Karma and Oneiro go to see Ordeal but Oneiro soon realises he needs a long overdue chat with his twin

——

SwapDream

Ordeal was tired and his brother wasn't even here yet, cuddling his small familiar who strangely hadn't grown in a while. It had certainly been a surprise to be gifted such a rare item such as a familiar egg, few having the magic or ability to have familiars as even the species could dictate how the bond would form. He had even heard that some thought of familiars as 'gifts from the Deities themselves', even a few thinking they were a sign of great character, unable to hold back a snort when he thought of anyone telling that to his twin.

He gently pet Luna's ears, slightly worried how tired they were lately and wondering if he should feed them more of the milk that Oneiro had dropped off last time but Luna oddly enough didn't seem interested, all the information on kitsune he could acquire were saying they could grow very slow so perhaps this was normal..

At least that is what he wanted to believe from all the information he had been able to gather by himself but he could admit the sources weren't that reliable, having asked his friends for help gathering information when they went out.

They were oddly enough rather enthusiastic and was a bit confused why they hadn't dropped by more often, wondering if they were just busy with work.

Luna liked to pop out of nowhere and jump scare Ordeals friends, rather jealous when attention was put off him but it was also in a Kitsunes nature to be playful in this regard, always making sure to do this without his monsters knowledge.

He was taken out of his thoughts when he felt his brothers magic, knowing they had wanted to pop over again and thought he could perhaps ask them for help, knowing it was safer to do so then it would have been mere decades ago.

He still recalled the manic laughter, the burning magic that was almost too much and truly wondering if his brother was still alive or if the apples had gotten rid of any shred of sanity and taken over.

"We are here~"

Oneiro called out, placing Karma down who was off like a shot to go look around and likely see how many pranks were still left by Hearth, his own familiar also leaving him in the dust seconds later with Thanatos also vanishing like a ghost likely up to some mischief.

"I feel so loved~"

He muttered under his breath in amusement but wasn't truly upset, this was exactly the confidence he wanted to see in his child and he wouldn't begrudge his familiar for wanting to meet their own twin again. Nix meowed loudly on his shoulder and he huffed at the bossiness before putting the food items he brought into Ordeals kitchen, hearing a 'poof' noise in another room but there was no sounds of screaming so he let it be.

He walked into the living room a minute later and wanted to laugh at the utter chaos, Karma having accidently although he wasn't too sure of that with how smug they looked a prank that added a dash of glitter to the room with Ordeal just looking done with it all.

He did look worried when he spotted Luna though, the kitsune about half Sol's size and not energetic enough in his opinion. It was practically impossible to tire out his own familiar, pretty much perfect for keeping up with Karma and keeping watch over them but Luna looked to be asleep already in the larger kitsune's fur.

It seems a chat would indeed be needed with his brother, the pictures not doing it justice and wondering why they were still holding their magic back. That talk would be later though, right now it was time for a brief catch up and less serious chat, grabbing out the Familiar book for Ordeal and laying it in their lap.

That at least got some of their attention but it was time to make them relax further and he knew the perfect subject to do so, it always getting a rise out of them.

"I've restocked your fridge. It's still depressing. Have you even learned how to cook yet? It all looked dull and rather sad in there. Truly shameful~"

He said with playfully taunting, his smirk widening when that got a reaction out of them and near revealing in their outraged expression, glad they were brought out of their mini funk.

"Shameful?! Are you trying to lecture me on cooking?! I've seen what you can make and lets not even talk about the 'fun stew' you made for us when we were kids"

"I thought you loved that though? Are you saying you didn't enjoy the warm food that always brought a wide smile to your face? How hurtful~"

"That was a grimace and you know It! I wasn't even sure what was in it half the time. I got food poisoning more times then i could count! I thought i was about to dust when i had your 'mystery meat' stew"

"..you know, i have no clue what it was either. I just found stuff and put it in. It was a nice surprise what the taste would be each time and don't exaggerate. You wouldn't dust from that, we have hardier bodies then that~"

"Are you even listening to yourself?! And you wonder why i refuse to touch any food you make"

"I've gotten better. These are all very cruel accusations that you are throwing at me. Why i might even cry from pure sadness~"

"Don't lie to me! I can see you smirking!"

Karma giggled as he watched the back and forth with growing amusement, cuddling Nix and laying on the floor next to Sol who had so many tails now, liking how fluffy they were. It was kind of funny how uncle Ordeal's familiar kind of vanished into Sol's side, the two white kitsune near indistinguishable apart from the colour of their eyes.

He was liking the start of his adventure so far, really looking forward to some of the areas they had planned to explore in other omniverses and taking out his map to show Luna who had just woken up. He hadn't seen his dads familiar that small in what felt like ages, chirping happily when Luna sniffed his wing in curiosity and delighted when they came over for a cuddle as well.

He began relaying everything to Luna, showing off the area he was really looking forward to and even showing a few of his books that brother had made to house all of his collections. He only had a few of his collection in his books as he left the majority of his collection in his room with his bunny looking after it, wondering how he could convince brother that he needed more for his room.

He was delighted he was given so many empty books that could house so many shinies, planning to boost his collection as he had gotten rather behind in his shinies due to the past few years, determined to collect as many as he could while they travelled this week.

He would get ALL the shinies!

Ordeal paused in defending his point that Oneiro should be legally banned from cooking when he looked over when he heard Karma cackle out loud, unsure if he should be worried or not by the emotions coming off them but when he heard the word 'shiny' everything made sense.

"I swear they picked up so many weird habits from you.."

