The League of Knights Chapter 1: The League of Knights, a misc. cartoons fanfic

The League of Knights

By Cameron Whitaker

Foreword

When Seyon arrived at Camelhot early one morning, Camelhot would never be the same. He pleaded to the king for knighthood, but he was graciously dismissed. Thus, he formed his own order, the League of Knights. This order is far different from any other order. It is defined by its lack of rules, strange tasks, and questionable sanity. There is no such thing as an ordinary day in the League, but then again, there is no such thing as an ordinary day in Camelhot…

The Beginnings of the League

It was a cool, breezy morning for Camelhot. Clouds littered the sky, and the leaves fluttered on the ground. Out of these relatively calm surroundings came a gentle puff… puff… puff… puff… Cinder and Clinker were standing guard above the castle's heavy drawbridge, when a man in a strange carriage towing a trailer full of personal belongings pulled up.

"Who goes there," said Clinker in a boring, monotonous voice.

"I am Seyon. I have come from afar, like, very very afar, and I seek a place to stay. May I speak with the king?"

"Hold on! We'll be right down!" Cinder shouted in his usual cheerful voice.

Suddenly, the drawbridge fell open in front of Seyon. A few seconds later, Cinder and Clinker fell onto the drawbridge right in front of him, examining the stranger. He was fairly tall and slender man, with bushy, apparently uncombed hair that had a golden shade, and blue-grey eyes.

"Right this way," said Clinker, pointing to the gate. Seyon slowly drove the carriage through the gate. On the other side, he found himself in a spacious courtyard with lush gardens surrounding him. He jumped out of the carriage, but left it running slowly so it would be ready to go if had to leave in a hurry. It made slow puffing noises as it sat idling. Cinder and Clinker led him to a large room, where a man lay sleeping in a throne.

"We have a visitor!" Cinder seemed to be overly excited.

"What? Oh, yes… I am King Allfire. What can I do for you?" He was obviously still half-asleep.

"I am Seyon. I am in need of a place to stay. Would you be so kind as to assist me?"

"Why, I think we can spare a room. Cinder, Clinker, show him to that room that we let Sir Blaze decorate the other day. It's been unoccupied ever since!"

"At once sire," replied Cinder.

They left the room in an orderly manner.

"Hmmm… A human in Castle Camelhot? We'd better keep an eye on him…" said King Allfire to himself.

Cinder and Clinker led Seyon through several hallways, each one misshapen in some way. Finally, he was standing in front of a heavy, wooden door. He slowly opened it, and was shocked by the sight. The room was hot pink, and there were several strange paintings that lined the walls. The two beds in it were both of an orange shade, and had hundred of tassels hanging off the comforter.

Seyon turned to Cinder and Clinker, and said in a lively voice, "Well, I don't think I'll be able to sleep at night, but beggars can't be choosers!"

They left, and Seyon proceeded to return to the courtyard to retrieve his luggage from the carriage. In total, it took him half and hour to find his way back, and he only got lost once, a personal best. Finally, he arrived at the courtyard. When he returned to the carriage, there were two dragons looking at it. Seyon, however, stayed behind them and remained unnoticed, just to listen to them. The carriage continued to puff steadily.

"What do you think it is Flicker?" Said a young lady dressed in a pink and purple dress.

"I don't know Flame, but I will ask the owner when I meet him. I'm as curious as you are!" Replied another dragon who wore a blue suit of armor and a helmet with a pinwheel on top. He carefully observed the exposed machinery as it moved back and forth, spun, or rocked. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. It had total of six wheels, two in the front and four in the back, but they weren't conventional wheels. They were much larger and wider than the wooden-spoked wheels that he was accustomed to. The outer edge of them was made of a strange black material that he couldn't quite identify. Toward the center of the device, there was a large box with a pipe rising straight up from it. The entire thing was built on a metal frame, on which the name "Seyon" was stamped.

Just then, Seyon walked up to them. "What's up? I see that you are interested in my awesome steam carriage."

"Why yes, but who are you?" Asked Flicker in a polite manner.

"I'm Seyon. You are Flicker, right?"

"Yes."

"And you are Flame, right."

"I'm Princess Flame." she replied.

"Wow! A real-life princess!" Seyon immediately put his hand up to his head in a salute. She returned the gesture with a confused stare.   "Where I come from, that's how we greet higher ranking officials, or at least we do in the military."

"Oh, I see. So you would say, "Wow! A real-life… whatever, then you would raise your hand up to your head like that?"

"No! I mean, well, maybe… uh… never mind." She giggled at his failure to find words. Seyon was quite enthusiastic in his speech though, as that was his nature.

"Say, Flicker, Would you like to take a ride in the steam carriage? Princess Flame can come if she wants to. Otherwise, I get to unpack! Exciting, huh?"

Within minutes, Seyon had unhitched the trailer, and the three were steaming out through the gate and into the green fields that surrounded the castle. The pipe on top was billowing out clouds of steam. Flicker was amazed by the grace and smoothness with which the carriage rolled along the ground.

