Outsiders (ZnT/Pokémon Reverse Summon)
Season 2, Episode 2, Chapter 1

[~][~]

Today was supposed to be routine, yet at the exact same time equally momentous. It had been this way for centuries. On the spring equinox, each and every year for centuries, second-year students of the Tristain Academy of Magic were to perform perhaps the most sacred and important ritual in their lives: the Familiar Summoning spell. A spell created by Founder Brimir himself six thousand years ago, one that any mage with even a sliver of magical potential could cast. With it, all manner of creatures, both mundane and magical, would be brought forth from all over the world into the waiting arms of their masters. They would become bonded, and in doing so the true nature of a mage's magical affinity would be revealed. Professor Jean Colbert had been overseeing it for years, and never once did it grow dull. In fact, it was the day he looked forward to the most all year.

It certainly started as it usually did. Students, woken bright and early, were fed their breakfasts in the academy's dining hall before starting their classes for the day. Anticipation grew among the entire student body as the day wore on, and hardly any of them paid attention to their classes in favor of youthful boasting about what their familiars would be. It was said that the more powerful the familiar, the stronger the mage, so many of his students claimed they would certainly be summoning creatures such as dragons, griffons, or manticores. Hardly any actually did, only one or two actually doing so every few years. The vast, vast majority of summoned familiars were far plainer, by comparison, but no less impressive in Colbert's eyes. Each familiar spoke wonders about the mage who had summoned them, so they all had great meaning whether they were the tiniest ant to the largest dragon.

All of his students were excited, and it brought tremendous joy to Colbert's heart to see it. He did, however, pay special attention to one student in particular, one who placed far greater importance on this ritual than everyone else combined. It was no secret that Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière did not enjoy the greatest reputation among the student body nor faculty. Her difficulties with successfully performing magic had quickly grown infamous throughout the entire school. Each and every time she attempted to cast a spell, regardless of the element being used, the spell backfired and resulted in a spectacular explosion. Explosions that luckily never seriously injured anyone, at most dazing them for a few minutes, but typically resulted in plenty of damage to the academy itself. At first, her apparent failures were dismissed as simple mistakes, but by the end of the first semester, it had become quite clear that they were something else entirely. By the time the year ended, it was obvious to nearly everyone that Louise was incapable of casting magic.

She had already been subjected to ridicule by her peers and even dismissed as a lost cause by most of her teachers, with the cruelest remarks suggesting that she wasn't even a mage or noble but rather a bastard daughter born from an illicit affair with a commoner, but that realization only made things worse. Colbert suspected that only he truly was in her corner, and each time he saw her shrink in on herself after casting yet another explosion broke his heart. He had tried everything he could to help her. Access to study materials far above her year for independent research, independent study sessions after hours upon request, although those had unfortunately decreased in frequency as the year went on. He even made sure to step in whenever he could during bouts of teasing or outright bullying being directed at her by her classmates, often orchestrated by Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt-Zerbst. Her and Louise's families had been feuding for generations, so it was no surprise to him that pointless rivalry was continued here. The only real difference being that Louise wasn't able to effectively fight back outside of angry shouting and bluster. More than once had he directed both to detention when that feud got too hot, mostly after Louise was provoked by Kirche.

But, try as he might, Louise never showed by progress in controlling her magic. Despite being top of her class in magical theory, practical applications only resulted in an explosion. She couldn't even control the size or strength of her explosions, although part of Colbert wondered if that was simply because she wasn't putting in any practice in trying to in favor of casting correctly. That brought the two of them to today. The Familiar Summoning spell, with its capability of being cast by anyone able to use magic, was her last chance. If she successfully cast the spell, as Colbert prayed to the gods that she would, she would be proven a mage and allowed to stay enrolled at the academy. If not, he would be forced to expel her.

That was the last thing Colbert wanted. He knew what her reaction would be. To her, the Tristain Academy of Magic was her last hope of being accepted as a mage after a lifetime of failures, with none of her family's extensive efforts paying off. Being expelled would shatter her. Despite her typical bluster and defiant grandstanding, Colbert knew that Louise could feel the weight wearing down on her shoulders.

Still, as it was finally time to perform the ceremony during the afternoon, Colbert couldn't let himself focus entirely on just one student. He had to focus equally on everyone. And so he watched and observed, ready to step in at any moment as his students summoned their familiars one by one. As he predicted, the vast majority were mundane. Wolves, cats, birds, even a few insects and frogs. Others were magical, such as Kirche's salamander or Tabitha's impressive wind dragon. Being the top of her class in practical applications of magic, and second only to Louise in understanding magical theory, Colbert figured that if any of his students were to successfully summon a dragon it would've been her.

