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 Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 5:11 pm
2013 was turning out to be a terrible year for Tag Swagger.
At that moment, Tag was in his enormous bathtub, soaking his recent injury from his encounter with Painite. The b***h had slashed him with her spear, slicing the torso he spends so many hours toning at the gym. He had enough problems going on his life, and he didn't need Painite to return as one of them. He had the stress of Chelsea and Mike's marriage, the documentary project, setting up lives of new Negaverse recruits, and all the regular stresses of his high-stress work life to deal with.
Truthfully, he was sick of dealing with it all. The Painite issue was perhaps the most threatening - she was literally threatening him. It had the easiest solution of his problems: Report her to the superiors of the Negaverse and let them deal with it. Or he could take matters into his own hands.
"Ugh," he groaned as he contemplated his next move and sank down into the waters of the tub. These aromatherapy candles and bath spa products were proving to be pointless.
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 6:54 pm
Well Tag's day was about to get worse. After Dustin had returned there had been another fight between the two teens - the peace never could have lasted. And Alexandre had blown up and decided they were going to Tag's and Dustin would be staying with the blond reporter, he would be returning home alone.
Rather than deal with the car ride to Tag's, he didn't care to deal with bickering while driving, Alexandre had done what he'd never wanted to do in his home - powered up. He had powered up and grabbed a hold of Dustin and teleported them, no warning, right to Tag's. The living room was familiar as they appeared and Alexandre powered down so he stood in the house with damp hair and dressed in a button down shirt, nothing worn under it, and jeans with socked feet. He hadn't had shoes on in the house and so when he'd powered down he was again in socked feet.
Letting the others arm go he moved through the living room seeking out Tag. He hadn't warned Dustin about teleporting, too in the heat of the moment and uncaring to tell him, he also hadn't told the other his name nor his rank. He hadn't told him much in fact, and he knew the other needed lessons.
"Tag!" Calling out as he moved toward the mans kitchen hoping to find him somewhere. He didn't need Tag to be out of his apartment right now.
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:01 pm
Who the ******** was that?Tag hopped out of his tub and wrapped a towel around his waist. He couldn't go out presenting a massive wound on his chest, so grabbed a black undershirt and pulled it on as he quickly tried to dry himself the best he could. He was still soaked, but at least he wouldn't be dripping all the way across his apartment as much while dealing with whatever intruder this was. He grabbed an empty vase from the top of his dresser as a weapon - just in case - and crossed back into the living room to find...Alexandre and Dustin. "Oh, you have got to be ******** kidding me." ----- "Heeyyyyy Tag," Dustin said awkwardly with a wave, knowing full well that he ******** up again. Tag's place was really the last place he wanted to be - he had nothing really positive to say about the guy. Not only was he a pretentious, arrogant douche bag but he also was the reason of him being corrupted into the Negaverse in the first place - the reason he lost his identity, his family, his friends, his fortune. "Guess who's back?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:22 pm
"Trust me, I'm not." Eyeing Tag up and down he shook his head. "You can put the vase down. I've been hit with a lot worse." A vase might do a good amount of damage but the fights he'd been in had landed him in a hospital, something he doubted a vase would do unless it hit in a good area.
"I can't keep him with me and someone needs to train him. He's clueless about this war - about our enemy and why we're even fighting them. How can someone just bring someone into this war and not give them a single clue before or after corrupting them?" He always gave those he brought in a choice, and information. It would do no good, for anyone, to bring an unwilling person in or a clueless person.
Fingers combed through his damp hair as he sighed. "I can't keep him, we can't get along in a house together. But...if he needs training and lessons I can assist with that. He needs to have a clue because if he goes out on his own and has a run in with the wrong person he could be dead." And that would be just as bad as an unwilling member. "He just needs to stay here." Or anywhere other than his home.
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:42 pm
Tag placed down the vase gently as Alexandre explained the situation. He had explained the war the best he could to Dustin, but it wasn't like Dustin was paying much attention. The corruption didn't go as planned, else he may have been a better resource for the Negaverse this past week rather than apparently being a pain in everyone's a**. "Well, you lasted longer with him than I did," Tag joked. He was not looking forward to Dustin staying with him some more - it was the last thing he really needed to make everything in his life just fall into s**t. But he didn't really havea choice, did he? He sighed heavily, accepting the shitty hand dealt. "I'll take him in again - at least until I can find somewhere else for him to go." --- "I don't ******** want to stay with you," Dustin spat back. He turned to Alexandre. "Or you, either, just so we're damn clear. I just want to go home..." He was whining and he hated it. He knew home wasn't an option anymore. "Can't I just go to a friend's? Honestly, they'd keep their damn mouths shut I promise. I just don't want to deal with either of you two shitheads. Just... ugh." He waved a hand, realizing to even argue it was pointless and flopped onto Tag's sofa with a pout. "Whatever, I guess. Just don't make me stay with you for long."
