Lady Luck Chapter 1, a final fantasy vii fanfic

A few requests:

If you are not a SheraXCid fan, please do not tell me. If you don't like the pairing there are plenty of other fics to read.

Please do not get all technical about things on me. I am not a mechanic or an engineer, so some of the lingo may sound off or redundant. This goes for characters as well, I tried my best to capture the essence of them but when I don't have a scene from the game to write from I can only use what comes from my head.

Thirdly some information may seem off but I did do my homework instead of making up a whole bunch of history. However, I cannot tell a story with out liberties so take it as is and I will greatly appreciate it.

Also each chapter is to be nine pages and this is the first of five chapters.

Thank you. And pleasant reading.

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Lady Luck

Chapter one

My name is Shera Olsen, and I'm afraid that my life is not nearly as exciting as others, but I feel that it bears being recorded. Up to this point I have seen and done things that I both cherish and regret with each breath. Allow me to start where I should... the beginning.

I was raised in Kalm, a small town on the outer skirts of Midgar, the monstrous city where the Shinra company's main base is located. Back when I was a child they were still a weapon development company, they were still super powerful but had "Works" tagged on the end of Shinra. I grew up an only girl of my parents, Lia and Jonas. My father was a mechanic and often employed me and my two older brothers to help him in his business. Much to my mother's feminine dismay, I took to it like a fish to water. I was quickly absorbed by any kind of engine I could get a peek at over my wide glasses. I tried to help my father long after my brothers had lost interest. I truly admired his patience with my constant questions and equally consistent presence. I barely noticed the children around me growing out of childhood into their teens, girls fawning over boys and boys gunning after girls. I would barely notice them over the top of my latest book on the newest wonders of electronic devices. It would even take a while until I noticed that I had changed as well. Now, I've never been a "looker" as my dad would say, but I am not an eyesore either. My brown hair tended to get matted with the oil and grease that I looked forward to wallowing in, and my outfits were also most at home in my father's garage. But regardless of my messy appearance I was beginning to become rather pretty, if I do say so myself.

I wasn't the only one who noticed, while I didn't get too much attention, there were a few boys that confidently strode into the garage and requested a tune up of a different nature. Boys. Maybe I should have taken at least one of them up on their more humble offers of dates, but I was far too busy in my own little knowledge thirsty mind. By the time I was sixteen I had surpassed my father in skill and understanding of not only the vehicles he worked on regularly but others that I had never even seen! I can honestly say he wasn't very pleased by this, and I guess I can understand why. He was very much in the mind set that it was a dirty job, a man's job, and prided himself on being the best mechanic in town. Now he was second to his fair skinned sixteen year old daughter. My mother was equally "thrilled" with my talent as well. Though she had given up hope of me marrying young and popping out grandchildren by the time I was eight, my fascination with my father's work was something she never came to terms with. Even to this day, though she may not be as vocal about it, she still lets me know in her silent way that she would rather have me be a house wife with no ambition.

It was clear to me by the age of seventeen there was nothing else to gain by staying in Kalm. I had read up about Shinra's programs and felt my future would be found in their ranks. After some careful planning, doing any odd job I could, and serious penny pinching I set off for Midgar. My parents were adamant in their disapproval, but the call of the world was too loud to ignore. I arrived at the Shinra headquarters and was met with less resistance than I expected. Actually I just had to mention I was interested in becoming an engineer for them and they practically swept me off to the barracks. I learned a lot in that building. I was commended on my skill but constantly reprimanded on second guessing myself and my constant recalculations. I was by no means the brightest engineer to grace their company but, I was not at the bottom of their list either. I spent years there, over looking and aiding in the construction of some of those wonderful machines I had read about. It was when I was twenty five when my life would take a change.

