Beneath the Mask

by Potato_Birb

Summary:

Dante survived their death after months of getting their new head. They had killed an N.Corp Inquisitor, disguising as one of them, bearing a helmet to hide their head. However, throughout days or even weeks, Dante starts to doubt their roles and participates in the 'cleansing' of prosthetics. Will the rest of N.Corp Inquisition know about their new identity or will they be cleansed like the rest of them?

Chapter 1: Prologue

Smokes billow into the sky, with the sun setting, casting the grounds buried in red. It’s hell. A helmeted armored figure is seen running through the chaos. The air is so thick with the acrid smell of burning wood and metal all together as flames lick the entire ruins of what once was a village. Covering the place with its flickering orange tongues.

The figure with their dented helmet moves to uncover their head from the burning sensation. Unknownst to themselves, they’re partially immune to the fiery air as the helmet fell against the gritted floor with the deceased. A red doomsday clock with flames on top had been laid upon the figure.

the clock person uttered, confused out of their mind. They look around their surroundings to find something to reflect their new appeal. As soon as they grab a nearby shattered armor, they saw themselves.

A prosthetic, connected where their head used to be. Gasps turn into the huffing sounds of a bell. They frantically move around, finding the way to hide themselves from the other inquisitors. Before they could do anything about their situation, one notices their demise. Nail and hammer ready, they strike the clock.

The clock person frantically tries to convince their fellow inquisitor that it’s them and their name, however the clock sounds had fallen to deaf ears. The struggles between the two were equal. As expected for the rank Kleinhammer within their ground. As the clock person loses consciousness, something burns within the fight.Was it the burning surroundings or was it, their flames that were lit within their new prosthetic head. Stabbed right near where their head is, it almost feels like they’re invincible to the nail as the soldier tries to dismantle them. Before any more movements, the clock person grabbed their own hammer and slammed against the Klainhammer’s abdomen, crushing their armor and stomach area.

The clock person procceds to continue slamming their fellow Kleinhammer with every hit. They don’t stop. They kept slamming the Kleinhammer’s head until it was just mushed guts.

Their hands tremble as they hover over the body, as they’d dropped the hammer.
Each breath comes in shallow gasps, their mind racing with a torrent of worries and uncertainties. What have they’d done? They killed their own ally. All because of their new head.
Their heart pounds with relentless intensity, each beat echoing the dread that coils around their chest. The thought of being discovered and killed grips them with icy fingers, paralyzing their thoughts.

As they pace around, their thoughts swirl with fears of exposure and death. They mutter to themselves, eyes darting between the helmet and the chaos. The weight of their decision presses heavily on their shoulders, and they struggle to steady their racing heart. Finally, with a deep, shuddering breath, they forces themselves to focus. Their resolve hardens as they reach for the helmet, steeling themselves for the uncertain path ahead.

They struggled a bit with the fitting but they got it with a good slam. How would they eat? Well that’s for thinking about another time. Just survive through the battle and it might just be fine.

 

Their name is Dante.

Chapter 2: Dante

Summary:

Tick Tock

Their name is Dante. They were one of the inquisitors, one of the higher ranks, now disguised as one of the Kleinhammers.

Talk about being demoted to the lowest rank of N.Corp Inquisitors, but they can’t have anyone from the higher ranks notice their quiet behavior, or else they’ll find out. The thought of cleansing had crossed Dante’s mind. The thought about how the other inquisitors vanquish every prosthetic.
It had made them squeamish. Yes, their whole body is fine to show around every time they need a break from the armor itself, however, the helmet is off-limits. Even the thought of getting a wink of sleep had crossed their mind. If other inquisitors saw them “sleeping” they could simply say that their helmet was stuck.

Even if it convinced everyone around, Dante couldn’t keep up the lie if the canned stuff came over to be feasted on. They can’t keep pretending to devour or avoid eating entirely. Which made them wonder since their head had been replaced, could they even eat at all? They did try to eat the mushy stuff from the can when no one was looking and it just slid through their armor and to their boots. (Which they cleaned afterward when no one was present).

