Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT!
Chapter Four
An Apple a Day…
"You're not disillusioned. You're delusional. Move over!" --Filia
The morning announcements could be heard loud and clear, crispy read by someone who was not 'verbally challenged' for a change: "There will be an all-school announcement of the new principal in the gymnasium at the end of the school day. All class periods have been shortened today…"
That was the impromptu announcement which Xelloss and Zelgadiss missed that morning, being hunched over their desks at the university taking a math examination. They arrived at school just in time to have missed lunch and go on to their next class. Lucky for them, they could feed off their classmate's bad feelings in place of ordinary nourishment, Lina teased in literature class.
"I would like each of you to experience a cultural event in the next few weeks and write a review of it. In preparation, we will be reading… Yes…Xelloss?" the teacher sighed.
"I just attended the ballet in Atlas City last weekend, can I write about that?"
"Yes, that would be fine. Something more?"
"Yes," he smiled. "Can we work with a partner?"
"Yes. I was going to describe the review process in a few moments, but since we are now on the subject… If you attend the cultural event with a friend in class, you may both submit a single review which expresses both your views or in which you divide up the tasks equitably." The teacher then continued to describe the assignment, using examples from the local newspapers for example. Their reading assignment would include a torrent of historical reviews awash in varied styles and opinions.
"Oh, and before any of you ask," the teacher looked pointedly over in Xelloss' direction. This teacher knew how to handle the bright trickster. "I will accept papers via my e-mail account the day that they are due and I have no fax."
Xelloss smiled at Filia and passed her a note, which she pretended hadn't come from him as she read it. Surreptitiously, she nodded his way, not certain why she was agreeing to working with him except that it would get it over and done with soon.
Zelgadiss could think of no cultural events in town that interested him. What a nuisance! Maybe something was opening at the university? He quietly opened his notebook and removed a 'What's Happening?' college paper. Turning to the music pages a quick scan cooled his ardor in the project, then he noticed a new art show to open Wednesday in the art gallery. He circled it and handed it off to Lina for her opinion.
Lina was off in 'Slayers—the Musical' land when Zel's piercing gaze and folded up paper caught her eye. Anime cels as art, huh? She nodded her approval and turned her attention to whatever the teacher was droning on about. This class was turning out to be another waste of her valuable time, and she had hoped it would be her best one! What she wanted to do was write and work on that musical. Too bad that couldn't be a class!
Why shouldn't it be? It would be a lot of work—writing, reading, drama, music, business, all wrapped up into one big package. How could she get that re-packaged into class credits? Then she could drop the rest of this crap, well most of it, and really get down to learning something. Now she was on a roll and her mind traipsed briskly down that path for the rest of the period. And the next…and the next.
"Do we care who the next principal is?" Xelloss asked disinterestedly.
"No." That was Zel settling onto a bleacher seat nearby.
"Good. Then I am not just becoming apathetic as well as disillusioned."
"You're not disillusioned. You're delusional. Move over!" Filia demanded.
"Move over to where? Gourry's lap? And if you think that's a thrill, then its you who's delusional," Xelloss returned.
"Well I'm not sitting all scrunched up next to you," Filia huffed.
"I will!"
"Ah, Miss Amelia to save the day." Xelloss flashed her a smile and patted the seat at his side.
Filia slid in behind them, next to Zelgadiss just as another kid hopped up. "You seen Hitomi anywhere?"
"Van?" Zel had to do a double take. Van's dark mop of hair looked like it may have actually been trimmed within the past few months, perhaps even brushed, and he appeared to have added a few much-needed pounds and inches. "No. She's not around yet. Some of the classes got out earlier than others. You can sit here if you want." He gestured to the empty space about to shrink on his other side.
His last few words were difficult to hear over an annoying combination of squeals and giggles. "Look over there! It's the Slayers!"
Van shook his head, "I think not. You guys seem to be attracting a fan following that's noisy. It's okay, I'll catch you at lunch tomorrow." Van looked around, and finding the object of his not-so-secret affections, made a mad dash in that direction.
Val dove for the spot, taking Van's place beside Zelgadiss, "Why I'm doin' this…I don't know. I should take off and go skatin'. Gourry? Not too late, huh?"
Gourry looked like he was about to take Val up on his suggestion, when Lina pounded on them both. "You're not going without me and I wanna see who this guy is, seeing as how I'm gonna be needing some favors from him if I want my year to go like I want."
