The screen flickers for a bit before you see yourself in a theater, right next to the author as he loads the reel into the projector.
*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and welcome back to the long awaited next chapter of Familiar of Twilight.*
*It has been far too long since the last chapter came out, so in order to make up for that I have made this chapter double in length of the entire story so far. So I hope you all enjoy that.*
*Also releasing this chapter on the day before Re: Mind DLC comes out. Which has completely slipped my mind. Been binge watching Clone Wars for weeks in order to prepare for the final season. I have been watching the series from the very beginning so it will be interesting and saddening to see this ride end finally.*
*But enough of my ramblings, let us begin this chapter shall we.*
*First off I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Familiar of Zero.*
*Secondly just sit back, relax, maybe put some music on, and enjoy. I will see you all at the end of the chapter.*
The author tapped to projector, getting it to flare to life and the chapter to begin.*
Duel
"So Guiche lashed out at our dear Siesta for accidentally exposing his infidelity with a another student, I should have expected something like this sooner or later. But I didn't think that he would actively try and bury her alive." A tall man in his early forties and in a chief's uniform sighed out as he poured something into a boiling pot and began to stir it together.
The head chief of the academy, Marteau as Roxas came to know immediately came to him as he escorted Siesta in the academy's kitchens 20 minutes ago.
He had assumed that one of the nobles had stirred up some trouble with Siesta, a common occurrence according to the man. Only for it to be much worse then he thought.
So for the last 20 minutes Marteau has been cooking something, perhaps something to help Siesta the Nobody guessed.
"I take it that it is something that a student wouldn't normally do?" Roxas asked, getting chef to nod.
"Burying her alive is something that I only would have expected some of the worst nobles to do. Even then from what I hear he is still a dot mage. Meaning that he could have accidentally harmed her with his magic. Thankfully he did it in the academy otherwise he probably would have gotten away with doing such a thing." Marteau sighed out.
"It's that bad isn't it?" Roxas asked, hearing a little bit about the dichotomy between commoners and nobles from Siesta earlier.
"Sadly it is, commoners are usually powerless against nobles." Siesta said sadly.
"Though not here in the academy. An incident years ago changed the regulations and any student harming a commoner under the academy's employ is a punishable offense that usually results in the offending student's family getting fined. Nothing more humiliating to a noble then having to pay for their children's mistakes." Marteau said as he dumped the contents of the pot into a strainer. "Sure there is an incident every now and then, but never in all my years working for the academy there never has been a student actively trying to severely injure someone like this."
"Please stop reminding me." Siesta said with a shudder.
Just thinking about being back there, covered in dirt and buried in a makeshift coffin just terrified her. Almost being buried scared for more then anything, but staying in there for hours terrified her to no end.
And the possibility of her dying in their…
That last thought was broke the damn and caused Siesta to cry once again, burying her face and her hands and her whole body shivering in fear.
Roxas just stood there for a second, trying to figure out what to do in this situation.
Until he remembered then etiquette lessons Vexen gave him and the only thing that cam to mind.
The Nobody walked over to her and hugged Siesta in order to comfort her.
Siesta was startled by this, but quickly recovered and began to cry into his shoulder and returned his hug. Only for Roxas to flinch and tried to step away.
He had never really been hugged before after all.
Siesta seemed to realize this and cried a little bit harder and began to squeeze him tighter in her embrace.
Wondering what kind of life he had life's to react like that. Roxas had been nothing but kind to her and went above and beyond by saving her from being buried alive. Yet she wondered what kind of life he lived that would make him want to push someone away that hugged him.
The thought of that kind of life only made her sadder and for her to squeeze the Nobody even harder.
Roxas meanwhile stopped trying to escape, but now he was struggling to breath as he felt his ribs starting to buckle under the strain of how tight she was hugging him.
It was the Leechgrave all over again!
"Siesta, you might want to let go of the boy. He looks like he is close to passing out." Marteau said while holding two cups in his hands with steam rising from them, a teasing glint in his eye.
Siesta's face went a flame when she realized what she was doing and immediately let go of the Nobody.
"I am so sorry Roxas!" She said as she checked if Roxas was alright.
"It's alright Siesta, just please don't squeeze me so tightly again please." Roxas wheezed out, trying to refill his lungs with as much air as he possible could.
"I won't." Siesta sighed out as it looked like he was fine.
"Siesta take this, it will help you with your worries and you as well Roxas." Marteau said as he handed the cups to the two of them.
The Nobody took a look inside the cup to see that it was some kind of milk.
One that Siesta seemed to be sipping quite happily.
"Never had before anise milk have you?" Marteau asked, getting the Nobody to shake his head at that.
"Not at all, infact never heard about it before either." Roxas said truthfully, getting the chef to sigh.
"Quite a shame that is. It is a Tristanian specialty from the northern providences of the kingdom. Made from boiling milk and grounded anise seeds, it is an excellent comfort drink. A warm glass will help melt your worries away and calm the mind. So I suggest that you better enjoy it while it is still warm." Marteau said before getting a cup of his own and started to drink.
Roxas took one last quick look at the anise drink before taking a sip.
He had to admit it was a little hot for his taste, but Marteau was correct on it's properties.
It was absolutely delicious.
Roxas took another sip and saw both Marteau and Siesta giving him knowing looks before all three of them preceded to continue to enjoy their drinks.
For the next few minutes all three of them continued to enjoy their drinks in silence, not at all speaking but each of them briefly lost in their own thoughts.
For Siesta it was whatever potential mystery behind Roxas's past and still coming to grips with the horrific experience she had just experienced not that long ago.
For Marteau it was a more devious line of thinking. One that he would have to see where things go first.
For Roxas it was two things.
First was wonder about how similar to this to something Axel once told him about. Hot chocolate he believed it was called. It was supposed to be a nice, hot beverage that is supposed to relax you and is best enjoyed with friends.
He never had it of course, being content with sea salt ice cream and Axel did say it was supposed to be served when it was cold and snowy outside. Considering the only thing he had experienced snow was in the mountains of The Land of Dragons inside of Sora's body and he never had chocolate before he wouldn't really know.
Still he had to suppose this was a good alternative, enjoying what was probably this world's version of hot chocolate and help stifling his desire to pound a certain mage's head into the ground with Oblivion.
Speaking of which, after a few minutes his thoughts changed to one thing and one thing only.
Hurting Guiche.
There were very few people he was willing to hurt.
Xemnas for orchestrating most of the terrible things that have happened in his short existence.
DiZ for imprisoning him, wiping his memories, and forcing him to reunite with Sora
Xigbar and Saïx for being more or less involved with Xemnas, the later especially.
And Riku for being the reason he had to be in DiZ's clutches.
But Guiche for threatening Siesta like that, he made it onto that list.
Just below Xemnas.
A little extreme perhaps, but he did nearly burry alive the first person who had been generally kind to him in forever.
Something that the Nobody was going to make sure Guiche would never think of doing ever again.
"Not even one day and you are already causing trouble in the academy. Though I should say that is was Mr. Gramont is responsible, you are none the less involved." Osmand sighed out while entering the kitchen, breaking Roxas out of his musings.
"I take it that is why you are here Osmand, for the boy then?" Marteau said as he finished his drink.
"And to check on Siesta after everything that has happened." The headmaster said as he walked over to the maid. "And how are you feeling now my dear?"
"I'm alright now headmaster, but to be honest I am still a little shaken up." Siesta said shakily, getting Osmond to nod.
"As you should be, no one comes out of that experience without being the least bit shaken up." He sighed out. "But you should know that Mr. Gramont's family will be informed and will be fined quite a sum of eću for his transactions against yourself. With a portion given to you of course. As for him, he will face a few weeks academic punishment. Normally it would have been longer, but considering that he challenged Roxas to a duel that will suffice."
"Are you sure that is enough for him?" Roxas questioned, a slight edge in his tone as that punishment seemed light compared what he was thinking of doing.
"Quite the contrary actually, it is the right punishment for him. A number of nobles value two things sadly. Their pride and their wealth. The fine alone will cause Mr. Gramont's family to surly cut off his funding at least for a while. But his pride however now that will effectively be destroyed or be quite broken. The fine will cut his access to his family's wealth by a good bit, the detentions and word spreading about what he did will take quite a hit to his reputation, and finally losing in your duel should open his eyes to the world. That much I am sure." Osmond said with a sigh.
"Wait are you saying that Roxas can defeat Lord Guiche?" Siesta said shockingly. "I know he saved me, but he is still a commoner."
"Too be young and naïve, a blessing and a curse." The headmaster sighed out before facing Siesta. "My dear the world is a big place. I have seen nobles fall to commoners, especially ones that have been trained to fight. I am not sure how well Roxas can handle a higher ranked mage, but a dot mage like Mr. Gramont will not able to handle him. Especially with what he is fighting for."
"You got that right." Roxas said as he placed his cup down. "I intend to make him pay for what he did to Siesta, simple as that."
"And how far will you be willing to go in order to achieve this?" Osmond said seriously, getting the Nobody to pause for a bit.
How far was he willing to go.
While Guiche did nearly burry Siesta alive, compared to everyone else he wanted to hurt he was nothing compared to the Organization, DiZ, and Riku.
Just a womanizing punk with an overinflated ego.
Still he could have severely injured Siesta or worse with that stunt.
But he was still just a student and it seemed Osmond has quite the punishment lined up for him when it comes to a noble. Still while humiliating him like that would be beneficial, it wasn't enough for Roxas.
