Raging Demon Reaper
Disclaimer: I don't own Grim Tales.
nightmaster000- Glad you enjoyed it, and yes there will be more OCs. As for Junior's future (mis)adventures, you'll see.
detrametal- I've heard that others loved the Grim-ack conversation as well. Admittedly, I love rereading it myself.
XxVokunxX- Thanks! And I do love to keep you all
Remzal Von Enili- I do enjoy wrecking minds with my twists. And yes, I can be symbolic as hell. And those aren't bad assumptions, and given Junior's track record, you're right to suspect the fire bit.
Cf96- Yes, that scar isn't going anywhere.
theeternalguest- Oh, the calm has a bit more to go.
Brandon Storm- Probably.
tariqbates- Thanks! I will!
DPSS- Yes, his blood brother, among many other children of Erebus and/or Nyx. As Jack has stated, he and Grim have just been with each other for most of their immortal lives, and have considered each others brothers in all but blood.
1. While good at heart is debatible, he does feel guilty. 2. Yep. And possibly to give a preview to Junior. 3. Among other things. 4. That's another of RDR's secrets that'll have to be revealed down the line. 5. Basically, yes. 6. Pretty much, yeah. 6(2). True. 7. We'll see. 8. Hehe, now you see my point. 9. Granted. 10. More or less, and some talks really are better to be Reaper-to-Reaper. 11. Partially true, yes. Also testing the waters. 12. True, on all accounts. This family is a fucking powder keg.
coldblue- Glad you loved Jack! And don't worry, thakns to that journal, we'll be finding about his MANY secrets over the course of the story. As for the Grim Family Meeting, right on all accounts. This was more about Junior both showing Mandy that her authority isn't absoute anymore, but also to try and see if their family relationship was salvagable, if only for Minnie's sake.
And yes, due to circumstances, Junior might have an odd semi-friendship with Dan in the future due to said ghost's battle loving nature. As Junior said, most of the people that don't hate him all want a rematch.
Possibly, but she has other purposes too.
1. While not exactly how I would write it, it is possibly. I've left a lot of wiggle room for what exactly will happen in the future. Still, Mellori won't be around for many chapters, I believe.
2...You know, you're idea has actually convinced me to change a few things in the sotry- not many do that, so kudos. I'm not sure if that'll happe exactly though, but Gz and the Irkens will play a bigger role than I had originally planned.
3. Well, thanks to you, I have thought about it now! XP
Onto your answers.
1. All of those are possible.
2. There is, actually, another reason.
3. Yep, Jack truly loved his work, and tricking the Goddess of Discord herself most have been a truly delightful feeling. As for Grim, naw, not that, buut that is an interesting point to bring up.
4. Aye, yes, Jack does know about the Eagle, but the journal has nothing to do with it or Junior's father. As for what Jack did...I believe that will come up within a few chapters when Junior reads a bit of the book.
5. If he ever snaps out of this 'lost' phase, you might be right.
6. Not a bad theory, but no.
7. ...I'll be honest, this is partially true.
8. True, but first, Minnie has to get use to her new body. Also, think you for getting the image of Cyborg-Minnie into my head. XP. And all of your guesses on reactions are probably more or less true.
9. Hmm, not a bad guess.
10. I think, given how its mutated to have red eyes instead of green, that we can safely say that this is now Junior's power. Still, get your point. As for Jack, to sum it up, some things are best left Reaper-to-reaper.
11. Exactly.
12. Yes, those two, if they ever patch things up, are going to have al ot of things to figure out.
Regular speak
Thoughts and Emotions talking to person outside mind
Demonic or Animalistic Speak
Demonic or Animalistic Thought
AN I do not like where the canon comic is going with Minnie. I personally hope that the Nergal is lieing to turn Junior and Minnie against each other, which makes sense to me, instead of it being that Bleed is retconning Minnie- which is the popular theory now.
O Princess of the Dying World, from where have you strayed to find yourself on such a path, saluted by those shriveling trees and worshipped by those reaped blades of grass, both void of lush and splendor? Do you not see the crows, spectating you from the branches!? Do you not feel their stares?! Do you not sense their hunger?!
O Daughter of Evil, to where do you seek? To what end are you trotting through this path of earth, so unbecoming of a princess to travel upon by foot? Does your departed eye blind your senses? Do you not hear the prowling of the wolves that stalk you like a lamb?! Do you doubt their intent?! Do you mock their threat?!
O Child of Death, do you not see to where you have led yourself? A wasteland, earth cracked as the sun rains down its light without mercy, as the waters of the sky refused to answer its prayers for salvation. Is this parched and lifeless field, this barren womb, is this what you seek?! This realm, robbed of all joy and of all hope, is this what you seek child!? This misery and destruction, this torment and dejection! This Despondency! This Ruin! Is This What You Seek?!
O Ward of Pain, why do you weep now? Why do you bend your knees and grovel, as if in prayer? Is the sight too much for you? Do you feel the crows gathering overhead? Do you hear the wolves lurking in the forest? Stay your tears, child. You need not fear them nor weep for this land...
O Spawn of Demons, raise your gaze and dry that sole eye of yours, that glistens like a thunder cloud. Raise your gaze and look upon the horizon. What is that? Is that another child trespassing upon this fruitless land or is that a phantasm of the light tricking your gaze? Or is this an imposter, a trickster from Heaven or Hell?
O Victim of Love, does it not alarm you, send you into awe to see the crows burst from the tree tops and tear through the sky towards that figure like arrows from bows? Do you even give heed to the wolves retreating into the forest? Do you, MiniMandy, now realize that you were nothing more than a witness!? That no party in this gave you a thought, as foe or ally?!
O Reject of Heaven, why do you scurry so quickly, as the intruder is assaulted by the airborne corpse-eaters? As the horrifying twister of scavengers no doubt shreds the soul to shreds, why do you flee to this stranger's aid? Is this the morality, the kindness that nearly won even you a place in Paradise? Or is this foolishness that nearly cost you everything?!
O Doll of Rags, as you come up to the hill where the interloper is being devoured, peck by peck, do you not hear the screeches? The inhuman screeches? Does it not alarm you that simple crows would best a creature of the underworld, no matter how young? Still, you press on? How noble! How witless!
O Wise Grim-Child, as you push past the avians and scare them away, you come face to face with the subsisting victim and gaze on in stunned horror. Whose body, whose face did you expect to see, up here, ravaged by those soaring creatures of death upon this lifeless land? Did you think it would be your mother?! Your father?! Your teacher, your family dog, your caretaker, a grandparent, Kare or his spawn, someone not yet known to you?!...No, for who else could it be, laying defeated upon that earth? Who else could it be, left to rot and quench this parched field? Who else could it be but yourself, your own ruined form that you lay your eye upon?
O Lustful Sibbleger, does it seem strange? To gaze upon your living corpse, your first and true form, with your false soul-case? To see its dismembered body and emerald slit eyes looking up at you, begging for salvation and release? Is it not familiar? Do you even hear the gargled prayers coming from your own lips, filling with your blood, as your own body reaches out to you with an arm that is barely even attached to the shoulder? Or are you too entrapped with what you see to notice what it is? Can you not look away from the word etched into your carcass's forehead?! Can you not bear to believe that the horrid title of Traitor is carved into your once scar-less flesh?!
O Denizen of the World Below, do not fret and do not fear, stand tall and firm, for this is not you yourself you see in this sorry state, but the you that you gifted away...The you, and the only you, that will ever truly earn the wrath of whom you long for. Pity not this cretin who so eagerly turns against its masters. Now raise your gaze and meet with the crows...
O Scapegoat of Envy, as you peer into those infernal eyes before you and see that beak dripping with blood, those talons stained crimson, why do you look so calm? Has a hidden sense pierced that which you did not first perceive as illusion? Do you now know why these crows are the midnight of blue and not the shadow of dark?
O Spare to the Throne, as the crows gather before you, your eye cannot hide the alarm, no matter how minute, at the form they mold into. For as the feathers mold into unholy skin, littered with those red eyes, you know who this is. He is everything you crave and everything you dread. You are of him now, for he knows you like no other can or like no other ever will, but you are not of him, for you could only wish and dream to know him so intimately and so completely.
O Sister of the Devourer, stand before your brother's Wrath with no doubt for your safety in your heart. The blaze behind his fang, it would dare to consume your mother, your father, all of creation, and even God Himself, but you are not yet lost from his heart, Child. You and you alone may stand here, in his shadow, for eternity without fear. Even if you should perish in this and other forms, your soul shall not fear his gullet.
O Axis of That Night, none would find offense in your flinch as he pins your birth form beneath his clawed foot and impales the flesh that was once your own with his tail, your own distorted scream reaching your ears, as he mutters so hatefully that name, Traitor, before looking onto you without diversion. You look upon him and say only what you can, in the most heartfelt voice one could ever spoke in the tongue of Man: Brother.
O Reluctant Accomplice, how odd would it seem to another, to see a child such as you looking into the eyes of such a deathly creature, as it growls out like the Devil's War Drum! Yet, to your ears, you hear words that only a child of that ancient demon-god could perceive properly. You hear the concern, you hear the wariness, and you hear the heart of him through that Wrathful form. With a claw, he points at you. No, not at you, but behind you!
O Righteously Misplaced, how does it feel, to gaze upon Them, standing in the empty and lifeless meadow? To look upon they who are of your brother: Kingdom and King all at once? To see that legion of souls, consumed by that unholy and unnatural union of demon and reaper, of the unholy living and unborn dead? Does it alarm you to see wills subdued and spirits twisted in such a way to match his own? Does it alarm you more, Princess, to find them making way for you, clearing a path through them, back to the woods from which you came?
O Sinner of Lust, as you look back onto that Commander, nay, that General of these legions that stands over you like a judge over the wrongfully condemned, do you find his stare heavy upon you? Or do you find a warmth in more than your heart for this display of power? Or perhaps you feel wrongfully forgiven by even your brother, he who devoured a thousand of his allies? Do you think him so guiltless?! Do you think him so above all others that not even the gods may judge him?! Perhaps you are correct. But do you truly believe he is in mourning for those he has slain? What Reaper, born from Death, pities those that he has slain?! What Demon, born from Evil, regrets those that he has damned?!
O Hopeful Mediator, have you forgotten, that even uneaten, you are still already reaped? That the Devourer, your brother, held your very soul and existence in his arms and not once considered to devour you for himself? No, you haven't, not for an instance have you dared to forget this. Is that why you still yet side with him, in spite of all the harm he has forced upon your loved ones? That one act of mercy and love, never once seeing you as something to devour, to feast upon? Has that won your loyalty, your heart, your very soul?! Or were those all his for the taking even before That Night!?
O Fallen Angel, look now as the Wrathful General journeys past you, his wings receding like a beetles, seemingly never there. You look towards him as he walks down the open path before you back upon your corpse, bearing the name Traitor, as the legion of living death converge on it, their grins tight with an almost sadistic glee. You gaze upon its begging face, the horde slowing their advance, seemingly in respect of you. You know not what they will do, but do you care? Do you care that this mad fragment, once of yourself, that forced even more suffering will be condemned by your brother? If not your brother, why not yourself, even just this former part of you? After all, is that not where you believe, in your heart of hearts, where the blame lays?! Have you not already judged yourself wanting and guilty?! Have you not already condemned yourself to wash away his sins!?
O Heir to Audacity, as you turn your back on your own body, how proud your mother would be to see that cold stare that never breaks, not even as you hear those screeches, those cries of torment and agony as the legion came upon that flesh that was once your own and ravaged it. How you walk with even, long strides to close the gap between you and that form of your dearest sibling. How you are not phased in the slightest that those screams are truly your own. How merciless! How Dark!
O Limerent of the Demon-Reaper, as you enter that forest once more, following this walking devastation, this mockery of life and death, this All-Consuming Beast, are you truly happy to chase at his coattails? To have risen so far and now be dwarfed so immeasurably by the one you pinned for, by power that was once your own? To risk falling into his madness, his rage, and to forever be taken by it? Do you see how with every step you take that you risk your once pure heart growing blacker?! As you stare at the back of that boy, do you believe even for a moment that he is worth it?! Is he worth all those souls?! Is he worth all others you ever held dear!? Is he worth enough that you would fall like the Morningstar!? Is he worth all the heartache, all the pain, and all the horror that this abomination will wrought onto the cosmos?! Well, speak up, MiniMandy!
