tampered | Log; ongoing

When; April 23rd, early evening
Rating; PG, for now
Characters; Dietrich (

shoulder_spikes). Guest guinea pig by Autor (

freakyfanboy).
Summary; Dietrich and Legato teach each other how to use their swapped powers.
Log; Legato approached the gates of Xanadu, where he was to meet Dietrich. He was a little early, he lived in the garden, after all.
Dietrich and himself agreed to meet here so they could teach each other about their own 'threads,' which were swapped for another irritating curse day. Legato was embarrassed that someone else had gotten his ability, since he promised his master he wouldn't discuss his threads with anyone. But he counted Dietrich as an ally, maybe even a friend.

He felt a pang of regret for coming here, though. Knives-sama wasn't completely healed, and he might need Legato's services. It was hardly loyal for Legato to be here, but maybe his master would forgive it.
He put these thoughts aside as he saw Dietrich approaching. He bowed his head slightly.

"Hello, master Dietrich," he said.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The apartment was a mess and his presence did not calm his beloved Esther from the powers she had acquired. So, Dietrich left her to her devices before she accidentally injured or killed him (as tempting would be to see her shed tears for him, he didn't want to die).

He was dressed plainly in a black T shirt and matching pants. His brown hair was messy consequence of the earlier struggle against flying objects; but his face sported a sweetly, deceiving smile. The Puppet Master looked angelical, the opposite of how he really was in the inside.

Learning how to manipulate puppets with borrowed strings was certainly tempting.

"Good evening, Legato~" he said warmly. "It's just Dietrich, Marionettenspieler isn't Mein Herr to be called Master." Dietrich liked how that sounded - the arrogant flair of mastership.

"Apologies, Dietrich," Legato said. "Old habits."
He'd added the honorific to any he'd viewed as an equal or greater for some time.

"Shall we walk to the Square, and... get started, or should we discuss our abilities first?"

He began to feel more like he was betraying Knives-sama with that last question.
He collected himself. He couldn't keep thinking this was wrong. He had to focus on the present, and trust this person as much as he could.
God knows, him and his master needed allies. And if Dietrich's powers were as potent as it seemed, then his allegiance would be valuable.
But maybe Legato wanted more than allegiance from this deceptively-kind boy. Maybe he actually wanted to be his friend. A ludicrous concept, but many things had felt different for Legato since coming to the City.

"Old habits are hard to die, I understand," Dietrich replied, amicably. "Prior information would be better. I would like to know how your threads work, first. I could aim wrongly and embarrass myself as a puppeteer, you see. In exchange, I will confide mine to you."

It amused the young Puppet Master the mild parallels between Legato's world and his. Knives and Vash were similar to his Master and the idiot he had as twin. He wondered idly if there was a Magician or a doll as pretty and pure as Esther. He was also conscious their status could change if more of the Ax or the Methuseleah Empire arrived into the City. Allies and knowledge to improve the Orden wouldn't hurt.

"Very well," Legato replied, setting aside his trepidation for letting Dietrich know everything about his power.

"I personally inserted the wires into my medulla oblongata. Outside of the City, I can move the wires over very far distances, and they can basically move through anything. I pierce the subject's brain with them, and then take control over their muscular impulses.
"Any muscle can be harnessed, even those that a human cannot willingly control themselves.
"Their vocal chords, tongue, iris, even the more... personal muscles." He smiled when thinking of a previous subject.
"I've caused people to crush themselves to hamburger, shoot themselves, rip their own hearts out, and stopped their hearts-- causing a heart-attack. Control over dead bodies is feasible, but once all brain activity ceases, they're dead weight-- no pun intended."

His face hardened, his voice lowered and he leaned toward Dietrich slightly. "Now, the City has more than mildly hindered these abilities: The threads cannot go farther than roughly 30 meters, and I have only been able to control arms and legs with ease. This information must not get to anyone else; I've probably said too much already."

He stood straighter, his expression softened and he raised his voice to his normal pitch. "Now then, your turn."

[ooc: my internet = shit. I'm sorry, I couldn't get back on. >.<]

Dietrich listened with interest the thread description so alike but different to his own. That was what he was feeling annoyance, how obtrusive the feeling was.

"My lips are sealed," Dietrich assured Legato with a half honest promise. He would tell his superiors when they asked for information, but he liked to know things the old Magician didn't to play pranks at him from time to time. "The strings of the puppeteer extend farther than yours here, I haven't tested how but I recently made a puppet that was about 50 meters or so far from me. You can use them by your hands or by mental commands after the target is secured." He paused and put his hand on his chin. "Rather than muscles, the strings attach themselves to the nervous system and control reactions and movements, including speech. Additionally," he grinned, "It has another effect on them. You will discover when you test it." The inducing pain and pleasure would be something Legato should experiment by himself when he worked in the delicate thread of nerves.

He left unsaid that he could not control a willful puppet completely for over three days due to the tampering of abilities. He was working to fix that limitation imposed by the City. Dietrich hated to string old dolls over and over again.

Legato was startled at the similarities between his own and Dietrich's threads. He didn't think either of them would have any difficulty using their powers. But he wasn't fond of the fact that he would need to use his hands to move the subjects. He preferred subtlety. And even though he was intensely curious to what this other effect was, he couldn't wait to have his own threads back.

"Quite interesting," he said while thoughtfully tapping his lip with his finger. "Well, whenever you're ready to try things out for yourself, I am as well."

Dietrich nodded and smiled. "I'm ready when you are. There must be some people alone in Xanadu. Those would do," he pointed out, discarding the idea to go to seek someone in the crowded square. "I want them to pick special roses for Esther. I promised her a present when I return."

"Very good," Legato said. "But please, do choose someone who is not aware of my personal ability. I'm sure I will be blamed, and I would never hear the end of it from Wolfwood or Vash. I shall return the favor."

If he were to catch any more heat from Nicholas, he would probably have to kill him. Painfully.

"Don't worry about that," Dietrich assured Legato. He was subtle in his task, being a manipulator with and without his strings as Isaak's prodigy student. "Shall we start?"

Log; ongoing

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