Not many people know this, but Cid Highwind is a health nut. He is a strict vegan. He Drinks herbal tea religiously. When AVALANCHE first met him, he was not out of shape. He hunted the monsters that came near his town every other day. He considered himself a warrior, last of the Highwind Dragoons.

However, Cid Highwind smokes. This is because he is a pilot first. Then an engineer. Then a warrior. It all comes down to his grandparents. His paternal grandfather was Caleb Highwind, and wore blue dragon scale armor wherever he went so that no one would forget that he belonged to the honorable, but dying order. He would take Cid out and show him how to turn a lance into a fang, jumps into flights, and a thrust into a roar. A dragoon is a dragon in human form, and is ever vigilant. He also cursed like a sailor whenever his arthritis acted up, or he landed wrong, or Cid said something smart-alecky like.

'Ol Pappy Cid brought candy and stories. Cid's maternal grandfather was always dirty, wore glasses so foggy it was a joke and smoked constantly. He was a jovial laid back man whose belly laugh could be felt through the ground. Cid would follow him around and ask questions. When he was lucky the senior Cid wouldn't know and the two of them would go and find out exactly why, for example, how the dishwasher works.

There was a family fight the day Cid turned 16. Both grandpas', who had knew each other for decades, yelled at each other over what Cidolphus Richard Highwind was going to do. Caleb wanted to take him into the mountains and train him in the most ancient dragon arts. 'Ol Pappy was geared up to take his little man out to Junon Yards, the foremost Airship plant in the world. They only stopped when Cid yelled out:

"I'm gonna go up. Farther up then any god damned man, beast, or fucking dragon has ever gone before. So you two can go to hell with your mountains and factories."

Caleb turned silent and left in shame. He could not face his grandson after disgracing himself by presuming what was best. I he had stayed things may have been different. Because then 'Ol Pappy Cid gave out the biggest belly laugh and shared a great big cigar with his grandson. And he told Cid that no matter what he did he'd be an engineer and a dragoon, 'cause it was in his blood, but he'd always be the little blond boy with wide eyes to him.

When Cid flies the rocket into space, he cries. He cries because one day he would tell his grandson this.

"You'll be a god damned engineer 'cause you a Cid. And no Cid ever not been a fucking engineer. And you'll be a dragoon 'cause that's what Highwinds are. It's how they got their name for god's sake. But you'll be the best you ever. So take the cigar, ta hell with the consequences!"

Just like his granddad.