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#calamity zack au
aimeelouart · 13 days
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“Nope!” Zack booped his little nose. “Talk to your fellow Little General if you don’t want to nap. And make sure you call Aerith if you need anything!” He straightened up, sword-turned-umbrella slung over his shoulder, and cocked an eyebrow over the rim of his sunglasses. “Come on, you know how this ends. It’s a mandatory vacation.”
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iceangelsimon · 1 year
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inspired by the girls from Amphibia, my friend @rydeninja drew Milo and his friends. Thank you to everyone who followed this AU.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/42026124/chapters/108078999
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crisiscutie · 4 months
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Dissidia Kadaj/Dissidia Darling headcanons
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As the second main pairing of the Dissidia AU, why not give it some backstory? This is based on Sephiroth and Kadaj's storylines in Opera Omnia! Featuring Aerith/Darling and Sephiroth/Darling.
Content Warning: Long Headcanons
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༻❁༺ You were separated from Sephiroth and Seymour after a fearsome battle with the summon Shinryu, lost in the chaos that unfolded after the battle.
༻❁༺ You were found comatose by the Warriors of Materia, your life force hanging by a thread. They were split whether to help you, given your affiliation with Sephiroth and Seymour and from previous clashes you had with the warriors. Some desired your demise, while others had faith in you.
༻❁༺ Your childhood friend, Kieran, vouched for you, saying that you were being manipulated by Sephiroth, just like you were by your father back in your world.
༻❁༺ So they took you back to the World of Light and made sure to keep a vigilant eye on you, with Cloud, Zack, and Tifa taking special care.
༻❁༺ Despite knowing full well about what you've done for Sephiroth, Aerith still volunteered to care for you as you recovered.
༻❁༺ Kadaj wasn't sure how to feel about you. Should it be hatred because you were an ally of Sephiroth? But there was something about you that made him feel closer to home, closer to being whole.
༻❁༺ Aerith also sensed something strange about you. She didn't want to believe it, but the negative energy within you felt familiar to her. She couldn't help but be reminded of JENOVA and Sephiroth's negative lifesteam, all too familiar from her own time in the lifestream.
༻❁༺ She also noticed Kadaj lurking by you as well, little by little. Not to mention, Zack and Cloud always seemed to have headaches and low energy levels, which only furthered her suspicions.
༻❁༺ During the discussion about your situation and Sephiroth's intentions, she stayed quiet, attentively listening to Kieran as he talked his childhood with you and the ability of summoners like yourself to harness energy (normally from crystals) to create celestial beings from other planes of existence.
༻❁༺ Upon hearing this information, concern and fear hung in the air for everyone, leaving Cloud as the only one willing to ask the dreaded question.
༻❁༺ "...If she is to summon JENOVA for Sephiroth, then where is it?" He asked, as everyone became gravely silent. Aerith watched him closely as he raised his hand to his temple afterwards, a subtle grimace of pain on his face..
༻❁༺ Kadaj himself stood in silence, his breath quickening with anticipation. Could it be? Was the long-awaited reunion upon him? His heart thumped against his chest, echoing in his ears. His purpose, at last, acknowledged. But now, faced with her presence, his mind raced. What should he do? What should he say!?
༻❁༺ Aerith already knew the awful answer, but she had prayed that she wasn't right. But now, the mountain of evidence left little room for doubt. "JENOVA is growing inside her," she somberly said, eliciting a few gasps.
༻❁༺ But just as she's nurturing the remnant of the man who killed her in her past life, Aerith firmly believed in your salvation, even when you will become one with the calamity that had wiped out her people. Cloud and Zack were surprised by her determination more than anyone.
༻❁༺ Later on, your childhood friend visited your bedside. He expressed his regrets, as he won't be around when you wake up. He must assist his fellow warriors in another world. Even while unconscious, the sadness still consumed your heart as a single tear fell from your closed eyes when he left the room.
༻❁༺ You stirred in your unconscious state later, as Sephiroth's voice echoed in your mind. "Mother, where are you!?" You grimaced, tossing in your sleep as he spoke more. "You belong with us, darling. Your destiny..." his velvety voice now held hints of a malicious growl.
༻❁༺ Aerith and Kadaj rushed to your bedside as they heard your panted whimpers. The words of Sephiroth (or JENOVA?) intensified, growing louder and more aggressive in your mind. "The Reunion!"
༻❁༺In an instant, your eyes opened, your breathing frantic as you quickly took in your surroundings. Your intense gaze then met Kadaj's, sparks igniting within you as you spoke. "S-Sephiroth?"
༻❁༺ Kadaj's heart sunk in his chest as that name escaped your lips, his slit eyes welling up with tears. That familiar doubt and fear within him resurfaced, gnawing at his insides. Surely, you're still in a stupor? That shouldn't mean that you don't know him or that Mother preferred Sephiroth over him!
༻❁༺ His lips moved, but no sound escaped them. He silently searched for the words he longed to say, but they eluded him. So he stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him.
༻❁༺ Aerith's concerned gaze followed his departure as she promised herself to check on him later. She then redirected her attention towards you with a warm smile.
༻❁༺ "Hey, how are you?" Her voice was tender as she placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. "I'm Aerith, a friend of Kieran's." Your eyes widened at the mention of Kieran's name. "Looks like I have a lot to catch you up on!"
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There'll be more!
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masamune-vii · 13 days
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Granblue Fantasy Style FFVII Au
Just a Random thing not a Story Idea, I just love the Lore that Rebirth added to places like Corel and Such with the World Intel and Summon Lore
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Corel Region
A Vast Local Known For it's Mines and The Town Named After it, This is Where Barret Wallace is from though he is currently considered a Pariah after an Incident in the Town That may or may not have involved the Deity of Judgment, The Automaton Alexander.
Corel is mostly known for it's desert like surrounding, luckily there are several other small towns nearby, mostly rest areas known as Sanctuaries, Corel even has a Large Temple that worships Alexander.
Nibel Region
Known for it's Dangerous location known as Mount Nibel and it's Mountainous Town Nibelheim, Here the Deity Odin is Worshipped and also where Mercenary Cloud Strife and Childhood Friend Tifa Lockhart were born.
It is said the Mountain itself was Forged when Odin Battle the Dark Deity Fenrir which is said that their clash formed the Mountain, however an incident happened that caused the Town to be abandoned, what it was is unknown.
Junon Region
A Dystopian City resides in this region that it is named after, The Region also has a Large ocean residing near the City of Junon and is also known for travelers to go where they take a Ship to The Resort known as Costa Del Sol
It is said that the Region is Protected by The Deity of Rebirth Phoenix.
Gongaga Region
A Region known for it's vast Forests and It's Mushrooms often used in some Cooking recipes, The Soldier Zack Fair is from here having left to join the Midgar Military Academy where he became member of the Midgar Imperial Army.
It is also where The Deity Kujata is Worshipped, It is also here that a Former Assassin named Cissnei resides having made a promise to protect Zack's Home and People.
Cosmo Canyon
It is actually part of the Corel Region though it is also a Region in itself and also a Large town named after the Region, the Town is known for it's love of planetology and worship the Deity Bahamut the God of Dragons
Here Nanaki resides and also where the Evil Gi Tribe resides near who also said to have been at war with the Cetra
Grasslands Region
A Region where the Town of Kalm resides, Midgar resides near this Region being in the center of the Region, it is said the Deity of the Earth Titan is worshipped here and said to have shaped the land, it is also said that Titan and Kujata once battled here.
Each Region also once was where the Ancient Race of Humans known as The Cetra once lived before the War of The Calamity, a Dark Entity appeared and nearly brought the Cetra to extinction until the Cetra summoned the Deities of The World including The Deity of The Ice Shiva, The Deity of Fire Ifrit, The Deity of Water Leviathan, And The Deity of Lightning Ramuh.
