Damien's POV

I was being annoying, I knew it. My black fingernails tapping on the top of my desk as I watched the clock. Not like I was listening to the teacher in the first place. I only had a bit longer before I could go to the gym to release some steam. After that tense conversation, I haven't really been in the right state of mind. Guess I have some unresolved anger issues, probably doesn't have to do with my bloodline or nothing. Didn't help that it was Tuesday and Pip still wasn't in school yet. It'd been over a week since he'd been back, and four days since we'd talked. I knew he wasn't dead, I'd checked in on him a couple times just in case.

Lost in my thoughts, the bell rang and cleared my head. Getting up and quickly packing my shit away, I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed out. Barely greeting my few friendlies in the hallway, I did stop to say hello to Wendy, of course. She kept me chatting until the warning bell rang, calling the rest of the students back to their classes and releasing me to my safe haven. Dropping my stuff against the wall near the door, I wasted no time in getting back to my basketball. Dragging the ball rack from the closet, I took one of the orange spheres in my hands and bounced it a couple times.

Sighing I got to playing my game and it worked. My head was cleared as I panted and ran and shot, and by the time the fifth period bell rang, my stress had been worked out. Deciding to use the last hour of school to shower and work on homework, I returned the basketball to it's rack, loaded them into the closet and headed for the locker room.

I pushed open the door and instantly heard crying. In my gut, I knew who it was, it was sad that I knew Pip's crying so well already. Rounding the corner, I saw him sitting on one of the benches, hugging himself as he cried to himself quietly. I walked over and sat just down the bench from him, sighing softly. "Pip..?"

"… I guess we both use the gym to calm down in, huh?" He replied, wiping his face before he looked at me. His blue eyes were sad and slightly longing.

"You knew I'd be in here didn't you? That's why you either never left, or came in here, because you knew I'd be in the gym today."

He shrugged, rubbing his arm shyly. For some reason he wouldn't fully turn to me. His face looked fine, but there had to be a reason why he was crying again. I slid close to him and gently leaned on him, looking down and talking a silent inventory. I noticed fresh bruises but thankfully no new cuts. But they were bad bruises, and most hidden by clothes.

"Are you okay? Stupid, I know, but I don't know what else to ask, honestly." I murmured lamely, but I got a laugh.. and a wince. The stress and anger I'd just worked off returned. "Pip." My tone was sharp as I stood up.

He sunk down and hugged himself tighter. Protecting his chest.

"Pip, stand up." I ordered, carefully. When he refused with a no and a shake of his head, I gently took his hands and forced him up. He sucked in a pained breath so I let him sit back down. "Pip.. who did this to you? I'm serious this time." I growled.

Pip whimpered and shook his head, curling in on himself and protecting his either bruised, cracked, or broken ribs. He started to cry again, but I felt no sympathy, just protective anger. I was done playing nice. Grabbing his jaw, I forced his head up and growled in his face, my red eyes reflecting in his baby blue ones.

"I swear to God, and you know I can, Pip. If you don't tell me whose been beating and… you and Butters NOW, I will force you. And yes, I can. I'm so fucking sick of playing nice, and being a good mortal, I have powers that can force you to spew the names of every person who ever looked at you wrong in seconds. And I'd rather not use those abilities on someone I'm trying to help normally, but I'm so done dancing around you." My voice was an angry snarl as I threatened him without remorse. My mind was on one thing, torturing the fucker who was making Pip's life a living hell. He'd be going to hell anyways, most people did, so there was no reason to force him to have a hell filled life neither.

His whimpering voice cracked because he knew I could and would do it. Even so, his eyes didn't show any sort of fear towards me, just worry for himself and more so for Butters, if I had to take a very educated guess. He looked away and yanked his head from my hand, sighing slowly.

"I… thought he was your friend, so I didn't want to say. I wasn't sure if you'd believe me." He muttered, shifting away from me. ".. It's Eric. Ya know, Eric Cartman. He's been doing this for a long time. He's always enjoyed torturing Butters and I."

Of. Fucking. COURSE. I'm so fucking stupid and blind. Why wouldn't it be Cartman. The fat fuck had always tortured Butters, and he was the reason I used Pip when we were kids. The center bully of everything in South Park. I guess it was better not to assume, but.. it should've been obvious.

"… I'm going to kill him. Let's get you to the hospital or something, you could be seriously hurt." My voice was calm, dead calm. I helped him up and indeed, I took him to the hospital to get his cracked ribs fixed up. Three of them, a kick to the chest. Oh I was going to kill Eric Cartman and make sure he was beaten daily in hell.