[the kid reminds him a little of a raccoon, though Cloud's not about to mention it to anyone, less for fear of offending the kid and more in awareness that one or both of the girls would hit him. It's in the bright little peering eyes watching everything and the dart of his small hands to grab at food. He ignores the missing fry and gets several of his own to plunge into the ketchup puddle before chewing on them himself.
Every two and a half days? His mom would have killed someone.]
French fries. Potatoes sliced and fried. They're better with ketchup.
[he lets that information sink in as he pulls out two bottles of root beer and pops the tops off both of them, setting one in front of the kid before taking a swallow of his own. Sephiroth hasn't learned to tone down his speed yet. It's something Cloud had to stumble through learning on his own and Sephiroth's movements don't phase him. But they're not natural compared to most people's and it's easier if you don't inadvertently go around scaring people. He makes a mental note to work on that with the kid. He's going to have a hard enough time already. Luckily he's staying with the team and they're more than used to Cloud's own physical quirks. Hell, sometimes Tifa can move just as fast as he can when she decides to.]
Root beer.
People eat a couple meals a day usually. And since they have to eat anyway, and they've got the choice, most people chose to eat foods that they enjoy the taste of too.
[he takes two more paper plates off the tray and sets one next to the kid while the other ends up in front of himself. Then he goes back to the pile of packets and starts tearing them open to add them to what's on the plate]
Sausage dog. Like a hot dog only with more flavor. You can just eat it in the bun or you can add things to it to change the flavor.
[his own is quickly disappearing under a mound of ketchup, mustard, onion, relish, and hot peppers]
[Sephiroth watches Cloud eat his french fries, then mimics Cloud's action with the single fry he took, dipping it in the ketchup and eating it. He nods.]
If resources are limited, shouldn't one eat only as much as necessary? Therefore, I should continue to eat at the intervals that were scientifically determined to be ideal. [That makes perfect sense, after all, doesn't it? It's only logical.] The content of meals should be decided by their nutritional value.
[His tone is slightly disapproving, in a childish way. Nonetheless, he takes more french fries from Cloud and dips them into the ketchup, then eats them, as before. He doesn't see any reason to lessen his speed, as to move quickly is natural for him, so once again his actions are carried out far more swiftly than is strictly normal. Having depleted Cloud's french fry supply by a good number, he turns his attention to the indicated sausage dog. He takes a bite of it as-is, then again, he studies and copies Cloud's movements, piling on condiments. He's interested to see what the result is, if he acts as Cloud does. Cloud seems to be knowledgeable about these matters. Having piled on a nearly identical combination of toppings, Sephiroth takes another bite of the sausage dog, then makes a face. It's too many flavors, all at once, and he finds the admixture displeasing. He looks back at Cloud.] I do not like the enhanced flavor.
[Cloud points it out, frying the kid's logical attempts to avoid eating. As if Tifa would let him get away with it anyway. He watches the fries disappear as he finishes putting the last touches on his sausage dog and takes a bite of his own, watching Sephiroth first try his plain and then work his way through the packets. There's a distinct twitch at the corner of one side of Cloud's mouth at the reaction.
Setting down his own dog, he reaches out to take Sephiroth's, taking a plastic knife and scraping all the extras off and onto a little pile on a napkin so easily it's apparent it's not the first time he's done it for someone. Finished he hands it back before passing over a couple packets of ketchup and relish.]
It's an acquired taste. Try those instead and go light on how much you use. Best way to find out what you like and what you don't is to try a little of everything and make up your own mind.
[which is pretty much what the kid's already been doing and Cloud's pretty proud of him. Whatever junk the scientists filled his head with, it's apparent that Sephiroth still has his own brain. He remembers, vaguely, the General being curious. It's what fucked them all over.
No. That's not fair. It wasn't the curiosity. It was dealing with the information he did find. Maybe the kid's already got the screw loose that makes him flip later on in life. Or maybe it's something that just finally broke inside him. If it's the first there's nothing they can do about it but Cloud finds himself hoping it's the second. Because if it is than the kid can be shored up against breaking and better prepared for the fall out. Maybe they can do it differently this time and that starts with letting the kid grow up knowing he's not alone.
