Disclaimer: I obviously do not own either Halo or FoZ.
Chapter 12: The Club.
Note: Asterisk (*) means a swear word, I keep it this way in order to avoid maturity rating…. I think.
Before leaving with Louise to the palace in which Louise was supposed to be rewarded, Enzio went back to the Forerunner installation and conversed with Contrite Ebullience, in which he theorized that he may not be in an Alternate Reality at all, just in a planet far away, so rescue may not be completely impossible at all.
At the Palace…..
Louise was being congratulated by the princess and of course, Enzio, being Louise's Familiar, came along, much to his dismay.
Louise was in a slight bow while the familiar was standing straight, ready for anything.
"Am I here because it is my duty as Louise's familiar or do they just want me to be here in order to congratulate Louise on what I have single-handedly done but can't be recognized because I am a "commoner" and a familiar?"
"Congratulations Louise, for capturing the wanted criminal Fouquet, destroying her golems, and retrieving the Staff of Destruction, I grant you, the title of Chevalier!"
"Yep, they are definitely trying to rub it on my face….. never mind, I was never good at dealing with fame anyway."
"Thank you your majesty." Louise then turned into a full bow.
Henrietta then unexpected turned to Enzio.
"I thank you as well Mr…. Enzio was it? for assisting in the capture of Fouquet and for always protecting my friend Louise."
"That is not a problem Princess, I am Louise's familiar after all." Enzio said in an attempt to shoot down Henrietta's attention.
"But, I must thank you, although you are a commoner, I can always do this." Henrietta then extended one of her hands to Enzio.
"Princess? Are you sure about this?" Louise asked, she seemed half annoyed and half surprised.
"Yes Louise, after all, he was as equal help to you in taking down Fouquet was he not? So he still deserves an amount of thanks."
Louise then stood down.
Fortunately, the Spartan read about Tristan culture, and he knew that what the princess meant by such a gesture, he then proceeded to remove his helmet with a hiss.
When Henrietta saw just what the Spartan looked like, she was surprised and thought to herself.
( A/N: Apparently, she had just forgotten that she was thinking about the same guy who aimed a gun at her two days ago.)
"So this is Louise's familiar? He looks rather… amazing, the short brown hair he has really looks great on him, and his eyes, a deep blue comparable to that of the sky which I always enjoyed looking at on my spare time during my childhood, but his scars seem to indicate that he had been in a lot of battles, but that is alright, if I could just….. NO! I cannot think of thoughts like that! Pull yourself together!"
She then shook her head.
The Spartan then leaned down….. a lot, to kiss Henrietta on the hand.
"I did not expect his kiss to be so soft and gentle, yet strong and firm….. UGH! I must hold on!"
"O-o-okay then.." Henrietta began.
"I have a task to ask of you!" said Henrietta, cheeks red and almost shouting.
"Are you okay Princess?" The un-helmeted Spartan asked.
"O-oh….. I am alright!" Henrietta said with an... innocent smile.
"For a moment there, I thought you were sick because your cheeks turned red for a while there."
"I already mentioned that I was okay, now, as I mentioned, I have a task for you two." Henrietta said with a sheepish face.
But at this point, the Spartan already figured out what was really going on in the Princess's mind.
"Oh perfect, I have an admirer now, No doubting the signs, body language, increased heart-rate, visible gestures to retain self-control, increased blood flow to the skin on the face or Blushing….I know that this happens to some of the female marines when I take off my helmet to eat, but seriously, a princess? Well she is kind of cute in most male standards but there is a reason why I have a suppressed sexual drive."
Henrietta continued, still slightly blushing.
"I need you two to stay in town for a while, we have been getting a few isolated reports of power abuse in this town, so I would like you to investigate, do you accept?"
Louise was the first to answer.
"Yes princess, I, along with my familiar, will definitely help on the investigation of the wicked, corrupt and evil officials here!"
""Along with my familiar"? You're definitely pushing it Louise…"
"Thank you, I shall send some gold your way, in the meantime, you two can eat at the dining hall." Said Henrietta, as she pointed to the door leading to the dining hall.
"Yes princess, we shall wait." Louise then proceeded to march to the door.
"*sigh* here we go."
At the Palace dinning hall…
"Hey Louise, I want to talk to you about something." The Spartan said while eating.
"What is it?"
"You are pushing it, don't forget just I tore apart to golems single-handedly."
That definitely got a reaction from Louise.
"W-w-what do you mean?" Louise asked, waving her hands in front of her.
"You know what I mean Louise; don't act so arrogant around me just because I am your familiar." Enzio said Calmly, but firmly too.
"O-okay…."
"Louise Valliere, your gold has arrived, come here to claim it."
A few hours later…..
"What the bloody hell do you mean you spent all of the cash at the Casino?" Enzio said with his Active Camo online.
