i realize that i haven't quite touched up on any action with caius, and have mostly been focusing on zack adjusting and interacting with eidolons, for those that have wondered about it, caius will be making more of an appearance soon; for now, thank you all for being so patient with me and sticking with this story.

Zack watched as what was once the an empty realm, now flourished with shifting colors and forms. He couldn't tear his wide eyes away as he watched life grow ruthlessly below his seat on the high walls of Etro's castle. Under his awed gaze, eidolons that he's never seen, or even scarcely imagined to exist swelled before him, each moving around, spreading their own excitement for this night.

There were the handful that he recognized, Leviathan slowly gliding through the air, Carbuncle and Cait Sith darting to and fro in their own glee, and Odin standing loyally next to Lightning, overseeing everything with her.

Besides those handful, Zack was baffled mute by the bubble of childish glee as his eyes flickered frantically to the world below, trying to catch all the eidolons he had yet to meet. He felt like a child, taken to festival for the first time, where he was mystified by everything and was struggling to see it all.

The Eidolons made if difficult though; they were on constant motion, mocking him indirectly as they zipped across his sight, frustrating his urge to see them all.

All these eidolons though, they were never as he thought they would be; and some where such an odd sight, he couldn't even fathom how such things existed. There were humanoid Eidolons, there were animalistic eidolons, some looked like inanimate objects that people used, and even some that had no shape to define them other then that they were made out of a certain element.

To his alien eyes, he saw these creatures past the grasp of anyone's imagination back home.

Motorcycles that drove themselves; some that soar across the sky, like the shadow, he could now see that it had a reptilian shape, and there was even a bird made purely of flames and another reptilian creature, only white, dancing along and around with his mysterious comrade. There were some that looked like wandering skeletons and demons, one that looked like a person sitting on a crescent moon; others that looked rocks clumped together; there was even a creature that was similar to the one he saw Lightning riding once, only with a large horn coming out of his head.

Overall, it was an exciting and overwhelming experience for him. All of these creatures, they were in comrade in arms. He was used to working with all sorts of people, all with their own quirks and personalities, but seeing all these eidolons, seeing how different each one was to the other, all of them the creations and servants of Etro; all were to work with him.

He found the fact both thrilling and a little terrifying. Each one of them had a quirk, and each one of them were a superior with a power he could barely stand equal with.

He was torn from meeting them all, or wait and see which of them would really want to meet him. He was another Knight, but he since he came after Lightning, the title doesn't seem so special, especially since she was his senior and he probably seemed like stranger taken off the streets out of pity.

Sometimes, it seemed liked that, and in truth, probably was. What did Ligtning or Etro care if he was with them or not. He wasn't supposed to be here originally after all; and he really rather be in the lifestream than here.

That was Caius's fault if anything.

He brought Zack here, issued him a mission he had no reason to be involved in. He still didn't have much of a clue why the man picked him, and wasted such time and energy in bringing him here. Especially with the risk that he would fail. Did he even know that Zack joined Etro? Or did he think he was dead?

"There you are kupo!" a curt voice jabbed, catching Zack's attention.

Looking over his shoulder, he couldn't stop the grin rising on his features at the sight of the odd looking moogle flying over to him. "Hey Mog," he bid, patting a spot next to him. The moogle sniffed at him slightly, before plopping down, a few inches away from the spot Zack offered.

Rolling his eyes fondly, Zack asked, "So what brings you up here?"

The moogle was quick with his answer, casting Zack an accusing look. "This is a special time! Kupo! Etro's Eve is just around the corner! All the Eidolons that are going to be involved are here, yet you aren't down there meeting any of them!"

"I was supposed too?" Zack wondered, not hearing any of this from Lightning, or Odin for that matter.

"I had thought," the moogle grumbled, turning away with a huff.

Zack chuckled at the moogle; he always had a hard time trying not to laugh at Mog; he was one of the most adorable creatures he's ever met.

"Don't you want to meet them? They are your allies, mostly," Mog mused.

"Mostly?" Zack asked lightly.

