Sephiroth leans on a doorway of a slum building

Cloud Strife walks along.... Listening to his headphones

Sephiroth puts out his Masamune to stop Cloud in his tracks

Cloud Strife says, "Eeep!"

Sephiroth says, "where are you going?"

Cloud Strife says, "Umm...."

Cloud Strife points down the street

Sephiroth says, "and what's down there?"

Sephiroth walks to Cloud, still holding the Masamune to keep him blocked

Cloud Strife says, "Some.... Place"

Sephiroth grabs the back of his collar. Lifts him up into the air

Cloud Strife says, "Hey!"

Sephiroth says, "so.... You just decide to walk by here?"

Cloud Strife says, "I’m going somewhere"

Sephiroth carries him inside and drops him on the ground

Cloud Strife sits up

Cloud Strife says, "Why are you hassling me?"

Sephiroth leans on the door after closing it

Sephiroth says, "why?"

Sephiroth swings his Masamune and stabs it into the hole in the floor. Drapes some of his long hair over one shoulder so it is more visible to Cloud

Cloud Strife says, "Cuz... I was just walking and your manhandling me"

Sephiroth says, "this is the slums of Midgar… you have to expect this"

Cloud Strife says, "Grr..."

Sephiroth places his boot on Cloud's chest

Cloud Strife says, "So what are you gonna do to me? Rob me? Hey!"

Sephiroth says, "not sure yet. robbing would be a good start... do you even have any money?"

Cloud Strife takes his headphones off and fishes a few gil out of his pockets

Cloud Strife says, "Here... its all I got"

Sephiroth takes the gil and puts it away

Cloud Strife says, "Hell... if you’re really desperate I have a sterling silver earring"

Sephiroth says, "heh"

Sephiroth reaches down and picks Cloud up from under his boot. pulls him to eye level

Cloud Strife Decides to use the "I’m a wuss" technique until he can get a clear shot on Sephiroth's groin with his boot

Sephiroth says, "Now... why are you down in the slums?"

Cloud Strife says, "Cuz this is where I live"

Sephiroth says, "doesn't everyone?"

Sephiroth laughs. takes Cloud's headphones and looks at them

Sephiroth says, "This yours?"

Cloud Strife watches Sephiroth quietly

Cloud Strife says, "Yes.. they're mine"

Sephiroth says, "how did you get it?"

Cloud Strife says, "I worked my ass off"

Sephiroth says, "doing?"

Cloud Strife says, "Just stuff... I’m strong"

Sephiroth says, "really? how strong?"

Sephiroth drops him

Cloud Strife says, "Strong enough"

Sephiroth says, "show me"

Sephiroth folds his arms

Cloud Strife says, "Umm.. how?"

Sephiroth says, "any way you can"

Cloud Strife stands and dusts himself off. suddenly drops low and elbows at Sephiroth's abdomen

Sephiroth catches Cloud's elbow. pushes him onto the floor

Cloud Strife says, "Wha?"

Sephiroth says, "I'm fast"

Cloud Strife stands up again and sends a kick at Sephiroth's groin

Sephiroth spins round and catches Cloud's foot with his own leg... and twists him onto the floor

Cloud Strife blinks

Sephiroth says, "No one has ever won in a fight with me"

Cloud Strife stands up... and registers mild pain... but isn’t gonna let this guy make a fool of him. grabs for Sephiroth's hair

Sephiroth blocks with his arm then twists Cloud around, pinning him to his chest so Cloud sees the wall

Cloud Strife says, "fuck...."

Sephiroth says, "I told you... no one ever wins"

Cloud Strife says, "Why the hell are you picking on me?"

Sephiroth says, "It's what I do. Now.... do you like ShinRa?"

Cloud Strife says, "No.."

Sephiroth says, "Really? And why not?"

Cloud Strife says, "They oppress us here down below"

Sephiroth says, "yes... and have whole towns wiped out by SOLDIER"

Cloud Strife says, "like my town. The reason I had to come live here"

Sephiroth says, "your town?"

Cloud Strife says, "little rural town... at the foot of the Nibel Mountains. Nibelheim"

Sephiroth blinks and lets go of him

Sephiroth says, "I still never got an answer on why they had it burned down... but it was enough to make me quit"

Cloud Strife says, "You had something to do with my town getting burned?"

