Round 1 - Cloud Strife vs Saix

[Kadaj]

((Tournament Rules can be found here: Click for Rules!))

The roaring of the crowd was deafening! Every single seat was filled up and the entire audience were cheering and clapping for the Tournament to officially begin! Banners with all the competitors names, were being waved around, balloons were being let loose up into the sky and the sun was shining down brilliantly, giving excellent visual conditions and brightening the moods of every single person in the arena!

A small, goat-like man made his way out into the center of the raised fighting area, in the middle of the arena, and with a small cone-like megaphone, called out to the ever-more excited crowd!
"Ladies and gentleman! Welcome, to the latest Tournament in the Olympus Coliseum!!"
Phil's goat-like voice echoed around the Arena, as he turned around slowly in circles, so everyone could hear him.
"We have 16, brave and powerful warriors, both of the Light and the Darkness competing here today, for the prize of Champion of the Remnant Cup Tournament!"
Phil said, turning around some more, using his free hand to wave about before him as he spoke.
"Let us waste no more time, and allow me to introduce the seventh match or Round 1! making his way to the ring, ladies and gentleman, put your hands together for the enigma from Gaia, the arch enemy of Sephiroth himself and savior of Gaia from several threats, he's the Buster Sword wielding, CLOUD STRIFE!!!"

The crowd yelled and cheered loudly, the girls screaming and swooning and the men, encouraging their favourite contestant on!
"And his opponent, coming from the World That Never Was, along with Zexion, he's another powerful member of the Organization XIII, please welcome, SAIX!!!"
And with that done, Phil bowed to the audience and quickly scurried out the ring, allowing each contestant to enter as they like, before the match officially begun!!

[strife]

As Cloud stepped out of one of the various corridors that those who competed in the tournaments waited in and into the sunlit arena, he was slightly overwhelmed by the size of the crowd, as well as the levels of cheers that he heard - especially those high pitched ones that were distinctly female. It seemed that the Remnant Cup Tournament had gathered a lot more public attention than Cloud had been giving it credit to gain - actually, it seemed to be very popular, based on the scene that Cloud was slowly taking in before him. As he heard his own introduction being announced by Phil, a small frown tugged at the corners of his lips - it certainly made him sound more impressive than perhaps he really was. Saviour of Gaia? He certainly would not have been that if it weren't for his allies. Though, perhaps 'enigma' was an appropriate description - most of the time, Cloud could barely describe himself, let alone expect anyone else to.

As Cloud entered the centre ring, feeling the dirt soften beneath his boots, he tried to focus his attention on the direction he knew that his opponent was going to be coming from - but all he could think about was his shady past standing in exactly the same place. His clothes had been different, and he would like to think that his motives had been as well, and yet it all felt so similar - like a sickening scene of deja vu. Cloud quickly shook his head, his blonde spikes bouncing a bit at the motion as he tried to clear those thoughts from his mind. He was no longer a contracted fighter for Hades just trying to face Hercules. No, he was a freelancer now, and had joined this tournament by his own choice, simply to see how far he could make it - and to prove to himself that though he had lost to the keyblader Sora and his allies before, he still posed a challenge to others.

As Cloud's mako infused eyes fell upon his first sight of his opponent, they narrowed slightly - so it was indeed a member of Organization XIII. Supposedly, the group of Nobodies was now aligned with the Light as well, but Cloud had a hard time forgiving them for what they had done in the past - it was their fault that the darkness had taken over the worlds the second time in Cloud's opinion, and he disapproved of the fact that they still used such practises as dark corridors and the like. As he drew First Tsuragi, his multi-piece bandaged sword from his back, he held it before his face dangerously, showing that he intended for no small talk to occur, just a battle. Though this was technically only a mock fight, at the same time Cloud still felt the mako in his veins begin to pound through them, giving him an adrenaline rush unlike anything a 'normal' person could experience. His body was preparing for the fight ahead - and he knew it would be a satisfying one. He had no reason to hold back against the cloaked 'man' before him.

[atlas]

The sun was high in the sky, shining brightly against the vivid walls of the Olympus Coliseum. Throngs of excited crowds filled the stands, their expectant faces all turned towards the empty courtyard that will serve as the arena for today’s match. The Remnant Cup Tournament was in full swing and people from across the worlds have come to see the competition. Many illustrious and powerful fighters have signed up for glory, fame or simply for fun.

