You'll Always Be A Memory

[backoff]

WHO: Cloud Strife + You
WHERE: A room that's part office and part bedroom
WHAT: Calibration. Cloud has been in his own mind before to find his true self. This time it's different.
WHEN: During the event
WARNINGS: Sephiroth gets his own warning enter at your own risk (if you don't want any of scenes don't touch the black feather), cross-dressing, blood, alcohol, death, fire. (side note: you can touch the Buster Sword multiple times for different scenes if you want to avoid death scenes with it please state so)



The room is divided in a split, both rooms look simple and run down. The left side of the room is an tiny office space. A desk that doesn't have a lot clatter with a lone chair behind it. As if it was used rarely, there's an old style cord phone on the desk. A tiny vase with a yellow flower in it. A glass with red liquid partially filled on top of what would seem like bills. There's a dart board on the wall, right next to it is a calendar with scribbled notes. A window to look out of for the view of Edge.

The right side of the room is the bedroom. There's a dresser along the wall that has several objects upon it. A pair of long golden earrings carefully land on upon a folded up dress that appears to be black and blue. In the middle of the dresser is a infantryman helmet as if it was trying to be a center piece for something. Right at the edge of the dresser is a black feather threatening to topple off of it and flitter towards the ground. The object leaning on the dresser closer to the door is the Buster Sword.

There's a bed in the room under another window. This window appearing to be raining outside with dark clouds.

Cloud is leaning against the wall at the back right where the room splits down the middle. His arms are folded, his head is down as he stares at the floor. It's quiet, peaceful and boring.

Comments

[backoff]

[ They have no control over who comes here and who goes. Cloud found out a bit from the calibrations room. The world could be controlling who stays and who doesn't. A loss is a loss. He shakes his head at his own words but it had helped someone. ]

I've been here not that long. Reeve said roughly three months, but that's in days. He mentioned that it's sixty hours too.

[ He didn't feel it at first until he realized those sixty hours were in fact long. ]

[afterform]

( Vincent frowns at the news. Unsure of what that means to him - if anything. After all, he's been able to sleep away all those years. Then, on the other hand, time here would be different for all of them. Despite having the guilt on their shoulders from their lives on Gaia they were new to this world and would have to adjust to carrying even more burdens bequeathed from this world.

Trepidation rolls in at his feet and coils a thick feeling of tension up his ankles and weighs at his hips. )

Hn.

( Vincent concludes his assessment of time here would need to be adjusted, he cannot rely on what he knew of it back on Gaia. From morning to night and back again, sixty hours. )

[backoff]

[ Cloud could adjust to the weird set of time but it made him tired. As odd as that could be, but there was other reasons for that too. He rolls his lips in a bit as he walks the rest of the way over to Vincent stopping short to not get in the way of his cloak. ]

There's something else I need to tell you.

[ Since this could turn into a pressing matter later. ]

[afterform]

( There's comfort in Cloud's directness. Vincent could be passive at times and would not think too much of being idle and silent for hours before movement. Having someone else here deciding the next turn of events allowed Vincent to fulfill a comfortable passive role.

He waits for Cloud's revelation. )

[backoff]

I came here with Geostigma.

[ There had been something about saying it out loud that made him feel at ease. Cloud had hid it from his friends but there's no real reason to do it here. Reeve already knows and provided him with some supplies mostly bandages from the Hospital. ]

[afterform]

( Vincent frowns as he recalls the healing rain that washed Gaia clean of the Geostigma. )

What is the last thing you did on Gaia?

[backoff]

I was in the church going after Kadaj.

[ Cloud tilts his head while looking at Vincent. ]

I know I get healed. [ But when exactly? He didn't really know. ]

[afterform]

( He can't help but think what an inconvenient time to come to this world. Furthermore, he can't help but wonder how and or why this world can pull people from Gaia from different timelines.

Still, two years was relatively close compared to what it could have been. Vincent could have come here from some years from his past or some years in the future. This predicament answers the question of what happens to them while they are here. Cloud had been healed, as he said, and it was as if Cloud never left Gaia. )

Did Reeve tell you this?

[backoff]

[ His life is powered on bullshit inconveniences. Cloud didn't really understand how this world worked in that sense.

There's a small pause at the question as he rubs his left arm. ]

Yes, he did. He comes from a time a bit further than me. He mentioned Deepground.

[ Does Vincent know about that?? ]

[afterform]

( Vincent shares Reeve's fate up until the point Cloud mentions Deepground. Although, Reeve is a mysterious man, and he doesn't assume to know all of Reeve's dealings, so he may still come from the same time as the other. )

Is there comfort in knowing there are others that have come from your future?

[backoff]

[ Cloud sighs at the mention of comfort and future being together. Maybe there is some slight ease in knowing some of the future. But knowing they're going to be fighting something again to save the Planet from another threat. Will it ever end? There is one real comfort though. ]

It's comforting in knowing that there are friends here. [ He slowly looks at Vincent while frowning. ] But any one of us could end up leaving.

[afterform]

A fate we share on any world we dwell.

( This is as close as he'll admit, for now, the comfort he feels for having Cloud and Reeve here. He also keeps quiet the desire for more of their friends to come. Those from the past or those from the future, he'll welcome them from any time.

He cocks his head and his eyes wander the room once again. )

What is this room?

[backoff]

[ Cloud would feel happy for any of their friends being here. But he'd not want to feel the constant loss of them leaving too. The feeling is fresh mostly due to this room. ]

It's a room that shares memories. From good to bad. I've felt enough loss within them over certain people I'll never see again.

