Kalego dropped my hand when we reached the front door. The cracked open on its own Opera and Grandpa was waiting in the doorway. Words of red from grandpa, Operas ears were down and back. Kalego displayed blue and yellow not mixing. Kalego walked inside following them, I looked at the speech box.

"Took you long enough to bring her home."

"She is having difficulties walking straight, flying was out of the question."

"Is it resolved?"

"Not exactly. Blushenko said she would need to see a specialist for her ears. She is not receptive to his healing abilities."

"I am disappointed Kalego, you know the rule for teachers who put students in danger or cause harm even if indirectly."

"I know."

That was the cut off. Rules, what was the rule? Something, trial. I knew we could punish outsiders. I caught up to them, hand braced on the wall as I caught up. What were they going to do, it was not his fault. He was helping me. They shut me out of Grandpas throne room.

I knew another way, I snuck around to the vent high up on the wall, humming the screws off. Jumping up I pulled myself in, following the vibrations of speech. I was not close enough to them for the gadget to pick up words. I reached the edge, holding it out.

"I see, you understand this was my granddaughter not just any student. I hate to lose such an outstanding teacher, but I cannot look the other way. Other parents might think I have grown soft, lost interest in the safety of students."

"My lord, I await your humble punishment."

"Opera." His ears flattened as he pulled out a sword.

I was lost, what did he mean? Why a sword, why was he kneeling like that with his head down? I kicked the vent out. "Stop! Stop, Stop, stop." I spoke as I crawled out, thudding to the floor. I stood, pushing my hair from my face. "Apologies Grandpa, but I cannot stand for this." I did my best to walk to the center of the room, I braced myself on Kalego's shoulder. "Sorry, hope you do not mind."

He spoke and I looked at the screen. "Viola, you are intruding into things you should not."

"Yes, I should. It looks like you are about to put him to death. Explain."

"That is the punishment to disfiguring or handicapping a student."

"I am not exactly a student, Student teacher aid. I am not enrolled as a mere student as I am an adult, I am only taking the classes ahead of everyone else." I summoned the student enrollment book. "I am not in here." I pulled out the teacher guide. "And according to this, because my position has not been added on what to do, I am to be treated as a teacher as well because of my age."

"What are you getting at?" Grandpa leaned forward.

I took a breath. "I am stating that I have say so in this matter. I have the right as the victim in other words to what happens. I get a voice in the trial."

Grandpa leaned back in his chair, arms resting on the sides, hands folded. "You have six seconds to pick another suitable punishment. Six." A punishment. "5…" what the hell to I pick? "4…" Think, you useless brain. "3…" Not prison, I need him here. "2 and a half… 2" There were on thing he hates. "1"

"Flufflego." Grandpa unfolding his hands. "His familiar form, he finds it utterly embarrassing. I think it is adorable. I would feel so much better about all of this if I could carry him around like a little pet for a day."

"In a since he does belong to Iruma, and I know he would be sad to lose his familiar." He rubbed his chin. "Perhaps I thought too rashly because it was my dearest Granddaughter. If you feel this is a better punishment, I can grant this. Opera, inform Iruma and see if he is alright with this arrangement."

"Yes, lord Sullivan." His ears were perky again. I knew he did not know what to do to his friend, but serving Sullivan meant doing things you did not want at times.

Kalego had not moved, his head was still down. I wanted to speak to him, but I knew the punishment was probably worse than death for him. He was probably happy to be put to death and not be a familiar anymore. I had out shown him protecting students during the harvest festival. Found intruders during the music festival.

Iruma came back holding a small piece of paper. "I am okay with this. Kalego is the best teacher I have ever had, to lose him would be a great loss for me. I am ranked He and Viola is ranked Zayin because of his diligent teaching and strive to help us to be a better demon."

"If both my grandchildren feel the same." He sighed. "Then it cannot be helped."

"Kalego will be in his familiar form with Viola for one full day. Iruma, summon him."

Iruma summoned the fluffy Kalego, His puffy marshmallow owl form with light purple fur. A collar manifested around his neck. He touched it; a purple line formed between the two of us. A wrist band formed on my left side. He was now attached to me for the next twenty-six hours.

Purple smoke formed in the room, a snaring beast coming forth. Yodh glared at the fluffy familiar in my hands. "We said no other Familiar." They spoke in my mind, and I spoke back in the same way.

"Yodh, it's not like that." He shook his heads out.

Zayin moved to the front. "Are we not good enough?" His ears half covered his sad eyes.

"NO, I mean yes you are. It's a difficult circumstance, it's temporary. One full day as a punishment."

Tet snapped. "For?"

"Yodh, sit." The beast did as he was told. "One day is not even a comparison to the full life I will live with you. A pebble in the ocean of time for us. This is not my familiar specifically, it is Iruma's."

"I would crack a joke, but I see nothing funny here." Chet turned away.

"We stay." Yodh shrunk down to the size of a puppy.

Sullivan's mouth moved; I watched the words form on the screen. "Do not go easy on him, if you do, I may carry out what I planned to do. Seems you made your familiar jealous."

I hugged around Kalego, rubbing my face on him and he tried to push me off. "So cute, you are the greatest Grandpa in all existence. Come, Yodh." I smiled, playing the part.

He turned to his eggy form, skipping around. "You hear that Opera, greatest in all existence. I think it is time for dinner." His words came out as purple rays. I did it. All the tension was gone.

Opera tried to pet him, and I turned. "He's mine, get your own."

His ears flattened halfway. "Please, he is so darn adorable."

"His is to make ME feel better, not you." I rubbed on him again. "Is that right my fluffy little marshmallow?" I know I was making him mad, but he gave up easily. In my mind it was better than having him die for something he did not do on purpose.

"One touch?"

"No, I am still mad you brought Eli out of the house without my permission. You put him in danger doing so." I turned, walking to the dining hall. "Yodh, make sure he keeps his distance." He growled at Opera, his cat tail swishing.

Opera made a good-looking spread, no eyeballs, no moving things. I set Kalego in his own chair, and he summoned a booster. "Am I aloud to eat?" The sounds red.

"Yes, eat and drink as much as you wish."

"It is nice to know you did not lose your voice as well." It changed to purple.

He was happy, mad. All over the place today. I think he hit them all in the last hour. Iruma paid no attention as he scarfed down food. Kalego with a visible scowl on his face as he watched. Purple swirled in front of me, I looked over to grandpa and his moving lips. I picked up the reader.

"My dearest Granddaughter, I have an appointment set up for tomorrow. A renowned ear physician will be here in the morning to see if he can help you."

"What will happen if he cannot help me?"

"I kill him for not paying back the favor he owes me." My eyes widened at the screen. Is that all this world is about? Killing if you displease me. Opera cleaned Eli's face, his disheartened look as he walked away from the table stabbed me in the heart.

Kalego tapped his chin with a napkin. "I am satisfied."

I took hold of him, hugging him close. "Then I hope all goes well, bye. Thank you again." I took off to my room in hasty steps.

In my room I let out a sigh of relief. Letting him fly on his own. I approached Zve who was waiting with his mouth open. His eyes on my he made noises that vibrated around me. I hummed at him as I fed him a large rodent from the glass box. He danced as he clamped down on it. The reader was moving.

"Best mamma ever, I love you so much. Am I cute?"

I looked over my shoulder, Kalego was staring in my mirror, tapping the collar. "Zve, I love you. You are the cutest plant ever." I pet his head with a glove on.

"Mamma loves me, I am the cutest." He danced a little more. This worked on him too. How neat.

Kalego was sitting on the vanity, covering his face. I felt bad for my decision, I should have thought of something better. I did not have a lot of time to decide. I scraped the mucus into a jar and sealed it. Spraying him twice for good measure. Yodh, stared at Kalego. I told him to be civil. I threw my cloak on the edge of the bed and went to my bathroom.

Wiping the light makeup off and getting in the shower. I was close to chopping all this hair off. It was a huge hassle to wash and dry on my own. I glared at the pajamas that had hung on the door for the last three weeks. I preferred to sleep without clothes, but with him here I would have too. It was the restraining feeling I hated.

I emerged and Opera was chasing Kalego around my room. The chaos creates a lot of vibration, but no sound for me. Kalego slammed into me, almost knocking me down. He nuzzled into my arms. Opera threatening to grab him. Yodh, Growled and unleased his power pushing Opera back.

"Opera, control yourself. I am tired."

Silent words. I shrugged, pointing to my ear. He handed the reader to me. "One touch." His ears twitched. "Please." His eyes were on Kalego.

"My fluffy marshmallow. Since you're here, could you dry my hair?"

"Yes, my lady. For one touch of the Flufflego." He held up a finger.

I narrowed my eyes. "Get out, or I might cry to Grandpa you are pestering his poor, tired, now deaf granddaughter."

His ears and tail twitched, eyes narrowing back on me. "You wouldn't."

"Are you willing to make that bet?"

"You win this round Flufflego, you cannot hide in her arms forever." He left, slowly slinking his head out the door watching us.

"What a nuisance. I apologize for my picking, it was a lot of pressure, and not a lot of time. I just could…" His paw covered my mouth.

"As embarrassing as it is, I owe you, my life. You read the teacher manual and studied it. You found the loophole that let me keep my head. There were not many punishments you could have given. Thank you but tell no one." I nodded. I messaged Iruma to keep what happened under wraps. I did not what anyone coming here to console me for what happened.

I sat him on the bed, and he looked around. "I have to sleep here?"

"Do you want your own room where Opera can sneak in and snatch you up?"

"Here is fine," he climbed under the covers.

I set the device on the nightstand and turned out the lights. Making a barrier between us with a pillow. With the world so quiet, it was hard to sleep. I had something for this, it might allow me to sleep all night. I reached in the draw and pulled out a vile of Zve's mucus. On dab to the neck and I was sleepy. Three winks later and I was out.

I was being nudged, something crawling in my arms. I opened my sleepy eyes, Opera staring at me. I closed my eyes, holding the pillow closer. It squirmed. My eyes shot open, Opera was staring at me eyes over the beds edge, tail sweeping behind him. Kalego had climbed into my arms again.

I sighed. "Opera I said no. I'm too tired to deal with you right now." I closed my eyes, Kalego hiding under the covers. Was he that afraid of Opera? My head was being poked, I turned Opera handing me the reader. Everything was muffled or broken up. My ears must be healing on their own.

"You need to get up, the Physician will be here in an hour. Why is there a red mark on your neck." He looked at Kalego.

I rolled my eyes. "Couldn't sleep." I pointed to the vile on the bedside table. "I have used it before." I pulled out the antidote, rubbing it in.

Opera held up a dress. "You should wear this one."

"You are not stuffing me in a frilly dress just to see a doctor."

"Oh, but Lord Sullivan told me too."

I gritted my teeth. "Fine, not the pink one."

His ears dropped. "But it goes well with your hair."

"Purple does too."

"You wore that one already, this one has yet to be used."

I face palmed. "I told him not to buy all those dresses, transfigure." The dress turned purple, and I smirked. "Now I will wear it."

"Go change."

"Get out of my room."

"There is a bathroom."

"I see what you're doing. I won't let it happen; HE IS MINE! Yodh, chase him."

Yodh grew, charging at him till he was out of my room.

I put Fluffy Kalego in the bathroom and changed clothes in my main room. Tying the strings up in the back, and sitting at the vanity, I summon Kalego to my lap. I let opera in, and he eyed him intently as he brushed through my hair.

Flufflego looked at the jewelry on the table. It was pink, meaning he fully intended me to wear that dress. I waved a hand over it changing the color to deep purple. Flufflego nodded in agreement to the change. Why did I have to be this dolled up to meet a Physician. That was what bothered me.

"You call him Lord Sullivan, and you have a king's position. What is Grandpa's?"

"He is considered a Duke."

My jaw dropped. "But he is a principle and a Duke?"

"He is also a part of the thirteen crowns as one of the Three Greats. Did we not tell you this?"

"No, I knew he was rich and one of the most powerful demons, but a duke?"

"Why did you think we are dressing you up. You are a Dukes Granddaughter; it cannot look like we treat you less than or you will be treated like that. You acted the part fine, now you must look it." I rolled my eyes.

His hand reached around, and I smacked it away. "Mine. One more time and I knock your lights out."

"I would like to see you try." I would be sneaky, and I would use the mucus I had been harvesting all this time. Who says I must be physical to take him down.

Looked the part. Everything he bought and I wore screamed wealth and status. What I did not know was how wealthy. My hair pinned back; I took a once over. Adding mascara and a little color to my lips. The blemish from the mucus gone like it never happened. Not a restful sleep but better than none. Opera showed me to where the Physician had been waiting on me.

He bowed; my reader lit up. "A pleasure to meet you, my Lady."

"Likewise." I sat on the couch, Kalego in my lap, Yodh at my feet. Sullivan moved to stand behind me.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"My ear drums blew last night, could not hear anything last night. Today it is all muffled or broken. I am afraid what might happen if I take the earplugs out again."

Sullivan explained a little from last night, what I was going through, and I showed him the earplugs.

"Oh, my this is serious. Let me assess the damage." He placed his hands over my ears. "Did someone heal them last night?" I nodded. "They did good to repair most of it. No scare tissue, you should thank this person. I can heal the eardrums from here. Hold very still, it might feel weird, and you may want to itch them."

Tingling filled my ears like a thousand squirming bugs. I hated it, closing my eyes and trying to picture it being sand instead. Heart beats, ticks, rustling of cloths. It was fixed, the earplugs still in place but everything was loud and over barring.

"Can you hear my voice?" He asked.

"I can."

"How loud?" Everything was too loud.

"You voice is almost screaming at me."

He lowered his voice. "I assume that is why your eardrums burst. A case like this is rare, but not unheard of. I am the only one who specializes in these things, it my bloodline ability." He opened a small case. "These might help." It looked like a pair of behind the ear hearing aids, but I was not hard of hearing.

I glared at white bulky pieces. "How?"

"This version is a sound suppressant like earplugs. A drop of blood on the gem, and they will change to what the user needs." Everyone would see them, I tightened around Kalego. He was tapping my arm; I released a little.

"You have nothing smaller and less noticeable."

"For how bad the situation is, no. I apologize. You will however be able to control them with a thought, or the button on the side. There is a second par for sleeping specifically."

"Will there be a day when I will not need them?"

"Well, it varies. If you can learn to be self-suppressant, or even control, then you won't ever have to use them. It will only drain our mana slowly. This is attuned to you to work without that."

I sighed, reaching out my hand and pricking my finger with my thumb nail. A drop of blood on each gem; Opera wrapping my finger in a small cloth bandage after. I watched as they absorbed the blood like a sponge to water. The gem blinked and turned black, sickly black veins spread over them coating them like spider webs at first. The black cover the behind the ear portion, the wire a green line.

The man rubbed the back of his neck. "In all my time I have never seen them do that. Might I ask what rank you are?"

"Zayin, why does it matter?" Yodh perked his head. Visible sweat covered the man's brow, his words coming out yellow. Yellow must mean uncertainty or anxiety.

"No reason, anyways I am sure in the near future you will not need these."

"Good for me." I picked one up, an L engraved on it.

"Let me help you, my lady."

"You take me for a dunce? I can do this myself. Opera silence that insufferable clock and nobody move or make a sound."

Opera stopped the pendulum from swinging. I took out the earplugs, the heartbeats of the others flooding in. This man's heart was moving so fast I thought it might burst from his chest. I clicked the button and inserted the new one to my ear and hung it over my ear until comfortable. I repeated the process with the right side.

Hearts were quiet. I nodded to Opera who let the pendulum go and the soft ticking was only a tiny background noise. They would feel as normal as I could ask for. The man held up a mirror as if I wished to look at them. Big, black and noticeable. Detestable that this is the only option.

"How do they sound?"

"The clock isn't so annoying that I wish to smash it to smithereens. Your voice sounds normal. You did good."

"Oh, thank the deities." He let out a sigh of relief.

"How long will the battery last?"

"There is no battery, the blood is the attunement. It is like making a blood pack with a familiar. They should be replaced every six months to a year or when damaged. Only you can remove them, as they attached to your skin."

The netherworld should not surprise me at this point. He did all of this for me. The clothes, food, school. These hearing aids and fixing my ears. My heart skipped a beat. He was there for me, teaching me without me really seeing. He was a true parent, why did he not have any children of his own by now? He was over a thousand years old.

I stood up. "Thank you." I turned from him to Sullivan. "Grandpa?"

"Yes, my most precious granddaughter."

"I really appreciate you taking care of me the way you do. I… I love you." I ran out of the room with Kalego in my arms. My heart raced; did I just say that? I heard his excited 'Yippy.'

I stopped telling my parents that when I was ten. There was no love, only shut up and do as you are told. I told Eli I loved him, and he repeated these words. That was a mother's love, this was something different. I was picked up and hugged Kalego dropped from my arms.

"I love you too." He swung me around. Kalego flying in place.

"Yes, yes. Please put me down now."

"No, we must celebrate this."

"Can we not?" I squirmed.

His hug tightened. "You said you loved me; did you lie?"

"No, I meant it. I'm just…. It's complicated. If I had parents that gave me a fingernail of your um… attentiveness. Then I wouldn't be… Yes, a celebration." He put me down.

"Viola, help." Kalego was abducted. I summoned him from Operas hands. He looked down at his hands and ears flat. As he turned his head.

"Mine." I growled as I took hold of him, rubbing my face on him with a smirk.

"I got one touch. I win this round." He pranced down the hall like a cat.

"So, dinner or lunch? is Iruma coming?"

"Lunch, and no. Just us and Flufflego." I pointed to Yodh. "Pets have a special place where we are going."

"I will not be put in a pet pin." Yodh transformed, his appearance shifting to a demon. A dog like face and fur covered his body. "Is this acceptable."

Sullivan stared him down. "You have grown stronger, but yes."