#ch. cloud strife

[foraltruism]

@txnichtgut: care-taking - muse a rubs muse b’s arms repeatedly to get some warm into them (Zack/Cloud)

"You don't have to do that."

Cloud says, but his body immediately betrays him by violently shivering. The biting cold raising goosebumps along his exposed skin was kept at bay with Zack's unusually warm hands trying to keep him warm. He knows the other wouldn't really listen to him, opting instead to share body heat, so Cloud's one simple protest was just that.

Cloud leans against Zack to share his body heat as well, huffing softly as a cloud of air reveals just how cold it was out here.

"We should find some place to warm up for real soon."

[blaintism]

cloud & tifa (9/?)

[trialnumbergamma]

The way Aerith drags this man will never not make me laugh

based on this post!

[demifiendrsa]

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles | Announcement Trailer

Japanese version

The Ivalice Chronicles: What You Need To Know

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam) on September 30, 2025.

Players who pre-order will receive the following bonuses:

White Equipment for Ramza

Weapon: Mythril Knife

Accessory: Spiked Boots (Increase a unit’s Jump attribute while equipped)

Consumable items: High Potion x10

Consumable items: Ether x10

Players who pre-order the Deluxe Edition will receive the following bonuses, including a valuable accessory that increases the speed at which characters can learn abilities:

Weapon: Akademy Blade (Raises a unit’s speed attribute slightly while equipped)

Headwear: Akademy Beret (Prevents the Charmed status while equipped)

Combat Garb: Akademy Tunic (Grants Shell while equipped)

Accessory: Ring of Aptitude (Boosts JP earned while equipped)

Consumable Items: Phoenix Down x10

Black Equipment for Ramza

Red Equipment for Ramza

Title logo

Key visual

Box art

Screenshots

Overview

About

The dramatic tale of ambition, betrayal, and honor will come to life with an updated and enriched script with fully voiced dialogue, alongside improved graphics that bring a new level of immersion and playability to the battlefield. Additionally, the enhanced version brings quality-of-life updates like new difficulties, a revamped UI, auto save, and more that make the game more accessible to newcomers. The game features strategic, turn-based combat and an elaborate character progression system that makes every battle exhilarating and filled with unexpected twists.

Hailed as one of gaming’s greatest stories, in this standalone game, players will step into the Kingdom of Ivalice—a medieval world steeped in political conflict—in which players uncover the truth behind the young noble Ramza Beoulve, whose role on history’s stage has been buried from view.

The new key art of Ramza and Delita, the two heroes of this story, is drawn by Akihiko Yoshida. The art depicts the complex relationship of the two individuals—whether they stand together to protect one another, or the start of a departure as they walk divergent paths. Above them, Ovelia and Alma, both of whom have strong ties to Ramza and Delita, solemnly look into the distance, foreshadowing the direction that fate will lead them.

Legendary developers from the original game will make their return in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, including Kazutoyo Maehiro (director), Hiroshi Minagawa (art director), and Yasumi Matsuno (original script, scenario writer and editor).

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will include both enhanced and classic versions of the game. The enhanced version features modern upgrades and quality-of-life changes, including fully voiced characters, a ground-up graphical overhaul and an updated user interface that make Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles the perfect entry point to the tactical RPG classic for new players. The classic version is a nostalgic recreation of the game, developed for players who want to experience the original Final Fantasy Tactics from 1997.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles‘ voice cast featuring an all-star lineup of new and returning Final Fantasy cast members, including Joe Pitts (Ramza), Gregg Lowe (Delita), Hannah Melbourn (Agrias), Timothy Watson (Cidolfus), Harry McEntire (Mustadio), Ben Starr (Dycedarg), and cameos by Cody Christian (Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII Remake series) and Briana White (Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy VII Remake series).

Key Features

Challenging, Tactical Turn-Based Battles – Experience the addictive tactical turn-based combat and deep character progression system that made the game an instant tactical RPG classic. Players will test their battle acumen against a host of powerful enemies, and use the various terrains, characters and customizations, as well as their strategic thinking, to achieve victory.

Customizable Job System with Dynamic Character Progression – Players can master a robust roster of over 20 jobs—including black mage, dragoon, geomancer (who can use the environment against foes), summoner (who can call forth the iconic Final Fantasy moogle and other espers), time mage (who uses time magick), thief, and more—and over 300 character abilities to strategically build endless party combinations.

Enhanced Gameplay Features and a Faithful Classic Version – The enhanced version features a revised script and fully voiced dialogue, offering a new level of enjoyment to this classic story. Additionally, a brand-new user interface, improved graphics, as well as additional character conversations and dialogue create a new level of immersion. Additionally, many new features have been added to make the game even more approachable including the ability to confirm unit turn order with the press of a button, scout the battlefield from afar with the tactical view feature, speed up battles with fast forward, auto save during battles, adjust game difficulty to match your play style, and more. The classic version faithfully recreates the 1997 release of Final Fantasy Tactics alongside the acclaimed War of the Lions translation—perfect for fans who wish to relive the original experience.

[c0smoshit]

Do you want me or do you not?

⋆ ࣪. ℙ𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 ≫ Cloud Strife/Reader

⋆ ࣪. ℙ𝕝𝕠𝕥 ≫ Cloud saw a letter with his name written on it, inside your diary

⋆ ࣪. 𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 ≫ angst!, reader not being present, guilt, not proofread!!

⋆ ࣪. 𝔸/ℕ ≫ I'm back again!! I don't like this drabble really much but I've spent sm time writing it that I thought I'd post it lol. Sorry if it's a bit shitty 🤧

⋆ ࣪. 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥 ≫ 1718

"Do you want me or do you not?"

His hands held the once hated paper as if it was worth millions of gils.

Cold fairies travelled up his spine, reminding him of the future he will never have with you.

A part of him was still attached to the past, a great part. That was his way to cope with everything that had happened in his life, swimming in a deep, deep pool of sorrow and unreached dreams.

Maybe he shouldn't have taken that path a long time ago.

Maybe he shouldn't have fallen deeply from your silk hands, following people he knew didn't speak to him like you did.

Or maybe his destiny was to end up like this, alone again.

His steps were curiously more careful, his inner voice telling him ( shouting at him ) that he should've been more careful.

But who could really blame him?

. . .

"Hey there"

Sometimes you would greet him with a smile, which he didn't return. Or some whispered out "hi", but this wasn't your usual greeting.

Your arms enveloped him for an instant, your cheek against his chest as you pressed further into him.

He could smell you and he liked it, he always liked clean ambiences. Something weird as he constantly had to smell Midgar's dirty air, but he didn't mind smelling sweet, fruity shampoos.

You parted from him as his hands stayed still against his sides, afraid of moving them too much.

As soon as he sat on a stool in the bar, you had a drink already waiting for him.

And he hated it.

He knew that he was being such a dick, but his mind couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable by your warm and so pleasant touches.

He wanted to be happy just for once, god you were giving him his favourite drink!

But weighs and weighs of stress and unsolved problems occupied more volume than his own welfare.

"Do you not like it?"

His gaze then looked at your confused eyes.

"I'm sorry I thought you did, I can always ch-"

"It's alright"

That's it?

You got nothing more to say than that?

His eyes looked at your ... he wasn't going to lie, he really did not know how to read the emotions you had hiding between those gorgerous orbs.

And he wished he did

So as your hands quickly retrieved themselves from changing the liquid, you were back to the chores Tifa probably told you to please do.

He wanted to go, not because you were there but because he was suddenly so nervous he needed "fresh" air.

So that's what he did, not before muttering a low "thanks" and wishing you a good night before stepping outside the bar once again.

He surely didn't want to go home, he didn't want the sun to come up, but on top of all of those wishes, he didn't know what he wanted to truly do.

So his feet, followed by a loud metallic "clank!" that quieted down the louder rumble of the city, dragged him through alleys.

His eyes looked everywhere, dimly lighted appartaments, people that were still returning home from work.

Would they visit their kids?

Their cats? Dogs?

Their partnerts?

He wouldn't wish anyone to be him.

And he ceirtanly day-dreamed about becoming some stranger on the streets.

He often recieved comments from some boys about how handsome he was, that he surely had a long pile of women on his palm.

But was it really worth it?

He didn't need women to love him, he didn't need nobody to love him.

Nobody but someone to hold at night, someone to lull him back to sleep after a rough night.

( he needed you )

. . .

And yet he was here, waiting for you to walk back into your room as he stared into the blank wall.

He remembers the day he moved in next door to you in Midgar, both of your rooms were so different you made him self-concious about his own decisions of decoration.

The way you would lit up the darkness of his empty room the moment you placed your feet inside of it.

But now they all remained just as memories

Memories that soon would dissapear into the void of his enigmatic mind.

He knew there was going to be a time that his brain, naturally, would forget how your face looked like.

How your voice sounded like.

The warmth of your shy touches against his skin.

And he didn't want that time to come, not ever.

But he was far, far away from where it all had started. The nostalgia of your steps as you guided him through Midgar, Nibelheim ( although he knew it like the back of his hand ) Gold saucer. . .

And finally, your room

Which was the place he was standing on right now, trying to read a note you wrote who knows when.

He knows he shouldn't be doing this, rumaging through your personal belongings. But once he had opened your diary and saw his name written on it, he had to take a look.

. . .

" He feels like a ray of sun after a storm, warm and welcoming you back to the sweet and beautiful world you once knew "

" Today I walked with him all through sector 5, he was so cute waiting for me while I asked him which clothes he liked most "

" I don't want to lose him ever again, not after what happened today "

" Maybe he likes Aerith, I see the way his eyes linger on her smile for quite a while "

" Maybe I'm being annoying but I don't get why he doesn't want me to take him home! We live right next to eachother >:( "

" Yesterday I laughed a lot when Tifa called him an angry chocobo, he sure looks like one of those big birds "

" I wonder what he thinks of me. .

. . .

And then he saw it, a ruffled up small paper smashed against the last two pages of the little book. But when he grabbed it, he wished he didn't.

At first he found it quite hard to read as he got used to how you would normally write, but it was clear that you were upset in this one.

There were also some harsh drawn lines on top of your words, a mess of your thoughts and anger. All of the slurred out words came to the same conclusion.

Did he want you or did he not?!?

It is all so confusing, first he speaks to me kindly, he even cracks a few jokes! But then he comes back to this... cold and closed personality. Maybe I'm being dumb about this, maybe he just sees me as a friend just like he would with Barret or Tifa. Well, Tifa... Why am I being jealous of her? I don't want to feel like this, she has all the rights to be close to him. Hell, she was her bestfriend ever since they were little kids. But then again, why does he speak to me like he isn't interested in me??

Why does he talk to me like that if so?

He turned his eyes out of those last words, now understanding why you acted like that whenever he was around you.

Why you were gone now.

The first feeling that flooded his entire organism was guilt, that familiar clench inside his lower stomach. Then he went over 10 different ways he could have had you with him right now.

And they all ended up talking

Just that simple, right?

But the way his mind would automatically go blank whenever you spoke to him about something serious, the innability to express his real feelings without letting out lies instead.

And to add up to how deeply dumb he felt, it was a surprise for him to have just discovered that you actually felt the same for him ever since.

. . .

Going inside a cave wasn't really a good idea thanks to all the cons it has, confusing as a maze, bad lighting and of course, how cold they usually are.

So he wasn't really surprised that after the group had divided itself, you all ended up kind of lost. Next to Barret, he tried to stay calm as he tried to search Tifa, Red and, of course, you.

"Where the hell are we?"

Barret's loud voice echoed through the hard walls, making Cloud flinch as he tried to guide themselves into the exit.

