Menrva

Menrva (ミネルヴァ, Mineruva) is a non-player character in Final Fantasy XIII. It is Galenth Dysley's rukh familiar, having the appearance of a light gray, owl-like bird with the Cocoon fal'Cie brand on its wing and the face of Orphan on its chest. It is really an extension of Dysley's power, as well as his means to spy on Lightning and her group's progress. Menrva is first seen at Lake Bresha, and it is seen frequently from then on.

Menrva has the ability to turn into an airship, which the party uses twice during the game's course: once to escape the Palamecia to the Fifth Ark, and the second time at the end of Chapter 11 to return to Cocoon. After Barthandelus is defeated and sinks into Orphan's pool, Menrva flies into the pool to fully revive the Orphan/Barthandelus hybrid. Upon defeat, the hybrid sinks back into the pool as the shell that was Barthandelus shatters to reveal Orphan itself.

The Final Fantasy XIII Ultimania Omega reveals Menrva is a type of fal'Cie.

Etymology
 (also spelled Menerva, Menfra, Merva, and Mera) was an Etruscan goddess of war, art, wisdom, and health. She contributed a lot of her character to the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva, whose symbol was the owl; Minerva is also Menrva's Japanese name. Menrva also seems to be associated with weather phenomena.