The Familiar Festival

"We're finally done!"

Alban raised both of her hands in exasperation. The long line of patients requesting for repairs was finally gone. Night had already fallen but that didn't mean the Bans was going to rest. Tonight, was special, Alban looked to the side of the patient's seat to see a digital clock that was displaying both time and date.

23:13

12/31/3542

Time was of the essence now; Louise was going to celebrate her first New Year in Bans and Alban was going to hate herself if even once the pink haired girl didn't enjoy it. She made a mad dash towards her room, once inside she started taking off all of her back arms and started replacing them with new ones that Louise had made for her when celebrating their seven-month long relationship.

Early relationships can be weird

The arms in question were made of a strong alloy that put the armour plating on railgun tanks shy in comparison, aside from that, she was also quite surprised at the level of flexibility the arms offer, which tells a lot since her previous arms were more robotic in terms of accessibility. The arms that Louise made was more human like, the time it takes for Alban to command her old arms usually has a 0.05 reaction time. The arms that Louise made had a reaction time of 0.017.

'Seriously, how can she make something like a pair of glasses a few months ago to things like these… maybe she's just that good," Alban thought to herself.

Once she was done attaching all 4 pairs of arms, she looked at her mirror and checked herself out. The arms were painted with a chrome colour and an insignia of weird symbols at the back of each hand. From the looks of it, the insignia reminds her of something like those weird hieroglyphs she read up on a long time ago.

She then started to pick what clothes to wear, she had to look good in front of her girlfriend lest she would embarrass herself right in front of her. She only has a handful of clothes.

It shouldn't take long

Louise giggled as she looked at Alban; a depressed aura surrounded her multi-armed girlfriend. It was already 23:43, Louise wore a white long dress while Alban wore the same shirt and pants that she wore on their first date.

"Cheer up, Alban, New Year's coming soon and I want you to be happy when it arrives," Louise said while gracing her with a smile.

"B-but I had this whole plan… it was flawless, you were going to love i- mpbh"

Before Alban could finish, Louise placed her hands on her cheeks and squished them. She gave her a look which Alban interpreted as disappointment.

"I don't need anything grand, Alban, I only need you,"

"Louishe," Alban said though squished cheeks.

Louise removed her hand and now crossed it, a small blush on her face, "W-with that being said, I still expect you to entertain me… understood?"

Alban stood still for a second before gracing Louise with a salute, "I promise you that I will show you the best night of your life!"

Familiar Festival

An event that's celebrated in Tristain's Magical Academy, it is a time for enjoyment to loiter around the entire campus with lesser restrictions. The academy itself boasts other events other than the Familiar Festival but for the second years, this festival is special to them.

Second years have practiced hard and long for the last two weeks. Perfecting tricks that their summoned familiars could do. From flight acrobatics, musical numbers and show of strength. It is a time for them to present and show off how wonderful their summoned companion is right in front, not only from the student body but also in front of royalty. The winner of this competition will receive a reward from Princess Henrietta herself! It is with this motivation; students strive hard to attract the biggest attention.

One of the particular contestants Kirche, could be seen standing on the eastern courtyard of the campus. Other students could also be seen in the same area, all practicing their tricks and presentations. That being said, the people on the courtyard weren't the only contestants, the courtyard was only a means for students with bigger familiars to train them. Others who have smaller familiars like dogs, cats, frogs, owls and the like were also training in their own rooms.

"One more time, Flame!"

Kirche pointed out her wand with a display of bravado, her familiar, a flame salamander, opened its mouth and breathed out a gout of flame. Unlike any normal flame, this one was different. Instead of spreading out in a wide cone this was made with extreme precision. A thin line of flame that spiralled emerged out of the salamander's mouth. Kirche then pulled a ceramic disk out of her bag, which contained more of the same item. She threw the disk in the air and Flame quickly took over. It used its head to guide the line of fire and use it a whip. Flame then snapped its head to the right making the fire rope hit the disk in the air.

"Let's try two this time!"

Without any pause, Kirche took out two ceramic disks and threw and in the air at the same time. Flame shattered the first one with an upwards flick of its head, it then snapped its head downwards breaking the second disk. Once both disks were gone, the flame salamander was going to take a sit and rest when it saw three disks that just emerged from its peripheral vision. It quickly snapped its head horizontally making hitting all of the disk in succession.

Kirche herself was slightly shocked, she realised what happened and rushed towards her beloved familiar and hugged it tight, fed it compliments while planting kisses on its nose the whole time.

Some ways away from Kirche, behind the door which led to the Wind Wing, a figure stood, his fists were clenched white from anger, silver white hair dishevelled, a sign of stress due to the mockery that she had turned him out to be. His eyes glowered at the sight of the red-haired girl and then to her precious familiar, a mischievous plan forming in his head.

