One sat quietly in his chair by the metal table, gazing nonchalantly at the digital clock that sat on Adrian's small workbench. It was a little past 2 in the morning, and as he glanced back at the motionless silhouette of his brother, he couldn't budge that same thought out of his mind. There was just no hope for Two. Adrian hadn't budged from his spot in front of the computer all night, and still hadn't got any closer to healing the twin. He was a lost cause.
Sighing deeply, One rose from his chair and walked slowly to where Adrian sat, intently watching the screen. He tapped Adrian on the shoulder, and the programmer looked over his shoulder, frowning slightly.
"What's up?" One didn't answer straight away, but stared back at his brother and sighed again. This had to be done. There was no other way, he didn't deserve to be put through this pain. It was for his own good. Eventually he looked back at Adrian, his face expressionless.
"We should delete his code." Adrian stared at One, not believing what he had just heard. Shaking his head, he turned back to the computer.
"You shouldn't give up on him yet. He's fighting for his life here, you can't just abandon him. He's your brother, remember?" One walked back over to Two and sat down next to him.
"It has to be done," he said quietly, and Adrian frowned.
"No it doesn't. We can't just give up on him after we've got so far. It's just wrong." One opened his mouth to say something, but Adrian quickly cut him off.
"I don't want to hear it," he said firmly. "I'm gonna try and fix this code, with or without your help. If you don't want to encourage your brother and give him the strength to carry on, that's fine, but I'm not going to let him die like this." With that Adrian turned back to the computer, shaking his head. This wasn't like One. He wouldn't just give up on his twin like that, something must be wrong. Maybe he was beginning to lose hope...
Two rose slowly to his feet, confused about what had just happened. He could see a brilliant green light illuminating the space around him, and the flames that had been previously there had vanished. Instead of burning, he felt a strange tingling sensation travelling throughout his body, making him feel numb. It felt as if he was drifting off to sleep, yet it was an eerie feeling, and not a pleasant one. He looked down, and saw that the green light was creeping over his body, swirling steadily around him like mist. He stepped away from it, watching in curiosity as it disintegrated. Again the green light swirled around him, this time moving faster. He started to feel weary, and he found it hard to focus on anything. Suddenly it hit him what the green light was, and he jumped away from it, panicking. It was death. It crept closer to him, closing in around him. He felt all his strength fading from him, and everything started turning black. No, he told himself firmly. He had to stay alive. He had to keep strong and overcome this, he couldn't let his brother down. He tried to phase, to somehow escape from the emerald substance, but it was no use. As he jumped backwards for a third time, however, he felt something stir inside him. The green light vanished, and everything turned black once more.
Two could hear voices around him again, but this time they seemed much clearer. He recognised his brother's voice, and after a few moments of trying to make sense of things, he realised that the other voice was Adrian's. He could feel something tingling on the palms of his hands, and recognised the feeling of cold steel. He realised that his eyes were closed, and tried to open them, but couldn't. He felt as if something had drained him of all his energy. He tried again to make sense of things, putting together all that he knew of this place. He was obviously lying down, on what seemed to be a metal surface, and he could hear Adrian and One talking, along with the steady whirr of machinery. He could also feel something heavy around his head, like a helmet. Suddenly, it all made sense to him. He wasn't dreaming anymore. He was back in Adrian's lab.
"You can't abandon him!" Adrian nearly yelled, his face mere inches away from One's. "He's your own brother, he's practically a part of you. If you let him die, something will die inside you. Your code isn't complete without his." One didn't speak, but just glared at Adrian, who backed away a few steps. After several seconds, he turned away, gazing back at Two.
"I don't want him to die," he said quietly, leaning back against the side of the large computer. "If I could save him, I would, but there's just no hope left for him. We can't save him, so keeping alive like this is just prolonging his pain. He's a lost cause." Adrian and One sighed simultaneously, and stared at the floor, not knowing what to say next.
"Please..." One glanced up suddenly, hearing a voice whisper in the darkness. He looked over at Adrian.
"Did you say something?" He asked, and Adrian shook his head.
"Nope," he replied, looking puzzled. "I thought it was you. It sounded like you."
"Sounded like me?" One glanced uneasily around then room, then it dawned on him who had spoke. He rushed to the other side of the room, and Adrian followed him, a confused expression on his face until he realised where One was headed. One came to a stop by the metal table and looked down at his brother, watching him for any sign of movement.
"Two? Two, can you hear me?" He asked unsurely, not daring to look away.
"Um, no, I can't hear a word you're saying," Two answered weakly, but with definite sarcasm. One was about to say something in reply, when Two spoke again.
"Listen, please don't give up on me. You said you weren't going to lose me, and you were right. But I can't fight alone." He drew a shaky breath, his eyes flickering open slightly. He looked up at One, who smiled down at him sadly.
