Later, after they had forced Zero to sing off some of the stress he had been under, the three sat in the lab talking. Roll couldn't help but laugh that his fighting singing must have been at least half of him blowing the stress off. But when he did it, he sure did it. She just wished he'd pick more positive songs. And bands. Dead by April? Avenged Sevenfold. Return to Zero? Oh well, if it helped him relax, it was fine. While the were all sitting and enjoying their drinks, Roll said quite suddenly,"So, Zero have you heard the news about the headmaster?"
"What news is that?" Zero asked,"Did something happen to the old man?"
"No, not really. We put a remote terminal in his room. I printed out some language lessons for him and... He turned them back in to me in under a day while still getting his paperwork done." Roll replied.
"The beginner stuff?" Zero asked curiously,"That's pretty good."
"Starters, medium, and two hard sets." Roll replied casually.
"Well how far off was he.?" Zero asked.
"Not very. I'm beginning to think that the man might just be as brilliant in his own way as Dr. Light." Roll said with a smile.
"Why do you say that?"
"At that late of an age, learning a language, or at least the basic rules of a language should be near impossible at such speed. He can't speak it for anything. He tried but he sounds worse than you can imagine. But he's picked up the reading using the comparative rules at a fast pace."
"Are you sure the old man's human?" Zero questioned her. "That's not possible."
"Oh believe me, he's a man." Mathilda replied darkly. "And one day I will have my revenge."
"This is the panties thing isn't it?" Zero asked and suddenly dodged a fist. "Yep, the panties thing."
"I advise you not to call it the 'panties thing'." Mathilda said calmly as she glared at Zero.
"...The undergarment thing?" Zero tested, then shook his head. "Yeah that doesn't have quite the ring to it that the 'panties thing' does. Oh well."
"Zero..." Mathilda grated out.
"You're going to try to violently beat me if I don't stop aren't you?" Zero asked playfully.
"That or I'll drag you to bed if you want to keep bringing up my panties as a subject of conversation." Mathilda replied with an evil smirk. "And i'm sure that my little brother would just need to find a reason for system maintenance on the data transfer system to be done."
Rock spoke up at that moment in a monotone voice,"Inconsistencies in the Data transmission systems have been detected. Servers going offline for unscheduled maintenance and diagnostics. ETA until restoration unknown."
"...So...Karaoke round two? Who's in for it?" Zero asked overly loud as he wandered over to the area of the lab the machine was kept,"Anyone?"
Roll leaned over and whispered to Mathilda,"did you mean that?"
"Maybe, somewhat. Wouldn't have done anything he didn't wanna do but the threat still worked." Was the quiet reply that Mathilda returned as she leaned towards Roll's ears.
"What was that?" Zero asked, as the two whispered between each other.
"Girl talk." Mathilda replied with a smirk, to which Zero gave a shrug and then sighed as if resigned.
***break***
The following morning was the day of the void. Louise sat at a small table in her room accompanied by Zero and Guiche. As she sipped her tea, she thought about the reason they were here. She finally asked, "So, why do we need Guiche's help for this again?"
"You have a new spell. It was able to absorb a plasma shot from a buster and convert it into magic energy. This means that magic is a form of recognizable energy. And since energy is in fact linked with matter, we need to find out if any physical force can trigger the ability, or if your ability will break down that physical force. I'd really rather not be atomized while attempting to punch that void shield thing you do." Zero explained,"While Guiche can afford to lose a golem or two in training."
"Ah. I don't get it. What do you mean matter and energy are linked?" Louise asked curiously.
Zero just face palmed. "God damn it, do your mages do anything? Alright, quick run down. Not even gonna explain it well. Matter and energy are linked. Once excited enough matter can be moved into a state that breaks down it's cohesion. When a blast of plasma is released it's at a semi-state. The particles are super accelerated, and accelerated particles give off heat. Heat is a form of energy. Cold is actually the absence of heat, so cold is an absence of energy. That is one reason I say this stupid magic crap doesn't make sense. How the hell do you form/control a lack of energy? Anyhow, back to your spell, I want to know if your new spell breaks down matter, energy, or both. And the safest way to do that is to use weaker and more controlled spells than a hail of buster fire. A small bolt of fire, or a single valkyrie from Guiche would be able to tell us the difference."
