It was when Giggles found they were running low on confetti that she sent her errand boy—she relished in the feeling of being regal and having the power over others, even if it were just one boy she could give such a title to—to fetch more. The boy had taken her money with the elation of a person who had won millions of dollars in the lottery, strenuous laugh growing faint as he rushed to complete his assigned task. The bolt of yellow and green, the sweet smell of candy trailing it, flew to the town's all-purpose drug store. It was the least expensive place to procure what was needed, and still have leftovers to buy a few suckers or chocolate bars.
The sugar crazed boy exited the store with his parcels tucked neatly under his arm. Happiness was written over his face as he licked a rainbow dyed lollipop, trained on reaching the stick so that he didn't see the imposing figure that rested against the store's wall.
Nutty hadn't taken notice of him, until it was his leg he tripped over. He cried, not for the new tear in his jeans or the battered packages as they fell in the road, but because his lollipop had flew out of his hand. Working eye searching the cement with no luck, he raised it, instantly seeing it in the clutches of the figure. "Hey you caught it!" he chirped happily at his candy's safe fall. "Yay! Thank you! I would've had to go back and get another and I don't have money anymore so thank yoouu for catching it!"
The figure pulled the treat away at his open hand, as if having no intent of returning it.
"Y-you're gonna give that back, right?" Nutty asked urgently, following the arm up to his face. Wheat colored lips were tugged downwards in a scowl, nose wrinkled in antipathy, and narrowed eyes saying he would do opposite of that. Even with the sun beating down on his back and frying him, the shiver couldn't be suppressed. It was Shifty, now Happy Tree Town's only scandalous crook
"You would like that now, wouldn't you?" Shifty said, waving the candy in his face like a hypnotizing watch. It was a tease, he snatched it back quicker than the addict could grab out. "Well you know what I would like?"
"What?!" Nutty tumbled backwards as the masked face closed in on his, the back of his hood being fisted and raised higher.
"Mm~ I'm sure that you've seen my little brother running around with a particular redhead?" He clarified at Nutty's confusion. "The one who looks exactly like me, following at the heels of Little Ms. Shyness, ring a bell?"
Nutty blinked slowly. "U-um, you're talking about Lifty, yeah? Because if you are, then I think I know who he is! Yeah, yeah, he looks just like you! Tall, and with green hair, and oh yeah a mask—!"
"I know how he looks like!" Shifty looked around the street, finding no one who could potentially stop him should he get . . . vicious. "You think I don't know what my own twin looks like?"
"Maybe you forgot how he looked like! I was jogging your memory! You know, he could've grown a beard, maybe! Or, or! He dyed his hair and got new clothes and changed his number!—"
Shifty pinched his lips, rendering him silent, and rubbed his temples in frustration. "Your voice, it's like the pestering chatter of a squirrel. Just stay quiet for a minute, can you do that? If not, you can say goodbye to your lollipop~ would you like that, cavity?"
Nutty whined. The monster, threatening his candy, it was unspeakable! Only someone with a black heart would ever talk of keeping him from his beloved sweets, especially not while in his presence.
"Good, then don't be the chatter box you are while I'm talking."
Nutty was quiet, a bead of sweat on his brow as he restrained himself from trying to overtake the taller male to take his belonging.
"I bet he hasn't told anyone the real reason why he's leaning on Flaky so heavily. It's sad really, but he brought it upon himself." The twin spoke in melodrama, a smirk touching his lips when he saw he'd captivated Nutty's attention. The sugar freak would be one for a good story. He continued on with his theatrics, voice woeful, but silk smooth. "What was the story he told you? Hm?"
"Well he didn't really tell me a story, but from what Flaky said, he's staying with her for a bit!"
"But do you know why he's staying with her? Or are you as clueless as I thought you might be?"
Nutty stared blankly. After he had found her guest was in no way related to her, he had made a guess that he was possibly a distant family friend. Who happened to share the same features as the crafty town thieves. "Flaky didn't really tell me . . . but I heard that it had something to do with someone—you I think! Yeah, yeah! That you didn't like him anymore!"
