Heartwarming / The Eminence in Shadow

In general

• Shadow Garden's existence. Each one of them had a terrible life but was given a new, better one and it's all thanks to Cid, even if his intentions weren't noble.
  • Not only that, they are willing to risk their own lives to save anyone who went through possession like they had experienced themselves. Truly, they are the Three Heroes' descendants.
• While Cid always puts up an act in front of Shadow Garden, the only one he's more than willing to show his more laidback side to is Alpha who also shares the same sentiments.
  • In the "Seven Shadows Chronicles", after Shadow manages to avoid the Mist Dragon's attack, while the other Shades look in awe, Alpha sighs in relief, glad that he's alright.
  • A cute moment during the game when she wants to refer to herself as Alpha Kagenou.

Light Novel

Volume 1

• After Lutheran reveals he murdered Sherry's mother, Cid appears apathetic to what he heard but when he dons his Shadow persona, he proceeds to flat-out torture and humiliate the old man in what can be best described as an act of rage. The fact he's willing to let Sherry believe that he killed her innocent foster father and be seen as a murderer shows that there is a heart inside him.

Volume 2

• Cid chooses to free Aurora despite knowing her for such a short time. And Aurora tells Cid that her time with him is a memory she won't forget and will cherish forever.

Volume 3

• Delta returns to Shadow Garden who are immensely relieved, after believing for a while she might have been killed by John Smith.
• The fact that Cid in his youth saved Yukime by healing the wound left by Gettan.
• In the Kage-Jitsu short, Epsilon never once thought Shadow betrayed them and chides the others for believing so. She truly is the Faithful.

Volume 4

• 664 and 665 prove that they are good friends to 666/Rose. When Victoria tries to convince Shadow to execute her for betraying Shadow Garden to save her mother. The two immediately come to her defense and are genuinely heartbroken when it appears that Shadow is going to punish Rose personally. When the Black Rose appears, the two immediately go to her side to fight against the invading monsters.
• After killing the corrupt guards who took Marie's money, he decides to pay the bartender back for his drink by putting the sack back into her room, especially considering in the previous volume, he nearly caused a credit collapse due to his greed.
• While Cid misunderstands Rose's reasons and motivations, he does genuinely want to help her dream (which he believes is to take over the country without marrying Perv) by trying to convince her to not go through with the wedding. When she falls unconscious due to the shock of being betrayed by her mother, he waits until she wakes up and plays Moonlight Sorata for her while giving a speech about what's important to one's self to give her the conviction needs during the wedding.
• What's also interesting to note is that in the light novel, while Cid wants Rose to become queen to make his "Eminence in Shadow" roleplay cooler, he never actually thinks that Rose would become a tyrant and believes she would become a good queen, who everyone sees as a beacon of light and hope.
• Akane still remembers Minoru fondly and is ecstatic to be able to meet him again upon realizing he is still alive.

Volume 5

• Rose shows her determination to become a queen capable of protecting Oriana with Shadow Garden giving their full support to her. In particular Alpha tells Rose that so long she has this conviction they won't abandon her along with 664 and 665 dressing themselves as maids so that their Power Trio can still remain intact.

Volume 6

• Cid meets up with Alpha again in the Mitsugoshi Member's exclusive bar. It's just a nice talk between two old friends, who haven't interacted for some time. While Cid still believes that Shadow Garden is just a roleplay Alpha goes along with, he does genuinely listen when she informs him about the Thirteen Night Swords and their control of Midgar in the shadows, which she plans on dealing with later due to Shadow Garden's being too busy with Oriana's rebuilding and reform. However, Cid decides to take action himself and while he does leave it vague as usual, it is clear that Alpha got the message especially with the death of the first Night Sword happening shortly after their conversation. Not to mention the fact that Alpha's appearance in the White Residence means that Cid did contact her as she told him, which is a far cry from back during the John Smith incident where he left Shadow Garden out of the loop of his plans and broke Alpha's heart in the process.
• Milia is resurrected by the cult into a tentacle monster, when fighting against her, Shadow holds back and only slashes the tentacles away and uses his Healing Hands to gradually turn her back to normal. After this is done, the girl is then taken away by Alpha along with the dagger from her father she carried, which is especially significant considering the fact other Shadow Garden members are forced to discard everything they have yet Alpha chooses to take the dagger with her. It's no wonder Christina became enamored with Shadow's lifestyle and even followed in his footsteps since, despite the claim that he walks a bloodstained path, she notes he saves many who come across his path including herself.
• Despite the therianthrope's belief in Might Makes Right, Delta back when she was Sara never abandoned her ill mother and stayed with her until the end.
• In Alpha's reminiscence of how Shadow Garden started, she talks about the care Cid gave her, which includes building her a house in the Ghost Town, giving her food, and telling her stories about his previous life. This care also extended towards the other Seven Shadows with Alpha and Gamma in the present remembering those times through the familiar scent of trees.

Master of Garden

• Once Zinaida is rescued from the cult and healed from her Demonic Possession by Epsilon. She is quickly inducted as Lambda and despite her past as a military trainer in Velgalta, she has no issues with following the orders of children younger than her.
• At the game's Amnesia Episode, when Cid loses his memories, several members of the Seven Shadows use this to their advantage and make attempts to manipulate the amnesiac boy to become her lover. However, the only one who didn't take advantage, other than Delta, is Alpha who loves Cid just the way he is.

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