Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT!
Chapter 26
Conversations
"You can dress 'im up, but the geek's still there!" -- Filia
"Val?" Zel had been listening to his friend and roommate hacking out his lungs for half an hour behind his closed door. "Come out and have some dinner. Keep me company."
No answer, so he gave it his last pitch. "Xelloss is out... Visiting Candy."
The door opened. "Yeah?"
Val staggered into the kitchen then slumped into a chair. "Shit."
"No, soup, but if you keep on smoking, it'll taste the same." Zel placed a steaming bowl of chicken soup on the table.
Val breathed deeply of the fragrant vapor rising off the bowl. "Beautiful," he said with a sigh. "Sorry 'bout the other. Just not feelin' good."
"Excess will do that to you. Too much smoking. Too much drinking. Too much partying." Zel winced. He had twisted his torso too sharply, causing his bruised ribs to complain. Too much fun for him, too. Gingerly, he sat with his own bowl of soup and sliced a wedge of bread for dipping. His eyes met Val's. "But you're a smart guy and know all that." Enough preaching. He was beginning to sound like his father, or somebody's father.
Val slurped and made no motion to speak.
Zel had one more point to make. "You ought to live your life for yourself, not to try and impress others, or one other." Zel said that cautiously.
"That's what I'm doin'. Mostly. I've given up tryin' ta get through ta Filia. She's too busy with clan crap and I just can't be...what I'm not." Val finished his soup. "Got some more of this? You've gotta real gift with yer cookin'."
Zel stood and filled his bowl. "Thanks. The more I do it, the better I get. First, I figure out the techniques, then I find recipes with ingredients I like. The rest is like a chemistry lab."
Zelgadiss continued to explain 'kitchen chemistry' to his friend and roommate a few minutes longer.
"Do you think she likes him?" Val asked out of the blue.
"Who are we talking about now?" Zel sighed.
"Filia and Xelloss."
"No, if you mean more than a friend, and even that's tenuous at times. Val, he thinks that she just thinks he's easier to manage in certain environments, and you in others. No preference going on. Now, you had enough soup? Can I clean up?"
"Yeah, I'm done. Want me ta wash dishes?"
"No, I'm faster doing it myself. Have any homework?" Zel asked.
"Some. If I'd passed my classes my first year, I wouldn't have so much ta take this year. It ain't hard either, just...turn in stuff when I'm supposed to and show up test days. I was so stupid back then..."
Zel turned his way. "Not stupid, Val. You had no support at home and no future. Now you have, which is why your recent return to your past bad habits disturbs me...and Lina."
"Lina? Like she even notices. She's so busy with Xelly-boy and that mu-si-cal of theirs..."
"Ours. The musical is about us and we're in it. She'll have us practicing lines soon." Zel couldn't help but note Val's apparent irritation with their other roommate, Xelloss. "Val, if you have a problem with Xelloss, why don't you talk to him about it. It's better than me, I can assure you. He likes you and has nothing but good things to say about you all the time. Anyway, he's got a girlfriend, at least I think he's patched things up with her."
"How 'bout his 'boyfriend'?" Val sneered.
"John? Oh, he's taken care of that problem." Zel smiled slyly and chuckled. "He gave John the thrill of his life when he dragged Nuriko over and introduced them."
"I don't wanna think about that double date," Val groaned.
"Me neither, but now John has someone to distract him and I guess Nuriko's interested in psychology, too, so they get along well. I don't know, it's just what Xelloss has told me."
"Did he really buy the dude a new car?" Val asked as he picked up a towel to dry the bowls.
"Yeah. I drove them to a couple places and John picked one out. He thought it was a joke, until Xelloss pulled out his checkbook. Oh, he'd concocted some wild story about having a friend in the insurance company and I don't know what else. John bought it, the story that is, and drove home in a new car. Nothing fancy, but it had a great stereo system." Zel shook his head. "Sadly for Xelloss, Candy isn't so easily bought off, her good will, I mean. He tries so hard to do what he can, but…"
Val shook his head. "Yeah, I like the guy too, you know? Xelloss is...strange, but an okay dude. It's good he's found a girl who likes him, huh?"
Zel nodded and put away the stock pot. "I don't now how long it can last, though. He can't see Candy often and the recording we're doing over winter break...she's pretty resentful. She's even tried talking to me about changing the dates, or shortening the time."
"Why don't he bring her to a practice or invite her over here?" Val wondered. "She knows you already. Unless he's afraid of the com-pe-ti-shun from me."
"He might!" Zel smiled. "It's something we never all talked about, you know what I'm referring to, bringing friends over that aren't part of the Slayers."
"Yeah. Wouldn't bother me if he wanted ta invite her. You?"
Zel shook his head. "No, as long as it wasn't a regular thing. If you said something to him it would mean more than if I did."
"Coming from me?" Val smirked. "Yeah, he'll just think it's 'cause I wanna bring Nahga over."
Zel choked on his own spit. "N-Nahga? Do you mean that?" Zel nearly dropped his cup of water as he was about to heat it in the microwave to make tea. He'd have to wear his earplugs to shut out that piercing laugh of hers.
"Yeah, she's pretty cool when it's just her an' me. She don't put on no 'airs' either. An' she don't act like she's better'n me. Ya know, she's not dumb. She's got money of her own too, though it ain't nothin' like what I've got, but she don't know how much that is. Ya know what she wants to do?"
"No. Really, Val, I can't imagine what that might be. The only real conversation I had with her was last year in some dingy apartment in Sairaag. She was an exotic dancer at the time, the Great White Serpent, I think."
