So, yeah. Hmm...Nine hours of work is hard on ya.

Hermione: Didn't you take a break?

*blink* Wait, where's Sirius?

Hermione: He begged off today, and asked me to fill in since he couldn't find anyone else.

Harry: What'd he beg off for?

Hermione: *shrug* I dunno.

"What's that?" Cloud asked, leaning back to look up at the rocket. The old, rusted spaceship was tilting dangerously toward one side."A rusty old rocket...wonder what they'd make something that huge for?"

"To fly into space?" Harry questioned.

The man who greeted them nodded. "If you want to find out more, you should ask the Captain."

"Who's the 'Captain'?" Tifa asked.

"The Captain was a pilot when Shinra was still interested in their Space Program," the guy replied. "He was going to be the world's first astronaut, the first man in space...but there was an accident." He paused, shook his head, and sighed sadly. "Ever since then, he's been wasting his life away here dreaming about going into outer space."

A minute of silence later, the man continued. "Everyone in this town was a mechanic back when they were planning to launch the rocket. That rusted old rocket," he waved at the leaning ship, "is all that remains of the Shinra's Space Program."

"I see. Thank you for your time," Nanaki said as they passed deeper into town.

Harry looked around and spotted a small pink plane wing sticking out over a short white fence behind a house. "Hey...what is that?" he pointed.

Cloud took a closer look over the fence. "There's a Shinra logo on it. 'Tiny Bronco'...This is cool!"

"Let's take it! OK, Cloud!" Aeris suggested.

Harry shook his head. "We can't do that..."

"Yeah, we'd be no betta than the Shinra!" Barret agreed.

"Um...may I help you?" a soft woman's voice asked. They turned and saw a woman step out of the house and walk toward them.

"No, we're just looking at it," Cloud admitted.

"...If you would like to use it, please ask the Captain. He should be in the Rocket." She paused and tilted her head at them. "I'm Shera. And what are your names?"

"I'm Harry," Harry introduced. "This is Cloud, Aeris, Tifa, Red XIII, Barret, and Cait Sith."

"Hm...so you're not with the Shinra? I thought the approval for the reopening of the Space Program came." At their surprised expressions, Shera added, "President Rufus is scheduled to come here. The Captain's been so restless all morning." She stepped back into the house.

"Rufus!?" Cloud repeated when he came out of his shock.

"Let's go see the Captain," Harry suggested. "He'll probably know more."

"Yeah...heh heh..." Barret nodded. Harry shot him a strange look.

The climb to the door on the rocket was fairly easy despite the height. Only Cloud and Harry went up, since the platforms and the ladders didn't look to be in that great of shape. They found a gray-haired man in a flight jacket working on some mechanics, stopping now and then to take a drag on his cigarette. He spotted them as he looked up. "What're you guys doin' here?" he asked, voice hoarse from smoking and probably alcohol.

"We heard the 'Captain' was here," Cloud explained.

"'Captain?" I'm the Captain," the man chuckled darkly, standing up. Harry noticed a spear laying on the floor at the end of the short corridor. "The name's Cid. Everyone calls me 'Captain,' though. What d'ya want?"

Harry's curiousity got the better of him. "Tell me about this rocket," he asked.

Cid laughed, a more healthy sounding one. "Wow! Not bad for a kid. Alright then, I'll explain it to you." He scratched his head. "You know Shinra developed a lot of technological gadgets during the meaningless war, right? Now it's a Mako company, but in the old days it was a weapons manufacturer." Cloud nodded, understanding. "Well, they came up with a Rocket Engine. There was so much excitement about the thought of going into outer space. Our dreams got bigger and bigger. They put a major budget into it and made prototype after prototype. Finally, they completed Shinra No. 26...this rocket here." He patted the rusted wall somewhat lovingly. "They chose the best pilot in Shinra -- no, in the world -- me. I mean, come on."

