The sun had just begun its ascent over the magical kingdom of Tristain, casting a golden hue over the academy grounds. Birds chirped merrily, the morning dew sparkled on the grass, and the occasional magical burst from a practicing student echoed in the distance. Amid this serene morning, one room in the academy was anything but calm.
In her modest dorm room, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière was pacing back and forth, her pink hair bouncing with each determined step. Today was the day of the Familiar Summoning Ritual, a day she had dreaded and anticipated in equal measure. Her classmates often teased her for her consistent lack of magical prowess, earning her the nickname "Louise the Zero." But today, everything was going to change. She would show them all. She would summon the most incredible familiar the academy had ever seen!
Louise paused in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection with a mix of determination and nervousness. "This is it, Louise," she said to herself, striking a confident pose. "Today is the day you prove them all wrong! No more explosions, no more failures. Just pure, undeniable success!"
She pointed at her reflection, as if addressing an audience of critics. "You think you know Louise the Zero? Well, you don't! Today, you'll meet Louise the Hero! The greatest mage Tristain has ever seen!"
Her imagination ran wild as she pictured the scene. She would step forward, her wand held high, and with a single, perfect incantation, a magnificent, powerful familiar would appear. The jaws of her classmates would drop, and even Professor Colbert would be impressed. Tabitha would look up from her book, Kirche would stop flirting for a moment, and Guiche would stop admiring himself. They would all be forced to recognize her true potential.
She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, lost in her daydream. "Maybe I'll summon a dragon! No, even better, an ancient phoenix! Or a unicorn! Something so rare and powerful that everyone will have to acknowledge my greatness!"
She opened her eyes and paced again, her energy seemingly boundless. "And then, when they see my familiar, they'll be begging to be my friend. No more snide comments or laughter behind my back. They'll all want to know the incredible Louise!"
The excitement was almost too much to contain. She twirled around, her skirt swishing with the motion. "I'll walk into the summoning circle with confidence, and everyone will be watching. I'll say the incantation perfectly, and poof! There it will be, my amazing familiar, standing proud by my side!"
Her imagination conjured vivid scenes of her classmates' reactions. She mimicked their voices, one by one. "Kirche, stunned into silence: 'Louise, I never knew you had it in you!' Guiche, dropping his rose: 'Louise, you're incredible!' Tabitha, with a rare smile: 'Impressive.'"
Louise laughed, the sound a mix of nervous energy and genuine amusement. "Oh, this is going to be perfect! I'll finally show them that I'm not just some failure. I'm Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, and I am a true mage!"
The thought filled her with a newfound determination. She marched to her desk, where her wand lay waiting. Picking it up, she gave it a little flourish. "You've got this, Louise. You've practiced the summoning spell a hundred times. It's just a matter of focusing your magic. No distractions, no doubts. Just pure, unadulterated magic."
She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror again and struck another dramatic pose. "Louise the Zero? No, today I'm Louise the Hero! The greatest summoner the academy has ever seen!"
As the morning progressed, she continued to psych herself up, rehearsing her grand entrance and the spell in front of the mirror. She imagined every possible outcome, each more glorious than the last. The nervousness was still there, a tight knot in her stomach, but it was overshadowed by the sheer force of her determination.
Finally, the time came. The bell rang, signaling the start of the ritual. Louise took a deep breath, straightened her uniform, and gave herself one last look in the mirror. "This is it. Show them who you really are."
With her head held high, she stepped out of her room and made her way to the summoning grounds. The other students were already gathered, chatting excitedly about what kinds of familiars they hoped to summon. Professor Colbert stood at the front, organizing the students into a neat circle.
Louise took her place, ignoring the smirks and whispers from her classmates. She focused on the ritual, replaying her practice sessions in her mind. Professor Colbert began explaining the process, but Louise was already lost in her own thoughts.
When it was her turn, she stepped forward, her heart pounding. This was the moment. She raised her wand, took a deep breath, and began the incantation.
