Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT!
Chapter 34
Guys and Dolls
Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.—Swedish Proverb
"You know what the worst part was, don't you?"
"Worst part of what?" Lina looked at Xelloss. He could be talking about just about anything. Out the van window beyond his face, she could see the empty pumpkin fields, frosted with ice, the sky heavy with moisture-laden clouds. Angst, she just hated angst.
He hadn't said a word to anyone about his breakup with Candy or the syndicate activity in Seyruun. He had hardly said a word at all, which was not normal. They were all growing concerned. The CD had been completed only days ago and was currently in production, Zolf overseeing it for the time being. Things could be fine, should be great! Xelloss, however, had just lost his girlfriend to another guy, sinking him into an understandable, mild melancholy.
Additionally, the Slayers had returned to town but it wasn't the same friendly place anymore. Mrs. Shearer's nieces had cleaned the boys' house well. There was no sign of a struggle or broken glass. Sheets were changed, walls washed, carpets cleaned. But all of their homes were being violated one by one, bothering them all—but driving Xelloss into his own head for safety.
Joey brought back Xelloss' goldfish bowl the moment his brother got home and agreed to drive him over. But when he arrived, Xelloss took no notice of it or him. Joey left with his feelings injured. Gourry, gods love him, told his little brother to grow up and try to sympathize with his friend or at least be supportive or, if those social skills weren't within his realm of competency then... just shut up about it.
Later that evening of their return home from Atlas City, there was another incident. When Val had taken out the trash, he had found the mostly full pill cases Xelloss had tossed out. When he questioned him, Xelloss said that he was stopping his medication-- that he was tired of trying to be someone else. Then he closed himself in his room. An hour later, he stormed out of the house...without a coat.
Zelgadiss was out picking up Beast, so it was up to Val to watch his foster-step-something-brother. He was shirtless in the house, but outside it was still near freezing and Val was no idiot; he took a moment to slip on his leather coat before loping out the door in pursuit. Of course, because he was in a hurry, he neglected to lock the door behind him.
When Zelgadiss and his wolf-dog got home, they quickly toured the house looking for the occupants. Beast whined.
"Yeah, I don't see them either, but the door's open. Let's check again," Zel said with a scratch to the ears.
In Xelloss' room he found a note on the computer, which confirmed his suspicions. He had just e-mailed it to all the Slayers. It read:
An open letter to my dearest friends,
For so long I have been going thru something comparable to Hell because I can't slow down and know it and never see what's coming next. It's a crappy cycle and it ends in total depression and isolation from everyone. That is really simplifying the whole ordeal but I am sure you understand without my going into too much detail. I tried to deal with what is wrong with me alone, and not understood how that made it worse, and that it was not my fault in any way, shape or form. You cannot imagine the frustration of being bright but not being able to find a career or make a sound decision.
With me taking my medicine as directed, I thought that eventually, at least by now, that I would be fine-- but I was not, am not. I still can't focus completely at school, work, home, and with my band-family, at times I thought that I was getting better.
You, my friends, have given me the much needed support required for me as I have attempted to stabilize myself mentally. I still have hope that things will change and I am looking forward to life more than ever before, which is why I've decided to ditch the medication and just be…well me- the way the gods made me. So if I seem a little 'off' please try and look the other way and forgive…
Thank you for putting up with me and for being my friends and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
-- Your friend, always,
Xelloss
On his desk were the room confirmations for himself and Candy for some local mountaintop resort. Xelloss had tried so hard...
Zel left the room with the papers and called Lina. Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone, or at least tuck his worries away about two of his friends a little bit longer, or maybe just assuage his guilt from not acting sooner. He had not done enough to help Xelloss, he knew that. He had just let things go thinking the poor guy could take care of himself. And Lina…he had avoided direct confrontation with her like the plague since the 'use her to get Dilgear' incident, and now he could feel a wall building up between them. All right, so he was using Gourry as a barrier, but so was she, maybe. Well, time to do something, he decided.
"Lina, Zel here."
"I just got home. Can't you guys leave me alone for and hour before buggin' me with all your problems?" Lina hollered irritably into the receiver.
"Two hours and forty-five minutes. Yeah, I have an idea...want to go skiing? No, I never have either, but how hard can it be?"
By the time Val returned with a shivering, distraught Xelloss, Lina and Zel had a whole new adventure planned. He would do something to get Xelloss' mind off his recent breakup, plus Zel could keep that promise he had made Xelloss in order to get him to give up his front seat in the van for Lina. He would keep his promise and more, because he just had to do something nice for Lina. She was still a little resentful since he had over-powered her and tied her up, he knew. Oh, she acted like everything was all right by making no attempts to talk about it. She had put up a tough front dismissing him with 'I let you, get it?' But he knew that it wasn't so. He could hear it in her voice.
And so ...:mAgIcAlLy:... the Slayers were back on the road, a short trip this time, to a resort not far above the apple orchards they had visited in fall. This was the vacation they had all needed after the last eventful ten days and before they had to go back to school. Rodimus and Zolf had been formally promoted to full-time positions with the band, which included security guard duty. For this impromptu trip, Rodimus volunteered to do the driving. Zolf, still in Atlas City, would drive up later that night after putting the CD to bed.
Understandably, then, Lina was worried about Xelloss and hoped that this little vacation would do the trick. He needed to talk about things and yet was internalizing it all instead, just like another friend she could think of but wouldn't because then she might start thinking about her own inadequacies and that…was not a possibility! Not that she was the one to draw out anyone's darkest feelings, but she volunteered to sit beside him for part of the ride to try.
"Worst part of what?" Lina looked at Xelloss. "I mean, it's been a pretty eventful past few days, eh?"
"The most difficult part of the entire CD making process."
"Oh, yeah that. Ah... Agreeing on the song order?" she tossed out.
"Nooooo. Getting Zelgadiss to let the photographer do the CD cover pictures." Xelloss smiled...a fleeting smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Lina chuckled, "Yeah. That photographer really had a thing for him too, Musta taken a couple hundred close-ups of just him alone."
"You, too..."
"Yeah, 'course that goes without saying. He knew supreme beauty when he saw it, right?"
Xelloss nodded and looked away out the window. "Yes."
"Didn't he tell you you outta be a model or somethin'?"
Xelloss shrugged.
And that was that. No more smiles and no chat, but no tears either. Lina was thankful that Candy had put off the breakup until after the CD was done. He didn't look like he could care a flying fig about anything. She glanced over Zel's way. He looked happy, oddly enough. Well, just wait until he has to get Xelloss to face classes at the university! Both Eris and Candy...every day! Yeah, that would wipe the smile off anybody's face. Was he looking happy or just smug?
Lina noticed Xelloss' hands. Moving. Getting fidgety. "Hey, Val? Put in a CD...that one Xelloss had wanted me to listen to...Aqua. Yeah, Aqua. Go to the one called Cartoon Heroes. He thinks you and I outta do that as a duet!"
The deep gravely voice of the male singer contrasted sharply with the youthful soprano of the girl's. "Oh yeah...funny, too!" Val laughed.
"It's a good idea," Lina said to Xelloss with a nudge.
Xelloss turned his eyes to meet hers. "I'm glad you like it." He began tapping rhythmically, keeping to the music's rhythm, then changed the accents to a syncopated beat, but the spark was gone.
