"Someone up there reeeeaaaally hates me," Lina groaned, resting her head on her desk as the lunch bell rang to announce the free-for-all in the cafeteria. The classroom emptied, but she still remained there, ignoring the ravenous calls of her stomach.
The morning had been nothing but bad news, more so than since she started high school. Except this wasn't just blow-it-up-goes-away bad news, this was depressing bad news. That was worse. She'd only been here for a week and they expected her to take a test about what's been taught over the entire year? Genius or not, there was only so much you could cram into your mind in the short period of time until the finals. And if she failed (meaning anything but the top 5% of the class), Nee-chan would do something, regardless whether Lina actually failed the class. Lina didn't want to imagine that.
"LINA-SAN!!"
"Amelia, please don't yell out my name and wave your arms like that when you're only across the room from me."
Lina looked over at the younger girl in the frightening pink sailor dress uniform. The color pink gave Lina a specific bad memory, the one where the Sorcerer Guild Chairman formally named her Lina the Pink upon reaching name rank level.
"Lina-san," she called again in a somewhat lower voice as she bounced over to Lina's desk.
Warily, Lina eyed Amelia, sourly noting the girl's larger...proportions and the very bright smile on her face. Neither were things Lina wanted to face with right now as she thought of how she was going to deal with the year end finals.
"What do you want?"
"Let's have lunch together," Amelia suggested, leaning over to smile right in Lina's face.
"Why? You don't even know me."
"Then this is the perfect opportunity!"
"Wha-HEY!" Lina yelled as Amelia snagged Lina's lunch, Lina's arm, and Lina, dragging all three out of the classroom. "Just what the hell do you think - "
"Sylphiel-san!" Amelia came to a dead stop just at the doorway where stood the school idol and her nearly constant companion. "Gourry-san. Hello, how are you doing?"
"Who are you?" Gourry scratched his head, looking at the small girl in pink with her arms still latched onto Lina's.
"Gourry-sama, she was one of the judges for the festival tournament," Sylphiel chided. "Actually, I came by to ask Lina-san if we could eat lunch together." She smiled warmly at Lina who wasn't quite sure why she was suddenly such a popular person to eat lunch with.
"You can eat lunch with us!" Amelia said quickly. Today the stars had to be aligned correctly. Not only was she going to have lunch with Lina, but with the school idol and her rumored-but-not-confirmed boyfriend who was the star of the Swords sports club. "In fact, I have the perfect place picked out. It's down on the lawn, not too much in the shade but not too much in the sun, a bit tucked away so most people won't even notice us and walk right by."
Amelia rambled on, still hauling Lina behind her with Sylphiel and Gourry following behind exchanging amused expressions. Luckily, since it was still early, they passed few students on their way to Amelia's perfect lunch spot. Most students bought lunch from the cafeteria whose meals swung from five star courses to radioactive waste. Other people, those who knew how to cook like Sylphiel or those who ate too much that to buy lunch would become a wallet-burning expense like Lina, brought lunch with them.
"I almost couldn't believe that no one had claimed the spot..." Amelia rambled as she approached the place. "In fact, we can always eat here!"
"Imagine," Lina muttered, pulling her eyes away from observing the near ground to looking ahead. "Oh gods, don't tell me I'm eating lunch with him!"
"Him?" Amelia blinked and finally looked in front of her. "But wasn't he your partner for the festival?"
"Yo, Zelsigda!" Gourry waved to his friend who gave him a frosty look and Lina a subarctic one. "This is great. We can all have lunch together."
"I believe my appetite just left me because of a certain red-haired demon." Sparks flew through the air between Zel and Lina, stray ones landing on the grass where Amelia stomped them out to prevent a fire.
"That's alright," Gourry said easily, depositing a large bag of food that had been slung over his shoulder. "I can probably finish what you didn't. By the way, where's that demon you're talking about?"
"Excuse me," Lina coughed, crossing her arms. "But I wouldn't be calling other people demon if I were you."
"As they say," Zel smirked. "It takes one to know one."
"Look you spoiled, pompous, son of a Mazoku," she snapped. "I'm not in a good mood so if you don't want to end up lower than roadkill, scram."
"Ooh, I'm scared. As it happens, I'm not in such a good mood myself. You want me to leave? Make me."
"What did I ever do to get stuck with someone like you!" Lina snapped. Gods, he always ticked her off! Just once, okay several times, she would love to wipe that smug look off his face.
"Hmm, let me think," Zel answered sarcastically. "Try everything that happened over the last week."
"We already went over this before in the Nurse's Station. Why do you keep blaming me!"
Sylphiel watched the two argue. "I suppose the rumor is true. You two have a relationship?"
Zel and Lina tripped and crashed facedown into the grass.
"Relationship? What relationship?" Amelia asked.
