Childhood Nostalgia
By: Snowfox and Redwolf
"Oh my God! I can feel all the molecules in my body… I'm gonna count them! 1…2…3…"
Disclaimers: No own. Now read… then you review… or vise versa. As long as the last part's there.
Reply: nanai- Was it? …Looked dirty blonde to me. [Maybe it was brown...] Hm… I'll check it! ;
Note: Don't mind the attitude of little Ban-sama. = P He's just mad at granny. And yes, I know Ban is only 1/4th German.
--
BAN: The child, the witch and The Jagan
[… and the little nihilist that is Mido Ban]
Chapter Summary: One never quite understood Mido Ban; one never even stood a change to get around his enigmatic psycho talk; the only other thing he inherited from the witch that was his grandmother.
--
Germany. The rich West European country had a history like no other. The worst of the most immoral and unpleasant historians merely placing it down on their books as the hand that pulled the trigger on the two World Wars becoming as offensive as the constant memories of Hitler, the Nazi's and his ever haunting swastika; the better end of the history books faring as well as its branded cars and the world's fluffiest and smelliest X-Man, Kurt Wagner. In the end, the final summary of this country would fall victim to the words pride and great self esteem.
Naturally, such a stereotype would get a person shot in the new millennium that is the world today, yet this would be allowed to let slip when one notices the slightly strange looking boy by his grandmother's side, walking through the large Capital that was Berlin. One would also notice the large scowl plastered on his face as he used his free hand to push, no, shove his equally strange purple glasses up the bridge of his nose.
The conversation occurring between them would be one to listen to had you been searching for proof of the "German equals Pride" accusation.
"Hey, old lady. Where the hell are we going?" Ban asked for the umpteenth time that morning; charming for such a young lad, "Aren't you getting tired of walking yet?"
"Not quite," A chuckled caused his scowl to grow deeper, entering the boy's face so well one might as well assume he caused them from the many nights of deep dark and sullen looks he shot at nearly everyone he'd see, "Now, patience Ban."
The said brunette snorted, earning looks from older individuals who believed such young ruffians should be locked up as insane and unfit in society. He wanted to yell at them all, it wasn't his fault he had been taken miles and miles from his home to see something he hadn't a slightest clue about at a stupid museum he never even knew existed.
The thought lodged itself into his brain causing deep consternation to show on the young features of the pale boy, "Ne, Obaasan," Signs of his scowl vanishing as the curiosity overrode his temper tantrum, "What are we going to go look at anyway? Don't tell me it's another stupid museum full of paintings."
Had he had normal, boring, disciplinarian guardians they would have had his tongue on a platter, soaked in the foulest tasting soap imaginable to man. Fortunately, for his sake, his grandmother had quite a muscular tongue on herself as well, excusing the boy's constant rudeness.
Yet, despite all this, a twitch was evident on the old woman's face, art was her life and she usually reprimanded her grandson for speaking improperly about it; her solution was to drain his spirit then kill the empty shell that was the boy with endless talk of famous paintings and the artists that brought them to life.
"Thank your lucky stars we aren't going anywhere near an art museum today boy," The grandmother scolded, her tone harsh and candy coated with a sadistic tone suggesting that Ban run if he truly valued his sanity, "Although tomorrow I might just speak to a friend about a plane trip. It's high time you went to visit the Louvre, Ban-SAMA."
Ban's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, itching and nearly turning red at his ogling, "You wouldn't dare old lady!"
"We're going to a different type of museum today," She continued indifferently, successfully ignoring her grandson's incessant whining, "I won't tell you more until you stop that rambling. Despite how strange it may sound you just might get a hernia… and at such a young age too."
It would have been stupid to suggest such a thing to an older and more medically educated child as speaking rapidly would never, in anyone's wildest dreams [nightmares], cause the said decease. But it was a good thing for the old lady that Ban knew nothing of medicine yet, allowing her to use her idiotic excuse of a trump card on the boy once more.
And it worked. The mouth stopped chattering right away; Ban knew what a hernia was and how horrible it looked; his grandmother had even shown him pictures of her own operation. She had them specially taken, what a weird old crone, "Yes grandma." Defeated and he knew it.
