#cid highwind

Yes, but what about Cid in Yukata?!!!

While debugging the Highwind’s navigation system, Cid sees the reflection of an uncanny face in the glow of the monitor. It’s the asscrack of night, Shinra wants him dead, and now he’s alone with a monster in the empty airship corridors. But if that monster is who he thinks it is, Cid figures he might as well track it down. Since they’re both awake anyway, maybe the thing can help him fix the damn computer.

Picture: the group heading to the nearest tavern after a victory for celebratory drinks and Aerith being among them. Tifa, Cloud and Yuffie are in the corner booth as Tifa rants about the quality of the establishment. She’s pointing at a sticky menu and lecturing them on proper restaurant maintenance, cross-contamination risks, and why their house gin is basically industrial paint stripper.

Meanwhile, over at the main bar, Barret, Cid, and Vincent are sitting together when Aerith glides up and plops herself down on an empty bar stool.

Aerith: So! What are we working with tonight, boys? How’s their gin? Are we doing shots?

Barret: Whoa, whoa! Hold the phone, little lady! They only serve the real, strong stuff up here. This ain’t no place for you.

Cid: All the stuff they keep up front here is the strongest, nastiest poison on the planet. You wouldn’t be able to handle a drop of it.

Vincent: The path of indulgence leads only to ruin. Several of these concoctions possess an absurdly volatile alcohol content. It is not meant for the faint of heart.

Aerith: Oh, please. How bad can it be?

*Barret slides a black bottle across the counter. It has a skull and crossbones on the label*

Barret: This is what we’re currently trying to choke down, and frankly, none of us can stand it. Bitter as hell. It’s called Nibelheim Fire-Sap. Distilled from fermented pine and raw Mako runoff. Only the toughest bastards on the planet can drink it without throwing up a kidney. Cid over here already coughed up a whole lung.

Cid: I was clearing my throat!

Barret: And Vincent over there actually grimaced. Do you know how hard it is to make that man grimace??

Aerith, pointing: Oh, hey! I haven’t seen this stuff in years!

Barret: ...

Cid: ...

Vincent: ...

Aerith: Whenever I used to sneak out of the house back in sector five, the slum kids would steal bottles of this from the local bars. We’d pass it around while telling ghost stories!

Barret: ...

Cid: ...

Vincent: ...

*Aerith casually snatches the bottle, pops the cork off with her teeth, and takes a massive, unhesitating swig straight from the mouth. She swallows smoothly, and doesn’t gag, tear up or flinch*

Barret: !

Cid: !

Vincent: !

*She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand*

Aerith: Yup! Still just as weak as I remember. So! Who’s up for an arm-wrestling tournament?