Disclaimer: I own all contents in this, do not steal.
Little bios for the characters in the short one shot:
Shawn McBride: A young boy who got lost from his family, but was saved by a man named Claus. He only trusts his best friend Max whom he lost and cannot find again, so he refuses to be close friends with anyone else. Having dark skin and blue eyes causes problems for him because of its abnormality.
Diana Lukosevicias/Twinfools Velichanski: A young girl of Shawn's age who was sold from her family, but she ran away from her captors and was taken in by Lucas. Wild and childish, she wants to try and be friends with as many people as possible to rebuild her broken heart and soul. She believes that she is half male because she lives with adult males who raise her, so he has masculine ways of doing things. She has long brown hair and green eyes, with a scar over her right eye making her half color blind. She was born with an unexplained super-human strength, that she is very cocky and prideful about. In awe of Claus, her idol.
Lucas: A handsome young man with short grey hair and green eyes. He is a gentle soul, and very clever. He knows the differences between right and wrong, and tries to keep Shawn and Diana in the right path, while trying to be a good scientist.
Yvan: A grumpy old scientist who raised Lucas.
Shawn stalked around the back of the castle on his own. He threw some rocks over the wall before slumping down to the ground. He hated it here. He hated it. He wanted to go home to his best friend. He shut his eyes and the picture of the friendly red head throwing a ball to him laughing happily.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He looked to the owner of that hand. Oh, it was them.
He addressed this person with the third person because he had no idea if they were male or female. Sure, their name was typically feminine, but everything else was horribly wrong. They were about his height with long scruffy brown hair tied in a low pony tail. They had bright green eyes with a scar on one of them. Their voice was even confusing.
"This ain't no place to sleep, Shawny." They said.
And Shawn didn't liked them. Not one bit.
"What's it to you? I can sleep where I want." He snapped back.
"Hey, not get yer knickers in a twist! I was just tryin' to want ya 'bout the anthill."
He jumped up from his spot and walked away, disgruntled. He was usually a very nice kid, but for some reason he just felt like being hostile to them. Because, to Shawn, they seemed like they were trying to replace Max. Not only that, but they were clearly the favourite of Lucas. The wonderful man that saved Shawn's life a few days ago.
He made his way into the town, ignoring the other's calls. He went to a little place where the other young boys of the town hung out. They were a nasty bunch no questions asked, but Shawn hung around with them to spite the other a bit. He didn't even like the boys there either.
"Hey look it's the newbie." Said Thomas, a skinny boy with curly blond hair.
"Newbie with the weird eyes." Said Bert.
"Hey." Said Shawn. "I appreciate the warm welcome."
"You think you're clever?" Said Lewis, the biggest and strongest of the boys. "You little weirdo."
"... Is that a threat?" He said back.
"Maybe." He scoffed. "Say, are you thinking of joining our crew?"
"Yeah." He didn't even blink.
He smirked, before gesturing to the others to huddle together. They spoke in whispers so that Shawn couldn't hear them. But before long they reached an agreement on something, and turned back to him.
"You don't like Diana right?" Bert asked.
"No way. I hate them." He replied.
"Them? She's one person ya know." Said Thomas, chuckling.
"Yeah but their gender is so confusing it's just easier to say that."
"Weird." Said Lewis. "Well we have a little test for you. To prove that you really want to be in our gang."
"What?" He asked, though his inner coward was screaming for him to run away.
"We have a little score to settle with Diana. Right George?" He gestured to a tall boy with thick arms like a gorilla. He was missing his who front teeth and his nose was broken. "Since you live in the same place as her, we want you to lead her here in the middle tonight. She'll be all on her own and she'll get her punishment for what she did."
"You're going to beat her up?" He asked, startled. Sure he didn't like Diana, but never to that point.
"Yes. And if you fail, YOU'LL be the one beaten up." He threatened. "Do we have a deal?"
He nodded, sweating slightly. "Y-yeah. D-deal."
"Good, now get lost!" Said Lewis, giving him a gruff push.
