Note: I do not own Trigun. I'm not making money off this. Don't prosecute me please.

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It was seven months later when Legato Bluesummers had finally recuperated enough under the care of the angel himself that he was able to begin his learning and training. He was to become the newest of the minions to this man, Millions Knives, in the search and seizure of the prized one, Vash the Stampede. Vash had been eluding Knives and leaving him one step behind for who knew how long, dodging and weaving away each time that angel drew close enough to touch him. Legato really had no idea why; he knew Knives only to be the merciful and god-like creature that had rescued him from death that day in Renaud. Why would anyone avoid such a creature?

By this time, Legato was no longer the wretched creature that Knives had found so long ago. His flesh had filled out around the bone, giving him a look of vitality that never quite reached his doubtful eyes. Most of his hair had been too horribly tangled and matted to save, and now his hair grew in short style reminiscent of that of the man who had saved him. He was dressed in clothing that mostly fit, and was much more pleasing to the eye now that the dirt and bone had left him.

That day, seven months after his acquisition into the service of Knives, he had his first meeting with a full-fledged servant of the man he had come to know as Master. This person, while of course a human, was the fifth of the Gung-Ho Guns, a woman known as Nikita, the Eye. She was of short, bloody red hair and masculine figure, and as Legato looked at her for the first time, he had found it hard to tell if she was a man or a woman due not only to the bulky canvas coat that she wore. She came, seemingly without Master Knives even calling her, into the barren but cozy place that was Legato's room, and stood before the Master and his new charge with her hands at her sides like a soldier in the line. Her bland eyes were turned carefully to the wall just to the right of Knives, but no admonishment came to scold her for her lack of attention.

"Legato, you know that you are different from the other humans that inhabit this world of ours." Knives spoke a declaration, but the boy knew that a response was expected of him.

"Yes, Master."

"You were born from human flesh, but you will become much more than you were born to be. You will ascend above the spiders that abandoned you and left you alone and starving on the streets. You will become something better."

There did not seem to be a response for that, and so Legato stayed silent, golden eyes shifting between his master and the woman who stood and watched the wall. He had not been through a test as this one before, in fact this was his first of all tests, and he did not know what to expect. Surely this woman would not put him to harm? No, the angel would never allow that.

Knives spoke again. "Nikita the Eye will be of utmost importance in your now and future training. Look at her and do as she says." And he backed away to stand at the wall, watching the two of them with his eyes like frozen lakes. Legato watched him for a moment, insecure and lost, before he turned back to the woman and looked up into her face.

The moment his eyes met hers, Legato was hurled into a world of pain. Memories dragged from the folds of his brain as if by fishing hooks, streams of long passed conversation and images screaming through his senses too fast to be understood. His mother stood before him and showed him his younger sister for the first time. A second later Father marveled over the broken window. What are you doing boy? Get off the roof you'll get hurt, oh my god the house is burning where is mom where is dad they're all dead dead DEAD. The house burned down around him as he ran for his life and he fought the black dog for the last hunk of bread in the trash can while the kids watched and laughed and laughed Legato the dog here puppy here boy, one boy fell back with a broken ankle and the rest ran off crying for mommy. Hunger tore at his stomach again even though he had just eaten, it was eating him alive and oh my god why did this happen to me why did my family die why god why did I do this to MYSELF-

Those dull gray eyes spun away from his and Nikita, the Eye, took a step backwards as if shoved, brown boots almost tripping over the floorboards as she reeled like a fish caught on a line. Legato fell to his knees and vomited onto the floor, crying hysterically as he did it in rage and shame and pain.

Good.

The voice rang through Legato's battered brain, almost making him cry out in pain at the added sensation. He looked up with tearful eyes as he heaved dry now, looking at Knives and seeing that same cold smile. Knives had made no move towards either of the two humans.

Legato's eyes then turned to Nikita, who had stood straight again and now looked to Knives with no expression on her face. An immense hatred welled up inside of the young boy, but he felt too weak and powerless inside to do anything about it other than stare at her with fire in his eyes. Who was she to make him go through that again? Who was she to play with his brain in that way? Who was she?

"It will take work, Master." It was that woman that spoke, with her low voice and her eyes set somewhere above Knives. "He has immense potential, but the reins are scattered and out of his control. Before he can begin to travel forward, he must be able to at least gather the reins and know his power."

"You will do it."

"Yes, Master."

"You are dismissed."

Nikita turned her eyes to the left of Legato for a moment, and then spun away to retreat out through the door, heavy boots thumping against the floor as she went. She closed the door behind her, and all trace of her was gone.

Knives came to stand before the small boy as the last of the tears dried on his small and fragile face. Legato didn't dare look at the angel, feeling dirty and ashamed of himself. How could he have failed the Master that way? The first test, the simplest of all tests, and he failed. He puked and mewled like a baby, at the age of nine to be acting as such a girl-child before his savior. What a disgrace.

"Look at me," the Master ordered, and the boy did as he was told. Tears fell from his eyes anew, and he felt a knot grow in the pit of his stomach. Knives wore no emotion upon his face now, and only watched the boy for a moment before he spoke again. "You will be trained by the Eye until I see fit that you are ready to join the ranks of the Gung-Ho Guns. You will obey her every word."

Legato nodded, catching his breath up again and averting his eyes to the floor again. Dirty child. "Yes, Master."

"And why will you do this?"

There was a silence as Legato thought. There hadn't been much depth to his questions before, just a simple Yes, Master or No, Master would be all that was required of him. He ventured a guess anyway. "Because you told me to?"

The large white boot on the man's foot moved forward, stepping ever so carefully onto Legato's left hand. His weight increased, little by little, until Legato cried out from pain as his skin and bone were crushed beneath the sole. When the voice emerged from his throat, the increase stopped, and he heard Knives speak over his pained cries and squeals. "No. You will do it because it will please me. Why do you live, Legato?"

"I live to please you, Master," Legato panted in between a squeal and a hiccup of pain. The pain was excruciating as his bones seemed to break one by one, but somehow it was more bearable when he said those words. It pleased the Master for him to live, for him to follow orders, for him to serve. He was pleasing the Master. That was all he really wanted, all he had wanted since that day so long ago.

"I will ask you again, for all humans make mistakes. Why will you do as I say and follow the orders of the Eye?"

The pain seemed to become more and more tolerable as he spoke each word, his eyes looking up to the angel in pained adoration. "Because it pleases you, Master."

Immediately following his response, the boot lifted from Legato's tiny hand. He sucked in air, it hissing between his teeth as snakes through the grass, and he pulled his hand towards his chest, cradling it there like a wounded bird. Sitting up, he peered up to the face of Knives, his Master, his angel, and said, "I only wish to please you, Master."

"And well you should."

Without another word spoken, Knives left the room, shutting the door behind him and allowing the wounded boy within to clean himself up.