It was a sunny day, perfect for lunch outdoors. The cafeteria was practically a cramped prison, and only a resort when rain decided to pour down. But the serenity of this calm atmosphere was bound to be broken.
"WHAT?!"
"Ow, hell Amelia," Lina said irritably. "It's amazing how you always manage to shout a notch louder than everyone else."
Amelia shook her head in disbelief. "He's YOUR tutor?! B-but. That's so unfair!!"
Lina blinked in surprise. "Wow!! I didn't think you'd agree with me. It wasn't as if I did anything wrong, right?"
"That's not what I meant!!"
"Yeah, then?!"
".N-nothing."
Sylphiel sat herself beside Lina on the bench. "He was helping you, wasn't he? Maybe he's not as bad as you make him out to be. If he hadn't have tried to hide the fact that you nearly blew up the school AGAIN, then Luna would have killed you."
"Sylphiel. Stop believing the best about everyone. It's really annoying."
Filia glanced sympathetically at Lina. "Not that I agree with you Lina, but if you really feel that badly about it, you could always speak to another teacher about it. Convince him that you don't really need to have a tutor by proving your worth."
"Yeah? And who would rebuke Luna?! Everyone knows who she is!!"
"Well, someone that's probably has higher control over your education than your homeroom teacher does. Like the dean, the principal, the board. They would probably have an influence on her say."
"Why not the principal?!" Amelia said enthusiastically. "I'm sure he'd help!!"
"Who's 'he'?" Lina sighed. "I don't even know who the principal is, Amelia. But I gotta say, you're sure as hell excited to help me."
"Oh, I've always thought that Xellos-san was the principal," Amelia replied honestly. ".Isn't he?"
"N-no. He is?!"
"I've always seen him come in and out of the principal's office," agreed Sylphiel.
"Well, HE got me into this mess," said Lina thoughtfully. "So maybe he CAN get me out of it too."
"And," said an approving voice behind them, "if it doesn't work, we could always bribe him with something or another."
They turned their head at the familiar voice to find Zelgadiss looking back at them. "After all," he added, "it's not as if I approve of this deal either."
"Neither do I!!" Amelia cried. "It's immoral!! And against justice!!"
None of the others were sure that it was immoral or against justice, but they kept quiet anyway. An explanation really wasn't necessary.
"Anyway Zelgadiss, I'm glad our feelings on this subject are mutual. So are we agreed? We will cut off all ties other than that of an intern and student?" She outstretched her hand.
"Yeah, definitely," he nodded, shaking it. Thank god he got rid of the brat. *** So he thought. Or they thought, rather.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, IMPOSSIBLE?!" They yelled back in unison.
Xellos held up his hands in mock protest. "It's really out of the question, I'm afraid."
"What, why?!" Lina said, shaking her head in frustration.
"Well, I can't tell you why," he smiled coyly.
"Why can't you tel -- " Zelgadiss began before getting jabbed by Lina's elbow.
"Because it's a goddam secret," she answered for him, annoyedly.
"What the hell?! That's not an adequate reason," he retorted, even more annoyedly.
"It is for him, so don't even bother pursuing it."
"I love you, Lina," Xellos sighed. "You really contemplate me."
"No, I don't," she huffed, "You just never seem to have any new lines."
Xellos leaned on the door of the principal's office. "Besides, this wasn't even my decision. It was the principal's."
"."
"So why don't you change your goddamn decision?!.Stupid," Lina added.
"Lina," Zelgadiss sighed, "I think he's implying that he's. NOT the principal."
Lina blinked. "Oh. my god. Wait, then who is?!"
Xellos shrugged. "It's a secret," he said sympathetically to both of them. "In fact, I'm the only gateway between her, the principal and the outside world. Sort of like a messenger!! Fascinating, isn't it?"
"Well, it's something I sure as hell didn't know," Lina muttered. "Can't you help me convince the principal that I don't need this tutoring?! I'll do anything!!"
"I really can't, I'm so sorry. It's an order, and as much as I'd like you for my slave, I don't want to disobey her."
"Wait," Zelgadiss said nervously, "that doesn't mean that this tutoring thing is STILL on, right?! I mean, I can always find someone else, someone that's a lot more qualified than me! I mean, I'm just an intern!! I'm not even a real teacher!!"
"Specific orders were that you were to aid Lina in her studies. The principal had already predicted that Luna would come in and appoint you, and I was to make sure you accepted."
Lina glared back at him. "So.," she said under her breath, "nothing I say or do can change this."
"That's right," Xellos happily confirmed. "Don't give me such a violent look, Lina-chan. I'm only doing my job!!"
".FIREBA -- "
"Hey!!" Zelgadiss shouted, pulling her shoulder back harshly. "Don't you dare start that again."
She angrily shook his grasp off. "Xellos," she yelled before turning on her heels, "I hope you get raped and die!!"
With that, she stalked back out to the hallway, leaving both teachers staring after her. ".I wouldn't mind that actually," Xellos said mindfully.
"Shut up," Zelgadiss said, quite irritated at this point. He'd been a lot more impudent today than he'd intended to, not to mention he'd said 'fuck' once or twice too. "Is there really no way I can get out of this.?"
"To be really honest, Zelgadiss. No."