As the words flowed from her lips, she felt the magic surge within her. She poured all her hopes, dreams, and determination into the spell. There was a blinding flash of light, and for a moment, she couldn't see anything. The world around her seemed to stand still.
When the light faded, Louise blinked, trying to see what she had summoned. Her heart was racing, her hands trembling. Had she done it? Had she truly succeeded?
The murmurs of her classmates grew louder, and she squinted, trying to make out the shape in the circle. It was... something. Definitely something. But what?
As her vision cleared, she saw it. Standing there, in the center of the summoning circle, was a metallic, spherical capsule. It glinted in the sunlight, its smooth surface adorned with strange, alien markings. Louise stared at it, her mind racing. This was not what she had expected. Not at all.
The murmurs of her classmates grew louder, and she could hear the snickers and whispered comments. "What is that?" "Did she summon a rock?" "Louise the Zero strikes again!"
Kirche's voice rang out, dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, well done, Louise! You've summoned a fancy paperweight!"
Guiche laughed, twirling his rose. "Is that supposed to be a familiar? It's just a ball!"
Even Tabitha looked up from her book, though her expression remained unreadable. Professor Colbert stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he examined the capsule. "Louise, what have you summoned?"
Louise felt her face flush with embarrassment. This wasn't the grand, awe-inspiring familiar she had envisioned. It was just... a thing. A strange, metallic thing that looked utterly useless. She bent down and picked up the capsule, feeling its surprisingly cool surface under her fingers. It was heavier than it looked, and she cradled it in her hands, unsure of what to do next.
Her classmates' laughter grew louder, and Louise felt a wave of frustration and humiliation wash over her. This was supposed to be her moment, her chance to prove them all wrong. Instead, she had become the butt of yet another joke.
With a deep breath, she straightened up, clutching the capsule tightly. "I... I don't know what this is," she admitted, her voice shaking slightly.
The laughter continued, but Louise forced herself to stand tall. She looked at Professor Colbert, who seemed to be studying the capsule with a mix of curiosity and concern. Desperate to salvage the situation, she blurted out, "Professor, can I... can I try the ritual again?"
Professor Colbert shook his head gently, a sympathetic smile on his face. "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, Louise. The summoning ritual is a one-time event. You'll have to make do with what you've got."
Louise's face turned a deeper shade of red as her classmates' laughter grew louder. She looked down at the capsule in her hands, feeling utterly humiliated. "But... it's just a ball!" she exclaimed, trying to keep the rising panic out of her voice.
Colbert patted her shoulder reassuringly. "It may seem that way now, but every familiar has its purpose. You just have to discover what it is."
Louise nodded weakly, biting her lip to keep from crying. She walked back to her spot in the circle, the capsule clutched tightly in her hands. The mocking whispers of her classmates surrounded her, but she tried to block them out. She had to stay strong. She had to believe that this strange object held some kind of potential.
Trying to make sense of what she had summoned, she turned the capsule over in her hands, looking for any hint or clue. "Why does this always happen to me?" she muttered under her breath. "It looks like I summoned a fancy metal ball. Maybe it's an ancient artifact? Or a... a magical sphere of some kind?"
She pressed on different parts of the capsule, hoping for a response, but nothing happened. She shook it gently, held it up to her ear, and even gave it a little tap, but it remained stubbornly inert. "Come on, do something!" she whispered fiercely, her frustration growing.
As the ritual continued and her classmates summoned their own familiars, Louise couldn't help but steal glances at the capsule. What was it? Why had it appeared? Most importantly, how could she prove that it wasn't just another failure?
Louise trudged back to her dorm room, her heart heavy with the weight of the day's humiliation. Her classmates had been relentless, mocking her for summoning what appeared to be a useless metal sphere. Even during dinner, she could hear the snickers and whispers, each one a dagger to her already fragile confidence. The capsule, cool and metallic, sat in her hands, a constant reminder of her perceived failure.
She finally reached her room, slamming the door shut behind her with a huff. The laughter and jeers still echoed in her mind, and she felt a surge of frustration. "Stupid ball," she muttered under her breath. "Stupid ritual. Stupid everything!"
Louise paced back and forth, the capsule clutched tightly in her hand. She glared at it, her anger bubbling over. "Why couldn't you just be a dragon? Or a phoenix? Or anything useful?" She shook the sphere as if it could somehow answer her. "You're just a worthless hunk of metal!"
In a fit of anger, she threw the capsule across the room. It hit the wall with a loud clang and rolled to a stop. Louise expected it to just sit there, as lifeless as it had been all day. But then, something strange happened. The capsule began to glow faintly, and with a series of mechanical clicks and whirs, it started to open.
Louise's eyes widened in surprise and curiosity. "What in the world...?" She approached cautiously, watching as the sphere revealed its contents. Inside was a strange device, a sleek, wristwatch-like object with a green face and intricate markings. Louise had never seen anything like it.
She knelt down, peering closely at the device. "What is this thing?" she wondered aloud. "Is this... my familiar?" She poked it gently with a finger, half-expecting it to react. When it didn't, she picked it up, turning it over in her hands. "It looks like some kind of magical artifact. But why would I summon a watch?"
Her curiosity got the better of her. She reached out to touch the device more closely, her fingers brushing against the smooth surface. Suddenly, without warning, the device lunged at her wrist, latching on with a firm, almost aggressive grip.
Louise let out a yelp of surprise and panic. "Ah! What the—get off! Get off!" She tugged at the device, trying to pry it off her wrist, but it was firmly attached. She stumbled around the room, knocking over books and trinkets in her frantic attempt to free herself. "Stupid watch! Let go of me!"
She rolled on the floor, twisting and turning, her efforts growing more desperate by the second. She banged her wrist against the bedpost, hoping the impact would dislodge it. "Why won't you come off?" she cried, frustration mingling with panic.
Her struggles only seemed to make the device more stubborn. No matter how she twisted or pulled, it remained securely fastened to her wrist. "This can't be happening," she muttered, her voice tinged with despair. "I can't have summoned a cursed bracelet!"
After several more minutes of frantic struggle, she finally collapsed onto the floor, panting and exhausted. The room was a mess, with books and papers scattered everywhere, and her wrist was red and sore from her efforts. She glared at the device, now glowing softly with a green light.
The device remained silent, its glow unwavering. Louise sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. "Great. Just great. I've summoned a watch, and now I'm stuck with it. What am I supposed to do with a watch?"
She stood up, brushing off her skirt, and began to tidy up the mess she had made. As she worked, she couldn't help but think about the day's events. The capsule, the device, her classmates' laughter—all of it swirled in her mind, a chaotic jumble of emotions.
By the time she had finished cleaning, she felt a little calmer, though no less confused. She sat on her bed, staring at the device. "Okay, think, Louise. There has to be a reason for all of this. Maybe... maybe it's a test? Maybe I have to figure out how to use it?"
She hesitated, then pressed one of the buttons on the side of the device. The green face lit up, displaying a strange, swirling symbol. Louise's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh... what is this?"
She pressed another button, and the device emitted a soft beep. The symbol on the screen changed, cycling through various shapes and icons. Louise watched in fascination, her previous frustration momentarily forgotten.
"Okay, this is definitely something special," she murmured. "But how do I use it?" She fiddled with the buttons, trying to make sense of the device's functions. The screen continued to change, each new symbol more mysterious than the last.
Finally, she pressed a button that made the device emit a series of rapid beeps. The screen flashed, and Louise felt a sudden surge of energy. Her body tingled, and she watched in astonishment as her form began to change.
