The House on the Cliff. – Pt. I. Author: The Magic Rat. Rating: PG Pairing: Cid/Vincent. Warnings: Disturbing elements, discussion of child murder. Website – Ex Libris: http://www.winter-wood.net/ex-libris/index.html Live Journal: http://delaese.livejournal.com/profile Disclaimer: All Final Fantasy Seven characters, places and situations are the property of Square Soft/Square Enix and are used without permission and without intent of plagiarism or profit. Copyright for all stories and original characters is with the author, and may not be published, copied, distributed or archived without the author's prior written consent. Summary: Cid and Vincent leave Rocket Town behind and seek out a home in which to start a new life. The house they buy is a bargain, but did they get much more than they bargained for? Author’s notes: For all my FF-loving friends. Happy Halloween! I tried to make it Lovecraftian, but I’m not sure I succeeded. If you could read my mind, love, What a tale my thoughts could tell. Just like an old time movie ’bout a ghost from a wishing well. In a castle dark, or a fortress strong With chains upon my feet, You know that ghost is me. And I will never be set free As long as I’m a ghost that you can’t see… “If You Could Read My Mind” by Gordon Lightfoot It had been so long since Cid had seen him. Years, in fact. Whole decades. Not since the battle with Deep Ground that had left him weak and shattered, and ruined his health. He had been so pretty back then; wild and feral and shy, his hair and cloak blowing in the wind. Of course… Cid had been a little better looking back then, too. Vincent hadn’t come looking for help. That wasn’t his way. He certainly wasn’t going to wake up after a twenty year nap and come begging for so much as a cup of conversation. Vincent valentine had learned a long time ago there was no one in this life he could rely on, and he never really believed it when he was told he had a family now. Too much had been dragged away from him. Vincent trusted no one with anything as fragile as his shattered heart. Eventually… he found a little underground store beneath a collapsing shack near the City of the Ancients and simply stopped waking up, never noticing when his cozy little root cellar became a small pit of water, and the tiny shack above it slowly faded away over the years, until there was only Vincent in a water-filled depression. Cid had found him, by accident, while hiking up by the City of the Ancients. He discovered a wet lump of rags near the pool where Cloud buried Aeris, and on closer inspection realized he had found nothing less than the undead gunslinger, unconscious in the shallow depths of what had once been a simple clay cellar. Cid had pulled him out of the pool, carried him out of the woods to his plane, then took him home back to Rocket Town, where Vincent lay like Sleeping Beauty, cold and unconscious, for days. It wasn’t until Cid took his hand and called his name that the jewel-red eyes finally opened and gazed at him. “Cid?” Vincent asked weakly. “Yeah. Yeah it’s Cid.” Vincent reached up one bone-thin arm to lightly tug at Cid’s once-blonde hair. “You’ve gone all grey.” “Well that happens when you become an old fart.” He carefully brushed the faded silvery hair from Vincent’s face, hair that had once been as black as a stormy night. “You’re looking a little long in the tooth yourself.” “I know. I tried to die. I was so sick and alone…” Cid shook his head. “Why didn’t you come to us, Vincent? Come to me? I would have looked after you!” “I didn’t want to be a burden.” Cid rolled his eyes and sighed. “Numbskull. You’re not a burden, Vincent. We love you. And… and I wish I’d told you this sooner but… I love you.” “I know,” said Vincent quietly. “That’s why I couldn’t stay. I was afraid. The only person who ever loved me before…” “She didn’t love you,” said Cid softly, taking Vincent’s hand. “No. But I loved her. And I wanted to believe her when she said she loved me. And look what love brought me.” Cid smiled. “But that’s where she and I are different. Because I really do love you. I can’t do my job anymore, I’m just an old washed-up pilot. I want to spend my time now…” “Working on a lost cause?” “Being with the person I love.” Vincent sighed quietly. “I hope you don’t get upset if I tell you I may not believe you for a long time.” Cid grinned. “I can wait. Besides, you’re really cute with grey hair.” “You’d think I was cute no matter what.” “Especially naked.” “You may want to reserve judgement on that. Hojo…” “Is dead and gone, and no marks that bastard left on you is going to affect how I see you.” Cid ran his hand over the long wild hair. “Now you close your eyes and rest. Everything’s all right. You’re finally home, Vincent. No more dark pits, no more coffins, no more rain-filled cellars. You’re