[ding! message from lukiyo]
Message on the top today! First, TW: mentioned description of sexual assault! Please be warned, if you're sensitive to such topics, I can give you a brief summary instead if you send me a message!
Secondly! This specific Story is a bit more emotional, and exploring certain relationships a bit more while also learning about the True Ending. Not the most action-packed, but a little sorrowful.
Thanks for reading <3 I appreciate you endlessly, and wish you the best of days
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[The tale of siblings]
——xxx——
Elias stood a few feet away from the small, decorated cottage that radiated a rather terrifying scent, as if shrouded in death.
It was a bit of a shame he couldn't keep an eye on his own Lucas, the fool who'd forgotten the sibling he adored more than life, but the alternative worked fine as well. Since the reflection of Lucas was the same person, in the end.
Lucas stopped abruptly, rubbing his head with a frown.
Elias immediately understood. He'd felt a sudden ache over his body, and an especially painful burn at his neck—an injury?
He also felt the ghost of cold hands soothing the wound.
"Did the other you also get some injuries?"
Lucas furrowed his eyebrows. "I feel like a truck has run over my body."
"....." Alright, Elias was curious now. What exactly were they getting up to on the other side of the mirror? "Do you know anything that's happening?"
"One thing."
The stone-faced man said two words and then fell silent again.
"Are you going to elaborate, darling?"
Lucas glanced at him judgmentally, as if blaming the other for adding more work. Nevertheless, he responded. "I can't tell you exactly what's happening, but they've agreed to the Teller's request."
A coldness ran through Elias' smile as he languidly glanced over, a deep swirl in the ocean depths. Tension lined his shoulders.
"The Teller's request?"
"It seems that they've agreed to discover the True Ending of the Story. Since the other you is a reflection, the person who agreed is likely—"
"Ah, what trouble he likes to bring me," muttered Elias, shaking his head.
It would've been better for Lucas not to speak to that expressionless bunny, so unlike the other Tellers he's met. A bunny who had more humanity than the others, he would say.
This also meant the possibility that Lucas knew about the true identities of the Tellers and the Stories they remained in was high.
He didn't particularly want Lucas to learn about the tragedy behind those cruel monsters, named Tellers.
However, it was also likely that Lucas would still seek out Snow White and lure her back to the mirror. The enemy on that side was the Evil Queen, and here it was the beautiful, animal-speaking princess herself.
He wouldn't personally search for remnants of the True Ending—most of the clues were likely on the other side of the mirror.
"What should we do?"
Lucas stared at him, entirely blank. "How would I know?"
"Well, I'm asking you for a suggestion, darling."
"I have none."
"You're not the most cooperative, are you?"
Before the man could respond, a loud crash erupted from within the walls, and the shrill shout of a young woman followed. Her cries were soon muffled, and an uneasy silence slithered in once more.
Elias glanced at Lucas before they both nodded and approached the building. This was a reflection of the original story, a side with too many variables.
The Evil Queen was dead, and Snow White had likely claimed the crown.
What was there to say about the Hunter, a man who feared so much for his own life yet played the hypocritical role of a saviour, sparing Snow White?
Or the prince, seduced by the woman's pale beauty, fell in love at first sight?
Elias stood ahead first. While he didn't care about protecting Lucas, it would leave a bad taste in his mouth if he allowed a reflection to die. If anybody should face death's door, it should only be the fool that he knew.
He lazily stood before the door, debating on knocking or bursting in, before deciding the former was too polite for the likes of him.
Dressed in loose-fitted trousers and a button-up shirt that he'd stolen in the castle, he raised one long leg in the air and slammed it down against the door.
It creaked noisily before he rained down another series of kicks, and the door pitifully fell.
Inside, a cloaked man whose face was obscured by the shadows held Snow White by the throat. A sharpened dagger glinted against her pale neck, and tired, soulless eyes flickered to Elias.
An exhausted demeanor, both indifferent and overwhelming.
Wind gushed inside, and the cloak parted to reveal a set of noble clothing, decorated in fine golden threads and a clean white fabric. The top had been left unbuttoned, but the rest painted him in a noble elegance.
He calmly lifted his head, studying.
The man silently stared for a few moments before dropping Snow White. She immediately crumpled to the floor, gagging.
Elias raised an eyebrow, sauntering forward without a care.
"And you are...?"
