Episode 1:
Friends Forever! Back to Seyruun!
Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev were, as usual, eating in a restaurant. They were on their way back to Seyruun to see Amelia and hopefully some other friends too. But at the present time, the two friends were concerned only with devouring as much food as humanly possible with no regards whatsoever for table manners. Of course, people were staring, and some even getting a bit nauseated. Most of them just left the restaurant. But Lina and Gourry took no notice.
�Gimme that, Gourry!� Lina demanded through a mouthful of rice while grabbing a piece of chicken right from Gourry�s hands.
�Hey!� he protested. He stuffed a forkful of steak into his mouth and reached for another piece of the chicken, only to discover that the platter was empty. Gourry shrugged and grabbed a large antipasto salad from the center of the table and began forking it into his mouth. Lina, meanwhile, was occupied with a plate of angel hair spaghetti and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. She drained the bowl, and dumped the contents of the plate down her waiting mouth. Lina then tried to take some of the salad, but Gourry got the last forkful before she even had a taste.
�Augh!� Lina shouted. �No fair! Oh, well�ooh, this lasagna looks good!� Lina took the pan of lasagna. �Down the hatch!� she said happily. Then the young sorceress gobbled it all up.
About forty-five minutes and several servings later, Gourry and Lina sighed with satisfaction. Seeing the relent in the ceaseless feasting, the waiter rushed over and asked eagerly, �Would you like the check?�
Lina nodded and said, �Oh, and would you mind bringing the dessert menu too?� Her clueless mercenary friend nodded. A sweat drop formed on the back of the waiter�s head.
�D-dessert menu?� he stammered. �Oh, er, we�don�t have a desert menu!� he lied quickly. Lina was outraged.
�No dessert menu?!� she shouted. �What kind of a restaurant doesn�t have a dessert menu? That�s it�I�m not paying the bill! Come on, Gourry!�
�W-what?� the waiter shrieked. �Not paying the bill�after all that food?!�
�Not unless you show us a dessert menu!� Lina said. The waiter sighed and went to fetch the menu.
�Hey, how long till we get to Seyruun, Lina?� Gourry asked curiously as they waited for the waiter to return.
�Hmm,� Lina said, thinking. �Good question. Can�t be too much longer, though. Hey, where�s that guy with our check? He�s supposed to be waiting on us, not the other way around!�
The poor waiter rushed back out of the kitchen with the bill and two small menus. He handed them to Lina, looking apprehensive. Lina counted out money and handed it to the waiter.
�Oh, we�re in a hurry, so we�ve decided we�re not getting dessert,� Lina said. �Bye!�
She dragged Gourry out the door, the waiter grumbling, �No tip?�
�No tip my ass,� Lina muttered as she and Gourry walked down the road to Seyruun. �That guy tried to pretend there wasn�t a dessert menu! Sheesh!�
Suddenly Lina perked up. �Hey, look, Gourry!� she shouted.
�Look where?� Gourry asked.
�Over there, blockhead!� Lina yelled excitedly, twisting his head (rather painfully, I might add) in the direction she was pointing.
�What?� Gourry said stupidly. �Oh, I see it. Yeah, the scenery�s beautiful, isn�t it?�
�No, you idiot!� Lina raged. �Look! It�s Seyruun!�
�Oh!� Gourry said brightly. �I see now!�
�Come on!� Lina said. �Let�s go to Seyruun!�
Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun was taking up her ambassador duties in Seyruun once again. She was the Seyruun representative for her father, Prince Phil Seyruun. However, she missed her old friends very much. They�d had so many adventures together and gotten so close. But Amelia was certain she�d see them again soon, and they�d have another few adventures together. After all, trouble followed Miss Lina and Mr. Gourry around like a little puppy that�d lost his way.
So it would come as no surprise that Amelia was getting a little lonely. So she often took morning walks around the coastal kingdom of Seyruun. It was one of these particular walks on which she met up with her old friends.
�Gourry! Give me that ice cream!�
�No, way, Lina! We looked all over Seyruun for an ice cream parlor, and now that we�ve found one, I�m not letting you have my favorite flavor!�
�Your favorite flavor�s not chocolate!�
�Says who?�
�Says you! You just claimed ten minutes ago that vanilla was your favorite flavor!�
�Um, well, they�re both my favorite flavor, then!�
�Liar! Fireball!�
Amelia heard a small explosion somewhere down the lane of restaurants and markets, and she had heard the distinct voices too. She rushed down the street in the hopes of meeting her old friends.