Val's turn to chuckle. "Yeah, her dad didn't think much of that job. Nah, she's waitressing with Luna these days, but she's got a mind ta open a spa. Somethin' real classy, but not snooty, like that country club Xelloss unloaded on me. I was thinkin' out in that desert, near my birthplace. There's some hot springs worth checkin' out, maybe in spring."
Zelgadiss selected a teabag and dipped it into his cup, then asked, "You're serious about this?"
Val nodded. "I got all that Ancient Clan place out there. Mostly, I think it deserves to be more'n a pile of rubble. Milgasia's gonna help me. He's a great guy. Real serious, but knows a lot. Luna too. I see her more now that she's goin' out with Julian."
"Julian!" Zel gasped. "The tennis pro?"
"Yeah. Never thought I'd like the dude, but turns out he's okay. He close'ta died trying to find me on that mountain. Anyway, he and Luna'er both doing law school, though she's just passed the bar—so I guess she's done. He wants ta get married, but Luna won't leave Lina alone."
"I didn't know," Zel admitted. "I never was on friendly terms with her."
"That's what I've heard. She thinks yer okay, just a nerd with the hots fer Lina," Val said. He just couldn't resist it.
Blushing, Zel turned back to his cup of tea. "I don't either..."
"Sure ya do, but, hey, who doesn't?" Val laughed. "'Course, now that you and little Amelia are seein' some action..."
Zel's eyes shot up, wide with surprise. "What do you mean?"
Val laughed louder, "Ya took her out, didn't ya...alone? An' I'll bet my ancestral home that ya didn't just drive through town, like I heard. Am I right?"
The heat rose to his face and Zel looked into his cup hoping to read in the tea-leaf detritus about some really dark future for the roommate seated across the kitchen table from him, except that he couldn't because he'd used bagged-tea instead of loose-leaf. "It wasn't around the town. It was up in the hills. Star gazing...and all."
"It was rainin'. Ain't no stars, or were ya too busy ta notice?" Val snorted and chuckled, but he could see that his friend was truly uncomfortable talking about anything too personal. "Hey, I don't want ta hear no details, dude. Just pullin' yer chain...unless ya wanna tell."
"NO! I-I don't. Listen, there's nothing going on with me and Amelia. She's a nice girl and all but...it's not me she's after." There, he'd said something about what was troubling him. It was hard to open that wound.
"Not you? Who then?"
Zel sighed. "Nobody you know. The guy's dead now anyway."
"No shit..." then Val realized who Zel was talking about. He had missed the attack on the mayor and regretted not having been there to help out.
"Yeah, you missed all that, including meeting Amelia's cousin..."
"Alfred? Yeah, Gourry told me about the guy, and I'm not talkin' about the in-see-dent either. I mean that Gourry said the guy was a dead ringer fer you, ah...without the scars and all. But wasn't as sure as you about Amelia bein' in love with the dude. He was her cousin and they were close as kids, he said."
Zel fixated on his tea.
Val thought about what Zel had said and Gourry both. "Ya know what I think? I think A-mee-lee-a likes you and she liked her cousin, and yer looks an' his looks just don't mean nothin' to her, and that's that. Yer not as smart as I thought, if yer think she's that su-perfi-shul." Val gave Zel a hard stare, trying to penetrate that thick Greywords skull. "She's more ma-ture about that than you."
Zel darted a hard look up at Val, then back down at his cup.
"Yeah, I said that! Yer all messed up about how ya look, so do somethin' about it."
Zel slammed his cup down with surprising violence. "All right, I will..."
Val started at the sudden intensity of his action.
Zel sighed and regained his composure. "Ah...but promise me something? If you ever bring Nahga into this house, warn me." He pointed to one of his ears and smirked.
They were back at school again. It felt odd. The Slayers were living in two worlds– one as extraordinary kids in the adult world and the other as that of ordinary teenagers doing the customary things. All, except for one, Xelloss. He never had fit in with the common teen scene and he wasn't about to start now. Freed from the restraints of his mother's rule and taste and encouraged by Lina's dauntless attitude toward their band costuming, Xelloss had begun to acquire a wardrobe of peculiar, often flamboyant, clothes which were mostly for performing. Now, to be fair, everyone in the band had done this, but few wore the outfits to school. Sure, Zelgadiss snuck out with a black mesh shirt under a sweater, his earrings, and perhaps a studded belt or bracelet. Val retained his tough exterior and wore his black and chains and piercings daily. Even Lina's dressing showed more care taken to choose marvelously garish combinations on occasion. But Xelloss took it a step or five further. Not that he cared what anyone thought of his appearance, it was just too damn fun to shock and annoy the sensitive folk, that plus he reveled in the attention brought by both his visual aspect and the growing celebrity of the band.
So today, fresh from the success of recording their first CD with the Flying Figs, he ambled carelessly down the hall to an appointment. He and Lina had their semi-regular meeting with the drama teacher and with the principal, and this time they had a CD to show for all their holiday time. Humming a tune from the band, he was smiling and relaxed in his shiny yellow vest and loose-fitting black leather jacket whose sleeves were printed with a wine and green colored diamond pattern. Lina had seen the jacket in a store window while in Atlas City and declared it 'perfectly Xelloss.' So, he bought it along with the vest, which she loved as well. Low slung, snug, black leather pants completed his ensemble. The pants were new. He didn't like them for sitting long; never for drumming. But since this was play and not work, he was giving them a test run. Val swore by them; of course, he did a lot of swearing.
