(( This is a joint story. We don't own FF7 or GIJoe ))
When They Were Just Children
by Poipoigirl, TheBlackstaff
The sun was shining as two children ran from the small cabin that sat in this quite but peaceful location. One child cusses at the other as he gives chase. Both run to a beach that rests at the foot of a lonely cliff. This is a place their parents take them during the summer. Last year their arguments have gotten worse. Both had tempers, but their father William Highwind seemed to be going through trouble at work. So both kids were hoping maybe this trip might change things for their parents. The children did look a little different and only an eighteen-month difference in age. Cid has blond hair and blue eyes and takes a bit more like mom, though both parents do have some blonds in the family. Hector's eyes were a darker brown, brown hair and looked a bit more like his old man. They were racing to the beach on a dare, but, despite the fact he was winning this time, Hector gets distracted and stops so suddenly, Cid almost runs into his back and is ready to accuse his brother of cheating. Hector did cheat a little by running as he issued the challenge.
Hardly any clouds in the sky with a slight breeze make this the perfect weather for swimming, yet... The ocean seems to have an ominous feel. Hector, being the older brother, felt it's his job to keep an eye on Cid. He has to know why he is getting a bad feeling. This is the same ocean their parents take them to every summer, and he knows how this beach should look. Yet, the growing feeling of wrongness hits the brunette child out of nowhere. There were no birds making a noise overhead. The cliffs were known to house seagulls, so there should be some overhead. The ocean was also further away than it should be.
Cid notices that Hector was no longer trying to win the race. He was just staring at the ocean. He reaches out to shake his brother's shoulder. " Something wrong? "
Hector points ahead, " Look at how far the water receded! " Starts running towards where the water actually is. Cid growls and runs after him. They run out quite a bit on the exposed sandbar. Not quite to where the sands drop out on the shelf but he thinks they can see it up ahead.
Cid, " Should we be able to walk out this far? "
Hector looks up with wide eyes as they can hear the sound of something approaching. At first, it was hard to tell how big the wave actually was. Cid had to ask, " How big is that thing?!"
Hector suddenly understood that this wave was where the horrible feeling was coming from. Racing towards them and getting larger as it does. Hector, " Oh no... Cid, run to the cliff, and climb it! " Cid is still not grasping the danger they were in. So Hector grabbed his arm and pulled him along." Run!
Hector loves the ocean as much as Cid loves the skies. He recalls reading that Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. The idea sounded cool and he wondered what one would look like. He just didn't want to be killed by one. As they ran, Cid must have looked back, because he made a startled cry and almost fell down. Hector's grip was the only thing that kept him from falling on his face.
They reached the cliff and suddenly Hector felt Cids hand grab him with a surprising strength "Wha-ahhhh" his question was cut off when Cid leapt into the sky dragging his older sibling along as they sailed over the cliff flying through the air like the Dragoons out of the stories Dad had read them at bed time., " No matter what happens, don't let go!" Hector said hating the heights they were at.
Cid looked down and can see the wave coming. " What about you?! "
Hector, " I'll be fine, you dork! Before it hits, take a deep breath and just hold on. I won't let anything happen to you. " Both boys were pretty good at holding their breath. So they get ready for a good inhale.
Nothing can really prepare them for the wall of water that slams into Hector first ripping him out of the younger boy's grasp as they start their descent.. Water pulls at Hector, ripping him loose from his brother. He opens his eyes underwater as he is yanked away. Hector's hands reach out, but he is already too far away. He can't control where he is being dragged. Can't even tell which direction is up. A thought came to Hector, ' Am I going to die? '
Cid landed hard onto the remains of a capsized ship coughing because the boat hit his chest sending the air from his lungs.. His fingers aching from holding onto dear life. The splintered wood and rent metal also left cuts in both palms. That mattered little when he realized his brother was gone. No sign of Hector in the water or on the rocks. " Hector? Hector! Hector! Answer me, you booger face! " Nothing. His eyes burn as he calls out, " Hector! Please! Answer me!.. Please come back... I promise to let you win. Won't even care if you're a damn, dirty cheater, either... Hector! " His brother never answers.