Her skin turned a mottled green, and her body elongated, becoming lean and muscular with insect-like wings sprouting from her back. She felt her senses sharpen, her vision and hearing growing more acute. In a matter of seconds, she had transformed into a tall, insect-like creature with large, multifaceted eyes and powerful limbs.
Louise stared at herself in the mirror, her mouth hanging open in shock. "What... what just happened? Am I... a monster?" She flexed her new limbs, feeling a strange mix of fear and exhilaration. "This is horrible! I'm a bug!"
She started flapping her wings uncontrollably, her panic growing. "No, no, no! This can't be happening! I can't be a monster!" She stumbled around her room, knocking over books and trinkets in her frantic attempt to understand her new form. Her wings buzzed loudly, and she accidentally shot a stream of sticky, green goo from her mouth, which splattered across the room.
Suddenly, there was a knock on her door, followed by a concerned voice. "Miss Louise? Is everything alright in there?" It was Siesta, the academy maid. She must have heard the commotion while passing by.
Louise's heart skipped a beat. "Oh no, if Siesta sees me like this, she'll think I'm a freak!" She buzzed around the room, trying to calm herself. "I can't let her see me like this!"
Siesta began to open the door. "Miss Louise, I'm coming in!"
In a fit of panic, Louise flew to the door and pushed it closed, her insect limbs scrambling to hold it shut. "No! Everything's fine, Siesta! Just a... a little accident! Nothing to worry about!"
Siesta's voice was filled with concern. "Are you sure? I heard a lot of noise, and I thought something might be wrong."
Louise's mind raced as she tried to come up with an excuse. "Oh, um, yes! I was just... rearranging my room! Yes, that's it! And I... knocked over a few things. I'm fine, really!"
There was a pause, and Louise could hear Siesta's hesitant footsteps on the other side of the door. "Well, if you're sure... but if you need any help, please let me know."
"Will do, Siesta! Thank you!" Louise called back, forcing a strained laugh. She waited until she heard Siesta's footsteps fading away before she finally relaxed, her body slumping against the door.
"That was close," she muttered, looking down at her transformed limbs. "How am I supposed to explain this to anyone?"
She buzzed back to the mirror, staring at her reflection with a mix of horror and curiosity. "Okay, Louise, think. You summoned this thing, so there must be a way to control it." She examined the device, trying to remember which button she had pressed earlier.
Her panic began to rise again. "What if this is permanent? What if I'm stuck like this forever?" She groaned, her antennae twitching in distress. "My life is over! I'll never be normal again! This watch is cursed!"
Suddenly, she heard the device beep and saw it flash red. Her heart raced. "Oh no, what now? Is it going to curse me again?" she wailed.
To her surprise, she felt another surge of energy, and her body began to revert back to its normal form. The insect-like features melted away, and in a matter of seconds, she was back to being Louise, albeit a very shaken and disheveled Louise.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her mouth agape. "I'm... I'm me again?" She patted her face and arms, confirming that she was indeed back to normal. "I'm me again!"
Louise collapsed onto her bed, her heart racing. "This is insane," she said, her voice trembling. "I've summoned a device that can turn me into a monster."
Louise sat on her bed, her thoughts racing as she tried to comprehend the strange device now attached to her wrist. The events of the past hour had left her bewildered, yet oddly exhilarated. She had summoned something incredible, something powerful, and though she had no idea how to control it, she felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was her chance to prove herself.
As she contemplated her next move, a calm and measured voice suddenly broke the silence. "I see that you have discovered what the Omnitrix can do."
Louise yelped in surprise, nearly falling off her bed. She turned quickly, searching for the source of the voice, her heart pounding. Standing in the corner of her room, as if he had always been there, was a man she had never seen before. He wore a white lab coat over a white shirt with a brown vest and black tie, black pants, and black shoes. Around his neck hung a pair of goggles with green lenses.
"Who—who are you?" Louise demanded, her voice trembling slightly as she pointed at the stranger. "And how did you get in here?"
The man smiled benignly, tipping his head slightly in greeting. "Ah, where are my manners? I am Professor Paradox. And as for how I got here, let's just say that time and space are rather flexible concepts for someone like me."
Louise stared at him, her confusion only deepening. "Professor... Paradox? What are you talking about? And what do you mean by 'time and space are flexible'?"
Paradox walked a few steps closer, his expression serene. "You see, I have a rather unique relationship with time. Once, long ago, I was a scientist experimenting with time travel. Unfortunately, I was displaced outside of time itself. It drove me quite mad, I must say. But, millennia later, I got bored of that too and became sane. Very sane."
Louise blinked, trying to process his words. "You went mad... and then you got bored of being mad? And now you're... very sane?"
"Precisely," Paradox said with a slight nod. "And it seems that the Omnitrix has found its way into your universe, which is quite surprising."
Louise glanced down at the device on her wrist. "This thing? You know what it is?"
"Indeed," Paradox said, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. "That device is called the Omnitrix. It was created by a brilliant scientist named Azmuth, in another universe far from your own."
Louise's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean this thing came from another universe? And you know about it?"
Paradox nodded. "Yes, the Omnitrix is a device of immense power and potential. It contains the DNA of countless species from across the universe, allowing its wearer to transform into any one of them."
Louise stared at him, her mind reeling. "So, that means I can turn into different creatures? Like that bug thing I turned into earlier?"
"Precisely," Paradox said, smiling. "The Omnitrix is a tool for exploration, protection, and discovery. However, it can be quite unpredictable, especially for someone unfamiliar with its functions."
Louise looked at the Omnitrix, her initial fear giving way to a mix of excitement and apprehension. "But why me? Why did it come to me?"
Paradox tilted his head thoughtfully. "You summoned it, which in itself is quite fascinating. I sensed it being pulled away from its original reality and decided to see where it ended up. It's curious how such a powerful device found its way into your hands. Though, I do wonder what happened to the specific universe this Omnitrix came from." He paused, then brushed off the thought with a wave of his hand. "Ah, but that's a mystery for another time."
Louise's mind raced with possibilities. "But I don't know how to use it! What if I mess up again? What if I can't control it?"
Paradox raised a calming hand. "Fear not. Like all things, mastery comes with time and practice. You need only be patient and diligent. The Omnitrix will not transform you against your will, provided you do not activate it inadvertently."
Louise sighed, a mixture of relief and anxiety washing over her. "So, I'm not cursed?"
Paradox chuckled softly. "No, you are not cursed. If anything, you have been given a gift, albeit a rather complex and challenging one."
Louise nodded slowly, still wary of the strange man. "Thank you, Professor Paradox. I still have so many questions, but..."
Before Louise could ask anything more, Paradox glanced at a pocket watch he had pulled from his vest. "Would you look at the time," he said, almost comically. "I must be going."
Louise's eyes widened. "Wait! What do you mean? Where are you going?"
Paradox smiled cryptically as he began to step into what seemed like a portal opening in the air. "Remember, Miss Louise, the key to mastering the Omnitrix lies in understanding yourself. Farewell, and good luck."
With that, he disappeared into the portal, leaving Louise alone in her room once more. She looked down at the Omnitrix, her mind brimming with thoughts of the future. She had been given a chance to prove herself, and she was determined to make the most of it.
And so, Louise's journey truly began, her fate forever intertwined with the mysterious device known as the Omnitrix. Little did she know, her life was about to change in ways she could never have imagined, and she was on the path to becoming a hero like no other.
And that's the end of this chapter! Maybe I need to go to an intervention because it's like I'm addicted to writing Familiar of Zero fanfiction. Seriously, I can't stop! 😅
Anyway, I'm going to leave this as a one-shot for now (you know, like the fate of many fanfics). Who knows, maybe I'll come back to it in the future. Until then, thanks for reading!