Hey everyone! I can't believe it, but I'm back, temporarily. Before anything else, everyone please leave a comment thanking my mom for letting me write this chapter in exchange for babysitting my little sis. Go ahead, I'll wait…You done? Good. Anyway, how's it going, quesadillas? You're probably wondering, why quesadillas? Because I love quesadillas. So enjoy that complement as you read chapter 9 of The Zombie Familiar.
Disclaimer: I do not own Zero no Tskaima/Familiar of Zero or Kore wa Zombie desu ka?/Is this a Zombie?. Although, I do own mozzarella sticks. Mmmmmmm, mozzarella sticks.
Chapter 9: The Banquette.
Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha all bowed to Osmond as Ayumu stood behind them.
"We have handed over Fouquet to the palace guard." He said. "And the Staff of Destruction has once again been secured in the Vault. That puts an end to this matter. You are all guests of honor for tonight's banquette."
"That's to be expected." Kirche said.
"The palace thinks very highly of your conduct throughout this incident. I am certain that some kind of reward will come from the palace to the three of you."
"Really, a reward from the palace? Wow." Kirche said.
Louise stepped up and said, "You said three. Does that mean Ayumu isn't included?"
"Unfortunately, you are correct. Ayumu shall not receive a reward due to his lack of nobility."
"Oh, I see." Louise said, disappointment in her voice.
Ayumu walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's fine, Louise. I'm your familiar, so when I do a good job, that means you do a good job." He said to her, smiling. He turned to Osmond. "However, I would like to ask you something." He told Osmond, receiving a nod.
The girls left the room, and Ayumu began with, "I'm not from here. There's a very slim chance that our worlds are connected, but even with that fact existing, I was somehow brought here by Louise." He told him as the old man's face was covered with shock. "The Staff of Destruction isn't a staff at all. It's something developed by the armies in my world. It was made to launch projectiles for of explosive materials that would blow up with enough of an impact. I want to know where you found it."
"Oh right! Partner, I forgot to tell you something." Yami said.
"Not now, Yami, I'm in the middle of something." Ayumu told him.
"But-"
"Will you just pipe down, Yami. Just tell our partner later." Derf spoke up.
"Alright. Don't let me forget again."
"The Staff of Destruction is a memento from a particular man. It's hard to believe it's already been thirty years." Osmond said, looking as if he were having a flashback. "He saved my life that day, and he was dressed in a peculiar outfit that I had never seen before."
Probably a soldier uniform.
"That man had suffered terrible wounds in battle." He continued. "I brought him back to the institute as quickly as I could and nursed him around the clock, day and night. But alas."
"So, it was too late, huh? He kicked the bucket." Ayumu said.
"Yes." Osmond answered, assuming that Ayumu's phrase meant what he was thinking. "In the end, I was never able to figure out who that brave man was or where he came from. The man had two Staffs of Destruction. The one he used to save me, I placed alongside him in his coffin. I offered the second one to the palace so it could be kept safe from dangerous hands."
"Mr. Osmond, if you want to pay respect to the man who saved you, please stand and do as I am doing." Ayumu said, saluting. Osmond complied and stayed that way for a minute, thinking about the man and thanking him in his thoughts. Osmond soon sat back down.
"To think such a story was behind The Staff of Destruction." Colbert said.
"Damn. And I thought I finally found a clue to help me go back. But it was just a dead end."
"Partner! That's what I was trying to tell you. Before I made my long journey here, I was trying to master a new form of magic that would come in handy."
"Wait, what? What kind?"
"Haruna and Mistletang helped out. It's called the Universal Portal, but I didn't have much time to master it. And besides, I won't be strong enough to master it for a while."
"Universal Portal? I'm assuming that means a way home."
"How exactly does a sword become stronger?" Derf asked.
"When the bond between the blade and the user is so powerful, they can overcome anything together."
Osmond and Colbert looked at each other in confusion as Ayumu and Derf seemed to be answering nobody.
"Anyway, thanks for your time, Mr. Osmond. Mr. Cobalt." He said.
"It's Colbert." But before he could finish, the door closed behind Ayumu.
Ayumu stood out on a balcony as Yami and Derflingr lay against the railing. He smiled at the two moons.
"Hey partner, why are you so happy? You're not even partying."
"You two just wait. The bond between the three of us will become stronger before you know it. We'll go home together. We'll see Eu soon."
Meanwhile, someone downstairs announced Louise's arrival. "Ladies and gentlemen, presenting Ms. Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Vallière, second year student and daughter of the Duke de la Vallière."
Ayumu turned around. "Well, someone decided to stop stripping and put on a dress." He saw Louise ignore every guy who came by to ask her to dance. He couldn't help but laugh. "She oughta be a soldier because she just shot them all down."
