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Description
The night sky twinkled as the former Zephyrite soldier took a sip from his shot glass. Goliath had decided to take a night off to go to the local pub for a drink. It was a long day and he had quite a lot on his mind. It had been two weeks since he was chosen to be the test pilot of the AZ-001 Zephyrion and it was far from easy on his mind and body. But that wasn't the only thing on his mind. As he absent-mindedly took another sip, he realized that his glass was empty. He shrugged as he began to sulk in self-pity, until a familiar voice sat next to him.

“A Blue-Raspberry Moonshot and a Mango Splash, please!” Goliath tilted his head to see who sat next to him and he shot back in surprise. It was one of the scientists who found him and Kodai in the Zephyrion. One of the young trainees. Calium Montgomery.

“Doctor Montgomery?” Goliath asked, with the latter responding with an awkward smile.

“Just Calium, Goliath,” he replied. “We're off the clock, so no need for the formalities.”

“I suppose,” Goliath began, returning the smile with his own. “But what are you doing here? I thought research on the latest test flight was running late.”

“Dr. Marchi said she’d take care of it herself, so I’ve got the night off.”

“Lucky you,” Goliath chuckled, noticing the new drinks on the table and taking a sip of his. Dr. Montgomery noticed that Goliath was especially distant tonight. Not that it wasn't normal for him to be distant. His time as a soldier made it hard for the large Zephyrite to properly socialize. However, there was something especially strange with Goliath’s aura this evening.

“Is there something wrong?” Dr. Montgomery asked, but he was met with a dismissive answer.

“I don't want to talk about it,” Goliath answered, hoping that would be the end of it.

“You really should,” the doctor suggested. “It's not healthy to keep things to yourself for too long.” Goliath shrugged heavily. He knew this was coming, but he really wanted to just be left alone. But he wouldn't hear the end of it until he opened up. Well, he might as well. What did he really have to lose aside from his pride?

“I just,” Goliath started, trying to articulate his thoughts. “I have a lot on my mind.”

“So what is it?” Dr. Montgomery prodded, hoping to pinpoint the source of Goliath’s troubles. “Work, family, a woman, or a combination of the three?”

“You know I'm terrible with females,” Goliath answered flatly before taking another sip. “But if you must know, it's the recent test flight.”

“Right…” It had been a couple hours since the last test flight, but it still felt like it just happened. Goliath was chosen as the Zephyrion’s test pilot, but it was quite clear that his body was no longer built for piloting a Humanoid Battle Machine, if it ever was. Whenever Goliath got into the Zephyrion, he was immediately plagued with adverse physical symptoms. His lungs felt tight, his head throbbed painfully, and it always felt like his heart was on the verge of exploding. The doctors assumed that it was due to his age, but Goliath knew better. The Zephyrion was actively rejecting him despite being a Zephyrite.

“The Angel won't accept me,” Goliath finally spoke after an uncomfortable pause. “It has already made up it's mind, so it sees me as a nuisance.”

“By the ‘Angel', you mean the Zephyrion?”

“Of course,” Goliath paused yet again, but not because he didn't want to talk or because he couldn't voice his thoughts. In fact, Dr. Montgomery noticed that it seemed like he was holding himself back. “It's chosen pilot was decided the moment he was born.”

“You… you don't mean Kodai, right?”

“I can't do it, though. I know that he's the only one who can properly control the Angel, but I can't bring myself to let him get into the cockpit…” As he listened, Dr. Montgomery was searching for the right words to comfort the large Zephyrite. He took a deep breath and decided to say what he felt needed to be said.

“You know, Goliath,” the doctor started. “Part of being a parent is learning how to let your children go.”

“But that's just it!” Goliath exclaimed, gaining the attention of several nearby patrons. “I’m not HIS parent! The only reason he's my responsibility is because my king died because I couldn't save him! I have no right to even be his father, let alone call him my son!”

“But he IS your responsibility now, and you've got to accept that!”

“I know that! But I can't ask him to get into the Angel! He may be a glutton and a lazy bum, but he's a good kid. You're asking me to put him into a situation where he has no idea what he's getting into.”

“Couldn't the same be said of you?” Dr. Montgomery continued to reason. “You were groomed to be a soldier, but I'm certain you had no idea what you were getting into, either. Besides, he might make a good pilot if you can convince him to put his mind to it.” Goliath nearly choked upon hearing that. It took quite a bit to keep himself from blowing up at the small humanoid. Instead, he sighed heavily as he took out a picture of his “son” to emphasize his argument.

