A/N: I've actually had this written up for months but forgot to post it. Ahaha. Warning for character death.
Theme: Dormant
Food: Organs
The air was still and tense with contemplative thoughts. The two parents eyed their child, stern but worried. The mother closed her eyes and sipped her tea, the father rubbed his brow. Bridget sat rigid, hands in his lap, sitting across from them. He fretted that they would deny his request, and though he sympathized, he tired of hiding. And they knew just as well as he did that they couldn't keep the veil over the village's eyes forever, yet they clung to the facade, afraid for his well being.
"Dear, you dont't need to reveal yourself. If you want to live as a man you could do so outside the village." His mother suggested. The china clinked as she set her cup down.
"This isn't just about that. I don't want others to go through what I have-not that it made my life hard or anything." Bridget quickly said, careful not to make his parents feel worse. ". . . I just worry that others couldn't take it as well as I have."
"You do know the consequences." His father threatened, though he knew the boy would not relinquish his decision.
"If I'm to be a man, I have to face things dead on and take responsibility. That is what my journey taught me." The teenager said firmly. "Please, let me take responsibility."
The mother and father turned to each other. "We'll think about it for now." The father slightly nodded. "You are excused."
"Thank you." Bridget said politely, forcing back his dissatisfaction, then left the study.
"Did mom and dad talk you out of bounty hunting finally?" His brother greeted from behind his book. He was sitting on a black vinyl chair near the autumn glow of the lamp.
"That isn't what we talked about. . ." Bridget half smiled. "Hopefully they won't have to try talking me out of bounty hunting again."
"So what did mom and dad say. . . " Alex paused, and added a touch of etiquette. "If you don't mind my asking."
Bridget breezed past his twin and nonchalantly sang out his reply: "It's a secret."
"I can keep a secret!" Alex claimed but Bridget held his tongue, hoping he wouldn't have to for long.
Days passed quickly, though oddly it felt slow at the same time. The pace of time came in intervals. Mornings were fast, noons were slow and hazy, and nights flew by quikly. Sometimes that routine changed too.
Bridget didn't remember most of what he did to pass the time, mostly he caught himself watching his parents eagerly, both anticipating and demanding an answer.
Otherwise he spent his time with his brother, primarily in the private pool. "I never thought about it before but for being a reckless girl you cover up a lot." Alex discovered one day in mid July. He raised a brow at the so called swimsuit, which consisted of a loose indigo tank top and frilly bloomers.
Bridget shrugged and floated on his back through the waters, leaving his brother to further question the subject.
"Though that nun outfit you made yourself showed a bit." Alex mumbled, eyes crossed and turning red with shame. "I'm surprised dad didn't burn it. . . all they did was confiscate it with her toys and that teddy bear. . ." Realizing where his train of though was veering, Alex cleared his throat and diverted his attention. "I'll be back."
As soon as he stepped back inside, a maid passed by him. "Excuse me."
She twirled on her toes, an amazing feet with the laundry stacked high in her arms. "Yes, young master?"
"Could you fetch us a pitcher of lemonade?"
"Right away." She nodded and skittered off.
Alex went back outside and jumped into the pool. When he rose for air he wiped his eyes and looked around, realizing Bridget was absent. "Where could she have run off to?" He whispered, then shrugged it off.
OOo
Drops of water darkened the red carpet, coming from long blonde strands of hair. A towel was wrapped around his form but after dragging himself from the pool it didn't help much to prevent the chair cushion was becoming soaked.
"We said we would talk tonight. There was no need for you to drop everything." His mother said bewildered.
Bridget laughed, realizing how rash he was being and curled his toes, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. . ." He straightened, eyes wide and ready. "So. Now that I'm here. . ."
"This. . . revealing yourself." His father said uneasily. "Are you sure about your decision.?" He leaned forward, mustache brushing against his folded hands. "Please think about this very carefully."
"I already have."
"You say you're prepared for the responsibility, are you aware of what could happen to your mother and I, as well as your brother?"
Bridget nodded smiling. "Mmmhm! I have it all planned out. You, mother, and Alex will go on holiday and I'll stay behind."
The parent's brows raised, impressed. It didn't last long though. "Very good. But if the villagers don't take it well you will be on your own."
"Don't worry." Bridget beamed. "I was a bounty hunter, remember? I can take care of myself."
oOo
"Where have you been?" Alex asked when Bridget returned. The older twin was laying down boredly by the pool, his feet wading in the warm waters. The younger of the two approached him, looking down at him quietly, his lips were scary thin and his expression blank. Moments ago he was cheery but when his parents told him that the first person to hear the "news" was his brother, Bridget froze. Although lying to an entire populous was a huge ordeal, somehow, lying to his brother since they were born felt more momentous than that. Alex knew him best- or at least Alex thought he knew his "sister" very well.
