A Talk With An Argent and A Talk With The Salvatores

"What were you even thinking saying that in a classroom full of people?" I asked Allison as I lit up another cigarette, "You could've brought attention to yourself. Unnecessary attention."

Allison looked away from me with an indignant expression, "Hey, I was just excited to meet you is all. Plus, it's not like anyone would know what I meant if I called myself a hunter. They could think I just like to hunt animals or something," she reasoned but I just sighed.

From her perspective, sure, she was right. No one would know because from her perspective, they were all definitely normal human teens. Most of the people in this school were normal human teens to her. But from my experience, it's best not to say aloud any sensitive information in a place with known Vampires, you know? Superhuman hearing and all that.

"Allison," I caught her attention and made eye contact with her, "What if there was a Vampire listening in? Or a Werewolf? Or literally any other supernatural creature with superhuman hearing?" I asked before answering my own question soon after, "Your identity would be revealed and you'd be at risk if that supernatural creature wanted to get rid of you in case you try and get rid of them. If you wanted my attention, why not just write something down on paper and then pass it to me?" I asked but this time I let her answer the question.

Allison looked just as embarrassed as she did earlier and fidgeted about with her fingers while shuffling on the bench she was sitting on, "I, uh, guess I was too excited?" she gave an embarrassed reply before putting her face in her hands, "God, I've made myself look like a complete idiot..." she trailed off and I just looked around, not exactly sure how to comfort her, so I just put a reassuring hand on her shoulder before I spoke up.

"At least you've recognized your mistake, I guess," I said before taking back my hand as I saw Allison peeking through the side of her hands at me, her brown eyes filled with some measure of hope, so I continued, "You said you wanted some tips from me, right?" I asked and she instantly perked up.

Nodding, Allison gave an enthusiastic reply, "Yes, if you don't mind!" she said with eyes that were practically shining.

Giving another sigh for the umpteenth time today, I reached into my bad and pulled out a notepad. Ripping off a small bit of paper, I took out a pen and wrote my phone number down on it, "Here," I handed it toward Allison who took it, "Message that number so I have yours and I'll organize a meet or something. I'll impart some of my wisdom when I can, okay?" I joked and Allison giggled before quickly pulling out her phone and recording my number into hers. A beep went off in my pocket, signifying my phone receiving a message but I ignored it for now and continued speaking, "What are the Argent Family doing in Mystic Falls anyway?"

Upon hearing my question, Allison, who was putting her phone away, turned to look at me with confusion very clear on her face, "Wait...you don't know about the joint operation of our Families? My family are helping yours spread your influence throughout America with our connections," she said and I narrowed my eyes.

...That's the first I've heard of that. Pulling out my phone, I rapidly typed a message toward my dad, asking why I wasn't told about us working with the Argents.

Obviously, I didn't get a reply right away, so I put my phone away, "No, I didn't know. No one told me about it anyway," I admitted with a somewhat bitter tone before I took an extra long drag of my cigarette.

Silence brewed between us as I said that and I just settled into a thoughtful state of mind as I thought about why this would've happened. Either dad's going off the deep end after the war and trying to take a more lethal approach to how we handle monsters or it was simply a problem in the communication between us that left this information away from me...but I doubt both of those. Dad's never been bloodthirsty and he tells me everything I need to know. In conclusion, there's got to be more to it and with the information I have now, I have a fat chance of not being able to find anything.

Massaging my migraine, I felt a tingling sensation behind me and I turned around to see Stefan looked at me from a tree about 70 or so meters away. Weird, but I guess he wants secrecy.

Standing up, I looked back to Allison, "I've gotta get going, Allison. I'll get in contact soon, yeah?" I said before waving and walking away. I've left it on a somewhat awkward note but what can you do? I want to have some hidden cards of my own or at least try to have some. Allison, in Teen Wolf, was a somewhat talented Huntress. Very talented with a bow and most marksmanship based weaponry. With a bit of training and some tips from me, she could become a pretty good teammate...maybe even something of a disciple.

Chuckling to myself, I threw the cigarette in my mouth to the floor and stepped on it, putting it out. The thought of a disciple the same age as me...was kinda funny to me. But it'd have to wait as I felt Stefan stalking closer and closer to me, until just as I left the park me and Allison were in, he appeared next to me, "What's my brother done this time?" he asked me instantly, to which I rolled my eyes.

