I don't know about this guys. I wrote this story for a redemption for one of my characters: Axel. He was just supposed to be a generic tree friend I came up with to have a villain in my stories but ever since I first made him in "Not All that Glitters is Gold", I became attached to him. Hell, even one of my friends made a fanart for him (TredWater). I hope I can make a decent character development story here, and this will be about Axel and Disco Bear pairing so review on what you think about this pairing or story in general. So for now, here it is. Also, the characters here can be whatever you envision them to be, anthro or their original forms. Do whatever the fuck you want to do cause I can't tell you what you can and can't do because it will be impossible to tell a bunch of people who I can't even see or know what they should.
A wolf had come out from a war ship, specifically Axel. Axel, the guy who was supposed to be a felony, a criminal, a fraud, at least to the residents of happy tree town. A group of tiger employees from the hawthorne corporation had been waiting for him, a car with an opened door waiting for the young wolf to get into. He saw them, he could only imagine the hatred they had for him for mistreating them in the past. He kept his head down, saying a faint "thank you" to one of them, which surprised them a bit, but did what was asked by his father: to bring him back to the corporation as soon as he had arrived.
His father waited patiently, he was excited to see his son, and at the same time afraid. He had neglected his son when he was younger, and he had paid the price a few years ago. He only hoped that he could do better this time, though he had sent him to that boot camp, he knew how rigorous and brutal the training was there. Not only physically, but mentally. He had been there once, when he and the tiger general were both privates of the army, he was just glad that the war was over. The base was a former concentration camp for the purpose of torturing and interrogating prisoners, a place to make others suffer a fate worse than death. But now it had been a place where delinquents are taught discipline, humility, and purpose to fight for something bigger than themselves. He just hoped that his son didn't despise him for it.
The car stopped in front of the building, a tiger opening the door for Axel. He stepped out and stared at the looming skyscraper of a building, back then he would be excited to go here, knowing that this building was his birth right. But now, it had made him afraid, a grim reminder of who he was in the past, he had felt disgusted with his own actions. Visions of Mime and Russel haunted his dreams, telling him how he would never be forgiven, he would die alone with nobody to love him. In truth, he had no friends, and those he had considered friends in the past only saw him as a means of protection, wealth, and fame. He tipped the tigers, telling them he didn't need to but he still insisted on doing so, giving a warm smile despite what he felt at the moment, before turning his back so the tigers wouldn't be able to give the money back.
He entered the building, the receptionist, a canary wearing glasses, was surprised that Axel was finally back. The company didn't know his assignment to the boot camp, except for a few employees, it was probably for the better, wouldn't want rumours of the reason why he was sent, if there was one thing that their news reporters had, it was the tenacity to know the truth no matter the cost. "Axel! I- Y-you're here! I haven't seen you in ages sir! Is there anything you need?" asked the alarmed receptionist. "No thank you ma'am, I just need to see my father" said Axel, trying to be as polite as possible. "Go ahead then! Don't let me keep you" said the receptionist, gesturing toward the elevator. "I appreciate it" said Axel, walking past the desk and entering the elevator. "That's odd, he seems… bigger now?" wondered the receptionist.
Axel rode up the elevator, the long ride gave him plenty of time to try to calm himself down. Does his father still hate him for what he did all those years ago? Did he even want to see him? No, of course he did. Why else would he send those tigers to pick him up? More importantly, what's going to happen to him now? Is everything going to be back to the way it was back then? He had nowhere to go except here now, hell he didn't want to be part of the company anymore, he basically lost his purpose. Boot camp had given him plenty of time to think about what he did, but not what he would do after. His body had changed along with his personality, his body back then made him look like a jock, but now it had made him look even more intimidating. He was thankful that the camp had fatigues large enough for him when he had grown considerably. But even now, he could feel the strain of the fatigues he was wearing with each movement, stares of lust and desire were all he received from the men and women he had been fellow passengers with, and when he turned to them they had become afraid of what he might do to them once he stared at them.
The elevator stopped at the top floor, his dad was waiting, the very same desk all these years. Axel's ears drooped down immediately, he took slow steps to the chair that paralleled with his father's. His father patiently waited, not wanting to scare off his own son, especially after he pulled that knockout drug on him back then. Axel sat down, staring at the shiny tiles of the floor, an awkward silence played between the father and son, and his dad decided he would be the one to break the numbing silence.
"Axel?" said his dad, "Y-yes dad?" said Axel timidly, ashamed of facing his own father. "Son... Look at me" said his dad as gentle as possible. Axel lifted his head to look at him and stared into his eyes, "I'm not mad at you Axel. Not even back then. Just disappointed. But you have changed for the better right?" asked his dad. "Yeah, at least I think so" said Axel guiltily, he could still remember the faces of those he had angered and hurt, to be perfectly honest, he now even considered the tiger general to be his second father, the first one to teach him humility and discipline. Not only had he changed internally but also physically, his already toned body had developed more, almost on par with his dad. "Axel, remember that even though I sent you there, I did it for your own benefit. I knew that anything I'd do would not impact you much. I failed you as a father. Let's hope I can do a better job in the future" said his dad, genuinely guilty for sending him there. "It's fine dad. You don't need to apologize, I was... nothing you could do was in your hands, it was my fault" said Axel, trying to convince his dad that he had actually changed. "Can I go home dad?" said Axel, anxious to get a bit of distance from the awkward father and son conversation. "About that, you still have to take responsibility for something" said his dad, "Take responsibility for what?" asked Axel. "You know what I'm talking about" said his dad,
Axel started sweating just thinking about it, "You're sending me to jail for what I did?" asked Axel, starting to tear up. "No no Axel! I'd never do that to you. Not after all this, what I mean is, I want you to go there. Earn their trust, and forgive you. See what it's like to be in their shoes" said his dad, Axel was scared about what might happen to him there, or even confronting Mime or Russel about what he did all those years ago. "What if they... What if they hurt me?" said Axel, shaking in his military boots. "They won't, I've met them. They're not the sort to resort to violence" said his dad. "However, you're not going to use any of the companies' properties, I will fund you for now, but you will have to rely on yourself on the way. I want you to grow as a person Axel, just know that whatever the outcome, I know you'll do your best, and seeing you now Axel. I'm proud of you, remember that" said his dad, putting a hand on Axel's shoulder. Axel started to tear up, but refused do so, remembering his training to never show weakness. "I'll do my best dad" said Axel, hugging him briefly. "… Go" said his dad, and as if on cue, some tigers had arrived by elevator, holding supplies of whatever he would be needing. And his old wallet, he was going to prepare himself for them, for the people that he had hurt. Just thinking about it made him shiver himself.