Is He Worth It!?
Minnie gasped as she shot up in her bed, awake with what should have been a cold sweat. But as she ran a hand over her forehead, she remembered that her body was of cloth now instead of flesh. The dream had been quite intense on her mind, to hear that implacable voice booming in her ears as she moved through that melancholy forest without much awareness of her own actions. Deeming it an unfortunate byproduct of recent events, she shook it off and looked around her room, finding nothing amiss. Her room, much like her speech patterns, was very old in style. Victorian would be the word...very pink Victorian; The four post bed, the vanity, even an old record player.
One of the scarce objects of mortal modernity was the digital clock on her nightstand, something her mother had placed in the bedrooms of herself and her children. Each were linked to the alarm system on the off chance that any of the rooms became sound proof for whatever reason. The electric lights read that it was only thirteen past three in the morning. She sighed as she removed herself from the bed, grabbing her headband instinctively as she decided to take a stroll and perhaps get a midnight snack to calm her nerves.
Knowing where to walk as to not set off the majority of traps set throughout the castle was something that Minnie had been very glad to have committed to memory now. In the past, her demonic instincts had aided in keeping herself alert if she had been close to making a misstep. Feeling subtle change in the floor beneath her feet, seeing the slight differences in the normal and rigged decorations, hearing the slight buzz of electricity in more high tech traps. She could still perceive them due to her training and her mother's wit, but not so acutely. Still, her senses and memories were enough to get by unscathed.
"Taking a midnight stroll, Minnie?" Mandy asked evenly, pausing at a crossroad in the halls at the sight of her only daughter, "Trouble sleeping?" She asked, almost knowingly.
"Nay, I am merely in need of a waltz for mine restless legs and mayhaps a snack if my appetite is in agreement," Minnie answered fluidly, lying through her teeth. "And ye, Mother?" She asked, now standing beside the elder blonde.
"I've been sleeping in a bit longer than I intended to as of late. I have no desire to rest at the moment but little to occupy myself with for a few hours," Mandy admitted freely, giving nothing away.
"Shalt we keep each other company and make the hours wane by, Mother?" Minnie asked with a small smile. Of course, Mandy didn't return it, but she did nod in acceptance as they began to stroll through the halls together.
"Any issues adjusting?" Mandy asked curiously.
"Mine body is a tad lighter than before, but I am growing accustomed to it. Mine sense of touch is somewhat dull in comparison to flesh, but that may be mine soul still...settling in, as it were," Minnie answered simply.
"No problem with depth perception?" Mandy asked with a raised eyebrow, perhaps a bit surprised by that.
"Naught that I hath cometh across," Minnie answered with a shrug, "How art ye and Father Grim now?" She asked in concern.
"I'm fine, as I already told you before. Grim's arm isn't acting up, so he should be okay as well," Mandy explained, only partially lying, 'Of course, he still seems lost about something, and I'm not so sure it's just about Junior now,' Mandy mused to herself, 'Then again...that night left all of us a bit lost,' She admitted privately with a narrowed gaze.
"...How's Junior doing?" Mandy asked curiously, if solely for the fact that the two siblings had neighboring rooms.
"I honestly hath naught a thing to say to that matter," Minnie answered with a bit of concern, her mother raising another eyebrow, "Brother hast yet to emerge from his dwellings since his return, to mine awareness, and I hath heard nary a sound whence I sleep," She explained.
"I suppose he has much to think about...and little desire for company save his own and yours," Mandy mused with a frown.
"Claim what thy wilt, Mother, but ye canst hardly blame him," Minnie commented tentatively.
"And why is that, Minnie?" Mandy asked evenly, but almost daringly.
"Would thou not be of a similar disposition in his position? Though not entirely by choice, Brother hast become much like thineself. And ye do not handle betrayal very well, regardless if the betrayal is only perceived as such and not genuine," Minnie pointed out, blinking as her mother didn't answer, "Mother?" She called, turning around to see her mother had stopped and was staring down a hallway, her eyes narrowed intently. Curious, Minnie wandered back to gaze down the hall as well, blinking at what she saw, "Brother?" She called in surprise.
"Not quite, Minnie." Mandy commented as she glared down the hall way at the lone figure.
It was Junior, technically, looking at them over his shoulder, half way turned to them. He was standing there in all his Nergalized glory with his axe-bladed tail waving slowly, silently, and ominously behind him as it stuck out from the cut that separated his coattail in two. His many red Nergal eyes roamed and wandered, with only the two infernal orbs in his skull fixed on them. The blades that were the claws upon his feet and hands gleamed with the castle lights. His face, hidden by the hood, was only a blackness to them saved the aforementioned eyes of fire and the crack of his jagged mouth, the light behind them once burning as if to scorch all the world, now smothered by the calm of the Demon-Reaper.
It was only now that Minnie realized what and who this was, exactly. Her mother knew this one all too well, but this was the first time MiniMandy had personally laid eyes upon this aspect of her brother. This was one of his clones, a part of his horde of duplicates, forged from the forbidden mixing of his deathly bones with her demonic flesh. But not just any clone. This was the Head Clone, the strongest of all the clones, the one that had led the horde in the True Junior's place, and the very one that had slain their mother, Queen Mandy, twice.
But why? Why had Junior summoned this minion of his back, in their own home, not even half of a week after the calamity he wreaked upon Halloween town? Minnie could tell, by the scowl on her face and the twitching of her hand, that her mother was wondering the same thing, her mind conjuring up grim possibilities.
"Wasn't expecting to see you again so soon," Mandy muttered evenly as she strolled towards her once-killer.
'But ye were expecting him all the same, Mother,' Minnie thought with a mental sigh at the implications of that statement.
"So, Junior, what brings this shade of yours back from your gullet?" Mandy asked, staring down at the copy of her son, who didn't even react beyond a grunt as it stared right back at her, "You got to fix the vocal cords in these things," She commented in annoyance.
"Trying," Clone growled out plainly as his mother stood before him, Minnie joining not seconds after. Clone nodded to Minnie in greeting, who mustered up a smile for the extension of her brother's being.