"Sir, please do not insult my Valkyrie golems so. They are my pride, and I have worked to improve them." Guiche protested.
"That is true, but you can summon one without a weapon. You can have it perform a simple weak punch. This would keep any danger out of the experiment while letting us find out exactly how the spell works. I'm selecting you because of your control, not what potential destructive force you may or may not have." Zero replied honestly. "Also, I rip those things apart for fun."
"Sir, comparing just about anything to you isn't fair. You've got two full armies under your belt since you've gotten here. And an elf." Guiche commented, then took a sip of his tea.
"Just means you mages need to work harder to catch up." Zero replied with a grin.
Louise just rolled her eyes at the banter of the two. When they had first met, she had never imagined that things would turn out this way. While they weren't the best of friends, Guiche looked up to Zero as his idol, and Zero looked at Guiche as a promising pupil who had gained a great deal of common sense. Common sense that was gained mostly after having the stupidity beaten out of him in their duel, but common sense none the less. "Enough with your posturing and jesting you two. I get it. So when should we go try it?"
"As soon as we're done here, we'll take a trip out to the forest. This way we'll be able to experiment with a little more room for error, and keep your special capabilities under wraps." Zero stated reasonably.
"A good plan Commander. I must say though, the tea this morning is exceptional. We must thank the staff for it," Guiche commented with a smile. Like many of the cadets in his squad they now understood how much work the things that they took for granted required because they had been forced to learn. Most of them had taken to treating the commoners in a much better manner, and correcting the manners of the other nobles who could not or did not wish to make the cut.
"Actually...I made it." Louise said as she blushed,"It's nothing special, it is just something Cattleya taught me how to do."
"Then my complements." Guiche replied with a winsome smile,"Perhaps you can teach this particular recipe to my dear Monmon."
"It's really nothing special." Louise replied offhandedly,"You just need to soak a large mint leaf and add a little honey to the water before you pour it into the tea pot."
"Ah, I see. Simple, but it makes an impression." Guiche commented.
"Tea aside, are you two done?" Zero asked, having long since finished his tea, even if he wasn't a big fan of it.
***Break***
Roll looked around the table, noting that one of the chairs was empty. She had asked for Cattleya, Leviathan, Mathilda, Siesta, Tiffania, Tabitha and lastly Kirche to join her for tea this afternoon. Unfortunately, it seemed like the female reploid didn't feel like listening to her. As she slowly stirred her tea with the small spoon provided for such, she sighed loudly enough for all present to hear. Soon, all but Mathilda and Kirche were looking uncomfortable. "Does anyone know why I've asked you all to meet with me today?"
"Of course." Kirche replied lazily as she leaned back in her chair.
"Good. You did something very stupid. You know that right?" Roll asked calmly, then continued," You are aware that Zero will probably never trust you to be alone in the same room as him unless there is room for him to run away, right? After all that you've talked about, you were willing to just ruin your chances like that? Or are you delusional enough to think that he would take you up on your offer? Haven't you learned anything about him in all the time he's been here?" Roll demanded as she looked at Kirche.
"That's fine. I guess nobody really listens. As I have said, having Zero for my own is my second priority. Having Zero be happy is my first. I know I ruined my chances with him." Kirche commented, steel in her voice,"I'm not the fool you seem to think I am, Ms. Roll. What I said needed to be said, and nobody else was willing to say it. Everyone was content to just let him sit inside himself, and go out on his own until he eventually finds the death that solitude will bring him, that he seems to yearn for. Besides that, he only really listens when he's shocked or forced to face the facts." Kirche continued, her tone moving towards irritability as she looked back into Roll's glaring eyes fearlessly. After a few minutes she continued absently, her eyes suddenly filled with unshed tears. "I made my point, and I know he saw it. I know he understood it. I could tell from his eyes, and his voice. He understands now, even if he won't admit it. He won't run. At least, not if you are more subtle than I was. Because unless he can justify it, he won't do anything. It's the way he is. And if nobody takes advantage of the opening I've made... I'll set you all on fire."
