Story Notes:
... good stuff? But seriously, this is my entry for the contest, and will be based off the song Dani California. It will be three chapters, and hopefully you will enjoy it.
Gentle Release
Donny was lying on the roof of his van, watching the Canadian stars. The others were sound asleep in the one-room house nearby, but he always thought best at night. Now he lay awake, contemplating the future, and treasuring the past.
It had been two weeks since he had heard that gun shot, but it remained in his memory, permanently engraved next to the face of her. He would never admit it to anyone, but he had loved her, deeply loved her. He loved her to the point that he felt himself falling apart, just from the thought that he would never have the chance to tell her the truth.
"Dani California." The name was like bittersweet berries, rolling across his tongue in dismal bliss, wonderful, but agonizingly so. He could no longer restrain himself, the tears flowed from his eyes, leaving puddles of salty pain beside his face. He didn't know how long he cried, but it didn't feel long enough. He had not expressed enough emotion be fore the sun began its slow crawl across the sky.
He gave no thought to the sleep he had ignored, misery has that effect, but went inside to pretend to sleep until the others awoke. He had plans for them today. He needed to do something, no longer could he sit like a lump, simply feeding money into his organization was seemingly pointless. It needed action to back up the words.
Tania was the first to rise, immediately heading to her computer. She tapped out a steady beat before looking over her shoulder at his form.
"I know you are awake, Donny, you can't hide very much from a psychic." He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on an elbow. They watched each other for a moment before Tania returned to typing. Donny knew what she was doing.
"How goes the Legion?" He asked. She paused in her typing for only a moment.
"Membership has gone up three-hundred percent in the last week... a riot started two days ago, ended violently, the members used our name... and we are out fifteen million dollars." Donny shot up in surprise. "Fifteen million dollars?" That was half the money they had raised for HELL. He stared at Tania. "Don't give me that look. It isn't cheap to pay off the authorities. They were going to issue a warrant for our arrest because of that riot." She said smartly. He lowered his head, deep in thought. It was obvious they were going to need to rob another bank. This time, though, it would need to be big. One of the central banks in Bismark, North Dakota should do. He rose just as Arms woke up.
"So, what er ve doing today, boss?" Arms' accent was heavy, but understandable.
"We are hitting them where it hurts. We are going to rob North Dakota International." He said grinning. Both Tonia and Arms gasped loudly. NDI was well known for its ultra-advanced security systems. In the thief community, it was said that is a fly flew into the vault, the police were on scene in five minutes. Donny didn't know if he believed that, but he knew this was going to be challenge.
"It can't be that hard," he said, "Your just going to have to do more then computer work, Tonia. You can still use teleport, right?" In response she disappeared, then reappeared next to him. "Excellent, now lets get moving." He turned towards the door. The other two looked at each other.
"Vut, boss," Arms said, "How can ve pull a heist vithout Dani?" Donny froze in the doorway. He turned back slowly, resting a glare on the machoke-morph.
"This is what she wanted. For HELL to be formed and right the wrongs of society. We need money to do it. Now, let's go." This time they followed without question, scared of the malice and pain in Donny's voice.
The ride south was quiet. They were all thinking their way through this next heist, but also questioning their chances. Tania began hacking into the security, hoping to have complete control before they even reached the states. She had to stop herself from growling in frustration when she was met with firewall, after firewall, after firewall. They were easy enough to disassemble and pull down, but there were thousands of them. She gave a sigh and shut her laptop. Arms and Donny looked at her strangely. The only time she wasn't on her computer was when she was sleeping. She looked at them.
"We are going in the old fashioned way. I can't get through their security, so we are just going to have to do this with our abilities." Donny nodded, adjusting to the circumstances.
"Simple, you'll teleport into the vault, grab the money, teleport out. When your secure we will announce our selves as is our fashion. No one hurt, no one left behind." he nodded again. Unconsciously he moved his hand to his pocket, where he had put Dani's written song, the feel of the paper calmed him somewhat. A sudden wave anticipation rushed over him, and he floored the gas pedal. Everyone jumped at the sudden increase in speed.
"Vat the hell, boss?" Arms complained. He had been left sprawled across the floor of the van. Donny laughed, and everyone's spirits rose. If he could find humor in all of this, maybe there was hope yet. They continued the long drive in silence, not wanting to break the calm that had settled over them.