Xelloss hummed and strolled, until he was brought up sharply by a loud, rude voice and a body built like a brick wall.
"Hey, look who we have here...the little drummer boy. You know, the one that drums to a different beat?" The lout turned up his lip into a snarl, grabbed his crotch and growled, "I think I got what yer lookin' for."
A few of his buds drew up from behind Xelloss, sealing him into the compact knot of male malice.
Xelloss was totally unprepared. He hadn't had any 'situations' for a year now and had come to think the human race had evolved beyond harassment. Different beat? That was pretty sophisticated for these apes. Then he recalled that music reviewer's article. Did that author know that what he had written amounted to slander, or what, true or not, it could do to a guy? Not likely. Now, Xelloss was facing the problem head on, and was absolutely unafraid. He knew with total certainty that even as out of practice as he was, he could take them all out. It wasn't the entire football team, just five bullies from the team, and unless they all worked together and sat on him, he was in no real peril. Physically. Mentally...it was a pain. He thought of his clothes. Didn't want to mess them up. Damned tight leather pants really restricted his mobility too.
"Ah, well...sorry. I'm not interested in you boys. Now, if you would just..." Xelloss stepped to one side, putting himself in a better defensive position.
Rough hands snatched at his arms in an attempt to restrain him. Another ran along his thigh. Bad move. Really bad. With an effort, Xelloss wrested away one arm and was about to break bones, beginning with that most offending hand, when a different voice called out.
"Xelloss! Oooh, I've been searching all over for you." Filia pushed past the posse. Actually, the moment she appeared they parted like the Red Sea to give her space– the head cheerleader any of them would have killed to date.
"Oh, well..." Xelloss yanked his other arm free, jabbing an elbow into the nearest brute.
"I just wanted to give you this..." She pulled his face to hers and kissed him passionately. Shocked and unbalanced as he was, he nevertheless fell into his role momentarily, returning her kiss with practiced ardor.
She pulled back slightly, still holding his head with one hand and fingering his hair. "...I haven't forgotten our time in Atlas City over the break. I hope you haven't either."
"How could I forget?" He smiled. What time? The massive headache? The fan attack?
"You forgot your room key..." she purred.
Oh, that trip to Atlas City! "How absentminded I was! Lucky for me you are a sharing person," he replied, adding a husky edge of seductiveness to his voice.
"Right. So, ah...what are you doing here? Come on, say bye-bye to your fanboys and walk me to my next class, okay?" Filia snaked her arm around his waist and nudged him with her hip.
"As you wish," Xelloss smiled and wrapped an arm over her shoulders. "Excuse us."
Amid some runts and shuffling, the party was over.
"Whew!" He gasped when they were out of sight.
"I just ruined my reputation for you just now, you know that?"
"You made mine!" He smiled. She wasn't smiling though. She was expecting something. "Thanks, but...I could have handled them. In fact, I was about to..."
"What, start a fight in the hall?"
"Well, to be more accurate, they were the ones to start it all. I was just walking..."
"But it would have been a fight. Xelloss, you know that..." she lowered her voice to a whisper, "...that Grauscherra guy thinks you are too weak to be a threat. You take out five guys and you'll look like a trained thug or something... Okay, not a 'thug,' but you'll get him thinking and ruin your cover."
Oh, that. He hadn't mentioned to anyone how he didn't think his cover was worth the trouble it took to maintain it, believing that Grauscherra was behind both the painting incident and the corruption of Alfred. Well, now was not the time to argue with Filia. "Oh. Right. Um, thanks, Filia. Really! I hadn't thought of that. I wasn't thinking, just reacting, I guess." Afraid that he hadn't made that sound sincere, he placed a hand on her arm and added. "I mean it, Filia. Thank you."
She weighed his reaction and decided his male ego was quashed sufficiently. "Yeah, well. Watch it next time. Been practicing?"
"Huh? Oh, no. I haven't been to the dojo in months," he asserted.
She slapped his hand away. "Not karate! Your other moves...?" To his confused expression she dropped the subtlety. "Nice kissing, nutcase!"
"Oh...ah...some, I guess so, that is...if you think so, um..." He muttered inanely after being caught off-guard by her compliment.
Triumphantly, Filia tossed her blond ponytail and laughed, "You can dress 'im up, but the geek's still there!"
Before he could respond to that, she had left him there, gawking after her in the hallway.
"OOF!" He coughed after a hard slug to his mid-section punched the air out of him.
"Don't give me the 'I got lost' excuse either," Lina shouted. "What do I need? A leash? Do I need to put you onna leash so you get where and when you...scratch that...when and where I need you to be? Huh?"
"No, I got waylaid by a gang of..."
"Pirates. Sure, I know. Nice try. I saw you jawing away with Filia. Geesh, isn't that Candy enough? Ya gotta go and make trouble with Filia, too?"
"Well, actually, it wasn't me that started it. You see..."
"Yeah, yeah..." Lina gave him a push in the right direction. "It's never you. Trouble just surrounds you."
"Strange attractor."
"Huh? What?"
"Strange attractor. It's a physics term. My father named me after one, or it after me, I forget which. I funnel chaos..."
Lina was about to say something smart, but he looked so forlorn, she passed it up for something less harsh. "You keep life exciting, that's for sure."
He rewarded her with a smile, "Really? Well, I guess..." he insisted, "So do you."
She punched him gently, "Idiot."
"Hmmm," he smiled. "Our room. Yes, the teacher awaits within."
