Authoress's Notes: Okay, Rinoa does get bashed a bit, nothing too big, and most of it was to futher the understanding of the characters and integrating them together. Uh, since I'm not allowed to answer reviewers because is weird… I mean, if you don't wanna read em, skip em, if you do, read em, what's the deal? Obviously whole chapters can't be replies, but jeeze.

Comments to the Pixies of Literature

Pixie of Summoners and Seabirds: The way I usually come up with OC names is by randomly selecting a button on the keyboard and then just letting the name type itself. I don't like having main OCs named "Amber" or "Elizabeth" when NONE of the canon characters have normal names like that. For FF game fics, this random process works pretty well, I've found, and I've never had to think up a name for ages and ages. Also, you could try http/ www. 20000-names. com/. Sometimes names in other languages have cool meanings that you can use, that describe who they are, but only you know the meaning.

I hope all the Pixies will be able to know who they are. .

Enjoy.

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"Ooooh," Rikku cooned over a stuffed tonberry and a coerl, except the coerl had 'Tabby the Torama' written on its tag. Rikku was fairly sure she'd scanned enough coerls to know what one looked like.

"Let's go," Paine asserted herself, tugging on Rikku's arm like one would a dog's collar.

"Paine, let's enjoy ourselves!" Yuna said cheerily, hands clasped over her thighs. "I've never seen so much of this stuff."

"You hadn't ever heard of the city we're in until a few hours ago, remember?" But Yuna was off in La La Land as she and Rikku found another section to the toy store. She busied herself glaring at anyone who gave her an odd look.

"Et'use me, wady."

Paine arched a brow and looked down at the small child poking her in the leg. "Yes?"

"Can yoo weesh da My Widdle Tocobo dewe?" she asked, stretching on tip toes to point better.

The warrior turned her head to look at the shelf the girl was trying to point at. "This one?"

"Yesh, da ping one. Tank yoo." The little girl smiled brightly and waved to Paine when she had her new toy and then toddled back to her mommy.

"Oooh, someone has a soft spot," Rikku chided.

"Do not," the red-eyed woman replied in a tone that made the retort somehow not childish at all.

"Who's that?" Yuna asked, appearing from no where and abruptly changing the topic. "He looks important."

Paine's eyes went to where Yuna was looking, then gave the girl a strange look. "He looks like a beach bum."

"And what's a grown man like him doing in a toy store, huhhhh?" Rikku asked, her voice hinting at just what sort of a man she thought he might be.

"Buying a gift for his son?" Paine suggested.

"Oh! That makes more sense." The blonde clutched her hands behind her back and grinned in a very Rikku-like way.

Yuna suddenly dashed up in front of them. "Hey, he's coming over here! Look… professional!" Her arms motioned everywhere as she tried to think up just how they should look.

"Professional...?" the warrior wondered to the Al Bhed thief.

"Are you ladies from SeeD? Enjoying Esthar? It's a beautiful city, isn't it? Really something. Hey! You should all come to the palace for dinner!" the man finished finally, smiling as broadly as Rikku ever could.

"Laguna! You can't keep inviting people you don't know to the palace, President or not," said a dark-skinned man with tightly braided hair. When he got to the black-haired man's side and saw the three girls he seemed to change his mind. "But, if you'd like to have them come to the palace I don't see the harm."

Laguna's pout disappeared and he grinned again. "Come on then! To the Presidential Shuttle!" He pointed in one direction, then had his hand moved slightly to the right by the man with braided-hair. He grinned sheepishly.

"We get to go to the palace!" Yuna and Rikku hopped excitedly as the two men turned and started to head off.

Paine, looking as somber as always, leaned slightly over to the other two. "Two strange men walk up to three young women and invite them to a palace for no reason whatsoever, and you're just going to go?"

"You don't think we should?" Yuna asked, brow furrowed.

"We can fight out way out of any trouble, Paine! Let's go!" And with that she trotted off after Laguna, Yuna quick to follow, and Paine dragged along with the rambunctious group.

When they were all seated in the shuttle Laguna wasted no time in starting to chat. "I'm Laguna, and it may be hard to believe, but I'm the President of Esthar. And this," he said patting the man who sat next to him on his thigh, "is Kiros, my advisor and dearest friend."

"I'm Yuna," the brunette said just as cheerily, hand held just above her chest to better indicate it was her she was talking about. "And this is Rikku and Paine. Nice to meet you!"

"So are you girls from SeeD?" Laguna queeried.

"Ummm, nope!" Rikku replied. "We're the Gullwings. Spherehunters!" She did a little cheer in the confined space of the shuttle.

Kiros raised a brow but said nothing. Both he and Paine were taking in information, not giving it, and they both took notice of the other.

"You hunt circles?" Laguna asked, getting confused already.

"Yep! For info and for new dress spheres. What's SeeD?" she asked, her mind actually able to back-track that far.

"Missionaries. There are four schools: Balamb, Trabia, Galbadia and Esthar. My son's a commander at Balamb Garden," Laguna explained, smiling proudly.

Kiros noted the confused faces of the three girls as the names of the four schools were mentioned. Paine was the first one to come out of the daze, giving a little nod. She'd realized it.

"How long have you been here?" Kiros asked, mostly to Paine, and emphasizing the word 'here' in a very specific manner. It was time to figure out what exactly was going on.

"Only a couple of hours. We don't know how either," came Paine's calm reply.

Kiros nodded. "Let me clarify some things for you then. You are on a planet called Gaia, which has just come out of a war with a powerful sorceress. The city you are in is Esthar, the most technologically advanced on the planet. We went through a strange period because of this sorceress called 'time compression', where past, present and future were all in one. I would assume this had something to do with you being brought here."

Paine nodded in understanding while Laguna, Rikku and Yuna balked. "I will assume you do not know a way to get us back to out planet, Spira, at this time?"

"I'm sorry, no." Kiros shook his head. "But we have our top scientists researching the phenomenon. In the mean time you can stay at the palace, then maybe go to Balamb Garden. You're fighters I see." Kiros had noticed the sword, twin daggers and hand guns earlier. "I'm sure your weapon designs would be met with intrigued eyes."

"Whatever you think. We are in no position to be running around this planet by ourselves."

- - -

"So… you put one of those- or more than one in a… a…"

"Garment Grid," Yuna supplied helpfully.

"Right! A Garment Grid. Then you equip it and you can change from dress sphere to dress sphere? Neat!" Laguna was having his first lesson in spheres.

"You got it!" Rikku clapped her hands together. "I'm wearing the thief dress sphere, and Yunie's wearing her gunner!"

"Rikku, don't call me that in front of the president!" she scolded, arms tight at her sides.

"Sorry!" the blonde chirped, but soon the three of them were laughing merrily.

- - -

"What was that?" Gippal questioned no one in particular as he fell against a tree.

"A monster," Nooj replied, peering out through the forest. "We're almost out."

Gippal gave an exasperated sigh. "S'not what I meant, Nooj."

Baralai patted his shoulder as he stepped passed his Al Bhed comrade. "Don't worry, Gippal. None of us have seen these monsters before. Let's just try to make it out and to some town, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Gippal pushed off the tree trunk and continued to follow his friends. "Think we can get some answers there?"

"Like why we were suddenly in a forest of odd vegetation and beast populations? Baralai suggested.

"Doubtful," came Nooj's voice from ahead. "but a town has people, supplies and maybe answers."

"Here's hoping!" Gippal called, swinging his huge gun over his shoulders.

- - -

Rinoa was on the train to Timber. Garden would be busy, and Squall had a lot of work he had to do. She'd give him some time while she visited with the Forest Owls.

She gazed out the window, at the rolling, green plains and smiled. It was nice to be going home. Timber really did feel like her real home. It didn't matter that her house was in Deling City. Her cause, belief, what she fought for, was all in Timber.

After a few more hours the train rolled into the station and she got up with a big stretch. She pulled her top back down and grabbed her bag from the overhead compartment, then with a smile, headed off the train.

She paused on the platform. Off in the distance she could see a blonde with unmistakable, gravity-defying bangs. "Zell!" she called, lifting her hand to wave. "Zell!" she called again when there was no reply.

Assuming he couldn't hear her over the noise of the train-hub of the Galbadian continent, she hoisted her bag up on her shoulder and trotted off towards him.

As she neared she slowed to a walk, then stopped about five feet from the trio. Her hands held her knees as she bent forward to take a few breaths. "Little early for Halloween, isn't it, Zell?" she chuckled, lifting herself back up to smile at him.

