Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
at adventu, we believe that colorful story and plots far outweigh the need for a battle system. rp should be about the writing, the fun, and the creativity. you will see that the only system on our site is the encouragement to create amazing adventures with other members. welcome to adventu... how will you arrive?
year 5, quarter 3
Welcome one and all to our beautiful new skin! This marks the visual era of Adventu 4.0, our 4th and by far best design we've had. 3.0 suited our needs for a very long time, but as things are evolving around the site (and all for the better thanks to all of you), it was time for a new, sleek change. The Resource Site celebrity Pharaoh Leep was the amazing mastermind behind this with minor collaborations from your resident moogle. It's one-of-a-kind and suited specifically for Adventu. Click the image for a super easy new skin guide for a visual tour!
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... It was a bit strange to say that Oren at times missed how things used to be. His old life. It wasn't exactly a good life, but it was his 'real' life. The time he spent with that branch of Avalanche showing his disdain towards Shinra. His time in SOLDIER even had its good memories even in the midst of all those crises that eventually culminated in him defecting years down the line. Wondering how his life might've gone if things went even slightly differently that day. That was all in spite of the epiphany that hit him when he arrived in Zephon and thought about the situation he was now stuck in... He couldn't help himself.[break][break]
The day Oren seemed fated to die, he found himself in Zephon with no warning... With the way this world worked, he knew his previous life wasn't just some farce, but... What about now, though? A normal person would assume being summoned to some fantastical new location would be a result of some divine or magical intervention like out of a story. The classics one would hear in his situation like 'Oh. He and the other Outlanders were brought to this new world to help save it from some nefarious threat.' Some nonsense like that. Alas, that did not seem to be the reality. Oren was just... Here. No goal provided. All alone. Just... Surviving and dealing with fairly mundane threats (for his standards). Awaiting the day he possibly gets tossed away into some OTHER world without warning. At this point, running into familiar faces was a thought that he actually dreaded... He knew what was going to happen if he let anyone in again... He wasn't ready to feel that pain a second time. It all felt like some kind of twisted joke.[break][break]
...[break][break]
What was he even doing...? Oren always dwelled on these damned thoughts every time he was alone with them for too long.[break][break]
Oren shook his head as he looked down at a paper. Someone directly approached him for a job a bit ago. It didn't seem too unreasonable for his standards so he accepted it without much issue. He had to go make his preparations, not think pointless thoughts now... Luckily, he wouldn't need to travel as far as he did last time... However, when he looked away from the 'problem' he was going to deal with, he saw something... Or rather someone familiar. A bizarre head of spiky blonde hair and older than when Oren would've last seen him... Oren froze in his tracks as he stared at the blonde man going about his business presumably lugging around the familiar, giant slab of metal that they called a sword.[break][break]
In that moment, Oren was bearing witness to a ghost... He was one of the people Oren had been more familiar with during his days in SOLDIER despite him not actually being apart of it. He was also one of the ones declared dead by Shinra following the mysterious incident that occurred in Nibelheim.[break][break]
Cloud Strife.[break][break]
His outfit and the sword he was carrying raised several questions in Oren's mind. That sword had belonged to Angeal Hewley and came into Zack Fair's possession after Zack was forced to kill him... And why was he wearing a SOLDIER uniform? ... With bolts on a singular shoulder pad? Oren wanted to know. He felt like he HAD to know... If anyone had the answers to those questions that had bothered him for around five years from his perspective, Cloud was one of them. Yet... Oren couldn't deny that it might not even matter at this point. It wasn't as though that knowledge was going to matter in this world... Right?[break][break]
...[break][break]
Oren held his head as a sharp pain shot through it and his vision distorted. He grimaced before he turned and started walking away. Of course, he likely had been noticed by Cloud considering he froze in place and he wasn't exactly a sight that didn't stand out with his own distinct outfit and sword combo. He couldn't get complacent, though...
