Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT!
Chapter 48
The Musical: Act Four, Act Five and some Murmurings
"Don't be too clever for an audience. Make it obvious. Make the subtleties obvious also." – Billy Wilder
Act Four, Scene Four
When the lights went up on the stage, the Slayers were all assembled on a windy rock ledge, or so it appeared. Bobby had helped Luke and Pearl roll three standing fans to the side edge of the stage and then turned them on 'high'. As the fan heads rotated back and forth synchronously, enough air blew to move the actor's hair convincingly.
"Now what?" Lina demanded.
Two figures stood at the opposite side of the stage-– Zelas and Darkstar. Nahga dressed in a tight blue cocktail dress was beyond dazzling; she was simply spectacular. At her side in a well-cut black suit and purple wig, was John, who from a distance and wearing dark glasses gave the impression of a tall Xelloss-poser.
For a moment all time stopped for Xelloss. It was mesmerizing. There, out of the fog he saw what he mistook to be himself standing beside his dead mother.
"Thank you, Xelloss-darling," Nahga-Zelas addressed Xelloss, pulling him out of his reverie. "You may leave now. We will take care of the rest."
"If you don't mind, mistress...Mother, I should like to stay and see what transpires." Xelloss ended his request with a bow. "Who is this man?"
This led into a short number where Nahga-Zelas introduced Xelloss to his father. John, who was no singer, had begged off having to participate, so Lina had had to rewrite the lyrics so that it made sense for Xelloss to sing instead.
Xelloss was put off by this Darkstar character, this intruder. The man presented competition for Zelas' attention, whether it be in the form of a mother's love or a boss's admiration.
Nahga-Zelas was unmoved. She had moved on with her life and her son was in the way if he wasn't willing to move aside gracefully. To top it off, it turned out that the prophecy was bogus and that the weapons together contained a code to unlock the treasures of the monster world. Zelas had used him to gather them all for herself, and then abandon him for the more powerful Darkstar.
Filia joined in after the second chorus. She sang of her outrage and begged Valgaav to defy his corrupted monster parts, to turn away from the monsters' destiny of destruction and follow her on the road to redemption.
The number was long and allowed those not in it to rest.
Sylphiel used the opportunity to whisper to Zelgadiss, "You're letting her go out with that guy?"
"Who...? Oh, ah... Amelia can make up her own mind about what's best for herself."
"Zel, no!"
"Shhh..." Lina hissed over at the taller girl.
She lowered her voice, "You can't let her do that. She'll think you don't... like... care."
"Nothing I can do."
Sylphiel looked around for Filia's mace thinking that it was about the right tool to get through Zel's thick skull. "Tell her to say 'no' anyway. You don't want Duo to, you know, get his grubby little fingers on Amelia... Well, do you?"
No he didn't, he had to admit, but he didn't see himself interfering either.
Lina gave them both a hard look, which added to her already building angry aura against the Demon Lords. "Listen up! I'm not about to give up my hard-fought-for weapons for nothing and Ill be damned if I'm gonna be cheated out of some reward by you scumbags. Okay, everybody, let's see what these handy-looking babies can do when we slap some spells on 'em!"
So, Lina called her friends to arms and they entered into battle against Zelas and Darkstar. When Val saw Filia sink to her feet under an attack from Zelas, his resolve to seek revenge on Lina for Gaav's death quavered. "What had the beautiful, young dragoness done to deserve such a fate-- to become a pawn in the monsters' game?" he questioned himself aloud.
Likewise, Xelloss wondered why Darkstar chose now to trespass into his territory and why Zelas was letting him. "Do you think that you can replace me as her General and Priest, my Lord Darkstar?"
"I shall wield the power that Hellmaster relinquished as well as all that from the Outer world and beyond. Zelas doesn't need a boy to do a man's job," Darkstar-John said, needling Xelloss to act rashly.
"That is all I needed to know," Xelloss growled as he raised his staff in a threatening manner.
Amid another sound and light show, Val and Xelloss joined in the melee, assisting the Slayers, emboldening them to fight harder and deliver the final blows which destroyed both monster Lords, Zelas and Dark star.
In that dramatic moment, Val Gaav transformed into a pure dragon, losing his black wings, and embraced Filia. "We're saved!" Filia nearly burst with joy.