Before Zel could pump her for clarification, the assistant principal took to the podium amid the squealing microphone and the roaring student body, eventually getting around to the point behind calling the assembly.
"…Previously the superintendent of schools to the far north…blah, blah, blah…I'm am pleased to introduce the new principal of Seyruun High School, Mr. Daniel Grauscherra."
Xelloss' eyes flew open and he emitted a wheezing sound with a sharp intake of breath.
Zelgadiss noticed and bent forward. "What? You know the man?"
Xelloss shook his head, "No, no… just one of those…false signals going off. I have heard the name before, but, well…it's not all that rare a name is it?"
"No. A girl graduated here last year named Grauscherra. Smart. In my math class. No problem then?" Zel repeated to make certain Xelloss was leveling with him.
"I don't believe so," Xelloss beamed back over his shoulder. Turning to Amelia he asked politely if she could see.
"No. I wish I'd gotten some of those tall genes my sister got."
"Would you like to sit on my lap? You'd be able to see him. The student council sophomore class president ought to be able to recognize the principal, right?"
"Mr. Xelloss, what a good idea! If you don't mind…oh," she added with a bright smile. "And I'm not president yet. The elections are this Friday."
Kagome, sitting at Xelloss feet, turned and looked up. Seeing Amelia on her perch, she smiled and mouthed a 'thanks for the new guy,' then turned back around to listen to the next speaker.
"I'll be sure to vote." Xelloss smiled but his eyes traced a line back and forth from Kagome to Amelia.
"I know you will vote this year, even if you can't vote for me, since you're a senior. You are a senior, right? You are sure I'm not too heavy?" she asked again, now from her new vantage point atop his knees.
"Not at all. Junior, senior …or something," he mused to himself. "What new guy?"
Amelia smiled, "My idea from last year! Instead of just any old kid who happened to pass by the office at the time reading the morning announcements, we now have a new position on the student council, communications officer!"
Xelloss opened his mouth to ask, "Who…?"
However, any further discussion on their part was interrupted by Sylphiel's little squeals of delight from behind them.
"Ooooh, is he ever a handsome man!" she directed to Amelia, but actually said in Xelloss' ear. "Dark blue hair and tall. Must be from the far north."
"That's what they said. Shhh, he's talking now," Xelloss sat back and paid attention to the speaker.
"…And I will be looking forward to meeting each and every one of you personally, so don't be alarmed when you get a note from the office to see me. Although, maybe a few of you should!"
A few embarrassed giggles could be heard. The man waved, stepped down, and the room broke up into noisy chaos as hundreds of students packed into the gym all tried to talk or leave or both at the same time.
Sylphiel continued where she'd left off. She had been gushing over the new principal's fine aristocratic features and expressive eyes. Filia shivered as she stood up. "I don't know, the man gives me the creeps, though I don't know why yet…but I will. He's too slick and…happy."
Zelgadiss had to agree. His rising paranoia was about to assert itself again, when he found himself encircled with 'little girls' pawing at his hair and admiring his earrings. This he was not prepared for. When had the Slayers become so popular?
"Come on, studly," Lina growled, grabbing him by the wrist and giving his arm a good yank. "I need a ride home."
Zel blushed and excused himself abruptly from the crowd. This was turning out to be a very odd school year!
In the car ride home, Xelloss sat, legs stretched out along the back seat of the small sports car allowing Lina to sit up front next to Zelgadiss. "So are you sure the guy doesn't blow off some alarms in yer head, Xelloss? No? Okay, well…nuts…I need an edge. I need a break. I've been thinkin' about goin to school half-time and devoting my time to producing this musical. By my figuring, that's gotta be worth a writing class, music, drama…history, too, maybe. But I gotta convince him to let me. You'd have to do it too for this to work out." She had directed the last statement toward Xelloss.
"Really?" he opened his eyes, then smiled them shut again. "That could ease up on my life some. Otherwise, there's no time for me to do anything. Yes, I do like that idea. I'll work on a plan."
"You do that," Lina agreed, slapping her open hand on the seat for emphasis.
Xelloss droned on, "We'll need some teachers, staff to back us up. That…will be challenging."
"Hey, thanks for the ride," Lina shouted as she jumped out of the car. "Oh and you have quite a cult following now at school, Zel, as you've just noticed. That 'elf' thing's gotten around. Lucky you're gone in the morning and have people like me to protect you."
