Author's Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Bros or any of the characters involved in it. I am earning no profit from this story, other than the enjoyment of writing it and sharing it with others! I hope you all enjoy reading it!
Okay, let's get some housecleaning out of the way in this first chapter. If you have read the original Masterful Prison that focused heavily on Link, then just know that this is almost that same story just told from Cloud's perspective. I finally got around to playing Final Fantasy VII, and I absolutely loved it. I played the OG, the Remake, Crisis Core, and watched Advent Children Complete. Anyway, now that I have a little better idea who Cloud Strife is, well…when I originally wrote him in A Masterful Prison…he literally could not have been anymore OOC. So, I decided to rewrite the story from Cloud's point of view. That being said, I did change some things. Cloud was so OOC in the original that what he says and does of course are now different. But by the end of this version, things are totally different. And based on one of the more recent DLC fighters, you can probably guess what else changes. So, get ready for a new story if you enjoyed the first one!
And if you're coming in without having read the original Masterful Prison, don't worry! Everything you need to understand is explained, and like I said, the story ends up being pretty different from the original anyway. So feel free to read this one without needing to go back and read the first one. Everything will make sense, I promise.
And with that out of the way, happy reading! Sorry for the long intro, and please enjoy!
"Cloud!" both Marlene and Denzel cried excitedly as the ex-mercenary pulled into their driveway.
Cloud smiled softly, parking his motorcycle and pulling his goggles off his face. "What's going on around here?"
"Tifa's making dinner," Denzel replied. He grabbed Cloud's arm and basically dragged him towards their front door. "I'm so hungry, but she said she wouldn't finish until you got home!"
"Is that right?" Cloud asked, allowing himself to be pulled into the house.
Marlene nodded vehemently. "You took forever on that last delivery, Cloud! We've been waiting for so long!"
"Sorry," Cloud said. "Cosmo Canyon is really far from here." He'd been away from Edge all day. Cid had needed a few extra parts for his current repair of the Highwind, and he'd called on Cloud's delivery service to get them. Which meant that Cloud had to pick up the parts, drive out of Edge and to Cosmo Canyon, and then drive back all in one day. It was an extremely long ride to go both ways, but it was Cloud's job now, so he didn't mind much.
"There you are!" Tifa called from the kitchen as Cloud stepped inside, wiping her hands across a towel before approaching him. "Dinner's just about ready."
Cloud nodded. "Smells good in here."
Tifa smiled.
The two kids raced ahead of him now and sat themselves down at the table, both of them staring expectantly at Tifa now that Cloud was home. Tifa chuckled softly, returning to the kitchen and finishing up the meal she had been preparing.
"Not a bad gig you've got going," Tifa noted as she served the food. "You drive around all day, see some old friends, and when you get home you get fed."
"It seems to work out for me, yeah," Cloud agreed.
"Oh, Cloud!" Denzel said, leaning across the table. "I have to show you something! Marlene and I made this-"
Before he could finish that sentence, a sudden rumbling interrupted him. The ground shook underneath their feet, and Cloud instinctively reached out to steady both Marlene and Denzel. The two kids regained their balance and Cloud let them go. He and Tifa locked eyes, and they both made their way towards the front door. Cloud pulled a dagger out from inside his cape. He always made sure he was armed. He didn't carry the Buster Sword around anymore, that blade was kept safe in the Sector 5 church, a reminder to always embrace his dreams, but Cloud had plenty of other swords to atone for that blade's lack of use.
"You two stay here," Cloud commanded, resting his hand on the doorknob.
"I'm sure it's nothing serious," Tifa added hurriedly, following Cloud outside. "But stay just in case, alright?"
Denzel and Marlene nodded, exchanging nervous glances. The rumbling had stopped, but what could have caused such a tremor?
Cloud stepped down from the porch and cast his gaze about the area, looking for the source of the disturbance. His eyes landed on a whirling maelstrom of colors suspended in the air just out front of his and Tifa's house.
"What is that?" Tifa demanded, raising her fists.
"I don't know," Cloud admitted. He ran to his motorcycle and sprung open the side compartments, pulling out a much larger sword. Whatever was coming from that wyrmhole, he wanted to be ready for it.