After walking for quite a while, he found a strange section inside the cave that was way colder than the other ones. And when he was about to step into the other section next to it, he heard you.

But he didn't hear the chatting he had thought he would have listened, instead he heard a loud gasp, followed by some shoes ruffling.

And by the time his eyes were searching for you, he looked up to see you almost crushing him down into the ground. But of course, he was fast enough to catch you.

A blur of voices surrounded his mind, but the only thing that it was paying attetion to was the way your cool body fit in between his arms.

Your arms curled up against his chest as your mouth moved, probably surprised to had fallen into his arms instead of hard rocks.

. . .

He never will forget how you felt on his arms.

Reminiscing about past events had became his usual routine whenever he thought about you, he couldn't do anything more either way.

But it was pointless now, no matter how hard he tried to imagine yourself again, you weren't there.

And it was now when he finally had figured out why his words seemed not to seep out of his mouth as smoothly as usual with you.

Right after the group had started to live normal lifes again after the meteor, you were gone, far away from his reach. Or maybe you were right beside him, who knows.

He often wondered if you still dreamt about what happened in Midgar, Nibelheim, Junon...

He needed to find you.

But where shall he start?

[noctunis]

THE ROCK IS BACK‼️‼️‼️ And has brought you… Cloud Strife x Baker!reader. Imagine teaching him how to bake and he’s just standing there like “huh?” After you just reread him the instructions for the millionth time, which results in him being covered in flour.

-🪨

“then you just mix them in like,” you paused as you whisked the thick batter around, cloud noted how your tongue poked out in concentration, “this!”

cloud’s eyebrows furrowed, mako infused eyes flickering between the mixing bowl and you as he cocked his head. you simply grinned at him, hand still mixing the thick cake batter. your hand looked comically small against the big silver bowl.

you had decided to bust out one of your old recipes, chocolate cake with some raspberry mousse on top. simple but definitely one of your favorites. you had offered cloud to try some, even if he wasn’t so much a dessert type person. but then aerith found out. and then tifa. and then biggs. and suddenly—you’re making a lot of chocolate cake. you decided that you underestimated how much help you would need and the duration of time it’d take you to just bake these cakes. so who else to call but your trusty mercenary boyfriend?

“wha—?” with another tilt of his head, cloud watched you curiously as you grabbed his hand, having him hold the whisk while you let out a singsong, “keep it moving!” while you twirled your way to the cupboard and grabbed some cocoa powder along with some various other ingredients.

you giggled as you watched cloud hesitantly stir the mixture, big eyes following you while you walked back up to him and held the ingredients out to him. you beamed at him, “do it just like how i said, ‘kay?”

cloud let out an unsure, “okay.” while you held your hands behind your back and watched as he scooped some cocoa powder out with a tablespoon. mako eyes hesitantly darted between you and the cake batter, unsure if he was doing it right. his worries melted away though—when he saw that your smile never faltered. to be honest, cloud hadn’t been listening to a word you said, only focused on the way your lips moved and how you seemed so sure of what you were talking about.

“i still don’t know what you find fun about this, though. it’s so many..” he trailed off.

“steps?”

“yeah.” was all he said. he watched as you put a hand up, signaling for him to stop as you stepped closer, mixing all the powders and liquids together in one big, chocolate-y mess.

a small silence fell over the two of you as you could feel cloud’s presence behind you, watching each of your movements intently to try and find some sort of meaning behind it. you were doing so many things at once, it was hard to keep track of. a soft smile rested itself on your lips, watching cloud through your peripheral try and lean his head over your shoulder to get a better look.

“have i ever told you how cute i think you are?” you said. your eyes never left the whisk, watching as it created swirls and ripples in the thick chocolate. you heard cloud make a small noise, clearly taken aback as his eyes widened and his posture became stiffer.

“what makes you say that?” he finally asked.

you simply giggled and pointed at the mixture that lay in the bowl below you, “because you put way too much powder in this.” you finally put the whisk down, it making a clank as the metal hit the cool countertop, littered with an assortment of packages containing ingredients.

cloud tipped his head over to get a better look, his face trying its hardest not to redden as he felt your fingertips graze his jaw, softened with the flour that covered them. you were right, he thought, as he saw the clumps of leftover powder that wouldn’t break down. the corners of his mouth quirked downwards as he felt your gaze on him, almost shrinking like a dog that’s been caught red-handed.

“‘s alright, cloud. we can just try again.” you gently guided his gaze towards yours, watching as his eyebrows knitted together once you made eye contact. you rubbed your thumb along his cheekbone, peaceful grin still painted on your face when you looked at him. cloud had wondered how you could be so soft, sometimes. your hand slowly fell, the pad of your thumb making sure to run itself along the entirety of his cheek.

“did you just smear chocolate on my cheek?”

“sshh..” you said, bringing a finger to his lips. you closed your eyes as you took in the moment before you, removing your finger and giving cloud a chance to actually lick his lips and confirm it really was chocolate. it also gave him the chance to grab a pinch of flour from the counter behind you, except instead of a pinch, cloud more so grabbed a handful. and perhaps he dumped it on your head, too.

you gasped, watching as he narrowed his eyes playfully at you. backing away with his hands in a smug surrender motion, before you grabbed a handful and threw it at him, too.

“you’re on!” you shouted, and then began what would soon be referred to as ‘the flour war’.

[clambuoyance]

WAIT OMG U GOT INTO FF7??? SO REAL 🗣️‼️‼️ whos ur fave

Rn aerith bc she is so cute to me……I love her so much idk I love silly girls who seem secretly haunted by the horrors….next fave is probably cloud strife himself bc he is soooo awkward and silly but says the rudest shit it’s very funny to me. I’m only on ch 9 rn but i rlly like the characters so far

[hawtlineblingz]

[yves' temp. masterlist]

☆ bf moodboards + headcanons

[AOT]Eren Jaeger pt.1

[AOT] Eren Jaeger pt.2

[FF7] Reno Sinclair

[FF7] Cloud Strife

[WB] Umemiya Hajime

☆ playlist and ch moodboard

⋆ ｡𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢. . . 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 : ⋆｡°

[LnDs] Zayne

❄️🌨 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚉𝚊𝚢𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 :

[LnDs] Xavier

⭐️🌌 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚇𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 :

[LnDs] Rafayel

🌊⚡️𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 ��𝚊𝚏𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚕 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 :

[AOT] Eren Jaeger - 7 minutes

[LnDs] Rafayel - Frutiger Aero (beach drive)

[LnDs] Sylus

♟️⛓️ what being loved by Sylus sounds like :

[AOT] Eren Jaeger

(To be updated-all writings are mine, DO NOT REPOST)

[8bitsupervillain]

Higurashi When They Cry Hou Ch. 4 Himatsubushi pt. 1

One last chapter to set up the mysteries before it all gets explained perfectly away in Chapter 5: Meakashi. The other five or so chapters and games are just going to open up a text document that just says Pranked LOL. Incidentally, did you know there was one more Higurashi related game released in late 2023? And that as of this writing it's not available on GOG, and only on Steam? Why yes I did consider rebuying the entire franchise on Steam just because it annoys me that I can't have all of one series on one platform.

You know, come to think of it, outside of it coming up right near the end of the first chapter, and the second half of the second, the characters don't seem particularly bothered about solving the mystery. But I figure that could be handwaved away because Rena and Mion know who's behind it in the first chapter, and in the third Keiichi is more obsessed with killing Teppei than trying to come to understand his new curse killing powers.

"He just didn't have anything to do after everyone in Hinamizawa died." Also hey, good for him defying the official death report and not actually dying two years ago. Also also, his given name being Kuraudo amuses me, because I'm pretty sure that's close to the romanization of the pronunciation of Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII's name.

I like the idea fact we're not in Hinamizawa 1983 again. It's only been going about five minutes and I'm on board.

For readability sake I want you to know you go to "it was a year that had been strangely hot even though it was only June..." The Early Summer, title card, then back to the dialogue.

Just like with Tatarigoroshi we're starting off quick, with a kidnapping. Hope they meet a better fate than the inciting element of Tatarigoroshi.

You know, I'm gonna tempt fate here. Since our narrator this time is a police officer working a kidnapping case I would like to think this won't get slowed down with the usual gaming club antics, and it'll keep a pretty brisk pace. "Akasaka, let's play mahjong!" Me: "noooooooo..."

Our guy Mamoru Akasaka here (I just know at some point I'll make a crack about him actual being an Arasaka, and make a lame Cyberpunk joke) is one of a bunch of Tokyo Metropolitan police officers who is investigating the kidnapping of the Minister of Construction's grandson. They're keeping it quiet because of the notion that if the general public knows a government officials relative got kidnapped it could ruin their career. Also to keep in mind the idea that the kidnapping could be a communist plot.

Honestly, up until this line I forgot this was set in the midst of the Cold War. Given that the rest of the series had been set in a small rural town in Japan it makes sense, but suddenly seeing the Chief there go on about the Commies was a bit of a shock.

Mamoru, since he's a rookie agent I'd assume, is being shunted off to go investigate the Hinamizawa Dam protests. A no doubt small occurrence that won't be involved with the kidnapping at all.

I'm sure this is all just going to be a wild goose chase.

Since this has gone back in time to 1978 this means there's a pretty good chance we'll get to see the first of the Watanagashi murders. Well... "first" you know what I mean, the dam foreman who gets killed and chopped into bits. I wonder if we'll get to see young hooligan Mion? That would be neat seeing a wildly different, more aggressive/violent Mion. Given the time I know it's pretty unlikely a young baby Keiichi or Rena will be there, but young punk Mion is a definite possibility.

[holly-fixation]

Three... Guards?: Ch 16

Summary: Tifa finds Cloud at the train station in Sector Seven. It’s the first time she’s seen him in seven years. But he’s not alone. Three silver haired boys protected him. Three silver haired boys that triggered memories of her hometown. Of steel through her chest. Of SOLDIER First Class. Of Him.

Kalm offered a small break from the journey awaiting them all.

Please Enjoy!

Inspired by the prompt by @im-totally-not-an-alien

Chapter 16: Queen's Blood

Tifa and Strife left the rooftop not long after spotting the former Crimson Soldier, Tifa to attempt to get some rest while Strife said he had a few more things to take care of before he could turn in for the night. The older blond dropped Tifa off at her bedroom door, and she took one final deep breath before opening it. 

Almost everything was the same as she left it, but her bed was claimed by the crimson beast they found in the lab.

“Sorry…” came the only apology, Aerith's whisper just above the quiet breaths of the other occupants. 

The couch sat unattended with a white sheet and blanket on its cusions. The two remnants of Sephiroth that shared the room were laying in their same locations with only pillows, stirring slightly away from the door. 

“Don't worry about it,” Tifa brushed off softly before taking the saved place.

* * * 

“Apparently it's ‘Queens Blood’,” Strife explained to Cloud, blue eyes locked on the gifted deck from the owner of the inn.

“It's an effective method for obtaining information, cards, and gil,” Genesis defended. 

“So why didn't you save us all trouble and get a third room?” Barret called out. 

“Because I'm no master of a children's card game, as easy as it is to pick up. Abilities become difficult to manage and decks are limited to fifteen cards. I lost. And per our agreement, I donated my previous winnings to street musicians.”

“Look, I'll take care of getting the rest of us upgraded weapons if you two can focus on finding Shinra's next move,” Cloud suggested while holding a hand to his head, earning an odd look from his future self. “You said you've already changed things. Let's make sure Shinra and Sephiroth are on the same track so we can cut them off.”

The Remnant attached to Cloud's hip stared at the ground despite the eyes on him. 