Incorrect. There are no limitless resources, and it is irresponsible to treat them as if they are. [His eyes narrow slightly in wariness, as if he expects to be argued with. In his experience, bringing up such points in disagreement leads to conflict and discord, if not outright anger. He's used to not being listened to, as he is a specimen and not a researcher, yet he can't help disagreeing, if he believes he's correct. He may be obedient, for the most part, when ordered to behave, but he has to voice his opinion. Perhaps he is not the most obedient subject, as he is never satisfied with simple explanations, and he will break the rules in order to obtain further information. He's read a number of books the Professor classified as "forbidden".] If people consume only the optimal amount of resources, they will not be depleted. Also, eating too much or the wrong kind of food will impact one's health negatively. [You should know these things, Cloud, his tone seems to suggest.]
[However, Cloud is still the expert in this strange place full of unfamiliar stimuli, and he nods again at Cloud's advice.] Thank you. I'll experiment with them. [Cloud's advice is sound. He samples the relish first, then decides that he doesn't like the taste of it at all, which was likely the problem with the overall flavor. He sets the relish packets aside with a stern look. The ketchup is better. He knows, because he's already tried it with the french fries, and he liked the taste of it. He applies it in neat lines, then tries the dog again.]
Food's a renewable resource. [Cloud doesn't mind the kid arguing with him. After all, has Sephiroth seen the two kids he already lives with? It's really a mote point anyway. In one respect, the planet's a recycling machine. Now that they're not sucking it's lifesource out of it anymore it's got the potential to go on forever. Except nothing lasts forever. So yeah, eventually it'll run get too old to recycle the energy or whatever old age does to a planet like this and it'll kick it. Cloud feels a pretty deep responsibility to the planet and the fact that someone he loves deeply is forever entwined with it. It holds everything he treasures, people, places, friends and family and as long as it's safe, so are they. But it's also a self-centered beast that's only interested in it's own good and that's eventually going to strip his mind from him and never care about how much it cost him or how hard he fought to put that mind back together in the first place. He's got mixed feelings about the planet itself. He'll finish his bite and then nod at the kid.]
You're a renewable resource. The planet will use your energy when you're gone to feed new life elsewhere.
Most things are better with ketchup. But not funnel cake.
Simplistic. Food is a resource affected by economic and environmental factors. [Sephiroth is a rather argumentative child, which was something Professor Hojo had not appreciated.] Famines do occur, and recent world events have negatively impacted the environment. [He might not know the particulars, but he does know some things about what happened, including the results.]
I've looked over Tifa's accounts. [That certainly wasn't Tifa's idea. Sephiroth is also a rather nosy child.] Your financial resources are limited, and food costs money.
Yes, when I die my energy will be reused. [He agrees with this calmly, nodding. That's a sensible statement on Cloud's part.]
I like the ketchup. I do not like this other substance. [He glances accusingly at the relish. Testing Cloud's statement, he dips a piece of the funnel cake in the ketchup, then tries it. After a moment's serious reflection, he decides Cloud is right.] It is better without ketchup.
Maybe. But over-complicating things can be just as bad. It makes you over think and you miss what's right in front of you because you're too busy paying attention to the future. Or the past. [Cloud's bad about talking to kids like they're kids. In a lot of ways he tends to treat them like mini-adults with the same level ability to grasp concepts. But, again, look at who he lives with] The Planet's hurt but it's healing. People have changed the way they do things so that it can. There's still a lot to work through, like how to get the produce to market, but that's a matter of being constructive. Instead of pulling away and not eating as the solution, we need to find ways to make sure there's enough food available. WRO is working on the roads. People that used to be in the military are working as escorts for the food to make sure it gets where it needs to go. People are working on starting small gardens for themselves to grow the basics. It's a matter of being productive, not isolationist.
[he doesn't mind disagreeing over points with the kid. There's no way Tifa's going to let someone in her care, much less a child, go two and a half days without food. Which Sephiroth will find out soon enough and not even he's strong enough to hold out against Tifa's mothering instinct. But for the time being, Cloud doesn't mind chewing the situation over the with kid in front of him. It's like a puzzle they're both working on, just from different sides of the table. One of his pale brows does go up at the book snooping though and then a side of his mouth quirks upward.]
