▶ PLAYER
HANDLE: Clandon
CONTACT: [Discord] Kuraudo#0214 & [Plurk] Clandon
OVER 18? Yes
CHARACTERS IN-GAME: N/A

▶ CHARACTER
NAME: Cloud Strife
CANON: Final Fantasy VII
CANON POINT: Advent Children Complete • Taking place after the events of the movie (the defeat of Sephiroth and waking up in the church)
AGE: 23
BACKGROUND: Final Fantasy Wikia

PERSONALITY:

Final Fantasy VII is largely considered the title that helped the JRPG genre flourish outside the home market, and re-introduced fans to older and newer games alike. Cloud has seen many changes over the compilation that’s shaped him into the quiet and reserved man we commonly see today. At his core though, he retains much of what drew in the crowd of fans all over.

With one too many burdens more than any man should ever have to suffer through, Cloud Strife can often times be a troubled individual these days. Usually diving into a vast sea of thoughts in the midst of a partially clear but also hazy past, he can sometimes appear lost, not in the sense of location, but of a disturbed mind. Despite this, he doesn’t allow himself to completely succumb to the pains that continue to try and weigh him down. Looked to by some as a leader and a hero, it is through the hopes of others that he often finds the strength to rise to the occasion, albeit sometimes with a struggle in the beginning. This reliance on others at times has given the impression that he can’t properly act of his own accord, much like a puppet that needs its strings pulled in order to have a purpose.

As a means to cover up those split moments of insecurity, Cloud’s personality changes with his mood and the situation at hand; just like any normal human being. He could be a quiet, shy, sassy, cold asshole (to be put bluntly) in one time, but put on the warmest of smiles and laugh when he’s feeling okay for the right person who passes by. He’s the pillar of support for those that don’t know how to stand up on their own, and he knows this. He can lay on sarcasm sometimes, and knows how to put up a decent act (ask him about the theater in the Golden Saucer; he just might tell you!) Overall, Cloud is another goodhearted person with a hero complex, the will to protect others and help them out a strong motive of his, no matter how he feels. That loyalty to his family and friends was also accentuated by his own shortcomings in the past.

Although Cloud isn't incapable of holding a conversation with somebody, he isn't the most social of butterflies- not too many people have had an opportunity to get close to him. For anyone to be able to find the sensitivity behind those distant blue eyes can be a challenge for he will usually find himself avoiding talking about his past unless with those he knows well enough. Cloud has never been a natural when it comes to socialization; better put, he is a reserved individual. Despite this, whatever friends he does have are held in high regard to him as he will not hesitate to protect those that he loves, and open up to them about any internal conflicts that he is suffering through. Given it be a battle, personal mentality, or just socialization in general, Cloud can sometimes find himself at a lack of confidence within. Although, upon overcoming a fear or any hesitations, determination and a headstrong attitude can overwhelm him, making him a force to be reckoned with.

Having spent a good year under the impression that he was a 1st Class SOLDIER, it was through this mindset and the developed instincts that would come with such a rank of the elite warriors, that he fit the role very well. Despite his tales as a SOLDIER being purely fictional due to the traumas of his past (having spent a good portion of his teenage years as a cadet in Shinra's infantry,) Cloud developed a general understanding of firearms, only further expanding his repertoire of weapons that he is capable of using. However, despite this, he has a strong preference of swordsmanship over the marksmanship of guns.

His weakest link is most likely his mind, as he has been manipulated against his will due to the Jenova cells that flow through his veins after years of experimentation to his broken body, a manipulation upon the blond that Sephiroth took advantage of as he also controlled the power of Jenova. However, these days such manipulation is very difficult and near impossible due to having found the resolve to his past, and being aware of when someone would dare try to obliterate his mentality once more. While his weakest link, it is still a powerful one.

Sometimes he'll follow a sense of logic and justice that only he can understand, causing others to find minor annoyance out of him. He acts upon instinct and what his heart tells him when his mind doesn't like to work, thus adding to his headstrong tendencies and the nature to sometimes rush into a situation.

As a break in his more stoic demeanor, Cloud sometimes will say things that give off the impression that he's a dork. And that's because, well, he IS a dork at heart. In these moments where he might not exactly be putting up the cold and serious front, he also is known to have a sense of humor, albeit this is rare compared to his focus on more pressing matters. Cloud is willing to put his dignity on the line when push comes to shove, like the time he accepted disguising himself as a woman for the sake of rescuing Tifa from a perverted crime boss. His hobbies include racing (be it with Chocobos or motorcycles) and extreme sports such as snowboarding. Cloud is also no stranger to video games, though he tends to stick to simulator games that bring him closer to the action of sports of racing and snowboarding.

An enigma and yet the easiest person to understand, if you figure out the secret to look beyond what's behind those mako-induced eyes of his. This is who Cloud Strife is.

POWERS/ABILITIES:

After years of torturous experiments being performed on him, Cloud’s body has been enhanced by Mako energy and Jenova cells. Mako has the properties of enhancing someone’s capabilities to superhuman levels- not limited to super strength (able to effortlessly demolish chunks of skyscraper pieces with relative ease, possibly more), inhuman reflexes, heightened senses and speed. The Jenova cells add a level of resilience to his body that would otherwise leave him suffering from fatal injuries. Wounds heal at a much faster pace than normal humans do. A prime example of this is the fact that Cloud was capable of fighting back after being impaled several times by Sephiroth's sword. Despite being a bloody mess, Cloud was able to survive and summon enough strength to defeat his nemesis once and for all. With his otherwise inhuman body, Cloud also has easier access of harnessing a power latent within all humans that reach their breaking point…

Limit Break • "When an enemy has pushed your anger to the limits, you can unleash unimaginable power."

