Content warning: fantasy violence, toxic behavior, emotional abuse, self-destructive behavior (in the form of social isolation/ending social contact)
Memory sensed it. Void sensed it too, which was why he called his 21-year-old son to meet him at the castle balcony. "Memory, it's time..."
Memory gulped. He knew what plan Void was talking about, but he always hoped it would stay hypothetical. But here it was, ready to be set in motion.
"I know you sensed it: the newest Galaxy Tower revealed itself. I don't know why those morons decided to reveal their location, but before they disappear from our radar again, we gotta seize this moment." Void's expression grew more serious. "...which is why I want you to deal with all three of them today."
Memory flinched. "All three? Today?!"
"I know erasing a person's entire memory drains you, so you'll need these." Void summoned three Shadow Stones, their dark aura somehow absorbing more color out of this already bleak dimension. "These samples are some of the most powerful Shadow Stone ever discovered, reserved just for you. You can thank me later. Just make sure you use them before you pass out and – "
"Wait, Father! I apologize for interrupting, but are you positive that this is the right thing to do?"
Void glared at him. "Is there a problem?"
"There is no problem. I-I just want to know why you are so sure about this plan."
"Stop asking questions and trust me!" Void snapped. "Why are you questioning me?! Are you...not loyal to me?" He looked away with a heartbroken expression. "You know, those who question me are always the ones who abandon me later."
Memory flinched. "No, I promise I'm not like them!"
Void turned away and crossed his arms. "I was abandoned by Galaxy. You were abandoned by him too. We're supposed to stick together. I don't know what I'll do with myself if I lose you too!"
Memory felt sick. "You don't have to worry about that, I promise! I'll-I'll do it! Let's head to the tower right now! Just please don't think so poorly about yourself."
Void looked up and weakly smiled. "Hah...that's the Memory Steve I know."
Memory and Void teleported to a valley that bordered the dense forest biome where the Galaxy Tower resided. They immediately spotted the Tower, standing in the center of the biome and towering over the oak trees.
"I'll...scout the area," Memory said. He decided to lie more. "...To gather insight on how the enemy is moving, so I can isolate and attack them individually. You may wait here, if you want."
Void offered the three Shadow Stone. The stones had been crushed into powder and put into three glass tubes.
Memory shook his head. "Please hold onto them. I'll use them once I have a proper strategy. I don't want to be foolishly impulsive, after all."
Void groaned, put away the tubes, and crossed his arms impatiently.
Memory climbed down the valley and navigated through the forest. Oh Colors, he thought. What did I just agree to? I can't do this...
But he had to. He had to erase their memories and separate them. They may be family, but they were enemies too. Void knew better than him. So if he said they were enemies, they were enemies. If he said Galaxy abandoned them, Galaxy abandoned them.
Yet, every step closer to the Tower made Memory more nauseous.
Old memories began to resurface. He remembered Time reading books with him. He remembered Elemental helping him find and buy the perfect neckties. He remembered Galaxy inviting him to so many adventures. He must had meant something to his family, right? The fond memories clung to his heart, and it hurt to tear them away. If he was already hurting, he dreaded the anguish he'd feel when he'd finally attack...
Eventually, Memory arrived near the Tower, and he sensed a familiar energy. Two family members were inside.
"Can we hide the Tower's energy now?!" Galaxy cried inside. Memory flinched and hid behind the tree closest to the Tower.
"Give it time!" Elemental warned inside. "It's been too long, and making the Galaxy Tower visible is worth the risk if there's a chance that Memory will visit us."
Memory perked up. They want to find me? He got excited. Maybe they can help me talk Void out of this plan! No, we'll all get in trouble since he won't change his mind. Maybe I can just talk to them; ask them to pretend to lose their memories when I attack them? Then Void will leave them all alone and we will still remember each other!
Full of hope, Memory stepped out from his hiding place. He inched closer to the Tower. But before he stepped out of the tree's shadows, he heard Galaxy shout, "No, Elemental! I know we can defend against Void and Memory if they show up, but the fact that they could easily come makes me nervous!"
"You say this now?!" Elemental yelled. "If you're so worried, then help me find Memory and convince him to join us. We can make the Galaxy Tower invisible once we find him."
"Look, I just don't want Memory with us!"
...What? Memory stumbled back into the shadows. He stared at the Tower, too focused on waiting instead of breathing. Through one of the Tower's windows, he saw Galaxy looking frustrated.
"Time's asked me again and again to find Memory, but I always told him no," Galaxy explained. "I know you'd act like this too. That's why I'm always in charge figuring out where to hide next. I want to make sure Memory or Void never find us. Look, I know you care about Memory, but you don't know him as much as I do. I've...I've seen all the horrible things he's done. I'm worried that he'll cause trouble if he joins us."
Memory blinked, as if blinking would undo what he just heard. But you told me to do those horrible things for you...
Elemental growled, "So all this time, you've been a coward secretly keeping us away from Memory? You...you imbecile! I wished you blatantly told us years ago, instead of tricking Time and I into believing you had a heart!"
Memory dropped his gaze to the ground. His blood boiled, and he wondered if Elemental's blood was too. All this time, Galaxy could had easily come back for him, but he never did. And he purposefully stopped Time and Elemental from finding him. He was committed to this betrayal.
Galaxy sighed. "I'm sorry, but we can't have Memory join us. Just give up on him."
Elemental snarled. "What did Memory do to deserve being left behind?" Memory quickly hid as Elemental ran out of the window and flew away from the Tower. Galaxy guiltily watched him soar away, before trudging back into the Tower's kitchen.
Memory teleported deeper into the forest. He leaned against a tree and eventually collapsed from all the trembling. If Galaxy cared, he would have come back. But he didn't. He didn't. The words echoed as if his mind (and heart) had become a cavern, cold and empty like the amount of sympathy he had left for Galaxy.
Eventually, he went back to Void. He tried to mute down his tremors and kept his eyes to the ground. He didn't want Void to see him as this emotional mess, but he desperately wanted comfort from the only man he could trust now. He wanted Void to come up with a bright idea to replace these dark thoughts. He wanted Void to spew those words to fill the cold cavern of his mind, to make his new spite stronger. He wanted Void's permission to hurt someone.
Void sneered and brought out the three tubes of powdered Shadow Stone. "Well?"
Memory stared at the dark substance. He glanced back at the Tower. He huffed as he narrowed his eyes with contempt. To think that he even hoped his family didn't have to fight.
Memory reached out his hand and Void handed over the three tubes.
"Memory?"
Memory, who had been lingering around the forest, looked up. As expected, Elemental had detected his energy and spotted him during his angry flight. Memory froze for a convincing amount of silence before bowing. "It's been a very long time."
Elemental landed next to him and smiled. "Perhaps it was fate that our paths crossed again. What are you doing here? Our base is actually not far from here."
Memory suppressed his growing anger to quickly come up with a lie. "Practicing on my teleportation powers."
"Ah. No wonder I found you here. The energy of the Galaxy Tower must had lured you closer. Umm...does your father know?"
"Well, he knows I'm training. Though to hear that I've happened upon you would certainly surprise him."
"Well, let's keep it a secret between you and me," Elemental chuckled.
Memory cleared his throat. "Actually...I do have a problem. It's complicated and I don't know who to talk to about it. Is it alright if we talk about it in...?"
Elemental suddenly looked concern. "Oh, of course." He turned around to point toward the Tower. "Our home is right over – "
Memory grabbed Elemental and wrapped his arms around his neck.
"What – what's going – !"
Before Elemental could flip him over (which he could easily do), Memory pressed his hand against Elemental's head. He concentrated and let the powers flow, ignoring the guilt that was begging him to stop.
A flash of light.
Elemental fell unconscious. Memory grunted as he set his heavier, muscular cousin down. He trembled as he popped open a Shadow Stone tube, allowing the powder to enter the air and into his system. "When you wake up...you'll feel the pain that I feel," he said bitterly.
He glanced to his left and saw Void climbing down the valley. Void remained in the shadows of the forest, an evil, gleeful smile stretched across his face.
The grass rustled to Memory's right. "Elemental?" Galaxy's voice called. "Elemental, look, I said all the wrong things. Can you hear me out and – "
Memory turned as Galaxy emerged from the trees. Galaxy gave a horrified gasp. Memory braced himself as his uncle pounced at him and pinned him to the ground.