Yet going to far with him would probably only cause him trouble in this world, especially here at the academy.
That and the concerned look Siesta has been giving him since Osmond asked that question made him reconsider.
"He messed with my friend so normally it would be much worse, but since you already have something already planned for it. I suppose that I should settle for breaking his ego, show him how little he truly knows." Roxas said, figuring that this was a good alternative.
Perhaps installing the same fear that the mage put Siesta in should probably be enough.
This seemed to placate Osmond a bit, but Siesta was still giving him a look with an emotion that he couldn't get a reading on it.
The Nobody was thinking about why for a few seconds, before deciding to just ask her about it.
"What's wrong Siesta?" Roxas asked as he approached her.
She stood there for a few moments before letting out a sigh.
"I'm worried." Siesta said worriedly. "Worried about what could happen. The Headmaster did say you could possibly can defeat Lord Guiche, but what if either one of you goes too far. Either one of you could get seriously hurt or worse and if anything like that happens to Lord Guiche then…"
Siesta cut herself, tearing up at the thought of It.
She couldn't handle it, the thought of Roxas being hunted down and killed in retaliation if he killed Lord Guiche. All for defending her.
She couldn't handle it
"Siesta If you are worried about something like that then don't be, I have no intention of going that far. Teaching Guiche a lesson yes, killing him though that is a no. But if it makes you feel any better you can be there to make sure it doesn't happen just incase." Roxas said, hoping to ease her worries.
Honestly he doubt it would ever come to that, but it was probably for the best.
Considering that how his fight with Riku went and how he acted it was probably for the best that he had a friend to watch his back. To help bring him back if he ever go to far.
Axel tried the same way with him, but it was to bring him back to the Organization so that they wouldn't terminate him. It was for the wrong reasons of course, but in the end it was to save his friend.
But now he didn't know whether Axel was alive or not after their last encounter. So with that he only person left that he could call a friend and someone that he could trust.
And that was Siesta.
Speaking the which she was stunned, unsure of what to say.
Roxas was asking her to keep a watch over him during his duel with a Lord Guiche, incase he took things too far. Displaying a great deal of faith in her in order to do so.
But there is one question that she had on her mind.
"Why?" Siesta asked the Nobody. "Why are you asking me to do this. Do you really trust me that much to do so?"
"Of course I, you are the first person to have treated me so kindly in a long time. I consider you a friend Siesta and someone that I can fully trust. The last time I was in any kind of situation similar to this I was reckless and it cost me greatly. So I would like to have someone who I can trust to keep an eye out if do so again. So Siesta can you please do me this for me?" Roxas asked honestly.
Siesta was once again surprised, but she quickly shook it off.
If he was putting this much faith in her, then she might as well returned it.
"If you are willing to put this much trust in me Roxas, then I will keep an eye on you." Siesta said with a small smile, getting one from the Nobody in turn.
"Thank you Siesta." Roxas said, glade to know that once again he had a friend that he could truly trust in.
"It is no problem Roxas." Siesta said.
"Well I hate to interrupt this admittedly touching scene, I have to remind you Roxas that the time for the duel is drawling near. So I would take some time to prepare yourself for the duel just incase." Osmond said, getting the both of them to turn to face them to see both him and Marteau looking at them with a smile and a glint of some kind in their eye.
Roxas had to admit that Osmond had a point, it was probably best to do some practice with Oblivion after this.
He hadn't had a true physical body since DiZ Locke's him away in that virtual prison before reuniting with Sora.
So it was reasonable to assume he might be a little rusty.
It might be a good idea to see how much he needed to fix before he got back to his full strength.
"That sounds like a good idea actually, it has been a while since I had a chance to stretch out at all." Roxas said before turning to Siesta. "I will see you at the duel soon enough, alright."
"Alright, I will see you then." Siesta said with a smile, getting on e from him in return before he turned to face Marteau.
"Thank you for the milk, I really needed it." Roxas said honestly, getting Marteau to smile on his own.
"It was no problem, and if you ever want more feel free to come back here. We commoners have to look out for each other after all." Marteau said, before his smile turned to a grin. "And make sure to teach Guiche a lesson about messing with one of our own like that as well."
"I already plan on it." Roxas said before he turned and gave Siesta one last goodbye and disappeared behind the kitchen's doors.
Which to everyone's surprise opened back a few seconds later to reveal Louise.
"Familiar I know that you are here and you better not be…" Louise's words died in her throat once she saw that Roxas wasn't there at all.
Only a surprised looking Siesta and Marteau.
And the form of her Headmaster giving her a stern glance.
"Miss Vallière if you are looking for Roxas then he just left to prepare for the dual, so I am sure that he will be returning to Professor Colbert soon. Speaking of, did you inform Guiche about his punishment just like he asked?" Osmond said sternly.
"Of course headmaster."Louise said, omitting the fact she was tempted to slap the noble for the trouble he caused.
But it seemed Monmon beat her to it during their confrontation.
"Then why haven't you gone back to Professor Colbert yet then?" Osmond said inquisitively, getting Louise to look nervous. "Did you come here because you were concerned for your familiar, wishing to tell him to give up on the duel, or is it to accuse him of anything is it?"
"The middle one actually, He is going up against a mage after all, I can't have my familiar dishonoring me by losing on the second day after summoning him." Louise said, denying that she was thinking that here familiar was going to make a move on that maid.
Not at all.
Osmond just sighed at that, garnering what Louise was truly thinking of.
"Miss Vallière you shouldn't be worried about that then. Mr. Gramont needs a wake up call to what lies beyond the walls of the academy and Roxas is dueling for his friends honor, only a few causes are nobler then that." Osmond said, gesturing to Siesta and emphasizing the word friend, hoping to get through to Louise on that subject.
Which judging by the the way she flinched at that, it might have worked if just for a little bit.
No telling what the future might bring after all.
"So I would have a little more faith in your familiar Miss Vallière. For your familiar is also representing this duel of honor. So if you think that he is going to fail and pull him out after he has already been challenged, then what does that say about you?" Osmond said, getting Louise to stop what she was going to say and to pause. "If you wish to think it, then I suggest that you do so on the way back to Professor Colbert. Enough time has past that the duel is drawling near and you have spent long enough away that he will get suspicious of something even if you took this long to find Mr. Gramont. So I suggest that you better head back now if you do not wish to get in trouble with him."
"Of course headmaster!" Louise said, bolting out of the kitchen in order not to serve detention. With Osmond's question playing on repeat in the back of her mind.
Said man sighed and turned to Siesta.
"My dear, I know that you are already going to head out. But can you please try to keep an eye on Miss Vallière during the duel. I am afraid if her pride is on the line or the wrong thing angers her, she might try something. I hope that I am wrong, but can you please do so just in case?" He asked, getting Siesta to nod.
"Of course headmaster." She said with a bow, before exiting out of the door.
With that Osmond sighed and turned to Marteau.
"Is there anymore of that Aspen Milk left?" He asked, getting the head chef to shake his head.
"No, but I can make a quick cup and still be in time for the duel. Can't wait to see a noble being taken down a peg or ten." Marteau said excitedly, disappearing into further into the kitchen.
"I bet you are." Osmond sighed out while taking out his pipe, silently bemoaning that it was too early in the day to drink.
Considering that between this, the upcoming Familiar Festival, and the civil war in Albion threatening to spill into Tristian sooner or later he might have to rescind that little rule.
"Looks like I wasn't as rusty as I thought." Roxas said walked out of a Corridor of Darkness and into an empty hallway, closing the corridor behind him.
He had opened a Corridor to the top of one of the towers when he sensed Louise approaching.
A little mean perhaps, but he was in no mood to deal with her shouting at him at the moment.
After that he slipped off the tower's roof and onto on of the walkways connecting it to the other towers, taking a few practice swings with Oblivion.
He felt a little slower then usual, but that was something a few days of training would remedy that.
Considering that he was without a physical body of his own for over a month, that was good news. It could have been a lot worse.
Still it was more then enough for him to be able to handle Guiche.
Roxas walked down the hall for a little bit more before exciting the courtyard to see a bunch of groaning students using spades to take care of the ground Guiche had tried to use to bury Siesta. With Professor Colbert looking over them a few members of the schools servants
"You are all almost done here, a few minutes more and then you are all free to do as you wish." Colbert encouraged the students, getting the nobles to groan out even louder in protest.
And the members of the schools's servants to smile as the watched as the nobles were doing hard labor for once.
Roxas took a few steps before he felt Louise's presence run up from behind him.
Looks like he wasn't able to shake her off after all.
"There you are familiar!" Louise shouted from behind, getting him to turn around to see that she was a little short on breath. "Where were you?"
"Getting ready for the duel after comforting Siesta." Roxas said with a shrug.
"And what is your relationship with that maid?!" Louise demand haughty, a hundred different scenarios running threw her head. Most of them ending with her familiar trying to get with the maid." Why go through the trouble of dueling a noble just to save a commoner maid!"
"Siesta." Roxas said firmly, a small frown marring his face at Louise's tone.
"Pardon?" Louise asked agitatedly.
"Here name is Siesta, not maid nor commoner." Roxas said firmly. "So can you please refer to her as such?"
"Fine!" Louise growled out, in her mind her suspicions were close to being being confirmed. "Then why would you be willing to go through dueling Guiche for a commoner maid like Siesta then!"
