Hey all! Next chapter has arrived. It will be the last of this little side-plot of being stranded, and next chapter moves into some other fun things right before the main plot kicks in.

Anyway, I'm not sure if everyone is aware but originally I had plans to write a "4th fic" for this series that takes place after this one. I'm not sure if that will actually happen now or not, but in case it does, there's a lot of exposition in this one that sort of sets a few things up for that.

Enjoy!

There was a light breeze blowing through the tall grasses, making them rustle and bend, adding an air of tranquility to the area. Kieran glanced up from the pages of his borrowed book and squinted at the puffy clouds in the sky.

The day was warmer than the one before it, with clear skies. He had been feeling ironically cooped up inside the castle and town and so paid an early morning visit to the library to grab some books.

To avoid unwanted encounters with feral fiends, he hadn't gone far; he was leaning against one of the outer walls surrounding the city, swallow propped up beside him, just in case.

So far, he hadn't even seen anything dangerous.

Kieran lazily flipped to the next page in his book, trying not to yell at the characters in it. They were being remarkably stupid and he had to wonder if people acted this way in real life.

Scratch that, he knew they did.

Since Cuore had already loaned him all the books on interesting subjects and he'd finished them days ago, he'd been reduced to fiction.

"Why are you so chocobo brained?" Kieran muttered, shaking his head. The main character in this book was driving him mad.

"Talking to fictional characters?" a familiar voice asked, sounding amused.

He started and glanced up, seeing nothing and frowning.

"Up here,"

He tilted his head back and finally spotted Cuore perched on the wall behind him. She grinned, "Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"One of these days I'll get used to it," he remarked.

She shrugged, "Mom did,"

Kieran watched her slide off the wall and land gracefully on her feet without a sound. She turned, giving him a once over, "I wondered where you had gone,"

"I was…" he hesitated and then sighed. "I was feeling a little cooped up."

Cuore smiled sympathetically, "Me too."

He noticed her clothing and katanas and blinked, "Going somewhere?"

She nodded her head towards the distance, away from the city behind them, "I left Bab-Il running a diagnostic before my party. It should be done by now and I figured I should check to make sure everything was alright."

Kieran nodded and glanced back at his book, "Have fun,"

"…You could come with me," she asked.

He paused, hearing the uncertainty in her words, as if she wasn't sure she should have said them. Honestly, he wasn't sure what to think about the invitation. He was only here one more day before heading back home, and in the past week he'd done nothing but spend time with the teal haired young woman.

Not that he minded, it had actually been enjoyable, but he was wondering why she was inviting him with her again today.

Truthfully he wasn't convinced it still wasn't charity.

Deciding to give her an easy out, he shrugged and glanced up, forcing a grin, "But then I won't find out what happens in this riveting tale of murder and love triangles,"

"The cook murdered the uncle, who was sleeping with that red head who is actually the witch and the girl is really the secret princess of the ancient city." Cuore recited.

Kieran frowned at her, "Spoiler alert,"

She giggled sheepishly, "Sorry, I just…I've read everything in our library. That book is terrible."

"The plot did seem a little convoluted," he admitted.

She nodded, "And there's an explicit…um…well, never mind…"

He raised an eyebrow, "Now I feel like Ursula recommended this to me,"

Cuore averted her gaze to the side, "Did she want you to read that one about the dragon wars? It was really violent…"

"Ursula's books always are," he complained, "and yes, she did give that to me."

Suddenly she started laughing and looked back at him, "We sound hypocritical right now,"

"How so?" Kieran asked, confused.

She tossed him a look, "Moon people? Giant robots? Talk about convoluted…"

They both shared a chuckle and Cuore put a hand on her hip, "Hey, you never answered my question; do you want to come with me?"

Kieran sighed and leaned back against the wall, "Aren't you tired of my company yet?"

"Explain," she said, shaking her head slightly.

"We've spent days together, eaten nearly every meal together…I figured you'd be sick of me and ready to ship me off in a day," he admitted.

Cuore looked surprisingly disappointed by his words and fidgeted, chewing on her lip before answering quietly. "I've enjoyed these past few days."

There was an awkward pause and she crossed her arms in a comforting gesture, eyes diverted out across the plains. "I hadn't considered you might be weary of me and this unfamiliar place. I'm sorry; I hadn't thought that perhaps you are ready to go home."

Kieran felt a twinge of guilt and sighed, "Cuore, it's not that."

She let her gaze flick back to him and he hesitated, wondering how to dig himself out of the hole he had inadvertently created. It was difficult to focus on what to say when the wind was toying with Cuore's hair and the ribbons on her sleeves.

She really was pretty.

Kieran shook himself and made a face, annoyed that he was having trouble explaining and getting so easily distracted.

"Look, I'm not weary of you, I just don't want to be a bother," he said, trying to keep his voice tone even.

Cuore simply looked confused, "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because typically that's what I am," he retorted, sighing afterwards.

She surprised him by crouching down in front of him, tipping her head to one side and studying him as if she was looking for something. He tried not to shy away from her appraising look.

"Kieran, I'm not sure how many times I have to tell you that you aren't a bother before you believe me," She frowned, gaze shifting from his face to idly study everything around them. "I can't speak to other places and times, but here and now, you are my friend. I have enjoyed your visit, no matter how unexpected. I wouldn't lie to you, nor would I be offended if you told me you were tired of spending time with me."

