7 Years To Go

[Dark]

Dark looked at him dumbfounded as he look at Seance who is looking at the Chopstick in awe. Oh right, the boy haven't known some of the culture of others. Seeing that it was as if the first time he have seen the chopstick. "Well..." he started but then paused.

Seance have hold the bowl of ramen and left the place. Only to settle the bowl in the snowy ground. A sweat drops on the back of his head. His eyes widen as attention were drawn unto the kid. He stood up and strides his way at the entrance of the shop. "Oi kid!" he called out. "You're drawing too much attention. And that's not how to used and ate that!" he blurted out and glanced at the bystanders.

He quickly picked up the ramen and holds the wrist of the boy, gently. "Come here... I'll teach you," he intend as he drag the boy back in their seats. He sighed as he took a sit and place the ramen of the kid at the table. "So, you were used in cold foods.... but you can't live forever in cold foods..."

He looked at his ramen bowl and placed it in front of the kid. It is mild warm so its okay for Seance to eat. "Here take this... you can't eat cold foods. You're stomach might be unwell to that. Warm foods would make you feel good at this cold weather."

[Seance]

When his mealtime was rudely interrupted, Sean frowned especially deeply...which is to be expected. "Hey, I was doing FINE out there!" he rebelled when Dark picked up his bowl and dragged him back inside the shop. Though, when the man announced that he'll teach Sean, the little boy's frown lessens. Now learning is a completely different matter to Sean, he likes learning.

So, the black-haired boy climbed up back to his seat and looks at Dark. He wanted to retort to how the guy sees things, but he may have a good point. ...Still, that didn't stop Sean to state whatever's bothering him, "Maybe I have an iron-stomach, leave me alone. You're not my father."

Thankfully, he didn't yell that loud enough so that the whole restaurant could hear him. Though, it is audible enough for the cashier girl in front of them to snicker. Nevertheless, he did what he was told to do, and eat the ramen obediently.

It was still too warm for Sean's taste, but he's too hungry to do anything and just sat there eating his ramen. "Celeste said I should thank you," the child muttered out after slurping in the soup, "...Thank you." That little pause he did before he thanked Dark proves that it's hard for him to say so.

[Dark]

Dark sighed victorilly, finally letting the boy beside him to eat his warm meal. He figured he isn't used of having someone to took care of. He could see from the very start why and how. And the statement about being paternal proves his theory. What a poor boy, but of course, he won't be going to be his paternal something. He was way tooo young for that and for his... manly stuffs.

He looked at Wiz who seems to like the kid, since the said creature is always at the boy's side from the start. He chuckled grimly, Wiz like kids because he can play together with it. But since Dark have set foot on this island to do woman, he is looking around the place.

He just paused when Seance have thanked his good deed, he just grinned boyishly, "Sure kid..." he let out, wriggling the kid's hair. "So kid, you are here not to enjoy the place, is it?" he asked, suddenly bringing up a topic of which might changed Seance attitude towards him. He just wanted to know what's Seance reason of being here... then nothing else.

He could sense the tense look even with his eyes closed and laid-back attitude, "Though you don't have to answer if you don't want to let something out..."

[Seance]

Sean's eyebrows knitted tightly when he felt the ruffle on his hair. This hedonist DARES touch his hair. If it wasn't for Celeste wildly hooting at him to calm down, and the miso soup for being so warm and tasty, Sean would have slapped this man's hand away and splash his soup on his face, not to mention kicking the guy off his chair and stomped on his stomach.

Lucky sod.

Sean is especially sensitive when people are touching him. When Dark grabbed hold of his hand, the little boy had constructed about a million plans to snap, crackle and pop Dark's head off. So now when that man touches his scalp, the area where he treasures the most since it's the host of his tactical mind, he's going to PAY. ....Later. When Sean doesn't feel indebted to the guy.

Though then, Dark just HAS to bring up a more sensitive topic now, does he. "I am not here to enjoy," the little boy snapped darkly, 'enjoyment' is not in his dictionary. The question had killed the boy's appetite, but at least the ramen's now half-finished, and he actually felt full.

Sean slowly darted his eyes towards the angel, narrowing them as he does. "...Look here," his voice had shrunk drastically, almost in a whisper, as the little boy reached for the strings of his oversize black cloak. He pulled the entwined strings, and the huge cloth that covered the boy loosens.

Cautiously, Sean pulled over his cloak to fall a bit so Dark could see his shoulders and arms. It's actually rather surprising to see how small Sean really is when his cloak was partly removed, and inside that cloak, the little boy wore a sleeveless white shirt with patches all over.

