys taunted him after watching him talk to Nuriko of the Suzaku Seven. Of course, Lina sent me over to save him from Nuriko, who was simply a dojo acquaintance. Then she strong-armed Sylphiel into dancing with him.

THEN Lina danced with him. He's been real smug about that too. I don't know what to suggest to him either, he is rather pretty, and goofy around others. He'll just grow up to be whatever he's going to be, probably the head of some underground syndicate with ties to the Mafia (just kidding). So why am I spending so much time talking about that fruitcake, er, Xelloss? Well, next to Lina he's turning out to be my best enemy/friend. I just can't makeup my mind which; it changes hour by hour.

"Oh Zel-GA-dissss?"

See what I mean? There goes that silly sing-song voice. "What XE-LLL- ossss?"

"How do you like that JOLT shit your drinking? I want to know if I should keep buying it or replace it with something else?"

"It's okay. Now stop breathing down my neck and go chat up Lina."

"Only okay? I'll take suggestions for something better…and …Lina and Gourry left after Val and Amelia. It's just you…and me."

"What? What time is it? I've to be going and start dinner before my…oh yeah…I'm staying over tonight while he's out of town for that education administrator's conference with your shudder mother.  She is just giving him a ride, right?"

Then I starting thinking, why did I agree to do that? I like staying at home alone, well I used to. But this year I have some friends and the band, so being alone doesn't feel so good.  Then again…I am getting paid.

"Zelgadiss? Is something the matter?" the purple-haired kid asked concernedly moving close to Zel to read his reactions.

"NO! I just forgot the time…day dreaming.  Hey, back off and give me some space!"

Xelloss fell back against the wall. There he goes again looking all hurt. Why does he have to be so annoying?

"Sorry if I hurt you or anything. I need the keys to the main house. I promised your mother to make you dinner, if she got the groceries I needed." That probably sounded harsh and insulting. Well too bad.

Xelloss said nothing for a moment then stalked to the door and flung it open. "I'll go with you. I need the vacuum."



We ate dinner in silence. I hadn't even asked him if he like Chinese stir-fry, but he ate it without complaining. I think he wanted to talk, but I turned on the hot water and started to wash up. When I turned around, he had gone. This was going to be a long holiday weekend.

Back at his place, I settled into my History book and he did whatever…someplace out of sight and sound.

"Zel-gaa-diss?"

I closed my book and looked up from my comfy beanbag chair. "What?"

"I just installed a new game based on that Lost Universe movie we saw the other day. Would you like to play?"

Nothing else would have worked to get me to move. "How did you get a hold of that? It's not supposed to be released for another month?"

"Now, Zelgadiss, you know that….that's a secret!" he giggled.

I almost sat back down. Or hit him. Instead I shook my head and followed him up to his loft above the 'kitchen' area. Aside from the glowing computer screen, it was dark. He guided me to a chair and sat down. Six hours later…

"Ahh, my reaction time is gone, I must be tired. I'm going to brush my teeth and crash.  Good game though."

"You can sleep up here.  There's a daybed you can sleep on," Xelloss began.

"No thanks. Just give me a blanket and my favorite chair down there."

I definitely need my space.  I never had a sibling to have to share a room with.  I wasn't about to start now.  I brushed my teeth and changed into sweats. When I came out of the bathroom, a purple blanket was draped over the chair and Xelloss was sitting on the stairs, patiently waiting his turn.

"Thanks." I may have muttered that.

"Good night, Zelgadiss."



When I woke up the next morning, it was nearly afternoon. Rain was pounding on the roof and the room was still dark, quiet and cozy. If I hadn't had to go to the bathroom, I wouldn't have moved this time either. When I returned to my 'nest', I could hear the sounds of Xelloss stirring. Gods, what are we going to do today?

Xelloss stumbled down the stairs. "Zelgadiss? Can we go to the pastry shop for breakfast?"

"It's noon. "

"They'll have coffee and rolls."

"Coffee? All right.  Now what?"

"Shower first!" and Xelloss disappeared into the bathroom.

By the time he'd dried his hair, the rain had let up a bit.

"O-kay, do-kay!"

"It's still raining."

"I have an umbrella."

"Does that surprise me? Let's go then."

The rest of the afternoon we spent doing homework. A wonderful way to spend my birthday, of course no one knew about that but me. I had almost finished reading my English text, when I felt the fruitcake hovering over me.

"Zelgadiss?"

"What now?"

"Do you want to do something?"

"No thanks, but I do have some typing to do."