�Mr. Gourry! Miss Lina!� Amelia said cheerfully, turning the corner. �Oh, you�re here! You�re—covered in ice cream��
And they were. Lina�s Fireball had melted all the ice cream within range and splattered everyone with it. She and Gourry were dripping with the goopy muck.
�Amelia!� Gourry said happily, not noticing at all that he was covered in not-so-frozen yogurt and melted ice cream of various flavors.
�Aqua Creel!� Lina shouted, dousing everyone in a wave of water, washing away the ice cream. �Oh, hello, Amelia!�
Amelia was giving Lina one of those looks. She had been soaked by the water spell too, and was none too happy to be drenched in water in her fancy Seyruun dress.
�Oh, sorry about that, Amelia,� Lina said, smiling a bit nervously. �Hey, we were looking for you, anyway. You seen anyone else around?�
Amelia shook her head, a bit sadly.
�Hey, why don�t you two come down to the palace?� Amelia suggested brightly. �I�ll bet Daddy would love to have your company, and the others are sure to turn up at some point!�
Well, of course they didn�t turn down the offer, and so they walked to the Seyruun palace so that they could all change into drier clothes.
The next morning, they all went out to breakfast�on Lina�s suggestion. Luckily, Amelia was paying the bill. Gourry and Lina had run out of money, seeing as they ate so much. They may as well have eaten ten meals a day, but they chose to cram it all into three.
The restaurant they were eating at happened to be next to the ice cream parlor. Their waiter had been on shift the previous day, and saw the whole fireball-ice cream incident. Needless to say, the poor guy was a bit scared of his customers. He would have been even more terrified if he�d known how much they ate.
�Er, may I take your order, sir and ladies?� he asked nervously.
�Um, well we haven't gotten our menus yet,� Lina pointed out with that half-closed-eyes look.
�Oh, right!� he said, and skittered off to the back of the restaurant. Lina, Amelia, and Gourry watched him.
�Poor kid,� Lina said, shaking her head. �He�s got problems. He�s afraid of the customers.�
�Heh, he�s got reason to, with you around, Lina,� said a voice nearby. All three of them jumped, and then saw who it was.
�Niriko!� Lina screamed. �Don�t do that!�
�Miss Niriko, you scared us!� Amelia cried.
�I could tell,� remarked Niriko Inverse, Lina�s older cousin. �You guys should�ve seen the looks on your faces!�
�I wasn�t scared!� Lina snapped. �I�I was surprised!�
�Yeah, sure,� Niriko replied, obviously not believing her. �Hey, mind if I join you?�
�Glad to have you,� Lina said. �We were wondering when you people were going to show up.�
�You just got here, if I�m correct,� Niriko objected, sitting down. �I�ve been around for almost a week.�
�You have?� Amelia wondered. �But I didn�t see you!�
�Been keeping low,� Niriko responded calmly. �Waiting around.�
Finally, the waiter came back, carrying three menus. Then he saw Niriko. Since he�d never seen her before, he didn�t know if she was like the others. But he couldn�t be sure�
�Er—are you dining here too?� he asked Niriko uncertainly. She nodded.
�I�ll be right back with another menu!� he said hurriedly.
�Be right back, I�m sure,� Lina snorted. �It took him nearly fifteen minutes just to get three!�
A few minutes later, the waiter came back carrying another menu, which he handed to Niriko.
�I�ll be back to take your orders!� he said a bit shakily and ran off.
�Ooh, this looks delicious!� Lina marveled, her mouth watering.
�Mmm,� Niriko sighed. �Ah, this looks so amazing!�
�Well, Seyruun�s food is some of the best around!� Amelia said proudly. Then the waiter came hurrying back.
�Are you ready?� he asked. The others nodded. �Okay, what will you be having, miss?� he asked Lina.
�Oh, well, let�s see,� Lina said. �This, this, oh, and two orders of that, a roast turkey, a Caesar salad, a garden salad, a mega-sized antipasto salad—�
�A mega-sized antipasto?� the waiter repeated.
