Another year goes by without issue and Morbius' business was growing in numbers as many mages from around the world made their claim to an Item made from what he has called the Orpheus project. A plan that allows those with mana of any level of power to have a tool that best suited their skills and style. From wands to tomes, to trinkets and studies. Everyone that had the power did their best to get their hands on an item made by Orpheus, and soon the family became the name known throughout the land as the house of prophecy. A place that many mana users called the heaven of magic studies.
All the while, Joshua did his part to make sure nothing was wrong, and sure enough, everything was going as smoothly as butter for the family. As if the lucky star they were named from gave them a blessing of fortune and peace. It was almost like a dream for his brother.
Joshua: "Almost… Now we just need to set aside our differences and be a big happy family… if only we didn't share a heart."
Meridian: "Joshua?"
Joshua was standing on the balcony of their new home. Inside was a celebration of success given to the family by the rich mages around the world. Morbius was greeting the guests with much glee and modesty while the boys, Kastiel and Michiel were making new friends in the play area that was made for them. Meridian left the room to look for Joshua and has now found him outside drinking as he did at the wedding. No one saw him leave, no one noticed he was there, and no one could have been none the wiser if they didn't look.
Joshua: "… you looking for me, Meri?"
Meridian: "I was. I wanted to know where you had run off to. This is a party for the family, and one of the members of the house just happened to go missing. Many of the ether have been wishing to meet the nier native of the family that has magic."
Joshua: "Pfft! More of you! Why? I'm not that interesting. I'm just an underground cop."
Meridian: "Why not enjoy the good attention?"
Joshua: "Good attention, heheheh. Good one."
Meridian: "Josh."
Joshua: "You know I'm not a social butterfly. Why do you insist I talk to people that should be talking to Morbius?"
Meridian: "They have already. They want to get to know where his inspiration came from, is all."
Joshua: "… huh? Inspiration?? You really think that's what he… that I… pffft hahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHA! What is with you today?? Sure this is an amazing day. A glorious achievement made by my brother's best work and I'm the inspiration? Keh! Hahahahaha! Yeah right. I'll believe that if he can give me something to make up for our time lost to anger over nothing. Well, nothing I'm aware of."
Meridian: "Joshua, you playing drunk is the thing that's funny. Come inside now. You could at least hear the speech your brother made."
Joshua: "Oh, I can hear it from here."
Meridian: "Inside, you. Now. get moving. Go on."
Joshua: "Aye! Alright! Alright! I'm going! Heavens below."
Joshua and Meridian return to the party inside with Meridian tugging Joshua by the sleeve. Joshua started to feel his heart in his throat the longer she held onto him and his mind started to flow through the wedding day, reminding himself that she would never be his. They make it to Morbius and he greets her with a kiss, introducing Meridian to a few of the men and women that were there. Joshua slips his hand away from Meridian hoping no one noticed the drum in his chest.
Morbius: "There she is. Just in time. This is my dearest wife and motivation, Meridian. The mother of my two dashing boys. And this is my brother, Joshua. Everyone has been wanting to meet your impish ass since they saw you earlier. Where the hell did you disappear to?"
Joshua: "Hah! Wouldn't you like to know."
Meridian: "He was hiding on the balcony again."
Morbius: "That's nothing new. Why do you always want to escape these things? I'm even showing you a bit of light courtesy to bring you with us."
Joshua: "Haha. Thanks for noticing my discomfort."
Morbius: "Here look. This is the Basley family. They wanted to meet you along with one of the royal ether families living in the corporrealm."
Joshua: "What!? Now I know you're playing with me. Stop it."
Morbius: "Pfft. yeah, that's understandable. But I'm dead serious. The other nierrealm natives are also trying to figure out how your able to hold a stable Job like being a true man of the law."
Joshua: "That sounds more like something you'd ask yourself."
Morbius: "I'm dead serious! Don't you patronize me! I know what they've been asking about! I'm not that stupid!"
Joshua: "So you admit that everything you've said so far-"
Meridian: "It's true, Joshua. You're just as much of the talk of the party as Morbius and I are together."
Joshua: "I'm home babysitting most of the time! What the-..."
:: "Um… excuse us."
Morbius: "Haha! Speak of the angels! Joshua, these beautiful people are the ether family that's been looking for you. This is the Kelingham family."
Mr. Kelingham: "So this is the man of many mysteries, sir Joshua of the Orpheus family."
Joshua: "… uh. I'm sorry… Joshua is fine um… Morbius??"
Morbius: "Heh! Next time have a bit more faith in my words why don't you?"
Joshua:(nier whisper) "I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to be so damn elated about me getting some attention at a party. Meant for your success."
Morbius:(nier whisper) "Well, too bad. I'm am actually genuinely happy for you since you stay at home after work babysitting on your own accord. I do take the kids with me for a damn reason since they're mine after all."
