Arisen in Final Fantasy 7.

The Arisen was idly poking at a glowing crystal in what appeared to be Cloud’s bedroom when a voice sliced through the silence. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO CLOUD!?” The Arisen spun around. Tifa stood in the doorway, arms crossed, eyes blazing, and hair somehow perfectly bouncing despite the tension. “I… uh… I don’t know what you mean?” the Arisen stammered. Tifa let out a long, exasperated sigh. “Of course you don’t. Did Cloud head off to some crossover nonsense—Kingdom Hearts? Smash Bros?—and leave you here as… what… his substitute?” The Arisen shrugged. “I mean… I didn’t exactly schedule this.” Tifa narrowed her eyes. “Well, I’m going to find him!” Before the Arisen could warn her, Tifa stomped toward a swirling portal at the back of the room. “Wait, Tifa—” TOO LATE. Tifa vanished into the vortex. The Arisen muttered to the nearby Pawn, who had been observing the whole spectacle with calm, unbothered exasperation. “Pawn… is this going to end well?” The Pawn tilted their head. “Define ‘well.’” --- Several seconds later, Tifa reappeared… but not in Cloud’s bedroom. The Arisen’s jaw dropped. She was standing in the middle of a bustling street, neon signs flickering, arcade machines everywhere, and fighters doing gravity-defying moves across rooftops. “…Tifa?” the Arisen said cautiously. Tifa looked around, hands on her hips, face incredulous. “This isn’t Cloud’s room.” “Nope,” said the Pawn dryly. “This is… Street Fighter 6.” Tifa’s eyes narrowed at a group of fighters performing a combo in the distance. “Street Fighter… six?” “Yes,” said the Arisen. “I think the portal… misbehaved.” Tifa exhaled, throwing her hands in the air. “Great. Cloud’s off partying in Kingdom Hearts and Smash Bros while I end up in a world where everyone hits each other with dragon punches. Perfect.” She spotted a Chun-Li cosplayer—actually, real Chun-Li—swooping across the street with lightning-fast kicks. “Seriously, is this canon?” The Arisen shrugged. “Honestly… I’ve learned not to question it anymore.” Tifa groaned, muttering under her breath as she readied herself. “Okay, fine… I’ll find Cloud *after* I survive this… whatever this is.” The Pawn sighed. “Arisen, I think your hobby of following crossover games may have created a multiverse-level headache.” “I… think you’re right,” said the Arisen. From the distance, a Ryu shouted, launching a Hadouken right past Tifa. She jumped back. “Is anyone even using the crosswalk?!” --- Tifa regretted entering the portal almost immediately. The first clue was the giant screen overhead displaying: **STREET FIGHTER 6** The second clue was the man in a white gi launching a blue fireball down the street. "HADOUKEN!" The fireball exploded against a food truck. Nobody reacted. The vendor simply sighed. "Again?" Tifa stared. "...What kind of city is this?" --- Meanwhile, a second portal opened nearby. The Arisen and his Pawn stepped through. The Arisen looked around. "Oh." The Pawn nodded. "Street Fighter 6." Tifa pointed at them. "Good! Explain this!" The Arisen looked around. "I can't." "You can't!?" "I stopped understanding reality three crossovers ago." The Pawn nodded. "A reasonable position." --- Suddenly a voice shouted. "HEY!" Everyone turned. A gigantic man stood nearby. He cracked his knuckles. "You three look like fighters." The Arisen pointed at himself. "I'm not a fighting game character." The giant man laughed. "Everyone's a fighting game character eventually." The Pawn immediately whispered: "Arisen." "What?" "Run." "Why?" "That is how side content begins." --- Too late. The screen flashed. A giant announcer voice boomed from nowhere. **HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!