No, the patches are not only on his shirt.
It's all over his pale skin too.

Red marks are all over the boy's arms, one large gash goes straight up to his shoulder, and most of his skin looked like it's been threaded since there's still thin strings that's holding his skin together. The marks looked like it's made with knives, some looks like its been burnt by hot iron, but most of it looks so severe, he needed to stitch them up.

Sean quickly pulled back his cloak to cover himself again, his eyes now cornering at the sides of his eyelids. "My mother," was his only explanation.

[Dark]

Dark looked at him curious, such a young age being alone in the place, no one to be with. Who is he to talk? Though at his age, he acts nothing but a kid. He looks at his oversized cloak that he flings.

He whistled, quite amused or rather surprised at the bruises that is slowly long gone. He looked at the kid with an incredulous look. The bruises, the burnts, he cringed in pain a bit. He haven't experienced such pain, especially he wouldn't like it if it happen into his precious face.

"Wow kid, you can endure that pain?" he asked, voice not of sympathy, but of amazement. He whistled, "I envy you... though that must've been really hurt, not to mention; I wouldn't like those into my precious face," he let out, boasting himself again.

He chuckled at the look Seance was giving him, "But kid," he started, eyes suddenly turned to serious and worry. "You still loved your mother whom did that to you, such noble of you..."

[Seance]

Sean only stayed quiet, his eyes returning back to that lethal glare towards this highly obnoxious guy. It's not the response that bothers the little boy so much, it's that whistling. It triggered slight bell-ringing at the back of his mind, but he can't remember where he heard it from or why he dislike it so much.

His fixed gaze was faltered a bit when Dark commented that he's envious of the boy. 'What is he jealous at? My pain? My scars?' But that unfocused gaze then turned into a straight face when he heard the man's next assertion of not wanting it on his face. "Celeste's asking, are you metrosexual?"

Sean has no idea what that word meant. He just used that because it simply popped up in his mind.

At Dark's last statement, the boy completely looked away. No glares, no scowls, no glowers. "Physical pain is nothing compared to...when the only person you have ever known who is related to you...hates you with all her heart." Sean paused a bit, seeming to get a hold of himself for a while, then finally looks at Dark with that same straight emotionless face, "She's the only one I know. I have no one else to love, how is that noble..?"

[Dark]

Dark looked at Seance, astounded at the word that left the kid's mouth. 'Metrosexual', him? His eyes widened, but suddenly chuckles lowly; he stared at the boy blankly. "No." he firmly said, calm demeanor still residing on him.

He sighed, looking at the kid. They were the opposite, and he was sure that this kid is nothing but full of compassion towards his mother. He, is nothing about that. He always think of something, rather than help his kingdom; his family to save their kingdom. He was sure happy that he was free from all the responsibilities. Though this little thing that thug his heart about what happens from his kingdom, made a resort of little guilty.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Noble... because you're still there to love your mother, even if she's the only one living in the earth. I don't know what happens from your dad, though you seem kinda protective of your mother... albeit those pictures of abusiveness in your body." he let out, suddenly ordering a sake.

His face is blank of any emotion, he could not feel any kind of love or affection towards anything. How the hell could he say such advices and such with this kid?! To tell frankly, Dark doesn't have this compassionate feeling towards his kingdom, nor worry on whose going to be the next ruler. Nothing worries him but ladies whom he flirt.

He have never loved before, so why giving advice now? A deep chuckle emitted on his throat. "Maa... I never loved something or someone for that matter... so I don't know if my advice or if you call that an advice would mean something..." he suddenly look at Wiz whom is at Sean.

"And care is a different thing about love... though they were the same nonetheless..."

[Seance]

Sean glanced sideways to Celeste in cue of Dark's denial of being metrosexual. Then he looked back at the purple-haired man in curiosity, "What's mert...metrol.. whatever it is?" Despite how abnormal the way he thinks, Sean still is just a child.

And the boy decided to state it out to make it apparent too in cue of Dark's advices.

"I'm only 8 years old, Dark," it's actually Sean's first time to say out the guy's name, "There is no nobility. Love is the only emotion I know. My mother is the only person I know. It's not noble, it's called innocence." Though he just stated he's 8 years old, the way he spoke makes him sound wise beyond his years, yet at the same time, stayed true to what a child really is.

At the topic of his father however, Sean's eyes sharpened drastically. There's even a deathly glint of it shining for only a moment's time before disappearing underneath that cold mask of his. Dark has reminded him of his mission, so Sean pushed his bowl of ramen away from him, to signal that he's done eating, and asked that the same question that he has asked the thousands of people before him.

