Chapter Twenty-Five:

A/N: Sorry for the short chapters, but I really couldn't think of anything to write. However, the first FFVII "hero" debuts, and it's probably not who you'd think!

Pixie-Stixs: Yeah, it's Elena. She's a bit OOC (and is VERY much so at the end, which I haven't written yet), but it works for the storyline.

Gullwing Yunie: Thanks for the kind words about my summons. I felt that there should be more interaction between the characters and the GFs (kind of like Yuna and her Aeons in FFX).

Also, I'm taking a hiatus on writing Resurrection, but it won't affect my updates. (I'm written well into the 40s chapter-wise.) I have a killer English term paper coming up, and most of my attention will be there.

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After everyone else had gone to the passenger cabin, Tessa settled down in a corner of the cargo hold, hidden away by large crates. The floor was dirty and cold gusts of wind blew through the hold, but Tessa didn't feel like dealing with people.

She reached into her pack and pulled out a book without a title, but had the name Rydia embossed on the lower right hand corner. The book was an old treasure Tessa had owned for years and read several times as she grew up.

The book was the memoir of a woman named Rydia, a green-haired, alabaster skinned Summoner. It was unknown whether or not Summoners actually existed, and they were never taught about at Gardens. Tessa had only stumbled upon them when she found the book in her jacket pocket at Lotia Garden.

I first met Cecil and Kain after my mother died, Rydia had written. My village, Mist, had caught fire and I was loomed over her body crying. Cecil told me that he had killed my mom's Summon, a dragon made of mist, which caused her to die.

Hating them so much, I made my first Summon, Titan. However, being so young, I couldn't control it. Titan split the earth and I fell into a chasm with Cecil and Kain. I don't remember how long I fell.

After that, the next thing I remember is that I saw Cecil fighting men in a strange room. He killed three of them and the fourth ran away. He promised to protect me and said he would make up for killing my mother. I didn't believe him, but…

"What the hell!" Tessa heard a man yell from elsewhere in the cargo hold. She shoved the book back into her pack and stood up. Peering around the edge of a crate, Tessa saw an old man arguing with one of the men in blue.

"Do you know who I am, you stupid fuck?" the old man yelled as he jumped up and down. Dressed in jeans, a grey sweatshirt, and a blue jacket over the sweatshirt, his look was clearly "frumpy." On his head was a crop of blonde hair, which were spiked up without the obvious use of gel many people younger than he wore. Partially covering his forehead was a pair of aviator's goggles. "I'm Cid Highwind, the greatest pilot ever!"

"I understand, Mr. Highwind," the young man pleaded, "but you're still a stowaway."

"You're Cid Highwind!" Tessa said as she stepped out of the shadows. Her shock-soaked voice betrayed her stony face. "I'm a huge fan."

"Every-fucking-one is a fucking fan, you stupid bitch!" Cid yelled at her. "So, if you don't fucking mind, I have some shit to deal with!"

"Hey!" Tessa yelled back, her admiration quickly draining away. She walked over to him and stuck her face up to his as best she could. "I don't have to take any crap from you, Old Man! I want you to apologize, now!"

"You'll get an apology when hell freezes over!" Cid yelled back. "I don't even know who the fuck you are!"

"I don't even know why the fuck you're mad!" Tessa responded at the top of her voice. "But just because you're famous doesn't mean you can treat me like shit! I'll kick your ass if I have to!"

Cid threw his head back and laughed. "Girlie, I helped beat Sephiroth and saved the world from Meteor and Jenova. I don't think I have to worry too much about you!"

"Help!" the third person yelled out. "I need some help!"

"Are you willing to risk it?" Tessa yelled back, her fist raised in anger. "I'll do it!"

"Only the weak brag," Cid said with another laugh. "I'd like to see you try. I need a fucking laugh."

Tessa narrowed her eyes and tightened her fist. "You won't be able to laugh with a broken jaw!"

"Stop!" yelled another man in blue as he tackled Tessa, knocking her to the ground. She punched him in the head, yelling and thrashing as Cid laughed. Tessa broke loose, but before she could get back up another two men jumped on top of her.

"Don't forget about him!" Tessa heard the first uniformed man say as Cid walked away, his laughter ringing in her ears.

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"What did she do?" Xu asked with a sigh as two uniformed men pushed Tessa into the passengers' cabin. "Did she attack a crew member?"

"No, Ma'am, not exactly," one man said as the other pushed the sullen redhead into a chair. Tessa scrunched up her face and growled at him. He jerked back his hand as she snapped at it, her teeth bared. "She got into a fight with a stowaway: Cid Highwind."

"You attacked a global hero?" Xu's face registered a million emotions at once as she looked at Tessa, who crossed her arms over her chest and responded with a grunt.

"She didn't attack him, Ma'am," the second man said. "I was there the whole time. She said she was a fan, and he brushed her off. They got into an argument, and it was about to get physical when we interfered."

Phelan looked at Tessa with a smug look and she growled at him in return. He just laughed and looked out the window. Zell and Adette were exchanging looks in Tessa's direction and whispering to each other. Rinoa was clearly trying hard to keep from looking at Tessa, but it was evident she was listening to the conversation.

"The old bastard started it," Tessa grumbled at the two people in uniform. The men looked from Xu to Tessa and back to Xu, who merely shrugged. "Stupid men lying about me."

"Thank you," Xu said angrily as she looked at Tessa. "I'll take care of it from here."

"Yes, Ma'am," the first man said.

The two men were walking out the door when Phelan made a loud exclamatory noise. "What the hell is that?"

"Do you see something?" Xu yelled as she ran to the window. Tessa simply took the opportunity to throw a magazine she had found at one of the uniformed men. "Dear Hyne, we're doomed!"

"What is it?" Tessa yelled as she finally jumped up and ran to the window like everyone else had. She gasped when she finally saw what had drawn everyone else's attention.

Flying in the direction of the airship was a large dragon Tessa had seen earlier that day. Its sleek body was black with the skin of its wings a light blue. The redhead backed away from the window, her mouth wide open.

They sent it after me! she thought. They actually sent Bahamut after me! I'm going to die!

With her eyes still trained on the small pane of glass, Tessa saw Bahamut open its mouth. Its body grew as Bahamut sucked in a large amount of air, preparing to attack.

"Everyone, away gather around me!" Rinoa yelled. Tessa looked at her, stationary as everyone else moved. Rinoa raised her left hand and a clear, purple orb surrounded everyone but Tessa.

"Wait!" Adette yelled. Tessa didn't so much as hear her so much as read her lips, though. Rinoa looked at Tessa, her eyes wide.

Tessa glanced back at the window in time to see Bahamut release his Mega Flare at the airship. She raised her hands in front of her face as the blast crashed through the wall.