My first Halloween-ish kind of FanFiction. I've become a little too into Slender for my own health, and I decided to look up a little of its back story. It's scary as f*ck. Don't play Slender. Just read my story and completely forget you've heard of the Slenderman…
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hetalia or Slender
Gilbert und Der Grossman
There was a time when Ludwig was young and Gilbert not much older. It was a time when the world itself was still learning to adapt to man, and human civilizations were just beginning to become advanced.
Ludwig and Gilbert's father, Alexander or Herr Germania as most called him, was a stern man. He raised the boys with a sense of loyalty and fearlessness, showing them the ways of leading a country so that they too may lead great empires.
The lessons Alexander failed to teach were of the folklore of the land. He wasn't a religious man, believing in the gods but of none of the fairies and demons like the rest of the humans in his nation.
Ludwig and Gilbert, on the other hand, were greatly influenced by the stories they heard. It didn't help much when Gilbert was called an elf by the other villagers. That obviously meant other elves were real. And fairies. And demons.
Like Der Grossmann.
He was fifteen feet tall.
His skin was white.
He could stretch his arms to the ground.
He could disappear in front of you and appear behind you.
Ludwig and Gilbert often had nightmares about the thin white man, waking each other in the night and clasping each other for dear life. Even after a talk with Alexander that demons like Der Grossmann didn't exist, the boys still harbored a fear of inexplainable shadows that seemed to stretch for miles.
Times changed as centuries passed. The boys stopped their shaking and fright in the middle of the night, knowing there was no such thing as Der Grossmann or other demons of the night.
In fact, the century was of twenty-one, the months of summer just beginning take hold of one average year. Gilbert had grown bored with himself lately, not finding enjoyment in any of his usual pranks. All the other countries saw it coming. Even Italy.
Who was the one person he hadn't pulled one over on in years? Ludwig of course. Gilbert shuddered slightly, remembering the reprimands for having frightened his younger brother so much. But it would have been worth twice what the older brother had to pay, just to see the look on Ludwig's face. And Gilbert had a feeling he knew the one thing that would scare Ludwig again.
The humans had finally re-stumbled on the Germanic myths of old, one creature taking hold of their fascination.
The man thinner than a rail.
The man who would kidnap children and torture adults.
The man who could make tentacles come from his back.
They called him Slenderman.
Gilbert knew Ludwig had found a fear instilling game on the computer called Slender, playing it for the other countries and their pleas. No one was surprised that Ludwig had been able to find all eight notes the soonest, even if it took him a few times. But Gilbert had been the only to recognize the flash of fear that had crossed his younger brother's eyes when he saw the pale man cross the screen, standing in one place, begging Ludwig to walk within arms grasp.
True, the pale man had resurfaced bad memories in Gilbert too, but he knew the pranking of his brother would be worth a few nightmares.
"Luddy, you seemed pretty uptight at the meeting today. You feeling alright?" Gilbert called from the living room.
"Of course I was uptight. We sat in front of a computer all day..."
"Is that going to be your new favorite game now? Der Grossmann?"
"Bruder, I don't believe in such nonsense anymore. I thought you didn't as well," Ludwig glared at his brother.
"I only believe in what's true, little bruder. You should too," Gilbert shrugged his shoulders.
The night came slowly, the sun setting and casting its last rays of warmth on the German soil. Gilbert watched with detracted amusement as the shadows began to peer from their hideouts, lengthening as the sun continued to dip.
"Well, Luddy, I'm going to bed. We've got work to do tomorrow, remember?" The Prussian wasn't excited about paperwork. He was excited about scaring Ludwig.
"Ja. I'll see you in the morning," the blonde waved his brother off and stood moments later, walking into his room and quickly falling asleep.
He woke to what he thought was his dog padding into the room. Turning and putting a hand out to greet the pet, his leg brushed against a rougher material. Ludwig looked out and saw a clothed leg. Iced blue eyes ran up the length of the torso, locking on what should have been another pair of eyes.
A blank face stared back.
Der Grossmann.
"What the Hell-" the German was immediately crouched on his bed, hand in a fist. He let the punch fly, but the pale man simply caught it in his hand. Iced fingers closed around his. The pale man leaned in, it's face barely inches away from Ludwig's. The blonde's breath hitched as he stared at the face. The pale face seemed to stare back, as if looking through Ludwig. Slenderman soon removed his hand from Ludwig's, standing and turning towards the door. After leaving the doorway, Ludwig got to his feet. Did he dare try and follow the man? Or was that just leading to the trap?
Ludwig peered out of the room against his will. Der Grossmann was gone. He had vanished into thin air, just as the legends had said. But what was his purpose here? Why had he chosen Ludwig?
The younger brother glared at thin air. This had Gilbert written all over it.
Days passed and Ludwig didn't wake to Slenderman standing over him any other time. He had searched Gilbert's room top to bottom, searching for a suit of the same material, of a mask to hide his face.
He found none.
Was Slenderman real? Had he been a fool all the past years, ignoring the presence that very well might be able to kill him?
Ludwig shook his head, it couldn't be right. He was just being paranoid.
The Tall Man came to visit again that night.
Ludwig attempted to beat him down and prove it was his older brother.
He was swinging at thin air most of the time, Der Grossmann catching his punches the other times. Ludwig couldn't overpower him. It was impossible. He watched as Der Grossmann stood and brushed dirt off his suit, turning and walking away from Ludwig.
It continued for little over a month. Ludwig was tired of the games. He was determined to shoot the Slenderman the next time he entered the house, even if bullets weren't supposed to be able to stop him.
Ludwig woke with the Pale Man's face in his, leaning literally inches away from Ludwig. He was too close for Ludwig to do anything about. All the blonde could do was sit in fear as he relived countless childhood nightmares. This time he didn't have Gilbert to hold on to, to protect him.
He shot his head off of the pillow, coliding with the Pale Man's face and actually catching him off guard. The Tall Man reeled back, regaining his balance and crouching slightly. Was it Ludwig's imagination, or were his arms lengthening? Was this how Ludwig would die? He wasn't even in the Schlankwald, the Black Forest.
A dry sound came from the location of Der Grossmann. Was it... laughter? Ludwig's back straightened as he looked on, confused. The Slenderman could make human sounds?
Moments later a hand moved. Ludwig flinched, backing slightly. The hand went to a pale face as a cover was ripped off. Ruby eyes that danced with excitement met fear-glazed blue.
"Little Bruder, you're so-"
"I'm gonna kill you!" Ludwig leaped at his older brother, hands finding their way to his suited neck.
"Woah, Luddy, calm down-"
"Why should I? Why did you do that? How did you- where the Hell did you keep the suit?!"
"Well one because I'm not ready to die yet, two I bought a suit and just had to be quiet. Your imagination did the rest. And the suit? In the garage in a box. I'm surprised you didn't notice before," Gilbert was still smiling, his eyes dancing with laughter. Ludwig wanted to pound his face in, or to scare him within an inch of his life.
"Bruder, I'm going to make your life Hell. You know that?"
"I'm cool with it. At least you'll start believing in the truth again. It seems we've forgotten a bit about ourselves," Gilbert sighed and pushed Ludwig off of him, standing and brushing himself off.
"What do you mean?"
Gilbert's face became serious. More serious than Ludwig had seen in years, "The myths Vater forgot to tell us, they're all rooted in truth, little Bruder. I suggest you remember those truths before something else happens to you." The elder brother walked out of the room and down to his own, leaving Ludwig to ponder exactly what he had said.
Folding the suit after changing into his sleepwear, Gilbert sighed and clenched his hands. He looked up towards the door, not surprised at the shadow taking up the height of the frame. The man ducked as he entered, standing straight again once he had cleared the doorway.
"Hey Slendy. I'm surprised you didn't come sooner," Gilbert packed the suit and mask into the box, turning to face the man. Seems he didn't want to be fifteen feet today. Just an slightly less intimidating eight.
"I was busy," the man's voice was scratchy and harsh. He spoke only in old German, not that it was a problem to Gilbert.
"You're always busy. I was hoping to ask you to prank Luddy for me, seeing as you were so fascinated with him as a child," Gilbert crossed his arms, his gaze turning sour.
"You two bruders have always intrigued me. I wanted to see how you would portray me," the man continued to stand stock still. Gilbert still remembered the first time he had seen Slenderman. A night where the boys Vater had decided to go on campaign and fight Rome. The first night the boys were left alone, Gilbert being only six to a human, Ludwig two. Der Grossmann had stared at the two as they huddled against each other, simply watching. Gilbert had shouted at the man to leave them alone. The Tall Man walked through the cabin door, his height ever increasing. Gilbert held Ludwig closer and shouted again- don't touch mein bruder! The man had stopped. He spoke in the Germanic tongue of the time- you would fight me for just your bruder's protection? The first selfless human that has graced my presence. But I do not leave empty-handed, little one. What of you shall I take of yours to protect your bruder?
Gilbert stared at the Slenderman as he walked slowly around his room. Why was Der Grossmann back? Simply because Gilbert had dressed like him to scare Ludwig? He touched his hair absentmindedly.
"Are you remembering our deal?" The gruff German voice came from nowhere, simply emanating from the throat of the Pale Man.
"It's hard not to. To wake every day and have to live with the decisions I've made... It's something every country faces. I guess the deal I made with you is the only good one I've made in a while..."
"If you wonder why I'm back, it is simply for a visit. Even as the years pass, I must honor the tiny treaty I made with the young personification of a country. I am not such a monster that I cannot see a good person in front of me."
"Isn't that why you were here to begin with? To punish those who had done wrong?"
"You remember me well..." The man turned his expressionless face towards Gilbert, "I'll be leaving now, little elf. Don't forget what I've taught you..." The man turned to mist, leaving behind a small crack and the sharp smell of acid.
Gilbert fell onto his bed; he'd never forget the lesson of Der Grossmann. He came and took, left and stole. He hadn't left the boys completely free the first night. He promised to come back, to make sure Gilbert was still protecting his brother. And he had taken the one thing Gilbert had left from his mother, a head of fiery red hair and deep blue eyes. Lightly tanned skin that had matched the others of the village. Der Grossmann had told Gilbert he would suffer for his brother's sake. He took the pigment, forcing Gilbert's eyes to become red, his hair fair-white and features like that of Loki's elves. Gilbert woke every morning and remembered the promise to protect his brother. Being shunned by the majority of people was nothing if Ludwig was safe.
Gilbert sighed and smiled into his pillow, "Ja, Bruder, you shoulder remember more about yourself... Before your big bruder isn't able to protect you anymore..."