At the very least, Dante remembered their former role and their name. They were one of the Mittelhammers before they were compromised. The rest higher up thought “Durante '' had perished from their previous cleanse. And the person named Dante had joined the Kleinhammers in hopes of cleansing all the prosthetics. Which they are themselves. One. Why is it so complicated?

It’s not going to be easy. To convince everyone all around them, especially the One Who Grips and her entourage. Throughout the weeks, Dante taught themselves and others to understand their sign language. Which is useful if there was ever an ambush to be done and the One Who Grips caught wind of it. Maybe Dante should tone down the attention, for now.

TWANK!

Dante’s helmet had gotten a dent, unfortunately. There is no excuse now when there’s damage on the helmet. They had to find a way to fix their helmet without anyone scouting around. And the helmet is starting to get tight. Great. Just great, they’d thought.

As the burning of the cleansed prosthetics grew near where the inquisitors had gathered around, Dante had a plan. As long as the rest of the inquisitors are gone, Dante will have time to go and fix his helmet and try to adjust the size so it’ll fit nicely.

Dante waited for an opportunity, the flames dimmed down as the inquisitors left for their feast. Dante finally peeked over, looked around for any stragglers and then removed their helmet. Finally! The helmet is off after weeks and it probably smells. Whatever. Dante can finally breathe? Grabbing scraps of metal, they began to work on fixing the dent of their helmet. As they did so, they measured how big the helmet was. Before they could try to fit their helmet.

Someone had woken up from their rest. It’s a Kleinhammer.

 

And his name is Heathcliff.

Notes:

You know, each chapter will correspondingly get bigger in each introduction. By the way, it's an alternative mirror world, and it is based on their voice lines and story with some headcanons and such.

Chapter 3: Heathcliff

As the two looked upon each other, Heathcliff sputtered a yelp before Dante immediately covered his mouth, dropping their helmet to the ground. 

 

The two wrestle for a bit, one for not exposing Dante’s true identity and the other, fighting for his life and there’s a prosthetic within the inquisitors! 

 

<Hey! Stop it!> Dante exclaims as they felt their hand being bitten by Heathcliff, trying to keep the Kleinhammer quiet. However, Heathcliff is not budging. He is constantly trying to cry out to his subordinates or anyone to hear him out! But no one came. 

 

The struggles had gone on for an hour until Heathcliff wore his voice out and Dante was still hanging onto Heathcliff for dear life. Already feeling the nail being pressed onto them. This is it, their life is over. After weeks of hiding their prosthetic, they ended up being killed by the Kleinhammer. They thought of the worst before uttering. 

 

<I guess you won’t see Cathy. Will you?> Dante scoffs as they let go of Heathcliff, letting him fall on the dirty floor. 

 

Heathcliff takes a moment to catch his voice back as he struggles to grab his hammer and Dante just watches. Given a small defeated chuckle in their loss. This is it. They’re going to get their fellow inquisitor killed. Dante accepted their defeat as Heathcliff towers over them. Man, Heathcliff. He now has the balls to nail Dante. They lower their heads down and Heathcliff drops his nail and hammer as he picks up the helmet. 

 

“How? The hell you know about Catherine?” Heathcliff’s demeanor changed as he clutched the dented helmet. His voice is so low. Guessed the cries had really broken him. Just like how the N.Corp did to the man. Dante, knowing their former role as a Mittelhammer, wouldn’t comfort or care for their pawns. However, this side of Dante is new. As trembling hands approaches Heathcliff to give him some comfort. Heathcliff immediately jumped away. 

 

“Heret-!” Heathcliff gets defensive as he held his hammer back in his palm, “Ah, bloody…Won’t you take off that mingling mask?” 

 

Mask? 