home.” “Home,” whispered Vincent, eyes blinking sleepily, and finally closing. “Home.” He sighed quietly, and did not awaken for the rest of the night. ***---*** Cid’s first decision was to get out of Rocket Town. There was really nothing for him there anymore anyway. His friends had moved away to Junon, which had a real airport and real job opportunities. And Cid had no desire to start a life with Vincent under the disapproving and judgemental eyes of his neighbours – people who had once respected him until failing eyesight rendered him “weak”. Well Cid’s eyes may not have been as keen as they once were, but he saw just fine. His first task was to find a house suitable for Vincent. Before they left Rocket Town they had to have a place to leave to, and Cid wanted something special. Something nice. Money wasn’t an issue; he’d barely spent a nickel most of his life. He had no need to. He had lived alone, his needs were few, and he had managed to acquire quite a nice pile of cash by selling some materia he had no further need of after his adventures with Cloud. The hardest part was finding a realtor who would listen to him when he said he wanted something isolated. Apparently the idea that an old fart in his sixties would want to live far away from other people was too difficult a concept for some realtors to grasp. He would get houses pitched to him on the basis of how much his grandkids would love it, on how it was close to parks and community centers, and in one instance a horrid ranch house that sat beside a major highway and a public beach was offered to him as a “cute little getaway.” Cid stood on the sidewalk and stared at the horror, then looked at the smiling realtor. “Okay I gotta ask – how fucking stupid are you?” The woman blinked. “Excuse me?” “How fucking stupid are you? Would you like me to put that in sign language?” “You asked for something private,” she said indignantly. Cid indicated the area, cigarette clenched in his teeth. “What about this is private? The highway, or the public beach, or the fact that the house is stuck in the middle?” “Well I just assumed…” “That I’m too goddamned stupid to know what I want when I say I want an isolated house and that somehow I am so mind-bogglingly retarded I will completely miss the fact that this dump is not only a fish bowl, it’s fucking ugly too.” She gave him a disapproving glare. “Mr. Highwind there is no need to be abusive.” “Look toots, I have one point five million gil to spend on a house, and if you can’t find me one I like, I can go give it to another realtor. Now let me repeat what I am looking for – quiet, isolated, and not a pressboard piece of shit. Think you can handle that?” She stared at him sourly. “Well there is one house…” “Show me. And it better not be another ranch.” ***---*** It was perfect. It was absolutely breathtaking. It was a beautiful gothic structure perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean, with a path that lead down a long gentle slope to the beach. It had wide, elegant gardens with stone sculptures, and inside it had window seats, stained glass, inlaid stone floors, gargoyles, and massive fireplaces decorated with carvings of ash trees, game birds, and hunting dogs. It was stunning. It was magnificent. It had to be too good to be true. “All right,” said Cid, cigarette smouldering between his lips and hands on his hips. “I’ll bite. Why has no one bought this place? Can’t be the price, they could ask another couple hundred thousand gil and it would still be cheap.” “I can’t imagine what you…” Cid gave her a cold look. “Look sister, am I gonna have to explain to you how not stupid I am again, or do I and my cash walk?” The woman stared at him angrily. “Fine. If you want the truth.” “No, I’m asking you to lie to me. Spill it.” “There have been strange incidences involving this house. The first happened a century ago, just after this house was built and the family moved in. A child vanished and was never seen again. One moment she was sitting on the stone walkway out front, playing, the next she was gone.” Cid raised an eyebrow. “Well… kids vanish. It’s unfortunate but they do.” “They never found a body. They searched for days. Eventually the stress drove the lady of the house mad. The day they were to send her to a hospital… she killed herself. The Master of the house sold it, and a new family moved in. For many years they lived here in apparent harmony. The three sons grew up, married, and had sons of their own. The eldest grandson inherited the house, married, and had a daughter. One night, for no reason, for no explanation whatsoever, her father murdered her, then his wife. After that the house went into the hands of the second eldest grandson, who, having six daughters, was not about to move his children into a place with such a tragic history. He