RJ scoffed. He instantly covered his mouth and gave Swoop an apologetic little sigh.
"I'm sorry, it's just..."
"You can't imagine someone like me going through the same problems you are. Being a master, and so lofty and all."
RJ shrugged.
"Touche. But... well, yeah."
Swoop nodded.
"I was born blind, you know."
RJ's eyes widened.
"No, I... I didn't."
"My parents were a hawk and a spider. Needless to say, my father the hawk's skills were somewhat beyond my abilities. I came close to mastering Mother's abilities; she helped me tune my other senses, but something just didn't fit. I assume you know the feeling."
"And then some. Your dad must have been..."
"He felt as though he had failed me. He never stopped trying to make it up to me. Even when I discovered my true spirit animal, he was still... so remorseful."
"Well," RJ sighed. "I know all about remorseful. My dad, on the other hand..."
"...Must feel the same way."
"What? No, I don't think so. I'm the one doing all the apologizing."
"And whom has it served? Does your father forgive you?"
"I don't know. Probably not."
"Because there is nothing to forgive. And he knows it. Believe me, he does. Just as I did. There were times, many times, when I wished I could have been a hawk like my father wanted me to be. I so often wished he had approached me as a man, and not as the embodiment of one of his sins, and something to be handled like a cracked, stained vase."
RJ exhaled sharply. Master Swoop understood, alright. He understood exactly how RJ had been walking on eggshells around his father, taking the full burden of both of their shortcomings.
"Be advised, RJ," Swoop sighed, "That it may take your father some time to come to realize this. But in the meantime, you owe it to yourself, to all of us... perhaps even to me, to learn your own path. Without fear, without regret, without holding back. You have the potential to be a master one day, RJ. One day very soon, perhaps."
"Me?" RJ laughed disbelievingly. "Oh, I don't know about that."
"No?"
"Don't tell my dad, but... I always thought it would be cool to open up a pizza shop."
"I'm sorry, it's just..."
"You can't imagine someone like me going through the same problems you are. Being a master, and so lofty and all."
RJ shrugged.
"Touche. But... well, yeah."
Swoop nodded.
"I was born blind, you know."
RJ's eyes widened.
"No, I... I didn't."
"My parents were a hawk and a spider. Needless to say, my father the hawk's skills were somewhat beyond my abilities. I came close to mastering Mother's abilities; she helped me tune my other senses, but something just didn't fit. I assume you know the feeling."
"And then some. Your dad must have been..."
"He felt as though he had failed me. He never stopped trying to make it up to me. Even when I discovered my true spirit animal, he was still... so remorseful."
"Well," RJ sighed. "I know all about remorseful. My dad, on the other hand..."
"...Must feel the same way."
"What? No, I don't think so. I'm the one doing all the apologizing."
"And whom has it served? Does your father forgive you?"
"I don't know. Probably not."
"Because there is nothing to forgive. And he knows it. Believe me, he does. Just as I did. There were times, many times, when I wished I could have been a hawk like my father wanted me to be. I so often wished he had approached me as a man, and not as the embodiment of one of his sins, and something to be handled like a cracked, stained vase."
RJ exhaled sharply. Master Swoop understood, alright. He understood exactly how RJ had been walking on eggshells around his father, taking the full burden of both of their shortcomings.
"Be advised, RJ," Swoop sighed, "That it may take your father some time to come to realize this. But in the meantime, you owe it to yourself, to all of us... perhaps even to me, to learn your own path. Without fear, without regret, without holding back. You have the potential to be a master one day, RJ. One day very soon, perhaps."
"Me?" RJ laughed disbelievingly. "Oh, I don't know about that."
"No?"
"Don't tell my dad, but... I always thought it would be cool to open up a pizza shop."
***
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