"Sorry.  Listen, if you want to be by yourself, fine. I'll clean up in here and you can use the computer up in the loft," Xelloss said, tossing his head toward the stairs without meeting my glare, and then proceeded to pick up empty pop bottles and snack bags.

Great, now I thought I could  have some peace. I was impressed with his great setup… the latest equipment, fax, CD burner, DVD... This won't be so bad. He sure is a neat-freak. I haven't made my bed in a month. It doesn't look like he even lives here. What first…? Yes,  composition class...an analysis of the Odyssey…

"Zelgadiss? Sorry to bother you but it's been a couple hours and..."

"…And…you want to use your computer?"

"Nooooo, I am getting hungry though. We can walk to a small Italian place at the strip mall at the corner.  My treat?"

There he goes with the smile. I guess he's over his hurt feelings. Good. Now if he just continues to leave me alone everything will be fine, I decided. "Yeah, sure.  Just let me save this file.  Do you have an extra floppy? Thanks."

Argh! There he goes with the touching. Why does he have to lean over me? Why not just tell me where the disk is? He's almost as bad as that damn Amelia, except that she blushes all the time.  He never does…



The restaurant was really tiny, seating only 6 couples and 2 larger parties. We took a table by the wall in the back.

"I recommend getting the family-style for two. They'll bring out antipasto, salad, pasta, foccaccia, and spumoni," Xelloss smiled.

"Sounds good to me."

And it was. The owner's daughter lit the candles, delivered water, and set a tray of assorted pickles, peppers, and olives on our table. Xelloss was funny and charming. I laughed and let down my guard a little, I guess.

"Sooo, are you still mad at me?" Xelloss asked seriously.

"Mad? No, I'd forgotten all about it until now."   Shit! Why does he do that? With Gourry, once the mood is past, that's it. HE doesn't go on about stuff. "Don't dredge up stuff that's done with!"

"O-kay...I just wasn't sure what I had done to bother you and was waiting for a…calmer moment to ask."

"What you do that bothers me, eh?  It's hard to say.  Your mannerisms are…not like other guys'. I'm not comfortable with that, I guess."

"But you're comfortable now?"

"Pretty much…Oh, the salad and bread…and pasta..." Saved by the food. What does he expect me to say? He's really just being a good friend. And I have the problem.

When the last of the dessert bowls were removed, I offered to pay half the bill.

"I said 'my treat' and you accepted it so, thanks for the offer, but not this time," he smiled cheerfully. "Do you feel like walking a bit before heading back?"

"Yes, I could use the exercise after all that food. I usually don't eat so much." And I definitely needed to fill time with something besides being confined in a small apartment room with him.

"Yeah, I noticed you're pretty…slim. The park's this way.  My favorite's the swings!" Xelloss giggled.

"Oh joy."  

When the swings were in sight, Xelloss made a run for it, nabbed the middle one and kicked off. "This one goes the highest!"

He's just a kid. A strange kid. With nice hair and a goofy sense of humor. What next? He wanted ME to swing too? Of course. Oh well, no one else was around...

"That was fun!" he chortled after landing his jump. "Now...you're IT!" he shouted after tapping my shoulder and then running off.

Now what? Tag? Well I'm sure I'm faster, this will be easy.

"Gottcha!" I shouted after tagging Xelloss.  Then I sped off at demon speed toward the trees, losing Xelloss and hiding to watch. The sun had set behind the hills so the park lights near the trees cast deep shadows in which I took cover. After a while of waiting, I wondered if maybe I shouldn't go looking for him. I was quiet. He probably gave up and went home.  I took a step, crunching some leaves, and then Xelloss pounced.

"AH, HA!"

"AAAAAAAAA!" Xelloss weighed more than me and he'd wrapped his arms around my waist and flung me to the ground. Luckily, a pile of leaves cushioned the fall. However, my karma being as it was, the leaves were piled at the edge of a slope, which we were both now tumbling down.  It was painful.

"OOF!"

"GAAAA!"

I wound up on top… on a path… in nearly total darkness. I slid off of Xelloss, who had cushioned my landing, and looked up at the dim outline of trees about twenty feet above our heads.  "Shit Xelloss! If I were made of rock I'd kill you right now! Why did you do a stupid thing like that?

But he didn't answer me. "Why aren't you moving?  Xelloss wake up! Hey XELLOSS!" I cried desperately to get him to wake up.  I picked up  his head and slid my leg underneath it.  It seemed like hours, though according to my watch it was only two minutes, before his eyelids fluttered and he moaned.

