Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT!

Chapter Three

Hard Lessons Learned

"If your only tool's a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail." –Gourry

The summer-like heat settled onto the small group clustered around the tiny open grave. A single lone figure garbed in a white priest's outfit, stood stock-still a step away from the opening in the earth, glassy eyes unwavering from the small urn he held in his hands. Subaru's mouth moved, perhaps saying a few last words to send his sister's remains to the eternal gods or to quell her restless spirit. Whatever it was, no one else understood. Nels Lahda and Xelloss in full priest regalia each offered words of solace and uplifting hopefulness. It was what they could do. Filia, in her pale priestess robes of the Cephied Believers whispered her prayers. By her side stood both Sylphiel and Amelia dressed also in their White Shrine priestess gowns. Dark and solemn as the night, Rezo and Mayor Philionel stood like solid pillars, between which was Subaru's grandmother who, despite being in a wheelchair, had an erect and strong posture that made her seem powerful. The kids had been surprised at how youthful she appeared. Like Rezo, the years had been kind to her.

At a motion from Nels Lahda, the grandmother wheeled forward and nudged Subaru to action. The poor kid nearly dropped the urn, but caught himself in time, then lowered it to rest upon a small cement platform below ground. He reached into a nearby basket of flower petals, and scattered a few into the grave; like the falling of Sakura petals, Hokuto's favorite flower. In a few weeks a fall chill would turn the summer green leaves to bright colors and then they would fall off, no longer useful to the trees. The trees would enter their winter summer and wait for spring. Zelgadiss had explained all this to Subaru—that now was not the time to plant a young tree; just wait a few more weeks, he'd said. Then, Subaru and he would return and plant a small cherry tree over his sister's grave. In a few years the tree would grow and drop its petals like tears over her grave to mark her passing. A few more weeks, he'd promised.

One by one, each of the onlookers followed suit, pinching up a couple petals and then dropping them into the opening. Soon the small earthen pit was filled with delicate blossoms, hiding the urn. It was time to go.

"I'll be taking Subaru back to my place for a few days," the grandmother told Zelgadiss who had asked. "He oughtn't be alone, but I know he needs to get on with his life soon."

Xelloss, who had been speaking to Subaru, sidled over to the grandmother. "We'll call you tonight and talk more. I have…some thoughts about what he might do, okay?"

The woman nodded and recited her number while he punched it into his cellphone memory. She shared a few more words with each of the adults and turned to leave, Subaru falling in to man her chair. He hadn't said a word aloud to any of them. His hair was unbrushed, his dressing the suitable priest's garb, nothing more. He was not doing well and everyone knew it. But how could he? Betrayed by the close friend who had declared his love for him repeatedly! Seishirou had hidden his true identity as an syndicate assassin then turned on and murdered Subaru's twin sister, Hokuto. Subaru had lost two of his only connections to the living world in one terrible moment, and he was only sixteen. No, he was not doing well.

The kids, without Subaru, were all gathered at Lina's. Luna had invited them to come back to her place after the funeral Sunday. She had hoped both Subaru and his grandmother would have attended, but they would not. Not this day. Another time, perhaps.

Xelloss sat on the floor backed up to a wall alone, gloomy and meditative. Zelgadiss stood by him now and then, offering him a drink and receiving an occasional grunt in reply. Xelloss was carrying the guilt of that murder on his shoulders. Zel knew that his friend would sink into a depression himself if he couldn't find a way to help Subaru.

Val, sporting a huge hangover from celebrating late the night before with Jillas and Gravos, was slumped onto the couch. His defense at the court of law Friday had been instrumental in getting his ex-friends off with a probationary sentence. Consequently, they had taken him out 'carousing'--something he had not done in a very long time. It had been a bad decision. He should have gone back to the settlement as planned, but because of the funeral the next day, he had recanted and stayed in town. And gone out. Bad decision. At the funeral his pain-stricken face fit right in, now all he wanted to do was go home.

Luna thumped into the room and pressed an ice pack to his forehead. "Stupid child!"

That out of her system, she launched into a lecture. "At least you got it straight that drugs are poisons. Well, alcohol is too!"

No, duh. Val moaned and waved her off.