"Two, I'm so sorry," he said quietly, and Two smirked.
"S'okay," he whispered. "Just...promise me you'll stand by me, and won't try and abandon me again. I'm not gonna let this take me over, but I need you to help me. Okay?" One nodded, touching his brother on the shoulder lightly.
"Yeah, I promise," he replied, and Two smiled, then closed his eyes again, exhausted. One watched his brother for a while, then looked back at Adrian, who smiled.
"He's out cold again," he said, then glanced over at Two before looking back at One. "So," he began, grinning. "You still given up on him?" One shook his head.
"No way," he answered, looking down at his brother. "We fight together now. As long as I'm not going down, neither is he. I won't let him die like this." Adrian grinned again at his friend, before turning back to the computer monitor. He had a good feeling about this. Now the twins were fighting together again, he knew that nothing could stop them. Whether it was a virus or an enemy they were fighting against, as a team they were indestructible.
Two looked around, noticing that he was back in the "dream space" again. Still, he didn't mind being here anymore. He knew that One wouldn't give up on him, and that was enough of a reason for him to fight. He attempted to connect with his brother's mind, and found that this time, the link was much clearer.
*So, what now?* he asked One, looking around.
*Adrian says the virus codes seem to have grouped together. They should be easier to delete now.* Two nodded, despite the fact that his brother couldn't see him do it, and sat down again, looking around at the space. It was now pitch black, the only light coming from the lines of code that streamed down around him like rain. He knew that this was his own code surrounding him, and a few metres away from where he stood, he could make out the virus code; a block of brilliant red code among the calm green glow of his own program. He was tempted to run over and tear that virus code apart, maul and beat it until it was nothing but dust. Still, he knew it would do no good, and leaned back, watching it intently like a leopard eyeing its prey.
*Allow me to make it easier for you...* Two looked around, hearing a strange voice whisper to him in the darkness. Again, it seemed to speak from inside him, but it was definitely not his brother. He glanced around uneasily, when his gaze focused on the red code in front of him. He gaped in bewilderment as the virus code began spiralling around itself, twisting together and forming some kind of humanoid figure. It was similar to his ghost form in appearance, only it was a deep red, and swirls of flame seemed to spew out of its malicious eyes. Two slowly got to his feet, staring at the figure that stood mere metres away from him.
"Oh, great," he whispered under his breath, stepping backwards slightly. He focused on creating another link with One, feeling slightly comforted by the fact that he could at least contact him for help.
*Uh, One,* he said in his head, cautiously eyeing the strange figure in front of him, *I could use some help here...*
Sighing deeply, One rose from his chair and walked slowly to where Adrian sat, intently watching the screen. He tapped Adrian on the shoulder, and the programmer looked over his shoulder, frowning slightly.
"What's up?" One didn't answer straight away, but stared back at his brother and sighed again. This had to be done. There was no other way, he didn't deserve to be put through this pain. It was for his own good. Eventually he looked back at Adrian, his face expressionless.
"We should delete his code." Adrian stared at One, not believing what he had just heard. Shaking his head, he turned back to the computer.
"You shouldn't give up on him yet. He's fighting for his life here, you can't just abandon him. He's your brother, remember?" One walked back over to Two and sat down next to him.
"It has to be done," he said quietly, and Adrian frowned.
"No it doesn't. We can't just give up on him after we've got so far. It's just wrong." One opened his mouth to say something, but Adrian quickly cut him off.
"I don't want to hear it," he said firmly. "I'm gonna try and fix this code, with or without your help. If you don't want to encourage your brother and give him the strength to carry on, that's fine, but I'm not going to let him die like this." With that Adrian turned back to the computer, shaking his head. This wasn't like One. He wouldn't just give up on his twin like that, something must be wrong. Maybe he was beginning to lose hope...
Two rose slowly to his feet, confused about what had just happened. He could see a brilliant green light illuminating the space around him, and the flames that had been previously there had vanished. Instead of burning, he felt a strange tingling sensation travelling throughout his body, making him feel numb. It felt as if he was drifting off to sleep, yet it was an eerie feeling, and not a pleasant one. He looked down, and saw that the green light was creeping over his body, swirling steadily around him like mist. He stepped away from it, watching in curiosity as it disintegrated. Again the green light swirled around him, this time moving faster. He started to feel weary, and he found it hard to focus on anything. Suddenly it hit him what the green light was, and he jumped away from it, panicking. It was death. It crept closer to him, closing in around him. He felt all his strength fading from him, and everything started turning black. No, he told himself firmly. He had to stay alive. He had to keep strong and overcome this, he couldn't let his brother down. He tried to phase, to somehow escape from the emerald substance, but it was no use. As he jumped backwards for a third time, however, he felt something stir inside him. The green light vanished, and everything turned black once more.
