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.

"Technically it isnt hers sence its caved into her wings. Well i dont really know how to explain it but we will figure it wout soon enough. Oh yeah! also the plane is coming in so be prepared for when it does." Fang announced as she looked around. Airra touched the engraved crystal on her wings and sighed.

"Its kinda creepy. it wasnt there before." Airra said looking at it.

"Well find out soon enough.

Sarmen wondered what this was about. He wanted to ask more, but that had to wait. The plane was in coming.

"I've got rear guard duty." He announced to the others. "Y'all get in first and I'll follow."

Sarmen reattached his helmet and started to watch for attack as the plane came in low for a pick up.

Fang agreed. The plane touched down and they entered immediatly. Fang dragged Airra in and sat her down. She waited for Reins to approach so Fang could ask him all about Airras mark. But for now they just had to wait. After the plane took off. Snow joined the two girls. He also was curious about Airras mark. The could haveonly hoped that Reins knew the answers they were seeking.

Sarmen sat down and took off his helmet. Taking a deep breath he looked at his companions. He was worried about the Crystal mark on Airra's wing. He had no idea what it meant, and that bugged him. Maybe General Raines would know. He got up and walked to an intercom.

"Pilot?" He called through the intercom.

"Yo." The answer crackled back.

"The General on board?" Sarmen asked.

"No, he's on Lindblum, awaiting your return." The pilot answered.

Sarmen sighed.

"Roger. Get us there, best speed." He said.

"You got it." came the reply.

Sarmen went back to his seat and sat.

"Well, it shouldn't be too long till the ship, so rest while you can." He suggested to the others.

Fang and Snow nodded and walking off, leaving Airra behind. Airra pulled her legs to her chest and fluttered her wings cleaning her wings.

"This is titring." She said as she dug her face into her arms. She didnt really want to find out about the mark. She was scared as to what it would be. She sat silently on the chair and fluttered her wings.

Sarmen got up and walked over to Airra and sat down beside her. He removed his wrist blades and gloves, putting them down on the ground beside him.

"Yep, I know." He said calmly.

He smiled slightly.

"Though, it's not as bad as basic training under Sargent Love. His name fooled a lot of young trainees into thinking he was nice. He cure me class of that with in 23 seconds of meeting him."

Sarmen grimaced and rubbed his eyes.

"Great." He thought. "I'm rambling. I really should keep my mouth shut when I'm tired."

He switched from rubbing just his eyes to rubbing his face. As he moved his hands down, he opened his eyes and froze.

"Um...Airra." he said in a new tone of uncertainty. "Good news and bad news. Bad news is the thing on your wing has taken a weird situation and made it worse. Good news,"

He moved his right fore arm around for Airra to see a mark like the one on her wing on the inside of Sarmen's fore arm.

"Is that you aren't alone."

"What do you mean?" Airra asked leaning back and rubbing her eyes.

"What does that mean. Im not alone?" Airra asked as she saw him looking at his forearm. She leaned in and saw what he was talking about, he had the same crystal imprinted on his arm. She took another good look at her wings.

"This is strange."

"Yep." Sarmen said simply as he stared at the new mark on his body.

Yet another mystery he had to deal with. What where they?

"Okay. They are some sort of thing about being a l'Cie."

He thought a moment.

"You suppose it has something to do with our focus?"

Airra's eyes had widened. She had forgoten about her focus all togethor. She sighed and tried to remember what she had seen. She saw then side by side fighting, but it didnt seem to mean anything.

"Bet it does. Except i dont know what was in your focus." Airra said as she put her hands behind her head and sighed. She closed her eyes and tried to think more about the situation.

"I wonder what Fang meant when she was talking about eidolons." Airra said as she looked at the ceiling. A man then approached them. It was Raines.

Sarmen snapped up out of his seat and to attention as Raines got closer.

"Sir!" He said, saluting. "I am sorry sir, I didn't think we had landed yet."

Raines returned the salute and smiled.

"We haven't yet." He said. "Fang called me and told me about Airra's new mark. I felt it was worth meeting you both half way to see for myself."

