1 Frankie

Frankie woke up feeling different than usual. He was in a cold, damp room, surrounded by crumbling stone walls and broken furniture. He couldn't remember how he got there, but he had a strange feeling that he had been there for a long time.

He sat up, feeling a surge of strength and energy coursing through his body. He stood up and looked around, taking in his surroundings. He was in a castle, or what used to be a castle. It was in ruins, and the only light came from a few small windows high up in the walls.

Frankie walked over to one of the windows and looked out. He saw a village in the distance, surrounded by rolling hills and forests. He had a strange feeling that he was meant to go there, to explore and learn more about the world.

He stepped out of the castle and started walking towards the village. As he walked, he realized that he was much stronger and faster than he had ever been before. His senses were heightened, and he could see and hear things that no one else could.

He reached the village and was greeted by a group of people. They looked at him strangely, as if they had never seen anyone like him before. Frankie felt out of place and alone, but he knew that he had to keep going.

He walked through the village, taking in all the sights and sounds. He met the village chief, an old man who seemed to be in charge. The chief took Frankie in and made him his protege, teaching him about the world and the people around him.

Frankie was grateful for the chief's guidance, but he knew that he couldn't stay in the village forever. He wanted to explore the kingdom, to become an adventurer and see all that the world had to offer.

Frankie sat in the village chief's hut, listening intently as the old man spoke.

"This is a village, Frankie," the chief explained. "It's a place where people live and work together, sharing resources and helping each other out."

Frankie nodded, but he couldn't help feeling a little confused. He had never lived in a village before, and everything was so new and unfamiliar to him.

"But what about food?" Frankie asked. "Where do we get it?"

The chief chuckled. "Well, we have farms where we grow crops and raise animals. And we trade with other villages for goods and services."

Frankie's eyes lit up. "You mean, we can eat the animals?"

The chief looked at him quizzically. "Well, yes, of course. But we also need to take care of them. They provide us with food and other resources, like milk and wool."

Frankie couldn't contain his excitement. "Can I try some of the animals? Like a cat or a dog?"

The chief's face fell. "Frankie, no. We don't eat pets. They're our companions, not food."

Frankie's mind raced. He couldn't understand why anyone would want to keep a pet around if they weren't going to eat it.

"But they're just sitting there, doing nothing," Frankie said to himself. "Why not put them to good use?"

The chief sighed. "Frankie, I know this is all new to you. But trust me, there are other ways to get food and resources. We don't need to harm innocent creatures."

Frankie nodded, but he still couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

Frankie crouched down, his eyes fixed on the stray cat that was wandering around the village. He licked his lips, his mouth watering at the thought of sinking his teeth into the soft, furry creature.

"Come here, kitty," Frankie whispered, trying to coax the cat closer.

Just as the cat was within reach, the village chief suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Frankie by the shoulder.

"Nooo!" the chief yelled, pulling Frankie away from the cat.

Frankie looked up at the chief, surprised and a little confused. "But I was just going to try a little bit," he protested.

The chief shook his head sternly. "No, Frankie. We don't eat pets. That's not how we do things here."

Frankie pouted, but he knew he had to listen to the chief. He stood up and brushed himself off, still feeling a little disappointed.

"Sorry, chief," he mumbled.

The chief chuckled and ruffled Frankie's hair. "It's okay, Frankie. You're still learning. Just try to remember that we don't hurt or kill other living beings for our own pleasure."

Frankie nodded, but as he walked away, he couldn't help but think about how delicious that cat's skull would have tasted. He tried to shake the thought from his mind, knowing that it was wrong, but it was hard to resist the temptation.

"Maybe one day, I'll be able to control my urges," Frankie thought to himself. "Until then, I'll just have to stick to the carrots and potatoes."

The next day...

Frankie was walking through the village when he heard a loud barking noise. He turned to see an angry-looking dog straining at its leash, trying to get at him.

"What are you doing, Frankie?" the dog's owner, a neighbor from down the street, called out. "Get away from my dog!"

Frankie just stood there, staring at the dog. He couldn't understand why it was so angry. He had done nothing wrong.

"I'm not doing anything," Frankie said, trying to defend himself.

"Well, you're making my dog angry," the neighbor snapped. "Get out of here before he bites you."

Frankie's instincts kicked in, and he knew he had to do something. He couldn't just let the dog attack him.

"Fine," Frankie said, clenching his fists. "I'll take care of it."

With a burst of speed, Frankie charged at the dog, delivering a powerful punch to its snarling face. The dog yelped and fell to the ground, unconscious.

"See?" Frankie said, turning to the neighbor with a triumphant grin. "Problem solved."

But the neighbor was not impressed. "What the hell are you doing, you crazy kid?" she yelled, rushing over to her fallen dog. "You could have killed him!"

Frankie's grin faded as the village chief appeared on the scene.

"Frankie, what's going on here?" the chief asked, looking sternly at him.

Frankie tried to explain, but the words seemed to stick in his throat. He knew he had done the right thing, but he also knew that he had messed up.

"I was just trying to protect myself," Frankie stammered. "The dog was angry and was going to attack me."

The chief raised an eyebrow. "And you thought the best way to deal with it was to punch it unconscious?"

Frankie cringed, realizing how ridiculous it sounded. "I guess it wasn't the best solution," he admitted.

The neighbor glared at Frankie, still cradling her unconscious dog in her arms. "You're lucky I'm not pressing charges," she spat out. "But you're banned from coming near my dog again, got it?"

Frankie nodded, feeling guilty and ashamed. He knew he had messed up, and he couldn't believe he had let his instincts get the better of him.

"I'm sorry," Frankie mumbled, looking down at the ground. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

The chief patted Frankie on the back. "It's okay, Frankie. We all make mistakes. But next time, try to think before you act, okay?"

Frankie nodded, still feeling embarrassed. He knew he had a lot to learn about living in a village, and he was determined to do better next time.

As he walked away, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with him. Why couldn't he understand these basic concepts of civilization and compassion?

"I'll have to try harder," Frankie thought to himself. "I don't want to be an outcast forever."