�Yeah, me too,� Niriko interrupted. �And a triple portion order of the rotisserie steak—�
�Triple portion order?� he said faintly.
�I�ll have one too,� Gourry added.
�I�m not finished yet!� Niriko snapped. �I want some roast potatoes, some garden salad, ooh, this chowder looks good, and that chili seems tasty, and this, and that, oh, double portion of that—�
�Oh, I�d like to try the nachos and salsa,� Gourry said. �And some spaghetti, with extra meatballs please, and some of that wonton soup—�
�I�d like four orders of quesadillas, one chicken, one cheese, one vegetable and one steak,� Lina cut in.
�I haven't ordered yet!� Amelia protested. �I�d like some teriyaki chicken, teriyaki steak—�
�For breakfast�?� the waiter asked. And it went on and on like this for some time. Finally, the food came. Breakfast took about two hours all told. After they were finished, the four sat around and chatted.
�So, Niriko, where ya been?� Lina asked lazily.
�Here and there,� Niriko replied. �Been chasing Louie around. He won�t stay still.�
�Where is Louie?� Lina inquired.
�Oh, somewhere,� Niriko said, waving her hand about. �I dunno. He runs off sometimes, but he always comes back.�
�Oh, Miss Niriko!� Amelia cried, standing up. �How could you?!�
�How could I what?� Niriko asked, looking at Amelia a bit weird.
�How could you disregard your own partner in the fight for justice?� Amelia shouted.
�What?� Niriko said. �Did you just say �my partner in the fight for justice�?! What the hell are you talking about?�
�How could you leave that poor little bunny out there on his own?� Amelia wept dramatically. �Alone, cold and defenseless—�
�All right, Amelia, let�s get some things straight,� Niriko sighed, standing up. �First of all, Louie is far from being a �poor little bunny�. And I didn�t leave him on his own! I told you, he roams around a bit, and then he comes back! And he�s not alone, cold and defenseless!�
�Um, I just have one question here,� Gourry said, raising his hand. Everyone looked at him. �Uh�who�s Louie again?�
Niriko and Amelia fell over; Lina hit Gourry over the head. Gourry toppled backwards over his chair.
�What did I say?� he asked frantically, completely and totally oblivious.
�In any event,� Niriko cut in, �Louie�s back anyway.�
A blur of aqua-green and white flew through the open window in the restaurant. The little odd-colored rabbit landed smack dab in the middle of some old couple�s table. He stood up and shook his little paw angrily at a large, burly man who was moving past, driving a wooden produce cart. Louie hopped down from the shocked seniors� table, pulled out a juicy pear from a small tan-colored canvas shoulder bag and munched on it happily. Niriko whistled.
�Hey, Louie!� she called. �Over here!�
Louie�s ears perked up when he heard Niriko�s call. He scampered over to their table, jumped onto Niriko�s lap, and continued eating his fruit. Niriko petted him between his large ears.
�See? I told you,� Niriko said.
�Louie!� Amelia cried melodramatically. �What have you done?�
Louie looked up. Amelia was pointing at his luscious, half-eaten pear. The rabbit looked rather shifty just then.
�Merner?� he asked. Louie was a strange kind of rabbit�his speech was quite strange. He usually made sounds like �merner�, and when he spoke real words, it sound as if each and every syllable had an �r� added to it.
�You stole, Louie!� Amelia shouted, her eyes shining. She was still pointing. Niriko could tell she was going into Justice Freak mode, and sighed. Amelia continued.
�Louie, after all of the things we�ve done to prevent evil from overtaking this world, you have taken—and eaten—something that does not belong to you, and you have not paid for it! You have violated—�
�Amelia,� Niriko interrupted. �He�s a rabbit. Rabbits don�t have money. And besides, it was one measly fruit. He was a little hungry.�
Louie nodded vigorously in agreement. Suddenly, his little shoulder pack burst. Apples, pears, grapes, bananas, and mangos flew everywhere. Louie stood stock still, looking around with his eyes. Amelia�s big blue eyes got even bigger. Lina raised her eyebrows.
�A little hungry?� she asked skeptically.
