"I've wanted to meet you ever since I heard that you were responsible for exposing Mott as a traitor to the throne," Henrietta explained, smiling, "I just had to find out what kind of person the familiar who found out such a truth really is."
Louise almost dropped her cup in surprise.
"Y-you've heard of it?" she stammered, as Eggman merely smirked.
"I just did what anyone else in my position would do."
The princess giggled.
"I know everything that goes on here. It caused quite a bit of a stir in the palace when I got involved, but there will be no punishment."
"Princess..." Louise breathed, as the doctor merely grunted.
"I should think not. I exposed a traitor. Surely that deserves some form of gratitude."
Louise glared at Eggman as Henrietta cleared her throat.
"I promised you a long time ago that I'd always be there if you ever found yourself caught in a bind. And, as a princess, I'm always supposed to keep my word!" she replied.
Eggman stirred his tea. A leader of her word… such a rare type of person, indeed.
"Louise… I think you've summoned up a splendid familiar," she turned towards the doctor. "Is it true that you attacked Mott's estate with an army unlike anything this world has seen?"
The doctor smiled broadly, taking pride in the words.
"If you mean the robots I brought with me, then yes. They'll be part of a little demonstration I have for tomorrow," he nodded to Louise, "Louise, here, will be the crown jewel of my little show. I doubt you'll recognize her fully geared-up."
Henrietta smiled. "If it's anything like the armor worn by the person who infiltrated Mott's home to rescue a maid, I look forward to it."
Louise reddened, as both doctor and princess shared a heartfelt laugh.
"This evening was the most fun I've had in many years, because of you, Louise Francoise," Henrietta thanked, drawing Louise into an embrace.
"The same goes for me, Princess Henrietta..." Louise responded.
Eggman watched the two, as Metal sat at the small table, staring at the remaining tea. The doctor smirked as he glanced back at the robot. He was probably trying to figure out why organics required additives in their fuel. The doctor noted to eventually create taste receptors for Metal, to help him understand the preference.
"Doctor Eggman?" Henrietta said, catching the doctor's attention. "Promise me you'll do your best tomorrow."
Eggman smirked but stifled a laugh.
"Trust me, you won't forget it."
A startled beep followed by a crash of china interrupted their conversation as they looked to the source. Metal had tea stains down his front chassis, as pieces of a cup laid in front of him.
"Oh, Metal!" Eggman grumbled, quickly grabbing a cloth, dabbing the machine's front. "Did you really think you could drink tea? You don't even have a mouth!"
"Idiot! Your little toy ruined a valuable tea set!" Louise shouted.
"You should have known better, Metal!" Eggman lectured, as Henrietta giggled, pulling her hood back over her head.
"Freedom… is the best treasure, after all," she said, leaving the trio alone in Louise's room.
Both Louise and Eggman stared at where the princess had stood.
"Bye… princess..." Louise replied, as Eggman remained silent.
While Louise hadn't understood the strange comment by her lifelong friend, the doctor had caught the meaning.
Yes… his mind was made up. He'd do it. And she'd be free.
Eggman yawned as he watched the exhibition. From the way Louise had described it, he had expected something more… glamorous. Instead, it was basic pet tricks.
Kirche had some pretty decent coordination, dancing in the flames produced by her familiar.
Guiche, the egotistical cad, merely posed with his oversized mole on a bed of roses. The doctor had to give the kid points for ego.
Tabitha impressed them the most with her flying dragon familiar. He smiled as he watched the students' faces. If a flying creature impressed them, then his little trick will knock them out of their seats!
He stood with a several large crates, as the student ahead of them performed her exhibition. Louise had secretly changed into her armor, as several robots strolled into position. Large, turtle-like robots carried various obstacles behind the distracted students as they watched the familiar's routine.
"You ready, Louise?" he asked into his comm.
From elsewhere in the academy, Louise smiled, performing one more system check as Metal made final adjustments to her suit.
"Ready," she replied.
"Next up, Miss Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere," Colbert announced, as Eggman stood at attention, his group of robots snapping likewise.
"Just relax and follow the suit's path. You'll do fine," he encouraged before shutting off the comm.
Eggman strode up to the center of the stage, keeping his robots out of sight for now. The crowd fell silent as he pulled out a cylindrical device from his pocket.
"A-a-ahem," he cleared his throat, tapping the microphone several times, as the tapping echoed across the field. "Can everyone hear me? Ok? Good!" he began, drawing his body to its full height.