Zel rolled his eyes, "Thank you, Sir Lina. I am forever in your debt."
Xelloss hopped out to walk her to her door, "Don't I have a following, Lina?"
"Ah, yes…I think Gourry's sisters have made you out to be the hottest drummer since the WHO's guy. You are very popular with the younger girls, 'course holding Amelia on your lap like that probably discouraged a few today."
Xelloss laughed, "Too bad for me! Bye Lina."
"Yeah sure. Later," she shrugged and slammed the door on her way into her house.
"You two seem to be getting along better these days," Zel noted on the drive back to their place. "In fact, you seem to be getting on nicely with Amelia and Filia as well."
"Hmmm, I'm trying. Girls really do make the best of friends, I think." He gave Zel a little wink and said, "They like to open up and reveal their feelings, sometimes."
Zel didn't respond, obviously, so Xelloss went on, "Amelia is especially good company. I find her to be smart, funny and kind." He looked over at Zel to judge his response. "You're very lucky to have someone like her so…crazy about you."
Zel just sighed and shook his head, but he didn't deny it, this time. "She looked happy with you this afternoon."
"When I visited her the other day…when she'd been barred from seeing you…me too, but that's beside the point. We talked for a while, mostly about you. Even if she doesn't turn out to be 'the one' for you, Zelgadiss, she deeply admires you and will always be one of your defenders, or lawyer, should you need one someday. I think she'd make a dandy one, don't you?"
Zel smiled, "She'd be a tough opponent. Oh, what's on the schedule for tonight? Is this swimming or chem lab?"
"I don't know-- my head's swimming, does that count?" Xelloss smiled and then giggled inanely. "Oh, you said we needed doggy food this morning."
Zel slapped his hand to his head. "I forgot! Thanks. Damn…I'm losing it today."
"Must be all those starry-eyed girl-fans. Threw you for a loop, huh? You looked shocked!"
"I had no idea…Well, I'm certain it won't last. They'll figure out that I'm just some scarred up nerd and leave me alone soon."
"Maybe," Xelloss said in a low voice. "If it were true…"
"What's that sensational smell?" Lina asked as she climbed into the mayor's van Saturday morning.
"Some goodies for our lunch. Our cook's fixed us up. It's making my mouth water too!" Amelia cried as she climbed in after Lina.
Zelgadiss was checking a new nick on the side of his car and grumbling about school parking lots as Xelloss followed Amelia into the van. Where to sit? Amelia was busy rearranging their jackets in the back, leaving the seat beside Lina open. Should he assume she'd be sitting with Lina? Would it be too presumptuous of him to take it? He smiled. Imagine that, he was considering the consequences of one of his actions. How…mature of him.
"Go on," came Zelgadiss' voice from behind. "What would you do if there were twice as many open seats to choose from?"
"Want company?" Xelloss asked Lina, a cheerful smile on his face. Mine, in particular? He thought to himself.
"Yeah, suit yourself. I wanted to discuss that plan of yours anyway," Lina answered. She scooted over to the window to make more room for Xelloss on the bench-style seat.
"Mr. Zelgadiss? You don't mind me sitting by you, do you? The driver wants to remove the other seats now to make room for all the pumpkins and crates we'll be carrying later."
Carrying… Ah, so that was how it would be. Beasts of burden… "Fine." Zelgadiss slid into the seat all the way to the window. "Be my guest."
At that moment, the driver, a young man in his late twenties, stuck his head in the side door and said, "It's going to be hot at the pumpkin patch, but a lot colder up in the mountains where we're going to pick up the apples, so before we head on off…I want to make sure all you guys have brought coats."
"I already checked and we're okay!" Amelia answered. Then they were off. 8:30 on a Saturday morning!
By the time they were out in the country, the early fall sun had warmed the air sure enough.
"What are we waiting for?" Lina asked as she unbuttoned her black and white striped shirt. The yellow tank top would be fine today.
"The hay wagon!" Amelia giggled excitedly. "Horse-drawn and everything! It will take us out to the pumpkin patch."
"Horses?" Xelloss echoed in a hoarse voice. He was not a country boy at heart. Fresh air was fine, but give him a city with its noisy chaos any day. And horses! He liked them less than dogs.
Zelgadiss, on the other hand, drew in the dry dusty air heavy with the scent of hay with a deep breath. This was wonderful! He had so rarely been out in the country, practically never as a child. Here, he felt so alive surrounded by the sounds and smells of myriad of living things. He tore off his concealing sweatshirt and shook out his wiry locks. Wearing a grin and a thin t-shirt, he was ready for anything!