Midgar, The Imperial City of The Midgar Empire
A Vast Technologically advanced City and where many go to live better lives, however nothing is as it seems for many also end up living in the slums.
it is also here where The Imperial Army resides, It is said to have been built where The Dark Entity Jenova was fought and Defeated, It is also where a Sect of the Rebel Group Avalanche resides.
Wutai
The Nation of Wutai was once a powerful Nation before it's defeat by the Midgar Empire, now it is nothing more than a Tourist Attraction, it is also on a very large island and said to be where the Legendary Swordsman Gilgamesh Resides.
It is also like the Region where the City of Wutai resides as well as other towns with similar eastern names, it is also where Leviathan is Worshipped
The Northlands
Here is where the Northern Cave resides as well as The Large Resort Town known as Icicle Inn resides as well, It is also in this Region that The Temple of the Cetra was built and also said to be where the Island Town of Mideel also resides near as well as the Town of Banora.
That is it for now, oh Rocket town resides in the Nibel Region though it isn't called Rocket Town, since this idea of a Au is set in a Granblue Fantasy like setting.
I will probably do Characters Next probably tomorrow, gonna play Brave Exvius and once again try likely multiple times to get Remake Sephiroth and maybe try to get Cissnei
also here are the Ships that would appear
Cloti. 2. Zerith. 3. Yuffentine. 4. Sephissnei - Sephiroth x Cissnei. 5. Barret x Myrna. 6. Tseng x Elena.
and many more
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finalfantasyfics · 6 months
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FFVII: Time Range 1.2
Summary: Time travel AU. An alternate Nibelheim breakout.
Ships: Zack & Cloud, Vincent & Cloud
Originally posted here.
XxX
Waking up in a mako tank was never a pleasant experience, even less so when the memories of the past (present?) poured into him and informed him exactly where he was.
When he was told he'd be sent back in time, he wasn't expecting this. He'd hoped, foolishly, it would be years earlier, in time to save his mother, and Sephiroth, and many others.
He hadn't expected it to be soon after Hojo had given up on him, declaring him a failed specimen and leaving.
Him and Zack.
Breaking out was hard, even though he had been sent back as he would be and not as he was, the extra strength from his dips in the Lifestream still within him. Harder, perhaps, because he kept being distracted by memories.
His own memories, clear and whole. He had double vision type ones where his and Zack's overlapped, he had unexpected ones of missions with Turks or other SOLDIERs he hadn't gotten from Zack's copied memories. Two years of Midgar that Tifa could never give him that he wanted to cling to and relive, wanted to exalt in until he knew every little detail.
But he couldn't, not yet. He had to save Zack.
"Get up, Chaos, you asshole, we've got a Calamity to stop," he shouted into the coffin room, figuring the entity would know what Cloud was, if not have memories of him.
But when the lid flew back and Vincent sat up, he was staring at him. "Cloud?"
His own response caught in his throat as he realized this was Vincent, his Vincent, and who was more perfect to have here with him than the other person who knew first hand not only what it was like to be one of Hojo's experiments, but also the constant fear of having himself subsumed by another, foreign presence within him.
"Vincent, we need to get out of here. I've got Zack, he's recovering but it's sooner than it was before, he's still out of it."
Without needing to say another word, Vincent assisted with taking out the security they needed to worry about while Cloud fetched clothing for him and Zack. His hands hovered over the SOLDIER uniforms for a long moment, before he reluctantly dug around for civilian gear, instead. The uniforms hadn't saved them before and he'd take anonymity over the slight protection of the armored pieces for now.
He did still pack two in the bags he found for their supplies, though. Vincent didn't comment on the show of nostalgia (he knew he had no room to, not with that cape of his making it through so many years).
Zack was awake enough to walk as they set out, bundled in the best winter gear despite his protests about Cloud's well being.
"This is nothing, jungle boy," Cloud joked, though he knew he'd be suffering if he weren't so augmented.
Sometimes, when he caught Vincent watching from the shadows, he could feel the weight of his opinion: that they should find a safe place to stash Zack and go on their own, that a normal SOLDIER like Zack would slow them down. Cloud pretended he didn't understand and Vincent let him.
Three nights out and Zack, pressed against Cloud to share warmth, brushed his lips against his ear and whispered, "There's someone following us."
For a moment, Cloud almost panicked, and then he realized that was impossible--yes, people could find them, but to follow them when Vincent was the one keeping watch?
Except Zack hadn't seen Vincent, yet.
"Vincent," Cloud called in the direction he could feel Chaos and moments later he was there, causing Zack to pull away and go for the Buster Sword, putting himself between them. "It's fine, Zack, he's a friend. He was...he was there, too, in the labs." Technically true, which Reno would claim is the best sort of truth.
That relaxed Zack only a little. "And he's been following us this whole time?"
"He's been with us. You've just been out of it, so we thought it better if he didn't come too close."
Zack shifted so he could see both of them, frowning. "When did you have time to get so buddy-buddy?"
Cloud met Vincent's eyes and they had a silent conversation over a few seconds before turning their attention back to Zack. "A lot of weird shit happens when scientists mess around with alien parasites and demons, Vincent and I already knew each other before I broke out and got him."
"Alien what?"
Distracted by a thorough explanation of what Jenova was and a far less thorough explanation of what Hojo had done to Cloud, Zack didn't pry for more details about Vincent.
They decided to leave Zack in Cosmo Canyon (with Nanaki, where he could hopefully protect him if necessary) and promised to bring Aerith to him--he was former First Class, more recognizable, Cloud reasoned with him, whereas Cloud could pull off being some nobody Third if it came down to it.
When Zack pointed out that Vincent looked like the villain in some off-Loveless play, Vincent had simply said, "On Loveless Ave, surely," and made Zack jump because he hadn't realized he was there, proving their point.
Then they started towards Midgar in truth, working through what must currently be happening and what they needed to change. It wasn't the best case scenario, Jenova and Sephiroth would still be out there, Deepground was too far along not to be an issue, but it was better than what they'd had.
They'd make sure of that.
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silly-bean · 3 years
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twas struck with a shower thought that turned into me writing 1k for a scene in the middle of a fic that hasn't been written yet... so yeah, have some Zack and Cloud angst.
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"You expect me to believe that? That Sephiroth was the 'tragic villain' and that I died to save you: the 'big hero'?" Zack sneers down at him, his eyes flaring in his anger. "You do realize how that sounds to me, right? Like you're just spouting off your greatest fantasy where Sephiroth falls from grace and you're just conveniently there to save everyone by putting him down. Why don't-"
"I'm not a hero, Zack," Cloud says, voice small.
"Really?" Zack rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. "You're gonna pull that shit now? What, digging for a compliment or something? Want me to pat you on the back and tell you you did a 'good job ridding your world of the big bad man'? I can't believe I'm still in here listening to this shit. We should have-"
"I'm not a fucking hero, Zack," Cloud snarls, feeling his own eyes starting to flare. "I didn't even make SOLDIER. I was a nobody who returned home a failure and was only able to kill Sephiroth the first time through pure adrenaline and the lucky fact that I didn't register as a threat to him."
He's standing now, his presence spilling out of his usual tight control and filling the room. "I spent the next five years being so utterly useless that you had to break me out of the lab and drag me across the planet and then die for me."
"So, what? Are you expecting a repeat performance? Want me to take the bullet for you again so you can 'honor my sacrifice' and save another world?"
"I LOVED YOU!"
Zack froze, his eyes wide and mouth parted. Cloud looks away, down at the table separating them and swallows.
"I loved you, Zack.” His voice is quiet again, thick with grief and guilt that he still hasn’t completely shed even after all these years. “But you were taken, dating Aerith, so I kept quiet, carried a torch until I sat beside you in the rain and mud, barely coherent and fighting mako poisoning as you passed your sword on to me and told me to live for you. And then I forgot you existed.”
He risks a glance up at the other man. Zack has closed his mouth, pressed it into a thin line, and his eyes shine with an emotion that he can’t begin to name. Cloud looks down again and clenches his fists, taking a deep breath before continuing.
