"What are they laughing at?" asked Lina irritably as the sound of Gourry and Amelia laughing some way behind her reached her ears. If they dawdled any more they might make her late for lunch! Lina was already in a bad mood that day, not liking the thought of saying goodbye to so many friends, the thought of being late for lunch (or indeed any meal) didn't do much to improve her mood.

"HEY, YOU TWO! HURRY UP! YOU'LL GROW ROOTS IF YOU STAND ABOUT THERE ALL DAY!" she called back. For some reason her comments only caused further humour between the two although they did pick up the pace a bit.

"They certainly are attached aren't they?"

Lina looked at Xellos who was suddenly standing next to her. Presumably he'd just teleported in from wherever he went when he wasn't around bugging them.

"What do you mean?"

"That's a secret."

WHACK

From his new vantage point on the ground Xellos looked up into the fiery jaws of death. Or at least, the fiery jaws of extreme pain.

"Listen buddy. You can't start up a conversation like that then pull that secret stuff with me. So answer or prepare to eat fireball!"

Xellos stood up quickly and held his hands out in a placating gesture.

"I mean that there's a bond between Gourry-san and Amelia-san. Between everyone in this group it seems."

"Everyone? Yourself included? I didn't think mazoku could care." Lina's anger was temporarily forgotten in the face of what looked to be an interesting debate.

"There's a difference between attachment and emotion."

Lina frowned as she considered this, still walking towards the centre of town.

"But still, you consider yourself attached to us?"

"Well you are rather amusing for humans. And I'd prefer you not to die, given all the work I've done so far in keeping you all alive."

"It's a yes or no question Xellos." Lina replied tetchily.

"Yare, yare. Someone's in a bad mood today."

"Xellos"

Lina's voice was dripping with lethal promise, but Xellos only smiled, savouring the taste of her anger and frustration. It was rather a shame that he wouldn't see any of them much after today. They really were amusing and when they got together usually they generated enough negative emotions to feed him for years. And he did rather enjoy the time he spent watching, teasing and travelling with them.

"Yes." He said at length. "I consider myself attached to you and your… entourage."

"I do seem to attract people don't I?" Asked Lina and looked around the group, remembering other former companions who weren't with them, Sylphiel, Martina and even Zangulus.

"It would be hard not to with your reputation."

"And what's THAT supposed to mean?"

The deadly tone was back in her voice and the light flashed dangerously in her eyes, but Xellos was unfazed. He walked a few paces in front, turned to face the irate sorceress, winked and waggled a finger at her.

"That is a secret."

"XELLOS!"

She lunged for him but the trickster priest floated out of the way giggling at her, always just out of reach. Yes, he was attached to them; he enjoyed it to much not to be. Finally he allowed Lina to catch him, falling over backwards so she landed fully on top of him.

"Why Lina-chan" he smiled, running a gloved hand down her cheek "I didn't know you cared."

Seconds later when he was flying though the air, Lina's hand print across his face, Xellos decided it was probably a good idea not to talk to her again until after she had eaten.