So he didn't know the full story? This would be easier than he had thought then. A few switches here, a word mix up there, a boy born manipulative and a halfwit junkie, and he'd have a new story to tell. "Really now? So he didn't tell you that he was the one who ditched me? I guess I wouldn't tell the truth either, I'd want everybody pitying me for being the abandoned brother, but I doubt he's even told Flaky the full truth."
"Lifty ditch you?" gasped Nutty, functioning eye wide in anticipation for the rest of the truth.
This was too easy. Shifty withheld the laugh that wished to escape, coarse and like sandpaper, and dropped his sweater hood. "You seemed surprised. He made me look like the bad guy all this time, right? While in reality he hasn't told any of you the real truth for why he's being such a leech." Without another word, he flicked the lollipop to the floor, where it broke. Spiteful, he crushed the remaining bits of solid candy under his shoe, grating them into dust against the cement.
"He's been lying to you, anyone who's heard his story~ I know it's difficult to comprehend, what with your peanut sized brain and all, but you should accept that it's true~ Lifty's not who you think he is; he's not the victim here. But you continue to believe that, what a shame." Shifty waited for his words to sink in before he added suggestively, "Well . . . you know the truth now. You know something your friends don't, so what are you going to do~?"
Nutty slumped in sadness as his treat was destroyed, thinking he would lick up the candy powder when Shifty removed his foot. His thoughts were too occupied, now that he had two sides of the story and no clue who to believe, to think of the consequence of licking the cement: A bleeding tongue. "I know! I'm gonna go back to Giggles, ask her for more money, and buy a new lollipop!"
Turn that easy into a challenging; the green haired boy was thicker headed than expected. If he couldn't go to his friends and tell them the made up story, then this conversation would be pointless. He'd get as much of a response as he would have if talking to a rock. At least then it wouldn't talk stupidity. "I stand corrected, you are more of a dunce than I would've thought. How about I bring it down to dumb terms? You, yes you, go to your friends, run as fast as your sugar powered legs can carry you, and tell them all I just told you."
"Do I include the part where you tripped me!?"
"No! Just go and tell them the truth about Lifty, and be sure that Flaky is within earshot~"
"Where are you going?!" Nutty yelled as Shifty turned, leaving. The aura that radiated from him screamed mischief, but what lurked in his emerald gaze was unreadable. Whatever it was, he didn't want the addict to figure it.
"None of your business. Just tell Flaky, I'm sure she'll believe you by the end of the day~"
xXx
Flaky jumped at a rapping on the window, dropping the wrapper she'd been picking off the car floor at Petunia's request. It was Nutty. . . . She rolled down the window, hearing the impatient tapping of Petunia's nails on the steering wheel. "Nutty? W-what is it? Petunia, Giggles, and I were just about to go to the s-store right now to buy a few things, is there something you need?"
The boy was flushed red, panting like he'd just escaped the mouth of a fierce predator. He took a two minute breather, in which the three girls sent each other looks. What had gotten into the sugar junkie? There wasn't some sort of killer pursuing him, no sweet residue on his upper lip that said he was on a famous sugar high, and Giggles hadn't particularly told him to rush. The car's hum matched his breathing as it slowed. Soon he was a reasonable shade of pink and his breaths had quieted considerably. The three shared another look at his dazed face; Nutty seemed to have forgotten that they were still in the driveway because of him.
Petunia coughed. "If you're just going to stand there getting smudge marks on my car, move away so we can leave."
"WAIT!" The car stopped as he screamed, deafening Flaky and throwing his arms inside the automobile. "I have something super-duper important to tell you! Really!"
"If it's about candy," Giggles said from the back seat, "then we don't want to hear about it. And where are the bags of confetti I told you to buy? Don't tell me you forgot to buy them!" She should have known better than to think he would spend the money given on anything other than candy. If it would satisfy his own needs and get him what he craved, he would waste her hard earned cash.
"No! It has a candy part in it, but it's something that you would've never believed! You gotta listen!"
"No offense," said Petunia, shifting the car back into drive. "But I'm thinking back on the last thing you said was super important. You just wanted our Halloween candy and made us believe we had to offer it to the demon gods."
"Why don't you go help Lifty? Or if there's nothing to do, you can fetch Lammy and tell her to meet us at Pop's Bakery."
