SERVANT OF EVIL
A Yu-Gi-Oh! GX One-Shot
By Emerald Twin Blade
Based on the song by Kagamine Len (Vocaloid).
A smile unlike any other… One that he always held close in his mind, making himself smile at all times of the day. Making a wonderful warmth spread through his chest and making him feel that much happier.
Was it wrong of him to think in such a way toward his twin? To harbor such feelings?
11 years prior, the twins had looked more alike… both with unruly brown hair and an unnatural patch of pumpkin orange at their crown. They had played together like normal 7-year-olds, playing tag and making flower necklaces. One day, however, just as his beloved younger twin was about to crown him with blue roses, they were forced to separate.
Johan watched helplessly as a couple of servants carried away his brother, their mother leading the way back to the castle solemnly. He had tried to run after them, to stop them, but two more servants had appeared, along with their father. Johan had turned his brown-eyed gaze to the king of Spirit country, only to be slapped across the face and forced to look in the other direction. His ear twitched, picking up his other's cries and shouts. He could see a hand reaching out toward him, but his world had become blurry as tears clouded his vision.
At that time, his brother had been chosen to succeed the throne, and the older of the two would be forced to become his servant. It was because of this that the king no longer found their twin appearances amusing, having someone mercilessly dye his hair the same radiant teal blue as the roses in their garden. Brown eyes haunted them, but that was also taken care of… when a mage of sorts altered his dark gaze to a gentle light green.
From then on, the younger twin was treated as royalty while Johan became his servant… his beloved, loyal servant.
Over the years, his feelings toward his brother grew. Grew passed the point of simple family love. The time he spent serving him was never against his will; he wholeheartedly fulfilled every job given to him… so long as it put that beautiful smile onto the face of his lovely master.
Their parents had died when they were 16 years of age, making the higher-ups in the court pull their dual-haired prince onto the throne as the king of Spirit country. However, the spoiled teen's words and commands all held dark meaning… and, as soon as the orders were carried out, everything in the kingdom changed.
Not long after taking over, Spirit country had been renamed Dark country.
Johan, if he had not been demoted to a simple servant, would have questioned his royal brother's ways. Would have asked him what he hoped to accomplish. Because he could not freely do so, he kept to himself and did as he was told. He ignored and, eventually, came to accept things as they were, continuing to work to see the smile that only his beloved brother could pull off strikingly.
Often times, he would go out into the city, accompanied by two guards the king would send along with him. The blunette was always there to buy fresh apples and shrimp for his liege, always gathering the ingredients for a wonderful snack.
In the city, however, he would hear the citizens say horrible things about his brother. How his rule was tyrannical. How he was unfair. How he did not deserve to be in power. Hearing such things made his blood boil, his fists clenching in anger. When he was able to restrain himself, he would send the guards to bring bodily harm to those who spoke ill of his king. When he was unable to, he himself would do the deed, reminding them that it was 'bad luck' to say such bad things about the crown so casually in public.
As a mere servant, Johan had little power… but he would do what he could to protect his dearest brother. He would fight. He would kill. He would even become evil himself, if it would allow him to stay by his side and live each day to see that smile.
At age 17, he was ordered to accompany the king in his travels to a neighboring country, which had taken over the name Dark country left behind, Spirit country. Upon arriving, they were met by the lovely princess and a prince from another country, Duel.
The violet-haired girl was quite cheery, a bright smile glued in place on her face, no matter what direction the mood or conversation took. Her positive exterior made Johan's heart skip a beat, his face reddening with a light red flush.
Was it love at first sight? He wondered… the image of her smile materializing behind closed eyes.
Although, he had not taken notice, as he should have, that his royal brother knew… The king of Dark country had seen that look on his face as he kept his dashing green eyes on the princess of Spirit's country. Jealousy wrapped its strong fingers firmly around his heart, his spoiled nature getting the best of him once they had returned to their home country.
"I don't like that princess…" he had stated once he sat comfortably on his throne, pouting in the other direction for a moment before smiling kindly with a devious glow in his chocolate brown eyes, "Won't you kill her for me, Johan?"
Was it bad that, not long ago, Johan had admitted to himself that he may have been in love with her… yet, he felt nothing toward her when he received the request from his liege? The light that had reflected in brilliant green orbs vanished as he leaned forward and bowed in deep respect before his kingly brother.
"If that is what you wish."
If his dear twin wished for that girl to be erased, then Johan would answer to it.