For the millionth time, Saïx asked himself why he was one of those fighters.

It wasn’t like he enjoyed battle. It was nothing more than a means to an end. There was no enjoyment to be derived from it, not in this existence. He had dim memories of fighting in coliseums like this before but that was another life. He had reasoned with himself, telling his mind that this was a great opportunity to witness their enemies in battle, try and gauge who could be trusted and how they might move in battle.

Still, that was barely an excuse to come to a gaudy, scorching hot coliseum to be gawked at by empty-minded, vacuous masses with nothing better to do than see fighters swing overtly-phallic weapons at each other. Saïx knew these thoughts were bitter and not entirely like him. However, any thought that would distract him from the pointlessness of this venture was welcome in his mind.

A cocoon of shadowy dark energy formed at the edge of the arena, creating a blot against the sunshine. From the darkness, Saïx emerged, his hood held up, shrouding his face in darkness. That ridiculous goat man had just finished announcing the contestants and scurried off the stage, leaving the two combatants alone. His eyes narrowed at the screaming crowds, the glorious sunlight and, most importantly, the man in front of him.

“Cloud Strife,” Saïx intoned, lowering his hood and pulling out any locks of hair caught inside the hood. His amber eyes took in his opponent’s appearance, from the gravity-defying hair to the overly-compensating sword he carried, clad in bandages. Instinctively, Saïx raised his left hand forward. Lunatic flashed into existence in a blast of blue flames.

“So you are the one Sephiroth was looking for,” Saïx continued, swinging his claymore forward in a defensive position. “It is a pleasure to meet a man who would warrant an entire world’s death for a simple grudge,” To incur the wrath of a monster like Sephiroth, this man must possess some unknown power. Saïx would let him move first, see his strength. He was already counting the minutes in which this match would be over. The sooner this tournament was finished, the better.

[strife]

[OOC :: Sorry if this totally sucks. I had one written up I was quite proud of, and it deleted when I was changing the font colour for my quote >_< Ugh, I hate when that happens....]

Cloud's eyes narrowed slightly at the Nobody before him as he spoke, his tone unnervingly calm despite the weight of the words he was putting out between them. It seemed that he not only knew who Sephiroth was, but also had knowledge of the silver-haired man's past with Cloud. The swordsman wondered for a moment if perhaps Sephiroth and the Organization had some sort of connection to one another, or at least had one in the past. Really, he would not have been surprised to find out that fact - his opinion on the Organization was nothing but a dark one, despite their 'change of heart' that they claimed to have with this shallow pact with the Light. What did worry Cloud was that he was uncertain about the tense in which this Nobody was speaking - had he met Sephiroth before, the last time the Organization had been in existence? Or was he speaking about the present, about Sephiroth currently searching for Cloud once again, and thus...existing once more, still evading a final defeat?

"Don't talk like you can even begin to understand that," Cloud spat rather coldly at the man before him in response to his statement. While it was true that the near-destruction of the entire planet of Gaia had been induced - on multiple occasions - by the strange connection of Cloud, Sephiroth, and the calamity JENOVA, the blonde hardly believed that this Nobody had the right to bring it up, especially in the way that he had, a way that seemed to at least subtly place some level of blame on Cloud himself. It had not been Cloud's fault directly that Sephiroth had acted the way that he did, even when he returned through Kadaj. And in the end, it had been Cloud that had defeated Sephiroth, right? He had overcome his feelings that these things were his fault, and this Nobody...no, he couldn't bring that guilt back on Cloud again.

Cloud shook his head once more to scatter those thoughts of the Nightmare, unwilling to be distracted - now was neither the time, nor the place. Instead, he focused his mako-blue eyes on the man before him, noting the distinct scar on his face. This was not a member of the Organization he had ever faced before, and thus he was unable to predict how the man would go about attacking him. Thus, after holding the man's gaze for a few long seconds, he turned his eyes towards the strange weapon he brandished, trying to imagine a few different ways it could be used in an attempt to gain some sort of an edge.

