A/N: This story is based in game. It's based on the week between Cloud giving Sephiroth the Black Materia and Tifa awakening in Junon. This is only the prologue, and so will be shorter than the average chapter. I'm not yet decided whether to do separate chapters for each character/pair, or to do it simply day-by-day. Please give some feedback on your opinions.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy Seven and all related characters and terms belong to Square-Enix. Enjoy.


Prisoners.

Prologue: Day 5.

Cid drummed his fingers impatiently against the tabletop. Where the hell had the kid gotten? He knew it was a bad idea letting her go out alone. Prob'ly halfway back to Wutai by now…

"Hey, hey, hey! Watch it!!!" A voice called shrilly.

"Move it!" A young female voice snapped back, before muttering deliberately just at hearing level; "Lousy Shin-Ra SOB…"

"I heard that!" The first voice shouted. Cid sat up. Kid done good. Cait Sith bounced into the bar, with Yuffie herding him on with several sharp jabs from her shuriken.

"Got 'im, old man!!" She called cheerfully to Cid.

"I ain't no old man, kid." Cid growled in reply, taking a drag on his cigarette. "Okay, you treacherous piece of filth. I'd be just as happy not to see yer mug again, but the Devil's driving here…" He glared at the robot. "You in, Cat?"

Cait Sith frowned and scratched behind an ear, before answering, "Am I in what?"

"The fu—" Cid shook his head. "Gettin' the others out! You in?"

Cait grinned. "Sure!" His face suddenly went serious. "We're gonna have to move fast." His voice dropped to a whisper. "You see… Rufus has this idea that holding a public execution for Tifa and Barret is a good way to get people's minds offa Meteor… That's not for a couple days, so's they can get the press in. I was already planning on bustin' in then…" Cid snorted disbelievingly. "The main prob's Vincent and Red… They're being shipped out to Midgar tomorrow!"

"So… we gotta move tonight?" Yuffie asked curiously.

"Or tomorrow." Cid stated, and took another drag on his cigarette. "Ah, fuck. We'll do it tomorrow, it'll be easier."


Cid walked through the streets of Upper Junon glaring at some unspecific point at his shoes, puffing on his cigarette like an irate chimney. Presently the cigarette flew from his lips, as it got too short.

"Fuck," He growled angrily, and took another cigarette from its packet.

"…C-captain?" A familiar voice asked. He recognised it immediately.

"Birch, you no-good sunvabitch, I told you to stay with my goddamn plane!" He yelled, looking up at the man.

Birch jumped backwards. "Captain… she's here… in Junon."

Cid's eyes opened wide. "I'll be… How many of the crew are 100% loyal to Shin-Ra?"

Birch's eyes glinted. He got what the Captain was asking. "Only the pilot… His popa's some big-time Soldier, so he's an all Shin-Ra boy. Don't worry; remember Charlie, my second cousin? He just graduated flight school. He hasn't flown her yet, but he's the best I can manage."

"Good enough. Now; here's what I want you to do…"


"…Yuffie?"

The ninja looked up from the materia that she was playing with in her hand. "Uh-huh?"

Cait frowned and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Does… Does Cid hate me?"

She shrugged. "Don't think so. I mean, you're with us now, right? One of the good guys…"

Cait giggled. "You have no idea how funny YOU saying that sounds…"

Yuffie rolled her eyes irritably. "What-EVER, Cait. Just because I stole their materia… Hey, is that why you were the only one who didn't treat me like a…" Her face screwed up as she tried to remember the word Vincent had used. "…A-a leper?"

"Hmm?" Cait scratched behind his ear again. "I guess I did… and that would be why, too…"

The door banged opened, and Cid strode in grinning.

"What's the good word, boss?" Cait asked.

"I've got us the perfect scheme. Lissen up, numbskulls…"


A/N: Well? Whaddya think? Please, R&R.