Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 6

Chapter 6: Delicate Minds

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

It had been two days since Thanksgiving as I was in one of the labs of the infirmary wing. Once again, I was enduring yet another scan at the mercy of Kazuo as he was not letting me off the hook just yet. Still, I had to contend with what was put towards me as I was laying on an examination table while a scanner examined my entire body. Even though I endured the worst, I wasn't about to leave yet until I was in the clear, for this examination was starting to become more unbearable than what it was in the long run.

"Your lungs have been slightly filled up with fluid in which you aren't doing too well," said Kazuo.

"I had a feeling that you would say that…," I said.

"Your brother and his squad are out on a hunting mission, but they're also there to aid the relief effort on Claudius in which the region of Krypha had been recently attacked by the Executive Division's forces. Luckily, they were pulled back when the Hunter Corps was stood firm in their fight in which several members of the Drakonar Army have been dispatched over there to survey the damage."

"Minara's gonna love that..."

"Minara is out on a diplomatic mission on Germanicus in which his new position as Elder has its perks, even if Ryosuke had the gall to bend the rules just to get his ass in there."

"There's no end to the Executive Division, is there?"

"With Julilla in charge, that group has been on a much shorter leash in which she uses her talents to show a much more merciless grip on those who go against her."

I remembered Minara's anguish as he swore to get revenge against Julilla for the deaths of his wife and father-in-law four months ago. I understood his pain and misery, but I also hoped that he doesn't go down a darker path as his goal to eliminate Julilla was on top of his list indeed. As for my own predicament, I still suffered from the stress of being isolated under the house arrest four months ago as it wasn't about to go away quietly. I was still a wreck as I was trying not to let my clinical depression get the better of me. I had to fight my innermost dangers as I was scared of what I could encounter next, for this was the worst that I had to deal with.

By the time I was done being examined, I was on ready to leave as I sat up and got off from the examination table. I was tired as I wanted to go back to my room and fall asleep for the rest of the day, but I was barred from doing so the moment I noticed Ginryu approaching. He was concerned about my mental state as he was there to put his foot down in the form of keeping me entertained and away from the dangers of war. He wasn't about to let me slide as he was concerned about what I was suffering from, for he was not about to let me run away so easily.

"You can't just sit and remain in the castle forever, Sam," he said to me. "For a while, you suffered in silence under the constant beatdowns that you suffered from Jethro Braddock just to protect your wife and children from having their honor trampled in the mud. Still, you suffered for a while in which the evidence in your x-rays contribute to what you went through. Even though part of the bruises from your body have healed up, your mind and spirit still has a long way to go in which you should take a break for yourself."

"If I did that, I should have to include Reiko and the children," I said.

"They're sitting on the sidelines right now because they want you to spend a day for yourself right now. Just try and take a walk or maybe go towards Hakuro Hollow for some apples or something. You need to take your mind off of those bad things or else you will never be able to fight your way through. It's better than suffering in silence and it will be better if you did so, for it's not healthy for you to just dwell on the bad things that appear in front of you. Besides, you're more than enough and you should also love yourself more in order to appreciate what you truly have from the inside out."

"This is a travesty!"

I heard a familiar voice yell as I saw Braddock storming into the room. Anger filled her up as she was not too happy with me for not going out there to help those in need. At that moment, I stood still as I was shaking with fear in which it scared me to death. I wanted to flee, but Braddock was making it difficult for me to be in the room, for I couldn't take much of her anger for much longer.

"You're making the savior shirk his duties again, aren't you, Ginryu Ashizoka?!" I heard her yell as she was not budging. "We need him to stay here or else we lose our dignity under the yoke of the Executive Division altogether!"

"Sam's been through enough already," he said. "Right now, he needs to take some time off for a while just to go on the dirt roads for a walk to clear his head."

"'Clear his head?!' We're in the middle of a war here and you want the savior to go somewhere to let off some steam?! He needs to be on board or else more innocent people will die! There's already been some casualties on Claudius and the Elder who succeeded Lentulus Varus is up to his knees wallowing in sewage because of this!"