“I left you there in the mud and dragged myself to Midgar and then succumbed to the mako again and the only reason I remembered my name was because someone I knew found me and told me what it was. She assumed I was a SOLDIER and I accepted that fact, took the stories you’d told me, and turned them into memories since mine was so full of holes.”
Cloud’s struggling to get the words out, a lump in his throat choking him up as tears spring to his eyes. The image of the Zack in front of him is flickering, flashes of his Zack smiling up at him covered in mud overlapping with the other’s horrified expression. He squeezes his eyes shut and tries to pull air into his lungs.
“I was with you in your last moments and couldn’t remember in time to let your girlfriend know what happened to you before she died. It took my best friend literally going into my head and fixing it for me to remember you existed at all, let alone how you died and what you’d done for me.” He swallows, clenching his jaw, and opens his eyes again. He looks up, nervous.
Zack stares down at him, hands loose and open at his sides. He looks away, clenching and unclenching his fists, before he lets out a heavy breath and flops back down into his chair. He scoots it forward and rests his elbow on the metal table, pressing his clasped hands into his lips.
“I’m not a hero because I decided to chase Sephiroth for revenge,” Cloud continues. “And, when it mattered, I couldn’t save anyone. I couldn’t save Aerith even though I was right there. I couldn’t save you, him, whatever. Sephiroth wanted to fight me because I got lucky one time and then was unlucky enough to attract Hojo’s attention. The only reason I ended up helping save the planet from Meteor was that I had friends who weren’t gonna tolerate me sitting around regretting everything I’d ever done.”
They sit in silence for a while, deep in thought. Cloud suddenly regrets his outburst; this Zack isn’t his Zack, he doesn’t need to deal with all his shit on top of everything else he’s dealing with. He takes a moment to reexamine his mental bonds, making sure they haven’t come unblocked in his burst of emotion and mollified by the fact that he probably wasn’t beaming his self-loathing directly into the other’s head.
“Then why did you come?” Zack asks, his eyes darting up to meet his. “You said you had a choice, didn’t you? You chose to come here, to help us. If you’re not a hero, then why?”
That was the crux of the matter, wasn’t it? Why was he here? Why did he decide to jump headfirst into another dimension and help them solve their problems?
“It’s nothing big, really. Even after everything, with the healing I’ve done and the forgiveness I’ve received, I still feel guilty. I feel like there’s still more I could have done. This is my way of atoning for it, I guess.”
Cloud shrugs, breaking eye contact and looking back down at his hands. He feels Zack’s eyes on him, scanning, evaluating his honesty. Trying to understand, to know why someone who looks like his greatest enemy would want to help them. Eventually, he must reach some kind of conclusion and sighs heavily. He stands, Cloud looking up to watch the movement. Zack stares down at him, face a mask of indifference once more.
“Thank you for your time. Someone will be down to escort you back to your cell in a bit while we discuss what we’ll do with you.”
He turns, pushing the chair back into place and walking to the door. It buzzes open and he turns to give one last long look at Cloud before stepping out. The door slams shut behind him, leaving Cloud alone with his thoughts once more.
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Final Fantasy 7 prompts #75 (FINAL LIST)
1. Iflana does not trust Cloud, not one bit. She can sense the calamity inside him and wants him to leave. Too bad both her husband and daughter seem enraptured by his very existence. Her husband rambling on about his mutated and 'safer' J-cells, as if that thing could ever be considered safe. Then it was her daughter, who seemed to take him in, as though he was no more than an injured bird needing treatment.
This thing would be the death of them. She just knew it.
2. "In my world its pretty rare for monsters to talk."
The large gray rabbit riding on his head paused to consider this, "Maybe they're just stupid?"
"Duh. They're basically wild animals. They're not really like you Loppy."
"Lopmon." The bunny creature corrected. Again.
Aka Cloud wakes up in the digital world as a twelve year old and has to find his friends...with the help of his partner digimon of course.
3. Genesis used to think mermaids were one of the most beautiful creatures in Ancient lore...until he saw a blond one swallow a fish whole. He wasn't so sure after that.
4. Au where Cloud and the remnants are escaped expiraments from a non-Shinra lab. They travel to Midgar and become mercenaries.
One of them winds up being captured, prompting the other three to rescue them, but they're otherwise preoccupied by normal human things they never got to experience. Loz loves donuts and other sweets, Yazoo adores taking long hot bathes, and Kadaj always seems to have headphones on, etc.
The holy trinity are shocked when the four don't recognize Sephiroth. Genesis also nearly has a heart attack when he catches them roasting a doomrat over an open flame. "You're not actually going to eat that, are you?"
5. Hojos alarm was triggered at three in the morning. Usually this wouldn't be an issue, creatures attempted to escape Shinras (and by extention his) clutches on a regular basis. They were usually recaptured or destroyed within the hour.
What was strange was the fact that this was Jenovas alarm. His goddess tended to not move much beyond bobbing up and down in her tank.
Upon checking the security feed, he witnessed something infuriating. A blond man was holding an armful of wildflowers and bossing around three silver haired teens as they dismantled her shrine and stole her away. Jenova herself seemed...interested? Approving? He wasn't sure, but it looked like she was cooing at them. Further analysis was required.
6. Time travel au, but the whole thing is from Hojos perspective and he suffers
7. Cloud and Reeve were having a discussion about Clouds Jenova abilities and why he never used them, which eventually lead Cloud to picking up a pebble and stating, "Its not like a can just force some of my life energy into a rock and make it a planet"
And then he did. Tfw
8. High fantasy, no materia au.
Magic is rarely seen in humans, rather a tool used by monsters. On the day Clouds mother is murdered his abilities awaken, creating a powerful snowstorm that ripped the town of Nebilhiem apart.
Ten years later and the storm rages on, having grown to cover nearly the entirety of the mountain, rendering communication with nearby kingdoms difficult and travel impossible.
The famed General Rhapsodous is sent to slay whatever great beast is causing this catastrophe. When he is faced with a young man living up there in complete isolation, he chooses to stay with the mysterious man until he can locate the monster.
What will become of Cloud once Genesis discovers the truth? After all, a witch is considered a form of monster.
9. "I should have just remained a puppet!"
Genesis mulled over the words as though they alone could unravel the mystery that is Strife.
Some part of the redhead felt a little bad about using the strange man's emotional outburst against him, but things were getting desperate...
10. Time traveler au where Genesis dresses in drag to save this "Tifa" girl from the Don. He then tries to get her to go to Shinra for questioning and is punched for his efforts
11. Cloud is thrown into a world where he never existed and Shinra still reigns supreme. Worse, he has no memory of who he is or how he got there (cause Jenova destroyed them). He only has his bike and his sword and begins traveling to find a purpose, all while avoiding Shinras detection.
He often stops at inns and rest stops and often sees the same group of people. The large man with a gun arm grew suspicious from seeing him everywhere they went.
___________________________
"Go away."
The knocking came again. "I know you're in there blondie." A gruff voice replied.
"I'm not gay."
The man on the other side of the door began sputtering. "Look," another voice began, "We just need to talk."
"Yeah. Sure. Talk." He said flatly. "In the middle of the night." He went over to the door anyway. Opening it revealed the man with a gun arm and another man with wild black hair.
"Zack?" The blond blurted, startled. What was one of Shinras Supreme doing out here?!
"You remember me!" The man beamed, "SOLDIER First Class Zack Fair, at your service! Now the real question!"
The man leaned down a bit to the mysterious blonds level, "Who are you?"
12. "Can you do it?" The softness of Denzels voice seemed to make the situation all the more horrifying. "Can you kill me?" Eerie mako green eyes stared up at where Cloud stood frozen.
Denzel pulled a knife from the block, "Or will your son kill you?"