"It is because she is my friend, the only one that I know of to still be alive!" Roxas snapped at Louise, annoyed with her attitude and causing the girl to flinch. "She is the first person to have generally treated me kindly in a long time, and for that I consider her my friend. So if anyone dares to mess with her, like Guiche has I will make sure that they would regret it. After all wouldn't you do the same for your friends?"
Louise stood there gobsmacked for a minute or two, before she started to fume.
How dare her familiar talk to her like that!
No one talks to her like that and gets away with it!
Minus her mother of course, she was smart enough not to tempt death after all!
Louise wanted oh so much just to punish her familiar. Just to beat some sense into him and show him his place!
But as much as she hated to admit it…he was right, at least about his last words!
And she was wrong!
He familiar wasn't helping out the maid in order to bed that cow!
No matter how she felt about it, or how unfair it was! Seriously with nobles she could more or less understand being blessed due to their bloodlines, but a commoner! By the founder it was just plain unfair!
No, her familiar was helping her because she was the only person alive that he considered a friend. The same way she had Henrietta.
Hell if their situation was reversed and Guiche would have done something absolutely stupid like that to Henrietta, well she would make absolutely sure that no one would never be able to find his body once she was done with him.
And if Roxas was directly that kind of fury towards Guiche…well as she hated to admitted there was a possibility she might witness his death unless her familiar would be having mercy on his poor, unfortunate soul.
"Louise are you alright?" Roxas asked while he approached her.
She had been silent form about a minute now, a complete contrast from how he has known her so far.
While the Nobody was annoyed at her just up and shouting at him about Siesta, it didn't mean he could just ignore her if something is wrong. Otherwise there was a chance she should shout at him for not being considerate to her.
It might be a bit pessimistic to think like that, but his interactions with Louise so far haven't proved him wrong otherwise.
It took a Louise a minute to comprehend what Roxas was asking and for her to realize that he was approaching her.
"I'm fine!" Louise shouted, her face aflame in embarrassment as she took a step or two back from being caught being lost in thought like this.
"Alright then." Roxas said backing off, figuring that if she could still should like that she would be alright.
Louise took a deep breath in order to compose herself.
"Normally I would have you go apologize to Guiche for even accepting this duel!" Louise snapped out before letting out a sigh. "But I suppose that you will not do so, for what he did to that maid."
"I would not." Roxas said, his tone showing that their was no room for arguments there.
"Then I will only say this once familiar, beat him. If the maid means that much to you as a friend, just beat him for her honor. That and my own, can't have my familiar lose and bring dishonor to me. Especially against that pathetic excuse of a womanizer!" Louise declared, her tone changing to a haughty one at the end.
Roxas after hearing that let out a little smile.
Although it seemed like most of her motives were self centered, he could clearly hear a slight change in tone with her talking about in Siesta. That she at some level at least understood why he was doing this. He figured that if he hadn't said anything, she probably would have told him just to surrender to Guiche along with Siesta.
Soothing the Nobody would not allow.
Maybe there was some hope for a partnership between the two of them, without her shouting at him all the time. Too soon to tell maybe, but this was at least a decent start.
"Believe me I plan on it." Roxas said simply, getting Louise to nod.
"Good now one more thing, talk back to me like that again and I will find a way to make you regret it." Louise warned with a frown.
She would have normally not let her familiar talk back to her like that, but considering that he was the only thing keeping her from being expelled from the academy and that the headmaster might notice if she tried anything.
So Louise supposed that as long as her familiar didn't leave and she got to see that perverted, womanizing dog Guiche be taken down a peg then she would will be willing to overlook her familiar's slight against her just this once.
And also not because she could understand his desire to defend the maid, not at all.
Roxas could only sigh at that, seems like they were still at quite a rocky start.
But at least it was a start after all.
Before the Nobody could speak up to Louise about it, he sensed Professor Colbert approach the two of them from behind. Getting Louise to freeze at the sight of him.
"It is good to see that your is punctual, unlike yourself Miss Vallière. I expected you to have been back here 20 minutes ago. I had to send Mr. Grandple to find you and he hasn't shown arrived back either.
So for what reason are you late and have you seen Mr. Grandple anywhere?" Colbert said sternly, getting Louise to flinch.
"W-well it was Guiche's fault for being so hard to find after the duel and finding my familiar! The headmaster can support my with the later!" Louise said, going from stuttering to shouting out.
"I see." Colbert said before turning to Roxas. "Is she telling the truth?"
"She is, Louise was looking for me and caught up to me right after I was done preparing for the duel." Roxas said, as it was technically true. That and not doing so would probably get her to start shouting at him later, which would be annoying.
"I see." Colbert said while nodding before turning to Louise. "Still Miss Vallière, my second question has gone unanswered. Have you seen Mr. Grandple?"
"I thought I saw him trying to sneak into the kitchens after I couldn't find my familiar there. Mutter about how easy it was to do so under that fool of a professor. His words not mine" Louise said, her tone containing slight disdane.
Well she did pass him looking for Nobody, she didn't see him around the kitchen. Though he did mutter out loud about sneaking down there later and his comment against Professor Colbert, one of the few staff who believed in her. Considering the way he usually calls her a Zero, that comment against Colbert, that there were several witnesses, and the fact he was pretty much a pervert that Louise was more then willing to throw that fat pig towards him.
"Really now, a fool of a professor I am. Mr. Grandple deserves a lesson in respect it seems." Colbert said sternly before turning to the group of exhausted mages , who have just finished fixing up the damaged court. "Whoever brings me Mr. Grandple and tells him he will be serving detention for the next 2 weeks and making sure my classroom is spotless will receive extra marks on their assignments under me for the next week, no matter the grade. Remember to bring him to Vestri Court."
At that most of the mages gained a second wind and took off. Extra grades and a target to possibly exercise some of their frustration on from having to fix the ground, it was too good of a chance to pass up.
Roxas had to admit, he was impressed at how Colbert was handling this insubordination. If it was Xemnas, Xaldin, or Saïx it was either turned into a Dusk, impaled, they have Axel end your existence, or just kill you themselves.
Considering how well it worked out for them, half of the Organization was effectively nonexistent now and he had gone rouge.
Colbert though, he had put those nobles through their paces without resorting to the methods that the Organization used without even resorting to raising his voice. Then again he wasn't literally heartless like them or himself. He was a teacher to a bunch of prideful nobles and mages, so he suspected that he needed to do so in order to get them respect him.
The Nobody could respect it, as the man seemed to command respect from Louise as much as Osmond does.
"As for you Miss Vallière, I will have to ask you to come with me so we can have a short discussion about your tardiness and I will consider this a warning. Just know that you will be receiving an evenings detention with me if this happens again. Are we clear Miss Vallière?" Colbert said sternly, getting Louis to nod shakily.
"Of course professor." Louise said, internally sighing in relief as she was not getting off easily. While also internally raging that if her familiar probably hadn't said anything she probably be serving in detention.
"Now then Roxas was it?" Colbert asked, getting the Nobody to nod. "Well Roxas follows Mrs. Vallière and I and you will be at Vestri Court, the duel beginning in a few minutes. In the meanwhile Mrs. Vallière, we are going to have our discussion right now." Colbert said giving Louis a stern look, getting the noble to gain a resigned look before she walked up towards the professor.
Who started to calmly lay into her tardiness as the two walked off to Vestri Court, getting Roxas to quietly take some mental notes off of him. Figuring it was probably a good idea to do so incase Louise snaps at him again.
The Nobody took a few steps behind them before he sensed someone approaching behind him, getting him to smile.
"You have arrived just in time Siesta." Roxas said as the maid approached from behind him.
"Of course, you asked me to keep an eye on you." Siesta said with a small smile. She was still feeling uncertain about the amount of faith Roxas had placed in her for this and hoping that it wouldn't come to pass.
Yet at least she would go through with it, as he had placed that much faith in her as a friend and she would do so.
"I wouldn't have anyone else to do so." Roxas said as the two walked along with each other towards the court.
Louise noticed this and started to frown, before shaking those thoughts off.
The maid was nothing more then a friend to her familiar, that and it was below her to get jealous.
Especially of her cow like figure. Not at all.
Besides it wouldn't really matter if her familiar won the duel.
It would the first step to she everyone that she wasn't a Zero!
A few minutes later Vestri Court was packed with students of all years, all eager to see the duel.
After all, it wasn't every day a noble duels a commoner and for a good number of mages in the crowd it showed the later their true place in the world.
Beneath them.
But for the rest, it was to see how Louise's familiar would fare against Guiche. Some to see if Louise had failed again by summoning him, some curious to see Guiche being taken down a peg, and some wanting either one of them to lose for Colbert making them fix the courtyard without magic,
Basically the crowd was eager to see what would go down as most of their eyes where on Roxas who was taking a few practice swings with Oblivion while Guiche was doing waving his rose elegantly while making a speech about the superiority of nobles, all the while fixing a barely hidden glare at the Nobody.
At least most of them anyway, as a few eyes were fixated elsewhere.
More specifically the redhead stretching herself along the back wall.
"This will be an entertaining match, don't you think Tabitha?" Kirche asked her friend.
Tabitha did not respond, only lifting her eyes from the book she was reading a little.
Siesta was towards the back of the crowd nearby Professor Colbert who had just finished Malicorne quit the verbose tounge lashing for his disobedience. She was quite worried how this will turn out and hoped that she would not go through with what her new friend had asked her to do.
Louis stood there at the side of the crowd, waiting to see what would happen before reacting. While internally hoping her familiar would win and show everyone that they were wrong about her.