Lina hoped this trip would break his mood. "So, Zel tells me he made ya some kinda promise. This isn't something embarrassing for him, is it? Not that I mind, but I'm usually the one ta get him."
"On the contrary. I expect he will find the entire experience pleasurable."
"No kidding?" She raised an eyebrow. "So...what is it all about then?"
He opened his mouth to speak, and then thought a moment longer before eventually saying, "You'll find out shortly."
"I will? No...secret stuff?"
"No secret stuff. You'll like it too, I suspect. Everyone will."
"Even you?"
He shrugged and closed his eyes, ending the conversation.
She wanted to hit him and beat on him, anything to get some emotional response. This listless man at her side was scarier than any she had known. And with Xelloss, there were many different personalities from which to choose.
Amelia was lively on the road to the ski lodge, which was a nice change from the sad little girl who lost her favorite cousin and the subdued one thereafter. Lina and Zelgadiss had confided in her a few of the plans for the next couple of days, getting her excited, and now she was sitting beside Zel, again. She was thrilled each time his eyes shifted in her direction or he spoke to her in particular, seeking out her opinion. Ever since the near disaster at the shrine he had been extra attentive, she thought. He called that night after he was settled in at Zangalus'. Her daddy had taken the call...
"Hello, Mayor Phil here. Is this Zelgadiss? It's very late, son, but I'm sure you know that. How are you and that brother of yours?"
"I'm fine. Xelloss agreed to stay at the shrine, but he was all right, unhurt anyway. Can I...ah...speak to Amelia?"
"No, she's sleeping. I can tell you she was scratched up a bit, but she's a strong, brave girl. She'll be just fine with some rest– Sylphiel, too." Phil cleared his throat. "What you did out there...that was a very courageous deed, young man."
"Well...ah...I was lucky. It could have been worse..."
"Nels Lahda and his wife might have been killed if you hadn't diverted that car. They were seated by the window waiting for their daughter to come home."
"Oh, I didn't know that. I'm glad it turned out that way. I'm glad no one was hurt."
"We all are. It's been a long night and now it's well into the wee hours of the next morning. I'll see you ah…shortly. Try and get a little rest now, son."
"I will. I plan to sleep on the train ride. 'Night then."
"Goodnight, Zelgadiss."
He had called her to see if she was okay! Amelia sighed, overflowing with good feelings.
As tired as she was the next morning, that news had lifted her spirits the instant she was told. Amelia climbed into the car beside Zelgadiss on their way to the train station, a smile in her heart. Zolf was waiting for them, as Zangalus, Zelgadiss, and McGywn moved like zombies through the train station. Amelia was bleary-eyed but 'felicity' was her middle name.
McGywn bid them farewell and they boarded the train. Amelia was looking forward to sitting beside Zelgadiss for the next few hours and couldn't wait to find their seats and get settled. She was bubbling over with a combination of joy and excitement, but worked very hard to contain her exuberance around the older men– she wanted to impress upon them all that was a mature young woman.
From the moment the train began to move, Amelia could tell Zel was not going to be much of a conversationalist. He leaned his head back on the seat and promptly fell asleep. She felt sorry for him. She had her balled-up coat to use as a pillow, he had nothing. His body slumped to the side and she got an idea. Ever so gently, she guided his head onto her lap, providing a soft and comfortable cushion. He grunted once, and then settled into his cozy nest for the duration of the trip.
Recalcitrant. That would be Zelgadiss when it came to romance or nearly anything. It was very difficult to direct his course of action without his prior approval. If he respected your authority, as with an instructor, or Lina, then he might be less resistant. It would have to also pass his logic system. He also didn't flirt; he didn't know how to. And why should he? Looking the way he did, one presumed, it would be ludicrous to think he could set anyone's heart aflutter. Wouldn't it? He treated girls pretty much like guys and survived all the social encounters he couldn't avoid. Of course, he had feelings, the stirring inside normal for a guy his age, but he could put anything remotely related to 'desire' into deep suppression. At least he tried to. Amelia was chipping away at his protective barrier bit by bit.
From Amelia's standpoint, that impediment was what made him so attractive to her– he was genuine and unique and... inexperienced. She would say 'sweet', but that didn't fit his personality and 'chaste', well, it didn't sound manly enough. Compared to Xelloss he was unsophisticated. She trusted him and he never pushed her into any situation she wasn't ready for. And yet...he was older and so mature (in other ways) with a sexy, soft, low voice, and he was smart. He was light on his feet when he danced and had good table manners. He had single-handedly saved Sylphiel's parents. Zelgadiss was brave and noble and a really good person! It was just that…maybe if she asked, Xelloss could give him a few pointers on how to be more romantic…
"Zelgadiss? I know you can't hear me but... did you know you undid the past? Your grandfather blew up a shrine, killing Sylphiel's birth parents, and you saved her adoptive ones. You're a real hero to them...and me, too." Amelia whispered this with a smile, carefully avoiding touching his face or hair, which might disturb his sleep.
And he was her friend, no matter what. That made her feel all warm inside. Of course, his body was giving off some heat, too. The warmth, the gentle rocking of the train and the humming drone of the engines, plus a serious lack of Zs the night before, worked like a magic spell, lulling her to sleep moments later.
Zangalus, low on sleep himself, stretched out across a couple empty seats and nodded off five minutes out of the station. He hadn't done much, but he had been a participant in the events the evening before. After checking out the house Zel, Xelloss, and Val shared, out of curiosity mostly while feigning interest in Candy's sob story of Xelloss' neglect in her time of peril, he drove the poor girl back to her father's house for the night. There, he extracted himself quickly and returned home. He had finished watching an old movie on the TV when his father came home with Zelgadiss, an over-night guest once again. Once he had helped Zel find a sleeping bag, it was morning and they would be lucky to get a couple hours of sleep before having to get up to catch their train. Now he was content to be able to stretch out and nap. He was oblivious to the cozy couple resting across from him.
Zolf, who had heard about the shrine attack on the radio, was now reading the paper's take on the entire fiasco the night before.
SLAYERS Should be Called the SAVERS! -- ran one headline. That article favored the kids for saving the shrine.
SLAYERS Come to Town and Bring on Attacks! - ran another. This reporter was attempting to place the blame on the kids for attracting unsavory people into Seyruun. He used as supporting evidence, the fan mass in Sairaag, the Kanzel/Mazenda assault on the Mayor...and he was digging further...Atlas City...and that would lead him to more. Zolf was concerned. This reporter could endanger the kids. As soon as the three kids were secured on the train, he left his seat to place a call (Zangalus quickly made use of the vacated place to make himself more comfortable).
"Hello. Agent Zolf speaking. We have a code 98. Oh, hi... Yes, Miss Inverse is fine and not involved. I just talked to Agent Rodimus this morning, and he told me that she was sleeping, so... no; she hasn't heard the news yet. Yes...yes... If that's what you want. Consider it done. Good day to you, ma'am."
Xelloss had fallen into silence, leaving Lina alone with her thoughts. She had really enjoyed the other evening with just Gourry... and old Rodimus glued to the TV and snoring in the den. No angst. No arguments. No tension. No deep, insightful discussions either, but, hey, can't have it all, right?
There was plenty to munch on, as she recalled...four bowls of microwaved popcorn and a half-quart of milk definitely had helped her wind down at last. She and Gourry were watching the final rented movie– a vampire story based on a popular book which she had read already.