"I've had enough of this!" I yelled as I was ready to go out the door.

"You sit your ass down, Sam Winchester! I know about how much you shirk your responsibilities and it hurts so badly. Here's some of your greatest hits: getting banished on Gehenna when the Wendigo attack; running away to Shiganshina for six months, and even fleeing to Essos to escape the danger when General Wetzel came after you in the first place! Too many have died because of your mistakes, Sam! Too many lives have died for nothing all because of what you did to get away from what you were supposed to be! Are you willing to pull your weight or are you willing to shirk your responsibilities just to cause more to suffer?! Make the choice, Sam! Make it or else we all lose this war that the Executive Division had wrought!"

Without warning, I felt a tight squeezing in my chest as I fell onto the floor. I felt the pain of it all flaring up as it was all too much for me right now, for I wanted it all to go away. With Kazuo helping me onto the examination table, he saw what was wrong with me as his worst fears were confirmed at last. He didn't want me to suffer too much as he glared at Braddock with a hint of disdain towards her, for he wasn't too happy with her for causing the calamity that I suffered from.

"How could you do this to him?" he said as he was defending me while standing up against Braddock. "You're cut from the same cloth as your slimy son and yet you bully and badger my patient by forcing him to go out on the battlefield while his mental state is in tatters!"

"Don't you try and make a fool out of me, Kazuo Mitani!" she yelled. "I'm here because I won't let Sam shirk his duties like he did before on Shiganshina and Essos!"

"His mental state is in dire need of repair since you and your little friends subjected him to being isolated from his family in that one room for four months. He hasn't even tried to go anywhere no thanks to you and the other squatters. As for what's been going on so far, I'm putting my foot down because I'm here to stay after the main headquarters was destroyed here. Now, if you excuse me, I suggest that you let Sam do as he pleases or else you'll be in the same place where your son is and the Citadel of Silence does not take things lightly when it deals with the worst in any planetary army imaginable, you got that?"

"You think that encouraging Sam to sit on the sidelines can help, but his hinderance brings more harm than good!"

"He needs that time to clear his head, Meredith," said Ginryu. "Therefore, he's in dire need of some time alone before he gets back into the swing of things."

"We gave him time alone so he would be calm and quiet! What you and Kazuo are doing is enabling him to shirk his duties as the savior while most of our forces are dying on the battlefield. You know that this can't go on because we can't let our fellow men and women suffer the consequences of this constant negligence!"

"The Alecrian Army and others have been busting their asses just to keep the galaxy safe and you think that sending Sam out there with his fractured mental state is a great idea?" said Kazuo as he was getting fed up with Braddock's behavior. "Your idea of allowing him free time by keeping him isolated in that same room without any comfort of my great niece and the children they're raising has damaged him in many ways than one already. He needs to heal the right way or else he'll end up in that deplorable Helgaard Citadel on Efrafa. Your methods can't continue and it's getting old, so I suggest that you get your head out of your ass and give Sam some space, you got that?!"

It wasn't long until Braddock stormed out of the room as Kazuo had his say into defending me at the last minute. He meant it by putting his foot down as he wasn't letting the disgraced marshal even try to keep me put in isolation for the rest of my days. I was grateful that the Medic General of the Medical Corps intervened on my behalf as I sat up and was ready to take a little time for myself. I was elated that I was taking some time alone for a bit, but I had to set my own curfew by the time dinner started up afterwards. By the time I got off from the examination table, I was ready to go further as I left the infirmary wing and going towards the floor I was heading to. When I reached the elevator, I stepped into it as I was taking my time to get to the floor I was going to. When the elevator stopped, I stepped out of it as I went to my old room in which I found it to have a desk complete with filing cabinets that have been earmarked for the Medical Corps. My worst fear was confirmed as the room that Reiko and I stood in had been converted into an office for Kazuo.

