The night air was getting cool as Gourry's car pulled into Zelgadis' driveway. Sylphiel was wrapped up tight in Gourry's letter jacket, her tiny figure disappearing into the folds of blue and gray cloth.
Leaping from the car, Zelgadis turned to Gourry. Though he looked alert, Zelgadis knew he was tired; the slumped shoulders and yawning were good indicators.
"Thanks for the delightful afternoon, Gourry," The thought of Martina's shocked expression still fresh in his mind. He had never wanted to laugh so hard in his life as he had watched Martina's expression morph and twist.
Suddenly, Xellos launched forward and latched onto Zelgadis, his never-ending smile like a feature chiseled into stone. Rolling his eyes, he seized Xellos' arms and began prying at his death-grip.
"Goodnight Zel! Oh, by the way, I'm picking you up at 8:00 tomorrow."
"What! Why?
"I'm taking you to Explosion Array, the club that I go to on weekends."
Explosion Array. It was club well known to the student body, the only club they had any chance of getting into, though that required not only dodging the door guards, but also the bouncers that wandered about the club's interior. He had only been there once, caught, and thrown out within twenty minutes.
"Alright Xellos, but how do you plan to get inside?"
"I have my connections Zel, don't you worry." With that said, he sank back into the car and turned on the radio. With Gourry pulling out of the driveway, Zelgadis waved and listened as drums and guitar riffs faded away, broken by a single male voice.
American woman, said get away
American woman, listen what I say
Don't come hangin round my door
Don't wanna see your face no more
I don't need your war machines…*Zelgadis finished the piece, humming cheerfully as he walked up to the door. He hesitated momentarily; it was close to two in the morning. If Rezo were still awake, he would be so sore at him, mostly because Zelgadis hadn't phoned in to tell him where they were. But, if he had gone to bed, he would likely be chewing him out in the morning.
"Either way I'm screwed."
Opening the door and stepping inside, Zelgadis removed his shoes to reduce noise. Walking slowly forward, he cast his gaze into the living room. He cringed though when his eyes met another pair magnified by thick lenses. He knew what was coming next.
"Well, I hope you enjoyed your evening out, Zelgadis."
"Actually, I had a good time. Better than if I had stayed around here." He came into the room, picked a chair, and flopped down into it, "Besides, you're the one who's always encouraging me to get out and meet other people."
"That is true Zelgadis, but I would appreciate it if you left me a message as to where you were and when you thought you'd be back.
Zelgadis only shook his head, "I'm 17 Rezo. I am growing up now, and soon…"
"Yes I know, you'll be 18 and 'independent'," Rezo let out a long sigh, pulling his glasses away from his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose for relief, "I understand that you want your freedom, but I can't just let you run wild without my knowing. If you get in trouble, how am I supposed to bail you out if I don't know what's going on?"
"Well then, let me start the ball rolling for you, Rezo," Zelgadis shot as he sat forward in the chair, "Tomorrow night I'm heading out with Xellos for the evening. We're probably going to cruise a little, maybe catch a movie, and be back in late. Does this sound okay?"
For a moment there was silence, heavy and threatening at the two faced one another. Zelgadis allowed himself to fall back into the chair, letting the air rush out in one large breath. Rezo would probably explode at this, ground him for a week.
"Yes Zel, it's okay with me." Rezo rose and added, "By the way, Mr. Gabriev called me today. He told me that he broke up a fight between you and Valgarv."
"It wasn't a fight; it hadn't gone that far," After getting up as well, "Besides, Valgarv's a dick anyway; I'd be able to lay his sorry ass out."
He saw Rezo visually cringe, "Zelgadis, that it not the point. Fighting is not how you solve problems like Valgarv."
"How would you know? Words are useless with him. Sometimes you have to stand up and fight it, or else you always lose."
Once again the air was thick with tension, only this time Zelgadis broke the stare and began to leave the room. He needed to go blow off steam.
"Goodnight Zelgadis," he heard his uncle say. He grunted a response to him and made haste for his room, his own personal haven.
Once inside, he closed the door and leaned against it to be sure it wouldn't swing open. When it didn't he crossed to his closet, slid open the door and stepped inside.
His eyes adjusted and searched, looking for a familiar shape. Numerous boxes and similar containers sprung from the darkness like models of giant high-risers. They were things he would never unpack, memories he never wished to remember. He felt for his scars in the dark, felt the raised flesh, and quietly told himself to keep looking
His eyes scanned once again, and he spotted the case. Carefully stepping over the boxes that barred his path, He lifted the case in his hands and backtracked out of the closet, falling inelegantly onto the bed. He smiled; that was kind of fun.
He sat up and laid his case down on the comforter next to him, unbuckled the case, and lifted the lid. A dull blue glint from the body, and he nodded in approval. He lifted the guitar slowly by its neck and set it in his lap.
"My old friend." He strummed it affectionately, pulling together notes and chords deftly with his fingers. He had talent, but he had never found anyone to play with. He still played twice a week, his own form of healing after the accident.
Falling back once again, he held the guitar across his lap, gently strumming away as the excitement of the afternoon faded and exhaustion began to take him. Tomorrow night would be better; he could feel it in bones.
"The longer I stay awake, the longer it will be until tonight." Closing his eyes, he continued strumming the guitar as he fell into sleep, dreaming of what Explosion Array would be like.
"Tomorrow."
"Come on Zel, we're going to be late," Xellos called out as he honked the horn of his purple Volkswagen Beetle.
