Redemption (Chapter Two)
#2 of Redemption
Redemption
Chapter Two
"Where are we going Master?"
"I told you. Somewhere important."
"But why can't you tell me?"
"I... I can't. Please no more questions."
"...Yes master."
I step over a log and sigh. Why did it hurt so much to do this? The thought was almost too much to bear, but it needed to be done. I wanted to look back and see her face but if I did then I might not go through with it. I pulled the coat closer trying to keep out the blistering cold. The winds mournful howls echoing through the forest, I shuddered as the icy cold wind rushed past me.
After a while of walking we entered a small clearing. No logs, not even a blade of grass, nothing but snow.
"Master."
The sound of her voice in my head was unbearable. Slowly I turned and knelt down in front of her. I felt her head press against my chest, the tears flowing down my face. I grabbed her and wrapped my arms around her neck. I felt her body tense at the sudden action.
"M-master?"
I buried my head in her fur. The pain was so of doing this was so much. After a while the tears stopped. She relaxed by this point and sat down.
"Promise me one thing."
"What... promise?"
"Yes. Promise me this one thing... please."
She was silent for a few moments. I felt that she was scared.
"Yes master."
"I want you to run away, far away. Don't come back for me. And... I want you to live... not for me but for yourself... find a mate, have a little one, but live... please."
"Master..."
"Please."
"... I will"
I felt the tears starting to well up again. Slowly I unwrapped my arms from her neck and stood up. Reaching towards my belt I plucked her pokeball. Without opening my eye's I placed it on the ground and without a second thought I stomped on it with all my might. The little ball was no match for the weight of emotions that I put into the single action.
Slowly I lowered my head.
"Now go... and never come back."
I didn't hear her move.
"I said GO NOW!" All the left over emotions put into it. I heard her run past me towards the woods. I heard her stop for a second, her eyes fixed on me. There was complete silence, then the sound of her paws hitting the snow, slowly they faded. I stood there for a long time. After what seemed like an eternity I unzipped the coat and threw it on the ground.
I opened my eyes and looked down at the uniform. I had this uniform for years, once I was proud to wear it. Now I hated it, hated the lies, everything I stood for, but most of all I hated myself. Slowly I started walking back towards the base of operations. I didn't have a plan but I WAS going to put an end to everything.
"JD?"
I stopped and looked around. That voice, it was familiar. Suddenly everything started spinning around.
"JD can you hear me?"
I reached for a tree branch and fell. My sense's overcome by darkness.
I opened my eyes slowly, everything was a blur.
"JD"
There were shapes a few feet away, slowly they formed faces. A short chubby old man with short white hair, a woman in a police uniform with short blue hair, and another woman with a cap with a red cross and pinkish hair.
The one with the pink hair smiled.
"JD how are you feeling?"
I look at her.
"JD?"
The old man crosses his arms.
"JD, that's your name boy."
Suddenly I remember. I was getting Maxy food when a voice entered my head and I fell of the ladder. The last thing I saw was the bag of food falling towards me. J.D, John Doe was the name given to me since I couldn't remember my real name.
There was strange taste in my mouth. I touched my mouth with a hand and looked at it. It was covered in blood.
"What the-"
"Here let me help you with that."
The blue haired woman grabbed my nose and twisted it, there was a slight unintelligible sound, I cringe in pain.
"Officer Jenney!"
The pink haired women who I remember as Nurse Joy glared at Officer Jenney.
"What his nose was broken."
Nurse Joy looked as if she was about to say something.
"It's okay Nurse Joy."
She looks at me, and then reaches into a bag to her left. It had the same insignia as her hat. She pulled out a cloth and starts wiping the blood off my face. After she finished I slowly get up and look around. Maxy was a short distance away eating out of the ripped bag of food. He looks up from the bag of food and wags his tail.
"Arc arc."
I smile.
"I'm glad you like it."
I turn around. Nurse Joy was picking up all of her medical equipment. Officer Jenney pulls out a small notebook and a pencil.
"So J.D what happened?" She says without looking up from the notebook.
"It was nothing. I slipped and fell nothing more." I lie.
She looks up at me, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. After a moment she then looks at the notebook.
"All right nothing more than an accident. No need to fill out a report then."
