Hey there, dear friends. Welcome to Crossfire! This is a product of countless ideas. For a great while now, I've been wrestling against ideas that come with monstrous potential, and equally intense possibilities. This particular project was inspired by Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. I defeated the final Beast last night (Screaming Mantis), and the Beast's submission gave me a lot of ideas. Act 5, as a whole, is far beyond majestic. If you haven't watched a single MGS4 cutscene, I suggest you do so. It would do you a world of good.
Now! Let's get on with the show. As you can see, I've been working on so many ideas, it's hard to believe. I'm trying to pinpoint the perfect one, and create a single epic from it. Maybe you'll be able to help me discover that perfect idea!
Warning: Old Snake, boy/boy love, emotions...the same drill. If you're not happy with Snake showing emotion and/or two guys loving one another, then I won't be your cup of tea. But seriously, come on. If Snake's supposed to be some boring stick in the mud, what was with Meryl? Where did their relationship come from? How come so many people think Snake's supposed to be-oh, never mind.
This is an altered version of Act 5's Mission Briefing.
Disclaimer: Kiddies, Epyon doesn't own Metal Gear Solid, or anything to do with Konami. I don't own Final Fantasy VII either.
Overwhelming. Nerve-wracking. Painful.
All of those were love in a nutshell. Love was undeniably beautiful, especially if one suffered from a long absence of love's light. That treasure came with its drawbacks, though. If a dehydrated soul plunged into headfirst into Heaven's glow, then love was quickly described as 'overpowering'. Carrying it was akin to carrying a thousand bags of iron.
He had spent eons without life's most precious gift. His psyche had dwelled in an abyss that drained moisture, strength and willpower. The contemplation of love bore a million similarities to the contemplation of death. It was dank, dark, empty and endlessly painful. Love was an abnormal language, bizarre in every way imaginable. Two beacons of his life provided light, giving him all of the love a mortal could want, but he couldn't fathom it. One maiden tried to love him, but the mere thought of romance repulsed him. For years on end, their affection was indescribably difficult to understand. He was a dog trapped inside of a strange home, surrounded by words he couldn't grasp.
He couldn't understand a single breath of love until several more beacons arrived.
Once they entered his life, the petals of his heart blossomed. His heart, life and soul were opened like books. Every page cried out for the chance to be discovered, having been released from a hellhole. A cage was opened, and enslaved birds took flight. He learned how to smile, how to laugh, and how to acknowledge warmth. He left the form of an enclosed moth, and emerged as a butterfly. Love wasn't easy to deal with, though, as he eventually found out. His newfound friends posed a great deal of problems, but one particular soul gutted him. His friends' lives were difficult enough to worry over. Dealing with gut punches landed him on a completely different planet of problems.
Battles were raging, inside of his heart and all over the world. Love wasn't the only storm tossing him around. His brother, performing collaborative efforts with Sephiroth, wished to consume the world. The world's darkest threats were menacing tyrants, working to end humanity-and the existence of light. Working alongside his loved ones, he found himself pressed beyond his limits. Together they worked to end Liquid and Sephiroth's aspirations, hoping to restore their world. The swift passage of days led them to a turning point. All of them were standing on the threshold of change, facing two possibilities: their world could either wither away, or flourish. The future depended on their collective efforts, wisdom and valor.
A meeting had just come to an end. Mei Ling had summoned every last one of her allies onto her battleship, passionate about the upcoming finale to the world's battles. Humanity's last hope sat within the ship's conference room, sharing thoughts on several different elements: strategies, formations and GW. One part of the plan caused a major upset. A microwave oven came into the conversation, and several volunteers jumped at the chance to enter it. None of those volunteers wanted Solid "Old" Snake to take that part of the mission. Yuffie was the first one to voice her disapproval, and the others followed suit. Cloud, Tifa, Cid and Barret all opposed the idea of Snake entering 'the oven'. Barret and Cid were especially vocal. Cloud stepped forward, once the heat simmered. Intolerably tense silence followed his stance, and he was given the responsibility of entering the oven. No one was thrilled with that decision, least of all Snake. The old legend was heart-broken over his friends' offers, but seeing Cloud take the mission killed every last bit of his being.
The meeting's end was the advent of heartache. A disconsolate soul felt the need to confront the living, breathing part of his heart. The other participants of the meeting, including Cloud's ragtag band, were off on preparations. The greatest battle of their lives loomed over them, and so much hung in the balance. A particular heart was hanging by a mere thread-one that was already broken in half a dozen places.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?! I should've taken that assignment! This battle is my burden! My burden to bear!"
The younger, blonde male was one to rarely lift his temper. Sadness dwelled in the land of serenity, flowing with the winds of tender immortality. Throughout their entire adventure, he had been a feather towards his older lover-despite the intensity of situations. "I would rather face the King of Hell myself...than see you walk through a single flame."
Tears streamed from darkened, aching eyes. Those very same eyes were filled with pain-immeasurable, powerful pain. "I don't believe this," he cried, balling his hands into fists. Losing his grip on vocabulary, he struggled to keep himself afloat. Ignoring the desire to break down was an unbearable task. "I don't believe this! You wouldn't appreciate it if I cut in on your dance with Sephiroth, now would you?!"
If anyone had walked by, they would have described Cloud as a saddened puppy. While he retained his innate serenity, he looked far beyond heart broken. His pristine features were ablaze in grief, and it wasn't because of the heat he was receiving. He had expressed his dislike of Snake's distress on several occassions, never comfortable with his beloved's displays of pain. As always, he answered every inquiry, every situation, with a voice of tranquility. "I wouldn't want you to look upon him," he pressed, never removing his eyes from the much older male. "If the two of you ever had to meet again, I'd do everything in my power to shield your eyes."
A sigh flew out of Snake's mouth. Maybe there was sense in Cloud's words, his actions. Maybe things weren't so difficult after all. Maybe-
Maybe Cloud really was annoying, and he was about to lose his grip on sanity.
He threw his shoulders back, asked Heaven for help, and spoke with a sob. Tears flew from his eyes, unrestrained and unstoppable. "Why can't I do the same? Why can't I protect you from my brother?!"
"I don't wish for you to-"
"So that's it, then! You're coddling me! You're treating me like I'm some damned kid, and-"
A poisonous gust swept through his lungs, bringing him to his knees. Clamping a hand over his mouth, he found himself helpless against a new wave of coughs. Arms were soon wrapped around him, in an attempt to provide the warmest relief. Desperately, tearfully, he tried to push them off-but to no avail. "I don't want you to go through any more pain," a gentle voice said, bearing the mournful eyes of a shattered animal. As he spoke, soothing energy crept from his hands-and fell straight into a tearful soldier's body. The energy relieved an old body of coughs, but it did nothing for his heartache.
"I don't want you to suffer any more. You've been through far too much pain already."
So. That's what it all came down to. Cloud Strife, his forever love, wanted to throw his life away. He was the very same man that admitted his inability to confess love, all because he felt human language was insufficient. He said things like 'I'll die for you' without a second thought, and acted as if he merely recited a math equation. Time after time he laid his life on the line for Snake, protecting him from Liquid-who he never spoke to, out of sheer spite! Hal asked after his silent treatment to Liquid, and the Strife provided this explanation: he had no desire to speak with a cowardly bully! He protected him from Liquid, rescued him from Sephiroth's clutches, vowed to always stay near him-but when all was said and done, he wanted to throw his life away! Was he just out to play the part of a knight?!
"You don't give a shit about me."
Crystal blue eyes widened, filled with tears that knew no end. "Excuse me?"
"You don't give a shit about me," a wounded dog snarled, wrenching himself from the other's arms. His voice, his sorrow, was loud enough for the world to hear. "You don't give a damn about me! You say you do but you don't! I thought you wanted to stay with me, dammit, but you lied to me! You're nothing but a liaaaar!"
Cloud's face would have brought tears to anyone's eyes. It certainly would have caused Liquid to scoop him up, while laughing at his downtrodden brother. "That's not true," the blonde warrior said, voice eternally soft. Gentle but hungry, he returned his arms to his saving grace's body. Into his eyes he peered, his own blue eyes infinitely warm. "I only wish to protect you," he stated, hands cupping a precious portrait of sadness. "I don't want unnecessary harm to come to you."
"I'm sorry, baby, but I'm right in the middle of harm's way," a puppy sobbed, burying his face into a muscular chest. He wrapped his arms around the swordsman he had come to love, hunger and ache for. "Wanting me to be safe is like wanting the sky to fall. And you think throwing yourself into Hellfire is going to put a smile on my face?"
Two hearts shattered into a million pieces, all spread over the floor of Heaven. Cloud donned the persona of a bashful, disgraced child, ashamed of his own actions. Dangerously close to sobs (for the very first time), he nuzzled his face against the one he loved dearly. He said nothing for a moment, determined to keep his air close. "I'm sorry," he whispered, breaking their tearful silence. His voice was no longer calm but hoarse, and quaky.