Tifa's got enough gil and she's got plenty of ways to get more if she needs it. [after all, it's not like the house in Costa del Sol is on the books or the money both of them lent out to help friends and neighbors rebuild. Or the chocobo stock they left with Billy for breeding. He wouldn't always be getting new upgrades for Fenrir if it was taking food out of the mouths of his family.] If it worries you though, find some way to be constructive instead of destructive. Denying yourself food is destructive. Finding a way to help Tifa out with her work is constructive. You catch the difference?
Relish.
Try some of the popcorn cob. It's better without ketchup too.
[Sephiroth, fortunately, is used to people addressing him as if he's a small adult, so this is not strange to him, or difficult for him to follow. He listens to everything Cloud says, attentively, taking it all in.]
What you say has merit, but I do not think it is destructive for one to eat only the necessary amount of food. I do not require multiple meals a day. I do not wish to consume more than the needful amount of resources. [He looks quite thoughtful about this, and completely serious. Though the older Sephiroth had adapted and eventually began to act more like a human after leaving the lab, this Sephiroth currently has little experience with life outside of Science Research Division and does not see the need to alter his behavior. It's true that he probably won't be able to defy Tifa in this, however.] If you are certain that there is no shortage. [He looks concerned about this, but decides to accept what Cloud says as the truth, for now. Maybe he can find some more papers to look through, so he can see for himself.]
Relish. Popcorn cob. [He repeats these words as he learns them and tries the popcorn cob. Both with and without ketchup, to make sure he agrees with Cloud, but Cloud is again proven to be correct.] I like this. [He takes another bite of it.]
[His primary focus, however, is not food now. He has distilled everything Cloud said into an important line of questioning. Yes, he would like to be constructive. He wants a job to do. He perks up.] Can I work for the WRO? Or with the former members of the military?
[he watches the kid try the food, testing out what he's being told and Cloud doesn't mind. In fact, he'd encourage it if the kid wasn't already doing it himself. Cloud makes it a point to be truthful, to the point of painfully sometimes, with people he cares about and children. Miniroth falls into the second category and Cloud's still deciding if he goes in the first or not. If he's asked about something straight out, he'll do his best to be honest though. It's one of the many reasons he closed off from Tifa and eventually ran. If she'd asked, he would have had to tell her and the thought of dumping his burdens on her... that wasn't how you protected someone you cared about.
Except he was in the long process of learning, belatedly, that sometimes it was.
He also wasn't so hot on the idea of Sephiroth getting any more weapon training than he already had - for obvious reasons. He somehow doubted he'd be able to stall it out entirely. Sephiroth would learn how to get his hands on a sword and practice with it at some point and Cloud would rather he was there for it than the kid did it on his own. But now wasn't that time and the longer they could put off Sephiroth learning what it was to fight real fights - and kill real people - the better. It was something he'd rather the kid never learn - but fate had a way of repeating certain traits despite everything else.
Now just wasn't going to be that time.]
WRO doesn't take kids. Denzel already tried. And no one's going to hire a kid to guard a convoy no matter how capable he is. When you get old enough, I'm sure the WRO could use your help but for now, you've got to think more basic. When you learn something new, you start with the basics, simple things, right? Once you've got those down then you move on to more complex routines. Consider this the same thing. Tifa could use help around the bar. She does it all and that's a lot for one person to do. Denzel and Marlene can only help so much because of school. You could help Tifa get the bar ready each evening. The way she wants you to help her, not the way you think she needs help. That's an important difference. It's okay to suggest something you think will make things easier but it's her bar and things get done her way.
[yeah, he's throwing her under the bus with this one but she's the one that was so insistent about Miniroth in the first place. And she's a lot smarted with kids and people in general than he is anyway. To be fair though, he'll also add:]
You can help me with my deliveries as well. You can't go with me but I need help organizing deliveries that pile up during the day and to sort bills too. Start small, with the basics, and work your way to more complex things next. You might want to consider starting to people watch too. You'd be surprised how educational it can be.
