(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 293

Chapter 293: Lunch and a recap with the Field Guides Chapter 293: Lunch and a recap with the Field Guides The class ended shortly thereafter, leaving Brent, Esper Blake and Kellen alone.

Brent wouldn’t let Kellen not eat, and practically dragged him to the cafeteria and put Esper Blake to good use.

He even recruited another Esper in the line at the cafeteria to carry a few trays of food for them as well, and when Brent, Kellen and Esper Blake sat down, they had so much food piled in front of them that Kellen wasn’t sure that they were going to be able to speak and eat within the small amount of time they were given.

“You look thin.

I know you’ve been packing it away even with all of your duties, so eat.

I’ll make Esper Blake tell me about what happened.

I intentionally avoided t.v.s so that I could actually focus on the class, but you saw how well that went.” Brent told him, his lips smiling, but his eyes serious.

Kellen flinched.

Yikes.  “Uh, Esper Blake might be-” Kellen started but Brent shoved a fork towards him.  “I don’t care.

I’ll hear your excuses after.” He frowned at that.

They were not excuses.

They were the truth.

Esper Blake was going to be biased, especially after having gone through a traumatic experience like this, twice.  Brent didn’t want to hear it, and turned towards Esper Blake as she nervously played with her hair.  “Well?

You start from the beginning.

Kellen and I need to eat, so don’t mind us.” She nodded, nervous, as Kellen set up his plates in order, grabbing a napkin, and he glanced at Brent.

Brent hadn’t set up shit, and was digging into his food already.

Kellen followed suit, and Esper Blake was clearly shocked by their behaviour, but began speaking.  “Well, we had a plan put into place.

Captain Sakura would be the guard on the left side, and would step onto the podium first.

I would remain behind and keep an eye on everything else while Kellen stayed at the right podium.

I think the press part went well.

Guide Woods and Captain Sakura’s words were quite impactful, and I noticed quite a few members of the crowd enjoyed what, or resonated with what they were saying.” Esper Blake took a sip of her drink.  “The whole time they were speaking, the security team was silently taking out any threats that popped up until shortly after they were finished speaking, a threat made themselves known.

Guide Woods took it upon himself to shoot them from the stage.

I don’t know how he made the shot, but he did, and they didn’t die either.

The security team secured them, but things took a turn after that.” “The crowd was apparently filled with protesters.

For what, I still don’t know.

I was focused on getting Guide Woods to safety, and even then, I failed.

We had someone betray us on the D.E.C.

side, and they approached too quickly with their weapon drawn for my powers to be of any use.” She swallowed thickly, her eyes hard as she stared down at the plate of food before her.

Brent and Kellen said nothing, letting her finish.  “Guide Woods and the traitor tussled for a moment before the gun went off, and then Guide Woods grabbed them by the throat and-” “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Kellen did what?” Brent demanded, his face hard.

Kellen flinched.

He’d forgotten that he needed to be worried about how Brent took this news.

He’d been so focused on everyone else, and his own worries, that he’d forgotten that Brent was not going to take his actions well.  At least, ones that hurt him more.  Esper Blake’s eyes were wide as she glanced between the two Field Guides, then she swallowed.  “Uh, Guide Woods grabbed the Esper who shot him by the throat and forced them to the ground, and then made them drop their gun after it went off again.

He restricted their airflow until Captain Sakura could come over and deal with the Esper personally.” Brent paused his eating to cover his face with his hands, groaned, shook himself, and went back to eating.  “Was all of what you just said caught on camera?” Brent asked tightly and Epser Blake shrugged.  “Um, I would assume so?

I’m not sure as I was more focused on the fact that Guide Woods had been shot again.” Brent shook his head, shoveling food into his mouth and Kellen didn’t stop.

He wasn’t going to give him a fault with him right now.

“Uh, anyway, it was after that that we made it back into the Center and Esper Green was able to look at him.

The gun shot…it still doesn’t look good, but it looked worse before, and he opened up the wound on his thigh as well by pinning the Esper to the ground.” Brent nodded.  “Um, after that, he was healed, we discussed what the next step to do was, and some Guides from Guiding Center A arrived.

It uh, seemed a little…tense.” Esper Blake’s face turned pink and Brent gave Kellen a strange look.

Kellen avoided eye contact, shoveling more food into his mouth so he had no reason to speak.

“Um, Guide Woods sent them to the other Espers outside, and then all the Captains got on a joint call and discussed things above my paygrade.” Esper Blake said and Brent nearly choked on his food, before he coughed, fumbling with one of his drinks before pouring it into his mouth.  He somehow managed to gather himself, and when he did, he laughed.

Esper Blake flushed, but Kellen smirked down at his food.

He didn’t think that was how Esper Blake thought of it all, but it shouldn’t have been surprising.

She was higher up in the hierarchy of the Guild, but at the same time, she maintained her lower status.

Maybe she didn’t like positions of power?

Kellen had never considered her in this way, even though it was clear that the others trusted her quite a bit.  “I see.

Above the paygrade.” Brent muttered before he grinned.

“I think we’re going to get along just fine, Esper Blake.” Brent told her and Esper Blake smiled.  “Well, we’ve been getting along just fine before this, I don’t know why this would change anything.” She told him and Brent chuckled.  “This changes everything.

I had no idea you had the same thoughts and feelings that I did.

While also being incredibly competent at your job.” Esper Blake’s expression flickered, and her face fell.  “Uh, well, I’m not really-” “Don’t you even start.” Kellen said, and she froze.

“You did a wonderful job protecting me, and getting me to safety.

Who the hell would have thought that the traitor would have been in the rotation for security?

Rhys hadn’t told anyone yet.” Kellen told her and she frowned at her food.  “I should have been more vigilant.

I should have known better.” Kellen stared at her until she finally met his gaze, her own darting away shortly after.  “How many protection details have you done, Esper Blake?” She shrunk in her seat.  “Uh, maybe a handful?” She replied carefully and Kellen snorted.

“Practically a baby then.

How the hell were you supposed to know what to do then?

I selected you because you have the ability to make a barrier, but I didn’t know you had so little experience.

Granted, I would tell someone who had more experience the same thing, Esper Blake.

You did a good job, especially in such a chaotic situation.

We had no idea what was going to happen, and I intentionally painted a target on my back for that very reason.

I know they are words, and harder to accept, but you did a good job, Esper Blake.

I mean it.” She met his gaze, and saw the sincerity in his gaze and sighed.  She looked away from him, her head hung low before she grumbled.  “I’m not going to be able to believe you, Guide Woods.” She told him and he sighed.  “I know.

I’ll tell you every time I see you, how about that?” Kellen offered and she turned a flushed face towards him.  “That’s…incomparably worse, honestly.

I don’t know how I would handle that, and the teasing from that as well.” She told him and Kellen chuckled, taking a long sip from his drink.  “Well then, you better do some quick work internally, maybe go see one of the therapists we have here, and tell me with your own mouth that you’re okay, and that you did a good job and mean it.” Kellen’s eyes smiled as he put the cap on his drink, her eyes widening.

“That’s an order from your Captain’s pair, Esper Blake.”  Esper Blake was too shocked to continue speaking after that, and Brent wouldn’t stop looking at Kellen, smirking, shaking his head, and then chuckling.

Kellen found the cycle a little strange, but they managed to finish eating their lunch before Kellen had to go for one of his guiding sessions with the Espers in his charge.  The arrival of the few Guides from Guiding Center B had helped everyone overall, specifically Brent and Kellen, but it wasn’t a complete take over.

He couldn’t, in good conscience, hand everything over to them, so he was just waiting for the background checks to come in for the other Guides.  Until then, he was still guiding other Espers besides the Captain, and everything was fine.  Until he walked into his guiding session and found Rhys there, along with the Esper he was supposed to guide, and a very healthy looking Casper.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Rhys is about to lay down the law.

Honestly, Kellen has been asking for it.