*Disclaimers* All Slayers characters are property of Kamisaka Hajime and T.V Tokyo, Kaoru is property of Watsuki Nobuhiro, and Tougo and Himeki are mine.
Chapter 2
I can’t believe it! I forgot to do my English paper that’s due today. It’s all because Shilfiel brought everyone in last night causing me to be so tired! What is she going to do if I flunk English!!
"Good morning Lina-chan." Himeki says as she comes into the College Computer lab. "What are you doing here though?"
I took a look at her. She was wearing a long black skirt, a deep brown shirt, and a silver necklace. She had her straight brown hair going past her waist. In a first glance, she looks nice, but if you take a closer look at her, you notice that she wears too much make up for a college student.
I try to suppress a laugh as I remember something Kaoru likes to stretch. Kaoru, although is not that into make-up, she believes that she needs to look nice for someone she would someday meet. That is why she holds grounds on that she should wear her ribbon. She also carries around some mascara. She has always bugged me to use a little more makeup on myself but I refused. Personally, I believe that if a guy falls for you because you have a nice looking face, and it’s all covered by make-up, then that guy isn’t serious about you. I think I look perfectly fine with hardly any makeup on, the only exception would be that I wake up and I look like I was just hit by a ‘Dragon Slave Nuclear Bomb’(The most deadliest nuclear bomb, a combination of sorcery and science technology) then I’d use some blush and maybe a little tint of lipstick. Besides, there’s limited amount of dressing up you can do when you’re wearing a uniform, which all junior high and high school students have to.
I for example right now have on the standard uniform, and since I was in a hurry to get to the lab this morning, my hair is in a loose ponytail with scrunchy in it. Usually I try to add maybe a black scrunchy or something. What can I say, My hair’s long and it’s hot in the summer.
"I don’t trust our computers, and I’ve got no place else but here to type up my English paper! So can you leave me alone?" I ask. I try to keep my cool, I know it’s strange for a high school student to be in the college grounds of the campus, but time calls for major needs. I have an unsupervised-period first hour, and I asked Ms. H on a pass to the computer lab before hand.
"Well.. all I wanted to ask was that have you seen Xelloss-san today?"
"NO!" I don’t take my eyes off the computer screen. Anger builds up inside me for no reason. Himeki is making me want to blast a ‘Dragon-Slave(The spell that the ‘Dragon Slave Nuclear Bomb was based on)’.
"Well, if you do, can you give him this and say it’s from me?" She puts a sheet of paper on my notebook. I think I nodded. "Oh, and your food last night was good, thank-you. Oh, did you know that in ‘Graduation’ there was a character based on Xelloss-san. Oh, and that I heard your sister has to work hard to pay for your needs. You know, I think your sister’s stupid for trying to send you to a good school like this. I mean, only top-notch society can be in here. Don’t you think so?"
THAT’S IT!! I stood up and sent Himeki one of my strongest glares. Himeki shuddered for a second but didn’t lose her composure. I was not going to let anyone call Neechan an idiot or discriminate me because of my back-ground! I was about to yell when-
"Stop it Himeki-Sempai. Inverse-san needs to work on her paper. I assume you didn’t come in to the computer lab just to gossip." A voice with reason stopped me.
I turned around and saw Tougo looking at us from one of the other computers. He had his gaze fixed on Himeki, with a look of disapproval in his eyes.
Tougo Arai, he’s actually considered one of the cutest guys in the whole Slayers Campus. Deep brown hair with intense black eyes and a very elegant face. He wears the standard boys uniform(A T-shirt and gray dress pants) in a very casual way. He usually keeps the top buttons of his T-shirt unbuttoned, and I’ve heard stories that it drive a lot of girls wild. Wait, I’ve seen girls go wild over it.
"I suggest you leave Himeki-Sempai if you’re just going to talk and cause a commotion. Some people are honestly trying to get some work done." He told her. Himeki sent out a glare but soon stood up and left.
"Um.. thanks Tougo." I said after Himeki left. Tougo stood up and took the chair Himeki was sitting in. He stared at me for a long time, or at least what seemed like a long time until he spoke again.
"No reason to thank me. I just did it as a gratitude towards the dinner last night." He then put his disk in the computer and started typing. "………You’re a good cook Inverse-san. Do you know that?"
"Well… or else Amelia or Shilfiel won’t eat it so I guess I know. Hey Tougo, I call you on a first-name basis, drop the use of my last name, just call me Lina." I didn’t feel right having still being called by my last name since I knew Tougo from 7th grade.
I met Tougo on accident, and got to know him on accident. When I was going home from school one day, I tripped and twisted my ankle. I was devastated. Neechan never came home until late, Gaury had left saying that he wanted to check up on something and Xelloss had gone to visit his sister. I was wondering what to do when Tougo came home and helped me get home.
Ever since then, I’ve made an effort to be friends with him, and I noticed that he likes to be alone, but still, he should drop the use of my last name.
