Although he was powerless he still had the will to live, he immersed himself in the sprawling expanses of corridors where he momentarily lost the owl. He hid behind a chest and rip a piece of his clothes, and with a bit of blood he borrowed from somewhere unknown he wrote in it "The owl is playing with you, survive with fear and face it with courage and only then can you uncover your inner spirit."
He cut a small peeking whole into one spot of the chest, but being careful not to make too much noise. The chest was empty so this implies it had already been looted, but hey! There's quite a big elephant in the room.
Where is he?
Why did he hide in a chest? (Again)
And why is he writing a letter?
ཐི ྐ𝔅𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪ཋྀ
(Victor's POV)
Sipping a cup of coffee, Rigel sat on deck chair enjoying the scenery by the lake but out of the blue his dad opened the door to stop by.
"What is it dad." He asked him, unbothered to even greet him.
"Nothing, thought I'd just stop by and spend some quality time with my son." Victor Replied.
"Pondering on some deck chairs is quality time now huh?"
"Hah, yeah right that's a good one there Rigel. But seriously, I don't think I spend enough time with you, I don't want to make my son feel left out that's all."
"Why are you here dad?" Rigel asked disgruntledly.
"Nothing, it's just that-"
"I know you wanna talk about something, come on spill it out." Rigel arrogantly cut him off mid-speech.
"Ok... It's just that I found something wrong, is something bothering you my son? It's just that you've been a little off lately, and as your father I wanted to confront you about it."
"You're not even my real dad, plus, I think you already know why I'm bothered."
Rigel stormed off into his room, and Victor let out a sigh.
"Why must kids be so difficult?"
As he started pondering, he heard a little creak from the door. Xavier stepped out nervously chuckling while scratching the back of his head.
"I came at a pretty bad time did I? Hahaha..... Okaaayyyy... Am I screwed?"
"No it's fine Xavier, you can feel free to tell me what the matter is."
"Auto still hasn't come back, and it's already afternoon." Xavier told Victor.
"Hm, he's a peculiar kid, he probably knows what he's doing. Report back to me if he still doesn't come back till dusk." He instructed before heading off to the living room.
"Yes... Sir..." My god is this family strange.
Chucking down a cup of coffee he rested on the sofa, while pondering deeply.
'Man, I don't know how to deal with teenagers. I just can't, my kid doesn't seem to be listening to be. Is this his rebellious phase? Or maybe his emo phase? I don't know jack shit about kids, I don't even got a wife man dang it!'
He sat there pondering for an hour or two, Rigel got out of his room freshly woken up in pajamas. Quickly, he noticed his dad and began avoiding eye contact.
"So... How's sleep?"
"Not now dad, I'm brushing my teeth before running my shift."
This kid has work ethic.
"Mind relaxing for a bit? Maybe we could talk?" Victor offered.
"Dad, I thought I already made it clear. Auto is your favorite right? Everyone hates me and Auto overshadows me in every way, you were never there to stop people from insulting me. You never asked me how I was, how I felt about you having another kid and giving all the attention to him! This is y-"
"RIGEL SILENCE!"
Rigel was in shock, and began to lower his voice.
"I'M TRYING TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU, WHY ARE YOU JEALOUS OF YOUR BROTHER? ALSO DON'T YOU DARE SHOUT AT ME YOU'RE BEING DISRESPECTFUL TO YOUR OWN FATHER, STOP GIVING THE THAT ATTITUDE."
"You don't know what it's like dad... You really DON'T!" With blind rage is knocked over a tabletop and threw it over the counter.
Victor was appalled by this child's reckless enacting, scolded him and said "To you room now!"
Rigel didn't take it lightly shouted and replied.
"You never defended me, you watch for Auto all the time. Can't you understand how it feels? Everybody hates me, they think I'm some sort of monster, and you don't even bother to stop them. But when Auto came here, you celebrated and threw a whole party just to commemorate him."
"What the hell do you mean the people hate you? You're being egregiously idiotic, do you not here how much the crowd applauds you? You were celebrate far before Auto and-"
"That's right dad you never get it. You never do! All you think is this and this and this, why don't you listen to me? Am I not talented enough, was I not good enough I did everything I had to do and I climb the ranks faster than anyone at my age and is that not enough for you to trust me?"
