His Rival

A Lethal Weapon

Hey guys, Jess here!

I haven't had a chapter this long in a while (31.4 pages/ 10,620 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!

Your heart was racing a mile a minute as you dove through Earth's atmosphere, leading the charge. Finally, after all these years, you were returning to the Garrison. The sleek, armored facility was just as you remembered on the outside, its darker grey architecture standing out against the warm, vibrant hues of the sunrise and the surrounding desert landscape.

Even the scorching sun overhead seemed to emulate the fire in your heart as you galloped out of your lion, your body refusing to stay still. But all that momentum grinded to a sudden halt as you noticed a certain tall figure standing before you in the courtyard. Despite having run through your return about a thousand times in your head, you had never anticipated that he of all people would be the first to greet you.

And his expression was even more unexpected, the pure, unfiltered rage radiating off his face contorting it to the point that it was barely unrecognizable. As soon as you met them, his piercing, greyish-purple eyes at once extinguished your inner flames, his gaze so murderous and vengeful that it sent shivers up your spine, raising the hairs on the back of your neck.

"Where do you think you're going?" he rattled out, brandishing a blaster in the same orange and white colors of his armor. You were confused as to why he was so riled up until you glanced to the side. Ice shot through your veins as you saw who his true target was, the gravity of your predicament crashing down with so much force that it blurred your vision, a painful lump forming in the back of your throat.

"You" James glowered, practically growling as his hand slid to the trigger, aiming it at Keith's head. "You almost took my life, so why should I spare yours?"

"No, don't!" you shrilled, barely able to speak as the tightness in your chest stretched all the way to your throat. Your stomach lurched violently as he shattered your entire universe with a flaming orange blast, the ricochet of his attack nearly knocking you off balance as the desert floor swayed beneath you, everything spinning into a lifeless grey blur.

Your head was still pounding as you sprang up from your bed, only to collapse in on yourself as the usual panic seized you.

The volume of your pounding heart rivaled that of your panting, clasping a hand over your mouth to stifle your sobbing. You had to keep yourself together now, biting your tongue as you resisted the overwhelming urge to sprint over to the black lion and wrap your arms tightly around your beloved. You couldn't infect him or any of the others at any cost, even if it meant that you'd have to continue suffering alone. That was the price you were willing to pay for their safety.

Water sloshed down your burning face and onto your clothing as you downed half a bottle, gagging a bit as you tried to sort through everything. With how empty the star-speckled abyss was outside, you couldn't have been anywhere near Earth.

But even though that dream wasn't real, James' aggression very well could be. It was as the saying goes, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth... it was just in human nature for him to retaliate in such a way after the incident, especially if he thought that he was in the right.

That being said, James wasn't just some ordinary person. If he were to make an attempt on Keith's life, that would certainly jeopardize his precious reputation. He wouldn't risk his status for revenge, right? And besides, had you ever seen him cause anyone serious physical harm? No, James was a bully, but he wasn't a killer.