Title: Confrontation
Fandom: Final Fantasy: Advent Children
Characters: Cloud, Loz, Yazoo, Kadaj, Vincent
Prompt: 045 - Moon
Word Count: 338
Date finished: 07/26/2006
Rating: PG
Summary: The end of the battle in the Forgotten City (Sleeping Forest?).
Author's Notes: It was the moon, big and bright, that we saw just before Aerith had her talk with Cloud that inspired this - even if it takes place some time after that.
Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Square Enix and Sony Pictures as far as I know.

Confrontation

Cloud landed on the tree, half under his own momentum, half from the kick from Yazoo. He was tired, tired of fighting these two… underlings, with a strength and speed so familiar that if he had a minute he could figure out where he knew it from. With quick movements, he attached the hollow blade to the main one, then looked up and saw Kadaj.

Get him, and this would all be over. Cloud launched himself at him.

Pain shot through his arm when he met Kadaj's eyes, the Geostigma sucking energy and stamina from him, and then their swords clashed, ringing through the ghostly white forest. They exchanged blows, and even before Kadaj got in a blow that hurt, wringing a strangled cry from him, he knew this was not a fight he'd survive - if Kadaj didn't want him to.

Their eyes met again, closer this time, and Cloud noted for the first time the other's eyes - a familiar, cat slit green - even as Kadaj raised his sword for a blow that would kill him.

A shot rang out, and the blow was deflected, making it less deadly but no less painful. He crashed to the forest floor, stunned and unable to breath, barely aware enough to make sure the Tsurugi was in his hand.

More shots fired around him, something - no someone - gathered him up and tucked him away, and by the time Vincent released him from… whatever or wherever, his lungs worked again.

The lake was dark, far darker than the night warranted. Cloud winced, noticing how the full moon, so bright at the beginning of this trip, seemed dimmer, although he didn't know if it was because of the lake or if it was his own perception.

His arm ached, bone deep, and even though he knew nothing helped, he rubbed it, trying to ease the pain so he could think.

"See," he murmured to an absent Tifa as the pain in his arm eased a little, "I knew I'd be no help."

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