"Rigel... I don't understand what you're saying."
"People call me a monster, people call you a leader. I'm not proud of you being my father." Rigel nodded before closing the door behind.
Once again Victor heard a little creak by the door, "Not now Xavier, I just had an argument with my son."
"Oh I see captain, I think this is a really bad time but Auto still hasn't come back so I think we should check on him right?" Xavier handed him a schedule, as he was talking.
"Yes send a search team to find him." Victor replied calmly.
"Are you sure you're not going to look for him yourself captain?" Xavier asked politely.
"No, I have other urgencies to attend to." Victor gave Xavier a pat on the shoulder as he departed, Xavier sighed and said at the back of his head This family is hella messed up.
Victor tried his hardest to climb the municipality rooftop, and managed to get up with the help of a ladder. There he spotted his son Rigel star gazing beneath the night at about 8 - 9 PM.
Rigel heard his footsteps and heard him from afar "What is it this time you're bothering me with dad?".
Under the night sky the stars beautifully lit the dark expanse of the forest as they laid down for a chat.
"Mind a little chat?" Victor rhetorically asked as he sat down beside Rigel.
"I know what I did was wrong as a father, but please forgive me, this time I'll hear you loud and clear. As your father I want to support you, and I feel sorry that you had to feel that way."
A shooting star f
Rigel sighed, but gradually he softened.
"Dad do you ever feel unproud of me?" Rigel asked.
"No of course not your my son, never in a million years would I ever hate you."
"But, what if I'm not a good person?"
"It doesn't matter, I wouldn't get mad at you for something that's my fault. It would be my fault if I raised you like that."
"But dad... People... People don't like me, people back talk me and call me slander. I tried so hard but no matter what I do to please them they'll always find a new complaint."
"That's because people like to complain son." Victor replied.
"You can never please everyone, trying to change to please one person will never work out because you'll just end up pleasing nobody."
"Why's that" Rigel asked.
"Nothing really just some old man talk."
"Say, have you ever felt disappointed in me?" Rigel asked.
"No." Victor replied affirmatively.
"I would never be disappointed of my own son...
Rigel, you are my redemption. No matter how useless you might feel, no matter how hard it might become that won't change. We might not be blood related but I consider you as mine."
"Dad..."
"Now say, do you want to be in good terms with your brother? Or do you want to ruin your relationship with your brother by letting jealously take over? Choose."
"I want to be in good terms with Auto, I tried but I'm not sure, how will I do that?"
"It comes with time son, it comes with time. And humans utilize time in the best way possible."
"But can I really dad?"
"People can change son, sometimes the worst of parties can become the best. Family always comes first alright? I've made my mistakes in the past but I don't want you to make the same mistakes I have... Be better than me Rigel."
"Ok dad, I'll be better than you I promise. But I'm curious, what mistake did you make?"
"I can't tell you yet son, I'll tell you when the day comes."
"Okay, but do you believe in me?"
"Yes I believe in you, I'll tell you what. Did you know you're brother went missing? What better time is it to go save your brother!"
"Dad wait don't tickle me!"
"Come at it boy! Your brother is in danger, go find him hahaha!"
"Alright dad, I'll be going off now please stop!"
"Okay I'll stop, and don't forget to talk to your brother!"
"Don't worry! I won't dad! Thank you!"
He came storming off to find his brother, I feel relieved that it all went well.
But I haven't told him my mistake yet.
What I did couldn't be called a mistake, it would called a sin.
"Rigel... Your dad killed his own brother... I'm sorry I couldn't tell you son."
///Meanwhile Auto///
Auto felt high as if he was on drugs, he kited the owl numerous times and still hasn't exhausted.
The clarity, my vision, my senses, I feel so alive.
Auto didn't bother attacking, he knew just surviving it would be enough and attacking would only cause him to put himself in more danger.
But as luck would have it Auto became complacent, and crashed into a tree bumping into a huge pile of leaves with a worn out gun, an overused crossbow, and a knife.
Goddamn what is this junk?
But after that massive hinderance, he lost his tempo and the owl was about to pounce and eat him.
But in just the nick of time.
"SQUAD 6 FIRE!"
A squad arrived to help.
It was led by none other than Rigel.
(I am so sorry for such a bad chapter.)