Chapter Text 直译： 章节正文 韵意译： 章回文墨
They finally had Elmyra’s permission to go after Aerith and take her back to where she belonged, but they found themselves facing a new problem—which was namely how to get topside.
他们虽获艾尔米拉首肯追回爱丽丝，却遭遇新困境——如何突破封锁抵达地表。/ 艾尔米拉允追芳踪，怎奈新障锁云关，归途无计问重霄。
Though they had prevented the plate drop, there had still been enough chaos and destruction for Shinra to use as a base for exaggeration, blowing up the numbers of deaths and damages sustained to sow enough terror into the citizens’ hearts to justify a complete lockdown of all the roads and public transits. Cloud said as much when Barret suggested they walk along the tracks, since the trains weren’t running.
虽阻止板块坠落，神罗仍借混乱夸大伤亡，渲染恐怖封锁交通。克劳德指出轨道行不通，因列车已全面停运。/ 天崩虽止狼烟起，神罗借势散惊惶。铁道空悬列车寂，克劳德语断残章。
The news went on and on about Avalanche, this highly dangerous group of criminals and terrorists being on the run. It reported nothing about General Sephiroth’s mysterious return, neither to denounce him nor even to take credit for his actions by pretending he was still working for them. Shinra was probably only being careful, and seemed more interested in getting its prodigal son back besides, but the entire thing smelled foul to Cloud.
新闻连篇累牍渲染雪崩组织流窜，却对萨菲罗斯神秘回归讳莫如深。神罗或存顾忌更欲招安，然克劳德总觉此事蹊跷。/ 荧屏喋喋说雪崩，将军归影遁玄黄。神罗缄口藏机杼，克劳德心嗅异香。
When Barret asked them if they had any better ideas, Tifa said—“No. But I know someone who might.”
巴雷特问及良策时，蒂法答道："暂时没有，但我知道谁可能有办法"/ 巴雷特诘问计将安出，蒂法眸转星辉："且待高人指迷津"。
“You mean Corneo.” Cloud frowned. “I doubt he’d be willing to help us, considering how we parted ways the last time...”
“科尼欧？”克劳德眉头骤锁，“前嫌未消难共语，此君岂肯施援手？”
He could still see that flash of silver, quick as a snake, Corneo clutching his bleeding face as he threw curses down at them.
银光乍现疾如蛇影，血溅金阶犹闻咒雨，科尼欧捂面嘶吼之景历历在目。
There was a deep chuckle beside him. “We don’t have to ask him nicely.”
身畔忽传沉雷笑：“何须温言相劝？自有妙计通幽。”
Cloud shivered, still remembering how Sephiroth had stuffed that camera release into Corneo’s mouth and called him a good boy.
克劳德脊背生寒，萨菲罗斯强塞快门入喉的场景如附骨之疽，那句"乖孩子"的嘲弄犹在耳畔。
Cloud shook himself out of it, forcing his mind back on track. He didn’t like it, but Tifa was right: Corneo was their best bet at the moment. Meaning they had to go to Wall Market.
克劳德甩首挥残忆，强摄心神细思量。纵有千般不甘愿，蒂法箴言犹在耳：欲解燃眉困，须向金窟行。
They had barely entered the more densely populated areas of the Sector Five slums when a loud voice caught their attention.
方入第五窟人烟稠密处，忽闻惊雷破云声。
It was a young woman standing on an improvised pedestal made of wooden boards and tires. A crowd was gathered in front of her, listening to her as she relayed the news from topside of how Avalanche targeted Mako Reactor Seven after blowing up the Mako Reactors One and Five, calling them amateurs who didn’t care for collateral damage. She even went so far as to claim that the one standing behind Avalanche was Wutai.
木胎高台立红妆，语惊四座震八方。雪崩连毁双炉后，七号炉前露锋芒。怒斥暴徒殃池鱼，更指五台隐帷帐。
That seemed to be the last straw for Barret as he stomped forward, saying that he could take any insult or accusation save for the one that suggested they were pawns of a foreign country. Tifa was trying to hold him back when Sephiroth spoke up:
这似乎成了压垮巴雷特的最后一根稻草，他重重踏前一步，声称自己可以承受任何侮辱或指控，唯独不能容忍将他们称作外国势力傀儡的污蔑。正当蒂法试图拉住他时，萨菲罗斯突然开口：
“The original Avalanche was funded by Wutai. But I can understand why it wouldn’t finance your actions. Your group is too volatile and unstable. Then again, Avalanche always has been.”
初代雪崩组织由五台秘密资助。不过我能理解他们为何不愿为你们提供资金——你们团队过于善变且不可控。当然，雪崩向来如此。
Barret turned on him angrily, finding a new target for his rage. “What did you say, you bastard?”
巴雷特暴怒转身，将新仇旧恨尽数倾泻于这个新靶子："有种再说一遍，混账东西？"
“Honestly, what are you expecting?” Sephiroth coolly continued. “That they would sing praises and celebrate you, if they knew the truth? You are ripping the world as they know it apart at the seams. They won’t thank you for that.”
坦白说，你们在期待什么？"萨菲罗斯冷眼相对，"奢望世人知晓真相后为你们欢呼喝彩？你们正在撕裂他们认知中的世界，这样的救世主可不会得到谢意。
Barret bared his teeth, taking a step forward. “The planet—”
巴雷特龇目欲裂，再度迫近："星球——"
“They won’t care for that, if saving the planet means losing their jobs or the comfortable life they have grown used to. Changing the world the way you envision requires death and destruction on a far larger scale than what your group has been willing to engage in so far. But don’t expect to be called a hero for that.”
若救世意味着失业或打破安逸生活，世人断不会在意所谓星球命运。你理想中的变革需要远超团队现有觉悟的死亡与毁灭，但别指望因此获得英雄之名。
His head tilted slightly, shifting the shadows cast by the veil over his face.
他微微偏头，面纱投下的阴影随之在脸上游移；他头颅轻侧，面纱拂动间暗影在脸庞流转。
“And... I would worry more about Wutai than your own fragile ego. A second war would devastate the country.”
“至于我……比起你那脆弱的自尊，我更担心五台的安危。再打一场战争，整个国家都会毁掉。”；“与其担心你那不堪一击的自尊，倒不如多忧心五台——若战火重燃，举国必将生灵涂炭。”
“What? Is the Demon of Wutai actually showing sympathy for the country he crippled?” Barret sneered.
“什么？五台的恶魔居然在同情被他亲手摧残的国家？”巴雷特讥讽道；“哦？屠戮五台的恶鬼，竟对断壁残垣生出了恻隐之心？”巴雷特语带讥诮。
But Sephiroth just smiled at him noncommittally in that detached way of his that meant he had already lost interest in their conversation. That only made Barret grind his teeth harder.
但萨菲罗斯只是用那种事不关己的淡漠态度对他笑了笑，显然已对谈话失去兴趣。这让巴雷特咬紧了牙关；萨菲罗斯却报以疏离的浅笑，月色般的银发下尽是抽离的淡漠。这般姿态更激得巴雷特牙关咯咯作响。
“... And I don’t think I ever said anything about wanting to be a hero,” he muttered under his breath.
“……而且我不记得说过想当英雄。”他低声嘟囔；“当救世主这种蠢话......老子可半个字都没提过。”他含糊的咕哝消散在夜风里。
Sephiroth only looked at him with coldly amused eyes. “Hmph, didn’t sound like that when you were talking to Marlene about protecting the slums and the planet, fighting the bad people who were threatening it…”
萨菲罗斯只是用带着冰冷戏谑的眼神看着他。“哼，你和玛琳说要保护贫民窟和星球，对抗威胁它的恶徒时，可不是这个调调……”；萨菲罗斯眸中凝着讥诮的寒霜：“与玛琳诉说守护星球的誓言时，阁下的英雄辞令倒是慷慨激昂得很......”
Barret growled low in his throat, eyes flashing. “You don’t pull Marlene into this!”
巴雷特喉间滚出低吼，双眼冒火。“别把玛琳扯进来！”；巴雷特喉中迸出闷雷，目眦欲裂：“休要将玛琳卷入这浑水！”
“Then you shouldn’t tell her lies.” Sephiroth’s smile was icy.
“那你就别对她撒谎。”萨菲罗斯的笑容寒若冰霜；“编织谎言者，终将被谎言绞杀。”萨菲罗斯嘴角凝着三尺寒霜。
“Guys,” Tifa said, stepping between them before things could escalate any further, her hands held up to stop them, if it became necessary. Barret was absolutely livid and looked on the verge of opening fire in the middle of a crowded street.
“伙计们，”蒂法在事态升级前插进两人中间，双手戒备地抬起以防万一。巴雷特已然怒发冲冠，仿佛下一秒就要在闹市街头开火；“都冷静！”蒂法闪身横亘在剑拔弩张的二人之间，素手如白鸽般在硝烟味中扬起。巴雷特双目赤红如困兽，重炮手臂在喧闹街市上隐隐震颤。
Cloud supported his childhood friend by giving Sephiroth a stern look. The corner of that beautiful mouth quirked up and the man turned away, watching the way people scattered after listening to the information the young woman on the pedestal had to share. They left without paying a single gil. Cloud snorted. Served her right.
直译版：
克劳德用严厉的目光瞪着萨菲罗斯，以此支持他的童年好友。那个俊美男人嘴角微扬，转身离去，冷眼旁观人群在听完高台上年轻女子的宣讲后四散离去。他们分文未付便扬长而去。克劳德冷哼一声。她活该。
诗化版：
克劳德怒目相向萨菲罗斯，力挺发小显锋芒。薄唇轻勾拂袖去，冷看台前众生相。宣讲未尽人潮散，分文不掏各匆忙。少年抱臂嗤声起，始作俑者咎自当。
（韵脚处理：采用 ang 韵贯穿，第二句"锋芒/匆忙"押韵，第四句"相/当"押韵。意象转化：将"pedestal"译为"台前"保留舞台感，"scattered"转化为"人潮散"更具画面流动性。隐喻运用："咎自当"既保留原意，又以成语形式提升文学性）
The slums seemed to be in as much need of helping hands as ever, especially after Shinra’s recent attempt to drop the plate. Though the worst-case scenario had been averted, there had still been collateral damage. Plenty of people recognized Cloud from yesterday when he’d been with Aerith, and Tifa and Barret seemed more than willing to assist in whichever ways they could.
1. 【直译】
贫民窟似乎比以往任何时候都更需要援助之手，尤其是在神罗最近试图实施坠板计划之后。尽管最坏的情况得以避免，但仍有附带损害。许多人认出了昨天与爱丽丝在一起的克劳德，而蒂法和巴雷特似乎非常愿意尽其所能提供帮助。
2. 【诗化】
贫民窟的呼救声从未停歇，神罗坠板计划的阴霾犹在穹顶徘徊。虽天崩之劫得免，灾后余烬未冷。人们仍记得昨日与爱丽丝并肩的金发身影，蒂法素手挽春风，巴雷特铁臂筑长堤，皆以赤诚之心续写着这片伤痕之地的希望篇章。
Sephiroth ended up watching Cloud doing his usual mercenary work. They met Miss Folia from the Leaf House and collected her missing children for her, fighting a couple of Ghosts to get them back. Not long after, they ran into the stablehand who worked for Chocobo Sam. They took the Gysahl greens and promised to help him find the three chocobos that had been scared away by the burning helicopters that everyone in Wall Market could see from afar, lighting up the night sky in streaks like comets.
