towerofanimus | Miserable Birthday

Entry tags:

Miserable Birthday

Characters: Hei and YOU
Setting: Floor 48
Format: prose, but will work with whatever
Summary: Hei spends time at the graveyard for his birthday, bidding another friend goodbye...and gets attacked by the Husks from Mass Effect.
Warnings: fighting, possible blood, etc.

Another month, another loss. He barely even knew of what was going on within the tower, thankfully dodging those dreaded tape-recorders. Info was all around for him to gather, but not right this second. Now had been a day he didn't wish to experience, and one with another tombstone. Amber, the Contractor the original Hei regretted losing, was gone once more. This wasn't the first time he lost someone. He lost Yin at the facility before, then Minako, then Raven, then Lucy, and more. Growing close to others had been another reason for his hesitance to be attached to them, knowing they would just fade away like the rest. Amber was no different it seemed.

He had set himself down before her tombstone, putting another mask he made onto Amber's grave as well. Farewells were never given, and though he was just a clone, the pain was the same. He sighed, bowing his head, hands held together. Not a prayer to God or any other higher being, but for those gone. At least they would find peace in death and not within this accursed tower. That however didn't ease his thoughts in the slightest.

Neither did the sounds of movement, of ragged breathing. Monsters, he thought. Figures. Even on his birthday, no one would allow him the peace he desired. Hands instinctively went to the knives under his coat, brandishing them out and getting up. Eyes glared, glowing a bright red as his power peaked. Husks, beings capable of a similar power to himself. They desired him dead, and at this moment, the feeling was mutual. The numbers seemed to grow, five rising to nine, nine becoming fifteen, etc.

There was no fear in his pose, no confidence, nothing. Emotionless, yet at the same time, as he began by slashing on Husk on the neck, deadly. His movements were quick, moving between them, quickly getting slash after slash. Electricity seemed to hit him, but he grit his teeth, continuing his assault, moving through the crowd growing through him. Knives soon became embedded in two more Husks. Staring at the incoming horde, he swiftly took out his staff, swiftly knocking aside a few in one swift strike. The staff separated,hands grabbing the hilt of the swords that came forth.

Help him, or watch and see how he gets out of this?

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One of the husks in front of him screached in unholy, gut-wrenching fury as it 'detonated,' the field of electricity barely missing his body while a pair of thin metal barbs were jutting from his eyes. The bio-mechanical construct was still moving, thrashing about and flailing to bash at one of its fellows, but it was clear that the damage to its soulless eyes had been significant.

Out of the corner of Hei's eye darted a figure between the tombstones. It seemed intent on not being seen. For now, it had managed that, though likely not forever.

Hei noticed, stopping briefly to study the deceased creature. Someone else was here, that was for sure. Having these Husks on him was a good distraction, but he knew no one in the tower that could control any creature.

His observations were cut again though, forcing him to knock away more Husks coming at him. His staff moved quickly, splitting his half to create the swords. Slashing away at them, more Husks came, and they charged. He quickly impaled them, but they were stuck. The electrical pulse didn't help either, forcing him back.

And then there was the horde again coming at him. He could feel the tombstone behind his foot, and moving meant tripping. Hands moved, grabbing gauntlets from his back. Equipping them, claws came from them, and he moved forward. Just in time, he raised his hand, slashing away at the Husks with new fury. Those weren't ordinary claws however; Deathclaw nails were notoriously sharp.

Sharpness and sturdy construction were the things needed to face these creatures in physical contact. While he was slashing jagged marks along the body of one of the things that plowed forward, a form of green and black lunged at one of the creatures that had just sent off its pulse.

Her frame was partially visible for a moment, boots showing from behind a pair of tombstones. There was a screech, a far more human hiss and then a roar of pain before the boots moved again.

The husks were starting to notice, diverting their energies as a few wandered, seemingly aimlessly, their eyes actually trying to find the other target.

Hei was focusing on quick hits, though the moment he turned around to counter with a slash at another Husk, the creature's arm was cut off quite easily. Briefly, Hei glanced at the deathclaw gauntlets. Quick and powerful were necessary for this.

Then came the intruder. His eyes quickly saw that it was Chloe. Who else would it have been? Regardless, Hei moved once more, moving from one Husk into another, knocking the creatures back into each other. He reached for a group, feeling the pulse flow into him. And just as quickly, he countered with his own, grunting as his power amplified and shot into the group. The Husks stood little chance, shaking violently before exploding.

There was a scream behind one of the tombstones again. Electricity pulsed there, followed by another fierce hiss and screams that cut off with a gurgle. Chloe rose shakily, having been struck full-force by the pulse and looking around to see if she needed to bolt, or if they were safe for the moment.

"More?"

She wasn't in a conversational mood just yet, it seemed.

Hei looks around. All clear for the time being. He shook his head at Chloe. Those electrical pulses could not have been pleasant for her.

"No, though I suggest we leave before more arrive," he spoke, walking over to some dead Husks and pulling his knives free first. "Mindless creatures tend to always have more around the corner."

She did likewise. Many of the knives that she pulled from the creatures were of cruder make than the two she seemed to prefer, though they were showing marked signs of improving. She had been, apparently, learning to use the workstations without losing limbs.

"Agreed," she said with a nod, still shaky on her feet but able to keep up with him. "Who's grave?"

"You're going to have to be more specific," he spoke again, this time pulling out the two swords from the group of dead Husks. As it stood, there were many tombstones, unless she meant the one he was near, the same one with the mask on it.

"The one you were visiting before they so rudely interrupted my observation," she said with an impish smile, collecting the last of her blades and motioned for him to follow her. They could talk more on the stairs.

"You're welcome to say it is none of my business. It is, naturally."

"Two women I knew, that were terminated from the tower."

All he was going to say as he followed her, at least for now. Amber and Lucy were not subjects he hoped to bring up again.

It was enough, and she seemed to be willing to let it lay for the moment. "Places like this... they always lead to such things," she said softly while she threaded her way towards the stairs.

"You and Kirika... you are from another of these places, are you not?"

He nods as he follows her. "The facility, yes. She was terminated long before I was."

Hei lost so many people close to him in that place. Pain never came so quickly.

She paused and glanced back at him. "Terminated...?" she said, her eyebrow raising. "What do you mean by terminated? I am aware that she is a clone, but she is here, or is she dead in that world?"

"Terminated at the facility before I was," he explained. "The cloning is not perfect. Our bodies will eventually be rendered useless if nothing is done or if there are imperfections."

"If nothing is ...," she began before shaking her head. "No, it does not really matter. I doubt I will understand it truly."

"It's a long explanation, and science is not one of my areas of expertise."

Honestly, he hardly knew anything of the process. There was proof though, the many dead and burned bodies that were found near an incinerator of all things. Not pleasant at all.

"And I am not the sort of person deeply concerned about the 'truth' in something like this," she said, shaking her head again and pausing as she started to ascend the steps. "I will react from my feelings regardless."

"Almost anyone here would. More people are concerned more about escaping the seminars control rather than face the truth of the situation."

"Most, however, would not acknowledge that the truth is there, or that it does not matter. Whether these worlds are destroyed means nothing. We are here, the toys of these creatures. And, unless we gain the power to break that, learning to cope comes first."

"And if you can't find a way to control your mind from it all, you are doomed to fail. Others fail to take that into consideration as well."

Or unable to maintain it entirely. Months ago, Hei was driven insane by some events. Even the future event had him murder a tower resident in cold blood.

"Most are likely new," she said, shaking her head. "When they are still learning, they seem unable to know how to treat the brief moments where the games of these halls will drag them into madness. What happens when an Admin toys with them, turns them to a toy to break? Do they blame themselves, or apologize and move on?"

She chuckled. "Survival... requires... perspective. Even the recent event reminds me of that. It is so easy to be little more than an animal."

"You certainly know how most can act within this tower when they lose that control."

He was beginning to see how she and Kirika knew of each other more and more.

"On the island, it was the same. The goddess would play a game. Convince them they were married. Make someone bow before their worst enemy...," she said in a low voice. "Alliances sundered, friends wounded. Always, the same questions..."

"The facility was almost the same. Every week, save for one break, we were subject to various experiments, some of which turned us against one another. Growing more killer instincts against the ones you love, having to witness someone betray you and lose someone you care about, or even taking away memories. It...wasn't a pleasant experience."

"Very similar, and this place much the same. Threats on these floors can afflict a person's mind. Best not to take these things personally," she said, shaking her head. "But people will always do so."

"Agreed." Even if he failed to do that for the past few months. Ever since the facility, he did act on his feelings more and more.

She paused and glanced at him quietly for a moment. "I will, however, warn you. I can be very ... possessive about her, regardless," she said. "I will try to keep it under control. It ended poorly once, and I think the vision I had warned that would be no different here."

He paused as well to study her face. "She doesn't want you dead, and I would prefer things be kept civil rather than hostile. Should things go beyond that, I don't think I have to mention my own intervention in the matter."

Even if he promised Kirika he would not kill Chloe.

"I don't want her dead either," Chloe said, shrugging. "Part of me... well, let's just say shoving a fork into my lung did not exactly make me happy with her at the time. However, I do not want her dead. I am certain of that now."

"It is not her that should be concerned..." And she looked at him levelly. "However, I do not think you are like that woman was. Rolo, though... I am not sure how to address."

"You don't need to. I have my eye on him as well." He was the protective big brother after all. Even anyone that acted nice to her often got the attention of Hei, and he wanted to know everything; he was beginning to be reminded of Harry Dresden now, when he was interrogated by the wizard for reasons.

"I'll take your word on it, for now. The last thing anyone needs within this tower is more enemies."

She looked at him quietly and frowned. Whatever reasons he had to watch Rolo, they were likely very different from her own reasons, but it wasn't necessary to address that at the moment. "For now, all things are what they are. I can ... play nice I think. Admittedly, there are a few more to play with, and I have learned to at least look at other fish in the sea."

He eyed her carefully after that statement. "You would do well not to cause conflict. There are those here that can surpass what either of us are capable of."

Sephiroth, the Servants, and far more. Even if some were allies, Hei preferred to make sure. And keeping tabs on them from far away was becoming harder.

"I am aware," she said, softly. "But trouble has a way of finding me. Still, I do not plan to seek it for the most part, unless it seeks me."

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Miserable Birthday

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