#corel prison

[yinza]

Romancing Barret Week - Day 4: new beginnings

Okay, here's my pitch for this one: as part of redressing all the damage Shinra has done, Barret returns post-game to Corel Prison. Ester, who's been doing her best to work within the system, is happy to help with a complete overhaul. Together they work to rehabilitate the people Shinra threw down there to rot.

Everybody goes up, and eventually their working relationship turns into something more.

[Image Description: Digital artwork depicting Barret and Ester in Corel Prison. Ester wears her pink dress and chocobo feather in her hair, and the bow on her collar is fastened with a small trans pride pin. She and Barret stand on either side of the elevator leading up, which is wide open and no longer gated off, and Ester makes a welcoming gesture inside. Barret looks back at her with a smile. Partially hidden from view around the base of the structure is a dusty sign for Gold Saucer. /end ID]

[chippersweetbaby]

I thought he looked so pretty as he stood there dissociating while that guy talked about the card game they’ve been forcing me to play in order to progress the plot so much that I hate it now too. I actually kind of liked Queensblood for a minute. Now I’m fucking sick of it.

[goddessofroyalty]

I'm up to Corel Prison part of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth which means I've lost Barret from my party temporarily (and if you have played through you will probably know what has triggered these thoughts)

But oh boy am I becoming more painfully aware by the moment that the rest of the party currently is three (petite) girls, a (constantly-confused looking) twink, and two cats.

Barret please hurry up and come back! Also Cid please show up soon! And Vincent! We need the non Easy Target looking party members.

[mariyekos]

FFVII Rebirth and Gameplay at the Cost of Atmosphere

This is probably going to be part 1 of a series of posts/mini-essays so I'll write more on it later, but while doing one of the Chapter 12 Sidequests in Rebirth, I finally figured out how to phrase one of my biggest issues with this game:

There are several places in Rebirth where they include special gameplay at the cost of good atmosphere. This often, but not always, accompanies either a change or new addition to the plot.

I've put some elaboration on what I mean below. For now, it's only looking at that one sidequest in Chapter 12, though it happens all over the game. But the tl;dr is that sometimes game shoots itself in the foot/misses completely when trying to create a certain atmosphere because it prioritizes a certain type of gameplay that is antithetical to that atmosphere.

The Monsters Aren't Real, and How That Hurts the Atmosphere

The sidequest in question is Lament of the Damned, the sidequest in Shinra Manor where you go with Vincent to explore reports of a crying woman. The thing that got me about this one was the combat trials.

What's in the Game

When you go explore under the manor, both Vincent and Hojo mention deadly combat trials, which is a great setup for some horror and an overall creepy atmosphere. Because wow! If Hojo has no qualms about putting his own experiments to death if they don't prove worthy, that means he's really messed up! (And that Vincent in particular has had an even more disturbing past than we thought). The manor was definitely creepy in the original with all of the monsters roaming the halls and the pop up Ying Yang in particular. There are no more battles in the Shinra Manor (besides Cait Sith's section), so maybe this is their way of making up for that.

Except... in the Remake, the combat trials are just simulations. You don't have to face any real monsters. It's all fake. There are no monsters roaming the halls unchecked anymore, nor are there caged monsters, created for the sole purpose of testing your strength. And this lack of real monsters totally kills the deranged/creepy haunted house atmosphere the original Shinra Manor had.

(Which, to be fair, is already changed by the under-manor laboratory being a huge complex rather than a couple of rooms, which is part of the larger shift in atmosphere done for the entirety of Nibelheim. I won't go into to detail in this post, but while I thought the Cait Sith gameplay segment was actually a lot of fun, I was disappointed by how it killed the vibe too).

Room for Improvement

I personally believe the combat trial aspect would be much creepier and much more effective if you were trapped in a room and real monsters were suddenly let loose on you. Then it would feel like a real fight for your life, and make Vincent's comments about how subjects were disposed of via combat trial all the more impactful. Because simulations can't kill you (or at least, don't seem like they should be able to), so in the simulation verse, there should be no direct consequences to losing. It seems a lot dumber to be killed by a simulation than ripped apart by real monsters. Less scary, though I suppose there's a certain appeal to being killed by the unreal. Still, I don't think they leaned into that hard enough. Maybe they meant to imply that creatures which lost to the simulation would be disposed of either by real monsters or just euthanasia afterwards, but meh. I still think that's less disturbing than throwing test subjects into a room where they either defeat the monsters that have been loosed on them, or die a grisly death. And even if they do somehow die to the simulations, something about it just doesn't hit the same.

Having the monsters only be simulations also loses the disturbing aspect of the basement being inhabited by monsters of Hojo's creation that exist for the sole purpose of testing other experiments of his. Because isn't that messed up? For Hojo to create beings whose sole purpose is to, ideally, be killed by his more successful test subjects? To have to face creatures which may have once been normal animals or innocent civilians who have been twisted to fight but can never be saved, so you must either kill them or die yourself? When the monsters you fight are just simulations, you lose that thought/fear of "oh no, look what he's done to these real living creatures, not only mutating them but sending them to their deaths for his amusement."

When the monsters are fake/just simulations, it means Hojo isn't hurting as many real people, and you don't have to face the disturbing idea of having to put down real beings who probably once had real thoughts and feelings. (Which would've been SO GOOD with the line Vincent has after the combat trials, where he DOES talk about Monsters having feelings. But the monsters you fight aren't real. Not until the very last one. So it doesn't hit the same).