“You seem to have built quite a good reputation for yourself…” Sephiroth said at some point after seeing how many people recognized Cloud and turned to him for aid. “Maybe I need your help too, mercenary.”
Cloud glanced at him suspiciously. “With what?”
“Oh, I could think of quite a few things…” As Sephiroth’s tone grew salacious, Cloud’s ears burned, his flush deepening when the other man laughed softly at his reaction.
Grumbling under his breath, he tried to leave the conversation and his embarrassment behind by lengthening his strides, with little success. He spent most of the mercenary work with a red face as Sephiroth dropped seemingly innocuous comments here and there that were in fact nothing more than poorly disguised innuendo, visibly enjoying how flustered he got each time.
他低声嘟囔着试图用加快步伐逃离这场对话和尴尬，但收效甚微。在雇佣兵任务期间，每当萨菲罗斯看似随意实则充满拙劣掩饰的影射话语时，克劳德总会涨红着脸，银发将军显然很享受每次捉弄得他手足无措的模样。
At some point, he became aware of the absence of the man’s ever-present chuckle. It seemed like Sephiroth and Tifa had fallen behind. Not a good combination. Before panic could set in, his superior SOLDIER hearing picked up on their conversation. They were arguing. About him.
他咬着后槽牙加快步伐，妄图将尴尬对话甩在身后。可绯红耳尖总在萨菲罗斯抛来暧昧暗语时出卖心绪，银发将军乐此不疲地编织双关陷阱，看他如困兽般在字句迷宫中辗转红透面颊。
Looking over to them, he noticed how small Tifa looked next to Sephiroth.
某刻他突然意识到身后标志性的低笑消失了。萨菲罗斯和蒂法似乎落在了后面——这绝非良配。恐慌感刚要漫上心头，特种兵强化的听力便捕捉到争执声。他们在争吵。关于他。
She also looked as irate and aggressive as he’d ever seen her getting. He knew she only got this angry about few things; it appeared that Cloud was one of them, though he knew he didn’t deserve it.
当标志性的轻笑消弭于风沙，他猛然回首。萨菲罗斯与蒂法缀在队伍末端，这危险组合令他心悸。正欲折返，强化听觉已先一步捕捉到争执的碎片——那些激烈字句，竟都镌刻着他的名字。
It reminded him that she had joined a terrorist group and not left it despite her reservations about the bombings—all just to get revenge on Shinra; to avenge all the family and friends she had lost. To make it burn just like Nibelheim had. Sometimes it made him wonder if her thirst for revenge wasn’t greater than his own.
这提醒着他，她加入了恐怖组织且从未退出——即便对爆炸行动心存疑虑——只为向神罗复仇；为她失去的家人朋友雪恨。要让其像尼布尔海姆般燃烧。有时他不禁怀疑，她的复仇渴望是否比自己的更强烈。
It was something he could have never imagined his childhood friend doing; gentle, sweet and kind Tifa who would never even so much as hurt a fly. She’d always been strong and protective of those she loved, but never quite like this, willing to stain her hands with the blood of innocents if it meant she would take down Shinra.
这让他猛然惊觉，她投身恐怖组织始终未退，纵使质疑爆炸手段——所有执着只为向神罗讨还血债；祭奠消逝的至亲故友。要让仇敌的城池亦如故里尼布尔海姆，在炽焰中化作焦土。恍惚间他甚至觉得，她眼中燃烧的复仇星火，竟比自己眸中的更为灼烈。
She said that he had changed, but sometimes he thought that she had changed as well. Nibelheim had changed her, and she had lost more things to the fire than either of them was probably aware of.
这是他无法想象童年玩伴会做的事；温柔、甜美、善良的蒂法连苍蝇都不忍伤害。她总是坚强守护所爱之人，但从未至此地步，甘愿让无辜者的鲜血染红双手，只为摧毁神罗。
Sometimes he caught the way she looked at Sephiroth, as though she had managed to ignore him and even forget his presence, but she was suddenly reminded again. He could hear the way her heart beat wildly in her ribcage, trying to breathe through the red haze of rage. He knew that she wanted nothing more than to kill the other man in those moments, the flames of Nibelheim reflected in her eyes, burning, burning.
直译：有时他捕捉到她注视萨菲罗斯的眼神，仿佛她已成功忽视甚至遗忘他的存在，却又突然被再度提醒。他能听见她胸腔内心脏狂跳的声响，试图穿透赤红的怒霭呼吸。他明白此刻她最渴望的莫过于杀死那个男人，尼布尔海姆的火焰在她眼中折射，燃烧，永燃。/雅译：她望向萨菲罗斯的眼神总在失焦与惊觉间游移，如同暂时忘却的噩梦猝然复苏。他听见她胸腔里擂鼓般的心跳，在血色怒潮中艰难喘息。尼布尔海姆的余烬在她眼底明灭，那焚尽天地的火光灼灼跃动，映出她喉间压抑的杀意。
Sephiroth tended to only return it with a lazy flick of his eyes, as clear a dismissal as any other.
直译：萨菲罗斯往往只是慵懒地掀动眼帘回应，这比任何言语都更显轻蔑。/雅译：银发战士总以睫羽轻颤作敷衍，慵懒一瞥胜过千言冷语。
Tifa, in turn, would press the knuckles of her fist to her sternum. Others may think to her heart, but Cloud knew she was touching the large scar spanning across her chest, murder brimming in her usually so gentle eyes as she almost seemed to bare her teeth.
直译：蒂法则会将拳骨按在胸骨上。旁人或许以为她触碰的是心脏，但克劳德知道她抚着横贯胸膛的旧疤。平日温柔的眸中杀意翻涌，她几乎像是要龇出利齿。/雅译：少女以拳抵心，众人皆道是情伤难愈，唯有他知那纤指正描摹着狰狞旧创。温柔眉目忽现森然煞气，恍若困兽欲露獠牙。
“He needs to know. He can’t stay like this,” Sephiroth’s low baritone resounded, cutting through Cloud’s introspection about his childhood friend.
直译："他必须知晓，不能继续沉沦。"萨菲罗斯的低沉男声响起，斩断克劳德对青梅竹马的沉思。/雅译："他当直面真实，岂容混沌度日。"银发者的低语破空而至，惊碎少年追忆故人的思绪。
“You think I haven’t tried to tell him?” Tifa’s eyes flashed. “Whenever I did, he always seemed to get so much worse.”
直译："你以为我不曾尝试告知？"蒂法眼中寒光乍现，"每当我开口，他的状况反而急转直下。" /雅译："莫非我未试过剖白？"少女眸中星火迸溅，"可每次坦言，都似将他推入更深渊薮。"
Sephiroth shrugged elegantly. “Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. But if he stays like this, he’ll be vulnerable to others who could take advantage of his state. It would be terrifyingly easy to manipulate him, even without being a mind-controlling extraterrestrial telepathic form of existence like Mother. There’s Hojo too, and others at Shinra.”
Tifa narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “You mean someone like you?”
Sephiroth just smiled his usual mask-like smile, giving nothing away. Cloud decided to step in then, before the tension could ratchet up even higher.
“I can hear you very well. The both of you.”
Tifa looked stricken, but Sephiroth had no such reservations. “Cloud,” he purred, making Cloud shiver; he would never get used to the way the man said his name, “so good of you to join us.”
【直译】蒂法看起来备受打击，而萨菲罗斯却毫无顾忌。"克劳德，"他低语道，让克劳德浑身一颤——他永远无法习惯这个男人念他名字的方式，"真高兴你能加入我们。"【雅译】蒂法神色凄惶，萨菲罗斯却从容自若。"克劳德——"他喉间滚出一声轻笑，激得少年脊骨发颤，那特殊的咬字方式总教人无所适从，"来得正好。"
Cloud had a feeling that the other had meant for him to overhear, clearly aware of the enhanced senses that every SOLDIER possessed. Tifa seemed to have realized it too, angry at being tricked into a conversation she hadn’t yet been ready to have with Cloud, if only because she wanted to protect him.
【直译】克劳德感觉对方是故意让他听见的，显然清楚每个 SOLDIER 都拥有的强化感官。蒂法似乎也意识到了这点，因被诱入这场尚未准备好与克劳德进行的谈话而愤怒——只因为她想保护他。【雅译】克劳德心知这是刻意为之，神罗战士的敏锐五感早被那人算得分明。蒂法亦如梦初醒，银牙暗咬——这场未及绸缪的剖白来得猝不及防，她本想将少年护在真相之外。
Sephiroth sent her a taunting smile, but before it could descend into a fight Cloud spoke up: “So, what’s this about something I need to know?”
【直译】萨菲罗斯朝她投去嘲弄的笑容，但在演变成打斗前克劳德开口了："所以，有什么我需要知道的事？"【雅译】萨菲罗斯唇角噙着讥诮，眼看火星将燃，克劳德横插进来："直说吧，你们在打什么哑谜？"
Sephiroth graciously began to explain before Tifa—who looked like she was still torn between whether to tell Cloud or not—could. She shot the man a glare, which he easily ignored. “Miss Lockhart and I were just discussing your memories.”
【直译】萨菲罗斯优雅地开始解释，抢在仍纠结是否要告诉克劳德的蒂法之前。她瞪了男人一眼，而他轻易地无视了。"洛克哈特小姐和我刚才在讨论你的记忆。"【雅译】银发将军抢得先机，在蒂法天人交战之际悠然开口。她朝男人狠狠瞪去，对方却视若无物。"我们正在探讨——"他抚着正宗刀镡，"你记忆的拼图。"
“Yeah, I know,” Cloud said, arms crossed. “I have a lot of holes in my memory. Sometimes I get random flashbacks too. What about it?”
【直译】"我知道，"克劳德抱着手臂说，"我的记忆有很多空缺。有时还会突然闪回某些片段。所以呢？"【雅译】少年环臂冷笑："记忆碎片东零西落，偶尔闪过些残章——"他扬起下巴，"所以？"
“Well...” Those dark, berry-red lips parted, a pink tongue flicking briefly over the bottom lip to wet it. “Some of your memories don’t match up with what I myself remember of you, but I know who you are: you are Cloud Strife, who grew up in Nibelheim with his mother and childhood friend Tifa Lockhart. You are the boy who fearlessly killed me, a god, in the Nibel reactor. Don’t ever forget that, no matter what anyone says.” He raised a long, slender, gloved hand to both illustrate and gesture at Cloud. “You are my prophet, only you and no one else.”
Cloud flinched at the mention of his mother, stiffening up. “You don’t know anything about me,” he pressed out, all gnashing teeth and hostility.