Leaving the room, I went towards the elevator as I took it to the floor where my new room was. When I got out of the elevator, I walked towards the same room I was kept in for four months as it was furnished with mine and Reiko's things in it. Even though I never paid any attention to the rest of it other than the futon and table, I noticed something that I never expected to see as I saw Reiko coming with some of our decorations in a box the moment she set them down on the floor. When she opened up the door to what was to be the closet, I noticed it to be a large walk-in as it had most of our things on coat hangers that were put up nicely. There was even a shelf with shoes and boots as I never expected to see something emerge out of a bad thing before.

"It pains me to say that our room will be sorely missed," I said.

"Uncle Kazuo wanted our old room so he can put his things in there," said Reiko.

"In the past four months, I never expected to see a walk-in closet in here before, but I'm most likely to be using this room for the rest of my days."

"It's not all, Sammy." I see Reiko walking towards another door as she opened it up to reveal a bathroom in it with all the trimmings. "You should've paid attention more to what you were into after I discovered it. This is amazing in which the bathtub is much bigger than the one in the bathroom next door to our old room."

I entered into the bathroom as I saw it to be a hidden gem within the room I was put in for the past four months. It was a private oasis for me and Reiko as it was something that had a greater feel than anything else. By the time I got a look at the bathtub, it was bigger as I noticed it to have water jets attached to it. I also noticed a shower that was bigger than the one in the bathroom two floors below, but it was a godsend to have this plain and simple. By the time I left the bathroom, I was out in the interior of the room as I hugged Reiko warmly. I was glad to have a hidden gem within the room I was confined in as it was the best thing that ever happened in a long time.

"I thought that I would be confined in here forever, but this room I was kept in has more things in it than anything," I said. "It's different, but it's sad that our old room now belongs to Kazuo."

"Sammy, you shouldn't worry too much," said Reiko. "Besides, you should be having time for yourself a little more."

"But what about you? I worry about you so much in which you need to be protected from harm."

"I'm fine; all you need to do is to worry about your own health. Besides, it's a clear day and there's no chance of snow falling right now, so there's a walk to take after all."

"But Reiko…-"

"No buts, Sammy. You can't just be cooped up in here forever." I see Reiko feeling at the baby bump that protruded from her dress. "The Medical Corps are here and it's best that they're here to help us while they stay at this castle. Please, get some fresh air, alright?"

I could never say no to Reiko as I had no other choice but to make the best of what was put in front of me. Still, I may have been given a huge reprieve, but I also had to be wary of Braddock and her retaliatory stance against me for not doing my duty, for this wasn't over yet…

Kazuo was in our old room as it was his office to start with. With plenty of reports of incoming patients that were injured on the battlefield, he was busy as he had some fresh files that were ready to be filled into the already swollen file cabinets that he had at his disposal. By the time he was about to be finished, he saw the door opening up as he noticed Reuben arriving with some extra reports in his hands. Still, the Medical Corps was busy with plenty of reports as it was getting much harder to tend to the wounded both in and out of the battlefield.

"There's no end to this mess, is there?" said Reuben as he placed the files on Kazuo's desk.

"There never is…," he said.

"Recently, there were reports of enemy soldiers from the Executive Division in which an Atreidian platoon spotted them near the town of Alcestis, which is a cultural sight that was recognized by the Galactic Historic Preservation Society. Luckily, a platoon of Alecrian forces led by General Thorndike have thwarted their attack, but there are casualties that were getting intense in this time of war."

"Inform Ginryu that a squad of the Cross Corps must be deployed in order to protect the allied forces on Atreides. There should also be a squad from the Medical Corps to help tend to the sick and injured, along with burying the dead after they had fallen in battle."

"If the Executive Division wants to pick a fight with the rest of us…," Reuben shows of the Winchester sigil that is tattooed near his left shoulder. "then we should be cautious if there are non-corporeal demons crawling all over the place. We can't go in there half-cocked because of the fact that our enemies are still out there causing terror. Believe me, I was possessed by a demon, but I can't let that happen to me again."

"I already know of that tattoo you have, but that sigil is known to protect those from demonic possession, but not from angelic beckoning. As for what Julilla's forces are doing, they've already got the help from the Toller Family's second branch just to crank out more of Darbus' leftovers just to attack innocent bystanders in their way. General Wetzel started this war just to use Sam as a weapon, but it goes a little deeper than that. The Executive Division is playing with fire and the puppeteer who started this is hiding in plain sight to fight with the Father of Murder."

