This is a 1x1 based on ffxiii. We will start at the beqininq of our story which is were the civilians are boardinq the train to be purqed.

 

"Alriqht, keep movinq!" The soldier yelled out to the line. Airra stood there hooded and keepinq quiet. She kept her winqs tucked into her cloak and qot to the soldier. They inspected her then motioned her onto the train. Airra boarded and sat in a chair. ("Gettinq purqed wasnt the plan! Uqh! How could i mees up!") She thouqht as she clenched her fists.

Sarmen quickly ate his bar and drank his water.

"Snow told me about the others during a little bit of your time out." he explained, deposing his bar wrapper into a can as they passed by. "So, I can probably spot them when we find them."

He took a last swig of water before sticking the canteen on his belt.

"So, where do you want to start?"

Airra shrugged.

"If we look around we will be bound to find them. Knowing them, if there were soldiers, just follow the path." Airra said as she walked off into Lindblum.

I still need to find out what caused Raines to do what he did. If he did it on purpose we will need to have a talk. Airra thought as she looked around.

Sarmen nodded at Airra's logic and followed her.

"They are probably in the training room, from what I've heard of Lightning." he said. "Let's check there first."

Airra nodded and smiled. She headed towards the training room which felt forever away. She entered and only saw Hope and Sazh.

"Well its not Vanille. But we could ask them if they know where she is." Airra said to Sarmen. As she walked farther in.

Sarmen came in to see Sazh chasing his chocobo chick.

"Get back here, you rascal!" Sazh said with a laugh.

The chick landed on Airra's head and chirped happily. Sazh stopped his chase and laughed again.

"Looks like he made a new friend."

Sarmen smiled.

"Chicks are usually friendly to nice people." he commented.

Sazh nodded his agreement.

"And this one more than others." He said.

Airra smiled as the chocobo chick landed in her hands and chirpped happily.

"Aww! Ive always wanted a chocobo, like a cactis or a chick. But i think cactis are more trouble." Airra said as she smiled and played with the chick.

"Anyways. Sazh, Hope, do you know where Vanille is?" Airra asked as the chick jumped back on her head

Sazh nodded and smiled.

"There in the feild. Ill take you there if you want." Sazh offered somiling.

Sarmen shrugged.

"I'm fine with that." he said.

He looked over at Airra.

"What do you want to do? Shall we continue our search ourselves, or shall we accept others to our marry band?"Sarmen said with a smile.

Airra smiled.

"It doesnt matter to me. But we could use someone to tell us. In case we get lost." Airra said as lowered her wings.

"Then lets get to to it then." Sazh said as he and Hope walked up and exited the training room. Airra looked at Sarmen and followed them out.

Sarmen gave Airra a wink, then followed after Sazh and Hope.

"You guys know what Vanille and Lighting are doing?" he asked.

"It was something to do about possible sightings of more l'Cie." Hope piped in. "We've been hearing about more popping up here and there. Maybe we can help them."

Sarmen nodded. Help them or stop them. The possibility of more l'Cie was a little interesting. Were the fal'Cie preparing for something.

"Are we talking Sanctum l'Cie or Cocoon?" he asked.

Sazh shrugged.

"Not sure." he said. "Maybe one, maybe the other. Maybe both."

Airra smiled and followed the others out. She walked by the boys, wings lowered and the chocobo chick in her hands.

'New l'cie.. What is the fal'cie planning? This doesnt seem right, more l'cie equals more danger.' Airra thought as they entered a new area.

"Here it is." Sazh said pausing.

"Hey should be past just the hill" Hope said as he headed up the hill. Airra and the others followed. Once they made it to the top, they saw Lightning and Vanille practicing.

"Well, should we ask her? Vanille i mean." Airra said facing Sarmen.

Sarmen nodded.

"I'd at least like to understand what we're suppose to do." he said. "Even if we choose a different path, we can at least know what we can do."

Sarmen looked over at Vanille and Lightning.

"We can wait, if you want. Get to know the others before we get down to solving this riddle. We got sometime, from what Fang told me."

Airra sighed and looked at the sky.

"Im with you. You make the desicion Sarmen." Airra said as she looked atvthe chocobo chick

"Im fine whatever." She said as she smiled and looked at Vanille and Fang.

Sarmen nodded and took in a deep breath. He then walked towards Vanille.

"Hey." he called out, arranging a smile on his face. "We've been looking under all the bulkheads looking for y'all."

Lightning gave Sarmen a reserved, studying look. Vanille, in characteristic cheerfulness, gave Sarmen and Airra a big smile and wave.

"Well, you found us now!" she yelled back.

She moved at a jog towards Sarmen and Airra with Lightning lagging behind. As Vanille got closer, she gave another wave to Airra.

"I heard about you. Heard you were in the infirmary. Glad to see your doing better."

Airra smiled lightly.

"Yeah thanks, im doing much better now." Airra said as she looked at Lightning, who hadnt spoken a word.

"I wonder what will happen when Raines finds out that im awake, He did this to me and i know it.." Airra thought as she turned to Sarmen. She then saw the sun about to set over the hill.

"Have we been out here all day? It seems liked two or three hours to me." Airra thought as she stared at the sun and back at the others.

Sarmen noticed the sun setting. He had lost track of time. What time was it?

"That's great!" Vanille said with enthusiasm. "Now you can join our little group proper. I'm sure you've everybody."

She looked over at Lightning, trying to prompt the guard Sargent into a greeting. Lightning rolled her eyes.

"Nice to met you two." she said simply in a low tone then walked off.

Vanille shook her head.

