The Starlit Void
(Chapter III)
"Speaking"
'Thought'
'Written'
Disclaimer: Zero no Tsukaima / Familiar of Zero (Light Novel) was written by Noboru Yamaguchi, illustrated by Eiji Usatsuka, and published by Media Factory (Seven Seas Entertainment in the US and Canada.) The first anime was directed by Yoshiaki Iwasaki with Studio J, and licensed by Geneon in the US and Canada... but as bluntly as possible in order to save time going through all other installments in the series – these authors are none of these people and have no legitimate claim to the series. Thus this work is strictly non-profit. Any use otherwise is not these authors' doing. Similarly, Mabinogi and all characters, races, concepts, ideas, and other material taken from it is the work and property of Nexon and BGEntertainment. These authors are likewise not affiliated with either group in any way or form and lays no claim to that property.
.XXX.
Louise had a problem. Well, she had several problems but the most immediate one was a lazy giant who was apparently content to snooze the day away... Sure the sun hadn't even come up yet but today was special! She had to get ready for the Familiar Exhibition! The Princess was even coming! She should have been practising for days and now the Exhibition was only a day away! Stupid maid coming up to her room to tell her about the Princess' visit! Stupid Familiar, sleeping the day away when she should be practising!
Letting out a groan of frustration, Louise very nearly decided to forego any effort at waking her familiar 'gently' and start kicking her until she awoke but having several hundred pounds of giant angry with you didn't sound like a good idea. Irritated, but without any method of release as no amount of shouting had woken Linde so far, Louise stomped the ground. It would have likely been an adorable sight due to her stature…
"Ah… Louise? What are you…"
...but the resultant screams of fury when Linde woke without a care - as if Louise hadn't just spent the past hour pushing, pulling, and shouting at her - could have been likened to a maddened banshee clawing its way out from the underworld to terrorize the living.
Linde tried to scramble to her feet to escape from the terrible creature that the tiny pinkette had changed into but was tackled from behind by four feet of furious teenager. The two combatants clawed, bit, rolled, and crawled their way into the center of the room. The battle seemed to go on forever until they both froze suddenly when a shaft of light from the open door washed over them to reveal a thoroughly amused Nao, hand held up to hide her grin.
"Well, at least you two are full of energy this morning." The woman walked over to the pair who looked up at her sheepishly. Louise in particular looked mortified, and so stunned that she hadn't yet spat out poor Linde's wrist.
"Siesta told me about the exhibition." Nao said as she sat down on the corner of Louise's bed, the two other girls only now climbing to their feet.
Recalling what had prompted her to wake up this early in the first place, Louise sprung to her feet trying her best (and failing) to drag the giantess up with her, "We have to practice!" She shouted, making Linde flinch from the sudden volume.
"Practice what?" Linde groaned.
"We have to come up with something impressive for you to do for the exhibition! The princess is going to be there!" Louise cried.
"You woke me up early and attacked me for a talent show?" Linde leveled a flat look at the girl before simply laying back down and closing her eyes.
"You can't go back to sleep!" Louise shouted while grabbing Linde's coat and trying to shake the giant awake. "You have to win!"
"Ugh, no gotta sleep." The giantess sleepily groaned while brushing Louise off of her.
"No! Your supposed to help me you big oaf! You're my familiar, you're supposed to do as I say!" Louise shouted as she jumped back onto the giant woman and tugged the giant's arm in an attempt to get her up... or just annoy her until she acquiesced.
Linde just rolled over and shrugged the tiny girl off of her and continued trying to return to sleep.
Louise stumbled backwards and her eyes fell to the floor as she slumped in defeat.
"Why is it so important to you?" Nao asked as she gently took Louise's hand and guided her over to sit next to the older woman.
Louise shot a tired, irritated look at her familiar before turning to Nao. "It's an important event meant to demonstrate the bond the mage has with their familiar and-"
Nao shook her head, "To you, Louise," She corrected softly, "Why is it important to you?"
"Wh-what other reason would I have?" Louise responded, caught by surprise. "To win the comp-"
The woman smiled gently. "Well, you want to win, but that's not your goal here, is it?" Nao's expression shifted just slightly as realization struck her, "In fact… you simply don't want to lose, right?"
Louise looked up at the older woman struggling to say something before returning her gaze to the floor and nodding sullenly.
"Hm, I thought so." Standing, Nao gently shook Linde's shoulder. The giantess stirred in moments, to Louise's bafflement. "If it means that much to you, we can at least try to help."