As described by Cloud himself, a Limit Break is essentially pushing yourself beyond what’s considered your body’s limitations to perform amazing feats of strength. Used as a mechanic in gameplay for Final Fantasy VII as an ultimate attack that can only be used when your Limit Break gauge is filled, in all other parts of the compilation (more cinematic and likely considered a more canon approach to how they work) they have been shown to be utilized freely upon learning them. For example, in the Dissidia Final Fantasy & Super Smash Bros. series, Cloud can utilize every single one of his Limit Breaks save for the Omnislash as that’s his finishing attack (again, gameplay mechanic). In Advent Children Complete, Cloud freely utilizes his Limit Breaks against his opponents including the Omnislash and upgraded Omnislash Version 6. Through extensive training and bursts of anger, one can achieve higher levels of Limit Breaks, canonically between levels 1 and 4, 4 being the strongest. Cloud's Limit Breaks are usually accompanied by a fiery blue aura, surrounding him and/or his swords. Cloud’s current-known Limit Breaks are as follows.

LEVEL 1

• Braver – Cloud jumps above the opponent with his sword over his head, focusing his power into one single blow that has crushing results as he comes crashing down. With this attack, it’s significantly stronger than a normal slash from him and has been seen to be able to shatter very thick and durable armor; such as when Cloud busted the face of Bahamut SIN whereas the other members of AVALANCHE could only leave scratches from gunfire, shurikens, claws/fangs and spears. Somewhat slow and punishable, but very powerful upon hit.

• Cross-slash – A succession of three to five heavy slashes and boasting more power than Braver, it’s a straightforward attack accompanied by a glowing stroke for each swipe, making out this mark. 凶 Capable of sending opponents flying and crashing through walls, this is another attack that is slower than others but devastating on contact.

LEVEL 2

• Blade Beam – Cloud charges up energy within his sword, sparking with electricity and light before swinging the blade in a wide arc, unleashing a crescent-shaped beam that continues on a forward trajectory. Causes an explosion on contact with the target and is capable of letting off smaller shock waves that can take out other enemies within range. Was formerly limited to grounded usage, but Cloud has since shown the ability to fire this attack while airborne too.

• Climhazzard – In some cases, Cloud’s weapon will take on a fiery blue aura as he performs this attack. Sticking his blade into an opponent, he then jumps up while running the weapon with, essentially cleaving most that face this move in two. In the case of Bahamut SIN, Cloud struck the dragon in the back and ran up along its back before finishing on the other side, finishing the summoned beast off.

LEVEL 3

• Meteorain – An attack that can be utilized both on the ground and in the air, Cloud summons forth six meteors and commands them to rain down upon his opponent(s). Essentially a fire-based Limit Break due to the nature of the meteors, the start-up time on this ability is slower than most of his Limit Breaks as Cloud needs a moment to wave his sword and conjure up the meteors.

• Finishing Touch – There are two variations of this Limit Break, one canonically belonging to the main game of Final Fantasy VII and the other being from the Dissidia titles. The canon one is where Cloud will charge power within his sword, collecting wind as he prepares to strike before swinging forward, unleashing a tornado that can carry enemies away. In video game mechanics, the attack can instantly kill lesser enemies while those that are immune to Death simply fall to the ground when the Limit Break ends, dealing major damage. For RP purposes, this attack will be treated as the latter, targets being swept up by the tornado. The Dissidia version is a more up-close variation where Cloud will sweep the opponent up in a cyclone or slashes, surrounded by a blue aura and bursts of wind before he delivers the final blow that sends the target crashing to the ground.

Special shoutout to the Smash Bros. edition of Finishing Touch— a single-hitting close-ranged strike that sends whoever's caught in the middle sailing sky high.

LEVEL 4

• Omnislash – Cloud’s ultimate attack. Erupting in a display of raw power as an intense aura envelops him and his sword, Cloud swiftly rushes the opponent(s) with a rapid succession of 15 slashes back to back (finishing off with a blow from above much like he does with Braver). Difficult to counter if one’s never encountered this attack before, it is amongst one of two of Cloud’s trump cards as his final Limit Breaks. This was the same move Cloud used to finish Sephiroth off in the Planet’s Core.

• Omnislash Version 6 – Developed two years after the fall of Sephiroth at the Northern Crater, this variation of Omnislash utilizes the ability of not just one sword, but six. Cloud’s new weapon, the Fusion Sword, is capable of splitting off into six separate blades that Cloud can efficiently combine and wield together. Cloud may trigger Omnislash Version 6 when wielding this sword, though it is unknown if he has other variations of this final attack based upon which weapons are in his possession. Swinging his sword forward, it splits off into six parts that encircle the opponent, each glowing with trails of pure energy. Cloud then takes hold of one of those six with unprecedented speed, running the target through a total of fourteen times as it ends with Cloud surrounded by his swords circled around him. This Limit Break is unique in that Cloud seems to have perfected the ability to create energy copies of himself capable of assaulting the opponent during the Omnislash sequence, which is what boosted the hit total of this combo up to fourteen in the first place. As powerful as his previous Limit Breaks could be in various situations, this is his most powerful one, one of which he would only dare use if he felt it would ensure his victory due to the effort taken to pull it off. This was used to defeat Sephiroth for a third time in the ruins of Midgar, two years after Meteor fell.

INVENTORY:

• Fusion Sword — Six blades that combine to form a single one. Reminiscent of the Buster Sword. Can be split and combined into various forms for different combat situations.

• Cloud's phone

MOONBLESSING: Sanguis

▶ SAMPLES

TDM • 06/07/19
Dear Player • 06/01/19