Chapter Seven

"Xelloss," Filia breathes. "It's...it's...can it be?"

"I do believe you're right, Filia-chan...It's our daughter..." Xelloss agrees.

"Miranda...?"

The blonde girl looks up at her name. Showing no sign of recognition, she looks at Filia questioningly, not sure of what to do.

At this point, Lina notices that Xel and Filia are paying them no attention. Following their gaze, she notices the girl. She pokes Amelia in the ribs until she, too, shuts up, and they both stare confusedly. Eventually, Zelgadiss notices the lack of voices and also quiets down. Gourry, on the other hand, continues playing in his fantasy world, until the chimera bonks him on the head.

"OW! What was that for?" he cries.

Zel motions for him to be silent and look over yonder.

"What? Why are you guys all staring at that girl? I'm sure she doesn't like it. Now why are you glaring at ME?"

Filia pays doesn't pay any attention to Gourry's incessant rambling. She slides her chair back, making a slight scraping noise, and stands up. Slowly, she approaches the girl, still standing in the doorway.

Xelloss reaches out to grab her dress as she passes, but to no avail.

"Filia! What are you doing?"

"I'm going to see my daughter," she replies, tears welling up in her eyes.

Xel also gets up and starts to follow her, but before he can get away, Lina snatches his cape.

"Oh no you don't! You're gonna explain this whole thing to us right NOW!" she hisses at him. "And don't you even dare tell us `Sore wa himitsu desu!' You won't live to finish the desu!"

"Uh..." Xel mumbles, seating himself again. "Why don't we wait until Filia comes back, ne?"

Meanwhile, Filia has been spotted by the blonde girl and is now being watched carefully.

"Hello," she greets experimentally, trying not to alarm her.

"Hi..." is the quiet reply.

"You look new here. Would you like to come sit down with us?" Filia offers.

Pausing to ponder the warnings her parents had given her regarding strangers, the girl declines politely.

"No, thanks, but I don't think I should. I don't want to interrupt your meal, and I really should find a phone and get out of here..."

"A phone?" the unfamiliar word rolls off Filia's tongue. "What's that?"

Surprised, the girl answers, "You know. A phone. So I can call home and maybe a taxi to take me back to Natick. Which reminds me: where am I anyway? I've never seen anything like this place."

"A taxi? Natick? Oh dear, you really are Miranda, aren't you?!" Filia exclaims, clasping her hands to her heart.

Miranda is taken aback.

"How do you know my name?"
Eyeing the others at the table, she sees, among other oddities, a man with purple hair, a man with blue skin peeking out from under a hood, and a woman threatening someone with a ball of glowing light.

"On second thought, never mind. I'll just find some other place with a phone..." she mumbles, backing out of the door.

"No! Wait! I can explain! Miranda, you're my daughter! We--"

Before the sentence can be finished, the newcomer's eyes widen and she quickly turns to run out the door.

Suddenly, Xelloss is there, reaching out for her arm and preventing her from running away.

"Let go of me! I'll call the police!" she screams, struggling to be free of the strong arms restraining her.

Whirling around she finds herself face to face with the man with purple hair. Staring into his catlike, purple eyes, Miranda ceases her thrashing about, sensing the strangest feeling of safety.

"Now that you've calmed down, would you care to join us, Miranda dear? I'm afraid Lina has eaten all the food, but we've got coffee and tea to share," Xelloss suggests evenly, loosening his grip.

Warily, she yields and follows Xel to the table, Filia right behind her.

Another chair is pulled up so that the new arrival may sit. She does, and immediately notices all four of the other strange people--the blue man, the girl with fiery red hair (no more glowing sphere), a man with long, blond hair, and another girl with long, black hair--alternating gawking at her, Xelloss, and Filia in silent expectation and shock.

"Um, hello..." She waves slightly at her audience and then looks to Xel and Filia for help.

"OK, well I suppose we should explain everything, ne, Fi-chan?"

"Definitely. Don't keep us in the dark any longer, Miss Filia!" Amelia cries. "Free your soul from the sin of secrets and lying! Tell us!"

Filia sighs and begins to deliver the second monumental piece of news in one day.