Something's Missing
By
Sirius Griffon
'What the Hell is the matter with me?" Cid thought to himself as he walked. The plains were quiet, no monsters would even come to interrupt Cid's thinking. Perhaps they did not dare to interrupt anymore. A few had already, early in Cid's travels, and found the pointy end of his spear, the Venus Gospel, firmly implanted into their sides. Or perhaps they were just afraid of whatever language Cid would throw towards them. Whatever the case, they stayed well away from the veteran pilot.
Cid had started his journey exactly one year ago leaving his home, Rocket Town, with nothing but the Venus Gospel in his hand and the clothes he wore. Shera had insisted he take a bag, or at least a cup of tea, but Cid wouldn't have it. "Damn it Shera," he had told her. "Something is missing in my life... and it sure ain't here. So just... just leave me alone all right?"
"Cid..." Cid had looked at her sad eyes a moment, but looked away quickly, finding he could not hold their gaze for long. Much as he hated to admit it, he hated telling her this. As annoying as she was, she did still have a good heart. But something just... was not there. Whatever was missing was not there.
He did not say a word, did not even look back, as he started down that long he had traveled two years prior. Down the path the others and himself had walked in an attempt to save the planet. Whatever was missing, he knew he had had it during that time. He hoped that by retracing his steps, he could find it again.
Those steps now took him to a place he dreaded almost as much as the northern crater: Nibelheim Mansion. The place had a broken down, dusty and dead look to it and even the very air itself seemed filled with despair. "Damn hellhole..." he muttered, as he walked past the creaky gates and towards the mansion's front door. Taking a deep breath as if it might be his last, he opened the heavy doors and stepped inside.
'This place hasn't changed a damn bit...' Cid thought as he walked the place room by room, his thick leather boots creating resounding footsteps. The lower level ghosts and monsters scattered like the dust in the wind, unwilling to face the pilot. Dying twice was not an option to them.
He found himself stealing a glance towards an old safe. No huge monster popping out of it this time... just an empty space. 'I'd almost welcome it...' Cid thought to himself. Anything to break the stagnant feel of the place. He came then to the stairs, ones that led down to the basement. Step by step he descended, swatting away at a stray bat here and there with his spear. 'Stupid gnats,' Cid thought quickening his steps until he arrived at a long and gray hallway. Bones littered the walls, many human, but they had been there three years ago as well. He merely gave the remains a silent nod, as he had done then, and carried on.
And then he reached an open room, where a very familiar casket still lied. Cid still recalled the moment he had seen his comrade awaken, sitting up in that makeshift bed. The gunman had an almost wild look to him, with his long raven locks only being tamed by a red bandanna. He had a matching red cape, and one hand was encased in a golden claw. His companions had been afraid at first, but Cid had calmly noted the man's eyes. There was nothing wild within them, only a calm and unyielding sadness.
'Did he return here?' Cid thought to himself as he looked at the casket, his sky blue eyes wavering a bit. 'I had better go...' he added. He turned to leave, when he heard a familiar voice call out to him.
"Cid... why did you come?" Cid turned himself around, finding Vincent standing directly behind him. How had Vincent moved so quick?
"I... Hell I am looking for something I lost," Cid admitted. "I didn't mean to wake you like this... want me to go?" Vincent shook his head.
"No... I just wanted to know why. What did you loose Cid?" Cid looked towards those crimson eyes again, those eyes that never changed nor wavered. Eyes that compelled Cid for some reason to talk.
"I don't know," Cid admitted, shaking his head. "All I know is that whatever the Hell it was, I had it three years ago. But now... god damn it I don't know what it is!" Vincent held the gaze a moment, then nodded to himself.
"I think I do," Vincent replied. "Because I had that same feeling, Or at least right until..."
"Until I saw you..." Cid realized, leaning against the nearby wall for support at the staggering realization. It had been so obvious! After all, during their travels they had talked hours upon end, about anything from their careers to politics! Both had just... clicked. All this time and the answer had been so bloody obvious. "Damn it!" Cid yelled. "All this time and... bloody Hell!"
"It is all right," Vincent replied, setting a hand on Cid's shoulder. "You're here now... and that's all that counts right?"
"Yeah but... damn it! It just does not make sense! Out of everything... why would it be you? I mean shit no offense but..."
"Perhaps I am not," Vincent offered with a shrug.
"There's only one way to find out... care to come with me?" Vincent blinked with surprise.
"To where?" he asked.
"Anywhere," Cid replied with a rough smile. Vincent nodded, and Cid noted that for a fraction of a second it seemed that sad look in Vincent's eyes was gone. Cid left the place with Vincent close behind, hoping to himself perhaps one day he'd see a smile to match that second of happiness.
By
Sirius Griffon
'What the Hell is the matter with me?" Cid thought to himself as he walked. The plains were quiet, no monsters would even come to interrupt Cid's thinking. Perhaps they did not dare to interrupt anymore. A few had already, early in Cid's travels, and found the pointy end of his spear, the Venus Gospel, firmly implanted into their sides. Or perhaps they were just afraid of whatever language Cid would throw towards them. Whatever the case, they stayed well away from the veteran pilot.
Cid had started his journey exactly one year ago leaving his home, Rocket Town, with nothing but the Venus Gospel in his hand and the clothes he wore. Shera had insisted he take a bag, or at least a cup of tea, but Cid wouldn't have it. "Damn it Shera," he had told her. "Something is missing in my life... and it sure ain't here. So just... just leave me alone all right?"
"Cid..." Cid had looked at her sad eyes a moment, but looked away quickly, finding he could not hold their gaze for long. Much as he hated to admit it, he hated telling her this. As annoying as she was, she did still have a good heart. But something just... was not there. Whatever was missing was not there.
He did not say a word, did not even look back, as he started down that long he had traveled two years prior. Down the path the others and himself had walked in an attempt to save the planet. Whatever was missing, he knew he had had it during that time. He hoped that by retracing his steps, he could find it again.
Those steps now took him to a place he dreaded almost as much as the northern crater: Nibelheim Mansion. The place had a broken down, dusty and dead look to it and even the very air itself seemed filled with despair. "Damn hellhole..." he muttered, as he walked past the creaky gates and towards the mansion's front door. Taking a deep breath as if it might be his last, he opened the heavy doors and stepped inside.
'This place hasn't changed a damn bit...' Cid thought as he walked the place room by room, his thick leather boots creating resounding footsteps. The lower level ghosts and monsters scattered like the dust in the wind, unwilling to face the pilot. Dying twice was not an option to them.
He found himself stealing a glance towards an old safe. No huge monster popping out of it this time... just an empty space. 'I'd almost welcome it...' Cid thought to himself. Anything to break the stagnant feel of the place. He came then to the stairs, ones that led down to the basement. Step by step he descended, swatting away at a stray bat here and there with his spear. 'Stupid gnats,' Cid thought quickening his steps until he arrived at a long and gray hallway. Bones littered the walls, many human, but they had been there three years ago as well. He merely gave the remains a silent nod, as he had done then, and carried on.
And then he reached an open room, where a very familiar casket still lied. Cid still recalled the moment he had seen his comrade awaken, sitting up in that makeshift bed. The gunman had an almost wild look to him, with his long raven locks only being tamed by a red bandanna. He had a matching red cape, and one hand was encased in a golden claw. His companions had been afraid at first, but Cid had calmly noted the man's eyes. There was nothing wild within them, only a calm and unyielding sadness.
'Did he return here?' Cid thought to himself as he looked at the casket, his sky blue eyes wavering a bit. 'I had better go...' he added. He turned to leave, when he heard a familiar voice call out to him.
"Cid... why did you come?" Cid turned himself around, finding Vincent standing directly behind him. How had Vincent moved so quick?
"I... Hell I am looking for something I lost," Cid admitted. "I didn't mean to wake you like this... want me to go?" Vincent shook his head.
"No... I just wanted to know why. What did you loose Cid?" Cid looked towards those crimson eyes again, those eyes that never changed nor wavered. Eyes that compelled Cid for some reason to talk.
"I don't know," Cid admitted, shaking his head. "All I know is that whatever the Hell it was, I had it three years ago. But now... god damn it I don't know what it is!" Vincent held the gaze a moment, then nodded to himself.
"I think I do," Vincent replied. "Because I had that same feeling, Or at least right until..."
"Until I saw you..." Cid realized, leaning against the nearby wall for support at the staggering realization. It had been so obvious! After all, during their travels they had talked hours upon end, about anything from their careers to politics! Both had just... clicked. All this time and the answer had been so bloody obvious. "Damn it!" Cid yelled. "All this time and... bloody Hell!"
"It is all right," Vincent replied, setting a hand on Cid's shoulder. "You're here now... and that's all that counts right?"
"Yeah but... damn it! It just does not make sense! Out of everything... why would it be you? I mean shit no offense but..."
"Perhaps I am not," Vincent offered with a shrug.
"There's only one way to find out... care to come with me?" Vincent blinked with surprise.
"To where?" he asked.
"Anywhere," Cid replied with a rough smile. Vincent nodded, and Cid noted that for a fraction of a second it seemed that sad look in Vincent's eyes was gone. Cid left the place with Vincent close behind, hoping to himself perhaps one day he'd see a smile to match that second of happiness.