Reunion(FF VII cast)

[onewingedangel]

All appeared peaceful in Radiant Garden, despite Kadaj having arrived recently. People had returned to their normal lives reconstructing the town, or just running the several shops that were in the area. All appeared peaceful and calm, as if nothing could happen. Well...that was about to change in a few moments.

High up in the sky a strange portal appeared, that portal covered in severel different runes and other various symbols. That very same portal begain to glow brighter and brighter, the strrange symbols turning a deep scarlet before a bright beam of light shot down towards the ground. Unbeknownst to the citizens of Radiant Garden, that beam of light held one of the most darkest hearts this world could ever see. As soon as that beam hit the ground, it would vanish, revealing the figure of a silver haired man wearing a long black trenchcoat.

Slowly that man would rise, one black angel wing emerging from his left shoulder all of a sudden as he looked around. Sephiroth remained silent, gazing about the town. It appeared the citizens had been busy since the last time he had seen this place. In fact, the last time he had, he had been shown a Keyblade. A weapon of power that he felt he deserved..or at least wanted to test for himself. His right arm would extend forward, Masamune, his seven foot long katana would materialize in his hand in a bright flash of light.

Now, for those of you that know Sephiroth, it is common knowledge he had no problem attacking towns, and it is no exception here. Leaping high into the air, Masamune would be swung directly into a large crowd of people, the scent of blood filling the air as the blade pierced several people, forcing several others to run yelling, screaming for help. As the screams reached his ears, a smirk would form on his face. Their screams proved their weakness, proved he was the superior being. But that wasn't the only reason he smirked. He knew full well that someone would be well aware of his return, and he quite looked forward to it.

[cloud]

It had been a while since Cloud had stirred from his thoughts.

A roar from a motorcycle engine revved as it gunned through the clear streets of Radiant Garden, before Fenrir had to slow down from a small crowd of people fleeing in fear. The motorbike circled into a crawl as it came to a stop on the smooth pavement before the blood splatter, two broad navy shoes touching the ground as they came off the bike. The forward compartment split open and revealed his arsenal of fusion swords, and Cloud gathered them up as he formed them once more into the First Tsurugi. He kept Ascalon in a sleeve on the custom sheath that hung off his lower back in a separate sleeve, the large switchblade safely dangling behind his legs. He slung the broad weight of First Tsurugi in the largest sleeve behind him, deep oceanic orbs surveying the quickly emptying suburb around him. Blond hair spikes bobbed in the air as the cold wind seemed to stop, looking forward through the darkened mist towards that all too familiar presence he was sensing.

"Sephiroth!"

There was more than an annoyed tone this time; anger rasped within his deep voice.

No, it was not the Heartless that spawned from the darkness that had seemed to have once more taken over this world, and Cloud felt aggravated of the presence he was tired of having to face again and again. He walked forward, no weapon in his hands as he watched the injured and the frightened abandon the area from the corner of his eye. He knew Sephiroth didn't care about killing them if he had not done so already with a fatal strike, or going after them to finish them. It was Sephiroth's calling card to lure Cloud to him by trying to take something of value, or that of his friends. Cloud didn't have any emotional attachment to any of these faceless civilians, but that didn't mean he was going to resist the swordsman's attempts to pull him into a encounter by slaying innocents.

Perhaps he took what he said the last time they had met all too literally - that there was nothing he didn't cherish. He didn't cherish these strangers and to the contrary found himself estranged from them, but he did value life and the potential of inspiring others to do the same for the sake of a better world. Zack had done so for him, and his life was thus valuable for more reasons than Cloud could fathom. Now it was his turn to make a good example, even if he was the only one who Sephiroth claimed could stop him. Yet he wielded no weapon in his gloved hands, for he was not about to swept up in another pointless battle without finding good reason to.

His mako-glowing eyes finding his mortal enemy, his boots came to a stop as he stood some feet away from him as he awaited him to answer his former call.

[onewingedangel]

Sephiroth! Ah yes...that voice was always most welcome. In fact...it pleased the One Winged Angel to know that his calling card had been accepted and answered. Glowing mako infused eyes gazed down upon Cloud as he rose high into the air and floated towards him, boots making a soft 'click' upon the ground as he landed a few feet in front of his nemesis. Ah yes, this would be perfect indeed. It was a good day.

