Title: Knight in Gold Armor
Characters: Not Mine
Pairings: KiKasa, KagaKuro, MidoTaka, AkaFuri, Murahimu, AoMomoi
Warning: This is a modified!medieval!AU Don't know what I mean? Read to find out!
Please leave a review to tell me what you guys think!
Enjoy!
~~~Chapter 1~~~
The Yellow Knight
"It has been two months," Akashi Seijuro started. The red haired knight looked around the room at his former team that surrounded the table, himself at the head of it. The general expression of the room was boredom, and the level of engagement was low. Both facts annoyed Akashi, but he was hoping to change that. The Red Knight cleared his throat and continued, "I called this meeting as a sort of reunion for everyone. So, how are you all doing?"
Seijuro tried to keep this meeting informal; however, he could feel the tenseness in the air. The five didn't quite leave each other on good terms and those sour memories seemed to be resurfacing. Everyone sent nasty glares but exchanged no words. This wasn't how Akashi wanted their gathering to go. "As you all may know, I'm now residing with Prince Furihata Kouki –"
"You mean that cowardly prince a bit out east?" Aomine Daiki interrupted. The Blue Knight had his elbow on the rounded table with his head cupped in his palm. He looked the most bored of them all, and looked like he was itching to get out of his metal armor.
"Yes. However, I would've used different word choices when describing my employer," Akashi answered though his teeth, "He isn't a coward, you see, simply strategic."
With a raise of his brow, Aomine retorted, "Yeah, but doesn't he always run away from battles with his tail between his legs? I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty cowardly to me."
The conversation was really starting to annoy the Seijuro, but he humored the Blue Knight. "Kouki 'runs away' for he doesn't wish to lose any soldiers – which I respect. But when it comes time for war, you can bet that Kouki will achieve victory for his lands – with my expert help of course."
"I thought you were simply his personal guard," Midorima Shintarou, the Green Knight, stated a-matter-of-factly.
With a smirk to his old comrade, Akashi replied, "That is true, but that doesn't stop my prince from asking for help every once in a while."
"Humph, that guy must be really weak if he has to ask for help, even if it's from Akashi," Daiki muttered to himself, "Satsuki never has to ask for my help . . ."
"What's this I hear?" Midorima inquired with a raise of his brow, "Are you a knight for Princess Momoi of the far east?"
"W-what?!" the Blue Knight stammered as his face darkened for reasons the other knights weren't quite sure of, "Satsuki? N-no way. She just lets me hang out at her place i-is all . . ." Aomine concluded lamely.
"Ah," Midorima hummed as he adjusted his glasses.
"Hu? W-well, what about you, ya four-eyed freak?! Where are stayin'? I bet you don't even have a job!"
"Don't be absurd," Shintarou replied with a glare, "Of course I – as you say – 'have a job'. I am, as a matter of fact, one of the head archers for Prince Takao Kazunari, of the Hawkeye Kingdom."
"Hm, that's typical of you to go to a place like that Midochin," Murasakibara Atsushi hummed to himself as he took a bite out of the loaf of bread in his hand. The Purple Knight sat at one of the further ends of the rounded table. In front of him sat mounds of food and empty plates of snacks he'd already eaten. The foodie was now on his fifth loaf of bread; and with all the crumbs on his armor, Midorima couldn't help but feel irritated.
"What was that?" the Green Knight asked with narrowed eyes.
"All I said was that it's just like you to go to a kingdom full of archers, that's all," the Purple Knight said with a mouth full of bread. His voice, like a child's, showed no real bite to his words, but the green haired knight knew when he was being insulted.
"What about you then, you oaf, are you in a kingdom full of gluttons such as yourself?"
"Hu? No way. I'm with Murochin, of course. Have been since we got fired," Murasakibara stated simply, still munching on his snacks.
"Aw, don't say it like that Murasakicchi! You make it sound so harsh!" Kise Ryouta whined. The Yellow Knight rested his chin on the edges of his palms as his elbows sat atop the polished oak. His blond hair swayed over his eyes as he shot the Purple Knight a pitiful look.
"That's because it was, idiot," Midorima stated a-matter-of-factly as he adjusted his glasses once again.
