Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

So the original prompt for this story was just me skimming through a few of the more “recent” pages of Grim Tales at the time. There was a lot of lore being tossed around that I just couldn’t be bothered with.

But then… Then I happened upon this one flashback sequence. And I saw an opportunity.

Notes at the bottom.

Junior stopped two steps into the hallway of their extravagant home. He’d left the emptied glue tube back in the study and was debating whether he should go back and toss it. The trash was on the way to where he was going. He could always just gather everything up when he finished, but now the thought was stuck in his head and he’d already spun around.

Maybe he could get the drop on Minnie and give her a little scare. That could be fun.

Any trace of a smile on Junior’s skeletal features was muted just as he was about to step into the doorway. The clang of striking steel stilled the young reaper in place. Before he could jump into action – whatever form it may take – someone started speaking. A very familiar speaker, he realized. Junior could feel ice in his soul, freezing him in place, as his mother began her “lecture.”

He couldn’t say he was surprised by her demeanor. The aggressive cruelty in her voice was pretty par the course for the Queen of the Underworld. Even hearing it directed at hi s sister wasn’t particularly shocking but…

No, this was different. As the rather one-sided dialogue continued, Junior could feel a gaping pit forming where his heart should be. His mother’s words were… too much. Too hateful, too cold. He wasn’t even in the same room as her, he couldn’t imagine how Minnie felt taking this “lesson” face to face.

Then he heard it, the sudden twack and the clatter of scattering bits that followed. Junior’s body jolted – he knew exactly what that sound was without even looking. Still, he couldn’t find the strength to move yet. There was the much softer sound of crumpling paper before his mother spoke one last time.

“Your brother spent a considerable amount of time on that project of his. Do be a good sister and console him for me.”

And then there was silence. Life – or whatever he had that imitated it – returned to his form. Junior swiftly found himself tilting sideways, his arm catching his weight against the wall. The need to breathe was overwhelming, a series of short huffs rushing through pursed lips. That absent heart of his was beating hard regardless, the entirety of his boney frame quaking with each percussive strike. His mother and sister had to know he was standing there, how could they not hear the near panic attack he was experiencing?

There was a sob.

Junior seized up, his skull perking at the soft cry. A second passed and then… another choked breath called out from the study. Junior’s arm left the wall, his hand reaching for the edge of the doorway. Pulling himself into frame, his empty sockets locked onto the sole figure remaining within.

Minnie was at the desk, holding the quite emptied tube of glue in one hand and shifting around the shattered bits of his broken model with the other. Her normally poised movements were nonexistent, her arms wracked with terrible tremors. Even at this distance, he could see the reflection of tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Her gaze was wild and desperate, unable to focus.

Not until she caught sight of him stepping into the room.

“Brother! It’s not what it looks like!”

Junior just stood there, a few steps into the space, his blank eyes locked on the scattered remains of his miniature T-Rex skeleton. Minnie continued to babble, going incoherent as blind panic overtook her. The young reaper turned his gaze to his sister. His expression halted her ranting, her body locking up.

Silence overtook them. With his lack of actual eyes, Junior could chance a few glances around the room. Something shifted behind a book shelf and the boy took a single, deep inhalation. Funnily enough, Minnie copied his actions. On any other day he may have laughed. As one the two siblings released their breath, Junior steeling his features.

Minnie was startled when her brother marched towards her. He offered no words as he snatched up her hand, turning on a dime and beginning to drag her out of the study. She didn’t even try to resist, catching sight of her mother peeking out from her hiding place. The children were out the door in the span of seconds.

Junior had no plan. He knew he had to get out of there. They had to get out of there. Had to get somewhere safe. For him, the safest place he could be was his room. So to his room they went.

Mini-Mandy wasn’t sure what to make of being escorted to her brother’s room like this. Because her depravity knew no bounds, notions of the carnal nature bubbled to the surface of her thoughts. What else would a strapping lad expect in taking a young lass into his bedchambers?

Her snuffing of those thoughts was swift and merciless.

The two crossed the threshold into Junior’s room, the boy himself swinging the door shut behind them. Though it meant little, particularly if his parents were the ones who wanted in, he made sure to click the lock in place. The brief sound was not lost on Minnie, the girl able to intercept her erratic lusts and focus on the actual situation. Did he plan some sort of violent retribution and wish not to be disturbed in the midst of it?

That thought was… strangely calming. At least Junior’s punishment would likely be sensible, it couldn’t be any worse than what their mother subjected her to.

Junior stepped towards her and Minnie gave a short jump. The pair paused, staring at each other. The boy took another step, his features devoid of emotion. Minnie closed her eyes and willed herself to relax, prepared to receive whatever her brother would give her.

Her heart all but leapt into her throat when what her brother gave her was a hug. One that rocked her so thoroughly she fell backwards onto his mattress. Junior followed suit, landing half on top of her.

“Br-Brother? Wh-What is-”

“I’m sorry Minnie, I’m so sorry.”

The girl’s addled mind found less and less to grasp onto, the situation deteriorating by the second. Why was he apologizing? Her brother hadn’t done anything wrong, not up to this point. As much as Minnie wished to articulate this inquiry, she found only the strength to wrap her arms lightly around Junior in return. He was clearly upset, her first priority was to offer comfort.

“I’m sorry,” he continued, “I didn’t know.”

“Didn’t know...” Minnie whispered, glancing down to the top of her brother’s skull.

“Tha… That mom was-”

She had no control over her reaction. Where once her arms held her sibling, now they thrust the boy away. Junior sailed across the bed, hitting the edge of the mattress before toppling to the dark carpet below. He hardly even felt the pain, scrambling upright and lifting himself back onto the bed.

Minnie had jumped back, pressing herself between Junior’s cushions and fully against the headboard. Her gaze was intense, her pupils shrunken to tiny black pinpricks in the wide whites of her eyes. It was similar to what he saw earlier, when she was struggling to piece together his broken model. But in addition to the fear, there was something he couldn’t quite recognize. Something wild and irrational.

“Sis?”

His sister shook. That was all the response Junior was going to get, Minnie’s gaze still locked in a thousand yard stare. The young reaper crawled forward, Minnie didn’t move. Junior kept going.

He was next to her in seconds. Minnie’s stare continued forward, the far wall of considerable interest. Junior reached out for her with both hands, very slowly.

“Minnie.”

The boy spoke in time with his hands falling on her shoulders. His sister started to struggle, but this time Junior had a firm hold on her. Minnie’s hands swung up, clamping down on the young reaper’s dark sleeves. The amount of strength she had was frightening, Junior forced to either lose his grip or have his hands snapped off at the wrists. The show of force looked to be a surprise to Minnie as well, her own limbs going limp after the fact.

Junior blinked, a truly remarkable feat for a living skeleton. At least h e had his sister’s attention, even if she still looked midway through an emotional crisis. The boy paused, attempting to organize his thoughts. This… had never been a strong suit of his, but even Junior could see that this required a more calculated approach. In his musing, the kid skeleton fell back against one of his cushions and headboard.

B eside him, Minnie mimicked his stance . Her brother proceeded to take well over a minute thinking over his next course of action, enough time for the girl to calm considerably. She watched as Junior’s face slowly twisted into a tight grimace, as though the “agony” of critical thought was translating into actual pain. The small grin that graced her lips went beneath Minnie’s notice.

But Junior caught the slight shift in mood, his own features relaxing. Even then, his expression never went beyond sternly neutral.

“Are you okay?”

It was probably the dumbest question he’d ever asked. Things were not “okay,” he doubted they’d ever be that way again after what he’d learned today. But he had to start somewhere.

Minnie’s brief smile wavered, only a slight upturn at the corners of her lips. She leaned against the headboard, her gaze now cast at Junior’s lap rather than his eyes. There was a short silence before she spoke, “No worse than usual.”

“What does that mean?”

His sister’s face fell further. “ It’s of little concern, my brother. I’m used to it.”

Junior leaned over, propping his weight on one hand as he tried to look Minnie in the eye. Her hollow gaze turned away, facing the corner of the mattress and the headboard. “ ’Used to it,’ do you even hear what you’re saying? That’s completely demented!”

Minnie shrugged, “It is the way of things.”

The boy reaper wanted to rage, be angry at everything and everyone involved. His mother for doing this, his father for allowing it to happen, himself for being blind to it all. He’d never been good at reigning in his own temper. So it struck Junior himself as odd that he remained so still. Perhaps he could chalk it up to shock at his own sister’s lack of caring, but he felt far too calm about the situation.

Instead of bursting with emotion, Junior dragged himself next to his sister. This time when he put his arm around her shoulder, she easily complied. Minnie shifted her weight off the bed’s frame and all but melted onto her brother, her head resting atop his chest. Junior fell back onto his cushion as she brought her own arms around his torso.

With his free hand, Junior stroked his sister’s hair.

“Minnie,” the young reaper paused, trying to form the right words, “… I’ve got you.”

It was a simple statement. She supposed it was to be expected, her brother was far from articulate at the best of times. But even so, those simple words were the tipping point. Burying her face into his black hoodie, Minnie allowed the tears to fall. Junior tightened his grip as the first sobs wracked her form.

She was a failure, every bit the disappointment her mother derided her as. She was supposed to be the protector, an executor of her master’s will. Unflinching, unyielding, a force of nature made flesh. A perfect weapon for her future ruler – for the sake of her brother.

And here she was showing such blatant weakness, drawing comfort from the one person who should have seen only her strengths. But even despite that failure, Junior continued to hold her, to lovingly stroke her hair and allow her to cry into his chest.

“I promise, from now on. I’ve got you.”

Maybe… it wouldn’t be so bad to indulge herself. Just for now.

Mandy stood in the open door frame, a hand against the edge holding her steady. If not for that small tether, she may have stomped over to the sleeping pair and torn them apart – possibly in a literal sense.

It wasn’t that she was particularly against their newfound “closeness,” even factoring in her daughter’s blatant infatuation with her sibling. She was honestly the last person to be lecturing anybody about “taboo” relationships. Besides, keeping things in the family was well in line with her future plans.

The problem was that they hadn’t earned it yet.

As she mulled over her next course of action, she purposely ignored the looming figure coming to a rest behind her. The hand that fell upon her shoulder was tender, if not firmer than she was used to. Had it belonged to anyone else, it would also have been swiftly severed and stomped under heel.

“I tink you’ll have to let dem have dis.”

Mandy slapped the palm away, her eyes still fixed on the sleeping pair before her. Junior and Minnie were dead to the world – no pun intended – the latter strewn across her brother’s chest with arms wrapped around him. Despite the small bag of bones likely serving as the worst pillow in existence, her daughter rested with the most pleased expression written across her features. Junior looked rather content himself, one arm slung around his sister’s shoulder.

It was an overall sickeningly adorable scene, one that even Mandy was having difficulty resisting. This was partially what rooted her to the spot even as her husband pushed past her, gliding into the room like a black veiled wraith.