He stared at her, at a loss for words, before shifting uncomfortably on the ground. "Cuore, it's not…you."

She gave him a once over, and he sighed, shaking his head. "You're a really good friend, and I appreciate the offer, really."

She smiled and stood, nodding before gesturing vaguely at the area around them. "I also didn't mean to put you on the spot,"

Kieran wasn't sure how he wanted to explain why he hated having her be so nice. He wasn't sure he could explain, since it was complex and had very little to do with her. He never wanted to draw attention to himself, and he certainly wasn't used to Cuore being so kind.

Still, hearing her say that they were friends put him slightly at ease and he grinned up at her, "Thanks,"

She continued to smile and nodded once more before turning to leave him alone. "Enjoy the rest of your day. I'll see you later."

Kieran watched her walk off, remembering a time when she hadn't understood the phrase of 'see you later'. He hesitated, torn between staying where he was, disregarding her invitation as mere charity, or following after her and taking her words of supposed friendship at face value.

Deep down, he had enjoyed spending time with her as much as she claimed to have with him, but he had been worried he was interfering in her life and bugging her, along with everyone else in the kingdom.

Kieran hesitated only a moment more before jumping to his feet and snatching his swallow from the wall beside him. He hurried to catch up with her, fastening it to his back as he went.

"Hey, wait up!"

Cuore slowed her steps and glanced over her shoulder, looking curious as she waited for him to catch up. Kieran flashed her a grin, "It would be tactically stupid to pass the chance to see the tower. It is the world's most dangerous weapon, after all, right?"

She smiled slowly, "I knew you were just using me,"

He shrugged, "You offered,"

Cuore giggled and started to walk again, letting him fall into step beside her. He glanced over at her after a few steps in silence, "Are you sure you don't mind my company?"

Cuore groaned and flicked an exasperated look at him, "Cloud biter, would I lie to you?"

"I don't know, would you?" Kieran retorted in a teasing fashion.

She rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder as she passed, tossing over her shoulder; "Just don't slow me down!"

She suddenly took off at a sprint and he glared at her back before tugging on the straps of his weapon once more and taking off after her. "Blade dancer, you're dead if I catch you,"

He heard her giggle, but she didn't slow down for a few feet as the ground started to slope upward. Once they had begun walking again, he took a moment to scan the area, making a mental note of how the scenery looked.

The Tower of Babil could always be seen in the distance anywhere in Eblan, framed and enclosed by rocky mountain peaks. They rose in the distance upwards, looking uninviting and jagged, snowy at the tops. The plains spread out from the rocky pathways at the mountain's bases, grasses changing length depending on where they were. Sometimes they reached up to a person's waist, and others they barely brushed ankles.

At the other extreme, the prairies gave way to sharp cliffs that fell to oceans. Sometimes the beaches were sandy, like Kieran was used too, but others they were just sharp drops.

Cuore noticed where his attention was focused and came back to stand by his side. She pointed at the mountains, "Those tallest peaks with the snow are the Vile Peaks we were talking about,"

"Yeah," he stated sarcastically, "they look inviting."

She nodded, "I've never been, but I don't have any desire too, either."

She waved him onward, "We'll be taking some of the less traveled caves, so I'm glad you have your weapon on you."

Kieran frowned, picking his way over a patch of uneven ground carefully. "Should I expect monsters?"

"Possibly," Cuore remarked, shrugging. "Sometimes all is quiet,"

He looked up at the sky, tracking the slow moving clouds to judge which direction the wind was coming from. Distractedly, he asked another question; "That reminds me…I thought there was no way into the tower from this ground level. I know about the airship ports, and the entrance from the Underworld, but here?"

Cuore flashed him a smile, but said nothing.

They traveled on in silence, but unlike normal, it wasn't awkward. They were obviously comfortable enough with each other that every second didn't need to be filled with words. Kieran found himself relaxing slightly, which only served to confuse him since he hadn't realized he was tense at all.

It was stress either from the fact that he was stranded, or all the worries from back home, he was sure. Either way, this walk in the open air had calmed him down, and he found himself enjoying the trip.

They reached a mouth of some sort of a cavern and Cuore entered, one hand gliding along the jagged wall of rock, tracing the veins of minerals.

Kieran ducked in after her, keeping his eyes and ears open for signs of danger. He also took in the new environment with curiosity.

The cavern spilt and twisted before it opened into a much larger cave system. Cuore paused in the largest open room and pointed off in one direction. "That way is how everyone used to get in, but it's not…actually a door. It's sealed up now, regardless."

She wandered down an incline and took a path to the left, into darkness. Kieran glanced around before following her. "So this is…what?"

"The path to an actual door," Cuore replied, keeping two steps ahead of him. "Some portions of this tunnel were already in place from before, when everyone was trying to get into the tower."

"From the world war," he asked to clarify.

She took a moment to answer, though he couldn't tell if perhaps he'd missed her nod in the gloom. "Yes. Later, when I started work on the tower, after…after Zeromus, I found them and used a little magic to open them all the way up, connecting them to one of the emergency doors to Bab-Il."

Kieran was glad when the tight and dark tunnel widened into a more cave like structure, but once they moved past the first set of chambers, his eyes widened in surprise. Light slipped in from some sections of the cavern's walls and roof, making bright spots in the dark, and revealing an amazing set of caves.

The walls of this hollow were concave, contouring in more curves then sharp, jagged angles as the rest of the cave. Mineral veins crisscrossed the length of the area, glittering with gemstones in colorless and red hues. The ground was tiered, as if instead of a floor they were steps without rhyme or reason.

Everything seemed surreal and he took a moment to simply gaze around the chamber and take it all in.

Cuore watched his reaction, a smile growing on her face. "What do you think?"

"I…think this isn't what I was expecting," he commented, gingerly reaching out to touch some of the crystal in the wall. They were cubic in nature, clumped together in the more irregular masses of rock from the wall while the more glittering gems were further up in the veins.

Even without his questioning, Cuore began to talk, detailing her knowledge of the area.

"The Tower of Babil was built on a craton, an old and stable portion of the planet's continual lithosphere. Having survived many years of tectonic movements, cratons tend to be found in the interior of tectonic plates. Although they are stable, volcanic eruptions were common. These form carrot shaped tubes into the planet's crust that can become quite deep…it's through those that diamonds are transfer to the surface."

Kieran glanced at her, "These are diamonds?"

She shrugged, grazing some of the gemstones with her fingertips, "Diamonds, spinel, garnets…" She sighed, hands falling back to her sides, "You see, the Lunarians could only build the tower to go from the underworld to the sky on top of one of these cratons, otherwise they would have destroyed the outer crust and part of the mantle of the planet…"

Kieran nodded, "I guess that makes sense considering there's a big hole in the ground," He frowned and glanced at her, "How can you tell these are spinel and garnets and not rubies?"

Cuore grinned, "Well, crystal habit, location…you know, a lot of famous rubies are actually spinel."

She started to walk again, taking them further into the crystal-riddled caves. Her voice echoed oddly in the space as he trailed after her, still finding the location dreamlike.

"I think Baron has some rubies as part of our crown jewels," Kieran commented.

Her heard her chuckle and she shook her head, "Actually, those are spinel,"

"No," he said, giving her a funny look.

Cuore looked over her shoulder, "Yes, they are. We sold them to you ages ago."

"As ruby," he said, frowning at her.

She grinned coyly, "Yes indeed. You seem to forget that relations between our kingdoms were not good back then. This was a while ago."

"Well, let's just not tell anyone about these fake rubies," he commented.

"Just think what a funny story that will make someday," Cuore replied, still grinning. He rolled his eyes.

"A lot of people think that the crown jewels of Eblan are rubies, but actually they are garnets." Cuore continued, looking thoughtful. "The ancients used to say that garnets contained an inner fire and could be used in place of lamps, or even start fires because of it."

Kieran was surprised to hear Cuore quoting something so farfetched, but he supposed facts were facts, even if it was a history lesson.

Thinking of something practical, he took a closer look at a lump of rack was they passed, noting all the bits of red peaking from it. "Why don't you mine in here?"

"It's too close to the tower. A lot of people try to avoid it. That's one of the reasons I'm trying to make it safe. It's on our soil; we have to get it under control."

Kieran noted her serious tone of voice and glanced up, wondering if she was feeling guilty over something. But before he could comment, she was continuing.

"There are some mines elsewhere in these caves, but most of the good material was mined out years ago…"

"The dwarves control the leading shares in minerals now, anyway," Kieran said. "They have ever since they started trading with the surface kingdoms."

"New world economy," Cuore muttered.

They started to walk again, winding around the outer edge of the cavern and continue to travel further in. They were walking into the deepest part of the tunnels now, he suspected, meaning they had to be getting close to the tower.

Even if mining wasn't common in this section, Kieran recognized crystal shapes in the diamonds and began to wonder if the necklace Cuore had given Seren was from this location. It made sense, especially if she had traveled this pathway often.

As they moved through a narrow section of cave, Cuore halted and held up a hand to stall him as well. As soon as he paused, he shivered, feeling something dark in the air.

He shifted his gaze to her and she frowned, "Something comes…too quiet to be bats or spider fiends…"

They heard a dragging sound and Cuore sighed, shoulders slumping. "Zombies."

"Zombies?" Kieran question, unhooking his swallow from his back. "You didn't mention that when you invited me to come."

"They come and go from this area," she said, sounding apologetic. "If it makes you feel any better, these aren't quite as bad as the ones on Ordeals."

"It doesn't," he complained. "The undead are undead. I hate them."

"And they hate you," she replied, stepping forward, blades drawn. "They will come at us; we do best to meet them halfway."

He sighed and followed her into the widening chambers beyond. Once they had a clear view of the cavern, it was clear that they weren't alone. A dozen or so undead humanoids wandered about in a daze, some already moving towards them at a lazy pace.

Kieran made an unhappy face, snarling. He'd had his fill of this type of fiend on Ordeals years ago. If he ever saw another zombie, it would be too soon.

Cuore took in the area with sharp eyes, "Roughly seven or eight for each of us,"

"Or, you could summon someone and get rid of them all in one fell swoop," he suggested.

She flashed him a grin, "Where's your sense of adventure?"

She didn't leave him any warning and dashed forward, cutting one ghoul in half as she ran by, quickly engaging another that at least attempting to swipe at her.

Kieran sighed but nevertheless moved into action and impaled the closest fiend with his blade. The monster just stared at him and tried to reach forward. He glared at it and retracted his blade, severing the head from the body next. It was easier, and the faster these were gone, the sooner he wouldn't have to see them anymore.

As he dispatched another three, he felt his skin crawling from being around them. They were creepy and he always felt on edge around them. Whether it was because of Ordeals or something else, he couldn't be sure.

As another fell at his feet, Cuore danced through and around her foes, raining graceful death on them all. Even without magic or summoning, there was something enchanting about her movements in battle, as each step perfectly flowed into the next.

Nails dig into his arm and he hissed, shooting a glare at a zombie that had lashed out with a four-fingered hand to strike him.

"That's what I get for letting Cuore distract me," he thought bitterly, ending its grip and life with one slash.

"See," Cuore said, sheathing her weapons a few steps away. "That wasn't so bad."

Kieran winced and held his arm closer to his eyes so he could see it, "Speak for yourself."

He replaced his weapon along his back before rolling up his sleeve to look at the damage on his right arm. It was stinging worse than he was used too, and that made him wonder if this type of zombie had poisonous talons.

Three long and rough gashes ran along the top of his forearm and he frown, noting the discoloration.

Cuore had appeared at his side and gently took hold of the arm, peering worriedly at it. "Oh, are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

Cuore frowned up at him, "Don't sass me, Kieran."

He grinned, "I'm not the sassy one, blade dancer."

She rolled her eyes and went back to looking at his arm, "This looks worse than it is…the poison from the undead in this cave is rendered null if the creature who inflicted the wound is killed."

"They're already dead," he pointed out.

Cuore turned around and released his arm, holding her hand outward and exclaiming; "Inferno!"

Flames sprung to life, engulfing the left over remnants and bodies of the fallen ghouls. Kieran had to approve since it got rid of the zombies.

She turned back to his wound once she was satisfied that the creatures were destroyed. Her fingers were cool against his overheated skin, but true to what she said, the color had already started to return to normal.

She traced the outline of the wound for a moment and then nodded, "I think you'll be alright. Once we're in the tower, I'll apply some antibacterial gel to combat any residue."

He winced, "Thanks."

She undid the sash at her waist and gestured for his arm again. Curiously, he held it out and she tied the fabric a few times around his arm, commenting as she did so; "Sorry I don't know any healing spells. The Maenads weren't designed to heal, only destroy."

For once, her voice didn't sound hostile in regards to her past, so he just shrugged. "It's alright."

As she tied off the cloth, she spoke again, voice thoughtful. "New studies in Mysidia theorize that undead fiends are attracted and attack people who have walked the line between life and death before. Apparently they are attracted to their own kind, so to speak, because some people have had their heart stop and been brought back. The research mages think that perhaps magic is what makes zombies and perhaps they aren't reanimated corpses of humans at all."

"Charming," Kieran remarked sarcastically, wondering why zombies had to get even creepier. "I guess that's why you and I always run into them."

She blinked at him, obviously mulling over his words before her head tipped to one side in a pondering gesture. "Perhaps." she murmured, sounding preoccupied.

Her reaction was a little odd, and he wondered if maybe she had forgotten that they had both been closer to death then either would like to admit. Kieran wasn't sure if his heart had actually stopped or not. He could never get a straight answer out of Viola on the subject.

Cuore's, however, he knew for sure had. If not for Phoenix, they wouldn't be having this conversation.

The thought was unpleasant, and he felt an inward flinch at the realization. Back then, he'd barely cared about her. But now the idea that she might have been lost forever bothered him.

Cuore nodded up ahead, breaking him out of his contemplations. "We're almost to the tower…are you alright to continue?"

He gave her a look, slightly insulted, "It's a scratch, Cuore. I'm fine."

They walked on and he flexed his fingers a few times, getting used to the feel of the makeshift bandage. He was quickly distracted from his discomfort by the sheer and glistening metallic hull of the tower coming into view. The metal was nearly white and seamless, standing out in stark contrast to the darkness around it.

Cuore quickened her pace and hopped to the doorway, placing her hand on top of an etched rune. It lit up blue as she spoke.

"Bab-Il, access code Cuore epsilon-delta."

There was sound echoing from somewhere and the doors sprang open, sliding to each side from a spilt down the middle. Kieran blinked at the fast movement and Cuore smiled over her shoulder before disappearing within.

He followed cautiously, slipping in after her and watching warily as the doors close behind them.

The interior of Babil was exactly how he remembered it, only this time no annoying alarms were blaring.

The walls, floor and ceiling were all an unnerving and sterile grayish color, obviously metal but with more of a matte finish then shiny. Panels and wires ran along the walls and floors in certain parts, and the whole area was brightly lit and bathed in a bluish-white glow.

Kieran blinked, not used to the overly bright light. "What's this called again…fluorescent lighting?"

Cuore turned to look at him, looking impressed but he only frowned, "It's a little much, don't you think?"

She grinned apologetically, "You get used to it,"

They were interrupted by a voice; "Greetings Cuore,"

Kieran had heard Babil's 'voice' before, but just like before he tensed and found himself looking around for a woman who wasn't present. Her voice, although exaggeratedly pleasing on the ears, was devoid of emotion and echoed from every corner of the room.