donated it to the village not far from here, and they turned it into a sort of resort. Then… after thirty years, it fell out of fashion. The Gold Saucer opened and people began spending their money there. It was converted back into a house, and was bought by a wealthy woman who wished to have it for a summer house. She stayed for three days, then fled, never to return. And that, Mr. Highwind, is why this place is priced the way it is.” Cid nodded, then looked around. “Well… I think I’ll take it.” The realtor looked surprised. “Really? Just like that? After that story?” Cid shook his head, walking over to the fireplace to examine the carvings. “Seems to me all the victims were little girls or women. Me an’ Vincent are just a couple of old queers looking for nice place to fade away. No daughters, no sisters, no nieces. Just a couple of worn-out and slightly screwed up adventurers looking for a place to be together.” She nodded. “All right then. Let’s start the paperwork.” ***---*** “Cid you do not have to carry me.” “Uh huh. Says the guy who can barely get out of bed. You’ve been sick since I found you, I’m not making you walk up the stairs.” Vincent ceased his protests, bundled snugly in a dark blue velvet wrap, lined with satin. His arms were around Cid’s neck, his red eyes bright with interest at the beautiful house. “I can’t believe you found something so beautiful. It’s like something from out of a black and white movie.” “Well I had to make sure you had a home worthy of you.” “Yes a vampire does need a castle to haunt,” said Vincent dryly. “Oh stop that,” said Cid. “You’re not a vampire.” Vincent said nothing further as Cid carried him up the stairs to the second floor, and down the wide hallway with its stone floor and elegant wood panelling. Cid took him to the first room on the right, nudging the door open with his foot, grinning as Vincent drew a slow gasp of wonder. “Cid it’s so beautiful…” “Nothing but the best for my pretty mouse-angel.” Cid carried Vincent over to the magnificent four-poster bed and placed him down on the deep, luxuriantly soft mattress. Vincent gazed at the great hand carved and inlaid wooden canopy, the carefully sculpted posts, and the dark blue velvet drapes that surrounded it. “It’s so beautiful,” Vincent said once more, his tone one of quiet awe. “Cid this house and these furnishings…” “Are all for you.” “But the cost…” Cid seated himself beside Vincent on the bed. “The cost is nothing for you to worry about, Mr. valentine. All I want is for you to become well, and to do that you need a quiet, stable home where you don’t have to worry about anyone upsetting you.” “I wish you didn’t love me. What if I…? What if I never feel the same way for you?” “We have all the time in the world, Vincent. And either way this is your home now. You don’t ever have to wander again. You have a home and you have someone who loves you very deeply. Now get under the covers. You need to rest. The doctor said you will never get well if you don’t let yourself heal. I’ll be up in a few hours to bring you dinner.” Vincent slid under the heavy and exotically embroidered satin quilts, resting his head on the down-filled pillows. Cid put the wrap over him for good measure, then, after stroking his hair gently, left the room and went downstairs. Cid reached the bottom of the steps, and was about to go to the kitchen to make tea when he heard the old chimes of the doorbell ring. “Who the hell could that be?” he muttered to himself. He made his way over to the door and opened it, and sighed heavily when he saw who was there. “Go away, Shera. Go fixate on someone else.” Shera did not go away. “You left without telling me. How could you do that?” “It was easy. Why are you here?” She blinked at him in surprise. Her long hair was no longer dark brown, and there were lines around her eyes, but time had done little to change her outwardly. She was still a beautiful woman. Inwardly, in Cid’s opinion, she was still batshit as well. “Cid I swore I would live my life for you!” “Well I’m not stopping you! Go do it in Rocket Town!” “But I love you!” “Yeah and once upon a time that was real sweet. I once even asked you to marry me, to spend your life with me, and you said no. You said you weren’t ready yet. I didn’t realize that meant you didn’t really want me, you just wanted to tie up my life for your own amusement.” “That’s not true! I love you!” Cid walked away. “You don’t love me, you’re just a control freak.” “I’m not letting you go, Cid.” “You don’t have a choice, Shera, I’m already gone. I have someone else, someone I’d like to build a life with. Just leave, please.” She did not leave, she followed after him. “But I swore I would…!” Cid turned sharply, suddenly directly before her. “What you swear to do with your own life is your own problem. I tried to make you and me into an us, but you would rather play stupid romantic games. Well I’m done. I’m sixty-seven. I’m tired of waking up alone and talking to myself, and lying in bed at night with no one to hold. I could have been making a life with you, but no. You didn’t want a real relationship, you wanted whatever bullshit fantasy was in your head. Now leave. My boyfriend is sick. He needs his rest. Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.” Shera stared at him, the expression in her eyes unreadable, as if she could not comprehend the fact that Cid really was done with her. Then she turned and left. Sighing, Cid resumed making his way to the kitchen. ***---*** It was early evening when Cid went to look in on Vincent, and found him sitting up in bed, reading a book. Carrying a tray of food, Cid walked over to the bed. “Hey beautiful. What you doing?” Vincent slowly turned a page. “I found this book in the library.” Cid winced. “You’re not supposed to be walking all the way to the library, Vincent, you’re not well.” “I was bored,” he said quietly. “And I was careful. Look, it’s a history of our house.” “Oh yeah?” Cid set the tray on the bedside table, then seated himself on the bed. Vincent nodded. “Someone seems to have put together pieces of diaries and journals and newspaper clippings, compiling them into a history. A lot of strange things have happened here.” “Yeah the realtor told me about the missing kid and the murders and stuff.” “Did she tell you the little girl that went missing showed up after her mother killed herself?” Cid had been pouring himself some tea when Vincent said that. He paused, looking surprised. “No she missed that part. She said the little girl was never found.” “She was found,” said Vincent softly. “Or rather she came home, telling everyone about having been whisked away to stay with a beautiful lady, who was a fairy princess. After her father sold the house, he and the little girl went to live with this nice fairy lady. Basically the man drove his wife to suicide so he could be with his mistress.” “That’s… a whole lot uglier than a little girl vanishing and her mother dying of grief,” said Cid. Vincent nodded. “Then there was the man who murdered his daughter, then his wife. He claimed he was driven to it by a beautiful woman in a gown of white lace, who would come to him at night and whisper tales into his ear about his wife and her demon lover, and that unless he got rid of the wife and the little girl, he would be murdered.” “Great. Lotta madness and cruelty in this place.” Cid reached out and touched Vincent’s hair. “I’m sorry. If I had known…” Vincent shook his head. “Cid it’s not your fault. And you can’t protect me from reality. I’ve been ill in my heart, mind and body for a very long time, and while it’s kind of you to want to look after me, there are going to be things beyond your control.” “I just don’t want this to be another Shinra Mansion for you.” Vincent smiled, just a very faint quirk of his mouth. “That won’t happen. Not with you to look after me.” Cid hoped that was true. Vincent had been through more than enough. As he served up their dinner, he could not help but think back to their first meeting… ***---*** Cid Highwind was pissed. He was beyond pissed. His royal fucking princesship Rufus Shinra was two hours late showing, up only to tell him he was taking his plane, then his plane was stolen by some dork, some flower girl, and a chick with too much balcony and too little skirt, the plane got wrecked, they ended up in the water, and then on some dump of an island, and now, just to top everything off… “THE STINKING LITTLE BITCH STOLE MY FUCKING MATERIA!!!” “She stole everyone’s materia,” said Cloud. “Well what can we do about it?” asked Tifa. “I’ll tell you what we can do,” said Cid. “We can track her down and kill her.” “We have a few more party members on the way,” said Cloud. “We’re going to meet them at the old college outside Wutai and they’ll help.” “Oh great, just what I need, more losers and numbskulls. Well let’s get going. I have a miniature ninja to kill.” Cid grabbed up his monstrous lance and began stalking in the direction of Wutai. Tifa looked at Cloud. “Do we have to keep him?” Cloud sighed. “May as well for now.” “But he’s such a…. a….” Aeris struggled to find the right words. “Obnoxious bastard,” said Cloud. “Yes,” said Tifa. “HE HEARS WELL, TOO!” Cid kept stomping along on his way to Wutai, teeth gritted, cigarette smouldering, eyes narrowed, his lance in hand. He finally reached the old college, pausing to briefly consider the impressive and ancient Gothic-style building. Normally he would have loved to investigate it further but right now he was too damned angry. Cid Highwind was a man screwed over by life one too damned many times in too few days. Shera fucked up his chance