Another Dimension: Light's Reflection (complete)

[Shadow Dragon]

"You can do that?" asked Armstrong, "Thanks, that would be a big help."

"So..." Trunks started with Cloud, "What are you, exactly? A mercenary?"

"Ex-SOLDIER," Cloud replied, "also a bit of a mercenary. And before you ask, no."

"Huh?"

"If I want your money, I'd ask for it, but no thanks."

"What makes you say that??"

"People hear the word 'mercenary', they assume I want their gil."

"Oh, another one of 'those'," Tikal said, "one who works for money yet is too proud or embarrassed to ask for it." Then to him and Geralt, "You 'mercenaries' really suck at your jobs."

"Said the mage who tried to bribe me by giving me stolen gold," Geralt huffed, "which I remind you, I won't accept."

"A personal battle like this is not even even worth the price of half of a single gil," Cloud stated, "I have other ways to earn gil. This was never intended to be one of them."

"If only more people in the world would follow your example," sighed Trunks to Cloud and Geralt, "but really, we have no problem-"

"I didn't come here with the intent on being paid," Cloud finally ended this, "no, I just want to see the enemy destroyed once and for all. That's worth more than any amount you could ever pay me."

"I'm good for now," Geralt said.

Cloud shifted his weight to one foot, then eyed Sephiroth with a look of confusion as he thought, "Fighting him isn't worth being kicked out of Smash, but why hasn't he said anything or made a move toward me yet? No way did he know I'd be here beforehand."

[ganondorf2]

"Sounds like my job too. Too much bad rep at home," Nova said.

"I get good pay at my job," Dante said, "Though, I'm keeping my trigger finger off right now. I hunt demons and working with them...is usually not good." He looks at Bayonetta, "Yours is an exception. They are quite something."

Sephiroth just makes a smirk, "You hunt for demons then have pizza. Not healthy."

"Hey now."

[The Melee Master]

"As you know, I have a contract with mine," Bayonetta replied, "and it doesn't come without a price. I assume yours is the same, Dante?"

"And you, 'seer', should have foreseen this and warn us this was going to happen!" Dark Pit yelled.

"Did I not explain that the outcome was unclear?" Astor calmly countered without looking at Dark Pit, hands on his lap as he remained seated, "Even I was unaware of this end result. I told you once before: that was why I refused to kill you all, and why I kept an eye on Dharkgleem. I don't know what will happen anymore than you."

"By the way," Jordan calmly stated as he turned to Astor, "a little birdy told me that you almost killed this vixen sitting next to me,"

"Jordan, wait-" Sara tried to stop him.

"Now I'm usually an easy-going fox..." he then snarled, "but if you EVER threaten her or anyone else like that again, I'll-"

"At ease, Jordan," Sam commanded.

"Hm," Astor wasn't phased by Jordan's anger as he looked at him, "so she's your consort?"

"Yes she is!" Jordan replied.

"Then you don't need to worry. To kill her or anyone here would draw the enemy closer to succeeding. I realized that after the boy wielding a red blade, came to her and your friend's rescue."

"And that machine you sent out?!" Samus questioned.

"Was meant solely for Dharkgleem's men," he confirmed, "but guardians have the tendency to attack anything that moves. Sounds to me you were at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Samus and Roy didn't speak.

"I was watching both sides of the struggle and made my decision based on the plausible outcome. Dharkgleem and whatever else is causing the mess gets their way: everything falls apart, and everyone might die...even if I were to take control of Dharkgleem myself."

Shulk blinked, "So you were opposing Dharkgleem this whole time?"

Astor rose his head, answering Shulk without downright stating it, "What I'm opposing is a possible disastrous future must it be allowed to occur."

[ganondorf2]

"Sorry, Bayo, but they aren't so trusting in my world...besides I am half demon myself. My father was a famous and the strongest demon: Sparda. He had great respect with humans and married one and gave birth to twins, Vergil and I. He had a good heart too. I gave my dad's sword to Nova as I have my own sword he gave me anyway. Those demons killed both my parents."

"Why didn't you stop me then?" Nova asked Astor, hinting when he was controlled by Dharkleem.

[The Melee Master]

"Because I knew you would break free without my help," Astor answered him, plain and simple.

"And what if he didn't?" asked Dark Pit, but didn't get an answer.

"You're a halfing, too?" asked Bayonetta to Dante.

"Wait, you're half-witch?!" asked Sam.

"I'm of Umbran and Lumen descent," she replied to the German Shepard, "and I'm not very well liked by most angels and demons..."

[Shadow Dragon]

Everyone just listened in the conversation.

