A/N: timeline is pre Miltian Conflict. Recommended that you finished XS Ep. II first before reading, since there're spoilers abound.

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Empire of Colors

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'Tinkerbell was very, very jealous that she'd poured poison over Wendy's cake.'

'She's one rotten fairy'

'That's not rotten. She's just lonely.'

'She'd kill to get whatever she wants. That's what we call selfishness.'

'But if Wendy dies, Peter Pan will come back to Tinkerbell.'

'She can learn to share. Besides, Peter was very angry when he finds out.'

'Don't you get it? Before Wendy showed up, Peter belongs to Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys. But ever since she came, she seduced him away, and, Peter was too fixated on her.'

'Listen here, Albedo...'

'If only she doesn't exist, he'll come eventually come back to me.'

Nigredo wasn't even sure if they were talking about the book or not anymore.

Even if you're born as the youngest in the family, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will receive all the pampering and spoiling from your parents. Being born as the middle child won't automatically make you the mediator and the wisest of the family.

But somehow, being born as the oldest and strongest could always make you the leader.

Nigredo learned this while he was still gazing over at Rubedo, and Albedo's constant nagging at his twin. Red and White were practically glued at the heart when they were still in their tube. Somehow, the closeness never ended for Albedo even after their medical separation by the researcher's, and the younger of the twin latched himself on the elder. They remained inseparable— and Albedo made his adoration seemed eerie in the eyes of strangers. Some would refer to it as worshipping, like a thrall to the relied deity. Fortunately for him, Rubedo never minded his overt brother complex, and remained nonchalant for him. Twins are bizarre in that way. And Nigredo's afraid he'd never have that kind of understanding when it comes for Rubedo and Albedo, what's with the ability bestowed upon them and all. Sometimes he would see his fingers trembled and his lips twitched on the mention of U-DO's name, and Nigredo would blink, pretending that he didn't see it.

Still, Nigredo was among the special of six hundred and sixty nine of Yuriev's off springs, and he glued himself to them automatically, the variant he is, though his admiration for the leader never grew as much as Albedo did. Dear father, Yuriev, had always treated them like objects, tools of war to utilize, and he never failed to assert it through the last 12 years of his life and his other 668 siblings.

They vary, the personalities, the way they talked, how they laughed and smiled, despite the same core planted on them.

He had the trouble of bringing his face up the first time he touched the world, and his vision was surrounded of people with the same face, same voice, though not the same hair color and eyes. He asked the question why, what, how, in his head over and over, eyes searching for friendliness and found none. Until it automatically stopped when he finally reached the tenth year, and began questioning Father's true intention of creating six hundred and sixty nine children as utilities of war.

Albedo loved clinging to Rubedo every time he could. He would call Albedo's affection as brotherly love, but some that didn't know they that well would have considered it a mania. Albedo loved playing his favorite record over and over, until he realized that he already memorized every lyric and tune of the song, and switched the record. He could sometimes hear Albedo's favorite tune in his sleep, and the white haired boy hummed in tune to it, tapping his heels rhythmically to the floor. He didn't know how or where Albedo got that ancient 'see-dee' player, with round plastic discs that shined of seven colors whenever he directed them to the sun.

At day light, he would be the loyal listener of the red-head, hearing intently on Rubedo's news flash about the fragile Sakura Mizrahi, or nodding his head obediently every time the older one needed approval on his taste on armed weapons. Rubedo craved guns ever since the training has involved fire arms and such, and he would swoon with his eyes younger than twelve every time the researchers let him handle a better gun. He knew his older brother was Father's and many researchers' favorite, despite how his impatience and recklessness has forced Nigredo to, sometimes, be the shadow leader of the trio. Albedo never questioned Rubedo's wisdom, not once, and he would get rid of anyone that stood in Rubedo's way, URTV or not.

A lackey. That's how the researchers valued him, and he realized that the rest of the world did the same. The telepathic ability showed up sooner than expected, but by then they have intended him to be a supplement other than the real thing since the beginning. He didn't get what it takes to be The One, he didn't react to U-DO and couldn't fight it if the time ever comes, though they christened him number 669 as the last child 'Nigredo', blackened with letdown and DNA failure. The perfect black horse, dedicated as the king's pawn.

Sometimes he could hear the older URTVs wincing at them, at the red-head the most, pushing themselves away but clinging to him, The One, at the same time. They hate Rubedo and they love Rubedo, but it never stopped to make him smile.

No, perhaps not. Rubedo never really smiles before he met that Mizrahi girl, didn't he? Being in the laboratory compound always reminded him of his origin, and the impending battle. A reason why he kept looking for her, maybe, but he didn't realize what this habit's outcome for dearest Albedo, paled by his jealousy and his brother complex, and he would spent countless hours speaking to none, with the see-dee player's volume went between the ear drum's tolerances.

Fortunately for Albedo, getting new ear drums was never a problem he has to deal with. Or a new leg or a new head for that matter.

Unfortunately for Albedo, the gift he's bestowed with was like a binding, unbreakable curse. He feared and loathed loneliness the most, and that's why on a warm sunny afternoon where Rubedo's off to visit Sakura in 'Neverland' which Albedo preferred it, he would turn on the stereo full-blast while he's not off digging on dirt, ignoring how the world around him would snicker. Sometimes, just sometimes, Albedo would do anything to part himself from them, and would even spend his night reaching to Rubedo's side of the bed.

There is good and bad in ev'ryone,
We learn to live, we learn to give

The stereo played a tune that seemed like millenias ago, and Albedo was listening with his eyes closed, and his head bent to his back. I think I almost hear him sing. Or not. He stepped backward alarmingly as Albedo's eyes suddenly snapped open, and reached over the nearby desk before colliding on the floor. His breath got caught in his chest, and for a while there Albedo watched him stumble as if saving his dear life from a prey. When Albedo opened his mouth to speak, it was so low that Nigredo was prompted to read his brother's lips.

Each other what we need to survive together alive.
Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony

"Do you like it, Nigredo?"

At first, he didn't quite catch it. "What?"

"This song," Albedo pointed the old stereo set. "Does it sound nice?"

The twins, much to everyone's amusement has different set of hobbies. Rubedo has a fetish for old stories and guns—it never occurred to Nigredo that his twin will considered old tune and melodies as a relaxation. Does it really matter? I don't think he really cares what I like or not. "I guess." He reached the desk's edge and helped himself up.

Albedo laughed, pointing the ceilings with his chin, and a shudder ran through Nigredo's spine. "What?"

"This song is titled Ebony and Ivory," he pronounced it, slowly like a hum, "by Paul McCartney."

We all know that people are the same where ever we go

Albedo had his hands on the floor, and Nigredo found dirt, ever existence in his brother's nails.

"Where have you been?"

"Digging our graves," Albedo said under his breath, "So when I die, I won't be alone."

"Never-Neverland is too exciting for Peter Pan," Albedo hissed, "He chose Wendy over the Lost Boys, who are entirely forgotten and I'm just so sadsadsadsadsad because he's going to leave him for the little wench. Why would he do that? I can call him wonderful as many times a day if he wants it. I will never ever leave him for a weak girl who can't speak in the real world. What does she see in her? I'm one thousand times better than her, that bitch… she seduced him so he'd separate from me and hog Rubedo all for herself."

The tone in his voice had confirmed the truth of his every words, and Nigredo really felt like raising his hand and gave him a punch of the lifetime to stop the out of place joke. If only it was a joke. But Albedo would try to blow up his head again if he had asked Albedo to stop saying that. Nigredo never liked his brother's blood and brain scattered all over the place, so he swallowed hard and spoke. "Do you intent to kill us?"

"I don't want to be alone."

"Do you?"

"I hate being alone."

"Do you?"

"I hate you and Rubedo for leaving me alone."

"Do you wished us to die now?"

"I hate you all and wish that I'll die when you die."

The day when you die, I'll die too.

