A/N: Hey everyone, I'm back with chapter 1 of Halkeginia Ghoul. So, I was trying to mix some of Kaneki and Louise together when I realized they were so different. There's a reason why I think Louise can be a much more depressed version of Kaneki. Louise, despite her judgement about commoners, is nice, patient and very dependable. But at the same time, she's stubborn and full of pride while Kaneki Ken of Tokyo Ghoul is a gentle and shy person. And if Kaneki could be that depressed after being turned into a ghoul, then I'm pretty sure a prideful person like Louise would get worse than him, a mental breakdown perhaps.
Unlike Kaneki, who becomes brutal but still maintains his gentleness with his friends, I decided to turn Louise into something different. A twisted, distant, easily to snap and mentally unstable Louise is more fun to write, LOL~ Don't worry, she won't lose herself completely, especially after being summoned by Tiffania *wink*.
Okay, enough rambling. Remember to R&R, mina-san!
Oh, and there is a profile of Louise at the end of this chapter. I know it's very confusing but I promise to clear your questions in later chapters!
PS: "Louise": Talking
Louise: Thought
"Louise": Talking in the past.
Disclaimer: I don't own FoZ or Tokyo Ghoul, they belong to their respective creators
"Where is Valliere!?"
"She has disappeared! Oh dear Brimir!"
"Professor Colbert!"
And that was days ago, Kirche von Zerbst was pissed now. Professor Colbert and headmaster Old Osmond was absolutely making no move at all, stating that Louise was out of reach. Seriously, what was wrong with them!? Louise was a freaking Valliere for Brimir's sake! The longer they remained doing nothing, the more danger the girl could be in, why couldn't they understand!?
And what the hell was 'out of reach' anyway!? As if she could have been somewhere else other than Halkeginia.
"Headmaster, this is insane! How are you going to tell Duchess Valliere!?" His secretary, Miss Longueville, said.
"I believe that the truth is the best." The old man stated. It wasn't like he needed to write a letter to report the accident, there were several nobles had heard about this from their children. If there was anything faster than words themselves, it would be 'rumors'. Certainly, Duchess Karin de la Valliere would have heard it by now.
"But how could this happen, sir?"
The old man sighed and looked out of his window "I don't know…"
Halkeginia Ghoul
Chapter 1
A Ghoul For A Familiar
Tokyo, 24th Ward.
"Ha…ha…" In a corner of a quiet street, a person panted heavily as she leaned against the wall to regain her strength. "Damn it." Cursed the girl when she felt wetness on the bandage around her eyes. These wounds still bleed to no end even though the Anteiku raid had passed for a few days.
So much for the whole 'abnormal regeneration' thing, huh.
Suddenly, memories of a few days ago flashed in her head and her teeth gritted together.
What a fool I was… I should have known after all these time. Fuck it all.
She had the right to curse them all, the incident that brought this fate on her shoulders, the people who made her life a hell and abandoned her like a piece of trash after using, or the CCG investigators and that Aogiri Tree group. Yes, she could have cursed them. Yet… she couldn't get their images out of her head. Because in a way... they were all innocent.
Are they? Then, she thought of her co-workers and friends. The teeth, instead, bit the inside of her cheeks.
I've failed them… Yes, she failed to protect her only 'real' home, Anteiku. Her home was destroyed and all she could do was watching from a far, watching as her friends and the innocents died one after one. She had caught a glimpse of Touka-san and Yomo-san the day human turned their home into nothing but a mess of bricks and dust. She knew they were sad… about the collapse, about death of their friends… She'd seen Yomo-san's grim expression and Touka-san's angry tears. And even if she was no better than a broken doll, she still wanted to comfort them. However, she couldn't meet them now for she was being chased by that damned Kishou Arima… and also, she didn't have the courage to face them… not anymore. She'd failed them, after all.
Some friend I am… They can't depend on me… for I'm just a failure… a zero…
The white-haired girl laughed humorlessly. She laughed so hard that her wounds started to hurt again.
Her torso had healed well. However, both her eyes took a great time to return to their former state. That strange investigator sure had a freaking nice quinque. It was still a wonder how she managed to escape from him, seeing the way he'd given her a sour defeat only with his weapon.
