(((.-)) Zel |||^.^||| Xelloss |{{^.^}}| Lina |((.^)|| Gourry ((^.^)) Amelia |))-.-((| Val
Chapter 46
THE SLAYERS
Note to preface chapters 46-48: Any reference to the Slayers Next anime plot, characters, or direct dialog is absolutely intentional! We dedicate this plot arc to those wonderful creative Slayers manga and anime writers that have given us inspiration and purpose. If the dialogue ever dips below thy godlike expectations, blame it on Software Sculptors' subtitles (no disrespect intended!), not poor wee Frog or pitiable Rat! Thank you, thank you, everyone, for reading! We're not even close to being done with this story, but Rat just entered a rare sentimental mood and wants to extend gratitude to our readers, especially all those who're so talented at leaving reviews! Hope you still want to read this after Rat got all mushy…
Late Friday afternoon.
"Cute town, huh?" Lina smiled over at Amelia sitting beside her in the backseat. Gourry was finishing his turn at the wheel and Zel was looking out for the Ridkou Village Restaurant.
"Oh, it's so rustic. Do you think it's kept this way to be a tourist trap?" Amelia asked wide-eyed.
"Nah, it's the ghetto underskirting of Atlas City. That's why we'll be staying here, cheap," Lina answered.
"On your left, Gourry," Zel pointed out a place with a recently re-painted sign.
"Yeah, see it. Looks okay. No broken windows," Gourry said, faintly humorously, as he pulled into a parking space.
He held open the eatery's door for his friends and handed Zel the car keys as he passed by. "It's early, only 5:00. Wanna take a walk and check in at the hotel across the street?"
Zel hesitated then nodded, "Good idea."
Gourry encouraged the others to find a table and order drinks. "He needs to keep busy, ya know, and he won't eat anyway. I can wait."
Amelia watched him leave, and then said in passing, "Mr. Gourry's so sweet and thoughtful, like a big teddy bear. He sure takes care of Zelgadiss too."
"Yeah, like the little brother he doesn't need, huh?" Lina chuckled.
"Mr. Gourry's the best, everyone says so," Amelia added. "You ought to try and be nicer to him, Lina."
"And why is that, Amelia? I'm plenty nice as it is!" she said defensively and noticing that her friend had dropped (finally) the 'Miss' formality with her as well as the 'Mr.' for Zelgadiss.
"Because he's here for you, Lina. To protect you. To risk his life so that you can get some disk or paper or whatever. To serve the just and righteous cause!" Amelia cried, fist held high in the air.
"He's here to help me and Zel and Xelloss and you, too! I didn't ask him to do that either! It's his choice. I'm the only one who had to come to this vile village," Lina snapped.
"Lina, don't pretend you don't know how much he cares for you, Mr. Zelgadiss too, and Mr. Xelloss still. Wow, Lina, Mr. Xelloss kissed you at least two times longer than me, I'm sure…"
"Don't remind me. He was taking advantage of a sappy moment, that's Xelloss," Lina groaned, blushing at the thought.
"Is that why you can't be close to Mr. Gourry? Lina, you DO like Mr. Xelloss, don't you?!"
"I like things about him, Amelia. And Zel and Val and Gourry too! I don't think I have to choose one and make that one a boyfriend. I'm not ready for one, I'm not interested in dating or committing, I have things to do, places to go, and more on my mind than boyfriends, GOT IT!" Lina's voice rose to a shriek. "And you should, too! Sylphiel's a bad influence on you, but she's limited her future to getting a heath-care job and settling down in a few years. And Filia! She should know better! Allen Schezar of ALL people! Even Val's got better morals, I think…" she mumbled her doubts. "I gotta give you credit, though, you've stopped mooning over Zel and he seems more relaxed around you. He needs to learn how to cultivate friendships before he can accept affection."
"He let me hug him this morning…without blushing!" Amelia burst with the news. "His father and him made up and he's going to help us. My daddy said so too! Zelgadiss was so happy when he picked us up in the morning!"
"What? Rezo's helping him? Why didn't he say anything in the car? He should have told ME! That's important news!" Lina shouted looking at the door as if expecting him to walk in any minute.
"That was in the morning. He's so down now. He might be waiting until Mr. Xelloss shows up so he only has to say it once. Anyway, pleeeeeease don't yell at him. He'll know I told you and then he'll be mad at me too!" Amelia begged.
"I won't say a word, Amelia. Here they come. Hey, if we can get him to eat, my day's been a success!" Lina smirked.
To Gourry she asked, "So how're the accommodations?"
"Ah…" he began cautiously, and glancing down at Zel for support, and pulled out the chair beside Lina.
"The room's fine," Zel muttered, standing and checking his watch.
"ROOM? You mean roomSSSSS, doncha?" Lina hissed.
Zel sighed and closed his eyes, shielding himself from her ruby glare, "One for tonight. After that the adjoining room is unoccupied and we can have them both for an entire week at the same cost as just the weekend and Monday… so we have both for the week," he explained carefully.
"For a week, minus tonight," Lina corrected him.
"Minus tonight, that's correct," Zel sat beside Amelia.
"So where are you guys staying tonight?" Lina continued to prod.
"On the floor. You don't' think we'd leave you two alone, so you?" he demanded some credit. "I don't know what Xelloss will be doing either, but all five of us may be in that room!"
"Sounds cozy!" chirped a familiar voice.
"Xelloss!" four voices called out simultaneously.
"Yes indeedy!" he grinned and pulled up another chair. "So, what's the house special?"
Zel caught himself before jumping up and hugging his friend. That wouldn't be dignified for two guys. He limited his expressions of joy to a serene smile and glancing at a menu with the intention of ordering dinner.
Lina was not so serene. "Xelloss! You—you skunk! You—" Lina grabbed him by the collar and screamed in his smiling face.
She was interrupted by a large plastic tray that struck her upside the face with a resounding thwack.
"MARTINA!"
"Why, Martina, how…unexpected!" Xelloss smiled. Lina was fuming and recovering from the blow, confusion and ire swirling about chaotically in her eyes.
"Don't you pick on him, Lina Inverse! Maybe all your pathetic loser boy-toys will let you beat on them, but Xelloss is different!"
Gourry and Zel went quite green, and had one of their 'male mind-meld' conversations about whether to cream Martina, Lina, or just hide under the table.
"Y'know, 'Cream Martina' sounds like a drink," Gourry muttered.
"How did you--??" Zel wondered. It must be those basic animal instincts…
They were spared making a decision (though nothing else), however, when Amelia decided to intervene on their behalf.
"Miss Martina! That was a dirty, slanderous thing to say, and untrue, to boot! Mr. Xelloss gets beat up more than either of them—I mean," she blushed, wondering where that came from, "I mean that Mr. Gourry and Zelgadiss are both independent and heroic individuals who do not deserve to be put down in any way! And Lina, too! You have no idea what you're talking about, so why don't you just be quiet! And besides, Zelgadiss isn't, and, well, Mr. Gourry isn't…I mean, Zelgadiss is not…"
"Feeling very well, thank you, Amelia," Zel said, and rushed to the men's room to escape the scary girls.
"Neither am I!" Gourry joined him.
"Oh, thanks for abandoning me!" Lina shook her fist at them. "I can't escape there, you know! Damn ungrateful deserters! Traitors! I oughtta--"
"Stand up for your reputation, Miss Lina!" Amelia declared. "Stand up and show that mean Miss Martina how pure and righteous you are!"
"That'll be pretty hard for Lina," Xelloss mumbled.
"What was that?!"
"You tell her, Xelloss!"
"Oh, my…"
"Do you think they're done yet?"
CRASH!! "Harridan!" CRASH!! "Harlot!"
"Nope. Still at it."
"Do we really have to sleep in the same room tonight?"