"...Did you just threaten to set us on fire if we don't make a move on Zero?" Siesta asked, unsure if she caught the meaning of what the girl correctly.
"That's exactly what I said. I went into that situation, my heart breaking all the while. I knew what was going to happen. I knew that he would run, and I know that he will avoid me now." Kirche said, her tears no longer contained,"But it had to be done. Nobody else would do it, so I had to."
Roll looked at the girl and shook her head. She suddenly felt terrible for berating the girl. While the young woman had more than once shown how perverse she was, it was almost impossible to hold that against her when she had done something that she was sure would sacrifice her own chance at happiness. With a smile Roll shook her head and was about to reply when Tiffania spoke gently, "Who knows if you really lost your chance with Zero. Yes you might have set yourself back in some ways, but out of all of us, you've at least expressed the deepest feelings to him. He might not seem it, but I can tell that his heart is good. He is a person who is loyal. While he might be cautious of you, he admitted that he would die for you."
"He would die for any of us. That's the problem..." Mathilda said sourly,"He won't let anyone else fight for him or hold him up. I'm about ready to beat some sense into his head if he doesn't stop this whole lone wolf thing. It's going to get him killed one day, and I won't allow that."
"You're starting to sound like Leviathan. Or Layer." Tabitha commented as she looked at Mathilda,"Violence isn't the answer."
"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't." Mathilda shot back,"Maybe if someone can prove that they're tough enough to take him on he won't worry so much. Or that we care enough to fight for him."
"That's wrong. He is like the Hero Ivaldi." Tabitha said with a sigh,"He can be no different than who he is. Any changes he makes, he will make. But heroes are destined to walk alone. Because only they are willing to walk that path."
Roll who had started this conversation had just listened up to this point as the girls talked amongst themselves, but then suddenly a realization hit her. "So what you're saying Tabitha, is that as a hero he has to be alone? What if there are other heros?"
"They might walk the same path as him, but they will surely separate when their ideals diverge." Tabitha replied back honestly.
"And what if their ideal is to be like Zero?" Mathilda asked curiously.
"I do not know." Tabitha answered.
"You're such a smart girl," Kirche said as she hugged the little blue haired girl. "Just when I am feeling down you know just how to get my spirits back up!"
"But I told you it's hopeless." Tabitha responded, obviously confused at how she had been misunderstood by Kirche.
"He doesn't view himself as a hero. And heroes walk alone. But for hundreds of years he walked with his friends. And even now, Axl and the rest stand by him, right? Even through death these people stand together. Maybe heroes aren't what we think of them? Maybe they are just people with the will to do something and the people willing to support them as they do it? I may not be able to stand up for Zero in combat, but I can continue to listen to his problems. I can continue to help as I can." Kirche spoke, her voice hopeful as her mind calculated how best to support the reploid she had fallen for.
"I guess that is true." Tabitha admitted,"He is not like the other heroes in the stories."
"That's right. He's a person. We can't just classify him like that." Cattleya agreed. "We just need to help him as we can, and hopefully one day he'll be able to open up to someone. In fact, I have seen his open heart laid bare to me once, when he had visited our estate after your little adventure into Gallian territory... The Princess and my little sister ruined that moment, but there are at least times when his heart and walls do open to others."
"So you're in it for his heart as well?" Kirche asked curiously as she looked at Louise's older sister. SHe had wondered why Roll had brought the girl along to this little 'gathering'.
"While I would not steal him away from my younger sister, were he to reveal he had feelings for me, I would not be disappointed." Cattleya replied with a blush.
"You could always share him." Kirche replied coyly. "Sisters share things. Like their combs, or hair pins. Oh, and dresses. This is sort of the same, right?"
"W-what?" Cattelya stammered out, her face beet red as the realization of what the girl was saying hit home.
"Kirche!" Roll spoke harshly,"That's horrible!"