"Uuugh.Oooow.my head hurtsssss."

"Xelloss, keep talking!" I told him.  Don't fall asleep on me. There…can you sit up...no?  Dizzy?  Alright, just lie here a bit longer.  Hey, you're shivering…. Here's my sweatshirt. I'll put it over you."

We sat together, Xelloss resting his head on my lap for several more minutes. Xelloss stirred and pulled himself to a sitting position on his own, then he wanted to talk, to explain…

"Well… I didn't expect that cliff to be there. Here I go apologizing to you again, but I am sorry for knocking you down like that."

"And scaring me to death! When you didn't start talking a few minutes ago, I was really worried. I was trying to weigh going for help and staying with you."

"I'm glad you stayed. I-I think I can stand up. Whoa…dizzy…okay, maybe not."

"Here, put your arm over my shoulder and steady yourself. I don't need you to fall again. The problem is where are we and how do we get back up there?"

"I believe if we stay on this path it will slowly go up to meet the road into the park.  Just a little ways, really." 

"And if you're wrong?"

"We end up going downhill to the river. I come here a lot, though not at night, but I know this path."

"All right, I want to put my sweatshirt back on first.  Let's go then."

Xelloss was right. Within a few hundred yards the path led up to the main road and into the light. I parked him on a bench and investigated his head injury.

"There's a lot of blood and a huge bump. If you can manage, we need to walk home fast. I don't have anything to stop the bleeding with."

"I'll walk. Just stay close."

"Leave your arm over my shoulders. It's easier to support your weight. You don't want to fall.  And let me know it you think you might black out, all right?"

"You'll be the first to know!"  He chuckled.  He tried to smile, too, as he walked unsteadily homeward bound.

Once we got to his house, I took charge.

"First, I need good light to check your head so let's go to the main house. Yes, in the kitchen. Oh Gods. I-it's a mess…your hair is all matted. Xelloss, I'm going to call your doctor--where's the number?"

Xelloss pointed to the phone/bulletin board.  He was not feeling well-- woozy from the blood loss and throbbing pain, and now he told me that he had a pounding headache from the walk.  I found the number and dialed…and got the message: 'the office is closed right now, but in case of an emergency call this number…' which I did.

"Doctor Adams? Umm, my friend fell and has a bad gash on his head. He's a patient of yours, Xelloss Metallium.  That's right, I'm just a friend. No, she's out of town, that's why I'm here.  Company, you know.  Yeah I'll look.  It's bleeding a lot…about 5 inches long.  Yeah, he's holding a kitchen towel over it but the bleeding doesn't stop! All right, I can do that.  You have the address? Fine, I'll turn on the porch light and leave the front door open. Thanks, doctor."

"Hey, hang in there.  Your doctor's making a house call. He want's me to keep you awake. How about that? I get to annoy you for a change!"

Xelloss raised his head off the table and smiled weakly, oh yeah, then he tried to steal my line… "Oh joy."

"No, no, no, no stealing my lines. What I'm going to do next is try and clean you up a little more, which makes more bloody towels to wash, right? I'll try not to press too hard, but there's dirt on the wound and your hair's brown now."

I continued to chatter and wipe off Xelloss' hair some, since that seemed to be his greatest concern at the time. Curiously, but luckily, the doctor was very familiar with this house, and so, reached the house in no time.

"He-lloooo! Doctor Adams here!"

I dropped the mopping-up towel and greeted the doctor in the entry hall. "Hi, I'm the one that talked to you on the phone. Xelloss is in the kitchen.  Oh, my name is Zelgadiss..."

"Graywords? Yes, yes, I remember you, though I'm sure you don't remember me. I was part of the emergency team that treated you, what was that...four years ago?"

I didn't know the man and certainly didn't want to reminisce about my turbulent past.  "Ah, yeah.  Xelloss? Doctor Adams is here!"

"Hi," Xelloss managed to croak out.

"Hi, there Xelloss. (He said that with a familiarity that meant it hadn't been long since they had seen each other.) So let me have a look, umm pretty long gash. I'm going to wrap you up and take you to the emergency room, son, for X-rays…mostly precautionary, but with your medical history..."

"I haven't taken any medication since school started. I'm fine..." Xelloss interrupted the doctor's train of thought before any of that history could be revealed to me.

"You probably are, but I don't think you want your good friend to be responsible for you, since your mother's not here. Just a few quick tests, I'll do them myself, and then I'll bring you back here for the night, IF you check out…okay?"

Xelloss nodded.

