I won nothing except Meri! Please read and Review! Thank You!

Chapter 5:

"Valgarv! Be careful with that!" Filia shouted as she ran over to where her young protégée was tossing a large and expensive vase.

"Don't worry, Mother Filia, I won't.." he paused as the vase went crashing to the ground and shattering all over the floor, "forget to clean it up." He walked over to get the dustpan and broom as Filia shook her head. Then she noticed a customer enter the store.

"Welcome!" She said, starting to walk over to the white haired girl when she noticed the purple haired Mazoku behind her, "Xellos! Get out of my store!"

The girl looked up at Filia, slightly startled at her outburst. Xellos just grinned at Filia, and blew a kiss at her. Valgarv looked up from his chores and waved at Xellos.

"Oh, do you know these people, Xellos?" Meri asked as she started to look trough Filia's merchandise.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, Miss, please ask Xellos to leave the premises immediately." Filia asked Meri as she sorted through her bag to see what all she needed.

"Why?" Meri said, not even looking at her, "You two seem to be getting along rather well to me."

"Of course Filia-chan and I get along!" Xellos said, putting his arm around Filia. Her eyes turned red and the building started shaking. Valgarv looked up from his work with fear on his face.

"It seems that you do not have what I am looking for. Thank you." Meri said, paying a small amount of money to Valgarv for a gold-laced teacup. She walked out of the store, leaving Xellos behind, getting pummeled by Filia. She sighed as she heard the breaking of glass in the antique store. That Xellos was a trouble-maker, that was for sure. In a few minutes, she heard Xellos teleport back by her side.

"You left me alone with that ugly dragon girl!" Xellos scolded.

"You seem to be fine." Meri observed.

"What were you looking for?" Xellos asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Think really hard." Meri said, looking at him with a hint of a grin on her face.

"Himitsu?" Xellos asked. Meri nodded as she skipped ahead. He thought this girl was strange, but maybe not as unpleasant to be around as he would have assumed.

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"Did you hear? She's in town!" "Let's get out of here!" "We must flee!"

Meri and Xellos heard cries such as these from all around them as they entered the next town.

"They can't mean me. They don't know that I'm here yet." Meri said, offhandedly.

"FIREBALL!"

Both Meri and Xellos ducked as a fireball flew past them, blowing up a building behind them.

"Sorry about that, people!" They heard a young woman's voice say.

"You could at least sound sorry." A young man's voice answered the girl's.

Meri shook her head. People these days were so careless with their magic. That could have really hurt somebody. She started to walk away, when she noticed Xellos teleport to where the voice came from. Curious, she followed him.

"Miss Lina and Mr. Gourry, what a coincidence to see you two here." Xellos was saying.

"Xellos! What are you doing here?" The red-haired girl who was addressed as Lina asked in a surprised voice.

"Yeah, Xellos, I thought you had to explain things to your master." The tall blond man said in a stupid-sounding voice. Then something clicked for Meri.

"Lina? Do you mean, Lina Inverse?!" Meri asked, incredulously.

"Yeah. Who wants to know?" Lina said, looking suspiciously at Meri.

"I…I would like to hire you and your friend to help me!" Meri said, bowing quickly, "To help me kill my enemy!"