I am not like Denzel. [He says this simply. He can tell that he is quite unlike the other children. It is not hard to tell that he stands out from the rest in a variety of ways. He does not find it easy to connect to the others. Does it upset him? No, he doesn't feel anything so definite, but it doesn't please him, and it does not encourage him to socialize. He picks up on the fact that people dislike his appearance. His eyes and hair are different. He hears, sometimes, the things that people say about him. They do not like him, but perhaps if he could be useful, they would feel differently.] I believe I could guard a convoy without difficulty.
If you would like me to assist Tifa, I will. I will do as she asks and only that, even if I do not think her methods are the most efficient. [He is a little disappointed, however, as guarding convoys and assisting in rebuilding sound, not only more enjoyable, but also more in keeping with his skill set. He is strong and fast and agile. He wants to use his power. He wants to fight. It seems natural that he should, though he's learned not to mention it directly. Doing so doesn't get a positive result.]
I can easily organize the deliveries and bills. I am already familiar with the relevant systems. [He does poke his nose into a variety of things when no one's looking. Being able to more or less teleport has many advantages for an overly curious child. He also believes all these small tasks Cloud is suggesting could be carried out in a brief amount of time, and no one will be impressed with them.] It will not take me long to learn these basics. [He frowns, dissatisfied.] Can I attempt more complex tasks once I have done so? If the WRO will not accept me, perhaps I might work for others who would allow it? [That seems the logical solution, if that is the reason he cannot work for the WRO.]
[Cloud knows that both he and Tifa will keep an eye on anyone that interacts with Miniroth. He won't find a lot of people who will be willing to hire him on for jobs of any sort. But there are people that will. Briefly, Cloud wonders if Cid would. He's working on his new engine and as gruff as the other man is, he's fair. Sephiroth surrounded by the science of engine parts, of fitting pieces together and creating something entirely new... he's amazing intelligent and Cloud wonders if that kind of thing would appeal to him. He doubts there was a lot of indepth rocket science in the kid's past beyond the basics and he might enjoy the challenge of learning something entirely new. Cid would be rough but in the end he didn't think he'd be bad for the kid. It would be a crash course in dealing with people, that was sure. And it would be a long step away from destruction and closer to building and solving problems by creating. Maybe, if Sephiroth had grown up with the mindset of building solutions instead of destroying what was in his way, Nibelheim might never have happened.
Too late now for Nibelheim. But maybe not too late to head something similar off before it had time to set in as the only solution to a situation.
If Sephiroth would have the slightest interest in aircraft engines and the aerodynamics of designing craft to travel faster and further... Cloud could at least contact Cid later and see if he'd be willing to give it a try.]
Here's another thing to think about too. Sometimes people judge by appearance. To them, you look like a kid. So they'll think of you as a kid, sometimes even when you do things that should change their mind. Or they'll see your silver hair and think of other people they've known who had silver hair and think you're the same way. People do a lot of things based on appearance. If I come toward you carrying a sword, it would make you think of different things than if I came toward you carrying a jug of milk, wouldn't it? It's not anyone's fault, it's just the way people can be. To make things easier you can learn how to change, not who you are, but how you appear to other people. The better you get at figuring out how to present yourself, the more people will want to have you help them. It won't change everybody's mind but it'll change enough.
[Sephiroth brightens at Cloud's answer. He'd been almost sure that Cloud would refuse his request. He's used to not being allowed to do what he wishes or being listened to. He would have continued to help with Cloud's delivery business no matter what, but the thought of something new and different to do is more exciting.
He can be impatient. It's not that he has a short attention span, for he can focus on one task much longer than most children his age, but he grows bored easily when not engaged. When he's bored, he becomes restless and eager to find things to do. He prefers having useful ways to spend his time. He'd rather do something relating to combat, because fighting is fun, but if he's not allowed to join the WRO, he would enjoy anything absorbing, challenging. Maybe science or mathematics.]
I would like that. I will learn the basics quickly so I can have another job. What kind of work can I do?