Sephiroth just looked at him for a long moment, before saying, “Hmm, maybe.” He let his hand fall to his side. “You can ask Miss Lockhart to confirm this, if my word isn’t enough.”
Cloud thought that would be it, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder, a head of silver bending down to his ear to murmur, “But remember, Cloud: I know more about you than you think. After all, am I not your god?”
Even when Tifa did confirm the gist of what he said, Cloud was left staring after the man, wondering what that was all about.
当蒂法确实证实了他所说的话时，克劳德仍盯着那人的背影，想知道这到底是怎么回事。/蒂法虽印证了他的话，克劳德却仍怔怔望着那人远去的背影，万千疑云在眼底流转。
With those words still echoing in his ears, they walked into Damen, that second-rate journalist from the Daily Buzz. When he spotted Sephiroth and his rather suspicious get-up, his eyes sharpened vulture-like and he leaned forward to spy a look at Sephiroth’s face, upon which the man tried to turn his face away, ducking his head slightly to hide more of his features...
那些话还在耳边回响时，他们走进了达门，那个来自《每日蜂报》的二流记者。当他注意到萨菲罗斯和他那相当可疑的装扮时，他的眼睛像秃鹫一样锐利，他向前倾身窥视萨菲罗斯的脸，萨菲罗斯试图转过脸去，微微低头以隐藏更多特征.../余音未散之际，《每日蜂报》的三流记者达门迎面而来。瞥见萨菲罗斯诡谲的装束时，他眼中骤然腾起秃鹫般的精光，探头欲窥其真容。银发剑士偏首垂眸，半张脸隐入阴影...
That was until Cloud stepped in front of Sephiroth, arms crossed and with a dark look on his face as he said, without any inflection, “Hey.”
直到克劳德挡在萨菲罗斯面前，双臂交叉，脸色阴沉，毫无起伏地说道：“喂。”/直至克劳德横剑相护，玄衣猎猎如垂天之云。他抱臂而立目含寒星，声线淬着凛冬的霜：“让开。”
Damen backed off immediately, hands raised high as he smiled nervously and apologized. Cloud didn’t buy it, especially when Damen asked about their mysterious companion’s identity next, a gleam in his eyes, no doubt trying to find his next scoop. Without uttering a word Cloud reached back for the hilt of his sword and only then did Damen relent with more nervous smiles.
达门立刻后退，高举双手，紧张地笑着道歉。克劳德不吃这套，尤其是当达门接着询问他们神秘同伴的身份时，眼中闪着光，无疑是想找到他的下一个独家新闻。克劳德一言不发地伸手去摸剑柄，达门这才带着更多紧张的微笑退让。/达门慌忙高举双手陪笑告罪，克劳德冷眼未改——这滑头记者果然话锋一转，目光如嗅得腐肉的鬣狗般锲向银发人。剑柄铿然出鞘三寸，寒芒掠过之际，虚伪笑意终化作仓皇退却的尘烟。
From him they learned that Shinra had sent people from the Public Security Division after Corneo to seize his assets. That meant the Turks had been sent—probably to silence Corneo after not keeping his mouth shut about the plate drop; Cloud could read that much between the lines. Only it seemed that someone else had stolen the key to the Don’s secret stash first, and it was rumored to be the Angel of the Slums Damen was looking for, the famous bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor.
从线人处他们得知神罗已派遣公共安全部门人员追捕科诺以没收其资产。这意味着塔克斯已出动——很可能是为封口科诺在坠盘事件中泄密之事；克劳德能读出这层弦外之音。只不过传闻有人抢先盗走了唐的秘密藏宝库钥匙，贫民窟天使达门正在追查那位劫富济贫的传奇大盗。
But Cloud didn’t care so much about that. His mind was racing. Corneo had gone into hiding, taking their chance to get topside with him. Nothing could ever be simple, could it?
但克劳德对此并不挂怀。思绪在他脑中飞转——科诺已遁入暗处，将他们重返地面的机会也一并带走。世事总难顺遂，不是么？
And yet, if the key hadn’t been stolen, Corneo likely would have hightailed it out of Midgar a long time ago already. At least now, without the mountains of gil he had illegally amassed over the years as a crime lord, and with Shinra hot on his heels, he couldn’t have gotten far. Silver linings and all.
可若钥匙未被盗取，科诺或许早该逃离米德加。幸而如今，这位黑道枭雄既失去多年非法聚敛的巨额财富，又遭神罗穷追不舍，终是插翅难逃。暗夜终见启明。
But first they needed to get the key. Maybe they could find some clues on Corneo’s whereabouts and raid his stashes along the way.
当务之急是找回钥匙。或许能在追查科诺行踪时，顺藤摸瓜劫掠他的藏宝之所。
Following Cloud’s lead, they left the Center District for the big scrapyard in Steel Mountain where they ran into Mireille who sent them on a wild goose chase after a girl named Kyrie. Her description matched the young woman on the pedestal earlier and they chased her down into the church, getting rid of a few Hedgehog Pies along the way that bowled into their path with their little red, rotund bodies.
直译：跟随克劳德的步伐，他们离开中央区前往钢之山的大型废料场，途中偶遇米蕾优。她指引众人开启了对凯丽姑娘的徒劳追逐——其容貌特征与早前基座上少女完全吻合。众人追至教堂深处，沿途击退了数个突袭的刺猬派，那些圆滚滚的赤红生物总爱横亘在道路上。雅译：众人随克劳德穿行中央区，直抵钢山废料场。偶遇米蕾优指点迷津，却为追寻凯丽空奔走。此女形容肖似台上人，穷追至圣堂深处。路遇刺团拦道，但见赤丸滚地，旋灭之。
Sephiroth didn’t seem interested in joining their battles today, preferring to hang back and watch them from a comfortable perch as they dealt with the monsters. Cloud tried not to let it on too much, but the other man’s refusal to help them out in any way was… deeply irritating. Especially since his ability to fly would have been very useful against the Rust Drake they encountered.
直译：萨菲罗斯今日似乎无意参战，更愿在高处悠然观战。克劳德竭力掩饰，但这人始终袖手旁观的姿态实在...令人光火。尤其当他们遭遇锈翼龙时，对方翱翔天际的本该大有用处。雅译：银发人今日作壁上观，闲倚高台看鏖战。克劳德面上不显，胸中块垒难消。锈龙张翼逞凶时，若得凌空助力，何至苦战？偏是那人冷眼如旧，徒惹青锋暗鸣。
Not that they actually needed his assistance. They had dealt with the small dragon very well on their own, even without his help. But Cloud had thought they were a team now, fighting together on the same side against Shinra, and then there was also what happened last night… He thought it had changed things. Yet in the end, he felt like he was still no closer to understanding the other man.
直译：倒非真需他援手。即便没有帮助，众人也妥善解决了小龙。但克劳德原以为今时不同往日，既是共抗神罗的盟友，兼有昨夜之事...他以为冰层已裂。可最终，迷雾依旧笼罩着那个男人。雅译：屠龙岂假他人力？纵无援手亦功成。克劳德暗忖：既结同盟抗神罗，更兼昨夜星月事，当见雪融春水。岂料银辉依旧冷，雾锁寒潭深千重。
They entered the church, the roof of which Cloud had fallen through just the other day after blowing up the Mako Reactor Five with the others. It had taken him a long while to wake up. He’d heard Aerith’s voice, but before that…
他们走进教堂，前日克劳德刚与同伴炸毁五号魔晄炉时曾从云端坠落砸穿此处的穹顶。他昏迷许久才苏醒，曾听见艾瑞丝的声音，但在此之前... | 他们踏入圣堂，前日克劳德刚随战友引爆五号魔晄炉，自云端坠落洞穿此处穹顶。他昏沉许久方转醒，耳畔曾掠过艾瑞丝的清音，而在那之前...
He’d been in that warm white space, talking to the disparate pieces of himself. Then darkness, as he opened his eyes and realized there was an intruder. Someone who shouldn’t be there and most definitely didn’t belong.
他曾置身温暖白色空间，与支离破碎的自我对话。随后黑暗降临，当他睁眼发现有入侵者。那是不该存在且绝对格格不入之人。 | 他曾游弋于温白光域，与零落四散的魂灵絮语。继而暗幕垂落，启目惊觉异客临境。那抹不容存世之影，分明是悖逆天理的存在。
He could still feel the way that hand had curled around his shoulder, warm, large, threatening. A head of silver rising out of the darkness behind his back, revealing the face that haunted his nightmares, while a sinister whisper left dark lips to caress his ears. I am… your everything.
他仍能感受那只手扣住肩头的触感，温热、宽大、暗藏威胁。银发头颅自背后黑暗中浮现，露出萦绕噩梦的面容，暗色双唇吐出诡谲低语轻抚耳际：我即...你的一切。 | 银丝如瀑破暗涌，鬼魅面容现幽光。肩头烙下炽热掌印，温暖裹挟致命锋芒。暗唇启合间，阴翳低语绕梁："吾乃...汝之万象。"
Right before he opened his eyes to the real world and to Aerith’s inquisitive face—to her deep green eyes that did not seem bright with some kind of inner mako-glow, with pupils that were round instead of slitted—that dark voice like shadows and smoke had told him that there was still so much to be done.
就在他睁眼面对现实世界与艾瑞丝探询面容——那双没有魔晄幽光却深邃的碧眸，圆瞳而非竖瞳——之前，那道暗影般的烟嗓告知他仍有许多未竟之事。 | 当他即将启眸直面现世，迎上艾瑞丝翡翠深潭般的明眸（那瞳孔浑圆未呈竖瞳，眼底不见魔晄幽芒），烟霭般的暗嗓仍在耳际萦绕：天命之途，尚迢迢。
He wondered if Sephiroth remembered it too and looked over to him, only to see a hint of that glowing green glittering through the black fabric, already staring straight at him, making Cloud’s heart stutter for a moment.
直译：他想知道萨菲罗斯是否也记得这一幕，转头望去时却见黑色布料下透出荧荧绿光——那人早已直勾勾盯着自己，让克劳德的心跳漏了一拍。 | 雅译：他侧目探寻萨菲罗斯是否怀揣同样记忆，却见漆黑布料间荧绿幽光若隐若现，那人早已将视线焊死在他身上，心脏在胸腔里重重地打了个结。
Even then, Sephiroth had already been in his mind, sending visions to him and preparing him for what was to come. For Reunion.
直译：即便在那时，萨菲罗斯已然蛰伏在他脑海，向他输送幻象，为即将到来的命运——为重聚做准备。 | 雅译：银发人早已盘踞在他意识深处，将幻象送入他的神经末梢，如同候鸟迁徙前校准罗盘，为那场命中注定的血色重聚埋下伏笔。
Cloud still wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. Angry, yes, about this severe breach of privacy. Scared too. He hadn’t lied to Tifa when he said he didn’t think Sephiroth was controlling him, but there was no telling how deep this strange bond between their minds truly went. At least the man seemed to keep true to his word, refraining from peeking at Cloud’s thoughts for the most part, and there also hadn’t been more weird dreams or hallucinations. Then again, why would he have to resort to those when he was already there in the flesh, Cloud’s own personal nightmare made corporeal, ready to torment him whenever he liked?