When she walked up to Ayumu, Derf spoke up. "Fine feathers make fine birds. Am I right, Yami?"
"You are right, my sharp friend."
"Be quiet, you." Louise said as the two swords laughed to themselves. She looked up at a smiling Ayumu. "Why are you just standing there smiling?"
"Because Yami and Derf are funny." Ayumu said, pointing behind him with a thumb. "And besides. As far as I know, I haven't been given any orders to not smile or stand." As the lights dimmed and the music started, Ayumu told her, "Hey, a song is starting. You should find a partner, stripper." Ayumu said as Yami and Derf laughed at their inside joke. The only response he got was Louise raising her hand.
"It wouldn't bother me to dance with you." She said.
"Wouldn't bother me either. But something's telling me that you won't be you won't admit that you wanna dance with me."
As he said that, Derf and Yami whispered to him.
"She won't admit it."
"She won't admit it."
"Fine." She said, picking up her dress slightly. "Will you please honor me with one song's worth of a dance, fine gentleman?" she asked in a voice that was too sweet to turn down, looking back up at Ayumu with a smile.
"Well, since you asked so nicely." He said, taking her hand as he thought to Derf and Yami. You two lost the bet.
As they danced, Louise said to Ayumu, "You know, I believe you."
"Whatever it is, I haven't lied to you once. So whatever it is, you denied the truth until now."
"I was rather doubtful until now, about you being from another world. That awful Staff of Destruction, though. It's from your world."
"Yeah, pretty sure I knew that already."
"Do…you wanna go back?" Louise asked, hesitation in her voice.
"Well, of course I do. There are special people in my world that I can't even think of not seeing ever again. And Yami has been working on a way home. But his magic isn't strong enough, yet. It'll be a long time before he's ready."
Louise's eyes widen at the word. "Magic? That second sword of yours can use magic?"
"Yeah, magic such as allowing the user to fly, wipe people's memories, and in this case, open a portal between separate worlds, dimensions, or universes."
"So you can use magic? That means you're a mage." Louise said as she started to smile.
"Yeah, well, only when I transform using Yami. I'll explain the rest some other time."
Louise looked up at Ayumu, blushing. "Thank you, Ayumu."
"No…problem. But for what?"
"You saved me multiple times when I was about to be crushed to death by that golem."
"Well, it is my job as your familiar." He said.
"Well this is a surprise. A familiar that serves as its master's dance partner. A real surprise."
"You've got that right, Derflingr."
"Please, just call me Derf."
Ayumu and Louise now stood before the princess.
"Congratulations and well done, Louise Francoise."
"Thank you very much, your Highness, but I'm really not worthy of such a worthy title of Chevalier."
"But what you have achieved has made you worthy, Louise Francoise. You led the capture of the theif who had the palace up in arms for some time. And I give you my thanks as well, trustworthy familiar."
"It was nothing." Ayumu said with a confident smile.
Henrietta raised her hand. "I trust that you'll be able to take care of my good friend in the future."
"Your Highness, stop. You mustn't offer your hand to a familiar like him." Louise said, getting in front of Louise.
"Hey! This familiar save your life, twice, and took down Fouquet's golem, again, twice." Ayumu said.
"To protect you is equal in my eyes as swearing loyalty to me personally." The princess said to Louise. "I must give something in return for such an oath of loyalty." With that, Louise moved out of the way. Ayumu took Henrietta's hand and kissed it lightly, stepping away afterwards. "I actually have a favor to ask of you two."
Ayumu and Louise walked out of the shop, hearing "Thank you, come again." as they left.
"It's so dull." She said, talking about her clothes.
"Too bad. We had to get you some new clothes so you'd look like a peasant."
"I just don't understand why we couldn't get something more fashionable."
"Stop complaining. We have a job to do, remember?"
"Of course I do."
"I wonder what comes next." Ayumu said, his hands behind his head.
"Next up is a horse."
"Oh hell no! I'm even sure if we have the money to rent a damn horse!"
After that, they headed to a fancy inn. "Nope. Sorry Louise, but this is too expensive. He said, dragging her away. She talked to herself for a bit and sped up. "Hey Louise, what are you going to do?"
"Don't follow me!" she shouted.
It was evening, and Ayumu went looking for Louise. He found her at a water fountain, and after her explanation, he shouted, "What the hell! How could you lose our money at a casino. You never go to a casino if you're low on money. And how'd you even get in? There's no way you're 18." Ayumu slammed his hand onto his face, blaming himself for leaving her alone. "What are we gonna do for money?"
Real sorry guys, but I'm out of time. I hate to leave off here, but until next time, stay wonderful.
