Supreme Commander Kane - Tumblr Posts

Kane Oneshot: Learning of Death

   “Uncle Kane.” A small, childish voice called out to the tall clockwork being sitting at his worktable. Kane paused in his work to look down, finding his six year old niece waiting for him next to his left leg. He could tell by the downcast look in her blue eyes that something or someone had upset her.

   “What is the matter, mia luce?” He asked, reaching down to pick her underneath her arms to place her on his lap, reaching around her to go back to working on the device his father assigned to him.

   “Uncle Kane....Do you think Grandpa is going to die soon?” 

Kane froze in his movements, his processor replaying the odd question to ascertain that he heard correctly the odd question she asked before looking down at her.

   “Why do you ask such an odd question, Lucette? And where has this come from?”

The little girl fidgeted in his lap at the question, shifting left and right until she finally either gave up or got comfortable enough to move on to fiddling with her curls. “You know my friend Tanya? The one with the pretty hair?”

Kane nodded his head in reply to her question. This summer for the past month, the daughter of the baker would always come by the workshop and ask for Lucette to go out and play. Each day his creator would allow his little granddaughter out with only a smile, pat on the head and a light warning to return home by sunset. And each day she would return home, dirt on her brown cheeks and a smile stretching wide. She would always chatter about the child’s vibrant orange hair, talking about how it matched the sunset and why they did not have hair like that. The girls seemed to get along without fuss so Kane let them be. Until now.

   “Well, her dog died last night.”

   “I am sorry to hear that.” he said, not actually caring.

   “Mhm, She was telling me about it and we got into a fight”

Kane’s head tilted to stare at the child in slight confusion. Lucette was not a particularly troublesome child, she did not pick fights with people and does her best to get along with everyone without problem. “What was the fight about?”

   “I said something really mean. But I didn’t mean to!” She quickly shouted, trying to get her excuse in.

   “What did you say?”

Lucette’s icy blues stared down at her feet for a while before looking back up at him to answer. “I said that if she hadn’t given her lizard chocolate, that he wouldn’t have died.”

If Kane were human, he was sure his eyebrows would’ve shot up in surprise. That did sound like something she would say but only when she was pushed. “And why did you say that?”

Lucette’s lips pursed as her eyebrows furrowed in an expression he recognized as frustration. “Because she kept complaining about getting another one. She was very loud and making my head hurt.”

Kane would’ve smiled if he could, a light feeling appearing once again. He does not know what it is or why it keeps reappearing only at certain times. He will have to question his father once he returns. “And you said that so that she will be quiet.”

At the young girl’s nod, Kane nodded his head and went back to his work. “And what did she say to that?”

    “She s-said that when my Grandpa dies, t-then she will l-laugh at his funeral.” Lucette’s voice started wobble as she began to cry, the words no doubt having cut deep. Putting his screwdriver down, he once again picked his niece up to cradle her in his arm while he worked with his other hand.

   “Lucette, every living being in the Spiral dies. One way or another. Some live longer than others. Some die peacefully, some don’t. Some live for hundreds of years while others live for only a couple of years. Death comes to them all equally.” Kane explained gently, his sockets focused on the machine on the table while his mind worked on a way to explain the inevitable end of living beings that they all must meet to a child. He would’ve spoken bluntly but remembered his father’s words on how fragile children were.

   “Be gentle, my son. Especially with your words. Children are sensitive creatures that respond to everything they see and hear. They soak it up and it stays with them. Permanently. Depending on what it is, it can either hurt them in the future and hinder their progress or it can help them grow. Be patient, mio figlio. I know it may not seem like it right now, but trust me when I say, that once you see the woman she grows up to be, you will realize that it was all worth it.”

   “So Grandpa will die?” Lucette asked, the tears getting bigger.

   “Yes, lux mea. But, if you are good girl, then not for a long, long time. Same goes for your parents and you. If you eat all of your vegetables, yes that includes your sprouts too, and behave yourself; then you will live for a long time.” He answered, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. Lucette sniffed her nose and wiped away the rest of her tears herself. “Understand?”

   “Si, zio!” She chirped, hopping out of his arms onto the ground, smoothing her little green dress. It was still strange to Kane on how fast children's moods changed, sobbing one minute and then jumping with excitement the next. He was about to tell her to go upstairs and get ready for dinner when his audio picked up the sound of familiar footsteps walking up to the door.

   “Lucette, why don’t you go and give Father a big hug to show how much you care?” He suggested, patting the girl’s dark curls as he got back to work. The next thing he heard was the patter of small feet, and the front door opening. 

   “Grandpa!”

   “Hahaha Lucette! What’s the surprise greeting for?”

   “No reason, Grandpa. Just showing that I really, really, really love you. A lot.”

   “Haha I love you too, Mima. Now, go see if you can get your uncle away from work for a bit.”

   “Okay. Uncle Kane!”