Through the Cosmic Labyrinth

Chapter 2

The Brother's Story

"Dude, why did you do that!?" Eugene exclaimed at Alice from behind the counter, having just witnessed Alice punch her brother in the gut, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Ow- Yeah, why!?"Damien exclaimed, getting up off the floor.

"I should be asking 'why,'" Alice said sternly. She let out a hand to Damien to help him up. Damien almost took it, but put his hand away.

"I know that trick," he said, getting up on his own. "You're just gonna punch me again."

"There is literally nothing stopping me from punching you again right now."

"Or maybe you could just not punch me and tell me what's wrong instead?"Damien reasoned. Alice then made another move. Damien flinched as he prepared for another attack, but kept still as Alice held him in a firm hug, covering her own apron in the sand from Damien's clothing.

"I'm getting conflicting messages here," Damien said, awkwardly hugging his sister back.

Alice dropped the hug and took a few steps back. "You didn't answer my messages!" She started. "You haven't sent me any videos and you disappeared for over a year! And now you just walk back into my shop acting like nothing really happened! Like, bro, what happened to you? Where have you been!?" Alice now sounded like she was about to cry. "I've missed you so so much." Now tears have begun welling up.

"O-okay, okay," Damien put a hand on his sister's shoulder, attempting to calm her down. "Look, I've got plenty to explain to you and I clearly see I owe you an apology. We'll talk, but you gotta promise to stop expressing your emotions through violence for now, okay?"

Alice sniffled and wiped away her tears. "Yeah. All right."

"Ahem," a voice grunted from the entrance. Alice and Damien looked to see a man leaning on wall, patiently watching the entire event unfold. He had white hair, pale skin, and red eyes. He wore an orange light jacket and a dark blue shirt underneath along with his blue jeans. None of these were the most striking detail about this guy that Alice noticed first. Sprouting from atop the young man's head and white hair were a pair of rabbit ears.

"Oh, right," Damien said walking to stand next to the rabbit-eared man. "Alice, this is Robert, my new traveling companion. Robert, this is my little sister, Alice."

"'Sup." Robert said smiling while he raised a hand in greeting and put it back into his jacket pocket just as quickly.

"Hi Robert," Alice said, still in her emotional state. She's still trying to stop her tears.

Damien saw how Alice was struggling and made a decision. He looked at Robert, "Uh, how about you go ahead and get us something?" Damien handed his companion a handful of tickets. "I've got a lot to catch up on with my sis."

"Sure thing, man." Robert then walked toward Eugene to see and buy whatever food was being sold. Robert then looked back and called out, "Do you want anything in particular?"

"Anything's fine!" Damien replied before turning all of his attention to Alice. "All right. Let's talk."

"Let's talk outside," Alice said in a low voice. She looked at Eugene, who gave an assuring nod.

The two siblings walked to the outside, surrounded by the walls now becoming a dark low-lit cerulean marking the end of the this room's day. The brightest lights are now the lanterns that were hanging outside the shop. Alice picked out a small wooden table with built-in benches placed between the bakery and the small shed. The two sat down, and the year long due discussion initiated.