Chapter 2: the battle unlooked for

Although Kalms weather was bright and shiny, Rocket Towns weather was rain, rain and, in all fairness to the great mother nature, more rain. A few people didn't mind, though, one of these people being Cid Highwind. Cids legs were sticking out of the bottom of his newest masterpiece, an all-terrain buggy. A loud crash followed by a few smaller crashes could be heard from within and the buggy noticeably sagged on one side.

"$£#!" Cids slightly muffled voice boomed.

"What's wrong?" Yuffie Kisaragi, who was staying at Cids house after a more heated than usual argument with Godo, asked. Cid snorted.

"The $£#ing a-arm wasn't strong enough!" He roared, forgetting the fact that Yuffie didn't speak 'car.'

"The what?" Yuffie said as patiently as possible. Something that looked like a pole, bent into an 'L' shape, flew out and landed practically on her foot.

"Go to the garage and get another one, but make sure it aint as weak as that shit." Cid mumbled impatiently.

"Do I look like your assistant?" Yuffie said indignantly. Cid pulled himself out from under the buggy and stared up at her.

"Hey, you made a $£#ing promise, remember!?" He said, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"Uh..."

#Flashback#

"Shera, Yuffie, I'm going out to do some work on the buggy!" Cid shouted into the kitchen as he zipped up his jacket and prepared for the harsh weather.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Yuffie said as she leapt over to him from halfway across the room. Cid blinked in surprise. "I'm bored, let me help!" She said as she looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. Cids eyes narrowed.

"Eh?" he snorted. "Your wanting to work on MY buggy, forget it!" he snapped. Yuffie cringed at his harshness.

"Pretty please, with sugar on top and an Ifrit materia!" she pleaded, clasping her hands together and giving him her most pleading look. "I promise I wont break anything and I'll do whatever you say!" She gave him a childish thumbs up with a grin. Cid thought about it for a while, but then he grinned, whilst stuffing a cigarette into his mouth.

"Alright, Brat, grab a coat!" He pointed to the coat hanger, then turned to an amused looking Shera. "Shera, smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!" He said loudly, before spinning around and strutting out the door into the rain with a boisterous Yuffie close behind. Shera scratched her head, trying to figure out his last comment.

#End Flashback#

"And here's me thinking you ninjas always keep your $#£ing word!" He said in a happy 'I've got you right where I want you' tone. Yuffie sunk in defeat.

"Fine, fine, whatever." She mumbled, walking back into the house with her shoulders slumped in a mock hurt fashion, Cid wasn't buying it though.

"And get me my cigarettes and my lighter while you're at it!" he called after her retreating form, a faint curse ensured him that he had been heard. Cid pulled himself back under the buggy and started screwing one of the stabilizers into place when he heard someone approaching with a few faint metallic noises.

"$£#, Yuffie, that was quick. Hand me the arm will ya?" he said, as he stretching his arm out from under the vehicle. There was silence for about 10 seconds. "Yuffie, stop #£$ing abou-" He pulled himself out and looked up. Looking down at him was an old man, unlike normal old men though. Old men usually didn't wear weird black armour everywhere except there heads, and they weren't taller than Barett, and didn't have elf-like ears and eyes like gimlets. What struck Cid the most was the red orb glowing where the old mans heart and lungs should have been.

"Cid Highwind?" The old man asked in a less than friendly tone. Cid stood up to his full height and then wished he was taller, as he had to tilt his head backwards to meet the old mans stare.

"Yeah, that's me, old geezer." Cid said as casually as possible under the circumstances. The old mans mouth, as much as could be seen between the white moustache and long white beard, turned downwards in a deep frown of annoyance.

"I am in search of a man named Cloud Strife, and you are going to tell me where I can find him." the old man stated levelly. Cid forced himself not to flinch a muscle.

"Why do you think I know where this Clod Stife lives?" Cid said, happily slipping into 'I-know-shit-as-long-as-I'm-talking-to-you' mode.

"It's Cloud Strife, and don't play dumb, Highwind, if you can help it." The old man said maliciously. "The old gentleman in town told me everything I need to know about your acquaintances."

"Old Harry talked!?" Cid said angrily. A slight sneer was evident on the old mans face. Cid had decided that he didn't like this old geezer, and didn't want to point him in the direction of one of his friends if he could help it. "I ain't telling you shit, old codger." Cid said, taking a quick step back and preparing himself for a fight. Cid wished he had his spear on him at the moment, as he didn't like the thought of fighting this strange old man bare handed.

"Hey, Cid, what's going on!?" A familiar voice called behind him. Cid didn't take his eyes away from the old man, but felt relieved anyway.

"Yuffie, this old geezer's after Cloud, I don't think he's after Clouds autograph, either." He said over his shoulder. Yuffie, meanwhile, was staring at the old man with slight worry.

"Cid, do you think we can take him alone?" she whisper-screamed at him as she removed the Conformer from her belt and stood close behind him. Only then did they realise the true danger of the situation, as the old man straightened up to his full height and outstretched his long, dagger-like fingers, his cape, darker than even his black armour, billowed out behind him as if on command and his piercing eyes flashed dangerously.

"You misunderstand my intentions." The old man said in a low hiss. Yuffie gulped slightly and readied her conformer. Cid readied himself as best as he could, picking up a wrench from his toolbox. Before anyone could move, however, the old man lifted his hand slightly. Cid heard a scream beside him and turned his head quickly to see Yuffie fall to the ground with the small lick of flames vanishing, she smouldered slightly on the grass but otherwise seemed almost unharmed.

"Yuffie!" Cid shouted as he leapt at the old man and brought the wrench down hard on the black armour, the clang of metal on metal filled the air and the wrench shook out of Cids hand. The old man looked down at the small dent on his shoulder and frowned slightly. Cid became aware that Yuffie was back on her feet. Yuffie threw the conformer directly at the old mans head, seeing this the old man held up his hand, palm outstretched. A white barrier sprung up before him and the conformer ricochet off it, although the barrier shattered from the impact. The old man was impressed, he hadn't expected such a powerful throw from so small a girl, he wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating her again. Cid was clutching at his left hand, his middle finger was probably broken from his earlier attack. Yuffie caught the conformer with practised ease and spin around for another attack when she noticed the air around her seemed to stir. She watched as a small tornado suddenly appeared and swallowed her for a brief moment, then everything went black. Cid watched as Yuffie was engulfed in a tornado-like attack and thrown backwards, she tumbled along the grass for a few seconds before coming to a stop, she didn't seem to be moving. Cid threw himself at the old man, who seemed quite pleased with his work.

"You bastard!" Cid growled as he punched the old man in the stomach with as much force as possible, bruising his knuckles badly as he did so but ignoring it. The old man swung a large hand rather slowly, which Cid ducked under, he brought his foot up, it was a clumsy blow but it had power behind it. The old man took an involuntary step backwards, he was getting tired of this game. Before Cid could do anything else, a large metal clad fist hit him in the centre of the chest. Cid became aware of himself spinning slightly in the air, until a crash beneath him and a sudden jolt of pain made him aware of his surroundings again. Garland, the old man, looked at his two opponents. He hadn't wanted to harm them badly, he needed information out of the pilot, Highwind. The ninja stirred as Garland walked over to the pilot, who was draped out on the hood of the strange vehicle he had been working on. A shriek of horror made him turn his head, a woman was standing in the doorway with a look of terror and concern on her face. Garland watched as she ran in front of the pilot and barred Garlands path. Shera didn't know what she was doing, only that she had to defend Cid from this assailant as best as she could.

"I have no need to further harm any of you." Garland announced, staring fixedly at the woman in front of him. "All I want is to find this Cloud Strife, as I have been advised to do."

"What do you want from him?" Shera demanded nervously. "Advised by who?"

"I was advised to seek him out, by a woman named Aeris." Garland replied.

A/N: Please review! I don't know what anyone thinks and I really, really want to improve my writing! To much detail? Not enough Detail? please tell me what you think and I'll try my best to change the way I write to make as many people as possible happy, I really will!

I know, I stole a comment from Red Dwarf: "Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!" :D