AN: Merry Christmas everyone! Whether you celebrate Christmas or some other holiday around this time, I hope you are blessed and get to spend a wonderful time with friends and family. Thank you for your constant support and be safe. Love y'all!

Chapter 14: Back Home

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC.

"Okay, Eirian, you've had a week to regain your eyesight and heal from your previous journey. How do you feel?" Te-osh asks, gently placing her hand on Eirian's shoulder.

"I feel better than ever, honestly," Eirian replies, her eyes glinting. She had had her sight back for just a week but every day she treated it like her first. Every face, every place, everything in and of itself deserved to be looked at. And not just casually glanced at either, but stared at until her eyes began to blur from focusing on one particular thing for too long.

Smiling genuinely, Te-osh remarks, "That's wonderful. So I hope you're feeling up to a little rebel work? I have a mission for you and Matt to go on."

Taken aback by the offer, she stutters, "Y-yeah, sure! I mean, where are you sending us? Does Matt know?"

"Of course I know. I know everything," Matt smugly announces as he makes his way into the room where Eirian and Te-osh stand.

Crossing her arms, Eirian asks, "So you know how thick you sound, then?"

"Haha, very funny." He swings his staff up and over his shoulder so that it's resting along his shoulders before looping both of his elbows around the end. Walking over to the pair, he turns to Te-osh and asks her, "Is everything ready for the trip?"

"What trip? Where are we going, exactly?" Eirian curiously inquires as she uncrosses her arms.

Ignoring her inquiries, Te-osh turns to Matt and tells him, "Yes. There's a ship in the east wing for the two of you to take. The course has already been coded into the ship's navigation so you should have no trouble getting there. As for supplies, food, water, and an extra set of clothes are all packed up in the cargo hold. You're all set for your departure."

Grinning, Matt nudges Eirian before instructing her, "C'mon, then. Let's go."

"Matt. You must know where we're going. Tell me," Eirian begs as they walk along the empty hallway.

Looking down at her with a coy smile he tells her, "Why? You don't need to know. The ship can fly us there. All you need to know is that you'll enjoy it."

"We're not going to Earth are we?" Eirian asks semi-hopefully. She knew deep down that they were not going to Earth but it was the only place she could think of that she would actually enjoy.

Offering a simpering look, Matt admits, "No, we're definitely not going to Earth. Our destination is a little more 'this side' of the universe."

When she realized she wasn't going to get anything more out of him, Eirian gave up. She allowed herself to be brought inside the small spacecraft before sitting down in the co-pilot seat, not that it really mattered since neither she nor Matt would be piloting the ship. Crossing both her arms and legs in obvious frustration, Eirian shifts her body so that she is facing opposite of where Matt is sitting.

Chuckling under his breath, Matt pokes at her with his staff before asking, "Cut me some slack, wouldja? I'm under Te-osh's orders to disclose absolutely zero information with you."

"But Te-osh isn't here now so just tell me," Eirian begs. She hated it when people kept secrets from her.

His smile widening, Matt points out, "Wow, you sound like you're six." Scratching his chin in thought, he adds, "Then again, you are Shiro's twin sister so that must mean you were also born on leap day, right? So technically, you are six."

"Well, I'm still more mature than you," Eirian tells him, sticking her tongue out for emphasis.

"Yeah, I can see that," Matt says, but he's still grinning good-naturedly so Eirian knows the sarcasm his voice is dripping in is only a cover. "But if you really want to know where we are, look out the window because we're here."

Doing all but slamming her face against the window pane, Eirian stares expectantly at the planet as they approach. It was basic in appearance, comprised of various shades of brown and gray, with no unique landmarks to its name. No mountains, no water bodies, not even a tree. The planet was nothing more than a void, barren landscape. But none of that stopped the large, childlike smile from spreading across her face. Despite the fact that she had never actually seen the planet before, Eirian could recognize Gaia anywhere.

Turning to Matt, she shoves him before wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Why didn't you tell me we were going here? I can't believe it! I'm actually going back!"

Awkwardly returning the embrace, he replies, "It was all Te-osh's idea, but I'm glad you like it."

Running a nervous hand through her hair, Eirian glances over to the planet again before sighing contentedly, "This is just perfect."

The second Eirian exits the ship she is beleaguered by hugs from her Gaian friends.

The first to reach her, Tafu wraps her arms around Eirian before exclaiming, "It's been so long! I'm so glad you're here. And I heard you've got your sight back! That's so wonderful!"

Hugging her back just as tightly, Eirian replies, "It's all thanks to you! If you hadn't saved me the day of the crash. . . I probably wouldn't even be here today."

"Don't talk like that!" Poppy cries as she joins in on the hug.

As they pull apart, Sud comes over and warmly claps a hand on Eirian's back. "It's good to see you again, Eirian. I hope the training helped you out some before you got your vision back."

"I'll say it did," Matt steps in then. "She saved my life from a Galra attack when I first met her before she got her sight back. I take it you're the one who trained her in the first place? Thanks for that."

"Eirian, you took down a Galra soldier blind? That's so awesome!" Kuon blurts out excitedly, shoving Matt out of the way to get to Eirian. Pulling her in for a loose hug, he adds, "I could still kick your butt, but nice job taking down some Galra scum."

Smirking, Eirian reminds him, "I took you down without my sight before. Imagine what I could do now."

"Speaking of taking down some Galra scum," Matt interrupts, moving to stand between the two of them. "That's why we're here."

"What do you mean by that?" Eirian asks confusion clouding her face.

"You mean you didn't tell her?" Kuon demands impatiently, glaring at Matt in resentment.

"Hey, don't yell at him," Eirian snaps lightly. "I may not have known the specifics but I am a rebel after all, so fighting the Galra is part of the job description."

Smiling to himself, Matt looks at Eirian before explaining, "The Galra have been sending some scouts to the planet over the past week. We were sent here by the rebels to figure out what they're doing here and then make sure they don't ever come back."

A grin stretching across her face, Eirian tells him surely, "Now that I can manage. When do we begin?"