Guardian Character's Guidance

John took the seat with due haste, adjusting his position slightly to become more comfortable in the cheap chairs the school supplied students with, on account of the budget being tight. He sat next to people, yes, and usually, they didn't say a word to him as well. However, their reasons were vastly different, and more often than not to do with their severe dislike of him and his attitude. However, he got more than a slight feeling Sen's reasons were more tame, and as such, he allowed himself to relax a minute amount. He was no longer in the company of somebody who would expect him to remain silent and do his part of the work - he was with somebody who would actually refrain from showing him hostility unless given reason, and this warmed him inside. Though it was in the same way a glowing ember warms a fridge, one must note. Nevertheless, he allowed himself to ease up, with Jet noting this and smiling with contentment.
"He's making progress," he whispered to Kura, making sure neither human noticed, "He's starting to give off a less tense air. Just keep him in a conversation - he may act quiet and all that malarkey, but he really does have a lot of interesting things to say, and a sharp wit. Just don't expect him to start off with something fascinating, even I know what's sensible to hope for."
 
Kura-chan nodded at Jet's remark before replying, "Hm I wish I could say the same for Sen, but her social skills extend from A to Z on the keyboard. She's a bit shy and I can't get her to say anything." Kura-chan whispered back, completely straight faced.

Sen waited rather tensely as the materials for the experiment were passed out. It seemed that today's lab experiment had to deal with dilute Pechloric Acid and Copper. However, the question was how to dilute the Pechloric acid. They would need to neutralize it with a base or something. Sen was on her way to figuring out the base to dilute it, but it was rather difficult. It was obvious that they would most likely need KOH, but she wasn't entirely sure as she made neutralization equasion on her paper being careful to try and balance it. She was thinking that perhaps John could separate the Copper from the silver wire with copper(II)bromide, but of course Sen was mistaken to assume that she could have an entire class period without an X egg to take away precious time from her experiment. She was half-tempted to just let it be, but there was no way John would let that happen. Just once she'd like to have a normal day without an X egg ruining it. She had almost made an acquaintance today. She sighed. Maybe this was a sign that Sen wasn't really meant to have friends let alone acquaintances.
 
Damn it. Which plonker told me we were going to be doing hydrocarbons? I swear, I'm going to stick my thumbs in their eyes and-
"John, I'm sensing something. It's an X Egg, I'm sure of it."
"Leave it, our former allies can deal with it. It's not as if they're any busier than when they're gallivanting around like normal. That aside, I have to make it look as if I revised he correct subject."
"John..."
A look of worry settled on Jet's face, his response to John caring little for what he did while the obscenity simply flitted hither and thither, doing as it pleased. He knew the Guardians were far more capable - and free - to neutralise the threat. However, something bit at him on the inside, his mind constantly telling him to depart in order to dispatch the egg. But John cared not for somebody else's egg, nor did he particularly feel inclined to show any sort of compassion, should it hatch into an X Character. John had decided to leave his days of hunting behind him, attacking only in retaliation or self-defence. Yet, despite his mindset, he couldn't help the need to return to the battlefield - he couldn't ever satiate his hunger for action fully, despite his various dispositions. He had tasted power and thrills when he was at the top, and now that he knew what it tasted like, his subconscious made him crave more, driving him to the edge of insanity when he didn't allow his repressed addiction to be satisfied. John raised his hand casually, as if he did it on a daily basis - or that he was just bored doing it.
"Sir, I need to use the toilet."
He didn't - not at this time of day. And, from Jet's tense mannerisms, it seemed he knew this too.
 
Sen raised her hand almost at the same time as John's but she had combined to solutions, so the reaction would take place while they were gone.
"Likewise."
She didn't really have to use the bathroom and she was almost certain John didn't have to use the bathroom either. Sen really didn't want to take care of the X Egg. It was nothing more than a nuisance to her and she wasn't the greatest at purifying them. Sen was also not good at purifying X Characters either. She was actually hoping John would take care of this one and she could be spared having to show him her powers yet again. For some reason, her shyness seemed to carry on into her transformation, but Kura-chan always overpowered that feeling with her will to keep going and not cower in embarassment like Sen often wanted to do. The secret behind that was a mystery to all except Kura-chan. She understood everything Sen did, but she wished that she would get over some things to at least befriend John. From the looks of it, Kura-chan wasn't sure if Sen would even open up.
 
The teacher allowed both Sen and John permission to leace the classroom, provided they hurried back. Evidently, he was busy with some files, judging by the dismissive tone with which he told them they could leave. Not willing to wait on the teacher having a sudden change of heart, he hurried himself from the premises, not even bothering to check to see if Sen was behind him. Her needing to go just as he did was far too much of a coincidence to actually be one - if she decided to tag along, on her head be it. He had left for his own personal addiction, and nothing else. A vice he felt - and likely knew - he would never see the end of. but, he still tried to ignore it when quelling it was out of the question.
"Which way, Jet?"
"This way, come on!"
Jet led him to the right, exiting the general area, moving towards the vacant sports field. John was not certain, but the faint, high-pitched voice repeating the same word incessantly gave out a clue, of sorts. It was far too early for a character transformation, and yet, the presence of the abomination seemed more malevolent than annoying - something John had dealt with only a few times. Eggs and characters that he truly felt displayed power, or ones that had shaken his resolve. He did not worry about it, however, until he knew it for certain.
 
Sen was following the pair silently and not making a sound as she hastily made her way down the hallway. She was not keen on having to purify another X Egg as she risked humilation all over again. Her powers were weak and unrefined in her opinion. She often says that Kura-chan was weak because Sen was holding her back. However, she never voiced these opinions out loud and kept them to herself. She did not want anyone to know how much self loathing was hidden inside of her. The X Egg seemed to be drawing near and she was sure that Jet and John could sense it too. Sen was still hoping that the two would take care of it because he was stronger and more refined. His skills weren't sloppy and seemed to be well-practiced. On top that, the execution was practically perfect. A few minimal flaws that would be difficult for anyone to exploit and there was probably more power than she had seen previously.

Kura-chan patted Sen's back, "Sen, you'll do fine. You aren't a failure."

Sen said nothing and brushed off Kura-chan's kind words. She put on a smile just in case John looked behind himself and saw how unhappy she really looked. That would be very hard to explain. It would be even harder to cover up. Luckily John didn't seem like the compassionate type so she really had nothing to worry about. So if he saw her acting like that for a second, he'd think nothing of it. Or at least she hoped that's what he would do.
 
Quite fortunately for Sen, neither John nor Jet were paying attention to her, even less to her facial expression. The familiar form of an X Egg had descended upon them, its incessant and repeated sound causing it to sound akin to broken record. The pair could sense something off with this egg though - Jet sensed it, and though John could not, his gut still told him that the egg was not going to be easy to deal with. Regardless, he needed to fight it, and fight it he would.
"John! Now!"
"Don't be so enthusiastic about it."
Assuming his kick-boxing stance, and allowing flames to erupt in a circle around him, the corresponding words were shouted, his transformation started. "My heart: Unlock!"
Crimson flames engulfed John's body, making him seem to be a stationary mass of burning flesh until they receded - revealing the similarly-coloured armour formed beneath it, fashioned from some form of metal alloy or other, fitting firmly on his frame. In the style of knights of old, the chain mail beneath was coal black, amplifying his fiery appearance. To top off the change, his hair was now slightly longer than it had been before, had become auburn in pigmentation, and embers flowed profusely from it. "Character Transformation: Flame Heart!"
Still in a stance, though with appearance changed greatly, his fire now flared up from his wrists, a smirk playing on the pupil's face.
"Let's go, John!"
"No need to tell me twice, haha!"
John leapt to catch the egg, but a cracking sound that was all too familiar sounded - the hatching of an egg, impossible to stop at this point. The pair knew it would be harder to work with at this point, but they were confident they could end the conflict swiftly - otherwise, John would not be left in the best of states. Again.
 
Sen did not hesistate to transform as well. She silently watched as the egg hatched before her. If she was needed she would step in. Sen watched the pair's transformation with great interest. It was so enticing. His hair was unusual, but in such a way that made him attractive. She stopped herself from thinking any further and worried about the task at hand. Kura-chan was thinking silently to herself also. Her transformation with Sen always made her giddy with excitement, but she was never able to show it for a number of reasons. Kura-chan sensed that this egg was similar to the one that John and Sen had fought previoiusly. She too was hoping that John would be careful so that they would not have to step in. Kura-chan hated the way Sen felt when she had to take action, but that didn't hinder their abilities any.

Sen's hair was now the color of a raven's feathers and her eyes were red. They sparkled with anticipation as if waiting for prey in the wild. Sen didn't intentionally do this, but Kura-chan's instincts were to always be ready. You never know when something else may come to strike you and Kura-chan was on the look out for that General like character who had taken John away yesterday. That general did not look happy with John for purifying that egg, so perhaps Sen and herself could stall the general should they see him in the hallway. Without Kura-chan, Sen would not have been brave enough to carry such a plan through.
 
The character emerging from the egg seemed not to even take humanoid form - a most odd occurrence, considering that it was unheard of for an animal to produce an X Egg, let alone an X Character. What seemed to be a miniature crow emerged, dive bombing John, its pointed beak attempting to pierce his armour, and stab his heart. However, an adrenaline-fuelled reaction had him dodge the bird, forcing it to loop back, avoiding the fireballs - his signature technique - shot in its direction. Though feathers were singed and it was forced to alter course frequently, it still managed to break through and catch his shoulder. And, despite the armour protecting from any immediate damage, it did not aid his balance in the slightest. It was owing to this, that John stumbled backwards a few steps, clutching his shoulder.
"John! You all right?"
"Never better. Feisty blighter, isn't he?"
"All the more reason to dispose of him."
With exceptional speed, a parry was performed, essentially slapping the aggressor to the floor. But it kept coming, could not be reasoned with, and wouldn't sty still.
​Yet its paths are always so linear... Its attacks are always in straight lines...
 
Sen was surprised to see that it was a bird that had emerged from the egg rather than a humanoid one. She sighed and turned to face it herself. Sen flung her kunai in several directions. It would be hard for the bird to charge anywhere since it only seemed to go in straight lines. John was hurt already and it was obvious that she would have to step in. Kura-chan was extremely fast and she lured the bird into the kunai trap. It flew after her and Kura-chan tightened the strings. It nipped her on her back, but she was still able to trap it within her kunai.
"黒い夢いって！(parting of the black dream) Spider trap." Sen whispered.
Sen was not sure she could purify the creature on her own. She looked to John for some help. The strings had tightened themselves around the bird and there was no longer any escape and she could feel the punture wound on her back starting to bleed. Kura-chan didn't wear armor because it made her slow and made it nearly impossible to move. Neither Kura-chan or Sen were proficient with any type of armor for that matter.
 
"Sen!"
"John, the wound isn't that serious, don't let her effort go to waste! Purify the Character!"
Hesitating for but a moment with gritted teeth, John put his hands together, then cupping them so there was ample space in which a ball of crimson fire would be able to form, which he would then proceed to use in order to burn the darkness from his enemy. Disregarding the pain concentrated in his throbbing shoulder, a football-sized sphere of flame was expanded in his hands, ready to be aimed at the X Character who had been causing such a commotion. He thrust his hands forward, the searing ball shooting forth, a trail of scarlet and crimson tailing it - though that was what it looked like. In actuality, he had used the ball to mark the target, and the following flames had simply been shot from his palms, and had been concentrated by the sphere in front.
"Cleansing Flame!"
The shout proved to be the key part - it sealed the deal, and the X Character was a nuisance no more. The red symbol broke and shattered, the bird returned to its egg, now the pleasant white it was meant to be. Now separated, though still feeling the dull pain in his shoulder joint, John paced over to Sen, a vaguely worried look visible in his eyes - only the eyes, however.
"He wants to know if you're all right. He doesn't like to show it, but he really is worried about you."
 
Sen offered the two a small smile.
"I'm fi~."
Sen collapsed. Her body hitting the ground faster than she had meant it to. She was bleeding from her shoulder, rather generously. Sen had not been hurt like that before. She wondered why she had chosen today to get herself hurt in front of John. She wanted to prove to him that she could take care of herself. Kura-chan and Sen had been forced to separate now that Sen was no longer conscious. Kura-chan too passed out and the two of them lay on the floor. Sen's wound was leaking blood on her uniform and there was a hole where the X creature had gotten ahold of her. She had never in her life lost so much blood. The pain was what really caused her to pass out not so much the blood loss. Sen was tired too. For some reason that had taken a lot out of her.
Sen felt bad for making John worry about her. All she wanted to do was help him. She didn't want to burden him with her now dead weight body. However, there was nothing she could do at this moment accept lay on the floor and wait for someone to help her. She didn't like going to the nurse's office. She hated how the nurse stared at her. It was like being under a magnifying glass. Her chose rose and sank slowly. She would be fine as long as she received assisstance and the bleeding stopped.
 
"H-hey, don't pass out."
"John, she's bleeding..."
"We need to get her to the medical office..."
"Nobody ever wants to go there."
"Well, it's not as if we can call on the services of the Medic's chair any more, can we?"
Fretting over what to do, John started with the obvious. Taking a clean tissue from a packet in his pocket, he applied pressure to the wound, making sure Sen was in a position in which choking herself was not possible - or, at the very least, the risk was minimised. He knew from his days in rougher battles, that applying pressure to bleeding wounds helped, though this was probably the extent of his first-aid knowledge. The wound appeared not to be as serious as the blood made out - to John's experience - and this allowed him some sort of sense of relief. However, there was still the matter of transporting her, and explaining what had happened. Falling down the stairs was hardly a viable excuse, and he still had to have her be attended to by somebody who knew what they were doing.
And, as if on cue, a guardian character began examining the situation.
"Hrm... She seems to have taken quite the hit. She should be fine, though."
The character was dressed in a doctor's garb, complete with pristine white coat and procedure mask. A mirror sat atop its head, though the light-brown hair was in a style that made its gender indiscernible. The clothes, the formal trousers of a coal black, the eyes... Nothing could reveal anything. However, John knew Alex well - it was the guardian character of the Medic's chair.

(I decided to have a medic thrown into the mix - if injuries keep up, the school nurse asks questions. He/she can be erased on a whim, should you wish.))
 
The pressure applied on Sen's wound actually hurt and it caused her to wake up. She noticed a tiny character dressed in a doctor's uniform. She was still on the floor and she picked herself up. Sen nearly jumped out of her skin. Doctor? She instantly grew nervous. For some reason, doctors made her extremely uncomfortable. It was probably because she had a fear of them. Ever since her parents read her the book about the doctors of a horrid concentration camp. She started to shake a little. Kura-chan started to get up too and noticed Sen's fear. She walked over to her and patted her head since patting her shoulder was out of the question at the moment. Kura-chan looked at the doctor guardian character. At least now she had discovered what was shaking Sen up so much. She sighed. Kura-chan was unsure whether or not Sen could be reasoned with.
"Sen, he isn't going to hurt you."
"I know that Kura-chan, but..."
Sen shut her eyes tightly. She was totally embarassed, but she couldn't help that she was afraid of doctors. It was the way that they looked at her like she was an experiment or an alien or something. She couldn't stand it. It mad her think that they were going to inject something freaky into her. Sen shook violently, not daring to look in the direction of John or Jet.

((That's fine ^^ keep the medic as long as you like.))
 
((Very well. Oh, and just for the record, Alex is a unisex name, which is why it was picked. I don't plan to make it obvious whether it was a he or a she.))

Before anything could be uttered, Alex's owner arrived on the scene, wielding her signature first-aid kit. A simple, forest-green case with a medicinal cross in white embossed upon the front, it contained what was needed regardless.
"My my, someone's gotten into quite the situation..."
Holly South shook her head, her butter-blonde hair - tied back in a simple ponytail - buffeting slightly. despite her words, the tone they were delivered with was warm - almost motherly. Her emerald eyes seemed to be calming and placid, a most useful feature for someone renowned for their prowess with immediate medicine. Standing at a moderate height, her lithe frame was covered by the well-fitted uniform, though she had chosen to wear trousers, as opposed to a skirt. Alex returned to her side, explaining the situation, prompting nods from its owner at specific intervals. Eventually, her gaze was turned to John, who had taken to staring blankly into the distance, with Jet having abandoned his attempts to snap him back. "She'll be fine. I'll mop her up and patch up the wound, you get back to lesson. Don't worry, I'll have a note processed for you, just tell your teacher Sen here had to be attended to. I'll make sure you don't run into any trouble."
Finishing with a smile, Holly opened her case to find the cloth with which to clean the blood, only to find John had left when she had done so.
"He really is out of touch with society, isn't he?"
"Yes, Alex, but that's what makes him him."
 
Sen was on the verge of freaking out. She backed up into a wall and curled up into a ball... It was the soothing voice that always got her... The conversation was so deceiving. Sen recalled the time when she was little and the doctor told her everything was going to be okay and then they jabbed her with a needle and the doctor had accidentally drawn blood. She was deathly afraid of this person for the time being. The way she talked, the way she looked, the way she looked at her, everything about this person was just off. Sen shut her eyes tight. She couldn't help it is she was afraid of doctors. It was just one of those things she couldn't control. Kura-chan was growing more worried by the second and clutching one Sen's fingers trying to calm her down, but it was obviously not working. On top of that blood had now gotten onto the wall.
Kura-chan was not fond of doctors. They were so deceiving and made it hard for people like Sen to trust them and now when it mattered Sen chose now to almost jump out of her skin. Kura-chan looked at Alex and shrugged. Kura-chan was doing all she could and nothing was working. John had left already so now Sen didn't have anything preventing her from continuing to back away from the doctor. Sen tried to focus on something, but everything was spinning. Her head was so light and everything was fading and becoming blurry like she wasn't wearing glasses.
 
"Aw great, now what... The Field Marshal would know what to do..."
Holly knew it was perfectly fine to be afraid of something. She herself was scared stiff of going into water - the sole reason she showered was because she feared drowning in the bath. Nevertheless, a tired expression gradually began to fill her face, a damp cloth held limply in her hand. She couldn't understand - why would Sen fear a simple cloth, let alone a damp one? She had seen bad reactions, but they were never at this end of the spectrum. Holly then proceeded to put her hands on her hips, looking with a significantly firmer expression at Sen, her professionalism slipping. That was her problem - her patience was not a quality she was known for.
Meanwhile, Alex sighed, shaking its head, its voice muffled only enough to disguise itself by the procedure mask.
"Maybe it'd be better if John was here... If I know him, he would usually leave someone in the dirt. He actually stayed by your owner for longer than three seconds."
Alex looked over to Sen, not daring to go any closer, lest it scare her even more. It instead locked eyes with its owner, then to the damp cloth.
"Very well, then. You can clean yourself up. We don't mind at all."
 
Sen was shaking violently and she could no longer move because she feared that she would pass out if she did so and that wasn't what she wanted to do in front of the doctor. Sen turned her back to the girl and revealed her bloody shoulder. She was shaking even more because she could not see what was going on. Kura-chan was relieved, but still worried about the violent shaking Sen was doing. Kura-chan had never known how serious Sen's fear of doctors really was until now. It was easy for her to understand why however. Sen was so intent on being afraid of doctors that Kura-chan had even grown to be resentful of them. It was quite unfortunate, but after reading about them in Concentration Camps, who could really blame her.

Sen waited fearfully for the person to approach her. It was evident that person didn't have the patience and quite frankly Sen didn't want to get on anyone's bad side. Especially when the person before her was her greatest fear in life thus far. It was such a ridiculous fear. Doctors nowadays tended to help you rather than inflict bodily harm or inject odd substances into her body. Sen was trying to think of reasons her phobia was silly, but it didn't calm her down any. So she gave up on the attempted and hoped that the girl would get done with her work quickly so Sen could leave.
 
The grass was stained by a small pool of blood, the result after an unsettling amount of violent retching from the boy. The fight had been intense, his injuries taking their toll - the X Character had been dealt with, but at what price? He was already on his hands and his knees, the crimson drops cascading from his mouth, mixing with the watery bullets that descended from the heavens.
"Consciousness... Slipping..."
A few sharp coughs brought with them flecks of blood, and were the straws that broke the camel's back - he collapsed into the floor, unable to get up, or even so much as change the direction he was looking in. He wondered if he was to die, if this was to have been the final battle he was in - it would force either death or retirement upon him. It seemed the latter of the two was still possible, however, when a vaguely-noticeable figure ran to him.
His vision had gone too far to distinguish her tears from the rain.
He passed out before he saw her first character transformation.

Holly smiled, this time more out of relief and wiped the blood away, taking care to be gentle with Sen. Though both of them wished for it to be over and done with in the shortest possible time, rushing would only cause mistakes, in the Medic's eyes. The cleaning was done efficiently, the bandage applied with a similar, rehearsed method. She knew what she was doing, and as the procedure was fairly simple to her, Sen was excused fairly quickly.
"There you are, all patched up and ready to go. if you're still unwell, then come and see me. You remember where our classes are, right? Well, anyway, I have a meeting to attend... Bye!"
A sudden departure.
Alex didn't feel easy about it, but followed regardless.
 
Sen watched her leave. She was not exactly the treatment to go so quickly. Sen struggled to get up. She tried to hide her faltering vision and walked back to class. Sen silently wished to see John when she got back. She wanted to apologize thoroughly for worrying him. It was not her intention. She just wanted to purify the creature that had hatched from the egg. What was with all the oddities lately? It was strange and new to her. When she arrived, she saw that the mixture had already started to separate itself like she thought it would. They would have the necessary data to complete the experiment by the end of class. However, it looked like everyone else would not get their data until tomorrow, but that did not bother her in the least. There was now a hole in Sen's uniform and she did not want anyone to stare although she knew they would.

Kura-chan trailed close behind Sen. She was worried about Sen's vision because it did not seem to be too stable. If anything, her vision was causing her to appear dizzy like she needed to sit down. With a little bit of coaxing, Kura-chan managed to get Sen to sit down in her chair beside John. Sen laid her head on the desk. It was a hard surface, but it was nothing her arms couldn't fix and soon she unintentionally fell asleep leaving part of the experiment unfinished.
 
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