His Rival

Know Your Enemy

Hey guys, Jess here!  

Surprise surprise, I made another screen edit! (James' Garrison photo actually doesn't exist in canon; I had to merge a few to get this chapter's cover image.) I also figured I might as well use a canon title since I'm throwing practically everything else out of the window this season.

This chapter is another long one (36.3 pages/ 12,435 words), so please take breaks as needed.         

If you have any questions or comments about this chapter, let me know; I'd like to hear from you!             

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

"If we're going to take down James, we need to figure out all there is to know about him" you implored, your spine straightening as you began to brief your team on the second facet of your upcoming mission. "His background, motives, and strengths are all very important because they can help us identify just who we're dealing with. Once we know his weaknesses, we know where to strike. And as it happens, I've learned many of his secrets over the years.  

You see, I wasn't just his best friend. I was his only friend, the only person he ever opened up to. So fortunately for us, I just so happen to know him better than anyone." You crossed your arms with that thought, the faintest whisper of a smile tracing your lips as you remembered how much of an advantage that gave you. "With all the intel that I've gathered from all my experiences at his side, we should be able to fill in the missing pieces and solve this issue."

"Huh, I haven't actually thought of it that way before" Hunk reckoned.

"But wait, didn't James have a lot of other friends?" Lance countered with a similar raise of his brow.

"Yeah, he seemed pretty popular the last time we saw him at the Garrison" Pidge noted, projecting the same confusion. Which was all to be expected, considering how no one else knew James as you did.

"As you all are already aware, James is quite charismatic" you reminded. "Back in middle school, he acted very considerate and mature for his age, so people were naturally drawn to him. Everyone wants to have that one smart friend, so that's what he eventually became.

But you know about they say about popular people. No matter how many people they surround themselves with or how many parties they go to, it's all just smoke and mirrors if they don't actually let their walls come down around others."  

"Huh, so he was just faking it" Hunk realized. Fake wasn't necessarily the best word for it since he had still projected a facet of his personality around others, just not the full picture. But it's not like that distinction mattered much in the grand scheme of things anyways.

"That makes sense considering everything else his acting and manipulative skills allowed him to get away with" Pidge reasoned. You responded with a nod; that could've laid the foundation for his later behavior.

"Believe me, I've been in situations with James where he's surrounded by large groups of people enough times to know how superficial those relationships of his are. Plus, he's confessed to me on several occasions that I'm his only true friend, the only one he's allowed himself to be truly vulnerable around.  

I know he's lied a lot over the years, but with how closely he used to cling onto me, that had to be the truth." You pursed your lips, still maintaining your informative tone despite the emotional implications of that statement. "I haven't even heard of him mentioning another genuine friend, and neither has his grandfather.