I already know nobody deserves me and everyone would be better off with me gone, you don't need to keep repeating it. Yes, everyone else is more important. I know.
[Maybe if he makes it perfectly clear he already gets it, people will stop hinting about it! There are downsides to being branded a Legend, the heightened emotions on standard already unstable teenager baseline is wildly unhelpful.
The pacing comes to an immediate stop.]
Don't try to make it weird. I just respect his strength and ability to act without hesitation.
I didn't say that. You didn't deserve what happened to you either, Sephiroth.
[ One day, maybe Sephiroth will be able to realize Vincent was trying to say something different. It's... not as if he can't understand being lost in self-loathing. Until then, he can only keep repeating it. ]
That's admiring someone. It's not weird. I'm trying to understand why this is important to you.
This one is. You don't want Zack, there are plenty of people in Folkmore that could match a SOLDIER. But it has to be Cloud because you admire his strength and his ability to act. Is that right?
[ This gives Vincent some pause. Not because he's surprised at the response, but because he feels it deserves a bit of thought before he answers. ]
You're probably right. Even if there's someone out there who would, it wouldn't be the same as Cloud, would it?
[ In Folkmore there probably are people from other worlds that would fight back. And sure, Agrona exists and there's Thirteen's iteration who could help Sephiroth. But an overwhelming, unbeatable foe would still not be the same as Cloud. ]
Everyone here is just going to see some child and act accordingly. Little pointless spars are a waste of time. I need to be strong enough to face one of my mothers, and she's a world ending cataclysm.
[....... oh hey guess what he hasn't considered. How to actually approach Cloud.]
I wasn't planning to. I figured he'd probably go for the throat if I just happen to turn up somewhere again and he's in the area.
[ Here is Vincent, ladies and gentlemen, learning what it's like to try and parent a teenager. ]
If you happen to, Sephiroth? [ It's text. It really is. But how can the sheer doubt and suspicion come through so well? Maybe because Vincent's face can be imagined. ] Have you thought about trying to reach out to him first? Maybe send a letter?
[ Yes. A letter. Not an email or text. But this time it's not just Vincent's archaic world view that is behind the suggestion of an actual letter. ]
Yes, it's not like I know where he is, it'll be guesswork!
I'm not writing him a letter. He won't read it, and anyway what would I write in it?? Hello sir, please try to kill me again so I can get some practice in that isn't an utter waste of effort?
[ Except Sephiroth knows where Cloud generally lives and just going to hang out near enough to threaten security and friends by presence. A person on the street could do that level of 'guesswork', no Turk level of skill needed. ]
You could start with an apology for what you did. Something not given in the heat of the moment. Explain to him about what you would like.
If you write it, I'll make sure he reads it.
And stop talking about dying so lightly. Even if you come back here, it's not something you should get used to.
[ Didn't he just say something similar to Cloud? Yes. Yes he did. ]
I tried to explain myself already, it didn't work. I don't think it's suddenly going to help if I say it again. That's a terrible idea.
Didn't you say that I don't stay dead anyway? Getting used to it is a very good idea. Plus! I don't intend to just stand there and let him carve me up into lunch meat, that's try to kill me. Escape is sometimes just as important.
You won't know until you try. Also you won't be right there in front of him.
[ And a letter has another purpose besides being a small distraction. A text or an email is 'fast'. Closer to a real conversation where there is an expectation of a fast response. Well, in Vincent's mind anyway. Letters can be read and reread. And writing them physically does mean taking the time to consider what to put on the paper. No backspacing. ]
That isn't guaranteed if you're changing the future. You might not stay dead. Getting used to dying isn't going to do you good here. It's not going to make you strong like Cloud.
[ There's going to be some typing here. It's actually very neat and precise without a hint of needing to backspace the summary. ]
You saw in Cloud what it will take to save everyone. From Jenova. From yourself it things go wrong.
Cloud is the only one here you see with the motivation and drive to treat you seriously to prepare for that. That's a reasonable assumption. Especially since you never know when you're going to be thrust back to our world. You've seen his drive and dedication as well as his skills. For the first time, there's someone stronger than you without tricks or subterfuge or strategy. And you recognize that worth. You respect that. Even admire it. And it's worth the risk to face dying in a safer place like Folkmore in order to learn them.
You aren't trying to die, you want to grow. But you don't know how to approach him. You might even be thinking the only way you're going to get the reaction you want to face off with him is to provoke him with your presence.
