Souls

By Alpha Anomaly

Cloud Strife's black boots made their presence known to his room's wooden floors, as he paced back and forth.

'He should be here by now, what's taking him so long?' Cloud worried as he clasped his arms together and continued his frantic walk.

Suddenly, Cloud turned around to repeat the pattern he had been boring into the ground when he saw a hooded figure standing right in front of him, looming somewhat ominously, maybe even a little threateningly. Cloud was surprised and took several steps back as a mixed sense of shock and, at the same time, relief, crossed his face.

"You're here…finally," Cloud spat as he regained his composure and calmly placed his right hand on the hilt of the Buster Sword lying obediently at his side.

"Indeed I am," the figure hissed. "What is it that you want, warrior?"

"I want to know what the hell is going on! Why do I feel some special power coursing through me? Tell me, wanderer!"

"I would have thought a sentient being such as yourself could have figured out the simple answer to that," the robed man sneered. "But apparently, as usual, I will have to spell everything out for you."

Cloud had never once seen the hooded man's face, as he always kept it well hidden in the shadows of his long, flowing robe. The savior of Gaia didn't appreciate being left in mystery and wanted to know who he was. At the same time, the knowledge that angering him and losing his trust would be cataclysmic towards his goals infuriated Cloud even more.

'I cannot fail,' Cloud told himself adamantly, while the man stood jeering at Cloud's lack of intuitive skills. 'There is no way I can let myself become a pawn; become weak, like before. I must be strong or another dimension will be put at risk. This man can help me, I know it.'

"So," the robed man continued, "I believe you really do know why you are stronger, yet being as mentally weak as you are and have always been, you wish not to accept the simple truth. Think, Cloud. What has been done today? More importantly, by whom?"

Cloud thought about it momentarily and suddenly realized that what the figure must be talking about. He meant the match between Mario and Joanna Dark!

'Of course! Joanna had to go somewhere, didn't she? After she left through the medical room, no one saw her again. Mario defeated her, and so, with no more purpose for her in this realm, I gain her essence! I…take over her soul, because Mario defeated her. This makes perfect sense now.' Cloud stopped and thought about the implications of this and almost wanted to just celebrate with glee. After every defeat someone suffers in the arena at the hands of a person aligned with good, the loser's soul would be transported to Cloud.

But then, a wave of nausea hit him like a sack of bricks. Cloud staggered back, also realizing that he was damning everything he stood for.

'I'm supposed to be a good guy! I can't destroy these peoples' lives just for me to get stronger! That would be akin to Sephiroth, the haunting figure that has ruined my life, and taken over it as well. How can I do this?'

Cloud contemplated, for a very fleeting moment, shutting down the whole tournament. He had made a deal with the devil and the only way out would be to run away. Just like all the other times.

As if he could read Cloud's feeble and torn mind, the figure cackled. Cloud instantly closed his eyes hard, trying to escape the harsh, nails on the chalkboard sound emitted from the figure without directly holding his hands over his ears. Finally, the laughter ceased.

"Foolish boy!" The figure's tone turned from humorous to near anger, as if Cloud's thoughts offended him personally. "You can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs!"

Cloud thought about this as well. When had there not been sacrifice, even in their quest to stop Sephiroth the first time? Jessie had been crushed under the Sector 7 platform. Aeris had been…well, there had been ample sacrifice the first time. Sacrifice is necessary.

Cloud had made up his mind. He knew that Sephiroth was up to no good at all and he would undoubtedly be after more of the same power that Cloud had now obtained. Something was strange about this indeed. If Cloud gained all the souls defeated by good, who would gain all the souls defeated by bad? Cloud twirled his Buster Sword as he thought about it. He had a very good idea but he didn't necessarily want to voice his opinion, as if it would come true if he even said his name.

The figure looked at Cloud and smirked, "I think I'm done here. Call me when something more important occurs." With that, he was gone.

Cloud looked down at his hands and thought, 'Man, what have I gotten myself into? This is gonna be even worse than before…'

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Several Hours Earlier

From his vantage point in the stands, he watched the ensuing battle. Everyone knew before the match had even begun who would be the victor, and so he was very uninterested with the goings-on. He cracked his neck and lay back in his comfortable seat.

After a few antics here and there, Mario had defeated Joanna Dark. As bored as he was with the match, the man felt himself stand up and give the obligatory round of applause to the victor. The plumber took off his hat and waved to the crowd, happy to be done for a month.

The figure was just about to turn around and leave when something peculiar caught his wary eye.

Cloud Strife was running down to the arena floor to thunderous cheers from the fans, many of whom had not seen him arise form a sedentary pose since they had arrived. Cheers for the former champion were deafening and no one could hear him speaking to Mario with a large smile on his face. Suddenly, the blonde-haired fighter grasped Mario's wrist and thrust it into the air, the prone form of Joanna Dark being attended to beside him.

Back up in the stands, the figure frowned. 'Something is not right with this. Why is Cloud Strife of all people strolling up to the arena and congratulating a fighter on a victory that everyone knew he would win? He may be a sponsor, but I don't think parts of this fit here. Cloud Strife is up to something.'

He walked out of the arena and then waited off to the side until most of the other fans had filed out of the arena before he went to find Cloud back in the sponsors' waiting rooms in the arena.

He lined the halls, searching for Cloud's door, before knocking hard, yelling, "Get out here, Cloud! We need to talk!" No answer came, so the man cursed and continued along, thinking that maybe Cloud had already gone back to the top floor of the hotel, the area set off for the sponsors of the tournament.

When he reached the door, he began to knock but he heard an angry voice speaking that did not belong to Cloud Strife. His curiosity piqued, he leaned in to the doorknob and listened to the conversation. When he heard silence, he figured that their conversation was nearing an end and he would need to leave. It was just as well. He had gathered all the information he needed anyway.

'So,' he thought to himself, 'Cloud Strife is slowly gaining power by absorbing souls of those defeated by good. Sephiroth must be doing the converse, if I know anything about him. But who was he talking to? More mysteries to uncover, it seems. For now, though, I have the upper hand.'

The man smiled to himself and turned away to go find his own hotel room.