More important to him, though, was that each summoned familiar confirmed what the summoner's affinity truly was, even if he already had formed his own personal theories as to what they were. The spell, grand through its simplicity, always made sure to grab the most compatible familiar each and every time. Not just in magical affinity, but also temperament. It was why there were hardly any instances where a summoned familiar attacked their master prior to the contract being completed. Most students didn't focus on that part, though, in favor of what their familiar said about them. Wind mages typically summoned aerial creatures like birds, bats, wyverns, dragons, or manticores on the upper end of the scale. The summoned familiar for a Fire mage were creatures such as salamanders, fire ants, fire drakes, or other such creatures who thrived in hot environments. Earth mages summoned the denizens of the earth beneath their feet, including snakes and moles. Finally, Water mages summoned aquatic creatures, mostly amphibians as fish found it very difficult to survive outside of bodies of water. A few times, though, fish were summoned, which often forced a mage to conjure a floating ball of water for them to reside in.

Ove the course of a few hours, dozens of students successfully completed the ritual. Listening to the actual spell being cast quickly got boring, as nine times out of ten it was the exact same working being used with only the occasional minor flare thrown in for the sake of personal preference. Colbert preferred instead to focus on the results, ready to step in if needed but quite confident that he wouldn't have to. With each successful summon, his spirits grew, especially as the student in question returned to their friends where they would offer congratulatory remarks. Some of them would pepper their remarks with how their familiars were clearly superior, with Guiche de Gramont a particular example as he proudly declared his mole to be the greatest familiar summoned thus far.

Finally, it came time for the final familiars to be summoned, and Colbert focused his entire attention onto his portly student, Malicorne de Grandple, nervously stepped onto the middle of the summoning area.

"Whenever you are ready, Malicorne," Colbert gently called out with a soft smile. Malicorne turned back to look at him, then gulped before kneeling over and beginning to draw his summoning circle onto the ground. It was far from pristine, with plenty of squiggly or misshapen lines, and it looked as though one side was longer than the other. But it was sufficient, and so Malicorne stepped back, took a breath, and raised his wand to cast.

"My name is Malicorne de Grandple," he began, taking yet another nervous gulp. "Pentagon of the five elemental powers, heed my summoning…and bring forth…my familiar!"

There was a brief flash of light as the summoning circle glowed white, and when it subsided the circle was gone. Vanished, as though it was never there. In its place stood a white owl, confused as to where it was but not taking off. Around them, Colbert heard a polite applause at the successful summoning, and Colbert offered Malicorne a congratulatory smile and nod.

"Well done, Malicorne. Now then, please complete your familiar contract so that we may continue," he said proudly as Malicorne gently and nervously picked the owl up.

"Do…do I have to?" Malicorne asked, keeping his arm outstretched in order to keep the owl away from his face as far as possible while giving his professor an awkward smile.

"Yes, Malicorne. This ritual is sacred, and you cannot refuse what you have summoned," Colbert sternly yet gently reminded him.

Malicorne gulped loudly, then steeled himself as he closed his eyes and slowly leaned his face towards the owl. He puckered up his lips, then gently pressed them against the owl's head. As he pulled away, a faint light shone out from the point of contact, and underneath the downy mass of feathers a familiar rune was magically engraved. A small dot, as with all the others. Malicorne smiled proudly as the owl recovered from the unfortunate yet thankfully quick and small pain it felt as the run was branded, then it hooted happily while flapping its wings.

"I shall call you…" Malicorne said, then paused to think of a name. A moment later, he snapped his fingers then declared, "Cubasil!"

Once again, the sophomore class applauded as Malicorne returned to his group of friends. Colbert let out a smile as he looked at everyone bonded with their lifelong partners. He didn't say anything, content to allow his students this moment to themselves. Tomorrow there wouldn't be any classes, allowing them ample opportunity to bond further, but just a few minutes today wouldn't hurt.

Finally, he asked, "Is that everyone? Has everyone completed the test and summoned their familiar?"

No one answered at first, and Colbert nodded before saying, "Alright, then. Students, you are now—"

"Professor, wait," Kirche von Zerbst called out, raising her hand. There was a knowing smile on the dark-skinned Germanian girl's face, one that confused Colbert at first. She then stated, "I believe there's still one more person who hasn't gone yet."

