Red x Blue - The Subject of Illusion (Four Swords Modern AU)

Chapter 3

Red's cheeks were tinted pink with embarrassment and difficulty breathing as he lay there hyperventilating helplessly on the ground. Tears poured from his eyes as wicked laughter filled his ears.

"Crybaby!" said a familiar voice. "Rattle-loving loser!"

"STOP! PLEASE!" Red's desperate cries fell on deaf ears as the figures of Shadow, Zelda and Vio loomed high above him, laughing to no end with their hurtful insults.

"Oh, Red, you should know how these things work by now. You can't trust anyone these days, even if it is your special someone, as I'm sure you know," Zelda spoke, her tone of voice soft yet hateful.

"Ha! Talk about pathetic. What kind of guy is into teddy bears and flowers? You should just do us all a favor and-" Shadow began.

"Don't you dare talk to my brother like that!"

"Green!" Red cried, relieved to see his older brother come and stand between him and his new "friends".

"Red is special and unique! He's one of the nicest people in the world and has more common sense than all of you sick bastards!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, my friend," Vio said.

Green's vicious snarl turned to a look of shock, horror and regret all in one. Blood began pouring out of his mouth and his now lifeless body collapsed right in front of Red. In his place stood Shadow, a bloody knife in hand.

"NOOO!" Red screamed, but before he could rush over to his brother, Vio kicked the corpse away and the three circled Red.

"Poor Red, all alone again..." Zelda started.

"...With no one to comfort him..." Shadow continued, maliciously licking the blood from the knife with a sick grin when Red looked at him.

"Just like what she did a while ago..." Vio finished.

"No... NO! I DON'T WANNA BE ALONE!" Red gripped his hair with both hands and squeezed his eyes shut. "SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE!" He let out a piercing scream in an attempt to block out the horrendous laughter that the three caused. Red didn't care if he made himself deaf; he just wanted it all to end. But when his lungs finally gave out and requested a large intake of air, everything was silent. He took a moment to catch his breath before he finally dared to open his eyes.

Everywhere around him was pure white and held a soft glow to it. At last, his bullies had vanished, but now he had no idea where he was.

"Red," said a deep voice from behind him.

Red turned sharply around from his place on the floor and gazed upon the sight of Blue standing several meters away. His face was blank but somewhat comforting, probably due to the heavenly light that surrounded the two teenagers.

"Blue...?" Red whispered.

"You have to wake up, Red. Stop imagining things."

Now Red was utterly confused. "W-what? What am I imagining?"

"Wake up."

"No, wait! Please tell me what I'm imagining!"

"Wake up, Red!" The voice was now more alert and concerned and didn't sound like Blue anymore.

The older teenager vanished and Red's eyes shot open to see a worried Green kneeling beside his bed, gently shaking his shoulder. "Are you okay, lil' bro?"

"G...Green...?" Red replied, panting and sweating slightly. He looked over to his window; sunlight had barely made itself known, so it must have been very early in the morning. His clock confirmed that with its digital numbers showing three-thirty-four a.m.