"Hello Bab-Il," Cuore replied, looking at a nearby panel, "Please adjust ambient lighting. Decrease by five points."

There was a chime and the lights decreased slightly, making Kieran blink again.

"Command confirmed." Bab-Il replied. "My scanners detect an unauthorized presence with you."

Kieran made a face and Cuore flashed him a smile, speaking up to the invisible voice. "Oh, this is Kieran Astor. Please load his perimeters into your system under security level four."

"That command requires an authorization code."

"Cuore epsilon seven-nine." she muttered, tapping something on the panel.

Bab-Il chimed again, "Command confirmed. Astor, Kieran, security level four, added into CPU matrix. Welcome to the Tower of Bab-Il."

He frowned, letting his gaze slip sideways to Cuore who was still ignoring him and checking some sort of readout. "So…I'm okay to move or…what?"

She giggled and turned around, shaking her head, "Sorry, yes, your fine. I have Bab-Il on a semi-lockdown while I work. I don't want anyone in here until everything is set. If I don't load you into the system, every drone in this place will try and stop you."

Kieran nodded, "Those robots, I take it?"

"Bab-Il's security force, repair force…" Cuore explained, starting to walk. "They do everything around here."

"I guess that's why it always looks so clean?" he commented sarcastically. "And here I always thought Kain did that when he was here all those years ago."

Cuore chuckled but shot him a stern look, "You should be nicer to your mentor,"

"You seem to forget it's his fault I'm stranded." Kieran pointed out, taking in the sights as they walked.

Not that there was much to see. All the hallways looked the same, all the rooms were antiseptic and uninviting and he was lost within ten minutes of walking. Cuore paused at a few of the read-outs on the walls, tapping the lights in sequence before moving on, sometimes muttering to herself.

Feeling uneasy, Kieran looked around and then spoke up hesitantly, not wanting to distract Cuore from her work.

"So…security level four…what does that earn me? The penny tour?"

Cuore smiled at him, "There are a total of five security levels pre-loaded into Bab-Il. Level four access grants you the ability to go everywhere, but not access files anyone at level five has restricted."

He stared at her, "You…gave me that high a level of clearance?"

"I trust you." she said, still smiling. "I have level five, and so did Zemus, who I have since removed from the CPU matrix and the mainframe…"

They paused at an elevator and Cuore tapped a few buttons on the controls while Kieran tried not to feel too strangely about where they were and how much power Cuore had just granted him. He didn't know what to do with it, even if he had malicious intent, but the action of trust made him anxious.

Cuore could be too trusting, he knew.

They entered the elevator and Cuore looked upwards, "Bab-Il, please take us to floor number two-hundred, and give me an update on the diagnostic I left you running."

"Command confirmed."

The box shifted and Kieran grabbed onto the railing at waist height as he adjusted to the movement. It was eerily still in its movement, as if they weren't in motion at all, yet he could feel the pull of velocity.

Cuore cast a curious look at him, but the computer was speaking, so she said nothing.

"Diagnostic complete. Three files listed under perimeters found and isolated from mainframe."

Cuore frowned, "Delete isolated files. Cuore epsilon seven-nine."

"Command confirmed. Deleting…"

Kieran gave her a strange look and tried to ignore the slight motion sickness from the elevator. "Everything alright?"

She sighed and leaned back against the wall behind her, hands flat behind her back. "Yes. I had Bab-Il check for old files of Zemus's. I want everything gone of his so there's no chance of the tower being corrupted again."

He nodded and hesitated before mentioning, "You know…none of that was your fault."

Cuore looked up in surprise and smiled sadly, "Yes, it was."

"You've more than made up for it," he said next, trying to make her shed her guilt.

She sighed and let her gaze wander, "Perhaps."

Kieran frowned, noticing how she refused to look at him recently. Whatever was going on, he hoped it didn't have to do with something he had said or done. They had made such progress with their friendship that he now considered her one his closest friends. He would hate to see the entire affair regress back to how they'd been before, when she couldn't even look at him without flinching.

Not that he had given her much choice at the time.

Hoping to dispel the gloom, he asked another question, "Where are we headed?"

Cuore smiled again, blue eyes riveting back to him, "One of the labs. I want to show you something."

"More zombies?" he asked sarcastically.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Something more fun."

A sudden thought occurred to him and he opened his mouth to speak, only to have Bab-Il interrupt; "Files deleted Cuore."

She rolled her eyes, "Thanks,"

"You are welcome."

She held out a hand to him, "Go ahead,"

Kieran nodded, "Speaking of zombies…what do you do about the fiends in here?"

Cuore leaned her head back against the wall as well, "Well, at first they were everywhere, but once I gained accessed to the mainframe with Zemus's old command codes, I just had the drones move them all into certain floors of the tower so they were out of my way. This thing is huge, after all, and a lot of the floors are pointless to me at this time."

He nodded slowly, "Old command codes…Lunarian?"

"Yes. Zemus was a high ranking official of the science academy before he was…disbarred. I have all his memories, thus I have all his command codes and research knowledge."

Sensing this was an uncomfortable topic, Kieran avoided letting himself any further questions, no matter how curious, and instead gestured to the ethereal voice. "I'm surprised Bab-Il is speaking common tongue."