Xelloss frowned, "Why are you so happy?"
"Because…" Zel searched for the right comeback. "You aren't! You look out of your element, big brother."
Xelloss raised an eyebrow. Zelgadiss must be in a truly good mood to call him that! Well, in that case, he'd have to enjoy the day a bit more. "Wait until you have to untangle straw from your hair, then you'll understand."
"Why don't you get your hair cut real short, Mr. Xelloss, since yours seems to give you so much grief?" Amelia asked.
"A-Amelia!" He turned to her with such an expression of combined shock and horror that Zelgadiss exploded into a fit of laughter. Xelloss sighed, "I hope that gives you a tummy ache…little brother." Then looking away he pointed out, "Oh looky, our chariot cometh!"
Lina had been looking over the produce and had snagged a bag of fresh roasted peanuts for a quarter. "Hey, is that our hayride?"
"No thank you," Xelloss turned away Lina's offer of nuts. "Breakfast?"
"Mine?" Lina asked. "Hell no! Snack. Good too! Amelia?"
Amelia nodded and greedily grabbed a few and cracked them open.
Zelgadiss shook his head. "You should know better, Lina. Xelloss prefers food whose true nature has been disguised. Food-in-the-raw is quite out of his realm."
"That's not…entirely true!" Xelloss interceded. "I eat fruit!"
"As long as it's been washed and pared, polished, peeled, or otherwise prepared so that it is unblemished."
"So?" Xelloss didn't see the point.
"You can pick an apple right off the tree later today, Mr. Xelloss! It will taste so amazing!"
"Oh." Xelloss was not thrilled or convinced. He tentatively removed his dark olive twill shirt and tied it at his waist. He felt a bit exposed in his rusty red tank, but if Zel was brave enough, then he'd deal with it too.
They were joined on the wagon by two older women, one in her fifties and the other twenty or so years older, also a teenage boy and his little brother were settling in. The horses hauled and they were jostled and jiggled over the rutted road past corn fields, recently harvested and now sporting the brilliant yellow and orange faces of sunflowers amongst the tumble of cornstalks.
Zel brushed a fall of silvery, lavender hair out of one eye and locked eyes with the little boy staring unabashedly at his face. "What happened to you?" the courageous child asked.
Amelia sucked in a gasp, but she needed have worried. Zelgadiss closed his eyes a moment then replied in a soft gentle voice before the older brother could drag the boy away, "I was in a accident when I was…just a little older than you."
The boy scrunched up his face. "You're not an ay-lee-an?"
Xelloss laughed at that. "Close! He's an elf. The ears are a dead giveaway. He tries to pass it off with that old 'accident' story, but you're pretty smart and saw through it!"
The older ladies chuckled. At first, they were a bit leery of joining this group of flashy youngsters, but it seemed they were well mannered and capable of sitting still. Entertaining as well, it seemed.
"You're part of that rock band. I heard about ya. Well, I read the paper and you guys won the battle of the bands, right?" the older brother asked.
Lina nodded, "Yeah, kinda. Best new band, the Slayers. We're from Seyruun High. You?"
"GW Tech. You know a couple of guys…ah, Duo and Heero? Yeah? Friends of friends in a band at that contest thing, too, you know how it is. Ah, sorry 'bout the nosy little brother."
Zel shrugged his shoulders, "I'm…used to it by now. Duo and Heero are friends of yours, right Amelia?"
She started in telling the new kid all about their school and mutual friends, filling the gap of time before the wagon finally came to a creaking halt.
"Time to gather pumpkins!" Amelia announced.
"How many do you want?" Lina asked stretching her arms in the warm sun.
"At least thirty of the very biggest you can find."
"THIRTY!" Xelloss choked.
"They're for the mansion. Remember how pretty they all looked last year on the fence out front? Zelgadiss' party…come on, don't give me that look, you remember!" Amelia slapped at his arm as he shook his head giving her a dumbbell imitation.
"He might not," Zel said in a lowered tone. "He'd had that fall earlier and all."
"Oh, I'd forgotten! That was when you were just becoming such good friends and about to find out how connected you were." Amelia smiled. "That was so long ago!"