"So the puppet answers my call once again. Proving that I pull your strings. Control your every movement. Your every thought...your every action is allowed because I will it so." With one simple movement, Masamune was pointed directly at Cloud's chest, while its owners face would remain as cold and emotionless as ever. A small smirk formed upon his face as his glowing gazed lingered upon the spikey headed one directly in front of him.

"What's the matter Cloud? Too scared to draw your sword? I don't blame you. It would be foolish to attempt to strike me, a god down." Ah yes, that god complex was as strong as ever..in fact it was reinforced due to the current plan he had forming in his clever mind. But he would need puppets...and he could sense Cloud was not the only one with Jenova cells wandering about this world. Oh no. They were scattered about..but he could sense them. The prescence of every single one...and a few of them surprised him, although his face didn't show it.

"Come Cloud...draw your sword. If you don't...I'll kill every person in this town. I'll recreate another Nibelheim, however you won't be stopping me. As always you will do as I command whenever I pull your strings. You won't be able to do a thing except watch each and every world suffer at my hands... Oh yes, he was trying to get a rise out of Cloud, and mentioning Nibelheim was likely one of the best ways to do it. "Or maybe instead of killing everyone in this town I'll treat Tifa like I did the Cetra woman. Kill her in the same way I did her. Watch you writhe in pain and agony. Watch you live with the fact you are nothing more than a puppet, incapable of saving anyone."

[cloud]

(OOC: Sorry I took so long a reply with this, but on top of being busy on and off site, I've been feeling museless and depressed as of late.)

Cloud sighed quietly as the man in the black coat exerted his power and landed on the pavement before him. He did not give him direct eye contact, just stared with slight aggression past furrowed blond locks with narrowed blue orbs. Sephiroth had returned with the same unshakable arrogance as ever, going on once more about how Cloud was a meaningless puppet. In fact, as Cloud listened it seemed he also had come back with even twice the ego he had last time. Even twice as much of a vocabulary as last time, and all the string of words without a direct point only seemed to annoy him all the more.

"Enough!" he spoke aloud, cutting off the swordsman abruptly after his speech about himself being a god. It was all the same he had heard before, and he wasn't about to let Sephiroth make him think darkness was the only way once more. "I'm not afraid of you. If you have something to say, say it." he demanded, his eyes now meeting Sephiroth's to show he meant business. He made no movement for his weapons, however. Not at Sephiroth's empty taunts, and just let the dead silence fill the gap between them.

When Sephiroth had more to say, he almost regretted the request having left his pursed lips. More prattle, and more threats made to instigate a rise out of him for a fight. That he recognized, and so the mention of Nibelheim did not phase him. Nor did the idle blackmail about Tifa and Aerith, for he had already made his peace with himself about his past. "It's all well you want to fight. But... I'm not going to have you force me into another battle. Just because you're sending me a message... that I can't always protect those that can protect themselves." He had come to accept that, he could not always be there for those he cared most about. That all he could do was get them ready, and prepare them for what was to come. He still stood defiantly against his self-proclaimed embodiment of darkness, not making a move to draw a sword. Eyes of mako blue still stared in resistance towards the wielder of the Masamune, rising above his verbal condemnation to almost pitying him. "What do you really want?" he dared to question, blond spiky bangs waving as he adjusted the fallen champion in his sights. Knowing either he was going to have to listen to the real reason Sephiroth provoked him to fight to calm his thirst for needless murder and malice, or find a reason that would motivate him enough to duel him and send him back to sleep for a moment's peace until he awoke once more.

[onewingedangel]

A ghost of a smirk made itself known upon the One Winged Angel's face for the briefest of moments. It appeared he had clearly gotten under Cloud's skin..or at least, that's how it looked. And you know what, it pleased him to know that he could at least still irritate the worthless puppet in front of him.

"I see you've gotten more perceptive....Cloud." he says as Masamune vanishes from view, his arm dropping to his sides. "But I also see you've grown more foolish. You should fear me...everyone should. I can bring this world to its knees at a moments notice." As he spoke, he turned so that his back was turned to Cloud, pacing ever so sightly, black trench coat trailing behind him with every step.

What do you really want? That question rang in his mind. It was foolish of Cloud to ask such a question. "I see you have to ask foolish questions that you know the answer to. It's a pity Cloud...I knew you were a puppet but you at least had some useful thoughts... He turned so that he was facing the man now, raising both arms up slightly as he tilted his head back, palms facing the sky before he turned his glowing gaze upon the spikey blonde. "I want the same thing I've always wanted Cloud...and simply because I know you'll try to stop me, I'll tell you what my plan is. And I'll fill you in on another puppets role."