It took a moment for Colbert to realize what she was talking about, but then his eyes widened in realization. He silently cursed himself at missing it. He had been so focused on watching everyone else that she had completely slipped his mind. Clearly the other students realized whom Kirche was referring to as well, and the mass of gathered students slowly parted to reveal Louise, who was trying her best to not be seen. Colbert sighed, especially as the previously excited looks that the students had were replaced by nervousness or even outright contempt.

He closed his eyes and shook his head, then asked, "Louise, have you taken your ritual yet?"

At first, Louise was silent, then she steeled herself and declared without any trace of nervousness, "No, Professor. I have not."

"I see," Colbert replied, forcing himself back into the role of teacher. "Please, step forward and complete the spell."

Heeding his direction, Louise stepped forward without breaking her stride. Ignoring the snide comments made behind her back about how she was going to fail or how she wasn't truly a mage, Louise stood before the center of the summoning area before beginning to draw her own summoning circle. Unlike nearly everyone else, her circle was practically flawless. A perfectly round circle with crisscrossing straight lines that formed a neat pentagram in the center. Only Tabitha's and Kirche's rivaled hers, yet it was clear that Louise's efforts were a step above them. Colbert realized that Louise must've been practicing on her own, and once again he silently prayed that his student would be successful.

At the same time, Colbert briefly shifted his attention towards the student body as their murmuring grew louder. After one particularly biting comment was made about how they would be glad to be rid of Louise once this was over, he had enough and sharply turned towards them.

"That's enough!" he shouted, causing all of his students to clam up immediately. He continued, "You will all be quiet as your classmate takes her test. Am I understood?"

The students nodded in agreement, but many of them nervously took a few steps back in anticipation of the coming explosion. With his back turned towards Louise, Colbert couldn't see the look on her face, but he knew she was appreciative regardless. With one final glare to ensure their compliance, Colbert turned around to face Louise as she focused on casting her spell.

"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière," she began, pointing her wand towards the summoning circle she had expertly crafted. "Pentagon of the five elemental powers, heed my summoning...and bring forth...my familiar!"

No explosion came, and at first Colbert thought that perhaps she had finally succeeded where she had previously failed. But, to his dismay, nothing came. The circle was inert, unchanged, and when Louise opened her eyes to see what she had brought up, her face fell.

"Louise," Colbert gently said, prepared to do the one thing he didn't want to do, but before he could say anything, Louise scrunched up her face and started over once again.

"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière," she declared, this time much more forcibly. "Pentagon of the five elemental powers, heed my summoning...and bring forth...my familiar!"

Once again, nothing happened, and Louise looked as though she was about to cry. With a sad frown on his face, Colbert stepped forward and gently placed his hand on her shoulder to say, "Louise, I'm sorry, but…"

"Professor, please. Just give me one more chance. I know I can do it, just…please," she begged, which surprised him. Ever since he had met the girl, she had never been one for begging. Her pride as the daughter of the Duchess Karin de la Vallière, the legendary Heavy Wind, was ever present, which only grew more pronounced as her failures mounted up higher and higher. With a sad frown on his face, what he long suspected was confirmed. Her prideful behavior thus far had been a defensive mechanism she had concocted over the years, one that was on the verge of completely breaking.

He knew he wasn't supposed to do this, but once again his sympathy for the young girl forced his hand. Colbert sighed and shook his head, then said, "Alright, you can have one more chance. But, if you fail, you won't get another."

"I understand, Professor. Thank you," Louise replied, giving him a thankful nod as he returned to his previous spot. At the same time, the other students began murmuring among themselves, not liking what they felt was an obvious display of favoritism. Colbert supposed it might've been, but he didn't particularly care. What he cared about more than anything was the well-being of his students, if he had to bend the rules a bit or even outright break them to do so, he gladly would.

Tapping his staff against the ground to get the frustrated students to silence themselves, Colbert let Louise try for a third and final time. He knew that, no matter what happened here, it would determine Louise's fate. He could only hope that it would be one that she wanted. After everything she'd been through, she deserved as such. Once more, Louise took a breath as she attempted to cast the spell. Only this time, instead of repeating the same spell that everyone else used, Louise sighed deeply before beginning to chant something he didn't recognize.

"My servant that exists somewhere in this vast universe," she boldly declared, hoisting her wand skyward as everyone else looked on in utter confusion. Like him, they had never heard this incantation before, and were left perplexed.

"My divine, beautiful, powerful familiar! I wish and assert from the bottom of my heart! Answer my guidance!"

Louise finished the spell by gently waving her wand in a circle, then pointed it straight in front of her. This time, after a second's pause, the air in front of her exploded. The force was enough to rock him back slightly and cover the courtyard in smoke, but otherwise the damage was remarkably small.

"Gag-gah! Just as expected!" a student declared while coughing into his fist. Other students were similarly coughing and making crass remarks regarding her infamous reputation, but Colbert ignored all of that to instead focus on his apparently successful student. His heart felt elated at what he assumed to be her first true success, proof that she actually belonged here.

Then the smoke cleared some more, and Colbert felt his excitement turn to shock. Instead of seeing Louise standing over her summoned familiar, as he had expected and hoped, he saw only an empty courtyard. There was nothing there, not even a crater in the ground where the summoning circle was drawn. It was, however, halfway signed, but otherwise was intact. Colbert's shock turned into horror, and he ran up to the spot while clutching his staff tightly.

"Miss Vallière? Where are you?" he called out, looking around to try and find her. It was at this moment that the rest of the student body began to notice her sudden disappearance, and their annoyed murmuring gave way to confused silence.

"Miss Vallière, this isn't funny! Come out right now!" he shouted, hoping that she had run off for some reason. Not a soul answered his plea, and his eyes narrowed to the size of pinpricks as an intense terror consumed his very soul.

"What…what happened?" a student fearfully asked.

"Louise?" Kirche quietly asked, along with a few other students who had begun to realize what had happened.

"Louise?! LOUISE?!" Colbert shouted one final time, but to his dismay, she did not answer. It was then that he realized that Louise was no longer there, and he sharply turned around to the rest of the students and yelled, "Return to your dorms immediately! Tabitha, alert Headmaster Osmund and the other teachers, then go straight to your dorm! None of you are to leave until I say so!"

"Yes, Professor," Tabitha quickly replied, then hopped on top of her dragon Sylphid to fly up to the center tower at the heart of the academy. The rest of the students began to quickly return to their dorms, fear and confusion gripping them just as it did to him. Kirche von Zerbst, to his surprise, was the last one to leave as she stared at the spot where they last saw Louise with a look of horror etched across her face.

"Miss Zerbst, return to your dorm now!" Colbert ordered, which snapped Kirche out of whatever trance she was in. With one final nod, she turned around and ran back to her dorm.

Colbert turned his attention back to the courtyard as Kirche ran off, and he began casting every single scrying spell he could think of to try and ascertain his wayward student's location. The only consolation he got was that there wasn't any blood on the ground, which he prayed to the Founder meant she was still alive.

But every spell came back empty, and to his dismay, it was as though Louise Vallière was never there at all. Desperation took hold as he kept trying, even as teachers began to rush over from across the school.

Today was supposed to be routine yet momentous, but now it had turned into a living nightmare. A disaster of epic proportions that he never would've considered until now. So focused on trying to find his wayward student, never once did he notice a faint green fairy-like creature flicker in and out of existence, followed by a small, slender pink cat who looked down at the academy playfully.


The entire academy had quickly been placed into lockdown following Louise's disappearance, the news of which spread among the entire student body and faculty like wildfire. An air of fear crept up, consuming all as they desperately tried to figure out just what had happened. But even after every single teacher scoured the entire academy, casting every scrying spell they knew, there was no answer toward Louise's whereabouts.

Headmaster Osmond, normally aloof, acted immediately with uncharacteristic seriousness and haste for the old man. Classes for all years were canceled indefinitely, teachers reassigned towards finding out what had happened to Louise while the students themselves were temporarily confined to their dorms. After a thorough patrol through the academy by all the teachers and the guards, only then were the students permitted to leave their rooms, but they weren't allowed to leave the academy grounds nor send any outgoing communication until Osmund said so. The former was simply a safety measure. Until they knew what was going on, the last thing they needed was more students to disappear.

The second, Colbert knew, was far more political. If word got out regarding the complete disappearance of one of their students, much less the third daughter of the influential Vallière family, it would be a tremendous blow to the entire institution. It likely wouldn't be crippling by any means; centuries of prestige and history couldn't be undone by just one act, but it was still a blow they did not need. At least, that's how Osmund justified the decision. Colbert still didn't like the secrecy, a general sentiment born from a long and dark career that he'd rather not dwell on, but at the very least Osmund did send a direct notice to the Vallière family.

It had been a day since then, and Colbert continued to bury himself in book after book, scroll after scroll in the heart of the academy's extensive libraries. Nothing was being left untouched as he scoured them for any hint of what had happened to Louise. So far, though, all of their efforts had been fruitless.

"DAMMIT!" Colbert cursed, throwing yet another book at the wall.

A loud thud echoed across the library, and it fell to the ground atop an ever growing pile of books and scrolls. He barely spared it a second thought as he immediately moved onto the next book and opened to the front page. Ancient text, written in the Founder's language, was proudly displayed, and Colbert began to translate thanks to a key he had uncovered. Normally, such a process would've taken hours, or even days for the larger volumes, but Colbert didn't have time for that. By now, he had gotten so proficient with the process that he was able to make a hasty, and by no means completely accurate, translation in just a few minutes by looking for keywords that invited further research.

"Treatise on Spirit Relations,'" Colbert translated, his scowl deepening as he read further. It didn't take long for him to determine that this was yet another dead end, and so he threw it away before moving onto a scroll.

As he unrolled it and began to read, he faintly heard footsteps coming up from behind him. Paying it no heed, Colbert dove further into his work, furiously translating before cursing under his breath and moving onto the next. He had long since lost count of how many he had gone through, and that was just by himself. Sequestered in their own offices and corners of the libraries, other teachers were undoubtedly working tirelessly towards solving this catastrophe.

Still, Louise was his student. His responsibility. He was the one in charge of overseeing her class's summoning, supposed to make sure that they did it correctly and, most importantly, safely. Colbert failed Louise on both accounts.

"Why did I ever let her do that damn summoning…?!" Colbert hissed, tightly gripping his bald head and bringing it down hard against the desk.

That was the worst thing about it. The only reason why Louise was in danger, whatever happened to her, was because he let her. Colbert had allowed his sympathy for the girl to cloud his judgement and let her try well beyond what she would've normally been allowed. Had any other teacher been in charge, they would've failed her after the first failed attempt and sent her home. Some of them might've even been happy to do it, eager to focus more of their attention onto more promising students rather than a supposed failure like Louise. He should've failed her after the first attempt, or at the very least prevented her from trying a third time. But he couldn't. Not after seeing that despondent, pleading look on her face.

Part of Colbert found it funny as he mirthlessly chuckled. A simple act of compassionate mercy, fueled by desperate hope, had flipped everything on its head. He could only hope that she wouldn't pay for his mistake.

"Professor!" a girl's voice cut in through the silence, startling Colbert. He sharply turned around his seat, his hand instinctively reaching for his staff, only to sigh in relief as he noticed two of his students looking at him.

"Ah, apologizes, Miss. Zerbst. You startled me," Colbert admitted, sheepishly smiling while Kirche von Zerbst smirked in genuine amusement.

"I could see that. Your nose was so buried into those books that I was afraid you were about to be sucked in," Kirche replied, the dark-skinned Germanian girl brushing her long red hair back. "Tabitha and I have been trying to talk to you for the past five minutes."

Colbert winched. It wasn't his intention to ignore his students, especially the two who volunteered to assist him in gathering data. Most of the books and scrolls he had been going through were actually gathered by them, and both Tabitha and Kirche were an invaluable help. Of course, he didn't know exactly why Kirche was helping him in the first place. It was no secret that she and Louise weren't exactly friends, yet when no one else even so much as stepped forward when he made his offer she did, Tabitha joining her friend right afterwards if only to keep an eye on her. Perhaps Kirche was feeling a pang of guilt over her supposed role in Louise's disappearance, her assistance a way to assuage herself. Or perhaps she just wanted the extra credit that Colbert offered, and if they did manage to find a way to bring Louise back, Kirche could hold it over her rival as an added bonus. Both were equally valid, in Colbert's opinion, but he preferred to think the former was the true reason why. Kirche may be wild and passionate, but at her core she was a good person, Colbert knew.

Refocusing himself, Colbert rested his staff against the table and asked, "Well, what did you two want to talk about? Did you find anything useful?"

Tabitha nodded, then answered, "We found a few more books and scrolls that looked like they may have something."

"Really old and dusty ones, too. Honestly, before today I never even knew that section of the library existed," Kirche added. Her interest piqued, then she asked, "Just how old is this library, anyway?"

"The Academy's archives stretch back for thousands of years. Only the Church's in Romalia are more extensive and complete," Colbert replied as he took the offered books from both of his students.

Colbert knew that, if nothing else, it was likely that the Church would have the answers as to what happened to Louise. More importantly, would likely have the answer to getting her back home to Tristain safely. But he sincerely hoped he wouldn't have to do that. Colbert had long since known intimately that the Church was far more than the benevolent foundation upon which the entire culture of Halkegenia rested upon. They were, by far, the most powerful institution in the entire continent, more so than any king or queen, and they were more than willing to do anything to ensure their grip on power continued. If asked, they probably would help Louise, but only after getting something in return, and Colbert wasn't certain if that price would be worth it. He'd only go to them if he had no other choice, not before.

Glancing out the window, Colbert noticed the twin blue and red moons rise into the night sky. Realizing just how late it was, he turned back to his students and said, "Miss Zerbst, Miss Tabitha, the two of you are excused for the night. I'll take it from here."

"Alright," Kirche replied, giving her professor a smile and wave before turning around to leave. "Come on, Tabitha. You and I both need our beauty sleep."

Tabitha didn't reply to her friend, staying still as Kirche walked off. The short, petite bluenette looked at Colbert with her characteristically dull eyes, yet there was a hint of concern in them that Colbert easily recognized.

"Get some sleep too, Professor," she advised, then turned around without saying another word.

Colbert watched as the two friends and classmates left the library, gently opening and closing the wooden doors behind them. A moment later, a tired yawn escaped from Colbert lips, and he suddenly felt tired. Propping himself back up with another spell, Colbert ignored the feeling just as he had all day. Since Louise disappeared, he estimated he only got roughly three hours of sleep, and that was only because Osmond made him. Until Louise was found, Colbert vowed to forgo sleep as much as possible. Louise couldn't afford any lost time. He'd go until he collapsed, if he had to.

One by one, Colbert began to translate and discard the newly gathered booked that Kirche and Tabitha had gathered for him. His coworkers, retiring for the night, bid him farewell as they left the library to get some sleep of their own, but Colbert didn't join them. The hours stretched on, and the pile of books and scrolls surrounding him grew larger and larger. More than one did he have to cast yet another spell just to keep himself going, and he was finding it harder and harder to do so. He didn't know how much longer he could keep doing this, but Colbert vowed to keep going regardless.

Finally, as the morning sun began to rise, Colbert was down to his last book. He was so tired, wanting nothing more than to lay down and sleep. But, with a tired yawn and droopy eyes, Colbert brought the book over to him. It was a thick tome bound in leather, an intricate design on its face. The texture of both the wrapping and the papers inside told Colbert that this book was old, with powerful preservation magic the only reason why it was still intact. He opened it to the first page, then began to translate.

"'Nature of Familiars,'" Colbert read aloud, then hummed. Finding it to be promising, Colbert continued to read, searching for any hints of an answer.

''The Familiar Summoning Ritual, simplistic in function yet divine in operation,'" Colbert spoke as he translated further. "'Perhaps no other spell can better define what a mage is. So universal, no mage has ever failed to cast it across many years of experiments, research, and refining. Truly a monument to the Founder's brilliance.'"

Colbert couldn't help but agree. To be able to devise a spell that anyone, regardless of affinity or strength in magic, was equally able to cast was nothing short of brilliance. He could only hope he'd ever devise something like it, but that was for another time. He continued to read, ignoring the sections that he already knew in favor of searching for things he did. As it went on, he grew more and more disillusioned. Looking to be yet another failure, he was prepared to toss it away and find another, only to stop as he reached the final pages.

"'Once the creation of the Familiar Summoning Spell was completed, the Founder didn't stop his research,'" he read. "'Following their exile from the Holy Land after the Great Calamity, Brimir became convinced that there was more to reach with the Familiar Summoning Spell. The ability to grab a familiar and bring them to the mage, no matter the distance, was too great of an opportunity to ignore, he told me. In time, the Founder began to theorize that one might be able to bring themselves to the familiar, rather than the other way around. He called this possibility a Reverse Summon.'"