�Okay, so maybe really hungry,� Niriko snapped. �But who cares? He�s a rabbit! Give it a rest, Amelia!�
Amelia sighed and sat down. �I guess I overreacted a little,� she admitted sheepishly. �I�ve just been so lonely lately.�
�Yeah, well, I guess it�s about time we all had a little reunion,� Lina agreed, shrugging. �I wonder where Zel�s gotten to—and Chame and Kadachi? Hey, anyone seen Yamato lately?�
�Nope,� Gourry responded, shaking his head.
�Didn�t Filia, Gravos and Jillas start an antique shop or something?� Niriko asked. �Anybody know where they�ve gone?�
Everyone shook their heads. Then the waiter came around with the check.
�Er, here�s your bill!� he said, thrusting it at Amelia. She scanned it and paid the waiter. Then they all walked out of the restaurant, full and contented.
�So where did you go, Niriko?� Lina asked as they made their way around the peaceful Seyruun. �Before you came to Seyruun. Seen Niro lately?�
Niro was the sinister bandit/dark sorcerer who had slain Niriko�s parents before her very eyes when she was young. Niriko had sworn vengeance on Niro long ago, and traveled in search of him. However, when the magical barrier from the War of the Monsters� Fall had lifted, Niriko traveled with her friends to the Outer World in search of the murderer. He had repeatedly eluded Niriko�s blade, and in recent times, his bandit gang had swollen to at least two hundred and fifty all told, and now Niriko was determined more than ever to kill him. It was her parents� absence in her life that had made Niriko so emotionally scarred and hardened, and her temper so short, that she almost never let anyone get close to her.
Niriko shook her head. �Not a hair,� she replied grimly. �But what he doesn�t know is that I�m more powerful now. I�ve picked up a few new spells lately, and made a few myself too.�
�If he gets you really mad, you�re going to forget those and end up using the Ragna Blade,� Lina pointed out.
�True,� Niriko agreed. �But at least I know how.� She looked up at the sky, almost wistfully. �I kind of wish we had those Dark Star weapons now.�
�Yeah, I miss my Sword of Light,� Gourry sighed sadly. When they had defeated Valgaav with the five Dark Star weapons (one of which being Goru Nova, the Sword of Light), Gourry had finally agreed to let his family heir be taken back to its original home in the Overworld. Now the only thing the talented swordsman had was an ordinary blade, but he was adjusting. He sometimes still cried out, �Light come forth!� when he used his new sword.
�Well, cheer up!� Amelia said brightly, breaking the longing silence. �Come on, all we have to do is wait for the others to show up!�
�What, did you invite them or something?� Gourry asked, confused.
�No!� Amelia said. �But when some of us get together, it just seems that everyone else shows up too!�
�Amelia�s right,� Lina added. �I mean, how long could it take for the others to show up? We�re just�magnetically attracted to each other!�
Niriko snorted. �Magnetically attracted?� she laughed, derisively. �Oh please!�
�Come on. Let�s go back to the palace. I�m sure someone will show up tomorrow!� Amelia suggested.
So they went back to the Seyruun Royal Palace, and passed away the rest of the day.
�Well, I don�t see anyone,� Niriko said the next day, looking around. They were in the local park, having a late picnic lunch (which they�d already eaten completely, down to the last crumb). She shaded her eyes and scanned the area mockingly. �Nope, no chimeras, monsters, foxes or dragons around!�
�Oh, Miss Niriko!� Amelia cried. �You don�t have to be so condescending!�
�Merner!� Louie chimed.
�Well, it�s getting boring!� Niriko exclaimed. �If someone�s gonna show up, show up already!�
�My, my, someone�s impatient,� remarked a muffled voice behind them. Everyone turned around, only to find their two chimera friends, Chame Nazasaki and Zelgadis Greywords. Seeing as people whose bodies were part rock-golem attracted a considerable amount of attention, Zelgadis was cloaked and hooded completely, save his eyes. Chame, on the other hand, was not as self-conscious, and was wearing shorts with a back-flare, a tube-top with sleeves, and high leather boots.
�Ya know, why does everyone have to show up by making some mysterious line entry without us seeing them?� Lina demanded. �I mean, you could let us see who the hell it is first!�
Chame rolled her eyes and sat down on the picnic blanket, and Zel did likewise, pulling down the mask that covered his mouth.
�So what have you been up to?� asked Chame.
�Nothing much,� Niriko replied. �We all just met up recently. You got any idea where the others are?�
Zel and Chame shook their heads.