"By the time you're 25, if you're still drinking enough to get sick, get hung over, or worse, then you're stupid. Plain and simple. Getting sick like that is your body's way of telling your it's being poisoned. And any one who can't learn from a mistake like that---it's damned unpleasant, isn't it Val Agares? It's just stupid and he deserves it! One more thought, then I'll shut up. Respect your body! Pay attention to what it's telling you! Take care of it!" Luna ran her fingers tenderly through the snarled green locks a few times then left the room.

Gourry took up the conversation from there. "Yeah, my brother thought nothin' could hurt him. Everything that happened to him…every problem, even every good thing got him drinkin'-- 'specially the problems. Bad grade, fight with his girlfriend, whatever. Shoulda talked ta dad, he woulda listened. Shoulda gotten some doctor's help."

Gourry glanced over at Xelloss, who didn't move, but his eyes were open, watching, then went on. "He didn't talk ta his other friends about stuff. Guess it wasn't macho enough. He just turned to what worked. Same thing every time. Beer made him feel better and forget his problems, I guess. Yeah…" After a moment or two he concluded, If your only tool's a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail."

"Those guys aren't good for ya any more," Gourry said pointedly to Val.

Val mumbled his agreement and threw an arm over his face, smashing the ice into his face. "Ughhhhh…"

Lina got up and put a hand on Gourry's arm. "Ease up on him now. He's not your brother and he's not gonna do this again anytime soon." Then in a rare compassionate moment, she lowered her voice and added, "I'm so sorry about your brother, Gourry. I know this day musta been tough on ya."

His sad blue eyes met her subdued red ones with unabashed fondness, "Yeah, funerals…we're too young for 'em. Thanks, Lina."

Xelloss looked away. For some reason, it made him angry inside to watch them. He was awash in emotions. The funeral had affected him more than he thought it might. Subaru. The guy had hardly spoken a word since his sister had been shot. Their grandmother had told him that he hadn't even moved from a chair in his room, until today. And, regardless of what the others thought, had Xelloss been vigilant and not distracted by his own selfish interest in Eris, he might have been able to stop the whole thing!

"Zelgadiss?'' Xelloss he whispered knowing that with his heightened hearing, Zel could detect his voice in any crowd. He caught Zel's attention from across the room where he was mingling with Amelia and Sylphiel.

Filia had gone back to the settlement with Milgasia, who had offered a ride to both kids. Val had passed. He feigned a touch of a cold coming on or something and let Zel drive everyone over to Luna's in his Suburban, then collapsed. If Milgasia guessed the true nature of Val's malaise, he had certainly said nothing and let it pass.

Zel stiffened. Xelloss needed to get out of here, he thought to himself. "I'd better go now," Zel muttered and withdrew.

"But Mr. Zelgadiss, Miss Sylphiel's father will be here anytime to take us home. Can't you wait until then?"

He checked his watch first. "All right. Five more minutes, Amelia, then we are expected at Subaru's." Zel acquiesced under the littler girl's melting gaze. It was getting harder for him push her attentiveness off as 'just a passing phase'. It was getting harder to simply ignore her. And it was most certainly becoming harder to lock away his surging male hormones and resist her pleasant company. "…Maybe six or seven minutes."

Xelloss had managed to get on his feet and stroll over to Zel's side. Inside, he smiled slightly, a secret one, hiding it from his friend. He was getting tired of being the one on the emotional roller coaster. It was about time Zelgadiss had his heart ripped from his body for a change and… "What was that? Nels Lahda is stopping by?" Xelloss piped up.

"Yes. He needed the car today after the funeral and said he'd stop by after, you know…we had some time to talk here," Sylphiel answered gaily. She alone had undampened spirits that day, perhaps because until recently she had been in another world with her now 'ex'—fiancée.

"His car's coming," Zel noted. He was quite good at recognizing the sounds of his friends' vehicles and discerning them from several blocks away. What a way to use his acute hearing!

Xelloss moved to the door first, "I have an idea to pass by him first. Mind?"

Zel shook his head. "I'll keep the girls occupied."

Xelloss returned to his benign persona and smiled slyly, "I'm sure you will."

Zel frowned, "What do you mean by that?" But Xelloss had already skipped out the door.

Minutes later…

"It's all set; that is, if Subaru agrees, which I think he will." Mercurial as ever, Xelloss was now out of his funk and sporting his usual smile.

"Scheming again, Xelloss?" Lina asked as everyone was now hovering by the door to leave.

"I think Subaru'll be better off staying at the White Shrine in town, with us around him, than back with his old crowd." Xelloss looked Zel's way and got an approving nod. "So, we'll go talk to him and his grandmother about it now and pack some of his things and take him over today…or tomorrow if he'd rather. Otherwise, he'll be eventually going back to living alone in that place. And, nice as it was, it's got to be filled with memories."

"Haunted..." Lina whispered.

"He's certainly too young to be alone!" Amelia agreed.

"Will he drop you off at our place later? Or…forget that, just give me a call at home, Xelloss, if you need a ride back," Zel offered.

"Thanks," Xelloss said, then rushed out of the door on his errand of mercy.

Zel sighed a sigh of relief. He was glad Xelloss had found his own solution, at least for the time being, and rid himself of the blues.

Zelgadiss and Xelloss were talking in Zel's room at home after Xelloss had successfully convinced the grieving, nearly comatose Subaru to move into the White Shrine in town. Xelloss would now be spending more time there again.

Zelgadiss was typing up their last lab report for school the next day, when the computer made an odd noise. Xelloss jumped a foot.

"What?" Zel looked at Xelloss wondering what had bothered him so much.

"Ha! Ah…that's one of my mental cues."

"You don't say," Zel replied dryly. Not another of these fuzzy conversations. It had been awhile, but it meant that Xelloss was entering a happier, though restive state.

"You see," Xelloss continued not bothered by Zel's indifference. "I hear a word, or in this case a particular sound, and it reminds me to…Well, just what that was is not at issue here, is it?"

"Or…is it?" Zel smirked.

"No, it's isn't. I follow the little thoughts and make the connection inside here," Xelloss pointed to his forehead. "And my brain answers: 'What's up?'"

"Go on…" Zel sighed. Xelloss was examining Zel's expression trying to figure out what Zel had meant. "That look was just me being happy that your brain and you are, in fact, in close association."

Xelloss scrunched up his face, and then went on, "It asks me 'what's up?'"

"You're repeating yourself now," Zel smiled smugly.

"UP!" Xelloss raised his voice. "And I say: 'You tell me!' and it answers…"

"This is still just the two of you, right?" Zel chuckled.

"Yes. Me and my brain's central clearinghouse, which answers: 'Wow!'"

"That all?" Zel asked.

"Don't you see? I get this cue, a signal reminding me about something important, but I hadn't filled in the factoid. So when I get there and all I get back is 'Yeah, you expecting something?' Kinda disappointing really." Xelloss flopped back onto Zel's bed.

Zel just stared at his friend, "…"

"Weird, huh?" Xelloss smiled faintly, eyes closed. "Stuff like that happen to you?"

"Never."

"Really? I thought everyone…"

"No," Zel assured him. "No one but you. You are unique in yet another oddball way. Must be the wiring."

"Huh? Oh…wiring…Well, I have so many ideas, things to do. Helping Subaru cope… The dance studio… The musical with Lina… Creating a recording studio…"

"After we do that free recording we won from the battle of the bands," Zel reminded him. "Not to mention school…"

"Hmmm, that doesn't really fit in very well, but I'll finish this year, like I promised you."

"At least you got that stupid notion about getting married and starting a …family out of your head."

"Too bad about that swimming instructor, eh? I guess two scarred messed up guys like us didn't compete with that hunky weight training boyfriend of hers."

Zel smiled down at his friend, "No, I guess not. On the other hand, you can swim the width of a pool now."

"Yes. But I still hate the water. And my hair…I have to work in conditioner before I get it wet and it still smells like chlorine! No… like I said a week ago, I don't even want to date anyone anymore. I hate the games." Xelloss pounded on the bed with his fist.

"Strange…coming from you. You were always the player, the game master."

"Not…" Xelloss swallowed and covered his eyes with an arm. "…When it h-hurts so much."

Zelgadiss shook his head, "Sorry about Eris. So, how about we leave this abode and join Val out at the TV for some ice cream. He picked up something new he wants you to try." Zel simply hated to discuss personal things and avoided it whenever and however he could.

Xelloss took a shaky deep breath and controlled his emotions. "Okay, little brother. I'm coming."

They were all three settled into comfortable chairs or the sofa in the front room, savoring their dessert.

"You watch this Di-cov-er-ee Channel much?" Val asked.

Zel and Xelloss shook their heads from opposite chairs. Val continued, "Yeah, this one's been talkin' 'bout differences between the males and the fe-males."

"Genetic diversity due to hormones," Zel said succinctly.

Val shot him a dark look. "The presence of tes-tos-ter-one in particular, compartmentalizes males' brains, especially in us male teenagers so we don't express our e-mo-tions well."

"Well said!" Xelloss smiled without concern for what was being said.

"Well some of us," Zel noted while looking at Xelloss, who then shrugged in response. "I've read about those studies in England and I don't think that it covers or explains all the many exceptions well at all."

Val nodded. "I figured you out," he said meeting Xelloss' eyes.

Xelloss raised an eyebrow, "Be nice."

Val waved him off, "Yeah, like why ya gotta tell us about yer feelings all the time and overreact and cry so much."

"I don't cry…"

"Yes you do, now shut up and listen to Val. I'm curious," Zel snapped.

"It's not cause yer gay or nothin'…'cause yer not. And yer not girly—I wasn't gonna say that neither! But yer brain lost its compartments with all those hits to the head. Scrambling' things up. Broke up the se-par-a-tors dividin' the left from the right and there ya go—yer got in touch with yer fe-mi-nine side! See? Nothin' wrong with ya at all! Pretty good, huh?"

Zel nodded, "Could be."

Xelloss narrowed his eyes. "It's not scrambled. You are thinking of eggs."

The moment Xelloss and Zelgadiss stepped over the threshold to the school, they wished they hadn't. Blood drive. What with ballets and funerals, it had passed out of their memories, both of them!

"We could turnaround and go out to lunch," Zel suggested.

"Too late," Xelloss said with a faint smirk. "Here comes your little vampy admirer."

"That's vam-pire today, Xelloss," Zel corrected him. Although, in that oh-so revealing tank top and skimpy shorts, maybe Xelloss wasn't so far off the mark.

"Oh good, I was afraid you might not make it in time. Mr. Val's saving you a place in line," Amelia said breathlessly.

"You ran all the way from the gym to meet us?" Xelloss smiled.

"Of course!" She grinned and led them to the line to fill out questionnaires and get further instructions. "I'm going to check on Miss Lina and Miss Filia. They're already resting. Mr. Gourry and Miss Sylphiel are still 'giving'."

"How…nice," Xelloss said with no conviction, watching her flit off.

"Your name?" asked the nurse.

"Zelgadiss Greywords. That's 'Grey' with an 'e' not an 'a' and Zelgadiss with a 'Z'."

She checked a list of names, then satisfied that his name was not on it, shoved a paper and pen in his hands. "Read these instructions and sign on the line then take a seat over there," she said waving off to an open doorway. "Next!"

"Xelloss Metallium. That's with an 'X' not a 'Z'," he smiled.

She scanned her list, then stopped, frowned, and looked up, "I'm sorry, but you may not be a donor."

"Say what?" he asked taken aback. "Why not?"

"Well, um…" she hesitated and looked over her shoulder for help. She managed to get their attention of another woman assisting at the table, who offered to take him aside and explain.

Why were they so reluctant to talk to him? What could possibly be the problem? What was the big secret? Xelloss was seated in the nurse's office waiting. He waited a long while. This was getting absurd! He was about to get up and leave, when the school nurse blocked his way with her clipboard. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Metallium, but I wanted to check your file first to be certain no mistake was made."

"And?" he prompted her, his growing annoyance evident in his voice…

"Well first of all. I'd like to express my deepest sympathy for the loss of your mother last term. I always considered it an honor working for her."

"Didn't we all…" he muttered. "So, about my problem?"

"It's the rules of the blood-collecting agency young man, not mine. Here, you can read their disclaimer yourself."

Okay, he would. "It says here that no male homosexuals may participate. I am not gay," he nearly growled. "As if it's anyone's business."

"Not just gay, but any boys participating in male-male sex are unconditionally…"

"What do you mean? I don't…I haven't…I…" he sputtered, truly incensed.

"Our records show from the…hospital that you had frequent…"

Records? That was private material! How were his medical records open books at his high school? He frowned and looked at her levelly, "That…was YEARS ago, nearly five! I was attacked." He stood up and yanked up the bottom of his shirt to reveal a wedge of skin marred with ritualized laceration marks. "I was raped…repeatedly…and nearly murdered by m-my stepfather."

She ripped her eyes from his tear-filled, haunted eyes. "I know…and…if it were up to me…I'd…"

"I. Have. Had. Every… Blood test possible for years. I carry no diseases! You can verify that with my doctor. I'll call!" he ranted defensively.

"It doesn't matter. I'm sure most of the other boys…are clean as well, but it doesn't matter. The blood collecting agency will take no chances and so forces us to scan the records and pull anyone who does not match their criteria." She was calming down now that she had 'the rules' to back her up. "It's the case with all the blood drive organizations."

"It's not fair. That means all gay guys would have to lie to give blood then…as well as a multitude of other innocents…" he mused pointedly leaving himself out of the thought.

"That's why they ask us to scan the records at the school first," she said smugly.

His eyes latched onto hers again. "How did those records get here?"

"I suppose your mother had them sent here when you were enrolled. You were on medication at the time for severe…"

"I know…don't tell me about it. It was…a mistake. Zelas…" his hands clenched into fists. "that BITCH!" he howled and hammered the desk hard enough to crack off two of its legs.

Zelgadiss had been beckoned into the gymnasium, when he noticed that Xelloss had been pulled to the side and had now been gone several minutes. A nurse was swabbing his arm and about to insert the needle when Xelloss' angry voice carried into the room. Zel sat up abruptly.

"Oh now, you must lie still, young man," the nurse scolded him.

"I'll be right back," he muttered and scampered out of the room. He caught sight of Val, who'd been lingering around aimlessly for awhile.

"Yeah, I heard him," Val shouted. "Go on back, I'll take care of Xelly-boy."

Zel returned to the gymnasium, hoping that Val could 'take care of' Xelloss. As he returned to his gurney, with the bothered nurse, Lina waved and gave him a 'what's up?' look. He shook his head and then allowed himself to be positioned and drained. Blood, needles, Xelloss…any number of things could be 'up' and certainly any number of them had a damn good chance of going wrong.

Val found Xelloss before any member of the staff did, and hauled him out of the office, down the hall, and out to his car. He opened the side door and pushed Xelloss inside, slamming it shut, then climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. "Wait," was all he said as drove out of the high school parking lot and around the block, tracing a familiar path. They came to a halt at the park. "Get out. We'll talk over there."

Xelloss silently followed Val over to a picnic bench and plopped down on the table, resting his feet on the seat. He let his head fall to his arms, which lay folded across his knees.

Val said nothing.

It was Xelloss who finally spoke. "I-It's not fair. They wouldn't let me…"

"Me neither."

Xelloss raised his head and looked askance at his friend. "It wasn't about the drugs."

"Me neither." Val stared at Xelloss. And there they sat. For several minutes. The only sounds coming from the busy squirrels in the branches overhead.

Then Val spoke, "Didn't know hospitals disclosed that information, did ya? Kids ain't got no privacy, if their parents don't bother to protect 'em."

Xelloss shook his head, "My mother released it to them." He muttered the words then stopped. "How did you know I was raped?"

Val shrugged. "I saw yer name on the list early, when I was cut. Anyone as badly abused as you…I just figured."

"And you, too…Gaav?"

Val shook his head, "Nah…older guys in the house." His expression said 'let's not talk about this any more.'

Xelloss agreed and they sat together in communal silence sharing their awful grief and shame, which made it a little bit less sharp.

After a time, Val nudged him. "Come on, dude. Better get back. Don't wanna miss my next class."

