The Unwanted: Reverse Teen Open again

Thomas laughed and glanced back to see that Jason was gaining on him. Of course, he had expected as much. Jason had the longer legs, after all. The half-dragon bent down lower, forcing his feet to move even faster.

You're too slow, Thomas.

Too slow...

An image flashed through his mind, coming so fast and strong that he stumbled because of it. He regained his balance and continued to run, but this time his focus wasn't there.

What was that image? He couldn't recall it, but he could feel the horror that had come with it. And he could feel the hatred.

His fingers curled into fists, nails digging into his skin.

IC: Jason

Jason gained quickly on Thomas, especially after the boy's stumble which Jason blamed on a momentary lack of concentration. He laughed, coming up alongside him.

"Come on Thomas! You can do better than that!"

He turned his head and smiled at the younger boy.

Thomas glanced over at Jason and immediantly his body shifted, becoming defensive. He bent lower and brought his hands out in front of him, which were now held out like claws. His wings were tense, threatening to tear through his clothing. Still, he ran on, trying to match his pace with Jason's.

This kid was dangerous, regardless of how he acted. Caution would be the best way to proceed.

But he's my friend, isn't it?

Even so, he couldn't deny the hatred he felt towards Jason--like the boy had torn out his heart and sliced it into a million little pieces.

IC: Jason

Jason raised and eyebrow and laughed at Thomas's actions.

"You look like a monster, Thomas. Trying to sike me out or just getting into the mood?"

He grinned, his faster pace pulling him ahead of Thomas.

"You were unable to free youself from the side of you that is Unwanted."

"Just shut up!" Thomas snapped, both at the fragment of memory and at the Jason before him. He threw himself forward, his lithe body slamming into Jason's back.

You're the monster.

IC: Jason

Jason only had a moment to look surprised by Thomas's shout before the younger boy slammed unexpectantly into his back. Jason's leg caught the half-dragon as he fell, bringing them both crashing to the ground and rolling over the grass.

The ended with them both a short distance from each other. Jason grunted, pushing himself up enough to look at his friend with a confused, weary look.

"Thomas....what's wrong? Did I say something?"

(Let me just say that I've been waiting to do this for months now.)

Thomas pushed himself into an upright position, his uncovered eye narrowed and focused solely on Jason. His entire body was shaking, quivering, with his pent-up emotions. If he killed Jason now, wouldn't that save Alice? But could he do it? Could he take a human life?

"Don't play stupid."

IC: Jason

"Huh?" replied Jason, tilting his head at Thomas.

"Don't play stupid about what? Is this about messing up your hair? Or mentioning your date too many times? It's not my fault, I'm just looking out for my little sis."

He pushed himself to his feet, still stearing wearily at Thomas.

"Which one is it Thomas? Is it about Alice?"

"Just shut up!" Thomas yelled at the mention of Alice's name. He threw himself forward, at the enemy. This was the right thing to do, wasn't it? Eliminate the threat? Of course it was.

For Alice.

Yes, it was all for her.

IC: Jason

Jason seemed...confused as to what Thomas was shouting; what was going on. Something had to be going on...right? Thomas wasn't...he wasn't...attacking him, was he? Not Thomas...his best friend.

Even as Thomas threw himself forward, Jason stared with a strange, saddened curiosity.

"Little brother?"

Thomas slammed a fist into Jason's side and reached up with his other hand for Scarecrow's throat. However, the contact of his fist into human flesh caused him to pause, his hand only a few inches away from the older boy's throat. He stood there, frozen, his thoughts whirling around and around.

Jason was the enemy. He had killed Alice. He deserved to die. So why then was he hesitating? Why couldn't he do it? Was he too weak? Was he a coward?

"Do it."

Still, he did nothing.

At long last, he asked, "What did you call me?"

IC: Jason

"Little brother..." repeated Jason, staring dumbfounded at Thomas.

The blow to his side had knocked him off guard, as Jason was unwilling to defend against Thomas. He couldn't fight Thomas, not his friend, not his little brother! His eyes looked past the half-dragon's outstretched hand and to Thomas's conflicting eyes with a look of defeat. His hands remain limp at his side, and he shook his head slowly; he made no move to raise his fists against Thomas.

"I...can't...Thomas. I won't, little brother."

Ty Lu raised an eyebrow at Fuegar and laughed a little.

"Well he's a strange one," Ty Lu commented after he left. Faith just nodded. She wasn't hungry anymore though and so she slumped back into her chair.
----------------
Finished dressing, Alice was on her way to the cafeteria. She was pretty hungry and she was betting Jason and Thomas were already there. A smile was on her face as she headed over there.

But she froze when she saw the fight going on between Jasona and Thomas. A sickening feeling filled her gut and for a second she didn't know what to do. She didn't believe it. But then she was running towards them.

Moving fast she slid between the two. A sudden wave of deja vu came over here and Alice blinked. Then she remembered about Davis and April....

"Thomas what are you doing?!"

