The idea for building the West Wind came from reading her parents' old journals, where they had described various scientific theories. They had been killed tragically in a lab explosion fifteen years ago, leaving their sixteen-year-old daughter to raise her two-year-old sister. From the journals, and the remnants of the old lab, Ciara was able to construct many interesting devices. One day, she stumbled across the plans for a prototype airship. It had already been half-constructed and hidden years ago. Ciara finished it, named it West Wind, and decided to use it to go out and see the world.

Something snapped Ciara back to attention. What *was* that in front of her? It looked like a whirlpool, but in the sky? Ciara didn't really want the West Wind getting caught in it, so she tried to steer away from it.

What? Did it just get in her way again? Ciara tried to steer away once more, but the whirlpool was still in front of her.

She felt it begin to pull on the West Wind. She was being drawn in! Ciara made on frantic last attempt to pull away, but that only succeeded in making the West Wind spin around even more.

The airship, still spinning, shot into the whirlpool, and then, shot back out. Ciara immediately sensed that she was now very far away from where she'd lifted off from that morning. The next thing she sensed was that the West Wind was going to crash soon if she didn't do something!

Grasping the steering wheel of the rapidly falling West Wind, she tried to pull it up with a strength that she'd never felt before in her seventeen years. It was still not enough. Ciara painfully realized that she was going to lose her precious airship. But she didn't have to lose her life along with it!

Ciara was glad that she'd had the sense to invent something that would protect her in a situation like this. Quickly, she grabbed the small pack that had been lying next to her on the deck and strapped it to her back. She then grabbed her sack of food, medecine, and money; and clipped a small flamethrower she had built herself and a dagger to her tool belt. She went to the edge of the airship, took a deep breath, jumped, and pulled the cord attached to her backpack.

The West Wind smashed to bits on the ground below.

Ciara landed safely a little while later. Thank goodness for parachutes! She surveyed the remains of her once-beautiful airship. It would take her forever to rebuild it. But first things first: she needed someplace to stay.

"But where am I?" she asked out loud. "Is anyone here? Can anyone help me?"

"Well, there is a story behind that... uhh..."

"Never mind. We have to get out of here before they find us. Who were they, anyways? Some sort of police?"

"Actually, that was my brother, Kudor, and..." Kuralov began to explain, but was cut off.

"Ohhh..." Kain groaned impatiently, "I don't want to know. Tell me when we get out of here. We'll go this way." He pointed to the corridor on the left. "When in doubt, always turn left... Cecil said that, I think..."

"Well, let's go then!" The moogle started down the corridor. He noticed shortly that Kain wasn't with him. "You coming or what, kupo?" he shouted back.

"Coming." The dragoon let out exasperated sigh, then followed after his fuzzy, white companion.

* * *

They had been walking around for hours, and neither had any idea where they were. They had been hearing voices for the last hour. Their pursuers were still looking for them, it seemed.

'No', thought Kain, 'that's not right. They're looking for him. So why am I here? I suppose it doesn't matter. Now they have seen us together, and I am probably considered guilty by association. For what, the gods only know...' Just then, his companion tapped him on the shoulder.

"It's beginning to look more familiar! Kupo!" he whispered cheerfully, "I think we turn right up here." The voices were getting closer. They could make them out individually now.

"Kudor, I think I can hear them over this way." A new voice.

"Right, Kupiku. We don't want to charge them this time. Just let me talk to him... Kupo?" The brother, Kudor.

"We don't know what he'll do. We should attack before they get a chance to react. Just my opinion of course, oh mighty fearless leader..." The one that had charged them.

"Kulado, must you always think of violence first?" The brother again.

"Yeah, and show some respect, kupo! The Elder put Kudor in charge!" Another new voice. They were really close now. Too close.

"This way, hurry!" Kuralov grabbed Kain's cloak and started pulling him down the corridor.

Dead end. Voices just around the next corner... There was a hole in the ceiling. It was big enough to get through.

"We're going up." He could make it. He'd just boost up Kuralov first. He could make it easy... he hoped.

"UP? Kupo? How are you going to manage that?" Kuralov was feeling a little anxious. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, except that it seemed that his brother was in charge of a party sent to find him, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be found... and Kulado was with them, and he always meant trouble...

"I'll boost you up, then I'll jump. Easy."

"That's too high! Maybe if you had those Dragoon boots, but..."

"Look, you got me into this mess. Do you have a better idea?" No answer. "Right then, up you go!" He kneeled down and cupped his hands as if to make a step. Kuralov seemed to hesitate, until the other moogles came into view. He was up before Kudor had a chance to open his mouth.

