#chocobohaired

|| @chocobohaired​ || STARTER ||

The quaint squad that thought they could face him and stop him were still marching off after him, with Cloud at the forefront, whether by choice or by nature. Perhaps it could be seen as admirable...but in truth, the dark figure that had been haunting those at Shinra, and others that had crossed him unpleasantly, did not have the patience for their proud mission.

Sephiroth had a mission of his own. A mission to turn this world for the better. He had been slowly learning the ways in which this twisted world worked, how the dear planet served select souls and abandoned others. He had learned, in the deepest, darkest depths of the continents he could reach, the truth of the ancients, and their fierce enemy that had corrupted them, beginning the rise of monsters so long ago. And he had learned of being who was the source of the name he once associated with the belief of what a mother was--JENOVA.

He knew it all, now... She was a being from the stars, driven by a hunger, a need to consume and corruption, like an infection. She was a virus, in horrid, beautiful form. He admire her, accepted her as a part of who he was, accepted that she was a part of his birth and existence, even if she was not the body that birthed him (that woman, and whatever man produced him, were yet to be known simply because he knew enough to know it was their choice to make him what he was, at least one of them. And there was nothing resembling what the titles of mother and father were meant to be, waiting in either of them, so he would not waste his time seeking them out). He may have met great betrayal at Genesis’ hands, and he may have denied the mans words of monstrous nature in their very blood, but at this point in his life, he could only thank him. He had pushed him, to a catalyst needed, to become what he was meant to be, to tap into that power and nature locked inside of him, and to reach that fate he had imagined for so long...he was meant for a special existence, and so he would carve that future now.

And the world would know his power, and would see him thrive greater than that virus of a being ever could have managed. She had been promising, but she was not by a failure now. That would not be Sephiroth. That would not be his legacy. He would take her blood, her corruption, and reclaim it.

Which is what led him, not to run from his pursuers, but instead...to meet them.

--

“Cloud!!” Tifa had called out, as she watched Barret and Aerith in the distance, fighting the hounds and large worm like creatures chasing down families, mauling the buildings they would retreat to, while Nanaki sparred with another group of hounds. She went to aid him, but she’d lost sight of her friend, and could feel her heart pounding fast. “Cloud!!” she called again, kicking a hound and sending it flying into the nearest wall, knocking it out.

“We’re the only thing standing between this world and its destruction. Is that not reason enough, Cloud?”

Pulling the strings and watching the pretty marionette dance to his every whim would be too easy. Conscious compliance would taste so much sweeter.

Cloud Strife is a horribly damaged man, a living, breathing oxymoron. As sharp as shattered porcelain and just as tragically fragile. And Sephiroth is both fascinated and resentful of him in equal measure.

"I don’t think that’s how that happened at all.” Yuffie crossed her arms, rocking back and forth on her heels as she glared at Cloud. “I mean sure, Seph could do all that or whatever but why would he? Seems really dumb for him to go around burning down towns or whatever.”

(Ahahahahahahahaah omg he's going to be so confused)

Violent Prompts

Sephiroth pinned Cloud down to the ground, grinning with glee as he forced the blonde’s against the floor, fixing him down with his weight. The look of fear on his face, oh he revelled in it. The knowledge that Sephiroth was stronger, paired with enigmatic unpredictability, most certainly did not help to console Cloud when he was at the silver’s mercy.

But, as it turned out, Sephiroth was not the unpredictable one today.

Sephiroth watched as Cloud leaned over to grab his hand with his teeth, grinding those blunt ivory prongs as if intending to hurt him. Sephiroth had been planning on saying something vague to frighten the young one further, but this... this was enough to stump him for a moment.

He stared at him, a hint of confusion apparent on his expression. What was the meaning of this? Why was he biting him, of all things? Cloud finally seemed to realise the futility of this peculiar decision, freeing Sephiroth’s hand and awkwardly returning his head to its initial position.

There was a moment of silence as the two stared at each other, both trying to understand what had just happened. Cloud looked positively embarassed.

Now that had caught Cloud’s attention, enough for him to lower his blade from the shock. He could safely take a few steps closer to the shorter male, but stopped after three as he didn’t want Cloud to put his guard up too much.

“We are connected Cloud, you know this. We keep being drawn together. No matter how far you run, no matter how hard you try to end me, I always return for you. Why continue to fight this bond we share? You are the light I so desire to illuminate the eternal darkness I’ve been damned to.”

Sephiroth kept his catlike eyes on the blond, judging his reactions to what he spoke. Cloud seemed almost dazed from trying to process what the silverette was saying. A few more steps while Cloud was distracted and once he was within reach he gripped the other’s wrist that held the buster blade, quickly taking it and stabbing the blade into the concrete they stood on. Rendering the weapon useless for the moment so they could have a conversation without any fighting.

@chocobohaired​

“Beautiful...” Aerith stood on a hillside, Midgar behind her and silhouetted by the sinking sun. The stars were out, littering the black sea above like sequins in night’s dress. It was mesmerizing.