Grim drifted to the side of Junior’s bed with nary a sound. From the foot of the mattress, his skeletal hand snatched a folded sheet, dragging it up towards the slumbering siblings. With practiced ease, he swept the blanket over the two, drawing it up to Minnie’s chin and over the lower half of Junior’s chest.

As the hooded reaper stepped back, he paused for a moment to look over his silent children. Still standing in the doorway, Mandy steadied her own gaze over the scene. A doting father tucking his kids into bed, you couldn’t ask for a more suburban family image. The fact that two of them were visible undead did little to detract from this, at least from Mandy’s point of view.

The Bitch Queen promptly crushed any notions of longing deep into the recesses of her mind. That tiny lapse was all the time needed for Grim to cross back over to the doorway.

“Ya alright der, me love?”

Mandy met her husband’s curious gaze, acknowledging his question before staring past him once more. “This is going to complicate things,” she stated, more to herself than anything.

Grim hummed in response, waiting to see if she would continue. When nothing further came, he decided to offer his own input, “Yer first plan was a bust, you’ll just have ta work around it.”

His wife fixed the reaper with a withering glare, the sort that would usually cow her enemies into silence. Grim gave back a brief smile and a short huff as he started to turn down the darkened hallway. With his back to her, he offered his queen a final observation.

“Maybe try a less brutal approach dis time around.”

Mandy had half a mind to light the bone head on fire. It would be a fun nostalgia trip if nothing else. But she remained rooted to her spot, watching as Grim retreated around the far end of the corridor. She maintained her gaze for some time further, waiting to see if he would return. Satisfied after a short while, Mandy turned back to her sleeping children.

The scarlet moonlight shining down through the room’s large window framed the pair perfectly, the soft glow taking care not to disturb them. Many thoughts ran through the mother’s mind; of the past, the current, and things yet to come. For the first time in quite a while, she was feeling indecisive.

It would be many hours before Death’s Queen would return to her own bed. Many hours that were spent, unbeknownst to them, in the company of her children.

So I got a huge bulk of this done in basically one sitting, all the way up to near the end of Junior and Minnie’s exchange in his bedroom. Was having some difficulty with how to end things. Then the idea of shifting over to Mandy and Grim popped up and that carried me through to the end.

Grim has a bit more of a backbone here than I remember from my time reading GTFDB regularly. He picks up how this situation rattles Mandy and takes the opportunity to kind of get his own say in the conversation where normally his opinion wouldn’t be considered much. He’s not quite “critical” of his wife, no one’s that bold, but he makes light of her in ways that have her rethinking her priorities. Given an intimate setting, I feel this is the sort of tone Mandy would best respond to – an “aloof authority,” if you will.

Mandy herself is at a bit of an impasse by story’s end. On one hand, there’s no doubt some miniscule level of affection she feels seeing her children finally starting to bond. On the other hand, it’ll probably take the form of them banding against her and her authority… which itself is divisive because while she’d be proud of them for defying her it could prove detrimental to her overall plans for the future.

And, you know, they’re also her kids… having them set against her might hurt a little? Maybe? Befuddled Mandy is interesting.

Pat myself on the back for the ending where the only time the mother can have a quiet moment with her children is while both of them are unaware of it. Felt like that had some good poignancy.

The relationship between Junior and Mandy here can’t not be awkward. Even if the situation is rather expected considering who we’re talking about, having proof that your parent is tormenting your sibling is, regardless, a jarring experience at best. Being a kid himself and one that’s not too socially acclimated, Junior has no good course of action to resolve anything. All he can really do is be there. It’s frustrating.

Minnie is finally getting the attention she wanted from her brother… but it’s born out of pity rather than admiration. The one part of herself that she ever wanted him to see is out in the open and the chance of them meeting as equals now seems well out of reach. But at the same time, now she has someone in her corner. Spurred on by Junior’s promise, maybe that will be enough for now.

And hey, she got to sleep in his bed with him – great success!

Chapter Text

Next stage, ready!

For the third time in the past hour, Junior took a hard right hook to his left cheek. The little bag of bones, now contained in a sleek, dark track suit, crashed in the stone floor before rolling end over end. He knew he told Minnie not to hold back, but getting handled by his little sister was rather demoralizing.

Minnie stepped up next to him a moment after he’d ceased his tumbles. She crouched down next to him, gazing down at his inverted form. Only a few days ago, her face would have been flooded with concern. Now… now he noted that shadow of amusement in her features.

This damned brat…

“Art thou uninjured, brother?” His sister had the nerve to cock her head to the side, shoulder length lockes spilling over her shoulder. He tried not to think too much about the dark spats and purple half top combo she sported for their “Joint Athletics.” Junior really wasn’t used to Minnie wearing something that hugged her so tightly, her stomach and legs on full display.

He didn’t even think she owned anything like that; she certainly hadn’t worn it the first time he’d suggested some martial practice.

As the Prince of The Underworld righted himself, sinking back into his best approximation of the stance Minnie had shown him, he thought back to where he had gotten the idea for these sessions. It had started with little more than some impromptu wrestling, as siblings do. Of course, this was more traditionally an action between brothers, but he could take it easy on his little sis.

And then Minnie caught him with her legs locked around his boney neck. He’d had to tap a second later to avoid having his head literally pried off. That may have gotten Junior a touch heated, the boy quickly diving back into “combat” without warning.

This time, Minnie had one arm stretched out behind him, the other pressed into his back and he r knee pinning his wrist. The rest of the night was spent with his sibling schooling him on proper submissions and takedowns. And thus, Junior’s bedroom was christened The Grim Arena…

In spite of the souring experience, Junior didn’t hold it against his sister. They’d never gone into specifics about just what their mother’s “lessons” entailed, but the boy understood that a large part of it was physical in nature. Botched as the “training” process may have been, the results were indisputable.

Minnie looked to be more affected than he was, the girl spending most of the next day trying to say something and then repeatedly backing off. Junior got onto the idea of training mostly to get her refocused. And thus they laid claim to a lesser used hallway on an upper floor of the castle, their now official-unofficial sparring grounds.

The boy threw up an arm, catching Minnie’s forward thrust and diverting her palm away from his brow. Junior slid in close, aiming a straight punch at his sister’s core. The girl completely disengaged, side-stepping the blow with a quick twirl. By now, Junior had his footing down enough not to be thrown into a scramble every time he missed his mark. So Minnie had to go the extra mile and plant her foot into his back with a little thrust kick.

Junior caught himself on the wall, both palms flat. His sister caught him around the middle, totally unguarded, and his world flipped backwards. The dead boy’s head popped right out of place the moment his shoulders hit the ground. When it stopped rolling, he was greeted to the pristine image of his headless form driven neck first into the floor, Minnie bent over with her arms wrapped around his belly in a picture-perfect German suplex.

She actually held the pose, one grey eye peaking past his body’s flank and meeting his gaze in cool silence. She was making sure this image was committed to memory.

This little shit…

When Minnie re-oriented, slinking to a stand like a fucking serpent, she basically let Junior’s frame flop to the floor. Yeah, he could still feel that, a low groan pulled from his mouth. Minnie didn’t waste time walking around his head, dropping to her knees and pulling his skull into her chest. Then she just sat back, holding Junior’s head in a tight embrace. Thus marked an “end” to exercise.

“… Hey Minnie.” The undefeated blonde hummed in acknowledgment, prompting the skeleton kid to continue, “We’re never really quiet when we do this, right?”

Again, his sister responded with a soft grunt. Really, she always got a lot less verbose when they were in this sort of position.

“Why do you think nobody comes to, you know, investigate?”

Minnie paused a moment. Considering his position, Junior felt when her lungs filled up, holding the breath in. “Father, maybe. Mother, more likely.”

Mention of his mom had Junior’s mood run cold. His boney fists clenched tight as his left leg started to flex repeatedly. Minnie held his skull a little more fully, enshrouding him in her warmth. It was natural to her, supporting her brother was what she’d been trained for.

Junior gave a low, lengthy groan in the back of his “throat.” Minnie could feel it rumbling against her front, tickling her bare skin. She loosed a smile at her brother’s effort to give her comfort in return.

They sat a while longer.

“There’s no way you’re gonna out do me in breakdancing before I land a hit on you in a spar!”

“Thou hast a lofty sense of self as of late, brother-mine. Though I fear your predictions shall prove most erroneous in the long term.”

With the amount of time they’d spent together over nearly two weeks, it came as little surprise that Junior had acclimated to his sister’s odd speech. Certainly didn’t mean he had to like it. When did she even sink this deep into talking like that?

As Junior scoffed off her statement, waving it away with a flick of one hand, Minnie pushed the offensive, “Tis our wager still in effect?”

The little boy Death would have rolled his eyes if he had them. “Yeah, yeah, bet’s still on. Honestly though, I only have that one tuft of hair, not sure why you wanna wash it so badly.”

His sister expertly hid her blush with a blinding smile. To Junior, it just came off as cocky, drawing a chuckle out of him.

As the pair, still in their “training garb,” exited the mouth of the side hall, a shadow to the right caught their attention. Grim Jr stilled mid-stride at the presence of his father, tall and imposing, standing just beyond the corner of the intersection. His sleek, dark frame and the inclusion of his scythe only added to the image.

But their dad had a smile on his face. Junior kept going, his sister at his side, both of them sending small nods to the contented Grim Reaper.

They weren’t so kind to their mother, her figure pitched against the wall, quite literally in Death’s shadow. She had a cigarette between her lips, the embers burning up its length as she took a good drag. Mandy’s gaze was straight ahead, staring right over her children. They didn’t even regard her, ghosting right past like she wasn’t even there. The only evidence of their acknowledgment was when Junior took Minnie’s hand.

When the pair were a good distance away, the blonde spoke up, “Junior… was that, perhaps, too harsh of us?”

“Yes.”

The immediate response and utter lack of remorse said all that needed to be said. Minnie nodded once in return, focusing on moving forward… and how nice it was holding hands.

In the corridor behind them, Grim cast a curious gaze over his wife. The kids hadn’t exactly been trying to stay quiet, probably relying on distance to maintain privacy. They weren’t quite so versed in the extreme levels of perception Mandy possessed. She’d heard that little conversation as if she’d been a part of it.

She couldn’t keep the grin out of her eyes. Mandy’ s machinations had yet to find a new direction, but she took some pleasure in her kids’ solidarity. It went in line with her more favored outcomes…

And it was nice seeing them get along.

If hating her was what kept them united, then that was enough. She could take it.

Definitely…

It’s interesting to think how the brother-sister dynamic changes here. They’ve come to terms with one another at a point where Minnie still has her powers and Junior has yet to acquire his, so it’s a fun situation to play with. I’m really into this idea of Minnie leaning into her status as The Ace, sort of lording it over her brother now that they can interact on more jovial terms. The knowledge of what was happening to his sister behind the scenes lend Junior a lot more patience in dealing with her, making him less prone to blowing up. He’s forced to mature very quickly and even though he is clearly the less equipped to deal with threats – both physical and otherwise – in this reality… he’s still the big brother.

