Causing Havoc and Taking Names

“Harder!” I barked, as I watched Guardian swipe punches at an oak tree. “Hit harder Guardian, harder!” I yelled one more time as his pitiful attempts to punch the tree grew tiring on his body. He was hitting it with force, the tree shook violently, and was oozing sap from where Guardian had plowed into the same spot relentlessly for what must have been an hour and a half by now. “Not hard enough Guardian, I want your knuckles bleeding. Hit harder!” a frown was on his face, as the anger was beginning to well up inside. Good. A few seconds later and he’ll let go. Just the reaction I want, and the reaction he needs.
“Harder!” I order
“I can’t!” he screams, diverting from the tree and throwing a punch in my direction. I duck beneath it, giving a shove to his bag which sends him tumbling into a breathless heap on to the floor. He lays there for a while, not doing anything except blow clouds in the dust. He eventually turns, and sits up staring at the floor while gnawing on his nails with one hand supporting his head.
I walk over and crouch beside him. Handing him a bottle of water in silence. He took it without a word and gulped it down.
“Listen. That outburst in the village? Nothing.” I said, and continued before he could interrupt “It’s nothing Guardian, do you hear me? You’re holding back too much. Retaining all those thoughts and feelings, all to keep up the façade of the pillar of strength. It’s gonna burst sometime Guards. The village? Nothing. That was just a trickle, a leak from the flood gates that are straining under the weight of all that repression. The work out I put you through today?”
“Relentless…”
“How do you feel?”
“Tired. But not angry or scared anymore…”
“Exactly. Don’t be afraid to let it out now and then, even if its in short controlled bursts. Heck take it out on me, I could use the practice” I chuckled ruffling his hair. “I’m gonna go check on Rosalie”
“It’s Plague.” He said, and I stopped. “Her name. It’s Plague. Not Rosalie. You killed that girl over a hundred years ago. I’m not the only one with detainment and repression issues Despair. You have them too. I can see it in your cold eyes. Forever calculating the next move, forever watching your shoulder. Holding it all in and for what? To keep up this image of danger and darkness. You too can let it out.”
“No… I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because there’s one difference between me and you Guardian. I mean there are many, but there’s this one in particular… Death incarnate.” And with that I left without giving him a chance to reply, if he understood at all that is.

I found Plague on a street corner. Just sitting down and watching the world go by, with her mp3 player stuck to her ears. I began walking over.
“Have you come to show me that in fact you’re the stronger one and I’m not?” She said tonelessly pulling one of her headphones out and looking up at me.
“No.” I replied.
“Than what for. It can’t be to tell me how gloriously that Guardian’s training is. Because you know I don’t give a shit. All I care about is that you don’t turn him into your little protégée, cause I’ll hunt you down if he even so much as glimmers your behaviour.”
“Shove it Plague, I just came to talk”
“Fine. Talk then.” She said bluntly, scooting over a little bit to allow me space on the street corner. I sat down, pulling out a hip flask and taking a swig. “You drink?”
“I occasionally like a swig of something yes. Keeps my mind clear.” I said offering her some with a gesture. She gripped it, sniffed it, grimaced before taking a swig. I laughed as her face contorted in disgust and she choked and spluttered.
“What the fuck is that!? Ugh, its like engine oil. Or bleach!” She croaked.
“It’s very old whisky” I cackled placing the flask back into my pocket. “So. What are our plans?”
“Plans?”
“Yeah, with Tavion and all that. Those experiments in the lab I found. Violet.”
“Oh… I uh… I don’t know. Speaking of which, what exactly happened between you and that Hunter guy?” She asked curiously, I tilted my head in response giving her a knowing look. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. I guess first, would be to organize some kind of information gathering mission you know? Go back to that lab and snoop around. Then, if we need it. Find some old friends, and mount an attack. You know, the usual.” She explained.

It wasn’t a bad idea, crude and basic but possibly the most affective. Plus it would give me a chance to observe Guardian and how he reacts in an environment. He needs to let go.
I looked up towards the sky, noticing a figure in the window. His hair shimmered green, and I immediately recognized him. I stood up, keeping my eyes on him.
“Despair? Whats up?” Plague asked, I pulled her up.
“Nothing. Go find Guardian.”
“Don’t lie to me. Something’s up, and I want in.” She said defiantly following my gaze to the window which now stood empty. “What? What are you looking at?”
“Nothing… It was nothing. Come on. Let’s get out of here.” I said walking away with Plague staring at me suspiciously.