(It was just your average day—a battle against Sephiroth. Every now and then, the group would run into him, each encounter ending in a dramatic mess of sword clashes, bullets flying, and fists moving faster than logic could follow. But this time... was different. Much different.)
Sephiroth (arrogant as ever): “…I see you’re still following me?”
Barret (gruffly): “Damn right we are! We ain’t lettin’ you win, Sephiroth!”
Tifa: “Agreed.”
(Sephiroth stared at them menacingly, though his gaze kept flicking toward Cloud, like a predator amused by its prey.)
Sephiroth: “…Do you actually believe you can win this time?”
(Cloud’s hand tightened around the hilt of the Buster Sword. His glare burned brighter than mako light.)
Cloud: “Oh, we’ll do more than win, you bastard!”
Sephiroth (mocking tone): “…Is that so?”
(Aerith raised her staff, Lifestream energy rippling through her veins, the glow catching her hair like sunlight on water. Sephiroth unsheathed the Masamune in one elegant motion—the air itself trembled as the metal sang.)
Sephiroth: “I do say… this time will be much different.”
(The moment shattered—Sephiroth lunged forward, a silver blur cutting through the chaos. Aerith unleashed a burst of Lifestream energy, pure light surging toward him. Sephiroth deflected it effortlessly, his voice a low chant as dark glyphs spiraled around his arm.)
Zack: “Now what?!”
(The mako air hummed, vibrating with energy. Sephiroth lifted his hand—an ominous, shimmering spell forming within his palm.)
Sephiroth: “I’ve always wondered… did you enjoy your younger days, Cloud?”
Cloud: “The hell’s that supposed to mean?”
(Aerith froze, realization dawning in her eyes. The look of horror said it all.)
Aerith (panicked): “Cloud! Watch out—!”
(Too late. Sephiroth hurled the spell forward. Cloud tried to block it, but the energy phased through his blade, piercing him like a whisper of fire and memory.)
Cloud: “AGH—!!”
Yuffie: “Cloud!” Tifa: “CLOUD!!” Aerith: “No—CLOUD!!” Vincent: “You bastard!” Barret: “Soldier boy! You alright?!” Cait Sith: “Hey! Blondie!” Red XIII: “...!...” Cid: “Damn it—SEPHIROTH!!” Zack: “CLOOOOOOUUUUUD!!!”
(A blinding explosion tore through the field. The shockwave threw everyone off their feet. When the dust cleared, Cloud lay motionless against a tree, his sword half-buried beside him. The smoke thinned… and something felt off. His voice broke the silence, faint but unfamiliar.)
Cloud: “...Agh—what the—?!”
(His tone was lighter. Younger. Like echoes from another time.)
Sephiroth (smirking as he vanished): “…I shall be back, Cloud.”
(He faded into shadow, leaving only the scent of ozone and dread.)
(For a long moment, no one spoke. The breeze carried the faint hum of residual mako. Then—)
Tifa: “…No way…”
(Her heart pounded. The figure before them wasn’t the hardened ex-SOLDIER they knew. His hair was still wild, his mako-blue eyes wide with confusion—but his frame was smaller, leaner… and unmistakably sixteen.)
Zack (grinning, somewhere between nostalgia and chaos): “Just like old times…”
Yuffie: “CLOUD?! Is that you? You look—”
Aerith (softly, finishing her sentence): “—Younger.”
(Cloud looked down at his hands, panic flickering across his face as he realized the truth. His gloves were too big. His sword… impossibly heavy. The proud SOLDIER was now the awkward teenager he once was.)
Cloud: “How did this even happen?!”
(Zack broke into laughter, rushing forward to ruffle Cloud’s newly-teenaged hair.)
Zack: “I forgot how adorable you used to look, old buddy!”
Cloud (blushing furiously): “S-Shut up!!”
(The group could only stare. Somewhere between disbelief, amusement, and impending doom, one thing became clear—whatever Sephiroth had done, this wasn’t just another fight. This was the start of something entirely new… and utterly chaotic.)