Joshua:(nier whisper) "Hell, I never expected your moral compass to be pointing in my direction from time to time. You need to tell me these things so I can get used to it at least."
Morbius:(nier whisper) "Well I'm telling you now to take a damn hint."
Joshua: "Ugh. fine, I get it. I'm sorry for the misunderstandings. Good heavens be damned if I ever understand any of this. I'm very sorry for my discourtesy, Mr. Kelingham."
Mr. Kelingham: "Ah. please. I understand completely. I'd be nervous too if I was in your shoes."
Joshua: "Ehhaha… well, how may I help you all?"
Mr. Kelingham: "Well, I think I speak for everyone here when I ask this but, I am very curious how you two became so close? Even to call each other brothers."
Joshua: "… wha~... c-could you… elaborate on that? I don't think I understand your question?"
:: "Pardon me, Mr. Joshua."
Morbius: "See~? You're really popular just from being part of the family name."
Joshua: (whisper) "I don't think that's it."
(to guest)"Yes? … a nier native. What a nice surprise."
Learuh: "Yes. It is. I am Learuh of Tumin, central Amerik. A pleasure."
Joshua: "Ooh. Amerik. That's a very nice surprise, isn't it, Morbius?"
Morbius: "I know! We already told you it was full of mages from all over. Come out of hiding sometime and take a look will you?"
Joshua: "Alright, alright… well back to my question that you seem to have the answer to, Mada Learuh."
Learuh: "Goodness. Adiu belim! He was asking how you two chose to call each other brothers. And you even have their family name blessed to you by the same star."
Mr. Kelingham: "Yes! Exactly! I was so happy to hear such news that all the realms could live under one name that I had to ask. Lady Meridian told us you were part of the family tree as if it were a no-brainer that you had the name but I still didn't quite understand it."
Joshua: "Well, pardon me if it sounds rude, but it is a no-brainer. We are blood brothers after all."
Learuh: "A contract of blood!? To go so far…!?"
Joshua: "What!? No!! No!! Not even close! Morbius! How did you not understand these questions?! Meridian, you too!"
Morbius: "Oi! Don't you yell at her! Explain what we did wrong!"
Joshua: "Uh… urgh… no one did anything wrong. There's just a GIANT misunderstanding about this family tree of ours. First of all…"
Joshua puts his hand to his throat and clears it until it echoed through the room and it fell silent.
Joshua: "H-hello, everyone. I am Joshua Orpheus. Brother of Morbius Orpheus and entitled guardian chosen under the Orpheus constellation for this family. I wish to clear up a misunderstanding that seems to be floating around the room about this family. So allow me to clarify this now. Morbius and I are blood by birth. We are born and raised under the same roof through the same parents that named us, with my direct blood related brother Morbius as the eldest son and I the last born son. A bit of history to help this misunderstanding. Our mother was a Nierrealm native of the north bank islands of Kuzark. That tiny island on the globe east of the Amerik continents. We are both nier born sons! But I was the last of the line born with the mana. I hope everyone is clear on that. And thank you for your time."
Morbius:
"… that was the…"
Joshua:
"Yes. We don't look alike at all aside from our burgundy hair, dark eyes and pale skin. So that makes sense, but… ugh… I can't believe neither of you made this more clear. Meridian, you know our family. You asked this once before yourself. What was it again? "How do you fight so much yet never once tried to harm each other. It's like you're born from the same mother."
Meridian: "I was twelve!! I'm sorry I was too insensitive back then. I can't believe you brought that up!"
Joshua: "It's your own fault! The same thing literally just happened here. Both of you honestly. And what was our answer, Morbius."
Morbius:
"Pfft! "Cuz we are. Duh~." kehahahahaha!!"
Meridian: "Morbius!"
Morbius: "What?? It was funny then too. We laughed so hard we both ended up with headaches."
Joshua: "Damn right we did."
Morbius: "Oh, good heavens. How could I forget? That was the first time we ever met anyone from the direct Etherrealm too. Ah~. I'm so sorry. It seems we made some mistakes here. I'm glad she dragged your ass out of hiding, you cleared that in a heartbeat like you always do."
Joshua: "Heavens below. Stop laughing, you clown! You're gonna give me a headache."
Soon the room started to fill with giggles and laughter from the two bantering.
Mr. Kelingham: "So… pfft… s-so you're both nier sons then?"
Joshua: "Not necessarily. It's a genetic thing in our family that makes it rare to be born with mana. So even though our family isn't pure. The last person to have mana in our line before me was our grandfather."
Morbius: "All the good that did him."
Joshua:(whisper) "Morbius!"
Morbius: (whisper) "I'm sorry!"
Joshua: "So yeah, to make it simple, we are actually siblings. We may not look alike but that's only because that's how our line works."
