"What was that all about?" Zel asked himself as looked down the vacant alley. He was positive that Xellos and Filia were there. He walked back into the alley and looked around. He spotted something on the ground: a piece of wood. He was about to toss it down when he noticed what type of wood: wood from Xellos' staff. Proof. He held onto it as he dashed off to find the rest.

~

"My staff is broken!!!!!!" Xellos cried.

"It's one lousy piece of wood!" Filia shouted back at him. The reappeared at the edge of a forest, near a city, probably the one that they were at seconds ago. Xellos was looking at his staff, which had a piece of chipped off. He ran his finger up and down the unsmooth wood. He let out a whimper. Filia looked down at the pitiful creature. "Oh, come on! Just toss that one out and get a new one and get over it!" Filia nearly screamed.

"I'll never get over it!!" he yelled back. "This was my favorite staff in the whole world and it was my first one!! He grew up together!!" Filia blinked at Xellos' childish attitude. Their faces were centimeters from the others till an idea darted across Xel's mind. He smiled and backed up, taking up his genky appearance as normal.

"What are you smirking at!!??" Filia yelled at him. It creeped her with how happy he was.

"You know what, Fi-chan? You're right." Filia grimaced under her old nickname, but soon it changed to surprise. "But whatever happens, life is wonderful!!!" Filia went cold as Xellos waltzed around, singing the "Life is Wonderful!" song. Xellos watched in amusement as Filia went white while holding her ears. No wonder the others liked to do this to him, this was fun! He leaned in close to Filia. She looked up at him, fury on her face, but desperation in her Mazoku eyes. Xellos then whispered, "I love you, Filia." Xellos smiled at the effect. Filia went bright red, and she took out mace-sama and swung it.

"You missed me!" Xellos cried with glee as Filia missed by mere inches.

"Namagomi! You'll pay for that!!" Filia cried as she swung her mace again. She smiled at the Ryuuzoku as a split second of fear crossed his face when he remembered he couldn't teleport. Filia teleported behind Xellos, who realized where she was and bent down, hands over head, waiting for the blow. But it never came. Xellos turned around to see Filia posed for the strike, mace over head, but she wasn't concentrated on Xellos. She was interested in the group walking from the city.

"Get us out of here!" he hissed at Filia as he spun around and grabbed her collar, knocking her out of her trance. Filia teleported the two out of sight.

~

"Where were you?" Amelia whispered to Zel once he caught up.

"It was Filia and Xellos," Zel answered the unasked question. Amelia looked up at him.

"What would they be doing here?" Zel shrugged.

"They didn't say."

"Sora wa-"

"No," Zel grimaced. He hated that saying. "Other means: 'long story' and 'I don't know'. He seemed even reluctant of saying 'that is, etc.'." Amelia was surprised. "But the weirdest thing was their clothes. They were wearing stuff that they would never."

"What are you guys talking about back there?" Lina asked as she turned around facing the princess and the chimera.

"N... nothing," they stammered. Lina smiled as she turned back around.

"Mmm-hmm," Lina answered.

"Do you think she-?"

"I think she does."

"I think she and him..." Amelia wondered a bit. Zel blinked. Amelia didn't normally think out loud about that type of stuff.

~

"Yaah!" Xellos yelled as he held onto Filia's collar. She was bent over, gagging. They've teleported to the air, and poor Xellos was stuck dangling.

"Y'know, dragons can fly," Filia said as Xellos blushed. He flew a few feet away and growled at her. "Good!" Filia exclaimed. "A little more practice and you'd be breathing fire!" Xellos glared at her. Then he jumped at her. Filia made a face at him before teleporting out of the way. Filia leaned back, ignored Xellos, and admired the view of the mountains. Xellos looked down at the traveling group. He was not liking the way this was turning out.

~

"Huh?" Zel looked up saw Xellos. He glared back at him. Zel smiled and pulled out the piece of wood that used to be part of Xellos' staff. Xellos' eyes widened as he silently beckoned Zel to give him the wood. Zel shook his head. Xellos clenched his fist and mouthed "you" as Zel started to wave the piece of wood at him.

"Zel?" Amelia asked as she turned toward him before looking up at the Ryuuzoku. Xellos' eyes widened as well as Amelia's.

"Filia," he hissed. Filia looked at him, then down, and gasped. She teleported to Xellos, then teleported away. Amelia blinked and looked at Zel.

"Mr. Zelgadiss, what's going on?" Amelia asked him.

"I really don't know."

"What?" Lina asked looking at the two. ~

"My staff," Xellos whined as he looked out between the trees.

"That was close," Filia sighed.

"My staff!" Xellos cried, pointing at the abandoned stick. Filia rolled her eyes. She teleported over to his staff, picked it up, teleported back, and tossed Xellos his staff. "Oh, my staff! Thank- you! Thankyou! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" Filia rolled her eyes again. Xellos ran a finger over the rough area again. He sighed as he placed his hand over the rough spot and pulled his hand back. Both watched as the staff regenerated. Filia was enraged.

"Why you!" Filia roared. "All that and you could've put it back together?!" Xellos thought for a few seconds and smiled. "What are you smirking at?!?!" Filia screamed.

"Isn't it true that Golden Dragons can turn into dragons?"