Sakura: OO Gah! Gomen! I haven't had the time to write back! Naoko's going to kill me!

Naoko: . Damn straight!

Sakura: sweatdrops

Naoko: You had it over the two week break!

Sakura: .... Could we not mention that?

Kuri-chan: =--= They don't own Trigun.

A few years passed and Vash was growing up nicely. He seemed to be a very strong-willed person.

"Father," Vash called, walking into the King's study room.

"Yes, Vash?" the King replied.

"Father, I was wondering when I could start training to be a knight?" Vash asked hopefully.

"Vash," the King laughed. "You are still too young to begin your training.

Vash frowned slightly and walked away. The King sighed. Vash was right,his training would have to begin soon. Very soon. That is, if he wanted the boy to win against Legato. The King sighed again and thought about Millions.

The Queen walked into the chamber, interrupting his thoughts. "He asked again, didn't he?" she asked.

The King nodded.

"He has to start sometime," the Queen said gently.

"I know, but he is still a child."

"He is no ordinary child. Have you seen how quickly he has grown? It has only been a few years since Legato was here and he already looks, acts, and talks like he is nine." The Queen examined the map of the Kingdom on the wall.

There was a red flag pinned on the local mountain range.

"Is that where he is?" The Queen asked.

The King nodded solemnly and the Queen looked at her feet. "I should get Vash ready for dinner," she said and excused herself.

The King turned to the map and stared at the red flag. "He will beat you, Legato," he murmured.

On the other side of the doors, Vash leaned against the wall. "Who is this Legato person?" he mused to himself. He walked to his room through a shortcut so he could beat his mother and keep her from becoming suspicious. He had time to flop onto his bead before his mother arrived.

"Vash?" The Queen called through the door.

"Yes, Mother?" Vash replied.

She opened the door. "It's time to get ready for dinner."

Vash nodded as his mother closed the door. He walked over to his desk and picked up a piece of parchment and wrote "Legato" on it with his feather quill. "I shall do research on him" Vash told himself, then turned to his wardrobe.

After he changed he walked down the long flight of stairs and into the dining room. The table was covered with various types of foods, as it always was. Vash sighed inwardly.

Dinner was gloomy that night, even with the jesters and all the courtiers and their lively talking. Vash was still slightly upset with his father and the King was ignoring Vash's behavior. The Queen had agreed with Vash, but made no show of it. If anyone else in the room noticed the stiffness between father and son, none of them were showing it.

Vash's uncle, Sir Ryan, was sitting next to him, talking to his nephew animatedly. "Ah! You're getting to be a big boy!" he said jovially. Everyone knew of the Queen's discovery, so they assumed that Vash was a magical creature, hence his abnormal aging. "It's time you started to train!" He slapped Vash on the soulder and the boy had to fight to keep from flying face first into his food. He sneaked a quick look at the King, who he know could hear. However, his parents were chatting lightly with the Queen's distant cousin, the Baroness Elizabeth.

"How about it?" Sir Ryan asked.

Vash jumped back into reality. "How about what, sir?" he asked.

"Horse riding lessons!" Sir Ryan repeated.

Vash smiled. "I would like that very much."

Sir Ryan beamed. "My boy!" he said. "You shall be under the wing of the best horse rider in the Kingdom!"

Vash gave a small smile.

"When you get good enough, I can teach you how to hunt!"

The table went quiet around Sir Ryan.

The King turned to him. "My son will NOT go hunting," he said.

Vash ground his teeth.

"Aw, bother!" Sir Ryan said. "It's just-"

"He will NOT go!" the King repeated. "It is too dangerous. He might be killed." The real reason echoed silently around the table.

Vash slammed his hands down on the table. "And why not?" he shouted. "Why am I kept from doing everything! Why do the servants whisper about my destiny behind my back? Why do you two," he pointed to his parents, "Keep on talking about this Millions?" I'm not a stupid child! I know something is intended for me!" He left the room angrily.

Everyone was silent.