"……. O.K." He said after a moment of pause. I shifted my gaze to the screen and continued to type. For a long time, there was just silence.
"Do you……. Need any help?" Tougo asked after a while. I shook my head and silence filled the room again.
As soon as I finished printing out the paper, the final bell rang.
"Well, looks like I better get going, I need to turn this paper in next period. " I say and am about to leave.
"See you around……. Lina." Tougo calls I turn around and smile at him.
"See you around Tougo."
"Lina!!"
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" I screamed as someone bounced on me as I was going to English class. Surprised I turned around
"KAORU!" I yelled. "don’t do that!"
There, Kaoru with her blue ribbon which held her long black hair in a ponytail, and wore the standard uniform was standing, wearing this very silly smile.
"Sorry!" She apologizes. But then she turns into a bright smile. "You would never guess what happened!!" She said with as much enthusiasm as one living being could possibly get.
"No, and I doubt I’m interested." I say and turn around and start to leave when Kaoru grabs me.
"If you want to hear it then say so."
"If you want to tell me then say so." I reply. Kaoru’s smile broadens and she starts to laugh this very scary laugh. "Wha-what?" I ask.
"Fu, fu, fu! Yesterday I met the man of my dreams!!" Kaoru announces.
"And?" I reply with no particular interest.
" ‘And?’ Lina is that all you can say when your friend announces that she just met the man of her dreams?" Kaoru doesn’t seem to be satisfied with my response.
"Well.. what am I suppose to say?" I ask.
"You’re suppose to say you’re happy for me!" Kaoru screams
"Are you going out with this guy?" That question seemed to hit Kaoru right at home, since she started to sulk. I don’t mind her sulking, I just would like it if she’d stop drawing symbols of ‘no’s on the ground.(Note, symbol’s of ‘no’, the symbol Zelgadiss draws on the picture of ‘Zelgadiss’s ring of power’) "I’m not going to be happy for you until you’re going out with this guy."
"Why?" Kaoru asks looking up.
"Look, if you found him you just can’t sit around and wait for him to come and get you. YOU need to move." I tell her. Hmm, I think I said something pretty good myself.
"It’s an advice I don’t want to hear from someone who doesn’t do anything." Kaoru replies. She says it quietly, but I am said to have ears as good or even better than rabbits.
"What are you saying?"
"Xelloss-Sensei. It’s obvious on how you feel for him to anyone but probably you and him." Kaoru replies matter-of-factly.
"What do you mean?" I ask. I must have scared Kaoru with my voice and my facial expression since Kaoru moved back a few steps.
"Lina, you have to become true to your feelings. I mean it." Kaoru tells me, trying desperately to regain her composure. "Any one can tell how deeply you care about him."
"SHUT UP!!!!" I screamed, drawing attention to us. I glared at the ones who stopped their tracks. That scared them away and they left like baby spiders.
"Kaoru, I don’t care about Xelloss one bit okay. He is just someone I knew from before he became a teacher. Maybe that’s why but I’ve got trouble working with him. Alright? Let’s drop the subject, we might end up in a fight if we continue." Kaoru nods at my suggestion.
"Well, did you finish the paper? Wasn’t it hard." Kaoru changed the subject, although her eyes were still not convinced.
"I just finished it last period. I admit though, it was harder than the usual papers." I smile and explain how hard I struggled on the paper, leaving out Tougo and Himeki.
The rest of the day went without any major events. I ignored Xelloss all throughout biology class. Even is sorcery class I concentrated on a ‘Fire-Ball’ so much that even the teacher asked if I had a fever.
"Lina-san, are you sure you’re okay?" Shilfiel asked for the umpteenth time. When I got home, I didn’t feel like eating so Shilfiel made me lye down. Not only that she made me change my clothes into my white nightshirt, and made sure I put my hair down so that it wasn’t in the way when I lied down. My hair, because of the summer heat sticks to my neck and feels… icky. It’s stupid! Shilfiel can be so over protective.
"Yes, I’m fine okay! What’s the matter anyways." I ask. "All I said was that I didn’t feel like eating. I’m a living thing, of course there’s times when I don’t feel like eating."
"Not with you Lina-san." Came Amelia’s reply. She was wearing a light blue pastel colored cotton top with a pastel pink skirt. It was made by a top designer, that’s why I don’t like royalty.
"Amelia… I think I heard that." I threaten her.
"Oh, um is there anything you would like to watch Lina-san?" She asks trying to improve my mood.
"No, I’m not sick. So let me go do my homework." I stand up out of the couch, and move to proceed to my room. As I reach the door of the living room, I stop. "Shilfiel, you know the rules on the campus. Don’t bring those guys again." I hear Shilfiel sigh.
"Yes Lina-san."
Once in the safety of my room, I sat back down in the desk where I fell asleep last night. My hand moves up to my cheek, it still seems to feel a little wet for some reason, it still feels a little warm.