"What do ya think about those clothes? Think the band would go for that gothic vampire look?"
"Huh? Like that guy? Ruffled shirts?"
"Yeah, like Lestat."
"I dunno. The short-pants...I like mine regular length, ya know?"
"I know, but this would be for our band's costume. You'd look cool in black velvet knee pants, long white socks...one of those blousy shirts...Look! See, he sword fights like you do."
"He's holdin' it all wrong. If he...ah, no, now he's lungin' wrong and leavin' himself open, see? 'Course he's just an actor, not a real sportsman," Gourry reasoned fairly.
"But that Aragorn guy did all right, you said, right?"
"Yeah. He studied real good. He knew how ta handle a long heavy sword."
Lina nodded. He would know better than her. "I'm right about the clothes, though. Oh, nice cravat...the tie thingy."
"Not for playin'. Too hot."
"'Kay...you guys can wear your shirts open to the navel and I'll wear the cravat! Vest, too, in brocade... Think we can find stuff like that at those outlet stores? Probably not. Resale."
"Be right back..." Gourry carried the empty bowls and glasses into the kitchen and quickly washed up. He knew Zelgadiss would have a fit the next day if he came back and saw a mess in the kitchen. He was odd that way, but Gourry didn't mind. Next, he took out a pair of lean mugs, filled them each partway with milk and loaded them into the microwave. He found the bottle of vanilla Zel had bought for desserts and a bag of brown sugar. When the milk was warmed thoroughly, he measured a teaspoon of vanilla and a couple tablespoons of sugar into each cup, and then stirred.
"Gourry? You comin' back?"
"Inna minute!"
Now for the special part. Three big spoonfuls of malt. He stirred, checked the temperature– um...real good– then carried his late-night snack back.
"Oooooh that smells good!" Lina squealed. "Thanks! You're pretty handy to have around."
Gourry hid his satisfied smile until it appeared more meek than overjoyed. "Careful, it's kinda hot. This oughta. help ya fall asleep."
As he passed her the mug, their hands touched; his so large and rough with calluses and hers petite and falsely delicate looking. Lina looked up, but he was intent on watching the mugs and not spilling the hot drinks. Pretty nice guy…thinking about my needs, huh? Well, he oughta.. Aloud, she replied, "Like I need that. It's okay, though. It's tasty..."
She felt the warmth of his arm brushing against hers and felt the heat start to rise to her face at the contact. This time when she looked up, she caught his warm, appreciative gaze. Oh, dear gods… With an effort, she re-focused on the TV. Yes, nothing like a great big blood-sucker to kill any ardor. "Oh! Look at those shoes with the heels and buckles! I gotta get a pair of those!"
"Oh, I fergot ta give ya somethin' else," Gourry said. He unfolded his long legs, stretched across the floor to grab his coat. From one of the large side cargo pockets he withdrew a pair of CD's. "Here. I gotcha these at that concert."
"Huh? TMR! Whoa! You can't get these in Seyruun yet! Say, thanks! I'm gonna put one on now, ya know, to fall asleep to."
"Umm... You need anythin'? 'Nother blanket? Pillow?"
"Naw, I'm plenty warm...with this milk and all." She turned off the TV and flashed him a smile. The one he returned was casual and genuine. Yeah, this was fun and cozy.
All they needed was a big furry dog...
Rodimus was frying bacon around ten in the morning, which aroused the sleeping kids in the front room. "I needed some meat, hope ya don't mind."
"Mind? No, just make sure you make plenty!" Lina grumbled. She hated mornings, but she liked bacon. Bacon...
Um...bacon... Lina blinked. Xelloss was watching her. "What?" she questioned him.
"You said 'bacon'. You're not going to eat me, are you? I'll warn you, I'm tough."
"Eat you? Nah, but I could go for something..."
"Miss Lina! We're stopping for lunch here. I've been telling everyone about this place. A real Scandinavian-type smorgasbord. All you can eat!"
"Good timing!" Lina announced.
"You don't know how good!" Xelloss smiled. "Thank you, Amelia. You just saved my 'bacon'!"
Lina groaned at the bad joke, but was relieved to hear a semblance of the old Xelloss again.
After that, she paid him no heed, or anyone else, until she had seated herself at their huge plank table with two heaping plates of food. Only two. That's all that they would allow her to take– one for salad and one for the main dishes. She could go back for more helpings as often as she desired, and did she desire...
Xelloss ate, but lightly, finding himself with time to talk while the others ate and listened. "Amelia, the last time you brought us up here, Lina and Zelgadiss and myself, we didn't eat here. I had noticed the signs in passing, and later, when I got home, I looked into this little village." He paused to sip his tea. "I discovered a very interesting place..."
"Oh, really Mr. Xelloss? Shall we go visit it? Do you want to?"
"Well..." his voice took on a mysterious tone and his eyes shone, "After what I tell you, you can decide."
Sylphiel shivered. "Ooooh, Xelloss! You make me feel all creepy when you talk like that!"
"He makes me feel creepy any way he talks," Filia joked.
"If you're not interested..." he murmured.
"Tell us the story," Lina demanded.
"Very well... there is a tale about a tower nearby, which tells of a clever doll-maker. Now, this craftsman hates people for some reason not understood. But more importantly, he conceals in his abode...a great mystery."
This was said in a hollow tone that made Sylphiel shriek, interrupting the narration. "I don't want to go there! Why would anybody!"
"Why, indeed?" he shrugged and tilted his head toward her. "It is said that this...puppet master holds the answer to your heart's desire, whatever that might be, if...you can get past his animated marionette guards at his door."
Xelloss' recitation made it a lot spookier than Zelgadiss thought was necessary, and was about to kill the mood, when the restaurant's owner stopped by their table to hand them their dessert plates.
"It's one of those robot dolls!" Sylphiel screamed and pointed to the startled man. She jumped from her seat so quickly she jostled the table. "It's possessed!"
The man moved rather mechanically, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly at that accusation, leading the others' active imaginations to get a bit carried away.
"Gaaah!" Val shouted.
"Eeeeek!" Filia and Amelia squealed.
"What?" Lina stood on her chair seat ready to fight the giant.
Gourry's arm shot out and knocked the man's arm, sending the tiny plates sailing through the air. "Nooooooo!"
"Ahhhhhhh!" Syphiel and Zelgadiss just freaked out, although Zel was mostly affected by the flying china heading his way.
Xelloss moaned, "There goes dessert..."
"Oh, no! Not me! No, no...you must be thinking of the occult doll maker. I overheard you talking about the shop..."
Lina grabbed the restaurant owner's sleeve. "You mean...that story was TRUE?"
Nodding, the man added, "Oh, yes...I can tell you from experience that the man really does hate other people."
"Then why does he run a retail business?" Zel asked shrewdly.
"His brother did originally, while he made the dolls. His brother passed away a few years back and he...rarely lets anyone in and never sells a doll, but they say he keeps on making them..."
Zel bit back a cutting remark about a man playing with dolls... when the owner began to tell them more. "I was told that the only way to get in was to disguise yourself– to dress like animals!"
"Of course. Something demeaning..." Zel noted bitterly.
In the meantime, Val settled the bill. Sylphiel, with Filia on her tail, ran up to him, "You don't want to go in that place, do you? Lina's going to...Gourry will have to...Amelia's all gung-ho..."