"You just wait until we get there it's not very far," She tapped him on the nose, seeing his glum expression, "Now, look where you're going," That was as far as they got to an emotional "cheer up kid", "You wouldn't want a bloody nose when I tell you about what we're going to see."
"Feh, what's the point?"
They made their way past a cart selling little souvenirs and puppets to little brats wailing their eyes out as tired tourist parents bought them their wish, just doing so to get back to their over priced sightseeing.
Ban sidestepped them as he noticed the mother cooing at how cute he looked and how sweet as well, grasping his grandmother's arm and escorting the old coot down the street.
"It'll be boring either way,"
"Boring you say?" The old woman looked thoughtful for a second, "I don't believe this one will be that way, even to one as bad-tempered and inattentive as you."
"You say that."
Silence reigned between the two relatives; one silently fuming, cursing all who dared to look him in the face, the other was grinning slightly as she enjoyed the aura her grandson gave off, of course, enjoying it wordlessly.
Even as a child his body language was quite pronounced, echoing the signs he gave off that clearly yelled out, "I don't like you and the world... yes, you too dimwit." His gait was strong yet his legs weren't enough to constantly keep up with the longer yet slower legs of his grandmother, she noticed this and suggested they sit down.
He shook his head, pride getting the better of his tired body.
"Humph, I'm not old like you so I don't need to rest," The mini-Ban looked away from his grandmother stubbornly, a severe frown on his lips, "… but if YOU need to rest…"
The old lady caught on easily, she had raised the boy and knew his pride could get in the way of many things. His only way of reaching out to the world was through subtle hints you needed to watch out for, "Well, I do believe I need to rest."
Ban gave her a wide smile pointing towards a park bench before running to it to assure that it remains unoccupied, "Hey old lady! Over here!"
Though half lidded eyes she saw the instant delight that brought the child back his youthful glow. He sat instantly and gave his grandmother a cheeky grin before turning to stare at a group of kids, probably local children, run about trying to play a rather messy game of tag. They were barely younger than Ban but he couldn't help but feel he was already light years ahead of them. Stupid kids.
"Ban," He looked up to see his grandmother's serious face, "I believe its time for another lesson… on using those gifts I've given you."
"H-here? Now?" His grandmother was a very secretive woman and refused to speak about such things in the open. Their "lessons" took place by the fireside, the kitchen, even the backyard but as rare as they were, they only occurred when it was just the two of them no more, no less.
"Yes," She sighed deeply, "Ban, as you grow up, I get older. You know that very well. This trip will be the last lesson we'll have about your gifts… and it will be the most important."
The boy's eyes widened, "J-Jagan grandma?"
Wrinkles deepened as she smiled, "Quite right. You're a brilliant boy Ban. The final thing I'll leave you, despite your age, is the Evil Eye."
She said it out in the open. She said it out in the open. Ban felt terror run through his veins. Despite his loud disrespect he wanted to keep his grandmother for as long as possible, she was his only accepted relative and many people wanted her head presented to them on silver platter for her curse and talents; speaking about her gifts, at the edge of a widely populated park. It was a miracle no one heard them and tried to chop them up for it.
Ban looked up at his grandmother skeptically and wondering what on Earth was going on. Could it be that she was already anticipating the end of her life time, so much so she didn't care what happened even if such things were heard of by others and she was hunted down for it? It couldn't be.
"Grandma…" But the old woman refused to speak of the subject any more and she cut him off, effectively silencing the boy who knew it was no use to speak with her. The subject was closed for now.
"Now, I think I'm already well rested,"
Ban found he could only nod stiffly, standing with a somber look on his face to help his grandma up.
"Shall we go on?" The once rude atmosphere shifted to a sad, surrendering silence, "It's not far."
The boy only managed a small nod as they continued on their way.
--
Note: Yes, that was very sudden. Ah, well. Review anyway. And the hernia thing? Don't mind me. I just imagine the old lady as someone quite weird, having control of the Jagan you need to have lotsa stuff in your mind right? Heh, and Ban's afraid of it. =P Review... if you're still here that is.