One Week later...
I woke up from my slumber, around maybe eight o' clock as usual, stretched and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Pushing myself up from my mat on the floor of Louise's bedroom I leaned against the dresser while skimming through my Tacpad briefly to equip my MJOLNIR armor, since I'd fallen asleep in my fatigues. With my Magnum holstered and Assault Rifle on my back I strode back towards Louise. I figured I'd wake her in style... I flipped through my Tacpad again, searching for... an audio file... then I found it...
I placed my wrist next to her ear before pressing the play button, unleashing a loud and classic military revile into her ears.
"HOLY SHIT!" she screamed and fell out of her bed with a comic *thud*, quite amusing I assure you. "What the hell was that for?!" she exclaimed, glaring at me, already fully awake.
I bent down towards her face before replying "Hey, at least I have found the most effective way of waking you!" the un-amused narrowed eyed look I got from Louise essentially allowed me to read her mind... she was probably thinking something along the lines of "What the fuck. Are you kidding me?"
The morning commotion was settled down (or flared even more) when Siesta burst into the room, her short black hair sort of making a noticeable flurry behind her head as she breezed in, seeming awfully cheery today. "Good morning everyone!" she chirped "So what I miss?"
"Haha..." I chuckled "Well I just learned that revile is especially effective on little noble Louise here... the reaction I got was priceless... wish I'd taped it..." I replied.
Siesta began to sport a sort of smug grin after I'd said that "Perfect, just another thing you guys can fight about."
"Oh c'mon, you gotta admit, even during the few days I was gone... the school just isn't as lively without both myself and Louise here to piss each other off!"
"touché... makes things interesting I suppose... never a boring day since you showed up... mind you they DO get repetitive..."
"Dually noted"
"AHHHH!" Louise screamed
"Spider?" I asked with a hint of lingering humor.
"Y-your hand..." stuttered Louise
"Wh-" I started as I looked at my gloved hands, both encased in heavy MJOLNIR gloves, one hand was normal while the other had a glowing blue rune etched into it which shone through my MJOLNIR gauntlets... wait... was is just me or was it shrinking? "Um... is this normal?"
"The runes are disappearing!" gasped Louise, who just stood there in shock, along with Siesta... then I understood...
"Ok... so... not a good thing?" I concluded as I cracked my knuckles.
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You are the one boku no mirai wo ageruuuu!
Mejirushi no nai michi mo heiki sa futari naraaaaa!
...
Saki no, mienai tabi mayoi, nagara mitsukete yo.
Boku ga iru desho kimi no tonari!
Kenka shite nando mo
Hanashia sono te hiki yose dakitai, Imaaaaaaa!
You are the one boku no mirai wo ageruuuu!
Namida no ame ni utaetara
I wanna hold you (Scorch: No I don't, but fuck the lyrics) sugu yo himei yo boku no namae
Dakishimeni iku yo, kanashimi mo tsuyogari mo kono te ni uketomeru!
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Welcome to season three... took me long enough...
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I sat along the wall of one of the courtyards, it was a slow day where me and a few others naturally didn't have anything to do... and being late spring/early summer (I think, since the seasons haven't seemed to change once since I was here!) it was relatively hot out, we took what shade we could find.
Hence myself, Sgt. Montgomery, Cpl. Woods and Carter all sat in the shade of the school walls. We only half heartedly listened in on Mr. Osmond's announcement in the center of the courtyard as it was mainly to do with classes, but the first part had caught our attention.
"As everyone knows, the interference of the UNSC has caused the Albion Army to surrender. Which has finally put an end to the war that has lasted eight months." Although in my opinion, it seemed like it lasted only half that... though to my soldier's mind it could just because... well... I partially enjoyed it... you know except for the almost dying part... "Students, this peace was build on a lot of sacrifices. Please, let us at least bless these people who have given up their lives for us. Please pray now."
And with that we lost interest in the announcement, going back to our own conversation.
"Isn't this a time to be glad sir?" asked Jude "I mean you'll no longer be tied to that brat."
I stared at my right hand, sure I was partially relived, but a piece of me worried, both for Louise's sake and the question of 'why'. Why I wondered, did the rune disappear, would it come back? Did it move to someone else? I wondered.
"Cheer up Six, we'll finish off the Covies here, reclaim the Forerunner tech and be back home sweet home on Reach before Christmas, or Haunica... or quanza... or whatever you celebrate..." added Carter, trying to cheer me up.