"Some eidolons have minds and wills of their own, and there are a some that won't answer or work with the mistress at all. They are... the more, darker version of Etro," the moogle offered. "It might be best to be wary around some of them."

"Would these eidolons work with Caius...?" Zack asked carefully, worry sparking in him at the thought of fighting against eidolons, and not as a friendly sparing match. Odin was rough enough in a spar. But as an enemy... Zack grimaced at the thought.

Mog shrugged, his squinting eyes shifting into a grimace. "Its possible, kupo, but I doubt they would let him kill Etro. Her death, is the eidolon's own end. They might just to wipe out both you and the mistress, and think that they can do a better job of protecting Etro than either of you."

"Do you think they would try?" Zack asked warily.

"Some have with mistress, especially when there are disagreements," Mog murmured.

Zack glanced back down below, watching all the eidolons and silently trying to judge which of them should he be wary of. He was more leaning towards it was all the skeleton like eidolons, some cloaked in black and crimson cloaks, some carried scythes and twisted swords, he even saw a tall, twisted humanoid with crooked bat wings stand before Lightning.

He grimaced at the thought of fighting that. Or any of them. Licking his lips, Zack decided then that it was time for a change of subject.

"So Mog, think you can tell me about Etro's Eve?" Zack offered, leaning back against the wall, his eyes now on the skies, watching the fire bird, as bright as a star compared to the other aerial eidolons, dart around. Beside him, the moogle hummed excitedly. "Etro's Eve is a time of recollection," he explained, a smile in his voice. "Its a time to relive the most treasured memories, be reunited with past friends and families, its both a sad and thrilling time. Everyone is involved in one sense of another. Even the mistress, and myself of course, kupo!"

"How does it work?" Zack asked.

"Usually, you fall asleep, and you are reconnected to everything and everyone you want to be connected with, from my understanding," the moogle explained.

"You think I could be involved?" Zack asked tentatively.

"I don't see why not," the moogle shrugged, "but if you want to be for sure, you could talk to Fenrir and Phoenix."

"Fenrir and Phoenix?"

"Yes, they are eidolons, Phoenix, she could probably help you see any lost family or friends, Fenrir could probably help you see the ones that are still alive. Though I'd be a bit cautious about Fenrir, a bit unpredictable."

"They can do that?" Zack wondered, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Mog tilted his head, and shook it sadly. "You could meet and talk to your lost ones through Phoenix, but Fenrir... you appear as a ghost if anything, watching over them, and you can't be seen or heard, nor can you bet here for a long time. Same goes for Phoenix; it strains them to be in a different realm, so you won't have much time either way."

Zack turned away, his mind flying with the possibilities. He could see his parents again, check in on Cloud and Aerith, even see Angeal again, and maybe he'd see Sephiroth and Genesis as well...

Would they be as he last saw them? Insane and blood thirsty?

"Phoenix is the fire bird there, right?"

"Yes."

"Who's Fenrir?"

"Fenrir is a special eidolon. If you want to find him, I'd look on the outskirts of this city. He isn't known to be sociable, and can be pretty unpredictable. I'd keep careful steps out there, with both him and Caius," the moogle warned. "If you're lucky though, Fenrir will there, since it is Etro's Eve, he will likely be there, but be careful."

"Hey, compared to Odin, how bad could this Fenrir be?" Zack joked.

"You'd be surprised," the moogle murmured, shaking his head at Zack.

"Well, thanks Mog," Zack bid, purposely roffling the moogle's head and messing up his coat, and grinning with the frustrated squeal from the moogle. "You're not too bad you know."

Eidolons that have appeared, implied, or have possibly made an appearance

Bahamut
Leviathan
Valefor
Odin
Carbuncle
Cait Sith
Phoenix
Shiv Sisters (Shiva)
Brynhildr
Siren
Diabolos
Chaos (esper)
Hades
Zalera
Kirin

how etro is always portrayed in the game, is either an evil goddess to be feared, or a guardian or savior. truth to be told, she is more so the latter, but she does have her darker aspects much like anyone. i'm sure all the eidolons she has made portray every thought and feeling she has and feels in some sense.

fenrir is coming ;)