Brother
By Kara
Disclaimer: Gahhh, if only I could claim them
Spoilers: Through "Two"
Summary: Everyone has a brother….
Once upon a time, Father created two, Joshua and Isaac. Joshua was First, so he was special. Isaac was better, and smarter, so Father loved him best. Joshua loved Isaac best too, so when Father went away, Joshua tried to protect Isaac, because Father told Joshua to be a good big brother. But Manticore Guards hurt Isaac, and the goodness inside Little Brother changed.
Years and years pass. Joshua escaped Manticore with the help of Little Fella. Little Fella Max will help Joshua find Father, and Joshua will help Father cure Max, so that Little Fella and Logan can get busy. That's the plan. Joshua doesn't plan on letting Max down. Joshua will be a good big brother to Little Fella, because he wasn't a good big brother to Isaac.
Little Fella had a brother. Little Fella's brother was X-5493, one less than Smart Alec 494. Smart Alec is a Dick. He is also X-5, but not like Max. Alec is not part of the plan. Little Fella's brother was Ben. Ben was like Isaac. The world hurt him the same way the Manticore Guards hurt Isaac. When Joshua grieved for his little brother like Jo grieved when Beth died, Max told Big Fella about Ben, and how Ben wasn't part of the plan anymore either.
"Once upon a time, there was a castle," Little Fella says at Isaac's grave. "In the castle lived a bunch of kids who believed that there was a Blue Lady that protected them from the evil Colonel, Lydecker." Joshua doesn't like Lydecker. Colonel smells bad. He has old sadnesses inside him, but the old sadnesses rotted into fear. Colonel forgot the plan.
"One of the kids was named Ben. He believed with all his heart that the Blue Lady would keep them safe. Even after the kids escaped, he still believed." Little Fella shakes her head. She doesn't understand. Neither did Joshua. "Ben wanted to go back to Manticore, so he got kinda…" Max stares at Joshua, but Joshua doesn't think that Little Fella sees him. Maybe Little Fella is looking for Ben.
"He went bad. He started killing people like Isaac did. It was like he was trying to kill himself or some shit. Redeem himself in the eyes of the Blue Lady and make her care again. But she didn't, because the kids made her up. And when Ben's little sister found out what her big brother was doing…"
Little Fella knows. Little Fella had a brother. "When she found out what Ben was doing, she had to stop him." Max's voice gets quiet. "Ben asked her to do it, and she did it, to protect him from himself." She shrugs. Little Fella shrugs a lot. Maybe to shake off her memories. Maybe that's Max's plan. Find Father, cure Max, forget all the bad. But Joshua doesn't want to forget, because then he'll forget Isaac.
"Joshua was protecting Isaac from himself. Protect little brother. That was the plan." But Isaac was gone now. Little Fella is a good sister, but Max is not brother. Max didn't live downstairs with Joshua. Max didn't know Father. Max was freak, but she looks like upstairs people. Max will never be like Joshua. That's not the plan.
Max puts hand on Joshua's shoulder and hugs him. Joshua isn't used to hugs. Father didn't hug. Manticore guards didn't hug. It feels good to know that Max knows. Little Fella had a brother. Little Fella had to protect her brother from himself. Maybe somewhere, Ben is with Isaac, and Ben helps Isaac understand. Maybe someday, Isaac and Ben will help Joshua and Max understand. But Max is here, and she will stay with Joshua. And Joshua will never forget the plan again.
By Kara
Disclaimer: Gahhh, if only I could claim them
Spoilers: Through "Two"
Summary: Everyone has a brother….
Once upon a time, Father created two, Joshua and Isaac. Joshua was First, so he was special. Isaac was better, and smarter, so Father loved him best. Joshua loved Isaac best too, so when Father went away, Joshua tried to protect Isaac, because Father told Joshua to be a good big brother. But Manticore Guards hurt Isaac, and the goodness inside Little Brother changed.
Years and years pass. Joshua escaped Manticore with the help of Little Fella. Little Fella Max will help Joshua find Father, and Joshua will help Father cure Max, so that Little Fella and Logan can get busy. That's the plan. Joshua doesn't plan on letting Max down. Joshua will be a good big brother to Little Fella, because he wasn't a good big brother to Isaac.
Little Fella had a brother. Little Fella's brother was X-5493, one less than Smart Alec 494. Smart Alec is a Dick. He is also X-5, but not like Max. Alec is not part of the plan. Little Fella's brother was Ben. Ben was like Isaac. The world hurt him the same way the Manticore Guards hurt Isaac. When Joshua grieved for his little brother like Jo grieved when Beth died, Max told Big Fella about Ben, and how Ben wasn't part of the plan anymore either.
"Once upon a time, there was a castle," Little Fella says at Isaac's grave. "In the castle lived a bunch of kids who believed that there was a Blue Lady that protected them from the evil Colonel, Lydecker." Joshua doesn't like Lydecker. Colonel smells bad. He has old sadnesses inside him, but the old sadnesses rotted into fear. Colonel forgot the plan.
"One of the kids was named Ben. He believed with all his heart that the Blue Lady would keep them safe. Even after the kids escaped, he still believed." Little Fella shakes her head. She doesn't understand. Neither did Joshua. "Ben wanted to go back to Manticore, so he got kinda…" Max stares at Joshua, but Joshua doesn't think that Little Fella sees him. Maybe Little Fella is looking for Ben.
"He went bad. He started killing people like Isaac did. It was like he was trying to kill himself or some shit. Redeem himself in the eyes of the Blue Lady and make her care again. But she didn't, because the kids made her up. And when Ben's little sister found out what her big brother was doing…"
Little Fella knows. Little Fella had a brother. "When she found out what Ben was doing, she had to stop him." Max's voice gets quiet. "Ben asked her to do it, and she did it, to protect him from himself." She shrugs. Little Fella shrugs a lot. Maybe to shake off her memories. Maybe that's Max's plan. Find Father, cure Max, forget all the bad. But Joshua doesn't want to forget, because then he'll forget Isaac.
"Joshua was protecting Isaac from himself. Protect little brother. That was the plan." But Isaac was gone now. Little Fella is a good sister, but Max is not brother. Max didn't live downstairs with Joshua. Max didn't know Father. Max was freak, but she looks like upstairs people. Max will never be like Joshua. That's not the plan.
Max puts hand on Joshua's shoulder and hugs him. Joshua isn't used to hugs. Father didn't hug. Manticore guards didn't hug. It feels good to know that Max knows. Little Fella had a brother. Little Fella had to protect her brother from himself. Maybe somewhere, Ben is with Isaac, and Ben helps Isaac understand. Maybe someday, Isaac and Ben will help Joshua and Max understand. But Max is here, and she will stay with Joshua. And Joshua will never forget the plan again.