The man didn't respond, regarding him coldly. They stood at around the same height, carrying the same dangerous disposition that radiated off mature calm.
Elias recognized that face.
The sharp strokes and lines on paper that Lucas had hastily drawn. The angled pair of polite eyes on the edge of violent intent.
There was a sort of sorrowfulness that Lucas couldn't quite capture, and dark bags that hung under his depleted eyes.
Elias suddenly felt that things were about to get entirely more interesting.
On the other hand, Lucas had hovered back, peeking from the outside. The minute he saw the cloaked figure, he turned and vanished.
Even if he was a reflection, he remembered what the original Lucas had chosen to forget. When their memories combined, it would be altered and fixed so that Lucas still wouldn't remember Kane, but—
'I'm scared.'
The bubbling anxiety and excitement that whisked together to bring forth nausea was one that even a reflection couldn't endure.
However, because of his quick escape, Kane hadn't seen the cowardly figure that disappeared into the forest.
"Are you another player?" asked Kane calmly, lowering his hood.
Elias glanced at the collapsed woman on the ground and stepped around her.
"Are you?"
"I am not fond of being answered in questions." Kane looked sideways, lips set in a firm line. "But yes, I am. Is there anyone else with you?"
Straight to the point and concise. The main difference between Lucas and Kane was that the former would've already picked a fight by now.
"I have another companion, but he's entered the other world."
"Yes, my reflection should be exploring the area as well," nodded Kane, satisfied that he didn't have to do much explaining. "The key should be Snow White—killing her when she wears the crown."
The man didn't say anything else after giving a short explanation, and Elias nodded vaguely. People like this, self-assured and confident with no emotional barriers to witness cracking, were not to Elias' interest.
Although the reunion between brothers would prove to be a compelling play to watch, Elias' particular interest remained in a certain sponge, and he only.
Kane similarly drew a consensus regarding the man before him; this was not one he could get along with so easily.
The painted smile of leisure and elegant relaxation seemed to promise a languid attitude, but the sharp cerulean gaze only foretold terrible secrets, overwhelming violence.
From the moment he'd seen the man enter the house, his intuition warned him.
Therefore, Kane chose to adopt a cautious but willing-to-communicate attitude. After all, finding another human in this Story would be helpful, since accomplishing such things alone was difficult.
Moreover, he had an appointment to attend to.
One he absolutely couldn't miss.
Even if a warning rang in his mind, he would still choose to speak to this other man, standing without a bother.
How could he dare miss the reunion with his little brother?
Kane smothered his faint excitement stirring in the depths of his mind. It wasn't the time to be distracted—although really, his dear brother had reached out after so many years, and it was a thing to be celebrated.
If only he hadn't accidentally stumbled upon the Story, he would've bought a cake, since they'd never gotten to eat that one together.
And the hospital could do with some cleaning; he couldn't have Lucas think he was a slob.
He should also grab a new coat, since the other had been worn for so long and he hadn't had time to do a proper load of laundry while caring for the children.
Should he also prepare a nearby first-aid kit, in case Lucas had any injuries?
"Hey."
Kane blinked slowly, betraying no thoughts as he glanced at the other man.
"Yes?"
"Have you already explored the building? We need the crown, and then we'll drag her back to the castle. My companion should have the other Snow White brought there soon."
Kane nodded slowly. "I understand. I arrived only moments before you got here and apprehended the woman."
With similar minds, they both nodded and turned around to examine the building. It was a cozy place, a little cottage in the woods. Clean, without much out of place, nor anything filling the cabinets.
Similar to an abandoned building.
Elias glanced at Kane before turning to open the single bedroom door with a wide push. He'd already smelt the putrid stench and coldly swept his gaze over the pile of corpses.
Mutilated beyond repair.
It was as if the killer had gone in a frenzy, stabbing the bodies multiple times—and upon closer inspection, underneath the pooling blood and yanked out entrails, he could see nail marks on the skin.
As if somebody clawed desperately, hopelessly.
Kane calmly strode beside him. His profession had accustomed him to death, though it didn't make the sight any more pleasant.
"There are signs of struggle." He pulled over a white glove, approaching the bodies. "Their shirts are off, or have been pulled loose, and nail marks dig into their flesh. Although their current appearance is like this, the original victim wasn't them."
Strands s of black hair clutched in one of the severed hands, as if pulled out and wrapped around the rotting fingers.
"Unfortunately, this is not my area of expertise."
However, he rolled one of the bodies over, scrunching his nose in disgust. Other than that, his face remained the same.
Elias saw a certain sign at the same time as Kane.
Why did Snow White go violent? Why did she kill the seven dwarfs? How did it link to the True Ending—he believed there was no happy tale behind it.
The zippers of the pants were undone, pulled down. The rest was too bloody to make out any certain body parts, but the metal zipper could be seen through the mess.
Kane walked over to the bed at the side, a mess of tossed sheets.
He inspected it for a moment before throwing off the sheets. For the most part, the bed had been left untouched by blood—except for a few drops staining the middle of the white covers.
Mixed with it was a substance that almost blended with the white; the odor submerged under the bloody stench.
Not to mention the mess of torn hair. Upon closer inspection, there were traces of pulp at the ends, indicating that it had been torn from the root. Yanked, or pulled.
Kane narrowed his eyes into slits.
"...would you like to ignore these signs and bring Snow White to the castle, or make further investigation?"
His voice was on the edge of seething, already putting pieces of a puzzle together. Kane had long known that there was another Story within the simple facade of fairy tales.
However, his priority was to escape as soon as he could. Not to mention, he couldn't involve a random passerby as he pleased.
Elias took in the scene.
As expected, it wouldn't be a pretty story to uncover. Under the guise of Snow White was a tragic history of a beautiful woman's suffering.
He thought that such a sight would be too dirty for his sponge's eyes. For that fool who practically absorbed emotions around him in all his quiet.
They lapsed into a silence and walked back to Snow White, still coughing on the floor and glaring. She flinched at their approach, madness crossing her face.
"Don't touch me!"
Elias had picked up the regal crown from the mess inside, covered in blood. "Did you successfully get revenge on your mother?"
Snow White's face twisted.
A jealous woman who'd taken in Snow White. In fact, in the original tales, the Evil Queen had been biologically related to the young girl.
It made for an even crueler fact that a mother had sought to destroy her own self and blood out of vanity.
The Hunter refused to kill Snow White, lying to the Queen. What if the woman had discovered that lie?
An apple could symbolize virginity and sex. When sliced in half, it resembled a female organ. The Evil Queen had given a poisonous apple to Snow White—to ruin her beauty, she chose the cruelest way.
How could Snow White remain pure and kind?
No, she'd gotten revenge on both the people who harmed her and the woman who instigated it all.
Elias scowled at the thought, the entire terrible spectacle, proof of humanities worse sins.
This was why he didn't like exploring True Endings: when one looked past the simple fairy tale to the reality woven beneath, it was often so sinister and horrible that it left a person repulsed.
The black bunny stared at them from within the room of corpses.
Elias looked back.
"Are you so desperate to have your story heard? Are you still trying to save her?"
A desolate stare.
There was a moment of silence, and Elias saw the image of a young boy flicker in place of the bunny.
The young boy lifted his dense eyelashes, looking ahead with down-turned eyes, seeming to always be on the verge of tears. He glanced over at Snow White's wretched state and swallowed harshly.
The boy came out of the room and stood before Snow White. He lowered his eyes sadly and stretched out a hand, but he could never reach her.
He swiped through like a ghost.
Snow White sobbed bitterly. "Don't touch me."
She couldn't see him.
Elias saw the boy swallow again and turn away, unable to keep looking. A silver chain swayed with his movement, a small, intricate apple symbol at the end.
He looked back at Snow White, who wore a similar necklace, only it was a stunning gold, complementing her appearance.
She clutched it with bloodied fingers, bent over and tense.
The boy's voice was gentle.
"You don't think that I'll help him. You didn't tell him that he couldn't figure out the True Ending without knowing what I saw on this side," commented Elias, amused.
The boy's image was still flickering between the bunny and the illusion of a well-dressed youth. He faded rapidly, growing dimmer by the minute.
"Jumping topics so fast," chuckled Elias wryly. "I suppose we'll see."
The boy stared at him for a moment, shaking his head and turning back to Snow White. He carefully bent on one knee, watching her in silence, unable to reach out.
He closed his eyes, resting his forehead slightly before hers.
Wind rushed through, bursting past the open doors and right at his fading light. Like a mist, the boy disappeared in the gust, slowly dispersing into fine particles.