“Take a good look at him, doc,” Goliath started, making special note of the young Zephyrite’s midsection. “Does he look like a soldier, let alone someone who is destined to be a king? You know what would happen if he ever got into the military academy had my home survived? He’d be kicked out! No chance! The only reason I volunteered to be a test pilot is because the only other choice would be Kodai! And he would only get to be a pilot because he's a Zephyrite, not because he had any skill at piloting! He's not a military child. He's… just an ordinary kid.”

“But Goliath,” Dr. Montgomery started. “He's not just an ordinary kid. Like you told us, he's the crown prince of your kingdom and he's the last remaining Zephyrite aside from yourself. You're both creatures of mysteries.”

“And it's because we're creatures of mysteries that we have the lives we have now,” Goliath rebutted, slowly burying his head in his hands. “You know damn well that we’re both nothing but lab rats that are being studied upon. They only allow us to work side by side with you scientists and grant us full autonomy because someone in the higher ups pitied us. They wanted us to blend into society so they won't raise a PR scandal. But I can only just barely live like a civilian and even then being a soldier is all I know of. Meanwhile, my ‘son' is constantly in the books oblivious to his true nature and is just getting fatter by the day. Honestly, the fact that we were able to survive the destruction of our people for this long is nothing short of a miracle.”

“Goliath,” the doctor uttered at a loss for words. Silence soon returned to the two of them. It was clear to the doctor that his frustrations were merely a symptom of what could only be called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, most likely caused by his memories of seeing his home destroyed and his king killed right before his eyes. And now he was tasked with taking care of a prince while going incognito by living as an average citizen after being woken up from a frozen slumber? Anyone in his situation would have cracked within a year. However, Goliath held it together for 17 years and was only just now starting to crack openly. Calium was not therapist, but he could at least listen. Perhaps that was what Goliath needed the most… someone to listen to him.

“Well, this is the reality in front of us,” Dr. Montgomery said, trying to impart what little wisdom he had. “All we can do is move forward.”

“I suppose,” Goliath responded, falling silent as he continued his drink. His silence more or less told the doctor that the conversation was over. However, Goliath was keeping the one thing he felt about his situation to himself. He knew if he said it, he’d be bombarded with unwanted sympathy. But it was the truest statement that would ever come out of his otherwise cold heart.

“I’m a failure… both as a soldier and a father.”

Description
The night sky twinkled as the former Zephyrite soldier took a sip from his shot glass. Goliath had decided to take a night off to go to the local pub for a drink. It was a long day and he had quite a lot on his mind. It had been two weeks since he was chosen to be the test pilot of the AZ-001 Zephyrion and it was far from easy on his mind and body. But that wasn't the only thing on his mind. As he absent-mindedly took another sip, he realized that his glass was empty. He shrugged as he began to sulk in self-pity, until a familiar voice sat next to him.

“A Blue-Raspberry Moonshot and a Mango Splash, please!” Goliath tilted his head to see who sat next to him and he shot back in surprise. It was one of the scientists who found him and Kodai in the Zephyrion. One of the young trainees. Calium Montgomery.

“Doctor Montgomery?” Goliath asked, with the latter responding with an awkward smile.

“Just Calium, Goliath,” he replied. “We're off the clock, so no need for the formalities.”

“I suppose,” Goliath began, returning the smile with his own. “But what are you doing here? I thought research on the latest test flight was running late.”

“Dr. Marchi said she’d take care of it herself, so I’ve got the night off.”

“Lucky you,” Goliath chuckled, noticing the new drinks on the table and taking a sip of his. Dr. Montgomery noticed that Goliath was especially distant tonight. Not that it wasn't normal for him to be distant. His time as a soldier made it hard for the large Zephyrite to properly socialize. However, there was something especially strange with Goliath’s aura this evening.

“Is there something wrong?” Dr. Montgomery asked, but he was met with a dismissive answer.

“I don't want to talk about it,” Goliath answered, hoping that would be the end of it.

“You really should,” the doctor suggested. “It's not healthy to keep things to yourself for too long.” Goliath shrugged heavily. He knew this was coming, but he really wanted to just be left alone. But he wouldn't hear the end of it until he opened up. Well, he might as well. What did he really have to lose aside from his pride?

“I just,” Goliath started, trying to articulate his thoughts. “I have a lot on my mind.”

“So what is it?” Dr. Montgomery prodded, hoping to pinpoint the source of Goliath’s troubles. “Work, family, a woman, or a combination of the three?”

“You know I'm terrible with females,” Goliath answered flatly before taking another sip. “But if you must know, it's the recent test flight.”

