When we were kids, everybody wanted to be aSOLDIER. By the time I made it in, they didn't needheroesanymore.
IND., PRIV., SEL. portrayal of Cloud Strife from Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII. This depiction is based in the wider FFVII Compilation, meaning it will be influenced by FFVII (1997) and subsequent media. // Very passionately studied by Mika.
Knowledge, like air, is vital to life. Like air, no one should be denied it:
“ Hm? Oh! It’s a …. very special place to me…” Hands clasped together in front of her chest, a brief glance, smaragdine eyes gaze to the roof of the church. It was only short, she wouldn’t leave too much room for questioning, nor portray specific emotion. “ what about you, Cloud?” Her hands falling loose to her side, gaze on him with an overeager step forward and an expression of genuine intrigue. “ do you have a ‘special place’? “
his eyes widen, though only ever so slightly; a fraction near imperceptible were it notΒ β likelyΒ β for the way she hop, skips, jumps, and leans into his typically carefully constructed and maintained personal space. cloud blinks, stammers, Β Β βuhmβ β Β Β and leans back in sync with her sway in, one heel stepping back and clicking with a dull thud against the worn out wooden floorboards of the church. Β Β βerrβ"Β Β Β bright eyes flickering from her face to the ceilingΒ β a detail caught but not discernedΒ βΒ and back again with a slight furrow of his brow. his eyes fall closed as he inhales, quietly, before letting it go on a gentle sigh. Β Β "not really."Β Β lashes fluttering back open, the words are dragged out as he turns away from her, boots swinging to redirect his path toward the door.
Knowledge, like air, is vital to life. Like air, no one should be denied it:
Now, Aerith wasn't naive about Cloud's preferences. He would not be seen anywhere near anything loud, bright, and exciting. It wouldn't change the fact that she dearly enjoyed celebrations -- those moments of happiness that create lasting memories, expressing endearment for those she cared for. "Close your eyes β¦. no peeking!" Her arms elevated, hands placed atop Cloud's eyes - difficult for him to see even with his best efforts.
The familiar creek of floorboards as she entered her home, the aroma of freshly baked goods wafting through the close vicinity as she guided Cloud through to the dining table - on which he would be presented with a small but charming cake with a candle centered in the middle when he opened his eyes. Alongside it a hand-stitched flower held by a pin. It was not just any flower, but as close a replica as she could make to the one she gifted to Cloud the day they met.
Her hands were withdrawn, resting at her sides before finding comfort behind her back - one hand wrapped around her wrist, just below the bangles she donned. sidestepping, she smiled sheepishly, and plucked the gift beside the cake before Cloud could hesitate. "Here!" Soliciting that she be allowed to step in front of the Ex-Soldier and secure it to a similar location where the original flower rested. "There." In a quieter voice, a fingertip lingers, and then smaragdine eyes stare up to make contact with his β a more decadent smile as they exchange glances.
"It just felt like⦠something was missing." Her playful antics resumed in a beat. Leaving Cloud's personal space, she pointed to the object that would remind him of the memory. "Now you'll always have something to remember me!" she said with a light flutter of laughter. Her loose curls cascade past her shoulder as her attention is drawn to the table, then back to him, an addition of words with a fond twinkle in her eye, "I dohope you like cake!"
βI don'tΒ know~Β I think weβre doingΒ preeeettyΒ goodΒ so far!Β Wonβt be long beforeΒ everyoneΒ knows your name..β A cheerful expression and tone represent enough enthusiasm for both of them. Their boots crunched through gravel as they made their way through the back of the slums; a few issues to deal with, butΒ nothing they couldnβt handle. βHmm...β a tuneful thought. She swayed her arms gently at her sides and, at some point, held the wrist of her other hand behind her back, just below her bangles.
βIf I didn'tΒ knowΒ any better,Β someoneΒ ( teasingly leaning towards him, voice slightly elevated in tonality ) might even believe you wereΒ enjoyingΒ yourself!β She bounces on ahead with a soft laugh. βC'mon - the sooner we return, the soonerΒ thisΒ willΒ allΒ be over.β Would she intentionally aim to trip Cloud over his words to bring forth his protest, knowing his words werenβt meant to mean a faster parting? Perhaps.
