Unlikely Heroes

Chapter 16

When summer rolled around, Karkat wanted to explore more and more things. He started wandering a little passed the base. Rufioh would always keep an eye on him, making sure he didn't wander very far. One day they went a little father than usual, Rufioh didn't seem to mind he was just glad that Karkat was having fun.

The small child was running around in the large field, watching the sky and laying in the grass. Rufioh was watching, smiling. Karkat sat up and looked over at him. He motioned for him to come closer. "yeah?" Rufioh asked, walking over and sitting down. "Need something?"

"Um...English?" Karkat asked, wanting to learn more English. He could say very simple phrases and things that people said often. "Teach me?"

"Oh, yeah, sure!" Rufioh reached into his pocket and pulled out the journal and pencil. "Why don't you write what you know, or some simple things in German." He handed the pencil and book to Karkat, who looked at it and then Rufioh.

He gave it back, shaking his head. "No write." He said simply.

"Can you not write?" Rufioh asked, not taking the things back.

"No. No German write." Karkat looked down at his lap, sighing.

"No one ever taught you? You didn't go to school?" Rufioh questioned, he thought that he had at least some basic reading and writing.

"No school. Person no teach Jews. No, bad, us Jews." Karkat got his point across, shrugging.

"You aren't bad! I can teach you. It isn't that hard. And don't think that Jews are bad! They aren't bad, you just have a bad government who makes you think that." Rufioh tried explaining.

"Person say Jews no person! No person, animal. Jews is." Karkat rubbed at his chest, the scar had healed over, but he still felt them.

"Do you think that? Do I think that? Did Cronus and Eridan think that?" Rufioh stopped Karkat from rubbing at his chest.

"No...you person don't... Other person do!" Karkat grumbled, pushing Rufioh away.

"Well, you aren't. Don't ever think that you're bad, or someone is bad unless you actually know that. Hitler is bad. You know that!" Rufioh frowned. He didn't want Karkat to feel worthless because of some leader.

"I don't...no! Hitler is bad. He say I'm bad too!" Karkat laid down, covering his one good eye.

"You aren't! Karkat, look at me." Rufioh said, pulling Karkat back up to look at him. "You are not bad. You are a child. You are innocent and fine! You are loved...please remember that..." He spoke quietly and calmly. He wanted Karkat to feel wanted and loved, just like he did with Tavros.

Karkat nodded and hugged his knees. There was a few minutes a silence, before Karkat spoke again. "My birthday vas a veek ago..."

"What?? Really? You're nine now?? You're so big, Karkat!" Rufioh smiled at the child, hugging him. "And you formed a good sentence!"

"Really? Good sentence? And yeah..." Karkat shrugged. He didn't think much of celebrations anymore, he hadn't done them since he was four.

"Hey, I have an idea." Rufioh said, standing up.

"What?" Karkat followed him, standing.

"Let's go into the town and find those two girls we were talking to last time! You can speak better English now! How about we go see what they're up to?" Rufioh smiled down at the child, offering a hand.

Karkat hesitated for a moment, before taking the soldier's hand. "Okay...let's go."

Rufioh smiled again, leading Karkat to the small town nearby. Karkat didn't show it, but he was happy. He was going to see people his age, someone kind. This made him very happy. When the two arrived at the town they looked around for a moment, trying to find Terezi and Latula. Instead of finding them, a man's face seemed to light up when he saw Karkat. He had two different colored eyes and short light brown hair. He didn't look threatening, but Rufioh didn't know him and he was running towards them.