[ Is that proof enough he listened and understood? ]
There's something you should know. Cloud didn't do it all on his own. When he tried, things went badly. But...he found people to rely on.
[It is not. That just means he was heard, not listened to, and then put aside in favor of the opinions of an adult who thought he knew better.
He'd be less frustrated by it were it not for more recent shared experiences with someone much closer to his age.]
I know he had a team. That's irrelevant.
If the entire point is he's the only person who is treating me the way everyone should be, why on Gaia would I ever want to defang him by persisting with peace offering with nice words and apology letters!
[ Rather an adult who tended to overthink things. ]
Ah, I see. Sorry. Give me a moment to think.
[ Which won't be long but... you know, texting. Eventually the typing dots start again. ]
You're worried he would hold back if he came to see you like most people do here. That's reasonable. Never mind the letter.
But. I'm not sure he would because Cloud knows what's at stake. Still, I can't be sure.
I'm worried about what it would take to get him to face off against you the way you want, especially when he realizes you're trying to get that to happen by showing up where he might be.
[ Cloud could easily just switch off and refuse to engage which would be worse than 'holding back'. And if Sephiroth tries to escalate in some form even if the teen doesn't intend to follow through... ]
If there was a way to get what you want, but not trick Cloud into it, would you be willing to try that? I would need to look into a few things.
[He sets down his relic and rubs his face with one hand. How did this keep happening every time he asked anyone anything? Maybe he should just stop being truthful, it seemed to only cause problems.]
If I wanted to watch a training montage I'd just go to Agrona. Maybe I should anyway.
[ Vincent has his doubts. But he has also known Yuffie for a while. ]
I'll get back to you soon. Try not to get into too much trouble, Sephiroth.
[ Does he believe Sephiroth has had a change of heart? Nope. Is he going to help anyway? Well at the very least he's going to see what he can do. And he's not going to just let Cloud deal with this without some kind of warning.
Too bad the Fae will show up and put a small wrench in this, no matter what he manages to pass by way of warning. ]
I never get into trouble. Trouble finds me. And I'm at school anyway, the trouble I can get into here is mostly tennis related.
[He plunks down on the ground, and then tips over backwards with an 'ugh', dropping his relic onto his chest. The passage of fellow students flows around him like a rock in a stream, save one palomino horse-looking classmate, who leans over just enough to deposit a juice box near the relic and continue on.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 10:10 am (UTC)[Maybe if he makes it perfectly clear he already gets it, people will stop hinting about it! There are downsides to being branded a Legend, the heightened emotions on standard already unstable teenager baseline is wildly unhelpful.
The pacing comes to an immediate stop.]
Don't try to make it weird. I just respect his strength and ability to act without hesitation.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 10:24 am (UTC)[ One day, maybe Sephiroth will be able to realize Vincent was trying to say something different. It's... not as if he can't understand being lost in self-loathing. Until then, he can only keep repeating it. ]
That's admiring someone. It's not weird. I'm trying to understand why this is important to you.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 10:29 am (UTC)I already told you why, anyway.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 05:50 pm (UTC)This one is. You don't want Zack, there are plenty of people in Folkmore that could match a SOLDIER. But it has to be Cloud because you admire his strength and his ability to act. Is that right?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 07:28 pm (UTC)You're probably right. Even if there's someone out there who would, it wouldn't be the same as Cloud, would it?
[ In Folkmore there probably are people from other worlds that would fight back. And sure, Agrona exists and there's Thirteen's iteration who could help Sephiroth. But an overwhelming, unbeatable foe would still not be the same as Cloud. ]
How do you plan on approaching Cloud with this?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 07:39 pm (UTC)[....... oh hey guess what he hasn't considered. How to actually approach Cloud.]
I wasn't planning to. I figured he'd probably go for the throat if I just happen to turn up somewhere again and he's in the area.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 08:05 pm (UTC)If you happen to, Sephiroth? [ It's text. It really is. But how can the sheer doubt and suspicion come through so well? Maybe because Vincent's face can be imagined. ] Have you thought about trying to reach out to him first? Maybe send a letter?
[ Yes. A letter. Not an email or text. But this time it's not just Vincent's archaic world view that is behind the suggestion of an actual letter. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 08:07 pm (UTC)I'm not writing him a letter. He won't read it, and anyway what would I write in it?? Hello sir, please try to kill me again so I can get some practice in that isn't an utter waste of effort?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 08:24 pm (UTC)You could start with an apology for what you did. Something not given in the heat of the moment. Explain to him about what you would like.