"I guess... unless of course difficulties spring up..." I said... paused for a few moments before sighing "They always do..."
"You sound stressed." Said Carter
"Why wouldn't I be!?" I near yelled, not in anger but more in bafflement "I've been stuck on this crazy world for nearly a year, I'm a clone with Spartan Training, but I feel like a teenage punk, I haven't had a haircut in since I've gotten here now and hence resorting to cutting my hair with a combat knife and Cortana's help... or else I'd cut myself..." I groaned "Another week and I'll have a mullet!"
"You? Caring about your hair?" Jenny asked in astonishment.
"Hey! It gets sweaty in these helmets!" I retorted and half joked. "Hey!" I snapped and tapped Derf against the wall, who was sleeping in his sheath as he always does... being a sword with nothing to kill at the moment... it was really all he could do...
"What's up Partner?" he asked
"Will the runes come back?" I asked
"I don't know... all I know is that this is a time for you to relax, you are no longer under the heel of that tyrant! You're a free man now! Not to make being a familiar sound like slavery... but... well... that's kinda what it is!"
I smirked and crossed my legs while putting my arms behind my head "Your right derf!" I chuckled "Nothing to worry about, be happy I suppose!"
"Well without a doubt it isn't something to be upset about now is it?"
"Mhm." I mumbled with a grin.
"Alexander." Said a gentle voice I recognized. I looked over and saw Eleanor, who I knew the voice didn't belong to, and Cattleya, who I bet the voice was coming from. As they approached I saluted them rather casually with two fingers to my brow and quickly down again, not standing up. "I'm glad to see you are alright." She finished.
Then they reached us and I stood up "Ma'am" I said "Nice to see you again Cattleya..." I paused before forcing out "Y-you too... Eleanor..."
"Don't say such things to me." Spat Eleanor
"And this is why I don't bother being nice to you..." I muttered before whispering under my breath "Bitch..."
"We're here to take Louise away."
I sighed "What did she do this time?" I asked mockingly. "Or rather what didn't she do?" I was going to go on with my rant but before I could say another word.
"WHAT!? The mark of the familiar is gone!" exclaimed a large breasted red head girl I knew all too well...
"Don't say it so loud!" exclaimed Louise, to late... everyone started chatting to each other, asking questions that no one would have answers to... kinda dumb if you ask me... but meh...
"Hey why did it disappear?" asked Kirche
"I don't know!" exclaimed Louise
"That means Alexander became a commoner." Stated Guiche
"Not entirely true since he can cast magic." Added Monmon "But it is strange... don't you think? I mean there has to be a reason!"
"I'm not sure either... I've never heard of such a thing happening before..." said Tabitha
"B-but... things like this really happen?" asked Louise to no one in particular "The contract with the familiar is supposed to be everlasting..."
Then Elaenor strode over to her little sister "Louise, come, we're going home. The war has ended and you need some rest." She scoffed "Besides, if you want a familiar, then summon one that suits the Valliére family."
"Big sister!" exclaimed Louise
"I'm completely sick of having to put up with the face of this dog-like, bastard commonerish like person!" she ranted, obviously lacking a word for a commoner who could cast magic.
"Hey!" I retorted
"But he's my dog, I like him!" countered Louise
"HEY!" I exclaimed, a bit miffed now...
"Oh so you really like this familiar?" asked Eleanor
Louise looked at her like she was stubborn or crazy. "Well duuuh! If I didn't you think I'd have put up with him for so long?" she countered "Once you get a familiar you get attached to it! besides, this coming from someone who doesn't even have one!" then I realized for the first time that Eleanor really didn't have a familiar... but I guess compared to the matter at hand that was a tad trivial.
Then of course Eleanor had the predicted reaction of grabbing and pulling Louise's cheek. "How dare you speak to me like that!" she exclaimed while glaring at her sister.
"I'm sorrryyyy..." whined Louise.
"Ugghh..." groaned Cattleya "Eleanor!"
"Um... what about my opinion? Don't I get a say in this?" I asked half heartedly, still trying not to laugh at Louise's expense.
