Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT!
Chapter 33
Bombs Away!
He who would love must first learn to run through snow leaving no footprint.– American Indian Proverb
"Before you call anyone else," Candy cried out, stopping Xelloss from pulling the sweater over his head with a hand to his arm. "Tell me what's going on! That horrible man almost killed me! You asked...no, demanded that he know who you were... Xelloss... who are you?"
"Oh...Candy..." his troubled eyes met hers. "I don't have time for this right now. I need you to stay here until the police arrive and answer their questions, and then see if the emergency 24-hour window repair guys can replace this broken pane before all the heat's lost and we get a heating bill Zelgadiss will kill me for, while I go out and save my friends from whatever mess they're about to get in." He smiled and fastened his pants. That shouldn't be too hard. Amelia or Sylphiel could handle that much. "You can do that for me, can't you?"
"What!" Candy stood trembling, aghast at his suggestion. Didn't he care? Were those 'friends' of his more important to him than her? She had just been attacked! He was thinking of leaving her? What were those things he expected her to do alone? She demanded some answers and asked in a plaintive tone, "Please, no, say you'll stay? You...you aren't going to leave me here with that man? ALONE!"
Xelloss tied his shoes and scanned the still form trussed to a chair in the kitchen. He had used the lovely ropes that Zelgadiss had purchased prior to the summer's 'hunt for Val' in the caverns of the Ancient Clan. Zelgadiss had cleaned them so caringly, then coiled them neatly and hung in his closet. Handy things, ropes! "Oh, he won't be going anywhere. You can trust me on that. But, seriously Candy, I have to go. This is something I must do. Only I can stop something horrible from happening, if I'm not already too late, that is... McGywn's car is here now. See, you'll be fine." He gave her a reassuring quick kiss, took up his staff, and smiled sympathetically. "I feel torn. I know you want me to stay, and I would if lives weren't at stake and I know you don't understand and think I'm nuts or some criminal but I'm not, really I'm not, but I gotta go..."
Her reply was lost in the peal of the doorbell.
"Ah, hi, Detective! Candy here will tell you all about it! I'm on my way to the shrine... Send a bomb squad!"
"Xelloss...no!" she cried out.
Then hoping Zel's car had gas and that he wouldn't kill himself on the drive downtown of the icy roads, Xelloss started the car and backed out of the driveway. "Oh, yeah...do I turn left at the corner...or right?" he wondered aloud as he began punching numbers on his cell phone.
He received an incoming signal. "What!" he shouted into the phone.
"Val here. Jillas just got word ta me that's there's a job goin' down there...at least one tonight at the shrine..."
"Yeah, I heard too. I'm on my way as we speak. Any details? Right. Call McGywn, tell him, but stay on the settlement. You are there now aren't you? Good. Don't come here! I've already had one run-in already. Do me a favor and call Amelia and her father for me, okay? I didn't connect with her when I tried before. I'll try Sylphiel and her father."
Xelloss punched in the code. "Sylphiel!" Xelloss said in an exasperated voice. "Took you long enough to answer. Where are you? No! Don't go inside! There may be bombs planted at the doors, I don't know what or where. Nooooo...don't start screaming...listen. Call your father and tell him to get everyone away from the exterior doors until the bomb squad gets there. I'm calling Subaru and... WHAT! What's Zelgadiss doing there! Don't let him try something on his own!"
Zelgadiss hid behind a large vehicle in order to watch the man, or woman, breaking into Sylphiel's car. What was the person doing? Zel looked over the car. Why choose hers? Then he noticed that a ramp of snow had been hastily created in front of the front wheels. With his eyes he followed the car's possible path...up...over the curb...straight into the building's side windows... Why? Why break in...? What if the car contained a bomb? Zel knew now that he had to stop that car, right now! He cast about for a weapon, a stick, a...stake supporting the fall-planted tree, yes! Yanking it free, he charted his course to the car door.
Then his cell phone buzzed. "What!" he snarled to whoever had the bad timing to call him at that moment.
"Don't do anything!" Xelloss shouted over the phone.
"What the hell are you talking about! There's a car about to be driven through the shrine back windows and I've got a chance to stop it."
"It's probably charged!"
"Yes, damnit, Xelloss, it's starting to move!"
"Set the brake, then get out..."
Zel had heard, but simply tossed the phone aside. He needed both hands. He ran to the car which was slowly rolling up the ramp. Faster. He had to make it in time. He was in the open now and could clearly see the figure pushing the vehicle, door ajar to adjust the steering wheel. Five more steps.
"Mr. Zelgadiss!"
