The three met downstairs the next morning, some more awake than others. Lina looked like she was about to fall over from lack of sleep, rubbing her neck and feeling like hell. Zel and Amelia on the other hand were wide awake, though they didn't seem to be too happy when the four met downstairs to eat breakfast.
With a yawn Zelgadiss poured himself his usual cup of coffee, and Lina seemed less enthusiastic than usual when she ordered half of the dishes on the menu, to the great dispair of the waitress. Amelia rubbed her eyes, then looked around.
"Wasn't Xelloss-san supposed to meet us here?" she asked as she ordered her breakfast, and Lina grumbled.
"Yes, he was. He?ll probably pop out of nowhere just to annoy us?"
"Right as always, Lina-chan!"
The sorceress eeped and jumped in her seat as the Trickster giggled into her ear, and she spun around in her seat to slap him, but he foresaw this and ducked the blow, a big grin plastered on his face.
"Ah ah aaaah," he scolded, waggling his finger at her, "woke up on the wrong side of the bed, Lina-chan?"
Lina grumbled and gave him a warning glare before turning back to the others.
There was a silence before Xelloss shrugged and sat down inbetween Lina and Zel, smiling that smile of his, which wasn't what they didn't want to see that morning.
"So? how long will it take for us to get there?" Lina finally ventured, not liking the silence and wanting to pass some time while she waited for her breakfast.
"Well, that depends," Xelloss said a little hesistanly, "after all, if words get out that you are the ringbearer, you'll be more popular than usual?" he added with a sly wink, earning a lovely shade of red from Lina's flushed face.
"HOW long?" Zelgadiss asked, a venoumous tone in his voice. The Mazoku glanced over, still grinning from the lovely feeding he was getting this morning.
"I should say about a month, including various shortcuts here and there and possible delays."
Amelia looked slightly worried at that.
"What delays?"
"Why," began Xelloss, rubbing his chin, " I'd say that the dark lords would do nearly everything to get their hands on the ring. Of course they would make various traps, ambushes and other nasty diversions for us!"
"Like what?" the princess asked furthermore, and Xelloss grinned even more.
"Sore wa himitsu desu!"
Just like a magician saying the magic words to make something disappear, those well-known words made the rest of Zel's patience disappear. The Chimera snarled and stood up, grabbing for the front of Xelloss' shirt and jerked him up close to his face.
"How dare you make fun of us?! This is something important we're up against!!" he snarled. The Mazoku on the other hand only grinned more, his eyes opening slightly.
"Why, Zel-kun, you look so beautiful when you're angry!"
That caused Zel only to snarl more, but he was silenced as the Trickster chuckled and kissed him smack on the lips. Zelgadiss yelped and immediately let go, pulled back and furiously wiped his mouth, a disgusted look on his face.
"FRUITCAKE!" he halfgasped, halfsnarled.
Xelloss only smiled back, chuckling.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself!"
Lina and Amelia arched an eyebrow each, then looked at eachother.
"Well, I guess that we can handle travelling with one wacko?" Lina sighed heavily.
Suddenly Lina felt a shiver run down her back, and the others fell silent, looking to a point behind Lina. With the exception of Xelloss the others looked slightly worried. Lina wasn't entirely sure if this was going to be a good when she turned around.
There, with a nasty grin on her face stood none other than Martina, her eyes narrowed.
"Now, Lina Inverse, you shall pay!"
Lina sweatdropped.
"Okay, what do you want from me now? Oh, I know," she sighed and gave Martina her glove, and the Xoana princess laughed.
"Now you're in my power, with my new curse I shall make you pay!"
The Xoana princess was interrupted however, as a waiter tapper her shoulder.
"Sorry, you are in the no-curse area. The curse area is over there," he scolded and pointed to the opposite end of the restaurant, and Martina grumbled while Lina let out a sigh.
"Why me?" she asked and gave the ceiling a begging look.
Martina gave the waiter an annoyed look, then turned back to her arch-nemesis.
"Anyway, as I was, saying, I shall make you pay, sooner or later!"
"Martina," Lina groaned and rubbed her temples, "what's your problem?!?! It must have been ages since Xoana was destroyed!"
The princess of the said kingdom struck a pose, and began a speech that made even Amelia shudder.
"YOU are my problem Lina Inverse! In the name of Zoamelgustar I shall have my revenge upon you, rebuild my kingdom in all of his glory and?"
She was cut off by Zelgadiss however, to the relief of the others.
"Where is your husband Zangulus, by the way?"
"Oh, he's at an annual sword contest in the east, you know how men are, always playing with their toys and taking advantage of every moment to brag," Martina shrugged.
Lina took a deep breath, then glared at Martina.
"Now could you please get lost, we're kinda busy and have better things to do than listen to your empty threats!" she hissed, the vein on her forehead threatening to explode.
"Like what? Finding more Claire Bibles?" the Xoana princess asked with a snort.
"No," Zelgadiss said, seemingly rather annoyed, "we have a long journey in front of us, and we certainly don't want YOU slowing us down!"
"But Zel-kun," Xelloss chirped, smiling sweetly, "you do have to admit that it would be helpful with Miss Martina's help, ne? After all, we need all the help we can get!"
"I guess he is right, Zelgadiss-san." Amelia nodded, and Lina groaned and smacked her head on the table.
"Well, it would be fun!" Martina grinned, then grabbed for Lina's glove.
"Gimmie that, I might need it later for a curse!"
"HEY!" Lina exclaimed and pulled back, "stop that!"
As the fight began and the Chimera and the Seyruun princess moved to get the two rivals from eachother, no one seemed to notice a certain Mazoku at the opposite side of the table. He grinned, his eyes watching Lina over the rim of his cup. This was going to be fun, very fun indeed.