So I was cleaning out some drives recently and came across a few stories of mine I had forgotten I had been writing in the past. They all are decent, so I figured I'd clean em up and put em up to see if people like them. No guarantee on update speeds, though ill post all the chapter I have for em at once as I have em already.

This is probably the oldest idea I've found to date that I had forgotten about. An alternate FOZ idea with no crossovers. I think I started writing this thing casually a few years ago, around the same time I started my mass effect story. It's kind of simple, going on the idea of if Louise was a little more willing to take a chance and not get bogged down by not summoning a familiar, so maybe people will like it.

Also fun fact, the Familiar of Zero Calendar uses 4 weeks of 8 days, equaling 32 day months.

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06/03/6242

She had failed.

That thought repeated itself in Louise's mind as she sat in her room of the Tristain magic academy. That morning, the first morning of her second year, had been the familiar summoning ritual. Moles, Snakes, Mice, Cats, Wyverns and even a dragon were summoned by her fellow classmates.

She had spoken the spell, and gotten nothing. No magical response, no glow from the circle. Her classmates had mocked and made fun of her at that. She tried a second time and got nothing but more jeers and mockery.

By the fifth time not a single person was saying anything as she nearly sat on the ground crying at her failure, at her inability to do what was required of her.

By the seventh time she was unable to speak coherently and Mr. Colbert had to escort her to Headmaster Osmond. That conversation was short and simple, but hearing it from the headmaster of the academy made it sink in all the deeper.

She had failed to summon a Familiar.

For years she had never been able to cast any spells, no magic whatsoever. No sparks, no lights, no gusts of wind, no shifting earth, no flowing water. She was even incapable of any form of magic affect like an explosion or breaking things. Even if she could just do one of those it would prove that she had magic power at the very least. But no, she had nothing. No magic, no hope for magic. Nothing.

After meeting with Osmond a messenger was sent to the Vallière Estate to inform her parents of what had transpired, and she had been forbidden from leaving the academy. Her mother would hear of this and immediately come for her. Whether it was to lock her up to hide her from the world, disown her out of spite or instantly marry her off too whoever would take her, she was unsure.

But she was sure that neither her mother, father or one sister would be pleased. All those years of practice and study, all for nothing. They would not be pleased at all.

"Dammit!" Louise suddenly screamed as she threw herself back onto her bed. "I studied, I know everything! I knew it better than anyone but Tabitha! Why, why did I fail!" She then exclaimed as she threw her pillow, knocking a book off her desk.

Taking a few breaths to calm down she slowly got off her bed, walked over and picked up the book with a sigh. The book was one she found in the academy library, one about magic as a broad subject and how other places use it. it was extremely vague in all honesty as it only gave passing mention to the elves and places like Rub al Khali, but it still had been a useful book for getting her mind off things to help her keep from getting too focused on one thing.

"Wait, Rub al Khali!" Louise exclaimed in realization as she flipped open the book and looked for one particular passage, finding it in seconds.

Rub al Khali is a foreign land of desert upon the edge of the great southern sea. It is south of the elven lands, and because of its location sees trade from all places.

The land is ruled by a leader known as the sultan, and it is said that while slavery exists, it is far more forgiving than in other places. Merchants, dancers, scholars and soldiers are said to live the highest of lives here as well.

Perhaps the most interesting and strange fact about it however is that there are rumors of other kinds of magic besides the elves and the founders magic's. As pure speculation it would be amazing to discover the truth of this rumor, but I am sure it is nothing but heretical words meant to dissuade people from the founder's path.

Louise gulped as she looked at the page. The idea of other magic, the idea of a place separated from Halkeginia. Sure the author stated that he figured it was just a rumor, but she had seen other similar notes in other books very often. In all likelihood, it had been added so the church would not burn the writer's works as heretical. And if that was the case . . . . .

Was there a chance? Could there be other magic that she could maybe learn and even excel at?

Louise had always prayed like a good girl, and she didn't want to be considered a heretic. But no amount of praying had ever done her any good, had ever helped her in any way. Was the church maybe wrong that Brimir helped those in need? She certainly had received no help at any time; otherwise she surely would have managed to summon a familiar, right?