I'll always remember the day I met Mr. Palmer for the first time. I knew the company had begun a Space program, and had been devouring any source of information of it's workings that came my way. The company was currently involved in a full out war with a foreign land named Wutai, and were eager to get the upper hand any possible way. They, of course, wanted to explore the vast unknown but the possibility of having access to a tried and true rocket engine would certainly give them an edge on our own planet as well. The man that approached me was far from what I had envisioned the well respected Palmer to look like. He was balding and rather fat, he was smart but his intelligence was hindered with oafishness. He launched into a speech he had most likely given to many engineers before me, but my joy was not tarnished by the fact that he didn't take a personal shine to me. I, Shera Olsen, was offered a position on the Space Exploration team.

His watery eyes almost bugged out of his head when I agreed enthusiastically and hugged him. Chances were he had only noticed I was a woman when I spoke, not that I can blame him really. Compared to Ms. Scarlet, the gorgeous head of Shinra's weapon development division, I was about as attractive as a bowl of rusted wing nuts. But I didn't care, I was in. I got to get out of the city and travel to another continent. I had only a few days to prepare for my relocation but I was ready by then end of that evening, the days of waiting were torturous.

The day did come soon however, and I was the only passenger on a gigantic aircraft carrier. I was eventually told, only after I pestered the pilot relentlessly, that they were picking up a vehicle as well as dropping me off. While in transport in the massive aircraft I was given a stack of reports to read and was left to myself. I began reading the research of the man who I would be replacing. He went into great detail of the location and the numerous failed shuttles. He was an older man and his notes clearly conveyed this, he was not at all prepared to think as I had trained myself too, logically and unbiased. I began running possibilities of the causes of each failure through my head, and found after a bit of analysis that I had a 97 chance of being correct in most cases. After needlessly distracting myself continually, I came across a new section addressed to me. Well, not me per se but his "replacement". Here he described the man I would be working for. As I stated before the researcher had been an older gentleman and held a certain air of arrogance of many things. I began to feel the horror wash over me as my senior warned me of the young man who he believed would drag the Shinra name through the mud. He described the "Captain" as a reckless, foul mouthed, unorthodox, hooligan, that belonged in a day care center. I began to doubt my decision to leave the Shinra building, I wanted to tinker with something, tinkering always eases my nerves. I started painting grim pictures for myself, of a great bulbous man with green teeth and a mean streak a mile wide. I had always kept to myself at the head quarters and no one really bothered me, but this team was small and I was suddenly aware that if I didn't like them, there would be nothing I could do.

I read on. The picture twisted grimmer and grimmer. I was almost expecting a behemoth to be waiting for me at the base. It was when I read his name that my heart stopped for the first time. Cid Highwind. I was familiar with his work. In fact I had helped construct a few of his creations, what wonderful crafts those were. And I had heard from a bit of eaves dropping that he was in charge of a top secret project that would change the world of travel and transport. I couldn't imagine that the man who's blueprints made me smile with their brilliance would be the beast this old man would lead me to believe. Before I had a chance to wonder about the strange palpitations of my heart the transport craft landed smoothly at our destination. I quickly tucked away the file in my lab coat and tried to fight off the urge to run. The pilot informed me pleasantly that we had arrived and I heard a loud clank and felt the plane lurch ever so slightly to the side. A new voice paraded through the open window of the cockpit.

"What the hell are you doin' ya goddamn idiot! Look at what you jack asses are doing to this plane! The way your treatin her I wouldn't be surprised if she fucking blew out on your way back! I'll be like a pig in shit if ya let me fix her up for ya! Unless you wanna operate her from the bottom of that blasted ocean?"

I found myself cringing with the language the man used, but felt a smile creep over my face at the unmasked enthusiasm in his voice. This man loved being an engineer as much as I did. Judging by the teetering of the craft and the echo of his voice I believed he had leapt up and was hanging in through the cockpit's window. Which seemed impossible, this was an aircraft designed to transport other aircrafts, no one could jump that high... could they? I didn't have a chance to inspect the speaker as the hatch before me opened and a few scraggly men served as a welcome party for me. The one was unremarkable but the other was rather stocky and had a fixed scowl on his middle aged face. His beady black eyes scanned me and silently spoke the disgust of my gender. Given the information I had received I assumed this horrible man was the "Captain". My dread set in.

