The show must go on. So here is another chapter.
To those who I have not replied to, you have my thanks and I have things to consider moving on. So you understand why I won't be acting on your concerns immediately just know I wrote 17.5K before posting anything here and given how I've done some of the writing I really don't want to rewrite through that. I only have used the anime series as a guide as it has been the most acessable, while using the manga as a guide for a lot.
I'll try to address your concerns as I write the next sections and as I do not want to give away too much before it is written, anyone who wish to ask me questions, please review and I will attempt to reply with a PM if possible.
Thank you all who have reviewed previously and I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: all characters and I.P belonging to Games Workshop and the Familiar of Zero series are owned by their copyright owners. This is a fan work and is to be considered as such.
Hope you enjoy
Throwing open the door Louise came to a stop in her door frame having come from dealing with the outcome of the duel. Her room reorganised by her familiar that was currently balancing in the middle of the cleared space on his fingers in a curved arch with his feet folded over his head. Carefully laid out on her bed were parts of her familiars armour and equipment, strange disks and flasks that he carried on a belt along with the backpack and standard it carried around. The sword that had destroyed the golems so quickly was partnered with the funny tube it carried on its left arm, she had never seen what it was for, but for her familiar to consider it like his sword she knew it must have been dangerous.
Watching as she crept around where her familiar balanced she spotted the helm it wore resting on her table. Her familiar suddenly moved, legs flicking over as it became perfectly perpendicular with the ground, his right arms reaching out for nothing as he appeared to float on the hidden arm. She realised the space her familiar required for this exercise as he slowly rotated clockwise, his feet just missing the walls and her bed as he moved. His right leg slowly split from his left, making a perfect right angle between the pointing legs then turning and shifting underneath his chest to point straight out next to his head.
Turning her attention to the assorted equipment laid out on her bed the strange object that rested next to the sword fascinated her. Beautifully crafted and strangely light for what appeared to be a dark metal yet serve no function, it looked nothing like the guns she had seen as there was no hammer or barrel for the shot to exit, only a thin slit along the front of the tube. Her familiar placed its right foot on the ground and began shifting onto the foot, lifting itself before swinging its left foot to the floor and standing up.
"Just what is this?" Louise asked, holding out the strange tube that came off her familiars arm.
"The storm of blades." He replied, walking to where the child sat holding the weapon. "What does this mark do?" Holding out their left arm where the runes were inscribed, as though they burnt straight through the gauntlet and onto the pale skin.
"I don't know. They're familiar runes, marking you as my familiar." Louise dismissed as she continued to look at the strange tube, its curved sides flaring out before the more rounded and curved body with a strange stubby handle sticking out the side of the smooth and rune covered body. "I need to know, how did you do that? When fighting Guiche. You won so quickly."
"I am an Exarch of the first Pheonix Lord Asuramen." They replied, beginning to inspect each piece of his equipment. Carefully checking their sword for imperfections that may have come from the fight. Satisfied she sheathed the sword, putting it down and holding out their hand before the child that remained entranced with the storm of blades.
Looking from the weapon, to the hand and then her familiar she could see what it expected. Not even asking, it expected her to hand over the tube. "Ask nicely." She ordered, pulling the dark metal tube away she felt the rush as her familiar snatched the thing from her hands. "Would it kill you to at least be polite? I'm your master; you cannot just snatch things from me." Louise shouted to her indifferent familiar that had finished with the tube and placed it beside the sword and begun looking at the cloth that hung from his belt. "Stop ignoring me." She screamed, lifting her wand to point at her familiar.
Disarming the child and throwing the piece of wood onto the bed he continued inspecting the cloth, they were satisfied and began inspecting the other components of their equipment. "Only ever fall for a trap once." She stated to the child that scrambled across the bed for her piece of wood.
Grabbing her wand and rolling across the bed she stood on the far side away from her familiar, pointing her wand at the unnaturally calm familiar who ignored her commands and refused to even recognise her. "You ungrateful, useless dog. How dare you treat your master this way! Just because you fought Guiche and won does not mean you can treat me like this. If I have to teach you respect the hard way then so be it!" Louise screamed at her familiar that had vanished. An imposing shadow loomed behind her, turning to face her familiar, her right arm holding her wand was caught in an iron grip, lifting her off the floor as the second pale hand wrapped around her throat.
"While we are bound to your service, I am nobodies slave. We will act as your guardian and helper, but that does not allow you to assault me should we infringe upon your sensibilities." Etenu said calmly, removing the piece of wood from the child and setting her down on the bed. "Our self is mine alone, you have no right to separate us." Keeping the wand and returning to the duty of inspecting his equipment.
Rubbing her wrist where her familiar had lifted her from her feet, then her throat where the powerful hand had limited her breath she was in shock. She was helpless before the powerful creature she had summoned, quietly getting off the bed and leaving the room she closed the door and collapsed wiping away tears that ran down her face.
Outside and away from the demon she had summoned she felt no better. Slumped over a table covered with food she refused to eat. She didn't deserve it, she was no mage, no noble. She couldn't even command the familiar she had summoned. How was she going to rid herself of the monster she had summoned. Looking at a cake she reached to pick it up her right hand ached as she tried to flex her fingers. The bruising where the gloves crushed her wrist starting to show she pulled back her hand and hid her wrist. What would the others think Louise bemoaned, refusing to start crying again.
