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“Mom?”
Mari turned around, eyes widening at the sight of Shinra. She gasped, shading her eyes with her hand, trying to make out Shinra’s figure from the harsh bright lighting. Shinra reached out, taking an unstable step before collapsing on the bright white ground. He rolled over on his back, coughing and wheezing as he stared at the equally white sky. Mari gasped, raising the long dress that swooped down to the floor, running towards Shinra before crouching next to him, leaning over her son.
“Shinra,” She said breathlessly, smiling with tears in her eyes.
“Mom.” He repeated, raising a bloodied hand and cupping her cheek, smearing it with blood. Mari didn’t seem to mind, sniffling and holding Shinra’s hand with both of hers, letting some tears plop on his bloodied clothed chest.
“My baby. You’re so big now.” Her grip on Shinra’s hand faltered, sitting up to take a good look at Shinra. A pang of hurt hit her in the chest, ignoring the knot in her throat at the large slash across his torso, still rapidly bleeding all over the pristine floors. She cleared her throat, looking back down at Shinra, “How old are you now?”
“17.” Shinra replied with a cough, hissing in pain. “Mom, I’mㅡ I’m hurt.”
“I know, I know.” She let out a breath, not sure if she was crying from happiness or sadness anymore, “It’ll be better in a bit. I promise.”
“It hurts.”
Mari replied, voice strained, “I know.”
“I wanna go home.”
“Home?” She asked surprised, her worry quickly increasing, “Our home was burned down, honey. Do you not remember?”
Shinra screwed his eyes shut, finding the overly bright sky too much. He felt his mom’s hands on his face. Warm, comforting. His breath became even more unstable, some tears slipping out his closed eyes. Mari swallowed, Shinra’s taking too long to answer. Too long.
“I remember.” Talking’s hard, but not unbearable. He hasn’t seen his mom in so long and she’s right in front of her. What a dream. “But I have a new home.”
“You do?”
Shinra tried nodding, immediately regretting it when he started touching blood. Mari panicked, turning his head to the side, stomach sinking at the splatters of blood. Shinra caught his breath, a small fond smile on his face, “I do.”
“What’s it like?” Mari was unsure of how to feel about it. She was replaced, and the life she created for Shinra had been replaced. But she died. She’s dead. And Shinra was going to have a new life whether she liked it or not.
“It’s nice. I live in a Cathedral. With Company 8. We’re like a family. A big family. Whereㅡ where are they? We have chores andㅡ and we love each other. I love them a lot. Like I love you and Sho. ”
Mari smiled, running her hands through Shinra’s dirtied hair, “There you go, having a big heart. I want to know about your other family. Who are they?”
Shinra smiled, grabbing one of his mom’s free hand, “Arthur.”
Wake up, Devil! Shinra!
“He’sㅡ something . Always in aㅡ a dilemma of being a knight. It’s unbearable soㅡmetimes. But he reminds me of myself. He’s been with me for a while.”
Mari laughed, getting nostalgic, “Reminds me of you, as well. When you were a little kid. Playing hero with...Sho.”
“And Maki.”
Oh, gosh. Shinra, wake up, wake up!
“You’d like her, Mom. Strong. Very strong. And caring. Like you. Tㅡ tough love, you’d call it.”
“Oh, I almost forgot Captain Oㅡ Obi. And Hinawaㅡ Lieutenant Hinawa.”
Come on buddy, come on, Shinra.
Captain, he’s losing blood rapidly.
“They’re very strong too. Father figures. Lieutenant cooks. Captain is theㅡ the...captain? He’s very supportive. And isn’t a pyroㅡ pyrokinetic. Even then he’s a strong captain.”
“You never did have a dad, I’m sorry Shinra.” Mari ignored Shinra’s weakening hold on her hand.
“‘S okay, Mom. Ogun is my best friend. I don’t live with him butㅡ but I’d never change him for anyone.”
“I’m glad you made some friends.” He should’ve made more. Many more. If only it weren’t for that house fire. Mari shook her head, feeling Shinra’s warm blood on the floor seeping into her dress, slowly traveling up the fabric.
“Iris!” Shinra exclaimed, breaking into a coughing fit.
“I almost forgot about her. She’s a sister. Sister Iris. Veryㅡ very nice. And sweet. I’d help her with hㅡ her flowers.”
Mari giggled, tears wetting her eyes again, “Flowers?”
Shinra hummed, closing his eyes again. When had he opened them?
“You always stomped on my flowers. You were a flower stomper back then.”
Shinra huffed a laugh, his ribs hurting with it, “There are more people in my family. Like Vulcan, andㅡ and Tamakiㅡ”
Captain, do something!
“You can tell me about them later.” Mari hurried, her eyes darting over the overwhelming pool of blood around them.
“Iㅡ I can?”
“Mhm, we’ll be together for a long time.” Mari reassured, face scrunched up.
“Haha,” Shinra laughed weakly, chest barely rising with each breath, “I’m...glad.”
He’s dying!
Captain, please!
Shinra! Shinra, come on!
There’s too much blood!
“Mom, I tried saving Sho butㅡ but Iㅡ”
“But you’re my hero. And Sho’s hero. And everyone’s hero. It’s okay, Shinra. You had an impact on him. You always did that to people. My little hero.”
Captain, it’s no use.
Captainㅡ
Maki justㅡ
Shinra!
Shinra!
Shinㅡ
His eyes snapped open. Shinra took a deep breath in, puzzled when he felt no overwhelming pain at the action. His mom was still leaning over him, eyes wide and leaking with tears, her bloodied hands covering her mouth.
“I feel...good.” Shinra sat up, looking down at his stainless hands, “I’m healed, Mom!”
He looked back, even more confused when he saw himself in the state he was in seconds ago. He lookedㅡ dead, almost. All battered and bruised and drenched in blood. He eyebrows furrowed, looking back down at his hands and looking back at his other self.
“Mom?”
“Yes, honey?”
“How...how am I healed?”
Mari looked back at his other self, sniffling and wiping her face, smearing it even further with blood. She smiled, looking at Shinra in the eyes as she stood up, offering him a hand. He took it, standing up with ease, the bottoms of his feet getting wet with the now cold blood.
“You can figure that out on your own. You’re big now.”
They started walking, leaving bloodied footprints behind them.
“Where are we going?” Shinra asked, looking back one last time, stomach stirring at his corpse.
“We’re going home.”