D. Charlie - The Queen's reflection

from /hhg/ Helluva Hotel General #926
Dictator charlie/D. Charlie Storys
https://pastebin.com/Fq1VgnC6
https://desuarchive.org/trash/thread/43323410/#43328405
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>Queen Charlotte stared at the mirror
>she was used to "inner demons" by now
>her Pride, clattering on about how she should ensure dominance
>her Rage, petulant, always trying to push her onto newer atrocities
>her Guilt, sobbing and sincere, pulling her down into the mire

>but this was new

>the person staring back from the mirror was nothing like her...
>...and yet, they were the same

>whereas she was garbed in a simple, spartan black uniform, her reflection wore a more decorated white with blue accents
>whereas her clothes lacked any décor, the vision had a bit of gold woven into her's - not too much, but still a far greater flair than her's ever had
>the Royal Sigil - a symbol of her reign, and contempt for both Sinners and the Heavens above - was replaced with a simplified version of her family's crest: a red apple with a golden snake rising up from its coil within in, all framed with golden leafs
>some differences were subtle: while her uniform hid her femininity, the reflection's did not
>both of their clothes were designed with practicality in mind, but while hers was simple and spartan, without any pomp, her mirror image's remained practical without this sterility - the design was self-contained and elegant

>their stances were also different: still reeling from the sight, she stood, hunched over the sink, hands firmly grasping the edges, to the point where the metal was slowly giving in to her grip
>by contrast, the figure before her stood up straight, with a serene expression, showing just a hint of pity

>the Queen snarled - her visage was marred by stress, sleepless nights, and the all-consuming rage that kept her alight from the inside


>"It didn't have to be this way." the Queen in the mirror replied
>Charlotte said nothing, merely looked to the side, observing her counterpart's bathroom
>more in line with the style their household used to have, but eased up on the gold and glamour
>still luxurious compared to the bare white box she stood in
-
>"It doesn't have to be this way..." said the figure, smiling sadly "You know that."
>the Queen said nothing - she knew better than to argue with visions
>Mirror-Charlotte... No, Mirror-Charlie shook her head
>"You had so much love and care in your heart..." she went on "You had so much to give..."

>"It was taken from me." the Queen croaked, surprising herself
>compared to her mirror image's, her voice was hoarse, and deeper - it was as if she had spent the better part of her days yelling, when she didn't
>the vision gave her another sad smile

>"Yes. It was." she admitted, before her expression turned neutral

>"So, you decided to take it from everyone else as well."

>the Queen stared

>"Did it help?"

>"...What?"

>"Did it help?" Mirror Charlie repeated "...Taking away the hopes and dreams of everyone else?"

>Charlotte could only gape

>"...It didn't, now did it?"

>...the sheer nerve
>the causal, dismissive tone, like she was talking to a child!
>a f-king child, not the Queen of Hell!

>the gloved fist that came down on the glass shattered it into fractions
>rather than making her disappear, it split the figure like a prism

>every cut revealed a different version of her - different uniforms, or no uniforms at all, different backgrounds
>all the different ways she could've led her life to get to this point


>...and all of them were happier than she was


>her fist game down again, and again
>with each impact, glass shattered, and the fractions grew in number
>her snarl was answered by tens, then hundreds, then thousands of smiles - sad, pitying, smug, apologetic, kind, all sorts!
>her tear-filled eyes met the sad, accepting eyes of countless other Charlies, Charlottes and Chucks - all, who looked back upon her with the sorrow you have when you learn that a former friend of yours had gone astray

>with one, final punch, the glass shattered completely
>shards came cascading down into the metallic sink
-
>the Queen shuddered, panting
>she choked back sobs, squeezing her eyes shut to stem the flow of tears
>her clothes felt choking, her hands throbbed with pain - one from gripping the sink to the point where the metal crumpled, the other from battering the mirror
>...the mirror...

>slowly steadying herself, Charlotte tried to regain her composure, but by the time she snapper her head up to face the visions once more, she was still teary-eyed and disheveled


>her eyes met darkness


>where the mirror once hung was now jagged, gaping hole, framed by shards of broken glass
>it was black - blacker than her own uniform, or the dull, light-absorbing steel of the Enforcers

>it was a darkness like no other


>and from this darkness, emerged a pair of lights
>no
>light wasn't the right word for them

>they were a pair of eyes, staring back at her from the Abyss
>beckoning her

>shakily, she lifted a hand, and began to reach towards the hole...
>her black gloved hand seemed to glow in front of this deeper darkness
>breath caught in her throat, she moved forward...


>her hand touched the plate


>the light, struggling beforehand, now came back on properly - it went out just as her final punch was delivered
>fingers could trace the surface of the mirror's metal backplate - the thin layer of silver which provided the reflection had been scraped off by her hits, leaving only the duller, darker material...

>the Queen sighed, mentally chastising herself
>turning on her heels (and ignoring the crackle of glass underneath them) she began to exit the bathroom
>however, just as she was about to leave, she realized something:

>the eyes
>there were no spots of silver left, that could reflect the weakened light

>hand already on the switch, she stared back as the light went out again


>...for the briefest moment, she saw them again


>and then, darkness