"I refuse to get caught up in one of Xelloss' schemes," Filia announced.
"Okay. I'll let'er know. We'll find some other places ta hang."
Amelia was drilling the restaurant owner for costume shops, leaving Lina to rally the troops. Gourry, as Sylphiel had pointed out, consented grudgingly. Zel, even more grudgingly, and only after Lina insisted that there was something in it for him. What? She couldn't say, but she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Xelloss cheerfully volunteered to accompany Amelia to collect appropriate attire.
"You do that," Val chuckled with a lovely lass on each arm. "We're checkin' out the scene. Catch ya later!" And with that said, the three of them marched away.
Amelia and Xelloss were quickly dispatched to do their 'thing', while Lina led Gourry and Zel to the gift store not far down the road from the restaurant. They all agreed to meet out in front of the doll maker's shop in a half an hour.
"Mr. Xelloss? This bag sure is heavy. Is yours heavy, too?" Amelia asked, her voice catching in her throat as she staggered along. Her sack was in fact so large that she couldn't see around it.
"Not particularly... Oh look! There's Zelgadiss and Lina and Gourry, too." His bag of rental clothes was far smaller, although heavier, or so he claimed. He wasn't a very good drudge. "I'll go run up ahead and see if they have found the shop."
Their destination was not just any ole cheap souvenir shop; they could tell the moment they reached the correct address. The property was set back off the road a ways and was surrounded by a high hedge of dark yews. The multistory, forbidding looking building with drab stone siding and narrow high windows sported a rather singular tall tower.
"This isn't a...syndicate hideout, is it?" Amelia asked Xelloss as she huffed and puffed trying to keep up with him.
"Not that I know of," he smiled. But the fear in her eyes convinced him to modify his weak joke. "Ah, no, Amelia, it's not...I'm certain. It's unusual, however. Hello, everybody!"
"Guess we found it," Lina remarked. "Let's go in."
"Shouldn't we put on the costumes first?" Xelloss asked.
"Oh for gods'sakes, you don't believe all that crap, do you?"
"Well..." he began, but Lina was already at the door.
Gourry knocked first, and then tried the door. It was a business, they should just be able to walk in, right? "It's open."
Once inside, the small gathering took a few minutes to allow their eyes to adjust to the dim light. Here and there, the shadows gradually transformed into shapes and those shapes into dozens upon dozens of pallid arms, legs, and faces. They were surrounded. There were hundreds of dolls, each exquisite and unique and...eerie.
Their movements stirred up dust which hung in the air, floating mist-like, visible in the wan light streaming through the dirty, slitted windows. Overhead dangled marionettes with garish grins. They appeared to be suspended mid-air and were all staring...down...at...them...
"Creepy..." Amelia whispered in dismay.
"Are you scared, Miss Lina?" Xelloss purred in her ear.
"Certainly not," she assured him, but her voice betrayed her with a tiny tremor.
He smiled to himself. He raised a finger, cold from the out of doors, and poked the back of her neck.
"AHHHH!" Lina screamed in terror. She spun around and dashed for the door.
"Eeeeeahhhh!" Amelia echoed her and bolted as well, with Zelgadiss, Gourry, and Xelloss at her heels.
Catching their breath outside again, gave them a chance to reassess their plans. "Okay, so it's a lot creepier than I thought it would be," Lina gave him.
"So now what?" Gourry asked, ready to leave.
"I say we put on the costumes, since Amelia carried them all this way."
"I carried..." Xelloss began.
"Here, Amelia, be a star!" Lina shoved a bright starfish costume into her arms. She had her eye on some shiny pink fur. "I'll take this..." Lina's pick turned out to be a pink horse. "Xelloss, you like green..."
"Well, not particularly..." he complained as he unfolded a multi-green ensemble he knew to be a frog. However, he certainly did not want the costume currently being pushed on Zelgadiss.
"Damnit, Lina!" Zel balked. "Why is it I always get the rabbit costume? Xelloss, trade."
But Xelloss had hopped behind a hedge of shrubbery to strip and don his form-fitting attire.
"Heh, heh…That's right! You were that white rabbit guy at our end of year tea party, weren't ya?"
"…" Zel's glare was cold as ice.
Which Lina ignored. "Oh, Gourry, this has to be yours. You're the only one tall enough for this." Lina jammed the costume bag in his arms.
He looked at it confused. "What is it?"
"What does it matter? Just put it on!"
"O-kay. Lina."
"Hurry up, then help me cram Zel into his bunny suit."
"Don't touch me!" Zel growled dangerously. "Ahhhh!"
Lina stuffed him into it anyway.
"I feel ridiculous in this!" he said sulkily, one ear flopping over his eye. He brushed it away furiously.
"Nice ass," Xelloss giggled. "I mean...tail..." He flicked Zel's white puff in passing.
Zel struck out with a fist, connecting with Xelloss' froggie eye bobbing to the side of his head.
The rest of group wasn't entirely happy either. Amelia had chosen that pink pony outfit for herself. Pink was her favorite color, after all, and she had collected all those little pony dolls, not Lina! Oh well, it wasn't worth fighting about. She didn't want it to come out that she had selected the bunny suit with Zel in mind.
Xelloss felt a bit exposed, but had no one to blame; he had chosen the frog suit, which featured tights again, but a cool top hat. "Does this suit make my legs look skinny?" he asked looking down. He lifted one leg, bending it at the knee, and wiggled his foot. The huge feet flopped around. "I hope I don't trip in these."
"It's obsssscene," Zel hissed in his ear, then smirking meaningfully added, "Don't get excited in that!" The startled look he got in response satisfied his need to even up the score for the 'tail' quip.
Gourry, on the other hand seemed entirely satisfied as a six and one half foot jellyfish. He waltzed around, gently swaying tentacles mixing with his hair.
"Okay, let's try this again." Lina snagged Gourry by a tentacle, or lock of hair...didn't matter to her... and pulled him toward the entry.
This time when they entered the shop, the five kids were greeted by a tall, pale man dressed in long, flowing black robes topped comically by a lavender and black jester hat. "Good day," he drawled, removing his hat with a dramatic flourish. His hair fell free in long waves that held a greenish cast. "I am...Joe." He replaced his hat on his head and gestured toward Lina. "What may I do for you today?"
"Ah..." Lina studied his face. What a nutcase! She was taken aback by this performance, but then, she was the master of her universe, she remembered, and bucked up. "Joe, huh? Just...Joe. Well, ah...yeah, hi. Listen, we have heard some pretty strange things about this place." Her attention wavered to an odd looking doll cradled in one of his arms.
Gourry's eyes trace the same path. "Must be the doll maker, huh?" Gourry pointed out unnecessarily to her.
"How about a tour, then?" Joe offered. "Right this way..." He moved quickly, nearly disappearing into the shadowy room beyond. "Up the stairs now...we'll begin in the tower--" came his voice.
"Sure...a tour." Lina shrugged and led the gang to climb the tower stairs.
Gourry tensed. "I don't feel good about this."
"Keep your eyes open for a trap," Zel warned. He didn't like the stairs or heights especially and was uneasy.
Amelia reached for Zel's free hand to step up the first of the stairs. "Kinda dark..."
"Aaaaahh!" Lina screamed, her noise fading as she fell from sight.
