At this stage, if Switch had the ability to cry, he would be. He had lost everything in mere hours, going from a protector of the last great city; to being branded an enemy of the very thing that had brought him back from the dead years ago, like all guardians. "Just... Where's Lake? I need to see him, otherwise he's going to die"

" James is doing everything he can. But like I said. You aren't allowed here. Just leave. Let us lick our wounds."

Switch muttered under his breath: "...you think [u]your[/u] wounds need licking?..." He looked back up at the guardian addressing him. "Just let me try to heal Lake, please. And then I promise I'll leave. As much as this is my home as it is yours, I do understand your immense concern of having a..." He couldn't even bring himself to say it. He didn't want to admit the slightest part of it. He [u]wasn't[/u] a dark guardian, not truly. Right now, he was a guardian trapped in the body of a dark guardian. "Please. For his Sake. Just me help Lake and let me prove to you at least that I'm somewhat redeemable. Please..."

The Guardian again shook his head. " Please just go! Lake will pull through, but you need to leave. Don't make us force you out."

This time, Switch stood up. "You're already forcing me out! I dont have a choice anymore concerning that, and I get it, I really do, just please let me do this one thing. This one tiny deed. Is it really that much to ask?" "Dude, just let him through. And then he'll be leaving" Jaden had stepped forward from the crowd of twenty guardians. He knew that Switch still meant well and that he didn't want any of this, and he was prepared to vouch for his friend, especially while a fellow guardian's life hung in the balance.

" You have no control over your Darkness now. You could probably do more harm than good without even knowing. Please leave!" The Guardians switched the safeties off.

Jaden rushed forward and put himself between the guardian and Switch. He wasn't intent on moving aside any time soon. "Don't even think about it, buddy. I doubt bullets can even harm him anymore" He turned around and knelt beside Switch. S: "Jaden, what are you doing?" J: "Go on. Prove them wrong" S: "What do you mean prove them wrong? I've been robbed of a position to prove anything now" J: "Prove them wrong, as in show that you have some control over who you are. I know you mate. I know you're strong willed enough to fight this, and I know that you haven't changed, not truly, just by looking in your eyes. Go on, strut your stuff" S: "Jaden, you shouldn't be near me. I could..." J: "why you worrying about me you nutcase? I'm not the one here getting their ass kicked unfairly by both sides. I think we both know you have enough control over this thing already to help Lake. So just go ahead, and do it. I sure as hell believe in you, so do me a favour and believe in yourself too" S: "okay..." Taking deep breaths, Switch calmed himself and sat neatly. He pushed everything out of his mind: Jaden, the guardians surrounding him, the threat of danger, the burning city, the cries in the distance, the realisation of his own fate. All of it was pushed out. Instead, Switch focused on the voice,and the voice alone. That one menacing voice he could hear in the back of his head, calling to him like an alter-ego. Small black wisps of darkness began to float out of Lake's neck where he had been bitten. They spiraled into the air, cleansing his body of any remaining abomination taint. The wisps coalesced above James, Lake and Lakir, before zipping over to the courtyard where Switch and Jaden were surrounded. They weaved around among the surrounding guardians, before finally moving to Switch and being gently absorbed into his body, letting out whispering sounds as they disappeared. J: "See? What did I tell ya? Knew you could do it, easy peasy. Wasn't too hard now was it?" Switch didn't look happy about what he had done. In fact, he just looked even more sad than before. S: "...he was right. Holy shit, Aries was right..." [spoiler]fuking. Ages. To. Write.[/spoiler]

The Guardians didn't lower the weapons. " Now leave."

S: "fine..." J: "...I'm leaving too" S: "Wait, what? Jaden, what the hell are you doing?!" J: "What? Someone's gotta cover your ass out there..." S: "have you even though part of this through?! You're putting yourself in danger just by being near me" J: "yeah yeah, quit the melodranaticism you metal drama queen. I can handle myself" S: "Jaden, this isn't something you can protect yourself from just by being a good shot" J: "Look mister. You and I both know that the real bad guy is out there, and not here standing beside me. None of these asswipes know that or get that, thinking with their twitchy trigger fingers all the time, but I wouldn't expect them to be capable of any more right now" S: "I can't believe you're doing this... think of everything you're giving up, Jaden. Do you really want this?" J: "Right now, all I know is that I still trust you more than I trust these guys. They don't know you, and they don't know what you've been though. And you and I both know Xaaria would be on the same side as us" S: "Heh. You think she's that dumb to do what you're doing right now?" J: "She's a titan, so I'm gonna say blatantly yes. Bit that's why we love her, right buds?" S: "wow. You actually thought something through for once. That's a first" J: " Don't push your luck, floofer boy. I'm giving up hot food and a soft bed to help drag you through this shit stain you've gotten stuck into, remember that"

The Guardians escorted them out.