The training period was about to end and Shockwave was still not sure where he stood. He'd had a meeting with Flint, which seemed to go well enough, the former Delta Force member said he wanted Shockwave on the team and had a spot waiting for him once the training was complete, but he wasn't sure if he felt right here. As it stood now, there was only one Joe Shockwave spoke to consistently, which was Spirit. They often pulled guard duty together, Spirit sharing stories of his time with the Joes and the story of his life. It was the stories of Spirit's life that intrigued Shockwave. Having been raised Catholic, he didn't know that much about other faiths and ways of life.
"Every man has a totem spirit, my friend." Spirit said.
"Excuse me?" Shockwave asked, realizing he hadn't been paying attention.
"A totem spirit. One who guides them, advises them. A guardian." The shaman explained, drawing a cry from his eagle Freedom, who sat on a perch behind them.
"Is Freedom..."
"Yes, my friend. He is my guide. If you are to complete your journey, you must find your own." The shaman advised. "Tomorrow, we shall go into the desert and seek your totem creature." Shockwave nodded, not sure if he believed this. His duty shift ended and he was heading back for his bunk when he heard a scream.
"Falcon, leave me alone!" Jinx shouted.
"You know you want it, Jinxie..." Shockwave heard a loud slap and he took off running. Around the corner he found them, Falcon holding Jinx to the wall trying to kiss her as she fought to free herself. Managing to get a hand free, Jinx hauled off and slammed her fist into Falcon's nose. The septum popped as blood ran freely from the broken nose.
"Get off, bakayarou!!!" she screamed, slamming her knee into Falcon's stomach as she tried to free her other hand. Seizing her hand, Falcon slammed it back against the wall and holding both of her wrists in one hand, he slapped her full force with the back of his hand across the face.
A hand clamped down on Falcon's shoulder and pulled him off of Jinx.
"The lady asked you to get off of her." Shockwave growled as he used the momentum to send Falcon flying to the ground. "You okay, Jinx?"
"Yeah....I'm...I'll..." she was obviously rattled...Shockwave took off his BDU jacket and wrapped it around her. "Behind you!" she shouted as Falcon's fist slammed into Shockwave's jaw with enough force to spin him around.
"She's mine, pig." Falcon growled, the scent of liquor heavy on his breath, swinging wildly at Shockwave. Blocking most of the punches, Shockwave tried to find an opening to land a blow on Falcon. He'd broken up enough bar brawls to know this wasn't going to end pretty.
"Jinx, get help!" Shockwave shouted, slamming his fist into Falcon's jaw, flooring the Green Beret. To shaken to reply, she ran towards where Spirit had been, leaving Falcon and Shockwave alone.
The Green Beret leapt at him, slamming both of them to the ground, causing Shockwave to back a cry as his wounded shoulder slammed into the ground. Rearing back, he slammed both of his feet into Falcon's chest and pushed off, sending Falcon flying hard against one of the huts. Shockwave launched himself at the Green Beret, slamming his knee into the man's midsection as Falcon whipped his elbow across, taking Shockwave in the throat. Rearing back, Shockwave slammed his forehead into Falcon's, stunning the Green Beret long enough to catch his breath. Before either of the two men could resume the fight, Mutt and Law arrived with Jinx and Spirit in tow to separate them.
Shockwave woke later that morning as the sunlight hit his face. Looking around, he remembered the fight and figured the choice on whether or not he was staying had been made for him with his actions the night before. The door to the brig creaked open as Flint entered, followed by Spirit.
"How is your shoulder?"
"Fine, sir. I assume you're here to tell me to pack my gear and get out."
"No. I've reviewed the statements from all those involved. While I can't say that I'm pleased what happened, by all accounts and Lt. Falcon's state of mind, your were justified in your actions."
"So I can remain?"
"If you want to."
"And Jinx? How is she?" Shockwave asked, as the door was unlocked.
"She'd doing quite well. Lady Jaye and Cover Girl are talking to her."
"And Falcon?"
"Lt. Falcon will be brought before a board of inquiry and more than likely end up in rehab and or a prison stay."
Shockwave stepped out of the cell and met Spirit's gaze. The shaman nodded and Shockwave followed him from the brig.
"One more thing, Shockwave." Flint called out.
"Yes, sir?"
"Next time call the MPs before you have a battle royal with a superior officer. Makes my paperwork load easier."
"Yes, sir."
"And I want you to take some time to rest that shoulder. The final trials and tests are coming up and you'll need to be at 150%."
"Yes, sir." Shockwave saluted before exiting the building. Jinx was waiting for him outside
"I want to thank you." She told him as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. The kiss was ethereal...
"Umm..." Shockwave stammered as he looked for the right words. "Spirit and I were going camping out in the desert tonight. Would you like to join us?" Shockwave asked, "You don't have to if you don't want to..."
"I think that is the most I've heard you say since I've know you. And yes, I'd love join you both."
"I see you have found a friend for our journey." Spirit said, falling into step with Shockwave.
"Is that okay?"
"Of course, my friend."
The three Joes made their way into the desert, Freedom flying high above them. Spirit knew the lay of the land, leading them towards a small river that ran at the base of a canyon wall. Jinx and Spirit spoke, filling their canteens while Shockwave walked a little further down stream, kneeling to fill his canteen. Rocks tumbled into the river on the opposite bank and he looked up to see a huge black wolf staring back at him. He slowly stood, keeping his eyes on the animal, neither making any other moves...
"I see he has found you." Spirit said, bowing his head to the wolf.
"Excuse me?" Shockwave asked.
"The wolf spirit. She has found you." The shaman replied. "Like my brother Snake-eyes, the noble wolf will guide you."
Shockwave bowed his head to the wolf and when he looked up, the wolf was gone.
"Come, my brother. Let us camp here for tonight and we will continue at dawn." Spirit spoke as he place a hand on Shockwave's shoulder.
Shockwave nodded as he screwed the cap back onto his canteen, then looked back where the wolf had been. There was no sight anything had ever been there.
"Weird..." he spoke to himself as he followed Spirit back to camp.
"Every man has a totem spirit, my friend." Spirit said.
"Excuse me?" Shockwave asked, realizing he hadn't been paying attention.
"A totem spirit. One who guides them, advises them. A guardian." The shaman explained, drawing a cry from his eagle Freedom, who sat on a perch behind them.
"Is Freedom..."
"Yes, my friend. He is my guide. If you are to complete your journey, you must find your own." The shaman advised. "Tomorrow, we shall go into the desert and seek your totem creature." Shockwave nodded, not sure if he believed this. His duty shift ended and he was heading back for his bunk when he heard a scream.
"Falcon, leave me alone!" Jinx shouted.
"You know you want it, Jinxie..." Shockwave heard a loud slap and he took off running. Around the corner he found them, Falcon holding Jinx to the wall trying to kiss her as she fought to free herself. Managing to get a hand free, Jinx hauled off and slammed her fist into Falcon's nose. The septum popped as blood ran freely from the broken nose.
"Get off, bakayarou!!!" she screamed, slamming her knee into Falcon's stomach as she tried to free her other hand. Seizing her hand, Falcon slammed it back against the wall and holding both of her wrists in one hand, he slapped her full force with the back of his hand across the face.
A hand clamped down on Falcon's shoulder and pulled him off of Jinx.
"The lady asked you to get off of her." Shockwave growled as he used the momentum to send Falcon flying to the ground. "You okay, Jinx?"
"Yeah....I'm...I'll..." she was obviously rattled...Shockwave took off his BDU jacket and wrapped it around her. "Behind you!" she shouted as Falcon's fist slammed into Shockwave's jaw with enough force to spin him around.