After several long, hushed moments passed between the two, Cloud realized that perhaps this Nobody was waiting for him to make the first attack - hardly a problem for him, and he was more than willing to oblige. He focused his attention then solely on the battle before him, unwilling to let thoughts of Gaia and Sephiroth interrupt his concentration - Cloud knew better than to underestimate the power of any member of Organization XIII, and he knew that he could not afford to show any weakness, including what would be caused by distracting thoughts of the Nightmare himself. He would have to end this battle quickly, and hopefully cleanly. After waiting only a few more seconds, Cloud rushed towards the cloaked man, closing the distance between them to only a few metres before he propelled himself into the air, intending to come down hard upon the man with First Tsuragi from above. The move would hopefully send his opponent off balance - or at the very least, show that this battle meant business.

[atlas]

"Don't talk like you can even begin to understand that,"

So easily annoyed, Saïx thought as he watched the rather emotional warrior take flight, heaving his sword with miraculous strength. This one seemed to let his emotions rule him, given how a simple comment managed to set him off. Sometimes, people like him only prove how much emotions are trouble for people.

Nobodies don’t have that kind of problem. Lacking the capacity to feel, they pretend, use the only thing they have that gives them a semblance of existence: memories. They cling to blurry memories of feelings, of hopes and dreams, of ambition. These memories were the only thing that reminded them of what they used to be, of what they have been reduced into. They were a talisman, a protection against the crippling emptiness that would swarm weaker beings. Without them, they were less than nothing.

None of the lesser Nobodies have this sort of ability. While their hearts were certainly strong enough to continue on in a malformed state of being, they were still too weak to truly stand a chance of existing again. They only exist as willing pawns for the true Nobodies, the Organization. They were the ones who deserved a chance to exist again. Saïx was reminded of his taunting words to Sora that day in Twilight Town.

We remember what it’s like. That’s what makes us special.

Perhaps Xaldin was right. Perhaps emotions are too unpleasant and unpredictable for people. After seeing this man Strife’s rather overemotional response to a simple query, he was further reminded of the Whirlwind Lancer’s rather blunt observations after one particular mission in a decrepit castle. He was one of the six who willingly gave up their hearts, to rid themselves of base emotions. Even so, they had not only lost their emotions but their very existence along with it. Every one of them, with the exception of Xemnas, has regretted it to some degree. Even so, they knew that a half-life, a cursed life such as this was not worth living through.

Are emotions for lesser beings?

Of course, it was definitely improper and distracting to think of existential musings in the middle of battle. With some effort, Saïx pulled himself back into the present and concentrated on the young warrior speeding towards him. He fully expected the swordsman to take a swing at him, something easily blocked by the claymore in front of him. Instead, Strife took to the air with the full intent of bringing his sword down on Saïx’s head.

Not a chance, Saïx thought as he swung Lunatic behind him, generating force. His eyes never left his opponent as he swung the claymore forward, throwing it towards the swordsman still in the air. With any luck, he would score a direct hit and get this over with.

[strife]

While Cloud had full intentions of bring First Tsuragi down on the Nobody's head, hopefully ending this battle before it really started, getting a bit of satisfaction out of defeating someone from Organization XIII so easily, and moving onto the next round quickly...well, it seemed that Saïx was not to be underestimated. Though Cloud would have preferred things to work out quickly, he was not so naive as not not expect that - after all, he had already admitted to himself that each member of the dark Organization had their own strengths, and they played to them well. It seemed that perhaps his opponent today had physical strength similar to Cloud's own power - it would certainly make the battle more interesting, though definitely not easier.

But Cloud Strife was not one to ever back down from a challenge. And a satisfying challenge this could be.

As the Nobody raised his own oversized weapon to deflect Cloud's blow, the blonde swordsman was forced to use his sword for his own defence rather than as an attack. As First Tsuragi came into contact with the claymore, the combined force behind the two weapons clashed with a loud bang, and though Cloud was able to deflect Saïx's weapon, the force of the impact also sent him hurtling in the other direction as well. Thankfully, it was away from his opponent, and as Cloud's body impacted less than gracefully with the ground, he immediately rolled out of instinct to distribute the force evenly and avoid injury from the fall. As soon as his roll ended, the swordsman was quickly back to his feet, mako-infused eyes narrowed and focused directly on Saïx, who was a short distance away again, his sword brandished before him in case the Nobody tried to attack him as soon as he was back to his feet.

