~Chapter One: The Preparation~

~Chapter One: The Preparation~

The next morning, Martina woke early, practically quivering with excitement. She washed and dressed quickly, then scurried down the stairs to the breakfast room, the small vial of green liquid clasped tightly in her hand.

Thankfully, noted the green-haired girl, the room was still empty. Thank goodness Lina and her friends were all so lazy…Martina smirked to herself.

She regarded the large rectangular table in the centre of the room, which was already set with various utensils in preparation for breakfast. A large pot of coffee stood in the centre of the table. Martina's eyes brightened.

//Xelloss-sama drinks coffee, right…?//

Smirking mischievously, the girl stole over to the table, opening the coffee pot cautiously, being extra careful not to leave any tell-tale drops of coffee on the pristine white tablecloth. Unscrewing the vial she held, she poured its entire contents into the coffee pot, watching gleefully as the last of the luminescent green droplets were swallowed up in the fragrant black depths.

She then tiptoed off to dispose of the now empty glass jar, grinning maniacally all the way.

//Can't wait for breakfast…just gotta make sure I get a seat opposite Xelloss-sama so I'll be the first one he sees after he drinks the potion!//

It didn't occur to her that, well, people *other* than Xelloss also drank coffee.

~*~

By the time Martina returned to the breakfast room, almost everyone else had already come downstairs, and were beginning to take their seats. The table was rectangular, with four chairs on each side, ready for the eight people who were to have breakfast.

On one side of the table was Lina, with Gourry next to her as usual. On Lina's other side was an empty seat, and then Filia sat in the seat at the end.

On the other side of the table, Syphiel sat in the end seat, opposite – predictably – Gourry, staring worshipfully at the happily oblivious blonde swordsman. Zelgadis was in the seat next to Syphiel. Amelia entered the breakfast room just after Martina did.

The green-haired girl looked around. Everyone was there except – ah, there he was. Martina's eyes lit up like 60-watt bulbs when Xelloss entered from the door at the other end of the room, waving a cheery hello to everyone and simply responding to Filia's fierce scowl with a wide grin.

The scowl got fiercer when the Mazoku pulled out the chair beside the Fire Dragon's miko, smirking at her enraged countenance.

"Ugh, go *away*!" Filia flapped her hands frantically at the grinning Xelloss. Wrinkling her nose, she sniffed haughtily, "I will *not* sit next to this…this namagomi!!!"

//Namagomi?// Xelloss calmly raised an eyebrow, still smirking. "Oya oya, Filia-san…we're all civilised people here, aren't we…unless you need a *Mazoku* to teach you how to be civilised…?"

Filia's eyes burned with red-hot flames and she barely managed to restrain her tail from popping up behind her…yet again. "*Enough*! I'll *show* you that I'm WAY more civilised than *you* are!"

Huffing in indignation, the Fire Dragon's miko sat back in her chair, eyes narrowed and arms crossed over her chest. She shot a glance at the cheery Mazoku sitting next to her. //Oh, I *really* need a cup of tea right now…//

~*~

Meanwhile, Martina and Amelia had approached the table, ready to take their seats. Seeing that Amelia was about to sit next to Zelgadis – and consequently opposite Xelloss – Martina skipped ahead of the petite brunette and hurriedly plopped down in the chair next to Zelgadis, smiling brightly at the purple-haired Mazoku opposite her. "Good morning, everyone!"

She ignored the glare that Amelia shot her as the small sorceress sat down on her right, in the last empty seat, opposite a still fuming Filia.

Xelloss smiled politely back at the ex-Princess of Xoana. "Good morning, Martina."

The green-haired girl in question melted into a little puddle, a wide, insanely happy smile on her face.

~*~

[to be continued…]