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Xelloss rubbed his cheek with his index finger. "Idiot priest?" He cocked his head to Lina. "I wonder who that could be?" Lina rolled her eyes and bent down to pick up her discarded cape. While she tied it securely Hiyo spoke again, "I-I really am very sorry that I interrupted your...um...conversation. Please don't think of me as a rude person because I'm really not Ms. Lina it's just you had a visitor and it sounded urgent and-"

Lina held up a hand to silence her. "It's fine Hiyo, really. We were just in the middle of," She glanced irritated at the smirking Xelloss, "A business conversation." Xelloss chuckled. "Mmm, yes. Business."

"Shut up."

Hiyo held up a polite finger. "I'm sorry to interrupt again Ms. Lina, but your visitor?" Lina nodded absently and hitched her sword to her side. "Yeah, thank you Hiyo. I'm right behind you."

She gave Xelloss one last glare before leaving, but only gained herself another chuckle as she strode past Hiyo and into the hallway. "I suppose the idiot priest will stay here then?" Lina rolled her eyes again, and took the steps to the downstairs lobby two at a time, a frantic Hiyo just behind her.

"Ne, Hiyo?" Hiyo scurried down the stairs behind Lina and followed her down the hall. "Yes Ms. Lina?"

"What did this guy look like? The one that asked for me?"

"Why Ms. Lina I don't know...his face was covered by the hood he wore." Hiyo cupped her left elbow into her opposite one while resting her fist on her cheek. "But his hair was indeed a very strange color Ms. Lina; it was a grayish blue, very abnormal."

Lina smiled to herself. If her memory served her well she knew exactly who'd be just around the corner waiting for her. But what was he doing near these prefectures? A sinking suspicion crept into Lina's mind as she rounded the banister that led to the waiting room.

He must be after the lance.

Hiyo bowed before excusing herself to her own hotel room upstairs, and Lina ventured alone into the sitting room. She approached the sitting hooded man with a wary eye, doubting her earlier accusations as she closed in.

If he was who she thought he was, then really she nothing to worry about, but if he was just another 'old friend' after her for something she did ages ago...her hand hovered over her sword, preparing for what might be the worst from the man.

"Long time no see, Lina." The cloaked man stood, and pulled back his hood to reveal his face. Relief flooded through Lina as she stepped forward to embrace him in a warm hug. "I see you didn't bring that idiot Xelloss, it's a good thing too." Lina laughed and stepped away from her old friend, feeling a rekindled happiness light inside of her as seeing someone she once held so close made her feel a bit giddy.

"Zel! Jeez it's been forever! Where have you been all this time?" Zelgadiss shrugged and sat back down on the couch, and Lina followed suit down into the fluffy chair opposite to him. "The same as usual; hunting down powerful artifacts and finding out how useless they really are." He answered gloomily, his head lowering.

Lina nodded sympathetically, and clasped her hands in her lap. "So what brings you here, Zel? It isn't like you to stop by just for a hello to your old friends." She chirped, trying to lighten his mood a bit.

"I could ask you the same thing, Lina." His eyes lifted to stare accusingly at Lina.

She squirmed nervously in her chair and feigned ignorance in a desperate attempt to clear the sudden heaviness in the air. "I do try to keep up with you and the others Zel, but I travel a lot."

"You know what I mean."

"What?"

"Don't play stupid Lina. I know you have the spear." Damn. How could he guess? If Lina denied it he would probably barge upstairs into her hotel room and tear the place up looking for it, and not to mention he'd try to beat Xelloss bloody in the process.

"So what? I need it." She answered, trying not to back down under his gaze. Zelgadiss picked up the sake glass on the table next to his couch and drained it before answering, "So do I."

"I got it first."

"I can take it away from you."

"Not while Xelloss is with me."

"What is he? Your pocket priest?"

"Ha Ha."

"Lina this is serious, you can't just carry around a world domination handy helper everywhere you go." Zelgadiss tried to stare Lina down, but she wasn't giving up. She crossed her arms over her chest and just stared right back at him. "Lina…"

"Zel, listen. I know you need the spear to turn yourself back into a human or whatever, but I need it to partake in a legendary war between the ryu and the mazoku. Which do you think is more serious?" Zelgadiss rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as well.

"You are aware of what you could do with the spear aren't you? The whole take-over-the-world-thing doesn't bother you in the least?" Lina snorted and turned her head away from him.

"I can handle it." Was her terse reply to his smart-ass question. He laughed mockingly and gave her a snort of his own. "Yeah right…" Lina's head reared back so that she could bore her eyes into his, earning her a widening of his eyes. She was so tired of everyone telling her that she couldn't handle this damned spear, it wasn't like she was helpless or anything.

"Just shut up Zel! Seriously you don't anything. I can take the Heiliege Lance any day! So stop acting like I can't do anything on my own, and if you want the spear then just try and take it from me!" Lina gave him a livid glare before turning and stomping up the stairs to her hotel room, leaving a speechless Zelgadiss behind.

Lina knew she might of over-reacted just a teensy bit, but she couldn't help it. The arguments against her use of the spear were irritating her to no end as between the old man on the mountain, the innocent sorceress maiden, and now even one of her oldest friends?

Maybe she should just send the damned thing to Gourry and Sylphiel as a late wedding present, not like Gourry would ever notice anything out-of-the-ordinary.