Cloud Strife holds his wrist, which got a little twisted from fighting

Sephiroth says, "Yes.... I was once the top-ranking SOLDIER.... until I left"

Cloud Strife nods

Cloud Strife says, "Then what are you doing down here hassling people?"

Sephiroth says, "I was a thief when I was a kid... so I just went back to it"

Sephiroth folds his arms

Cloud Strife says, "Oh.. well I gave ya all I had... can I go now?"

Sephiroth says, "you can unless you want to get rid of ShinRa"

Cloud Strife says, "Humph… Doesn’t everyone?"

Sephiroth says, "I mean... help. do you want to help?"

Cloud Strife says, "yeah"

Sephiroth takes up his Masamune and walks to the bookshelf. pulls on one of the books... opening the secrete passage

Cloud Strife says, "Whoa"

Sephiroth says, "come on"

Sephiroth walks into the passage

Cloud Strife follows Sephiroth

Sephiroth enters the secrete basement meeting area

Cloud Strife says, "What’s this place?"

Sephiroth says, "a meeting area... people are needed to do things in order to destroy ShinRa. are you willing to risk your life and do that?"

Cloud Strife says, "Yeah. They killed my mom"

Sephiroth nods

Sephiroth says, "Are you willing to blow things up?"

Cloud Strife says, "And my friend... he was there with me at the time... visiting. Blow things up? Hell yeah"

Sephiroth grins

Sephiroth says, "you seem perfect for the job"

Cloud Strife says, "Gee Cuz I’m worthless an prolly gonna die?"

Sephiroth says, "because you have the willingness to blow things up"

Cloud Strife says, "I hope I die.... I miss my mom and my friend.... "

Sephiroth says, "don't die on purpose.... got me?"

Cloud Strife says, "yeah yeah"

Cloud Strife sighs.. as his friend was more than a "friend"

Sephiroth says, "did your friend have a name?"

Cloud Strife says, "I met him.. when I ran away from home one time. his name was Zack"

Sephiroth nods

Sephiroth says, "why'd you run away? You had a home"

Cloud Strife says, "I was one of those kids who ran away from home Cuz there was nothing else to do"

Sephiroth says, "trust me... having a home is something I sometimes envied others on... I grew up on the streets"

Cloud Strife nods

Cloud Strife says, "I lived in a little dinky town. When I was 14 I decided to hit the road"

Sephiroth says, "still... you had a family"

Cloud Strife says, "Yah. Just a mom though... never knew my dad"

Sephiroth says, "when I was 14 I joined SOLDIER so I could finally have food and shelter without have to steal or scrounge it"

Cloud Strife says, "I had to do that a little.... I made it all the way to the gongaga region before I got some jungle fever and was laid up for a while... then they sent me home"

Sephiroth nods

Sephiroth says, "you did not know the lay of the land, try being homeless your whole life... no mother or father. just yourself"

Cloud Strife says, "Hey... got anything to eat down here?"

Sephiroth sighs and turns away from him a moment. lifts his head

Sephiroth says, "only what I cook"

Cloud Strife says, "Well I’m game"

Sephiroth nods and walks back upstairs

Cloud Strife scratches his neck

Sephiroth changes his cloths and starts to cook. cooks.... and the smell travels down to Cloud making his mouth water

Sephiroth says, "Come on up if you want to eat"

Cloud Strife walks up the stairs

Cloud Strife says, "It smells good"

Sephiroth walks out of the cooking area with a steaming bowl

Cloud Strife blinks

Cloud Strife says, "You changed your clothes"

Sephiroth says, "yes"

Sephiroth sets the bowl on the counter

Sephiroth says, "on the house...or let's just say it costs the gil I took from you"

Cloud Strife says, "Alright"

Cloud Strife sniffs the food.. but guesses if its gonna kill him while smelling that good its not gonna be too bad. starts to eat

Sephiroth goes back to the cooking area and cleans up a bit before coming back

Cloud Strife says, "Wow... this stuff's great"

Sephiroth says, "I know. but no one ever comes here... that's why I resort to stealing and hassling people. everyone always likes to go to Tifa's 7th Heaven... just to stare at her... they don't care about the food"

Cloud Strife nods

Cloud Strife says, "Yeah. You need a cute bartender... that’s all"

Sephiroth says, "humph..."

