Author's notes: As a disclaimer, this is in no way related to my other fic, Ruby Face. This was supposed to be a WIP of a scene later on, but it got out of hand and became it's own thing. Enjoy!
Home
Shulk's mind went into overdrive. He'd planned on helping Colony 9 fight off the mechon, then leaving. Nothing more than that.
Dunban had ran up to him, followed by Reyn and Fiora. He still could've left, but then…
"What, or who are you?" Reyn had demanded.
He was Ruby Face. He was the soul of the Mechonis' vessel. He was Shulk of Colony 9.
He couldn't find the words to say. He had to say something, but he couldn't. Suddenly, he had an idea.
As children, he and Fiora had always been taller than Reyn. They'd always say a certain joke, until Reyn had gotten a growth spurt one summer and it had been his turn to say it and rub it in. Now, inside of Ruby Face, Shulk was much taller than either of them. It was his turn once again.
"Tell me," he smiled though they couldn't see him, "how's the weather down there Reyn?"
…
The faced mechon had spoken. Dunban was confused; somehow it knew Reyn's name and was asking about the weather for some reason. Its voice was familiar, though he couldn't quite place it.
While the joke flew over Dunban's head, it hit Fiora and Reyn like a brick. If the inside joke hadn't been enough, it had spoken with his voice.
"That's impossible," Fiora muttered.
Reyn nearly dropped his driver. It shouldn't be possible, but it was him, there was no denying it. He was right there, right in front of him, just barely out of reach.
"Shulk!" Reyn cried out as he stepped forward. "Is that really you?"
…
Shulk froze. He hadn't thought ahead this far. He should've left when he had the chance. He had no choice now; he had to see this through.
"How long," he asked, his voice shaking, "how long has it been?"
"One year," Dunban was the one to answer. "You died a year ago."
That sounded about right. He'd tried to keep track of time, he really had, but he'd lost track very quickly.
"You can come back Shulk," Fiora said softly, "whether Homs or Mechon, we don't care. No one in the colony cares."
Would they, though? Could they bear to look at him, at what he'd become? A part of Shulk knew his close friends and most of the colony would accept him as they did before. However, another part of him was screaming at him to get out of there and never come back. Still, he ignored that part of him.
Hesitantly, he opened the cockpit and leapt out, landing gracefully. There was a moment where time seemed to stop. No one dared move as they saw Shulk again for the first time in a year.
Reyn ditched his driver and ran. He ran toward the person he'd loved. He hugged Shulk tightly, nearly tackling him to the ground, and Fiora joining them almost making the trio fall over.
For a long while, they said nothing, but it was the kind of nothing that meant everything.
Shulk took full advantage of this. He took in the scents around him, the sounds, the feeling of loving arms around him; all of it. It wouldn't be long now, after all.
He'd been connected to Ruby Face for a year. He was free, if only for a moment.
As soon as he'd left the cockpit, he'd known he'd signed his death warrant. His body couldn't survive on its own without its life support, which was inside of Face Nemesis.
He wasn't afraid of death. In fact, he welcomed it.
"Thank you," he said to Reyn and Fiora as he felt his breaths grow shorter and shallower.
"Welcome back," Fiora said.
She was right. He was finally home.