As the elevator came to a slow halt, Cuore pushed off the wall and shrugged, expression shifting back into her normal one now that the subject had changed.

"I find my mother's language a little less harsh on the ears then Lunarian or traditional Eblanese." Cuore explained.

The doors zipped open, revealing a long hallway with a series of doors on either side that were closed. Kieran gingerly stood on his own and stepped out of the cube, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to find his balance.

Cuore was studying him worriedly. "I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't think the lift would affect you,"

"Any vertical motion," he said, waving a hand to dismiss it. "I'm fine. It wasn't bad."

She still looked worried and mentioned as they started for the end of the hall; "I'll give you something for that, too, along with the healing gel."

They reached a set of larger doors and Cuore pressed her hand to a rune beside it, making it light up blue before the doors opened. They stepped into the room beyond and once more, Kieran stopped, taking everything in with eyes that slowly widened.

The room was large, with vaulted ceilings and work stations set up around the space. Some were nothing more than flat metal tables, but some held impressive looking Lunarian technology in the form of panels or crystalline objects he wasn't familiar with.

One wall was blacked out and Cuore wandered over, inputting some commands on a nearby control panel. The black fizzled and revealed a hanger on the other side, one with at least a dozen airship docks and empty space.

Kieran glanced at her and then chuckled slightly walking over and leaning on the counters in front of the windows, straining to see beyond the glass.

Cuore grinned, crossing her arms as she watched him, "See? More fun than zombies…"

"It is an airship bay, isn't it?" he asked over his shoulder. "It's the largest I've ever seen! There's enough space for what…ten ships?"

"Twelve, depending on the size." she replied, coming to stand at his side. "The Falcon was built here,"

Kieran nodded, studying the area and noting the impressive equipment. "This is amazing…but why did they need it?"

Cuore sighed, "The Tower of Bab-Il was originally supposed to be a gift to the people of the planet. It was supposed to lead us into a time of unity, not war. The Lunarians intended for it to be their main base, where they would teach technology and magic."

He glanced at her, "And what are you going to do with it?"

She looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're trying to make it safe, but then what?" he asked. "Are you planning on using it for anything?"

Cuore dropped her gaze, "I…hadn't thought about it."

Kieran gave her a once over and then shrugged, "Whatever you decide, thank you for showing this to me. It's amazing."

Cuore smiled at him and nodded, "Of course. I knew you would enjoy it." She pointed off to one of the tables, "Is it alright if I do a little work? I need to check on a few things."

He nodded, "Sure, I'm the tagalong, right? Do what you have too."

She smiled and pushed away from the windows, moving to one of the tables while speaking. "Feel free to take a look around. You have a level four security pass, after all."

Kieran grinned, "I might, but you know me. I'm sort of a trouble maker."

"Bab-Il will tell me if you start to cause trouble,"

"Fair enough."

Cuore laughed softly and sat down, getting to work.

Cuore had told Bab-Il to keep an eye on Kieran after he left the room, mostly for the fact she was sure he would get lost. She had told him the truth, she trusted him.

"Bab-Il, when was the last time you ran a Crystal diagnostic?" she asked, scanning through the files.

"Last Crystal diagnostic was completed one-hundred and fifty-six years ago to this date." Bab-Il replied.

Cuore winced, "You…might be due for another one…"

"Do you suspect the Crystals are malfunctioning?"

She rested her elbows on the panel in front of her and continued to read the data output displayed. She sighed.

"I don't know…but something might be misaligned. Floods in Baron, earthquakes in Damcyan…these things could be normal, or they could herald something else."

She hid her face in her hands, "Ugh, I'm having trouble focusing recently…this is so tedious."

"You said you were taking a break from it," Anima scolded in a motherly fashion.

"I know, but…there's so much to be done…" she said, rubbing at her face.

Phoenix sighed, "Cuore, you require more in your life then constant calculations and work. You should be enjoying life to its fullest. I'm not telling you to abandon your work, for I know how important it is, but…balance, my dear destined one, balance."

She smirked, "As always, you are right…I'm surprised the Element Guard aren't chiming in, here…"

"They are preoccupied with the king and queen," Anima explained. "As are Ultima and Zodiark."

Cuore's eyes widened, "Are they being reinstated?"

"I am not certain." Phoenix commented hesitantly. "I know they are hoping for that, but I learned long ago to never anticipate what Asura will do."

She snorted, "True enough…I hope they are, however. I want what's best for them."

"They know that," Anima assured her.

Cuore stood, stretching, "I'll take your advice and get out of here before I am distracted by more work,"

"Good!" Phoenix praised. "Go and flirt some more with Kieran."

Cuore paused, "What?"

"You could use the practice," the Eidolon woman explained innocently. "And so could he."

The teal haired young woman crossed her arms, slightly annoyed, "We aren't flirting…I'm not even sure I know how to do that…"

"Hence the practice,"

Cuore rolled her eyes, "That advice I may pass up. I have no need or want for romantic involvement in my life. It's complicated enough as it is."

She severed the connection to her Eidolons before they could continue to fill her head with fanciful ideas and odd concepts. She had better things to worry about.

Clearing her throat, she looked up, "Bab-Il, how long would a complete Crystal diagnostic take?"

"Approximately three-hundred and sixty days." the computer replied.

Cuore sighed, "Well, better get started…begin diagnostic, command code Cuore epsilon seven-nine."