"THIRTY!" Xelloss was still struggling with the numbers. BIG ONES. Heavy ones. Dirty, muddy, on-the-ground and itchy, scratchy, prickly…
"Be sure to only pick out ones with a long stem on top! That's real important!" Amelia called out. "Oh here's one real close, you can get this one for me, Mr. Xelloss."
He looked askance at her cheerful look, unmoving.
"Might as well go and get this done. The sooner its over the sooner we get up into the mountains," Zel smirked, passing by him in pursuit of a pumpkin Lina was hopping around. "…and those fresh, natural, organic, worm-infested apples…heh, heh…"
"Oh joy…" Xelloss muttered.
"Hey!" Zel barked back.
"Hay…yourself!" Xelloss smiled and pointed to Zel's hair, sporting a few dry sprigs.
It was hot, heavy work. For a few minutes, Lina and Amelia found the babies and Zel and Xelloss hefted them to the wagon. After a while, though when that wasn't making as much progress as Amelia had hoped, the boys were given their own wagons and sent out on missions to find pumpkins themselves.
Zelgadiss had an impeccable knack for finding perfect, unblemished, bright orange, round ones. Xelloss, on the other hand, did not. Each time he spied what he believed to be a nice one, the hidden side would expose a lump, or a rotten spot or some other malformation. "Hideous," he grumbled to himself. "They're all hideous. And dirty, and molding, and it's hot out here and nasty and I wish I'd never come! I'm just a servant, a farm-hand! And they're all UGLY!" he kicked one, which was warty and half-green and looked like it had been folded over in half. Out of spite, he began to collect the ugliest, most horrible pumpkins he could find—that weren't rotting and slimy, that is. He was far too finicky for that!
After a while, he came upon Zel, who was looking infuriatingly happy with his shirt soaked in sweat and his hands covered in dirt. Xelloss' glare only intensified when he caught sight of Zel's wagon full of perfect, smooth, orange orbs.
"You have a lot," Zel noticed. "I didn't think you would have been so industrious. Let me see them…" he leaned over the haul of hag-pumpkins.
Xelloss smirked. This would be a fun reaction to see…
"These are great!" Zel laughed. "Wow, yours are so cool! They have so much personality, so much character! All I saw were the round ones, but these are really something!" admiringly, he lifted up one with so many bulbous lumps it almost looked like a face already, and another that had three curves and a green spot.
Xelloss blinked. "But they're all…so…"
"You don't like them? Why'd you pick them up?" Zel wondered.
"They were the only ones I could find…"
"Well, then…let's trade!" Zel grinned, feeling smug that he'd figured it all out again. "You can haul in the perfect ones, and I'll take your beautiful warpies. We'll see who gets the praise!"
"Fine with me, little brother…" Xelloss smiled.
Dusting her hands, Lina grinned, "That was fun, Amelia. What else can we get them to carry?"
"Us, if there's no room to ride," Amelia said as she looked over the laden wagon. Luckily, the other riders had already climbed aboard with their meager findings.
Xelloss and Zelgadiss lumbered over to join Lina at the wagon. Zel gave him a look that said, 'now wait and let them be overwhelmed…'
Amelia's eyes swept over Zel's batch, dismay washing over her, "Oh those…are… will be quite a challenge to carve, Mr. Zelgadiss."
Zel blinked.
Lina, having given Xelloss' collection a quick and silent once-over, looked to see what Amelia meant. Her eye's widened, her heart skipped a beat. "Zel! These are awesome! Horridly, awfully, ugly and…I can see the most grotesque face I could carve outta that one…and that one! It will be even worse!" She slapped Zel on the back with a sharp laugh, "Way ta go!"
Zelgadiss gave her his little half-smile and nodded, "Thanks. Glad you approve."
Amelia smiled weakly and turned to Xelloss, afraid to see his choices. If Zelgadiss picked those lumpy specimens, what kind of monsters did Xelloss come up with?
"Oh! Mr. Xelloss! How perfect! These will make such cute faces! They're soooo wonderful!"
Xelloss nearly drowned in her cloying wave of excitement.
"Okay, okay, Amelia," Lina said. "So where are we going to sit?"
The older woman smiled serenely and offered a suggestion of her own. "We've saved two seats over here. Come on boys and girls…" she winked knowingly at the two boys, then said to Lina, "I don't think those two young men will mind you little things on their laps for the ride back."
"Beats walking," Lina agreed.
Xelloss made a point of looking over the two girls. "Maybe Amelia…she's small and therefore the lightest." He wrapped his hands around her waist and tested her weight.
