#random knights

“—can’t wait to see him get his—” “—he’s a loner, that’s reason enough—” “—fault if he gets separated—”

Ichigo scowls and tries to determine if whatever he’s overhearing is trouble or he’s just reading into things. If it /is/ trouble, he doesn’t like where it’s leading; with a war on the horizon and deployment inevitable, talk about loners and being separated leads his mind down a dark path that he’d rather not tread.

(But that’s not enough to go on.)

(He hates sneaking around like this.)

He circles the room again and closes in, wending his way through the tables and straining to pick out the different threads of conversation going on all around him. He scans expressions as he moves, looking for something, /anything/ obvious, and knowing he isn’t going to find it.

“—mag-null, right?—” “—say we didn’t know—” “—sounds good, let’s—”

Ichigo freezes the instant he hears ‘mag-null’ and tilts his head, turning in a slow circle and trying to find the source. He spots one of his knights sporting an uncertain look, and steps closer to the table the man is at.

(That’s not language he has /ever/ approved of.)

(Mag-null. Someone born without magic. Someone of /lesser value/ because of it.)

(He despises the word and the intent behind it.)

“—should be easy enough,” another knight is saying, her hand waving absently. “He likes solo missions, right? And the commanders are always giving them to him.”

A second knight scoffs and pushes aside his empty bowl, then sets his elbow on the table and props his chin on his hand. “It’s about the only way a mag-null like him can get any missions, solos like those.”

“Mag-null or not, who’d want to work with /him/?” a third asks incredulously, gesturing about with her spoon before digging it back into her food. “He’s insufferable enough around the castle, constantly showing off. I’d hate to imagine what he’s like in the field.” She gives the whole table a look, and Ichigo is disgusted to see every knight there nodding in agreement, even the ones who are only listening.

(Even if this isn’t about Ishida Uryuu, Ichigo isn’t about to let talk like this slide.)

“I dunno,” the second knight says with annoyance. “His superiors seem to like him. He only has to ask, and off he trots on a solo.”

The first snorts and shakes her head. “Kenta, you poor, innocent soul.” At the man’s frown, she leans forward with a wicked smirk and says in a low tone, “There’s a /reason/ his superiors like him, and it’s certainly not his attitude.”

Ichigo bites his lip hard enough to taste blood when one of the other knights snickers and makes a lewd gesture. He’s had more than enough of this conversation, even if he doesn’t know for sure who they’re talking about. But if he lingers here any longer, he’s going to be too tempted to just… start bashing heads together and pitching everyone involved out of the knighthood.

But Shiro’s right, they don’t know how far this goes, or how many people are involved. So instead, Ichigo turns to memorizing each knight’s insignia; he’s never been able to put names to faces reliably, but he’s found ways around that as he grew older.

Like the insignia, unique for every knight under his command, and attached to a dossier he keeps in his office. He’ll be able to make a list of /everyone/ in this conversation, and he’ll make sure to mark the apparent ringleaders.

Halfway through memorizing the insignia, though, one of the knights makes an excited noise and stands. There’s a cruel gleam in his eyes, and his smile is less than friendly as he waves at someone walking through the door.

“Hey, Ishida!” the knight calls out, then narrows his eyes when the newcomer doesn’t turn to acknowledge him. “Hey! I’m talking to you!”

Ichigo frowns and scans the rest of the hall, taking in the way the other tables have quieted down a bit, and the way some knights are hunching forward. None of them are speaking up, though, not even the ones that appear unaffected by the call-out. They’re all studiously ignoring what’s going on, except for a few covert glances.

(How did he /miss this/? How long has this behavior been going on under his nose?)

The standing knight growls in frustration and leans forward, resting his hands on the table. “Well, if you want to sit by yourself, be my guest,” he drawls. “I was only going to invite you to sit with us, since everywhere else is full.”