Aka Seph plays mind games by possessing the kids from Advent Children and using them to torment Cloud and make him look like a lunatic
13. Cloud gets sent back in time/ alternate reality, ect. but gets turned into a white materia. He's careful not to roll around while people are looking, but that doesn't stop people from saying, "Hey, look! A materia! " and picking him up. He has no real power...other than apparently soothing anyone/anything he comes into contact with.
Strangely, he keeps getting slotted into bracers (among other things) regularly. Ya'll, he's so annoyed.
14. There were two of him. Two Sephiroths. The blond began regulating his breathing, desperately trying to ward off an ensuing panic attack. He wouldn't stand a chance if they decided to work together.
Luckily, one insulted the other and thus a catfight of epic proportions began, all while Cloud had a panic attack in some long forgotten closet.
15. Au where child Sephiroth overhears a scientist talking about her 'prayers being answered' and he asks her what that meant. After a brief explanation, he later prays to anyone who can hear him to get him out of the labs and/or away from Hojo.
It works.
Bonus: Cloud and Sephiroth were fighting again in the Midgar desert when Sephiroth slashed the air, creating a portal. He had intended to use it to appear behind his puppet and impale him again, but the blond rushed forward and slashed through the portal with his own sword, expecting the portal to disappear as he sailed through were it once was.
Unfortunately, it was still very much there. Just...different. Cloud wasn't given the chance to properly examine it before the feeling of being plunged into ice water overwhelmed him and he was spat out on the other side.
It was another desert, but not like the one he left. He could feel no life here. No plants, no animals, no...no lifestream. The only thing around is another version of him. One that was used and abandoned by the Sephiroth of this world.
The other blond stared at him in confusion, wielding twin sabers in a defensive position.
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valenxiaos · 3 years
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I may have a thing for @aimeelouart’s calamity au for both Cloud and Zack- I was going for an angsty/serious mood, but it ended up being a very small, concerned Cloud and Zack who just wants to book it for Costa Del Sol
In case my handwriting is illegible and the first part’s confusing, here’s what they’re saying:
Zack: We’re leaving and traveling to Costa Del Sol.
Cloud: What about Shinra??
Zack: Oh, Cloudy... Don’t worry about it! I’ll help you pack your things!
Cloud: Zack, I’m not sure what’s happening, but we can’t just abandon Shinra! They’ll try and hunt you down!
Zack: Aww, you’re so thoughtful, Spike! <3
Other than that, what if Zack went full on destroy-the-world/even-more-of-a-nuisance-to-society if Hojo somehow managed to swipe Cloud right under his nose-
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barid-bel-medar · 3 years
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ff7 american gods au- where cloud's the last of the nibel old gods who's almost out of worshipers. he's ready to face his end and die until newcomers show up and all of a sudden he's been adopted.
Okay, so here’s the thing I have *extremely* limited knowledge of American Gods but I’ll give it a go.
Cloud is fairly certain the only reason he’s still around is because he is supposed to be associated with the end of times, the hero who fights the destroyer and guides the world into something new. With the fading of the other gods, he’s certain that’s no longer true, and that soon enough he’ll be gone soon too.
Meeting Zack Fair, one of the SOLDIER New Gods is a surprise, and even more of a surprise is being drawn into their pantheon, his worship suddenly vastly increasing, even as he feels his role start to shift slightly. He can’t entirely tell how though.
Zack is the God of Dreams. Kunsel is the God of Knowledge. Angeal is the God of Honor. Genesis is the God of Fire. Sephiroth is the God of War. Cloud is worshiped now as a God of Second Chances. He and Sephiroth become involved after a while.
Aerith is a goddess of another Pantheon who was also absorbed into the SOLDIER Pantheon, both as the Goddess of Life, and as Zack’s consort/wife. Soon enough the belief arises that Cloud and Aerith are siblings, which Cloud can only assumes is some sort of bleed through of them originally being of separate pantheons. She does warn Cloud that something feels slightly off about the other SOLDIER gods.
 Cloud figures out what Aerith is feeling off about when Sephiroth is revealed to not so much be a God of War, so much as a God of Destruction, a Calamity, caused by all the (original) SOLDIER Pantheon being created from the corruption of a Goddess of Destruction from an alien world. Cloud had never become a true God of Second Chances for all that’s been his worship with SOLDIER. He was still the divine champion who fights the destroyer, only now it’s a divine champion who fights the Calamity.
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sams-dwampy-hut · 4 years
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"Escape", "Milo in Space", and "Sphere and Loathing in Outer Space", but Amanda Lopez is included.
She joins Milo in the elevator with Lydia, Scott and Coach Mitchell and is the one to come up with the plan to escape the elevator using the skills of everyone. She then joins Milo, Melissa and Zack in the backyard and follows them as they alongside Diogee escort Doof, Dakota and Cavenpuss to the spaceship Cavendish is.
When the Octalians come to kidnap him again, Amanda is the first one to grab Milo, supported by Melissa, Zack, Doof, Dakota and Cavenpuss, but to no avail even when Perry arrives. Her inclusion makes the Hot Potato plan to insert the bone-liquifying carburetor back in place simpler to accomplish, as the gang makes chase in the cosmos.
When a Milo-disguised Loab is safely put on board the ship, Amanda embraces and kisses "Milo", and is shocked, almost disgusted when Loab shapeshifts back as himself. Like Perry, Amanda is in full support of Zalissa, teasing Melissa a little about it.
When she hears about Orgaluth, Amanda gets a little anxious about the Octalian girl, moreso afraid that she becomes Milo's new love interest rather than her possessing the Octalian Murphy's Law; but that fear is shortlived when Milo reassures her that he still likes her, after reading her thoughts (and quickly apologizes for it). She joins the rest of Team Milo to approach the Sphere of Calamity the Milo Way, with her own backpack and helmet.
At the end of the episode, she is seen half-embracing Milo when he holds his speech to the Octalians, and is visibly elated when Melissa kisses Zack.
tl;dr, Amanda gets more involved in the final Season 2 episodes. Nothing else in this AU changes.
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spyder-m · 4 years
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Cloti Fall Festival, Day Five: Ghosts of Idols
Summary: AU. In the wake of the Nibleheim incident, Cloud and Zack are not captured by Hojo. Instead, they are celebrated as heroes for defeating Sephiroth and Cloud is promoted to First Class. When Shinra receives word of Avalanche's bombing mission, Cloud is tasked with guarding the Sector 5 Reactor. Cloud meets a familiar face among Avalanche's ranks; someone he thought perished in Nibleheim's fires. A loved one he must now face as an enemy. 
A/N: I couldn’t come up with anything I liked for lanterns, but had what I thought was a pretty cool idea for an AU spin on the original game. Feel like there’s potential for a multi-chaptered story here... Shame I’m no good at actually regularly updating full-length stories. 
The title also comes from lyrics to the Thrice song, “Where Idols Once Stood”, for those of you playing at home.
Ao3 / FF.net
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“Congratulations; First Class Soldier Strife,” President Shinra’s gravelly voice broke, his mouth twisting at Cloud in a smile barring too many teeth.
Not privy to the formalities of the ceremony, Cloud wasn't exactly sure how to respond.
He recognised that President Shinra was his boss, and a powerful, influential figure he would need to treat respectfully. Still, he couldn’t help but feel jaded by the entire ceremony. How a man, who Cloud wasn’t even sure had known his name before, was suddenly happy to bask in the presence of the famed, hero of the day.
His conflicted feelings for the President aside, Cloud gripped the man's hand firmly, his head dipping an awkward bow.
The Soldier uniform clung to the newly formed muscle lining his arms and chest; forged from the years of training and bolstered by his recent graduation to Mako injections. Yet, it somehow felt ill-fitting.
The President's hand clasped Cloud’s shoulder, shifting his stance towards the thongs of press before them; cameras flickering in blinding flashes. The reporters' questions blurred together in a flurry of incomprehensible voices, crackling in his ears like thunder.