"I'm so sorry. I pledged to keep tears from your eyes, but once again...I've given them to you. You're crying again, and...it's all...m-m-my fault."
Sniffing, shedding so many tears, Snake shook his head. Nothing made sense. Love didn't make sense. Reality didn't make sense. "It's n-n-not your f-f-fault, babe," he whimpered, feeling soft hands wipe his raindrops away. "You're...I shouldn't have-"
Cloud's next words were like daggers. His pain didn't make the words any easier to take in. "Seems like I'm not good for too much of anything...other than making you cry."
He gripped the blonde's chest. He opened his mouth to correct the Strife, but all his body wanted to do was cry. "I have no desire to give you any more tears," a melodious, soft voice said, hands fondling a wrinkled face. "I wish to protect you, and protect you I shall. Would accompanying me lift your heart?"
A small smile spread across Snake's face, followed by fragile laughter. "Are you always in charge of the shots?"
"I guess I am," the deliveryman replied, giving a warm nod. "And you're smiling. I'm glad."
An old soldier's body began to glow with everlasting happiness. Cloud lived just to see him smile. The blonde even admitted that a couple of hours ago, shortly after he deflected an attack meant for Snake. "Take me with you," a puppy whimpered, body nuzzling against its mate. "Let's go together. Where you go...I go."
"We'll go together," a guardian angel whispered, lips brushing against a tearful soul's face. "We'll go together, and I'll protect you. Whatever happens...I'll protect you."
Five more words were whispered before lovers fell into a kiss.
"Whatever happens, I'll love you."
Wrapped in each other's arms, completely immersed in magic they had never known before, they kissed as if tomorrow didn't exist. Tomorrow was in grave danger, so their second kiss could very well be their final kiss. Win or lose, though, one thing would remain certain.
Love would never end, even if Liquid and Sephiroth's hellfire consumed all.
An eon passed before they broke apart, faces only a centimeter away. Midgar's warrior smiled while cradling the blushing face of his beloved. "Let me look at you," he whispered happily, each word kissing the other's face. "Let my body speak of the love I bear...before we plunge into the deepest pits of Hell."
Hands gripped hands, smiles met smiles, and tears met tears. A blonde male, much younger than his chosen mate, literally swept his lover off his feet. Smiling soldiers watched as they marveled at the sight they presented, surprised to see the legendary Snake in Cloud Strife's arms. Meanwhile, an otaku was confessing his feelings for one of Cloud's dearest friends, and a little girl was cheering her surrogate father on. A bride-to-be caught sight of her first love, and felt her heart crumble at the sight of his face.
He was never that happy with me. He was never happy at all...with me.
What did I do wrong?
Ladies and gents, this was composed to Kristine Sa's 'The Truth Is'. That's the Final Fantasy X-2 piano theme with beautiful lyrics. XD
So! This was an altered version of Act 5's Mission Briefing. During the meeting aboard Mei Ling's battleship, the subject of attacking GW crops into conversation. Someone's meant to cross a bridge, in order to get to GW, but that particular bridge is well over a million degrees. Snake jokingly calls it a 'microwave oven', and at that point, he takes the responsibility of having himself burnt to a crisp. Since I hate that part with a passion, and I knew full well Snake's friends wouldn't allow him to fry himself, I decided to have the Cloud Crew jump into the fray. Sir Strife decided to put his life on the line, and that's where Snake's problems kicked into high gear. XD By the way, I used the Advent Children form of Cloud. Isn't he just to die for?! Kwee.
Hal confessed his crush towards the beautiful Tifa Lockhart. He was rather awkward about it, especially since Naomi Hunter just passed away (and no one, including Sunny) liked her. I know I do a lot of Naomi bashing whenever she pops up in my adventures, but I just can't stand her. And Tifa's a million times better than that deceptive floozie. XD Both Snake and Sunny confessed their distrust of Naomi, and encouraged their beloved otaku to pursue Tifa. Sorry if you don't like my version of things, when it comes to Naomi, but I just can't stand her.
The bride-to-be was none other than the feisty Meryl. She's butt kick awesome, and I love having her pine after Snake! It's just too cool. XD And guess what?! The next part of Act 5 would put Meryl, Cloud and Snake in the same area, all up against Screaming Mantis! Now wouldn't that be an awesome chapter to write?! Bwee hee hee!
Thanks for checking this out. Maybe this will make things a little easier on me! Speaking of easier...I'm about to send Snake into the furnace. And the official MGS4 doesn't have any Clouds. I've seen the part where Snake dives into the oven, and it just broke my little heart. I'm not too psyched about seeing it now. Someone help me. Wish me luck!