Chapter Four: Remembrance
As John ran over to the gym he had his first encounter with the face of evil…Sissy!
"Hi what's your name?" asks Sissy
"Sorry got to go. Talk later." replies John as he kept running
"Humph, some people." says Sissy after John replied
Lucky for John, Jim decided not to mark him late because he was new but he had to run three laps around the track before he join in. Today Jim was teaching everyone how to defend themselves.
"Ok who would like to go up against Ulrich first? You get extra credit if you can beat him." says Jim
John glanced around and when he saw that no one was in a hurry he says: "I will".
"That's the spirit" says Jim enthusiastically as John walked up
"Are there any rules?" asks John
"Yep, no hits below the belt. The first one to knock the other down for ten seconds wins." replies Jim
"Good luck" says Ulrich with a smile
"You too" replies John
"Ready…set…go!" yells Jim
As the fight began John began to remember a memory that he had tried to forget. It plagued him every moment. As the fight went on he could see it more clearly. He was back in New York. In a dark ally. One of the toughest gangs in the city had surrounded him and Rachel. They wanted her purse but she refused. They charged and so did he. It was over in a matter of seconds. Every one of the gang members was unconscious. As he turned to her and began to say lets go he heard a shot and she was dead. He turned around to see their leader take aim at him. He was so angry that he lost control and killed the gang leader. Then he ran over to her and began to cry. He cried and cried. And with that Ulrich was on the ground with a bloody nose and a black eye. The fight was over and John had no idea what had happened.
"Ulrich got beat! By who!" yells Yumi
"It was John." replies Odd
"How…" says Yumi
"So that is why XANA attacked him. Think about it, if he is that strong here imagine how strong he would be if he was ever virtualized." says Jeremy
"He would be almost unbeatable," replies Aelita, "XANA would have no defense, no monster strong enough to beat him."
"Then let us ask for his help." says Ulrich as he walked in
"Are you ok?" asks Yumi
"As well as can be expected. He sent me flying with one punch. It didn't even connect all the way. Nurse Dorothy says I'll be fine though." replies Ulrich
"We can't tell him. At least not yet." replies Jeremy
"Why not?" asks Aelita
"We are not sure that we can trust him yet." says Jeremy
At the factory the machines start up and begin to make something as one of the scanners is activated. Out of the scanner comes a microchip with a familiar symbol on it.
"Why did I start to think about it?" wonders John "Why…Why" he repeats as tears come out of his eyes.
"You big baby," says a voice, "What happened to the John I knew? Never backing down, never afraid. What happened to the John who never let his emotions get the better of him?"
"Huh?" asks John as he looked up
"Stop crying and go back to the way you were." replies Rachel's voice
"I haven't changed. I'm still the same." replies John sadly
"No you're not. You have changed…a lot. You are no longer the person you used to be. You are stronger but unless you go back, and be the person you were before that won't matter." says Rachel's voice
"I don't understand…" replies John
"It doesn't matter, eventually you will. Just remember this…I will always be by your side. No matter what." replies Rachel's voice as it faded