"Get the human!" yelled the mean looking one with he spear.

"NO!" shouted Kudor, and grabbed Kulado before he had a chance to run off. It was all the time Kain needed. His fingers caught the top of the cave floor just as the bigger moogle pushed the smaller one aside. He pulled himself up.

"I didn't think you'd make it! Kulado is awfully strong..." As if on cue, the bully shoved his axe up the hole in the floor.

"I'll be taking that," Kain said, as he wrenched it from Kulado's hands. "Have a nice day." He turned to his companion. "Let's get out of here."

From where they had escaped, it was fairly easy to get to the mouth of the cave. The storm had calmed enough to let them leave, and Kain insisted they go directly to the tavern where they had been staying. He needed to check up on his friends. When he arrived, his host seemed more surprised to see him than to see the 'moogle'.

"Kain! I thought you'd left with your other friends!" The tavern keeper's reaction was not reassuring.

"They _left_? When?"

"About three days ago... Say, what's your name young fellow?" He gestured at the moogle.

"Kuralov. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He smiled.

"Where... Did they leave any messages?" This was definitely _not_ his day...

"Hmmm.. well, actually, that Omega character did say something about going to look for Lola... But like I said, that was about three days ago."

"What about Cecil? Did they leave together?"

"No... he took off on a tear that afternoon. Didn't take anything with him, but I haven't seen him since."

"What! I have to get to the room..." Kuralov had wandered upstairs ahead of him.

When he got to the room he had shared with his now-missing friend. Nothing was missing except Cecil's armor and his fur cloak. Kuralov was just starring at the mirror, as if he'd never seen one before... Kain shrugged. Who know, maybe 'moogles' didn't have mirrors.

He started looking around for something, some kind of clue, as to where his friend might have gone. "Hmmm... he left out his armor polishing equipment. He's usually neater than that..."

Kuralov was still starring at the mirror. He spoke.

"Kain?"

"Yes?" The dragoon used a cure for his arm, and was now pulling on his armor which had been left exactly where he had put it, stacked neatly in the corner.

"There was something magic here. Something really _powerful_... It's only residue traces left now..."

"How can you tell?" Kain was perplexed but curious.

"I dunno.."replied the moogle. I can just *sense* magic."

"Let me get this straight. You come in toi the inn, and go directly to my room and because you felt magic?"

"Yeah, it's just something I can do..."

"Could there have been a fight? No, then things would be out of place... Let's go check the other rooms."

They found nothing. Both were empty, as if they had had the time to pack. Although Kuralov did, of course, feel a much weaker magical residue from Omega's room, it was too different to be the same thing they had found in Cecil's. Kain suspected it might have been from Omega himself. They were just trying to decided what to do next, when they saw the explosion.

"Holy Kupopo!"

"By Bahamut!" It seemed that some kind of airship had crashed south of the city. "We have to go check that out."

"Kupo, any particular reason, besides adventure, of course..?'

"Because if any of my friends are anywhere near this town, that's where they'd be."

They gathered up all of Kain's equipment, as well as Cecil's. Kain left a message with the tavern keeper to tell Cecil he had it, if he came back. He promised to send news of where he was going as soon as he figured it out... Then they were off.

It wasn't hard to find, the burning ship was a huge beacon in the snow. It took them a few hours to reach it. When they arrived, they found a young woman poking through the wreckage. Kuralov spoke up first.

"Kupo! Are you the only one?" The woman looked startled for a moment, but quickly recovered.

"Wha.. Yes I'm the only one.."She looked as if she had lost her best friend. "Oh, my beautiful ship!" Kain stepped forward.

"Are you alright, my Lady?" She seemed to have escaped completely unscathed.

"Oh no, I jumped before it landed... I'm Ciara.'

"I am Kuralov, and this is Kain. We were kind of hoping to find his friends."

"Sorry to disappoint you!" she seemed a little irritable, but she had just lost her ship, after all...

"Hey! That's not what I meant!" Kuralov seemed a little insulted as well. " Humans... kupo!"

"We came to offer our assistance in and way we can, Lady Ciara. Perhaps you would like to come back with us to the town?" Kain decided it would be best to intervene before these two ready got started. "You could stay at the tavern, with us, for the night. We'll probably be moving out in the morning, for somewhere or other. If you'd like to come with us, you could do that as well."

"Well, it's not like I have much else to do now...' She looked longingly at her ship. "And I have to get a message back to my sister."