Oh yes, this was going to be a good game indeed. One that would certainly rattle even Cloud's boots. "First....do you know the story of the X-Blade? If you don't...then you'll have to find out for yourself. That's Kadaj's role. Now as for mine....you're going to like this Cloud. I want the Heart of All Worlds itself. As soon as the X-Blade is forged the doorway to Kingdom Hearts will open, and I will be there, awaiting the grand opening. When those doors open....I will become one with Kingdom Hearts itself.....making it so that I can control all worlds. Me...a god amongst gods. My birthright...my destiny."

As you can see.....that god complex of his was as strong as ever, as was his ego. His gaze lingered upon Cloud, almost as if he were gazing straight into his soul. "You won't be able to stop me this time Cloud...nor will any Keywielders. You see...once I gain control of Kingdom Hearts I will be unstoppable. No resistance will be able to defeat me. I will bring you all to your knees. You will all bow before me as I become the Heart of All Worlds."

[cloud]

All Cloud could hear was just talk and while he preferred listening rather than being rushed into a fight, Sephiroth's words seemed different than before. His derogatory words he had become so used to by now, they just seemed to roll off his back like a duck in the rain. They wouldn't affect him, and wouldn't dignify everything with an answer. This time the one-winged angel seemed more interested in speaking highly of himself, or at least more than he had before. To him it was a load of hot air, for every time Sephiroth seemed to have a plan, Cloud would be the one to stop him. He didn't think he had heard Sephiroth seek of himself with such ego before, and perhaps the swordsman really felt this time he was going to be successful. Successful or not, his own arrogance to find a way to draw Cloud out to antagonize him drew attention to Sephiroth's own plans, and always seemed to be his downfall.

The blond sighed tersely, his hands still remaining by his sides. Sephiroth had dismissed his weapon, which meant he was done with his bloodlust. Just a mindless pursuit in violent distraction, and all so he could launch into a oratory at him. "You talk too much." he curtly said in reply to his first statement, although he didn't make any attempt to show disinterest... yet. He didn't care much for Sephiroth's provocation. He'd rather be ignorant of a fear than be a slave to it, but like he had stated previously was not afraid. "Fools step... where angels dare to tread." he repeated the old saying, one that spoke of courage. He had conquered Sephiroth in battle before and since fear was just a response of uncertainty to the unknown, he was not afraid of him.

Just annoyed, and mildly interested to fulfill what he wanted so he could find a reason to send him back to sleep.

X-Blade? He hadn't heard of it before, no, but he wasn't about to let the likes of Kadaj to be the first to tell him. The -'blade' suffix sounded awfully a lot like the keyblade suffix, but he couldn't jump to any conclusions just yet without further information for now. So, Kadaj was after it as well... it sounded like a weapon of great power, if it had to be so revered. Like the Black Materia, and any weapon in the wrong hands was likely to spread the seeds of destruction. But apparently, Sephiroth's plans were different. He had moved on from trying to conquer their home world on it's own, and now he was making a move for Kingdom Hearts to dominate all worlds.

Well... so what?

Saying he was going to do something and actually doing it were two different things, and last time Cloud found a reason to fight for the people he cherished when his rival had been revived. He felt compelled to strike down Sephiroth then and there, because the Jenova cells needed for his return were the source of the Geostigma. But now Geostigma was out of the picture, he didn't see how Sephiroth had any leverage to get what he wanted at all to get to Kingdom Hearts. He had mentioned his Remnant, perhaps he was getting him to do the dirty work for him somehow with this X- Blade that could access it? Sapphire orbs regarded the champion as he came out of his thoughts from glancing up towards the sky, his expression less softened and concerned than before. "Is that it? Hmph. Empty words. Why are you telling me? Expect me to feel helpless about it? Nice try. That's not going to happen. Scheme all you want, but we'll stop you when the time comes."

He turned and walked away back to his bike. He was no longer concerned that Sephiroth was a threat for the moment, or that it was time yet to settle things unless he was forced into it then and there. He had to find out more about what this X-Blade did, and how it was forged.

"Until then... not interested."

Cloud has left the thread.