"I know! But she's just like her sister. She's got such a cute blush, even though she looks so calm and mature!" Kirche replied with a devilish laugh.
With that laugh, the rest of the girls excepting Tabitha giggled at least a little bit. With that, the tension was broken and they sat talking about various affairs, including matters involving Zero.
***Break***
Louise cringed as the small bolt of fire was thrown at her. As she spoke the word that seemed to be void itself, the attack was consumed as a paper thin black tear in reality appeared in it's path. Louise felt the the power from the spell immediately.
"So pure magic is a go." Zero replied from next to her. "Although I couldn't hear whatever word you spoke."
"...It's ''" Louise said, hesitantly, the same black patch of reality opening up. But even to her, there was no sound to the word.
"Odd..." Zero replied as he looked at her. "I can't hear what you're saying on any spectrum."
Louise nodded as looked at the ground, trying to figure out how to say this. Was this something the founder had to deal with? Was figuring out something entirely new and alien to everyone else always this hard? "I feel the power from the fire spell, but it isn't very much."
"Well, I only used a small one. Would you like me to try a larger one?" Guiche asked,"I wanted to make sure no injury would come to you if the spell didn't work right."
Louise nodded and braced herself as Guiche chanted a much larger fireball. When it was released, the exact same thing happened. The word was unspoken, and reality shifted and the power came to her. Suddenly she had a thought as she turned to Zero,"This spell, this power!"
"What about it?" Zero asked curiously.
"It reminds me of Derflinger's ability! He absorbs the spell power. He said he was made by ancient magic. But he was also used by the familiar of the founder, the original Gandalfr." Louise nearly shouted.
"I suppose I was." Derflinger replied off handedly.
"There has to be a link!" Louise said as she drew the sword from Zero's shoulder. "Speak up, did the founder make you?"
"I don't think so. He may have had a hand in it, but I know that I was made by my original wielder. And that the majority of my magic comes from the magic of spirits." Derflinger replied seriously.
"The original Gandalfr was a smith?" Zero asked with some interest.
"The original Gandalfr was many things. She was even more of a bitch at times than you. But then the founder did a lot of stupid things and betrayed the elves so all this stupid stuff happened!" Derflinger replied angrily. Then sounding mystified,"Huh. Where did that come from."
"What did you just say?" Louise asked in wonder,"What about the founder and the elves?"
"I can't remember." Derflinger replied absently,"I have no idea where that came from. Maybe it's the nostalgia of the power you're using. But somehow, i don't think even the founder did what you did. This is something I don't recognize. Every time a void spell is used I remember Brimir using it. But not this one."
Louise looked at the sword suspiciously then handed the sword back to Zero. "Alright, Lets try the valkyrie!" Louise announced with resolve. As she said this a pink flash could be seen as one of the fake flower pedals became one of Guiche's signature golems. Without a word it charged with it's fist cocked back as it prepared to attack the young girl. Louise's spell opened up the familiar black tear and as the fist of the valkyrie hit it, it seemed to crumble and dissolve, then the dust it was reduced to seemed to be drawn into it. After a few moments what was left of the golem fell over immobile.
"Well that's interesting." Zero commented for the first time."The arm that hit it seems to have been absorbed. But the rest of it appears to have had the magic siphoned right out of it. But it's still bronze."
"...That is odd. Why did it stop at only the arm?" Guiche wondered.
"Maybe it only effects a certain area? Your fire bolts and the blasts of plasma continue in their path as they're absorbed. The physical force stopped at the point of contact. What was nearest to the tear was dissolved and the rest just... fell." Zero said as he ran through his mind what happened. Even being able to see how magic moved it had been unusual.
"Let's continue. I need to get faster with this spell either way." Louise replied,"The Valkyrie almost hit me. And we need to try with them having weapons once I get better."
"Heh, taking after the commander. Always trying to get better. Truly worthy of the title the Zero." Guiche replied with a grin, using her former shame as a form of respect, causing Zero to laugh and Louise to blush.
As they continued, perhaps twenty fireballs, and fifteen more golems were stopped over the three hours. They broke for lunch, and then continued experimenting with both spells. Guiche was nearing his limit towards the end, but they found that the more powerful his golems were the more of it was destroyed when it hit the barrier, although the weapons tended to ensure less was destroyed than the ones that were using hand to hand combat. Shaking his head after trying to raise another Valkyrie, Guiche said,"That's it for me. I couldn't even raise another golem."
"You've been a big help. She's gotten much faster and we more or less have an idea how this spell works. Even if she still can't say the word." Zero replied.
"I can too say the word, you just can't hear it!" Louise grated out angrily. "What do I do with all this magic I've drained? It feels kinda like a dead weight... It doesn't feel like it did at the castle."
"It what?" Zero asked curiously.
"it's not the same." Louise replied. "I can feel it separate from me too..."
"Hmmm..." Zero replied as he looked closely at the girl. He wasn't sure how he'd missed it, but the girl seemed to be circled by two separate colors of magic that seemed to be at once both part of her and not. "Try to use that magic, and only that magic you've absorbed for an explosion."
Louise nodded and chanted the words for the explosion spell, forcing the power she had absorbed out to the front of her mind. Her words faltered halfway through the casting. "I can't. I can't feel the magic. I can't feel the aria of the spell..."
Zero nodded as if this had been expected then replied,"I want you to try and cast a fire ball."
"But you know I can't do that." Louise replied,"Don't make me embarrass myself."
"You never know till you try. Do it." Zero replied, the command in his voice made Eleonore's voice appear soft in comparison.
With a Huff Louise turned her wand on an unoffending tree and uttered the words for a fireball spell. For the first time she felt it. She felt the spell as it should have been felt. As she released the last word the bolt of flame that she unleashed nearly knocked her off her feet. The gout of flames had reduced not just the unoffending tree to ashes but had burned a solid path twenty feet in front of her. "Did... Did I just do that? I did, didn't I?" Louise demanded as she jumped up and down. "I just did a normal spell!"
"...I don't think I'd call that normal." Guiche replied as he looked on. "That was at least a square class fire ball.."
Zero nodded and said,"And you're out of fire magic."
"What?" Louise asked curiously.
"You used your fire magic to do that." Zero pointed at the devastated trees as he spoke.
"I can do it again!" Louise replied imperiously as she cast the spell, but as she finished, she knew she was wrong. The same non elemental explosion followed her spell. She tried her best not to cry as she realized that she really couldn't do it again.
"Now try and do something with earth magic. Something less destructive." Zero said in a commanding tone.
Louise nodded as she attempted to make a number bronze golems. As her chant finished, before her stood fourteen bronze visages of Zero, sharpened Derflingers in hand. "...I did it!"
With a quick flick of his wrists the golems were cut to pieces by his sword. "Yeah, we'll be having none of that." Zero replied as he replaced his saber. "So anything you absorb has to be used on the energy that was used on you."
Louise glowered at her familiar for destroying her artful golems, then asked,"But what about during the attack? I used the attacks of the pantheons to use void magic."
"That just validates a theory I've had that I really didn't want to think about." Zero replied as he sighed. "Void is not really the correct word for your magic."
"What? Then what would you call her magic? It is the same as the Founder's is it not?" Guiche asked from where he had seated himself.
"He probably called it that, but it's not very fitting. The easiest way for you to understand this is that plasma is an almost halfway point between energy and physical form. Well more on the energy side, but it's between that. If you can absorb that and use it for your void spells, with the way the molecules are excited and the way the power is... It, combined with the way your explode spell works points to only one option." Zero stated, although it seemed he was talking to himself.
"What option is that?" Louise asked curiously.
Zero shook his head then sighed,"You're a nuclear mage."
"Nuclear?" Louise and Guiche both asked.
"It's hard to explain. Believe me, and I don't have time to give you both a physics class. You control things at the atomic level Louise. I'm betting if we took a closer look at one of your explosion spells you'd see just a very small center of the spell that would then expand. It would also explain how you were able to make such a massive blast on the Albion fleet at Tarbes. I had my suspicions... But until now, it hasn't been proven."