"Well, good afternoon to you too, Stefan," I joked before seeing his serious stare pointed at me and put my hands up in mock surrender, "Alright, alright, chill out, will you? You'll blow a vein if you look so serious all the time, old man," I laughed, enjoying the opportunity to banter unabated, "It's not about what Damon has done but rather that he's coming back to Mystic Falls. My sources even indicate that he's already here."

Looking annoyed at my previous comments, Stefan's face froze when he heard the last of what I had to say and it took a few seconds for him to compose himself before he spoke, "And why are you telling me this? If you think I have anything to do with Damon--" I cut him off with a raised hand.

"No, no, no," I shook my head, "I know you don't have anything to do with Damon. I'm telling you to warn you and to tell you that you need sort out whatever it is that's going on between you two before it spreads over to the human populace of Mystic Falls and harms innocents. If that happens, I'll...be forced to take action, okay?" I said with a somewhat apologetic smile.

Stefan looked at me for a second before nodding, "I understand. Damon's my brother but...he goes too far on far too many occasions," he admitted and I returned a nod.

I'd read Damon's files and the kills he'd stacked up were quite high...though definitely not the highest I'd ever seen. And you might ask, why haven't we taken him out by now if he's such a killer? Because there's the sad news that we can't just kill a Vampire for killing a human every now and again. A Vampire needs to kill over a certain amount of people in a year before we deem them a threat. A human dying to a Vampire every now and again...is the natural course of things, sadly. Like how a pig or a cow dies every now and again to feed a human, it's the same process.

Of course that's only terms for a contract to be put out on you. If a Hunter/Huntress decides you need to be put into time-out, you can be sent to a prison for supernatural creatures. I'll probably end up having to do that to Damon sometime soon though I really hope I won't have to. If he doesn't get his redemption arc, he'll stay the hedonistic dickhead he currently is and I'll eventually have to kill him. The best I can do for now is to stop him from killing as much as possible and to try and help him work through the monumental amount of baggage the guy has.

He's already taken out that couple who were driving back to Mystic Falls...next should be him attacking Vicki Donovan in the woods, right? God, I should've wished for some sort of perfect recall from the Goddess. Sucks ass to not be able to remember everything that's to come, just the big events and whatnot.

"Let's go back to your residence then, Stefan. I need to talk to the owner of the house to warn him about Damon eventually popping out of nowhere," I said before picking up speed. Stefan followed soon after.

. . .

"You mean to say that...Damon's back?" Zach, Stefan's distant Nephew and acting 'Uncle', asked me in disbelief and quickly stood up before pacing around the room when I nodded in reply, "Oh god," he said, covering his mouth with his hand before his head snapped in my direction, "Wait--How do you know he isn't currently listening in?" he asked before growing frantic, "He could be waiting for the right time to strike and you've just admitted that you know he's here! He'll come for you and me--" he began to panic slightly and I cut him off calmly.

"I know he isn't here, Zach. I'd have sensed him if he was. Stefan probably would've been able to as well. Right Stefan?" I gave Stefan a pointed stare and he nodded in agreement, "See?" I asked Zach, "Just keep calm. While he's not here, we have the best chance of preparing for his arrival. I want as little death as possible and the best way to do that is to make sure you don't aggravate him. Both of you," I said evenly, "He acts out when you try and catch him out in a lie or try and dig too deep into things. He's volatile and acts incredibly aggressively to questions he doesn't want to answer. So, the two of you, just need to ignore him and not react to his taunts. I'll find out what he wants and stop him from doing certain things like wantonly killing the population of Mystic Falls, okay?"

Pulling out a cigarette, I lit it up, feeling that I was really going through this pack today, before beginning to smoke it. The three of us were just there in silence and seeing the lack of communication, I sighed before scratching my forehead, "Do you have any vervain, Zach?"

Zach looked somewhat nervous as he looked to Stefan before he looked back to me and have a tentative nod, "...Yes."

"Good," I nodded, blowing out a puff of smoke before continuing, "Start taking a dose every morning in case Damon goes for you or tries to use Compulsion on you. Stefan," I said, gaining the Vampires attention, "If you have any...weak links in Mystic Falls, it'd be best if you give them items with vervain in them to keep them safe from Damon's Compulsion, okay?"

Stefan nodded and we went back to silence, the realization that Damon was coming back was really hitting these two and sparking fear in them. Zach practically stank of fear. Seeing this and having said all I need to say, I stood up before puffing out another cloud of smoke, "Well, I'm off then. Get in contact with me if you have a run-in with Damon, yeah?" and with that said, I walked off, showing myself out.

It was about half five in the afternoon and I wanted to get home and do some exercise before eating and then sleeping. I had a busy week ahead, after all.