Some lesser points: fight training! Action/combat is one of my favorite things to write, so if I can open up on a sparring session you can bet I’ll be all over it! I have a long term goal of ensuring Junior catches up to his sister in terms of battle prowess, at least enough not to slow her down. Really want to get them to the point of being Bash Brothers… Smash Siblings? That doesn’t sound weird, right?

Chapter Text

Here’s a little something…

…

… what, were you expecting some dramatic intro? Get reading!

It had been an… eventful few days.

Junior really shouldn’t have been surprised considering the opponent he was facing. For what little he knew about his sister in the grand scheme of things, he could begrudgingly acknowledge that she had a lot of dedication in her pursuits. Considering that they were “unofficially” sharing a bedroom at this point, he should have been especially aware what she was getting up to.

Instead he sat back and watched for weeks on end, utterly zoned out, as Minnie shimmied, jived, and just moved about the room with that pair of headphones perched upon her scalp. It barely even registered that she was getting pretty good at the various new styles she was practicing; the moment she was in motion, Junior’s eyes locked onto her and his brain promptly shut off. If he could properly think about it, the implications of this would have been concerning.

It was only a matter of time before Minnie eclipsed him. His moves may have been inspired and he may have had more experience, but his sister really was a dance prodigy. Once she got into a rhythm, she was unstoppable. Even worse though, she practically fed off of her brother’s energy. Before he knew it, Junior was swept up in the moment, the entire bedroom becoming some combination dance floor/gymnasium for the two of them. They were laughing up a storm, happy to just be in the groove together.

An hour passed before either of them realized it. They flopped back on Junior’s – their mattress at the same time, chests heaving from the strain. Laughter still forced itself from their mouths between hurried breaths, clear smiles plastered onto their faces.

That had been the scene up until Minnie declared herself the obvious victor.

Junior sobered up almost immediately, his dumbfounded look hurling his sister further into her humor fit. It actually took the skeleton boy a few seconds to registered what had been said… and he really couldn’t place his reaction. The familiar jealousy was there; as a young man as well as a kid who’d gotte n used to feeling certain ways about things , even his newfound understanding of his sister’s circumstances couldn’t just break that habit.

But he felt more in control. Seeing Minnie doubled over next to him, cackling like it was the last chance she’d ever get to laugh, he really just couldn’t summon the anger. It was an odd middle ground, but he figured it was a step in the right direction compared to what their relationship used to be. Muddled as his feelings were, he could at least appreciate making his sister smile like this.

Then she took things a step too far when she started up a “victory jig,” set to the timely tunes of Safety Dance of all things… And she decided to fucking belly dance, one of the stranger skills she’d been building up over the past few weeks. It really drew attention to her exposed midsection and animated hips – Minnie having donned her somewhat skimpy “spar attire” for their footwork duel.

That little touch of “confused interest” added to the cauldron of feelings had Junior boiling over. The young reaper hopped to his feet and turned away from his sibling’s display with a groan worthy of any dramatic teenager. Minnie responded to this by sashaying in behind him, bouncing her hips barely an inch off of Junior’s back. He could practically feel her body heat.

The urge to hit something manifested and Junior offered a rather halfhearted swing towards a dark dresser standing near the room’s entrance. He hardly registered that he didn’t make a proper fist as he swung. He didn’t even seem to care that the distance between himself and his target was considerably more than his tiny armspan could reach.

And Junior sure as hell wasn’t conscious of the energy he was channeling through his limb.

The dull glow that described the boy’s bedroom suddenly fell to absolute black. By the time he noticed the added weight in his grasp, Junior had already whipped his striking arm down. There was an audible cleave and a brief flash that sent the little boy Death scrambling backwards. He walked right into Minnie, the girl snatching him up in an instant and easily steadying the pair. Visibility slowly returned as the soft lighting bloomed back into being.

No sooner could they see it did Junior’s tall dresser topple apart, the top half neatly severed from the base. In the back of his mind, the Grim Prince mourned the loss of several hoodies. As he stood there, wrapped up in his sister’s arms, his own limbs extended fully to either side, he again noted that sudden weight. Turning his gaze towards his right hand, he could feel his boney sockets strain to widen at the sight.

A neat looking scythe, black shaft and a polished blade, nothing fancy. It stood maybe a little taller than the boy holding it, the weight easily manageable. But for its unassuming appearance, Junior found himself unable to look away. No… he was almost scared to look away, there was something captivating about the thing. Dark… dangerous…

“Brother dear,” Minnie spoke in a hushed tone, “your scythe. You summoned your scythe!”

As the statement sunk in, Junior’s slack jaw slowly turned into a smile. His reaper powers, he was finally coming into his reaper powers! With an air of almost reverence, the son of Death tilted the weapon horizontally, grasping the handle with both hands. It felt real, like a part that he’d been missing his entire unlife.

“Tis unfortunate it shan't help you become a better dancer…”

Junior let the scythe fall from his grasp. At once his arms shot out, a considerable show of force dislodging the boy from his sister’s hold. Even with her superior experience and technique, Minnie was caught off guard by her sibling’s strength. Though he wasn’t totally conscious of it, his newfound ethereal energy was still in play. Before it could hit the ground, the boy’s scythe dispersed into a plume of dark smoke.

Turning to face his sister, Junior’s hands shot forth. Minnie, still too stunned to react, quickly fell to her brother’s brutal tickle assault.

“You wanna have a laugh,” the kid skeleton spat with faux wrath, “then here you go, take as many as you want!” The pair were absolutely roaring, skipping back until Minnie’s waist crashed into the mattress. She ended up falling on her rump, her back pressed into the comforter as Junior kept up the offensive. Wearing a get-up that left so much of her exposed was really coming back to bite Minnie in the ass, her brother having plenty of easy targets to choose from.

The merrymaking came to an instant halt when the door abruptly flew open. This in turn utterly crushed the bottom half of the dresser, ensuring the complete decimation of Junior’s precious hoodie collection. The boy himself was in motion before he registered the boom of impact, leaping off his sibling and partially placing himself between her and the doorway.

Drawing out his scythe the second time took even less thought than the first. Crouched in a low stance, he had the polearm drawn across his back, his left hand holding it by the low end of the shaft.

Mandy stood in the threshold, a black semi-automatic held out in one hand. There was the briefest hint of panic in her eyes as the Bitch Queen swiftly scanned the room. The sound of Junior’s toppled furniture smashing into the floor had been a little more than the usual rough housing she heard coming from her son’s room as of late. What had Mandy so keyed up were the sudden spikes of dark energy her numerous sensors had picked up in the boy’s room. A quick glance at the alert had her dashing through the castle halls.

The last things Mandy laid her eyes on were the children themselves. Given their swift response, they didn’t seem to be in any peril. She saw what she expected of her daughter, Minnie ever ready to counter any sort of attack on herself or her brother. The wife of Death glossed over the girl’s heated glare, she knew that reading definitely wasn’t Minnie’s.

Once her eyes locked on Junior she allowed some genuine surprise to show. The young death held a visage every bit as scathing as his sister’s, cementing Mandy’s unwelcome presence within their space. Again, she looked past that, far more interested in the black shaft and curved blade held against his back. She didn’t have her devices in front of her to check, but Mandy could feel the wrath pouring off her boy in veritable waves.

Fuck, one look at his face and she could tell he wasn’t even aware he was doing it.

Mandy stood straighter, more formally, as she holstered her pistol. “Finally deciding to grow up, boy?”

The sensation of pressure forcing itself against her increased marginally. For someone like Mandy, who’d faced down the lowest of the low both in her time amongst the living and in the Underworld, this was about as daunting as having a hanging sheet blown against her face. Still, it was more than she would have expected from her lackluster son. Looked like he was starting to show some of his father’s better qualities.

Mandy turned, her side profile facing her children. “We’ll talk about this at breakfast tomorrow,” she simply declared, striding for the exit before either sibling could respond. But before she disappeared around the frame of the door, the Bitch Queen paused, her head half turning back to the silent pair. Junior had a “scathing” remark on the tip of his non-existent tongue but his mother stated quickly, “And Minnie, do watch your appearance.”

The Grim Princess’ seething glare faltered at the comment. In that tiny blip of confusion, Mandy took her leave. Unconcerned with his mother, Junior whirled around to see just what about his sister had lead to that statement. Once he caught sight of the girl, she herself having hopped off the bed to stand in a defensive pose behind him, the boy had to do a double take.

Minnie’s puzzlement continued before she took note of the rapier she held towards the now vacant doorway. And the fact that the guard and hilt were dotted with numerous fangs and glowing green eyes. And the dark, scaled tentacles slithering over her hand, burrowed up from the skin around her wrist. And she was now noting the bright lime hue tinting the edges of her vision.

“Minnie… what the fuck?”

From her spot in the hall, just out of view from the room’s threshold, Mandy allowed a humored grin to light her features. Her desire for cheap entertainment satisfied, she began her march down the castle corridor.

The smile she wore refused to leave. She wondered if what she was feeling right now amounted to pride of some kind. She’d known it briefly in regards to her own deeds, fleeting as the feeling was. Pride in someone else though… that was a little foreign to her. Maybe she had held such things for Minnie’s many accomplishments, but then she had always expected more of the girl.

She was Mandy’s daughter, after all.

But Junior? As far as she was concerned, the boy was well ahead of schedule. If she’d known setting the both of them against her would have elevated things so swiftly, she would have done it years ago. Oh well, things were progressing at a new pace regardless. She would adjust.

And, if for a moment, she could feel some semblance of maternal pride… that was a nice bonus.

Then her pleased smile turned vicious. If her boy was coming into his powers and the two of them were determined to be against her, then she could stop being so damn soft on them.

Junior gets his powers. His proper powers. I’ll say again now that at the point of writing this I haven’t properly read any of GTFDB beyond the point of Minnie having her makeover and Mimi becoming Junior’s “pet.” Everything past that I kind of skimmed and jumped around on, so I have no reference really for what would constitute “reaper powers” in this series. So as is my go-to option, I’m just gonna make things up!

And now we are one step closer to some brother-sister team up-ing!

Minnie won the breakdancing contest… and there will be a hair washing scene. She won’t be using a sink. Again, I do like these moments of the two having fun and being kids. Especially considering how torrential their canon relationships are.

And another Mandy appearance! Again, the fact that she comes running so readily is proof that she cares. And then that touch of maternal pride, her little man growing up at last! But big kids should be playing more grown up games.

The Bitch Queen’s gloves are coming off…

Chapter Text

Part the Fourth! FIGHT!

The veritable guillotine had been hanging over them all through the night. The little boy Death noted that Minnie kept an especially tight hold of him whilst they laid together, her sleep troubled by brief nightmares. By the time his alarm went off, Junior had gotten maybe an hour of actual rest. His sister did him the courtesy of sleeping in an extra half an hour, confining him to the bed.

They weren’t in a hurry to start the day. The pair dragged themselves to Junior’s bathroom – Minnie having packed most of her “essentials” into the now shared space – mulled about their morning preparations, and then they just sort of stood staring at the door to the hallway, noting the visible crack running down the lower middle of the barrier.

