Chapter 4: Goliath Saint Emeritus
“Welcome to the Seoul of My Hato… I know, corny name, am I right?” smirked Joseph.
“I thought Grandpa was the Voice,” said Billy.
The man led them into his palace, forward into the former hotel turned underground palace.
“That’s his Holy Father. Good ol’ Capital Gee. Heheh! I’m his Earth Dad!”
“Non-Biological?” asked Billy.
“Used to think that way, too. Apparently, the Voice possesses a host to have a child during conception.”
“Gross,” said Grub.
The palace was absolutely white, clean, and beautiful, lacking any real people except drones and slaves.
“Sorry… Are you here by yourself, Sir?” smiled Billy.
“Grandpa. And yes. I was exiled a few years back over a disagreement I had with my good ol’ kid. How is he, by the way? Beatle and Ladybug?”
“Ah… Uncle Ladybug is handling Dad’s… death…” said Billy.
“Ah…” The man sighs. “Well… He should’ve been a lawyer… Instead, he chose to be the world’s savior. Damn the boy’s high head.”
“I don’t think-...” Billy is cut short by Grub.
“Right!?” asked Grub. “He could’ve been a bit selfish!”
The man stops and turns to Grub. “And you are?”
“Grub Saint Princess! Human name? Gabrielle Ibarra!”
“Goliath Saint Emiritus. Human name. Joseph Ibarra. Exiled family of the Saint King.”
“Goliath… Beatle fought for this world.”
“Psh! Yeah…” He looks at himself in the mirror, and smiles. “And I fought for his life. He always wanted to be a lawyer. THAT was HIS dream.”
“Odd,” said Billy. “Dad always said he hated you because you force your ideas unto him.”
“I would never!” smiled Goliath.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“That’s our Grandpa, man. Don’t be rude,” laughed Grub.
“Why do you have slaves… everywhere?” asked Billy.
“Robots? They don’t have feelings…” laughed Goliath.
“I am a robot,” said Happy.
“Hey! I got NOTHING against robots! Besides, my boys LOVED Five Nights at Freddy’s when they were younger. They are an extension of who I am, after all!”
“No one is an extension of another person. That is NOT a thing. All people have their own agency.”
Goliath just stays silent, still smiling.
“Hello? Sir?” asked Grub.
“Ahhh! You girls wanna stay here tonight? I really need the company. This place is the last standing Fort of my son.”
“Sure!” smiled Grub.
“Something’s off about him,” Happy whispered to Billy.
“Yeah… Dad didn’t like him for some reason,” said Billy, whispering back. “Hey, Goliath. Is it true you punch my Dad when he was eight?”
Suddenly, silence.
Grub stops walking.
Goliath kept on walking forward. “Huh?” He turns to Billy and the girls. “What? What in the world are you talking about? That never happened.”
“You punched Dad when he was eight.”
“That was an accident. Accidents happen.”
“Thought you said that never happened.”
“Bleeding all over the ground. Crying. Ringing any bells of why he moved to Baguio instead of staying with you in Manila? You just dumped him along with his mother with his aunt, and he was raised by good people because of that? That’s why he IS the Saint King?”
“Do not call my son a Saint King. And do not speak like that to me. That is immaturity. I am the father of the Saint King.”
“I thought you didn’t see him as the Saint King.”
“Never said that. I just don’t want you to call him that,” said Goliath. “You know? You are A LOT like Miguel.”
Grub looks hurt by that statement.
“Beatle. He HATES that name,” said Billy.
“Miguel. I NAMED him that. You know? You shouldn’t be rude to your elders. My God. You should learn how to be a Lawyer.”
“What!?”
“Y’see, I was one of the greatest DOJ Lawyers of the time, and Miguel just wanted to waste his life, wear a fucking leotard, and act like a fucking child, saving people and pretending to care about others more than himself.”
“Beatle was a hero who saved the world… No wonder he never gave himself the luxury of happiness. YOU DIDN’T GIVE HIM ANY!!! This isn’t a prison! It’s a daycare while you wallow in YOUR OWN NARCISSISTIC DEPRESSION!!!”
A massive shockwave left his feet that caused everyone in the room to stumble, except for Billy, who just smirks.
“Listen… We must have gotten off on the wrong foot. I love you both…” said Goliath. “You want food? Chocolate? Sashimi? Miguel LOVED Sashimi!”
“He did?” asked Grub.
“Yeah! Cleaned it myself!” smiled Goliath.
Grub sighs and closes her eyes. “I guess we should be going now.”
“Yeah, well, visit, alright?” smiled Goliath.
“Uh… Okay,” said Grub, as they leave the palace and the doors slam behind them.
Happy sighs. “What an asshole.”
Grub tears up and hugs her older sister. “I’m so, so sorry…”
“It’s okay, Grub… it’s okay…” teared up Billy. “I love you, sis…”