{Good night Lina-san}
That voice still rings in my head. Since the person used the formal use of -san, it has to be Shilfiel, Amelia, Filia, Rezo, or Xelloss. I can easily rule out Rezo, since he’s got better things to do than to come in and say good night to me, Shilfiel… maybe, since she tries to be our mother. But it was a male’s voice.
My instincts are shouting it’s Xelloss. But what makes it so, what do I know about Xelloss anyway?
The moment that question formed in my head, I took out my journal’s and started to look through them. ’06, ’05, ’04, ’03, ’02! There it is. I take it out and start to flip through the entries until I come to 6/16/02.
[June 16, ’02
Today Neechan brought home another man. Neechan’s a great sister, well not really, but I wish she would stop bringing home things she just couldn’t leave behind. Here’s the story.
Today was a very rainy day, I was looking through one of those magazines where you can buy clothes. ‘Catalogs’ they’re called. I’ve been saving up for a new rain coat and thought I had enough. Well, around 5 Neechan came home, I went to the door to greet her, and behind her stood this man that looked around twenty.
I wasn’t that surprised, this man could be one of a few things. One, a serial killer who planned to hold us hostage but obviously didn’t know us good enough, two, Neechan’s boy-friend, three, Gaury decided to get plastic surgery, chopped off his long hair and dyed it, and last four, the one with most chances, Neechan ‘found’ him.
Neechan has a tendency to pick living things up, she ‘found’ A LOT of animals, enough that we could start a zoo, she ‘found’ Gaury, an orphan who lives around the corner by himself now, he’s the same age as Neechan.
Well, I was right, it was no.4. This guy is going to stay with us for a while. I found out that his name is Xelloss Metalium, and that he’s from China but grew up in Kobe. I wasn’t that interested in his past history and he didn’t elaborate.
So, you see, now we have a man in this house, whom we have no clue who he is. Isn’t that what we had when Gaury was ‘found’?]
I flipped through a few more pages and came to the passage where Xelloss first told me something about his heritage.
[Sept.27’02
Today in history we started to learn about China. It was consisted of a form of government called communism(Some extreme political view) until 10 years before the Tri-War(Note: Tri-War, the war of 3506, called Tri-war because it is where three races were engaged in a war). When I got home I told Xelloss about that, and he started to tell me some of his heritage.
Xelloss’s family was originally a descendent to one of the royal families of China, but when the war broke out, one of the princes fell in love with a mazoku female, and threw away his claim. The prince was introduced to the mazoku clan and was accepted, and stayed in the ‘Ma no Tani’(Valley of the devil). There, the princes children intermarried with mazoku, and that is why Xelloss is more mazoku than human, and the trace of human in him, was from his great-great-great-grandfather.
This has never been accepted by the Chinese government, and to use a term that I like ‘burned from history’.
It’s rare that Xelloss tells me ANYTHING about his family. It’s unlike Gaury where Gaury CAN’T tell me, Xelloss DOESN’T tell me. So this was a treat.]
I take the journal from when he first announced he was going to be a teacher when I was 15.
[Jan. 18 ’04
TODAY IS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!! I DON’T LIKE IT ONE BIT!!!!!!! I HATE THIS AND I MEAN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today it was freezing. I hate the cold! I hate it I hate it I hate it I hate it hate it hate it hate it hate it. I was looking forward to coming home and drinking some hot chocolate with Xelloss. That’s another good thing about having him around, I don’t get lonely as I used to.
Well, I started to tell him what happened in school. My teacher’s pressing me to take a test for high school, some LU High school was it? It’s the time of test for all ninth graders to go into ‘good’ high schools. Slayers Campus is straight from Day care to college but if students exceed in one area, most teachers would want them to have a better education in that area that the campus can’t offer(Although the Campus is the best in the world) so some students do go to other high schools. Anyways! When I told that to Xelloss, Xelloss tells me that he’s going to go teach at Slayers Campus High School. At first I was happy that I’d be able to see him out of the house AND in the house, but then the bombshell came. He said he was going to leave and go live in the dorms!!!!!!!
I blasted him a Garv Flare right then and there on the spot! He wasn’t happy. After that I ignored him the whole day. I mean, how could he leave us?! We took him in, we, I at least tried to be his friend, and now he leaves!! He even suggested that I TRANSFER to LU High!!! I don’t want to see his face as long as I live! I swear it!!]
I slightly smile remembering back than. I do know something of Xelloss when I look at these entries, at least the Xelloss I knew for the first two-years was real to me. Now though, I’m not so sure if I know Xelloss. He’s a living thing, of course he’ll change… I wonder if I’m an idiot holding on to something that’s already long gone?
A strand of my orange-red hair falls over my shoulder as I lightly shift in my chair. I clutch stronger to the sheets, it’s cold even though it’s summer.
Suddenly, I hear something hitting my window. I go over and open the shades. When I looked down I gasped.
"Xelloss?!"
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What is Xelloss’s attentions for suddenly appearing? Wait for the next chapter!!!!
[body of text], these are Lina's journal entries.