"NONE WHATSOEVER!!" both parties involved yelled.
"Perhaps we should all sit down and talk about this," Sylphiel suggested. "This is a bit more public than what I had been planning but I'll hardly be talking about anything that isn't already known. Gourry-sama?"
"???" Gourry looked up with a mouthful of food, then swallowed. "I think everyone should eat something before we talk. I always get cranky when I haven't eaten."
"That's right. Let's all sit down for lunch."
"I'm not sitting next to him/her!" Lina and Zel simultaneously yelled, glared, and then turned their backs on the other.
"Now that everyone is full and satiated," Sylphiel began, pointedly ignoring Gourry's and Lina's stomachs filled to near bursting. "Why don't we get introduce ourselves before we talk?"
"If we play an icebreaker, I will scream," warned Lina, feeling less irritated after eating but still as depressed before lunch began.
After quite a bit of shuffling on the part of two people, Sylphiel and Gourry were seated next to each other, Amelia between Sylphiel and Lina, a tree between Lina and Zel, and Zel next to Gourry. The tree held its silence.
"I will start. My name is Sylphiel Nels Rada, fourth year student of Western, this year's school idol."
So, the blue uniforms belonged to Western, Lina thought. Looking around at the others (except Zel, the tree was in the way), she figured they had three out of the four schools on campus here. Gourry was wearing white, that along with his long blond hair made for a very blinding combination under bright light.
"Huh? Oh me? I'm Gourry Gabriev," Gourry said, after some elbow nudging from Sylphiel. "Fourth year at Southern. Ummm...in the Swords sport club...just like Zel here!"
Lina resisted the urge to look around the tree at Zel. She didn't know he was in any club, he certainly hadn't said anything when they practiced for the festival tournament. Of course, she didn't ask either.
"Oi, Zel! Say something!"
Zelgadiss ignored Gourry.
"Why bother?" Lina shrugged. "You could probably get his entire biography from the ZFC. In fact, I'll go right now and - "
"You will not! Fine. Zelgadiss Graywords. Second year formerly of Eastern. Swords sport club. That's it," he said curtly.
"Mr. Personality, he isn't."
Zel's silence spoke volumes.
Lina tossed back her hair. "Lina Inverse, like Zel but no clubs. But I am a beautiful, genius sorceress."
A disbelieving snort came from the other side of the tree.
"And finally, my name is Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune, first year student of Southern, active member of the Student Conduct and Disciplinary Committee, and all around Fist of Justice!" cried the freshman, striking a dramatic pose with lightning flashing out of the clear blue sky.
The older students looked at her and then shook their heads.
"Isn't that the same thing you said up on the catwalk of the stage we were building for the festival?" Lina asked.
"Almost," Amelia laughed sheepishly.
"Now that we all know each other, I can start with the discussion," Sylphiel smiled. "The most important piece on my agenda is your performance on the year end finals, Lina-san."
Lina felt a thundercloud descend on her. "Why are you worried about that?"
"My principal specifically asked me to make sure you passed all of your exams. And even if she didn't ask, I would still try to help you. It must be very hard for you to adjust to returning to school so late in the year after such a long absence."
"Does everyone know how long I've been out of school?"
"Never underestimate the power of the grapevine," Zelgadiss muttered, thinking more about his own situation than Lina's.
"Lina-san, so you really haven't attended school since first grade?" Amelia asked with wide eyes. "You've been been traveling as an adventurer, righting wrongs, punishing evil-doers, ridding the world of the blight of monsters?"
"Uhhh, I guess you could put it that way..." Lina tried to keep some distance between herself and Amelia, making sure not to make eye contact. Though there wasn't as much good deed doing as Amelia was probably imagining. After all, charity didn't keep your own stomach full and the bed underneath you soft and warm. "However, I'm stuck in school now."
Lina felt this insistent doinking, like little arrows were hitting her but bouncing off. And they were coming from Amelia's direction. Knowing she was going to regret this, but unable to convince her curiosity to behave otherwise, Lina took a peek at Amelia. The younger girl was gazing adoringly at Lina, her hands clasped together under her chin.
"Amelia? Hello? Anything going on between the ears?"
"Lina-san! I, Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune, hereby implore you to accept me as your apprentice!"
Lina blinked, her large cute red eyes reduced to black dots in her face.
"Thank you for accepting me, Lina-san!"
"Wai-Wait just a minute here! When did I ever say yes?? And furthermore, that isn't what is important! I need to pass the finals in two weeks! Damn it, how am I ever going to pass modern lit, politics, and domestic skills?" Lina moaned. She could probably wing the other classes of ancient history, magic, and weapon usage. But the other three she knew nearly nothing about. She whimpered to herself, "Nee-chan is going to kill me."
"That's why I was asked to help you, Lina-san," Sylphiel reminded. "Even if we are from different years, I can help you study for your tests."
