Post by Fiona McFly on Nov 29, 2016 5:19:00 GMT
Episode III
“IN A MIRROR, DARKLY – PART II”
“IN A MIRROR, DARKLY – PART II”
17 November, 2016 – 6:00 PM
Inside the ramshackle apartment in Belfast, home to Royal Navy Captain William Sean McFly, under a thundering, rainy sky, we find Fiona standing about, looking towards the grimy, dusty old window and down at the armoured police cruisers whizzing by the streets of Belfast's Gaeltacht section. She sported a look of disbelief on her visage, a tightly-wounded complexion that gripped her from ear to ear upon the realization that the proud captain and former Amerstone officer was not, in fact, her biological father.
It pained the Badger alum greatly, knowing that the vision she had of her own mother was true--that everything she knew was wrong. Now, more than ever, she wanted answers about who she truly was; yet deep down in her soul, she tried to comprehend the motivation behind William not telling her the facts for so long.
WILLIAM SEAN MCFLY: I realise that this is very difficult for you to accept, but I should have told you sooner.
FIONA MCFLY: You were merely doing your duty to your country, to Her Majesty the Queen.
William shook his head, sighing heavily as he looked down upon his dirty blue frock overcoat and white waistcoat sailor's uniform and its decorative ribbons.
WILLIAM: Duty...I know nothing about that. I lied to you, the family, and I lied to myself. I ignored the first duty of being an officer—to seek out and uphold the truth. And a lie of omission is still a lie—for that alone, I do not deserve to wear this uniform.
As a low rumble of thunder ensued, William's statement began to sink into Fiona's mind, making her smile just a tad--for she finally understood that William, and he alone, was responsible for his own actions and, to an extent, his sense of guilt for keeping the truth away from her.
FIONA: If what you’ve told was the truth...you would have gained my trust. I just want to know...who is my father?
WILLIAM: It’s a complete mystery, one that’ll be solved in due time.
Fiona nodded as William lifted up a small, dusty, black-and-white photograph of himself and his superior on the Amerstone, Captain Johnathan Stewart.
WILLIAM: I’ll never forget how bright you were when you were a child, about how you knew everything about the ship I worked on...but Captain Stewart, fearing that you would, one day, be damned as a Mary Sue who could do no wrong and knows everything about life...well, he found your intellect to be quite odd, given that McFlys weren’t “born” with a high intellect to begin with. Good God, I nearly failed a course on Ship Mechanics whilst I was at the Academy!
The good captain chuckled, Fiona trying not to laugh too loud.
WILLIAM: Anyways, upon his advisement, I tried to do a little digging—then your Mum found out about it. She...was the one who ordered the attack on me and you at the pub, she wanted ME to suffer...and I couldn’t bring myself to confront her—ever after all these years. I couldn’t stand up and tell her everything I knew.
Fiona gritted her teeth at the revelation, hurt and betrayed by what her mother did out of spite for her husband. At this point in time, the Northern Irishwoman's blood began to boil, her resolve began to grow stronger.
She had no choice. She had to face her own mother and confront her with the truth.
FIONA: Then why don’t you let me go confront her then?
WILLIAM: I can’t let you do that—your Mum is an Irish Catholic, on the side of the IRA…
Fiona gasped, realizing thateverything had started to come together like a puzzle--the mob, the emasculation she witnessed, everything...
...it all began to make sense to her. Fiona sat down on the torn-up recliner next to a splintered end-table, listening intently as William began to explain the situation.
WILLIAM: The IRA are comprised mostly of trained militaristic movements that spawned after the British occupation. Your Mum is one of its members—she’s an Irish Catholic, using the family farm as a front for their operation. If you go now, she will undoubtedly have you killed…
The officer, his tone of voice fatherly and sincere, stood next to Fiona, trying to comfort her in every way he could.
WILLIAM: ...and I will not allow that to happen. After all...I made a promise to my former commanding officer that I would love you and cherish you as if you really were my daughter, and the McFly family doesn’t break promises. You chose to take my family name--not because you wanted to bear the burden of a lie, but because you exhibited the best parts of your Humanity.
Without warning, the endless rumbles in the sky began to cease, the rain stopped falling. The ambience was replaced by none other than a moment of pure silence.
WILLIAM: You understand me?
FIONA: Aye...
Fiona closed her eyes for a moment, pondering the next chapter in her life. Knowing full well that the McFly Farm wasn't a safe haven anymore, she pressed William further.
FIONA: You said we can’t stay on the farm anymore, right? Where do we go from here?
After patting the Wisconsin alum gently on the shoulders, William slowly walked towards a world map that he had tacked onto the wall, next to a small trophy case.
WILLIAM: I have a proving ground near the small mountain village of Murren in the Bermese Oberlund, Switzerland. Your Mum knows nothing about it. I will take you there, where you will learn the mysterious art of...ninjitsu.
Fiona perked up both brows in amazement.
FIONA: What?! Sounds a wee bit far-fetched, don’t you think?
WILLIAM: I can tell you, it’s not as convoluted as it seems; after all...I hold a 2nd degree black belt in the Shotokan fighting style. Ninjutsu is a hybrid of several styles of martial arts including Shotokan, deals with the art of concealment and the element of surprise. More importantly, it’ll help you explore your mind, keep you focused on all aspects of living with discipline and guidance.
FIONA: But I know some karate already—from what Jack taught me, at least.
WILLIAM: I understand, but the idea darling...is to expand upon what you already know, learning new ideas along the way. Then...and only then, will you have the inner strength needed to confront your mother. Are you up for the challenge?
At first, Fiona thought that the idea of a British sailor understanding a Japanese martial science just didn't seem very logical. At that moment in time, she began to fully process the idea. While she knew some basic fighting skills, they were simply no match for the perils that were about to creep into the proverbial horizon.
Fiona stood up, itching to give it a shot.
FIONA: I’m not afraid of anything…
WILLIAM: Oh, you will be.
William slowly approached her, whispering the ominous warning into her consciousness.
WILLIAM: You...will be.
~TO BE CONTINUED~
~~
Jinx,
I want you to know something that, I think you already know by now. We live in a society full of liars, rife with deceitful men and women whose only sole purpose on this planet is to cause hatred and confusion among the people. No matter how tough-minded or smart you really are, nothing in this land is going to hit you as hard as somebody lying to your face. Last time you and I met...I figured you were doing just that, telling your version of events without even having the moral courage to allow yourself to hear ME out. Whenever I disagreed with something, you damned it as a sin--without telling me why you've done so, without any sense of motivation, rhyme or reason. At least...that was the idea I had in my head a long time ago.
Then...something happened.
You couldn't bring yourself to end me. You couldn't allow yourself to impose your will upon me. You couldn't break me...and yet here you are, continuing the trend of trying your very best to tear my mind to pieces. On the surface, I'd have seen you as simply sanctimonious woman, a holier-than-thou presence who thinks you've done nothing wrong whilst everyone else has. Yet through all of this high-and-mighty behaviour you've shown me in recent weeks, I see somebody different in your very soul. I see you...as a troubled little girl who only created the "Jinx' persona as a way for you to cope with your demons, as a means to help you fully understand the people around you in the world--myself included.
Do me a favour, alright? Stop with the childish nonsense.
If you've got something to tell me, then tell me. But don't be careless, don't omit anything--because omission is nothing more than a thinly-veiled lie.
I want to tell you something that my fa...that William always instilled upon me, something that you keep running away from yourself. The first duty of EVERY human being on this planet is to seek out and uphold the truth—whether it’s scientific truth, or historical truth, or personal truth! It is the GUIDING principle upon which all of life should be based, and if you can’t find it within yourself to stand up to me and tell the truth about what’s REALLY going on instead of playing these mind games with me whilst acting sanctimonious, then quite frankly my dear, you do not DESERVE to be in an Imperial ring—not with me, not with anyone!
I'm going to make this very simple for you Jinx...either you take off that holier than thou mask, stand up to me and tell me exactly what you want me to hear without running behind a brick well, or...you're going to make me do something that, quite frankly, I will regret. After all...savagery wasn't the reason why I chose to keep the McFly name after all these years. It was because I am the manifestation of EVERYTHING that is right within the grasp that is Humanity--patient, honourable, understanding--the things that have guided me in life back then are the same things that will guide me tonight. No mind games, no useless name-calling...I am who I am.
And I won't let that go--no matter what YOU might spin.
Cheers!
Well howdy there pardner.