towerofanimus | Time wears a mask

Entry tags:

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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Hei spotted Sephiroth, and his blood ran cold. Every memory came back at that moment, how everyone died, how Lucy was stabbed and maimed before his very eyes. Now...now he was going to make sure every last one of them would receive their vengeance. He holds up his hand, lightning ripping through the air and at Sephiroth.

No fairness from Hei. He was going to enjoy ripping him apart.

By no means was Sephiroth standing around with his guard down, it would indeed be down to Hei's improved ability that Sephiroth had just time enough to register the bright blue lightning reflecting in the window before it hit him square in the back. His heart stopped from the high voltage in the second before it threw him forwards into the window, though it was as if the impact started it again.

He was never more thankful that the Tower had such strong windows or that would have been over quickly. Under the charge and the tingling that followed it, it took everything not to lose his grip on Masamune, and to be sure he flexed the feeling back into his grip around the handle. The tip of the great sword scraped on the floor as Sephiroth forced himself away from the window and to turn around and face his attacker. He had a firm guess whom it might be already based on the lightning alone; it seems Elena's would-be rescuer wanted round two.

The shocked, excited sound of his own pulse rang in Sephiroth's ears as he raised Masamune defensively - waiting for Hei's next move.

"You're getting weaker if you couldn't avoid that."

Hei's hands charged with lightning, and he stepped closer, unfazed by that sword of Sephiroth. No, he could win this now. 20 years of absorbing the mako energy and combining the magic with his abilities, he was going to tear him apart, one molecule at a time.

"Now pull yourself together. I haven't begun to play yet."

Sephiroth took the pause to take the needed assessment of Hei. He seemed older - what was it with some people having gained a few years all of a sudden? Hei now looked formidable to say the least, none of that merciful boy that had spared him when he'd had the opportunity last time. Even the way that the lightning crackled across his hands foretold of the vengeance that Sephiroth could glean from his presence here. Hei even felt more powerful to be facing off against.

Finally, a challenge.

"Oh, and when did you decide that you could play with the big boys?" Sephiroth taunted, unable to help himself. Green eyes glinted in the gloom as he shook off the last of the aftershock from Hei's first charge and then waited around no longer. Masamune dropped a fraction and then came in swiftly towards Hei, from the side as Sephiroth lunged into an attack.

"When you murdered the people I loved."

Hei's body molded, changing into pure electricity. The metal came into contact with it, and he made sure all of that power was sent. But it wasn't much, just a fraction. Hei wanted him to suffer.

"And that won't work, but it's fun seeing you try."

There wasn't any time for Sephiroth to really process Hei's response, let alone answer back. His attack was executed too fast.

Masamune didn't even have to make much contact for the electricity to charge it's way up the great length of the blade and right up through hilt onto and into Sephiroth's body. The sheer voltage froze him in place for a second, then it crackled across shoulder armor as Sephiroth was forced back a pace before the shock earthed itself and left that sizzling feeling behind. His sword dropped from the connection though still firmly held out to the side.

That tingling told Sephiroth that his cells were still inexperienced at dealing with such attacks; or more likely it was much more powerful than the charging he'd adjusted to during that incident with Elena. Hei was much more powerful than he remembered - was this another who he'd had history with that he didn't remember? As Sephiroth recovered again from the aftershock he raised his gaze back up to Hei's mask, already this guy was getting on his nerves - but there were other ways to fight.

"What are you talking about?" He growled at Hei, for the moment Masamune swept it's tip just shy of the floor out to Sephiroth's side. He wasn't stupid enough to try that again right off the back of the last attempt.

"...You don't even remember?" he asked, stopping in his tracks from his walk. He didn't remember anything? Impossible! Hei refused to believe any of that. No, his emotions were far too strong at this point. Every cell in his body, every memory and face floating by him demanded one thing: vengeance. If he so much as forget, it made it all the more important to do something about it.

"Let me remind you then of that day, Sephiroth." He held up his hand, ice suddenly forming behind him. Several shards were in the air, each one as sharp as the knives he always carried. "Let me remind you of when you killed me, and awakened the Reaper."

All it took was a simple motion of his hand before the ice came forward, launching right at Sephiroth!

Sephiroth's gaze danced over Hei, urgently drinking in what details he could as he spoke. He really didn't have a clue what Hei was going on about, as far as he knew he's not yet killed Hei...though it had indeed crossed his mind more than once after ruining his punishment of that Turk.

His gaze kept flicking to the ice shards hovering, back at Hei and then back again. Trying to figure logically which would come for him first whilst at the same time trying to glean what he could from Hei's words other than the very real threat they posed. Dammit Tower for removing such important memories from him!

When the ice shot forward, Sephiroth did his best to side-block. To stance side-on and streamline himself against them, to create as small a target as possible. Masamune swept up instantly and was held in a long block down his height so that the ice incoming would meet the edge first. Also they would meet armor at his shoulder. But it wasn't quite enough to completely defend against the shards - as the shards flew past him sharp edges sliced leather and skin at his arms and scratched at the backside of the trench coat he wore. Sephiroth had to close his eyes also as the larger shards split into finer ones at connection with his defense; he could feel keenly the tiny haze of cold scratches they had left on his face and chest. He shivered from the cooling effect of the magic as well, before forcing his eyes open again to consider Hei's next move.

"For the ultimate weapon created by Shinra, you're not that good in a fight."

Fire formed this time in Hei's hand, separating into three gigantic spheres, each on as big as his torso. This was the man he had wanted to kill? He was weaker than before. Maybe this was the past self. If it was, then--

No. Those memories would not allow him to forget anything of that day. Spirit ignited once more, he threw the fire at Sephiroth.

"Lucky for you, I want this to last as long as possible."

Whatever scratches the sharp ice had caused would only last for a matter of moments. One of Sephiroth's unsung strengths was his innate ability to regenerate - especially when he's not exactly throwing himself headlong into a combat situation where he would need other skills. Sephiroth didn't have any materia of his own to use and his first attack with the sword had been suitably warned off; he would much rather play the defensive for the time being while Hei showcased all of his abilities one by one.

As he stepped up out of the block from the ice attack, Sephiroth narrowed eyes at Hei's comment. Not only was any association to Shinra like waving the red cloth in front of too-keen anger (despite how much he is keeping it under careful wraps recently!), but Sephiroth wondered how exactly Hei had learned such information. But of course he was at least an ally to the Turks, that explained away his intervention before.

"My, we are quick to judge." Sephiroth intentionally allowed a hint of his boredom to pass into his tone. Having realized that the magic wouldn't attack him without a prompt from Hei first, it meant he didn't need to keep an eye on all the large spheres of fire which were now hovering. It meant he only needed to watch Hei. His attacker was clearly not realizing how much of his technique he was giving away by drawing this out.

"Be careful whom you are underestimating." He might not have magic as such, though Mothers-gifted psychic ability could be applied in just a way. Sephiroth didn't wait for the attack and try to guard it this time, instead he gestured in a wave with his right hand towards the fireballs; extending with telekinetic power to swipe them away from him to the side. He didn't even blink before pressing the advantage. Sephiroth dashed in and feinted a one handed slash with Masamune. It wasn't meant to connect and Sephiroth took full advantage of his superhuman reflexes as he followed by launching in close and delivering a charged uppercut with his off-hand, aimed up and into Hei's chest.

If he needed to keep this an in-close fight rather than using the range Masamune usually gave him an advantage in then he would have to do so. He couldn't give Hei a chance to summon magic, if he got him at that range again.

Hei's body moved quickly, forgoing his electric movement this time. No, he wanted to play a bit more. His dodging was narrow, the blade coming a mere inch to hitting him, yet no damage at all. Just as the blade was coming in closer again, Hei again dodged, hand drawing out a single knife. It was simple, yet suddenly pulsed with intense electricity.

And in that moment, he fired, a large burst of lightning bursting from the weapon towards Sephiroth. If the swordsman wanted to see all Hei had, it would take a very long time. The new materia and mako he absorbed created him once more, bringing new life to the assassin, and creating a weapon he made sure no one in this tower could compare with.

That large burst was taken in the back as Sephiroth spun from the dodged uppercut and was forced a few extra steps forward in a stumble. He grunted as he fought to regain his balance as the voltage hotly coursed around his frame. He very nearly fell to his knees but no - he wouldn't give that satisfaction again.

Sheer willpower forced Masamune to come around in a large arch to swipe across at Hei, trying again for that one strike that could end this before it got too much more out of hand. Already the aftershocks were making him feel more, well, floaty than he liked to be in a fight.

Hei took out a second knife, watching Sephiroth move. Yes, this version was a far weaker version from the monster that slaughtered his family. Even holding himself back was much for this man. Good. Then now he was going to know his family went through. And for once, Hei was going to take great pleasure in killing.

"I'm barely doing anything--" He moved again, actually sliding underneath the swipe. Coming back up, knives charged with lightning, he slashed away, speed unrivaled in sheer fury. "And you brought this onto yourself when you killed Lucy!"

It was getting very frustrating for Sephiroth not even to be able to land a hit on Hei, especially when he'd put so much effort into that slice. He was sliding into desperation far too quickly than Sephiroth wanted himself to; clearly Hei was very powerful and he had no other real way to protect himself which didn't involve having this end right now.

What didn't help was the other mans goading, just before he slipped under and then inside of Sephiroth's range. What followed was a flurry of attacks that even he had trouble to keep track of. Electrified knives tore pulsating lacerations through leather and flesh, across the exposed parts of Sephiroth's chest - all the while he was trying to retreat enough to be able to draw Masamune around in order to block.

The final slash to this flurry forced the voltage past unbearable; Sephiroth was thrown to the side with the blow, his balance breaking and crashed down to one knee. The sword limp in one hand as he tried to push himself back up with the other. Dazed vision made the room swing from one side to the other as he turned his head back up to look at Hei.

"Who's Lucy?"

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Time wears a mask

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