πππ πππππππππ ππππππ πππβ¦ πππππππππ ππππ. be it something to contend with or something to ignore entirely he hadnβt yet decided, though he leaned toward the latter. whether or not she let him was another question entirely. the answer was typically no, or so he was learning. fast.
the gravel under their boots kicked up dust in the wake of their heels, and her previous promises egged him on βββ though, thus far, he had yet to see much gil enter his pockets and felt more like he was doing favors left and right to ensure she didnβt get herself into trouble. once blue eyes flickered from dust to the sway of her skirt as she skipped ahead. he listens closely to her rambling, quirking a brow at the implication of her words before it fully lands; and he turns his face, ignoring that he can feel the tips of his ears burning. his heels come to an abrupt halt, arms folding over his chest, and huffs a breath of disapproval through his nose. his tone is sharp, sardonic, but not unkind, Β Β β what about your mom ? β Β Β any recollection of his own gives him the vague notion she might want to bat him over the head with a wooden spoon. as amenable as any memory he has of her might be in having a boy with bruised knees, he wondersβββ
a metallic rustle and rattle of a canister just up and to her right has his steps striking the earth in a sudden burst; a hand already reaching for the hilt of the sword at his back as he side steps in front of her. monster, is his only thought given the nature of the back alleys and outer pathways of the slums. yet all that emerges from the fallen debris isβ¦ a cat βββ dashing from behind the junk and out across their route with swift feet and its tail bushed up like nothing heβs ever seen.
β errβββ β Β Β he starts, and then stops, hand slowly falling from the swordβs grip. Β
My askbox is available to anyone and everyone, no matter the nature of your inquiry, IC or OOC. Due to the nature of this inbox, ANONYMOUS WILL REMAIN ENABLED, to allow people to send both meta questions and things such as gif requests. However, in regards to any gifset / graphic requests, I'd prefer them be sent to sicsemper, but as I am primarily focused on Cloud and Ignis these days, do expect slower responses.
My askbox is available to anyone and everyone, no matter the nature of your inquiry, IC or OOC. Due to the nature of this inbox, ANONYMOUS WILL REMAIN ENABLED, to allow people to send both meta questions and things such as gif requests. However, in regards to any gifset / graphic requests, I'd prefer them be sent to sicsemper, but as I am primarily focused on Cloud and Ignis these days, do expect slower responses.
GUIDELINES
ELABORATIONS
Vita enim mortuorum in memoria vivorum est posita.
The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.
Marcus Tullius Cicero (c. 106 β 43 BC), Philippica IX, 5. Original
001. Introduction / Disclaimer
Hello, my name is Mika! Iβm a grumpy 60 year old man on the inside, and a soft pop punk boy on the outside. I've been dancing to this song for far too long, so we're going to keep the rules page pretty nice and simple. That being said, this blog is independent, private, and selective. Meaning β this blog will be mutuals only&plot based.
DISCLAIMER! I am not affiliated with any of the material that my muse originates from / the actors associated with the franchise.
25+ / MST tracking #militus
002. A NOTE ABOUT PLOTTED THREADS
Thoroughly plotted threads take priority. I would rather spend the time I have developing threads via mutual plotting over answering undiscussed threads. I may respond to starter calls, or throw out a few myself, but please don't be offended if the responses are slower than things that have been previously plotted.
003. A NOTE ABOUT CALLOUT CULTURE
I do not participate, and I will not participate. This is a pervasive culture that I do not ascribe to. Not only does it push the idea that people cannot grow and learn, but I most often find that people seem to mistake personal disagreements for community drama. Regardless β it's not my business, and I have absolutely no interest. I ask that you're respectful, and do not ask me to participate. Simple as that!
004. A NOTE ABOUT PURITY CULTURE
I do not adhere to purity culture, under any circumstance. What makes an individual person uncomfortable is personal, and is ultimately their own hang up to contend with. Literature has explored dark themes for longer than the ancient Greeks wrote down their histories. To try to completely erase dark themes from literature and to bully writers into writing only what you feel is appropriate based on the RPC's ever fluctuating moral compass benefits no one and nothing but your ego. So, if you have a problem with that, I encourage you to look inward instead of other people's inboxes. This is quite the classic instance of dead dove: do not eat.
Essentially: If you are not mature enough to understand that fiction =/= reality,please turn around post haste.
005. A NOTE ABOUT COLLECTING TROPHIES (MAINS)
I am not here to collect dust. I am not interested in becoming mains unless I feel someone is going to actively return the effort that I put in. Let it be known: I treat mains as lowkey exclusives. I'm highly selective and always have been. That is not something I expect anyone to return, however, I do expect to be treated as your main writing partner for that specific portrayal / dynamic. That means being prioritized just as much as I would / will prioritize you. I have noticed people seem to have lost track of this, and seem to want to declare 'mains' and then treat that main just as they would any other writing partner. As someone that is very invested in what I write and who I write with, I'm not interested in anyone wasting my time, just as I wouldn't wish to waste theirs. Be respectful.
That being said, I'm sure you can imagine how I feel about exclusives.
006. SHIPPING
In regards to FF7 canon, Clerith (Cloud & Aerith) is the primary ship I will entertain for Cloud at present.
