Chapter Text
"Really giving up huh?" there was little left in Moon's mindscape these days that the sound of a voice other than his own was jarring to say the least.
True, some might argue between the misty void of clouds and the endless forest there had not been that much to begin with but, today it was a true wreck. His deal with Killer Sun had torn through everything like a wildfire till all that remained now were burnt and tattered fragments like ash floating on the breeze. Were he any other animatronic Moon suspected he might have off lined a long time ago were it not for the resilient nature of his code.
It would certainly explain why he was here now, trapped inside his own head while who knew what was going on outside with his conscious body and the rest of the family. Solar or perhaps it was Monty had visited sometime ago to update him on things before the "corruption" from Killer Sun's bite had chased them off. Whatever the freak had done to him it had left an "impression" in his mind; a ghostly phantom of the giggling freak that when it was not taking chunks out of his mind would chase Moon through the tattered ruin of his mindscape. No words, no taunts just that unbroken smile and gleeful grin that in his own way KS had gotten his wish and, was now killing Moon in a slower more tortures way.
A metaphorical death by a thousand cuts.
So, it was a safe bet that this voice was a welcome surprise and, a suspicion all at once.
And, the sight of the purple hued Moon standing behind him had that suspicion spike to Everest.
True, colour aside they were identical to Moon himself in frame and dress despite the purple hue that was draped over them like a cloud but, at the same time, there were glaring errors in the double's appearance. A smile that was to wide and eyes that glowed not red but a deep blue that was almost black in the other creature's head has it regarded Moon with the macabre curiosity reserved for finding a half dead animal on the road. Moon, despite himself took a reflexive step back; he had been running for so long in his own head that he would not put it passed the influence of KS to think up a new trick torment him.
The double laughed.
"Man you're more pathetic than I remember" it walked through him like ghost; the purple shroud leaving a bitter taste in Moon's mouth along with a storm of familiar and unfamiliar emotions. Contempt, despair, bitterness, loneliness and, the faintest flavour of regret. It stopped, looking out at the ruin of Moon's mind quietly, thoughtfully "They say you live only as long as the last person who remembers you Moon so, I have to wonder.... is your family holding you together or.... am I?" a bitter chuckled followed "Or are you keeping me around.... I mean when you think about it we are two sides of the same coin?"
Now Moon knew who the double was and, truth be told he would prefer tackling the phantom KS.
"N.... Nexus!?" seriously what cosmic entity did he piss off that he was, on top of losing his mind in the most literal sense was now being haunted by the ghost of his demented double.
Said double was regarding him with an unreadable expression "Why... no scratch that, how are you here?" the double raised an eye "Wow, your memories are worse than I thought" the double snapped a finger and Moon's world was flooded with a familiar pain and a kaleidoscope of memories he had hoped the deal had swallowed a long time ago.
A thought that made the double laugh.
"Glad to know how you feel Moon but, no dice" he ran a finger down his form "KS was after your memories, your life.... not the digital ghost of someone else's memories that are just rattling round in your head.... whatever is left of it" Moon frowned, well that answered one question "So your just a copy of Nexus then, not the real deal?" the double smiled a little to widely "Perhaps, perhaps not, your code was always adaptive and, well like I said a lot more space in here now" it stretched like a cat with those words. "Plenty of room to grow and develop... get a read on the situation"
Moon tensed... this was all he needed.
Again the double smiled, eyes flashing dangerously "Please, I have no interest in taking your body or life...." "I find that hard to believe, you or rather the real you was to pissed off to let a little thing like death stop you being a pain in our collective necks" Moon had actually stepped forward now, hands up as if he meant to fight the ghost in his head. A fact that made the creature smile "There we are, there might be a chance for you yet" Moon raised an eye. Not so much at the words but at the encouraging tone in words from someone who had tried to turn his motherboard into swiss cheese.
"What are you talking about?" the digital ghost smiled again, fingers lengthening into claws "Why to get that sunny freak out of your skull and maybe, just maybe, save Sun from himself"
End of Part 1