"Will he need anything? Clothes, ID?"

"Yes, can you find him a clean shirt and sweater that aren't pull-overs and his wallet...your medical card and ID are there?"

Xelloss nodded.

I dashed out of the main house, grabbing Xelloss' keys. After fumbling for what seemed like an hour with all the practice-room door locks, I clambered up the stairs to the loft, and dug through the closet for a button-up shirt and sweater. No problem, plenty of those.  I couldn't find his wallet, however.  So, I returned to the other house hoping that he had his wallet with him; he did buy food earlier.

It was the first thing I asked about.   "Xelloss, do you have your wallet with you? It wasn't on your desk."

"Oh, yes! Here it is, sorry."

"No matter..."  I climbed into the back seat alongside Xelloss, who was looking very pale and young.

~*~

"Well the good new is… no fractures and  no major trauma. The bad news, and it's not so bad, is that you must stay awake a couple more hours,"   the  doctor told us both with a relieved smile.

"I can go home now?" Xelloss grinned, though I could tell that his head was hurting.

"Yes. Zelgadiss, you are staying over with him, is that right? Good. Here is my cell phone number. For you I'm on call tonight. If he should get nauseous or dizzy or in anyway abnormal, give me a call...What's that? He's always abnormal? Yeah, well, you do know what I mean, right? Good. I will call in the morning, no, not too early.11:00? Okay, then I'll drop you boys off on my way home."

Xelloss and I sat silently in the back seat, street lights flashing on our tired faces for the short ride back to his place.  I had no idea the doctor would say something about me.  I was totally unprepared when he started talking.

"I can't get over how much improved those chemical burns are, Zelgadiss. In a few years, with one of those new chemical peals and a little laser surgery, your face and hands can be returned to normal. Have you tried hair dye?"

"AAAhhhh….It doesn't work…makes it look dirty, then washes out. I could probably get it darker, but that would make it...purplish.   Lavender's okay, I'm used to it."  The doctor meant well, I know, but I was so embarrassed I couldn't look over at Xelloss to see what he was thinking. 

 "I think some improvement could be made. I didn't see your chest, but if it's not much worse than what I can see on your face and hands…"

I stopped him as bluntly as possible.  "It is, but I can cover that up most of the time."  I had hoped that would end the conversation.  I was wrong.  I'd left my 'friend' out of the equation.

"Those treatments? Are they very expensive?"

"I'm afraid so, Xelloss, but in a few years they won't be, and they are making improvements all the time. Actually, you're doing okay with it, aren't you? You have friends." 

Sure I had some but I didn't feel comfortable opening up here and now.  Unfortunately, the way Xelloss was looking at me…so earnest, I found that I had to say something.  "Yeah, some that treat me like I'm human, but I'd really like to look normal.  And I guess I can wait until I move out.  My grandfather won't pay for anything."

"Hey, Zelgadiss, if our band makes it big you'll be able to afford treatments in no time!" Xelloss was trying to make me feel better, I guess, and re-direct the topic off me at the same time.

"You boys in a band too? Who else?"

"Well, there's our bass player, Gourry Gabriev."

"Oh, yes…the Gabriev family. I can fund a whole summer vacation off that family…Hey I'm kidding!"

"Lina Inverse is our leader and singer and song writer. Her friends Amelia, Sylphiel, and Filia do backup singing, and Val…Gaav…is our keyboards guy. I'm on drums, Zelgadiss is lead guitar."

"Val Gaav? Tough kid. I've stitched up quite a few spots on his body."

"He's moved out and Gaav's wanted for all kinds of illegal stuff. We hope he's caught soon so Val can get on with his life."

"Well that sounds good to me."

"He's doing better, isn't he?" Xelloss asked me.  I had been happy to be spared conversational duty.

"Val? Yes, thanks to Lina and Amelia's father, especially, and Filia, too."

"Ha! There's an unlikely couple!  "The punk and the cheerleader."

"Yeah, but they are both part of that…cult...the 'Cephied Believers' or something."

"I think it's more of a hippie commune than a cult, Zelgadiss, but I dunno. You have any idea, Doctor?"

"Some of both, but since they have their own doctors, I have never had call to treat any or get to know any. So where's your mother, Xelloss?"

"A teacher's conference. She's driving Zel's grandfather so...she twisted Zel's arm to get him to 'babysit' me, right?" Xelloss gave me  a sneer, which didn't look serious.

"Well, I did want to graduate and she pays pretty good….  Hey- ouch!- don't punch that arm, I think I bruised it falling!"  Xelloss has a killer punch, even when he pulls it.