"Really?! All of them??" Lina almost pounced Sylphiel.
"Well, not all of them," she amended. "I can certainly help you with, I believe you're required to take domestic skills are you not? I'm a teaching assistant in one of the sections for it, I'm sure I can tutor you in the time we have left to help you catch up. The principal told me you are a fast learner."
Fast learner if the subject interested her, Lina thought. But why was the principal of Western so interested in seeing her pass her classes? Who was the principal of Western? Oh who cared for now. She shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
"But what about my other classes? There's still modern lit, politics, physical education, ancient history, magic, weapon usage." Lina counted off the classes on her fingers. "Exactly how does one get a final in physical application classes anyway?"
"You don't necessarily fail those classes, only fail the opportunity to go to more advanced and specialized classes," Amelia put in. "In fact, some students chose not to take the tests because they're not interested."
"How do you know that?" Lina asked suspiciously. "Isn't this your first year?"
"My older sister told me."
Lina tried to imagine the older sister. All she came up with was an older Amelia, taller, most likely more...developed, and spouting justice speeches. It wasn't an encouraging thought.
"Amelia-san is correct. I don't think the magic test will be a problem for you, Lina-san, once you understand what it is about. What is your weapon?"
"Short sword."
"You could arrange for a trainer with the Swords club. As for the academic classes, you'd probably be helped best by having a tutor in your own year. Perhaps...Zelgadiss-san?"
Lina's jaw dropped. "You're not serious. Him??"
"Do you know anyone else? You and Zelgadiss-san do get along well."
If that was what Sylphiel thought was getting along well, what did she count as getting along not well? They couldn't get through a conversation without taking a shot at the other person. How were they ever going to last through hours of tutoring!
"Sylphiel, I don't think - "
"You rarely do," Zel interrupted.
"Who asked you!"
"It's quite nice of you to be helping an ingrate like her but count me out," Zelgadiss said flatly as he got up and left.
"Hey, Zel! It would help with your money problems!" Gourry called after him.
"I have a part-time job already."
They watched Zelgadiss leave, a lonely wind blowing by to emphasize his departure. Lina was sure the Drama club was hiding in the bushes or something. This and the lightning earlier just don't happen naturally.
"Jeez, what a grouch. Who wants help from a stone-cold, self-centered slime like him?"
"Slime? No I don't think Zel is slimy," Gourry thought aloud. "But grouchy? Definitely. He was in a pretty bad mood this morning. Perhaps that happened again."
Amelia and Lina looked at him. "That?"
He nodded. "That."
"You mean what you spoke of before with me? I suppose with the two incidents recently, there would be more that." Sylphiel sighed. "Why can't people look beyond external appearances? And why does Zelgadiss-san always refuse help?"
"Because he's stuffed with pride," Lina answered. "Now will you just explain what the heck all of this that stuff is??"
"Lina-san, you have noticed Zelgadiss-san's...different appearance."
"Who wouldn't?"
"Even with integrated schools such as this, there is a lot of prejudice both inside and outside against non-humans. I don't know Zelgadiss-san very well myself, but Gourry-sama has spoken to me about him. Zelgadiss-san's appearance isn't something people can accept as they accept beastmen, his cold behavior doesn't help either. He's probably been the target of prejudice and hate more often than we realize."
"He's also the center of affection for the ZFC," Lina joked.
"But it isn't an attention he thinks he deserves. Zelgadiss-san probably thinks of himself as a monster, that those people ruled by fear and hate are right about him, and that anyone who thinks differently is only toying with him."
"Gods above, what an idiot!" Lina smacked her hand against her forehead. "Who cares what other people think!" Actually, she did care but it was always easier to criticize others than it was to criticize yourself.
"Lina-san is right. People, no, not just people, everyone must be judged by the purity of their heart and the strength of their justice. To form opinions only by appearances is artificial and shallow. Never judge a book by its cover."
"That's the spirit, Amelia."
"Let's go tell him right now!"
"No! Amelia, if you just barge up and tell him like that, there's no way he's going to listen." Lina knew she wouldn't listen. "You've got to do this carefully. Observe your prey, study it, understand it, and then attack!"
"Yes, Lina-san! But...since when were we going hunting?"
"Never mind."
"Lina-san, I know you didn't believe me when I said earlier that you and Zelgadiss-san got along well. But it is the truth. Zelgadiss-san rarely bothers to speak with anyone."
"So if he talks to you, that's considered 'getting along'?"
Sylphiel smiled. "While you're at that, you should also ask about the tutoring. Unless you're comfortable enough with someone else to ask."
Damn it, Sylphiel had to know that Lina didn't know anyone else in her class other than Zelgadiss. Terrific. She had to ask him for help now. If he even accepted, he would probably never let her forget it. Lina knew that was what she would do.