A/N: HELLO! I have been in drastic need for happier stories thanks to my own RL and Season Three of RWBY, so I decided to look up some old reads and link to the writer's favorites. Well, I fell upon the Infinite Loops again, this time with Winx Club surprisingly enough… Let me state that I have literally NEVER seen it outside of advertisements on the TV, and felt no interest in it. But when a writer has a favorite list that consists PURELY of Fate/Stay Night, and RWBY, with a SINGLE inconsistency… well, you get curious, no?
I ended up loving it. Although I did have to constantly google the characters and places to know who was what and where. At the time, I was writing chapter 4 of my Familiar of Zero and Vindictus crossover story, and I was hit with an OLDER memory, of a couple of FoZ attempts at Time Loop stories. One which used Saito as the 'Anchor'. This was a rather dark story, in which Saito had no Plot Armor or Comedy Violence, so he was constantly killed by accident or even on purpose, by Louise's magical explosions.
The other is the one whose example I will follow, in which Louise's VERY first loop… is a fused loop, where she gets Broly as her summon, who promptly destroys the entire academy and kills them all, which causes Louise to immediately wake up again, at the beginning of the day, wondering if she just dreamed it all. I won't spoil the rest, as even though it seems to be dead, it is still a good read, and I have the info on my profile for all of you to go over it.
Now, although I am following the example of the second one, I am planning to connect it to the Infinite Loops, unlike the two prior. It is just that I REEAALLLLLLLLLLY, don't like Saito.
For all those who do, I am sorry, I just don't like him. I am not saying he is a bad guy. Nor is it something against perverted characters (Although they are a bit harder for me to accept than others [Unless they are perverted female characters…]), since I absolutely love Jiraiya and Issei, from Naruto and High school DxD. But Saito just rubs me the wrong way, despite the fact that, yeah, there was some moderate brainwashing involved that was screwing him over, AND, as one of the millions of average and standard Japanese male teenagers, he has no REAL ability to deal with the situation he was tossed into… but still, I just don't like how he acts or how things play out with him. And as such, I WILL NOT, write a story where Louise ends up in a relationship with him, so having her loop at the end of a baseline loop, while being in a relationship with Saito?
Not gonna happen. So instead, I am going to have her first loop, be a FUSED loop, with a different summon, to make things more interesting.
Oh, her summon will be Awake, but since Louise has NO idea how to understand or respond to the ping, since it is her first loop, she will be considered a stealth anchor for the summon until another fused loop occurs. XD
Now, I ask you all to put up with me, since I wish to AVOID Louise getting together with Saito, which would be NATURAL in such a situation, simply because he would be the closest male to her, through every loop, and as such, would probably begin looping first thanks to that, it would be NORMAL for them to end in a relationship.
Since you all know I will NOT do that, I need to SOMEHOW make Louise's summon influence her into going after one of the other 'standard' characters in the story instead. After looking at my poll for my FoZ/Vindi, which seems to be leaning towards Tabitha as being her Summon, I will attempt to make this into a Charlotte/Louise story. Which I am happy to admit would be my favorite pairing in FoZ. Followed by Montmorency and the maids, including Siesta. Or a Ménage a Trois with Kriche, Louise, and Tabitha.
Don't. Just don't ask me how these things came about. I am sure I will SOMEHOW implement them into the loops at some point. Since I am CERTAIN that Montmorency will loop before Guiche, if either of them loop at all, and Monmon would most certainly go down the route of Sakura Syndrome for a bit while trying to keep Guiche to herself, if I don't play my cards right. So yeah, MUCH later. XD Fun things for now, I am in SERIOUS need of lighthearted comedy. Even better with some Fluffy Yuri.
Also, I do NOT have a Spacebattles account, but I am PLANNING on getting one, so that I can eventually post this on their Infinite Loops section, if people like it. There was ALREADY an attempt at it on the site, but it has been dead since 2014, and it pairs Louise with Saito… So yeah.
Although the snip with Alucard was NICE.
BEGIN!
(I am a line)
Louise woke up in a bit of a different mood to her usual. One would wonder why Louise the Zero would wake up in a mood other than depressed, angry, or resigned. They would wonder, because no one in the whole darn academy, besides, possibly, Tabitha, Osmond, and Colbert, know anything about the small pink haired girl anyway!
Louise ALWAYS woke up determined to prove herself each day, after she dealt with the sleepiness and lack of energy to do anything of course. THAT is why today was different. Unlike what is normal for her, she awoke fresh and ready for the day, immediately. There was no room in her mind to be drowsy, for it was too filled with anticipation. Anticipation, because today, she proved to the world, that she was in fact a mage. Although that was obvious to anyone with half a brain… which in this school, meant herself, Miss Longuevillle, Professors Osmond and Colbert, and Tabitha and Kirche, could tell she had magic. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to cast anything, much less constantly blow up her targets.
She just couldn't control her magic properly, because she didn't know her element. BUT TODAY! She would learn what her true element was, and finally get a proper grasp of her magic! For today, they summoned their familiars, and each person's familiar, with very few exceptions, was tied to one's element.
So Louise rushed through her morning ablutions and headed down to the breakfast table. She couldn't wait.
(I too am a line)
A loud explosion rang out across the courtyard. Louise had just finished chanting the words for the ritual summoning, which apparently joined the list of things that blew up when Louise attempted it.