"What the...gah!" Zel was next, then Amelia, attached at the hand. "Eeee!"
"Liiiina!" Gourry called, and then he too joined his friends on what turned out to be a long bumpy slide back down the other side of the tower.
They all wound up crowding on top of one another at the bottom, Xelloss being the froggie on top. "What kind of a place is this!" Lina demanded at the top of her lungs.
Xelloss rolled off to the side as quickly as possible. The others were too slow for Lina, having had the air knocked out of them. She kicked Gourry and Zel out of her way and stomped away in the direction of a light...and the smell of food.
Joe was standing in the light behind a table. "Tea anyone? Refreshments first, then the tour."
"That was one hell of a way to get started. Ya coulda warned us that that was a slide, ya know." Lina charged at the man, but hesitated to strangle him when he pushed a cup of tea and plate of cookies her way. "Ah...okay. I guess I could use a snack..."
Zel refused to participate, but Gourry and Amelia launched themselves at the food as if they hadn't just had lunch little over an hour ago. Xelloss stood apart and watched the show.
"Who goes first?" Joe asked.
"First for what?" Zel wanted to know, but Gourry stepped forward.
Lina pushed him back, "Me, you idiot!"
Joe smiled, "Let rock-paper-scissors decide!" He convinced the two contestants to give it a go. Naturally, Gourry became entangled in his tentacles so that his fist wouldn't open and Lina slapped him with an open hand. "Paper wins!" Joe announced and Lina smiled.
Still munching her cookies, Lina asked, "So...you make dolls here, right? You gonna show us that?"
Joe smiled. "This way!" Off to one side was a well-lit workroom. "In here, stuffed animals are assembled."
A snake practically twenty feet long had been in the process of having wads of fluff rammed down its throat or body or tail, but all activity had been shut down during the tour; at least they saw no other workers laboring away at any time during their stay.
"Where would somebody put a toy like that? It's huge!" Amelia cried out, clearly enamored of the entire place. "Ooooh an octopus! I've never seen octopus toys like this! And look, a bunny like you, Mr. Zelgadiss, wearing tiger-striped underwear!"
"Just like you, Zelgadiss!" Xelloss started laughing.
Zel shot him a disparaging look.
"You may choose the next room," Joe waved at a pair of doors.
"Me, me, me!" Amelia squealed and dashed to one door.
Lina yanked open the other one.
Amelia found a brick wall. "Huh?"
Lina yelped, "Yes!" and the tour continued through her outlet.
They lost track of time after walking what felt like miles and looked at what seemed like millions of dolls in various stages of creation, from the earliest designs and prototypes, continuing through hundreds of stages of production. It was obvious that this man was a phenomenal craftsman. However...
"I've had enough of this," Lina said hiding a yawn. "I think Val et al might be missing us by now. Say, Joe? This has been great. Reaally interesting and all, but what we came here to find..."
"Ah, yes...something to take with you," Joe murmured. "Right this way."
Again, he led them down a poorly lit passage that opened up... back at the front entry. "This must have been the way he came in the first time," Amelia whispered to Zelgadiss. "Oops, sorry!" She apologized for striking him again with her sharp star points jutting out from the shoulders of her costume. "Stupid costume...Lina should have gotten it..."
Zel nodded understanding her sentiments. "This 'suit' was for Xelloss, wasn't it?" But before she could deny it, he moved on mumbling, "Should have known...you wouldn't have planned it this way. Only Lina puts me into these humiliating costumes."
"I like mine..." Gourry said dreamily as he drifted by.
"He is way too happy in that costume," Xelloss noted for some future reference. Then louder he said, "Well, that's just...wonderful!"
"Why is it so wonderful?" Lina turned on him. She tried to grab him by his collar, but seeing as he had none handy, she just slapped at his arm. "What else do you know about this place? You haven't been very surprised at anything going on here."
Xelloss nabbed her wrist mid swing and used the leverage to pull her closer. With a light kiss to her cheek, he said, "Let's just leave it at that," winked and strode off in the direction of the door.
Lina blushed under the gaze of her other friends, completely stunned by his forwardness.
"Here you go!" Joe called, breaking the tension. He stood poised at the door holding out a small paper bag for each of the five kids. "Enjoy! Compliments of the shop. Bye now!" He waved and stuffed a sack into their hands on their way out.
"What's this? Ooooh! Look, it's me!" Amelia cried out. She pulled out a stuffed doll and jumped around excitedly. It was a starfish with hand embroidered blue eyes and short, black, silky hair.
"Well...I'll be..." Gourry chuckled as he looked over his toy. "It's me, right?"
"Lemme see..." Lina pulled the jellyfish toy out of his hands. "Yeah, right down to the blue eyes and blond hair. Funny, huh?"
"Oh, Mr. Zelgadiss! It's sooo cute!" Amelia nearly exploded into a shower of tiny hearts.
"It's a rabbit."
"Yes, but with silver hair and look, an earring!"
"Ah..." Zel sighed unimpressed. "Do you want it?"
Amelia nearly collapsed with joy, then promised to 'take the very best care' of it for him.
Lina looked askance at the others, clutching her pink pony doll protectively to her chest. "I'm keepin' mine. See? It's got a red tail and mane."
Everyone admired her pretty doll.
"What about yours, Mr. Xelloss?"
Xelloss peaked inside his bag, and then withdrew a skinny green frog with straight purple hair.
"Oh, how cute! Don't you like it?"
"It's fine, Amelia. I'm just not a collector, I suppose. Would you like to add it to your collection?"
"Oh, yes, thank you!" she gushed.
So the kids gathered up their clothes and borrowed the dressing room back at the costume rental shop to get dressed. "It's too cold to expose myself to the elements again," Xelloss whined.
But the others understood and didn't argue or give him a hard time, except Zelgadiss, that is. "That place had nothing to do with why we came here. Nothing! Just another wild goose chase, complete mortification, and waste of my time. Next time..."
"There won't be a next time, so shut up, buster...Hey Val! Over here!" Lina shouted, cutting Zel off and pushing him aside. Actually, that had been worth all the time it took to see Zel reduced to bunny-cuddly again. Yeah, she was feeling a lot better about the guy. He was still just a geek under her sway and for her to command at will. Yes, Lina Inverse rules supreme over all, ah ha ha ha ha!
Zel sighed but then he noticed that oh so familiar look of self-importance sort of take over Lina's countenance. She was positively glowing. Well, if his own personal total humiliation was what it took, then…he guessed that he had succeeded in winning back his friend. Yes, he was back in her good graces again. Oh joy! It would behoove him to hide his own smile…
Val loped up to greet them, leaving Filia and Sylphiel at the corner. "Rodimus is waitin' fer ya at the van. We outta go now if ya want give the slopes a try today."
"All right! Let's go!" Lina shouted, then to Zel she grinned, "Ah, buck up there ole Z-mon! Time for more fun, right?"
Right! But then…maybe not…
"So, if we wanna go skiing, where do we go? You got stuff we can rent here?"
The resort staff exchanged glances before one stepped up to the desk to address the spunky little red-haired girl. "This isn't a ski resort. We feature the areas finest mineral hot springs. I'm afraid there isn't enough snow depth here for skiing."
"Xel-loss?" Lina turned on him. "Wasn't this where you were bringing... ah...coming to go skiing?"
He looked down at his feet, slightly embarrassed. "Guess I didn't do my homework very well..."