to get into space, Shinra had taken his house and his airship and his dreams, this pack of yodeling yahoos had taken his plane, and now some little bitch had robbed him blind. Oh no. That was just one too many kicks to the fucking ass. Time to kick back. Cid strode into the college, noticing that it seemed to no longer be in use. That was a shame. It was a gorgeous old building… A veritable giant of a man approached Cid, his left arm severed from the elbow down, replaced by some sort of prosthesis that contained an obscenely large gun. The man stopped before Cid. “Who are you?” “I’m Cid Fucking Highwind, who and what the hell are you?” “I’m Barret Wallace and don’t you forget it!” There was much growling and hackle-raising as each considered the other, trying to decide who had the bigger chip on his shoulder. Then Cid caught a brief glimpse of red fabric as something retreated shyly into the shadows. Cid nudged Barret aside, staring at a slender form wrapped in a long tattered red cloak. It was difficult to make out exactly what he was looking at, catching brief glimpses of gleaming brass, and luminous red eyes. Curious, he approached slowly, cautiously, lowering his lance to the floor, raising his other hand to show he meant no harm as the being looked around nervously, as if seeking escape. “It’s okay,” Cid said softly. “I won’t hurt you. Hey… come on, it’s okay.” “You be careful,” Barret cautioned. “Those claws aren’t toys.” “You ain’t kidding,” said Cid, eyeing the slender gleaming blades. “Wow. Heyyyy… it’s okay, I won’t…” Cid stopped dead and blinked, jaw hanging, the cigarette falling from his mouth as the being seemed to simply vanish, leaving only moonlight behind. “Who was that… enchantress?” Barret snorted. “Vincent.” “That’s a funny name for a girl.” “It would be if he was a girl but he ain’t. And don’t be spooking him. He’s already strange in the head, he don’t need loud-mouth jackasses like you making him nervous!” Cid had forgotten all about being angry. He was looking around, trying to see where the pretty being in the long red cape had gone. “You sure that’s a guy? Where did he go? How did he just…?” Barret put a gentle hand on Cid’s shoulder. “Look man, leave him alone, okay? He’s had a lot of bad shit happen to him and he’s not really right in his head.” Cid looked over his shoulder at Barret. “Like what?” “I don’t really know, to tell you the truth. He won’t say. But he’s a good guy and a hell of a fighter, and he’s got a major bone to pick with Hojo of Shinra so that makes him okay in my books.” “I don’t wanna hurt him, I just… wanna look at him.” Barret snorted in amusement, then walked over to a large fireplace, tossing in a few pieces of wood. A black and white cat and a massive red dog were dozing on a rug before it. “Good luck with that. If he doesn’t want to be seen by you, then he won’t be seen by you. He’s… something other-worldly. He just vanishes.” “Yeah well if I hadn’t seen him do it I wouldn’t have believed you.” Cid looked around, hoping for a glimpse of Vincent. Not seeing him, he turned to Barret. “Let’s try this again. I’m Cid.” “I’m Barret. What lit the fire in your shorts?” “A short-ass little ninja by the name of Yuffie.” “Stole your materia, huh? Mine too. Don’t worry. We’ll get her. Come sit by the fire.” Cid did, sitting down on the rug by the fire. He reached out to sink his fingers into the dog’s luxuriant red fur. The animal sighed, then raised its head. “Excuse me but do I scratch your ears when you’re sleeping?” Cid yanked his hands back. “The dog talks,” he stated to no one in particular. “The cat does too,” said Barret. “Great. Well hello dog and cat.” “I am Nanaki,” said the massive red animal that seemed to be at least part lion. “This is Cait Sith. And he’s not technically a cat. He’s animatronic.” “Well it’s nice to meet you anyway.” ***---*** Cloud, Tifa and Aeris arrived not long after Cid. They ate dinner with Cid, Barret and Nanaki before the fire while Cait Sith warmed his animatronic toes. The only sign of Vincent were occasional little glimpses of movement here and there, accompanied by flashes of a tattered cloak and the glint of red eyes. “Not real social, is he?” remarked Cid. “He’s shy,” said Tifa. “He’s weird,” said Barret. “He’s a bit of both,” said Aeris. “He’s a good fighter and a nice guy,” said Cloud. “There’s nothing wrong with Vincent.” “… that ten years of intense therapy wouldn’t cure,” said Barret. “Barret that’s mean,” said Tifa. Barret looked at Cid. “Ask us where we found him.” Cid grinned. “Okay, I’ll bite. Where did you find him?” “It the basement of Shinra Manor, hiding in a coffin, which is where he had been since his girlfriend dumped him… thirty years ago.” “Wow,” said Cid. “She musta been some piece of ass.” “Cid!” said Aeris. “This was the woman he loved!” “I