-And You're Tellin' Me I'm Where?-

Chapter 1- gah, life

"Fia? Fia? Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiia? FIA!?"

"Huh, whaza huh wha who?" Fia's head whipped up from the desk she was currently drooling on. Fia's laughing best friend, Muru, stood before her desk, backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Come on FeaFie, the torture has come to a pause, time to refuel!" Muru exclaimed, which translated to 'Come on Fia, class is over, time for lunch!'Fia shoved her slightly-drooled on notebook and unused pen into her messenger bag and slung into onto her shoulder and followed Muru out the door.

"So what was it this time? Reading? Writing? TV Marathon? PlayStation?" Muru asked, knowing her friend well.

Fia smiled sheepishly, "Well, I was playing final fantasy VII again, and I just kept playing and next thing you know I was almost done and I had to finish before I went to bed...but it was about 4 am." Muru tsked and shook her head then smiled.

"Fox, you need to get control of your obsessions," Muru said, referring back to her favourite nickname for Fia. People had been calling the seventeen year old Fia 'Fox' since she was five. Back then she had been a bite-happy little girl with rusty red hair that stuck up like animal ears no matter what her mother tried to do, gel, combs, straighteners, moose, hair spray–nothing worked. The name–and the hair–stuck. Now she was taller, gangly pale legs and knobby knees, short unyielding rusty red hair, a pretty face with light freckles and high cheek bones under green eyes, long fingers and a flat chest, the last being the reason that strangers often confused her for a boy when she was wearing pants. Her green school uniform did away with that bit of confusion at least. She was rather fond of the plaid green skirt.

"Mercury to Fia, the meaningless ritual of standing around like cows for their feed has begun," Muru broke into Fia's distracted mind. This time she meant something along the lines of 'Earth to Fia, your staring into the distance instead of picking up your tray so we can get food.'

"Oh yeah, right," Fia laughed and grabbed a tray and the two filtered down the line, grabbing whatever looked like it wouldn't kill them...immediately.

"Well at least it doesn't look like its growing fungus this time," Fia commented, sitting at their normal table. She nodded as a couple of her friends greeted her.

"So how many times have you finished that game now?" Muru asked as she sat across from Fia.

"I don't know...I lost count around eight." Muru rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Maybe you should actually try sleeping tonight, it does wonders for keeping you from falling asleep during the meaning rituals of daily life." Meaning 'sleep and you wouldn't fall asleep everyday in class'.

"I know, I know, I try, but I can't help it sometimes. It's just so..." Fia ran out of words to express the joy of video games. If you are a gamer you recognize the feeling, if you're not, then you will never know the squeeful feeling you get from your favourite RPG.

Muru laughed, "Yeah, you and the PS2, I know. Just promise me you'll get some sleep tonight? We've got a test comin' up in a few days and if you're not conscious during class you're gonna regret it."

"Technically Final Fantasy VII is a PS1 game."

Muru just gave Fia a look.

"Alright I promise," Fia laughed. "No video games tonight, I'll even unplug the PS2. Scout's honour."

"If you say so," Muru responded, laughing.

The rest of the day went much the same, Fia slept through all of her next hour, and half of her last. After changing into afer-school attire--in other words, slacks and a t-shirt that wasn't button-down, (though she kept the tie, she couldn't help it, she thought it was fun)--she met Muru at her locker after school.

"Think you can handle a video gameless night Fox?" Muru asked with a joking laugh.

"Yeah, yeah. I promised didn't I? 'Sides, I finished the game last night so the need to play it won't be nearly as strong as otherwise."

"If you say so Fox." The pair walked out the school doors and began to walk home. As fate would have it the best friends only lived a couple blocks away from each other. Muru's house was closer so everyday they walked together to Muru's house then Fia continued on home alone. They talked about this and that--random friends at school, what Fia missed while she slept during class, what Bobbie said to Susie in the lunch line, okay maybe not the last one–until they reached Muru's door.

"Alright, see you tomorrow morning! And remember, no video games tonight!"

Fia crossed her heart and laughed, "I promise!"

"Good! Ciao Fox!"