“Are you certain you don’t require glasses, Faran?” Ishida asks, tone dry as dust. He gestures at the tables around him, many of which have at least a bit of room, then shrugs and turns away. He starts to make his way towards one of the nearly empty tables in the back, throwing over his shoulder, “Perhaps you should look into that. The battlefield is no place for poor vision.”

The first knight barks a laugh, her smile sharp. “Speaking from experience, Ishida? Is that why you’re always taking solo missions, because you don’t want to look helpless in front of your peers when the enemy knocks your glasses off?”

“You should let us help,” Kenta pipes up, voice heavy with fake sympathy. He flashes Ishida an insincere smile when he  freezes and turns back, and continues, “There’s no shame in weakness, after all. That’s what we’re here for, to help.”

Ichigo swallows his disgust at the words, and hastily finishes memorizing the insignias of the knights at the table. Forget listening further, he needs to leave and return openly, before the darkness he can see in Ishida’s eyes turns into something /worse/.

(No wonder Urahara decided to work around his promise at last.)

“Your help?” Ishida repeats, lips curling up to expose the tips of his teeth, disdain in every line of his body. “And what help would that be, Matsunu? If it’s your usual brand, I feel the need to warn you that Swallow takes… poorly to those she believes are threatening me.”

“That old nag? I don’t see why you still ride her, Ishida,” the first knight says with a scoff. “Just because your mother gave her to you as a child, doesn’t mean you should still be forcing her into battle. All she does all day is sleep in the stable.”

Ishida gives the knight a blank look, then glances at the others around the table, looking for something that he clearly doesn’t find. His shoulders slump a bit, and he pinches the bridge of his nose, saying, “If you want to be that blind, be my guest, please. Keep proving to me you’re all failures as knights.”

“Damn mag-null,” Kenta mutters darkly, then bares his teeth at Ishida in a pretense of a smile. “Failures, are we?” he asks while rising to his feet, one hand settling over the pommel of his sword. “I think it’s the opposite, isn’t it? At least we’re capable of working as a team and supporting one another. All a mag-null bow knight like you is good for is getting into trouble and being shot down by a mage.”

(’Shot down’?)

(Ichigo doesn’t have any aerial knights under his command…)

Ishida stalks closer, chin tilting up and expression a blank mask hiding a fury that Ichigo can nearly feel. The sight makes Ichigo stiffen and cast a confused look at the group of knights; he /knows/ that expression, that look of leashed fury, and it’s enough for his mind to finally link faces to positions to /names/.

Ishida Ryuuken is one of the strongest War Priests that Ichigo has ever met. For his /son/ to lack magic beggars belief; magic doesn’t simply /die out/ in a single generation. It dwindles, lingering in the bloodline for generations and providing skills and abilities that those without a drop of magic cannot duplicate.

(So who taught Ishida Uryuu to hide himself so thoroughly and consistently?)

(And what does Ishida’s dossier say about his ability — or lack thereof — with magic?)

Ichigo shakes his head and digs his nails into his palms, trying to clear his mind. It doesn’t matter who taught Ishida what, not now. Not when he can almost taste the coming violence.

(He wonders if intervening now is too little, too late. If there’s anything of Ishida’s loyalty /left/ after who knows how many years of torment.)

(Torment that Ichigo has been blind to the entire time.)

He can’t afford to think like that, though. Not now and not ever. The only thing he can do is try, and right now ‘trying’ means breaking the coming violence up before it begins.

Ichigo hurries out, keeping his steps as silent as he can, and slips into a hidden passage. Everyone knows that there are hidden passages in the castle, and everyone /knows/ that the passages are shielded against people sensing those within them.

Ichigo strips Shiro’s spell from his body, allows his magic to unfurl from his core, and breathes a sigh of relief.

(He hates hiding. Hates restraining his power so thoroughly. But needs must.)

Then, squaring his shoulders and gathering himself, Ichigo strides from the hidden passage and towards the knight’s hall.

He has a fight to stop and a group of knights to examine carefully.

V’lerian woke, slowly and painfully. She felt the metallic shackles, almost certainly designed to do something unfortunate if she tried to use her talents. Besides which, where would she go? She had no idea what this place was, or what defenses it had. She would bide her time and gather information before deciding to act.

There were two men standing at the cell door. The scarred one, dressed in white and gold, examined her critically. The other seemed more friendly, but she did not trust either. She could feel their power. It felt familiar, and she thought she knew why. If she was right, she was in even more danger than she had thought.

They allowed her out of her cell. As Marr was brought out as well, the scarred man examined them both critically, while the other smiled. Both were clearly paying more attention to V’lerian than to Marr. “Come, come, smile, both of you! Well, the lovely lady, anyway. You are about to be honored beyond any other outsider!”

The scarred man spoke. “Brother, calm yourself. These two do not even know where they are. We must explain it to them.”

“Quite right! This way, please.”

(Music begins, as the four of them walk down the hallway. Sung to Be Our Guest, from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast)

(Darth Marr becomes more and more agitated as the song continues)

Thexan (Arcann walks beside his singing and dancing brother, clearly annoyed at this foolishness) “To our two prisoners, it is with deepest pride And greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we demand you to follow, let us inspect your chains As we escort you to the throne of Our father.

Be our guests, be our guests You don’t recognize our crest. With your chains about your wrists, we’ll see That soon you will confess. You barge in, you invade And we present you on parade Try to escape, be destroyed Don’t believe me, tempt the droids. They can shoot, not too well So many, miss, you can tell That a few will send you to your final rest. But now, just stay peaceful Take in our world, Zakuul We’re the best, yes, the best, We’re the best.

(The Knights and Skytroopers join in. Arcann remains a sourpuss)  No rakghouls, not much strife With pleasure we are rife We’ve machines to serve with care A fine quality of life. You are right to be scared The Emperor is prepared You will never end his reigning So just stay uncomplaining. Nearly there, then we’ll see Which future that soon will be It’s already laid out so no need to fret Your fate is set in stone You need not die alone

(Arcann interrupts as Heskal approaches, almost speaking his part)

Arcann

Enough, Thexan, you have stressed Fate, which is complete nonsense Here’s a pest, here’s a pest, here’s a pest.

(Heskal approaches the group)

Heskal

Fate can be unnerving For the princelings undeserving The Emperor is the one that understands Oh, how he has shaped and changed the future Now thanks to you that bright future is gone. For long years we trusted While you quickly grew disgusted Not believing us, not letting us predict!

(Arcann growls and begins to sing as before)

Arcann

For years you’ve just walked around the Spire Useless and just lazy Get away as you are crazy.

(Heskal backs away. They enter the throne room, where Vaylin rolls her eyes but joins in. It is obvious that, like Arcann, she is annoyed about this, and she sings flatly)

Vaylin

No more rest, no more rest You’re alive, which who’d have guessed? I’ve been bored, now you’re aboard Into service you’ll soon be pressed.   (She starts singing better as she warms to the subject) Or maybe, you will die And I certainly won’t lie No tears will I be shedding I’ll be grinnin’ while you’re shredding.

(Music stops. Darth Marr has snapped his manacles by sheer brute force and rage, he simply cannot stand the singing any longer)

“Enough!” Marr shouted. Vaylin pouted and said, “Oh, come on, I wasn’t that bad.” “I will kill you all, starting with the Emperor!”

(fight ensues, ending with the Emperor blasting Darth Marr, killing him instantly. Music continues where it left off.)

Vaylin

He got warm, piping hot. Oh, look here, he left a spot. Clean it up, before the lady gets depressed. All of you get out! Before my brothers pout!   (Vaylin and her Knights exit the throne room singing their way out) For you, our guest (she's our guest) She's our guest (the only guest) You’re our guest, you’re our guest!

Valkorion (who sings well but slowly)