¿¡Why!?
¿¡How?
¿¡What-what!?
They were three questions that Hunter could not stop reproducing in a state of annoyance, confusion, and even more confusion in his head while in the company of two puppies he worked as a servant.Clean the attic.
Serve croquettes with a fire hose.
... clean the poop.
That, and much more, was what Hunter was doing in the past two days, his third now.
"You miss a spot"
Hunter growled in annoyance in the direction where an annoying pup mockingly pointed to the ground where he was just now cleaning.
"You have nothing better to do Dolly?," exclaimed Dan in a tired sigh, who was on the other side of the room collecting the squeaky toys with his sister so that they would not get caught in the vacuum cleaner, "you could always help us. .., we won't say anything to mom "
"Nah, bro. I'm just here to supervise," Dolly exclaimed mockingly as she lazily leaned back on the couch where she was, "Just that, Chopp Chopp, quick, you three still have more chores left."
Hunter clenched his fists and had to restrain himself from cursing as he continue cleaning.
That pup could be so annoying in more ways than one, and she really did tempt the more violent side of Hunter with her mocking attitude whenever her muzzle was present.
But again, a chill ran down his spine as he imagined how the only adult in this doghouse would react if it proved to be even a little violent against anyone.
That one, Delilah or whatever, knew how to scold and make you feel bad about yourself.
Even more so for a child like Hunter, who had never in his lonely life been faced with the legendary scolding that only loving mothers can provide.
It was a [super effective] scolding. Hunter, while he was being scold, he wish he wasn't able to understand dogs.
¡He already felt like useless garbage! Some things Delilah mentioned in her scolding made him feel really strange.
[Flashback]
Hunter was just getting up, he felt strangely relaxed and a bit more optimistic than he had lately.
Because, this time, he hadn't had nightmares about the macabre lifeless face of his late great-aunt!
It felt like great progress.
He fast sat up and put his hands to his face, shaking off the little sleep that was still framed in his eyes.
When his vision stopped being blurry, and he could better focus his gaze on his surroundings ... he proceeded to widen his eyes.
He was in the home of the Dalmatians.
And in front of him, an adult Dalmatian crossing her front paws over her chest.
Hunter quickly recognized her.
He gulp.
It was the same Dalmatian that he had shot with a net rifle and then put a muzzle on her to end up putting her in a cage.
Uh-oh
"You're awake," the adult Dalmatian exclaimed as she stared into his eyes, she nodded, "fine"
God, those eyes ... it was like seeing a giant from Hunter's perspective.
Hunter had never felt so guilty while being watched by those eyes.
"Wh-"
"I have not given you permission to speak"
Hunter's eyes widened even more and he stepped back, as if every bark that the Dalmatian barked in front of him would carry with it a powerful invisible impact slingshot, he didn't just shut up.
He was absolutely silent and looked down at the ground.
He couldn't bear to see those powerful eyes that swelled up with guilt and made him feel bad about himself.
No one had ever seen him in that terrifying way before.
He was scared ... and confused.
"I heard from Dixie and Dan that you can understand us. Tell me, is that true?"
"Mmm-hmm," Hunter muttered and only nodded slowly in confirmation.
He still wasn't allowed to speak.
Those eyes would not allow it.
"Well that makes what I'm about to tell you easier to understand," Delilah agreed, before continuing in a firmer tone, "Hunter De Vi-"
"I-just ... Hunter," Hunter muttered weakly, interrupting and looking up, "... please," he pleaded.
He was just Hunter now ... and nothing else.
The last name De Vil, and all the death, resentment and hatred that had carried with him, had died cremated with his sole purpose to stay alive and his great-aunt on that burning cargo ship.
He was now just a shell of nothing. a faulty tool custom-made by his great-aunt's evil machinations that was no longer useful to anyone.
He was Hunter ... and Nothing else.
The Dalmatian in front of him sigh, if it was out of pain or annoyance, Hunter did not know or try to know as he quickly looked down scared to the ground and waiting for a certain reprimand for having spoken without permission.
The reprimand never came.
What he could feel was how the Dalmatian in front of him sat next to him and gently placed a paw on his knee.
"Alright ..., just Hunter", she nodded and exclaimed in a softer way, "is that better?", she asked.