Coughing was heard from the smoke cloud. "Not the way I usually Wake up." Suddenly the smoke cloud was blown away by a blast of wind, revealing a short-haired, dark skinned, toned young woman wearing dark blue, baggy pants, reminiscent of nomad tribes she had seen. A lighter blue shirt that was cut off before the shoulders, with what looked like metal and leather arm guards. All her clothing, including her boots, had white outlines or borders.
She was looking around in confusion and intrigue at the situation. "Well, this is new. Forgive me, I am feeling kind of Loopy at the moment." Everyone watched the attractive women look around while speaking in a foreign language, before one of Louise's classmates shouted.
"HAH! Louise the Zero summoned a barbarian!"
"Can't even speak proper Tristainian!"
"And look at her outfit!" This did not need to be pointed out for many of the males present.
Silence immediately befell the courtyard, as sudden as the earth that rised up below their feet and entombed everyone up to their heads. Except Tabitha. Probably because she was far in the corner of the field, reading her book. "What's wrong with my outfit!?"
To say that everyone was shocked would be like saying that Louise only sometimes blew stuff up with her spells. It would be a gross understatement.
The newcomer apparently spoke in their language, and had just cast some really precise, chantless, and wandless earth magic…
There would be a lot more chaos if the bronze barbarian before them wasn't glaring at everyone, wisely making them keep their tongues in their mouths.
Louise didn't know what to think… She had summoned a human. A human barbarian from what she could only imagine was the Southern Lands. A barbarian who spoke perfect Tristainian and casually used powerful and precise Earth magic to a level that many Square mages would be green with envy.
It was amazing she didn't faint.
More amazing was the fact that professor Colbert stepped forward to speak with the woman holding almost most of her classmates lives in her hands.
(Like my brothers before me, I am a line)
"Okay. While I am not happy with having been brutally ripped away from my home and family without consent or warning, then insulted immediately afterwards, I can understand that the little lady had as little choice in the matter as I did." At this she looked at the slightly cowed Louise.
Professor Colbert had explained to the woman, Korra she has called herself, what had happened. He had also asked her about her, and she stated that she came from a place called the Southern Water Tribe, which confirmed that she WAS a Barbarian… albeit a barbarian who spoke proper Tristainian, DID NOT seem to be walking around wearing skulls or painted in blood, carried no visible and primitive weapons, and seemed to be at LEAST a Square Class Earth Mage by how easily she released the entire class with a single movement at the Professors request.
"You said your name was Louise?" She nodded at the taller woman. "Look, under normal circumstances, I would probably have knocked you all unconscious for what happened, but as I said, you had no choice in the matter, just like none of the others could choose in who their familiars were, or the familiars in who their masters. However, unlike them, I am Human, and I refuse to be a slave to another. It is a barbaric practice that I despise with my whole being." Louise cringed, and then looked crestfallen. Her familiar was rejecting her, and Louise's own morals, and logic would not allow her to refute the powerful women's words or actions. She herself would not have been NEARELY as calm or rational if she found herself in the others shoes. The few who started snickering at the situation were quickly enveloped in earth again. "That being said, I believe in destiny. As such I refuse to leave you to it alone if I was summoned to help you, so I ask if you would like a partner on your adventure."
Louise looked up in shock.
"Now, I have to make this clear. I will accept becoming your familiar, even going through the Ritual, but I am no semi-intelligent animal. This will be a partnership. I am no slave, despite me accepting the title of familiar to avoid problems in this land. We are equals in this relationship. I will protect you as much as you do the same to me. I will aid you in your endeavors so long as they do not impugn on my morals. Understand, that outside of combat situations, you cannot order me around. You can make requests, ask advice, or assistance, but no orders. If you can reside by those general rules, I will help you as your familiar. Deal?" She extended her hand to Louise.
Louise looked at the taller woman towering over her. Louise was at a crossroads. She was loathed to admit it, but her familiar was more powerful than her, more dangerous, and completely in the right. Tristainian laws had nothing in regards to such a situation, and it is true that the familiar bond could be considered to slavery, which most DEFINITELY would be considered illegal. She was sure that she could fight it as not being slavery, that it was merely her familiar, and as such should be treated the same as all others. Like an intelligent dog or some such.
Of course, that would only work if said familiar wasn't capable of taking out the master, and her entire year grade class without uttering a single word, and made it clear that she was intelligent, capable, and willing.
So Louise would just have to take things as they came. She was used to that at least, having had a rather difficult life, taking her licks as they came. It could even be said that this was an opportune situation.
Sure, she wanted a manticore like her mother, or maybe a dragon or griffin, but a master Earth mage as a familiar? No one else can say to have had such a familiar before, and Korra was both willing to help her, as well as protect her as she had shown with the students who insulted them. Louise would just take it as gaining a personal tutor then. Who also happened to be a guard, who WASN'T on her payroll. She could live with that.
Louise extended her hand and gripped Korra's. "Deal."
Professor Colbert jumped in at that point, "Excellent, well then, let us continue with the ritual then, and miss Korra, if you could please release those students before they die from oxygen deprivation please?"
Korra chuckled, "I left air holes, they won't die. Also, I would hope they understand that words are weapons, just like any others. So if they continue using them to attack me or Louise, I will retaliate appropriately. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?" She shouted towards the few mounds of earth among the loosely spread students. They all heard some muffled yells, or cries. She wasn't sure, it was hard to tell. "Good." She released them, showing a few of them had urinated themselves, before turning back to Louise. "It's your show Louise. Go for it."
