Disclaimer : I don't own, Zero no Tsukaima or The Familiar of Zero, this franchise is the sole property of Noboru Yamaguchi and of Media Factory.
Chapter 2 - A dusty first impression :
There was one thing that would describe the changement of scenery... Dusty... Yep. That would resume in all the whole situation, a cloud of dust so dense that if one would be in his place he wouldn't be able to see anything in less than fifty centimeters but how exactly this situation has came to be ? Well let's rewind time for just less than one minute.
Saito was steadily approaching the same energy source that the one before who brought him in this void, with his thrusters a their maximum present performance due to the low energy level, 10m became quickly 5m, 1m, then... A blinding light followed by pain. A striking pain like if one were to be hit by something fast that quickly dissipated, he must have crashed he thought, and after that... Coughing... A lot of coughing... The sunlight had trouble to perce through the airborne dirt but nonetheless was piercing through. And that was what hit him, sunshine and a solid ground, a gravity seemingly looking like Earth's one albeit just slightly weaker, all those facts making him think he was back planetside, proven by the now stabilized compass on his HUD pointing generally to Southwest. And a lot of dirt. That was important to stress it, for it seemed that was what choked him. At least until the security measures of the M.S.C. kicked off and what seemed look like a compact white and glowing blue lined oxygen mask, deploying on Saito's mouth and nose, blinked in existence in a flash kind of the same fashion than the thrusters who, by now, were already retracted in their own module.
'Ah...' Though Saito taking a deep breath meanwhile the coughing fit were still going on around. 'That's better, a lot better... I thought I was going to- Wait. if I'm not the one who's coughing then who does ?' He thought while looking around in the cloud trying, without success, to see who was coughing but by the sound of it there were not just one person but at least, a dozen, until he heard a voice, a female and an haughty one at that by the sound of it.
"Par Brimir, Louise la Zéro ! Est-ce que tu a essayé de nous asphyxiés ou quoi ?" (By Brimir, Louise the Zero ! Did you tried to asphyxiate us or what ?) Cried a voice.
'Wait a minute... Is that... French ? But... How is that possible ? Did I end up somewhere back on Earth or in a francophone colony ?' Thought Saito perplexed while trying to decipher what of little he knew of the Latin based language.
"Je ne l'ai pas fait exprès ! Il y a du avoir un problème avec le sortilège ou le rituel en lui-même !" (I didn't do it on purpose ! There must have been a problem with the spell or the ritual itself !) Said a voice sounding quite young and hurt.
"Le sortilège ou le rituel non rien à voir avec ca ! C'est toi et ta magie qui ont un problème la Zéro !" (Neither the spell nor the ritual are at fault ! It's you and your magic who have a problem the Zero !) Answered it seems, the first voice from before.
"La ferme Zerbst ! Ma magie n'a aucun problème !" (Shut up Zerbst ! My magic has no problem !) Talked back the voice belonging, it seemed, to a certain Louise.
Saito having activated beforehand the translation program because he couldn't understand perfectly what was being said, started to have a bad feeling about what was displayed on the M.S.C., a realy bad vibe.
'Oi, oi, oi... What that supposed to mean !? Spell, ritual... Magic !? What the heck is that ? That's a bad joke ! It's impossible ! That... That... Cannot be ! Wait, I'm planetside again, it means I'm back in a conventional tridimensional space so, technically I should be, no, I must have a signal from extranet...' Saito then quickly checked on his device, in the bottom right corner where a symbol depicting normally an emitting antenna was to see, sadly, to his horror that said antenna was plain meaning there were no signal received.
'What ! B-b-but... That can't be possible ! The entire network is dispersed throughout via sub space around the ECGA territory in every human settlement ! They're speaking french goddammit ! That means I'm on planet belonging to the Alliance isn't ? Isn't..? If there is humans, because it must be humans it's obligatory, the french language is recognized by the M.S.C. and it's highly improbable that an alien species speak a human language, that kind of thing only happens in mangas, so... So...
Oh by my ancestors... I haven't a clue or idea of what's going on, I'm just a average guy who was minding is own business, until that whole mess happened not a darn scientist... Wait ! What's happening ? Oh no… A damn wind is clearing the cloud they're going to see me ! Quick Saito ! Think !' Panicked the owner of the device who detecting no more apparent threats from the atmosphere, deactivated the emergency oxygen mask in a flash.