"I'm looking for my father. Have you seen or heard a spectacled black-haired man by the name of Anthony Reinhardt?" Sean spoke with the air of an adult, it's difficult to see that he's only a little boy. It's almost like he's a man trapped inside a boy's body by how responsible he sounded.

Dark's last statements made the boy tilted his head slightly, as if noticing something strange. He blinked once, then twice, then parted his lips to state out the most obvious thing within a child's view, "Love is a human emotion."

Celeste hooted melodiously, almost as if she seconds the boy. "You are not human. How can you love?" There is a blankness in the child's eyes, but also a type of vastness. It's actually rather strange if you stare long enough into Sean's eyes. "Care is a different matter. Animals can care, so I guess non-human creatures can care too."

[Dark]

Dark chuckled, "Y'know... you're asking questions you shouldn't need to know..." he let out, implying about the metrosexual thing. Maybe he WAS, but you should not let a boy to know something about it.

He shook his head, "Being noble is nothing about what age; or innocence or not, you still love her even if she hates you." Wow... where did those came from? He was not the one to be some wise old man. Maybe because, he was the least favorite of their father and never felt what a true love and affection felt.

He eyed the boy, so he's looking for his father? He shrugged his shoulders, he haven't had met much lately; except for some ladies in town. "Haven't had... why? What's the reason of searching your father?"

He chuckled forlornly at the obvious statement of the kid. He knows what love is, its a human emotion. But he never experienced the term 'love'. "Actually..." he let out, looking at Sean. "I have not love anyone pretty much, albeit its a human emotion, everyone knows it. But doesn't know how to apply it."

"If you care for someone... you do not want to get that someone hurt. It's the same application about love."

[Seance]

Sean was slightly taken aback by Dark's response of things the little boy should not know, it annoys him when what he wants to know is barricaded. Though, that's simply because he doesn't understand that there's just boundaries for information to be revealed to an 8-year-old. "..I like information, so I hate you for not answering," Sean huffed with a cross of his arms.

The boy is still angry of Dark's inability to answer his question, so Sean stayed silent of the man's opinion on nobility. 'So what he's saying is, just by FEELING love, that can be considered noble?' The little boy glanced at the owl on his shoulder as he thought that, almost as if asking Celeste in a way. A slow hoot is her answer.

Sean was then distracted by Dark's next question, which touched an even deeper nerve of the boy. A subject about this person named Anthony Reinhardt haunts the child in such a way, it actually makes him feel...sad, for some reasons. But being focused, he would never allow emotions like that to get in his way of searching for this father of his.

"My mother would only accept me, if I could find the person who made her cry so much, and brings him back to her," Sean answered straight-forwardly with his signature frown, as serious as a depressed adult. It's a hard task, searching for one man out of a trillion of others, and he knows nothing of how this man even looked like.

".....Perhaps you're describing me as 'noble' because I have felt something you never have," Sean theorized coldly, then concluded, "You're slow." He stared at Dark so solemnly, it's like he was born with a frown. "But everyone has their own time to experience things. You're no exception. So stop believing that you can't feel love, it's ridiculous, and makes you look uglier."

Though Dark never said that he can't feel love, Sean just has a tendency to say things out like that a lot. "By the way, I have to disagree with your opinion of 'care'. I have met some strange people in my travel, and a few of them show their care by hurting the people they care about. Celeste said it's called as sadism...or something that starts with 'sad'.. Because that's just sad to me."

When Sean is in his rare conversing moods, all of those who had heard him speak speculated him to be a child prodigy, or simply not fit to be an 8-year-old.

[Dark]

Dark chuckled, wriggling the hair of the kid, "Ahh... don't argue anymore... all I really see on you is a noble kid whom loved his mother... period." he replied as he leaned at his seat. "It never takes to be famous... nor to do good deeds to be a noble though... But I could still see you being a noble...so hush."

"Ahh... my lovely waiter... please do give me a sake! And thank you," he ordered, winking at the lovely waiter.

He look over at Sean and shrugged his shoulder. "Well... who am I to discuss about love... I haven't experienced much..." he eyed the kid, once he heard him saying him-Dark- getting uglier. "My heart maybe is ugly... but not my face," he boasted as he was given a sake.

He took it and pour a little on the small cup, drinking the rice wine. He raised an eyebrow and scoffs, "Sadism... tsk," he let out, pouring another one, not minding that there is a kid watching him do that. Who cares? He never cares anyway?

Once the wine was poured on his cup, he only watched at it, "I know such person whom has the attitude having a care but has this sadistic ways..." he side-glanced at the kid and chuckle solemnly. "The breed that I hate most... they're too sadistic in their own ways," he mumbled, drinking the wine.

[Seance]

Sean, for once, sat still when Dark was running his hand on his head. He would push the man's hand off, but then Dark requested for them not to argue anymore. Sean complied.

Celeste hooted suddenly, almost in response of Dark's ugly heart issue. "I wasn't talking about your heart, or your face, I was talking about your perception." Narcissistic. That's the word that was suddenly popped in his head. Though he has no idea what that word meant (yet), he could tell by instinct that it's a word that would describe Dark.

The little boy took his time discussing silently with Celeste when Dark was busy with his drink. Once Dark responded to his sadism comment, the little boy turned to look at the bottle he ordered. He was about to ask what is it, but then Dark began to speak.

"Breed? Are you talking about human?" Sean never met any other species, Dark's the first non-human he ever met so far.

[Dark]

Dark looked down at Sean and grinned. "Just hushed down, kiddo... No matter what you says it or what I say or percept about it, it's all the same..." he blurted out, suddenly leaning at his chair and looking at the sake and the small cup he twirled on his hand.

He suddenly glanced at Sean, beneath those childish looks, the face and such. His eyes held such maturity Dark would never attain. The kid is a genius... and mature, he was a keen observer as well. He chuckled and look at his sake. "Hmmm... I am praising you in my thoughts, kid." he blurted out and smirks boyishly.

Suddenly his mood turned serious, remembering the kid's question. "Actually, they look alike like human as well. Such as I do... talk, act like a human..." he describes, his grips on his cup suddenly tightens. "But beneath those actions... beneath those golden eyes... they're a sadistic ones. They never really 'cared' what happens at the even they fold into. All they 'care' is they're superiority and such..." he let out and sighed, calming his mind out.

He should never try to let his anger out, it would make his mind fog. "They're an angel as well... but they are those who are never accepted because of their actions. A fallen angel... those breed annihilate my brothers and our kingdom..." he let out and sighed, he suddenly look at Sean. "So you see... you shouldn't talked or be near at them. Hmmm... let's see..." he trailed off then look at Wiz.

"They have white wings... like a Light Angel, light hair and golden eyes. If you see them, ignore them and don't be near them, ayt?"

[Seance]

Sean turned to look up at this man, as much as he wants to counter the response, the little boy just delivered a glare to Dark. Then he turned his attention to the sake bottle, blinking at it as he thought of something in his mind.

At the sudden confession of Dark praising him in his mind, Sean doesn't turn to look at the man, but is rather surprised. So the little boy just blinked his eyes continuously at the sake bottle, his eyebrows knitted together as he thought why on earth would he admit that. He thought of thanking him, and then he turned to Dark, "..Okay. And I'm thanking you in my thoughts."

When Dark began to take the place of a story-teller did Sean had gathered enough interest to fully turn his whole body to face the dark angel. Both him and Celeste, actually. Even animal spirits would like to know what would bother a relaxed man like him.

Sean silently observed the man, from his words to his reactions. 'Fallen angels..?' "O...Okay.." This is probably the first time Sean is obedient around the guy, but with Dark using that tone, he thought it would be best if he acted like that.

"Your brothers...and your kingdom.. Are they all...completely gone?" he wondered at first what happens to angels that died, but decided to ponder upon that later because he doesn't even believe in angels...well, until he met one right here in front of him.

[Dark]

Dark only chuckled at the sudden grateful... well not that much, but he was just amazed that the kid would really thanked him, albeit in thoughts. He shrugged his shoulders, a small smile plaster on his face.

Though once he have told him about his kingdom being vanished upon by those sadistic breed, he sighed disdainfully. Not liking the very fact that he was letting his frustration out... and towards a kid, though the kid is mature better than himself. He knew Sean would understand what he will tell.

He eyed Sean whose suddenly wondered about what he told."Well, unfortunately... they're all dead... diminished by those kind of breed. I would have suffered as well the same fate... if it weren't for someone whom have locked a seal upon me from 300 years. And then right... I also suffered the same fate though..." he let out, shaking his head. "They let me suffer of being alone... the only Dark Angel living upon this world. I have never cross into a fallen angel before... but if I would, no matter what place that is... I would gladly perished his life."

He paused, suddenly surprised at his voice that is firm and strong. He suddenly laughed, "Tch... what a great way to enjoy this! Anyway... any questions, kiddo?" he let out, letting the kid asked anything. Well the kid might be a philosopher someday or a scholar... he could at least let the kid asked him something... and he might give some piece of crap advices that he sure would never do. But of course, some opinions would never tain his ego... since he never minded those crap.