"Wait... he did all that?"

"So what's his goal? And why are we the puppets?"

~~~

Purple gently opened the door to the Midori house when a voice filled the air.

"You're late." He nodded softly, rubbing his face as he looked up at the towering man.

"Sorry... I was working on the script." The man hummed as he picked up the smaller boy. "Is Pink in bed?"

"Yes. Let's get you settled."

~

"Did you know that Pink's last name isn't Midori on the Attendance?"

Watching Gold spit out his water was the best thing Silver could've recorded. Crystal looked up from her phone as Gold stared at the Wave Senior.

"I'm sorry?"

Silver nodded softly. It was Spring Break and they were at Silver's house studying for finals, completing projects and talking about drama. It was going to be Crystal's house, but Oat wasn't feeling well and his dad wasn't home. Not only that, but Crystal's house had an infestation and she noped out of there herself.

"Lime was looking over attendance sheets for her subbing and discovered that Pink's last name doesn't match Purple's." Silver then texted someone. "By the way, that reaction was perfect for sending to Forest. Cause I still don't believe him either. I'm waiting for proof."

"You'd better show proof. How does a pair of twins not share the same name?" Silver shrugged as his phone hummed.

"That's a good question. I got the proof." Crystal went over as he showed the phone to them. Indeed, Pink's last name was Alolys, which was far from Midori. Gold blinked.

"Wait... she says that her last name is Midori tho-" Crystal cut him off.

"Gold... Pink has never introduced herself. Purple introduced her when they joined." Gold fell silent at that. She then paused. "Wait... if her last name isn't Midori, then why does Purple introduce her as one? And why does she never argue?"

"Maybe she doesn't remember. Keep in mind that her memory is worse than her grades." Gold hummed at that. Oat then spoke in a soft voice.

"If you want... I could ask him when we go back. It'll be easier with me being in his class all day."

"You don't have to, bud. But if you want to, we won't stop you." He nodded as he coughed slightly.

"I... think there's a class doing projects on families. A history class, maybe. But I think the project has them looking into people's pasts and what not. Maybe we could see if anyone's open for ideas. I think they have until next week to submit the person they're doing." Gold hummed.

"I know what class you're talking about." He paused. "Now that I think about it, I was going to do Sapphire's for an easy grade, but I haven't put that in yet. I can still change it." Crystal hummed.

"We'll help you out. We all should learn."

~

"Eh?"

Seeing Pink's face as she looked at the picture was something to be there for. Purple wasn't at school for reasons unknown. Pink handed the phone back.

"I... don't know what to say..." Gold paused.

"Does that name mean anything to you?" She grabbed her head, almost as if she was trying to find whatever dumpster had her memories burning. However, seeing her shake her head said enough.

"If it does, I don't remember." Lime gave a low noise, signaling her displeasure of the answer. Silver hummed.

"Would Purple know?" She shrugged.

"Maybe. I could ask after school."

~

It turns out she forgot to do that. Which wasn't unexpected.

What was unexpected was that Purple knew they were curious.

"Sister Pink~kels was put under our mother's maiden name. The deal between our parents was that if it was a single child, the child would take the maiden name. If it was twins, they would take the married name. However, they didn't know about me until a couple hours after her birth because I was physically smaller and hid behind Sister Pink~kels in the womb. They didn't want to change her name, so they left it. So that was my fault."

Gold hummed as the Midori finished his food.

"So why introduce her as a Midori when she's not?" He paused.

"Well, as I had said, I am the reason she was supposed to get the married last name of the family. But because I stayed in the womb for a couple hours longer, they didn't know about me. When I learned about this, I decided to introduce ourselves as twins with the same last name instead of forcing her to try and remember her actual last name." He paused. "In fact, when we went to a camp, she had already forgotten Alolys was her last name until a leader called her that name. Everyone including Sister Pink~kels was confused because I sat next to her. I had to explain what the problem was and they understood."

~

Gold woke up to a knock at the door. He cursed softly when he saw the time. It was 2 in the bloody morning- he went down and opened the door.

"Silver? Don't you know what time it is?" Silver shrugged.