Roxas was just focused on one thing and one thing only, making Guiche pay.
For Guiche however it was the exact same reason, mixed in with anger.
He had been slapped by Montmorency and then told by Louise what was going to happen to him after the duel.
Safe to say his parents were going to be displeased and mostly going to cut off his allowance for a few months once the letter arrived. And visiting the over the hold was not going to be a pleasant experience. Especially once his eldest brother and his harpy of a wife heard this, the two of them always looking for ways to mock him.
All because of the familiar rescuing the maid,
The only way he knew right now was to defend his honor and showing the familiar his rightful place.
That way he at least knew that if his father heard about this, the punishment would be less severe.
So while he would win due to being a noble against a magicless commoner, he wasn't going to leave this to chance.
No he was going to take a page or two out of his father's personal book of tactics in order to guaranteed victory if it comes down to it.
Guiche finished his speech and saw that the Nobody hadn't even been listening at all, infuriating him.
He was going to enjoy smashing this familiar into the dirt where he belonged.
"Familiar I will praise you for not running away." Guiche said with a flip of his cape and a wave of his rose.
"Well no one would want to run away from a windbag like yourself." Roxas said, hoping to irritate Guiche for wasting their time with that long winded speech of his.
Some of the nobles were thinking of what sacrilege the familiar used against a noble like Guiche. Others thought it was a little funny and starting to laugh, having the desired effect on Guiche.
Now he really wanted to show the familiar his place, but honor and fear compelled him to make one more option.
"Louise I would offer this to your familiar, but considering how he has slighted me I instead make this to you. Call off your familiar and tell him to surrender and apologize to me. On his knees, face to the ground like the commoner he is. Then I will forgive him call off this duel. I am sure you do not wish to see your familiar be beaten to a pulp after just getting one." Guiche said haughtily yet honestly.
He had to thank the Founder his father had taught him not to cross what as potentially the scariest woman in the Halkeginia.
So he was wise enough to not insult her youngest daughter and treating her with respect despite seemingly being borderline magicless until yesterday. As well as trying to hit on here despite thinking that she was a beautiful woman in her own way just like the rest.
That and she was already engaged to a respectable noble, he held some standards after all.
Still the thought that the woman who could turn his battle hardened father into a sobbing wreck at the thought of her enraged as a potential mother in law terrified him!
So as much as he wished to deal with this commoner, let it not be said that he didn't try to end things peacefully with Louise and risk anything happening to him or his house.
After all four students played a particularly nasty trick on Louise last year and when this one started all were never to return to school, one of them have their whole family being arrested for treason with substantial evidence.
He was smart enough to figure out what happened and who was responsible, but the teasing and mockery continued undeterred. Yet no one before or after committee anything as close to that incident again.
It was next to impossible to happen, but he was not willing to risk.
Louise had a conflicted look on his face, before remembering what the headmaster said before speaking.
"Normally I would agree with you Guiche, but this time I will have to ask you to surrender. There is no way I believe that you can defeat my familiar as you would only be humiliated. But I will permit you to be as rough a necessary with my familiar in order to beat some of the rebellious out of him. That is if you don't surrender that is." Louise said haughty, getting some of the nearby nobles to laugh at her and Roxas to sigh.
He should have expect Louise to have said something like that.
Still at least she admitted that she had faith in him
"Well this has gotten interesting, do you think Louise's faith in her familiar is warranted? I mean he is handsome and possibly strong for a comment if he can wield that sword easily enough. Still do you think that is enough?" Kirche asked Tabitha.
She continued to read for a few moments before looking up.
"Yes." Was all she said before going back to her reading.
"Really then this should be a match to watch then." Kirche said with a grin, ready to see how this was all going to go down.
Guiche meanwhile was not expecting that kind of responses, but he was glad to.
He could go through with showing her familiar his place then.
"Well then if that is what your master has to say then prepare to be defeated. But as I am honorable I with give you to say some final words before we start." Guiche said with a swish of his hair, secretly picking of a few rose petals and stuffing them in his pocket.
Better to prepared after all.
"If you say that then I have one thing to say. Surrender and apologize to Siesta for nearly burry her for your mistake and I will a end this duel." Roxas said, half expecting Guiche to actually surrender.
Only for the mage to let out a slight, haughty laugh along with quite a number of nobles at that and getting the Nobody to tighten his grip on Oblivion. The Keyblade hummer along as they both seemed to agree on the same thing.
They would make him truly regret what he did.
"A noble apologizing to a commoner, preposterous." Guiche said, getting a majority of the crowd to nod in agreement.
Including Louise, although she did so subtly as for her familiar not to not.
Which Roxas did and frowned at that.
There was still a lot of work needed to be done before he could safely say they could be partners.
"Well if those are your last words, then it is time to begin this duel." Guiche said with flick of his rose.
"I couldn't agree more." Roxas said, getting into his stance.
The duel had begun.
Roxas rushed at Guiche, intending to finish this here and now.
However the mage smirked an with a quick flex of his rose, a petal cake lose and touched down upon the ground.
It erupted into a pillar of light and when it died down there was a feminine looking golem made out metal, a spear clutched in it's fist. The golem used its spear to block Roxas's attack and pushed him back a bit.
"Did you really think that I would fight you up close, that is for commoners." Guiche said with a sneer. "No this is how a noble fights, using what the Founder Brimir has blessed us millennia ago. You can never match my lovely bronze Valkyrie. She is the harbinger of the punishment you rightfully deserve for ever thinking of standing up against a noble such as myself."
Among the crowd of nobles, most where certain Guiche would win. After all while he was a simple dot mage, his expertise with metal work was nothing to laugh at as it was a more advanced branch of earth magic.
So they were certain that Guiche would win and show this upstart familiar his place.
For Roxas though, it just solidified that Guiche was pathetic.
He was fighting behind a golem, something the Nobody would admit would be a valid strategy from all his missions with Demyx. But unlike him, Guiche looked like he couldn't even fight his way out of a wet paper bag.
As for his so called Valkyrie, while it looked like it was about as strong as a Shadow there was a major flaw to it's design.
Roxas took a swing with Oblivion, the edge connecting with the Valkyrie's midsection. With a little more force to his swing the golem was bisected and began to break into pieces.
It's flaws was that it's sides weren't as armored as the rest of it.
The spear dropped down to the ground, brushing past his left hand.
Suddenly Roxas felt something flare inside his body and he felt his instincts take over. In the blink of an eye the Nobody grabbed the spear, twirled it in his hand, and threw it towards Guiche's feet.
Who squared like a frightened baby when it embedded itself into the ground and forced him back.
Roxas would have used a little girl for the comparison, but that would be insulting the girl to do so.
The Nobody was surprised for a quick second, before pushing it down.
Whatever that feeling was he could focus on it later, for now though he had more important matters with the duel.
He still needed to make Guiche pay after all.
Most of the mages were shocked, seeing a commoner ripping through Guiche's Valkyrie like it was nothing. It was unheard of for a commoner to do something like this to a noble. They were expecting for the familiar to either be in pain or unconscious. Instead the familiar hadn't even suffered the most minute of scratches and was still standing tall.
Siesta sighed in relief as it looked like things were going to be alright.
Louise was doing the same, though it was for the fact that the Headmaster had been right about he familiar and she hadn't been a fool and misplaced her faith in him like she initially did.
Kirche and Tabitha were still observing the duel from their spot on the wall, the former now wearing a grin at seeing how things were playing out.
Colbert though he was keeping an extra eye on Roxas. He noticed that slight moment of confusion, the faint glow of his ruins when he held that spear, and his moments when wielding his strange sword. It seemed that as thought that Roxas was an expert at the blade, but probably had never held a spear in his life.
Add in the way he had thrown it at Mister Gramont was that of an expert. He had experienced enough javelins being thrown at him to correctly identify if someone has had at least a degree of mastery and Roxas had just matched them superbly.
A possible sign of the true power of Gandálfr perhaps?
Though for Guiche he felt his confidence waiver significantly.
The familiar was much stronger then he anticipated, he had thought it was going to be an easy victory with him being a commoner and all.
He might have underestimated the familiar perhaps, but being over prepared for dealing with him remained to be seen.
If Verdante could finish the preparations on time that is.
He noticed that the crowd of mages were staying at him expectedly and made a dramatic flip of his hair in order to compose himself.
"I underestimated you familiar, something that I will make sure won't happen again!" Guiche declaimed with the wave of his rose, six petals floating down onto the ground and spring up into six Valkyries all lined up in two rows.
Roxas wasn't impressed, Demyx could summon dozens more in that same amount of time and he was pretty sure his water clones could easily destroy Guiche's little toys.
This was going to be easy.
"Are you getting nervous familiar, well you should be. This is the true power of a noble, I can have an entire army at my disposal, while you fight alone. With this magic there is no way that you could ever defeat-" Guiche's speech was cut off as he let out another high pitch squeal as he dove for cover from Oblivion, which Roxas had thrown just to shut him up.
The Keyblade passed back over the scared mage and tore through two of Guiche's Valkyries before Roxas caught it, a small smirk on his face at Guiche's reaction.
Something which infuriated the dot mage and got him to stand up in an enraged huff.
"You think that is funny familiar! Well I will show you how wrong you are when I show everyone here your true place, that you are lucky to exist at all when compared the prestige of a noble!" Guiche declaimed angrily, getting a few cheers from some nobles before being silenced by a stern glance from Colbert.
Roxas paused as he processed those words, before gripping Oblivion tightly. The Keyblade vibrating angrily at the remark.
He hated being reminded of that. That as a Nobody he didn't deserve to exist. Similar to the words being spoken to by DiZ.
He was going to make sure Guiche regretted those words.
The light began to darken around the court for a few seconds before returning normal, getting quite a few looks of confusion from most of the crowd as there wasn't a cloud in the sky to have done something like this.
As Guiche was looking on in confusion as well, he and the rest of the crowd was brought back into reality as by the sound of metal being torn apart. Roxas tore through two of the Valkyries, with a cold look in his eyes. One directed at the dot mage.
One that immediately sent a sort of primordial fear within Guiche as we waved his rose for his Valkyries pulled back to him.
It did nothing as Roxas as he shot towards them and sliced the other two apart without even trying. Roxas then turned his attention towards Guiche and rushed towards the dot mage.
Guiche silently prayed to the Founder that Verdandi would turn up soon, as it was becoming clear that he wouldn't win this without his back up plan.
Which enraged him a little that he could not win against this familiar, but it was quickly replaced by fear as the look Roxas was giving him terrified him!
One of unfeeling rage, directed solely at Guiche.
Roxas was about to strike him when Guiche threw the rose petals he had save in a last ditch effort to slow him down.
Roxas saw the fluttering petals and backed up a few steps as he had seen Marluxia doing a similar trick before unleashing a surprise attack.
The Nobody was partially right as with a wave of his rose, the petals changed into caltrops that instantly fell to the ground. With one of them nicking Roxas in the arm on the way down.
Guiche began to panic as he was nearly out of options and that he was sure that the familiar was certainly going to kill him with that same terrifying look in his eyes.
That was until he noticed Verdandi pop his head out of the ground, getting confusion from most of the crowd. Wondering why Guiche's familiar was even there.
But for the dot mage, it was as if Founder Brimir had come back from the dead.
This was his chance to win!
Roxas rushed at Guiche, intending to end this.
But Guiche with a dramatic flip of his cape and hair swung his rose down to the ground.
"Remember this familiar, as this is the fate of all commoners who over step their bounds!" Guiche declared as the rose touched the ground.
A circle of light appeared on the ground around Roxas, he tried to pull back but it was too late.
Metal spires rose from the ground quickly meeting and bending into the middle. Quickly coming together until forming a metallic tomb with the Nobody inside. One resembling, a warped rose bud.
As Guiche collapsed onto the ground, most of the crowd stared in shock with Colbert frowning, never expecting Mister Gramont to use one of his father's spells.
Especially the Iron Rose.
A spell that required time and preparation in order to set up, but when it did it could capture at most a dozen soldiers. Though it was much smaller, was crudely welded together, and seemed to have nearly wiped Guiche out of his magic.
Still the fact that he managed to cast it at all while still a dot mage was still impressive and showed off his potential.
Now if only he would spend more of his time studying then chasing around the academy's maids…
For Louise and Siesta they were both shocked.
For Louise it was seeing her familiar was possibly going to lose after handling Guiche so easily.
For Siesta, it was shock and horror.
Roxas was fighting in the first place after rescuing her from being buried alive and now he had suffered the same fate, except of a tomb of earth it was a tomb of cold steel.
Tears began to stream from her eyes of the thought of being trapped back in that tomb and of her friend experiencing the same thing all for her sake.
Guiche straightened himself out and used what little remained of his magic to summon two Valkyries to support himself back up.
He hated that he had to use his father's spell, but the familiar was too strong otherwise.
He hated to admit it, but it was true. Without Verdandi laying out the rose petals underground, he would have lost.
"I will admit familiar that you are strong, for a commoner that is." Guiche said bitterly. "But this is where it ends, right where this whole mess began. With a commoner being given their just punishment, perhaps I was a bit too harsh with the maid, but for you familiar you deserve this." He practically spat out the last verse. "With this there is no escape unless I allow it or any airflow, it is only a matter of time til I win and prove that us nobles are su-"
Guiche was cut off from his monologue as Oblivion burst forth from Roxas's metallic prison, the color from his face draining and his expression turning into one of horror.
"Impossible." Guiche said as he took a few steps back as Oblivion was pulled back before reappearing and taking a larger chunk of the metal off.
It disappeared one last time before making a hole big enough for Roxas to fit through.
"This can not be happening!" Guiche declared as Roxas stepped out of the construct, looking none the worst for ware.
A good portion of the mages were just as surprised as he was, the other's not so much. Well that feat was impressive for a dot mage, compared to his Valkyries this was just a bit above them. If he put it into practice a bit more or was at least a line mage then they were sure things would have gone differently.
Louise was breathing a sigh of relief as it looked like her familiar was going to win with Siesta doing the same.
Except that relief wanted to turn to worry once she got a glimpse of Roxas's eyes.
They were cold and furious, a complete change from earlier in the duel.
She began to push through the crowd, hoping that she was only seeing things and hoping that what Roxas asked her to do wouldn't come to pass.
"No! No! No! No! No! Stay away!" Guiche said as he backed away from the approaching form of the familiar, no the unstoppable monster in human skin right in front of him!
Roxas tore through the last two Valkyries with ease, his near emotionless glare scaring Guiche with each step he took.
The Nobody vanished in a burst of speed, before reappearing and planting the blunt edge of Oblivion into Guiche's rib cage. The dot mage screamed out in pain as he flew into the air, before Roxas slammed Oblivion into his back and sent Guiche crashing into the ground.
Guiche groaned out in pain as he tried to crawl towards his rose, only for Roxas to stomp on it and twist his shoe on it. Grounding it into the dirt.
"I yield!" Guiche gasped out as he held his ribs in pain, seeing no way out of this situation. Roxas just trained Oblivion's tip at the dot mage's heart. "I said that I yield, you have to stop!"
"Siesta begged you not to bury her, but you still did so. So why should I care." Roxas said coldly, getting Guiche to pale.
"Because I am a noble and she is a commoner! She lacks magic, and the power and money my family posses!" Guiche said in fear, which only increased at the Nobody's uncaring face.
"I could care less about how rich or how influential your family is. As for the magic, the way you are cowering means that without your rose then you can not use magic. So you are nothing more then a commoner now. The same kind that you have been calling lowly and lucky to even exist at all. So what does that make you right now?" Roxas asked coldly, getting Guiche to grow even more fearful that he would actually die.
Roxas would have continued, but he felt a pair of arms wrap around him firmly.
"Roxas please stop, this is enough." Siesta said shakily, part of her relieved after figuring what her friend was trying to do and for stopping him from possibly going too far.
"Why should I, he was willing to bury you alive and not care about it no matter how much you begged him too." Roxas said, emotion starting to bleed back into his tone as he calmed down a bit.
"Because if you continue then you are no better then he is." Siesta said, pointing to the terrified form of Guiche.
Roxas looked between Guiche and Oblivion before sighing and lowering his Keyblade, Oblivion humming in a mixture of what the Nobody could figure was a strange mixture of relief and disappointment.
He had nearly lost it once again, just like with Riku. Roxas supposed that Siesta was right, he had completely destroyed Guiche and continuing to make him suffer would just prove Siesta's point and make himself no better then the dot mage himself no matter how much he wanted to make Guiche continue to hurt for what he said.
Besides the Nobody was sure that he wouldn't bother trying anything after having his whole perception of commoners come crashing down from being outclassed.
But there was one thing to do.
"Apologize to Siesta and I will put away my weapon." Roxas said coldly, the weapon vibrating in his hands.
"I am sorry! I swear on my life that I will never harm the maid ever again!" Guiche shouted honestly, too terrified to even resist the Nobody.
Roxas nodded as he figured that he had at least learned his lesson and put away Oblivion. Still what he had irked the Nobody and he didn't trust himself to be around Guiche for a bit.
So Roxas separates himself from Siesta before giving her an apologetic look before fixing the defeated mage a glare that made him back off.
"If you ever threaten someone I care about again, there will be nothing to stop me from continuing." Roxas said before walking off. "Same goes for about saying that someone is lucky to exist at all."
The Nobody said as he walked away and towards the crowd, which parted away from him either scared or curious of what Louise's familiar could do after soundly defeating a mage like that despite being a commoner.
"Familiar where do you think that you are going!" Louise shouted as Roxas left.
She might be feeling proud that her familiar managed to defeat a mage without a scratch, even if it was just a dot mage. But the fact here familiar was leaving instead of getting the accolades he deserves and for herself for having such a powerful familiar puzzled and frustrated her.
"I need sometime to myself, I will be back later." Roxas said simply, wishing to cool off as he was still tempted to beat Guiche into the ground for that sole comment.
As he walked back into the academy, Louise chased after him in a huff. Annoyed at being talked to like that, she rushed after him.
Only to find that her familiar had disappeared once again.
While Louise was wondering how her familiar kept doing that, in the court as the crowd talk amongst themselves Guiche got to his knees, petting his familiar as he composed himself.
"You did well Verdandi." He said honestly, getting the giant mole to rub itself against the mage's hand happily.
While Guiche began to think of the duel, past the pain in his ribs and the lingering fear he wondered how could of he have been so blind.
He had been blind to the fact that a commoner could have no possibility of beating a mage. Only to have been soundly beaten by one.
Blind for thinking that magic could easily overwhelm a commoner. Only for the familiar to overpower his Valkyries like they were tin soldiers and break through his strongest spell without looking the worst for ware.
