The life stream swirled about them, lighting their features with white and green light. Blond and silver hair floated in a breeze neither men felt, and their eyes locked.
It was strange, seeing each other in their current location, yet it somehow felt appropriate to Cloud as he gazed at his nemesis.
Were they really enemies, though? Cloud had to wonder. He remembered their final altercation in which he had nearly died and Kadaj did. At the time, he had believed the remnant to be unstable, unpredictable, and decidedly violent. The younger man had been searching for Jenova's head. More specifically, he was seeking Jenova cells for some reunion that existed only in his head, and he had succeeded for a brief moment.
Now, as he gazed at the younger man, Cloud could not help but wonder if that violent, unpredictable, and unstable side of Kadaj was only one facet of the remnant. Kadaj had struck Cloud as a lost child, someone in need of love and guidance. Maybe, just maybe, if he had lived after their fight, Cloud could have given him those things. They would not know, however, due to the unfortunate outcome, but Cloud still wondered. What could have happened if things had turned out differently?
--
The life stream swirled about them, lighting their features with white and green light. Blond and silver hair floated in a breeze neither men felt, and their eyes locked.
To Kadaj, seeing Cloud again felt good and very appropriate. Even though it was only a dream on Cloud's part, Kadaj did not mind. If Cloud was dreaming about him then the blond remembered him. He still lived inside someone's memories, and that was more than enough to give the remnant hope for an escape.
The afterlife was, in a single word, boring. Sure, he had Zack and Aerith watching over him and keeping him company as well as Loz and Yazoo, but there was not much for an active remnant such as himself to do. Kadaj desired challenges and a chance for some swordplay. He was not receiving much of either, and he tried to think of ways to amuse himself with minimal success.
Kadaj moved closer to Cloud, his eyes still locked with the blond's gaze. He wanted to touch Cloud, to taste him, and to see what the other man felt like under his fingers. Since he saw curiosity and a great regret reflecting in those deep blue eyes, Kadaj figured Cloud would not mind if he did so.
As he approached his now former and still living nemesis, Kadaj considered the man before him. Cloud possessed a great inner strength Kadaj could not help but be drawn to and admire. If they had not been enemies, they definitely could have been friends. Cloud possessed a compassionate heart, and the blond cherished his friends, even forgave them of their sins. Such a great capacity for such emotions often had Kadaj wondering if Cloud could do the same for him.
They stared at each other for several moments longer, even as Kadaj moved closer towards Cloud. The dream would be ending soon. Kadaj could sense his body fading with each second, but still he pressed forward. If he could touch Cloud, even with just the tips of his fingers, then this encounter would not be for nothing. He could find a way to escape the hell he had become encroached in, and he could live once more.