*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 16

Desperation

Jack held the bars, wondering what he'd done to make them throw him in jail, "Was I a criminal before I lost my memory? I wish I knew what was going on!!!" He gave up and sat down by Johnny, "What did we do?" It had been a week since they'd been arrested, and they still had no idea what was going on.

Johnny was holding his head in his hands. He'd been torn away from Kim and Maik, who were being held somewhere else. Ania was with them, so he thought he had an idea how Johnny felt. Johnny slowly looked up, "You didn't do a thing to make them come after us. I did. I was banished from the island. The last time I came here was when Maik was born. They agreed to let me stay until I had my son, then I had to leave. I don't have a clue what they'll do this time..."

"So...I didn't do anything?"

"No, you're fine. The only reason you're in here is because you were with me at the time. Don't worry, they'll let you go."

"But what about you? I don't want to leave unless you're safe too."

Johnny forced out a sigh, "Thanks, but no thanks Jack. You shouldn't get involved in this. You'll just get yourself into deeper trouble. You and Ania will be set free tomorrow. Besides, you have Crystal to worry about. She's got to be worried by now."

Jack smiled, "Nah. I told her what happened. She just laughed and said she thought it was funny. If you think about it, you kinda have to agree with her. We walk in and get arrested for no reason whatsoever, but soon we'll be free again. It's like a big waste of time!"

"For you..."

Jack frowned and nudged his friend, "I told you. I'm not leaving unless you do to. You didn't do a thing wrong."

"I came back!!! I not allowed to come back!!!!!!!"

"But Johnny, this time you came back to help me. You didn't come back for any other reason. What's wrong with that?"

"Johnny Greenwood, you and your associate are to come with me." A white water dragon said as he unlocked the cell door, "The judge wants to hear why you came back before you are to go to court. For your sake, I hope you've got a good story."

Johnny slowly got up, "I owe you, Mark."

The officer leaned closer to Johnny, "It's the least I could do, my friend. I don't want to see you put to the chair. All five of you are going to see the judge." He glanced at Jack, "And I can only hope you all make it out."

Jack followed Johnny to an elevator. They got in and went up to the top floor, where many doors without bars of any kind were standing. A different officer was at one of those doors, leading Kim, Lisa, and Ania out. Maik was still whimpering in Kim's arms, but he no longer looked so frightened. Jack made sure he was walking by Ania as they continued on, "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. What about you?"

"I'm okay so far. I'm not sure what to do..."

"Well, Kim says we don't need to worry." She held Jack's unhurt hand, "I'm not going to leave unless she gets to as well."

Jack gave Ania a small smile, "I told Johnny the same thing." He draped his arm around her shoulders. She held it, leaning into him as they walked. The officer that had brought him and Johnny went ahead and opened a new door. This time, all were told to go in.

Johnny gasped slightly as they went in. He recognized the judge as the one who had banished him in the first place! The officers motioned to five empty chairs, where they all sat. Maik tried to wriggle out of Kim's hands, but this time she held firm. The officers left and closed the door.

"Mr. Greenwood, you know the penalty for coming back."

"Your honor, please, let me explain."

"Exactly what I intend. I expect the absolute truth, as you know. Anything less and your sentance is practically assured."

Johnny flinched and glanced at Jack, "He'll never believe me! Damn it, what should we do?!!!!!!" He gulped and turned back to the judge, "Sir, your honor, my wife and I came back only to help this anthro." He pointed to Jack, "He lost his memory, and we didn't want him coming back here without someone to trust."

"That anthro stole a fairy dragon from the local zoo. Your story isn't helping you much so far, Mr. Greenwood."

"Wait, let me explain. As you know, we live on the larger island. Kim and I have a home with a giant, who has a pet. It's partially the fault of that pet that we are here."

"And that is because?"

"She has this bad habit of jumping on any guests in the house. She hit him so hard that he lost his memory. We call him Jack." Jack sheepishly looked up and gave a tiny wave. Johnny frowned at him and continued, "What happened next is for him to tell."

Jack looked up, shocked. He composed himself quickly and began to speak, "Umm...when we came here, they took me around Wrall city, hoping to help me figure out who I was. Johnny took me to a psychiatrist, where I kind of lost it...I still don't really know why I acted so strangely..."

"Stop stalling and tell me what happened, sir."

Jack shook, then continued, "I ran away...I was on my own in the city, where I found Ania...Johnny found me again and we went to the zoo the next day...a lot of things happened. The day after that, I was supposed to meet them at the train station, but I had woken up early and decided to take a walk. That's where I met Cory...now I'm sure that if I hadn't met him, we wouldn't be here right now. But he asked me if he'd been right to kill some giant anthro. I told him I didn't think so. I put it up there with murder. That was all I said. He caused the rest by making the huge crowd around him chase me. I was desperate, okay?!!!! I ran into the zoo and asked the first fairy dragon I saw if it could help me get away."

"Wait, you asked it?!"

Jack winced, "Yeah, I asked it...I can talk to animals..."

"That's a lie! No one can talk to animals!!!!!"

"No, I swear, I can talk to animals!!! Bring one here and I'll talk to it!! Please, I'm telling the truth! No, I know how I can prove it! I can hear your thoughts too. Think somethng and I'll answer it."

The judge scowled at him, disbelieving.

Jack smiled, "No, I'm not Richard Tyne, and yes, many anthros have mistaken me for him already."

The shocked look on the judge's face said that Jack had given the right answer, "Well..." He cleared his throat, "Continue."

Jack glanced around at everyone, then kept talking, "Anyway, she agreed to take me and we flew to Seashore village. I met Cory's wife there, who by the way is a lot nicer than he is. This cast I'm wearing is because of a fight I had against an animal that attacked there...I know this all sounds crazy, but I swear it is nothing but the truth!!!!"

Jack watched the judge, hoping that he would hear the honesty in his voice. He decided instead to hear what the judge was thinking.

"That anthro is insane! I'll have to send him to the phsychoward!"

Jack gasped, "What?! No, not there!!!! Please, let me stay with Ania!!!!! Don't send me there!!!!!!!!!!!!! I promise I am not making a thing up! PLEASE, YOU MUST BELIEVE ME!!!!!!!!!!!" He had nearly fallen to the floor. It was only because of Ania and Johnny sitting right by him and holding him up that he didn't.The judge backed away, looking confused. He pressed a button on the wall, signaling the guards to come back in and take them away. Jack saw them coming and broke out of Johnny and Ania's hands, "PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't send me there! I am not insane! I beg you!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He ran up by the judge, pleading as hard as he could. The two guards grabbed him, forcing him back. He didn't even feel the pain in his arm as they dragged him backwards, "DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!!!! PLEASE! NO!!!!!!!!!!!" The door slammed shut in front of him, cutting him off from the judge. He kept screaming and pleading as they hauled him back to a cell, this time by himself.