Kingsmen: The Secret Service

Mantel of Galahad

How barbaric. Asking a Kingsman to shoot his loyal pup? But he supposed that was the hardest task of all, wasn't it? The train slicing his body into pieces didn't seem nearly as terrible as killing an innocent puppy. Loyalty wasn't a question for Eggsy. Though it wasn't easy, it wasn't hard to die for something you truly believed in. In this world, there were things worth dying for. The Kingsmen was one of those things.

At least J.B. was grew a little bit bigger, even if it couldn't reach the size of Roxy's poodle. And Eggsy was certain he would've been at least a pound heavier than Mr. Pickles if the Scottish Terrier were still alive today.

It was a crisp autumn morning and Eggsy fancied a stroll when he peaked between the parting of the drapes and saw a brisk sun rising in the east. His mother was still asleep in her luxurious suite and he didn't want to wake her so he crept down the stairs and over towards J.B.'s doghouse mansion.

"Hey boy," Eggsy said as he poured a fresh pouch of dog chow into the bowl. "What about we go for a run after breakfast? I've got to keep in shape."

The pug shifted back, but couldn't resist the temptation of pellets of protein awaiting his mouth. He munched heartily on the food and let Eggsy pet him as he did. J.B. licked the palm of his hand and Eggsy retreated immediately.

"Ugh I told you not to do that without brushing first." He went over to the sick and washed his hands.

J.B. didn't mind. He knew his master's quirks and tricks. While J.B. didn't particularly favor wiping his paws, neither did Eggsy favor the morning slobber. Their relationship worked well like this.

J.B. finished munching his food and waited patiently at the door for Eggsy to harness the leash. When he was a puppy he was apprehensive with the boy at the AK-47, but after Eggsy refused to shoot him with a handgun, he supposed his loyal cooperation was warranted.

"There's a good boy," Eggsy cooed.

The morning dew was still present on the blades of grass and leaf tips of trees. Every time Eggsy breathed out, he could see the breath form in a wispy cloud before dissipating away. J.B. trotted along with his stride as they jogged along the nearby river route.

There must have been a strong wind last night that brought down an entire slew of leaves. The trail of dirt was nearly covered in them. J.B. panted heavily as he kept up with his owner at his physical peak.

"On your left."

Roxy, the girl who could probably kick his ass when he least expected it, raced past him with her black poodle, fluffed and somehow permed to perfection during a sprint. Her dark blonde hair tied tightly in a ponytail behind her, nearly whipped him in the face as she rushed by. Eggsy swore he saw a cheeky smirk. And suddenly, Eggsy burst out in a spurt to catch up.

But J.B. pulled him back. Nope. That pup had short legs and was proud of them.

"Jack! C'mon!"

Nope. The pug pulled back and sat. He was beginning to feel an onset of a cramp and wasn't about to risk that for a poodle. A poodle of all dogs.

"Fine," Eggsy huffed. "I'm tired anyway."

Good. The pugsy will always get his way.

While Eggsy stood up to catch his breath, he could see Roxy banking left up ahead and rounded back over the bridge to the other side of the river. The poodle showed no signs of slowing down.

"C'mon Jack! Just this once!" Eggsy urged. Roxy was intent on lapping them.

Finally, J.B. stood up and stretched out his front legs with his curled tail raised high in the sky and his ass up with it. Roxy banked left again and met him on the same path once more.

"On your left," Roxy said giddily.

"Oh no you don't!"

Eggsy and J.B. burst forward as Roxy passed them, about an arm's length before them. J.B. was trying, but still straggling behind. Eggsy couldn't fault him. His short little legs and pudgy body weren't much of a match for the long gundog legs of Roxy's poodle.

As J.B. lagged behind, Eggsy scooped him up with one arm and bolted forward like a lightning bolt. Just like his puppy days. Roxy turned back to see him sprinting forward and tried adding more fuel to the fire in her legs. She was already nursing a cramp in her side since she and her dog had been out here an hour before Eggsy, but didn't want to lose to him all the same. She pushed forward, but only just.

In a mad dash to the finish line, Eggsy left Roxy and her poodle in his dust as he passed the bridge marker. He jumped up and down with arm and pug bouncing in the air.

"What are you celebrating for?" she asked through rushed breaths. "You cheated."

"Anyone with eyes can see that I didn't."

"We were running our dogs," Roxy said, wiping the sweat off with the sleeve of her jumper.

"I fail to see your point." He held up J.B. for all to see.

