The Beast and The Brain.

I woke up to J nearly kicking my door off its hinges. I jolted awake and fell off the bed in a tangle of blankets as J stomped over to me. It was quite late in the morning, even though I was still tired from staying up so late last night. I kicked the covers off me and stood up just as J walked up to me. “Morning J. What’s the matter?” I rubbed my eyes and blinked a few times.

“What’s the matter?” She hissed, “What’s the matter?” She growled. She turned a pointed a finger and Kegan who was still in the corner, awake and watching us, “What is he doing here?” She asked furiously.

“Uh…well that’s a bit of a story.” I said rubbing the back of my neck, “See he snuck into my room last night. He was trying to find you, but I was able to overcome him. So I tied him up and there he is.”

“I can see that.” J said in a low dangerous voice, “Why didn’t you wake me up?” She asked, “Did it ever occur to you that this man could have read your mind while you were asleep? Found out anything you might know?” She asked. I paused, I hadn’t considered that option.

“To be honest..no.” I said taking a step away from J.

“Obviously. You should have brought him to me at once.” She said angrily turning back to Kegan. She walked over to him and pulled the gag from his mouth, “Anything you would like to say?” She asked him.

“Not really. No.” He said narrowing his eyes at J.

“I see.” She stuffed the gag back into his mouth and noted the wounds on his legs. “Where did those come from?” She asked turning to me.

“I wounded him last night.” I told her about last night in full detail.

“Impressive Asher.” She said to me, “You aren’t as much as a half wit as you look.”

“Umm thanks?” I had never gotten that close to getting a compliment from J. I wasn’t sure how to properly react. There was a groaning from Kegan in the corner and we both turned to look at him. He was rolling his eyes. J seemed to remember he was there and turned to him once more. She took her foot and pressed it against his leg.

“Want to talk yet? Or shall I take more from your mind the painful way? Or shall I put other things into your head?” She suggested. Kegan’s eyes narrowed, “I have questions for you Kegan.” J told him, “The information I took from your mind, I want to know more. You will give it to me, and whether or not I strip you from your sanity during the process really doesn’t make a difference to me. The choice is yours.” J removed the gag from his mouth. Kegan said nothing, instead, he spit at J’s feet.

A growl escaped my lips; I stepped forward and punched him in the stomach. He bent over from his sitting position and gasped for air. “Show some respect. Or next time I’ll be sure to cut all the way through.” I nodded to his legs. He glared at me.

“None of that now Asher.” J said, though she had made no move to stop me. “I will simply take it from him.” She reached out her hand but I caught her wrist, “You’ve already tired yourself J.” I warned her, “You cannot keep doing this to yourself.”

J pulled herself from my grip, “I know what I am capable of doing Asher. Please do not act as if you know my limitations better than I do.” I nodded my head and took a step back. She seemed content and she grabbed Kegan’s forehead, “This is going to hurt.” She told him.

She closed her eyes, and he gritted his teeth in anguish. It took J no more than five minutes before she pulled away from his head. “Thank you for the information. Friend.” J turned to me, “I’m going to go get something to eat, watch him and make sure he doesn’t try anything stupid.

She left the room and I sat down in a chair and watched Kegan. His eyes were distant and he had a look of defeat about him. Neither of us spoke for a while. Finally, he spoke quietly, he was staring off into the distance, “I was serious about what I said.” He told me.

I looked away from the fire, and turned my gaze to him, “About what?” I asked him.

“J betraying you.”

I rolled my eyes and sighed, “I’ve heard it all before, it won’t work. You are trying to tear us apart…give it up already.” His head rolled to one side and he looked at me.

“You’ve heard it before?” He asked.

I looked him in the eye, “Yes. From Jeremy, when he was not himself, he told me that J would betray me, I almost succumbed to his power but I was able to overcome it. I found later that he is Manipulator, so it wasn’t real. He just wanted me to think it was real.” I told him.

A smile came to Kegan’s lips and he chuckled softly, “What do you know about J?” He asked me.

“I know plenty about J.” I growled.

“Really?” He asked raising an eyebrow, “What has she told you about her past?” He asked me.

“Nothing, but-”

“-Nothing?” He cut me off, “Well that’s strange, if you’re her partner shouldn’t you have a right to know about her past? It is interesting to me…if she didn’t have something to hide, then she should have no problem telling you about her past. And what about her name?” He asked me.

“What about it?” I asked cautiously.

