Ok picture this, Tifa Asks Cloud in 7th heaven to join Avalanche, after telling him about his childhood promise. Cloud Sais No, and walks away, What would he of done?

Personally i think he would of Became a Mercenary for anyone, including Shinra But when the time came, i think he would of Saved Tifa.

It would of been interesting to see what Cloud would of done to make ends meet, not travelling with the Group.

what do you think?

He'd die after meteor hits just like everyone else probably.
Or he'd be all emo still. I have no idea what he would done really.
Probably be a mercenary just like how he was originally a mercenary for Avalanche

Assuming that he didn't join AVALANCHE and had to do something else it would make sense for him to become a simple mercenary. This could lead him down a path of running simple errands and boring shit like that, basically getting wrapped up in a normal life in Midgar and most likely meeting the same fate as them when Meteor falls. On the other hand Shinra might have got word of him and taken an intrest and tried to (re)recruit him, being an exSOLDIER. Which may have led him down the path of going against AVALANCHE later on, which I think would be hard personally since Tifa is in the group and that is Cloud's childhood friend/crush. It might also have led Cloud to confusion and Sephiroths side becoming another pawn for Jenova.

I however do not believe that he would have taken that path. Of course I am looking at this from a more personal standpoint, but c'mon think about it you are a mercenary and you happen to get hired for a job by someone who is your childhood friend and crush. After that mission is over she askes you join AVALANCHE. What option do you really have? I mean, you have the option of being a mercenary and helping them or ignoring them and being a mercenary for someone else. You may not exactly care what they're doing at first, but it is a another job oportunity, it would be wise to take it and since it's presented by a childhood friend/crush it's hard to turn down expecially when your other option seems to be nothing really.

He wouldn't care. He'd probibly just get drunk, layed, and then sleep everyday. Untill it hit. I dont think he had much care in the world.

I believe that Sephiroth would've called upon him to do some errands for him such as retrieving the black materia and meeting up with the other clones. Cloud would've been evil for a period of time until Tifa needs help and then he would snap out of it. He would possibly feel guilty for his actions and go into a mirror-Vincent life.

I had thought about this for some time....

Heres what I think would happen.

Cloud would not join avalanche, instead, he would become a mercenary, doing odd jobs for money. Then one day, in Shinra would come to him and try to recruit him, because they are being threatened by a terrorist group (avalanche). He would take the job for the percs and the incredible salary of .... 5 billion gil per year. Anyway, he takes the job and becomes part of the Turks, working with Reno and Tseng and all of them. However, when it comes time to destroy the slums, he would re-unite with the group and see what he was doing, he would quit the Turks and not join avalanche, just journey around, trying to find out what is right for him. He will later meet Sephiroth somehow, and he will convince Cloud to join his cause (even though Cloud will have some hate still in his heart, there will be no one to help Cloud stop Sephiroth's persuasion). Eventually, Cloud and Sephiroth will confront avalanche, and they will have their disputes, but since Sephiroth has almost complete control over Cloud and since Only Barret and Tifa would be in avalanche that Could knows (because cloud was really the one who invited everyone who he met on his journey) he would either Stop Sephiroth and join Avalanche, or fight avalanche and continues with Sephiroth. If he join Sephiroth, they will summon meteor, end of the world, of if he joins avalanche, it will be the same story for the most part, he would just have to be reunited with everyone again... and so it goes.

But thats just my thought...