Legacy (Part 2)

On the porch of the Steel family

"Good evening Norman...

Have you put Fred to bed yet?" Asked Marlon, who was sitting around a round table with five chairs on the porch of his house, where there were two large mugs of beer… and also certain somewhat suspicious cigars... like almost every Saturday night

"Nah... we still can't hear the snoring from here...

He's reading while he trains like a psychopath

And Stephen?" Norman also asked who sat next to him, right in front of the free beer mug

"Already sleeping

He's had an afternoon tougher than a block of chrome...

Needs to rest" Marlon replied pointing to the upstairs window where Stephen slept quietly.

"These days he's not [playing] in the afternoon with Fred...

What's he doing exactly?" Asked Norman, who related that tiredness Marlon was talking about to the little mystery of Stephen's disappearance, something that left Fred alone and with too much time to do experiments with questionable ethics.

"It's a secret..." Marlon replied, who without saying anything said almost everything to Norman.

"I see...

And I guess we'll find out tomorrow night if I'm not mistaken…" Said Norman, who seemed to have intuited the reason for Stephen's disappearance every afternoon this week.

"Possibly..." Marlon replied, then changed the subject, to another subject that filled him with nostalgia "It's been ten years, the children are growing so fast that we don't even notice"

"Too fast... so fast that scares me...

Remember how I was when I was ten years old and look how Fred is...

He's like a miniature adult… but he will soon grow bigger than me…" Norman responded with the strange contrast of joy and sadness that every parent feels when their child grows, especially in such an accelerated way as Fred

"STEEL! STEEL! STEEL!

Yes, and whatever disease he has, he has spread it to my little boy...

At his age my father would only let me build little things with a material as ignoble and humiliating as wood because I wasn't ready to use steel...

But look at Stephen, he still has no hair on his balls and he already hammers steel like a grown man!" Said Marlon, who shared the same feelings as Norman, although he was doubly sad remembering one of his greatest childhood traumas.

Absurd traumas that only the Steel family understood and that always aroused a smile in anyone who listened to them, especially in Norman "Hahahaha...

The way of thinking the Steel family always makes me smile"

"...

A smile I know too well...

Norman, what's bothering you?

Is it Fred and his obsession with leaving the island?" Asked Marlon, that for knowing Norman forever he knew that when his friend laughed that way was because he was actually masking his worries with some cheap comedy

"Yes...

Exactly" Norman replied, regretting that his worries were so predictable as he drowned his sorrows for the first time that week with the mug of beer in front of him

And Marlon, after also taking the first sip of his jar, proceeded to give his friend the same advice he had given him in previous months "Norman, I know you're worried, but you should give that up.

You know that will happen sooner or later... you won't be able to keep him here forever...

Stephen maybe...

But Fred?

I think from the beginning it was impossible"

"I know Marlon...

I know that Fred is a very special boy and that this little island is extremely small for him.

I knew it since he learned to read at two years old, I knew it when he started training like crazy at three, I knew it when he started studying medicine with me, I knew it when he started creating rare medicines as a toddler, I knew it when I saw him fighting you, I knew...

I knew it from the beginning, but I believed that damn day was far, far away... but now I have the feeling that the day is getting closer…

And it terrifies me" Norman answered, admitting that he knew reality perfectly, but that he was unable to face it at this point.

Fred leaving the nest, one of Norman's Top 3 concerns, something that Marlon knew perfectly well, since they had talked about it previously

However, Norman was more distressed than usual compared to the previous free therapy sessions... Therefore, Marlon understood that something else was ailing his friend "And there's something else right?"

"Today we have argued about this... and it breaks my heart..." Norman replied, opening up to his untitled psychologist about the new concern that plagued his mind

"..."

"Is he a responsible, disciplined and bright child? Yes, too much...

He was the one who took the initiative years ago to help at home and in the hospital even though I keep telling him it's not necessary...

With the knowledge of medicine that he obtained, he has found ways to help the family financially with his strange drugs, some very weird, but interesting at the end...

Thanks to the Spartan training that he has imposed himself, he's now able to go into the forest to find medicinal herbs and hunt animals that we then enjoy among the five of us... and that he also sells to the town or every two weeks to the merchant ship.

