[Masked Fool]

[THE BEGINNING: First incarnation - I]

Zephyr.

     A good-looking man with white hair, a bit of dark gray at the ends adding to his ruffled and flowing hair making it more attractive. His family imposed and pressured him too much, forcing him to learn all kinds of musical instruments with the ambition of turning his eldest son into a unique musician. The unrealistic dreams from his family pushed him to live a lonely life. Not until he knew Aristides - a curly-haired man with a cheerful temperament since he was born. In other words, Aristides was like a brother to Zephyr, listening to him and his unfortunate family stories. Since Zephyr was with Aristides, he recognized him as a god, a warm source of life, pulling him out of the dark future he should have endured. Sometimes, Aristides tended to talk about some of his ambitions, and Zephyr was interested in those, too. "Zephyr, when we grow up, let's perform together", he said delightfully, patting Zephyr's shoulder a few times. "Why?", he asked with a rather surprised expression on his face. "You're so good at violin, while I am good at piano, we get along so well, don't we? Maybe we will also have a good reputation!". Zephyr turned to look at Aristides, his sharp narrowed eyes soften a bit. "...Alright, I'll consider it", he replied with a faint smile. Zephyr usually plastered a fake smile when he's around with strangers, but when he's with Aristides, it was the moments when he can be himself and give Aristides the sincerest smile of him. Zephyr adored Aristides's smiles, as he described them as "warmer than the sun, brighter than the light of Olympus".

     "Zephyr, after we graduate, let's open our own tailor", Aristides murmured softly to Zephyr when they're having supper together in their cozy living room. He was impressed how Zephyr tailored his vests and accessories to highlight his features and personality. Aristides grinned, looking at his companion. Zephyr looked at him, nodding in agreement. "Alright", he replied, before receiving a pat on the head.

     Before the graduating ceremony began, Zephyr stared at Aristides in a white vest, having metal accessories attached to the coat. He didn't realize he has been staring at Aristides for minutes until his companion noticed his gaze and gave him a wide grin. "What's wrong, Zephyr?", Aristides placed a hand on his shoulder, patting it a few times. "Am I that attractive to you?", he said with a faint smirk and a bit of a mocking tone in his voice. Zephyr kept staring at him, nodding. Zephyr's mesmerized, feeling butterflies in his stomach and he smiled warmly. "Oh, right, I have this for you, Zephyr dear", Aristides said and offered his hand, a black earring that was the same he was wearing laying in his palm. It seemed like Aristides bought a pair and give him one as a matching accessory. "My graduation gift for you. You don't have to pay me anything, though", Aristides smiled at him, and without another word, he reached out and helped Zephyr to wear it. Zephyr nodded, but stunned and kept his eyes glued to Aristides while he was talking about his plans for the future ahead. Indeed, Aristides was like a god to him and a companion he could always rely on when he was in his weakest.

     But nothing lasts forever, and his only god that he expected to accompany him to the end of his life perished when a burning and furious flame swallowed the graduating ceremony, ruining and extinguishing his companion's ambitions.

     They managed to escape from the scene safely, but Aristides, with his burning will to help people, rushed back to the collapse ceremony. But Zephyr was there, and he caught his wrist before Aristides managed to step any further. "Where do you think you are going, Aristides?", he yelled, pulling Aristides back. "Do not step in there alone, Aristides!! At least, please let me go with you", he murmured, not wanting to risk his companion's life. Aristides looked back, the anxiety mixed with the urge to rescue other students can be seen in his eyes. Aristides smiled, caressing Zephyr's face before replying. "It is alright, Zephyr. I will come back, so please wait for me."

     But even after a long while of waiting, Aristides's silhouette couldn't be seen. Then, a loud explosion could be heard, and Zephyr's heart skipped a beat and the fear started to swallow him. He dashed to the flame, adrenaline pumped into him and urged him to find his companion. After a while of seemingly helpless searching, he was stunned. Aristides was leaning against a destroyed wall, half of his body was injured, bleeding badly, and his clothes were burned. Zephyr immediately knelt next to Aristides, took him into his arms, and called out his name with a bit broken in his trembling voice. Aristides shifted his gaze to Zephyr, letting out a faint chuckle. "I screwed up, didn't I?", he muttered, reaching to Zephyr's hand and holding it lightly. Zephyr shook his head, pressing his cheek to Aristides's forehead, and squeezed his hand a little. "You didn't, Aristides", he whispered brokenly, holding Aristides's hand close to his face and slowly leaning toward it. Aristides, feeling the sorrow in his companion, couldn't do anything but let out a weak chuckle and lean his head to Zephyr's shoulder with a faint sigh. "Zephyr, please listen to my last wish", he whispered, gazing into Zephyr's silver eyes. "In another life, come find me. I will be waiting for you, Zephyr dear." Zephyr felt Aristides's breath gets weaker, noticing the last tear on his companion's face. He froze, leaning to his dying companion's chest, feeling his world shattering into pieces with faint sobs coming from him. "I should have been selfish and run away with you, Aristides", he whispered, feeling hatred and disgust pulling him down to the abyss. "Those people should have died, not you", he continued to whisper to his perished companion.

"Until I have them pay the price, I will come to you, Aristides."

[Two years later]

     A sorrowful chorus from a violin echoes from a room at the end of the dark hallway. Zephyr stands there, playing a mourning piece beside the cold preserved body of Aristides. He slowly opens his eyes, shifting his gaze to his companion's soulless body, ending the piece with a bow. He looks up, walking closer to his companion with a faint smile. His pair of dead silver eyes wander on the emotionless face of Aristides, trying to remember how delightful he usually was when he was alive. "Aristides, you're too quiet," he murmurs and can't help but feel his being shatter and ache when seeing Aristides like this. "Aristides, I wish I could see you smiling at me again. I am not used to the silence between us like this. I wish you would look at me, caress my face again", Zephyr whispers faintly. "Without you, I am nothing but a masked fool, Aristides, I miss you very much", he continues. Suddenly, something behind him falls onto the ground. An arm. Zephyr glances at the arm, shifting his eyes higher a little to catch the image of a pile of dead bodies stuffed in a leather bag. He turns back to look at Aristides, closing his eyes and smiles.

"They have payed the price, Aristides. I will come find you soon".