Cloud winced, still adjusting to the powerful senses the Mako had imbued him with.
It was too hard to focus on what they were saying, let alone form a coherent answer, when even the touch of their fingers against their camera’s flashes seemed to ring as loudly as a hail of bullets.  
Having grown up shy and reserved, Cloud hadn't considered the spotlight being Soldier would shine upon his life. His hand rose, unsure, as he acknowledged the press.
This should have been the proudest moment of his life. Yet, their praise, the adulation he had always sought after, now felt empty.
At seventeen, Cloud had become one of the youngest to ever reach the height of Soldier’s elite; younger than even Zack or Sephiroth had been. When, just weeks ago, he'd been nothing more than a grunt resigned to a life of perpetual failure.
The Great Sephiroth, now branded a traitor and murderer, had been killed at his hands, in the midst of a rampage in Nibleheim.
Cloud, though only an infantryman, had survived a seemingly fatal wound; pierced clean through by Masamune’s blade. He had managed to overpower Sephiroth, pushing him into a vat of Mako beneath the platform, killing him.
Such feats were unheard of and in the realm of superhuman. The higher-ups in Shinra realised that there was no way such raw potential could be kept dormant. They needed to harness and nourish it.  
So, for succeeding where even Zack; a First Class; had failed and sparing any further casualties, Cloud had been swiftly promoted. He had finally managed to catch the role that alluded him.
Still, there was an absence, a sense of loss that weighed upon Cloud as he remained conscious of all that had been taken from him in the process.
He was no longer the same fresh-faced, young man full of dreams and aspirations. The incident in Nibleheim had exposed him to the horrible reality of war that had been glorified to him from a young age, and the shady nature of the company he worked under.
His hometown had been destroyed, his mother killed in the ensuing fire; his idol, the man he once considered a hero, twisted unrecognisably into a cruel, sadistic monster; Tifa… He hadn't received word of her condition after carrying her to safety. He didn't even know if she had managed to survive.
The final pieces of his dream, his life’s goal, had all been ripped away and now everything felt incomplete.
He would never have the chance to return home, could never bask in the vindication of showing the town that had shunned him the man he had become. His mother wouldn’t be there to welcome him back, to gush over how she proud she was. He could never earn the respect of Mr Lockhart, showing him the result of his years of hard work.
He could no longer become someone worthy of Tifa.
Celebrating seemed meaningless now that he could no longer honour the promises he had made.
As if sensing the despair weighing upon him, the only remaining presence in Cloud's life he could stand, the only person he could trust, put his arm around him.
Cloud glanced up, the flurry of doubt swimming through his head alleviated by Zack's soft, reassuring smile.
His friends normal, sunny disposition was restrained, recognising the gravity and weight the day carried. The sheen of his eyes dulled, sadness and sympathy lingering in his gaze.
It was comforting, a reminder that Cloud wasn't completely alone in all of this.
“You did it, buddy. I knew you would.”
Cloud smiled. It was ill-fitting, much like his uniform.
.
As a coping mechanism, Cloud pushed himself deeper into his work; now the one constant in his life that remained.
He was determined now, more than ever, to be the best Soldier had ever known; if for no reason other than to shatter the once great reputation of Sephiroth.
He would ensure that the honour, the pride that had once been attached to Sephiroth’s name would be erased forever. For, the man he had left the world as, the horrific, things he had done, was no longer deserving of such a legacy.
Following the tragedy in Nibleheim, Cloud; for his accomplishments; was already being presented as the new poster child for Shinra; the Silver Elite seemingly forgotten. Though, his name was still written in many company records, Shinra did not actively acknowledge it, wanting to swiftly sweep the massacre under the rug, not wanting to get caught up in such a scandal.
Cloud had heard that Shinra had even gone so far as to completely rebuild the town; filling it with actors to pose as Nibleheim residents.
 Should word get out of the tragedy, the town would stand as direct proof against it. The only people who knew the truth were buried amidst the rubble under the newly constructed houses and markers.
Although, that wasn't entirely true.
Both he and Zack survived, that had witnessed the massacre with their own eyes. Perhaps that was Shinra had been treating them so well, why Cloud had been suddenly promoted. They hoped that they could compel them into remaining silent.
Although, it might not have been necessary.
Even if they came out with the truth, chances are that no one would believe them. Nibleheim had been so remote, so far from Midgar. The likelihood that anyone in the city knew of the names and faces, the lives that had inhabited that place, was minuscule.
The thought made Cloud sick to his stomach, a painful reminder of everything he had lost. The very idea of someone living in his home; or, an exact replica of it; pretending as though nothing had happened. Pretending that his mother, Tifa, Mr Lockhart, none of them had ever even been alive.
Cloud couldn’t help but see the act as an unconscious admission of guilt on the part of the Shinra, that they’d had a small hand in the massacre.
Though it didn’t excuse his actions, Cloud was beginning to suspect Sephiroth had gone on the rampage after suffering some kind of mental breakdown.
Zack had confessed overhearing Sephiroth muttering the library of the Shinra Mansion. Talking about being born from Jenova, the calamity that fell from the sky.
Thinking about it, Cloud felt it was possible that Sephiroth’s mental state had deteriorated following the deaths of his two closest friends, Angeal and Genesis; not to mention the atrocities he’d been exposed to over the course of the Wutai War.
For this to have gone undiagnosed and untreated by the company, eventually manifesting in the worst possible way, they bore some responsibility.
In the wake of such tragedy, questions were often raised about whether or it was fair to bury the memory of such controversial figures completely. About whether they could still be recognised for the good they’d done and what they’d achieved while they were alive.
Considering the hero status Sephiroth had attained in his time, Cloud was certain this conversation would inevitably come up.  
For that reason, Cloud resolved to quash any thought of celebrating Sephiroth’s accomplishments by shattering them all.
Cloud didn’t want anyone to have a reason to speak of Sephiroth anymore.
That would be his revenge, his means of avenging his mother, Tifa, Nibleheim.
Perhaps, that way, he could find some semblance of closure.
.
Where Cloud had once been ridiculed for his short stature and lithe frame, there was now a palpable aura surrounded him, one that commanded respect.
It was difficult not to notice as he walked the halls of Shinra HQ, the subtle glances and whispers that would follow in his wake. His reputation proceeded him; the man who had managed to defeat Sephiroth.
The infantrymen who were once his cohorts looked at him differently.
Should he stop to speak with one of them, they would stammer in response, struggling to maintain eye contact. Though normally modest and reserved, Cloud couldn’t help but revel in the satisfaction and stroke his ego felt whenever they shrunk in his presence.
The glare of his eerie, glowing eyes would often punctuate an order, sending them scurrying frantically in all directions.
"Cloud."
Cloud's pace slowed, knowing by the call of his name, that there was only be one person who would approach him.
Over their time in Soldier, Zack had gotten to know him closely and knew there was nothing about him to fear. He had been someone who, despite holding a higher position, had never treated him as inferior, but recognised and believed in his strength all along.
Now, that day had come, and they were equals in rank.
"Come on," Zack called with a wave. "We need to get going. Heidegger just called an emergency meeting."
.
“Ah, Soldier 1st Class Strife. Glad that you could make it.”
“What’s going on?” Cloud asked as he stood at attention amongst the other Soldiers.
“We’ve received word that Avalanche is planning another attack on one of our Reactors. However, at this stage, we haven’t been able to determine which one."
Avalanche. Their name had been cropping up more and more recently; a group of vigilantes, enviro-terrorists who had set their sights on Shinra. Cloud had heard rumblings of their protests, the accusations they levelled at the company. How they were draining the planet’s lifeforce to power cities and towns.
It was a damaging blow to his already waning faith in Shinra.
Still, Cloud couldn't agree with their methods; planting bombs in Mako reactors across the city and cutting off the power, hoping to stop the draining of the planet's energy. They were too many innocent people being caught in the crossfire.