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:05 pm
"I suppose you could say it's my loyalty to the cause." And he was loyal, especially after that little indiscretion so long ago - the one only Tag knew about. He had trusted Tag not to tell anyone and his trust had not been misplaced. Had Tag told it could have easily led to problems for Alexandre; problems he didn't even wish to give thought to.
"Your going to pawn him off again? I hope before that you get him some training...some time out in the field. He could benefit from seeing this war first hand." Turning to Dustin he sighed heavily. "The problem is that you said they don't remember you. If you can become friends with them again then I hardly see the problem, you just need to keep the secret of your other life." Which given the other seemed to detest being an agent of the Negaverse it seemed easy enough.
"If you believe that is a good idea, Tag?" A glance to the older blond. "It might bring some normality to him, something he needs." And if he started training he might really need something familiar to balance out the shock of this war and the insanity/stress it might place upon him.
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:14 pm
"He can meet old friends again eventually, when he's ready," Tag said, half-explaining to Alexandre and half-ordering to Dustin. "I'll find someone to give him training, but I don't have much time for it myself at the moment. My hands are kept a bit busy with work and the documentary as it is - but there's some other qualified captains out there that might be helpful." ----- "Whatever," Dustin grumped some more. He wasn't pleased with anything that they were saying, and it was obvious that he had no say in any of the matters. Training? That sounded like torturous work that he had no interest in. And why the hell would he want to get involved in any kind of war? Hadn't he paid enough consequences already by being forced into the involvement? "It's your ******** fault that none of my friends remember me, you could at least be less of a d**k about it. I don't want to be in this stupid war." ---- "You were in this war before," Tag corrected with frustration. "The only thing I did was recruit you to the proper side. Trust me, its the side to be on. It's the side where you don't end dead, so stop your bitching." Tag turned back to Alexandre with a nod. "Thanks for dropping him off, I have it under control from here on out."
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:22 pm
"Alright, and like I said. If he wants." Directing his attention to Dustin. "I'll assist in your training. Just don't expect me to go too easy on you. I don't want anyone on our side to die." So any pushing was for a good reason. This was a family to him, the Negaverse, and he didn't want to loose anyone.
Shaking his head he nodded. "It's the side with the right intentions. You were, as Tag said, on the side that was wrong. They seek to take everyone's freedom away - something I think would matter to you." Seeing as the other liked to do whatever he wanted whenever he felt like it.
If this was really the fate of people brought from one side to the other he never wanted to be apart of taking someone from the other side and bringing them to this side. And if he had to be there had better be a support system in place. Perhaps it was something to bring up to someone. They could put something in place before the matter ever arose again, a just in case sort of thing.
"Of course. I'll see you soon Tag. We should patrol soon." And powering up he decided on teleporting out, rather than someone perhaps seeing him leaving Tag's and having not seen him turning up here. It could leave Tag with some questions he had no answers for. So in a moment the General was gone from the living room.
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:32 pm
Tag groaned at Dustin once the General left.
"You're ********, you know that?" he grouched. "I'm going to finish washing up and get dressed and I'll throw some steaks on the grill, but don't ******** move a muscle in the meantime."
The last time he left Dustin alone in his apartment he came back to find his place wrecked, hundreds of dollars missing, and with Dustin smoking a bong on his couch.
He went back to his room and took of his shirt, examine the wound in the mirror. It would heal without too bad of a scar, he thought, or at least nothing that some powerful skin products wouldn't' be able to take care of. Still, between Painite and Dustin and Mike and work and the documentary --- there were enough outside forces beating him up, he didn't need physical injuries to be a part of it.
----
This was such bullshit. He didn't need to deal with this crap that he was getting from everyone this past week. He's Dylan Von Hootensberg - or was. He doesn't deserve this treatment, he didn't ask to be a part of any of it. As Tag slipped back into his bedroom, Dustin realized it was his chance to get away. He didn't know where he'd go, but there'd have to be somewhere. Kids flock to the city and runaway all the time here, right? Sure, he could be another kid who disappears in Destiny City - there were many of them - but maybe wherever he'd end up would be better than this, and he could defend himself as Sailor Typhon if needed.
He hurried off the couch and looked in the spots that Tag had hid money around his apartment last time with no luck --- except for Tag's wallet stupidly sitting on the counter. He pulled out nearly hundred bucks and hurried out the door.
At last, Dustin Harlow was free. And there was nobody in his way to stop him.
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