NO! Not her! Zel shouted in his head. The figure straightened and turned in the direction of Amelia's voice. He had a beard and was scratching at it in a fidgety, twitchy motion. He hadn't noticed Zel approaching from behind. He raised his left arm, gun at point.
BLAM! A gun blast shattered the glass of a car window six inches from Amelia's head.
Zel heard her scream, or was it Sylphiel...or both? He couldn't look. He wouldn't. In a single determined leap, he brought down all of his weight with the six foot long stake across the head and shoulders of the man. Zelgadiss had a moment's satisfaction as he felt the bigger man crumple beneath him.
"My car! It's moving!"
Val stared hard, "How did you know the way to the main gate? You got in by helicopter last summer."
Jillas licked his thin lips and ran a hand nervously through his short red hair. "Map?"
"Maps take ya to the visitors' gate over there," Val pointed.
Milgasia frowned and whispered something to Julian as he walked into the room. "Listen..."
"Well, this one's got the other gate and a back one too."
"Givitome," Val demanded hand outstretched. "Where'd you get this?"
Jillas and Gravos exchanged uncomfortable glances. "There's a lotta work bein' contracted these days. Some dude name Dilgear gave me this to do some scoutin'."
"When was that?"
"I dunno...a few days ago. I tried ta get ahold of ya but you'd already gone to Atlas City. I meant to tell ya 'bout this..."
"He did, boss," the larger Gravos nodded. "He tried lots, but Dilgear was with ya so...we didn't wanna blow nothin'."
Val frowned, "You better tell these men everythin' you know after all they did for you ta keep you outta jail last month or so..."
Jillas nodded. "Sure boss, but it ain't much."
Xelloss screeched in front of the White Shrine, tires hitting an icy patch, spinning out of control for a few seconds, and then coming to a rest, magically in a parking space at the curb. "That would have been cool, had I actually done that on purpose," he gasped, catching his breath. He shook his head clear, and then studied the building. Next thing he knew, two black-clad figures sprinted into view: one long-legged and rather gangly in the lead, the other heavy and built like an ox. "Mayor Phil?" Xelloss mused.
He hopped out of Zel's car and joined the chase. Being fresh and in good shape, he gained on the leader in no time. With a single thrust of his staff between the rapidly moving legs, he tripped up the lanky guy, bringing him down hard on the shoveled walkway and skinning his face and hands.
Sirens in the distance wailed through the downtown. Bomb squad and backup, Xelloss figured as he bent to check his captured man for signs of life.
Huffing and puffing somewhat, Phil shouted, "Good job! That man has run afoul of justice, I say! He was loading boxes into one of the out-buildings when..."
The roar of an explosion masked his remaining words.
"Amelia!" The mayor mouthed, his face drawn up in shock.
"She's back there?" Xelloss shouted, leaping to his feet. He shook Phil with one hand and pointed to the rear of the shrine with his staff in the other.
Phil, not one to fail under pressure, nodded. "Yes! Zelgadiss...and Sylphiel, too! Come on!"
Xelloss hesitated only long enough to smash the orb end of his staff over the prone man's scull, knocking him out cold for awhile, and then broke into a run. He passed the mayor on the turn, when a second, larger blast shook the ground.
After gloating a moment a having bested the larger brute, Zel remembered Xelloss' advice and dove for the open door. He found the hand brake and yanked it up, but, alas, the car continued to slide on the icy path under regardless. AH! Now what? Get out and block the tires? Let it go and run for it? He had no time to think! In desperation he analyzed the view out the window and spied a large tree off to the right. Sure, why not? He wrenched the wheel hard right and directed the car at that.
A dark, large-framed body flew past him, followed by another. Was that Mayor Phil? Looming in front of him was the tree. He had to get out of here! He catapulted himself from the moving vehicle, hit the pavement hard, and rolled into a combination snowdrift-shrub before coming to a stop.
"Daddy! Zelgadiss!" Amelia cried out.
"Oh! Amelia! Zel!" Sylphiel wailed.
Zel shot off the ground with a yelp, "Get Down! Behind a car...Anything! Now!" He leaped over the plants, and then he cast himself to the ground, putting as much space between his body and the car as possible.
Sylphiel and Amelia flopped to the ground, following his example.
Moments later the car hit the tree, exploding into a ball of flame and sending shrapnel into the air to land sizzling where it hit the snow.
Then came the second explosion.
He was too late. Xelloss was certain of that. His friends were battling bombers while he had been distracted by diversions. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to them...never! He continued to cloud his thinking with brain-berating thoughts, flogging it with guilt. He lost the mayor in the billows of black smoke and kept on running into the thickest part.