"I don't really understand." Louise replied looking up at Zero like a confused kitten. "Is it bad?"
Zero laughed as she looked up at him,"Not if you don't abuse it. Nuclear weapons caused millions of death at once. But at the same time, nuclear power saved millions of people. Using it, hospitals had power, people were able to keep warm. It is the application of said power not the power itself which is bad. You should know that by now."
Guiche stood up as they said this,"I think I get it. But i'm beat commander. I think I'll be leaving now, if I have your permission."
"Go ahead." Zero replied. He watched as he his second in command chanted a levitation spell and almost lazily floated off to the academy. "wow, he really must be beat."
Louise nodded as she sank to her knees, excited even though she had been tired out by the repeated use of the void spell, and then releasing all of the stored magic she had in one go. Her eyes closed as she heard Zero talking to her.
***Break***
Zero walked through the academy, Louise held in his arms. He hadn't expected her to pass out like that. Although looking back on it, she had used a very large amount of magic very quickly and that supposedly caused mages to become tired. He wondered though, if she could be 'recharged' by absorbing a buster shot. That was something for another day though. He felt her stir in his arms as they were halfway across the courtyard to the tower that her room occupied.
"Zero..." Louise murmured.
"What is it?" Zero asked as he walked through the open lower portion of the tower.
"Thank you..." She said as her eyes closed and she leaned into his chest as he started up the stairs to her room.
"For what?" Zero asked curiously.
"For believing in me again. So many times you could have given up on me... I have given up on me..." Louise murmured as Zero juggled her in his arms as he got the door to her room open.
"I'm not one to give up." Zero replied reassuringly,"And besides. I absolutely love to get people to admit when I was right."
"Thank you..." Louise murmured again as she fell asleep in his arms again.
"Certainly pushed yourself hard today didn't you?" Zero asked as he carefully undressed her. This was the only time he'd do this for her. He changed her into her night clothes, but unlike normal, her panties stayed on. He settled the girl into her bed, then sat at the desk, taking out a few notes of his own when he noticed a letter addressed to him on the top. His eyes narrowed as he realized that it was written in English. He opened it and started reading it immediately.
"Good job figuring out what I meant with that woman. I honestly mean that. Although this isn't a letter written for pleasantries. Gallia is in a bad spot right now. The king, who was a void mage summoned something monstrous that took control of him. This has been made public to the higher level nobles and military. This thing made a bunch of robots, and yes I know you know what those are. Two of them were very powerful, and my spies told me that they were being led to believe they were princes. I believe they found out that their 'father' was the one who killed their sister, and was positioning for a war. They removed him, and destroyed most of the army he had built. But now they're making even more powerful robots. They're able to think for themselves, but they are being made far more slowly. Be on guard, things are probably going to get rough fairly soon."
As Zero finished reading he realized there was none of the flowery language that was in the previous letter, nor was it signed. Zero swore as he looked at the contents of the letter again and decided that it would have to wait until tomorrow. With a sigh, Zero looked over his summoner, who's face was lit by the gentle light of the twin moons and shook his head. Why did things always have to get more and more complicated?
***Author's notes***
Hey, look. Void magic getting used and categorized. Scary too.
A Knight Templar X... That would be bad. I'm also surprised nobody noticed the name he chose for his new beginning.
Who knows what their plans for peace are. There are as many ways to view peace as there are people.
For now, it would appear that yes Gallia has lost it's void. But having the two copies still makes them an opponent to be reckoned with.
Honestly I was expecting more people to call the whole "I saw the copies killing him" With the hints of the Maverick Virus showing up in Copy Zero. But I'm also happy with all the surprised reactions as well. The one thing that I intended to be a surprise was the manner in which Copy Zero "killed" him. As a human he had no protection against the virus at all compared to later models of reploids who were already infected with the virus(complete free will) from the very beginning. Although at this point Copy Zero has more experience with changing the code/use of the Maverick Virus than the real Zero.