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Sephiroth surveyed his surroundings, or rather, the lack of any. Before him was a deep void, absent of any sensation. While he was certainly accustomed to lacking a physical body, this sense of complete emptiness was new to him. He wondered to himself if the lifestream had finally consumed him, and this abyss was his new eternity. The thought was dismissed, however, when he felt a familiar presence.
“Cloud?”
“Oh, you’re behind this, I should have figured.” Cloud responded almost instantly, his voice filled with a notable irritation. “Where the hell did you drag me off to this time?”
Sephiroth paused, taken aback by Cloud's apparent lack of concern or reaction to his presence. The apathetic tone of voice suggested that he was but a mere annoyance to Cloud. “This is not my doing.”
“Bullshit.”
“And what would I have to gain lying to you?” Sephiroth asked, his voice a touch more agitated than before.
“How the fuck am I supposed to know what kind dumbass plan you have? What I do know is that you take whatever chance you get to mess with me.”
Sephiroth’s anger grew, but this was a different type of anger than the all-encompassing rage he was accustomed to feeling towards Cloud. He was simply becoming irate over Cloud’s disrespectful treatment towards him. “Are you able to see anything, Cloud?”
“No. Can’t move, either.”
“The same is true for me, and the only thing I can hear is you.”
“So I'm stuck in some void listening to you for the immediate future?”
“Is that a problem?”
“No it’s fucking great.” Cloud’s voice was laced with his usual sarcasm. “How long have you been here?”
“It’s difficult to tell, but I don’t believe for long.”
“I think I just got here. Do you remember where you were before?”
Sephiroth had to think on that question. He recalled his embarrassing loss against Cloud, and then…nothing. “...No.”
“I’m drawing blanks, too. Any ideas on where we are now?”
While trying to formulate an answer, it dawned on Sephiroth that, despite lacking a corporeal form, his being was perhaps the most whole it had been in years. The overwhelming obsession and animosity he held towards Cloud no longer consumed the entirety of his thoughts, and memories he’d considered long-lost to the lifestream resided once again in his mind. It was refreshing to be able to think clearly again, but what could have triggered such a profound transformation in his mental state? Were they no longer in their own realm? Had some entity manifested a curated version of their consciousness for some unknown purpose?
“You still there?” Cloud asked.
“I apologize, lost myself in thought. I am not sure where we are.”
“You apologize? That’s a new one.”
“Do you feel any different?”
“I can’t feel anything.”
Perhaps to the irony of Cloud’s words, Sephiroth suddenly felt something press up against him, which was disconcerting since he was confident he still was absent a body. “Did you feel that?”
“I just said I can’t feel a damn thing.”
“I felt a faint pressure.”
Cloud paused for a moment before answering. “Nothing here.”
It was difficult to tell how much time was passing. Sephiroth only had his thoughts and, on the rare occasion, Cloud would curtly ask him if anything had changed. While he was plenty used to only having the company of his own thoughts, his time spent mulling over his failures in the lifestream at least gave him the opportunity to explore the wealth of knowledge found within its depths.
Cloud showed no interest in conversing, even though it was becoming apparent with each passing check-in that he was also starting to whither from the lack of meaningful stimulation.
The odd sensations came and went with little consistency, but they were simply a reminder to Sephiroth that he was a prisoner to some unknown force, which only served to further frustrate him. He needed answers, information, anything that would allow him to formulate some sort of plan to escape this maddening darkness.
“Would you stop?” Cloud blurted out.
“Pardon?”
“You’re muttering to yourself.”
Sephiroth queried Cloud’s words. He had made no attempt to speak with him, but perhaps his increasingly erratic thoughts of escape and freedom were spilling over into whatever means they were using to communicate with one another. “I wish to leave this place.”
“Yeah, well, that makes two of us, but I don’t exactly see a door. Or anything at all.”
It was odd hearing Cloud act morose. He normally had an unrelenting ambition to him, something Sephiroth greatly enjoyed testing.
“At least if you’re stuck here-” Cloud continued. “You’re not going to fuck anyone else’s life over.”
“I do not intend to stay here.” Sephiroth bluntly replied, although he had no plan as to how he would achieve his statement. “Have you already resigned yourself to defeat?”
“Whatever.” Cloud said dismissively before returning to his extended silence.
