Seven
Seven smiled as he walked out of the Manta Carlos Community Center behind Jackal, but in truth he felt quite a bit of looming sadness and guilt. The fact that his family was brought up when talking to Jackal definitely didn’t feel good to the nine-year-old. He had been brought to the island almost immediately after the loss of his family as a result the loss of his family was still open like a fresh wound. A fresh wound that had just been rubbed with salt. He instinctively gripped his hammer harder when he walked behind Jackal, of the people that had gotten to know seven, he knew that most people would have thought that his open and happy demeanor was quite pure, but many did not know the emotional wreck he was underneath.
Logically speaking though, he knew that many kids his age wouldn’t even be able to cope with what he went through, but it didn’t make him feel any more superior as ultimately his parents were dead. There was no pride that he could gain from that and even if there were, he had killed his own father. He had killed the man that had brought him into this world together with his mother. He could remember their alive and fresh smiles. He could remember the guiding hands of his father teaching him when he was a very young child how to use a hammer in order to strike hot metal. He could remember the tender embrace of his mother. He could remember his family as if they were alive just yesterday, but in his case, they were indeed alive almost “just yesterday.”
With the loss of his father he had lost a lot, he lost the man who raised him to this point, he lost the man that would have taught him the basics of how the world works, he had lost the man who would have given him his name. His tenth birthday was incoming soon and yet he had no way of receiving a name.
His smile faltered a bit when they got to the place that sold the funnel cake, but he quickly noticed and returned to his signature radiant smile.
“Mr. Jackal thank you! I love funnel cake! You are too kind to me!”
Logically speaking though, he knew that many kids his age wouldn’t even be able to cope with what he went through, but it didn’t make him feel any more superior as ultimately his parents were dead. There was no pride that he could gain from that and even if there were, he had killed his own father. He had killed the man that had brought him into this world together with his mother. He could remember their alive and fresh smiles. He could remember the guiding hands of his father teaching him when he was a very young child how to use a hammer in order to strike hot metal. He could remember the tender embrace of his mother. He could remember his family as if they were alive just yesterday, but in his case, they were indeed alive almost “just yesterday.”
With the loss of his father he had lost a lot, he lost the man who raised him to this point, he lost the man that would have taught him the basics of how the world works, he had lost the man who would have given him his name. His tenth birthday was incoming soon and yet he had no way of receiving a name.
His smile faltered a bit when they got to the place that sold the funnel cake, but he quickly noticed and returned to his signature radiant smile.
“Mr. Jackal thank you! I love funnel cake! You are too kind to me!”
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What was with the kid? Seven was... well, he was young and innocent and everything that a kid should be, only Jackal knew otherwise. He could see the black stain on Seven's aura. He knew he wasn't innocent. He knew he'd killed someone, even if he couldn't figure out who or why. Was he some kind of child soldier? He knew something had happened to Seven's parents. Maybe he'd hurt the people who hurt them?
"I'm really not," Jackal said, ordering two funnel cakes before herding Seven over to a bench to sit down and eat it. He made sure they were away from people, giving them space as he slid the funnel cake onto Seven's lap.
"Alright," Jackal said, deciding it was probably better not to beat around the bush too much. He wasn't good at it. And it probably didn't seem genuine anyway. "So... whats your story? You're new here, yeah?" And something had happened to his parents, only Jackal wasn't quite enough of a dick that he was going to just ask if they were dead or whatever. He was leaving it open for Seven to say what they wanted.
"I'm really not," Jackal said, ordering two funnel cakes before herding Seven over to a bench to sit down and eat it. He made sure they were away from people, giving them space as he slid the funnel cake onto Seven's lap.
"Alright," Jackal said, deciding it was probably better not to beat around the bush too much. He wasn't good at it. And it probably didn't seem genuine anyway. "So... whats your story? You're new here, yeah?" And something had happened to his parents, only Jackal wasn't quite enough of a dick that he was going to just ask if they were dead or whatever. He was leaving it open for Seven to say what they wanted.
Seven
Seven looked at the funnel cake that was given to him by the blue haired, centipede tailed man that was sat next to him, the appeal of the funnel cake now seemed to be gone. He had to some extent expected the question, but he fact that he had to now answer it really felt like a sock to the gut. Of course he could have just not answered, but the man was considerate enough to take time out of his day to talk to him and hear his story. Most people would have held him at arm’s length, but to seven the act of going out of his way to spend a bit of time with him was indeed quite valuable. He took the place of a responsible adult in his eyes for the most part.