"Sir!" shouted a loud and commanding female voice, I looked ahead and saw Anies armored in her ODST armor, which she'd taken a liking to and wore it in lieu of her chevalier gear. She still had a saber and flintlock pistol on her belt, but also had a Battle Rifle strapped to her back and a bandolier of three fragmentation grenades. "Sorry for bothering you as you seem... occupied... but I, Agnes (She still said it like Anies) Captain of the Gunpowder squad and Corporal in the UNSC ODST battalions, have been sent to deliver a message from her royal highness Queen Henrietta de Tristain." She paused "Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliére and her Familiar." She nodded at me respectfully "With all due respect sir... Commander Alexander Chyton Spartan-362, are to head to the palace at once.
"The queen?" asked Louise.
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"Thank the base for getting Auto-Docs installed, they perform surgery and haircuts!" I said after I'd gotten a buzz cut... finally...
I'd half expected to travel to the palace via a carriage or some other medieval form of transportation, but no, Anies apparently had been able to requisition a Troop Carrier Warthog from the base's motor pool. Which speaking of UNSC, I was still in the dark about the events after Henrietta and Lord Hood and the Arbiter's discussions. After thinking for a while I had to voice myself.
"Hey Anies" I started from the passenger's seat "You were at the meeting with Lord Hood, The Arbiter and Lady Henrietta right?"
"I may have stood outside the room, but I wasn't actually a part of it" she admitted with a sly grin across her face.
"Well, would you be able to tell me what happened?" I asked
"Mostly it was negotiations for land rights, which her majesty has yet to figure out. She said she needed a sort of scapegoat to give land to them, otherwise the populace would become... ruffled... to say the least..."
"That all?"
"There... um... there was also a lot about Forerunners, also something about a ring..."
My blood chilled when I heard Anies say Ring "D-did you just say... Ring?"
"Yeah? What about it?"
"D-did he mention it by name... or just ring?"
"Now that I think about it... he called it something... by name... Halo..."
"No way... I was under the impression they had all been accounted for..." I mused
"Well whatever this Halo is, the majority of Lord Hood's fleet is making for it in a week's time. They are supposed to be leaving a small force here for you... oh and uh... maybe now isn't a good time... but... Henrietta has... well... changed..."
"What do you mean?" I asked to which Anies just smirked and shrugged nonchalantly.
"Not sure what it's all about, but... its different I'll say that much..."
We drove for about forty five minutes before Louise started to flare up...
"Tell me the truth... you wish to leave right? To not be with me right? Admit it... your free now, you don't need to stay..." she said
Now normally this sort of comment might have pissed me off... but I was more confused than miffed for the time being... the first thing out of my mouth being "Whaaaaa? Ok... what did I do?"
"I'm just saying this because you aren't my familiar anymore! And admit it you hate me! The disappearance of the runes means that the contract with the familiar has also vanished, hence we're not related, we're not connected, you can just go your own way now." She faked chuckled "Besides, you don't want to be bossed around by a bratlike master such as me right?"
"Well..." she was right... I didn't want to be bossed around by her... but I also didn't want to leave her alone... considering all the shit she got into on a daily basis, if I wasn't around I'd bet she'd have gotten herself killed months ago... hell, only the Forerunners know how she's survived this long without me... maybe not even them...
"We're both from different worlds... it makes no sense for you to stay..."
"Louise!" I snapped "Why do you think I worked my ass off so hard to get back here!? You and I both know I don't hate you! Sure I hate being bossed around by you but I sure as hell don't think I could leave you alone for more than forty eight hours without you getting yourself in trouble! And now you act like all my help has been for nothing? Helllooooo Loyalty complex! Geez... you nobles know how to kick a guy in the nuts..."
"Hey!" Louise barked and leaned forward over the seat towards me "That's not true" then she lowered her voice to a comic "Oh-kay, well. That's not. Really. True..." she stuttered "But irrelevant! Its more like you don't understand me! I'm just concerned about your well being and feelings!" as soon as she said that she went dead quiet and her face flushed... she retreated back into her seat.
"You giving a damn about my well being and feelings... you know if it wasn't for that incident with the Brute last year I'd almost call bullshit!"
*Ka-blam!*
"SHIT!" shrieked Anies as the Warthog suddenly became lopsided and rapidly slowed down until it came to a stop by a small pond... she jumped out and looked at the front left corner of the Hog... "Um... sir... what is wrong here?" she asked, probably not understanding what she was seeing...
