The Promised Land Characters: Claude Tifa Sephiroth Rufus Hojo Scarlett Red XIII Cid Claude and his party has just beaten a psychic shade of Sephiroth and Genova Death. They now have the Black Materia back in their possession and continue to march northward. This scene is probably one of the most confusing parts of the game, and if this is the first translation you are reading, STOP, and read the previous ones first. If Claude's words get confusing, remember that he has a split personality (one is the real Claude that you all know, and the other is a servant to Sephiroth). By reading this, you should get a glimpse at Claude's complex personality and what a bad-boy Seph is. (Seph is the best (or should I say worst?), coolest villain I've seen in my life, concerning RPGs). -------------- (Suddenly the screen turns bright white, and everything is invisible) Tifa: What's going on!? Claude: Calm down Tifa. Sephiroth is nearby, anything can happen. --------------- (the whiteness slowly fades into an illusionary Nibelheim) Tifa: Nibelheim... Cid: What the hell-... Why Nibelheim, here!? Claude: This is an illusion made by Sephiroth. He's trying to confuse us. As long as we know this is just a mirage, there's nothing to be afraid of. Let's go. Tifa: Ok... (sees Sephiroth coming) LOOK!! (the three of them scatter and observe Sephiroth who is accompanied by three soldiers. This is the flashback from 5 years ago...except the young Claude is replaced by an unknown soldier with spiked black hair) Cid: Claude isn't there... Tifa: (shakes her head)..Sephiroth...Stop this... Claude: (shrugs) Pathetic. Seph: (laughs, then disappears) Tifa: Claude... this is all fake. Don't mind it! ------------- (the screen blanks out, and soon shows an overview of Nibelheim, burning) Claude: Now what... Tifa: (to Sephiroth) Stop this!! Cid: (sees the burning Nibelheim flashback)...this is horrible... Claude: This is the truth... of 5 years ago. But...It's probably not going to be me who will come out of that mansion. Another pointless illusion. (Black haired guy runs out of the mansion) Claude: See? What did I tell you? Zangan: (in the flashback, addressing black-haired soldier) You there! Help me! I'll check this house, you check the other one! Tifa: I can't watch this anymore...Claude, don't look! Claude: ...What's the matter Tifa? Didn't I say, it's OK as long as you know it's just an illusion? ------------- (the mirage changes again, and the three are standing in the middle of Nibelheim's square. The photographer lies on the grounded, wounded or dead) Cid: (approaches photographer) Hey you! You OK? (turns to Claude) Oh yeah...forgot that this was all fake... Claude: SEPHIROTH!! I KNOW YOU'RE LISTENING!! I GOT THE MESSAGE!!! (pauses) FIVE YEARS AGO, NIBELHEIM. I WAS NOT THERE. IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY!!?? Seph: (appears) Good...you understand. Claude: I know you want to confuse me. But all of this means NOTHING to me because I remember the flames...the heat...I remember the pain!! Seph: (shakes his head, then asks sarcastically) Are you sure...? You are just a puppet....you have no heart...you can feel no pain. How valuable is the 'memory' of a thing like yourself? The past which I show you now is the truth. The one who is fabricating is you. Claude: (shrugs) Seph: Understand? Claude: I don't need to understand. (rests his chin on his hand) But, I need to ask one question. Why do you do this? Seph: (moves over by Cid and Tifa. The two are startled and run to Claude's side. Seph chuckles, then looks at Claude) I want you to regain your true identity... and you will hand me the Black Materia like you did in the past... it's ironic how the FAILURE has come to help me most. I can almost see the disappointment in Hojo's face. Claude: HOJO!!? What does he have to do with me!? Seph: (points at Claude) You...yes, 5 years ago. After Nibelheim was burned down, you were created by Hojo. You are a mannequin made from Genova's superhuman powers and Makou energy. Sephiroth Copy/ Incomplete. No identification numbering. THAT is what you are. Tifa: Claude...don't listen to him...shut your ears! Claude: What's wrong Tifa? Don't worry, it's not bothering me the least...it's more like...I wasn't even listening to him. Tifa: 'Made by Hojo'? That's a lie! Because we have memories of each other...remember that starry night when we were still childern? Seph: Tifa... behind those words...you are shaking with fear. Should I show Claude your true thoughts within this mirage? Tifa: (turns away, it is getting unbearable for Tifa) Seph: (laughs) She dislikes my idea. (disappears) Claude: ...Tifa? Is Sephiroth right? Tifa: Claude... Claude: What are you afraid of? I'm OK! Whatever happens, I won't bellieve him. It's true that I lose my memory sometimes, but Tifa? Remember you once said to me, "Welcome back"? That's proof that you knew me before the incident at Nibelheim. That's the truth! So Tifa, why are so afraid? I can't stand it when you turn away from me like this... Tifa: No...no..Claude... Claude: Are you saying..I'm not Claude!? Tifa: No! It's not like that.... I just can't put it in the right words...Claude, I need just a little more time! Seph: (reappears) Claude...don't accuse Tifa. I will explain. Genova can copy another human's memory and change its appearance, voice, and actions to copy this host. The Genova inside you copied Tifa's memory and created you out of her past. Perhaps there was once a 'Claude' in Tifa's childhood. Tifa: Claude...right now, don't think! PLEASE!!! Seph: THINK CLAUDE!!!.... (tauntingly) Claude? Excuse me... you didn't have a name. Claude: Shut up, Sephiroth!! Seph: Still don't understand, do you? Well then... Remember the photograph? Tifa, you should know what I'm talking about. Of course, 'Claude' shouldn't know... Claude: (shrugs) Seph: Where is that picture... (walks up to the dead photographer and sees the picture) There it is. Take a look, it's a good snapshot. Tifa: Claude NO!! Claude: I should be on it. Even if I'm not, that's fine because this place is just imaginary. (Looks at the picture which was taken before the soldiers departed for the Makou reactor. There are three people shown, Sephiroth, young Tifa, and the unknown black haired Soldier. * sidenote- in ff7, the word 'Soldier' does not mean any man who is in the army. A Soldier is a person exposed to large doses of Makou energy as well as injected with Genova cells. From now, I will refer to these as Soldiers with a capital S) Claude: ...Just as I thought. That photo is fake. I KNOW the truth. (starts to recount the events of the past) 5 years ago, I returned to Nibelheim on a mission to examine the reactor. I was 16. The town was the same as before...then, what did I do? I met my mother, the towns people... and I went to Tifa's room. Then? I read the letter. The next day I left for the reactor, I was happy because it was my first mission as a 1st class Soldier... ....Soldier? 1st Class? (shakes his head) Soldier!? When did I ever become a Soldier? (starts shaking) HOW do you become a Soldier... (falls down, holds his head in his hands) Why can't I remember!?....I'm ....I'm.... (gets up calmly... by now, Claude's second personality has taken over) There is nothing to worry about because I'm- Tifa: Claude? Claude: Let's go. I'm OK. -------------- (at the center of the crater is a room made out of crystallized Makou...Materias. The Shinra Company just got there... In case you don't know, Scarlett is the dyed blond who left the peroxide on her hair for too long that her hair turned greenish, dressed in a red ballgown. Hojo is the scientist...and I'm sure you know who Rufus is) Scarlett: WOW!!! This is ALL materia! Rufus: Outside is rich with Makou. The inner ring is a mound of pure materia... truly the Promised Land! Hojo: Promised Land...such a stupid legend. Rufus: (to Hojo) This is a place just as we imagined, and that's enough. Your stubbornness shows that you are a 2nd rate scientist. (earthquake) Rufus: What is this!!? (Inside the crystal materia wall, a giant monster blinks) Scarlett: In the wall!! Something's moving!! Hojo: The 'Weapon'... it existed!! Rufus: What is it!! Hojo: ...'Weapons'...monsters born from this planet. It appears when the earth is in danger, and then the Weapons will destroy all. That's what was stated on Professor Ghast's reports. Rufus: I've never seen such report. Where is it!! Hojo: (points to his head) Right here. Rufus: You...are very secretive, aren't you Hojo... ------------- (outside the crater, Barett, Red, Vince, Yufi, and Cait Sith are waiting. Claude had asked Red to hold onto the Black Materia while he went inside the crater) Red: Do you think Claude is alright?..... I can't believe a small stone like the Black Materia can destroy the whole planet... (suddenly, the whole place turns dark and Red XIII is alone...) Red: What!? Where are you guys!? What's going on! Don't leave me alone- Tifa: (comes running from the distance) Red! You're here! Red: Tifa!! Something weird happened...it turned black and then everybody disappeared- Tifa: Look, we're all waiting over there! You've got to help Claude! Help! He's over there- Red: OK! I'll go there right now- (leaves, goes into the crater) Tifa: (laughs, transforms into Sephiroth!!) Sephiroth: Don't forget the Black Materia.... (the screen returns to normal. Red is gone, but Barett, Cait, Vincent, and Yufi are lying on the ground, unconscious...) ----------- (Back inside the crater) Scarlett: President...I have a real baaaad feeling... Rufus: I agree. We'll leave for now, back to the airship. We have to prepare for the research team to come here. (Claude, Tifa, and Cid appear, probably transported by Sephiroth's magic) Scarlett: (startled) You!! How did you get here!? Claude: (he's no longer sane)....dunno...I won't give this place to you. (to Rufus) Leave the rest for me. Now leave! Rufus: Leave it to you...heh...you make no sense. Claude: This is the final destination for the Reunion. It all ends here...and all begins here... Tifa: (frantically calls in vain) Claude!! (Red XIII comes) Red: Claude! I'm here! Claude: Thank you Red...Where's the Black Materia? Tifa: (voice, inaudible to Red and Claude) Claude!!! Red: It's right here. Claude: I'll handle it from here on. Give it to me. Tifa: Claude! Can you hear me!? Red: Are you...ok? Claude? Well here it is, I was scared holding onto it. Tifa: Somebody stop him!! Claude: (gets the Black Materia from Red) Thank you...From here, I will handle it. Seph: (voice commands Claude) Now give me the Materia. Claude: (answers Seph telepathically) Please..give me a bit more time! Claude: Everyone...thank you. And...I'm so sorry...(to Cid) I'm sorry. (to Red)...Please forgive me! (to Tifa) and especially you...Tifa- san....I'm so sorry...you were so kind to me...I don't know what to say. I couldn't live up to your expectations. I couldn't become your 'Claude'. Tifa-san...I hope you meet the real Claude someday... Tifa: (starts to cry) Hojo: ....EXCELLENT!!! My experiment is complete! Perfection!! You, (to Claude), where's your tattoo? What is your ID number? Claude: (ashamed) Professor...I don't have a number. You never gave me one...you said I was a failure! Hojo: (stunned)....what is this...the FAILURE is the only one that survived out of them all.... Claude: (desperately pleading) Professor! Give me a number...please! I want to have a number- Hojo: SILENCE!! You failure... Claude: (flies up to the cocoon above.) Rufus: Who was that? Hojo: He's one of the Sephiroth-Copies I created after Sephiroth's death five years ago. A creation made from Genova's cells and Makou, plus science, my knowledge, and my genius intuition. He was a failure piece compared to the others...but my Reunion Theory is now proven!! If Genova's body is torn to shreds, it will one da join and fuse together. This is the Reunion. I waited for the Reunion to begin...after 5 years, the Copies began to move. I believed that by leaving the largest chunk of Genova's body in Midgard, the other Genova carriers would come there... ...but I was wrong...the Midgard piece began to move as well. I was a genius and I realized immediately that it was Sephiroth. Sephiroth's psychic self did not dissolve inside the lifestream...he began to control the copies himself. Claude: (listening from above) Yes...that was the beginning. Hojo: Where were the copies going? I did not know... Claude: I didn't know where I was going myself... Hojo: All I knew was that Sephiroth would be at the final destination. Claude: I was never hunting down Sephiroth... He was calling me. My hatred toward Sephiroth was a 'gift' from him so that I would never forget him. Seph? Sephiroth? Where are you? I have brought you the Black Materia... please, show yourself... (walks up to the cocoon) Sephiroth..finally... (Cocoon FMV) Hojo: (looks up and sees cocoon) SEE IT!? IT's SEPHIROTH!! He is here! Excellent...Genova's Reunion...Sephiroth's power...it all met here. Haaaaa ha ha!!! Tifa: DOCTOR HOJO!?? What are you so happy about! Don't you know what's going to happen!? Claude has the Black Materia! Sephiroth is going to call down the Meteo! We're ALL GOING TO DIE!!! Rufus: It's too late now... we'd better leave, quick! You all, come with me...I need to have a few questions answered... Red: (looks up) Claude!! STOP! DON'T!!! Tifa: CLAUDE!!! (Claude does not listen to either of them, and he gives the Black Materia to Sephiroth. There is a great big earthquake and the ground within the crater cannot support itself. Claude and Sephiroth both fall into the rubble while Tifa and Rufus' group manage to escape the shock wave. Tifa continues to watch the crater from the flying airship, hoping for Claude's safety.) ---------- the end :) -Cathy