Realizing that he had had a lead, and that this book was probably transcribed by one of the Founder's apprentices themselves, Colbert forgot his fatigue entirely as he refocused on translating. Reading to himself aloud, he continued, "'I do not know if he successfully managed to create a reverse summon spell before he died, nor did I understand his desire to create one in the first place. But I do know that, before he launched the Crusade to retake the Holy Land from the traitorous elves, he did fear that an unfortunate mage might suffer from one. As such, based off the summoning spell, the Founder managed to create a possible method of recovering a mage who performed a reverse summon, either accidentally or on purpose. It was his last creation before he died, and I can only pray that it'll never have to be used.'"

Colbert's breath hitched, and with wide eyes he turned to the next page. His breathing hastened, and for the first time since Louise's summoning a true smile broke out across his face. Jumping to his feet, Colbert sprinted through the doors just as his fellow teachers prepared to enter, moving right past them without stopping. A few students who had woken up early parted ways in surprise as their middle-aged teacher rushed by as he made his way straight towards Osmond's office at the top of the academy's central tower.

Nearly breaking down the door as he forced it open, Colbert shouted, "Osmond, I found something! We can-!"

The words died in his throat as he noticed that Osmond was not alone in his office. Instead, he was joined by a blond man with a thick, neatly groomed beard and mustache along with a woman with long pink hair, both of which were staring him down with glares that promised nothing but pain and suffering. Resting on the balcony outside the office was a manticore, busy resting itself after a long and hard flight. Colbert recognized them both, and nervously gulped.

"Duke and Duchess Vallière," Colbert greeted, stepping forward while holding the tome to his chest. "I wish it were under…better circumstances, but welcome to the—"

Duchess Karin Désirée de la Vallière immediately cut him off by pointing her sword wand directly at his throat, her killing intent filling the room. It was matched almost equally by her husband, and if looks could kill Colbert knew he'd be dead instantly. Osmond could only offer a sympathetic look in his direction, telling Colbert that he had been suffering through this exact same thing. If he had to guess, the Vallières had only just arrived, likely having left as soon as they got Osmond's letter.

"I will only say this once," Karin hissed, boring her eyes deep into Colbert's. "Where. Is. My. Daughter?"

[~][~].

Hello, everyone! Here's the next chapter of Outsiders! To everyone who guessed that Halkegenia was the source of the weird feeling that Louise felt this chapter, you would be correct as finally, almost four years after the story started, we finally show how the summoning ritual happened. You may notice that it is similar to how I did the scene in Familiar Evil. That would be accurate, but as I wrote both stories I feel perfectly justified in taking a bit of a shortcut. At the same time, it's also quite different with the academy managing to find a solution fairly quickly on their own. This was because Outsiders and Familiar Evil are two entirely different stories with different needs, and since the whole 'reverse summoning' element is fanon entirely not supported by canon, I can change things up however I want to accommodate both stories' needs.

How will the academy manage to rescue Louise? What will the reactions be for the students and faculty? And, most importantly of all, how will they survive a Mew running around and using the academy as a playground? Find out next time.

Now, onto the Q&A:

Regarding the whole issues with Mega Evolution, that was actually explained way back in early Season 1, elaborated upon at the beginning of Season 2. Essentially, the unique circumstances that brought Louise to Kalos, combined with her Void magic, made her appear to be a living keystone to mega stones. If she stays in prolonged contact with said stone, it'll recognize her as one and allow for a mega evolution to occur. That's why the Mega Beedrill happened. As for the thing with Auspice, that was simply her both not having a strong enough bond with Auspice to support it and that she didn't fully understand herself. Learning to overcome those issues, especially the latter, is going to make up a significant portion of her arc in Season 2.

And yes, we didn't reveal Korrina's last name in this chapter. Apologies about that, but we admittedly it did slip out minds. If it helps, her last name is her name in the French translations, so it would be Korrina Cornélia. Also, Saito did beat the same Lucario as Ash did, but it took his entire team to do it. So it evens out. You can expect more Mega Evolutions as time goes on, obviously. Now that the box has been opened, it makes little sense to not exploit its contents.

Response to a review to an earlier chapter, yes that was a reference to gabriel blessing's Hill of Swords. It's a famous and highly influential piece of Familiar of Zero fanfiction, so even if your views on it aren't entirely positive (I have good memories of it, but it sticks way too close to canon personally) I felt that I had to reference it in the context of the chapter.

That's it for this time. Let us know what you guys think, and if you have a TV Tropes page please feel free to help update it. We really appreciate it. See you all next time!