A Champion in Disguise [PKMN Wattys 2015 2nd Place Miscellaneous Category]

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Good news first," begged Victoria rubbing circles in Red's hand on the couch.

Nurse Joy put her elbows on her crossed legs and rubbed her temples, "Well, I guess all there is to say is that he has something like PTSD. It's repressed memory syndrome I think. There's not much serious physical damage or any lesions to his brain so that's good. The MRI I did tells me that much."

"So what is repressed memory syndrome?" asked Red while grasping Victoria's knee with a squeeze.

Nurse Joy sighed, "Well, here comes the good news and the bad news. It's kind of double edged here. The issue is, that something traumatic happened and whatever it was, caused his subconscious to revert back to a time where things were safe for him within his mind. The good news, is that the condition is reversible, but we don't know how long it will take for him to get his memories and if some did not register into his long term memory. For now, he's going to be without his memory, I'm sorry Crystal."

"Is there anything we can do to possibly catalyze the process?" Red asked for me.

Nurse Joy explained, "There really is nothing to do except for trying to keep him from being confused in the short-term. That means, if you guys called each other by any nicknames or anything that has changed in three months. You will have to stick with it. Unfortunately, he already knows about the two of you, Red and Victoria, but we didn't know then."

"Alright," decided Victoria, "that means Michael will just have to think you are Lucy Greene instead of Crystal Sharp until he remembers Red telling us while we were looking for you."

"Absolutely," agreed Nurse Joy, "Crystal, may I speak with you privately?"

I nodded, "In one second, I need a word with Red."

Getting up from their chairs, Nurse Joy and Victoria nodded. The air in the room turned to a palpable seriousness as Red and I faced each other. He hung his head in his hands, "It's kind of sad. Victoria told me yesterday that she wanted to stop being called the Winger. It's kind of sad, because she told me she wanted to try to move on and become something else yesterday. Now she has to, and anyways you can't tell him about being Crystal. It's depressing."

"Red, it's none of your concern at this point," I calmly addressed, "I want you to go to Lavender Town and prepare the fastest strike you can manage within the hour."

"Will you be there?" He asked while lifting his head.

I then leaned back in my chair, "No, battle command is now yours. I will not fight any more battles in this war. I will help strategize, but I can't fight anymore."

"Why not?" He asked, "What if I can't do it? What if I lose control like before? Crystal, you need to fight."

"There is a difference between patriotism and sheer violence for the sake of it. There is a difference between rebellion and war. There is a difference between avenging and seizing revenge. All like there is difference between oil and water, men and women, as well as children and adults. Red, I trust you. I know you can tell this difference deep within your heart and I hope that you wish to seek it. Red, I will be here, but nobody can fight like you can, nobody is a patriot like you are, and nobody is a commander like you are. Perhaps I may be a strategist, but my place is not there. I can't do it Red, I can be a strategist, but I can't kill anyone," I lectured.

Red looked at me confused and then inquired, "Why now? Why with Michael Blue being the one who should push you in the opposite direction?"

"Red, I realized a few things, with some help. I realized that our pasts and futures matter in a way that they are linked. They can't be 100% the same, but we need to all hold onto our bases, our ethics, our morals, and our basic feeling of who we are. Red, I remember when I couldn't even stand to think of the elite four holding people for information, and now I openly shoot people in the streets if they are wearing a rocket uniform. It's not acceptable in any society to change that much Red. I'm not ready to," I explained.