Author note at the bottom.
DISCLAIMER: All materials belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing around in their sandbox while feeling happy that I don't have to think of the next canon plot whatsoever.
Chapter 1: Reminiscence of Soldier's Desire
For the first time in his life (AKA cycles), Cloud Strife couldn't help but think how foolish he was. Of course, seeing his childhood friend (and crush) probably had something to do with his suddenly unusually absent logic.
After all, who would, in their right mind, challenge Chaos himself all by themselves?
Of course. Him. And got himself utterly beaten. Just when he thought he had finally won, too.
As he laid before Chaos' throne, vaguely aware on how Chaos was just sitting there, doing nothing but talking as he watched his own pawn fading, his mind took his consciousness through the memories that ended up with him there.
It had been cycles since he was here. He could tell that time seemed to hold no meaning here, evidenced by how everyone, Cosmos' or Chaos', looked mostly the same unless injured, outfits not included. Sure, the sun rose and set. But that was it. It was like the world itself was looping a single day, merely changing the hours, the weather, and nothing more. For all he knew, perhaps that was the case.
Such an endless nightmare.
Cloud had lost track how long he was here. When he was first summoned, with little to no memories, he readily participated in the battles. He was hoping that he would recover his memories as he fought, and return to where he belonged, wherever that was.
He had to admit that that was a goal unfitting of a Chaos warrior; it was those of Cosmos' who held that goal, after all.
As the cycles pass with Shinryuu's comings, his memories returned in trickles. He had overheard others on how the memories would return faster should he fought someone from his own world. Alas, he didn't found any so far, so he had to stick with the only other way that he knew of.
He had learned that the longer a warrior remained undefeated, the more memories he would get, and keep. Cloud had overheard the Emperor, who he vaguely remembered was called as 'Mateus', talking about it with Kefka, the crazy clown. It was kinda accidental, actually, considering he was already there, resting from his last battle, when they came out of nowhere. Out of reflex, he hid behind the closest thing that came to mind, AKA a pillar (they were in World of Darkness back then). Now, he was thankful that he hid; he was sure that they wouldn't talk so freely if they knew he was there. Cloud had a sneaking suspicion that they were even older than himself.
Perhaps as old as Garland? Cloud heard that Garland was the first, though no one confirmed it.
After he survived three cycles undefeated, Cloud began to lose his will to fight. What was the use of it, when the warriors of Cosmos would just lose, anyway? Those who fell during the cycles of battle would get purified; they lost all their regained memories, and all experience they had, like they were reset back to where they were. Back to square (read:level) one.
But there were exceptions.
If the warrior was too spent, Shinryuu wouldn't purify them. He would left them to fade. To where, Cloud never knew. Despite of what rumors said, Cloud didn't believe that Shinryuu could or would revive them. In fact, Shinryuu's 'purification' was the reset button. When he deemed them useless, no longer having anything of worth to take, Shinryuu would cast them away. Cloud would like to believe that Shinryuu was actually letting them return to their worlds, but he wasn't so sure about that.
After all, he had witnessed it himself. An example of the exception.
It was in his second cycle. Cloud didn't even know the warrior's name. His hair was spiky, not unlike his own, and black. His eyes were blue with a hint of green (mako, his mind supplied absently). He was a warrior of Cosmos, spent after battling his fellow Chaos warrior. If he wasn't mistaken, he battled Kefka. The warrior, injured and tired, was desperate as he battled Cloud. Cloud could still remember that he was still eager to fight back then. He hadn't battled many, and he had enough rest from his last battle to be back at full strength.
Cloud was known for his brutal efficiency despite being rather slow. He was only second to Garland in brute strength; his blows were strong, capable of throwing his opponent around with ease, and more often than not, bashing them around to the walls of the arena. With a sword as massive as the Buster Sword, it was hard not to be. It was only second to Garland's weapon, after all. Sometimes he wondered how he could even lift the thing.
The warrior never stood a chance.
As the warrior laid bloodied, dying before his feet, Cloud felt like he himself was aging; he no longer hungered for battles. It was like out of a sudden he realized just how bloody the war of the gods was, despite participating in a LOT of battles. The warrior's last words jarred his back from the musings of his mind. Even now, he believed it was the familiarity of the voice that drew him out of his musings. He could still hear it ringing in his ears at times.
"...sorry... I...couldn't fulfill...promise..."
It was then that the name of the warrior suddenly clicked into his mind.
Zack...
Memories flew through his mind as his bored eyes turned into a pair of horrified eyes. His best friend. His ONLY friend. Modeoheim, where they first met... Junon, where Zack treated his fellow infantrymen just to keep an eye on him... Nibelheim, where everything fell apart with his hometown's burning, and Sephiroth descend to madness...The years in a lab... The cliff overlooking Midgar, where his friend died to protect him... After which he was given the Buster Sword by his past-and-now dying friend...
"Zack!"
The warrior smiled at his name. "Hey...Spike..." the warrior—no, Zack, his best friend, whispered to him. His purple-hued mako eyes softened even as he winched in pain of his fatal injuries. "It's okay..." he breathed. "We're friends... Right?"
