Chapter Text
The jeep started vibrating as the engine is running. The rearview mirror was adjusted by the hand of the driver after checking himself on how much his attire and hair look right now, before going for the important meeting. After making sure of that, he could finally focus back on the front road and the back view of his jeep.
From the rearview mirror, he could see the road of the Turitopulis. The city in the middle of rugged rainforest. There, despite having wild life around outside the city, the city itself is the safest area in the rainforest. Protected by the people and the mayor himself. Who, is a sword guardian that protected the venomshank deep in the rainforest. Though the driver does wish that there would be no more need for the dangerous sword to be stayed in the rainforest's possession, planted deep inside the sacred hollow.
He, the mayor and the sword guardian himself had once witnessed what the venomshank could do. And it still scares him to imagine if the shank were to be in a wrong hand. But he doesn't need to worry about that right now. For the venomshank won't be able to be pulled out of the stone that he had stab with it. If someone were to get it, they must force himself to pull it out. Which wouldn’t be a big problem for him to fight whoever wished to do that since he’s a strong sword guardian.
Thaniyel. The mayor of Turitopulis, the sword guardian of venomshank, and... A father.
That's right. He has someone to protect, and he won't let his fear consumed him. He's aware that the venomshank is still safe and sound. He just wished that his son wouldn't be so curious on it and stop exploring the rainforest just to found the sacred hollow by himself. He had the wooden people to tell him about his son's appearance across the sacred hollow.
He understands that a kid's curiosity are always so strong. Especially around this area about magical sword. But it would be too dangerous to even feed him the knowledge of the shank even when he knew his son could never stop asking him about it. He always dismissed the idea to even explain him about his job as sword guardian or even to just explain the power of the venomshank. He’s afraid that the knowledge would only lead him to want to get his hand on it.
There is a day when he wonders if he should just stop becoming the sword guardian and have another person to hold the title so he could focus more on just the town and his son. Thinking of retiring when he’s riding on his jeep for a sword guardians’ meeting seem a little funny to him. He’s supposed to be a dedicated sword guardian. He got himself into this rabbit hole of fear and guilt. Constantly worrying if his job will be get in the way of his son’s safety.
He turned the steer before sighing. He need to keep his mind focus on the road. But he can’t help but still thinking of the what ifs. He thought, if he wasn’t a sword guardian, he wouldn’t have to worry about his son’s safety for his curiosity that could got himself into troubles anytime. But it’s not like he had someone in mind to bare the title he had. There’s no use in thinking of a retirement if he can’t even find his replacement. It’s a big responsibility to become a sword guardian. He can’t just quit like it’s just another day of advantures he had with his close friend Monty because he had bigger responsibilities to do now.
He gripped his hand a bit tighter than they should around the hard steering wheel. He almost forgot which one to be focused on right now. The empty road in front of him or the hands that gripping so hard that it reminds him everytime when he hold the venomshank and once made people suffered.
Will he not be in this position worrying on the jeep seat about his own job and all the what ifs if he never draw the sword towards those bandits? Or if he never had become a sword guardian? Or if he doesn’t have anyone to worry about? If he never had a son? No. He could never regret being a father, nor becoming a sword guardian. This is all what he had long wanted.
The whole thinking and worrying about his son almost made him missed the gorilla on his front view. The faint view of the gorilla in his view already snapped him back to reality. The scene right before him finally urgent him to hit the break and stop. The Jeep that stopped suddenly in place made him almost jumped from his seat if it wasn't for his seatbelt holding him in place.
Mayor Thaniyel’s hands finally let go of the steering wheel that he hold on for dear life at the moment. He could see the red mark on his palm after holding for too tight. It feels slightly stings when he clench his hands. He can only shook his head with a tired sigh as if that action could bring him back from the deep thought he had just a second ago.
“What a gorilla doing here on the road?”, He fixed his glassess that almost fell off while squinting his eyes at the sight of the gorilla passing the road.
“Ow...”
A small cry was heard from behind the jeep. Mayor Thaniyel turned his head with suspicion before sighing. Questioning where the gorilla came from can wait, he need to go at the jeep trunk now to caught the perpetrator. Or a certain kid.
“Brad...”
Silent.
And a small sob then followed before a small cap appeared coming out from the jeep trunk, showing the sad little kid that probably bumped his head when the jeep stopped. Brad look up at his dad with a pouted lips as he try to surpress his sobs before wiping his
Mayor Thaniyel did planned to scold him first when he found out Brad was sneaking onto the jeep. All the danger that could happen to him for just sitting all alone on the open trunk already made him worried and mad that his son would just do a reckless thing like sneaking into here. He wonder how did he missed seeing him getting onto the trunk. But maybe the scolding session can wait since he know how stubborn his son can be when being told no.
He sighed before putting his still red palm against Brad's cap. It still stings a little when he did that. He didn’treally hold the steer too hard, did he? But never mind that, he should ask why he cried first and make sure he didn’t hit his head too hard.
“Did it hurt?”, he asked softly while caressing his hand to the back of Brad's head. Which then moved to the sides as a sign ‘no'.
“No, I’m not hurt.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Well, you are a strong boy. But that hit must be hard. Sorry that I made a sudden stop like that.”
He noticed that his son still avoiding his eyes. Was he actually hurting and doesn't want to show it on his face, or was it for fear of being scolded after getting caught. It's not like it's the first time Thaniyel had to do a whole lecture after found out that Brad had been sneaking out to the rainforest in a search for the sacred hollow. But even after many scold and lectures, the words seems to always go into one ear and out on another.
Then he must be actually hurt, he assumed. “Come on, let's get you inside.”, he pulled his hand and offers both of his hand to carry him up.
“You’re not mad?”, Brad asked with a small sniffle before getting himself carried into the air for a second then getting wrapped close to his dad.
“I am mad, Brad. But I know you must have your own reason. Don't you?”, Thaniyel raised his eyebrow, acting like he was expecting an excuse. While he does expecting one, he try to not make it seems like he was pressing him out for an answer.
After Thaniyel finally put Brad on the passenger seat, the kid sat still on his place while watching his father closed the door and circling the front view of the jeep. Strangely, he just realized there was also a gorilla on the back walking into the rainforest. Though it's not surprising him since it feels like it's an everyday sight for him to see thanks to him always adventuring deep in the rugged rainforest all alone for so long. It might be strange, but not surprising. To him atleast.
The sound of the door on the driver's side closed pulled Brad's attention back to his dad. He realized he was playing with his fingers subconsciously when waiting for his dad to lecture him again for another trouble he got in. Not like he would actually listen to him. Though a habit is a habit, somehow his hands are just stuck like that. And he let them be as it became a sort of distraction for him to focus on if he doesn’t want to listen to his dad.
“So what little adventure are you having this time?”, Thaniyel faced him with a small tired smile. Which Brad wasn’t expecting at first. But deep down he know that his dad must be tired too to keep lecturing him for his troublemaking habits.
“I was curious”
“About what?”
Brad looked away for a bit directing his focus away from his dad. “I wanna see the sword guardian meeting”
“You know that you can’t just enter inside the sword guardian meeting like what you did back there”, Brad can feel the tense between them finally fading away when he heard the small laugh his dad made.
He focused back on his dad’s face and he can see him fixing the rearview mirror before back focusing on the road in front of him. “Well… you’re here now. So I guess that means you have to wait at the boring big meeting hall”
“Huh?”
The jeep vibrating after Thaniyel started the engine again. Making their way back on the track towards the place where the meeting will be held. Brad was still looking at his dad in surprise that his hands are now being put down on his sides as he holding the seat in participation for his dad’s explaination.
“You can come with dad, but only until inside the building hallway. Not the conference room.”
“Aw what? But that just defeat the purpose of me following you!”
“You mean sneaking on me?”, Thaniyel can hear his son making out a small huff of disapproval, as if what he did was even something allowed with how reckless and dangerous it was. “Sneaking behind your dad is already bad. But since we’re already too far away to bring you back to home, I’ll just bring you with me. Isn’t that good enough already?”
Brad was still putting on his act before making a small thinking noise, pretending to reconsidering his dad’s offer. But really, he was actually more on thinking on how he can sneak inside the conference room too or atleast to get a little peak of what’s inside.
“We will get a cake after the meeting is over.”
Brad’s ears perked on that special offer and giving an excited nod to it. Forgetting about his little sneaking plan. “Really?!”
“Really. Now wear that seatbelt you little troublemaker.”
Without needed a second command, Brad immediately wore the seatbelt like his father instructed to. He would do anything as long as he can go to see the meeting of the sword guardians himself. Even his small feet already kicking on air out of excitement for getting to their destination. Especially when his dad also promised him to buy a cake.
Thaniyel while still focused on the road, he keep a conversation between them. Anything to get rid of the unwanted tension between the father and son. “Do you remember uncle Shedletsky?”
“I'm sure the moment he will spot you, he would come up to you-”, but before he could finish his word, Brad already cut him off with a small huffed.
“And throw me into the sky? I’m not letting uncle Shedletsky pick me up ever again.”