Linde gave both individuals a mildly irritated glare before sighing and turning to Louise. "Alright." She crossed her arms and shifted so that she was sitting with her back against the wall. "Explain this… exhibition you said? The rules. The workings. We can't help if we don't know what we're doing."
Louise spared another short annoyed glare at Linde before sighing and starting her explanation. "Well…" Recalling what she knew of the exhibition, she found a point to start. "It has to be the mage and the familiar by themselves - no one else can help…"
.XXX.
Professor Jean Colbert blinked in the bright light as he stood in front of the desk of the headmaster. He had been up late delving into the records and restricted books hidden in secret repositories beneath the school and the early morning sun shining in through the window was making his eyes water. "Headmaster Osmond, I have something important to speak with you about."
"Oh?" The ancient man behind the desk perked an eyebrow as he reached for a pipe on the corner of his desk... which was promptly levitated away by his lovely secretary Miss Longueville. The green haired woman didn't even look up from her paperwork when the old man mumbled complaints. "What is it you need to discus?" Osmond finally replied, returning his attention to the balding teacher waiting for him to have his moment.
"There have been a few developments with a student that I believe should be discussed in private." Colbert replied, eyeing the green haired woman out of the corner of his eye.
Osmond's face grew stern when he saw the steel that had suddenly reemerged from the retired soldier. He waved a hand at the woman who glanced between the two of them before dipping her head respectfully and walking out closing the door in her wake.
Colbert waited for a moment making sure that the woman wouldn't overhear the conversation. "Headmaster I assume you know of the giant summoned by Miss Valliere?"
"Oh yes, quite the unique flower. Her attire in particular is quite eye catching wouldn't you say?" Osmond trailed off stroking his beard. Colbert sighed and brought a hand to massage his forehead, the awkward moment had helped him relax a little but he wished Osmond had a way to make him relax without giving him a headache.
"I started looking into any material related to her kind I could find in the archives, as well as beings related to giants, and human or near human familiars in general." Colbert said, voice still grave but with less tension in his shoulders than before. Without another word the professor retrieved a book with a slip of paper hang from it bookmarking a certain page. The old mage glanced over the runes on the parchment and the passage in the book before regarding Colbert with a grave look on his face.
"Do you know what you're suggesting with this, Mr. Colbert?" The old man asked severely.
"I am certain sir, the runes are identical. What is stranger still is the woman that accompanies the Gandalfr." Colbert watched as Osmond ran through the ideas in his own mind, checking the drawing for any minute difference. Finding none Osmond slumped in his chair.
"Stranger than the return of the void and Gandalfr?... Ah perhaps you are referring to the Ms. Pryderi that has taken to doing the work of the maids?" Osmond said still slumped in his chair as if suddenly bone tired.
"Yes, at first I believed her to be some daughter of a far off noble family, come to retrieve a favored retainer. That was before I searched for any information into the Giantess Linde. There is only one mention of Giants in an old fairy tale, and even within the context of the tale itself they were mere rumor."
"Hmm, the young Valliere summoned a giantess and her lady right out of a fairy tale has she?" The old mage levitated his pipe from his secretaries desk back into his hand and took a few pensive puffs.
"I don't know Headmaster but the woman is no mere mage." Colbert said as he regained the tension in his shoulders. "According to Miss Valliere Miss Pryderi exhibits many powers that are supremely difficult for even a square class mage, abilities one would require powerful artifacts to possess. Yet she only carries a plain staff and isn't covered in magical trinkets."
"Hmm, I shall make inquiries to the status of the palace vaults but we have received no word of disturbance as of yet." Osmond closed his eyes and puffed on his pipe. "I will entrust the matter to you for now, find out all you can and report it to me. It is important that the Palace not know of this for now so secrecy is vital."
Colbert's first instinct was to argue for disclosure but with all of the unknowns suddenly circling he thought better and merely nodded his agreement.
Turning his chair to look out at the grounds Osmond puffed on his pipe. "If you see Miss Longueville, please send her back in if you don't mind professor.
Recognising the dismissal for what it was Colbert turned and exited the room leaving the old man to stew in the new mysteries.
.XXX.
"It is important the Palace not know of this for now so secrecy is vital." Miss Longueville quickly slipped away from the door she had been listening at and quickly made her way down the hallway. Her face was serious and she had to physically stop herself from biting her nails. What did this mean for her? A Valliere becoming a void mage, giants and mysterious women from fairy tales? Such things could send the world spiraling into war. As she reached her room she quickly closed and locked the door. In a secret compartment under her bed she retrieved a special ring and sat down at her writing desk. She wrote a letter bound for Albion and stamped the seal of the envelop with the ring.
