Chapter 8

"Follow me, Nefilim." Aeris began to walk away.

He looked down at the flower that the Cetra had given him. He carefully pocketed it, and then raced after her.

The two walked together in the burnt fields. He watched as she finally stopped at an area and kneeled down.

She bent down and pushed in a part of the ground. The burnt area slid aside to reveal a dark hole.

He peered inside; it was a long dark tunnel that he couldn't see an end to. "You want me to drop in that?" He asked incredulously.

Aeris nodded. "Everyone is hiding underground, except a few scouts. You don't expect us to be waltzing around on land while Jenova's here? Quickly, before she comes and discovers our hiding place."

He shrugged his shoulders and took a deep breath. He then jumped in, watching in fear as the darkness engulfed him.

She tricked me! Was his last thought.

-----

"Alright, we need Red, Yuffie, and Cid over here, immediately." Said Cloud. "Tifa, would you call Cid and get him to pick up Red and Yuffie?"

"Sure." Tifa picked up the phone and speed-dialed Cid's number. She waited patiently for Cid to pick up the phone because he would usually wait until the eighth ring.

"What the hell do you want?" A gruff voice came over the phone. "I f---in' swear, if you're one of those d--- telemarketers…"

"Cid?"

"Oh… uh is that you Tifa? Sorry about that. I've had a problem with telemarketers lately. Those d--- annoying callers never know when they've gone too far." Cid sounded embarrassed. "So, what did you want?"

"Would you pick up Yuffie and Red and get over here? Vincent has some urgent news." Tifa said.

"Vincy has urgent news! F---! He's always the bearer of d--- bad news!" Cid cursed. "Yeah, I'll get the two kids along the way here."

"Thanks, Cid, you're awesome."

"Yeah, yeah, right." Cid hung up the phone without saying a goodbye.

"Uh… bye?" Tifa said as she stared down at the phone. Then shook her head and hung it up.

Cloud looked at her intently. "Yeah, Cid's getting the two others right away." She said.

"Good."

-----

"F---in' d--- s---!" Cid yelled as he struggled to get his boots on. "Shera!" There was no response. "D--- it, Shera! I gotta get to Cloud's house! Urgent business alright!"

"Alright!" came Shera's voice from another room.

"Jeez, what the hell kind of urgent news does Vincy have for us? Especially at a time like this? We beat Jenova and that d---ed silver-haired mutant. What now?" He muttered, snapping on one of his boots. "Ah, hell!" He ran out the door with other boot half on.

He got to the Highwind, huffing and puffing. Ain't young as I used to be. He thought, as he puffed. He then climbed up the ladder quickly.

When he was about to reach the top, he felt his loose boot slip away. He cursed and looked down, his boot was heading straight down. "Ah, s---!" He yelled.

He grinned mischievously when he heard a yelp of pain and a string of curses. "Who's shoe is this!"

Cid only laughed.

Later…

When Cid finally managed to wrestle his boot back from a man who cursed at him at about a mile a minute, he found that he had wasted twenty minutes. He snapped on his other boot and climbed up the ladder as if he had a flaming-hot skillet right below his behind.

He finally got into the Highwind and went in. This time, without losing a boot. He passed each of his assistants, that each snapped a salute to him. He ignored most of them and power-walked to the steering wheel.

"Sir!" the pilot saluted.

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered, giving a weak salute back. "Get to Cosmo Canyon and pick up the kitty, then Wutai and pick up the kid."

"Yes sir." The pilot snapped another salute.

-----

"What is taking Cid so long! It's been twenty minutes since you called him! With his piloting, he shoulda been her ten minutes ago!" Cloud yelled, sitting back on the couch, next to Tifa.

"Well, you know Cid…" Barret sighed, leaning back into his couch, gently stroking Marlene.

-----

"Hey, kitty!" Cid smirked as Red stepped aboard the Highwind.

"My name is Nanaki. You may call me that or Red, but not kitty." Red grumbled, swishing his fiery tail about.

"Ahh, come on kitty! Let's go, we gotta get Yuff." Cid yelled good-humoredly. "Hey, kid, step on it!"

"YAAAAHHHHH!" Red screamed as he was thrown back against the wall.

"YEEEHAAAA!" Cid yelled, laughing. "Come on, cat, can't take a little speed!"

"Yes I can take a little speed." Red said, getting back up. "But this is just insane!"

The seasoned pilot just laughed.

Ok... this chappie was kinda weird... but i'll try and finish the next one quickly! And still I've changed Sephiroth's name from Destructivus to Nefilim!