#precisely it's sephiroth~

[phoenixcatch7]

Okay but why haven't we had a time travel/fix it fic where after some shenanigans everyone decides to take down shinra, they split up to take out the important figures, sephiroth obviously takes hojo for any and all of a dozen good reasons.

And then hojo pulls a winter soldier sleeper code on him.

And then everyone is suddenly dealing with a brainwashed sephiroth.

-

Hojo has to have some way to control sephiroth as he grew into his monstrous strength and power, yes? And learned helplessness isn't enough of a reassurance your prized military leader powerhouse isn't going to wake up one day and realise just how easily he could paint the labs walls red with chunks of you. And because hojo is obsessed with total power and control, dealing with a murder machine with huge mental issues, it'd only be fitting he create his own emergency shutdown.

In the most needlessly traumatic and mentally violating way, of course. Would sephiroth even know, if he couldn't remember? Would he have long stretches of emptiness in his memories that never get explained to him, or would he wake up where he'd blacked out, just another day in the labs?

Imagine, his allies watching on the cameras, as sephiroth stalks into the labs, a predator sighting its prey, exchanging a few cold words with hojo, raising masamune... And then hojos mouth opening, sephiroth going stiff like an animatronic, rearranging himself on the floor where he stood, face hidden behind his hair. Hojo leaves the room and he doesn't move, doesn't respond to any comms or passing scientists accidentally rolling a cart over his coat and hair.

Hojo ordering sephiroth to reveal their plans, their allies, their resources. Sephiroth doing it. Hojo deciding to punish sephiroth for the rebellion with lab procedures, or hojo ordering him to hunt down his co conspirators and end the takeover. Sephiroth doing so, heavy in his steps, crashing through walls and doors, heedless now of morals or civilians, silent, unresponsive. So completely unlike the jenova malice they'd been prepared to fight, that sephiroth had been bracing against. No arrogance, no mocking, no dramatic battlefield or hungry glowing eyes.

The puppeteer becomes the puppet, and with it, every trace of holding back. The perfect soldier.

I imagine the first trigger word would be lucrecia.

[mirror-to-the-past]

Aw HELL YEAH, BABYYY

[scrawnytreedemon]

EXCELLENT observation! Hehe, thank you <3

“Go forth, son of mine.“

[rottenpumpkin13]

tf when "Sane!Sephiroth" is still a complete psycho sometimes

Sometimes. There's things he does that his friends find mildly questionable.

• Judges people in silence. He's not vocal about it but will grace them with a side-eye or a critical "hm" as he stands there with his arms crossed. One time he watched Zack tie his shoes. He said "interesting" and Zack suffered -3 confidence.

• Maintains a precise 7-foot radius of personal in public. Has been spotted using Masamune to measure distance between himself and others.

• Keeps exact inventory of his stuff. Any attempt to borrow, move, or touch his things is instantly detected. Genesis once dropped off some forms for him while he wasn't in his office. He adjusted a pen on his desk. Sephiroth appeared moments later to silently set it back.

• He talks to Masamune. Occasionally whispers to it during training. One time, he seemed to laugh at its "response." Angeal pretended not to notice because he already had enough on his plate.

• Doesn't hold elevators, which one might think is a sign of rudeness, but his reasoning is "if the elevator wishes to close who am I to disrupt its command?" Doesn't matter if he's friends with the person. He'll stare down Zack running to catch up as the doors close.

• Terrifyingly good memory and weaponizes it. Genesis accidentally knocked over his coffee during a strategy briefing in 1997. In 2000, during a completely unrelated argument, Sephiroth casually began his rebuttal with "This reminds me of when you ruined my coffee three years ago" Genesis hasn't known peace since.

• He takes a lot of things literally and it drives Angeal insane.

Angeal: We need a way to break the ice with the new recruits to ease them into things. Sephiroth, summoning Blizzard: Understood. Angeal: NO.

• Never uses an umbrella, refuses to wear a coat in winter, is unbothered by the wind. Somehow his hair remains perfect even during blizzards. Zack asked him how he does it, Sephiroth said "The weather does not control me."

• There's a rumor going around at Shinra that he can teleport, because he's always somehow in two places at once. Lazard swears he saw him calmly reading reports in his office, and five seconds later Sephiroth was delivering a lecture on swordsmanship to the new recruits in the training room.

Lazard: Sephiroth, how are you doing that?? Sephiroth: The human spirit can be split across space and time. Some fragments fight. Some observe. Some exist simultaneously. Lazard: That's terrifying information, go lay down.

• Hates small talk. Hates it.

Tseng, in the elevator: How are you? Sephiroth: Small talk is a psychological warfare technique designed to destabilize strategic communication. Tseng: Sephiroth: Not well.

[perfectlysanexd]

I just want everyone to know, that at this precise moment in Remake...

They were legitimately standing THIS CLOSE together.

(I was looking to take screenshots of their feet for that holiday mainpulation I did, and thought this would be a good moment for it, but Square actually has Sephiroth slightly sunken into the ground, which is something they do frequently to get specific angles for their cutscenes.)

One of my favorite things to do in this game is taking screenshots. To view new angles, see new things, catch glimpses of expressions that you otherwise wouldn't see. Sometimes, those expressions can tell a different tale than the "official" angle did. To give an example, at the Edge of Creation, the camera looked up at Sephiroth. It was meant to be from Cloud's point of view, and it almost gives an impression of like...smugness??

But let me show you...Sephiroth's true expression. It's actually tender, and full of affection.