If you write it, I'll make sure he reads it.
And stop talking about dying so lightly. Even if you come back here, it's not something you should get used to.
[ Didn't he just say something similar to Cloud? Yes. Yes he did. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 08:39 pm (UTC)Didn't you say that I don't stay dead anyway? Getting used to it is a very good idea. Plus! I don't intend to just stand there and let him carve me up into lunch meat, that's try to kill me. Escape is sometimes just as important.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 09:08 pm (UTC)[ And a letter has another purpose besides being a small distraction. A text or an email is 'fast'. Closer to a real conversation where there is an expectation of a fast response. Well, in Vincent's mind anyway. Letters can be read and reread. And writing them physically does mean taking the time to consider what to put on the paper. No backspacing. ]
That isn't guaranteed if you're changing the future. You might not stay dead. Getting used to dying isn't going to do you good here. It's not going to make you strong like Cloud.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 09:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 09:18 pm (UTC)[ That he wants to learn how to avoid dying? As a side effect of getting used to dying? ]
Or something else?
no subject
Date: 2024-07-05 09:20 pm (UTC)Never mind. I'll figure it out on my own.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 01:07 am (UTC)You saw in Cloud what it will take to save everyone. From Jenova. From yourself it things go wrong.
Cloud is the only one here you see with the motivation and drive to treat you seriously to prepare for that. That's a reasonable assumption. Especially since you never know when you're going to be thrust back to our world. You've seen his drive and dedication as well as his skills. For the first time, there's someone stronger than you without tricks or subterfuge or strategy. And you recognize that worth. You respect that. Even admire it. And it's worth the risk to face dying in a safer place like Folkmore in order to learn them.
You aren't trying to die, you want to grow. But you don't know how to approach him. You might even be thinking the only way you're going to get the reaction you want to face off with him is to provoke him with your presence.
[ Is that proof enough he listened and understood? ]
There's something you should know. Cloud didn't do it all on his own. When he tried, things went badly. But...he found people to rely on.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 01:32 am (UTC)He'd be less frustrated by it were it not for more recent shared experiences with someone much closer to his age.]
I know he had a team. That's irrelevant.
If the entire point is he's the only person who is treating me the way everyone should be, why on Gaia would I ever want to defang him by persisting with peace offering with nice words and apology letters!
Then he'd be like everyone else. Holding back.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 12:36 pm (UTC)Ah, I see. Sorry. Give me a moment to think.
[ Which won't be long but... you know, texting. Eventually the typing dots start again. ]
You're worried he would hold back if he came to see you like most people do here. That's reasonable. Never mind the letter.
But. I'm not sure he would because Cloud knows what's at stake. Still, I can't be sure.
I'm worried about what it would take to get him to face off against you the way you want, especially when he realizes you're trying to get that to happen by showing up where he might be.
[ Cloud could easily just switch off and refuse to engage which would be worse than 'holding back'. And if Sephiroth tries to escalate in some form even if the teen doesn't intend to follow through... ]
If there was a way to get what you want, but not trick Cloud into it, would you be willing to try that? I would need to look into a few things.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-06 10:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 12:22 am (UTC)I won't stop you if it's not enough.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 01:06 am (UTC)If I wanted to watch a training montage I'd just go to Agrona. Maybe I should anyway.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 01:58 am (UTC)I'm not asking you to watch a training montage. I want you to see what kind of person Cloud is when he fights. Though Agrona isn't a bad idea.
[ Vincent sighs. ]
And yes. I want to save Cloud some stress if possible. He's my friend. If there's a way to do that and help you with your goal, I'll find it.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-07 09:47 am (UTC)[Step one: tell the grownup what they want to hear. Step two: do it anyway once they've had time to get over it.]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-09 03:36 pm (UTC)I'll get back to you soon. Try not to get into too much trouble, Sephiroth.
[ Does he believe Sephiroth has had a change of heart? Nope. Is he going to help anyway? Well at the very least he's going to see what he can do. And he's not going to just let Cloud deal with this without some kind of warning.
Too bad the Fae will show up and put a small wrench in this, no matter what he manages to pass by way of warning. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-07-09 05:23 pm (UTC)[He plunks down on the ground, and then tips over backwards with an 'ugh', dropping his relic onto his chest. The passage of fellow students flows around him like a rock in a stream, save one palomino horse-looking classmate, who leans over just enough to deposit a juice box near the relic and continue on.
Just another Thursday at Kuma Lisa.]
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: