Guardian Character's Guidance

Jet seemed a touch uneasy when John's fitness was mentioned, and even John himself flinched slightly. Both remembered his condition, and how he was always limited in what he did in the class. Both had come to a mutual understanding without realising it - under no circumstances was Sen to ever find out about his condition. If she did, neither felt they could take the guilt of causing her to break down, or what-have-you. quite conveniently, John just happened to check his watch - and he thanked the gods of coincidence, that such a thing could occur at such a time.
"Good heavens, would you look at the time. If I don't set off now, I'm probably going to get moaned at by Holly... I'll be off, then. I'll be done within the hour, she doesn't live in a particularly big house."
What the two didn't say, as they ran off, was that John's watch was an hour fast - he wasn't due there, but he needed out of the situation. If Sen found out, he'd never be able to cope with himself.
"John, we need to talk."
 
Sen looked after him having been left standing in the middle of the park and quite suddenly. Had it been something she said?

"I didn't even get to say good-bye." She whispered to herself.

As the pair got further and further away, Sen turned to walk home. She had a quite a walk ahead of her. She had lost track of where she was going whilst she talked with John and now she was all the way out here. Sen headed into a nearby shop and got herself a drink. Kura-chan took a deep breath and knew that they had an extra hour, but that did not matter. Sen was not to know of John's condition.

"Sen," Kura-chana whispered quietly, "I think there's something we need to discuss."
"What is it Kura-chan?" Sen asked smiling.
Don't smile at me when I'm getting ready to tell you some bad news! Kura-chan thought to herself.
"I don't think you and John can fight side by side anymore..."
"Why not? Is it because he's stronger?" Sen asks looking at the ground.
"No, just please take my word on this one. It won't be healthy for the two of you..."
"Kura-chan, you're asking a lot of me."
"Sen, I know, but you have to trust me because I'm you."
"Does Jet think so too?"
 
"Jet? This is serious, isn't it?"
Jet nodded, a solemn look now covering his face. This was reason enough to be scared - Jet was never this serious. Something terrible is what suffices for him to have such an expression - otherwise, his jolly demeanour remains unscathed.
"You can't be allowed to fight, John."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I'm not letting you fight, John. People can look after themselves. They have the Guardians. They have Sen. You were the Field Marshal, but you do not have that position any more. You can rest now."
"But I have-"
"You have no duty, John. It was terminated."
John remained silent for a few seconds, allowing the full realisation of what was happening to hit him. He was no longer needed to protect people. His duty was done, his service served. But he had thought he had little purpose in life - now that his sole purpose was gone, he felt an emptiness in him. Something was needed to fill the gap, however - try as he might, he still felt lost, and hollow inside. "John? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine."
A flat, toneless response. One of someone who feels noting.
Jet hoped to God it was only temporary.
 
Kura-chan nodded, confirming Sen's question. Sen's heart nearly stopped.
"Kura-chan... I-" Sen started.
Sen was hurt more than anything. She felt as though a part of her had dropped to the ground and shattered before her. Everyone knew that once something broke, you could never really collect all the pieces. Kura-chan knew that Sen would react this way and there was nothing that she could say to make things better. Kura-chan still wanted to lighten the mood, but she didn't have any ideas as to how she would do something like that. She wasn't cheery like John was. Kura-chan was knowledgeable and outgoing, unlike Sen who was shy and mostly kept to herself. Sen rarely ever came out of her shell. Kura-chan could think of nothing and she noticed that Sen was paling.
"Are you okay?" Kura-chan asked.
That was lame to say, but Kura-chan couldn't think of anything else to say.
"No, Kura-chan I'm not..." Sen answered honestly.
Sen was silent the rest of her walk home. She said nothing and even when the pair arrived home Sen locked herself in her room and did not come out. She was sad and she didn't know what to think. Was she really going to have to stop seeing her only friend besides Kura-chan?
 
John allowed himself to slump onto a bench, forcing the information through his mind, hoping that somehow, he had misinterpreted things. He had heard Jet say he was no longer needed in the line of duty. He had understood that he no longer needed to fight. He had been told that people could protect themselves, and that the Guardians were always going to be powerful enough to stop whatever came their way. As far as he could see, he was no longer needed, and his only purpose in life - to protect - had been wiped clean away from him. His dream to be the knight in shining armour, the give-em-hell knight with flaming hair...
"J-John? John?!"
Jet was fading - fast. John was losing sight of his dream, and his neutrality was slipping into depression. However, the tone on his mobile snapped him back to reality - a custom tone, made for when a member of the Guardians called or texted him. It was Holly - no real surprise.

Doing painting, magnolia or cream?
 