“And also… maybe…” Aerith spoke up with a small raise of her hand, “relax and enjoy the town a little? Only for a few hours.”

Both Cloud Strifes stared hard. 

“We could all use a real rest,” the one armed father agreed. “As much as sleepin’ on rocks in the middle of dead lands was nice and all.”

“And we won't be stopping anyone if we burn ourselves out,” the bartender mentioned, her crimson eyes sparkling against mako blues. “And I… I'm still recovering from everything last night.”

Strife closed his eyes with a sigh and Cloud turned away. 

“...Fine. Two hours. Then we get out of town,” the leader relented.

Aerith and Tifa high fived. 

“Broden said to meet him here when we're ready to leave Kalm,” Strife added. 

“Then that's where we'll meet.” Cloud said no more on the matter. He felt the weight of the child at his side but made no mention of it, walking out into the Republic themed town outside. 

Worn cobblestone streets connected every inch of commercial and residential land, mapping the town so perfectly it was simultaneously difficult and easy to lose oneself in it. It took longer than Cloud would've liked to identify the weapons shop. 

The owner seemed surprised when they walked in. Cloud's hands itched for the sword on his back, but he forced himself to wait. “Something wrong?”

“Not used to seeing kids in here is all. Is he old enough?” 

“He won't be touching anything. He likes to look.” 

“Well, then what will it be today?”

“What do you have?” Despite a glance around the store, none of the weapons on display suited his party at all. 

Just their luck, the store had everything useful in the back, but there was no way Cloud or anyone in their group had enough money to buy a gun prosthetic, a double wide long sword, a magic staff, two sets of combat gloves, a feathered collar, a new pistol, and a small katana. 

Cloud purchased his own upgrade first and walked away. 

The child at his side poked at his pockets. 

The blond shuffled through its contents and found the small box gifted by the store owner. “Huh. Good idea.”

It looked like it was time to duel. 

* * * 

The flower girl paced along the entrances to far too many colorful shops, each with bows and collars and necklaces of beautiful and sometimes amazing power. 

“We still need instant knockout resistance, frog immunity, physical and magical dampening resistance, poison immunity if we're lucky,  and Stop diffusers. How long do you think it'll take us to make enough Gil for all the accessories we need?” Aerith turned to the oldest boy, who stared at her like a Nibel deer in headlights. 

“Uh? Uhhh???”

“Okay, maybe that's too much to ask. Can you carry the bags then?”

“Yes please.” 

* * * 

“Why didn't you take Loz for this…?” Yazoo questioned as he balanced a multitude of bottles. Potions, ethers, antidotes, meals. The pile blocked most of his sight.  

“Because you said you wanted to check out the tavern.” Barret's loud reply came. “The hell did you think I was doin’ bringin’ ya?”

“I assumed you volunteered to allow Tifa more rest…”

“Well that too. Can't have her tucker out so quickly. Been through a lot and all.” 

“Can't we create some of these items for free using an item transmuter and what we found in the badlands…?”

“Find us a transmuter without Shinra tracking and then we'll start talking.”

The boy sighed, adjusting the bottles. “Can we at least purchase a sack for this then…?”

“I'll think on it.”

* * * 

“Why do you have interest in this anyway?” Genesis questioned before playing the first Shinra Trooper card of the game, keeping the real troop in sight through a window of a café. 

“The game represents human tactical abilities. I appreciate your willingness to play a few rounds with me.” Red XIII played a grassland wolf. Both recently escaped lab rats kept an ear on Shinra's men, hoping for a useful slip up. 

“I have to ask, how did a creature like you end up in Hojo's lab?”

“I could ask the same of you.”

“Fair enough. But I'm positive my story will trap us here until dawn. May I at least ask where you're from?”

The creature grumbled. The man in red sighed in defeat, a new card on the mat. 

* * * 

“How dare you break through my impenetrable fortress by cheating,” the woman surrounded by a wall of cardboard boxes proclaimed.

“What cheating? You're delusional,” Cloud scoffed. 

“I see just fine with these protected eyes I have, and the little one at your side does not hide his subtle hints to your deck.”

Mako eyes met a head of silver hair that refused to look at either players. “He could not care less.”

“I'll only accept defeat and give you the reward you so desire if you allow me to play the child in a fair match.”

“Are you really that petty?”

“You walk through my impenetrable defenses and judge how I view my enemies?”

“...fair enough.” Cloud sighed, kneeling down to capture the boy's attention. “Just one round so we can move on?”

Kadaj gave the smallest of pouts. 

“I will never ask you to do this again.”

The remnant hesitantly grabbed the cards, eyes glazed and movements slow. 

“Now,” The woman announced, “let the battle begin.”

First turn belonged to the boy who skimmed the cards, reading each ability carefully. He kept looking between his hands and the playing field. 

Cloud looked over the child's shoulder. 

“Ah-ah-ah! No aid!”

“It's not aid.” The blond pressed a button behind the dragon, signaling the next move. All of Kadaj's cards required too many pawns to use. He couldn't do anything if he wanted to. 

His bad start was not balanced by his skill. In fact, Cloud stepped behind the child because he kept cringing at every decision made.

He might be able to turn this around if he-

Nope. Never mind. 

But if he uses that card just right-

Of course not. Not a chance. 

The end score tipped the scales with the greatest number of chips: 25 to 28.

Well at least she was bad at the game too. 

Cloud couldn't wait to get back on track and end these useless hours of rest. At least it earned them all new weapons. 

.

.

.

.

To be continued…

Thanks for reading!

Chapter List 

Note: I tired myself out on this chapter very quickly. Turns out I'm not cut out for filler. We'll get back on track next time in the Grasslands. 

[foraltruism]

"I'm not saying that you're dumb for being out here without something to fight back with, but a piece of plywood wouldn't have done anything against those things."

[fourandmoreeyes]

━━━━━━━━ 【 Ant Spiral • Ch. 2 】 ━━━━━━━━

CHAPTER RATING: G RELATIONSHIP(S): Vincent Valentine/Cloud Strife

—“I can only imagine some of the grief you’re going through.”

Something about that sent needles under Cloud’s skin. He rolled one shoulder back, a foot shifting outward. “Me? What makes you say that?”

Katarina’s smile waned a little. She put on a thoughtful look, eyes skimming over her work surface. She then held up a finger and went to work on her computer again. Her fingers tapped across the board. She highlighted and clicked information on her screen. It didn’t take Cloud long to realise she was only pretending to work. Katarina’s eyes flicked from one side to another, checking the walls, before she turned to face him again. She gave his paperwork one last look before tucking it neat into the folder. She closed it with some measure of her earlier cheer before smiling up at him.

“You’re a top priority witness,” she said with that same careful volume. “I don’t have more information than that.” —

━━━━━━━━ 【★】 ━━━━━━━━

Chapter one has been revamped, and I have so many ideas for this story. So let's get cooking. Apologies, but updates are infrequent.

Read chapter two now on AO3. • Ant Spiral Masterpost

[matchagator]

Inescapable Delusions | Ch. 8 | Explicit 21+

The girls are learning some new tricks for the performance, but after things don't go to plan, they are able to reconnect. Will their reunion be more bitter or more sweet?

*This is an explicit story. Minors do not interact*

{Summary:} Enter the House of Cards for an evening of countless wonders and jaw-dropping spectacles. While you become entranced in the various acts, take caution not to fall victim to the illusions or you may end up facing inescapable delusions.

{Main Pairings:} Animal Tamer Jeon Jungkook/ Original Female Character

{Rating:} 21+ Explicit Caution: Read Warnings

{Genre:} Alternate Universe - Crime Circus

{Warnings:} Circus (no clowns), Smut, Abuse, Gaslighting, Rough Sex, Bondage, Rape/Non-con - Freeform, Angst, BDSM, Blood and Violence, Knifeplay, Crimes & Criminals, Sex Trafficking, Death Threats, Nudity, Stockholm Syndrome, Explicit Language, Manipulation, Possessive Behavior, Praise Kink, Abusive Relationships, Unhealthy Relationships, Secrets, Sexual Slavery, Prostitution, Tigers, Elephants, Animal Attack, Virginity, Bad Decisions, Banter, Manhandling, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Degradation, Coercion, BDSM Elements, Whips, Throat Fucking, Unprotected Sex

A vast gloomy cloud hung over the House of Cards, bringing in a shower of cold rain and strong gusts of wind. The weather dampened the mood as performers huddled under the tents to keep sheltered during their hours of practice. It was a rare opportunity for Sophie to see all the acts simultaneously as the performers were forced to share the same environment. She followed Jungkook out of the rehearsal tent and into the main arena with one of the tigers prowling alongside them. 

Her eyes adjusted to the bright lights of the big top and noticed the familiar wheel that Yoongi used for his act. As they walked around the ring, looking for a spot to practice, she got a better view of the wheel and was surprised to see Anna strapped to it. She paused, wishing to dash across the ring and gather her friend in an overdue embrace, but heard Jungkook call her name.

She scurried after him, realizing he picked a spot to practice which had one of the platforms he used for his animals. He gestured for the tiger to hop up on the surface and sit obediently as he encouraged Sophie over. “So, what’s this trick that you wanted to teach me?”

Jungkook scratched the back of the Bengal’s ear, looking at his assistant with that charming smile. “It’s easy really. You just need to give him a kiss.” His hand switched to caress under the strong jaw of the jungle cat as it jutted his chin out in approval. 

Sophie blinked, trying to decipher if she heard him correctly. “I’m sorry, you said what?” 

Jungkook only chuckled, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a familiar vial. “Don’t worry, this stuff will do most of the work. You just gotta stand there and lean in close.” He shook the small bottle before twisting the top and pulling out the small dropper. 

She grew pale as she remembered the oil he placed on her outfit during their first performance, which caused the tigers to chase after her like their next meal. “You want me to stand close to a tiger while smelling like fish?” Her heart drummed in her chest. “Are you out of your mind? There’s no way!” She took a step back, but Jungkook reached out to pull her towards him.

 “If you have a problem with it, I’m sure I can make some new arrangements.” He gestured his head just off to the side and Sophie followed his guidance just in time to see Yoongi strike a dagger right next to Anna’s thigh on the wheel. Sophie locked her jaw, grinding her teeth as she remembered his threat to take Anna in as his assistant instead. “I’m sure the clients will love you.” He teased.

She swallowed her fear as her emotions were engulfed with sin. “Fine.” She snatched the vial from his hands, taking the initiative to prove she could handle this obstacle with little strife. “Just tell me what I need to do.” Her determination blindsided her to the mischievous twinkle in his eye as she stepped toward the tiger.

Thunk!

Anna winced as a dagger lodged itself just by her ear, the sound quick and loud against her eardrum. Her limbs were starting to lose circulation from being spread out on the target since the early morning. The human target found that indoor practices were her least favorite considering the cool rain made the chills run over her body where the sun would usually keep her warm. Being outside was one of the fleeting moments that reminded her of what it felt like to be free, but instead, she was forced to be cooped up with the others. 

“When can I get down from here?” She asked, adjusting her limbs to the best of her ability as the straps dug into her tender skin. 

Yoongi tilted his head, contemplating her question with deep thought. He twirled a dagger between his fingers, running it over his knuckles before holding it in his grasp. “Can you hold an apple?”

Anna slowly curled a brow, watching him as he slowly approached her. “Uh, yeah. Why?”

Yoongi only smirked, reaching up to release her from the straps. “Good.” He unbuckled her wrists first before bending down to unlatch her ankles, allowing her to set one foot on the ground first and then freeing her other. 

