[ Everything that Noctis describes further, only serves to make the pit of his stomach grow heavier. On the surface, he remains cool and focused, but there's a certain twinge to his brows as they twitch, a fleeting sense of vulnerability. Uncertainty as he mulls over what that man had said to him upon arriving here. That he was his own person. That he wasn't the same one that Cloud had come to know. And he was just supposed to accept that? ]

I do. [ Perhaps it's best that he try and temper his words. Steel his thoughts so that he didn't divulge too much right now. But most importantly... Cloud's putting his trust in Aerith when he holds back on his words. He'll tell him the truth. ...in halves. ]

He was a comrade in arms, when we were in SOLDIER. [ He nods, as if to affirm that what he said was indeed correct. ] Sephiroth's strength is unreal. Not even the stories about him do him justice. Even then, in person...

[ Well. Noctis got a taste. ]