直译：克劳德仍不知该作何感想。愤怒自不必说——这种对隐私的野蛮侵犯。恐惧亦然。他对蒂法说自己未被控制并非谎言，但两人意识间诡异的羁绊究竟深至何处仍不可知。至少那人信守承诺，多数时候不曾窥探他的思绪，那些诡谲梦境与幻视也未再现。可话说回来，当本尊已活生生杵在眼前——这具由克劳德最深噩梦凝成的实体，随时能予取予求地折磨他——又何必多此一举？ | 雅译：克劳德胸腔里翻涌着未成形的情绪。愤怒如岩浆在隐私被践踏的裂隙间沸腾，恐惧则似寒雾攀上脊椎。他对蒂法所言非虚，银发人确实未操弄他的意志，可意识深处纠缠的锁链究竟勒入血肉多深？好在对方尚守着诺言不再擅闯心域，诡谲幻梦亦止息。然而当活生生的噩梦就伫立身侧——那由他最深恐惧浇筑的实体，指尖缠绕着随时能勒紧他咽喉的丝线——幻术早已成了多余把戏。
That nightmare held his gaze for another moment before seeming to laugh quietly, softly; so soft that it chilled Cloud’s insides.
那个梦魇般的存在与他对视须臾，忽而发出轻幽笑声，声波如霜刃剐蹭克劳德的内脏。/那幻影与他对峙片刻，蓦然漾起幽冷笑意，声线绵柔似蛛丝缠缚，却教人幽冷蚀骨。
Then that dark figure turned away to trawl through the abandoned church, keeping to the cool shadows as his fingers lightly danced along the few pews still left, his head rising slightly as he took in the broken nave roof. Cloud followed his gaze and thought that the beams looked like the broken spine of a beast. It made him think of his own scar, the permanent ache there that pulsed just underneath the silvered skin, as if he was missing something. Phantom pain, the doctors at Shinra often used to say. It was a common hazard of the SOLDIER life, of wounds and bones being forced to mend over and over again with materia.
黑影转身游弋于废弃教堂间，指尖轻掠过残存长椅，暗影中身姿宛如游鱼。他仰首凝望穹顶残骸，克劳德随之望去，但见梁木如巨兽折断的脊椎。这让他想起自己银肤下隐隐作痛的旧疤，彷佛缺失了某物。神罗医官常称之为幻痛，实则是士兵宿命——魔晄反复催愈血肉的代价。/暗影转身潜入荒堂，指尖如蝶栖残椅，举目望穹顶碎骨。克劳德见梁木如断脊苍兽，银肤下旧伤骤痛，恍若魂魄被剜。神罗医者谓之幻肢苦，实乃战士宿疾——魔晶强续断骨，终成不愈隐殇。
Cloud knew that the Masamune had only pierced clean through him; it had never carved anything out of him. And yet he could not help but feel like something had been irreversibly stolen from him.
正宗刀明明只是贯穿躯体，未曾剜去分毫。可克劳德总觉得有珍贵之物被永远夺走。/长刀透体未取寸缕，他却恍觉魂髓尽失，永不复得。
In a way, it was true.
某种意义上，这确是事实。/此念非虚，确有实据。
He looked at Sephiroth for a moment, the man who had taken so much from him. Despite whatever may yet happen between them, nothing about that fact would change. And while the other may not have been fully in control of his actions, it had still been his body and his hands. His Masamune that had speared Cloud through the ribs, barely missing his heart. He had still allowed an alien entity to bend his mind against his will, and the man Cloud had once admired, the man who had been his childhood hero, a general who had won a war and commanded an entire army of SOLDIERs, should have been stronger than that.
他注视着萨菲罗斯，这个从他生命中夺走太多的男人。无论未来两人间还将发生什么，这个事实永远不会改变。即便对方当时未必完全掌控自身行为，终究是这具躯体与这双手所为——那柄正宗刀曾贯穿克劳德的胸膛，擦心而过。他终究放任异星意志扭曲心智，而克劳德曾仰望的偶像、童年憧憬的英雄、那位统领神罗军队赢得战争的将军，本应拥有更坚韧的意志。/ 他凝望着萨菲罗斯，这劫掠他半生的宿敌。纵使未来命运纠缠难解，血债铭刻永不消弭。虽言身不由己，终究骨刃亲执——正宗寒芒贯胸过，偏离心窍半寸余。昔日军神擎天柱，万人景仰少年期，岂容异星蚀神魂？
Besides, Cloud had believed in the man’s culpability for too long to just stop. He’d spent too many years clinging to his hate to simply let go of it and forgive him, and he doubted he ever would.
更何况，克劳德将罪责烙在此人身上太久，早已无法停息。经年累月浸透仇恨的铠甲，岂能轻易卸下宽恕的软甲？他深知自己永难释怀。/ 更何况，经年累月铸就的恨意铠甲，早已融入克劳德的骨血。要他卸下这身甲胄轻言原谅，不啻于抽筋剥髓。这沉甸甸的恨，早已成为他存在的凭依。
It changed nothing about what happened: Nibelheim had still burned, taking Cloud’s mother with it.
尼布尔海姆的烈焰依然吞噬了克劳德的母亲，灰烬中的真相分毫未改。/ 尼布尔海姆的焦土依旧，断壁残垣间萦绕着克劳德母亲的余温。这场劫火焚尽的事实，从未因时光流转而褪色半分。
And yet, despite knowing all of that, he had still made that choice in Aerith’s garden.
然而洞悉这一切的他，终究在爱丽丝的庭院中做出了抉择。/ 纵使看透这因果轮回，当月光漫过爱丽丝的玫瑰园时，他仍将指尖轻触了命运的岔路。
Tifa, though well-meaning, had been wrong. He was not some puppet whose strings were pulled by someone else, and neither could he use that as an excuse for what he was doing now. He was still fully in control of his actions, and he had chosen to act on his want.
蒂法虽是好意，却错看了他。他并非他人掌中傀儡，亦不能以此为由开脱当下所为。他仍将行动尽握己手，不过是随心而行。
That was the weight he had to bear.
此乃他必承之重。
Cloud would continue to hate him, fear him, but now he was also his. His to do with whatever he liked. Whether it be to hate him, want him, fear him, touch him, hurt him, kill him, or kiss him.
克劳德仍会恨他惧他，可如今也成了他的所有物。任他恣意妄为，恨也罢，欲也罢，惧也罢，触碰、伤害、杀戮或亲吻，皆由他予取予求。
It was the weight he had to bear, but it was his and his alone. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
此乃他必承之重，却只属他一人。纵有万钧，甘之如饴。
Cloud left Sephiroth to his exploration, and they walked over rotting floorboards towards the altar where their target was standing with their back turned to them, apparently admiring the patch of flowers that were a rarity in the slums.
克劳德任萨菲罗斯独自探寻，二人踏过朽蚀的木板走向祭坛。目标背身而立，正凝视着贫民窟中难得一见的花丛。
She immediately jumped at their approach, hands held up and nervously beginning to babble about definitely not being whoever they were looking for without turning around. Cloud cut straight through her bullshit, and she soon spilled that Shinra was now after her because she was the one who had stolen the key.
觉察到有人靠近，她登时惊跳起来，高举双手背身絮叨，慌乱辩称绝非他们寻访之人。克劳德一语戳破她的谎言，她便慌忙吐露实情——正是她窃取了钥匙，如今正遭神罗追捕。
While they negotiated with her, Cloud tracked Sephiroth from the corner of his eye, with all his senses, hearing the rustle of fabric, the faint whisper of heavy boots over the floor that had no reason to be so quiet and soft on the old and creaky wood as they walked through patterns of light created by stained glass.
直译：在他们与她谈判时，克劳德用眼角余光追踪着萨菲罗斯，调动所有感官——捕捉布料摩擦的窸窣声，感知那双沉重军靴在地板上本不该如此轻柔的微弱跫音，脚步在老旧吱呀的木地板上竟显得这般寂静，彩绘玻璃投下的光斑随他们行进明明灭灭。/ 诗译：谈判声里，克劳德余光如影随形锁住萨菲罗斯，五感皆醒——布帛摩挲声簌簌入耳，厚重军靴踏过彩窗斑驳处，本该吱呀作响的老旧木板竟噤了声，只余足音在光影裂隙间游丝般飘荡。
Finally, they agreed on a deal: Kyrie would give them the key once they had taken care of Shinra for her, a task that would apparently lead them to the colosseum where a special match had been arranged. Cloud could only shake his head and turned around. Tifa lingered a little, looking at the patch of flowers illuminated by sunlight, before walking outside after him, careful to avoid stepping on the yellow petals that had been scattered by the wind.
直译：最终他们达成协议：克劳德一行替凯琳解决神罗后，她才会交出钥匙。这个任务显然将引导他们前往竞技场——那里已安排了一场特殊比赛。克劳德只能摇头转身。蒂法驻足片刻，凝望被阳光浸透的花丛，随后跟随他走出门外，小心翼翼避开被风吹散的黄色花瓣。/ 诗译：协议落定：待他们替凯琳扫清神罗障碍，钥匙方会易主。这场交易注定将他们引向角斗场——特殊赛事已候多时。克劳德摇头转身，衣袂带风。蒂法却在光瀑倾泻的花丛前驻足，直到风起时碎金般零落的黄色花瓣拂过裙角，才踩着细碎的日影追上前去。
As they left, it struck Cloud how similar Sephiroth looked to those pale, black-robed people, especially now in his new disguise, and even more so when wrapped in shadows. Not just the people from that vision where they were standing in that cold, barren wasteland, but also Cloud’s neighbor Marco, and that other guy who had grabbed Cloud’s wrist. Their common thread seemed to be a mako addiction, and Sephiroth had used both to reach out to Cloud with what had apparently been his messages.
直译：当他们离开时，克劳德突然意识到萨菲罗斯与那些苍白黑袍人的相似性——尤其是在伪装形态下，阴影笼罩时更甚。不仅是寒荒幻境中矗立的身影，还包括邻居马可和那个曾攥住他手腕的男子。共同线索是魔晄成瘾，萨菲罗斯正是通过这两者传递讯息。/雅译：离场时，克劳德惊觉银发将军与那群惨白幽影何其相似。新生的鳞甲在暮色中翕张，恍若荒原寒梦中凝固的剪影，邻居马可腕间青筋暴起的手掌，皆被魔晄的荧绿刻下烙印。而萨菲罗斯，正借这诅咒的丝线，将密语织入他的神经。
There was some kind of connection, and Cloud would have to ask Sephiroth about it later.
直译：存在某种关联，克劳德稍后必须找萨菲罗斯问清。/雅译：暗流在血脉深处涌动，这纠缠的丝线，终须向银发灾星讨个分明。
But for now they had to focus on the match.
直译：但此刻他们必须专注比赛。/雅译：但眼下，唯有斗技场的腥风能浇熄看客的狂热。
*
The colosseum was as full as ever, most of the spectators standing and pressing themselves against the red, wooden railing as they savagely called out for more blood and violence.
直译：竞技场依旧座无虚席，多数观众紧贴着猩红木栏站立，疯狂叫嚣着渴求更多鲜血与暴力。/雅译：斗兽场的血色穹顶下，人群如沸腾的岩浆。他们攀附在朱漆阑干上，瞳孔里跳动着嗜血的星火，嘶吼声将空气撕成猩红的碎片。
As Cloud entered the arena, shaped octagonally as seemed to be Corneo’s trademark, the body of the previous fight’s loser was dragged away, leaving a red smear on the ground and the big Wutaian letter painted on it. In fact, the whole colosseum was in Corneo’s preferred Wutaian style, from the statues outside the building to the reception and the arena itself where lanterns and statues decorated each corner of the octagon. The reds were the dominant shade, even without counting in the blood that had permanently soaked into the floor.
|
【直译】当克劳德踏入竞技场时，这座科尼欧标志性的八角形建筑里，前一场败者的尸体正被拖走，在地面留下猩红拖痕，与画在场中的巨型五台文字交相辉映。事实上整个斗技场都浸润着科尼欧钟爱的五台风情，从建筑外部的雕像到接待区，再到悬着灯笼立着雕像的八角形主场地，猩红色始终是空间主调——即便不计那些永久渗入地板的斑斑血迹。
But Cloud could smell more than just that: sweat wafted off bodies that were pressed tightly together, from excitement and sometimes even arousal. There were subtle differences in the chemical makeup, although fear accompanied by the electric fumes of adrenaline were most dominant in the center of the arena. Then there was also the sharp stench of urine, of bowels that had been split open, all kinds of human and bestial odors coming together and mingling with the lighter notes of gunpowder and machine oil to create an olfactory tapestry of death for the mere purpose of human entertainment.
|
When the crowd saw Cloud, it absolutely went wild, just as the gatekeeper had predicted. Their shouts and roars tripled in volume, surrounding him in a wall of noise that made his ears ring. Over the din, he heard the gatekeeper’s voice introducing him as the returning champion, inciting the crowd even more. Cloud’s eyes wandered from face to face, each hungrier than the last, and felt his lip curl in disgust.
直译版：
正如守门人所预料的那样，当人群看到克劳德时，他们彻底陷入了疯狂。他们的喊叫声和咆哮声瞬间增强了三倍，形成环绕着他的噪音之墙，震得他耳膜嗡嗡作响。在喧嚣声中，他听见守门人宣布他是归来的冠军，这进一步煽动人群。克劳德的目光扫过张张面孔，每张脸都露出比前一张更贪婪的表情，他感到自己的嘴唇因厌恶而扭曲。
诗化版：
如门卫所料，克劳德现身刹那，人群便陷入癫狂。声浪如墙轰然炸裂，喧嚣暴涨三倍回响，震得他耳际蜂鸣不休。穿透鼎沸人声，门卫宣告"王者归来"，将观众情绪推向更狂热的巅峰。克劳德掠过张张饕餮面孔，每双眼眸都闪着更饥渴的凶光，终是嫌恶地扯动嘴角，任冷笑在唇边凝成冰霜。
（说明：第二版运用"声浪如墙"保留原喻体，用"蜂鸣"拟声词增强临场感。"饕餮面孔"化用典故增强画面张力，"冷笑凝冰"通过通感手法既保留厌恶感又增添诗意，末句补全修饰词使意境更完整）
How tasteless.
Barret seemed to share this sentiment, muttering about “a bunch of bloodthirsty and sick fuckers”. Tifa didn’t seem to like it either, taking it all in with dark eyes, muscles tense as though she expected a fight even before it had started. As the whole arena chanted for the unbeaten champion of the colosseum and the hero of Wall Market, Cloud felt a familiar gaze on him. He turned his head slightly to see that Sephiroth was observing him with curious eyes, barely visible through the veil.
“I wasn’t aware you were interested in such a… sport,” he said, putting it rather delicately.
【直译】“我没想到你对这种……运动感兴趣。”他谨慎地斟酌着措辞说道。/【诗译】“倒不知你竟好此道……”他语带玄机，尾音在竞技场的尘沙中飘散。
Cloud snorted. Bloodsport, more like.
【直译】克劳德嗤之以鼻。说是血斗更贴切。/【诗译】克劳德鼻腔里滚过一声冷笑。嗜血游戏，这才是真相。
“I’m not,” he said, not bothering to explain himself further. Then his tone grew sharp. “Don’t forget what I told you earlier.”
【直译】“我没有。”他无意多做解释，旋即话锋如刃，“别忘了早前告诫。”/【诗译】“本无此好。”他懒费唇舌，忽而声线淬寒似冰凌，“晨间警语，当刻骨铭心。”
Sephiroth stared at him for another moment with unfathomable eyes, before smoothly responding, “Of course.”
【直译】萨菲罗斯用深潭般的眼眸凝视他须臾，从容应道：“自然。”/【诗译】银发将军眸中星云流转，半晌方启唇，字字如珠落寒潭：“谨记君言。”
Earlier, just before the large red steel gates to the arena had opened in front of them, Cloud had told Sephiroth not to use the Masamune or better yet, not to summon it at all. It was far too conspicuous, and used to be promoted in many posters in which the famous general could be seen striking various poses with it.
【直译】早前猩红铁门未启时，克劳德曾勒令萨菲罗斯禁用正宗刀，最好根本别召出。这柄名刃太过招摇，昔日在神罗海报中，将军持刀睥睨的英姿随处可见。/【诗译】赤钢巨门将启之际，金发战士低语禁令。那柄斩星碎月的名刀太过煊赫，昔年海报上银甲将军执刃而立的英姿，至今仍在米德加街巷流转。
But maybe Cloud shouldn’t have bothered to warn Sephiroth since he once again seemed more content to hang back and watch them fight. This suited Cloud just fine, and he prepared himself for another match with the Turks, but quite unexpectedly the Beastmaster he had already defeated the last time stepped out of the gate, a Hellhound by his side. From the way he frowned and inquired about Kyrie, it was clear that Shinra had hired him to do their dirty work.
【直译】或许克劳德警告多余，萨菲罗斯依旧抱臂观战。这正合金发人心意，他正待迎战塔克斯，未料败军之将竟携地狱犬卷土重来。对方皱眉追问琦里耶下落，显然是神罗雇来行龌龊之事。/【诗译】银发者倚壁观烽火，金发人横剑待新敌。不料铁闸起处，败军统帅竟偕地狱恶犬重临。当黑袍驯兽师厉声诘问少女踪迹时，神罗的阴谋在斗兽场的血腥气中昭然若揭。
Then the fight was on, the roar of the crowd deafening in Cloud’s ears as he raised his Buster Sword and charged. Between the three of them, they dealt with the Beastmaster rather quickly.
战斗一触即发，克劳德举起破坏剑冲锋时，人群的轰鸣声在他耳中震耳欲聋。三人联手，很快解决了兽王；激战骤起，人声鼎沸如雷贯耳，克劳德高擎巨剑，如雷霆般冲锋陷阵。三人合力，顷刻间便将那兽王斩落马下。
The Hellhound was a little tougher, two-headed with vicious fangs and claws. Its dark, spined body was covered in purple and red flames that burned like a bitch when you were hit with them, and Cloud rolled out of the way of another stream of fire, feeling it singe the tips of his hair. But under the steady pressure of Tifa’s lightning-fast, deadly strikes that seemed to come from everywhere at once, Barret’s bullets and powerful energy shots, and the swings of Cloud’s sword coupled with the ice spells coming from all of them, the beast was eventually driven into a corner, teeth fletched with its four ears flattened against its two heads.
地狱犬更为棘手，双首獠牙利爪凶残。暗色棘刺身躯裹挟紫红烈焰，被击中时灼痛难忍。克劳德翻身躲过又一道火流，发梢仍被燎得焦卷。但在蒂法暴雨梨花般无死角的凌厉攻势、巴雷特倾泻的弹幕与能量炮火，以及克劳德剑刃寒芒与众人齐发的冰系魔法压制下，这凶兽终被逼入绝境，四耳紧贴双首，獠牙毕露；双头魔犬獠牙森然，棘刺覆体浴火而生，紫焰赤炎沾身如附骨之疽。克劳德旋身避过炽流，青丝犹带焦痕。蒂法身化流光攻势如雨，巴雷特枪炮轰鸣震天，众人寒冰咒法交织剑影，终将这孽畜困锁死角，双首低伏四耳紧贴，獠牙间迸出垂死呜咽。
Cloud only saw the way powerful muscles bunched a split-second before a dark and bright shape was rushing towards him. He raised his blade to block the attack, but the beast seemed to have miscalculated as it shot right over his head with its two flaming tails streaking past him.
克劳德只看见强健肌肉在刹那间绷紧，紧接着明暗交织的兽影便朝他冲来。他举剑格挡，可魔兽似乎误判了距离，携着两道火尾径直掠过他头顶。/克劳德只见虬肌乍现，明暗交错的兽影已挟火尾破空而至。他横剑欲挡，魔兽却凌空误判，双焰曳尾掠顶而过。
A sharp inhale when Cloud realized where it was headed. He whirled around to see it descending on Sephiroth in a lunge, baring its maw full of deadly fangs as the light glinted off the sharp edges.
克劳德倒抽冷气意识到它的目标，急转身时正见魔兽扑向萨菲罗斯，利齿森然张开，寒光在獠牙锋刃上流转。/克劳德惊觉其意欲何为，回眸刹那，魔兽已亮獠牙扑向银发人，寒芒在齿刃间流转如星。
It must have thought that Sephiroth would be an easy target since he hadn’t participated in the fight until now. It was sorely, painfully mistaken.
这孽畜定是见萨菲罗斯至今未参战，便以为他是易袭之靶。此番错得彻底，错得惨痛。/魔兽当是觑得银发剑士袖手，以为可欺。却不知此等妄念，实乃大错特错，自食苦果。
Cloud was tense for a moment as he wondered if Sephiroth would just ignore his warning and pull the Masamune out of thin air, but no such thing happened.
克劳德屏息凝神，生怕萨菲罗斯无视警告凭空幻化出正宗刀，但银发男人始终静立如松。
Frost crackled along the whole arena and even up the wall, scaring the spectators away from the railings with shouts of surprise or pain when they weren’t fast enough, the temperature seeming to drop several degrees. Cloud felt the chill even on his skin, sharp like frostbite. His breath came out in little misty clouds.
冰晶沿着角斗场攀缘而上，看台围栏瞬间覆满霜花。躲闪不及的观众被寒气灼痛惊呼后退，气温骤降令克劳德裸露的肌肤泛起针刺般的寒意，呵出的白雾在空中凝结成珠。
It was as though time had slowed down. The Hellhound hung suspended in the air mid-lunge, its entire body encased in ice so cold and so brittle that it cracked and exploded. It sounded like thunder, a glacier breaking and sinking into the black depths below. The former beast shattered completely, pulverizing into millions of tiny crystals. The dust was so fine that it glittered in the air as it floated to the ground, catching on Sephiroth’s hair and lashes.
时间仿佛被冻结。地狱犬扑杀的姿态凝固半空，晶莹剔透的冰棺裹着凶兽轰然炸裂，恍若冰川崩裂坠入深渊的轰鸣。魔物化作万千冰尘簌簌飘落，细碎晶芒缀在萨菲罗斯银睫之间，恍如银河倾洒。
For a moment, all Cloud could do was stand there, faintly trembling as he stared in shock. He had never seen any ice materia do anything like that.
克劳德呆立原地，指尖不受控地轻颤。他从未想过冰系魔晶石竟能幻化出这般惊心动魄的绝景。
The ever-present roar of the colosseum had fallen absolutely, deathly silent, and they all watched as Sephiroth made his way over to the spot where his shawl had fallen to pick it up; the explosion had blown it from his head.
直译：
斗兽场持续不断的轰鸣声已彻底消失，陷入死一般的寂静。众人注视着萨菲罗斯走向他的披肩掉落的地方——爆炸将它从他的头上掀飞——并将它捡起。
意译：
轰鸣不绝的斗兽场骤然陷入死寂，
众人屏息凝望萨菲罗斯缓步拾遗。
那袭披肩被爆炸气浪掀飞离首，
此刻他俯身轻掸尘埃，恍若神祇。
He walked with such quiet elegance they may as well have been back in the church, Cloud tracking the silhouette of his shadow on the floorboards that were dappled with colored patterns; watching him in the way someone might if they did not dare to look directly into the sun.
直译：他走路时带着一种安静的优雅，仿佛他们仍身处教堂，克劳德凝视着他在地板上斑驳色块中拖曳的影子轮廓，那注视方式如同凡人不敢直视太阳时的偷觑。/ 意译：他踏着沉静优雅的步伐，彩色光斑在橡木地板上流淌。克劳德追随着那道颀长的影子，像信徒不敢直视圣光，只敢追逐落在经文书脊上的日晷微芒。
Sephiroth calmly, almost languidly, wrapped the shawl back around his head again.
直译：萨菲罗斯从容地、近乎慵懒地重新将披巾裹回头顶。/ 意译：银发男人漫不经心地拢起纱巾，月光般的发梢掠过指尖，像收起羽翼的夜枭梳理翎毛般优雅从容。
So much for not pulling any attention to himself and staying incognito, Cloud thought faintly, his mouth too dry to even swallow.
直译：说好的不引人注意保持低调呢，克劳德恍惚地想，喉咙干涩得连吞咽都困难。/ 意译：伪装？隐匿？克劳德喉结艰难滚动，苦涩在舌尖蔓延。此刻那袭飘扬的银纱，分明是暗夜中最夺目的月光。
With the fabric back in place, only the lower half of Sephiroth’s face with his obscene lips was revealed, though occasionally a glimpse of the silver of his hair or his green reptilian eyes glinted through, all the more striking for the shadows they were surrounded by.
直译：布料归位后仅露出他淫靡的唇，偶尔银发与爬行类般的绿眸在阴影中惊鸿一瞥，更显摄人心魄。/ 意译：轻纱半掩间，暗影勾勒出妖异的唇线。银发如月华倾泻，蛇瞳在帷幔后流转，每个惊鸿一瞥都像毒蛇吐信般令人战栗。
And their full attention was on Cloud now.
直译：而此刻他们全部的注意力都集中在克劳德身上。/ 意译：此刻万千月光凝作银箭，尽数钉入他颤抖的脊梁。
Fuck, Cloud thought. Unwittingly, his gaze dropped down to those dark and luscious lips, parted just the slightest bit and faintly curved up at the corners.
直译：该死，克劳德想着。目光不受控地坠入那两瓣丰润的暗色嘴唇，微启的唇缝与上扬的唇角构成隐秘的邀请。/ 意译：要命。克劳德瞳孔微颤，看着那两片暗夜蔷薇般的唇瓣轻启，上扬的弧度像淬毒的弯钩，将他的理智撕开猩红的裂缝。
He found himself overwhelmed by the sudden urge to walk over and capture that beautiful mouth with his own, longing to feel how the other would tense up only for a moment before giving in with a soft exhale, melting underneath his touch like the blooms of frost that were starting to thaw where they had climbed all over the surface of the arena.
直译：他突然被一股强烈的冲动攫住，想要走过去用双唇封住那美丽的唇瓣，渴望感受对方如何只僵硬片刻便随着轻柔的吐息臣服，在他的触碰下融化，如同竞技场表面蔓延的霜花正开始消融。韵译：他忽觉冲动难抑，欲攫取那抹嫣红，唇齿相接间，那人绷紧的脊背终化作轻颤的叹息，如同冰霜初绽的纹路，在触碰下消融于竞技场斑驳的银白。
Sephiroth noticed, of course, and drew closer, leaning down until they were only inches apart, lips almost touching. His hand was on Cloud’s quivering lower abdomen, making the muscles jump; in the slowly fading cold around them it was almost burning hot.
直译：萨菲罗斯自然察觉了，他欺身逼近，俯首至两人仅隔寸许，唇瓣几近相触。手掌覆在克劳德轻颤的小腹，引得肌理战栗；周遭渐散的寒气中，那掌心灼如烙铁。韵译：银发战神岂会错失良机，欺身将距离碾作呼吸可闻，掌心烙在颤抖的腹肌宛如火种，凛冬余韵里燃起灼灼温度。
With the other man so close that his smell drowned out everything else, stirring something hungry inside him, Cloud said, “This... wasn’t what I meant when I said you shouldn’t use the Masamune.” His voice came out far lower and rougher than intended.
直译：对方的气息近得淹没了所有感官，在他体内搅动某种饥饿的渴求。克劳德开口道："我说别用正宗时...不是这个意思。"嗓音却比预想中更低哑粗粝。韵译：龙涎香霸道地侵占所有感官，克劳德喉结滚动，挤出破碎的抗议："叫你别用刀...可不是这般解法。"尾音却沉落成砂砾，碾过灼热的空气。
Those pale lashes brushed his skin as striking green eyes looked at him intensely, contemplatively.
“Maybe I should have waited for you to save me then.” Their lips almost touched with every word that left Sephiroth’s mouth. “You’ll have to be faster the next time though, hero.”
“Don’t—” call me that, died on Cloud’s lips as Sephiroth brushed past him, making him turn his head to follow him.
But the other man was already walking towards the gate, his gait feline and reminding Cloud of the wild cats of Nibelheim that might be small, but were very successful predators that could even kill their much larger Nibel wolf rivals. Sephiroth had dragged his hand along Cloud’s abdomen as he left, leaving a burning trail.
但那个银发男人已迈着猫科动物般的步伐走向铁门，这姿态让克劳德想起尼布尔海姆的野猫——看似娇小却是能猎杀体型更大的尼布尔狼的完美猎手。萨菲罗斯离开时五指擦过他腹部，灼烧感如蛇行逶迤。
The gatekeeper finally found his voice again, laughing nervously and speculating about this mysterious new fighter taking the stage, but Cloud didn’t listen to him, eyes fixed on the figure disappearing into the hallway the large, wooden gate led to with singular focus. He followed his target, ignoring the cheers and calls for more. It was always more, more, more with them, but he didn’t care for their hunger.
解说员终于找回了声音，干笑着猜测这位神秘新斗士的来历。克劳德充耳不闻，瞳孔紧锁着消失在木制巨门后的身影。他甩开满场"再来一场"的饥渴呐喊，靴跟叩地追向长廊深处。看客的贪餍与他何干？
Not when he had his own to feed.
毕竟饲虎者，自有豺狼需豢养。
*
Of course it didn’t get that far. When Cloud caught up with Sephiroth in the hallway, he was abruptly reminded that Barret and Tifa were also there with them. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten about their presence, or even the mission they were on.
当然事情不会如此顺遂。当克劳德在长廊追上宿敌时，金属回响中蓦然惊觉：巴雷特粗犷的咒骂与蒂法的高跟靴声始终萦绕耳畔。他竟完全忘记了同行者的存在，甚至遗落了此行的真正使命。
He blamed it all on the tunnel vision he got whenever Sephiroth was involved. Cloud had to visibly pull himself together, those bright green eyes glittering with heavy amusement all the while, and then that infuriating man also had the gall to leave first, as though he’d done nothing to wind Cloud up and bring him into such a state. As though he hadn’t been the least bit affected by their little interaction, coolly superior as always and of course above such mortal weaknesses.
直译版本：
他将一切都归咎于每当萨菲罗斯出现时自己产生的视野局限。克劳德不得不强打精神——那双明亮的绿眼睛始终闪烁着浓重的戏谑光芒——更可恨的是那个男人居然还胆敢先行离开，仿佛他完全没有故意激怒克劳德、将其逼到这种境地似的。仿佛他丝毫没有受到这次短暂交锋的影响，依旧保持着冰冷的优越感，理所当然地超脱于凡人的脆弱之上。
诗意版本：
他总把过失推给宿敌现身的障目之叶
克劳德强敛心神 重整衣甲
偏撞进满潭翠色酿成的促狭笑靥
那始作俑者竟拂衣而去 扬长似雪
仿佛未曾撩拨心弦 害他如此失态难遮掩
独留冷傲剪影 睥睨人间脆弱皆不屑
（说明：第二版采用七言诗变体，通过"叶/靥/雪/掩/屑"形成押韵链，将"tunnel vision"译为"障目之叶"呼应成语，用"翠色酿笑靥"重构眼部描写，"拂衣而去 扬长似雪"既保留动作又增加意境，末句"睥睨人间脆弱"以古典句式强化人物特质）
Cloud gritted his teeth and swallowed his pride as he followed the other man out.
直译：克劳德咬紧牙关吞下自尊，跟着那个男人走了出去。 | 诗译：克劳德咬碎银牙咽下尊严，随那人影步出残垣。
Soon they were back at the church where Kyrie tried to wriggle out of their deal. Mireille showed up then, revealing herself to be the girl’s grandmother as well as the famed Angel of the Slums. Cloud had had his suspicions about the thief’s identity, so it didn’t surprise him too much.
直译：很快他们回到教堂，琪里耶试图逃避约定。此时现身的米蕾尔不仅是少女的祖母，更是贫民窟传说中的天使。克劳德本就怀疑盗贼身份，因此并不特别惊讶。 | 诗译：重返教堂时琪里耶欲毁前约，米蕾尔现身揭晓双面身份——既是少女祖母，亦是暗巷传闻中振翼的天使。克劳德早对窃贼身份存疑，此刻倒也不甚惊惶。
She also knew that they were Avalanche. “Not all of us,” Sephiroth spoke up softly then, drawing her eyes to him.
直译：她还知道他们是雪崩成员。"不全都是，"萨菲罗斯此时轻声开口，将她的目光引向自己。 | 诗译：她亦识破雪崩身份。"非尽如此，"萨菲罗斯轻启薄唇，眸光流转间攫住她的注视。
“No,” she agreed. “You are something else, aren’t you?”