realize that but I just can’t see myself sulking in a casket for thirty fucking years over anybody,” said Cid. “Well maybe you’re just not romantic,” said Tifa. “Ain’t that the fucking truth,” said Cid. “So what’s his story?” “We don’t know,” said Cloud. “He’s timid and he barely says a word.” Cid looked up at the upper level of the library, spying a ghostly form, head down, arms crossed, cape wrapped around the slender body that was outlined in the light of a full moon shining outside the multi-paned window. Setting aside his dinner, Cid walked up the long curving staircase to approach the lone figure. “Hi,” he said quietly. “I’m Cid. You’re Vincent, huh? Wow. You uh… you’re beautiful.” Vincent drew back, and vanished like pieces of ghosts and moonlight into the darkness. Cid felt something strange in his chest, as if his heart had awakened and begun to beat for the first time in his life. He was hopelessly enchanted with the demure phantom, and the enchantment endured for many years… ***---*** They finished dinner, and Cid began clearing away the dishes to take downstairs to the kitchen. “I was hoping… you’d let me sleep beside you tonight.” Vincent carefully moved onto his side, facing Cid, his red eyes sparkling like fire opals in the candle light. “I want to say yes. But I’m not ready. I… I need a little more time.” Cid nodded. “All right. You want me to do anything before I go?” “Open the window, please? I want to hear the ocean.” “Okay.” Cid walked over to the tall glass doors that led to the balcony, opening them to let in the evening breeze scented by the ocean, and the sound of the waves pounding against the base of the cliff far below. The moon was a silver-white disk in the sky, shining on the few clouds that hung in the night, and turning the ocean waves to gleaming froth. “It’s beautiful out there,” said Cid quietly. “Maybe tomorrow night we can go for a walk.” “I’d like that,” said Vincent softly. “Cid?” Cid looked over his shoulder at the form on the bed, smiling. “Yeah?” “I’m sorry I said you couldn’t stay. But… soon.” “It’s all right. You’re still pretty weak.” Cid walked over to the bed and seated himself on it once more. “Can I have a kiss?” Cid felt himself turn into an unforgivably large heap of mushy goo as Vincent tugged the covers over the lower part of his face, smiling, turning shy. “All right,” said Vincent. Cid lowered his head, grinning. “You’re gonna have to move those covers.” Slowly Vincent pulled the covers down, then closed his eyes as Cid lowered his head to kiss him. Cid touched Vincent’s face, caressing him, lingering in the kiss for a few moments. Then he drew back. “I’ll see you in the morning, Vincent.” Vincent nodded. “Good night Cid.” Cid gathered up the tray and left the room to let Vincent sleep. He walked down the dimly lit hallway, the only light from the full moon. The house had no electricity, and the only true modern convenience was the indoor plumbing. The rest had been left much as it had been the day it was built. It was so beautiful here. How could anyone have an unhappy day in a place like this? Cid put the tray in the kitchen and washed up the dishes, then walked into the garden to enjoy the moonlight and sea breeze. He felt… young. Strong. Alive. As if he was drawing power from the land. As if he was truly home at long last. As if… he was infused with strange spirits. He bolted, running just for the sheer joy of it, the aches and pains of age gone. He felt like a wild horse, and he tore down the path towards the sea, racing over the soft sand as hard and fast as he could, splashing the warm seawater. Then he veered sharply, leaping into the water, playing in the surf. He was home. He would live here with Vincent. They would become strong and young, and fall in love. They would raise a family… Cid stopped, confused by that thought. Family? How could they have a family? Adopt? Yeah right. Who was going to let a pair of aging queers adopt children? He shook his head, disturbed by the thought. Well it wasn’t so odd to think that – he had always wanted a family. However at this stage of the game he would have to settle for that family being just Vincent. Not that it was a bad thing. No indeedy, just himself and Vincent in this beautiful old house sounded just fine. Did he hear a child…? No. Just the wind and the surf. Nothing more. No little girls… Cid paused, suddenly having the odd feeling that he was not alone on the beach. He pushed his wet hair out of his face and looked around. For the briefest moment he thought he caught a glimpse of something small and white, running along the sand, and he bounded out of the sea to chase it. But too fast it was gone, and Cid was left alone on the beach, standing in the moonlight, wondering if he heard the sound of children somewhere beyond the crash of the waves.