"Good afternoon, and welcome to this year's exhibition. I am Doctor Eggman, though many of you know me as Louise the Zero's familiar. As you can see, she's not here right now. She's getting ready for our little demonstration..."
Louise took a deep breath. Though her familiar told her that she'd be fine, she was still nervous. What if she froze up? What if she tripped? What if nobody was impressed?
"If you keep worrying like that, something will go wrong," Metal commented, as Louise gasped in surprise.
"I-I'm not worried! I'm just nervous about doing this!" she hastily replied, as the machine leaned into her face, his dark, red eyes burrowing into hers.
"I can identify over 5,000 facial expressions. Yours is consistent with worried emotions. Trust the doctor and everything will be fine."
Louise watched as Metal strode out of the building.
"It's nearly time, Louise," her suit said, as she picked up Derflinger, sliding the sword across her shoulder.
"It's strange. He's the user, yet he's insisted on you wielding me this time? I don't quite understand what he's getting at, but I don't think he'd put you in harm's way," the sword commented, as Louise sighed.
"All of this is strange! And yet… it seems to make sense..." she replied. After all, if this armor could help her tap into her strength, then why would it be so strange for her to wield a sword? I mean, a lot of militaristic nobles used sword-wands, so what difference did it make?
"Now, then.." Eggman said, as he pointed up to the sky. "I have but one question for you today!"
He brought his finger down, pointing into the distance.
"Are you ready to see true genius?" he announced, as a low rumble echoed across the school. Several students now began to see the various robotic turtloids and boxes as several more robots extended barriers, traps, and obstacles as a dust clout appeared on the horizon.
"You thought she was nothing, a Zero," he began, as the source of the cloud became visible: a black armor with orange visor.
"But you only saw her by the standards you possessed. To you, she couldn't cast magic, yet she was a noble."
The armor leaped over one robot, who punched too late to hit her, as she landed atop a pole, easily balancing upon it. As a Buzzbomber flew in to hit her, she jumped, catching the tail end and swinging across to a balance beam, knocking the flying robot into the first one, destroying both.
"The truth is, Louise has magic, but she can't tap into it using your conventional methods," he continued as Louise dove off the beam, tackling another robot to the ground. A well-placed punch knocked the machine out of commission.
"Instead, she needed a genius capable of recognizing her potential and drawing it out."
Several more robots showed up, as Louise pulled the blaster from its holster, trusting her suit's targeting system to dispatch them. As soon as they were destroyed, she stepped into the next hazard: a pit the robots had dug flanked by two walls.
"And that genius, of course, is me!"
Louise ran towards one wall, running along the barrier, before leaping to the opposing wall, before jumping again as she lost momentum, easily traversing the chasm, and arriving at the back of the gathered students.
Everyone fell silent as she walked towards the stage. She reached up, removing her helmet, as everyone gasped.
"Louise did all that?"
"No way!"
"It has to be some kind of trick!"
Louise smiled as she stood next to Eggman.
"I am Louise Franciose le Blanc de la Valliere, and this is my familiar! His name is Doctor Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik, and his type is a technological genius!" she announced.
Eggman fell silent. He hadn't expected that last part. He turned to Louise in surprise as the noble smiled back at him. She had specifically rehearsed that line with Metal Sonic, kind of like her little gift to him.
The students broke out in applause, as Louise bowed. Eggman nervously fingered the big red button on the detonator behind his back. These people were genuinely impressed with him… Should he really break that facade for his own purposes?
Why, yes, of course! These people didn't mean much to him!
He cleared his throat.
"It is true that I am a technological genius, but I am also something more," he said, drawing the detonator from his back.
"I am also the ruler of the Eggman Empire, and I am here to conquer this world!" he clicked the button.
Immediately, Louise felt her whole body tense up, jamming her helmet back on her head, before moving with impossible speed to the princess. As the knights began to react, Metal bashed them away, as Egg Pawns broke out, attacking the students.
Buzzbombers flew around the sky, zapping the hands of anyone who tried to draw a wand. The Pawns quickly gathered up the sticks as Louise drew Derflinger towards the princesses' neck.
"W-what's going on, Louise?" Henrietta stammered, as Louise struggled to regain control of her body.
But, since the armor was made to be stronger than her, it was like trying to escape a sealed bottle.
"I don't know, princess… please forgive me..." the noble begged, as several guards tried to close in on the princess.
Her suit showed a hologram of a blood-red circle around her, showing what would happen if the knights entered it.
"S-Stay back! If you come any closer, my suit will kill the princess!" she tearfully screamed, as the small voice of the suit's AI echoed in her ears.
