#moogle thoughts

What are the subjects of Theo’s Rhapsodos Drama™︎ at ages 5, 10 & 15? I am so curious about this never-done-a-thing-wrong-ever lil one & what he inherits from all his parents.

(@violetinkclouds)

Hiiiii!

First off, thank you for all the sweet comments on Theo, I really enjoy your ideas and convos a fankid idea!

Around 5:

Theo wanders a lot. Growing up in Shinra and as "the first's kid" there was a lot of safety in staff easily recognizing Theo and taking him back to his dads. The worst of it might be like something on a vacation. Maybe on a family visit to Nibelheim for Claudia to spend time with her grandkid, Theo see's a pretty white cat in the woods and runs on over to pet it. Panic ensues. Everyone is having their own version of a melt down. Tifa and other town-members are recruited into a search party that somehow ends up with Theo being spotted near a bridge and Cloud grabbing him right before he falls and the both of them tumble down into the water. There's some harsh words as AGSZ learn more about Cloud's childhood. Cloud's super strength holds onto Theo even while the former is unconscious. Theo ends up sobbing apologizing to his dads over an over while Cloud just strokes his hair. He is not allowed out of anyone's arms for the rest of the trip. Lazard buys them a child leash after hearing the story on their return.

Around 10:

None of AGSZC will admit it, but Theo definitely inherits stubbornness from all of them. When he wants to do something, he sees it through, especially with things he sees his dads do. This leads to a lot of interesting dinners that he wanted to help Angeal with(think oddly shaped carrots. partially peeled potatoes. Theo is proving a watched pot can boil). Theo reading before bed and task switching is hard. Sephiroth walks in multiple times to reminds Theo to go to sleep. before Sephiroth is even out of the hallway, Theo's light is back on. Cloud find's Theo still up at 5am finishing his book. In my head, Angeal and Zack are morning people, Genesis is is not but still prioritizes his beauty sleep. Theo ends up nocturnal like Sephiroth and Cloud.

Around 15:

I think at 15 there would be a more angsty teen drama era with Theo feeling pressured to apply to soldier through a lot of misunderstandings. I ended up putting Theo in an au where Rufus and Lazard take over Shinra through a lot of bloody backhanded means, including a hidden deal with AGS to stay in the company for ZC's protection (but thats a story for another day lol). Theo is still being raised around a lot of Shinra propaganda, probably taken to a lot of events, and asked all the time when he'll be applying for SOLDIER. Lots of the firsts trying to connect with their son through play combat while Theo is getting to a point where he's pushing himself through training that his heart is really just not in. Genesis buying Theo weapons and materia to be supportive. Angeal trying to give Theo one on one training that Theo is forcing a smile through. Theo asking Cloud for extra materia lessons which Cloud starts noticing something is off but Theo denies when he brings it up. Things coming to a head at a competition or after an injury and Theo crying to Zack saying he "just wants them to be proud." and Zack realizes everything they've been doing. Sephiroth feeling so much guilt over accidentally putting his son through training he didn't want just like Sephiroth's own childhood. Lots of hugging and crying and talking later Theo is enrolled in high school to give him space to decide for himself what he really wants to do.

He sees all of his dads connecting through sparing and that's why he got into learning to use a sword in the first place. Eventually he ends up being able to spar with his family for fun again when its not also his job/only future.

It's such a fun and innocent comment. More context for his desire to leave his hometown. I can imagine his own bucket list of going swimming in every ocean/lake on a map of Gaia. Not the a real goal, but its a means to an end to push himself to get out there and make new friends.

Then the irony of the one level perfect for swimming at costa del sol with him literally in a swim suit has him to wrapped up in his own fears of being left behind and threat of genesis clones to actually, you know, swim. His desire to fulfill his role as a soldier overshadowed his personal aspiration.

The haunting is a headcannon that after the labs, Zack hates swimming.

If he had gotten the chance to, it would feel too much like floating in the mako tank again. The freedom of weightlessness now has turned into a fear of loosing control. Loosing autonomy. Just another thing that Hojo and Shinra has stolen from him.

Maybe he could manage to put his feet up to where the waves come in and stand there. Just letting the tides leave and meet him again. Looking out at the deeper waters he once sought after.

In that context its fitting that Zack's journey brought him to a dry wasteland, no water in sight. The only water he ends up being covered in is the rain. Water then becoming something healing in the series through association with Aerith.

I have no idea what the larger plot of an AGSZC world would be, but Theo growing up to have a special interest in archeology. A perfect mix of his father's love of adventure and history. He explores the planet excavating ruins to learn about ancient cultures(Including the Cetra, and he will fight any old Shinra crony that calls them 'ancients'), monster diversity, and WEAPONs

He only knows how to fight as a means to an end to survive on an expedition. He will spar with his dads, but he only wins when they go easy on him. Sephiroth never goes easy on him, he wants Theo to know how to defend himself.

That being said he has KILLER GRIP this kid masters the koala hold on his dads legs, and can pull himself up from cliffs while climbing. What he lacks in combat, he makes up for in endurance.

Zack was terrified he'd hurt Theo tearing him off of climbing jungles because he would GRIP IT THAT HARD Genesis started adding hand lotion to the kid bag to use when Theo refuses to leave so his hands are too slippery to stay there.

I think he'd end up spending a lot of time in Cosmo Canyon looking for fossils and guardians.

Using tarps and gathered rags to make a cloak and cover his body. Both from the innocent eyes of anyone that accidentally happens to catch a glimpse of his horrid new form. Ends up becoming known as some kind of forest cryptid. He uses thread to sew the pieces together.

He knows how to forage and fish. How to set up traps for food. Gathers roots, bark, and herbs to make his own spices. When he has more than he needs, he'll share it with the creatures of the land around him.

If he had more space, he could use his spiked tails to till the soil and start his own garden/mini farm.

Gathering seeds for the specific purpose of feeding the birds and watching them from afar. He could probably fly with them too if he really tried.

We see the difference between Smolgeal and CC Angeal and all that muscle and height. He fucking shoots up and out with muscle and have to deal with all of the consequences that come with it.

Puberty Angeal being fucking hungry all the time. The guilt of trying to justify snacks or wanting to hoard them for later, all while feeling the pang of hunger when he thinks he should be satisfied.

Trying to patch holes over and over again until he's completely outgrown his wardrobe. People gawking and touching his muscles and commending his gains while he swallows the guilt of having to ask for another uniform again. The only thing keeping him together is donating his old clothes to someone that needs them(And Gen who stole his shirts anyways, and Seph when Gen gave him some of Angeals shirts so he could wear something other than medical gowns or uniforms for the first time in his life.)