"Kirche," he hissed to himself.

"The academy is within sight princess," the coachman said.

Princess Henrietta was looking through the window of the carriage. While she could see a part of the academy most of it was blocked due to her private bodyguards. One thing that her bodyguards couldn't block was the large hole that she recognized when she first came to the academy. Then she was reminded of Louise's condition when she visited. Worry now etched her face and this was noticed by the other person that's with her in the carriage.

"Something wrong, princess?" Agnès asked.

Princess Henrietta inwardly scolded for revealing a vulnerable side of her. She looked at the captain of the musketeer brigade with her practiced smile, that alone was enough to reassure the captain that whatever she was worrying about isn't life threatening. Even though it wasn't threatening her safety, it made her curious. Captain as she might be though, she isn't really permitted to ask about her personal life.

"You want to ask me something, Captain Agnès?" Princess Henrietta asked, noticing her curiosity.

Agnès was now alarmed, she cursed herself for making her curiosity obvious. She was about to apologise to Henrietta to but was cut off when she offered her a free question.

"You can ask, captain, I am not so high up that I will deny you your curiosity," Henrietta she smiled at her, reassuring her that she wasn't being rude.

Captain Agnès chose her question wisely and she chose the most recent that she thinks is plaguing the princess' mind. "What's so special about Karin the Heavy Wind's daughter?"

Princess Henrietta's was slightly amused at the question. She thought that the captain was going to ask her about her position or something along those lines. To ask a question that's personal to her… she felt a little divided.

"Y-you don't have to answer that question, princess," Agnès immediately said upon seeing her turmoil.

Princess Henrietta shook her head and decided to answer anyways. She had known Agnès ever since she joined up. Out of all of the knights that had the talent to become a good soldier, she was the one that had risen about all adversaries. Rising to the rank of captain in the span of a single year, she was one of those younger generations that were just good at what they did. What she doesn't know is her harrowing past, seeing how her features would darken every time her personal life is asked, Henrietta decided to hold back on it.

In the end she decided to open up to her captain. With a sigh, she felt some weight on her shoulders disappear. "Louise was my childhood friend. Back when I was still a naïve child, my mother and her mother would meet up to talk about matters regarding the kingdom. Me on the other hand, I'm stuck loitering around the castle, finding something to do to sate by boredom. That's when I saw her, sitting on a chair just beside the door that led to my mother's quarters,"

"I invited her to come and walk with me and she accepted. I think at the time, she didn't know I was the princess," Henrietta then giggled at the thought. While Agnès laughed awkwardly having trouble relating to her. "Eventually, both of us found ourselves in the castle garden and started playing there. At the end of the day, Madame Karin mother scolded Louise for not staying in seat and apologised profusely at my mother. My mother on the other hand, thought differently and told Madame Karin that she wasn't being a bother and even issued another day when both me and Louise would meet up!"

Henrietta sighed, a small smile on her lips as she remembered everything that they did back then. "Enough with these stories, we've arrived, captain,"

"Eh?"

Agnès looked outside of the carriage to see a large crowd of students, all applauding. She shook herself ready, grabbed the knob and opened the carriage door. Once she was out, she then offered her hand. Henrietta took the offered hand and with practiced ease, stepped out of the carriage. Her picture-perfect smile adorning her face, making some of the younger male students look bashful beside of their significant other.

She greeted the crowd with a bow that she had performed over and over again when having diplomatic discussions. Despite the action monotonous to her, the students in the academy find it fascinating and decided to applaud louder. Raising her head, she took a moment to scan the crowd, those who met her eye looked away in embarrassment. Her face was now worried when she couldn't see her childhood friend amongst the crowd. She then remembered where she last saw her and decided that later on, she would pay a visit. Moving along, she made her way towards the line of professors who were waiting at the entrance of the academy. All the professors bowed at her presence. The headmaster then stepped up and spoke.

"It is pleasure to meet you, Princess Henrietta," Old Osmond said.

Henrietta gave her a smile, "the pleasure's all mine, Headmaster,"

"You must be tired from your trip, come, we've prepared your quarters. While it's not a glamorous as the one you have in the castle, I hope it would suffice,"

The princess giggled, "I'm fine with anything as long as I can rest my body,"

Both headmaster, princess and captain were now walking down the hallway. The crowd that stood outside had long dispersed and were now even more motivated to step up their performance, now with the princess of Tristain watching them.

The pressure was on

Eleonore sighed heavily as she stared at the same paper for the nth time. This piece of paper, which has brought a sudden tiredness to the eldest sister was none other than Louise's expulsion paper. She wondered for a long time, what to say to her little sister. The paper apparently told her that she was expelled for assaulting a staff member, presumably a professor.