"So...T'what do we owe the pleasure of your quick return, O Chief of Clones?" Minnie asked curiously and politely.
"Practice," Clone grunted, almost sounding annoyed at the prospect.
"Practice?" Mother and Daughter asked, equally intrigued and confused by that statement. In response, Clone made many tentacles sprout from his back, making Mandy tense near unnoticeably, until they all started to spread along the floor behind Clone, forming a large circle before detaching from his back, "I'm not even sure I want to know," Mandy muttered, staring at the mass of slithering limbs on the floor as Clone looked over his shoulder expectantly before sighing and walking towards the circle...before stabbing his right hand into it, "I'm going to be very annoyed if you're just wrecking my castle for the fun of it," Mandy warned flatly. Clone just rolled his eyes, all of them, before yanking his arm back to reveal...
"Brother?" Minnie asked, seeing another Junior, this one in human form, climb out of the tentacles, holding onto Clone's arm, "Tis that truly you or merely another copy?" She asked curiously.
"They're all me, Minnie, but yes, I'm the main one," Junior answered with a sigh as he looked down at his appendages. "Well, it works, but I got to work on not getting lost in myself," Junior murmured to himself in interest, Clone nodding in agreement.
"Trying out your new powers?" Mandy asked, narrowing her gaze in interest.
"Yes. Turns out I can use my Nergal limbs to make a portal. Having a little trouble getting through it though," Junior explained, never turning to meet her gaze.
"Didn't we tell you to look at us when you're talking to us?" Mandy asked, a touch annoyed.
"Sorry," Junior apologized insincerely, still not turning, before rubbing the back of his head with a shrug, "But from my perspective, I AM looking at you," He retorted, lifting his own tail, the eyes blinking to get the point across. Clone, meanwhile, had decided to stand by Minnie, his own eyes roaming all over the place as he watched the exchange between his mother and himself, "So, what are you doing up, Mom?" Junior asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I could ask you the same thing, Junior," Mandy returned.
"I didn't feel like sleeping, so I'm occupying myself," Junior elaborated with a shrug, the tentacles quickly climbing back up his sleeve, "You?" He asked as he turned to face her.
"The same," Mandy answered simply, Minnie nodding in answer as well, "Why is he back?" She answered, nodding towards Clone, who blinked in slight surprise.
Junior raised an eyebrow at that, not that Mandy could see it, "He's me, so he never left," He reminded.
"You know what I meant," Mandy retorted.
"I needed a lot of Nergal flesh for some of these experiments and as the most powerful of them, he can make the most," Junior explained. "I didn't think you'd appreciate a lot of the weaker clones running all over the place," He informed.
"You shouldn't be experimenting with your powers in the castle at all, let alone so soon," Mandy commented in exasperation, resisting the urge to rub her forehead.
"I already tried taking a walk. It didn't help. So I decided to occupy my mind for a bit," Junior retorted with a shrug. "If you want to do the same, I'd suggest the gun range. Or some training room where you can use that lightning blade of yours," He added on.
"I just might," Mandy answered with a nod, "Still...what seems to be the problem with this?" Mandy asked curiously, glancing at the mass of tentacles that made up the portal before her.
"I lost my sense of direction in there, like I suddenly became weightless," Junior elaborated.
"Maybe you should try making it an actual teleportation portal rather than a tunnel you have to navigate," Mandy suggested.
"I tried, but it's not easy," Junior explained, "The individual tentacles, for some reason, don't want to stay open when I do that," He elaborated.
"Well, that's a given, you're literally making a rip in space and then forming a tunnel out of tentacles. Making it an instant teleportation just compacts that space you had to fly through. As it is, you're basically making real tunnel that you have to actually fly or walk through, and holding it open isn't easy," Mandy lectured.
Minnie blinked as she watched her brother and mother converse over the techniques and concepts of portals, teleporting, and the like. While not happily, they certainly weren't snapping at each other, subtly or not, 'Mayhaps, our family is not beyond repair,' She thought with a small smile, not daring to interrupt this quasi-mother-son moment. Clone just stared on without reaction, trying to keep his eyes from staring at Mandy too much without looking away.
"So, what would your suggestion be?" Junior asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Try to put more energy into fewer tentacles. The less tentacles you use, the shorter you can make the path between either side," Mandy suggested.
"Hmm, not sure how to do that yet, but thanks for the tip," Junior answered thoughtfully as the tentacles of the portal began to slither back up his sleeves.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out, eventually," Mandy commented, "Is he going to be a regular thing around here now, for the record?" Mandy asked, pointing to Clone over her shoulder, who barely tilted his head at being addressed.
"Am I a regular thing around here?" Junior asked with a raised eyebrow before blinking, "Does he...make you uncomfortable?" Junior asked carefully.
"No, but that might not be true for the others that fought him on Halloween," Mandy pointed out before pausing, "Also...you may want to give a name or title for him and the other clones. You or not, it will get confusing at times to simply refer to them all as clones," She suggested evenly before she turned to leave.
"...She's lying, about him not making her uncomfortable," Junior noted evenly as he turned to face his sister.
"It would be ill for thine conscious if ye were to keep score of however many falsehoods and truths art laid towards you, Mine Brother," Minnie advised.
"I'm not so jaded or fragile to take every lie personally, Minnie. Just taking note of her behavior," Junior assured with a sigh, an awkward silence falling over both of them, "...Are you okay?"
Minnie smiled at the obvious concern in his voice, "I am adjusting well, thank ye. And thineself?" She asked in return.
"As good as I can be, I suppose," Junior answered with a shrug, "You want to stick with Mom? You can still catch up to her," He pointed out.
"I believe our mother would currently rather collect her own thoughts then indulge mine company," Minnie said with a headshake.
"Well, I'm afraid I'm not the most riveting company," Junior commented, feigning a chuckle.
Minnie put on a smile for her brother, mentally sighing. While not her mother in terms of intelligence yet, Minnie had a better grasp of people's minds and feelings than her mother did at times, especially her brother's current state. The guards had been uneasy ever since they discovered just what Junior had done, what he could do again. Not to mention the rest of the family, herself excluded, were still mentally dealing with it, 'Brother...thou dabbled in this new ability to better avoid contact with those that t'would gaze upon you and your power with fear and caution,' She thought dismally. In her mind, Junior shouldn't feel the need to hide and lurk about in his own home from guards that were meant to protect him, no matter what he had done.
