Chapter 30: Reunion and Escape

            Chris stared out at the Iifa Tree from the airship's railing. They had to use a common transport airship since Cid's were still under maintenance check. He noticed a faint layer of Mist seeping through the roots. That's odd… He made a mental note to point that out to the others later. Right now, his thoughts were completely on Miranda. What is she doing now…? Is she safe? Then again it was Tristan who kidnapped her… He slammed his fist on the wooden railing, jumping back when he heard the wood cracking.

            "Hey! Don't damage the airship just because you're mad!" Zidane said as he stood next to him. "Well there it is…the Iifa Tree…the place where we'll find a way to get Miranda back."

            "Yeah…but then what?"

            Zidane looked at him. "What do you mean?"

            "Once we save Miranda…what do we do then? We still have to find Democlese."

            Zidane slammed his head on the railing. "More searching?!"

            "Hey, it's not going to be that hard finding him," Chris said laughing. "He's in Systania. He was once a ruler. Sure we could find out something there."

            Zidane looked up. "Good point."

            "Aaaalright…Everyone please find a seat and fasten your seat belts," they heard a voice sound over the intercom. "We'll be landing in a few minutes. Thank you for use Lindblum Air Travel. We take you any place, any time." The jingle played for a few seconds then cut off.

            "That…is…the SCARIEST jingle I have ever heard," Zidane said shaking his head as they found seats and sat down.

            "I've heard worse," Chris said laughing.

            "Don't elaborate!"

            The airship soon landed and everyone walked out, Chris leading Rocky off last. They waved as the airship took off.

            "Er…what are we going to use as a ride back?" Kristin asked.

            Everyone stood there for a moment silent.

            "Oh we'll just use the Mognet and send a letter!" Zidane said. "Lets get this done."

            They walked toward the Iifa Tree, the Mist clearly in view.

            "Mist being formed…that's not right…" Kuja said to himself.

            "Maybe that's what's causing those freaky monsters we fought," Eiko said.

            "Possibly," Mikoto said.

            They came to the trunk of the tree and looked up. They couldn't even see the top.

            "I think this thing has grown since the last time I was here…" Zidane commented.

            "Ok, well, to make the gateway," Garnet said, bringing them back to their original purpose, "we need crystals, summon, life, and heart…"

            "Well obviously we have to summon something," Kristin said. "So that's solved."

            "But summon what?" Garnet said pacing.

            They sat down and started brain storming. Chris looked at the tree. I'm so close…

            "Ladies and Gentlemen!" King Alexander V announced. "I would like to present you…my daughter…Princess Arianna!"

            All the applause was suddenly hushed as Miranda walked in. She was wearing a light green sleeveless dress, the front was cut a little above her knees, the upper part of the back open but the lower part went all the way to the ground. Her hair hung freely behind her, the tiara sitting perfectly on her head. The crystal sparkled in the light. She stopped next to the king and looked about the room and inwardly cringed. She saw Tristan and Altea in the back. What I need…

            "Well Tristan…" Altea said a little amazed.

            He just stood there staring.

            The king placed an arm around her. "This…this is my long lost daughter Arianna. She has finally returned safely to us after nearly sixteen years…"

            "She looks just like the late Queen," some in the crows murmured.

            "That's the princess?" others whispered.

            "Dang, she is hott!" a group of guys said to each other.

            "Father…can I leave now?" she whispered into his ear.

            "Are you sure?"

            She motioned to the group of boys who were staring at her and he slowly nodded in realization. "Yes you may," he said in a low voice. "And I'll definitely make sure no one disturbs you."

            She sighed in relief. "Thank you so much father." She turned around and walked back to the back of the room, escaping through the hidden door that led to the hallway to her room.

            She entered her room and changed into her night slip and flopped onto her bed, closing her eyes.

            "Those guys were utterly rude, staring at you like that."
            She sat up. "Who's here?!"

            "I got it!!" Eiko exclaimed. "I remember!!"

            "What? What?" everyone shouted as they came over to her.

            "I remember my grandpa telling me a story of a legendary eidolon called…called…"

            "What? What?" they all asked.

            "I can't remember the name!!! But anyway, this eidolon could take you anywhere, anytime! Maybe that's what we're supposed to summon!"