"I would've left it till morning, but I don't know if we should trust Purple. And I just got the info." Gold scanned him before letting him in. They went into his room as he showed him what was on his phone. "Alolys, right? There's only one Alolys in the entire system of this country. And they're a criminal." Gold looked at him.

"Pink's not registered as a Alolys?"

"Gold, Pink's registered with no last name. She was apparently put up for adoption after her mother left her at the hospital. No father listed. That's how I found the Alolys last name. A woman by the name of Cresent Alolys entered the adoption center and adopted Pink right on the spot. But even weirder, I looked into Purple as well. He's the invisible man." Gold froze.

"What?"

"There's no Purple Midori anywhere in the country. And if there is, then something's going on."

~

Pink was surprised when they told her about this.

"So... wait." She paused as she scanned the info. "Then who have I been going home to?" Gold brought her into a hug as Silver showed a picture of the supposed Cresent Aloys.

"Does this look like someone you've seen at home?" She scanned it and paused.

"I... I don't believe so. I don't know-" She grabbed her head. "Why can't I remember such vital info- this is supposed to be my family-" Gold rubbed her back as tears formed.

"Shh... it's ok." Crystal hummed as she scanned the area. She locked onto Purple as he called someone. He wasn't going to come over and comfort his sister? Or did he know that he was next? She went over and caught the call.

"And I understand that. But that would mean- Yes. I'll do that as soon as I get an opening. Bye." He sighed as she got in front.

"I have questions for you." He blinked.

"I gotta go help someone. Excuse me." Not even missing a step. She sighed as he escaped her. She went back over as Silver mentioned Purple's stuff.

"Wait... what?"

"You at least have a file. You're supposed twin has nothing." She frowned.

"That... doesn't make sense. Why would I be in the system, but he's not? We're supposed to be twins-" She trembled as she grabbed her head. Gold rubbed her back.

"Here. Why don't we help you home? Maybe we can go see." Pink didn't answer, gripping her head in a vice grip. Purple's voice entered the air, a certain tone joining it.

"Sister Pink~kels?" The seniors turned as he sat down beside her. "Here, you need to lay down. Let's go home." With much better charisma (or trickery. We'll never know), Purple managed to get her to her feet and guide her to the exit of the school, timing it with the end of day bell. Crystal frowned.

"He's up to something. Why would he intercept us going to their place when he just told me he was going to help someone? I doubt he actually helped anyone." Silver gulped.

"If Pink doesn't show up tomorrow, we go for Purple. But if she is, we'll retry this conversation."

~

Pink was not there the next day, Purple claiming that she wasn't feeling well. That meant nothing to the seniors as their plan was in line. They cornered him at lunch.

"Drat... they forgot to change my name in the system-"

Gold blinked as Purple rummaged through his bag, looking for his phone. He pulled it out with a grumble.

"How does one fuck up this badly..." He entered his gallery before showing them. "That's my birth certificate." Crystal paused as she zoomed in.

"Lav-Vi?" Purple nodded softly.

"My parents reassured me that they changed it. They stopped liking that name and just called me Purple. They clearly didn't change it..." In the time he was mumbling, Silver had reached out to his dad with this info, who practically sent a 'oh it gets better'.

~

"Lav Vi Lilo Midori isn't anymore of a person than what he claims."

Silver hummed as he scanned the info his dad got. All they had was a copy of the birth certificate and a death certificate.

"If he keeps lying, I will clock him in the nose." Oat hummed.

"This isn't the first time he's lied. He's been lying for a while now. Not just about him or Pink. Everything. He's also been manipulating things." Silver stopped.

"How do you know?"

"As a Red Rank, I get to see some of the behind the scenes. He was the main mastermind for a lot that happened last year and this year. I only recently found out that he was the one that assisted in the shelter's collapse." Silver paused.

"But I was the main person behind that."

"I know. I'm not stupid. I meant that he provoked you." Silver looked at him. "That day I got attacked? He caused me to get attacked. I don't know how, but I learned through another kid that was there." Silver gulped.

~

Gold was stunned at Silver's words.

"Wait... he did all that?" Silver nodded as Crystal gulped.

"So what's his goal? And why are we the puppets?"