"I don't think he was countin' on havin' much ac-tiv-itee outside the room," Val chuckled.
A blush painted Lina's cheeks. She spun on a heel, hefted her bag, and marched off to find her room.
"Eeeeww!" Filia gave Xelloss and Val a nasty look and followed Lina's example.
"I really prefer to stay in, too," said Sylphiel. "I mean, skiing has great clothes, but its so much effort, ya know?"
Xelloss, Val, Gourry and Zel just stared at her, and then they all exploded into giggles and laughter.
"What's so funny about that?" she asked Amelia.
Amelia shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Nothing. They're just being dirty-minded little boys. Come on, Miss Sylphiel, let's go find our room."
The girls shared two rooms with an adjoining bath, each with their own bed. "Nice," Lina sighed as she collapsed on one bed.
"I approve," Filia said with a chuckle. She had drawn Lina's name for a roommate.
Sylphiel with Amelia clamored through the bathroom/passageway. "This is really great, isn't it? It must be costing Zel a lot of money."
"Oh, Miss Lina, what a pretty view you have!" Amelia cried out.
"Yeah..." Lina was interrupted by a rap at the door.
Amelia opened it to find Gourry. "I, um...was sent to getcha fer dinner, if yer hungry..."
"A little early for dinner," Filia replied.
"Speak for yerself!" That was Lina, of course. "Catch up when you're ready."
"Oh, we'd better go now or the kitchen might run out of food," Filia smiled. Her expression softened as Val approached.
"Filia's in a good mood," Amelia observed to Sylphiel.
"She and Val are both pretty happy...like, what so you think that means?" Sylphiel snickered. "You should have seen them at the tea house."
"Val went to a tea house with you?" Amelia asked.
Sylphiel nodded.
"While we toured that creepy, but very interesting doll house?"
Sylphiel nodded again.
"Wow…"
"Yeah, Val went into gift stores and was so nice you wouldn't have believed he was for real," Sylphiel sighed all misty-eyed.
"How romantic…" Amelia sighed in concert.
Indeed, Filia and Val had obviously patched things up. No googly-eyes, but Val was attentive and Filia was kinder to everyone. And they were light spirited, breezy and cheerful.
"Ooooooooooo! What's that cute thing? Oh! You have another? Oh, Amelia!" Sylphiel went crazy over the stuffed dolls.
"What? Let me in on … OH! Gods, those are just soooo cute, even that one with the purple hair that looks disturbingly like someone we all know… Oh, I get it! This one's you…and Zel…and him, of course!" Filia went mad over them too.
"Look at these!" Lina had rifled though Gourry's bag and retrieved his jellyfish doll image of himself. She had thought that he would have gallantly offered it to her, like Zel had to Amelia. Lina had almost felt a tinge of jealousy when Xelloss had handed his over to Amelia-- without even consulting her! Maybe she would have liked a skinny-legged frog! But neither Gourry nor Xelloss had thought that she would have wanted to collect stupid stuffed animals. So, Lina had actually had to ask Gourry for his.
"That's pretty cute. I might start collecting these, starting with yours…"
"Uh, uh," Gourry had answered shaking his head. He whipped the doll out of her reach. "This one's mine. You gotcher own."
Well, she couldn't dispute that! Somehow, she knew though, she would get her hands on that doll. And now she had, although…she'd stolen it. Well, not exactly. She would put it back…in a moment…after she showed it off.
She presented both her pony and his jellyfish doll to the admiring girls. "I guess that creepy tour was good for something."
Sylphiel moaned, "I wish I had gone now."
"Yeah, I'd like a whole set of them. Can you just see Val as a big red heart…"
"Or a dragon!" Sylphiel suggested creatively. "You like dragons."
"Mr. Xelloss had it all planned, he told me. There's a deal between the costume shop and the doll factory. They have bunches of these already made to match the costumes, then while you tour, the shop adds the hair and eyes and all to customized them. It takes no time at all!"
"Amelia," Lina's face became enlightened. "Think of it! If we like these, don't you think other kids would? Fans? We could order tons of these to look like us in different 'costumes' and sell them at a profit at gigs!"
"Oh, Miss Lina! What a great idea! Let's talk to Xelloss about that and get the name of the right people to contact."
"Sure, after dinner, though," Lina smiled and made for the door. "Ehhhh…just a min…" She did a quick course correction, and then stuffed Gourry's doll back into his bag. He had been generous about the CD's and all. Best let him give it to her in his own way and own time, because…she knew he would…in the end.
Lina and Gourry were already shoveling in the food furiously by the time the others were all seated. Zelgadiss had pre-ordered the meal to save time. Xelloss was reading a brochure.
"What's that about?" Lina asked him.
"Our resort package. I've been reviewing our activities." At Lina's raised eyebrow, he elaborated on the theme. "Tonight, hot mineral soaks, steam room -optional- and massage before bedtime aperitifs, which, since we are underage is...hot cocoa with scones."
"I'm going to gain five pounds this weekend!" Sylphiel moaned.
Ignoring that remark, Lina said, "Okay. Tell me about tomorrow. What's on the agenda?"
"Ah..." he shook his finger at her "...it's a secret!"
He held her gaze a moment, then she shrugged. "As long as they don't try and starve us..."
But the food was ample, if not delicious, so no one starved or even went away hungry. After a suitable 'rest' period, two young male stewards escorted the Slayers to the changing rooms. There were big fluffy towels to wrap up in and soft slippers to cushion their feet from the icy tiles, then a brisk walk out of doors to the steaming mineral baths. There were several to choose from spotted around at varying levels and utilizing rocky outcroppings for privacy screens.
"So which ones?" Gourry asked the other guys as he saw the girls coming their way.
"Up over that way," Zel pointed to a far-off plume of steam. "Where we won't run into anyone."
Since they were completely nude beneath the towels, there wasn't any question of the girls joining them. "Might as well," Val agreed. "Ain't gonna be no big social event tonight."
Lina would see the tail end of Gourry's blonde mane swaying into the distance. "Let's head over this way," she pointed in the opposite direction. "It'll be quieter."
"Absolutely!" Filia agreed. "Put some space between us and their crude jokes."
And so, the Slayers parted ways and spent an evening in total relaxation. After full body massages they tucked into a late night snack, then sank into their beds and slept like the dead. Zolf made it in after midnight, staying up long into the night in deep discussion with Rodimus.
They all slept in the next morning. There was no rush for anything. It was totally relaxing and restorative for the kids. After meeting for breakfast, new 'activity directors' led them through checklists of possibilities: mud baths, salt soaks, scrubs and peels, manicures and pedicures, hair conditionings and wraps. These treatments were followed by lunch and free-time, then physical exercise, had any of them wanted to do any thing. Mostly, they just slept or lay around talking and reading, knowing that it would be a late night with celebrating to look forward to—Xelloss' birthday and New years!
Lina bumped into Zel, she with a snack from the bar and he with a copy of the Seyruun Guard. "Hey, Zel!"
"Lina!" Zel smiled and changed direction to intercept her path. He was genuinely pleased to see her. He had just had a mud bath followed by a long warm soak and then nearly fell asleep after a heated stone massage. It had been the closest to nirvana that his karma had ever taken him.
"How ya been? You look, well, different."
"Relaxed and worry-free," he smiled.
