Final Fantasy Main Story RP Arc X

"Not really thirds in that family, more like quarters. Don't forget 'Mother-Dearest', after all." Cloud sighed as he closed his eyes. It probably wasn't a good idea to be bitter with the kid now of all times, but it was true. He wanted Kadaj in his family, and now Kadaj (because of Sephiroth, because when is it not Sephiroth?) was considering being a stray? He merely shrugged and let his body rest on the grass field below.

"Like I said: you have the time to figure it all out. You can do what you want, Kadaj. If you try to join ShinRa... I'll probably try to stop you, but you can still do it if that's what you want."

The punch to his chest made him chuckle as well as grab his stomach, "Ouch. I forget you pack a punch with how much of a pretty boy you are."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "I don't know. Facing yourself is one thing, but knowing which strings to cut is also a way to face yourself. You can give Yazoo and Loz a chance, but don't wear your heart on your sleeve, either. I don't know if they're like you or Seph, 'cured' of Jenova. They could be, but that doesn't mean they wont still love her."

Blue eyes closed and he hummed, "Just be careful, and don't go alone."

Cloud almost gagged when he realised he had called him 'Seph'. He coughed and shifted uncomfortably. "Probably Zack's fault, he always rubs his bad habbits off on me. I have a feeling that's why I never made SOLDIER." He rolled over, turning away from Kadaj as he wanted to puke to punish himself for using a nickname on the guy he hated.

"It's not my fault, either. Sephiroth is a stupid name. Who the hell has three syllables for a first name anyway? I mean, Nanaki can get away with it, because he's a fucking lion-tiger, ancient clan, thing." He huffed, "Genesis is just as much of a freak as Sephiroth. Three syllable names should be illegal,

"I saved the world, so I'm pretty sure I can make that a rule."

"You need to give him a chance."

Cloud opened his eyes and stared up at the sky.

"If you can give Sephiroth another chance I can try,"

He sighed. Denzel and Kadaj... the two he felt were the most distant from him, and the two he wanted to get along, they both wanted him to give the man a chance. It's not that easy.

In his mind, a flash of Fire: Nibleheim. The frozen air against his skin: The Reactor. The last time he saw Aerith: The Forgotten City, before Sephiroth flew down, the blade slicing through the girl like she was nothing but a sheet of paper. The way Aerith's head knocked forward and the ribbon untied...

Denzel, Kadaj... it's not that easy.

Cloud closed his eyes again and decided his mind had to get off this topic. "We could cook something at the cabin, unless you want to go into town with Fenrir. I think we've got enough food in the fridge, might have to check."

Aerith's slender eyebrow rose. "Enemy of Mother?" She didn't even know who 'Mother' was, let alone to be her enemy. However she did know she once was a Cetra or that is what she still was...wasn't Cetra a race?

Mother.

Aerith nodded as if she was agreeing with everything that Nero had to say and honestly that was the truth. She couldn't be the same woman she once was, especially she couldn't remember who she really was. She was now one of the purifiers that were cleansing the corrupted lifestream.

Mother.

"Nero, Do I have children? I've been called Mother before, so how am I my own enemy?" Aerith asked she reached out and touched Nero's arm, her eyes bright as she remember being called Mother by someone.

Someone that possibly had feelings for her.

"Hmph," Cloud smiled as he got up, putting his hand in Kadaj's hair and messing it up. "Ferrets are tiny little things compared to Chocobos, dumb ass."

He gave the idiot a playful shoulder nudge as he walked back to the lodge, yawning. He didn't stop to see if Kadaj was behind him, since he assumed they'd be going in the same direction.

"Just choose and I'll cook, ungrateful little..."

"As far as I know, Ms. Gainsborough, you do not have children." He said more as an aside to her as his head was moved to the side, but his eyes did not move away from Yazoo. "In your past, you helped cultivate life, as you will do for the Negative Lifestream when our war is won." He'd read her file and knew nothing about children.

It was possible that she had kids -- Nero knew he did not know everything, but it was no matter.

If Aerith did have kids, Aerith would kill them.

There was a snarl as one of the creatures lifted its head, a sign that it had spotted him. They growled as eyes leveled on him. A sign was given and they spread out like a hunting party to take down its prey. And it seemed he was their prey. Kunsel took a breath as he eyed them and took a step back.

That seemed to be what the creatures were waiting for. The first one moved and Kunsel moved forward and blocked the first attack. He was pushed back and pushed the blade forward. It moved to drive into its chest.

It slice easily through him and was pulled back to slice into another. He was outnumbered and they moved quickly, too quickly. This was not like slicing down Wutai soldiers or grunts in simulation. Kunsel could easily face off against them. SOLDIERs were built to take on armies and even only a second class would not have a problem against a group.

Either he was rustier than he thought or these monsters weren't like any normal monster. The next move was blocked as the blade cut into disfigured flesh of an arm only to feel dull rotting teeth clench into the muscle. There was a wrench of his head and it dug into flesh and muscle.