"Right then, lets go! Kupo!"

They gathered up what few belongings of Ciara had survived the crash, and were on their way back to Narshe.

* * *

"What! back again, Kain? And who is you lady friend?" was the greeting they received from the tavern keeper.

"This is Lady Ciara. It was her airship that crashed a while ago. We were wondering if we could have use of those rooms for one more night."

"Hmmm.. I suppose that wouldn't be a problem." The tavern keeper smiled. "But I'll have to get the Elder to call off the rescue party, then, seeing as you're all rescued and all." He winked at Ciara.

"Actually, "she spoke up, "I was wondering if there was any space in town I could rent to house the wreckage?"

"I don't see that being a problem. If you don't mind my asking, why do you want to keep it? Sentimental reasons?"

"I am going to rebuild it someday..."

'Well then, I'll make sure she's well looked after. Kain, you can show your friends to their rooms?"

"Of course. Right up the stairs here.

* * *

Once the companions got settled in, they decided they would meet downstairs so they could talk and get to know each other a little better. Kain was the first one down, and when the other arrived, he had already ordered them a round of drinks. They passed most of the evening making small talk, until some more probing questions were asked. Kuralov started it. "So where are you from, Kain? I've never heard that name before."

Ciara answered before Kain had a chance. "My uncle's name was Kain. My grandfather named him after the Dragoon who 'helped the legendary Paladin Cecil defeat the _evil_ Zeromus.' Apparently, none of his friends ever saw his face, because he always wore his armor." She started to laugh until she noticed Kain. He was visibly paler, and he was holding his head between his hands. He looked as though he might be in pain.

"I... don't... remember!" He pulled his hands away violently, knocking over his half empty glass. A moment of silence followed. "I am sorry..." He began absently wiping up the spilled ale with a napkin.

"Are you alright? Kupo!" Kuralov was a bit shaken. They were _all_ a bit shaken.

"Was it something I said?" Ciara was really confused, and a bit scared.

"Perhaps I should explain..." He began to tell what he knew of his story.

The rest of the night was spent likewise, each companion telling their tales, how they came to be here, where they were going next. They decided, finally, to see what morning would bring to them, and take their cue from there.

******

Ciara exited the bookseller's shop, content with her new purchase. She started to walk through the streets of the town.

Suddenly, a shadow fell. People were crying "Look!" and pointing at the sky. Above them was a floating... island?!

As Ciara watched in horror, the island began to break up. Chunks of debris fell to the ground below. The earth began to shake...

An airship took off from the island. But the shock waves in the air caused it to snap in half, and twelve figures fell from it and were swept in all directions by the wind...

******

"NO!" Ciara sat bolt upright in bed. She took a look around. She was in Narshe. She was safe. Why had she dreamed about _that_ day? Because she had just lost her airship? Why was she in a town in the dream? Until now, she'd never been off the island. In fact, she specifically remembered being on the island that day. And why did she have the feeling that she _knew_ one of the people that had fallen from the airship?

******

When Ciara came into the main room of the tavern the next morning, she found Kain and Kuralov waiting for her.

"We have to leave Narshe _today_, kupo," Kuralov insisted.

"Why today?" Ciara asked.

"I had a little run-in with some of my brother's group last night," Kuralov explained. He recounted his story about the Moogle guards.

"So, Kuralov, where does your magic sense say we should head next?" Kain inquired.

Kuralov thought for a minute. "Hmmm...South, kupo!"

"South it is, then," Kain stated. They all ate breakfast and then returned to their rooms to gather their belongings.

When Kain and Kuralov came back downstairs, Ciara was waiting for them, and she looked rather concerned.

"What's wrong?" Kain asked her.

"I just realized something. If we're about to go on a big adventure, well, the truth of it is that I don't have any armor, and I'm a little short on GP's right now."

Kuralov handed her a pouch filled with gold. "Here, kupo."

Ciara's eyes widened. "Where'd you get this?"

Kuralov shrugged. "Well, fight enough monsters, and..."

"You sure you don't need it?" Ciara asked.

Kuralov shook his head. "We'll wait for you at the edge of town."

Ciara ran to the local armory and purchased some light body armor, a pair of shinguards, and a pair of gauntlets.

"Are you ready, my lady?" Kain asked her when she rejoined them.

Ciara blushed. "Look, you don't have to call me that. I'm not _that_ important. Ciara is just fine."

They left Narshe and began to walk towards the southeast.