"So, how does it work? I am an inventor myself, so I must know!"

"Dude, hang on. Just enjoy the ride. If we discuss this here, we'll probably bore poor Flame to death! I will tell you everything in excruciating detail when we get back to my, uh, colorful room… "

"You mean the one that Sir Blaze decorated?" said Flame in a laughing tone.

"Yes… that one…"

Suddenly, a man in purple armor riding on a poorly constructed, peasant-propelled carriage pulled up next to them.

"Greetings, Camelhotians! It's too bad. By the time you make it back to Camelhot, it will be mine, and you won't have a home! My new plan is so evil that it can't fail!" His short speech was followed by a burst of evil laughter. He then took off, passing them in a sudden burst of speed.

"Who was that?" asked Seyon, obviously dumbfounded by his unusual behavior.

"He's Count Geoffrey, oppressor par excellance of the poor and weak, and he always tries to take over Camelhot!" said Flicker with a strong seriousness in his voice.

"He won't take it over so long as stop him before he can get there!" Seyon reassured them. "Hang on you two, we're gonna show him what a 350 horsepower Seyon built steam carriage can do!"

He quickly pulled a lever, and the carriage lurched forward. The speedometer climbed to 25 mph, but would go no further. They would certainly never catch Count Geoffrey at that pace.

"Don't worry, I've got a trick up my sleeve. You see, this thing has a super, ultra four-speed transmission!"

Flame turned to Flicker with a curious look on her face, almost expecting him to explain what Seyon was talking about, but he was as clueless as she was. Seyon pushed back the first lever and pulled a second lever. However, the carriage's speed was dropping.

"Dang it!" He turned around and explained what was happening.

"The transmission's been having problems ever since I last worked on it, so it's hard to put it in gear sometimes. It just takes some gentle persuasion." He pulled out a large mallet and gave a couple good wallops to a large metal box behind them. It soon responded with a loud "Clunk!"

"Here we go!"

He again pulled back the first lever, and the carriage quickly gained speed. They were soon doing 50 mph and were approaching Count Geoffrey very quickly. He pulled a cord as they approached him, and a shrill tone echoed through the forest. As they passed him, Seyon turned and shouted one simple word, "Righteous!" Flame and Flicker exchanged curious looks at one another, for this was a word that was unfamiliar to them. By this time, Count Geoffrey, who was stumped by this entire incident, was far behind them.

"I thought we were going to stop him, not just pass him!" said Flicker, who was somewhat in a state of panic.

"Right, right," replied Seyon, loosely admitting that he had forgotten that. He slowed the carriage down, and they pulled up right alongside Count Geoffrey. Seyon then explained to him what would happen in what was apparently some bizarre dialect of English.

"Dude, like, we can't all like, be havin' you goin' all Napoleon on our pad, man. That just don't sit right with us. Either you make like a tree and high-tail it out of here, or you'll, like, find out what happens when you lose two wheels. Wipeout! Do you catch my drift?"

Count Geoffrey was completely baffled. After thinking for several moments, he finally responded. "My plan is so devious that it can't fail. Give up! You can never win!"

"All right, dog. But don't you go cryin' to your mommy when you try to hang-ten on the dirt!" Seyon jerked the steering wheel, and the steam carriage ran into the side of Geoffrey's carriage, which was no match for its sturdy steel frame and tough tires. Sure enough, two of his wheels were torn off, and the carriage went tumbling. Flame, Flicker, and Seyon then sped back to Camelhot, and it took them only minutes to return the courtyard.

When they returned, Queen Griddle was waiting for them, and she was furious.

"Where have you been Flame? I was looking all over for you…" Just then, she caught a whiff of the situation. "Were you out with… him?" she said with all intended fury, pointing to Seyon. "He could have been trying to kidnap you, or even worse…!"

"I assure you stepmother, I was in no danger!"

"Nonsense!"

"Wait, don't I have a say in this?" asked Seyon, with a smile on his face.

"Quiet, you! Guards, take him away!" Queen Griddle shouted with flames spewing out from her mouth.

Immediately two guards, who seemed to appear from nowhere, walked up to him from either side, and they seized him by the arms. Just before they began dragging him to the dungeon, Flame walked up to him and spoke quietly, "Don't worry Seyon. I'll have this straightened up as soon as possible."

"Ah, well thank you, and I'll find a way to repay you. Until then…" The guards started to drag him away, and Seyon started singing, "The warden threw a party in the county jail. The prison band was there and they began to wail…" He continued to sing as he disappeared out of sight.

Flame turned to Flicker, who had been silent the entire time, and said with a strong sense of urgency in her voice, "We need to find a way to get him out of there! Come with me."

She took him by the hand and the two ran into the castle. She decided that the best option was to speak to King Allfire. She would tell him in vivid detail how Seyon single-handedly defeated Count Geoffrey, and she would even exaggerate the details a little where it would help. In no time, they were in the throne room. Flame, who was panting heavily, began convincing her father that Seyon needed to be freed.

Meanwhile, Seyon had finally arrived at the dungeon. He took a quick glance around, and made quick a comment to the guards based on his observations.

"I think this far nicer than my room. To stay in that room, with those colors, and… all that "art," is pure torture. I'm livin' in style, now!" The guards then threw him in the dungeon, closed the gate, and locked it. He was in there for only a couple hours when Flame came to the gate.

"It wasn't easy, but I talked with daddy and I convinced him to release you," she said as she held up the key.

"Flame, you are a real pal. I can't thank you enough. Plus, it was getting very boring in here!"

Before she had a chance to unlock the gate, Seyon gave it a little push, and it opened. She stared at the open gate with a perplexed stare.

"But, how did you…?"

Seyon gave her a crooked smile. "If you see Flicker, tell him to meet me in my room. I know he wants me to discuss some of my inventions. In the meantime, I will try to stay out of sight of everyone." Before she could say anything else, he went on his way. He had just finished unpacking when Flicker arrived.

" 'Sup, Flicker. I take it you want to see some of my insanely awesome inventions?"

"Why yes. I'm glad to finally meet someone who understands these things."

"Well, I must confess. I'm not really an inventor, I'm an engineer."

"An engineer?" He had obviously never heard this term before.

"You see, an inventor creates something new. An engineer takes something that has already been invented and figures out a way to improve it, or finds a new use for it. However, I can probably do both pretty well."

The two were shut away in Seyon's room for hours, discussing almost everything from daily life at Camelhot to why the sky is blue. At the end of their meeting, a strong voice echoed down the hall.

"Flicker, where are you?!"

"I take it that that is Sir Loungealot, the lazy, um…. guy who you have told me so much about?"

"Yes. Excuse me, I must go. My squiring duties call."

"Hold on!" said Seyon, grabbing his arm. "I am going to make you a special offer. How would you like to be my personal assistant? You'll be doing all those things you love to do. It pays, um… let's see…. six shillings a day, or so. I think that's a good salary. I mean, I don't know a thing about all this sterling money. A pound is certainly not a pound of one-shilling coins. Oh, and food, board, and other stuff. You'll get that too. There are other things associated with the job, but I can't think of them right now. Also, you get every Sunday off, and most of Saturday off. However, you must quit your current position first. Now I want you to understand that if you don't wish to accept my offer, I will not be hurt. It's entirely up to you."

Flicker was caught off-guard by the idea. Sure, six shillings was much better than what he was making at the time, which was nothing, In fact, that was an extremely good salary. However, he wasn't sure that he wanted to give up his chance at knighthood.

"Well, I'll think about it."

"You do that. I assure you that I will treat you much better that the fat… I mean Sir Loungealot, does."

Flicker rushed out of the room, all the while weighing the pros and cons of this new offer. Meanwhile, Seyon went to speak to the king. He soon arrived at the throne room, and marveled at the fact that he actually found it on his first try. Allfire was sitting on his throne, speaking to another dragon whom he called "Chancellor" about something called the "Code of Chivalry". Seyon patiently waited his turn, as he didn't dare disturb the king. Then Allfire got out of the throne and walked up to Seyon.

"Ah! Seyon! I was hoping you would stop by. Flame told me all about how you defeated Geoffrey and saved Camelhot. Thank you so much! If we can ever repay you…"

"Don't worry about it. The very fact that I am allowed to stay here is more than enough. I do have something that I would like to ask, though."

"Anything at all, my friend."

"What would it take to become a knight of the Square Table?"

"Well, in light of the circumstances, I would let you join. However, code number 204, section 5 of the Code of Chivalry clearly states that only a dragon can join the Square Table."

"Well, I guess I'm out. Thanks anyway." This insurmountable obstacle by no means upset Seyon. He fully expected such a thing. So with his spirits high, he returned to his room to formulate a plan… At about the same time, Flicker was having trouble completing all the tasks that Sir Loungealot had assigned to him.

"Flicker, this shield still has some scuff marks. A knight can't have scuffmarks on his shield! Take it back, and this time, do it RIGHT!"

"At once, sire." Flicker responded, as he usually did. He proceeded to polish the shield until there wasn't even speck of dust on it. At the same time, he was also preparing dinner for Sir Loungealot, sharpening his sword, and repairing several of his torn tunics. He continued to think about that offering, perhaps more strongly now than ever. He also thought about all the good times that they had had together, only to realize that he could count them on one hand. Sir Loungealot had always stolen his glory, and did nothing for himself, it was always Flicker that did everything. Finally he was satisfied with the shield. It was absolutely spotless. When he returned to Loungealot, with the shield in his hand, Loungealot shouted with anger, "Where's my sword, and my dinner, and my tunics! You should have had them done by now!"