Blind for thinking that there was no way a lowly commoner could ever compare to him. Only to end up being unable to use magic until he can acquire a new rose, basically a commoner in all but name similar to Louise.
Blind for thinking that he could justify his treatment of the maid for his own mistake. Only for him to reduced to the same position that she once was. On the ground and terrified that he might die.
"Lord Guiche, are you alright?" Siesta asked him, getting Guiche to look at the maid in surprise.
Instead of either hatred or loathing like he figured that the maid would hold for…his mistake…the maid instead wore an expression of kindness and concern.
This was something that he never expected.
"I'm alright maid." Guiche said neutrally, his tone portraying no emotion. "Thank you for your concern, but I am alright. A trip to the infirmary and I shall be alright."
"Physically you might be, but you have some thinking to do. Some of which will be with me over the next two weeks in detention." Colbert said as he walked up to the two. "Siesta can you please leave us?"
"Of course Professor Colbert." Siesta said with a bow and made to take her leave.
She gave Guiche a small nod as she passed before she walked past the dispersing crowd of mages.
"I believe that we should head towards the infirmary as your were saying mister Gramont, it might be a good idea to get your ribs checked out. I can tell you from experience that it would be better to treat them now then to suffer the consequences later." Colbert said as he began to walk with Guiche towards the infirmary, the later doing a dramatic flip of his cape.
Hiding a wince as he did so.
"I will have to take your word for it professor." Guiche said with a wince.
"Better here then in a war zone, out there your opponent will not care if are still alive and breathing at the end of a fight. No matter if they are a commoner like Roxas or a noble like yourself." Colbert sighed out. "You need to do some serious thinking mister Gramont and to learn to broaden your horizons. Thinking that miss Vallière's familiar was a simple commoner was a major mistake. Your arrogance blinded you and it costed you this duel despite your best efforts. On the battlefield a properly trained commoner solider can be as dangerous as mage. I hope that you at least leaned that."
"I have professor, and maybe much more then that…" Guiche said, trailing off at the end.
Between the detention, being all but destroyed by the familiar, being reduced to a state similar to a commoner, and the maid showing him kindness when he didn't deserve it will give him a lot to think about.
"That is what I was hoping for mister Gramont, you have a great potential within you and I hope this experience helps you realize it." Colbert said, getting Guiche to nod as the two entered the academy along with the rest of the mages.
All except for two.
"Who knew that Louise's familiar was so powerful for a commoner." Kirche said with a seductive smirk.
Sure there were plenty of commoners back in Germania that could stand up to a dot mage, but to replicate such a feat as he did without a single scratch. Very few could do so and they were mainly old and battle hardened soldiers, while Roxas was both young and handsome.
He is going to be quite the interesting challenge to bring under her thrall.
"Strong." Was all Tabitha said as she continued to read.
Though her thoughts were one determining if Roxas was deliberately not using magic against Guiche or not during their match.
She knew that he was a mage as she saw him create a gust of wind to trip Guiche up earlier, using his key like sword as a focus. She doubted anyone else noticed as the usage of his spell was brief and subtle.
Still Roxas managed to defeat Guiche without using any magic, only using his physical strength and even that was stronger then any commoner she had ever seen. But she had also seen his sword vibrate several times during their fight, more specifically whenever Guiche tried his best to insult him.
So perhaps the weapon was granting him that kind of strength while doubling as a focus?
Tabitha decided to ask the familiar about it himself and see what she could gleam off of him.
After another chapter or two of course.
Roxas sighed as he watched the sunset, finally calming down.
He supposed that maybe he was overreacting a bit when he had to leave. Sure he was still plenty upset about what Guiche had said, he needed to unwind a bit and he doubt Louise shouting at him would help with that.
Still it irritated him that if Guiche could spot such things about those he considered beneath him and he was just a teenager, the Nobody dreaded meeting any adult nobles outside of the academy if a majority of them acted in a similar manner.
What Siesta had told him about the world didn't help with his opinion as well.
But the Nobody supposed he would save his judgement for when he actually encountered another nobles, at least outside of the academy.
At least here the students had the professors to discipline them if they were acting up. Not all the time perhaps, but they were at least seemed to be kept in line most of the time. But outside of the academy, was where the nobles of Tristian ruled they didn't really had anyone to reign them in. Except for the royal family from what he was told.
Yet despite all of that Roxas could care less at the moment as he was the one thing he had sorely missed his entire time within Sora.
The sunset.
He had never been able to truly enjoy the sunset since a few days before leaving the Organization. Since then he had been trapped within DiZ's accursed virtual prison and he had been unconscious yesterday.
But now he was here, feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin and enjoying the sight of all the colors on the horizon.
Roxas had missed the sight.
It was the only thing in his short existence that he could remember all that fondly. Just sitting up on the clock tower eating sea salt ice cream with Axel.
Which reminded him to possibly invent sea salt ice cream if this world didn't have it. He had eaten so much of it that the Nobody had remembered the taste exactly, so much so that he could confidently rebuilt it from scratch if he had too.
Roxas was sure that he could make sea salt ice cream that would impress both Axel and-.
He clutched his head in pain as a series of images suddenly flooded through it and Oblivion began to vibrate in his bag. The images were all the same. Him and Axel enjoying ice cream on the clock tower.
Except that every single memory had something new with it.
A figure in the Organization's cloak with their hood up, enjoying ice cream with them.
Then just as quickly as they appeared, the flood of memories stopped.
Roxas quickly pulled out Oblivion and saw that the Keyblade was vibrating slowly, picking up the feeling of what the Nobody could guess was sadness.
He remembered his talk with the presences and how one was supposedly connected to him and had been forgotten. Add in the fact he suspect Xemnas tampered with his memories he came up with one theory.
There had to be someone else besides Axel that Roxas considered a friend.
Whoever they were Xemnas tried his hardest to erase their memories from him, possibly after killing whoever it was.
He had succeeded…until now.
"Next time I meet Xemnas I am going to kill him myself, if Sora doesn't beat me to it first." Roxas sighed out angrily, setting down the Keyblade down next to him on the tower's roof.
While Xemnas had succeeded, it was only briefly.
One of the precenses was once someone he considered a friend, wiped from existence and memory by Xemnas. Whatever caused the Nobody to be dragged into this world had also brought them back inside of him, if only as a fragmented presence.
But it seemed like they were picking up the pieces and they will piece together what happened.
As for Xemnas…sad as it was to say it he probably wasn't strong enough to confront him yet. He had only just come back into existence after all and Xemnas was the leader of the Organization for a reason. So it would probably be in the best interest to wait on this world and wait for Sora to clean house with the Organization.
That way Xemnas would be at his weakest if there was no Organization to back him up if he needed it.
Still there was a little issue to take care off before that could happen.
Roxas looked around on the tower before drawing releasing a small pulse of nothingness from his hand.
A few moments later a small Corridor of Darkness opened and out stepped a Samurai. It's form portrayed surprise that it's liege was alive before bowing.
Roxas smiles as it was good to see that at least some of the Samurai were under his command, even if he wasn't a member of the Organization.
"There is no need for that." Roxas said, getting the lesser Nobody to shake it's head. Preferring to still bow in presence of it's liege. "Or you could keep bowing, whatever you prefer. Now I have a mission for you."
The Samurai nodded it's head, ready for anything that it's liege was going to ask.
"I want you to keep an eye on The World That Never Was. Keep an eye on anyone that enters it that isn't a member of the Organization. If that person is Sora, come and get me. That is all, head back and continue to act normal. Just do not inform anyone else that I am still alive, is that clear?" Roxas asked, getting the Samurai to nod before it vanished.
The Nobody letting out a sigh of relief, having been half expecting the Samurai to have attacked him on sight or get more to back itself up.
Still while he had successfully summoned a Samurai, it was probably for the best that didn't summon any other Nobodies unless he needed he needed to.
The Organization wouldn't mind a single Samurai disappearing for a minute, but multiple Nobodies and no explanation on where they were. They would investigate and find him here.
So Roxas would not allow that to happen.
Besides he now had a link to when Sora would come after Xemnas, giving Roxas the best chance to get the jump on him when the leader of Organization would least expect it.
But he would only do that when it came time draw his old life to a close.
He was determined to make a new start in this world after all, so that is what he would do.
Live a new life here away from everything that had been troubling him.
Roxas was broken from his musings when he heard the sound of wingbeats, picking up Oblivion incase whatever it is was trying to attack him.
Until he sensed it's heart and lowered the Keyblade.
It was Slyphid and the dragon wasn't alone.
She landed on the tower and right behind Roxas, with Tabitha climbing off of her back. Staff in hand, but without the book the Nobody had always seen her with.
She sent a inquisitive glance towards Roxas, studying him up before speaking.
"Mage." Tabitha said, getting a Roxas to look confused for a second before figuring she must have seen what he did earlier with Guiche.
"Probably not in the terms you are used to but I do know how to use some magic, but I prefer to use it when the situation calls for it." Roxas said honestly, getting Tabitha to nod.
It also gave her the answer that she was looking for one of her questions.
He mainly fought with his key like sword, so he was probably a better swordsman and used magic in conjecture with his weapon if needed.
Just like most of the Gallia Knights.
It seemed like Guiche was not a strong enough opponent to force Roxas to use his magic, which to her calculations was at least a dot mage as she had only seen him used wind. However he was probably an expert or had a higher ranking due to how subtly he created it and how no one else seemed to notice.
So she can figure him not flaunting his status as a mage due to either a more commoner upbringing or as he said doesn't consider himself one similar to how most of known Halkeginnia views it.