"YOU MONSTER!" Galaxy roared. Wild tears and spit splattered on Memory's mask. "I shouldn't had let Elemental be your friend; I knew this would happen!"
Memory teleported out of his grasp. He retorted, "It doesn't matter if you were right about me or not. You won't do anything about it either way."
"Won't do anything? Won't do anything?!" Galaxy balled his hands into fists. A blob of galaxy goop spawned near his dominant hand and stretched into a thin, shiny staff. He grabbed the staff and swung it at Memory. "THAT PERSON IS NOT ME ANYMORE!"
The staff hit Memory and boom! Purple energy surrounded Memory and warped him to another part of the forest. "Ah!" Memory was launched back. He tumbled through the grass until SLAM! He crashed into the invisible forcefield around the Galaxy Tower.
Memory hissed in pain as he propped himself up. He saw Galaxy soar into the blue sky, ready to swoop down and attack again.
Adrenaline flared. Memory generated a bow and shot Galaxy, who cried and plummeted to the grass. Memory sprinted towards Galaxy and teleported them both to a different area of the forest.
Galaxy groaned, "Ugh, where...where am I?"
Memory shot another arrow at Galaxy. "Ow!" He retreated into the shadows before Galaxy would whirl around.
Galaxy hyperventilated, scanning the forest with uncertainty. "Time?! Elemental?! Where are you?!" He sprinted through the forest, looking around frantically. "I need you to be safe and – ow!"
Memory teleported from shadow to shadow to pelt more arrows at Galaxy. Galaxy trembled. He was covered in tiny scars from all of the light arrow wounds. He teared up as he looked at the forest again. "I'm...I'm lost. I don't know where I'm going!"
Galaxy ran ahead, and Memory silently followed him. After passing a semi-huge wall of trees, Galaxy ran until he returned to the same grassy opening where Elemental lied unconscious.
Galaxy skidded to a halt. "S-Son? My little universe?" He tried to limp closer to his fallen son, but Memory teleported in front of him and shoved him down.
"Ah!" Galaxy shook his head and paled at the spiral mask staring back at him. "Memory?!"
Memory generated a fiercely glowing arrow. Galaxy tried to get up, but Memory kicked him down, using his foot to pin Galaxy's face against the grass.
"Memory, please! Stop!" Galaxy tried to look up. His teary golden eyes reflected something. In the reflection was Void, still watching from the distance, that gleeful smile not waning.
Memory nocked the arrow. He swiftly stepped off Galaxy and shot him in the head.
Galaxy dropped his head and fell unconscious. The huge gash in his head mended, but not before a few tiny forget-me-nots leaked out of the cut.
Memory shakingly lowered the bow. After a furious exhale, he absorbed another tube of powdered Shadow Stone. With his energy restored and every sense renewed, he realized a third presence was near.
"You saw it all," Memory said without looking at the visitor. His voice was cold. "Why didn't you stop me?"
He finally turned, surprised to see that Time wasn't even in a defensive or angry position. Time wasn't even looking at him, his masked expression fixed on Elemental. "...I knew you were going to come. I saw a possible future where you wouldn't commit what you just did and stayed with us instead." He knelt down and brushed his brother's head, sighing. "I put too much hope in that possibility."
"Your family paid for your foolish hope."
"So what now? Will you make me pay too for having too much faith in you?"
Memory tensed. Those words were so...insulting. He glanced back at Void, who still watched from a distance with a sneer, but he looked curious too.
Memory rolled his shoulder and advanced towards Time, his hands igniting with power and dark particles.
Time looked up but didn't leave Elemental's side. "You know it doesn't have to be this way. Please...I know you have it in you. We can be together."
Memory shook his head. "What I've started can't be undone. If you're so desperate, just use your powers to reverse time and fix it all yourself."
Time didn't get up. "It's pointless if you'll just erase their memories again. I won't do it until I know for sure that you can change your mind, and I believe you can."
Memory bristled. He became hyper-aware of Void's gaze on him. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't change his mind when he was here.
But his biggest concern was that Time refused to fight. "Don't give in so easily, waiting for me to solve your problems!"
Time didn't respond.
"What are you waiting for?!"
Void was watching. Memory was fine with the slip-ups he had when fighting Galaxy, but he couldn't afford to look like a fool against Time, or even worse, not fight him at all. He wanted Time to fight him, so he could finally beat him. So he could finally be a winner. Maybe he would leave the emotion of defeat in Time when he erased his memories. Maybe Time would wake up with a permanently damaged ego.
That would have been the perfect revenge. A chance to show Void that he was now closer to being the son he always wanted.
And Time was denying him all that by surrendering before they even fought.
"Don't be this pathetic! At least fight me!" When Time refused to move, Memory generated a bow and tossed it to him. "Come on, challenge me!" He generated and threw a quiver at Time. "Pick a weapon! Your memories hold billions of ideas that could save Steves! Memories that make you remember why you want to live!" He tried to ignore Void's glare as he grabbed the dropped Galaxy staff and tossed it at Time. "These are memories of your goddamn family I'm about to take! Don't you want to protect them?! Don't you understand what you're up against?!"
Time pushed away the weapons. "I already know the outcome. You make up your mind. Please...do the right thing."
Memory gawked. "It-it doesn't matter what I do. Just stand up for yourself!"
"No. Be grateful I'm giving myself up! There's no guarantee that the next enemy you'll fight will have a soft spot for you." There was pity in Time's voice, and it made Memory's blood boil more.
He knows I'm only demanding a fight just so I can outmatch him. He knows I care more about fighting than finishing this mission. Time kept refusing to fight because he knew that if Memory continued to insist a battle, they would be stuck in this conversation forever.
They had been in a battle after all, and Time already defeated him.
"FINE!" Memory spawned a huge arrow that glitched between flaring white and sinister dark. "Guess we'll have it your way, even in your last defeat!" He lifted the arrow into the air like a spear.
Time flinched, but refused to look away.
Memory let out a battle cry as he stabbed the arrow into Time.
A flash of white.
The forget-me-nots scattered, unleashed from the reckless attack that split Time's head. Thousands of memories swept into the air. The 2.5 decades worth of memories consumed the open space like a storm.
Time fell back, lying unconscious next to Elemental. His cut head mended itself, but he didn't get up. The brothers' chests slowly rose as the only sign that they were alive. Alive, but unable to return to their old lives once they wake up.
Memory panted and stepped away from the brothers, holding the arrow shakingly in sweaty hands. A few falling flowers brushed his shoulders. The third dose of Shadow Stone ran through his blood. The dark aura had made his vision flicker, the forest switching between lush green life and an ashy gray wasteland. The blue/gray flowers fell like soft snow or apathetic soot. Most of them landed around Time and Elemental, accumulating into a bed of flowers, while the rest covered the brothers the way blood would paint battered soldiers.
Well, to Memory, there was no difference between his fallen cousins and dead pawns anymore...
Clap.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Memory looked up as Void emerged from the shadows, slowly applauding and wearing a satisfied grin. "Great work. Now everything in my plan will go into motion, all thanks to you."
All thanks to me... Memory glimpsed back at his fallen cousins. With both of them void of memories, they would no longer be obstacles.
They would no longer be enemies.
But worst of all, they were no longer family.
Memory flinched when something touched the side of his face. He looked back, realizing that Void had reached out a hand. He sighed, closing his eyes and resting his head into Void's caressing hand. It'd been years since he felt a touch of another being that wasn't a hit or a kick in the face. He felt empty because Void didn't say how proud he was today, but this would suffice. Memory wouldn't trade away this kind touch for anything, and he drank the affection like he depended on it.
Void chuckled. "Take tomorrow off. You deserve it after all this hard work."
Memory nodded, his mask concealing his sad realization. Ever since Galaxy's family abandoned him years ago, he had always taken a day off alone. The praises and rewards from today especially wouldn't change. "Thank you, Father."
"No, thank you!" Void glanced back at Galaxy, who still lay unconscious a distance away. "I'll take care of it from here. I'll destroy the Tower and take Galaxy far away. But I'll be nice and leave those two alone." His red gaze fell back on the brothers. They seemed to shimmer with interest when they observed Elemental. "I'm very curious of what they will do once they wake up..."
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