�What about Xellos?� Lina inquired. �Have you seen him lately, or do you know what he�s been up to lately?�
Xellos Metallium was a purple-haired demon who always wore a demonically perky facial expression. He often called himself the �mysterious priest�. He almost never helped them out; it was more likely he�d be getting them into trouble. However, he was kind of part of the group, but as Filia has so plainly put it, �You�re always around when we don�t want you, and you vanish when you could be useful!� The annoying monster�s favorite phrase was, �Now that is a secret!� You can clearly see he was never much help, except in the final battle against Valgaav, in which he contributed greatly by calling on the power of the monster race.
�Not at all,� Zel responded. �But knowing Xellos, he�s probably plotting something or the other to get us in trouble.�
�I wouldn�t put it past him,� Niriko said. �He�s virtually useless most of the time. Sometimes I think he lives to annoy us.�
�That�s Xellos for you,� Lina said. �I guess Kadachi would probably know more about his whereabouts right now than us.�
�You know, he�s probably been chasing her around this whole time,� Chame remarked. Everyone started laughing.
�Come on,� Amelia said, brushing herself off and getting up. �Let�s take a walk. Maybe someone else is hanging around!� So they cleaned up, took the picnic basket and blanket back to the palace and went for a walk around the pier.
�Man, it looks a whole lot different, than when we left here for the Outer World,� sighed Lina as she gazed at the calm blue-green sea.
Amelia sniffed a bit. �That�s because we had to rebuild it, Miss Lina!� she cried. �Your Dragon Slave at Miss Filia caused a tidal wave that destroyed the whole port, remember?�
�Oh, yeah��
�It just seems so long ago,� Chame said tranquilly as she looked around the port, �that we took that ship and made our way down to the Outer World. It seems years and years ago, even though it was so recent.�
�That�s just time,� Niriko said thoughtfully. �Last year seems like yesterday, and yesterday seems like last year.�
�That�s pretty reflective,� Lina remarked. �I never thought of it that way.�
Niriko shrugged, and shook herself as though coming out of a trance. �Hey, I just think like that on occasion,� she laughed. �I act weird sometimes.�
�More than sometimes,� Zel muttered.
�What did you say?!� Niriko shrieked, raising her fist.
�Calm down, sheesh!� Zel said. �It was just a joke�!�
Niriko lowered her arm and stared at the ocean. �Sorry,� she mumbled. Then she sighed, as if longing for something. �I�ve never felt this calm before,� she said, almost a note of confusion in her voice.
�Never?� Amelia asked.
�Never,� Niriko replied, shaking her head. �I�ve never had a moment of peace in my life. Not since�never mind.� She turned her head away quickly.
They were all silent for a long while, save the soft crashing of the waves against the rocks and the distant cries of the seabirds. They stayed there in that same position, watching the afternoon wear away, and stayed even to see the sun set. Then, a little while into the twilight, Amelia finally stretched.
�Let�s go home now,� she said. �It�s getting late. Come on.�
So they walked back to Seyruun, all in a peaceful state of mind. When they got back, Prince Phil, Amelia�s father, was waiting at the door for them.
�Hi, Daddy!� Amelia cried, flinging her arms around him in a big hug. �We�ve got some new guests staying! Miss Chame and Mr. Zelgadis.� She gestured to the two chimeras behind her.
�Well, are all your friends arriving soon?� Phil asked. �They just keep on coming!�
�What do you mean, Daddy?� Amelia questioned.
�Well, your friend Shunozike showed up just about an hour ago,� Phil said. �He�s waiting inside in the banquet hall.�
So Phil led them inside to the banquet hall, where their quiet elven friend Shunozike was sitting at the long table.
�Hi, Mr. Shunozike!� Amelia greeted cheerily. The others said hello as well.
�Hi, everyone,� Shunozike said, standing up. �Well, I never expected to find all of you here.� He waved.
�Come on, now,� Phil said. �Why don�t all of you go to bed? I suppose another few of your friends will be coming along tomorrow or sometime soon.�
So they all went up to their rooms, and slept a peaceful sleep.
The next morning, everyone awoke bright and early�even Niriko, who loved to sleep. They had a lengthy breakfast at the Seyruun Royal Palace, and decided to take a walk around the pier, seeing as the day was warm, light and breezy. Despite the calm atmosphere, Niriko seemed tense.