He does all this by himself, without anyone having to force him and without bothering anyone!" Said Norman, who continued with his monologue as he quickly finished his beer mug before Marlon's watchful eyes and ears.

And only stopping to drink and breathe Norman continued explaining the virtues of his son "Is he a capricious and selfish child? No, not at all...

With part of the money he earns himself, he buys books to improve his knowledge... sometimes on very questionable subjects... but as Susan used to say, knowledge doesn't take place

Wit that money he finances his research to create more medicines and thus earn more money later... money with which he pays you and Stephen for the materials and labor of his training devices, even if you leave it quite cheap

And what he doesn't spend he saves for the future... and he would save much less if I hadn't flatly refused him to give me anything to pay his house expenses...

He doesn't even like me to give him expensive presents for his birthday or for Christmas..."

"..."

"Everything he does is help me… he tries harder than anyone in everything… all his whims are paid for himself and are in part an investment to become what he wants to do in his future, in which he wants to retire me early with the money he earns...

And what do I do in return?

I disapprove that he trains like a madman… I disapprove part of his studies… I disapprove of what my son wants to do in the future, for which he's working so hard...

...

I start all the arguments we have at home... and they are only to clip my son's wings...

...

I'm a shitty father..." Sighed Norman, bitterly ending his speech and the beer mug at the same time

"Not Norman...

You're just a father who wants to keep his only son safe.

I doubt many parents would support the idea of their son becoming a bounty hunter...

Is that what you discussed right?" Asked Marlon, who found out from his son what Fred wanted to be in the future this afternoon, so he prepared a whole barrel of beer for that same night, with which he filled his friend's mug to the top again.

"...

Yes... at lunchtime...

And the fact is that at a certain point I didn't know what to answer to make him change his mind...

Because the worst of all is that... he's partly right...

He's right in his motives for doing what he does... even in wanting what he wants...

But I still don't want him to choose that path..." Norman replied as he took a brief sip from the jug that his friend filled to the top again, remembering the harsh but certain words of his son, whom he was unable to refute.

"This may not comfort or reassure you much, but...

Fred is a strong and intelligent boy who's negative and pessimistic enough not to make decisions that could put him in danger... and quite twisted in front of his enemies, I say this from experience...

I am sure that nothing will happen to him, even if he chooses that job

If he's already that strong, he will be even stronger in the future" Marlon said as he remembered how this mid-day Fred almost destroyed his testicles with his dirty tactics, dirty tactics very useful for certain professions

However, that was only one of the most obvious concerns, Norman's fears ran deeper "That's not the only thing that worries me Marlon...

If he ends up being a bounty hunter, he will be immersed in a world full of violence and evil such as the world of pirates and criminals... whom he will have to kill...

I fear that my son may be infected by the evil that exists in that world and may end up becoming a terrible being... especially in the eyes of a doctor, who is supposed to save people...

And also in Susan's eyes... and I would have allowed that in her absence..."

"..."

"..."

Naming Susan made the atmosphere colder than the beers they were drinking right now without hardly breathing... until they both finished with it and Marlon refilled them again in order to obtain more fuel to get somewhere in that therapy session.

"Today I tried to explain to him what happened that day...

But at the moment of truth I wasn't able to do it... again..." Norman said as he bowed his head, looking at the ground partly because of the effect of alcohol and partly because of the absolute sadness that invades his mind every time he remembered what happened seven years ago.

"Norman...

Don't ever torture yourself again for that

There was nothing you could do..." Marlon said, putting his mug aside and getting up to grab his friend's shoulders to try and stop this wail once more, a wail that had haunted him almost every day

However, that wasn't enough to end that conversation, Norman needed to express the new point of view he had considered today while being held in Marlon's huge rocky arms like a small animal "That's why I've been thinking all afternoon about Fred's words about power...

How essential it is... and how bad it's at the same time...

...

Marlon, if only I had had your strength and courage at that time...