Raines walked over to Airra.

"Pardon me." He said as he studied the mark.

"Interesting." He murmured a moment later.

"More to it now, sir." Sarmen said, showing Raines his right fore arm.

Raines looked at the mark and arched an eyebrow.

Airra waited for an answer. She hopped Raines knew answers, she was starting to grow worried.

"Why would we both have the same mark of the crystal?" Airra asked out of the ordinary.

"I thought only eidolons have them. And i dont think neither i nor Sarmen are eidolons." She said as she sctrached her head and circldd her wings around her.

Raines thought a moment. To Sarmen, the thoughtfulness was less searching for information as it was deciding how to say something or how much to tell them.

"It... has been shown that some l'Cie are given the task of becoming something." Raines explained. "Back in the War of Transgression, a Pulse fal'Cie tasked a l'Cie with becoming Ragnarok. Ragnarok was stopped by a Sanctum l'Cie who turned into Valefor, his focus."

Raines gave Airra and Sarmen a reassuring smile.

"Since historians have yet to reveal that the l'Cie who became Valefor had any markings like this, I doubt this is quite the same, but it is suggestive."

"So," Sarmen said, "you're saying that we need to turn into something?"

Something clicked inside Sarmen's head.

"Not like Valefor or Ragnarok." he said slowly. "But like the Eidolons."

Raines nodded.

"That is the theory, at least." The General said.

Airra was momentarily confused.

"So when we become one we turn into something like anf eidolon anf we fight in battle that way?" Airra asked as she sighrd. Airra didnt quite believe what she was hearing.

'This is all so weird, it probably isnt even true why would out focus have someyhing like this?' Airra thought as she looked at her hands. She sighed and returned her gaise upon Raines and Sarmen.

Raines shrugged.

"That could be true." He said. "But we don't have enough facts to be sure yet."

"Besides." Sarmen added in. "Becoming Valefor was only the first step in the l'Cie's focus. Once he turned, he had to do something."

Realization crossed Sarmen's face.

"It's something we have to use to complete our focus."

Airra thought for a moment.

"The point is i dont really know my focus. Its basically just a blur to me. All i remember was seeing Sarmen and that was pretty much all i remember. I started my whole journey to figure out the rest. And im not getting anywhere now." Airra said as she sighed. She saw Fang and Snow join them.

"So. Hows it going?" Snow asked smiling.

Sarmen managed a week smile.

"Confused, worried and short on sleep." he said.

He looked over at Airra.

"We just gotta keep searching for our focus. Fang said you still had sometime. Don't worry about it and we will find it."

Sarmen wasn't real sure how Fang knew about how much time Airra had, but it had something to do with the brand. He would have to remember to ask her about it later. Right know, he had to keep Airra's spirits up. If she gave up, that would be it.

Airra leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

So much information to take in all at once, she thought, i wonder how Sarmen could understand it all.

"Yeah according to my brand, we have a lot of time, but its starting to grow more arrows about every two days." Airra said as she sighed. Fangs eyes widened and she rushed for Airra, she looked at her shoulder and saw the arrows.

"You may have a few but your still far along." Fang announced with a reassuring smile.

Sarman took a deep breath. He wished he could tell Airra they could take a break to sort things out. He was about to try to get everyone on a course of action when Raines cut in.

"We have all had a long day." He said in a soothing tone. "Once we dock with the Lindblum, I suggest everyone getting some rest. The days ahead of us will be difficult and we best face them with clear minds."

Sarmen nodded his agreement. The General was right. No one was firing on all cylinders.

Airra sighed and nodded.

'Maybe some rest will get my mind up and thinking again.' Airra thought as she took a deep breath and stood up.

"Since you dont have anywhere to sleep Airra, you could stay with me." Fang suggusted with a smile. Airra echaled loudly.

"Thanks, that'll be cool." She said as she put her hands behind her head. Fang smiled.

"Collect your things and we'll head on over there." Fang said.

Sarmen gave Snow a tired look.