Louise straightened her spine, pulled out her wand and began the ritual words of binding. The circle they stood on began glowing a bit as she did so, Korra watching in apparent fascination, which caused her to be unprepared for when Louise leaned in on her tip-toes and planted a kiss on her lips. Of course, before she could respond to that, she had to hold her hand in pain as runes started branding themselves on the back of her left hand.
"Quick question, is it supposed to feel like someone is branding you with a red-hot poker?" She seemed relatively calm for her supposed description of what she was feeling.
Louise turned to her professor in question. "I am afraid I am not certain miss Korra. No other familiar has ever shown any pain during the ritual, and you are the first human familiar I have ever heard of. So I am afraid that I am not certain."
At that moment, the runes finished glowing, and Korra let go of her hand, and her scrunched brow became normal again. "You are lucky I am no stranger to pain, I am certain most other people would have been on the ground rolling around and screaming in pain." At this point, she turned back to Louise, a smirk on her face. "Also, I am glad you find me attractive, and I did say it was a relationship, but I did not mean a romantic one. I already have a wife whom I love with all my heart, and she would tear me to pieces if I cheated on her."
Louise's brain wasn't the only one to be forced to restart at that last comment. As she started spluttering some response while her new familiar was laughing out loud, her rebooting brain wondered if she hadn't maybe possibly made a bad decision.
(My mother gave birth to a line.)
The following month had been unique, felt Korra. She had yet to find any other loopers. For that matter, she had never heard of this particular loop among her friends. She wondered if perhaps she was the first non-baseline looper in this world. 'But then, why hasn't the anchor come forward to the irregularity? Unless they looped out? But then why hasn't the other anchor replied to my pings?' Needless to say, Korra had been a bit miffed at the stealth anchor. No one had done or said anything that made her suspect them as the anchor. Heck, the most suspicious one had been that Tabitha girl that she had forced Louise to get close to and befriend. 'A bust as far as I can tell. Although thankfully, my bullshit reason for getting them together worked several times better than I could have imagined. Seriously, an undercover princess from a neighboring country? Who also happens to be hiding her skills and heritage, because her evil uncle killed her father and poisoned her mother, keeping the girl under her thumb? Despite Louise still not having any real combat ability, that girl has her heart in the right place, and a proper fire in her belly.'
They immediately called in a couple of weeks from school for family reasons, flew over to Galia on Sylphid, 'Which was awesome.' Snuck into her mother's tower. Then they stealthily 'kidnapped' her, took her to an old Valliere safehouse that wasn't in use, where Korra was able to heal her over the week thanks to her Water bending. The reunion between a healing and mostly sane mother and daughter was ridiculously touching.
'Sick queen locked up on the top of a tower? Check. Using said queen to pressure the princess into becoming a skilled mage assassin? Unique, although similar to Zelda, so Check. Having said princess encounter a hero, who saves her and her sick mother? Once again, getting Zelda and Link vibes here. Check nonetheless. Having the princess pledge her loyalty and staff to the hero-ine? That is most definitely new. Good for them! Although I do wonder what is next after this.'
Korra's thoughts continued trying to plan for the rest of the loop, while Louise and Tabitha prepared to move Tabitha's mother to the Valliere home, where she could be better treated. As they both needed to get back to school for the talent show, and to avoid bringing up too much suspicion.
Louise wondered what to tell her family…
(I am the twin of the line above)
Well, that had gone better than planned. Mother was more than happy to help Charlo—Tabitha's mother to recover from her ordeal.
She still didn't know what to think of the situation. One moment she is Louise the Zero… well, she still TECHNICALLY was, but then she gets a familiar, who can bend the four elements to a level that Elves themselves would be envious. Yeah, not a mage, she didn't use a wand, incantation, or the like. Nor did she use the spirits of nature like the Elves did. She, herself, with her own power, controlled the four elements directly. Needless to say, Louise and Tabitha were quite shocked when they learned that.
Although, thankfully, most others only controlled one element, it was just her that used all four. That made Louise proud.
Second, she was now friends with Tabitha, who she finds out is actually Princess Charlotte of Galia… as well as a Chevalier, and used as a suicidal assassin by her Uncle, the current King of Galia who took the crown after killing Tabitha's father and poisoning her mother, which had left her weak and mostly insane.
To imagine that a fellow classmate of hers had had such a life. It truly made Louise grateful that she stood strong and never went around crying or complaining about her own life. Otherwise, she wasn't sure she could ever bring herself to be friends with Tabitha, feeling she didn't deserve such an amazing person as a friend.
Instead, Korra tells them she can probably heal her, they go on a quick and insane adventure, which was admittedly started thanks to Louise wanting to help Tabitha at all costs. Wanting to help the one girl smaller than her in all physical matters, and who had never even given her a bad look, who had been a good constant in this horrible academy and the only to match her in grades outside of practicals. They sneak into a guarded tower, rescue the queen, take her to an old safehouse her dad had shown her on a map once. Then Korra heals Tabitha's mother, although not completely, it was enough for mother and daughter to reconnect.
Louise will admit that tears were brought to her own eyes at that moment. She will not admit that her heart hurt a bit at the sight, hoping she had such a close connection with her mother. She knew her mother loved her. She had also accepted that her mother would never show the same emotions that Tabitha's did at that moment. It just wasn't what Karin did. Her fabled Rule of Steel would not allow it. Still, she took heart in the fact that her mother DID love her. That was enough for Louise, who had failed Karin's expectation in all but her intelligence and perseverance, yet still retained her mother's love.
She almost chuckled at the fact that the famed Karin of the Heavy Wind… had three daughters, all three of whom are considered failures by their peers. She cannot use magic properly. Cattleya is too sick to do anything. Eleanor is constantly having her arranged marriage broken off, since the males are scared of her. In all fairness, Eleanor had severe anger issues, added with her sadistic tendency to whip and hit her issues? If Louise is saying someone has anger issues, they have issues.
Anyway, having Tabitha swear her loyalty to her was something she could honestly say, she NEVER EVER envisioned or planned for. Much less when Tabitha did it as the Princess of Galia, Charlotte. She almost rejected her, if she hadn't seen the steel behind those eyes. Louise, even if she had done nothing but practically order them to go on this mission, had apparently earned Tabitha's eternal loyalty. Taking a page from her strange familiar, she leaned down to Tabitha's level, took hold of her, and told her clearly. "I am thankful for your loyalty Charlotte. However, I couldn't have done this without Tabitha and Korra. I cannot accept your offer of fealty Charlotte. However, I would love to become closer friends You."
She decidedly ignored the slight amount of red that appeared on Tabitha's cheeks at the time. Just like she ignored Korra's heckling. She may accept that the Southern Lands were barbaric enough to ignore the words of Brimir, and allow two women to get together, but she would NOT do as Korra suggested.
ANYWAY, since they needed to get back to avoid suspicions from the Galian King, and to participate in the Familiar Talent Show, they took Tabitha's mother to Louise's main house, where they explained the situation to her mother.
Louise was honestly surprised by how quickly Karin accepted after Louise asked for her to help. She expected it to be much harder to be honest, but with the time constraint, she was glad it hadn't. Karin then provided both of them with a signed letter, explaining that they had both joined her on one of her jaunts to old military friends, which she assured, would say they had been there, despite NOT having been there. So they spent a bit of time getting the story straight, before heading back. But not before Karin had ordered them all back soon. She had been staring straight at Korra as she ordered them to come back… Louise knew that Korra was strong, but her mother was known for facing and defeating armies and Elves singlehandedly. She hoped that her mother didn't kill her familiar and friend.
'That is for later though, we are nearly at the academy, and can I say how awesome it is that we are flying on a dragon. A RHYME dragon to boot. Leave it to Tabitha to have a legendary and supposedly extinct race as a familiar.' Louise once again ignored Korra's poking at how they were meant to be, what with both having rare familiars. Louise had to remind herself that Korra could probably fly with her wind manipulation, so she shouldn't push her off.
'At least no one else will be a challenge for the top two spots.' Louise got a pretty vicious grin at the thought of showing up the rest of the school.
(I am the father of the line above. He has my genes.)
'Wow. This loop is full of classic fantasy adventure situations. Apparently we missed the attempts at the schools vault by a famed thief. Then we find out Louise is childhood friends with the country's princess. Said princess sneaks into Louise's room at night after the talent show… when we were celebrating first and second place with Tabitha, who somehow managed to sneak away from Kirche. Which was actually a good thing, since Tabitha managed to put a privacy spell which kept that two-timing idiot Guiche from listening in on the conversation, which just so happened to be a FRIGGIN SUPER COUNTRY SHATTERING SECRET! Seriously, you would think that the princess would have her own personal guard or assassin or something that could do this, or that she would have enough common sense to NOT SPOUT SECRETS THAT COULD DESTABALIZE HER COUNTRY WITHOUT FIRST VERIFYING THE AREA!' Needless to say, Korra was not happy with the Tristania's princess. A sentiment shared by the quiet blue haired girl who was giving them a ride straight to the port city.
Although Korra was sure that Tabitha would follow them the whole way, regardless of this 'trusted guard' that princess had gotten to help guard Louise on the trip to and from Albion. 'Which happens to be at war by the way. Yeah, I think that princess deserves to lose her position, sending an untrained teenager to deliver a secret and super important letter to the losing side of a war in an island in the sky.'
She kept this all to herself though, since it was clear that Louise thought incredibly highly of Henrietta.
Thankfully, the trip should not be long with Sylphid's help.
(I choose to be a line after I had my accident)
'It is official. This loop is just full of clichés. So, the guard Henrietta sent, just so happened to be Louise's pedophile fiancé, who is CLEARLY a bad guy. What with him trying to muscle his way into the room the three were sharing by telling them he already had another two rooms prepared, one for 'The Familiar' and one for them, since they are engaged. Although it was amusing watching Tabitha beat that idea down with a single word. Never thought the word 'No' could carry so many intonations and meanings from a girl who usually speaks in monotone… while speaking in monotone… I swear, the Elcoor could take lessons from her if they are going to try another play… God I hope she starts looping now. I have to see how their meeting would be. That does remind me again to the fact that I have no idea who the anchor is again… Whatever.'
'Anyway, after Walden, or Walarch, Wallwhatever. Clearly evil guy, came over to 'take over' the guard, after challenging me to prove that I could not protect Louise adequately, which I refused, repeatedly, we were 'suddenly' attacked by this 'legendary' thief Farfetch, or something. During which, Louise was kidnapped by Goateed Pedo, leaving Tabitha and myself to fend off the giant golem.'
Needless to say, Korra quickly took the thief down, by trapping her inside her own golem. They find out the thief is actually the school's secretary, Miss Longueville, 'Another strike towards the people running this country,' who had been hired by, 'Surprise surprise,' Goateed Pedo. They took her wand and quickly chased after the ship that Louise was on with the Evil Pedo.
Korra was pissed. Sylphid was pissed. Tabitha was visibly seething.
Pedo would not last long once they caught up.
(Hey again. I am that line from the beginning. Miss me?)
Louise was in shock. First, she is separated brusquely from Korra and Tabitha by Wardes when they are attacked by Foquet. Then the ship they are on is attacked by pirates. Who turn out to be the Albion Prince and army in disguise. Then on the way back the entire ship is nearly sunk by Korra and Tabitha, who threaten everyone if they didn't release her.
It was actually really sweet when Tabitha was the one threatening to bring the ship down and kill everyone onboard if they didn't deliver her to them unhurt.
Of course, immediately afterwards, they looked kind of stupid when they were informed by her that they were attacking the person who they initially NEEDED to meet with.
Then things got really out of control when they pulled her behind them and attacked Wardes. Louise tried to stop them… Until Wardes admitted that he was in fact part of Reconquista, and proceeded to attack the Prince, nearly killing him if a fellow soldier hadn't pushed him out of the way and died in his place. After that, Korra and Tabitha threw him of board with a combined wind attack.
And here she was, being cradled by Korra and Tabitha, as she cried over the situation. She had just found out her fiancé, one of the few people who accepted and supported her growing up, was a traitor to her country. So she remained there until she fell asleep in their arms.
(I -)
'Well, it is official. This is a pretty sad loop. I understand the Prince's decision, but I still feel he is wrong. If I wasn't worried about this damn stealth anchor, I would have gone full avatar and destroyed the opposing army. Then we had to watch as the princess broke down, despite it being her and his decision. I swear, next time I am in this loop, this girl is getting pranked. HEAVILY. Then Kirche comes from nowhere when we all get back to the school, complaining about Tabitha and Louise having a grand adventure without her, and then betrayal, woe, and whatnot, before she pulled us all onto a treasure hunt… With a bunch of fraudulent maps. Somehow Guiche decided to come along. After a while, facing orcs, goblins, some kobolds, and a bunch of fake or crappy treasures later, we landed on a REAL treasure. In the village of Tarbes, home apparently to a maid who used to work in the school, before she was apparently hired to a Count Mott. I got a shiver down my back at the dead look that the girl's parents had in their eyes when they admitted that, but I was also glad for it, because it seemed that it was what Louise needed to finally get the fire she lost in Albion back. Tabitha had been at the girl's side the entire time, getting her back bit by bit, but it was clear that she needed a goal, just like I had needed when Asami told me that the world needed the avatar. That the world needed me. Here Louise had found a purpose again. To do her job as a noble, to protect those she had sworn to protect when she accepted her lineage and title. We were then lead to the Dragon's Raiment, an old Japanese war plane Asami had shown me pictures of during one of our shared hub loops. That is when things got interesting, I touched the plane, and immediately got complete knowledge on how to use, maintain, and even dismantle and put it together again. They then pointed out that my runes were glowing. A few experiments later, and I JUST, after months of having this darn thing, find out that this thing gives me mastery over any weapon I get my hands on. Which includes war machines, like the fighter plane.' Korra grinned greatly at that point. 'Asami is going to be so jealous.'
They then set off to check on Siesta, but first, we would be stopping in the city to pick up a few weapons, since Korra wanted a see about testing her runes further, as well as getting Louise something, since her explosions were only useful at distance.
(Line trio)
'Okay… that could have gone better. So we find out Count Mott is a rapist pig… which lead to Louise learning a new spell. One for her branch of magic. Turns out, which I had suspected based on how cliché this loop is and the fact that no known spell works for her, that she is a void mage, and the prayer book that Henrietta gave her was the original void mage's, and contains all his spells. More annoyance at the bastard that set up a stagnant and crappy monarchy for over six thousand years, the book only shows a spell that the situation demands, when the person most needs it. In this case, it was a massive explosion that wiped out the mansion out of existence. Louise's impending breakdown at her action was not helped when she managed to kill one of the attacking guards with the shortsword she had taken to wielding after I explained that she needed something in short range to defend herself, and Tabitha pulled out a dagger she had hidden Yggdrasil knows where to prove my point. That brought up my thoughts on her being a stealth looper or anchor again. So yeah. We are now wanted criminals.' Korra sighed.
She looked over to where Tabitha and Louise were. Tabitha had been there immediately when Louise's actions caught up with her. Korra was glad, since she wasn't good with such a situation. Thanks to Tabitha's prompt and heartfelt actions, Louise seemed to be getting over the situation much quicker than Korra would imagine.
They were heading to one of Kirche's hideouts. After the situation, Guiche had refused to leave, saying that explaining the situation would be enough for them, as they were in the right. No one else agreed with him, so Tabitha took the catatonic Louise onto Sylphid, and Korra and Kirche barely got on in time before she flew off.
As expected, soon, there was a notice from the crown, that they were all traitors, and that Guiche would be executed soon. They had been planning to go and spring him out… if Reconquista hadn't decided to show up at Tristinia's doorstep, and blown up Tarbes.
It took little arguing from Louise before they were in the air again, this time heading towards the Reconquista fleet.
(Line)
'What is it with this loop and sexual predators?' Goateed Pedo turned out to be alive, until Louise angrily erased him from existence alongside most of the enemy fleet. Then they all dropped in on one of the remaining ships and commandeered it, after tossing out its original crew. Korra and Kirche were a bit worried at how callously Tabitha and Louise dealt with their enemies. Korra had lent Louise Derflinger, a talking magical sword she had picked up when in town, since she had dropped her shortsword back at Mott's place. Turns out Derf, after being fed some of Louise's magic, regained a lot of his memory, even more of his memory than when Korra had removed the rust and sharpened him with some metal bending.
She had sworn that his ability to eat and store magic had to be used for something. She was right, turns out, Derf can control his wielder like a puppet, if the wielder is unconscious, dead, or completely willing.
Louise was completely willing, and although she became sore after each time Derf took over, she became an unmatched swordmaster. Six thousand years of being a sword and wielding by all sorts of masters can do that to someone.
Korra attempted to avoid killing whomever she could, as did Kirche, but as Kirche only used fire magic, she failed a few times. Tabitha and Louise didn't bother trying to hold back. One, because she had been doing such things since half her age, and understood that she didn't want them getting back up to harm her, or her friends. The other, was angry. Her entire world had been uprooted several times in under six months, every time she was coming around from the last issue, a new one popped out, and she finally had targets that she could release her rage and frustrations on.
After they were done, they quickly set the ship on a roundabout course to pick up Guiche from his prison in the capital city. Hopefully such a distraction would be more than enough for them to get the fool and escape.
(Blah)
Reconquista was no more. While the new group, which included the freed Guiche and Fouquet, had taken to traveling the land incognito, the war had escalated. Germania had betrayed Tristain while they had taken their troops to Albion, by not sending any of their own forces during the attack. So Tristain was forced to retreat when Reconquista attacked during a universal cease-fire holiday. Then Galia came in and wiped out Reconquista and taking the glory.
Immediately afterwards, Galia took over the severely weakened Tristain. The king had just released the news, that there would be a grand execution taking place to rid the world of severals 'evils' that had led to their situation.
Former Princess Henrietta was at the top of the list, after her ordeal before the war, where she had been caught, attempting to escape with a revived Prince Wales, before being stopped and detained by some loyal Griffon Knights, was released to the public. Needless to say, after all the comments that Korra and Tabitha had of her actions, even Louise didn't defend her too hard at that point. Apparently she understood that if you're going to regret your actions to the degree that you run off with a ghost of the man you fell in love with, then you shouldn't have allowed the original separation and death to occur. None of them really felt like rescuing her, although Louise and Guiche did make a mention of it.
That was quickly turned around by Henrietta's name being immediately followed by the Valliere family. The list named the now former Duke, and his eldest daughter.
Karin's and Cattleya's name were not listed. Thankfully, there was a wanted notice for both of them, so they expected that they had tried to detain them at home, and Karin had decided otherwise.
Knowing that her mother would NEVER allow her family to be hurt, considering that she hadn't even hunted down Louise after becoming a known traitor, the team decided to go and rescue Louise's family and the princess, plus any others they could while there.
But even with the expected support from The Heavy Wind, they needed some method of distraction. The answer became easy with a new spell that the Prayer Book had given Louise.
She and Guiche would be on the outskirts of the city, and create an illusion of a Germanian army coming upon them with Louise's new spell.
Meanwhile, Fouquet would lead the rest underground, to pop up near the prisoners, and 'kidnap' them taking them back through the tunnels with her earth magic and Korra's earth bending. They decided it would be faster to kidnap them then free them and try to lead them away. Hopefully, they could run into Karin to join up. Afterwards, they would escape and take them all to the hideout that Korra, Fouquet and Guiche had built for Fouquet's charges, which happened to be a half-elf and a bunch of orphans. They had barely gotten to them when a group of brigands, remnants of Reconquista's army, had attacked them, intent on taking the girls for their 'fun'.
Fouquet and Guiche both had their own moments then. She, for helping them kill the scum and save her family. He, because he had finally cracked completely, realizing that he had been heading down the same path of Mott and scum like them. Needless to say the entire group, Korra included, had hardened at least a bit during their adventures. Louise the most, especially as she continued getting more spells from the Prayer book, and continued working her physical skills with Derf's help, since she still had nothing else for close range combat, at least, nothing to help knock out or kill her opponents. A few tips from Korra had led her to use a few spells, like dispel and illusion for medium to close range combat, as supports.
Tabitha, surprisingly enough, had been affected as well, but in the opposite direction. She had been more open to everyone in their group. She had been a bit worried about her mother since she became a criminal, but was assured that if Karin had not attempted to hunt her own wayward daughter, that she was probably still keeping her word and protecting her. This was further proven when Karin and Cattleya were not part of the captured Valliere members. As an aside, she and Louise had most assuredly gotten closer, each other actually leaning on the other constantly now. In a weird seesaw of emotional support. And as Tabitha opened up more, releasing a smile or two to the group at large, although she showed those in private to Louise quite often, the rest of the group settled their hearts a bit and slowly returned back to their own selves a bit.
Korra helped out where she could, as she was the oldest and most experienced one there. They even got Guiche to start flirting again a bit.
They set everything up for their soon to be joining escapees, and set out to thwart a large scale execution. Every single one of them strode confidently towards their next battlefield.
-H-
Karin earned her status as a badass. Korra had seen MANY powerful and ridiculous loopers in her time.
Karin was not a looper.