"I'm sorry! I desperately needed the gold for that hotel!" Louise replied, though she was wearing a white skirt, white shoes, pink jacket and red shirt.
Flashback!
When the two left the Castle, they went to the first hotel that they saw, which was a rather grand one, Louise walked up to the hotel and asked the clerk on the prices, the prices were, unsurprisingly, much higher than they had on hand, the two left the hotel with Louise whining to the invisible Spartan right next to her, the Spartan told her to buy regular clothes while he checked out the town to find other hotels.
In the present….
"I can't believe they have casinos here, even more, she's actually in the legal age to gamble, but then, back to business."
"You bloody idiot!" The Spartan smacked in the head as light as he possibly can, and it took a LOT of self-control, knowing full well he could knock Louise's skull to her neck if he hit her without controlling it.
"Owww! That really, really hurt you know!" Louise said, a few tears coming from her eyes.
"Well that hit was really, really controlled, and you were being really, really stupid!" The Spartan stood firmly.
And to add insult to injury…
"For the record Louise, my armor can regulate my body temperature, so if I sleep here on the streets, I would be as comfortable as sleeping in a five-star hotel! I even bothered helping to find you a hotel to sleep on…"
Louise then knew that her Familiar only did that to make it clear to her that he was simply doing that out of kindness.
"I-I'm sorry, but what can I do now?" she asked.
"Talk later, someone's coming this way."
Sure enough, someone did come to Louise's way and that someone was the last thing Louise thought she would see.
A man, who had an ungodly amount of lipstick on and (A/N: This part is censored as it may be offensive to some people.) approached Louise and said.
"Tres-bein! My name is Scarron and I run a Tavern up the road, by any chance, do you need a place to sleep in?"
"Tavern?"
"Yes! Would you like to take up on my offer? But I have a condition In place of money first…"
The invisible Spartan whispered to Louise.
"Take it Damnit, this is your only chance."
Louise whispered back.
"ARE YOU INSANE?"
"You either take that or sleep on the streets."
Louise then turned to Scarron.
"O-okay, but I have to find my friend first." Louise motioned for Enzio to hide in a nearby alley, he correctly interpreted it and went to said alley then turned off the active camouflage.
Louise then followed and went out with the Spartan a few seconds later.
The Spartan spoke.
"Alright, but lead us to your Tavern."
At Scarron's Tavern…..
"You have got to be kidding me… This might be a Tavern sure, BUT THIS IS ALSO A FREAKING STRIP CLUB."
"W-w-w-what?!" Louise stuttered.
Imagine the usual strip club scenes and change the girls' clothes with maid outfits. That's about what the Strip club looked like.
After introducing Louise as a runaway from an orphanage, who was busted out of said orphanage by her long-lost and conveniently Psoriatic brother who had to wear strange armor due to said skin condition, a voice came from the kitchen, addressing the Spartan/Louise's Brother.
"Hey new green-and-black guy, help out here for a bit would ya?"
"Coming, by the way Louise, don't do anything rash again like that okay?"
"Sure,sure."
At the Kitchen….
"Well, this was supposed to be expected after all, better get to washing these dishes then, work is work." Thought Enzio as he began to wash the dishes.
"Hey, what's your name?" the girl, who was also wearing the maid outfit that everyone else was wearing, who called him earlier asked.
"My name is Enzio Valliere, I happen to have the incurable disease Psoriasis, so I must be in this armor at all times, lest I end up injuring myself, and my sister happens to be Louise Valliere if you wanted to know."
"Wow, can you read my mind or something?"
"Nope, just intuition."
"Oh alright, anyway, My name is Jessica." Jessica said with a smile directed at the Spartan, who simply nodded and continued to wash the dishes in record time.
"You seem to be very skilled at this, by any chance do you have work experience with washing?"
"Yeah, I happened to work at a restaurant a few years ago to earn money In order to buy my sister her freedom." The Spartan was able to create an alibi fast enough to make up a lie in a split-second.
"Wow, I didn't know you went through all that."
The Spartan merely shrugged and finished the last of the dishes.
"And that's the last one, it usually takes me a dozen or so minutes but you did that in two minutes!"
"Hey, it's a habit."
"Sure, anyway, if you have any questions about this place and the residence, do not hesitate to ask me!"
Not much later, on the two "sibling's" room….
"I can't believe this, a noble such as I have to steep so low as to-"
"Shut your trap Louise, don't forget, this was your fault to begin with, you should be happy that I'm actually helping you out here."
That got Louise to shut up alright.
The Spartan then drifted to sleep, but of course, all Spartans are taught to sleep with their guard on, and soon enough, he was awoken by a scream.
"Louise? What the hell?"
Then the Spartan saw a couple of bats flying around Louise, he then proceeded to take one bat, crush it's fragile neck, then throw it out the window and do the same to two other bats.