There was one other she wished to know.
"Key?" She asked, pointing to Oblivion.
"Well it is a key, but it is called a Keyblade." Roxas said.
"Is it a swordwand?" Tabitha asked, surprising Roxas briefly before shaking it off.
"Never heard of a swordwand before, but that is one of the basic functions of a Keyblade." Roxas said truthfully, getting Tabitha to looked confused for a second.
"What is it then?" She asked, wondering if this Keyblade wasn't just a swordwand then what was it?
"Truthfully I don't really know all it's capabilities, what I do know is that it is a very powerful weapon and a giant key basically." Roxas said, his answer getting Tabitha's brow to furrow at the last part of his answer.
She couldn't tell if he was serious or not.
"Where did you get it?" Tabitha asked.
"I didn't find it, a Keyblade choses it's wielder." Roxas said.
"How?" She asked.
"Beats me, I have had one for as long as I can remember." Roxas said, getting Tabitha to be a little annoyed.
She was hoping for an answer that wasn't as lackluster. Also the fact whatever his Keyblade truly is was even more difficult to figure out why he was hiding that he was a mage.
"Who are you?" Tabitha asked, getting Roxas to smile at that.
"I am still trying to figure that out, but at the moment I am just a Nobody." Roxas said before sitting back down to watch the sunset.
Tabitha found herself annoyed at that answer. That answered all of her questions and none at all with as little details as possible. Still there was nothing she could really complain against as she did the exact same thing to anyone besides Kirche most of the time.
As Roxas was watching the sunset, Slyphid moved closer to the Nobody. His back lined up to her's and her head brushing against his arm. Figuring what the dragon want, Roxas scratched one of the ridges around her eyes and getting the dragon to purr underneath his touch.
Not a moment later Tabitha sat herself not that far away from him, leaning her back against her familiar. She had stopped asking questions and had seemed satisfied with her answered for now and had decided to enjoy the sunset.
Not that Roxas would complain, minus the lack of sea salt ice cream.
He had two companions to enjoy the sunset with. Even if he didn't consider them friends, though Slyphid seemed to think otherwise. He didn't mind and he was curious himself about Tabitha as she had one of if not the strongest heart he had sensed at the academy. That and she at least seemed more quiet and reserved then any other noble he had encountered so far.
Still it was just nice to enjoy this moment as for the first time in quite a while he could watch the sunset and not have to worry about what challenges would await the Nobody the next day.
It was after dark when Roxas left the roof of the tower and was walking through the hallways of the academy.
Tabitha had left him earlier when it came to dinner, offering a ride on Slyphid in order to get down from the tower. The Nobody declined as he wanted to enjoy the sunset to the fullest. Tabitha just nodded and with a sullen looking Slyphid flew back down to the ground.
It was when the sun had long disappeared over the horizon that Roxas returned inside the academy.
He just decided to walk through the hallways of the academy, deciding it would probably be a good idea to get a lay of the land, incase he needed to open a Corridor of Darkness anywhere. Especially if Louise start to act up.
"Familiar where were you!" Louise shouted from behind him as she ran up to him.
Like now.
The Nobody turned around and saw Louise standing behind him in a huff, hands on her hips.
"Watching the sunset." Roxas said honestly, having nothing to hide on that.
Louise studied him in order to make sure that he was telling the truth or not, which from his expression showed that he was and making Louise growled inwardly.
"Then why did you take so long!?" Louise growled out.
"It was the first one I got to actually see in forever." Roxas said irritably, stunning Louise.
She was temped to wipe out her wand and teach her rebellious familiar a lesson. Yet she restrained herself when she remembered how easily he defeated Guiche and how every chance she has tried to punish him today had been foiled by the Headmaster either one way or another.
Once again she was forced to swallow down her pride as she had to remember that her only chance of stay in the academy was her familiar.
Doesn't mean that was going to be give in though, he was here familiar and a commoner after all.
"Whatever, just make sure not to take too long again." Louise huffed out.
"Can't make any promises on that one, but I will at least try. Can't really miss dinner after all." Roxas said, getting Louise to silently seethe. But stopped figuring this was the best she was going to get out of her willful familiar.
Beside she had something that she had been waiting to ask him for a while now.
"Now then, how did you get to be so strong for a commoner? Was it that key like sword?" Louise asked, the fact a commoner could even be strong enough to rip through a bastardized version of the Iron Rose was completely foreign to her.
"I've been fighting all my life. While the Keyblade does help a little bit, it is just a little bit. The rest of it is just experience." Roxas said truthfully, getting Louise to think about it.
If what here familiar said was true then all that strength was from experience and while that Keyblade as he called it was magical, it did little to boost his overall strength.
Though given he was able to beat a dot mage like Guiche it was still a little surprising, as almost always a commoner loses when facing a mage so this was something that she wasn't used to. Yet her familiar claimed to have been fighting all his life then no wonder he was defeat.
Still if he had been fighting that long…then where was he from?
Her familiar was probably around here age if a bit younger. So that and along with the fact there had been no major conflict she was aware of in the last 15 years around Tristian minus the civil war in Albion.
So where could he be from then if he had to fight all of his life?
"Louise are you alright?" Roxas asked, noticing that she had been lost in thought for a bit once again.
His words had snapped her out of it, though causing her cheeks to turn red in embarrassment at being caught.
"I am fine!" Louise snapped before regaining her composure. "Anyway considering your victory over Guiche for that commoner maid I have something that I wish to say."
"And that is?" Roxas asked, curious on what the pinkette was going to say as it looked like she was gritting her teeth to speak.
Louise disliked what she was going to say next, but her familiar's victory over Guiche had already caused waves throughout the academy. And it had also given her something that she had been wishing her entire time in the academy for.
Respect.
Even if it was just a few students who did so and it was for having such a powerful familiar, it was the most respect she had gotten here and the first time among the majority of the students had treated her with at least the tiniest bit of respect like a fellow noble and not a Zero.
So she supposed that despite how willful her familiar was, whatever he was doing was working out for her. So a little comprise wouldn't be too harmful in the long run if he didn't leave her.
"You wished to have a compromise, considering that managed to defeat Guiche I am willing to reach one with you in the morning." Louise said with a huff. "Do not expect me to agree to all of your terms though."
Roxas once again sighed at that. At least she seemed to be a least willing to take the steps to improve their situation, but only on her terms.
She was certainly prideful, he would give her that.
Still she was willing to take the first steps, so that was at least a good sign.
"Wouldn't have expected anything less, I can agree with that. But I have to ask, is one of them an actual bed and not a mat of hay?" Roxas asked.
"That is out of the question." Louise said, she was not going to give him that one.
"All right then, good night Louise." Roxas said nonchalantly, before turning around and walking down the hallway much to Louise's shock.
"Were do you think you are going familiar!" Louise shouted.
"Going to sleep the same place I was last night, if you want to know then Professor Colbert does." Roxas said, pointing behind her and getting Louise to freeze.
"Professor?" Louise stuttered out as she turned around, only to see no one there. "Familiar you are going to pay-"
She was cut off as she turned around to see her familiar had disappeared once again.
"How does he keep doing that!?" Louise growled out before sighing and walking back to her room.
Her familiar would be back tomorrow morning and would give him a piece of her mind then as she was too tired to deal with him now.
Still how does he keep disappearing like that?
Roxas chuckled as he walked out of a Corridor of Darkness into another hallway.
The Nobody couldn't believe that it worked.
He knew that Louise was probably going to be upset about that tomorrow, but it was worth it.
Roxas looked around before he realized that he had opened a corridor to outside of the academy's kitchens. And from what he sensed Siesta was still inside as well.
Figuring that he would at least apologize to her for leaving without a word, he opened the doors and was unprepared for what he was expecting.
"Should have known that you would have turned up sooner or later. Siesta didn't see you during dinner time so she figured that you would turn up sooner or later." Marteau said, bring Roxas in to see a long table had been set up in the kitchen covered with food and tankards full of drinks with a majority of the kitchen staff seated. With Siesta near the end waving at the Nobody, which he returned.
"You arrived just in time too, food was about to go cold and we were about to eat without our guest of honor our Key." Marteau said, slinging an arm around Roxas and bringing him to the table.
"I'm what?" Roxas asked.
"Our Key, you defeated a noble with a key like sword to defend one of our own." Marteau said, getting Roxas to nod at that.
"Okay I can get that part, but what about me being a guest of honor?" Roxas asked.
"It is simple actually, you defeated that brat Guiche and taught him a lesson about messing with us commoners. For such a rare occasion we are going to celebrate and it wouldn't be quite complete without you now wouldn't it?" Marteau said as he lead Roxas to his seat right next to Siesta.
"I suppose your right." Roxas said before sitting next to Siesta and turning towards her. "Siesta I am-"
"It is alright Roxas, you were probably still upset about what Guiche said. I can understand, though you were gone for quite a while." Siesta said with a small smile.
"I was, though to be honest I spent most of the time watching the sunset. It was just a beautiful as the ones back where I came from.." Roxas sighed out.
"I see, do you wish to talk about it?" Siesta asked upon noticing his expression,
The Nobody thought about it before shrugging, see no reason why to at least hide a bit about Twilight Town.
"No problem, I have been meaning to ask Marteau about a recipe from where I came from anyway." Roxas said.
"And I would be glad to hear about it, but there is time for that after the feast begins." Marteau said from the head of the table before standing up.
