Chapter Text
It was over.
The Entity’s realm began to collapse, the very being that had been trapping them there was falling apart beneath their feet. After years, maybe decades, had anyone been keeping track? They had finally freed themselves of this repeating cycle. Cheers rang out from everywhere, people hugging each other, none of them truly sure if this meant they’d get to go home - but knowing it was the end of it all. Many of them knowing they’d never see one another again, the relationships they formed together would end here.
Leon could feel his heart finally begin to calm, the first resting second he’s had for longer than he could remember. His first thought was searching around for the S.T.A.R’s members. He wanted to relay their potential locations to each other, hopefully they’d be able to meet up again. Even if they returned to their original realm, it wouldn’t mean peace for them, they’d return to the infected world they lived in. But it was worth it, worth being able to bring peace to others, it was the oath he swore to as a cop. To help anyone who was in need.
Claire. His eyes finally set on her outline in the distance, pacing himself with his injuries over towards the forming group. Jill, Carlos, Rebecca, Ada. And then there was one person he wasn’t expecting to see standing around with the others. Wesker. Oh how had his relationship with the others changed over these past few years. There’s only so much a power hungry person could do in a realm where he couldn’t gain any more power than he already had, and his resentment towards Blight for his experiments overtook his desire to hunt down the others. Leon had even grown somewhat fond of the Captain, despite never knowing him before.
Chris had told him before,
“Once we escape, Wesker will show his true colours again.”
With those eyes so subtly filled with unspoken hope, he couldn’t begin to understand his relationship with the Captain, but he knew it was one full of pain and betrayal. Speaking of Chris, he couldn’t catch a glimpse of him anywhere. He caught up with the others, Ada’s arm wrapped tightly around Wesker’s shoulder, causing him to lean down slightly. It was affection he allowed from her sometimes. They were talking, it was casual. As casual as their times together. It was almost relaxing to Leon, having them all here for once. He enjoyed the other survivors sometimes, but nothing replaced the bond he had with them.
“It’s too bad you won’t be this soft forever Albert.” she jabbed at his true intentions, which of course is still going to be his own experimentation.
“Nobody said that. It’s been so long, I don’t remember what I was last doing.” Wesker admits, looking away from her. By the time he remembers, it’ll be long before anyone can convince him to stay the way he is now. Or maybe, like the others had been hoping, the feeling of being experimented on will awaken his sense of empathy.
Jill hesitated, having the least amount of faith in the idea that Wesker could change. “You’ll figure it out, just looking at one of your labs will probably bring all of your schemes back to light.” she tried to make it sound playful, but the actual poison in her words sunk right into him. He pushed up his shades, standing up straight and unintentionally forcing Ada’s arm off. He gave her a glance, that almost looked apologetic.
“Speaking of Schemes, where is Nemesis?” he looked at everyone around him, “And Chris?”
Rebecca piped up, “Chris is coming this way now!”
Leon stepped to the side to look around the others, watching Chris approach with another body. It was someone shorter and smaller than them, he looked young, but with tired eyes filled with emotion he was far too familiar with. It was almost impossible to recognize him without that black and red eye, and the tendrils that he used to hunt them down in the past- but after getting a good look at the handcuffs decorating his wrists, and the torn outfit he wore, Leon could recognize him. It was The Ghoul. He surely had a name other than that, but since he didn’t speak English, none of them could decipher it. He was always too focused on hunting them down to hold a proper conversation anyhow, even when they would attempt. The few times he stopped, he looked like he had to restrain himself just to stand there.
“Look at who I’ve found! He’s actually pretty nice when he’s not under the Entity’s control!”
Leave it to Chris of course to make friends with a complete stranger from another world in the last few minutes before they’d never see each other again.
“Kaneki?” Wesker peered around Carlos and Jill to look at him
“Is that his name?” Leon asked, none of them were able to decipher it themselves.
“Trickster was able to decipher enough of what he said to figure out his name, Ken Kaneki. He doesn’t speak much English at all, there were a few times people tried to translate what he said, but I don’t think they had any idea what he was saying. Sadako is the only one who knew, and she didn’t speak to any of us.” Wesker looked at him with a mix of curiosity and disdain.
Everyone except Chris was a bit hesitant to approach The Ghoul, after all they weren’t sure the immortality they suffered from before was still there now or not. Leon took a deep breath, he had learned to put his faith into Chris whenever he was with him, and so he stepped forward, and reached out a hand. “Leon Kennedy, that’s my name.”
Chris released Kaneki, and hesitantly with a bit of confusion in his eyes took Leon’s hand. “Kaneki Ken” he responded, his accent was clear when he spoke. The only time Leon had ever heard him speak was when he was tearing his stomach open, shivers ran down his spine. Instinctive fear.
Just as Leon was about to pull his hand back, his vision blacked out.