Cloud knew it was foolish to fight the leather-clad youth. Knew it was
foolish for he apparently was a friend of Sora. But he fought regardless
because he was a threat. He even went so far as to use his dark power,
hoping it would give him an extra edge over Squall.
Apparently, Squall had his own advantages. And in the end, they were equally matched, and he a little more worse for wear than before.
To anyone else it would have appeared as a meaningless brawl. But since when did he care about what everyone else thought? Though he had to admit to himself that the careless expenditure of his dark powers was stupid, since that spent him physically. He was barely able to make it back to Sora in the red room before temporarily blacking out of sheer exhaustion.
He was so sure that Squall had followed him, and for all he knew retrieved Sora. And he began to laps into bouts of self-pity. His failures adding up, and stacking the pain against him. He was even beginning to question his self worth when he heard a voice calling him in the depths of his own private hell. He thought about ignoring the voice, but it kept calling him insistent, urgent. In the void of nothingness a steady beam of pure light cut through the darkness, and the voice was louder. Cautiously, Cloud made his way to this curious light. The landscape was common in his dreams and it was usually accompanied by the painful memories of his dark past, so this was very different.
What was this light? And whose voice was it that beckoned him?
Of course he had a few guesses. He stood so close to this small pillar of light, and considered what this meant. Without a thought, he passed his hand through this small light; it illuminated his hand, which wasn't donning the usual armor. Instead of armor and claw-like fingers, he was wearing the metal bangles and dark glove that was more accustomed to his SOLDIER outfit.
"Cloud.."
At his name he looked up, the source of the voice coming from above where the light was emanating.
No, not voice. Voices. At first it seemed like it was only one voice, but now that he was closer, he could distinctly hear the difference. It was two voices, speaking as one, making it hard to distinguish exactly whose voices they were. But they called his name earnestly, and it gave him the feeling that these voices knew him.
"Aeris?" He called back. "Aeris, is that you?" Though he was uncertain, he found himself reaching upwards as if trying to reach the source of the light.
"Cloud!!"
Within a bright flash Cloud found himself slipping back into consciousness. The voice still called him so, but it wasn't Aeris. Well he was sure it was Aeris the first time, but it wasn't Aeris now.
It was Sora. He knew the boy's voice all too well. He came to then, surprised to find the boy still with him. He was even more surprised when the young key blade master promised to stay and help him.
Silently he thanked Sora for being so kind, even though he knew he was not worthy of such compassion. He swore to himself that he would protect the young keyblade master in return.
***
"Cloud." The boy's voice broke into his train of thoughts and brought him back to the world of the present. He looked down to his side to find Sora looking up at him questioningly. Both hadn't gotten up till late that afternoon. And even now, Cloud was still a bit tired from last night's scrap.
Sora on the other hand had seemed to fully recover, and he thanked Cloud again for his help. This reminded Cloud of certain other matters and he suggested that they relocate since it would not be safe to stay in the Red Room any longer. Sora agreed recalling an attack by the heartless that happened right next door. On top of that, the key blade master had an idea of whom they can turn to that could help Cloud out on his search. However the route to get to the their desired destination was heavily guarded by the Heartless hoard, and Sora was reluctant to take it. But luckily, the boy knew of a different route they could take, and it was significantly much safer.
It was during that brief talk that Cloud sensed something from Sora, it was a feeling that he could only describe as apprehensive, though why he was unsure. But he never said anything. If the boy wanted him to know, then he would of told him.
However, Sora proved to be the inquisitive type.
"You looked pretty deep in thought, what were you thinking about?" Sora asked hesitantly.
Cloud didn't say anything for the moment, and Sora blinked at him generally curious.
"Is it something sad? Your world perhaps?" He hazarded to guess. At this, the soldier looked to the boy then before resuming his gaze ahead.
"Something like that." He said curtly.
"Wasn't the coliseum your home?"
"No. My world was destroyed." Came his blunt response. Perhaps it came out harsher than he intended for Sora flinched. And he was sure he had a barrage of sympathies coming his way. But instead Sora continued with;
"She was from your world too then, what was your world like?" This earned Sora a small questioning glance from Cloud. Sora gave him a lopsided smile.
"It looked very much like this place." He said finally.
"Then I'm sure she's here." Sora replied. He folded his fingers together behind his head as he continued to lead the way a little nonsense smile on his face. In some way, Cloud found this reassuring. Cloud wanted to ask why Sora seemed so sure.
But before he got the chance the boy suddenly came to a stop in front of a water channel that entered a small tunnel.
"Hope you don't mind getting a little wet." The boy said cheekily before jumping in, splashing very loudly. He made a motion with his hand indicating the tunnel. "C'mon, it's this way, we're not far."
Cloud followed the boy wordlessly into the tunnel. After a little ways in, the tunnel actual opened up to a rather large cavern.
"It's you again." Came a dark voice. Immediately Cloud's attention snapped to the voices' source. Upon the banks of the river's flow stood Squall, gun blade ever at the ready, with Cloud in it's sights.
Apparently, Squall had his own advantages. And in the end, they were equally matched, and he a little more worse for wear than before.
To anyone else it would have appeared as a meaningless brawl. But since when did he care about what everyone else thought? Though he had to admit to himself that the careless expenditure of his dark powers was stupid, since that spent him physically. He was barely able to make it back to Sora in the red room before temporarily blacking out of sheer exhaustion.
He was so sure that Squall had followed him, and for all he knew retrieved Sora. And he began to laps into bouts of self-pity. His failures adding up, and stacking the pain against him. He was even beginning to question his self worth when he heard a voice calling him in the depths of his own private hell. He thought about ignoring the voice, but it kept calling him insistent, urgent. In the void of nothingness a steady beam of pure light cut through the darkness, and the voice was louder. Cautiously, Cloud made his way to this curious light. The landscape was common in his dreams and it was usually accompanied by the painful memories of his dark past, so this was very different.
What was this light? And whose voice was it that beckoned him?
Of course he had a few guesses. He stood so close to this small pillar of light, and considered what this meant. Without a thought, he passed his hand through this small light; it illuminated his hand, which wasn't donning the usual armor. Instead of armor and claw-like fingers, he was wearing the metal bangles and dark glove that was more accustomed to his SOLDIER outfit.
"Cloud.."
At his name he looked up, the source of the voice coming from above where the light was emanating.
No, not voice. Voices. At first it seemed like it was only one voice, but now that he was closer, he could distinctly hear the difference. It was two voices, speaking as one, making it hard to distinguish exactly whose voices they were. But they called his name earnestly, and it gave him the feeling that these voices knew him.
"Aeris?" He called back. "Aeris, is that you?" Though he was uncertain, he found himself reaching upwards as if trying to reach the source of the light.
"Cloud!!"
Within a bright flash Cloud found himself slipping back into consciousness. The voice still called him so, but it wasn't Aeris. Well he was sure it was Aeris the first time, but it wasn't Aeris now.
It was Sora. He knew the boy's voice all too well. He came to then, surprised to find the boy still with him. He was even more surprised when the young key blade master promised to stay and help him.
Silently he thanked Sora for being so kind, even though he knew he was not worthy of such compassion. He swore to himself that he would protect the young keyblade master in return.
***
"Cloud." The boy's voice broke into his train of thoughts and brought him back to the world of the present. He looked down to his side to find Sora looking up at him questioningly. Both hadn't gotten up till late that afternoon. And even now, Cloud was still a bit tired from last night's scrap.
Sora on the other hand had seemed to fully recover, and he thanked Cloud again for his help. This reminded Cloud of certain other matters and he suggested that they relocate since it would not be safe to stay in the Red Room any longer. Sora agreed recalling an attack by the heartless that happened right next door. On top of that, the key blade master had an idea of whom they can turn to that could help Cloud out on his search. However the route to get to the their desired destination was heavily guarded by the Heartless hoard, and Sora was reluctant to take it. But luckily, the boy knew of a different route they could take, and it was significantly much safer.
It was during that brief talk that Cloud sensed something from Sora, it was a feeling that he could only describe as apprehensive, though why he was unsure. But he never said anything. If the boy wanted him to know, then he would of told him.
However, Sora proved to be the inquisitive type.
"You looked pretty deep in thought, what were you thinking about?" Sora asked hesitantly.
Cloud didn't say anything for the moment, and Sora blinked at him generally curious.
"Is it something sad? Your world perhaps?" He hazarded to guess. At this, the soldier looked to the boy then before resuming his gaze ahead.
"Something like that." He said curtly.
"Wasn't the coliseum your home?"
"No. My world was destroyed." Came his blunt response. Perhaps it came out harsher than he intended for Sora flinched. And he was sure he had a barrage of sympathies coming his way. But instead Sora continued with;
"She was from your world too then, what was your world like?" This earned Sora a small questioning glance from Cloud. Sora gave him a lopsided smile.
"It looked very much like this place." He said finally.
"Then I'm sure she's here." Sora replied. He folded his fingers together behind his head as he continued to lead the way a little nonsense smile on his face. In some way, Cloud found this reassuring. Cloud wanted to ask why Sora seemed so sure.
But before he got the chance the boy suddenly came to a stop in front of a water channel that entered a small tunnel.
"Hope you don't mind getting a little wet." The boy said cheekily before jumping in, splashing very loudly. He made a motion with his hand indicating the tunnel. "C'mon, it's this way, we're not far."
Cloud followed the boy wordlessly into the tunnel. After a little ways in, the tunnel actual opened up to a rather large cavern.
"It's you again." Came a dark voice. Immediately Cloud's attention snapped to the voices' source. Upon the banks of the river's flow stood Squall, gun blade ever at the ready, with Cloud in it's sights.