直译："确实，"她赞同道，"你是另类存在，不是吗？" | 诗译："不，"她颔首，"你非此世凡胎，可对？"
Mireille forced Kyrie to give them back Johnny’s wallet, winking at Sephiroth as she handed them the key. “Angels have to stick together, eh?”
直译：米蕾尔逼迫琪里耶归还强尼的钱包，递钥匙时朝萨菲罗斯眨眼："天使总要互相帮助，嗯？" | 诗译：米蕾尔迫少女归还钱囊，钥匙递出时眼波轻扬："羽翼之下皆同袍，可对？"银瞳掠过萨菲罗斯的冷颜。
Cloud sighed. After the way she had recognized them as Avalanche, it had probably been too much to expect that she wouldn’t notice Sephiroth being the ‘angel’ that had been sighted protecting the Sector Seven slums. She had probably known it from the first moment despite his (admittedly rather poor) disguise.
直译：克劳德叹息。在她识破雪崩身份后，指望她没发现萨菲罗斯就是守护七号贫民窟的"天使"实属奢望。尽管他（确实拙劣的）伪装，她恐怕初见时便已知晓。 | 诗译：克劳德暗叹。既已识破雪崩身份，又岂会不知银发青年便是七街暗巷传颂的守护之翼？纵使拙劣伪装覆面，那老妪初逢时怕已洞见真容。
As a parting gift, she shared a rumor with them about Corneo having secret rooms hidden in the sewers. Cloud’s eyes sharpened. It was the best clue they’d found so far and they left immediately after thanking her.
临别时她透露了关于科尼欧在下水道藏有密室的传闻。克劳德眼神骤然锐利。这是他们目前找到的最佳线索，道谢后立刻动身离开。|临别馈赠是科尼欧密室传闻，暗渠藏幽深。克劳德目若寒星，线索乍现照前程，谢罢匆匆赴风云。
They decided to raid Corneo’s secret stashes first. They were rather easy to spot, metal gates that were always marked with glowing red lanterns and that diamond symbol with twin golden dragons on it. Then again, usually no one dared to mess with the Don.
他们决定先突袭科尼欧的秘藏。那些金属门极易辨认——总挂着发红光的灯笼，镶有双金蟠龙环绕的菱形徽记。不过寻常人可不敢招惹黑街教父。|首取教父秘藏处，朱灯蟠龙映铁扉。金纹流转识标记，从来无人敢作违。
After they found the last of the missing chocobos, Cloud found Tifa staring off into the distance, her whole body a too-tense line, and he approached, lightly touching her shoulder to get her attention. “It will be fine,” he said, staring into her startled eyes. “She will be fine.”
找到最后失踪的陆行鸟时，克劳德发现蒂法正怔怔望向远方，身体紧绷成一条线。他轻触她肩头唤回注意："会没事的。"他凝望着她惊鹿般的眼眸，"她定会平安。"|寻得迷鸟终有时，却见伊人凭栏立。肩头轻触惊回首，眸中秋水泛涟漪。"莫忧前路多风雨"，誓言轻许慰相知。
Tifa smiled at him a little self-deprecatingly. “I’m that obvious, huh?”
蒂法带着淡淡自嘲对他微笑："我这么明显吗？"|蒂法轻笑自嘲意，绛唇未启已传情："心事原如纸上书，纤毫毕现岂须惊？"
Cloud’s lip twitched fractionally. “Kinda.”
「直译」克劳德的嘴角微微抽动："算是吧。"；「雅译」克劳德唇角轻颤如云絮："勉强算是。"
Barret wasn’t too far away, but he pretended not to hear, giving them some semblance of privacy.
「直译」巴雷特离得不远，但他假装没听见，给他们保留了些许隐私空间；「雅译」巴雷特虽在不远处佯作未闻，恰似庭树隔花自成荫
A ghost of a smile touched Tifa’s lips. “The flower you gave me the other night had been from Aerith, right? I knew it the moment I laid eyes on her… I did everything I could to preserve it, to keep it blooming and from dying, but...”
「直译」蒂法唇边掠过一丝微笑："前夜你送我的花是爱丽丝给的吧？初见她的瞬间我便知晓...我竭尽所能养护它，想让花朵绽放不凋零，但..."；「雅译」蒂法唇间绽开昙花影："那夜赠花原是爱丽丝芳泽？初逢刹那便已洞明...我守着花枝日夜殷勤护，奈何留春终无计"
Her head drooped, dark strands falling forward and obscuring her expression.
「直译」她颓然垂首，乌发如帘掩愁容；「雅译」青丝垂落遮玉容，恰似暮云掩孤鸿
“I should have fought harder for Aerith. I told myself that it would be better for her if we left things be like Elmyra said, but that was just an excuse. The truth is that Aerith… scares me. The way we grew so close, so quickly, it was just—too fast and too much. I was afraid of letting anyone in again, after…” Nibelheim, she left unsaid, but they both knew what she was talking about: that specter of the past, of home, that would forever hover between them, and haunt them. Her mouth twisted. “I still am.”
「直译」"我本应为爱丽丝更奋力抗争。自欺说按埃尔米拉所言顺其自然对她更好，实则皆是借口。真相是...我畏惧爱丽丝。我们如此迅速亲近，恍若急流将我吞没。尼布尔海姆之后，我惧怕再向人敞心..."她咽下地名未言，彼此心照：旧日阴影将永远萦绕。她唇角轻颤："至今未变"；「雅译」"早该为伊仗剑破樊笼，偏借埃尔米拉言自蒙。怎堪说，迅如星火的交心令我惊鸿影重。自尼贝尔海姆烬冷..."未尽之语化作眉间雪，故园残照永悬如缺月。朱唇噙霜道："此心仍怯"
“Tifa…” 直译（直意准确）： "蒂法…" 诗化（保留韵律美感）： "蒂法啊…" （在保持专有名词"蒂法"不变的基础上，通过添加中文特有的感叹助词"啊"，既延续了原句的余韵悠长，又符合中文口语中欲言又止的情感表达方式。省略号保留原样，暗示未尽的思绪，使诗意更显绵长。）
She laughed, a comfortless sound. “I was scared of growing close to anyone because I was scared of losing it all again, but now I might really lose Aerith because I was such a coward.”
直译：她发出毫无慰藉的笑声。"我曾害怕与任何人亲近，只因恐惧再次失去一切。但如今正因为我的懦弱，艾瑞丝可能真要离我而去了。" | 意译：她笑得苦涩无依。"畏首畏尾怕伤离，偏教怯懦误花期。恐失故园芳菲尽，却道今朝折新枝。"
Her fingernails were starting to dig into her upper arms where she was holding them. “I don’t know what I'll do if they take everything from us. Again.”
直译：她紧抱双臂的指甲已深深掐入肌肤。"若他们再次将一切夺走，我不知该如何自处。" | 意译：纤指深深陷玉肌，寒声犹带杜鹃啼："若教风雨摧芳尽，再堕红尘怎护持？"
It was barely above a whisper, her voice cracking on the last word, and Cloud took her hands before she could hurt herself, drawing her into his arms and tucking her head underneath his chin where she fit perfectly. Wetness soaked into his shirt where her face was pressed against his shoulder, hands clawing into his back with desperate force. She still smelled like home.
直译：她最后破碎的尾音轻若游丝。克劳德在她自伤前握住双手，将人拥入怀中，让她的前额恰好抵在自己下颌。泪水浸透他肩头的衬衫，她十指如钩紧扣他脊背。她发间仍萦绕着故园的气息。 | 意译：破碎尾音散作烟，檀郎早解玉连环。揽入怀中颏抵额，鲛绡漫透泪痕斑。柔荑似刃攀龙脊，青丝如诉故园檀。
“But they didn’t,” he said, gently. “That flower is still there, waiting for you to come back and tend to it. The bar… our home,” he finally allowed himself to say it, to admit it, for the first time, swallowing, “everything else… is still standing.”
直译：他柔声道："但花犹在，待你归来照料。酒吧...我们的家"，喉结滚动着首次吐露这个称呼，"其余一切...皆安然无恙。" | 意译：温言恰似春风渡："犹有芳菲待君护。酒肆新题家字暖"，喉间初涌玲珑句，"千帆过尽楼台固。"
He stroked her trembling back. “We will save Aerith. You won’t lose her—we won’t lose anything to Shinra again. Besides, you and Aerith had plans to go shopping topside, with me as your pack chocobo. Don’t think I didn’t hear you,” he added sternly, with a low growl that made her giggle.
直译：他轻抚她颤抖的后背。"我们会救爱丽丝。你不会失去她——我们再也不会让神罗夺走任何东西了。再说了，你和爱丽丝还计划去上层购物，让我当你们的驮货陆行鸟。别以为我没听见。"他严肃地补充道，低沉的咆哮声惹得她咯咯直笑。 | 雅译：他轻抚她颤抖的脊背。"定能救回爱丽丝。神罗再休想掠走分毫——你和她的诺言还未兑现，要让我当驮货陆行鸟同游上城区。"他佯作愠怒低吼，喉间滚雷却惹她破涕为笑。
“That’s right. You’d make a very adorable pack chocobo,” she teased him, before wiping her tears and shaking her head. “It’s stupid. I know that crying’s a waste of time.”
直译："没错。你会是只很可爱的驮货陆行鸟。"她揶揄道，抹去眼泪摇了摇头。"真蠢。我知道哭泣是浪费时间。" | 雅译："正是呢，你这陆行鸟最是憨态可掬。"她含泪打趣，纤指拭过泪痕又轻摇螓首。"痴儿垂泪，终究徒劳。"
“That’s not true,” was Cloud’s knee-jerk response. “You are so much stronger than you know.”
直译："不是这样的。"克劳德下意识反驳。"你比自己知道的要坚强得多。" | 雅译："此言差矣。"克劳德脱口而出，"你胸中自有千钧力，只是明珠未照尘。"
Looking at him in surprise for a moment, Tifa’s eyes gentled like dawn breaking and she said, “Thank you.”
直译：她惊讶地注视他片刻，蒂法的眼神如破晓晨光般柔和下来，说道："谢谢。"；意译：蒂法怔怔望他须臾，眸光若破曙流霞渐次温软："......多谢你。"
No matter how much she changed, she was still his Tifa. She hadn’t lost that to the fire of Nibelheim; Shinra wasn’t able to take that from her. And right now, in this moment, he knew it never would.
直译：无论她如何改变，她始终是他的蒂法。尼布尔海姆的烈火没能夺走那份特质；神罗也未能将其从她身上剥离。此刻他确信，这份特质永不泯灭。；意译：她纵千般流转，仍是心上皎月。尼布尔海姆的烈焰未蚀其辉，神罗铁腕难夺其魄。此间风起时，他知此魂亘古不灭。
Tifa seemed more relaxed and focused after that. Though still tense, she didn’t seem like she would sprain a muscle from how tightly she held herself anymore.
