Sinful Magic~ An Atonement Legacy 1.3
My name is Torrac Daisuke, and I am one of the last remaining Warlocks of Riverblossom Hills. My mentor, Adriana, told me that it was my duty to pass down the spark of magical blood to future generations, to teach them all that I know. But I am not sure if I am the best one to carry this burden. I see in myself the potential to use even the best of spells for evil ends. I've hurt people in the past- not through my magic, but interpersonally. I don't know if I'm worthy to carry out this task. I suppose, for me, passing this knowledge down is my means of redemption. A Legacy... of Atonement...
"Hey, Cara?" Torrac began, clearly a bit nervous about the question he was going to ask. "I've been... patient for a while. Do you think you might be ready to have another child, now that Haruki's getting old enough to somewhat look after himself?"
"If I have to, then I guess I have to." Cara replied with a sigh. "Well, it's not like making the baby's going to get any less fun, so come over here, you."
As their bodies entwined, both Torrac and Cara knew deep down that the soft jingle of a lullaby would haunt their dreams, heralding the sign of a new life.
"Hey, Haruki," Torrac began, looking down at his firstborn son, "What would you say to having a new baby brother or sister?"
Haruki shrugged, taking more bites out of his mac and cheese. "It'd be okay, I guess. I don't really want to be a big brother."
Cara, beginning to feel queasiness wrench her stomach, stood from the table, saying, "Excuse me a minute." before running to the bathroom.
"Well regardless of whether you want to or not, the fact is that you'll be a big brother very soon." Torrac admitted.
Haruki felt childish tears pricking at his eyes. "No! I don't WANT a little brother! Because then you and mom will pay all your attention to HIM and not to ME!"
On that note of childish pique, Haruki fled outside into the cold winter's night. He pressed his eye to the telescope, losing himself in the magnitude of the cosmos and allowing his temper to cool off before coming back inside.
"I'm sorry..." Haruki murmured to his father. "If I'm going to have a little brother, I guess I can live with that."
"It's all right." Torrac replied. "And I'll make sure to pay attention to both of you equally. I will try my hardest."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Carla's morning sickness has become more prevalent. There's no doubting it now- she's definitely pregnant with another child.
Haruki doesn't like to do homework, but he will at least sit down and attempt it. He's much smarter than he gives himself credit for. I'd almost go so far as to call him a genius, particularly in scientific matters.
Meanwhile, I have to keep practicing, to keep preparing this speech to sell my latest movie idea to a group of producers. I've made it big in movie-making, but... I'm not really happy with this. Sure, the money, the fame, it's all very nice, but I'd be much happier passing on what I know. And I'm just sick of all the drama and the politics the movie world creates.
My little boy keeps proving his intellect more by the day. He's too smart to be trapped in public school. I have to make sure he's given every opportunity. Cara thinks he should be in private school as well- no doubt because of the prestige it would bring us.
Barely five minutes after meeting, and I already hate this smug, snobby son of a bitch calling himself a school headmaster. All he can ever seem to talk about is how grand his academy is and how little he thinks we deserve to send our son there. Never mind that we're in the same graduating class from Academie Le Tour.
Oh yes... A wonderful guest to have for the evening.
Thankfully, our small home and lack of social graces aside, the headmaster had a wonderful evening, and agreed to have Haruki sent to his school. I'm a bit worried for our boy surrounded by that much snobbery, but then again, he's a smart and fairly sociable kid. He should be able to navigate those treacherous social waters.
Haruki stays up until all hours of the night, studying the universe through the lens of his telescope. He says it's only for research, but the both of us know the real reason...
It's so he can meet me and give me a hug when I get home from work.
Even if it does exhaust him completely.
"Is there any particular reason why you're only going to school just now at 11am?" Torrac asked his son as he walked by.
"I overslept. Sorry. Don't worry, I can still make it there on time!" Haruki assured as he walked out the door.
Haruki was not the only one struck by exhaustion. Cara's unborn child was draining her of a great deal of energy.
Haruki was a bit distressed to see his grades falling off a bit since his transfer into private school, but it didn't matter too much because he had a visitor coming home with him!
"Eww, why's your mom so fat?"
Correction: had a visitor.
Cara went into labor only a few hours later. After a long process, she finally gave birth to her second child- a son as dark-skinned as she was, with her hair and his father's hazel eyes. She named him Naoto, 'honest one', in hopes that he would live up to his name.
It's been a hectic few days taking care of little Naoto. Feeding him, changing his diapers, putting him to bed, et cetera. Cara seems to be taking much better care of Naoto than she was of Haruki, but it feels forced to me... And from what I hear, her negligence of Haruki is not improving.
"Mom! Mommy! Mooooom!" Haruki shouted, waving his report card through the air excitedly. "I got an A+! I got an A+! Moooom!"