"Now I can imagine that everyone is done waiting and just wishes to dig into the feast before us." He said, getting an uproar throughout the table about people who wanted to eat. All of it good natured. "But first I just wish to say a few things to our Key, Roxas."
The head chef picked up his tankard before speaking.
"Roxas you have done more for us this one day then what most would do for us commoners. You rescued and stood up for our dear Siesta, stood up for us commoners, and utterly destroyed that noble brat Guiche and showed him the error of his ways. You are one of the rare ones my boy, one of the few truly willing to stand up for us. Very few people can claim that even commoners, and you are one of them Roxas. If you need anything at all just let any of us know and we will help you anyway we can." Marteau said, getting everyone else to clamor in agreement.
This shocked Roxas.
He was not used to all of this. So many people actually willing to give him support all at once. It was a completely foreign experience to the Nobody.
"Roxas are you alright?" Siesta asked, noticing that he was going a little pale.
"I am alright, just not used to this many people acting like this around me." Roxas said, getting a sullen nod from Siesta.
"Well you better, because you are one of us now and we look after our own." Marteau said before raising his tankard, with everyone else doing so including Roxas and Siesta. "Let's give it up for Roxas, for our Key!"
"For your Key!" Everyone chorused before they toasted and started to get food from the table.
Roxas just looked at everyone getting their food while he took a sip of his tankard, which was filled with Aspen Milk.
Everyone around him talking with each other happily, swapping stories and laughing with each other. All the while enjoy a bountiful feast before them and not an ounce of negativity in sight. It was truly a curious sight for the Nobody, but he supposed it was a welcome change from his previous conditions with the Organization.
One that he would welcome with open arms…once got used to it off course.
Putting down his tankard, Roxas started to get his dinner.
All the while Siesta had a smile on her face at watching her new friend slowly but surely start to enjoy himself amongst everyone else at the table.
An hour later the table was cleared off with most of the kitchen staff already clearing out of the kitchen, some staying behind to clean up what was left including washing the dishes.
Only three people where left at the table, and they were all about to leave as well.
"Well this 'sea salt ice cream' as you call it sounds simple to make yet tricky to perfect. It sounds simpler to make then the sorbets which originated in Gallia and Romalia for nobles. A commoner's sorbet if I say so myself." Marteau said with a nod. "This sounds like a decent challenge to make, I will start tomorrow and you and Siesta will be the first ones to taste each batch until I have perfected it."
"Really?" Both Siesta and Roxas asked in amazement.
For Siesta it is the chance to try something that Roxas seemed to love with a passion from the way he spoke about it during dinner.
For Roxas, it was realizing that he might have just accidentally invented ice cream for this world.
"Really, this recipe sounds like an interesting challenge to make and as I said if you needed anything, all you needed to do was just ask. So consider this done." Marteau said, getting Roxas to nod with a smile.
"Thank you." Roxas said with a smile.
"Think nothing of it our Key." Marteau said as Roxas got up. "Heading off to bed already?"
"I do, have to deal with Louise in the morning." Roxas said, getting a nod of sympathy from the head chef.
"I hear you, get some rest and tomorrow I will have the first batch ready." Marteau said, getting the Nobody to nod.
"I will, good night." Roxas said before turning to Siesta.
He approached her and hugged her, much to Siesta's surprise.
"Thank you having my back." Roxas said as he broke the hug, getting Siesta's cheeks to dust red.
"It is no problem Roxas, you trusted me to do so as your friend and it is the least I could do for rescuing me earlier." Siesta said with a shiver, still haunted by what nearly happened.
"I know, but still it means a lot to me that you did so." Roxas said with a smile. "Good night Siesta, I will see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight Roxas, and I wish so too." Siesta said with a small smile as Roxas started to walk away.
Which started to fade bit by bit with every step he took towards the door.
"Go after him." Marteau said from behind Siesta, startling the maid. She turned around to see the man with a soft smile on his face, pointing towards Roxas. "If you just continue to sit here and watch him go, you will certainly regret it. Believe me, I know."
"A-Alright, I'll go." Siesta stuttered out, running after Roxas as he closed the doors. "Roxas wait!"
Roxas stopped himself from opening a Corridor of Darkness after hearing his friend call out to him. Siesta opened the door and closed it behind her, walking towards the Nobody with a blush on her face.
"Siesta what's wrong?" Roxas asked her as she continued to approach him.
She didn't say anything as she continued to approach him and eventually got into his personal space. Before he could even react, she pressed her lips against his cheek.
Roxas promptly turned red as a new emotion flowed through his very being and his entire body began to feel warm, especially around his face.
What was happening to him?
Siesta separated here self from him, her cheeks flushed scarlet.
"I never got to properly thank you for saving me Roxas, nobody else was willing to do anything. Except for you." Siesta said, her face aflame like Roxas. "Thank you for everything and goodnight Roxas."
Siesta promptly bolted back into the kitchen with Roxas doing the same except into a Corridor of Darkness.
He reappeared on the roof of the central tower, the color in his face dying down a bit.
"What is happening to me?" Roxas wondered out loud, wondering about what he was experiencing ever since Siesta…kissed him…
The same emotion came back at full force. Roxas swore off he had a heart right now, it would be beating like crazy at what he was experiencing.
This sensation was…dare if he had to admit it, was just like watching the sunset and eating sea salt ice cream with his friend to him.
It left him that kind of feeling to him, which was impossible given he couldn't really feel anything.
Could he?
Roxas decided to push the issue to that back of his mind for now. Otherwise he would never be able to fall asleep tonight.
With that out of the way Roxas opened up his journal and started to write in it underneath the light of the two moons. Trying his best to not think about the new sensation still coursing through him.
Later that night a cold breeze blew in from the mountains, causing the sleeping form of the Nobody to shiver in his sleep.
The sounds of wings flapping in the distance emerged as Slyphid flew up to the top of the tower, looking for her new friend.
She saw Roxas shivering and wondered why he would ever want to sleep on the cold, hard roof of the tower.
Seeing that he was still shivering, Slyphid lifted the sleeping form of Roxas gently in her claws before jumping off the roof. Using her wings to glide down to one of the courtyards. Where Roxas should be safe from the chilling wind.
She land onto the ground before wrapping herself into a circle, placing Roxas into the center.
Once she was sure that he was nice and warm, the dragon moved her head to underneath his arm and resting it comfortably on his body. Slyphid let out a soft growl as his hand brushed against on of her horns before falling asleep herself.
The projector died down as the chapter ended and you see the author writing something on a whiteboard.
*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and it was worth the wait. I promise the next chapter will come out much sooner then the last one. When though depends what I am working on at the time though.*
*Still as you can see there is a few things to discuss.*
*First off is the duel itself which I hope you all enjoyed. As you can tell that Guiche was more powerful then he was portrayed in canon at this point here and was pulling out all the stops here as their are two man reasons for that. First is that he is actually facing consequences here, so he was mainly fighting here to protect his own honor a hope that at least he will get a lesser punishment from his family once they here about it. Secondly he is the fourth son of one of Tristian's top generals, so it would make sense that he at least learned a few things from him including the Iron Rose. An effective spell if given enough time and resources to prepare. Which with Guiche's current level wouldn't be able to bring out it's full level against Roxas.*
*If it did then Roxas would have probably needed to use both Keyblades or even magic to have escaped that.*
*While we are on the subject we also see that Roxas has taken it upon himself to think things through a little better. Considering rushing away from the Organization without a backup plan got him caught by Riku, it is probably a good choice to start working on that trait. Though if push comes to shove planning can go straight out the window. Still he is making an effort with trusting Siesta to helping him in case he got reckless and now has a link to the World That Never Was. Though how the later one will turn out remains to be seen.*
*Besides that Roxas has now gained the attention of the whole academy, unknowingly found a way to annoy Louise with the Corridor of Darkness, make at least get some progress with her, and is currently adjusting to his new surroundings and a few other things.*
*Anyway next chapter will be the last chapter for the prologue arc and after that the Mott arc begins. So thing will be more of a breather next chapter with Roxas adjusting to a few things, sea salt ice cream, and a mistake that Guiche made that will come back to bite him in the ass next chapter. How that will play out...well we will just have to wait and see.*
*I hope that you enjoy the chapter when it comes out.*
*Now normally I would end the chapter here...but there is two announcements that I need to make.*
*First off is the long awaited harem list and the least important of the two.*
*That's right, least important so you all might be wandering what can be more important then that.*
*A lot actually, like trying to explain to every annoyed Smash fan to stop being so hurt against Fire Emblem Three Houses. Don't have anything against it, but it is just a little immature.*
*But enough of that, let us get to the harem list shall we.*
The author flips the white board to reveal all previous and new additions.
Previous
Siesta (main)
Xion
Louise
Kirche
Tabitha
Henrietta
Tiffania
And the new additions
Slyphid (keep forgetting how to correctly write her true name.)
One surprise.
*For the surprise...well not going to say anything right now but she is going to surprise some.*
*Anyway still have a little room for suggestions, so if any send them my way and I will get back to you while I can.*
*Now onto the most important announcement.*
*The final one is that I have gotten permission from DrWriter21 to use their characters for this story months ago. Getting that kind of permission to use characters from A Heart in the Void, the very work that this is based on is highly important and I must once again thank them for this.*
*Anyway now is the time to end this story.*
*If you have any questions leave me a PM or a review and I will get back to you while I can.*
*So until next time, ciao!*
The author waves goodbye as the screen fades to black.
