A World of Colors
Word Count: 2777
Summary: In a world without color Viktor Frankenstein seeks a way to a world that is bright beyond all measure. Red/Frankenstein. Post 'In the Name of the Brother's' and post 'Child of the Moon's' Fairytale land/ B&W land. I know the time lines don't sync up but for the purpose of this story they will.
Black is a strong color. It's dark, defined and sleek. There is no way to confuse black with these other colors in his monochrome world. Gray was faded, boring and cold. He hated gray most of all. There were many shades from dark to light but it was always just gray. White was clean, pure, and sober. It was the only tone in his world that was separate from the others because it had no pigmentation. However, these colors were all his world held. They were all drab, dull, and lifeless.
Along with color, there was another entity that he lacked in his life. Viktor didn't have a family anymore; his father suffered a horrible fate and his brother was the cause of it. Nevertheless, Viktor himself was the real cause of it all. If he had never tried to bring back life; if he had never meddled with the dead; none of this would've happened.
All he had now was Igor, a monster shell of his brother and a thousand gold coins to remind him that there is such a thing as color. Just not here; not in his world. He turned the coin around in his fingers. Gold, it glistened against the backdrop of all the dreary colors of his world. Gold was bright and shiny. It was strong and bold. He flipped the coin in his hand catching it. If he hadn't have seen that other world, if he had never met Rumplestiltskin , he would never even have known about color; but now that he had, it was all he ever thought about. His dreams were in color now, vibrant and striking. The grass was green and full of life, the sky blue and soft. If he could continue to dream for all eternity he would, just so he could see color.
When he had first visited the other land with Jefferson he was shocked at all of the new colors. He could hear the irritation in the man's voice after every time he asked what the name of the color was. After gazing at the sky and the grass, the trees and the flowers; Viktor had finally found the color that he had fallen in love with. He had first seen it on the imp. A bold color, beautiful, warm, intense. He held the rose in his hand and turned to Jefferson, "What color is this?"
Annoyed, he took his hat from his head and answered, "Red."
"Red." Viktor brought the rose to his nose and inhaled. Red, what a magnificent color.
Even the color of the thing he needed was red. Who knew a heart could be so bright and full of color? Viktor dropped the coin on his dark gray table and looked around his plain room of grays and whites. This wasn't enough for him; he needed more. He had seen what a world of color could look like and he needed it back. But how? The imp had come to him and sent the master of the hat, how could he bring them back?
He stood from his chair and began to pace the room. The thought process Viktor usually took began with evaluation. He didn't know how Rumplestiltskin had found him or how he knew about his work. He wasn't sure how the imp had come to this world without Jefferson's hat but somehow he had to have a link. What did this man have that he hadn't? Though he didn't want to admit it he already knew what it was. Magic. With a love for science Viktor couldn't accept anything that couldn't be explained with formulas or chemicals. He saw all of the things that Rumplestiltskin was capable of and even now he tried to create excuses.
Magic. Even if this was the cause, how could he use it to find a way to the world filled with colors? He had no way of contacting Rumplestiltskin to bargain for transport. He had no magical hat to create a passage. Once again all he had from this world were coins and a heart that was deep inside of the monsters chest. This sad, depressing, faded, lifeless realm only reminded him of all the things he lost
The liquor bottle on his desk was haunting him. He poured a shot and downed it. The liquor burned down his throat. He placed the glass hard on the desk and poured another shot. He gripped the glass in his hand turning it in the air, even his drink was depressing. A clear crystal with gray liquid. It didn't even look mouthwatering. The glass was released from his hand even before he realized it. The anger inside of him was rising as he watched the stain of gray liquid on gray wall drip to the floor with clear glass shards against black floor.
Viktor turned from the wall. Closing his eyes he cleared his throat. When he opened his eyes the gold coin taunted him from the desk. In a room full of grays it wasn't hard for the only piece of color to stand out. In a rage he pulled the vials from the desk throwing them into the wall watching the shards of glass fall to the surface. He placed his hands on his desk and dragged them across it spilling all of its contents onto the ground.
He reached for the book beside him and turned to throw it when the most magnificent color stood before him. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" The imp giggled his finger raised in the air, the color gold glistened from his skin but the color red shined bright on his clothes. "I can leave." He scrunched his face in mock.
"Don't leave." Viktor cried reaching towards Rumplestiltskin, the book fell from his hands long forgotten. "How did you know I needed to speak with you?"
