When the group arrived at the temple, they found Mia waiting anxiously outside the doors. "You…found her." She said, almost disappointed.

"Where the heck were you?" Garet demanded.

"I couldn't keep up. I lost track of you two in the dark."

"Well it's okay. Noah and I got the creep who kidnapped Stella. What was that new spell you used, Noah?"

"It's the level two thunder spell. It's stronger and the effects last longer."

Garet rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Well its good thing you knew it. Without it I'm sure my arrow would have totally missed that guy."

Garet turned to the east just in time to catch the first hints of sunrise. "How early were we planning on leaving?"

"I suppose when Stella is ready." Noah remarked turning to his summoner.

Stella had been silent since she rejoined Garet and Noah. "Stella? When do you want to leave?"

She turned to them almost as if she had been startled, "Um right now is good…"

"Are you tired?"

"No…Just preoccupied."

"With what?"

"Just a lot on my mind."

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep so more?"

"No, I'm fine really." She smiled wide to assure her guardians.

"All right. Let's get the rest of our stuff then head out." Garet commanded pointing to the temple. As soon as they had reached the fork in the road, Stella answered Garet's unasked question, "We're heading for the Moonflow next." She said walking toward the new road, "Then we'll cross there and head for Guadosalam."

"Then on to the Thunder Planes." Noah added.

"How much farther to Zanarkand?" Garet whined.

"We still have a ways to go. Come on." Stella said, leading the way down the path.

As they walked along, Mia noticed how lagged Noah seemed. "Hey is something wrong?" she asked walking beside him.

"I was just wondering how that monk knew I had been abandoned at Kilika Temple. No one knew that but the priests who raised me."

"I should think word about you would travel among the clergy fast."

"No, they swore to Yevon that they wouldn't mention my dreadful past."

"You know you can talk to me…"

Noah simply shook his head; this was his secret and he wasn't ready to share it. Mia gave him a longing look, "Noah…well I am here if you ever decide to talk." She said, walking ahead of him. Noah watched her curiously. None of the women in Kilika ever paid much attention to him. Perhaps Mia was only trying to be close to him. Maybe it was time to start opening up. He caught up with Mia and began, "I was born in Home. My parents were tried and true machina-using Al Bhed. Sin had attacked our house and so my parents felt that we should obey the Teachings of Yevon. So we learned them in secret so the other Al Bhed wouldn't know. Then one night we left Home. And we ended up in Bevelle. That was where we were going to begin our life. But as soon as the people found out we were Al Bhed…they attacked us. My parents were taken away from me and I never saw them again. Some of the people thought it may be sacrilege to kill a child so a family took me in. But it didn't last long. Weird things started happening in Bevelle and everyone blamed me so the family I had been living with dumped me at Kilika Temple. I told the monks what had happened and they took me in and raised me."

"Noah, Mia, come on! We'll miss the Shoopuf!" Stella yelled to the couple.

Mia took Noah's hand, "Guys come on!"

"Uh she made me forget what I wanted to say." Mia said hitting her head in frustration.

"Come on let's catch up." Noah said.

Garet fell back on his butt as he looked up at the Shoopuf, "Whoa what the heck is that thing?"

"It's a Shoopuf. Come on let's get on." Stella helped Garet to his feet and with a firm grip on his hand led the way to the Shoopuf.

"Those two seem awful close." Noah noted.

"Yeah, they spend a lot of time together."

"Come on." He said, "Guadosalam here we come."