�What�s wrong, Niriko?� Lina asked, noticing her uncomfortable disposition.
�I dunno,� Niriko said, walking along. �It just seems too good to be true. It�s too�peaceful.�
�How is that too good to be true?� Shunozike asked.
�Well�Niro,� Niriko began. �It�s just that I haven't heard from him or met up with him.�
�Maybe he�s been keeping low,� Gourry suggested. �Like you.�
�You know, Gourry,� Niriko said, �that�s about the most intelligent thing you�ve ever said.�
�Thanks!� Gourry said brightly.
�Well, maybe he�s been defeated!� Amelia said, trying to cheer Niriko up. Obviously, Niriko didn�t take this well.
�Yeah, I believe that,� Niriko snapped contemptuously. �Niro isn't easily defeated. To defeat him, you have to kill him. There�s no other way. You can�t just leave him for dead.�
�Why is that, Niriko?� Zel wanted to know.
�In recent times, his bandit gang has increased to at least two hundred and fifty bandits, for one thing, with a good number of sorcerers at his disposal,� Niriko started. �He�s got that many followers at his side who�d revive him as soon as possible. And second, he�s got this kind of strange healing power. I don�t even think he�s�human anymore.�
�Well, I guess that�s just Niro for you,� Lina said. �But, come on, guys! Why are we talking about this stuff? Let�s cheer up! We�ve got a moment of peace; let�s take advantage of it!�
�Yeah, Lina�s right,� Chame added. �Come on, I�m sure the others will show up soon! Kadachi, Filia, Jillas, Gravos and Yamato can�t be far off!�
�Speaking of which,� Zel said. �I think that we should all wait till at least a few more show up. I mean, if Niriko�s right, and Niro is still at large, we can�t stay in one place for long.�
�You know, I�m not completely weak and defenseless,� Niriko grumbled.
�Anyway,� Lina said. �Just to pass the time, why don�t we all walk around Seyruun and look for the others?�
�Good idea,� Gourry agreed. �Uh, why don�t we all split up?�
�Because, jellyfish-for-brains,� Lina snapped, �if we do split up, you�ll get lost!�
�Oh, good point!� Gourry said. Everyone fell over. Then they heard a voice.
�Hey! Gourry! Amelia! Lina! Zelgadis! Shunozike! Hi, over here! Chame! It�s me!�
They all turned around to find Yamato Gabriev, Gourry�s blonde older brother, waving frantically at them from across the port. Unfortunately, they weren�t the only ones who thought it was a nice day for a walk. At least a hundred and fifty Seyruun residents were crowding the pier. Yamato was being knocked around and he kept tripping over people. He struggled to stay on his feet and finally made his way to the dock that his friends were standing on.
�Hey, Yamato!� Gourry said, waving.
�Hi, Yamato,� Lina said. �What�s up?�
�Er, nothing really,� Yamato said. �Hi, guys!�
�Hello, Yamamoto,� Chame said, grinning evilly.
�My name is Yamato!� he cried. �Not Yamamoto!�
�Duh, stupid,� Niriko said. �She does that to torment your pathetic little mind.�
�Oh, hi, Niriko!� Yamato greeted. If he had understood Niriko�s comment, he ignored it.
�Merner!� Louie said indignantly. He preferred to be noticed along with the others.
�Oh, hi, Louie!� Yamato said.
�So, Yamato, did you just get here?� Zel asked. Yamato nodded.
�I got kind of bored and a little lonely, so I came around to visit Amelia,� he said. �I figured at least some of you guys would be around too. Have you heard from Filia or Kadachi?�
�Nope,� Chame said. �But we�re expecting that they�ll show up soon. If eight of us—�
�Merner!�
�Okay, nine of us, Louie,� Chame corrected. �Anyway, if nine of us are already here, what are the odds the others won�t show up soon?� Yamato nodded understandingly.
�So, what do you say we get some lunch?� Lina suggested. �I�m getting hungry!�
�Well, I�d better not be paying the bill again,� Amelia said.
