Author Notes: thnx for the reviews again people!! I've totally lost the plot to the story so bare with me for I while I get the silly juice out of me- I don't know what's in what I had for dinner….^_^

Kai'ila waited until the echoes had died away, objects had stopped crashing down around their ears and the dust had settled on the ground. Slowly she, Cleo, Xelloss, Filia, Gourry, Zel and L'risia peered out from their hiding spots.

'Oh dear.' Zelgadis managed. Xelloss giggled, earning a smack from Filia.

'For two spells-' L'risia murmured, stepping out and looking at the prone

body of Amelia, who was closest. Gourry was examining Lina, whom he'd picked up in his arms.

'Lina? Can you hear me?'

'Filia- healing spells would be a good idea, I think,' Zel said, taking charge, 'and then if we can find some guest rooms-'

'Good idea Zel.' Kai'ila nodded as the chimera picked up Amelia. 'Gourry, you and Zel and Filia look after our two gluttons. We'll take care of Dynast.'

L'risia picked up the pie Filia had carefully put down and waited until the others had disappeared up the stairs, not wanting to encounter the dragon's wrath when she found out what she next suggested.

'Anyone hungry?'

'EXCUSE ME!' Dynast roared. Cleo licked her cream-topped fingers and ignored Xelloss and his cream moustache behind her.

'Yes? Oh, did you want some?'

'Xelloss- now you've got a beard!' giggled L'risia.

'You're a bit whiskery yourself.' He retorted, indicating the line of pinkish cream around her lips. There was a groan from under the table, drawing the attention of everyone, even the fuming Dynast, who was ready to blow anything that looked remotely like annoying him- namely, everything. A boy of about fifteen threw the table off him.

'Thanks for the help you guys.' He muttered, brushing off his white trousers.

'Val? Zat you?'

'Of course its me!'

They blinked at the young dragon before L'risia snapped her fingers.

'Of course! I'd forgotten how quickly the physical appearance of Dragons matures!'

He scratched his green hair and blinked at Dynast.

'Who're you?'

They ducked as a blast sped over the youth's had and obliterated the remaining south wall. Cleo wailed,

'Now there's brick dust in the pie you creep!'

Xelloss giggled.

'Val, this is Dynast.' Kai'ila sighed. L'risia wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and raised a cool eyebrow at the dark lord.

'Could we take this somewhere else?'

'Outside?!' shrieked Cleo and Kai'ila. 'THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED! BREATHING, MEANING THEY ARE ALIVE?!?!'

' I meant the astral plane.'

'…..oh.'

'Aw but that's no fun!' Xelloss pouted. L'risia rolled her eyes and looked at Val sidelong.

'I don't think you should come, Val. Your mother's somewhere upstairs.'

'Since when do you give me orders?'

'Well- actually that was more a of suggestion-'

'Besides, what else are you going to do?' Xelloss asked with a grin.

'COULD WE GET ON WITH THIS ALREADY?!' Dynast shouted, his eyes glowing a furious shade of red. 'I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR AGES AND ALL YOU DO IS CHAT WHILE I AM WAITING PATIENTLY FOR YOU TO GROVEL AT MY FEET AND BEG FOR MERCY-'

'Well in that case you can keep waiting!' Cleo said. 'FILIA YOUR SON WON'T GO AWAY!'

'I want to come with you.' Val said stubbornly, folding his arms.

'Ah- I don't think that's- a good idea.' L'risia said timidly. The boy might look fifteen but he was already a bit taller than her, just shorter than Cleo and Kai'ila. Val glared at her. Dynast sighed grumpily.

'I remembered that Dragon Ball Z is starting now.' He said with a growl. 'BUT I'LL BE BACK!!'

With that, he disappeared. Xelloss scratched his head.

'How rude.'

'What's Dragon Ball Z?' Val asked.

'What a loser.'

'Did he mean the new saga or the old one because I haven't seen the new one yet-'

'Neither have I. He'd better not!'

Xelloss stared at Kai'ila and L'risia, who were responsible for the last two comments. 

'You two WATCH THAT SHOW?'

'Yes. My favourite character is Vegeta.' Kai'ila grinned. Xellos giggled.

'I liked Frieza.'

'You would!'

'Cell was pretty cool though-'

'He was the bad guy!'

'…and you point is?'

'Forgot who I was talking to.' Kai'ila muttered to L'risia, who grinned. Cleo rolled her eyes.

'Could we get off this. DYNAST JUST GOT AWAY?'

'So? He was pissing me off anyway.'

Cleo sighed and sat down heavily on the floor, looking at the remains of the food.

'Is there anymore of that pie left?'

Filia came down the stairs just in time to hear this, and her blue gaze fell on the last piece her son had sneaked out of the tray.

'YOU ATE IT!'

Xelloss grinned at Filia. L'risia teleported. Kai'ila and Cleo hid behind the table again and Val swallowed the pie hurriedly.

'There are times,' Kai'ila said to Cleo as Filia descended on her son like an avenging angel.

'Eep-'

'Filia I don't think-'

'SHUT UP NAMAGOMI!!!'

L'risia appeared, mad as hell, an unusual sight but a scary one.

'IT IS THE NEW SAGA!'

'WHAA-AAT!' Kai'ila shouted, teleporting. L'risia disappeared. Filia stopped bashing Xelloss.

'What was all that about?' she asked. Val shot Xelloss a grateful look before dashing upstairs.

'VAL COME BACK HERE I HAVEN'T FINISHED WITH YOU YET!'