"No, I am saved, thanks to you believin' in me," Val said, although he nearly gagged on the overly-sweet sentiment. It was a bit saccharine, even for Sylphiel, who swore by the calorie-free sweetener, which was 500 times sweeter than regular table sugar.
Moments later, Xelloss shed his monster raiment and became a human. "Without my master, telling me what to do, I am free to do as I please for once in my life. This makes me human."
He knelt beside the 'deceased' Nahga-Zelas and removed a ring from her finger. Slipping it into a pocket for safekeeping freed up his hands to remove a similar ring from Darkstar's still hand. Xelloss picked up the gun which Darkstar had lost in the fight and unloaded it. He regained his feet and, as he approached Lina, he took out Zelas' ring from his pocket. "Take this, please, Miss Lina. It may protect you from other monsters' attacks when I can't."
There were mutterings around the room from dark-purposed men and women as they watched emblems of power being handled in so cursory a manner by mere...kids.
Lina reached out and nabbed it quickly with a quick nod. "Guess I won't be needing these amplifiers so much then. Here, Sylphiel, your magic's weaker. It could use some punching up."
"T-thank you!" the priestess said.
"Zelgadiss..." Xelloss began.
"I'll take that gun, if you don't mind. I've always been interested in firearms. Give the ring to the princess."
More gasps sounded at the insolent behavior of one of theirs. Xelloss was one of theirs...wasn't he at one time? Wasn't he now? Once syndicate, always syndicate–until death do you part.
"Certainly," Xelloss replied. "Then, Miss Amelia, this ring is for you."
"Why...it's beautiful! Thank you Mr. Xelloss. But what about Mr. Gourry? Won't he need something to protect him?"
"Don't worry about me, Amelia. I've got this sword of light! With it, I'm the best swordsman of all time."
Ah! One of actual Ancient Clan's weapons of power! In that kid's hands! Here!
Xelloss smiled, "My, my... Well, there's nothing more important for me to do now than to help rid the world of the rest of the evil monster race."
Val moved to stand beside him, Filia's hand in his. "Me, too. It's a promise."
And the curtain fell on the poignant ending to Act Four, leaving the audience murmuring about the story so far:
"Could it be that these kids were actually taking on the syndicate?" one mother conferred with another.
"Zelas, their past school principal was a syndicate leader?" questioned another parent.
"Did they really kill Xelloss' parents and Val's too!" A boy asked his friend beside him.
Who replied, "Naw...they woulda gone ta jail like my ole man. Betcha that's made up."
"Uh, u-uh, not if it's self-defense!"
"I think it's symbolic!" some other nosy kid put in.
"I get it! Val Agares was Val Gaav?" some kid learned for the first time.
"I don't believe it! Zel's grandfather was THAT Great Red Priest?"
"Ah, come on! Those guys aren't really magic users, so how did they actually do all that?"
"They used real guns, idiot!"
While others agreed: "These kids must be stopped before this goes much further."
While Subaru would not be so shallow as to say he could tell if someone was evil by looking at them, he could usually discern evil intent simply by feeling it. It was a sort of curse, as he'd come to look upon all of his inherited Sumeragi responsibilities. Perhaps it was unjust to view them so. He no longer cared. The truth was, losing Hokuto had freed him as well as depressed him. He no longer felt connected to his spiritual destiny. Now that she was gone, he would finally follow her advice. Bitterness clouded his pure heart, now. But he could still tell when someone meant harm. If only he'd been able to tell that one time! That one person...!
But there were people in the audience of this musical whose evil intent he could feel without even trying. That tall woman with long, brown hair, flanked by quartet of men in suits. She was full of spite and ambition and jealousy, and the cruelty to act on these feelings–in a final way. That was one. There was a platinum-blonde man in the very back who observed it all as if he were watching an ant's nest he was about to dump poison on. Another man, this one tan in contrast with pale lavender hair, sat in the very front, clapping merrily, but he too saw the whole event as merely an insect's attempt at entertaining his great personage. There were countless people with rather less haughty attitudes or high ideals who till meant nothing but harm. These minions and thugs were just a low buzz of evil, while the others were stark notes of cruelty. It was beginning to affect Subaru, to be in the presence of all of this negativity.
"Here," the young 'count' handed him a plastic cup with steam curling from the top. The scent of green tea was like a balm for his soul. "We can't have you fainting in the middle of your friends' performance."