"You guys aren't listening!" Nutty stomped his foot. "It IS important! It has something to do with Lifty and you guys are brushing it off as nothing! He did something bad! Bad!"
Flaky put her elbow on the seat's arm rest. Nutty was one of the only people who hadn't said anything mean or downgrading when she introduced Lifty—or when he introduced himself to Lifty. He had accepted him without hesitation, his friendly, loud, cheerful personality making him new friends constantly. Even if Lifty had shown disgust towards him, he still hadn't put him down with words. And suddenly he was saying the twin was bad, something must have come up or happened.
"H-he's in the back. Nutty, we don't have time for this right now, can you tell us l-later? If we're late Pop might give our cake to someone else, and C-Cuddles already had it written on with frosting."
"But you won't know what he did if you don't listen!—"
"Alright," Petunia threw her arm over the driver's seat, watching for any cars passing on the street. "I've had enough of this, haven't you girls? You can continue with your antics later, we're busy Nutty."
Whatever dignity the addict held fled as he chased the speeding car, down the street and onto the next. "WAIT! NO YOU GOTTA LISTEN! I KNOW SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TOO!"
The shrieking echoed through the street, reaching the backyard where Lifty currently was flipping through a deck of cards, graciously given to him by Toothy. The freckled boy had assumed he'd find them missing later on anyways, so why not cut to the chase and hand them over? He was seated by himself, stacking them up in a pyramid.
Nutty was a screamer; he didn't pay mind to him anymore than he would a mewling cat.
To sum the day up in one word: Decent. He had had worse days, he had had better. The warm, affectionate feeling he'd felt earlier was subsiding, though what it was he didn't know. The want for an answer plagued him. It had been gushy and soft and almost tender, not to mention gross. It was sickening because he was supposed to be a tough man, and to be having girl feelings, it was repulsive.
The house of cards fell down, but it wasn't the slight shaking of his hand that did it. It was that Lifty wasn't looking while playing it, he was distracted by an all too familiar figure waving from beyond the fence.
"Not again." He went back to re-stacking the cards into a deck and sliding them into their box. Hadn't he seen the last of his brother, why did he have to keep pestering him? Shifty's snide grin was the sunshine of his day. If that day was the shittiest day any person had ever lived through, then it was eaten by a carnivarous bear, and regurgitated into a bucket made of lamb intestines.
"Mm, how's it going little brother? Still clinging to your new 'friend's' backs?"
"What do you even want, Shifty? Why don't you go get your own life and stop barging into mine." Lifty didn't have the intention of getting up, quite fine with the distance set between them.
"Ooh~ scornful today aren't we~? I can't believe you're still bitching over this." Shifty spoke smoothly, as if he thought he could convince his brother out of his grudge. "It was in the past, and I've forgiven you."
Forgiven him for what? As always, his twin was being a vain asshole.
"I'm not holding anything against you, so I'll give you one last chance~ come on bro, come home and we'll leave this little quarrel behind us. We'll go on robberies again like old times, all you gotta say is you were wrong~"
Wrong. Right. Because he was always blamed, always deemed as the one in fault, always passed the title of wrongness to. It was always like that. Why was it that his older twin never got told what he was doing was wrong, why did it always have to be the youngest? Shifty was a good commander at times, but it wouldn't hurt to take the blame when things didn't go as planned. But no, that wasn't how things worked, or used to work.
Lifty, you idiot! Lifty, you're such a screw up! Lifty, why was I damned to be brothers with someone who can't take one step without getting us caught?
All the time. All the damn time. But this wasn't the case, he hadn't screwed up anything this time. It was all Shifty's fault. And if he wanted to mend what was broken, he better had been waiting for a cruel slap from reality. He wouldn't deal with being told everything was his fault by one who was as superior to him as the next guy. No, he'd rather be murdered in the most sadistic ways possible than hear that identical voice, his voice in a different perspective, tell him how he was useless. If only he could wipe that smugness from his voice and face, his animosity would be held at bay.