"What's wrong?" He blinked up at the somber boy.
"May I speak with you?" Blue eyes searched the pool area, settling on the little shack where the pool equipment was kept. He pointed towards there and Alex sat up and quietly followed.
The door closed behind them, Bridget breathed in deeply, gathering his courage. "I'm a guy." He admitted quickly.
Alex stared blankly at him.
"I'm a guy." Bridget said again, this time more confidently.
A sigh. "Sister, I know you look up to me and try to act manly and all but. . . it will take more than acting to make you a man."
"I'm not saying I feel like a boy. . . I . . ." Bridget's eyes wandered in all directions, batting at the subject. It was one thing to say it, another to convince the person. "I'm physically a boy."
"That's not possible. If you were you would be dead."
"Not if I was disguised as a girl." Bridget looked at his lower region and flushed. "If you need proof. . ." He began to pull his bloomers down but made the mistake of looking up at his gaping brother.
"D-don't look!" Bridget stuttered, then shook his head. Modesty was a habit he had picked up from acting like a girl. "I mean. . ." He turned away as his bunched up bloomers rested around his ankles.
"No way." Alex took a few step back, then wrenched his head away from the sight. "This isn't real. Mum and dad would never keep this a secret from me. Pardon the cliché but this is a dream."
"It's not." Bridget pulled his bloomers back up and walked towards him, reaching a hand out in comfort. Alex shuddered away, shivering from the shock. Bridget stared bewildered and slowly retracted his hand, holding his palm over his pummeling chest. "I'm sorry."
"Get out."
The younger twin grew numb.
"I said get out!" Alex shouted.
"I'm sorry. . ." Bridget repeated, eyes grazing over the wooden floor. "I never wanted this either."
"Get out." Alex muttered, then repeated his words, this time screaming. "Didn't you hear me? Leave me alone!"
"I-" He withdrew solemnly. He felt terrible for leaving him behind with his mind in a mess but how could he be there for someone who refused him.
OOo
The next morning Alex was calm and welcomed his brother with a smile but that did nothing to alleviate Bridget's worries. "It wasn't a dream." The ex bounty hunter had said curtly, sitting down at the table.
The following week felt between them felt uneasy. They could feel the other wanting to reach out yet, scared to. One who was afraid of rejection, sure that he already was, the other afraid to accept this truth. Bridget was sure that Alex felt like half of his life was a lie.
They hadn't spoken a word to each other during that whole week and when Alex was told the news that the family was going on holiday he spoke of no qualms nor did he cheer (as he normally did). Even the servants felt something was aloof and had attempted several times to bring the two twins together, only to have them both feel wrecked with the torrent of their emotions again.
It wasn't until the day of the family's (save for Bridget) departure. Alex had reached the door of the mansion, then looked outside, then back inside quizzically. "Where is Bridget?"
"Bridget will not be joining us." The father said.
"What?" The older twin gaped, then quickly registering what was afoot he scowled. "Sh- He can't be thinking. . ."
Before the boy could run off to drag his twin, the father took him by the arm and dragged him to the car.
OOo
"Well, how do I look, mum?"
She tugged and patted the crosshatched trousers, testing the fit. Then, noticing aone of his socks was drooped around his ankle she rolled it back over his legs. "There we go." She said, putting the finishing touches on the yellow bow around his shirt collar. She looked up broadly, blue eyes smiling, then breaking into tears at the sight. The woman was a mix of emotions. Pride and grief filled her to the brim interchangeably.
"Don't cry, mum." Bridget patted the top of her head.
"If you hair was a little shorter you would be the spitting image of your brother. . ." She commented and twined a finger around the long strands. And suddenly she pulled him in her arms, his face against the comfort of her bosom. He closed his eyes and returned the affection. At a time like this she needed him.
"Please, won't you go on holiday with us?"
"I'm sorry. You should know I already made up my mind."
"I know, dear. But I. . .don't want. . ." She stopped herself, she didn't want to imagine the consequences.
"I'll be fine." Bridget comforted, though he knew she wouldn't worry less, she needed to hear something.
The woman stood up, "come with me."
He followed her out of his room and down the hallway. He had passed through the halls numerous times but he still felt compelled to look at the familly portraits, many of which were old men long past. At the end of the hall was the most recent painting, depicting his father majesticly riding a white steed. People commented that Bridget and Alex had their father's looks and their mother's eyes. Bridget liked to imagine that he would look as manly as his father did in the painting someday, and would even imagine it was his image rather than his father's.
