Chapter Text
Two individuals travel down a stone path leading to a grand temple, a king clothed in white and a duchess clothed in a multitude of bright colours. They swiftly approach the edge of the temple where the head priestess awaits them.
“It’s truly a pleasure to properly meet you after all this time, White King,” the priestess greets with a deep bow.
“Likewise.” The king nods his head in return and offers a polite smile. “I apologise for any trouble that my fellow royal has caused you.”
“He’s done nothing of the sort,” the priestess counters, shaking her head. “In fact, he’s given us an excellent excuse to take a break from our duties.”
The Duchess smirks in amusement. “Well that’s one way to look at it,” she comments and the king hums in agreement.
“I believe you already know what our intentions are. We are here to retrieve him,” the king states.
“Of course. Go on in.” The priestess gestures to the infinite rows of pillars behind her. “I assume you need no guide to find who you’re looking for, nor to lead you out.”
“Yep. We’ll be off then,” the king curtly replies before snapping into a peculiar pose.
“All aboard!” he shouts, and he marches into the Temple of Reform with the Duchess on his heels.
Their strides are brisk and smooth as the two navigate the labyrinth-like structure, weaving past columns and making various turns. The White King marches on with his left arm straight and pointing forwards, the white half of a handcuff sitting around his wrist. The chain that hangs off of the shackle fades off into the distance, and the king follows where the thin link leads.
The clean click-clack of shoes on polished stone transitions into wet splatters as puddles of darkness begin arising on the sacred grounds. It all coalesces into a vast black ocean that stretches in all directions, only interrupted by the constant pillars stained with the dark fluid. One could easily mistake that the ocean is not a ocean at all, but a void. A hole of infinite darkness that one cannot hope to get out of should they fall in.
The king is not deterred one bit by the ominous sight and he continues onward, but a hand on his shoulder stops him.
“I am Emmet and I will keep going,” the king simply says without looking back. “You should leave, Elesa.”
“Do you really have to do this on your own?” the Duchess asks. “After everything he’s done to you, Kudari, I’m worried that he’ll–”
“Nii-san isn’t going to hurt me,” he interrupts, shaking his head. “Why else do you think he’s trapped himself here?”
The Duchess has no reply and simply stares at the king with a concerned look, the brightness of her electric blue eyes flickering slightly. He stares back with a confident smile and determination shining in his eyes.
The king brings up his left arm, showing how the white chain of his handcuff leads into the dark ocean before them. “Look. He’s waiting for me.” He shakes his arm in emphasis and the chain rattles and sways.
The Duchess just lets out a sigh and yanks the king into a tight hug. “You two better get out of there within two hours, or else I’m gonna march in there myself with a full recovery squad!” she yells into his ear.
“Two hours! That’s verrry generous, Kamitsure!” the king yells back with a chuckle.
The Duchess pulls back, a small smile on her face, and she firmly places her hands on both of the king’s shoulders. “Just… be careful.”
“I will,” he assures, gently patting her hands with his own until she lets go.
Turning back around to black waters, the king wastes no time and jumps in with a splash. Suspended in blackness, his cape-like coat floats around him as he turns this way and that, looking at his surroundings. Naturally, it’s dark. But not dark enough to obscure the large, thick chains that populate the space, reaching in all sorts of directions like a disorganised web. One could be ensnared in chains if they didn’t swim carefully.
The king shifts forms, shrinking and elongating into an aquatic creature with flowing fins, and he proceeds to swim downwards into the dark depths.
Down…
Down…
Down…
Past black chains, through dark waters, all the way down to the bottom.
He follows the white chain which leads him to the one who lays at the bottom of the ocean. The other king who regrets, repents, and drowns in his transgressions. The White King finds him simply laying there, staring up into darkness with a forlorn look on his face. No restraints are necessary to chain him down, for he holds himself prisoner in the abyss of his own making.
Shifting back into man, the king walks on the ocean floor, the chain of his shackle shortening the closer he gets to his brother. Eventually, it clicks. White links with black and the cuffs are complete.
Standing right by his laying brother, the White King simply lays down next to him and they both stare up into blackness in silence.
…
Moments pass until someone finally speaks…
“So you found me.”
“Yup. Hello Nobori-nii-san.”
“…”
“How are your memories?”
“All fixed up, thanks to you.”
“It was verrry messy, you know…”
“Courtesy of yours truly.”
“…What did you do to the Memory Hall, nii-san?”
“When you left… I tried to look into other people’s memories in an attempt to see where you ran off to. I…I tampered with forces beyond my understanding and it all backfired.”
“Is that why no one remembers us?”
“Well, there are still some who remember you, but as for myself… Perhaps it’s punishment for what I tried to do, or perhaps I simply made a mistake.”
“I am Kudari. I will try to recover those lost memories.”
“Do as you will.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Kudari… I’m… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for all the pain I’ve put you through just for my Ideals. I never thought– I didn’t stop to think for even one moment that what I was doing was… was killing you. I was an idiot. I should’ve been better , more careful, more aware about everything. But I failed you. I… I’m unworthy – unfit to be your br–”
“Stop right there, nii-san! I am Kudari. I understand. I hear your sincere apology and I forgive you.”
“…You are too forgiving, brother mine. Too kind.”
“What did you expect? I could never hate you.”
“I know.”
“Well! You have made your apology and now it’s my turn! I am sorry, nii-san. I said verrry mean things back then and I made it all worse when I ran away.”
“It couldn’t be helped, I was being so cruel to you–”
“No. You were trying to do what you thought was best–”
“But I didn’t even see how you were suffering –”
“And I did not see your suffering either! We’re all caught in a series of unfortunate occurrences and misunderstandings. We could agonise over how things could’ve gone differently… Or, we could move forward and try to make things better. The kingdom needs to recover and it needs a balanced rule. It needs your Ideals, Nobori.”
“I can’t. I’m not fit to be a king, or to be in any role of responsibility after all the horrendous mistakes I’ve made…”
“We both hold the king’s mark. You know we cannot simply abandon our station.”
“Still… I fear what errors I will commit next. I’m afraid of my Ideals spiralling out of control. As a king, I cannot leave this prison until I’ve reformed myself.”
“I see… So the king is under maintenance…”
“‘Under maintenance’…?”
“Then… can I at least have my brother back?”
“…”
“I need you, nii-san.”
“…”
“…”
“…I need you too.”
One hand reaches out and the other accepts. Black links with white and the two are complete. Staring up into nothing, they lay together and exist together.
“Maybe you need a break, nii-san. Have a vacation somewhere else.”
“I don’t believe there’s any place in Wonderland that I could possibly vacation in…”
“Akari wouldn’t mind your company.”
“I don’t suppose you mean…?”
“Ehehee~”
“…I will put that idea into consideration.”
“Yay! But first, we need to get out of here. Kamitsure is waiting for us!”
“Alright, alright.”
Together they stand up, and Kudari guides Nobori out of the temple, their shackles linked and their hands joined.