When he traveled back to Spirit country, alone, he successfully caught her, alone, as well. His heart had clenched uneasily and tears had sprung to life in his eyes, flowing down his cheeks… but his hand, wielding a gold-hilted dagger, did not waver as he plunged the silver blade through her chest and into her heart. Green eyes were so blurred that he could not see the shocked look, frozen, on her face as she fell to the floor. His body shook with adrenaline; he had to run… to escape, before someone found out what he had done.
Upon returning to Dark country, he was met with that radiant smile that he loved so very much. His heart, which had still been shaken from the murder of Spirit's princess, instantly calmed itself.
That smile worked wonders on him… made his evil deeds feel like good ones, so long as his brother was pleased. His laughter, so cheerful and innocent, rung through his mind like a wedding bell, filling his heart with much needed warmth as a light blush painted his cheeks.
He knew… Johan knew very well that their Dark kingdom would end soon. Once word of the assassination of the princess got out, Spirit and Duel would invade, stir up the rebellion, and attack the castle.
With this knowledge, he knew what he had to do.
Without their father around to stop him, he dyed his hair back to the way it was supposed to be, brown with a patch of orange. He then revisited the elderly mage who had cast the spell on him to give him green eyes, explaining his resolve to him before the spell at last came undone. Light brown eyes reopened to the world.
As he made his way back to the throne room, he could see the angry citizens attacking the gates of the castle.
"Down with the king!"
"He deserves to die!"
What was it that made those homely peasants believe that they knew what their king deserved? Wishing death on their royalty… Johan would resolutely oppose that.
The moment he entered the throne room, his brown eyes met with wonderfully familiar ones that held a look of pleasant surprise.
"Johan… You look like… when we were children."
All the former blunette could do was smile kindly at his younger twin, a rolled-up bunch of clothing tucked beneath his arm. For one last time, he kneeled down before his kingly brother and bowed his head.
"Normally, I would come, offering you your favorite snack, in honor of our birth…" he raised his head, locking their gazes together heatedly, "but, today, our country will fall, Judai."
He stood up once again and, without asking for permission, approached Dark country's king, holding out the clothes, "Change into my clothes. Please, do this and escape immediately."
The shocked look on King Judai's face made an aching crack in his heart; he already knew, as his twin took the clothing for his hand, what he wanted to ask.
"It's alright; we're twins. Surely, no one will realize."
The two changed into each others clothes, looking at mirror images of themselves. Judai stared up at his slightly taller twin, tears having filled his eyes. Johan smiled, caressing the side of his cheek for a moment before leaning down and laying a soft kiss over his brother's lips.
"I will always love only you, Judai…"
With that, Johan hurriedly pushed Judai out a hidden servants' door, making his way to sit upon the throne which had been robbed of him so long ago.
The palms of his hands ran over the arms of the fancy chair, feeling the smooth texture of the gold it was crafted from. Fond memories of his time with his dear brother played like a movie in his mind, that glowing smile he continued to hold dear to his heart burned behind his eyelids.
His eyes snapped open when the doors to the throne room were busted open, several Spirit and Duel soldiers rushing in and lining up. The prince he had met in Spirit country entered last, informing him that the king of Dark country would be detained and then beheaded.
Johan had only narrowed his eyes and smiled at the realization of how many people hated his kingly twin. With all of his heart, he promised that, even if all of the world became Judai's enemy, he would continue to protect him. So long as that smile carried on somewhere safe, he did not mind…
For the sake of his beloved brother, Johan had become evil.
For the sake of his beloved brother, Johan would be killed.
As he laid his head down in the pillory, he had already seen the shiny silver blade that waited at the top of the guillotine. Brown eyes looked off into the crowd, looking passed the scornful glares and finding, none other than, his dear brother. Judai stood in the middle of the mob, in clear view of the scene, as he hid beneath a brown hooded cloak.
Johan could see the look in Judai's eyes; he was crying… When he felt his chest shake painfully behind the wood of the stocks and his own vision blur, he knew that he was mirroring his twin's expression.
Why did Judai come to watch him die? He wished he could cover his younger brother's eyes… shield him from the horrible scene. The 18-year-old did not need to witness the death of his twin brother… the death of someone dying in his place.
Johan shut his eyes, an unexpected smile curling on his lips and directed at his brother, 'If we could be reborn… I want… to be with you again.'
SHIIING!!
Happy Birthday, Monkey.