That man…he was a human… but he held such strength…
It's a good thing I still keep a trump-card up in my sleeve.
She might have become a ghoul, yet it didn't mean she'd forgotten who she really was, even if that so-called person'd been gone ever since her arrival in this place.
Magic was the word.
Earth people believed in technology and science, but she'd grown up in a magical world and snatching Arima's quinque from his hands had proved to be a stupid thing to do. So it wasn't a surprise when she acted on her wizard instincts, holding wand out and yelled 'fireball' in a not-so elegant way. Of course, there was an explosion after that.
The eye-widening look of Arima was hilarious, his glasses got broken after being blown away by the force. In that very moment, she saw a chance and then ran away with a wicked grin on her lips.
The pain, however, was a different thing. It was nothing compared to what she'd to endure in the encounter with Yamori but the blood and being blind caused several problems in a ward full of unsatisfied ghouls. Fortunately, she was quite a quick learner although fighting without vision was a new kind of difficulty.
She ran a hand through her white hair, grimacing when she felt how the blood had stained the strands. At the same time, she heard something, or more correctly, sounds of footsteps.
The white-haired ghoul turned around, her instinct told her that there was some of 'her kind' standing in front of her.
"Finally…"
Head tilted to the side, the girl asked in a bored tone, her face as blank as ever "What do you want?"
"You know what we want, girly."
"Mah. I've never known there is still someone foolish enough to search for another one to beat them in to a pulp." Haizz… Insults were never her strongpoint.
"Did you hear that!?" One guy laughed out loud "Let me tell you this, crippled. You're in our domain and by our laws, it means… death!"
"… Oh really…" Her lips curved into a malicious grin "I wonder…" She threw the bag on her shoulder away and much to their surprise cracked her index finger. Even when her kakugan was not shown, her brutal aura was all it took for the ghouls to realize this wasn't your average ghoul to deal with.
"What are you-!?"
"Shhh… I'm talking." Her grin widened, showing sharp fangs and teeth "It's been a day since I last ate something… Would you like… to be my dinner?"
"!" But the leader couldn't mutter a thing when said girl's kagune pierced through his throat and body, slitting it into two.
"A rinkaku!"
"Leader!" The gang shouted, surrounding her in a circle. "How dare you!"
The girl ignored their chorus of voices and picked up the heart of the body under her foot. Inhaling, she slowly devoured it with a distasteful look on her beautiful face. She'd have vomited if she was ever to eat human before, much less a ghoul months ago. Now, it was just a typical thing in her life. "Ew… He tastes like shit…" She turned to them "May be…" Underneath bloody bandage, they could see a maddening kakugan eyeing them like her pitiful preys.
"You guys will taste better than him."
If people had wandered past this corner this day, they'd have heard lots of pain-filled screams and pleads for life. Of course, there was also a rather frightening laughter along those screams.
It only ended when a strange green light covered the whole place, leaving only corpses of ghouls around like trashes and the creator of this massacre was nowhere to be seen.
Halkeginia
Nights in Halkeginia were always like this, a veil of darkness covered the whole starry sky. While the moons would shine and create the path for people, there still were places that they couldn't reach. One of them was the Fairy Forest and who knew the dangers lurking in such a place like that… where everything would stay in the dark.
Right now, it was happening… A robbery.
"Well well, look at that. A little girl with her sister in the forest at this time of night." The thug smirked, watching said girls tremble under his gaze.
The guy behind him licked his lips lustily.
"Step… step back!" The older one, a young girl with silky blonde hair beneath her hat and a well-endowed body, said. Still, her blue eyes contained fear in them.
"Oh, feisty, isn't she?"
"Don't worry. It won't hurt… at all…" The thugs stepped forward.
"Sister Tiffa!" Marie, the little girl in her arms called out, hiding her face in her sister's chest.
"I say step back!" Tiffania felt fortunate when she had brought with her big sister Mathilda's spare wand even if she wasn't a wizard, commoners knew better than trying to cross a noble. "I don't want to hurt you!"
The guys were taken back for a moment, then they laughed.
"Did you see that, John? The little girl is a wizard!"
"Enough fooling around! Hand over your money!"