"You'll have to forgive Light." Vanille said. "She takes awhile to warm up to people."

She smiled again.

"So, what brings you two traipsing around here for?"

Airra smiled not sure if she was going to tell Vanille yet, she decided to let Sarmen handle it. Airra lowered her wings, she was surprised none of them had actually said anything about them.

'its pretty surprising. If i walked up to some one they would freak.' airra thought as she looked at the others and hoped her wings wouldnt come into the conversation.

"Well you know, just stopping by i guess." Airra said as she sighed.

"Well, we're done here." said Vanille. "Just heading about to head back when you came around."

She walked over and touched Airra's wings.

"This are really pretty! Do you have to clean them much?"

Sarmen cleared his throat.

"I don't mean to be rude, but Airra and I were wondering if we could ask you something." he said.

Vanille turned around to look at both Sarmen and Airra.

"Sure. Fire away." she said.

Sarmen took in a deep breath.

"Okay. Airra and I seem have crystal marks on us."

He pulled down his sleeve to show Vanille. She studied it a moment. Sarmen caught her glancing at one Airra's wings. Specifically, where the crystal mark was.

"She saw it when she commented on the wings." Sarmen thought.

Vanille nodded.

"Wow, that's weird." she commented.

Airra watched cautiosly as Vanille touched her wings.

'it feels weird having other hands on my wings, but i guess i can trust them to make sure they dont hurt them. Airra thought as she eaded herself slowly.

"Yes its confusing us quite a bit, the thing that made me think a little harder is that Fang said that a l'cie and its Eidolon have the same crystal and share it, they help eachother in battle, as i heard. But i was wondering, we cant be like that can we? We are both l'cie." Airra said as she saw her wings.

'Well Sarmen is human, im not, well anymore.' Airra thought as she looked at Vanille who was lost in thought. Vanille jumped.

"I think i've read about this in a book! Its in the library, wanna go check it out since its late?" Vanille asked.

Sarmen let out a breath. He was afraid things were going to be more complicated than that. It still might, but at least there was hope it wouldn't.

"Sounds good to me." he said, nodding.

He glanced at the setting sun.

"Best hurry then. This in the library on the ship?"

"Yep, we better hurry before it gets late." Vanille said pulling Airra behind her. Vanille let go of Airra when they caught up to the others. Airra sighed.

"So your an Eidolon?" Lightning asked pulling up next to Airra. Airra looked at her confused.

"What? No." Airra said as she looked at Lightning odly. Lightning scoffed.

"Sorry, you just looked like one. I havent seen any human with wings." Lightning said as she crossed her arms. Airra sighed.

"Im not human. But i dont think im an Eidolon. But ill find out.." Airra said as she walked ahead and looked at the ground. The slowly approached the ship and boarded.

"Lightning." Sarmen said. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

Lightning stopped and nodded. She gestured for the others to continue.

"How can I help?" she asked.

Sarmen stopped in front of Lightning.

"Any word on the l'Cie movement in the area?" he asked.

Lightning shook her head.

"No. We drew a bust on this one."

"Have you gotten hits before?" he asked.

Lightning remained silent for a moment.

"Never actual the l'Cie themselves. A few trustworthy eye witness accounts. Signs of magic use."

Sarmen nodded grimly. Another thing he needed to ask.

"What's been happening with General Raines?"

Lightning narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"He put Airra under a drugs effects that would have kept her down for weeks. Why?" Sarmen said in almost a whisper.

Lightning thought a moment.

"I'm not sure, but I'll keep my eyes and ears open."

Sarmen thanked her and continued after the others.

 

As the small group of l'Cie went up the ramp, Sazh stopped and place a hand on Airra's shoulder.

"Hey, you okay, kid?" he asked.

Airra paused as Sazh placed his hand on her shoulder. She sighed at his question. She looked at the sky and closed her eyes.

"Nowhere close to okay." She said as she shook her head and walked into the ship quickly. As she walked in she saw Raines. They paused in front of eachother. Raines looked at her as if surprised that she was alive, he scoffed and grinned, then walked off. Airra quickly followed behind Vanille and they entered the library.

This, Airra thought, was the moment of truth.

Lightning slit off of the group. Sarmen, Hope and Sazh followed Airra and Vanille. Sarmen had been in the library a few times, but had usually left books on legends alone. He walked over to a directory for the library.

"So, what's the books name?" he asked, running a finger along the section names.

He could guess what section it was in, but that could take time even with that start.

Vanille shrugged.

"I dont really know, i know it has to do with Eidolons. So that sums it up to two books. Ill find it here in just a sec." Vanille said as she ran to a table and hoped the book was where she left it. She smiled once she found.

"Guys over here." She said as the rest of the group came up. Airra stood against the wall and watched.

"Come on Airra dont be such a downer, sit down." Vanille said as she grabbed her hand and sat her down. Airra sighed and waited for Vanille to reveal some interesting news.

Sarmen sat down and took in a deep breath. Hopefully, he and Airra would have some answers.

"What have we got?" he asked.

Vanille held up a finger.

"Give me a minute." she said, scanning some pages. "I need to find the passage."

A few seconds past in silence.

"Ah, here it is." Vanille said cheerfully. "This book has an old legend of the Drakcor Brothers, who, according to the story, could transform into..."

She stopped and frowned.

"Well, I'm not sure this is right. The old word used here translates into 'Guardian'."

She shrugged and smiled.

"Maybe it is right."

Sarmen felt relieved. At the very least, they had a little bit of info to go on.

"Does the story give specifics on abilities and the like for these...Guardians?" he asked.

Vanille nodded.

"Some. What do you want to know?"