"Kuralov," began Ciara as they traveled along, "do you think that if I talked to those Moogles, they'd understand?"

"Are you kidding?" Kuralov snorted.

"Even in their own language?"

"How would you manage that, kupo?"

"Well...you could teach me. I've always been curious about the Moogle language. Besides, someday I'm going to have to go back to Narshe to get the West Wind. If I run into them then, I'll probably have to talk to them somehow..."

"All right. But let me warn you. Mooglese is a fairly ceremonial language. Most of the time, we Moogles speak like you humans. And the pronunciations are very difficult. For instance, kupo and kupo mean entirely different things."

Ciara smiled. "I'm ready to give it a shot."

"Okay, repeat after me. 'Kupo po, kupoppo po po kupo.'"

"Kupo po, kupoppo po po kupo."

Kuralov started to laugh.

"What's wrong? I said it, didn't I?"

"Yes, but you got the inflections all wrong. What you said translates loosely to 'Who are you, and what is your foot doing in my sandwich?'"

Ciara and Kain both laughed.

"Try it again," Kuralov said.

Ciara did, and Kuralov laughed again.

"What did I say this time?" Ciara demanded.

"You asked, 'Do you happen to have a spare tire?'"

Ciara shook her head. "Okay, I give up, for now, at least."

"Humans, kupo!" Kuralov continued to laugh. Suddenly, he stopped.

"What is it, Kuralov?" Kain asked.

"I feel something magical, over there," Kuralov pointed to the west.

The three walked in that direction until they came to a large tree.

"There! It's in that tree, kupo!"

Ciara handed her pack to Kain.

"What are you doing, Ciara?" Kain asked.

"I'm going to get whatever that is down from there. Don't worry; I used to climb trees all the time on the island." Ciara went up the tree and out of sight. In a few minutes, Kain and Kuralov heard her call back down. "Hey, I've got something!" A little while after that, she was back on the ground, holding what looked like a white headband, studded with some pieces of a strange gemstone.

"That's it?" Kain asked. "Is it dangerous?"

Kuralov took it, looked at it, and handed it back to Ciara. "I don't think so. It's magical, but it seems pretty harmless. I can't really tell what those stones are, though..."

In the meantime, Ciara had put it on. "There. Do you think it looks good on me?" She grinned.

Kain and Kuralov just stared at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Ciara..." Kain began. "You're... _glowing_..."

They had been walking all day. South. But what exactly was south? Oh right. A big magic source. And? Did they really want to be going there? Who or what would they find? Did they really want to know?

Kuralov and Ciara were still at it, speaking that strange language. Ciara still hadn't quite got the hang of it. The only time Kain had tried, the moogle made an astonished face and muttered something about that "not being fit to repeat in public". He had just left it at that.

His musings were interrupted when Kuralov, who had been walking up front, stopped suddenly. He walked right in to Ciara.

"Ow! Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Huh? Oh, I am sorry."

"Hey guys, look up there!" Kuralov was pointing at a large black coloured object that seemed to falling from the sky. It almost seemed to be heading straight for them...

"SCATTER!" Kain shouted as he leapt aside. His two companions quickly followed suit.

* * *

Palom had been, up to that point, enjoying the ride. That is, until he noticed that he wasn't as high as he had been a moment ago. Then he heard a strange tearing sound, and started to fall.

He though for a moment that this might just be the single most exciting thing he had done in his life. Except for killing Zeromus, of course. Not that he had actually _been_ there, but he should have. He was after all Palom, the Great Mysidian Black Magician of Old (now reduced to being Master Ninja and Bravest Hero to have ever Flown in a Balloon.) He did not, however, much like the though that this might possibly be his *last* most exciting event. He decided that his best course of action would be to aim for the band of travellers he had spotted awhile ago, and pray to the goddesses they might be able to do something for him. For a moment, he almost wished his sister was here...

'Palom, you twit!' His mental image of her bonked him on the head. 'I told you this was a bad idea!'

Then again, maybe not. He looked up to see the travellers scatter before him. Then he hit.

* * *

Through some strange twist of fate, the balloon managed to twist itself over before impact, and Palom was dumped uninjured on the still deflating balloon. He slid down and stood up. Kuralov was the first to speak up. Ciara's first reaction, after seeing that the passenger was alright, was to check out the balloon.

"What the Kupo was the all about?"

Palom took his cue.

"Greetings, traveller! I am Palom, the Great Mysidian Black Magician of Olden times, now Master Ninja of the World, and the Bravest Hero to have Ever Dared the Skies in a Balloon!" His bow saved him seeing the dubious looks the companions gave him. "And what are you?" He pointed at Kuralov.