"I have a way of knowing when I'm wanted dearie." The man cackled, "What do you we need now another heart perhaps?"
The low gurgled moans of his brother could be heard echoing off the walls. "No. The heart worked, just not in the manner I had hoped."
Rumplestiltskin smirked, it seemed nothing could bring down his spirits, "Playing with the dead is like playing with magic." Snickering he added, "There is always a price."
The price of playing with the dead cost him much, was he willing to play with magic too? "I want to go back to your land." Viktor stated, "Whatever the cost."
"This world too dull for you now dearie?" He sniggered, "I can arrange for your travel however always remember a price must be paid."
In desperation Viktor took another step towards Rumplestiltskin, "What is the price? I have gold."
A finger was raised to silence him, "You won't need to pay this price with me. Since the last task I requested of you was completed to my uppermost expectations, the price of this magic will be paid elsewhere. Let's just call it destiny."
"What now?" Viktor asked excited, "How shall I go there? Let me go get my brother."
"Not so fast." Rumplestiltskin chortled, "You're brother will remain here. Your little assistant Igor shall care for him."
A frown quickly replaced Viktor's smile, "I can't abandon Gerhardt. It's because of me that he's a monster!"
"Then I guess I'm done here."
"No—no wait." Viktor choked. "Fine. How do I go there? To your land. Will you be sending Jefferson?"
"I will not need the Hatter for this trip." The man said moving across the room. "Since you have been to the Enchanted Kingdom before you have a link to it. All that is required now is a portal."
"And where shall I get that?" Viktor asked.
Rumplestiltskin wiggled his fingers in the air amongst the scattered objects from Viktor's table. The watch his father had given Gerhardt during the holidays floated into the imp's hand. "Why this should work." He giggled.
"But that's just a watch." Viktor said watching as Rumplestiltskin placed his other hand over it. A gold light seeped from his palms.
"It was just a watch." He tittered, "Now it's a portal." He tossed the watch to Viktor, "Put it on when you're ready to leave."
"That's all?" Viktor looked down at the watch and ran his thumb over the glass, "You put this on and… When he looked up, the imp was gone. "…poof?"
Viktor couldn't believe how easy it was to find a way to the world with color but he couldn't deny his excitement. "Igor." He called through his home. His assistant entered the room and Viktor informed him that he would be leaving again. "I'm not sure for how long." He packed his medical bag and turned to Igor. "I'll be saying goodbye to Gerhardt and then I'll be leaving."
"So soon?" Igor questioned following Viktor to the cage they had built for his brother.
Viktor ignored him entering his brother's cell. "Gerhardt?" He questioned and heard a grunt in response. "I'm going to be gone for a while Gerhardt. Igor will take care of you." The monster lifted his head and shuffled his feet towards the door. "I will miss you brother." The slow sloshed moan of his brother increased with each step. "Goodbye Gerhardt." The monster reached for his foot as he exited the room, the lock clicking into place as he shut the door. He leaned against the wall, could he really leave his brother behind? As much as he hated to say it, he knew deep down that he could. "Farewell Igor." He picked up his medical bag and left his home. When he reached the outside he took one last look at the colorless world he was leaving behind. He strapped the watch into place around his wrist nothing happened for a moment until he felt a pull deep in his belly.
Jumping through the hat with Jefferson was easier than this. He felt like his insides were churning left and right as he was engulfed in a whirlwind. The ground met him faster than he would've thought. Though his eyes were closed he could see light shining through his eyelids. Slowly he opened them, first he saw the green of the grass. He gripped it in his hand which was now the color of apricot. A laugh escaped him, color. His excitement faded when a wave of nausea overcame him. He bent forward on his knees as he wretched up the liquor from earlier; he much preferred Jefferson's method of travel.
Viktor stumbled from his sick towards the river where he rinsed his mouth. After the wave of nausea cleared he finally took a moment to admire the colors of the Enchanted Kingdom. Blues in the river, browns in the bark. He turned and saw a bright orange sun in the sky lowering on the horizon. The colors in the sky blurred together turning the clouds a bluish purple, the sky bright with reds, pinks and purples. He took a seat on the ground and drank in all the colors this world had to offer.
This was the first time Viktor had ever seen the sunset and he knew that his world was missing out. As the sun grew lower and lower the sky's colors slowly faded but the world still held color in the dark. A smile touched his face as the sun dipped below the horizon. He sat for a while longer with his eyes closed, he no longer feared that if he opened them he would reawaken in his monochrome world.
A scream startled him and he could hear a rustling in the brush. He stood and gazed into the woods. The color red swiftly moved through the brush. As the red neared him he wondered what it could be when a girl dashed from the woods she seemed just as surprised when she bumped into him. She wore a hooded red cloak with intricate embossing, her hair a deep brown, and her eyes a sparkling green. A smirk grazed his face and his favorite color befell his mouth, "Red."
The girls eyes grew wide and she pulled away from him, "How do you know my name?" She questioned, "Are you with the guards?" She turned to run when four men came barrowing out of the woods where she had come.
"Where are you hiding her?" A guard accused, "Where is Snow White?"
Red unclasped the cloak around her neck and tossed it to the floor. She gazed into the moon and Viktor saw her eyes grow gold. In a flash the young woman that was standing once before him had turned into a giant black wolf. Fangs barred she leaped at the men. She ripped the throat from one turned and lunged at another digging her fangs into his skin.
Viktor saw one of the remaining guards raise a crossbow at her. "Watch out!" he cried catching her attention. She turned to the guard as the arrow shot from his bow striking her in the shoulder. She jumped at him her fangs catching his leg ripping his calf muscle clear off. The guard who remained uninjured turned and fled into the woods.
The large wolf turned to Viktor exposing her fangs. "Hold on there. I tried to help you." He said holding his hands up towards her. Even if he fought her he was sure he wouldn't survive.
"Red!" he heard another girl cry. He glanced up at her, dark black hair, skin as white as snow. "Use her cloak!" The girl shouted to him. The cloak lay inches away from him but he was terrified to move. He bent forwards and reached his hand outwards feeling the red cloak beneath his fingers. He dragged it slowly towards him and held it out to the wolf. "Slowly." He heard the girl say as he took steps to the wolf the fangs still on display. As he draped the cloak over the wolf he saw her form morph back into a human.
Viktor's face grew in awe. "You're a—you're a—"
"Monster?" Red asked clasping her cloak around her neck.
He shook his head no, "I was going to say lycanthrope."
"You know what I am?" She asked in confusion and then remembered what had startled her in the first place, "And how did you know my name?"
"I—I didn't," He stuttered and then added, "I don't."
"My name is Red." She motioned over her shoulder, "That's Snow."
"I'm Viktor." He stated, "I'm sorry, I didn't know your name was Red; it's only just my favorite color."
Snow moved closer to the pair standing next to Red, "What are you doing out here Viktor?"
For a second he thought about lying to these girls but decided that he had witnessed and survived a moment that not many others had. "I'm not from this world." He admitted, "I come from one where the colors are absent. I was merely admiring the sunset. I've never seen one before."
Red's face creased in a frown, "No color?" Her lip shuddered slightly, "That's so depressing."
"It is." Viktor agreed.
"How did you come to this realm?" Snow asked feeling little sympathy for the man. At least he didn't have an Evil Queen sending guards to kill him.
"A man sent me here not long ago. After returning home I couldn't live without the color and asked to return."
Red smiled linking her arm through his, "Well Viktor if you've never seen a sunset, I'm sure you've never seen a sunrise and surely it's something you can't miss." As Red led Viktor towards the cottage she shared with Snow she asked, "Why the color red?"
He grinned, "It's so vibrant, so full of life. It holds such beauty, the very heart beneath our breast is the color of red." Red's head turned to him swiftly before he added, "I'm a doctor."
She patted his arm with her hand, "A doctor. You'll be very handy to keep around. Not for me, I heal. But Snow she gets injured very often you'd think she has two left feet." She giggled.
Snow held her dress as she rushed to catch up to Red and Viktor. "Are you sure we should be trusting him?" She questioned.
"I can hear you." Viktor said.
"Well aware." Snow glared.
Red smiled linking her other arm through Snows, "He's a doctor and he loves the color red. He seems perfect to me."
She turned and smiled at him, for a moment Viktor forgot about everything; the only thing he saw was Red.
A/N Just want to say my choice for using Viktor over Victor is because of the commission he was given and I've seen others taking up the spelling as well. I'm planning on this being a few chapters (3 to 4) unless otherwise inspired. I'd like to add that I am fairly busy this month and will be gone until late February so there sadly won't be any updates until afterwards. Hope you enjoy
