A Doctor's Redemption

"Don't worry … don't blame yourself … it wasn't your fault doctor"

These words echoed through Baldhead's mind as he ran. All these years he had blamed himself for her death.

It had driven him mad.

He wanted his heart to beat faster, for him to sweat, for him to cry, something physical to tell him something was wrong, after all, he was a doctor, he understood physical pain, but no, his many years of madness had driven all these things out of him.

This should have been excellent news for him, made him feel better, but it didn't. He had relief, but that was nothing. It could not take away from the pain he had caused since then. Since her death, his insanity had grown to manic levels. Everywhere he saw a chance to heal someone, to make them better. Back then, that's what he believed. His madness covered any sign of the truth, but now … now he realised what was going on, now he realised what he had done.

He hadn't got any specific destination in mind, he just ran. He couldn't stand the thought of standing still, partly because of what he thought people would think of him if any of them knew, or what he was afraid he would do to them.

He ran for hours on end till he finally stopped and looked around. Nobody was around, he was alone.

"What … what have I done?"

He fell to his knees, his mind not being able to understand the mass of guilt he was feeling. The truth had raised a veil, and caused him to crash. He knew he deserved it, knew he was evil, but he couldn't cope.

"I am a doctor … I help people" he told himself over and over, but the more he said it, the less it seemed to stick

"I am a doctor … I help people"

"I am a doctor … but I let her die"

"I am a doctor … and I couldn't help"
"I am a doctor … and I have killed!"

The truth was hard to admit, but he had no choice. Whatever his mind had told him had been wrong, and he had to pay, but he couldn't. This debt could never be repaid, however much he tried to. All the lives he'd taken. All the pain he had dealt out.

He thought … and came to a conclusion. He couldn't pay off the debt if he worked for all of eternity … but he could start to make it better.

He looked down at where his scalpel had dropped. It used to be such a lifesaving thing, but had been stained and rusted through his past number of years. He nodded in acknowledgement of his idea, and picked it up.

There was a problem. He could not go back as himself. Too many people knew of Dr. Baldhead, and what he had done. He could not redeem himself as himself.

There had to be a way that he could create a new identity. He took from his pocket a bag. It was an old paper bag but it didn't matter. It would fit his needs, and, after pushing a single hole through it so he could see, he placed it on his head. After all, what better way to have a new face, than having no face at all?

He leant upon his scalpel to straighten himself up. He had been squat for so many years, his legs and back were not used to such positions, and creaked in objection, but before long, he had straightened up, and was standing at his full height for the first time in years.

He looked back the way he had run. In the distance, there was still the small outline of the city, the houses, and all the people. It was there that he would start.

Baldhead looked up to the sky

"I have taken when it was not my place to do so, and I shall do all I can to give back as much as I can"

He started walking back

"I am Baldhead no more. My name is Dr. Faust, and I promise that I shall heal all the ill ones I come upon until the end of eternity"

That was his mission from now on

That was his Redemption

Continued in Faust's story in Guilty Gear X: By Your Side