Their mother had said she’d “speak” to them at breakfast. It was not a talk they were looking forward to.

After five solid minutes of glaring at the threshold, Junior finally turned the knob and swung the thing open.

They took another two minutes looking silently at the wall on the far side of the hallway…

The actual trip to the dining room was somewhat of a trek. Not just because the castle was a massive maze of long corridors, but also because they’d mistakenly gone to the more “modest” space used for “family sit-downs.” One of the skeleton guards had swiftly corrected them, directing the duo towards the more lavish hall where guests were typically received. This drew a sharp intake of air from Minnie and lead to her brother having to walk her to their destination hand in hand.

For this, she would forgive her mother of one past transgression…

The “Grand” Hall was a cavernous space rife with Gothic architecture. Pretty typical of the castle itself, lots of embellished forms, dark surfaces, and plenty of pointed bits decorating the room. The one bit of true color in the hall was the crimson, gold trimmed rug that spanned the length of the room, running directly under the long, oaken table that dominated the center.

Peeking into the room, the siblings were treated to a… shockingly-but-not-shockingly sparse setting of dining utensils. Considering this was a venue meant to entertain over two dozen people being used to host a mere four, the scene was numerically to be expected. But considering this was likely something orchestrated by their mother, having a grand feast presented purely for the sake of appearances was a rather anticipated outcome. As it was, there were simply two seats adjacent to each other, sitting at the near end of the long table, a pair of plates and their associated utensils resting before them.

A bit further along the length of the dark counter, still closer to them than the far end of the table, was a massive, covered dish. It must have been at least big enough for Junior to fit completely inside of it; Minnie likely could – and would probably be happy to – squeeze herself into the space with him. Both of the children couldn’t help but lock their gazes onto the shining steel dome, a touch of warning tickling the back of their minds.

“Good morning you two.”

Mandy sat at the far end of the hall, the opposite head of the table. She was still clad in some periwinkle sleepwear that left very little to the imagination, mainly by the virtue of being essentially see through. Her lack of bra was blatantly on display. That neither of her children reacted spoke less of an inability to see over the distance between them and more to the utter lack of shame their mother showed on a daily basis. She pitched a pale blue cup of steaming liquid, definitely coffee, to her lips for a long sip.

The Grim Reaper stood just to her left, half an arm’s length behind the back of her seat. The personification of Death stood straight and tall, his imposing size towering over his seated spouse. His arms were crossed behind his back, the curved blade of his signature scythe jutting out, notably to the side opposite his wife. A blank expression covered his pale features.

Junior had a sinking feeling that settled firmly above his pelvis, where he assumed most beings kept a stomach. Minnie’s grip on his glove clad hand increased to near painful levels, but any nervousness she felt hardly showed on her face. She had a lot of practice keeping up that stoic mask.

The sister marched forth, affecting a confident nonchalance. Junior did his best to match, the image slightly miffed when he stumbled across the scarlet rug. Grim’s muffled chuckles echoed briefly through the massive space, Minnie re-balancing her brother’s fumble with seamless poise. They reached their seats in quick order.

“Mother. Father. Good morning.”

“Yeah, mornin’.”

Mandy rolled her eyes at their obvious show of “enthusiasm.” Grim merely nodded in greeting, his jaw curving into an easy smile. Junior took up his fork and knife, laying his arms across the table as he flatly stared down his mother on the opposite end. The Bitch Queen eyed him back, leering over the rim of her cup with nary a care for her son’s distaste. Minnie kept her gaze low, centered on her plate with an occasional glance towards her brother.

Silence persisted for about a minute before Junior’s lack of patience got the better of him. “Are the servers not gonna come and make a plate for us?”

Their mother blinked at the question, then kind of drifted her cup towards the covered tray in the middle of the dining table. “Your food is already prepared, you’ll be making your own plates today.”

Junior growled in irritation, scanning the sheer expanse of space between their chairs and the middle of the table. His sister looked a little put off as well, though her gaze was now held on Mandy herself. Their mother simply took another draw of her morning beverage.

As Junior grumbled a string of complaints and childish insults, making to jump out of his chair and make the journey to the center of the long table, Mandy threw up her free palm in a halting gesture. The son of Death almost ignored the command, years of compliance to his parents causing his steps to stumble instead. He paused as the Queen of the Underworld began to speak.

“Don’t bother getting up, your meal will be more than happy to come to you.”

The look of “what-the-fuck” etched across the skeleton boy’s features quickly fell to abrupt shock as the rounded lid of the enormous dining tray burst from its resting. More pressingly, it came careening straight for him.

Minnie tore a chunk out of the table as she erupted from her seat, lunging across the wooden surface and lashing out with a swift sweep of the arm. Brackish tendrils surged through her flesh, quickly forming into a broad blade that clattered against the polished steel of the platter cover. Junior hopped up onto the table behind her as the rounded lid was knocked towards the corner of the dining hall.

And then Minnie, quite literally, got egg on her face. The fried yellow substance splattered against her features in an obnoxious spray, the force enough to stagger her stance. She was taken similarly off guard by a follow-up blast of home fries and a single length of charred sausage whapping into her forehead.

Junior got a look at their assailant from around his sister’s frame and-

“What is that? What is that!? What in the Hell is that!?!?”

He would have gone on if not for the slab of ham that slapped him right across the mouth.

What pulled itself from the serving dish by four of its “adjustable limbs” was an abomination of breakfast proportions. The yolk yellow creature was an amorphous mass made mostly of the fried, scrambled food. From its various limbs, the writhing entree clawed its way across the long table with gnarled talons made of blackened sausage. Several gaping orifices opened and closed across its body, the chewing maws marked by jagged strips of burned bacon that served as teeth. Bubbling vocalizations that could be taken as either barks of wrath or pleas for release intertwined in mind numbing cacophony.

But perhaps the most hideous aspect of this creature was what it represented. It was a messed up breakfast. … what kind of witless, mad animal managed to mess up breakfast !?

A pair of the “mouths” facing the siblings opened wide and launched a barrage of charred tater tots towards them. Junior tackled his sister out of the way as the storm of starch barreled through. A few struck the table and dug actual grooves out of the thick wood. The young skeleton popped to his feet, summoning his scythe in a wide slash that parted an eggy arm reaching for the duo.

A set of daggers stabbed into the Eggbomination, their hilts formed from slithering tendrils and dark scales, the steel holding a notable jade gleam. Minnie’s left arm flashed forth, shooting a third knife into one of the mouths. The entire beast quaked upon impact, squealing from the sudden rush of agony. In her right hand, Minnie grip tightened around the handle of her saber.

Junior tore past her side, his weapon trailing behind him as the living breakfast focused all its rage upon the young reaper. He sent two quick slashes into the set of sausage tipped limbs stretching towards him. The third arm saved him the trouble and detached itself, the “fist” rocketing towards him too quickly for the boy to avoid.

Minnie swung in front of her brother, slicing the scrambled missile to pieces. The Eggbomination’s fourth strike, arcing down from above, caught the blonde right across her brow. Her skull was wrenched downward from the impressive force, her vision going black for the briefest of moments.

But Minnie didn’t resist this. In fact, she went with the momentum, collapsing forward in a practiced motion. As the girl sunk into a forward roll, Junior vaulted clear over her, both palms on the shaft of his weapon. A slab of grease laden ham smashed into his left shin, nearly knocking his feet out from under him. A few awkward skips kept him moving, a slopp y twirl d odging a javelin like straight with sausage knuckles. Junior sprinted closer, clearing the distance in three steps, his scythes blade carving through the tabletop in his wake.

The Eggbomination unleashed a final chorus of howls as the Prince of Death dragged his blade up through the table and into the breakfast mass. It fell silent as the reaper’s scythe cleaved its form neatly in twine. The beast’s body stayed steady for a moment longer before deflating like a punctured parade float.

Minnie stomped into frame right beside her sibling, sword raised and gaze hard. Her glowing emeralds flared hot as she stepped in front of Junior, watching the parted monster for any further activity.

Slow clapping drew the boy’s attention to the far side of the dining hall. Their mother sat lazily against the high back of her seat, sluggishly applauding the “display” she had just borne witness to. There wasn’t so much as a hint of emotion on her face, her expression leaning heaviest towards boredom if anything.

Grim was reserved but did little to hide a satisfied smirk. He stepped back from his wife’s chair, turning towards her and presenting the kids with a side profile. Mandy pitched her seat back, standing whilst maintaining her unenthused applause.

“Satisfactory,” the Bitch Queen intoned, strafing out and moving towards her husband. The claps ended as she linked arms with Death, the black robed figure staring stoically into the shadows as Mandy turned back to her children, “but I expect improvement. Rapidly. Next time won’t be so generous.”

This dragged Minnie’s glare off the “finished meal” and onto her mother. Her beaming emeralds joined Junior’s pitch black stare in a united front against the woman. Mandy rolled her eyes, a bit of humor shining through as Grim began to lead her towards the hall’s exit. Partway through, their mother perked up and tossed out one last comment.

“And next time we share a meal, please finish your food.”

Junior’s hand shot up, fingers splayed in that “the hell you talkin’ about” gesture. He was utterly unprepared to have his ankle wrapped in sausage digits and his weight yanked out from under him. Minnie let loose a bestial snarl as one half of the bisected Eggbomination hoisted her brother up into the air. She backpedaled swiftly as the other half snatched at her all along her body, saber flying as she worked to cut herself free.

The frankly childish chortles escaping Mandy, muted as they may be, only broadened Grim’s smile. Husband and wife marched through the main doors of the room, not looking back as the portal swung shut and the renewed sounds of combat faded into the background.

Wow, a brief fight sequence. If you’ve ever read some of my other works, you know how foreign that is to me. Working on making my action scenes less bloated.

But yeah, a small taste of our budding dynamic duo fighting back to back. Well, mostly Minnie covering for Junior so he can get in range to do damage. Gotta start somewhere, young skelly-boy.

The whole thing with the Eggbomination (love that name more than I have any right to) is based on a “life lesson” imparted to me by my mother: any “diner” that fucks up breakfast needs to be shut down. Really… how? How!? The hell do you fuck up eggs!?

I also just really wanted something that amounted to a literal food fight. Basic… but enjoyable.

The first of many tests issued by Mandy. Yeah, this is the kind of person who messes up breakfast… She is certainly having a spot of fun here taking her children to task as such. I suppose it is an improvement from shooting and then garroting your daughter then using misdirection to sabotage your children’s familial bonds. With the Queen of the Underworld, you take whatever progress you can get.

Grim stands by much the same way he does in canon. He’s definitely the softer parent in the household and would rather see his kids be kids, but he also understands the need for harsh lessons given the general atmosphere of the Underworld. Here, I like to think he’s a tad more at ease with Mandy’s “re-direction” in the kids’ “education.” At least they’re allowed to rely on each other now, a small but significant victory. The reaper probably isn’t used to getting a lot of those, so as usual, he doesn’t try to press his luck.