"I am not hither to be entertained, Brother, just enjoy being wit thee," Minnie assured, "Unless...you find mine presence a distraction," She added on, stepping half a step back in offering of leaving him alone.
"Minnie, I haven't seen you in almost three days. That aside, I doubt you could ever be a distraction," He retorted with a smile, his crimson eyes shining with affection, very unlike what their mother's eyes would be like.
"Very well. Might I inquire about that request I made of ye?" Minnie asked curiously, and maybe a bit hopefully.
"..." Junior paused at that before sighing, "Are you sure about this, Minnie?" Junior asked quietly.
"Aye, Mine Brother. Why doth thou question mine desire to grow in strength?" Minnie asked, more curious than offended.
"...Because, you are the only one," Junior answered with a sad look on his face, getting a curious look from her, "You are the only one I haven't tried to hurt yet..." He explained as a silence fell over them both.
"...Lord Grim Reaper Junior," Minnie announced strongly, making him go wide eyed as he looked into her harden gaze, "I am Princess MiniMandy. Once I shared the blood and power of the Great Nergal. I hath sacrificed everything that I was and everything I could become to save the one most dearest to mine heart," She recited formally, as if she was speaking to some great lord or god rather than her own brother, "Never hath I sought to reclaim what I laid up that altar and, on mine honor and mine word, never shall I. But I come to ye, with nothing more to offer save mine soul, in search of nothing more than your tutelage in mine quest to restore mineself to greater strength, to raise mineself from this near powerless state I hast fallen to. Wilt thou take pity on this one, Great Demon-Reaper? Wilt thou grant me the honor of learning from ye?" Minnie requested humbly, but pleadingly.
Even Clone was staring at her in wide eyes at her direct request, her way of begging Junior to help her become somewhat comparable to her former power rather being this simple animated doll. And yet, she flat out swore she would never ask for her old powers back. All she was asking of him was that he help her be strong again. After all she had given for him, that she felt she had to all but beg him of such a minor request truly wrenched at his heart. But still, the meaning was all too clear to him. This was important to her, she needed this. She needed to be more than weak.
Clone backed away slightly from Minnie as Junior's form took on its demonic form. Minnie couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something more to him, something that felt distinctive between him and Clone. Perhaps it was the wings made of razor blades, sprouting out of his back, the tips glowing a spectral green. It could be that Junior's axe-tail, the limb and blade both being longer than his counterpart by a notable fraction. Maybe it was just that that Junior had apparently developed a habit of standing on the balls of his feet during his transformation, giving him an extra few inches before resting flat on his clawed feet again.
Anyone else would have been terrified, on some level, to stand before such a being. But not his sibling, apparently, for she stood before him as if the Nergalization hadn't happened at all. Even as she felt the hot breath on her face from the close proximity to his hooded face, "You don't have to beg me, MiniMandy," He answered, his gagged mouth forming into a small smile that looked more like a smirk with his sharp teeth, "Aiding one such as you is something I'd be more than happy to do," He assured as he gently grasped her right hand with both of his own, the daggers that were his fingers more than capable to slice any part of her to ribbons, "But remember, my best and main way of teaching is experience...and you know the fate of those that have experienced me," He added on cautiously.
"Aye, I do, O Devourer. And I too hast experienced ye as well," Minnie pointed out, making Junior blink in confusion, "Doth thee not recall mine soul? Ye who ended my agony and reaped mine soul? Ye who never once sought to consume me?" She reminded as Junior went wide eyed.
That was right…he had reaped Minnie, to end her pain. He had held her soul in his arms before they had been stained with blood, "...Forgive me, Princess...that feels so long ago to me that I barely recalled it," He said with a soft, thankful voice, "I will do what I can to train you, Sister," He promised, dropping the formal act as his wings detracted into his back.
"That tis all I desire, Brother," Minnie answered with a smile.
"Come on...I think I know how to start with your training," He instructed, turning and pulling her along gently by one hand, his blades never once cutting her cloth as they reverted back to human fingers...
"Very well, Master Junior," Minnie said with a bit of teasing playfulness in her voice as Clone followed after them.
The tails of both Junior and Clone stiffened at the title, 'Oh great, she DOES take after Mom in that way,' Junior thought with a mental groan, his tail detracting a bit quicker than it would have, while Clone made a mental note to not let Minnie touch his tail outside of training...unless, maybe they were in private. Maybe.
Meanwhile
The Horde of One. The Singular Legion. Besieger of Halloween Town. Usurper of Death. The Deifier of Time. The Soul Eater. The New Grim. The Horrid Hybrid. The Living Death. The Abomination. The Demon Reaper. The Devourer of Afterlives.
All these names and titles had been given to that one Little Boy Death. Word had spread throughout the Underworld and Afterlives, causing a new interest and a new fear to spark in the hearts of all those that heard of him…Grim Reaper Junior, Mandy's eldest child. And if the rumors were to be believed, he had defeated the Bitch Queen herself in battle. These rumors were looked at skeptically by higher powers in all realms, but the commoners of the Underworld were not so easily fooled either. Exaggerations or not, something had indeed happened involving the Royal Grim Family of the Underworld. Those with spies or magic to peer into Halloween Town had seen the destruction left in the wake of something, some great battle.
Minus those that had witnessed the truth of the events, via magic or in person, none was more wary of such things than Aku, the Shogun of Darkness, and a mostly retired Lord of the Underworld. Still, one such as him did not retain a station of power without keeping tabs on the current happenings of the Afterlives. He had kept a watchful eye over the actions of the Grim Clan ever since Mandy had come to reign in the Underworld, as had many others. And the event in Halloween Town was no exception. But he was triply worried, because of who the rumors were about and who he knew was spreading them.
"My, my, it's been a long time since you requested me to visit, rather than me asking, Old Friend," HIM commented with a smirk as he got out of his limo, wearing a cowboy outfit, but retaining his cane and shades. He enjoyed the irony of a cowboy in an Asian based city, but those two items he always had as part of his wardrobe.