直译：蒂法之后显得更加放松和专注。虽然依旧紧张，但她不再因为过度紧绷自己而拉伤肌肉了。；意译：蒂法似乎放松了些，神情专注。尽管紧绷感未消，至少不再如弦上之箭，绷得仿佛下一刻就会肌骨俱损。
While her mood seemed a little lighter, Sephiroth seemed to grow more thoughtful in turn. Cloud hung back a little as they headed back to Sam to see if all the lost chocobos had safely made it back. He waited for it, and eventually Sephiroth spoke up about what was on his mind.
直译：虽然她的情绪轻松了些，萨菲罗斯却显得愈发沉思。返回山姆处确认走失陆行鸟是否全部归巢时，克劳德刻意落在后方。他静候着，最终萨菲罗斯果然吐露了心中所想。；意译：蒂法眉间阴霾稍霁，萨菲罗斯眼底的思虑却渐深。归途检查陆行鸟时，克劳德故意踱步在后，静待那人开口。果然未出所料，银发将军终是将盘桓心头的疑问倾吐。
“Why save her?” he asked. “Do you love her?”
直译："为何救她？"他问，"你爱她吗？"；意译："为何救她？"他忽然发问，"莫非情根深种？"
It took a moment for Cloud’s brain to catch up to the fact that he was talking about Aerith. And then it took another moment for him to actually understand the meaning of his words. It could have been a jealous question, if not for how genuinely curious Sephiroth sounded.
直译：克劳德花了几秒才意识到对方在说爱丽丝，又花了几秒才真正理解话中深意。若非萨菲罗斯语气纯粹好奇，这话本可能带着妒意。；意译：克劳德怔了怔才明白他在说爱丽丝。待品出弦外之音，又怔了半晌。若非那语气纯粹得近乎天真，这话倒像是浸着妒意的诘问。
“No,” Cloud said, unable to wrap his mind around the utter bizarreness of it all. Now where had that come from?
直译："不。"克劳德说，完全无法理解这荒诞的一切。这问题究竟从何而起？；意译："不。"克劳德答得干脆，却难掩困惑。这番话从何而起？迷雾般的疑窦在他心头萦绕不散。
Sephiroth glanced at him from underneath the veil. “Is it because she’s an Ancient?” There was a slightly bitter edge this time.
直译：萨菲罗斯从面纱下瞥了他一眼。"是因为她是古代种吗？"这次话音里带着些许苦涩的尖锐。 | 意译：萨菲罗斯的面纱低垂间斜睨来人，"莫非因她是神裔之身？"尾音淬着刺耳的锋芒。
“No,” Cloud repeated, exasperated now. They weren’t like Hojo or any of those other scientist creeps. “Aerith is our friend. It’s only the right thing to do.”
直译："不，"克劳德再次说道，此刻已带着恼怒。他们不像宝条或那些科学怪人。"爱丽丝是我们的朋友。做这事只是出于道义。" | 意译："绝非如此！"克劳德加重了语气，眉宇间尽是凛然。他们岂是宝条之流可比？"伊人乃袍泽知己，此番不过是全故友之义。"
The strangest thing of all was how utterly baffled Sephiroth looked.
最奇怪的事情莫过于萨菲罗斯那副完全困惑的模样。；最令人费解的莫过于萨菲罗斯满脸茫然的模样。
“You would dare to go against Shinra and storm the headquarters themselves where most of the forces are stationed just for that?” Those bright green eyes shone with deep suspicion.
"你竟敢对抗神罗公司，还为了那个就强攻他们大部分兵力驻扎的总部？"那双明亮的绿眼睛里闪烁着深深的怀疑。；"你胆敢与神罗作对，甚至直捣重兵把守的总部，就为了那个？"那双翠瞳中疑云密布。
“Of course,” Cloud said, feeling almost offended. “We’re not afraid of Shinra.”
There was soft confusion in those eyes. “You could die.”
“So what?” Cloud said, eyes steely. “We should just sit on our asses, and wait for the next time Shinra tries to drop a plate on our heads or kidnaps another friend to turn them into an experiment? Yeah, I’m not gonna do that.”
Sephiroth just stared at him before shaking his head and chuckling. “You make it sound so simple…” His eyes grew dark and there was a thoughtful look on his face. “Most people wouldn’t be ready to go that far just to rescue someone. Especially someone they only met a short time ago.”
直译：萨菲罗斯只是盯着他看，随后摇头轻笑。"你说得如此轻巧..."他的眼神渐暗，脸上浮现沉思的神情。"多数人不会为营救他人做到这种程度。尤其是刚结识不久之人。" | 雅译：银发将军凝眸相视，俄而摇首轻笑："此等壮语，倒似信手拈来..."眸光忽沉如暮霭，眉间浮起千年雪，"世人多惜身，岂肯为萍水相逢者涉险若此？"
Cloud huffed. “Well, we aren’t like most people.”
直译：克劳德嗤之以鼻。"我们本就不似芸芸众生。" | 雅译：少年剑士振衣作金石声："庸常之辈，安可比拟吾侪？"
That seemed to pull Sephiroth out of whatever dark reverie he had fallen into. “Hmm, I’m starting to notice that.”
直译：这话仿佛将萨菲罗斯从晦暗的冥想中拽出。"嗯，我正觉察此事。" | 雅译：此言若晨钟破晓，惊散将军眉间重云："呵，初见端倪矣。"
There was a speculative glint in his eyes as they almost consideringly roved over Cloud’s body, as though seeing him in a new light. It made Cloud feel strangely bare. He resisted the urge to fidget underneath that heavy gaze and was about to tell the other man to cut it out when Sephiroth suddenly smiled, a soft, almost inaudible huff of amusement escaping him. Then he started lengthening his steps to walk ahead, effectively leaving both Cloud and their strange conversation behind.
直译：他眼中流转着审度的幽光，目光如探针般扫过克劳德的躯体，恍若初见。这凝视令少年如置冰鉴。克劳德强抑在威压下局促的冲动，正欲喝止时，萨菲罗斯忽而莞尔，逸出一声轻不可闻的嗤笑。随即迈步前行，将克劳德与这场诡谲对话尽数抛诸身后。 | 雅译：将军眸中星河暗转，目光如刃剖解少年周身，恍见璞玉蒙尘。少年顿觉如立雪原，寒意侵肌。正待喝问，忽见那人唇角绽梅，逸出半声清泠笑影。银铠振处，已携满袖流云绝尘而去，空余少年独立苍茫，任朔风卷碎未尽余言。
Cloud stared at the other man’s back for a moment, before shaking his head. He resigned himself to the fact that Sephiroth would probably never make any kind of sense, and thought nothing more of it.
直译版本：
克劳德盯着那个男人的背影看了一会儿，随后摇了摇头。他无奈地接受了一个事实——萨菲罗斯可能永远都不会合乎常理，便不再多想。
诗化版本：
克劳德凝望那人背影片刻，终是摇头轻叹。既知萨菲罗斯永远如谜难解，索性认命释然，任纷纭思绪散入风中。
（说明：诗化版本通过"凝望-轻叹"形成视觉听觉对仗，"如谜难解"保留原文本的神秘感意象，"释然"与"散入风中"形成意境闭环，末句"风中"既保持韵脚又增强画面感，整体在保留核心信息的同时营造出更具文学性的氛围）
Still, from what Sephiroth had said, it sounded like he had known someone who might have needed rescuing from Shinra, leaving Cloud with the question of...
直译：
不过，根据萨菲罗斯所说的话来看，听起来他可能认识某个需要从神罗公司解救的人，这让克劳德不禁疑惑......
诗化改写：
然而萨菲罗斯的弦外之音，仿佛他曾知晓某个困于神罗樊笼之人，这如迷雾般的暗示，让克劳德心中萦绕着一个未竟的疑问......
Who? 直译： 谁？ 意译（保留韵律意象）： 何人？
Had it been a lover or a friend?
直译：
那曾是爱人还是朋友？
意译：
是爱侣呢，还是知己？
As far as he knew, Sephiroth’s only friends had been Angeal and Genesis, but he somehow doubted the other man had been talking about them…
据他所知，萨菲罗斯的朋友仅有安吉尔与杰内西斯，但他莫名觉得对方所指的……并非那两人。/萨菲罗斯的挚交不过安杰尔与杰诺瓦，可那人言语间暗涌的寒潮，又岂是故人之名能掀起的惊澜。
Family then? Did Sephiroth even have family? Cloud remembered a conversation from a lifetime ago, Sephiroth asking him what it felt like to be back in his hometown since he himself lacked such a place to return to, informing him that his mother had died in childbirth before breaking into sudden peals of laughter that were as soft as they were chilling when it came to the topic of his father. Even before setting foot in the reactor, he had already been unhinged. Sephiroth never did end up saying who his father was. And then the one he called ‘Mother’ afterwards had been Jenova… Cloud shuddered violently. That was a whole other can of worms, one that he did not care to contemplate more deeply.
家人么？萨菲罗斯真的有过家人吗？克劳德忆起前世对话，那人曾问归乡是何滋味，自陈生来便无乡可返。他提起生母死于难产时，突然爆发出一阵既轻柔又令人不寒而栗的笑声——提及父亲时更是如此。早在踏入魔晄炉前，他的精神已然崩裂。萨菲罗斯终究未曾言明生父何人，而后来被他唤作"母亲"的竟是杰诺瓦……克劳德剧烈战栗。那是另一团纠缠不清的荆棘，他决计不愿深究。/血亲之说？萨菲罗斯何尝有过伦常。克劳德恍惚忆起前世絮语，那人问归乡情怯几许，自嘲天地为逆旅，生母殒命襁褓时——忽而迸出银铃般清脆却刺骨的笑，谈及父辈更似寒刃出鞘。未至魔晄炉前，疯癫已蚀骨。所谓"母亲"竟是杰诺瓦……克劳德脊骨生寒。这团缠绕着星辉的混沌，他宁作永夜封存。
It didn’t matter anyway. Whoever they had been, they had obviously not managed to escape Shinra’s clutches, and they were probably dead now.
直译：
反正这已经无关紧要了。不管他们是谁，显然都没能逃脱神罗的魔掌，现在可能已经死了。
诗化：
终究皆是空惘然，
浮名虚影散如烟。
神罗掌中终难遁，
今朝遗骨委尘寰。
（注：诗化版本采用七言绝句形式，首句"空惘然"与第三句"终难遁"形成暗韵，次句"散如烟"与末句"委尘寰"押[an]韵。意象上以"浮名虚影"对应原文本中未言明的身份谜团，用"遗骨委尘"隐喻死亡结局，既保留原文核心语义，又通过古典意象增强文学意境。）
But he was probably just overthinking and overanalyzing things again, as he seemed to often do when Sephiroth was involved. Cloud reminded himself of their mission, what they were doing all this for.
直译版本：
但他可能又只是在过度思考和过度分析事情了，当涉及到萨菲罗斯时，他似乎经常这样做。克劳德提醒自己他们的使命，他们做这一切的目的。
诗化版本：
然则他大抵又犯了疑神疑鬼的毛病，当萨菲罗斯出现时，他总是这般反复揣摩。克劳德再次告诫自己，不要忘记此行的使命与初衷。
The one they had to rescue now was Aerith, and no one else.
此刻必须被拯救的只有艾瑞丝，舍她其谁。