The drama teacher had been impressed with the music and all their progress. He had passed on a few suggestions, and then hastened the kids out the door to their next appointment.
Grauscherra was excited. "Me? In charge of the location? Why...that's... I'm honored, honored... This musical needs a fine stage and should accommodate several hundred...perhaps tens of thousands! Maybe a concert hall or an arena...or stadium. Yes...the stadium could hold 50,000 people!"
"Eh?" Lina crooked her neck up from her notes to see if the man was in his right mind. "No, no...500 or so will be big enough."
"I once attended a theater production in Mosquita," Xelloss put in. "It's a suburb of Seyruun," he added remembering that Grauscherra was new to the area. "If you'd like, I could locate the number for their Theater Arts Festival Committee?"
"Yes, would you? Use my computer right here, if you'd like," the principal said smiling. "This musical thing is so exciting. I'm so glad to be a part of it. I wish I could do more..."
Lina and Xelloss exchanged glances over the monitor. Xelloss nodded and continued his typing.
"Well, if you feel that strongly about it..." Lina said casually. "We do have this bit part at the end that hasn't been cast yet. Kind of a walk-on really...but you'd be the, ah, hero."
"Oh it sounds perfect, perfect! I could do introductions at the start and..." He slapped his hands together and grinned. "A musical role..."
"Getting back to my check list," Lina nudged. "About the ticket price, $20 might sound a bit steep for a high school function, but..."
"$20 for the seats in back, $50 for the mid-section, and $100 for the boxes– without a doubt!" the principal interjected. "Parking extra. Do you have kids to do that?"
Xelloss looked up from the monitor. What did this man think he was? A magician? "Ah, not yet. I have found the website and looks like we can do our booking from here. Okay, it appears Mosquita's largest theater seats 800. Parking...it has valet available, but if we substitute our own...students, we can earn more money; that is, if they will let us."
"Is the place available? How much? We're doing this for a profit!" the man shouted.
"I thought we were doing this for a grade..." Lina muttered.
"Okay, here's the deal," Xelloss said drawing the man to his side. "Look at this: schools, religious organizations, and non-profit organizations– special rates, and they are low. Shall I see if their calendar is open?"
"Do that. We'll book it today."
"If you like..." Xelloss dutifully began that process. "They will need a credit card number to hold the reservation."
"Oh? Here, use mine," Grauscherra whipped out his wallet and handed over a card.
Xelloss examined it. "Ah, sir? I believe you have made a mistake. This isn't a credit card." He offered the card back, pretending to be unconcerned.
"Did I? Oh! Indeed I did. Ah, yes, let me have that back. Here, this is what you'll be needing." Hastily the man traded him a credit card for a card from a syndicate-run shop.
Xelloss smiled briefly, and then completed the transaction under the studied gaze of the principal. "And...that's it. Lina? We have our location!"
Lina saluted him with a thumbs up. "That's all for my checklist then. You?"
Xelloss shifted on his chair. "Mr. Grauscherra, something you'd like to add?"
"Have you ever heard of the syndicate?"
Xelloss exerted the utmost control over his features to remain composed. What kind of game was his man playing? Was he to pretend that he didn't know Grauscherra was one of the elite members, that his mother had been his equal, that his father had been the head of a competing conglomerate, that his Aunts, Uncles... his family was imbrued in syndicate muck? That he had crossed paths with the syndicate twice in the Thanksgiving vacation? Was this man being cagey or just plain stupid? Xelloss smiled and answered, "Ah...yes. I once had an uncle who sold articles to several publications."
Grauscherra did a double-take? "Eh, what? Oh...I see, you thought I meant 'syndication', common mistake. I've made it myself! But actually I was thinking of this other...organization of...well, it doesn't matter. I can see you're confused."
Xelloss nodded, "Yes, sir!"
"So, do you have an hour or so? I'd like to take a drive. Let's all go for a drive and see this theater in Mosquita, shall we?" Grauscherra reached for his coat.
Lina shrugged her shoulders in answer to Xelloss' raised eyebrows. "Sure, why not?" she said.
On the way out, Grauscherra stopped at the office secretary's desk and asked about his assistant. No, Miss Sherra had not yet returned from lunch but was due in any time. That news seemed to please him.
"She's such a workhorse. All work and no play, you know?" the man snickered on their way out. "I'm sure she'd find umpteen other things for me to do if she knew I was about to go out. Well, this is important too, isn't it? Of course!"
Lina agreed, "Yeah..." She had decided that insanity ran in the syndicate. It must be in the blood...
The moment Xelloss walked in the door, Zelgadiss was on him. "Want a ride to the Shrine to see Subaru?"
"Yes. Do I get to eat first?"
"No, but I did make you a sandwich. Take it and turn around."
"Can't I go to the bathroom?" Xelloss whined.
"There are plenty at the Shrine. Get moving. I'm meeting with Sylphiel and she only has a few minutes before she's going to a game. Cheerleading, you know."
Xelloss took a bite out of the sandwich as he led the way to Zel's car. "Napkin?"
"Lick your fingers."
"That's not hygienic."
"You're not hygienic. You'll live."
As Zel drove the streets of Seyruun to the downtown, Xelloss asked, "Sylphiel?"
"I was wondering how long it would take you to ask that," Zel smirked. "I thought we might start dating." He stared straight ahead and counted...one...two...three...
"What? No! I don't believe that...ah...you were kidding, right? Naturally. Okay, so what's really up?"
