Redemption
Chapter 2
Over the course of the next few days, Dimentio sank deeper into gloominess and depression. He did not truly care about life anymore, and barely noticed events happening around him, no matter how disruptive they were. One could arguably justify this. What fate awaited Dimentio in the Underwhere? Nothing very pleasant.
However, Captain Charles and the rest of the D-Man Security Brigade did not share Dimentio's demeanor. They were fighting for their very lives against the creatures who lurked in the farther reaches of the Underwhere. Considering the place was full of those barred from the Underwhere this was to be expected, but the number of them and their hostility made Captain Charles worried.
"Many of these things should be rotting along with Bonechill, don't you say?" said one of the brigadiers. Captain Charles nodded grimly. He hated the mention of Bonechill's name, for he considered his failure to recapture Bonechill his greatest shame. Many heard him mutter under his breath or in his sleep Bonechill's name in anger, along with something along the lines of "I should've stopped him!". However, unlike Dimentio Captain Charles had no time to brood on his shame, as yet another band of enemies came up to attack the Brigade.
"Geez, when will this end?" the Captain muttered.
And so this went on for days. Yet just as the Brigade was starting to succumb to fatigue, they spied the Twygs River in all it's ...purple glory in the distance. This gave such a morale boost to the Brigade that the brigadiers started chatting amongst themselves of home, even though Captain Charles frowned upon it.
Soon, they finally came up to the old marble steps leading up to Queen Jaydes. However, when they came up to her, she frowned at them.
"Two weeks, Charles. Two weeks! That was not the time scale I was looking for." she said.
"Your highness, I am sorry for my tardiness, but I believe this is the fastest we could've come back. The Underwhere is positively crawling with enemies (and I'll have to talk to you about that later), and besides, he landed far away from here. Very far." said Captain Charles, in an odd mix of apologetic and defensive.
"Two weeks? That long?" said Dimentio, who by then had been dragged to the front of the Brigade. Queen Jaydes' eyes widened. She whirled around.
"Clear out my schedule! This is going to be a long one." she said to her D-Man assistants. They started running around frantically, making calls, posting notes, scribbling things down, etc. Queen Jaydes was quite busy, and clearing out her schedule was no easy task.
Meanwhile, Dimentio sighed. He knew he was going to get a long lecture and get some sort of especially horrible punishment, perhaps worse than Bonechill's prison. As he waited, he thought of the various punishments he could receive and grimaced. Finally, Queen Jaydes turned around.
"Untie him!" she said. Captain Charles frowned at her.
"Go on. Untie him." she repeated. Captain Charles started to protest.
"But-"
"No 'buts'! I order you to untie him!" she said. Captain Charles frowned and hesitantly untied Dimentio. Dimentio rubbed his arms for the first time in several days.
"Well, that was not so bad, was it?" Dimentio said angrily to Captain Charles.
"Tsk, tsk, Dimentio. You're not in the best position to be complaining. But, anyway, follow me." she said. She turned around and walked slowly. Dimentio clumsily followed after her, barely keeping up.
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The two of them walked inside Queen Jaydes study. It was rather spartan, containing only gray walls obscured by the many drawers, cabinets, and mounds of paperwork Queen Jaydes used. There was a brown desk and two chairs on opposite sides of the desk.
Queen Jaydes motioned to the chair in front of the desk, while she sat down behind the desk. Dimentio nodded and sat down in front of her. There was a brief silence as Queen Jaydes tried to decipher Dimentio's odd behavior, but soon she decided to continue as planned. She took out an antique scale and placed it on the desk.
"Well, Dimentio, as you can see," she took out two large stacks of paper, one much larger than the other "we have a lot of info on you. It is obvious where you would go should I weigh your sins, however. Are we agreed?" she said, looking at Dimentio's reaction closely.
"Yes." said Dimentio with a sigh. How long would he have to wait until his sentence was given?
Queen Jaydes raised her eyebrow. Dimentio was certainly acting unlike himself. Was it an act he was putting on for the occasion, or ...what? It almost flustered her, but she decided to continue.
"Good. We are reading the same book, though most definetly not on the same page. As they say." she said. Dimentio just shrugged. She continued.
"And so, I was thinking lately. All of you... evil-doers and what not get sent to the Underwhere prison, where you rot forever. Your potential is never utilised properly. It's a shame, really. So, I thought 'We have an eternity to fix these villains up. Why not use that chance? If they fail, they get punished anyway, and no one is harmed. If it's a success, then everyone benefits.' Good thing all around, no? And so I drew up a special rehabilitation program for you, Dimentio. I shall drag you back to the plains of sanity from the abyss you reside in. And based on you, I shall do the same to others like you. Isn't it great?" said Queen Jaydes. Dimentio stared at her with his mouth open.
"Oh, and don't worry if you think you'll be free to frolic and do evil out in the dimensions again. I'll watch you very carefully. But, first you have to agree. Continue?" she said. Dimentio closed his mouth and composed himself. What was going on here?
"Very well, I shall play along with ...this." said Dimentio, finally. Queen Jaydes nodded and then muttered something under her breath. Dimentio suddenly felt a cold wind pass him by, even though the room did not have a breeze of any sort. He frowned.
"Jaydes, what just happened?" he said. In reply he heard Queen Jaydes' voice... but her lips didn't move!
It's part of my program for you, Dimentio. Dimentio's eyes widened. Was she inside his head?!
Yes, that is correct. I can read your mind as part of the program and follow you and your thoughts! said the voice inside his head. Dimentio decided to reply mentally as well.
But that's... rediculous! I don't want my mind to be read.
Well, too bad. And too late, to add. Besides, is this worse than your other punishment?
Possibly...
Oh well. I've got to reign you in somehow, and most of the rehabilitation process is going to be psychological.
I feel so.. naked. And violated!
You were just whining inside your head about how not being your usual self makes you feel naked, so maybe you should be less sensitive?
You can read my MEMORIES as well? Oh, great.
Memories are a part of your mind, no? And besides, they provide me with information to make my task that much easier.
Sigh. It seems I shall have to live with you... in my head. So, what does this plan entail? It was then that the two noticed they had not moved at all and were staring at each other blankly during their mental back-and-forth. Dimentio decided to say something.
"Well?" In response, Queen Jaydes looked over the stack of papers. Then she snapped her fingers, in the way one does when one comes upon a sudden solution to a problem.
"Oh, I know where to send you. How about to Merlee's Mansion." she said. Dimentio frowned.
"Merlee's Mansion... why? Wait a minute... Wasn't Mimi there?" he said.
"Yes, exactly! And she lives there now." she said, starting to smile rather menacingly.
"But, she's going to kill me! Are you going to rehabilitate me or just punish me?" Dimentio said, with a tone of desperation in his voice.
"Look, Dimentio, I know what I'm doing. Don't question me. Now, go on, have fun!" she said, and in a flash Dimentio was gone.
"Phew. Now I can guide him without talking to him..."
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Author's Note: And so, we have Chapter Two. Once again, thank you Dimention, and thanks as well to the 33 visitors who read my story. Remember, Chapter 1 was edited!
Please review to give me help.