The rustling of chains echoed against the huge dark eerie stony halls.

"Oh, this dream again?"

It wasn’t the first time she found herself chained in these cold damp halls nor would it be the last, of that she was certain.

The chains weighed heavily upon her as they had after Meteno had revealed to her the truth of her past actions. The truth that she had set her own needs before others, the truth that her actions had caused suffering to others and even risked the lives of Megan Whitmore.

As her thoughts returned to that dark subject the chains grew heavier. The guilt grew heavier. She might have left Team Rocket but the guilt of her actions still chained her tightly to a jail of her own making.

She awaited the ghosts of the past that would come and taunt her each night. Sure her crimes might not have been huge like many others. But they were crimes all the same.

The ghosts did not come.

It felt like hours went by within this dream until something happened. In the distance a large white, yellow and green shape carrying a torch walked with heavy steps toward her. From her seat on the stony cold floor, she felt as each step sent tremors through the ground. And as it came closer she saw how it towered above her, the size of a house if not two, would not have been far off.

The huge white shape came to a halt in front of her. Then with a loud thud it sat down in front of her.The torch it held high illuminating her as she sat there bent forward blue hair hiding her face.

“Come to taunt me?”

No answer.

“Whatever taunts you have come to deliver, voice them now and leave!”

No Answer, only a thoughtful look from its six eyes.

“WHY AREN’T YOU TALKING!” Johanna cried out in frustration.

No Answer.

Johanna began to sob, tears slowly running down her cheeks as she felt the chains growing ever heavier.

The Giant placed the humongous torch gently down by its side, the heat radiating warmth upon Johanna’s cold guilt. It then reached behind itself retrieving an equally big lump of clay placing it in front of Johanna.

“Wha… What?” Johanna looked somewhat in confusion upon what the giant was doing. Tears drying as she did.

The Giant began to chop the clay into smaller pieces. Then it worked each piece into a figure, a statue. each statue surprisingly detailed and formed according to her idealized view of each person.

It didn’t take long before Johanna recognized these idealized statues. And as she did a voice unfamiliar to her spoke from nowhere in particular.

The First Statue to form was one of Ruby Garcia

A friend lost to choices made.

The second figure to form was one of Arashi Akiyama

A family once lost now found

The third Statue to form was one of Isaac Merlo

A friend kept by hands outstretched.

The forth statue to be made was one of Megan Whitmore

A light in the darkness.

“What are you trying to say?” Johanna asked, begged even. Blind to the meaning it was trying to convey.

Mistakes made.

It pointed toward her. Then toward the statues of Ruby, Arashi and Isaac in turn.

Choices made, paths chosen.

Lastly it pointed toward Megan.

A lesson learned. Eyes once shut, now open.

“Yes, yes, I know. I see the error of my ways.” Johanna admittedly felt frustration as the Giant did not offer straight answers.

The Giant looked thoughtful. Then it seemed an idea sprung into its head. It fetched another bit of clay from somewhere behind it and formed yet another statue. This one a direct copy of her as she sat there in front of it, chains and all.

It placed the statue in front of her and pointed to the chains.

Past Chains weigh heavy.

And while the clay was still malleable it stripped the statue of its chains and re-sculpted the statue into one of her standing tall and proud arms outstretched in cheer with a wide bright beaming smile.

Choices of the past can’t be unmade. Consequences yes, but look to the future, let not the chains weigh heavy.

And as the REVELATION dawned upon her she felt her chest grow light. She began to move, to rise, and as she rose the chains fell off of her, the ones around her hands and feet clasped open and joined the others on the stone flooring.

She could not change past mistakes, but to chain herself to the past under the excuse of repentance made her unable to truly look toward the future. This was the REVELATION granted to her by the giant in front of her.

And so an old dark dream ended upon a note of light, ready to usher in a bright future for this world of dreams.

Perhaps she would even wake to remember it?

THEME: Revelation
WORD COUNT: 792

Johanna'sGuiltyConcious