Post by Cloud Strife on Jun 13, 2024 8:29:17 GMT -6
[attr="class","shinigami"]
like seeing a ghost
Cloud sat quietly at a table in the dim corner of the tavern, the flickering candlelight casting shifting shadows across his brooding features. The low murmur of conversations and the clinking of mugs created a symphony of background noise, a soundtrack to the solitude he sought. His sharp, mako - infused eyes roamed the room with a detached vigilance, observing without truly seeing. He preferred the comfort of anonymity, blending into the shadows like a wraith.
Yet, the persistent sensation of being watched gnawed at him, unsettling the fragile peace he clung to. His gaze lifted, pinpointing the source of his unease. Oren, a man whose face stirred vague memories of the SOLDIER program, was staring intently. The recognition brought a cascade of emotions, memories of dreams unfulfilled and paths untaken. Cloud had never made it into SOLDIER, but he could still recognize the telltale signs in others. The disciplined posture, the haunted eyes — marks of a shared, if not fully understood, experience.
The intensity of Oren’s gaze was enough to push Cloud past his usual restraint. With a quiet sigh, he rose from his seat, each movement deliberate and purposeful. His boots echoed softly on the wooden floor, the crowd parting instinctively as he made his way across the room. The tension in the air was palpable, a silent testament to the storm brewing within him. Patrons whispered among themselves, casting curious glances at the unfolding scene. Even in a place where brawls were not uncommon, Cloud’s presence demanded attention.
He stopped in front of Oren’s table, his presence casting a long shadow over the seated man. The tavern’s warm glow flickered over Cloud’s stern face, highlighting the contours of his determined expression. Cloud’s eyes, glowing faintly with the eerie light of mako, locked onto Oren’s with an unyielding intensity. The noise around them seemed to fade, leaving a bubble of tense silence.
“What’s your problem?” His voice was low, a growl that rumbled with barely restrained irritation. The words were simple, but the weight behind them was undeniable. There was no mistaking the challenge in his tone, the demand for an explanation.
The memories of his time trying to get into SOLDIER resurfaced, mingling with the present tension.
The tavern’s atmosphere felt heavier with each passing second. Cloud’s presence seemed to press down on those around him, a silent testament to his strength and the battles he’d endured. The subtle shift of patrons moving further away didn’t escape his notice, but he kept his focus on Oren. Whatever this was about, he was ready to face it head-on, just as he always had.
Or it could genuinely be a harmless stare and Cloud is just being an unintentional douchebag.
Oren slowly crossed his arms. He perhaps should have been prepared for the possibility of this happening... Or he could have just left. Of course, he could still leave regardless of how that obviously would be perceived by any person, normal or otherwise. Hefty boots grew closer and closer. Oren didn't move. It felt like the hustle and bustle of the tavern he sat in went completely silent as a shadow soon loomed over him. The voice that spoke up was familiar, though the tone of voice that came out of it was... Alien to Oren. Granted, Oren supposed anyone would be annoyed if they were being stared at...[break][break]
Why did he not just leave?[break][break]
What did he even say now?[break][break]
What should he do...?[break][break]
Cloud was initially met with silence. It took a moment before Oren slowly reached up and took his hat off, dropping it on the table before looking up at Cloud... His expression was almost completely blank, though one could glimpse some subtle horror on his face when he noticed it... The glow in Cloud's eyes... He didn't just have the uniform, he also had them now... But when? How did he...? Oren sighed. He couldn't keep it at bay anymore.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"It's been a long time, Cloud Strife..."
Oren paused, trying to gather the cluttered thoughts in his mind together. He knew it would likely be a poor idea to dump all of his questions on Cloud at once. For all Oren knew, Cloud wouldn't even have all the answers, but he needed to know. Even just a little.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Four years? Or has it been five now...? They... Uh. Shinra that is. They reported all of you dead after you went to Nibelheim with Zack and Sephiroth... I never believed their story. I knew those bastards had been hiding something, but I didn't think you were actually still... Alive. Let alone like this now. Like a... SOLDIER..."