His mother pull a silver key from her sleeve and signaled for her son to wait. As soon as she unlocked the door she flipped the lights on and went inside, returning in a matter of seconds with two yo yo's and Roger in her arms. Bridget looked at his weapons, suddenly the somber air felt tense. He understood why his mother gave the toys back to him. His mother silently walked around him, then hurried downstairs. Not long after he head the car engine roar and the sound of gravel crunching under wheels.
OOo
Bridget waited until the next day to set his plan in motion. He gracefully dodged the servant's curiosity as to why he didn't go on vacation with the family, simply replying that he had enough adventure after bounty hunting. They grew more suspicious when they realized he was dressed in Alex' s garments but didn't say a word, wary of answer. Over the years they had grown fond of the "young miss".
Promptly after breakfast, Bridget checked himself out in front of the mirror again and tucked his yo yos in his pockets.
"I'm going out!" He called from the doorway, then closed the door behind him. Once away from his father's estate he briefly watched the villagers going to and fro on errands or play. They directed waves and smiles to the boy, still oblivious.
He wandered past houses, the merchant stands, and then the farm houses and barn yards. The aroma of clay with a touch of hay from the farm yards a way surrounded his senses, and already felt at peace before he leaned against the fence. He stared over the expanse of the river. He didn't think; about his suddenly strained relationship with his twin, the village, his life, or bounty hunting. He simply let go of it all and held onto the feeling until he noticed something blazing in the corner of his eye.
He jerked and turned around but he found nothing but green trees in the distance. The wind blew rougher, almost ominously. Another flicker drew his gaze up again but just as before he saw nothing but flora.
"Ah! How long have I been standing around. . ." Bridget fumbled for the pocket watch then sighed, the hands on the face of the clock pointed to eleven. There was still enough time for him to make it to the main building- where the village held meetings every three moths at exactly eleven fifteen. Afterwards they would all go eat lunch, then resume their business.
On the walk to the main building, Bridget began to wonder if anyone noticed his attire. He looked at his pants and twisted his lips. It wouldn't surprise him if everyone had assumed he was Alex.
OOo
"I'm a guy." He practiced his lines under his breath as he headed towards the double doors. The doors were medium in length but at that moment they loomed over Bridget. Beofer, when he told his parents he could do this he was light and confident, now he didn't know what to feel. Still, this was nothing compared to when he confessed to his brother.
Heads turned as he made his way to the end of the room, interrupting the man on the podium. Slowly, Bridget turned to the villagers- his audience and directed his gaze towards but upwards, so he could only see the top of their heads, unaware of facial expression. "Excuse me. I apologize for interrupting. . ."
"Is that Alex?"
"What is he doing here. I thought he went on holiday ith his family-"
"Really? Without their son?!"
The young boy heard but bit back the urge to listen and continued. "I have something of great improtance to tell you."
"That voice-"
"It's too soft to be Alex's-"
"Myself and my family has kept something back all these years."
"Bridget. . ."
"It couldn't be-"
"But it is her-"
". . .I'm a guy." The last sentence dropped and all conversation dissipated. Bridget hesitantly chose to break the silence. "I'm sorry. It's okay, right? I earned all that money from bounty hunting-"
One of the men stood from his seats, his steps towards Bridget were lengthy and as heavy as the stare he gave. He came to a halt when confronted with the point of a saber.
"Alex, I think that's hardly necessary."
Bridget looked from his brother's backside to his parents standing beside the older twin.
"It might get necessary." Alex quipped in a whisper.
Aside from Alex, Bridget's father also carried a weapon, a silver gun that he held behind his back. He brushed his thumb along the barrel.
"You didn't have to do this." Bridget held his hands behind his back and fiddled with his fingers nervously. He felt relieved to have his family with him but the childish side of him was aggravated and embarrassed.
More citizens stood from their seats, only to topple over as the ground suddenly shook. The rafters shuddered and doused them all with a collection of dust.
"An earthquake?" An old lady piped up.
A scream directed everyone's gaze to a woman backing away from the window.
"A monster!" Someone else exclaimed and pointed. The image of a large porcupine tail shown through the window sent others screaming and fluttering about for escape like a flock of birds. The curse of same sexed twins was far from their worries but no doubt they began to blame whatever creature befell them on the curse.
Whatever was outside tore a hold through the building, people poured out of the doorway at the sight, and some vomited hearing the crunch of bones and seeing the red tracks the creature left.
"What the. . ." Bridget's father said.
