Seeing You In Me

by **Gale Austin McCenry** on December 21st, 2014, 6:34 am

65th of Winter, 514 A.V.
Fountain of Cascading Harmony

Walking among the crowd of people who were gliding and maneuvering around the magnificent fountain, the blonde man limped his way to the waterside. Most of the water that was pooled in it's base had a thin sheet of ice covering it, only the falling water and where it landed was free of the crystal. With blue eyes matching the cold ice, he smiled at the elegant icicles that seemed to compliment the dedicated structure of Laviku. The small hint of the spray from what little water that splashed made his bare hands cold.

He promptly stuck them in his pockets, one hand fiddling with a few coloured coins. He wasn't used to having more than a dozen or so gold mizas at a time with his unemployment and all, but now that he actually had a job, he actually had some coins that he didn't need to ration out like food.

The widower sat down on the stone edge, tightening his cloak around him. This entire season had just been chaotic, and he wasn't exactly sure what to think of it all. "First Kendhl comes back, then an obelisk awakens, then the university blows up, a huge famine arises, and then a second obelisk awakens. " What's next? Someone assassinates the Lord of Council? "That would be something. And kinda nice." It was still hard to believe that he was related to that man. How could he be the son of someone so embedded with evil? What type of monster makes their son murder someone? That was beyond evil."I don't understand."

But he supposed that everyone was having a rough time. "It's just not Zeltiva's season." It really wasn't. But he supposed now was as good of a time as ever to wish for the better. That's all one can do at a time like this, though, right? "Alright, let's see." He looked up from the ground and to the tops of the buildings and the dull, grey sky. "Hopefully Laviku's listening." Or anyone, really. "I wish...Ricky and Telion will be safe and not get into too much trouble." Like they always seem to do. Gale looked at the gap in the ice where some of the water splashed softly. He took his hand out of his pocket, holding a silver coin and plopping it in the exposed water. He immediately pulled his hand back into his pocket. "I also wish that Kendhl and I can figure things out." It hasn't been easy since her return. He pulled out another coin and tossing it into the freezing water. "I also wish that Martin is growing up fine and not being a brat to his parents." He chuckled lightly. That boy was such a brat when he took care of him. He understood missing his parents but man, he was a handful. The next silver coin, with a plop, sunk down to the bottom of the fountain. "Uh... I wish that... those old hags, the Filks are doing fine, and that Madoline is alright wherever she is." As much as his in-laws hated him, the least he could do was hope they were all alright during this chaotic time. Another coin fell into the freezing pool. "And I, um, I hope that the people of Zeltiva will- um- will stay strong." Priskil knows he's trying to. The last thing Zeltiva needed was it's citizens giving up on it.

The widower nodded slightly to himself, looking back over to the exposed water and dropping his last coin with a plunk. Hopefully those coins weren't wasted.

Gale smirked to himself, leaning on his arm. He wasn't necisserily one for luck or wishful thinking, but maybe just this once things will turn out for the better.

Just this once things could go his way.

"You have a peculiar habit of talking to yourself."

Gale blinked, looking up and to his right to see where the voice had come from. Sitting a few couple spots away was an elderly man with wrinkles adorning his face in an almost plea sent manner. His smile was soft and his eyes were just a soft tint of blue. His hair was a light grey and wound in in loose waves and curls. He wore a warm looking grey felt jacket.

He was familiar.

Yeah, Gale had seen him around town all season. He saw him while he helped at the Infirmary, and even when he was helping people after the explosion. He hadn't actually met him before, but the exchanged a few words trying to help the people who were in the accident.

by **Gale Austin McCenry** on December 21st, 2014, 8:02 am

"I... suppose I do." Gale blinked at the older gentlemen.

The stranger merely smiled in reply, but, after tightening his black scarf around his neck, continued on in starting a conversation. "I've seen you around, haven't I? You look Awfully familiar."

Gale blinked again with a fairly blank expression on his face. He nodded, however. "I helped out in the Infirmary. I remember you helping as well."

The man nodded, with a smile,"Aw, yes, I remember. You were mumbling to yourself about what to bring to that nurse. Quite a habit indeed."

Gale smirked. He didn't remember what the name of the herb she wanted him to bring so he could find the right jar. He ended up coming over and helping him find it. He chuckled,"Thanks for helping me with that, by the way. I don't think I thanked you."

The elder rolled his eyes waving his hand. "You don't need to thank someone for something like that, lad."

"Well, any help is appreciated, especially when it's lives at stake." He could still remember all the wailing and moaning within that Infirmary. So much pain.

Gale's eyes had drifted off, but they quickly returned to the man as he laughed. "It was my pleasure to help." Even his eyes drifted off. "I just wish more people would."

The widower nodded. At first, it was a funny thing to say, in his mind. There countless people at the Infirmary helping. Numerous of those people were citizens assisting the nurses. But when one thought about it, even with those dozens and dozens of extra hands, there was still and untold number of people who died. So many losses that could have bee avoided and so much suffering could have been cut short if there were just a few more.

Why didn't more people help?

"I guess you can't blame them though. Those who didn't help probably couldn't."

The stranger shook his head,"Oh, I do blame them." Gale blinked, slightly startled at the apparent hint of anger in the elderly man's voice. "When people are dying around you I find it hard to believe that someone can't find even a few moments to help."