He returned to Tifa's side, and the two of them stood in front of their house with their chosen weapons at the ready. Tifa glanced backwards and noted that the children had their faces pressed against the cool glass of their front window. They were watching herself and Cloud closely. The porch's awning prevented them from seeing the portal hung in the sky, so they were just staring at the adults with nervous curiosity on their faces. Why had Cloud gotten a proper sword? What were they waiting for?
"Tifa," Cloud said stiffly, nodding upwards at the portal.
Tifa narrowed her eyes. The multitude of colors that made up the inside of the portal were spinning faster. The outside edge of white was wavering. Something was coming. Only a few seconds later, four robots made of white steel carrying a glass testing chamber flew from the portal. Cloud clenched his teeth as the sight of the test tube sent flashes of half-forgotten memories swirling through his mind. He shook it off, refocusing on the robots. They lowered themselves to the ground, any nearby civilians screaming as they descended, and placed the cage on the floor. They stood opposite Cloud and Tifa patiently, as though awaiting instruction. Neither Tifa nor Cloud dared move, unsure what those robots were or who they belonged to. They lacked Shinra's usual insignia, but they didn't look all that friendly.
Their master appeared only a moment later. The portal shuddered one final time before a giant, disembodied white glove floated through. It faced Cloud and Tifa, and despite the fact that it had no visible eyes, Cloud got the feeling that it was staring at him.
And then it spoke. Without a mouth, its words coming from nowhere and everywhere at once, the glove spoke. "Submit yourself to me, Jenova's Puppet. I am your master now."
Cloud's eyes widened slightly. What did this thing know about him and Jenova? He was no puppet!...Not anymore, anyway. "I don't believe we've ever met," he said, refraining from lashing out at that nickname.
Tifa glanced at him, likely wondering the exact same thing. What did this thing know about Jenova? That wasn't exactly common knowledge. Maybe it was another one of Shinra's stupid science experiments.
"We haven't," the glove confirmed. "But either willingly submit to my rule, or I'll force you to be mine."
"I'd like to see you try," Cloud spit, brandishing his sword.
The glove snickered. "As you wish, numberless clone."
Cloud stiffened again, but he didn't let his guard down. The glove snapped its fingers, and the robots that had come with it immediately sprung into action. The dull buttons on their heads blazed a bright red now, and they charged Tifa and Cloud with no emotion in their darkened goggles.
"Bring it on," Tifa muttered, slamming her fist into the nearest robot. It was flung backwards, but got up without issue. Not a scratch marred its pristine steel. Tifa grit her teeth, expecting at least a little damage.
Cloud swung his blade horizontally, slashing across the front of three bots, but none of them were affected. Cloud's heavy swing drove them backwards, but his sharp sword hadn't even left a mark. He could faintly hear Denzel and Marlene calling out to them in worry, but he didn't dare risk a glance back at them. They'd be alright inside. It seemed this glove wanted just him anyway.
"These things are tough," Tifa noted, kicking aside another one that got close.
Cloud just nodded. He thrust his blade towards the chest of a nearby robot, but his thrust proved ineffective. All he could do was push these things away. It didn't seem like he could damage them. What kind of steel was this that could hold up against his superhuman strength?
"What are we going to do?" Tifa muttered, slamming aside yet another. There were only four, but without being able to damage them the small number would prove to still be a challenge.
"Submit to me," the glove suggested with a short laugh. "You have no choice."
"Never," Cloud growled. He shoved aside the same robots again, gritting his teeth as they just got back up again. Running his hand across the flat of his blade, he called on the power of his equipped fire materia. He thrust his hand outwards and a ball of flames flew from his fingertips, smashing into the side of the incoming enemies. Even that had no effect. The machines' metallic hide wasn't even singed from the fire.
"Nothing we do helps," Tifa mumbled. "We can't just keep fighting forever!"
"And I haven't got all day," the glove muttered, watching his bots continually be thrown aside. "So give in, unless you wish to bring harm on the little ones."
"What do you-" Cloud began.
He was interrupted by the sound of his front door slamming open. Marlene and Denzel screaming followed soon after. "Stop it! Let me go!" Marlene cried.
"You're pulling my hair!" Denzel added.
Tifa whirled around. Cloud bashed away his immediate adversary and turned around. Marlene and Denzel were being held by two more of the robots. "How did you get into our house?" Tifa screamed up at the glove, quivering with fury at the sight of the apprehended children.