"I'm sure both your mother and your grandfather are resting better knowing that you guys can look out for one another.  You know what I'm getting at-- no going morose, getting away from the isolation of the computer…  Am I on target boys?"

grumbling

"You know, Xelloss, that skin treatment I was telling your friend here about, would probably work on those scars of yours too."

Scars? What scars? He looked fine to me.   I found that I was staring rudely at Xelloss and making squirm and look really uncomfortable. How many times had I felt that way?  I couldn't believe I could be so cruel as to inflict the same damage upon a friend as I tried to run away from!  What a friend I was turning out to be.  He jumped out of the car the moment it rolled to a stop in front of his house.  I bet he couldn't wait to put as much space between himself and me as possible.

"Thanks, Doctor.  I'll do everything you recommended. Talk to you at 11:00 AM."

I got out of the car and followed Xelloss to his place.

"I am sooooo glad to be back. I hate hospitals," Xelloss said with hostility uncommon to his cheerful persona.  I was amazed that it was directed at hospitals and not me. He wanted to continue our friendship.

"I couldn't agree more. I certainly have had more than my share of time spent with doctors and hygienic rooms." I knew I had to say something else here to bridge the gap a bit more. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't feel like. I never would tell anyone about my accident if it wasn't blasted all over my face."

"O-kay. Would you mind if we went up to the loft so I can lie down? Not sleep, I know, just stretch out. I'll prop myself up with pillows. There's a daybed for you too."

"All right, Xelloss.  Sooo, what's with the purple thing going here?" I must have let a tone of disgusted seep into my voice as I pushed a pile of purple pillows into a comfortable support on the day bed, because he looked a little shocked.

"When I was little, it was my favorite color, or so I've been told. So, since my mother's image of me is stuck somewhere in the second grade, everything she buys for me is purple. I've just sort of gotten used to it after all these years. You don't know how hard it was to prevent her from installing purple carpeting in the practice room. I had to lie down on the floor and scream to keep the carpet guys from laying it down. It's in the guest room instead. The mossy green in the practice room was actually for the guest room. She's never forgiven me for upsetting her color-coding system," he laughed, jiggling his water bed.

I laughed too. Poor kid. "You know, you've had a chance to change. I'm still in pants soaked with your blood and park dirt. My stuff's downstairs. I'll change there. Can I bring you up something to drink?"

"Ah yeah…anything lemony. 7UP."

I returned in sweat clothes that could double for pajamas, carrying two sodas.  "Here you go. Now what am I supposed to do? Oh yes, are you feeling nauseous, dizzy, or abnormal?"

"Nauseous, no, dizzy, no, but I'm not sure about abnormal, since I don't have any criteria to base 'normal' on."

"You're aware of that, then?"

"Well, it's hard not to be when everyone tells me so all the time, except Gourry. He never has a bad thing to say about anyone but Lina, and that's only for fun."

"Yeah, Gourry's a good guy. Not real smart, but it's okay, because he's so nice, and he seems happy that way. 'Course, look where being smart's got me!"  I gave an ironic chuckle devoid of humor. Xelloss ignored my jab, unsure of whether it was directed at him or not. I quickly, and stupidly…since talking about romance crap was and is really hard for me to do, added,  "Lina likes him quite a lot."

He lapped it up.  He seemed to want to talk relationships.  "Eh, that's because she can push him around. Besides, so does Sylphiel and she suits him better. Can you imagine Lina taking care of a bunch of kids?"

I shuddered. "She'd probably eat them. But I wouldn't trust Gourry and Sylphiel together. They'd probably walk of a cliff or something. Besides, I think that maybe Gourry and Lina belong together."

"You must be crazy! Lina's too smart and driven and beautiful...he couldn't possibly appreciate her."

"The way you could?" I asked tentatively and raising an eyebrow.  Was Xelloss attracted to Lina in a deeper way than I had thought?

"A-And you too! What can they possibly talk about? They hardly do at lunch."

"They spend time together, without us…walking home, the skate park. You do like her, don't you? I never thought of it before, how you sit near her, watch her…" I was teasing him now.

"The same can be said about you! And how about Amelia?"

"What about Amelia? I'm just her current 'Cause'. She'll meet her prince and leave me be."  I said that with the conviction of a man certain he was right.

"I don't know...the night of the storm when you had fallen asleep… She spent a long time gazing at you; that is, until Lina pulled her off!" Xelloss giggled and then stopped as his head ached. "Ooooo that hurts."