[While Cloud speaks, he listens, still nibbling at some of his food, but with his eyes wide, his gaze on Cloud. On one level, he understands what Cloud means. A sword indicates hostile intention. A milk jug does not. That makes sense, but he has no sword, and he is not responsible for the color of his hair. It simply is. People should judge him by his actions. He is not to blame if others are mistaken. His face takes on a stubborn cast.]
I cannot change my appearance. If others are at fault, why must I change to suit them? It is their opinions that should be changed, if they are wrong.
[the kid certainly absorbs everything Cloud's saying, though Cloud suspects a lot of it is getting squirreled away and is going to pop up again when he least expects it somewhere down the road when Miniroth has had time to dissect it entirely. It'll certainly be interesting to see what ends up being the end result though Cloud can't help feel a little out of his depth. He's not exactly all knowing and wise 'Dad' material. He can only tackle each new hurtle as it comes and do the best he can but really Tifa's much better at this kind of thing than he is.]
I don't know for sure. We'll have to try different things until we find something that works for you. Maybe we can see if Cid can teach you a little about airships.
[Sephiroth the pilot.... how different would the world have been then? Going to the moon instead of going insane. Maybe they'll get their second chance to find out.
Maybe they won't.
All Cloud can do is try.]
I'd have to check with him first. If he's too busy, maybe there's something in the WRO resource division with working out supply routes and the best ways to get goods where they need to go for the most people. Like I said, we'll snoop around until we find something that interests you. And if you do find something you're interested in, you need to tell me so I can see if we can make it work.
[Miniroth in the planning division might actually not be a bad idea. Then maybe Reeve would stop building those damn bridges that didn't actually go anywhere but ended in thin air. Seriously, man needed some help. As for the rest though...]
Didn't say it was fair to you. I just said you had to understand that it will probably happen and you need to be aware. You're not changing to suit them. You stay you. [he puts emphasis on that. Sephiroth lost his grip on who he was and bought into a lie. Maybe, if he'd been more sure of his place in the world instead of used to being alienated and alone, he could have fought it. Maybe not. Cloud's not exactly an expert on staying himself.] You just show them through your actions that their opinion is wrong.
Every two and a half days? His mom would have killed someone.]
French fries. Potatoes sliced and fried. They're better with ketchup.
[he lets that information sink in as he pulls out two bottles of root beer and pops the tops off both of them, setting one in front of the kid before taking a swallow of his own. Sephiroth hasn't learned to tone down his speed yet. It's something Cloud had to stumble through learning on his own and Sephiroth's movements don't phase him. But they're not natural compared to most people's and it's easier if you don't inadvertently go around scaring people. He makes a mental note to work on that with the kid. He's going to have a hard enough time already. Luckily he's staying with the team and they're more than used to Cloud's own physical quirks. Hell, sometimes Tifa can move just as fast as he can when she decides to.]
Root beer.
People eat a couple meals a day usually. And since they have to eat anyway, and they've got the choice, most people chose to eat foods that they enjoy the taste of too.
[he takes two more paper plates off the tray and sets one next to the kid while the other ends up in front of himself. Then he goes back to the pile of packets and starts tearing them open to add them to what's on the plate]
Sausage dog. Like a hot dog only with more flavor. You can just eat it in the bun or you can add things to it to change the flavor.
[his own is quickly disappearing under a mound of ketchup, mustard, onion, relish, and hot peppers]
Reply
If resources are limited, shouldn't one eat only as much as necessary? Therefore, I should continue to eat at the intervals that were scientifically determined to be ideal. [That makes perfect sense, after all, doesn't it? It's only logical.] The content of meals should be decided by their nutritional value.
[His tone is slightly disapproving, in a childish way. Nonetheless, he takes more french fries from Cloud and dips them into the ketchup, then eats them, as before. He doesn't see any reason to lessen his speed, as to move quickly is natural for him, so once again his actions are carried out far more swiftly than is strictly normal. Having depleted Cloud's french fry supply by a good number, he turns his attention to the indicated sausage dog. He takes a bite of it as-is, then again, he studies and copies Cloud's movements, piling on condiments. He's interested to see what the result is, if he acts as Cloud does. Cloud seems to be knowledgeable about these matters. Having piled on a nearly identical combination of toppings, Sephiroth takes another bite of the sausage dog, then makes a face. It's too many flavors, all at once, and he finds the admixture displeasing. He looks back at Cloud.] I do not like the enhanced flavor.
Reply
[Cloud points it out, frying the kid's logical attempts to avoid eating. As if Tifa would let him get away with it anyway. He watches the fries disappear as he finishes putting the last touches on his sausage dog and takes a bite of his own, watching Sephiroth first try his plain and then work his way through the packets. There's a distinct twitch at the corner of one side of Cloud's mouth at the reaction.
Setting down his own dog, he reaches out to take Sephiroth's, taking a plastic knife and scraping all the extras off and onto a little pile on a napkin so easily it's apparent it's not the first time he's done it for someone. Finished he hands it back before passing over a couple packets of ketchup and relish.]
It's an acquired taste. Try those instead and go light on how much you use. Best way to find out what you like and what you don't is to try a little of everything and make up your own mind.
[which is pretty much what the kid's already been doing and Cloud's pretty proud of him. Whatever junk the scientists filled his head with, it's apparent that Sephiroth still has his own brain. He remembers, vaguely, the General being curious. It's what fucked them all over.
No. That's not fair. It wasn't the curiosity. It was dealing with the information he did find. Maybe the kid's already got the screw loose that makes him flip later on in life. Or maybe it's something that just finally broke inside him. If it's the first there's nothing they can do about it but Cloud finds himself hoping it's the second. Because if it is than the kid can be shored up against breaking and better prepared for the fall out. Maybe they can do it differently this time and that starts with letting the kid grow up knowing he's not alone.
It's a start at least.]
Reply
[However, Cloud is still the expert in this strange place full of unfamiliar stimuli, and he nods again at Cloud's advice.] Thank you. I'll experiment with them. [Cloud's advice is sound. He samples the relish first, then decides that he doesn't like the taste of it at all, which was likely the problem with the overall flavor. He sets the relish packets aside with a stern look. The ketchup is better. He knows, because he's already tried it with the french fries, and he liked the taste of it. He applies it in neat lines, then tries the dog again.]
This is better. [He licks his fingers clean.]
Reply
You're a renewable resource. The planet will use your energy when you're gone to feed new life elsewhere.
Most things are better with ketchup. But not funnel cake.
Reply
I've looked over Tifa's accounts. [That certainly wasn't Tifa's idea. Sephiroth is also a rather nosy child.] Your financial resources are limited, and food costs money.
Yes, when I die my energy will be reused. [He agrees with this calmly, nodding. That's a sensible statement on Cloud's part.]
I like the ketchup. I do not like this other substance. [He glances accusingly at the relish. Testing Cloud's statement, he dips a piece of the funnel cake in the ketchup, then tries it. After a moment's serious reflection, he decides Cloud is right.] It is better without ketchup.
Reply
[he doesn't mind disagreeing over points with the kid. There's no way Tifa's going to let someone in her care, much less a child, go two and a half days without food. Which Sephiroth will find out soon enough and not even he's strong enough to hold out against Tifa's mothering instinct. But for the time being, Cloud doesn't mind chewing the situation over the with kid in front of him. It's like a puzzle they're both working on, just from different sides of the table. One of his pale brows does go up at the book snooping though and then a side of his mouth quirks upward.]
Tifa's got enough gil and she's got plenty of ways to get more if she needs it. [after all, it's not like the house in Costa del Sol is on the books or the money both of them lent out to help friends and neighbors rebuild. Or the chocobo stock they left with Billy for breeding. He wouldn't always be getting new upgrades for Fenrir if it was taking food out of the mouths of his family.] If it worries you though, find some way to be constructive instead of destructive. Denying yourself food is destructive. Finding a way to help Tifa out with her work is constructive. You catch the difference?
Relish.
Try some of the popcorn cob. It's better without ketchup too.