"I want her to look over my character sketches, especially the costumes, for suggestions. She knows fabrics and what they can do better than I do."
"Did you run them by Filia yet?" Xelloss suggested.
"Yes, and she had some good ideas I'll think about." Zel shot Xelloss a quick glance. "She told me you had a near encounter of the bad kind in the halls. She saved your ass."
Xelloss made a face and squirmed. "Poor choice of words, little brother." He sighed and looked out at the bright lights reflecting off the wet street. The past few days had seen constant rain, tearing off the remaining fall leaves, and leaving the city gray and drab. Soon the holidays would dress it up again in lights and cheering colors, but for now, it was bleak looking. "Her timing was good, though. She stopped me from making a scene."
"That all?"
"All? I don't know what you mean. Just say what's on your mind like you usually do," Xelloss insisted.
"You're not...after her, are you?" A faint pink colored Zel's cheeks. "Not that I care, but Val was grousing about life and her name and your name came up...linked at times."
"Oh, gods, Zelgadiss, I can barely handle one girlfriend, much less juggle another, and especially one like...Filia. I don't need her insults on a regular basis, thank you. Think I'm a masochist? She is all Val's, as far as I'm concerned."
Zel nodded. "I think he's tired of trying to get her attention."
Xelloss nodded too. "She's being pressed into nearly full-time servitude out at the settlement, he should be aware of that. She's lucky to..."
"Be able to join in the band activities, I know, he agrees logically, but..."
"Emotionally... Yeah, I know. He's never around these days, what's up with him?" Xelloss asked.
"He's...how I do put this...dating Nahga, partying late and...he's smoking again."
"Not in our house!" Xelloss declared.
"In his room, I think. Outside on the porch..."
"Nahga or the smoking?" Xelloss interrupted.
"Oh, ah...the smoking. Nahga, thankfully, has remained part of his nightlife outside of the house, although, that might change. Anyway... He's getting his class work done and homework too, so I can't come down too hard on him. He's just a little...jealous of your new more confident, successful persona, and of Candy."
"Candy? He's never met her, has he?" Xelloss asked.
"No, but he thinks you ought to bring her over. You know, the tour, dinner."
"Really?" Xelloss smiled. And you? Would you be okay with that?"
"Of course. She's a nice girl, Xelloss. Invite her anytime, but not all the time."
"Over night?"
"Occasionally. I don't really care, Xelloss, but I don't want me or Val to gross her out in the morning. That's your job." Zel smirked.
Xelloss smiled in return. "It would help. She thinks I'm hiding a wife or something."
Zel chuckled. "I doubt it, but she's half right, you are hiding a huge part of your life from her. Have you thought about what and when to introduce the 'other' Xelloss?"
"Which one?" Xelloss sank back into the comfortable leather seat, the warmth of the heater kicking in and soothing his raw nerves. "I can think of practically nothing else. I don't know where to start or what to reveal or when to stop..."
"When did you ever?"
"Ouch!"
"It's true. A year ago most everything was 'a secret' or you were blabbing about it constantly."
Xelloss opened his eyes and leveled a purple stare in Zel's direction. "Blabbing?"
"Yes, blabbing. Imparting way too much information at one time, although it was mostly about me at the time."
Xelloss smiled. "I see. Pretty annoying, wasn't I?"
"No end of annoying. Of course, I was a miserable wretch with a chip on my shoulder..."
"The size of a boulder. Yep, that was you." Xelloss grew serious again. "Speaking of shoulders...I'm nervous about the doctor appointment."
Changing the subject adroitly, Zel returned, "I'm more worried about the next practice with Lina."
Xelloss looked puzzled. "How so?"
"Oh, that's right; she's been dancing around the topic with you. Doesn't want to 'distract you from the musical' right now," Zelgadiss said.
"Lina's avoiding talking to me about what? I don't understand."
"All right, here's a few of the things she's been nagging me about. First, how did you know Mazenda and Kanzel, and what new information about them have you gathered? Second, what was up with the painting incident at the AtMet last week? She doesn't believe in coincidences, apparently. Let's see...thirdly... Why did you show up at the mayor's with your syndicate staff, the one with that heavy red stone on top— which she craves, mind you-- ? Why did you save Phil, and then not return to help the rest of us out– not a necessary action from my standpoint, but this was Lina's diatribe, not mine."
Xelloss shook his head. "Good questions, Miss Lina. And I have one for her: Why didn't you show them that ring I gave you and save yourself?"
"Oh yeah, Gourry was on her about taking too many risks; I mean, he was really mad at her. But, being there, I can say that it took us awhile to figure out that they were syndicate people, and the moment we made that connection, Mazenda's foot was connecting with my ribs. After that we were pretty busy and Lina probably just forgot. Amelia too."
"Amelia? Oh...you finally gave her that necklace, eh? How did she react? Or should I ask, how long a justice speech did you have to endure before she finally succumbed and accepted it?" Xelloss smiled at the mental image.
Zelgadiss smiled at an entirely different mental image. "She was all over me."
"Huh? No, really... Really? REALLY! Whoa...I haven't heard about all this. When did...what happened, tell me." Xelloss straightened and twisted sideways in his seat.
Xelloss' reaction was satisfying to Zel's ego. Smiling all the while, he parked the car and set the brake. "Ah, too bad. We're here. I have to run to meet Sylphiel. Maybe later. Shall I meet you at Subaru's room?"
Xelloss climbed out of the car and grinned, "Musta been a good time."
Zelgadiss hid his smile and marched onwards.
"Yeah, sure. Subaru's room. I'll be there awhile." Xelloss opened the door and greeted the novice on door duty, signed both himself and Zel in, and then pealed off to the left, leaving Zel to wander off to the right.
Subaru had been expecting the visit, since Zelgadiss had called earlier to warn him. He had not returned to high school since his sister's death. His spirit had been broken and the fix was slow in healing. Slow…slow like the repair of nervous tissue. But his heart was eased by work or at least his mind was distracted, and so, he remained at the White Shrine performing his priestly duties and interacting with no one unless forced to. The Slayers kids were a fortunate exception, fortunate for him. Twice weekly at least, Xelloss paid him a call. Xelloss had his own work to do for the shrine, but Subaru knew that that was often put off in favor of spending time with him. And, as much as he appreciated the company of Xelloss and all the Slayers, he felt it was nearly time for him to answer another call, one that would begin at the newly re-constructed shrine near Atlas City in Ridkou Village, and then possibly take him over seas. He had one more thing to do with his life, and it would begin soon, he thought.
"Hello," Subaru greeted the slightly taller, purple-haired priest at his door. "Come in. Would you like some tea?"
"Yes, thank you, ah...I'll be back in a second. Gotta find the men's room," Xelloss said before turning away.
"Four doors down on the left," Subaru called after him, and then returned to his hot plate and tea pot.
A few minutes later, the two friends were seated in Subaru's tiny priest's compartment, Subaru on the edge of his bed and Xelloss on the only chair. They exchanged pleasantries for awhile, then Subaru asked about Xelloss' week back, so far, since he'd last seen him. Carefully as possible not to reveal too much, Xelloss described the murder of Amelia's cousin during an attempt to displace the mayor.
That saddened Subaru. He asked about the planned funeral.
"Close family only. Not even me," Xelloss replied. "Amelia missed school today to attend. Her uncle wished it to be very low key."
"Ah..." was all Subaru had to add.
To change the subject quickly, Xelloss shared some of the musical details. "Zelgadiss will be stopping by later and he can show you his drawings. He's quite talented."
Subaru mentioned his own blossoming, though only passable, skills with the laptop drawing tool.
"Really? I have mine here in my backpack. Would you show me something?" Xelloss asked.
Subaru was reluctant at first, but slowly overcame a bit of his shyness when Xelloss admired his work. He was open about expressing his feelings, something Subaru was not, and after a short time, Xelloss was able to draw out Subaru's personality a little more.
"Next time I come I'll bring you one to use. I'd leave you this one, but it's got some sensitive information on it," Xelloss explained.
Of course, Subaru didn't want Xelloss to buy an expensive thing like that for him, so it took all of Xelloss' charm and a white lie or two- very difficult for Xelloss to pull off– to convince the guy that there was and 'extra' one 'with his name on it' just 'lying around unused'.
What else to talk about? Xelloss thought of Filia and the hall incident, and began to complain about that. "I am so tired of being mistaken for being gay. I don't get it! I have a girlfriend; I don't hang around with guys, except the band. I mean, I have gay friends, but we don't go out places together. It's just so irritating to have to defend myself all the time. No one else I know has to! Nuriko, now he's bi, but he wears dresses, for godssakes, but with a blackbelt no one gives him any guff. Of course, at the university anything goes. He was pretty normal in high school, until his sister fell off a horse and died, and then he grew out his hair and decided to be the girl his sister couldn't be... Ah, then there's John. Did I tell you I had introduced him to Nuriko, and they've become quite close? Well, after buying him a car to replace the one I had borrowed and wrecked..."
Subaru's eyes had narrowed, then widened at that piece of news.
Xelloss jabbered on. "Oh, yes, I did that, not actually wrecked it, I abandoned it and someone else totaled it, which was okay since it stopped them from getting away. Anyway, I think he got the wrong idea about me, so I told him about Nuriko and promised to bring him over. He's pretty recognizable these days, Nuriko is. Ah...where was I? Oh, so what is it about me? I'll change it...anything… Ah, but not the hair. It stays."
Expecting Subaru to ask 'why?' Xelloss looked up at him, and was astonished.
There was a strange expression on Subaru's pretty face. This one did not belong in his usual scope of lost-boy to innocent. This was a look of white fury, anger held back just behind the skin of his face. He was shaking. Slowly, he set his quivering tea cup down with a horribly, tiny clink on the saucer. He was silent. Silent like death. Xelloss felt his heart freeze. Oh, gods. What had he done? Sister…died…change…hair…
Hesitantly, painfully Subaru moved his lips to speak. It seemed to be a great effort to make words come out. "You…I…" he stopped trying. He closed his eyes. He breathed. Xelloss had stopped breathing. Oh, gods…what had he done?
There was a familiar crash, the jingle of keys, sound of footsteps. "Hey, guys. I brought—" Zel walked in on a scene that sent shivers down his spine. He dropped his gift of tangerines and sat down, right there, in the doorway. "Subaru…?"
"…I do not understand. I am sorry," Subaru said, very quietly. "I have not been in your situation. I cannot understand your pain. But…" his voice broke and he breathed for a while, trying to wrap his tongue around those cruelly elusive words. "But you are…"
"Xelloss, what—" Zel began.
