By Crimson
^_^
A/N: Another one I just suddenly thought of, I dunno if you'll like it, please everyone tell me what they think!
Chapter 1: Maybe I will, then.
Cid sat in the window, staring at the rocket. It was still there, taunting him, deepening his hatred of himself… and Shera. She'd been prepared to give up her life for him and the rocket, and finally give the town a chance, but he wouldn't let that happen. And now he hated her. As he was sure she hated him. Recently, he'd noticed that all he ever did around the house was yell… and make Shera cry. He should've been used to that by now.
All he could think about was the town's big break… the big break that never came.
And it was all his fault.
Cid stared mournfully at the rocket, he always did. It was getting rusty now… and that was part of his soul out there, decaying like the rest of the town. More of his soul than that which belonged to Shera. It wasn't enough, just staring, but it was all he could ever do. Today should've been no different… but things that should be rarely are. Of course it was different. Today, the rocket was framed with the pink glow of Meteor. This was it, possibly the last time he'd ever see his beloved rocket. Cid knew he was depressing himself, but there was nothing he could do: he couldn't play hero now. Could he? He sprung up, desperate to get somewhere, do something, be someone again. His mind raced, thinking of all the places he'd been… places he could visit now. The nearest town to Rocket Town was… Nibelhiem… but that meant crossing Mt. Nibel. Cid sat back down: that was one thing he couldn't do alone. Unless…
He ran outside, and careered straight into the weapon store.
"HaveyougotamegaphoneIneedamegaphone!" he blurted triumphantly.
"Come again?"
"Have – you – got – a – megaphone – I – need – a – megaphone!" he said, just as triumphantly, but with a facial expression that didn't agree. "C'mon, give me a megaphone!"
"Right, sir…" said the clerk, looking a little dazed. "We have various sorts: blue, red, green and silver."
"Which one's the loudest?" demanded Cid. He was getting jumpy.
"Silver, sir, I think you'll-"
"I'll take it," said Cid, snatching the artefact from the clerk's hands and slamming some gil onto the table. "Keep the change!" he called as he jogged out into the main square.
Jumping onto a fencepost, desperately trying to balance, he spoke into the megaphone as he gradually got saturated in the drizzling rain. Nothing happened: no noise and no impact. He fell off the post. Although people were staring, it wasn't for the reason he'd have liked.
And he remembered the staring faces, oh yes. They all flooded back to him, those memories. He remembered the fanfare tune that'd been playing that day. He remembered how it'd faded as he desperately tried to explain. He remembered the hundreds of staring, disappointed faces. Worst of all, he remembered the ShinRa. Angrily, he stamped his foot, and tried to keep his mind on the task in hand.
He decided it'd just be easier to stand where he was. The rain had pretty much cleared up. Banging the megaphone against a wall, Cid held it up to his mouth, and then remembered to turn it on. It seemed to work a lot better like that.
"PEOPLE OF ROCKET TOWN!" he started. Yes… that was damn loud… "I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH A PROPOSITION." Cid wasn't used to talking in such fancy language, but he tried his best. "FOR MANY YEARS NOW WE HAVE SAT HERE, STARING AT OUR FADED DREAM…" He motioned towards the rocket with his hand. People were starting to come out of their houses. "AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED! IT WON'T CHANGE JUST BECAUSE WE STARE! ARE YOU BORED OF THIS SAD LIFE? WANT TO SEE THE WORLD? WANT TO GO SEE THOSE DAMN SHINRA SHIT-HEADS?"
He'd called them that on the day. They'd been there, with the crowd, but they weren't disappointed. Instead, their faces were full of malice, and some Turk at the back was sniggering. They'd never really believed he could do it… and he was determined to prove them wrong. Only to find that he couldn't. He'd vented his anger by yelling at everyone, shocking the town. Suddenly, there were ShinRa orderlies… and he ran away. He'd practically vanished, even away from the rocket. He tried to block the experience out of his head; it was the most shameful thing he'd ever done. Come on, Cid, he reminded himself. Come on. You've got a job to do. It was hard: there were just too many memories. He shook his head and tried to subdue his overloaded mind.