"H..hello." Was all I could muster.

The two men looked at me rather cautiously as I clumsily got out of the plane. I heard the pilot laugh from inside and wanted nothing more than to run back in . I wished they would say something... they just stared at me.

"Ain't I taught you ingrates anything! Say hello to the lady!" Shouted the voice from earlier. I turned my head to see a brief glimpse of a young man walk around the front of the plane.

"Hi." The two men said in defeated unison.

"You look tired, has the project been taxing lately?" I never was a good conversationalist.

"No." Sighed the unimposing man. "But the Captain has been."

My eyes must have widened in shock, because they both looked at me like I had been transformed into a toad. I couldn't believe that he would speak about his leading officer like that when he stood right next to him! But the man I had dubbed the Captain shared the same confusion of his comrade.

"You there, girl!" Came the gruff voice from the tail of the plane this time.

"Yes?" I shouted politely in response.

"You wanna prove to them why you should be out here?"

"Excuse me?" I was horribly reminded of the boys of Kalm making me offers I had to refuse.

"You go ahead and tell them what engine this beauty runs off of."

" Oil-cooling RG24-f type horizontal-facing 24 cylinder engine x4 with an ascending output of 8,240 horsepower." I rattled off the statistics confidently, because I had checked them three times before I embarked on the vessel.

There was a laugh. A laugh of genuine amusement and I felt so proud to have made this interesting man's point. When I returned my gaze to the men before me they were staring at me with their mouths hanging open. I furrowed my eye brows at the Captain in hurt puzzlement.

"Surely you must have known that I would know that sir? Why else would you agree to have me stationed here?"

Again they stared at me. There was movement to my right and the laugh came again.

"Shit, they didn't want ya here! I did!"

Now I am not by nature superstitious or a hopeless romantic. I thought the idea of soul mates was ridiculous, that true love was meant for story book characters. I knew for a fact that a little cherub did not fly around unloading arrows into people's hearts without medical repercussions, and I certainly thought that love at first sight was just an author's cheap trick of getting out of writing a courting scene. So how shocked was I when the handsome blonde man with burning blue eyes instantly stole my heart with his crooked cigarette laden smile? Completely. He had to be about twenty eight, and was breath taking. He wasn't a balding, bulbous mass of sneering evil, he was well toned, had a strong chin, and I was fascinated with him immediately. It took me a few minutes to regain my power of speech. He was almost next to me when I finally forced the words through my tight throat.

"You did?"

"Damn right! I heard about you through the grape vine lil' miss, and I'll be damned if I thought anyone would ever be able to make heads or tails of those blue prints I scribbled up. But here you are!" His blue eyes took me in with a silent smile, I wanted to drown in those eyes.

My brain was moving in slow motion, the words rolling over me and crashing into a pile for my head to sort out after it was done taking him in. He was close now and I could see that his dusty blonde hair was short and stuck up on his head, he held the front of it up with a pair of aviation goggles. His face was cut at pleasing angles and he sported a bit of scruff obtained by neglecting to shave for a few days. He had on blue shirt that fit him rather snugly and I could see he kept himself in excellent physical form. He wore a deep green pair of cargo pants and dark brown leather gloves. It was after my inspection of him that I finally realized what he said.

"Y..you're Cid Highwind?" I stammered, being completely flustered.

"One and the same. You can call me 'Captain' though, everyone does." He must have seen my surprise because he raised an eyebrow at me. "Not what you expected huh?"

"N..no. It's just I didn't imagine you..." I cut myself off before I said something that would make working for this marvel uncomfortable. I tried desperately to think of something to say, it was then my eyes fell on the pack of cigarettes tucked neatly under the strap of his goggles on the left side of his face. He traced my gaze and put a hand on the smokes.

"Being a smoker? Ah well, I know I can't smoke when I'm in Ms. 26, so I gotta make up for the time I'll be loosin'." He shrugged.