Amelia giggled and blushed.
"Hey!" Lina pushed Xelloss' arm away. "I'm hardly taller and I'm…well…light-weight!"
Zelgadiss rolled his eyes. How could Lina have fallen into that trap?
Lina batted Xelloss hands away, though, and ordered, "You don't need to test me. Just go nab a seat!"
"Mr. Zelgadiss? I guess that means you get…"
"That's right. I'm not a very soft cushion, I'm warning you." He climbed up and over pumpkins and legs behind Xelloss and squeezed into the remaining space.
Xelloss made a face and whispered, "How cozy…You weren't being suggestive back there were you?"
Zel watched a creepy smile spread over his friend's face. "What?"
"Just watch what gets hard," Xelloss whispered into his pointed ear. "Zel-gaaadiss…"
Zelgadiss choked, sputtered, and blushed. Had he had the space, he would have punched Xelloss good and hard, but Lina and Amelia were pushing through. He had to make due with a very frosty blue-eyed glare.
"Quit wiggling!" Lina slapped Xelloss on the knee.
"This hay bail is itchy and I'm hot and something's sticking into my side," he whined.
"It's gonna get worse if you don't sit still, " she warned.
He stopped. "Zelgadiss is staring at meeeee! Ow!"
Lina pinched him. "Shut up!"
"Will your elf friends come and blast me with their magic, too?"
Lina looked down and found the little boy perched on a nearby pumpkin and touching Zel's bare arm where it revealed more of his mottled, damaged skin. And Zel couldn't move! Lina pushed the little boy's hand away saying, "It's not catching but ya never know…"
His eyes went wide and frightened, scooted away. The child didn't bother them any more. Lina's flashing red eyes were terrifying. Zel closed his eyes and whispered and quiet 'thanks' to Lina.
"Your hair tickles, "Amelia giggled.
"My apologies," Zel sighed.
Xelloss tried to readjust Lina's weight on his legs.
"Just watch your hands, buster."
"I can't possibly. You are blocking my view…not that I'm complaining!" He replied lightheartedly.
"You'd better not," she growled.
"It's bumpy and I don't want to land in the pumpkins, so…Mr. Zelgadiss? You need to make a seat belt like this." She wrapped his arms around her waist. Then she leaned back against his chest, loosely draping her arms atop his.
"Comfortable?" he asked in a near gasp of surprise (or unexpected pleasure).
"Hmm," she sighed relishing every moment.
Zelgadiss soon relaxed, enjoying the soft brush of her dark hair on his neck and chin. He'd just have to get over the fact that it was getting warmer by the second on this ride.
Oops! The wagon bounded over a large bump, nearly launching Lina from her spot. Xelloss reached out and clasped her snugly against his hips. Without a word, Lina fell back against his hard chest, then she sighed, "All right. Just this once though."
"Whatever you want, Lina," he replied coolly.
Having little else to do, Zelgadiss watched them furtively. Lina had hardly fought Xelloss, no punches for invading her space, no jabs to get him to give her more space or for his forwardness. There she was in his arms as if it was a familiar place. And Xelloss! He was blissfully smiling, eyes closed coveting his own private thoughts.
And now humming?
His mellow tenor, slightly breathy voice began to sing, "You don't want my romancing…You only let me hold you when we are dancing. I know I love you then…I don't remember where or when…"
The older woman laughed, "That old song…one of the top hits of the 40's! I think you have a few of the words wrong, as I recall…"
Xelloss looked around Lina's hair. "I like to dance to those songs. You study music? You're certain too young to remember that one." And the way he said it, it sounded sincere.
"You're quite the sweet talker," the lady chuckled.
He smiled innocently. He had a way with older women. Charm without ulterior motives.
She turned to the woman at her side and asked, "You know who that one reminds me of don't you? That pop singer you and your girlfriends were all agog over."
The other woman flushed slightly, "Mom, that was…ages ago."
"Yes, he was on a TV show and sang with his mother and sister and some other littler kids in his family. Nice fellow. What was his name?" the old lady was not about to give up.
"David Cassidy and it was a TV show on in the early 1970's called the Partridge Family," the daughter said to Lina et all. "And, except for the color of your hair, you look just like him. You don't play guitar, do you?"
Lina elbowed him in the stomach. "They mean you, goofus."
Xelloss opened his eyes fully. "Guitar? Noooo," Xelloss answered.