"You're talking about Cain, aren't you?"

"The battle against Cain and Ailnoth must be prevented or else we lose altogether. Both demons are Knights of Hell, but they bear a grudge against one another and they won't stop until one of them is dead. The battle between demons is similar to the battle between Michael and Lucifer. We can't let this fight commence or else we all fall in a much bigger chasm than normal. As for the Destiny of Worlds, they must be secured at all costs. Even though Sam is ready to take a walk wherever he pleases, he can't be alone or else there will be consequences, is that clear?"

"And what of Sam, on the other hand?"

"I have just the trick to entice him to go towards something to get his mind off of what's going on so far..." Kazuo gets out an envelope from the mail as he opens it up and gets out a raffle ticket. "It's a free all-expenses paid trip to the Golden Tiger Resort on Tezuka, which is a good call. Sooner or later, it'll be put to good use when I convince Sam to focus on curbing his mental state on the sly."

Reuben remembered how I was as I suffered from the mental trap that Rodney Grellis used with his x-eye as he didn't want me to suffer from further danger. He also didn't want me to collapse under the pressure as he was aware of the mental state that I endured after being under house arrest for four months. It was something that he didn't want me to go through as he couldn't allow any of the squatters to bully me any further, for I had to be sane if I was about to go up against those who caused terror among the innocent. By the time Kazuo and Reuben left the office, they were on their way downstairs as they noticed Reiko standing in the elevator. Getting out of it, she was still careful of her pregnancy as she clutched onto her stomach which was protruding from her dress.

"You shouldn't be up and about in your condition, Reiko," said Kazuo. "It's not fit for both you and what you bear."

"I know what I bear, but I wanted to talk to you about how Sammy was feeling," she said.

"We know all about it, Reiko," said Reuben. "I also assessed how his mental state got so messed up in the first place."

"He was in that room for four months, but he didn't notice the walk-in closet and interior bathroom until now. Still, he feels scared to death about how that awful woman keeps coming back just to force him into the field while he suffers from the inside."

"I have a much better motive in mind," said Kazuo as he fishes out the golden raffle ticket in his hand. "It's a free all-expenses paid weekly vacation at the Golden Tiger Resort on Tezuka. It's the best thing for him, but he can't resist this anytime soon."

"He'll bring us with him, but I won't let him right now. He's been through enough stress already, so we can't go. Besides, the children have school and I have to rest up with what I have inside me. I'm having a boy and a girl that can be added with the first set of twins, so there's plenty of love to go around. In the end, I hope Sammy uses this time for himself so he can function a little better..."

Reiko was hopeful that I would accept this decision after I came back from my walk. With the main reason for me to take some time off for myself, it was a great improvement to prevent me from having a breakdown as it was about time that I did so, for it might or might not be worth it when it would soon come towards me soon enough...

I was outside as I was dressed in my winter clothing with a pair of boots and Reiko's scarf that she made me. The short trek from the castle to the town was something that got my mind off of what I went through as I was walking in the path that had snow covering the trees. The walk itself was proven to be benificial for me, but I had a gut feeling that Braddock would be watching in the distance. The thought of her following me around unnerved my senses as I had to watch my back at all times. I was dreading this form or retaliation from the marshal as she was someone who still missed Jethro, who was serving his sentence in the Citadel of Silence on Cirith Ungol. Still, I didn't let it get to me as I was enjoying my walk for a while.

I was happy as I decided to take a long walk towards a strange trail that was vague to me. Going on that trail itself, I followed it as I saw something familiar still standing while covered in snow from the top and bottom. It was the bus stop where I first met Reiko as I cleared the snow from the bench and sat down. It was both nostalgia and joy for me as I was there to reminisce what I had lost in a long time now, for I was happy that I found something that was familiar to me at last. I wanted to tell Reiko all about it as I was ready to get back home to tell her. Just as I was about to do so, I heard some footsteps approaching as I turned around to see Braddock coming my way. I didn't want to deal with her as I managed to hide myself in a snowbank with the help of my silver hair covering up the rest. It was an illusion that I never did before as it was that of a rock. When Braddock approached the bus stop, she never noticed the rock before as she was getting suspicious about it, for she had a feeling that I would be there hiding in the distance.