So tl;dr of this section: the fact that the simulations are just that- only simulations, i.e. not real- both reduces the threat level in terms of danger to the character, and eliminates the disturbing realization that Hojo has created creatures who are (if his experiments are successful) are meant to die. Both the atmosphere of the manor and Hojo's character lose out there, imo.

Why the Monsters Aren't Real, or the Gameplay Reason

After beating the combat trials, I came to realize (the likely reason) why they made the combat trials simulations rather than real battles: so they could include combat objectives and so you can take the trials at your own pace (i.e. leave and come back).

Repeating the Trials/Combat Objectives

First, the combat objectives.

There are two types: timers and stagger. If you were fighting against real enemies, having a stagger requirement wouldn't make as much sense, since a real battle should really just be about surviving. Why would you need to stagger them? What would happen if you didn't? Would a monster be more likely to kill you if you didn't stagger it? That's not how it works in gameplay. As for the timer, I could see there still being a timer requirement in the form of these enemies doing some sort of enrage move after a set amount of time, but the stagger one doesn't make as much sense. (For people who don't know what enrage is, it's the idea that an enemy will use an unlivable attack against you. An unavoidable OHKO.)

By making the fights simulations rather than real battles, it then makes sense for Hojo (cough cough the devs) to implement certain specific requirements to progress. It also gives them a better excuse for why you might need to repeat the trials- you didn't meet the combat objectives, so now you have to do it again. Because the trials don't auto-fail if you don't meet the combat objectives, you just don't get to go forward.

But I think it loses sight of the creepy scientist and horror basement thing if what you're fighting isn't real. There is no penalty for not doing the trial "right." If there was an actual enrage at the end of the timer (i.e. if you just straight up lost/died), then that would be terrifying! Because wow, Hojo is willing to kill his subject if they're not fast enough! But no, he just doesn't pass them and has them try again. Which makes him less creepy/insane seeming, because now he's kinder because he's willing to give things a second chance. It's less impactful.

In my opinion, being able to implement combat objectives isn't worth that loss of impact. Because combat objectives don't have to be in this part of the game. Chadley has combat objectives in his simulator. If they want us to do combat simulator stuff, have us do it with Chadley. Don't hurt the atmosphere in the manor to include this dumb requirement, which not only means there's less threat in the form of the monsters not being real, but also kills any sense of urgency because you can repeat the trials as many times as you want, or even come back later if you don't have the time. It's a loss of atmosphere for the sake of gameplay in a bad way. They didn't have to write it like this, but they did. And it happens several times through this game.

Backing Out/Limited Creature Game Logic

Speaking of which...I think it's okay to have the occasional unskippable battle, or occasional battle arena where you have to beat them all to progress/do them all over if you run, but the devs sure don't. If the battles weren't simulations, it would make a lot of sense for them to be one after the other. Battles where you've got to do them all to make it through.

Since they're not real battles and are simulations you have to execute, it makes sense that you can come and go. But I don't think that's the order that concept was conceived in; instead I think the devs went "in order to allow the player to come and go at any time, we should make it so you only have to do the battles one by one, and a simulation would be great for that!" And the game really hand holds you with that. Most of Chadley's simulations have multiple battles in a row where you have to beat them all to proceed, but the ones in this sidequests are all individual battles with individual goals.

Now, I am all for accessibility and quality of life in gaming, and I really like that, for example, you can save basically everywhere now instead of needing a save point. But it's fine to remove a little bit of Quality of Life/Accessibility for a single sidequest where you face a battle gauntlet! I mean, the game already has points where it limits your access to Fast Travel so you have to progress the plot. And like I mentioned before, most of the Chadley battle simulations have multiple rounds too! Why not do that here, where you have to do the battles (at least the 4 simulation ones, I would be fine with stopping before the boss) before moving on? You can save right then and there! You're healed between battles too! It's okay to make things slightly less convenient sometimes for the sake of atmosphere! How cool/exciting would it be if Hojo set 4 rounds of monsters on you in a row, where you had to beat them all or game over? I'd love it. That would raise the stakes. And, it would make for a more unique atmosphere. But this isn't something that seems to be a high priority for Rebirth, which I find unfortunate.

(Sidenote, this happens with both gameplay and visuals. At least in the Cave of the Gi they had runestones instead of Jukeboxes... but they didn't bother to change the Jukebox in Vincent's room for some reason. Or to put it somewhere else if they didn't want to change the model. The jukebox and potion bench are so weird man. They kill the vibe made by the rest of the creepy basement full of coffins and candles. It's supposed to feel old and out of time, but the jukebox and bench ruin it.)

I could also see the argument that the devs made this a simulation rather than a real battle based on the logic that having an infinite number of monsters (for infinite tries to complete the objectives) makes less sense when they're real monsters rather than simulations, but I don't think that matters. This is a video game. There are already infinite monsters in the overworld. There can be infinite monsters here.

Finally, going back to the idea of stagger and time objectives from above...you could technically do those with real enemies too. Have it so Hojo will just send more monsters at you if you fail. Make it real Hojo instead of hologram AI Hojo. Or have the AI be able to detect that the enemies weren't staggered/killed in time! Now that I think about it, there are combat objectives against real enemies in the overworld, so they technically didn't need to make these battles part of a simulation for combat objectives. But I still feel strongly that these battles were made to be simulations instead of real battles for the sake of combat objectives.

Last Thoughts (for now!)

