Method to the Madness

The good part about regaining my memories the day we complete our mission is that I get almost a whole day with Alyson to myself before we have to head back to Purgatory. The bad part, instead of spending the night much like we had the previous one, she wants to know just about everything I do. Unlike me, her memories will never return because of her being a Selva, so I tell her countless tales of our antics as children. She seems to enjoy it all immensely, so I don’t feel bad about it, whereas I had reservations before.

It has all given me a renewed sense of purpose as well though. Remembering means I know things I didn’t before, many of which Alyson still doesn’t know and won’t for a while. I remember about the countless days spent training with Forest and other Guardians, I remember the secret meetings I attended and the whispers exchanged. Painfully, I remember Mouse as well. She was the one who tricked me, abducted me, and nearly took me away from Alyson, and for that I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive her.

And maybe they noticed the change in me, Mouse and Crimson, because it isn’t a day later that I am called to Crimson’s office for a private meeting -meaning whatever she wants to talk with me about should be hidden from Alyson (or Blue, as I’m supposed to call her). I stand before the stainless, pristine door, sure she’ll know I’m here without my having to knock. Sure enough, a moment later the door opens of its own accord and I step inside the office.

Crimson sits at her neatly organized desk, hands folded in front of her. She watches me with dispassionate, charcoal eyes, and I meet her gaze evenly, showing no hint of my emotions. Off to her side stands Mouse, not so nonchalant and looking rather curious and wary actually, regarding me as a scientist would a test subject.

I nod appropriately to them both then seat myself in the polished, round white chair that sits before the desk, leaning back in it and propping my feet on Crimson’s desk. Just the look that passes her face, her lips pressing together and eyes darkening, is enough to satisfy me, though I’m careful to hide the smirk as I consider them. “Is there any way I can help you lovely ladies?” I muse politely, since neither seems particularly interested in beginning this meeting they’ve called.

“Elias… you seem in a strangely good mood.” Crimson’s eyes are narrowed, and I smirk at the Selva, removing my feet from her desk and sitting up, leaning forward and meeting her gaze.

“Actually, quite the opposite,” I say brightly and drum my fingers briefly against her desk. I lean back against and stare straight at Mouse. “I’m sick of playing your games, really.” I tear my gaze away, encompassing them both with my gaze rather than just one. “I was trying to conform at first, be a good little Guardian, but that wasn’t enough for you, was it?” I question. “No. So instead you hurt my Selva by having Mouse play with me, and then you kidnap me for three days.”

My eyes narrow at them. “You know what? I have to applaud you because it was a brilliant plan. Magic doesn’t work easily on trained Guardians, so I had to succumb before I could forget everything, and you used my one weakness you knew of -told me I could still be her Guardian if I gave in. And if I didn’t, I would die, and she would lose her only connection to humanity. So I chose to forget. And forget I did. You know where you screwed up though, Crimson? You sent me back!” I spin in the chair and turn my grin to her. “You sent me back to where I grew up. You thought it was teenage infatuation, didn’t you? You didn’t know I’ve been with Alyson since we were babies, and we’ve been best friends just as long. Yup, that’s it. It wasn’t the town that woke me up though -really, I’m not sure what did it. We got that girl’s soul… and something snapped. Maybe it was the look she had -I don’t know. But suddenly I remembered everything. And boy, was I in for a surprise. Everything that had happened while I was ‘out’.”

Mouse steps forward, mouth opening, but I cut her off with a glare, my gaze snapping in her direction. “Stop,” I growl. I’m pleasantly surprised when she does, and I turn back to Crimson. “I’m not abiding by your shit any longer,” I say slowly and quietly, my voice leaving no room to broach argument. “I’ll follow the rules because let’s face it- I am a Guardian, and I’m not leaving my Selva. You aren’t going to try to give her a new Guardian though, and my memory won’t be erased for anything this time around. If you thought you needed to watch your backs with me around before, you’re in for a real surprise now. You screwed us over, and I’m not happy about it in the least. Like I said, I’ll play by the rules, but now it’s my game. I have the ball and I’m not giving it up.”

Then, smiling pleasantly, I stand, moving towards the door. Halfway there, I stop and look back at them. “By the way, Crimson… Mouse… remember this. I’m young; Alyson’s young. She has hardly used magic, but you two? You’ve been around for a while. You would have to have been to be as far up in the rungs as you are here. Magic Madness will catch up with you two soon and you’ll both be gone, but we’ll still be here. Your madness will consume you.”

As surprised eyes watch me, I grin at the pair of them. My bold statements, calling them out and telling them how I expect things to be, has shocked them into silence. That was what I was going for, so I’m becoming bolder and happier by the moment as I continue. “Remember though. Madness is basically a part of purgatory. Your madness will consume you but my madness… it has a method.” I smirk, a lopsided, certainly goofy looking thing. “A method to the madness. Has a ring to it, don’t you think? Well, even if you don’t… it’s true. And you both would do well to remember it.” With those words said, I promptly turn and take my leave.