Begonias
A Pokemon Fanfiction
Special Chapter I
Enforcing Peace
As the sun fell behind the soft, mossy wall of the Fairy District, passing pokemon made their way across the multi-colored, cobble-stone street, ignoring each others' judging gazes. The pignite sat there, leaning against curled bars overgrown with vines and flowers. He stood at the edge of a dusty table whose surface looked as though it hadn't been cleaned in months, though Ursaring Sergeant Lynn didn't seem to mind.
The two Peacekeepers situated themselves at the end of the patio of a restaurant near the Fairy District that Lynn preferred. The ursaring read through today's paper for the fifth time today, probably going over the list of thieves again or statements by Councilman Keres.
She drawled on a couple times today on the new curfew put in place, talking about it as if it were a dreadful thing, yet Keres defined it as, "a way to weed out the troublemakers." It wouldn't surprise the rookie if Lynn's irritation with the curfew was out of laziness.
When the rookie started working with Lynn, he didn't yet understand her workstyle. The mission they were called to showed him the Sergeant had experience to pass on – experience to turn him into a real-life Peacekeeper. She seemed so focused that day on her work that he assumed he would have nothing to worry about as far as Lynn went. But now, he understood how she worked all too well.
She was lazy, having spent the last few weeks sitting at a table and reading the day's paper. They wasted hours waiting for Couriers to deliver jobs that were described as work, "only a Sergeant could handle." Yet they either entailed looking around a building and saying, "There's not enough evidence," or task someone else with searching for the perpetrator.
As Peacekeepers, the rookie expected them to be doing something – anything. Instead, he found himself day in and out leaning against a rail, observing passersby, and guessing who they were based on how they looked.
The rookie would never admit it but looking at passing pokemon wasn't only a game to him. He didn't watch pokemon for the fun of it. He guessed in the hopes it would eventually give him an excuse to leave.
Suppose one day he played this guessing game and noticed a pokemon with a stalky build and messy hair whose bag was punctured by a knife. This pokemon had to be dangerous. They would need to be stopped, and who better than the newest member of the Peacekeepers, Cecil Lepher?
A smile spread across his face as cheers bounced off the insides of his mind. His stomach fluttered as he imagined a new, golden badge being pinned to the collar of his white vest, symbolizing he was no longer just a rookie, but a revered member of the Peacekeepers of the Center.
"What's got your hopes up all of the sudden?" the gruff voice of Sergeant Lynn asked from across the table.
"What?" Lepher asked, his mind snapping back into reality.
Sergeant Lynn ruffled the paper, straightening out the creases before eyeing Lepher with a raised brow. "You've been sitting there, eyeing passersby for weeks. I want to know what you're thinking about."
Lepher's eyes wandered across the dirtied, stone floor before he stared back towards the crowd. "It's nothing," he lied.
"See something interesting?" Lynn questioned. "Perhaps a criminal?"
"It's not that… Although," Lepher said, his internal gears visibly clicking at the mention of the tyranitar-led group. "It has been a while since those thieves broke into the bank. You talked about them as though they're notorious here in the Center. So, shouldn't we have heard something by now? Maybe a shop being robbed?"
"Stealing from regular pokemon is too simple for them," Lynn said. "There's not enough gain for pokemon of their caliber. If they wanted to steal something, they'd go after something bigger than bread."
Lepher shook his head at the statement. "We still should have heard something," he insisted.
Lynn said no more, staring motionlessly and contemplatively into the crowd of passing pokemon. In truth, she didn't know what to say. The pignite was correct in questioning their lack of activity. There was always some kind of news on the "Thieves' Guild" (a name the local Spit-fires and Ice-pops began using when referring to the infamous tyranitar-led group) – some break-in or overvalued family heirloom reported stolen. Yet over the past few weeks, nothing.
They were being careful. That much was clear. But why? Did they finally piss off the wrong pokemon? Maybe they got themselves killed?