"There, they're gone, scream again, and your fate will mirror the bats' fate." The Spartan, cranky from not sleeping for days, said.
That gave Louise a few nightmares, but every time she thought about screaming, she woke up to see the real nightmare in front of her.
The next day….
"Wake up Damnit."
"Oh, Enzio…. I thought I was dreaming about being in this Tavern but I guess I was wrong." She sighed.
"Well get up and live your dreams!"
The Spartan then watched over Louise as she did her… duties, and spoke to Jessica while doing so, in the end, he discovered that she was Scarron's Daughter, which shocked the Spartan, though he did not show it.
"Anyway Enzio, Louise isn't really your sister is he?" Jessica asked.
"Yep, I guess it ain't that hard to figure it out."
"And she's a noble too isn't she?"
"Hard not to find out with her behavior like that."
"Well, yeah, but then, if you're with her, shouldn't that make you like…. Her servant or something?"
"Something like that."
"Wait a sec, does that mean that you're on a secret mission or something?"
"Maybe, Maybe not."
"Oh, please tell me!" she begged.
"Negative."
"Really? But maybe you would take my offer?" Jessica said, taking one of the Spartan's hands, although she had to use both of her hands, and placed in right above her chest.
"That won't work."
At that time, Louise busted through the door.
"Wha-wha-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
The Spartan hastily removed his hand and replied.
"We were merely having a conversation."
"B-but! Your hand was-"
"My…hand…was…what?" The Spartan slowly said.
"Nothing…."
Night time…
Enzio and Louise were at the bar tending to the customers when suddenly, an unbelievably huge noble went through the door with a couple of guards.
"Oh Lord Chillian! We did not expect to see you today."
"Look like business is doing well today Scarron."
"No, it's not usually this busy, today had just been good to me." Scarron replied rather nervously.
"Well, let's cut to the chase, I am here as a customer and want a seat."
"Errr… I apologize sir, but there seems to be no free seats at the moment so.."
The arrogant oversized noble snapped his fingers and his guards aimed staves at the people, who then left.
He then took a seat…. Or two seats as one couldn't take all the weight, and spoke.
"You're right Scarron, there aren't any people here, you said you were full."
"Uhh… of course sir."
The Spartan then turned to Jessica.
"Who the hell is that arrogant son of a *!? Someone needs to skewer that * with an energy sword and (Place overly gory death threat here)."
"That's lord Chillian, the Queen's tax collector, we usually don't mess with him as he'll only screw with you by giving you a tax as big as he is, none of the girls are stupid enough to even get within a meter of him."
Suddenly, a certain pink-haired girl approached the said bastard.
"Here, let me pour you a drink sir." Louise said.
"Hey Scarron, I didn't realize you were hiring young boys now!" The * started.
"WWWHHHHAAATTT?"
"Oh, never mind, just small breasts I see!"
"You * son of a *!" Louise screamed while high kicking said * in the face, sending his many chins flying.
"I-I'm sorry Lord Chillian, but the girl is new so-"
"I need no reason! Guards! Arrest her!"
Before the guards get within a meter of Louise, a Green blur appeared and knocked all of the guards approaching Louise out.
"Touch her and lose your arm, your choice."
"Who are you, a commoner, to stand up against me? You simply got lucky my guards were distracted and-"
A blast that came from behind the Spartan knocked back the rest of the guards to the wall.
"What? Magic! You must be a falle noble."
"Fallen Noble? Read this and see just how far you have *ed yourself."
The guy's jaw dropped when he read what was on the scroll that Louise unrolled in front of him.
"N-none of this has to make it back to her majesty! Take all of these! Take it and don't tell the Majesty!" Chillian ran, or jogged, out, but of course, since his guards were currently "napping" they weren't going anywhere.
The Next day…..
"Bye everyone!" Louise said as Enzio started to lift her up.
"Good-bye little Louise!" The crew chirped.
"Bye Enzio! We wouldn't mind if you and your sister decided to visit again!" Jessica said.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind Jessica."
And… off they went.
End of chapter 12
Author's Notes: Unfortunately, this will be the last of my daily updates, as class starts tomorrow and so does another 5 days of torture, so, don't be surprised if my update rate gets cut to half or quartered.
As you can see here, I'm trying to keep Enzio as Noble Six-ee as I can, why not leave a review on my efforts?
Is it just me or is the website having problems? Since when I logged on, it displayed an error along the lines of " error type 2" when I open a story, but then everything turned fine after a few minutes, but as I type right now, I'm having an error that displays "503 service unavailable, no server is available to handle this request, and another that says " error type 1." Perfect, When you get #2 it won't be long before you get #1.
Reviewer Responses:
Sonicfanx1
I did not presume that, Enzio did, don't blame me, but now he knows otherwise.
Cortana0452
Same answer as above.
Guest
Seriously? I almost emptied my stomach due to laughter at the thought of that.