Sephiroth folds his arms.... his hair tied back cause he was cooking

Cloud Strife admires Sephiroth but manages to hide the fact he's doing it

Cloud Strife says, "or put a fan in the window so people smell what your cooking"

Sephiroth says, "I'd need a fan"

Sephiroth sighs and looks around, his mako green eyes shinning

Sephiroth says, "any way... working with me means you get food and drink free"

Cloud Strife opens the window. leans out the window and looks around

Sephiroth takes away the empty bowl

Cloud Strife thinks about what he's lost and what he may have to gain. turns away from the window

Sephiroth looks at Cloud

Cloud Strife says, "That was an excellent meal... best I've had..... since ... Nibelheim"

Sephiroth says, "glad you liked it"

Sephiroth walks back to the cooking area and washes the bowl

Cloud Strife says, "You’re kinda on the domestic side for.. a guy"

Sephiroth walks back out

Sephiroth says, "I grew up on the streets... had to rely on myself... some times I earned money by helping out and doing chores like this... but often I just stole"

Cloud Strife nods

Cloud Strife says, "I bet you sew too"

Sephiroth says, "make all my own clothing"

Cloud Strife says, "I work my ass off to get mine"

Sephiroth says, "creation takes work. one might say my love of fine arts and cooking balances my love of battle. I'm equally skilled in both"

Cloud Strife says, "That’s cool.. I’m a lump... I can do hard labor and that’s about it"

Sephiroth says, "some people are like that. any way.... everyone does something... you can do heavy stuff"

Cloud Strife nods and stretches languidly

Cloud Strife says, "As long as you'll cook for me again I'll do anything"

Sephiroth says, "do you have a place to sleep? I'll cook... I love to cook"

Cloud Strife says, "no.. I sleep wherever I can find room..... since you took all my gil its the streets tonight"

Sephiroth says, "you can sleep in the secrete area then"

Cloud Strife nods. wants to say something but feels it inappropriate

Sephiroth looks at him

Sephiroth says, "you seem to have something on your mind"

Cloud Strife says, "naw..."

Sephiroth says, "you sure.. your brow is creased in such a way that denotes having something on your mind..."

Cloud Strife blushes slightly

Cloud Strife says, "Just.. thinking that’s all"

Sephiroth says, "why are you blushing?"

Cloud Strife puts his hands to his face

Cloud Strife says, "No... reason in particular"

Sephiroth grins a little. leans over the counter... looking Cloud up and down

Cloud Strife tries not to blush more but probably does

Sephiroth says, "why not tell me what's on your mind before you turn bright red"

Cloud Strife says, "Oh dear.."

Sephiroth says, "well?"

Cloud Strife says, "You just remind me .... of Zack a little"

Sephiroth grins slightly... as if he already knows what's on Cloud's mind

Sephiroth says, "oh really?"

Cloud Strife says, "He... could cook and stuff... I miss him"

Sephiroth says, "more then just a friend?"

Cloud Strife says, "yeah...."

Sephiroth says, "what I thought. what happened?"

Cloud Strife says, "We were gonna.... move out and live together... we were finalizing the plans... when ShinRa came....."

Sephiroth sighs to himself

Cloud Strife says, "He was trying to get my mom outta the house... when the roof caved in on him"

Sephiroth says, "I should have never listened to ShinRa. they didn't even explain why they wanted the town destroyed"

Cloud Strife says, "I think... Tifa and I were the only survivors"

Sephiroth says, "after that day I left SOLDIER.... they do not check for me here"

Cloud Strife hangs his head

Cloud Strife says, "We had big plans.. he and I"

Sephiroth says, "did anyone check for survivors?"

Cloud Strife says, "Tifa and I searched"

Sephiroth says, "you found them all dead?"

Sephiroth looks at Cloud with his bright green eyes

Cloud Strife says, "Didn’t find any bodies... just ashes"