Spotting the pink haired girl surrounded with food and sulking in the fading light Kriche approached quietly. An almost imperceptible sob slipped through the girls folded arms. Looking to one of the servants they gave a confused shrug, not wanting to approach the young noble though spotting her distress.
"Louise, you alright?" Kriche asked cautiously as she sat down next to the short girl. A dismissive mumble trying to send her away as she watched her shift slightly. "What happened Louise?" Kriche probed, lifting the hair away so she could see some of the young girl. Her arms buried her face but the side of her neck was clear to see. A large bruise that stretched down her neck. "Louise, who did this?" Kriche ordered quietly as she traced over the distinctive mark, trying to minimise the attention she drew despite everyone watching them as she covered the bruise.
Lifting her head up she spotted the red and blue pair of Kriche and Tabitha. Tabitha almost a ghost most of the time as she followed Kriche. Tabithas' hand slid underneath her hair, she felt the bruising disappear before the blue haired quiet girl held her right hand, easing the wound. "Etenu?" Tabitha asked to which Louise could only nod.
"Louise I'm so sorry. What happened?" Looking around, she lifted the smaller girl to her feet and guided her away from the crowd.
As Louise told them what happened the trio started moving with purpose towards Louises room. Opening the door quietly they spotted the culprit covered in a long hooded robe sitting on the floor with one of the maids before an open book. His armour components neatly placed in a corner apart from the chest piece. "Our thanks Siesta. You have been most helpful." Etenu said, placing his hand behind her head and placing his forehead against hers for a moment. "Miss Valliere, Gallia and Zerbst are here. May we continue this some other time?" They watched as the maid smiled before spotting them and the anger that Kriche moved with, flicking for the maid to leave she did so in a hurry. Quickly grabbing the book and running out the door.
"What did you do to Louise?" Kriche accused slamming the door shut.
Twirling to stand and face the trio she spotted the scared and crying child they were bound to protect. "If you hurt Miss Valliere I will be forced into action." Etenu stated, throwing her arms through the slit on the robe Siesta had provided.
"Us, you think we'd hurt Louise." Kriche countered, offended by the pale familiar that stood ready to attack. Its body bound in muscle, yet too thin for its height, the blue chest armour and skin suit striking against its almost white skin while the robe hung like a cape from his shoulders.
"Then who is to blame?" Etenu asked lowering his guard and letting the robe fold together.
"You are." Kriche accused, pointing her wand at Etenu as he became disinterested in the conversation. "You tried to strangle her."
"Self defence." She said, moving to the window. "We are not bound to defend you."
The familiar just stood there looking out the window, the arrogance of the creature to dismiss them so quickly. She was tempted to send it flying out the window. "Why you..." her hand was stayed by a gently movement. "Tabitha." Kriche asked, watching her friend walk up to the green haired familiar.
"Please sit." Offering to the small table with two chairs that had returned to its original position just like the other pieced of furniture within the room.
Watching as her familiar calmly took a seat opposite Tabitha Louise watched as the two spoke quietly while Kriche became more interested in the strange stillness that the two exhibited as they spoke. For a perplexing moment they simultaneously looked at her with the same blank stare before turning back to continue talking. She desperately wanted to walk over and listen to what they were talking about but her feet remained glued to the spot. She found herself being pulled away by Kriche, she struggled to fight against it but she reluctantly followed away from her room.
Despite Kriches' attempts to cheer her up she was still upset and starting to resent her beautiful classmate. Not only didn't she have the same problems but her familiar was a docile salamander that was more than happy to do what its master asked. Tabitha even more as her familiar was a wind dragon that was smart enough to know about Kriche and Tabithas' friendship and come over when asked nicely if only for a moment before flying off to find its master. Everyone had better familiars then the monster she has summoned.
"Tabitha." Kriche exclaimed as her friend approached them in the main dining hall that had been returned to full service despite this mornings incident. Despite not returning the hug or changing her expression in the slightest she seemed to share her friends' joy.
"He wishes to talk to you." Tabitha said after Kriche released her to approach Louise. "Be patient and polite. He will return the courtesy." She said quietly.
"Can we trust him?" Kriche asked urgently, not wanting another fight to break out. Tabitha only nodded, taking her leave and heading for her room as the last of the twilight faded from the sky.
"Louise?" Kriche probed the upset girl. "I'll come with you if you want."
Getting to her feet Louise looked to her feet then straightened up. "I'll be alright." She would confront her familiar.
Standing outside her door she steeled herself and opened the door. Her familiar sat at the table, her wand lying on the table as he sat there looking at her. A million thing seemed to be crossing though her familiars mind but it was hard to tell when the mask he wore for a face never change.
"Miss Valliere. There are things we must discuss." He said, pointing to the chair opposite.
Reluctantly taking a seat opposite her familiar she was reminded again how tall he was as he towered over her despite the lack of armour.
"We have discussed with Tabitha, at her insistence, I apologise for our actions before."Etenu said and waited.
Louise was confused as to what she was supposed to do. The way her familiar said sorry made it hard to take seriously when he used the same tone to threaten her. He now sat before her waiting for her to do something. "Okay." Louise replied, calmly picking up her wand from the table and heading to her bed leaving her familiar sitting at the table as she changed to go to sleep.
I think I got most of that right. Anything wrong I blame on the computer gremlins, cursed little things retracting everything I say.
My thanks to any reviewers in advance.
Thanks and hope you enjoyed