Thinking of doing a time skip, if not next time then very soon after. Just long enough to say that the siblings have been through their fair share of their mother’s “trials,” so maybe a few months time. Set them up for a power boost once we start getting into a more… canon setting.

Chapter Text

A little more “sibling bonding,” if you can call it that. And t owards the end, some set up for what’s to come.

Junior was not in a pleasant mood. A lot of that had to do with the literal egg on his face. He was simply too livid to wipe the filth away, earning more than a few odd looks from the numerous skeleton guards positioned throughout the castle’s halls. As a bit tumbled down the left corner of his mouth due to his insistent stomping, Junior didn’t bat an eye as he slurped up the remnant of breakfast. While he’d normally be quite opposed to the notion of consuming the defeated, the little boy Death could see fit to make a unique exception today.

Minnie followed her brother’s wrathful steps, still clutching her handkerchief with both hands. He’d warded off her efforts to clean him up thus far, but one shouldn’t be caught unprepared. Their hurried trek lead them back to Junior’s quarters. More specifically, into the washroom.

The boy sighed as he reached for a box of tissues situated on a wall shelf. He pointedly ignored his sister all but thrusting her personal napkin into view, wiping away the eggy filth with unnecessary force. He did stare flatly at the still presented handkerchief as he swiftly balled the stained tissue into a wad and then chucked the used thing over his shoulder and into the wastebasket.

Minnie mumbled a soft, “Well shot,” at the remarkably lackadaisical display of skill.

Junior sighed once more as his boney digits grasped the hem of his hoodie. “Fucking grand way to start the day, can’t wait for the next time.”

With him not looking, he could only note the sound of shifting clothes behind him before Minnie spoke up, “Though delivered with a fair degree of spite and sarcasm, I’m sure thou realizes that mother does intend to perpetuate such occurrences. Likely, they shall be much more random from this point onward.”

That drew a chuckle out of the boy, almost enough for a hint of more pleasant emotions. He easily rid himself of his belt as he chattered, “ That , back there, wasn’t already random as all Hell?” His piece said, Junior dropped his pants.

The sound of shifting cloth behind him ceased instantly, for a brief interval. Then it started up again, denoting Minnie’s return to motion. “Do not forget that mother ha th warned us of a ‘conversation’ last night, even going so far as to dictate a time frame and a likely venue as breakfast was mentioned. From here though, we are likely to experience an ambush of some form at any time.”

Yet another exhalation was expelled from the young reaper’s mouth, partially covering the sound of foreign clothing plopping to the floor. Junior stepped towards the sizable tub, big enough that his entire mattress could fit inside, and gave the knobs a turn. When he went for the lever that would divert the water to the shower head, the length of a pale, smooth arm slid over his, the hand grabbing his wrist.

“A bath would be preferable, I think. We should take all the relaxation that we can now that we are ‘committed’ to mother’s trials.”

At first, Junior hummed his acknowledgment of his sister’s words. Then he went still as the bath began to fill with steaming liquid. It took perhaps half a minute for his brain to process that Minnie was still present as he was readying to bathe. Without thinking, he whirled around on her, a snarl on his nonexistent lips.

Junior had not prepared completely, still clad at le a st in his bubble-pattern (don’t judge) boxers. Minnie, as always, was ahead of him. Which was to say that she was completely naked. She was also holding onto his wrist barely a second ago, meaning they were basically face to face at the moment. A healthy blush filled her features, one that was miraculously outshone by the display on Junior’s normally bone white face.

“M-M-Mi-Minnie wha… wh-what th…”

Though her cheeks were painted red with emotion, the Princess of the Underworld maintained a neutral expression. She stood and circled around her brother, crouching down to lean over the edge of the tub. “ Tis it not clear that I intend to bathe most promptly, brother dear?” Minnie pitched one arm down into the water, testing the temperature as her other hand hovered over the flow knobs.

Junior was stuck, having to come to terms with the fact that his sibling was giving him a most unappreciated lesson in female anatomy. By now Minnie’s blush had consumed her entire head and was practically giving off a glow. Through some titanic show of will the girl kept up her nonchalance, her gaze notably locked on a corner of the filling bathtub.

The skeleton boy pitched his head back, now staring up into the ceiling lights. Maybe he could burn the previous images out of his mind if he looked long enough. “Minnie,” Junior rasped, “… sister… what the fuck!? ”

Minnie looked back to her brother, seeing the boy with his head tilted back, looking like he was on the precipice of toppling backwards. He even had his hands clamped on the sides of his skull, as though holding back the urge to look at her. This amused Minnie, the girl rising to a stand and moving towards her dumbfounded sibling. “Doth thou not recall our wager and my condition for victory?”

“The hair washing thing,” Junior yelped, utterly incredulous, “That was supposed to be in the sink! In the sink, Minnie! Where in that discussion did us bathing together come into play!?” At some point he started gesturing wildly which only looked more ridiculous with the boy glaring at the ceiling.

“There was also no clarification towards us not bathing together,” Minnie enforced, her voice much closer than before. Junior jumped back like a scared kitten, his sight snapping automatically back on his sister. His very naked, far-too-close-to-him sister. His mouth hung open but Minnie spoke before he could, “The specifics of fulfillment in regards to mine reward were not concrete. Thusly, I shall claim my prize in a manner of my choosing. And this is what I have chosen.”

Junior blanked, staring at the luminous blush and no-nonsense air Minnie was projecting. Then he kind of started staring past her, his sight swimming much the way his head was, focusing in and out. There was a silent minute between them… and then Junior turned on a dime, wordlessly striding towards the bathroom door.

His sister caught him in seconds, trapping the little boy Death in a bear hug, her front flush against his boney back. She hadn’t seized his arms which Junior was about to capitalize on. Then a bundle of black tendrils snapped around his limbs, all four of them.

“Minnie. Minnie!”

“I shall now claim my prize.”

A nd then the daughter of Death hauled her brother off his feet, turned back towards the bathtub, and proceeded to cart him to his doom. En route, Junior took special note of the additional tendrils casually striping him of his boxers, squirming uselessly against his sister’s restraining tentacles. He was in the water before he knew it, leaning back against his sibling as she in turn laid against the sloped back of the tub.

The temperature was perfect. Junior felt himself sink down to his chin, Minnie matching his movements as her tentacles withdrew from his limbs. At this point the boy’s struggles had ceased, the warmth of the bath sapping all the stress out of his body. Minnie hummed softly as she adjusted her position, perching her chin on his shoulder, her right cheek pressed against his left.

Something else snaked up Junior’s right side, slithering over that shoulder and starting to nuzzle his face with a series of pleased coos . The boy gave a light scoff at the actions of one of Minnie’s scaly tendrils, its singular jade eye clenched tight in bliss.

“Minnie,” the skeleton boy bubbled out, “can you do something about…?”

“Apologies brother, they sometimes have a mind all their own.” As though in response, the girl’s snuggly tentacle began rubbing his cheek with renewed vigor. Minnie reached up with one arm while her sibling was otherwise engaged.

It was a curious thing, learning about Minnie’s powers. They’d spent most of last night just discussing them. A large portion of that was Junior coming to terms with the fact that his godfather Nergal was his sister’s actual father. But with the secret out, Minnie had seen no issue letting her inner beast have a little free reign. For some reason, his sister’s nergal powers became quite attached to him almost immediately.

The blatant affection, at first, seemed to actively piss Minnie off.

His mood sinking further into relaxation, Junior instinctively brought his right hand up towards the nuzzling demon limb. It absolutely melted as the young reaper started scratching along the tentacle’s tip, the cutest little mewl being dragged out from… wherever it was making sounds.

Minnie poised the detachable head of the shower over the back of Junior’s skull. She doused him and her nergal bit with a good spray, her demonic limb thrashing from the sudden hosing. Junior gave little response, his now damp shock of dark hair dangling a little into his left eye socket. His sister had demanded the right to wash it, the girl already drawing in a bottle of shampoo.

He was really too neutral about all of this. For the moment, he blamed it on how nice the bath felt. Yet another talent to add to Minnie’s repertoire: gauging water temperature. And besides, she had “won” the bet… he could entertain her just this once.

Not like this was going to become routine…

Joint bathing had become routine. It wasn’t that Junior held a particular affinity for it, mostly that he was just too tired on the daily to resist Minnie’s suggestions.

Two months. It had been just under two months since their mother had “turned up the heat.” Minnie was right, the Breakfast Beatdown had been just the tip of the spear. The kinds of scenarios they were subjected to multiple times a day were pure insanity. He was still having nightmares from that first week when they had been corralled into the sitting room with a sleepwalking – and incredibly violent – Pain in a pink bunny onesie.

They were quite certain that the only reason they weren’t attacked or abducted in their sleep was because Minnie suggested they barricade the entries every night. She was quite certain such defenses wouldn’t hold their mother back much longer…

Junior finished ruffing up his scalp and his single patch of hair with a towel, tossing the damp fabric over the footboard of the bed. Snatching up the blue T folded over the neat, slanted edge of his bisected dresser, Junior pulled the shirt down over his torso. Minnie was on the far side of the bed, already mostly dressed and running a brush through her hair. Whilst his sight was blocked by his shirt coming down, the Prince of Death heard her take a sudden breath.

Minnie was across the room, crouched beside him, a curved saber in hand, in a flash of motion. Two months ago, Junior may have flinched from the display of athletic prowess. Maybe a degree of jealousy would have formed, knowing that his sister had something else to add to her “List of Excels.”

But present day Junior spun towards the door, an arm extended back as a dark miasma collected in his palm. He could feel his scythe just behind the veil, waiting to be drawn. His black void eyes glared hotly at the figure framed within their doorway.

“Fair enough,” Mandy commented, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, “but I expect better reaction time. We’ll work on that once we get back.”

For perhaps the first time in weeks, Junior felt his guard drop at the implication that a trip was in order. Minnie never ceased her suspicions and her brother regained his as he steadily voiced, “Get back from…?”

The pair were really thrown for a loop when their mother closed her eyes and loosed a brief chuckle. A wistful look overtook her features as she got to selling her pitch.

“Tell me kids, have you ever wondered where holidays come from?”

So an immediate follow-up to the now-named Breakfast Beatdown (tm, do not steal). Food fights, particularly when the food itself is one of the combatants, can be very messy. So clearly our protagonists’ next plan of action is getting cleaned up. Junior was not expecting for joint hygiene to be on the menu…

What can I say, when your sister and her demon symbiote decide it’s time to cuddle… then it is time to cuddle. And I mean, she did win the wager and they never specified how the washing would happen…

We don’t really get to see Minnie causally using her powers around her brother in canon, what with the whole thing being a secrete and then her giving them to Junior. Here the secret’s already out so she’s free to launch these “overpowering displays of affection” on her brother. Again, their relationship is healthy enough that Minnie can playfully lean into her status as “The Ace.”