"Serves you right, making up stuff like that!" I snapped, but I was worried about him, too. "Hey are you all right?"

"Yeah, it just hurts like hell when I laugh, but what I said was true. She pushed the hair off your face and got veeeeery close and whispered….something secret…so I can't say what it was...then she looked all dreamy like and…aaaaahhhh don't strangle me! You're supposed to be taking care of me!"

"Oh I'll take care of you. There won't be anything left." But despite my threats, I just collapsed back onto the daybed, and moaned, my head in my hands imagining the scene we must have made in view of everyone. "She didn't really, did she?"

"Yep."

I moaned even louder. "This is horrible."

"Oh not so horrible, really. She is very nice and smart and cute...nice eyes. It could be worse…it could have been Martina."

"Gaaaah, why bring her name up? Even you couldn't stand her. It wasn't a very proud moment for you, using a girl, even her."  I was proud of my witty comeback.

"You're right. But Filia was being...especially cruel.  Lina was the only other possibility, and I was pretty sure she'd have punched me or laughed if I'd tried and asked her out. Besides, I did buy her dinner. And I talked to her, which was martyrdom in itself!"

"Yes, you are right about that. So Filia really has something against you, huh? She's always been pleasant…a bit cool…but never mean to me. Maybe she hates the color purple."

"Oh, you think so?  Well, in that case, after the stitches come out, maybe I'll bleach my hair or something."

"Or something…try black, that's sinister." I suggested.  Bleached purple is lavender, and that's no, no, no, no.

"Or green.  She seems to like green."

"Wouldn't Val be surprised? Some earrings, punctures, nose ring, tattoo or two."

"I hadn't even thought of him! She does have a thing for the baddest bad boy. Do you think her parent's know?"

"I don't like where you're taking this…you wouldn't actually call her mom and tell her about Val, would you?"

"Noooo, I was only wondering if you thought she kept secrets from the clan. It doesn't matter to me. As long as he keeps his glommy hands off of Lina."

"Glommy? Is that a word? Hey don't close your eyes…Damn, they're purple too. You still have another hour or so to stay awake. So you want to play a game on the computer?"

"Noooo, I can't concentrate, but you can and I'll watch." He sounded a bit dreamy.

"I don't trust you to stay up.  If you're not yapping away you're tuning out. So who haven't we gossiped about? Kiki! Now, she doesn't think you are odd at all."

"Thanks. Like Amelia, she's young. Maybe that's good, eh? Less experience with other guys for comparison? She's talented with the video work, and nice enough to include some of my crow footage."

"Not the march of the crazy crows? Xelloss! That was just piece of crap we stuck together in class!"

"My, my, Zelgadiss, calm down. She's just using bits here and bits there.  You know… like with the 'tiny, shiny wings' part? Nothing that can be labeled 'ZELGADISS DID THIS'."

"..."

"Are you mad at me again, Zelgadiss?"  

"Just call me ZEL like everyone else."

"I'm not everyone else. Besides, we've been through this before. Zel sounds like Xel to me."

"BUT NO ONE CALLS YOU XEL!"

"Oooo don't yell it hurts my head."

"Sorry."

"Are you still mad?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"If it's at you, I don't need a reason. You're so annoying."

"I see..."  

But Xelloss did not see. He was just too tired to push any more.  sigh He was falling asleep again.

"So, uh…You like Lina too, right?" I was probing, uncomfortably, but it was the only topic that kept his interest, apparently.

"Well…yes. You sure are nosy, for someone who likes to keep his secrets guarded."

"That pretty much describes us both, doesn't it?"  

"I suppose it does!" he laughed. "Well, then. Yeah, I guess I like Lina.  She's scary, but hard not to like, you know?"

"Oh I know. She makes a good friend. When I was in the hospital, she came to see me almost everyday. Course I wasn't very...receptive. I don't know how she put up with me. Without her, I would have gone nuts."

"I wish I had a friend like that…back then…thanks for staying with me now."

"Don't go and close your eyes on me.  Umm, don't you want to change into something to sleep in? Purple pajamas perhaps?"

"Sure. Second drawer."

"Xelloss! I was only kidding! How many pairs do you have?"  I was aghast at the sight of at least one pair of purple pajamas. I wasn't about to dig any deeper into his personal space than I was already being forced to.

"Ha!  Just the one. I usually just sleep in the nude..."

"I don't want to know! Just put these on."