"I know where you're hiding, Sam," she said. "You don't fool me one bit."

There was no answer as I continued to remain in my illusion that I made.

"You can't shirk your duties forever, you know! I know that you can't be coddled by the likes of Ginryu Ashizoka or Kazuo Mitani. Therefore, no one else will die on your watch after all that has happened. If you even try to 'clear your head,' then there goes your family and close friends along with the townsfolk in Kanto Village! Do you want their blood on your hands of do you want to stick to the course in front of you?!" Braddock was getting angrier as she was about to yell at any second in order to bring me out of hiding. "MAKE YOUR CHOICE!"

I didn't let myself be given away as I was firm in the snow. What I didn't expect was that someone else was coming as Braddock was not about to throw in the towel for trying to flush me out. She was determined to keep me in line against my wishes as she had her reasons to do so, but she spotted Reuben coming towards her in which she was standing next to the bus stop. He was aware of Braddock's intentions of trying to send me onto the battlefield in such a fractured mental state as he was wanting to steer her away from the bus stop and away from what was in front of her, for he had a gut feeling that I was in danger.

"Where are you, Sam?!" she yelled. "I know that you're hiding somewhere while many more innocent people are dying left and right at the hands of the Executive Division!"

"Sam's not over here," said Reuben.

"I saw his footprints here and I won't let him shirk his duties as the savior!"

"Let me remind you that Sam's mental state isn't up to par, so knock it off!"

"You're on the same level as your superior, aren't you…, Reuben Winchester!"

"If you think that you can jerk my half-brother around like that, then you'll get another thing coming if you don't back off, so I suggest that you leave him alone!"

"You don't get it! You just don't get it at all! We need Sam on the field or else we'll never win this war! You think that you can keep him from us in our time of need, but you're wrong! His raw power is vital to our cause and-"

At that moment, Braddock felt a snowball hit her as it crumpled onto her winter coat. Turning around, she saw another one hit her face as she noticed the one who was throwing them. It was Dvora as she was there to report towards the Order's makeshift headquarters as she had a snowball in her hand, for she wasn't too fond with Braddock dogging me every second.

"How dare you assault me with those things?!" she cried as she was getting more angrier than normal. "You're all the same with keeping Sam coddled and enabled when we needed him the most!"

"Don't get the wrong idea, you old bag," said Dvora as she wasn't afraid of Braddock's anger. "You think that you can just cause Sam a guilt trip, but you've been warned by both Central 46 and the head honcho of the Order himself. Don't make it all much worse, will you?"

"How dare you talk down to me, Dvora Trelundar?! How dare you try to-"

It wasn't long until Dvora threw the snowball at Braddock as she was not about to let her cause trouble for me. Like her sister, she was part of the Order as she was also there to make sure that I wasn't under the microscope of misery coming from the marshal who was having her pride bruised in the form of snowballs. At that moment, Braddock had enough as she backed off for now, for it was a defeat that could never be taken lightly. With Reuben watching, he was aware of what he saw as he wasn't the only one who can stand up to Braddock and her inflammatory rhetoric of bringing me back in such a damaged state. It wasn't long until I emerged from the illusion that I made as I was standing firm, for I was free to roam for a little while longer.

"It seems that the old bag has left the building," said Dvora.

"Braddock may dog me every step of the way, but she has a point," I said. "I have been shirking my duties to help people, but their priorities come first."

"Priorities? What about your mental state?" said Reuben as he was concerned about my health.

"Braddock was right the whole time… I am needed to win this war and-"

"Your mental state is your top priority, Sam! The rest of us can manage into looking after those in need, alright?! Now, if you don't mind, you need to get home so that Reiko doesn't worry right now."