"And then, finally, we get to the day of the launch. Everything was goin' well..." Cid broke off and kicked the wall with a lot of force. "But, because of that dumb-ass Shera, the launch got messed up. That's why they became so anal!" Cid turned back to them. "And so, Shinra nixed their outer space exploration plans. After they told me how the future was Space Exploration and got my damn hopes up...DAMN THEM!" He turned back to the wall, where there was now a sizeable dent. "Then, it was all over once they found out Mako energy was profitable. They didn't even so much as look at space exploration. Money, moola, dinero! My dream was just a financial number for them!"

Cid sighed. "Look at this busted Rocket. I was supposed to be the first man in space with this." He shook his head again. "Everyday, it tilts a little more. At this rate, I don't know which will come first, this thing falling down or me gettin' outta here." He slumped against the wall. "My last hope is to talk to the President..."

"Yeah, about that...is Rufus really coming?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah," Cid nodded. "It must be news about restarting the Space Program...A young President, that's what we need! He still has dreams, too!"

"I doubt that," Harry muttered. He sighed and made a 'peace-offering' motion. "I suppose it's out of the question to let us borrow your plane, then?"

Cid shook his head furiously. "You out of your fucking mind!? That's my most cherished possession! I can't let you take it!"

That's what I figured, Harry thought as he said goodbye and left, a quiet and thoughtful Cloud following in his wake.

Cloud and Harry met up with the others outside the fence surrounding the Tiny Bronco and relayed what had happened up in the rocket. They were interrupted, however, when Shera poked her head out. "Excuse me...Cloud?" She came up to the fence. "Did the Captain say anything?"

Cloud shook his head. "Nope."

"Oh?"

At that moment, Cid came around the corner of the house. "Damn! Shera. What are you, blind!? We got guests. GET SOME TEA!" he trailed off, grumbling under his breath.

Shera shrank down. "I...I'm sorry." She hurried inside, presumably to make tea. Cid impatiently beckoned everyone inside to the kitchen, where Shera was working at the stove.

"Really, don't mind us," Tifa said.

"Shut up!" Cid barked. "Sit your ass down in that damn chair and drink your goddamn TEA!" He paused. "Arggggh! DAMN, I'm pissed! Shera! I'll be in the backyard tunin' up the Tiny Bronco!" He jumped to his feet and stomped toward the backdoor. "An' make sure to serve them some tea! All right!?"

"Sheesh..." Aeris muttered after Cid slammed the door shut behind him. "What bad manners!"

"No kidding," Harry agreed.

Cloud turned to Shera. "Sorry. It's our fault."

The woman turned to look at them. "No, no. He's always like this."

"Always?" Tifa gasped. "Why is Cid so hard on you?"

Shera shook her head. "No...It's because of my stupid mistake. I was the one who destroyed his dream."

"What happened?" Red asked.

Flashback

Cid was watching Shera work on the fourth of eight tanks designed to provide the necessary mix of gases and chemical essential to sustaining human life. "Hey!" Cid barked, laughing. "Get your ass in gear! You work like a snail! Even the moon'd get tired waitin' around for your ass!"

Shera stood up and turned to Cid. "I'm...I'm sorry."

"Don't take so much time checkin' that effin' oxygen tank!" Cid ordered. "Shera, bein' careful's good, but it won't do any good no matter how many times you check that oxygen tank. That thing wouldn't break even if hell froze over."

"But..." Shera protested.

Cid waved his arms around. "No buts!! Shera, you're not stupid, so be more efficient!"

"I'm sorry..."

Several workers are making some last-minute adjustments when Cid, the pilot, walks into the corridor. They stop, stand up, and salute. "Captain! Our dreams are fianlly coming true!" the first worker cried.

"We are so proud to be a part of the launch of Shinra No. 26," the second added.

"Captain, preparations are complete! All that's left is lift off!" the third concluded.

Cid laughed. "Yeah! Leave it all to me! I'll be back in a few!"