"Well, at least your shield is clean." Loungealot carefully examined the shield, and nodded his head.

"There's a dent in it! A knight can't have a dent in his shield! FIX IT!"

Flicker paused for a moment, and then he threw the shield on the ground. Loungealot was greatly shocked by this unusual behavior.

"That's it! I QUIT!" Flicker, bursting with confidence and self-esteem, walked out of the room. Loungealot, though taken back by this sudden burst of rage, thought to himself, trying to prove that he was not at all concerned, "He won't be gone long. He will come crawling back, begging to be my squire again soon enough. He'll have no other choice. There's no way that he'll find another job in Camelhot!"

When Flicker he walked out of the room, he saw Flame. "I thought you had things to do for Loungealot?" she said upon the realization that Flicker was never out of his room at this time.

"Well, I quit squiring for Loungealot. Seyon offered me a much better job!"

Flame's heart sank. She knew that now he had almost no chance of becoming a knight, and the only way they could be together was if he was a knight. Yet she tried not to show her despair. "Congratulations, Flicker! I just hope that your new job works out."

"I'm going to see Seyon right now. You can come if you'd like." The two strolled at a slow pace to Seyon's room. When they arrived, the door was slightly open, and there was music coming out of his room. They entered, and were confounded by the absence of musicians. The music seemed to be coming from nowhere! Seyon was sitting on a chair in the center of the room, apparently staring at a blank wall, and on a table to him sat a strange rectangular device. There was a large spinning black disc slightly off-centered on the thing, and there was a long, thin rod, with a pivot at one corner of the device. The end of it, which was clear, seemed to resting on the disc as it turned. Seyon had just noticed them at this time. He noticed that the two were staring at the device next to him, trying to figure out just what it was.

"You like my turntable? That's what's playing the radical music that you're hearing. It reads sound in the grooves of the record with a needle, sends them to that bodacious device over there," he pointed to flat metal box across the room that had what appeared to be several glowing glass bottles sticking out of it, "which makes those signals large enough to drive the speakers, which actually make the music." He then pointed to two towers on either side that had three shallow cones embedded in them.

"That's absolutely amazing!" said Flicker, as he continued to examine the turntable. He then touched the "tone arm," as Seyon called it, which seemed to be dancing above the record. They were startled by a loud SCREEEECH!

"Flicker, one of the problems with this immensely awesome turntable, as with any turntable, is that it doesn't like vibration, or being touched. It's best just not to touch it while it is playing." Seyon stated.

Flicker then remembered what he came to Seyon for in the first place.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm going to accept you're offer! I quit squiring already."

"That's great, Flicker, but it's already been filled."

He had a nervous look on his face. He couldn't go back to Loungealot. He had nowhere to go other than here. It would seem that he would loose everything.

"Nah, I'm just joking. I don't think there are many people that have your mad skills. Congratulations, man!" said Seyon. Flicker breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, another powerful voice echoed down the hall. "Flame, come here! I want you to meet someone!"

"I have to go. Stepmother Griddle will be furious if I don't show up immediately!" She darted out of the room with lightning speed.

"Well, Flicker, I have another position that you might be interested in. I went to see Allfire about becoming a knight of the Square Table…

"But you can't join them! Code number 204, section 5 clearly states that…"

"Only a dragon can be a knight of the Square Table, blah, blah, blah." Seyon took the words right of his mouth. "Allfire already gave me that speech. So anyway, I have formed a group called the League of Knights so I can still be somewhat like a knight. It's intended for all those who can't be knights for one reason or another. We aren't really knights, but we do all the things that knights do. Would you like to join it?"

Flicker didn't even stop to think. "Of course I'll join!" It had been his lifelong dream to be a knight, and this might be the closest he'll ever get to being one.

"Ah, excellent! You are now Sir Flicker. I felt kind of strange being the only member of the League, wielding total authority, having meetings with myself, arguing with myself; it was just not right."

"Will we be the only ones in it?" Flicker asked, as he didn't want to be in a group of just two knights.

"I'll try to recruit more people. There may very well be an opening for Flame…"

"But Flame's a princess; a lady!"

"WHAT?! Flame's a… woman?!" replied Seyon, trying to look surprised. Flicker was very astounded, and even shocked, by this statement.

"Nah, I'm just messing with you. I wanted to see what you would say, and I found out that it was nothing. Fascinating! But honestly, I think she has what it takes to be a knight. Her heart is in the right place, as I found out earlier, and I believe that's what matters most."

"But what about her safety? If she was to be injured, or, heaven forbid, killed, then we would probably suffer the same fate from Allfire and Griddle!" Flicker had a certain seriousness in his speech that was rather uncharacteristic of him.

"I've got it covered. We will use a special type of armor, made out of something called carbon fiber. It's about the a third the weight of regular armor, and more than twice as tough! I wish I had a piece to show you, but I am too lazy to make a piece right now. Well, it's getting late, and I am going to bed. That is your bed over there. I just hope we can sleep at night with all these colors!" The two went to bed, and fell asleep almost instantly.

Seyon woke up at around nine o'clock the next morning. Flicker had apparently been up for quite some time already. He greeted Seyon, who was still in bed, with breakfast. Seyon was quite confused by this act, but then he remembered that Flicker had told him that Loungealot always commanded him to make Breakfast for him.

"You know, this is nice and all, but making breakfast for me isn't required! When I said that the job included food, I meant that I'll have a cook make food for both of us. And just how long have you been up?"

"About three or four hours now."

"Are you crazy? You work for me, now. You can sleep in! I don't expect you to do anything until I get up."

Flicker was quite stunned by these ideas. He had never had such privileges before. Seyon was certainly treating him better than Loungealot ever did. Now was a good time to ask Seyon what Flame had asked him a little while ago.

"Flame asked me if I could go with her to town. May I?"

"Funny you should ask that. I do need you to do a couple things in town. Here's a list and some money. There's a little extra so you can get a snack, or whatever. Just try to be back by noon. Oh, and don't mention anything of the League. I will inform Flame in due time." Flicker looked at the list, and there were six items on it, spanning only a quarter of the page. Loungealot's shopping list was usually pages long. It was quite a break! Flicker was overjoyed as he dashed out of the room.

The two had been traveling for about an hour, along with Loungealot, who was still bitter toward Flicker, when they finally arrived at Weston-super-Mare. Flicker immediately went to the store, while Loungealot and Flame went on their business. He was shocked by the amount of time he spent there; nearly fifteen minutes. When Loungealot had a shopping list, it usually took hours to find everything. He went to find Flame and Loungealot after he had finished, and at the time, they had finished their tasks and were on their way to the store to find Flicker, so they found each other rather quickly.

"I'm starving! Let's find a restaurant. There has to be some good food in this town, somewhere." Loungealot said in response to his growling stomach. The three went to a nearby building that said "Ye Olde Restaurant," which apparently was a common title in those parts. They sat down, and within several minutes a waiter who spoke with a heavy French accent greeted them. "Bonjour! How may I assist you?" The three placed their orders and waited patiently.

"I must say Flame, my new job is great!" Flicker declared to her, almost rubbing it in Loungealot's face. "He gave me a shopping list, and it had only six things on it. It took me no time to retrieve them all." He then explained all the things that had happened that morning.

"Well, I'm glad that it's working out for you!" answered Flame, who was still somewhat upset by the idea.

"Yes. Aren't we all." Loungealot added with a sense of sarcasm and anger. By that time, their food had arrived, and they fell silent as they consumed their food. It was several minutes after they had finished their meal when the waiter returned.

"Would you like some desert?" asked the waiter. Flame and Flicker declined, but Loungealot graciously accepted, as though his huge meal wasn't enough. "Yes, I would like a blueberry pie." The waiter shortly returned with the pie. Suddenly he tripped, and the pie splattered all across Loungealot's face. Flicker and Flame tried to hide their laughter.

"You idiot! You should watch were you're going!" shouted Loungealot.

"I am so sorry sir, let me wipe that up." replied the waiter, who attempted to clean him up, but in doing so, only made the mess worse.

"Let me bring you another pie." The waiter returned with another pie. Loungealot had cleaned himself up to the point that he was satisfied. The waiter, however, tripped again and the pie again splattered over his now clean face. Flame and Flicker burst out laughing this time. Loungealot got up and left without saying anything. The waiter stayed at the table, and then he said in familiar voice, "Ha HA! I got him good, didn't I?"

"Seyon! But what are you doing here?" Flame asked.

"Long story short, I was bored, so I thought I would liven up your day. Quick! Lets get out of here before he returns! I need to change out of my brilliant disguise. Meet me at the Beast. It's parked behind this building."

"The Beast?" Flicker stated curiously.

"That's the nickname that I gave to the steam carriage." He left immediately, for he was in danger of being discovered by Loungealot. When the two got there, Seyon showed up almost immediately.

"But wait! What about the bill?" Flicker just couldn't run out on the bill. It was very much against his nature.

"I took care of it." Seyon reassured him. "Let's go back to Camelhot." As they steamed along in front of the building, they saw Loungealot, desperately trying to find that waiter. Seyon called out to him, "We'll meet you at the castle!" Loungealot glared at them as they went on by. It took them only ten minutes to get back, as opposed the full hour it had taken them to get there. When they arrived, Seyon gave direct orders to Flicker, so he would not be around as he talked to Flame. "Flicker, go up stairs and, I don't know, take a nap, or something." He walked away. Seyon then turned to Flame, and made a proposition. "You know, yesterday, I formed a group called the League of Knights. It's for all those who want to be a knight, but can't be one for some reason. I would be very happy if you would join. Flicker joined yesterday."

Flame, though caught off-guard by the question, had secretly wanted to join the ranks of knighthood herself, but she didn't dare admit that. "Well, I'll think about it…"

"All right. Just knock on my door at five o'clock, and give me your decision. We would love to have you." The two parted, and Seyon returned to his room.

When he arrived, he saw Flicker, who was holding up a record, trying to figure out just how it worked. "All right, the League has its first meeting at five o'clock. Anyway, the Beast's transmission has been getting a little touchy lately. We're going to rebuild it, and that should keep us occupied until then. Remember, this is what I hired you for."

Flicker was excited by the idea. He couldn't wait to see how that worked either. Seyon handed him a toolbox, and the two went to the courtyard to fix the Beast. He asked for a five-eights socket and a half-inch ratchet, but he had to explain just what they were to Flicker. Seyon loosened several bolts that held the top of the transmission on, which was designed specifically so it could be worked on without too much hassle. It took both of them to pry the top off so they could have a look inside. As soon as they removed it, Seyon exclaimed, "Ah ha! Here's the problem! I was wondering where that went." He reached into the box and pulled out a tool, though now covered in oil, identical to the one that Flicker gave him. "It was caught in the linkage that allowed the transmission to actually change gears," he explained. The two put the Beast on blocks and allowed it to run for a little while so that Seyon could check the transmission for damage, but fortunately there was none. They set it back down and bolted the lid on back on the thing. Flicker was astounded by what he had seen in that large box. "How did you figure that out?"

"Remember, my friend, I'm an engineer. I didn't invent the transmission. I just adapted it to suit my own purposes. Now let's go." The duo packed up and proceeded toward what was now officially Seyon and Flicker's room. The route took them right by the room in which the Knights of the Square Table frequently met, just as they were doing at that time. Allfire noticed him across the table and called for him. "Seyon, there you are! I don't think you've met the knights. Come here!"

Seyon walked in, though he was quite filthy. The knights immediately introduced themselves. "It's nice to meet you, Sir Gallahot, Sir Blaze, Sir Hotbreath, Sir Burnevere, and… Sir Loungealot. I am Seyon, and Flicker is now my hired assistant." By this time, the news of how Seyon defeated the evil Count Geoffrey had become well known, and he was therefore well-received by the all the knights, except for Loungealot, of course. "Well, I'd love to stick around, but I need to get cleaned up. See?" Seyon raised his hands, which were blackened by grease and oil. Seyon and Flicker continued to their room.

"Just remember, the League has a meeting at five o'clock in our room," said Seyon to his faithful servant, "Be sure you don't miss it. You're free until then." Flicker decided he would go to Flame's room, as he really did not have anything to do. Seyon went to his room to work on their special armor, and by 4:30, he had made significant improvements in it. He then decided that he was done, so he started to set up the meeting. He organized all the paperwork, which was a blank sheet of paper. It wasn't long before Flicker showed up, as he wanted to make sure that he wouldn't be late. The two sat at a table, staring at the clock, waiting for the five o'clock mark. Seyon then started early.

"Well, it's pointless just sitting here, doing nothing. Let's get started. First of all, let's get the basics of the League down. All motions are brought to a vote. I, however, may only vote in the event of a tie. Hmmm… that's pretty much all I wanted to cover. There's got to be something else…" He looked at the blank piece of paper in front of him, which he had placed there to make it look as if he had this all planned out.

"What about rules?" Flicker was always one for rules, and especially the Code of Chivalry.

"Oh… rules. I'll figure those out later, as in, in a couple of minutes."

"Well then," Flicker looked around the room, trying to find something to talk about. He finally asked, "What about our swords?"

"I've been designing them. Actually, I have one prototype that I made a while ago. Let me get it." Seyon went to the closet and dug around for a little bit. "Ah ha! Here it is." He held it up for Flicker to see. It was not like any sword that he had ever seen before. It was long and thin, and of a strange black texture. The only part of it that seemed to be made of metal were the edges. "Now this, Sir Flicker, is made of carbon fiber. Give it a try!"

He picked it up, and was immediately astonished. It was far lighter than any other sword, yet it felt very stiff and strong. After a couple swings, he realized the sword's superiority. It just seemed to effortlessly slice through the air, with a speed and responsiveness that was unprecedented. "If you think that's amazing, then watch this!" Seyon took the sword, and pushed a little button on the bottom. The metal edge that seemed to be so firmly embedded in the sword came right out. "Now all we have to do is replace it. That way, you never have to sharpen the sword. Just throw out the old edge and put a new one in." He went back to the closet and pulled out another strip of metal that looked the same, and he tried to put it in. However, it fought back. Seyon wrestled with the thing, cursing and yelling at it. Finally it was in place. "Here," said Seyon, handing the sword to Flicker, "This one's yours. I will make one for myself when I get a chance." Flicker couldn't believe that he had been given such and amazing piece of equipment. He was almost speechless. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Seyon left the room completely. He found Flame standing outside the door. "So, have you made a decision?"

