Legato, Part II

The young boy awoke due to the searing pain that was his entire body. He attempted to rub his aching eyes but the pain in his arms would not allow it. He was confused. Sitting up, allowing his first moan of pain to escape out loud, he observed his surroundings trying to remember where he was.

The angel.

He remembered. After his father had left he had walked here in order to give the angel a present. A plant root he had found. The angel had seemed to love all green forms of nature when he had come across her a few months ago.

When he had first stumbled onto this bulb he had been amazed, he had seen the plant angels in town that were used as energy but this one was not connected to anything, she seemed to be free, within her transparent cell. She had taken to him at once, she didn't seem to speak the same language as he, but they had learned to trust one another without conversation. The young boy visited her as often as he could and would sometimes spend countless nights along her side, only returning home when hunger forced him back. Of course he would be beaten before allowed any food for having been gone so long, but he had gotten used to his fathers hits.

They didn't hurt as much as they used to, but the other night had been a horrible one. His father was more drunk than usual and seemed more angry than usual at his quiet son, and had done quite the number on him. The boy wondered how long it would take his body to recuperate this time.

He suddenly felt the warmth behind his back fade and he turned to look at the angel, who he had fainted on. She was sleeping... wasn't she? He heard a movement and whipped his head to the side. The man from before was still there. He was awake too and was looking at the bulb, before he turned his eyes to himself.

"She has died." It was the first words the man had spoken to him, and he said nothing, knowing what the man said was true. He had always known she was dying but it seemed his visits and presents had kept her alive longer. He did not weep for his lost angel, for he didn't know how to.

"Your name boy?" The man asked him.

The boy looked over to his green potted root and then to his angel who looked so peaceful in her death. The boy gave his name to the man in his quiet emotionless voice.

"Such a name... its not good enough for what I have in store for you. I will call you Legato with a surname of Bluesummers."

The boy looked at the man slightly confused. Is this how names were changed?

-

In the clear shadowed light of the morning, in which the boy woke up Knives noticed features he had not bothered to record. The blue hair, the golden eyes, this boy would most definitely be a good adversary to Vash. Not to mention an unlocked power that he held, of course the boy didn't realize such things. Knives himself only did because the boy had, had the power to lock his thoughts away from a superior being as himself.

When the boy had given Knives his name, Knives had sighed in disgust, it had been such a human name. No, the boy seemed like a Legato, which would be his new name.

-

"Come along Legato, there are many things you have to be taught, but before such lessons can take place we must rid you of your human attachments."

The boy tried to stand, but to no avail. Knives released an impatient sigh. Even with the boys tattered and dirtied blood soaked clothing he had forgotten Legato was in such conditions. He would not be able to get far before he fainted again, and Knives could see the human hunger in his eyes, even though he made no sound that he was hungry.

Against his own judgement and everything he stood for Knives hoisted the small frail boy onto his back and walked back into the desert, giving a silent prayer to the deceased angel. She would never be found by another set of human hands and therefore Knives entrusted nature to take care of her remains.

The boy was light and said nothing to the man that was carrying him. He wondered what he meant that he had to be taught and that first they had to take care of his human attachments. Was the man beneath him not human himself? He must not be, who else would talk like he did?

Knives knew that even after he had taken care of the boy he could not return to him with Vash. This boy was his and he could not risk him being tainted. No, Knives would have to create a place for him to reside when he was not with him. But first things first. His wounds had to be treated if Knives didn't want to carry him during their travels. Water was rather easy to find in this place, only humans did not know it. Rare springs could be found in the most horrid of areas, all one had to do was stomach the journey and in the end they could be rewarded. Patches of oasis were spread throughout the planet.

They weren't big, but each held an image of what the earth had been like. Knives dumped the boy into a clear stream when they entered the oasis. The boy looked around amazed that his planet could hold such a place.

"Clean yourself up." Knives ordered and walked off, leaving the boy some privacy.

The young boy Legato quickly stripped and shuddered as the cool waters entered his wounds. He did his best to scrap off the sand and blood and after he had done the best cleaning he could, given his condition, he soaked in the cool waters. With the hot suns high in the sky, it felt good to be relieved of the heat. He would have stayed there until the ends of time if the blonde haired man had not walked back to him. He dropped a white garment on the ground as well as a loaf of bread and looked at him.

"Put those on immediately." Knives cast another glance at the boy before retreating once again.

In his spot behind a grouping of trees Knives marveled at the bruises that covered the boys body from his father's hits. But they would heal soon enough and such pain would never be inflicted on the boy again, that is as long as he obeyed Knives and fulfilled his duties.

When the young blue haired Legato stepped out of the cool waters he examined the clothes the man had given him. He didn't remember seeing the man carry any bags, so where had the clothing and food come from? He quickly dressed in the garments. White loose fitting pants with a loose fitting long sleeved top. Once he had dressed himself he devoured the bread which had a very sweet taste to it.

Legato waved his arms slightly. He couldn't believe how much the fresh water, loose clothing and sweet bread had rejuvenated him. His golden eyes searched the tiny oasis to find the man. Walking slowly and quietly he came across Knives sitting against a boulder.

Knives' eyes darted to the boy and he stood. "Let us be off then." Knives motioned for the boy to climb back on his back. The boy may have been feeling better but he was not healed, Knives had noted. The boy crawled on with much effort and Knives rose to his full height and they continued their walk through the desert.

After hours of silence the boy asked the question that was burning in his mind, even though Knives himself could not see it.

"What is your name?" He asked quietly.

Knives hesitated a moment. "Knives, but you will be addressing me as your Master." Knives imagined the boy would protest, but Legato seemed to accept this information without question. This boy really was the perfect candidate for him.

They reached the boys former house, and his father came out scorching mad with the whip in his hand. Knives could feel him tense on his back and he gently placed him down before looking back at his father. As if just realizing Knives was there the father placed the whip behind his back.

"Er, thanks for bringing back my boy. Now come over here." The father said the boys real name and Knives cringed at it. He turned to the golden eyed boy. He held out his black gun to him. "You must get rid of your human attachments."

Legato's eyes widened when he understood what his Master meant. Kill his own father. He shook his head furiously. Ignoring the gun.

Knives' lips pursed together tightly. "Do as I say. This is the man who beat you every day, the man who plots your death. He is the epitome of the human evil. He steals, cheats, kills and takes strange human females into his bed... he has no scruples. Legato, kill him."

The boy slowly took the gun and turned to his father, whose eyes were heated in fury. Legato looked at the whip which was now exposed. His father took small threatening steps toward him.

His father called out his original name. "Put down the gun, you wont kill me, because you belong to me, you are my son and I'm the one who controls you, not him!" His father threw a nasty look at Knives. Knives did and said nothing more and only watched his little faithful servant commit his first crime against mankind, and in that he committed his first step of obedience.

Knives smiled when he heard the gunshot, watching the man fall to the ground.

The essence of Legato Bluesummers was born.

Faery Goddyss :)