Korra wouldn't bet against Karin in a fight between her and many a looper.
Louise could deal with armies thanks to her OP Baseline ability of being a Void Mage. Karin could do the same with her mastery of her Wind magic, tactical mind, and hard-won experience. For someone who was retired for over twenty years, she put to absolute shame the army that came out to meet Louise's illusion. Korra felt Awake TENZIN would be hard pressed against the women as she was, and shivered if the woman ever started looping. Especially with the words she responded to when it was pointed out that she was doing 'pretty well' for a retired housewife.
"I live by a single absolute rule. The Rule of Steel, and chief among it, there is a single question that must be answered every day. 'Am I stronger than I was yesterday?' For the last forty years, not a single day has the answer to that question been 'No.'"
Needless to say, the rescue happened without a hitch, and Fouquet had covered all their tracks thoroughly, proving why she had been renowned among all four neighboring countries as a master thief. Oh, and Louise, Korra, Fouquet, and the rest were all shaking in their shoes at the thought of what Karin would do to them for having been wanted criminals before her.
-H-
Okay, Karin took the main team to go pick up Cattleya and all those that she had evacuated from her main home, which was a sizeable amount. Then she took the main group, and her family aside, and proceeded to hug Louise and the rest of her family, shocking everyone present, except maybe the Duke.
Then she proceeded to rip a new one from Louise and all her friends for their stupidity. Then praised them for doing the right thing. She was a BIT iffy with Fouquet, but after a few questions agreed that she was in the okay as well.
The relief from the group was palpable. Which turned to joy when Cattleya glomped Louise.
They spent the trip back to the rest of the group and their hideout talking. Korra, Louise and Tabitha were mainly interrogated by Karin and Cattleya on the way.
Bright side? When they arrived, no one tried to squabble about taking charge of the now, much larger group when they all returned, since Karin was present. Oh, and Karin and Cattleya both accepted and liked Tabitha, which Korra made ample opportunity to tease the officially accepted, unofficial couple.
Not so bright side? Karin handed leadership to Louise, and no one, including Louise, had any idea of rejecting the other, and more proficient, one woman army present. Korra felt that she might be able to beat Karin… but wasn't willing to bet on it. Much less over something like this.
So Louise now had a small army, mainly consisting of Valliere guards and maids (who despite NOT being mages, were probably more accomplished than many of Tristain's mage corps), along with a few nobles and military personnel that were actually worthy of their titles. Oh, and of course former Princess Henrietta who had decided to subvert herself into a healing role, Karin the Heavy Freaking Wind who would be taking charge as main advisor for military matters, and the rest of their initial group. Korra the avatar, who was keeping her skills down to avoid any trouble with the stealth anchor. Guiche, who had, thanks to Fouquet and Korra, become much more competent in his craft, being on the border of Triangle Class Earth magic. Kirche who was on the same point in regards to almost reaching Square Class. Tabitha and Fouquet who both HAD reached Square Class, putting them at near the top of their forces, despite Tabitha's age. And of course, Louise herself, who, although limited to just her void spells still, had a much more competent list of spells, and was even capable of casting some of them through Derf, which made her that much more dangerous at multiple ranges now. She had even succeeded in finding a way to have Derf get only PARTIAL control of her, allowing her to cast spells freely while Derf focused on using himself at close range quarters. Although she herself was coming along quite nicely in regards to her swordplay, it is doubtful she would ever get to Derf's level, so she was quite content to allow him control of anything physical during combat, while she focused on her magic.
After a few back and forth conversations, they finally decided that they needed to get rid of the Mad Galian king, but only after he showed his true state of mind, which Tabitha promised would be soon. For now, they would train, train and gather information for the inevitable conflict.
-H-
'A bit over three years since I was summoned to this world. By far, not my strangest, or worst loop, but it has had points across the scale on both ends. The little girl that I first met back then, known as a failure, known as Zero, is now to be the new Queen of Tristain. Yet she retains her title of Zero. They had started calling her Louise of the Void, before she crushed it, and told them to call her Louise the Zero. It was quite a moving argument about new beginnings and whatnot.'
And so it was, Joseph de Galia, showed his madness, when he started a massive military recruitment, with the sole intent to destroy Romalia. Tristain, being a highly religious country, behind only Romalia itself, had a huge outcry, which Louise and her group rode to a successful revolution, with Joseph running back to Galia with his tail between his legs. Soon afterwards, Romalia itself attacked and destroyed Galia's army and monarchy. With Joseph's death, Tabitha stepped forward as Charlotte de Galia, and took her place as the new Queen of Galia, with her fully healed mother as an advisor.
It was quite obvious how much it hurt the happy couple to be separated so, but they worked around it by creating a formal alliance between the two, which came into full circle soon, when knowledge that both Queens had been, and probably remained in a romantic relationship, had Romalia up in arms, and decrying them both. Claiming heresy and for their execution. The people were split. On one hand, they finally had competent rulers, especially after Joseph in Galia, and Henrietta and Mazzini in Tristain, rulers who were making proper changes and decisions that seemed to finally be leading their countries to a prosperous future. Especially when Germania went ahead and threw in its support behind the two countries, forming an official alliance with the both of them. On the other side, Romalia was the head of their religion, a religion that was all they had known since Brimir gave them magic over six thousand years ago. And that religion clearly stated that Queen Valliere's and Queen Charlotte's relationship was heresy.
