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Cindy’s just finishing up the repairs on a Hunter’s beat-up car when she hears the telltale sound of a Magitek engine flying overhead. She doesn’t think much of it at first—with Insomnia in one direction and a base in the other, it’s not an unusual sound—but when it doesn’t fade away, she pulls herself out of the engine and frowns up at the ceiling.
“Again?” she asks it as she hears Magitek soldiers land on the ground outside.
The ceiling doesn’t answer, but she does hear the voice of that Loqi kid yelling at Cid again. Cid usually manages to take care of things himself, but he’s been feeling a bit under the weather lately. Few things are quite as unscary as a sick old man. So Cindy strolls to the back of the garage and digs out her well-loved shotgun. She loads the shells and tucks a couple more in her tiny short pockets with a sigh, wondering for the millionth time if she should wear those coveralls Cid is always yelling at her about. Maybe if it wasn’t so dang hot all the time.
She leans the shotgun against her shoulder as she walks to the door, shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun. Cid hasn’t even gotten up from his chair as he rants at Loqi, and nobody is paying any attention to the open garage. Perfect.
Cindy raises her gun and aims carefully. She doesn’t want to kill the idiot or anything, but she’s sick to hell of him dropping in unannounced.
The sound of the shot is loud enough to make her ears ring, but the bullet lands squarely in the dirt between Loqi’s feet. Even Cid jumps at the unexpected attack, and he turns to Cindy with a scowl. Loqi jumps backward a foot and follows his gaze, looking absolutely stunned as Cindy steps into the sunlight.
“Now, I don’t want to have to use this again, General.” Cindy smiles sweetly and cocks the barrel for another shot. “But if you don’t get your pretty ass out of Hammerhead and leave Gramps alone, I ain’t afraid to kill you.”
She’s worried for a second that Loqi isn’t going to take her seriously, so she aims for his head. “Now y’know after that first shot I ain’t gonna miss, kiddo.”
Loqi looks down at the hole between his feet, but there’s no fear on his face when he glares at Cindy again. He still leaves, though, and he takes the soldiers with him. She knew that boy was bright.