Gift of the Goddess [Open]

Having found Marlene as well as Tifa and Tseng, Cloud felt better than he did before. He was happy that he had been able to find Marlene and Tifa, two people that he held incredibly close to his heart. Cloud was pretty sure that he was going to rip his hair out in frustration if he couldn’t get anywhere in this regard. Sure, he knew where Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid were, at least he had an idea of where they were, however, that didn’t mean that this couldn’t change, because it could. Just as Cloud was blown away into different worlds in search of the rest of his friends and just as Marlene ended up traveling through worlds, Yuffie, Aerith, and Cid might have ended up elsewhere for practically no reason at all. Cloud reuniting Tifa and Marlene felt good, but he was able to accomplish more than one thing in this. With Tseng having been there, Cloud was able to tell him about everything that had been going on. Cloud told him about the Heartless, the Nobodies, what he knew about Organization XIII and he was able to let him know that Sephiroth was alive and well, traveling through the universe…

Cloud’s mind raced over past events as he rode through the wasteland atop Fenrir, his motorcycle. The land had been wasted and desolate, due to Midgar’s constant use of the Lifestream. All that had been left was dust, dirt and rock. Cloud rode through, picking up speed as the dust from the land picked up and swirled from behind him as he sped through the wasteland on the outskirts of Midgar and Edge. Cloud left Marlene and Tifa; knowing that they were safe at 7th Heaven and under what appeared to be Tseng’s protection. It was funny how people grow. If one person mentioned the Turks to Cloud while he had been traveling with his friends to find a way to defeat Sephiroth and told him that the Turks would become his allies, Cloud would have stared down the person like he or she was crazy. However, it had all been done. Rufus Shinra and the Turks, as far as Cloud could tell, stayed out of trouble and that’s all Cloud needed from them. Cloud looked around him as he drove through the outskirts, wondering whether the land around him would ever revitalize itself and thrive.

It was then that he realized that the Planet had already started to do so. He remembered his destination; the reason why he had been riding through the dirt and rock. He was off to visit Zack’s grave. Everywhere else was desolate except for the spot where Zack made Cloud his living legacy. Cloud smiled in remembrance of Zack. At first, remembering him was met with feelings of guilt and despair but now it was met with gratefulness and honor; gratefulness that Zack had laid down his life so that Cloud could live and achieve his dreams and Cloud’s own and honored that Zack chose Cloud to be his living legacy. Cloud learned that Zack didn’t give his life so that Cloud could feel guilty over his own helplessness, he gave his life so that he could live and that was exactly what Cloud was going to do…live. As Cloud came up on Zack’s grave and the large patch of flowers where he died, he saw someone there…and as Cloud got closer and closer, the figure that stood where Zack died began to increase in familiarity dramatically. Cloud widened his eyes and opened the compartments of Fenrir, revealing the Fusion Swords. Cloud quickly took out all of the attachments for it and sheathed them in his back sheathes. He then skidded his motorcycle to a stop. Cloud took the main blade in his hand and closed the compartments. He turned off the motorcycle and got off of it, walking slowly toward the figure. This was a man that Cloud did not necessarily know personally but he knew that he was trouble when they met. Although, that was all due to allegiance. Cloud wasn’t sure of where this man stood but he wasn’t surprised that he was alive. After all, Sephiroth found a way to come back… Cloud gripped his blade tightly and spoke out, letting his presence be known.

“Genesis…? Is that you? What are you doing here…?”, Cloud asked, unsure of the former SOLDIER’s purpose.

Cloud retightened the grip upon his gigantic blade. He wasn’t sure what Genesis wanted or needed. Genesis was a renegade SOLDIER bent on destruction and the throwing away of innocent lives. He didn’t even know how Genesis came back or why he came back. Cloud only knew one thing. If Genesis wanted a fight, he would find that a lot has changed over the years when it comes to Cloud and his fighting prowess. Cloud had become a mighty warrior and he was sure that if he was able to take down Sephiroth, he would be able to take down Genesis. Although, something happened; it was something that caught Cloud unawares, as Genesis clearly remembered who he was but when he complimented Cloud on how well he had been doing, it seemed to come from a serene and sincere place. Cloud narrowed his eyes, confused at the new behavior displaced by the former SOLDIER. Genesis had told him that he was here to pay his respects, just like Cloud was. He walked over to stand next to Cloud but Cloud kept on his guard, Cloud turned his whole body and point of view toward the former SOLDIER, not wanting to suffer a surprise attack, just in case Genesis was playing possum.