I jumped out of my seat and walked around the front end of the Warthog to have a look... I glanced down at the damage... "Well... that's weird... a flat tire... Warthog tires are supposed to be bullet and energy proof to prevent popping in combat..." I thought for a moment "Most Warthogs have a repair kit hanging on the vehicles armor." I walked along the troop bay and found a small green box attached to the side of the Hog. I detached it and looked inside, finding everything needed for engine repair to tire repair to tiny battery powered jumper cables. I was amazed so much could fit in here...
I handed the kit to Anies before putting the Hog up on a Jack so she could fix the tire... however it might take some time since she had to read through the instruction manual inside the repair kit... which luckily had a French section in the back.
I figured I'd might as well help her out at least.
I knelt down and picked up what I thought was some sort of adhesive black glue gun... I shrugged and read the manual.
"Apply instant sealant rubber mixture to blown area, even it out with a palate knife or similar object, adhesive mixture will harden into bullet proof rubber within three minutes, work fast." I read aloud before looking back at the glue gun "Ok, seems simple enough... I mean how can I even screw this up."
I wheeled the... well... wheel around so I could see the large hole that was made in it... it had looked like someone had burned right through the rubber... but I doubted that the terrain on the way here was difficult enough to wear through the tire... Warthogs were made for all sorts of extraterrestrial terrain, grass and rock shouldn't have even left a scratch on it. I shrugged and guessed it must have been a manufacturer defect and proceeded to patch up the tire... once it was patched up I turned to Anies and sighed "Welp... now we wait..." waiting was... not one of my strong suits to be sure... I anxiously glanced around before realising something... "Hey... where's Louise?" I asked.
*KA-BOOM!*
"Holy shit!" I yelled and started to run towards a large smoke cloud coming from within a nearby forest.
"Don't worry about me!" shouted Anies after me "I just gotta lock down the Warthog! I'll catch up to you!"
I nodded but I doubt she was paying attention, I ran through the woods, ducking under several low branches and even downright plowing through a few, I might have felled a tree or two but I was to worried to give a damn.
*KA-PEW!*
Sounded another explosion... I ran faster, emerging from the woods in a small clearing just in time to see Louise surrounded by a group of strange stone machinations. With no time to process what was going on I drew Derf and slashed through three of them in one slice, standing in front of Louise.
"Alexander!" she exclaimed
I noticed just how many stone creatures there were... "Damnit, no time to explain Louise, hurry and cast your explosion, I'll hold them off!"
"B-but your not-"
"Does it matter if I'm your familiar or not!? I'm offering to help you just fucking accept it!" I yelled, cutting her off.
I dodged a swing from a gargoyle and slashed it up the midsection, pivoting and shooting another two with my Magnum in my other hand. Another came from behind but before I could react a gun shot from a DMR sounded and the creature fell dead...
"Commander! I'm ready for action!" said Anies who jumped into the fray with her Sword and DMR, managing to hold her rifle with one hand for the time being.
I ducked another attack from the stone beasts before kicking out it's legs and plowing my sword down into it's abdomen. I used the downwards force to vault over the body, kicking another in the chest before dragging Derf along its entire body, cutting it in two.
"Eihwaz Jara Yr Eoh IS!" shouted Louise and a white light erupted from her, vaporising the gargoyles... along with the majority of the woods in the vicinity...
"Louise... glad your alright!" I exclaimed "Not hurt are you?"
"Idiot!" she shouted and I raised an eyebrow
"Huh?"
"Why weren't you with me!? You ran off by yourself!" she exclaimed
"I ran off by myself!?" I retorted "No no no no no, you Louise, you ran off by yourself..." I glared at her, the ungrateful little pain in the ass.
"B-but... Thank you for coming to save me..." she said softly and I couldn't help but crack a slight grin.
"C'mon Louise, we're wasting time." I sighed and helped her up since she'd fallen to her knees...
Anies led us back to the Warthog, which had been fully repaired, the tire now fully inflated.
"I found out the problem... I think the owner of those Gargoyles used magic to pop the tires. How else to explain why the went out." Explained Anies.
"Wait owner of the Gargoyles?" I asked
"Yes, Gargoyles are normally inanimate, which means someone must have been controlling them." Anies stated, one hand on her hip, the other waving around in thought.
"A woman attacked me!" exclaimed Louise "She called her self... uh... what was it? Sheffield I think it was!"