"Ms. 26?" I asked still a bit dazed from the somersaulting of my poor heart.

He motioned in front of me with a flair of sarcasm. There among the trees, beyond the small barracks, stood a half constructed, looming, space shuttle. I couldn't believe how enormous it was, it nearly took my breath away just looking at it. A smell I had come to love deeper than any fragrance since I was a child unexpectedly washed over me, the smell of oil and a hint of perspiration. I felt him put a friendly hand on my shoulder and a dash of crisp smelling cologne mixed with the already intoxicating scent, started my head spinning.

"Beautiful ain't she?"

I looked at him and found his eyes locked lovingly on the skeleton of what would hopefully be the first manned shuttle into space. He didn't say it then, but I could tell from just how he stared at the rocket that this was his dream. I foolishly wondered if he could ever look at me that way, which quickly made my face turn red. Thankfully, he was too wrapped up in his rocket and didn't notice my rosy cheeks.

"Yes, it's a real honor to be able to work with such a nice rocket."

"Ya hear that you shit heads? AN HONOR!" He snarled at the two men who seemed to shrink at his wrath, I was rather startled myself.

"Are you gentlemen on the project as well?" I asked them civilly, Cid's hand still rested on my shoulder and I could feel my skin tingle.

"These fuck heads? No way! Shinra just sent them out here so I could train them to fly the new craft I've been workin' on. Top notch stuff. Now they're all prepared and ready to scurry back to their safe little building. They've done nothing but fuckin' complain the whole time they've been here." That was the first time I had heard the Shinra building referred to as 'little'. I felt a bit guilty, but I was glad these unfriendly men were not going to be around much longer.

"Are you really going to work on the Gelnika Captain, or can we go?" Grumbled the stocky scowling man.

"Keep yer damn pants on Riley I'll fix the flyin' deathtrap! Be ready to depart in about twenty minutes..." He patted my shoulder lightly and I was lost in his blue eyes again. "Olsen you can go ahead and get yourself situated at the base. Just tell them who ya are and they'll show you where you'll be stayin'."

"Yes Captain."

As I walked on into the small patch of trees that partially hid the small group of buildings the Captain referred to as the base, I tried my hardest not to look back. I had never felt like this before, I was terrified and excited. I wanted to turn and watch him, wanted to see if he was really still there, that they weren't playing some joke on me, wanted to see if he looked any less handsome from so far away. I held my curiosity to myself and pushed on through the low branches.

I found a fellow worker, introduced myself, and he immediately greeted me with a warm handshake.

"Well well they finally twisted someone's arm into replacing old grouchy Roper eh? Glad to have you aboard Shera. I'm Donnie by the way, and you're gonna love it here. Come on I'll show you to your room." He opened a door on one of the cozy little buildings and led me down the narrow path, opening doors and introducing me to the rest of the crew as we went. There weren't many of us, maybe thirty one in total. All of them gave me a pleasant smile and I was so relieved that they seemed at ease and happy here. Even though I know it's ridiculous I took a count of how many female workers there were. I counted seven, eight including myself. I was not the most attractive of the lot either, which was again a ridiculous observation, but it made me a bit anxious. Donnie led me further down the hall and talked to me over his shoulder. "Everyone here is real great, we'll look after ya so don't worry about getting overwhelmed or lost or anything. You're one of us now, the Captain put you on the list of candidates personally, so we know you'll work out just fine here. You're going to love the Captain." My face twinged red again awkwardly. I knew that he hadn't meant that literally but, was that what I just felt being with him? "He's a great guy, he gets carried away some times but he's got a heart of gold under all that bark. Have you met the Captain yet?"

"Yes, he and I met at the Gelnika. I really am having a hard time believing that the infamous Cid Highwind is so... young."

"Where you expecting an other Palmer?" Laughed Donnie as he opened the last door in the building and waved me into my new quarters.

"I guess I was." The room had a bed, a window over looking the forest and a big wooden desk with a lamp on it.

