Chapter 17: One Night Can Tell All (If you think hard enough that is)

            That night, Miranda was walking around the deck. She recalled the conversation she had with Kristin just minutes before.

            "Hey Kristin?" Miranda had asked when she knocked on Kristin's door after dinner.

            "Yea? What's wrong?" Kristin had asked when she opened the door.

            "Umm…can we talk?"

            "Sure, come in."

            They sat down on Kristen's bed. Miranda looked down thoughtfully then looked at Kristin, who was brushing her hair.

            "I think I'm in trouble…"

            Kristin put down her brush and turned around to face her. "What did you do now?"

            "I didn't do anything…" she answered looking down.

            "Then what?"

            "Er…I think…I think both Chris and Tristan like me…"

            Kristin blinked. "Both? You sure?"

            Miranda nodded.

            "Hmm…that is some predicament…who do you like?"

            "…"

            "Come on! Spill!"

            "…You know who I like…"

            "Oh yea…you like Ch-"

            Miranda jumped up and covered her mouth. "Quiet!! Don't let the whole world know!"

            "Mhmm…" Kristin moved her hand away. "Geez! You could have just said quiet…"

            "…Sorry…"

            "Anyway, what are you going to do?"

            "…I don't know…"

            "Do you like Tristan? He is kinda cute…"

            "Kristin! I'm going to tell Kuja that!"

            "Whoa! Sorry! Sorry!!!"

            "I don't like him as in having a crush on him. I just think he's cool as a friend. Nothing more."

            "I see…and you don't want to hurt his feelings, right?"

            "Er…that's not the problem…"

            Kristin blinked. "Then what?"

            "I had already told him I already like someone else, but he said that's fine. He'll win my heart anyway. Then he grinned and went to his room…"

            Kristin gave a low whistle. "Hrm…that is bad…"

            Miranda flopped back onto the bed. "Tell me about it…"

            "Aw, come on Miranda! I bet Chris and Tristan might end up in a duel. Chris would beat him for sure."

            "…Or get killed…"

            "Don't think like that!"

            "Well Tristan is pretty good…"

            "Do you believe in Chris?"

            "…Yea…"

            "Then keep your faith in him and he'll be fine. Just stick with him. And tell him you like him as soon as possible!"

            "KRISTIN!!!!!!"       

            "Hehe…"

            Miranda laughed as she leaned against the railing. That Kristin…heh…but she does have a point. She propped one arm up on the railing and rested her head on her hand. She suddenly looked when she heard a door slam.

            "Aaaahhhh!!! I can't take it anymore!!!!!"

            She blinked. "Chris?"

            Chris turned at a corner and blinked. "Miranda?"

            "What wrong?" she asked as he walked over and stood next her, leaning against the railing fuming.

            "Oh nothing…except for that show off!!!!!"

            She cringed. "Tristan…?"

            "Yeah," he said hotly.

            "What he do?"

            "I was just practicing some sword skills with Zidane's Ultimate Weapon in front of Vivi when Mister Show Off Tristan comes in. He saw what I was doing and pulled out his sword. It was fine at first, but then he goes showing off all these moves and saying that even though I'm all right with it, it would take me a while to actually master it." He stared out into the distance muttering.

            "Awww…poor baby," she said as she patted his head.

            "Eeehhhh…I'm not a baby."

            "Uh huh…you sometimes act like one though, hehe."

            "Are you making fun of the way I act now?!" He glared at her.

            Miranda blinked taken aback. "N-no! I was just kidding!"

            "Hmph." He returned to glaring out at the passing land below.

            "…Sorry…" she said softly and looked the other way, a little hurt.

            "……" Chris turned to her and softened a little. "Hey…look, I'm the one that should be sorry…I shouldn't have taken it out on you like that…" He looked down.

            "…s'ok…"

            "Aww…come on! Don't act like that…"

            "……"

            "Oi…" he sighed. "Pwease?!"

            She laughed a little and turned to face him smiling. "Oh, alright…since you said it like that…"

            "Better," he said smiling back.

            They gazed out into the night sky thinking their own thoughts. The only sounds that could be heard were the engines running and the wind. They were now flying over the border of the Mist Continent and a thin layer of mist was already forming.

            Hm…Mist is forming again…Miranda thought to herself.

            "Hey…Miranda?" Chris said interrupting her thoughts.

            She looked at him. "Yeah?"

            "Um…nice night isn't it?"

            She blinked. "Yes it is."

            "Uh huh…"

            She looked at him quizzically for a moment then gazed back out again.

            "Miranda I have something to say to you," he said suddenly.

            "Eh? What is it?"

            He took a deep breath. "Miranda…I…I want you to know that…that no matter what happens…I'll always be here for you…"

            She blinked and looked at him for a moment. "Thanks Chris…" she said smiling a little. "And I'll always be around for you."

            He smiled back.

            "Well…it's a start I suppose…" a voice said from somewhere behind them.

            They jumped up and whirled around.

            "That could only be one person…" Chris said. "And that's…"

            "EIKO!!!" they yelled.

            Eiko and Vivi appeared from behind a corner. "And me too…" Vivi said a little sheepishly.

            Eiko grinned. "Well? I think there's something more behind here…"

            "What?!?!" Chris and Miranda exclaimed surprised.

            "Well?"

            "I think it's time for you to go to bed, young lady," Miranda said turning red slightly.

            "It's not that late!" Eiko protested. "And we're not tired, right Vivi?" She looked at him.

            "Zzz…zzz…" He was asleep.

            "…Thanks a lot, Vivi…" she muttered.

            "It's already midnight! Off to bed with you!" Miranda said as she picked her up.

            "Awww! But then I'll miss something!!" Eiko wailed.

            "You won't miss anything we can assure you," Chris said as he picked Vivi up. "We're going straight to bed."

            Eiko's eyes popped open wide. "YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAT!?!??!?!"

            "EIKO!!!!!" they yelled. (Author ß laughing hysterically)

            "What?!?!?"

            "That Zidane!!! Probably poisoned her innocent mind!!" Miranda yelled. "Wail til I get my hands on him…"

            Eiko's eyes doubled in size. "WAIT TIL I TELL GARNET!!!!"

"EIKO!!!!!" they yelled again.

"What??!!!?!?!"

"That's it!! You're going to bed and then we're telling Mikoto and Kuja!!!" Chris said.

"In the morning…they're probably in bed –" she clamped her mouth. "DANGIT!!"

Eiko had already started. "HOLY COW!!!!"

"EIKO!!!!!" they yelled once more.

Miranda sighed. "What are we going to do…?" she groaned as she started walking.

            "Not sure," Chris said wearily as they came up to Eiko's room.

            "TO BED!" they both yelled as Miranda dumped Eiko into her room.

            "Hmph…some nerve…" Eiko grumbled.

            The walked across the aisle to Vivi's room and Chris gently placed Vivi in his bed and Miranda pulled the covers over him.

            "Amazing he didn't wake up through all that…" Miranda said softly.

            "He's a definite sound sleeper," Chris agreed.

            "Very sound," she laughed softly. "Lets go," she said then exited through the door.

            Chris took one more glance then shut the door. He then slumped to the ground against the wall, his head down.

            Miranda sat next to him. "You tired?"

            He looked at her and gave her a sleepy grin. "Heh, yeah I guess."

            "Then you should get some rest." She stifled a yawn.

            "Hah, you, too." He got up and then helped her up. "I'll walk you back to your room."

            She looked at him and quickly turned around to hide her blush. "Er…thanks!"

            "No problem."

            When they reached her room, she opened the door and stepped inside. "…Thanks again," she said smiling.

            He smiled back. "Heh, anytime."

            She blinked thinking about what he said, gave him another smile, then shut the door. Chris whistled a little as he headed to his own room and went in for the night. However, unknown to both of them, Tristan had been watching them (Dun dun dun!!!) and was leaning against the railing looking out down at the Mist that was forming.

            "Hm hm hm…t'will be a tad more difficult than I thought…" he said to himself.

            "Well you made it difficult from the start," a voice said.

            He grinned. "No need to hide Altea, there's no one around."

            A girl jumped down from above him and stood on the railing. "I wasn't hiding, just enjoying the starry sky from the top of this airship."

            "Right…anyway, what do you mean I made it more difficult?"

            She walked a little on the railing like on a balance beam. "Weeeellll for starters, you didn't take her when you first met her."

            "That would have seem odd would it not?"

            "Well you had to make your stupid reputation as guardian at that village didn't you?"

            "Hey! Wasn't my fault that I so happened to land on that monster that was attacking that kid when Democlese teleported me over there to meet the group!"

            "Uh huh…well anyway, I see that you have accomplished a lot since then."

            "Well I'm…working on it!" he said flustered.

            "Well you better work faster. The boss sent me here because he can tell that you weren't get much accomplished," she said as she hanged upside down from her tail from the overhang.

            "Well what about you?!? All you're doing is just playing around."

            She grinned. "I have my own part in this. But I have to help you first. When we get to Burmecia, you have to get her to Systania. S'what the boss said."

            "Right…right…" Tristan grumbled. "But I wonder how I should go about this…"

            "Dammit you're so incompetent!!! Just like grab her and go!" Altea yelled.

            "It's not that easy…like you would know," he said raising an eyebrow. "And you shouldn't talk to your older brother like that." He shot a bolt of lightning at her, barely missing her head.

            "Hey watch it!!!" she exclaimed.

            "Then act your age."

            "Grrr…" She jumped down and leaned against the railing with her arms crossed. "Well, I'm still gonna help you. They plan to go to the library right? When she's alone…BAM! Do whatever but get her to the boss!!!"

            "Hm…sounds simple…"

            "It's too simple! They wouldn't notice until it's too late…unless you bumble it up," she said narrowing her eyes at him.

            "Me? Bumble something up? I think not."

            She rolled her eyes. "Right…" She yawned. "Well I don't know about you, but I'm going to go ahead and go to Burmecia and stay at a room in the inn. I'm beat. I'll see you later then." With a wave, she phased out.

            Tristan moved a lock of hair away from his eyes and stared up at the night sky. "Soon…the end of this pathetic world will come soon…" He turned and walked off to his room.

Author's Note: Pwee…so I lied on that same week deal….;;; so sue me (don't -_-) I seriously doubt I'll finish this fic before I leave for Japan this summer, eh-heh. I'll see if I can get another chapter in…but I doubt it. I have exams coming up and this last week is just so hectic for me. Well onward to the next chapter.