Chapter 2: Wish?
"How about you become a magical girl then?"
Louise looked into the beady eyes of her familiar. The unchanging expression was getting more and more annoying. She couldn't tell if the Kyuubey was teasing her or not. Deciding that it must be ignorance, Louise sat up, causing the small familiar to jump off her chest back onto the bed. "I already am a magical girl. I can do magic, I just tend to mess up a little." Really, it wasn't like nothing happened when she cast a spell.
The Kyuubey seemed insistent, because it stepped forward and placed a paw on Louise's leg. "No, you are a girl who can do magic. Very, very inefficient magic. If you make a contract with me, you will become a magical girl!"
There was a brief silence as Louise was taken aback slightly. Her familiar seemed to understand her magic. Failing as it was. No; inefficient, that was a far better term. She'd have to reward her familiar for thinking of that. Still, what was this magical girl nonsense? "Familiar, when you say magical girl you mean..." Louise drifted off, not sure what to ask.
"A magical girl spreads hope!" It picked up for Louise. "They protect the world with powerful magic granted by their soul gem. A soul gem is born from the wish granted when a girl becomes a magical girl. I can make you a magical girl, that is why I am here." Both its front paws were resting on Louise now.
Louise as stunned. Her familiar seemed sincere if nothing else. It may be wrong about its own abilities, but she was sure it was not lying. The part of Louise that protected her from giving up was cautious, getting her hopes up for something so outlandish was a bad idea. However, a small part of her remembered the goals of the familiar summoning ritual. A familiar was supposed to be summoned to aid a mage in the way they need most. A potion maker like Montmorency got a rare toad whose poison was an invaluable asset to her. Kirche was no doubt bound for the Germanian military was granted a powerful salamander to defend her. Maybe Louise herself had summoned a familiar to help her with her magic problems?
Allowing herself some slight hope, Louise decided to inquire further. "So besides invisibility and telepathy, you are able to make grant magic? That seems rather outlandish familiar." It wasn't that she believed her familiar, she was just a kind enough master to indulge it. Quite.
The white creature shook its head. "I don't grant magic, at least not directly. If you make a contract with me, then you get one wish in exchange for becoming a magical girl. The wish itself brings forth your soul gem. The soul gem is what grants a magical girl her magic."
Raising an eyebrow, Louise asked disbelievingly, "You say I'd get a wish? As in, any wish? And in exchange I get magic? That seems too good to be true." She had been raised on a good many stories involving wishes granting more than what the wisher wanted.
"Well, you summoned me from very, very far away. I helped make magical girls to fight witches. Normal girls get a wish, and in exchange become a magical girl to fight witches.
Ah, that made a little more sense. "And a witch is?" Louise inquired further.
"If magical girls a born from wishes, witches are born from curses. If magical girls spread hope, witches spread despair." The Kyuubey proceeded to step back as Louise straightened up. An ominous air surrounded her familiar's words. The serious way it spoke contrasted heavily to its usual cheer. Louise could only fearfully respect whatever could inspire such sobriety in the creature before her. "A magical girl's duty is to fight and defeat witches, protecting the world from them. Witches cannot be detected by normal humans, just like me, so they can prey on humans unhindered if not for magical girls."
These witches seemed dangerous, yet Louise had never heard of any actual witches; only mages pretending to be something more sinister. If there was a threat as ominous as these witches and no one knew of them...
"However, there are no witches around here, so you don't have to fight any."
Louise released the breath she didn't know she was holding. "Familiar!" She flicked the Kyuubey's head in retaliation. "Don't scare me like that!" Jesse, working up a non-existent threat like that.
"But even though there are no witches here, I can still make you a magical girl! Don't you have a wish you'd like fulfilled Louise?"
Louise pondered a moment. There were several things she could think of. The respect and admiration of her peers. Making her a square mage in every element. Making that Zerbst, Kirche, ugly and flat. However, there was one problem with all of that.
"Even if I make a wish, and get these great magical powers... It would just be handed to me." Louise said with resignation. "Without hard work and sacrifice, any reward is meaningless." Those were the words her mother had encouraged her with when Louise had worked so hard to get anyresult from her spell casting. Back when not even explosions accompanied her failures.
Her familiar tilted its head to the side. "I don't get it. Most people would jump at the chance for a wish and power."
Louise looked at her small friend and smiled softly. "I guess now that I finally proved I can do magic by summoning you, I want to succeed on my own merits." Louise rubbed her confused familiar's head. The thing relented to her petting, closing its eyes and pushing back against her hand.
It was getting late, and Louise looked out toward the setting sun. Westward, toward her family's estate. Thoughts of her kindhearted elder sister filled her. If she had one wish, Louise knew what it would be. "I guess I have one wish I could make, but it isn't urgent right now and I'm sure she'd be okay with waiting just a little longer for me. It is selfish, but I'm going to wait for now."
That certainly piqued her familiar's attention. "So you will make a wish and become a magical girl?" Jeese, this little Kyuubey had a one track mind.
Smiling at the naiveté of her familiar, Louise continued to pet it, "Yes, yes. But only after I manage to graduate on my own merits, you'll have to wait until then."
Her familiar took a moment to respond, before finally conceding. "Okay then. I guess I can't change your mind. Humans are can be so odd."
"I guess we can." Louise conceded.