It was the first time both Chaos and Cosmos heard such an anguished wail as Shinryuu descended from the skies.
Cloud felt his lips twitch to a rueful smile as darkness rose from his form, strength bleeding out of him along with his blood. He had almost forgotten that fateful day. Never before he thought he would fight his own friend to the death. Never before he wished so badly that Shinryuu could revive the dead, or even switch allegiances.
He was already so tired of this war that he even tried to help Cosmos' ranks. Oh, not actively, like Kuja (yes, Cloud DID know of his attempts). He was more like...training them. He battled against them, testing their strength and subtly letting (read:forcing) them to improve their styles of fighting. Tempering them, preparing them to defeat Chaos' warriors, then Chaos himself.
How sickening the cycles of the war were, to have your friends as your opponent, and your nemesis as your comrade.
When he saw Tifa among Cosmos' ranks, he felt his heart drop as the Zack's dying smile as he faded came back to the forefront of his mind.
'No... Not again...'
He retreated almost immediately to his refuge, an M.S. Prima Vista arena. It was by chance that he met Kuja there. They were far from friends, but to actually hear it from Kuja himself that he was tired of fighting was refreshing. Like they were comforting each other even without directly saying it.
When he heard Kefka saying (more like implying) that Sephiroth went after Tifa, his heart plummeted to the ground. With a growl, he dashed, away from his refuge, to where Tifa and Sephiroth were. In the back of his mind, he had a suspicion that it was Kefka's idea to pit Sephiroth and Tifa against one another. It was so like him; he was so chaotic, after all, continuously seeking destruction.
When he saw the Masamune pointed to Tifa's throat, his eyes flared, his vision tinged with mako green. His eyes glowed fiercely as the mako in his blood reacted to his emotion.
This time, he wouldn't remain ignorant.
"Matte (Wait), Sephiroth!"
Cloud's lip and finger twitched, his eyes slowly losing the battle to stay awake, pain flaring all over his body. What did Chaos do to him, anyway? In spite of the agony, his mind was still replaying the memories...
The fight didn't even last long; Sephiroth was only two cycles old (this being his second cycle), while Cloud was older (he didn't even remember how old he was any more; five at the very least). It was when Sephiroth said those things about betrayal did his suspicion confirmed. He sighed as he knew that his fight against Sephiroth to defend Tifa would make his up-until-now peaceful life a lot harder.
Even Kefka wasn't that tolerant to traitors, after all.
When Tifa introduced herself, Cloud knew that Tifa remembered nothing of their past. His heart pounded in his chest as he tried his best to prevent Tifa from seeing his face, and to keep himself from looking at hers. Cloud knew, the second they looked at each other, his already dwindling will would crumble to nothingness.
What was that saying, again? To protect those you love, you have to keep them at a distance?
Forcing himself to remain strong, he declared being uninterested to fight, urging her to leave and join the rest of Cosmos'. Cloud had almost faltered when Tifa bade him farewell. As Tifa departed from the Planet's Core arena, his resolve to end the cycles strengthened.
Even though it would end with his demise, it was fine.
As long as she was safe...
Cloud chuckled inwardly. Who would have thought that it would actually happen so soon? Still, he was determined not to let Tifa get hurt; it would be a waste of his sacrifice, after all.
But who would he trust?
...
Of course. The goddess of harmony herself, Cosmos.
As his consciousness slipped, he prayed,
'Cosmos, goddess of harmony... If you can hear me, listen to my plea... I beg you; save her. Save my friend...'
His body went slack as his vision went black. With the last vestiges of his strength, he breathed,
'Tifa...'
Tifa Lockhart paused in her step, her companions oblivious to her sudden stop. She tilted her head. 'Huh...?'
"C'mon, Tifa! What are you waiting for?" Laguna called out, snapping her out.
"Ah! Coming!" she replied. She trotted to join her friends who had gained quite the distance.
'I could've sworn someone was calling me...'
Cosmos stood from her seated position on her throne. "The voice of...a warrior?"
Hi, it's me, Takato. Well, this is my first Dissidia fanfiction, so please bear with me...
The meaning of the title is Unexpected Fulfillment, translated English to Latin using Google Translate. I frankly don't completely trust it, but I have no other choices. Oh well, correct me if I'm wrong, then...
Background story is the Unexpected Fulfillment series from the Reports. To those who haven't done the Reports yet, this will have some spoilers. This story doesn't necessarily follow the original story or timeline. There are details that are inspired by other various Dissidia fanfiction, so I can't thank those other authors enough. However, as I read fanfiction on a daily basis, I tend to not remember where I get them from. If you're one of those aforementioned authors, please don't take offense.
This story was first written around June 2015. I have just published this now as my (unofficial) beta didn't send me any news of what she thought of this. I just can't wait any longer and decided to publish this little baby that I wrote like I ran a marathon for less than a month (which I never did before).
Anyway, please enjoy the story,
Regard,
C. Rinkuki Takato