Lynn smirked at the thought. She could entertain the idea all she wanted, but the truth was these thieves were comparable to the villain in a cheap, action novel: whenever you get the idea in your head that they might be gone, they kick you in the stomach, leaving you speechless.
Lynn leaned back in her chair once more and opened her paper, this time reading about the Ghost District switching their burial methods from single coffins to mass burials to combat the ongoing riots. Lynn couldn't say she was surprised given the ongoing state of their city.
From above her paper, Lynn noticed Lepher falling back into his depressed lump against the iron railings. She couldn't help but huff at the pignite. Here they were enjoying another temperate, peaceful day, and Lepher's response was always a huff. Why couldn't he enjoy the gifts he had been given? Was it his curse as a Spit-fire to ignore gifts that had been given? Or did he just crave more?
Lepher's lips parted as though preparing to speak, yet he hesitated. Sergeant Lynn rolled her eyes and roughly flexed the paper before saying, "What?"
"You know, maybe if we…" the rookie began, sitting upright in his chair before biting his tongue. He hadn't worked with Lynn exceedingly long but knew she would never fold.
"Say it or enjoy the weather," Lynn stated. "Just stop looking so neurotic."
"Just sitting here is bothering me," Lepher blurted as though the words exploded out his mouth. "I mean, you've read that paper about eight times by now."
"Five," Lynn corrected, setting her gaze back at the paper. She leaned into the pages as if burying herself amongst the words. Yet Lepher continued.
"You've had to have read about the massive amount of rioting and stealing that's going on in the city. It's not just the "Thieves' Guild" causing problems. So why are we just sitting here day in and day out waiting for a courier to give us a job? Why aren't we out there on the street chasing the bad-guys instead of waiting for them to have gotten away with it before investigating?"
"Because the couriers always come," Lynn simply said.
"That can't be the whole truth," Lepher said. He watched Lynn as she scanned her paper with growing irritation. Why wasn't she looking at him? Couldn't she take this thing seriously?
The pinite stood up from his chair and walked along the wall towards Lynn, attempting to get her attention by closing the gap. Her eyes didn't waver an inch, continuing to scan the page of the paper as Lepher spoke. "Ma'am, when I was at the Fire-district's Peacekeeper Academy, we were taught about Couriers. They're supposed to tell us about crimes that are occurring: crimes like black market deals from the Dusk or the riots that keep appearing in newspapers. But every second I've been with you, the only jobs they seem to bring are jobs to sooth the rich pokemon's worries or jobs telling us to investigate things that go nowhere. Tell me, why is it that after a month we've been working together, we haven't received one job on something that's happening? Why aren't we stopping criminals before they commit a crime?"
Lynn waited a few seconds, letting the pignite simmer for a bit before tilting her paper and staring at the fuming pokemon. His brows were knitted in a worried stare, yet his jaw was clenched and firm, and ashes were sprinkling from his nostrils like snow.
"Anything else you want to get off your chest?" Lynn asked.
"You didn't answer my question," Lepher said, adding a, "Ma'am" to the end just to appease the Sergeant. A lazy effort but one Lynn would look over easily enough.
"What are you implying, Rookie?" Lynn questioned, using the word "rookie" like an insult on Lepher's pride. "Are you saying I'm telling the Center's couriers to give us easy missions simply because you're green?"
Instead of responding vocally to Lynn, the pignite stared insistently towards her. She couldn't help but chuckle at the insubordination. Where did he get off questioning her process?
"We all have a job, Spit-fire," Lynn stated. "And at the end of the day, like it or not, that's how the world works. You're my rookie, and you'll do exactly what I say we're doing."
"And today we're sitting on our asses, right?" Lepher questioned.
"Exactly," Lynn finished, turning the page of her paper to an article on rioting in the center. "And if you have a problem with that, I'm sure the other Spit-fires wouldn't mind returning your silver spoon."
"That's-" Lepher sputtered, his cheeks turning a rosy shade as his green eyes wandered about the area. It was almost as if he were trying to catch a cruel gaze from surrounding pokemon.
"Come to think of it, I've been meaning to ask," Lynn continued, crossing her arms, and eyeing the pignite with a calculative gaze. "Why transfer here in the first place?"
Lepher didn't face Lynn, staring towards the floor with a worried frown pasted to his face. He could only stand there and worry about what Lynn was digging at. He could walk away right now, and honestly the idea stayed in his head a dangerous amount of time, but what would the consequences be?
"You grew up in a place lined with gold," Lynn continued, "and slaves at your beck and call – trained to be a Peacekeeper there, too – yet you gave it all up to come here. Why would anyone surrender a life of luxury for a shitty little city that owes you nothing? Seems like a pretty mindless move to me."
"I have reasons," Lepher countered, yet didn't face the ursaring. Instead, his eyes found themselves resting on the rusted railings of the porch's exit.
"What reasons? Were the pillows too fluffy? Or perhaps Momma was tired of spoon-feeding you?"
Lepher couldn't help but smile coldly at the comment. "I have my reasons for leaving," he reiterated.
"And they are…?" Lynn pressed.
"With all due respect, Ma'am, that's none of your business. And even if I told you, it's not like you or any of the other pokemon here could understand."
Lynn shot up from the chair at the comment, towering over Lepher with a daring glare. "Why is that, Rookie? Are our Normie brains too small and feral for the snobby Spit-fires?"
Silence followed the two pokemon as they met each other's unending gazes. The pignite had little idea what Sergeant Lynn was trying to accomplish. Did she want him to pour his guts out for her?
"Word of advice, Lepher," Lynn warned. "I'm in a foul mood today. Push me again, and I will watch you hang."
Deathly silence followed Lynn's words. Surrounding pokemon halted their daily routines to stare at the two and what appeared to be an imminent brawl, and Lepher felt every eye. Normally he could handle it. But now?
Lepher broke eye contact and started towards the gate, leaving Sergeant Lynn a heaving hulk. She hardly bothered to respond, and so did he. The pignite undid the rusty bolt on the gate and turned the corner, walking off and away from the police sergeant.
Lynn's murderous gaze never left the back of Lepher's head until it turned a corner and out of view. She violently tore the paper off the table, unfolding it so quickly a massive split formed down the middle. Lynn's upper lip began to twitch as she balled her fists together.
Lynn's hand darted downwards toward the black pouch tied around her vest's belt and retrieved a hand-full of black berries, consuming them at a rapid pace. With a deep inhalation, she felt her nerves spread across her body as the berry-juices scattered across her tongue, tingling at the inside of her mouth. She slumped back into the chair a furry lump of irritation, huffing under her breath, "Spit-fires."
Oddly enough, Lepher's rebellious act brought him more joy than he thought it would. The feelings of guilt were further left behind with each step onto chilled cobblestone. It quickly occurred to him that Lynn was no longer a priority. He was free to do things his own way. Admittedly, he had no clue what he was doing. But he could learn.
No more standing around being useless. Now, Lepher was searching for something to do – actively protecting the pokemon as a Peacekeeper. This felt like the right thing to be doing. A bright smile planted itself on Lepher's face just thinking about the other pokemon.
Lepher walked with a straightened back in a commanding way, puffing out his bulky chest, striding though what little sun the rest of the day could muster. Sure, his shift was almost over. But that couldn't stop him: not now.
Pokemon could clearly see the winged badge pinned neatly against his vest. To Lepher, it was just as much a mark of pride as it was a warning to pokemon. Messing around in his presence would result in an arrest. It instilled a silent giddiness in his throat.
He paced the streets, almost challenging anyone to cause trouble. As he watched the pokemon around him, he waited – dared – for someone to do something they'd regret. He'd be there to stop them this time.
As he walked, he continued to notice the pointing and staring that had always been thrown his way. But were they scornful or joyful? Maybe they were happy to see an officer doing something. Perhaps they felt protected having someone like him here. Their whispers changed in Lepher's mind from judging words to comforted phrases.
They had always spoken ill of him. But now, the words shifted in his mind to praise. Instead of, "What's a Spit-fire doing in the district?" They were saying, "He's here to help us, and I feel safer knowing it."
Kids passing him by were no longer pointing towards the elephant in the room. Instead, they were looking at someone respectable – someone there to help. They had to be happy to see him here. They had to!
As Lepher turned the corner, his feet stopped on dampened stone. There, standing in the middle of a sort of clearing between the brick buildings, stood a group of steel pokemon blocking the path.
They all yipped and hollered from the side of the street as two of them – a metagross and a lucario – tossed around what appeared to be a grey, fuzzy ball between each other.
Lepher had to admit – it was a fun spectacle. These two pokemon threw the ball in all sorts of ways – never the same way twice: underhanded, psychically thrown, granny toss, you name it. When it was their turn to catch, they would fake a blunder and allow the ball to get close to the floor, taunting their fellow pokemon who would gasp in anticipation of a fumble. And at the last second, they would scoop the ball out of the air and continue their game.
Judging by their type, Lepher assumed they were Steel Enforcers, which wasn't that bad a guess seeing as they were close to the Noble Districts (Fire, Fairy, and Ice Districts) – their usual area of operation.
"Hello, officers!" Lepher called out to the group, flashing his golden-winged badge. "Would you guys step aside? I'm on patrol right now and need to get by."
As the lucario caught the ball, he held it underneath his arm in a hold as to make sure it didn't fall. The lucario hesitated to respond, looking over Lepher curiously before the metagross intervened with, "Good evening Mr.…"
"Lepher," the rookie said with a simple nod to the metagross. He reached a hand towards the pokemon but pulled back. "Oh, my bad," he said in response to the metagross' lack of appendages.
In this district, it was considered inconsiderate to offer a shake with pokemon who walked on all-fours. Lepher never understood why, seeing as in the Fire District, they normally just shook whatever they could and moved on to envy one-another's possessions. But here, you could easily be clobbered for doing such a thing.
However, the metagross must have understood the cultural gap, having summoned a visible, pink aura to grip Lepher's hand. They shook a couple of times before the metagross grinned.
"Don't worry about it," he assured. "I've hung around enough fire-types to know how you guys do things."
"You're a rookie, right?" the lucario questioned, gesturing to Lepher's barren collar of his jacket.
"Yeah," Lepher admitted. "Just joined the Peacekeepers a little over a month ago."
The lucario snapped his free fingers before he pointed at Lepher in recognition. "I know you. You're Lynn's new fish – the transfer from the Fire District.
"That's me," Lepher acknowledged. He had to admit, he hated the idea of being referred to as "Lynn's new fish" but he wasn't about to call the lucario out and kill the mood. Afterall, Steel Enforcers and Peacekeepers are practically job relatives or something, so they probably didn't mean anything by it.
"I'm actually doing a patrol right now," Lepher admitted. "Getting out on the streets and hunting down criminals."
"Really?" the lucario asked. "Well, so are we."
"In fact," the metagross started, looking towards the lucario, "We just so happened to have caught one fairly recently."
"One could say we had a ball of a time," the lucario said, chuckling half-way through the statement. He squeezed the ball under his arm a couple of times as the two howled with laughter at a joke Lepher hadn't understood.
Then, the strangest thing occurred Lepher could hardly have believed. In reaction to the lucario's wringing, the ball… yipped as if in pain.
Really, Lepher? the rookie thought, chiding himself. The ball yipped?
Lepher felt stupid for even thinking of such a thing. Like a ball could yip. Maybe it was a screech in the lucario's laugh Lepher mistook as a yelp. But wait. Was that…
The color once present in Lepher's face had all but drained as he stared at what appeared to be a curled, fluffy tail tucked closely into the grey ball. Features Lepher had previously glossed over stood out like a welt on his skin. Padded feet, arms tucked inwards, and massive ears barely sticking out from behind the lucario all belonged to this ball.
"What's that in your arms?" Lepher questioned.
"Our catch of the day," the lucario stated, grabbing the pokemon by the tail and holding it out from Lepher to see a thin, shaking minccino.
"Found this one stealing from one of the local merchants," the metagross said.
"Thought we'd have some fun with the little thief."
Lepher stared over the minccino with shock. Words escaped him. Only a single phrase jolted through his mind in this moment: "What the hell".
In the Fire District, Lepher was taught Steel Enforcers could be rough with others and to stay out of their way, but abusing someone? That was unheard of. Steel Enforcers were keepers of the peace – defenders of the pokemon. But now? They tossed a pokemon like it were some sort of game.
The minccino looked as though it may cry. It shuddered in the lucario's grip yet didn't bother attempting an escape. Why wasn't it fighting them? Did it feel that helpless?
That thought brought him back to reality.
"What do you think you're doing?" Lepher questioned.
It took a few seconds for the steel-types to register what was said, yet even that made them tilt their heads in confusion.
"What?" the lucario questioned.
"You're Steel Enforcers, right? Why are you guys throwing that minccino around?"
"That thing is a thief," the metagross started, side eyeing Lepher as if puzzled by the rookie's statement. "You understand that, right?"
"And that gives you the right to toss them around?" Lepher questioned.
"You're an odd, little Spit-fire, aren't you?" a Steel Enforcer asked, moving out from the crowd. Each step shook the earth itself, causing Lepher's stomach to question what it is he was fighting for.
As Lepher stared towards the voice, the pokemon's body casted a shadow over him. Its fingers were like daggers, and its biceps as thick as boulders. Lepher had to lean backwards to look into the steely eyes of the aggron.
"That minccino there?" the steel-type began. "Might not believe it at first glance, but that Normie is a genuine thief. Stole a couple of oran berries from a local vendor a couple blocks back. Saw it with my own eyes, I did."
"And… that gives you the right to throw him around?" Lepher asked, though he found it came off more like a genuine question than an accusatory one.
With that question, the aggron bent over Lepher and stared him down maliciously. The Steel Enforcer spread its dagger-like claws in the light, bouncing the rays at Lepher who winced from the blinding light.
Yet his body didn't waver. He had to admit – the same fear from the bank still existed in his stomach, begging him to turn tail and run from this Steel Enforcer. But at the same time, his mind bounced back to his old home – to a pokemon he considered a friend that he'd abandoned in their time of need. He couldn't leave this minccino in the same way.
The pignite stood his ground, meeting the aggron's gaze with a fiery puff of his snout. "Do you think just because I'm a rookie I'll back off? Do you think I'll look the other way just because you look meaner than me?"
Lepher straightened his posture and tightened his fists, saying, "I'll take the minccino into custody, and we can go our separate ways."
A thunderous laugh bellowed from deep within the aggron's chest. Apparently, he found more amusement in the situation than Lepher.
"What's so funny?" Lepher questioned.
"A Spit-fire standing up for a Normie? I just didn't think that was possible."
"All I want is the minccino."
The aggron nodded a couple of times to himself before leveling his claws at Lepher's chest. The pignite felt his chest ripple and seize, wanting to get as far away from the pointed claws as it could, yet Lepher didn't move.
"And what stops me from killing you where you stand, hm?" the aggron questioned.
"Lepher!" a gruff voice hollered from behind. Turning around, Lepher's brain was torn between relief and worry at the sight of his ursaring sergeant, stomping through the alleyway towards the two.
He couldn't help but wonder what Lynn was going to do. Would she clobber the Steel Enforcer for threatening a Peacekeeper – her rookie? Would she even notice the minccino, still dangling by the tail in the lucario's grip? Or would she ignore it all entirely and scold him for walking away?
Upon seeing the ursaring, the aggron stepped away from Lepher with open arms towards Lynn. "Sergeant," he said with a new, cheery expression. "It's been some time."
"I'm not here to talk, Alastor," Lynn stated calmly, stopping at Lepher's side. "Just grabbing my Rookie."
"Lynn," the aggron began. "Your rookie should know not to interfere with the affairs of Steel Enforcers. You know how it is for us Steel Enforcers. Unlike your rookie, we deal with deadly criminals all the time. We wouldn't want him getting mortally wounded on the job, would we?"
"I understand," Lynn began. She tried to sound as professional as possible yet Lepher could also hear distain tainting her voice. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience my rookie may have caused you."
"Inconvenience?" Lepher questioned. "They're abusing another pokemon!"
"Not now, Lepher," Lynn warned with a vicious flash of her teeth. Yet he had no intention of stopping.
"You're gonna let them get away with this, aren't you?" Lepher shouted in disbelief, his nostrils flaring with frustration. "Sergeant-" Yet he could hardly get that last word out Lynn's claws wrapped themselves around Lepher's vest, jerking him towards her muzzle.
"If you want to keep your job, shut the fuck up!" she hissed. "Understand?!"
With that, Lynn threw the pignite to the floor where he landed on his backside in shock. Not only was she going to let this slide, but she threatened his job, too? How the hell did she become Sergeant of the Peacekeepers?
"Once again, I'm sorry for my rookie," Lynn said to the aggron. "I'll make sure he learns his place in the world. You won't have any problems with him from here on out, I guarantee it."
The aggron hummed aloud, rapping his steely claws against his jaw with a metallic clatter in each tap. As he peered down at Lepher, he smiled a sickening smile that made the pignite's insides curl. "We're done here," the aggron stated, turning back towards his group. He raised a finger into the air and spun it around a couple of times before the group parted to let him take the lead. Yet before they left, Lynn had one last thing to say.
"Alastor," Lynn called. As the aggron turned towards her, Lynn said, "Don't threaten my rookie again." As she finished, Lynn stuck out her right-hand thumb and jabbed it into the left side of her chest.
Lepher watched the gesture in confusion, not understanding what it meant. Judging by the sharp movements, he could only assume it was a threat. Yet the aggron simply smiled and nodded, saying, "That's completely up to your Rookie."
With a final wave, the Steel Enforcers started down the alleyway with the minccino in tow. As they turned the corner, Lepher caught a final glimpse of the lucario getting ready to throw their victim once more.
Lepher attempted to shoot up to his feet, wanting desperately to take off after them. Yet Lynn planted her foot against Lepher's shoulder, pinning him to the dusty cobblestone.
"What the hell?" Lepher barked. Yet upon seeing Lynn's twitching lip and intense scowl, the only sound to escape his mouth were short breaths. Lynn waited for the aggron to pass out of earshot before turning on Lepher.
"What was that?!" she spat, speckling Lepher's face in blackened saliva. "When I told you that Steel Enforcers won't attack a peacekeeper for name-calling, did you think that meant they wouldn't attack you at all?!"
Against the pignite's better judgement, he opened his mouth to speak. Yet he was stopped as Lynn pressed her foot against his chest, restricting his breath. He could hardly breathe let alone speak.
"I'm talking now! You're just going to lie there and listen! Understand?" Lepher gave no response, struggling against the ursaring's weight to rip her foot from his chest, yet she was both too heavy and strong to make any progress. At Lepher's lack of a response, Lynn pressed harder, eliciting massive pain from Lepher's chest as his breathing stopped entirely. "Do you understand, yes or no?!"
Lepher quickly nodded, desperate enough to comply if it meant getting oxygen. Lynn removed her foot from his chest and watched with a look of spite as Lepher rolled over, gasping through a hacking fit for air.
"You've officially pissed me off, Lepher! Maybe I could have handled the constant pouting! You think I'm being lazy? Fine!