The following day was closer to normal for Valliere than the last. She avoided talking to her peers, and they avoided associating with her. Her familiar had made itself scarce this morning, off to mingle with the other familiars no doubt. Without its presence and her peers' attitudes swinging back to normal, Louise almost forgot things had changed. Almost being the key word. A small amount of true confidence remained in her; renewing her vigor at trying to improve in her classes. She even volunteered for an exercise. She failed of course, but she had tried. Next time, the explosion would be less destructive, she promised herself. Now that she had proof of magic, it was only a matter of hard work.
It during the afternoon break that Louise found herself sitting out eating in the courtyard. The weather was nice and it felt good to be in the sun. As usual Louise made sure to sit apart from her peers. It was more habit now than the usual need to avoid notice. Looking back toward the main group of tables, Louise spied her classmates were all acting in their usual manner.
Kirche could be seen out being fawned over by half a dozen men; Tabitha nearby reading. It was always funny to see those men turned down by Tabitha when they got the idea to reach Kirche through her best friend. Guiche de Gramont was off chasing skirts, no doubt two-timing. Some men were just dogs. Louise would feel sorry for Montmorency if the girl wasn't one of her more vocal tormentors. That girl might even love that dog Guiche.
"Z- er... Louise."
A voice from behind nearly caused Louise to have a heart attack. Turning, Louise came face to face with none other than Montmorency. The Curly-haired blonde stood there fidgeting, not quite making eye contact, though obviously trying. Louise said nothing, too surprised in truth. What could Montmorency possibly have to say to her? It was Montmorency who finally broke the awkward silence.
"Er... I- I'm sorry."
Of all the things Louise expected, an apology wasn't even close to one of them. "For what?" Louise asked honestly, she could think of no recent slight Montmorency had done her. At least, nothing that stood out beyond the usual.
Those two words were enough to break the dam. Montmorency barely held back tears as she shakily ranted. "For everything! For teasing you. For looking down on you. For thinking at least I'm not like you. For calling you a zero. I... It was cruel of me. So very cruel."
Oh, that.
People were beginning to look toward the two of them, and Montmorency's discomfort was showing. The girl hadn't spoken loud enough to be overheard, but it was still an odd scene to see someone talking to Louise; and so flustered as well. "Would you sit?"
Louise offered Montmorency an out, and the girl took it hungrily. "Thank you." She said, sitting so fast she must have hurt her rump. "I... I am really sorry."
A part of Louise wanted to rub it in to Montmorency, but it was only that small part of evil that resides within all human hearts. It was easily squashed by Louise's desire for friendship. "I forgive you." Louise said honestly. Truly, she was rather touched at Montmorency's honest words.
Montmorency, who had been on the verge of tears, was obviously stunned at the how quickly Louise forgave her. "That's it?"
Reaching into her pocket, Louise retrieved her clean silk handkerchief and gave it to Montmorency. "That's it." Louise confirmed as the girl proceeded to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Really, I'm more interested on what brought this on." Louise gestured to her tablemate, and the sorry state of the girl.
Finishing the delicate process of wiping eyes without mucking up her make-up, Montmorency spoke with a steadied voice, trying to keep it from shaking again. "Yesterday at the summoning ritual. I could see your familiar." Louise raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "I was summoned just before you, and I think some of my magic must have still been in the circle when you summoned, so whatever allowed you to see your familiar, allowed me as well." That made some sense, Louise supposed.
"I didn't say anything when everyone laughed and called you crazy. I was afraid of being singled out." Ah, of being lumped in with the zero. "So I kept quiet, and waited for everything to be over. I was so scared. I was scared of being treated like I treated you, and I hated myself for it."
Montmorency's voice began to shake again, and Louise placed a hand on Montmorency's to steady the girl. "Thank you." Louise spoke through tears of her own, unknowingly shed. Montmorency looked up, and gripped Louise's hand with hers. The two stood there in silence for a moment, no more words needed to be spoken.
The sweet moment was broken a great ring of the school bell. Signaling the start of the second wave of classes. The ring broke the two from their prolonged silence and they quickly began awkwardly collecting their things. "I guess I'll see you in class." Louise spoke with an awkward laugh.
Montmorency smiled back. "I'll save you a seat."
It was a simple gesture, but it meant the world to Louise. The Valliere watched Montmorency turn to leave, only to drop her bag. "Guiche?" There was stilled surprise in her voice as Montmorency noticed her boyfriend in locked hand with a first year. Across the courtyard Guiche sat at a table holding hands with a first year and looking deeply into her eyes.
Louise was sure that any other time the spitfire that was Montmorency would not abide such a betrayal and give that dog Guiche a tongue lashing he wouldn't soon forget. However, now was not any average time; Montmorency had just finished baring her emotions. Instead of confronting the man, the blonde girl ran off toward the dormitories without a word; trailing tears as she did.
Fury and sympathy swelled within Louise in equal knew better than to chase Montmorency, the girl would not want visitors right now, such shame was not to be borne to any but the closest of friends. Though Louise could not seek to comfort the girl, she could certainly fill her role in disciplining a stray dog.
Louise was before the blonde fop of a child before she even processed her decision. The resounding slap filled the courtyard, echoing over the bustling students. Flabbergasted, Guiche looked back at Louise. He daintily touched his cheek, unbelieving he had been struck.
"Guiche de Gramont, I challenge you to a duel!"