Amazing, isn't it? How seeing it from a different angle tells an entirely different story.

That's why I'm sad to inform you guys that my older, 2017 computer probably can't run Rebirth. I checked out the minimum requirements on Steam, and although I have enough RAM, my graphics card and CPU are too old, much more PS4-ish than PS5. It's a shame. Maybe someday I can get to it, but not anytime soon. 😭 I didn't come to this conclusion lightly, and I thought about it for a long time, but...$50 is a lot to spend on a game that may CtD constantly, especially when I try to run it at higher resolution for screenshots. So I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to do that for you guys, or create manipulations from anything other than the couple hundred screenshots I took during gameplay. Of course, if any of you are running it on PC after it comes out and want to learn how to take screenshots like these, let me know. Or if you already intend to and want to post them up for free use, please do. I'd be happy to make manipulations from them. 🥰 Anyway, that's enough out of me for today.

[crisiscutie]

Homecoming

Sequel to this fic here.

Pairing: "Fluffy" Sephiroth/Pregnant Darling

Content Warning: Yandere Sephiroth. Monster Pregnancy.

"Again," Sephiroth ordered, conjuring more fiends for your precious triplets to strike down.

"You said to kill them in one blow, and that's exactly what we did!" Kadaj protested, while Loz groaned and Yazoo sighed. Despite his gentle smile, Sephiroth's serious and grim tone left no room for argument.

"Those blows were too weak. You need to be faster and precise," He continued. The boys pouted. "Again." Sephiroth then turned his back. His gentle smile became a sneer once he laid his slit eyes on you.

With a seductive sway to his hips, he approached you. You were absolutely stunning in your white lacey maternity dress, like a goddess prepared to birth another. Your enormous swollen belly that had ominous dark veins over it looked just as massive as it did a decade ago when you were carrying the triplets. But this pregnancy felt anything but normal compared to your last one.

JENOVA started to show more signs of activity in your womb recently, although it is still lower than expected for this stage of the pregnancy, which reached forty-two weeks now. To help induce labor, Sephiroth had been taking you and the boys on frequent excursions, since that outdoor exercise could help you, and it also provided more opportunities to train and indoctrinate the boys. He sat behind you and embraced you.

"Our boys are getting stronger... But they still have much to learn." He whispered. His velvety sent shivers down your spine. You wanted to squirm out of his grasp, yet something about him compelled you to stay close, craving him. You heard the triplet boys shout triumphantly in this distance once they defeated the fiends. They ran toward you and Sephiroth.

"Mother! Did you see that!?"

"Hmph. She was obviously watching me!"

"Yet I was the one to do Father's objective the fastest."

You forced a sweet smile as you waved at them, while Sephiroth quickly wore his own gentle smile. He briefly removed his arm from underneath your swollen breasts, raising it to summon more fiends to stop the boys in their tracks.

"Good, my children. Now eliminate more," he gently commanded. They pouted and took out their weapons to continue honing their skills. As soon as the boys were preoccupied again, you and Sephiroth's expressions reverted. At least you two agreed on one thing - keeping the boys as innocent as possible. Even in this dark world, they should be able to express themselves and have the love of both parents while growing up.

"Why did you do this to the world, Sephiroth..." you whispered, your voice trembling with despair as you looked around. His luscious lips briefly brushed against your cheek. On these excursions, the environments your family went through shook you to the core; The trees stood withered, and the once vibrant plant life clung desperately to the dwindling light. No doubt that your beloved husband played a role in this. A dark chuckle escaped his lips in response.

"Because the energies belong to me and my heirs. And once it's fully contained in the Lifestream, our family will be at the center, together…" Those last words he spoke were surprisingly affectionate and brought back memories of the person he used to be as he nuzzled against your neck.

A sudden, powerful kick from JENOVA in the womb made you wince in agony. The sheer force alone knocked the breath out of you. Sephiroth gently massaged your back with one hand, while the other stroked your swollen belly. "Relax, my darling," he cooed, closing his eyes and attempting to communicate with your unborn daughter. In unison, you closed your eyes, not even knowing what he's doing. You just wanted the pain and discomfort to stop. But your mind somehow intertwined with Sephiroth's as he tried to reach her.

Your blood turned to ice from what you saw next from that mental connection. You expected to see a human baby, but instead was a small creature with slimy, pink-red tentacles. At its center, a glowing pink eye stared back at you, surrounded by a dark void. The terrifying sight made you break into sweats as you hastily blocked out the vision. Sephiroth had to stifle his disturbing giggle, not at your distress, but at the anticipation of a new goddess ready to enter the world.

"Don't be afraid, darling... The reunion is upon us."

Just got the random urge to write this drabble for the alternate Domestic AU~.

*cries*

Yandere Domestic AU chronology:

Christmas Kids | The Reunion is Nothing to Fear | Wait for me | The Crowning Moment

[freelanceexorcist]

They're deliberately fucking with us, aren't they? I like it.

I'm just. Gonna leave this here.

I am BESIDE MYSELF.

[bardic-tales]

I have been having my migraines a lot lately, so I thought I would write something out yesterday.

Rated: General since he's literally just helping ease a headache.

Pairing: Sephiroth x genderless reader

You're lying in bed. The world behind your closed eyelids a chaotic storm of pain and darkness. A migraine and the agony associated with it grips your head in its iron vice. Each heartbeat pounds mercilessly against your temples. Even the faintest light slipping through the cracks of the curtains feels like a dagger to yours senses. You shift. The movement only worsens the nausea curling your stomach. The bile rises up from the pit of your stomach like a geyser.

