Jason heard the guilt but it didn't help himself fight his anger.His grip went death tight on the hilt and his tail twitched. "I tried as hard as I could." His eyes where full dragon now and his fangs a bit longer,but he wouldn't use his dragon half this time.That sword was firm in his hold.

Ash didn't say anything else, letting his last words sit

Jason's freckles,frills,and even underwings boiled with red and his thoughts darkened with his expression in his eyes. He wasn't calm anymore,he was angry.Actually angry. Images of Shade and that bloody birthday ran through his mind rapidly but every one sunk in and that one small sentence from Ash really popped the quark. 'Not hard enough.'

Ash felt immensely guilty for pulling that card. He didn't have any freckles to show it, and he had to keep his face smooth

Jason lost control of his thoughts at some point and just one attempt of an attack at him and he'd fall to that same crazy mode he had back when they'd first fought those Thornguards. It was clear because his tail twitched and his frills pulsed with dark blood red.

Ash began circling again

Eyes reptilian,Jason turned and watched him with eyes filled to the brim with anger and hate,but it wasn't toward Ash,rather the brother in his memories. He never took his eyes off Ash,gaze sharp and very hot rather than ice cold.

He waited for Jason to attack first

And he did,frills spread wide and flashing bright orange and red in a hypnotic way as he stabbed the sword forward but one leg was forward as well a bit as to push himself back as soon as he finished the thrust.

This time, Ash didnt dodge or block, but spun and caught Jason's wrist. Dropping his sword, he pulled Jason to his chest, holding him and the blade still. "There," he murmured in a voice of weary satisfaction. "That's what I was looking for."