(Author's note: the italics are a flashback, regular is the current timeline. This is set in Empires, 3rd life ended three years ago and Last Life had never happened. This is about the three siblings, Grian, Lizzie, and Jimmy, Grian being the eldest and Jimmy being the youngest. Joel and Lizzie are married at this time. Grian had gone to Japan for studies abroad, was in Evo, and currently is in Hermitcraft. For reference, Jimmy, Grian, and their mother are cod hybrids while Lizzie and their father are axolotls. There is the world building you need to know what is happening.)

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Jimmy scrubbed at his face.

It was so disgusting with all the scars covering it. All the burns and blisters made him feel sick. He tried to scrub it all off, just to look normal again.

He looked at the broken frame on the ground. Glass was all over the floor, a picture of a group of smiling people were on it. Blood splattered, obscuring the faces of the people.

Jimmy kicked it. He didn't care that glass got embedded into his foot, he didn't want to see it.

How did this happen?

Years ago, in a palace where everything started to go downhill.

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Jimmy was only five at the time. He may have forgotten what his favorite food was or cartoon but this was hard to forget.

"Please don't leave!" He cried, holding onto his big brother's leg.

"I'm sorry, Timmy, but I have to go. I'm going to start studying abroad with some friends." Grian knelt down, unlatching the crying child.

"But-"

"Jimmy," they both turned to see their parents enter the room, "Grian has to go now." Jimmy turned back to his brother, and held on tighter.

"No!" He screamed, tears staining Grian's button down shirt. He felt two hands pull him away.

"Now, now, Jimmy, I will still be here with you!" His older sister chimed in, petting his hair. He pushed her away.

"I want both of you!"

He didn't know it at the time but that sentence was important.

Grian looked to Lizzie, both had wide eyes, speaking a silent conversation. They knew it wasn't going to last even if Grian stayed.

And their parents. His dad was about to help but was stopped by his mom. She shook her head, a frown on her face and a glare telling him to step down. He listened and stood next to her, a sad look in his eyes.

"Timmy, I will be back. I promise you that this won't be the last time we speak to each other. I will call you every day and every night. Alright?" Grian softly spoke, Jimmy crying harder.

"Promise?" He asked quietly. He got a nod back in return.

"Promise."

---

Jimmy looked back in the mirror.

The face that mirrored his own was that of a monster's. It was unrecognizable with the blood smeared across it from the scrubbing he did. Blisters and scars back to stage one of healing, stopped by his attempt to rid of them.

He could feel the picture staring at him.

Turning, Jimmy picked up as much broken glass as he could in his hands, not caring about them cutting through his skin. He turned the frame and picture over, not wanting to touch them for more than he had to. The frame was one that a child made. 'My Family' was scribbled at the top with crayons. The picture, blood gone from being wiped against the hardwood floor, now showed three siblings and their parents, smiling for a camera.