"God damn rust bucket....piece of shit!"
The curses eminating from the belly of the highwind could only have come from one man.
"Fuck! Can't believe this...damn it!"
That one man was Cid Highwind...
"Shit!"
Member of Avalanche and the wielder of a vocabulary made up mostly of obscenity, Cid could weave a conversation made completely of curse words almost as well as he could fix anything Mechanical.
Despite his tendency to curse Cid was probably the most happy man in Midgar, pausing from his work and cursing he looked at the ring that he now wore on his left hand.
"Who woulda thought..." Cid said with a smile "That she'd say yes"
Shera had made him the happiest man on the face of the planet...and their Honeymoon at the Gold Saucer...well that was a story for another time.
Cid grinned lost in thought until a panel he'd been working on suddenly sparked, jumping in surprise Cid banged his head on the underside of the panel he'd been working on.
"Fuck! Shit! Damn it!"
He cursed rubbing his head and crawling out from under the panel...
"Ok...Ok...Tone it down Cid...If Shera hears you cursing like the old fool you are not even Avalanche can save you..."
Shera had laid down a firm no swearing policy, it was a far cry from the days of freedom Cid had once enjoyed, his smokes were harder to find now...Tea was plentiful but the occasional beer Cid had once enjoyed had dried up...and his collection of...Adult Magazines had mysteriously vanished...Cid who had stared down Sephiroth himself while the planets fate had hung in the balance didn't have the courage to ask Shera where the....Literature had gone to.
But perhaps the most difficult change married life had brought about for Cid was the dreaded swear jar.
Enforced by Shera with an iron fist the swear jar had consumed a hefty chunk of change since its arrival.
"Three Hundred fucking gil..." Cid said mournfuly "What the hells she gonna spend that money on anyway? Could start up a college fund for homesless kids with all that spare cash layin around..."
CLANG!
Cids muttering ceased as the loud crash echoed from somewhere in his ship.
Still amazingly agile for his age Cid was on his feet in an instant, working with his ship as long as he had he possessed and intimate knowledge of every creak, groan, and odd noise that she made, if his ship hadn't been a living breathing human being then Shera might have accused him of having an affair with it...but some things about the old pilot could never be changed.
Cid strained listening for the slightest sound...his ship was deathly silent.
Reaching for his weapon he cursed realizing he hadn't taken it with him when he'd come on board, moving silently across the deck of his ship he paused...
There!
The sound of footsteps padding softly above down the stairs...towards him.
It couldn't be the kids, Cid had struck the fear of god into any nieghborhood children who entered his ship without permission, and he'd given no clearence for the little buggers to come on board today, Shera knew enough to call ahead first and let him know she was coming on board...
He'd given his crew the day off...
So then who the hell was on "His" ship!
Grabbing a metal pipe about the length of his arm Cid tested it...it would have to do.
Creeping out the door Cid went over the mental map of his ship he kept in his head, there was only one way to come down those steps, only one way into the cockpit...which meant he'd see his mystery guest in a matter of seconds, crouching Cid lay in wait...the soft footsteps grew closer.
The figure made it's way down the stairs, Cid saw whoever it was was dressed in tattered rags and clutched a small sword in his hands.
(Since when do the local Hobo's carry swords?) Cid asked himself rising quietly, so far the man hadn't detected his presence, Cid gripped the metal rod firmly and prepared to swing, stepping into the light he noted with satisfaction he'd caught the bastard by surprise...probably thought he was being nice and quiet...Cid swung the rod intent on breaking necks and asking questions later...
"CIIIIIID!!!"
"SHERA!"
Shera's panicked cry caused Cid to lose his momentum, his swing went wide and the ragged man ducked under it, the force of the metal striking the wall jarred it from Cids hands, he let it go with a curse as it crashed noisly to the floor.
"SHERA!!" Cid cried again as the figure closed in raising its sword
"Who the fuck are you!" Cid snarled looking for some way to get around the ragged swordsman...but the man remained silent, blocking his way...it appeared the only way to get to Shera would be to go through this one.
"Get out of my way!" Cid growled stepping forward, the swordsmans blade darted out quickly and Cid stepped back.
Cid had learned a thing or two about swords over the years, Watching Cloud and even Sephiroth in battle had given him a healthy respect for Swordsmanship...and he knew enough about it to know a sword was dangerous in anyones hands as long as they were quick enough...The ragged sword wielder was fairly quick but there was something sluggish about him, as if he was tired, his pale skin and dirty hair made for an unkempt appearence.
"A Warrior who has no respect for his body has no respect for his weapon" Cid recalled Clouds words from almost a year ago before the poor kid had vanished.
The swordsman was quick...but he couldn't hold a candle to Cloud.
"Well come on then asshole..." Cid growled stepping forward, the swordsman swung again much like he had the previous time, and this time Cid was ready for it, ducking under the blade he countered with an uppercut that shattered the ragged man jaw with an audible snap, bringing his knee up into the mans gut Cid doubled him over and shoved him face first into the floor, his adrenaline flowing he raised his boot and brought it down on the back of the mans neck.
CRACK
Pausing only to pick the sword up off the ground Cid rushed up the stairs
"SHERA!" he called out "SHERA TALK TO ME!"
