Brothers in Arms

Shadow: Fights and Forbearance

"You actually wanted to do this?" I ask, utterly shocked--I had thought he was just being argumentative before, but he really does seem like he's being truthful. For a moment, every thought and argument flies right out my mental window in defeat, but they come right back when I feel myself start to swell with anger again, this time for a different reason. "Are you an idiot?!" I demand, gesturing pointedly with both arms. "You would choose to do this?"

"Yes! And it is my decision, not yours!" Eclipse spits back, voice hissing. "So stay out of it!"

"So, you decide to become an experiment?" I growl, a few more sparks of rage igniting. "Spoken like someone who has no idea what that's like!"

"I am not an experiment!" He snarls, golden eyes bordering on murderous. "I made the choice to be involved!"

"You think you did!" I stress, worry starting to appear besides my anger. I highly doubt Eclipse truly knows what he's getting into, but, if he won't listen to me, there's nothing I can do to stop it. The thought that he might be ignoring my advice simply because he doesn't like me fills me with a new type of anger, one that has me shouting back before I can stop myself. "I'm trying to help you, damn it!"

"I do not want your help!" His reply is so loud and enraged, I almost stumble backwards out of instinct. If he was nearly murderous before, he's now far beyond it with a vengeance. Eyes widening involuntarily at the reminder Eclipse is not someone to be trifled with, I nevertheless hold my ground.

"Only because you don't know what you're doing! If you did, you'd--"

"I would not accept your help if you were my only hope of survival!"

The reply hangs in the air for several seconds. A feeling of utter rejection fills me, and I feel my mind and body swell with frustration so potent, it consumes me.

"FINE!" I yell, multicolored flames licking along my form as my energy becomes unstable. "Fine! Then I won't help you!" My rage holds the floor entirely, not a single person daring to so much as breathe.

"I'll let you make your own choices, and I'll watch as you regret them! Isn't that what you want?" I demand, fire still flickering around me. "I am done trying to take care of you! You think you can make your own decisions? Do so! And, you can deal with the consequences! I am done!" Turning abruptly, I stalk towards the door. "DONE!"

Fortunately, the door is a sliding one. If it were mechanical, I would crush it in my rage, which would admittedly be a very satisfying end to this mess.

"Good!" I grit my teeth at Eclipse's parting word, but I don't look back.

He'll regret this. He doesn't know what it's like. I moodily stomp through the halls, anger still extremely potent. I really want to find something I can destroy, just to get it out of my system. He'll regret it, and he'll wish I was there. Mark my words.

Coming to a spot empty of people, I lean against a wall and close my eyes, crossing my arms with far more force than is necessary. I need to calm down, at least physically; with my powers, it's dangerous for me to be this angry, and I don't want to hurt someone or destroy something by accident.

I focus on my breathing, counting as I fill and empty my lungs. I relax my muscles, too, purposely draining as much tension from them as I can.

I wait for almost 10 minutes before I find myself controlled enough to move. Then, taking a deep breath and trying not to seethe, I start down the hallway again.

A thought occurs to me as I walk, and I feel my contained rage start to morph into satisfaction.

Of course. If I'm not going to try and help him, then I need to go to Tower and tell him not to assign me to Eclipse anymore. Problem solved.