"Hurry! Get out of here!" Bridget whipped out a yo yo and broke the glass of a window. Their mother grabbed both him and Alex through while the father followed from behind, walking backwards, refusing to expose his backside to the beast.
Just as they reached outside a figure in white landed in front of them, prompting a gunshot from Bridget's father.
"Mister Kiske!" Bridget worried looked at the bullet hold in the fence and the stray blonde hair it took off. "Are you all right?"
"Yes. More importantly, you're not hurt are you?"
"We're fine but. . ." Bridget wearily turned to the partially demolished building they had just escaped out of.
Ky nodded understandably. "It's not safe here, as you know-"
"What was that thing?!" Alex interrupted.
"A gear I was fighting. . . it decided to use this village as an advantage. I cannot stress enough that you all evacuate."
"Mum, father, Alex. Please do as Mister Kiske says." Bridget walked to Ky's side and whirled on his toes. "I'll stay and help him."
"No!" His mother screamed and Bridget backed away to hide behind Ky.
"Bridget, don't do this. It's not your fault this happened."
"Even so, I have to prove myself."
Ky shook his head, "don't disobey your parents."
"I'm afraid I will be a horrible son." The ex bounty hunter dimpled then entered the fray.
"Bridget!" His mother yelled, while the father began to chase after him. Ky took the older man by the shoulder, "I'll protect her- him. Take your family to safety."
"But. . ."
"What's worse? Your son in danger or your entire family?"
The other man reluctantly returned to his wife and child, "I'm counting on you."
Ky nodded and turned back to the battlefield. He felt relieved there were less citizens around. The gear roared and shook the ground, trying to brush Bridget off it and break loose from the strings around it's neck.
Ky hurled a chard of lightning as he ran towards the two. He was sure that with the gear distracted by Bridget it would hit dead on but as he neared the scene he spat out a word that was quick and hurried- said like a curse but not an actual obscenity.
His attacked had been dodged and Bridget, unawares fell into the blaze of lightning. It made the older man's heart sink to hear the young boy choke mid scream. He quickly lunged over to catch his fall. Minutes after his retrieval, the boy squirmed, asking to be set down. Ky complied, propping him against a tree. Bridget wobbled under his own weight and twitched his body still tingling with the electric charge. He immediately came to his senses noting that something was flung towards them. Just as he was about to dodge and drag Ky with him, Ky pulled him closed and rolled away. The tree Bridget previously leaned on split in two and fell over rows of houses.
"Thank you but. . ." Bridget twisted from Ky and brushed the dust from his arms. "Concentrate on the gear. If you worry about me it will only hinder us."
"If you're worried about that, then maybe you should run off as well." Ky advised, and raised his sword readily.
Bridget assumed a battle stance as well, "No thank you. I said I was going to help out, Mister Kiske."
Before the policeman could voice his qualms the boy was at it again, no sooner than that Ky saw Bridget run past him again- or at least he thought it was Bridget. Ky doubled back, it wasn't until he saw a flash of steel did he realize it was Bridget's hasty twin.
"I should have known he would be stubborn too." Ky shook his head. He had no choice but to let the twin s work with him. As evidenced by the incident earlier there wasn't time to "babysit". Ky's anxiety over the two waned as the battle progressed smoothly. Two against one wasn't fair before, now three against one was just plain cruel.
The gear's movement gradually slowed but in turn it's strikes shook with greater intensity. Alex grinned, "almost finished."
"But we're not done yet." Ky reminded.
The child shrugged his shoulder, shooting Ky a look of contempt before carrying on.
"Ah! Mister Kiske." Bridget pointed to an opening.
Ky nodded and swooped into the shrubbery, undetected. The man didn't have to tell the ex-bounty hunter to help Alex continue deterring the gear's attention.
Bridget's hurried steps settled and he looked up, blue eyes large. "It stopped. . ." He turned back to where Ky was- his heart pummeled hard against his chest, and his head throbbed slightly, realizing with panic that the gear was issuing an ultimatum- using what energy it had left on the only target in it's path.
"Alex!" Bridget cried, but the eldest was too wrapped up in winning.
Bridget shook. It was the first time the thought of loosing someone important crossed his mind. He never understood his family's worries about him going out bounty hunting until now. His mind was going three hundred and sixty degrees- of Alex dying because of him, and further of the void. He had always felt like his own person, yet also a set of a person. It felt wrong to be without the other.
At that he snapped, lunging forward to embrace the oldest protectively, his back to the illuminating spear. Before Alex could fathom what was happening, the spear ripped through Bridget's abdomen, the point pricked Alex's shirt, nothing more.