Zel had felt the ground heave beneath him with that second blast and now all he could do was hope to all the gods that the girls had all survived and were safe. What he heard next was the call of a familiar, yet unexpected voice. It was Xelloss.
"Zel-gaaaaaa-disss!"
Followed by another. "Ameeeelia!" bellowed the mayor.
"Here, Daddy! I'm here! Sylphiel, too! We…we're okay!"
Zel smiled and thanked the gods sincerely. He stood only to find he was lost in a world of smoke. "Xelloss!" he answered back, then fell to his knees in a coughing fit.
Phil found his daughter and her friend huddled together in the lee of a minivan. About ten feet away, Zelgadiss staggered into view with Xelloss at his side. "Get them away." Xelloss shouted.
"My car..." Phil removed his handkerchief covering his mouth and nose, then with an arm around each girl, slogged through the slush and ice to his car.
Xelloss and Zel followed him at a stumbling trot, retrieving his discarded cell phone in passing. Once they were out of the smoke, Xelloss pulled Zel in the other direction and indicated with his staff that they had more business to attend to out front. Zel nodded his assent and chased after Xelloss' flapping cape. They evaded a couple of Seyruun's finest, aiming for a darkened corner right off the path. The man Xelloss had struck down was still there on his back. Xelloss knelt by his side, withdrew a small, white packet of smelling salts and broke in under his nose. The man groaned and shook his head, batting the awful-smelling thing away.
"'Kay, sit up and tell me where the rest of the bombs are!" Xelloss shouted in his ear.
He was reticent to talk.
Xelloss pounded him on the head. "This should remind you of something. This mean anything to you?" He caught light from the shrine's light post on his ruby-orbed staff. "How about this?" This time Xelloss withdrew an evil-looking blue-steel gun from his waistband.
Both the stranger and Zelgadiss jumped. What was Xelloss doing with that?
"Oh, it isn't just any gun either," Xelloss smiled slyly and flipped the gun around to reveal a large blue jewel embedded in the handle and surrounded by an embossed star and other indecipherable engravings. "Not only do I carry the ruby orb of Shabrinigdo on the Metallium staff, but he..." he said, tossing the gun to Zelgadiss, who was luckily coordinated enough to catch it unawares and not blow his brains out, "...bears the symbol of power from DARKSTAR. Know that name? You see, to the victors go the spoils."
The captured man was shaking in his boots now.
"So you do recognize at least one of these? Good. Now you will do two things. First, tell me what I want to know. And second, if I like the answers and let you live...oh no...I won't turn you over to the police. No. I have a message for your employer. It goes something like this...Ah... GET THE HELL OUT OF MY TOWN! Get that? You can tell them all about these weapons too. Now, for my questions..."
Zelgadiss had seen Xelloss in his 'syndicate' mode before, like when he played out the end game with old-man Siegram in the senior residence. It was very disturbing, but at the same time supremely reassuring to know that Xelloss was on his side. He looked at the firearm entrusted to his care. Pretty thing, and deadly. It didn't look like the one he remembered Xelloss' father, DARKSTAR, had used up on that mountain last summer. He was certain that one had been black and with a smaller grip. This was more for appearance than for usefulness or comfort. He had a secret interest in guns, having spent time out at a firing range the summer before last with a few of the chemistry grad students. He'd become quite the sharpshooter...
"Zelgadiss, did you hear that?" Xelloss woke him from his reverie. "He said he was setting charges...a car, a free-standing building in back, and the front door. Lucky for those guys," he tilted his head toward the folks streaming out the wide-flung front doors of the shrine, "Phil and I took him out before he finished setting the charges out here." He gazed into Zel's eyes. "Go tell the bomb squad, but not about this guy. I got a little more questioning to do, and I don't want the police interrupting us, okay?"
Zel nodded and stood. He understood that Xelloss might not want him to overhear certain facts as well. Well, the least he could do was to run a little interference for him.
Zelgadiss found the police in charge, and then detective McGywn found him. Mayor Phil had left word with him that he was taking the girls to the hospital to be checked out and would be available for questioning later. He knew it would be a grueling night of reliving and retelling events before he got to sleep.
Later, McGywn found Xelloss and pulled him aside. "My son was home so I called him over to yur house to take yur girlfriend home. I called yur father, Rezo, and he sent one of the housekeeper's nephews over to stay in yur house until the window was repaired."
"Thank you, sir," Xelloss said meaningfully. "I'm sorry I ran out on you back there, but I had to get here and try and stop..."
"I understand, my boy. The little lady, she was shook pretty badly. Zangalus said that when he took her home, her father was upset as well. You'd best not call there until morning, and then be prepared for an unsympathetic reception."