{I'd better go!! Wasn't paying attention! Good f*cking night and I'll see you after work!}

[ganondorf2]

{Shoot, I hope it doesn't get him in trouble.}

"I couldn't before," he said, "Everyone had to send the right energy at me."

"Kind of," he said, as Urbosa walked out to help Steven, "I learned to go full demon, but you won't see me turn into a giant like Butterfly."

[The Melee Master]

((Oh wow, I didn't realize it either! Sorry!))

"That's Madama's actual size," Bayonetta told him, then smirked as she took out one of her blue guns and twirled it around, "I'd like to have a sparring match with you one day, too-" she stops the gun and puts it away, "-see how strong of a halfling you are."

"I'd pay to see that," Magnus smirked.

[ganondorf2]

"You have four I just have two...though a grabbed a fair amount of weapons, but I give them to Nova if he ever needs them. Pandora is one," he said and checks one of his guns for any problems one a different color then the other.

[The Melee Master]

((Hey, if you read this Shadow, I set phone alarms as reminders for things now days! Why not set an alarm for a time to go to bed if possible?))

"Not much of a fair match-up then, huh?" D!ckson asked.

"I can always dispose two of my guns for a match, you know," she reminded Dante, "I fight fair when I need to. My pact demons, however..."

"Hold on," Pit butted in, "you guys aren't serious about fighting, are you?"

"Not now, of course, but eventually, I'd like to test his skill."

[ganondorf2]

{He might have that.}

"Tell you what? How about we test each other with just guns and nothing else. I won't go full demon and place my sword elsewhere and you don't use the demons? Sound fair?"

[The Melee Master]

"But won't you kill each other that way??" asked Fay.

"Not if we're skilled enough to dodge every bullet," Bayonetta replied as she adjusted her glasses without removing them.

"You realize what happened the last time you got yourself killed?!" asked Kyle.

"WAIT, WHAT?!!!" Papyrus questioned.

Bayonetta sighed, "I died saving the one I was suppose to hunt," she eyed Dark Pit, who didn't return the gaze, then back at Papyrus, "Madama Butterfly was kind enough to bring me back, but it was a one time deal."

"WHO...WHO KILLED YOU?"

"That's neither here nor there," she replied, making Mumkhar sigh with relief, "point is, if I perish again, you'll never see me again unless you go to inferno and bring my soul back before an inferno demon absorbs it."

"Uhh," Shulk didn't know what to say about that.

[ganondorf2]

"You'll get a kick of my world then. There's Fire, Ice and Jungle Hells there. I don't think you'll like the ice one too much, unless giant angler fish frogs are your thing. Had to fight six of them. Pandora took care of that problem," he said, putting his weapon away.

"Don't remind me," Sephiroth said, remembering, "You fooled me that day as I thought you lost your mind from that trick it did."

[The Melee Master]

"Sounds worse than the underworld creatures I had to fight," Pit said.

"What trick?" asked Roy.

"Sounds like Sephiroth doesn't want to be reminded of that," Dunban said.

"Fair enough."

[ganondorf2]

"Note the angler fish part," he said.

"I'm alive, right? It's all good," Dante said, "Way better than fighting Mundus. Ugly is another thing for him."

Sephiroth sighed and said, "I think I need another blow to my head just to forget some of the things you do..."

"Can't handle it, it take?" Nova asked, seeing the soldier cover his eyes.

{I'm out, later.}

[Shadow Dragon]

Cloud rose his head at that, "Blow to the head?" Now it made sense why Sephiroth never made a move toward him let alone say a word. It wasn't about the possibility of being kicked out the tournament. He just lost his memory. Otherwise, he would've said something to the former SOLDIER, or messed with him by now...right? Cloud snuck another look at his rival, then turned back around, hoping he wouldn't be caught as he did.

"You're fidgeting," Tikal took notice, making Cloud turn to him, "everything all right?"

However, Neji took notice of this too, "You know Sephiroth, don't you?"

"Keep it down," Cloud told him, "but yeah, somewhat. It's a long story, and a very complicated one."

"Probably not anymore complicated than everything we've been through since I was called upon by a guy named Aeon," Neji then glared at Cloud, "so try me."

"Trust me, it's not easy to keep up."

"In other words, you can't be bothered, right?" Tikal asked.

"Later," Cloud replied, "I'm just...surprised, that's all."

[ganondorf2]

"Hmm?" Sephiroth sounded, "I can not say much on that, it's all fuzzy."

"Yeah, let me explain to him," Dante said, and nods, "It happened many years ago, and I got called in for a job to take out Angel/Demon hybrids causing trouble in my city, when a portal opened up in the sky and Sephiroth fell out of it. I went to check it out, thinking he was another one of those hybrids, no thanks to that wing of his. Come to find out the wing was missing and he was out cold, and bad blow to his head. I took him in and my friends, Lady and Trish, took care of him until he woke up. All he could remember was is name, and a few pictures in his mind. That's it."

[Shadow Dragon]

D*mn, he overheard him. Oh well, might as well speak to him.

"Sounds like amnesia to me," Geralt stated.

"Hm," Cloud sounded as he listened from beginning to end, though he didn't turn to Sephiroth, "I don't want to have to watch my back with you. Galeem, Dharkon, and whoever else is causing this, are my main foes this time around."

"Then drop the rivalry already," Armstrong told him, "he already said he doesn't remember you, so why interrogate him?"

"Just trying to confirm things, then I'll drop it," Cloud huffed, "I'd rather keep the past where it belongs and our battles a distant memory." Though unfortunately, he was still hurt of what Sephiroth had done to certain friends of his. THAT much was going to be tough to get around with the man, but for the sake of peace, he knew he had to, no matter how much it hurt. Brushing them away, Cloud continued, "That portal...during our battle...you vanished, and I thought you died right then and there. I wonder if that was the same portal."

[ganondorf2]

"What did it look like on your side?" Dante asked.

[Shadow Dragon]

"A white light," he replied, "but his body disintegrated, too, at least, that's what it looked like in my eyes."

[ganondorf2]

"That's what I saw, but reforming," he said.

[Shadow Dragon]

Destroyed, and then reformed? This was nearly too much to wrap his head around, but Cloud didn't question it. Instead, he nods, "That's all I wanted to know. Thanks." This was going to take some getting use to.

[ganondorf2]

"Something tells me that, he tried to get away, but he couldn't handle the trip," Neutron said, "The escape ended up fracturing his mind."

[Shadow Dragon]

Now he wanted to know the answer to that. Again, without turning to him, Cloud asks, "You mean aside from losing his memory?"

[ganondorf2]

"Correct," he said.

[Shadow Dragon]

He wanted to know how, but didn't want to keep asking questions. Again, he and Sephiroth would've clashed by now if things were the same as they had been when they fought last time. If that were to happen, everyone else might be in danger as well. Cloud sighed with relief to this as he continued to keep his eyes forward.

"That's all I wanted to know," he finally replied, "thanks."

At least now he can put all his focus on the current threat!

[ganondorf2]

Nova gets up and stretches a little saying, "I'm glad things are quiet now for a bit."

"I'm guessing you want to train?" Neutron asked.

[The Melee Master]

Shulk just stood, looking away as he put the replica Monodo on his back. He looks around and spots Egil, walking over to him and asking, "Could you answer something for me, Egil?"

The mechon leader turned and looked at him, "You may speak."

"Zanza is gone, and so is the Monodo he used," Shulk reminded Egil, "so why continue turning Homs into Mechon?"

"When Mumkhar, Xord, and Gadolt were revived, they retained their mechon bodies," explained Egil as he turned away, "I figured that instead of turning them back into homs, they would do well to further serve me and my army.”

"Against their will??"

"It was our choice, Monodo brat," Mumkhar told him as he overheard, "I told you, their world suits me just fine, and I’ve no intention on going back!"

"As if we'd want you back after all you've done," Dunban quipped.

"Sharla was all right with it as long as I keep my promise to her to come home alive this time," Gadolt smiled. Stunned, Shulk didn't know what to say, making Gadolt change his tune, "All right, so I had to convince her and make some promises here and there, but it worked out."

After a short glare at Mumkhar, Shulk turned to Gadolt with a chuckle, "Thought so. I didn't think she'd let you go that easily after last time,"

"I thought we agreed to never speak of that again, Shulk."

"And Bronze Face's mind is much too damaged to live a normal life, so he's required to remain with my army,"

"And it ain't never a dull moment," Xord agreed.

Shulk sighed to this, then turned to Face Nemesis, however he couldn't find his words with her. She turns to Shulk as she sensed him staring, "Can I help you?"

[ganondorf2]

We stay out of this as we talked amongst ourselves.

[The Melee Master]

"Ah, sorry," Shulk quickly said, "it's just-"

"I'm not explaining myself to you just yet," she replied, a little more calm, "just keep your eyes on what needs to be done first, and then I'll tell you all about myself. Deal?"

"Uh, sure, I suppose,"

"No need to be so rude about it," said Miyu to Nemesis with a glare.

"I agree," Samantha stated.

Nemesis sighs, "Trust me, what I had to go through is nothing compared to all this, so focus on that, would you?"

"Are you ashamed of what you have become?" Egil questioned her, making Nemesis snap her head up.