I put an armored glove to the chin of my helmet. "Alright... I'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious on the road then... she might try again..." I got back into the shotgun seat of the Warthog, while Anies took up the driver's position and Louise got into one of the rear seats.
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We arrived at the palace at about late afternoon... the repairs and fight must have cost us more time then I thought... either way we entered without delay and headed straight for the Throne room, passing through it to get into the wing in which Lady Henrietta lived. I had noticed that there were no guards present and wondered where they all could be... if there was no security here, especially after what happened a few weeks ago during the war, one might be a bit worried...
We passed through the door to the Royal wing and I almost dropped my helmet which was at my side... I recognized that color pattern anywhere... along with the insignia... but what shocked me was what that pattern and insignia were labelled on...
Several Tristain Guards walked past me, clad in full Burgundy ODST armor, the Fleur-de-lis in a dark pink on their shoulders, their visors Navy blue, each armed with an old MA37 and Magnum. The guards passed me and headed out into the throne room... I myself was a bit confused... I guessed more went on with Lord Hood's meeting with Henrietta then Anies let on...
We entered Henrietta's "quarters" though that's probably an understatement... now when I say "quarters" I actually mean an entire house built into half of the palace... technically speaking... kinda...
However if this was indeed her quarters... than there sure was one thing missing...
"Where's all the furniture?" asked Louise... stating quite the obvious...
"Yeah..." I mused "I would have expected the royal quarter to be a bit more... I don't know... elaborate?" I paused "Still... its bigger than my place back on Reach... so meh..." I shrugged.
A Royal guard walked up to us, his Red rather than Burgundy ODST armor shone with a new coat of metallic paint, his visor was pitch black and he was armed with a modern DMR and some kind of energy pike on his back.
"The Chancellor is waiting..." he said
"Chancellor?" both me and Louise asked... as Anies had left after dropping us off.
The guard led us up a set of white stairs, since well... the whole room was kinda white and lacking any real color due to the missing presence of furniture.
We turned right and the guard sent us through a set of double doors... to which my jaw nearly dropped once we passed through them...
A brown polished wooden desk was in the middle of the room... of which... looked entirely un-medieval with a blue carpet with a seal of Tristain in the middle of it within a large purple circle. Papers stacked high on the desk, filing cabinets lined the left side of the room and three large top to bottom windows took up the back of the room looking out into a large garden of hedges, trees and other flora.
"Princess?" asked Louise aloud... no response...
I then noticed the papers ruffling... I heard a muffled squeak from within them... I walked over to the pile which spilled over onto the other side of the desk, easily covering up any chair that could have been on the other side...
I reached into the pile, felt something soft and pulled and out popped a small, purple haired head from the pile... a purple hair band replacing her usual tiara...
"BAH!" Henrietta gasped, then rather informally exclaimed. "SO. MUCH. FUCKING. PAPER!" then plopped her head down on the desk seeming to softly pout in an insanely cute fasion, some of the papers falling onto the floor on the side Louise and I were on.
"You uh... got enough documents there madam prez?" I joked, my sense of humor flaring up at how cute she looked while her head poked out of the paper pile...
"I think I have paper cuts in places I didn't think I could get paper cuts..." she whined before attempting to pull herself back into the paper pile and kicking out one side, the whole pile falling onto the floor...
"Damnit!" she exclaimed then started to pick them back up and sort them into the cabinets.
It was then that Louise and I noticed her attire... she was lacking her usual royal dress and instead wearing a dark purple formal suit and navy blue tight skirt with shiny black business shoes... she looked up from her files and noticed our expression.
"Anyways welcome to the Senate Building." Said Henrietta "Chancellor Henrietta de Tristain of the Republic of Tristain... has a nice ring to it huh?"
"Chancellor!? Senate!? Republic!? What the hell is going on!?" exclaimed Louise.
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Mwahahaha I leave it with a bit of a cliffy ending! :P haha I'm evil...
Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'll try to get the next one out faster than the last two have taken since I know you all probably will hate me if I leave this with such a cliffhanger for to long... that or at least get around to explaining some shit...
Anywho...
I took the time to write this out (despite it taking so long -.-), so why not drop me a review on what you did, or didn't like, providing me with tips, constructive criticism and the works if that's the case. Also if you really liked the story, why not add it to your faves and follow it so you can stay in the know of future updates?
Anyways... I shall sign out now, as per usual with my normal saying.
WTYL guys :D
...
Eventually... *sigh*