"I'm sorry" - Lyutillis said as she let out a sigh - "It's just that your attitude makes me despair..."
Vandre simply remained silent as he thought about the woman's words, though it wasn't as if it changed his mind.
Meiru simply shook her head as she thought of all she had lost, though far from discouraging her, it made her conviction to rid the world of evil that much greater.
* * * * *
"That looks disgusting..." - Shizuku said as she looked at the strange glowing membrane above a strange, huge door.
"I have a bad feeling about that thing," said Shea as she backed away slightly, though she quickly shook her head.
"You obviously feel bad, I mean, no maze test was designed to be friendly to the participants" - Yue replied as she clicked her tongue - "You're right though, it does feel strange..."
Tio walked over to the membrane and touched it, only to frown slightly.
"Did you manage to detect anything?" - Kaori asked curiously.
"I could feel my mana become difficult to control when my fingers came into contact with this thing, which means it's quite possible that this test will render us unable to use magic" - Tio replied as she started to think - "That also translates to our defences being much weaker..."
"I see," Yue muttered as she narrowed her eyes.
"What did you find out?" - Kaori asked with annoyance because she didn't like the vampire girl keeping the information just to herself.
"It's simple, if our defenses are down, then the maze will be able to affect us more easily, and that's not counting the sealed creature at the bottom of this place," Yue replied as she clicked her tongue, only to look at Cloud and ask his opinion.
The blond boy simply closed his eyes and thought about everything that had happened during their journey through the labyrinth.
"Cloud?" - Remia asked seriously.
"It's nothing, I was just rambling," Cloud replied as he shook his head, "Let's go in, we've already come this far, so we don't need to worry, besides, now that we know what's coming, we just need to be twice or thrice as careful."
The girls looked at each other before nodding, and watching Cloud enter the strange membrane.
Yue was next to follow, being followed by Tio, Shea and so on.
Remia stared at the membrane as she instinctively wished not to enter, though she quickly changed her mind when she saw that she was alone.
* * * * *
Cloud slowly opened his eyes and noticed how he was now in a long glass hallway.
"They split us up?" - Cloud muttered as he noticed how there was no one else by his side, so he slowly walked down the corridor with his senses at their fullest, after all, he didn't want to suffer the attack of that bastard sealed deep in the tundra, or that of some other creature.
The blond quickly came to what appeared to be a strange pillar of ice, though he didn't give it much thought for the moment, and focused all his attention on the walls of the place, looking to see if there were any secret exits or strange markings.
"I guess the answer is the most obvious one," Cloud muttered as he walked over to the pillar and looked at it closely, only to notice how on it, there was no reflection of his current appearance, but more that of a young human you could find anywhere.
Cloud frowned because he recognised this young man immediately, I mean.... How could he not when that was the appearance he had worn for the first few years of his life?
"Is this the test, seeing the past I most wish to hide?" - Cloud asked as he narrowed his eyes.
[And why do you wish to hide me? Are you terrified of your subordinates seeing what you were like as a human?]
Cloud was silent as he watched the silhouette emerge from the crystal pillar, though this wasn't much of a surprise, after all, it was a basic cliché in situations like this.
[Aren't you surprised to see or hear me?]
"Not in the least" - Cloud replied disdainfully.
[Hmm, well, I shouldn't be surprised, I mean, you've changed too much from your original version.]
"It's obvious, I've lived so long and been through so many situations that it would have to be a surprise if I remained as weak as I was in the beginning, not to mention that my mind has been influenced by [Cloud Strife]" - Cloud replied while shaking his head - "I don't even remember my real name anymore..."
[Weak... I guess you're right, I was always weak, that's why all my life I dreamed of being like the protagonists of a story, strong, determined, and with the script almost always in their favour...]
"And I'm not fulfilling it?" - Cloud asked as he frowned - "I don't think my former self thinks this."
[Well, I'm here, aren't I? It's obvious that neither of us thinks you've fulfilled it]
Cloud was silent before frowning.
[Let's be honest, you're not me, you're not our original version, you're just a pseudo Cloud Strife, or at least a distorted version of him that passed through our minds, I mean.... What man in our new guise wouldn't take the opportunity to have a little fun]?
Cloud frowned even more as he looked closely at this version hidden deep in his subconscious.
[Think about it, your attitude isn't like Cloud Strife's, it's not like ours either, I mean, I was always shy thanks to my family situation, I could never talk to a girl, and Cloud Strife just couldn't care less, but here we are, a Cloud Strife who has more girls than clothes in his wardrobe.... Don't you think that's strange]
"And what does that have to do with this maze test?" - Cloud asked apprehensively.
[Oh, it has a lot to do with it, remember that the theme of this maze is to conquer the darkness of our hearts.]
Cloud was silent as he nodded weakly.
[As for me, I am part of your darkness, I am all that you wish to forget, I am that stain on your history that you wish to disappear, after all, to you, I am your greatest flaw.]
Cloud tried to say something, but quickly shut his mouth because he was unconsciously admitting that the words of this original version of him were telling the truth.
[And yet, I am your "Source"... Don't you find it ironic? You, the person who wants to find the origin of everything, is trying to erase your own origin].
"Are you saying I should accept you?" - Cloud asked with a frown.
[Of course, I am you, I am the personality that is hidden in the deepest part of your mind, I am the you that stands that you should always have been, the you that accepted to enter this path of no return to normality.]
"You're the me I hate for not doing anything to save our mother," Cloud replied unconsciously.
[Well, at least you admit it, ironically, I hate you too.... I gave you a chance to make things right, to be able to save our mother, but here we are, both of us being two sides of the same coin, and with more mental problems than I'd like to admit...]
"Are you saying I'm mentally ill?" - Cloud asked disdainfully.
[Why - his - well - to! Didn't you notice that when you entered the world of "Highschool of the Dead"?]
Cloud was silent.
[I guess you attributed it to a self-defence system, although technically you're not wrong, after all, Cloud Strife's "influence" was the only method we had left to cope with the situation]
"What do you mean?" - Cloud asked in slight panic.
[Don't you understand?]
"Stop beating around the bush and speak up!" - Cloud roared angrily.
[Oh, you don't have to get so angry, I'm just trying to build suspense, I'm sure many people would appreciate my attempts.]
"Stop fucking with me!" - Cloud roared as he walked over to his other self and grabbed him by the collar.
[Are you trying to hide your fear with rage? And you were saying I was the weak one? Why don't you just accept the truth so we can both come to an agreement?]
"I don't know what you're talking about," Cloud replied neutrally.
[Oh, now it's denial, I think you've got your grief phases a bit messed up.]
"Are you going to talk, or aren't you?" - Cloud roared as his pupils sharpened.
[Oh, back to fury, for Cloud Strife, you don't know how to control your emotions well!]
Cloud gritted his teeth before releasing his original version, who simply dusted off his clothes.
[That was a bit rude, I was waiting for you to hit me so I could show that this physical body is fake.]
Cloud decided to ignore his other self's words, after all, it was obvious that he was trying to make him lose his composure.
[Now do you want to hear the truth?]
"Just talk" - Cloud growled apprehensively, because no matter how hard he tried to calm down, this bastard was annoying.
[Ok, here goes, I'm going to say it ~]
Cloud closed his eyes.
[You're boring... anyway, what I'm trying to say, is that you my friend, are not being influenced by "Cloud Strife."]
Cloud opened his eyes in surprise when he heard this.
[You've always been me]
-
NEW WORLD - FINAL FANTASY VII ( AFTER THIS - DRAGON BALLS ]
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