Sephiroth (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
3wingedangel) wrote2024-08-23 09:06 pm
3wingedangel) wrote2024-08-23 09:06 pm
Entry tags:
Various PSLs
Top levels to follow, mostly closed to certain people. Feel free to PM me if you want to play!
Sephiroth stares off into the distance with a wistful smile-smirk. Of course it would be like that. And he's really foolish anyway, isn't he, to keep thinking Zack is out there to be found....
"Zack Fair," he says. "Wild black hair ... always enthusiastic and happy and eager to be helpful."
Is Zack still like that? If he has survived, possibly, has he become embittered by what happened right before ... ? That thought is almost unbearable. That cannot happen to Zack.
He sighs and nods. "But he is most likely not here. I doubt the Heartless are either. If they were feeding, their numbers would multiply. It would be impossible not to notice."
"Zack Fair," he says. "Wild black hair ... always enthusiastic and happy and eager to be helpful."
Is Zack still like that? If he has survived, possibly, has he become embittered by what happened right before ... ? That thought is almost unbearable. That cannot happen to Zack.
He sighs and nods. "But he is most likely not here. I doubt the Heartless are either. If they were feeding, their numbers would multiply. It would be impossible not to notice."
Edited 2024-08-24 03:22 (UTC)
"Hm." He knows both names, Cloud and Zack, but there's little sign of it. Everything he'd ever heard of an adult self suggested death and chaos were the primary things to result, and protecting his friend (and by association Cloud) was ... important. Very important. "I can keep watch. I'd like to take a photo, so if I run across someone I think might recognize you, I can show them a picture and be sure."
He raises one hand briefly, to gesture to one of the most obvious differences between them - his eyes are slit like a viper's and green, Sephiroth's are blue and utterly human. "This difference is pretty distinctive, and might help separate between your planet and my own."
The differences might well keep this older version alive. "Thirteen, our ... patron ... would not allow them to grow unchecked. The monsters here are not allowed free reign to rampage as they please."
He raises one hand briefly, to gesture to one of the most obvious differences between them - his eyes are slit like a viper's and green, Sephiroth's are blue and utterly human. "This difference is pretty distinctive, and might help separate between your planet and my own."
The differences might well keep this older version alive. "Thirteen, our ... patron ... would not allow them to grow unchecked. The monsters here are not allowed free reign to rampage as they please."
Sephiroth gives a slight nod of inclination. "Then you are welcome to do so."
He examines the other's eyes with a look of slight surprise. "Yes, I would think it would, if anyone would bother to look." If there are so many here out for his blood, would they stop to look at eyes?
"She has power over Heartless?" That was the type of power he had searched for in the past ... what had led only to tragedy and heartbreak and death. And such a power was here?
He examines the other's eyes with a look of slight surprise. "Yes, I would think it would, if anyone would bother to look." If there are so many here out for his blood, would they stop to look at eyes?
"She has power over Heartless?" That was the type of power he had searched for in the past ... what had led only to tragedy and heartbreak and death. And such a power was here?
Chances are very high he'd have taken a picture anyway even without permission, but with permission, he can ask for more. "In that case, spread your wings, in case the pattern and color is important." It might be, it might not, but if he's going to get a picture he wants it reasonably detailed.
Zack and Cloud will be informed, just ... not the ones the elder hopes.
"This is Thirteen's world. She made it, and she controls everything in it. Everything that is here, is here because she wants it to be. If she doesn't.. it never arrives to begin with." It could be a terrifying thought, knowing some other power had them under control thusly, but Sephiroth didn't mind it. "So if there's a Heartless here, it's here because she wishes it to be, and can only do what harm she allows it to do."
Zack and Cloud will be informed, just ... not the ones the elder hopes.
"This is Thirteen's world. She made it, and she controls everything in it. Everything that is here, is here because she wants it to be. If she doesn't.. it never arrives to begin with." It could be a terrifying thought, knowing some other power had them under control thusly, but Sephiroth didn't mind it. "So if there's a Heartless here, it's here because she wishes it to be, and can only do what harm she allows it to do."
Sephiroth nods agreeably and poses for the picture with all three wings spread out far.
"... It's disturbing to think she might want them here," he says. "We're trying everything possible to defeat them back home." And if they're not defeated, there's no hope of the person they came from ever being restored to normal.
"... It's disturbing to think she might want them here," he says. "We're trying everything possible to defeat them back home." And if they're not defeated, there's no hope of the person they came from ever being restored to normal.
"Oh really," Sephiroth remarks in a neutral tone. He isn't sure if it's a joke, an exaggeration, or a serious statement. He'll err on the side of caution for now. "Then you're a force to be reckoned with."
Instead of being insulted, he's just amused by the rant against humans and why triangles are so much better. "So somewhere out there is an entire race of triangle beings?" he asks, not realizing he may be opening Pandora's Box with such a question.
Instead of being insulted, he's just amused by the rant against humans and why triangles are so much better. "So somewhere out there is an entire race of triangle beings?" he asks, not realizing he may be opening Pandora's Box with such a question.
Well, that was an interesting way to put it.
“Perhaps that’s why some people write tragedies,” he mused. “To prepare people for life.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “It sounds as though you’ve been busy.”
And he smiled wanly. “I doubt he’s in this world, although I would welcome the help in searching.” He intended to thoroughly examine every possibility.
“Perhaps that’s why some people write tragedies,” he mused. “To prepare people for life.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “It sounds as though you’ve been busy.”
And he smiled wanly. “I doubt he’s in this world, although I would welcome the help in searching.” He intended to thoroughly examine every possibility.
Anne always had a new outlook on life, she was always trying to find the good after many years forced to deal with the bad.
"I think so. It's impossible to lead a life without a little sadness in it, much as it would be nice not to. But some tragedy is romantic and thrilling, even though it's often brought by something terrible. It can be nice to soak up the tragedy and release it when you're too full. Lika a catharsis! I wonder, will I find people who feel the same way?"
And Anne nodded enthusiastically. "I have been! I like keeping myself busy, it's the best way to spend time, especially when you're looking forward to something."
"I'd love to have your help. But first, I must introduce myself. I'm Anne Shirley Cuthbert. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I think so. It's impossible to lead a life without a little sadness in it, much as it would be nice not to. But some tragedy is romantic and thrilling, even though it's often brought by something terrible. It can be nice to soak up the tragedy and release it when you're too full. Lika a catharsis! I wonder, will I find people who feel the same way?"
And Anne nodded enthusiastically. "I have been! I like keeping myself busy, it's the best way to spend time, especially when you're looking forward to something."
"I'd love to have your help. But first, I must introduce myself. I'm Anne Shirley Cuthbert. It's a pleasure to meet you."
That was also very much like Zack.
"You probably will," he said. "There seem to be many people here with just as many different attitudes about life."
A bit of a smirk. "I would tell that to Zack when he was too impatient or eager about something."
He nodded politely. "I am Sephiroth." Just that, no last name. It wasn't needed.
"You probably will," he said. "There seem to be many people here with just as many different attitudes about life."
A bit of a smirk. "I would tell that to Zack when he was too impatient or eager about something."
He nodded politely. "I am Sephiroth." Just that, no last name. It wasn't needed.
"It's different when that sort of power becomes part of the scenario." Actual gods, not just ones who claimed the name, ones who were truly all powerful, if not all-knowing. If Thirteen allowed Heartless in, she'd certainly be able to do what she wished to them.
Including just toss them right back out. "If we are more or less the same, though you are clearly human, I'm surprised they're a challenge. Are you ... not trained for combat?" Maybe that was something that came with the enhancements? This older version might not be as lethal.
... Sephiroth was going to have to find out. If Cloud caught wind of a weaker version around.. how long would this blue winged version live for?
Including just toss them right back out. "If we are more or less the same, though you are clearly human, I'm surprised they're a challenge. Are you ... not trained for combat?" Maybe that was something that came with the enhancements? This older version might not be as lethal.
... Sephiroth was going to have to find out. If Cloud caught wind of a weaker version around.. how long would this blue winged version live for?
Sephiroth grunted. "Heartless are relatively easy to defeat in and of themselves. The problem is that they are continually multiplying. When some are defeated, countless more take their place. It's like an infestation of gigantic magical cockroaches that can infect anyone and everyone to become like them.
"And yes, I am trained for combat."
"And yes, I am trained for combat."
It was supposedly an ordinary day at Radiant Garden. Of course, that meant there was always a high probability of things going wrong at any given time, Sephiroth thought sarcastically. He was wandering the streets, looking over the progress being made on the rebuilding. He still patrolled for Heartless and other threats.
Then there were those who believed he was one of those threats. Some of the people were nice enough to him while others were leery. He didn't bother anyone and at least they didn't bother him either.
Usually.
The situation with Cloud was a special case.
He paused at a house with a picket fence, just resting his hand on the top of it while his mind wandered.
Then there were those who believed he was one of those threats. Some of the people were nice enough to him while others were leery. He didn't bother anyone and at least they didn't bother him either.
Usually.
The situation with Cloud was a special case.
He paused at a house with a picket fence, just resting his hand on the top of it while his mind wandered.
Cloud only just came back to Radiant Garden today, and so far he's managed to avoid the usual chorus of 'maybe you could stay a while this time, Cloud?' from his friends. They don't get it. He's tried to explain - Sephiroth is out there because of him. He's Cloud's responsibility. He could be dragging some unsuspecting world into the darkness right now for all they know, and all those souls lost would be Cloud's fault.
But they tell him he's being too hard on himself, and he shouldn't take everything onto his own shoulders, and why can't they fight alongside him? He could tell them the whole truth - that Sephiroth isn't just a manifestation of the darkness in his heart, but his actual, literal Heartless. He could tell them he spent most of his time away from them as a mere husk of himself, single-minded and unable to care that he abandoned them. That he fell to the darkness so thoroughly that he'd lost his heart entirely for a while.
He won't, though.
Instead, he goes out on patrol alone before he even bothers visiting the castle. He knows he shouldn't. He knows it's a dick move not to tell them he's here right away. But if he did, he'd have to tell them he couldn't find Sephiroth and has come home a failure, and he just wants to...put that off, for as long as he can.
Which is why it's easy for Sephiroth to spot the familiar blond where he crouches, perched on a ridge that overlooks the ravine. Keeping watch.
But they tell him he's being too hard on himself, and he shouldn't take everything onto his own shoulders, and why can't they fight alongside him? He could tell them the whole truth - that Sephiroth isn't just a manifestation of the darkness in his heart, but his actual, literal Heartless. He could tell them he spent most of his time away from them as a mere husk of himself, single-minded and unable to care that he abandoned them. That he fell to the darkness so thoroughly that he'd lost his heart entirely for a while.
He won't, though.
Instead, he goes out on patrol alone before he even bothers visiting the castle. He knows he shouldn't. He knows it's a dick move not to tell them he's here right away. But if he did, he'd have to tell them he couldn't find Sephiroth and has come home a failure, and he just wants to...put that off, for as long as he can.
Which is why it's easy for Sephiroth to spot the familiar blond where he crouches, perched on a ridge that overlooks the ravine. Keeping watch.
Sephiroth really wonders how on Earth Cloud arrived at such bizarre and erroneous ideas concerning him. He is just a normal person ... well, no, not normal.... Can he ever be normal? But he isn't just part of a person. He'd grown up in the usual manner, even though his past was shrouded in complete mystery before he'd risen as a hero known in multiple worlds. He'd taken Zack away from Olympus Coliseum and trained him too, when it had become clear Phil wouldn't. They had worked together protecting worlds for years, until ...
He looks away. He had wanted to find something powerful enough to eradicate the Heartless. Zack had protested when they'd learned such an object was dark magic, but Sephiroth had been bent on finding it. And when he had ... everything had gone to Hell, just as Zack had feared. The object had taken him over and he had started lashing out at everything in blind rage and hate. Zack had tried to stop him, but they had become distracted and the Heartless had surrounded them. Zack had fallen off a cliff trying to beat them back....
That shock had broken the hold the artifact had on Sephiroth. He still looks desperately for Zack, wanting to believe he's still alive somewhere. And he is disgraced as a hero, at least in his own mind. He never goes out publicly as such anymore. His actions had led to his only friend being missing and quite possibly dead. He cannot think of himself as a hero anymore.
When he had first seen Cloud, he had recognized that hunger for the darkness. And he had decided to try to stop Cloud from making the same mistakes as he had. But then Cloud had somehow decided Sephiroth was his darkness, an idea Sephiroth had initially mocked before deciding to run with it in the hopes of teaching Cloud they are similar. But it had backfired, badly. Now it seems Cloud will never let go of that idea.
He does indeed catch sight of Cloud on the ridge, and he sighs to himself. Here they will go again.
"Hello, Cloud," he greets, walking away from the house and goes over closer to the ravine. "Have you been looking for me?"
He looks away. He had wanted to find something powerful enough to eradicate the Heartless. Zack had protested when they'd learned such an object was dark magic, but Sephiroth had been bent on finding it. And when he had ... everything had gone to Hell, just as Zack had feared. The object had taken him over and he had started lashing out at everything in blind rage and hate. Zack had tried to stop him, but they had become distracted and the Heartless had surrounded them. Zack had fallen off a cliff trying to beat them back....
That shock had broken the hold the artifact had on Sephiroth. He still looks desperately for Zack, wanting to believe he's still alive somewhere. And he is disgraced as a hero, at least in his own mind. He never goes out publicly as such anymore. His actions had led to his only friend being missing and quite possibly dead. He cannot think of himself as a hero anymore.
When he had first seen Cloud, he had recognized that hunger for the darkness. And he had decided to try to stop Cloud from making the same mistakes as he had. But then Cloud had somehow decided Sephiroth was his darkness, an idea Sephiroth had initially mocked before deciding to run with it in the hopes of teaching Cloud they are similar. But it had backfired, badly. Now it seems Cloud will never let go of that idea.
He does indeed catch sight of Cloud on the ridge, and he sighs to himself. Here they will go again.
"Hello, Cloud," he greets, walking away from the house and goes over closer to the ravine. "Have you been looking for me?"
Cloud stiffens immediately at the sound of that voice. He'd know it anywhere.
"Sephiroth." He jumps to his feet and whirls, taking his sword into his hands. "Did you follow me? Or..."
Or has he been here the whole time Cloud has been out there searching for him, doing who knows what? Cloud silently curses himself for his selfishness. Coming out here instead of going to see his friends...what if Sephiroth's done something to them? Taken them captive, or worse?
He takes a menacing step forward - just one. "Why are you here? What have you done?"
"Sephiroth." He jumps to his feet and whirls, taking his sword into his hands. "Did you follow me? Or..."
Or has he been here the whole time Cloud has been out there searching for him, doing who knows what? Cloud silently curses himself for his selfishness. Coming out here instead of going to see his friends...what if Sephiroth's done something to them? Taken them captive, or worse?
He takes a menacing step forward - just one. "Why are you here? What have you done?"
He smirks. "I actually do have other things to do with my time than follow you around from world to world."
Although he does do quite a bit of that.
He shrugs. "This is my home too. I have a right to be here. As for what I've done, well ..." He makes a sweeping gesture towards the city behind him. "You can surely see everything is still intact."
Although he does do quite a bit of that.
He shrugs. "This is my home too. I have a right to be here. As for what I've done, well ..." He makes a sweeping gesture towards the city behind him. "You can surely see everything is still intact."
Cloud scowls. His 'home,' is that what he's calling it now?
"This is my home. You don't belong here. You don't belong anywhere but in my memories." He doesn't even bother to follow the gesture - yeah, he sees it.
"Don't play games with me. How long have you been sinking your claws into this place, just waiting for the opportunity to strike?"
"This is my home. You don't belong here. You don't belong anywhere but in my memories." He doesn't even bother to follow the gesture - yeah, he sees it.
"Don't play games with me. How long have you been sinking your claws into this place, just waiting for the opportunity to strike?"
It is, actually ... but he wouldn't expect Cloud would believe him.
"I will never be a memory," he sneers.
He flicks a wing in a bored manner. "Most people pay no attention to me whatsoever. Just what do you think I want to do, Cloud? Burn the town to the ground? Overrun it with Heartless?"
Ironic when he had tried so hard to defend it from the Heartless for so long.
"Or maybe you think I'm after it as some personal vendetta against you. That's it, isn't it?"
"I will never be a memory," he sneers.
He flicks a wing in a bored manner. "Most people pay no attention to me whatsoever. Just what do you think I want to do, Cloud? Burn the town to the ground? Overrun it with Heartless?"
Ironic when he had tried so hard to defend it from the Heartless for so long.
"Or maybe you think I'm after it as some personal vendetta against you. That's it, isn't it?"
"How should I know?" Cloud takes another step forward. "You're the one always going on about darkness this and darkness that. Well, the light returned to this place, and if I get rid of you, it'll return to me, too."
And one more step.
"And then whatever your nasty plans are won't matter anymore."
And one more step.
"And then whatever your nasty plans are won't matter anymore."
"You're so sure of that, Cloud?" Sephiroth moves to draw his sword into position for a fight. "You used to accept that it was your own fault you fell into the darkness. Then you started blaming me because you couldn't accept what you'd done. You can't accept that you're the one who hungers for the darkness. Defeating me won't solve that problem for you."