"Yes Rezo, I'll be sure to try and be in before curfew," Xelgadis yelled through the open doorway, though he planned to forget it as soon as he and Xellos were out of sight of the house. He ran to the Beetle and opened the door, then almost immediately shut it without getting in, Japanese lyrics ringing in his ears:
Tachi mukau saki ni kawaita kaze
Hageshiku fuki aretemo
Jumon no hitotsu mo tonaetanara
Watashi no pace ni naru
Dare mo ga urayamu konno power to
Bibou ga yurusanai wa
Donna aite demo hirumanai de
Manto o nabikaseru no *"Of all things about you I don't like, that has to be the biggest, most unholy thing you can expose me to." Xellos was an anime fan, and an avid one at that. It was the one thing that irritated him more than his continuous optimism. Whatever his saw in those big-chested, giant-eyed drawings he couldn't tell.
"Oh, if you ever watched one of these, like I suggested to you, maybe you'd see it differently." He turned down the music, and Zelgadis just shrugged.
"Eh, maybe, but not likely."
"If you never try…"
"Just drive Xellos, please."
Zelgadis checked himself: black jeans with matching boots, long-sleeve off-white t-shirt with thumb holes in the ends of the sleeves, covered with a black t-shirt of his favorite metal band, Chimera. Everything was in place, including the wallet on a chain that sat lazily in his left hip pocket.
He looked to Xellos, and immediately he regretted his original thought of comparing their outfits. With a blood red t-shirt under a golden silk shirt with Chinese characters and a black oriental dragon snaking about the shirt, and finished off with black slacks and his mismatched sneakers, it wouldn't be difficult to locate Xellos when he wanted something.
"You like it," Xellos asked as he looked at the garments, "I just decided to throw a few things together, that's all; it's all about color coordination."
"Xellos, you are the only person I know who could make purple, fuchsia, and tangerine color coordinated". He remembered last year's Spirit Week, when Xellos showed up for Decade day in a leisure suit and disco shoes that involved every one of those colors, the scary thing being that Xellos made it look good.
"Too true, Zel. In fact, I still have that outfit in my closet. You know, you could use some color coordination, rather than the same…"
"Sorry I brought it up," Zelgadis interrupted, "Please, just drive; we're almost there."
"All I'll say is this, Zel: turquoise or beige. I'm sure it'd look fabulous on you."
"Less talk, more drive."
Walking up the sidewalk toward the club, Zelgadis found himself gritting his teeth; Xellos had not ceased to shut up for more than a couple of minutes at a time the entire half-hour drive. He didn't want to push it too much though; Xellos was his ride, after all.
"So, how are we getting in?"
"In?" Xellos asked, then Zelgadis saw the light bulb click on, "Oh yeah! Here you go." Pulling two black rectangles from his rear pocket, he handed one to Zelgadis.
Looking at the chain wrapped around it, he gently unrolled the chain and looked, his eyes widening as he read the lettering.
"Stage pass? Who did you have to kiss up to in order to get these?"
"My sources are a secret," Xellos smiled, "But you might find out tonight."
As they approached the club, the sound of heavy rock pounded through the brick walls. A lengthy line was gathered at the front double-doors, guarded by two large bouncers. Explosion Array had one neon sign, but little more in the way of decoration.
"This way," Xellos said, leading Zelgadis along the side of the building to a door labeled "Stage Door". An equally large bouncer in a black-shirt and black, belted dress pants stood guard, arms crossed defensively.
"What do you boys think you're doing; do you have business back here?" he asked as the two of them approached. Xellos only smiled and presented his pass.
"Yes, we're here with the amateur band performing tonight."
The bouncer checked the pass, and then produced a list from a clipboard hanging near the door, "Names?"
"Well, I'm Xellos, and this slightly creepy, gloomy fellow is Zelgadis."
"Xellos, Zelgadis, Xellos, Zelgadis," he checked the list carefully, then nodded, "Here you two are. Okay then, go on in."
Once inside the door, Zelgadis' eyes adjusted sharply to the darkness of the backstage. The heavy beats of the rock band were softer on the side stage, and Zelgadis watched as some heavily tattooed and pierced young man danced about on stage and shouted into his microphone.
"The band isn't bad, though the bass overrides pretty much everything else. Also, the lead guitar needs to work on his presentation a little." As the band finished their last few chords, Zelgadis turned to Xellos, who stared at him, mouth agape.
"Wait a minute, how do you know so much about this, Mr. Isolation?"
"I have some knowledge in it. Lots of spare time to learn things in, I guess." He knew he had always had an ear for music, but he didn't regard it as much. His skills were mediocre at best, hardly worth mentioning in light of what professionals could do.
"Frankly Zel, I'm impressed. I knew you fiddled with that guitar you own, but I never expected you to be proficient about performance. Oh, here comes the next gig; I have a feeling you'll enjoy this one."
Zelgadis directed his eyes to the stage, which was darkened while the band members assembled quietly. He couldn't see the members clearly, but their entrance was well practiced and organized. Once they were assembled, the announcer's voice boomed over the crowd, the band's music beginning to rumble as he spoke; "Attendees of Explosion Array, back by popular request is the night's feature band, Lord of Nightmares!"
The band's keyboardist started a rising melody and the bassist began his slow walk. The singer gripped the microphone softly, gently nodding the beat. Zelgadis watched intently as the band added a synthesizer to the mix, giving them an almost metal and techno mix. The singer continued to nod the beat, and then took a step back. After a measure of beat, the singer stepped forward again, hanging their face seductively in front of the microphone before speaking, Zelgadis immediately recognizing the voice.
"I pledge myself to darkness."
