A Bridge Between Worlds Ch. 11

Looking around, Satoshi could have sworn he had heard a person whisper those words to him, but the area he stood in was completely devoid of people. Dismissing it as his imagination, he soon felt the presence of another whisper, softer than the one from before.

Trust in your father...

Snorting, Satoshi mumbled to himself, "Trust in my father... what the hell has Hiro Watanabe done for anyone anyway?"

"More than you could ever realize," came a raspy voice.

Looking around, Satoshi was surprised to see a man of around sixty years of age standing a few feet behind him.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I thought I was alone," Satoshi stuttered.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I've seen you around. You're Hiro's boy, aren't you?"

Satoshi sighed in frustration. "Apparently 'Hiro's boy' is all I'll ever be known as."

"I think we both know that's not true," the man replied with a smirk. "But even if it were, would that really be such a bad thing? Hiro is one of the greatest men on the planet, after all."

"That's just what the media says," Satoshi shot back. "You have no idea what it's like constantly being in his shadow. You don't live with him."

"No, I don't live with him. I live because of him."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I lost my wife and both my sons in the San Francisco Tragedy. I was nearly killed myself, laid trapped under a pile of rubble for two days before they dug me out," the man said. "Hiro saved me. No, he didn't dig me out, but by the time I was out, my ribs had been broken so badly that the doctor gave me only a week to live. But your father, he refused to give up on me or anyone else who was hurt in those events. I don't pretend to understand exactly what he did, but I know that he used his expertise in robotics to craft a new ribcage for me, building it just in time for the doctors to save my life."

"That's good, I suppose," Satoshi replied, still unsure of where this man was going with his story.

"I didn't think so at the time," he said sadly. "A part of me wished I had died in that pile of rubble, so that I could be with my wife and sons again. I hated your father for quite a long time after that, but that all changed about thirteen years ago. On the tenth anniversary of the San Francisco Tragedy, President Bradley hosted a gathering of all those who had lost loved ones from it. I went, mainly because of the food. While the party was going on, the President's daughter, Cassie, went into her first asthma attack ever; no doctors had detected it within her first ten years. Nobody knew what was happening at that time, but I knew all too well; my boy had a similar scare when he was seven. Since that day, I always kept a rescue inhaler on me... even after my son died. Turns out, the poor girl's lungs were damn close to failing that night. Doctor said she'd have been dead if it weren't for me."

Satoshi quietly listened, in awe of the man's story. "What... what are you trying to say?"

"My point is that I had wished for years that your father hadn't saved me. That I had died along with my family. I blamed him for years for my loneliness. For all I know, Hiro was supposed to save me, all so that I could save the President's daughter one day. Son, this life don't always deal us a fair hand; ask anyone, they'll tell you the same. Still, everyone has something going for them, and your father is a hell of a good thing for you, whether you realize it or not. I'm sure he can be a pain, but every decision that man has made in his life has been with a purpose. I see no reason to think he'd be any different with his own son."

Nodding, Satoshi slowly began to realize that the stranger was right. "I guess... I've been a real brat," he said with a sigh.

"It's part of growing up," the stranger said with a laugh. "But now, you recognize it. Your father loves you kid. There ain't much in this life you can take for granted, but that's one of 'em."

"Thanks," Satoshi said with a smile.

Mike zoomed out, ending his observations of Satoshi. Relaxing back in his desk chair, he smiled and sighed contentedly, feeling comforted by the images he had witnessed that day. Selena had come through brilliantly, just as he thought she would, sending a competing subliminal message to Satoshi and nudging the man in the park in his direction, allowing him to tell Satoshi his story. Noticing his relaxation, Darcy turned with an inquisitive look on her face.

"Any trouble on the Lucifer front?" she asked.

Chuckling, Mike replied, "Nope. No way in hell is he gettin' his hooks in that boy."

After watching a quick recap of the events Mike had witnessed, Darcy saw exactly what he meant. "Wow... he grew up really fast in a short amount of time," she marveled. "Why would Lucifer target him? I mean I know he's a rebellious teenager, but seriously?"

"Pride," Mike said. "He's still butthurt over losing with Edward, and thought he could prove a point by seducing Hiro's son. Would have been a helluva notch in his belt. He'll keep getting more and more desperate, but it won't work. The way the world has turned in the last couple of decades, I wouldn't be surprised if it's thousands of years before he could actually come close to finding another Antichrist."

"Sounds about right," Darcy mused.

So it went for the rest of the day. Mostly expected work, checking on people in particular emotional distress or pain, nudging families on the verge of breaking in a healing direction subconsciously, pretty normal occurrences. Finally, as the day came to an end, Mike shut down his workstation and waved goodbye to Darcy for the evening. As he exited the building, he decided to walk for a bit, passing by the training fields as he went.

"Mike!"

Turning towards the voice, Mike replied, "Michael! How goes it?"

"It goes very well, my friend. Still, I feel it would be going much better if you had accepted the position of Chief Drill Instructor for our forces," the Archangel said.

"As I said before, I'm flattered, but I'm very content with my quiet office job," Mike answered.

"Of course. Still, if you ever change your mind..."

"I'll know right where to find you. Take care!"

Taking to the air for his journey home, Mike checked in with his wife.

I'm heading home, Melody. Gonna be a bit late, though. It's Granddaddy's birthday, so I want to stop in and say hi. Keep dinner warm for me!

Will do. Just don't be too late. I may have a little... surprise... waiting for you tonight.

You naughty girl...

Always, and only for you.

Chuckling at his wife creativity and insatiability, Mike adjusted course towards his Granddaddy's house and accelerated to top speed, flying towards the setting sun in the distance.