Rising Dawn (Willy Wonka X OC)

Rat Hunting

Buckle up, kiddies. This one has a lot of new information and build up. Don't let the large paragraphs intimidate you. This isn't English class, they're interesting, I promise.

Mr. Wonka looks from Will to me to Charlie and back to Will. "I don't think I've ever met Dawn's father, have I?"

Will looks at me, but I shake my head. I don't know if he's telling the truth. We had thought that it was my father who told Wilbur about my family's financial situation. I actually don't know why Will thinks so, but I found his old aviator goggles in the Wonka's old house. I know my father was there at one point, but Will never told me how he knew my father was there once. Did he know about the goggles? How did he know they belonged to my father? Was it his "network?"

"You have," Will asserts firmly. "It was a long time ago, but do try and remember."

Wilbur shakes his head and frowns. He draws his eyebrows closer in concentration, really trying to remember for his son, but he ends up shaking his head. "I'm sorry, William. I really don't remember meeting a fellow who introduced himself as a Mr. Bucket."

"That's because he didn't introduce himself as Mr. Bucket," Will growls softly. Why's he getting so heated? What does he hope to gain from this? My father is long gone, he doesn't matter anymore. I watch Will intently, seeing his eyes trained steadily his father. "The wolf doesn't tell the farmer he's a wolf when he's trying to get at the sheep. The butcher doesn't tell his pigs he's got a knife when he goes in to kill one. The potatoes don't tell the humans they're voluble when they're trying to pass as vegetables."

"What?" At this point, I'm just confused. I'd be more amused if Will weren't so serious. Charlie is just as bewildered by Will's final analogy. Wilbur just shrugs it off as if Will's always been like this.

Will shakes his head dismissively. "Point being, he didn't give you his real name, but I need you to remember the name he gave you." He puts an arm around me and pulls me forward a bit. "Look at Dawn. You remember seeing a man that resembles her. I know you do." I look up into Will's face and he glances down at me. "You have to."

"Will, if he doesn't remember, he doesn't remember, and that's alright. What are you on about anyway?" I brush his shoulder with my fingertips, but the fragile look on his face makes me afraid to do much more.

Will looks down at his hands in his lap and doesn't say anything for a while. He finally looks up at me for a second before whispering, "He had the blackest hair you can imagine. Like strands of black onyx that made up a medium length hairstyle." Charlie perks up and leans closer, realizing who Will is describing. "His hands were soft but unforgiving, and he handled objects with such a detached caution. He held himself tall and walked arrogantly, with a swagger that made you want to hide under your covers until he left. His clothing was new and clean, but somehow entirely wrinkled." Will looks up to check on me. It's been so long since I let myself remember my father, but his descriptions are accurate so far. I blink a few tears from my eyes, and Will looks at his dad. "Father, you said you've never met anyone with eyes like Dawn's, but you have. You just never saw him with his goggles off."

Realization dawns in Wilbur's eyes. He knows exactly who Will is talking about now, it was the detail about the goggles, I think. His lips part slightly, but he doesn't speak. Charlie sits back a bit, hearing the ominous tone in Will's voice. There's a reason we don't talk about him at home. I know Charlie has always been curious, but he hasn't asked about our father since the first few times he was given merely a hard look in response.

Will bites the inside of his lip and to his father. "He came to the door and told you that he was coming to us as a concerned patron. He said that he had heard rumors of a neighboring family we had been growing close to and that they were sinking financially."