"That's nice, son... go look after Naoto..." Cara mumbled before rolling over in her sleep.
Haruki waited patiently at his mother's bedside for her to wake up. When she finally did, she gave him a little hug to show how proud she was of him.
"Mommy, do you love me?" Haruki asked.
"Yes, sweety, of course I do." Cara reassured him, stroking his back. "Now, Mommy has to get downstairs to look after your little brother, okay?"
Apparently, I've become Mr. Fix-It around the house, even though my mechanical skills are almost nonexistent. Cara's taking her own sweet time to relax, and I can hardly blame her. Naoto's proving to be a handful. All the same, I sincerely hope that she isn't completely ignoring Haruki because Naoto needs more attention.
"Welcome home, Mommy." Haruki said, embracing his mother tightly as she stepped out of the carpool.
"Aw, thank you, sweety." Cara replied, hugging her son back.
"Mom, I have to show you this really cool thing I found through the telescope-"
"I'm sorry, baby, I can't. Mommy has to go inside and look after your little brother."
Tears stung at Haruki's eyes in the cold winter air as he watched his mother go inside. She never bothered to see what he'd done, to listen to what he'd managed to accomplish.
It was all about Naoto.
Naoto, Naoto, Naoto.
"'I'm sorry, but I have to look after my other son now. You know, the one that's so much better than you even when he's peeing his diapers?'" Haruki mocked bitterly as he played with his dolls. Lately, that was one of his only forms of release. He knew things weren't completely all right with Mommy and Daddy, and he knew that he and Naoto were part of the cause. It didn't make him resent Naoto any less for usurping all the attention.
And still it continued to be all about Naoto.
Naoto talking.
Naoto being potty trained.
I give up. Haruki thought to himself, flopping down in the snow and making a snow angel. It won't matter what I do. No one pays attention to me.
Even the arrival of another scientist welcoming him, the youngest possible member to join the Aspirational Laboratories, did nothing to lift his spirits.
His black mood only darkened when, in browsing the internet for a scientific article for school, the computer overheated.
"Haruki, you know better than to overuse the computer! Now look what you've done! Do you have any idea how difficult this is going to be to repair? How much it's going to cost?" Torrac lectured his oldest child.
The sound of Naoto crying in the background only made the father's temper even shorter. "Great. Wonderful. Now your little brother's been woken up."
"That's all you ever care about anymore, is it? Stupid Naoto?!" Haruki shouted back, stamping his foot. "Y-You promised me we'd still spend time together, even after Naoto was born! You didn't keep your promise! You lied to me! You always lie to me, you and Mom both! You don't love me at all!"
With that last tearful shout, Haruki ran into his room and slammed the door.
Dammit... was I too hard on him? It's just a freaking computer, not the end-all be-all of the universe... And he's right. I meant to spend equal time with them both, but necessity and Cara's negligence have forced me to spend any time I'm not at work with Naoto, making sure he's got everything he needs... And of course he can tell something's going on between us. Even if neither of us will say it.
After both parties took a little time to collect their thoughts, Torrac found himself browsing the web-having finally fixed the computer- to distract himself when he heard a small, plaintive, "Daddy?"
"Yes, Haruki?" Torrac asked, turning to face his son.
"I'm... sorry I busted the computer." Haruki admitted sheepishly. "And about those things I said. I know you love me. I shouldn't have been so mean to you."
"Oh, son..." Torrac sighed, standing from his chair to give his child a hug. "It's all right. You don't have to apologize. You... were right, to an extent. I've ignored you, and I'm sorry. I promise, I'll try to make it up to you."
"Well, it's almost my birthday... would you mind dancing with me again? Like you used to when I was little?" Haruki asked.
"Of course, son." Torrac replied, almost choking up as he realized that this would be the last time he felt Haruki's little feet propped on his own as they spun around the room. That night, Haruki would grow up into a teenager. And then he'd have no choice but to tell him the truth and induct him into the 'family trade', so to speak.
Worried as I am about Haruki's impending birthday, I'm happy that I finally have a job in the career I always wanted. I'm guest lecturing a film crit class at Academie Le Tour. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of great things ahead in the Education field.
That day, while his parents were at work, Naoto grabbed hold of his brothers' dolls and started smashing their heads into the ground. "Mama doll and dada doll go bye-bye!" he chortled, continuing his ministrations.
All the while, his nanny was distracted trying to figure out how to use this 'new-fangled computer' and ask 'the Google' how to do something.
Well, today's my big day. And I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the results I got from puberty. I came out some pretty hot stuff if I do say so myself. If Dad wants to or needs to spend more time with Naoto, I don't care anymore. I can do what I want, what I need to, when I need to. Kid'll still be crapping his diapers for a while anyway. I have more important things to focus on- like learning things. Getting good grades. Making some money, while I'm at it. And finding a girlfriend. Preferably not a ginger.