"Well, certain events have prompted the need for a rather...urgent discussion, Kare," Aku returned evenly, wearing a grey kimono with a red outlining, and currently at about average human size; Compete shape-shifting, it was a lovely ability. He rose a flaming eyebrow as he noted Mimi getting out of the limo as well. Not only was there no Jeff with her, but one of her claws was wrapped in bandages, "Run into trouble?" Aku asked, with some legitimate concern.
"Oh, we had a run in with someone back on Halloween," HIM answered smoothly with a meaningful chuckle as Aku narrowed his eyes, "Quite a hectic night that was. But it was well worth it in my opinion, I haven't enjoyed myself like that in over ten years. In fact, I think it was eleven," The devil answered with a smirk.
Aku was about to say something when he noticed Mimi's tail was twitching in irritation and she was squeezing her claws tight if he was right, "Perhaps your daughter would like to go and share the company of my daughter while we take this discussion elsewhere?" Aku suggested, Mimi shooting him a blank look for a moment that he was fairly sure was a bit thankful.
"I was beginning to wonder where that little Flower of yours was," HIM noted in interest, finding it almost odd to find Chi not waiting for them- or, more exactly, for Mimi, "You can run along, Mimi," He ordered offhandedly as they all headed for the palace.
"I wasn't sure if your daughter here would be accompanying you this time, so I opted against informing her of your visit rather than getting her hopes up," Aku explained as they entered the building, Mimi taking a different path than them.
"You must be very serious if you haven't pulled out Ikra yet," HIM noted in amused curiosity, making Aku's eyebrow twitch.
"I can be quite serious in any form, HIM," Aku reminded evenly, "And I'm not the one in a cowboy outfit," He added on pointedly.
"Ohh, snappish, haven't seen that from you in a while," His Infernal Majesty remarked, stroking his chin as they reached what looked to be a regular Japanese sitting room, "I take it this is about the rumors?" HIM asked, taking a seat in front of the small table.
"As perceptive as ever," Aku noted as he poured them both a dish of sake, "But what I find curious is that your men are the ones helping to spread these rumors, mostly the ones selling the demon meat, obsidian, and ice," The Shogun added on evenly.
"Ironic, no? That His Infernal Majesty has a near monopoly on ice in the Underworld?" HIM commented with an amused chuckle as he sipped his sake.
Aku rolled his eyes at that, "No one is stupid enough to mine it out of Cocytus and every other cold realm down here either doesn't want to trade in it or just isn't safe to do so with the frost beasts," Aku retorted.
"Guess I got lucky in that department, eh?" HIM asked with a smirk at his ally and friend.
Aku snorted at that, "Luck has nothing to do with that, but we're going off topic," He pointed out.
"Ahh, so we are. So, what is it you want, Aku? The rumors to stop? To know why I'm spreading them?" HIM asked, rather playfully.
"I think you can already guess, HIM: I want to know the truth of what happened that night," Aku answered in a level tone.
HIM paused at that, humming thoughtfully, "Junior is a great deal like his father, Aku." HIM started, Aku's eyes widening fractionally for a second, "More so than I might have hoped. But of all the traits they have in common, you know what perhaps my favorite is?" He asked with a smirk as he took a long, slow sip from his sake.
"I haven't kept a close eye on the boy himself like you have, so I wouldn't know," Aku answered with a stiff shrug.
"That is irrelevant, my friend. That boy has changed, much like He did all those years ago," HIM informed with an amused smirk.
"If he truly is like his father, I'd have to guess his sadism or his treachery," Aku answered knowingly.
"Regretfully, the boy isn't quite up to snuff in those categories yet, but he is still young," HIM answered, sighing nostalgically, "No, what I like most about both of those two is that when someone asks me about them, the cruelest thing I can do is something I rarely do- Tell The Truth," Kare answered cryptically.
"Tell the truth?" Aku questioned, before his eyebrows raised high in realizations, "You must be joking...are you saying that the rumors-"
"Are true. If anything, they're understatements of the things that boy did on Halloween. Even I'm unaware of a few details, but all I have ordered spoken is nothing more than the truth," HIM answered, rather proudly.
"You expect me to believe that an eleven year old boy was able to clone himself and laid waste to Mandy's army single handedly?" Aku asked skeptically.
"Heir of Death, Son of Mandy, and his sister's Nergal eye," HIM listed off pointedly, "To say nothing of what he inherited from his father, but I'd personally find it believable with just those three points alone," HIM answered with a shrug.
"...You are amazing calm for a demon that knows that the woman that wants you dead has a new weapon under her roof," Aku commented curiously.
"Weapon?" HIM asked in amusement, tipping his shades to look Aku directly in the eye, "Ohh, Aku, my poor friend. You must not have heard me. I said all the rumors were true," He reminded as he started tapping the can on the floor.
"...You mean to tell me that the boy defeated his mother?" Aku asked, eyes truly wide now.
"Defeated? He butchered her, like a wild animal," HIM retorted with a chuckle, "And as you can guess, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Prince Grim on that very night." HIM informed with a twisted smirk, "And after our meeting, I am positive he will never be Mandy's weapon."
Aku decided to take a long drink of his own sake before responding to that, "And here I thought you had hoped that the Lord Traitor was still alive. Yet here you are, eleven years later, cultivating a partnership with his son," Aku noted, somewhat amused.
"Ohh, make no mistake, Aku, I have no doubt that our friend is alive in some Dark and hidden place. But in the meantime, I should at least keep an eye on his son," HIM assured with a grin, a savage one at that.
"I thought you already were doing that?" Aku asked jokingly with a friendly and amused smile.
"I meant Junior. After all, he's the one that never got a chance to know his true father," HIM noted with a chuckle.
Meanwhile
Mimi marched through the tower that was Aku's home and palace with quick, long strides that were just short of running. While Mimi was usually calm, seeing Chi was something that she felted she needed at the moment. There were very few things that could affect the mostly-apathetic devil-puff half-breed. Sometimes, she was sure that her father had purposely made sure to never stamp out certain, specific fears out of her during what he called her...reeducation after that fateful day in Megaville...