"But you running off like that, abandoning your partner because you didn't like how they were handling things? It was borderline stupid! And then you had to make it asinine by challenging a Steel Enforcer's right to do what he wants!"
"They don't have the right to do that!" Lepher growled, his voice mimicking the pain in his chest.
"Let me tell you this, Spit-fire!" Lynn continued, jabbing her finger at Lepher's back. "In this world, we all have pokemon we need to obey! No matter what you're doing or what you think, when your supervisor says, "jump", you have no damn choice but to say, "How high"! For you, that supervisor is me!
"You can sit there and scowl at passing pokemon all damn day for all I care! But if I tell you we'll be sitting on our asses, guess what you'll be doing?!"
As Lynn finished, her breath was heavy and her muscles tense. She blinked a few times before turning back to the black sack on her belt, procuring another handful of black berries. While she slowly chewed, her tensed body relaxed as she heaved a sigh, visibly savoring the taste of them.
When Lepher caught his breath once again, his focus turned towards the street the Steel Enforcers had turned onto. "What's gonna happen to the minccino?" he asked he Sergeant.
"That's none of our concern," Lynn said with a scowl. "Especially not yours. You just focus on listening to orders, understand?"
Lepher scoffed at the ursaring. "How can you say that? Don't you care at all about the pokemon of this city?"
Lepher watched the ursaring hesitantly, expecting her to shout again or press him to the street. Yet she merely tightened her fist and shut her eyes. It was almost as if the question irritated her more than aggravated.
"I'd like to think I'm a fair pokemon," Lynn stated with a surprisingly calm tone. "So, I'm giving you this one opportunity."
"Opportunity?" Lepher asked. "For what?"
"I'm giving you your only chance to get out ahead," Lynn stated. "Ask me, and I'll get you transferred back to your own district."
"My own district?" Lepher questioned. "I came here by choice. Why would I want to go back?"
"It's your guarantee you'll have a job by the end of the month," Lynn stated. "Today, you crossed a line anyone born in this district knows no to cross. You don't challenge the Steel Enforcers.
"I'm offering you the opportunity to keep your job. Go back to the Fire District and live in a paradise where the only crimes are in novels.
"Or you can stay here and risk making your last mistake. Because if you pull the same shit you did today, like it or not, I'll burn your Spit-fire ass so bad not even your own people will let you stay a Peacekeeper."
Lynn popped a few more berries in her mouth before stating, "I'll give you until the end of the week to make your choice. Anything passed that, and you're fired. Understand?"
"Sergeant-" Lepher tried to say, but Lynn was finished. She dusted the dirt off her stained white vest before starting down the road. She turned a corner and was gone.
Lepher was left with a pit in his stomach. Her words cut deep, making him feel as shallow as a puddle. Did she truly mean to take his job away? After all that work and sacrifice, could she really take it away in the blink of an eye?
Lepher's gaze turned back towards the alleyway that the Steel Enforcers had left from. If he could find them, challenging them again would probably mean suicide. Yet as he pictured the shuddering minccino being tossed through the air like a sack, another face clouded his mind – one of a saddened nature – one that would never glance at him again.
He could still feel the light strokes of her leaves against his back, assuring him things would work out. He remembered the warm embrace and safety he felt in her friendly arms. Yet every time he envisioned her face, she could never look at him.
No, he couldn't give in. Even if he never found the minccino again, he could never repeat his past mistakes. Regardless of his fear of losing this job, he couldn't simply abandon someone in need. Even if he never found the minccino, at least he tried.
Author's Notes:
Sup guys? So, this came out WAY later than I wanted it to. Regardless, it's out now!
Hope you liked Lepher thus far because this isn't the end of him OR Lynn! I intend to make them characters with their own story, so get comfortable!
Just in case you forgot, CHAPTER 6 IS NEXT!
Oh, that isn't out yet? Well, if that's the case, you should know that I've already written it and am posting it right now! Hang tight! It'll be out shortly!
I'll see you there!