Reflections Of Angels

Oh Brother

A/N: This chapter contains major spoilers for my mini-story, The Birdcage, including a character introduced in that story. Read at your own discretion.

Silently out of the long bedroom mirror, Alysha crept across the floor, crouching to pick up a discarded item of clothing, screwing it up tight in her hands before lobbing it at the head of the figure on the bed. "Get up!"

"What the-" Reaching forwards, Alysha grabbed the bedsheets and yanked them off the bed; with a yelp, the occupant fell off the bed with a loud crash, and Jayson rolled out from under the blankets. "-FUCK!"

"What did you do?"

Sitting on the floor, Jayson blinked and rubbed his eyes; trying to regain focus between been half asleep and stunned from the collision. "Ugh, it's you again. Can't a guy have some peace and quiet?"

Alysha crossed her arms. "Oh, this is nothing compared to what I can do to you."

Opening his eyes again , he tipped back his head to squint up at her, puzzled at first but then a look of realisation spread across his face. "... Alysha? Hey, you're three-dimensional! How'd that happen- shit!" He leapt to his feet as Alysha lost patience and rushed him like an angry bull; they chased each other in loops around the room, Alysha snatching this up off surfaces to throw at him as she yelled. "Where is she? What did you do? Why can't I find her?"

Snatching projectiles up from the floor around his feet where they landed, Jayson hurled a few back in retaliation before holding up his hands in surrender. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Truce! What's going on?"

Alysha skidded to a hald in front of him, vibrating with anger as she jabbed an accusing finger at him. "You have to have done this! Where is she? Why can't I find her?"

"Where's who?" He asked. "I have to have done what?"

"You know who." Alysha said sternly; then she narrowed her eyes as she noticed something. "What the hell happened to your face?"

"Rude." He made a disgruntled sound of objection as Alysha grabbed his chin, turning his head to look at the side of his face. A long gash ran from his brow to his chin, just nicking the corner of his eyelid. It was fairly new, definitely still healing. "Got attacked by some psycho, didn't I?" He winced. "Can you maybe ease up on the pulling me around? They had a right go at me. Got me in several places."

"Huh." Alysha pulled a face, but released him. "Teach you not to pick fights."

"Hey!" He objected. "What makes you think I started it?"

"... Because you usually do."

"Nice." Jayson said sarcastically. "It's not like you just instigated this whole quarrel."

"How'd they let you escape that Asylum anyway?" She snarked.

"I could leave any time I liked!"

"Wait... you could?" Alysha wrinkled her nose. "... Why'd you stay there then? That was a bit stupid, Jayson."

"I had stuff to do!" As much as he tried, he couldn't help the anger rising at her statements; she was very good at pushing buttons.

"Oh yeah." She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Futsing about in a hospital was very important. Get real. Amounts to nothing."

Annoyed, he shoved her harshly. "Yeah, cause you've been doing so much more!"

"You've pulled a lot of shit, Jayson." Alysha spat darkly. "But I swear,if you're behind this, you're the fucking worst!"

"Maybe she ran away because you're such a brat!"

"If you've done this," She snarled. "then you're my least favourite- currently living- sibling!"

"So what's new there? I didn't do it!"

Alysha sighed, burying her face in her hands. A few minutes later, she lowered them again. "Well, then I don't know what to do."

"Not accusing me would be a start."

"You don't understand." She groaned. "It's serious. I can't find her up here." She raised her fingers to her forehead.  That's never happened before. I can usually sense all my siblings, clear as a bell when I want."

He blinked. "You can?"

"Yes. How else do you think I know where you are?" She rolled her eyes. "
"Ours just doesn't go both ways. But it's... all become difficult suddenly. I can't get a clear fix. I don't know what's happened. And if it's not you messing with my powers... then we may have a bigger problem."

"You may have a bigger problem."

"... Sure." She said, then sighed miserably again. "I just don't know what to do. And I don't like that."

"Look." He said. "I'll confess, I did meet Nyx at the hospital. We... had a bit of a run in. She looks an awful lot like you; it's almost spooky." He held up his hands in surrender again as Alysha visibly tensed, her expression less than impressed. "But the last time I saw her, she seemed perfectly fine. More than fine, even. I believe she left on her own."

Alysha groaned. "Oh, you're kidding me."

"Kidding you?" He bit. "I'm your brother, Alysha! You could have let me know we have a little sister!"

"She didn't leave alone, she ran off with him." Alysha spat venomously. Jayson looked confused, but she didn't explain. "If he's done this, I swear..." Suddenly she looked up at him, the light of an idea burning in her eyes. "What if we tried?"

"What?" He asked, looking confused.

Suddenly eager, she grabbed his arms, dragging him down to the floor so they were kneeling in front of each other. "I need to borrow your marvellous brain. Maybe together we can do it; we could combine our power and amplify the connection!"

"Okay-"

"-Yes. Shh!" She hushed him, leaning forwards to touch her fingers to his temples. "Just relax- let your mind go blank... That's not blank, Jayson!"

"Sorry." He sniggered.

She smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "Behave. You might actually learn something."

Laying her fingers back onto his temples, she focused her mental energy, combining it with his as she reached out across the bond...

... Nothing. The waters remained murky.

"Fucking hell!" Alysha shrieked, leaping to her feet. "It's not working! What the hell is going on? I hate this!"

"Uh... Bye then?" Jayson said as she stormed across the room in a rage, passing into the mirror without even breaking stride. The moment she disappeared from view, he pulled a face, staring after her in confusion. "...What the fuck was that?"

So, let me know what you think! I know since I haven't as of yet finished The Birdcage some of the stuff referenced here makes little sense or seems to come from nowhere, and I am sorry. I did give fair warning. I wouldn't have included this chapter quite yet if it wasn't necessary for Alysha's plotline.
Besides,I suppose it's an interesting new lense to look at The Birdcage through XD