Reply
What you say has merit, but I do not think it is destructive for one to eat only the necessary amount of food. I do not require multiple meals a day. I do not wish to consume more than the needful amount of resources. [He looks quite thoughtful about this, and completely serious. Though the older Sephiroth had adapted and eventually began to act more like a human after leaving the lab, this Sephiroth currently has little experience with life outside of Science Research Division and does not see the need to alter his behavior. It's true that he probably won't be able to defy Tifa in this, however.] If you are certain that there is no shortage. [He looks concerned about this, but decides to accept what Cloud says as the truth, for now. Maybe he can find some more papers to look through, so he can see for himself.]
Relish. Popcorn cob. [He repeats these words as he learns them and tries the popcorn cob. Both with and without ketchup, to make sure he agrees with Cloud, but Cloud is again proven to be correct.] I like this. [He takes another bite of it.]
[His primary focus, however, is not food now. He has distilled everything Cloud said into an important line of questioning. Yes, he would like to be constructive. He wants a job to do. He perks up.] Can I work for the WRO? Or with the former members of the military?
Reply
[he watches the kid try the food, testing out what he's being told and Cloud doesn't mind. In fact, he'd encourage it if the kid wasn't already doing it himself. Cloud makes it a point to be truthful, to the point of painfully sometimes, with people he cares about and children. Miniroth falls into the second category and Cloud's still deciding if he goes in the first or not. If he's asked about something straight out, he'll do his best to be honest though. It's one of the many reasons he closed off from Tifa and eventually ran. If she'd asked, he would have had to tell her and the thought of dumping his burdens on her... that wasn't how you protected someone you cared about.
Except he was in the long process of learning, belatedly, that sometimes it was.
He also wasn't so hot on the idea of Sephiroth getting any more weapon training than he already had - for obvious reasons. He somehow doubted he'd be able to stall it out entirely. Sephiroth would learn how to get his hands on a sword and practice with it at some point and Cloud would rather he was there for it than the kid did it on his own. But now wasn't that time and the longer they could put off Sephiroth learning what it was to fight real fights - and kill real people - the better. It was something he'd rather the kid never learn - but fate had a way of repeating certain traits despite everything else.
Now just wasn't going to be that time.]
WRO doesn't take kids. Denzel already tried. And no one's going to hire a kid to guard a convoy no matter how capable he is. When you get old enough, I'm sure the WRO could use your help but for now, you've got to think more basic. When you learn something new, you start with the basics, simple things, right? Once you've got those down then you move on to more complex routines. Consider this the same thing. Tifa could use help around the bar. She does it all and that's a lot for one person to do. Denzel and Marlene can only help so much because of school. You could help Tifa get the bar ready each evening. The way she wants you to help her, not the way you think she needs help. That's an important difference. It's okay to suggest something you think will make things easier but it's her bar and things get done her way.
[yeah, he's throwing her under the bus with this one but she's the one that was so insistent about Miniroth in the first place. And she's a lot smarted with kids and people in general than he is anyway. To be fair though, he'll also add:]
You can help me with my deliveries as well. You can't go with me but I need help organizing deliveries that pile up during the day and to sort bills too. Start small, with the basics, and work your way to more complex things next. You might want to consider starting to people watch too. You'd be surprised how educational it can be.
Reply
If you would like me to assist Tifa, I will. I will do as she asks and only that, even if I do not think her methods are the most efficient. [He is a little disappointed, however, as guarding convoys and assisting in rebuilding sound, not only more enjoyable, but also more in keeping with his skill set. He is strong and fast and agile. He wants to use his power. He wants to fight. It seems natural that he should, though he's learned not to mention it directly. Doing so doesn't get a positive result.]
I can easily organize the deliveries and bills. I am already familiar with the relevant systems. [He does poke his nose into a variety of things when no one's looking. Being able to more or less teleport has many advantages for an overly curious child. He also believes all these small tasks Cloud is suggesting could be carried out in a brief amount of time, and no one will be impressed with them.] It will not take me long to learn these basics. [He frowns, dissatisfied.] Can I attempt more complex tasks once I have done so? If the WRO will not accept me, perhaps I might work for others who would allow it? [That seems the logical solution, if that is the reason he cannot work for the WRO.]