"Reuben's right," said Dvora. "It's high time that you focus on yourself for a little bit. The rest is up to us, so there's no need to worry right now. And another thing, you can't just have the whole galaxy on your shoulders right now because you need a lot more than just the support from those around you. You need to focus and believe in yourself and that's all that matters, are we good?"

I reluctantly agreed as I was ready to go back home. With the fresh snow falling from the sky, I had to make it quick as I saw the sun going down in the form of an early dusk. Even though I was about to be on my way, I felt alarmed by Braddock's words from earlier as they had some clarity of what was really going on, for I had to heed the call or else more will suffer.

"Too many have died because of your mistakes, Sam! Too many lives have died for nothing all because of what you did to get away from what you were supposed to be! Are you willing to pull your weight or are you willing to shirk your responsibilities just to cause more to suffer?! Make the choice, Sam! Make it or else we all lose this war that the Executive Division had wrought!"

I was feeling guilty about not doing much as I had no choice but to heed the call or else face another onslaught of Braddock's nasty rhetoric towards me. All I wanted to do right now is to go back home and think it through as I was most likely to be having the say of others trump my own decisions. I had no other choice but to obey what was told to me as I saw a squad from the Cross Corps getting ready to go towards Atreides as planned. Still, I had to do my part as I had no other choice but to do as what was put in front of me, for I had to do this before I got put under the microscope again. Just as I was about to follow the squad from the Cross Corps, I was stopped by Kazuo as he was not about to let me fall further, for he wasn't about to let me pass after what I heard from Braddock earlier.

"Get out of my way, Kazuo!" I yelled.

"Not until you go and find yourself more confidence first!" he yelled.

"I have to go and do my part into helping everyone win this war or else more casualties will be on my hands! It can't continue and you know it, so I suggest that you back away and let me pass!"

"You think that you have what it takes to do your part in this war with your mental state in tatters, but think again! You may have that raw power in your head, but you can't just go into a battlezone half-cocked for no reason!"

"I can't shirk my responsibilities again, Kazuo! I have to fix things or else more will suffer because of my hinderance! I can't do that again! I can't just sit there and do nothing right now!"

"You're doing something, alright, and it starts with yet another vacation to go to." I see Kazuo fish out a raffle ticket as it had gold foil all over it. "You just won a free week at the Golden Tiger Resort on Tezuka and it's a keeper just to allow you to reflect on your mental state. You should at least have more time for yourself instead of suffering the consequences of not being there most of the time because that's our job into doing that."

"I would want this, but I can't accept this offer… Braddock was right the whole time when I was holding myself back when many innocent people were dying and I can't do that again!"

I saw Kazuo coming towards me with the raffle ticket in his hand. He wasn't about to let me slide as he was ready to give me the ticket that I didn't want. I was ready to leave, but Kazuo was quicker as he was on top of me while I was trying to shake him off. Still, I was fighting him head-on as I felt him knocking me into the snow. I was flat on my face as I was struggling to get out of Kazuo's strong grasp until I saw him unclench my hand and shoved the raffle ticket into it. By the time he got off from me, he saw me get up on my feet as I was stuck with the raffle ticket in my hand, for I never wanted it in the first place.

"Don't even try to throw away that ticket, Sam," said Kazuo as he saw me trying to discard what was in my hand. "Your mental state depends on it because of the fact that you can't just go on the battlefield in that dangerous decision that you were going to make."

"And you want me to spend time at a swanky resort instead of fighting in this ongoing war?" I said.

"It's better than having you suffer from a mental breakdown right now, so I suggest that you keep that raffle ticket and hold it tight. Trust me; this weekly getaway will help you grasp with what you need the most."

"If I'm going, then I'm bringing Reiko and the children with me. There's no point that excludes them from this and I'll make sure that they have a good time while we're there."

"Reiko was the one who insisted after all those times you were isolated in that deplorable room for four months straight and you need to focus or else you'll suffer dearly."

"Reiko..."

"She would've came with you, but she needs rest due to the pregnancy that she has. As for the children, they're thriving again in which your half-brother is determined to have them safe with all the help from the Medical Corps. You need time for yourself and it's best that you soak in the sights before you go completely insane, are we good?"