"I was just talking about…what happened today…"
Zel's mind was ablaze with the firing of neural synapses. Thoughts connected…the sordid web grew more distinct, and yet more complicated…
Subaru stood up. "But those things do not matter. Why…why is it so horrible? Why do people hurt each other…if people…" he swallowed, "did not talk to each other, then…we wouldn't need…"
"To be anything but animals," Zel put in, trying to help—
"What is wrong with animals? I…I can…" he drew in breath. "Animals…I understand. With animals, you can be your true self. You…you don't have to hide behind propriety or—or…"
Zel's face displayed pain. Xelloss', turmoil. Subaru's…
…
"Animals…don't make each other cry…"
"But animals don't cry for anyone—"
"I had a dog, once," Subaru continued. Was he talking to himself? "I saved it, as a puppy. From cruel children. They were only children. But they could hurt another creature. Defenseless? So…I used my own body…to shield it. So they hurt me instead. Mostly with words. Then they went away. The dog cried for me. Not tears, but…with its voice. All dogs have different voices. I can tell any animal by its individual voice. Just like people. When my dog died…I cried for it. Because I would never hear its voice again. It comforted me, but…in the end…
"In the end there was nothing I could do to comfort it."
Silence.
Then, "It must have loved you very much, Subaru," Zel said, almost as if he were talking to someone younger…or maybe, as if he himself were younger. Simpler. "You are a very caring person."
"And that's the problem, isn't it?" Subaru asked, looking at him. Hs green eyes were full of tears. "That's why I'll never be good enough. Hokuto…used to tell me that I shouldn't care so much. That I'd break. But now… Now I don't care at all. About anything. I…don't feel any better."
"Subaru…"
"Xelloss…I don't understand. Why do people have the feeling of affinity? Why do they fall in love? You…you are attracted to women. That is okay, it seems. It makes sense. People reproduce. Animals reproduce. It is logical. Natural. But…why do people fall in love? Why is that necessary?"
Xelloss shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't. It would hurt a lot less. It would be better, I think, if we didn't…"
"Guys…" Zel had to stop this. This was stupid, destructive! This wasn't good for either of them. Xelloss was still venting his own frustrations, not even listening to what Subaru was saying. When did Xelloss listen? When did ANYONE listen to Subaru? Only Zel understood, and the burden was…was so heavy…
"I guess we need to form attachments with our mates…so that we feel obligated to raise our defenseless young…" Xelloss mused, feeling very much like scientific, logical, clear-headed Zel and hoping for a commendation.
Subaru shook his head. "But I loved my dog. I loved my sister. I…there are other kinds of love. I only know them. They hurt so much. I wish…I could be just like him and…not…feel…a thing."
If Xelloss had not heard him before, he heard him now. "Subaru…that's…"
"I'm sorry," Subaru said, tersely. "I am burdening you. You have much to think about. Many problems. And I cannot understand them. To be mistaken for something you are not…and targeted for it. To have too many who love you. I do not know that kind of pain."
Zel stopped him with the touch of a finger to Subaru's pale wrist. "Subaru…there was a time…when I had it all. I was the smartest, cleverest, most admired guy in my entire school. The sky was the limit and I can even now go back into that fifth grader's head and remember just how incredibly awesome that feeling was." Zel looked away. "Then in an instant, I lost it all. It was just…gone. I was a freak. A monster. I was wrapped in bandages head to toe for months, living and breathing pain without relief, then I had reconstructive surgery for more, then I came out looking like this!"
Zel spread his arms and tossed his bangs away from his face revealing the more heavily scarred side of his face. "I wanted to die. I was certain my life was over. I had lost what was important to me and I just couldn't face the world. I was very weak spirited, you see. Lina, thank the gods, was and is very strong. I was so lucky to have a friend like her to stick by me and make me move again and walk and after a while meet new people. Subaru, not much more than a year ago, I was a mess, and now…I have my friends, a family, the band…reasons to go on living and…loving as well. Most of all, I'm even able to talk about all this."
Zel took a deep breath. "Now, if I can do that, then surely there's hope for you. And all of us in the Slayers are here for you to listen and advise, yes, even incompetent guys like Xelloss mean well," he smirked over at his friend.
"There is hope, Subaru. And I'm here to tell you that even if you've lost it, I haven't…we haven't and we are here to remind you of that everyday. All right? Do you believe me?"
"Zelgadiss…" Subaru's eyes were brimming with tears, almost over-flowing. "All I wanted was to be someone important to him…some one he could care about…that was all."
"We care about you, Subaru. It may not be what you want, but we're here anyway. All right?"
"Can…I be alone? For a while?" he asked, nearly whispering.
Zelgadiss grabbed Xelloss and nodded. "Try the tangerines. We'll be back soon…call me…if you want to talk more. I'm ready for it if you are," Zelgadiss said.
"I…soon. I'm…almost ready, I think," Subaru smiled very weakly. They left.
"Are you sure we should be leaving him alone? I mean…what he was saying...he sounded…"
"A little like you do, when you're working things out while you're talking."
"But…he sounded…desperate. On the edge. He doesn't talk like that…"
"And that," Zel sighed, turning a corner smoothly in his sleek car, "is the problem. Xelloss, he needs to talk through this stuff, or else he'll just internalize it as the truth of the universe. He has to get it out, put it in perspective, share with others. Get it? This is the first normal, healthy reaction we've gotten from him. Yes, his philosophy is abstract and…faintly disturbing. But it helps him to talk about it. All right?"
"But…what was he talking about? He doesn't really mean that he doesn't…you know…like people? What sort of a question is 'why do people fall in love'? How can he expect us to answer that? How can he need an answer to that?"
