(BL) Taming the Field Guide

When the second half of the meeting began, Kellen felt like he had a bit more of an understanding of how it worked. Elder Ellis led the group, people contributed to the topic, but those with a more personal involvement with the topic were given more of a voice, if they wanted one.

Kellen liked it, and was also surprised that the Espers kept a level head. At least, in the first half of the meeting. In the second half, it was clear that some tensions were coming to a head.

Kellen didn’t know many of the Espers before the meeting had started in the first place. Most of the Aunts and Uncles that he knew had hung back, like Aunt Dina. He hadn’t asked her why she had, but he thought it was because she was still grieving. Now he was wondering why she hadn’t come and wanted to ask her when they got back.

Still, just because Kellen didn’t know many of the Espers, it didn’t mean that they didn’t know each other, or even Kellen. They did, and at one point Elder Ellis had to grab two Espers who were arguing too much and threw them into the open stairwell up to the top of the building. Kellen was surprised to witness it, but was even more surprised that after he told them to go cool off their heads, they did.

The sounds of their fighting could be heard while Elder Ellis and the others continued on like this was normal. You could even see them clashing in the distance. It was more like watching two monsters clashing inside of a dungeon then watching two humans fight. Kellen frowned at the sight.

However, what they were fighting over wasn’t anything to find interesting. They were arguing over the beliefs of the E.A.G. and what made them attractive to other Espers. One of the Espers was a firm believer that the E.A.G. weren’t wrong, but that they were going about it all wrong, while the other thought that was absolute dogshit. Kellen was a firm believer in the second Esper, but the problem came because the second Esper didn’t give the first any time to explain themselves.

Did Kellen want them to explain themselves? No, but this was supposed to be a place where others could so that everyone could be heard. Also, so that everyone could refute what the Esper was saying and show him the error of their ways. That was supposed to be what happened, but obviously that wasn’t the case.

Kellen wasn’t sure how he’d forgotten, but he wasn’t the only one who had lost people to the E.A.G. He wasn’t even the first person to lose people to the E.A.G. or have his life targeted, but somehow he’d forgotten that. Even when he knew that Aunt Dina had lost her partner to them. Even if he knew that they had infiltrated so many aspects of other cities. Kellen had somehow been blind to what that meant, until the other Esper had launched themselves at the Esper talking.

It became clear to Kellen that the tensions in the room weren’t an illusion and he wasn’t the only one who had a rather tense relationship with anything tied to the E.A.G. His trigger finger had been itching when the idiot had opened his mouth originally, proclaiming that he agreed with the E.A.G. in thinking that Guides were the problem.

The other Esper had reacted before Kellen could, which was impressive. Now they were duking it out far enough away that they couldn’t feel their attacks, only see them.

"Are they going to kill each other?" Kellen asked Rhys, feeling it was a very valid question to ask. Rhys sighed.

"That’s another rule. What those two are doing is called ’working out their differences’. It was put into place by your uncles. He was and still is one of the only SS Classes who even bothered himself coming here." Rhys explained with a small smile. "They protested at first, but it has worked since it was implemented." Rhys told him. Kellen wasn’t all that surprised that an SS Class had to implement something like that, he was just surprised it was his uncles.

"So they have to come back in one piece?" Kellen asked and Rhys’ responding smile told him everything he needed to know.

The discussion continued, and it was hard for Kellen to sit through and hold his tongue. Mainly because he wanted to push back against what the others were saying, how they felt, and their stupid opinions on who he was as a person, as an identity. It was clear that they had held their tongue during the first half because Kellen had been so visible, but now that he wasn’t participating as openly, they felt free to say what they were originally thinking.

One of them was one of the members that Kellen had guided, and Kellen hated that. Or he didn’t, he wasn’t sure. He just knew it left an uncomfortable pit in his stomach to know that he guided someone who hated him on a deep level. Past personal, past his actions, but just because he was a Guide.

Elder Ellis did his best to manage everyone. He was firm when he needed to be and didn’t let any of them ramble on for too much. It was also clear that the loudest at first were the Espers who felt like they had been silenced in the first half of the meeting, but as they started being unable to say anything else, the other Espers began speaking.

These were people like Sergei, who spoke strongly for himself and for his fellow Captain who couldn’t be here against everything that the E.A.G. had done and continued to do. He agreed that Espers were feeling lost and that something was wrong with their current support system, but he did not agree that Guides were the source of the problem.

He, like many of the others who spoke up, quoted the famous story about how the world was terrible and dark before the first Guides were found. How Espers had to hire people to put them out of their misery before they would turn into a bomb and kill everyone they cared about. How the term Surge came to be. It was because of the Guides that Espers even had hope to live after using their powers. How they were even able to reform cities, have a life. To not be treated as disposable monsters.

Sergei and the others spoke of empathy, and understanding. They didn’t like that their fellow Espers were hurting, but if they had asked for help? They hadn’t gone to the right people. They had gone to the worst places, looking for validation from others who were also in pain and also hurt. That helped no one.