"He's our drummer. And he's a lot smarter than he looks," Amelia piped up.
"I think Mr. Cassidy was smart too. He was a 25 year old actor playing the part of a seventeen year old, then became a pop/rock idol. Very popular." the daughter pointed out.
"What happened to him?" Lina asked.
"Oh, well he's still performing. He was at the height of his pop stardom playing to crowds in concerts of over 60,000…then he gave it up overnight. He wanted to pursue his own dreams and return to acting. And he did. Theater, musicals, many creative outlets. He is very happily married with a 10 year old son…I believe." The daughter blushed a little at all the information she knew about him. Obviously, she was still a fan.
Xelloss smiled at her, "I hope I have fans like you when I'm 50."
"You'll be lucky if you're alive," Zel muttered, which won him a smirk in return.
"Well, he isn't the same person, but he could be his son." the older woman said with finality.
"Not possible," Lina said with assurance.
"His father was a physicist," Amelia offered.
"And my only living relative is my little bro' here," Xelloss grinned.
"I thought you said he was an elf!" cried out the little boy from behind a huge pumpkin. "You're no elf."
Xelloss blinked.
Zelgadiss sighed, "Part elf. And we are only distant relations…actually. Well, I'm his uncle to be exact."
The little boy thought that over a second. "Liar! You're not old enough!"
The two women chuckled and shook their heads. Clearly the young men were joking about it all.
Xelloss tucked a stray lock of Lina's hair neatly into her tank top. "Do you remember the title of any of Mr. Cassidy's hits?"
The daughter of the old woman nodded and answered, "Oh, his signature song, yes…'I Think I Love You'. Yes that was memorable certainly, but he had many others both with the show and later after going solo."
"Don't forget to tell them about the pictures!" the older woman's eyes twinkled with playful spite.
"Pictures? Like movies?" Amelia asked.
"He did a nude spread for Rolling Stone magazine. Not nasty like that! Very…cute! A famous lady photographer took them, and his are her most popular pictures still."
Xelloss smiled, "Really?"
Lina slapped one of his hands, "Don't get ANY ideas! And wipe that silly grin off your face right now!"
The wagon ground to a halt. The Mayor's van driver was there, waiting to help them wipe off the pumpkins and load them into the van. Hoards of people were waiting to board the hayride next. Screaming kiddies with drippy ice cream cones! They were glad they'd been on the first run of the day.
Xelloss and Zel begged for a drink and a break before the long ride up into the mountains, but had to be satisfied with just the drinks. "Here," Amelia handled each one a bottle of soda from a small cooler. "This will hold you. I want a get there and have lunch! You do too, don't you?"
Lina agreed and so that's how it was.
"Better get your coats before you get settled," Amelia counseled them. "It's amazing how much colder we are going to get real fast!"
"Not soon enough," Lina groaned as she climbed into the van again fanning herself with a scrap of corn husk.
"One mile altitude change makes a tremendous difference," the driver agreed as he started the van and turned out onto the narrow mountain road.
They road along quietly for several miles; Xelloss and Lina occasionally speaking together in hushed tones, Amelia coercing a grunt or two from Zelgadiss. Again, Zelgadiss noticed the strange familiarity growing between his two best friends, Lina and Xelloss, reminding him of his own friendship with Lina…and Gourry. Less suspicion, on Lina's part now…warmer than her past, tense interactions with Xelloss.
"I think Miss Lina feels sorry for Mr. Xelloss and his break up with that…Eris girl, don't you? She's treating him nicer today, don't you think so?"
So, Amelia noticed it too. "Yes,'" Zel said in a low voice. "I have detected a change in both of them, in their interplay, in particular. I don't know why or how, though. He seemed to get over Eris quickly (like Sylphiel), from what I could tell, anyway. He says he's no longer interested in dating."
"If you can believe that!" Amelia giggled. Their eyes met and they both smiled, secretly sharing the humor in that statement. "Okay, maybe he means it, at least until the next pretty girl smiles at him."
Zelgadiss looked over at Lina and Xelloss quietly sitting together. "Perhaps. I think Subaru has him worried more now. Xelloss has chosen to shoulder the burden of guilt for Hokuto's murder and has pledged to help Subaru's recovery as a kind of… penance, or act of atonement, you might say."
Lina shivered and yanked on her red and black buffalo-plaid fleece jacket. Leaning closer to her, Xelloss straightened out her collar and arranged her hair in back. Done, he left his arm resting across the back of the seat, nearly touching her shoulders.