Sephiroth noted that seeing Cloud in such broken spirits should have instilled a sense of triumph in him, but all he seemed to feel was pity. Had Cloud grown so accustomed to having his friends around that merely being alone was enough to dampen his will? Or, perhaps he was having some sort of struggle back home, and brought his sorrow with him.
Cloud's miserable state strangely became a source of motivation for Sephiroth. He couldn't quite explain why, but perhaps it was because there were no victories to be had when his adversary had already given up.
Sephiroth concentrated, attempting to harness any sort of sense that could interpret his current surroundings. If he could pull his fractured self into something that could traverse the lifestream, surely he could do the same for whatever realm he currently resided in.
It took a moment to make sense of the scenery that befell him. “I can see.”
“What, seriously?” Cloud’s voice perked up.
Sephiroth surveyed his surroundings, realizing that he had been silent for too long when Cloud spoke up again.
“Sephiroth, say something. What do you see?”
“This will be difficult to believe.” Sephiroth hesitantly voiced while eyeing a large stuffed toy of a fox-like creature that sat beside him.
“Try me.”
“I am in a room, I believe a child’s room.”
“Okay, that’s a little weird.”
“I-” Sephiroth attempted to move, but found none of his limbs would respond. He tried to check if anything was inhibiting him, when he saw that his body was not exactly what he expected. A dresser with a mirror stood across from him, giving him a better view of himself. “We are…stuffed animals.”
There was a prolonged silence from Cloud before he finally spoke. “What.”
“The absurdity of that statement is not beyond me.”
“Are you fucking with me? We’re some kid’s plush toys?”
“It would appear that is the case. It looks that two children reside in this room, you are on the bed adjacent from me.”
“Can you get us out of here?”
“I cannot move, just view my surroundings. I also don’t know what we would achieve by leaving in our current…vessels.”
“Fucking…” Cloud trailed off, muttering some other inaudible obscenities before continuing. “Is anyone else here that we know?”
“No. The other toys are not of anything I recognize. There are a great many of them, though. You are nestled amongst a pony with a rainbow mane, a blue dragon and a pink cat. One other thing I suppose should be mentioned is we appear to be quite worn.”
“So they’ve had us for a while?”
“Yes. You have some tearing around your feet, and I appear to have a crudely sewn-up seam across my stomach.”
“How fitting.” Cloud briefly snickered. “You think we’ve been stuck here for a long time, then?”
“Or perhaps our consciousness inhabited these objects.”
“I guess it doesn’t really matter, anyway.” Cloud replied in a dismissive tone. “There anything else in the room?”
“Two study desks, a shelf with books and toys on it, a window, a closet, some posters on the wall. Nothing of interest.”
“...What do we look like?”
“Large heads, small bodies. You are wearing your SOLDIER attire, with your sword strapped to your back, and are in a permanent state of frowning.” Sephiroth looked to the mirror, observing his unusual form. “I have the same proportions, albeit I am smiling, and I appear to be holding a Tonberry knife, although it is likely meant to be my blade.” He gave pause, realizing that he could also hear something in the distance. “There are people talking.”
“You can hear, too?” Cloud exclaimed, a twinge of jealousy in his voice. “What’s going on?”
“The residents of this household just came home.” Sephiroth said, hearing the thundering of footsteps approaching the room.
“What are they doing?”
“They dropped off their bags and promptly left the room. They are very young, a boy and a girl.”
“So this is really happening. Toys trapped in a kid’s room.”
“Well, since I have regained my vision and hearing, I can assume that we will eventually regain control of our autonomy.”
“Your vision and hearing has returned. I can’t see a damn thing.” Cloud solemnly muttered.
A couple of hours passed before the children returned. Sephiroth watched them go about their daily routine, hoping to learn something about the world they were trapped in, but quickly grew bored and retired himself back into the encompassing void of his thoughts.
It was easier to tell how much time was passing now that he could see the sun rise and set. He also now knew that the odd pressures he’d felt were due to being picked up and tossed around, used alongside the other toys for whatever imaginative games the children had conjured up that day. He also now understood that the tears his body had endured were due to the flimsy material his coat was composed of.
Sephiroth attempted to narrate a handful of the activities they were being subjected to, but Cloud had returned to not speaking much, his replies becoming more and more melancholy and brief as the days passed. The lack of spirit from his adversary was still bothering him, although, he didn’t really understand why.
Merchandise of his likeness wasn’t a foreign concept to him, Shinra did enjoy playing up his celebrity status, much to his disapproval. Sephiroth wondered about the position he and Cloud held in this world that would lead to the existence of such tacky items. Were there other versions of them in this world? He couldn’t sense anything, but that could be easily explained by his current state. The children never said anything that would hint towards anything meaningful, only his name was ever mentioned during their playtime activities.
Answers finally came to him after a couple of weeks, when he and Cloud were whisked down to the living area, where a large TV resided. It was their first time leaving the bedroom, and Sephiroth wondered what occasion led to their presence in this room. The parents soon started playing a video game with the kids, and Sephiroth found himself watching Cloud and his companions running around on the screen.
“They are playing a video game. You appear to be the character that is controlled by the player.” Sephiroth said, his voice tinged with curiosity. “I see some of your friends as well.” He added as he observed the game.
“Are you in it?” Cloud asked, sounding interested.
“Uncertain, they have only just started playing.”
“What kind of game is it?”
“I am unsure of the genre, but you are defeating Shinra guards, in what looks to be an attempt to destroy one of the Mako reactors.”
“...Are Barret, Jessie, Biggs and Wedge there?”
“Those names came up, yes.”
“...Am I being a dick?”
“I suppose you could describe your demeanor in that way. You and Barret in particular are not getting along.”
“This sounds like my first mission with them.” Cloud murmured, his voice troubled. “Why is that in a video game…”
Sephiroth queried Cloud’s question. He initially wondered if things had simply played out differently in this world, that he and Cloud were exploited for the profit of Shinra, but this world did not seem to resemble their own. There were similarities, but the world felt like it lacked the presence of the lifestream, and the magical properties that came with it. He couldn’t be sure, of course, he had a very limited view of the world after all, but it did not give off the same sort of energy he felt when back in his own realm. “My guess is that we are fictional characters in this world.”
“How does that make any sense?”
“I would not consider our current situation as anything that makes sense. It’s just the best conclusion I can come to with the information given.”
“So my life is just one big fucking game?”
“I am wondering the same about myself.”
Sephiroth described a handful of adventures he watched the ‘Cloud’ character embark on, but it only served to upset Cloud, who seemed deeply disturbed that the contents of his life were relegated to meager entertainment.
It wasn’t too surprising to Sephiroth that when he finally appeared on-screen, his presence was framed as an antagonist to Cloud and his group. He wasn’t keen on his ambitions being portrayed in such a negative manner, but seeing them presented like this did make him reconsider his supposed life goals. Once again, he wasn’t entirely sure why. He definitely knew that he harnessed a great hatred for Cloud and those who inhabited the world, but those feelings were simply not present in him now.
While the majority of the gaming time he witnessed was spent playing what he assumed to be the mainline game of the franchise they were a part of, the family also occasionally played other titles. This piqued his interest as he began to see a trend. If Cloud was in a game, so was he. They appeared to be inseparable, flagship characters of the franchise.
Sephiroth pondered this information. Was their world a result of these games? Was his existence solely to serve the purpose of being an antagonist for Cloud? Did he have free will, or were all of his actions tethered to the whims of the creators of these games? Nevertheless, seeing the events of his life play out through the eyes of Cloud intrigued him.
He attempted to narrate a particularly tender moment he was witnessing between Cloud and Tifa, but was immediately met by a backlash of curses and vitriol from his Cloud.
“Will you just fucking stop talking? I don’t want you seeing my fucking life.” Cloud snapped, his voice strained with tears.
“Is the absence of your friends the reason you are so sullen?” Sephiroth calmly inquired.
“What are you talking about?” Cloud replied coldly, trying to hide the sniffles in his voice.
“Since you’ve been here, your usual fiery ambition has been mute.”
“And why do you care?”
“Your friends, I know they are important to you.”
“Like you would fucking know anything about having friends.” Cloud callously spat out.
Sephiroth was taken aback, but Cloud was not wrong. “You are correct.” He said with a heavy sigh. “I…thought I had friends. But, I can see now that they were not very good friends. Watching these games, I now understand just how important your friends are to you, and how poorly mine treated me.”
Cloud took some time before responding. “I forgot you even had friends. Genesis and Angeal, right?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah, that was a shitty situation.” There was another bout of silence before Cloud spoke up again, his voice now heavy and somber. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” He gave a short huff. “I don’t see them much, anymore, my friends. Everyone split off to live their own lives, and I never really figured out what to do with myself. Doubt they even notice I’m gone.”
“I think you know that is not true, if the care and concern they show for you in these games is any indication of how they treat you back at home.”
“Why are you treating me like this?” Cloud suddenly changed the subject.
“What do you mean?”
“Being nice. You don’t do that.”
“I suppose being stuck with you has worn on me.”
“Is that it?”
“What else could it be?”
“You've been acting different. Like your old self.”
Sephiroth thought for a moment, finally realizing the cause of his concerns for Cloud. “I haven't heard her since I arrived here.”
“So you've got your head on straight for once?”
“You could call it that.”
A brief silence enveloped them before Cloud spoke again. ”I miss them.”
“Your friends?”
“Yeah. I kept telling myself to go see them, but I never did. And now I don't know if I'll get that chance again.”
As the night grew darker and the house quieted, Sephiroth contemplated his newfound knowledge of his connection to Cloud. Strangely, the idea that he and Cloud’s lives were eternally entwined was comforting. As long as Cloud continued to thrive, his own existence would be guaranteed. He would never fade, he would never be forgotten, he would never be a mere memory.
Throughout his entire life, Sephiroth had yearned for answers, only to be deceived by a malevolent force that fed him false claims about his supposed destiny. He may not have had any real say in his descent into madness, given that it was a very real possibility his life had been preordained, but now he felt that he had a choice. It could very well be an illusion of choice, but it mattered not to him. His purpose was to keep Cloud alive, to keep him thriving by whatever means he found suitable, to keep his story eternal. In turn, his own livelihood would be ensured.
Perhaps because of this realization, Sephiroth found he was no longer trapped in the confines of his plush self. It was morning now, the house was thankfully empty of anyone that could see him. He picked up the now vacant toy of himself, a smirk playing on his lips as he admired just how pleasantly content it appeared to be. After setting the toy down among its other brethren, he retrieved Cloud and promptly left the house in a flash of smoke and feathers.
“Cloud.”
“What.” Cloud responded, his voice weary.
“I have returned to my whole self.”
“Wait, seriously?”
“I have situated us in a nearby Inn.”
“I still can't see a damn thing, and you're waltzing around?! This is bullshit!”
“I suppose I could try to return you to normal, I do appear to have access to my magic, but I think I prefer you like this.” Sephiroth mused as he picked up Cloud by his soft hair spike. “After all, it’s quite fitting for you to be my little puppet.”
“Seph…” Cloud uttered with a growl. “Change me back now.”
“I will reconsider tomorrow.” Sephiroth replied as he went to tap Cloud’s flat nose, only to have it swatted away by a nubby limb.
“Now!” Cloud audibly barked as he thrashed about trying to break free of Sephiroth’s grip. His erratic movements quickly dissipated, however, as the realization that he was moving dawned on him. “Wait, I can see. I’m…talking?”
“How observant.” Sephiroth cheekily remarked as he set Cloud down beside him.
“Did you…do this?” Cloud asked, looking in awe at his cloth arms.
Sephiroth simply chuckled quietly in response and turned his attention to the window in the room that overlooked a brightly lit city. He had no involvement in Cloud’s return to normalcy, however, based on his experiences battling with Cloud, wagered a guess that antagonizing him would aid him in his recovery.
Cloud hopped up onto Sephiroth’s leg and sat on the knee, getting a better view of the city for himself. “How do you suppose we’ll get back home?”
“Something willed us here, perhaps we will be willed elsewhere.”
“No idea, huh?”
“Well, I can’t leave this world with you like this.”
“Really? A moment ago you seemed pretty happy about it.”
“I think it would be wise to be in our natural state before attempting any sort of dimensional travel.” While this was probably a good rule to follow, in truth he felt some remorse over depriving that child of their beloved Cloud stuffed toy, and wished to return it before his departure.
Cloud eyed Sephiroth for a moment before responding. “Yeah, sure, that’s it.” His tone was knowing, likely aware that Sephiroth had an ulterior reason. “I don’t think we’ve ever gotten to know each other.” He said while shuffling his body to face Sephiroth. “I know I haven’t exactly been chatty here, but, want to just…talk?”
“I’d like that.”