Anna felt her legs wobble as she stood on solid ground, her body still not accustomed to being placed on a spinning piece of board. Yoongi grabbed her arm, bending it up, and adjusted her hand to open with the palm facing up. “Okay, don’t move.” She watched him walk back to his collection of knives and noticed a shiny, red apple appear from his case.

He returned and placed the bottom of the core onto her palm, making it seem like she was a waitress serving up an apple. “You don’t think you’re actually gonna hit that, do you?” She wondered, worried that he might actually stab into her hand with his throw.

“I will if you stand still.” He snapped, slowly stepping back as he aimed his throw. He tested the swing of his arm, falsely flinging the dagger without letting go, and took large soothing breaths. “Try not to flinch.”

Anna became tense under the glare of his blade, sweat pebbling on her brow as her hand started to shake nervously. She bit her lip, anticipating the throw and the infliction of pain when he sliced into her palm but heard a startling scream instead. 

Her heart jumped as she gasped, turning to see Sophie crawling away from one of the Bengal tigers in the show. Jungkook was working hard to yank the tiger back, but the large cat was set on following after Sophie. “Yoongi!” The animal tamer hollered, looking for some extra strength to take the tiger back to its cage. 

Yoongi quickly dashed across the ring to assist Jungkook while Anna ran to aid Sophie. The women watched as the tiger roared at them while the men dragged it back into the rehearsal tent. Anna helped Sophie to her feet as she sat on the ground pale as a ghost. “Are you okay?” When Sophie didn’t respond, Anna brought her to sit on the audience benches and checked her for any wounds. 

Sophie shook, flashes of the tiger’s sharp teeth snapping back into her mind as she held her stinging cheek. Jungkook insisted she put the oil on her face to attract the tiger close and give the illusion that she was giving it a kiss, but she stayed too close for too long. Anna noticed her holding her cheek and slowly pushed her hand away to see a harsh red patch on the pale flesh. The damage wasn’t severe with only a small trace of blood speckled on the area, but it was alarming to see regardless. “What happened?”

Sophie finally came to and was elated to find the familiar face of her friend, who she hadn’t seen in quite some time. “I kissed a tiger.” She answered simply as if it was a casual encounter even though she was still shaken up. 

Anna’s eyes bulged from their sockets, “He made you do that? Is he crazy?” She quickly glanced around looking for a small cloth as she noticed the blood trickling from the small wound on Sophie’s skin. She spotted one resting over Yoongi’s stand and quickly retrieved it before the blood could trail down her cheek. She kneeled to dab it gently against the sensitive skin, careful to avoid causing more pain. “Did it bite you?”

Sophie slowly shook her head as she allowed Anna to clean the remnants of fish oil and blood from her face. “No, but it tried to. This is from its tongue.” It was that day that Sophie learned that like a domestic cat, tigers also had a very coarse texture on their tongue; however, the biggest difference was due to the size, a tiger’s tongue had these small barbs to help it devour its prey. These sharp details on the muscle dug into her cheek while the tiger became overzealous when it caught a whiff of the fish oil. 

“I can’t believe he made you do that.” Anna cringed at the thought, examining the little specks of blood seeping into the cloth. 

Sophie frowned, “Well, it’s this or I get sold for sex like you.” The tamer’s assistant instantly regretted her words as Anna flicked her gaze to meet Sophie’s. 

The conversation Anna shared with the other women in the House of Cards resurfaced, knowing that what they told her was confirmed by Sophie herself. She bit the inside of her cheek as anger simmered in her belly, trying her best to keep her emotions at bay, but finding it hard considering everything she’s had to deal with. “Must be nice to just kiss ass all day.” She mumbled before she could stop herself. She quickly cleared her throat, “I mean, tigers…to kiss tigers all day.”

Sophie narrowed her eyes, put off by Anna’s tone. “Right…well, I have a question. Do they buy you by the pound or ounce?”

Anna stood up and tossed the cloth onto Sophie’s lap as rage boiled over. “Fuck you.” She spat, turning on her heel to march off until she stopped abruptly to throw one more jab. “I guess you already have someone taking care of that, don’t you?”

Sophie stood up, following Anna with the soiled cloth in her hand. “Yeah? Well, right back at you!” She retorted, waving the rag in the air as if to make a point.

Anna never thought she would be so upset with her friend and stepped away to seek solace against the bane of her existence, the wheel of doom. Sophie felt the edges of her expression fall as Anna ripped a knife from the board and slammed it back into the sliced wood. She felt saddened that this was their first interaction since the night they tried to run away and they only seemed to fight.

Sophie slowly approached the rebellious woman, biting her lip as the sting on her cheek slowly faded. “I don’t want to fight with you. I’m sorry.”

Anna dropped her hand from the handle of the dagger, turning back to Sophie as she leaned her back against the board. “Yeah, me too.” She glanced around the arena, sighing heavily. “I hate this place. I wish we were back home.” She was exhausted and could feel the life being sucked out of her with every waking moment as if the House of Cards was stealing her soul slowly but surely.

Sophie crossed her arms over her chest, pressing her lips together as she thought of their circumstance. She missed her old life too, wishing that she could go back to when she dreamed of meeting a kind man that she would marry and build a family with, but now, it was only a pipe dream. She wasn’t sure what her future would hold as a performer in the House of Cards, but her dreams were already tainted by the man named Jungkook. “You should have never gone in the back.” Sophie reminded her as that was the decision that brought them to their current predicament. 

Anna placed her hands on her hips, glaring at Sophie. “You won’t ever let that go, will you?” She understood her mistakes, but she didn’t appreciate the constant blame for the hell they lived in. 

“Of course not! I told you it was a bad idea and look at where we are now!” Sophie argued, fuming that Anna was being so defensive of her wrongdoings. 

Before the unruly brunette could retaliate, an illustrious voice broke through the arena. “Girls, girls! There’s no need to fight.” Both women turned to their gaze to find Jimin, the aerialist, stepping towards them as he dripped with allusive charisma. He smiled with seductive intent, standing between the two beauties. “There’s plenty of me to share, I’ll make sure you each get a turn.” His eyes were dark with lust as he licked his lip, “So which one shall I take first?”

Anna rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest while Sophie blinked, dumbfounded by his confidence. “Ugh, please…” Anna groaned. 

A throat cleared as Jungkook came up from behind the wheel, his jaw tense with agitation. He came to stand beside Sophie, wrapping an arm around her waist, making sure to pull her flush against his frame possessively. “She’s mine, but feel free to have that one.” He nodded in Anna’s direction. He led Sophie to turn around, intending to take care of her after attempting such a dangerous stunt, but glanced back one last time to address Jimin. “She likes to talk back so I recommend keeping her mouth busy.”

Anna grumbled as the pair walked away, leaving her alone with Jimin as he prowled towards her. He smiled at her, leaning his arm up against the wheel while leaning close to her. “So, what do you say? Want to go for a spin?” He chuckled at his own joke as he used his leverage on the wheel to make it spin for effect. 

Anna smiled falsely, opening her mouth to dismantle his attempts to get her consent when a bright flash caught her eye. She and Jimin froze as she heard the familiar sound of Yoongi’s knives driving a wedge into the wood of the wheel. They slowly moved their heads to see a dagger spinning in place on the bullseye which was positioned between herself and Jimin. 

As they realized someone threw a knife just as Jimin was flirting with her, they turned away from the wheel to find Yoongi twirling another dagger between his fingers. His expression was deadly as his glare flickered between Anna and Jimin. “We should be getting back to practice.”

Previous | Next

[freyayuki]

Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia Weiss the Immaculate

The Act 4, Ch. 4, Pt. 1: The Planet and the Immaculate story chapter event just started in the Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia (DFFOO) mobile game.

This story chapter introduced Weiss the Immaculate from Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (#ad) as the newest and latest playable char in DFFOO.

I pulled for Weiss, and I talk more about that in another post. Had to split these Weiss posts into 2 since the first one was already nearing the max limit of 30 pics.

Weiss the Immaculate from Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

Anyway, after getting all of Weiss's weapons, started building him. Leveled him up to 90 and got him to Crystal Level 90.

Completed all of his Summon Boards and Force Enhancements. Bought his Bloom Stone.

Got enough copies of Weiss's 35cp to be able to fully MLB my first copy without having to use a single Power Stone. For his 15cp, LD, and Ex, just spent all the Power Stones needed to fully MLB said weapons.

Although I also got multiple dupes of Weiss's Ex, for now, opted not to fuse these dupes together since said weapon gives a pretty good A Sphere when fully maxed out.

Spent the Book and Ingots needed to Purple or get Weiss's Ex to Ex+ 3/3.

Then spent the High Power Stones needed to fully MLB Weiss's FR.

Spent the Book and Ingots needed to Green his Burst weapon or get it to BT+ 3/3.

Bought all of Weiss's armor and leveled and maxed them all out. Then spent the Book and Ingots needed to Blue his High Armor.

After that, unlocked and completed all of Weiss's Character Enhancement Boards for his 15cp, 35cp, Ex, LD, and FR.

Now he's nearly complete. Just need to farm for his Artifacts and give him some Spheres.

Spheres for Weiss the Immaculate from Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

Weiss's Sphere slots are A, A, and A. He's a DPS who deals off-turn damage so he wants Spheres that increase his ATK and/or BRV damage.

Was trying to decide if I want to give him triple ATK up Spheres, triple BRV damage up Spheres, or a combination of both.

For triple ATK up, was thinking of his own (+15%), King's from Final Fantasy Type-0 (+20%), and Noel Kreiss's from Final Fantasy XIII (+15%).

In order to proc the ATK up from King's Sphere, the char it's on needs to break an enemy. Since Weiss deals pre-emptive damage by attacking right before another char moves, it should be easy enough for him to keep this Sphere active most, if not all, the time.

Weiss's own Sphere requires the char it's on to have their HP be at least 50% of their max at the start of the last wave so was a little unsure about using this Sphere.

But, these days, fights almost always only have 1 wave and even in quests with multiple waves, the last one tends to be the most dangerous anyway, so I guess this Sphere isn't that bad.

Noel's Sphere just requires the char it's on to attack broken enemies so this should be active pretty much all the time.

For triple BRV damage up, was thinking of Cloud Strife's from Final Fantasy VII (+10%), Vayne Carudas Solidor's from Final Fantasy XII (+10%), and either Gau's from Final Fantasy VI (+10%) or Edgar Roni Figaro's from Final Fantasy VI (+10%).

Cloud's Sphere "raises BRV damage dealt with critical hits by 10%". Gau's Sphere "increases BRV damage dealt by 10% while HP is max". Vayne's Sphere "inreases BRV damage dealt by 10%" when the char it's on attacks broken enemies.

Edgar's Sphere increases BRV damage dealt by 10% as long as there's a debuffed enemy. Weiss doesn't inflict debuffs. But I usually bring debuffing Calls anyway, and I do have lots of other chars who can debuff enemies and who can be on the same team as Weiss.

Since I was considering Weiss's Sphere, also found myself looking at Sephiroth's (from Final Fantasy VII) Sphere which raises ATK and MAX BRV by 10% but only for the last wave and only if the char it's on has at least 50% of their max HP.

I've had my first copy of Sephiroth's Sphere for what feels like forever now. It's a good Sphere but the fact that it was only active on the last wave had me reluctant to use it. But, as mentioned, nowadays, fights usually only have 1 wave so it should be fine to use this Sphere.

Anyway, since I was considering giving Weiss his own and Sephiroth's Sphere, I thought I might as well give him Spheres that were all from Final Fantasy VII chars. So something like his own, Sephiroth's, and either Cloud's or Tifa Lockhart's (+10% ATK up).