She rolled her eyes and drank half a water bottle without parting her mouth from the lip of the bottle. Eggsy's eyebrows raised. My, think of what she could do if that were not a water bottle.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, Lancelot," Eggsy said with a grin.

"Don't get cheeky," Roxy said. "Galahad is technically Lancelot's son."

"You always have to ruin a good conversation with a fact that is only to stir confusion of where the conversation is going, don't you?" Eggsy asked. "You did it with the girl in the club and you're doing it now."

"A single phrase hardly constitutes a conversation," she said. She took a long pause as she stretched her palms touch the ground with straightened knees. Wow was she limber. "But enlighten me then. You think your conversational skills were enough to get the attention of the girl at the club?"

"Oh yes," Eggsy said.

"I would think the task rather difficult with the way you speak," Roxy said.

"South London has nothing to do with it," Eggsy said. "It's all about how you present yourself." He smiled to himself. "Like how I presented myself to Princess Tilde."

"Oh right! I heard you got a kiss from a princess." Roxy chuckled.

"Oh it was more than just a kiss." Only Eggsy knew that he mirrored her words and he had to stifle the laugh from caught in his throat. "So yes, even this South Londoner could get a Princess, so your argument is invalid."

"How did you manage it?" Roxy asked.

"Really? You're interested in her too?" Eggsy became so excited, it was almost uncanny. "I have her number if you want!"

Roxy scowled then laughed at the realization. "If I were, it's not like I would let you watch."

Eggsy's face suddenly sagged. His cheeks, his jaws, everything feel as if the light switched off immediately. An excited fire extinguished within seconds.

"But no, I'd like to know if I ever come across a handsome prince," Roxy said. "Luckily we still have some of those around and it helps to be ready for it."

"Well it was quite simple actually. Save the world. Kiss the girl."

"Oh it's just that easy," Roxy said sarcastically.

"I told her I only wanted a kiss since I've never kissed a princess before. It was innocent at best, and I think that small request was all I needed to have her in the palm of my hand."

"Not the suit, the tie, the slickly combed hair, or glasses?" Roxy asked.

"See that would work on me, but…" Eggsy started picturing her in the outfit. "Actually no I'll agree with you on that one."

"Stop picturing me with clothes," Roxy said.

"What?"

"Shit, no I didn't mean it like that-" She paused to study him. "You're doing it right now aren't you?"

Originally he was imagining her in a well-fitted suit, but at the switch of her words, a new image had already formed in his mind. "Trying to."

"Good luck." She had this trick played on her too many times to count. "I have a mole on my body the size of your fist. Guess where it is."

His wide grin then fell down in horror.

"This is fun, isn't it?" Roxy said.

"It was," Eggsy said bitterly.

Eggsy was glad of all the Kingsman recruits, she was the one to stay. And to make it to the end to claim the title of Lancelot – in a predominantly male class, it seemed to be the impossible task, accomplished.

"So, Galahad, are you enjoying your new title?" she asked. "I should say, you are benefiting immensely from the tailors. The mannerisms still need a little work though."

"We're not on a mission or anything. Call me by name," he said.

"Eggsy sounds like a child's babble."

"And Roxy doesn't sound like a mall-crawl girl?"

"Fine, Eggsy," she emphasized. "How are you enjoying the new name? Big shoes to fill."

"Huge open-lacce shoes to fill." Eggsy leaned back against the nearby post of the bridge. His breath misted into the air once again. "But I like it. It's got quite a nice ring to it." He looked back up towards the steel-blue sky. "Still miss him though."

"He would have been proud of what you did with Valentine," she reminded him.

"I know," Eggsy said. His chin tilted back down to Earth. Roxy had a hand on his arm in comfort. How long had she been there?

She pulled away. "C'mon, race you to the mansion." She pulled her poodle along for another sprint.

Eggsy looked back down at J.B. who was enjoying the nice nest of leaves as his bedding. "Not fair!"

He pulled his pug along for the run, and like always, was just a few meters behind. Loyalty was something Eggsy held dear to him and he wouldn't, on his life, tarnish the name that Harry Hart once had. The man taught him how to sit as a gentleman, walk as a gentleman, and dress as a gentleman, but truly transforming into one was more than just that. Hart left just a little too soon. There were lessons to be had. Mannerisms to learn, and Eggsy wasn't sure he would find a better mentor than Hart. Still, he would try. He owed Hart that much at least.

Upon looking up at the plumed clouds, he wondered if Harry would be proud of him for the days past Valentine's defeat, not just the single accomplishment.

Something told him, he would be.

Author's Note: A sequel needs to happen… with Colin Firth/Harry Hart. Ghostening or not.