Oh, whoops, right, should probably let you know who I am so you don't confuse me with my dad. Haruki Daisuke, my dad's oldest son.
"Hey, Cara?" Torrac began, clearly a bit nervous about the question he was going to ask. "I've been... patient for a while. Do you think you might be ready to have another child, now that Haruki's getting old enough to somewhat look after himself?"
"If I have to, then I guess I have to." Cara replied with a sigh. "Well, it's not like making the baby's going to get any less fun, so come over here, you."
As their bodies entwined, both Torrac and Cara knew deep down that the soft jingle of a lullaby would haunt their dreams, heralding the sign of a new life.
"Hey, Haruki," Torrac began, looking down at his firstborn son, "What would you say to having a new baby brother or sister?"
Haruki shrugged, taking more bites out of his mac and cheese. "It'd be okay, I guess. I don't really want to be a big brother."
Cara, beginning to feel queasiness wrench her stomach, stood from the table, saying, "Excuse me a minute." before running to the bathroom.
"Well regardless of whether you want to or not, the fact is that you'll be a big brother very soon." Torrac admitted.
Haruki felt childish tears pricking at his eyes. "No! I don't WANT a little brother! Because then you and mom will pay all your attention to HIM and not to ME!"
On that note of childish pique, Haruki fled outside into the cold winter's night. He pressed his eye to the telescope, losing himself in the magnitude of the cosmos and allowing his temper to cool off before coming back inside.
"I'm sorry..." Haruki murmured to his father. "If I'm going to have a little brother, I guess I can live with that."
"It's all right." Torrac replied. "And I'll make sure to pay attention to both of you equally. I will try my hardest."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Carla's morning sickness has become more prevalent. There's no doubting it now- she's definitely pregnant with another child.
Haruki doesn't like to do homework, but he will at least sit down and attempt it. He's much smarter than he gives himself credit for. I'd almost go so far as to call him a genius, particularly in scientific matters.
Meanwhile, I have to keep practicing, to keep preparing this speech to sell my latest movie idea to a group of producers. I've made it big in movie-making, but... I'm not really happy with this. Sure, the money, the fame, it's all very nice, but I'd be much happier passing on what I know. And I'm just sick of all the drama and the politics the movie world creates.
My little boy keeps proving his intellect more by the day. He's too smart to be trapped in public school. I have to make sure he's given every opportunity. Cara thinks he should be in private school as well- no doubt because of the prestige it would bring us.
Barely five minutes after meeting, and I already hate this smug, snobby son of a bitch calling himself a school headmaster. All he can ever seem to talk about is how grand his academy is and how little he thinks we deserve to send our son there. Never mind that we're in the same graduating class from Academie Le Tour.
Oh yes... A wonderful guest to have for the evening.
Thankfully, our small home and lack of social graces aside, the headmaster had a wonderful evening, and agreed to have Haruki sent to his school. I'm a bit worried for our boy surrounded by that much snobbery, but then again, he's a smart and fairly sociable kid. He should be able to navigate those treacherous social waters.
Haruki stays up until all hours of the night, studying the universe through the lens of his telescope. He says it's only for research, but the both of us know the real reason...
It's so he can meet me and give me a hug when I get home from work.
Even if it does exhaust him completely.
"Is there any particular reason why you're only going to school just now at 11am?" Torrac asked his son as he walked by.
"I overslept. Sorry. Don't worry, I can still make it there on time!" Haruki assured as he walked out the door.
Haruki was not the only one struck by exhaustion. Cara's unborn child was draining her of a great deal of energy.
Haruki was a bit distressed to see his grades falling off a bit since his transfer into private school, but it didn't matter too much because he had a visitor coming home with him!
"Eww, why's your mom so fat?"
Correction: had a visitor.
Cara went into labor only a few hours later. After a long process, she finally gave birth to her second child- a son as dark-skinned as she was, with her hair and his father's hazel eyes. She named him Naoto, 'honest one', in hopes that he would live up to his name.
It's been a hectic few days taking care of little Naoto. Feeding him, changing his diapers, putting him to bed, et cetera. Cara seems to be taking much better care of Naoto than she was of Haruki, but it feels forced to me... And from what I hear, her negligence of Haruki is not improving.
"Mom! Mommy! Mooooom!" Haruki shouted, waving his report card through the air excitedly. "I got an A+! I got an A+! Moooom!"
"That's nice, son... go look after Naoto..." Cara mumbled before rolling over in her sleep.
Haruki waited patiently at his mother's bedside for her to wake up. When she finally did, she gave him a little hug to show how proud she was of him.