“I came here about four days ago from my settlement of soul bounds.”
He pulled up his hammer as a bit of verification of his identity to Jackal
“The reason I was brought here was because my family and I were targeted. Most of my family was supposed to be killed because I decided to not put in my work as a blacksmith. My daddy told me that there are three main rules that we had to follow: the first was that people should not kill parents, the second is that we are not allowed to name kids till their tenth birthday, and the final one was that anything can be done in order to benefit society. Me and my family were kidnapped by the village under the idea that it would have been better for the village to force me and my father to work.”
Seven started to tear up again. He was starting to relive the memories of that one day. That cursed day that required him to leave the mausoleum of safety that he had considered to be his parent’s embrace and dip himself in the harsh reality of the world.
“They killed my siblings, hurt my mother and killed her too.”
Seven started to sob and barely pushed out his last statement
“And my father said he couldn’t live without my mother so he asked me to….”
Seven choked at the last statement. He couldn’t bring himself to say it. The fact that he did it was taxing enough, but the fact that he had to look at the deed that he had done with his own hands was too much for him. Especially this close in proximity to the day this actually happened.
“I came here about four days ago from my settlement of soul bounds.”
He pulled up his hammer as a bit of verification of his identity to Jackal
“The reason I was brought here was because my family and I were targeted. Most of my family was supposed to be killed because I decided to not put in my work as a blacksmith. My daddy told me that there are three main rules that we had to follow: the first was that people should not kill parents, the second is that we are not allowed to name kids till their tenth birthday, and the final one was that anything can be done in order to benefit society. Me and my family were kidnapped by the village under the idea that it would have been better for the village to force me and my father to work.”
Seven started to tear up again. He was starting to relive the memories of that one day. That cursed day that required him to leave the mausoleum of safety that he had considered to be his parent’s embrace and dip himself in the harsh reality of the world.
“They killed my siblings, hurt my mother and killed her too.”
Seven started to sob and barely pushed out his last statement
“And my father said he couldn’t live without my mother so he asked me to….”
Seven choked at the last statement. He couldn’t bring himself to say it. The fact that he did it was taxing enough, but the fact that he had to look at the deed that he had done with his own hands was too much for him. Especially this close in proximity to the day this actually happened.
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Jackal didn't know what a soulbound was, but he had enough of an idea just from... well, the fact that the kid was hauling his hammer around. But he listened carefully, keeping himself from interrupting even though he felt the intense desire to do so at the mention of my family were killed because I wasn't going to work.
When Seven said the last bit, Jackal had heard more than enough, and he leaned over, wrapping his arms around the little boy. He was so small, and more than anything it took a lot for Jackal to reign in his anger. Looking mad wouldn't help. Looking mad would just make him pull back, which was the last thing he wanted.
"That was wrong of him," Jackal said, half under his breath rather than outright saying it. "It was wrong of him to ask you to do that. What you suffered was bad enough, and that was without making you do something like that. It was wrong."
What kind of a father asked that of their son? What kind of father said 'I'd be better off dead, even if it means abandoning you'?
A bad one, that was what.
When Seven said the last bit, Jackal had heard more than enough, and he leaned over, wrapping his arms around the little boy. He was so small, and more than anything it took a lot for Jackal to reign in his anger. Looking mad wouldn't help. Looking mad would just make him pull back, which was the last thing he wanted.
"That was wrong of him," Jackal said, half under his breath rather than outright saying it. "It was wrong of him to ask you to do that. What you suffered was bad enough, and that was without making you do something like that. It was wrong."
What kind of a father asked that of their son? What kind of father said 'I'd be better off dead, even if it means abandoning you'?
A bad one, that was what.
Seven
Seven’s eyes widened as Jackal had slid over to give him a hug. He didn’t know how to react at the exact moment he felt Jackal’s arms wrap around his small body. On one hand, he wanted to push the man off of him, but on the other hand, he felt that Jackal’s embrace was oddly comforting. Due to his internal conflict of ideas, he started to shake a bit and tear up. He tried his best to try and stop the torrent of tears from starting, but he was not able to stop them and they had streamed out of his eyes like water flowing out of a broken dam.
He then heard what Jackal said next and felt conflicted. He loved his father unequivocally. There was no familial tie that he had felt closer to. There was no person as of right now that he could equate to his father. That being said, he knew the pain he felt. He could still feel the recoil from his hammer when he broke his father’s item, a simple screwdriver with a glass handle. It haunted him like a persistent ghost. He killed his father and he was now lost. He didn’t know what to do. He was trying his best to carry himself with dignity, but he felt no pride in himself. He broke a cardinal rule of his race at the behest of his father.
He then buried his face into jackal’s body, returned the hug, and said in a muffled tone.
“Mr. Jackal…. I don’t know what to do. I miss my mommy and daddy, I didn’t want to kill Daddy. I was told to and now I hurt Mr. Jackal. It hurts my head and my heart…… I want a family. I want to get a name when I become ten. I want a lot of things, but I am a just a kid that doesn’t have a family because I killed them. I… killed…. Them. If I had just worked I would have been fine…. I shouldn’t have been selfish.”
Seven then shivered.
“I am sorry….”
He then heard what Jackal said next and felt conflicted. He loved his father unequivocally. There was no familial tie that he had felt closer to. There was no person as of right now that he could equate to his father. That being said, he knew the pain he felt. He could still feel the recoil from his hammer when he broke his father’s item, a simple screwdriver with a glass handle. It haunted him like a persistent ghost. He killed his father and he was now lost. He didn’t know what to do. He was trying his best to carry himself with dignity, but he felt no pride in himself. He broke a cardinal rule of his race at the behest of his father.
He then buried his face into jackal’s body, returned the hug, and said in a muffled tone.
“Mr. Jackal…. I don’t know what to do. I miss my mommy and daddy, I didn’t want to kill Daddy. I was told to and now I hurt Mr. Jackal. It hurts my head and my heart…… I want a family. I want to get a name when I become ten. I want a lot of things, but I am a just a kid that doesn’t have a family because I killed them. I… killed…. Them. If I had just worked I would have been fine…. I shouldn’t have been selfish.”
Seven then shivered.
“I am sorry….”
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Jackal could only half-hear what Seven was saying, but it didn't particularly matter. He could hear enough to get the jist. The boy was in pain. He'd been made to do something awful during the worst time of his life, watched everything he loved die and seen everything he cared about shattered.
"You didn't," Jackal said once more. "The only people who killed them are the ones who did the killing, and the ones who ordered it. Not the people around it. Not you. They made their choice, and they'll have to live with it, but you didn't make that choice. You're a kid, who did what you could and followed the lead of your family, and you don't take the blame for what happened."
Jackal was doing a good job of hiding it, but he was mad. Mad at the whole damn village and all the stupid shit they'd done. Mad at the people who'd killed Seven's parents, and his family, and also mad at Seven's father.
"Family's what you make of it. You'll find new family here, people to take care of you and watch over you. You just have to wait a bit, and then they'll give you a proper name when you turn ten."
"You didn't," Jackal said once more. "The only people who killed them are the ones who did the killing, and the ones who ordered it. Not the people around it. Not you. They made their choice, and they'll have to live with it, but you didn't make that choice. You're a kid, who did what you could and followed the lead of your family, and you don't take the blame for what happened."
Jackal was doing a good job of hiding it, but he was mad. Mad at the whole damn village and all the stupid shit they'd done. Mad at the people who'd killed Seven's parents, and his family, and also mad at Seven's father.
"Family's what you make of it. You'll find new family here, people to take care of you and watch over you. You just have to wait a bit, and then they'll give you a proper name when you turn ten."
Seven
Seven buried his face as far as he could into jackal's body without hurting him. Despite what Jackal had said, there was no way that seven could deny that he had killed at least his father. Seven's brain knew it, Seven's body knew it, Seven's soul knew it and he hated himself for it. This boiled up to an answer to Jackal's first question. It was one of the most twisted and sick things that could have said.
"If I followed the lead of my family I should have died Mr. Jackal. Now I am just alone. I hope you are correct though about families as I want one a lot. Maybe If I am lucky I can find one.... and not kill them too."
Seven shivered at what he said. The bleak statement that he had just made clearly shook even himself. He was only a kid after all, one could not expect any more and any less from him at that age.
He then looked up at Jackal giving quite the brilliant smile that contrasted with the tears that glistened on his cheek. After making eye contact with Jackal, he pulled out a question seemingly out of the blue.
"Mr. Jackal are we friends?"
"If I followed the lead of my family I should have died Mr. Jackal. Now I am just alone. I hope you are correct though about families as I want one a lot. Maybe If I am lucky I can find one.... and not kill them too."
Seven shivered at what he said. The bleak statement that he had just made clearly shook even himself. He was only a kid after all, one could not expect any more and any less from him at that age.
He then looked up at Jackal giving quite the brilliant smile that contrasted with the tears that glistened on his cheek. After making eye contact with Jackal, he pulled out a question seemingly out of the blue.
"Mr. Jackal are we friends?"
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"You aren't," Jackal said, with all the confidence of someone who literally had knowledge of the very nature of sin itself.
"'Course we're friends," Jackal said. "And that's why you aren't alone. You've got plenty of friends here, and people who will watch out for you, so you don't have to stress about that kind of thing."
But Jackal wasn't quite done yet. He didn't think Seven got it, and to a certain extent he was right. The issue was that he didn't quite understand that it wasn't as easy as just accepting it wasn't your fault. Guilt didn't just go away like flipping a lightswitch.
"But you do need to know that no one would ever hold it against you. I don't know if you're religious, or if you don't care, or if you don't think about it at all, but..." Jackal paused, pulling back from the hug and setting a hand on each of Seven's shoulders.
"No one," Jackal said, his voice firm, "would ever hold it against you."
To Seven there would be no change, no shift. But for Jackal, the black hue around Seven began to fade, and a new, whiter hue took its place. He had been redeemed. Maybe not in the eyes of every god, but certainly in Jackal's eyes, and the eyes of his god.
"'Course we're friends," Jackal said. "And that's why you aren't alone. You've got plenty of friends here, and people who will watch out for you, so you don't have to stress about that kind of thing."
But Jackal wasn't quite done yet. He didn't think Seven got it, and to a certain extent he was right. The issue was that he didn't quite understand that it wasn't as easy as just accepting it wasn't your fault. Guilt didn't just go away like flipping a lightswitch.
"But you do need to know that no one would ever hold it against you. I don't know if you're religious, or if you don't care, or if you don't think about it at all, but..." Jackal paused, pulling back from the hug and setting a hand on each of Seven's shoulders.
"No one," Jackal said, his voice firm, "would ever hold it against you."
To Seven there would be no change, no shift. But for Jackal, the black hue around Seven began to fade, and a new, whiter hue took its place. He had been redeemed. Maybe not in the eyes of every god, but certainly in Jackal's eyes, and the eyes of his god.
Seven
Seven stared into Jackal's eyes as jackal took his shoulder into his hands. He listened to everything Jackal had said. Including the confirmation that they were indeed friends. The reassurance was quite nice as he needed it then and there. The centipede tailed man with blue hair was the one, oddly enough, to assuage the nine year old's sadness for a little while.
That being said, the guilt he felt from that day which was so painfully close did not stop. It would likely fade with time but it would never disappear no matter what a friend would have told him. So after Jackal grabbed his shoulders and asserted that no one would hold his parents' murder against him, he actually made a decision even those older than him would have had trouble with He forced a smile in order to at least affirm that the message came across, regardless of how he felt about it. He didn't argue because he knew internally the guilt he felt and nothing that he knew would have absolved him of that.
"Thanks Mr. Jackal... I feel a little better at least...It's good to have friends like you..."
That being said, the guilt he felt from that day which was so painfully close did not stop. It would likely fade with time but it would never disappear no matter what a friend would have told him. So after Jackal grabbed his shoulders and asserted that no one would hold his parents' murder against him, he actually made a decision even those older than him would have had trouble with He forced a smile in order to at least affirm that the message came across, regardless of how he felt about it. He didn't argue because he knew internally the guilt he felt and nothing that he knew would have absolved him of that.
"Thanks Mr. Jackal... I feel a little better at least...It's good to have friends like you..."
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He was a good kid. And good kids didn't deserve what he'd gone through--no one did.
Jackal dropped his hands, letting Seven go before giving him a friendly (if a bit toothy) smile. "Course," he said. "Try not to think about it, alright?"
There was a moments pause as Jackal's eyes flicked up, scanning across the area. "You ever had a candy apple?"
He was betting the answer was no, and he was going to fix that.
Jackal dropped his hands, letting Seven go before giving him a friendly (if a bit toothy) smile. "Course," he said. "Try not to think about it, alright?"
There was a moments pause as Jackal's eyes flicked up, scanning across the area. "You ever had a candy apple?"
He was betting the answer was no, and he was going to fix that.