" Cid! Hector! " He heard yelling overhead.
Both parents were forced to go to high ground as well, now are on top of the cliff and looking down. They can only see one child. " Cid, where is Hector?! " The question only makes him cry harder. His father carefully climbs down and helps Cid get off the ledge. The child was hard to understand and inconsolable. They can only understand that Hector was gone. It takes a while before Cid can even explain what happened.
People come to help look for a body. At this point there is no hope they would find Hector alive. Cid wanted to help and was allowed to follow some of the groups. Just forbidden to go anywhere by himself. At night, he started to have nightmares. He would close his eyes and see that wave coming at him. Or nightmares of having even his parents go missing. Just Cid alone and amidst the wreckage.
Decisions were made and, if Cid was lucky, he would get told about them. One decision he was fine with: They were never going back to that beach. This wasn't a hard choice to make. The cabin was destroyed and no one had any interest in repairing it. So the land was sold to someone who could afford to rebuild.
Five months after Hector's memorial service, Cid finds himself the focus of both parents. One wanting him to learn how to build and the other the path of a dragoon. Apparently, dad had only just started to teach Hector how to use a spear. Trying to claim their remaining child as their lone student only made things between them even rockier. Mom had already been teaching him things, so had a head start. He wants to make them both happy, so Cid decides to be both.
Somehow, the parents call a truce, since their kid wants to be in both their worlds. Cid finds he likes learning how to be a dragoon from his dad and building things with his mom. Maybe if he worked hard, he can master both and they won't be so angry anymore?
The waters seem to glow brightly around him and Hector feels something else pull him again. Suddenly, the waters are calm. He can see the surface overhead though it seems too far away. He still tries to swim to the light. His lungs are burning for oxygen as he is so close to the surface. The next moment he knows, he's coughing up water as he lays on the deck of a small yacht. " That's it. Just get that water out. What are you doing out here by yourself, little man? " The sky is blue and he is still alive. The guy who pulled him from the waters, " You still with us? " Hector nods and does some more coughing before he is offered some water. " You inhaled some water. Better take you to see a doctor. Kid, you remember your name? "
Hector, " Hector." Almost giving his last name, but had no idea who this man is. He ain't no dummy. Hector looks around and can see the man has a couple of other men with him. " There was a giant wave. "
The stranger, " A giant wave? The waters have been calm till you popped up. " Hector wonders how they could have not noticed a wave that huge! All this being too much for him, the child passes out. When he wakes up again, he is in a hospital. The doctors treat him for the saltwater in his lungs. He did learn he was in a place called San Diego, California. Not that it meant anything to him. Afterward, more strangers came trying to find out who he was and where his parents were. He tried to tell them, but the Highwinds didn't exist here.. There were no records of even him.
A few months pass and during that time Hector is made a ward of the state. That is when he realized the harsh truth. Even if his parents were alive somewhere, he might as well be an orphan. He really needs to learn how to live in this new world. They do have one thing he really loves: cartoons. Can't get enough of those Looney Tunes and Popeye. Then one day, they brought in a kindly-looking couple.
" Hector, there you are. I want you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Delgado. They want to take you home with them. See if you might like to live with them. "
Hector is quite skeptical. He has seen what look like nice people before. The man sat down next to him to watch some of the cartoon, " Popeye? I used to watch him as a kid! "
Hector is surprised, " You like Popeye, too? "
The man smiles, fondly " Of course. Why else would we live within walking distance to the naval yard. Want to go see a real navy ship, kiddo? "
Hector jumps up, " Yeah, that sounds cool! Let me get my things. " Both adults sharing a look at that as the kid got what little he owned. Taking his hand, Hector thinks he might have found his new home. " I also like the Road Runner. Do you like him? It's so funny when the Coyote falls off cliffs and goes boom.. "
~ Will be continued in the next story ~