Xelloss nodded and did as he was told.  I could hear the rustle of clothing being changed.  Of course, with my hearing I could have heard that from the practice room down below.  I sank back into his pillows waiting and mulling over what had to be done yet before I cold crash. "I suppose I should soak all those towels and clothes before the blood stains them all permanently."

All movement had stopped.  He was quiet so I figured he was finished, so I turned toward him and sat up.  "You done?"   

I was wrong. "Gods, Xelloss! What happened to you? How did you get those scars...?  Shit… I sound like every idiot sounds like to me.  Sorry…but those marks...they didn't get there by accident…"

Xelloss sat holding his purple top. He leaned back closing his eyes and exposing his chest.  I almost lost my dinner right then.  Whatever he'd been through, it had to have been torture.  I remembered the pills in the medicine cabinet and wished, again, that I was someplace else.

"No, not by accident.  I don't know if I'm up to talking much more. This…is a long story and I'm tired. Can I go to sleep now, if I promise to be good and tell you my dark secrets in the morning?" Xelloss opened one eye and smiled slightly.

"No, you have the better part of an hour to stay awake. Doctor's orders."

"Don't plan to grow up and be a doctor. Your beside manner is lacking in sensitivity and..."

"You are evading."  I prompted.  All right.  I was curious as hell.  Despite my appearance, I am human, after all!

"Okay...but it's awful, I warn you..."

When Xelloss spoke, it was not the same rich, deep story-telling voice he had used before. He sounded small and tired and it poured out as if a dam had been breached. "This is hard.  I have to back to after my father died.  #2 husband came along and disappeared, another bad story some day…   Zelas was trying to finish college and getting her student teaching time in…and I was a poorly adjusted, moody little kid. So I started dance lessons. Real dance lessons. I had watched lots of old movies with my father and loved TOP HAT, Singing In the Rain, dancing. So to make me happy, my mother let me take dancing lessons from the best teacher in town, Jacques Luis Dubois.  Of course she didn't know that he was a-a ...a monster in disguise, and was too busy to notice how much time I spent there."

I swallowed and took a chance.  I made a guess that hopefully would draw the discussion to a quicker end. "He was a pedophile…right?"

"Yes, and worse, but I didn't know that for a long time. He was a good dance instructor, and I was his rising star. He gave me extra time for free. I remember his being a little too familiar sometimes, but he left me alone when I shrugged him off. Then he started courting Zelas. They were married within six weeks. He moved in and everything seemed normal."

"Until."

"One day after school I was taking a shower. When I got out he was standing there. He handed me a towel and pushed me up against the wall. I wasn't sure what he was up to but I was scared. He backed off and told me to get dressed...that it was time for dance lessons. As soon as he left the bathroom, I locked the door and dressed, but when I heard him coming back I wrote a message on the mirror.  I got as far as 'dance' before he b-broke down the d-door..."

"There was a room in the studio…he made porno videos.  I didn't know. He tied me up and tortured me and taped it. He kept talking…in French…  Lucky for me I lost consciousness. I came to when I heard Zelas' voice; she was holding the camera and shouting. He was screaming, she was screaming at me. I just wanted to die."

He lost coherency and I was afraid he'd fallen asleep. I didn't want to push him, but there was still time left before he was supposed to sleep. I was spared having to bother him when Xelloss finally continued.

"Next I remember the hospital and pain. I never spoke to her again. I was sure she blamed me for breaking up her marriage. Apparently, there was a trial while I was in the hospital. Then at home I heard her talking to someone on the phone. She wanted that tape from police evidence destroyed, but it was missing."

"That day a police officer came to see me, McGywn I think. He had been the arresting officer. He told me he was sorry he hadn't killed the man. His partner stopped him after he had broken both of the man's arms putting handcuffs on. He had a boy about my age and had wanted to kill the man. Before he left he spoke to Zelas about the tape, but I couldn't hear what was said."

"So you think this video is being sold somewhere? The internet..."  I was an innocent, but not naïve about the possibilities.

"I wasn't thinking anything at that time. I mourned my dad, I was hated by my mother, abused to near death by my step-father --and only adult friend-- and I had no friends of my own age. So that day I went back up to that bathroom and cut my wrists and sat and waited to die. See? Not a very good job, my watch band covers up the scars."

"Xelloss!" My heart had stopped. I remembered a time when I had been seriously thinking about doing the same thing, but Lina'd been there for me. Xelloss hadn't had anybody. He'd been all alone. All of the pain that I had tried to push down for so long was being dredged up, but for someone else.