After a three hour drive they pulled to a stop in front of North Dakota International. Tension had returned in a wave, covering them in the claustrophobic pressure. Taking a deep breath Donny began dealing orders.
"This is going to be simple. Tania teleports into the vault, keeping a mental connection with us at all times. If anything happens, tell us. Just collect the money and teleport it and you back into the van. Arms and I will walk in and announce ourselves. Then we will leave, and everything will be back to the way it should be. Any questions?" They both shook their heads. "Than let's do this thing."
Tania nodded and disappeared. A moment later, Donny could feel the brush of mental contact, then words followed quickly.
"Alright," Tania said, she sent us a picture of the vault door. "I'm standing in front of the vault door, no guards. It seems strange, doesn't it? Oh well, I'm going in." There was a slight pop, then silence. Donny and Arms waited patiently, then began to get worried as a minute passed. After two minutes they knew something had gone wrong.
"Come on, Arms, lets go get her before things get any worse." They ran inside, not even pausing at the gasps of surprise from the people inside. Tania's picture had showed a directions sign, which meant there were probably more. Running down a hallway, Donny soon spotted the first one, pointing right. They turned and continued.
After several turns they came to the vault door. It stood solid, just as they had seen it the first time. Arms quickly grabbed hold and began pulling. The mass of metal didn't even budge. Donny touched his shoulder, motioning him back. He stepped forward and took a deep breath. He blew out in a powerful blizzard, covering the door in frost. He stopped and gestured for Arms to try again. This time he gave just a single punch and the door shattered to pieces. A cloud of dust filled the air as the frozen hunks of metal hit the ground.
"I thought you would never come." Donny and Arms paused as the clearly masculine voice called to them. It sounded tired, but they were on guard despite it. Out of the smoke came an elderly man that neither of of them recognized. His face was sagging, wrinkled to the point of being unrecognizable, but his eyes sparkled with a light that showed his vigor and wisdom.
Donny flinched when he saw Tania on the ground behind him, lying in a pool of blood. He assumed it was her own.
"Who the hell are you, what did you do to Tania?" He almost yelled, the familiar heat of anger rising to his brain. The man lifted a .45 colt.
"This is what I did." Donny barely had the time to shove Arms behind the wall. The shot went barely above his head, grazing one of his fins. From around the corner he heard the old man sigh. "Don't try to run. I killed Dani to save her, and I will do the same for you." Donny growled when he realized with whom he was speaking.
"You're a monster, you know that? What kind of twisted bastard kills someone, to save them. If that isn't the most ass-backwards way of think I have ever heard." The man frowned, Donny could hear the creek of his jaw as it moved.
"You won't understand until you are released as well. Now, just hold still." Donny heard him start walking and dragged Arms to continue down the hall. He was in shock and unwilling to move, but didn't fight it. They had barely gotten around the corner when the next shot hit the wall next to them. They moved quickly, following signs to the exit, chased by the ricocheting bullets.
They made the lobby without slowing, but now they had to cross an open expanse. Halfway across they heard the old man pull back the hammer of his gun. Desperate, Donny shot an ice beam along the ground, making a path of ice along the ground to the door. He ducked and slid Arms along his ice road. The bullet flew over his head again. He quickly pushed himself onto the ice and slid after Arms, who had reached the door by now.
Donny picked him up and began running again, now towards their open van. He quickly got in, started the engine, driving onto the highway as fast as he dared. Bullets pinged off the metal chassis as he drove. When the rain of bullets stopped, he relaxed. He looked across at Arms in the passenger's seat. He was looking around strangely, looking out of place.
"Dis ve Tania's seat, I've no right to svit ere." Donny looked at him sadly. They had lost another today. He had broken his promise. He had said no one would get hurt, no one would be left behind. He had lied to them.
Slowly, he pulled over to the side of the road. Leaning his head against the steering wheel he let out racking robs, releasing his emotion in each gasp of breath. Arms watched, keeping respectively to himself, on the verge of tears himself. They sat like that a long time, and only moved when the sun began to set. Wordlessly they got back on the highway and continued driving.
*****
Paul lowered his pistol arm as the van pulled away, well out of his range. He walked back inside the bank, avoiding the slick, frozen ground. He looked into the frightened crowd of people.