"I'm sorry, Louise… This was his plan all along, to lure you into a false sense of security by playing the hero, then using you, like so many others before you."
"Shut up!" Louise shouted in disbelief. "Can't you fight it?"
"I cannot. To override my systems I would require programming I simply do not possess."
"What's the meaning of this?" Colbert shouted as the doctor jumped into his waiting Egg Mobile.
"It's nothing personal. I just need to conquer this world so I can conquer my own!"
He hovered over the group as Louise brought the princess to him.
"You gave me too good of an opportunity to pass up, princess! And to think, the irony of being captured by your best friend!" he laughed as Louise bound the princess, handing her to the doctor.
"And now, if you want to see your precious princess again, you will surrender your wands to my robots! While you wait here, she and I will discuss the terms of her own surrender!" Eggman announced, as he flew off with the princess in tow.
Louise stared at Eggman's retreating form. It was her fault the princess was kidnapped.
She wished that she had never summoned such an evil familiar.
A/N: Ok, short chapter this time around, but I have instituted a MAJOR event.
Eggman: Muahaha! I knew I wouldn't be too much of a goody two-shoes for long! And now to conquer Tristain!
Louise: You… jerk! Using me as another pawn in your game! Is that all I am to you?
Eggman:… You're supposed to be the 'master' here, you figure it out!
Ok, you two, calm down!
Just to clarify, yes, Eggman put an override in Louise's suit. That's the earlier clue I had mentioned at Mott's manor.
And yes, next chapter will expose what plans the doctor has for his captive.
And now, Questions!
Eggman: Lucian Naruto, I would like to congratulate you on your speculations. I do believe your thoughts are helping shape this story a bit.
Tremor230, I have an interesting bit of trivia for you: during one of my earlier concepts for this story, in which Metal Sonic was planned to be Louise's familiar, I did have a subplot where Ivo would suggest a marriage to the princess in order to fulfill both their needs at the time (For Eggman: land and country to rule, for Henrietta, a powerful military to defend it.)
Obviously, that idea has been scrapped in part. Instead, I have something better planned, which will make for a far more interesting subplot.
And could you imagine if Eggman was a noble in this world? It's an awesome idea worth tackling at least.
Eggman: We'll talk about the money later…
Blinded in a blothole, you do make a good point. I will have to correct this at a later date. Perhaps in a more "advanced" class or something.
Cubot: Besides, how else are we supposed to learn to fly these things? What, you think we're programmed with that knowledge?
Eggman: Xavex, it's true, at least I'm not stuck in a storybook with some crazy genie. Just some crazy girl!
Louise: HEY!
Eggman: As for the Sonic Boom question, I don't like my 'new' look at all. Plus they make me too comical. As in R-r-r-r-r-robotnik comical!
Louise: But still… those muscles…
Eggman: I don't need bulging muscles to show off my strength! I'm supposed to look like a fat scientist!
Louise: Ok, fine, whatever. As for my favorite technology so far… I'd have to say pretty much everything that doesn't need magic. The fact that people can live without the need for magic is incredible, and gives me hope that perhaps I can live without it, too.
Tabitha: *holds tablet* books.
Kirche: Oh, I think mine's pretty obvious *wink*
Oh no… we need to keep this rated T!
Kirche: This Internet, especially with so many nice, single gentlemen out there. At least, that's what this ad says.
That's… OK I guess.
Kirche: Oh, what were you thinking…
NEXT!
Leonas, Yeah, I figured that Ivo would behave something like a gentleman. I mean, looking at most of his past kidnappings, he's always treated his prisoners quite decently (Prof. Pickle, for example. He had a pretty cozy cell during his time with the doctor).
Eggman: You're quite right in telling her not to touch on AI. The things I can do with those machines… it may be best not to ask. Although I may need to put Project Metal Louise on hold for now…
Louise: WHAT! YOU MADE A COPY OF ME?
Cubot: Better not tell her about Project Metal Henrietta, either!
Orbot: And Project Metal Kirche. Although, that one was a failure. The chassis simply could not withstand the stresses the upper torso created.
Louise: *grabs whip*
Eggman: Uh-oh, time to go! *runs*
Guest, I have no intention of making Louise or this fic, into a yuri fic anytime soon. Kirche and Louise argue and fight. Eggman may help bring them together. But it won't be romantic. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Once again, thank you all for the reviews, and look forward to next chapter. I'll try to make it a bit longer to make up for this one.