It's important to note that for both the Remake and the OG FF7 I do firmly believe it is the creators' intention for Cloud to be falling in love with Aerith, despite his complicated relationship with Tifa. However it is doubly important to note that this is not to say I don't find Cloud's relationship with Tifa to be extremely important. It is β it's incredibly complex and nuanced. There is a ton to unpack there, and I intend to explore that because it's a fascinating dynamic, is significant to Cloud's character, and affects the way he navigates interpersonal relationships and the narrative at large.
But when it comes to romantic "shipping," I can't imagine writing Cloud opposite anyone other than Aerith outside of limited exceptions.
Note: This is, of course, subject to ongoing changes in the Remake's narrative β as has been shown between the original and the Remake thus far β as I am rather canon strict. That also being said, my stance is influenced in no small part by my interpretation of the original storyline, spanning from FFVII (1997) to Advent Children. But for now, this is where I'm at.
Triggers that are canon compliant will not generally be tagged. This means that potential untagged triggers can include: physical and psychological trauma, and canon compliant violence. However, if there is anything a mutual wishes me to tag specifically, donβt hesitate to message! That being said β please be reasonable. If you are at all familiar with the franchise, you should know what to expect on this blog.
Triggers that are tagged will be tagged as "trigger /".
Vita enim mortuorum in memoria vivorum est posita.
The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.
Marcus Tullius Cicero (c. 106 β 43 BC), Philippica IX, 5. Original
001. MEANING OF URL
The Latin language is something SQEX seems to delight in β particularly Nomura. So, having a Latin degree means that I really couldn't help myself. A little breakdown that makes me a very happy nerd is as follows:
Miles, militis β Third declension, masculine, singular. Militis can be only in the genitive (gen) case. The basic meaning is soldier.
However, I wanted to do a bit of a play on this, as βus, βa, and βum as suffixes often have gendered meaning for the Latin language. So, I was a bit of a cheater. Thus,
Militus β A masculine play on militis, meaning "being of / belonging to SOLDIER."
I said I'd live out both our lives. Easy to make that promise.
001. Cloud: An Introduction
This portrayal of Cloud Strife is based within the canon of the Final Fantasy VII Compilation, meaning that it is a depiction of the character comprised of influences from the broader Final Fantasy VII franchise, seeing as I am now intimately familiar with FFVII (1997), Crisis Core, Advent Children, FFVII: Remake (ongoing), and other smaller entries. It is for this reason that I am willing and comfortable to write within any era of the canon timeline, but of course consider OG and Remake to be separate verses. It is worth noting that because the creators seem to have different intentions with the direction of the remake than the original, this portrayal will adapt as new information is released on the Remake.
That aside, Cloud is a character that delves quite deeply into both psychological and physical trauma, and this depiction will not shy away from those things, as they are integral to his character. Particularly the concept of the unreliable narrator, loss of identity, loss of autonomy, and the consequences thereof. Therefore, a heavily associated (potentially triggering) topic will likely be dissociation, which will not likely be tagged, as it is canon compliant.
Note: At present Cloud will be written within canon and now, after a complete replay through the series: his Kingdom Hearts verse!
002. Media Influences
The above having been said, I think I ought to reiterate: this portrayal will be based on the FF7 Compilation, which means that I will take influences from each piece of media into account. There are some inconsistencies in his character that will be rejected with the intention of being altered and explored β which, frankly, primarily pertains to Cloud's wildly different characterization in Crisis Core (but that will have a separate little note under the 'Elaborations' tab above). Other than that, do understand that his characterization in the OG will influence how I write him in the setting of the Remake, and to some extent the vice versa may also occur where it is deemed appropriate.
I said I'd live out both our lives. Easy to make that promise.
001. A NOTE ABOUT CRISIS CORE
There are some major discrepancies between the way Cloud is written in Crisis Core and the way he has been portrayed in a majority of the surrounding media β even including iterations such as his appearances in the Kingdom Hearts franchise. I want to make it abundantly clear that while I think Crisis Core presents an overall good story and interesting concepts, I will in no way entertain the way Cloud's personality was watered down / seemingly entirely retconned. Therefore: if I am to write within the events of Crisis, please do not expect Cloud to be shy, sheepish, or friendly.
Essentially: every other iteration of Cloud has made it abundantly clear that he is about as prickly as they come, stemming from his childhood. Anything I write during the CC timeline will remain true to this characterization.
002. A NOTE ABOUT ADVENT CHILDREN
While I think we can all acknowledge that as a film, ACC is a bit of a mess, I treat it in a similar way that I treat Crisis Core: it presents good groundwork / good concepts that are worthy of being explored. However, that being said, I think it's worth iterating that the main themes related to Cloud's character arc in AC are depression & suicidal ideation. Because this is directly portrayed in the canon, much of it will not be tagged, so please just be aware of this.