�Oh, come on, Amelia,� Niriko said, patting her on the back. �You�re the richest one here, and just look who�s eating!�
�Yeah, Amelia, just this once!� Lina pleaded. �Please?�
�All right, fine,� Amelia said indulgently. �But�this is the last time!�
�All right,� Niriko said, winking at Lina behind Amelia�s back as they walked to the restaurant area. �Sure, Amelia!�
But when they got to the best lunch restaurant around (according to Amelia), there was a bit of a delay. It seemed that a customer was being refused service for some reason or the other. Whoever the customer was, he or she was arguing heatedly with the owner of the restaurant.
�What�s going on?� Shunozike asked one of the locals in the crowd around the outside of the restaurant.
�There�s a fight!� he said, excited. �Some lady isn�t being served!�
�Why not?� Amelia cried. �No matter who they are, everyone in Seyruun should be able to get a meal!�
Before the young man could answer, the argument reached the group�s ears.
�Listen, mister, I want food, and I want it now!�
�Hey, I ain�t serving food to no demon!�
�Demon? Excuse me?! I�m not a demon!�
�Well, some guy came by just earlier and tipped me off that a monster girl was coming! He even gave me a picture, and you, lady, are the one in the picture!�
�Monster girl?� Amelia wondered. �Could it be�?�
�That�s it!� Niriko said angrily. �I�m hungry, and I want to eat now!�
�Me too!� Lina shouted. They pushed their way to the front of the crowd. It was Kadachi!
�Well, I want to know who tipped you off, mister, �cause whoever it was is in deep trouble now! I�m hungry, and I demand to be served food!�
�Hey, I told you, I ain�t serving no monster&$09;�
�Excuse me!� Kadachi and the chef turned to see Amelia standing defiantly, a fire blazing in her eyes. Kadachi groaned slightly.
�Sir, are you refusing to give service to a customer?� Amelia demanded.
�She�s a monster, Your Highness!� the chef cried out.
�Even if she is a monster, it isn't justified to refuse service to a customer!� Amelia shouted. �And I, Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun, will not allow this injustice to—�
�Amelia,� Kadachi interrupted. �I can handle this.�
�You know her?� he asked.
�Well, of course!� Amelia said. �She�s one of my great friends!�
�Speak for yourself,� Kadachi muttered.
�I—I�m sorry, Princess!� the chef choked. �I�ll get a table together immediately!� And he led them inside to the largest table, next to a window. Kadachi, Amelia, Zel, Chame, Niriko, Yamato, Lina, Gourry, Louie and Shunozike sat down.
�You know, Amelia,� Kadachi remarked, �I really didn�t need your help.�
�Yes, we know,� Zel said sarcastically. �You would�ve blown the chef�s head off and caused pandemonium in the whole kingdom.�
�And it�s very nice to see you too, Zelgadis,� Kadachi snapped. �Well, uh, hi, then everyone!�
Then a waiter came around to take their orders. They ordered (which took about a half an hour), and resumed conversing.
�So, let me guess—you just got here too?� Niriko asked Kadachi.
�Yeah,� Kadachi said, nodding. �How long have you all been here?�
�Together like this? Less than a day,� Chame responded. �I wonder who tipped off the chef�?�
�I am not a monster!� Kadachi shouted, banging her fist down on the table.
�We never said you were, Kadachi!� Yamato stammered.
�Good,� Kadachi growled. Though she was one-third monster, Kadachi got touchy when people called her a demon.
�Merner!� Louie said, nodding. Kadachi petted him on the head. �Meerrrr,� Louie purred happily.
�Come on, come on,� Lina whined. �Where�s the food?! I�m starving! I haven't had anything since breakfast!�
�Lina, none of us have,� Chame reminded her.
�So?� Lina demanded. Then the waiter emerged from the kitchen, dragging a whole cart topped with platters of various dishes.
�Here�s your food!� he said breathlessly. He placed all of the food on the table, and there was no room left by the time he was finished. Then he ran off again, taking the cart with him.
�Food!� Lina, Niriko and Gourry sighed. Then they dug in. Of course, Chame and Zel only had coffee. They finished after a couple of hours, and then relaxed.
�I guess it�s no use asking if you�ve heard from Filia,� Zel said to Kadachi. She shrugged.
�What can I say?� she said. �We just don�t get along very well. I�m part monster, she�s a dragon. It�s a natural animosity. Besides, she�s just so�oh, never mind.�
�I wonder, though,� Shunozike said thoughtfully. �Who could have told the chef you were a monster?�
�Now that is a secret,� said a nasal voice. Everyone jumped.