Xelloss nodded.
"I'm putting Zangalus on that train with Zelgadiss and Amelia tomorrow. He wanted to visit that wild girlfriend of his, Martina, who is visitin' relatives up there in Alas City."
"Another set of eyes can't hurt," Xelloss agreed. "Thanks..."
Zelgadiss approached them and the detective told the boys to go home and get a few hours of rest.
That evening, it was deemed-- by all with opinions-- that it was safer in Atlas City for the kids than in Seyruun. For the time being, however, the biggest, most important winter events and celebrations were in full swing, the most important one being the parade the next day. Well, Zel and Amelia could miss that and leave next morning by train, as planned. Sylphiel, Xelloss, Val and Filia would stay for the parade, then leave. Extra security forces could be summoned to ensure the safety of the innocent citizens of Seyruun. This time, there was no amount of spin to be performed, no magic, to defray the costs to the Slayers. They couldn't hide any more. The kids were targets and now everyone knew it.
Val remained at the settlement as Xelloss had ordered him to, albeit unhappily. He had to be satisfied with being on the sidelines while his friends put their lives on the line...again. Not that he particularly wanted to die, but he wanted in on the action and he wanted to prove that he was as brave and tough a man as his comrades. It took both Julian and Milgasia to convince him that what Xelloss had told him was right- stay and protect Filia and the settlement. For the settlement was the last outpost unspoiled by the syndicate.
The three men were playing cards, biding their time, waiting for word from Nels Lahda, or McGywn, or one of their friends.
"So, whaddaya wanna feed Jillas and Gravos?" Val asked. "If the syndicate is lookin' fer a way inta the settlement, what should we go with?"
Milgasia was stumped. He sighed and drew a new card, then discarded one from his hand. "Well, I had a thought. There's a small house empty not far from the gatehouse. If you were to move in there, and let it be known..."
"Like a lure? Bait?" Julian asked.
"He could keep an eye on the gate. Intercept and send messages through his two...associates."
Val eyed them both suspiciously. "Mil, you tryin' ta get rid of me here?" he asked with a grin.
Julian looked up at the older man then asked, "You haven't told him?"
"Told me what?"
"Mil's getting married!" Julian exclaimed.
"You are? To who?" Val was skeptical. He hadn't seen or heard of his 'father figure' dating any ladies. He drew a card also, and then discarded.
Milgasia actually blushed and cleared his throat, "Well, ah...no one you've met. It just happened last night; that is, she agreed then, so I haven't told anyone but Julian here..."
Val could see he was getting no where fast. "Who is she?" he directed at Julian.
"A nurse from the Ancient territory that treated him last summer. They kept in touch." Julian leaned back, satisfied with his hand.
Val's grin turned wolfish. "Kept in touch, huh? Long distance?"
Milgasia blustered more, obviously a very private man unused to being the victim of the other two younger men's friendly banter. "Well, not really...She moved here shortly after you started back at school. We've kept it all very low key..."
"She's got the house you want me ta move into! I get it now... Hey, I don't wanna be crowdin' ya here."
Julian laughed as Milgasia blushed again and fumbled with his cards. "Yeah, who'd want to bring his young bride home with a rich hunk like you hanging around?"
"Now, Julian, I never said..." Milgasia tried to recover his pride.
They had a good laugh at Mil's expense. He knew he was a bit stuffy, but found that it was safe to let his hair down with these two. They discussed Val's move seriously and the kind of information that they should 'feed' Val's two followers. If they could control the syndicate through Val, it was a risk possibly worth taking.
That settled somewhat, Val brought up the country club contest. "Loud-mouthed…I don't remember his name," Val groused. "I'm kinda relying on you, here…"
Julian, newly promoted from tennis pro to business manager, advised Val to go for it. "Sounds like fun...make it a tennis competition, but I myself can't get away to play in the match, not with all the work I have getting settled in my new job. If the guy thinks that other place is so hot, then let him sponsor it. It would give you a chance to look it over for comparison."
Their conversation and card game was interrupted by the ringing of both Milgasia and Val's cell phones. The good news was all the kids were fine. The shrine had suffered damage to an unimportant outbuilding and a tree– that was all. It could have been much, much worse. Sylphiel's car was a burnt hulk, but she was unhurt and safe at home. Amelia and her father were also none the worse for wear and back at the mansion. Zel was scratched and bruised, but okay. He was spending the night (what was left of it) at McGywn's with Zangalus. In the morning, McGywn would pick up Amelia and take all three kids to the train station, providing the police escort. Xelloss was staying at the shrine, where he'd be ready to carry out his obligations the next day. Val's house...had been breeched but the window was repaired and tonight it was locked and under police guard.