"Unless you don't want to come back home? Would you rather stay here with no friends? At least at home you'd have me to talk to~ here you only have the ever silent Flaky to converse with, and she doesn't understand your way of thinking like I do~"
No friends, but he did have friends now. Flaky for one, the loving redhead was the first friend he had since primary school, where the teacher forced everyone to befriend their classmates. But she wasn't all; his thoughts turned to the squeamish sugar addict. Sure they'd only spoken three times, in five minute periods, but the hyperactive teen had a quality that he used to gain everyone's friendship with. Then there was the pinkette, an annoying girl who got on his nerves as much as the jumping boy. She argued him on whatever he said, but she seemed to have good intentions at heart.
More or less.
She seemed to have good intentions at heart—when it came to Flaky being involved. Still, after they had bandaged her hand there had been a mutual agreement. Like they would stand each other, talk rarely, but acknowledge one another as an individual.
Were those considered to be friends? . . . Or even acquaintances?
"Are they here? Or did they leave you like I said they would?" Shifty went from his cant pose to climbing and hopping over the waist high fence. If they weren't there, this could be a stroll to the ice cream shop. His idiot brother hadn't seen his hands behind his back yet, abstracted by his contempt filled stare. His smile turned warm, too warm, at the decorated backyard and the cliché favors. Cute; people still used streamers and punch bowls. Only a "Happy Tree Friend"—as he referred to the irritatingly giddy residents of the town, the category including Giggles, Petunia, and the alike—would have such a predicted party.
"Do you think they'd be angry that I decided I would come, uninvited?"
Lifty put the cards in his pocket. They could be back at any time, Pop's Bakery was on Main Street only fifteen minutes away. They could have gotten the cake already, and his twin was continuing in making pointless small talk. If they came and saw the two interacting, that would stir up some suspicion. And he had barely earned a drop of Giggles' trust, but that drop would evaporate in seconds if she thought he might be double crossing.
"Yes, they would." He could hear the strain in his voice, hands clasped on the table underside. "I don't want you here either, so it's best you leave."
"Being civil now?~ what happened to cussing me out like our old arguments?" Shifty put his hand on the table, smirking at the sad excuse of a thief. "Didn't think Flaky would have rectified you this much, must have been a real burden on her~ don't you feel guilty knowing that you gave her more problems than she had before? Such a nuisance, she must think that, too."
He thought he hated Shifty before, but that was a lie. It was mere dislike, a strong loathing. Lifty hadn't known pure hate until that moment, when the comments from his brother that belittled him rampaged through his mind. Every stupid word that left his lying mouth, tainted with fake superiority, which ever kept him in his place. The place that Shifty set for him, put barely higher than a pack mule, some sort of slave he held no regards for. And that sniggering face that they shared since child birth, it was enough to gain his fisted hand. It didn't hesitate in waiting, in flashing out in full intents of socking the slyness from his brother.
It didn't intend to miss, however.
Shifty had moved to the left evasively as the fist sailed by the tip of his nose, inches from hitting him. Lifty's expression transformed into shocked irritation, teeth clenched as an uneasy peach pit grew in his stomach. Shifty wasted no time with a remark, his own hand shooting out and catching Lifty's unguarded neck. His fingers struck under his Adam's Apple in a well-targeted jab.
"Your reflexes have gotten slower," Shifty said, sounding disappointed at his twin's guttural gag. "Shame, being on your ass all day has proven to have had a negative effect on your speed."
Tears pricked at the younger's eyes as his face burned in embarrassment, hands gripping his sore throat. "What the hell," rasped Lifty. "I-I've always been faster—"
"Have, as in, past tense. It suits you anyways. A wimp shouldn't be fast, they should be pathetic, weak~"
Lifty quietly snarled.
"So you're not gonna come back with me, are you? This is your final chance, I won't be asking anymore."
"With you?" A snort. "I think I would have taken you up on that offer if I had any thoughts of going back. Fuck off Shifty, I can actually have a life away from you now."
An icy glint and small smile from the older thief. "I was afraid you'd say that. So you really believe that by the time Flaky's back she'll want to keep you around?" He touched the punch bowl, moving the ladle and stirring the strawberry bits inside. "Because someone could come here and wreck everything. Nothing in this world lasts forever, so I don't see why you thought this relationship with her would be anywhere near stable. It was bound to perish at some time."