I agreed with Kazuo as I was looking at the ticket in my hands. It was an opportunity that I couldn't refuse as I was most likely to be going on a weekly trip without Reiko or the children with me. I was suckered into going towards the Golden Tiger Resort as I was most likely to be on my way to see what was there, for I was looking forward to it, but there could be problems on the sly…

Braddock was on her way back into the castle grounds as she was not too happy with what she went through with the snowball barrage she suffered from. When she saw me and Kazuo going back towards the gate, she was ready to pounce as she was not too happy with me for ignoring her words of caution. We were in for a fight at the front as we had a gut feeling that Braddock was not pulling any punches when it came to reminding me of my missed opportunities that I walked away from.

"What the hell were you thinking, Kazuo?!" she yelled. "I know of how you won that raffle ticket to the Golden Tiger Resort on Tezuka, but you gave it to Sam just to keep him out of his responsibilities for aiding us in the war effort!"

"Leave him out of it, Braddock!" I yelled as I was defending Kazuo. "He has his reasons to allow me to get away from my old predicament, so I suggest that you back off!"

"If you leave for your weekly vacation, then you'll find it difficult to return home. By the time you come back home, everyone here will end up in body bags for your negligence!"

"I don't like putting harm towards women, but I feel like pushing you to the ground if you don't leave me alone!"

"Do that and you'll be hit with a felony! Now, give me the raffle ticket or else I'll report your ass to the Review Board and they really keep a short leash on those who slack off on the job!" I show Braddock the ticket as I was ready to give it to her on the spot. "Now that's what I call obedience for someone who's a member of the Order. Still, I won't let you slack off again when we're all dying to keep the galaxy safe, so I suggest that you get back to your post like a good-"

At that moment, I saw Ginryu approaching as he wasn't too happy with Braddock trying to ruin my chances to heal up and to take charge with what was put in front of me. He was putting his foot down as he was getting fed up with the marshal who was using the savior card to keep me pinned for no reason. He was not about to fall victim to Braddock's wrath as he had enough of what she was spewing towards me and those in my inner circle. It was also the last and final straw to throw at the angry marshal as he had enough of what she was doing to entice me to go to battle with such a fractured mental state that I had.

"You can't just force Sam into going on the battlefield with his mental state being shredded," he said.

"Our people need him and the raw power that he possesses!" yelled Braddock.

"Sending someone with a fractured mental state is no different than sending an injured racehorse to run all over the tracks. You can't just do that to someone with mental problems and it's not healthy for Sam to be put through much worse than what was done to him, so I suggest that you back off before you end up in the same place as your son."

"This isn't over, Ginryu Ashizoka! Sooner or later, you'll regret your decision by keeping Sam on the sidelines and it won't end there! There's a higher power that literally demands for him to be there or else we'll all suffer with severe consequences in mind!"

"That's enough, Braddock!" I yelled as I didn't want Ginryu to be bogged down by her inflammatory words. "You know of the risks in which my mental state is not what you expect it to be! You think that you can belittle those who are trying their hardest to keep me from going insane, but your timing has crossed the line! I won't be bogged down by your crap any longer because I have better things to do right now like repairing my mental state!"

"You better watch your mouth, Sam Winchester, or else I'll-"

"You'll do what, exactly? Spank me?! You and your cohorts have done a lot worse to me more than any other that has been under house arrest for four months and I've gotten tired of all your crap! I've tolerated the invasion of privacy, the insults, and the constant beatdowns that your son stowed onto me just to keep him from sullying the honor of my family and servants! I've grown weary of being confined and my family is giving me the chance to repair my mental state that is needed first more than anything, is that clear to you?! And another thing, you're not gonna tell me what to do anymore because I'll abide by the advice of Ginryu and those who are closest to my friends and family!"

"You'll regret this, Sam Winchester, mark my words!"

"I will not be the butt of your attacks any longer, Braddock! You either respect my decision or else you can kiss your military career goodbye!"