"It's better that way."
We turn to see Hoss walking down the aisle with a mop and bucket in hand. He hands them to me points to the mess.
"Now get to work boy I had to close the store for an hour. Time is money remember?"
I smile and salute with the mop, he gives a slight laugh and heads back down the aisle towards the front door. After he was gone Officer Jenney turns to me.
"Listen when your done can you stop by the department."
I nod and turn away.
"Sure."
I start mopping up the small pool of blood.
"I'll see you later then."
"Okay" I say turning around to face them.
"You ready to go then Nurse Joy?"
"Yes. Good bye JD"
She gives me her signiture smile and turns arournd. I hear them walk towards the front door, saying goodbye to Hoss and leave.
*Ding*
The bell above the door announcing their departure. After mopping up the blood I grab the bag of food, completely emptied by Maxy, and throw it in the garbage. After that I grabbed a dustpan and broom and clean up the mess of Pokefood. I then headed for the counter, and started wiping it with a cloth.
*Ding*
"Hey JD!"
I stop and pinch the bridge of my nose, that voice meant one thing. Slowly turning I see Brad and Sarah walking towards me, their hands clasped together, a Lucario and Lopunny behind them. Brad is Hoss's son and Sarah was his girlfriend. Bradley or Brad as he was called, had long black hair, he was about 5'10 and a star in the local Pokebase team. Sarah short green hair and worked at town hall, she was the friendliest person around.
Brad smiles.
"Hey was Officer Jenney here?"
I turn back around, as if I didn't hear him.
"Did you hear me, did Officer Jenney come here?"
I continue to ignore him, resisting the urge to punch his lights out in front of his girlfriend and Pokémon. I glance up at the mirror above the counter to see Sarah whisper something to him. I huff as she walk's toward the counter.
"Hey JD did Officer Jenney come here earlier?"
I open the register and start cleaning it. "Ya she did, ask Hoss about it." Before they can ask anymore I close the register and walk down the aisle to my room and shut the door behind me. I stand there my back to the door, trying to calm myself down.
Brad and I weren't on good terms, or he was too stupid to remember. He publicly embarrassed me and ever since I wanted to rip his head off of his shoulders, I would if it wasn't for his Lucario, and Sarah. He got drunk one night at Sneasel's Bar and proceeded to mouth off. He was an aggressive and cocky drunk, always trying to pick a fight while he boasted about his "superiority." Always talking about how he "earned" his Lucario.
*Flashback*
We were both sitting at the bar. I was just sipping at my water, while Brad beside had just finished his four beer for the hour.
"Looks at yous! Yous how old? And yous shtill don't have a Pokémon! What kind of a man are yous? Ha-ha!" he drunkenly boasted.
"Alright Brad, I think you've had enough," I said calmly, holding back the raising anger by biting my cheek.
"Ah jush shut up! Yous ain't even a man, noshing but a boy. Can't even gets yourshelf a Pokémon!" he declared. I fought the urge to introduce my closed fist to the drunkards face.
Eventually I grew tired of his drunk ranting and got up to leave.
He saw me and through his drunken stupor challenged me to a battle.
I waved him off and continued to the door. Suddenly someone grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.
Driven by instinct I spun around grabbing the persons hand and twisting it upwards, and then delivered a blow to their throat. Brad stumbles backward and collapses on a table, and breaks it.
I stared at his body in shock. I just might have killed my bosses' son. I hurry out of the bar and head towards the pokemart. Half way there I see Officer Jenney speed by on her motorcycle with Nurse Joy in the sidecar. I pick up the pace and after ten minutes I make it to the store and unlock it.
I hurry inside and lock it behind me.
*End Flashback*
I was arrested on aggravated assault charges the next morning and served a week in jail. Brad was also arrested for being drunk in public and disorderly conduct. After that Hoss has been making me work three times as hard, but after a while he softened and almost everything was back to normal, except that everyone never tried to anger me since then, and I hadn't talked to Brad since.
But why did I punch him in the throat? It was if I knew what to do and did it on instinct.
I slide down the door till I'm sitting against it. I bury my head in my hands and sigh. Today was going to be a long day.
That's chapter two. Hope you liked it. Please tell me what you think.