"No need to worry," he told them, "They are gone and didn't take any money." Some people visibly relaxed, others just stood where they had been, too surprised to move. Paul walked calmly passed them all, back to the vault, back to the body of the girl he had saved from her mortal pain.
Her body lay where he had left it, centered in the vault, a single shot in her breast. He picked her up quietly, cradling her against his chest bridal style. Her dead weight rested in his arms easily. Her looked at her face and saw a gentle smile. It was a simple thing, a little turn of the lips, with her eyes closed she looked sleeping. It was a blissful smile, very similar to the one Dani wore in her final moments.
It was this small smile that let him know that they had gone where they had always needed to be, where they would be happy for all eternity. As her carried her through the lobby of surprised citizens, he mused of his joining them in that happy world. He knew he would someday, but he still had work to do.
In the moment before the vaporeon-morph pulled the machoke aside, he had seen the pain in his eyes, in both their eyes. The machoke-morph had obviously loved the girl he carried now, and her dead body had shocked him to the core. He must be released from his mortal pain or he would suffer.
Paul laid the body of the alakasam girl gently in his passenger seat. Like this she looked even more so asleep. And she would, Paul would take her to sleep forever beside Dani California.
*****
Donny had his head in his hands, crying out the pain and frustration. Arms calmly patted his back, but it did little for the distraught morph.
They had reached their temporary home quickly. They drove fast, and were constantly checking over their shoulders for the crazy old man. Unfortunately, Donny had recognized that crazy old man. Dani had described her own father enough times for them to practically be best-friends.
"Itz not your vault." Arms was saying. How was it not his fault, he kept asking himself. It was him who had sent Tania in. Alone. He was nearly entirely at blame.
"We have to stop this." He said, cutting off what Arms was saying. "We did not form this organization to start violence. If we don't end this now then what we stand for will be a load of bull shit!" Emotion drove his words. He was feeling a tornado in his chest, a violent storm of fear, compassion, anger, love, and concern. He looked at Arms and stood; he walked to the door, not caring if Arms would follow or not.
"Vere are you goving?" Arms asked from behind Donny. He looked over his shoulder.
"I'm going to end this." Arms lowered his head and began to mutter. "What'd you say?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He lifted his head, a mask of determination forced Donny to smile. "I meant to svay, vere are you goving, vithout me?" Donny out right laughed.
"Well, Strongarm, lets go end this, once and for all." They clasped hands then walked out the door.
*****
Paul was dirty and tired, but incredibly satisfied despite it.
He had just put to rest the body of the poor girl he had freed three days earlier. Now, he thought of how to track down those poor boys he had seen before. He paid no particular attention to the familiar roads he now drove. He stopped calmly at the red light despite the lack of cars either way.
He heard the roar of an engine coming his way, but he dismissed it as some hot-shot kid trying to beat the yellow. When his light turned green he slowly pulled out into the intersection.
The next thing he knew he was rolling end over end into a shop front. Paul was built sturdy, though, and calmly assessed the situation. That hot-shot kid was drunk and had hit him. His truck was on its left side, but he calmly climbed up and out of the smashed passenger window. Paul slowly lowered himself to the concrete, and he mentally prepared himself for the apologies of an accident. He closed his eyes expectantly.
He was shocked awake when a punch across the jaw threw him across the street, and he flew straight threw the shop on the other side. Before he could gather his wits he was raised from the ground and carried, but he was too dazed to know where.
He heard voices that came as quiet buzzes, slowly getting louder and focusing into intelligent words.
"... and I say vee kill him right now. Tink avout Dani, and Tania." A heavy German accent was first intelligible.
"No, we won't be like him. We'll calmly take him to the authorities, no matter what he has done to us." Paul recognized the authority in this man's voice. It had the ring of power, yet it held an undertone of grief. It was one of the morphs.
Out of pity, Paul pulled his gun from the holster at his hip, jamming it into the throat of the man holding him, despite the fact that his vision was still blurred. This was the one who was in pain over the girl he had recently released. He should be released too. It was only fair.
He pulled the trigger, but he didn't expect to be dropped so suddenly. He lay dazed on the ground, he could hear rapid footsteps pounding away from him. He thought he should follow, so he mustered himself up and staggered in the general direction of the footsteps.