Oren leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. It had to have been Shinra. They must've did something to Cloud... Who else could've scooped him up from Nibelheim and have the resources to make him like a SOLDIER? Some broad strokes were starting to come together in his mind, though the exact details eluded him currently. It might've been obvious Oren was noticeably ignorant about a few things... Particularly involving the silver haired elephant in the room...[break][break]
Oren looked down before looking back up at Cloud again.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"You must've been through a lot of shit... Well. That's probably an understatement... How about we catch up a little? How long have you been stuck in old Limbo now?"
Oren bitterly chuckled. If nothing else, he could enlighten Cloud a little on Zephon or just hear what he's been up to if he has already acclimated to the place. He knew that the timelines of the 'Outlanders' seemed to get tangled up in Zephon, but it was apparent Cloud was either from a similar point in time or maybe even the future of their world relative to himself...?[break][break]
Oren didn't want to admit it, but it did actually feel kind of... Nice to see a familiar face. Even if it'll end up being all for nothing in the end... Just like it was in his old life.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"... Oh. Uh. Sorry about staring at you also..."
Post by Cloud Strife on Sept 1, 2024 16:03:18 GMT -6
[attr="class","shinigami"]
Like Seeing a Ghost
As Cloud stared at Oren, a flicker of confusion crossed his features. a subtle tightening around his eyes that betrayed his inner thoughtss. Oren spoke to him with a familiarity that Cloud struggled to reciprocate with him, each word pulling at the frayed edges of his fragmented memory. The man before him seemed to know him somewhat at least, speaking as if they shared a somewhat common history, yet for Cloud, those memories were distant .. hidden in the fog that clouded his mind.
It almost made him feel guilty — the years of trauma, the experiments, and the countless battles had left his memory a maze of fog and shadows, where familiar faces often lurked just out of reach. He wanted to remember, but it was like trying to grasp smoke. Intangible and elusive.
He could sense Oren’s earnestness, the genuine familiarity in his tone, but Cloud’s own mind refused to cooperate. Every time he tried to push through the haze to force the memories to the surface, it was as if a wall of static slammed into his consciousness. A blaring, relentless white noise that sent a sharp jolt of pain through his skull, threatening to split his mind in two. It was a sensation he had grown all too familiar with as a cruel reminder of the past that he could never fully escape.
The pain was like an electric current, sharp and sudden, searing through his thoughts and leaving a lingering ache in its wake. Yet, Cloud had grown accustomed to it by now. A dull throb that he had learned to endure. The shock of pain was nothing new as it barely registered as he flinched, the reaction so slight that most wouldn’t even notice. It was just another burden he carried, one more scar etched into his psyche.
But the struggle to remember was there, gnawing at him even as the pain receded. He forced himself to stay in the moment, to focus on the here and now, where Oren sat before him. Even if the past was a blur, Cloud owed him his attention — owed it to whatever bond they once shared, even if he couldn’t fully recall it. If there evn was one at least.
Cloud’s gaze softened slightly, a rare moment of vulnerability seeping through his usual stoic exterior. “Sorry,” he finally managed, his voice low and tinged with regret. “My memories… they’re not what they used to be. Let's just say they're a little foggy.”
He wished he could say more, explain the confusion that plagued him, but the words wouldn’t come. All he could offer was his presence, his willingness to listen, and perhaps, in time, some part of the past would return to him. For now, he would take things one step at a time. Starting with Oren and the here and now.
Post by Oren McGinnis on Sept 1, 2024 23:04:52 GMT -6
[nospaces]
[attr="class","nikki98"]
[attr="class","nikki99"]
[break]
JUST KILLING TIME...
[break]
[attr="class","nikki100"]
[attr="class","nikki101"]I BELIEVE THAT NONE OF THIS TRULY MATTERS...
[break]
[attr="class","nikki102"]WELL, THAT'S WHAT I TELL MYSELF ANYWAYS...