But the man that turned to face her was certainly not Zell. For one thing, even more bangs stood vertical. For a few others he was taller than Zell, didn't have a tattoo on the left side of his face, and wore an eye-patch over his right eye.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else."

"That's alright." Gippal smiled, taking a step or two closer and leaning forward to shake her hand. "No harm done. The name's Gippal."

She smiled too, but when proper etiquette lifted her eyes to meet his, she gasped and stepped back. "You're eye… it's swirly…"

The blond turned back to glance at Nooj and Baralai. Both shrugged. "Well, of course," he said, looking back at the raven-haired girl. "I'm Al Bhed."

"What's an Al Bhed?" she asked, still a little nervous.

"Okay, sheltered is one thing, ignorant is another. Are my people that looked down on!" Gippal sneered at his companions. He wasn't all that pleased.

Baralai came forward and rested a hand on the blond's shoulder. "Calm down, Gippal." He smiled sweetly at Rinoa. "You don't know what an Al Bhed is? They're from the desert of Bikanel Island; a city called Home.(1)"

Rinoa looked perplexed. "The only desert I know of is Galbadia. And that just has D-District Prison on it. I've never heard of Bikanel…" she looked sheepish, like an eight year old forgetting her ABC's.

Nooj stepped forward. "Have you heard of Sin, the terrible beast, or The Calm?" A two year old would know of those two things, and he hoped the girl would prove to not be a complete dunce.

"I've never heard of a monster called Sin, or the calm… I feel kinda stupid." She chuckled nervously and kicked at the ground with her toe.

"This isn't Spira, is it, Nooj?" Baralai asked, and Gippal's eyebrows shot up.

"Spira?" Rinoa asked. "We're in Timber." Blank looks. "On the continent of Galbadia…" More blank looks. "On the planet Gaia."

"We're on another planet!" Gippal hissed.

"Oh my…" Rinoa looked around wildly. "Um, come with me. I'm the leader of a resistance movement, and my boyfriend's the commander of a missionary training academy. I'm sure he can help."

Rinoa took Gippal's hand and led him off. Nooj and Baralai followed, snickering. The Al Bhed rolled his eyes at his comrades as he was dragged off and into a wonderful piece of machina, also known as a train.

- - -

Selphie and Zell bounded down the entrance of Garden and right up the steps to the elevator, both excited and that their home was back and curious to see who else had returned. They tried to subdue themselves as they charged into Cid's office hand-in-hand.

They then stopped dead in their tracks. Well, Zell stopped dead in his tracks, Selphie untwined her hand from his and shot over to see how everyone else was.

The figure in the center of the group turned around, in what Zell swore was slow motion and grinned that stupid little grin. "Going to stand their like a Malboro caught in the glint of Hyperion, or are you going to join us, Chickenwuss?"

"Seifer…" Quistis barely reprimanded him. It was too much work to keep Seifer in line.

Zell grumbled, flipped the arrogant blonde the bird, then stalked over to stand next to Selphie.

"Where's Rinoa and Irvine?" Selphie asked, looking around the group of people again.

"Rinoa went to Timber to see her resistance friends," Squall said with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

"And we're not sure about Irvine yet," Quistis said gently. "But I'm sure he'll turn up soon. We all showed up at different times, right?"

Selphie, Zell and Squall nodded. The posse didn't as they had no idea when the others came back from time compression.

"I'm sure Mr. Kinneas will be back very soon. As I was saying before, Seifer Almasy, Fuujin Abeeno, and Raijin Sapnhir will be accepted back into Garden as of this moment. That is of course, unless Ms. Abeeno and Mr. Sapnhir no longer have, or wish to continue their positions in the Galbadian Military. Either way, those matters can be determined later. For now, we could use you here."

Seifer smiled a little and visibly relaxed. Fuujin and Raijin smiled too and patted him on the back. They weren't going to go back to Galbadia anytime soon, if ever. Not with Seifer so vulnerable right after the Neo-Sorceress War.

"Shouldn't we put Seifer under surveillance?" Squall wondered nonchalantly.

"In case I do what, Squall? More for that bitch sorceress who fucked over my mind andused me to do her piss-shit bidding? The dead sorceress, Squall? Worried about that?"

"I think Seifer will be perfectly fine on his own."

"Thank you for the encouraging thought, headmaster."

