The semblance of a Shinra uniform that the younger blond man wore was something that Cloud could never miss. In this time, Shinra was but a shadow of its former self. There was no ground force to speak of, SOLDIER was but a fleeting thought, left to carry on through the man standing before the group. But that uniform...he'd seen himself in the mirror before, hoping that one of these days he'd trade the gun for a sword, to become the hero that he'd set out to be. Not just for himself, for his own strength and purpose, but to be someone that she could count on.
"Embrace your dreams. And whatever happens, protect your honor as SOLDIER."
The man that the young Cloud Strife was looking at however, did not reach that goal. What stood before him was the culmination of all the broken pieces being picked back up. When it was all put back together, and he opened his eyes after realizing everything he worked towards wasn't how he planned,
"Alright, well, you never made SOLDIER. But it's what's in here that counts."
Another door opened. A door opened that lead Cloud down a path that he admittedly, wouldn't wish upon anybody else. If it wasn't for his friends, his newfound family, there might not have been the same acerbic man standing before them today. And yet...he could tell that there was something different about this one. He was looking into a mirror, and yet his path couldn't be any more different...
He said nothing, even as he struggled to find the words to tell him what happened and what they were doing here. He knew how to listen when he needed to, and right now he didn't have any words for this man. His eyes spoke volumes enough for him, patience overriding confusion as he wanted to understand before jumping to conclusions. The look in Cloud's eyes told his younger self that it was okay. Suspicious as he was, something in his heart told him that as surreal as this was...
"I'm you."
As Reno came into view, resting his hand on the shoulder of the young man as he explained something that would have made anyone else call for the loony bin, the nod from the Turk was the second piece of confirmation. The rumours were true... Whatever they were doing here, that must have meant that the man in a black coat...was he here too? Instead of dread however, instead of fear of his memories coming back to haunt him yet again, all he felt was a sense of wonder. If this Cloud before him had changed...what about him? What of Reno? Or who he assumed had to be Vincent? Two years had passed for this one... If they were similar enough, that must have meant that he was turning 18 soon... So this is what it might have been like if he'd lived beyond that basement for five years.
The look of visible surprise slowly faded away however. If they told this to anyone else, they might have called him crazy. But truly, for everything that Cloud experienced since his time in Midgar and understanding the planet and understanding himself... He didn't have to accept this. If this was a fleeting moment, he'd let it be just that. If they were different, let it be different. His reality was his alone. But he was here, before his younger self. Just what changed from the time he'd been drawn away to another 'world' of sorts?
"Never thought I'd actually find you guys," he finally answered, his bright gaze curiously watching Ophelia as she fluttered around him. Since the rumours of this strange group spread as he was out working, he couldn't help but scratch that itch. It was just as he'd thought before. This was no reunion, but he couldn't explain what drew him out here until now. It was true, after all. Calmly approaching the group, but keeping a few steps distance between them, his gaze shifted amongst them before settling back on 'himself'. "I heard rumours, but..." It was still a little surreal.
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"Embrace your dreams. And whatever happens, protect your honor as SOLDIER."
The man that the young Cloud Strife was looking at however, did not reach that goal. What stood before him was the culmination of all the broken pieces being picked back up. When it was all put back together, and he opened his eyes after realizing everything he worked towards wasn't how he planned,
"Alright, well, you never made SOLDIER. But it's what's in here that counts."
Another door opened. A door opened that lead Cloud down a path that he admittedly, wouldn't wish upon anybody else. If it wasn't for his friends, his newfound family, there might not have been the same acerbic man standing before them today. And yet...he could tell that there was something different about this one. He was looking into a mirror, and yet his path couldn't be any more different...
He said nothing, even as he struggled to find the words to tell him what happened and what they were doing here. He knew how to listen when he needed to, and right now he didn't have any words for this man. His eyes spoke volumes enough for him, patience overriding confusion as he wanted to understand before jumping to conclusions. The look in Cloud's eyes told his younger self that it was okay. Suspicious as he was, something in his heart told him that as surreal as this was...
"I'm you."
As Reno came into view, resting his hand on the shoulder of the young man as he explained something that would have made anyone else call for the loony bin, the nod from the Turk was the second piece of confirmation. The rumours were true... Whatever they were doing here, that must have meant that the man in a black coat...was he here too? Instead of dread however, instead of fear of his memories coming back to haunt him yet again, all he felt was a sense of wonder. If this Cloud before him had changed...what about him? What of Reno? Or who he assumed had to be Vincent? Two years had passed for this one... If they were similar enough, that must have meant that he was turning 18 soon... So this is what it might have been like if he'd lived beyond that basement for five years.
The look of visible surprise slowly faded away however. If they told this to anyone else, they might have called him crazy. But truly, for everything that Cloud experienced since his time in Midgar and understanding the planet and understanding himself... He didn't have to accept this. If this was a fleeting moment, he'd let it be just that. If they were different, let it be different. His reality was his alone. But he was here, before his younger self. Just what changed from the time he'd been drawn away to another 'world' of sorts?
"Never thought I'd actually find you guys," he finally answered, his bright gaze curiously watching Ophelia as she fluttered around him. Since the rumours of this strange group spread as he was out working, he couldn't help but scratch that itch. It was just as he'd thought before. This was no reunion, but he couldn't explain what drew him out here until now. It was true, after all. Calmly approaching the group, but keeping a few steps distance between them, his gaze shifted amongst them before settling back on 'himself'. "I heard rumours, but..." It was still a little surreal.