"All right, Captain! Fly our dreams into outer space!" the final mechanic encouraged.

Just before stepping into the cockpit, Cid stopped. "Thanks, guys!"

Inside the cockpit, Cid sat in the pilot's seat. "Instrument panel...all clear. Shinra No. 26, ready for launch."

The radio crackled to life. "Engine pressure rising. Shinra No. 26, three minutes to launch. Beginning countdown."

"...Finally," Cid whispered. Suddenly, an alarm sounded, red warning lights flashing. "What the? What happened?"

A panicked voice came in over the radio. "Cid! We have an emergency situation! A mechanic is still in the engine section of the rocket!"

"What!? Who is the little shit!?

"I don't know. Activating the intercom in the engine section."

Down in the engine room, Shera was toiling with the seventh tank. She stood up as Cid's voice came in over the intercom. "Hey goddammit!! Who the hell's still in there?"

"It's Shera, Captain. Don't mind me, go ahead with the launch."

"Shera!? What are you still doin' in there!?"

"I was still concerned. The results of the oxygen tank test weren't satisfactory."

"You stupid little bitch!" Cid cursed. "It's gonna get so hot in there that there ain't gonna be SHIT left when we blast off! You're gonna be burnt to a crisp! You're gonna die! You know that, doncha!?"

Shera shook her head, unperturbed by Cid's swearing. "I don't mind. If I can just fix this, the launch will be a success. I'm almost done." She turned back to the tank and resumed testing.

"Almost done!?" Cid repeated. "You're gonna die!"

Another voice came in over the intercom. "Cid, we must start the countdown. We won't make it if we don't!"

Cid was panicking in the cockpit. "Starting engine!" the voice on the radio announced.

Cid protested. "Hey, wait a minute! Shera's still in there!"

"What are you going to do, Cid? If we cancel now, it'll be another six months until the next launch!"

"GODDAMMIT, Shera...you wanna make me a murderer?" Cid moaned.

Shera's voice came in over the intercom. "Captain!"

"Shera!?" Cid asked.

"Tank Number 7 check is complete. Once I complete Tank Number 8, it's all clear," Shera said.

"Come on, Shera...hury up...You're gonna die..." Cid whispered.

"Cid! Forget about her. We won't make it in time!" the previous voice urged.

"What...what am I...What am I supposed to do...?" Cid muttered to himself.

"Fifteen seconds until ignition. Internal temperature rising."

"Oh man, the moon...outerspace...my dreams..." Cid moaned in anguish.

"Ignite engine!"

Cid's head snapped up. "SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" he cried, smashing the Emergency Shutdown Button just as a rumbling sound began to build. The rocket engine ignited, then stopped within seconds. The rocket, which had begun to lift off, fell back to earth, lost its balance, and began to tip over, coming to rest off-center in the launch platform.

End Flashback.

"He pushed the Emergency Engine Shut Down switch, aborting the mission, to save my life," Shera concluded. "After that, the Space Program was cut back and the launch was canceled. It's my fault his dream was destroyed." She shook her head slowly. "That's why...it's all right. I don't care what the Captain says, I'll live my life for him."

Cid came back in. "Shera! You still haven't served 'em tea!"

"I...I'm sorry!" Shera rushed back to the stove to finish making the tea.

Cid crashed into a chair and placed one foot on the table. "Hurry up and sit down! Or ain't my hospitality good enough for you!?" Cid barked, not waiting for an answer. He leaned his head into one hand and tapped his foot. "They're late...Where is Rufus...?"

The front door opened at that moment and a rather portly fellow waddled in. Harry immediately recognized him as the bloke they'd squeezed information out of back in Shinra HQ, after Sephiroth had decimated the building. "Hey-HEY! Long time no see! So Cid, how ya been?"

