Project: Telmor
Chapter Two
Notes: I only got one review. u.u...makes me feel so unloved. Um..not really. Thanks to Zarla, who reviewed! ^.^ Now can I ask for an update to Let Me Play? =D
~*~ "Can I ask again why you feel the need to follow us?" Zelgadis glared in Xellos' direction as the four walked off the front porch of the house.
"Because I just couldn't stand the thought of being without you, Zel-chan," came the sickeningly sweet reply.
He decided it was pointless to get Xellos to do- or not do, in this case- something against his will, so he left it at that. The purple-haired man didn't seem to pose a threat to anything except his sanity, and there was always strength in numbers. But there was still that bad vibe he got that he couldn't repress.
"So where'd you find him?" Gourry asked quietly, sliding into the passenger seat of Zel's car.
"Let's just say.he came with the house." Zel turned the ignition.
Vrumugun and Xellos sat in the back, with the middle seat separating them. Apparently Vrumugun didn't like Xellos just as Zelgadis didn't, because he made it a priority to avoid the purple-haired man at almost any costs. He sat still, face turned away from Xellos, looking out the window. Xellos could see that he was being pointedly ignored. Which was all the more reason to 'get to know' Vrumugun better.
"So.I didn't quite catch your name," Xellos grinned, causing Vrumugun to look at him.
"It is Vrumugun."
"Hmm. That's a bit wordy, doncha think? Can I call you Vrummy? Or Vru-chan maybe?"
Vrumugun cast him a frown. "That is a bit imformal, is it not? We just met." In truth, he didn't want Xellos calling him anything, let alone something that suggested they had some sort of personal relationship.
Not that Xellos cared in the least. "Vru-chan it is then!"
Vrumugun rolled his eyes and returned his stare at the passing scenery. "Please leave me be."
Up front, Zelgadis and Gourry were planning their next plan of action. Zel decided it was almost pointless to try and do anything about Xellos. He seemed intent on following them, and didn't pose any threat, minus Zel's sanity, and there was strength in numbers. He also may or may not have supernatural powers, the lavender-haired investigator wasn't completely sure yet, and there was still that unsettling feeling to deal with.
"What do you think?" he asked Gourry.
"We should help Vrummy. His friend got kidnapped by something paranormal."
Zel nodded. "We can start that as soon as we get back to the office."
Gourry looked quizzically at his friend. "What about this case?"
The other frowned. "Complete bust. Turns out Xellos lives there."
"Bummer..."
Zelgadis pulled the car into the parking lot, and the two investigators led Vrumugun and Xellos up to their office. Once inside, Xellos promptly flopped down in Zel's chair, propping both feet up on the desk with the ankles crossed. The desk's owner narrowed his eyes at him.
Gourry, hoping to avoid an arguement, turned to Vrumugun, who had taken a place in one of the chairs facing the desks. "So, what's going on?"
Vrumugun took a deep breath. "As I said, my friend Zangulus has been taken. Now, I know this does not constitute paranormal activity, and if it did not, I would not have come to you. But I am almost positive that it was not human that did this."
Zelgadis sat on the edge of his desk, causing a slight giggle to errupt from Xellos. "What do you mean, 'not human'?"
"I...I am not sure," he played nervously with a strand of thread on his sleeve, "I had just left our apartment to go to the store. I remembered I had forgotten my jacket, and went back to get it. I had not walked more than a few steps from the front door, but when I got back inside, I could not find Zangulus."
"So...how do you know he was kidnapped?" Gourry offered a confused look.
"The window was open, and I had specifically remembered that I closed it before I left. And our apartment is on the fourteenth floor of the building, with a straight drop from that window. And then I found this note on the table." He took a crumpled piece of paper out of his jeans pocket and handed it to Zelgadis.
Zel read the note to himself, then aloud. "We have your friend. If you want him back, you must bring the paranormalists to the Fusion night club in two days..." he looked at Vrumugun and held the paper out to him, in case he wanted it back, "The paranormalists? Does that mean us? How do you know we're the ones they mean?"
"I know because Zangulus knew. He spends hours on the computer, looking up things. He stumbled across your website a few weeks ago, and was very interested in it. He keeps a book of all his favorite website addresses, and it was next to the note, with your circled. So I knew they wanted me to get you."
"This is so cool!" Xellos grinned. Zelgadis turned to glare at him, and was rewarded by the other flashing him a 'V for Victory' sign and and even bigger smile.
"I do realize that this will put you in danger," Vrumugun continued, "So I will understand if you do not wish to help."
"Of couse we'll help!" Gourry answered, "We live for danger, right Zel?"
Zelgadis looked at Gourry, then Vrumugun before nodding. "We'll help you however possible."
"And don't forget about me!" Xellos chimed in.
"You are NOT coming with us."
Xellos latched himself onto Zelgadis' arm. "PLEASE ZEL-CHAN?! I'LL BE GOOD, I SWEAR!!"
The azure-skinned man shook his arm, but Xellos remained wrapped around it. "Get off me, you...you fruitcake!"
Xellos laughed, but didn't let go. "Fruitcake? I like that! You give the cutest pet names Zel-chan!"
Zelgadis let out a loud growl and whipped his arm out of Xellos' grasp. "FINE! You can come if you just stop CALLING ME ZEL-CHAN!!"
The purple-haired man nodded happily. "Of course! Sure thing, Zel-chan!"
~*~
Everyone was busy. Zelgadis, the unofficially-appointed 'leader' had given out assignments, and each of the four were hard at work. Zelgadis and Gourry were researching paranormal books to get a clue as to what they were dealing with. Vrumugun was online, getting all the information possible on the Fusion night club. Xellos had been instructed to just stay out of everyone's way, so he was trying his best to do the opposite.
After a few solid hours of this, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Gourry jumped up. "That should be the pizza!" He ran to the door and opened it, only to find not the pizza delivery person there, but a young woman. "Hello?"
She looked to be around her early twenties, with long dark brown hair that stopped just above her waist and bangs the length of her face, ending in spiked tips. She was pale; paler than both Xellos and Vrumugun, with blazing amber eyes. Her clothes consisted mainy of dark shades, a grey vest- shirt with long mesh sleeves, grey flare pants with a black side-split skirt on top. She wore black shoes with thick heels, a black headband and a spiked dog collar around her neck.
"You're...not here to deliver pizza, are you?" Gourry blinked.
"No," she answered, "I'm here to deliver a clue." She handed the blond a small paperback book and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Gourry called after her, "Are you...one of the kidnappers?"
She smiled knowingly. "If I was, would I be helping you?"
"Good point."
She crossed her arms. "You're cute though, so I'll give you another hint: There was a reason you all were chosen. It's either your damnation or your salvation how you use your power."
Before he could say another word, she turnd on her heel and walked away.
Gourry stood in the doorway, holding the book and looking to where the woman disappeared around the corner. "Our...our powers?"
"Did they get the order right?" Zelgadis asked, as he walked into the main office, a large ancient-looking book open in his hands. Looking up, he noticed his friend's dazed look. "Gourry? Are you okay?"
The blond shook his head, as if to clear it of thoughts. "Huh? Oh, sure, yeah."
"What's that?" Zel nodded his head to the paperback, which Gourry handed to him.
"Part of our research, I guess."
The other gave him a confused look. He set the old book on his desk and opened the smaller one. It was a collection of short stories, all dealing with supernatural elements.
"Well, this gets us nowhere..." Gourry sighed.
"What gets us nowhere?" Vrumugun stepped into the office to join the two, shuffling papers printed from the computer, Xellos following behind.
Zelgadis tossed the book lightly to the brown-haired man. "Just something Gourry found."
"I didn't find it...someone gave it to me."
Zelgadis turned his head sharply, almost knocking Xellos over, who had come to stand by him.
"Hey, hey! Watch the wire patch Zel-chan!"
The other glared at him. "I told you not to call me that!"
Xel shrugged. "That was in the past. Live for the future...Zel-chan."
The blue-hued man reached to hit Xellos, but stopped when Vrumugun dropped the book to the floor. Everyone stared at him, as he gaped at the floor, hands shaking.
"What the-?!" Zelgadis picked the book up, "Vrumugun, are you okay?"
"In...the table of contents..."
Zel turned the paperback to the contents page. There he found one of the stories circled in red ink. The same ink that the note Vrum showed them was written in.
"The same ink that your address was circled in Zangulus' book..."
Everyone gathered closer, eagar to read what the circle highlighted.
"Dracula..."
~*~
A brown-haired woman stared up from the sidewalk to the office window. She laughed as she saw the look on the foursome's faces as her clue struck them. Then she started walking down the sidewalk and into an alley.
"Well Jeremy, looks like I just made your quest a bit more interesting, didn't I?"
She heard steps behind her. Slowing her pace, she couldn't help a smirk as she noted the presence of someone blocking the way she had came.
"Just give me all your money and you won't get hurt," the rough voice of a man ordered.
"Am I honestly supposed to believe that?" She turned to face him.
He was large, and tough-looking. Someone who probably made his living taking advantage of those he thought were weaker than him. Unfortunately for him, he had misjudged.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. That was as far as his attack went however, because the next thing he knew, the woman had used her free arm to grab the arm that grasped her wrist and flip the heavy man to the ground.
"Too bad...you made a mistake..." she smiled maliciously, bearing her teeth, with two sharp fangs clearly noticable, "Good night."