((OOC: Should they start fighting and end up teleporting somewhere where there's a problem they plunge into, like a monster after them?))
((OOC: Should they start fighting and end up teleporting somewhere where there's a problem they plunge into, like a monster after them?))
"Shut up! I've had enough of your lies!"
Cloud doesn't stop to think too hard about what Sephiroth's saying, because to some extent, he can't. His heart clings to a solution, to something he can fight, because he knows he's still missing some key memories - memories that, if he were to dredge them back up or restore them somehow like Sora seemed to think he could, might either help him or break him. What happened to make him lose his heart in the first place? How did he regain it?
It's too difficult to think through and it gives him a headache when he tries, so he's stopped trying.
Now this, this is simple: just him and Sephiroth, blades drawn and ready. Cloud punctuates his shouting with his footsteps as he charges forward and leaps to close the distance between them, bringing the Fusion Sword swinging down hard.
((OOC: Sure! Maybe Cloud accidentally opens a darkness portal, like subconsciously reaching out to the darkness in his desperation to win, Terra-style?))
Cloud doesn't stop to think too hard about what Sephiroth's saying, because to some extent, he can't. His heart clings to a solution, to something he can fight, because he knows he's still missing some key memories - memories that, if he were to dredge them back up or restore them somehow like Sora seemed to think he could, might either help him or break him. What happened to make him lose his heart in the first place? How did he regain it?
It's too difficult to think through and it gives him a headache when he tries, so he's stopped trying.
Now this, this is simple: just him and Sephiroth, blades drawn and ready. Cloud punctuates his shouting with his footsteps as he charges forward and leaps to close the distance between them, bringing the Fusion Sword swinging down hard.
((OOC: Sure! Maybe Cloud accidentally opens a darkness portal, like subconsciously reaching out to the darkness in his desperation to win, Terra-style?))
((OOC: Sure! That would be perfect. And I'm a hurt/comfort junkie. How would you feel about the problem they plunge into ending up with Sephiroth supposedly killed, especially if it happens because he's trying to protect Cloud from a sudden attack from the monster or whatever it is? Then he's dead but of course doesn't vanish into Cloud's heart or whatever Cloud thinks would happen. (He'd come back, of course, maybe after a brief out of body experience.) ))
Sephiroth meets Cloud's attack and forces him back, wings spread to add extra weight to the push. "You fight me because you enjoy it, because you're too afraid to actually do something to face your real problems. It's so much easier to think someone else is at fault for your own sins, isn't it? 'The Devil made me do it' used to be an argument people used a lot when they did something wrong and were ashamed to own up to it. Most people these days know that's idiotic. But you're still clinging to that type of mindset."
Sephiroth meets Cloud's attack and forces him back, wings spread to add extra weight to the push. "You fight me because you enjoy it, because you're too afraid to actually do something to face your real problems. It's so much easier to think someone else is at fault for your own sins, isn't it? 'The Devil made me do it' used to be an argument people used a lot when they did something wrong and were ashamed to own up to it. Most people these days know that's idiotic. But you're still clinging to that type of mindset."
((OOC: Ooh, works for me!))
Cloud snarls at Sephiroth as he skids back but stays on his feet, and then he's charging back in again.
"My mistakes are my own. I know that. But you? You are my sins!" He punctuates it with a flurry of blows designed to put Sephiroth off-balance.
Cloud snarls at Sephiroth as he skids back but stays on his feet, and then he's charging back in again.
"My mistakes are my own. I know that. But you? You are my sins!" He punctuates it with a flurry of blows designed to put Sephiroth off-balance.
((OOC: Great!))
Sephiroth meets all of the rapid-fire blows head-on and then crosses the Masamune against Cloud's sword, again trying to force him back.
"Exactly my point," he says. "You're projecting your sins on me. And what do you think will happen if you win this fight, Cloud? Why do you think it will be different from any of our other battles? It doesn't matter what you do; you can't eliminate me. You have enough strength and skill that you could. But you cling to the idea that I will just up and disappear somehow, and that never happens."
Sephiroth meets all of the rapid-fire blows head-on and then crosses the Masamune against Cloud's sword, again trying to force him back.
"Exactly my point," he says. "You're projecting your sins on me. And what do you think will happen if you win this fight, Cloud? Why do you think it will be different from any of our other battles? It doesn't matter what you do; you can't eliminate me. You have enough strength and skill that you could. But you cling to the idea that I will just up and disappear somehow, and that never happens."
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