Shinra might have been corrupt, but there were genuinely good people working for the company; people like Zack, like the infantrymen he had been friends with. They would have to fight in the line of duty, in some cases even, die.
They didn't deserve to have their lives taken from them.
The planet was suffering under Shinra, but what about the pain of those who were killed in the explosions? The pain of those who had to continue living through the tragedy of having lost their children, the parents, their friends, partners, co-workers? It was a pain Cloud had become all too familiar with; one he didn't want to see others have to suffer through.
As far as Cloud was concerned, Avalance were no better than Sephiroth.
"Therefore, as a countermeasure, I want one of you stationed at each Reactor,” Heidegger instructed. “These people are dangerous terrorists, so don't hesitate to use lethal force. Let Avalanche serve as a martyr to any other sewer rats out there who might be thinking of following their example."
.
It never occurred to Cloud that Shinra's Mako Reactors had all been built to the exact same dimensions.
As he walked through Sector 5, approaching the building, he was shaken by each eerie detail that flooded back. How, much like the reconstruction of Nibleheim, it was startingly, precisely familiar, carrying a distinct memory and reminder of that night.
It awoke the flood of panic that had surged through his veins, the hot, viscous streaks of blood spilt upon that same staircase. His thoughts, somehow, became more visceral, than what he had lived through.
His heart lurched in his chest as he recounted passing Zack and Tifa's prone bodies, lying motionless of the stairs. He could feel his hand shaking against the handle of his sword, much like it had as he stood before Sephiroth, certain that he was going to die. The white-hot burn of Sephiroth’s blade searing in two different places as it cut clean through his flesh.
Exhaling in a cold-sweat, Cloud buckled to one knee at the entrance.
"Sir?" The voice of the infantryman crouched beside Cloud, pulled him from his reverie. His words, the touch of his hand against his shoulder, offering Cloud something to focus on.
"Are you alright?"
"I- I'm fine," Cloud lied.
Even with masks obscuring their faces and no way to clearly read their expressions, Cloud could sense the doubt radiating through the fleeting glances they shared.
Before they had the chance to pry, alarms began to blare from inside the reactor.
The infantrymen turned towards him expectantly, awaiting his command.
Standing back to his feet, Cloud readied Hardedge.
"Alright. On my signal, move in." Cloud instructed.
"Right."
.
 Cloud heard Avalance before he had a chance to see them; a product of a Soldier's Mako-enhanced senses.
It was the clatter of the rifle along the ground that gave them away. The sound of a bullet misfiring and ricocheting off the wall, the guard grunting in pain before seemingly slumping to the floor, unconscious.  
Cloud slid to a stop at the entrance of the reactor, catching sight of a young woman taking down one of the guards with a series of powerful strikes.
Despite himself, Cloud was impressed by the sheer speed and technique she demonstrated. He'd been under the impression that Avalanche were a group of ordinary, frustration citizens; finding strength in numbers and piecing together a militia from what they had on hand.
Yet, this woman fought with the skill of a trained, highly dangerous fighter.  
Still, Cloud felt no cause for concern. It would take more than hand to hand skills for her to stand against a member of Soldier. Though, he took solace in knowing that their fight would not be so unfairly balanced.  
Despite company orders, Cloud did not feel comfortable using force on random citizens and had hoped he could detain the protestors peacefully.
Sensing his presence behind her, however, the woman turned towards him, her fists raised and stance wide, ready to strike. Their eyes locked from opposite ends of the room, immediately honing in one another.
Cloud's forehead burnt as he, once more, was struck by that haunting flash of recognition.
It was a moment that had played out in Cloud’s head countless times.
A vision that only grew more vivid with each iteration.
With time and the hardships that had plagued his young life, Cloud had realised that the romantic imaginings of his young mind were unlikely to accurately reflect reality.
Yet, he could never have guessed how far they would stray, how opposite to his hopes and dreams things would actually unfold.
Her eyes, through enhanced Mako vision, were brighter, much more vibrant and closer to red than he could remember. They looked older, no longer wide and innocent.
Though, perhaps the most startling difference was how those same breath-taking, ruby eyes now pinned him down, not with admiration, but heart-wrenching rage.
As the pieces slid into place, his voice broke in a tremor.  
“T… Tifa?”
“Cloud?”
.
"The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies." – Unknown
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aimeelouart · 7 months
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Hey! Just wanted to say that I recently got into FF7 and your works are masterpieces, and also that Calamity Zack bursting into Situations gives me Kool-Aid Man vibes.
Thank you! It's what he does best and we love him for it
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fallintosanity · 4 years
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I’m looking to get into ff7 fandom. Have any fic recs?
Oh man, this got buried under the messages for my sideblog - sorry, Anon!
So the first and most obvious is The Fifth Act by Sinnatious, which not incidentally is the fic my own ffxv/ffvii crossover is based on. Sinnatious also wrote Preventing Calamity, which is not in the TFA verse but is incredible all on its own. 
Speaking of TFA-verse fic, Sleeping is a Precious Commodity by @ageofzero is an incredibly sweet CloudKunsel fic set in the TFA verse. Nothing but soft fluff here, folks!
Kieron_ODuibhir has several good, albeit frequently unfinished, fics, including Piercing (an unsettling look at Sephiroth’s place in ShinRa, complete), Top Guide (In This Town) (Tifa being awesome, incomplete), and Angels Still Have Faces (Angeal starts behaving oddly and Sephiroth is worried, incomplete but slowly updating). 
Losing Cohesion by SlaughterOtter is a hurt-no-real-comfort piece about Zack and Cloud’s time together in Hojo’s lab. And finally, lullabye for the new world order is a great Tifa-Tseng-Rufus-focused AU that gets bonus points for its incredibly creepy depiction of Jenova. 
Enjoy!
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The Milo Murphy’s Law Wiki Guy AU. 3: Heart
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"And... There! All done!", Melissa said, and she looked proudly at her work. She had just finished organizing the pictures and moments from her and Milo's latest adventure (which she had dubbed "Missing Milo") and was now appreciating the adventure, the memories and her best friends safe return.
As she was finishing up she took a look around her Murphy's Law room and remembered how she herself wasn't sure why she continued collecting pictures despite deducing that Milo wouldn't want a cure for Murphy's Law. She knew it wasn't because she had feelings for him.
Or... Did she?
Melissa suddenly found herself thinking about the possibility of her having feelings for Milo. She was taken aback by this. She didn't have a crush on Milo! They were friends and that's it!
Yet...
She thought to earlier that day, when Milo was missing. Man, she was worried! Would he be ok? What if he was lost? Confused? Sad? That was the last thing Melissa wanted and she had spent too much time thinking that yesterday.
But she also remembered how happy she was to see him. Zack later told her that she had the silliest grin on her face when Milo finally returned! But... That was just her being happy to see him!
But again, she felt doubt. She looked at a picture of Milo and her at a school dance. It was a few years back, when Milo had no one to ask to the dance too. Back then, he and Melissa would go to flings as friends. They had so much fun dancing then!
She considered her problem. Would it be so bad if she had feelings for him (which, she reminded herself, was not necessarily what she felt)? After all, it was Milo! Milo was so special to her, so funny, so smart, so... Milo-ish! He made her feel special in a million ways!
"But Milo loves Amanda!" shouted Melissa internally to her mind. "And I would never get between that!"
If Melissa was sure of on thing now, it was that. She'd definitely not hurt Milo's chances with Amanda 'cause she was "confused".
But that wasn't the question. The real question was does she like him like that?
Would it be so bad? Dating wouldn't be horrible. It was Milo! She'd do literally anything if it meant she got to spend time with the person that makes her happy most, that she cares for most!
Would it ruin their friendship if she had a crush?
Melissa was getting a headache. She just wanted to be the best friend she could be for Milo! She didn't need confused feelings!