"Of course, Seifer. But, if there is anything that occurs unexpectedly, or you are in need of voicing something, I want you, or your friends to be able to discuss it. Dr. Kadowaki, myself, Edea, and everyone in this room today, as well as Miss Heartily and Mr. Kinneas; at least one of us will always be around, and anything of the sorceress war discussed between any of us that contains any form of political or magical threat, remains between us until it goes through me. So no one has to worry about confidentiality."

Seifer nodded, although he had no plan to discuss any problems he had with the orphanage gang. The thought of a heart-to-heart with Squall or the chickenwuss gave him the heebies.

"Alright, I believe my part in this is over. Quistis, you had something to add?"

"Yes," the young woman answered, smoothing down her salmon-colored skirt. "Concerning rooms. There have been more changes while we were away fighting the sorceress and each other."

Zell glanced towards Seifer, expecting to catch a twitch of his lip or a cringe he couldn't quite hide. But he was calm and even gave a sense of agreement without making any outward motion. It didn't seem like an act either. And the way Quistis said it, as fact, not to hurt, may have helped that some.

"Also the fact that we've been titled "heros" for doing our job, we've been doubly upgraded to rooms at about a SeeD rank S level- yes, Selphie, I know there's no rank S, but in my experience of alphabetical ranking it goes from F to A and then jumps to S for some bizarre reason. The suites have a main room which is nicely sectioned into kitchenette, dining area and living area, a bedroom and a bathroom. They're really quite lovely."

The group exchanged some looks. Even the posse and the orphanage gang wondered to each other with their eyes. The overall question was pretty much 'so where's our stuff now?'.

"Xu and her GODU program were the ones to implement the room change. She tried to round up your friends and have them pick out which rooms they thought would suit you best, so, those that were picked have your things in them, but all boxed up, so you are completely free to trade around, as long as all the new information goes where it's suppose to. My room won't be getting traded because Xu picked it perfectly and I won't be outted of it." Quistis crossed her arms and nodded firmly.

The woman at the other side of the desk, Xu, chuckled a little and held up a fan of new keycards. Each had the initial code taped onto the front. "As usual, the initial code can be changed back to your old room numbers which have been saved, and canceled from your last rooms." She smiled and turned the cards to face her. "Alright now, they're in the "suites" section of the Garden which, okay, you probably weren't even aware of since only faculty get to use them, and even Quistis didn't have one as a beginning instructor. But, they aren't hard to find and the numbering is simple: S101 through S220. There are two floors of these rooms, for a total of forty. I know, amazing you didn't even know they were there."

Seifer cocked a brow at Xu and she chuckled again. "Alright, so some of you know where they are. But anyway, time to give you your keys. Selphie, you get S103, Quistis is above you and down the hall in S217."

Quistis smiled, thankful for the very large space between her and the rambunctious brunette. She'd be able to have a nice quiet evening, even if her friend was throwing another famous Tilmitt Party.

Selphie caught the key card that was thrown her way and looked at the initial code. She'd definitely be changing it. How was she ever going to remember 49737(2)? She grinned at Xu and tucked it into her right back pocket.

"Zell, you get S106, Seifer, S111, Irvine will have S109, Squall will be in S220, by Quistis and in the quietest corner of Garden. I don't think he'll be trading his room either. Raijin, you have S110 and Fuujin has S112. We thought it would be best to keep you three together. And as each three rooms share a balcony, you'll have your own. I think that's it, since I don't have anymore keys-"

"What about Rinoa?" Selphie piped up.

Quists inspected her whip for a moment before answering. "Rinoa isn't a member of Garden. Of course she fought with us, gained sorceress powers, risked her life to help save the world, but she still isn't even a Balamb Garden Cadet. Besides, she has a home, and probably something of the like in Timber, so she won't be sleeping out on the street. Also, it's most likely she and Edea will be conducting sorceress training in Esthar. In which case they'll be staying in far nicer rooms in the palace."

"Oh, well, that makes sense, now that you say it. She's just been with us the whole time, it seemed off. But you're right, Quisty."

And there was Squall's lips doing that odd twitchy-smile thing he'd been doing lately. Still could barely see it though. Rinoa didn't have a suite. Rinoa wouldn't be staying in Garden, Rinoa couldn't hound him day in and day out. At least, that's what he thought.

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1. Yes I know Home was destroyed in FFX but that's still where they're FROM.

2. Phone-Buttons: H-Y-P-E-R