"Command confirmed. Certain secondary systems will be offline while scan is in progress." Bab-Il explained.

She nodded, "That's fine…show me Kieran's location? I'd better find him…"

Kieran knew he'd get lost, but he assumed the tower could guide him back so didn't worry too much. As he explored, he glanced into rooms and down corridors, curious if anything else was inside the tower or if it was all so devoid of life.

The whole place was like another world, but this time around, it wasn't nearly as unpleasant as he recalled. Either it was because there weren't monsters or he was just used to it, he couldn't be sure.

Wondering how much his level four security codes afforded him, he spoke up, looking around. He wasn't sure where he should be looking when speaking to Bab-Il.

"Um…Bab-Il?"

"Yes?" the female's voice chimed.

He winced, "Um…when were you built?"

"This structure's completion date is omega delta eight."

Kieran made a face, "Okay…can you…translate that into something I'll understand?"

There was a beep; "Unable to comply. Native calendar not loaded into mainframe."

He rolled his eyes and walked onward, passing another unfamiliar hallway before pausing, considering another question.

"Bab-Il?"

"Yes?"

"What are the Crystals?" he asked. It was something he'd always wanted to know.

Bab-Il answered readily; "The Crystals are hexagonal, crystalline polymorphs of silicon-carbide, housing an autonomous entity, intelligent agent avatar-"

Realizing the way he'd asked his question wouldn't earn him the answer he wanted, he closed his eyes and interrupted, trying to keep clam. "No, no…what do the Crystals do? What is their function?"

Bab-Il paused, and then continued, giving him more accurate information. "The Crystals' primary function is to stabilize the core utilities of this planet."

Kieran made a face, "Explain,"

"The Lunarians designed the Crystals to retain a magnetic lock on your planet's core to stabilize all core utilities to extend the life of this planet." Bab-Il answered.

He processed the words, only further confused. "Then…our planet's core is…?"

"Unstable." Bab-Il commented. "Similar to Lun'Na's* core, your planet's core is unable to perform its main functions to sustain life. The Crystals are used to influence and substitute these tasks."

Kieran leaned against the wall, "Without the Crystals, what happens to our planet?"

"Because the core of this planet is unstable, exact data is unknown." Bab-Il said, voice tone changing slightly as she continued. "However, due to data from the destruction of Lun'Na, estimates are that without the Crystals' influence, your planet's core would destabilize and life on your planet would cease."

He had always wondered what, besides a power source, the Crystals did. What was so important that people fought wars and died to protect, those objects. But now knowing and understanding, even only a fraction of what they did, he wondered if anyone else knew.

They were important, but not for the reasons people usually thought, he supposed.

"There you are,"

Being broken out of his thoughts, he jumped slightly, startled by Cuore's appearance. She grinned at his reaction, "Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

He gave her a once over, "Hey, do you know what the Crystals do?"

She blinked and he shrugged, "I was just quizzing Bab-Il,"

Cuore flinched, "Oh…"

"Why haven't you made that common knowledge?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound accusing.

Cuore sighed, "And incite a panic? As long as they function, this planet is safe and won't suffer the same fate as Lun'Na."

"Lun'Na…is that the Lunarian's home world?" Kieran asked.

She nodded, "Yes. You didn't think they were called 'Lunarians' for nothing, did you?"

He grinned and pushed off the wall, standing on his own, "Can't say I ever thought about it, honestly."

Cuore fidgeted and then spoke up quietly, "I do think the world needs to know the true purpose of the Crystals, but…I am uncertain how to proceed in telling anyone…"

"Yeah, that's a hard one." he muttered thoughtfully. "But I agree. We should know. Maybe it will stop people from trying to mess with them, too."

She smiled, "We can hope."

Kieran noticed that she was still fidgeting and raised an eyebrow, "Are you…alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Cuore assured him quickly, waving a hand. "We should get back, before it gets dark. Are you ready to go?"

He nodded and followed her down the corridor, "Thanks for bringing me along,"

"Did you have a good time?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

Kieran chuckled, "I got to see an awesome airship hanger, what do you think?"

Cuore giggled, hands twisting around the ribbons on her sleeve. She glanced at him and then looked away, "You know, you…maybe someday you can use that workspace."

He gave her a look, finding her words odd. She quickly continued, "If the world gets straightened out and decides on airship ferry lanes…"

"I might be dead by the time that happens," he stated sarcastically. She laughed, but she still seemed out of sorts and he frowned, trying to figure out what was bothering her. If she was worried about the Crystals and the truth of what they were, then he hoped she wasn't holding it against him. Curiosity was dangerous, but he felt better knowing what they really were.

The rest of the world deserved to know, too.

Kieran paused and looked back the way he came, "Oh, Bab-Il, thank you, by the way."

"You're welcome." It replied.

Cuore grinned at him, stepping into the elevator. "Come on cloud biter, let's get out of here."

"Are you sure you have everything?" Cuore asked, eyeing Kieran.

He gave her a look, "I think I have more then everything, thanks."

He tugged on the straps of the bag over his shoulder, "I mean, seriously, what did you pack in here?"

"Bricks." she deadpanned.

Kieran frowned at her, "Ha, ha, blade dancer."

Cuore laughed and clasped her hands behind her back, "It's just some basic supplies. Enough to get you a merchant pass, but nothing dangerous or perishable."