"I suppose you already have a room, right?" he asked.

Snow chuckled.

"Yep." the big man answered. "Not very nice, but I've been in worse places."

Sarmen nodded and smiled.

"Good. My room isn't that big and you would take up the extra space."

Snow laughed.

The lights on the aircraft turned green as it docked with the Lindblum. As the l'Cie and Raines stepped onto the deck of the massive airship, Sarmen pulled Airra aside a moment.

"I'm just a com away if you need anything." he said. "Say my name and the internal systems should rout your call to me."

Airra took a breath and nodded.

"Alright then." Airra said as Fang waved a hand to her. She slowly walked towards Fang. They walked togethor to Fangs room and settled down. Fang pulled an extra matress from under her bed and motioned Airra to it.

"So i have some questions to ask you Airra." Famg said as she plopped herself down on her bed. Airra smiled and sat on her matress.

"Okay shoot." Airra said.

"How do you take care of your wings and clean them and stuff?" Fang said as she looked up at the ceiling.

"I dunno. To get dirt off of them i just flutter them and then they are clean again." Airra said as she put her hands behind her head. Fang smiled and sat up.

Sarmen got to his room and crashed. He groaned when he finally decided that he needed to remove his armor. He started to remove his armor when his doorm bell chimed.

"Come in." he told the person on the other side of the door.

The door slide open and General Raines stepped in.

"The medical staff were rather annoyed that you didn't come to get a check up." he said.

Sarmen shrugged.

"I assure you, sir, I'm physically fine, aside from two magical marks on me." Sarmen said.

Raines held up a hand.

"Don't worry, Sargent. I do not intend to force you to have physical if you don't believe you need it. I am here with some questions."

"Ow!" Airra said as she dug her head in her hands.

"Stay still Airra!" Fang yelled as she messed with Airras wings from behind.

"Im sorry if it hurts like hell!" Airras voice sounded muffled.

"Im trying to find out where your wings come out of! But you have so much feathers!" Fang said as she traced the begining of the wing to her back. Fang saw stitches where the wings started.

"Why are there stitches here?" Fang asked. Airra making a loud of noise, stood quiet and thought.

"Oh! I had them when i was little. So that the wings woundt show. My brother, good at spells, forced the eings to stay behind the stitches. But they popped and i got stuck with it since i dont know where my brother is any longer." Airra said as she took a deep breath and felt Fang pulling at the stitches.

"OW!" Airra yelped as she echoed.

"Airra shut up, others will hear you and panick!" Fang said as she kept picking at the stitches. Airra then startdd yelling at Fang about how much pain she was causing her. Fang yelled back to stop being a baby and toughen up.

Sarmen invited Raines in and shut the door.

"What do you need, sir?" Sarmen asked.

"First" Raines said, "I wanted to know whether there was something you felt you couldn't say in front of the other."

Sarmen shook his head.

"No, sir." he answered. "I've told you everything I know."

Sarmen raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think the others can't be trusted?"

"Fang and Snow are trustworthy, though their temperaments might make it better for them not to know somethings. Snow is a heroic man who believes in defending people. Fang is...an oddity, but her goals are close to ours. I don't know about Airra. What do you think about her?"

Sarmen shrugged.

"She's in a difficult situation and she seems to be doing okay at it." he said. "I'm still trying to get to know her as a person, but I think we can trust her with what ever we find out about us."

Airra layed asleep in her bed after a long afternoon of struggling with Fang. She was fast asleep in her bed. Fang placed a cover on top of her and exited the room. Snow appeared beside her.

"You find out anything?" Snow asked. Fang shook her head.

"She wouldnt tell me how she got those damn wings. She only said her brother used magic to seal the wings behind stitches when she was younger. All of us are still curious about her. But she fails to answer correctly, she answers with 'i dont know' or 'i dont remember' if you ask me, i think what happened to her wasnt pretty." Fang said as they both leaned against the wall.

"Dont worry. Over time, she will open up to us. We just have to reassure her that she can trust us and that we trust her." Snow said smiling.

"I sure hope so."