"Mommy, do you love me?" Haruki asked.
"Yes, sweety, of course I do." Cara reassured him, stroking his back. "Now, Mommy has to get downstairs to look after your little brother, okay?"
Apparently, I've become Mr. Fix-It around the house, even though my mechanical skills are almost nonexistent. Cara's taking her own sweet time to relax, and I can hardly blame her. Naoto's proving to be a handful. All the same, I sincerely hope that she isn't completely ignoring Haruki because Naoto needs more attention.
"Welcome home, Mommy." Haruki said, embracing his mother tightly as she stepped out of the carpool.
"Aw, thank you, sweety." Cara replied, hugging her son back.
"Mom, I have to show you this really cool thing I found through the telescope-"
"I'm sorry, baby, I can't. Mommy has to go inside and look after your little brother."
Tears stung at Haruki's eyes in the cold winter air as he watched his mother go inside. She never bothered to see what he'd done, to listen to what he'd managed to accomplish.
It was all about Naoto.
Naoto, Naoto, Naoto.
"'I'm sorry, but I have to look after my other son now. You know, the one that's so much better than you even when he's peeing his diapers?'" Haruki mocked bitterly as he played with his dolls. Lately, that was one of his only forms of release. He knew things weren't completely all right with Mommy and Daddy, and he knew that he and Naoto were part of the cause. It didn't make him resent Naoto any less for usurping all the attention.
And still it continued to be all about Naoto.
Naoto talking.
Naoto being potty trained.
I give up. Haruki thought to himself, flopping down in the snow and making a snow angel. It won't matter what I do. No one pays attention to me.
Even the arrival of another scientist welcoming him, the youngest possible member to join the Aspirational Laboratories, did nothing to lift his spirits.
His black mood only darkened when, in browsing the internet for a scientific article for school, the computer overheated.
"Haruki, you know better than to overuse the computer! Now look what you've done! Do you have any idea how difficult this is going to be to repair? How much it's going to cost?" Torrac lectured his oldest child.
The sound of Naoto crying in the background only made the father's temper even shorter. "Great. Wonderful. Now your little brother's been woken up."
"That's all you ever care about anymore, is it? Stupid Naoto?!" Haruki shouted back, stamping his foot. "Y-You promised me we'd still spend time together, even after Naoto was born! You didn't keep your promise! You lied to me! You always lie to me, you and Mom both! You don't love me at all!"
With that last tearful shout, Haruki ran into his room and slammed the door.
Dammit... was I too hard on him? It's just a freaking computer, not the end-all be-all of the universe... And he's right. I meant to spend equal time with them both, but necessity and Cara's negligence have forced me to spend any time I'm not at work with Naoto, making sure he's got everything he needs... And of course he can tell something's going on between us. Even if neither of us will say it.
After both parties took a little time to collect their thoughts, Torrac found himself browsing the web-having finally fixed the computer- to distract himself when he heard a small, plaintive, "Daddy?"
"Yes, Haruki?" Torrac asked, turning to face his son.
"I'm... sorry I busted the computer." Haruki admitted sheepishly. "And about those things I said. I know you love me. I shouldn't have been so mean to you."
"Oh, son..." Torrac sighed, standing from his chair to give his child a hug. "It's all right. You don't have to apologize. You... were right, to an extent. I've ignored you, and I'm sorry. I promise, I'll try to make it up to you."
"Well, it's almost my birthday... would you mind dancing with me again? Like you used to when I was little?" Haruki asked.
"Of course, son." Torrac replied, almost choking up as he realized that this would be the last time he felt Haruki's little feet propped on his own as they spun around the room. That night, Haruki would grow up into a teenager. And then he'd have no choice but to tell him the truth and induct him into the 'family trade', so to speak.
Worried as I am about Haruki's impending birthday, I'm happy that I finally have a job in the career I always wanted. I'm guest lecturing a film crit class at Academie Le Tour. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of great things ahead in the Education field.
That day, while his parents were at work, Naoto grabbed hold of his brothers' dolls and started smashing their heads into the ground. "Mama doll and dada doll go bye-bye!" he chortled, continuing his ministrations.
All the while, his nanny was distracted trying to figure out how to use this 'new-fangled computer' and ask 'the Google' how to do something.
Well, today's my big day. And I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the results I got from puberty. I came out some pretty hot stuff if I do say so myself. If Dad wants to or needs to spend more time with Naoto, I don't care anymore. I can do what I want, what I need to, when I need to. Kid'll still be crapping his diapers for a while anyway. I have more important things to focus on- like learning things. Getting good grades. Making some money, while I'm at it. And finding a girlfriend. Preferably not a ginger.
Oh, whoops, right, should probably let you know who I am so you don't confuse me with my dad. Haruki Daisuke, my dad's oldest son.