Cuore narrowed her eyes against a breeze coming from the ocean, tasting and smelling the salt on it. They were standing on one of the docks, waiting for passengers to be allowed to board.

Kieran sighed, eyeing the boat, "Would you make sure to tell Chase thank you for me? I appreciate his help."

She nodded, "Of course."

"Thanks. Tell your parents thank you, too. I know I already told them, but it was nice of them to let me stay." he said.

She shrugged, "Sure. Seren was sorry to see you go. Even Leo said goodbye."

"Yeah, surprises abound." Kieran quipped, giving a short laugh. "I'm sure I'll see them again soon. Probably at one of those world gatherings,"

Cuore nodded, "Most likely."

He glanced at her and then returned his attention to the bustle of the port. He spoke up carefully, not looking at her. "And you? Will I see you?"

She smiled slowly, brushing a strand of hair out of her vision and tucking it behind her ear. "I heard one of my dearest friends missed me and was aggravated by my absence as a follow outcast."

Kieran chuckled, shaking his head at her. She was getting used to the sound after the last few days. For whatever reason, as much as Kieran claimed he felt out of place here, he seemed more relaxed.

"So, yes," she finished. "You'll see me."

"Good." he replied, offering her a smile.

A gull cried as it flew overhead, and somewhere in the distance there was a loud crash as someone dropped a crate. Cuore noticed they appeared to be loading the last of the cargo on board and took a deep breath. "Kieran?"

He glanced at her expectantly, intently. She hesitated, uneasy with goodbyes after all this time and wondering how to voice her thoughts into words. "I…um…"

"What?" he asked.

She forced herself to look at him; "Thank you, for being my friend…I…value our relationship. I hope you weren't too bored here. I know I enjoyed your company."

He smiled again, something else that was new but she was getting used too. "Cuore, you know I value our friendship, too. As much as I felt like I was going to end up with a knife in my back, I had a good time. Thanks for putting up with me."

Another gust of wind blew past them and Cuore brushed her hair back again, "Well, someone has too,"

"Might as well be you?" Kieran remarked, rising an eyebrow at her.

She nodded and then bit her lip, "Um…about what we talked about, in Baron? I hope everything works out. Just remember that no matter what anyone else thinks or says, make sure you and you alone are happy with your life, first and foremost. You need to be proud of yourself before you worry about other people's opinions of you."

Cuore dropped her voice somewhat, "Don't let other people define who you are, tell you who you are or who you have to be. That's for you to decide."

Kieran clearly knew where that advice had come from, and he frowned in an amused way, "Good advice,"

She giggled, "Yes, an obnoxious young man told me that once,"

He rolled his eyes and scoffed, gently swatting her arm, "I think you meant a wise obnoxious young man,"

"I wouldn't go that far," she muttered, making a face.

There was a shout from somewhere near the boat and Kieran glanced up, "Oh, looks like they're letting people board now,"

She nodded, "Have a safe trip…no seasickness?"

"Horizontal motion, I'm good." he assured her, adjusting his pack and weapon once more. "I'll see you,"

"Alright," she muttered, taking a step back to move out of the way from other passengers trying to get by and head up the boarding ramp. She waved one last time before sighing, turning and heading away from the dock area.

"Maybe…I'll go kill a monster before I head home…" she mumbled, wondering if the rest of her fellow huntsman were up for a team hunt or not. She had made a promise to not return to the Tower of Babil for at least another week, wanting to recover from the past few days and make sure she spent a decent amount of time with her family.

But for now, she wanted a distraction.

Author's Note: I know I'm writing this story, but...just kiss already!

Ahem...anyway...

I don't know why, but I think Ursula would be that type of person that reads...interesting fiction. She's probably a huge fan of Game of Thrones. Hehe

My gemologist side came out in this chapter, sorry about that...but hey, as always, all science and facts are true to life! Including famous rubies actually being spinels. And the craton...I mean, the Tower of Babil goes from the overworld to the underworld...with no ill effects on the crust of the planet? How about the GIANT hole in the center of the planet where an entire RACE of people live? No? We're all good here? Alright then...

I made up a lot of the Lunarian/Crystal/planet core stuff or expended upon what was already mentioned. Welcome to Moonclaw's 'verse, my friends. Yes, the "blue planet" has an unstable core just like the Lunarian's planet (Makes sense, no? And...you know...the giant hole in the center...) and the Crystals...what are they supposed to do? I know what TAY says, but I'm disregarding that for my stories, and that is confusing anyway because there are a few lines in the original game that specially say the LUNARIANS brought the crystals to earth, not the Creator.

In my mind, the Crystals do exactly what I explained in here. There's a little more to it, as well, but for this story the above is really all you need.

Your Lunarian lesson of the day:

Lun'Na: The name of the Lunarian's home world, now destroyed.

It's always bothered me that they are called "Lunarians" since lunar implies the moon, but the moon was just their ship that used to get from their decaying planet to this one, so...why...UGH. Thus, the name of the planet is actually the root for the word Luna, or Moon. There. Done.

And finally, such wonderful awkwardness between Kieran and Cuore...those two are just too much.

Thanks for reading! There might be another lapse in time before the next update, but hopefully I'll get inspired with some fun things in the next few weeks.