#I didn't stay alive just so I could get blue-balled with the false promise of genuine human connection

[neverendingford]

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[hoodie-2]

He paid no mind to the screaming and the hands banging against the containment orb behind him hanging from the bunker ceiling, humming a catchy melody he heard from a local band as he inspected the disc he was working on, curled up comfortably in a hover chair he smuggled from Morando's ship.

It felt familiar to a time before coronation day, Aja being dragged back home after running away again screaming about how she wanted a "normal life" and how she wanted to make friends, or to actually see their home planet outside of the palace. It really was too easy to capture her, Krel wondered how Zadra and Varvatos struggled on Akiridion-5. Granted he captured more than just his sister, some of her human allies got caught too, but he released them, of course, he had no use for them.

"I am Aja Tarron, of House Tarron, heir to the Akiridion throne and I demand you release me at once!" He sighed at her childish command, tiresome. "Do you hear me, Loyalist scum!"

Krel pondered for a moment, tossing the disc in the air like it was a coin, if he should have had her strapped down like Kubritz wanted to do. But no, it had to be Krel's way, since he was charged with capturing his twin. They are planning to use her as leverage to get information from his parents, but he had other thoughts. He wanted to send a message.

Another scream. Does she ever stop? Memory serves to say no.

"Well that isn't nice," he spoke finally, making the chair swivel around to face her. He revelled in the way her fury melted into shock. "I am your brother after all, such an insult hurts."

"K- Krel?" She sounded so hoarse from her screaming, she buckled against the transparent wall between them. "You're alive."

"Yes," Krel hummed, unimpressed by the statement. "Unfortunate, I am aware."

"But... but Morando's forces, you were captured."

Krel nodded, eyes rolling. "Captured and spared, later allied. You know how it goes." He shifted the chair so he could sit upside down, looking at the disc in his hand as if it held more interesting value.

"Allied?" Aja echoed. "You allied yourself with our family's enemy?" Anger scrunched up her lovely features again. "You put our planet in danger!"

"I kept our people safe." He frowned at her. "Morando listens to my council, he leaves the innocent alone."

"All of the people on Akiridion-5 are innocent."

"The Rebellion are not innocent, I'm afraid." Krel let his expression smooth over. "They break laws that were in place before I gave Morando the throne. Nothing has changed, just who is in charge."

"You... WHAT?" Aja's hands slapped against the curved wall of her prison. "You GAVE him the throne!"

"That is what I said, yes." Krel nodded. "I will succeed after him. Seeing as I am the only remaining heir." He sat his chair upright again.

Aja's expression morphed into a cross between confusion and insult. "You are not the only heir, I am still here Krel!"

"Ah ah," he wagged a finger at her before pointing at the arch on his forehead. The arch she lacked. "You are heir only in name. I, however, have the royal mark, have made actions for the sake of Akiridion as acting king, and continue to do so."

"As a traitorous prince!" Her four hands fisted against the wall.

"Unlike a cowardly princess!" He shot back, watching her flinch at the words. She opened her mouth to fight them but he cut her off. "I have done everything you never even wanted to do. All for the sake of our people! You do not get to call me a traitor when you have abandoned your own home long before Morando invaded!"

Anger faded from her face again, leaving her thoughts vulnerable, clear in her eyes. He would not let this soften him, not again, not ever.

"Krel-"

"This pitiful mudball has changed you, sister." Krel turned his gaze back to the disc, flipping it over and over in his hands. "You forget yourself, playing pretend with the humans."

"I am not the one who forgets them self." He heard her hiss, at the edge of his vision, he could see her gather herself up against the curved wall. It was a good choice to use a spherical prison. "After all, you sit in the enemy's hands."

Krel huffed a dry laugh. Oh, if only she knew.

"Oh, what must you think, sister? That I dance for a false king? No no, you have no clue." He taunted her. "He commands for me, one delson he will see this. After all, he agreed with my plan to release you."

"What?" She pulled back from the wall, confusion furrowing her brow. "Is it to find Mothership? You plan to follow me don't you?"

Krel slumped back in the chair, making it sway as he eyed her with amusement. "I have now need to find Mothership, I did find you easily enough on my first outing. Mama and Papa too."

Aja's eyes widened with shock, her jaw slack. She tried composing herself again, tried to keep herself angry, tried to hide her fear. But Krel knew better, better than anyone else.

"What do you want then?" She demanded through clenched teeth.

Krel showed off the disc he's been playing with, it flashed a gentle blue. "You all must be behind on the events after Coronation day, I need you to deliver this to Mama and Papa."

"And why would I do that?"

A grin curled across Krel's face, his eyes unfazed by her demeanor. "Because it is the only way you will be leaving this place. Mustn't make Mama and Papa worry, their precious child staying past curfew again." He chuckled mockingly.

"Why are you doing this Krel?" She demanded this, pain streaking over her features. It stabbed deep into his core. "What have I done, what have we done for you to do this?" Liquid started to trickle down her face, the streams glittered like starlight on her cyan skin.

"It is more of what you haven't done than what you have." He replied, tipping his head to the side. "But on the subject of what you have done," his eyes grew colder as they returned to focus on his sister. His twin. His other half. "You have forgotten me while you reside here. You have abandoned me to my potential demise. Mama and Papa too."

"No," she spoke barely above a whisper, her head shaking frantically. "No, no, little brother- Krel, you are not forgotten, I promise. We mourned you, *I* mourned you. Zadra wanted to go back for you, I tried to convince Varvatos, but he said it was too late." More liquid spilled from her eyes, the streams becoming thicker down her face. "We thought you were dead."

"Hm," he kept his expression even, untouched by the display. "And I prayed that you lived." He shrugged carelessly. "At least one of us didn't lose hope." He stood up on the chair, pressing the disc to the wall, pushing it through.

"See that Mama and Papa get this. It will only play once after activated."

He startled when she grabbed his hand that had pushed through the wall, gripping it tightly in three of her own.

"Please, Krel," she pleaded, pressing her head to the ball of hands. "Come with me. Mama and Papa will be overjoyed to see you. To know that you live. To know that our family is whole."

He said nothing immediately to respond. Pressing his three free hands against the wall but not pushing through, using them as leverage to pull his fourth from her grip, releasing the disc into her hands.

"That is the problem, Aja," he spoke mournfully, meeting her face of disbelief with no emotion of his own. "Our family isn't whole."

Aja's prison started moving upward into the ceiling, causing her to panic, pressing herself against the lowest parts of the wall. Anything to get closer to her brother.

"Littler brother!" She cried. "Please don't do this! Think of Akiridion!

"I am, sister dear," he answered lowly. "More than you ever have."