Of course, Eleonore took it up with the headmaster and asked him why was she removed to which he responded with:

"She has made her decision, Madame Eleonore. Just like I said to Professor Colbert, there was nothing that I could've said or done that would've changed her mind,"

From the looks of it, Louise had planned her expulsion. No, she intended to expel herself for reasons still unknown to her. Which is why she is making her way towards the warehouse, questions ready to be fired. Halfway to the warehouse she took a note of her surroundings. Standing in the middle of the field, she could spot around ten guards standing on their posts. One thing that she did notice were the insignia embedded on their armour; the royal insignia. It didn't take long for Eleonore to realize who was present at the school at this moment but at the moment, Princess Henrietta wasn't her concern. What concerns her right now would be her little sister.

She finally reached the warehouse; she opened the door and spoke up only to cut herself immediately. There, standing beside Louise, talking as if they were friends who hadn't met in a while, was Henrietta de Tristain. Not far from the princess was Captain Agnès if the musketeer brigade.

As if on cue, all three heads turned towards the door to see a stunned Eleonore. This jogged up the eldest sister, second nature came in to play and she immediately gave curt bow to the princess.

"P-Princess Henrietta! I-I didn't know you were here!" she said with her head down.

Henrietta smiled, "Raise your head, Madame Eleonore. I've only come here to talk with my childhood friend, Louise. You don't need to be so strict with yourself when it's just us four all alone,"

"Count me as the fifth one!" Bench called out from the back of the warehouse.

Agnès frowned at Bench's sudden quip but didn't say anything. Eleonore raised her head and made her way towards Louise and Henrietta. Seeing how every step she took was with purpose, both girls wondered why she was looking at Louise as if she wanted to ask a question. Louise observed her body language but before she could fully understand she noticed a familiar piece of rolled up paper on her hand. Louise sighed. She supposed it was better to get it over it now than later.

"Louise, may I ask what this is?" Eleonore asked, though from the tone of her voice it was more like she demanded an answer.

Louise gave her a nonchalant look. "It's my expulsion paper,"

It was then here that Henrietta gave Louise a surprised look, "You're expelled from the academy?"

Before the bombardment of questions arrived, Louise took the initiative to explain to them her reason. "I didn't get expelled because I did something wrong. I wanted to get expelled," Louise then looked at Eleonore with determined eyes. "I've given up on magic, what I have going on right now is much better: technology,"

She then opened her palm and used the nanomachines to forge a longsword, then a crossbow. She then brought up her right hand and formed a shield whilst her left formed a short sword. She did this for a few more seconds, showing them the flexibility that the nanomachines that make up her body do. When she was finished, she looked at both Henrietta and Eleonore with resolved eyes.

"Sister Eleonore… please understand,"

There was a pause. Eleonore waited for her answer but it didn't come. Instead Louise was looking past her, eyes narrowed as if she was trying to do something with precision. Of course, these things went over Eleonore and with an impatient tone she spoke.

"Understand what, Louise?"

"Shh… do you guys hear that?" She whispered.

The entire warehouse was now silent listening for something that Louise picked up but not the rest. There it was. A trill. A soft and weak trill. They traced the sound all the way to the front door. Louise took point with Eleonore just behind. Meanwhile Agnès stood in front of Henrietta as the all looked as to who was in front of the warehouse. The door opened.

Louise looked around to see that there was no one in sight, just the occasional guard on the walls but aside from that, no one. Just when she was going to close the door, she heard the trill coming from below. She looked down to see a creature.

Red scales that came from a reptile, the tip of its tail ended with a small flame. Its mouth was wide and eyes were almost side by side. It would've been an adorable creature to cuddle with since it radiates warmth. Wounds both light and heavy marked its body yet despite its body begging to stop and rest, it persevered and made its way towards this warehouse. Louise instantly recognises this creature.

"You're Kirche's familiar,"

Henrietta pushed pass her captain and gave a shocked look. She immediately made her way towards the wounded familiar and used her water magic to begin the healing. All the while, the people present thought the same thing.

What happened to it?

A/N: Uh oh looks like Flame is severely wounded. And nobody knows why. As always tell me your thoughts about today's chapter. Constructive criticism is always welcomed! With that said, time to read your reviews!

AnimeA55Kicker: Louise isn't a bi, she's a lesbian. While I know nothing about lesbian relationships or any relationships for that matter… I hope that I can portray it to the best of my abilities.

Lucian Naruto: I wouldn't say that Colbert is a bad person per se. Its just that he's just looks like the type of person to support Louise but at the same time not make it obvious so that he doesn't show favouritism in front of his students.

With all of that said and done I hope you all liked today's chapter! I bid you all adieu!

Peace~