** The Arisen froze. "Oh no." The Pawn froze. "Oh dear." Tifa froze. "Oh come on." --- Five minutes later. The Arisen was somehow participating in a tournament. He didn't know how. He didn't remember signing up. Yet somehow he was standing in an arena. Across from him stood a martial artist. The announcer shouted: "ROUND ONE!" The Arisen raised his sword. The crowd gasped. The announcer paused. "Wait." The martial artist paused. The Arisen paused. The announcer looked confused. "Is that a sword?" The Arisen nodded. "Yes." "Those aren't allowed." The Arisen lowered it. "Then why did you let me bring it?" Nobody had an answer. --- After being disqualified almost immediately, the trio escaped. Tifa crossed her arms. "Can we please find Cloud now?" The Arisen nodded. "Agreed." The Pawn pointed ahead. Another portal had appeared. Tifa smiled. "Finally." The Arisen smiled. "Finally." The Pawn frowned. "Oh no." "What?" "That portal is red." "So?" "The last red portal led to a franchise war." "What does that mean?" Nobody found out. Because Tifa had already jumped in. --- Three seconds later. The trio emerged somewhere else. A dramatic voice echoed overhead. **GET READY FOR THE NEXT BATTLE.** Everyone froze. The Arisen slowly turned toward the giant sign. "Pawn." "Yes, Arisen?" "I recognize those words." "Indeed." They looked upward. **TEKKEN 8** The Arisen groaned. "Oh no." --- Nearby, a shirtless man with impossible hair was throwing another man into a volcano. Nobody seemed concerned. The Arisen pointed. "Did he just throw his family member into lava?" The Pawn observed carefully. "Yes." "Isn't that attempted murder?" The Pawn thought for a moment. "In this franchise it appears to be a family tradition." The Arisen looked horrified. --- Tifa buried her face in her hands. "I just wanted to find Cloud." A voice suddenly spoke behind them. "Funny. I'm looking for someone too." They turned. A spiky-haired swordsman stood nearby. Tifa gasped. "Cloud!?" The figure turned around. It wasn't Cloud. It was another spiky-haired anime protagonist. Tifa screamed. "WHY ARE THERE SO MANY OF YOU!?" The man shrugged. "Wrong crossover." Then he walked away. --- Hours later. The group sat on a rooftop overlooking the city. Tifa looked exhausted. The Arisen looked exhausted. Even the Pawn looked mildly exhausted. Tifa sighed. "I don't understand." "Understand what?" asked the Arisen. "Why does this keep happening?" The Pawn looked toward the horizon. A philosophical expression crossed his face. "Perhaps..." The Arisen groaned. "Oh no." The Pawn ignored him. "Perhaps the Arisen is trapped within a greater cycle." Tifa rolled her eyes. "Not this again." The Pawn continued. "He seeks new worlds." "Okay." "New adventures." "Okay." "New JRPGs." The Arisen looked away. Tifa narrowed her eyes. "...Go on." The Pawn pointed dramatically at the Arisen. "He cannot let go." The Arisen immediately objected. "That's not true." The Pawn raised an eyebrow. "You entered Chrono's world." "..." "You entered Midgar." "..." "You entered Street Fighter." "..." "You entered Tekken." "..." The Pawn folded his arms. "The evidence is overwhelming." Tifa slowly realized something. "Oh my god." The Arisen looked nervous. "Oh no." Tifa pointed. "YOU'RE THE PROBLEM." "WHAT?" "Cloud didn't disappear!" "What?" "Chrono didn't disappear!" "What?" "You're just showing up in everyone else's games!" The Arisen opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again. "...In my defense." "There is no defense." The Pawn nodded. "There is no defense." The Arisen slumped. "Fair." Suddenly another portal opened. Everyone stared at it. The portal glowed with mysterious light. A distant choir could be heard. The Pawn looked inside. Then immediately groaned. "What now?" The Pawn looked at the Arisen. "Arisen." "Yes?" "I believe that portal leads to another JRPG." The Arisen stood up instantly. Tifa pointed accusingly. "SEE! LOOK AT HIM!" The Arisen was already halfway to the portal. "Just one more." "THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID FOUR GAMES AGO!" The Pawn sighed and followed. "The cycle continues." And somewhere in the multiverse, countless protagonists locked their doors and hoped the Arisen wouldn't wake up in their bedroom next.