He already knew where they were headed.
*****
Donny knew exactly where he was headed. He and Arms had trailed Dani's father from a cemetery. Donny could only assume that was where his had been buried. He tapped into his pokemon attributes for speed and stamina, for he wanted to be near Dani, even if it was her corpse.
The gate signifying the graveyard loomed from the street. Donny sprinted past it and began searching the rows. He counted as he went, a strange habit he couldn't help.
He froze when he reached 351. Under a blooming cherry tree, not ten yards away, was a line of four tomb stones. Under two, the ground was turned and fresh. Under the others were deep holes and piles of earth. Donny walked slowly towards them, suddenly nostalgic about seeing their graves.
When he was finally close enough he read the first tome stone aloud.
"Dani California. Brave Spirit. Powerful Fighter. Loving Daughter. May she rest in peace for all eternity." A single tear ran down Donny's cheek. It was soon followed by another. Then Donny gave one long sob and the torrent of pain was released in the form of salty water sprung from his eyes. The tears landed on the turned soil of Dani's grave, staining the soil with grief.
Donny knew not how long he stood like that, but it was long enough for the dam of tears to run dry. Slowly he knelt to the ground, placing his forehead on Dani's grave.
"I love you Dani. I want you to know that, I love you with all my heart." He laughed a little bit. "It feels so amazing to say that." He heard soft footsteps behind him, but he knew who it was. "Have you come to release me too?" The gruff voice grunted a yes. "Thank you. Send me to where they are. I want to see them, and her. Her especially." He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is a song for Dani. It is her history, and I want you to spread it. It is my final wish." The voice grunted again.
"I just have one question." Paul said, taking the paper from Donny's out-stretched hands. "What were the others names. They deserve to be remembered as well." Donny lifted a arm to point at the tombstones.
"That is Tania. That is Strongarm, lovingly known as Arms. And I am Donny."
The shot rang out on the last syllable. Birds scattered from surrounding trees. Donny felt himself falling, but then he stopped. He looked at the arms holding his shoulder, then up at the face of his savior. For the first time in a very long time he smiled. He rose to meet the lips of the one he had longed to hold for far too long.
He passed happily. Happily in the arms of Dani California.Chapter End Notes:Third chapter will be coming soon. Review, please, and point out any little mistakes. If you don't mind
It had been two weeks since he had heard that gun shot, but it remained in his memory, permanently engraved next to the face of her. He would never admit it to anyone, but he had loved her, deeply loved her. He loved her to the point that he felt himself falling apart, just from the thought that he would never have the chance to tell her the truth.
"Dani California." The name was like bittersweet berries, rolling across his tongue in dismal bliss, wonderful, but agonizingly so. He could no longer restrain himself, the tears flowed from his eyes, leaving puddles of salty pain beside his face. He didn't know how long he cried, but it didn't feel long enough. He had not expressed enough emotion be fore the sun began its slow crawl across the sky.
He gave no thought to the sleep he had ignored, misery has that effect, but went inside to pretend to sleep until the others awoke. He had plans for them today. He needed to do something, no longer could he sit like a lump, simply feeding money into his organization was seemingly pointless. It needed action to back up the words.
Tania was the first to rise, immediately heading to her computer. She tapped out a steady beat before looking over her shoulder at his form.
"I know you are awake, Donny, you can't hide very much from a psychic." He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on an elbow. They watched each other for a moment before Tania returned to typing. Donny knew what she was doing.
"How goes the Legion?" He asked. She paused in her typing for only a moment.
"Membership has gone up three-hundred percent in the last week... a riot started two days ago, ended violently, the members used our name... and we are out fifteen million dollars." Donny shot up in surprise. "Fifteen million dollars?" That was half the money they had raised for HELL. He stared at Tania. "Don't give me that look. It isn't cheap to pay off the authorities. They were going to issue a warrant for our arrest because of that riot." She said smartly. He lowered his head, deep in thought. It was obvious they were going to need to rob another bank. This time, though, it would need to be big. One of the central banks in Bismark, North Dakota should do. He rose just as Arms woke up.
"So, what er ve doing today, boss?" Arms' accent was heavy, but understandable.
