The Stupid Cannon Fodder is Stunning Today

Chapter 1: Nine

"Listen," the man started, "I don't want you to freak out..."

Nine stood up and made his way over to the window. He watched the people down below with interest.

The sky was blue, the air was clean, and the sun was in the sky.

But Toby...

Where had he heard the name before?

Then it came to him.

Toby Calypto.

Nine was not in the past, but rather, in an alternate reality parallel to the historical events of his world.

Or rather, he was in a story set in the era of the Great Void, inspired by the Tragedy of Rumeo and Joliet.

And this body he was in, the body he snatched from a child, was Toby Calypto, the useless cannon fodder villain.

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Fiamma Arcadia was a woman with a temper akin to her namesake, yet, despite her vigilance that often warded off her numerous suitors, it still didn't keep her from putting her trust in the wrong man.

It started when her husband disappeared several years ago, leaving her with their son.

Fiamma couldn't fathom why. She searched for him and his whereabouts but found nothing. One day the man she loved existed, and the very next day, it was as if he was a figment of her imagination.

Fiamma thought she and her son could weather the days together without her husband. They still had plenty of money left over from both her and her husband's savings.

She went back to her mending work and when her son was old enough, he was hired out by the local farmers as a mouser.

Toby was much too small despite Fiamma's efforts. He was seven now, but he didn't look it. Their meals were not as extravagant as they used to with her as the sole breadwinner, but she and her son never starved.

Nevertheless, Toby became popular among the farmers as an excellent mouser.

He was tiny and could fit into tight spaces where mice and rats liked to hide, and he was clever, with nimble hands and quiet footsteps.

Fiamma was so very proud of her son.

But then, there was an accident at the farm, and a beam hit Toby's head. The farmhand responsible for the accident promised to pay for the treatment, and thankfully, the wound was small.

Toby was asleep for only a day when Fiamma started to notice the changes in her son.

How could she not?

Her son was a quiet little boy, but there was light in his eyes that showed how happy he was.

Their little village was quiet, but the people were content and lived their days in peace.

The villagers were good and they took care of each other, and rarely was anyone mean-spirited.

It was everything Fiamma wanted in her life before she married, and it was her missing husband who brought her here and made her fall in love with this place tucked away by mountains and trees.

And then her son woke up with no recognition in his eyes when he looked at her, and it felt as if he was no longer content with the life they built in this little village.

Rather, there was nothing in his eyes. No spark, no glimmer. It was as calm as pond water, stagnant and lifeless.

---

They returned to the hut in silence.

Nine wasn't sure what the man had told the woman, but whatever it was, it clearly made her unhappy.

She was still holding him in her arms. He admired her strength. Lugging around a child the length of her torso could be difficult, and she was a very slight woman.

She placed him down on a bed and then wrapped him up with a blanket.

Nine blinked, his head peeking out from beneath the soft and fluffy blanket, and he stared at her with concern.

Then the woman smiled, her lips drawn into something unbearably soft and gentle, and Nine felt as if all the air in his lungs had left him.

"It's alright, Toby. Mama's here."

She reached out with her arms, arms that were warm and large as they encompassed him.

"Mama," Nine said without prompt, his face pressed against the crook of her neck.

She smelled like something sweet and musky, and it was a scent fitting the warmth she offered him.

"Yes, darling?" she responded, her voice thick with something Nine couldn't decipher.

"Mama," He repeated again.

"I'm here, darling. What's wrong?"

"Mama..."

"Oh, darling. What's wrong? Does your head hurt?" She fretted over him anxiously, encircling her arms around him.

Nine shook his head.

Gods, please forgive him for his sins. This child was innocent and gone too soon. In his place was a broken soul meant for death.

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[....... In the fifty-eighth year of the Interstellar Calendar of ZEFRE-2B9, Soldier 9A1420H5 -ZT4 committed the crime of body-snatching and transmigration. His punishment will be pending upon his return .......]

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The author has something to say:

This chapter is brought to you by Plenty by aeseaes.

The playlist for this story is on my profile. Each song is dedicated to a chapter, and they're all in order, so if you're interested, feel free to check it out ^^.

In the spirit of Nanowrimo, I decided to write a story loosely inspired by The Tragedy of Rumeo and Joliet, except it won't be a tragedy because tragedies make me sad, and the main character is Tibalt and not Rumeo and Joliet. And also mercenaries and magic are a thing.

Feel free to scream at me in the comments to update each day ^^. The peer pressure will do me good for once... ha ha ha...

I plan for this story to be a first draft--meaning I will be continuously writing with no edits--and revisioning may take place later on if I end up liking the story enough. I apologize beforehand for any mistakes and I am happy to receive any feedback and corrections for grammar/spelling/etc.

Happy reading!