[break]
[attr="class","nikki109"]Oren actually felt some modicum of what some might call joy when he tried speaking to Cloud... However, that feeling slowly started to fade when as he said his piece on wondering what happened to Cloud, he was met with a face that spelled only... Confusion. Like Oren was some madman babbling on about events that never happened... Yet... Oren knew they did... They tried joining SOLDIER around the same time. Oren got in, but they ended up not accepting Cloud even though he was honestly pretty good at swordplay and stronger than he looked. Perhaps it was something to do with his mentality...? Indeed, if Cloud actually had been submerged in Mako despite not being deemed 'worthy' of it back then... And Oren himself came out of such a bath with his own mind a little fucked up... And could actually relate to that strange mental static...[break][break]
Oren tried to ponder over it a bit more and the conclusion he came to was an obvious, yet horrifying one... Mako poisoning. Of course, Cloud seemed to actually sort of recover from it unlike almost every other known case considering he wasn't in a catatonic state. Yet, the effects on his mind were rather apparent... Or was it possible...? Was he from some alternate reality where Oren didn't exist...? Oren hadn't considered THAT possibility yet because it honestly was something he hoped WASN'T the case. He already found existence itself slowly losing meaning with all the other universes that converged in Zephon and trying to ponder over alternate realities to the world he already came from... That thought alone was truly harrowing. Oren looked down, his expression actually looking a little... Sad. Maybe it would be a poor idea to try to question him further on Nibelheim... No matter how tempted Oren was to try and learn about what fate actually befell all of those who went on that mission...[break][break]
Oren sighed.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"... Mmm. I see. I suppose that isn't too surprising... I should have known better than to think your mind would have escaped such an experience fully intact... Not even my own did... Hm. Does the name 'Oren McGinnis' ring even the faintest of bells to you? It's... My name. From my memory, we both tried to make it into SOLDIER around the same time. It'd perhaps be presumptuous to say we were close, but we had stayed acquainted for some number of years after before... Well. That event I just described to you."
Oren couldn't even remember the last time he SAID the name McGinnis. He was pretty sure he hadn't said it once since arriving in Zephon as the lovely specter sitting before Cloud. He wasn't really sure what the current state of his memories were so Oren figured he'd start with how he remembered meeting Cloud and a basic enough idea of their relationship. Seeing this seeming lack of memory of himself from Cloud made Oren recall something... Or rather the fact that he DIDN'T recall something... Or someone...? Oren himself suddenly grasped his head as a pain wracked his mind and a strange static took over his vision for a few moments. It eventually subsided and he would slowly look at Cloud again in silence to see if any of what Oren said made any sense to him.[break][break]
... His own memory problems didn't matter right now.
Post by Cloud Strife on Sept 17, 2024 9:34:38 GMT -6
[attr="class","shinigami"]
Like Seeing a Ghost
That incident .. Nibelheim. The memory of it was etched into Cloud’s mind as if it had happened only yesterday, yet the way he recalled it was a tangled mess. His own memories twisted and blurred with Zack’s. Unbeknownst to Cloud even. The source of these fractured memories wasn’t his alone to bear. He had no clue that some of what he carried belonged to Zack, another mystery lurking in the shadows of his past. Perhaps, though, that was a puzzle for another day.
Cloud lowered himself into the chair opposite Oren, the weight of the Buster Sword beside him seeming insignificant as he set it down with ease. He was tired. Tired of the same old cycle, the constant uncertainty that plagued his memories. Each encounter with his past felt like he was grasping at fragments of a broken mirror, never sure which pieces were his own and which belonged to someone else. He wanted to move past it, to focus on forging new memories, ones he could claim with certainty. But even that felt like a struggle some days. But still .. he tried. He met Oren’s gaze, his expression less guarded than usual. Maybe it was the exhaustion of constantly playing the part of the soldier with the fractured past or maybe it was something about Oren himself—something faintly familiar that Cloud couldn’t quite place. He was used to keeping people at arm’s length. Especially those associated with SOLDIER, but this wasn’t Midgar. The rules were different here, and maybe .. just maybe, he could afford to drop his defenses — if only a little.