"See ya tomorrow Muru!" Fia waved from the sidewalk as she continued on her way home. As she walked she reached into her messenger bag, digging past her crumpled uniform, and pulled out her ipod and headphones. The green nano was a gift the previous Christmas from her parents. The headphones she had to buy on her own, they were a pair of the big headphones that made you look rather like Princess Lea reject they were so huge. Fia loved them to death, she had saved for months, and even given up lunch on several occasions when she was getting close to having enough cash. Fia had a part time at the public library, and as you may have guessed, it doesn't exactly pay big bucks, but she got to be around shelves and shelves of books the whole time. Who could ask for more? Fia shook her head to rid it of the thoughts and scrolled through her ipod playlists, hitting play when she reached 'Tilly and the Wall'. "Shake Shake" began to play and she hummed while walking down the street while thinking about the end of Final Fantasy VII, no matter how many times she finished the game, it always felt like the first time. The pounding of the heart, the thrilling feeling of being there, of being the characters, of fighting the battles, feeling their pain, knowing their secrets. One of the things that Fia loved about her big headphones is that they put the world on mute, every sound outside her music, outside the foam padding around her ears, were cut off completely, and she was completely in her own world. 'Shake Shake' ended and suddenly Sephiroth's theme began, 'One Winged Angel' blaring in her ears.

What? She thought, sighing, assuming she had accidentally dragged another song onto the playlist as she had countless times before. She looked down and fiddled with her ipod to check the list and yep, wouldn't you know it, there was the song, surrounded by myriad Tilly and the Wall songs, nestled between 'Shake Shake' and 'Coughing Up Colours'. I hate it when this happens, she thought, still fiddling with the ipod as she crossed a rather dead street only a block from her house.

The thing she loved about those headphones was that the world was on mute. Mute. A symphony crashed in her ears as Sephiroth's theme song rose in triumph. The world was on mute, so how could she have possibly heard the horn? When Fia finally turned away from her ipod with a sigh she saw the silently blaring car bearing down on her. Her muscles froze as she stared in shock, there was no way she could get out the way fast enough. The driver was frantically yanking the steering wheel to the side, but it wouldn't do any good, it was too late. At the last moment Fia closed her eyes tight, preparing for the pain of impact–but it never came, instead she felt her stomach leap to her throat as it felt like she was falling through air. Tears gathered at the corners of her closest eyes as wind rushed up past her face.

How can that be? She asked herself, gently cracking one eyelid then another. Land spread out beneath her, far off but quickly getting closer. Wha-what? She thought with now-wide eyes, streaming in the wind. The ground was rearing up to meet her and she suddenly felt ill, When I hit that...ker-splat, she thought in panic. Her messenger bag was missing, probably still laying in the middle of the street that she should be in, and she couldn't really tell if her headphones were still on as the blood pumping her in her ears drowned out all other sound. Or was that the rushing of the wind?

Fia closed her eyes tightly, silently praying to whatever deity may be listening that by some miracle she would not die on impact. She opened her eyes again just before she made her first contact. Branches snapped violently and her fingers grasped desperately at slippery leaves and unforgiving bark. Trunks and limbs at once broke her fall and bruised her body until she felt she was blue and black all over, one giant mass of bruising.

Her descent finally paused and she hung suspended across several branches. She drew in a hitching breath, wondering at the fact that she was still breathing at all. A sickening crack split the air and she dropped a stomach-churning seven feet into dense undergrowth. To add insult to injury something heavy fell after her and landed on her stomach, knocking the breath out of her. When she looked at the cause she didn't know whether to cry or to laugh, it was her massive headphones, ipod still attached.

Fia stared up at the branches above her, watching the sunlight filter down through the hole she had created. She was afraid to move, what if something was broken? What if no one found her? Where was she? How'd she get here? What in the world was going on?!

A rustling in the bushes made her turn her head and sigh, great, now something is going to come attack me. Give me a break! I just crashed through a canopy!

The rustling continued, getting closer, and Fia attempted to sit up, prepare for whatever it could be, but everything just hurt so much. Damn it all! She thought vehemently as she strained muscles that refused to listen. Finally she gave up and lie still, listening to the crunch of the undergrowth and leaves beneath feet. Suddenly the noise stopped and there was silence followed by a male voice.

"Well damn it all..." the person stepped closer, "kid? Kid, you alright?"

Fia sighed and turned to turn and catch a glimpse of the person, responding impatiently, "Do I look alright?"

"Hardly, looks more like you were beaten repetitively with a large stick."

"Several branches actually."

"Well shoot, how'd you manage that one?"

"I fell." The person walked into view then and Fia felt her jaw drop open in disbelief. No. I couldn't possibly be...

The person cocked an eyebrow, "You fell? Fell where? And why are you lookin' at me like that? Freaking creepy."

Fia continued to stare, sure it was a hallucination caused by hitting her head on a branch during the fall.

"Hello? Anybody home in there? What, you brain dead now too?"

Finally Fia formed words. "No I'm not brain dead thank you very much. And where the hell do you think I fell? From up there!" she meant to motion with her hand but it didn't move. The man got the gist of it and looked up anyway and whistled.

"Damn kid, that's some fall, what where you doing up there in the first place?"

"How the hell should I know? One moment I'm in the middle of the street next thing I know I'm free falling with tree branches as my landing pad." The man didn't look like he believed Fia, maybe he thought she had hit her head too.

"Whatever you say kid," then he sighed and shook his head. "Damn my bleedin' heart, I guess I can't just leave you in the middle of the forest to die. 'Less you got somebody who'll be lookin' for ya?"

"Somehow I don't think so."

"Fine then, up ya go," the blond man grasped Fia's arm and pulled her up. Fia didn't hurt as much as she expected she might, but she was still pretty much dead weight. Fia grasped her headphones, after all she'd been through she wasn't about to lose them.

"Damn boy, you weight next to nothing, don't you ever eat?" The man questioned her while slinging her arm over his shoulder and making slow process through the forest. Fia would have bristled at the man's misjudgment if she weren't so tired and sore.

Instead she responded with, "I have a name you know."

The man snorted, "Most people do."

Fia rolled her eyes, the man was impossible. "My name's Fox." Fia didn't know why she had said that, why hadn't she just told him her real name.

"Fox huh? Well nice to meet you kid. M'name's Cid. Cid Highwind." Fia felt like she was going to faint, I can't believe this is happening. I must still be hallucinating.

She gave a nervous laugh, "H-highwind? That sounds like a name for a ship."

Cid turned and gave her a look. "Well it is, my airship." Fia didn't know what to say or do. She couldn't exactly tell him 'I'm sorry, I think I'm hallucinating you, would you mind putting me down and walking away?'

"Hey kid, you ain't lookin' so good."

"How would you look if you just fell through the canopy?" Fia managed to get out while attempting to walk on jello legs, being half-carried by her arm over Cid's shoulder.

"Fair 'nough. Well don't ya worry, we'll be outta here 'fore to long and we can find ya some potions to ease the pain."

"What pain?" Fia asked sarcastically and Cid laughed.

"I think we're got along fine kid."

"And I'm not a kid!"

"Says the child unable to support himself well enough to stand."

"I fell through the canopy! You try standin' after that!"

"Ah, you can't be any older than 15."

"I'm 17 thank you very much, turning 18 soon."

Cid laughed, "I still say you're a kid."

"You're insufferable," Fia said miserably as Cid just laughed harder.

It took about 40 minutes for the pair to make their way out of the trees, Cid half-carrying Fia nearly the whole way. They had good timing as Fia began to swerve toward unconsciousness as they neared civilization.

"Hey kid, stay with me just a little longer here," Cid said as Fia's eyes slid closed for the forth time.

"Yeah, i'm awake," she responded in a faint voice, eyes fluttering open once more.

"Like hell you are," Cid responded and Fia responded with a tiny shrug, incapable of anything more.

"Here we are, let's just get you inside and get a potion in you then you can fall asleep."

"Sounds like a plan," Fia mumbled, eyes closed once more. She heard the sound of a door opening and then closing after Cid helped her through the entrance. He set her down and she opened her eyes to find herself sitting on a couch.

"Now don't fall asleep just yet. I'll be right back with a potion." Fia nodded and resisted the urge to close her eyes as Cid walked into another room. He returned in a moment with a small vial in one hand and a pillow and blankets in the other.

"Down this," he handed Fia the bottle. She took a moment to contemplate the fact that she was about to take a potion, something she always made sure to stockpile while playing in event of no healing magic in a battle or in case someone ran out of MP. She surveyed the green glowing liquid then threw it back, hoping it wouldn't taste terrible. The effect was instant-- tingling cool tendrils spread throughout her body, soothing all its aches and pains. Her head hit the couch and she was asleep before she even knew she had fallen over, headphones still clutched in her unconscious hand.

Cid Highwind shook his head and draped the blanket over Fox. "Poor kid," he commented then left the room to allow Fox to get the sleep she needed.

As Fia began to swim back toward consciousness she heard voices. She didn't want to get up yet, she was too busy reminiscing in the dream she had the night prior. What a strange dream she thought, snuggling into her bed and pillow.

"No don't go in there!" a male voice commanded quietly.

"Why not? What's in there that you don't want me to see?" a female voice responded.

Is that Muru and somebody else come to wake me cause I overslept? Fia's fuzzy sleep-tainted mind wondered. Footsteps brought the voices closer. Suddenly they stopped and the woman cried out in a loud voice that caused Fia's head to pound.

"Cid what did you do?!" the girl commanded and Fia's eyes shot open. It wasn't a dream...it WASN'T a dream! Fia thought, too shocked to think anything else.

"Dang it, now you've woken him up. I was trying to tell you that he was in here sleeping but nooooo, we won't listen to Cid, of course not. Why would we do that?" the blond man complained to deaf ears. Fia sat up to look over the back of the couch only to find a face there, so close she couldn't focus on it.

"Ahhh!" Fia yelled and fell back off the couch. When she looked back she realized who it was the woman's voice belonged to, Yuffie Kisaragi. Fia's mouth hung open as she stared at the ninja girl.

"What happened to you? Did he hurt you? Touch you inappropriately?" Yuffie asked, as Cid gave a yell of frustration.

"What are you on about? I didn't do anything, 'side help the kid! 'Sides, I don't swing that way!" Yuffie seemed deaf to his words.

"Don't worry, I won't let him hurt you anymore."

"Don't you listen, are you deaf as well as cotton-brained? I didn't hurt the kid!"

"What, you expect me to believe that he just fell from the sky or something, already bruised and banged up?" Yuffie turned to the man, hands on hips.

At this Fia couldn't take anymore, she began to laugh uncontrollably. Yuffie and Cid both turned to look at her in concern.

"Of no, you've driven the poor kid insane! What have you to say about yourself?!" Yuffie demanded as Fia attempted to stand and stop laughing at the same time. She finally managed to get her laughter under control and stood on shaky knees, using the couch for support.

"No, no. I'm fine really. And Cid's tellin' the truth, he didn't do anything to me."

"Oh." Yuffie seemed to confused.

"Told ya, didn't i?" Cid muttered under his breath.

"Then...what did happen?" Yuffie asked.

"I fell from the sky and hit a few branches on the way down," Fia answered and looked down at herself for the first time, seeing her skin was a mass of crisscrossing bruises from the fall.

Yuffie stared with her mouth hanging open. "You're kidding," she asked.

"'Fraid not," Fia shrugged them winced, regretting the motion as the muscles in her shoulders screamed in pain. "I have to sit," she stated and promptly fell back onto the couch again.

"Time for another potion for ya," Cid stated and left the room, returning with yet another vial of glowing green liquid. "This one's not as strong as the other one, forcing yer body to continually heal that fast will wear ya out. Drink it." He handed Fia the vial and she downed it much like the first. The cooling sensation flowed throughout her body and she took a deep breath and released it in a sigh as all her muscles relaxed. Yuffie plopped down next to her.

"Hi, my name's Yuffie. What's yours?"

"I'm Fox," Fia responded. So what if they thought she was a boy? She didn't care anymore, the whole situation was weird in the first place. And it was easier then constantly correcting people.

"How old are you?"

"I've seventeen, turnin' eighteen soon."

"Really? I would've pegged you around 15 years."

"What is it with you people?" Fia demanded as Cid laughed.

"The kid's sensitive 'bout his age. Sorry kiddo, it's probably just cause you're so small."

"Am not!" Fia stormed. She'd been getting crap about her size for years, and she was sick of it.

Cid made soothing motions with his hands, "Whoa there, calm down kid, didn't mean anything by it, honest." Fia sighed heavily through her nose, she didn't really have the energy to be angry anyway.

"So where'd you come from kid? How'd you end up falling from such a height?" Fia shifted as she thought of how to answer his questions and something clunked to the floor. "And what is that?" Cid asked.

Fia stoned over to pick up her headphones, that answer was easy. "These are my headphones. And this thing right here? This holds information, music files, so I can listen to them with these," Fia indicated the headphones themselves. "You just put them over your ears and turn this on." Fia explained.

Cid seemed properly distracted by the new technology but Yuffie had more of a one-tract mind.

"But what about where you came from?" she asked and Fia sighed.

"I don't know how I got here–I was heading home and while I was crossin' a street I almost got hit by a car. Only thing is instead of gettin' hit I fell. Next thing I know I open my eyes and land is stretched out beneath me and I'm praying I don't splat on impact. Luckily the trees caught me, in a fashion." Fia looked at her bruises. "At least I'm not dead I suppose."

"So you don't know how it happened?"

"Not a flippin' clue." Cid looked stumped and Yuffie just seemed rather confused. "Anyway it doesn't really matter, I haven't the faintest idea how to get back." Fia felt briefly sorry as she thought about Muru, waiting outside her house for Fia to walk with her to school that morning and that she never showed up. I hope she doesn't hate me, Fia thought, though she knew better, she'd known Muru forever. Fia shook her head to clear it of those thoughts.

"So where am I anyway, you never said," she asked.

"Rocket Town," Cid answered. Fia just nodded.

"Are you familiar with it?" Cid asked.

"Not in the least," Fia responded.

"So what do you plan to do?" this question was from Yuffie.

Fia shrugged, "I really don't know. I'd like to stay 'til I healed up some more though, if that's alright with you."

Cid looked surprised, "What are you talking about? Of course yer stayin'. What? You think I'd let ya wander around without shelter lookin' like ya lost a fight with an angry tree?"

"Thanks," Fia mumbled, pleased that she would be allowed to stay.

"We'll wait 'til you've healed to decide what to do next. For now you better eat somethin' else the potions will be wasted. Come on." Fia stood and followed Cid out of the room, Yuffie trailing behind.

"Sit," Cid commanded and Fia plopped down on a wooden chain in what appeared to be the kitchen. Soon a plate was placed before her and she devoured the food like a starving dog.

"No table manners I see," commented Cid as she licked her fingers clean and she blushed faintly.

"Sorry, I'm just so hungry, I've never done that before."

"It's alright, it's the potions. You're body's healin' faster then normal so it takes more energy–and more food." Cid stood. "Well I've gotta go--got work to do. You can stay here and rest, nobody'll bother you." Cid turned to Yuffie, "And what exactly are you doing here anyway? Go home , you're da is probably wondering where you've run off to row."

"Oh alright," Yuffie sighed and headed for the door, waving behind her, "Nice to meet you Fox, see you again soon!" Fia waved after her and turned back to Cid, curious.

"What is it that you do?"

Cid smiled, "I'm a mechanic."

Fia took a second to gather up her courage then asked, "Could I come with you? I won't get in the way, I promise! I just don't wanna sit around all day, I'm used to doing something."

Cid considered the girl for a moment then shrugged, "What the hell, why not. Come on, we best be going then." Fox stood and placed her empty plate in the sink then followed Cid out o the kitchen and to the front door. As they walked down the street Fia couldn't keep her mouth from hanging open as she stared about, head whipping around to see everything she began to feel dizzy.

Cid laughed, "Take it easy kid, the world's not goin' anywhere." Fia blushed and closed her mouth and continued to follow Cid quietly, still staring about herself.

Cid was hailed by a passing man. "Cid! How are you today?" then the man noticed Fia, "And who's this? He yours?"

"I'm seventeen!" Fia cried, sick of being mistaken for a child. Cid laughed and turned to the other man.

"Do I look that old to you? 'Sides who'd I have a kid with?" The other man laughed as well.

"I guess you're right, so then who are ya kid and what ya doin' with 'ol Cid?"

"The name's Fox," Fia responded.

"I found 'em in the woods, a little worse for wear. He's stayin' with me now."

"'A little' Cid? Kid looks like he was chewed up then spit out."

"I fell and there were trees," Fia volunteered and the man stared at her then shook his head.

"If you say so kid. Well I best be on my way or I'll be late. Talk with you some other time Cid, Fox," the man bid them farewell and continued walking as Fia nodded and Cid gave a brief wave. Then they also continued on their way.

"So how old are you?" Fia asked curious. He looked younger then she remembered from the game.

Cid laughed, "I'm 29, not near old enough to be anyone's da, let alone yours."

29, Fia thought, that means it's still years before the game even starts! Slowly a plan began to form in Fia's mind but she kept it to herself, not sure what Cid would think about it. Besides, she thought, I've 'til I've healed to decide what to do.

Cid came to stop in front of a decent sized building, "Here we are. This is where I work." Fia followed him through the doorway and stared amazed at all the machines around her. She giddily felt like she'd died and gone to heaven. She watched carefully as Cid set up to work on one machine that appeared to be for transportation, but Fia couldn't really tell as about half of it was in pieces on the ground around the main chunk of machinery. Cid worked in silence with the exception of the clinking of tools and metal as Fia watched in silence, noting everything that the man did. Fia slowly began to understand how everything seemed to fit together, which tool did what, just by watching him work.

Fia was startled so badly when Cid suddenly exclaimed, "Damn it!" that she almost fell off the stool she was sitting on. She stood and walked over to where the man was laying half under a machine and leaned over to see him.

"What?" she asked, he glanced over at her annoyance at something plain on his face.

"My hands are too big to get in here and fix it!"

"Why don't you let me try?" Fia offered and Cid looked over at her again.

"What do ya know of machinery?"

"No much," she admitted, "But you can walk me through it." Cid looked up at what he was trying to get then sighed.

"I suppose ya can try." He crawled out from under the machine and handed Fia a strange-looking tool he had been using.

Fia shimmed under the machine and looked up, seeing the section Cid hadn't been able to reach. Well this doesn't look to hard, she thought and reached up with the tool, doing what seemed right.

Cid instructed from next to the machine, "Alright you've gotta connect the spacial collaborator and the vernus socket." Cid paused when he realized the kid would have no idea what he was talking about and sighed, this was going to be more work then he thought. He opened his mouth to describe what the two pieces looked like when Fia cut him off.

"Done!" she called and wormed out from under the machine.

"What?" Cid looked and saw she was right, everything was connected. "I thought ya said ya didn't know anythin' about machinery?" He said.

"I don't, not really."

"Then how'd ya know what the spacial collaborator and vernus socket were?" he asked, confused.

"That's what they're called? Weird names. It just made sense."

Cid shook his head but smiled, "Kid, yer by far the strangest person I've even met. And that's sayin' something, after all, ya met Yuffie. But I have a feeling that I'm not gonna regret findin' ya. Come on, let's see if I can't teach ya 'bout the machines."

Fia spent the rest of the day learning about various machines and parts of machines, and how to fix what when this or that happened, and which tool could do what from Cid. By the end of the day she was exhausted, and after a meal and another potion Cid sent her back to her couch bed.

"'Night kid. Tomorrow I'll teach ya more about transportation mecha." Fia nodded sleepily and Cid paused. "We should get ya some new clothes tomorrow too, can't keep wearing the same thing everyday, can ya?" Fia shook her head and was asleep within moments.

Cid shook his head and smiled. He couldn't believe he had managed to find such an adept apprentice beaten half to the lifestream in the middle of the woods, but he was thankful he had.

Wow, that first chapter felt pretty long. Well i hope you like it. You may have notices that i'm not completely sticking to the game, i'm going to kinda follow what actually happens but also make up some of my own...tell me what you think! Oh, by the way, the next couple chapters are not near this long. This way about 9 pages, and the next couple are about two pages each.

And if you read any of my other stories, don't worry! I'm still working on them, honest. I just wanted to try this one for a while cause i had the idea.