Suddenly, she saw it. A very important picture had just fallen from it's place and landed right on her lap. She picked it up, and she was immediately flooded with happiness and warmth. This picture was very close to her heart: It was the first picture ever taken of Milo and her. She had convinced Milo to take one so that he'd understand she was his friend. A tree had just fallen behind them as the camera flashed and the two, arms over each other's shoulders, were laughing hard. It was the first time she had seen Milo laugh.
Later that day, they had promised each other to stay together forever and always be best friends.
The picture carried much significance in Melissa's heart, but now it reminded her of one more thing.
And that thing put Melissa at ease.
Who knows? Maybe one day, she and Milo will discover feelings for each other and date.
And maybe they will always stay best friends and not become a couple.
Melissa would be happy no matter what.
Because, as she looked at the picture, Melissa felt what she had felt all those years ago when she discovered her beloved cyclone of calamity, when they took their first picture, when they brought all those robots back into that shark cage, when they went to that lumberyard to apologize, when they had the Llama Incident, when she saw Milo return earlier that day with the pistachions and what she would feel for the rest of her life.
And so would Milo:
That Milo would be in Melissa's heart.
And Melissa would be in Milo's heart.
Forever.
Post Credit Scene:
Milo was at his house during all this, gazing intently at something.
He seemed... Confused.
Like a thought had crossed his mind for the first time.
His face was warm from the blush that was prominently featured on his cheeks.
His heart beat rapidly.
His smile was telling.
"Milo!"
Did he really?
"Milo!"
Surely not...
"Milo!"
It was just an odd feeling, that's all...
"MILO!"
Sara put down the megaphone.
"Sorry, little brother, but how didn't you hear..."
Sara then noticed the picture Milo had.
The picture of a girl, in the middle of the park, smiling at the camera.
She smirked at him.
"It's... It's not what you think!"
Sara left, with an odd look in her eyes.
"Sure!"
Milo followed her.
"It isn't like that!"
As Milo left, the picture remained on his bed.
The picture of Melissa Chase.
Did he like her like that?
Only time would tell... 
Post Credit Scene 2:
About a year later...
A warehouse in the middle of Danville is shown. A large portrait of Vinnie Dakota hangs on a wall. Six black gloved hands reach for the picture. We reveal six people all clad in black. A seventh is concealed in the shadows, unseen by the others.
The six (and the hidden seventh, under his breath) all vow an oath:
"Vinnie Dakota… IS OURS!"
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ff7central · 6 years
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Creator Spotlight: The Calamity
This week’s spotlight is The Calamity! ( https://the--calamity.tumblr.com/ )
Want to be on a future spotlight? Sign up on the FF7Central directory to get in on the list: https://goo.gl/forms/u0h5rJXmgv40zX9m2
Miri: Is there an idea or AU you want to write but haven’t been able to yet?
Calamity: All the time. Unfortunately, most of that time is slotted to non-creative tasks.
Miri: Who has been the most difficult character to write? Who has been the easiest?
Calamity: Since I focus on fanfiction centered around The Jenova Project specifically, I've been lucky to write with a smaller "required" cast. I feel like I know and "get" all these people pretty well. That being said, teenage / adult Sephiroth is actually a pretty difficult headspace for me to get into. This is a character that, in my stories, is a vessel of anger, resentment, spite and pride. He is the other side to Vincent, who is by far the easiest for me to write, a character focused on guilt and fear and self punishment. Where Vincent is "oh no, what have I done to you?!" Sephiroth is "oh no, what have you done to me?!"
Miri: Which of your works is the most memorable to you? I don’t necessarily mean favourite or best work, it could be the work that taught you the most making it or that holds a special reason in its creation. Drop a link.
Calamity: The Nightmare Begins, which covers the Jenova Project up to Sephiroth's birth. It gets into everyone's motives for participating in the project, none of which have anything to do with the ShinRa. It is a character study, some bioethics, and a sprinkling of horror. Starts off slow burn, ends in an absolute emotional frenzy. This was a super personal story, way more than I ever intended it to be. It also was really fun and challenging to try and make something solid that fit canon well out of something so vague. https://archiveofourown.org/works/8201843
Miri: Favourite party (three person team) idea when playing FFVII? They don’t have to actually work mechanically, just that you like the idea of them together as a fighting party.
Calamity: Cloud, Cid, and Vincent. I love the dynamic between Vincent and Cid.
Miri: Pantser/Emotive Writer/Gardener or Planner/Structured Writer/Architect? (Do you outline or just go with the flow?)
Calamity: I am a complete and total pantser/emotive. More than once I have had a "brilliant" idea for a scene but when sitting down to write, the characters want to do their own thing. I trust 'em.
Miri: Any remake thoughts you’d like to share?
Calamity: I hope it never comes out.
Miri: What do you do when you get stuck on a project?
Calamity: Go for a night walk while listening to music.
Miri: What’s your ideal writing environment? Background noise, indoors/outdoors, desk/couch, etc.?
Calamity: Inside, thunderstorm, ambient music. But always music. Always.
Miri: Do you do commissioned fics, requests or prompts?
Calamity: I would yeah, but nobody has ever asked.
Miri: Anything you’d like to say to the community?
Calamity: I am so amazed and humbled by the content creators in this fandom. There are so many unique voices and SO MUCH TALENT. It really is astounding. For the most part, the people behind the creations are just as supportive and amazing. It is so neat to come together over this shared love of something, and all add to this pool of passion and creatively. I feel so lucky to have met and befriended people from this community.
Miri: Recommend me a fic of yours!
Calamity: My heart is in The Nightmare Begins, but A Cold Hearted Boy seems to be more popular, though it is not finished. A Cold Hearted Boy follows Sephiroth through his childhood in the ShinRa labs, his father-son relationships with Hojo, his pseudo-romantic relationship with Aeris, and later Zack, up until THE INCIDENT. My goal in this story was to play with the idea of nature versus nurture. Sephiroth had all the genetic components to be a monster, but it was, in the end, nurture that pushed him over the edge. https://archiveofourown.org/works/9280250/chapters/21032600
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leonawriter · 6 years
Text
Those Under My Command
Read it on AO3
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Summary: Same AU as/semi-sequel to ‘To Write A Hero’. 
The plus side to being of a higher rank in Shinra's army than Sephiroth for the time being was that even when he couldn't avoid being in the now-teenager's company, at least Cloud was the one in charge.
Small mercies, when he realises that the cause of his nightmares really is just a kid on a battlefield.
Cloud had normally been in command of Genesis' forces, something that had sat uneasily upon him at first, but after the first weird meeting where he'd looked around for an ex-SOLDIER First in a tattered red coat and recently cut but still sort of wild-looking hair, he'd needed a minute to recognise that the scrawny redhead in Second's reds with an attitude problem was Genesis. It was easy to fall into habits, but just as easy to forget, and treat the kid more like Denzel or any of the other kids he'd started to get to know after Geostigma had been healed by Aerith's rain.
He'd only had one mission of sorts with Angeal under his command so far, and he'd reminded Cloud of Zack - enough that sometimes, only seeing the sword attached to his back, Cloud had almost called out Zack's name, before remembering that Zack wasn't there, and this kid was someone else. Other than that, Angeal was probably the easiest to deal with. Mostly because he was new, and Cloud didn't know a damn thing about him. The fact that he actually listened was helpful too, though.
He's sat on the edge of base camp, wondering yet again who the hell thought any of this was a good idea - the war, the SOLDIERs, finding this damned Promised Land that the President wouldn't admit didn't exist - at least, not the way he wanted it to - or the time travel business, all of it, really - when a trooper came up to him, nervously, with a piece of paper in their hands.
"New orders, sir," and he absently noted the female voice as he nodded. "You're to take SOLDIER First Class Sephiroth's squad down the river."
Cloud's eyes narrowed, and although for a moment he tenses, wanting to snap as he feels the tension in the entire world hung on a thin thread, he breathes it all out in a sigh.