"That's it fer me then. I'll tell Jillas and Gravos what we talked about and let them play go-betweens in the morning..." Val grumbled.
"It's already two in the morning. Call them now and go to bed before you forget. We have to be up at seven to prepare for the parade in town," Milgasia reminded them both.
"Seven...fer the luva..." Val grumbled more, but did as he was told.
The next day, before leaving the settlement to join in the festivities, Val called the tennis-dude, who called himself Ruud, and set up a match in Atlas city. He felt like he was in charge for a change. He smiled smugly. Xelloss wasn't the only one able to set things in motion.
A day later, a very quiet group, Xelloss, Sylphiel, Filia, and Val, arrived back in Atlas City. After catching up with the news and resting, they were all ready for playing music again. That evening they returned to Macross Studios to listen to what they had done so far and to run through a couple tunes, however, outside the studio was a small crowd waiting for them. Martina and Zangalus, they knew, but there was this other guy...
oo
"Oh, let me tell the story!" Sylphiel said in a shrill voice. I haven't had a turn at telling any of the Slayers stories!"
Lina's eyes narrowed, "I don't know… How good a writer are you?"
"I'll edit her stuff okay?"
Lina sighed, "Okay, if you do that, Filia, then…okay, but just this once because it's just too stupid for me to wanna do…Well go on then, get it over with!"
oo
Tennis Anyone?
Keithwas sooooo cool. He was a tall, older teen sporting a deep tan and sunglasses in winter, when there really wasn't sufficient sun to naturally produce the one or require the other, and dark hair worn chin-length with a center part. He was walking with that jaunty, I-am-so-cool, jock-type walk alongside his cousin Martina (if you can believe that!) and Zangalus.
I mean, like Martina, Zangalus and her cousin Keith show up at our studio all mad about being left out of CD. Well actually, only Martina was mad. Zangalus seemed to be more embarrassed- but then with Martina as a girlfriend, who wouldn't be? And Keith…who was just soooo cool… um, where was I going with this? Oh, yeah! Sadly though, Keith took a fancy to Lina, which further irritated Martina. She challenged Lina to a fight, but Val and Keith stepped in and suggested that they both enter the tennis contest.
'What tennis contest?' we all asked.
Well, before we could get an explanation from Val, or sigh Keith, a really pissed off Lina agreed to whatever, thinking she might get paired with Keith as a partner, I'm sure. Little did Lina know that Martina had reincarnated herself as a tennis pro and that Keith was one too! Of course, you could guess he was one just by the way he looked, but anyway, then Val called the other owner with the players' names and the man surprisingly agreed to take Lina as his teammate for a doubles match against Martina and Keith in the tournament.
oo
"How's that so far?" Filia asked Lina.
"It'll do, I guess, although there's too much emphasis on that Keith character and not enough on me. I'm the star, ya know! Now for the match though…" Lina grinned.
oo
Filia and me, er…ah…Sylphiel, didn't participate, so we just sat in the stands to watch. After Lina twisted their arms a little, Zel and Gourry agreed to watch, and they really got caught up in it! I was surprised at that so I interviewed them to learn why. So it turns out that Zel and Gourry have always shared a love of competitive sports, and although they didn't pursue them at school, they could be rapt observers. Lina and Zel had taken tennis lessons one summer and often had liked whacking the ball around. Zel knew all the leading professional tennis players and rattled off names and stats with rapidity, entertaining Gourry and, with less success us (Sylphiel and Filia.) Xelloss attended politely, but to him watching sports was as dry as dust. Amelia and Val were with the competitors, Lina in particular, who was champing at the bit to get a shot at Martina...er, playing tennis.
oo
"Okay, I'm going to write the next part, okay Sylph? I'm better at the dialogue parts."
"Oh, thanks Filia, I get all the little ''' marks confused sometimes," Sylphiel sighed.
oo
Amelia clamored back into her seat beside Zel. "These are first rounds. Martina will be up pretty soon and Lina later. They're still trying to get another pair to enter. You wouldn't be interested, would you Zelgadiss?"
He avoided her intense, blue eyes. "I don't think so."
She nodded. "It's the outfits, isn't it? The shorts and all, huh?"
Zel nodded, although that was the least of it; he wouldn't admit to being a bit afraid of going up against Lina, not after tying her up against her will...
"Oh, he's afraid of Lina," Gourry said aloud for him. "She's still thinking up ways ta get back at him."
"Thanks..." Zel sighed. He nearly throttled Gourry for telling everyone.