"Yes. I have decided to join." She knew that this could be an excellent way to get closer to Flicker.

"Oh good! I am so happy, Flame. However, I must discuss this with the knights. They must approve all new members." Seyon walked back into the room, and it could not have been more that fifteen seconds before he came back out. "All right, you're in! You may enter."

She followed him inside, and saw Flicker standing in the middle of the room, practicing with his new sword. "Are you two the only members?"

"Yes, Flame. Now we must start your initiation. Due to your rank of princess, you start at squire. After one promotion, you'll be a knight."

"What rank did Sir Flicker start at?"

"He started out as a knight, since he was the first member, other than me." He could tell by the look on her face that she was not at all happy with this idea. "To advance to the rank of knight, you must take a thirty question test." She reluctantly agreed to take the test, and Seyon handed her a piece of paper. She went to work, and was satisfied with her answers in ten minutes. He checked them, and then came to a conclusion.

"Well, it takes twenty out of thirty to pass, and you got… seventeen out of thirty. Today, however, all the questions you got wrong were… extra credit! Congratulations, Sera Flame!"

"Wait, Sera Flame?"

"Yes. That's the title that we give to all our female knights. Sure, I made it up right on the spot, but that doesn't make it any less meaningful!" Seyon then turned to Flicker and made a cunning remark. "Check it out, man. Our number of knights, other than me, doubled in one day! That's incredible!"

"Is that all I need to do?" She was astonished by the ease of joining.

"Oh, yeah. You must take the oath of the League." He went to a bookshelf and pulled out a copy of Camelhot's Code of Chivalry, which Flame hated with a passion. He held it out to her.

"All right. Place your left hand on the book, raise your right, and repeat after me."

"Very well."

"I, and state your name."

"I, Princess Flame,"

"Do hereby solemnly swear,"

"To ignore every word in this book,"

"And take heed not of its many passages."

Then Seyon suddenly threw the book out the window. "That's what we think of those "formal" orders of knighthood. We are guided by our own will and desire." She was elated by this thought, for it was exactly what she had hoped to hear.

"However, I must lay down some ground rules, now that you're a member. Number one. I am great. Number two. If for any reason you doubt my greatness, refer to rule number one. Number three. Well, there is no rule number three. Number four. Always, ALWAYS obey rule number three. Number five. You must, with grace and passion, pursue your ignorance of the Code of Chivalry. Number six. Obey the Golden Rule."

"Right. Treat others the same way that you would like to be treated," she said, demonstrating her knowledge of the rules.

"No, the other Golden Rule. Where I come from, we call it the five-second rule."

She had to think for a moment about that one. "Oh, right. That Golden Rule."

"Well, that's it. Let's get on with our meeting. The three sat down at the table, when Seyon burs out, "Ah! I nearly forgot to mention that I put out some ads for the League. That is how we get our tasks."

Just then, the door burst open, and Cinder and Clinker rushed in.   "Fools!" shouted Seyon, "Knock first, then you may burst in."

"Message for Seyon!" exclaimed Cinder. Seyon picked up the note and then proceeded to read it. "Gnarly! The League has its first task. Something about a home invasion in Canterbury. It could be dangerous, so I'm going to take measurements of you two and myself so I can make our special armor, and I should have all three sets ready by tomorrow morning, when we will set off. I want all of us to be safe in our first assignment." They all agreed to undertake the mission.

He had no problems taking measurements of Flicker and himself, but he was quite hesitant about taking measurements of Flame, since he had never done anything of that sort on a woman before. Yet as he collected the data, she stood there calmly, not questioning anything that he was doing. It still seemed to take about three times longer than it did with Flicker. Finally he was done, and by now it was late in the evening.

"Okay Sera Flame. Normally, I would offer room and board to you, but I think you would rather stay in your own room. Well, goodnight, and sleep well. We have a big day tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Seyon."

Seyon went to his room, where Flicker was already asleep. He worked nearly nonstop until two in the morning, sorting out the measurements and making the armor. In addition, he also made two more swords and three shields. "I just pray that the armor fits," he muttered to himself. He crawled into bed and passed out.

It was again nine in the morning when he woke up, and Flicker was just then getting out of bed. "See! You're finally learning!" Seyon commented. "Well, it feels strange to get up so late." he returned. By the time they had finished getting ready, Flame arrived, dressed in her usual attire.

"Excellent! Now that all of us are here, we can make sure the armor fits." To Seyon's relief, the armor fit their owners perfectly. Flame, however, was unsure of the strange black woven material. It seemed to be too light to offer any real protection.

"What is this made of?" she asked.

"It's called carbon fiber. Don't let the weight fool you. It is extremely durable. I should show you!" He retrieved a square of the same material and placed it on the pillow on his bed. Next, he got a crossbow, loaded it, and shot the unsuspecting plate, which sent it flying. "There. That ought to be proof enough for anyone!" He held up the plate, which had a little scuffmark from where the bolt had hit. She was silent. "Now were not going to put on our armor until we get there. I know it's great and all, but it's still by no means comfortable! What do you say we get going?"

