JP - Bronte gets through it

“It’s okay, Bella, they’re here to help you.” Bronte said, touching her shoulder. “I’m going too.”

Bella only tightened her arms around his leg and whimpered loudly. She was not going to leave her new master.

“I think she wants to stay with you, Bronte.” Delilah said, watching.

“I know.” Bronte said, patting her head. “C’mon, Bella.”

Bella would not move until Bronte did, so it took a bit to get her onto a small cart of some kind that allowed him to easily push it. Delilah merely smiled at the girl. “She’s very attached to you, huh?”

“Yeah.” Bronte sighed. “I don’t think she’s used to people being nice to her. She did try to help me escape from… her.” Bronte’s voice shook as he referred to Coral.

“Who is this her, Bronte?” Delilah asked with concern laced in her voice. They reached a specialized truck and she helped both Bronte and Bella get inside. The men packed the cart in the back and went about making sure the truck was good for driving. They were obviously being extra cautious.

"She could turn into water. Control water. She… did things." Bronte shuddered.

Delilah frowned and pulled Bronte and Bella into a hug as she sat with them in the back. “Well, she won’t touch you ever again, Bronte.”

Tears ran down Bronte’s face as he looked at his feet.

Delilah felt her heart breaking for Bronte…

When they arrived, Delilah helped both Bronte and Bella get to a room where they would not be disturbed often. “Want me to get Frisk or a male doctor to check on you?” She asked, not wishing to assume.

Bronte flushed. “Maybe a male doctor for me… Bella’s hurt too.”

Bella whined and hugged Bronte tightly, which wasn’t really all that tight considering how small and weak she was at this point.

“I’ll have Frisk come see her when she has a chance, but for now, I’ll have a male doctor tend to you. He’s a very kind man. Patient. Just be honest with him, okay?” Delilah insisted.

Bronte nodded, awkwardly patting Bella on the back.

Bella whimpered as Delilah left and looked up at Bronte. The male doctor would soon knock on the door and ask if it was okay to enter.

“Uh, come in.” Bronte said nervously.

The male doctor stepped into the room and gave Bronte a nod. “I was told to examine you and take care of any injuries you may have. Also, Delilah has suggested you see a therapist or psychiatrist for what happened.” He explained, taking note of how Bella still clung to Bronte.

“Okay.” Bronte whispered. He tightened his shoulders.

A concerned look passed over the doctor’s face before he got to work, being very gentle and careful not to do more than Bronte was willing to allow. Any time he got uncomfortable, the doctor would stop and wait. He was very patient.

Bronte did not say much as the doctor examined and treated him. He mostly just closed his eyes, tightened his jaw and got through it.

Seeing his discomfort, Bella gently took Bronte’s hand and squeezed it to remind him that he was not alone. There was someone here for him, even if she was just a dog.

Bronte opened his eyes and looked gratefully at Bella. He could not look at the doctor.

Once done, the doctor set down a bottle of medication. “This is an antibiotic for you. I don’t want any of your wounds getting infected.” He explained.

Bella looked up at Bronte and smiled, tail starting to wag.

“And this is pain medicine for her,” The doctor continued as he set down a smaller bottle.

“Thanks, Doctor.” Bronte said, picking up the bottle. He looked at Bella in concern. “She’ll be okay?”

“She should be, but she needs to stay off that leg of hers, okay?” The doctor said, gently brushing some of Bella’s hair out of her face. “She’s shockingly well behaved…I do worry about her mental state, though.”

“She hasn’t talked, hasn’t said a single word.” Bronte said.

“That could be due to how she was raised in MegaCorp.” The doctor was gentle as he looked around on Bella’s neck and shoulders, spotting a little number tattooed into the back of her neck. “Shit…”

"What's wrong?" Bronte asked, worried.

“I recognize the numbers of her ID code on her neck. They only did this to metas in a…” The doctor took in a deep breath to keep calm. Letting it out, he got to his feet. “She’s been trained and raised as a literal dog due to the program they put her in. I need to speak with Miss Leimomi about this. Will you keep a close eye on her for me?” He gestured to Bella.

"Of course." Bronte said, looking at Bella in pity.

The doctor nodded and left.

Bella looked at Bronte and gave a quick happy bark at him.

Bronte sat down and watched Bella. “Can you speak a single word?” He asked her.

Bella barked again and shook her head, ears falling back in shame. At least she understood words…

Bronte sighed, wondering what MegaCorp did to this dog girl to keep her from speech.

Bella gently tugged on his sleeve, smiling up at him as her tail kept wagging. With that movement, she caused part of her shirt to lift and it revealed long lashes along the skin of her stomach and back, a sign of exactly what she went through to become what she was.

“Bastards…” Bronte said sadly.

Bella’s ears twitched in confusion and she nuzzled into Bronte, laying down next to him.

"Why are people so cruel?" Bronte asked Bella, starting to cry.

The moment Bella heard him crying, she nuzzled into Bronte again and whimpered. She wished there was a way she could make him feel better.

Bronte wrapped an arm around Bella and quietly wept.

Hugging him, Bella tried to be a comfort the best she could until Bronte finally fell asleep. When he did, she would slowly slip out of the bed and go wandering around. She would slowly make her way outside and look around…but never came back.

When Bronte woke up, Bella was gone. He did not worry at first, she was free to go where she wished. He got out of bed and went looking.