Cloud kept his eyes on Genesis, watching him talk about how great a hero Zack was and how there was no way that he could make up for his crimes against the Planet. He then went on to how he knew that there were other worlds out there and Minerva summoned Genesis back from the dead to protect the Planet while Cloud was away. Cloud closed his eyes and then opened them, glancing at the patch of flowers that stood where Zack died. He then looked back toward Genesis. Cloud felt himself loosen his grip on his blade. Cloud wasn’t much of a believer in Minerva but he did know that the Lifestream existed. Who knows? Maybe, Minerva was the cause of it. However, Cloud just didn’t know if he could trust Genesis, especially after all that has been happening to him. Cloud wished that he could trust people as quickly and as well as Tifa and Marlene could.  Although, Cloud never really could let his guard down.  For as long as Cloud could pick up a sword and fight, Cloud has always been the primary protector of this Planet and now that he was back, Cloud was ready to round up his friends and protect the Planet full time from the Heartless, the Nobodies, and whatever else was out there.  Cloud was willing to let Sora and the others deal with it, they had more than enough power without him or his friends; they didn't need him or his friends.  Cloud could take his friends and go home and protect their own planet.  However, for now, Genesis had to be dealt with in one or another.  Cloud, to say the the very least, was not too crazy about this prospect of letting Genesis help protect the Planet.  Cloud sighed, keeping his eyes on the man before him.

“Ok, well, I'm not too sure that I can just say yes to you protecting the Planet.  I'm back now, and I plan on staying with my friends, if fate lets me.  I'm...sure you believe that you would have protected the Planet like Zack would have but I'm not too crazy about our history or the history that you have with Zack.  I’m glad you’ve been redeemed by…Minerva and all. However, I need more than just words…”

If there was anything that Genesis could be certain of, it was that Cloud didn’t trust him. How could he, honestly? All he’d ever known about Genesis came from Shinra, Zack likely hadn’t gone into deep detail with the blond about his missions involving the crimson SOLDIER due to the secrecy required so for all he knew Genesis was nothing but a murderous monster. Perspective was a peculiar thing, after all was he truly a villain when he was fighting against the villainous Shinra? Of course he had gone about it the wrong way and people uninvolved were hurt in the crossfire, but the same could be said of any battle against them including those injured due to the actions of AVALANCHE while they operated as terrorists. There was no point arguing semantics though, what was done was done and all that could be done was moving forward from here.

“Your compliance isn’t a factor, Cloud, I will do as Minerva wills with or without your assistance,” Genesis said bluntly, but smiled at the Imaginary SOLDIER. There was no ill will to be had here. “We’ve all made mistakes fighting for what we felt was the greater good, in my battle against Shinra many innocents were killed by my copies just as many died due to your actions such as destroying the Mako Reactors with AVALANCHE. I don’t expect us to trust one another overnight, as I do prefer to handle things myself than with a team and you know little of my story besides what Shinra and the news have fed you, but so long as we’re on the same side there’s no reason to squabble amongst ourselves. After all if Shinra can be redeemed in your eyes I deserve the same chance, no?”

Before Genesis had the chance to continue pleading his case, to clarify firsthand his side of the story between himself and Zack, the wind quickly picked up as a helicopter quickly swooped down to a halt over this hears. Tearing his eyes off Cloud as he glared up at the craft, his grip upon Rapier tightened while he grit his teeth. Even with his hair wildly blowing in the crosswind, it was easy to see the distain he had for the man descending. Working for the WRO at the moment or not, this man still worked for Shinra. Even if Cloud had forgiven them, Genesis had not, and this was certainly a test of his word. If he deserved a chance, they did too right? The scale of his misdeeds and Shinra’s couldn’t be compared, but this lone Turk wasn’t involved in much of that. He needn’t feel Genesis’s wrath, but even Rufus had done his part funding the WRO and helping rebuild The Planet so didn’t he deserve forgiveness? Maybe so, but like how Cloud couldn’t shake the feeling that Genesis was up to something the Crimson ex-SOLDIER couldn’t help but feel the same way about that whole damned company. He merely smirked as the Turk spoke, but kept his blade down at his side for now. No point making a scene.

“Perhaps. Come to take me back to my cage?”, he asked sarcastically, unable to completely hide the venom behind the joking tone. Helping or not, he still despised the Shinra...