New Appreciations

Foundation of Flames

As he pulled his bags back up on to the Highwind, Cid turned to look one last time at the town that wanted nothing more than to forget his name forever. Yet, he knew he’d never forget them, and it satisfied him to know that, despite the fact that he was leaving, they’d never really forget him, either. But it wasn’t a happy satisfaction, the kind you get when you know you’ve done a good job. It was a grim satisfaction. Cid knew that he was leaving for good this time. He wasn’t coming back. Ever.

Shera called down to him from the deck. “Hurry, Captain! I’m worried what those people might do if you’re not gone when they come out to go to work!” “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming, shut yer trap.” “Yes sir,” she said cheerfully, turning around to pick up her bags and enter the ship. Muttering under his breath, Cid followed her down the stairwell to the cockpit. “Can’t for the life of me figure out why I’m letting you come along, Shera,” he said, mostly to himself. “Yer just gonna get in the way.”

Shera wasn’t listening, and Cid turned around, to see her staring at something on the desk. “Yeah, what’re ya starin’ at?” Cid suddenly realized what it might be, and ran forward…too late. Shera lifted the photograph and smiled at him. “Just dusting it off a bit. This place needs to be cleaned a little better.” She put the photo down again, and ascended the stairs to watch them take off. Cid picked up the picture she’d been looking at-a picture of herself that he’d kept there since he left the town. “Dammit,” he muttered.

Taking the controls, Cid launched the Highwind, watching the town disappear below him, in the rays of early morning. “God, I’m gonna miss that place,” he thought. “No, you won’t.” Shera was behind him. “Who’re you to tell me what I will and will not do, huh??” She smiled. “No one. I just know you. You won’t think about that town much again. It’s behind you.” She stood behind him and watched him steer for a while, shuffling her feet and looking around. “Jes say it,” he muttered. “What’s up?”

“Well…I was…wondering if you’d let me…er…learn to fly the ship?” Cid started. “Wha-WHAT??” “Just a thought,” murmured Shera. “If I learned to fly it, you could have some time to do other things. Give you more time to yourself. Only a suggestion.” She turned to leave. Cid coughed. “Hey, uh, you wanna learn or not? Can’t teach you if yer on the other side of the ship.” He sounded irritable, but Shera beamed at him. “Yes, sir!”

* * *

“YaaaaAAAH! Watch where yer flying my ship, girl!” Cid grabbed Shera’s wrists and executed a near-miss maneuver around some cliffs. “Sorry, Captain.” Shera looked sheepish. “You gotta have a gentle touch with the controls, no wild jerky movements, or we’ll crash. ‘Ere, lemme take over for a while, you’re getting there.” Shera stepped back and let him take the controls. “Thank you.” “Mmm?” He looked over his shoulder. “For what?” “LOOK OUT!” “Huh?? AAAAH!”

While he’d been talking, they’d lost more and more altitude, until they were staring right into the face of the cliff Cid had avoided earlier. Cid pulled back on the controls, but they didn’t seem to want to respond. There was no way around it, he knew they were going to hit. “Hit the deck!” Cid pushed Shera down onto the ground and shielded her from the glass and other objects he knew would be flying in a minute. There was a huge tremor, and a splintering of glass as a huge reverberating crash went through the entire ship. It plummeted into the forest below.

When they hit the ground, everything was on fire from the impact. “Dammit, Shera, get up!” Cid yelled. “We gotta get outta here!” She pulled herself to her feet and ran forward, coughing with the smoke and the flames all around her. “Let’s GO! C’MON!” He pulled her along with him as he dodged falling debris, trying to reach the doorway and get away from the burning Highwind. The light shone in through the broken doorway, and he threw himself outside, rolling in the grass to get away from the flames, pulling Shera with him.

Go on to Chapter 4