"We are hitting them where it hurts. We are going to rob North Dakota International." He said grinning. Both Tonia and Arms gasped loudly. NDI was well known for its ultra-advanced security systems. In the thief community, it was said that is a fly flew into the vault, the police were on scene in five minutes. Donny didn't know if he believed that, but he knew this was going to be challenge.
"It can't be that hard," he said, "Your just going to have to do more then computer work, Tonia. You can still use teleport, right?" In response she disappeared, then reappeared next to him. "Excellent, now lets get moving." He turned towards the door. The other two looked at each other.
"Vut, boss," Arms said, "How can ve pull a heist vithout Dani?" Donny froze in the doorway. He turned back slowly, resting a glare on the machoke-morph.
"This is what she wanted. For HELL to be formed and right the wrongs of society. We need money to do it. Now, let's go." This time they followed without question, scared of the malice and pain in Donny's voice.
The ride south was quiet. They were all thinking their way through this next heist, but also questioning their chances. Tania began hacking into the security, hoping to have complete control before they even reached the states. She had to stop herself from growling in frustration when she was met with firewall, after firewall, after firewall. They were easy enough to disassemble and pull down, but there were thousands of them. She gave a sigh and shut her laptop. Arms and Donny looked at her strangely. The only time she wasn't on her computer was when she was sleeping. She looked at them.
"We are going in the old fashioned way. I can't get through their security, so we are just going to have to do this with our abilities." Donny nodded, adjusting to the circumstances.
"Simple, you'll teleport into the vault, grab the money, teleport out. When your secure we will announce our selves as is our fashion. No one hurt, no one left behind." he nodded again. Unconsciously he moved his hand to his pocket, where he had put Dani's written song, the feel of the paper calmed him somewhat. A sudden wave anticipation rushed over him, and he floored the gas pedal. Everyone jumped at the sudden increase in speed.
"Vat the hell, boss?" Arms complained. He had been left sprawled across the floor of the van. Donny laughed, and everyone's spirits rose. If he could find humor in all of this, maybe there was hope yet. They continued the long drive in silence, not wanting to break the calm that had settled over them.
After a three hour drive they pulled to a stop in front of North Dakota International. Tension had returned in a wave, covering them in the claustrophobic pressure. Taking a deep breath Donny began dealing orders.
"This is going to be simple. Tania teleports into the vault, keeping a mental connection with us at all times. If anything happens, tell us. Just collect the money and teleport it and you back into the van. Arms and I will walk in and announce ourselves. Then we will leave, and everything will be back to the way it should be. Any questions?" They both shook their heads. "Than let's do this thing."
Tania nodded and disappeared. A moment later, Donny could feel the brush of mental contact, then words followed quickly.
"Alright," Tania said, she sent us a picture of the vault door. "I'm standing in front of the vault door, no guards. It seems strange, doesn't it? Oh well, I'm going in." There was a slight pop, then silence. Donny and Arms waited patiently, then began to get worried as a minute passed. After two minutes they knew something had gone wrong.
"Come on, Arms, lets go get her before things get any worse." They ran inside, not even pausing at the gasps of surprise from the people inside. Tania's picture had showed a directions sign, which meant there were probably more. Running down a hallway, Donny soon spotted the first one, pointing right. They turned and continued.
After several turns they came to the vault door. It stood solid, just as they had seen it the first time. Arms quickly grabbed hold and began pulling. The mass of metal didn't even budge. Donny touched his shoulder, motioning him back. He stepped forward and took a deep breath. He blew out in a powerful blizzard, covering the door in frost. He stopped and gestured for Arms to try again. This time he gave just a single punch and the door shattered to pieces. A cloud of dust filled the air as the frozen hunks of metal hit the ground.
"I thought you would never come." Donny and Arms paused as the clearly masculine voice called to them. It sounded tired, but they were on guard despite it. Out of the smoke came an elderly man that neither of of them recognized. His face was sagging, wrinkled to the point of being unrecognizable, but his eyes sparkled with a light that showed his vigor and wisdom.
Donny flinched when he saw Tania on the ground behind him, lying in a pool of blood. He assumed it was her own.
"Who the hell are you, what did you do to Tania?" He almost yelled, the familiar heat of anger rising to his brain. The man lifted a .45 colt.