Shaking her head of such thoughts, she entered Chi's room without warning, ignoring the guards and shocking the current occupants. Chi currently had her mouth full of Aku-Fried Chicken while trying to throttle Demongo with one arm, for some unknown reason. Chi's pink kimono was a bit loose and ruffled. On the messy table in front of her was a decent pile of empty plates and food containers. If Mimi could still be amused by simple things, she suspected this would make her give a silent giggle, seeing as Chi always tried to look her best before Mimi arrived. As it was, Mimi just stared at her for a moment.
"May-may...?" Chi asked with her mouthful, still too stunned to compose herself, for a moment, before she went wide eyed and swallowed, "I didn't know you were coming!" the Princess of Aku City declared, a bit embarrassed as she quickly tried to adjust her clothes, while looking at the trash-littered table before her with an appalled face, "I would have cleaned up if I ha-oh!" Chi started, trying to excuse the state of things, only to find Mimi had barreled into her, wrapped her arms around Chi in a hug and resting her head against Chi's chest.
The daughter of Aku blinked before smiling as she embraced her crush as well, normalcy returning to her at Mimi's normal behavior. Then she frowned as she noticed something, several somethings that were off about this embrace. Mimi's tail was limp; normally it was wagging in happiness or hugging onto Chi's waist or leg as well. The tail, hanging so carelessly, felt wrong to Chi, as if Mimi was upset. And Mimi wasn't nuzzling or licking her face. In fact, she was hardly moving at all. The embrace itself was tighter than normal, almost...needy.
"Mimi?" Chi asked as she pulled the horned girl back gently, holding her wrists as her gear-shaped green eyes met Mimi's red orbs. Mimi had always been a beautiful embodiment of darkness, sorrow, and suffering to the ginger haired girl, but this look was...it was hard to tell with the few facial cues Mimi had, but it seemed...disturbed to Chi. As if something had upset Mimi's very soul somehow.
She blinked as she felt something odd on her left hand, looking to see that Mimi's right claw was bandaged. She wordlessly moved her other hand to trace crack marks beneath the bandages. Frowning in anger, she looked back into eyes of HIM's daughter, "Mimi, what happened?" She asked stonily, ready to blow at any moment.
Mimi didn't want to answer, she really didn't. She couldn't stand the thought of Chi running head long into the jaws of the Demon-Reaper, let alone the rest of the Grim Clan. She had little doubt that Grim Reaper Junior would slaughter Chi, especially given the princess's attitude and nature. And so, she stared into Chi's eyes, trying to convey a message and hoping Chi would pick it up like she did most others...
"...Fine, we'll talk about this later," Chi answered begrudgingly, fighting down her curiosity, worry, and rage to focus on whatever time she had with Mimi. If need be, she'd ask HIM or her own father...or Demongo when Mimi left the room, seeing as the floating ball of an ex-general might know a thing or two about what was going on...
Meanwhile
"Brother, thine training tis not as I mayhaps imagined," Minnie noted in a peculiar voice as she tried to stand on top of a narrow wooden beam. They were in one of the castle's areas that their mother had designated for the training of Minnie in the past, a large circular room with many stone pillars throughout it. It seemed more of a dungeon than anything, just without the torture equipment. One secret his family didn't, or couldn't, hide was that the castle had a large basement, which might actually have more space than the castle itself.
Minnie had practiced her Nergal abilities a lot in this room to be honest. Currently, Junior had her trying to hit a target attached to a pillar about fifty feet away, with a bow and arrow, "No, but you're not as good a shot as you use to be either, even when you keep your balance perfectly," Junior pointed out, standing on one side of the beam with little issue in terms of balance.
"I doth not understand mine shortcomings, Brother. Is it that I lack a second eye to better perceive mine target's distance?" Minnie asked, a bit frustrated as she looked at the five-circle target. She had one in the second, two in the third circle, three in the fourth, and one had missed completely! Her old standard had been seven or eight in the small center, the rest in the second circle. How her skill had dropped so much, she couldn't explain. She had practiced balancing, so the beam wasn't the issue.
"Hmm, I think I know what it is...," Junior answered thoughtfully as he held out his hand, a bow and five arrows made of Nergal flesh forming in it as he handed it to her. She rose an eyebrow at her teacher, but obeyed the wordless instruction. Taking a breath, she gripped the bow and arrow, pulling back on it as she took aim. Junior watched intently as she paused for an instant, before letting the arrow loose...and hitting dead center, to Minnie's confusion. She tried it again and again, and all arrows hit the center of the target, the fifth arrow even cutting down the middle of the first.
"...Master, wilt thou enlighten thine student?" Minnie asked evenly, wondering how the hell she just suddenly gained several levels of skill.
"I'll be honest Minnie, this was actually a test," Junior answered as he jumped off the beam, Minnie sitting on it with an attentive look. The Demon-Reaper scratched his head for a moment before giving his answer, "I wanted to make sure you were really settled into your body, that anything you could have done without Nergal powers before, you could do now," He started, getting a nod from Minnie.
"A wise course, all considered, but to what doth thou perceive as my issue with Archery? Canst I make nary a shot without my demon powers?" She asked in concern.
"No, no. It's not you, exactly, that's the problem, it's the bow," Junior assured, making her blink and tilt her head, "Looking through your memories, I sensed that you've subconsciously altered the nature of bows made from your powers to best suit whatever distance you're shooting for- the tightness of the bowstring, the strength of the staves, and even the shape of the arrows. Your Nergal strength subconsciously compensated when you made the changes, so you never noticed. Now, however, you're stuck with a bow that is limited in what it can do. You're not a bad archer, you're just really used to using the best bow you can have," Junior explained, getting a wide eyed gaze from Minnie, "...I've had three days to myself, going through your memories was one way of killing time," He explained, a bit sheepishly.
"...My memory fails at times to recall that everything I ever was tis known within thine mind now," Minnie commented in wonder. There were things, under other circumstances, she would have asked him in regards to his opinion on things in her thoughts and memories, but now was not the time, "So, Master Junior, t'what would thine tutelage be on this matter?" She asked curiously.