“A lot of my memories .. are a mess,” Cloud admitted, his voice steady but laced with the weight of that ongoing struggle. “There are pieces missing, things that don’t line up. It’s like some of them don’t even belong to me.”
He looked down for a moment, his gloved fingers tracing the edge of the table as he gathered his thoughts. “But your name. Oren — there’s something familiar about it. I can’t explain it, but maybe that means something.” Cloud wasn’t one to openly express his emotions, nor was he particularly skilled at being personable. Aerith, Tifa, and the others had always been far better at reaching out to people. But here, Cloud was trying in his own way. There was something in Oren’s presence, a warmth or maybe just a recognition buried deep that made him feel like there was some history, even if it was one he couldn’t fully recall.
Post by Oren McGinnis on Sept 20, 2024 15:40:13 GMT -6
[nospaces]
[attr="class","nikki98"]
[attr="class","nikki99"]
[break]
JUST KILLING TIME...
[break]
[attr="class","nikki100"]
[attr="class","nikki101"]I BELIEVE THAT NONE OF THIS TRULY MATTERS...
[break]
[attr="class","nikki102"]WELL, THAT'S WHAT I TELL MYSELF ANYWAYS...
[break]
[attr="class","nikki109"]Indeed, Nibelheim... An incident that Oren never learned the true details of considering Shinra's coverup in the immediate aftermath of it. He went to his death never learning the truth. Nothing beyond that Shinra was assuredly hiding something about what happened to Zack, Sephiroth, and Cloud... Maybe even Nibelheim itself for all he knew at the time. After all, even a regular SOLDIER was effectively a one man army... And Sephiroth was on a completely different level from even the other 1st Class SOLDIERs. Did they really think that nobody would find just announcing he died suspicious? For now, Oren would leave such questions swirling in his mind to the side. Much like his own cluttered thoughts, they weren't all that important now... Not unless he was ever forced to make them important.[break][break]
Ugh. Oren never thought he'd be doing this right now... But... Well... He was faced with someone in need... As Oren looked upon Cloud, something in his similarly cold expression seemed to soften slightly as he actually sat down across from Oren. There were no words, but even if he didn't recall, it seemed like he was willing to at least humor Oren's seemingly nonsensical babbling. Indeed, he noted that Oren's name did faintly remind him of something. Oren's own ability to express himself had broken down over the months he'd been in Zephon as he slowly lost himself to the despair of his situation here... Or rather his way of coping was a familiar one... Putting forth a stoic façade and keeping everyone at an arm's length.[break][break]
Oren took a deep breath. He himself was plagued by his own past... And now a realization that some parts of his own seemed to be fractured. Add on being put into a present he had no choice in being apart of. A second life that offered him little beyond the past and nothing in the way of a real future. Yet, it seemed there was someone before him who he could actually help in some regard...[break][break]
Oren laid his elbow on the table and then rested his chin in his hand.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Heh. Well, that's a start I suppose..."
Oren did remember the spiky blonde before him a lot better than Cloud remembered him so he couldn't deny some small remnant of joy over him... Being around? Of course, that did raise the question of what to do about Cloud's memories...? They weren't back home anymore so trying to figure this out might be more difficult than it'd normally be... Oren wasn't sure where else to start or if it'd even be a good idea to force Cloud to somehow remember?
[attr="class","dialogue"]"Hm... Maybe time will eventually bring more memories back to you. Considering you're lugging that beast of metal around now, I assume your swordplay has only gotten better since the testing..."
Said 'beast of metal' of course being the Buster Sword.
[attr="class","dialogue"]"If you've just recently appeared here, I might be able to help you a bit if you need it..."
Words that Oren thought he'd never say, but... Damn it. Much as he refused the help from others for his problems, he couldn't truly break out of that desire to help others himself.