"Yeah, that is different!" she cackled.
He stood, arms folded and waited her out. She looked pretty at ease herself. "Are you done?"
"Ah…ha… Yeah. You having a good time? I was wondering how this stuff might affect you skin. Like, irritate it or something."
"No problems, in fact I found the mud to be especially nice. Take a look, my arm seems…smoother or something."
Lina nearly fainted. Zel showing off a part of his anatomy, and bare, naked flesh at that! Would wonders never cease? "Not bad, Zel. Feels smooth, all right. And the redness is all gone. Hey, wouldn't that be somethin' if all ya had to do was soak in mud for an hour to clear up your marks?"
Zel was lost in thought, and not about the marks on his skin, but about the feeling of Lina's cool little fingers touching his skin. Goosebumps rose along his arm. "Oh, ah…the redness always comes back after a while, but …"
"Hey, looks at those," she pointed out the bumps. "You ever get those before? I always thought your skin was mostly non-reactive."
"It was…this is new."
"Well, that's something to tell the doctor, right?" She clapped him on the back. "Oh, I got a great idea. Sylph and Fil got a look-see at those stuffed dolls from the tour and went bonkers. I figured the fans would, too, and we could sell a shitload of them, ya know…get all different kinds made up to look like us and folks could start collections. We could make a mint!"
Zel nodded, "Possibly. You think people really collect those kinds of things, I mean, besides just little kids?"
Lina's eyes narrowed. "Lots of girls do. Adults, too. Are you forgetting Amelia has numerous collections? Or are you putting her in that 'little girl' category?"
"So, Xelloss knows the man to contact," he went on, skipping over Lina's remark.
"So I've been told…" Lina watched his face a moment waiting for her next question to trigger some reaction from him. "You gonna tell me what's up between you and Amelia now?"
His eyes darted up and got trapped by Lina's. "Nothing's up."
"I'm waiting…"
He sighed and knew he was whipped again. "Sit down."
He gestured toward a secluded pair of chairs and table situated in an alcove. There were many of these scattered throughout the spa for casual conversations, like this one.
"I'm sitting."
"All right. I um…don't know. No, really! I don't know how I feel about her or if I even want to. I like her, Lina, but I don't know if that's enough."
"Enough to what? No, I really want to know, Zel. I kinda understand what you're saying."
"Enough to call her a girlfriend, I guess. It's just that I don't have that burning need like Xelloss seems to have to have one. Happiness that it brings is pretty fleeting and the complications are more than I care to punish myself with. Plus, it's like she and I are on another wavelength sometimes. I can't imagine that we share many common interests. The time we spend together is nice, but—"
"But she wants more?" Lina supplied.
"More of certain things…"
"She wants that emotional commitment from Mr. Detached?"
"That too. She's surprisingly more demonstrative than you might think and…"
"It's more than you want, further than you want to go?" Lina knew that that was true for her and since Zel's other complaints aligned with hers she thought that this one might as well.
Zel blushed. "Not exactly," he muttered.
Lina's breath caught. Oh.
"I can't help it, Lina. I managed to turn out to be just a guy in the end. An ordinary guy underneath all these scars. Plus, I live with Val and Xelloss who talk incessantly about…girls and all. It's hard to get away from. And then she wants to hug me and all and…" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair nervously. "And I've come to realize that it's not that she's too young, it's that I'm too old for her. And her father reminds me of that fact regularly. Not to mention how something like that can mess up the band, as you can vouch for, since we just went through that recently with you and …"
"Yeah, yeah…those two. Gods, Zel…sometimes I wish I could stop time and not grow up. I'd like to avoid all this stuff a little longer. Xelloss, wow he's just too…aggressive. And Gourry…he wants that emotional thing big time. That scares me even more than the physical stuff, I think." Again their eyes met in quiet contemplation of one another.
"What a messed up pair we make," Zel said with a small laugh.
"Yeah, I'm glad you understand, though. I was beginning to think there was something wrong with me."
"With you? Never, Lina. You are just an original and make your own rules."
That drew out her good spirits again. "That's right! And when the gods made me they said 'enough' and threw away the mold."
"Which slammed into mine and left a deep impression," Zel smiled.
Speaking of talking…
Amelia snagged Xelloss on one of his many sojourns through the resort. "Mr. Xelloss!"
"Yes, Miss Amelia?"
"Are you having a good time? I sure am!"
"I am happy to hear that. It is peaceful here. Was there something on your mind?"
"Well, actually there was. You know…I like Mr. Zelgadiss and all but…"
"But you've come to tell me you have secretly been in love with me for ages?" he smiled.
She tripped over a bump in the carpet, but he caught her by the arm effortlessly. "Oh, no…I mean…I like you lots, you know that, but I'm not…"
"It's okay," he chuckled. "I was just joking, right?"
"Oh, of course you were. I am so stupid sometimes."
"No you're not. You just are very sensitive towards the feelings of others and often put them before your own. Like with Zelgadiss. That actually works in your favor with a guy like him."
"It does?"
"Mm-hmm. If you come on too strong he'll balk. He's also a bit backward and a bit of a prude. Must be that White Shrine blood running through his veins."
"He's just good and very private."
"That too. Amelia…" Xelloss stopped walking and looked deeply into her eyes, examining her resoluteness perhaps.
"I was wondering…"
"Yes, Amelia?"
"I was wondering if you might…you know, give him a few pointers. You have had a few girlfriends and know more about how to talk to…get close to…um…be …"
"Romantic? Ah… He really hates himself, the way he looks and all, to the point that it blinds him to the possibilities beyond appearance. It gets in the way of him feeling anything. Sometimes, anyway. Also, your father made it very clear to him on more than one occasion that he will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any adult who seduces his darling, underage daughter. Didn't you know?"
She shook her head violently. "Daddy wouldn't… Anyway, Zelgadiss wouldn't do anything like that but…I guess that explains why he avoids contact. The skin thing and…I'll have to have a talk with Daddy. I'm not a little girl anymore!'
"In his eyes and under the law, you are…and Zelgadiss is an adult. Just remember that, 'kay?" Xelloss smiled and patted her on the head. "He does like you, you know. But until he gets over himself, he's stuck in 'friends' mode."
"Thanks, Mr. Xelloss. I think I get him now. And I know what I have to do."
"Ah…Amelia, just what might that be?" Xelloss suddenly realized that perhaps he had said too much, given away one of Zelgadiss' secrets, or something.
"Get him to go to the doctor and get his cure, of course!"
"Oh, my…well…good luck," Xelloss smiled weakly. Pointers, oh yeah, Zelgadiss would listen to him on that hot topic! Amelia, you just don't know much about the male mentality…
"Thanks!" Amelia threw her arms around him in a friendly hug. "You are such a special friend, Mr. Xelloss!"
Standing to the side on a balcony overlooking the hall where Xelloss and Amelia had met, was Zelgadiss. He was going to find Xelloss to recommend he get changed or whatever for dinner. He hadn't expected to find Amelia with him. How easily Xelloss conversed with her, with everyone! Why was it that he had such a difficult time making small talk and being just…well, friendly? Sure, he'd been getting better lately but… He wondered what they were talking about. He knew that if he removed his earplugs their voices would come in clearly, even from this distance, but that wouldn't be right. He noticed that they had stopped walking. Xelloss looked serious. Something was not right. He popped out one earplug the moment Amelia jumped into his best friend's arms and in time to overhear her declare joyfully, "You are such a special friend, Mr. Xelloss!"
