Naoko: Who wants a chapter on Knives?
Audience: We do!
Naoko: Who wants Legato to star?
Audience: You do!
Sakura: Who wants to restrain Naoko?
Audience: We do!
Sakura: I'll just go get my straight jacket.
Naoko: Is it just me, or do I need to run away?
Sakura: It's just you.
Naoko: ........... ; . ; Kuri-chaaaaan!!
Kuri-chan: If you think they own it then you belong with Naoko.
The castle was hidden deep in the mountains almost completely shrouded by trees. In there resided Legato and his minions, and his protégé Knives. Currently, Knives stood at one end of the long dining hall, his eyes closed. Legato stood across from him at the other end of the rom.
"You must try harder, Knives," Legato said.
Knives furrowed his eyebrows.
Suddenly, a cat skulking in the shadows jerked into the faint sunlight and exploded.
"Knives, I said focus on me!" Legato yelled.
Knives' eyes flew open in anger. "I'm trying!" he shouted.
Suddenly, Legato's arm jerked violently.
"Much better," the violet-haired man said. "However, you need to channel that power better, outside of your high emotions."
"Legato, I need to take a break," Knives said.
"Indeed. We have been at this for hours."
The two walked over to a table at the left side of the room and sat in silence.
"I still do not understand why I must use these powers," Knives said. "I am much better with weapons."
Legato snorted. "It will take more than weapons to match Vash," he said.
Knives nodded. "I know that," he sighed. "I am so tired of training. I wish I could get this fight over." Legato stared at him, making him slightly uncomfortable. No matter how evil Knives had come to be, the man's eyes always made him shudder.
"You will soon," Legato said. "As soon as you two turn sixteen, all will be complete."
Knives nodded. He could never see how or why he was born Vash's twin. They were so different... or, according to Midvalley's reports. Legato would never be able to destroy kingdom Gunsmoke as long as Vash was around. Knives was taken by Legato to fight Vash to the death, and whether Knives ever came out of the fight alive mattered little to Legato. However, this never seemed the reason that the two of them were born, and he always thought long over it.
Suddenly, Midvalley entered the room and bowed deeply. "My lord?"
"What?" Legato demanded.
"The king and queen are moving Vash to the home of the Three Spirits."
Legato cursed. Kinves looked at him, and, to his surprise, Legato looked angry instead of his usual placid features.
"Damn Rem," he said. "Damn her!"
Midvalley stayed silent.
"How soon?" Legato asked.
"Tomorrow," Midvalley answered.
Legato was silent for a moment. "There is nothing we can do," he said finally. "It will be much harder to operate."
"We can still attack him, right?" Knives asked. He had prepared for this fight for his entire life, and he was in no way going to let it be dissolved.
"We will not attack, but probably not as soon as we had planned. We will have to rethink the strategy." Legato replied.
Knives sighed. His battle was put off by Rem.
"Legato, why don't we get rid of Rem first?" Knives asked.
Legato's eyes flashed in anger. "That will be done later!" he snapped. "Do not try to interfere!"
His voice echoed throughout the room, despite his quiet voice.
"I'm sorry," Knives said softly.
Legato turned to face Midvalley. "Keep a close watch on Vash. If the Three Spirits teach him anything, it might very well spell disaster. I need to know if anything like that happens."
"Yes My Lord, Midvalley replied and left with a bow.
"Knives, your training will now increase now that Vash has been moved out of the castle." Legato told his pupil in a monotone.
Knives nodded quietly.
"The rest of the day is yours. Use it well." Legato left the room and left Knives sitting at the table.
Knives stared at the ground. He was too disappointed for words. He got up quietly and wandered outside. It was a beautiful day, but Knives could appreciate none of it. His dissapointment rose up to a bitter bile on the back of his throat as he walked into the surrounding forest angrily. The forest and nature was the only place Knives felt safe because it was the only thing that Legato could not control.
Knives walked to his favorite spot: a small pond surrounded by huge rocks. He sat down on the largest and stared moodily into the water. It offered no answer, however, it helped him calm down. He got comfortable and watched the water slowly moved across the surface.
Meryl let her paper drop into the turn-in bin. She instantly felt lighter, as if a great burden had been lifted off her chest, but she also felt worried. What if she did not get a good grade? She mused as she walked to her seat. Maybe she should stop worrying so much.
The class started as usual" the professor reading an article from a newspaper from a random time in American history, and the class having to identify the writing style. This time is was a piece of yellow journalism.
"It's time that we wrote an article," the professor said when he finished reading. "I want you to write something in the style of yellow journalism. I want you to know what it is really like and how you do it, for future reference.
A murmur went through the room. Meryl was elated. She could actually write an article!