Suddenly everything went quiet. The dust finally cleared showing to any party concerned what the ritual did. A pregnant silence followed by many gasps and shocked eyes by the apparence of who was in the cloud the whole time since the explosion. Saito gulped seeing so many people dressed in strange clothes, making him think comically about this old movie about sorcerers from the 21st century.
'How was it called again ? Doesn't matter…' He thought.
There were a colorful panoply of people with colored hairstyle, but for someone from the 23rd century that wasn't really surprising he saw more diverse style especially in the time he was on Corona Prime, a whole megalopolitan planet known for her high density populations and industrial robotic center but who surprisingly has been able to still successfully kept her green spaces, for just five days mind you of field trip with his class in senior high school in second grade.
And stranges animals… He had saw many kinds of extraterrestrial beasts in digital books, zoos or on tv in those documentaries about wildlife, but never the kind he could observe now… The more resorting were a giant red lizard with a flame at the end of its tail, making him think about a creature of an old video game he saw on this retro games show, a strange giant floating eye who was making Saito shudder when he saw it blink, a giant mole that a blonde effeminate guy awkwardly hugged but was yet starring at him with wide eyes and a...
'Wait is that a dragon !? I can't believe it... A bloody fucking dragon is here right before me ! With wings and all standing and breathing just before my very eyes and... Wait... Speaking of which why does it eyes me like this ? Oi, oi, oi, I'm not food you big winged blue lizard !' The poor Japanese alien in this world scared to hell thought. 'I'm guessing that this is the proof I needed... I'm in a freaking magical world !'
"Qui est tu jeune homme ?" (Who are you young man ?) Asked the only adult in the assistance. Well the fiery redheaded girl over there, close to a smaller pink haired younger girl, with the very ample bosom could be very close to adulthood all things considered. The man was older but not so much, nerly bald if it weren't for a remaining patch of hairs behind his head, wearing a pair of eyeglasses adorned of a deep blue robes, the whole dressing followed by a long wood staff flat on top with two red stripes.
A classical if not cliche magician look.
Saito could understand what this man was saying but, understanding a sentence would not necessarily mean be able to answer the question. He didn't knew a bit of french ! He could make use of the translating program, but he didn't want to startle them. Who knew what their reactions would be at the sight of him talking to his device, for it to talk to them afterwards. He didn't want to look crazy, or worse, especially considering the actual circumstances.
"Me comprend tu jeune homme ?" (Do you understand me young man ?) Asked again the older man, a teacher it seemed, eyeing the outworlder and the device on his arm with curiosity.
Saito nodded and the possible teacher frowned slightly and fixed the ground for a few seconds until he looked back at Saito with, a light behind his eyes.
"Tu peux me comprendre mais pas me répondre c'est bien ça ?" (You can understand me but cannot answer back is that it ?) He asked with understanding to the Earthling.
Saito looking at the screen and then back at the man nodded again.
"Ah ! Ah ! Ah ! Le familier de Zéro ne peux pas parler il est mué !" (Ah ! Ah ! Ah ! The familiar of Zero cannot speak he is mute !) Shouted a well endowed, but not in the right place for not outrightly saying obese, lumpy blonde boy, making laugh a big part of the group and making the pink haired girl look to the ground while constricting her fists.
"Silence ! Êtes-vous tous des nobles oui ou non !? Alors comportez vous en t'en que tels !" (Quiet ! Are you all nobles yes or not !? So behave as such !) Reprimanded the adult to the group.
'Hum... Yes definitely a teacher... Wait. What did he say ? Nobles ? Oh, oh... That doesn't sound good.' Thought Saito while frowning to the boy who started the commotion.
"Excuse mes étudiants, j'admets qu'ils sont quelques peux indisciplinés mais ils ne sont pas de mauvais bougres. Mais... Est-ce vrai, est-tu mué ?" (Pardon my students, I admit they are somewhat undisciplined but they aren't so bad. But… Is that true, are you mute ?) Asked sympathetic the teacher.
Saito nodded negatively this time and confusion went through the people present.
'Argh... It's not going to be an easy conversation, I wonder if it's too late to quickly download the french language into my brain... Mmm… All things considered, that wouldn't be a good idea. The process takes some times and it could confuse them. Not counting the fact that not only it would hurt a bit, giving me an hell of an headache afterwards, but it would also leave me defenseless the time necessary for the M.S.C. to do the work... And I wouldn't have any of it.' Thought deeply Saito apprehension seeping into his mind.