"This is what I did." Donny barely had the time to shove Arms behind the wall. The shot went barely above his head, grazing one of his fins. From around the corner he heard the old man sigh. "Don't try to run. I killed Dani to save her, and I will do the same for you." Donny growled when he realized with whom he was speaking.
"You're a monster, you know that? What kind of twisted bastard kills someone, to save them. If that isn't the most ass-backwards way of think I have ever heard." The man frowned, Donny could hear the creek of his jaw as it moved.
"You won't understand until you are released as well. Now, just hold still." Donny heard him start walking and dragged Arms to continue down the hall. He was in shock and unwilling to move, but didn't fight it. They had barely gotten around the corner when the next shot hit the wall next to them. They moved quickly, following signs to the exit, chased by the ricocheting bullets.
They made the lobby without slowing, but now they had to cross an open expanse. Halfway across they heard the old man pull back the hammer of his gun. Desperate, Donny shot an ice beam along the ground, making a path of ice along the ground to the door. He ducked and slid Arms along his ice road. The bullet flew over his head again. He quickly pushed himself onto the ice and slid after Arms, who had reached the door by now.
Donny picked him up and began running again, now towards their open van. He quickly got in, started the engine, driving onto the highway as fast as he dared. Bullets pinged off the metal chassis as he drove. When the rain of bullets stopped, he relaxed. He looked across at Arms in the passenger's seat. He was looking around strangely, looking out of place.
"Dis ve Tania's seat, I've no right to svit ere." Donny looked at him sadly. They had lost another today. He had broken his promise. He had said no one would get hurt, no one would be left behind. He had lied to them.
Slowly, he pulled over to the side of the road. Leaning his head against the steering wheel he let out racking robs, releasing his emotion in each gasp of breath. Arms watched, keeping respectively to himself, on the verge of tears himself. They sat like that a long time, and only moved when the sun began to set. Wordlessly they got back on the highway and continued driving.
*****
Paul lowered his pistol arm as the van pulled away, well out of his range. He walked back inside the bank, avoiding the slick, frozen ground. He looked into the frightened crowd of people.
"No need to worry," he told them, "They are gone and didn't take any money." Some people visibly relaxed, others just stood where they had been, too surprised to move. Paul walked calmly passed them all, back to the vault, back to the body of the girl he had saved from her mortal pain.
Her body lay where he had left it, centered in the vault, a single shot in her breast. He picked her up quietly, cradling her against his chest bridal style. Her dead weight rested in his arms easily. Her looked at her face and saw a gentle smile. It was a simple thing, a little turn of the lips, with her eyes closed she looked sleeping. It was a blissful smile, very similar to the one Dani wore in her final moments.
It was this small smile that let him know that they had gone where they had always needed to be, where they would be happy for all eternity. As her carried her through the lobby of surprised citizens, he mused of his joining them in that happy world. He knew he would someday, but he still had work to do.
In the moment before the vaporeon-morph pulled the machoke aside, he had seen the pain in his eyes, in both their eyes. The machoke-morph had obviously loved the girl he carried now, and her dead body had shocked him to the core. He must be released from his mortal pain or he would suffer.
Paul laid the body of the alakasam girl gently in his passenger seat. Like this she looked even more so asleep. And she would, Paul would take her to sleep forever beside Dani California.
*****
Donny had his head in his hands, crying out the pain and frustration. Arms calmly patted his back, but it did little for the distraught morph.
They had reached their temporary home quickly. They drove fast, and were constantly checking over their shoulders for the crazy old man. Unfortunately, Donny had recognized that crazy old man. Dani had described her own father enough times for them to practically be best-friends.
"Itz not your vault." Arms was saying. How was it not his fault, he kept asking himself. It was him who had sent Tania in. Alone. He was nearly entirely at blame.
"We have to stop this." He said, cutting off what Arms was saying. "We did not form this organization to start violence. If we don't end this now then what we stand for will be a load of bull shit!" Emotion drove his words. He was feeling a tornado in his chest, a violent storm of fear, compassion, anger, love, and concern. He looked at Arms and stood; he walked to the door, not caring if Arms would follow or not.
"Vere are you goving?" Arms asked from behind Donny. He looked over his shoulder.
"I'm going to end this." Arms lowered his head and began to mutter. "What'd you say?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He lifted his head, a mask of determination forced Donny to smile. "I meant to svay, vere are you goving, vithout me?" Donny out right laughed.