"Oh, kupo, not another one..." he muttered to himself. "I am Kuralov, a moogle. This," he gestured at the dragoon (who was silently watching the strange adolescent, and wondering what on the Blue Planet could make him wear his hair like that), "is Kain, and the girl who is currently scavenging your flying device is Ciara. Sorry, no titles," he added sarcastically.

'Kain, Kain, Kain. Hmmmm....' He -knew- he'd heard that name before, and he did kinda look familiar. As familiar as any two guys wearing armor can look, anyways. Then he remembered. "Hey! Your not _the_ Kain, are you? Boy what a jerk. Wouldn't even come to your best friend's wedding... Nah. Couldn't be. Wrong time period. Good thing too, he screwed over his friends bi - Hey, ow!"

Kuralov poked him in the thigh with the flame spear. He looked over at Kain who had turned away.

"*Shut up!* Kupopo. Some humans... just don't have any tact." He wandered over to check on his tall friend, leaving a very confused Palom behind. Never one to be left out of the action for long, the ex- mage went over to check on Ciara.

"I can fix it!" She declared when she heard the approaching footsteps. She looked up and saw Palom. "So what _is_ south form here anyways, Mr Air-Borne?"

"Well, that's silly! You don't even know where you're going? There isn't anything south except for water. And some continents."

"Kupo." She wasn't really thinking about what she meant, it just seemed to be the right thing to say. She frowned. "Well... I can fix your balloon, even modify it a bit to make it bigger, IF you take us across the water."

"Hey! I'm a Hero, not a Ferryman!" Kain and Kuralov had come over to see what was going on. Then the latter spoke up.

"Well then. Narshe is directly north. You'd better start walking. We'll find our own way. see-ya!" He waved and started walking away. He was quickly followed by Ciara. Kain, who hadn't said anything during the whole encounter, stop looking at the adolescent before starting off after his friends.

Of course, as soon as Palom clued in that they probably *would* just leave, he spoke up. "Hey wait!" He ran after them. "Where are you going, anyways? Maybe I'll take you... err, let you be graced with my presence, that is." He tried to strike a sophisticated looking pose, but it just kind of flopped on him. Kuralov barley managed to stifle a guffaw.

It was Kain who spoke. He was peering intently at Palom, making the 'Ninja Master' a little nervous. "Well, Palom, great Mysidian black magician of legend, we are going to magic."

His face lit up. His mind filled with thoughts of regaining his own power, impressing his sister, and, of course, ridding the world of that wench and her pet monkey. He struck another pose that, while it would have looked sophisticated on Edgar, only succeeded in making him look like a lemming caught in a wind trap. He sighed for effect.

"Well, alright. I'm sure we can work something out."

"Great," replied Ciara. "I'll start making the alterations. It might take awhile; I have to enlarge the basket, and add more air capacity to the balloon..." Kuralov leaned over to her.

"Yeah," he whispered, "and if we are still too heavy we can throw Mr. Wonder full over the side..." Thankfully for Palom's ego, he didn't overhear.

"We might as well stay here for the night then," Kain added. "I'll start setting up."

* * *

Later that night, Ciara was still working away, Kain was off thinking - he had been doing a lot of that lately - and Palom was harassing Kuralov.

"So what exactly is a moogle anyways? Where do they live? What do they eat? What does Kupo mean..."

"Look, you," Kuralov glared at him. "If you want to learn about moogles, I've already said Narshe is to the north. Just tell them -" He grinned maliciously. "- tell them you're a friend of Kuralov. That ought to endear them." Then the oogle sighed inwardly. He really wished he knew what exactly was going on. Why were they after him?

"Geeze! I might as well have been caught by the Empire for all the love in this group!" Palom wandered off to see what Ciara was doing.

Kain who had been half musing, half listening, wondered at what he had said. What empire? Had there always been one? Did this have anything to do with those strange people who had tried to steal him away before Cecil had come? And what about the boy? Who was he? Had he been talking about him? He knew he came from the past, and so, seemingly did the boy... What had he done to his friends that was so bad he couldn't remember? He wished Cecil were here so he could talk to him. And where was Cecil? What had happened to him, and Lola, and Omega... He liked his new friends (well, except for Palom - how could a boy be so _annoying_?), but he was still concerned for the old. He supposed that, like the rest, he would just have to wait and see what new adventure morning would bring...