But then I thought, wait, since Weiss and Sephiroth both have white or silver hair, why not go for another Sphere that's also from a white or silver-haired char? That seemed more appealing to me so I started looking for possible A Spheres that belong to chars who fit that description.

Since Weiss's and Sephiroth's Spheres already raise the ATK stat, I thought the third Sphere should be one that increases BRV damage dealt.

Looking at a list of BRV damage up A Spheres, the only chars who give said Spheres and who have white or silver hair are Kuja from Final Fantasy IX and Seven from Final Fantasy Type-0.

Seven's Sphere requires its user to deal weakness BRV damage. Weiss deals non-elemental BRV damage so he can't proc this Sphere unless he's been enchanted with an element.

Kuja's Sphere requires its user to deal AoE BRV damage. Weiss does have attacks that deal AoE BRV damage but he also has single-target attacks as well.

I thought about equipping Weiss with Kuja's Sphere anyway, but I was having second thoughts because of its activation condition. Yeah, Weiss can proc the effects of this Sphere often or even all the time but I'd rather increase the BRV damage of all of his attacks, not just the ones that are AoE.

So after thinking about it some more, ended up equipping Weiss with the following real A Spheres:

Sephiroth's (from Final Fantasy VII) Last Boost Attack Up A Sphere

Raises own MAX BRV, ATK by 10% if HP at least 50% of MAX at start of last wave *Does not stack with same sphere

Weiss the Immaculate's (from Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII) Last Attack Up A Sphere

Raises own ATK by 15% while HP is at least 50% of MAX at start of last wave *Does not stack with same sphere

Vayne Carudas Solidor's (from Final Fantasy XII) Breaking Power A Sphere

When attacking target afflicted with Break: Increases BRV damage dealt by 10%

Artifacts for Weiss the Immaculate from Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

Started farming for Weiss's Artifacts. It took some time but was eventually able to get him triple ATK 108 with Deepest Deepground Soldier Up★★ (While Deepground Ruler active: Raises own MAX BRV, ATK by 5%).

Also got him 1 ATK 108 with MAX BRV 330 and 3 MAX BRV 330 with Deepest Deepground Soldier Up★★ Artifacts.

That should have been the end of the farming but then I soon felt the need to get Weiss Artifacts that all cost only 5cp. This is the lowest cp cost while the highest is 15.

But it's absolutely not necessary to get Weiss all 5cp Arts, especially since with the current triple perfect Artifacts that I already have for him, still have more than enough space to equip all of his passives and weapons and such.

I guess the reason why I felt the need to farm Weiss all 5cp Artifacts is because of Sephiroth. Currently, my Sephiroth actually has all 5cp Artifacts. This didn't happen on purpose though. Well, not exactly.

Farmed for Sephiroth's Artifacts a long, long time ago. Back then, Artifact farming was way harder and more annoying. Every time Sephi's Arts were available, I farmed for them until I was eventually able to get him perfect Artifacts. Somehow got lucky in that a few of the Artifacts I got for him only cost 5cp.

So later, much, much later, long after I'd already gotten perfect Arts for Sephiroth, I found myself thinking - well, some of his Artifacts already cost 5cp, so why not farm some more and see if I can change the rest of his Arts to 5cp too?

This happened a while ago so don't remember the exact details anymore but I think this happened during one of those times when Seph's Eidojas showed up in a co-op shop again.

I think I already finished farming for the other chars that were featured alongside Sephi, or maybe I thought that since I was already farming for those other chars anyway, then I might as well farm for Sephiroth too.

Either way, ended up farming for Sephiroth until I was able to get him all 5cp Arts.

This definitely took a long time to finish. Don't think I would've bothered to do this if I didn't already have a few 5cp Artifacts for Sephiroth.

Anyway, it also took me a lot of time before I was finally able to get Weiss all 5cp Artifacts.

Glad to finally be over and done with all this farming. Thankfully, not getting the urge to do this for other chars, at least not at the moment.

I think the only other char I'd bother to do this for would be Genesis Rhapsodos from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. That is, once he finally (hopefully) gets added as a playable char in Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia.

Currently, Genesis is my absolute, most fave Final Fantasy char so if (when, please) he finally gets to DFFOO, will definitely want to fully build him and max him out, which includes giving him the best of everything like equipping him with the perfect Spheres, etc.

For now, I guess Weiss will be the closest I’ll get to having Genesis in DFFOO, at least until they actually and finally add him to this game. Hopefully, they’ll do that soon.

Anyway, now that I have all 5cp Artifacts for Weiss, he's finally fully complete.

Have a Level 5 of 5 Sword Ultima Weapon so equipped that to him as well.

Can't wait to try him out in some endgame content.

Conclusion

So, what about you? Did you pull on either of the Act 4, Ch. 4, Pt. 1: The Planet and the Immaculate banners? What do you think about Weiss the Immaculate? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions by leaving a comment below or by reblogging or replying to this post.

Notes:

screenshots are from my Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia game account

[omegasquire]

Rose Gold: Ch 27

Sephiroth quietly watched as Cloud tried to recover. Seeing the way he had responded to Tifa’s painful and aggrieved words, Sephiroth could tell that Cloud needed a moment in private. He didn’t know the extent of Cloud’s relationship with the Tifa from his world, but it was intimate enough to cause such a strong reaction out of Cloud. 

It upset him.

That was why he chose to bring Cloud here where it was secluded. There was a low chance that anyone would come by and interrupt them. It suited Sephiroth; it would probably take more than a few minutes for Cloud to settle. 

Seeing him struggle reminded Sephiroth of the past when Strife would shuffle back and forth in a similar fashion. But, unlike Strife, Cloud seemed to internalize his emotions a lot more. That wasn’t to say Cloud wasn’t vocal about his issues, but there was plenty left unsaid that could only be glinted from the man’s body language or his facial expressions. 

The helmet that Cloud wore was currently hiding the latter from Sephiroth, but the hunch in his shoulders and the way he kept clenching his fists was enough to let Sephiroth know how he felt. Looking at Cloud was like looking at an older version of Strife, yet at the same time he could see hints of Cloud in Strife’s past behaviors. 

The images conflicted in Sephiroth’s mind, and an old urge he swore to bury was tickling the back of his mind. 

It troubled him how often he was getting these feelings. The more he spent time with Cloud, the more the instinct tried to kick in and he found himself reaching for the other man. Sephiroth could try to write it off that it was simply his sense of responsibility so that Cloud didn’t succumb to the mental assaults from Jenova, but he knew that wasn’t the only answer. 

When he saw Cloud’s face... 

Sephiroth’s lips pressed slightly. He didn’t know if it was a mercy on his resolve that Cloud was wearing the helmet right now, or not. 

He glanced over at the blond man and saw the crack in the side of the helmet. Tifa had struck him hard enough to damage it. If given the chance, she likely would’ve put more force into it, but she had controlled her strength to avoid fully breaking it. 

Sephiroth didn’t know the full story behind Strife’s and Tifa’s childhood, only what Tifa and Strife allowed others to know, but he had enough information to grasp why she was having such a difficult time accepting Cloud. 

It was clear that Cloud wanted to know the story as well, and he had tried to get it out of Sephiroth, but Sephiroth wasn’t the correct person to provide those answers. Perhaps Cloud would never find those answers now that Tifa had pushed him out. Sephiroth considered how this would affect Cloud from here on out. 

Cloud was vulnerable to Jenova’s attacks. He might be physically strong – it only took one battle between him and Cloud to gauge his strength – but mentally, he was weak. It was far too easy for Jenova to slip in and spread her poison. 

She wasn’t speaking to him when they were both in Sephiroth’s office last time, but that didn’t make the incident less shaky. Sephiroth had turned the scene over in his head multiple times, and the theories he came up with left a bitter taste in his mouth. 

Anything but that. 

Sephiroth frowned at himself. He needed to prevent Cloud from straying. None of them could afford Cloud taking Jenova’s side. If Cloud succumbed to Jenova’s will because his mental fortitude was cracking, then they would have no choice but to wage war. 

Except it wouldn’t just be them against Cloud. There were Strife’s brothers as well. Jenova, if she manifested, would also need to be defeated. The losses would be exponential.

Sephiroth needed to prevent that at all costs. 

Cloud stopped moving. The abrupt halt drew Sephiroth out of his thoughts and he looked at Cloud in silent expectation. Cloud was as still as a block of ice, but as ice was sure to melt, he slowly turned toward Sephiroth. 

“I... need something from you.” 

Cloud’s voice was low, but Sephiroth heard it clearly. While the buzz of mechanical equipment surrounded them on the roof, along with the sounds of construction the next street over, Sephiroth was close enough to pick up the hesitation in Cloud’s tone. 

“What is it?”

Cloud didn’t reply but instead stepped closer to Sephiroth. When he was standing right in front of him, he carefully removed the helmet. Beneath blond bangs that were slightly matted from being pressed down under the helmet too long were two bright blue eyes that hinted at green. They stared straight at Sephiroth, slightly red around the edges as if they were agitated. 

He didn’t look like he was going to cry, but he was clearly still shaken. The corners of his mouth twitched, as though there were too many words he wanted to say, yet couldn’t bring himself to articulate a single one. 

Sephiroth didn’t know what it was Cloud wanted, but he felt that urge again. The same urge that seemed to propel him into action even when he didn’t want to. Even when he swore to himself that he would ignore it completely. 

When Cloud didn’t speak, Sephiroth lifted a hand. The action was smooth and slow, but internally Sephiroth was hesitant. He expected Cloud to pull back right away, but as his fingers brushed the smaller man’s arm, Cloud didn’t move. 

In fact, it looked like he was waiting. 

Sephiroth held Cloud’s shoulder and felt how tense it was. The tip of his thumb lightly brushed against the curve of his neck. He wasn’t certain if this was what Cloud wanted him to do, but since he hadn’t been pushed off, he let the touch linger. 

Slowly, the tension in Cloud’s shoulders faded. His lashes fluttered slightly as he closed his eyes and drew a silent breath of relief. Seconds ticked by where neither of them moved; Sephiroth continued to quietly stroke Cloud's neck and listened to his breathing until it settled into a soft and easy rhythm. 

With the same carefulness, he withdrew his hand and waited for Cloud to give him an explanation. Cloud opened his eyes again, and this time the distress seemed to have faded, but he didn’t explain himself. Instead, Cloud merely looked down at the helmet and turned it over to inspect the damage. 

“I’ll need another one.”

Sephiroth knew he was avoiding the topic, but he played along. “There are spares in the airship that you can take.” 

“Will we be heading there before going after the brothers?” Cloud lifted his gaze again. 

“We will decide that shortly. Barret is in critical condition; if he needs to be moved right away, then his transfer will take priority.” Sephiroth saw the way anger flashed across Cloud’s eyes at the mention of Barret. “If that’s the case, our team will prepare for the trip and travel by ground.” 

“It looked like they took a vehicle, so they will have a lead on us.” 

Sephiroth nodded. “Eventually they will run out of resources and will have to find an alternative. That’ll give us time to catch up and figure out what their plans are.” 

“Vincent should be able to fill in the holes.” Cloud glanced at the door that led down from the roof. 

Sephiroth saw the hesitation in Cloud’s eyes. He had a strong feeling it wasn’t about Vincent, but rather who else was downstairs. Perhaps he was taking Tifa’s words literally and wanted to avoid accidentally crossing paths. 

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialed his father’s number. It didn’t take more than two rings for Vincent to answer. 

“Where?” 

“Rooftop.” 

There was no affirmation from Vincent’s end. The call ended just as abruptly as it began. Any other person would’ve found the conversation – if it could be called one – to be jarring, but for Sephiroth, there was no unnecessary chatter. It was far different from talking to someone like Zack who hardly ever seemed to run out of things to say even when it was irrelevant. 

