Chapter 10: New Eidolon

            Miranda leaned over the railing, peering at the rapidly disappearing Alexandria as they moved off toward the Outer Continent. She enjoyed the feeling of the wind rushing past her face.

            "Don't lean too far out or you'll fall off, you know."

            "I wouldn't fall off, Chris," she said without turning around. "I could probably stand on the rail and be perfectly safe!" She leaped onto the rail and stood, a triumphant grin on her face. "See?"

            Chris walked up to her. "I see…but it's still a long way to go if you lose your balance."

            She walked on the rail. "Lose my balance? Psssh."

            The airship gave a sudden lurch and Miranda tottered forward and backward trying to keep her balance. Chris caught her hand as she was about to fall off and pulled her in. Miranda laid on her back stunned while Chris held out his hand.

            "Hehe, guess I'd better not do that anymore," Miranda said sheepishly as she took it.

            Chris helped her stand. "That would be good."

            "Sorry about that slight bit of turbulence," Regent Cid's voice came over an intercom. "Hope everyone is okay. And please stay off the rails. That means you, Miranda."

            "How does he know these things?" Miranda asked wide-eyed.

            Chris shrugged. "Dunno. Man I'm hungry."

            Miranda (would have done a sweatdrop but noooo…) shook her head laughing. "You're acting like Quina."

            Chris stuck his tongue out. "Well at least I don't eat frogs or try to eat other people."

            They walked laughing toward the galley. Vivi was there trying to reach a high shelf that had a cookie jar on it. He turned away, whistling innocently as they entered.

            Chris smiled. "Trying to snatch a few cookies, eh?"

            Vivi looked down shame faced. "I was hungry…"

            "Aww," Miranda said. "Well you can have some."

            Vivi's face perked up. "Really? Yay!"

            Chris brought the cookie jar down and laid it on the table while Miranda picked Vivi up and sat him down on a high chair. Vivi rubbed his hands together, eager to eat the delicious cookies. They sat on either side of him and munched away. After a few minutes the heard a knock on the door. It was Kristin.

            "Hey, y'all. What are you doin'?"

            "Just eatin' some cookies," Miranda said as she bit off a piece.

            "What! And you didn't invite me?" Kristin yelled.

            Chris tossed a piece in his mouth. "You probably would have eaten it all."

            "I would not!" she said indignantly.

            Miranda waved to the cookies. "Well help yourself. There's plenty."

            Kristin chose a soft chocolate chip cookie and bit into it. "Mmmmm…this is delicious!"

            "Isn't it?" Vivi said happily, cookie crumbs all over his oversized coat.

            "Please take your seats, ladies and gentlemen," Regent Cid's voice boomed over the intercoms. "We will be arriving shortly to Madain Sari."

            Miranda bolted out of the door, with her friends yelling after her.

            "Come back! Regent Cid said to stay seated!"

            Miranda kept going and leaned against the rail, the wind whipping her hair around. She stood in awe and the grand view. The sun was overhead, so she didn't have to worry about the sun in her eyes. She could see the Iifa Tree out in the distance. She heard her friends approach and turned around and pointed at the view.

            "Isn't it awesome?" she said.

            "Wow…" Kristin said in awe.

            Vivi clung to a chair nearby. "I-I think I-I'll s-stay here."

            Chris joins him. "We all should really." He looked at the straps on each side. "Comes with seat belts, too."

            Miranda sat next to him and buckled up. "We're about to land."

            Kristin sat next to Vivi. "You buckled in nice and tight?"

            Vivi nodded.

            "Ah, please remain seated while we prepare to land the Hilda Garde 3," a voice came from the intercom. "Ah, we'll be arriving shortly to Madain Sari. Please fasten your seat belts."

            A minute later they felt the airship descend and hover in the air. Then it landed smoothly on the grass outside Madain Sari. Everyone unbuckled their seat belts and headed toward the gate. They departed the airship and Miranda turned slowly around.

            "Wow…this is way bigger than in the game!"