Zel watched curiously. Xelloss had simply helped her on with her coat, like an everyday occurrence, and yet… considering that it was Lina, it had become an intimate gesture. It reminded him of a husband long attuned to his wife's needs. But it wasn't. So casually executed! Lina probably was not even aware he had done it! Ah, and yet, there…she raised an eyebrow. Remarkable, Zel thought of her restraint.
No, there was a growing emotional closeness between the two friends, Zelgadiss doubted it no longer. Lina was actually weakening, accepting Xelloss' overtures. Some. Unbelievable, considering where they'd started off only a year ago.
Amelia struggled into her pale peach-colored, fleece-lined pullover, with a hand from Zelgadiss to pull it down in back. It was either that or get an elbow to the nose, he smiled.
Burying her hands in the front pockets, Amelia noted, "It's really cold out, isn't it? Aren't you cold Mr. Zelgadiss?"
He had buttoned up his shirt long ago and slipped on his trusty sage-green hooded sweatshirt, but hadn't bothered to go to the trouble of adding his pale beige coat. "I'm saving my coat to when we get outdoors. It can't be much farther now. We passed the sign advertising the place a mile back."
"Oh, yes! This is it!" Amelia was bubbling with excitement. "The cook's husband's family owns this orchard. Our driver's their son, you see? All in the family! So we're bringing some of the meal with us. We'll go inside and eat first, then walk around, okay everyone?"
"Of course!" Lina gasped. As if there could possibly any other order!
And what a wonder lunch they had! Amelia and Zelgadiss carried in a crate with two enormous chicken-pot-pies tucked inside. In addition, on the table there were baskets of biscuits with still-warm blackberry jam, crisp green beans, a tossed salad of baby greens, and for dessert…a giant raspberry and peach pie loaded with a slab of melting homemade vanilla ice cream. Everyone ate with gusto!
They sat around the large farm table and talked, sipped coffee or tea and digested awhile. "If you are going to take a walk before going," the driver warned Amelia. "You and your friends had better go now. The mayor has to be picked up on time."
The orchard owners stood and walked them out of doors, then setting them on the right path, one recommended for the splendid view of the Seyruun valley, retired to their private time.
"Have I been here before?" Xelloss asked Zelgadiss. "I get the strangest feeling of déjà vu."
"Not with me," Zel admitted. "I wouldn't know with whom you might have come. One of your fathers?"
"No…"
"Okay, Mr. Xelloss!" Amelia called from the edge of the last row of apple trees. "Come pick your first real apple!"
"Do I haaave to?" he mock-whined. Actually, he was quite touched that she had remembered. "I think this one has a worm hole…"
"They do get those if they're not sprayed. Just eat around it," Zel smirked.
Xelloss stared at the foul fruit and tossed it over his shoulder. In a pie would be just fine by him. "If I pick some, will you teach me how to bake a pie, Zelgadiss?"
"Why not?" Zel sighed and walked on ahead where Lina was already starting up the short mountain trail to an overlook.
He followed her in silence, breathing in the aroma of crushed pine needles and listening to the twittering of birds in the shrubs. It was intoxicating. So wild and real, so far away from the stink of chemistry labs and high school hallways. Lina was standing at the path's end looking out over Seyruun like a queen might over her kingdom.
Zel sat on a stump, pulling out a pocket-sized drawing tablet and mechanical pencil. "Nice view?"
Lina nodded, "Yeah. The best."
Zel sketched the trees, Lina's pose, the rocks and a bit of dry mossy undergrowth thick with needles and leaf debris.
"Oooh, you're drawing? Can I see?" Amelia asked as she and Xelloss finally closed in on their private world.
Xelloss was cupping four apples against his chest. "It took a lot longer than I thought to come up with these."
"That's because you are too particular, Mr. Xelloss!" Amelia admonished him. "Things in nature aren't…perfect. Everything has it flaws and you have to overlook a few or everything will seem…well, inferior somehow."
He smiled down at her reflectively for a moment before adding, "Like people."
"Yes, like people…like us! That's what's makes friends friends, I guess, isn't it?" Amelia beamed. "It's only right and fair!"
Lina turned toward the others, wrapping her arms around herself for extra warmth, "It's time to head back now. Thanks for all this, Amelia. It was a great break from…down there."
Something that they could all agree about.
End Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT! Chapter Four.