It wasn't long until we all saw Braddock leave as I was safe from further scrutiny. I finally put my foot down as I got fed up with the marshal's ongoing tirade towards me for not being there for my friends and family in times of need. I couldn't let her rhetoric get to me as I had to maintain my mental sanity just to get by. I stood firm into making sure that I had to take care of myself first before doing the rest. It was a win-win situation that kept me from going off the deep end as I couldn't let all that negative rhetoric get to me right now, for this was something that I had to hold onto in the long run…

Later on in the evening, I was in the same room again, but I was enjoying my bath in the interior bathroom that was found earlier. After all that had happened, I was happy to put my foot down as I couldn't deal with going up against Braddock for the rest of my days. While I was busy enjoying the feel of the water jets that were in there, I noticed a familiar face appearing out of nowhere as she wasn't too happy with me for not adhering to Braddock's reasons to keep me grounded. It was Miriam as she wasn't about to let me go off the hook yet, for she was ready to attack me for the direct disobedience that was caused to sully Braddock's honor for no reason.

"You should've obeyed Braddock instead of criticizing and belittling her," she said as she was angry with me. "The past four months of you being under house arrest was the only way to keep you put for your own good and going out and about is also putting your life at risk!"

"Braddock had it coming and you know it, Miriam," I said. "She kept me in the same room for four months, only because she thinks that it's all for the 'greater good' in her opinion."

"You don't know the whole story of Braddock's plight, do you, Sam? She didn't just lose her second husband, but her daughter as well… at the hands of Darbus Toller himself! It was that servant who served the Chieftain of Doitsu in which she lost her life when that bastard killed her in order to release the Nazgul from their prison! As for her granddaughter, she's in hiding from everyone in which she's already married to the young Chieftain to honor the memory of what was lost!"

"I didn't know of this until now…, but it still doesn't change a damn thing about me staying on the sidelines due to my mental state. There are others who are fit enough to carry the burden with me, for I'm not alone with this..."

"Keep standing on the sidelines and you'll end up being further alone." Miriam got closer towards me as she meant business to keep me in check. "If you ever defy your keeper again, I will turn you into dust, is that clear, Sam? The Second Galvanic Uprising has gone on for the past five months and hasn't ceased not-"

"Leave him alone, Miriam," said Reiko as she was standing behind her. "He may not know of Braddock's plight, but he can't do everything all at once."

"Have it your way then, but this isn't over! Sam must be put on the battlefield or else the Executive Division will cause this galaxy to fall. This can't go on and you can't just sit by and let more innocent people die at the hands of that bitch, Julilla, and her followers. Sooner or later, you will heed the call whether you like or not, for you will always be needed."

At that moment, Miriam vanished without a trace as her warning was clear for a reason. When Reiko saw me stunned in the bathtub, she was concerned about my well-being as she didn't want me to suffer much worse. She wanted me to stay strong as I saw her clutch at my hand in which she didn't want me to go down the deep end, for my mental state was hanging by a thread already.

"I should've been there to Doitsu, Reiko," I said. "I should've gone in and saved that-"

"Sammy, it wasn't your fault," she said. "We were at home with our friends and family defending Kanto Village and that is all. In the end, Darbus Toller had it coming when he was killed in space, but you can't let his crimes get the better of you. Shigeru even told you to do one thing and that is always keep fighting and that is something that you need to live by, alright?"

"I may not carry other burdens alone, but I have friends and family that can do that. Braddock may keep fuming about me for not doing much, but I know for a fact that I have everyone here because family will always have your back."

"I see what you mean, but most of the time, you put us first before you. It's time that you do the same with yourself, alright?"

I agreed with Reiko as I wasn't about to let myself fall under the surface with so much that had came and went. As for what I would do next, I had to tread carefully as I had a gut feeling that my convalescence in the form of a weekly vacation at the Golden Tiger Resort on Tezuka would end up interrupted if things went bad, for I had no other choice but to deal with what was put in front of me for a reason. Still, I couldn't let it get to me as I had to repair my mental state first, for it was the first step that I needed to do in this time of crisis...

To be continued...