Xelloss smiled faintly.

Val grinned, "Yeah…I said that. Pretty con-vo-luuuted comin' from me, huh?"

Xelloss just shook his head. "Nothing coming from you will surprise me ever again. Not after today."

Xelloss never thought of Val the same way again because they now shared a secret, an ugly truth about one another instead of from one another.

When they were all reunited in the Japanese class, Amelia bounded up to Xelloss and Val. "What happened to you guys? You just ran off!" She sounded disappointed, and probably was.

Before Xelloss could spit out his trademark line 'that's a secret,' Val intervened with his own explanation. "Crappy nurse couldn't get the fu((&ing needle in his arm right. He freaked out and I had ta get him outta there before the blood spurtin' all over made him pass out."

"Oh poor Mr. Xelloss!" Amelia patted his arm gently. "Maybe next time things will go smoother."

Xelloss smiled, "I hope you are right, Miss Amelia."

Monday ended with a practice bringing the entire Slayers band back together. Lina worked them through the new songs, as far as they had gotten with them. Val's 'My Heart Burns' was sounding very tight and menacing already. Xelloss and Lina's 'Sexy, Sexy' wasn't bad, except for Gourry's occasionally and inexplicably faltering bass line. Lina refused to perform any of their secret dance routine yet, but did have something to say about Joey, Gourry's middle school brother.

"Joey'll do great. He's takin' to Xelloss' drum lessons like a gull to garbage," Lina cackled at her own jab at Filia's current pet name for Xelloss, namagomi, or 'raw garbage' in Japanese.

Xelloss was not amused by either Filia or Lina. After his weekend ballet event, he thought Filia would continue to treat him with what little new respect she had shown him then, but alas, it was not to happen. Her sharp tongue was honed and ready to lash out at him still. He was regretting baring his soul and telling her about his past. Maybe Zelgadiss was right about hiding himself in a shell. There no one could touch his sensitive parts. He was so immersed in his own dark thoughts that he missed entirely Lina and Gourry's run through of their new duet. It wasn't ready for the drums yet anyway.

Lina and Zelgadiss sang through their duet, a cover of a rocker called 'Future Century Secret Club.' Val and Gourry practiced a background instrumental part, but it still needed Zel's guitar and they couldn't decide whether or not to have anyone solo an instrumental interlude or not.

All-in-all the practice went okay, just a little rough at times.

After the band practice broke up that afternoon, Amelia attempted to rally the forces for another project. "It's about this weekend! Usually daddy and I go together to collect the pumpkins for the mansion and to pickup a few crate of apples for the cold storage…but he can't go this year!" she nearly cried, but sniffled instead. "I just know you'll all come and help me. I couldn't possibly carry them all by myself!"

"Ah…I'd like to, Amelia, but I still gotta help ma dad on that house. We only gotta few more weeks of good weather ta count on and the roof's gotta be done and the sides sealed up," Gourry said apologetically.

"Oh nuts…but you can, right, Mr. Val?" Amelia's eyes glittered with tears.

"No, he missed last weekend at the settlement and this year he's going to contribute to our harvest festival and so has lots to learn, right?" Filia gave him a little dig between his ribs.

"Yeah…sure," he snarled, but he didn't look too out of sorts about it.

Sylphiel also had to bow out due to family obligations.

"Sure," Lina agreed. "As long as I get back in time to do some writing and I get lunch, right?"

"Yes, of course, and it's always something delicious and super special." Amelia turned toward Zel and Xelloss, who were out of excuses.

"They'll come, 'cause they gotta come by my place and bring me over. What time did you say?" Lina asked with a grin.

However, Lina paled when Amelia said, "Eight o'clock sharp! It's a long way and the driver has to be back at a particular time to pick up daddy."

"What! And it's my only morning to sleep in!" Both Lina and Xelloss moaned most inharmoniously. Actually, he whined, she groaned, and it came out as a loud honk.

"All right," Zelgadiss sighed, but with a faraway look in his eyes and a whimsical smile spreading across his face. He'd never been pumpkin picking or up to the apple groves in the mountains. It would be a new experience and sounded…well, fun.

End Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT! Chapter Three.