"Unfortunately, Gourry, that appears to be the only way. I'm stealing the closet. Maybe you'll fit in the bathtub?"
Nels Lahda found his daughter lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. "Hello? Can I come in?" he said, knocking gently at her door.
"Father? Sure… I just got in. Strange, it's spring break and me and my friends should be having a band practice and partying, instead…" she broke off in tears. "Oh, Father! Why did all this have to happen? It didn't seem real, until this week. And…"
"And? Did something happen that bothered you?" he gently prompted.
"Yessss, the other night, Xelloss kissed me…and Lina and Amelia and Filia too and told everyone he loved them and went on about how important we were to him and… like… like he doesn't expect to ever… come back! But that can't be! And Zel and Lina and Amelia and GOURRY! Father, they might really get hurt! We're just kids and things were just so good! Why does this have to happen?" she wailed.
Her father/uncle sighed, "Some people have an important role in life. In Xelloss' case it's now. He's recognized this and is dealing with it as best he can, dear. Many young people his age have had to fight for their country in wars, died--and some have survived, too. They had no husbands or wives or children depending on them, just family at home. It's like that for your friends. Gourry's folks are brave to give up their son, Phil, his treasured Amelia, Rezo, yes him too, may lose his son, and Luna, her dearest sister may be walking to her doom—BUT--for a cause they believe in. It's not that they won't be missed, either. That may be your role, to remember them. However, you've been trained in the healing arts of the shrine. I expect you to serve bravely if and when you are called upon to act. Yes, Xelloss has warned us of various fallback positions from Atlas City through Seyruun to Sairaag, so you are likely to see them soon if Gaav's not contained in Atlas City."
"He's so nice and funny, Father. We were all just getting to know him and poor Zel! His best friend! Zel has been so depressed, you know," Sylphiel sniffed again, then smiled at a memory. "Did you know that his dream was to have a real family of his own?" she sniffed back tears.
"Xelloss? No, I didn't. He's a strange young man… If he succeeds in his plan to rid this world of two dangerous, foul people, then he'll make his dream come true for many other people, like his friends. Tell me, you haven't become involved with that kid, have you?"
"Oh, no!" she blushed at the thought. "Gourry's always been so perfect for me, but…Xelloss is so unpredictable and fun. He's been concentrating on being a good novice too!"
"And dangerous and troublesome! I don't think he's for you, dear, and I actually like him a lot. Well, it hardly matters, we'll just have to wait and see when we are needed… But as for now, come help your mother fix dinner and have something to eat."
"Okay, Father… and thanks for listening," she smiled and brushed her hair before running off to the kitchen.
"Anytime, dear," he whispered, running his fingers through his thinning hair. He shook his head as he watched her retreating form and thought, "God help me if he's as crazy about her as he is crazy."
Filia chatted to a few acquaintances on the bus to the settlement. She sat in the window seat in the third row. Val had a note from the school office permitting him to take the school bus. It was a good thing, too, because the driver wouldn't have let him on. Even so, he wasn't happy about it. That boy looked like trouble. He didn't look like one of those clean-cut Cephied Believers. Val slid into the back-most seat, dumped his travel bag on the seat beside him, folded his arms and scowled at everyone.
He wondered why he was doing this. Not the job for Xelloss, that was an honor thing. Why was he staying at Filia's house? Whatever flame once burned brightly, now seemed burned out between them. Between them. That's a laugh. Zel thought Amelia's interest in him was about pursuing a cause? Well, that could go for Fila too. Wasn't he, Val, her lost cause? At least if he was lost, he wasn't a cause anymore. He hated being 'saved' as much as Zel did…more, since Zel really didn't know what he was talking about…
After 15 minutes, Filia and Val were the last two kids remaining on the bus. Filia turned her head. Val was staring at her. He kicked his bag onto the floor and patted the empty seat. "Come here," he mouthed silently.
No one else around to see it. She stood and wobbled to the back.
"Sit down before ya fall down," Val advised and moved his arm to the back of the seat. She leaned against him and he put his arm around her.
"Do you think they'll be all right?" she asked wistfully.
"Driv'n to that slum-hole? Sure, they'll be fine do'n that, heh, heh. After that? Yeah, I'll make sure of it!" he said oozing confidence.
"You? What are you doing?"
"I'm mak'n sure Milgasia shows up to help, that's what. Then I'm stay'n round to pro-tect the in-no-cent," he smiled.
"So when's Milgasia started taking orders from you, huh?" she smirked.
"Once he sees this, he'll wanna keep it quiet. He'll waltz with Xelloss, if I ask him to!" Val chuckled and pulled out an envelope for Filia to open.
"WHAT? Zelas and Milgasia!"
"Shhhh, keep it down, little clan-maiden," Val warned her with a squeeze to the shoulder.
"Did Xelloss conjure up this trash? Milgasia won't buy any of it, of course. He knows it's impossible, so this is a fake and he'll kick your butt out of the settlement so fast… That idiot, Xelloss. This could ruin your future! Did you think about that? Xelloss wants you to risk your chances at finding a home in the clan, in such a stupid way! I'll help you. I'll convince Milgasia to go do…whatever. Just promise me you'll burn that treacherous birth certificate!"
"Home with the clan? What makes ya think I want that?" Val asked seriously.
"Well, I thought…you seemed so relaxed and happy, I guess, over the winter break. And, like, you're on a return visit and…and all," Filia said uneasily. "And you were so impressive with the delivery and handling the crowds and… I thought you liked it there."
Val settled his golden gaze on the beautiful girl beside him. "It all depends, that's all." He looked out the window to the pastoral view whizzing by. "I've made promises ah gotta keep. An' miles to go before I sleep. An' miles to go before I sleep…"
"Robert Frost. You've read Robert Frost?" she whispered in wonder.
"I've read lots of stuff. I like poetry best. It's more about feel'n and less 'bout facts. Stupid, huh?" he asked, looking at her askance.
"Not stupid. Appealing…"
"LAST STOP, MISS FILIA and your, um, friend there," the bus driver called out.
"Thank you. See you in a week!" she smiled as she hopped off the bus. She waited for Val, grabbed his hand and shouted, "Come on, run! I can't wait to see little Quenten!"
~*~
Lina, Gourry, Zelgadiss, Amelia, and Xelloss were sitting at a table in Ridkou village waiting for their check to arrive. "So Luna tells me to go to this shrine up in the mountains here and get the directions to the 'secret hiding spot' of this important secret evidence. I know its important, but why all the cloak and dagger stuff?"
"Your father was a professional, Lina, and he died," Zel reminded her. "She's trying to protect you by giving you false leads and keeping you out of Xelloss' way."
She gave Zel a harsh glare.
"Just my uninformed opinion," he amended.
"Shouldn't we be on our way and get this all over with?" Lina attacked Xelloss.
"I have some business with Xelloss first…in our room," Zel drew Lina's attention back onto himself.
Lina added, "That had better include us all, buster!"
Amelia waved down Martina for the check, and then followed her to the cash register.
"So why are of you slumming in Ridkou Village?" Martina pried.
"We have an appointment in Atlas City at a recording studio. We want to learn about the equipment and personnel before scheduling a real—and expensive—recording date," Amelia supplied patiently.
"RECORDING STUDIO? Why… I should go along too! I have a song too, ya know!" Martina cried and looked around wide-eyed.
Amelia regretted her honesty. Lina would kill her if this meant having Martina trailing them and skulking around. "Well…we're not going tonight and its probably going to be really boring, and not all the band is here either! Oh, they're going. Gotta run, bye!"
Gourry led the group to the room, checked the number on the key, and declared, "Yep, this is it. Ladies first, Amelia. Oh, and you too, Lina."
"How convenient!" smiled Xelloss as he withdrew a key with a flourish.
"Where do you think you're going?" Lina demanded.
"My room," Xelloss answered, turning the key in the lock of the adjoining room they were deprived of.
"What?!" shouted Lina and Zel in mutual surprise.
"You have a room? Why didn't you get us one too while you were at it, bozo?" Lina asked with a punch to his arm.
"OW! I would have, but I didn't make the arrangements! I was just given an envelope with instructions and a key!" Xelloss whined defensively.
"Um, Xelloss? Can Zel and I room with you tonight?" Gourry asked in a quiet voice.
He smiled and nodded agreement.
"I have something for you in the other room," Zel reminded him.
"Group meeting in OUR room in five minutes, okay?" Lina announced, winked, and smiled, her good humor improved by more livable sleeping accommodations.
Zelgadiss reached under the bed claimed by Lina and withdrew a long stick partially covered with Gourry's long blue coat. Xelloss' face lit up, "Y…You got it! You actually, really, truly, got it!"
Zel smiled and ripped off the coat. Instead of the Red Priest's staff, a dangerous looking staff with a glowing red ball at the tip was resting in his scarred hands.
"Oh, my Gods! Where in hell have you been, Zelgadiss? How the shit did you get yours hands on Z…Zelas' syndicate staff?" Xelloss was sputtering with excitement.
"His language has definitely gone downhill since his 'conditioning'," Amelia whispered to Lina.
"Brace yourself," Zel grinned. "Ready? Rezo gave it to me. Zelas has gone to Wolfpack Island, but left this behind. They're separating, Xelloss. Divorcing after this is all over…"
Xelloss' happy façade dropped. "Divorce? But why? What's Rezo up to?"
Zelgadiss sat on the edge of the bed and explained Rezo's change of heart, "So Mayor Phil and Nels Lahda and my father are all in league now. Rezo has taken it upon himself to watch Zelas so she can't interfere or sabotage our plans. In particular, he's watching out for you, Xelloss. He reminded me that you'll always be family--his brother-in-law, in particular, and my uncle, no matter what."
"So, you acquired a real father and lost a brother this week?" Xelloss asked in a low voice.
"I haven't lost anything but a dangerous step-mother, Xelloss. And don't worry, we'll always be brothers, even in those times when we can't manage to be friends," Zel said kindly.
Xelloss flew at his friend and gave him the hug Zel couldn't give earlier, "Thank you, Zelgadiss." He jumped back, holding the staff, and cried, "Yes! This is worth…millions…priceless! With this I wield an amazing power within the syndicate. THANK YOU! You have no idea what this cost Rezo to take from her. He just signed his own death warrant, should we fail."
"Well, he must place a lot of faith in you since he made it clear that it was for your use. He, ah, also gave me the Red Priest's staff…to keep or give away," Zel said.
"Really? That's great, Zelgadiss! I hope you put that in a safe place. What's that look supposed to mean?" Xelloss smiled.
"I, ah, didn't know if you'd want this one, so I brought the other along too. It's… in the trunk of my car," he added sheepishly.
Xelloss cracked up. "That will make a great story to tell your grandkids someday. How Zelgadiss stored the Shrine's most sought after relic in the trunk of his car in some sleazy hotel parking lot in Ridkou Village! We'd better go bring that in before its stolen!"
Zel blushed at the gentle ridicule, and then sped out of the room to his car.
When he returned and passed the staff around for everyone to see, Lina asked again, "It's getting dark out. Are we gonna try for that shrine tonight or pass until the morning?"
"Tonight, but we'll wait to be sure everyone's gone home. For what we want to do, we don't want company," Xelloss said.
Amelia held the priest's staff in awe. The Red Priest's magnificent staff belonged to Zelgadiss, and she was holding it! "Oh, Zelgadiss, this is beautiful! No matter what, I feel privileged to have held this. I can feel the holiness of the Red Priest like an aura!" Misty tears began to collect in her eyes, clumping her long lashes and blearing her vision.
Her friends noticed, and were about to say something when she beat them to it. "It gives me courage, the courage I need to go on! Yesterday, Daddy talked to me. It might be the last time I ever…" she choked off, and then resumed. "I love him. He might be scary and strange, but he's been such a big part of my life, after Mom died of cancer and my sister…left…" she looked wistful.
"He said that he understood why I wanted to come, to make a difference, to take a stand for righteousness--- but that it was hard to let me go to an uncertain fate. However, he had so much faith in you all, my friends, and in me that he knows that our just cause will prevail and we'll all live long and…"
"…and prosper. Uh, from Star Trek. Vulcans say that as a greeting. You know, pointed ears, super-logical, half-breed, science officer on the USS Enterprise… Mr. Spock?" Zel explained to the blank faces.
"Is that someone ya pretended to be when ya played with Lina?" Gourry asked totally clueless about the 1970's TV series. "Does kinda sound like ya."
Xelloss burst out laughing, while the others sat and watched Zel turn increasing intensities of red.
"THAT, was my LAST attempt at humor," Zel sputtered and folded his arms across his chest.
Xelloss, barely holding back his giggles, walked closer to Zel and tapped him on the head. Zel didn't blink an eye. Xelloss turned toward Lina and said in a deadly serious voice, "He's dead, Jim."
Before Zel could react, Xelloss shook his head, put on a frown, and said in his best imitation of a Scottish brogue, "That's not verrrrry fuunny, Doctor McCoy, seeing as how it's just those rare Vulcan mating hormones actin' up an' all!"
Zel gasped and tried to pound his friend into oblivion, while Xelloss laughed and hardly fought back.
"Ah, I was right? Only he plays with him instead?" Gourry asked Lina, skeptical that only he seemed to get Zel's point.
Zel was muttering to Xelloss between punches, "Dammit, Xelloss! You could have just said we watched re-runs in the hospital!"
Lina just shook her head, "I guess, Gourry… Hey, cut it out! Don't we have some Gaav butt to kick around now? That's right it's late enough, let's go! Zel, you feeling okay? You're acting weirder than Xelloss now, you know that, right? Well, I'm telling ya so that when you start dancing I can be the first to say 'I told ya so'! Heh, heh, yeah and I know you won't hit me 'cause of that honor thing ya got about not hittin' girls!" Lina chuckled while Zel fumed. She pulled on her black and red coat (from Gourry) over her yellow t-shirt and favorite red jeans.
Xelloss laughed and disappeared next door to grab his priest's cloak and warm blue gloves that he'd tossed onto one of the beds.
"So are ya gonna carry that priest thingy and yer sword?" Gourry asked as he slipped his own sword into his makeshift belt attachment. He dragged on his blue coat over this denims and baggy, blue t-shirt and glanced at Zel.
"No. I'm not sure what to do with it now. It's not safe any place I put it," Zel said with a touch of exasperation. How could he have not planned for that contingency? He tied on his sword using a second belt over his long-sleeved, over-sized, tan t-shirt and khaki cargoes. He picked up his hooded, beige coat and put it on, sighing with unreleased tension showing on his face.
"Let me carry it, please?" Amelia begged him with the biggest pair of blue eyes she could muster. "I promise not to let it out of my hands, and besides, I haven't anything to carry!" She spun on a heel to demonstrate that only her matching pink-trimmed white blouse, pants, and coat were in her possession (well, aside from her ubiquitous shoulder bag).
"Fine. But it's heavy so trade off with me if it starts to slow you down," Zel nodded and handed off the Red Priest's staff. "Now where's our guiding light?"
"Ready!" Xelloss called as he waved from the doorway. The cloak nearly hid his creamy turtleneck and black pants. In his gloved hand was the ruby-topped staff glowing faintly in the gloomy hallway. "Shall we proceed, oh brave followers?"
"Onward!" Lina laughed.
"And upward!" added Amelia.
"Oh, joy…" sighed Zel with Gourry in silent agreement beside him.
~*~
Val pitched his light bag onto the floor of the den where Xelloss had slept through most of the famous Ul Copt home delivery. The result of that joyous event, baby Quinny, was asleep, as was his exhausted mother.
"Napping," Filia's father said, holding a finger to his lips and turning on the oven to heat the casserole his wife had made earlier.
"I'm taking a shower," Filia announced and disappeared down the hallway.
"Um, I'll take a walk, unless you need help," Val said in a low voice.
"No thank you, relax a bit. Dinner at 6:00!" Mr. Ul Copt reminded him.
Val nodded and left the house, following one of the narrow paths that meandered throughout the rural settlement. This one, he remembered from December, traced its way from Filia's house to a copse at the top of a low hill. There, he settled onto a fallen tree trunk and lit a cigarette-- his secret vice. He certainly had enough blatantly exposed ones. Before he placed his first step into the band practice room, Xelloss had spoken to him privately. He never smoked in that room, or anywhere in his friend's presence. The better he understood Xelloss' mother, the better he understood his friend—and she smoked lots. So, in a rare show of respect for Xelloss' sensibilities, Val never smoked in his presence. From the depths of his jacket pocket, Val withdrew a small worn book and thumbed the ragged pages to find a marked page.
"There you are!" Filia cried out. "It's almost dinner time and I thought you'd be heading back by now. VAL!!!!!"
Val dashed out the burning stub on the ground, "I heard ya. I'm coming."
Filia proceeded to give him a lecture upon the health benefits of clean living and ranted on about how smoking was the number one detriment to both good health and clean living.
He shook his head, dismissing her blather, "Yeah, well don't matter. I'll follow ya."
"But it DOES matter! I matters to me…and it SHOULD matter to you! You don't want to die of some awful cancer, do you? Well, do YOU? Besides, I'd never kiss anyone who smoked… such nasty tasting breath!" she blurted out.
That got his attention. Maybe she DID care about what happened to him. Maybe she cared more than she cared to let on. Maybe… Secretly he vowed never to smoke again. "Yeah, like dragon breath, huh?" he chuckled and strode past her, pocketing his book.
Why did I say that to HIM? Now he'll think I'm thinking about letting him kiss me! As it is, after hauling Allen off me, he probably thinks I'm easy. He hasn't said so, of course, but after that stupid remark… Filia squeezed her hands into fists and stomped after him. "Oh, Val? By the way, I didn't mean that to sound like it did."
He slowed to let her catch up to him, "It sounded like ya cared 'bout what I did. Ya didn't mean that?"
"No! I mean, I do care. What I was talking about was the other part."
"Other part? What are ya talk'n 'bout, Filia!" He stopped and let her catch her breath. She did sound a little out of breath; she was breathing pretty hard.
"The part about… not kissing anyone who smoked…" she faltered, forgetting what her point was.
"Then, you will kiss someone who smokes," he dared her on.
"No… no I won't, but…"
"So, if I asked, you wouldn't kiss me, huh?"
"Well, that's not really my point here…"
"Then, you would?" he pressed for some sign from her, some lowering of her defenses.
"Would? Would what?" she trembled. What a word-game mess had she just gotten herself into!
Val crossed his arms and looked away, "Will you let me… ah, forget it, Filia. Let's face it. You're interested in those pretty-rich-boy-types like Schezar and Xelloss. I ain't one. So quit pretend'n that I'm some ugly duckl'n who's gonna be some hot swan dude. I…I may have fallen for ya, but I ain't changin' overnight and I'm not some hard-luck case to 'improve' either."
He looked back down at her. A leaf had blown into her hair. He reached for it and disentangled it, then stashed it into his back pocket. "Aw, don't think I'll go pawin' all over ya like those dudes either. Usually the girls go fer me first, heh, heh. Come on, or your Dad'll have the whole clan posse after us, well, me anyways," Val chuckled and loped on ahead.
Filia walked in silence. Had he just admitted that he still liked her? Yeah, she was sure that was in there somewhere. But he's not going to make the first move. It would be up to her. AND he was staying the rough punk kid. Take him or leave him. WELL, now… she had her choice of admirers, better in many ways than him. No way was she going to go begging for his attention. No way. He could just suffer. She wasn't looking for a boyfriend anyway. Especially one living under her roof right now. Especially one who thought he was sooo great with no room to improve!
Arrogant idiot!
And what was he reading out there? What could be in that little book?
Dinner at the Ul Copts was quiet. Val ate and listened politely, but offered nothing to the conversation. He was rolling around his arguments to Milgasia in his mind. He must convince him to do whatever Xelloss asked. He could only hope that he wouldn't have to rely on a bogus birth certificate and blackmail. Filia might never forgive so grievous an insult to her leader as that. And her opinion mattered—a lot.
Filia was sure that she had made her point. In absolute silence. Words were not necessary. Attitude was in the way you moved, and she was aloofness incarnate. Too bad he wasn't noticing her. Why wasn't he even looking at her? He was out doing her on the coolness scale! Ooooooooooooooo! she growled to herself.
"Filia, darling, did you have a bad day at school? Well you have all spring break to re-coop, starting with tonight. Your father and I are going out. It's been a LONG time for us and I'm sure between the two of you that you'll be able to take care of Quenten. I've already filled bottles with expressed breast milk, so you can feed him anytime he squawks. Okay, dear?" her mother asked.
"What? Babysit? Tonight? Oh, sure, fine. I have no plans. How about you, Val? You have a hot date or something?" Filia snapped out of her reverie and into reality.
"Something…maybe…if Xelloss calls, but other than that, no. I'll be here, Mrs. Ul Copt," he answered politely.
"Xelloss? You had band plans then?" Filia's mother asked.
"Ah, no, he's gonna kill my step-dad and I need to be there," Val said vacantly.
"Was that a joke, dear? Xelloss didn't seem to be the violent type when he was here," Mrs. Ul Copt said jokingly and followed her husband to the door.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, a joke. He's a nerd and…"
"And a MAJOR geek, Mom," added Filia for emphasis. "Nice hair though."
Val glanced at Filia, "He looks like a girl."
"Then you're looking at the wrong parts!" Filia snapped.
"And what parts are YOU looking at?" he grinned.
"Bye, kids! Don't wait up!"
"WHAT? What could you POSSIBLY… Oh, bye Mom, Dad! Have a good time! …POSSIBLY mean by that? I hope you weren't insinuating that I have ANY interest in that, that…piece of RAW GARBAGE!"
"He's okay, really. And I know girls who like him too, younger, mostly. He's, ah, got a strange mag-ne-tic per-son-al-ity-eee. Hey, it's fine with me if you wanna pretend he's outta the loop. I just think he looks like a girl, so does Zel, or did more before he got his face messed up, but, hey, they're both the best friends I've got now. Shit, that's so lame… but it's the truth—Gourry too! So, when I get that call, I go, understand?"
He looked so sincere and intense--the clan Val, the open Val-- that Filia was knocked down a few pegs. "You'll go, and take Milgasia with you, that's right, huh? Right? I'm going too!"
"Ohhhhhh, nooooooo, Filia, yer parents would kill me without a second thought. I couldn't…no, it's gonna be too dangerous and ya got no reason to be there. Me? I gotta be there. Gaav, the syndicate… keep away, Filia. If any thing happened to you, I'd… have ta come back an' explain to yer parents and I'd lose my tie to the clan and all… I'd never forgive myself. No, you stay, watch over things here and… ah… is that a baby crying?" Val jumped up and practically ran down the hall.
Filia was aghast. That was the most emotional outburst from him that she'd remembered. He loved his friends and wanted to do his part to protect them and, be a hero too. And he wanted her to be safe. To protect her as well. What happened to Mr. Arrogant-but-cool-about-it? WELL, now…
~*~
Martina, exhausted from her catfight with Lina and the bleakness of the late-night shift at the restaurant, rubbed her eyes and took a second look at the five figures moving in stealth from the hotel to the parking lot. She decided to observe them from a safe location behind the restaurant's garbage bin.
Yes! Those were her friends! What were they doing out at this hour sneaking around?
She watched them pile into the car carrying long sticks and drive off in the direction of the shrine.
Yes! The car turned up the winding drive to the hilltop shrine. Now that was interesting! No recording studio up there! What kind of trouble could Lina be trying to get her Xelloss—for he did still pine after her, right? In spite of the obvious affection Zangalus doted upon her! Better hurry before they get too far!
"UGH!" she cried out.
"Uh, sorry, Miss Martina. Guess I missed with the night's garbage! You shouldn'ta been back there though," groused the busboy after just dumping the pail of slop over her dress.
"Now I'll have to change first!" she screamed and ran off into the night.
~*~
Zel was using a tool from a hidden pocket to jimmy the lock on the shrine door. "Almost… there, got it!" he smiled proudly "It's hard handling fine tools wearing these driving gloves, but we're in."
"Breaking and entering now, Zel?" Lina smirked as she led the way into the dark hall. "I'd forgotten about that hidden talent but I'm quite impressed."
"I can't believe you know how to do such…criminal things!" Amelia cried.
"I only did it so that Lina wouldn't destroy the door. And I know that it's wrong and I regret doing it. And I don't justify my actions at all."
"Yeah, yeah, so I'll tell McGywn to arrest ya later, okay Mr. Self-Righteous? So, Xelloss what now?" Lina asked as the darkness closed in around them.
"I believe that we follow the sound of the computer hum—that way!" he said indicating that they should stumble around in the semi-darkness of his glowing staff and turn left.
"That's right, kids, if you're looking for the bathroom. That's the buzzing of the failing overhead fluorescent light in the men's room," said a very short old woman that had appeared out of the darkness from the other direction.
The kids stopped up short. Zelgadiss was the closest to the woman and was feeling guilty already about the break-in. "Gah!" he choked back a cry of fear. He had broken into a SHRINE, for gods'sakes! He was surely going to pay. Then he recognized the grizzled features, "Oh, I know you! You're the old caretaker from the Sairaag Shrine! Remember me? Zelgadiss? And this is Xelloss. You told us about…"
"Hold on, young man. You must have me confused with my sister. I'm the caretaker of this shrine, just call me Auntie Aqua. Heh, heh, it's my nickname from the days I delivered all the holy water to the shrines… or was it drinking water? No matter. You must be looking for something my dear," he said turning to Lina. "Auntie Aqua can help you."
"Sis didn't tell me anything about you being here," Lina mumbled.
"Oh, but she told me all about you. Come dear, and all your nice friends, tell me all about yourselves. Oh, and thanks for not damaging the lock, though next time, just knock like the sign says, the shrine's always open," she smiled at poor Zel and led them away from the bathroom passage.
Zel glared at Xelloss who shrugged, "How should I have known?"
Indeed, Xelloss did not know this woman's connections to Luna or the Shrine or to a sister in Sairaag. His boss had left this out of his information packet. To relieve boredom and stress, he began to chant, "There once was an old hag from Sairaag…Who had a twin sister whom she gagged… She tied her with rope…and to dismiss any hope… She filled her great maw with a clean rag…"
"We're looking for some particular information," Lina said cautiously. "It's evidence of many past crimes, but I don't know much else."
"This way leads to the computer facility. Yes, down this secret passage through the Shrine's underground catacombs. It's a long way so I hope you like to walk," Auntie Aqua explained.
Lina didn't mind the walk, but Gaav's presence weighed heavily on her mind. She smiled and asked hopefully. "Would you take us there?"
"Surely, deary, it's my job!" the old woman smiled. "But would you be so kind as to help an old lady and carry these for me?" She piled Lina's previously empty arms full with her mop and bucket of cleaning supplies. Lina and the old woman walked ahead, arm-in-arm and chatting amiably.
"Lina makes friends fast. Those two are getting along well," Zel remarked to Gourry.
Gourry smiled and nodded, "Lina makes friends fast because she's a lot nicer than she lets on!"
Xelloss walked beside Amelia in back wary of the shadows and creatures hidden in the darkness. Was this where Gaav was hiding? Phibrizzo was uncertain, at least his information was unclear.
"So these must be good friends to accompany you," The old woman said to Lina. "Especially that good-looking tall one. Is he someone special?"
Lina blushed, "Who? Gourry? Um, we're just good friends. There's nothing going on between Gourry and me!"
Auntie Aqua smiled knowingly and slowed to a halt before a wall of circuit breakers. Flip! flip, flip! went the switches as hundreds of rows of fluorescent lights poured their dim radiance over the group, and over row upon row of computers. They had arrived in a room filled with computer monitors. In all directions doors in the walls opened into more computer-filled rooms. Lina and company walked forward, passing through more rooms which opened into countless more rooms, all filled with countless more computers.
Xelloss smiled at Zel. Computers they could deal with. At first even Lina and Amelia gave the terminals their best try.
"I can't understand a word? Does this need a password to make it intelligible?" Lina yelled over to Zel.
"I don't know, Lina. It will take awhile to figure out how this data is encoded," he said calmly and returned to his work.
"It's no human language I recognize!" Xelloss muttered. "DAMN! That's no good either! What insane genius conceived this data storage device? YOU wouldn't be able to answer any of my questions, would you?" He asked the old woman.
"Not my line of work," she shook her head. "Come with me, dear," she said, taking Lina aside. Gourry, bored, trailed behind to the next room.
Auntie Aqua took both Lina's hands in her own as they sat together at one of the tables. "So, Lina-dear, tell me. What are YOUR plans here?"
Lina stopped short. Someone had finally asked that question, the one she'd dreaded. Amelia, Xelloss, Gourry, Val, even skeptical Zel, they'd all been so wrapped up in their own problems—and rightly so, in most cases—that they'd mercifully forgotten to talk about what was actually happening. They were too scared, too confused, too, well, young, to really fully grasp the magnitude of their situation, Lina knew. It was repression, voluntary, conscious repression of this giant cloud that had loomed on the horizon for so long, and was now gathering overhead, threatening to burst. If they couldn't talk about it now, just imagine what it would be like in a week, a month, a decade…would they lose this entire year? Or would they lose all the rest of their years, their entire future? No matter how many times they said it, they didn't believe it. Not even Xelloss. Lina knew it, she knew that not even Xelloss could comprehend dying; it was impossible in their minds. And Lina knew that she would do anything—anything—to keep them alive.
Somehow, she sensed in this old woman the potential of someone who could understand her plight, and so Lina confided in Auntie Aqua, "I would do anything I could do to save them—and the only thing I have to offer is myself. I'd pledge myself to Gaav, to the syndicate, to anything to save them."
"No," she said with vehement finality. "No, dearie, you mustn't do that, you cannot!"
Lina looked at her with despair. "But it's all that I can do! It's my last trick! I know more than anyone but Xelloss and Zel does about this thing, and I know deeper than them, too! I know what Gaav wants, and I know that he'll get it, too, unless there's someone to stop him, and if that means something drastic—"
"No, Lina, you don't understand at all. You wouldn't be saving them, but destroying them and everything else you love!"
A shiver of truth ran through Lina as she listened to the old woman speak. "If you joined with Gaav, not only would you be doing yourself a great evil—depriving yourself of your bright and promising future—the brightest and most promising future I've ever seen—but you would destroy your world. Lina, your friends wouldn't have come all this way just for Xelloss! It is you they follow, Lina, you they'd follow to the end. You know that it is true, because, as far as they know, this is the end, and they're here with you. You think you are doing this for Xelloss, but it's not just for him, is it?"
"No. It's for everybody."
"I understand. And you wouldn't want to destroy all that, would you? For if you joined Gaav, so would your friends, and then they'd be lost, especially Valentine, Zelgadiss, and Xelloss."
Tears collected in the corners of Lina's blood-red eyes as images of a possible future flashed unbidden across her mindscape. Those shivers of truth went right to her heart, which was racing with her mind: could she believe? Accept? Understand?
~*~
"USELESS! Everything I've ever learned is absolutely USELESS!" Zel cried with frustration as he tapped away at the computer terminal. "There are so many! The data we need could be on any or ALL of them, but I can't decipher a goddamned thing!"
Amelia looked at him with sad eyes, "It's not your fault, Zelgadiss. You're doing everything possible. So am I, and Mr. Xelloss too! We'll just keep at it!"
Zelgadiss drew in his breath, "This sucks. I'm seeing double now. Xelloss? You getting anywhere?"
"Ugh..." Xelloss grunted.
"Right. Same old, same old…"
"This could take forever!" Xelloss exclaimed with cheer.
"You're closest, Amelia, you punch him," Zel sighed, rubbing his blurry eyes.
"But he has so many bruises already!" she cried. Instead she stood behind Xelloss and massaged his shoulders. "It's GOT to be here. I KNOW you can find it. ONE of you will!"
She punctuated her words with a pounding to his back.
"Ouch! Amelia, stop hitting me!" he giggled in mock terror of her attack. "Help me! Zelgadiss, she's hurting me!"
"I'm sure you can handle her, Xelloss. Leave me out of your fights. ARGH! Not again! I can't stand this, and I'm really good at it too! Or was… Give me a break here!"
"Where do you suppose Lina's gone?" Xelloss asked.
"She took a walk with the old hag. Gourry too, I think, " Zel answered vacantly.
"If we don't make any headway soon, we'll have to try plan B."
"Plan B? Will I like it any better?" Zel smirked.
"Noooooo, but it's more dangerous!"
"Oh, joy…."
"I'm not making any headway here either. I'm going to find Lina and suggest an alternative," Xelloss rose from his terminal and kicked the chair.
~*~
Lina sat in deep thought. The old woman had wandered off. Gourry was fiddling with the dangling zipper pulls on his cargo pants pocket, trying to entertain himself. No one was talking to him, and without something to occupy itself with, his brain would just shut off...
"Hi," Lina said, smiling weakly at him as she moved to sit beside him.
"Hey," he smiled back.
What the old woman had said to Lina suddenly moved itself to the front of her mind, repression again. She didn't want to think of the task at hand, so instead she was left to dwell on less earth-shaking things (though less earth-shaking for whom?).
"…We've been hanging out together, the band and all, a long time, huh? I mean, it's getting to be natural thinking of us together like this, you know?"
He nodded, wondering if she was ever going to get to the point, or if he should step in and guide her there himself. Would he even have the guts if he had the opportunity?
"So, I was wondering how much longer you'd stick around, what with graduation coming up and that job you're thinking about. The band's pretty important…" she asked softly.
Gourry smiled, relaxed. "Oh, I was think'n, the rest of my life." There, he'd done it! It wasn't hard at all? What was so hard about communication?
Lina blushed. What could she say to that? 'That's nice' sounded shallow. 'That's a long time, heh, heh' sounded pretty lame too. Did he mean what she thought he meant? Naw, he couldn't…could he? "Don't you have places to go and people to see and experiences to…ah, experience?" she asked, and leaned over to see his reaction.
…
Gourry's head was resting against the wall, eyes closed in a quiet, peaceful sleep.
Lina sighed. How could the thought have even entered her mind? The big lug. He was loyal and blonde like a golden retriever—and not quite as bright. But she was awfully glad he was there with her, and a strange pang began mewing in her chest. She pushed her chair closer to his and leaned on his side. Within a minute or too, she was asleep as well.
She dreamed she was playing Clue ™ with the devil. Except, she and all of her friends were the pieces—she was Miss Scarlett, Amelia Mrs. White, Zel was Mr. Green (Val seemed to be sharing the role with him, in a grudging sort of way), Xelloss Prof. Plum, Filia had the role of Mrs. Peacock, and Gourry made a convincing Colonel Mustard. They were just pieces in a game, and the devil—a tall, bulky man with bottlebrush red eyebrows and a Picasso face—was moving them about on the board, laughing and guffawing at their feeble attempts to break free. All she had to do was give in, become complacent and docile, and it wouldn't hurt as much, oh no, if she just stopped thinking, stopped trying, it wouldn't hurt at all…
And then there was another force, an additional influence. Sometimes it was Grandmotherly Auntie Aqua, sometimes it was a man: blond, serene, with power in his jaw-line and kindness in his stunning blue eyes, standing beside the devil. And suddenly, the giant presence of the red-browed devil has shrunk. Beside Aqua, he was nothing. Beside a power of goodness, this 'devil' was revealed to be but a minor demon attempting to usurp power from a greater evil. Now, Lina was free, for this new information entered her mind: you don't have to give in. There is a way. Gaav is not the end. You can find a way, and it will be better than any choice anyone can give you. Don't give up…
Lina's eyelids shot open only to see Auntie Aqua's kindly old face not far from her.
"Auntie…" she started.
"Ahem…" came a rough voice from the doorway opposite Lina and Auntie Aqua.
Xelloss, humming a tune, stepped into the room from a different path.
"Xelloss?" Lina asked hoping for some good news.
His eyes were riveted to the man hovering just inside the door. Hearing Lina calling his name, he diverted his eyes to her, "We can talk later."
The stranger stepped into the room, his coarse appearance contrasting sharply with the stark, clean computer room. "So, you've come to interfere again, Xelloss?"
"Well, yes, of course, Mr. Saygram!" Xelloss smiled politely.
"Saygram?" Lina hissed unhappily. She recalled the name from the Valentine's day dance. Sano had reported some goon looking for Val, and Val mentioned the name 'Saygram'.
"One of Gaav's retainers," Auntie Aqua whispered to her.
"It's been a long time. What do you want with us today?" Xelloss asked easily, folding his arms across his chest and smiling.
Saygram frowned, "You have become a bit of a nuisance for us. I understand you have a contract as well. I like a challenging boy."
"Those aren't the words I expect from someone who usually turns tail and runs. Of course, that was from a master swordsman two feet shorter than you," Xelloss' smile widened.
~*~
"THAT'S IT! Dammit all! Ah, sorry, Amelia, but I have admitted defeat. Shhhh. I heard Lina! Voices, come on this way!" Zel shouted and grabbed Amelia's free hand and led her deftly through the maze of rooms.
~*~
An incredibly tall and powerfully built man entered the room where Lina was entertaining Xelloss and Saygram. The room shrank in comparison. He wore an oversized gold trench coat over ill-fitting clothes and his glorious mane of red hair flowed over his back. But it was the lantern jaw, sadistic eyes and flame-red eyebrows that told Lina that this… was Gaav.
Gaav's eyes were riveted first to Lina and her valuable treasures, the amplification jewelry belonging to the syndicate. Next, he noticed the Red Priest's staff, held defiantly by Amelia, who had just entered the room. That, he wanted too. His expression of greed became one of malice as his eyes spied the staff of Zelas' power in the hands of a young priest kid, someone he knew…
Xelloss recognized him, as well. An expression of anger and fear washed over his previously composed features. It was fleeting, however, and he quickly adjusted his face and stance, remarking, "So, Gaav himself finally makes an appearance! All the times we in the syndicate have challenged you, you've hidden away."
Gaav's expression darkened, "Yur bein' here changes all that."
"You don't want Hell Master to see all this stolen stuff hidden away in Atlas City—mostly his, right? He IS your greatest obstacle now, isn't he?" Xelloss continued, boldly.
Gaav is hiding from, who? 'Hell Master'? Who the hell is he, and why would he be interested in ME? Lina wondered in silence, watching the tense scene unfold before her.
"You've changed your image and your name since I last saw you," Xelloss giggled slightly. He was amusing himself by watching Gaav's expressive eyebrows. They were nothing if not two gigantic, furry orange caterpillars cavorting above—and sometime over and in—his eyes. "You were that stupid, doting, and very short-lived step-father-number-two—if I recall rightly? My real father being number one, naturally!"
Gourry, awake by now, was startled to clarity by those words. "I wore his clothes, once after gett'n wet," he gasped to Zel, who had sneaked into the room with Amelia. Finding the others spellbound to the overbearing maniac's presence, Zel was able to catch Lina's eye and surreptitiously slip a disk into her hand, shaking his head.
Lina blinked, Gaav was one of Xelloss' stepfathers? Oh, no… Was this another secret? Maybe he didn't know till now… What's that? Zel's got the info? No? Why's he shaking his head? Doesn't matter…
Once the hand-off to Lina was complete, Zel began to do the math. Xelloss' dad dies when he's 5, mother re-marries and for only two years or so…but if Gaav became Val's step-father…that wasn't long after he turned 5 or 6 because he was in that kindergarten pic of Filia's, then disappeared. Gaav couldn't be married and in two places at once, so…if Zelas married him right after (ugh) Xelloss lost his dad and Val is only 4 not 5 or 6 at THAT time, then … two years later, Gaav leaves Zelas and becomes Val's step-dad when Val's now…6 not 7 or 8! That works! No, Xelloss implied that this second stepfather taught him about the birds and the bees and he was only… 7, which is pretty young for… oh, God, no. That's too awful to imagine. Change gears. What if Val IS younger? He'd be just seventeen, not eighteen. Shit, even that stupid Milgasia story would work out! No, that's not even right if Zelas had affair with Milgasia BEFORE Xelloss was born… What if it was AFTER? ARGH! This is madness!
Xelloss bowed deeply to the giant hoodlum. After referring to Gaav as a past stepfather, he was now bringing him up to date, "Now you're just a traitor to the Shabrinigdo Consortium."
Gaav stepped forward closer to the brave young man, "Oh, yeah?? Yuh mean I used to be a lot more PO-LITE!" He shouted the last word at the same time that he reached out and slammed Xelloss' face into a handy computer terminal.
Remarkably, Xelloss' mild-mannered façade held.
Gaav grinned and attacked again. Punching the kid without mercy in the chest. He held Xelloss by the neck and sputtered into his face, "Now, there are a few things I need to ask yuh. Are yuh listen'n? Good. Ah hate repeatin' mah-self. Now, what're Hell Master's orders to yuh? What's that Phibrizzo kid up to this time?"
Xelloss smiled through the blackening eye and swelling cheekbone. "Oh, do mind the hair, I do hate to have it messed with, you know!" he giggled, then more seriously he went on to answer. "Why, ex-step-father Gaav, I'm here to learn why you were trying to secretly gain control of Atlas City and Seyruun, and to get back Hell Master's stuff, of course!"
Gaav growled, "I pound
KNOW pound
THAT!!" pound
"That wasn't all, was it? I want yuh ta explain why yer followin' that girl!"
Xelloss looked at Lina a moment, then returned his undivided attention back to his opponent, who was continuing to shout in his face, "What is Hell Master up to by havin' YUH with her instead of sendin' 'er alone? DON'T WASTE MUH TIME! I could always just kill yuh right here!"
Amelia couldn't contain herself. She was horrified at the abuse Xelloss was taking and was about to cry out, when the old caretaker's hand covered her mouth. "Be strong," she whispered.
Xelloss opened his eyes and stared straight into the eyes of death before calmly replying with a smile, "Even threatening me like that, Lord Hell Master didn't tell me all the details, so I haven't much to add."
"Then YOU DIE!" Gaav roared.
"H O L D I T R I G H T T H E R E, M I S T E R !" Lina shouted over the gasps of the others. She grinned evilly and waved a shiny disk in the air.
"What kind of joke is this?" Gaav thundered as Lina's outburst instantly distracted his attention.
"You saved me, Lina!" Xelloss sighed dramatically as he dropped to the ground.
Lina gave him a wink, and then courageously addressed Gaav, "You think I can just stand by doing nothing while you bully my friend?"
"Do yuh know just how powerful to the syndicate this chump is? That staff alone means he wields all his mother's power, who knows how much Hell Master has put at his disposal!" Gaav growled, his eyes never leaving the disk in her hand.
From the other doorway, Saygram cleared his throat, "I'll take that disk now…" and moved toward Lina.
Gourry had nudged Zel when Saygram drew everyone's attention at the doorway. In silence communication, the two kids prepared themselves to step into the fray.
Gaav's general, Saygram, picked up the intervening table—with forty terminals and various computer components and equipment piled on it—and slung it out of the way like it was a bag of marshmallows.
"You're a pretty strong guy!" Lina gasped.
Saygram nodded. Measuring the distance with his eyes, he knew one long leap was all it would take and he'd be on her. "Looks like this is it!" he hissed.
Gourry and Zel drew their swords to block his way to Lina.
Gaav narrowed his focus back to Xelloss, "Never mind Atlas City! Never mind Seyruun! How dare yuh come here and interfere in mah plans!"
Xelloss stood and brushed himself off, "Please, there's no need to thank me!"
"I'll shut that smart-ass mouth of yours forever!" Gaav roared back.
"Actually, you're not the first to threaten me about that!" Xelloss grinned.
"What're kids like you do'n with swords like those? They ain't toys!" Saygram taunted them.
Gourry and Zel moved cautiously, keeping themselves between Saygram and Lina. Amelia clung to Auntie Aqua like glue and also moved to a position behind Lina.
Zel's mind was racing faster than his heart rate. The fact that the disk was blank mattered not, as long as Saygram believed it held incriminating information. However, Zel did not want to die over a blank disk, God, another failure! And, he wasn't presumptuous enough to think he and Gourry had any real chance over that trained assassin --who was currently just toying with them-- either. There has to be another way out of this! Maybe Xelloss has another, or at least SOME, ace up his sleeve. Of course, he appears to be busy with his own problems. I'd better think, think, think…
Meanwhile, Gaav and Xelloss were having some family 'catch-up' time.
"If he was just trying to distract me, you alone would have been enough! But Hell master must have some other purpose for that girl! Tell me what it is!" Gaav demanded impatiently, his previously stewing wrath about to boil over.
"And, I told YOU that Lord Hell Master didn't tell me that! Are you dense or what?"
"Really?" Gaav cooled to a near-simmer. "But yuh must have wondered about it, huh? Didn't yuh wanna know why yuh was ordered to make nice with that girl and bring her here?"
"Yes, I thought I should know what Lord Hell master's plan was as well," Xelloss looked at Gaav conspiratorially.
"OH?"
"But, as I learned more about her and her friends I realized to a large extent what his plan was."
"Humph!" Gaav relaxed, and stepped back from Xelloss. "Now was that so hard? You're a crafty one, all right."
Xelloss lowered his voice to a whisper, "I believe that the objective of Lord Hell Master's plan is…"
He hesitated a split-second to judge distances and his friend's whereabouts, then finished, "… a secret!" he laughed and leaped out of the way of Gaav's outstretched arm and massive fist—the right one, anyway I must remember he's left-handed as well…, Xelloss thought as the left connected with his chin, bringing the kid down hard.
"Don't let him get near you! Ignore his unjust and idle threats!" Amelia cheered encouragingly to Lina.
Lina nodded and turned on her amplifiers, "If I scream loud enough, you'll go deaf!"
Saygram answered back by hurling a chair at Zel and diving again for Lina. Gourry whacked Saygram across the back with his sword, flat side down, knocking the air out of him. The older man's momentum carried him into a bank of terminals, where he lay unmoving for some time.
"You all right, Zel?" Gourry cried as he worked his way over to the prone kid, Lina now at his side.
"Yeah, just clipped my shoulder. I'm fine, but we gotta make a run for it! Lina? Which door? Left?" Zel gasped in pain while struggling to his feet.
"That one!" she pointed left. "Xelloss let's get out now!"
Xelloss was kneeling at Gaav's feet, clearly in pain, "Looks like you've all been having a tough battle too!"
Amelia ran to him, oblivious to Gaav's might, "Mr. Xelloss! You're hurt badly!"
He winked up at her though his better eye, "I think now would be an excellent time to think of an escape plan, don't you?"
Gaav laughed without humor, "Do you think that yuh can escape from me? Yuh never could before!"
Gourry sneered, "Mr. Ultimate Bad News is in our way, Lina!"
Lina rolled the alternatives over in her head, Offer herself in exchange for her friend's freedom and possibly buy them some time or…
"H O L D I T !" shrieked a girl's voice from the room next to them.
"Martina!" shouted the kids in unison.
As she slid into the room, colliding with chairs and the flotsam of damaged computer hardware, Zel shook his head and moaned, "Here comes the worst possible person at the worst possible time!"
Martina landed upside down and strewn with cables. She recovered quickly, however, and tore off the last of her entanglements, then cried, "Oh, Mr. Xelloss-dear! I've come to save you!"
"Miss Martina?" Xelloss croaked, confusion replacing his smiling mask.
Lina shook her head. Just what they needed! Another idiot to contend with! "Xelloss! She's YOUR responsibility, pal…"
Martina didn't want Lina's interference in her rescue attempt, so she jumped to Xelloss' side, arms outstretched in anticipation of his grabbing her, and cried out tearfully, "MASTER XELLOSS!" He wasn't paying much attention, though, and so she fell unceremoniously flat on her face.
Lina slapped her hand over her eyes and groaned.
Xelloss looked at Martina, holding a hand to his shoulder and wondering if it was dislocated. He smiled and winced as she pressed her weight on it.
"Master Xelloss! You're hurt!" Martina whimpered. That did it. Now she was incensed. "Master Xelloss! Now that I, Martina Xoana Mel Narrachoa, have arrived…" she began her outrageous speech.
Xelloss blanched in a mixture of pain, horror, and fear that Gaav was about to blow them away. With her next statement, Xelloss felt that uneasiness in his stomach that Zel often complained about.
"You have nothing to worry about!" Martina finished with gusto.
Lina was about to blow as well, when she hissed between clenched teeth, "WHAT do you think your coming here will accomplish?"
"You need to ask?" Martina asked in the snootiest tone possible. "I'm going to drive these characters…" she indicated everyone in the room with a careless sweep of her arm, "away. One, two, three…"
"Now look, Mad Martina! Do you know who this guy is here? He's GAAV! The…" Lina burst out.
"The WHAT?" Martina interrupted rudely.
Furious with the delay, the danger, and Martina's contemptuous attitude Lina started screaming at her, "HE'S one of the most powerful syndicate crime lords in the WORLD! He's REALLY strong. Someone like you can't do anything!"
Martina drew herself to her full height, which was several inches taller than Lina, and said, "I don't care if he's Gaav or Gutter!"
Now, Gaav was not a patient man, and this idiocy was arousing his violent temper. He pulled a small digital device from his pocket and held a thumb over its readout window, "Is yur comedy routine over? I'll show yuh no mercy, young lady!"
Gourry, Lina, and Amelia had been slowly working themselves around to the left doorway, their escape path. Zel, having grabbed hold of Xelloss' cloak with demon strength, was dragging him toward the door as well. "Digital triggering device," Xelloss whispered to Zel, who nodded in understanding, then passed the information to Lina.
Gaav held a chair over his head with his free hand and was about to bring it down upon Martina's head, when the old cleaning lady rolled her bucket of cleaning supplies at his feet with a surprising force. The unexpected impact bowled him over, causing him to release his hold on the chair, bringing it down on his own head. "AARRRRRRRGH!" he howled.
Lina leaped at Martina and, using her like a shield from Gaav's next assault ran through the doorway. She pushed Gourry, Zel, Xelloss, and Amelia ahead of her yelling, "Move it! He's got some kind of explosive detonator in his hand, old lady, come on!"
Auntie Aqua smiled at Lina and told her in a steady voice, "When you leave here, go to the Katahto Mountains for the original documents, these have been damaged by Gaav's people it seems…and don't look back!" She slammed the door against Gaav and his general's on-rush and jammed it shut with her mop handle. "GO! Child, keep to the right at each turn, and hurry!"
The kids tore through the rooms hoping their mental compasses were working. Right, right, right, straight, right…there, there's the final door, now the Shrine's entry… YES!
Gourry was practically carrying Xelloss out the door, whose lock Zel had so carefully picked, and down the steps to the wet, grassy lawn.
"Go for that hedgerow!" Xelloss yelled. "Everyone, dive for it!"
The warning preceded a violent concussive force plowing through the shrine in a tremendous ball of flame that grew to gigantic proportions before enveloping them all in a hail-storm of cement and smoke.
Xelloss rolled free of a large block and pulled out his cellphone. Dead, crushed by one of Gaav's blows or the impact of the hunk of cement—not that it mattered. "Zelgadiss! ZELGADISS! Where are you? ZELGADISS!" he cried out in desperation.
"Over here! I'm fine, but Amelia's leg is trapped. There, got it. Gourry? Gourry, you with Lina over there?" Zel coughed in the dusty air.
Xelloss stumbled to his feet and bounded over to the gully hiding Zel and Amelia from view. Gourry waved and struggled to his feet, pulling a ragged, but whole Lina up as well. Martina shook herself free from the debris and stared wide-eyed at the destruction around her.
"Your cellphone, Zelgadiss! Is it working? Mine's shot. It is? Thank your karma, for me. Buzz Val. Tell him, here, I will…" Xelloss panted, coughed, and sneezed simultaneously. "Val? God, it's a mess here. You must, I repeat MUST get Milgasia to meet us at the, are you listening? Yeah, sirens, it's going to get noisier fast and we have to get out of here. Go to the KATAHTO Mountains. Repeat that back. Yeah, that's right. ASAP! It will take us the rest of the night driving like maniacs and stopping for gas to get there before sunup. Good luck! Yeah, we're all okay, considering. Thanks, Val. Remind me to tell you a funny story about your ex-old-man, okay? Hurry! Bye!"
Click!
Zelgadiss was already in his car engine running. Amelia was in the back holding back tears, barely. Gourry claimed the front seat because he took up too much space in the back. Before closing his door, he pulled Lina into his lap. Xelloss and Martina crammed in beside Amelia in the back, and Zel floored it. Xelloss directed him down a back service road away from the advancing emergency vehicles. "I gotta stop for gas. We're running on fumes as it is," he muttered to Gourry.
Martina snapped out of her daze, "Quarter mile on the right, Gas-N-Go. Has a bathroom and market. I need to go and I need a drink!"
"She drinks gas?" Gourry smiled at Zel.
"Figures…"
(((.-)) Zel |||^.^||| Xelloss |{{^.^}}| Lina |((.^)|| Gourry ((^.^)) Amelia |))-.-((| Val