"... Yes"
(Change of point of view)
(Delilah)
What did that woman do to you? Delilah thought sadly.
This child ... is Broken, Delilah deduced as she felt her heart weigh twice as much.
She automatically regretted using something as drastic as the glare against the minor in front of her.
This was not a De Vil or a child who will enjoy mistreating animals. She could not allow herself to see the broken child in front of her again as a De Vil or an abuser ..., no matter how much her nose indicated that the child in front of her was one.
This was a very sick and beaten minor.
Those eyes ... for a child to have ... Completely empty and purposeless.
She is only now noticing it more clearly.
this weak and lost human child who sits meekly in front of her, a Dalmatian ... was yet another terrible victim of Cruella De Vil.
She let out a sigh, this child, no matter how much it has suffered, right now what he most needed was not to be drowned in grief, he need someone who could drag him back to earth.
She, as a loving mother of 99, knew only one way to do it.
The easy way ... and then the hard way.
She quickly rushed over and affectionately cradled the child's head in front of her with her forepaws, pressing it against her chest so that the owner of said head could hear her heart beat well.
"... I forgive you, ", was all she can say to the child in front of her.
Hunter was ... silent, sobbing very softly as he just let himself be hugged.
this, sadly, was all she could do for Hunter ..., this was a human, he needed the support of others of the same species who could make him feel like he really belongs to something.
There was very little she could do right now.
And that filled her with frustration.
She had within her the heart of a mother who cares equally for each of her 99 childrens.
Just conceiving the idea, that at some point in the future, some of his treasures might end up in the same state Hunter is in now ... is terrifying.
alone, lost, used and discarded by the one he love most.
That was Hunter.
That little human who had absolutely nothing to gain and had everything to lose when he saved his childrens from that container.
The broken hero
The one ... who sacrifice absolutely everything just to end up in its current state.
He could easily have followed in the footsteps of his great-aunt, he was raised to follow them ..., but in the end. No matter how much resentment he will hold against those who, according to him, were solely responsible for his misery and They had locked it in a container for six tortuous months of utter loneliness. His conscience won. He knew how to see beyond his rancor and his method of upbringing ..., he knew how to identify in the end the true monster that was Cruella De Vil.
And in the end ..., he didn't win anything.
He ended up broken and without a purpose.
Hunter was the part of the story that people always liked to ignore in real life.
He was the tragedy of one who sacrifices everything to gain nothing.
That child, who in his greatest moment of weakness and anger ..., knew what had to be done ..., what only HE could do.
Finish the things.
Do the unthinkable.
End the nightmare that was Cruella De Vil.
He just made a mistake while ending the nightmare.
He made the terrible mistake of thinking of him as part of her.
He was not part of the nightmare.
He was the only dream that was able to completely end the nightmare that long inspired the purest terror in the loving heart of the matriarch of the 101 family.
With that in mind, Delilah sighed again, and just kept stroking Hunter's shaky blonde head.
she was just hoping Hunter could settle down a bit more before she could break the news to him that he was staying here until ... they had a better idea of what to do with him.
Oh, and she also needed to scold him for trying to take his life.
That was the difficult part of this ... If in your heart, you feel an honest affection for the one you have to scold ... It is never easy.
Even less if you are the mother of 99.
[End of Flashback]
Hunter pouted while still cleanen.
He would never forget that scolding.
It didn't feel at all like the same he recive when his great-aunt scold him and made him feel like useless garbage for being an incompetent tool.
This ... felt totally different.
He still felt like trash, that wouldn't change in a short period of time, but at least this punishment gave him something to distract himself with.
Plus, he found out that the only way he can sleep right now without having nightmares is, well, ... hugging two talking dogs.
it was very embarrassing ... a good thing was that he didn't have to tell them anything about it and they would just gladly join him while he slept.
He just wishes he could do something to stop eating dog food.
Going to the bathroom each time became more painful.
Dan mentioned that he had an idea for that.
But ..., for now, it was time for the most difficult and disgusting task to be done in this home entirely inhabited by dogs.
"Alright guys, time to clean the poop," Dolly exclaimed cheerfully.
Dan and Hunter moaned to the heavens as Dixie disappeared into the squeaky toy box and came back out of it now with a white mask around her snout.
this was hell.
(To be continue)