Oh no! The blonde widened her eyes.
"It's no point waving a useless stick at us! Do you think we're that stupid!? A commoner has magic, as if!"
Dropping the wand, Tiffania hugged the little girl close as she slowly backed away from the thugs. Her heart beat faster when she tried to find someone for help but there was no one. Depression and numbness spread through her veins, creating a sense of despair and hopelessness.
Please, somebody! I'm begging you, help us! Tiffania closed her eyes.
Perhaps it was the fear, the blonde didn't feel the surge of strange feelings in her body. Only when a gust of strong wind blew past her and the sound of explosion, following by the panic cries of the thugs did she open her eyes.
Before her stood a… person? She couldn't see their face because their back was facing her. They were cladding in a black long-sleeved shirt with hood, black shorts and even black boots. On her left hand was a fingerless black glove.
Strange attires.
"Gah!" One of the thugs shouted, pointing a trembling finger at the newcomer. And Tiffania finally noticed what made him react like that.
Blood was dripping slowly from their fingers down to the ground. There was even more blood if she looked closely to their back and legs. Seeing it, the blonde suddenly had the urge to puke out but she restrained herself.
"A-Are you alright?" Finally, she found the courage to ask and the stranger turned around. And Tiffania couldn't help but gasp.
This person… no, this girl could easily be one of the most beautiful she'd ever seen (it's not like she always sees people). Under her hood, accompanying that pretty face and milky skin, were long curly white hair and a pair of luscious lips… staining with… blood. Her eyes were covered with bloody bandage.
That must be hurt.Tiffania winced slightly.
"…Human?" Husky voice found it way to her ears. Hearing that, the blonde-haired girl reached out to secure her hat.
"No?" The white-haired newcomer seemed confused, her expression was still "The scent is different somehow." Then she spoke again. "You're not completely human, are you?" The interest in her tone had Tiffania cringe in fear, making her tighten her grip around Marie. Luckily for her, the newcomer couldn't push the matter anymore as the thugs finally got back to their sense and tried to approach again.
"Girly, don't you dare butt in!" He sounded unsure, yet his hand never let go of the knife.
"… bandits?" The white-haired girl was silent for a moment "Can you close your eyes?" She told Tiffania.
"Wha-?"
"You don't want to see this." She finished "And you too, little kid."
"Miss… you are…" What are you going to do with them, with us? That was what the half-elf wanted to ask but her mouth just shut up.
"… I'll be fine…" But they won't.
"O-Okay…"
As if sensing her discomfort, the white-haired girl spoke again, this time with a slightly gentle voice "Don't worry. I won't hurt you." Receiving an uncertain nod, the stranger turned to the thugs. "Miss Blondie and little girl, only open your eyes when I say." Said persons hurriedly closed their eyes. "Yield or not?" Asked the girl while cracking her fingers, her question caught the robbers off guard.
"Fuck off, kiddo!"
"…Hm… Suit yourself."
"Brother, that girl…"
"Are you telling me you're scared of this bitch!?" The older-looking one shouted "Shut up and watch me!" He took off, running toward said girl, holding out his knife "You'll regret messing with us!"
"Fools."The ever so emotionless face of her changed into a sadistic grin.
The first guy only managed to blink when she faded into nothing and reappeared behind him, whispering in a sickening sweet tone "You know… They don't call me 'Zero' for nothing." Following his gaps… were the sounds of bone-breaking. The girl gripped his knife-wielding hand and slammed her elbow on the joint. As weak and simple as it looked, the impact smashed the bones easily like how a car could trample people.
"AHHHHHHH!" Ah, such a marvelous sound.
CRACK!
Another bone, this time was his leg "So noisy…" She sighed before delivering a kick to his stomach, thus sending him flying a few meters away. She would deal with him later. Now... to her other prey.
Don't…
"Gahhh!" The other one screamed, trying to flee.
"Too late." Eyes widened in horror as he watched as the creature got closer to him. One would say Tiffania and little Marie were very lucky not to witness such a… scene.
The attacker wasted no time in throwing a punch at his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. Smirking, she turned around and did a round horse kick to the waist, making him lie helplessly on the stony ground. Slowly, she reached out and grasped his neck, pulling him up. Bandage-covered eyes never left his face.