Oh G-d, there was that foreshadowing. Things had taken a turn for the worse, Shifty's calm tone had said it all. You knew he was either beyond angry, or planning something when he used his understanding voice. Lifty gulped, which hurt his throat. "What . . ."
"Everything could just blow away like a puff of smoke. And where would you be then?" He took out the long, shining object he'd hidden from his brother's eyes until that second. "Discarded, thrown out, abandoned~ it's too bad you didn't want to come home. You know there's always consequences for wrongful actions."
And there it was. His stomach dropped into his feet, he sat forward in his seat, and all thoughts were forgotten. What was this feeling? Worry? No, it was stronger. Fear, it was cold, solid, fear. Not for his own safety, but what he feared for was the future and present he had built up. Flaky, what would she say, what could she say? If he didn't do something, she might slip out of his fingers like water. Now he knew what Shifty had meant by destroyed, tossed into the fire to obliterate into dust.
For in his hands was a lightweight aluminum bat. How did he not notice it? He had been too preoccupied despising his brother's presence, he should have realized there was a reason for the crook to have his hands hidden. There wasn't time to be reprimanding himself for not being attentive, Shifty was staring at him mockingly and swaying the bat idly.
"Shifty," he said cautiously, "what are you doing?"
"You were there when Cuddles cut me, you saw how mad it made me get~ I'm still remembering his wailing when prissy Giggles met that truck." Softly, he chuckled. "Good times. When you and I plotted things together. But now you've moved on, and I really don't like that. There's no one to take the blame besides me, so you see why that's been causing me some distress?"
Lifty nodded, eyes trained on the weapon. "You're crazy. You're fucking crazy. That's what you are. A crazy, sociopath, mother fucker."
Shifty frowned. "That's not the right way to talk to your elder, dipshit."
"Holy crap dude, you're off your top today. What did you take this morning? A bottle of psycho pills?"
"I just wanted to see how my wittle bwother Wifty is doin', you act as if I'm committing a crime right now~"
He pushed out his chair and got up, watching for any movement that his mentally unstable brother could make. "When you're acting like you're ready to shoot everyone, then yes. If you just go right now I won't even tell Flaky you were here. We can go separate ways and—"
"Haven't you been listening? I need someone to help me in crime, I haven't even been able to rob a bank on my own since that takes two people." He tapped his own head lightly with the bat, rolling his eyes at his kin's stupidity.
"Then get a fucking dog, it'll be able to help you drag out the money." Lifty, paranoid now, could imagine the girls pulling into the driveway right then. "You're gonna hurt someone with that, G-d just leave."
"I just want to hurt you." It was above a whisper, but it confirmed Lifty's suspicions. His brother really had lost his mind. It must of had to do with the bonk he'd gotten on his head, the same hit that caused his old bruise, and triggered his inner insanity. He held his hands up. Would Shifty actually beat him to death with the bat? What a way to go.
"Not physically, fucktard, how would you be worth anything to me then? Nah, I was thinking something that would wreck what you've been holding onto and putting your hopes in this past month." He turned back to the punch bowl, spitting in it for good measures. "How does this sound, 'L-Lifty! What happened here?! W-why is everything destroyed?!', does it give you a hint?~"
Though a poor imitation, he was obviously mimicking Flaky. Destroyed—no, he wouldn't.
He wouldn't, but yes, he would. Lifty didn't answer, not that he could have, his vocal chords didn't seem to be responding to his brain at that instant, before he saw the shine of silver as it was raised. He quietly recorded the seconds that ticked by as the bat made its descend, bidding the life he had come to know as he counted two. Then, like that, time sped up into a flash. A micro-second passed and the aluminum met the glass bowl. It cracked, then the flood of pink strawberry lemonade spilled onto the white cloth.
He was petrified, thoughts that said to stop him racing from his mind. The galloons of lemonade were wasted, staining the stark cover and slipping over to drip in the grass.
"Heh." Shifty shook the drops of drink off. "'Lifty, w-what did you do that f-for?! Y-you sociopath!' If only I could feel your devastation when she tells you that, your expression should be satisfying enough though~" Next were the lanterns, which went flying, battered, as the bat swung to pull them from their nails. The thin paper ripped, gaping holes facing the sky as they bounced to a stop on the grass. Some rolled, some didn't, but Shifty made good measures to stomp on each ones he passed.
Lifty watched how he would with an engaging TV show. The series unrolled and unfolded before him, and he didn't have the power to stop it. His limbs were not complying with what his brain was saying, the blood in them paralyzed and his nerves unresponsive. But as the eldest swiped the weapon across the table that held the punch, knocking down the cups, plates, and revolving stands that held cupcakes, he found his voice.
"Hey! W-what the hell are you doing!? Stop!"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" The potted plant Flaky had worked so hard to align was sent to the ground. "You went out of line, brother, and there needed to be someone who'd correct that."
Lifty pushed away from the table and ran to block his sibling from doing any more harm than was done. He soon learned that, though being the stronger of the two, it would be difficult to wretch it from Shifty's hands. "Let go!" he growled. "Why are you doing this!?"
"Because!" Shifty heaved, reluctant to give up. "That stupid contraption ruined everything I wanted! So why should you get what you want?! It wouldn't be fair!"
"That was your fucking fault! I don't know why you're taking it out on me! Just get out!"
Shifty stopped pulling, if only for a moment. "We're connected, you're my brother, so anything that happens to me should happen to you."
"What?" Lifty stared dumbly. In some sort of lighting, his statement would be considered rational. But in this lighting, it was revengeful and half baked.
He had an advantage now, one that would be the downfall of Lifty's high tower of change. "You fucking idiot, you deserve what I went through." Shifty's foot collided with the spot that brought his younger to his knees.
Lifty's face contorted in pain, his hold loosening as he fell on his side. Not again. It was Lammy all over . . . but this time the situation was worse, and his weakness would allow Shifty to continue his reign of destruction. He could only lay with his cheek pressed on the warm grass, breathing shallow and an ache in his stomach, as Shifty was left to end what he started. Each crash of tables being overturned, the crunching as the remaining lanterns were crushed, and the work invested by him and the redhead being demolished, was a ton that seemed to be added to his fear.
He couldn't do anything. He knew why. It was because Shifty was in charge, he always had been. His word was law and anything he wanted to happen would happen, no matter what. He would crawl to the ends of the Earth on his belly, ignoring the rocks that scraped and cut his skin, just to have his revenge. It didn't matter if you tried to run and hide, hoping you wouldn't be hit by a van or accidentally ingest meat with mashed glass shards in it, he would hold the grudge until you were delivered with payback. That was the way Shifty was satisfied, even if the one receiving his vengeance was his own family.
The noises quieted until it was absolutely still, but Lifty didn't stir, frightened by what he would be faced with if he looked. The destroyer said nothing, that smirk probably glued onto him, as he walked by the downed male. He did, however, give a kick to his posterior, chuckle, and throw the bat down. It rolled and touched his back, the chinking of the fence and running feet signifying Shifty had left.
Left disaster behind.
The young thief didn't budge for minutes, though the pain had left him, only to be replaced with a numb fear. How could he think that this would be standing by nightfall, he'd get a chance to score free cake, and figure out what Flaky had caused in his chest. It was unreasonable, irrational, his luck.
The slamming of a car door. No, they couldn't be back. Was it possible that this would all fade away if he willed it to? They couldn't see that everything was . . . broken. It was too early for him to lose their trust completely; to lose Flaky. She would understand though, she never was angry at him, she wouldn't think any less of him.
Lifty stood up, staring at the bat that lay besides his feet and then at the backyard gate.
. . . It opened.
And a gasp from Flaky, who stared wide eyed at the wreckage that had once been their party. Then at the guilty looking thief who stood amidst it.
"L-Lifty?"
xXx
BAM cliffhanger! This was going to be combined with the next chapter, buttt I thought I'd let you guys imagine what her reaction will be C:
I happen to like Sociopath!Shifty, he was quite interesting to write.
Members of U.C.F.F (United Cousins/Friends of Fanfiction):
Boony- Warrior that takes shape of a wolf in battle.
Ratty- Flying, nocturnal spy (how dare you let the milk spoil! D:).
Crystal- ._. I actually don't know. Oh yeah, my wife!
Me- Husband, hobo, and butterfly (or so my spirit animal test says).
FLAKY WHAT WILL YOU DO!? D: