Disclaimer: I would like to thank the wonderful manga artist and storyteller for creating 07-Ghost. I would also like to remind everybody who reads this ever-growing collection that I am not the creator, nor am I affiliated in any way with this manga or anime series. I am simply borrowing these characters for the enjoyment of all.
アンソロジ
ラブラドール
The light filtered gently through the few remaining clouds and lit the space up as though it were aflame with fireworks confined to the Earth. This was his favourite place on Earth, where the natural smells tickled at his nose and every sight beckoned his attention. There was a certain comfort that accompanied dirt, something about it's warm smell and promise of life.
Labrador gazed serenly out of one of the windows of the vast estate. He knew he was supposed to be studying - but what child would study when left alone? His father was busy appeasing the masses, the unfortunate souls who needed his words, as though he was their only saviour. His father had built an empire from what had once been a humble farming business, fueled by his disdain for the church and all things godly. He now thrived by acting as a guiding light for those who could not find their own, feeding their needs with the dark concoctions that they grew in their gardens.
He had to give the man credit – he had discovered the darkest secrets of the plant world, and he now used these together with his words laced with greed to seduce the needy. Labrador was too weak minded, as his father put it, to take up the family business. Rather than let his son explore the world around him, he kept him confined to studying and wandering the gardens.
That was now his favourite place, his whole world. He loved the sights and smells, they were as much a part of him as his forsight. His eyes glazed over suddenly as a vision overcame him, but it passed as easily as it had come. Wordlessly, he left the books behind and headed for the garden.
He would be yelled at by his tutor for not studying, his father would express his disgust with his lack of effort yet again, but Laborador was compelled by his vision. He quickly wandered to the furthest edge of the garden and peeked through a hole in one of the rotten slats of the worn out fence.
The beauty that blessed his eyes was exquisite. Humble robes of the purest white, dampened by the dew that covered the landscape. They fluttered briefly in the breeze while the wearer turned briefly and stared straight at him. Labrador took a startled step backwards, embarassed to be caught peeking. He quickly pressed his face against the fence only to be disappointed – the visitor had disappeared a silently as a ghost.
He turned around with a heavy heart, he knew of those people, they were God's people. Servents who tirelessly worked for the good of everybody. They clothed, they fed, they educated, they gave shelter to and saved anybody who needed it. Though they might sound similar, they bore no resemblance to his father who helped only for his own profits - they helped out of love.
A part of Labrador yearned to sneak through the fence and go after the mysterious man, for deep down he felt a certain kinship.
He had never seen a church, or spoken with one of its individuals. Contact of any type with the church was strictly forbidden by his father after all. But he felt as though the church had some use for him, as though God was calling to him. He hid this endless curiosity from his family, only his lone tutor expressed some form of sympathy for him. He occasionally brought him books wrapped tightly in cloth, whispering hurriedly into his ear that he dare not be caught with this book by his father or it would be both of their heads. Labrador would sneak them into his bedroom at night, becoming intranced by the many bibles of the Barsburg kingdom, or working hard to memorize all the different properties of plants.
With a soft sigh Labrador glanced back toward the estate to see his tutor beckoning him from a window. He gave one last glace back at the fence before he set off, a final longing and curious look. His vision had been that one day he too would wear robes of white, but it seemed that fate was not meant for him yet.
Someday – he thought to himself. He bent over to pluck a silver rose before he started his dash back towards the estate. Someday he would see a church and work for the true benefit of the people. Someday he would be freed from the large building surrounded by sprawling gardens of misfortune. Some day he would be free to drift in the wind just like the seeds of the plants he so adored.