"He is no normal child," Baroness Elizabeth broke the silence. She was looking at her hands in her lap, though the comment was meant for the king. "He is three years old, looks as if he is nine, and has the intelligence of a much older person."

The Queen got up quietly and glided out of the room after Vash. She could hear the chatter growing slowly after she left.

In the hallway

The Queen could hear Vash sobbing in anger in his room as she knocked on the door. She then opened it and stepped in. Vash was staring at her defiantly, the bedsheets clutched in his hands.

"Oh, Vash," she murmured and knelt by him.

"Leave me alone, mother," he said. "I'm leaving. He pulled his hands away from the sheets and revealed a knot. He grabbed another sheet and tied it to the end of the chain.

"Vash," the Queen said and put a hand on his arm.

Vash paused. "What?" he asked.

"Do you really want to?"

"I'm not a little boy," he said firmly and grabbed a fourth sheet.

"You are to me," the Queen said softly. "You are my little boy."

Vash's lower lip trembled, He started to knot the blanket, but this time more slowly. "Mother," he whispered. "It's not fair!" he started to cry again and the Queen hugged him.

"It's alright," she soothed. "I'll talk to your father."

"He won't say yes," Vash said. "It's 'forbidden...'" He pulled himself away from his mother. "Who is Legato?" he demanded.

The Queen sighed. "He is a very evil man," she said. "He wants to kill you."

Vash stared at her for a while. "Alright," he said. "I accept that. Why can't I go hunting? Why can't I train to be a knight?"

"It is too dangerous to go hunting because Legato will be able to get to you easier," the Queen told him. "And, as for a knight, your father thinks you are too young. As I said, I shall talk to him."

"Why am I safer here in the castle?" Vash asked.

"I put enchantments on it so that Legato cannot get to you again," the Queen replied. "Yes, again," she replied to his querying look. "He got in once." She kissed him on the forehead. "If you are hungry, just go to the kitchens and get some food." The Queen got up and left the room.

Vash looked down at the sheets and sighed. "She isn't telling me everything," he said. "I just know it."

The next morning

Sir Ryan burst into the room. "Up, boy!" he roared.

Vash moaned and rolled over. "Wha...?" he mumbled.

"It's time to start lessons!" the knight cried and strode over.

Vash was immediately awake. "Really?" he asked.

"Yes, your father, His Majesty, had a sudden change of mind!"

'I must remember to thank Mother,' Vash thought. "I'll get dressed!" he said and bounded out of bed.

"Good man!" Sir Ryan said. "Meet me downstairs in the courtyard in an hour. "We'll get you some riding clothes and choose a horse for you." He chuckled. "No pony for you, you'll outgrow it in a month!"

Vash started to pull off his nightshirt as soon as his uncle left the room. He was ecstatic. "I get to learn how to be a knight!"

In another time and place

"This is silly," a young woman said and leaned back in her desk and stretched. "I don't know why I am doing this..."

"Because it is culture, Meryl!" a blonde woman sitting at her left said.

"You like it just because it is Medieval," Meryl said. "I know you too well, Naoko.:

"It's hard not to," a brunette in front of them said. "She has no personality."

Naoko chucked a book at her. "It's nice to know I am loved..."

"NAOKO YANAGISAWA!" a voice bellowed.

Naoko stood up and glared at the girl who she had hit with her book. "Yes, Professor?" she asked.

"You do NOT throw things at people! This is college, not high school!"

"Yes, Professor," Naoko said and bowed slightly.

"You do not need to attend this class any longer. You are excused."

Naoko did all she could to keep from smiling, which resulted in biting her tounge. Every student on campus hated Professor Motori's class. She was boring and the subject, English, was even worse. Naoko gathered up her items. She was a bit disappointed she had enjoyed the fairy tale they were reading, but she could always have Meryl explain it to her later.

Meryl shook her head as her friend left the class. She focused her attention back on the professor, resolving to tease her friend later.

After class

"Way to go Naoko!" the brunette gave Naoko a high five. "Getting kicked out of the worst class on campus!"

Meryl shook her head. "Think of what it will do to your record!" she said.

Naoko sighed. "My parents will kill me, but oh well. Maybe I will just talk to the professor. Perhaps she will let me back in..."

"You will have to have a good reason," the brunette said.

Naoko smiled at her. "I'll blame it on you, Sakura!"

Sakura began to grumble.

Meryl sighed and looked at her watch. "I have to finish my report for journalism," she said. "I have about an hour."

"I thought you already finished it," Naoko said sharply.

Meryl shook her head. "I want to re-read it."

"You have proofread it three times already!" Sakura exclaimed. "Come have some ice cream with us!"

"But!" Meryl protested/

"It will be good for the soul," Naoko said and pulled Meryl to the student café.

After the three had gotten their ice cream floats, and in Naoko's case, a triple scoop sundae, they sat down in the sun to enjoy their break.

"So! What happened?" Naoko asked.

"Nothing," Meryl responded. "The Professor seemed to be slightly miffed at your... interruption and lectured us on proper behavior."

Naoko laughed.

"Hey! Yanagisawa!" three guys walked up to tem. "Have a little ice cream?"

"Fuck off, Nabisco," Naoko said idily and took another bite of the sweet treat.

"Hey, hey," Nabisco spread his hands in front of him. "I was just coming to congradulate you!"

"On what? Not being an idiot like you? Thanks, but I already know."

Meryl and Sakura sniggered.

"Meow! The kitten has claws!" Nabisco responded. "No, it was being kicked out! It was ingenious! Fascinating!" He droned on. Suddenly, for no reason, a random water fountain exploded, sending a jet of water in the direction of the three guys.

"That's the third time this week!" one of Nabisco's companions said. The three walked away, swearing fluently.

As soon as they were out of sight, all three of the women laughed. "That was great, Meryl," Sakura said. "I wish I could make things explode."

Meryl grinned and licked her index finger and made a sizzling sound. "Don't try this at home, kids!"

In their freshman year, the three women and Nabisco and his cronies had a biology class together. The professor had a policy of three "As" in his class, which would be determined on a lab project that would take all semester to do. Nabisco and his cronies had destroyed the work of everyone else, and the three women had never forgiven them for that. Hence, they worked their best to make their enemies' lives a living hell. The fact that Meryl was a witch made things much easier.

"Well, I should go now," Meryl said. "I have to pick up that paper to turn in."

"We will see you after class, then!" Sakura replied.

Naoko waved, for she had another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.

Meryl gave a casual salute as she walked to her dorm.

"I really wish I had powers like Meryl," Sakura mused. "I would use them on my brother." She tossed her empty cup into the trash.

The campus clock sounded and the two women stood up and headed to the math hall. They settled down into seats in the middle of the room, a comfortable place, since the Professor called on people sitting in the front or the back. The Professor entered and placed his thick briefcase on his podium. "Today we will be having a pop test," he announced.

Sakura's face paled and Naoko had to grab her arm to keep her friend from fainting.

In the past

Vash rode through the wind on the back of a black stallion with a white star on its forehead. The horse's brown eyes were fixed on the path ahead of him.

"You are doing wonderfully!" Sir Ryan called to Vash.

Vash had a smile of pure bliss on his face. When the two had arrived at the stables, this horse had nuzzled him with its nose when they walked past its stall. For the time being, its stirrups had to be shortened considerably and Vash seemed to be too small for the horse, but, nevertheless, Sir Ryan had granted the boy the war stallion.

"Prince Vash! Slow down a bit and come back!" his uncle cried. "It's high time we went in."

Vash pulled on the reigns to slow the horse and slowly brought it back to the stables, the smile still on his lips. As soon as Vash dismounted he realized he was covered with sweat and grit.

"Go and clean yourself," Sir Ryan told Vash. "Your mother will have my head if I allowed you to go to lunch like that."