She would need to contrive a reason to go to town and meet with her special contact. Wracking her brain for ideas, she stood and quickly hid the ring back within its hiding place, next to the old heavy black cloak before stashing the letter in her pockets and heading back towards the stairs that led to Osmond's office.
.XXX.
'I said we would help…. yet here I am doing nothing while they discuss things without me.' Linde thought, somewhat sardonically as she fought off a yawn that would probably disrupt the conversation Louise and Nao were having. 'It's far too early for any sort of planning...'
There was a knock on the door, then, but neither Louise nor Nao seemed to hear it. Casting an idle glance at the slowly brightening sky outside, Linde opened the door expecting to see Siesta or another member of the serving staff… and was greeted by the sight of a young blonde boy with a frilled shirt.
What was his name? Gouche? Giche? Guiche? Ah! That was it.
"What are you doing… and at this hour?" She asked tiredly.
The boy made a strained expression. Nao and Louise… somehow kept talking without noticing Guiche's presence. "Well…" He shifted uncomfortably before taking a breath and steeling himself, "Thank you… andI'msorry."
Linde stared intently at Guiche for several long, awkward moments before speaking, "Run that by me again?"
"I'm sorry." The boy apologized once more. "I… disgraced my family name with my actions, and it was the mercy you and Miss Pryderi exhibited that made me realize this fact so… Thank you. And… I'm sorry."
Linde blinked, genuinely surprised, before gathering herself and replying, "I gave you your rose back didn't I? Apology accepted."
"Yes, well… your discretion…" Guiche paused, made a decision, and tried again, "You could have humiliated me further, but didn't."
The giantess shrugged, "It's kind of important, right? What if you'd been called up in class? You wouldn't have been able to participate. It wouldn't be right to keep it from you at that point."
And that was when Louise noticed the blonde boy's presence in the doorway, "Guiche! What are you doing here? Get away from m- Linde!"
Before Guiche could respond, a new voice cut in. "Oh…" Kirche hovered into view over Guiche's shoulder, prompting him to jerk away with a mildly startled shriek. "Now what's going on here, I wonder?" She nearly purred, drawing out every word for maximum effect.
Guiche blanched and slid several inches away from the Germanian interloper. With a mechanical bow and another mumbled "Thank you," he turned and marched stiffly down the hallway. Kirche watched him go with an amused smile before turning to Linde with an eyebrow raised.
Linde shrugged, and Louise worked her way past the giantess. "And you? What are you doing here?!"
The Germanian smiled slyly, "The hallways is a public space, no? Why, Guiche was in here a moment ago and it's the girls' dorm!"
Louise grit her teeth as her face lit up red with embarrassment and anger. "Don't presume to lecture me about propriety Zerbst!"
"Propriety?" Kirche responded innocently. "Why, I didn't suggest anything of the sort. Unless you were doing something… Why, with all three of you in there, and the shouting… oh my."
Both Louise and Linde's faces turned a little red and Kirche was subjected to a scowl from the shorter and a mortified expression from the taller.
"B-b-but thats NAO!" Linde stuttered. "YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT NAO LIKE THAT!" The giantess suddenly shouted poking Kirche with a large finger.
In the background, the mentioned woman hid a light blush with a hand while she chuckled to herself.
Kirche started to say something but was suddenly cut off by Linde and Louise slamming the door in her face.
"Didn't happen?" Linde suggested.
"Didn't happen." Louise agreed.
Nao continued laughing softly in the background.
.XXX.
Nao followed behind a slightly subdued Siesta down one of the empty corridors of the academy. Nao had gone to find the girl once Louise and Linde had settled in the courtyard to practise. Upon finding her Nao immediately volunteered to assist the staff in preparing for the exposition and the poor maid could not refuse.
"Excuse me, are you Nao Pryderi?" A voice suddenly halted the pair as a woman with green hair a little older than Siesta stepped out of an adjoining hallway.
"I am, and who might you be?" Nao answered with her signature smile not even missing a beat from the woman's sudden entrance.
The woman spared a moment to give Nao a looking over, noting her friendly attitude and harmless appearance. The woman certainly didn't look like she could casually toss around square class magic. "I am the Headmaster's secretary and assistant Miss Longueville. I had heard about your disciplining Guiche de Gramont and wanted to compliment you on a rather warranted punishment." Siesta looked nervously between the two women and tried to make herself invisible by standing straight in a small alcove as Nao and Miss Longueville spoke.
"He was only a little misguided, Miss Longueville; he just needed to be reminded of his manners." Nao replied and relaxed a little. Siesta followed suit, letting the tension drop from her shoulders as she returned to her place next to Nao.
"Oh, are you the girl Miss Pryderi was looking out for?" Longueville asked.
"Yes, ma'am I am Siesta of Tarbes." Siesta replied, still sounding strained.
Miss Longueville glanced over Siesta, smiled and nodded. "You are lucky to have someone like this looking out for you Siesta. Many aren't so lucky... Well I'm afraid I must return to my duties. It was nice meeting the both of you." She said as she turned to make her way back down the hallway.
"It was good meeting you too, Miss Longueville." Nao called before turning back to Siesta and gesturing with a hand. "Shall we?"
.XXX.
Linde stood amidst a sea of young humans with Louise perched on her shoulders looking over a string of carriages that had rolled up to the academy just a moment ago. The teachers had assembled all of the students in the academy to await the arrival of the princess of Tristain and her entourage almost half an hour ago, including those who had been spending a whole morning coming up with an act.
To put it simply Linde's legs were falling asleep... and she was uncomfortably dirty... and she smelled, a little...
"They're getting out!" Louise shouted, kicking her legs and pulling Linde's hair in excitement much to the giantess' annoyance. First out of the plain carriages to the front and rear were serious looking guards dressed in armor and carrying pikes, swords and muskets that lined up in a salute to the people in the regal white carriage. An old man in religious looking garb emerged first before stepping to the side and helping a beautiful young girl down the stairs. She was probably around the same age as most of the students with a purple bob of hair that made Linde feel like she was looking into a mirror from very far away. Linde couldn't see too many details from the back of the crowd but the girl almost looked like a younger, human, version of herself.
The girl waved to the crowd, which prompted a round of loud cheering. After a few moments the group walked over to the kneeling staff and spoke with the Headmaster for a moment before heading into the central tower of the academy.
"Well that was interesting." Linde said, only a little of it sarcasm. "The princess was younger than I thought she would be." Linde pulled Louise from her shoulders as she walked away from the still lingering crowd.
"Yeah..." Louise replied gazing off at the central tower, miles away from the here and now.
"You know her or something?" Linde asked. Louise was still lost in her own thoughts and it was obvious that this was far beyond the standard hero worship that most of the other students were displaying. The young girl took several minutes to return to her senses, time Linde was more than happy to give as she sat down on the soft, lush, lawn.
"We need to practice!" Louise shouted suddenly, finally snapping out of her daze. The pinkette grabbed Linde's hand and pulled.
"Okay, okay I'm coming!" Linde said as she stood, trying to ward off the suddenly energetic girl.
.XXX.
"UUUUGGGGHH!" Linde moaned as she flopped down onto Louise's bed causing the wooden frame to creek dangerously. "You're a slave driver." She muttered quietly as the pinkette in question sat down next to her and started rubbing the soreness out of her feet.
"It's your fault for being so slow." Louise whined as she worked a particularly tender place on her heel.
"Oh, it can't possibly be that bad. At least your work wasn't for nothing, you have an act now right?" Nao asked as she gently shut the door behind her and sat down in one of the chairs that sat around the small table.
The three girls collectively sighed. Linde stretched her sore muscles, the workout from earlier having tired her out. Louise stared contemplatively at the wall hoping that the act she devised would be enough to not embarrass her at least. Nao wrung her hands nervously, she was worried for her friend Siesta who had been morose for the entire day.
"I wasn't slow you just never liked anything." Linde mumbled into the pillow that she had commandeered. Louise frowned and elbowed the poor giantess in the side but was too tired to do anything more. Linde wordlessly groaned and rolled over trying her best to ignore the annoyance. Frustrated, Louise flopped backwards onto the giant's side and grumbled something about ungrateful familiars.
"You two look adorable." Nao giggled from the table. "Just like sisters." She said, clasping her hands together with a brilliant smile.
Louise and Linde Both lifted their heads and shot Nao a flat look before turning to regard each other for a moment. "Eck!" They both muttered before flopping back down into their former places like dead fish. Smiling indulgently, Nao left the two to their rest and vanished into The Soul Stream… moments before a knock sounded on the door.
It was tempting to ignore it - very tempting, in fact - but as likely as it was to be a servant or one of Louise's hecklers (a certain red-haired Germanian came to mind) it was just as likely to be a member of the staff…
...well… it might be a member of the staff. Maybe. In which case Louise couldn't afford to ignore it.
Still, she was tired and didn't particularly want to move, so she prodded Linde several times, earning another tired groan. "The door." She stated, allowing her words to speak for themselves.
"Get it yourself." The tired giantess replied instantly.
Louise frowned, ready to give Linde a lecture on the duties of a familiar (again) only to be interrupted by another trio of knocks on the door. Prodding the giantess again more forcefully prompted Linde to clumsily swat the girl's small hands away with her arm.
More knocking.
Pushing Linde's shoulder once more out of belligerence, to no effect, Louise sighed tiredly and made her way to the door.
"Yes?" She asked, somewhat lethargically, as she pulled it open.
"It's been a while, Louise Francoise," the person on the other side said.
"Princess?!" The pinkette exclaimed in shock, prompting Linde to roll off the bed in surprise.
Smiling, the princess lowered her hood. "How many times have I asked you to call me by name, Louise? Are we not childhood friends? Do I need to make it into a royal order?" She asked, stepping past Louise and into the room. "'Thou shalt refer to thy princess as 'Henrietta' whence given the request!' She declared facetiously, a mischievous smile on her face.
"I-I could never…!" Louise started, turning as Henrietta entered the room to continue facing her.
"Then you would disobey your princess?" Henrietta asked, with a faux dangerous tone in her voice. "My, that simply will not do! To have my dear friend Louise brought in on charges, because she could not even bear to say my name~!" She placed a hand to her mouth, "Oh, how could I ever bear to see that happen?"
"I…" Louise stammered ineffectually, unable to come up with a proper response.
"You two seem really close." Linde observed blandly as she picked herself up off of the floor.
Henrietta spun in surprise. Then looked up. And up again until she met Linde's eyes. "Ah… Hello." She greeted, "I… didn't see you. My apologies. You are…?"
"It's… fine." Linde assured, not used to going unnoticed. It was kind of an odd feeling. Usually her height made her stand out easily and drew a lot of natural attention toward her, which was something of a small nuisance. Being overlooked, though it was likely because she'd fallen onto the floor, was… awkward. "I'm Linde. Louise over there summoned me the other day. I guess she was looking for an animal or something, and got me somehow? So here I am."
"Ah… so that makes you her… familiar then?" The princess' head tilted peculiarly before straightening as she gave a slight curtsy. "Well, I am Princess Henrietta de Tristain, it is nice to meet you, Linde."
"To you as well, umm Your Highness," Linde replied, shifting somewhat awkwardly.
"So…" Henrietta said, turning to Louise, "it seems you've summoned quite a unique familiar Louise."
"Eh heh heh... She is... umm, nice." Louise replied awkwardly. Nice wasn't the first word that came to mind regarding her opinion of Linde, but it wasn't the last either. So far, the giantess had been amicable for the most part if… obstinate. And stubborn. When she wanted to be, Linde was irritatingly unyielding. Case in point, her refusal to get up and answer the door… even though she was clearly awake, seeing as she was standing here now. Though, to be fair, most of Louise's frustration didn't stem from Linde.
It came from Nao, who was infuriatingly enigmatic.
"Ah? Well thank you for taking care of my friend then, Linde. It must have been difficult, I'm sure."
Linde shot Louise a nervous look which was returned with a glare that left her stomach feeling cold. "Ah ha ha, Not at all Your Highness she is the best summoner I've ever had!"
Henrietta giggled at the pair's antics before inclining her head slightly towards the giantess. "I will leave her safety in your hands then."
"Y-Yes Your Highness!" Linde said as she stiffly brought up her hand in what must have been the giant's version of a salute.
Henrietta nodded and turned back to her childhood friend. "Now, Louise tell me all about your time here." The princess took Louise's hand and guided her to sit next to her on the bed. The pair talked some time into the night and Linde couldn't help but smile at the two long separated friends finally being reunited... even if they did make her sit on the floor.
.XXX.
Author's Note (Number III): So apparently Nao is taking over the show, as it were. It might seem that way right now, but we'll be splitting the time more evenly in the long run. As Radon said below. I don't really have much else to say. This chapter is a bit shorter than was originally intended.
Co-Author's Note (Radon): For all of you concerned about OP characters or certain characters not getting their appropriate time in the spot light... don't worry, We have a PLAN!
[It involves cookies]
(It actually does... which is the funny thing.)