"She's mine, pig." Falcon growled, the scent of liquor heavy on his breath, swinging wildly at Shockwave. Blocking most of the punches, Shockwave tried to find an opening to land a blow on Falcon. He'd broken up enough bar brawls to know this wasn't going to end pretty.
"Jinx, get help!" Shockwave shouted, slamming his fist into Falcon's jaw, flooring the Green Beret. To shaken to reply, she ran towards where Spirit had been, leaving Falcon and Shockwave alone.
The Green Beret leapt at him, slamming both of them to the ground, causing Shockwave to back a cry as his wounded shoulder slammed into the ground. Rearing back, he slammed both of his feet into Falcon's chest and pushed off, sending Falcon flying hard against one of the huts. Shockwave launched himself at the Green Beret, slamming his knee into the man's midsection as Falcon whipped his elbow across, taking Shockwave in the throat. Rearing back, Shockwave slammed his forehead into Falcon's, stunning the Green Beret long enough to catch his breath. Before either of the two men could resume the fight, Mutt and Law arrived with Jinx and Spirit in tow to separate them.
Shockwave woke later that morning as the sunlight hit his face. Looking around, he remembered the fight and figured the choice on whether or not he was staying had been made for him with his actions the night before. The door to the brig creaked open as Flint entered, followed by Spirit.
"How is your shoulder?"
"Fine, sir. I assume you're here to tell me to pack my gear and get out."
"No. I've reviewed the statements from all those involved. While I can't say that I'm pleased what happened, by all accounts and Lt. Falcon's state of mind, your were justified in your actions."
"So I can remain?"
"If you want to."
"And Jinx? How is she?" Shockwave asked, as the door was unlocked.
"She'd doing quite well. Lady Jaye and Cover Girl are talking to her."
"And Falcon?"
"Lt. Falcon will be brought before a board of inquiry and more than likely end up in rehab and or a prison stay."
Shockwave stepped out of the cell and met Spirit's gaze. The shaman nodded and Shockwave followed him from the brig.
"One more thing, Shockwave." Flint called out.
"Yes, sir?"
"Next time call the MPs before you have a battle royal with a superior officer. Makes my paperwork load easier."
"Yes, sir."
"And I want you to take some time to rest that shoulder. The final trials and tests are coming up and you'll need to be at 150%."
"Yes, sir." Shockwave saluted before exiting the building. Jinx was waiting for him outside
"I want to thank you." She told him as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. The kiss was ethereal...
"Umm..." Shockwave stammered as he looked for the right words. "Spirit and I were going camping out in the desert tonight. Would you like to join us?" Shockwave asked, "You don't have to if you don't want to..."
"I think that is the most I've heard you say since I've know you. And yes, I'd love join you both."
"I see you have found a friend for our journey." Spirit said, falling into step with Shockwave.
"Is that okay?"
"Of course, my friend."
The three Joes made their way into the desert, Freedom flying high above them. Spirit knew the lay of the land, leading them towards a small river that ran at the base of a canyon wall. Jinx and Spirit spoke, filling their canteens while Shockwave walked a little further down stream, kneeling to fill his canteen. Rocks tumbled into the river on the opposite bank and he looked up to see a huge black wolf staring back at him. He slowly stood, keeping his eyes on the animal, neither making any other moves...
"I see he has found you." Spirit said, bowing his head to the wolf.
"Excuse me?" Shockwave asked.
"The wolf spirit. She has found you." The shaman replied. "Like my brother Snake-eyes, the noble wolf will guide you."
Shockwave bowed his head to the wolf and when he looked up, the wolf was gone.
"Come, my brother. Let us camp here for tonight and we will continue at dawn." Spirit spoke as he place a hand on Shockwave's shoulder.
Shockwave nodded as he screwed the cap back onto his canteen, then looked back where the wolf had been. There was no sight anything had ever been there.
"Weird..." he spoke to himself as he followed Spirit back to camp.
