Chapter 3
Cid is bored, faintly frustrated, and trapped within his own head. He thinks he should be feeling a lot stronger about his situation but suspects his feelings are being suppressed. Just trying to think was like wading through the thickest molasses in history. While letting the circlet do its thing is easier, Cid refuses to give up. Cid also refuses to consider that thing a crown. It's more something a magical girl would wear. He is neither magical nor a girl, dammit.
He isn't even certain when they arrived outside Costa Del sol. They all had masks and that was itself was also weird. Upside, he didn't care if he looked stupid in the mask, the downside he was unable to care about much. Myth is also wearing his own mask, though Cid has no idea who it's supposed to be aside from looking like a dragon. Myth points to one of the larger Shinra boats still in the dock but looks ready to depart. Something about them catching it in time and it is ideal for moving their group. Cid's attention wanders over to the cute girls in their tiny bikinis. Wait, he is able to turn his head slightly to look at them. This brief moment of freedom is snatched away again when Myth orders them to take over the ship. So, Cid has to board the ship and get rid of the crew. They never told him to kill anyone though, so he proceeded to throw people off the boat. The sailors do try to defend themselves, making Cid fight them but they are just regular fellows and he is able to hold back enough not to spear them through. The group loads on the ship and immediately have them leave the dock. Further down the coast the rest of the load on as well.
Cid is left standing there and watching and waiting for an order. Cid figures maybe this is a chance to try and do something. Slowly, he forces himself to walk. His body actually responding though slowly. Not sure where he is going or what he'll do when he runs out of the ship. Then the sound of someone coming in his direction. Jonas finds him and looks very annoyed.
Jonas, " Highwind, follow me now!"
Unable to ignore the order, he follows Jonas to a cargo hold. Myth is already there, overseeing the room is cleared. Myth, " I bet getting rid of those sailors was just a warm-up for you, Highwind. "
Cid manages to actually answer, " Yeah. " Though the words sounded like he was very drugged up.
Myth is a bit surprised he got answered, " We are going to need to work you out a little. Nothing too bad. After all, you're a hero, right?" He summons Shiva, " Defeat her! "
Cid has little choice but to follow the order. The spell does help him Fight to his best ability. Every strike is the most effective to complete the order. After Shiva vanishes upon defeat, Myth selects Ifrit to be his next opponent. "Let's heat things up. "
His time on the boat is filled with resting, fighting, and getting fixed up to rest and fight things. Being kept in the cargo hold, he doesn't even know how much time has passed. He doesn't know why he is being forced to fight but there is heat over his heart and he is reminded of the materia within him. He just lacks the willpower to summon them. When it heats up, it feels as if it's sucking his own energy from him. At the same time as the materia seem to hum. By the time the boat stops, the materias' hum has become unison. Even with the gay magical girl headgear, Cid knows something is wrong with him. That last rest was not nearly enough.
He is soon ordered off the boat. They are at an island of considerable size. If he was in a plane or airship, he would have had a better idea of where this island sits. Ahead of them is a path that leads through dense trees towards the mountains that wrap around a bit of this place. Above the treetops fly dragons. They seem healthy enough for wild dragons and no sign of mako sickness. For the first time in a while, Cid feels a tiny bit of awe. Something about this place stirs a sense that he was once here before. Then it's gone...
They unload the boat with some larger beasts being used as guards. Cid though was ordered to help upload things. So he has to follow their directions but finds that if they don't give him a detailed enough order, he can slip in a tiny bit of free will. After a few accidents, they tell him to just stand there and do nothing. When it's time to move on, the group follows an old and hard to see the path. After some marching, they come across what looks like a group of stone buildings. Once again he is ordered to just stand there. As the sun is setting, Cid starts to push the mental fog again. He can only get a little bit of focus. No one is paying attention to him, so Cid looks up to see a dragon flying overhead. How he wishes he could fly away like that dragon. Then it looks down. Despite the circlet, he focuses all he has on the dragon. The dragon flies off and Cid feels the circlet once again dragging him back into the fog. Wondering if he imagined connecting with the dragon. Myth comes out, looking for him. Right before he can say anything to Cid... they arrived... Dragons flying down at the camp, shooting flames at the people were not expecting an attack. A claw snatches him from the camp and he is carried away.
~ To be continued