Sen was trying hard not to think of John. She was devastated by this latest news. Sen really wanted to turn around and talk to John, but she couldn't because he wasn't there. Sen found a nearby tree and she sat under it. She was really tired and she decided that it would be best if she took a nap under the tree. Sen found one in front of her house and she started to nod off, but her butler Jeeves led her up to her room.

"Mistress, you have been out in the sun too long. You know that you are allergic to sunlight. Honestly, I don't know why you went outside without taking your medicine first..." Jeeves went on lecturing the half-asleep Sen until she was tucked in bed.

Kura-chan snuggled in next to Sen, still wanting to say a few things.

"Sen, I know it's hard, but believe me it's for the best." Kura-chan said.
"Will I get to see him outside of school?" Sen asked.
"I don't know. That depends on the amount of X Eggs and X Characters."

Sen felt an odd sensation in her chest and her thoughts were filled with John yet again.

"Kura-chan, do you feel that?" Sen asked, touching her her chest.
"Yes, but how did you-"
"Something is wrong... John?"
"Sen, he's fine. I'm sure of it."
"It just doesn't feel right. Did Jet tell John something?"
"Probably close to the same thing I told you, why?"
"You're right it's probably nothing."
 
"Snap out of it, John! You're becoming the very thing you despise! Just look at yourself!"
John raised an eyebrow, but his expression managed to change to truly shocked - for the unspeakable had happened. Jet had punched him, but it was only when John took a good look at his Character, did he truly understand the desperation behind Jet's every move. Tears were forming in Jet's eyes, his fist still held up - shaking. Jet was gritting his teeth, holding back a veritable reservoir of tears, simply trying to be strong for John's sake. "I don't care if I go, John... I just want you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted. Don't throw your life away - me, Kura, and Sen all need you here. You think you're alone, but you're not. You;re forcing the position of a loner upon yourself. Release that burden, John."
 
Sen couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't help but think that something was definitely wrong. Sen got out of bed only to wander the streets and look for John out in the heat. She left Kura-chan to sleep alone in the bedroom. Sen rubbed her eyes. The sun irritated her eyes without her glasses and without her parasol, Sen was likely to get sun burn. She found him talking with Jet. She hadn't heard anything the two of them had said, but she could feel the tension.
"John, I need you..." This was all Sen said though it was likely her words were drowned out by the wind and passing cars.
She stood there in her nightgown. She didn't know what would happen or why she had said what she did. It probably sounded like useless babble or completely random. For some reason, she had a need to say those words. Sen took a deep breath and she just looked directly at John. She was regretting that she had come out here in the first place. What did that matter? Why had she said something like that? And now of all times? It wasn't like Sen at all to do something like that. She was hopelessly confused.

Kura-chan woke up shortly after Sen's departure only to realize that she had left without saying a word. Kura-chan quickly went out to find her. She was worried about the sun and what John would do if he found out how sensitive Sen was to the sun. That was the last thing that Jet and John needed. She walked quickly and with a purpose. She found Sen standing there and gently found her way to Sen's shoulder.
"Come on Sen, it's time to get you some rest..." Kura-chan said urgently.
Sen didn't struggle. She just nodded and she started to walk away. She was confused for the most part.
 
"That was..."
"Sen..."
The appearance of Sen in her nightgown had been akin to a ghostly apparition - She had said a few words, he could tell, and then left, which only complicated matters. However, what exactly the words were was unclear to John, as all he could make out was his name, and 'you.' Nevertheless, something inside him stirred, and while it did not cast away the feelings of depression, it assisted in suppressing their effect, rendering them void - for the time being, at least. Thus, John got up, and began his trek to a different location.
"So you're fine now?"
"I have been tasked with moving furniture. I will move furniture."
"But aren't you worried about Sen? About what she was doing there like that? That wasn't like her, John. You, of all people, should know that."
After a brief moment's reconsideration, his phone sounded again - Holly had sent him another text, and this one read differently than the last.

something came up. come back tomorrow.

John looked to Jet. Jet looked at John. They nodded at each other, coming to a mutual agreement - Sen wasn't acting like herself, and the least they could do was go to see if she was all right. She was the first person in ages who had actually willingly become John's friend. John's heart was not dead enough to refuse her, and Jet needed Sen to stay by his side, lest the boy be broken further. And with a renewed passion, John ran. There was still one person he wanted to protect, even if he had no duty. And not even Jet's influence would stop him.
"Sen!" he called, upon reaching her, "Sen! Are you all right? You don't look very well..."
Jet raised an eyebrow. He had hidden John's condition from Sen - he was hoping Kura would hide Sen's difficulties from John.
 
Sen turned around, obviously not expecting John to be behind her she nearly jumped out of her skin. Her expression softened upon recognition.

"Oh, it's just you..." Sen breathed, her breath heavy and heart pumping extremely fast, "You gave me quite a fright! I'm just fine actually..."

Kura-chan looked at Sen. It looked as though Sen would be fine for the time being. However, it would be best if they got out of the sunlight. Kura-chan motioned for Sen to keep walking. John would have to be welcomed into Sen's home. There was no other way to hide Sen's condition from John.

Sen kept following Kura-chan wanting to make it home quickly so that John would not worry about her. When Sen arrived, she saw Jeeves standing outside getting ready to pull out in his limo. He looked rather relieved to see that she had returned home safely and when he saw John, he said nothing. Jeeves was trying to contain the smile that almost instantly appeared on his face.

"I'm not really supposed to be outside in the sun for long periods of time, but would you like to join me for lunch or do you have an engagement prior to?" Sen asked politely, trying to calm her heart rate from being frightened.
 
Obviously, John was taken slightly aback at Sen being frightened at his arrival. However, upon realising it was just aa natural reaction, he returned to being calm and collected, and followed Sen - at Jet's prompting. Sen's place of residence was not somewhere John was used to being in - he had not even been near such places before. His financial state was less than desirable, and things did not look as though they would improve for him. Nevertheless, he retained a reserved manner, and kept his chin up as he followed Sen.
"Holly seems to have run into trouble, meaning that my job there is postponed until further notice. I shall have lunch with you, if you so wish."
 
Jeeves overheard the question and made his way over to the young pair.

"That sounds splendid. I will prepare something straightaway young Mistress," Jeeves said smiling.

John was the first friend that Sen had brought over at all. For Jeeves, this was a pleasant change of pace. However, Sen wondered what John thought of her establishment. It was manor with a Japanese style garden and several servants were tending to the yard and when you went inside, they were cleaning the unused rooms and in the center of the entrance room, there was a water fountain that the staircases coiled around giving them a most elegant appearance. To keep things short, Sen's place was regal as a whole, though it was doubtful that anyone in school knew just how rich Sen's family was, but it was probably for the best. Sen didn't want fake friends.

"My butler, Jeeves, and I would love to have you lunch," Sen said smiling, "Shall I show you to our library? Or the study? Or would you like to stargaze on our microscope?"

Sen instantly blushed and she had to turn around. What kind of guy would be interested in stargazing through a telescope, or going to the library? To most people, things like that were especially boring.

"Better yet," Sen added, "What would you like to do?"
 
"Surely you mean telescope?"
John had not had much experience in astronomy, but he was fairly certain a microscope was used to examine objects that were closer to home. Disregarding this, he pondered for a brief minute, before settling upon what he wanted to do. He was not exactly a person of refined tastes, but he did enjoy the more reserved activities available to him. As such, upon ceasing pondering, he decided to express his wish. "The library seems a place I would like to visit. I am in need of some tranquillity, as it happens. A spell in an environment like that would be nice."
Jet smirked, knowing that it was all going well - despite the immediate problems, things were working out for the pair, and he knew it. They would probably soon become the talk of the school - the impregnable boy with a heart of stone is friends with the brainy loner? There were bound to be rumours. However, Neither John nor Jet particularly cared - they had heard And done worse before. Far, FAR worse things.
 
Sen blushed at her mistake. It was not like her to do such things.

"I'm sorry..." She said looking away, "The library is this way."

Sen walked ahead of Jet and John, obviously embarrassed. She couldn't believe that she had made a mistake like that in front of both John and Jet. Kura-chan could see how upset Sen was by this.

"It's okay Sen, he knew what you meant, besides, English isn't your first language anyway." Kura-chan said trying to comfort Sen.

The library in Sen's home was probably bigger than the school's library by a long shot. It was probably four times its size and possibly bigger. Sen loved to read which was why her parents had this place built. She hoped that John would find something he liked. She never would have thought he would pick the library. That was something that she enjoyed doing. Her bookcases were well polished and the books were in great condition.

Sen had not even begun to think of the rumours that may be spread about her and John. She was usually too boring to talk about and it wasn't like the pair was a thing. John probably had his mind on other things besides her. However, even if there was gossip about her, Sen had learned to ignore the name calling and the romours. Sen didn't like giving them the satisfaction of watching her cry or getting frustrated.
 
Jet bopped John on the head, this time only as a gesture that basically said 'You're an idiot.' Seconds later, they followed the other pair, taking in the sights and sounds of the establishment. Though he did not display it, he was actually in awe at the sheer grandeur of it all. H had never seen something like it before - not that it made him think any differently of Sen, but it was impressive nevertheless. However, he couldn't hide the twinkle in his eye when the library came into sight, and he couldn't disguise the tiny smile that played on his lips when he laid eyes upon the multitude of literary works amassed in the area. For a large part of his life, books were like drugs to him p in order to escape everyday life, he used them to whisk him away to a far-off land, and immerse himself (temporarily) in a fantasy.
"Impressive," was all he said, though, "Very impressive indeed."
 
"I am glad that you like it," Sen replied to him, "What type of books do you like to read?"

Sen was curious. There was no doubt in her mind that John would find something that he liked. There were a variety of books on various topics. The biggest section in particular was the Fantasy and Science section. Sen read almost anything though. Sen just liked to envelop herself in a world where for a moment, her problems didn't exist. To her, books were her sanctum and in a way her other friend besides Kura-chan, but now she was able to share this with John. That was something she never thought she'd be able to do.

Sen hadn't noticed Jet slapping John in the back of the head. She was still trying to hide the blush that continued to dominate the bottom half of Sen's face. Sen was wondering if John had noticed or if he was too busy marveling at the grandeur structure that was the library.
 
Had John actually bothered to notice the blush that made itself so prominent on Sen's face, he would have pondered over it for a brief moment, and then gone back to other matters. He had long regarded blushing as nothing more than an abnormal amount of blood rushing to a certain area on an individual, caused by certain emotional stimuli. Jet often sighed when John explained this, knowing it was so much more in different cases. Nonetheless, John had little time to ponder such matters, as he had been asked a question, and as such, was compelled to answer it.
"Genres, you say? I have to say that I've started to take an interest in crime stories... And not the fictional ones either. It may seem a touch gruesome, but I find it fascinating to look into cases of past crime, and see the insight provided into their warped, deranged minds. I also have an inclination towards thriller and adventure novels, they always seem to be able to immerse the reader, like no other type of book can."
John seemed to drift away while he spoke - he seemed to be lost in thought on books. Given how long he had spent with them, who could blame him?
 
Sen was relieved to find out that John had not noticed her blushing at all, but rather he was marveling at the books in the library.

"I can show you our widest selection of crime stories if you'd like. It's right this wa-" Sen said as she began to fall.

She was thinking not of falling, but of how clumsy she would look if John saw her fall face first on the ground. It wasn't that she had tripped, but that she had been out in the sun too long. However, Sen had managed to play it off as though she had merely tripped and not fallen. Sen was okay for the moment and this occurrence was exactly uncommon. She reached out with her hands and grabbed onto the shelves.

Kura-chan looked at Sen in horror. Sen had only been outside for a moment. She couldn't really be going into this condition now. There was really no way to be sure unless she fell a second time. Kura-chan was doubtful that Sen would show anymore symptoms and was glad when she feigned it to be nothing more than a trip rather than a good clean fall.
 
"Sen? Are you all right?"
Upon her enquiry, John had indeed turned his attention towards Sen, and had noticed her fall as a result. However, he did not make any bones about it when she played it off as a mere trip. He did not particularly feel like quizzing her on such a trivial matter, and let it be as such. It did ply on his mind, however, that something seemed off about the pair. He couldn't quite place it, but ever since Sen had come before him, after Jet had hit him to snap him out of his daze, something did not seem right about Sen. And, while he knew better than to pry into personal matters, he did worry about his friend. Jet seemed to be concerned as well - he was constantly observing Sen's movements, picking them apart, attempting to figure out something. He was not sure what it was he was trying to discern, but he reasoned that he would know upon detection.
 
"Yes, I am quite alright!" Sen said smiling at John.

She really didn't want him to worry nor did she wish to be by her lonesome. Sen dusted herself off and continued where she left off. She was did not seemed to be fazed at all by the fall. And as silly as it was, Sen was more concerned about how she looked in front of John rather than the condition itself. It was something she was aware of, but couldn't quite figure out why trying to look coordinated in front of John mattered. She shook her head as if trying not to think about it.

"I'm just a clumsy person is all. I am not really good around boys." Sen had not exactly lied. She was extremely bad at holding conversations, but it was all the more worse when talking to one of the opposite gender. She hadn't much experience in doing so. If anything, she had just admitted a few downfalls and risked the disapproval from John and possibly Jet too.

Kura-chan just smiled. She now understood that there was no longer a reason to worry. Sen was doing just fine on her own as far as straying the pair from finding out her condition. Kura-chan wanted to spare the other the trouble of dealing with Sen's problems. Kura-chan would be able to handle it. And if she needed help, she would simply ask Jet rather than John, but even so she would be hesitant in doing so.
 
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