He hates it. He hates himself, for going along with it. But if he didn't, then... that would be just as bad as letting it all happen, and at least by being involved, he can make sure that casualties stay at a minimum. Both for Shinra, where most of these people didn't have a damn clue what they were even fighting for, and for Wutai. 
He winces every time he remembers just who it is this war is against. 
Sorry, Yuffie, he thinks to her, almost wishing she could hear him and understand. But if there's any way I can help this come out better than before... that doesn't make it better, though. It doesn't make it right. You'd probably hate me, and I can't say I'd blame you.
...
There's a trap laid in wait not far from the other side of the river, because of course Wutai had known that they were coming, because some of their people had been left behind, and even if nothing else Cloud was known for not leaving anyone behind. It was the least he could do, but sometimes, it really did come back to bite him - and he was never the only one affected by his decisions, now. As if there'd ever been a time when he was.
He'd been able to manage everyone into surviving, at least. Mostly helped by the fact that with Sephiroth under his command - and wasn't that something that he'd never thought would come up - most of the people they went up against who tried to kill them, ended up dead.
It was hard to watch. Both because he knew that the people who were dying were just trying to protect their homeland, and because every time Sephiroth fought, Cloud could see glimpses of the nightmare that he would one day become.
The only consolations were that at fifteen years old, Sephiroth was, like Genesis, shorter, although it was was more long, gangling limbs that anyone else would barely know what to do with, slightly shorter hair, and the fact that not only was the trademark coat gone, but he was wearing the exact same First uniform that he'd remembered Zack wearing. 
The same one they'd tried to get him to wear, once they'd worn him down to the idea of working for Shinra, or thought they had. 
The other thing that separated past and future, was the fact that Masamune was nowhere in sight yet, and although up until now that had been a relief, because it was hard enough watching the boy who'd grow into someone he still had nightmares about-
He only just caught a trace of panic that wasn't his own echoing in his mind, filtering past all of the blocks and barriers he'd put up, a mental link that given his body was still the same one from the future he'd come from, still existed, or existed once more. The details didn't exactly matter when he noticed what the situation was at a glance, a ninja having gotten close enough, Sephiroth having misjudged his strike, and Cloud could see what would happen next almost like a vision.
Instead of letting the opening be taken advantage of however, he found himself having moved fast enough that there was still dust flying in the air between where he was and where he had been, his sword blocking the strike that would have found its way into Sephiroth's side.
The Wutai ninja took a little more to fall, unconscious more due to the mastered Sleep materia Cloud had taken to carrying with him than the blows to his body or head, and then Cloud had turned to Sephiroth.
Not the Nightmare. Not the Calamity. Not even a Remnant.
He was just... a kid.
"Next time you run into trouble, don't just deal with it on your own." Tifa, you'd probably smile at that. And then call me a hypocrite. He almost wished she were there right here and now, but she'd probably have found it harder to get over the fact that this was Sephiroth. Not that Cloud had found it easy himself. "Maybe when you're with other units you're a big deal, but when you're with me, you're under my command, and you're my responsibility."
The look Sephiroth gave him was cool, cold, and if he hadn't felt that swell of panic earlier, then it would have shown perfectly how disdainful the boy found being spoken to like this was.
"I didn't need to be saved," Sephiroth said, standing up without accepting the hand Cloud had held out. "And if I had been injured, then it hardly would have been a serious incident. I would have prevailed, and your concern is well-meaning, but misplaced."
Cloud sighed as the teenaged future silver general walked off, leaving him to wonder what to do with an unconscious Wutai ninja.
...
The next time he sees Sephiroth is actually later that day, because he'd done something he'd have assumed he'd gone crazy for if he'd told himself just a few days ago that he would - he'd actually called for Sephiroth to come to him.
"Sir."
And, of course, now that the silver-haired demon of Wutai was here, he didn't even know the words for what he wanted to say.
Cloud sighed, and shook his head.
"Do you... even know why I was worried back there?"
Sephiroth frowned.
"Honestly, no." Cloud closed his eyes. Perhaps this would be easier if he pretended it was any one of the other SOLDIERs that he'd had under him at any time. Any of them. "We've never truly met before this mission, and you seemed to be avoiding my presence for some reason, even though Genesis and Angeal both said that you were a decent military strategist and leader. I had assumed that you held some grudge against me."
Some grudge, he thought, if that isn't ironic, I don't know what is. Tifa would be right - I am a hypocrite. I can't just help someone half-heartedly, after all.
"I said back there," Cloud said slowly, picking his worlds carefully, "while you're under my command, you're my responsibility. I didn't just mean you, either. I meant everyone. All those troopers, all those Seconds and Thirds. I'm the leader, at least, I am here... so that means I look after everyone, and make sure we all get back to base. And if I see something going wrong, I step in. That's what the leader's supposed to do."
Sephiroth didn't say anything for a minute, the frown on his face not lessening one bit.
"We are of equal rank within the SOLDIER program, despite you, as far as I know, having only appeared some months ago. I'm going to be promoted soon, as well. At which point, you will no longer have any command over me."
Teenage Sephiroth-speak for 'I'm not a kid, don't treat me like one', huh? The thought almost made him laugh, and he shoved it down and out of the way to poke at later. He recognised it all too well from Denzel, and several of the other kids, too.
"If I hadn't stepped in, you'd have been stabbed in your side the moment your balance was off, because you'd misjudged your reach," he said bluntly. Sephiroth's eyes widened a fraction - just enough to know that the message had got through. "You're used to wielding weapons bigger than you are, aren't you?"
The question had come out softly, because this was, if he'd admit it, the first time he'd ever thought of this. All of the different parts of Sephiroth's childhood, and everything that had contributed to what made him who he was, and he hadn't thought of this one thing in particular before.
He hardly needed to see the slight, almost imperceptible nod, in order to know that it was there. The emotions burned through him in an instant of rage and shame born of frustration and who does this man think he is, seeing right through me like that? before the heady feelings died down.
"There was no reason to train me in smaller, weaker weapons when I would simply have to unlearn how they handled as soon as I moved on to the real thing."
Cloud nodded, seeing how that could have happened. And also in understanding, since moving from the Buster Sword to something smaller and shorter had always created issues; that was why he'd had the Fusion Sword made.
"You need something with longer reach, or you need to train yourself out of those habits," he said with a vague feeling of detached horror at the words. What was he even saying. As if he needed this younger Sephiroth becoming even more like the one he remembered. "And you need to stop underestimating people."
The slight change in expression told Cloud that what he was getting for that remark was nothing more than just sheer stubbornness.
"I do not."
He didn't even bother to stop himself from rolling his eyes. 
"You think you're the best they've ever made, and that makes you untouchable. It doesn't. No one's that powerful. All it takes is a moment when you're off your guard. That's all."
Sephiroth, with Jenova's head cradled under his arm, not even looking at the trooper or paying him any attention even though Cloud had picked up Zack's Buster Sword, adrenaline helping him carry it and then to stab the man he'd once thought of as a hero. Sephiroth, turning around in shock.
Sephiroth, so certain of victory that he couldn't even be bothered to go full out, only to end up dead once again, fading back into the lifestream.
Sephiroth, the kid-
"And that's when they strike."
Cloud shrugged, trying to dispel the uncomfortable memories. 
"That's... when you let someone else help. And not always in a fight, either."
"I'll try to keep that in mind, then."
Maybe this'll make a difference. Maybe it won't. But I can't just not do anything, even if he is... Sephiroth.
Who'd now decided that the discussion was over, and was walking back to the door of the tent. Stopped, and half turned around, his silver hair mostly hiding his face in an all too familiar way.
"Hojo - and the others - still want to know how you defeated me when we first... met."
"Hojo," Cloud said, not bothering to hide how much even the name of the man disgusted him, "can come out here and fight me himself, if he wants to know that badly."
And they can take him home in body bags when I've done, just to make sure he doesn't come back like the cockroach he is.
He almost missed Sephiroth's head nodding again, and an odd noise that might have been a laugh.
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