"It still sounds so sad . . ." the Yellow Knight muttered with a slump. Kise didn't like to think of it like that; he didn't like to think that four of his closest comrades had gone their separate ways, never see each other again. He thought of the Knights of Miracles to be like family, so of course he didn't want to never meet again. Clearly now they were seeing each other, but how long would this sort of happiness and peace last (if this sort of vicious conversation can be called peace)? There will be moments – he says will because there is no doubt it won't happen – where they will be on opposite sides of a battlefield. Then what? When the next time they meet, they will have to cross swords? Will they have to kill each other? That is one thought Kise never wants to become reality, but might happen in the near future. However, there was one problem with his thinking . . .
Akashi looked over to the blond knight and noted his quietness. The trick with Ryouta was to get him to stop talking; but ever since the rise of this topic, the blond has been nothing but reserved as he picked at his golden armor. With his full attention on the blond now, Akashi asked, "Ryouta, what about you? Where do you reside now?"
The blond flinched at his former leader's words. He looked over with a mask of innocence and answered, lamely, "Hu? What was that Akashicchi?"
Leaning forward on the table, the red head laced his fingers together and rested his chin atop them. He repeated with a low, elegantly-deadly tone, "I asked, 'what about you?' What are you doing now Ryouta? Have you found a kingdom to call home? We all have, how about yourself?"
"Ah, that's right," Aomine said with a grin, "You've been quiet over there Blondie, what's the matter? Is you place just as pitiful as Akashi's?"
Under his breath, the Red Knight said in a fierce tone, "Watch your mouth, Daiki."
The Blue Knight, then too, flinched at Akashi's words. The glare the red head was sending him was worthy of the death gods themselves. It was never a good thing to be on the Red Knight's bad side and for some reason Aomine seemed to keep forgetting that. The conversation, however, around them continued.
"Um, no. T-that isn't it . . ." Ryouta answered as he fidgeted in his seat.
Midorima raised a brow. "Don't tell me you haven't found an employer yet."
"O-of course not!" Kise replied. He cursed himself for stuttering; now no one was going to believe him.
"Ooooh, Kisechin shouldn't be lying," Murasakibara said as he munched on a bag of seeds.
"I'm . . . uh . . ."
"So you don't have a job?" Midorima asked.
Kise stayed quiet and avoided eye contact with the Green Knight.
"You are so easy to read."
"Hey, that's mean Midorimacchi!"
"But not wrong."
"But still rude!"
"Enough," Akashi declared, interrupting the two's dialogue. The former leader stood, as did the other knights. He was now satisfied with the flow of conversations, however was realizing his irritation with the group – something he often felt in the past with the other four. Overall, however, he felt that a bit of competitiveness and rivalry wasn't a bad thing in the slightest considering how the group was one sentence away from biting each other's heads off. Yes, he was quite content with how this meeting went. "I believe that should be enough for today. It was a pleasure to see all you again and to catch up on what you've been doing these past few weeks. I wish you all well as you set off to your kingdoms –" The red head paused, and looked at Kise directly, "or where ever you choose to go."
A quiet murmur set amongst the crowd as the words of the prince finally sank in to all listening ears. Eyes shifted nervously to one another, but only one set of steely, blue eyes held a determined glare.
"Sir, you still in need of more protection," his squire insisted in a hushed tone, "That attempt on your life, surely, will not be the last."
"Yes, I am aware," the prince stated.
"Then – forgive me for sounding so – pick a personal guard already, Kasamatsu."
"I don't think I like that tone, Moriyama."
With a sigh and a bow he apologized, "Forgive me, sir, but I don't see why it's so difficult to choose."
With a turn of his head, Kasamatsu Yukio looked the other in the eye and said, "Because whomever I choose will rule this kingdom if I do end up dead. I don't want that sort of responsibility to fall to some buffoons lap," Yukio said as he leaned back in his seat, "Besides, none of these knights can protect me. None have the skill; and all of them are here for their own gain, not for the people, and not for me."
"You're beginning to sound quite selfish," Moriyama stated.
Kasamatsu didn't care. He would rather be called the greediest man alive if it would protect his people, his kingdom. He waved his hand in dismissal of the row of knights standing before him. Without another word, those men walked in shame off his grounds in search for a different employer. They all left with dignity and honor, but there was no doubt they would spread rumors on how unjust and cruel this prince was – which were both far from the truth.
Those men were in search for jobs to better themselves, as they all were. However, Kasamatsu would never hire a man like that. If Yukio was greedy, then those men were the embodiment of avarice. They only marched their way to his kingdom to gain power and better themselves. Those greedy bastards will never be worthy to work for him, and he doubted there would be a soul that would.
