Early Morning, Long Day. [SPEED]

[Cap'n Ryu!]

Cid was frustrated. Well, he was usually frustrated, when it came right down to it, but today was exceptionally irritating, despite the fact that it had only just begun. Why? Well, he had informed the various volunteers that had signed up to assist him in constructing this new world, simply known as 'Traverse Town', that he had wanted them to complete construction of the hotel the night before. Indeed, he had been going to bed, which might have made it seem unfair for him to tell them to continue working, but he was old. They were all energetic, hyperactive, and young - they really had no reason not to keep working a bit longer after he had retired to his place of residence.

But he had awoken to not only find that the hotel wasn't completed, but that they had thrown a party after he had fallen asleep, and had, in fact, left quite a mess lying around.

Needless to say, he was irritated.

And, rather than having to stand there shouting until he turned blue in the face, he had left them with a simply order to actually do the work he had tasked them with before heading out on his own for a walk, to clear his head and set his frustration aside.

He sincerely hoped that nobody had anything to bug him with.

Really.

[/blockquote]

[The Bilby Guy]

"M-Mr. Highwind? Mr. Highwind!" came a young and excited voice. A man at the end of his teenage years rushed across a side path toward the old mechanic, a look of pure awe plastered on his face. The brunt skid to a halt before the blond, gasping to catch his breath from what had clearly been a long run.

"I... it... I'm... it's an honour to meet you sir!" the young man forced out, unable to stop smiling up at the man in question despite his difficulty breathing.

[Cap'n Ryu!]

"M-Mr. Highwind? Mr. Highwind!"

Cid looked around quickly, brow arched in confusion when he failed to see anyone in the immediate area. But he knew he wasn't crazy... someone had been talking to him.

And all of a sudden, a scrawny-looking guy came running out of nowhere, approaching him, and... was looking at him as though he was some kind of idol or something.

"Uh... you okay, kid? Somethin' wrong with yeh?" The mechanic inquired, his confusion only rising that much more when the boy babbled on about being honored to meet him.

Honored to meet him?

The kid must have been out of his mind.

[/blockquote]

[The Bilby Guy]

"N-no sir! Nothing is wrong!" the man said, his posture jerking back up straight suddenly. A look of horror mixed with embarrassment framed his face now. "I wasn't out of breath because I'm out of shape! I swear! I mean, I know I don't look like much, but it was only because I was running all around! Really!"

Apparently he was worried that Cid's "wrong with you" question was referring to his heavy panting. Well, the stranger was right about one thing. His bare skinny arms and obviously think body didn't look like much.

[Cap'n Ryu!]

Cid's eyebrow arched even higher.

He had known what he was getting into, when he had agreed to head the development of Traverse Town, and he was well aware that many, if not all of his recruits would be hyperactive, over-enthusiastic teenagers, but he hadn't expected them to be slow on the uptake, too.

He hadn't even acknowledged the kid's heavy panting at first, but now that the younger male mentioned it, it really was a bad sign. And that, combined with his thin, lanky, unimpressive physique wasn't exactly the most heartening sight in the world.

"Listen, kid. Is there something you want, or...? Ah mean, Ah didn't really come out here to be stared at or anything."

[The Bilby Guy]

"Oh! Oh gosh! Sorry!" the gawker in question said, apparently shocked at his own behaviour and holding his right hand over his mouth. "I'm just so nervous! I mean, it's you! Cid Highwind, in the flesh!"

The boy shook his head, took a single deep breath, then bowed forward in a very over-the-top formal fashion.

"My name is Mack Anik, sir! I just arrived on the last workers transport! I'm here to help in whatever way I can! It's an honour to meet you!" he said loudly and clearly, repeating himself a little at the end.

[Cap'n Ryu!]

Oh. Well that wasn't surprising. The kid was here to help build Traverse - Cid was actually surprised that he hadn't figured that out on his own.

He really wasn't surprised - there had been quite a large number of people coming to help out, even though he knew many of them only really wanted to get a chance to visit a foreign world, derelict and underdeveloped as it may have been.

"You wanna help, kid? Alright, come with me." Sighing and placing his hands behind his head, Cid began making his way back towards the location of the soon-to-be-completed hotel, taking his sweet time as he did so. One kid was bad enough, but the longer he could prolong his return to the rest of them, the better.

"So. What made yeh wanna come and help out, Mack?"

[The Bilby Guy]

"Are you kidding, sir?" Mack said with astonishment in his voice as he followed behind the man who was now his boss. "When I heard you were heading the project I had to jump at the chance. I mean, I know I'm just one of a ton fo volunteers, but to get to work with you in any way is a dream come true!"

For some reason the kid sounded earnest rather than sarcastic when he said that.

[Cap'n Ryu!]

Cid paused after hearing what the kid had to say, shaking his head slowly and turning to face the enthusiastic youngster.

"Listen, kid. Ah'm flattered n' all, but... yeh know that building an entire city's hard work, right? Yeh're not gonna be able to do much through simply enthusiasm and determination, if yeh know what I mean."

He paused, before pulling a toothpick out of the container in his pocket, and placing it between his teeth. "But don't let me stop yeh. If yeh're determined, then Ah'll see what yeh can do."

[The Bilby Guy]

"Yes sir! Absolutely!" Mack said, apparently standing at attention despite the wide grin on his face. "Don't worry Mr. Highwind! I've never tried to accomplish anything without hard work and old fashioned elbow grease! You won't hear any of that determination conquers all nonsense from me!"

Mack seemed to lighten up a little at that point, relaxing enough to just look happy instead of ecstatic.

"I know I don't look it but I'm an engineering student myself. Your work has always fascinated me," he offered in explanation of himself. "I mean, I know I'm sort of in a minority there, but it's true. To come here on a space-capable vessel named in honour of you was a great privilege!"

[Cap'n Ryu!]

Cid couldn't help but smirk a little bit as he heard the kid prove his determination. In a way, this Mack character reminded him a bit of a younger, less handsome version of himself - he was determined, passionate about what he did, and had seemingly high aspirations.

Strangely enough, he had a feeling that he might come to like this kid.

"Alright then. So, let me give yeh a run-down of what yeh're gonna be doing. We're gonna be reachin' the Hotel in a few minutes, and when we're there, Ah'm gonna need your help in tidyin' the area up a bit. Movin' some rocks, dustin', that kind of stuff. Ah know that doesn't really sound that excitin', but the construction's almost done, so there's not much buildin' left to do." He shrugged, and continued on his way, assuming that the kid was still listening.

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[The Bilby Guy]

"I can definitely help the cause with that, boss! My parents always ran a clean ship at home. I'm an old hand at tidying. Could have run a cleaning business if your work hadn't inspired me otherwise!"

Mack was always talking in a sort of dreamy tone that made it hard to tell if he was being truthful or just exaggerating. Well, Cid would probably find out soon enough.