"Mais je ne comprends pas mon garçon, si tu nous comprends et que tu peux parler, pourquoi ne répond tu pas verbalement ?" (But I do not understand my boy, if you do understand us and are able to talk, why do you not answer verbally ?) Asked confused the teacher.
Saito then made a sign to his mouth, at them then at his device, hopping they'll understand.
"Je ne saisis pas ce que tu veux nous faire comprendre..." (I do not catch what you want to make us understand...) Says the man, frustrating Saito for a few seconds, until a glimmer of hope showed up. "Mais peut-être peux-tu seulement nous comprendre grâce à cet objet ?" (But perhaps can you only understand us because of this object ?) He asked with understanding in his eyes.
Saito was suddenly overcome with relief, and instantly nodded in affirmation.
"Je ne sais point comment une telle chose est possible, mais j'ai peut-être une solution..." (I do not know how such a thing is possible, but I may have a solution...) He finished confidently.
Saito perplexe on what he counted to do, observed attentively while crossing his arms, then he saw the teacher raising his staff and whispering a few words of ancient lore whose meaning was lost to him and, strangely enough, the M.S.C. too it seemed if the unknown language alert was of any indication. Then the magician stared at Saito, pointed his staff at him and the young man felt a spinning wind circling around him and something wash over himself, the unknown sensation going even through him, the feeling was strange... Like he was charged of electrostatic and then... That was over.
"There it's done !" Exclaims the man. "Do you understand me now ?" Asked again with hope the teacher.
Saito couldn't believe what was happening... He could understand like if the language was japanese, albeit with a strong European accent but still, he could understand !
"I can understand alright now sir... It's unbelievable... So... That's magic ? True magic and not a trick or a good special effect ?" Asked back Saito putting his right hand on his head.
"Why but yes it's magic young man, is it the first time you saw it ?" Demand the man slightly confused of what a special effect is.
"Hum... Yes sir. Euh... Who are you and where am I ?" Answered Saito finally satisfied that the language barrier is now gone.
"For answering the first question I am the professor Jean Colbert, and the second you are actually in the Tristanian Academy of Magic." Answered proudly the man now know as Colbert. "And may I know your own name young man ?"
"A magical academy ? Weird... Anyway my name is Hiraga Saito. Can I know what I'm doing here professor ?" Queried Saito.
"Hiragasaito... That's an... Interesting name to say the least."
"Heu no... Hiraga is my last name, meanwhile Saito is my first name, professor..." Correct Saito, decidedly olds habits die hard.
"Oh Saito is your first name ? Sorry young man, that an interesting way of introducing oneself that it." Smile Colbert.
"Yes sorry, that the ways of my land." Precise Saito, smiling back politely. "So can you tell me please what I'm doing here professor ?"
"Ah yes… The summoning. You see Saito, your appearance wasn't planned, at least not completely, the Spring Time Summoning ritual happening today, consist in the fact that every second year of this academy have to pass it for being able to carry on their magic cursus through the year. Miss Valliere here present had summoned you after two attempt. Miss Valliere if you would approach." Explained Colbert while the girl known as Louise reached timidly the two men.
The first thing he remarked about her was her beauty. She was strikingly beautiful, her face was surrounded by almost blonde cotton candy pink hair, with brown nearly pink eyes, barely maybe just thirteen to fifteen years old, much more younger than he truly was, but you could see that already the promise of a remarkable future young woman were shown, she was wearing black school shoes, knee-length black stoking, a black skirt going just above the knees, a white dress shirt, a dark black cape holden by a golden caps with a pentagram carved on it. She was alike a porcelain doll but something shattered this illusion. It was her eyes... Something were wrong about them, pain, shame, and above all... Anger. She was pissed, and by the way how she was looking at him, that was against him.
'Why ?' Wondered Saito perplexed. 'I didn't do anything to her so why does she looks at me with those eyes ? Either she has issues, or there's something going wrong, apart me being there...'
"Saito, I present you Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, your summoner." At those words Louise casted a look at Saito that, if it could, would kill. "Now Saito there is certain things I have to explain… Even if you weren't planned and that a human familiar are unheard of, the fact that Miss Valliere summoned you is still of actuality. Before you ask, no, there are no way to send you back were you came from... Sorry, the spell that brought you here was designed millenia ago to basically, in the origins, bring a chosen familiar for the mage who casted the spell, it's inner workings are very little understood even in modern days and it wasn't designed to send back the creature summoned. The way I see it you have two options, one, you refuse to accept and you can go wherever you want I will arrange for you some commodity for traveling back where you hail from, or two, you simply accept." Stated Colbert sympathizing for Saito predicament.
"Hum… If I refuse what's gonna happen to her ?" Asked slightly curious Saito.
"Well… That's complicated, that not entirely considered a failure because she did successfully summoned you but… The whole point of the ritual is to make a contract with a familiar, it's only after the contract is made that the summoner is considered a true mage I don't kn-" But he was interrupted.
"Enough ! I'm not going to stay still listening to this madness ! Professor Colbert please let me try again the spell I know that I can bring forth a great familiar please !" Begged Louise.
"I'm sorry Miss Valliere but I can't let you do this, the ritual is considered like a sacred rite by the church. You cannot try it again now that Saito is here..." Tried to resonate the teacher to his student.
"I'm not going to have a useless commoner to be my familiar that would be disgraceful !" Shouted vehemently Louise.
'A useless commoner humph… I understand now why she was looking at me this way before and what Colbert meant to those guys. That not good, not good at all... Of all the places I had to end up to it's on a monarchical gouvernement based planet, or at least country. And that just a guess but something tells me that I know where the mages stand for... Oh boy...' Thought Saito while Colbert tried to calm the pink haired teenager.
"So Saito, what do you decide to do ?" Asked Colbert, watching with all the seriousness of the situation.
"Well... What does that mean precisely to be a familiar ?"
"I'm glad that you ask... You see normally, a familiar is an extension of the mage, that have been said even before the reflection of the mage itself. The bond between a mage and his or her familiar is so intricate that, with time and experience, the mage can see and hear what the familiar does…" Hearing that make Saito frown. "But don't worry, you being a human I'm sure that's not going to work the same way. That situation is without precedent so I cannot be totally sure…"
Knowing this fact was making Saito think.
"Does being a familiar do something to the creature itself ?" Saito asked concerned.
"Well yes… A contracted familiar has it's intelligence boosted for the matter of understanding the mage orders, also... The familiar often gains an ability of sorts. By example cats are frequently given the ability of talking… Yes you have a question ?" Say Colbert seeing Saito open his mouth.
"You say that the contract modify the brain of the creature summoned... What would happen so, hypothetically, to a human being already capable of thinking and talking ? A human already intelligent ?" Saito asked concerned.
"Well... Like I said before a human being summoned is without precedent so I-"
"If I accept the contract will it deprive me of my own mind ?" Interrupt Saito. "Will I be ripped of my freedom ? My free will ? Will I be turned into a slave !?" Shout Saito terribly worried about the turn of events taking a step back.
"Calm down my boy…" Say Colbert raising his right hand in a gesture of peace.
"Calm down ! Calm down ! How can you expect me to calm down ! That's not you who was brought here from his homeworld against his own will to a place totally unknown to him ! Who was ripped from his family and friends ! Who is threatened to have his brain and heart manipulated to be turned into something less than human !" Screams Saito angry about his own ordeal. "Where I came from, everyone, every single person is equal in right and freedom !"
That last sentence made some of the students reacting.
"Equal in right ? What by the Founder that plebian is talking about ? It's common sense that a noble outright a mere commoner..." Say a student.
"Yes but look at him… His clothes aren't the usual wear that a commoner is used to be accustomed." Say another student at the right of the first.
"That is true... Maybe he is a lesser noble ?" Speculate a third student to the left of the first.
"No… That can't be… Even if he was a lesser noble he wouldn't be so surprised." Disagree another one behind the trio.
"Maybe he's from Rub' al Khali ? I've heard from one of my father's friend, a merchant who has traveled there, that the people from the east of the Sahara have an entirely different way of doing things... That they doesn't look like us but also have an unusual skin color, just like him. It's been even said that they use strange metals contraceptions, not even golems, to do their work !" Said a student besides the last one, attracting the attention of many other.
"Surely you must be exaggerating..." Mocked another beside him.
"I am not !" The story teller shouted obviously upset.
Ignoring the demeanor of his class, professor Colbert focused on the young man before him.
"I understand your concerns young man but remember what I said before... You aren't obligated to accept. If you want to go, just go. But if, and only if, in the eventuality you want to make the contract I swear on my honor to do anything I can to help you if the contract do something to your integrity. And if you accept I will even be able to try to find a way to send you back home..." Marchand the man. "Being brought here by a student of this institution means that you are the responsibility of the Academy. Sadly, if you refuse you will not be allowed to stay here. Any person who are stranger to the staff members, administrations, teachers and servants alike, and aren't a student are not allowed to stay in the premise of the Academy. I'm sure you understand but do not be concerned, like I said you will be provided means of support… That I swear on my honor." Added Colbert at what Saito nods. "But if you are here as Miss Valliere's familiar you will be allowed to stay."
Saito by then was contemplating his options... That was the first time in his life he had to take a so important decision.
'What to do, what to do… On a side I could just simply walk away... But doing that would mean to errand on an unknown planet, stranded away from any forms of civilization, at least space able. And even if he happened to give me a way to survive in this world I just don't know how much time remains until I can make a vortex to return back home... About that, how are the progress of the repairs ?' He looked to his right to see the generator's progression on his HUD. '72.8 % ? That was quite fast. Okay so… By tonight or at least tomorrow morning he should be fully repaired, giving me full power, which means I will be able to start repairing the vortex module, it's a lot more urgent than the others, hopefully is not too damaged but I wouldn't count on it. This module is one of the majors connected at the Matrix, at the front of the secondaries close by the generator so it's pretty much certain that he suffered casualties, and let's not forget that I'm defenseless without the shield, sure I have the body enhancement, the standard Nano-Meds issued at birth and the likes, so I should be safe if I'm injured. And I have access to unlimited supplies of food and drinks, as long the M.S.C. has an energy source, and the generator can go for almost hundreds years, so I should not starve to death and I could even be able to make myself a nice base. But finally I don't know if I will have enough time outside this place without any danger in this unknown world... They have dragons for crying out loud ! Who knows what else there is ? There could be orks or something alike or maybe worse lurking in the forests for all know ! But if I accept to be her familiar, I risk to have my mind and heart manipulated... Still I must keep in mind that being a human, the effects of the contract aren't going to be same than with a standard summoned creature... But for what I'm aware of, he could have lied to me... No. He doesn't strike me as someone who would do that. So in the end it's all or nothing... Argh ! Okay I will accept to be her familiar, at least for a time, like that I'll be safe the time necessary to wait until I can get home and, hopefully, I will not be changed progressively into her slave... At least the time I need to find a way home... I just hope I'm strong enough to resist any magical effects this contract will do to me. Hopefully the nanites in my brain and the M.S.C., will be enough to keep me in check and whole. Hopefully yeah...' Thought Saito grimly making his final decision.
Louise was observing Saito with the utmost attention, after all... Her future as a student, as a mage no... More importantly as noblewoman was at stake ! And if this commoner knew his place he will make the good choice or he would be punished ! She was a Valliere after all and failure was not an option. Mother would be very, very, very disappointed. And she wanted not to face the consequences if she would happen to bring dishonor, Brimir guards her, to the family. This cursed familiar has better abide to his fate or it would cost him that much ! She thought while putting a brave front full of pride.
"Alright... I'll do it. But you better be respecting your part of the deal." He finally answer, to the delight of the young girl before him.
"I'm glad to hear that. And don't worry I will do my part." Say the smiling professor while presenting is hand for sealing the unwritten pact.
"I expect that much." Say Saito shaking the hand. "So… How does it works ?" Asked Saito, alternatively looking between the man and his master to be.
"Yes the contract. Miss Valliere if you would..."
"Understood professor..." She takes her wand hidden in her own robes and point it to Saito's head. "My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the five elemental powers; bless this humble being, and make him, my familiar !" Then she did something that totally took him by surprise, she kissed him, on full mouth.
Her lips were soft... A little strawberry taste, so nice to kiss that, guiltily and not so proud of himself, if he could he wouldn't mind re-doing again. Finally that ended he thought too quickly, with self-loathing, the instant she stepped back, a defiant look in her entrancing yet terrifying eyes, blushing slightly until she turned her gaze away. For a moment nothing happened, he was on a little cloud blinking stupidly, before the coming of a sensation pulled him back to Earth, manner of speaking, much too familiar to his taste... And guess what happens next ? Pain…
Decidedly that wasn't his day…
A/N : I've made a few changes and added a new line that missed in the original chapter. Those who have already read it will know what I'm talking about.