Reply
[Cloud knows that both he and Tifa will keep an eye on anyone that interacts with Miniroth. He won't find a lot of people who will be willing to hire him on for jobs of any sort. But there are people that will. Briefly, Cloud wonders if Cid would. He's working on his new engine and as gruff as the other man is, he's fair. Sephiroth surrounded by the science of engine parts, of fitting pieces together and creating something entirely new... he's amazing intelligent and Cloud wonders if that kind of thing would appeal to him. He doubts there was a lot of indepth rocket science in the kid's past beyond the basics and he might enjoy the challenge of learning something entirely new. Cid would be rough but in the end he didn't think he'd be bad for the kid. It would be a crash course in dealing with people, that was sure. And it would be a long step away from destruction and closer to building and solving problems by creating. Maybe, if Sephiroth had grown up with the mindset of building solutions instead of destroying what was in his way, Nibelheim might never have happened.
Too late now for Nibelheim. But maybe not too late to head something similar off before it had time to set in as the only solution to a situation.
If Sephiroth would have the slightest interest in aircraft engines and the aerodynamics of designing craft to travel faster and further... Cloud could at least contact Cid later and see if he'd be willing to give it a try.]
Here's another thing to think about too. Sometimes people judge by appearance. To them, you look like a kid. So they'll think of you as a kid, sometimes even when you do things that should change their mind. Or they'll see your silver hair and think of other people they've known who had silver hair and think you're the same way. People do a lot of things based on appearance. If I come toward you carrying a sword, it would make you think of different things than if I came toward you carrying a jug of milk, wouldn't it? It's not anyone's fault, it's just the way people can be. To make things easier you can learn how to change, not who you are, but how you appear to other people. The better you get at figuring out how to present yourself, the more people will want to have you help them. It won't change everybody's mind but it'll change enough.
Reply
He can be impatient. It's not that he has a short attention span, for he can focus on one task much longer than most children his age, but he grows bored easily when not engaged. When he's bored, he becomes restless and eager to find things to do. He prefers having useful ways to spend his time. He'd rather do something relating to combat, because fighting is fun, but if he's not allowed to join the WRO, he would enjoy anything absorbing, challenging. Maybe science or mathematics.]
I would like that. I will learn the basics quickly so I can have another job. What kind of work can I do?
[While Cloud speaks, he listens, still nibbling at some of his food, but with his eyes wide, his gaze on Cloud. On one level, he understands what Cloud means. A sword indicates hostile intention. A milk jug does not. That makes sense, but he has no sword, and he is not responsible for the color of his hair. It simply is. People should judge him by his actions. He is not to blame if others are mistaken. His face takes on a stubborn cast.]
I cannot change my appearance. If others are at fault, why must I change to suit them? It is their opinions that should be changed, if they are wrong.
Reply
I don't know for sure. We'll have to try different things until we find something that works for you. Maybe we can see if Cid can teach you a little about airships.
[Sephiroth the pilot.... how different would the world have been then? Going to the moon instead of going insane. Maybe they'll get their second chance to find out.
Maybe they won't.
All Cloud can do is try.]
I'd have to check with him first. If he's too busy, maybe there's something in the WRO resource division with working out supply routes and the best ways to get goods where they need to go for the most people. Like I said, we'll snoop around until we find something that interests you. And if you do find something you're interested in, you need to tell me so I can see if we can make it work.
[Miniroth in the planning division might actually not be a bad idea. Then maybe Reeve would stop building those damn bridges that didn't actually go anywhere but ended in thin air. Seriously, man needed some help. As for the rest though...]
Didn't say it was fair to you. I just said you had to understand that it will probably happen and you need to be aware. You're not changing to suit them. You stay you. [he puts emphasis on that. Sephiroth lost his grip on who he was and bought into a lie. Maybe, if he'd been more sure of his place in the world instead of used to being alienated and alone, he could have fought it. Maybe not. Cloud's not exactly an expert on staying himself.] You just show them through your actions that their opinion is wrong.
Reply
Leave a comment