            "It would help if we knew what it was," Kristin grumbled. She took out her staff and twirled it. She stopped when she noticed a picture engraved on it. "Wait a sec…Eiko do you know what this is?" She showed Eiko the picture.

            Eiko studied it for a moment. "No…not really. Garnet?"

            Garnet came over. "It reminds me of a dragon…"

            "Yeah…but it has all these heads! It's creepin me out…"

            "Huh?" Chris came over to them. "What are you girls talking about?"

            "Well look," Kristin said as she showed him the picture on her rod.

            "That looks like a hydra…"

            "THAT'S IT!!" Eiko exclaimed.

            "What? What??" they all asked.

            "We're supposed to summon the Hydra!!"

            "A Hydra?" Kuja repeated puzzled. "But…that eidolon no longer exists. The connection between it and summoners was lost ages ago."

            "Sure! Bring us down!" Kristin yelled as she whacked him with her staff.

            Chris laughed then suddenly blinked. "What the…" He grabbed his head and leaned against the tree.

            "Hey, Chris…you okay?" Zidane asked.

            "I said who's there??" Miranda repeated sitting up on the edge of the bed looking around.

            "Relax, relax," Renee said as she walked from the other side of the room. "It's just us!"

            "Scared you didn't I?" Jason said grinning.

            "He's good at disguising his voice," Renee said. "So why are you so tensed?"

            Miranda sighed and lay back onto her bed. "I don't know…I just have this uneasy feeling…"

            "You looked so pretty out there!!" Renee said starry eyed. "I wish I could be like that!!"

            "No you don't," Miranda grumbled.

            "Hey, are you hungry?" Jason asked. "I hear they have great variety of yummy food out there!"

            "…I guess I am a bit hungry…"

            "Great! I'll get some for you."

            "I'll come, too!" Renee said suddenly.

            Jason blinked. "Don't you want to talk to Miranda?"

            "Oh, no, you two go on," Miranda said smiling. "I'm sure Renee can help bring the food."

            "Oook…uh…then lets go then," he said as he left through a hidden door in the wall.

            "There's a secret door to my room?!?!" Miranda exclaimed.

            "Yea…there's one in every room," Jason said. "This leads straight to the kitchen. Lucky, eh?"

            "Should have told me sooner…could have gotten some snacks…"

            "Heh, well, we'll be right back."

            Miranda watched them exit through the door, now being able to see the faint outline of the door. She flopped back onto the bed and closed her eyes.

            "Yeesh, I never thought they would leave!"

            She straightened back up. "This is getting monotonous…who is it this time?!?" She suddenly felt a presence behind her and whirled around, coming face to face with the last person she wanted to see. Tristan. (him, AGAIN?!?! Oh I know the perfect ending for him…*laughs insanely*) "What the hell are you doing here and on my bed on top of that?!?!?"

            He grinned and disappeared, reappearing leaning next to the wall. "Just checking up to make sure that no one was bothering you."

            "Well I'm perfectly fine so please LEAVE!"

            He phased out again and reappeared right in front of her smiling. "You know, you look cute when you're angry." He ducked when she tried to slap him. "Hey! It was a compliment!"

            "I don't need to take any compliments from you!" she yelled as she continued to try and punch him.

            He grabbed her arms. "Hey! You could hurt someone you know?"

            She glared at him. "That's the main point! Now let go of me!"

            He gently pushed her back onto the bed. "Now one shouldn't try to hurt the one that they are engaged to, should they?" he said in her ear.

            She froze. "Y-you're lying!"

            "Ask your father, but I am not one to lie."

            Miranda went through a state a shock. She wanted to scream out, to yell that she would never allow it, but she felt herself powerless to do so. She felt her mind sink into a black void of denial, not feeling Tristan run his hand through her hair, down her neck, and not noticing him starting to move the straps of her night dress down her shoulders.

            "I can't get the door open!" Jason exclaimed.

            "What do you mean?! Is it locked?" Renee asked.

            "No, you can't lock these doors…something else is jamming it shut!"

            "I don't like this…not at all," Renee said shakily. "Something is happening in there! Miranda!!"