It seemed that if the two men - well, one man and a Nobody, Cloud refused to recognize his opponent as a 'man' - simply sparred in nothing more than melee-style combat, they would get basically nowhere. The finishing strike would simply come from whoever tired first, and that was not how Cloud wanted this battle to end. Thus, he decided to quickly try a slightly different approach, hoping that the winner could be determined by whoever had that extra edge rather than simply who was physically more powerful. The blonde planted his boots more firmly in the dirt of the coliseum ring, raising First Tsuragi behind him as he concentrated his energy and willpower into his next attack. The sword began to glow blue, and a few short moments later the blonde threw the weapon forward, and though the sword itself never left his gloved hand, a shot of energy that ripped through the dirt did as he unleashed Blade Beam upon his opponent.

[atlas]

Why is it that young warriors wielding reality-destroying weapons equipped with hair to challenge basic physics so irritatingly resilient?

The force of Saïx’s throw would’ve destroyed a normal man and his weapon along with it, if such a man existed in their universe. Instead, it only deflected the youth back a few steps, still conscious and left even more determined. Saïx could see yellow pinpricks of light swimming in his eyes focus and shine on the Nobody, giving the orbs an unearthly glow. Clearly, Cloud Strife held more power than his slight frame would suggest.

Saïx remembered the attack at what was once Hollow Bastion now restored to its former title of Radiant Garden in the present. Amidst the wave of Heartless that the witch threw at her former stronghold, Saïx had stayed in the shadows and observed, seeing the Restoration Committee in action. They were comprised of warriors of varying power and discipline. He did not know their names but their faces were imprinted in his memory, if only to keep a watch out for them. Only two, the leader wielding that gun thing and this Strife, marked themselves out as potential threats.

So far, what Saïx has seen was enough to consider keeping a closer watch on this one. Strife handled his gigantic sword with ease that belied grace. He had much strength and agility, which was obvious. Power must be there somewhere. This was the person who has earned the eternal grudge of that madman Sephiroth, himself a figure of towering power. To earn his enmity, that person must either be incredibly strong or incredibly stupid. As far as Saïx could see, Strife did seem to possess that unnatural determination that those who were called ‘heroes’ possess, a look that was one of the last things he saw before the darkness swallowed him.

This fight could potentially drag for quite long. Strife is easily a match for him and Saïx was no slouch himself. Both had easily matched their first blows and shrugged them off without a care for the world. Simple sparring will not do. This will be a test of their willpower and strength. It won’t be quite easy for the Luna Diviner. He had only seen one move from this youth. Who knows what Strife might have underneath his sleeve?

It seemed like his opponent had read Saïx’s mind and decided to show him exactly how much he means business. The warrior raised his sword above his head, concentrating energy around the sword’s blade. Saïx hefted Lunatic in front of him in preparation; He could feel contours of power wrapping around his opponent’s blade and braced himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground.

Strife responded in kind, sending a brilliant blue arc of energy straight at Saïx. The arc blasted against the claymore, sending it flying from Saïx’s hand and landing right behind him. The Nobody itself was unharmed, though shaken by the blast’s power. He flexed his hand, the hand that moments ago had grasped his weapon. His eyes narrowed at the warrior before him, who he had begun to see in a new light.

Have I misjudged you?

Unfortunately, Saïx’s own powers were fairly limited so he can’t answer in something as suitably flashy. Nevertheless, it has to be answered. Raising his arm, another claymore flashed into existence, leaving the old one behind. “No exit,” he muttered as he pushed against the ground, sending him towards Strife like a missile, Lunatic aimed at the young man’s head.

[Kadaj]

Due to a Time Out on over a month for a reply on Cloud Strife's turn of this match, the Judges have decided to remove Cloud from this match and declare that Saïx is the winner by Default.

Congratulations Saïx, you've been moved into Round 2. Check the Leader Board for details on your next opponent and keep a close eye on the Olympus Coliseum to see when you're next thread will be opened.

Commiserations Cloud. Better luck next time.[/u]