Sephiroth slipped the phone back in his pocket. “Vincent is on his way.” 

Cloud gave a quiet sound of acknowledgement. “He knows what’s going on, right?”

“Yes. He has been kept apprised of the details.” 

“And how does he feel about having me around?”

Another person answered Cloud as he leapt up from over the edge of the building. It wasn’t clear where Vincent had come from, but it seemed he deemed it inefficient to climb stairs like any normal person. 

“Unless you plan to follow in Strife’s footsteps, my opinion of you is impartial.” Vincent made his way towards them. “However, I will not be your enemy.” 

Cloud met Vincent’s gaze as the two came within talking distance of each other. “If you’re like the one I know, I wouldn’t want to be your enemy either.” 

“Am I formidable?” There was a faint note of curiosity in Vincent’s voice. 

Cloud shrugged. It was missable, but Sephiroth could see the slight relaxation in the younger man’s stance that contrasted sharply with his earlier attitude. “If turning into Chaos is formidable, then yeah.” 

Vincent made a low sound of contemplation. “I see.” 

He didn’t say anything beyond that. It was as if he was simply digesting the information in his own way. Rather than ask for more information, Vincent looked at Sephiroth. 

“Isolfr, Rael, and Vyd. Those are their names. They can disguise themselves, so we will need to be vigilant in tracking them down.” He looked at Cloud in turn. “Rael said this to me: ‘Everything that was robbed will be returned. All the wrongs will be made right, from beginning to end.’ Does that mean anything to you?” 

Cloud shook his head. 

“Then what about ‘paying respects to the one who bore them’?”

Cloud shook his head again. “Wouldn’t that be Jenova?”

“If they were seeking Jenova, they wouldn’t head west,” Sephiroth disagreed. “Shinra doesn’t have a piece of her body, nor would they send it somewhere west of us.” 

Sephiroth had asked Rufus to make sure. Their conversation that day eventually spurred Rufus to do a sweep of the surrounding Midgar area for abnormalities. Both of them hoped that nothing would turn up, but then Rufus came back with samples of mutated beasts.

“Maybe in this world Rufus and Shinra are more reliable, but that wasn’t the case for me.” Cloud scowled. “Nibelheim is where they originally hid her body, and when Rufus had the chance, he took a piece of her from the Northern Crater.” 

“Then they should be heading back to the Northern Crater.”

Vincent interjected. “What’s troubling is their wording. They have always referred to Jenova as ‘Mother,’ not ‘the one who bore them.’ I believe this is significant.”

“Agreed.” 

The three men were quiet as they tried to decipher the brothers’ words. The phrase “one who bore us” gave the impression that they were talking about a mother. Mothers bore their children into the world. However, it was clear that it wasn’t Jenova they were talking about. 

If not her, then who could possibly play the role of the “bearer”? 

Cloud’s head lowered, drawing Sephiroth’s gaze. 

“What is it?”

The blond’s grip on his helmet tightened slightly but he didn’t lift his head. “Strife’s mother is dead, right?”

“Yes. When Nibelheim was destroyed, everyone had perished.” 

“You pay your respects to the dead.” Cloud slowly drew in a breath and raised his gaze. “What happened to the bodies?”

Sephiroth suppressed a grimace. He didn’t like what he was about to tell Cloud; it was something he had strongly disagreed with, but the order went out and he was already removed from the case. “The townsfolk were taken by Shinra. Everything was erased, including the names of the people who lived there.” 

At first, Cloud’s expression was blank, but then it shifted into angry resignation. He scoffed and looked away. 

“Figures...”

“Do you think that they are going to see Strife’s mother?” Vincent spoke before an awkward silence could form between them. 

“The bodies were supposed to be disposed of.” Sephiroth recalled the details of the incident. It was years ago, but there were still some things that stood out to him. “There were some bodies that seemed to be missing during the initial sweep, but Shinra made sure to clean everything up before reconstructing the town. When I reviewed the files, her remains weren’t among the number found.” 

Cloud was quiet for a moment. “Does that mean her body wasn’t recovered?”

“It’s a possibility.” 

“Then perhaps that is what they meant,” Vincent mused. 

“But if her body is missing, how do they intend to find it?”

That was a question none of them knew the answer to. At least, it didn’t seem like Strife’s brothers would be able to find her by conventional means. 

“But...”

Cloud’s mutter drew Sephiroth’s gaze. There was a deep-seated worry in his blue eyes. 

“Why would her body be missing?”

~*~

Cloud leaned against the air conditioning unit. Next to him was Vincent; the man had stayed behind while Sephiroth went downstairs to reconvene with Zack and the others. Despite him and Vincent being strangers in this world, his quiet presence somehow felt familiar. 

No words were spoken between them, but the silence wasn’t awkward for him. Cloud was able to let go of the emotions that had strung him up like a hanged man. Coming to Costa Del Sol kept him on edge, and what happened outside of Barret’s room left him reeling. 

If not for Sephiroth, he probably would still be rattled. It was a weird thought to have, but when the other man had touched him, he felt like he was able to breathe again. Like a knot that was slowly unraveling, the tension that had spread over his body faded.

This wasn’t the first time he had noticed this effect happening. Prior to this was when they were in Sephiroth’s office. Cloud felt like he had been possessed by something. It was a creepy sensation that he didn’t want to experience again. 

More and more strange things were happening to him, and he didn’t know why. Was it simply Jenova? Was it because of Strife’s brothers? Did something happen to him when he transferred over to this world? 

There were too many questions. 

The only answer he knew – even if he still didn’t understand it – was that when he was near Sephiroth or when the other man touched him, his mind wasn’t so chaotic. Jenova’s voice disappeared, and the emotions that surged without explanation calmed. 

To put it another way, he was like a sedative. Maybe he could even be called a walking tranquilizer. 

Whatever the analogy, Cloud couldn’t ignore the benefit of having Sephiroth closeby. Whether he wanted to accept it or not, having Sephiroth near was a surer way to ward off Jenova than the bangle on his wrist. 

Maybe it was the safest place for him to be. 

“I heard that you and Sephiroth have opposite roles in your world.” 

Vincent’s voice cut through Cloud’s thoughts. He looked up at him. “Yes. He was the one who tried to destroy the world.” 

Vincent’s gaze was aimed at the horizon where they could see the field beyond the city. “Did he believe Jenova to be his mother?”

“Yes. Hojo let him believe it was her. I don’t know if he ever found out the truth; he was no longer himself when we chased him down.” 

The other man didn’t say anything for a while. When he opened his mouth, it was to ask, “Was Hojo his father?”

“Yes.” 

“I see.” 

The reaction wasn’t what Cloud expected. He studied Vincent. “Is something different here?”

Crimson red eyes shifted in his direction. “Hojo was never his father. He was merely the one who raised him.” 

Cloud tried to wrap his head around that. He sometimes questioned how someone like Hojo could sire someone like Sephiroth, unless all of his features came from his mother’s side, Lucrecia. If Hojo wasn’t the father, then who was? 

“Me.” 

Cloud’s eyes widened at Vincent’s admission. It was as if he was already aware of the question on Cloud’s mind. 

Vincent let his left hand slip out from under the fold of his cloak to show the gold-tinted gauntlet. “Lucrecia and I were lovers. It means nothing in face of someone’s profession, but Sephiroth does not carry Hojo’s genes. He was only the one who watched over his growth.” 

The wording Vincent used felt strange to Cloud. He wanted to ask about it, but he stopped himself as he saw Vincent start to remove the gauntlet. The movement was simple, neither delicate nor careless. With slow and smooth motions, the gauntlet was slipped off, leaving the black glove underneath. 

The sight of the glove was familiar to Cloud, but not what it was covering. As Vincent pushed down the edge of the glove, Cloud’s eyes widened. There were scars that webbed across Vincent’s arm, gradually condensing as they neared his hand. His whole hand was dark as if he had dipped it in ink, and at the tips of each finger was a small yet sharp claw. 

“Though I look like this, I am still Sephiroth’s father.” There was a single gold band on Vincent’s fourth finger. “I once doubted if she truly loved me, but this is my proof. As is Sephiroth.”

Vincent started to put on the glove and gauntlet again. He flexed his hand to test if the fit was correct before tightening the straps. When he was done, he turned his attention back to Cloud who had been silently watching him. 

“I have learned to live with my sin, and learned that monstrosity is not simply based on how one looks. You could say it’s a person’s soul that determines whether or not they’re evil, and should be killed.” 

The two of them held eye contact. This was the most Cloud had ever heard Vincent speak in one session; it was hard not to pay close attention. 

“By that measure, I judge your death will be nothing but unnecessary blood spilt. In fact, it might be the opposite.” 

Cloud’s brows twitched. “How?”

Vincent looked to the distance, his eyes narrowing at something neither of them could see. Yet, Cloud had a feeling it was the brothers who were steadily getting further ahead. “I don’t know.”

Despite the vague answer, Cloud understood the uncertainty. It was only conjecture, but if Vincent’s words held any weight to them, then it was all the more reason to be cautious. When they went after Strife’s siblings, the level of danger would undoubtedly increase a dozen times over. If something happened to Cloud, what would that entail? 

What about that time he felt possessed? Did that mean anything? 

Goosebumps rose on the backs of Cloud’s arms. He wished he didn’t have such a thought, but now that it surfaced, he couldn’t shake it. 

[plumblossomcafe]

Ch.28: The Fond Farewell

Paimon: Is it... finally over?

Moon Carver: The ominous aura of that monster has indeed begun to fade. The effects of the Sigil of Permission last but a short time. It will be some time before the Overlord of the Vortex can make any waves again.

Ningguang: We are indebted to you for your assistance. If the adepti hadn't happened to be here, the future of Liyue Harbor would surely have been in great jeopardy...

Cloud Retainer: Hmph, save your flattery. We didn't just "happen" to be here... Surely you won't pretend to have forgotten the reason for which we came?

Madame Ping: Come now, there's no need for such harsh words, Cloud Retainer. I've heard that when Ningguang began learning to do business, she had already started setting aside part of her then-limited income in preparation for building the Jade Chamber. At first, it was only the size of a small room. But with continued expansion, it has become the palace that lies before you now. It is a testament to Ningguang's entire life, both as a businesswoman and as the backbone of the Liyue Qixing. Seeing the Jade Chamber destroyed in the defense of Liyue means much to her. To me, such cooperation and sacrifice deserves at least some recognition, don't you agree?

Ningguang: Well, I was really hoping you would say that such sacrifice could at least be used as some leverage in our negotiations.

Madame Ping: ...Heh.

Ningguang: Thank you all for hearing me out. We know very well why the adepti came here today... But please forgive us, we cannot yield to your wishes.

Moon Carver: Oh?

Ningguang: 3,700 years... According to our records, the adepti signed a contract with Rex Lapis to protect Liyue 3,700 years ago. Even to this very day, Liyue and its lands have stood the test of time, immovable as stone, just as it was thousands of years before. This is truly no small feat. But that does not mean that Liyue today is the same city as it was all those years ago. Do not merely cast your protective gaze upon the land. Instead, focus your sights on our city and each of the citizens that dwell within it.

Moon Carver: Are you questioning our means of protecting Liyue?

Mountain Shaper: Hmm...

Ningguang: I mean no offense. I simply hope that our new adepti forebearers would see Liyue in a new light.

Cloud Retainer: Hah, "forebearers," you say. One doubts you would be fit to be part of such a lineage...

Ningguang: This morning, Rex Lapis appeared to me in a dream.

Cloud Retainer: What?

Ningguang: In the dream, I yearned to tell him that we Qixing, though mortal, are equally bound to the contract. Each passing generation of the Qixing leaves many things of value to be inherited by the next generation. I also thought to tell him how the past generations of Qixing had strove under his rule to survive in our mortal world, establishing a network of contracts which has since come to be known as "trade." But I dared not speak. I could only gaze at him in silence until the moment I awoke.

Paimon: Aw, Ningguang...

Y/n: We're all on the same side here...

Cloud Retainer: Yet another perspective... What are you trying to say, Y/n?

Y/n: When there is discord between the guardians and those they were meant to defend... Harmony becomes very difficult to restore.

Paimon: Right, that's something that happened in Mondstadt — it's a story about the Four Winds and the people of the Anemo Archon. The Anemo Archon sought to quell the strife between the two sides, because he believed that such conflict would only scar the hearts of both and that nothing good would come of it...

Aether: This is what we learned in the City of Freedom.

Y/n: Each of the Seven Nations has its own scars from the past.

Mountain Shaper: Though your point is the very height of simplicity... As adepti, we've become a laughingstock, to be chastised thus by an outlander who has lent us such succor.

Madame Ping: Alright, alright. Didn't Ningguang suggest that we should focus on the city and each of its citizens? I know I already have, so why not see for yourselves?

Fengyan: I apologize for appearing in full armor. I'm afraid I cannot show the proper courtesies.

Moon Carver: And who are you?

Fengyan: I am Fengyan, a sergeant of the Millelith. I have come to extend my thanks to the adepti. I thought this battle would perhaps be my last. But thanks to the aid of the adepti, our forces were not as badly battered as I feared we might be. Although I am a mere mortal soldier, I promise to hold the line and never betray the grace given to us by the illuminated adepti this day.

Moon Carver: ...

Xiao: ...

Soon, a little girl ran to the scene

Changchang: Huh? Why does everyone look so down? Didn't we just beat that big monster?

Madame Ping: Hahaha! Weren't you frightened, dear? It was quite the predicament...

Changchang: I wasn't afraid. All the strong Millelith guards were there, and those powerful heroes with their Visions were there... Everyone was there! When danger is near, everyone always protects me. And the rest of the time, they make fun toys, and tasty snacks, and... and loads of things that make the harbor so pretty! Thanks for protecting Liyue Harbor! Please come visit us for the next Lantern Rite!

Xiao: Unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to participate.

Changchang: Huh?

Xiao: Because we are adepti.

Changchang: Oh, okay... It must be hard being an adeptus.

Paimon: Aww...

Madame Ping: You see, this is what Liyue is like today. The country of contracts is grateful to the adepti for their protection. But it is no longer necessary for the city to rely on the adepti's power to solve every little niggling matter. Although their blood is weak, there is still strength to be found in those we call mortals... The time of contracts between gods and Liyue has long since passed. Now is the time of contracts between Liyue and its people.

Mountain Shaper: Hmm, seeing the port around us now, it is hard not to feel a bit out of place... wouldn't you say so, Cloud Retainer?

Cloud Retainer: Your line of inquiry is askew. One did not spearhead this expedition to Liyue Harbor...

Paimon: Hmm... seems like the adepti have had a change of heart.

Aether: They've listened to what the people have said. And they're trying to understand things from their perspective.

Xiao: Let us return now.

Moon Carver: ...Eager to leave, Conqueror of Demons?

Madame Ping: Hehehe...

Mountain Shaper: Yes, one understands what the Conqueror of Demons means. The city of Liyue has changed much after our long separation. One fears that by the time one finally grasps the new contracts of Liyue, you humans would have once again changed the place beyond recognition. Fair enough. Away we shall, and return whence we came... *flies off*

Moon Carver: Hmph... Since we adepti have consensus, then one shall persist no further. But how will we ensure that the Liyue Qixing will not simply exploit their power once we depart? In my view, that is still a thing to be guarded against...

Ningguang: *chuckles*

Madame Ping: Alright, Moon Carver. You needn't worry. It seems to me that this right of supervision is best left to the people of Liyue.

Paimon: Whew... Looks like the conflict between humans and adepti was avoided. All's well that ends well, huh?

Y/n: You can say that again... The adepti were quite reasonable in the end...

Paimon: Oh, right! It's nice that we've got peace and all, but we're forgetting one thing! Childe wanted to unleash the god so he could lure Rex Lapis out! But we were able to handle the Overlord of the Vortex on our own... So Rex Lapis never showed up! Oh, and speaking of that — don't we still need to get to the bottom of that archon's "death," too? Paimon doesn't get it... But, isn't the strongest lead we have the adepti-less Rite of Parting that we're organizing? No idea where Zhongli's gone. Let's ask for him at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

Ferrylady: Is there anything I can do for you two? I'm afraid that Wangsheng Funeral Parlor isn't in the best state to receive guests.

Paimon: We've come to see Zhongli. Could you please tell him we're here?

Ferrylady: Unfortunately, Zhongli isn't here at the moment. It seems he went to Northland Bank.

Paimon: Doesn't the Northland Bank belong to the Fatui? Last time we saw Zhongli was before we went to the Golden House... Do you think he doesn't know about the attack on Liyue? Visiting the Fatui at a time like this could only mean more trouble! We had better go and make sure that everything is okay.

At Northland Bank

Childe: You call this "cooperation between Harbingers"? Cooperation involves communication, you know...

Signora: Hehe, don't take it to heart, Childe. Besides, weren't you happy that you got to skip the formalities and bring chaos to the land? I'm sure you must've enjoyed that......Oh, it seems that some of your friends have arrived.

Paimon: Hey, it's Zhongli and Childe! And... you! You're also one of the Harbingers...

Aether: Signora!

Signora: Haha, it's you two. I believe we've met once before... In the City of Bards, was it? I'm glad you still remember my name. Ah, right. I imagine that it must have been rather hard to forget watching helplessly as something precious was snatched away from your friend.

Aether: "Breathe... Just stay calm." I still have time to take it back.

Y/n: No, don't let her get to you, Aether...

Paimon: You've yet to gather the powers of all seven elements, and our last battle at the Golden House was almost more than you could handle... So it might be best to keep things peaceful this time, seeing that two of the Harbingers are here.

Childe: Well, if it isn't Aether and Y/n. This is our first time seeing each other since Liyue was nearly wiped off the map. This is certainly a bit... awkward, wouldn't you say?

Paimon: Hmph, Paimon knew that we should never have trusted a Fatui Harbinger.

Childe: Aw, now don't say that. Sure, I may have misled you, but I never had anything against you personally... Besides, I thought we were getting along quite well together, didn't you? Except for that little tussle we had at the end... Haha. Nothing personal, we just have... different views, that's all. Of course, you may very well hold this against me, but that's up to you... The real deceivers here are Signora and Zhongli... curse them for leading me on.

Aether: Signora and Zhongli?

Childe: So actually, I think—

Signora: Stop wasting time, Childe. There'll be plenty of time to chat once I'm through here. You remember the agreement, Morax. Now, if you would be so kind... The Gnosis, please.

Aether: Agreement? Gnosis?

Y/n: *looks at Zhongli* Dad? What is she talking about?

Paimon: What in the world are you talking about!?

Zhongli: ... *ignores Y/n* The contract is fulfilled. That which thou seeketh is now bestowed unto thee, for my promise is solid as stone.

Signora: Hmph, how sanctimonious...

Aether: So Zhongli is actually Rex Lapis?

Paimon: What! So you're the Lord of Geo? No, wait! That's an exciting twist and all — but why give the Gnosis to the Fatui!?

Zhongli: I do not give it for free. I give it as agreed upon in the contract... for it is a matter solely between the Tsaritsa and I.

Y/n: I'm afraid I don't understand... why did you feign your death?

Paimon: Yeah, you don't think you went a little bit too far with that whole fake death thing!? Everyone was preparing the ceremony for you when splat, this big dragon falls out of the sky and all of Liyue goes into an uproar. Talk about a disaster!

Signora: Hehe... Gathering all the forces that had been bubbling behind the scenes, and then stirring them together in a pot that was bound to boil over... That's what he wanted to see, am I right?

Paimon: Wait... what?

Zhongli: Perhaps it's best that I explain. As you know, I've dwelt upon this world for more than six thousand years. It is now 3,700 years ago that I founded Liyue together with the adepti. Even boulders that can withstand whirlpools will erode with the passing of time. I kept convincing myself that cracks had not begun to form and that the end of my time had not yet come. Until one drizzly day, as I was strolling along the harbor, I heard a merchant tell one of his workers, "You've finished your duties, go ahead and call it a day." I stood motionless among the crowds, asking myself, "Have I already finished my duties?"

Paimon: Oh, Zhongli...

Zhongli: But as I began to consider relinquishing my divine role, I soon discovered that many reasons still remained to not hastily depart. Was Liyue, the city I had dwelt in for so long, already prepared to enter its next age? I decided that a test was needed in order to reveal the answer. So I feigned my own death, and gathered the cast of Childe, the adepti, and the Liyue Qixing to play their roles together on the stage that was Liyue.

Aether: So, were you satisfied with the finale?

Zhongli: Indeed, I was. The Gnosis I had kept for so many years suddenly seemed to have lost its meaning.

Y/n: *chuckles nervously* Let me guess — you had another plan in case it all burned down.

Zhongli: That's right, which is why I continued to safeguard the Gnosis until now.

Paimon: So you mean that if the chaos ever reached the point of no return, you would simply appear and use your divine powers to bring Liyue back under control?

Signora: Of course. And it would have been all too easy for him, too. Just as a child quickly matures after losing their parents, so has Liyue matured when faced with the death of its deity...

Zhongli: In the end, the resolution to all that has transpired was even more satisfactory than I could have hoped for. Take the adepti, for instance. Owing to their years of seclusion, they were the least informed. Yet, when faced with a crisis, they, commendably, showed the greatest amount of restraint possible. Not only did they manage to co-operate with the Qixing, but in the end, they even made efforts to understand the hearts of the people. Credit is also due to Signora, the emissary dispatched by the Cryo Archon to fulfill our contract. At my request, she kept everything she knew in strict confidence — this despite the eavesdropping ears of her colleague, Childe. This meant I could remain as Zhongli, even having the chance to fulfill the age-old traditions of Liyue in this mortal form. Thank you for joining me on this journey. All of these things turned out as I had planned. There is only one thing that I had not anticipated... and that was the conduct of the Liyue Qixing. I had expected them to do no more than the adepti... To come to the defense of Liyue. But when all was said and done... They seized the opportunity to supplant Liyue's divine protectors and used the subsequent power vacuum left by my death to quickly gain complete control of Liyue.

Paimon: Huh? That doesn't sound good at all!

Zhongli: Hah... On the contrary, I think it is excellent. I had always feared that it was far too soon for them to take over from me, and it was also that which I longed for the most. As such, this is the best parting gift anyone could have given this god of old.

Childe: Hey, what about me? Doesn't anyone feel the least bit of remorse for deceiving me? You've practically kept me in the dark!

Signora: Heh, I think that thanks would be more appropriate. You certainly played no small part in all of this... Wreaking havoc and turning the city upside down. The Lord of Geo ought to thank you for your performance, if anything. If you hadn't created the pressure of a battle between mortals, adepti, and a god, the lump of coal resting in the hands of the Geo Archon — Liyue — would never have been able to become a dazzling diamond of a city.

Childe: Huh? Just whose side are you on, mocking me like that? Are you itching for a fight?

Y/n: You've really embarrassed yourself this time.

Childe: Hey! Haven't you learned the Liyue saying? "Don't always call it as you see it"!

Signora: Well then, with the Gnosis in my possession, I have no use for such idle chatter. We should return to Zapolyarny Palace and seek an audience with Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa. Come, Childe.

Childe: Ugh, fine... I'll meet you there later. I'm not sharing a boat with the likes of you.

Signora: Hmph, do as you wish. *leaves with the Gnosis*

Zhongli: Now then, is there anything else you wish to ask me?

Y/n: I'd like to know what the Cryo Archon offered you. What could that so called "God of Love" possibly offer you that would be worth a Gnosis?

Paimon: Right! As Zhongli always told us, "a good trade is a fair trade." Paimon has no idea what could be a good trade for a Gnosis.

Zhongli: Realistically speaking, there is no such thing.

Paimon: Huh???

Zhongli: However, I am the God of Contracts. For thousands of years, I have made countless contracts. If the deal was of no benefit, then I certainly would not be inclined to agree to it. My agreement with the Cryo Archon will be the last of my contracts as the Geo Archon — my "contract to end all contracts." As for the bargaining chip that the Tsaritsa used to balance the scales... Uncover that answer for yourself in your future journeys.

Paimon: Paimon... can't... absorb so much information at once... So, Zhongli, what sort of contract did you sign with the Cryo Archon? Paimon's so curious!

Zhongli: ...One of the clauses of our contract was not to divulge any of its contents.

Paimon: Ugh... You're so petty.

Y/n: *walks up to Childe and kicks him in the balls*

Paimon/Aether: !!!

Childe: Agh!!! What was that for!?!

Y/n: That's for hurting Aether *punches him* And that's for hurting me!!!

After the dust settles, a date is fixed for the Rite of Parting...

Paimon: Today's the day of the Rite of Parting. Although the star of the show is fake, we've spent so much time trying to organize it. It would be a real shame not to go there now.

Fengyan: Hear ye all the Qixing's words: 'Though a dragon soars ageless as the mountains, it too must return to dust. This is common knowledge. Gods and adepti live glorious lives, but both light and shadow have their season. So, too, must they face divinely-appointed trials. Rumors and hearsay abound on the streets that Rex Lapis was murdered. Now, let the truth be revealed. Having been thwarted in his trial, Rex Lapis' soul has recouped the celestial heights. He beseeches the people of Liyue to grieve not, and to not let their hearts be saddened. Nor are they to believe street-borne rumors or indulge in baseless speculation.'

Paimon: Ah... Um, Paimon needs a translation on what the Qixing's announcement said.

Aether: They said that Rex Lapis wasn't murdered. Instead, Rex Lapis died because of a divine trial.

Paimon: ...So that's how they're spinning it... Something feels off. Why would they suddenly give up looking for the murderer? Not to mention how this excuse sounds like something they just made up on the spot. Could the Qixing already have known that Rex Lapis wasn't dead? But Zhongli said that neither they nor adepti knew anything.... Hmm... Did Zhongli tell them in secret after his Gnosis changed hands?

Y/n: That's possible. I think you've hit the bull's-eye this time.

Paimon: Exactly, right? Ooh, seems like the Rite of Parting has been going on for a while now. Let's go have a look!

At the place where the right of parting was held

Paimon: Look, it's Ningguang and Keqing. Are they saying something? Are their speeches over?

Ningguang: ....As said previously, Rex Lapis' soul returning to the heavens is the end of the contract, and it is also the end of an era.

Shitou: 3,700 years of contracts, burnt and reduced to ash...

Ningguang: We, the people of Liyue were indeed prosperous. But blinded by our prosperity, we forgot that time can be pitiless.

Ying'er: The long, unending dream of our archon walking among us...

Madame Ping: Mm...

Ningguang: Now that we have awoken from our dream, we must learn to say farewell. Will you stand with us as we reestablish our contracts — as we build a new age of prosperity?

Ganyu: So concludes the words of her Eminence, the Tianquan. Does Her Eminence the Yuheng have anything to add?

Keqing: *looks at Aether and Y/n*

Paimon: Eh? Is she looking this way?

Keqing: Aether. Y/n.

Paimon: Yikes! She really is looking our way!

Crowd: Are those the travelers who they say defeated the ancient god? So young...

Keqing: The Liyue Qixing always repay their debts. And as you both have heard, our eyes see far, and our reach is long. Name both of your prices. You both deserve that much.

Paimon: Whoa...

Y/n/Aether: ...

Aether: Well... could you help me put up some missing person posters...?

Keqing: *nods* And you, Miss Y/n?

Y/n: Well, my only wish is for the people of Liyue to live a safe and prosperous life even if Rex Lapis is gone now...

Keqing/Ningguang/Ganyu: *surprised* ...

Paimon: Hey, Zhongli! Look at this. Everyone in Liyue's caught up in their emotions, thinking they'll never see Rex Lapis again......And here you are, looking all relaxed!

Zhongli: Hahaha. Why would I not feel more at ease after laying down the burden I have borne for 3,700 years? Right, if the two of you can spare the time. I should treat you to a meal at the Xinyue Kiosk.

Paimon: Hah! That sounds like big talk, Zhongli. Paimon might have believed you if you were treating us to some Third-Round Knockout, but you'd have to pay out your nose just to stand inside Xinyue Kiosk. Are you sure you can afford it?

Zhongli: Hmm... You're right, I do lack the Mora

Aether: But why would Morax lack Mora?

Zhongli: As the Rex Lapis Morax, I can easily create Mora. But since I have chosen to walk this earth as the mortal Zhongli, I should abide by the same rules that mortals do. When I was journeying with you guys, though I still had the Gnosis in hand, I knew that I must soon retire from my role as an archon. So I had to... rehearse a little, for my new life.

Paimon: Oh, no wonder! Paimon gets it now. You didn't look at the price tags when we were spending because you've never had to. But since you weren't used to not being able to just make some Mora as and when you wanted to, you had to try becoming a parasite to society who lives off of other peoples' credit...

Zhongli: Well, we were only spending Fatui money. You don't have to say it like that... In the city of commerce, we do not merely exchange money or goods. We also exchange knowledge, memories, and foresight, as well as positions, roles, and lives. The archon Morax could never experience life as the true mortal Zhongli could, no matter how many times he descended to be with his people. Haha, I must thank you for that. I will treasure the memories that I made as Zhongli, traveling the streets of Liyue with you.

Aether: It was a fine journey.

Zhongli: That is true, but there is no journey that does not end. No meetings without partings.

Paimon: Mm... Paimon thinks that we should make a move and continue our search for The Seven.

Zhongli: I fear that continuing your journey may be difficult. The nation that neighbors Liyue by sea, Inazuma, is presently closed.

Y/n: "Closed"?

Zhongli: Yes. The nation has been closed by order of its deity. The Electro Archon, Baal — and just as the people of Liyue preferred to call me Rex Lapis, she too goes by another name among locals in Inazuma.

Paimon: Um, Paimon thinks we've heard that one before. Uh.. Rai... Raiden?

Zhongli: That is the case. And since Raiden is also the Shogun of Inazuma, people call her the Raiden Shogun.

Aether: The Shogun...

Paimon: That said, though people at the wharf were saying that the situation in Inazuma is very tense, Paimon doesn't remember that always being the case. It wasn't that bad last year... Zhongli, since you're Rex Lapis, shouldn't you know something about what's happening there? Just how did Inazuma become a closed nation?

Zhongli: It's because of Visions.

Y/n: Why would visions be the problem?

Zhongli: When faced with circumstances beyond their control, humans often bemoan their lack of power. But if a person shows true strength of will at a desperate and fateful moment in their life, the gods will look upon them with favor. That is what Visions are. Magical foci bestowed upon those who have been acknowledged by the gods.

Paimon: Uh-huh. That's how people in Teyvat see it.

Zhongli: But starting from last year, the Raiden Shogun began promulgating the "Vision Hunt Decree."

Paimon: ...Vision Hunt Decree?

Zhongli: Yes. It was an order to seize all Visions within Inazuma's borders, and to inlay them upon the hands of the Statue of the Omnipresent God.

Paimon: They want to seize Visions? But why? Aren't Visions blessings from the gods?

Zhongli: I should think that in the Raiden Shogun's eyes, it is precisely because they are divine blessings, that they should be under the sole dominion of divinity.

Paimon: Whoa... That's harsh.

Zhongli: The Anemo Archon is the God of Freedom, and the Geo Archon is the God of Contracts. For her part, the Raiden Shogun is the God of Eternity. It seems as though she has finally decided to eliminate any unstable elements that could pose a threat to her eternal realm. The fact that even I, the oldest of The Seven, have now "passed away" will only strengthen her resolve to pursue eternity. Knowing her, she must have again quoted that adage she is most fond of when proclaiming that decree to her people: "Seven ideals for seven gods, and of these, Eternity is nearest unto the Heavenly Principles."

Y/n/Aether: Heavenly Principles...

Zhongli: Alright, then. Was there anything else you wished to know?

Aether: So, about the "trial"...

Zhongli: Haha... Ah, that was a good one. Failing a divine trial? How they came up with that excuse, I will never know. That said, the reason why the Qixing were so eager to resolve the incident and stop pursuing the culprit was indeed because they received news in secret that Rex Lapis was not dead. I hinted as much to the adepti as well. How did I accomplish that, you ask? Hmm... Have you ever heard of this particularly convenient adepti art known as "gifting dreams and visions"?

Y/n: What about Childe...

Paimon: Yeah, about that. Before the Qixing made their announcement, we listened to a lot of people talking on the way. Most of them put the blame of everything on Childe.

Zhongli: These are indeed false accusations, but it remains undeniably true that Childe did send people to the Jade Chamber to prevent the adepti and the Qixing from defeating the ancient god. I've heard that Ningguang is busy milking that for all it's worth on the foreign relations front at the moment, browbeating the envoys of the Fatui. Ah, those poor Snezhnayan diplomats. If it were not for Childe's exalted position as a Harbinger, I'm certain that they would have shifted all the blame to him and called for his dismissal by now.

Aether: As for the Liyue Qixing...

Zhongli: "The time of the adepti has long passed. If even the Liyue Qixing don't want to face that truth, then what future is there for Liyue?" Keqing is absolutely right in saying this. Now, though I did laud Ningguang's desire for power, believing this to be a good thing, and thought as a matter of course that she must have been behind the Qixing's plan to take governing power over Liyue from the hands of the gods and adepti... Could the original person who brought up the idea of seizing power have been...? Hmm...

Aether: Now, about Mora...

Paimon: That's right! Zhongli, now that you don't have your Gnosis, what's going to happen to all the Mora in Teyvat? Since Morax is "dead," are they all just gonna disappear? Also, isn't the Golden House the only mint in the entire continent? Will it even continue to work?

Zhongli: The Mora present now will not vanish. But the Golden House will indeed have to cease operations for a lengthy period of time, since creating Mora requires the use of the Geo Archon's power.

Paimon: Argh! This is terrible. We're all about to run out of Mora! The world is coming to an end!

Zhongli: Yes, this is indeed a major issue from a financial standpoint... Uh... Well. I suppose we'll just leave such troublesome matters to the Liyue Qixing to debate.

Paimon: Then... did you at least set some private funds aside for yourself?

Zhongli: Oh, a private fund? Hmm, this does seem like a good, logical, common-sense idea. Ah, it's a shame...

Paimon: What's a shame?

Zhongli: It's a shame that I didn't think of it at the time.

Aether: There's nothing else...

Zhongli: Well then, I suppose you'll have to find a way to get inside this closed nation. Have patience... I suspect that some serendipity must first come into play...