            Jason slammed himself into the door repeatedly with no avail. "It's no use! It's stuck!!"

            Zidane looked at Chris worriedly. "Hey, are you ok?" he repeated.

            Chris clutched his head. What the heck is happening…I feel like my head is splitting… His eyes suddenly shot open, his eyes black and blank.

            "What's wrong with him?!" Kristin yelled.

            Images flashed through Chris's mind, the day he, Miranda, and Kristin had arrived onto Gaia, the first battle they had fought, Miranda chasing him through Madain Sari. He saw the first time he kissed her, then it jumped to the moment Miranda was taken away. He could see himself running through black space shouting her name, suddenly falling down a black void. He could vaguely hear everyone calling his name, but the loudest of all was Miranda's.

He saw flashes of her with another Genome in some castle, then her standing next to some king in front of a crowd. He then felt himself suddenly drop into a room. Chris stood up shaking his head. Where the heck am I…? When he looked up he felt his heart stop. He could see Tristan lying on top of Miranda, a satisfactory grin on his face. In an instant, rage overwhelmed Chris's whole being as he clenched his fists and shouted, "GET AWAY FROM MIRANDA!!!!!!"

Everyone shielded their eyes as a bright flash of light shot out from the crystal hanging from Chris's neck. He was soon engulfed by the light and was taken into the crystal. He felt himself traveling at an incredible speed when he suddenly saw what he thought was a glass mirror. He braced himself and crashed right through it, slamming into Tristan who went flying to the floor and slid through the dresser.

Chris blinked. "What the…? How'd I get here…? Miranda?" he said as he turned around.

Miranda felt something snap within her and her mind cleared. She sat up slowly and shook her head. When her vision cleared she saw Chris staring at her. She froze for a moment, then a mixture of strong emotions overwhelmed her as she jumped into his arms crying.

At that same moment, Jason had crashed through the door, Renee running into the room shouting, "Miranda!!" They both stopped when they saw Chris there holding Miranda tightly as she continued to cry her heart out.

"I knew you would come," Chris heard her say. "I never gave up believing that you would come…" She looked up at him, tears still slowly flowing down her face.

Chris gave her a small grin. "I promised didn't I? And I'm here now, so you don't have to cry anymore." He gently wiped a tear from her eye then gently caressed her face. He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss.

"Oh this is so romantic!" Renee said starry-eyed.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Isn't it actually impolite to stare at people like that?"

"I'm not staring!" she said glaring at him.

"Psh, you were, too," he said looking at her.

"Actually we get that a lot," Miranda said.

They both jumped and slowly turned their heads toward them laughing nervously. "Eh-hehehehehe…sorry…"

"Still, I hate to ruin this nice happy reunion," Jason said, "but the guards will be coming here any minute now and that guy over there is going to come to any moment as well. We better get out of here."

"He has a good point," Chris said then looked at Miranda. "Are you ready to g-er…" He looked away blushing a little.

She blinked. "What?"

Renee giggled. "I think he wants you to change into something more suitable."

Miranda glanced down at herself and jumped. "Yikes! I can't fight in this!! Be right back!" she said as she zoomed to the closet. A moment later she came out in a shirt and jeans. "Aaah…much better!"

Chris sighed in relief. "Thank you! Now how do we get out of here?"

"Just follow me!" Jason said as he led them through the hidden door.

"Who are these people anyway?" Chris said as he followed them.

Renee looked at him and smiled. "I'm Renee, age 14! Pleased to meetcha!"

"And I'm Jason, age 15," he said as he gave him a short wave. "I know this palace like the back of my hand so just follow me!"

Just as they had disappeared into the secret passage and Jason had securely shut the door, guards came bursting in.

"What the hell happened here?!?!?" one yelled.

"I don't know, but look! There's Master Tristan!" another shouted.

"Quick! Get him to the infirmary and alert His Majesty!" the captain commanded.

Argonath was watching them from the doorway. He stood there for a moment then slowly slid away down the hall toward the kitchens.

Author's Note: Is that enough action for you?!?! Gah, I thought I was going to die!! *yawn* well it's like 1 o'clock and I'm tired. See what happens next in Chapter 31!!! (if I ever get there…)