In disbelief he saw blood foaming from Bridget's lips.
"Are you all right?" Bridget whispered.
"Y-yeah but-"
The blues of his eyes glazed and like butterfly wings his lashes fluttered until his eyes closed and body hung limp.
"Bridget?" Alex whispered, then chuckled. Like tears can come from happiness he laughed in his agony. Bridget wasn't moving, he saw this but couldn't take it just as he couldn't believe Bridget was a boy he couldn't, didn't want to accept that he just died. Alex closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again. He had had dreams that felt so real he could have sworn he had turned to goo and fed flying cats, but the weight in his gut and the organs slipping against his belly proved this was no illusion.
"God, I wish it was. . ." He stuttered, and teared up. The laughter had passed, silence invaded him.
He didn't heard the gear groan and topple over in defeat, nor Ky's approach.
"No. . ." He didn't hear Ky say.
He couldn't see, smell, or even taste anything that wasn't his deceased brother. He passed out like that, feeling everything he didn't want to.
OOo
The numbness emanating his insides worsened at the funeral. It was closed casket, but the fact that his body was there kept Alex rooted to the back of the room. He stared off as people gave their condolences, watching and hating the villagers. If they weren't so superstitious Bridget wouldn't have been unreasonably obstinate to fight. He concentrated on this anger towards them, rather than himself.
On the way out of the funeral home, waiting for the casket to be led out, he overheard two women chattering. It was the first sound he had heard in two weeks, and the most unpleasant since the incident.
"Just like it says. . . bad luck."
"He was meant to die anyways. His parents should have done it long ago."
"Would have done our village good. Look at what happened!"
"And all those who died from that . . . thing. Well, rather from that curse the twins brought on."
Alex glared, fists shaking, ready to whollap the gossips' mouths. "My brother wasn't bad luck! He didn't die from it neither! He died to save me. . . it was his own choice. Not some dumb superstition!"
"I never-"
"Shut up! Get the hell away from this church if you're not going to respect him. Before I kill you."
"That's enough." Alex jumped, he had expected those words from his father. Looking up he saw eyes as blue as his own.
"Ky. . . right?" He said unsteadily, remembering his brother addressing the man as such.
The man nodded, then looked around at the villagers furrowing their brows at the fuming youth. "I asked your parents about a change of scenery. . ."
"Dad isn't mad at you for not going by your word?"
Ky looked away, ashamed. "He said it wasn't my fault that Bridget. . . He knows I tried my best."
Alex spat, still staring at the ladies who belittled Bridget's existance. "You're right, I could use a change of scenery. I can't stand to look at these old bats."
The next day, as Alex and Ky walked from the outskirts of the village Ky talked about the gears in length to the point of when he sealed Justice and stagnated the gear's activity.
"But. . . just six months ago they started up again. I can only assume the seal I put on her has broken. I've been searching since, to put a stop to it once again."
"If you need help-"
Ky held a hand up to silence him. "Please do not think of revenge. Not all gears are evil. . ." He smiled faintly, nostalgically, "I know a woman- half gear. She has a kind voice. She would break into tears if she killed a fly."
Alex raised an eye brow skeptically.
"Maybe on our way we'll give her a visit." Ky said. Little by little, Ky thought, the boy would learn just as he did that not everything is black and white, and that with pain comes inner strength.
OoO
"Daddy!" A pair of brunettes bounced towards a twenty seven year old Alex. He had been sitting near the fountain, staring at the statue of his brother longingly. Years ago when he returned to the village he started construction on the statue. Some villagers, still superstitious scowled at his plans and said, "why bother?"
Alex had replied: "because I can."
His relationship with his peers only worsened when his wife gave birth to twin girls. Instead of hiding them as his parents had done, he proudly proclaimed his love for his identical daughters. Again, the villagers growled low in their throats with curses and scorn. Alex simply laughed, "two little girls can't possibly bring discord."
Surprisingly, the girls, nor Alex never faced murder attempts. The villagers were still annoyed but more lax since Bridget. It just took some time to let go of the thinking that was embedded.
All superstition dissipated in the village as the girls grew. The villagers were tickled by how helpful Emma was, and amused by the music Bridget weaved under piano keys.
"Staring at that statue again, dad? You're so vain!" Emma laughed. Alex hadn't told the girls the story behind the statue and they had assumed that it depicted himself.
"Yeah." Alex turned to the girls and took their hands, smiling. "I'm late for dinner again, right?"
"Late as ever." Bridget huffed.
The two girls led him back home, laughing and teasing their father. Alex glanced behind, at the statue again. "Thank you."