He rushed back to the castle. The sun was going to set fast, he didn't have much time to gain Diana's trust. He passed the two guards, the giants Dorian and Leous. They didn't move a muscle as he passed, like they were made of stone. Shawn made his way along the long hall ways, nearly bumping into the scientist/guard Armavir.
"Shawn!" A calm voice called to him.
Lucas walked over to him with his light footsteps, holding some books in his arms. "I haven't seen you all day, where were you?"
"Just around the town." He replied.
"You weren't off seeing that horrible group were you?"
"No no, never!" He lied.
"If you say so." Said Lucas with a mistrustful glance. "Dinner 's going to be soon, would you mind telling Diana?"
"Not at all, where are they?"
"In her room I think." He replied.
"Thanks Lucas!" He said rushing off.
True to Lucas's word, Diana was in their room reading a comic book. Shawn knocked before interring.
"Oh heya Shawny!" They said. "Whachya up to?"
"I was looking for you. Lucas said it's supper time soon, and do you wanna play?" He said cooly.
"Yeah!" They said, jumping up. "Whachya wanna play?"
"Um..." He said looking around. "Do you like computer games?"
"Yeah!" They shouted, grabbing his arm and running to another room where there was a computer. They set up a game on it in minutes and thrust a controller into Shawn's hands. "You're on!"
They ended up playing for at least an hour before Lucas called them for supper. Strangely enough though, Shawn had enjoyed himself more than he'd imagined. Diana was very competitive and had some very funny reactions whenever Shawn beat them, which was a lot. Shawn found himself giggling alongside them as they walked downstairs to the dinning room. He even sat next to Diana and they kept on laughing at Diana's little pranks on the others. They even got scolded by Yvan but the second he looked back down at his meal Diana pulled a face, making Shawn laugh again.
They were then sent to bed, though they took the longest time possible because Diana got the bright idea to empty half the toothpaste bottle on Yvan's bed with Shawn sniggering next to them.
Once in bed, Shawn made sure to stay awake until midnight, his eyes plastered to the clock on the wall. He listened carefully to make sure everyone else was a asleep. It was ten to midnight. He got up again, before putting some day clothes on. He tiptoed over to Diana's room and carefully opened to door. He shook them awake.
"Psst! Diana!" He hissed.
"Yeah?" They yawned. "Wassup?"
"I've got something to show you." He whispered. "Come on!"
"Kay." They replied, getting up and putting on their red slippers. "Where is it?"
"Outside, we have to go quietly." He said walking towards the door.
"Wait." They replied, going to the opposite end of their bed. "This way."
They pulled the carpet away, revealing a trap door in the floor. They opened it quietly and gestured Shawn to follow them. It was a long dark stair case, Shawn nearly feel over twice.
"How did you find this?" He asked.
"Curiosity." They replied. "I use this all the time."
The stairs led down to a wooden door and Diana pushed open for it wasn't fast. They found themselves outside the castle. Recognising his surroundings, Shawn gestures Diana to follow him, which they happily obliged to. He began to run so that they'd make it on time.
But...
The whole time his heart was aching. He felt wrong. He felt so wrong. Without realising, Shawn and Diana had reached their destination.
"Is this it? What's here?" Diana asked, looking around.
Shawn barely heard them. He just looked at them with pure sorrow. He had led them... no. HER into a trap. She was going to either get killed or severely injured, and Shawn felt the worst in all the worlds for it. He had bought her trust and was now going to throw it away. Throw away the friendship of someone that he needed, and who needed him. Shawn had seen in Diana's eyes the joy and relief when he spoke to her hours before. Had he really been so blind to see that Diana was always on her own. She had no-one to play with, no-one to share her secrets with. No friends. And that scar on her face indicated that she had had it rough.
"What didya wanna show me?" She asked.
Shawn suddenly grabbed her shoulders.
"What the-"
"Diana... I'm so sorry!" He half shouted. "I... I set you up. The other boys are coming here to beat you up! They told me to bring you here so that you'd be boxed in. And... and I accepted because I wanted to spite you! I'm so sorry! I never meant to! I used to think I hated you, but after playing with you I understood that you were my rival on the outside... and one of my best friends on the inside!" He rambled. "You have to get out of here now! Now or-"
"Well done, Shawn." Said Lewis at the entrance of the place they were. "You just decided to betray us at the end?"