�Xellos!� Kadachi raged. Xellos, the �mysterious priest�, was suddenly sitting next to Kadachi at the table.
�Why, hello everyone!� he said. �Looks like we�re all together again! Well, except Filia and her friends.�
�Xellos!� Kadachi shouted in the monster�s face. �You�re the one who the told the restaurant owner I was a demon! You dirty monster! You even gave him a picture of me! I am not a monster!� Kadachi�s face was now red, and she was breathing hard. She was so close to Xellos, their noses were nearly touching.
Xellos just grinned. �My, my, someone�s a little cranky,� he commented, pressing a finger to Kadachi�s lips. Kadachi stood up and hit Xellos across the face, knocking him backwards.
�SHUT UP, YOU ANNOYING DEMON!� she screamed. She drew her dagger, and raised her arm, about to strike Xellos.
�Oh, dear,� Xellos giggled. �I�d better go! Bye!� And Xellos teleported away. Kadachi sat down again and sheathed her dagger, much calmer now that the purple-haired nuisance was gone.
�So, Kadachi,� Chame said slyly, �have you met up with Xellos at all lately?�
�Shut up, you,� Kadachi snapped. �It�s only for my ability to teleport that I could escape that�that demon!�
�You know, if I didn�t know you better, I�d say you were a dragon,� Lina remarked. �I�ve never seen anyone of partial demon descent who hated the monster race so much.�
Kadachi glared at her. �I don�t necessarily hate the monster race,� she huffed. �I just hate Xellos.�
�Well,� Niriko said, �let�s go, shall we? We�ve all been staying at the Seyruun Royal Palace, and I�m sure Phil wouldn�t mind having another guest, eh?�
�But Miss Niriko—� Amelia started, but stopped and sighed. It was no use talking to Niriko once she had an idea planted in her head.
So, they traveled back to the Seyruun Palace once again for another delicious dinner and a peaceful sleep.
The night passed uneventfully, and when they left after eating breakfast, there was still no sign of either Filia and Co. or Xellos. However, they once again searched the kingdom, but it proved unfruitful.
�I can�t believe it,� Kadachi said. �There�s no sign of Filia or Xellos!�
�Well, Filia does have a new antique shop to run,� Lina said. �And baby Valgaav to care for. I wish we knew where she�s gone, at the very least. Oh, well. Who�s up for some lunch?�
Everyone agreed, but lunch too was uneventful. They all ate as much or as little as usual, though there wasn�t as much fighting over food or talk as usual. After they paid the bill (Kadachi was forced to), they went back outside, somewhat downcast with the absence of their dragon friend. It was then everyone began to get a bit edgy.
�Do you guys think we should get moving soon?� Niriko asked as they relaxed in a sunny park.
�Get moving? Why?� Kadachi asked. So they explained their theory of Niro still abroad.
�Well, what about Filia?� she then inquired.
�We can�t count on Filia coming any time soon, what with her shop and Valgaav,� Zel said. �And since we�ve got no idea whatsoever of Niro�s whereabouts, we don�t know how close to Seyruun he is.�
�After all,� Niriko added, �he�s got a band of at least two hundred and fifty, and he could�ve gained some more supporters, as far as I know. When he started out, he only had about twenty. Now he�s increased by over twelve times, in around eleven years, more or less.�
�Okay, here�s the deal, then,� Lina said. �If we don�t hear from or see Filia in the next week, we�ll leave.�
�That�s stretching it a bit,� Chame said. �A week? Isn't that too long?�
�The next three days,� Niriko said firmly.
�Three days? But that�s not enough time!� Yamato cried.
�I�ve been here longer than any of you, save Amelia,� Niriko replied. �I can�t put my life at risk�or any of yours, for that matter. I�m leaving in three days, with or without you. You can decide to come, if you like. But I won�t stay in Seyruun much longer. It is, after all, a large and famous kingdom, and Niro wouldn�t think twice about coming here, especially since he knows I�m friends with the princess here.�
�Fine,� Lina sighed, knowing it was no use arguing. �You do that.�
So it was settled. Niriko was leaving in three days whether the others liked it or not.
End of Episode 1: Friends Forever! Back to Seyruun!