Chapter Two
Notes: I only got one review. u.u...makes me feel so unloved. Um..not really. Thanks to Zarla, who reviewed! ^.^ Now can I ask for an update to Let Me Play? =D
~*~ "Can I ask again why you feel the need to follow us?" Zelgadis glared in Xellos' direction as the four walked off the front porch of the house.
"Because I just couldn't stand the thought of being without you, Zel-chan," came the sickeningly sweet reply.
He decided it was pointless to get Xellos to do- or not do, in this case- something against his will, so he left it at that. The purple-haired man didn't seem to pose a threat to anything except his sanity, and there was always strength in numbers. But there was still that bad vibe he got that he couldn't repress.
"So where'd you find him?" Gourry asked quietly, sliding into the passenger seat of Zel's car.
"Let's just say.he came with the house." Zel turned the ignition.
Vrumugun and Xellos sat in the back, with the middle seat separating them. Apparently Vrumugun didn't like Xellos just as Zelgadis didn't, because he made it a priority to avoid the purple-haired man at almost any costs. He sat still, face turned away from Xellos, looking out the window. Xellos could see that he was being pointedly ignored. Which was all the more reason to 'get to know' Vrumugun better.
"So.I didn't quite catch your name," Xellos grinned, causing Vrumugun to look at him.
"It is Vrumugun."
"Hmm. That's a bit wordy, doncha think? Can I call you Vrummy? Or Vru-chan maybe?"
Vrumugun cast him a frown. "That is a bit imformal, is it not? We just met." In truth, he didn't want Xellos calling him anything, let alone something that suggested they had some sort of personal relationship.
Not that Xellos cared in the least. "Vru-chan it is then!"
Vrumugun rolled his eyes and returned his stare at the passing scenery. "Please leave me be."
Up front, Zelgadis and Gourry were planning their next plan of action. Zel decided it was almost pointless to try and do anything about Xellos. He seemed intent on following them, and didn't pose any threat, minus Zel's sanity, and there was strength in numbers. He also may or may not have supernatural powers, the lavender-haired investigator wasn't completely sure yet, and there was still that unsettling feeling to deal with.
"What do you think?" he asked Gourry.
"We should help Vrummy. His friend got kidnapped by something paranormal."
Zel nodded. "We can start that as soon as we get back to the office."
Gourry looked quizzically at his friend. "What about this case?"
The other frowned. "Complete bust. Turns out Xellos lives there."
"Bummer..."
Zelgadis pulled the car into the parking lot, and the two investigators led Vrumugun and Xellos up to their office. Once inside, Xellos promptly flopped down in Zel's chair, propping both feet up on the desk with the ankles crossed. The desk's owner narrowed his eyes at him.
Gourry, hoping to avoid an arguement, turned to Vrumugun, who had taken a place in one of the chairs facing the desks. "So, what's going on?"
Vrumugun took a deep breath. "As I said, my friend Zangulus has been taken. Now, I know this does not constitute paranormal activity, and if it did not, I would not have come to you. But I am almost positive that it was not human that did this."
Zelgadis sat on the edge of his desk, causing a slight giggle to errupt from Xellos. "What do you mean, 'not human'?"
"I...I am not sure," he played nervously with a strand of thread on his sleeve, "I had just left our apartment to go to the store. I remembered I had forgotten my jacket, and went back to get it. I had not walked more than a few steps from the front door, but when I got back inside, I could not find Zangulus."
"So...how do you know he was kidnapped?" Gourry offered a confused look.
"The window was open, and I had specifically remembered that I closed it before I left. And our apartment is on the fourteenth floor of the building, with a straight drop from that window. And then I found this note on the table." He took a crumpled piece of paper out of his jeans pocket and handed it to Zelgadis.
Zel read the note to himself, then aloud. "We have your friend. If you want him back, you must bring the paranormalists to the Fusion night club in two days..." he looked at Vrumugun and held the paper out to him, in case he wanted it back, "The paranormalists? Does that mean us? How do you know we're the ones they mean?"
"I know because Zangulus knew. He spends hours on the computer, looking up things. He stumbled across your website a few weeks ago, and was very interested in it. He keeps a book of all his favorite website addresses, and it was next to the note, with your circled. So I knew they wanted me to get you."
"This is so cool!" Xellos grinned. Zelgadis turned to glare at him, and was rewarded by the other flashing him a 'V for Victory' sign and and even bigger smile.
"I do realize that this will put you in danger," Vrumugun continued, "So I will understand if you do not wish to help."
"Of couse we'll help!" Gourry answered, "We live for danger, right Zel?"
Zelgadis looked at Gourry, then Vrumugun before nodding. "We'll help you however possible."
"And don't forget about me!" Xellos chimed in.
"You are NOT coming with us."
Xellos latched himself onto Zelgadis' arm. "PLEASE ZEL-CHAN?! I'LL BE GOOD, I SWEAR!!"
The azure-skinned man shook his arm, but Xellos remained wrapped around it. "Get off me, you...you fruitcake!"
Xellos laughed, but didn't let go. "Fruitcake? I like that! You give the cutest pet names Zel-chan!"
Zelgadis let out a loud growl and whipped his arm out of Xellos' grasp. "FINE! You can come if you just stop CALLING ME ZEL-CHAN!!"
The purple-haired man nodded happily. "Of course! Sure thing, Zel-chan!"
~*~
Everyone was busy. Zelgadis, the unofficially-appointed 'leader' had given out assignments, and each of the four were hard at work. Zelgadis and Gourry were researching paranormal books to get a clue as to what they were dealing with. Vrumugun was online, getting all the information possible on the Fusion night club. Xellos had been instructed to just stay out of everyone's way, so he was trying his best to do the opposite.
After a few solid hours of this, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Gourry jumped up. "That should be the pizza!" He ran to the door and opened it, only to find not the pizza delivery person there, but a young woman. "Hello?"
She looked to be around her early twenties, with long dark brown hair that stopped just above her waist and bangs the length of her face, ending in spiked tips. She was pale; paler than both Xellos and Vrumugun, with blazing amber eyes. Her clothes consisted mainy of dark shades, a grey vest- shirt with long mesh sleeves, grey flare pants with a black side-split skirt on top. She wore black shoes with thick heels, a black headband and a spiked dog collar around her neck.
"You're...not here to deliver pizza, are you?" Gourry blinked.
"No," she answered, "I'm here to deliver a clue." She handed the blond a small paperback book and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Gourry called after her, "Are you...one of the kidnappers?"
She smiled knowingly. "If I was, would I be helping you?"
"Good point."
She crossed her arms. "You're cute though, so I'll give you another hint: There was a reason you all were chosen. It's either your damnation or your salvation how you use your power."
Before he could say another word, she turnd on her heel and walked away.
Gourry stood in the doorway, holding the book and looking to where the woman disappeared around the corner. "Our...our powers?"
"Did they get the order right?" Zelgadis asked, as he walked into the main office, a large ancient-looking book open in his hands. Looking up, he noticed his friend's dazed look. "Gourry? Are you okay?"
The blond shook his head, as if to clear it of thoughts. "Huh? Oh, sure, yeah."
"What's that?" Zel nodded his head to the paperback, which Gourry handed to him.
"Part of our research, I guess."
The other gave him a confused look. He set the old book on his desk and opened the smaller one. It was a collection of short stories, all dealing with supernatural elements.
"Well, this gets us nowhere..." Gourry sighed.
"What gets us nowhere?" Vrumugun stepped into the office to join the two, shuffling papers printed from the computer, Xellos following behind.
Zelgadis tossed the book lightly to the brown-haired man. "Just something Gourry found."
"I didn't find it...someone gave it to me."
Zelgadis turned his head sharply, almost knocking Xellos over, who had come to stand by him.
"Hey, hey! Watch the wire patch Zel-chan!"
The other glared at him. "I told you not to call me that!"
Xel shrugged. "That was in the past. Live for the future...Zel-chan."
The blue-hued man reached to hit Xellos, but stopped when Vrumugun dropped the book to the floor. Everyone stared at him, as he gaped at the floor, hands shaking.
"What the-?!" Zelgadis picked the book up, "Vrumugun, are you okay?"
"In...the table of contents..."
Zel turned the paperback to the contents page. There he found one of the stories circled in red ink. The same ink that the note Vrum showed them was written in.
"The same ink that your address was circled in Zangulus' book..."
Everyone gathered closer, eagar to read what the circle highlighted.
"Dracula..."
~*~
A brown-haired woman stared up from the sidewalk to the office window. She laughed as she saw the look on the foursome's faces as her clue struck them. Then she started walking down the sidewalk and into an alley.
"Well Jeremy, looks like I just made your quest a bit more interesting, didn't I?"
She heard steps behind her. Slowing her pace, she couldn't help a smirk as she noted the presence of someone blocking the way she had came.
"Just give me all your money and you won't get hurt," the rough voice of a man ordered.
"Am I honestly supposed to believe that?" She turned to face him.
He was large, and tough-looking. Someone who probably made his living taking advantage of those he thought were weaker than him. Unfortunately for him, he had misjudged.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. That was as far as his attack went however, because the next thing he knew, the woman had used her free arm to grab the arm that grasped her wrist and flip the heavy man to the ground.
"Too bad...you made a mistake..." she smiled maliciously, bearing her teeth, with two sharp fangs clearly noticable, "Good night."