"Thank you," Subaru breathed before he brought the tea to his lips. Just what he needed!
"And you should have some of this, too. You haven't been eating well recently."
Subaru obediently took the cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches he was offered. 'Recently.' He had never eaten well. Sometimes he just couldn't bear to.
"And I have your favorite mochi for dessert!" D smiled.
They hadn't time to address his other problems as the curtain rose on...
--- Act Five --- Finale
--- "The suspense is terrible. I hope I will last." –Oscar Wilde. ---
Scene One
The heavy curtain rose on a painted backdrop depicting the gated entrance to the Seyruun Palace.
"DEAD?" Lina yelled at the guard, played by Gravos.
"M-my d-daddy is...d-dead?" Amelia whimpered.
"He went...out," Gravos stumbled over his lines, but it came off as sob-filled and emotional. "A-aaaand..."
"He didn't come back. Is that whatcha mean?" Lina cut in, helping him with his forgotten line.
"Yeah, that's right. Didn't find no sign of him, just a big fight."
"I...I need to go to my room now," Amelia said.
Her path was blocked as Jillas, dressed regally and wearing a short, dark wig, strode up. "Cousin Amelia! What a sad day!"
"Cousin Alfred!" Amelia cried on his shoulder.
"Truly tragic event, I'm afraid. Come in and I'll tell you all I know." Alfred-Jillas looked over Gourry, Lina, Amelia, and Zel before asking, "Who are these people with you?"
Amelia did the introductions quickly adding, "My other friends are visiting a shrine outside of town."
"Ah...Amelia? Any chance of some sort of banquet in there?" Gourry prodded gently.
"He means..." Lina punched him solidly. "We'll get right on your father's disappearance, after we eat."
"You mean... you don't think he's dead?" Amelia asked hopefully.
"He's a big strong man and the guard said they didn't find his body. That means he's some where and that means there's hope he's alive too!" Lina assured her.
"There is that possibility, of course," Alfred-Jillas said uncomfortably.
"And where there's hope, there's a chance that justice will prevail and we'll find him and those that brought this upon him!" Amelia shouted with her little fist upraised.
The backdrop was raised to reveal was appeared to be a palace anteroom and Jillas began a song of support and solidarity, "We shall demand justice!"
Van Fanel and his girlfriend Hitomi were sitting together on the outer edge of row 56. Behind them were Allen Schezar and his loony sister, Celena. Allen tapped Van on his shoulder. When Van tilted his head back Allen leaned forward in a coolly elegant move and whispered in his ear, "I take it you've seen the gang out of Dornkirk come in...over by the exit?"
Van could have been Heero's slightly taller, dark-eyed twin brother, even down to the serious expression, which just got darker. "You mean the assholes who call themselves the Guy-melefs? Yes. I'm hoping they try something."
Allen tucked a stray lock of his cascading blonde hair behind an ear. "Me, too." His smile did not meet his eyes, however.
Van nodded. He knew that the leader of that gang was partially responsible for Celena's mental instability following a vicious rape attack. Although it put the guilty perpetrator behind bars, the gang was still intact. Allen wouldn't rest until they were all securely put away, one way or the other. Both Van and Allen had their fencing gear strapped to their legs, hidden beneath long coats.
Celena's eyes traced the path Allen's had just taken. She licked her lips in anticipation, hand rubbing the swell of a long blade at her hip– she was ready as well. The music volume increased with a strident beat, capturing her attention and drawing her out of her dark thoughts and helping her concentrate back on the musical.
Mazenda–Martina and Kanzel-Zangalus were battling the four Slayers on stage. Xelloss had 'saved' Prince Philonel of Seyruun, played by the tireless John with, as he said, 'A lot of padding and fake black hair,' and had just carried him offstage. Alfred-Jillas entered from the other side, a smug expression curling his lips roguishly. Was he in for a surprise...
Utena Tenjou tensed. She had observed a particular man take his seat up front. A familiar face, that of her best friend's older brother, Akio, with tan skin juxtaposed against a soft fall of lavender hair. He had no business being here, no good business. She twisted a rose-crested ring on her finger and considered the possibilities. Utena was captain of the Seyruun High School fencing team following the merger of the girl's and boy's teams. Zangalus could have fought her promotion, since he had an equal claim. He had been the boy's team leader following Zel's retirement of the post at his mid-year graduation. But, to be honest, the girls were tougher, scarier, more determined, not to mention distracting to the opposition. Utena certainly was when she struck a attack-pose, showing off her tall slender figure and beautiful flowing cotton-candy pink hair. She had many qualifications Zangalus lacked, and so, he stepped aside graciously, just as Van had earlier that afternoon when she told him to move over so she could sit next to him.
