My Soul card is a Reaper

Orion's mind was filled with a mess as he tried to come to terms with what was happening.

But the sight before him only added to his disarray. There, standing in front of him, was a man who looked exactly like his father from the wedding photo albums his mother proudly displayed on the house walls. The resemblance was uncanny, from the sharp features to the familiar eyes.

However, something else caught his eye. They were floating just above the water's surface.

In an instant, something clicked in his mind. "So, this is what my mom meant by my father has returned. It's not my biological father, but an android that looks exactly like him. Ugh… this is the worst birthday present ever." Orion couldn't help but mutter, almost groaning in complaint.

Azzy blinked, momentarily taken aback by the comment, and then slowly reached the shores and let him down. "I'm not an android, son. I'm the real one," Azzy said, a hint of awkwardness in his voice as he greeted him. "Hello."

Orion's frown deepened as he studied Azzy with suspicion.

The more he stared, the more it felt like his father was staring back at him, except this man was far too young to be the person in the photographs.

His confusion only deepened as the android that jumped behind him but dived into the water instead of floating above addressed Azzy with a formal, respectful tone, walking out of the lake.

"Mr. Garcia," the android said, stepping forward.

Orion's eyes widened in shock. "Wait… what's going on?" he asked, his voice full of disbelief.

Azzy nodded, his expression softening. "I told you, son. I'm real."

Orion stepped back, his eyes scanning Azzy as his mind raced. "That's impossible... you look too young." He paused, trying to find his bearings. "And how did you even get here? How did you catch me when I was supposed to fall in the water?"

Azzy raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question. "Didn't your mother ever tell you about me?"

Orion was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Tell me what?"

Azzy scratched his cheek, looking a bit sheepish. "It's to be expected, I suppose. Anyway, let's head home and talk."

Orion's anger flared. "No way. Even if you are the real Azrael Garcia, I'm not going to follow some freakish bastard who just abandoned his mother and me, then reappears in the most bizarre way possible. I don't even know if this is real or if I'm still experiencing the effects of the drug right now. It doesn't matter whether it is real life or hallucination or dreams, I have nothing to do with you. Just leave me alone."

Azzy's eyes filled with disappointment, but it was something he expected anyway. He never expected his first meeting with his son to go so well. At the same time, since he had never seen him born or grow up, it was also quite awkward for Azzy to even address a 17-year-old as a son. He could only faintly sigh as he turned to the android. "Neo, take him away. We'll talk when we get home."

Neo nodded and took Orion's custody, grabbing his arms and throwing him on top of her shoulder like a sack of rice.

After a while, as the chopper began to rise, Orion peeked out of the chopper and shouted, "I'm not your son! And don't you dare see me again."

As the chopper flew off into the distance, Azzy watched Orion for a moment, a deep, weary sigh escaping his lips.

Inside his mind, Claire's voice echoed with a touch of sympathy. "Your son seems like quite a handful," she commented lightly. "Apart from your looks and physique, he was nothing like you at all."

Azzy replied softly, his voice filled with guilt. "Abandoned dad, mom too focused on expanding her business, and drowning in wealth. Yeah, I guess he's got reasons to be angry. He's not at fault. I am."

Claire's voice softened in his mind, offering comfort. "Everything will be alright in time."

Azzy sighed once more. "I don't know. I can sense his soul orb, but it was in a sealed state. I'm now worried about how he will react when he learns the truth."

Meanwhile, in the chopper, Orion was a mess of conflicting emotions. His fingers tugged at his hair in frustration, as anger and confusion boiled within him.

Nothing made sense anymore. And as he glanced down again, fully expecting to see his dad there, the man had already vanished from the shores of the lake. How did he come and how did he go? There wasn't any vehicle presented in either the sky or on the ground.

"What the hell is going on?" Orion muttered to himself, his heart pounding in his chest. "This drug is messing with my mind."

He turned toward the android, his voice harsh. "What drug did you inject into me?"

Neo, unmoved by his outburst, responded in her usual cool tone. "I believe I have answered your question. It was a tranquilizer serum of BT series, model BT-16A3B."

Orion scowled. "I don't care what that was, but I don't think you only injected a sedative." He clenched his fists in anger and added. "Whatever the case is, I'm going to deal with my mother. She's behind all of this."

An hour later;

The chopper's blades slowed as it touched down in Leiza's sprawling mansion.

Orion didn't wait for the landing. He already jumped down when it was ten foot away.

With his mind going through a whirlwind of emotions, he rushed to the mansion with hastened steps.

Just as he was about to reach the door, the steward of the mansion greeted him. "Young Master Garcia, you have returned at last." He spoke in relief. "Mrs Garcia was waiting for you. And there was…"

"Not now…" Orion didn't even bother hearing him out and just stormed into the mansion, but as soon as he stepped out of the Foyer and entered the living room, his movements froze.

His eyes widened in surprise, and his finger raised up, pointing at the man sitting on a couch beside his mother, with their fingers locked on.

Orion couldn't contain his frustration. Pointing sharply at Azzy, he snapped, "How the hell did you arrive before me?"