"No, I'm not going to sit here and sulk while waiting for my own mother to disown me!" Louise then exclaimed with a huff, feeling a spring of energy well up within her as she made the decision. "I'll just leave on my own. I'm intelligent, I have skills and knowledge, and there must be something I can do with my life in Rub al Khali even if I can't learn magic there!"

Within Minutes Louise had gathered her clothing and all the money she had on her in a bag and found a travel cloak that she had left in the closet since her first day. She had her clothing, she had a cloak, she had money, but was she missing anything?

Looking over the money again it quickly became apparent what she was missing. She needed more money; otherwise there was no way she'd be able to buy passage to Rub Al Khali. Swallowing uncomfortably Louise slunk out of her room and began slipping in and out of other students rooms as quietly as she could. She knew it was wrong, but she needed the money and half her fellows barely understood how much money was worth anyway. Few realized that some had small fortunes in their rooms just from the money their families sent them.

After an hour that felt like eternity in the middle of the night Louise felt she finally had enough money and with it, and her clothes carefully made her way down to the bottom level of the academy towers. With everyone long asleep no one got in her way, but that changed when she got down to the main hall.

Stopping at the corner she poked her head around and could see a pair of maids sweeping the hall in total silence. Did they ever stop working? Did they even sleep? As she watched them and noted their expressions she began to feel bad for them, but said nothing as they did their work and moments later left the hall, leaving it clear.

Quickly rushing across the hall Louise sudden heard the sound of a door opening and dropped to the floor a quietly as she could, the bag of coins on her waist jingling slightly. Glancing around under the tables she saw a single pair of legs poking out from underneath long robes, marking the person as a teacher. Luckily they quickly went for the stairs and up, not seeing her.

Waiting a second she then got up and ran out of the hall, out into the courtyard and straight for the stables. No one was around the stables, and only a couple horses were awake, eating feed that had just recently been resupplied by the looks of it.

Silently placing a Saddle on the best looking horse Louise then set about tying her gear to it, and then carefully led the horse out of the stable and towards the gate. The gate itself was closed, but the winch was in easy sight and she quickly began opening the one side, the chain making little creaks and jingles with each twist of the winch.

"Um, what are you doing my lady?"

Louise spun about to find a maid standing before her, a confused look plastering her face and a rag hanging from her damp apron. Spots of water were across her dress and blouse and even spots of her hair looked wet. Either she had been washing something, or had been running extensively.

"I- something came up with my family, and I must go meet them immediately." Louise lied in a panic, hoping her lie would not be seen through.

"But it's the middle of night? Pardon me for suggesting it, but would it not be safer to leave in the morning?"

"Yes, but this is urgent, so please excuse me." Louise said as she pulled the winch one last time then began walking over to her horse.

"But that's, wait. . . Lady Vallière. . . . But that means. . ."

"Oh founder," Louise swore as she realized the maid had recognized her, and was connecting the dots. "Look, just go back to whatever you were doing okay?"

"You're. . . . Running away aren't you Miss Vallière?" The maid asked in shock.

"No, I'm disappearing to where no one will find me, because no one will care. Please, just ignore me, and forget you saw me. Please?" Louise pleaded as she awkwardly climbed up onto the horse, getting herself seated as comfortably as she could, while inwardly bemoaning the fact that she didn't own a pair of pants to wear.

The maid stared at her for a moment before nodding. "I understand. I hope you find what you are looking for. Stay safe."

"You two, I hope this helps you." Louise said as she pulled out a trio of gold coins and dropped them onto the ground with a smile as she rode through the open gate and then off down the dark nighttime road.

The twin moons illuminated the countywide for miles, and the only sounds were those of bugs flying about and animals in fields. In what felt like no time at all the academy, a place where she was bullied constantly and had no real place, was behind her as nothing more than a tower on the horizon.

"I'll make it to Rub Al Khali, and I'll either learn magic or find a better place for myself. Goodbye Cattleya."