'Aw Filia but we were having so much fun!' Xelloss protested, 'hit me again, PLEASE!'

Cleo giggled, watching him slam into a wall. 'Idiot.'

'Ooh Filia-san again!'

' I think I'll go find Zel and Gourry now-' Cleo muttered, disappearing.

'Oh, there you are Cleo. Where are L'ri and Kai'ila?'

'Watching Dragon Ball Z, I believe.' The priestess sighed, joining the chimera, Gourry and Val out on the grass.

'What Dragon Ball Z?' they asked.

'It's televis- never mind.'

Xelloss appeared, giggling his head off. Zelgadis scowled at him.

'What?'

'He was tormenting Filia again.' Cleo sighed. 'Speaking of which- we- sort of ate the pie Lina and Amelia were fighting over.'

Zel blanched.

'DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THEY WILL DO WHEN THEY FIND OUT?!'

'I've been avoiding thinking about it.' Cleo said primly. 'Do you think the cook would bake another one?'

'The kitchen was destroyed.' Val pointed out. 'Along with most of the hall and walls.'

'Good thing Phil isn't here-' Zel muttered. Gourry brightened up.

'I have idea! We'll just blame it on Xelloss!'

'What?'

'Him?'

'Me?'

'Why?'

Gourry blinked. 'Well- it's the kind of thing he'd do and if Lina does anything but Ragna blade him, he'll enjoy it, won't he?'

'Good point Gourry.' Val said. Cleo, Xelloss and Zel just stared at the blonde swordsman.

'I don't believe it.' Zel muttered, rubbing his head.

'Neither do I.'

'Gourry just had a relevant idea.' Xelloss said rather grumpily, 'BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT I HAVE TO FACE LINA!!'

Filia walked into the garden, serenity hanging off her like a ball dress. In her hands she was holding a cream and raspberry pie.

'Filia-san!'

'Where'd you get that?'

'Can I have a piece?'

'Oh mother DEAR-'

'DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! THIS PIE IS TO KEEP LINA AND AMELIA FOR DRAGON-SLAVING AND RA-TILTING US ALL INTO THE NEXT-'

'Cup of tea?' L'risia said, appearing out of nowhere and dropping the teapot and cups on the grass, materialising a picnic set as well.

'I thought you were watching Dragon Ball Z.' Cleo said curiously, 'It's not over yet is it?'

'No, it's an ad break!' L'risia said cheerfully before disappearing again.

'Dear L-sama those two have a problem-'

Valgarv currently looked about nineteen or twenty and was leaning out over the newly installed pool. The girls and his mother – who looked no older than they but he couldn't shake the knowledge that she was- Xelloss and Gourry were having a game of volleyball. Zel was sitting on the side playing ref, saying he preferred not to swim because he tended to sink, and added a rather nasty look at Lina as he said that. 

A chibi of Cleo appeared and sat down next to him. He sweat dropped.

'Er- Cleo?'

'Yes?'

'Why are you so small?'

'DON'T KNOCK CHIBI'S!'

'Okay, okay-'

The chibi-Cleo walked along the rail. 'Why aren't you down there helping?'

Val paused.

'I can't swim.'

'….oh.'

Lina smashed the ball over the net and it hit Xelloss in the head. Filia applauded loudly as the trickster lay face-first and swirly-eyed in the water.

'No fair Lina!' he said, getting up.

'Why?' said girl asked.

'I'll get back to you on that one. My serve!'

'We got the point!'

'Too late!' Xelloss reached up and smacked the ball back over the net. It skimmed off the water, knocked over Filia's teapot, was on course to hit Zel on the head but he bashed it away, the ball flew straight through a tree and powered into Val's chest, sending him crashing against the window. Cleo winced as her companions appeared, looking at the fallen and groaning young dragon.

'Do I want to know?' L'risia asked Amelia. The princess shook her head. L'risia and Kai'ila pulled Val up, and Cleo rolled the ball thoughtfully along her left arm. L'risia promptly turned into a chibi and rose into the air, sitting cross-legged. Kai'ila looked at her in disgust.

'I wish you wouldn't do that.'

'What?' chibi-L'ri grinned.

'That- yaaaaaah! LINA-SAN BEHIND YOU!'

'Eh?'

Xelloss's eyes opened wide in surprise at the tsunami barrelling in on the group in the pool.

'AMELIA!' Zel shouted.

'LINA FILA!'

'MUM!'

'WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM?!' yelled L'risia. 'FREEZE ARROW!'

She cast the spell at the same time as her companions, freezing the wall of water solid. An invisible hand carved in slowly,

" With Hate, from Dynast."

'That's sick.' Cleo muttered. 'We are going to have to sort this guy out.'

'Yeah.' L'risia was examining the frozen wave. 'HE PUT BUBBLE-BATH IN THIS?!'

'Really?' Xelloss said.

'Yes!'

Lina was furious.

'WE WERE WINNING!' she roared, kicking the wave, it shattered into tiny crystals like watching dominos made of stars collapse, a magical little tinkling sound as the flakes of ice hit the water. Her friends backed away from her slightly. Even Xelloss looked pissed off.

'If you'll excuse me-' he said, disappearing. Lina growled,

'I vote we find Dynast and kick his ass.'

'Er Lina I don't know if that's such a good-'

'ZEL?! HOW CAN YOU BE SO SELFISH, HE'S TRYING TO KILL US!'

'Besides you had a bet going with Xelloss that if he lost he had to buy you and all-you-can eat at the classy restaurant in town.' Zelgadis said with a smirk. She gave him a Death Glare.