Chapter two! I know cid has a change of heart but don't worry!

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Cid had watched Vincent disappear hours ago into the gaping mouth of the crater. He had betrayed the team by not following. He'd betrayed the memory of the amazing young woman Aeris.

The one that hurt the most was knowing that he had betrayed Vincent. The one guy on the team that he actually cared about more than anything on the planet. More than the useless Bronco or the Highwind. More than the rocket and more than the precious stars above him.

The wind blew around him, whipping his face and causing dust to fly into his eyes. The sky had darkened, the moon had started to show, only to be blocked out by the oncoming fireball.

Seven warriors were making their way to their deaths and here stood Cid Highwind. The chicken hearted one.

The one who had boldly lied to each one saying how he was going into battle. Only to find that when it came down to it, he was a big coward.

He fell to his knees, ignoring the pain that flashed through them as he roughly impacted with the earth. His shoulders sagged, his weapon lay a few feet in front of him. Glinting in the pale moonlight.

He had been the voice of optimism when the team had been at their lowest. He had given them prep talks about how they shouldn't give up.

Now here he sat, waiting for his death while the others walked right into theirs.

You really are a coward Ciddy or cissy, the words of his older brother mocked. It had been years since the pilot had spoken to his family, he walked out just before he turned 15.

17 long fucking years…Cid thought bitterly, thought I'd be better off without them.

Dark thunder clouds gathered above him, making the air cooler and the wind more biting. The blonde pilot refused to move or even wrap his coat a little tighter around him.

Above the clouds, the huge fireball that had been dubbed Meteor bore down ever closer. All his fears and doubts were in that over sized pebble. Sephiroth had created that fire pebble, in the insane thought that he could become a god with it.

No matter how hard he tried to hid from it, it was there. Laughing at him.

He picked up a loose pebble an gazed at it, "I'm not a coward ya know."

"I mean, this aint like the goddamn rocket launch. There is no second chances," Cid continued explaining his reasons for not fighting.

The pebble did nothing, just as he expected it would. It sat in his shaking hand, vibrating gently with the motion.

"Screw this," he cursed as he threw the pebble back with the others.

He watched as the small stone bounced once and then landed. A single drop of rain fell on it and washed it clear of the dirt. Cid looked up into the sky, seeing only the metallic form of the Highwind filling his gaze.

His heart would usually fill with pride as he gazed on her form. Bring him some comfort but tonight, she didn't.

His pride had gone into the centre of the planet, thinking he didn't care for him.

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Vincent rolled to the ground, avoiding the blow the flying eyeball of a monster had dealt. He could feel his demon Chaos anger within him.

He drew out his weapon and aimed for the heart of the monster, hoping the shot would kill it. He was running low on magic and had no healing items on him.

Blood was flowing from cuts over his body. His right flesh hand had one across his knuckles from a previous fight, it stung as he clenched his hand.

"Why won't you die?" he muttered as the bullet tore right through the monster.

Yuffie stood beside him, leaping forward to slice the monster with her weapon whenever she had the chance. Cait Sith was out of the battle. The huge white mog being damaged from the surprise attack. The small cat that rode on it was valiantly trying to help in the fight.

His heart wasn't fully on the battle, part of him remained on the surface with Cid. The blonde had shown where his loyalty lay by refusing to join them. He couldn't believe how the blonde had lied to them all.

"Trust us to get the evil eye!" Yuffie moaned as she attacked the eyeball.

Vincent rolled his eyes, why did he have to get lumbered with the annoying child? Hadn't he atoned enough or was this still part of his punishment?

"Focus on the fight child," Vincent ordered, "I refuse to die listening to your whines."

"I was only saying," Yuffie ducked as the flying eyeball dived for her. She cried out as the monster clawed at her back, allowing for Vincent to leap on top of it.

He flexed his metal claw and grudgingly thanked Hojo for it. He plunged it into the soft part of the monster's neck, hearing it scream in pain. The monster bucked and threw him off before finally falling in defeat.

Vincent slid down the wall, pain searing across his shoulders and back. Tonight was going to be a long, for all concerned.

"You alright?" Yuffie crawled over to him, blood flowing from her wounds.

"I'll be fine," Vincent offered, "You?"

The ninja nodded, "I will be. Got any potions on ya?"

Vincent shook his head. His dark hair falling into his eyes. He rested his head against the cold wall, enjoying the coolness of it.

"I'm afraid not. What about you?"

Yuffie shrugged, "Nope, fresh out."

Cait Sith padded over, "My mog is outta the game…I'm near enough useless."

The cat sounded defeated and truly sorry. It hung it's white and grey head in shame.

"I'm really sorry."

Vincent said nothing as he gazed up, somewhere, Cid was heading back home to Rocket Town. Heading back home to Shera and the life he left behind.

Why? Why did you stay only to leave when you were truly needed? Vincent wiped a mixture of dirt and tears out of his eyes. It hurt to think about the blonde, it hurt more than even Lucrecia.

Yuffie placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Hey? You with us?"

Vincent brought his eyes back to her, "……"

The teen smiled awkwardly, what could she say? She knew where his mind was. The stupid old fart that was Cid. The team had been surprised when he failed to follow.

"We should get moving," she said finally, "Get to the second meeting point."

Vincent nodded, he stood slowly. He found that the pit of depression that he had clawed out of was slowly consuming him once again. He didn't care anymore.

Cait Sith watched Vincent with interest, the man was a yoyo when it came to love. He had the kind of love that he could only dream of and Cid was throwing it away by not fighting side by side.

But Reeve knew how badly the blonde Shin-Ra pilot had been burned by a lover. He had watched the blonde go from life-is-good to I-hate-my-life in the space of days.

Every time he looked at Cid he could see the fear of losing Vincent. See the reluctance to show how he felt.

"He will show up," Cait Sith offered happily, "He needs a little time is all."

Vincent ignored him, "We better move. Cait Sith, how is your mog?"

The cat rolled his eyes, "I told you. Useless in a battle, I can move it but only real slow."

"Then it is better than nothing," Vincent hissed.

Yuffie picked up the cat and placed it back on the mog. Vincent stalked over to it and pulled it roughly up to it's huge feet.

"We don't have much time," Vincent stated, "So lets move."

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Didn't think chapter two would be that fast……..

Hope ya enjoy it.