“Minnie’s nergal as a character” is a concept that I’ve been rolling around in my head for a while. We see that it warms up to Junior really quick. This is mostly kind of a throwback to their canon relationship, but I also found it really funny to think that Minnie’s first “romantic rival” is literally just an extension of herself! I’m running on the idea that the nergal demon itself identifies with its host in terms of gender and the like. I don’t think I’ll give it a fully fleshed out personality though, more of an uninhibited extension of their host’s own wants and desires. I never did like the idea of characters like that – wasn’t into it in Naruto, didn’t care for it in Highschool DxD, and barely tolerated it in Rosario Vampire only because they play with the idea to a good degree. So yeah, none of that “inner voice” stuff.

Part of their conversation after finding out about her powers was the revelation that Uncle Nergal is actually Minnie’s father. I feel like this would kind of have to come up as even someone as clueless as Junior would draw the obvious conclusions. It’ll be interesting the next time their dear old “Uncle” comes around for a visit again. I also wanted to show a bit of Junior’s growth here: he needs a minute to process things, but he doesn’t blame or blow up on his sister. He understands it’s really out of her control how she was born and the fact that Nergal, her father, has a natural affinity towards her.

We get a little time skip to bring us to a point where our dynamic duo are “decently seasoned,” having gone through a plethora of Mandy’s “trials.” As Minnie herself said, that first breakfast she was just starting to peel back the kiddie gloves, giving them actual advanced warning. On the note of the scenario with pajama clad Pain: I like the idea that it probably played out like an even more survival-horror-y version of that one Rugrats episode where Stu was sleepwalking and the babies thought he was a robot. Make of that what you will.

“Drew… What are you doing here, Drew? You’re not trying to sTeaL My ProGRam, are you!?”

And now we’re getting more properly into the canon timeline. Don’t expect things to go the same way. I do have a habit of veering wildly off course from the source material and I plan to continue doing so.

Well friends, til next time.

Chapter Text

Okay, from here we’re getting into some “longer-form” plot lines. Also stepping into more canon settings so some familiar faces will be popping up in due time.

Read on…

If Junior were being completely honest, he was kind of vibing with this barren woods aesthetic. It made for a suitably bleak atmosphere, probably appealing to his reaper nature. Minnie, marching at his side, seemed just as pleased, letting loose with some overly flowery, gothic poetry. He could certainly indulge his sister in this, it added nicely to the theme of the place.

Their parents, walking just behind them, kept quiet throughout. Though Grim couldn’t help the smile gracing his features, seeing his children getting on so well. Mandy maintained her stoic visage, occasionally glancing off into the hinterlands.

The progression froze at the odd change in the landscape. It wasn’t so much that the environment itself shifted, but something strange had interrupted the aesthetic. They had stumbled into a circle of trees, an unnaturally perfect little glen in the midst of the dead forest. Each of the large pines forming the perimeter of the circle had these… doors carved into their surfaces. The sudden onset of color in the realm of grey and brown was striking, the closed portals formed into various shapes all facing the center of the glen.

Junior took particular interest in a threshold colored and cut into the shape of a green pine heavily decked in ornaments. With a degree of near reverence he uttered, “I-Is that…”

Mandy strode past, not even looking at her son or the captivating door. “I did say where holidays come from.” It took Grim himself ushering them along for the siblings to break from their stupor, Minnie just as entranced as her brother by the proposed “Door to Christmas.”

They were lead to a portal depicting a grinning jack-o-lantern. With little fanfare Mandy stepped to the side and flung the door open. Darkness shone through the threshold and before Junior could question anything their father thrust the pair forward with the shaft of his scythe.

Tumbling through the void for a moment was almost panic inducing. Minnie nearly called upon her inner demon, halted by the fact that their trip was over with relative speed. She landed in a soft crouch, Junior planting on his front right beside her. To his credit, he was back on his feet almost as fast as she was, scanning over the sudden vista offered by the fading gloom.

And then the singing started…

The Realm of Halloween was truly a marvel. The open night was dominated by a colossal moon that glowed a harsh saffron, bathing the winding hills below in light. Though the land was just as monochrome as the woods before had been, it played host to a menagerie of warped, twisted structures that appeared out of some distorted fantasy. And all throughout the otherworldly town was a hauntingly festive air, alive with twinkling lights and autumnal hues.

And that said nothing of the residents, those supplying the ongoing musical number. A host of ghouls and ghosts danced across the hills and avenues that marked the dark dwelling, offering praise to the most frightening of holidays. The Grim siblings were carried along pretty quickly by the zealous celebrations, their parents standing back to observe.

Overall it had been a rad time. Junior may have shrieked like a little girl when The Thing Under the Stairs’ tendril fingers slithered over his legs, but he liked to think he made up for it when he snatched the Tearaway Clown’s face and wore it as a mask. It made Minnie – and, unsurprisingly, The Clown – laugh up a storm.

It got even better when their lanky uncle Jack made his appearance, likely hoping to get a good scare on the two of them. He’d utterly lost composure seeing that fat, purple face on Junior’s skeleton body. Even Mandy had to cover a chuckle at that.

But Jack was nothing if not quick on the recovery, experienced performer that he was. He swiftly re-acquainted himself with Grim Jr, the two apparently having met when the boy was just a newborn. Junior quickly piped up that such a meeting didn’t count if one party couldn’t even remember, drawing a wry grin out of the Pumpkin King.

Jack’s meeting with Minnie was far more grandiose, the girl going about with her usual levels of decorum and propriety. She quickly caught the admiration of the crowd and the mayor himself called for a celebration of the Grim family’s arrival, an announcement met with much fanfare.

And hardly an hour later, a large hall was prepared and a party was well underway. Junior had contented himself to sitting off on the side, nursing a frothing concoction that he wasn’t sure he was even old enough to drink yet. His stare was directed in the same direction as the rest of the crowd, all marveling at the prolonged performance of his sister and uncle Jack. Calls of praise for the pair’s stunning display of dancing prowess echoed in from every corner of the hall, almost enough to overpower the dark orchestral tracks presiding over the evening.

Junior sipped at his beverage, somewhat underwhelmed by the typical – though quite flavorful – taste of mixed fruit juice that greeted him. As he lowered the cup from his boney maw, a figure came to kneel beside him.

“Junior,” the auburn haired woman spoke, “what are you doing off by yourself?”

The boy smiled. Jack’s wife, Sally, was just the sweetest thing. If anything, her patchwork clothes and stitched up body only seemed to add to her charm.

“Just taking in the atmosphere, slapping back a cold one,” the reaper child twirled his cup a little, trying to appear cool. It earned a giggle from his aunt, another win in Junior’s book.

“Why don’t you dance with me for a bit?” A note of concern was clear on Sally’s voice. And while Junior appreciated the thought… he shook his head lightly in return.

“Sorry, all my dance time has been booked for the night. Well, it will be as soon as my partner can break awa – ah!”

Beyond the sea of applause he spied Jack and Minnie offering final bows to one another. And then his sister was off like a shot, skipping through the crowd, weaving around bodies like a leaf in the wind. She moved with singular purpose, a clear destination in mind and no obstacle would stand in her way.

Sally had to back away as Minnie all but shouldered her aside to stand in front of her brother. The look on the young girl’s face bordered on fanaticism she seemed so eager. While Sally was rather taken aback – along with any onlookers taking in the surprising scene – Junior didn't even blink.

“Dearest brother! The night is young and I find myself sadly devoid of companionship with which to enjoy the festivities! Wouldst thou accompany me in an evening of merrymaking?”

If Junior had eyes, he would roll them. Instead he downed his drink in one pull, hopping off his chair and slamming his cup down in his former seat. “Alright,” he breathed, “let’s do this.”

Minnie didn’t waste time, wrapping up one of his arms with both of hers and hauling the boy back towards the dance floor. Sally just kind of stood by and watched the siblings wander off, her confused look morphing into amusement. It was nice that they were so close.

Junior humored his sister for a little while, Minnie doing her best to teach him some basic ballroom dancing. He was certainly getting more comfortable… but it was obvious that this just wasn’t his jam. Minnie was a prodigy who could slip into just about any style and while Junior had has moves, it was clear that he only really put his heart into things that he liked outright.

Well… maybe he could admit that dancing in tandem with his sis was nice.

And then divine intervention reared its ugly head. Apparently there was a jokester or two hiding amongst the party goers because with a sudden scratch of changing records, the music abruptly cut off. Everyone at the party perked as the sound cut off, murmurs of concern drifting through the silence. But as swiftly as the classical tunes ended, something else started up. Several voices rang out in a rising wail before a bombastic burst of instruments erupted from the hall’s speakers.

Junior could already feel his metaphysical blood pumping at the promise of a quicker rhythm. Minnie brightened up herself, seeing her brother’s mood pick up so quickly. They could hardly contain the need to move when the vocalist kicked in.

“Let’s dance!”

“Bowie mon! Now dat’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout!”

“Put on your red shoes and dance the blues.”

Grim’s sudden enthusiasm shattered the awkward air that had overtaken the Halloween Town residents. Neither he or his kids could hold back any longer as the three promptly invaded the dance floor. Mandy had the decency to snort at the sight, covertly reaching a fist over a nearby trash bin and sprinkling in the crumbled remains of a certain old record.

Minnie and Junior got right into it, skipping and shimmying about to the much more upbeat rhythm. His sister threw in a bit of swing dancing, trusting Junior to have enough of a base in pair movement from their previous “lesson.” The son of Death found this style a lot more satisfying, twirling his sibling so fast she went parallel to the floor. The pair could not stop laughing.

“Let’s sway!”

Their father was in his own groove, proving quite readily that the Grim Reaper had more than just limbo skills to his name. And true to form, uncle Jack adapted quickly. Hell, he looked more in his element than anybody else, thrilled beyond reason to be dancing back to back with his boney brother. With Jack joining in, the air of trepidation amongst the ghouls faded in an instant. And now all of a sudden people were praising the entire Grim family, Junior included.

“Sway through the crowd to an empty space!”

It was, Junior could admit, pretty gratifying.

The young reaper needed a moment. How his father and uncle could keep dancing was beyond him, particularly when the really quick songs started coming. He’d didn’t think he’d even survive Improper Dancing…

As he had again reclaimed his chair from earlier and was in the process of downing his fourth drink of the evening, Junior was interrupted by a pair of hands latching onto his left shoulder.

“Brother,” Minnie whispered, “I believe now would be a good moment to abscond without notice.”

Chancing a long scan of the party hall, the boy had to agree that now was as good a time as any. The majority of people were still entranced by the skeleton duo’s endless stamina, others engaged in humored conversation or bloated on snacks and drinks. Junior tipped back his beverage and then slid the empty cup into his vacant chair. The sibling pair slunk around the edge of the large room before covertly exiting through a rear entrance.

But, evidently, they weren’t quite as sneaky as they thought. A certain blonde trailed their movements with her crimson gaze, features blank as she drew a fresh cig from a nearly emptied pack.

Welcome to Halloween Town!

Sorry kids, no Christmas adventure just yet. Better luck next time!

