"I would love to have you with us, Mia." Stella said, performing the prayer.

"Just don't do that to me anymore. You know us Al Bhed are all heathens after all."

Stella smiled and nodded, "All right shall we move on to Kilika Temple then?"

The formed party and the newest member, Mia, began making their way to Kilika Temple. Stella walked ahead of the other two as Mia caught Garet's arm. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Garet. Stella's Guardian…or something like that."

"Thank you for taking care of my baby cousin, but your services is no longer required."

"Garet, Mia, come on." Stella yelled from the entrance of Kilika Woods.

"As soon as we get to Luca, I want you to beat it." Mia said releasing his arm and catching up with Stella.
Garet looked confused but caught up with the girls. As they neared the entrance to the woods the group was stopped by two warrior monks, "The road to the temple is closed."
"But I'm a summoner."
"No exceptions. I'm sorry.

"Since when did Yevon allow Al Bhed summoners, anyway?" The other guard commented.

"Why is the road closed anyway?" Mia asked, ignoring the remark.

"Increased fiend activity, I'm sorry lady but you gotta go."

"Let us take care of it." Mia said, "We can handle a few fiends."

The guards exchanged a glance and quickly declined the offer. "What you don't think we can handle it?" Garet asked crossing his arms.

"These aren't minor fiends. This is Lord Ochu. He isn't a joke."

"We've got a summoner on our side. We'll be fine."

"I'm sorry we can't…"

"Let them pass." The owner of the new voice emerged from the woods. He was a warrior monk that looked to be about Garet's age. He had beautiful green eyes and black hair.

"But Captain…"

"I said let them through. We will take any help we can get right now. Besides Lord Ochu is a minor fiend compared to Sin."

The guard sighed and moved aside. "Thank you, sir." Stella said performing the prayer.

"Don't mention it. I've heard a lot about you. Word is spreading quickly about the Al Bhed summoner."

Stella smiled, "I'm Stella. And these are my guardians Garet and Mia.

"Noah, Captain of the Kilika Temple Warrior Monks."

"I gotta ask why you let us through. I thought Yevon's followers hated us Al Bhed." Mia asked glancing at the guards at the entrance.

"Well we do have to look after our own right?" He said winking.

That's when Stella and Mia noticed they way his eyes swirled, the identifying mark of an Al Bhed. "Ah, ra'c uha uv ic." Mia said happily.

"What did she say?" Garet asked.

"He's one of us. He's Al Bhed." Stella translated.

"Be careful as you get through the woods. It's relatively safe at the temple though."

"I'd feel much better if you lead us through." Mia said walking up to him.

"Ooh somebody has a crush." Stella whispered to Garet who smiled.

"Well I don't see why not. It'll only take a few hours. Follow me."

"Gladly." Mia said walking beside him. They had been walking along for a little while when Stella stepped on a vine. A loud screech rang out through the forest. "Stand back this could get messy." Noah said. And it got messy quickly. Using it's free tentacle, the Ochu grabbed Stella. She screamed, "Help me!"

"Stella!" Garet, Mia, and Noah yelled at once. It lumbered off into the woods carrying Stella.

"Come on guys we've got to go after her." Garet yelled.

"No! Are you crazy? If we just charged after lord Ochu we're gonna get thrashed. We need a decent plan of attack and luckily I've got a few antidotes for the poison." Noah said as he paced a few steps.

"I need to save Stella. What more do I need to know?" he said running after the plant.

He spotted it a few feet away. Stella was still wrapped up in Lord Ochu's tentacles. "Stella."

"Wait. I'm her guardian too. Let me help." Mia said.

"Let me help too. I've got an idea. Considering I noticed you were carrying around a bow, you're an archer right?"

"The best in Zanarkand…"
Noah gave Garet a suspicious look, "Right. Anyway if you can get him to put Stella down then Mia and I can take his tentacles out. Can you do that?"

"Of course."

"When I give you the signal, you run in and grab Stella, got it?"