Oh…he felt like Lina had just knocked the air out of him. No, that wasn't how it appeared, he knew that. Xelloss was not yearning for Amelia and he knew she had her heart under better control than that. He cursed himself for having been so foolish as to eavesdrop on his friends like that…catching a warm moment out of context. He should be thrilled that his friends liked one another's company and that they might seek one another out to talk or to console one another—something he wasn't prone to doing or desired to be better at. He was lucky to even have friends… Amelia and Xelloss parted ways, and he found Xelloss was on the path to the stairs, coming back to his room, just as he said he would.
"Hey, Zelgadiss!" Xelloss smiled. "I think I want a shower first, do I still have time?"
"Of course, Xelloss. It's your evening tonight. Filia stopped by to ask if you wanted a hair trim. I told her I'd go look for you."
"Ah, yes…well I don't think I need one, but I'll go tell her myself. Thanks!" And Xelloss rushed by him, skipping steps, then turned down the hallway toward the girl's rooms.
"You are welcome…" Zel said quietly with a thoughtful look on his face.
"Knock, knock! It's Xelloss, is Miss Filia available?"
Filia opened the door to her room immediately and looked up and down the hall. Satisfied that he was alone, he guessed, she squeezed past him and tilted her head to the left. "This way. You got a minute?"
"Yes, but I don't think I need that hair cut…"
She checked him out with a sweeping glance. "Of course not. But…just come here anyway." She led him away from the rooms to a pair of doors at the far end of the hall. "In here…"
"Isn't this the ladies dressing room?"
"So, pretend you're female. I need to talk privately and everyone on the floor, but our band has left. I checked."
"O-kay…"
Once inside and settled at opposite ends of a wooden bench, she approached him uneasily. "Hey, Xelly, I have a, um…favor to ask you."
"In here?" His heart skipped a beat, and then started to pound to make up for it.
Her eyes narrowed and eyebrows drew together. "I'm going to ignore that for now. This is about Val."
"Val?"
"Yes, Val. You see I think he likes me…"
"You think?" Xelloss chuckled lightly, relieved that Val was going to be the subject of their conversation and nothing like what his vivid imagination was conjuring up.
"I know, but he has a hard time saying the right things. And that's the problem."
"Val? He seems able to open up when I've talked to him."
"I don't mean that!" She practically snarled at him.
Okay…Xelloss figured that it had to be a serious problem then, so he waited her out.
She tapped her foot and stared off to the side. "Okay, it's like this…"
He waited out another pregnant pause.
"Val…"
Tap, tap….
Should he bail her out here or just bail and run…?
Tap, tap…
Oh, why play it safe?
"Filia, Val's not the romantic flowers and candy kinda guy, is that the problem?"
"YES!" she gasped, so relieved that he had guessed right.
"And… Let me take a wild stab here…you would like me to talk to him, is that right?"
"Yes, but," she took a deep shuddering breath. "He needs coaching and obviously I don't want him to know I think so or that I asked you to do it."
Xelloss agreed with that all right. "Oh yes, that…would be a bad idea…but, why me?"
She gave him that deadly 'you are soooooo clueless' look.
"I mean, last summer you said I was the last person you'd think of when it came to love affairs…"
"That was probably ones involving me. Which reminds me, it's time to stifle the rumor mill when we get back to school, if it's still is running. In case you care, you and me aren't a couple and…Val and me…kinda are. Remember? That show I put on in front of the football team?"
"School? I'm not going back. I don't care; tell everyone what you will, if that makes you happy and Val, too." Xelloss had that faraway look in his eyes again.
"Yeah…So, you'll talk to Val about, you know…"
"How to woo you? Well, Filly, how do you like it? Flowers? I do dinner and dancing, but that's not going to work for him. Any suggestions?"
"How about how to say nice things for starters and then things to avoid like…oh I don't know exactly. Like, 'come over to my place and make out', that sorta stuff."
"You don't want him to make that offer, right? Just making sure I have it all straight here. He said that to you?"
"Not those precise words…He needs more refining."
"You think I'm more refined?" he asked in wonder.
"As far as that's concerned, yes. You can be a gentleman when you want to and your dates have all sounded more romantic in nature than his night-on-the-towns. Get my point? You'll do it then?"
"I can't promise much. It all depends on his…at-ti-tude, dudette. I'll give it a go anyway. Hey, I gotta go take a shower, so if there's nothing else…"
"You're excused…"
But as he stood to leave, she grabbed his hand. "Um, I've been meaning to say something…I'm really sorry about your break-up, Xelly. I think you're handling it all really good and I'm sure you'll find some…"
He pressed a finger to her lips and begged, "Please, don't say it. Ah, thanks for the sympathy, though. And one more thing… Something for you to think about…it goes hand-in-hand with the romance part; the pain, I mean."
She released his hand. "Oh, Xelly, it doesn't have to."
"Oh really?" he said with derision. "I wouldn't know about that."
"It won't always…"
"Wonderful." He shook his head doubtfully and stomped away.
"Hey, I know I just look good on her res-u-may sometimes, but ya know, I'm not lookin' at her for any action. Well, I ain't! Don't laugh, Xelloss," Val growled.
"You aren't going to get any ak-shun no matter which way you look at Filia!" Xelloss giggled. "Not from a priestess of Cephied!"
"Those White Shriners are more willing to ne-go-she-ate," Val returned wolfishly.
"Some are," Xelloss agreed. "I can't vouch for them all…but…" He nodded significantly over at Zel. "…my guess is…"
"Ah, that little thing of his won't put out." Val approached Zelgadiss. "Zel my man, you gotta start lookin' elsewhere. Yer at that big U now, there's gotta be chicks all over lookin' ta score."
"Leave me alone," Zel muttered and stepped up his pace, leaving the others behind.
"Val, look, Amelia adores him and he knows it and he doesn't know what to do about it. He's very moralistic and too self-conscious to be aggressive. She's too young, from a legalistic point of view as well. He's not about to go on a hunt around campus and risk getting snubbed or…hurt worse. And the more you mess with him about it the more screwed up he's going to be, so lighten up," Xelloss recommended.
"Okay, old man…" Val grinned and jingle-jangled his way past Xelloss and Gourry to knock on the one of the girls' doors. "Time for the par-tay!"
…
"And I want to thank my little brother for organizing all this for me tonight. He ah…made me a promise the other day, and I don't think he'd mind very much my telling you what it was, would you? Good. Ah…the promise was to make sure I didn't spend another birthday in the hospital and…here I am…and you all are here… and this certainly is a lot nicer than a hospital, so… thanks, Zelgadiss. You…you…" tears threatened to escape Xelloss' eyes. "You are so…you all have been so…" He tried to brush them aside and finish, but he couldn't.
Lina pulled him back down into his seat as she rose out of hers. "Looks like Xelloss, the man of the hour, has sprung a leak. So while he gets it together, let's all just sing Happy Birthday to the nutcase, to our nutcase, 'kay?"
Happy Birthday to youuuuuu…
Happy Birthday to youuuuuu…
Happy Birthday dear Xel-leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…
Happy Birthday to youuuuuu!
"Happy New Year Everybody!" she shouted over the riotous yelling of the others.
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 34.