Reprogrammed (Hunter Angst)

The Scorn in Your Heart Becomes The Scorn in Mine

In the next few days of school, the bullying only got worse. Rumors continued to spread. The Emperor's "stray dog" was at Hexside to infect the masses and spread propaganda lies. The hallways were terrible to endure, second only to the locker room. At every corner in the school, kids were there to remind him of how much his dear Uncle ruined their lives and took away their families.

His friends did their best to abate the cruel words that were thrown at him, but to little avail. Even teachers started looking at him with scorn in their eyes. Each night when Hunter came home, he marched straight to his room. The teenager didn't want to disappoint Darius, who had been so excited when Hunter had gotten the opportunity to attend school less than a week ago.  Anytime Darius attempted to question Hunter about his day or the on-goings at Hexside, Hunter dodged the questions or simply just lied to say things were fine.

"Things are not fine ," Darius told Eberwolf, who nodded in understanding. "He's barely eating, he doesn't talk, and when he does, he lies to me, and he hides in his room from the second he's home until the second he has to leave for school again!"

Eberwolf shrugged and closed their eyes. The two sat together in Darius's house, eating breakfast shortly after Hunter had left in silence for his fourth day of school.

"Yeah, yeah. I know he's a teenager, but he also should have some respect! I mean, didn't he learn anything while he was serving the Emperor?"

The Beast Coven head simply waggled a clawed finger at his friend with a growl.

"Ugh, You're right, mutt. I guess I shouldn't expect that same kind of behavior that he had in the Coven. Maybe it's a good thing that he feels comfortable enough to not stick to that ridgid side of himself."

They talked about Hunter, among other things, for another hour before Eberwolf had to dismiss himself. Darius felt better about the situation, and he'd also made an important decision: Hunter was going to therapy, and Darius was going to break the news as soon as Hunter got home.

The plan was to tell the kid as soon as he got home from school. Intersect him at the door, offer tea, introduce a calming environment. Eda's words played in Darius's head

' Belos permanently stripped his ability to ask for help as soon as he could talk.' She'd warned him. While Eda was known for her dry sarcasm and exaggerations, she had a very good point. This probably wouldn't go over well, but it needed to happen regardless.

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Someone had ripped the strap off of Hunter's shoulder bag. Somebody else had 'accidentally' spilled food down the side of his shirt. He was desperate to get out of his clothes, desperate to go home, desperate for his scars to stop burning so much. Heavy clouds swirled above as he trekked quickly home to beat the rain.

It would've been so much quicker if he had Flapjack to use in staff form. Darius's coveted abomination shield was already up over the house as Hunter approached it. The creature saw him, and opened a small doorway to allow him permeance.

Darius was waiting for him at the door. Strange . Darius called him 'little prince', which was even stranger. Darius invited him to sit in one of his expensive plush armchairs, despite the fact that he was dirty and sweaty from school. Something was going on .