"M-Mo…"
Don't… please…
"You m-monster."
Don't make me become a monster. Familiar voice whispered in her mind.
"…" Teeth clenched, she let go of him "Run… Before I kill you."
Instantly, he got up and limped to his brother's side. Together, their shadows faded away in the cold night of Fairy Forest. The girl frowned then turned her attention to the people she was protecting.
"You can open your eyes now."
Tiffania and Marie hesitantly did as she said and they found the robbers were nowhere to be seen, only the white-haired girl standing there, looking so lost and lonely in the darkness.
"Thank you… for driving them away."
"…" A nod as an agreement. "I have a question for you, miss…"
"Tiffania… Tiffania Westwood."
"Westwood-san." Tiffania thought it was weird the way she used the word 'san' to address her rather than using 'miss' "Do you know how I got here?"
"Eh… That…" The blonde's cheeks turned red. "I was shutting my eyes when you came." Her savior raised an eyebrow "It's true. I-!"
"White-haired big sister came from an explosion!" In her arms, Marie spoke excitedly.
"Marie?"
"Explosion?"
"Yeah! And there was this sparkling circle under your feet! It was so beautiful!" Both teenagers fell into silence after that. Tiffania was confused with her little sister's words. She did hear the sound of an explosion but the circle?
Meanwhile, the completely calm-looking newcomer was hiding a shock under her mask. An explosion? Sparkling circle? It couldn't be, right? The only thing she remembered before this meeting was fighting a gang of ghouls and then…
Her voice…
Yes, the voice of Tiffania. She'd heard it while snapping a ghoul's head.
"Please, somebody! I'm begging you, help us!"
And she bit her lips. Magic circle… Her pleading… She called for me.
"You called for me."
"Huh?"
Immediately, the white-haired girl gripped the blonde's shoulders, almost yelling with a dangerous tone. "Where am I!?"
"You're- You're in Westwood Village."
"Westwood Village?"
"Albion."
"Albion…?" Tiffania noticed how the girl's voice trembled with the word she just spit out. Strong but delicate-looking hand slowly slipped out of the blonde and she couldn't help but feel comfortable again. "Halkeginia…? No… it can't be… I-!" Much to the half-elf's astonishment, the white-haired savior tore off her bloody bandage violently. Soon, her eyes were bare to see.
Tiffania had to cover Marie's eyes though. Despite the pretty right pink eye, she was horrified to catch a glimpse of a hollow hole in said girl's left one. Together, it became a scary mix between a beauty and a mon- no, a beast. Ignoring her, the white-haired girl looked up and she saw them, the two moons of Halkeginia.
Recognition struck her mind and she laughed uncontrollably…
"After all these time… You got to be kidding me." However, there was no humor in that sentence. Other people might see this as laughter of madness. Yet again, Tiffania could only feel bitterness. It was haunting. That girl… she…
I've never seen anyone as lost as her…The thought saddened her.
"Tell me… Westwood-san…" The sourness hadn't left that husky voice but it was enough to snap Tiffania back to reality. "Did you know what you've done?"
"What I've done?" Her arms hugged Marie close as the little kid continued to nuzzle her chest. The smirk on those red lips worried her. "What do you mean?"
"You've called forth me from a very distant place, Westwood-san. In other words…" She told her like a professor teaching her student. "You summoned me to be your familiar." Unconsciously, the one-eyed girl touched the back of her left hand.
"A familiar? I-I don't understand."
"You're a wizard." The shocked look on the blonde's face told the half-ghoul she had no idea about this. "You know… waving wand, chanting spells,…"
"There must be a mistake. I can't be…" Tiffania shook her head in denial.
"You can refuse to believe as much as you want, it won't change anything." There was a hint of sarcasm in her eye. "You can't or you don't want to, Westwood-san?" Her all-knowing gaze made the half-elf shudder. "It's not good… not at all."
Tiffania sweated. Because of her heritage, she always had to be careful around strangers. She could sense people's intentions to her but this person… all she could make out was a mess of emotions, twisting into the smirking mask before her.
"How did you-?" She stuttered.
"How did I know? You're too predictable and your blue eyes have given you away."
