towerofanimus | Time wears a mask

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Time wears a mask

Characters: Hei and YOU
Setting: anywhere around the tower
Format: Prose, but I will match with anything.
Summary: Hei is 20+ years older, and his life is, well...crap. Will attack all potential villains with enhanced abilities.
Warnings: Hei has gotten stronger from absorbing the Materia over the years and training. And he has a goal to kill those that ruined his life, villains mostly.

They took it all away from him.

He could never forget. Despair had settled in over the years, unable to find himself to move on from her. Years passed before the light shined upon his heart, his love and those he could call friends and family returning. Everything he could have wanted, finally his once again. Happiness, the one thing neither of them seemed to be able to keep, was finally his.

And then they came.

Memories were fresh, the sound of her screams never ceasing. One after another they fell, he forced to bear witness to everything. Lucy, Kirika, Elena, no one was spared. Everyone that mattered to him perished. Least it felt like everyone. Finally, he trusted Elena. Finally, he and Kirika grew far more as siblings. And finally...she was there with him. To die, to never be able to be brought back.

Those roaming the halls and floors can find Hei, a mask on his face. Beneath it was a glare, walking past people in a hurry. Day or night, he was out there, moving with no loss of energy. He needed to find them, those responsible, and make them feel the pain he had in his heart. Only then could his heart find some solace. This was the man who hated to kill, but now? Now it was the only thing that could calm him down. One man was definitely the number one target for him, one above all else.

Sephiroth.

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It has been ten years for Kirika. Her hair grew quite long just pass her shoulders but kept it up on a ponytail mostly. Some of her bangs were at chin length and the rest cut just above her eyebrows. She grew a couple more inches, just about 5'5". If anything, she tried for a different appearance than her original self.

During the years, she considered Hei as a brother she never had. Someone was added to her life too, Rolo. Little by little, it felt as if she was putting a puzzle together with a clear picture, a family. There was also Chloe too, she couldn't forget her. If anything, she tried to keep her inner circle small for her own reasons.

In the halls, Kirika had a small digital camera in her hands. A gift she received from Rolo. Kirika would take random pictures of almost anything from people's expressions to objects either hanging on the wall or on a table. She had a weird tendency to remember the strangest things. But when she say Hei from behind, his appearance wasn't only different. The way he moved, and was he wearing his mask too? It was very rare to watch him wear it. Kirika lifted her camera and focused before she had taken a shot of his back with the flash on purpose. She would do it again after he turned around.

"Is it okay to wear that anywhere?"

When he was walking, he heard the flash. Hands already went around the knife, and he turned around. If this was someone just being annoying, he might just scare them off. However, what he saw made his eyes widen under the mask, stepping back in shock. Kirika was...alive? His hand reached out towards her, shaking at the mere thought. This was real, right?

"Kirika?"

Even though Hei's face was covered, she could tell he was in disbelief. Kirika tucked away her camera as she stepped forward. Gently one of her hands touched Hei's reached hand to rest assure him this was real. Kirika's other hand reached out for his mask and removed it. Hei looked very different from last she remembered. His eyes the most, she knew those eyes so well.

"Brother..." She spoke softly followed with a nod.

It only took a second to accept this. She was younger, yes, but she was real. He embraced her, falling to his knees. The woman he knew as a sister was still alive! There was hope yet...

"You're alive..."

"Brother!"

She clung to him as they both descended to the ground. Alive? She had a questionable look but now wasn't the time. She stroke the ends of his dark hair. She didn't understand why he thought she died. Could it be from patrolling? "Did you have a nightmare?"

"You...Lucy..."

He hugged her tighter. She didn't know. She had to be from the past then. Regardless, he didn't stop hugging his sister, the memories forcing those tears from his eyes, voice strained.

"Everyone close to us...they all died, for good."

Everyone? Even the thought of death never phased Kirika. Perhaps was because she would simply be brought back to life. And the 'other' Kirika didn't fear it either knowing it would be permanent. But, it was a dream and nothing more right? She didn't convince herself good. Kirika continued to hold him.

"Brother... we're still here. Lucy isn't here yet but still..." She didn't want to make false hopes. "Come on, I'll make something this time."

Was no dream, but Hei needed this comfort. She was alive, and even if the woman he loved was not here, there was still time. For now, he needed this more than ever. He nods, slowly letting her go.

"Good idea..."

Kirika did the same as she lifted herself up. She helped Hei get up as well with her fingers around his hand. "Come, you can wash yourself afterwards. And cut that hair," she mumbled the last sentence. She began to lead him downstairs to the cafeteria.

"I didn't interrupted your job, did I?"

He was helped up, though said nothing, his mind trying to process everything. Walking for instance when his head was still scattered. When broken, it was always nice to have those he knew of close when he needed them most. But what he had to say next...

"I was going to find Sephiroth, and get revenge."

The one things she learned over the years was collecting information. Guess who taught her that?

"Is he human?"

"No." He taught her well. "Do you remember the Turks? Their former boss created him, and he's still in the tower."

"Mhm, I remember. I didn't know their boss created him." The people he joined with once in a while either work or social she remembered. Once they arrived at the cafeteria, Kirika let go of his hand as she made her way towards the stove.

"Have a seat."

She wrapped an apron around her as she tied her hair back. "Did you want anything specific?"

He took his seat, staring at her. It was still hard to take in...

"No. Just give me anything."

She gave a nod before she begun. The stove lit up as she tossed some ingredients in. If she could, she would of rather taken her time cooking than rushing. So she thought about making something quick and simple. The aroma of the cooked seasonings began to fill the room. She talked as she cooked.

"Don't tell Rolo I made something," Kirika joked. But really, don't. Even though Rolo usually cooked for her, and they know how sensitive he could be. "I'll probably won't hear the end of it."

"What's your plan after this?"

Even if this was nice, what she said made him think. Briefly, he thought if he should still do it. But after still seeing them all die, this might be a chance to prevent all of it from ever happening. And the desire, that desire to kill, something he had not felt in such a long time, it could not be so easily dispelled.

"I still plan on finding Sephiroth, and destroy him, for good. Make him feel what I felt."

Kirika of all knew the concept of hate and how much people would be consumed by it. She could tell from Hei's actions and response. But why was he affected by this? Did the tower brought him back a couple years later? After the food was done, she set it on a plate before she walked over to him with it.

"Even if it's the tower's doing?" She had to make him think of that logic at least. "Would you still..."

"I...don't know." He spoke, bowing his head. "I just...Even if this is a trick by the tower, my head...those visions, they haven't stopped."

Kirika sat with her plat across from him. "Brother..." She began trying to find the right words. Even her presence wasn't enough.

"Regardless, Sephiroth will do what I saw. He is that ruthless." He closes his eyes. "I can at least erase his existence, and prevent him from harming any of us."

"Time paradox," Kirika spoke the only word she could think of. "Won't the tower revive him again? Maybe..."

Help him came to mind but she stopped herself.

"If he was able to do such a thing, I can too. The power I spent years gaining...I'll erase his existence fully."

"I'll go with you."

"No you will not. I'm not going to lose you again."

"And I said I will."

Kirika simply replied calmly. It wasn't the first time she died and certainly wouldn't be the last.

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Time wears a mask

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