Yes, as said before, getting a little bit into proper canon. Though obviously there are some changes. Junior’s not nearly as much of a weenie this time around, so he gets to have a spot of fun with the singing residents. And a bit of turnaround on dear old uncle Jack makes for a nice bonus!

Of course with the siblings being much closer here, Junior shows a lot more patience with the heaps of praise being piled onto Minnie. He already knows, at least as far as his sister is concerned, that he’s the most important dance partner.

Mandy throws her kids a bone (heh) and gives the music a little pick-me-up. She has her moments. And hey, it got her husband in a good mood, multi-tasking at its finest. For those wondering about he songs used/mentioned: Let’s Dance – David Bowie, Improper Dancing – Electric Six.

But while merrymaking is good and all, the children Grim seem to have other endeavors in mind. Secret endeavors. What could they be up to? And how much will their mother get involved?

Til next time.

Chapter Text

It’s Terror Time Again!

Yep, Halloween is right around the corner, so why not have some Grim Tales? Longer entry… least it feels like it. Our favorite siblings are up to a little mischief. And they’re not the only ones…

Read on.

Junior’s reaper powers were a bit of a wonder to Minnie. Of course she couldn’t call from direct experience on how they worked, what with her not being a reaper herself. Minnie would ultimately have to give begrudging thanks to her mother: though her “training” had been a grueling experience, she had gained some insight into the powers of Death. Considering she was being groomed to be her brother’s honor guard, it was a sensible subject to teach.

These were also considerably less violent as far as “lessons” went, making them some of Minnie’s favorites.

Having made their way a good distance into Halloween Town’s extensive graveyard, the sibling pair marched their way up a peculiar hill, the “cliff edge” curling in on itself not unlike the iconic swirl of an ice cream. Eyeing the full moon, Minnie appeared to be appraising the scenery. After a thoughtful period, during which Junior started to whistle out of boredom, she nodded and turned to her brother with a pleased grin.

“Tis a splendid vista, brother dear. It should make for a good venue to attempt a translocation.”

Junior didn’t meet his sister’s gaze, trying and failing to ward off how nervous he was. “Are… are you sure this’ll work?”

Minnie remained all smiles as she replied, “We stand on Death’s hallowed grounds, the night air is crisp, and the full moon beams down upon us. Such conditions are ripe for the use of the dark arts. They will be of aid in your efforts… but ultimately, you are the one who must shape our path.”

In spite of his lack of a gullet, Junior gulped at the implication. But Minnie’s confident smile buoyed his mood, prompting him to return a soft grin of his own. Taking a brief breath, the young reaper’s right arm shot out, his now familiar scythe coalescing from the darkness. Holding it in both hands, Junior stared down at the black shaft of his iconic implement.

“… so, how should I do this?”

Rolling her grey eyes, Minnie turned her brother towards the curved edge of the swirly hill. Pressing her front to his back, the blonde demoness grasped him around the wrists, raising his arms, “Use the cliff’s edge as a visual aid. Picture a gateway, drawn shut, standing just before the precipice. Conjure the image of our destination resting on the other side of that threshold, focus and hold it within your mind.”

Junior did as instructed, harking back to Minnie’s martial arts lessons as he centered himself. The image his sister suggested solidified within his mind, the little boy Death saying nothing as the pair’s arms slowly began to raise.

“Now… cleave the path open with your scythe.”

His sister’s grip left his arms. Junior’s own hold of his weapon tightened, the boy’s eyes narrowing. After a still moment, the silent air was broken by a swift slash of steel. A sound like a room full of people drawing breath all at once overtook the hill, abruptly cut off as a vertical gash of shadow manifested into the air before them.

Minnie’s warmth returned, the girl enthusiastically wrapping her brother up from behind. “You did it brother! A splendid display!”

“Hold on,” Junior halted her praise. The skeleton boy walked forward, his sibling matching his steps and sticking to his back. With his scythe in one hand, Junior reached forth with his free palm towards the abyssal scar. As he reached his boney digits inside, he noted the slight chill that ran up his limb. Then he began to pull back at the edge of the void trench, parting it like a stage curtain.

A field of violet shone through the widening portal and both children allowed their smiles to beam.

Necropollins were wonderful plants, known in the Underworld for their deadly beauty. In truth, Minnie had long desired to gaze upon them, a small dream to ward off the nightmares caused by her mother’s prolonged treatment. She had confessed as much to Junior on the first night of their newfound relationship. And from then on, it had been a priority matter between the two of them.

Now Minnie stood before a vast field of amethyst, standing out proudly from the dry, cracked land surrounding it. Her grey eyes wide with awe, the petite blonde strode evenly down towards the extensive flower bed. As she advanced a wriggling bundle of black tentacles grew from her neck, slithering over the high collar of her garb and forming a kind of fleshy mantle that covered her shoulders and upper torso. Glowing green eyes split open all across the crowded tendrils, peering out in all directions as her nails turned black and began to sharpen.

Following at a far slower pace behind her, Junior raised one arm and allowed the shadows to flow over his sleeved limb. His scythe was summoned in a quick burst of darkness, the curved blade glimmering with a ruthless shine.

There was certainly a macabre beauty to this place… but being pretty didn’t diminish the present danger. Most realms of the Underworld fell under the purview of specific rulers or groups. Truthfully, Minnie and Junior being who they are, it may have been even more dubious of them to have crossed into the territory of another, “proper” faction. Where they were now could be considered wilderness, an untamed sector claimed by no “official” body.

Not the kind of place where their presence could spark an interdimensional incident, but rather a place where anything goes. They’d have to keep their heads on a swivel.

Overwatch was a task Junior set himself to. He could appreciate a pretty flower, but botany was certainly something more up his sister’s alley. So while Minnie crouched down and began gathering a few violet blooms, the little reaper found a small hill nearby to perch himself on. His weapon’s shaft slung over one shoulder, Grim Jr scanned across the ruined horizon beyond the flower field.

“Wasn’t it night when we came through the tear?” The comment had been an idle one, the young skeleton musing on the odd change from evening in Halloween Town to dusk in this place.

Not looking up from her work, Minnie returned, “Doth thou not recall our lessons on travel across realms?” The crushing silence that followed said more than enough for the girl, a smile gracing her features as she allowed a moment for her brother to sweat.

“… No,” the older sibling admitted, the words dragged out in an embarrassed groan. Minnie giggled at her clear victory and barely held back a bark of laughter when Junior audibly stomped the ground.

One of her tentacles blinked as a distant patch of Necropollins shifted.

“The realms, levels, and dimenses of our dark territories are rather strictly divided. The properties and rules that govern them are wildly varied, time being a chief example. More than being day on one side and night on the other, the very flow and scale of time is inconsistent. This land, for example, remains in a never ending twilight.” At this point, Minnie rose and presented her bundle of flowers towards her brother, “Tis what allows these precious flowers to grow in the first place.”

Junior just stared back, one hand holding his scythe and the other hidden in his hoodie’s pocket. His attempts to maintain a cool atmosphere were undermined by the light, rather incomprehensible flush on his boney cheeks. Prodigy or not, it didn’t feel good to be getting a lecture from someone younger than him. His focus honed in on the girl’s collected flora.

“Aside from being pretty, there anything else you can do with those flowers?”

Minnie’s already good mood brightened as she approached, “They do possess further, more curious qualities.” The blonde stepped up in front of her brother, her face a mask of silent mirth. Junior stared back expectantly.

“… And those qualities would be?”

“A secret.~”

The little boy Death yanked his arm out of his hoodie and delivered a sharp smack to the top of Minnie’s head. Part of her tentacle capelet swung up and parried the strike. Grim Jr growled as his sister smiled through the exchange. The defending tendril then reached down, wrapping around the boy’s free hand in a snug embrace.

“… Just give me the plants,” Junior said, glancing off across the field. His inability to look his sibling in the eyes was the only reason he caught sight of what he did.

Minnie still held her easy smile, eyes closed as she raised her bundle of flowers towards the young reaper. She didn’t seem concerned in the least with the world around her, which made her the more tempting target.

“Minn-!”

Before Junior could get her whole name out, his free arm only halfway through reaching out towards her, his sister’s tentacle mantle surged into motion. Minnie rocketed back as her monstrous growths blurred, retracting instantly back into her body. In less than a second, the back of her dark blouse was torn out as a pair of malicious wings erupted from her back. With a powerful flap, the resulting gust carried both her and Junior in opposite directions.

The trio of arrows aimed for Minnie’s head sailed past without issue.

The son of Death landed poorly, stumbling before falling onto his ass. Junior quickly tucked into a roll, tumbling over his own head whilst getting a better hold of his weapon’s shaft. When he was mostly right side up, the little reaper sent a strong slash across the flower field. Petals and buds flew about as a cutting arc shot out in the direction of the apparent bowman.

The rather young sounding cry of terror that rang out caught Junior a little off guard.

“Brother, down!”

Minnie’s yell had the boy flat on his front in an instant. Something quick and heavy was thrust right over him, the sound of footfalls in the foliage coming from near his own feet. Junior kicked out sharply, dragging another youthful yelp from whoever was standing near him.

A heavy iron pitchfork crashed down onto his left shoulder, dropped by its stricken wielder. The skeleton boy swore as he rolled onto his back, facing his close range attacker. The kid he was looking at couldn’t have been much older than himself, clad all in red, the outfit evoking the image of a classic devil, tail included. His actual face was covered by a horned, scarlet mask, a crazed grin showing fanged teeth etched onto its features.

Junior chambered a kick and rammed his foot into the devil boy’s stomach. The kid staggered backwards but remained on his feet, clutching his stricken gut. As the boy in red recovered, he was suddenly set upon by a speeding mass of blue. One that was crying out in pain and spewing arrows from an attached quiver.

“Dammit Lock, Barrel, you numbskulls!”

The sudden shriek came from another short figure – a girl judging by the voice – dressed in a violet gown with a broad witch’s hat perched on her head. She donned the mask of an old crone, a hooked, bulbous nose poking out from its grey features.

“Forget you, Shock,” shouted the blue mass revealed to be a somewhat rotund child wearing a dark body suit with a skeletal design throughout. If the boy had a mask, he’d lost it during his short flight, his pale blue face twisted into a livid scowl, “How about you do something instead of just complaining all the time!”

Shock rolled her eyes behind her mask’s beady little slits, groaning at the absence of decent help. Junior regarded her carefully as Minnie hovered in close, snapping the bow she’d swiped off of the skeleton poser. The little witch then pulled a stereotypical straw-bristled broom out from behind her, holding the sweeping end high overhead. The young reaper blinked at the dash of sparks that suddenly raced across the bristles.

“Minnie,” the boy yelled as he threw himself to the side. His sister swung back as a gleaming bolt sparked from the cleaning tool, shooting into the sky before rocketing back onto her previous position.

Junior scrambled to his feet as fast as he could. He was rewarded by the boney faker catching him in a full body tackle, both boys being thrown into the flower patch. The tiny thug then produced a length of rope, looming over the son of Death with a cruel grin, “Oh, I hope the Boss let’s us have a round or two once we get you back to the tent!”