[ Being able to see them here, he's not so sure what he would do or think. ]

[afterform]

( Vincent looks over the room again and settles his eyes on the black feather. The sight of it brings a quick breath through his lips, and he holds it in his lungs for a moment before he exhales slowly through his nose. Cloud is not alone in these feelings of good to bad and loss. Vincent is quiet as he considers the black feather. He knows the value of the sight just as he knows the significance of the flower.

If Aerith came here, what would she tell Cloud? If Tifa came, what words of encouragement would she offer? Vincent, in that aspect, falls short of offering Cloud anything of the sort. )

[backoff]

[ Vincent doesn't have to provide words of encouragement. His appearance alone startled Cloud. The first person to come into his room, even though touched basically everything, provided him with words. If anything, Cloud is being open in his feelings currently. That alone is hard for him to do out in the reality of the world. Whose not to say he wasn't shown their encouraging words? ]

Vincent, it doesn't matter where we end up. I know that we need to make the most of the time we have--to live our lives the way we wanna live. [ Cloud said he'd remember it. But it's been so long and it felt like a dream. It could have slipped his mind. He glances around the room. ] And I know that my memories make me who I am. I'll always hold on to them since if I don't I'll end up losing myself.

[afterform]

( Vincent scrutinizes Cloud. The words were something quite different than the ones he shared with Vincent in the dark forest with illuminated trees. Thick lashes cover his crimson eyes as he narrows his sights to the blond's arm. I know I get healed.. It was much more than that, Cloud got to fight again - a reminder to who he was and why he fought.

Vincent offers a small nod, his eyes ascend to Cloud's face once again. )

I'll be your reminder if you need it.

[backoff]

[ Cloud's been determined since he got here but it's been a little hard to focus on wanting to fight. There's a few reasons for it not having a weapon, knowing that the people they were meant to help didn't like them, how else was he going to do it?

He looks at Vincent. ]

I'm going to need it.

[afterform]

( Vincent is content to leave the topic of the conversation at that. Cloud knows he can count on Vincent to remember what Cloud has forgotten. Or, in the very least, endeavor to help Cloud recall what he forgets.

Vincent takes a few short steps to get a closer look at the earrings. Speaking of forgetting, he can't recall the pair, or perhaps he's never seen them before. Could they have belonged to Cloud's mother? )

[backoff]

[ Cloud doesn't mind leaving topics in silence as they tend to with Vincent. He'll continue his best with letting people in, trying to do things he needs to and be there when they needed him.

He walks back toward the desk on the other side, turning around to lean against it as he watches Vincent. ]

[afterform]

( Vincent can recall Lucrecia's earrings clearly. They looked like kites dangling from her earlobes. They were a beautiful crystal white, shimmering all the time. Vincent spirals in the reflection of his past while looking at Cloud's. There are a great many things they share between one another, monumental events even. However, there was a lifetime of events in their history; they do not share. Such as earrings. )

[backoff]

[ He knows of the items on the dresser. He's not sure which Vincent is truthfully staring at the longest. ]

Pick up the object if you want to learn when it comes from or to see the memory. I'm not being a tour guide this time.

[ The memories here didn't seem to go back to Nibelheim at least for now. Cloud wondered if that could all change. He had been thankful during Cayde's time here that he didn't have to relive all of it. ]

[afterform]

( Cloud's words bring Vincent to glance over at the blond. He wonders quietly on the other. To be open with him like this, to invite him like this, it was endearing and special. Something he did not want to take for granted, nor did he want to deny his curiosity for Cloud's offering.

Vincent reaches for the earrings and holds them between his gloved hand and the one wearing the gauntlet. There wasn't much use in feeling the earrings, but Vincent imagined how the steel would feel against his flesh. Were they cold, were they a hard and strong metal or were they a soft and dainty type of metal? )

[backoff]

[ As soon as Vincent touches the earrings he'll see a few dance syncs with a man he will not recognize at all. That won't be all the dress may be quite different from rumored stories. The important part of this memory is that Cloud's dancing, Aerith is within the crowd having a grand old time like she belongs there and Cloud comes out looking like a nice buff woman with a pretty set of earrings to go with it. Nailing the purpose goal of needing to go help Tifa.

The memory ends there, what Vincent will realize with the earrings is that it's not cheap metal. They were meant to last and equally look stunningly beautiful with any outfit. The earrings were probably given in a fashion of how well performed in the dance that he gave. Not many could pull off improvised rhythm. Cloud stays leaning at the desk watching Vincent and wondering what he might end up saying.

It's only a dream, right? ]

[afterform]

( Vincent watches Cloud's rigid body melt with guidance from his mentor into a fluid motion. The choreography isn't anything Vincent could imagine keeping up with, and he's impressed with the sight of Cloud doing so well. Although, perhaps that feeling of pride belongs to Cloud, and Vincent is absorbing the feeling along with the memory. He doesn't expect to Aerith within the memory. Any previous knowledge of this escapade blinks from his mind as Vincent concentrates on the sight of her. It was like he was viewing Aerith through a window, and all he needs to do is go through it.

He has to pull himself from the urge to reach out to her and look for her once Cloud's attention returns to the stranger dancing with him. Once the memory fades, Vincent sets the earrings down and holds his breath before he looks to Cloud. )

Show me more.

[backoff]

[ Cloud knows how odd it had been to keep up with those dance move cues. The reliving of the memories had been getting easier every time. The happy memories had caught him off guard before because he wasn't sure what he would be viewing. He's a bit anxious to see what Vincent may take in all of this.

The side that Vincent was on seemed to hold memories of the past while the side Cloud was on was a life before Geostigma. That's all he could think of it but the flower would probably bring them to Aerith. Cloud would be ready for it if Vincent wanted to see that too. His lips part in surprise while he seems to have forgotten how to breathe for a moment.

Cloud locks eyes with Vincent. ]

What do you want to see? What do you want to know about?