Garet nodded and took position behind a tree. He readied an arrow and unleashed it. It pierced the Ochu's tentacle causing it to drop Stella. "Ready Mia?"

"I was born ready!" She brandished her sword, a red and black longsword.

"All right let's do this." Noah pulled out his own weapon, a moogle.

Mia ran forward and quickly sliced through the tentacle. The ochu screeched in pain and turned on Mia. It whipped it's tentacle at her but she quickly dodged, "Fire!" Noah yelled unleashing his fire spell and burning away the other tentacle, "Garet Now! Get Stella!" Garet ran from his hiding place and scooped Stella up. Once He got her a safe distance away he checked her for injuries, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." She said shaking her head.

Mia ran over to Noah, "Did Garet get her?"

"Yep. Now let's say you and me take care of this overgrown weed?"

"I've got a better idea. Stella! Summon an Aeon!"

"You got it." She said walking up to them. She raised her arms and spun around. The symbols signifying Valefor's presence appeared beneath Stella's feet. She tapped the ground around her with her staff. The Aeon materialized and landed behind Stella. "Sick em Valefor!" She said pointing to the plant.

Valefor obeyed her summoner's command and attacked quickly. Her Sonic Wings attack was all it took to dissolve Lord Ochu into a swirl of pyreflies. "Glad that's over." Mia said sinking to the ground.

"Me too." Stella sighed and smiled at Garet, "Garet are you all right?"

He had a dazed look on his face, "That was so cool!" he said lifting her up and spinning her around.

"Really?"

"Of course, I had never seen anything like it."

"Let's get to the temple while we still can." Noah said leading the way.

Mia walked up the stairs and looked in amazement at the temple before her. "I've never seen the temples this close before." She said looking around at the statues.

"Now you know how I feel." Garet said laughing and walking behind Stella, "So Stella how many more temples are there anyway?"

"Well, there's Djose, Macalania, then Bevelle."

"Then we go to Zanarkand?"

"Yep-yep."

"I don't suppose we could just skip all that could we?"
"Nope for me to complete my training I must pray at all the temples."

"Go on into the Cloisters hurry now." Noah ordered pointing to the temple entrance.

As they neared the entrance, Mia looked around at the villagers. They seemed almost unaware of their presence. "I wonder why they aren't yelling at us."

"Well probably because of Noah. He is after all Captain of Kilika Temple Warrior Monks. They're probably used to having one around. So what's two more? Come on."

They entered the Cloister of Trials and Garet immediately announced his confusion, "What the heck are we supposed to do in here?"

"The Cloisters must be solved to prove our worthiness to receive the Aeon here."

"There are more of these isn't there?"

"You bet, one in every temple."

"Great…"
"Let's get started; the sooner we finish the trials the sooner we can get out of here." Mia said picking up the first sphere.

After a few hours the trio walked out of the cloisters and was greeted by Noah, "So how did it go?"

"Good."

"Did you get your Aeon?"

"Yep."

"Well I guess you'll be leaving now huh?" he said obviously disappointed, "well I hope I see you again." He began walking toward the doors but Stella's voice stopped him.

"Noah, I want you to come with us…as my guardian. What do you say?"

"Yeah Noah, I'm sure the trip will be even more interesting with you around." Garet said smiling.

"Come with us." Mia pleaded.

"Wedge!" Noah called.

"Yes Captain?"

"You're in charge until further notice."

"Yes Sir!"

The soldier returned to his post as Noah turned to his new friends, "All right let's motor."

"Are you sure you can just leave like that?"

"Yeah. I'll have a message sent to Bevelle as soon as we reach Luca."

"Well the boat to Luca won't wait for us forever let's go." Stella said leading the way out of the temple.

"Hey Garet…Listen, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. You're doing fine and I'm sure Stella wants to keep you around. And well…so do I."

"Thanks Mia."

"Mia, Garet I just said the boat won't wait let's pick the lead up." Stella said sticking her head back into the temple.

"We're coming!" They said in unison and running for the door.