“Right…” It had been a couple hours since the last test flight, but it still felt like it just happened. Goliath was chosen as the Zephyrion’s test pilot, but it was quite clear that his body was no longer built for piloting a Humanoid Battle Machine, if it ever was. Whenever Goliath got into the Zephyrion, he was immediately plagued with adverse physical symptoms. His lungs felt tight, his head throbbed painfully, and it always felt like his heart was on the verge of exploding. The doctors assumed that it was due to his age, but Goliath knew better. The Zephyrion was actively rejecting him despite being a Zephyrite.

“The Angel won't accept me,” Goliath finally spoke after an uncomfortable pause. “It has already made up it's mind, so it sees me as a nuisance.”

“By the ‘Angel', you mean the Zephyrion?”

“Of course,” Goliath paused yet again, but not because he didn't want to talk or because he couldn't voice his thoughts. In fact, Dr. Montgomery noticed that it seemed like he was holding himself back. “It's chosen pilot was decided the moment he was born.”

“You… you don't mean Kodai, right?”

“I can't do it, though. I know that he's the only one who can properly control the Angel, but I can't bring myself to let him get into the cockpit…” As he listened, Dr. Montgomery was searching for the right words to comfort the large Zephyrite. He took a deep breath and decided to say what he felt needed to be said.

“You know, Goliath,” the doctor started. “Part of being a parent is learning how to let your children go.”

“But that's just it!” Goliath exclaimed, gaining the attention of several nearby patrons. “I’m not HIS parent! The only reason he's my responsibility is because my king died because I couldn't save him! I have no right to even be his father, let alone call him my son!”

“But he IS your responsibility now, and you've got to accept that!”

“I know that! But I can't ask him to get into the Angel! He may be a glutton and a lazy bum, but he's a good kid. You're asking me to put him into a situation where he has no idea what he's getting into.”

“Couldn't the same be said of you?” Dr. Montgomery continued to reason. “You were groomed to be a soldier, but I'm certain you had no idea what you were getting into, either. Besides, he might make a good pilot if you can convince him to put his mind to it.” Goliath nearly choked upon hearing that. It took quite a bit to keep himself from blowing up at the small humanoid. Instead, he sighed heavily as he took out a picture of his “son” to emphasize his argument.

“Take a good look at him, doc,” Goliath started, making special note of the young Zephyrite’s midsection. “Does he look like a soldier, let alone someone who is destined to be a king? You know what would happen if he ever got into the military academy had my home survived? He’d be kicked out! No chance! The only reason I volunteered to be a test pilot is because the only other choice would be Kodai! And he would only get to be a pilot because he's a Zephyrite, not because he had any skill at piloting! He's not a military child. He's… just an ordinary kid.”

“But Goliath,” Dr. Montgomery started. “He's not just an ordinary kid. Like you told us, he's the crown prince of your kingdom and he's the last remaining Zephyrite aside from yourself. You're both creatures of mysteries.”

“And it's because we're creatures of mysteries that we have the lives we have now,” Goliath rebutted, slowly burying his head in his hands. “You know damn well that we’re both nothing but lab rats that are being studied upon. They only allow us to work side by side with you scientists and grant us full autonomy because someone in the higher ups pitied us. They wanted us to blend into society so they won't raise a PR scandal. But I can only just barely live like a civilian and even then being a soldier is all I know of. Meanwhile, my ‘son' is constantly in the books oblivious to his true nature and is just getting fatter by the day. Honestly, the fact that we were able to survive the destruction of our people for this long is nothing short of a miracle.”

“Goliath,” the doctor uttered at a loss for words. Silence soon returned to the two of them. It was clear to the doctor that his frustrations were merely a symptom of what could only be called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, most likely caused by his memories of seeing his home destroyed and his king killed right before his eyes. And now he was tasked with taking care of a prince while going incognito by living as an average citizen after being woken up from a frozen slumber? Anyone in his situation would have cracked within a year. However, Goliath held it together for 17 years and was only just now starting to crack openly. Calium was not therapist, but he could at least listen. Perhaps that was what Goliath needed the most… someone to listen to him.

“Well, this is the reality in front of us,” Dr. Montgomery said, trying to impart what little wisdom he had. “All we can do is move forward.”

“I suppose,” Goliath responded, falling silent as he continued his drink. His silence more or less told the doctor that the conversation was over. However, Goliath was keeping the one thing he felt about his situation to himself. He knew if he said it, he’d be bombarded with unwanted sympathy. But it was the truest statement that would ever come out of his otherwise cold heart.

“I’m a failure… both as a soldier and a father.”