Junior resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the title, "I know you're not giving up archery all together, so there's only two options. Either I make you a bow and a set of arrows, and hope they don't dematerialize on you in a bad spot, or you practice with a normal bow until you find something that can act similar to your Nergal-bow would," Junior pointed out bluntly.
"T'which, at the most basis of levels, amounts that either I must rely upon ye in times of conflict or I must improve mine own skills to not require my unknown crutch," Minnie summarized evenly as she gazed upon the five Nergal arrows that were dissolving away, "I mean no disrespect to ye, as mine brother or mine teacher, but I would much prefer to rely upon mine own abilities," She answered determinedly, handing him the Nergal bow as it turned into tentacles to rejoin his being.
Junior nodded solemnly, "I guessed as much. For all your differences, you are very much Mother's daughter," He noted evenly.
"To be so near to powerless tis a most discomforting feeling...," Minnie commented with a frown as she bowed her head to lean her chin onto her bow stave.
"I know."
Minnie blinked as the meaning of those words registered in her mind, turning to stare at her brother, who looked surprised and a bit regretful of the slip. After a moment, she understood, "...This tis how ye felt before mine powers," She realized with wide eyes as Junior turned away, refusing to meet her gaze.
"...I apologize. For all mine thoughts of ye, nary a time did I ponder how ye must have felt in comparison to our parents and the company they keep," Minnie offered after a moment of silence.
"What are you sorry for? It's not your fault that my Reaper powers were coming in late," Junior asked with a raised eyebrow, looking over his shoulder at her.
"Aye, but mine demonic powers came in early on an age. The depth of power, t'was not something mine young mind could grasp until mine training was well underway. I hath not realized what it might mean to feel this way," She explained with a small smile, "I think I understand ye a bit better...Grim Junior."
Junior paused for a moment before turning to face her with a bitterly amused smile, "...MiniMandy, you have forgiven me for far too many things for me to ever hold anything so trivial against you," He assured before smirking, "But if you really want to repent, than I sentence you to spend the next two hours practicing hitting that target. When you can hit the center ten times in a row, you can call it quits early- or put a new target even further back, up to you," He instructed, a bit jokingly, but serious on the instructions.
"Thou art leaving?" Minnie asked curiously, not finding the task unreasonable.
"At the moment, I don't have much I can do to help you with this. Now, you just have to get a proper feeling for a regular bow," Junior answered as he headed for the door, "Don't worry, I'll be around," He assured cryptically.
"...And now I am most certain that I am being watched." Minnie commented dryly to herself as her brother left, almost knowing that one of his clones was lurking on the ceiling, keeping a protective eye on her, "I would pray that thou doth not spy upon mine person in the privacy on mine room!" Minnie called up to the ceiling, almost feeling 'something' grin at her from some hidden spot.
End of Chapter
Chapter TWELVE! And we have passed the 100K mark people! RDR, you are my longest and more frequently updated fic! I don't know what draws me back to you all the time, but I love it!
And way, here we now have Minnie having a dream or vision, not unlike Junior's War of the Garden, and gets a LOT of titles in said dream. What it means, well, I'll let you all take a stab at that. And as you can see so far, Mandy and Junior are both being civil with each other. They aren't getting along, precisely, but they're not ignoring each either. Minnie, mean while, is just trying to keep her family from doing anytihng they'd regret. No Grim this chapter- why, i'm not sure, it jsut turned otu like that.
Also, side note: I know we kee dragging up the fact that Junior has killed Mandy once- twice depending on how you view the whole thing with Clone almost reaping her before the sanity returns. I don't mean to bore you all with that, but it is a BIG thing for everyone else. Mandy is going to be thiniking about it regularly for obvious reason, as is everyone that works for her. And everyone else is going to be wondering if its true. So, yes, I'm sorry if its annoying, but that point will be brought up a lot. Its like Punching out Cthulhu, people are going to be in awe or doubtful of it for a while.
Back on track, Junior is both testing his own abilities and is now training Minnie, after she gave a rather formal speech requesting his aide. Love that part for some reason, its like she's trying to shatter whatever guilt he has in regards to her as forcefully as possible. Also, she is calling him Master to screw with him people, so get any thoughts out of your heads! As for the part about the bow...well, if nergals shape shift to weapons, I imagine forming the perfect version of a weapon for whatever situation would become a bit of a andicap when limited to a finite-formed weapon. And in canon, we don't know how long Minnie was practicing with that bow in that scene after Mimi broke in, so she might have retrained her skill by then.
And now Kare has met with Aku in regards to the rumors about Junior. Yes, HM has a near monopolgy on ice, and therefore Ice Cream. And as my beta says, we get more cryptic backstory here. Yes, Aku knows who Junior's father was, Kare even calling him a friend of them both. And I'm sure you all caught the comment at the end of their discussion.
And yes, I think HIM would love it if there was a situation where the cruelest, most terrible thing is the whole truth. He's a natural at telling lies and twisting things, but something that is horrible even where he doesn't need to? Its probably his favorite kind of gossip.
And a little scene between Mimi and Chi. Before you all Chi haters start complaining, I'd like to point something out. This is RDR. Raging Demon Reaper. Think about the most likely things to happen to Chi when she meets RDR Junior. I promise nothing, but just think on that. For the non-haters, yes, Chi is going to learn about Junior soon, probably dismissing any recent rumors she's heard- and in her defense, she's probably heard a lot and not sure which to take seriously at this age. Still, we can all image what'll think about doing the moment she finds out Junior craked Mimi's claw.
Second to last, yes, Minnie know thinks she knows how Junior felt prior to having her powers. These two have a LOT of heart to heart moments, but that's to be expected when Junior's memories, thoughts included, recorded into his brain.
Finally...well, this fic is almost two years old now, and has over 15 thousand views, and I've loved the run this thing has had. I don't intent to stop anytime soon though. Depending on how I divide the plot up, I have three to six sequals if I don't just make it one extrmely long fic. Well, here's hoping that this fic will still be going strong next years. You guys are all great!
QTP: Who is speaking in Minnie's dream? What did the dream mean? Why do Junior have Mimi so disturbed? How does Aku know Junior's father? What will Chi think of the rumors? How will Junior and Minnie react to them as well? What will Junior train Minnie in once she's ajusted to a normal bow? And what will Aku do once he knows the full story?