Kise slumped against the wooded table and whined, "But Kurokocchiiiiii!"
With a sigh, Kuroko Tetsuya replied to the blond, "I'm sorry Kise-kun. I have to get back to work. I will ask you again, kindly, to please leave."
The blond stuck out his lower lip, in a silent plea. However, the blue haired prince seemed unfazed with his steady blinks of those pale, blue eyes. Ryouta gave up after what seemed like mere seconds as he slumped against the table in defeat.
"I did apologize, Kise-kun," Kuroko defended.
"I know," Kise said deflatedly. His chin rested against the cool surface for a moment before he threw his head back and let out a groan. "Ah! I just don't wanna leave! I don't get why I can just stay here and be your personal guard!"
Kuroko, keeping his composure as the knight's crumbled to dust, answered Kise's discreet question, "You already know the reason; you and the Knights of Miracles were simply too expensive."
Kise looked over to the blue haired prince with hurt in his eyes. He, however, didn't deny the fact. Over the years, the five did demand more from their gracious ex-employer. Kuroko never had a problem with it in the past – or at least Ryouta didn't think he did – that is until the Treaty of Seirin. Now that the two kingdoms have merged, Kuroko saw the five knights as a resource that wasn't quite needed. Kise wanted to complain about that fact, but with the lack of attacks on the Shadow Kingdom – because of the Knights of Miracles – grew smaller and smaller, it was hard to deny the prince's logic. What could the blond say; they were quite a formidable –and apparently pricey – team.
"Besides, he already has a personal guard," a new voice interjected.
Kise turned his head to see a face he wasn't quite familiar with but wasn't stranger to. This – this Kagami Taiga – was the one man that replaced the five knights. With the merge of the kingdoms and the firing of the Miracles, Kuroko replaced them all with one man. Kise would've felt personally offended (thinking, who is this guy and why does Kurokocchi think he's so much better than him?) if it wasn't for Kagami's incredible skills with a battle axe. They were unparalleled and even ran toe to toe with the Miracles' skills.
The blond was irritated that the guard interrupted their conference, if one could call it that. Kagami stood at the entrance of the room – in casual clothing unlike the other two who were wearing formal robes and armor – waiting to be allowed into the chamber. With a nod from the blue haired prince, Kagami entered and strode right to Kise.
"Alright, Kise," the guard started, staring down at him with those intense red eyes, "You heard Kuroko, you've over stayed your welcome. Get up." As he said those last words, the black-tipped red head lifted Kise up by the scruff of his armor. Kagami was then to lead the Yellow Knight out of the manor (Kise didn't shriek when lifted out of the chair; he simply let out a noise of surprise).
"I will also see you out," the Shadow Prince said as he rose from his chair. Neither Kagami nor Kise complained as the guard escorted the knight out of the mansion.
The blond tried to persuade his old boss to re-hire him, but Kagami wasn't having any of it. It seemed as though every time the blond tried to speak, the guard would shut him up or strike up a different matter with the prince. How rude! Kise thought. Little did he realize Kagami was simply getting Prince Kuroko caught up on his work that the blond was distracting him from.
By the time Kise got to the front entrance, Kuroko's mind didn't sway in the slightest. As the large oak doors were pushed open, Kuroko was already turning to dwell back into his castle. The prince's final words were sweet in parting, but Kise was no idiot. He knew Kuroko wanted him out of his sight (not in the mean way, oh no, it was just Kise was taking up too much time and energy to keep entertained) to concentrate on different matters.
The Yellow Knight spotted his horse in the hands of a stableman, ready for him to take him away from this place. The thought both depressed and impressed Ryouta. It was impressive how fast the horse keeper was to prepare his steed, but it showed how egger everyone was to get the blond out of there.
Before the blond could step out of the castle, Kagami had one more exchange, "I heard that you still don't have a job, don't have a kingdom to call your own."
Kise tried not to flinch and feel personally offended by the statement, but he replied with the steadiest voice he could muster, "Y-yeah. B-but don't worry about me! I'll find a job in no time! I mean, I am a Knight of Miracles! Who in their right mind wouldn't hire me?"
He tried to sound optimistic, he tried so hard, but it was tough to persuade someone else when you're also trying to convince yourself.
Sorry that parts of this was a bit wordy and filled with some unnecessary details. I promise the next chapter to be filled with more action.
Please leave a review to tell me what you think or have any questions ^^
