Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

-Mysterious castle; Mount Everest; May 11th, 2009-

DJ and his Evil Other glared at each other for a tense moment. Lui stared up at them, still on the floor. EDJ shoved himself off the shield and stepped back. He chortled as he sheathed his weapon and looked at DJ with a smile. “We’ll call that a draw.”

“You cheated,” DJ said, glowering over the rim of his shield. 

EDJ shrugged. “Evil Other. Can’t help it.” He glanced at the tv screen. “Oh, it’s over already.” 

DJ and Lui both turned to the screen with wide eyes. A massacre greeted them. Bodies littered the floor and Hanna sat on her knees in the center, head bowed and unmoving. The guards took advantage of the situation to disarm and pin the two heroes again. 

“Well, lookie there,” EDJ continued talking. “She defeated all of them. Nicely done.” He turned back to DJ with a chaotic grin. “Looks like more than bridges are getting burned today.” 

“Let us see her,” Lui requested in a quiet voice. “Please.” EDJ looked at Lui for a moment, grin fading. Lui, whose big, sad eyes darted between the screen and EDJ. Lui, whose heart compelled him to keep trying when all hope should have been lost. Lui, who was everything Iul was not. 

“How poignant,” EDJ commented, though his words held no such feeling. “You should have known better than to challenge me, bud,” EDJ said as he walked over to Lui. “Maybe you need a reminder.” EDJ delivered one swift kick into Lui’s ribs. 

“LUI!” DJ shouted in concern. 

“Ugh!” Lui cried out, body curling into a ball on the floor. He sniffled and his breath came in gasps. 

“IUL!” DJ directed his attention to the Evil Other. 

EDJ turned to his Original. “What?” he asked innocently. “This is fun. I’m having fun. Aren’t you having fun?”

“No. I’m not.” DJ glared. He glanced at Lui. Lui? Are you okay? Lui was in such pain that he did not respond. DJ turned back to the Evil Other. “If you’re trying to make a point, you’ve made it. End this nonsense. Right now.” 

EDJ rolled his eyes and waved a hand toward Lui. “Guards, take him to the next room and leave us. The old man and I need to have a chat.” The guards picked up Lui and dragged him out of the room. The guards lifted DJ and dropped him into one of the chairs close to the wall, but not before binding his hands behind his back with tape. 

“Where are they taking him?” DJ asked, green eyes narrow. 

“To another waiting room,” EDJ answered. “You busted the door on this one so I’ve had to adjust.” EDJ pulled a chair over and sat opposite DJ. “Don’t worry, you’ll join him in a minute.” EDJ leaned back in the chair and folded his arms, critically looking DJ up and down. “Go on. Spit it out. What’s my offense this time?” 

“You didn’t need to do that to him,” DJ answered in a low voice. “Any of it.” 

“Maybe. Maybe not.” EDJ shrugged. “It’s not like you were going to stop me.” 

“It was cruel and unnecessary.” DJ’s disapproving tone was firm. 

“He needs to toughen up,” EDJ said lightly. “I’m not gonna stop being mean just cause he asked nicely. The world isn’t a bucket of smiles, rainbows, and lollipops, you know.”

DJ’s glare softened and his shoulders relaxed a little. “You don’t think he knows that? After everything the three of us have been through?” 

EDJ rolled his eyes again as he looked away. “So add it to my long list of sins already. I don’t care.” 

DJ’s face scrunched into a frown. “At this point, it’s less about what you’ve done and more about what you continually choose to do. Don’t you get that?” DJ shook his head. “Why? Why do you keep doing this?” 

Control. “Let them hate so long as they fear,” EDJ answered with a smirk.

“Your tricks won’t work on me, EO,” DJ responded in an almost bored voice. “I’m your Original.”

EDJ snorted. “If we’re following that logic, they shouldn’t work on Lui either, but maybe he’s just an idiot.”

DJ’s disapproving frown did not waver. He sat for a moment in heavy silence before speaking again. “We can still fix this, EO. You can stop. Please. Bury the hatchet.”

“Can I bury it in your chest?” EDJ automatically quipped. He glanced back and offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Force of habit.” 

DJ let out a long breath through his nose in frustration as his shoulders sank further. “EO,” he started softly. “Lui and I are the closest thing to blood you have. I’d think you’d stop trying to murder us after a while.”

EDJ rolled his eyes, turning away again. “You would know if I actually wanted you dead. I just wanted to see him suffer for a change.” 

“Lui doesn’t deserve that,” DJ answered. 

EDJ’s head snapped to look at DJ, fire in his eyes. “Oh, I’m so sorry you didn’t get to pick your clones,” he shot with heavy sarcasm. “Sorry for being the complete opposite of whatever that trembling leaf is supposed to be!” 

DJ winced. “I didn’t mean it lik-”

“I know what you meant!” EDJ sharply cut DJ off as he stood up from his seat and sliced his hand through the air. “Don’t even pretend. You think I don’t see the hate in your eyes when you look at me?!” 

“It’s not hate,” DJ answered calmly. “Anger, yes. Pity, maybe.” DJ looked at his Evil Other with sad, disappointed eyes. “But it’s not hate.” 

EDJ crossed his arms again as he glared down at his Original for a moment. “If you’re hoping to tug on my heartstrings with this little act of yours, well...” He clicked his tongue and smirked. “You’re out of luck.” 

DJ shook his head. “I don’t understand you, EO. I really wish I did.” 

“Consider yourself lucky you don’t.” EDJ looked away before sitting again on the edge of the chair. “You wanna know a secret?” he asked in a low voice. EDJ leaned in close, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked DJ in the eye. “I’ve already resigned myself to the fact that I’ll never be better than you…” His lips turned up into an evil smile. “But I can be so much worse.” 

EDJ abruptly stood up and walked to the door, motioning for the guards to return. The guards entered and grabbed DJ, hauling him up from the chair. “EO! EO!!” DJ shouted, trying to squirm his way out as he was forcefully removed from the room.

EDJ halted the guards in the hall and looked back at DJ. “By the way,” EDJ said, pointing back to the screen in the room. “That fight with Hanna? The footage was recorded hours ago. Hanna’s fine. She’s resting.” He smiled. “I probably should have led with that, huh?”

DJ’s eyes widened and his face turned back to one of anger as the guards wrestled him away. “IUL!”

I told you not to call me that. EDJ gave his Original a two finger salute and a cocky grin before he turned and went back to the control center.