 

<Heathcliff-> 

 

“Holy fuck. I can understand you-“ Heathcliff rises his hammer as Dante stops him. 

 

<Hey. Calm down> Dante gently held their hand on Heathcliff’s shoulder. Heathcliff flinched a bit from the sudden touch. It's weird but oddly, it’s comforting. Before snapping back to his role as a Kleinhammer. 

 

“Wait, you’re not the superior…” Heathcliff sputtered. 

 

<I know. I was that inquisitor that died. And this is my own fate.> Dante replies as they hold onto Heathcliff. Knowing how much the Inquisitors had brainwashed Heathcliff to be as servile and compliant. Dante needed someone to comply and to keep their secret. (And that Heathcliff will keep his mouth shut about since no one in the Inquisition believes any Kleinhammer. Which is unfortunate) 

 

<I don’t want to die so please to my almighty clock, no telling the others.> 

 

“I w-won’t!” 

 

<Yeah and-> Dante took a moment to process before shaking Heathcliff in surprise, <Oh hell- You agreed?> 

 

Heathcliff is quiet for a bit before moving away from Dante’s touch and proceeds to fix the helmet for them. Few minutes later, the helmet is now fixed and Dante can finally relax. For now. While Heathcliff stumbled upon Dante’s hidden stash of canned food in which. It tasted terrible and Dante couldn’t digest it. Heathcliff had no other choice since he couldn’t leave Dante alone, he needed to keep an eye on them. 

 

As Heathcliff gathered the canned food shattered on the ground, Dante couldn’t help but look at him. 

 

“What do you want?” 

 

<Why are you helping me?> They asked, holding the helmet close. <You know that I’m them but you’d still help me out.> 

 

“Look. Listen, clockface.” 

 

Clockface?

 

“This is the first time I have this rest!” Heathcliff proclaims as he opens the cans up, “so if anything happens to you, I won’t have this break.” 

 

All he cares about is a break? This poor man. 

 

<Wait what are you doing with the cans?> 

 

Before they could tick another word, Heathcliff starts scuffing down the cans that are around. Choking and swallowing. Oh shucks. What is this man doing? Dante tries to stop Heathcliff from potentially killing himself with the canned white stuff. Heathcliff pauses. 

 

“You better give me a story about how this shit happens.” Heathcliff coughs, as he finishes two cans. 

 

Well gosh darn dang, Dante didn’t think Heathcliff would eat their scattered cans. Once more, this poor man. All Dante can gather from their recovered thoughts is that Heathcliff joined the Inquisition and wasn’t quite treated well. The only thing that kept him going is a woman named Cathy, which Heathcliff holds most dear to him. But, even with that encouraging him, Heathcliff still feels like he hasn’t progressed anything in his role. Could Dante really trust Heathcliff? If anyone asks Heathcliff and he reveals them as a prosthetic. Dante is fucked. 

 

How can they keep this arrangement going? Dante will let Heathcliff take his breaks while they take over and will summarize for him. 

 

Dante did tell Heathcliff about their predicament in which Heathcliff listens in. This is better than the time at the very last minute Heathcliff needed to recite the purification. So he takes in every detail as he chokes on the canned white stuff. As Heathcliff finishes, he grabs his hammer and nail before facing Dante. 

“You know, Clockface? I’m going to keep an eye on you.” Heathcliff utters as he sets his hammer on his shoulder, “If anyone wants to purify you. I’ll be the one who makes it happen .”

 

Dante oddly felt a sense of relief that they have someone by their side. 

Notes:

About 5 months ago, I thought of it as a simple question. What if Dante is N.Corp? It's kinda a stupid idea but I kept designing Dante in a N.Corp Inquisitor outfit, especially the Kleinhammer's. It's simply an idea from what I drew of them in the outfits and the N.Corp identities' voice lines and thought, why not extend the mirror world itself? Make a whole alternative universe? Chapter will be simply named with the sinners' names or words related to the mirror world.