Cloud was walking through a futuristic landscape, with his Buster Sword lying lazily on his back. His eyes were filled with alertness as he stopped and casually put Materia in his Buster Sword, not looking down to see his progress. Out the corner of his eye his saw a tall young woman, Lightning. As she somersaulted down a marvel of a building she released her Blaze Edge and posed as he landed. "I'm not gonna let some overcompensating twerp with long term memory loss take me," she said aggresively deadpan. Cloud chuckled, "Well, it looks like this is gonna be fun."

Lightning instantly leaped into action, dashing at Cloud while firing bullets at him, which he deflected easily. Cloud then took a duo of fearsome strikes at Lightning, which she evaded with ease. "Looks like I'm not the only SOLDIER here," he said under his breath. "You wish," Lightning remarked as she kicked Cloud in the face, staggering him. Cloud quick regained his balance and unleashed a spell at Lightning, "Fire," he said, as the Inferno struck her down. "Dammit," Lightning remarked as she got up from her vulnerable position, "need a new plan." Lightning hopped up and swapped paradigms with a White aura enveloping her.

Cloud snarled, "What the hell is that?" Lightning propelled her hand at him, releasing a ball of energy. Cloud suddenly felt thick, unable to move very quickly. Lightning pounced at him, Cloud tried to release a strike at Lightning, just barely connecting as she almost cut a slash down his face. Lightning was promptly propelled back, while Cloud took the added time to dispel the Slowon himself. Lightning changed paradigms again, becoming enveloped in a red aura. Cloud, feeling a pulse of energy, decided to strike her with his Limit Break, Braver, running at her with full speed. Lightning, newly a Commando again, tried to awkwardly push herself up. Cloud finally exerted himself in the air, bringing his gigantic blade down on the vulnerable woman. Right as he brings down the blade a gunshot went off. Lightning, still on the ground from Cloud's strike, had shot him square in the chest. She rolls herself out of the way as the man falls down, blood trickling down his chest.

Lightning, bruised and bloodied, stood up hapharzadly, clearly injured. "You...s-seem like a nice enough guy, but a target's...a target," she stated with the fatigue clearly present in her voice. With that she saluted at the lifeless corpse, put away her Blaze Edge, and leaped out of sight.

Winner: Lightning


A choice that may not be popular, but one I stand by. Lightning has a better weapon, more versatility, and better all-around stats. That's why I find her deadlier than Cloud. Actually, I had originally planned this to be a Cloud victory, but after I noticed her movement in battle and researched that she was a Seargant, I felt she was much, much stronger than I originially thought. So while Cloud had an expansive library of skills to work with, Lightning's ability to adjust her skills as it happens makes her the Deadliest Character.

Up next: Paladin Cecil vs. Auron, starting later this week. Don't miss it!