"WE CAN SHAPE OUR OWN FUTURE… WE CAN, WE WILL LAUNCH THIS ROCKET!!" He hoped it was true. "NOW WE CAN ALL SHARE THE WONDERS OF THE PLANET, AND GIVE OUR TOWN THE NAME IT DESERVES!! ROCKET TOWN FOREVER!!"
As he gasped for breath, loud cheering came from the crowd, although a few old, haggled men at the back mumbled curses. Cid ignored them, as he'd been doing most of his life. Looking over to his doorway, he saw Shera staring mournfully at him.
"You're coming too," he mouthed to her. She shook her head.
Grabbing the megaphone, Cid started again.
"ANYONE WHO FEELS THEY COULD BE OF USE TO THIS EXPEDITION… DAMMIT, ALL OF YOU, FOLLOW ME!!"
Cid jogged back to the house, and confronted Shera, a crowd of eager adventurers hot on his heels.
"You're coming," he stated. She couldn't be bothered to argue with Cid, not now he was so determined.
"Looks like I'm coming," she observed. Cid grunted, and turned to face the crowd.
"NOT EVERYONE CAN COME," he announced. "THIS WILL BE A PERILOUS, AND AT TIMES OUTRIGHT PANTS-SHITTING JOURNEY." Some of the younger and weaker volunteers walked away. "I'M GONNA HAVE TO INTERVIEW YA… IF Y'ALL STILL WANNA COME?" The remainder of the crowd cheered once more.
"I'll let them in one by one," said Shera.
"You know me too well," replied Cid as he walked inside to set himself up. It was a lie.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
The first candidate strode in, a confident smile on his face.
"Okay, what can you do?" demanded Cid bluntly.
"I run the weapons store. And armory," he replied. He was well-built, tall and clearly strong.
"Can you make weapons on the go?"
"Sure, easy," he shrugged. "And I can carry heavy loads… and fight monsters."
"Mmm-hmm," pondered Cid. "You're aware that the monsters we'll be fighting are a little different to the ones on the plains around here?"
"I've travelled to the house of my colleague, past Gongaga, before this. Alone," said the armorer smugly.
"Yeah… lose the fucking self-satisfaction and you're in," answered Cid casually. The man looked surprised, but not at all offended.
"…okay boss."
Cid looked at him disapprovingly.
"Name?"
"Garren."
"Right, Garren… meet here tomorrow at dawn, got it?" The man nodded. "Next?"
It continued all though the day, with Cid interviewing and Shera blandly showing the potential candidates in and out. Cid'd noticed how she was always bland now… but he had a job to do. Maybe he'd confront her later.
Finally, he'd narrowed it down to ten, and after Shera'd shown the last candidate out, he spoke to her.
"You don't want to come."
"Dammit, am I that transparent?" she replied bitterly. Sarcasm… at least she was showing some emotion. Their eyes met. "It was never my choice." Cid didn't think that she was only talking about this occasion.
"We need you there, Shera."
She looked hard at him: he hardly ever used her name.
"Whatever."
"No, really. We do."
Shera's mind leapt as she realised that Cid – strong, immortal Cid – was pleading with her. Sensing an ulterior motive, she concealed her feelings.
"I'm coming, aren't I? You said it yourself. I'll be there, whether I like it or not. Why try to convince me now?"
"You may as well enjoy it…" Cid stumbled. "I mean, while you're there. It's… it's only fair on you, and we can't have you… well… angry, like now."
She grimaced, concentrating on his lack of tact, rather than the obvious second meaning: if you don't enjoy it, your misery will make me miserable. Effectively, your happiness makes me happy.
"We'll see," was all she could muster as she shut the door in Cid's face.
Cid looked down at the flower he'd almost stepped on, but guessed at its reply and couldn't help but chuckle at the irony.
"She loves me not."
Well...? If you got to here, you've either read it all, or scrolled down lazily like I'd do in this situation, in which case I suggest you go up and read it. Please? All I wanna know is whether I should continue. Luv Crimson ~forever howling at the moon~