Gale nodded, though not sure why. At first he wanted to oppose the idea, seeing as everyone has problems of their own, but the more and more he thought about it, the harder it was to justify not being able to help. He was right, after all.

Everyone can help.

"I suppose your right." Gale folded his hands in his lap. "But at least some people helped. It's better than no help."

The man sighed, his breath visible in the air. "I guess but it's almost cruel to have such little help in a time crisis such as this. The entire city should be helping repair itself, not a portion."

Gale found himself starring at the man. Did he have to turn everything he said into a negative? But then again, it was hard to argue with him. It was a hard time for Zeltiva, one of the toughest season's he's seen, so the entire city should be helping bring itself back up on it's feet. Without the help of it's citizens, there would almost be no way that Zeltiva could survive all this. It's survived through it with the help, yes, but if the entire city helped then they wouldn't simply be surviving. They'd be up and over this crisis.

Gale replied simply. "I can't exactly argue with you.

"Of course you can't." He said with a playful smirk.

Who was this guy?

Gale chuckled, then looked down again in thought. Gale knew that the elderly were full of wisdom, but he didn't quite realize that they were overflowing with it. It seemed like everything he said he took and turned it into a philosophical statement or challenged the concepts of compassion and well-being. It was intriguing and he wanted to know more of this man's thoughts.

"I don't believe I caught your name." He looked back over to the man.

"I don't believe I said." He smiled again. "I'm Austin Franklin, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Huh. That's funny. Austin Franklin was his middle name.

by **Gale Austin McCenry** on December 21st, 2014, 8:44 pm

"Hey, Austin Franklin is my middle name." Gale shifted in his spot to turn and face the older man.

"Is it?" He looked at Gale, intrigued by the statement.

"Yeah." Gale smiled. What a funny coincidence. "Gale Austin Franklin McCenry."

The elder seemed amused at first, chuckling at the coincidence with a gentle smile. But then, suddenly, his eyes went wide. Gale could see something dawn on the man's face, making it almost visible the wheels turning inside. "Gale McCenry?" He questioned, face still stuck in it's realization.

"Yeah." The widower raised an eyebrow. Did he recognize his name or something?

"As in Adwin McCenry?"

Now Gale's eyes grew wide. How did he know his mother? "Yes. I was her son." The man scooted a bit closer to Mr. Franklin.

"Oh!" Austin covered his mouth with his hands. At first Gale heard him laughing into them, but after a few ticks, he wasn't sure if it was laughter or sobbing.

What the heck, What was going on? He was obviously missing something. Gale looked down in thought. Okay, so, he has the same middle name as his name. He told him his full name. Mr. Franklin recognizes his name. He obviously knows his mother. Then he starts laughing and crying when he said he was her son.

Wait-

Gale looked at the man with wide eyes. Curly hair, blue eyes. Was he saying that-

"You're my father?"

The elderly man let his hands drop and he turned to a bag that sat beside him. "Your mother would never stop talking about you. She would send me letters pages and pages long just talking about and how you were doing." He seemed to be shuffling through some papers.

"Wait." Gale scooted beside him,"You're saying you're my father?"

"She would describe how you changed every single day." He continued to file through the papers.

"Are you my father?" Gale asked again.

"But then I stopped getting letters from her all of a sudden."

Simply just wanting an answer, Gale grabbed the man's arm, the elder looking at the widower. "You're my father?"

With a joyful laugh and visible tears in his eyes, the man nodded,"Yes."

Gale's Dad :

by **Gale Austin McCenry** on December 21st, 2014, 10:16 pm

The mere thought of this possibility visibly shook Gale to his core. His mouth had fallen open, not able to even comprehend what exactly he was suppose to think. The sheer amount of anger and joy and confusion all swirled inside him at once like a giant pot of stew and wasn't sure what to do with it. His hand had covered his mouth but it was still visible to the naked eye the shock of that answer.

His eye glided over the elderly man, looking at all the wrinkles on his face, the water in his eyes, the fragility in his hands. He could see it now. He could see himself in that man, and that realization was overwhelming.

Gale looked at the ground before placed his head in his hands. " Oh my goddess." He managed to say under his breath.

All these years, all this time, he had no clue or even a hint to where or who his father. He asked and pleaded but she wouldn't tell him, not a single thing. But she had already told him, that's why she called him by his middle name, that's why she would spend bells in her room writing after he had told her how his day was, that's why she never told him. Things started to click in his mind, things that never made sense before now fit together like a pieces of a puzzle. All the riddles she told, all those odd answers and excuses answers he always got. It all pointed him.

This was his father.

Gale looked back at the man after a chime or two in thought, who simply sat their patiently with a wide grin on his face, a small stack of papers in hand. Gale tried his best to find the words to speak, but all that he was able to find was glee filled chuckle. Austin returned the laughter, the two simply laughing and smiling at each other.

But before long, Mr. Franklin suggested,"Do you want to get something to eat? We can talk over dinner."

Gale, at first, was shocked that he had mentioned food. Seeing as his mind was completely occupied with the situation, he had completely forgot about the fact that he should really eat something. "Yes, that sounds like a great idea." He smiled.

Gale stood up, holding out his hand to the elder. He was given a smile, his father taking his hand and pulling himself up slowly with a audible grunt. He placed his papers back in his bag and grabbed his wooden cane, then turned to face Gale with another tender smile. "Let us go then."

With that, the two slowly made their way away from the wishful fountain, going on their way home.