Ashgard: Ambition and Purpose
Reason #159

Very bright afternoon, the sky is bright orange. Gates' Great Family Home was enlivened by countless children, Ashgardian colleagues, and several members of the Gates family. The little event finally begins, with Garwig's actual arrival quite late. The gathering is scheduled to begin at three in the afternoon. But Garwig only arrived at four.

Garwig's voice could be heard clearly. He seemed to be speaking in front of his guests, who were on average the ones brought by Berlin. He said a few words of thanks for the presence of all of them, which increasingly made the little party crowded and exciting, especially with the presence of the children.

Garwig also mentioned several times about the situation that has been slowly choosing since the chaos caused by Clone Nostra. Not only that, but he also had a mention of Berlin and Ashgard which also contributed to restoring chaos a few days ago.

A loud applause could be heard, as soon as Garwig finished his short speech and then said, "please enjoy the time and the many dishes here! You are already considered a family, so do not hesitate, yes!"

Berlin could hear all the sounds from the edge of the fish pond behind the gazebo. The distance was not too far away, so everything Garwig said she could hear. Honestly, he did not like what Garwig said because most of her flattered him.

Carlos was still silent, his gaze down, moody. The question he had asked Berlin a few minutes ago still had no definitive answer.

"Come with me! We better get a little away from here, so as not to be distracted by their voices." Slowly, Berlin stepped with the help of his cane, away from the pond towards the back of the garden.

Berlin approached a concrete fence that limited the end of the grassland, and leaned there. Followed by Carlos who was just silent, still a little disappointed because he had not received any answers and reasons from Berlin about his question.

"Carlos, in accordance with the contract we previously had time to make. Then I'll file for you conditional freedom." Berlin began to speak, answering his brother's questions, when the situation was calmer and away from the crowd.

"But there is nothing written in the contract that we made, that you will apply for that parole" Carlos said.

What Carlos said was true. Berlin didn't write about parole. There was no black on white that he made with Carlos regarding his release. That may be what makes Carlos now look quite confused and curious about the reason.

"Berlin, you know what, right? I have done evil, to you, to the one you love, even nearly killed him ...!"

"Not only that, I also betrayed my own family!"

"The most suitable place for someone like me is in Federal Prison! Spending the rest of my life there, serving my life sentence!"

Berlin just kept quiet, waiting until Carlos stopped until the end of his sentence. A moment after Carlos finished his final sentence. Berlin glanced sharply at his brother at the side, and said, "I could have sent you back there, even I could have made you no longer have to serve a life sentence, instead, by turning it into a death sentence."

Carlos was pounding, his eyes widened, shocked by what Berlin had said. To be honest, he did not feel ready to accept the death penalty.

Berlin turned its gaze again, pointing towards the clear orange sky, followed by the many birds flying back to their nests.

"But I don't want to do that, Carlos." Berlin spoke again, shook his head, refuted his own statement. "Even though I know you deserve that terrible punishment" he continued.

Carlos, who had previously looked anxious, now became calmer and relieved when he heard what Berlin had just said. "Then what was your reason for applying for the exemption?"

Without looking towards Carlos who was standing next to him. Berlin replied, "because you're my brother."

Carlos was immediately stunned by what Berlin had said. He no longer asks questions, does not even want to talk. Silence was silent, as if that brief reason had managed to silence him.

"And somehow, I feel ... I have to apply for that parole for you," continued Berlin, with a view now slightly downcast.

Carlos smiled faintly, shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and said, "it seems like a lot of thanks alone will not be enough."

"Berlin, you had a chance to kill me, but you didn't. And now you're freeing me from that horrible place."

Carlos turned his head, looking seriously at his brother as he continued his words, "I'm really confused by what you're thinking, Berlin."

"I am your enemy, I had the intention and ambition in my heart to kill you. Not only that, I also had time to make your wife as my prisoner, and at that time I also hurt her."

"On the other hand, I betrayed our extended family, joined the Matrix side to fight my own family."

"Then you easily set me free? Let me back? Even at this time our distance is really close, and I could have done something bad to you by stabbing you or something. Didn't you think of that?"

Berlin just kept quiet, waiting until Carlos finished talking. As long as the man spoke, alluding to his way of thinking, and what he was actually planning. Berlin did not want to be too dizzy to respond to those innuendos.

When Carlos is done. Berlin actually laughed a little, before then he took his share to speak up.

"If it's about the betrayal you're doing, I don't really care, because I don't remember anything about our past, this family's past."

"And the last one, for some reason .. I believe and I'm sure, you wouldn't act that way, Carlos ...!" berlin said, turning his head, looking intently at Carlos beside him, and with a sharp and cold intonation.

But throughout the conversation, Carlos still could not get an answer to his initial question. But instead of giving a clear answer. Berlin instead stepped slowly away from there back to the gazebo, leaving Carlos still fixated with many questions in his mind.

Carlos immediately followed the steps of the man who walked using the stick, "wait!"

Berlin slowed his pace, letting Carlos equal his pace right on the side.

"Berlin, to be honest I'm still confused! Explain to me, why did you set me free ...?! Why do you seem to give me a chance? Do you forgive me for all the things I've done?"

Berlin stopped his steps while directly behind the gazebo. He turned his head, his gaze calm yet sharp, the aura of a leader so felt only from that pair of dazzling black irises.

"There are many reasons that cannot be said with words, Carlos. Let's just say .. I want to test you," said Berlin, calmly.

"I want to know and want to see if you can fix everything you've messed up or not" Berlin continued.

Testing it? Carlos's forehead was made wrinkled, confused. He was silent, unable to speak any more. Berlin seems to have too many things that make it confused, difficult to understand.

Berlin's previously calm gaze was now a little sharp with a deep gaze staring at Carlos' pair of eyes that looked like his.

"I see a change in you, Carlos. Looks like the role of the Federal really has an important impact on you, huh ...?" berlin said, the intonation is very slow, but it sounds sharp and cold.

Carlos did not dwell, let alone realize the calm gaze that felt sharp, even he did not dare to make eye contact with Berlin. His gaze was more dominant towards the bottom, avoiding the eye contact that Berlin made.

After speaking like that, Berlin again stepped away, away from Carlos who was still silent there. But the man stopped, looked back and said, "wait what else? Don't you want to join this little party?"

"Oh, alright!" Carlos awoke from his brief daydream. He followed the steps of Berlin.

"Father!" akira's voice rang out from a distance, running small towards the presence of Berlin.

Berlin turned his head and glanced at Carlos who was walking beside him as he said, "Carlos, maybe .. You can find the answer to your original question in this little event."

"I hope you can enjoy the atmosphere, and have fun ...!" berlin continued, before then his attention he turned to Akira who was getting closer.

"Papa, where are you from? Akira cariin from earlier," said Akira, very cheerful.

"Papa's going nowhere!" sahut Berlin, gently stroking the head belonging to the little girl. "Oh yeah, he said there was a lot of cake, huh? Akira has tried it yet?" continued.

"Udah! So delicious!!! Papa should try, huh! And he said, the cakes were made by Aunt Siska!" The boy immediately replied with great enthusiasm and excitement. His cheerfulness was truly unstoppable.

But the divorce suddenly dimmed, after Akira's gaze slightly dyed towards the back of Berlin. "Papa, who is that?" he whispered, hid behind the feet of Berlin, and dyed at Carlos who was still there with a curious look.

"Oh, he's Carlos, Akira want to meet him?" sahut Berlin, looking back, returned to Akira. The boy replied with an awkward shake, and was so timid. Berlin just chuckled, smiling at the attitude of his daughter.

"Hey, do you still want to be there?" cetus Berlin, look back.

"I-yes, wait ...!" carlos answered, then stepped closer to Berlin.

Berlin with Akira in his right hand immediately returned to the party that had begun a few minutes earlier. As he walked, he realized how curious Akira was to the figure of Carlos walking on his left. Several times the boy glanced over, turned to Carlos clandestinely, before then throwing his face back. Seeing the behavior of his adopted daughter, Berlin only smiled even a few small laughs, letting it go.

.

Seriate.