If I had been like you…"

"If I had been in your place that day I would surely be dead and Stephen would have been left without a father or mother. I wouldn't have seen him grow up to be the excellent boy he has become today...nor would I have been able to enjoy his hugs or teach him everything I know...

Norman, as hard and cruel as it's for you to hear... not being able to do anything that day was the best thing you could do for Fred.

I'm not saying this to comfort you, it's unfortunately the reality" Marlon said as seriously as he could as he laid Norman down in the hammock on the porch in an attempt to put him in a more relaxed position that would probably help him process his thoughts better

However, those words didn't help him too much, the alcohol was letting his most depressing thoughts come to the surface "...

...

I don't know, Marlon, maybe he would have been better off without me, after all, you guys would have taken better care of him than a cow…"

"DON'T EVER THINK OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS" Roxxane shouted, who slammed the door to the porch to end that self-destructive thought in the same way that Shanks stopped the Marineford war

"Roxanne, since when have you been listening?" Norman asked as he slowly got up from the hammock to sit right there.

"From the beginning, but I didn't want to interrupt...

Until it has been impossible for me not to do it" Answered Roxanne as she took a chair and sat near to the hammock, next to her husband in order to listen to Norman more closely.

Therefore, Norman continued to vent his frustrations until he let them all out for today.

"...

No matter how you look at it, I'm an absolute failure...

Do you know what Fred told me a few moments ago when I didn't dare tell him the truth?

He told me that he would wait until I was ready to tell him...

Can you believe it?

My ten year old son could see that his weak and cowardly father didn't dare to explain to him what happened after seven years!

Not because he was still young to accept it, understand and overcome the truth, but because I still haven't accepted and overcome it... and because I don't want my son to be more ashamed of me or hate me more than he already hates me when he finds out what happened..." Norman said while trying to contain his desire to cry, desire to cry that he was able to contain thanks to the hatred he felt towards himself, which were bigger right now than the sadness that fed the tears that refused to come out.

"Norman please...

It's impossible for Fred to think that of you" Said Marlon and Roxanne quickly, who got up from their chairs to sit in the hammock next to Norman, to convey their closeness and affection in the hope of helping to erase those thoughts from his mind.

"Fred is smart, he understands people and the world he lives in better even than I do...

And if he understands why I haven't been able to tell him the truth until now, he'll also understand why I've given him all of Susan's books and research on the very day that has made it so clear to me the path he want to take

And I don't think the birthday excuse helped camouflage it...

He will have understood or will understand that I have tried to emotionally manipulate him to put aside so that he leaves aside his dangerous dream to continue his mother research…

He hasn't said anything, possibly to avoid hurting me, but... I'm sure he holds me or will hold some resentment for it, even more..." Norman said, who in tears brought out his deepest fears.

That his only son, the pride of his life, would flush his life down the toilet and die unnecessarily at the hands of some scum for stupidly risking his life for some berries

May his only son, almost the spitting image of his wife, could become a bloodthirsty, power-hungry monster that plagues the world with misery

That his only son, what he loved most in his life, detested and hated him in life and in death for his uselessness, cowardice and for always getting in his way.

Horrible fears that plagued Norman's mind like never before, to the point of almost completely breaking a man in his late forties who hadn't cried in front of someone else for many years.

"Norman...

If Fred is as smart and understands people and the world as well as you think then he will also understand why you do what you do, what you've been through, what you could and couldn't do seven years ago... and how do you want him to be in the future...

That's why it will be impossible for him not to love you

Trust him if you don't trust yourself, after all he has never let us down and has always gone beyond our expectations" Roxanne said as she offered Norman a handkerchief to dry the tears and snot that kept falling from his face.

And so, thanks to Roxanne's wise words, the somewhat rough but affectionate pats on the back, and some time... Norman began to come to his senses after his emotional breakdown...

"....

Mmmfff...

...

Thank you Marlon...

Mmmfff... Mmmfff...

Thank you Roxane...

Mmmfff... Mmmfff... Mmmfff...

Thank you for listening to my cries and trying to cheer me up...

I'm sorry I spoiled your night… We were supposed to have laughed, drunk, smoked and played poker" Norman sobbed, apologizing for making his friends worry as he tried to stabilize his emotions and dry out the side effects of his group therapy in which he was the only patient.

"Norman, this is what friends are for, to help us in the worst moments and laugh together in the best moments.

And you know you're not just a friend, you're part of the family" Marlon and Roxanne responded as they gave Norman one of the classic Steel family hugs, an almost miraculous medicine that always helped to heal a broken heart.

"Thanks once again guys...

I don't know what he would do without you..." Norman said returning the hug, thanks to which he managed to stay on his feet after this exhausting emotional explosion, several liters of alcohol in his body and a very hard day in general.

A tiredness that Roxanne noticed right away, so she gave him another great piece of advice "Go to sleep Norman, tomorrow is an important day that…"

"…ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ… AGHMN…ZZZZZZZZ…. BUNZ ZZZZZZZZ.... Luck, I am your father… ZZZZZHHHH… GZZHHHHZZZ…"

Or at least she tried... since unfortunately she was interrupted by the hellish noises, of what it was... although it seemed impossible... the snoring of a ten year old boy who slept in another house 20 meters from here

"Mmmm... mfff...

It seems that Fred fell asleep early...

I think it's my turn too...

See you tomorrow" Said Norman who, after listening to those surreal and snoring sounds from his son, the focus of his concerns today, went from crying to giggling.

"Yes, how did I mean...

Go to sleep Norman, tomorrow is an important day, especially for the snoring monster" Roxanne said trying to close the last conversation of the day with a big smile that could tarnish the tears from before

Something she accomplished...

"Hahaha!

Hahahaha!!!

STEEL! STEEL! STEEL!"

---

At the same time...

Hundreds of kilometers from the island of Narhad

At night, in the city of Artora, a city hundreds of times larger and more prosperous than the village of Narhad... the great streets that used to be full of nightlife at this hour were now stained with blood, blood that didn't stop flowing from the corpses on the ground and from the amputated limbs of those who hadn't died yet...

The only sounds that could be heard in those gloomy red-stained streets were the cries of pain of those who hadn't yet perished and of the children who mourned the death of their families or watched helplessly as the lives of their loved ones faded slowly without being able to do anything

And also... the laughter of the monsters that caused this barbarism, which left the city on a pirate ship

"Captain John!

Today has been a great night!

We have shed blood, the ship's holds are nearly full, the women are of excellent quality, and there have been few casualties.

We have to celebrate as soon as possible!

HUO! HUO! HUO!" Said a man who was than blasphemy, who was approximately two and a half meters tall, bald, muscular, full of tattoos and dressed as if he were a classic pirate, but without a shirt to further emphasize his muscles and tattoos.

"I share your optimism Mr. Smith, but I don't find it appropriate to celebrate yet...

After all, you have said that the warehouses are [almost] full, I cannot celebrate in peace knowing that there's still room to fill

You know that this gives me OCD...

Leech! Leech! Leech!" The man who seemed to be in command of this pirate ship replied, a menacing-looking middle-aged man, which perfectly reflected his cruel and twisted personality. He was around three meters tall and although he wasn't as muscular as his second in command it was evident that his body was well trained, something that could be noticed even under his full classic pirate outfit.

"HUO! HUO! HUO!

Nobody is as perfectionist as you Captain!

However, the men need to have some fun before the big party at our base.

I know you want them in their best shape before our next stop, but keeping their morale high is also important" Mr. Smith said pointing to the pirates of the crew, who on the deck of the ship surrounded the women they had just kidnapped, who were crying and trembling with fear and despair

Those beasts were looking at them with lust and cruelty as they waited for their captain's approval to have fun

"Unfortunately you are partially right Mr. Smith... it's important that these simple-minded idiots are motivated...

You can let them have a little fun with the new girls, but try not to damage them too much, they have to last us longer than the previous ones, at least until the next big party

And limit the alcohol, they have to be prepared and without a hangover for our next and last stop

Leech! Leech! Leech!" Captain John responded as he metaphorically released the dogs so they could play, while laughing sadistically at seeing them so happy with their new toys.

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You'll be able to see 8 chapters in advance in my Pa-treon

pa-treon.com/user?u=83938371