Thomas blinked at the sight of Alice and his hands slowly fell back down to his side.

She was alive. She was whole. Then, with a sickening whirl, he realized what he had been doing.

Thomas collapsed to the ground with a soft sob. His body still trembled and shook, but not from hatred. He felt nauseated, sick. How could he...?

He buried his head into his hands, sobbing softly.

What had he done?

Alice saw Thomas change and relaxed. He seemed like he was mad at something before, but once she came it was like he had just woken up from a bad dream. Kneeling she put her hands on Thomas's shoulders. She gave him a soft smile and a worried look.

"What's wrong Thomas? What just happened?"

Fuegar

After leaving the cafeteria, Fuegar soon saw something he didn't think he'd see after hearing Jason talk about them. Thomas was about to strangle Jason, when Alice suddenly showed up. Fuegar made no move to be seen, he was doing fine enough blending in, maybe they wouldn't notice him. Thomas had let go, and was crying, Alice moved to him. He had to hide a smirk, just in case he was seen, he shouldn't be happy about this. Was this Scarecrow's work? That phantom was both friendly and hostile, and Fuegar didn't want to fall prey to it.

"I'm sorry," Thomas whispered through his sobs, not noticing Alice's touch. "Sorry."

Why? Why is this happening to me?

He pushed up the sash covering his eye and then stared down at his hands. His nails were longer, like claws. If they had touched Jason's throat...

His trembling increased and his fingers curled into fists. The claws dug into his skin and blood dripped to the ground from his hands, but he didn't feel the pain.

His heart beat painfully in his chest, threatening to shatter into a million little pieces.

He retched, the sickness he felt was so great. How could he have...? He retched a second time.

Surely death was better than this.

Alice drew back ashamed of how Thomas was acting. It was like he didn't care about anything but what had just happened. And he wouldn't even talk about it. Alice felt a wave of anger and without really thinking about it, she slapped Thomas.

"Get a hold of yourself Thomas!"

Thomas broke off halfway through a sob and stared up Alice, his eyes whirling with shock. A tear trickled down his face and dripped onto his hands. He glanced down at his hands, noticing the blood there for the first time. The tension left his hands and he let them fall limply onto his knees.

"I..."

What was there to say?

Alice saw that Thomas had calmed down and sighed in relief.

"Thomas it's ok. Just tell me what happened? What made you attack Jason like that?"

What could he say?

The sickness knotted in his stomach and he nearly retched again. He had attacked his best friend. He had tried to kill Jason. What could he possibily say?

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, his voice hoarse. He opened his mouth to continue speaking, to explain, but found no words to say.

How could he explain it, when not even he understood why?

IC: Jason

"Deja Vu? asked Jason.

The older boy was still standing where he had once been, his arms held limply at his side, his expression weary and defeated. It was just like the feeling Ty Lu had been having; no...he had been feeling it to. The sensation that something about him was wrong in whatever life he had had...horribly, horribly wrong.

"I...I understand why you did it, Thomas...don't worry about it little brother..."

Something about the scene before him made Jason sick to his stomach. Thomas on the ground, crying over Alice; he could just make a lifeless corpse where her currently comforting form kneeled.

Jason took a step back from the two, his little brother and sister, and suddenly turned and hurried away from them. He didn't even pause to say a word to Feugar as he pushed past the Demon, hurrying away from the school and back into the grounds.

Thomas twisted around to watch Jason as the older boy walked away. The tears started anew as he stared at his friend's back. Jason may have said that it didn't matter, but his actions spoke louder than his words.

"Jason," he croaked and reached out a hand for his friend, but the boy was already too far away to notice or hear.

Thomas let his bleeding hand fall back down to his lap and he bit down hard on his lip.

"Alice," he whispered to the fairy, his gaze still locked on Jason's disappearing figure. "Tell him I didn't mean to. Tell him... tell him..."

Another sob shook his body and he lurched to his feet. He turned to face Alice. "Tell him that he doesn't have to worry... about me."

Thomas leaned forward and kissed the fairy on the cheek. Then he was gone, rushing back to his room. This was an equation and he was the variable. If he was removed, then the problem would be solved.

Fuegar

Fuegar couldn't help but grin as the two boys ran off, obviously scared of what had just happened. This presented a plethora of opportunities, bringing Jason to his side was just one of them, the most desireable. Poisoning them against each other, maybe the Unwanted and Useless as well. It would take work, quite alot of manipulation, but if Fuegar could pull it off, he would be so much more amused.

IC: Jason

Jason hurried through the grounds, heading towards the lake. His breathing was heavy, his mind plagued with what he had just seen; what he had experienced. Not only Thomas attacking him, the hatred he felt for him, but also the sight of a cold, lifeless Alice, clutched tightly by a sobbing Thomas.

He had seen it before, in the image of him holding Alice's dead body for all to see...

"No..."

He reached the lakeside, letting himself crumble to his knees.

"I can't have...I couldn't have..."