            Eiko rushed past her, nearly toppling her over. "Come on! I'm hooooome!!!!"

            Mog hurried after Eiko. "Kupo!!"

            Regent Cid waved at the group. "If you need us, just send a moogle."

            "Take care," Hilda said. And with that, the airship hovered above the ground, and flew off to Lindblum.

            Freya walked toward Madain Sari. "Well, we're finally here."

            "Yes. The start of a long journey," Mikoto said.

            They walked at their own pace, keeping an eye out for monsters.

            I really hope we don't run into those pesky cactuars, Miranda thought. Those things are annoying.

            Luckily, the going was easy, and they soon arrived at Madain Sari. Morrison the moogle was there to greet them. So was all the other moogles. They were flying around Eiko, fussing about her like mother hens.

            "Kupo! You had us worried!"

            "You haven't sent us a letter in ages, kupo!"

            "We missed you so much!"

            Eiko laughed. "I'm here now! And we got three new friends!"

            Kristin rushed to a moogle and hugged him tight. "Oooo! You're so cuuuute!"

            He struggled to get out of her death like embrace. "H-help!"

            Miranda shook with silent laughter and pried him out. "Come on Kristin…hahaha…don't want to kill the little fellow…haha…do you?"

            The moogle hid behind Miranda. "Protect me, kupo!"

            Eiko tugged on Miranda's sleeve. "Come on! I wanna show you guys the Eidolon Wall!"

            Kristin was already way ahead of them. It kinda feels familiar…I wonder why, she thought. She continued walking, knowing exactly where to go.

            "Hm, I wonder…"

            "About what, Miranda?" Chris asked her.

            She shook her head. "Nothing."

            Kristin's heart sped up. I…I know I've been here before! She quickened her pace almost to a run.

            Eiko hurried after her. "I knew it…I knew it!"

            "Knew what?" Miranda asked quizzically.

            "She's like me!"

            Chris skidded to a halt. "Whoa! You mean Kristin's a summoner??"

            "One that was supposed to actually be one??" Miranda asked in disbelief.

            "Yea!" Eiko ran to catch up with Kristin.

            "Well, we better go after them," Chris said. He took her hand and ran after them.

            Miranda blushed for a split second then broke into a run to keep up with Chris.

            Kuja made to run after them, but Fratley blocked him with his spear. "Let them go," he said without looking at him. "It's something they should know. It does not involve us."

            "Come with us," Morrison said. "You can wait at the house, kupo."

            "Thank you," Freya said bowing.

            "Aaah, don't bow to us moogles," Morrison said embarrassed.

            "Isn't Stiltzken supposed to come by soon, kupo?" one of the moogles asked as they headed to Eiko's house.

            Morrison shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe."

            At the same time the group entered Eiko's house, Chris and Miranda had finally caught up with Eiko and Kristin at the Eidolon Wall. Kristin was running her hand down the ancient writings carved on there.

            "I have been here, haven't I, Eiko?"

            "I'm not sure," Eiko replied. She suddenly gasped in surprise when she saw the wall glowing. Her eyes grew big as saucers when she saw something coming from the wall. "Kristin! Look out!"

            Kristin just turned calmly to Eiko. "Don't worry. It won't hurt me."

            Chris and Miranda just stood there gaping.

            "I-I-is that an e-e-e-eidolon right there a-a-above her??" Miranda stammered.

            Chris just gulped.

            Indeed, it was an eidolon. But it wasn't any ordinary eidolon. It was totally different than all the others. Okay, well not so different compared to others. It was a magnificent bluish-silver dragon (I have the actual pic of it on my comp. It's really cool ^^). Its broad wings were orange underneath. It hovered above Kristin, it's fierce eyes glittering in the sunlight. It landed beside her and nudged her. Kristin stroked its head, smiling proudly at her own eidolon.

            "See? He's not so fierce, are you?"

            It made a half growl, half purring noise. It then looked at the center of the area, where that bonfire looking place is. Bright blue smoke was rising from it.

            Eiko moved toward it awestruck. "This is incredible! A new eidolon! I wonder what its name is…"

            Miranda grabbed Eiko and held her back. "Maybe you shouldn't go there. It might not let you."

            Eiko unwillingly stayed. "But what should we do then?"

            "We wait and watch."

            And watch they did. Kristin moved toward the smoke. She could faintly see an image in it. I can almost see a person in there, she thought. If I could just get closer…She continued walking almost in a trance. The eidolon dragon followed closely behind her. (Hm, is there really enough space for it? I mean the thing is HUGE!) Kristin reached out into the smoke and felt her hand touch something. She withdrew her hand holding a rod.  It was a dark brown color, almost black. Gems glittered from the head of the rod and diamonds spiraled down to the bottom. She gazed at it in wonder.

            "Welcome back to your home, Kristin."

            Kristin looked up to see a goddess like figure with long, white hair in the blue smoke. Her gentle face was smiling at her. Kristin bowed respectfully.

            "Her home??" Miranda whispered incredulously.

            Chris just nodded.

             "It's good to be back, milady," Kristin replied. "Is there a specific reason why I am here?"

            The goddess looked away, a look of sadness swept across her face. "I'm afraid so, little one."

            "Kristin's not really little," Eiko whispered.

            The goddess turned around and smiled at Eiko. "I suppose not. But you are definitely little." She motioned Eiko over.

            Eiko walked up to her and stood next to Kristin. "Hiya! I'm Eiko. What's your name?"

            The goddess smiled. "My name is Serenity." (SAILOR MOON!! . hehe…juuust kidding. I like Sailor Moon though…*babbles on*)

            Eiko shook her hand. "Pleased to meet ya!"

            Serenity looked wonderingly at Eiko before turning to Kristin. "What you have in your hands is called the Darkness Rod. (not from FFX…-.-' though she wanted me to make it like that but I kept telling her it was supposed to be FFIX…. hehe…keep going…) You can summon special eidolons with this rod. It was made especially for you.  Please take good care of it."

            "The Darkness Rod…" Kristin repeated in awe as she looked over it. The dragon nudged her. "What's your name, hm?" she said as she stroked his head.

            "You may name it whatever you would like," Serenity told her. "Its attack is called the Midnight Flame."

            "Midnight Flame, huh? Well, then I'll name you…Night Fire!"

            The dragon made a whuffling noise and nodded.

            Kristin smiled. "You like it? Great! Night Fire…my very own eidolon…"

            Miranda looked proudly at Kristin. "She seems happy. Who would have thought that she had her own eidolon and that she was a summoner?"

            Chris shook his head. "I wouldn't have."

            "Whenever we get back home, we must never tell anyone."

            "Like they would believe us?"

            "You got a point…"

            Eiko jumped up with joy. "Yay! You got your very own eidolon like I have Madeen!"

            Mog came out and jumped onto Night Fire's back. "K-k-k-k-k-kupo!"

            Night Fire glance back at Mog and laid down, startling the poor moogle. She jumped off and hid behind Eiko trembling.

            Eiko laughed. "He's no threat to you, Mog! He's sweet!" She patted him and he closed his eyes content.

            Serenity gave them a small smile. "May he protect you through your long battle." She disappeared in a whirl of wind and everything was back to normal.

            Kristin looked at her rod and noticed a fiery red gem was glowing. "This must be your gem, Night Fire…"

            The dragon nuzzled her then started to disappear. He spread his fading wings and flew into the air, finally disappearing into the clouds.

            Kristin clutched the Darkness rod and smiled up to where Night Fire had gone, happy tears brimming her eyes. "My very first eidolon…wait'll Kuja hears about this!"

Author's Note: Phew! A certain klcox3 gave me problems with her eidolon and her weapon…*glares at her* but we're making progress. I guess novel format isn't that bad…well how are you liking it? You better be liking it or I'll be very cross. . Okay, well…I suppose you have the right to hate it…*takes away the right* HAH! Now you don't! . okay so maybe you still do. So what? =P j/k. Keep reading and reviewing! Unexpected twists are coming your way!