"We're tools because we're foolish. We let others control and use us."

"No. We're not tools. We're just-"

Albedo stopped talking at the sight of his own hands, half drenched in blood stench and half covered in dirt, and closed his eyes. "Forget about that, Nigredo," And then he turned around, with his twelve year old child look in every line of his face, and grinned. "Why did you come here?"

Nigredo shook his head slightly at his brother's dire expression transform, and sighed inwardly. He had almost forgotten the reason why he was there in the first place. As he searched in his brain for a good reply, Albedo got off from the floor and tapped several buttons on the stereo, and the buzzing noise from the loudspeakers was gone in an instant. "Uh...there's something I want to show you, but I wanted to wait until Rubedo comes back from the dive,"

"Hey, guys! Come here with me!" Rubedo came barging in, and Albedo had forgotten about it instantly, as he ran through the sliding doors, and Nigredo had no choice to follow them. Rubedo's smile was more mischievous and excited than ever, as he led them through broken walls and hidden holes only passable by a 12 year old, and they reached a corner of the facility, filled with wild grass and dandelions. The dust around the equipment proved of abandonment from decades ago, and Nigredo had to fight with tangled spider webs around his head when he could finally stand up.

Rubedo produced a bottle filled with white liquid, and poured the content carefully into a small bowl. He crouched and placed the bowl slowly, and called out into the dark and dusty corner in front of him. "Come on out here," he clicked his tongue rhythmically, "I've brought you milk."

Albedo was crouching beside him with a curious and eager look, and jumped up when he saw the corner suddenly moved. "I-It's a monster!"

When the monster came out under the boxes of unused equipments, it meowed softly, and Rubedo smiled contently at it. "Come on, drink it."

Nigredo knew he had seen the four legged little creature lurking around somewhere, but he never knew that Rubedo would find it after he did. "How did you find him, Rubedo?"

"I hear him crying," The red head said, patting the creature's head as it slurped the milk quickly.

Meanwhile, Albedo has slowly emerged from Nigredo's back, and returned to crouch at Rubedo's side. "Wha-what is he?"

"This is a cat, Albedo. You should know it from those old books we read," Nigredo replied, watching the furball licking his paws.

Albedo's eyes got wider at the mention of the word 'cat', and he shyly reached forward, trying to touch the cat's forehead. It purred softly when Albedo did, and the boy laughed nervously. "I-I think he's cute."

The little feline moved his head forward, and it reached Nigredo's shoe, caressing his little head at the tips of his trousers.

"He likes Nigredo," Rubedo laughed, as he saw Nigredo pick the kitten up. "There're empty milk cartoons on the back. Did you already find him before I did, Nigredo?"

"I really wanted to tell you, but you're always in the Encephalon," Nigredo finally answered. "And I couldn't find Albedo anywhere."

"We have to give him a name," Rubedo said.

Albedo knit his eyebrows thoughtfully, and took the cat from Nigredo's arms, rising it highly to the air. "I know! We'll name him Cart!"

"Cart!" Rubedo hissed, faking an annoyed face. "You have no naming sense. I think Peter or John or Michael, or—hey, don't you think Lion sounds nice?"

"He's not a lion, he's a cat!"

"It's better than Cart or Wonder!"

Nigredo watched the twins argued about whether 'Wonder' or 'Tiger' would sound better, and the kitten became forgotten, as it made itself back to Nigredo's feet.

"How about Gaignun?"

Nigredo's question brought the twins' argument to a halt, and they stared at him intently. "Gaignun?" Rubedo was the first to speak.

"I once read a book titled 'the song of Roland' in your shelf. It's this story about the great King Marsil and his great steed, Gaig-"

"Gaignun! What a great name!" Rubedo exclaimed loudly, and took the kitten again from Nigredo's hold.

"King Marsil rode on Gaignun and slays his enemies. He is... the black horse of famine."

But Albedo and Rubedo was already fixated on that name and continued calling the kitten that way, rising it highly up on the sky, and Nigredo didn't even know if he was still talking about naming the kitten or not.