Utena kicked the foot next to hers.
Van peered curiously out from under his shaggy bangs, "I saw them."
"Akio up front. Watch him."
Van returned a curt nod. More fun.
Utena bent to her other side and whispered to the equally tall girl there. "Can you feel the anxiety level rising around us?"
Umi pulled back her sleek blue hair and smiled slyly. "Explosive. If I lit a match, the place would ignite. You realize that your nemesis Akio is on the School's Board of Directors, don't you?" She looked back at the stage and frowned, "Oh, rats! That cute guy Alfred's been killed by one of those weirdos! He was syndicate...um, I mean 'a tool of the monsters,' too!"
"The board of directors!" Van gasped.
"I wouldn't be too surprised," Allen put in, calmly, from behind, "considering our former principal–and our newest one."
Van narrowed his yes at his "friend's" nonchalance. Allen was going to be hard to work with, as always.
"Well, it should all be surprising!" Umi insisted, uncannily sticking up for Van. "They did a good job of hiding all of this!"
"That's why this," Hitomi gestured at the stage, "...was necessary."
Well, that was a pleasant change! The smile Hitomi and Umi exchanged made Van feel...pride? Comfort? Something like that. Van had considered Umi to be a snobby rich girl and snubbed her when she and the friends at her side joined the fencing team. But her amazing skill at fighting impressed him. It was gratifying that Hitomi was getting along with this popular and estimable girl, especially now that Van had grown to respect her. And he'd realized that her friends were valuable allies, too. Fuu, seated on Umi's other side, was a pretty, introverted blonde presently entering the advanced placement classes Zelgadiss, Xelloss, and Lina had completed. A bit of a nerd, but Van liked her smile and her classic fencing style. Next to Fuu, was Van's secret favorite of the new additions to the team, Hikaru. Her curly, red hair and happy outlook on life contrasted with his dark looks and attitude...it reminded him more of his kid-sister-substitute, Merle...
He smiled slightly as he remembered Zel telling him about the dance club he'd gone to where he had met a cute girl who liked dogs, Hikaru. Hikaru had to have been pretty good to get that response from 'Cold-as-ice Zelgadiss'. He turned to Hitomi. "Zel and Gourry gathered everyone here."
"Nn," she agreed. "Isn't that Inu, who you play against, over by the window?"
Van scrunched up his face. Inu was a vicious opponent when it came to fencing, but if Zel thought he was a friend..."Yes, with those crazy martial-arts idiots. Look, there's Ranma Satome and a bunch of his Tendo dojo members behind them."
"Some of those people are from Xelloss' dojo, too. Now, shhh...I want to hear this song. Martina's voice is pretty good She's the one playing that evil lady up there."
"Not as good as your voice," Val murmured and ran a finger lightly along Hitomi's arm in a mild show of affection. His heart leaped at her reaction, a demure smile.
In fact, he was so distracted, that when he finally focused on the musical again, the curtain was falling for the next scene change.
Zelgadiss checked his watch. Time enough, he decided. He found a towel and wiped the sweat off his neck. "'Melia?"
"Oh, you need a drink," she cried out. "I'll be right there!"
"Um, thanks," Zel said after drinking long and gratefully from the sports bottle she had handed him.
"I didn't think it would get so hot up here. I guess we ran the fans more for the dress rehearsal." Amelia smiled and looked at Zelgadiss standing tall and staring at her, really staring. "Is...something wrong?"
Nothing that watching your breasts heaving under that thin, low-cut blouse won't solve... "Ah, what? Damnit, don't get distracted, not now! "Oh, um...not really. Oh, well, yes, I think so, it's just that...I don't want you going out with that guy...that's all." Shit, that sounded lame.
Amelia narrowed her eyes. "Oh, it that all?"
"Well, for now...yeah." Poor Zel missed his cue for this act.
"And why is that? Because...I'm too young or too immature or too, too..." her voice was rising.
"No no no...!" Zel tried to shut her off before one of the others overheard and came over to interfere. "You're not too...anything like that. More like too...enticing!"
Huh? That through Amelia for a loop. Did Zelgadiss just complement her? Did he just call her sexy? Amelia grinned, "Really? Do you think so? Do you think he might want to...?" She thought a moment and decided to make Zel squirm. "Kiss me? That would be okay, if it was just that. I like kissing, if the guy is very special. That shouldn't bother you, right?"
Zel's eyes roved over her face, pausing on the said lips, and then gliding up to her wide, blue eyes. "No! I mean...it does bother me! No, not kissing you, I like that well enough, but...him...that guy...doing it...does...bother me, that is." Zel blurted out in a desperate attempt to stop her from dating Duo. Realizing what he had just admitted, he knew he might as well make a damn fool of himself and say it all. "I, um, couldn't help but overhear him..."
"Uh, huh..." Amelia folded her arms over her chest, under her breasts in a most distracting manner.
And, well I thought you and I were...you know..."
She shook her head, "Were what?"
Zel sighed. She was not making this easy for him. "That I was your boyfriend and you were my...girlfriend...like that." Gods...that had better be enough!
"Really?" she couldn't help but smile; Zel looked so...miserably cute.
"Yeah, I mean after you...and then we...I just thought..."
"Oh, Zelgadiss!" she cried out and threw herself into his unprepared arms. "I'd love to be your real girlfriend!"
Zel emerged from his state of shock with the sounds of several of his best friends clapping, and one shouting. "You have one minute to get a grip and change clothes for the next scene!" Lina hollered at the blushing pair. "Geesh..."
This set had been a great deal of fun to design– the epitome of the mad scientist's laboratory. Xelloss had borrowed lab equipment from the university and helped set up the stage for each practice. He loved the glowing test tubes, spiraling glass chutes and networks connecting beakers of bubbling, smoking liquids over Bunsen burners. He was carefully checking the set for loose wires or dangling cords which might rip someone up in the ensuing battle scene.
An arcing pair of electrodes sizzled at one side and a man in a lab coat stood nearby. He was tall and thin with frazzled white hair and a powered-white face– it appeared to be Halciform. But it wasn't. No one could tell it was Val, until he opened his mouth to talk, and Val was determined to pull this part off and fool everyone. He could talk like a brainiac, if he wanted to. He'd show them all.
Zelgadiss on the other hand... Val hoped that guy could keep his mind on the musical and not biff his lines! Yeah, love was great, but couldn't the little nerdlings hold off just a while longer until the musical was over?
He looked over at the mannequin decked out with a mile-long crimson wig. If only all girls were that simple, he thought with a snide smile. Filia sure wasn't. Girls were demanding. If he kept his mouth shut, she'd ask stuff like, "Whatcha thinking?" How do you answer a question like that? If he was honest, a bad idea, he might say something like... 'Onions fried on a hamburger' or 'that fly's half way to Lina's doughnut'– neither of which satisfied Filia. He HAD to be thinking about her at all times and so he'd come up with a few choice responses, like 'I was tryin' to think up a place to take ya' or 'how cool you look today.' That made her happy, but often got her started on the specifics. "Like where were you thinking?" "I hate this old blouse and my hair's a mess, so what's so cool about that?" See? Even the quick, reliable answers could get a guy into trouble.
He straightened out a few stray hairs on the mannequin's face and patted them flat with one hand, the other held it from wobbling and falling over.
"What are you thinking about, Val, over here all by yourself?"
Val smiled and shook his head. I ain't tellin', no matter what. "Nothin'."
"I didn't think so, but would you leave the props alone? Oh, and if it gets you off, you can fondle the plastic lady all you want later, after the show."
Val's hands flew off the hair as if he were burned. Xelloss giggled so hard he honked. Val grinned in spite of himself. See, dudes don't wanna get inside yer head like chicks! "Shit, Xelloss..." He slugged him in the arm good-naturedly. "Ya know, you'd make a lousy girl. I don't know whatever gave me the idea one time that you'da made a good one."
"Because you thought I was gooooor-geous!" Xelloss teased. "And it was two times you said so! Ahhh!" he screamed as he danced just out of reach of Val's vindictive fist.
"Quiet on the set!" Lina bellowed. "Xelloss, Val! Get your asses where they belong and shut up!"
Scene Two
Halciform-Val looked up from the lab table at the sound of Lina, Gourry, Zelgadiss, Amelia and Sylphiel entering his concealed laboratory. "How did you people get past the guards?" Val-ciform snapped. "In particular, my new security?" Val enunciated every syllable correctly.
With gusto, Lina said by way of an answer, "My persuasive personality combined with my fantastic beauty!"
The scientist's jaw dropped at her audacity.
"Or maybe..." Lina paused as she 'drew' magical power into her hands, setting up another of Jillas' controlled sparking, smoking displays. "It had something to do with the fact that I'm Lina Inverse, Sorceress Supreme!"
Gourry wandered over to where Zel was examining the contents of a long bathtub-like enclosure. He began to touch the surface, but then withdrew his hand as if he had been burned. "Whoa, Zel! She's hot!"
Zel turned the tub facing out so that the audience could see the beautiful mannequin-girl lying inside. He grinned, "I noticed."
That drew a twittering of chuckles around the room.
"Hey, Lina," Gourry called. "Zel found a cute chick over here..."
"Stay away from my RUBIA!" Val-ciform shouted. He dashed around the table to come between the vat and the other two young men.
"I don't see what all the excitement's about," Nuriko of the Suzaku Seven singer troupe whispered to Tasuki at his side.
"Red hair," Tasuki smirked, and then he ran his fingers through his own orange-red tangle of hair. "Girl, guy... don't matter as long as the hair's red, they're hot. Like Lina, get it?"
"Long, sleek, and black...like our band leader and...Miwan. Now he's hot!" Nuriko stated.
"I like black hair too," came a musical voice from Nuriko's other side.
He turned to smile upon one of the sweetest, loveliest woman he had ever known, Belldandy. "That's only because your boyfriend's hair is black and he is seated beside you," Nuriko smiled.
Keiichi sat forward to see what was up. He was the unlikely, lucky man to be that boyfriend. He was in a couple classes with Nuriko at the university when he wasn't working at his auto repair business with a bunch of buddies of his. Nuriko was one of the few men he completely trusted to sit by Belldandy and behave himself. She was that attractive!
Belldandy and her sisters were in a very successful singing group and knew Nuriko and the Suzaku Seven pretty well, having shared several venues with them over the years. In fact, next to Keiichi in the same row were seated both the older Urd and younger Skuld.
"Hey guys, shhhh!" Urd hissed, and then her eyes caught sight of a woman she had hoped not to see. "Skuld, look quick! Two rows up and over."
"Mara!" Skuld popped up out of her seat.
"Stay down," Keiichi said. He stuck out his neck and searched the heads. There! A mass of long, curly, blonde hair! He nearly stood up to be sure...oh yes, and she was dressed obscenely. That was Mara. Zelgadiss had been right to call them for help. Mara, they could handle her.
Val was giving the performance of his life as he played out his death scene, cradling his dear Rubia and moaning...all gone...all...gone...
Later Zel told him he could hear people in the audience whispering, "Who was that guy?" That pleased Val to no end.
Lina got her way with the hanging ropes one other time as well. "Bring me a chair, someone so I can get up there," Lina commanded. "The curtain's about ta go up!"
"I've got it!" Gourry shouted when he bounded to her side. "Ready?" He grabbed hold and raised her several feet in the air. There Lina was to grasp a handle cleverly hidden in a rope looped about her wrists. Gourry supported her weight while she guided her feet into a rope stirrup, again camouflaged to look like she had been tied up and hung by her arms from the ceiling. It looked extraordinarily uncomfortable, and was somewhat, but most of her weight was supported by her legs, not her arms.
There wasn't time to admonish Gourry for his quick 'handy' work. Lina had to get in position at the very last instant before the curtain rose on...
Scene Three
"In the theater the audience wants to be surprised, but by things they expect." -Tristan Bernard ---
"Now that I gotcha where I...ah...wantcha...um..." Gravos lost track of his lines again. He was playing the part of Dilgear this time and only had a couple to remember. Lucky for him, everyone else knew his parts and could help him out.
"I won't talk. And I wouldn't give you any of the priceless heirlooms, even if I did have them on me!"
"You'll talk, once I begin the torture..." Dilgear-Gravos threatened. He buried his fist in a nest of her hair and pulled her face up to his. "But first..." He always wondered what a kiss from Lina Inverse would be like. In fact, after reading his part over and over, he fantasized about it a great deal. Alas, it never came to pass, he feared her too much to sneak one in before Zel came to her rescue.
"Hey! Don't move a muscle or I'll drive this sword clean through your gut," Zel growled.
"I-I wasn't gonna do nothin'!"
"Back away, hands in the air," Gourry held the tip of his blade inches from Dilgear-Gravos' ear, "...or you lose this for a start." He lightly skimmed the upper curve of his ear.
"D-don't !" Dilgear pleaded and stepped back away from Lina.
"I trusted you, Dilgear. You were supposed to be working for me, us..." Zel 'cut' Lina down, catching her fall with one arm. "You all right?"
"Yeah," she said nodded rubbing her arms. "What do you want to do about him?"
Gourry cleared his throat, his sword still poised, "Bring him to justice."
"No," Zel shook his head. "Just let him go. Let him go back to the slime that created and warped his mind." Then he turned his back on Dilgear.
Before he could say anything more, a black masked criminal ran across the stage, and paused only long enough to drive a lightening white-hot sword through Dilgear-Gravos.
Lina noticed the palms of her hands were damp. Nerves. She rarely ever felt nervous, and hated it when she did. Like now. It was nearly time for Grauscherra's part to be played out. She wondered if he'd deliver the lives she had written to close the play or deliver the fatal blow to the Slayers. She could see Pearl and Lee push a weapon under a prop, shove a sword where it would be near-at-hand later, and conceal an extra bo-staff out of sight, but where it could be reached. It was really close. The time for him to act the part or part ways with them was moments away.
Less than that. It had arrived.
Grauscherra stepped forward to center stage saying, "Who was that masked man?" He received a few snickers. His smile faded and he grew serious. "Really, who in this room can tell me... who killed a man who simply failed to carry out his mission successfully? Well, if you know the answer to that question, then I have another for you, because only you would know. Who is left in charge of the Monsters? That's right! Who is the current master of the monster race?"
The spot light followed him as he cupped his chin with his hand and paced thoughtfully. It was so quiet in the hall, that his footfalls were discernable.
He stopped, looked up and continued his monologue, "And now, my friends, students, and esteemed colleagues..." he paused to wait out the rising crowd noises. "I am certain you have read between the lines, seen the parallels, drawn a few conclusions of you own... You know that the story put forth here has been more than a fantasy, but did you know...that is was not as dark as the reality? Oh, yes. What really occurred was much more horrific and convoluted than any story a bunch of high school students could have dreamed up."
"Much." He stood and ran his eyes across the audience and smiled. He signaled for the Slayers to gather closer to him. Xelloss on one side, Zel at his right arm. Lina and the others wondered at this diversion from the script...AGAIN. But this time it wasn't a romantic moment, it was dead serious.
"I see a few familiar faces out there. For those of you who came for revenge or with murderous intent– who believe you work for an organization called The Syndicate..."
Silence reigned.
"It is over. I am afraid that you are in for a surprise. You see..." Grauscherra wrapped one arm around Xelloss and his other around Zel. "Let me introduce you to the new order, the new syndicate. We are the heirs." He waved Val to move up front and stand next to Zel. "We are the leadership. The only ones."
The loud murmuring and startled gasps and noises from the audience treated to overwhelm the man's voice. Lina nudged Gourry and pointed up. He nodded and hefted her onto his shoulders. From that altitude, Lina was able to grab a mic and screamed for their attention, "Shut yer yaps, people and listen up. The man's not done talkin' yet!"
Daniel smiled and shook his head, "Thank you Miss Lina. As I was saying, we are the new guys in charge...and we are bringing the rest of you down."
That shook things up.
"That's right. Meet the new syndicate. No more drug running, murder, mayhem... Bye-bye crime, hello justice– isn't that right, Miss Amelia?"
"Absolutely!" she shouted with a grin.
There were those in the audience who did not share Amelia's enthusiasm for the righteous cause.
There was an ominous silence,
and then all hell broke loose.
Next time, the audience in an uproar...
From the Authors:
Seyruun High Jinx has a home. Please go to the author profile for Kaeru Shisho and choose the link. You will find the pictures under Seyruun High Jinx, Summer Special, and NEXT. Pictures for other stories are associated with their links.
KS
End Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT! Chapter 48.