He mumbled, the near fanaticism about certain things had to be genetic even if he knew that Karma was like this way before, still recalling when they first met and the way they collected any feathers Oneiro shed while following the larger monster like a baby duckling.

Those days seemed almost like a dream nowadays, things having changed so much since then as he couldn't have ever imagined he would be having full on conversations with his twin and actually enjoy it.

He was pulled out from his heavy thoughts by a hand on his shoulder, faced with Oneiro's serious expression and a tad worried to see his twin without some sort of smile.

"We need to talk, Ordeal. In private. It's important~"

He shivered at the tone rarely heard from the usually playful monster but he didn't feel any fear like he would in the past, the twin bond only showing pure concern and worry for him, almost wanting to cry at feeling it all through the twin bond that had been near dormant for so long.

The emotions were so pure, keeping back the tears and focusing on watching his familiar play with Karma and Sol, feeling a deeper ache in his SOUL when he realised they were growing far slower than Oneiro's. The book he was given suddenly made far more sense, feeling guilt renew but was once again shaken out of it when an arm went around his shoulders.

"In and out. Steady breaths, Nightmare. It's ok, I'm here, brother. Let it all out~"

He couldn't help but break down at hearing his name from his twin like that, hiding in their side and relaxing when a wing came around to hide him from view, deeply missing this and near clutching at the bond between them for comfort.

He wasn't sure how long he just sat there and clung to his brothers side like a child again but by the time he felt calmer and came out of the fluffy cocoon it was to see his friends suddenly here and playing with Karma but for some reason they looked oddly pale...

What exactly had he missed?

"Are you ready for our chat now? That's good. I have the perfect place for it!~"

Oneiro didn't wait for a reply before forming a portal underneath them, the kitsune familiars jumping in and sharing a look with Nix who was in charge until he was back Thanatos dark caw coming from the shadows made Karma laugh and Ordeals friends shiver.

This was a long needed conversation and he hoped this would make it worse.

-

SwapDream

Dreamtale

Ordeal had no clue why they were here, very surprised when he realised where Oneiro had taken them but stayed silent as he quietly followed his brother, watching the familiars bounce in the overgrown grass and glad someone was having fun right now.

It felt almost bittersweet to see how carefree the two kitsune were, it reminded him of better times and mourning how little his twin seemed to recall from back then. It sometimes felt all Oneiro could recall was the worst parts of growing up here, cursing the fact the tree had bound the two so heavily there had been no chance to leave, not even when the villagers came.

He had tried to leave, to see if there was a way to free the two of them but it only brought pain. The tree felt like a leash that would always pull him back, an instinctive need to defend it and the apples at nearly any cost.

"Why are you using your magic so sparsely, Ordeal?~"

He twitched when Oneiro suddenly spoke, not realising they had reached the stump of what used to be the tree and feeling a mix of emotions at seeing only remnants of what were the bad and good times, doubting there was even a speck of the village left after Oneiro had snapped so many years ago.

"I do use it-"

"Not enough. You do basic tasks and hide it so deep inside of you around other monsters that i'm surprised you haven't damaged yourself in the process~"

He stiffened at how blunt and direct Oneiro was, no playfulness to be seen but they weren't looking at him, instead staring at the stump with a complicated look that even the bond found hard to parse.

"Are you afraid your friends will hate you? They wouldn't. They care for you and I doubt they could ever fear you. They've seen what you can do when you went against me in the past. You live in an AU which is open to other magics. I wouldn't have allowed Karma in it if any were discriminated against, so why are you punishing yourself?~"

Ordeal was briefly speechless about Oneiro actually referring to his friends with so little disdain in his voice but the rest of their words made his voice choke up further, at the end near stiffening and hating how observant they could be.

The silence wasnt stifling but he still felt tense, wanting to run away like he usually did when this conversations were brought up but when he looked at Oneiro to tell them to drop it he just couldn't. They weren't making a move to physically stop him from running, no golden magic crashing down to force him to stay, just an endlessly patient look and genuine worry that made his SOUL ache in ways he thought long forgotten.

"I don't want to be a Monster..."

He whispered, something that he had hidden deep within his SOUL but the words felt like they could come out for once, sitting on the stump and tiredly watching the kitsune play, the comforting weight of his brother's magic made him feel perhaps he could say the words for once.

He thought it was true before and thought nothing would ever change but seeing how much Oneiro had changed over the years chipped away at the pessimism, a part of him hopeful that maybe something good would come out of this chat.

~~~~~~

Ordeal: *Confused* I wonder why my friends haven't been stopping by lately...

Luna: *Jumping out the shadows and nipping at Ordeals friends as a game*

႔ ႔
ᠸ^ ^

-

Oneiro: *Sees Ordeal looks down and decides to start a playful spat* Hey! I put food in your fridge as you are hopeless at cooking~

Ordeal: *Thoughts derailed and looking at Oneiro like they have two heads* I don't want to hear that from the monster who nearly burned the tree down by making a sandwich!

Karma: *Smiling happily that everyone is getting along*

-

Oneiro: *Holding his emotional brother* Hmm, I need a chat but i don't want to leave Karma alone. What to do..~

*Ordeals friends deciding to drop in and freezing when making eye contact with Oneiro*

Oneiro: *Smiling deceptively innocently* Why hello new babysitters. You will do rather nicely. Say hello to your 'boss' for the next few hours~

Nix: *Staring at the monsters like he is looking directly into their SOULS*

^
✧(◉ ˕ ◉マ

Thanatos: *Cawing from the shadows sending a chill down their spines*