Then, you feel him.

The air shifts subtly. The distinct energy and rose and vanilla scent associated with Sephiroth's presence is calming yet commanding. You don't even need to open your eyes to know he's there. The soft rustle of his coat as he kneels on the bed is enough. As his knees sink into the mattress, your stomach rolls once again.

"My cherished one," he murmurs, his voice laces with concern: a nickname he has given you lately. "You should have called for me."

Your lips part to protest that you didn't want to be a burden to him, but even speaking feels to much. Instead, s soft whimper of pain escapes you: a sound that makes Sephiroth brush his hand against your forehead. The leather of his glove feels cool against your hot skin.

"I'll handle this," he says firmly, rising now. You hear the faint clink of metal as Masamune is set aside: an act that reminds you how serious he is about tending to you. He and the ōdachi rarely part.

A few moments later, the bed dips slightly as he returns. This time, you feel the soft, damp press of a cloth against your forehead. The scent of peppermint wafts faintly through the air, calming the ache in your senses. His fingers move expertly, massaging the base of your skull with a pressure that’s somehow precise yet gentle.

"It's the tension right here," he explains in a low voice, a soft husky whisper. "Your body carries more than it should."

The room remains silent save for the steady rhythm of his movements. Every stroke of his hands feels deliberate, unraveling the pain knot by knot, thread by thread. He shifts once, reaching for something, a a soft emerald glow breaks through the darkness behind your eyes, but your hearing picks up a soft melodic hum: like a delicate bell chiming. Your eyes are still closed.

The warmth washes over you, but the spell does not eliminate the pain completely rather it dulls its edges, making it more bearable.

"I won't let this consume you," he promises, and you can feel the weight of his words: the conviction in his voice.

When you finally dare to open your eyes, it's to see him sitting on the edge of the bed, one knee crosses over the other. His cyan-colored eyes softens as he stares down at you. His feline-like pupils contracts with unspoken worry. He holds a steaming black cup in one hand -- herbal tea, its warmth promising some relief -- and offers it to you.

"You don't need to speak," he says when you hesitate. "Just know that I am here. I will always be here."

With trembling hands, you take the cup and sip. The warmth spreads through you, heating every inch of your body. Sephiroth stays close, a sentinel of silence, his presence grounding you in a moment that feels safe, despite the lingering ache.

[somebodys-nightmare]

Why Tifa is the Underdog of FFVII

I’ve been thinking about this ever since I first played Rebirth & got to Cosmo Canyon. Many folks were perplexed at the direction of Cosmo Canyon and found aspects of it surprising or confusing. I would say that it was entirely subversive for a number of reasons, but primarily, I want to focus on Tifa, because it got me thinking about her role in a much larger sense.

When I first played FFVII as a 14 -year-old girl in the late 90s, my first impression of Tifa was that she was an underdog as a character and as a heroine, especially in comparison to Aerith, the other heroine of FFVII. This was primarily due to how she was presented throughout the first disc, but also how she evolved as a character throughout the story, leading up to and through the Lifestream Scene. At the time, underdog stories particularly resonated with me (they were also quite prominent in the 90s) and they are relatable to real people. It’s one of the many reasons I fell in love with Tifa.

That being said, FF7R has really developed all of the characters in ways that gives their arcs more depth and resonance, and I think this is particularly visible with Tifa. It's especially apparent in Rebirth, especially given what we see in Cosmo Canyon and how it relates to Tifa’s previous character development, while foreshadowingi what is to come for her and her role.

In storytelling, an underdog arc involves a character who starts from a position of disadvantage, either through external circumstances or internal struggles, only to rise and succeed against the odds. The underdog heroine, in particular, undergoes a journey of emotional growth, perseverance, and resilience, transforming her into a capable and powerful figure by the story’s end. This arc creates relatability and builds tension, making the heroine’s eventual triumph all the more rewarding for both the character and the audience. Underdog stories tend to feature heavily in sports and martial arts films (hmmm) but it is a universal archetype in storytelling.

For Tifa, her role as an underdog is critical to understanding her role and ultimate evolution as a heroine, both in the OG and even more so in FF7R, which builds upon this arc more steadily and organically. Through pivotal events in the game as well as her evolving relationship with Cloud, Tifa’s underdog arc is designed to prepare her for her significant heroine arc in Part 3, which will cover disc 2 of the OG.

Let's start with the OG, where Tifa is an often understated character, particularly in the early portions of the story. In Disc 1, she plays a quieter role compared to more outwardly central characters like Cloud and Aerith. While Aerith has her connection to the Planet and Cloud is thrust into the role of the group’s leader, Tifa’s journey seems more personal and internal. Tifa's primary focus is her relationship with Cloud, who is dealing with an identity crisis that leaves him emotionally distant, confused, and susceptible to strange behaviors. Although Tifa harbors deep feelings for Cloud, her confusion over their mismatched past memories leaves her vulnerable, confused, and reticent, compared to other characters who feature more centrally.

However, this positioning as an underdog is precisely what sets Tifa up for her eventual role as a heroine. In the OG, she begins as someone overshadowed by more powerful or prominent figures, but proves to be emotionally essential, particularly in the Lifestream scene. It is Tifa, with her quiet strength and deep connection to Cloud, who helps him recover his true self from the fragmentation caused by Sephiroth’s manipulations.

Though Tifa may not have a magical connection to the Planet or the external conflict, her strength lies in her emotional resilience and her ability to anchor Cloud when he is at his lowest. This transition from being in the background to being pivotal in Cloud’s recovery is a hallmark of the underdog arc. Tifa’s most critical strength is not in her outward power but in her deep emotional ties and unwavering support. It is also a huge signal of the game’s propensity to use red herrings and subversion as a vehicle for storytelling.

FF7R takes Tifa’s underdog arc that was present in the OG and expands it more steadily and organically. In Remake and Rebirth, Tifa’s journey is given more focus and depth, allowing her character to grow gradually, especially in relation to her bond with Cloud and her own emotional challenges, such as her internal conflict over her involvement with AVALANCHE.

In Remake, Tifa and Cloud reacquaint themselves after years apart, and their relationship becomes a central focus with far more development, nuance, tension, and prominence than the OG. Early in the story, Tifa is hesitant, unsure of her place in Cloud’s life and the larger conflict surrounding them. Much like in the OG, she begins in a vulnerable position, confused about the discrepancies of their pasts, and struggling with feelings of guilt and self-doubt.

Remake carefully builds up their relationship, showing moments where they grow closer, develop trust, and begin to support each other emotionally in ways they never did before. This slow burn of intimacy is a critical part of Tifa’s underdog arc—while she may not be the most obvious heroine within the scope of the external conflict, her emotional journey is laying the groundwork for her later importance in the internal conflict.

This is reinforced in Rebirth, where Tifa’s relationship with Cloud is tested by the growing threat of Sephiroth and related external forces. From the very first chapter, beginning with their conflict in Kalm, we see the tension, unresolved issues, and external manipulation (Sephiroth) between them that will carry through the story.

This slow burn of reconciliation and tension defines their relationship, as Tifa grapples with her growing trust in Cloud while dealing with his unpredictable behavior. The climax of this arc comes in Gongaga when, under Sephiroth’s control, Cloud attacks Tifa. This moment marks a critical low point in their relationship, meant to test Tifa’s faith in Cloud and her ability to stand by him despite his actions.

However, the following Lifestream scene acts as a turning point for Tifa’s underdog heroine arc. In this scene, Tifa is essentially given a "tutorial" of sorts, which accomplishes three vital things:

1) Prepares her for her coming role in Part 3 (aka Disc 2) by reinforcing her emotional resilience and resolve;

2) Reveals that Tifa, too, has been gifted with an important connection to the Planet for a specific purpose—becoming Cloud’s heroine, the one person who can help him reclaim his true self; and,

3) Fortifies her faith in Cloud, reaffirming her belief in him despite the trauma of his attack. All of these elements are crucial in building Tifa up for her ultimate role in Part 3, where her emotional strength and deep bond with Cloud will prove indispensable.

Following these climactic events in Gongaga, Tifa’s role as an underdog becomes even more pronounced during the events in Cosmo Canyon, revealing her heroine arc with greater clarity through a clever subversion of expectations. Traditionally, Cosmo Canyon is a section of the game that focuses on external conflicts, especially tied to Aerith’s role as a Cetra and her connection to the Planet.

However, in Rebirth, Tifa is also unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in a setting that purposefully marginalizes her, with the narrative now drawing attention to her internal struggles. This shift in focus gives weight to her emotional and personal conflicts, contrasting with the larger planetary issues central to the external conflict, although centered in the same setting where those issues are the focal point.

Bugenhagen and the elders, who represent the epitome of knowledge about the Planet and the Lifestream, ridicule Tifa’s personal experiences, dismissing them as heretical and uneducated compared to their teachings. This organized structure of Cosmo Canyon, revered for its wisdom, alienates Tifa, making her feel further out of place. She is sidelined in a place where the spiritual wisdom of the Planet should matter most, yet her direct experiences within the Lifestream are discredited.

This subversion is essential to Tifa's arc: although she is overlooked by those considered authorities, it highlights her position as an underdog whose true power lies in her emotional resilience and connection to Cloud, not in abstract spiritual knowledge. Her ability to persevere beyond what she encounters in this scene is what will make her triumph in Part 3 further rewarding. The fact that the planet itself has facilitated this experience to some degree (in Gongaga) makes this arc even more compelling.

All of these events in Rebirth subtly prepare Tifa for her role as a heroine in Part 3. Despite being undervalued by those who should understand the power of her connection to the Lifestream, Tifa is destined for a crucial purpose. The Planet has clearly chosen her to be the one to save Cloud, "the boy who is destined to save the world."

This culminates with a powerful emotional contrast that sets up her lowest point just before the game ends, perfectly priming her for her ultimate heroine role in Part 3. After the events in Cosmo Canyon and Gongaga, the narrative takes a softer turn during Tifa's date with Cloud at the Gold Saucer. This scene is crucial for both Tifa and the player, as Cloud finally gives a clear indication of his feelings for her by kissing her, offering a moment of happiness and intimacy. For Tifa, this moment of connection and affection from Cloud is deeply validating—after their long, slow burn of building trust and emotional closeness, this kiss solidifies that Cloud returns her feelings. It creates the "calm before the storm," giving them both a brief moment of peace and joy before the dark trials ahead.

*disclaimer* it doesn’t matter if the moment is "optional". All of the dates are "optional" in that sense and all of them are narratively important. It is much more honest to consider the date "expanded" rather than "optional". They expand our understanding of the narrative and characters, not alter it.

Anyway, this moment of emotional relief is soon followed by the unraveling of Cloud’s mental state, marking the descent of Tifa's arc into its lowest point yet. The game transitions from the joy of the Gold Saucer to the Temple of the Ancients, where Cloud’s spiraling intensifies under Sephiroth's manipulation. Tifa is forced to watch as the man she loves loses control, and her devastation grows as she realizes how powerless she is to stop it.

The situation worsens at the Forgotten City, where not only does Cloud continue to deteriorate, but Tifa also witnesses the loss of Aerith, one of her closest friends. The combination of losing Aerith and seeing Cloud fall deeper into Sephiroth's influence leaves Tifa emotionally shattered, hitting rock bottom.

These events at the end of Rebirth set the stage for Tifa’s ultimate rise in Part Three. Her devastation, watching Cloud spiral and suffering the heartbreak of losing Aerith, pits her at the lowest emotional point in her journey. This is essential for unfolding her heroine arc in Part 3 (Disc Two of the original game), where she will be pivotal in the events at the Northern Crater, the escape from Junon, Mideel, and ultimately, the Lifestream scene.

The Lifestream scene is the culmination of Tifa’s entire arc—everything she has experienced in Remake and Rebirth has been preparing her for this moment. Despite the many challenges of the journey thus far - many of them internal - Tifa will be the one to guide Cloud back to his true self, using the deep emotional connection they've forged. It is here that her resilience, emotional strength, and faith in Cloud, despite everything that has happened, will solidify her as the heroine destined to play a critical role in not just Cloud’s recovery but in the party’s fight against Sephiroth.

In this way, Tifa’s underdog arc is not just about personal growth; it is about the power of emotional resilience in a world where traditional heroism is often defined by strength and cosmic or magical power, a core message of the game’s overall subversion. By the time she reaches her role in Part 3, Tifa will have transformed from someone who was dismissed and overshadowed into a heroine whose quiet strength proves to be indispensable.

Her journey, both in OG and FF7R, shows that true heroism often lies not in grand gestures but in emotional endurance and unwavering support for those who matter most - those we love.

[secondarysefikura]

(Sorry if this sent twice, my WiFi's shitty rn) I remember you mentioned writing a sefikura fic where Sephiroth wins (I think) and Cloud's hiding in small spaces and generally acting traumatized, and Sephiroth's like "oh look he's playing" or something, did you ever post it somewhere?

I have sadly not yet posted it, mostly since I have yet to finish it. I have been kinda struggling to properly get the inspiration to write recently :(

But since you asked I will share a little snippet.

Cloud is pacing again: the same perfect circle he’s long since worn into the floor. 

It’s a strange and annoying habit of his; one that Sephiroth can’t quite place. Does Cloud like the sound of creaking floors? No, it can’t be that. The floor’s creaking only started recently (likely a by-product of Cloud’s pacing, if Sephiroth had to guess) but the pacing has been happening for months now. 

Perhaps Cloud is playing some sort of game that only he can understand? Yet whenever Sephiroth peers into Cloud’s mind, he cannot find any thoughts or logic that would suggest the pacing has any end goal. How can it be a game if there is no way to win? The simple answer is that it can’t be and must be something else.

Yet no matter what way he looks at it, Sephiroth cannot understand why Cloud is doing this. 

The problem is that even Cloud’s subconscious doesn’t seem to know why he is pacing, so Sephiroth cannot explain it either. There is no precedent nor suppressed memories that he can use to understand his strange little puppet. All he really knows about the pacing is that Cloud didn’t used to do this, but now he does. And that it is annoying. 

Very annoying. 

“Cloud, sit down.” 

Cloud stills for a moment, almost as if processing the command before retreating into his designated corner.

Ah yes, the corner. The first of several attempts to solve Cloud’s strange behaviour. 

Shortly after the pacing started, Cloud had begun to hide. Not hide from him, per se—Cloud both knows better than to try something so stupid and has had any urge to avoid Sephiroth…dealt with—but from the world in general. 

It started with Cloud hiding under the blankets when they slept, fully retreating under the duvet as he curled up into a ball. Then he learned to tuck himself under tables like he was preparing for an earthquake, refusing to stop no matter how many times Sephiroth assured him that there was no danger he needed to hide from. 

Besides the blankets and the tables, Sephiroth has caught him sleeping in the armoire enough times that if he calls for Cloud and his puppet doesn’t come running, he knows precisely where to check. 

I'll finish it soon! I promise!

[ellenhghg]

˖⁺‧₊˚Final Fantasy 7 boys and sick s/o headcanons˚₊‧⁺˖

Because why not and also because I am too addicted to the games (and men) Headcanons for Cloud, Sephiroth pre- and post Nibelheim, Zack, Reno and Tseng

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖ Cloud Strife ˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

♡‧₊˚ Awkwardly hovers, unsure how to help but unwilling to leave your side ♡‧₊˚ Silently panics if it's more than a common cold, might call Tifa for advice ♡‧₊˚ Will literally fight the concept of germs if he could ♡‧₊˚ Unexpectedly good at giving forehead kisses to check your temperature ♡‧₊˚ Cloud's not great at nurturing talk, but he'll sit quietly by your bedside, holding your hand and offering silent support ♡‧₊˚ He gets adorably flustered if you need help bathing or changing clothes, but he'll do it without complaint

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖ Pre Nibelheim Sephiroth ˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

♡‧₊˚ Sephiroth takes a very methodical approach to your illness. He researches symptoms and treatments extensively ♡‧₊˚ Precisely measures medicine doses and tracks your symptoms in a notebook ♡‧₊˚ Awkwardly tries to comfort you, patting your head like you're a chocobo ♡‧₊˚ Uses his influence to get you the best medical care in Shinra ♡‧₊˚ Might work on reports by your bedside, just to keep you company ♡‧₊˚ Might accidentally intimidate the doctor with his intense concern for your well-being

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖ Post Nibelheim Sephiroth ˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

♡‧₊˚ Sees your illness as a weakness to be eliminated. He might try to "cure" you with Jenova cells, regardless of the consequences ♡‧₊˚ Your fever dreams get WILD with his influence ♡‧₊˚ Offers to "help" by turning you into a Sephiroth clone ♡‧₊˚ Alternates between obsessive caretaking and philosophical monologues about transcending mortal ailments ♡‧₊˚ Gets irrationally jealous of the attention your illness is "stealing" from him ♡‧₊˚ In his twisted mind, he might see the illness as a sign that you need to "ascend" with him to godhood.

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖ Zack Fair ˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

♡‧₊˚ Becomes the embodiment of a golden retriever, constantly asking if you need anything, possibly overwhelming you with care ♡‧₊˚ Tells terrible jokes to try and make you laugh/groan ♡‧₊˚ Insists on carrying you everywhere, even just to the bathroom ♡‧₊˚ Makes a pillow fort around you filled with every comfort item he can find ♡‧₊˚ Reads you stories, doing all the voices with great enthusiasm ♡‧₊˚ Ends up catching your cold because he refused to stop cuddling you

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖ Reno ˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

♡‧₊˚ Cracks jokes about your "zombie apocalypse transformation" ♡‧₊˚ Sneaks you into Shinra's top-tier medical facilities "for a check-up" ♡‧₊˚ Mixes up a "secret Turk remedy" that's suspiciously alcoholic ♡‧₊˚ Will binge-watch trashy TV shows with you without complaint ♡‧₊˚ Whines dramatically about catching your cold, but still refuses to leave your side ♡‧₊˚ Secretly very worried, checks on you frequently under the guise of "just happening to stop by"

˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖ Tsung ˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚₊‧⁺˖

♡‧₊˚ Efficiently organizes everything you might need, from medicines to entertainment ♡‧₊˚ Takes time off work to care for you (shocking everyone at Shinra) ♡‧₊˚ Reads reports to you as "bedtime stories" when you can't sleep ♡‧₊˚ Makes traditional Wutaian remedies, insisting they're more effective ♡‧₊˚ Secretly touches your forehead to check for fever when he thinks you're asleep ♡‧₊˚ Might use Turk surveillance techniques to monitor your condition

[pen-and-umbra]

Compilation spoilers below.

As the party delves deeper into the Temple of the Ancients, a vision of Sephiroth delivers a cryptic speech:

(“My fragmented mother, these errant worlds�� All shall be one again.”)

“My fragmented mother” is a very deliberate choice of words. While the OG story touched on Jenova's fragmentation while dealing with the subject of Reunion, the plotbeats focused on Sephiroth and his failed copies rather than the creature itself. As the story unfolds, Cloud kills or severely injures Sephiroth during the Nibelheim mission, leading him to utilize clones and Jenova's remains after emerging at the Northern Crater in order to repair his maimed body. The same Ultimania Omega relayed that developers once thought about a scene where Sephiroth was revealed to have a Jenovaesque lower half. (The concept was eventually scrapped, but it would have added an even more grotesque element to Sephiroth's already terrifying being.)

(“It shall encompass worlds unbound by fate and histories unwritten. <...> My dominion shall reach into infinity”)

However, the Remake implies that the Reunion serves a different purpose. Or, more accurately, Sephiroth refers to a distinct event—the merging of worlds—as Reunion. According to Sephiroth's cryptic message, this is yet another foray into “godhood”. Not too unlike Ultimecia’s time compression, Sephiroth allegedly plans to join all the timelines into one to achieve “infinity/forever”. And yet, what does it have to do with “his fragmented mother”?

(“All made whole.”)

What if the true purpose of Remake's Reunion is not about “infinity” per se but about the “whole” part?

From the perspective of the OG, we are led to believe that the gathering of failed copies is the result of Sephiroth's will. However, Cetra's hologram delivers an interesting warning as the party traverses through the Temple of Ancients.

(“Heed well to our warning of that which is to come…<...> The reunion. When our adversary's scattered malignancy shall converge to plague the Planet once more.”)

The Cetra allegedly referred to Jenova's own inherent ability to reassemble its pieces (“Reunion”), whether conscious or unconscious. Unless the message was purely prophetic in nature, the statement presupposes that Jenova's body was already dispersed during the era of the Cetra, predating ShinRA's R&D department's experiments with alien cell injections. The Temple of Ancients narrates a gripping tale of Cetra's battle against the calamity-from-the-skies, with significant casualties suggesting a lasting conflict rather than a singular encounter.

Thus, it is possible that Jenova sustained injuries and lost some of its biologics before Cetra managed to seal it. Alternatively, fearing Jenova's reunification, the Cetran people may have “scattered” the creature in some way in order to hamper its resurrection. Whatever the case, at the end of the day, Jenova at the Nibelheim reactor appears incomplete or misshapen, missing a wing, and apparently suspended midway between morphing into a humanoid.

If the message is interpreted as a prophecy about the future, it demonstrates Cetran's extraordinary augury ability. However, assuming their knowledge of the future is precise, they never mention a different agent (Sephiroth), instead referring to their “celestial adversary” as the enemy who will plague the planet once more.

Anyway, spool forward, and in the age of ShinRA, the likes of Hollander and Hojo kept experimenting with Jenova's organic material, further disseminating alien cells. Several of its hosts have died. That includes both humans (Angeal or Gillian, for example) and monstrosities infused with J-cells that our party encounters (both organic and mechanical). While it is hard to estimate how many test subjects died during the course of the Jenova/SOLDIER Project, we can suppose that quite a number. It is currently unclear what happens to Jenova cells after the host dies; several instances appear to be convoluted (Angeal's mother allegedly dies alongside alien material, but Lucrecia claims that Jenova cells keep her alive). Let's assume that J-cells usually die with the host. As a result, an uncertain amount of organic material is missing from Jenova's body and will not make it to Reunion.

When combined with the Ancients' reference to “scattered” essence, Sephiroth's words about his fragmented mother make a lot more sense in the context of worlds merging. What if the primary aim of unchaining timelines was to acquire unattainable fragments of Jenova from hosts that are deceased within the primary timeline? Destiny's Crossroads, as a singularity of some kind, appears to be linked to all points in time and space. As a result of destroying Harbinger, our party is likely to have had an impact on PAST events (Zack's Last Stand). As a consequence, Zack lived. What if Jenovaroth's true goal is to alter branching timelines so that as many J-cell hosts as possible survive to converge at Northern Crater? Bringing scattered Jenova fragments across time and space to resurrect the entire entity and restore its power? The consequences of such a plan could indeed be disastrous.

Examining the issue from this perspective raises the question of who is truly in control and what kind of being will emerge after Reunion has run its course. It also raises the question of whether there are other ancient “deposits” of Jenova's organic material left from the Cetran War, if the warning in the Temple of Ancients was NOT a prophecy about ShinRA era.

👋 @pen-and-umbra

[holly-fixation]

I enjoy your For Want of a Nail AU style. I have another one for you. What if while Lucretia was pregnant she developed Sephiroth’s future traits as the J cells took over her body? Hair turning sliver, her body becoming more durable, increased strength and increased casting ability, maybe the pupils ( I bet that would give her headaches), etc.

I feel like my AUs are kind of the opposite of a butterfly effect. Or if your domino's are in a circle.

Trigger Warning: allusions to suicide

At first she doesn't notice. She's under so much stress with the pregancy especially after Vincent's disappearance to notice.

With the visions of the future debilitating her regardless of her strength, she doesn't notice that either.

However, when her eyesight sharpens to perfection overnight, it felt like the one joy of this project that wasn't growing inside her.

The headaches begin in the dark.

The human brain does not actually know what to do when you move your eyes. So it literally shows both was being looked and and what is being looked at in the transition period. She vaguely remembered overhearing the issue from the engineers working on the latest VR simulator.

So when she dared turn her eyes instead of her head through the darkness of precise vision, her head spun and she found herself with her eyes closed and her head on her knees.

And the hearing. She swore she could hear the entire village, but she couldn't pick out a word.

Then came the day of Sephiroth's birth.

Her inhanced strength did nothing to protect her baby. After all, despite her lack of notice, Hojo knew every detail of her body and pregnancy.

Hojo prepared for a threat that would one day be considered a SOLDIER level threat.

Lucrecia fought with everything she had. The manor and all samples saved there were destroyed in her attempt to reach her son. An attempt that ended in failure when Hojo and and her baby took to the sky in a Shinra manned helicopter.

She tried to get him back legally.

She tried to take him back physically.

But she failed.

Her depression worsened

Her anxiety screamed

Her body wouldn't let her die.

She wandered the surface of the planet without sustenance yet continued to walk.

Years passed before Shinra's Golden Child went public. She didn't know. She didn't keep up with anything Shinra.

Until someone showed her a poster and immediately compared their traits.

If she couldn't rescue him through legal means, maybe she could force Hojo's hand through Shinra's public image

"Shinra's Golden Child Taken From His Mother At Birth"

Newspapers, magazines, interviews, talk shows, and finally news stations.

Shinra demanded Sephiroth approach the woman on stage and tell her off.

They also wanted him to disgrace her, saying she abused him until Shinra rescued him.

But when Lucrecia finally saw her son, she held her hands out to him

She didn't look like the locket he was given, but it was undeniably her.

Before Sephiroth was Jenova.

Sephiroth ran into her eyes and turned away from the cameras when tears threatened his eyes.

Sephiroth left Shinra that day.

He and his mother lived in Wutai for a year, defeating Shinra and remaining content.

Then came the helicopters and planes dropping papers.

"Mu epsilon gamma lambda- 7, 7, 1977: JENOVA verified as an Ancient."

Sephiroth knew that name. When he questioned his real mother, she didn't give him an answer.

He read every delivery desperately.

Lucrecia slipped up and mentioned "that manor is in ruins. No one goes to Nieblhiem."

They went to Nibelhiem and Sephiroth learned something.

JENOVA can appear as those you fear, those you hate, those you love.

He looked at his mother and back at the image in the book.

Which JENOVA was the real one?

[branules]

Why do you like aeriseph, sorry if this comes off as rude but I'm generally not too involved in any fandoms so I can't figure out for myself why ppl like this that's just my dumbass lmao

ok i've sat on this one for like a week debating if i should answer or not but sure. i'll preface this by saying that there is no canonical basis for aeriseph in ffvii. like i can't stress enough how much i am making shit up because i like to have fun. but anyway.

the short answer is:

1. sephiroth and aerith are my two favorite fictional characters. 2. i like to draw my two favorite characters lezzing out, because i am a lesbian, and because my sephiroth is transfem. it makes me smile.

as for the longer answer:

i like how much aerith and sephiroth parallel and contrast each other. i like the idea of aerith of having a secret affair with the evil dead woman she is duty-bound to save the world from. not to mention this evil dead woman's ties to zack and the incident that took him from her. i like the idea of the planet's steward and calamity's child going against their natures because they can't resist each other, and it becomes haunting and tragic knowing aerith's eventual fate and the sort of eternal damnation that waits for sephiroth afterwards for doing something so unforgivable, considering she goes from godhood to immortal planet parasite unable to pass on. i find it soooo compelling to think that despite their feelings for each other, aerith ultimately loved the planet and her friends more, enough to do everything in her power to stop sephiroth with Holy, and that sephiroth chose an extraterrestrial brainworm masquerading as a mother over a kind-hearted woman who offered her genuine love. i like the idea of aerith drawing out all the human parts of sephiroth that sephiroth tried so hard to exorcise herself of. i could go on about this for forever but basically i just like doomed yuri.

some necessary addendums:

first, a lot of people like to imagine aerith and sephiroth as siblings. that's fine and cute and i totally get it, but that's not what i'm trying to do. i don't interact with a lot of aerith and sephiroth content that views them with that angle, even if it's cute, precisely because i don't want to cross those wires or make anyone uncomfortable thinking i'm trying to come at this from an incest or underage angle.

second, i want to add that i really don't fw the other aeriseph content i've seen out there lol. i just think i'm into aeriseph for fundamentally different reasons, considering i have no desire to depict them as a het pairing or create gooner noncon content and the like. it isn't that i'm better than anyone, i just don't want to be associated with what goes on in that pairing tag on ao3, and i can't blame anyone who doesn't like aeriseph for that very same reason. i have yet to see someone go about aeriseph in the same l way as i do (sighhhhhh </3) so until then i'm just going to continue playing with my barbie dolls in my locked ivory tower. i am delusional but i am free. hope this helps <3

[talonabraxas]

Holy Living Creatures Talon Abraxas

Alchemy and the Tetragram

The Conjuration of the Four is a powerful conjuration that the magician uses in order to invoke the higher forces of the world of Yetzirah (the world of the angels, the world of formation) in order to reject negative forces related with the four elements of nature, which are related with our psychosomatic nature.

The world of Yetzirah in Kabbalah is related with the lower Sephiroth of the third triangle of the Tree of Life, which is formed by Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. Our mind relates to Netzach, our emotions to Hod, and our sexual/motor/instinctive brain to Yesod. The Sephirah Malkuth, which is below the third triangle, relates to the physical body.

All of these Sephiroth are precisely represented in the graphic of the Star of David (the six pointed star) with the four holy creatures, which in Hebrew are named Chaioth ha Kadosh.

The four holy creatures relate with the top of the Tree of Life in the world of Yetzirah, which relates to the Sephirah Binah, the Holy Spirit. In the world of Atziluth the Holy Spirit, Binah has the sacred name Jehovah God or Jehovah Elohim. In previous lectures where we addressed the three mother letters Aleph, Shin, and Mem we stated that Mem relates to the third triangle and also to Binah, the forces of the Holy Ghost. Thus, in Binah we find the name Jehovah Elohim, which is the Kabbalistic name of יהוה Iod Hei Vav Hei, the four lettered name of Elohim, God, which is symbolized here by these four creatures.

Caput mortum, imperet tibi dominus per vivum et devotum serpentem! Cherub, imperet tibi Dominus per Adam Iod-Chavah! Aquila errans, imperet tibi Dominus per alas tauri! Serpens, imperet tibi Dominus Tetragrammaton, per Angelum et Leonem! Corpse’s head, may the living and devoted serpent Adonia אֲדֹנִיָּ command thee! Cherub, may Adonia אֲדֹנִיָּ command thee by Adam Iod-ChaVah יחוה אדם! Wandering Eagle, may Adonia אֲדֹנִיָּ command thee by the wings of the Bull! Serpent, may Adonia אֲדֹנִיָּ the Tetragrammaton יהוה command thee by the angel and the lion!

[rottenpumpkin13]

Seph is good with kids and I will die on that hill

I will perish on that hill: Sephiroth being awkward around kids, hesitant to engage because his memories of that age are painful.

Sephiroth treating children with respect and genuine care, wishing someone had treated him like that when he was young.

Sephiroth answering every child's question no matter how absurd with earnest interest and thoughtful replies.

Sephiroth noticing a school group on a Shinra HQ field trip and coming across a lost little kid who wandered off from the group.

Sephiroth gently taking the child's tiny hand, mother-henning them and calmly assuring it's all okay as he tries to reunite them with their class.

Little kid: Why do you have such long hair?

Sephiroth: My hair grows exceptionally fast due to mako infusion and other biological anomalies! Keeping it long is simply more convenient than constant maintenance.

Little kid: Do you ever get tired of holding that big sword?

Sephiroth: Masamune's weight is distributed for precision, and I've trained to wield it without strain. Much like your arms when you lift your favorite toy!

Little kid: I can eat twelve whole pancakes in one sitting!

Sephiroth: Fascinating! That's—TWELVE?