Xelloss went on. "Next stop was the mental hospital where I was put on suicide watch. That's where I made my first friend, a quiet, introverted kid named Lain or something. She was an older kid with problems and computer skills. She taught me how to traverse the internet and code and implant viruses and, well, lots of fun stuff. The staff was satisfied that we were busy and didn't keep tabs on what we were doing."

"Soooo." But I knew where this was going. I knew what kinds of things Xelloss could do with a computer: change election results, send instant messages at school, get someone transferred.

"I started locating porno sites with kid pics, and killing off the sites one by one. I varied my attacks and style. I could never be traced."

"Did you ever find…your face?"

"No." Xelloss sat up and leaned over, pulling open the bedside drawer. He pulled out some pictures. "Here's me and my dad…you can't tell but his gray hair was purple, too.  Here I am before..."

"Wow, you look so different with short hair and no bangs! I couldn't tell this was you, unless you told me…which is why you wear it long like that now, right? So you can't be recognized? What's that one?"

I took the last picture out of his limp hand. It was fuzzy. A still shot from a video. His young face, horror-filled eyes.  I dropped it unable to look. "Why do you have this?"

"It was in an envelope shoved under my door, last Friday, when I had that headache."

"What? Have you told your mother? No?! How about that police officer, McGywn, or whatever? Hey that's all right… sorry…I forgot you're not in good shape right now. Tell you what, I'm going to make some hot cocoa for you.  I'm almost downstairs…"

I just had to run away from all that pain.  It was overwhelming.  Just a little distance…for a moment.  I hoped he understood.  Actually, he did more than I ever would give him credit for.

"Now talk to me so I know you're still awake!  What?   I want marshmallows?  Yeah just who is stuck in the second grade here?"  I bet that's when his dad died. Okay mugs, milk, powered stuff, spoons..then I noticed that he was quiet again.  ."I CAN'T HEAR YOU! Yeah I'm about done.  Hold on...stir… stir...I'm coming back now..."

I put the steaming mug into Xelloss' hands, then sat and sipped my own. "I'm going to take our bloody clothes plus all the bloody towels over to the washing machine and soak them."

"Okay.  The key's are here.  The laundry room is the room right after the bathroom, the bathroom where you…fell before. On the shelf above the washer is a box of enzyme blood remover.  Use that in warm water… ah…be sure to lock the doors.  Can I sleep now?"

"Sure, get under the covers so I can use that purple blanket when I get back. I won't be long."

I meant that promise, too.  Then picking up the dirty clothes by the door, I left. I locked Xelloss in, strode across the lawn to the main house and unlocked that door. Inside I re-locked the house door and turned on the hall light. That's better...  I was nervous remembering the last night I was in there and feeling uneasy about the news from Xelloss about the picture…  I tried to focus on the task at hand.  I knew where I was… the hall, bathroom…laundry…start water, add enzyme X…go to kitchen.  Ahhh yes that bloody mess.  There now that looks better…grab towels…close washer.

Before leaving, I turned out the hall light. Then I thought I saw a shadow cross the front room window. I crept to the front room, then stopped, back to the wall, and waited. Definitely a figure, but it was too dark and there were too many tree limb shadows to make out its size or shape, but I was certain a person had been trying to look into the window.

I was really creeped out.  My first  cogent thought was 'Zelas's gun', so I snuck out, raced to the kitchen, found doggie snacks and stuffed a few into each pocket, then jumped up the stairs two at a time.

"OH! Hello doggie! Here's a little snack smaller than my hand and tastier than my body parts...that's a good dog scratch, scratch You wouldn't know where she stashes her gun , would you? Ah, ha, under this pillow!  What an old SPIDER she is…I couldn't sleep with a thing like this near my head. Okay, it's on safety…off, on, off, on…I got that…now, dare I go back to the practice room?"

I knew that I'd better go fast before what little courage I felt was snuffed out by my rising feeling of panic.  I padded softly down the stairs. He stopped at the foot of the stairway and peered around the corner. Nothing. I crawled down the hallway listening. Silence. When I reached the living room, I saw a shimmer of movement outside the front room picture window, a car engine purred and then a dark sedan pulled away from the curb and drove off. After five minutes passed, which felt like hours to me, I stood, unlocked the door, stepped outside re-locked it and ran to the practice room. Once safely inside, I began to breathe again. Now that was fun, fun, fun.

Xelloss was sound asleep. Thank the gods. Now if only I could. I yawned, and then fell off into a troubled sleep myself.

(((.-)) Zel |||^.^||| Xelloss

End Seyruun High Jinx Chapter 18