"The best will be published in the University newspaper, and you will be compensated for your work," he continued. "It will be a special edition. I don't care what it is about as long as it is interesting." He paused. "Just don't wander into the realm of tabloid material. I'm not that desperate."
The classroom got louder as the students discussed what they would write about. Some were aiming toward classic yellow journalism: writing a lurid article on something they wanted changed. However, most ignored the professor's note on tabloids and were talking about the local ghost stories in the area.
"Hm...." Meryl said softly.
"What are you going to write about, Meryl?" A girl asked.
"I'm not really sure," Meryl replied. "I think I will research something."
The bell rang, dismissing the students. Most filed out slowly, but Meryl stayed behind in her seat. She did not have a next class and wanted to brainstorm about topics for her article.
"Meryl, I'll be back in a few minutes," the professor told her. "I have to run something to another teacher."
"Alright," Meryl said.
The professor left the room and Meryl was alone.
"There is a local castle here... I guess I could try to find something on that..." Meryl said to herself.
She packed her bag up and started her way down the stairs to the ground floor. The professor re-entered the room.
"Did you find your topic?" he asked.
"I was thinking on doing a piece on the local castle here," she said.
"I look forward to reading your article," the professor said and walked to his desk.
Meryl smiled and walked out of the room, reveling in being a favorite of the professor's.
"Now to get to the library before the crowd gets to the computers first," she said with a small laugh as she imagined fighting her way through millions to get to a single computer.
"We are in trouble," Legato mused. He was sitting in a much smaller conference room at the head of the table. His hands were folded neatly in front of him. "The Spirits know what is going on... and they have obviously alerted Rem."
"Don't they always?" Midvalley asked.
"What we need is a really good plan," Legato continued, ignoring Midvalley.
"But how?" Midvalley asked. He sat down across from Legato. "If those Spirits know everything."
"TO THE SECRET LAB!!" Legato cried.
Crickets chirped.
"That's funny, I thought it was still day," Legato said and peered out of the tiny window to his right into the bright sunlight.
"But, master, do we HAVE a secret lab?" Midvalley asked.
Legato pulled a lever on the side of his chair and the floor dropped out from beneath the both of them.
"Don't be stupid!" Legato answered once they had landed on a large pile of pillows. "It's just so that Knives can't hear us."
"Then why is it --"
"Because I have always wanted to be an evil scientist," Legato answered.
"Oh..."
The two stood up and walked into a shadowy room. Legato sat down in a high backed chair and turned on a light that shone on him in a particularly disturbing manner.
"Now," he said after Midvalley had placed himself at Legato's feet. "I am not one to change my style of doing things, so we must get ahold of Vash according to my omen."
"He has to die on a hunting trip?" Midvalley asked.
"Well, that stupid little cat made sure Vash wouldn't die... we must take hum prisoner," Legato said.
"But, the King won't let him go hunting!" Midvalley replied.
Legato grinned, a beautiful yet frightening sight. (( A/N: Naoko!! Quit it!! -Sakura )) "There are lots of ways and many things to hunt..."
"But, how, sire?" Midvalley asked.
Legato opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. "I can't speak about it!"
"Plot device," Midvalley said sagely. "It happens to the best of us."
"Curses." Legato said. "Oh well, let's skip to the laughter."
The two began to laugh, a sinister sound that echoed among the hallways and frightened even the bravest dust mote.
When dusk started to fall, Knives stood up and looked at the sky. "Time to go back," he said quietly. All of his seething emotions had finally left him and he was able to look at his current situation calmly. No doubt his brother would be receiving a more extensive magical education with the Three Spirits. No matter how powerful Rem was, she never used offensive magic. Knives sneered to himself. That country would be much more powerful if their queen was not so foolishly noble. Knives' smile fell. If Rem was different than she was now, would he still be in the palace?
Knives sat down again. Legato was the only father he had ever known, but while he loved the man, he also hated him. True, Legato had given him power, but he was cruel and selfish and used Knives for his own means. Knives sighed. As soon as Legato had Vash and if he was still alive, he would leave and make a new life for himself. Maybe he would even take Vash with him to spite Legato.
Knives stood up again. Whatever would happen, he knew he had the advantage over Vash. He was trained in both magic and weaponry, whereas Vash was trained in weaponry and useless magic. Out of the two of them, he would win.
Naoko: OOooooOOOOOoooOOO!! Scary!
Sakura: I thought a straight jacket would do the job...
Naoko: It tasted like chicken!!
Kuri-chan: Maybe a padded room would work...
Naoko: Give me Legato and I will be FINE!! GOOD! GREAT!! WONDERFUL! EXC -
Sakura: holds up a baseball bat Sorry, Naoko-chan....