FFVII Rebirth has leaned very strongly into AI, simulation, and advanced technology that had not been conceived/wasn't in the public consciousness when the original was released. At times, the game wants to lean very hard into this new technology at the cost of the atmosphere that made the original so great. It's a different type of horror. A different type of creepy.

Being trapped in a virtual world can be terrifying, but it's a different type of terror to being trapped in the real world. Being killed by simulations sounds disturbing, but it's a different type of disturbing than being killed by real creatures. The writers may have done this because they felt it was an equivalent exchange (hehe), but for me at least, I find what the original did so much more striking.

Full disclaimer, I am not, and have never been, big into sci-fi. Remake and Rebirth lean into high tech sci-fi more than the OG did (which 100% had its own sci-fi aspects! I mean, the villain is an alien for starters, and the evil scientists' actions are central to the plot!), at the cost of some of the more down-to earth horror/other aspects of the original. I find this disappointing. It's a different choice that is sometimes really cool (ex. with so much technology it becomes much more obvious that Shinra has constant global surveillance, which is very distopian), but sometimes worse (ex. President Shinra only being a hologram rather than the real guy in Reactor No. 5 makes him seem a lot less cocky since he doesn't show up in person).

I think Shinra Manor as a whole has absolutely lost the atmosphere that made me love it so much in the original. It went from a grimy mansion to a sterile lab. Both are good settings for horror, but they just don't hit the same. This sidequest suffered from wanting to be part of that sterile high tech lab, instead of the low-tech horror of the original where people/Hojo seem(ed) to be playing god in much more material ways. Which is...a different point better left for another essay.

We'll see if I ever get to writing it, lol. For now I uh. Haven't actually finished the game. I have 91 hours and am only about an hour slash two sidequests into Chapter 12, but I haven't had much free time to continue. Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to push through some more!

[finalfantasymusicdaily]

Desert Wasteland -Corel Prison- Arranged by Masaya Tsunemoto

[holly-fixation]

I cannot describe the inspiration failing at the piano game in Rebirth gives me to play the actual piano. There are so many things I do wrong in the game that I KNOW I wouldn't mess up if I actually learned the song (albeit not in 5 minutes)

[willosword]

chadley doesnt have the same proximity effect on his voice that the other npcs do and let me tell you it is mildly terrifying to run away while he’s in the middle of his ‘you’ve been neglecting to gather intel’ speech. it echoes in your head no matter how far away you are

[ereborne]

Song of the Day: March 5

Solemn Gus's theme, whatever the hell it's called! by Nobuo Uematsu for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

[jxgi]

@hiislegacy liked for a starter.

"th'fuck is that thing on yer back-?" a snarl twists the shape of his lips, his growl not without a hyena's cackle. "surprised yer able to even walk-" doubt coils around the edge of his words, his grimace unreserved.

he kicks dust with the heel of his boots as he circles the blonde, eyes the weapon as if to consider stealing it for himself. hell, were jagi one for swords, he's perhaps consider it a contender for the coolest fucking thing he ever did see. fortunately for the stranger, jagi would do about as much good with a sword as he'd do in a beauty contest.

still; who's to say it couldn't catch a few gil? there are men deep within the depths of the corel prison who would kill for such a treasure. perhaps jagi will do the job for them-

he closes the gap between himself and blonde, folds arms over his chest as he eyes their attire. mercenary? SOLDIER? he's half-certain he's been arrested by someone donning such gear before now. but this kid-? this guy's young, green-looking.

"want me t'lighten the load for you? all yer gotta do is hand it over."

[fantasygamer93youtube]

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Chapter 8 Dustbowl Corel Prison #26 https://youtu.be/GnoWpp3rAtg #finalfantasy7 #ff7r #finalfantasy7 #ff7cloud #ff7tifa #ff7aerith #ff7barret #ff7redxiii #ff7caitsith #ff7dustbowl #like #retweet #watch #view #share

[anakinh]

more ramblings (complaints) on rebirth: you know... not every chapter needs a boss fight. and not every boss fight needs to be a challenge. especially if it wasn't originally?

and good thing: uhh I love barret a lot??? he's a great person???? yeah. gold saucer fun. why should i get a dio shirt when he's not wearing a shirt.

edit: wish they ran over elena. i know she's supposed to be obnoxious, but idk if that voice acting is... on purpose?

oh! new positive thing! I like being able to use the grappling hook in the overworld

[lecliss]

As upsetting as it was for me to learn that Cid and Vincent aren't party members in rebirth, and not even guests like Red was, I'm actually pretty glad about it now. I'm 63% of the way through the game and still have to leave the Gongaga Region, do Cosmo Canyon, and then get to Nibelheim and make it to the room Vincent is in in the mansion before he even so much as exists basically. That actually does leave very little of the game left to even use him if he were a full party member, let alone Cid who should be joining a whole region later. I think I would be much happier to have them for what could be considered longer at the start of part 3 rather than getting them two-thirds into rebirth and not having much time to enjoy them to their fullest. Plus it means even more time to let Square cook with Vincent's transformations.

[chippersweetbaby]

These guys wanted their asses beat so bad.

[demifiendrsa]

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth details Gold Saucer, Corel Prison, Vincent Valentine, Cid Highwind, and more detailed

■ New Art

■ Regions of the World

The world is comprised of multiple regions, each boasting unique environments for players to explore and experience on their adventure.

Gold Saucer

Referred to as the gilded paradise, the Gold Saucer is a resplendent amusement park on an epic scale. It is divided into seven areas, called “squares,” each with their own unique attractions. One such is the Skywheel, which takes guests high above the Saucer for an unforgettable view of the park, and has proven to be a popular date spot.

Corel Prison

A sprawling slum that infests the base of the Gold Saucer. It’s almost as if the Saucer’s glimmering façade acts a beacon for vagabonds and ne’er-do-wells the world over, as they have flocked there in droves. So dangerous is the Dustbowl—Corel Prison’s slightly kinder sobriquet–that those who enter its limits are said to never return.

■ New Characters

Vincent Valentine (voiced by Matthew Mercer in English)

“Who dares disturb my slumber?”

A self-proclaimed “security” guard who hibernates in a coffin deep below Shinra Manor. This man of mystery is swathed in a red cape and boasts the genes of a monster—as well as a hidden connection to Sephiroth.

Cid Highwind (voiced by J. Michael Tatum in English)

“Shinra don’t own the skies! They couldn’t stop me even if they tried.”

This rogue pilot of reputable skill runs a shuttle service out of various abandoned airstrips. After Cloud and company flag him down, he flies them around the globe in his beloved Tiny Bronco.

Dyne (voiced by Dave B. Mitchell in English)

“You took everything from me. Everything and everyone!”

Dyne was once Barret’s closest friend, back when the two used to make their living in the coal mines of Corel. Now, he is a wanted man with a gun grafted to his left arm, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

Dio (voiced by Ian James Corlett in English)

“As park director, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to our gilded paradise.”

The charismatic owner of the Gold Saucer. Famous for his brawny physique and handlebar mustache, Dio is often found participating in his park’s parades, flexing his muscles before throngs of screaming guests.

Doctor Sheiran (voiced by Lloyd Sherr in English)

“Won’t charge for my services, but I wouldn’t turn down a blood sample neither.”

Though his clinic in North Corel may be small, Doctor Sheiran’s heart and intellect are anything but. Lately, he has been caring for the black-robed figures that have stumbled into town, and is attempting to uncover the truth behind their mysterious illness.

Solemn Gus (voiced by Jonah Scott in English)

“I’ll help…but only if I get a little something from you first. Understand?”

The sleazy kingpin of Corel Prison, Gus is as flamboyant as he is smooth-talking. Add to that a healthy dose of showmanship, and it’s little wonder that the dregs of the Dustbowl have flocked to him.

Biggs (voiced by Gideon Emery in English)

“Why in the hell did fate pick me?”

After surviving the fall of the Sector 7 plate, Biggs awoke to find that he is the last remaining member of the ill-fated anti-Shinra rebels, Avalanche. Having recovered from his injuries, he now seeks revenge against the company that murdered his comrades.

■ Combat: Synergy Skills

Synergy Abilities

Powerful attacks in which two characters team up to turn the tide of battle. More abilities will unlock as you increase the party level─a numerical expression of how closely-knit your team is─and deepen the affinity between party members. Fill the synergy gauge by using abilities, then unleash a synchronized assault!

—Cloud / Aerith: “Firework Blade”

Cloud uses Aerith’s magic to unleash a ranged attack.

—Tifa / Caith Sith: “Moogle Dunk Shot”

Tifa swings Cait Sith’s moogle around and launches it at an enemy.

■ Combat: Summons

Summons

Setting summoning materia will grant access to the power of the gods. A conjured deity will follow the player’s lead and fight enemies automatically, but you can also instruct them to use special abilities. Before they depart the battlefield, summons will unleash one final attack that will wreak immense havoc.

Titan

A titanic colossus whose arms of solid stone can rend the earth—and your enemies—asunder.

—Titan excels at both powerful melee strikes and area-of-effect attacks, such as Boulder Hurl.

—Upon leaving the battlefield, Titan unleashes Earthen Fury, calling forth giant pillars of rock from deep within the earth. This imposing magic attack harnesses the power of nature to cleave your enemies’ resolve.

Bahamut Arisen

A massive dragon covered in resplendent red scales. It cuts off any possible escape routes with its lightning-quick speed, and decimates its enemies with both sharp claws and a veritable arsenal of weaponry.

—Bahamut Arisen excels at attacking in rapid succession, but can also obliterate foes with charged magic attacks from its limbs. Once its Umbral Bombardment lands, it releases two orbs of magic that fan out and annihilate all surrounding enemies.

—When it leaves the battlefield, Bahamut Arisen activates Gigaflare—an extremely potent attack that sees the dragon unleash beams of magic from its wings and maw, burning any nearby foes alive.

Phoenix

A bird possessed of exquisite beauty and wings of brilliant flame. Phoenix not only flies about the battlefield assailing foes with its blisteringly hot attacks, but also heals the party’s wounds.

—In addition to engulfing enemies in flames with its wings of wildfire, Phoenix can grant buffs with healing effects. It can also revive incapacitated allies and fully recover their HP with Arise, allowing them to return to the front line and continue the fight.

—When it departs the field of battle, Phoenix unleashes Rebirth Flame, which recovers the party’s HP and spells a fiery death any foes within its wide range. A single feather falls from Phoenix’s wings, enveloping the battlefield in burning flames, after which the bird rises from the cinders to deal the final blow.

■ System: Relationships

Bonds of Friendship

Cloud’s actions and the way he responds to other party members while conversing with them will affect his relationship with them.

With a strong enough bond, you may even reap some benefits, so whenever you’re faced with a decision, you might want to think hard before responding—especially if it concerns your favorite character.

Loveless

A theatrical production based on the classic epic poem Loveless.

It depicts a hero’s fight against the Dragon King, the tyrannical ruler of Guardia, as well as his love for Princess Rosa.

Thanks to the latest in VR technology, the Gold Saucer’s Golden Theatre brings this play to life like never before. Depending on your relationship with your fellow theatergoers, the person playing Rosa may even change—along with parts of the script.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second game in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy, will launch for PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024.

[namixart]

What You Cherish Most

Read on AO3!

Seek, and you are sure to find. But alas, you shall forever lose what you cherish most.

It wasn’t like he could hide it.

Cloud was sure everyone knew, everyone could see it, everyone could tell. They were just being gracious about it, protecting his dignity for once instead of teasing him to death. The only one who’d said anything had been Yuffie—she’d gotten on his ass after they’d escaped Corel prison, late at night, when the others were asleep in the buggy and it was just the two of them, him driving and her trying to keep the contents of her stomach inside of it.

“What the hell was that?” she said out of nowhere.

And Cloud knew what she meant immediately. He’d been wondering, himself.

The sandstorm approached, fast and dangerous. They were right in its path. His trained SOLDIER instincts told him to run, to find shelter, to bark out orders and get everyone to safety. But something else was pulling him in another direction, something much deeper and more powerful: white-hot panic at the thought of her getting hurt. He knew she was standing right beside him, wide open and in danger. Before he really knew what he was doing, Cloud grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her close and shielding her with his body. She was smaller than him, lighter, softer. A sandstorm could blow her away, away from him, forever. Not on his watch. He held her closer to him as they started running towards Barret, with Cloud as the only thing shielding her from the storm.

He would stand between her and danger forever, if she allowed it.

If he got hurt, so be it. Just as long as she was safe.

With Yuffie, he just shrugged. “Dunno what you’re talkin’ about.”

She scoffed. “Sure you don’t.” She looked out of the buggy, over the dark plains of the desert around them.

“You got a point?” he asked.

“You ain’t slick,” continued Yuffie, leaning back in her seat and tossing a glance at their companions, making sure they were still asleep. “Something happen? You’ve been jumpy since the Gold Saucer.”

“I haven’t been jumpy,” said Cloud, keeping his eyes trained forward. If Yuffie noticed the way his grip on the steering wheel tightened, she didn’t say.

She sighed. “Fine, whatever. Dunno why I even bother. Don’t wanna talk about it? Fine. Just keep your wits about you, Blondie. Aerith can take care of herself. We all can.”

I know, thought Cloud. He knew she could, he’d known since he’d met her. But knowing didn’t help the knot of anxiety in his stomach. He glanced at the rear view mirror to catch a glimpse of her sleeping soundly, curled up next to Red, and he let out a sigh of relief. Of course she was okay. Of course. He shook his head, and realised Yuffie was still waiting on an answer. He shrugged again. “Doin’ my job,” he said, hoping it sounded casual enough.

“Right, you’re her bodyguard,” she said, with a hint of mockery in her tone. “And how’re you getting paid, again?”

“Shut your face,” he muttered. Childishly, maybe, but Yuffie drew it out in him. She laughed, and he flipped her off without looking at her.

---

Truth was, Cloud had been on edge since the Gold Saucer, now a good few days behind them. It was a gnawing kind of anxiety, where he couldn’t exactly pinpoint its cause or its beginning. He just knew that it revolved around Aerith. He’d always been protective of her—bodyguard and all—but the sheer panic was new. He felt as if, at any time, he was in danger of blinking and finding her gone forever. He didn’t know why, but it scared the shit out of him.

If Aerith noticed or minded him hovering around her more than usual, she didn’t say anything. After that first night with Yuffie, nobody did. But there was no way they couldn’t see it. Instead of jumping headfirst into the fray of battle, he kept to the middle distance, always making sure Aerith was in sight and, most importantly, safe.

Cloud had never been a protector, he didn’t think. Despite his promise to Tifa, his ambitions to become a SOLDIER had had more to do with the glory of battle than with protecting those around him. He’d dreamt of slaying monsters to prove that he was strong, not to keep them from hurting people. Maybe he’d changed, maybe Aerith had changed him.

Getting separated from her was a unique kind of hellish. He couldn’t literally follow her everywhere, and logically he knew that she would be completely safe back at camp while he and Barret went on to scout ahead. But, then again, nothing about his situation was logical.

There was a light smack on his back, and he realised he’d been looking back over his shoulder, as if he could still catch a glimpse of her from behind the bend in the path.

“Get a grip, man,” said Barret, putting his hand on his hip. “Everything’s gonna be fine. Campsite’s well-hidden. They’ll be safe.”

They. Not she. Tactfully avoiding the actual issue at hand. Cloud was grateful for it—hadn’t thought Barret had tact in him.

He just nodded. “Right,” he said. “Let’s—”

“Actually,” said Barret, holding up a hand, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

Scratch that. He didn’t have any tact after all.

Cloud winced and looked away. “About?”

Barret motioned for him to follow. As they walked together down the winding path, carved between desert rocks, he sighed. “Been sleeping? You look rough.”

Cloud furrowed his brows. “Uh, yeah.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Not too well, though, I guess.”

“How come?”

He shrugged noncommittally. The same black anxiety kept him up—listening for any noises in the night, any signs of a threat approaching. He had to be ready, he had to be alert, he had to keep her safe.

Barret hummed, a pensive and loaded sort of sound.

Cloud scowled at him. “What?”

“Okay, look,” started Barret with a sigh, “I think I know what’s goin’ on here.”

Cloud looked away, back at the path. “Nothing’s goin’ on.”

“I was there, Cloud.”

That made him stop. “There?” he asked, blinking at Barret. “Where?”

He pointed his thumb back over his shoulder. “At the hotel, the night we met Cait Sith.”

“I don’t follow.”

Barret scoffed. “C’mon, man. The dumb fortune you got. You let it get to you, right?”

Cloud furrowed his brows. “The—”

Seek, and you are sure to find. But alas, you shall forever lose what you cherish most.

Any protests he may have had in mind died in his throat.

Barret, seeing the flash of understanding in his eyes, carried on. “That’s it, isn’t it? It got to you, and now you’re all jumpy thinkin’ one of us is gonna get hurt.”

Cloud just stared at him. One of us. Technically true, he supposed.

Shit.

“But, hey, it’s nothing but a whole heap of nonsense, y’hear?” continued Barret, undeterred. “Shit, we’re in danger every day, but we’ll all be fine. We got this. But you gotta relax, man. You’re no use to anyone jumpin’ at shadows.”

Cloud nodded dumbly. He was having trouble following what Barret was saying, honestly.

What I cherish most.

True or not, that stupid fortune had gotten to him. That was the origin of his anxiety. He almost wanted to laugh at Barret. It made sense, what he was suggesting. That the entire team was what he cherished most. But the truth was clear and simple.

As much as he cared about all of them, there was only one person he’d thought about protecting for the past few days. There was only one person he kept an eye on in battle like it would kill him to look away. There was only one person he’d shielded from the sandstorm.

And, damnit, Yuffie’d figured it out before him.

It was getting hard to breathe too, now.

Barret was still talking, but all that reached Cloud’s ears was static.

“Right, yeah, sorry,” he muttered, hoping it made sense with what he’d said. “I just need to rest. I’ll turn in early tonight.”

Barret hummed, pleased, and patted him lightly on the shoulder. “Atta boy. Now c’mon, let’s secure this area and get back to camp. I think Tifa’s making stew and I do not wanna be late.”

Cloud nodded absentmindedly. He wanted to get back as soon as possible, too.

---

It was supposed to be a simple job. Some monster-slaying to scrounge up the funds to pay the pilot to take them to Cosmo Canyon. But, of course, things were never ever simple.

“Take cover!” yelled Tifa, ducking behind a tree as the monster charged towards them, surrounded by a curtain of fire.

Cloud hissed through his teeth as he scrambled out of the way. The thick jungle around Gongaga was a pain in the ass to fight in. The trees made for cover opportunities, but they also gave him very little room to manoeuvre in, and he had to resort to hit-and-run tactics just to stay alive.

There was a loud crash, and the monster roared in pain. When Cloud found it again, he saw that it had slammed into a tree, only inches away from where Tifa and Cait Sith had taken cover.

“Scatter!” he shouted. He made to touch a Materia in his bangle, but the spell died in his throat.

The tree had caught on fire, and the impact of the monster running into it had crushed the thick trunk at the base. As if in slow-motion, Cloud saw the trunk bend and fall down, down, down, setting fire to the branches of other trees in its way.

And under it, focused on casting an ice spell on the monster, was Aerith.

Cloud moved before he’d even fully registered she was in danger, the familiar black panic turning to adrenaline. He ran across the battlefield, weaving between his friends who hadn’t even noticed how could they not notice she was right there in danger and she hadn’t noticed either but he was almost there almost there almost there!

He heard her surprised gasp as he collided into her at full speed, wrapped his arms around her, and pushed them both out of the path of the falling tree.

The world sped up again as they rolled together into the underbrush of the jungle, with Cloud holding Aerith tight to his chest and trying to cushion her fall.

“C-Cloud!?” she exclaimed, out of breath, when they stopped. “Cloud, you—”

He pushed himself up on shaky arms, braced on the ground on either side of her head, careful not to crush her. She was covered in soot and flushed from the exertion and the heat of the fire. She stared up at him with wide eyes, and her chest rose and fell unevenly, but surely.

Cloud finally let out a sigh of relief.

“You’re okay…” he whispered, closing his eyes.

He heard the rustle of the grass as she nodded. “I’m okay. You?”

Probably. He didn’t care. He just shrugged as he opened his eyes to look at her again.

Aerith shot him a hesitant smile, then glanced to the side, to where their friends were still fighting. “Cloud, we should—”

He balled his hands into fists in the grass as another jolt of fear shot through him. “No. You stay here. I’ll take care of it.”

She snorted and braced her hands on his shoulders. “C’mon, Cloud, don’t be silly.”

He didn’t budge. “Please, Aerith. I…” He trailed off. The noises of the battle kept on going behind them, but Cloud paid them no mind. All he could think about was Aerith, and how she’d almost died. If he’d been just one second slower—

“Cloud?” she called, barely more than a whisper.

He pressed his lips together. “Just… Just stay here. Where it’s safe.”

“What?” Aerith blinked owlishly up at him, as if he was the one who wasn’t making any sense. “But—”

“Please.” She wasn’t getting it. Cloud had to make her understand. “Please,” he repeated, leaning down. Shakily, he pressed his lips against her forehead, just for a second, but long enough to silence her protests. “Just—Let me handle this,” he said against her skin, before drawing away. Aerith stared up at him, eyes even wider than they’d been before. Her cheeks were still flushed, but Cloud didn’t know if it was from the battle or because of him. “Okay?” he asked.

After a long, excruciating beat of silence, she nodded slowly.

Cloud hummed, pleased, then carefully climbed off of her and to his feet. Immediately, she scrambled to a sitting position, but she just stared at him and made no attempt to get up. Cloud finally managed to tear his eyes away from her. With one last sigh, he took off again towards his discarded sword.

Before he could jump back into the fray, he felt the crackle of an ice spell, and from the corner of his eye he spotted the burning tree getting encased in it, and he bit down a smile halfway through fond and frustrated.

Of course she’d find a loophole.

---

Adrenaline, Cloud decided, made him fucking stupid.

It had made him damn near fly across a battlefield to snatch Aerith out from the path of a falling flaming tree, and that was all well and good, but it had also made him pin her to the forest floor, beg her to stay safe like a terrified child, and kiss her.

And now that it was gone, all that was left inside his veins was anxiety so violent that he felt physically ill. His only solace in the situation was that nobody else had noticed what he’d done in the jungle, just assumed that Aerith had gotten separated from them by the tree. Cloud had caught suspicious looks from Yuffie and Red, but had duly ignored them. He’d only picked at his food that night, and then excused himself from the welcoming overcrowdedness of Cissnei’s house to find refuge in the cool nightly breeze of Gongaga. The rest of the team hadn’t questioned him, but he’d felt Aerith’s serious gaze on him the entire time.

Cloud wandered the streets without a destination, trying to clear his mind. Unfortunately, his thoughts inevitably drifted back to Aerith. And how he’d messed everything up by being an overprotective, paranoid idiot.

He knew it was only a matter of time until she found him and demanded to know what the hell had gotten into him. Knowing that, Cloud wanted to come up with something to tell her, something that explained his behaviour without actually explaining it.

It was telling of the state of his nerves that, by the time he spotted the familiar pink dress approaching, he’d made absolutely no progress on that.

“You, mister, have got some ‘splaining to do,” said Aerith, putting her hands on her hips. She didn’t look upset, but there was a firmness in her eyes that told him that there would be no escape either.

Cloud grimaced. Great. He really wanted to have that conversation in Gongaga of all places, in spitting distance of the childhood home of her first love.

She’d found him on a bridge overlooking the stream that flowed through the village. Nobody else was around, and the only sounds to be heard were the quiet rustle of the water and the chirping of crickets.

Cloud didn’t look her in the eye. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “Dunno what got into me.”

Aerith huffed and leaned on the barrister right beside him. “Right. And you’ve been ignoring me all day for funsies instead of saying just that.”

He didn’t reply.

He heard her sigh. “You know, I realised I haven’t thanked you for saving me, back there. So, thank you.”

“Uh, sure. Don’t mention it.”

“But what I wanna know,” she continued, “is what happened after that.” She leaned forward to try to catch his eye, but he avoided her. “I’ve never seen you so…” She bit her lip, hesitating. “Scared.”

Yeah. Scared just about summed it up.

“I…” He fiddled with his hands over the barrister. “I, uh…”

Aerith waited patiently for a minute, but when it became obvious he wasn’t actually going to say anything, she sighed and let her gaze fall to her hands as well. “Can I ask you a question?”

Cloud hummed and snuck a glance at her. She was drumming her fingers on the wooden rail, and she looked slightly on edge.

“Barret mentioned something,” she said. “About a… fortune? Something you heard from Cait Sith back at the Saucer.”

Cloud knew that stiffening up and sucking in a sharp breath would let her know that she’d hit the nail on the head, but it wasn’t like he could help it. She looked at him and met his eyes for the first time that night.

“He said that you’re scared that something might happen to one of us, and that’s why you’ve been jumpy.”

He wished he could retreat into his shoulders. “He did, did he.”

Aerith frowned. “Don’t play dumb with me. You might fool Barret, but I know you better than that. And I pay attention.” She leaned towards him. “Where were you when Yuffie was almost crushed by Palmer’s frog robot? When Red got knocked out by that sand monster? When Barret nearly fell off that bridge in the jungle?” She bit her bottom lip for a moment, then furrowed her brows and met his gaze again, resolute. “Where were you, Cloud?”

With you.

He pulled his eyes away. “It matter what I say? Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.”

Aerith groaned. “Why do you always have to make things more difficult?” she muttered. “Fine, you wanna play this game? Let’s play.” She spun around, leaning her back against the barrister of the bridge. He eyed the motion nervously. “Wanna know where you were? You were shielding me.” She pointed at her face for emphasis. “For a guy supposedly worried sick about the whole team, you’ve got a funny way of showing it.”

Cloud didn’t reply. How could he? His only way out was to lie, and he’d never been great at that, especially around Aerith. So, he stayed silent.

“And today,” she continued, “I know you were scared, but…” She sighed. “We’re all in this together. I can’t just sit battles out because you don’t think I can handle myself.”

That made him look at her again, his head snapping back so fast he thought he might get whiplash. “That’s what you think this is?” he said, staring at her.

Aerith blinked, a little taken aback. “Isn’t it? I mean, I don’t see you asking Tifa or Barret to stay outta trouble, right? And you’ve never—” She cut herself off and looked away for a moment. She didn’t need to spell it out. Cloud felt the heat rise to the tip of his ears as she shook her head and lowered her gaze to her hands in her lap. “I can handle myself,” she said, almost absentmindedly.

“I know,” said Cloud. “Never thought you couldn’t.” Well, maybe just for the first five minutes of knowing her, way back when.

Aerith shot him a sidelong glance. “Then… What’s really going on, Cloud?” There was a strange affect to her voice, one he’d never heard before. A little shy, a little hopeful, maybe.

Cloud swallowed a thick knot in his throat.

She faced him fully and leaned towards him. “Is it really just the bodyguard thing? Or is there something else?” She bit her lip. “If you know I can hold my own, why me? I’m just part of the team. I’m not special.”

“Yeah. You are,” he heard himself say before he could catch the words and shove them back into his throat where they belonged.

Aerith stopped in her tracks, her eyes going even wider and her mouth falling open a little bit. Cloud grimaced and looked away. He couldn’t take it back, but that didn’t mean he was willing to face her.

He crossed his arms, feeling his ears burning. “Forget it. It’s just—Whatever, okay? It’s whatever. I’m your bodyguard. Gotta make sure you’re okay, okay? Dumbass fortune got under my skin. Nothin’ more to it. Sorry I’ve been weird. Whatever.” He knew he sounded stupid and childish, but he was out of options. He was cornered like a wild animal, like a fugitive, like a goddamn idiot who couldn’t face his own feelings, much less the girl they were for.

But Aerith had other plans. Of course she did. Gently, she cupped his cheek and turned his face back to hers. He reluctantly let her. “Cloud,” she whispered, focused and tender, “what did that fortune say?” He pressed his lips together and shrugged a little. A flash of annoyance passed over her face. “Would you rather I hear it from you, or from Cait Sith? Or Barret? I’m sure they’d tell me, if I asked.”

Hell, no.

Cloud screwed his eyes shut. “Seek, and you are sure to find. But alas, you shall forever lose what you cherish most,” he recited with a grimace. “There. Happy?”

Aerith sucked in a small gasp. “What you… cherish most? You know what that could be?” she asked quietly, almost as if she was just as afraid of the answer as he was.

Cloud hazarded a glance back at her. He hadn’t noticed right away, but her hand had slid from his cheek down to his fingers, which she was holding like a lifeline. She looked almost fragile, as if her composure hung on his next few words. He didn’t like seeing her like that. He wanted her to smile again, to laugh again, to be happy again. No more of that uncertain look on her face. No more.

He swallowed thickly. “Yeah,” he whispered. “Think I might.”

She let his words hang in the air for a moment that stretched into a lifetime.

Cloud didn’t even dare to breathe.

Then, slowly, a smile spread across her face, the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen. It reached her eyes and they shone brighter than the stars in the sky. “Huh,” she said casually, cupping his face again with both hands. “Go figure.”

Before Cloud could protest—because, seriously, what the hell was that reaction?—Aerith pulled him into a hug. “Right back atcha,” she whispered, burying her face in the crook of his neck. His hands went to her waist out of pure, stunned reflex, not quite hugging back but not pushing her away either—how could he?

He blinked. Once, twice.

Right back atcha!?

“What?” he asked eloquently.

Aerith giggled as she pulled away a bit. “I cherish you too,” she said softly. “The most.”

And with that, she dragged him down to her and kissed him square on the lips.

This time, Cloud was a little faster on the uptake, as he wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her back. It only lasted a couple of seconds, and when Aerith stepped away, she left behind the phantom sensation of her lips, sweet and tingling. She smiled up at him, and he knew he had to say something. Especially since she apparently liked him back!?

Cloud cleared his throat. “I, uh…” He scratched the back of his neck and averted his gaze for a second. “I’m… sorry about bein’ jumpy lately? It’s just—I was scared, and I don’t wanna lose—” He grimaced and cut himself off. That was not the romantic speech she deserved.

Aerith shook her head. “I get it,” she said, slipping a hand in his. “I’d have been worried too. I’ll have to give Cait Sith an earful about this—freaking you out like that.” She clicked her tongue playfully, then laughed again—Cloud’s favourite sound. He offered her a small smile, a little hesitant, a lot fond. “Still,” she continued, “I’m not going anywhere, I can promise you that.”

In spite of himself, Cloud relaxed a bit. He would make sure of that too. “I’m still gonna keep an eye on you,” he said, shrugging faux-nonchalantly. “Still my job.”

“Your job, huh?” She tapped her chin for a moment, pretending to think. “Would that be bodyguard or boyfriend?”

He felt the tips of his ears go hot. “I, uh… Whichever you want, I guess,” he mumbled, letting his eyes drop to their still-entwined fingers. “Whatever you want.”

“Hmm.” Aerith tilted his chin back up to face her. “What if I said I want both?”

Cloud huffed out a half laugh. “I’d tell you I don’t work for free. Or cheap.”

She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’m sure we can figure something out.”

“Think so?” he asked, returning his hands to her waist. It felt right, like they belonged there.

“Know so,” she said as she pulled him down again.

Kissing Aerith, Cloud felt the knot of anxiety that had taken residence in his stomach finally unravel. She would be okay, they would be okay. Fortune be damned, he’d make sure she’d be okay if it killed him. He kissed her a little harder—a promise, he thought. She responded in kind; another promise.

When she eventually pulled away, he followed her for a moment, until her giggling finally broke the kiss. She leaned back in his arms and gave him a bemused look.

Cloud frowned. “What?”

Aerith nodded back towards Cissnei’s house. “Aren’t you just dying to explain this to Barret? You know he’s gonna ask. The others too—you haven’t exactly been subtle.”

He groaned and let his head fall on her shoulder, holding her a little tighter. “The hell I am. Keep ‘em all guessing. I don’t give a shit.”

She laughed and ran a hand through his hair. “Know what? Neither do I.”

[fotyzdupska]

Corel Prison episode