"Well luckily for all of us, Palmer is one of a kind. Well I'm sure you want to unpack and get settled in. So if you need anything don't hesitate to ask anyone, it was nice meeting you Shera and I'll be seeing you around!" With that I was alone.

I don't really have too much that I hang onto. I have a good amount of jumpsuits already broken in with spots of oil and grease, some casual tanks tops and jeans, but I suddenly wished I had bought a nice outfit before I left Midgar. Which was completely wrong of me, I didn't come here to act like some love sick puppy. Plus, I'm sure he didn't feel the same way about me and who was to say he wasn't wearing wedding ring under those heavy gloves? I pushed all those silly emotions out of my head as I set to work making this room my own. I moved the bed around and had a hard time getting the desk to budge at all, it was heavier than it looked. By the time I was satisfied with the layout I was tired and sweaty. The sun was setting outside and I was ready to break in my new bed by sleeping a good eight hours. I had hung my lab coat on a hook by the door and was currently in a tank top and loose fitting slacks, I could feel the sweat dribbling down the back of my neck. I let out an accomplished sigh and heard a sharp rapping at the door. I mopped up my brow and opened the door and felt my stomach hit the floor.

"Evenin' I see your all moved in eh?" Cid stood out side my door his lips free of cigarettes and a large spear rested nonchalantly across his shoulders. He waited a moment for a response, I had forgotten how to speak again.

"Grbleb." Was all I managed to get out. He didn't seem to mind or notice.

"Well I know you're probably bushed but did ya want me to show ya around real quick?"

I grabbed my lab coat which had a secret mission to make me look like an even bigger fool by tangling itself up. I stood there under his patient gaze trying to find the appropriate sleeve for each arm. I felt like it took me an eternity to get into my coat properly even though it was more realistically only a few seconds. Would he think I was an idiot? Would he tell me to get on the next ship out of here? When I smoothed down the unnaturally difficult sleeves I saw he wasn't even looking at me, he absently wiped his nose and stared off down the hall. I didn't know if I was grateful or insulted. I took his distraction to eye the spear, it was well crafted and very menacing, he probably made it himself. It did have that Highwind look to it, but why did he need it?

"I'm ready when you are Captain." I was beginning to become annoyed at how uninterested he was in me. Was Kady, the raven haired mechanic five doors down, in the hall? He didn't take his eyes off of whatever had drawn his attention.

"Just a sec." He removed himself from my doorway and started down the long hallway.

Was it Selena the blonde from seven doors down on the right? I leaned out into the hall and saw him crouch down next to a person who was sadly sitting on the floor, their face buried into their knees. When I squinted I recognized the man Donnie had introduced me to as Nick. It was clear from his body language that whatever was bothering him was nothing to scoff at. I watched as the Captain spoke to him, I was too far away to hear what he was saying, but I could see how carefully he talked to him. What was it that Donnie had said, oh yes, under all that bark he's got a heart of gold. Cid said something and Nick let out a laugh, I felt a smile on my face too.

"Go on and get outta my sight before I gotta crack your fool head in." Cid stood and shifted the spear off of his shoulders. Nick stood and gave him a weak smile.

"Aye aye Captain." The lanky man moved on down the hall and entered his room, the grief no longer incapacitating him.

Cid turned to me again and put an impatient hand on his hip.

"I haven't got all night, god dammit."

"S..sorry!" I scrambled the rest of the way out of my room and met him in the passage.

There was a distance in the anger he feigned. I hadn't known him long at all but I was clever enough to see that he didn't like people to think of him as soft, and emotional. I wasn't even sure if I was entirely right, but judging about how he cursed constantly and shouted so often, I think I was pretty close. Now he was determined to put on the tough act again so that the new recruit wouldn't find him out, or maybe he knew I had a clue and wanted to be mean to cover his tracks. So he slung the weapon back onto his right shoulder, turned, and walked out of the building, leaving me to trot after him without a word.