"…"
"But I guess I have to cope with the situation." Running fingers through her silky white hair, she stared at the beautiful blonde in front of her "You have to finish the ritual, Westwood-san."
"I'm sorry but I don't know how." The sigh that escaped her familiar's throat had said girl look down in embarrassment.
"I get it. But before we continue, please put that little girl somewhere safe."
Reluctantly, Tiffania looked around and spotted a tree nearby. Letting go of the sleeping child in her arms, she placed her carefully on the ground next to the tree and returned to where her familiar was waiting.
"Ready?"
"There is no other way?"
"Unless you want me wander around without any food or drink, my home is pretty far away." If only you knew."A person can only summon one familiar in their entire life." The familiar tried to mimic her teacher, Professor Jean Colbert. "So you're stuck with me. Ready now?" A nod. "Well then, repeat after me. My name is Tiffania Westwood…"
"My name is Tiffania Westwood…" Said the blonde timidly.
"Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, bless this humble being and make her my familiar."
"Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, bless this humble being and make her my familiar."
Out of nowhere, the white-haired ghoul handed the blonde her older sister's spare wand and guided her wand-holding hand to touch the familiar's forehead.
"Don't be afraid."
Tiffania was still in a daze when it happened. Soft fingers reached for her face and lifted her chin up, she suddenly found herself face to face with her savior. Said person's trademark smirk had turned into a rather sad smile as she leaned in. Only when her lips met another pair did the half-elf finally realize.
She's kissing me!
It was only a light kiss but it left a serious impact on the young blonde's mind. She was frozen on the spot until the other removed her lips from hers.
"It's done." And the golden-haired girl widened her eyes, holding her mouth as if it was burnt. A look of disbelief was clear on her face.
"!"
"Why the long face? Is it your first kiss?" Blushing brightly, she nodded.
What a coincidence, it's also my first too. The half-ghoul couldn't help but think so.
Then, before Tiffania could say anything, the other girl gripped her shirt hard, eyebrows knitted together and light started to surround her. Seeing that, she got panic but a shake from the latter kept her standing there.
"Don't worry. It's just The Familiar's Runes are being inscribed." That made her master pale.
Being inscribed was very hurt, wasn't it? How could she still be that calm?
Tiffania tugged said familiar's sleeve "I'm sorry."
"It's fine, my master. It's a process any familiar has to overcome." Compare to my misadventures, this is rather pleasant. "I can't be too weak, right?" Much to her surprise and happiness, when her familiar rose to meet her again, the missing eye had come back, filling the bloody hole with a color of gentle pink.
The other girl was also taken back by the regeneration of her eye as she traced the eyelid.
"Your eye."
"It seems like all my wounds are healed." A small tug of lips "Thank you, master."
"… Tiffania…"
"Master?"
"It's my name, I want you to call me my name."
"It's very impolite." Don't let me get close to you. However, the blonde's puppy eyes trampled her determination, it reminded her of Hinami-chan when said girl wanted her to teach her more about French "…. Alright, Tiffania-san."
They fell into silence.
"I have to get back, it's getting late."
Indeed, it was almost midnight.
"Understand." With that, Tiffania walked to the tree Marie was sleeping while her familiar looked around the space where she'd been summoned.
Lifting the child up, the blonde turned around, only to find the white-haired girl with a black bag on her shoulder.
"Let's go."
She followed her master's footsteps, silently walking behind her like a loyal guardian while checking her surroundings carefully. Her eyes met the shiny moons on the starry sky and she couldn't help but let out quiet sigh. How long had she been away? One month, two months… or perhaps, it'd been years. Everything seemed familiar, yet strangely foreign in many ways. Were these moons always like this bright? And the wind… It was colder than Tokyo's, but it felt comfortable.
She'd dreamed of returning. However, when her life took that drastic change, she didn't think of that possibility anymore.
But I'm here now, ain't I?
"What's your name?"
"Tiffania-san?" Said blonde glanced back and gave her a small smile.
"You've already known my name. And I can't really call you 'Hey' or 'Over there' all the time."
"You can call me Familiar." Deadpanned voice.
