Lina lay back against a tree, watching the campfire. She glanced around at the sleeping forms of her friends. She knew, now, that she didn't deserve such good friends. Even knowing what they did now about her, nothing had changed between them. Xelgadis had treated it like it wasn't news at all. Amelia had taken her usual stance about the power of truth, justice, love, friendship...basically, nothing different there. Gourry had been the real surprise.
SHe glanced down at the blonde swordsman, the first friend she had made on her adventure. Once, she had even entertained romantic feelings towards him, but she knew now that would never have worked. Firstly, his idiocy ignored the heck out of her. Second, he really needed someone who could take care of him, and she wasn't a nurturing sort of person. And finally, Xellos had mentioned that she would probably live a very long time, which in her mind meant she would outlive Gourry, and if they got together, probably any children they had.
"Gee, Dad," she said to the shadows. "I suppose you could have made it a bit clearer that I might as well abandon any hope of a normal romantic relationship. But then again, you always loved secrets." She noticed a swirl of shadows above her. "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear, am I right?"
"Now is that any way to talk to your father, Lina?" Xellos appeared in the air above the fire, then floated over to sit beside her. "If you're being naughty, I may have to put you over my knee."
Lina snorted indelicately. "I'd like to see you try!"
Xellos was quiet for a while. "I know humans have diverse interests when it comes to mating behavior, but I hope you know I don't see you that-"
"EEWWW! DAD!" Lina pushed Xellos away. "I didn't mean it like that!"
Xellos took a deep breath. "That's a relief. It could have been quite awkward otherwise."
Lina laughed at his discomfiture. "So why are you here, anyway?"
"I told you, Lina, I was going to teach you about how to use your newly awakened powers."
"But why now? It's the middle of the night."
"Well, aside from the fact that you don't need to sleep anymore-"
"I was wondering about that!"
"-Monster abilities are strongest in darkness," Xellos finished. "This will make it easier for you to learn new spells and techniques, as well as learning to FEEL your monster blood, and assume your Monster form."
Lina blinked for a bit, taking this in. "I have a Monster form?"
Xellos shook a finger at her. "In time I will teach you to grasp that...but not until you have enough grasp of your powers that you will be able to resume your human form without messing up." He glanced towards her friends. "How did they take it, by the way? Since you are still travelling with them, I assume they accepted it?"
Lina opened her mouth to tell him.
"No, don't tell me." He gestured towards the smoke coming up from the fire. "Show me. Feel the darkness inside you, and take hold of it. WHen it comes to you, take hold of the memory of the event, and project it into the smoke."
Lina looked at him, then closed her eyes. Deep inside, there was a pool of darkness. It seemed to be deeper than she could imagine, but it just sat there, waiting. Reaching out in her mind, she called to it.
The darkness rose from the pool slowly, reaching up to touch the hand of her mind. It felt cool and damp, but not unpleasantly so, almost like a lick from a friendly dog. She giggled as it caressed her mind, pouring through her being. SHe had expected it to gush like a river breaking from a dam, overwhelming her. But it came slowly, almost nervously. It felt almost like a lover's caress...at least, according to what she'd read in those romance novels she'd never admit to owning.
Once she felt she had gathered enough of the darkness into her mind, she opened her eyes. The world seemed different. She didn't just see the phyysical world around her. She also saw the flow of magic through the air, and the people around her.
She saw the magic that clung to Gourry from all the times he had wielded the Sword of Light, and every spell he had been a part of. She saw the bright flare of white and black magic coming from Amelia, tempered by the innocent purity of her soul and outlook on life. She saw the raw power of the spiritual magic at Xelgadis' command, and even the shape of the golem curse afflicting him. She even saw its cure, which was so simple and yet so profound it was all she could do not to laugh aloud.
"It seems you have it," Xellos said, and she turned to face him...and almost lost her grip on the magic.
She didn't just see his human form. She saw the strength of the magic at his command, how much he had held back since she'd met him. SHe saw his true form, the swirling cone of darkness. She saw the bonds of his service to Zelus, and an older bond, going beyond even the Ruby Eyed Lord's origins.
Xellos smiled. "Most can't see as deep into me as you are now. It's our shared blood, I'd imagine." He gestured to the smoke. "Give the spell a try."
Nodding, Lina turned back to the smoke. Focusing on the memory of that afternoon, she willed it into the smoke. The smoke took shape, and an image appeared. Lina was talking to her friends, explaining what had happened.
"...so that's everything. I'm a Monster/human hybrid, and Xellos is apparantely my father. It came as much of a surprise to him as it did to me. Apparently Luna's only my half sister. Anyway, my Monster blood has awoken now, and with it the abilities of that side of my heritage. Xellos is going to be teaching me about that, and how to control it." She shrugged her shoulders. "And that's everything."
Everyone was quiet for a while. Zelgadis spoke first, closing his eyes and smirking. "YOu know, that explains a lot."
Lina glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just what I said. A lot of things I'd wondered about where it comes to you make sense now." He smiled at her. "It's actually a releif finding out the explanation is something so simple. Most of my theories were...fairly exotic."
"Fear not, Miss Lina!" Amelia spoke up. "Although this revelation of heritage may have left you shaken and disturbed, the power of friendship and justice will not allow you to fall to darkness and despair! You have proven yourself a staunch ally of justice time and again, and I see nothing here that should change this in the future, for not even the darkest Monster can stand against the power of Justice!"
Lina and Zelgadis sweatdropped at this.
Gourry was looking highly confused. "I'm not sure I followed all of that."
"I'm not surprised," Lina said. "Amelia can be hard to follow sometimes."
"I meant what you were talking about, Lina."
Lina sweatdropped. "Again, not surprised. Well, ask whatever questions are most pressing, and I'll try to answer so that you can understand."
"Okay." Gourry thought long and hard. "Are you still you?"
Lina blinked for a time, then shrugged. "Well, I guess so. I mean, I don't feel like I'm any different."
"Okay," Gourry nodded. "Then does it matter?"
Everyone stared at Gourry. "Umm...I think I need you to trot THAT one by ME again, Gourry," Lina said, blinking a few times.
"Well," Gourry said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "if it hasn't changed who you are, then why should we care? You're still you, we're still us, so what does it matter?"
The smoke image vanished as Lina lost her focus, wiping away a tear that she would vehemently deny existed if Xellos commented on it.
Xellos just nodded. "You've chosen your friends well, Lina." He smiled at her. "You will go far with them. I am certain you will leave a legacy."
Lina nodded. "So any more lessons tonight?"
"No." Xellos patted her on the shoulder. "You have learned to touch your well of darkness at need, and to manipulate for simple spells. Most Monsters take weeks to master that when they first wield their magic."
She shrugged. "The darkness felt friendly."
He stared at her for a time, then began to chuckle. "How lovely. Few monsters are as lucky as you with their power. If the darkness comes so easily to you, I can easily see you equalling the Greater Monsters eventually. I look forward to seeing how far you go." Xellos floated into the air. "Good night, Lina."
"Xellos!" Lina called, and he stopped. "Are...are monsters capable of love?"
Xellos thought for a time. "It is not the same as human love, but yes, we are. It is more intellectual than emotional at the outermost, and far more elemental at the deepest levels, but yes, we do have that emotion."
"Oh." She got a little nervous. "Um...do you..." She couldn't phrase ehr question.
She didn't need to. Xellos smiled. "Lina, you are my beloved only daughter. Never forget that." With that, he vanished.
Lina smiled. "Goodnight, Da. ...love you, too."
She leaned back against the tree, and gazed into the fire.