The night air was cool and I was glad I put on my lab coat, not that it kept me toasty warm, but I wasn't shivering. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky and for the first time in years I could see the stars. It was so beautiful, like someone grabbed a ladder and secured millions of little light bulbs into a satin sky. The moon hung over the base, the rocket's structure etched against the brilliant white sphere, like it was coming to see what we were going to be jettisoning up at it in a few months time. The woods were full of the chirping of crickets and other happy critters, as the canopy swayed lazily in the light breeze. I almost walked into him, unaware that he had stopped.

"Don't get all distracted now." He pointed at a building a couple hundred feet from where my room was. "That's the Medical ward and rec room." His finger glided to a closer structure. "That there's the cafeteria." He pointed to a structure hidden in the dark shadows of the trees and night. "That's the formal conference hall, we don't use it really. Just when the big shots from Midgar grace us with their presence. We normally just hang out around the pool table and play a few games, you good at pool?"

"I'm good at geometry." I offered with a smile. His eyes tried to decide if that meant I could kick his ass or if I was terrible.

"Why am I not surprised?" The right side of his mouth curled into a half smile and I felt the strange flutter in my heart again. "Okay, so what else? Oh, the supply shed is behind the conference hall. Ya can find anything you need there, and next to that is the garage."

"Garage?" I asked eagerly.

"Yup, got some pet projects brewin in there right now, but the place is huge so you're welcome to do what ya please. Just don't go touching my babies."

"May I see them?"

"Now?" He took a cigarette out of the pack on his head and placed it in his mouth.

"If you don't mind?" I watched the match spark into life and the flames illuminate his face in it's dancing light.

"Maybe tomorrow Olsen, I don't feel much like having people praise me at the moment." His eyes drifted to the woods where they stared in unreadable thought for a moment.

"Um, Captain, can I ask you a favor?" I breathed, the smoke curling around my face.

"Shit you've only been here a couple hours and you're all ready wantin' favors?" He grimaced not taking his eyes off the patch of grass.

"I'm sorry. It's nothing." I said feeling a bit foolish. He sighed and the air was filled with a stream of smoke.

"Whaddya want?" He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.

"I..it's just... would you mind very much if... would you please call me by my first name?"

"Doncha like your last name?"

"Not as much as my first name, but I understand sir." His unblinking eyes shifted off me and I wished I hadn't said anything.

"Any more questions or requests?" He took a long drag from his cigarette.

"A few, actually."

"Well pick one."

I fought back the urge to ask him if he had a wife, or a girlfriend, because they were stupid questions that I was embarrassed to even think about. The moonlight caught the metal of his spear and it shone in my eyes.

"Why do you have that spear?" I asked, feeling that was a good question.

His response was another finger point.

"Them."

My eyes searched for what he was aiming at and I can honestly say it took me a whole of two seconds to understand. There was a flash of red wings and I saw the creatures moving soundlessly through the trees. I know I made some kind of feeble noise but I was too involved in trying to make them out to be completely frightened. From what the moon and shadows allowed me to see they appeared to be a type of dragon. They were a bit bigger than a man, the majority of their scaley bodies were green but the inside of their wings and a few patches on their squashed looking faces were a bright red. I took a few steps back, away from the woods.

"W..what are they?" I gasped.

"I think they're called Velcher Tusks, but I call em dumb fucks. They tend to stay away from us, they're stupid as shit, but if ya get in their way they can be nasty mother fuckers. So remember don't come out at night alone or without something ya think can take one of them out with." I looked at him and found his eyes all ready on me. I couldn't help it and I blushed, I hoped against hope that it was too dark for him to see. "Okay? We done?"

"They won't attack the barracks will they?"

"Not after I'm done with the bastards." He plucked the spent cigarette from his lips and stomped it out.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm gonna kill 'em..." He explained to me with a sarcasm I didn't appreciate.

"Alone? But you can't! They'll eat you alive!"

I got a full, heart felt scowl from him and I felt like running back to my room. He didn't give me a real response but started off toward the beasts.

"You just get your ass inside."

I hung back where he left me for a moment, he strode confidently toward the monster filled trees. My head was full of crushing worry and panic, my heart was beating painfully fast. I was being an idiot, I'm sure he thought I was, but I couldn't stand by and let him do this. I had only just met him, but I didn't want to be here with out him. My broken in work boots thudded soundlessly over the soft grass as I ran to stop him. I grabbed a hold of his left arm and planted my feet to stop him. He tried to shrug me off angrily but I held on.

"Get the hell off me!" His cobalt eyes snapped onto my pleading hazel eyes safe behind my glasses.

"Please don't do this..." I begged him. He looked annoyed and perplexed. Over his set scowl his right brow cocked up a bit. "You're out numbered and they're massive... please don't go alone..."

"Ya think I'm gonna get eatin' by those shit for brains?" I gave him no answer but he found it in my eyes. "You've been in that city too long..." He started suddenly and he glared out into the woods.

Hesitantly I did the same. Four pairs of red eyes were fixed on us, and were slowly prowling out to meet us.

"You might be an engineering whiz, but god damn you're stupid." He growled and ripped his arm away from my feeble grip. He held his spear at the ready and burst out into a dash. He had an odd sort of run, like his legs wanted to move faster than the rest of him and propelled themselves ahead of everything else. "When I finish these assholes you better not still be standing there!" He shouted.

I stumbled over my own feet but made my way quickly back. Within in a few feet from the entrance of the barracks, I turned. Three Velcher Tusks had lumbered out to meet him and he was fighting all of them. I watched in stunned awe as he swung his spear around and despatched them one by one. With one last strong jab the last beast was destroyed, it's body dematerializing and blowing away on the night breeze. I felt my hands pressed against my mouth, and I kept them there, I wasn't quite sure if I'd shout out or not if they weren't there. He suddenly whipped around to face me, he looked past me. The pit fell out of my stomach when I felt the beast's hot breath ruffle my hair. He ran at me full throttle curse after curse spewing out of him, I couldn't really hear what he was saying. The soft breathing behind me was the only thing my ears could register. My knees were shaking horribly and I wanted to close my eyes but I was scared stiff. Cid was only a few feet from me when the creature let out a bone rattling roar.

"Get on the god damn ground!" Cid screamed at me, and over my fear I heard him.

My knees gave out and I saw him kick off the grass. He shot into the air like a bullet out of a gun. Higher than I thought possible for a person to jump. He sailed over me and brought his spear down on the monster with a scream of rage. And just like that it was over. I could barely breathe, he straightened himself up and turned to me openly livid.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Can't you take fucking orders? You wanna get yourself killed? You might be dumber than they fucking are!" He seized my arm and wrenched me to my feet. I knew my eyes were wide and felt the tears building up. "Is your skull full of fuckin horse shit?" I felt the tears slide down my face and he stopped mid swear. I broke down into sobs the fear streaming out of me in hot tears and my shame in the form of my strangled breathing. Through my tears I saw him roll his eyes and let out a gentle sigh. "You all right?"

I could barely nod through the convulsions that kind of crying brought. His harsh grip failed and I covered my face with my hands as I hiccuped for breath. He patted my shoulder cautiously.

"Come on now, don't carry on like this. The big idiot didn't even notice ya. He was waitin' for me." When my ridiculous break down didn't let up he got annoyed again. "Well, it serves ya right for doubtin' me! Ya gotta a lot to learn and I don't plan on having to find another replacement! So get a hold of yerself all ready!"

"I...I'm sorry." I choked.

"Well... it's okay. But let's get you inside before you attract more of em."

I was so grateful that no one came into the hall as we passed. I didn't want anyone to see me like this, it was bad enough he had. I managed to compose my self to just sniffling by the time we got to my door. I wiped my eyes in embarrassment, he looked at me like I was the most confusing creature he had ever seen. I wanted to lock myself in my room and never come out, but before I closed the door he spoke again.

"Good night Shera."

I hesitated and he gave me a nod and walked away. I smiled softly to myself and finally got to go to sleep.