Cid hopped up onto his feet, an impressive feat of athleticism from his position. "Well, if it ain't fat man, Palmer. How long were you figurin' on keepin' me waitin'!?" He stepped up to the man. "So? When's the Space Program gonna start up again?"

Palmer shifted uneasily. "Hey-hey! I don't know. The President's outside, so why don't you ask him?"

"Shit! Good for nothing fat bastard!" Cid swore angrily, before stepping past Palmer and walking outside.

"Don't say 'fat'!" Palmer protested. He then spotted Shera. "Hey-hey! Tea! Can I have some too? With lotsa sugar and honey and...oh yeah, don't forget the lard!"

Cloud, Harry, and Barret poked their heads out different windows to watch as Cid confronted Rufus. They could just hear the words of the conversation. "What the...!" Cid cried. "You got me all excited for nothing!? Then, what'd you come here for?"

"I want to borrow the Tiny Bronco," Rufus replied calmly. "We're going after Sephiroth, but it seems like we've been going in the wrong direction. But now, we think we know where he's headed. But, we have to cross the ocean. That's why we want your plane..."

"Bullshit!" Cid protested angrily. "First the Airship, then the Rocket, and now, the Tiny Bronco. Shinra took outer space away from me, and now you want to take the sky away from me too!?"

"Oh, my..." Rufus sneered. "You seem to forget it was because of Shinra, Inc. that you were able to fly in the first place."

"What!?" Cid cried.

"Uh, excuse me, Cloud?" Shera's voice came from behind them. Tifa and Red had been gathered behind Harry, Aeris around Barret, and Cait Sith behind Cloud. Harry fought a blush from rising onto his cheeks when his eyes strayed to Tifa's chest for a second longer than was strictly neccessary. "You wanted to use the Tiny Bronco, right?" Shera asked. The group nodded. "I believe Palmer's going to take it. Why don't you talk to him?"

"Well, the plane is big enough to carry us all..." Harry remarked to himself as they walked out into the backyard. There, sitting in the cockpit, was the fat man, Palmer.

Harry could heard Palmer grumbling to himself. "Hm...Why do I have to do this...? I'm the head of the Space Program...not some common thief..."

Cloud stepped forward. "We'll be takin' that Tiny Bronco."

Harry sighed. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"I've seen you somewhere before," Palmer commented, standing up from his work and looking down at them. He scratched his head. "I know! The Shinra building! When the President was killed! Ulp! Se...se...security!" He pulled out a gun with a small...satelite-dish-like thing on the end of the barrel.

Cloud, Harry, and Red XIII stepped forward, weapons in hand (well...Red didn't need any). Cloud dashed in and slashed at Palmer, but he dodged away with an agility one would not expect a man of his girth would have. Harry ignored the growing roar of the Tiny Bronco as he Stole a bracelet - it was called an Edincoat. Harry jumped back and stowed it away in a pocket while Red snarled and cast Fira. Palmer shook off the effects of the spell after a second, then aimed his gun at Harry and pulled the trigger.

Instead of firing a bullet, Harry found out, Palmer's gun fired one of three spells. Fira, Blizzara, Thundara. Harry felt very cold, then very hot, as the ice encasing his feet shattered upward, scratching his clothes and leaving small, bloodless cuts on his hands and face. He shook his head and touched the Shiva Materia. "You want cold, Palmer?" Harry growled. "I'll give you cold!"

The red orb glowed brightly for a moment, then a cold, visible wind blew through the backyard. The pale-white body of Shiva descended from the air in front of Harry and his comrades, gave Harry a small smile, then blanketed Palmer and a section of the yard around him in snow and ice. Harry saw Palmer's eyes go wide in fear just before Shiva snapped her fingers, causing all the ice to shatter with a loud tinkling sound. The ice and Shiva both disappeared, and the area became warm again as the wind stilled, but Palmer fell to his knees, covered in several places with deep gashes in his arms and legs. Palmer's business jacket was soaked with blood and ripped in several places.

"Nice one, kid," Cloud commented. Then, the Tiny Bronco fired up unexpectedly. It started to move, swinging one of the wings toward Palmer. The fat man ducked his head, avoiding decapitation, then stuck his tongue out at Harry and Cloud before turning and running away - straight into the path of a passing truck. There was a screech of brakes, but the truck still smashed into Palmer's body, sending him flying into the air and out of sight.

Cloud and Harry jumped into the small cockpit of the Tiny Bronco. "It won't stop!" Harry cried over the roar of the engines, attempting to shut the engine down without knowing which button did what.

Cloud shook his head. "Forget it! Get in!" Red, Tifa, and Aeris climbed into the passenger area of the small plane, while Barret and Cait Sith both wrapped themselves around a wing. Cloud grabbed the stick as the Tiny Bronco took off. The plane looped around the rocket before buzzing just overhead of Rufus, Cid, and Rufus' guards, who began to fire at the plane. Cid ran, somehow managing to keep up with the plane, before jumping up and grabbing onto the tail of the plane. A blast from the guards struck the other side of the plane seconds after Cid secured his grasp. "Shit! The tail's been hit!" the old pilot cried.

"Emergency landing..." Cloud said.

Cid straddled the tail section he was sitting on. "This's gonna be a big splash. Hold onto your drawers and don't piss in 'em!"

"Hang on!" Harry shouted as the plane splashed into the water and gradually came to a drifting halt in the ocean water. Once the waves settled and the plane quit rocking back and forth, Cid swung around and examined the damage.

"She won't fly anymore," the pilot said sadly.

"Can't we use it as a boat?" Cloud asked.

"FUCK! Do whatever you want!" Cid growled back.

"Cid...what are you going to do now?" Harry questioned.

"Dunno," Cid shook his head, sitting up. "I'm history with the Shinra, and I've given up on the town."

"How 'bout your wife? How 'bout Shera?" Cloud asked.

Cid shuddered. "Wife? Don't make me laugh! Just thinkin' 'bout marryin' her gives me the chills." He shook his head to clear mental images. "What're you guys gonna do?"

"We're going after a man named Sephiroth," Cloud answered. "We'll have to get Rufus of the Shinra someday, too."

"I don't know about any of that, but..." Cid said, standing up and balancing on the tail. "What the hell!? Sign me up!"

Cloud looked questioningly at everyone. "Well, how 'bout it?"

"No problem," Tifa replied.

"Glad to be aboard, numbskulls!" Cid laughed.

"Numbskulls...?" Cloud frowned.

Cid nodded, still laughing. "Yeah. Anyone stupid enough to go up against Shinra nowadays, has GOTTA be a numbskull! I like it!"

"So...that makes you a numbskull too, doesn't it?" Harry snickered, crossing his arms at the old pilot.

Cid shrugged. "So, where are we headed? Rufus was goin' after Sephiroth towards the Temple of the Ancients."

"Really?" Cloud blinked. "Where is it? That Temple of the Ancients?"

"Dunno," Cid shrugged again. "That numbskull kid was tellin' me he was headin' 'the wrong direction'...so maybe it's off this way?" he pointed towards the southeast.

"Let's just head for land and get some information," Cloud suggested. "Temple of the Ancients...that name bothers me."

"Why?" Aeris asked. Cloud shook his head in silent response, then turned to the controls and powered up the propellers and guided the boat to a beach nearby, a shack looming into view on the cliff above.

Sirius: So, Mr. Moony, who should we prank this week?

Moony-Er, Remus: Well, Mr. Padfoot...*sips a cup of tea* How about Cor?

Sirius: Hmm...yes, that is a splendid idea, Mr. Moony. What shall we do?

Remus: You seem to forget that you are generally incapable of doing anything after Order of the Pheonix. The one in which you died, remember?

Sirius: Okay, okay...so, what shall we do, Mr. Moony?

Remus: *sigh* Nevermind...