“Well haven’t you wondered what her real name is? A person you could trust wouldn’t keep information like that from you.” I looked out the window, “And what about me? Do you even know how J and I know each other?”

My hands balled into fists, “J knows plenty of people.” I countered.

Kegan simply shrugged, “Have any of those acquaintances been a good encounter?” He asked me.

I looked him in the eye once more, “Shut your mouth. J and I are partners, and I trust her with my life. So stop your pathetic attempt at trying to tear us apart.” Kegan shrugged and looked away.

“All I’m saying is there shouldn’t be any harm in asking her.” He yawned, positioned himself in a more comfortable position in the corner, and closed his eyes. J opened the door and walked in.

“I brought you some food; I thought you might be hungry.” She gave me a half smile and placed the large tray of food on the stood before me. I looked up at J, she frowned, “What’s wrong? You look troubled, was it something he said?” She asked looking to Kegan suspiciously.

I shook my head and pulled to food to me, “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” I cut into the meat and stuffed it into my mouth.

J looked at me, “If you say so.” She said shrugging, and she sat down across from me. J is my friend. I trust her, and she trusts me. I saved her life, she saved mine. Should would never do anything to put me in harm’s way. Though even as I told that to myself, a nagging doubt tugged at the back of my mind, What is your true name J?

~ ~ ~ ~

“Come on eat it!” J soothed as she stuffed more herbs into Kegans mouth. He squirmed and tried to avoid it but to no avail. I had finished my breakfast and J wanted to visit Jeremy. She didn’t however, want to bring Kegan along, nor did she want to leave him here awake to try to escape. So she came up with a solution, drug him.

She was dosing him with enough sleeping herb to put out a horse. He coughed and choked but until every piece of leaf was stuffed into his mouth J didn’t give up. She then put a water skin to his lips and forced him to drink the water. Two minutes later, he was drooling on the floor.

“Was that really necessary?” I asked J as we walked down the steps.

“Yes it really was.” She said pulling on her leather gloves, “Kegan is smarter than he looks and he’s a lot tougher than he appears. He’s been on the bad side of business since he was a kid, and he’s seen some rough times. He may appear to act as a pretty pampered boy, but he’s got an underlying personality that I don’t wish to see again anytime soon.” I bit my lip as I followed J down the streets. She had decided to walk today.

“J?” I asked.

“Yes?”

“How do you know Kegan?” I felt bad after I asked it. I was foolish to believe a word Kegan had spoken to me, yet I could not shake the curiosity and doubt in the back of my mind.

J didn’t answer me right away. After a while she finally sighed and stopped walking. “What brought this about?” She asked without looking at me.

“I just…” I took a breath, “I just want to know who he is and how you know him J. I mean, I don’t even know Kegan and yet I tied him up and punched him just because you told me he wasn’t a friend. How do I know he’s really evil?” I asked her.

J looked over her shoulder, and then walked down a side street. I followed her, but she didn’t speak to me. We walked until we came to a public garden and she turned into it. The flowers were all gone, the leaves on the trees were changing color, and no one was inside the secluded area. She sat down on a bench under the tree and motioned for me to sit. I sat.

She took a few breaths, this was the first time I had seen J at a loss for words. I had seen a nice side of J. But I had never seen a J that didn’t know how to say what she needed to say next. “Listen to me Asher.” She looked me in eye, “You are my partner, and by offering that to you I showed a level of trust. All I ask is that you return it.”

I nodded my head, “I trust you J, but you are still very secretive. I know nothing of your past; I don’t even know your real name.”

She looked away and tightened her hand into a fist, “What do I know about you Asher?” She asked me, “All I know is that you were once a rich noble, and that your father sells some of the finest horses. Why don’t you tell me everything about your past?” She challenged.

I looked away and she nodded her head, “Exactly. I shared one aspect of my life with you on the boat. That story was true. Right now, nothing more needs to be shared. You have secrets that you wish to hold onto, and I have secrets that I do not wish to share. Both of us are on the same boat, someday, perhaps, we will both feel safe enough to share them. However, for now, we are better off keeping to ourselves, and for now…let us simply be friends. Can we do that?” She asked me.

I looked up to the sky. J considered me a friend. I nodded my head. J was my friend. There was no doubting that. I looked at J, “I will choose to trust you J, just answer me this one thing?” I asked.

She nodded, “What is it?”

“Why do people keep telling me that you will betray me?” She looked away.

“I told you before; I wasn’t always like I am now. That is all you need to know.” I nodded my head. For the time being I will accept your answer.