"That's okay," Amelia patted his leg affectionately. Before Zel could retort, she hopped out of her seat and shouted, "Look! There's Martina now! Do you see her, Mr. Xelloss!" She was trying to engage his attention too, concerned because he seemed so apathetic since he'd returned from Seyruun.
"Ah...yes..." was all he had to say. Xelloss sat in the stands wearing a really stupid, idiotic vacant expression-- totally bored and getting restless from the inactivity.
"I'll be back, Amelia whispered to Zel. "I want to check on how Miss Lina is holding up. She must be sooo nervous."
Martina and Keith quickly dispatched their first opponents. Obviously the two cousins were excellent tennis players. Martina completely humiliated her opponent with her show of skill. She may still have been awkward looking, but she used that as a way of distracting the others. While she would appear to be tripping over her own feet, she'd be nailing the ball into a far corner. As disturbing as it was to watch, it was also fascinating to see her promptly put away the competition.
Zel noticed that Xelloss (shudder) had left his seat. "Hey, Gourry, you see where Xelloss has gone?"
Gourry was shaking his head, not knowing and not caring particularly either (I mean, who else but Zel even noticed?) when Lina's flaming hair caught his eye and his face lit up. Zel, too, was distracted as the announcement roared over the loudspeakers that Lina and Keith are entering the court. Zel's misplaced concern over Xelloss' whereabouts was replaced, with shock when, to their surprise, their opponents were to be… Amelia and Xelloss! They had just now entered the tournament for fun. Xelloss had tired of just watching from the stands and Amelia was handy and willing.
"Amelia?" Zel gasped aloud. And to further separate himself from the rest of mankind, Zel continued to display his ignorance. To Gourry he remarked, "I didn't know she played tennis."
The smartly-dressed Filia, in a pastel pink faux-fur-lined cape, and Sylphiel, in a dreamy dark blue wool, both twisted around to berate the cold-hearted Zelgadiss, dressed in boring beige as usual. He might be smart but he could be the least observant most unromantic guy I've ever known…
"What kind of boyfriend are you?" Filia snapped. "How many times have you been up to her place? And you've never noticed the fantastic tennis courts she has there?"
"I never said I was her boy..."
"Didn't you and Xelloss, you know, live there when your house burned down?" Sylphiel asked.
"Yes, but, I never saw her play tennis, which was my point..." Zel tried weakly. He was just making excuses for his obvious stupidity and trying to sound all intellectual at the same time—typical nerd.
"We've all played tennis there, but Lina the most, I think, although..." Filia narrowed her eyes as Xelloss took a couple practice swings with his racket. "I know he doesn't know the first thing about the game. He told me so."
"If Amelia's good, it won't matter," Zel noted.
"Don't matter anyway," Gourry put in. "Lina'll beat'em all."
Gourry was right. He usually was, too. Lina was not about to let anyone get in the way of her beating Martina-- Amelia or Xelloss included. Amelia was first to serve. She stood at the line and tossed the ball up, then took a perfect swing, sending the ball sailing into Lina's court with the precision of a trained player. Lina was not intimidated. When the ball bounced her way, she smacked it hard directly into Amelia's face, stunning her friend.
Zel found the move quite amusing, but Filia brought him up sharp with a swinging purse in his face. "That's not funny! That was against the rules!"
Indeed. Lina received a 'penalty' for the contact, and their game was called a tie, allowing both teams to move on to the semi-finals.
oo
"Um, Filia? Isn't it my turn to write now?"
"Oh, ah, of course, Sylph. I forgot. Here…"
oo
Several more teams came and went. Gourry visited the snack bar, sharing popcorn with us all. Xelloss and Amelia, tennis gear in hand awaiting their next match, rejoined us in the stands. Finally, Lina and Martina were to face off. Martina served and slammed the ball at Lina, hitting her.
oo
"You're rushing the story, Sylph. Here, give that to me…"
"Okay, Filia, but some parts are just so boring, you know?"
oo
"Man, she's good!" Gourry said with admiration.
"Nice to know she's good at something," Zel smiled knowingly at him. (He has a really sarcastic smile that needs correcting once in awhile.)
Her next serve drove the ball right through Lina's racket!
"Lina's racket must be defective!" Zel determined brilliantly.
After Lina missed a few more times, Xelloss quite calmly flipped his racket around, and seeing Lina's name on the handle, commented to Amelia, "Ah, I must have switched mine with hers as we were leaving the court..." The little twit! He had done that on purpose just to thwart Lina, I know it!
Gourry grabbed it and tossed it to Lina with a shout. "Lina! Take this!"
She didn't hear him in time. The racket struck her on the side of the head, but she ignored the pain like the trooper she is. One look at the label and she knew it was hers. "Yes!"
She took it up to go on playing better from there on out. Better than good; her tennis strokes were amazingly powerful. She sent and returned volley after volley, the balls flying at such speeds, with such force, that they were practically flaming. Her partner, the man…ah Ruud, never even had the chance to get a shot at the ball.
oo
"You were right, Sylph. It's pretty stupid. You can finish it…"
"Thanks, Filia!"
oo
So, ah…Martina and Keith lost.
Lina was victorious! The competition was declared over! Unfortunately because of that penalty, Amelia and Xelloss were awarded the win and given the prize (which I have to tell you was a really ugly little statue on a stand of a brass-toned racket.) It didn't matter though because, aside from Lina who was in it mostly to get Martina, they were playing for Val anyway. Amid their joy, Keith and Lina's partner, the rivals, embraced one another in joy too. Apparently, the two were father and son reunited! The problem now was that they were mad at their partners, Lina and Martina, for losing and so starting pelting them with tennis balls and calling them names.
Lina out ran them all and found her buddies still standing around waiting for her to go. "That was the stupidest tournament ever!" she announced.
"No kidding," Filia agreed. "And the award wasn't any better."
In the end, Lina declared herself the winner. But that wasn't the end. They discovered that the old tennis ace was an ex-partner in the Seyruun Country Club Val now owned. After leaving the club in Seyruun, the ex-partner moved to Atlas City and opened a competitive fitness center in Atlas City, which he had kept a secret from Val and everyone else. He's also kept it a secret that he was Keith's father.
oo
"Okay I changed my mind. Give it over, Sylph."
"Again? You know, Filia, I could be doing something else right now…"
"Oh yeah? Hold it. Let me finish this then tell me."
oo
"Why did you plan this whole thing?" Lina insisted. She hated to have her time wasted for nothing.
"Oh...I was teaching my son a lesson...Ha, ha, ha..." Ruud dude chuckled.
None of them understood. Or cared. At least I didn't and everyone else was just standing there looking stupid.
"Let's just go home now," Zel suggested. This was the first intelligent thing he'd said all day, to my mind.
"Can we stop at Candy's and pick her up?" Xelloss asked. "When I called this morning I thought we'd have been done earlier and that, well...she's expecting me to pick her up to go skiing." He always had some favor to ask to mess up the plans.
"Skiing? You're not even going to go home and rest a day? Oh...all right, sure. We'd better get going then." Lina said.
"So Candy's forgiven you for runnin' out on her to save the world?" Val asked half jokingly.
"Ah...I'm hoping she will. That's what the ski trip's for," Xelloss admitted. "If it were just up to me, we'd skip the ski part entirely."
"I bet!" Val chuckled and slapped him on the back. I don't really want to know what their joke was all about, but I can guess.
oo
"So that's it. Lina, look it over and keep it or not. It's not very good. It wasn't as interesting as I thought it was at the time."
"Okay, Filia, but like I said it was stupid. You just liked watching that Keith guy, right?"
"You liked him too! Oh I just knew it!" Sylphiel shrieked.
"Ah…not really…" Lina muttered.
"Well, at least I don't have to write the next part," Filia sighed. "It's just too…"
"Now don't say anything. You'll spoil everything!" Lina interrupted.
oo
Breaking up is so very hard to do.
The van pulled up to Candy's university residence. "Give us fifteen minutes to collect her," Zel said, and then jumped out after Xelloss.
"Better not take any longer!" Lina shouted. "We wanna go home!"
"Hi, John!" Xelloss greeted him. "Candy down yet? I called to tell her I was coming. Oh, hi, Candy? Where's your stuff? Lets go!"
John took Zel by the elbow and shepherded him away from the kitchen where Candy had been. "Something happened. That Kerel dude dropped her here earlier, then left, but...she seemed upset."
She turned from his open-arm greeting. "Xelloss..." Candy began, her voice shaking. "I-I can't go now."
"Oh?" He lowered his arms to his sides. "Well, sure. The rest of the band's in the van. We can go and drop them off first... We have instruments to unload, too. I can come back for you later then. That sound better?"
"Um..." Her eyes welled up with tears. "I-I can't go at all."
"At...all? Oh? Well, then...that's too bad." He brightened. He wasn't so keen on the skiing anyway. "Hey, don't cry. It's okay with me. We'll do something else. We have a few days. We can go anyplace you like...or nowhere if you just want to..." He stopped talking and wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders. "It's okay...really. There's nothing to cry about, Candy." He hugged her and tried to look into her eyes, smiling all the while. "I'm not mad or anything. I'm not even disappointed, really!" He was mystified by her low spirits.
"Y-you don't understand," she whimpered.
"Right..." he agreed.
"I can't go at all. Anywhere right now..."
"This is about your father, isn't it? I know he doesn't like me very well, but I haven't had a fair..."
"N-no...not him..." her voice shuddered.
"You're not sure I care about you enough? What if I...told you I loved you? Yeah, lots. And I..." He had just decided that.
"Xelloss! No, stop...don't say that...I...I..."
"What is it?" he asked, desperation setting in.
"I'm pregnant. I just tested and found out. I...I don't even know what to do yet."
Zel heard that and riveted his attention on Xelloss' rigid body. His friend's face blanched, his eyes glazed over. Oh Xelloss...what have you gotten yourself into now?
However, Xelloss shook his head. "That's not possible."
That's right, Zel noted, doing the math. They had hardly dated a month ago; in fact, they had been out of town doing that first recording around Thanksgiving. Besides, Xelloss wasn't that stupid and his luck couldn't possibly be that bad.
"Unless..."
She shook her head. "It just happened. It was Thanksgiving break and you weren't around and he was...he came over...he missed me so much...he wanted me back... and it just happened. Afterwards, I told him that I'd just met someone else and I wanted to give that a chance and that he couldn't come see me again." She shuddered more and tried to take a deep breath to go on.
"If the shoe fits..." he thought humorlessly remembering Val's apt, as it turned out, analogy from a few days ago. Xelloss helped her to a couch and balanced himself on the arm to listen.
"I was at dad's and feeling so tired...listless, then I called a girl friend and she suggested that I do the test and...I did just this morning and...it was positive...two different tests. I called Kerel and told him. He...he brought me here and left. I wanted to tell you without him around. I- I'm not sure what to do..."
Xelloss mustered his strength and said, "You have some choices. You can...marry me. I'd be proud to...do that. But...I imagine Kerel's said the same thing, right? He wants to marry the mother of his child and...we both know how he feels about you. So, I guess you can marry him, too, right? Or you can do neither and raise your baby without a father. It's up to you."
"Xelloss..."
He dropped to one knee, "I meant that. Would you marry me?"
Zelgadiss turned away and covered his face with a hand. John whispered something and the two guys moved off a little ways to give the couple some privacy. "I hope she says 'no'," Zel mumbled. "For her sake. And for his."
"Oh, Xelloss...you make this so hard. You are so interesting and handsome and talented and...exciting, but..."
"But...you don't want me, do you?"
She shook her head. "I told him 'yes'."
At that moment, Kerel dashed through the front doors with a shout. "Your dad said 'yes'! He's so happy for us, Laila!" Then he halted at the sight of her tear-streaked face and Xelloss' solemn one. "Laila?"
Xelloss hopped to his feet, his face an unreadable mask. "She was just telling me the...good news. Let me congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials."
He held out his hand. Kerel grasped it tentatively at first, then matched his smile and shook, "Yeah, thanks." Kerel shook his head and looked chagrined. "It's all so sudden, you know? I don't know what I'm gonna do if I transfer to this university. I was on a sports scholarship at the other place." He sighed and shrugged. "I can work, I suppose..."
Xelloss smiled and took out his cell phone. "Let me take care of that... Hello, Mr. Fribrizzo? Xelloss here. Find thanks... Ah, yes. I'd like to cover a scholarship for a friend who'll be losing one when he changes schools..." Xelloss continued to provide his lawyer with Kerel's name and school. After a minute, he concluded the call and hung up. "Done. Consider it my wedding gift to you both."
John gasped, "What a class act..." then moved toward Candy and Kerel to offer his congratulations.
Xelloss ensured the couple that he was on the level and began to extricate himself from the scene. Zelgadiss stepped swiftly to intercept Xelloss on his exit path to the door, when Lina flew into the building, door crashing open. "What are you two doing in here, Xelloss? Time to go or we leave you here. That goes for you too, Zel!"
There, for a moment, illuminated by the warm entry light, stood Lina, Zelgadiss, and Xelloss, people out of time and place– ethereal apparitions from some fantasy story, all decked out in flashy clothes and brilliant-hued hair. Laila-Candy, John, and Kerel, their counterparts in sepia-tones, were part of the real world with real problems and simple lives which sometimes touched those in the other world. They called those contacts 'supernatural events'.
"Goodbye," Xelloss said quietly and turned to the exit, whispering to Zelgadiss, "Get me the hell out of here."
A quick look and Zel knew his friend was on the verge of breaking down. "Right," he answered and stepped out into the night, Xelloss and Lina at his side.
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 33.