"It's lunch time already?" Vash asked, looking at his uncle.

Sir Ryan nodded. "We have been out here for three hours at least." He punched Vash in the shoulder, which caused the boy to stumble forward about three feet. "Get going!" he said again, this time with a bit more authority in his voice.

Vash bowed and sprinted up to his room to wash up and change. As soon as he was done he rushed to the dining room. "Hello, Mother, Father," Vash said as he sat down.

The King and Queen nodded at Vash.

"How was your ride?" The Queen asked him.

Vash smiled blissfully. "It was wonderful! Black Shadow, my horse, runs so swiftly!"

The Queen chuckled and the King smiled. 'This may work out in the long run,' the King thought.

Time passes

As the months passed, and then the years, Vash grew up. He stopped aging physically at the age of nine, but looked as if he was twenty-one. His aging anomylies seemed to only reinforce most of the servant's opinions that he was some sort of a god sent to them. The Queen thought differently, for it seemed to her that Vash was too stupid to be a supreme being of any kind. However, Vash grew in fighting skills and strength, until no one in the kingdom could match his talent. Vash also grew in looks, and frequently wreaked havoc among the maids and young noble ladies.

However, unbeknownst to his parents, Vash actually did grow in intelligence, far surpassing any human beings. He could figure anything out, sense people's feelings, when someone was hiding something from him, and, even more disturbing, he could move far more quickly than any human being. However, he kept this hidden because he felt that most people would not accept those things easily.

One day, Vash sat musing over his notes on Legato and the mysterious Millions, whom the servants refered to as Knives. He had been trying to find out more, but his mother was no fool and began to suspect something. He had decided to stop asking things until things quieted down.

"My Lord?" a maid knocked on the door and entered cautiously.

"Ah, Amelia," Vash said. He patted the bed beside him. "Coming to keep me company?" he winked at her.

The maid flushed. "No, my Lord. The King and Queen would like to speak with you."

Vash groaned. "Tell them I will be there." As soon as the maid closed the door, he started to grumble. "Probably another lecture on the dangers of hunting, fighting, eating, and breathing..." he sighed and left the room.

He met his mother and father in their private apartments. The Queen looked slightly upset. Vash was immediately on guard. He sat down and waited for someone to speak.

"Vash," his father said after a bit, "You are growing up now..."

"Emotionally and mentally we mean," his mother interrupted.

"And, well, it is getting dangerous for you."

"I see," Vash said quietly. "It's Legato, is it not?"

His parents looked at him sharply. "yes," the Queen said. "He is agitating the countryside."

Vash said nothing.

"So," the King said. "We are sending you away."

"What?" Vash demanded. "Why?"

"Don't take this the wrong way," the Queen said and held her hands up as if to plea.

Vash started to say something, but the King interrupted him. "It is not very far away," he said. "Just to the Three Spirits."

Vash cooled down a bit. "You are still sending me away," he pointed out.

"There is no other way," the King said. "He is too powerful with Knives at his side, and it is all your mother can do to keep Legato out of the Kingdom. The Spirits can hide you better than your mother ever can."

Vash said nothing.

"Please, Vash," the Queen choked. "It is for your own good."

"Who is Knives?" Vash demanded. "I need to know. It is only fair for me to know, isn't it? I mean, he is trying to kill me."

The King and Queen looked at each other, then at Vash. "Alright," the Queen said. "it is time you know everything..."

Sakura: Woo hoo!

Naoko: louder WOO HOO!!

Sakura: . even louder WOOO HOOOOOOO!

Kuri-chan: Someone give me a shotgun.

Naoko: You have no thumbs!

Kuri-chan: That doesn't stop me...

Sakura: O.O

Naoko: O.O

Sakura: For those of you who hate self-insertion fics

Naoko: We are only for comic relief.

Sakura: We are going to do nothing in the plot really...

Naoko: Except for hugging Legato...

Sakura: And Kyou!!

Naoko: He is in Fruits Basket...

Sakura: