(Welcome to my next installment, guys. Hope you're ready for what I'm gonna be preparing for with this and my next chapter.)

One afternoon Negi, Dustin, and Kotaro were walking to Library Island, with Negi carrying a book he was planning to return. They entered and looked up at the counter seeing Nodoka and Yue going through some other books that were returned. To the boys surprise however they saw Alistair was behind the desk helping the two assort some books. They approached the desk, "Alistair?" they asked.

"Oh hey guys. What's up?" Alistair asked.

"What're you doing here?" Dustin asked puzzled.

"Oh I didn't tell you?" Alistair asked, "Well I've been coming here for awhile to help Yue and Nodoka sort through some of the books."

"You're kidding, right? You're helping out at a library?" Kotaro asked dubiously.

"Hey it's not as boring as you think, Kotaro." Alistair answered the dog boy.

"Is this true?" Negi asked his two students.

"Yeah. Alistair volunteered to help out," Nodoka answered, "He's very helpful actually."

"Yeah, one of the best assistants we've ever had around here." Yue admitted as well.

"Yue's also been introducing me to a lot of philosophical literature in her spare time here." Alistair put in.

"Really?" Dustin asked eyeballing Baka Black.

"He seemed very interested and I thought I'd enlighten him." she girl shrugged.

"Well it's nice to see you're taking up other interests besides games, Alistair," Negi said and remembered, "Oh of course. Here you are. The book I borrowed." he returned the book.

"Did you like it, Negi-sensei?" Nodoka asked nervously with a hint of hope.

"Of course. I loved it." he admitted with a smile.

Suddenly Alistair's cellphone shook, and he answered it, "Hello? Oh hi, Xever. What, really? Well ok I'll see you there." he hung up.

"What's the buzz?" Dustin asked.

"Xever wants me to meet him at the fountain," Alistair began, "He has a surprise for me."

"A surprise?" Negi asked.

"What kind?" Kotaro asked inquired.

"I don't know, but I better see what it is," Alistair said as he jumped over the counter to join the guys, "I'll catch you girls later."

"Bye Alistair, bye guys." the two girls waved bye as the boys left.

As Alistair left Yue watched hiding a blush, 'For a dark warrior and a little juvenile, Alistair's not so bad. Even if he's younger than me. Whoa why am I thinking so hard about it? Could I be... No I can't be.' she brushed it off as Nodoka looked at Yue curiously.

"Yue, are you ok?"

Yue snapped out of it and responded, "Fine why do you ask?"

"Well you looked like you spaced out for a moment." Nodoka explained.

"It's nothing, really." Yue brushed it off as she got back to work.

Meanwhile by the Mahora fountain, Alistair, Negi, Dustin, and Kotaro saw Xever, Valmont, and Belmont waiting for them, "Hey guys!" Alistair called.

"Ah, good to see you made it." Xever welcomed him and spoke to his friends, "Hey boys, how's it going?"

"Doing great, Xever." Dustin answered as Negi and Kotaro nodded.

"So what's this big surprise you got for me?" Alistair asked wondering what was up.

"Well you know how Dustin has Domino and and Negi has Chamo?" Xever began.

"Yeah." alistair nodded, as Domino and Chamo wondered where the older Savage brother was headed.

"Well I figured it was time you had a familiar as well." he continued, taking the younger brother by surprise.

"What, really?"

"Alistair's getting a familiar?" Negi asked.

"Yeah, and here he is," Xever said reaching into his vets pocket and held out a small white mouse, "Surprise."

"Whoa, a mouse?" Alistair gasped.

"Oh yeah. Meet Fievel." Xever introduced him.

"Nice to meet you, Fievel." Alistair said as he rubbed the top of the mouse's head with his finger.

"Nice to meetacha too Alistair." Fievel greeted back.

"Even he talks?" Kotaro asked in surprise.

"Of course. I'm from the the magical mouse society, like how Chamo there is from the fairy ermine society." Fievel explained.

"Fievel was once my familiar growing up, after we were separated," Xever began, "But now I think you deserve him more than I do now." he held his hand out, and Alistair opened up his hand for Fievel to crawl onto.

"Thanks bro," Alistair thanked his brother, "Is there anything I should know about Fievel?"

"Well for one thing he likes cheese, preferably cheddar," Xever began, "And he has a song that calms him down or just enjoys listening to."

"What's that?"

"Somewhere out there," Xever answered, "You have to sing it, with another."

"Seriously?" Alistair asked.

"Serious as a heart attack." the older brother replied.

Alistair looked down at Fievel in his hand, as the mouse smiled up at him. Alistair smiled back and looked at Xever, "I'll take him."

Xever smiled and ruffled his bros head, "You two play nice."

"We will." Fievel assured as Chamo jumped from Negi's shoulder and onto Alistair's.

"Welcome to the club, Fievel." the ermine greeted him.

Domino flew from Dustin's shoulder and landed on Alistair's arm, "Nice to meetcha. Name's Domino." he introduced himself.

"A pleasure." Fievel replied.

"Well you guys have fun, we got some stuff to take care of." Valmont said as the three older boys took off.

"Well come on Fievel," Alistair began, "Let me introduce to you the girls we associate with."

"Sounds good to me." Fievel replied as the boys walked off heading for the dorms.

Soon they reached the building where several of the girls were gathered around in the foyer, "Good afternoon girls." Negi greeted them as Makie, Ako, Akira, Kakizaki, Sakurako, Madoka, Ayaka, Setsuna, and Konoka greeted him.

"Afternoon Negi."

Asuna looked over and waved, "Sup?"

"I hope you're all enjoying your afternoon." Negi spoke up as they walked over to them.

"We sure are." Konoka nodded.

"Hey girls, I wanna show you something Xever gave me." Alistair spoke up as he approached.

"What'd your brother give you?" Akira asked.

"Well he gave me a... pet." Alistair answered hating to demean his new familiar to that, but had to keep it cool around Asuna.

"A pet?" the girls gasped.

"Where is it?" Makie asked.

"Before I show you, I'd advise you not to scream or panic." Alistair warned them as he reached into his jacket and pulled out Fievel for them to see.

Konoka gasped, "Oh how cute!"

"He's adorable!" Kakizaki gasped as she and Madoka started rubbing the top of Fievel's head.

"You like him?" Alistair asked.

"You're not grossed out at all?" Dustin asked.

"Hey we're used to having rodents in the dorm." Asuna answered while motioning to Chamo who scowled.

"So what's his name?" Makie asked.

"His name's Fievel." Alistair answered.

"What an adorable name." Konoka smiled as she continued to rub the mouse's little head.

"Yeah, and look what he's been trained to do." Alistair said as he sat Fievel on top of the coffee table and motioned Dustin to join him. Alistair started singing Somewhere out there, and the girls noticed Fievel was moving around to the rhythm. He started moving more as Dustin join Alistair in singing the song. When the two finished Fievel stood on his hind legs raising his paws up.

The girls applauded as Setsuna spoke, "That was very good." she admitted feeling impressed.

"Cute and talented." Sakurako admitted as she tickled Fievel's chin, while the mouse enjoyed it.

As nighttime came over at Ragnarok's lair, the Shadow Master stood before his minions with Diabound at his side, "It's time to avenge Skalidor and his tribe. Fangtom!"

The Fangpyre general spoke up, "Yes?"

"Prepare your army, you attack tomorrow, but this time target Alistair when he is alone." Ragnarok instructed.

"Now hold on just a minute," The Fangpyre general interrupted, "You're going to send me and my tribe out alone like you did with Skalidor?"

"I smell a rat!" Skales said suspiciously while Pythor crossed his arms.

"I have no intention of sending you or your tribe without back up," Ragnarok replied as he motioned to Voltaire, "Voltaire, you will join them tomorrow."

"Yes, master." Voltaire nodded as he left to prepare himself for tomorrow.

"The rest of you are dismissed." Ragnarok said as he and Diabound left, along with Thorn.

Skales turned to Fangtom, "You prepare yourself for tomorrow. If Voltaire attempts to sabotage you by order of Ragnarok, you and your tribe get yourselves out of there."

"I understand, and I will see to it Skalidor is avenged." he slinked off with Acidicus.

Skales turned to Pythor, "What is Fangtom does fail and Voltaire is not responsible?"

"Then leave everything to me, Skales." Pythor replied as the two slinked off.

The very next day after classes, Alistair was walking for the girls section to try and find the boys, until he spotted Yue up ahead. She was sitting on a bench while sipping some juice, "Hey Yue!"

Hearing her name she turned and saw the dark warrior in disguise, "Oh, hi Alistair."

"Whatcha doing?" he asked while standing at her side.

"Well I was planning on meeting up with Negi-sensei and the others at Evangeline's." she admitted.

"So was I," he gasped, "How about we go together?" he offered.

Yue looked at him with a faint blush before answering, "Uh sure. Ok."

"Great, let's go!" Alistair took her hand and started dragging her along.

"Hey Alistair, wait I can walk!" she protested as he continued to drag her along.

Soon the two were walking together, as Fievel was sitting on Alistair's right shoulder with Yue looking at him, "So Fievel here is your new familiar?"

"Yeah, Xever said he was a great familiar to him growing up, and now he thinks Fievel should be with me," Alistair began, "I mean I never had a familiar before in my life. With Fievel at my side I feel like the others. I mean Negi's got Chamo, Dustin has Domino, and Rin has Toothless."

"Yeah, now you got someone else to talk to when the others aren't around." Yue noted.

"Exactly." Alistair smiled until he stopped, "Uh Yue, can I talk to you."

"Sure Alistair. What's up?" she asked curiously.

"Well you know I look to you as a good friend like the others?" he began.

"Yeah..." she answered while raising a brow.

"And I appreciate all you've shown me at the library. Getting me into philosophy and all." he continued.

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Yue asked while deep down was already realizing the possibility of where this was headed.

"I just want you to know how lucky I am having someone like you for a friend," he continued, "I mean there's a lot I do with Dustin, Negi, Kotaro, and Fate, but that's guy stuff. With you I can do other stuff that's not too rowdy and not too boring. And I like spending that time doing that kind of stuff with you."

"Alistair, what're you trying to say?" Yue asked as she could feel her heartbeat increase rapidly with anticipation.

"Yue, I think maybe I..." Alistair looked past her shoulder seeing an incoming fireball, "GET DOWN!" he tackled her to the ground as the fireball missed. As Yue lied on the ground seeing Alistair on top of her with their faces inches away from each other, she blushed a deep shade of red, "Are you ok?" Alistair asked in worry.

"I'll live." she answered while trying to contain herself from their position.

Alistair and Yue got up and saw Voltaire, Fangtom, and his tribe, "Voltaire and the Fangpyres!" Alistair gasped.

"Not snakes!" Fievel panicked as he dove into Alistair's coat pocket.

"Well what have we here?" Fangtom asked Voltaire who chuckled and responded.

"A little traitor and a little girl."

"What do you two want?" Alistair inquired while frowning.

"Revenge, for what happened to Skalidor!" Fangtom replied in anger.

"FYI, I didn't do that." Alistair replied.

"Regardless, we'll deal with you and then the others." the two headed snake answered.

Voltaire and the snakes started surrounding them, as Alistair stood before Yue, "Don't worry Yue. I won't let these jerks touch you." he revealed his dark warrior form.

"Alistair." Yue gasped at his willingness to defend her.

(And that's the chapter. Alistair will have to amp up his game if he's going to take on Voltaire and the snakes. Will the others get there to help him before he and Yue become snake chow? Tune in next time.)