"…" Seeing Tiffa's expression, the familiar's eye showed a little amusement yet her face remained paralyzed. But if the half-elf had been more observant, she would have seen a gleam of distrust and iciness in those orbs.
"It's Zero." There was no need for her to reveal that long-forsaken name.
Besides, who would want to be named after a mistress? Zero grimaced when she thought about the French history book.
"Just Zero? No family name?"
"It's weird, isn't it?"
"N-No, I didn't mean it." If her hands had been free, she'd have waved them to deny. "It's unique."
"You think so?" A confirmed nod.
"How considerate of you, Tiffania-san."
But unfortunately, you've just gotten a ghoul for a familiar, Tiffania-san. So please, don't get close to me, I don't want to hurt you.
The trip to Tiffania's village was in a comfortable silence, neither her or Zero talked while traveling. Marie still slept very well in her embrace, the innocent smile on her face made Tiffania's heart warm.
"This is it." Zero took a look at the small cottage in front of her in interest as her master opened the door. Instantly, a boy rushed out to hug the blonde, sobbing.
"Sister Tiffa! I'm so worried!"
"Okay okay, James." The blonde smiled, patting the boy's back tenderly.
"W-Who is it?" James eyed Zero suspiciously. But said girl merely stared back with a blank face.
"She's Zero, my...um..."
"I'm Tiffania-san's protector." Yes, it was the same deadpanned voice.
"Like prince and princess!?" The boy asked in wonder. Tiffa blushed at this while Zero still remained blank.
"I'm a girl. Do I look like a prince to you?"
"No…" He murmured, gazing at her black jacket "But you look tough!"
"James!"
"I know, you're a knight!" A gleam of sarcasm was clear in those pink eyes.
A knight? I've done many terrible things, kid, things you would consider as evil. I'm no more than a monster.
"More like a beast." She said under her breath. James didn't hear it but Tiffania was another story. The half-elf widened those azure eyes and there was… sympathy in them? Wait, sympathy?
"Now James, don't make Zero uncomfortable."
"Sorry." The white-haired girl shook her head.
"It's late. You must go to bed, James." The boy was going to reply when the stern expression on the blonde told him otherwise.
"Yes, Sister Tiffa."
"Please, wait for me for a minute. I have to tuck Marie in." With a nod, the shorter blonde girl walked away.
Zero let out the sigh she had no idea she'd been holding up. After Jason event, she'd always been distrusted toward strangers to the point she wouldn't hesitate to murder them brutally, be it CCG investigators, ghouls or normal human. With everyone's help, she might have better control but once she had tried to kill somebody, it wouldn't stop. Today, she destroyed a gang and devoured their kagune in ease. Yet minutes later, she spared two dirty bandits and helped those girls, one of them was her master.
What's happening?
Frowning, she brought a hand to her chest, tracing the skin beneath her clothes. Moving her eyes to the back of her glove-clad left hand, Zero got quiet for a moment before she decided to take off the glove.
On the milky skin were familiar letters. The word was engraved deeply.
Gandalf.
It appeared on the same day she got to Earth. Zero remembered seeing it in an old book on one of her magic-researching nights. And when she found out the meaning of those strange letters, which actually were written in Greek language, she'd laughed… in tears.
Oh, how ironic it was when the worst wizard in Halkeginia was a Gandalf, the Left hand of God, the famous familiar of Brimir himself.
At the same night, she learnt of her heritage, that she was the familiar of herself, that her element was actually Void, the lost element. She felt angry and betrayed. Being blinded by rage, Touka-san had beaten her up just to keep her under control.
Zero remembered laying still on the cold ground, letting the raindrops damp her everything, a broken smile decorated her lips.
Being a Gandalf and a servant to herself was enough, now she had to serve another person, who might not be human at all.
Then again, her blue eyes… That innocent, pure emotion of those eyes was disturbing. They reminded her of some happy memories, about the first Earth friend she made. The blonde had the same naïve smile as her friend and it, too, relaxed Zero.
Idiot.
Yes, that boy was an idiot, always trying to save people even if his own life was in danger. And by the look on her master's face, the blonde would have acted just like him. It was a stupid yet well-beloved personality.
However, those eyes weren't the answer she was seeking for her previous actions.
At the moment Zero realized she'd been summoned by the blonde, she could have left… So why? Why did she break her own rules and stay? Zero knew the words about 'summoning her was Tiffania's destiny' were a lie. So was it the influence of her Halkeginia's education that made her agree? Once a familiar, always a familiar?
Great, so that silly Saito is right, I'm such a mood-swinger.
Speaking of the devil, here Tiffania was.
"Sorry for making you wait. I'll show you my older sister's room, you can rest in it."
"I can sleep on the bench." Indeed, she'd slept in a place worse than this since her escape from Arima.
"It's fine, she rarely comes home anyway." The blonde's voice sounded lonely.
"I understand."
It took little time to get to the wooden door of said room. Tiffania opened it and a simple bedroom appeared.
"This is it, Zero." She wanted to say something but decided not to "Um… If you need to wash, the bathroom is over there. It's midnight so the water might be very cold. And I can give you some clothes to wear after-…!"
"Tiffania-san, you're rambling." If Zero had been herself before, she'd have chuckled "I have my own clothes so there is no need to lend me yours."
"O-Okay. Goodnight, Zero."
"Good night, Tiffania-san." With that, the half-elf nodded and started to return to her room, but not before she heard Zero's voice again.
"Master." The girl turned around, only to find Zero's back facing her. The white-haired familiar was as still as ever.
"Zero?"
"Did you know you just let a stranger stay in your house? Aren't you…" There was something in that husky voice "Afraid?"
"Why would I…?"
"You don't know me, Tiffania." You don't know what I am.
"May be you're right… I don't know you, and I don't really trust you." The blonde honestly stated "But I know better than to judge a book by its cover. Besides…" Tiffania smiled "You're my familiar, aren't you?"
"… I see." Zero nodded "Then, see you tomorrow."
"You too."
That night, Zero lied neatly on the bed, having bathed and changed her clothes. She could feel it, how she became unsettled after Tiffania's last words. Aside from her friends, people tended to be wary of her, especially after her transformation. So it felt weird when she had a newly-met place some belief on her, even just a little.
It made her think of Anteiku and everyone again. Saito, Touka, Hinami-chan, that jerk Nishiki, Yomo,... God, she missed them so much.
Well, except that perverted Tsukiyama of course. That guy can be rotten in hell.
She wondered what they were doing now. Soon, she felt tired all sudden. With a sigh, she decided to throw away those thoughts and quickly, slipped into a peaceful slumber, which she hadn't had for a long time. And she dreamed of her old life, a life where she still was Louise Francoise de la Valliere, the worst wizard of the century and a human.
Profile
Name: Louise Francoise Le Blanc de la Valliere
Alias: Zero, Gantai (Eyepatch), Centipede (by CCG)
Age: 17
Species: Half-human, half-ghoul
Gender: Female
Birthday: May 11
Bloodtype: A
RC type: Rinkaku
Magical affinity: Void
Rating: SS (as ghoul)
Height: 167 cm
Appearance: She has long curly white hair, pink eyes and black nails. Often seen wearing all black, on the back of her left hand was Gandalf runes. Showing a kakugan when she uses her power or in hunger. She is slender with an hourglass figure, not too thin or too fat-looking. Zero is seen as a young attractive girl by both genders.
Personality: Complicated. As Louise, she was a stubborn, hard-headed and easy-to-anger young girl who takes pride in everything she did, she's also rather acceptable toward her ghoul side. But as Zero, she holds a distant and blank expression most time, she doesn't talk much. After being tortured by Jason, she developes a sadistic, brutal way to deal with her enemies. However, she gets a better control with her hunger and only becomes her ruthless and cynical self when it comes to the people she doesn't trust. In other words, she can easily snap but also quickly comes to her sense, but it doesn't mean she forgives and spares people, not at all. And in spite of being such a mess, Zero is loyal and caring to her friends and children, especially orphans.
Master: Herself (Gandalf), Tiffania Westwood (Lifbrasir)
Skill: Horseback riding (rusty), doing housechores, reading people's intention.
Hobbies: reading,screwing up Tsukiyama, sparring with Touka, playing games
Likes: TV, music, silence, her friends, Anteiku
Dislikes: Perverts, nobles, Jason, Aogiri Tree