Chapter IV

Stale Krakerz

Disclaimer: Yep- Nothing but Harper and the idea for this story is mine.

Unimportant Author's Note: Sorry, but someone will be zombified soon. You see, this person revealed an evil plan and that's against the rules…Right? Most of you nice readers have nothing to worry about.

Cid and I got back late, due to his meeting an old friend from the abolished space program. Talking for eight grueling hours, he put the most talkative woman, Yuffie, to shame. By the time we got back, Vincent was the only one who was awake.

"How was yer food?" Cid asked as we walked in.

"What food?" a voice from the kitchen asked.

Cid's head jerked in the direction the voice had come. "Who's there!" He reached for an old spear which was mounted on the wall.

I stopped him, "Cid, it's Vincent."

Cid lowered his arm and walked to the kitchen. "What are you doing up? Do you EVER sleep?"

"I slept enough last night," Vincent replied.

"Oh."

Vincent blinked as I walked in, but the rest of his expression was hidden by the neck of his cape. "Was the food good?" he asked both of us.

"Mine was wonderful, but Cid threw up his sushi," I answered and leaned on the wall.

"Darn thing was undercooked, I already told you that." Cid sat down at the table and crossed his arms.

Vincent stared at him, "Cid, sushi is raw fish: they don't cook it."

Cid's face went blank and white. "I think dessert's commin' up!" He darted from the kitchen and out of the back door.

I laughed quietly, went to the fridge and pulled out Cloud's almost empty bottle of Corona Extra. "Do you want some?" I asked Vincent.

He nodded, "I didn't think you drink."

I shook my head as I sat down across and to the left of him. "I don't. Well, in the literal meaning, yes. I do like Corona and stuff…but I get drunk about as often as I drink windshield wiper fluid." I poured each of us a small amount of the clear liquor.

"You don't seem as cheerful as you did last night."

"Oh? Well, it was a rough day."

"What happened?"

"As you know, Cid took me to lunch as a way of apologizing for this morning---thanks for sticking up for me…" I went on to explain the man in the restaurant, and the long talk with Cid's friend. "When they were finally done talking, we started walking back again, but that's when Cid threw up. To make everything better, a pack of stray dogs attacked us. Since I had no weapon, Cid insisted that I was helpless and grabbed a piece of shrapnel to use as a spear. Being sick and on his own, by HIS volition, it took him forever to fight them off."

"Hm..."

"What?"

"Cid's never been the knight-in-shining-armor. He must really like you," Vincent said.

I gave him a week smile and sighed, saying, "I don't know why. I'm just me." When he didn't say anything, I drained the small glass in front of me and struggled to swallow. "What did Cloud buy? THAT is NOT Corona."

Vincent smelled his, then poured in back into the bottle.

I sighed and cleaned up the glasses and put the bottle back in the fridge as Cid walked in.

He still looked a bit shaky. "I am never eating fish again."

Vincent looked at him. "Now that you've thrown it all up," he said, "you should eat something, or you'll only feel worse later."

"Yeah…here." I grabbed a box of crackers. "These shouldn't be too hard on your stomach."

"Thanks," Cid said. After sitting down and eating a few, he mumbled, "Stale crackers…oh well." and continued eating.

I laughed and stood up, "I'm gonna go to bed. Thanks for lunch, Cid. Good night guys."

After I'd left the kitchen, I heard Cid say, "She's odd" but no comment came from Vincent.

Note---Sorry it's short this time! Thankies to all the wonderful reviewers!