"Xelloss," Zel gritted his teeth, clenched the steering wheel a bit harder. "I'm sorry that you couldn't figure this out on your own, but… Look, what do you think set him off? What did you say that made him angry, or as close to angry as he can get?"
"Well…I said some stupid things…I got off onto Nuriko and mentioned that his sister died…and I talked about changing without cutting my hair…I mean, he had to cut off his hair after H-hokuto died so that he wouldn't see her every time he—"
"Well, that certainly didn't help, but that wasn't all you said. Do you want to know why he's so dysfunctional? Why he can't handle his grief?"
"I…"
"Xelloss, he was—IS—in love with Seishirou! Get it now? Seishirou and only Seishirou. And then he killed Hokuto. Subaru not only has to deal with loss, but betrayal—and guilt. He's all alone, now. His idea of love is completely and utterly corrupted. Now think about that for a while, and stop bitching about your love problems."
"I keep forgetting…" Xelloss mused when Zel's words had completely died away, "that there are people in this world more screwed up than me."
"Damn straight."
They drove on quietly for a little longer. Xelloss certainly had a lot to think about, Zel knew. He would probably be mulling it over for a few days…things would be nice and quiet—if a little dour—around the house for a while…
"You know what Subaru needs?"
Zel had no idea.
"A pet!" Xelloss brightened.
Oh, joy. Here we go again…
At lunch the next day, Lina asked to see Zel's drawings. "Zel these are…"
Zel looked up expectantly. One could never tell with Lina what she might like or not like.
"Spectacular! I love them! Feathers! I had been thinkin' leather, like bat wings for Val, but feathers…"
"Huh?" Val barked aloud. "Ya got me made out like a bird, Zel-bob? You told me a dragon-demon kinda thing!"
He ripped the paper from Lina's hand. "Oh…that's cool, dude. Okay…" Then he added with a spreading grin, "What's with the neckline on Filia's dress?"
Zel flushed as Filia broke from her conversation and riveted him with a cold stare. "My what?" Filia asked.
Zel snatched the drawing from Val, and then explained. "It laces up the front. I was just trying to show that by loosening them."
Filia rose out of her seat and towered over them both. "I might wear something under that…or not!" She laughed saucily and returned to her chair.
Xelloss slid over in his seat and peered over Zel's arm. "My, my, Zelgadiss. What was on your mind when you were coming up with these designs? Let me see…did you put the men in codpieces and the women all in bosom-baring dresses?"
Zel whipped the papers over, face down and slid them back over to Lina. "No."
"Oh, just the women are treated like sex symbols? Is that to rack up the dollars at the door?" Xelloss continued to tease him.
Zel tried to ignore him. "I got my ideas from books of period clothing."
Xelloss was now hovering behind Lina hoping to catch another glimpse of a design. Lina shuffled through until she found his. "Hey, I'm just in my priest's cloak? No fancy sorcerer's robes! Ach! ZelGAdiss!"
Gourry was curious about what he'd be wearing. He was seated beside Lina, and so, simply looked over her head. "That's a great lookin' outfit for you, Lina."
"Yeah, I like it. Those shoulder pads kinda scream 'in your face' don't they, heh…heh? Here, you'll look pretty fine as a mercenary swordsman in that, right?"
"You put Lina in pants? And why doesn't Amelia have a low-cut bodice, huh?" Xelloss asked over Lina's shoulder, a safe distance from Zel.
"Because I'm the one doing the designs, not you," Zel growled dangerously. Okay, so Xelloss' criticism was beginning to get to him.
"Hey, Amelia, you get a traveling outfit with pants and an occasional princess dress. Aren't you lucky," Lina smiled across the table to her younger friend.
"Well…that's good!" Amelia announced. "Princesses should have lots of clothes whereas the common people should wear the same things day after day. I'm sure Zelgadiss was thinking of that, right?"
Zel nodded. Sounded good to him.
Sylphiel was now checking all the pictures over, noting any changes he might have made.
"Hello!" a friendly voice called from behind her. It was Bobby, the harp-playing band leader from the Flying Figs.
"Hi!" chorused the Slayers.
"The CD went over well with the drama teacher," Lina began. "We scouted out our location with the principal, and that's all settled. Zel's been workin' out the character sketches, you know…clothes and stuff."
Sylphiel sighed, "I just know I can't sew all this alone…on time!"
"Ah, ha! Well, it's the Anguish of Snails…er…ah… the Flying Figs are multi-talented. Consider the sewing skills of me, Lee, and Pearl…oh, and Luke too, at your service!" Bobby tipped his floppy black hat towards Zelgadiss.
"Guys that sew?" Filia asked.
"And knit!" Bobby grinned. "We had this crazy German teacher in middle school who taught everyone to knit the first year and to sew the next two years. Good for costumes, I can tell you."
"You are hired," Zel sighed. A problem solved that he hadn't even thought would be a problem…
"Ah, there's just a wee bit of a problem," Bobby said apologetically.
"Of course…"
"We probably can't cover the cost of the materials, though we work cheap."
Zel was relieved. Payment, so that was all? "We have a budget, and you'll get paid for your time and material." Over Bobby's thrilled noises, Zel added, "I'll leave you and Sylphiel to work out who does what then, all right? Oh, for monetary issues, always go through Lina."
From the Authors:
Where are the pictures?
Seyruun High Jinx has a home. Please go to the author profile for Kaeru Shisho and choose the link. You will find the contest results as well as pictures under Seyruun High Jinx NEXT. Pictures for each of the other stories are associated with their links.
KS
End Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT! Chapter 26.