And that was what they had to deal with afterwards, Romalia knew it could not win in a direct war with all three nations, even if Galia and Tristain were recovering from two separate wars, they were still capable, and Germania was completely fresh, having stocked up their forces, expecting war, but avoiding it for almost four years. So it instead tried to rouse the populous to oust their heretical queens. Even going so far as to excommunicate them from the Church of Brimir.
The reactions among the three countries were unexpected. Tristain was expected to have the worse reaction, but after having had incompetent rulers, who allowed their 'nobles' to do as they wished for decades, even the most religious commoner was unwilling to cast away their first ruler who did as all nobles promised upon taking their titles. She quickly dealt away with corrupted nobles, gave them to those who deserved their titles, used her recovering army to give the people peace and protection from bandits and the like, which were much higher after two wars. And then started overturning old laws that put down commoners with no explainable reason, and set up new ones that had people succeeding based on their skills, rather than their blood and connections. Once Louise and her family were excommunicated, Tristain gathered behind their beloved queen and gave Romalia and the Church of Brimir the collective middle finger. Germania, with the Zerbst family at the lead, went ahead and did the same, laughing their collective asses off, happy as they threw off the shackles that Romalia had previously held on all of them because of their religion.
Galia on the other hand, was a more morbid affair. The people loved their new queen, BUT, they were afraid of both, the blood in her veins, which was that of the Mad King Joseph, as well as the might of Romalia who had recently destroyed their army singlehandedly. Beyond that though, they were also grateful for Romalia, who had freed them from Joseph de Galia's rule, even if only as an after event from Queen Louise's rebellion in Tristain weakening him and his forces. It took the combined might of all three countries heads and influential people constantly attempting to explain and persuade them before they settled down. However, settle down they did, stubborn in avoiding more bloodshed of any kind. As such, they would not dispose of their new Queen, who was healing their country, nor would they go to war with Romalia.
Romalia took that as enough of an incentive to manage a surprise attack at Albion, which had a token guard from Galia, Tristain, and Germania, quickly conquering it, and gaining a jump off point into invading all three countries.
Soon the fires of war were lit again, as Romalia attacked Tristain and Germania, separating the two in an attempt at destroying Tristain quickly, before taking on the much larger threat.
-H-
'So ridiculous. So much blood. So much death, all because of that ass Brimir and his legacy. My childhood, Wardes, Albion, Fouquet and Tiffania's former lives, Tabitha's parents and country, and then all those lost in wars generated by Galia and Romalia, who I find was behind the damnable Reconquista the entire time. All because they wanted Brimir's power, and felt that it was heretical for anyone but the pope to have such a power.'
The war had been relatively short as far as most in Halkegenia's history goes… but it had been bloody. Mostly on Romalia's part. Romalia's pope had revealed himself to be a void user, like Louise, and had gone forth bringing two human familiars, like Louise had… like they had found Joseph had had. They brought weapons of unbelievable power to destroy their enemies in the quest of slaying the 'heretics' as they claimed. They were powerful, managed to destroy entire villages in instants… but the Alliance had already evacuated all those living in the path of Romalia, so they were just showing off their power thankfully.
Despite the use of flying ships with powerful weapons, and Jormugands, giant metal golems, with defense against magic, it meant nothing to the alliance. Germania, thanks to the work of the Zerbst family and ex-Professor Colbert, had developed their own incredibly advanced airships, which although weaker, were more maneuverable and numerous. Tristain had Louise, whose spells cut through the magic resistance of their weapons like it wasn't even there, and Korra whose bending seemed to be completely unaffected by the defenses as well, although they claimed it because she was a familiar of the void, she didn't correct them. Then there were people like Fouquet and Karin, who used their minds alongside their magic, burying the golems, so that regular commoners with proper equipment could simply disassemble the golems in peace, or creating natural wind and thunderstorms with their magic, that downed their airships, avoiding the magical resistance altogether. Romalia fell soon afterwards, right after a confrontation between the Pope and the heads of the Alliance met, where he revealed the truth of Louise and her void magic.
Tabitha was the one to strike him down, pure, unadultured rage on her face, visible for the first time for any of them. For it was the pope that led Joseph down his path, that caused Wardes to do as he did to Louise, that lead to all these wars and Reconquista. Thousands, tens of thousands of deaths, all on the Pope's head.
But that was just the start, it merely showed how corrupt the church was, requiring just as thorough a cleansing as Galia, Tristain and Albion needed.
Korra stood by Louise for it all, even when she approached the elves for the first official peaceful meeting between humans and elves that had happened since Brimir's time.
Korra had been by Louise for six years, helping her grow and become the Queen she was. Louise had been officially married to Tabitha for almost six months, and been officially dating her for almost three years (Unofficially for almost four and a half.). She had just had the first successful meeting with Elves in over six thousand years, allowing Derflinger to tell his tale to the Elves, of Sasha the Elf, the first Gandalfr, the truth of the rise and fall of Brimir. They had even agreed to a second meeting to attempt to start building official bridges between the two races. Six thousand years of bad blood thanks to the actions of one madman had been long enough, and both sides wanted it to end. She had gone to sleep, Lotte, as she had asked her call her while not in formal settings, cuddled into her side. Happy with her life, and how things had turned out since her summoning, despite the rocky moments, and the blood and tears shed from everyone. She closed her eyes staring at her blue haired half.
-H-
She woke up alone in her old bed back in the Tristainian Academy of Magic.