"Well, Strongarm, lets go end this, once and for all." They clasped hands then walked out the door.
*****
Paul was dirty and tired, but incredibly satisfied despite it.
He had just put to rest the body of the poor girl he had freed three days earlier. Now, he thought of how to track down those poor boys he had seen before. He paid no particular attention to the familiar roads he now drove. He stopped calmly at the red light despite the lack of cars either way.
He heard the roar of an engine coming his way, but he dismissed it as some hot-shot kid trying to beat the yellow. When his light turned green he slowly pulled out into the intersection.
The next thing he knew he was rolling end over end into a shop front. Paul was built sturdy, though, and calmly assessed the situation. That hot-shot kid was drunk and had hit him. His truck was on its left side, but he calmly climbed up and out of the smashed passenger window. Paul slowly lowered himself to the concrete, and he mentally prepared himself for the apologies of an accident. He closed his eyes expectantly.
He was shocked awake when a punch across the jaw threw him across the street, and he flew straight threw the shop on the other side. Before he could gather his wits he was raised from the ground and carried, but he was too dazed to know where.
He heard voices that came as quiet buzzes, slowly getting louder and focusing into intelligent words.
"... and I say vee kill him right now. Tink avout Dani, and Tania." A heavy German accent was first intelligible.
"No, we won't be like him. We'll calmly take him to the authorities, no matter what he has done to us." Paul recognized the authority in this man's voice. It had the ring of power, yet it held an undertone of grief. It was one of the morphs.
Out of pity, Paul pulled his gun from the holster at his hip, jamming it into the throat of the man holding him, despite the fact that his vision was still blurred. This was the one who was in pain over the girl he had recently released. He should be released too. It was only fair.
He pulled the trigger, but he didn't expect to be dropped so suddenly. He lay dazed on the ground, he could hear rapid footsteps pounding away from him. He thought he should follow, so he mustered himself up and staggered in the general direction of the footsteps.
He already knew where they were headed.
*****
Donny knew exactly where he was headed. He and Arms had trailed Dani's father from a cemetery. Donny could only assume that was where his had been buried. He tapped into his pokemon attributes for speed and stamina, for he wanted to be near Dani, even if it was her corpse.
The gate signifying the graveyard loomed from the street. Donny sprinted past it and began searching the rows. He counted as he went, a strange habit he couldn't help.
He froze when he reached 351. Under a blooming cherry tree, not ten yards away, was a line of four tomb stones. Under two, the ground was turned and fresh. Under the others were deep holes and piles of earth. Donny walked slowly towards them, suddenly nostalgic about seeing their graves.
When he was finally close enough he read the first tome stone aloud.
"Dani California. Brave Spirit. Powerful Fighter. Loving Daughter. May she rest in peace for all eternity." A single tear ran down Donny's cheek. It was soon followed by another. Then Donny gave one long sob and the torrent of pain was released in the form of salty water sprung from his eyes. The tears landed on the turned soil of Dani's grave, staining the soil with grief.
Donny knew not how long he stood like that, but it was long enough for the dam of tears to run dry. Slowly he knelt to the ground, placing his forehead on Dani's grave.
"I love you Dani. I want you to know that, I love you with all my heart." He laughed a little bit. "It feels so amazing to say that." He heard soft footsteps behind him, but he knew who it was. "Have you come to release me too?" The gruff voice grunted a yes. "Thank you. Send me to where they are. I want to see them, and her. Her especially." He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is a song for Dani. It is her history, and I want you to spread it. It is my final wish." The voice grunted again.
"I just have one question." Paul said, taking the paper from Donny's out-stretched hands. "What were the others names. They deserve to be remembered as well." Donny lifted a arm to point at the tombstones.
"That is Tania. That is Strongarm, lovingly known as Arms. And I am Donny."
The shot rang out on the last syllable. Birds scattered from surrounding trees. Donny felt himself falling, but then he stopped. He looked at the arms holding his shoulder, then up at the face of his savior. For the first time in a very long time he smiled. He rose to meet the lips of the one he had longed to hold for far too long.
He passed happily. Happily in the arms of Dani California.Chapter End Notes:Third chapter will be coming soon. Review, please, and point out any little mistakes. If you don't mind