Silence greeted him and it made him all the more frantic, his cool composure was beginning to crack.
It made him all the more careless...
He never saw the blow coming as he rounded the corner, it crashed into his nose and sent him tumbling to the floor by the sheer force of it.
Looking up through eyes blurred by pain Cid saw another man dressed in rags standing over him...but this man was much larger, and looking into his eyes Cid saw no trace of the sluggish swordsman he'd faced downstairs, though his flesh was pale his eyes were aware, every move was quick and calculated, and the sword he held in his hand was rocksteady.
Cid knew he was out of his league immdiately.
"Cheap shot...Motherfucker"
Cid growled getting to his feet ignoring the blood flowing from his nose, raising the sword he yelled and ran forward, The ragged swordsman smirked and held his ground, as Cid swung the sword down with all his strength, enough force to sever the mans head from his body.
But to Cids astonishment at the last second the mans blade jerked up blocking the blow with ease as if it had been weilded by a child, Cid was even more amazed when the blade shattered in his hands, before he could recover the ragged man kicked him in the chest, Cid staggered backwards and crashed through a door, tumbling until he struck a cabinet Cid tried to shake of the fog creeping over him...he'd never been hit that hard by a man!
Looking around Cid saw he was in one of sevral cabins...this particular one Cid knew well, well enough to know exactly what was in the cabinet behind him, pulling himself up he cringed as he felt the agonizing burn of a broken rib, drawing in quick breaths Cid opened the cabinet door and wrapped his hand around what could possibly be his last chance...
Suddenly a hand on his shoulder spun him around, With all his strength Cid backhanded the ragged man, Quick and silent as he may have been the man wasn't expecting the blow that rocked his head and sent him staggering back a few steps, he quickly shook it off and turned back to the Pilot...only to discover the old man holding a shotgun leveled at his chest.
"Here's a...cheap...shot...for you...asshole!" Cid panted
BOOM!
The ragged man flew backwards and out of the cabin landing in a heap on the floor, Cid stalked after him ejecting the empty shell from his weapon.
"You sorry sack of shit..." he panted fire burning through his body with every breath he took "No one messes with Cid Hi...." his words died in his mouth as he gazed down on the body.
There was no blood...
"What the...hell?" Cid leaned forward cringing as his chest burned...the pale body was bloodless...and to Cids horror the shotgun blast that had shredded the mans chest was healing before his very eyes.
"Oh...shit..." Cid muttered as the ragged mans eyes snapped open.
Cid staggered back reaching into his pocket for another shotgun shell but the ragged man moved with inhuman speed tearing the weapon from Cids hands and ripping it in half, with a hiss the creature was upon him...
Cid grunted as the creature landed a blow to his chest...and then to his head, Before Cid could even recover from the blows he found himself hoisted overhead and hurled like a ragdoll back into the office, he flew through the air his mind trying to make sense of what was going on before he crashed through a table, he heard a snap and screamed as his arm was broken.
Cut, broken, and bleeding Cid struggled to get to his feet
"Shera...god...damn it..." he cursed trying to find the energy to pull himself up with his good hand, after a moment of struggling he managed to get to his knees but it took the majority of his strength...looking up he saw the ragged man standing over him...the same defiant Smirk on his face.
"Well go on then...bastard...get it over with..." Cid said swaying on his knees
The ragged man gazed down at him for a moment as if Cid was beneath him then stepped forward.
Cid took a deep painful breath and summoned up the last of his strength, with all the will he could muster he drew his hand back and...Punched the ragged man in the groin.
The ragged man stopped abruptly and gazed down at Cid with a look of surprise on his face, though it appeared he wasn't in pain the man looked at Cid with a raised eyebrow.
"Was...Worth...a...shot..." Cid croaked
The ragged man backhanded him lazily and sent him crashing back to the ground, kneeling over Cid he drew a wicked looking dagger from his belt and placed it against the pilots throat, Cid felt the cold kiss of steel against his throat, his head swimming he knew he was going to lose conciousness anyway, and he couldn't even find enough energy to spit in the bastards face.
"Lotus! No!"
The ragged man halted and immdiately jerked the dagger away, awareness fading Cid couldn't help but think the voice sounded...familiar.
Another figure entered the room
"The woman is secure...the master wants this one left alive"
Lotus rose to his feet and bowed his head
"As you wish" he said quietly, his voice reminding Cid of a snake
The figure was cloaked in a black robe but as it moved into the light Cid could dimly make out it's face...
His eyes went wide...
"You..." he groaned "But i don't understand..." he closed his eyes intent on opening them again...but he never did.
AN: You might have noticed a little swearing here...Wouldn't be Cid without the cussing, and i trust since you've read this far Faithful readder that you know i'm not just about cussing and violence...I r can have class too...
More mystery characters here, and while i haven't revealed them i assure you faithful reader that you know them all, except Lotus who's a character i threw in there.
I hope you've enjoyed these three chapters in one sitting, chances are it's all i'm going to be able to post for a little bit, but with your patience i will continue to press on when i can and we'll get through this story together, I having fun writing and you (Hopefuly) having fun reading.
-Lotuss