"Brother! Brother! Look at what I can do!" called Wu with pride rising through his throat. He was about eight at the time, while I was a few years older; and a naïve ten. Our father was currently checking his prized sword while we were allowed to play with the unsharpened ones for the time being. 'As long as I'm in sight,' he'd remind us. The useless weapons were only good against blocks at the time, but I usually knocked it out of my little brother's hand eventually. My prediction was correct and his "new trick" failed as the katana flung out of his hand and sailed over the fence.

Knowing father would be angry with this, I told Wu to go get it. He refused with fear in his eyes; he was always scared of the outdoors. I rolled my eyes and told him, "Never put off for tomorrow, what could be done today," and climbed up the fence quietly to not gain attention from our father, gracefully landing on the other side with no sound. I sighed in relief at this and noticed his katana lying on the ground. As I reached forward something like lightning lunged out of the bushes and bit my arm. It took a minute to be able to focus my clouding mind on the creature; a snake… no… The Great Devourer (I'd learn that from my father later). It looked like it was taunting me for a bit, then slithered away after it was satisfied from ruining my life even more.

It took awhile for my body to freeze up and my eyes to close from all the fuzzy pictures, but I still could hear everything if I was silent. I eventually heard my father ask where I was and Wu to answer with honestly, but now knowing the full truth of this. My father rushed through the gate door and spotted me almost immediately, rushing to my side and dropping onto his knees to quickly scoop up my seemingly lifeless body. Then pain started to course through my veins and I felt the need to fight his embrace as he ran me to my bed. Though I had to be able to move without having my joints lock up first.

Wu looked hurt and confused at the doorway, but then I felt some unusual build up of anger towards my younger brother and leaned up, "Get off of me! I hate you!" I cried out first, then I glared at my innocent little brother, and my voice felt like it were changing somehow, "This is all Wu's fault!" My father sighed and mumbled something about finding anti-venom at the market. I scoffed, but lay back down a bit tired. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a sob and Wu rushing off. 'Maybe I should apologize?' I tried with myself, then the anger that moved to the back of my mind seemed to refuse.

~~

A good five years later I noticed that my brother started getting out more and making friends from around and brought them over to play with. We still played, but it seemed distant and awkward, and every time I winced from my "growing pains" (my father refused to accept I was changing, but ever-so-slowly) the blond excused himself from whatever we were currently up to and I was once again alone. I hated the feeling of being all by myself; like I wasn't worth the time anymore.

And if the favoritism from our father didn't grow indefinitely to Wu, then I don't know what did. Then again, my younger brother could do no wrong on any level. I always had some small hope that I'd be given as much praise as my brother. Any kind for any reason, even.

One day, Wu walked over as I was sun tanning in the grass around the training facility outside on a fluffy towel from the bathroom, "You shouldn't stay out too long," he told me like the know-it-all he was becoming; just like every else it seemed.

Fighting back a snarky comment I just shrugged, "I'm fine; I'm a freak remember?" I found myself dodging the dreaded "snake" idea myself.

His mouth grew into a thin line as he overlooked me, and the dreaded snake markings that were starting to come through on my visible body that wasn't covered up by my white tank top and swim trunk like shorts. I never got why Wu liked to wear his ninja outfit so much, I only ever wore mine during training or when it was necessary, "But brother, I only want what best for-"

"Sure," I chided and interrupted him rudely. I closed my hazel-red eyes gently and continued to soak up the sun while I know my brother couldn't help but splutter.

Instead I heard his sit down next to me on the big blanket, "Have you ever wondered why we look the same age?" At my shrug he sighed, "I think it's because you got bitten…" It sounded a bit distant, but I know he still felt it was his fault.

Finally I peeked open an eye at him, deep in thought and the hair he was desperately trying to grow out was in a small ponytail that barely reached the middle of his back. Thick hair must grow in the family since without our hairpieces our hair would be all over the place easily. I blinked and gave a reply, "Yes, that seems like it's true."

Wu grinned and lay back with me despite my skeptical stare, "I know you may hate me and father, but you'll always be my favorite brother."

I found myself pretending to gag, but grinning for the first time in a long while, "But I am your only brother, you know."

~~

"Brother, come quick, father isn't feeling well!" My brother called to me as I packed up my stuff to go into the real world for the first time, despite my appearance of thirteen and he actually looked my honest age; eighteen. Maybe growing up slowly wasn't so great after all.

I rushed into the incense smelling room with vigor and I noticed Wu sitting beside him in an old wooden chair, trying to get the older man to drink some odd smelling tea. My poor brother was sobbing gently and repeating something sweet to the old man; he hated when anyone or anything got hurt or perished. Especially now, I could smell the death of our beloved father, making the burning candles and sticks not so sweet at the moment.

"Come here..." he was too weak to say my given name so I knew he was failing in speech as well. I made my way over and stood next to my brother quietly and he glanced at us both a few times, before deciding on me, "I know you may hate me, and you may do so; I always seemed to give my undivided attention to Wu, but… I still cared. That's why I was so distant after you were bitten by… that snake," he ironically nearly hissed, "Because I couldn't do anything for you, nothing. So just let me tell you now, after I told Wu this, but… You two were meant to be against each other. Fight it…" he told me locking out eyes intensely, then spoke hoarsely, "I love you, both… so… very much…" he coughed like something was in his throat and I took in a deep breath.

I grasped his free hand (that wasn't in the death grip from Wu) tightly suddenly and ended up saying the same thing that moment with my brother, "I love you, father," I felt tears well up into my eyes.

He smiled gently and nodded and looked at both of us, but finished his last breath with, "You two… are the history of the other side."

~Present Day~

After that day I knew that I could never go against father, but I knew my darker self wanted to take over the lands. I had a choice though; to let myself care about my father's wish, my brother Wu, and my son Lloyd… or to succumb to this other side.