The systems needed to be changed, the pain needed to be acknowledged, but those who had taken advantage of small issues and had turned it into rot needed to be punished. Sergei was adamant for it, and Kellen knew that he wasn’t just speaking up for Sakura. He was also speaking up for Brent.

Kellen agreed with him whole-heartedly, but it was clear that not everyone was on the same page. Kellen held his tongue. Not because Rhys was asking him to or anything, but because he realised that if he spoke up, these people who had anger in their eyes would probably fall silent again. Hiding themselves away. Kellen didn’t want them to do that.

He wanted to remember each and every face, make a note, and not hesitate if he needed to shoot them later. Was it dark? Yeah, but Kellen was done playing about the people he cared about.

"Esper Thatcher, are there any comments you want to add? This is one of the issues that was personally an issue for you. Should we not hear the opinions of the man who asked for this meeting?" Elder Ellis was turning attention towards Rhys, and by extension, Kellen. Kellen didn’t know if he liked that. It felt a bit targeted, but Rhys didn’t seem to mind.

He gave a smile, professional, his eyes yellow but not bright, his hand on Kellen’s waist relaxed.

"I think Sergei did a wonderful job representing our region, but if you want my opinion, I am happy to give it." Rhys said. He paused, scanning the room. His eyes met several others, his smile always in place. Then, he spoke again.

"I feel very deeply affected by this issue. As I am sure you are all aware, we were very lucky that it was only recently that the E.A.G. made their presence known in our city. However, they targeted not only my partner, but his parents. People who I feel a lot of you are familiar with. People who, unbeknownst to me, had been doing a wonderful job giving S Classes good PR." Rhys said with a chuckle. Kellen gave Rhys a confused look, but the man continued. "I myself have always had issues when it came to guiding. I’ve hurt many Guides because guiding used to hurt me. I firmly believe that the systems put in place are outdated and haven’t hurt just me, but others. Guides, Espers, and even those in between. I doubt that many of you realise that most of the Doctors in charge of Centers are civilians, right?" Rhys added, smirking.

Kellen knew, and he felt deep in his stomach that the slow wave of anger that was coming off of Rhys was tinged with Kellen’s own anguish. Kellen swallowed thickly.

"Does that mean that I agree with what the E.A.G. is doing? I’ve already said that there could have been a chance in my youth where I might have considered it, but I would like to pose a serious question or consideration to all of you. I know how I awakened, and we all know or believe that those before us had the right idea. S Classes are awoken in bad times, at the spawning of gates, at danger. They come from traumatic times, or situations, or some of the worst horrors any of us could imagine." Rhys said calmly. "So, knowing that, and knowing what I lived through, there is no way I can condone what they are doing right now. I’ll be honest, there are things that Kellen, Sergei and I are keeping from you because we aren’t certain how some of you are going to react. For their safety, for our safety, we aren’t speaking of it because there are some of you who were like me in the past. Your minds have been twisted in such a way by the powers slowly torturing you that you would view it as an opportunity instead of a tragedy. I’m not blaming you for that." Rhys clarified as Kellen noticed several Espers were shifting in their seats.

"Why would I? It was only a year ago I was thinking of hurting Kellen in ways that he would never recover from just to have him at my side. I was lucky that I had people around me who noticed and cared about me enough to not let me fall." Rhys sighed. "I want that same kind of support system for everyone. I want everyone to know that this world fucking sucks but that there is hope. There is light. There is a future, even if we have to get our hands bloody to get it, tear it back from the powers that be, but we can’t do it without Guides." Rhys’ eyes flared brighter, his smile dropping from his face. "Real Guides, not manufactured ones. Real Guides, not ones who have been beaten and belittled until they are shells of themselves. Real Guides who aren’t robots, who aren’t considered lesser than. We simply cannot be without them." Rhys declared.

Kellen felt his heart warm at the seriousness that the man was declaring this with. The passion. The fire. He was surprised when Rhys pulled him closer suddenly, pressing a kiss against the side of his face that he couldn’t see out of.

"Some of you have experienced Kellen’s guiding, so some of you know what saved me. I can tell that you want him to save you too, but I personally can’t allow it. What I can do, with the help of others, is find other Guides like Kellen who you would have to court to even consider guiding you. I also believe that the way that Guides have been told to behave is half of the fucking issue." Rhys said sternly.

"We are creating Guides and telling them that they need to be soft and sweet whether they want to be that way or not. So that the big bad Espers can have their way with them. That’s wrong. We’re making them into sitting ducks so that the E.A.G. has an easier time harming them. I’ve watched how Kellen reacted, how he was able to save not just himself, but others. Over and over and over. Now, do I think everyone should be a Field Guide? Personally, yes, but I don’t want to force them either. I want them to be able to choose. I want everyone to be given a choice." Rhys chuckled darkly. "All the E.A.G. is, is a newer version of the old governments, with a fancy paint over top. They want Espers to be the monsters that we know we are, and the Guides to be our food. I can’t agree to that." Rhys declared.

If Kellen hadn’t already proposed to the man, he might have done it again that moment.