Flicker and Flame loaded up the Beast while Seyon was figuring out just how to get to Canterbury. "This doesn't make any sense! I wish they could make these maps easier to read."

"Here. Let me help you," suggested Flame. She took the map out of Seyon's hands, flipped it over, and gave it back to him.

"Oh! Now this makes sense! I swear, they should put an arrow on these maps that says, 'this way up.'"

"You'd still get it wrong." she commented.

Seyon glared at her, and then he said, "'Nuff said. Onward to Canterburgh!"

"It's Canterbury." Flicker corrected.

"I know what it's called. Let's go!" They were soon steaming down a road encompassed by beautiful, lush scenery.

"Let's see Flicker..." Seyon put the Beast in second, and the transmission responded perfectly. "High five, man! Our greatness cannot be equaled!" Flame turned to him and gave him a nasty look. Seyon then said, "Yes, you were included in that statement." "That's better!" she replied.

They traveled along at a speedy pace for about an hour when Seyon declared, "Hmm… It would seem that the Beast is low on fuel and water. We'll stop in the next town. They chugged up a steep hill, and there was a town on top of it. They then proceeded to seek out fuel and water. After the three retrieved the required things, Seyon exclaimed, "All right! Let's go!" Flicker and Flame both pointed to a sign that said, "Welcome to Canterbury." "Oh yeah. I knew that. Let's find that house."

They donned their armor and found the house in no time, mostly due to the fact that Flame was leading them. There was an old and gray lady sitting outside, whom Seyon greeted. She was overjoyed to see them.

"Oh thank goodness! My house has been taken over!"

"May I peek inside?"

"Do whatever you need to do to get my house back!" Upon these words, Seyon cautiously opened the door, glanced inside, and closed the door in one quick motion. He then whispered to Flame and Flicker. "I think she meant infestation, not invasion. I have never seen so many rats before in my life! Well, there's only one thing to do." Seyon pulled his sword out, raised it high in the air and shouted "Charge!" He disappeared into the house instantly. Flame and Flicker didn't move. "How long do you think he'll be in there, Sera Flame?" "No more than two minutes." she answered.

Within about two minutes, Seyon came out, trying to catch his breath. He turned to them and gave them a good glare. "You know, when I say charge, it's supposed to be a collective effort, not and individual effort! We are all supposed to go in, swords drawn, ready for a fight!"

"Well, we knew we would fail, so we just stayed outside." Flicker stated.

"Let me think of a new plan…" Seyon thought for a little while. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. "I've got it!" He rushed back to the Beast and returned with a fife. Then he explained what he was going to do. "I'm going to imitate the pied piper and I'll draw them out with this here fife!" He started playing a lively tune as he marched into the house. Seconds later, they heard a bunch of crashing and banging. Seyon again came rushing out, holding a fife that had been chewed into several pieces. "I'll tell you. The legend of the pied piper is absolutely not true! Time for plan c." He was lost in deep thought. Suddenly, he turned to Flicker and smiled.

"Are you sure this will work?"

"I'm absolutely positive." Seyon reassured him, as he strapped several large blocks of cheese to his armor.

"Wait. Why can't Sera Flame do this?"

"I know she can, but I chose you! You should feel proud."

"So what exactly am I supposed to do?"

"Okay. So you're going to go into the house, and the rats will see the cheese, and thus, they will follow you. There's a cliff about fifty yards that way."

"It's that way." Flame stated.

"Right. So the rats will chase you, and you will run like crazy, and then you'll jump off the cliff. They will follow you to their doom. You, however, will fly up to safety. Got it?"

"I think so. Just let me compose myself." Flicker started to take several deep breaths.

"Remember, Sir Flicker, the key to success is the element of surprise." Seyon paused for a second, and then he shouted "Surprise!" He quickly pushed Flicker into the house and waited. Flame and Seyon heard a loud scream, and Flicker shot out of the house, running for his life. There were hundreds of rats following him. The two saw him dive off the cliff, and sure enough, the rats continued to follow him off the cliff, and they had all fallen off in no time. A few minutes later, Flicker returned, very much out of breath.

"That was perfect!" exclaimed Seyon. He looked inside the house once more, and described the scene. "Well, all the rats are gone, but they left numerous, uh… "presents." However, this is the League of Knights, not a cleanup crew. I'd say this is a job well done."

Out of nowhere came the old lady. "Are they gone?"

"Yes ma'am, and it's all thanks to Sir Flicker here."

She peered inside and then gave them one more task. "Would you be so kind as to clean up the mess they left?" Seyon didn't stop to think. He instantly hired a cleanup crew.

The three of them returned to the Beast, and headed home, feeling good about the deed they had just done. The League of Knights had made its mark, assuring us that there are many more adventures to come.