"Mate, you truly don't know much about our world, do you?" Kol mocked, his voice dripping with amusement.
"You think it's easy, don't you? Invading a witch, or a baby vamp? Sure, you'd have won because of this contract, but it wouldn't have been as easy as you think." Kol explained with a smirk.
'Well, damn. That does make sense. Why couldn't I have been reincarnated into something simpler instead of being stuck with this wild guy? I get the appeal, though. We're similar in some ways: not caring about rules, treating them more like guidelines, doing whatever we want as long as it fits our code, and sure, being promiscuous but loving deeply when it matters. I appreciate the chance, but why did it have to be like this?'
"Look, man, I get it. You don't trust me. Hell, if I were in your shoes and had lived as long as you, I'd probably be plotting how to kill me with minimal consequences too. And I'm sure you would've already, if not for whatever's holding you back. So let me be clear—whatever brought me here? It's powerful.
And if there's any character from your show that I resonate with, it's you. Then maybe Niklaus, because I'm impulsive, reactive, and I don't give a damn about rules. So, if you've got a better plan, let's get on with it. This pain in my chest is unbearable, and the only reason I'm still talking is because I know you're more experienced with this sort of thing."
Kol raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the honesty. "Mate, this is beyond even me. But let's pool our resources. Tell me what you know."
"I've already told you everything," Rudra said, frustration slipping into his voice. "This whole thing is the most clichéd of clichés, and I'm not a fan of clichés. I don't like repeating the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. I like to try new things—even if the core's the same, I like to approach it differently. A new twist to an old story? I'm in. So let's move forward. I can't fight this merge, and I definitely can't endure this burning force in my chest any longer."
Rudra sighed, trying to lay out the situation as clearly as possible, without losing any key details.
"You only have yourself to blame for admiring my bastard of a brother, mate," Kol teased, a crooked smile forming on his lips.
"Bro, do I think Niklaus is a good guy? Hell no. He's a paranoid, narcissistic control freak who's been hunted his whole life and tormented in his own mind for the better part of fifty years. But I do think he's your family's sin-eater, and he deserves respect for that.
Elijah? Yeah, his so-called nobility… that guy makes deals without considering how his promises affect the rest of you. Klaus, on the other hand, doesn't pretend. He does what it takes to get things done, and he doesn't hide behind any high ideals.
As for Rebekah, she falls for a new guy every century, either wanting to turn him into a vampire or become human herself. I get that she craves a normal life, but that vulnerability is something Klaus handles, one way or another.
Now you, Kol… I don't know exactly what your mother's spell did to you, but you're unhinged. Sure, you've shown civility, but we both know it's a mask. You tear it off whenever you want, going on massacres so brutal no one questions why they call you unpredictable. Those rampages attract your father like a moth to flame. And let's not even get into the mess that is your parents."
Rudra took a breath, steadying himself. "So yeah, Klaus daggered you, set up a safe place, and only removes the dagger when things have cooled down. What do you expect from a man who's never lived a single day for himself? I get him. I'm that kind of guy too. I'm prone to anger, and I'd do whatever it takes to protect my family, legal or not. The only difference is I had good parents and a sister who grounded me, so I can't completely compare."
Kol fell silent, his usual sarcasm fading. Rudra's words hit deeper than expected. He thought about his life, how many times Niklaus had run, lived under constant threat, cursed by that hunter spell that only made things worse. Rudra was right about a lot of it.
"So, bro," Rudra continued, meeting Kol's gaze, "let's get this over with. Whatever happens, I doubt it'll be worse than what we've been through. If this process were malicious, we wouldn't be standing here, talking like this. I don't think I'll perish. We'll become something new. So, let's finish it."
Kol held his stare for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, mate. Let's do this."