Of course, with his hands carrying the length of cord and his rump planted on the actual skeleton’s waist, Grim Jr was relatively free to act. He promptly sat up, blasting his fist into the pale boy’s face.

“Get outta the way Barrel!” The shout came from the devil kid, having retrieved his pitchfork and now charging towards the pair. Barrel was already rolling off of Junior, holding his face and whining loudly. The Prince of the Underworld quickly popped to his feet, crouched low as his fingers found the handle of his scythe. Once the boy in red – Lock by process of elimination – came in range, Junior swung out with his signature weapon.

Metal clashed as the skeleton boy’s powerful sweep threw off the false devil’s thrust. Junior could practically feel the rage pouring off this kid as Lock swiftly came back with a follow-up strike. Another parry from Junior and the two boy’s were drawn into a flurry of attacks. A brief streak of lightning punched down next to the duo, Junior flinching and having to duck under a pitchfork thrust rather than deflect the blow.

Nearby, Minnie’s eyes flared green at the errant blast that nearly hit her brother. Snarling through gritted fangs, the winged girl flew forward at top speed, making a beeline for the shock happy witch.

Junior cracked his scythe’s shaft against the overhead polearm. The young reaper pivoted, dragging the curved blade down the length of Lock’s farm implement. As the scythe’s edge caught the broad head of the pitchfork, Junior pushed every ounce of strength he had into the swing. Lock lost his grip on the pitchfork, the pronged rod again clattering to the earth. Junior continued his turn, driving his elbow into the faux devil’s cheek. The blow cracked his grinning mask right across the nose.

But as Lock was sent sailing off to the side, Barrel made his return. It was apparent that the not-skeleton had some proficiency with a rope, having fashioned a lasso out of the plain length he had. The coarse loop fell easily over Grim Jr’s head, slapping against his shoulders with Barrel primed to yank the binding tight.

Lightning beamed down from above, smashing into the costumed boy with ruthless force. As the violent flash dissipated, it revealed Barrel’s once pale features to be charred, his greenish-blue hair black with soot. The kid had a second to let loose a puff of smoke before a second streak hammered him into the ground. Junior stared all throughout, perplexed by the apparent betrayal.

Things became a lot more clear when Shock was flung into the foliage next to him. Her hat fell off, revealing her rather stringy mane of violet hair. The hag mask she’d been wearing was then pitched into the back of her head, seconds before Minnie stamped down on the little witch’s back, a static strewn broom held high. Junior’s gaze instantly flew to his sibling and, again, he just stared.

Minnie looked like a mess, her blonde lockes frizzy and poofed up into a ball. Her pale skin was marked with ashen streaks and her garb was notably frayed in many places.

Junior did not laugh.

“Doth thou have some comment, brother?”

Minnie brought the sparking broom down to the ground, snapping the magical conduit in half.

“I’m not gonna laugh…”

The dialogue paused, Minnie digging her foot into Shock’s back and dragging a pained groan from the young lady. “A sensible choice,” she relented with a nod.

“AAAgghhh! You wordy little bitch!” That particular contribution from Shock earned her a ballet flat to the back of the head. Her demonic wings flared out, scales shivering rapidly and issuing a long drawn, violent hiss.

Junior chose to take some initiative at this point, pulling the loose noose and striding towards the blackened Barrel. As the charred boy began to come back to himself, the true skeleton slipped the loop of cord around his chubby neck. A sharp yank drew the child up with a pained yelp, gasps of struggle torn from Barrel’s throat. The pressure was relieved soon enough, though now the costumed youth had Junior’s scythe blade wedged under his chin.

“Okay, let’s make this simple. Why did you attack us like that?” The easy quality of Junior’s voice was utterly at odds with how his weapon’s edge pressed into the not skeleton’s neck. Barrel’s only response was to whine and sweat profusely. The son of Death almost felt a little sad for him.

Minnie had no such sympathy for these munchkin thugs, one of her wings separating into a bundle of tendrils and snapping down to wrap around Shock’s head. The ruthless blonde yanked her captive’s skull upwards, still keeping a foot planted on the witch’s back, forcing her to look at her plump friend.

“I would behoove you to answer mine brother’s inquiry in place of your cowardly associate. Lest you desire to be painted in his blood once his neck is parted in its entirety.”

Grim Jr offered a rather morbid little laugh at his sister’s frank display of savagery. It wasn’t even that he felt she was bluffing – he knew more than anyone that he could behead this costumed fool at any time and Minnie would smile sweetly through the whole thing. Dumb bastards have given up their “personhood” pretty much the moment they raised weapons against her sibling, far as Minnie was concerned.

His captor’s guffaws only made Barrel sweat more. It was taking all his remaining focus and willpower not to wet himself. Shock’s shaky gaze was shifting rapidly between the hoodie wearing skeleton, her fellow hostage, and a space down and off to the pair’s left that she held in a moment of thought. Subtle as she could manage, her right hand fingered over the hard surface of her discarded mask.

Minnie dug her heel deeper into the girl’s back, “The time we can spare for your response is not infinite. I will grant you three additional seconds to -”

Lock dashed forward in a bayonet charge, his retrieved pitchfork poised for the back of Junior’s head. A sudden battle cry from the youth drew the Underworld prince’s swift attention, Grim Jr perked up slightly. This meant the blow aimed for the back of his skull instead landed on his boney neck. His slim spine slotted rather neatly into the space between the farming tool’s prongs, grinding against the boy’s bones in passing. When the flat width of the pitchfork’s head struck struck the spine fully, it knocked his skull from its perch.

Minnie hopped off of Shock’s back, her tiny mass of tendrils still wrapped around her pea colored head. She was a heartbeat away from throwing her captive at the insolent devil cosplayer when Shock hefted her mask towards the blonde’s face. A hidden sigil on the brow of the witch mask flared with light and then erupted into a blinding burst. Minnie’s nergal screeched at the flood of stimulus, the host diving away with her own cry of pain.

Junior’s severed head rolled across the flower field. He hadn’t even started to slow when a now much braver Barrel stomped into range before full on kicking the helpless skull. His boney head made a sure, speedy path into the side of his blinded sister’s skull, the both of them flopping to ground in an awkward heap.

“Ha,” the not skeleton barked, pointing a pudgy digit towards the toppled siblings, “serves you right you dweebs! Thought you were gonna get the drop on u-”

His “righteous” little tirade came to a sure halt when Lock was tossed into his backside, the two boys sent stumbling into a dense patch of Necropollins. Grim Jr’s headless body stood behind them, fists raised as the foot he’d used to punt the boy in red settled back beneath him.

The two brats almost fell face first into the ground, saved only by the passing Shock. Her method of rescue was to snatch the duo up by their colorful lockes, teeth gritted as she dragged them into the foliage. In a matter of seconds the group broke line of sight, drifting over a nearby hill with only the boys’ fading cries of protest to mark their presence.

Junior’s headless body scrambled forward on all fours, attempting to find his groaning head. The fact that the boy’s face was pitched down into the dense flora just made the process harder, his body having to grope blindly using the sounds of its own shuffling to pinpoint their relative locations.

The boy’s skull was lifted, dropping briefly as the holder stumbled to their knees. Minnie recovered in an instant, shaking the delirium out of her head as her whited vision slowly returned. Grim Jr’s body shot to its feet the moment his sister turned his head to face it, arms stretched out in a wanting manner. Minnie checked her brother’s detached head into his gut, the little reaper’s body toppling backwards from the sudden force.

His sister was not happy. She stomped about the area in a close circuit of Junior, smoothing out her ruffled clothes and disheveled hair with very sharp, rough motions. Her eyes were burning an angry neon green and bits of her nergal anatomy were leaking out across various parts of her form.

Junior, sitting with legs crossed, turned his head in his palms to track his sister’s wrathful pacing. After one revolution, he calmly threw back his top’s hood and wrenched his skull back into place. The son of Death sat quietly, inhaling a single breath and then loosing it in a drawn out exhalation. The bit of downtime seemed to ease Minnie’s mood, her harsh motions and speedy stomps slowing down considerably by her third circuit of the clearing.

She stopped right in front of Junior, her gaze cast to the ground and her hands balled into fists. A light breeze swept through the meadow, punctuating the silence that have overtaken the field.

The skeleton boy leaned forward, attempting to meet his sibling’s eyes. “So, we thinking we wanna go after them?”

That perked Minnie up, the girl’s grey orbs hovering onto her brother’s empty sockets. She held that stare for a good moment, Junior’s pale features twisting into an encouraging smile. The blonde’s lips turned into a notably more vicious grin, fangs showing from the corner of her mouth.

“I believe we are in concurrence.”

T he kids sure are showing progress…

This intro bit is just a display of Junior’s powers/a show of how he’s grown into his abilities. Of course, with Minnie as his instructor, he’s got quite an edge on his canon self. I don’t think it’s too out of hand for his sister to have a better grasp (at least/especially intellectually) on Grim Jr’s reaper powers than the boy himself. She was, after all, trained to work in tandem with his abilities. And by someone with… intimate knowledge of the powers of Death.

In short, Junior can scythe open passages between realms. He needs a degree of “center-ness” as well as an appropriate venue to cast the art in the first place, but he can do it.

And this leads into the “canon” scene of the duo stepping into the Necropollin field! Except Minnie isn’t a ragdoll, Junior doesn’t have her nergal, the whole situation with Halloween Town hasn’t happened at all…

Oh, and Lock, Shock, and Barrel ambush both of them here. Honestly, a big motivation for this scene/chapter was having these brats get knocked around a little. Some lingering notions from my time in the Kingdom Hearts series. I know they get the “upper hand” in the end, but it’s a temporary reprieve, I assure you. The best things come to those who wait…

Speaking of KH , a lot of influence from that in this encounter. The idea of the trio fighting as a “group boss,” the aesthetic for Shock’s Thunder casting, the fact that Shock can use magic at all! I’m leaning heavily towards incorporating the “Cage Keeper” boss encounter from the second game in a later update, just for how chaotic things could get.

W anted Lock, Shock, and Barrel to fill the typical party roles of Fighter, Mage, and Rogue respectively. Not an inspired choice, but I do like me a classic.

Final tid-bits: the siblings have this little conversation about the flow of time between realms and, indeed, the fact that some places are fixed in time. Dumb little things that you can do with a story that traverses planes and such. Correct me if I’m wrong from the original film, but I believe Halloween Town is never portrayed as having a “daytime,” right?

There was originally an end scene where we went into Mandy’s POV, showing her watching the previous sequence from a distant vantage point through the scope of a rifle. Basically just a further reinforcement of her bit at the end of the previous entry. Decided to drop it, didn’t want to extend the word count that much and I felt it was better to “let things breathe,” so to speak.

Coming up next: the Siblings Grim need to show a few upstarts that unprompted attacks do, in fact, have consequences. But there are a few more actors involved in all this. Foes and, if they squint a little bit… friends?