"T-they came in from the back!" Denzel replied. "W-we tried to fight, but-ow!" The robot holding him pulled its grip tighter, effectively choking the young boy.
Cloud glared up at the glove. "Let them go," he said darkly. "Now."
The glove laughed idly. "Only if you-"
But Cloud wasn't listening. He jumped as high as he could, Jenova's cells propelling him higher than should've been humanly possible. He raised his sword up over his head as he ascended towards the white glove. The blue flames of his Limit Break danced around his body and his eyes practically glowed with rage. The glove let him come, refusing to move out of Cloud's path. Cloud reached the glove, slicing upwards and pulling forth the power of his Limit. But an unexpected laser shot him out of the sky, sending him crashing into the ground. He felt no pain from a burn, but he smashed into the ground and gasped awkwardly as his breath was stolen from him. The blue flames flickered out and he laid on the ground breathing hard from the fall.
"Cloud!" Marlene screamed, kicking against her captor.
Cloud stood up shakily, holding his sword in both hands. One of the robot's goggles was smoking, and Cloud assumed the laser had come from there. He didn't dare try that again.
"If you so much as raise that blade again, both of their necks get snapped," the glove threatened, gesturing to Marlene and Denzel. "It's you or them, puppet. And, whatever happens, don't you always need to protect your honor?"
Cloud paused, yet again not expecting such an obvious allusion to his muddled past. Then he snapped his gaze to the glove hovering above him, blue flames tickling his skin as his rage reignited. But he didn't dare use them. "Do not mock Zack like that!" he spit. "That isn't what his words meant!"
"Make your choice," the glove threatened, looming over Cloud. "Your life? Or theirs?"
"Cloud…" Tifa said quietly, her hands falling to her side. There was nothing she could do.
Marlene was visibly shaking, pulling with all her might against the metallic arm of the robot holding her hostage to no avail. Tears rimmed her eyes and she was continually quivering.
Denzel was really fighting. He kept kicking against the robot's stomach, but the cold machine could not feel his weak attack. It kept a tight grip around his neck, the force of that grip tightening every time Denzel lashed out. The kid was going to get himself killed. "Don't do it, Cloud!" Denzel cried, coughing as his lungs were immediately deprived of air. "Don't turn yourself over to that thing!" Cloud had to admire Denzel's resolve. But, in the end, the glove was right. Whatever happens, Cloud did need to protect his honor.
Turning back to the glove, Cloud threw his blade to the floor and kicked it away. "Let them go. I'll come with you. Just let them go."
Denzel started screaming, and Cloud clenched his fists. But he didn't revoke his statement.
"Drop the dagger," the glove countered.
Cloud threw it across the street, the blade implanting itself in one of his neighbor's houses. Despite his decision, fury still burned in his veins. He didn't have enough self-control to just put the weapon down calmly. But either way, the blade was now out of his reach, and the glove was satisfied. It gestured for its bots to let the children go, and they did so immediately. Marlene sucked in a deep breath and sunk to her knees, sobbing as Cloud was escorted by the remaining robots towards that test tube. Denzel too heaved in a large breath. Once his lungs were satisfied, he dashed towards Cloud. Tifa caught him and pulled him back as one of the robots moved to intercept him, its goggles flaring red.
"Don't be stupid," she hissed, pulling him close to herself as Cloud stepped into the tube.
He glanced at her, his lips drawn into a tight line as the robot closed the door behind him. He tried to say something through the glass, but it was lost on Tifa. The container sucked up his voice effectively. The glove just laughed at him, ascending away from Edge and back towards its portal. The robots heaved Cloud and his cage onto their shoulders and followed after their master.
Tifa turned away from them, falling to her knees and pulling Denzel's head against her chest. "Not again," she mumbled. "I can't...Denzel, I can't lose him again…"
"He'll be back," Denzel said firmly. "Cloud's super strong. He'll be back."
Tifa nodded numbly. When she dared look up at the sky again, the portal was gone, and so was Cloud.
Author's Note: Thanks for making it to the end of this first chapter! I am kind of new to the FFVII fanbase, so if I write anything that isn't correct or makes no sense, feel free to let me know and I'll do my best to fix it.