Two could hear voices around him again, but this time they seemed much clearer. He recognised his brother's voice, and after a few moments of trying to make sense of things, he realised that the other voice was Adrian's. He could feel something tingling on the palms of his hands, and recognised the feeling of cold steel. He realised that his eyes were closed, and tried to open them, but couldn't. He felt as if something had drained him of all his energy. He tried again to make sense of things, putting together all that he knew of this place. He was obviously lying down, on what seemed to be a metal surface, and he could hear Adrian and One talking, along with the steady whirr of machinery. He could also feel something heavy around his head, like a helmet. Suddenly, it all made sense to him. He wasn't dreaming anymore. He was back in Adrian's lab.
"You can't abandon him!" Adrian nearly yelled, his face mere inches away from One's. "He's your own brother, he's practically a part of you. If you let him die, something will die inside you. Your code isn't complete without his." One didn't speak, but just glared at Adrian, who backed away a few steps. After several seconds, he turned away, gazing back at Two.
"I don't want him to die," he said quietly, leaning back against the side of the large computer. "If I could save him, I would, but there's just no hope left for him. We can't save him, so keeping alive like this is just prolonging his pain. He's a lost cause." Adrian and One sighed simultaneously, and stared at the floor, not knowing what to say next.
"Please..." One glanced up suddenly, hearing a voice whisper in the darkness. He looked over at Adrian.
"Did you say something?" He asked, and Adrian shook his head.
"Nope," he replied, looking puzzled. "I thought it was you. It sounded like you."
"Sounded like me?" One glanced uneasily around then room, then it dawned on him who had spoke. He rushed to the other side of the room, and Adrian followed him, a confused expression on his face until he realised where One was headed. One came to a stop by the metal table and looked down at his brother, watching him for any sign of movement.
"Two? Two, can you hear me?" He asked unsurely, not daring to look away.
"Um, no, I can't hear a word you're saying," Two answered weakly, but with definite sarcasm. One was about to say something in reply, when Two spoke again.
"Listen, please don't give up on me. You said you weren't going to lose me, and you were right. But I can't fight alone." He drew a shaky breath, his eyes flickering open slightly. He looked up at One, who smiled down at him sadly.
"Two, I'm so sorry," he said quietly, and Two smirked.
"S'okay," he whispered. "Just...promise me you'll stand by me, and won't try and abandon me again. I'm not gonna let this take me over, but I need you to help me. Okay?" One nodded, touching his brother on the shoulder lightly.
"Yeah, I promise," he replied, and Two smiled, then closed his eyes again, exhausted. One watched his brother for a while, then looked back at Adrian, who smiled.
"He's out cold again," he said, then glanced over at Two before looking back at One. "So," he began, grinning. "You still given up on him?" One shook his head.
"No way," he answered, looking down at his brother. "We fight together now. As long as I'm not going down, neither is he. I won't let him die like this." Adrian grinned again at his friend, before turning back to the computer monitor. He had a good feeling about this. Now the twins were fighting together again, he knew that nothing could stop them. Whether it was a virus or an enemy they were fighting against, as a team they were indestructible.
Two looked around, noticing that he was back in the "dream space" again. Still, he didn't mind being here anymore. He knew that One wouldn't give up on him, and that was enough of a reason for him to fight. He attempted to connect with his brother's mind, and found that this time, the link was much clearer.
*So, what now?* he asked One, looking around.
*Adrian says the virus codes seem to have grouped together. They should be easier to delete now.* Two nodded, despite the fact that his brother couldn't see him do it, and sat down again, looking around at the space. It was now pitch black, the only light coming from the lines of code that streamed down around him like rain. He knew that this was his own code surrounding him, and a few metres away from where he stood, he could make out the virus code; a block of brilliant red code among the calm green glow of his own program. He was tempted to run over and tear that virus code apart, maul and beat it until it was nothing but dust. Still, he knew it would do no good, and leaned back, watching it intently like a leopard eyeing its prey.
*Allow me to make it easier for you...* Two looked around, hearing a strange voice whisper to him in the darkness. Again, it seemed to speak from inside him, but it was definitely not his brother. He glanced around uneasily, when his gaze focused on the red code in front of him. He gaped in bewilderment as the virus code began spiralling around itself, twisting together and forming some kind of humanoid figure. It was similar to his ghost form in appearance, only it was a deep red, and swirls of flame seemed to spew out of its malicious eyes. Two slowly got to his feet, staring at the figure that stood mere metres away from him.
"Oh, great," he whispered under his breath, stepping backwards slightly. He focused on creating another link with One, feeling slightly comforted by the fact that he could at least contact him for help.
*Uh, One,* he said in his head, cautiously eyeing the strange figure in front of him, *I could use some help here...*