The In-Between Changes Of Identity (OTGW)

Prolouge

"Greg?Greg?Oh no....."Wirt muttered as he looked at the lifeless form of his once-alive energetic younger brother.He started to fall to the ground,sobbing.It was all over.He'd never go home,and neither would Greg.

"I can help."said a dark voice from the shadows,causing the teenager to move his head to the direction of the shadows.

"Y-you can?"Wirt asked,looking into the Beast's swirling,glowing multi-color eyes."R-really?Make Greg alive again?"

"Yes."his dark,booming voice echoed in the darkness."As long as you promise to become my lantern-bearer.You can see your brother in there as long as the flame is lit.You will wander around the Unknown."Wirt looked at the lantern dangling in his hand,into the swirling,yellow light."Are you ready,child?"

"I g-guess."He said,voice stuttering as he stepped closer."But the real question is...."He took a breath,mustering all the courage he could."Are you?"

The Beast chuckled."Always."he held out a grotesque hand which was made out of wood with holes etched in it and claws for fingers.Wirt shuddered a bit before he shook it.

"No,Wirt,don't!"Beatrice called out,the bluebird flying above him.

"I'm sorry Beatrice."He said,tears forming in his eyes."But I have to do this.....for Greg.And you should go."

"B-but-"

"Just go."

Beatrice reluctantly obeyed his words and started to fly away,slowly with the scissors Wirt had given to her between her wings.Tears stung in her eyes this time,as she disappeared in the foggy night sky.

Wirt looked around and saw that....Greg was gone.And he heard awful shrilling in front of him.He turned to see that it......was the Beast.Shrilling something about pain.Terrified,Wirt started to back up.

"IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY!"He screamed as his silhouette came closer,until it melted into a panicked Wirt who was trying to get away.

Then that was when the transition started.When a man becomes a beast.First,he felt pain on the sides of his head.Wirt bit down his lip.It felt worse than a migraine.The worse-than-migraine sprung into two Edelwood branches which began crudely shaping into antlers.Wirt cried out in pain,not knowing what was happening to him.

Second,his body hurt like hell all over.More Edelwood vines started to grow on Wirt's arms and legs,to top off with autumn leaves on them.The shuddered and sank to the ground as the vines continued growing.

Third,his hands turned into wood,his fingers expanding into claws.This was exceptionally painful,causing Wirt to collapse to the ground and hit a boulder in the way,causing his arm to bleed.That's when he discovered....he no longer had normal human blood,but bled of Edelwood oil.

Then the last part of the transition came.His eyes stung of pain like someone squeezed acid on them.Wirt shut them tight,until the pain stopped.A mirror was above the boy at the time and that's when.....he got to see what he had become.The twisted Edelwood antlers,his new hands,the vines,his glowing red-yellow-blue ringed eyes......Wirt had become the new Beast of the Unknown.

"I'm the Beast now."he chocked the words out in realization,sobbing silently on the ground.But it was all worth it,for Greg,right?

---

Wirt walked in the dark,gloomy woods of the Unknown,trying not to get his newfound antlers stuck between the branches.Suddenly,he heard a voice far away.

"Hello?"the voice asked,a childish boy-like voice."Anyone here?"

Wirt decided to ignore the boy at first,but then realized.....this was his first chance to make the lantern burn brighter so he could see Greg!Collect more Edelwood branches.

He thought he would be reluctant to do it but.....Wirt had no feelings of killing the young boy.

Did the transformation mess with my head too?He wondered,walking towards the boy.

Wirt was so silent as he crept up behind the boy,he didn't even notice him.So,he decided to recite a bit of poetry so he would get Wirt's attention.

"My wounded heart resides home beneath the black hole."He whispered,causing the boy to jump,afraid.Scared blue eyes looked at him.

"Uh,hi.I was wondering if you could h-help?"The boy asked,gulping.

Wirt chuckled."Of course."

-+-

"Why did you do this to me?"The boy-Andrew choked,out coughing out some leaves.He was trapped,almost all of his face wrapped away by the strangling Edelwood tree.

Wirt looked away from him,and didn't answer.He had to do this.....for Greg.

After a while,the little boy's screams stopped and Wirt turned around,discovering he was now no longer a little boy,but a tall,Edelwood tree.He sank to his knees again,and sobbed.Not for the boy,but of the way he could no longer feel any feelings.He had just murdered an innocent child,and didn't feel anything.He really was a Beast,after all.

But miracles do happen,maybe even to Beasts.

SterreDeWildt next chapter will contain Shalaska if you're intrested!:3