Learuh: "If I may ask. You said you were from Kuzark in the northeast? What is your tribe? It is fine if you do not know."
Joshua:(sigh) "…well…"
Morbius: "Wait. Do we have to?"
Mr. Kelingham: "Oh! Absolutely not! It's up to you. We are simply curious. We know that your darling wife is from an ether royal family, the Orion."
Joshua: "then pardon me again, but we'd rather not speak of it."
Mobius: "I'll need to agree with him for that. We're a new family! New people! with our own ambitions! A name that we as a family made to reach new heights! Together! let's all end with that, yes?"
Mr. Kelingham: "splendid! I truly adore your dedication to tradition! You are absolutely right! You are Orpheus! The true friend of all mages!"
Morbius: "Well... I wouldn't have even gotten started if not for my brother."
Joshua looks at Morbius with a strange sense of discomfort but also with curious anticipation.
Joshua: "pfft. really? I didn't know you loved me that much, brother?"
Morbius: "if you just shut up and follow me to the front quietly we can get this moosh over with quickly, like you want."
Joshua shrugs as Morbius walks to the stairs and stands on the platform under the large empty wall as the chandelier hands over them like glowing rain on a halo. Joshua looks at Meridian and she nods to him, making him follow after Morbius with an unsteady heart. The silent room was filled with hums of whispers that made his blood run cold, and his hands ball into a fist as he stands by his brother's side. He tried to keep a calm composure before the room as he looked out to see them all below him, waiting with curious excitement.
Morbius: "My dear guests! I once again welcome you to the grand celebration of our first successful year as the House of Orpheus! your friend of the magical and the common! This time in our life is a great one that will bring about a new era of magic and technology! to save those in need of restoration, help those of weak origin, and aid those who wish for guidance! and I could not have done this... without my brother, Jashua. Now, brother. I know you will not want this to be out, but I must say this to show the world what you truly mean to me. (nier whisper) is that alright?"
Joshua hesitates for a long while. He knows what Morbius wants to tell the world. what he will tell the mages of this grand party about him. though he says it's for him, what could he possibly be thinking to expose something only they know? Why is he so confident that this will not make him hurt by this?
Joshua:(nier whisper) "... fine. this better be worth the risk."
Morbius smiles at him with sincerity and pulls a small jewel case from his coat pocket.
Morbius: "... with my brother's permission to speak then. Joshua has long suffered from mana misdirection ever since we were boys. The outbursts were nearly enough to kill him in front of me too many times to count. and I have constantly strove to find a way to aid him with this. all of my plans, ideas... My questions have always led to one answer. his power was simply growing without him and his great core was distorted in the process. This was only a hunch, so I continued to craft more. learn more, to see if my hunch was right. I found a way to see the core of a mage. It is like a heart. A part of the mage that brings their bodies to life. just as a spirit does. and with this item, I learned my hunch was correct in a way. His core has grown past his limit and has spread to his veins. His core has become a tumor to him and so I chose to make this."
Morbius opens the case and reveals a large gem encased with a strange mana tool as if it were meant to go into a socket. Jashua could feel stability the moment he saw the gem. it was pulsing before his eyes his heart became rhythmic in his ears. he could feel his mana centering as if he could finally speak to it. this was control. the control he couldn't never obtain without mana orbs. but this was no mana orb. it was something he's never seen before.
Mobius: "... I call this a circulator. it does not drain you of mana but rather pumps it through you evenly so that you don't have an internal collision. Not ever again. you can can explore you mana. find what you are capable of again. May I?"
Joshua: "... what must I do?"
Morbius: "hah! Just hold still. This is gonna hurt a bit."
Morbius opens Joshua's shirt to reveal a large dark stone sitting on his collarbone, as if nestled in place. a dangerous place for a mana core to reside, on top of his heart. Morbius looks his brother in the eyes and smiles.
Morbius: "I can finally save you, little brother. this too way too long."
Morbius presses the gem onto Joshua's chest and holds it for a while. Joshua could feel the mana pulling towards the gem and pulsing back through his body with his blood. It was warm and comfortable. He lets his head fall back and shuts his eyes as he breaths through his mana, letting it out through a tiny breath of darkness. He opens his eyes again looking at the chandelier only to notice it rocking weirdly, then suddenly get bigger. Time stopped for everything around him as soon as he heard Meridian call Morbius' name. his brother was in front of him smiling as tears were running down his eyes. The crowd around him looked to be in awe of what they were seeing, and Meridian had her wings spread, ready to take flight after them.
He looks up again then back to his brother. How happy he was to do this for him. It wouldn't be long now until they were crushed. He had no control over his mana yet. but he felt it stabilize, if only for this brief moment. Joshua takes his brother's hand from his chest with the gem and shoves him back as hard as he could before he becomes enveloped in a shroud of darkness and shattered crystals.
Morbius: "...!!? JOSHUA!!"