"Not smart." Said Bert.
"Wait, so this is all a setup?" Diana asked.
"To right." Said Thomas.
Thomas yanked Shawn's collar and made him fall to the ground roughly. He then yanked him back up again by his front collar.
"It's your choice, either you or her, or both." He said.
He didn't even think this time. He decided to no longer be a selfish coward anymore. It was time for him to change. For the better or worse. He tried to punch Thomas's hand away.
"Neither or me!" He gasped.
Thomas glanced to his peers, Shawn noticed there was a few more than before, and grinned. They surrounded him, some of them were holding polls and other objects. He received his first hit from a fist. It hit him in the jaw, and then another in the cheek. He then felt a kick to his stomach and Thomas let him drop to the ground. Shawn staggered up but fell down again. He looked up from his crumpled state to look at the group squaring up to finish him off. He saw Lewis raise his fast so he shut his eyes tightly and waited. But, despite being scared, he knew he deserved it. It was going to be Diana and she would have had it worse than him. He waited for the hit.
But it never came.
He cracked one eye open to meet a shock. He saw Diana's long hair blowing in the light wind in front of him. She was holding on to something. Shawn gasped. She was holding Lewis's arm that had punched her right into her stomach.
"Diana..." Shawn began.
She looked around at him and grinned. A great big grin from ear to ear. She then looked back and pulled Lewis over her shoulder, sending him crashing down to the ground. From then on she was on a rampage. She charged at everyone boy that he saw, taking them out by one. After a few minutes, she was standing alone surrounded by a dozen semi-unconcious boys. Her hair was blowing in her face, making it obscure to Shawn.
Shawn staggered up slowly, clutching stomach.
"Diana..." He began.
She looked back around at him. For a few second he saw something else, someone else. They looked so much older than the nine year old Diana, but had the same face. Her hair was sort and spiky with the fringe flicked back. Her most visible feature was an eyepatch and a scar on her other eye, just like Diana.
"You alright Shawny?" Said the small Diana again.
"Y-you saved me... why?" He asked.
She walked over to him and lent out her hand to him. "Let's just say that I know that on the inside, we're like siblings."
Shawn's eyes lit up. "You mean-?"
"I mean I accept your apology, now come one shake my hand. I won't hurt ya."
Shawn lent out his hand and began to shake her hand, before he was pulled forward into a hug. Diana hugged him tightly, and within seconds Shawn hugged back just as tightly. He felt Diana shake slightly on his shoulder. After a while they let go.
"Were you crying?" Shawn asked.
"No." She said. "I can't. Don't cry anymore. I really can't anymore."
Shawn was about to ask why, before a voice interrupted him.
"There you two are!" The voice shouted.
"Ah hahahaha hi brother Lucas!" Diana said in her awkward high pitched laughed.
"What's going on?"
"Um... well... I..." Shawn began.
But Diana took care of the whole thing. She explained everything to him. Lucas looked thoughtful for a few minutes before leaning his arms out and taking them both in a hug.
"I'm glad you are alright." He said. "But I hope you both have learned and grown up from that. You BOTH will be getting punishments."
His words were law to Diana and the duo ran back home as fast as possible.
Looking up at the ceiling in his room, Shawn was lost in thought. Up until that night, Shawn wanted to run away from here. But... after being friends with Diana... he was beginning to understand. He... felt like he finally belonged somewhere. But he would always remember Max and where he came from. Always.
He stood next to Twinfools in front of Lucas's grave. The two sixteen year olds stood in silence.
"Ever thought of being Diana again, Twinfools?" Shawn asked her.
"No." She replied. "That embodiment of me died years ago alongside big brother Lucas. She's gone forever."
"I miss her." He replied. "She was a lot like you."
"Is that supposed to be irony?" She asked.
And yet again, like before, Shawn laughed at her bad jokes.